Brag#657

ISSUE NO. 657 APRIL 6, 2016

FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com

MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE

INSIDE

the

This Week

BL A CK S A BB AT H

They defined heavy metal, and now their work is done.

DRONES E H T A E R B O T FREEDOM

T HE BE A R D S

After more than a decade, the beardy dream is over.

DER A DOOR I A N

The former Dirty Projectors experimenter is on the solo trail.

S PA NI S H F IL M F E S T I VA L

Viva España! We explore five of the program highlights.

Plus

A NDR E W BIR D T HE PROCL A IME R S DAV IDSON BRO T HERS

AlexWilliamson8

LooseAussieBloke

shooterwilliamson

“gut-wrenchingly funny and the young crowd loved it” THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

“one hell of a ride... incredibly funny show” RIP IT UP

THU 12 MAY AT 9.15PM - ENMORE THEATRE BOOK AT SYDNEYCOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM.AU

THE SOMEDAYS

QUITE LIKE PETE EKKO

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 3

rock music news welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Gloria Brancatisano, Sam Caldwell James Di Fabrizio

songwriters’ secrets WITH

SEÁN VAN DOORNUM FROM EUSH sounded like to me. Anyway, I wrote a song inspired by Lantern about being in love and lonely and lost at sea.

The other stuff we wrote in that band was very experimental, Mr. Bungleinspired stuff.

2.

The First Song I Wrote 1.

Not sure if I remember the first song I wrote, but in high school I was in a band with my brother and friend Pete. I remember around that time

(mid-’90s) seeing a Sydney band called Lantern that blew my mind.

They were kinda like what the Pixies might sound like if they wrote sea shanties. Or at least that’s what it

The Last Song I Released The last song I released is the first track off our upcoming EP. The song is called ‘Awake’ and I wrote it after seeing a biographical film called Awake about Paramahansa Yogananda. I know it’s cheesy and a cliché to say but both the film and Yogananda’s autobiography had quite a profound impact on me. Also around the time I wrote ‘Awake’ I was listening to a lot of Neil Young and George Harrison, so wanted to write something reminiscent of that sound. ‘Awake’ was also a conscious attempt to steer away from the more brooding side of my previous songwriting.

Songwriting Secrets 3.

I’m intrigued about how/ when/why songs are written.

I guess it’s the communal sense of it that I like.

Sometimes it’s through hard work and method. Sometimes it’s just about being still and allowing the song to come to you. More often than not it seems like a puzzle that needs to be pieced together.

Though very occasionally a song will just fall out of your brain from nowhere in its entirety.

The Song That Changed My 5.

Life There’s been many but the most

The Song That Makes Me 4.

Proud I don’t know if I’ve written that song yet. But if I had to choose I think I’d pick a song that’ll be on the upcoming EP called ‘Repentance Song’. It’s an example of that kind of song that occasionally just spills out of your brain from nowhere. I like it because I don’t feel like I can claim ownership of it, unlike other songs that involved some kind of real work.

recent is pretty much everything by Cass McCombs. I was at a party a few years ago and his song ‘Windfall’ came on and I remember being breathless when I heard it. It really resonated with me, so much so that I kept playing it until my friend, whose party it was, kicked me off the turntables [laughs]. Cass McCombs’ song ‘County Line’ is also another favourite. There’s a song on the EP that I wrote that pretty much is just trying to rewrite ‘County Line’.

With: The Tambourine Girls, Leroy Lee Where: The Gasoline Pony When: Sunday April 10

Joe Bonamassa

Ganggajang xx

MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: Tyson Wray SUB-EDITOR: Sam Caldwell STAFF WRITERS: Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: Gloria Brancatisano, James Di Fabrizio, Joseph Earp, Amy Henderson, Zanda Wilson ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant COVER PHOTO: Ian Laidlaw PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar, D.A. Carter ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 9212 4322 les@thebrag.com Tony Pecotic - (02) 9212 4322 tony@thebrag.com PUBLISHER: Furst Media MANAGING DIRECTOR, FURST MEDIA: Patrick Carr - patrick@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 / 0402 821 122 DIGITAL DIRECTOR/ADVERTISING: Kris Furst kris@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 GIG & CLUB GUIDE COORDINATOR: Sarah Bryant - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock); clubguide@thebrag.com (dance, hip hop & parties) AWESOME INTERNS: Elias Kwiet, Zanda Wilson, Keiren Jolly, Amy Henderson REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Prudence Clark, Tom Clift, James Di Fabrizio, Christie Eliezer, Emily Gibb, Tegan Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Emily Meller, David Molloy, Annie Murney, Adam Norris, George Nott, Daniel Prior, Tegan Reeves, Natalie Rogers, Erin Rooney, Spencer Scott, Natalie Salvo, Leonardo Silvestrini, Jade Smith, Lucy Watson, Rod Whitfield, Harry Windsor, Tyson Wray, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address 100 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9212 4322 fax - (02) 9319 2227

SMOKIN’ JOE RETURNS

Hot off the heels of shredding his way through this year’s Bluesfest, the widely acclaimed guitarist Joe Bonamassa has announced he will return to Australia for a new string of shows. The sets will feature tracks from Bonamassa’s forthcoming album Blues Of Desperation.

With a career spanning 27 years, Bonamassa forged a name for himself playing alongside legendary guitarists such as B.B. King, as well as performing at festivals including Eric Clapton’s Crossroads, Montreal Jazz and more.

He’ll play the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House on Friday September 30.

WOLLOMBI LINEUP

Wollombi Music Festival, the family-friendly Hunter Valley event, has revealed the details of its 2016 lineup. Alongside a plethora of musical genres spanning blues, punk, dub, alt-country and more, Wollombi each year hosts markets, workshops, a kids’ festival and camping. As for the live music itself, the 2016 edition will feature Hot Potato Band, Lachy Doley Group, Kallidad, The Fumes, Dubarray, Luke Jon Shearer, Cheap Fakes, The Royal Artillery, Zoe K, King Tide, This Way North, Mat Brooker and a

THIS IS AUSTRALIA

Following the release of their new single, Ganggajang have announced a national run of dates, beginning in April. ‘Circles In The Sand’ marks the band’s first single in over a decade, and features the Gang’s four original members – Cal, Buzz, Geoff and Robbie – along with bassist Peter Willersdorf. The track will feature on the remastered release of Ganggajang’s self-titled debut album, before finding its place on a new record due later this year. The tour will take the band to capital city and regional stages across the country. See Ganggajang when they pass through Sydney at The Basement on Saturday April 16. silent disco. Wollombi Music Festival 2016 takes place two minutes outside the historic village of Wollombi on Saturday September 24.

SPLENDOUR ANNOUNCEMENT ANNOUNCED After far too much speculation over the 2016 lineup for Splendour In The Grass – or rather, speculation over who won’t be on the bill – we can finally rest assured in the knowledge that the first round of billings will be announced on Wednesday April 13. With recent lineups including the likes of Mark Ronson, Blur, Tame Impala, Outkast, Jack White and The Shins, next Wednesday is definitely a day to be excited about. Even more exciting, however, will be the

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THE BRAG

4 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

DISTURBED DOWN UNDER

Disturbed are making their way to Australia for a string of arena shows.

After the band went on hiatus in 2011, the heavy metal legends have returned with their sixth album and first release in over five years, Immortalized. With over 12 million record sales, countless accolades and a Grammy nomination under their belt, Disturbed have come a long way since first forming in 1994.

See them for yourself at the Hordern Pavilion on Sunday November 13.

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Disturbed

The Smith Street Band

weekend of Friday July 22 – Sunday July 24, when Splendour goes down at the North Byron Parklands, just outside Byron Bay.

PEAKING IN HEAVEN PARTY ON SMITH STREET

Melburnian punk rockers The Smith Street Band have announced that they’ll take their latest record, 2014’s Throw Me In The River, on one more lap around the country before they hit the studio to work on their next release. The four-piece have had a busy start to the year, kicking off 2016 with sets at Laneway and their own Weekend At The Wonk festival, and are currently on tour in the US. See The Smith Street Band in what will likely be your last chance for a while, supported by Luca Brasi, Joelistics and Jesse Lock Band, at the Metro Theatre on Friday June 3.

Chicago natives Twin Peaks have locked in their first-ever Australian tour, and Sydney is included on the schedule. It all comes in support of the band’s highly anticipated album, Down In Heaven, which spawned the lead single ‘Walk To The One You Love’. Twin Peaks have been playing to ever-increasing crowds, including festivals in the US and Europe such as Pitchfork, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds, and Roskilde. They’ll perform at Oxford Art Factory on Tuesday May 10. thebrag.com

Album out this Friday 8 April pre-order now via iTunes

Tickets on sale now tinpanorange.com/tours

CALLING ALL BANDS, SOLO ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS, THIS IS THE GIG YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS! YOU COULD WIN

A $10,000 PAID

RESIDENCY AT THE ICONIC

MARBLE BAR

ENTER VIA THE MARBLE BAR FACEBOOK PAGE BEFORE APRIL18TH PUBLIC VOTING COMMENCES APRIL 19TH-26TH GRAND FINALE NIGHT ON MAY 4TH BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 5

live & local

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Chris Martin, Zanda Wilson and Amy Henderson

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

speed date WITH

The Drones

LUCIA NEVILLE FROM A GIRL’S A GUN Mountains and the green room was a primary school classroom, filled with beer and Red Bull. It was pretty hilarious, and I must admit I felt a little bad but I got over it. It had a massive stage, great sound, awesome acts to watch and free beer. We have gone from that to playing a dirt patch in a car park behind a pub on the South Coast, shit sound, no free beer… it’s balance, I guess.

THE DRONES

The BRAG’s cover stars this week, The Drones, are at the peak of their powers.

It’s been over a decade since the former Western Australian (and now Melbournebased) rockers announced their talents with the seminal record Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By, a deserving winner of the first Australian Music Prize. Now they’ve returned with Feelin Kinda Free, a characteristically acerbic collection that deals as much with politics as it does poetry and loud, rumbling guitars. The Drones are touring the record around the country, rolling into the Metro Theatre on Saturday May 14 with Harmony and You Beauty, and we’ve got a double pass to give away to the show. Enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.

Current Playlist 4.

I can speak for me personally – I really dug Father John Misty when I saw him live Your Profile Keeping Busy 1.

I am Chi, the vocalist for Sydney rock 2.

We went full steam ahead playing band A Girl’s A Gun. I enjoy a cold beer on a festivals, tours, radio play, and recorded and hot day and red wine on a cold night but you will never really know me until you hear me sing. In the early days, A Girl’s A Gun and myself dabbled a lot in the blues and Southern rock sounds. We are evolving into a more solid rock sound. Like every band when they start, we wore our influences firmly on our sleeve.

We are now working on shaping a sound that is purely us.

released our debut EP Head Up Above The Clouds, which made Hard & Heavy Old’s top 100 albums of 2014. Then we spent a year rearranging the lineup and now we are ready to relaunch and do it all again with a new look, new sound, new lineup: bigger, better, faster.

Gig Ever 3. Best We played a festival in the Blue

Your Ultimate Rider 5.

No traffic and a parking spot would be nice. Chuck in some beer, no fuss.

What: Electric Lady Land With: Aimee Francis, Ex-Cassette Where: Brighton Up Bar When: Thursday April 14

Verge Collection photo by Dan Grant

Wild Honey

at the Opera House; I love his honest lyrics. I have always girl crushed on Alison Mosshart and I always will; she is my spirit animal.

Verge Collection

ON THE VERGE OF SUCCESS

SWEET LIKE HONEY

Bondi boys Wild Honey are building on the foundations of their debut EP, released in November, with a single launch this weekend. Songwriter Thom Moore and co. will be sharing their new track, ‘Truth’, with Hiaground and Morning TV handling support duties for what is sure to be a fun-filled show. It’s all happening at Brighton Up Bar this Friday April 8.

A YEAR OF RARE FINDS Sean Simmons

Rare Finds will be taking over both rooms at Oxford Art Factory to celebrate turning one. After a year of monthly curated events, Rare Finds will be blowing out the candles on Saturday April 16. The milestone celebrations will feature a huge lineup including headliners Deep Sea Arcade and Lime Cordiale. Also helping to cut the cake will be Owen Rabbit, Good Boy, Hedge Fund, Lily and The Bellows, Billy Fox and Ross Henry. Hip hip, hooray!

The Tambourine Girls

NO SPOILER ALERT

6 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

THIS IS THE GIG YOU’RE LOOKING FOR

Don’t look for your Wednesday kicks in Alderaan places. Instead, get star struck at Valve Bar this May with some acoustic music goodness made especially for Star Wars fans.

Rachel Maria Cox, Ess-Em, Alex Sepansky, Billy Puntton and Antonia Susan will feature at a May The 4th Be With You show on (you guessed it) Wednesday May 4. This combination of forces at such a magnitude doesn’t happen frequently in our rim of the galaxy, so grab your cape, grab your buddy and tell your crew, because you certainly can’t go solo. At $10 a pop, you and your

sweet, sweet costume will be chewing on the goodness these guys will pack in.

ALL YOU CAN EAT AT FRANKIE’S

The fine people at Frankie’s Pizza are about to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Their famous pizzas are served fresh out of the oven every day of the week, but on Wednesdays from 6-9pm, $15 will now get you all the pizza you can eat. There’s no better way to warm up for the venue’s weekly live music offerings, including this Wednesday April 6’s headliners Mucho Sonar. Also on the schedule this week are Steve Edmonds Band on Thursday April 7 and Desecrator on Sunday April 10.

IT’S A GAS

Autumn has dawned, but that’s no excuse for feeling blue when a great local venue like The Gasoline Pony has so much live music going on.

Marrickville’s favourite neighbourhood bar is hosting nightly gigs for the rest of this week, spanning genres from indie to jazz. First up it’s Sean McMahon, Elwood Myre and Callum Wylie on Wednesday April 6, followed by The Lee Three, Liz Clear and Jo Meares on Thursday April 7. The Bravados will bring the retro vibes on Friday April 8, then it’s Gravy Train on Saturday April 9, and a big finish to the weekend with The Tambourine Girls, Leroy Lee and Eush on Sunday April 10. You beauty.

thebrag.com

Xxxx photo by xxxx

The Union Hotel will see Sean Simmons play an exclusive show this week as part of his national solo tour. Simmons is the founder and key songwriter of Melbourne band The Spoils, who have released three studio albums and toured across the country and internationally since they were conceived in 2001. Don’t miss this unique chance to see their frontman in a solo setting, with special guest Ed Clayton-Jones. The gig is at the Union on Thursday April 7.

Perth dolewave proponents Verge Collection are in town this week for a series of shows (because why fly all this way for just one gig, right?). ‘Class Of 09’ is the latest single from the Western Australians, whose 2016 calendar already includes festival billings at Groovin The Moo and In The Pines, plus a recent support slot for Cold War Kids. Their Sydney triple header begins at the Marlborough Hotel on Thursday April 7, followed by The World Bar on Friday April 8 and the Captain Cook Hotel on Saturday April 9.

Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer

BIGSOUND BACK FOR 15TH YEAR Brisbane’s Bigsound music industry conference and showcase returns for its 15th year from Wednesday September 7 – Friday September 9. Earlybird tix and artist registrations are open on its website. 150 acts will play 15 Fortitude Valley venues in front of delegates from around the world. Among those who kick-started their careers at Bigsound were Courtney Barnett, Flume, RĂœFĂœS, Seth Sentry, Gang Of Youths, DMA’s, Kingswood, The Temper Trap, Megan Washington, DZ Deathrays, Ball Park Music, San Cisco, Boy & Bear, Kimbra, The Jezabels, The Naked And Famous, Bertie Blackman and Methyl Ethel.

New co-programmer Maggie Collins has joined the outgoing Nick O’Byrne to create “a provocative and joyful Bigsound 2016�.

AUSSIE PUBLISHING LEGEND RETIRING Bob Aird, a 40-year veteran of Australia’s music publishing business, is retiring to pursue his hobbies of boating and travelling.

He is the managing director of Universal Music Publishing Australia, and before that headed Rondor Music. His signings included Wolfmother, Don Walker, Paul Kelly, Jet, Joe Camilleri, The Potbelleez and Lee Kernaghan.

Other career highlights were signing Qantas to a 20-year, multimillion-dollar global ad with ‘I Still Call Australia Home’, digital licence

Lifelines Engaged: Eagles Of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes and girlfriend Tuesday Cross after he brought her onstage during their Fremantle show and proposed.

Ill: Australian metal act Darkyra have postponed a European tour after singer Darkyra Black (Gina Bafile) was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.

Hospitalised: Five Finger Death Punch singer Ivan Moody in his hometown Denver for an undisclosed reason, forcing them to cancel Aussie dates.

Suing: Jay Z is taking action against Norwegian/Swedish company Aspiro AB, original owner of the Tidal streaming service, for exaggerating the number of users before he bought it for US$56 million last March.

Jailed: Prominent Angolan rapper Ikonoklasta (Luaty Beirao) for five-and-a-half years with 16 other activists by a kangaroo court for “planning a rebellion against President JosĂŠ Eduardo dos Santosâ€?. To wit, discussing a book about non-violent resistance at a monthly book club. He’s been a critic of the government, calling for a fairer distribution of the African state’s oil wealth.

Sued: Flo Rida for US$390,000 for sending 23 members of his entourage in his place to a star-studded post-Grammys charity bash at the Playboy Mansion. Apparently the 23 were “obnoxious� and allegedly brawled with other guests.

Suing: Brandy is hitting her record label Chameleon Entertainment Group, claiming it won’t allow her to record new music until she signs a new record deal. She wants the judge to cancel her deal, which calls for four more albums.

Died: Ronnie Ryan, long-time presenter of Friday night show Make Mine Country with his wife Shirley on Sydney community radio station WowFM 100.7.

Died: bassist Joe Skyward (The Posies, Sunny Day Real Estate), 57, cancer.

Died: Andy ‘Thunderclap’ Newman, best known for 1969’s chart-topping ‘Something In The Air’, aged 73. The one-time postal worker was spotted by The Who’s Pete Townshend, who produced the track.

thebrag.com

THINGS WE HEAR • Has an international rock star decided to get married during an Australian visit and asked his promoter to organise it? • Good heavens, was One Direction’s Harry Styles asked for a selfie at his grandmother’s funeral? • Sydney’s Chinese Laundry made a re-entry into DJ Mag’s world’s best clubs poll at number 80 – the only Aussie venue to make the list, which was topped by Space Ibiza. • A drunk clubber at Brisbane’s The Met was hospitalised with pelvic fractures after being crushed by an elevator. He’d stumbled into the elevator shaft thinking it was the loo. • Were the facial injuries to an executive really caused by a “flying dildoâ€?, as he cheerfully imparted to friends? • Which band’s reunion dinner at a cafĂŠ was stopped by the venue

because they were laughing so much and so loudly that other patrons were getting pissed off? • Is there a movement in NSW by musicians to blacklist venues whose security doesn’t protect them from drunks who abuse them or tamper with their equipment? • Was AC/DC’s Brian Johnson’s hearing ruined by him not wearing earplugs while in race cars, and not the band’s high volume? • Avicii says this year’s world tour “will be my lastâ€?, with the 26-year-old giving up his globetrotting lifestyle “for the life of a real person behind the artistâ€?. • Among April Fools’ Day pranks were Nine’s Today cast scaring the hell out of their New Zealandborn entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins by reporting on a new rule that Kiwis based in Australia must pay ten per cent of superannuation to help its economy (Wilkins started to work out on air how much it’d cost until

negotiations with APRA AMCOS that saw Universal establish itself as a PanPac digital hub, and a deal with New Zealand’s Dawn Raid that yielded the global hit ‘Swing’ by Savage.

the penny dropped), and inthemix claiming the NSW Government wanted to ban all dancing in Sydney after 1am except at the two casinos. • ARIA certifications this week: the first gold for Hilltop Hoods’ Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung and a third platinum for Justin Bieber’s Purpose.

On the singles side, it’s a platinum for ‘Cheap Thrills’

by Sia (whose name will adorn the new Institute for Contemporary Music and Media in Adelaide) and ‘Roses’ by US DJ duo The Chainsmokers, who did a masterclass for ten aspiring Sydney DJs earlier this week in a comp run by iHeartRadio. • The Edge says U2 have 50 songs for a new album, and will tour “sooner rather than laterâ€?. • Norwegian feminist punk band Slutface reluctantly changed their name to Sløtface following what they described as “social media censorshipâ€?.

Cooking Vinyl Australia has launched a publishing division, run by ex-Peermusic managing director Matthew Donlevy. Based in Sydney, Donlevy will sign local writers for international development. “With support and infrastructure of an international music company behind me, I can’t wait to start signing some amazing songwriters,� he said. CVA’s recording operation continues in Melbourne, where it was set up in 2013 by ex-Shock execs Leigh Gruppetta and Stu Harvey, and had a number one album with Parkway Drive and a top five from City And Colour.

the review that live music venues and popular bars should be exempt from 1:30am lockouts and 3am closing times if they have no history of violence. She will also suggest that a way to cut down violence would be to stop clustering clubs in zones and to only grant venues liquor licences for specific periods (rather than indefinitely), to ensure they are accountable.

Both sides of the lockout debate have quoted various statistics to support their arguments.

A survey of 23,000 people by lifestyle network The Socialites found 69 per cent wanted the entry lockout time abolished and 77 per cent thought the government’s handling of the issue was “inadequate�. However, St. Vincent’s Hospital trauma surgeon Dr. John Crozier, representing the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, revealed that since the lockouts, the number of patients needing surgery for facial injuries was down by 60 per cent.

JOSH PYKE JOINS PPCA BOARD

SELECT/VERGE SIGN BAIN

COOKING VINYL LAUNCHES PUBLISHING

Josh Pyke has been voted onto the PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) board as artist representative alongside Lindy Morrison. He will serve for two years, and replaces Megan Washington, who stepped down due to touring commitments. Pyke says he’ll use his position to help emerging artists sustain a career and to increase radio quota for local acts. Pyke kicks off a national 32-date tour on Thursday May 26 in support of his fifth album But For All These Shrinking Hearts, which hit number two on the ARIA chart.

MASSIVE SIGN WITH UNITED Sydney outfit Massive has signed global live representation with the UK’s United Talent Agency. Veteran bookers Paul Ryan and Ben Ward loved advanced copies of the band’s upcoming second album Destination Somewhere and are booking tours for the UK and Europe this year. Massive, managed

by Australia’s Third Verse, have a worldwide record deal with Earache.

‘LAYLA’ CREDIT DISPUTE In her new memoirs Delta Lady, Rita Coolidge has revealed she wrote the piano section in Derek and The Dominos’ 1971 classic ‘Layla’.

She and her then-boyfriend Jim Gordon of The Dominos had written a piece ‘Time (Don’t Get In Our Way’, which they played to Eric ‘Derek’ Clapton, hoping he’d record it. Instead he dropped the lyrics and tacked it on to the end of his own song – and Coolidge says she was rudely dismissed when she asked to be credited.

SYDNEY LOCKOUT ROUNDTABLE BEGINS The first of the New South Wales Government’s three roundtable discussions on Sydney’s night-time economy began last week, with global coverage from CNN and Pollstar. There were reps from business, live music, transport, health, police, tourism and the arts, among others. Keep Sydney Open reports that “there are many other organisations onside� with the live music sector. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Lord Mayor Clover Moore will tell

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Sydney booking agency Select and its artist management roster Verge Management have signed 21-year-old Perth-based multiinstrumentalist Morgan Bain. He has been working on tracks for his forthcoming EP with producer Joel Quartermain (Eskimo Joe, Meg Mac), along with playing shows across Western Australia and the east coast.

COMMUNITY RADIO AWARDS Entries are open for the 2016 CBAA Community Radio Awards, which this year will be held at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne’s Albert Park on Saturday November 12. There are 20 categories covering excellence in music programming, fundraising, new music programs, small stations, indigenous music, volunteers and significant contribution to music.

The deadline for entries is Sunday May 8.

UNFD SIGNS THE BRAVE UNFD’s new signing is Brisbane metalcore band The Brave, who just dropped new track ‘Searchlights’ before an east coast tour this month. Singer Nathan Toussaint says that when they formed, they planned to just play gigs and write songs. They never thought they’d get a record deal, “let alone a label like UNFD, which has a roster full of bands that we look up to and draw inspiration from�.

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VALE PAUL HOLDEN Hooked on to the visual and audio spectacle of EDM at the age of ten, Sydney DJ Paul Holden went on to become what the DJs United website described as “one of the single biggest contributors to the advancement of dance music and dance events in Australia�.

The owner of a huge vinyl collection, his style spanned hard house/NRG, old-school and happy hard. In 1980 he started as resident DJ at the Exchange Hotel and pioneer gay club Patchs. His name became synonymous with Field Of Dreams, Stun!, Bacchanalia, Sleaze Ball, the Mardi Gras Party and Jack The House. He also was a mentor to younger spinners and his passion for animal welfare saw him a regular fundraiser for Humane Society International. Holden died at 51 after a fall at his home.

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BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 7

LISTEN AND LEARN

S

everal years ago, popular consensus elevated The Drones to ‘great Aussie band’ status. It wasn’t exactly a hasty nomination – last year the band celebrated the tenth anniversary of the mission-stating opus, Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By – but such a designation could mislead listeners into thinking The Drones are past their prime. Contrary to this perception, however, on their latest two releases – 2013’s I See Seaweed and last month’s Feelin Kinda Free – The Drones certainly haven’t played it safe.

Both records have taken the band’s sound and thematic focus into newly hair-raising territory, and done so via distinctly different means. I See Seaweed upheld The Drones’ guitar-driven sound and frontman Gareth Liddiard’s organ-extracting snarl, while also introducing grandiosity worthy of a film score. Feelin Kinda Free, meanwhile, boldly departs from all that’s come before.

“There’s always something – like I’ll go, ‘We didn’t do this last time. Let’s try this,’” says Liddiard. “Simply because we haven’t done it, that’s why we’d be interested in it. We just try not to get bored.”

8 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

serious grooves from drummer Christian Strybosch.

Front and centre are Liddiard’s vocals: his diction is sharper than ever, allowing for the lucid transmission of some of the most incisive and politically potent lyrics of his career. Nowhere is this more evident than on lead single ‘Taman Shud’ – a three-minute outburst of vitriol that shoves a spear into the manifold moral failings seen throughout Australian history.

However, despite such moments, Liddiard wasn’t looking to make a political album.

“I’m not being Warren Jeffs or David Koresh or some cult leader. I don’t want to go down that route,” he says. “I think it’s silly that anyone would want to listen to me. I did an interview [recently] and the guy was asking me all these really political questions. It’s like, ‘I don’t fuckin’ know. I’m a guitar player, I’m a musician. I make albums.’

It’s not didactic. It’s almost like I’m broadcasting a situation of the emotional weather in my head.”

That may be so, but Feelin Kinda Free’s political relevance cannot be denied. ‘Then They Came For Me’ alludes to the millions of refugees currently living in limbo all across the planet, while ‘Boredom’ is more specific, adopting the perspective of an Arabian native who has migrated to Australia. Then there’s the closing track, ‘Shut Down SETI’ – a grotesque indictment of the ongoing search for extra-terrestrial intelligence.

“The SETI thing… [it’s] a bit silly to worry about that,” says Liddiard. “I don’t think they should shut down SETI. Their modus operandi for the last 40 years has been to listen, and they’re always going to do that.

“WE LISTEN TO EVERYTHING, FROM HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC TO STRAVINSKY. IF YOU ONLY LISTEN TO THE RAMONES AND JOHNNY THUNDERS, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO GET ANYWHERE.”

“That’s fine. I don’t think we should broadcast it, but I don’t think it should be shut down. I just think it’s a really stupid thing to write a song about. So [I thought], ‘Let’s write a song about it.’”

‘SETI’ might seem like an odd sendoff for the record, but given Feelin Kinda Free’s preoccupation with human fuck-ups, it proves an apt conclusion. The actual finale consists of a conceptually motivated sequence of truly diseased white noise.

“It has the end of the world there.

There’s a big fight at the end,” says Liddiard. “It’s based on Orson Welles’ The War Of The Worlds. In the end it’s like static noise and a guy off in Coney Island or somewhere trying to radio Manhattan. He just keeps repeating, ‘Do you read me?’ and he’s not getting any reply. It’s really eerie and creepy. It’s genius. That last [sound] at the end of ‘SETI’, it’s the end of the world – it’s the desolation. That bit before it with all the synthesizers and shit, that’s the aliens killing us. It’s silly. People go, ‘Oh, that’s really intense.’ No

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

it’s not – it’s a bunch of drunk idiots fucking around. It’s funny to do that.

It’s good to be obnoxious.”

formulaic repetition. But Liddiard and The Drones see no choice but to keep moving forward.

Feelin Kinda Free was recorded at the band’s recently established Melbourne studio space, Tropical Fuck Storm Studios, and released via the corresponding Tropical Fuck Storm Records. The fact Liddiard and co. have taken such matters into their own hands implies a desire to avoid any outside intervention. This isn’t too far from the truth, and The Drones are also eager to keep expanding their following. However, as for commercial concerns impacting on their creative process, Liddiard scoffs at the notion.

“I’m in it to win it, and that’s just cause I’m a knob, cause it’s fun.

We did a tour years ago with You Am I, and they’re the same. They’re not where they are because they’re sitting around smoking bongs all day. They’re in it to win it, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

When we toured with You Am I, from the get-go it was like, ‘We’re going to try and play you off stage every night. So be ready.’ And they were like, ‘All right, you fuckin’ dickheads. Do your worst.’ Some nights we’d win and they were like, ‘Fuck you.’ And then other nights they’d destroy us and we were like, ‘Fuck you.’

“It’s not a noble thing, it’s nothing to do with integrity; it’s just we can’t be fucked. It’d be really boring to have to sit there in a recording studio and make something that you didn’t want to make. But then, we want to get bigger, just because we’d get paid more. We don’t get paid much.

It’s a bit above the poverty line, but then we get all this spare time.

If we can get into, say, America, if we can make that bigger, it’ll help.

If we can’t, then it’s a bummer, but we can’t, eh? You want to take advantage of what’s there, but it’s solely economical. And I know that sounds mercenary, but it’s not egotistical. It’s solely, ‘I wouldn’t mind a bit more money so I can fix the car.’”

Feelin Kinda Free marks The Drones’ seventh album, and is set to preserve their standing as a great Aussie band. More significantly, though, it’s indicative of the group’s unblemished creative curiosity.

More often than not, bands struggle to retain the vitality of their early material, which causes them to either capsize or fall into a path of

“As long as you listen to everything, you’ll be alright. We listen to everything, from Hungarian folk music to Stravinsky. If you only listen to the Ramones and Johnny Thunders, you’re never going to get anywhere. You will just stay in one place. And the Ramones are great, Johnny Thunders is really good, but fuck listening to that shit when you’re in your 50s. It’s like adults who read Harry Potter. It’s bad. Dostoevsky is for adults, not Harry Potter. It’s like a 50-year-old listening to Led Zeppelin and not getting that it’s really corny. It’s like a 25-year-old listening to The Wiggles and not getting that it’s a bit simple. It’s so strange to get stuck.”

What: Feelin Kinda Free out now through Tropical Fuck Storm/ MGM With: Harmony, You Beauty Where: Metro Theatre When: Saturday May 14 thebrag.com

The Bennies photo by Ian Laidlaw

Feelin Kinda Free still sounds unmistakably like The Drones – to be sure, anything featuring Liddiard’s voice will be instantly recognisable. However, the album sees Liddiard and fellow guitarist Dan Luscombe throttle their instruments in order to produce unsettling electronic sounds, ably complemented by Steve Hesketh’s synth work. Holding things steady is Fiona Kitschin’s pert bass playing, backed up by some

THE DRONES

DEMOLITION

JANIS: MAGGIE’S PLAN LITTLE GIRL BLUE

SING STREET

Jake Gyllenhaal shines alongside Naomi Watts in Jean-Marc Vallée’s darkly comic drama about a man attempting to rebuild his life after the devastating loss of his wife.

Uncompromising rocker Janis Joplin, as you’ve never known her before: an eye-opening documentary featuring unseen footage, private letters and interviews with band members.

Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore star in this witty New York comedy about modern relationships from writer-director Rebecca Miller (The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, SFF 2009).

John Carney’s latest is a beguiling portrait of ’80s Dublin, complete with stone-washed denim, wild haircuts and a nostalgic soundtrack of The Cure, Duran Duran and The Police.

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!!

SONITA

UNDER THE SHADOW

ESSENTIAL SCORSESE: SELECTED

8 –19 JUNE Take a sneak peek at the first 25 films from this year’s program at sff.org.au

BY DAVID STRATTON

Richard Linklater’s followup to Boyhood (SFF 2014) is an infectiously funny ‘spiritual sequel’ to his cult classic Dazed and Confused about college kids in the early ’80s.

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This year’s winner of the world documentary Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance is the story of how a gutsy Afghani refugee’s love of rap music changed her life.

In war-torn Tehran, an evil entity invades the apartment of a mother and her young daughter. Babak Anvari’s debut combines scary supernatural suspense and potent cultural commentary.

A retrospective of 10 specially imported 35mm prints of films by one of the world’s most influential directors, curated by one of Australia’s great masters of film criticism.

FULL PROGRAM 11 MAY

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www.gasolinepony.com BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 9

The Murlocs The Young And The Sightless By Patrick Emery

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idway through my discussion with Ambrose Kenny-Smith – lead singer, harmonica player and songwriter with The Murlocs – the conversation veers into a discussion of the deviant behaviour of serial killers. KennySmith’s interest in serial killer documentaries inspired the lyrics to ‘Wolf Creep’ on The Murlocs’ new album Young Blindness; my own Adelaide background leads me to offer a brief history of Adelaide’s notorious ‘Family’ serial killings in the early 1980s.

“We’ve had this weird curse with Adelaide,” says Kenny-Smith when I ask him if The Murlocs have ventured to the South Australian capital. “The first time was alright, the second time our friend who we’d brought along to drive had lost his X1000 video camera along with the keys to the rental car, so the next day we had to fork out for a new car, and long story short, we lost all the tour money. And the next time we played, which was on our last tour, the bass player had an allergic reaction and we had to play as a four-piece. So Adelaide’s been interesting!”

Such challenging touring moments aside, The Murlocs’ experience over the last couple of years has been a mixture of progress and delay.

In early 2015, the band entered

“I like to keep it pretty in-your-face … to find as warm a sound as we can, but also keeping it scruffy.”

the studio with Stu Mackenzie (the enigmatic psychedelic auteur behind King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard) to record a second album.

But despite those sessions taking just a week, it took over a year for the record to finally be released.

With the runaway success of King Gizzard – with whom Kenny-Smith and Murlocs guitarist Cook Craig also play – the logistics of finishing the album proved particularly difficult.

That said, Kenny-Smith says The Murlocs are gradually becoming more pragmatic in their attitude to recording and mixing. The songs on Young Blindness were written originally by either Kenny-Smith or guitarist Cal Shortal, though typically on the basis of rough song sketches that were finished by the band together.

“I think The Murlocs have become pretty formulated without meaning to,” Kenny-Smith says. “Most of the time, Cal or I will come up with ideas and then flesh it out with the rest of the dudes. With this record, a few of the songs were more so mine, coming up with them on guitar and bringing it to the rest of the guys.

But most of the time it kind of comes out in a similar kind of vibe to what we’ve always done. There’s not really a huge concept in the music, more so in the lyrics.”

Kenny-Smith says he was keen for Young Blindness to capture the distinctive tremolo production aesthetic of ’60s garage records, but it was also important for the record to reflect the band’s soul influences.

“This record was recorded with Stu Mackenzie, who’s not only a close friend of ours but he also knows what we want. The first EP was a bit hit-and-miss, but we got more of what we should’ve sounded like in the second one. We aspired to that garage ’60s type of sound, but

we also tried to get this soulful vibe going, and we also like a lot of punk music too, so it kind of gets thrown in the middle somewhere. Most of the time I like to keep it pretty inyour-face, but not too… my voice can come across too squealing, pinching, something like that. I like to find as warm a sound as we can, but also keeping it scruffy.”

Kenny-Smith concedes that his contemplation of the appropriate tracklist for the album was part of the cause of the delay in finishing the record. “I mucked around a lot with sequencing, but I’m pretty happy with it now – I can still listen to it today, which is a good sign.”

The final sequence, Kenny-Smith says, arguably reflects how The

Murlocs work: “Ideas start off promising, then they go grim, and by the end of it we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We sit on songs for a bit too long sometimes, and we don’t really question our material until after we’ve been playing it for quite a while. That’s probably where we lack the most – we’re happy with the first product, and then much further down the track, we realise it has to change for the better.”

What: Young Blindness out now through Flightless/Remote Control With: Crepes Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Thursday April 14 xxx

While Shortal’s contributions have tended to derive from the guitarist looping riffs, Kenny-Smith has focused on writing specific guitar melodies, which he then complements with lyrical ideas conceived during his travels. “Now and again, especially when we go away with Gizzard, I used to try and write something every day, whatever stream-of-consciousness sort of

thing,” Kenny-Smith says. “But more and more so, I just try to get a melody going on the guitar and then figure out the words later – it can be either/either.”

The Proclaimers Enduring Voices By Augustus Welby teens and in their 20s. As you get older, the music you hear in your teens and your early 20s is the stuff that stays with you.

“The internet has revolutionised the way that people put music out and the way they receive it, but for us it’s still about writing a song and then the two of us getting together and playing it with a piano or with a guitar just over and over again until it’s sitting right. We make the demos that way – just two voices and the guitar.”

Despite the simplicity of this method, Let’s Hear It For The Dogs is a stylistically varied album. Across 13 tracks, The Proclaimers touch on conventional folk and baroque balladry as well as Scott Walkerlike chamber pop and amped-up rock’n’roll.

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“As the years go by, I think it kind of matters more,” he says. “When you’re young, you don’t really think about it.

Even if you’re playing a place that’s a bit scuzzy, you think, ‘Oh, this is great,’ and whatever. But as you get older, I think you appreciate it when you play those places, and the fact 10 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

there’s still an audience there to see you. We certainly don’t ever take it for granted. I think we did 68 shows last year, I think we’re doing more this year – I think we’re doing over 80 shows this year. So it’s very busy and we’re pleased there’s still an audience there for us.”

experienced an electronic music revolution, several evolutions in hip hop and a general relaxation of genre boundaries, aided by the accessibility offered by the internet. The Reid brothers feel no urge to assimilate, but they’re not oblivious to the context into which they’re releasing music.

This visit comes off the back of last year’s Let’s Hear It For The Dogs – the tenth LP written by Craig and his brother Charlie since they formed the band in the early 1980s. The Scottish duo’s major breakthrough came with their second LP, 1988’s Sunshine On Leith, which featured the global mega-hit ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’.

Lots has happened in the music world in the ensuing years – we’ve

“I think you should keep up with what’s going on,” says Craig. “Charlie and I are 54 and you don’t get the same thing about music when you’re 54 as when you’re 14 or 24. I try and listen to the radio and I try and keep up with what’s going on, but I’m at the stage where I’d rather be writing stuff and playing it than listening to someone else. I think music makes the most impact on people in their

“When I’m writing songs, I just try to forget I’ve ever written a song before, put everything out my mind and just

Lyrics are central to The Proclaimers’ appeal, as well as the Reids’ raw, personable and distinctly Scottish voices. Although Craig attempts to ignore all his previous achievements when working on new material, the fact of the matter is he’s written hundreds of songs. One wonders if he’s ever concerned about running out of lyrical ideas.

“I think if we run out of things to write about, we’ll just give up. I occasionally think about that, and I actually think no – I don’t think it’ll happen. Both Charlie and I have always been interested in writing songs about really varied subjects.

We’ve written political songs and love songs, but if we can find a subject we haven’t heard used very often, then we’re interested in doing it.

“When it comes to the lyrics, generally I don’t know what a song’s going to be about. Most of the time – nine times out of ten – I’ll get a completed tune first, and I won’t know what it’s about until I’ve got the first two, three lines down.

Sometimes you get the lyrics first, but most times it is the music. So I don’t fear that. If you get to the stage where you’re just not writing stuff that you’re interested in, then it’s best to stop.”

What: Let’s Hear It For The Dogs out now through Cooking Vinyl Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Saturday April 16 thebrag.com

The Proclaimers photo by Murdo Macleod

ver since The Proclaimers first toured Australia in 1989, their local following has remained loyal, resulting in half a dozen subsequent visits. This month they’ll take the stage at the Sydney Opera House and several similarly revered venues around the country. Nearly 30 years after their international breakthrough, vocalist Craig Reid values the band’s ongoing popularity.

“I think most of the songs kind of suggested the arrangements that they have,” Reid says. “Dave Eringa, who produced the record, I think there was only one song that he actually changed the arrangement.

We did the demos, Charlie and I, and then we gave the demos to the band and let them have them for a month, and then we went into the rehearsal room and spent a week with the band going through all the songs and getting the arrangements. Then Dave came up the following week and he changed maybe one song around a bit. Then we went straight down to Wales and recorded the album over the space of two weeks. So the songs didn’t change too much from the demos to the actual recordings, other than there’s more musicians on them.

go with my instincts,” says Reid.

“That seems to work. You’re really just trying to get the feeling of the song over on records, and you don’t meddle with it and let the production get in the way too much.”

The Beards Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow By Joseph Earp

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ome 11 years ago the lead singer of The Beards, Johann Beardraven, played his first gig, a support spot for rising talent Joel McMillan. So far, so average – playing warm-up duties is a rite of passage that almost every band on the planet has gone through – except for one small detail: Beardraven and McMillan were the same person.

“We were actually supporting ourselves,” Beardraven/McMillan explains. “We had another band at the time and this was a gag. It was our other band’s CD launch. We kind of threw together this gag band, The Beards, as a bit of a laugh to support ourselves. We played the set, then went backstage, shaved, and then came back onstage and played the other gig. A lot of people didn’t realise we were both bands. A lot of people came up and said, ‘Who were those first guys?’ … It was the most ridiculous idea that we’d come up with.”

Such bizarre beginnings might mean McMillan is one of the few people in musical history who has managed to upstage himself. “It was just a bit of a gag, a bit of a joke, a goof … for our own amusement really,” he admits. “Happily, we discovered there was a ferocious public appetite for songs about beards, so we were forced to play more than one gig.”

give up on your facial hair so easily, and it would be hard to turn your back on a subject matter that you have effectively explored for so many years.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he sighs.

“It’s going to be hard to perform songs that aren’t about beards. And I worry about the backlash from our bearded fan base if we start doing something else. We’re hopefully keeping the beard message alive. I guess it’s sort of open for us to move on to other projects as well.”

There’s only one more question to be asked: the single, burning query that has been rattling through the head of every Beards fan the world over. Namely, will the band’s lead singer be shaving off his own face-rug now the party is at its end? “No, I won’t,” McMillan laughs. “I look like a real chump without a beard.”

Where: Studio Six, Cronulla / Peachtree Hotel, Penrith When: Wednesday April 6 / Saturday April 9 And: Also appearing at the Metro Theatre on Saturday July 2

Oddly enough, to describe Australia’s desire for beard-related content as “ferocious” might even be an understatement. The Beards are now an undeniable force – an award-winning band with one of the most devoted fan bases imaginable.

Over the course of their career, they have released five albums and a live DVD, pumping out bristly hits like ‘You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man’ and the plainly titled ‘Beard Related Song Number 38’, all while inspiring both rapturous adoration and puzzled bemusement in equal measure.

“We’ll certainly be looking for other ways to spread our pro-beard message, so that might mean releasing more material down the track, but the touring stuff is done … at least that side of it.”

Not that McMillan is jealous of Beardraven’s success, mind you – he has adored every minute of his time as The Beards’ hairy frontman.

However, after rising to the very top of the beardrelated novelty song business, McMillan and co. have decided to bring the project to its close. All good things must come to an end, after all.

“It was hard [to end the band],” says McMillan.

“We’ve been touring pretty heavily for a long time, and we knew we either needed that break or we needed to go out with a bang. It’s going to be a little bit sad, but we will certainly be keeping the band together as a core entity. We’ll certainly be looking for other ways to spread our pro-beard message, so that might mean releasing more material down the track, but the touring stuff is done … at least that side of it.”

So far The Beards have spread both love and hair across a series of rural venues, and though at this stage the tour is still in its early days, by the time it is all done and dusted the band will have hit up more than 50 locations across the country.

But despite the melancholia-tinged nature of the tour, McMillan says the full significance of the farewell shows hasn’t hit him emotionally – not yet, anyway.

“It’s not as [sad] as I maybe thought it would be, but I do think it will get there. So far it’s been fine – pretty cruisy at the moment. Just a few festivals, a few headline shows. We played [South Australia’s Blenheimfest] in the Clare Valley recently and we got to sleep in our own beds afterwards, which is a rare treat on tour.”

The guiding ethos behind the shows was a simple one – give back to the people who have shown so much love for the group over so many years.

Indeed, The Beards have gone into full payback mode, even going so far as to auction off some of their most prized possessions on eBay, meaning some lucky fan now owns John Beardman Jr’s used beard brush. They paid over $50 for the privilege.

“We’ve been lucky to just build up followers over a time,” McMillan says. “We have a really loyal fan base. And I guess this last tour is a way of getting out there and saying ‘thank you’, and having one last beard party before we call it a day.”

Of course, the conversation turns to the future, and McMillan’s post-Beards plans. The musician remains adamant the band will survive in some form or another – after all, you don’t thebrag.com

AVA I L A B L E F RO M GOO D I N D I E S TO R E S & J B H I F I AU S T R A L I A W I D E

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THUR APRIL 7 CAMBRIDGE HOTEL

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BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:15 :: 11

Deradoorian An Expansive Mind By Adam Norris t first I feel pretty bad chatting with Angel Deradoorian. Conducting her last interview for the day, she’d no doubt be itching to get back to the real world, and it turns out I am also preventing her from enjoying a pretty great night out.

But selfish as it may be, I quickly become enamoured of talking with the experimental singer-songwriter. From her work with former band Dirty Projectors to her debut solo album, The Expanding Flower Planet, Deradoorian makes music that defies description. Yet it is her observations on performance, reality and writing that truly fuel our conversation.

or sad, but in my mind I’m a realist. I also think I’m much more optimistic now than I’ve ever been. But I’m still sensitive that when things are heavy, I have to explore why I feel that. Like, what part of my childhood made it so much harder for me to deal with it now? I think that might actually be futile.

I think I always had some semi-sinister understanding that the world was not really the place I wanted to be. I wanted to be in other worlds, and so I lived in my imagination for the most part. Or read books, seeing beautiful places that I couldn’t go to. Trying to do something that was artistically linked to a way to get to these places.

“I was planning on going to see Megadeth, but they’re playing right now,” she says.

“I had to choose Megadeth or interviews, and I tried to reschedule it, but then I fell asleep and by the time I woke up it was too late. I was tempted to try and do both, but then I’d be outside at a Megadeth concert, screaming at people down the phone, not hearing anything so making up answers.”

“[Looking back over] journals now I wonder, ‘Huh. Was I just always sad? Did I ever have a happy day?’ I should start writing some of the happy times, too. ‘I had a delicious orange today. It was so fresh and wonderful!’ But usually it’s just, ‘Wow. I feel like shit.’” She breaks off, laughing.

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That idea actually has all the hallmarks of an amazing interview, but we bravely overcome having zero conversational obstacles to talk about the development of the album some seven months after its release. Back then, Pitchfork described it rather picturesquely as “an album full of trapdoors” that plunged the listener down sudden sonic shafts. It’s an apt sentiment, and while the songs still allow Deradoorian space to expand, when it comes to her live show we’ll be hearing a very considered set.

“Well, I’m very impatient, so I want to change it all the time. This is the most consistent I’ve ever been playing live. But I have opportunities to play the music by myself, and there I can change it a lot. I just did a couple of solo shows in Brooklyn and rerecorded all of the songs and then bounced them onto a cassette, made them sound really lo-fi and fucked up. Really gritty. Songs can always evolve. It’s like, when you’re recording them you’re kind of putting them to death in a weird way. It’s not bad, but I think for live situations, you get the opportunity to change that. At least for now, though, I’m trying to be consistent. I’m also at a point in my career where people are just getting to know me and my solo music, so I have some freedom there.”

The concept of death has an unexpected prevalence as we talk. Deradoorian is by no means morbid or particularly grim, but the essence of experience – including our grasp on mortality and the finite – seems a recurring concern.

“If you’re geared towards the melancholic aspects of life, you tend to write them out.

I think to a lot of people I seem negative

Deradoorian’s output has already won over many listeners both within the industry and without, and though the development of her craft has ensured her sense of creative freedom is largely unchallenged – after all, the sheer variety of Expanding Flower could see subsequent albums move in countless directions – there remains a troubled core.

She is very open about the emotional and philosophical struggles that have shackled her in the past, and of those that continue to cast a pall.

“I’ve been thinking about music a lot lately, and how it’s kind of like a conduit,” she says.

“It can serve you completely differently at different times in your life. I don’t know. For a time I had a bit of a jaded view of what music is, and that’s changed a lot lately. I feel like I’m much more open to listening, but I’m still very critical of what I hear. It’s hard to talk about.

“I think making [the album] reflected my mental and emotional state, which I think is how every record is going to be. I like that the songs are different and that they’re finding a way to work together. I like hearing that in other records, too, where there’s not ever the same tone twice. Sometimes you feel monochromatic as a person; sometimes you have many different things going through your personal life and that can manifest into the music. So, I don’t really shape out what something is going to sound like, but I like the element of not knowing, the unconscious aspect of any form of art.”

What: The Expanding Flower Planet out now through Anticon Where: Newtown Social Club When: Saturday April 16

Andrew Bird Getting Serious By David Molloy ecessity is the mother of reinvention, it would seem, and 20 years into his career, wordplay wunderkind Andrew Bird is doing an about-face and showing his audience more of the man behind the music.

Fond as he has always been of dancing around the point, the New Weird American singersongwriter’s tenth solo album Are You Serious is all about cutting to the quick, as he says in the title track.

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something to which the multi-instrumentalist is surprisingly open. Sincerity, for him, means speaking to people on a more personal and profound level. “There’s a reason why almost no other medium like music is what people come to to get through a hard time, where it becomes the soundtrack of your life,” he says. “They don’t often go to a filmmaker or a novelist for that.

Music plays that role for people, and I’ve been thinking about this a lot – what am I doing?

“Things in my life have caused me to lose patience with some of my own tendencies – that is, abstraction and poetics,” says Bird, awaiting press in Brooklyn just days before the album’s world tour begins. “Sometimes you just need to say it.”

“I wanna make something useful for people, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard a song and thought, ‘This song’s about my life.’ It’s really rare for me. I’ve just been so deep in it for so long I just maybe had forgotten a little bit what music is used for by most people.”

Now 42 and living with his wife and son in Illinois, Bird has decided that life is too short to be wordy, and has resolutely left the valleys of the young for a lyrical landscape in which both his former third-person persona and his own real-world behaviours undergo intense scrutiny.

“I’ve always been pretty hard on my previous self,” he says. “It’s probably healthy – it gets me to move on and get out of my comfort zone.

I always know when I’m onto something with a record if I feel a little embarrassed or a little fearful of what I’m about to put out there. If I’m offending myself or my sensibilities a little bit – or not even a little bit, a lot – I’ve come to know that to be a good sign.”

Certainly, Bird pulls no punches when deconstructing himself – in a choice lyric from ‘Are You Serious’, he sings, “Used to be so wilfully obtuse / Or is the word abstruse? / Semantics lack a noose / Get out your dictionaries”. The shift in self-awareness, Bird admits, may even change the way he styles himself onstage.

“I’m usually not so aware of my own reputation when I’m writing, but that [song] by design is about, like, what if Andrew Bird came out onstage to high-fives in the front row, or stagedived, or was suddenly posturing like Bono?” he laughs. “I’m extremely comfortable onstage, but I do it via just slightly amplifying the way that I usually am, and pointing out the absurd situation… I feel a little more like a comedian than a musician sometimes.”

“I used to think when I would go see the confessional singer-songwriter thing in Chicago in the ’90s, that’s what would go through my head,” he says. “It wasn’t a criticism, it was just like, ‘Man, are you serious? Can you really back that up?’ I was coming from such a different place than that.”

The new level of transparency also shifts the power dynamic between Bird and his audience, 12 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

“[Baldessari] can take two words like ‘Pure Beauty’ and spell the words out and put them on a stark white background, and you just know there’s more, there’s so much intent behind that and so much humour,” says Bird. “That’s what I really like in songwriters – when it’s a really, really distilled line.”

Distillation implies a purifying and crystallising of elements – Bird may be changing, but the evolution is a natural one, filtered through experience. His maturing as an artist sees him desiring more and more to connect with a broader audience on a deeper level.

“What gets me up in the morning sometimes and when I start getting an idea in my head is, ‘This one could be it, this is the one that could get the whole world singing the same song,’” he says. “It’s that kind of delusion of grandeur that keeps you going.”

As he sets out from Illinois to tour the new album, he journeys into the unexpected, but naturally we’ll be seeing plenty of the old Andrew Bird among whatever new stage antics happen in the moment.

“I have to admit, sometimes I like to stay busy onstage because that’s my thing; I can’t last very long without playing something and just standing before an audience,” he says. “I had to resist on the record, I wanted to let loose and rip a lead, and it was like, ‘No, if I do that it will become a thing…’ But live, I might very well rip a lead, we’ll see. Maybe I will put a blindfold on and jump out into the audience.

Can’t say.”

What: Are You Serious out now through Loma Vista/Universal

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Andrew Bird photo by Reuben Cox

The question he poses to himself as an artist (and just a human being) in the album title is one of sincerity, and the role of seriousness in his songwriting and storytelling.

Helping him in assembling his new vision are such luminaries as the “very uncompromising” Fiona Apple, who performs in duet with him on ‘Left Handed Kisses’; Mysterious Production Of Eggs producer and “musical heavy” Tony Berg, who guided the album to fruition; and the legendary conceptual artist John Baldessari, who contributed album art.

MOONSHINE HOTEL STEYNE MANLY

wed

06 Apr

thu

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

07 Apr

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

fri

08 Apr

(10:00PM - 1:40AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON THURS APRIL 7TH

sat

09 Apr

sun

5:45PM  8:45PM

10 Apr

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

TWIN FIRES

+ JAMES THOMSON & THE STRANGE PILGRIMS

FRI APRIL 8TH

DROP LEGS

+ SUNDOWN STATE (8:30PM - 12:00AM)

(10:00PM - 1:15AM)

mon

11 Apr

JENNY BROKE THE WINDOW

tue

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

12 Apr

SAT APRIL 9TH

+ CAPITAL COAST

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

SUN APRIL 10TH

ANIMAL VENTURA

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BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 13

Davidson Brothers Bluegrass Boys By Adam Norris

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Sean McMahon And The MoonMen Fly Me To The Moon By Adam Norris

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or those unacquainted with Sean McMahon – a musician’s musician, as he has been described – his new Americana album with The MoonMen, Shiner, proves a compelling entry point into his heart and soul. But McMahon’s life of late has not been without trial and tribulation, and though sharing his latest songs has him excited, he is not at all afraid to share his struggles.

“I’m OK,” he sighs. “I think it’s just a long day at work after a big weekend, is all. I’m a cabinetmaker at the moment. You could do worse than that. It’s weird. For a while I’m on the other side of the world playing all of these solo shows, and two months later I work at a factory at 7am and that’s just the reality of playing music at the moment. I’m making interesting stuff, but I wouldn’t call it creative.

It’s more like putting together someone else’s jigsaw. Where I work they all like to start quite early, so after your late nights off watching a band, your focus is constantly, ‘Don’t chop your fingers off, don’t chop your fingers off!’” he chuckles.

McMahon’s day job offers an interesting corollary to making music – shaping a piece of wood into a fresh form, bestowing purpose and meaning to an object that it does not inherently possess. Yet while McMahon enjoys his work, he is not one to romanticise the association.

McMahon’s experiences overseas offer a truly fascinating glimpse into not only his technical craft, but the very way in which he seems to engage with music – as something that can be whittled and reshaped, full of unintended connection and consequence.

“I was really surprised because these were like the most attentive crowds I played. In my first show in the north of France, just in this little bar, there were 40 people sitting here, hanging on every word. And you wonder, ‘How many actually understand what I’m singing?’ It made me think about my delivery, and I really concentrated on the rhythm and rhymes. I put a lot of stress on the most musical aspects of the words. I find it easier to be more expressive with words [than guitar]. You have total flexibility and elasticity in the feel, the intensity and dynamics.”

“To be honest, I think there were some obvious turning points that affected [the genre] in a positive way,” he explains. “The Dixie Chicks were quite big at one point, maybe the late ’90s.

They were playing a bluegrass sound and really reaching a big audience. O Brother, Where Art Thou? came out maybe 12 years ago, and then there’s Keith Urban who started making the sound popular, using banjos and fiddle on his records.

He’s had a big worldwide effect. I think in the last five years we’ve really started to see other bands really taking it on as well; there’s real competition.

There’s an actual scene here now! It was a long time coming, but there’s a lot of it now. We meet people and it’s like, ‘Hi, I’m such-and-such, I play banjo, and this is my sister, she plays mandolin, and that’s my brother, he has a bluegrass band.’

It’s kind of casual now, but we were the youngest bluegrass band to be playing Australia for around 12 years there. I never thought I’d see it come back to what it was like in the ’70s.”

Given the calibre and popularity of some of Australia’s bluegrass talent today – bands like Mustered Courage and The Morrisons, both name-checked by Davidson – it’s hard to understand how a style so raucous and entertaining ever slid from view. But as he colourfully illustrates, it’s not like the genre magically endows performers with talent; that sense of showmanship must still be there.

“It is hard not to enjoy, even if you have only half a knack for entertaining in front of a crowd.

Though some bluegrass bands we’ve seen, they look like four stale bottles of piss strumming away up there. But if you can connect with the crowd, you get that synergistic effect. If you can project outside the tent, people walking by will hear it and be attracted to it, the place will be full by the third song in, and off you go. It’s an exciting thing.

If you’re a folky, for example, and haven’t seen bluegrass, it’ll easily turn your head and get you excited.

The Davidson Brothers will next be appearing at The Gum Ball Festival alongside You Am I, Dan Sultan, Jeff Lang and many other local and international luminaries. It is peak performance season, as Davidson styles it, and will provide a fine chance to catch some of their most recent bluegrass experiments in action. Of course, with a catalogue stretching over two decades, they will also be showcasing their celebrated history.

“People order old albums off the website now, and I’ll take them off the shelf, put it in an envelope and think, ‘Ooo eee, that one? Why couldn’t they have ordered a new one?’” he laughs. “We still pull out those old standards, though. But the standards that we grew up on aren’t the current standards. There’s a shift. When we were learning, there was no YouTube, and the records we could get were quite out of date. Now, the younger players are having a harder time getting that older stuff while the new music is quite accessible.

There’s a lot of mess online, with a lot of middlerange, amateur bands making a lot of noise. The best music doesn’t necessarily rise to the top in that environment.”

What: The Gum Ball Festival 2016 With: You Am I, Oka, Dan Sultan, Caitlin Park and more Where: Dashville, Lower Belford When: Friday April 22 – Sunday April 24

As for the story of how The MoonMen came to be named, there is a multifaceted history.

“Well, there are a couple of stories,” McMahon says. “One is kind of personal, but kind of funny. In a past relationship, I was working out of town and had a silver suitcase at the end of my bed that I’d pack every time I went away.

There was a joke whenever we used to fight, how I had this suitcase always packed. Always ready to run out the door. And I’d say, ‘Yeah, it has my space suit in it. I’m going straight to the moon.’”

Davidson Brothers photo by Robin Sellick

“I definitely think personality-wise, that aspect of my life has shaped me. But I’m not living in some fantasy of being anything that I’m not. I’m not putting on a cowboy hat. I’m a songwriter, but I have a day job. I don’t really live beyond my means. I’m a creative person, but I haven’t had the success with music that’s meant that I can take it easy. And the business side of music is not something that I’m great at. I’d love to be able to play music all the time, and maybe I could with a little more focus, but I’ve spent the last few years just getting life back on track, to be honest. A lot of personal things, and the full-time job. I’m

on damage control – that’s where I’m at. Being self-employed for three years, moving from job to job and house to house. That’s just how things have gone for me.”

he Davidson Brothers, Hamish and Lachlan, have been at the forefront of Australian bluegrass for over 20 years now. They have witnessed first-hand the peaks and troughs the scene has experienced over that time, from a virtual drought in their youth, to the widespread resurgence it is enjoying today. Their first album, Blue Spruce, was recorded when the 13- and 15-year-old brothers took the day off from school, and their fledgling eighth album is in the works as we speak. As Hamish figures, bluegrass is back with a passion, and won’t be fading away again anytime soon.

What: Shiner out now through MGM With: Elwood Myre Where: The Gasoline Pony (solo) / Marrickville Bowling Club When: Wednesday April 6 / Sunday April 10

Jenny Broke The Window Bright Lights, Big City By Tegan Reeves “We’ve always got a catalogue of 30-second songs and demos, and we’re going through that process now of putting them all together and trying to match them up with what’s going to work as an album.

It’s such a big thing to look at – very different from when you’re releasing a single or an EP, which is much easier because you can see the types of songs that you want to put together. Albums are much more of a bold statement that say a lot about a band.”

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rom humble beginnings in Wollongong, Jenny Broke The Window now claim that they are first and foremost a Sydneybased band. Any effort made with keys player Matt Lathlean to discuss the group’s journey from south of Sydney up to the big smoke is shot down immediately, giving the

14 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

impression the four-piece is trying to move away from the label of a ‘South Coast band’. After being likened to acts like The Maccabees and Mystery Jets, Jenny Broke The Window are currently writing their debut album – a process that Lathlean seems somewhat daunted by.

Luckily for Lathlean and co., things are picking up enough for them to embark on a trip to the UK later on in 2016. In what will be a full-on year for the group, plans have been made to release an EP around June, tour the EP within Australia, then head over to Britain.

“We’ll be going over to the UK to wrap things up with the album,” Lathlean says. “We’re hoping to be over there for the second half of the year to fi nish up writing, and while we’re there we’re hoping to collaborate with some people.

“We’re getting to that point where we can devote most of our time as individuals to making music, but it’s also a very expensive process.

Making videos and recording is always super expensive, but any money we make from touring gets reinvested into those things.”

The EP was produced by Tony Buchen in Sydney, with its latest single ‘Airport Love’ hitting the airwaves a few weeks ago. The track builds nicely, featuring strong vocals and some solid synth work, still maintaining that dancey drive that Jenny Broke The Window are known for.

“We recorded the EP with Tony, who has done a heap of work with bands like The Preatures, Bluejuice and Andy Bull,” says Lathlean. “It’s always quite exciting to go into the studio, and Tony is really driven and likes to push the boundaries – nothing is off-limits. He has so much experience under his belt and he just knows what something should sound like. We’ve always been really happy with what he’s put

out, and recording the EP with him was a really smooth process.”

Fans should be keeping their eyes out for the ‘Airport Love’ video clip, which is being created by fi lmmaker Sam Brumby.

“We just fi nished fi lming the video for ‘Airport Love’, and we’re in the process of editing it at the moment, so hopefully that will be out in the coming months,” Lathlean says. “To be honest, we didn’t actually have that much to do with the video – Sam Brumby really liked the song, and he’s taken it on board, and if it’s anything like his other work it’ll be really good.”

If things keep running at this pace for Jenny Broke The Window, the Sydneysiders might become too busy globetrotting to even call themselves Sydney-based.

Where: Moonshine Bar, Hotel Steyne / Newtown Social Club When: Saturday April 9 / Friday May 6

thebrag.com

Black Sabbath The End Is Nigh By Peter Hodgson

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Black Sabbath photo by Ross Halfi n

ovember 29, 1969. That’s the day metal changed forever.

It’s when Black Sabbath appeared on John Peel’s Top Gear radio program, performing ‘N.I.B.’, ‘Behind The Wall Of Sleep’ and the ominous, devilish song that started it all, ‘Black Sabbath’. In the nearly 50 years since, Black Sabbath have done it all: blockbuster tours, epoch-defining albums, rejuvenating lineup changes, reunions and rebirths.

When Tony Iommi (guitar), Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) and Geezer Butler (bass) reconvened for 2013’s 13 album, it looked like Sabbath wanted to prove one last time that they could still write compelling, important material. The subsequent tour was notable for the power of its performances and the ease with which new tracks like ‘God Is Dead?’ and ‘End Of The Beginning’ integrated with original-era classics like ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Snowblind’.

Now, with Iommi in treatment for lymphoma (he’s generally keeping on top of the disease but treatment and recovery makes touring an exhausting proposition), Sabbath have decided to call time on their days as a touring entity. The appropriately named The End tour rolls into Australia this month. And available exclusively at shows is a CD, also titled The End, making it a must-have for fans.

“When we recorded the 13 album, we recorded 16 tracks – 16 songs,” Iommi says. “[Producer] Rick Rubin put eight on the album and then we had some bonus tracks that went out with the album as well, but we had these other songs left over.

I thought we were going to add some other songs to those to make another album. But we all decided at the end of the day not to do it,

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and to tour. So we had these tracks and we thought we should put them out. It’s mad to just leave them. So we had the idea to sell them at the shows to do something different.”

The four new tracks are combined with four songs recorded during the 13 world tour to make up the CD. “It’s always difficult playing so many new songs,” says Iommi, “because people really want to hear the old songs, but they want to hear new things too. You’d be playing three or four hours if you played everything everyone wanted you to play. For this show we mainly do stuff that people want to hear from the old stuff.”

On drums again for the final tour is Tommy Clufetos (original drummer Bill Ward refused to play over a contract dispute). It’s a tough gig for any musician, but Clufetos has won over the doubtful. “It’s difficult for a drummer to do a solo and hold people’s attention, but I must say, Tommy is such an exceptional player,” Iommi says. “I’m amazed every night. I’m backstage in my dressing room tent and I hear him and he never ceases to amaze me.”

There isn’t a rock or metal guitarist alive who isn’t influenced by Iommi, whether they know it or not.

He pioneered not just a style of playing but also a whole library of techniques to use in the studio – for instance, his method of having two separate guitar solos playing off each other at once, as heard on ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Killing Yourself To Live’.

“I suppose that was an accident, really,” Iommi says. “I just liked the idea of having two guitars at the same time playing slightly different things. And so we kept it, but it was

a bit of a fluke. We’d do the track and I’d play the solo and then try another solo and we’d happen to play them back at the same time and think, ‘Ooh, that’s a good effect.’ I always like to experiment and try different things. Of course in the early days it was difficult because you had to make the sounds yourself. You couldn’t go and buy a gadget, plug it in and get the sound. It used to take ages and the rest of the band used to think, ‘Oh bloody hell, what’s he doing?

This is taking ages!’ But you just couldn’t buy something to do it!”

It’s a good point: along with inventing the musical vocabulary of metal, Sabbath and especially Iommi also invented the sonic

presentation – there was no rule book for how metal was supposed to sound back then. “That’s right, you had to do everything,” Iommi says. “You had to make your own sound with the way you used it, and you had to make the amp adjust to you.”

So what’s next for Iommi? First there’s the possibility of recording some bonus tracks with another Sabbath vocalist, Tony Martin (who recorded five albums with the band). “After this Sabbath tour I’m not going to be doing tours again,” Iommi says. “I might do occasional shows but I’m not going to be going on tour like this again. Otherwise if I was, I’d be doing it with these guys!

But that’s the plan, to basically

retire from touring. I’d still like to record, but touring for me is… I get very tired. I love doing the shows, but it’s all the travelling. You get very exhausted with it, and arriving at four o’clock in the morning in a hotel doesn’t excite me anymore.

“I’ve got, honestly, hundreds and thousands of riffs and songs that I just never got round to using, really. It’ll be interesting to have the time to sift through the stuff and see what I’d like to use. But what I tend to do is not go back on stuff. I tend to start writing new stuff, so it accumulates more then!”

Where: Allphones Arena When: Saturday April 23

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arts in focus

free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Zanda Wilson, Amy Henderson and Keiren Jolly

SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL

five minutes WITH

KEVIN SUMPTION, DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

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he Australian National Maritime Museum has reported great attendances so far for its new permanent attraction, Action Stations. For people who haven’t seen it, what does Action Stations involve?

Action Stations is our recently launched $12 million cutting-edge attraction at Darling Harbour which offers an insight into life at sea. It features a cinematic experience and a high-tech discovery and exploration space, including a pair of bespoke design steel tables

Who makes up the target audience for Action Stations?

With a real multimedia focus, Action Stations is great for people of all ages – from families to teens to the Gen Y digital nerds, people interested in design and architecture or film.

The museum gets many visitors from interstate and overseas, but what would you say to locals who haven’t been a tourist in their own city for a while?

I would say, what are you waiting for? Come down and check out the transformation and rejuvenation of the whole Darling Harbour landscape and discover Action Stations. The museum’s main galleries are now free, and we also have a wonderful restaurant called YOTS where you can grab cheap eats with friends and family at one of the best waterside locations!

What do you see as the main goals for the museum in 2016?

To be a must-visit museum in the rapidly changing cultural and entertainment precinct of Sydney. To reconnect people with Australia’s maritime history, a connection which has been somewhat lost. To strive for innovation as an institution through offering exciting content that continues to be relevant to an increasingly digital generation. To

support and promote indigenous maritime heritage – our Living Waters exhibition from the Eora Gallery is currently being showcased at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco’s indigenous maritime art exhibition, which was opened by Prince Albert II. What are some of the other highlights on the calendar this year?

From April 15-17, we host the Classic and Wooden Boat Festival.

Ships, Clocks And Stars – The Quest For Longitude runs from May 5 – October 30. Vivid Festival is on from May 27 – June 18, and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year in July.

Where: Australian National Maritime Museum More: anmm.gov.au/whats-on/ calendar

PAWNO

Pawno is the new film by Paul Ireland, and it follows a day in the life of the Melbourne suburb of Footscray. 12 characters filter in and out of the local pawn shop, their narratives of romance and struggle intertwining throughout. The cast includes the likes of John Brumpton, Kerry Armstrong, Tony Rickards and Maeve Dermody. A Q&A screening takes place on Tuesday April 12 at Chauvel Cinema with David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz, while the film releases in cinemas nationally on Thursday April 21. We’ve got five in-season double passes to give away to the film, valid during the release period – head to thebrag.com/freeshit to enter.

Rocky Horror Drag Show every Sunday at The Shift from 9pm.

Taxi Driver

COO-EE ART

Coo-ee Art Gallery at Paddington’s Australian Galleries sees Australia’s oldest contemporary art gallery come together with Australia’s oldest exhibiting Aboriginal art gallery for the first time. Featuring more than 40 works from artists including Rover Thomas, Kathleen Petyarre and Naata Nungurrayi, the exhibition has been commissioned and sourced from remote Aboriginal communities, private dealers and private collectors. Coo-ee Art Gallery will be on show at the Australian Galleries until Sunday April 24.

STRATTON ON SCORSESE

David Stratton is curating a retrospective program of films directed by the one and only Martin Scorsese during this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Essential Scorsese: Selected By David Stratton will contain ten specially imported 35mm prints of Scorsese films. Stratton, who held the position of festival director from 1966 to 1983, has selected a list inclusive of such classics as Goodfellas, Casino, Taxi Driver and The Age Of Innocence. Tickets can be purchased for individual screenings or as a package for all ten films. Sydney Film Festival 2016 takes place from Wednesday June 8 – Sunday June 19.

THE LAUGH STAND IN APRIL

Fort Denison

VIVID AT THE FORT

As Sydney welcomes artists from around the world, Fort Denison is opening its doors for one of the best views on offer. Vivid Sydney 2016 is soon to hit our shores, transforming the landscape into a sprawling bonanza of sights, sounds and ambiance. Fort Denison is offering a reprieve from the flocking crowds, preparing the evenings of Friday, Saturday and one Sunday night in late May and June to be filled with decadent cuisine and a heated marquee. Snug in a warm environment, the harbour is sure to be the lucky diner’s oyster. The Dinner De-Lights evening, at $112 per person, comes complete with personally chartered private return water taxi transfers to the Man O’War Steps, park entry fee and a mini tour of the historic Martello Tower. Vivid Sydney runs from Friday May 27 – Saturday June 18, and more info on Fort Denison is available at fortdenison.com.au.

Glebe’s Harold Park Hotel is bringing the laughs once again this month with its April lineup of comedy. Tuesday April 12 sees Amanda Gray and George Smilovici onstage, then Tuesday April 19 will feature Ruven Govender and Paul Douglas, with more acts to be announced for each show. It’s all set up to make way for the big Laugh Stand comedy gala on Tuesday April 26.

Nick Capper, Andrew Barnett and headliner Dave Eastgate will lead the line. Remember, laughter is the best medicine.

SYDNEY WRITERS’ FESTIVAL

Cabaret De Paris

The 19th annual Sydney Writers’ Festival has announced its full lineup of international and local authors. This year’s Sydney Writers’ Festival will feature more than 400 Australian and 60 international writers, poets, illustrators and more, all giving talks across 65 different venues, with novelist and performer Kate Tempest set to deliver the opening address. Among the international names are the previously announced Gloria Steinem, as well as the likes of Tempest, Jonathan Franzen, Marlon James, Julian Barnes, Yeonmi Park and Hanya Yanagihara.

The local talent is made up of Tim Flannery, Sofia Laguna, Kerry O’Brien, Sarah Ferguson, Andrew Denton, Bob Brown and many more.

The 2016 Sydney Writers’ Festival takes place from Monday May 16 – Sunday May 22. For more info and tickets head to swf.org.au.

ROCKY IN DRAG

CABARET DE PARIS

Pole dancers, aerial artists, circus acts and more will be on show when Cabaret De Paris comes to Sydney in May. This Parisian-themed revue of international entertainers and exotic dancers will be playing at the Capitol Theatre. The show will feature old-school showgirl glamour as part of a semi-traditional lavish French cabaret show. On show will be former Moulin Rouge star Marissa Burgess, acclaimed illusionist Michael Boyd and husband-and-wife ballet/acrobatic duo Cyriaque and Angela Kinkingnehun. Cabaret De Paris will play three shows only on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28.

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Let’s do the Time Warp again, everybody.

After a ten-week-long competition searching for the finest emerging drag talent across Sydney, The Shift has announced that its five winners have been cast in its weekly cabaret extravaganza, The Rocky Horror Drag Show. This is Rocky Horror, but not as you know it – it’s an exciting and dangerous interpretation of the famous tale with a healthy dose of Darlinghurst exuberance.

Alongside a cast that includes Carmen Geddit as Janet and Fran Giapanni as The Narrator and Eddie, The Shift has added Madani Trani as Columbia, Millenia Alcox as Rocky, Amanda Vided as Riff Raff, Andy H as Brad and Charlamaine as Magenta. Check out The

Hyperbolic Infinite VII by Al Munro

OPTICAL ILLUSIONISTS

The Op Art exhibition is set to hit Sydney, and we won’t quite know what we’re looking at. Op Art aims to warp reality and perception in one big manipulation of geometrical shapes and repeating colours, as flat lines buckle and bend, stationary colours leap and weep, patterns quiver and writhe. Featuring pieces inspired by cubism, constructivism and Dadaism, the exhibition is likely to prove a most culturally deep foray into the medium of optical illusion, art and the final frontier thereof. Op Art will be at the Brenda May Gallery from Saturday June 11 – Thursday July 7.

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Australian National Maritime Museum photo by MediaServicesAP

which showcase 22 interactive and digital products. A favourite in Action Stations is the virtual reality periscope, or for those selfie-lovers, one of the elements allows you to email a photo of yourself with a projected navy tattoo. The vessels have been completely revamped with multimedia projections and soundscapes, which bring the visitor experience to life.

When it comes to the arts, the Spanish people know how to indulge in genuine beauty, and their filmmaking achievements will be the focus of the 2016 Spanish Film Festival, running at venues across Australia. The program includes films like Paulina, Nothing In Return, Death Of A Fisherman, Barcelona Christmas Night and much more. The Sydney leg of the festival will play at Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from Thursday April 12 – Sunday May 1, and we’ve got five festival double passes to give away, valid to any films during the season excluding special events. To be in the running, visit thebrag. com/freeshit.

Spanish Film Festival 2016 [FILM] The Best Of The Fest By Genevieve Kelly

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iva España! The Spanish Film Festival is back for 2016, bringing a healthy slice of Spanish culture to cinemas across Australia.

The program has plenty to offer this year, with award-winning Spanish director Daniel Guzmán visiting our shores with his first long feature, Nothing In Return. The full schedule also includes films from Argentina, Chile and Mexico, and to help us pick out the finest cuts, we asked Spanish Film Festival director and producer Genevieve Kelly to talk us through her top five. Over to you, Genevieve…

Embrace Of The Serpent

Innocent Killers

3. SPANISH AFFAIR 2

If one affair wasn’t enough, the romance of Rafa and Amaia returns – this time with some new friends and fresh laughs, as the Catalans are thrown into the mix! With new elements of playfulness, 2015’s number one Spanish box office hit will leave audiences with a fresh grin as Amaia’s father Koldo and ex-lover Rafa join forces to prevent Amaia from promising herself to Pau, the wealthy hipster.

This is the perfect film to enjoy before celebrating opening night with a riotous party the festival is notorious for.

4. INNOCENT KILLERS

A very polished, twisting thriller about a young man whose professor allows him to pass the course on the basis that the boy kills him. And with a standout cast that is easy on the eye!

1. EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT

Xxx

Ciro Guerra’s multi award-winning, Oscar-nominated film is a breathtaking cinematic odyssey through the Amazon, following the quests of two European explorers in search of a rare flower alleged to have healing properties. The spectacular widescreen black-and-white cinematography and evocative sound design combine to depict the landscapes and characters with an Truman hypnotic, mythical sense of wonder. This is an extraordinary film exclusive to the festival on closing night events only.

Spanish Affair 2

2. TRUMAN

Ricardo Darín and Javier Cámara star in Cesc Gay’s funny, moving and hugely entertaining reflection on male relationships, which won Best Film, Director and Actor at the recent Goya (Spanish Academy) Awards.

Set in the heart of glorious Madrid, this unmissable jewel of a film is a reminder that the best friendships are, indeed, forever.

5. MA MA

In one of Penélope Cruz’s finestever performances, the beloved actress powerfully depicts a Ma Ma woman experiencing major life challenges, with an indefatigable dignity, persevering in the only way she knows how. From acclaimed director Julio Medem (A Room In Rome, Sex & Lucia), the festival is proudly presenting the world premiere of Medem’s original cut, which expands the motivations of characters and includes depictions of sexuality that were deleted for the Spanish theatrical release.

What: Spanish Film Festival 2016 Where: Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona When: Tuesday April 12 – Sunday May 1

Hay Fever [THEATRE] Mind Your Manners By Adam Norris

I

first caught Josh McConville several years ago in what turned out to be, hands down, the funniest theatrical show I’ve ever seen. It was called Noises Off, and saw McConville emerge with a Sydney Theatre Award for his performance. Now he has not one but two Sydney Theatre Company productions under way. As his role in Tom Stoppard’s remarkable Arcadia wraps, he moves deftly into Noel Coward’s Hay Fever.

The perennial favourite has been entertaining audiences for over 90 years, yet Coward himself described the play as having no plot, and few witty lines.

Hay Fever photo by James Green

“Ha! Quite self-deprecating, is Noel Coward,” McConville chuckles. “But I think a lot of funny people are often like that. They’ll say terrible things about themselves. But look, you could read that [criticism] into this play. At the end of the day there isn’t a massive storyline that propels the night forward. It’s a story of a family [who] are exploring love and connection, in their way.

I think most plays are about family or a relationship in some form.

Really, if you’re going to watch this play and take nothing away from it, I think you’re probably a little close-minded. But if you come with an open mind, you’ll fi nd something there, be it family relationships, be it manners. I think Coward is cutting himself off a little short in saying there isn’t much going on.”

Manners may sound an unusual insight to take from a play, but they sit at the heart of Hay Fever’s comedy. The dysfunctional Bliss family are a portrait of eccentricity and outlandishness, and after each member invites a guest to their country estate without informing the others, the tableau is set for outrage and hilarity. In portraying one of the guests, McConville is spared having to plumb the depths of his own bad manners and selfi shness to bring his character to thebrag.com

life, but the strange blur of reality and fi ction is something he is well versed in.

“It is a question that I’ve asked myself a lot. I think subconsciously characters will creep into your everyday life. I think if you have to play a character for a few months – I mean, I just got off Hamlet; I was involved with that for half a year – it almost has to creep into your everyday life, unfortunately. I don’t know if it works the other way.

The argument would be that maybe the mannerisms that you bring to the character might be your own mannerisms anyway, and you’re just heightening them. I think you have to draw on everything in your life, you can’t just create them from thin air. You have to bring yourself to a role and then build a character around that.

“It is quite difficult to get rid of the little things you create for a character, and then have to go straight into rehearsals for something else the next day.

My character in Hay Fever, he’s actually quite polite. As a guest of the house, they’re like an audience, and the family is the dysfunctional aspect. They’re actually quite crazy, so I don’t really need to draw on anything unpleasant. I just have to draw out being nice.”

It really is a jump from the cerebral tragi-comedy of Arcadia to this endearing comedy of manners.

Indeed, for McConville, Hay Fever may be closer aligned to the farce of Noises Off, though Coward is much more restrained in his approach (no surprise, given he was writing around 60 years earlier).

“I’d never done a farce before [Noises Off], so that was an experience that I bring into this play to some degree,” says the actor. “With Noises Off I learnt comic timing and precision – I think

I adapted that there a lot better than I ever had before. But it’s like anything – any job you take, you’ll carry something from it into the next play. It’s like having a little tool belt, and you pick up little tools and techniques along the way that you can use in other plays, to bring them out when you need to. But Hay Fever is a different genre as well, it’s more of a high comedy.

It has farcical elements, though I wouldn’t actually classify it as a farce. You have different ways of playing a character, different entry points.”

Hay Fever

Hay Fever is one of those rare productions that are almost guaranteed to charm. Anything that can survive almost a century with little variation has clearly tapped into something inherent to performance, perhaps to human behaviour in general. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s so damned funny.

“The thing with Hay Fever is that it’s very well-written,” says McConville. “There are still scenes that we don’t quite get that we’re working out, but that’s the way with every play in early days. I think the name of Noel Coward adds a lot of credibility to it as well, which keeps it going – everyone likes to do a Noel Coward. But good writing will always stand the test of time, and someone like Coward, who if not a genius is certainly up there with the best writers, he knows what he’s doing. Whether it’s a fantastic play is to be debated, but it’s a good play by a very tremendous artist. I think that in itself will be interesting. Like Shakespeare.

I don’t think all of his plays are awesome, but they all get done because they’re Shakespeare.”

What: Hay Fever Where: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House When: Monday April 11 – Saturday May 21 BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 17

film & theatre reviews Hits and misses on the silver screen and bareboards around town ■ Film

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE In cinemas now

It’s the biggest superhero showdown of the year – at least until Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War is released – and while it shows progress for director Zack Snyder’s abilities, Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice shows little forward momentum for the DC universe and remarkably little invention.

When Metropolis is destroyed during the events of Man Of Steel, Gotham billionaire Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) sees Superman (Henry Cavill) as responsible for the thousands of collateral deaths. Years later, as wealthy upstart Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) campaigns against Superman, the Batman decides that his alien counterpart can no longer be left unchecked.

Warner Bros. was hellbent on secrecy when it came to this film – ironic, really, as every detail it tried to protect is either revealed in the trailers or hardly surprising. The film’s subtitle foreshadows the Justice League

franchise beginnings, and a shoehorned-in teaser for films known to be in development hardly constitutes revelation.

The other ‘surprise’ is the ending of the film, which is both comic book lore and so obviously projected as to lose all gravity, much like the emergence of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) during the film’s ultimate battle (as seen in the trailer).

Wonder Woman represents what is lost in Snyder’s blockbuster – despite appearing in every shred of advertising and being a thoroughly enjoyable screen presence, she is criminally underused.

(She’s also the only woman not kidnapped; some are taken multiple times.)

Hours are spent building the titular conflict between Batman and Superman, despite it being ultimately short-lived as the outside threat of Luthor and his machinations quickly distract from, and resolve, the film’s central conflict in a very unsatisfying manner.

That said, Snyder’s second DC effort is better than Man

Of Steel. The 153-minute runtime feels less bloated than its predecessor, and the director even manages restraint. His weaknesses are in emphasising glaring competitions, using repetitive dream sequences, and imitating the work of producer Christopher Nolan. The grit and grime bore; the moral questioning imposed on Superman is exactly that issued to Batman in The Dark Knight; and the Hans Zimmer/Junkie XL soundtrack is just a generic rehashing of the Nolan trilogy themes.

The difference is in Affleck’s Batman: Snyder’s antihero is, like his Superman, a straight-up murderer.

Batman brands his enemies and guns down so many henchmen that his questioning of Superman is repulsively hypocritical. As for the ‘true’ villains, Luthor only proves annoying as Eisenberg’s feigned ticks and quirks, intended to appear neurotic, read as overacting.

Batman v Superman is, in spite of poor moral reasoning, a competent hero flick. But after such lengthy interrogation, these archetypal figures should muster more than mere competence. The real battle here is between Snyder and the weighty DC legacy, and both emerge scarred from this fight.

David Molloy

■ Musical Theatre

GHOST THE MUSICAL Now playing at the Theatre Royal

and lighting. But it is not enough to save a tedious score of the most familiar Broadway flourishes and dialogue that tumbles from the performers’ mouths like lead weight.

When it comes to Ghost The Musical, the ‘who’ is Bruce Joel Rubin, the screenwriter for the 1990 supernatural romance, Ghost. Rubin won an Oscar for his script back then – just as Whoopi Goldberg won for Best Supporting Actress in the role Wendy Mae Brown inhabits here to uneven effect – and if anyone could keep the spirit (ha) of the original alive, you suspect it would be him.

Yet from start to finish, Ghost The Musical is an exercise in smoke and mirrors. The otherworldly effects are in fine form, with great visual projections (though nothing to rival Les Misérables’ recent forays into high-end stagecraft)

There is not a single song here that doesn’t sound as though it has been plucked from an SNL parody skit, with the tragic exception of the Righteous Brothers’ ‘Unchained Melody’.

Even this classic – used to such iconic effect in the film – collapses in an unseemly heap as a ghostly Rob Mills weaves a distracting harmony while the original sounds from a nearby radio.

Earlier, Mills serenades co-star Jemma Rix with an acoustic version that largely succeeds in putting a fresh interpretation on the familiar ode, but the subsequent refrains make certain that any lasting sentiment is abandoned.

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Both Rix and Mills have impassioned voices, but the material here is just too woeful for words, and the chemistry between the pair never ignites. Curiously, some of the production’s finer moments come from the ensemble cast’s vocals, although the dance sequences are an awkward affair. Similarly, David Denis does his utmost in throwing himself into character, but the Subway Ghost role itself is a laughable, clunky exaggeration of a rap-spouting lost soul.

A flashy stage and conspicuously loud score does not a quality musical make. With immediately forgettable songs and lacklustre script, this is one you should happily avoid.

Better to just watch the movie.

Adam Norris

Queer(ish) matters with Lucy Watson

L

ast week, Thursday March 31, was the International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV). Visibility may seem like a strange thing to celebrate – why not justice? Antitransphobia? Transgender rights?

Well, all of these things are tied to visibility, and while visibility may not equate to justice or rights, it’s an important step in the right direction. Given the current climate around the world, baby steps seem like the best option.

In the past month, the American states of North Carolina and Kansas have passed laws that state transgender people must use the bathroom that corresponds to the sex on their birth certificate, and in Kansas, people who witness a trans person in the ‘wrong’ bathroom can sue their school for US$2,500 in ‘damages’.

These ridiculous laws defy all logic, but they also suggest that the lawmakers wmakers in these states are probably not aware what transgender even is. Firstly, the laws appear to be responding to a problem that doesn’t exist. Apparently they’re in place to protect women from men pretending to be transgender, and entering the bathroom to attack them.

There’s no secret password on the door of the bathroom, guys. If a man wants to go in and attack a woman, there’s nothing stopping him.

What’s more damaging about these laws is that they see transgender people as inherently a threat. As though the daily trauma of having to assess where you are, how you look, what the other people around you are like – all while holding a full bladder as you decide which bathroom you’re less likely to be accosted in – isn’t enough, now the lawmakers of your state view you as a threat.

These laws also create even more tension around the politics of ‘passing’ (looking like the gender you are). You may have seen the stories of passing trans guys using the women’s bathrooms. I read one about a guy, who has ‘female’ on his birth certificate, walking into the bathroom he is now legally supposed to use, only to be accosted for being in the ‘wrong’ bathroom. As a passing trans guy, to abide by the law is to fulfil what the law is trying to prevent. And of course, those who don’t pass have to face the fact that the binary world we live in doesn’t accept them for who they are, and that apparently someone else seeing them in the bathroom they want to be in is enough trauma for that person to be paid $2,500.

As though transgender people aren’t vilified, ridiculed and murdered every day.

Queen Miss Left Titter

These laws are draconian, and you might think that at least in Australia, it’s not like that. Sure, we don’t have laws like this, but that doesn’t mean the same vilification doesn’t happen regularly. In 2013, the National Union of Students’ Queer Department created a sticker campaign to reduce the stigma of transgender people using the bathroom of their gender. “I’m here to pee, not to be gender stereotyped,” the stickers read.

Around the University of Sydney, they were routinely torn down, scribbled over, erased.

Last week, on TDOV, students at the University of Sydney were marching to show their visibility. And they were followed, and harassed, by campus security. For walking across campus holding banners.

Visibility isn’t justice. But it’s a good start.

If you see someone sporting a beard and a dress, it’s not your job to make assumptions about their gender. Why on Earth does their gender matter to you? If that same person walks into the bathroom and uses the stall next to you, why is it your job to say something? To stare? To laugh?

Chances are, that person had to think long and hard about what to wear that day. How much they could cope with the staring, the laughing, the odd remarks.

They were probably feeling good about themselves when they woke up and put on that dress. Maybe they felt comfy.

Sexy. Happy.

They felt brave enough to be visible today. Don’t take that away from them.

this week…

This Wednesday April 6 is the second instalment of DNA’s Sydney Male Model search at The Shift, where they’re looking for Sydney’s hottest man (whatever that may be). It’s hosted by a drag queen puppet, Queen Miss Left Titter, so it should be fun (and hopefully not all cis and white).

Then on Friday April 8, Girlthing is hosting its annual jelly wrestling comp at the Metro Lair. Hosted by Marzi Panne, the event kicks off at 10pm, with the dancefloor commencing by midnight, with all the regular Girlthing players.

thebrag.com

Ghost The Musical photo by Jeff Busby

Adapting a film for the stage is not an inherently terrible idea – just look at Legally Blonde. I was indifferent to the original, but even knowing the musical version had picked up three Laurence Olivier Awards did little to assuage that sense of “Who in their right mind would do such a thing?” as we entered the theatre. Suffice to say, by the end I was entirely won over.

out & about

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 19

Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...

ALBUM OF THE WEEK KYSON

A Book Of Flying Friends Of Friends

It could be argued that the most beautiful music is usually the most melancholic, where the instruments are soft and the vocals whisper and weep. By that standard, Adelaide-born and Berlinbased Jian Kellett Liew’s latest release A Book Of Flying could be hung in an art gallery.

The purely instrumental electronic songs of ‘Thank You For Everything Part II’, ‘Latvia’ and ‘Outro / If Our Love Was A Movie’ create beautiful and calming soundscapes, and wouldn’t feel out of place in either a meditation class or the Blade Runner remake.

A Book Of Flying could so easily have been a failed marriage between the genres of folk and electronic. Instead, Kyson’s songwriting

ability and restrained approach to his music has resulted in an album of heartaching, melancholic beauty.

Daniel Prior

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Jian Kellett Liew delivers an album of achingly beautiful melancholia.

Released under the moniker Kyson, A Book Of Flying is an album of quasi-futuristic folk, a mix of Oliver Tank and Bon Iver. Kyson takes a minimalist approach to the music – songs rarely consist of anything more than guitar, gentle

echoes of vocals, and electronic phantoms fading in and out like the background of some city of the future. Tracks like ‘As The Mind It Changes’, ‘Flightless’, ‘You’ and ‘Black Dreaming’ capture a feeling of solitude, drawing a parallel with today’s world of connectivity where we are each isolated by and with our devices.

THE BENNIES

KAADA/PATTON

ANDREW BIRD

PET SHOP BOYS

AUSTRALIA

“Psychedelic reggae ska doom metal punk rock band from hell” was the description The Bennies coined early in their career for their brand of party-flavoured ska/punk. On their third album Wisdom Machine, the Melburnians have come their closest to creating something that can only be truly described by that label.

A family sits down for dinner.

Elsewhere, a pig is being gutted. A man’s head bobs about the surface of a river like scum. The message isn’t clear, but it’s there: horror lies in the ordinary. So it goes in the music video for Kaada/Patton’s ‘Imodium’, a fleeting glimpse through a door better left shut. Indeed, everything about Bacteria Cult feels awkwardly snatched. Melodies are grasped at rather than properly held, and Mike Patton’s voice thrashes around wordlessly like a wild animal resisting capture.

The ludicrously productive singersongwriter, violinist, guitarist and glockenspielist (not to mention whistler) Andrew Bird has been creating music since the mid-’90s.

His impressive back catalogue of albums and collaborations has now expanded to include his tenth solo record, Are You Serious. Produced

by Tony Berg (The Mysterious Production Of Eggs) and featuring the likes of Fiona Apple and guitar wunderkind Blake Mills, it is a hypnotically dense and lyrically immersive album that’s a worthy addition to his oeuvre.

On Super, the Pet Shop Boys follow the blueprint they established with their previous effort, Electric.

This is with good reason – Electric delivered the band’s highest chart positions in 20 years on both sides of the Atlantic. The two albums are similar in a number of ways: Stuart Price is enlisted for production, vocals are used somewhat sparingly in comparison to the band’s back catalogue, and music itself is a central subject matter. The results are certainly enjoyable, but don’t quite match the euphoric highs of Electric.

There’s a reason it took until just recently for someone to have the gonads to call their band Australia: it’s a moniker that will invite all manner of cliché and lame comment. It’s a good job, then, that the Sydney group – formed by core members Guy Fenech, Oliver Marlan and Nick Franklin – has the musical chops to give anyone who hears it something else to consider; mainly that it is an indie-pop band with imagination and talent coming out of its ears.

Wisdom Machine Poison City

The Bennies still really love to party.

Wisdom Machine’s lead single ‘Party Machine’ features the mantra of “One part party / One part machine” before exploding into a dance break. ‘Legalise (But Don’t Tax)’ is a Bennies protest song if there ever was one – no points for guessing what they’re looking to legalise.

These guys really are firing on all cylinders, making this album simultaneously more serious and more outlandish at the same time.

Anty Horgan screams “YOLO motherfuckers!” on the aptly titled ‘Party Till I Die (Or Die Trying)’, but two songs later he’s singing about crooked cops on the dark and doomy track ‘Corruption’. Elsewhere, Jay Whalley from Frenzal Rhomb and Ezra Kire from Leftover Crack both provide guest vocals; Whalley in particular stealing the show with a tight ska verse on ‘Maybe We Should Get High’.

Bacteria Cult Ipecac/PIAS

Picking the thing apart is useless, however. The record resists even casual critical analysis, and the pleasures underpinning ‘Black Albino’ – a track that sounds like a hybrid of Ennio Morricone and Krzysztof Komeda and yet neither of those people at all – are so vague as to be impossible to properly identify. It’s the devil’s work, a love letter perfumed with the plague, and yet it never distances the audience. Despite the connotations of its virulent title, ‘Peste Bubónica’ is an oddly seductive listen, and even the disturbing ‘A Burnt Out Case’ features the occasional flash of fleshy panache.

The Bennies have come through with their strongest release yet.

Now let the party begin.

Bacteria Cult is the record you’d hear playing in a strip club staffed by the characters from J.G. Ballard’s Crash – damaged human beings exposing every inch of their ripe, ravaged flesh.

Spencer Scott

Joseph Earp

Are You Serious Loma Vista/Universal

This energy, as well as Bird’s deeply intimate ideas, infuse the rest of the album: see the Johnny Cash/June Carter-inspired, stopstart duet with Apple, ‘Left Handed Kisses’, up-tempo toe-tapper ‘Roma Fade’ (which charms and unsettles in equal measure) and album opener and lead single ‘Capsized’.

Wry, observational lyrics have always been a strength of the Pet Shop Boys; this remains evident across Super, as witticisms jump out without warning. The duo’s commentary traverses political systems (‘The Dictator Decides’), life stages (‘Twenty-Something’) and endearing narrative (‘The Pop Kids’). The album isn’t without its weak points – ‘Sad Robot World’ sounds exactly like you’d expect it to, and ‘Pazzo!’ feels unnecessary with its generic dance production and lack of melody.

Overall, though, the good outweighs the bland. ‘Say It To Me’ is right on trend with its vaguely trop-house sensibilities, and ‘Burn’ opens with a classic Pet Shop Boys instrumental.

Are You Serious is a wonderfully crafted and personal album that unfurls with multi-instrumental aplomb.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe did the ’90s best the first time around, but their previous experience does no harm in tapping into its revival.

Anita Connors

John Rowley

Bird began writing the record three years ago while he and his young family were making the move from New York to California to start a new life. In rural Illinois he spent seven cathartic days working on what would become the title song of Are You Serious.

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK Uncanny valley: the phenomenon where a robot looks and sounds just like a person, but not quite – creeping out actual blood-and-bone humans.

DINNER

Psychic Lovers Captured Tracks/Remote Control

20 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

Is Dinner a human or a sophisticated android? It’s hard to say. Psychic Lovers is Anders Rhedin’s debut album, following some EPs and a guided self-hypnosis tape (yes, really). It sounds like it was released in the late ’80s, laden with synthesisers, electro tom-toms and every kind of squeak and squawk you can find on an old Casio keyboard.

But his voice. It’s deep and carries a heavy Danish accent. It’s semirobotic and faintly ridiculous. When on the euphoric retro thumper ‘Turn Me On’ he claims, “I’m just a normal

Super X2/Kolbalt

guy, with a normal life,” you can’t help but wonder – isn’t that just what a cyborg would say?

Nevertheless, this automaton has been programmed with real feels.

Following the rolled-up-blazersleeved car-chase soundtrack ‘Cool As Ice’ and dystopian synth-scape of ‘The World’, on ‘Wake Up’ he “want[s] to wake up in the morning with you”.

A female voice – think a sexy Siri – joins him to translate his lines into emotionless, matter-of-fact French. It can love.

Is it tongue-in-cheek? An ironic genre parody? Is that his actual voice? Who cares – this voyage into the valley is a whole lot of fun.

Portraits Of People, Places And Movies Independent

The lead single from Australia’s debut album, ‘Wake In Fright’, provides one of the best examples of this.

A foreboding bassline, Fenech’s crooning and distorted guitars make for a track that ticks boxes on many levels. There’s big production to match all the big synth numbers, while things get softer on the more sentimental ‘In My Dreams’ and ‘Not The Place I Know’. The jewel in the stereotypically antipodean synthpop crown is the danceable ‘Love Is Better’, which brings the ’80s kicking and screaming into the present with unstoppable momentum and a shoutalong chorus. Overall, it’s a lot of fun and it’s clear the band doesn’t take itself too seriously despite the lofty name (their T-shirts read “Australia – the band. Not the country, not a country band”).

Tip: for best results, type ‘Australia – the band’ when Googling.

Paul McBride

OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week...

FRAZEY FORD - Indian Ocean BON IVER - For Emma, Forever Ago OASIS - The Masterplan

BABYSHAMBLES - The Blinding METZ - Metz

George Nott thebrag.com

live reviews

What we've been out to see...

BRIAN WILSON

LORD HURON

“Sydney Opera House! Tuesday, March the 29th, 2016!” These are the first words that escape Brian Wilson’s mouth as he enters stage right, his ever-faithful band assuming their stations. He knows where he is. He knows what day it is. It might seem cruel to compare Wilson’s introduction to someone holding up today’s newspaper to prove they’re alive, but it’s just that: a sign of life. It doesn’t go unappreciated in this room, the occupants of which will go on to give this man no less than four standing ovations over the course of two-and-a-half hours.

It’s not that Lord Huron weren’t on form, or that they were reserving energy for their (perhaps?) more noteworthy set at Bluesfest. It wasn’t that I found myself entombed within a maze of the most obnoxious audience members I’ve seen in an age – that’s beyond the band’s ken. It was more a matter of structure, I suspect.

An uneven setlist. A gypsy curse. An unmarked grave. Whatever the cause, try as I might to engage with one of the most entertaining, interesting and inspiring bands I’ve stumbled across in years, Lord Huron’s Oxford Art Factory show left me feeling that we were all walking away having missed the mark.

Sydney Opera House Tuesday March 29

Oxford Art Factory Wednesday March 23

Let’s get one thing immediately clear: while frontman Ben Schneider’s banter is clearly

The night begins with the opening suite from long-lost Beach Boys masterpiece Smile: ‘Our Prayer’, ‘Gee’ and ‘Heroes And Villains’.

Not only does this showcase the incredible vocal talent on offer tonight, but it also reflects the immaculate, pinpoint-precise detail that is utilised by Wilson’s band when replicating his delicately layered arrangements. Fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine is on board, singing favourites like ‘Little Deuce Coupe’, while his high-singing son Matt certifiably nails ‘Don’t Worry Baby’. Blondie Chaplin, too, makes a guest appearance to liven up ‘Funky Pretty’ and ‘Wild Honey’, prowling the stage with his blues guitar licks. It’s an incredibly fun hour, but compared to what happens next, it’s practically an entrée.

TAJ MAHAL, VICTOR MARTINEZ Factory Theatre Friday April 1

His moniker, for starters, is not your traditional bluesman kind of name. But Taj Mahal has always run his own race through nearly 50 years in the industry.

When his peers took the blues to rougher, rockier places in the ’70s, Mahal kept things laid-back, adopting island rhythms and fusing elements of world music. While his contemporaries stuck to their slick suits, he chose full cowboy regalia: tasselled suede jacket, bolo tie and Stetson, occasionally switching it up for an African kufi hat and dashiki shirt.

50 years ago, Brian Wilson reinvented The Beach Boys from California-dreaming kids to pop revolutionaries. Pet Sounds would go on to cement Wilson’s legacy more than any other work, and watching it performed live is a privilege not lost on anyone in attendance. It’s another true testament to the musicians onstage how lavishly they put together every last aspect of this recital – there is even a point where two of the band members are eyeing off one another during ‘That’s Not Me’ to make sure they know exactly when to come in with the tambourine parts. ‘Let’s Go Away For Awhile’ and the title track leave Wilson himself in awe of the ensemble, rhetorically asking, “Aren’t they great?” as the latter concludes. It goes without saying we think the exact same of him.

He turned the standard blues sentiment of woke-up-this-morning-feeling-sobad-cause-she-left-me on its head, expressing instead the joys of life

cut from a Bob Dylan cloth, his presence up there is impressive. He sings with a seriousness and passion that leaves you surprised that his lyrics have not singed the air in their passage, and indeed the band members are, to a man, immaculate performers. Bassist Miguel Briseno also proved an atmospheric hand at playing theremin, while particular esteem should be showered on drummer Mark Berry (AKA Admiral Blaquefut – his avatar in the indiefolk/rock fantasy world in which Lord Huron exist), who is so freakishly talented and rocks a washboard vest, so bonus points right there.

But there was something that threatened to spill across into blandness throughout the performance, and that was largely found whenever material surfaced from their latest album, Strange Trails. There were exceptions to this that had the crowd focused and energised – ‘Fool For Love’

and the happiness found in a solid relationship.

It’s a very Taj Mahal move that the support for his Bluesfest sideshow wasn’t blues at all but a Chilean folk guitarist. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, Victor Martinez jammed on South American rhythms, demonstrating his complete mastery of his instrument.

He played not just the notes but the hums, squeaks and buzzes in between, at one point flipping his guitar and thumping it all over like a bongo.

Mahal opened with a quip – “Are y’all ready to take a ride? Because I’m not… just kidding, let’s go” – and kept things jovial throughout. Between songs he was chatty and cheeky, sharing stories of catching 300pound marlins and the merits of listening to vinyl “the best way, in the room, not through tiny earbuds”. The 73-year-old proved both a raconteur and flirty, dirty uncle, and every so often flashed the whites of his eyes to let you know we were all just having some fun.

and ‘Hurricane’ among them – but for the most part, these recent tracks suffer a similar fate to the studio versions; they are undistinguished affairs, lacking the lyrical or narrative imagination of debut album Lonesome Dreams.

I hope not to be one of those self-righteous fans bemoaning a band that dares try and progress from the style that established it, but to hear a brace of songs like ‘Ghost On The Shore’ followed by the exceptional ‘She Lit A Fire’ – both tracks that are as rich and deep as Lake Huron themselves – simply affirms that these guys bottled lightning, then lost the recipe along the way.

As we wandered off with ‘Time To Run’ still sounding in our ears, I remain in thrall to Lord Huron, but I feel their best live incarnation is still some way ahead of them.

Adam Norris

“A lot of people play down to their audience,” he said. “Don’t think of this as a concert, but like we’re all just hanging out playing some music.”

Wearing a white-brimmed hat, gold chain and a gem in his ear, he sat on a stool surrounded by guitars (including a bronze resonator that he joked was “good in a bar fight”) as he rattled through his plentiful hits and blues standards. Though the crowd watched in hushed reverence to begin with, eventually his easy-going demeanour rubbed off. By the end the audience was whooping and singing along, calling out to him to smile for photos. “Put that on Facebook, let’s send me viral,” he joked.

Viral web fame is probably ambitious, but his positive outlook was certainly infectious. A hugely fun night with a blues (and beyond) legend who still has a twinkle in his eye.

George Nott

As ‘Good Vibrations’ rings out, a handful of people finally arise from their seat. Then more.

By the time the “na-na-na”s roll through, all that are able have risen to their feet. The mass has ended. It’s now time to celebrate. It’s a vital sign of life.

50 years on, Brian Wilson is still here.

David James Young

EY MAR :: OUR PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHL

NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHT SWEATS, ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS Metro Theatre Thursday March 31

Well, son of a bitch. These guys know how to deliver, and their audience sure knew how to dance (and to spill copious amounts of booze in the process).

Expectations for Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats were running pretty high at the Metro. By now, anyone with a decent internet connection (or with an ear pressed to the earth) has fallen in love with the ball-bustin’

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bravado of ‘S.O.B.’, and on the coat-tails of a celebrated turn at Bluesfest, the audience had turned out in force. I was half expecting a sea of colourful sleeve tats and lumberjack chic (Rateliff himself sports a beard of awesome spruce-felling potential), but you can’t win ’em all.

A crowd in fine drunken spirits is all well and good, but you’d still hope for enough courtesy and attention there to extend to the support act. This wasn’t entirely the case for Sydney favourites and all-around charmers All Our Exes Live In Texas; the rear half of the theatre was a wall of noise, and I’m surprised those fans even noticed when Rateliff appeared. Exes’ alt-country

star has been surging of late, and as they showcased material from their upcoming album, they had the crowd (or at least half of it) easily enchanted. Their strength is in their stagecraft; even those who might not ordinarily be attracted to this genre are hooked after being drawn in by their banter, and if you haven’t seen them yet, you should go back to your home under the sea.

– understandable for an artist who has only recently found recognition here in the Colonies – and although he was certainly the focus of our attention, the Night Sweats themselves were no idle force. It was a night of tremendous musicianship throughout, from the revelry of crowd favourite ‘S.O.B.’ to the more restrained but remarkable ‘Wasting Time’.

When Rateliff emerged, it was with a set so consummate and energetic I sincerely doubt anyone would have been standing still for long. ‘I Need Never Get Old’ is a big and beautiful salvo, led by a roaring horn section and Rateliff’s pounding vocals. He seemed surprised by his Sydney reception

For the lucky ones, the band followed up this cavalcade with a secret gig the following night. For the rest… well, Rateliff has a considerable back catalogue to explore.

Adam Norris

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 21

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live reviews

What we've been out to see...

BLUESFEST 2016

Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm Thursday March 24 – Sunday March 28 As far as contemporary music goes, Bluesfest’s 2016 lineup may have been the finest Byron Bay has ever seen. Of course, this is a family-friendly festival that caters for everyone from hip local teens to the bring-your-own-deckchair crowd, and with its retro attractions landing more on the pop side of the spectrum, the blues diehards may have felt under-represented. Still, predictability was out of the question at Tyagarah this Easter – and that can only ever be a good thing for a festival in the current climate.

The spirit of unpredictability came to define Hiatus Kaiyote’s Thursday afternoon set, with Nai Palm leading the charge; so too the sundown performance

by Kamasi Washington. This relatively youthful rising star and his band come with a jazz mindset but a glam rock execution – in what other jazz context would a tenor sax trade solos with a keytar, or a double bassist improvise through a wah-wah pedal? It’s not the type of thing Cold War Kids go in for, but then again, the Californians are far from orthodox. Some years ago, their avantgarde indie music moved in the direction of stadium rock, but not so far as to be self-defeating. They were made for festivals like Bluesfest; appealing to the masses, but never middle of the road.

The same applies tenfold to Kendrick Lamar. Last time he toured Australia was in support of Eminem, a rap icon of the generation past, playing stadiumsized shows. Now, Kendrick is the biggest thing in hip hop worldwide, let alone at Bluesfest. He stepped up to the microphone to a massive reception, then walked away before speaking a word.

A last-minute case of stage fright? No chance. Once ‘For Free?’ got going, the flow never ceased; not through 12 songs from To Pimp A Butterfly, nor another half-dozen from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. This had always promised to be a mammoth performance, and Lamar made sure of it.

A calming breeze blew through the Delta tent on the Friday afternoon as Bluesfest veteran Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges performed graciously to an appreciative audience, joined briefly by local favourite Kasey Chambers. Graham Nash shared stories about Woodstock and Joni Mitchell, though they only really served to highlight just how literal his lyric-writing has always been. Unlike Nash, City And Colour may not yet have recorded any ubiquitous anthems, but the layers of Dallas Green’s writing run much deeper, and the reward was a gorgeously illustrated and overwhelmingly unifying performance on the main stage.

The warmth of the afternoon translated into The National’s closing slot, their horns interplaying with the Dessner

brothers’ guitar lines as Matt Berninger was in particularly fine voice. This masterful band never fails to astound, and the festival set saw the inclusion of tender cuts like ‘I Need My Girl’, ‘Pink Rabbits’ and ‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’ alongside the grander moments.

The Saturday lineup saw Bluesfest in its more traditional mode, with sets from Joe Bonamassa, Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. D’Angelo was the king of the middle night – as evidenced not only in his marathon two-hour billing, but the repeated tributes paid to him by other artists at the festival; Lamar, Green and Frazey Ford among those who declared their excitement to be sharing the Bluesfest stage with a neo-soul legend.

The inevitable Byron Bay storm came through on Saturday, so by the next morning, the festival site was caked in mud. Gospel was the order of the day for The Blind Boys Of Alabama, bringing a heavy dose of faith and harmony to their Easter performance. Modest Mouse dealt not in religion but in slightly contained anarchy; Isaac Brock’s jackin-the-box enthusiasm making up for a chaotic sound mix and over-deployed smoke machines.

The Wailers had the Jambalaya tent heaving for their ‘in full’ performance of a compilation album, Legend, while The Cat Empire pulled a capacity crowd to the Mojo stage thanks partly to a new album of their own, Rising With The Sun – that which landed at number one this month, just in time for Tyagarah.

The Decemberists followed with a slightly sparser audience, but they also brought with them the most impressive set of amps at the whole festival, and a surprisingly powerful sound to boot.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds may have been billed as such, but the Britpop icon earned his headlining place thanks to the hits he wrote for his old band, Oasis – and unlike his brother Liam, Noel is nothing if not a crowdpleaser. ‘Champagne Supernova’ and ‘Wonderwall’ got a run, naturally, but it was on deeper cuts like ‘Half The World Away’, ‘Sad Song’ and ‘D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?’ that the old-school devotees found their best rewards. After the farewell ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, he lapped up the ovation: “How good?

I know. I’m the best” – and even with vintage stars like Tom Jones and Brian Wilson to come on festival Monday, you’d have been a killjoy to call Gallagher out on his arrogance this time around. It was all part of the fun.

Chris Martin

D HARRIS OUR PHOTOGRAPHER :: DAVI

THE DECEMBERISTS Sydney Opera House Wednesday March 30

The last time I saw The Decemberists, it was in a tent in Hyde Park. From memory it was during the war, or maybe the Sydney Festival.

I remember the screams of the wounded, the makeshift stretchers ferrying the audience to higher ground as the floodwaters swelled.

And there onstage our Bonaparte, lead singer Colin Meloy, singing songs of supernatural crane wives and 18-minute epics of Irish mythology. It took our minds from the horror.

Jump six years later and two things are immediately apparent. One is, ‘Holy shit, six years?’ The second is that word sure got around; their audience here has grown. It may have taken some time for the crowd to really relax into the night – as Meloy himself remarked in one of his many between-song (and mid-song) observations, we were a quiet bunch. Yet long before the end of this two-and-a-half-

22 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

hour set the crowd was all on its feet, and yes, this will sound insufferably mawkish, but there was such a sense of fellowship among us all; you couldn’t shake the suspicion we were all there hoping for something special, and by and large that’s exactly what we received.

True, for such a long set the deck was stacked towards newer material, but there were enough fan favourites and unexpected additions throughout to keep you engaged (and it’s not like their recent output suffers, though they have drifted to the rockier side of folk-rock these days). ‘The Mariner’s Revenge Song’ was delivered with all the fl air you would hope for, yet despite being played at the end of the second encore, was surprisingly not the last song; a third encore saw the very unexpected ‘Dear Avery’. An unscheduled appearance from ‘Apology Song’ happened after Meloy forgot the words to ‘Rox In The Box’, and though it was great to hear ‘Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect’,

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Mick Fleetwood is practically an honorary Aussie, having toured here last October with the Mac and now back to boogiewoogie with his blues band. The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band’s Sydney show enabled an older crowd (some seated on pinched stools from the bar) to don its best glad rags and listen to songs typically found on old dusty 45s.

The support act was guitar virtuoso, Victor Martinez. He enthralled the crowd with a short, sharp set that mixed together finger-plucking, strumming and beat-boxing techniques on his acoustic guitar. Martinez managed to coax more varied sounds out of one instrument than an entire band. His visceral version of ‘El Cóndor Pasa’ paid tribute to his South American heritage while other moments saw his fingers dancing along in a blur. It was mesmerising.

Fleetwood is a true English gentleman who just wants everyone to have a good time. ‘My Baby’s Hot’ set the tone for an evening of blues tunes about babes and Cadillacs, while the ‘Fleetwood Boogie’ was the first of many songs to pay tribute to the Peter Green era of the Mac. The group pulled out some tight

Their version of ‘Eyesight To The Blind’ was an unexpected piano ditty that differed to the original as well as The Who’s rock version on Tommy. It was a boisterous little cover that sat well alongside the sultry riffs of ‘Black Magic Woman’ and the wistful ‘Love That Burns’.

Later, Fleetwood’s fans were treated to an extended drum solo from the man himself. It was indulgent, but in the best possible way, and would have made a good segue into ‘Tusk’. But instead the band settled on ‘Oh Well’, with special guest Jimmy Barnes singing along to this and red-hot versions of ‘Little Red Rooster’ and ‘Shake Your Money Maker’.

As to be expected, Barnes injected some extra fun and charisma into the second half of an already fine blues show.

live @ the sly

31:03:16 :: Slyfox :: 199 Enmore Rd Enmore 9557 2917

The night closed with the brooding, instrumental lullaby of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Albatross’. Fleetwood and co. had covered great terrain over their two-hour set, exuding much of the crunch, swagger and pop of many of the downtrodden bluesmen who’ve influenced their work. In all, it was one loving homage to the past.

Natalie Salvo

vintage trouble

PICS :: AM

Metro Theatre Monday March 28

sounds as the famous drummer loosely kept time up the back while Rick Vito led the proceedings with his raw vocals and guitar.

PICS :: DC

THE MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND, VICTOR MARTINEZ

up all night out all week . . .

31:03:16 :: Factory Theatre :: 105 Victoria Rd Marrickville 9550 3666 EY MAR :: OUR PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHL

the sound levels were all over the place and Meloy’s voice was lost in the fug.

There were a handful of sound hiccups; loud electronic pops, and acoustic instruments seemed to especially suffer. But when your first round of encore songs includes a selection of six stories from The Hazards Of Love – including one of my all-time favourites, ‘The Hazards Of Love 4 (The Drowned)’, and the deliciously wicked ‘The Rake’s Song’ – small glitches are soon forgotten.

Adam Norris EY MAR :: OUR PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHL

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sydney rock ‘n’ roll & alternative market PICS :: AM

Six years. Far too long between drinks.

Bring back the war, and the sound of cannon fire. Bring back The Decemberists.

03:04:16 :: Manning Bar :: Manning Rd Camperdown 9563 6000

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 23

g g guide g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

pick of the week Sarah Blasko

FRIDAY APRIL 8

The Rocks. 8pm.

Free.

FRIDAY APRIL 8 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Greg Poppleton And The Bakelite Broadcasters Slide Lounge, Darlinghurst.

6:45pm. $99.

Roots Run Deep - feat: Jygantix + Point One Clique + Next Calibre + Kazi A + Jamari On Marz + Jeff Kondek Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 9pm. $10.

Sean Mackenzie Trio Foundry616, Ultimo.

8:30pm. $21.50.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Acoustic Picnic - feat: Sam Buckingham + Luke Escombe +

Enmore Theatre

Sarah Blasko

Greg Nunan & The General Jacksons The Music Lounge, Brookvale. 7pm. $20.

Blake Wiggins Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 7pm.

Free.

Dave Anthony Lord Raglan Hotel, Sydney. 3:45pm.

Free.

Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Karaoke Figtree Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free.

The Hollerin Sluggers + The Desert Sea + Aureus The Record Crate, Glebe. 8pm. Free.

Whisky & Rhymes Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

9pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS A-Mei Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park. 8pm. $170.15.

Blake Tailor Penrith Panthers, Penrith. 8:30pm.

Free.

Brad Johns Orient Hotel, The

Rocks. 8pm. Free.

Cath & Him Ettalong Beach Hotel, Ettalong. 8pm.

Free.

Clever Little Secretaries Rock Lily, Pyrmont.

9:30pm. Free.

Darren Johnstone Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill. 8pm.

Free.

Death Fn Metal 7 Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Dee Donavan Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 10:30am.

Free.

Droplegs + Sundown State Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

Grooveworks Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 10:30am.

Free.

Joeys Coop + The On And Ons + Cub Callaway And The Révolutionnaires Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $14.

JP Project Panania Diggers, Panania. 8pm. Free.

Leroy Lee 99 On York, Sydney.

5:30pm. Free.

Low + Mike Noga

songwriters’ secrets WITH

FERNANDO ARAGONES FROM ANIMAL VENTURA percussion and chanting lyrics.

+ Jack Colwell + Lupa J

Songwriting Secrets 3.

I don’t have any songwriting secrets or

7:45pm. $66.90.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Greening/Elphick/ Sutherland Trio + The World According To James Foundry616, Ultimo.

8:30pm. $20.

Hammerhead Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm.

Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Chris Isaak The Star Event Centre, Pyrmont.

8pm. $101.34.

Songsonstage feat: Russel Neale + Guests Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

7:30pm. Free.

Spin Drifters The Basement, Circular Quay.

6:30pm. $18.30.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Bag Raiders

Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $28.70.

Joseph Calderazzo Duo Rock Lily, Pyrmont.

7:30pm. Free.

Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Mark Travers Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Mucho Sonar + Royal Chant + The Burning Roaches Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Sean McMahon + Elwood Myre + Callum Wylie The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 8pm. $7.

The Beards Studio Six, Sutherland. 8pm. $30.

Victa + Three Speed Machine + Tony Abbott And The Great Regret Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

THURSDAY APRIL 7 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Roda Da Vida - feat:

24 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

Sv4 + Performing Brazil Foundry616, Ultimo.

8:30pm. $16.50.

The East Pointers + The Mae Trio Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $25.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Dave Anthony Crown Hotel, Sydney. 4:30pm.

Free.

F U Cancer - feat: Catherine Britt + Wendy Matthews + Josh Pyke + Wes Carr + Ellie Drennan The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $40.

Hurst + Dave + Bryn De Neve Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 8pm.

Free.

Live At The Sly - feat: Midnight Tea Party + Scruffamudda + Brokebeat Mountain Slyfox, Enmore.

7:30pm. Free.

Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Modern Baseball Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $36.90.

Slide Mcbride Band

formulas, but it usually starts with strumming a few chords and mumbling words and melodies. Sometimes a single chord or note can spark a new song. I think the last couple of songs I wrote started in a live gig, just improvising on the spot and evolving to be a full song later, which is really fun and challenging at the same time.

Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Steve Edmonds Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9:30pm.

Free.

The Dead Love Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $15.

The Lee Three + Liz Clear + Jo Meares The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $5.

Twin Fires + James Thomson & The Strange Pilgrims Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

The Song That 4.

Makes Me Proud It’s hard to pick a favourite song as they’re all like family members, like having a favourite child. But at the moment the song that makes me proud is a song that I had for years but haven’t had the lyrics finished for a while. I have now finished the song and been playing it live, and I love it. Just the feeling of finishing something and bringing it to life is amazing.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Chris Isaak The Star Event Centre, Pyrmont.

8pm. $101.34.

Harbourview Hullaballoo - feat: Ack Martin + Chris Brookes + Kenneth D’Aran + Tim Walker Darling Harbour, Darling Harbour.

7pm. Free.

RB Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8:30pm. Free.

Ryan Downey + Brendon Moon The Newsagency, Marrickville. 8pm. $16.50.

Tim Walker Harbourview Hotel,

The Song That 5.

Changed My Life That’s a hard one, but I think

The First Song I 1.

Wrote The very first song I wrote

I still play it sometimes in my gigs.

from start to fi nish was a song called ‘Morning Sun’.

I was intrigued by a short movie I’ve watched about the sun and how it was considered God by ancient civilisations. But the song wasn’t just about the sun itself but also how we get the chance to start again with every single sunrise.

The Last Song I 2.

Released The last song we released was ‘Minds Of Gold’ – it feels like a long time ago now but it’s still one of my favourites. We’re just about to drop a new one, though, called ‘Do It Twice (Slave Of Love)’ – a very hypnotic tune with heaps of African

wasn’t just one song but the band, Sublime. In my teenage years I was playing drums in a punk rock band, but I also loved reggae and ska. So when I first heard Sublime’s ‘40oz. To Freedom’ it completely changed my life and the sound we’re going for with that band. The idea of mixing those genres together was so cool and revolutionary. I still love that album and it still influences my songwriting and sound today.

Where: Moonshine Bar, Hotel Steyne When: Sunday April 10

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Xxx

WEDNESDAY APRIL 6

Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $51.70.

Mental As Anything Toongabbie Sports And Bowling Club, Toongabbie. 8pm. $15.

Michael Kopp Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm.

Free.

Old School Band Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Peg + The Tall Grass + JMS Harrison + Mark Moldre + Sam Shinazzi The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $15.80.

Peter Kaye Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 10:30am.

Free.

Polish Club + The Lulu Raes Newtown Social Club, Newtown.

8pm. $18.

Rob Eastwood Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 7pm.

Free.

Rock Dogs Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi.

9:30pm. Free.

Rowena Michael Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 10:30am.

g g guide gig g

g g picks gig p

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Free.

Royal Chant + The Burning Roaches + PJ Orr + The Night Managers Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. $10.

Sarah Blasko + Jack Colwell + Lupa J Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:45pm. $66.90.

Soulganic Revesby Workers Club, Revesby.

8:30pm. Free.

Soundbird Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 9pm.

Free.

Suite Az + DJ Troy T The Arthouse, Sydney. 5pm. Free.

Ted Nash Duo Crown Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free.

The Bravados The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $5.

The Bennies + Off With Their Heads Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $25.

Thirsty Merc Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $39.86.

Tom Stephens + Mike Mccarthy + Lady Lyon Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 8pm. $10.

Unlocking The Doors The Basement, Circular Quay. 9pm. $15.

Verge Collection The World Bar, Kings Cross. 8pm.

Free.

Wild Catz Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.

Wild Honey Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

SATURDAY APRIL 9 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Broden Tadros + Isabelle Torle + Jezoz The Newsagency, Marrickville. 8pm. $11.50.

Dave Debs Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm.

Free.

Rob Eastwood The Bells Hotel, Woolloomooloo.

7pm. Free.

Low photo by Zoran Orlic

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Ashley Knight Novotel, Rooty Hill.

6:30pm. Free.

Dragon Wenty Leagues Club, Wentworthville.

8pm. $30.

Frenzal Rhomb + Clowns Collector Hotel, Parramatta. 8pm. $26.

Gang Of Youths Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm.

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$50.80.

Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 3pm. Free.

Green Buzzard Newtown Social Club, Newtown.

8pm. $15.

Hellbringer + Convent Guilt + The Corps + Decrepit Soul Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo.

4:15pm. $10.

Jade Hurley The Basement, Circular Quay.

7:30pm. $24.30.

Jconnexion Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm.

Free.

Jenny Broke The Window + Capitol Coast Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

Maids Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 8pm.

Free.

Masketta Fall Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 1pm. $23.10.

Mental As Anything + The Radiators + Steel City Muthafunka’s Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi.

9:30pm. $27.50.

Pete Hunt Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 5:45pm.

Free.

Temtris - feat: Enthorium + Metreya Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

4:30pm. $16.90.

The Beards Peachtree Hotel, Penrith. 8pm. $30.

Van Gogh + Dejan Cukic Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $57.

Whelan & Gover Panania Hotel, Panania. 8:30pm.

Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Alfredo Malabello The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm.

Free.

Funkstar Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Gravy Train The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 3pm. $5.

Kora Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $40.

Smooth Jazz Presents (The Unforgettable Experience) - feat: Danny Mac + Sancha Prowse Foundry616, Ultimo.

8:30pm. $27.50.

Ted Nash The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm.

Free.

SUNDAY APRIL 10 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Live Music Sundays - feat: Sydney Blues Society Botany View Hotel, Newtown. 7pm. Free.

Nat James Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7:30pm. Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Jazz & Shiraz Sundays Northies Cronulla Hotel, Sydney. 1pm.

Free.

John & Yuki Jazz Band Cronulla RSL, Cronulla. 12:30pm.

Free.

The East Pointers + The Mae Trio Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 6:30pm. $25.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

60s Chartoppers Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Animal Ventura Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

Custard Newtown Social Club, Newtown.

6pm. $46.75.

Daughter Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $64.90.

Gary Johns Band Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm.

Free.

Graham Bonnet The Basement, Circular Quay. 9pm. $44.90.

Hailmary Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 8pm. Free.

Mason Rock Band Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi.

3pm. Free.

Matt Lyon Penrith Panthers, Penrith. 3:30pm.

Free.

Rowdiness At The Valve - feat: Durry + Ride For Rain + Kill Your Heroes + Befaced + Uncanny Decoy + Blind Veggies + The Half Chubs Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $5.

The Tambourine Girls + Leroy Lee + Eush The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 5pm. $5.

White Bros Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 4:30pm.

Free.

MONDAY APRIL 11 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Matt Corby Enmore Theatre,

up all night out all week...

Newtown. 8:15pm. $69.

The Monday Jam The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills. 6pm.

Free.

The Bennies

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Latin & Jazz Open Mic Night The World Bar, Kings Cross. 7pm.

Free.

The Monday Jam The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $5.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Songsonstage feat: Russel Neal + Chris Brookes Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm.

Free.

TUESDAY APRIL 12 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Cassie Judychair + Al Louis Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill. 7:30pm.

Free.

Songsonstage feat: Stuart Jammin Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm.

Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Marcello Maio Trio Foundry616, Ultimo.

8pm. $11.50.

Sunset Jazz Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 6pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Blake Tailor Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville.

6:15pm. Free.

Bucket Lounge Presents – Live & Originals Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Live Rock & Roll Karaoke Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free.

Matt Corby Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8:15pm. $69.

Natasha Stuart + Joseph Calderazzo Tokio Hotel, Sydney.

7pm. Free.

The Wiggles Mounties, Mount Pritchard. 10am. $27.90.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 6 Bag Raiders Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $28.70.

Chris Isaak The Star Event Centre, Pyrmont. 8pm. $101.34.

Sean McMahon + Elwood Myre + Callum Wylie The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 8pm. $7.

Spin Drifters The Basement, Circular Quay. 6:30pm. $18.30.

The Beards Studio Six, Sutherland. 8pm. $30.

THURSDAY APRIL 7 F U Cancer - Feat: Catherine Britt + Wendy Matthews + Josh Pyke + Wes Carr + Ellie Drennan The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $40.

Live At The Sly - Feat: Midnight Tea Party + Scruffamudda + Brokebeat Mountain Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm. Free.

Modern Baseball Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $36.90.

The Dead Love Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $15.

FRIDAY APRIL 8 Joeys Coop + The On And Ons + Cub Callaway And The Révolutionnaires Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $14.

Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $39.86.

SATURDAY APRIL 9 Gang Of Youths Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $50.80.

Green Buzzard Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $15.

Jenny Broke The Window + Capitol Coast Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

Kora Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $40.

Masketta Fall Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 1pm. $23.10.

Van Gogh + Dejan Cukic Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $57.

SUNDAY APRIL 10 Custard Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 6pm. $46.75.

Daughter Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $64.90.

The Tambourine Girls + Leroy Lee + Eush The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 5pm. $5.

MONDAY APRIL 11 Matt Corby Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8:15pm. $69.

Matt Corby

Low + Mike Noga Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $51.70.

Peg + The Tall Grass + Jms Harrison + Mark Moldre + Sam Shinazzi The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $15.80.

Polish Club + The Lulu Raes Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $18.

Royal Chant + The Burning Roaches + PJ Orr + The Night Managers Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $10.

The Bennies + Off With Their Heads Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $25.

Thirsty Merc Low

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 25

brag beats

BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture

dance music news club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Chris Martin, Zanda Wilson and Amy Henderson

five things WITH

FRAN KORA FROM KORA

Growing Up Our parents and our 1. cultural upbringing are the

world, just not enough of it on the charts.

reason music is a huge part of who we are and what we do today. Dad is a talented musician who can play a number of instruments, so as kids growing up we always had bands rehearsing at our place. We had a family band called Zig Zag and from the age of about eight/nine I have been playing music in bars, rugby clubs, weddings and private functions. The best memory I have is playing in the RSAs [RSL clubs] as a kid. I remember hiding behind the speakers and my brother behind the drum kit cause we were too young.

Your Band To cut a long story 3. short, we started in Wellington.

There are four Kora brothers, hence the name Kora, and our brother from another mother Dan completes the ‘Voltron’ of the band that is Kora [laughs]. We have had the same lineup for the past three years now with our talented friends Richie Allan and Joe Brownless from the Heavy Metal Ninjas. Two of the original members/brothers now have solo careers.

Laughton has a band Kinetic and Brad has a band called L.A.B. They both kick ass!

Inspirations The Music You Make 2.

I’ll listen to everything!

4.

We have a big, heavy I’m a big fan of D’Angelo, groove with high energy Grace Jones, Fela Kuti, Michael Jackson, Matt Corby… the list goes on forever really. It’s impossible to have a favourite. The music that inspires me the most is honest music that is good for the soul. There is plenty of great music in the

when it comes to live shows, our own unique eclectic style when recording, and we’ve done it all ourselves as we have always been an independent band. We’ve never boxed ourselves into a genre as such, so it’s interesting how people have

The Aston Shuffle

Aye aye, captain. The Captain’s Club party will take place once again at Watsons Bay Hotel this month, featuring a killer lineup of house music. The Aston Shuffle are set to headline on Sunday April 24 with a DJ set, as Captain’s Club returns to Watsons Bay following a huge sold-out show on Easter Sunday. The lineup is filled out by Set Mo, Refuge, Ariane and Jackson Hunter. Oh, and ticketholders will score a free Captain Morgan drink on arrival between 2-4pm.

26 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

Music, Right Here, 5.

Right Now It’s no secret that the biggest obstacle musos face today is that the ‘music industry’ in terms of sales of albums no longer exists. The internet and apps such as Spotify/Pandora make it almost impossible for an artist to make a career from sales of albums. Albums are just advertising for your live shows and publishing nowadays. The need for a record label fades by the day. I admit, I’ve been to Sydney so many times and unfortunately I haven’t had many opportunities (if any) to watch other acts while in Sydney as I’m always there for our own performances.

But I can say that I have never had a dull moment in Sydney.

Where: Manning Bar When: Saturday April 9

The Presets

Roland Tings

HE’S GOT A GOOD TING COMING

Melbourne producer Roland Tings is on the verge of breaking out from the underground. His house concoctions have already earned the attention of triple j via the Unearthed platform, and his 2015 self-titled debut album marked the arrival of a hot talent on the local scene.

Now he’s rolling into Chinese Laundry on Saturday April 9, joined by Avon Stringer and a massive supporting cast including Marc Jarvin, Elijah Scadden, Offtapia, Coda, Dollar Bear, DJ Just 1, DJ Eko and King Lee.

ENTER LAST EXIT

The Presets have teamed up with House Of Mince to create a brand new one-day music festival called Last Exit. The first-ever Last Exit is the brainchild of Kim and Jules of The Presets, who’ve been so busy working on their new album that they “felt like getting out of the studio for a party”. Featuring some of the biggest up-and-coming names in house and techno music, the event will take place on Sunday April 24 at The Red Rattler in Marrickville. Two huge stages will see sets from The Presets, Berlin’s Massimiliano Pagliara, Zero Percent, Mike Callander, Kiti, Forrest Ensemble and local DJs including Annabelle Gaspar, Gemma and Steve Sonius.

FOREVER YOUNG Musicians have to be careful when they’re putting a reference to their age in their stage name. Little Stevie

Cosmo’s Midnight

GET TO WORK AT AFTER PARTY

After Party is set to deliver the chiller vibes you’ve been hankering for with a sweet collab of art trio Get To Work and triple j party man Shantan Wantan Ichiban.

After you’ve had your fill of a culturally nourishing art gallery opening nearby, it’s time to head on down to After Party for its night of art-infused dance tunes.

Complete with golden pool installation, a tropical vines meandering away and digital projections somehow inspired by the Kardashians, this night is set to tick all the I-wish-Iwas-in-the-Solomon-Islands cravings you’ve been having of late. Get To Work is the trio of Tracy Quan, Georgia Taia and Paris Taia, artists who use humour and dance to explore the idea of cultural identity. Shantan – the man, the myth, the legend – is set to round out the night by spinning up the freshest dancehall tunes that you may, or may not, feel completely free twerking to. After Party’s

Wonder made it out alright; Lil’ Bow Wow, not so much.

Young Franco might be playing with fire, but at 21 years old, he’s certainly still a rising star on the Australian dance scene. ‘Drop Your Love’ is his latest house banger, and it’s inspired a national tour around the capital cities alongside a bunch of regional dates. If he keeps up this work ethic, Young Franco should last long enough to make his name as Franco. See him at Civic Underground on Thursday April 28.

ANNA’S ON THE WAY

FUZZY DOES VIVID

As if year’s Vivid Music lineup wasn’t epic enough already, Carriageworks is set to host a music, video and light experience from Fuzzy – the promoter behind Field Day, Listen Out and Harbourlife – called Curve Ball. Headlining the day will be the enigmatic Zhu and Sydney twin producers Cosmo’s Midnight, with the remaining spots rounded out by the likes of Basenji, Joy., Nicole Millar, Elk Road, Cleopold and Yuma X. And in true Vivid fashion, there’ll be an astounding audio-visual component to the event, filling out Carriageworks’ largest space with light and video. Curve Ball is taking place on Saturday June 11.

If you’ve got a craving for some Brazilian techno, then Anna has you covered.

The Brazilian-born and Barcelona-based producer, DJ and remix artist first got a taste of the nightlife thanks to her father, who ran a popular nightclub in rural Brazil. Anna moved to the bright lights of São Paulo to follow her dreams, and it paid off: her skills paid the bills on subsequent tours around Greece, Hungary, France, South Africa, Germany and even China.

Next up, she’s making her way to Australia for a threedate lesson in techno and tech house. It all starts at Oxford Art Factory on Saturday July 2. thebrag.com

The Presets photo by Elvis Di Fazio

THE CAPTAIN’S CALL

labelled our sound over the years. From electronic, reggae, rock, funk, soul, to “What the hell do you call that sound?” [laughs].

night of fresh dance tunes and art is cruising our way this Wednesday April 6 at Freda’s.

SAT 9 APRIL SPECIAL GUESTS

SASCHA DIVE PHIL KANIS RESIDENTS

MESAN

1 0 P M T I L L L AT E

$10 BEFORE 12AM / $15 AFTER 1 9 9 E N M O R E R O A D W W W . S LY F O X . S Y D N E Y

C I S U M E S U O H Y el t o od H

R E EV NDAY SU

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t.au

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BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 27

club guide g

club picks p

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

up all night out all week...

club pick of the week The Underachievers

SUNDAY APRIL 10 Oxford Art Factory

The Underachievers 8pm. $49.90.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 6 CLUB NIGHTS Salsa Wednesdays - feat: DJ Miro + Special Guests The Argyle, The Rocks. 8:30pm.

Free.

Sosueme - feat: Lime Cordiale + Mace Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

The Wall The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm.

Free.

THURSDAY APRIL 7 CLUB NIGHTS Femme Fetale The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Mixed Tape - feat: DJs Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 4pm.

Free.

The Thursday Jive - feat: Nukewood + And Friends Taylor’s Social, Sydney. 5pm. Free.

XO Thursdays Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale. 9pm.

Free.

HIP HOP & R&B

Bad Absalom + Pershaped Orange + Samurai Lullaby + Hey Lady!

Valve Bar, Agincourt

Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

FRIDAY APRIL 8 HIP HOP & R&B

Phat Play Friday feat: Juzzlikedat + Makoto + Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills.

4pm. Free.

Tuka Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $30.

CLUB NIGHTS Acid Tannins Dance - feat: Mike Who + Anno Cake Wines Cellardoor, Redfern.

5pm. Free.

Argyle Fridays The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Bassic - feat: Eptic + Trampa + D-Jahsta + Infamous + Bank Wobber + Bassline + Kahl Page + Stalker + Kartel Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28.

Blvd Fridays - feat: Zannon Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $13.40.

Bondax + Tcts Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $39.70.

El Loco Later - feat: DJs on Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm.

Free.

Feel Good Fridays Bar100, The Rocks.

28 :: BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16

5pm. Free.

Friday Frothers feat: DJ Babysham + DJ Jesse Sewell Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Fridays At Zeta Zeta Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Girlthing Jelly Wrestling 2016 - feat: Beni X Pantheon + Girlthing DJs + Sideboob + All Out DJs + The Gatling Gun + Bad Habits Club + More Metro Lair, Sydney.

8pm. $20.

Harbour Club feat: Resident DJs The Watershed Hotel, Sydney. 6pm.

Free.

Jam Fridays Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9:30pm.

Free.

Loco Friday - feat: DJs On Rotation The Slip Inn, Sydney. 5pm. Free.

Night Moves 002 - feat: Preacha + Stick Life + Damien Osborne + Saul Small + Jansen Brown Slyfox, Enmore.

10pm. $10.

Scubar Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Somatik Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 11am. Free.

Student DJs Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 5pm.

Free.

The City Knock Off - feat: DJ Just1 + King Lee + Samrai Taylor’s Social, Sydney. 5pm. Free.

SATURDAY APRIL 9 HIP HOP & R&B

Boathouse Saturdays - feat: Resident DJs The Watershed Hotel, Sydney. 9pm. $20.

MC Lars Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $30.

R&B DJs By The Greens Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville.

4pm. Free.

Tyga Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7pm. $74.

Xs.If Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8pm. Free.

CLUB NIGHTS Argyle Saturdays - feat: Tass + TapTap + Minx + Crazy Caz The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

C.U Saturday - feat: Trinity + Phil Smart + Murat Kilic + Robbie Lowe Civic Underground, Sydney. 9pm. $22.10.

Cosmic Carnival Costume Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 9pm. $10.

DJ Koby Mandic Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 9pm.

Free.

Dylan Joel + Hau Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi.

9pm. Free.

El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm.

Free.

Foxlife - feat: Sascha Dive + Phil Kanis + Mesan Slyfox, Enmore.

10pm. $10.

Frat Saturdays feat: DJ Jonski Side Bar, Sydney.

7:30pm. Free.

House Of Marquee feat: Marlo Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $44.10.

Lndry - feat: Roland Tings + Avon Stringer + Marc Jarvin + Elijah Scadden + Offtapia + Coda + Dollar Bear + DJ Just 1 + DJ Eko + King Lee Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $22.90.

Masif Saturdays Space, Sydney.

10pm. $25.

Mona Saturdays feat: Local DJs Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale. 9pm.

Free.

My Place Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Bar100, The Rocks.

8pm. Free.

Novelist Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $23.10.

Pacha Sydney feat: Party Thieves Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 6:30pm. $38.

Raye Antontelli Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 11am. Free.

Scubar Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney.

8:30pm. Free.

Soda Saturdays Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free.

Something Else feat: San Soda + Prizms + Matt Weir + The Ccompletely Boys + Mira Boru + Lauren Hansom + Dave Stuart + Ray Ray + U-Khan Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $22.

The Sweet Escape feat: Stereogamous Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 9pm.

Free.

Yours - feat: Yesyou Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

Tuka

FRIDAY APRIL 8

Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $22.90.

Bondax + Tcts Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $39.70.

Girlthing Jelly Wrestling 2016 - Feat: Beni X Pantheon + Girlthing DJs + Sideboob + All Out DJs + The Gatling Gun + Bad Habits Club + More Metro Lair, Sydney. 8pm. $20.

Night Moves 002 - feat: Preacha + Stick Life + Damien Osborne + Saul Small + Jansen Brown Slyfox, Enmore. 10pm. $10.

Tuka Manning Bar, Camperdown.

8pm. $30.

SATURDAY APRIL 9 C.U Saturday - feat: Trinity + Phil Smart + Murat Kilic + Robbie Lowe Civic Underground, Sydney.

9pm. $22.10.

House Of Marquee - feat: Marlo Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $44.10.

Lndry - Feat: Roland Tings + Avon Stringer + Marc Jarvin + Elijah Scadden + Offtapia + Coda + Dollar Bear + DJ Just 1 + DJ Eko + King Lee

MC Lars Factory Floor, Marrickville.

8:30pm. $30.

Novelist Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $23.10.

Pacha Sydney - feat: Party Thieves Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney.

6:30pm. $38.

Something Else - feat: San Soda + Prizms + Matt Weir + The Ccompletely Boys + Mira Boru + Lauren Hansom + Dave Stuart + Ray Ray + U-Khan Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst.

10pm. $22.

The Sweet Escape - feat: Stereogamous Imperial Hotel, Erskineville.

9pm. Free.

Tyga Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7pm. $74.

SUNDAY APRIL 10 S.A.S.H By Day - feat: Various Artists Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15.

Sunday Sundown - feat: Asta + Elizabeth Rose + Just A Gent The Newport, Newport.

3:30pm. Free.

San Soda

SUNDAY APRIL 10 HIP HOP & R&B

The Underachievers Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $49.90.

CLUB NIGHTS Beresford Sundays - feat: DJs On Rotation Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills. 3pm.

Free.

Brenny B + Alex Mac Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 11am. Free.

S.A.S.H By Day - feat: Various

Artists Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15.

S.A.S.H By Day - feat: Various Artists Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15.

Shady Sundays Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 5pm.

Free.

Sin Sundays The Argyle, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Sunday Sundown

- feat: Asta + Elizabeth Rose + Just A Gent The Newport, Newport. 3:30pm.

Free.

Tyga Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $100.

MONDAY APRIL 11 CLUB NIGHTS Mashup Monday

- feat: Resident DJs + DJ Thieves + Recess + OTG + Chivalry + More Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

TUESDAY APRIL 12 CLUB NIGHTS Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. $10.

thebrag.com

Off The Record Dance and Electronica with Tyson Wray

Anthony Parasole

O

oooh yes please: next month we’ll be seeing a visit from the deep house and techno don Anthony Parasole.

A pillar of the New York scene, Parasole had a breakout year back in 2012 when his track ‘Tyson’ (quality track name!) was given on a rinse on Levon Vincent’s Fabric 63 mix.

Since then, he’s spent a lot of his time launching the careers of other artists via releases on his label The Corner, alongside spinning at almost every club across North America and Europe. Give his Dekmantel podcast a spin to get yourself hyped before he comes into town on Saturday May 7 at the Burdekin Hotel.

Straight from Milan, techno duo Emmanuele Nicosia and Martino Bartola AKA Hunted/Game are coming for Sydney later this month.

Regulars at clubs such as Fabric, The Edge, Warung, Output, Wilde Renate and Studio 80 alongside labels such as Innervisions, Rumours, Last Night

On Earth, My Favourite Robot, Hot Creations and Dynamic, the two are also infamous for their Just This parties held in secretive spots around their hometown. Said parties have hosted the likes of Dixon, Seth Troxler and DJ Koze. Y’all can catch them on Saturday April 30 at the Burdekin Hotel.

Mix of the year alert: oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. The latest Giegling mix has just landed and it’s 57 minutes and ten seconds of ambient bliss.

Taking the reins for this one is the rising (and enigmatic) name Sa Pa. You might remember that he took out my 2015 album of the year with Fuubutsushi.

Get yourself to giegling. net this instant and get downloading.

Some other recent mixes that might tickle your fancy: another member of the Giegling family Leafar Legov has just dropped the latest mix for Resident Advisor, Âme and Dixon stepped up

for the latest Essential Mix and it’s chock-full of unreleased gems, while jungle heads need to jump onto Nucleus’ SoundCloud for his instalment in the Esoteric Music series.

Tour rumours: one of the greatest techno clubs in world, Berlin institution Tresor, is embarking on a world tour to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It’ll hit Sydney in June: expect a seriously heavy lineup to be announced soon. The always lovable Prosumer ain’t far off announcing an Australia return too. Oh, and Beautiful Swimmers are also coming our way later this month.

Best releases this week: oh man, the details of Andy Stott’s forthcoming fulllength Too Many Voices (on Modern Love) have been revealed and the first single ‘Butterflies’ is killer. It drops on Friday April 22.

Y’all also need to check out Kyoka’s SH (Raster-Noton) and the Studio OST compilation Scenes 20122015 (Lustwerk).

Hunted/Game

RECOMMENDED San Soda

SATURDAY APRIL 9 San Soda, Prizms Burdekin Hotel

SUNDAY APRIL 24 Danny Krivit TBA

SATURDAY APRIL 30

Hunted/Game Burdekin Hotel

SATURDAY MAY 7

Anthony Parasole Burdekin Hotel

Got any tip-offs, hate mail, praise or cat photos?

Email hey@tysonwray.com or contact me via carrier pigeon. thebrag.com

BRAG :: 657 :: 06:04:16 :: 29

snap

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps

up all night out all week . . .

live review What we’ve been out to see...

HILLTOP HOODS AND THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, MAVERICK SABRE, A.B. ORIGINAL Allphones Arena Saturday April 2 Days after casually dropping three massive singles simultaneously, it’s as timely as ever for the new collaborative project between Briggs and The Funkoars’ Trials – the brilliantly named A.B. Original – to make their full-scale debut.

They’re onstage for all of five songs and 20 minutes – including a blistering runthrough of Briggs’ ‘Bad Apples’ – but it’s more than enough to rile up early arrivals.

Both are seasoned performers in their own right, their combined energy sparking a new level of pure ferocity. There should be no doubt whatsoever among the Australian hip hop community at large that we’re dealing with something gargantuan.

The duo are followed up by Irish crooner Maverick Sabre, a voice most in the audience would recognise from his double duty on the last studio album from tonight’s headliners. His brand of neosoul is executed swiftly and confidently, albeit in a manner that grows repetitive quickly. Almost every song ends with him taking a long a capella run, leading one to believe he is the kind of singer who will gratuitously point at the notes he is hitting.

It’s sharp-dressed and proficient, but even after only half an hour it leaves a fair amount to be desired.

It was ten years ago that the Hilltop Hoods achieved the firstever number one album in the history of Australian hip hop. Tonight, they begin the first headlining arena tour by an Australian hip hop act. It says a lot that the trio are still finding new ways to break ground as both performers and as a prominent, seemingly evergreen part of the Australian music community.

The use of an orchestra has been written off in the past as trite, but the way that the Hoods and arranger Jamie Messenger add baroque flair to already fence-swinging songs like ‘Chase That Feeling’ and ‘I Love It’ is to be thoroughly commended. They unlock something genuinely moving during the suite of ‘Through The Dark’ and ‘I’m A Ghost’, illuminating it through the stir and swell of strings.

From the 30-plus people onstage to the thousands watching, everything feels as though it’s operating on a much grander scale. The Hoods handle it like the consummate professionals they are, feeding off energy given and returning it tenfold. It’s game, set and match by the time they conclude with ‘Cosby Sweater’ and ‘Rattling The Keys To The Kingdom’. It doesn’t get much bigger or better than this.

David James Young

PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

songwriters’ secrets WITH

HAM BLACKET FROM DROP LEGS

The First Song I 1.

Wrote I was 12 and it was called the ‘The Homiest G In G History’. It was a little skater rat suburban anthem that we rapped on the school bus – still using American accents we’d heard from the radio.

The Last Song I Released 2.

We just released a song

PICS :: AM

s.a.s.h by day ft. radio slave

called ‘Criminal’ that we are really proud of and it’s the best song yet for sure. It’s basically about the everincreasing amount of laws in New South Wales crippling the rights of citizens. There has been a bunch of people around where we live (Byron Bay) losing their licences and getting criminal records for having indeterminable amounts of marijuana in their system from sometimes days or weeks ago. These events, combined with people getting huge fines for having their elbows out the windows, not locking their cars and now not carrying a licence while riding a bike, made me question the fairness of these laws and go and

write a social justice song.

The song was recorded by Dave Atkins (Resin Dogs, Wolfmother) at HydroFunk Studios in Mullumbimby and mixed by Andrew McKinnon (Desmond Cheese). It has elements of Sticky Fingers, The Police and Cat Empire and it will be the first single of an upcoming LP later in 2017.

The Song That Makes 4.

Me Proud Our latest track ‘Criminal’ makes me proud. I feel like it’s the first track we really nutted out together as a band over time. The guitars are smooth, the drums are banging, the bass is drivey, the vocals flow nicely and the horns are just awesome.

Songwriting Secrets The Song That For me, lyrics Changed My Life 3.

5. sometimes come out of ‘Toowong’ by Brad Strut, a passionate thought or sometimes whole verses can spark from an interesting word or rhyme. As most lyricists will say, it can be completely random – sometimes I’ll be out surfing and come up with a verse and have to keep rapping it to myself all the way to the car park so I don’t forget it.

I find travelling also inspires some of my best lyrics.

Writing with instruments is a new challenge and really fun – everyone in Droppies loves surfing, skating, pumping beats down the beach with a couple of beers, so we love writing about that.

a Melbourne MC from the golden age of Australian hip hop. I heard this song in high school and it just blew my mind. I couldn’t believe there were people in Oz with Australian accents with flows and lyrical content rivalling the US rappers. It was so honest and raw and motivated me to start writing better verses and rap all the time.

Where: Jam Gallery / Moonshine Bar, Hotel Steyne When: Thursday April 7 / Friday April 8

03:04:16 :: Greenwood Hotel :: 36 Blue Street North Sydney 9964 9477 30 :: BRAG :: 657:: 06:04:16

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$579 $1189 $999 $849

36% OFF 15% OFF 17% OFF 15% OFF

STEINBERGER SYNAPSE XS-1FPA BASS TA STEINBERGER SYNAPSE XS-1FPA BASS TL STEINBERGER SPIRIT XT-2DB STD BASS BK STEINBERGER SPIRIT XT-25 5STR STD BK STEINBERGER SPIRIT XT-25 5STR LH STD BK

$1999 $1999 $999 $899 $999

$1499 $1499 $699 $699 $699

25% OFF 25% OFF 30% OFF 29% OFF 30% OFF

PEAVEY CLASSIC 50 4X10 COMBO GUITAR AMP PEAVEY 430B 412 STRAIGHT CABINET PEAVEY 430A 412 SLANT CABINET PEAVEY VB 115 BASS CABINET PEAVEY TOUR700 BASS HEAD PEAVEY TOUR TKO 115 400W BASS COMBO PEAVEY AT-200 GUITAR CAR PEAVEY AT-200 GUITAR BLK PEAVEY ECOUSTIC 110 100W COMBO PE PEAVEY MILLENNIUM 4 TGE P PE PEAVEY HEADLINER 600W HEAD PE PEAVEY VALVEKING 412 SLANT CABINET PE PEAVEY BANDIT 112 100W COMBO PE PEAVEY VYPYR VIP 3 100W COMBO PE PEAVEY MAX112 200W BASS COMBO V2 PE PEAVEY MAX110 100W BASS AMP V2 PE PEAVEY SANPERA II FOOT CONTROLLER BLK PE PEAVEY ECOUSTIC E110 FOOT CONTROLLER PE PEAVEY RAGE 258 25W COMBO PE PEAVEY SANPERA I FOOT CONTROLLER BLK PE PEAVEY RAGE 158 15W COMBO

$2399 $1999 $1999 $1599 $1299 $1229 $1199 $1199 $999 $924 $799 $799 $759 $729 $669 $569 $499 $329 $319 $259 $249

$1899 $999 $999 $799 $999 $959 $599 $599 $799 $599 $449 $599 $599 $799 $519 $439 $389 $259 $239 $199 $179

21% OFF 50% OFF 50% OFF 50% OFF 23% OFF 22% OFF 50% OFF 50% OFF 20% OFF 35% OFF 44% OFF 25% OFF 21% OFF 32% OFF 22% OFF 23% OFF 22% OFF 21% OFF 25% OFF 23% OFF 28% OFF

ANNANDALE Parram 55 Parramatta Rd 9517 1901 www.gallinsmps.com.au

UNTIL SO LD OUT! !

The RRP is the recommended retail price as set by the Australian distributor of the product. While stocks last. Products pictured are for illustration purpose only.