Brag#662

ISSUE NO. 662 MAY 11, 2016

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

MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE

SYDNEY PAYS TRIBUTE TO AN ICON

DAVID BOWIE: NOTHING HAS CHANGED

Plus

YA K S A H A R A BE CK SH A NE KOYC Z A N NE W ORDER

TINPAN OR ANGE

THE LIVING END

OCE AN ALLE Y

HO W IE T HE ROOK IE

The Mancunian pioneers will play their first-ever orchestral shows.

From darkness to light, they thrive in ambiguity.

The masters of endurance return with their most personal album yet.

We take a tropical adventure with the Sydney boys who give it their all.

A ND MUCH MOR E

SSO PRESENTS

STARTS NEXT WEEK 19–21 MAY SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

NOTHING HAS CHANGED A TRIBUTE WITH YOUR SSO

FEATURING

iOTA š TIM ROGERS š STEVE KILBEY DEBORAH CONWAY š ADALITA š JACK LADDER BENJAMIN NORTHEY conductor AMANDA PELMAN creative director

FOURTH & FINAL SHOW

NOW ON SALE!

Photo Duffy © Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive ™

Join your SSO and Australian music industry greats to celebrate the legacy of David Bowie. Performing his greatest hits including Changes, Life on Mars, Under Pressure, Let’s Dance and more.

BOOK NOW TICKETS FROM $79* | Call 8215 4600 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

sydneysymphony.com

TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE AT SYDNEYOPERAHOUSE.COM | Call 9250 7777 Mon-Sat 9am-8.30pm Sun 10am-6pm

*Prices correct at time of publication and subject to change. Booking fees for $5-$8.95 may apply depending on method of booking.

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BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 3

rock music news

the BRAG presents

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Rochelle Bevis, Gloria Brancatisano and James Di Fabrizio

OLD MAN LUEDECKE The Gaelic Club Wednesday May 11

speed date WITH

MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA

PATRICK REUTER-TOWN FROM LEPERS AND CROOKS songs we wrote on the road. We just released the film clip for the opening single ‘Let You Go’, which we shot in Sydney with cinematographer/director Danielle Payne, and we’re about to hit the road again on the single tour.

Manning Bar Friday May 13

hometown Sydney. Just to name a few: The Murlocs at OAF, Sticky Fingers at Enmore Theatre, Bootleg Rascal at Manning Bar and recently we just managed to squeeze in to the Chippendale Hotel to catch Methyl Ethel.

PETER BJORN AND JOHN Metro Theatre Wednesday July 20

THE 1975 Sydney Olympic Park Saturday July 23

Best Gig Ever Your Ultimate Rider 3.

At the beginning of 5.

We once rocked up last year we did a 60-date backstage stoked to find national tour. We did the whole thing in a van, about 30,000kms. We played the final show in Sydney, we hadn’t been home in four months and we couldn’t believe the turnout – the vibe was electric, it was the perfect welcome home.

Your Profile 1.

Much like Tinder we joined this band to get

don’t always live up to expectations, yet it always ends with a good story.

some action, free booze and maybe a bite to eat. But also like Tinder, encounters

Busy 2. Keeping We’ve been busy

recording our next EP The Heathen Circus. Coming off 24 months of solid touring it’s been amazing to lay low in the hills of Byron Bay recording the

4.

Current Playlist Being off the road we have had the chance to catch up on some awesome live music in our

AT THE DRIVE-IN Enmore Theatre Sunday July 24

what we thought was two bottles of vodka – it turned out to be this disgusting fortified wine but luckily one of the locals we met that night really took a liking to it and ended up generously hosting one of the craziest afterparties we’ve ever attended.

JAKE BUGG State Theatre Tuesday July 26

SAD GRRRLS FEST Feat: Le Pie, Coda Conduct, Twin Caverns + more Factory Floor Saturday October 8

Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Saturday May 14

MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: James Di Fabrizio SUB-EDITOR: Sam Caldwell STAFF WRITERS: Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: Rochelle Bevis, Gloria Brancatisano, James Di Fabrizio, Keiren Jolly, Zanda Wilson ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant COVER PHOTO: David Bowie © Duffy Archive 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, Anita Connors, 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

ENTER SHIKARI, MAN

UK rockers Enter Shikari are returning to Sydney for one night only this spring. Following their critically acclaimed 2015 album The Mindsweep and the success of last year’s Australian tour, Enter Shikari will be back on our shores with British pals Hacktivist and Sydney’s own Stories. The show takes over the Metro Theatre on Wednesday September 21.

HOLD YOUR HORSES

Seattle rockers Band Of Horses are returning to Australia for the first time in three years, making their debut appearance at the Sydney Opera House. The five-piece has been booked as part of the 2016 contemporary music program beneath the iconic sails, alongside the likes of New Order, Bon Iver, Hiatus Kaiyote and many

EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG.

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4 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

APOCALYPTICA NOW

After taking over stages at last year’s Soundwave Festival (RIP), Finnish metalheads Apocalyptica are set to return to Aussie stages for a run of headline shows this September.

Since kicking things off in 1993, and over the course of eight full-length albums, the cellowielding quartet have redefined the boundaries between rock, metal and classical music in a way no-one else has before. They’ll be touring in support of their most recent album, 2015’s Shadowmaker. Apocalyptica will take over the Metro Theatre on Saturday September 24.

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more. Breaking through in 2006 with their debut Everything All The Time, Ben Bridwell and co. are gearing up to release their fifth LP Why Are You OK this June. See Band Of Horses in their full glory at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House on Monday July 25.

The 2016 lineup of the Deni Ute Muster is here at last, and all-round legend Shannon Noll is just one of the great Aussie names on the lineup. The beloved rural New South Wales festival held in Deniliquin celebrates not only music, but grunted up vehicles as well. And nobody on the music bill has more grunt than Nollsy, who bloody well got robbed on Australian Idol back in 2003. But Nollsy isn’t the only big name heading to Deni this October long weekend, with Australian country superstar Keith Urban on headline duty, joined by national treasure John Williamson, James Reyne, Adam Brand and The Outlaws, Troy Cassar-Daley and Busby Marou. The 2016 Deni Ute Muster takes place in Deniliquin, seven hours’ southwest of Sydney, on Friday September 30 and Saturday October 1.

A VISION FOR VIVID

Visions Festival, a free event cocurated by Deep Sea Arcade, Rare Finds and Chugg Music, has revealed the details of its 2016 lineup performing across two venues on one big day in June. The festival is the culmination of two years of Visions nights held at various venues around Sydney, spotlighting indie acts from our city and across the country. And we’ve gotta say, for a free event, this lineup – including Kirin J Callinan, Deep Sea Arcade, Montaigne, Gideon Bensen, These New South Whales, Flyying Colours, The Pinheads, Hedge Fund and many more – looks tasty as. Visions Festival 2016 takes over the Lord Gladstone Hotel and Freda’s in Chippendale on Saturday June 4 as part of the Vivid Sydney program.

THE SHADOW SIDE PROJECT Jimmy Barnes

BARNESY’S BACK

Jimmy Barnes has announced a national tour alongside an hour-long documentary to celebrate the release of his newest album. Soul Searchin’ (due out Friday June 3) follows 1991’s Soul Deep, 2000’s Soul Deeper and 2009’s The Rhythm And The Blues, which between then have seen a dozen platinum accreditations for Barnes.

Complementing the release of Soul Searchin’ is the documentary, which sees Barnesy travelling America’s southern states in search of lost soul gems, the musicians who made them and the places that inspired them.

Catch him at the Enmore Theatre on Saturday August 27.

Frontman and founding member of Black Veil Brides, Andy Biersack, has announced he will bring his Andy Black solo project to Australia this August and September. After spending the last seven years fronting Black Veil Brides, 2016 sees Black stepping out on his own to release his debut solo record, The Shadow Side. With a full band in tow, Black’s shows Down Under will include renditions of recent singles as well as a host of tracks that are yet to be performed live.

Black will play the Metro Theatre on Thursday August 25.

VANCE IN ADVANCE

Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance will return to our shores to celebrate the release of his third album The Wild Swan. In the follow-up from his Australian performances with music legends Elton John and Ed Sheeran, Vance has released ‘She Burns’, the first track from the upcoming album. He will play The Basement on Wednesday September 14 and Oxford Art Factory on Thursday September 15.

Montaigne

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Jimmy Barnes photo by Pierre Baroni

SAVOUR THE FLAVOUR

Enter Shikari

13 may

29 april

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30 april

tel, perth rosemount ho witt w/ benjamin

6 may

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7 may

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12 may

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28 may H QHZFDVWOH

WKH FDPEULGJ w/ harmony

OERXUQH WKH WRWH PH 5) ow: ages 12-2 (afternoon sh w/ white vans

14 may

28 may

20 may

29 may

dney the metro, sy you beauty w/ harmony + PHOERXUQH UXVVHOO exek w/ harmony +

21 may

HO KREDUW EULVEDQH KRW w/ harmony

27 may

OERXUQH WKH WRWH PH s + moon ritual w/ deaf wish

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OERXUQH WKH WRWH PH + white vans w/ tyrannamen OERXUQH WKH WRWH PH dreams + w/ time for + mollusc palm springs m.au

rones.co tickets: thed

m the new albu free out now feelin kinda

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live & local

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Zanda Wilson, James Di Fabrizio and Rochelle Bevis

BABY ANIMALS

speed date WITH

THE VACATIONISTS

Keeping Busy 2.

JY: We’ve been out to Coogee a lot this summer – but

Boys mash-up as drunkenly (but competently) performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain. We call Petersham home, but we come from various corners of the world.

I’m a faraway Swede, and we have a few Thai and Colombian Aussies and an American among us. We dig on cheap Portuguese beer and karaoke, the great outdoors, filmmaking, dancing, Corey Feldman trivia, and some other things.

3.

Best Gig Ever Tom Dibbayawan: Best gig was probably at an Oktoberfest party we played at in a little town called Dunedoo in regional New

South Wales. Two of our members have family there and they were putting this festival thing on in the town. It was a pretty loose show and we just played whatever we wanted to, really, and the country folk busted out their moves on the dancefloor, including Matt and Tom’s granddad; for a man in his 70s he’s got some impressive footwork. There was awesome food and drink and everyone was so lovely and appreciative for us going all the way there to play for them, and it was pretty much the band’s first time going on the road for a show.

Current Playlist 4.

Craig Brinker: Lately we’ve been listening to a lot of Sam Cooke, Traveling Wilburys, Tennis and LCD Soundsystem. They may seem like unconnected

influences, but we often take elements from strange places and mash them all together.

Incidentally, our favourite Traveling Wilbury is Roy Orbison.

Your Ultimate Rider 5.

TD: It may sound like a dick move but I’d have to at least once fulfil the cliché of having a ridiculous and insane rider.

So the classic giant bowl of just red M&Ms would be a must or any sort of champagne at a ludicrously specific temperature.

After I have lived out that fantasy, we can downscale to a good selection of cheese and beers.

Baby Animals have announced an ambitious two-part show at the Enmore Theatre to celebrate their 25 years of ARIA-winning, multiple-platinum-selling greatness. The first half of the Saturday May 28 concert promises a mix of old and new offerings by the band’s current lineup, while the second half of the show will see the original 1991 Baby Animals lineup performing their debut album – which stayed at number for six weeks – in its entirety.

Accompanying the celebrations is the release of BA25 – a 25th anniversary album including a full concert recording from the band’s tour with Van Halen, unreleased demos and B-sides. xx

Your Profile 1.

Johan Ydstrand: Our sound is something like a Lou Reed/Beach

not so much on the beach, rather sweating in the summer studio heat working on our new single, ‘It Could Be Much, Much Worse’.

Earlier this year we were joined by Craig on keyboards. He’s from the US and brings his gentlemanly Georgia charm to our group. We are excited to chase this new sound down the rabbit hole.

Our calculations have made us anticipate that the rabbit hole will lead us to Coney Island, which is the name of our debut album that we are recording this winter.

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

BA25 is out Friday May 20 through Liberation, and tickets to the Enmore show are on sale now. We’ve got two double passes to give away – enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.

With: Wells, Los Espinas Where: Brighton Up Bar When: Saturday May 21 xx

SENDING OUT SIGNALS

With plenty of gigging experience around the world including supports with Passenger and Matt Corby, South Australia’s Sam Brittain will now jet-set around the country to launch his new album and single. Signal Lights incorporates both folk and country elements and reveals new textures for the singer-songwriter. It was recorded and mixed at Mixmaster’s Studio by Mick Wordley. Meanwhile, Brittain’s new single ‘Stab In The Dark’ introduces a layered new sound. Brittain will perform at the Brighton Up Bar on Wednesday June 8.

Josh Rennie-Hynes

SYDNEYVISION SONG CONTEST

A WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE

Quickly rising through the ranks to become one of the country’s finest singer-songwriters, Josh Rennie-Hynes has returned with a new single and a Sydney show to celebrate. His newest track ‘Rosie’ arrives as the first taste of his forthcoming second LP, Furthermore.

This is the first track released since his acclaimed debut album February, recorded with ARIA Award-winner Shane Nicholson. A seasoned performer, Rennie-Hynes has supported the likes of Kasey Chambers and JD McPherson and graced festival stages at Nashville’s Americana Music Festival, Woodford, Nannup and Queenscliff. Catch him at Lazybones Lounge on Sunday June 12.

Dashville Skyline

Newtown Neighbourhood Centre has announced Sydney’s answer to Eurovision, taking place this August. The Sydneyvision Song Contest is a local spin on the world-renowned Eurovision, but with a twist. Firstly, applicants are asked to submit an original song and accompanying music video, with a deadline for entries of Monday August 1.

But here’s the catch: all entries must contain the name of a Sydney suburb somewhere within the lyrics, as well as show something iconic about that suburb. The 12 top entries will be selected for the final screening, to take place at Dendy Opera Quays. The winner will take home the grand prize of $2,000, from $3,000 in total prizes, and will be featured at this year’s Newtown Festival. For more info on how to enter, head to sydneyvision.org.

ALL HAIL THE ARISTOCRATS

Acclaimed trio The Aristocrats will be returning to Sydney this year for an exclusive one-night-only show. Combining the talents of drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani), bassist Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, Dethklok) and Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, Asia/GPS), the band came together from a chance on-the-spot gig in 2011.

The Aristocrats will be touring off the back of the success of their third album Tres Caballeros. See them at Manning Bar on Saturday October 8.

Wallflower

WHO COULD IT BE NOW

Melbourne-based outfit Wallflower are embarking on a tour in support of their new single ‘Could It Be’. Having played alongside the likes of Eskimo Joe, Los Coronas and Safia, Wallflower are nearing a breakthrough with their captivating blend of synthetic and traditional instrumentation. The indiepop quartet will play three exclusive shows including a stop on Oxford Street to celebrate the fresh music. Wallflower will be at Oxford Art Factory on Thursday May 26.

Philadelphia Grand Jury

DASHVILLE’S BACK

Dashville Skyline, the springtime Hunter Valley music festival from the organisers behind the Gum Ball Festival and PigSty In July, is back in 2016 for its second year. The ’60s- and ’70s-inspired festival that focuses on Americana, folk and alt-country music, plus American cars, culture and cuisine, will announce its lineup in mid-June. Last year’s program featured Shane Nicholson, Wagons, Holy Holy, Olympia, William Crighton and more. For now, earlybird tickets are on sale, starting at $130 (camping included), with discounts for pensioners, teens and children. Dashville Skyline lights up Belford in the Hunter Valley from Friday September 30 – Sunday October 2.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PHILLY JAYS

Sydney indie punk trio Philadelphia Grand Jury are set to head out on an Australian tour unlike any other. The thrifty three are known for doing things a little differently, from launching their first album, Hope Is For Hopers, by playing shows around their hometown on the back of a truck, to holding a listening party for their latest album, Summer Of Doom, on a free bus around the city. What’s set up for this tour, comically titled So You Think You Can Philly Jays?, is a night of karaoke in intimate venues and the opportunity for some lucky fans to get up onstage and belt out their favourite Philly Jays tracks. Some classic karaoke hits are also slated to appear in the set as well. Philadelphia Grand Jury (and friends) will hit up Brighton Up Bar on Friday June 10. xxx

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APRIL 22 - JUNE 17

Image attribution. Still from AFTRS student film Over the Hills

MIDYEAR INTAKE

DOCUMENTARY DIRECTING CAMERA EDITING SOUND VFX DIGITAL RADIO CONTENT

AUSTRALIAN FILM TELEVISION AND RADIO SCHOOL aftrs.edu.au/midyear thebrag.com

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Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer

THINGS WE HEAR • Which publication put a ban on coverage of a major music event – because organisers made the mistake of giving all media privileges to one outlet?

• Which veteran manager is drawing raised eyebrows from colleagues at what he’s teaching his new and young clients – with “drink you under the table” contests?

• Which proposed reunion by a ’90s band got off to a bad start? Ashtrays were fl ung at the first rehearsal!

• Ticketmaster Australia now allows fans to order their food, drink and merchandise online via its website or app, avoiding lengthy queues at live events.

• Nominations have opened for the National Indigenous Music Awards until mid-June. They will again be held in Darwin.

VANDA & YOUNG SONGWRITING COMP RETURNS The Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition is back in 2016, offering $50,000 for the grand prize courtesy of Alberts and APRA AMCOS. Previous winners have been Megan Washington, Kimbra, The Preatures and Husky. Two runners-up will get $10,000 from the Australasian Music Publishers Association and third place will take home $5,000 courtesy of sponsor AEG Ogden. The world’s largest charity song contest not only aims to help emerging writers, but the $50 entry for each song goes to the not-for-profi t organisation Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia. Over the last four competitions, the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition has raised over half a million dollars for the charity. Entries close at 11:59pm on Wednesday July 13 – head to vandayoungsongcomp.com.

• The NSW North Coast Entertainment Industry Association’s Dolphin Awards celebrate their 25th anniversary at the Ballina RSL Club on Tuesday December 6.

• Ghostbusters’ female-fronted reboot is the most disliked trailer in YouTube history. More than 600,000 have given it the thumbs down.

• If you place the sleeve of the vinyl version of David Bowie’s Blackstar in the sun, the artwork turns into a depiction of a galaxy.

• Dallas Frasca arrived in Paris to start their European tour, only to discover Etihad Airways had lost a box containing some of their drum set-up and merchandising.

• After social media speculation, Scott Stapp revealed he is indeed replacing the late Scott Weiland in a band, but it’s not Stone Temple Pilots – it’s the Guns N’ Roses/Disturbed supergroup Art Of

Anarchy.

• 2SER breakfast presenter Mitch Byatt is leaving the station for a new job outside the radio industry.

• Rose Tattoo’s Angry Anderson is running for Senate on the Australian Liberty Alliance ticket. Its policies are against the “Islamisation of Australia”, euthanasia and the gay lifestyle, and in favour of the bolstering of military spending.

• Drake’s Views sold 630,000 copies in the US on its first day. It debuted at number one in Australia this week, the 27th album by a Canadian act to top the Oz charts. Drake is the 11th Canadian act to do so.

• At Pearl Jam’s show at Madison Square Garden in New York, they were joined by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson for ‘Surrender’, and then by Sting for a version of The Police’s ‘Driven To Tears’.

THE HOODS REACH 50,000

Hilltop Hoods’ The Restrung Tour has been their most successful national tour to date. With over 50,000 tickets sold nationally, it saw the biggest Australian hip hop shows to ever take place in each of the fi ve capital cities. The dates featured orchestras and choirs, conductor Hamish McKeich and composer Jamie Messenger, plus a string of guests including Maverick Sabre, Montaigne, Hau, Illy, Sinead Burgess, K21, Remi, Plutonic Lab and Layla. The sold-out Rod Laver Arena show in Melbourne was recorded by triple j for Live At The Wireless, to air in the coming months. The accompanying Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung album has gone gold, with single ‘Higher’ now platinum and ‘1955’ reaching double platinum.

Hilltop Hoods

TAYLOR SWIFT HIGHESTPAID MUSICIAN

Taylor Swift was the highest-paid musician in 2015, according to Billboard’s annual list. She made US$73.5 million last year, of which $61.7 million came from her 1989 world tour. At second spot was Kenny Chesney with $39.9 million, of which $38.1 million was generated from his tour for The Big Revival. The Rolling Stones made $39.6 million – they had no new album to promote but $37.3 million was generated from the road with the rest from their back catalogue.

Billy Joel generated $30.1 million from just 29 shows, including a 12-date run at Madison Square Gardens in New York. Billboard put One Direction’s earning power at $24.2 million, made up of $3.1 million in record sales, $891,800 in streaming and $19.6 million in touring.

STUDY: CENTRAL COAST VENUE ASSAULTS DOWN Assault rates in licensed premises on the Central Coast have more than halved since 2008 and are down by 32 per cent in the past 12 months, says data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

The Australian Hospitality Association NSW attributes the drop to measures such as working with cops and banning troublemakers from all venues, which send the message that punters are responsible for their own behaviour – with no need for lockouts or early closing.

Lifelines Injured: The 1975’s drummer George Daniel broke his shoulder after slipping off the tour bus.

ARTS PARTY RAISING ELECTION FUNDS The Arts Party has started a crowdfunding push (pozible.com/project/204920) for its federal election campaign. The Arts Party was set up to put arts, arts funding and creative industries in the spotlight, and to champion an Australia where creativity is a key element of our lives. “The last 18 months have been a complete disaster for small and medium sized community organisations across the country, and is only getting worse as the funding cuts keep biting,” says the Party, which is aiming for one million votes.

COMMUNITY RADIO AGAINST BUDGET CUTS Community radio has started a campaign after last week’s federal budget, in which metropolitan community digital radio services in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide lost $1.4 million in funding. More upsetting to community radio stations was that commercial radio had its licence fees chopped by 25 per cent. The Keep The Community In Your Radio campaign has been started by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia to put the pressure on the pollies to retract their decision.

A Women In Electronic Music roundtable is being held in Sydney to address the gender inequality in the EDM scene with practical initiatives. Organised by MusicNSW, Vivid Ideas and EMC, it will be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art rooftop from 3-5pm on Saturday June 18. Speakers include Anna Burns (Future Classic), Jane Slingo (Electronic Music Conference), Caroline Gates (FBi

Radio), Banoffee (AKA Martha Brown), Anna Fitzgerald (Ministry of Sound) and musician, composer and academic Cat Hope. The discussion will be followed by a free showcase from 6-11pm featuring Banoffee, Rainbow Chan, GL, Habits, Buoy and Mira Boru. MusicNSW has also partnered with Liveschool, which runs music production courses, to hold masterclasses next month with Kučka and Elizabeth Rose.

NEW MANAGEMENT FOR CLOSURE IN MOSCOW

Prog rockers Closure In Moscow have amicably split from manager Pete Williamson of Sabretusk, and signed up with Mike Solo of The Bird’s Robe Collective (also home to Sleepmakeswaves, The Red Paintings and Solkyri). Solo says Closure In Moscow “are one of my alltime favourite bands”. They in turn were intrigued by the fact Solo “can recite every Wimbledon Men’s singles winner from 1950 to today”. After dates last week with Coheed And Cambria, Closure In Moscow join The Fall Of Troy in July.

KEY TO MARBLE BAR Sydney-based Americana rock band Key To The Highway won Marble Bar’s $10,000 residency before 200 punters at the grand fi nal of the fi fth Discovered comp.

Key To The Highway won from Josh Needs, Jeffrey Chan, El Pollo and Fandango. The judges were Mahalia Barnes, Rolling Stone Australia publisher Mathew Coyte and Inertia MD Tim Kelly, while Danny Clayton was on MC duties.

CREATION MOVIE ON THE WAY A biopic is being made about Creation Records. Set up by Alan McGee, the label went on to sell 60 million albums

Expecting: Janet Jackson, her first child, at nearly 50.

Dating: Since parting ways with model Gigi Hadid, the Gold Coast-born and LA-based Cody Simpson is stepping out with aspiring musician Sierra Swartz.

Sued: Justin Bieber, for US$100,000, by a Texas man who claims the 22-year-old brat smashed his mobile phone when he tried to film him chugging beer in a Houston nightclub.

In Court: two Wollongong mates who were caught trying to enter the Secret Garden festival in Camden earlier this year with an esky of illegal drugs, after security guards searched their car.

Wollongong Local Court declared they deserved a “second chance” and did not record a conviction against them.

Died: Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur, 69, the one-time Black Panther who inspired his best songs and taught him a sense of social justice.

Died: Remo Belli, the founder and chief executive of Californiabased Remo Drums, 88. He pioneered synthetic drum heads to replace animal skin drum heads, which wilted or expanded depending on the weather.

Died: US singer Ned Miller, 90, whose ‘From A Jack To A King’ was a hit in 1962 and covered by Elvis Presley.

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Hilltop Hoods photo by Ashley Mar

8 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

Smooch Records has signed Young Magic, releasing their third album Still Life this week. The act is made up of Indonesian-American vocalist Melati Malay and Sydney-born songwriter/producer Isaac Emmanuel. They met in New York in 2010 and began collaborating. Still Life began with Malay returning to Java to reconnect with her family after the death of her father, an American who went to the jungles of Asia in the ’60s. She rented a shack by the water to write songs, uncovering superstition, black magic and ties to the Javanese royal family.

Sinéad O’Connor is laughing off Arsenio Hall’s US$5 million lawsuit against her for claiming he was among those who supplied Prince with drugs. “I’m more amused than I’ve ever dreamed,” she posted on Facebook, adding that the authorities had already begun questioning Prince’s entourage over his drug supply. “I do not like drugs killing musicians. And I do not like Arsenio Hall.”

WOMEN IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC ROUNDTABLE

Taylor Swift

SMOOCHING UP TO YOUNG MAGIC

O’CONNOR LAUGHS OFF ARSENIO LAWSUIT

RADIO MUST PAY FOR STREAMING The dispute between the record companies and commercial radio on payments for music streaming has been heard before the Copyright Tribunal. The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), which represents the labels, wants payment for streaming from commercial radio, similar to what digital services like Spotify and Pandora pay. Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) argued that streaming was doubledipping as stations already paid broadcast fees. The tribunal rejected those claims.

Radio broadcasters can either pay a streaming fee of 0.059 cents per stream, or 0.35 per cent of gross revenue. Both parties return to the tribunal in 21 days to sort out what ‘streaming’ and ‘revenue’ means, and how long a listener has to stream a track for a licence fee to be paid – radio says 30 seconds, PPCA says one second.

by the likes of Oasis, Primal Scream and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Creation Story’s script is by author Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), based on McGee’s memoirs The Creation Records Story: Riots, Raves And Running A Label.

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution, which is handling worldwide sales, will present it to international buyers at this month’s Cannes Film market.

THURSDAY MAY 12TH

SONS OF THE EAST + DRAW

FRIDAY MAY 13TH

BORNEO + RACKETT

SATURDAY MAY 14TH

SEA LEGS

+BLONDE BAND SUNDAY MAY 15TH

KING TIDE + MAJUN BU

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sahara beck PANACEA ALBUM TOUR with special guests

SYDNEY THURSDAY MAY 19 Newtown Social Club – Sydney FRIDAY MAY 20 RAD – Wollongong

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BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 9

DAVID BOWIE: NOTHING HAS CHANGED WAITING IN THE SKY BY JOSEPH EARP

W

ho says David Bowie is dead? It certainly doesn’t feel like he is. Spend any time talking to one of the musician’s many devoted fans and it’s almost like the man has simply taken a long overdue vacation. He’s distant, rather than gone, and there’s the palpable sense that he might still be able to surprise us – as though a new album might drop any day.

Indeed, only recently it was discovered that the vinyl version of his final record Blackstar holds a secret of its own: when exposed to sunlight, the album artwork transforms into a series of golden constellations. Light coming out of the dark? That sounds like Bowie.

The man meant – or rather, means – so much that his legacy is yet to be fully appreciated. We’re still discovering him, attempting to quantify what he accomplished through shows like David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed, a tribute that will feature such talents as The Church’s Steve Kilbey, Jack Ladder and Adalita all working in collusion with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to eulogise a cultural titan.

For Ladder, a committed Bowiephile, joining the project felt like the most natural thing in the world. He has been mourning Bowie both privately and publicly ever since the man’s tragic passing in January. “[I was] very distraught when Bowie died,” he says. “I got asked to do a few tribute

things. I did something at the Golden Age Cinema. They showed a couple of David Bowie films and I sang a couple of songs in between.

“It’s a nice thing to do,” he goes on.

“It’s part of the grieving process.

Then someone sent through an email asking whether I wanted to be involved with [Nothing Has Changed] and it’s pretty hard to say no to singing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opera House. It just seemed exciting.”

It’s safe to say Ladder has done his time as a Bowie fan – he first swore his allegiance to the Thin White Duke many years ago. “When I was younger I was really into Marc Bolan and T-Rex, but then my brother gave me Bowie At The Beeb, which is a collection of all [Bowie’s] live recordings from the John Peel show, and I just played the hell out of that,” he says. “A lot of that is all his earlier work. So I guess that’s where it started.”

Kilbey’s love of Bowie has surprisingly similar origins. “I was 18,” he begins. “I [was] living in Canberra and I had a friend and we were both really into Marc Bolan.

We talked about Marc Bolan all the time. Then one day [my friend] said, ‘You’ve gotta get into David Bowie,’ and I was [unsure]. I sort of felt bad about abandoning Marc Bolan, as if he would have known. But my friend gave me [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars] and a bootleg that later came

out and became a legitimate album, Live In Santa Monica ’72. I just went home and listened, and over about the next month my allegiances transferred from Bolan to Bowie.”

For Kilbey, Bowie’s appeal can’t be attributed to a single quality. “He had the best songs, the best lyrics, the best voice,” he says. “He was the best-looking guy, he had the best take on everything. When he came along, it seemed like he really was Ziggy Stardust. I guess I thought he really was. And I guess Bowie thought he was too. When you listen to that bootleg, he’s sort of living it up to the hilt. He’s introducing the [songs] like, ‘Here’s a song written

by Ziggy.’

“He was my main man for all time,” Kilbey adds. “Me and ten zillion other teenagers were just totally sucked in. I like all of his ’70s albums. I went back and got Hunky Dory and The Man Who Sold The World … Even when Low and Heroes came along I was right into it from the word go.

It’s funny – now, you know, everyone thinks [Low] is great but at the time it got really bad reviews and sold a miniscule amount. But I loved it.”

It’s not just Bowie himself whom Kilbey and Ladder adored, it’s the effect he had on pop music as a whole. He never worked in a vacuum – he was constantly both inspired and inspiring, over the years reaching out to acts as disparate as Sonic Youth, the Pixies and Lorde.

“[Bowie] was always pretty into Scott Walker,” Ladder explains, excited to talk about two of his favourite musicians in the same breath. “I think that’s how he heard Jacques Brel … There was a version of ‘Amsterdam’ by Bowie that I was really into. And there’s a beautiful recording of Scott Walker calling David Bowie up for his 50th on the phone and wishing him a happy birthday. It’s something the internet is useful for.”

Bowie also had singularly impressive staying power. Blackstar was a late career record that redefined what late career records are meant to be, and Kilbey argues that Bowie never stopped turning out hits. “‘Under Pressure’ – what an incredible song that is,” he sighs. “He still had it. He’s untouchable. To me in rock’n’roll there’s The Beatles … and there’s David Bowie. There’s no way to top what they all did. And [Bowie] was just the best.”

It’s true that even Bowie’s more maligned albums hold a distinct appeal. For Ladder, strange experiments like the anti-fascist art rock record Tin Machine make Bowie appear more relatable. “It’s fun having relationships with artists that I feel do anger you,” he says.

“Like when they release something and you go through their catalogue and say, ‘Why did they do that?’ It’s like when something is happening in your family and you’re asking them, ‘What’s happening?’ I like that. It feels more human.”

“He was just a giant. He broke down so many barriers of what was deemed acceptable or what people were allowed to wear and do and say and how people were allowed to act.” - JACK LADDER 10 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

Bowie, The Beatles – these people aren’t just musicians. They’re not idle parts of our lives. They help us. They change things. Ladder’s voice goes thick when he tries to sum up his hero’s impact on not only music but the world.

“He meant so much to so many people. So many different things to so many different people. And he spanned so many generations and so many subcultures. He was just a giant. And he broke down so many barriers of what was deemed acceptable or what people were allowed to wear and do and say and how people were allowed to act.

He fought against the media and was very helpful in bridging gaps in racism in music.”

Ladder pauses, considering. “It does feel stupid, especially when all these giants keep dying – Prince and Lou Reed and David Bowie – it feels silly to not know those people and feel so sad about it. I felt really cut up … It’s grieving on a mass scale. “[But] these people ingrain themselves in your life so much.

Particularly [because they are] musicians – they’re people who live past their life in this alternate reality.

You can just stare at their record covers and listen to their music. They do feel like your family.”

What: David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed With: Jack Ladder, Steve Kilbey, Deborah Conway, iOTA, Tim Rogers, Adalita Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Thursday May 19 – Saturday May 21

thebrag.com

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New Order Complete With The Orchestra By Michael Hartt

I

n late 2011, New Order reformed to play two benefit shows for long-time friend and collaborator Michael Shamberg. It came as a surprise to many who believed the influential Mancunians to be well and truly over following a very public split with bass player Peter Hook in 2007. All the more surprising was the announcement that original member Gillian Gilbert, who’d left in 2001, was back after a decade outside the group.

Five years on and New Order are enjoying a resurgence on the back of last year’s Music Complete, their tenth studio album and best since 2001’s Get Ready. However, as current bassist Tom Chapman explains, at the time of the reformation there wasn’t much of a plan beyond those fundraising shows.

“We booked two concerts – one in Belgium, one in Paris,” he says.

“We just thought, ‘Let’s see what happens.’ There were no future plans to tour or carry on as New Order.

We just thought we’d do those two concerts for Michael and basically test the water.”

He adds: “We didn’t know what the reaction was going to be with myself playing bass, as well.”

It wasn’t long after those first shows that New Order again became an active band. Eventually, the thought of new material started to cross the minds of Chapman and the rest of the group.

While New Order’s two previous albums – 2005’s Waiting For The Sirens’ Call and 2013’s Lost Sirens – were relatively guitar-heavy, Music Complete owes far more to the band’s electronic leanings. This was a conscious decision, Chapman explains.

“I think the brief, really, was to write material that would fit into our live set,” he says. “We saw the reactions of the crowd with our live set when we’d come to the electronic part, so we were trying to replicate that. I think that really influenced the musical direction of Music Complete when we started writing it.”

As the new member of the band, Chapman says entering the studio with one of the groups he grew up listening to was maybe a little strange, but those feelings soon disappeared once they got down to work.

“They’re fantastic musicians. They have a lot of musical integrity and it just felt really exciting,” he says. “We didn’t really know at first how it was going to pan out with the writing, but what happened is there were different teams of writers: myself and Phil [Cunningham], Steve [Morris] and Gillian, and Bernard [Sumner] on his own. We would present sketches of demos that we had or musical ideas.

We’d put them on the table and go, ‘What do you think of that?’ From that, we’d develop that idea and make it into a song. It was very much a joint effort, really, as writers. The mood was good. We wanted to take risks as well, musically, and do something exciting.”

New Order will be taking another risk when they come to Sydney for this

year’s Vivid LIVE festival. Two of their four Sydney Opera House shows will feature the Australian Chamber Orchestra. It will be the first time the band has undertaken such a collaboration.

“The only similar thing I can think of was when we played at Carnegie Hall two years ago with Philip Glass and Iggy Pop,” says Chapman. “Myself, Bernard and Phil were invited by Philip to play at the Tibet House concert that takes place in New York. We were involved there with a quartet. That’s probably the closest experience we’ve had working with classical players and classical instruments.

“We have never played with a full orchestra before and we’re really very excited about it. I think it’s going to be very, very special. Our friend Joe Duddell, who arranged the strings

on Music Complete, will be with us, conducting the orchestra.”

and Lollapalooza in Berlin, among others.

The additional element of the orchestra gives New Order the opportunity to possibly present a set unlike any other they’ve done before.

Chapman says they’re still finalising the details.

After that, Chapman says, more touring could be on the cards but nothing’s concrete. “Looking at my diary, we’re booked to play festivals through to September. I don’t know what’s going to happen after September,” he says. “With New Order, there’s never any plans for the future. We kind of do things on a gut instinct and see what happens.”

“We’re sort of thinking about what we’re going to do, new songs and new arrangements. It’s very exciting.

We’re planning to use old material and some songs off Music Complete, maybe some songs that we’ve not played live yet. I won’t say too much because I’d like it to be a surprise.”

New Order have a fairly full diary over the coming months. Prior to their Vivid shows, there’s a Japanese tour; later they’ll be hitting the European summer festival circuit with slots at Glastonbury, Roskilde

What: Music Complete out now through Mute Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE 2016 When: Thursday June 2 and Saturday June 4 (with the Australian Chamber Orchestra), plus Wednesday June 1 and Sunday June 5

xxx

“From those two concerts, we started getting offers from promoters around the world and started touring extensively. That probably lasted for two years. We felt it was the natural progression for the band to start writing material and be creative.

We didn’t want to run the risk of becoming a dinosaur band where

you can tour the hits around the world over and over and never inject something new into your live set.”

The Living End Shifting Sands By David James Young we were doing [was] taking any days we had off,” explains Cheney, “and getting into our studio space in Melbourne. We had all this time, we figured we might as well lay something down.

“We decided not to take in any complete songs – rather, we scraped together every little riff and every small idea we had lying around and threw them into the mix. We just hit ‘record’ and went for it. After a week and a half, the spark was well and truly alight.

It was nerve-racking at first – it had all the potential to be fucking awful – but it came together in this spontaneous burst of energy.”

“I’ve sugar-coated and sidestepped things in the past.

This shit needed to be said.”

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12 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

“That was one of the big changes that came with writing this album,” says Cheney from his home in Los Angeles, where he and his family have lived for the past few years.

“This is definitely an ‘I’ album, after writing so many ‘we’ albums over the years. It wasn’t difficult to write, though – it was the only thing that was coming out of me as I was working on this album. It’s not a concept record, per se, but a lot of it does pertain to the same sort of thing. It all comes back to a few things that have happened in my life in recent times.

“It was a difficult time to get through, but on the other side of it I just sort of spewed forth everything that had happened to me with a pen and paper. I knew

that I couldn’t water it down. I knew I couldn’t change it for anyone. It would have been criminal to do that. It wouldn’t have been true to the music we were making. I’ve sugar-coated and sidestepped things in the past. This shit needed to be said.”

Fans of the band last saw The Living End in action in 2014, when they did a mix of intimate club shows (some of their smallest in years) and co-headlining dates with previous collaborator and old friend Jimmy Barnes for A Day On The Green, the outdoor afternoon shows held at regional wineries.

At this stage, casual mention was made of working toward new material, although there was nothing yet to show for it. “What

The Living End were formed back in 1994 by lifelong friends Cheney and double bassist Scott Owen for little more reason than to play Stray Cats covers and have fun. They, along with drummer Andy Strachan, who has been with the band since 2002, have

Over the 22 years of The Living End’s existence, some bands have come back and others have disappeared entirely. There are few, however, that never left in the first place. Such is the case with Cheney and co. The secret to their longevity? “We’re not interested in playing it safe,” says the frontman succinctly.

“We’ve never taken the easy road – probably to our detriment at times, some might say. When we did the Retrospective tour a few years back, that was one of the hardest things that we’ve ever done. That comes down to pure ambition, hunger and the willingness to outdo ourselves. We’re always trying to prove that we’re more than our last album or our last hit.

Recently, I’ve found myself drawn to the craft of songwriting, probably more than I ever have been before.

I’ve been working at it every single day, trying to hone in on the craft.

I’m always chasing the kind of songs that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I don’t want to be in a tired old rock band – and I don’t think we’re in any danger of that happening at this point.”

What: Shift out Friday May 13 through Dew Process/Universal With: Bad//Dreems, 131’s Where: Enmore Theatre When: Saturday June 11

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New Order photo by Nick Wilson

hen a writer sits down to compose a text, he or she decides to write in one of three voices: first person (“I did this”), second person (“You did this”) or third person (“They did this”). The Living End, for the majority of their 20-plus years as a band, have spoken in first-person narrative. The twist, however, is that their abstract ‘I’ has always been a part of a greater group, their ‘we’ (lest we forget their most famous lyric is still “We don’t need no-one like you to tell us what to do”). On Shift, The Living End’s first album in five years and seventh overall, this perspective inverts, as lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Cheney turns his lyric-writing onto his own life.

There’s no other phrase for it: this time, it’s personal.

The Living End will be premiering a slab of Shift in the live environment this June on a capital city tour alongside Adelaide pub rockers Bad//Dreems and Melbourne punks 131’s. Cheney is especially vocal about his love for the former. “I actually caught them while they were over here in the States,” he says. “They’re just fucking great.

They’re a raw rock’n’roll band with a uniquely Australian edge, and I think that’s really special. It really harkens back to the pub rock glory days. It’s important to us to support bands like that, just like we were supported when we were first starting out. You’ve got to support a scene that supports itself.”

gone from selling out pubs to theatres to arenas and back again, earning legendary status within contemporary Australian music and a cult following overseas.

Tinpan Orange Barking Up The Right Tree By Erin Rooney major feature of the path to where they are now.

“Harry has been very instrumental in the journey of our sound,” says Lubitz. “Our third album, he produced it himself. And then our last album he was also very heavily involved in, and then this one he co-produced.

He’s kind of like our musical director – he really helps us with vocal arrangements, string arrangements.”

And by the sounds of it, Angus’ and Lubitz’s musical talents will run in the family, with their two children being exposed to the craft from a young age.

“Look, they’re no Mozarts. They’re connected to music and we have a little drum kit in the house. We kind of regret buying that now!

Surely we should have bought something not as loud,” Lubitz jokes. “But we try and have it just in their world, so that they can access music when they want to and when they need to.”

A

t first glance, Tinpan Orange’s decision to name their new album Love Is A Dog – a reference to the dark Charles Bukowski book Love Is A Dog From Hell – begs to be interpreted as cynical. But lead singer Emily Lubitz sees things differently.

“It creates an ambiguity,” she says. “It depends on how you see dogs! Some people see them as their best mate – dogs are loyal and courageous, and they save you when you’re drowning.

And also dogs are wild, and untameable, some of them are greedy and mean – so it kind of encompasses the spectrum of love.”

Lubitz writes about love as most songwriters do; however, this album breaks down the facets of love one can have for different people – for a romantic lover, a lost love, a friend or children. What’s more, she wrote the record with help from her husband, Harry James Angus (The Cat Empire), and her brother Jesse, who’s also part of the band.

One of the album’s most attentiongrabbing songs is its opening track ‘Rich Man’, inspired by a Gatsbyesque marriage that is wealthy and lavish. The song is a word of warning about what lies beneath the exterior of a relationship, and this is shown quite literally in the music video, where Lubitz is stripped completely of her jewels and fine garments.

“I think that I owe it to Harry probably,” she explains. “He has a beautiful sense of melody and he wrote the part of the song where I sing in a falsetto kind of head voice, which I’d never done before. So thanks to this song I discovered another part of my voice that I’ve never used.”

Tinpan Orange have been playing gigs and writing music together for ten years, adapting and changing their sound as they’ve grown together. What started off as a passion project while working in cafés and studying at uni turned into a career; the “train that [they’re] on”, as Lubitz puts it.

The development of their sound, with help from Angus, has been a

Tinpan Orange have also worked with another member of The Cat Empire – keyboardist Ollie McGill – but this came earlier in their career. So when McGill invited Lubitz to record an acoustic session for a train commercial in 2012, she didn’t expect quite the response it got. The song for Metro Trains in Melbourne called ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ began racking up a couple of million views a day, and now has over 120 million views on YouTube.

The cute cartoon, combined with Lubitz’s folky vocals cautioning against silly behaviour around train tracks, was a viral hit.

Though Lubitz hasn’t offered her vocals to any advertisements

since, she says the project did open up a lot of opportunity for Tinpan Orange. One of their songs got picked up by an ad agency in Chicago who had heard of them through the commercial, securing them a significant fee that allowed them to keep recording and touring. And they have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

“We just played Woodford [Folk Festival] this summer and we’ve played it quite a few times – ten years!” Lubitz says. “It’s such an amazing festival – the crowd are so with you. They’re the most supportive crowd.”

The Melburnian folksters are always looking to expand their horizons. They were in discussions to play a festival in Africa until it fell through, but that continent holds particular interest for them and could be their next overseas stop. In the meantime, they’ll continue playing the Australian venues they love best. Touring Love Is A Dog, they will hit Sydney next week for a show at The Vanguard. They’re now performing as a trio, where in the past they have often played as a fi ve-piece band, and Lubitz confirms the live versions of songs from the new album will sound quite different to the recordings.

“We’ve had to reinvent a few of the songs because a lot of the songs that were recorded were for drums and bass and maybe even keys,” she says. “But I feel like we’ve really done them justice.”

What: Love Is A Dog out now through Vitamin With: Jim Lawrie Where: The Vanguard When: Friday May 20

Yak Sold On Success By Shaun Cowe

B

ritish fuzz rockers Yak have had a rich couple of years of music. Releasing their EP Plastic People to critical acclaim in 2015, the Londoners follow up this week with their debut album, Alas Salvation, catapulting them on tour. Frontman Oliver Burslem begins our interview by repeatedly telling us how moist he is, having just gone for a dip to escape the heat. The tongue-in-cheek declaration sets a jovial tone for the conversation.

“I’m all nice and lubricated at the moment. I just went for a dip, so I’m all moisturised and wet. I’m in Melbourne,” he says. “I just came here randomly before we go on tour in the States. I just thought I’d check it out. I mean, it’s not really on the way, but we were out travelling anyway.”

Despite the success of their recordings, Yak are most defi nitely a live band. Their cacophonous guitars, drawling vocals and a relentless rhythm section lend themselves well to your archetypal, scummy British punk club. Looking forward to the American spate of shows, Burslem waxes about the romance of the road.

“I actually love touring,” he says.

“I love the gypsy lifestyle. We’ve got a van that we all run around in, doing our shows. We’ve had so many problems with it. It’s got holes in the ceiling and it’s just rubbish, but we’re all hands-on and it keeps running, so it’s great.”

With Yak’s relatively limited studio experience ahead of their

thebrag.com

full-length debut, they found themselves working closely with producer and Pulp bassist Steve Mackey. Burslem is quick to crack jokes about Mackey, before explaining how the band met up with him before deciding to record.

“He did touch me inappropriately.

No, Steve’s good. He’s a true northerner. We’d just played a gig in Liverpool, so we were knackered, and he invites us over to check out his garage where he’s playing music. So we get there and he puts all these cameras up in trees, fi lming us, then we played our arses off for two hours and went home.

“We’d never really thought about our music, we always just played it,” says Burslem. “Steve helped us a lot with recording the songs.

He brought in some great ideas with the sound and sorted it all out for us. I’m really happy with how the album turned out. It’s a proper rock album.”

Fashion fans might have recently recognised Burslem’s rocker mug gracing ads for Burberry alongside a score of other London creatives.

However, when asked about the experience, Burslem remembers the whole thing with cynicism.

“What is Burberry anyway? I don’t know. It’s kind of an idea of what London was. They get all these people who look like aging rock stars from the ’60s and ’70s – that’s where I come in – then they put them in coats that have been made a million times before, made in China. Then they put us all in a posh car in Mayfair, because

that’s apparently what London looks like.”

Considering his misgivings, it might seem odd that Burslem chose to be part of the campaign.

In truth, the members of Yak were all working odd jobs to save money when the gig landed in his lap.

“I was driving fashion people around,” he explains. “One day I was bringing them tea and biscuits and they asked me if I wanted to be in this thing and I said, ‘No, I’m in a band.’ Then they told me how much money I was going to get – and it was a lot – and I still said [no]. They kept asking me and I said I’d have to ask my manager, so they all started laughing at me like, ‘Who’s this loser, saying he has to talk to his manager to be in a Burberry campaign?’ Then they gave me more money and I was

like, ‘With this I could record an album.’ So I did it, sold my soul.

It’s not bad though – I’ve sucked dicks for less.”

Moving the conversation on to music, Burslem has a wide range of tunes he draws from when he’s writing. He cites Turkish psychedelia and gospel music as personal favourites at the moment, but baulks when it comes to thinking of them as infl uences.

“Some days I want to be Al Green, but that just isn’t me. Even if I could sing like that, and I can’t, I’m a white boy from London and an atheist. If I tried to make music like Al Green, people would just be like, ‘That’s fake, what’s he doing?’ I’ve played in enough bad bands to know fusion styles or whatever, it doesn’t work. It’s taken me a long time to come to this point. I feel like what we’re

doing is honest and that’s why people like us.”

At least for the foreseeable future, Yak will be busy on the road, but after that the band’s course is yet to be decided. Burslem says he’s careful never to take the whole thing too seriously, which isn’t hard considering the lack of money being a musician brings in.

“We don’t make a living from it; there’s not enough money in it for that. So I’ve never approached it as a career or anything. We just do what we do in the moment because that’s what we like. We try to make honest music and have a good time when we’re playing. We don’t think about it too much.”

What: Alas Salvation out Friday May 13 through Octopus Electrical/Kobalt

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 13

Ocean Alley Tropical Adventures By Emily Gibb Ocean Alley will then embark on European dates in July. Speaking in the final days before the album drops, Blom is happy to take things as they come.

“We’re just sort of cruising – there’s going to be a bit of a break now,” he says. “We’re always jamming here and there, but I think we’re going to try and take it easy before this tour and then give it a good nudge.

We’re even starting to try and write a few more songs.”

After taking their time releasing the tracks that made up their EPs Yellow Mellow and In Purple, Ocean Alley decided to charge into work on Lost Tropics just months after the latter EP’s release. “We had the studio booked and probably five tracks [written],” says Blom, “then two months to figure out the rest of the album, so we all knuckled down. It didn’t give us too much time to let the songs just sit there and overthink them – we just smashed ’em out.”

I

f the music world is anything to go by, 2016 is the year of the lemon – something Sydney’s surf/psych rock six-piece Ocean Alley were on to long before Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Angus Stone’s Dope Lemon.

The second single and opener of Ocean Alley’s debut album Lost Tropics, ‘Lemonworld’, was named nonchalantly by lead singer Baden

Donegal with the artwork in mind, according to bassist Nic Blom.

“That’s what we were thinking about the other day,” he smiles. “We were like, ‘Oh, I think we might’ve cracked on to something here!’ But yeah, Baden just thought of it one day at work. We wanted the idea to be a lemon having a knife cut through it

and then inside is the world, sort of thing. Well, that was the idea for art, but I don’t think that ever actually got drawn!”

Moving away from their reggaetinged roots while still keeping some flavour, Ocean Alley entered Lost Tropics keen to spice things up with more surf and psych rock in the mix. Highlights ‘Fly On The Wall’, ‘Feel’ and ‘Stripes In My Mind’ exemplify this – a mix of echoing and fuzzy guitars, ’70s psych rock jams and theatrical keys, each with the potential to explode live.

It’s no surprise artwork has been somewhat neglected with so much on the band’s calendar in the near future. Set to tackle an east coast tour after releasing their debut LP,

“We were just keen to experiment,” Blom explains. “The fuzzy tones of guitars and modulating-type pedals – change it up and get it cracked out and fuzzy. There were

yourself feel nervous – ‘God, are people going to think I’m stupid if I do this, if I jump around or throw my arms up,’ whatever – you can lose what you’re doing, but if you think of yourself as a different character, you can do whatever you want. I love performing and I love being able to go crazy there. It’s the one time you can do whatever you want and no-one can say anything.

‘What, that? Oh, that was just a part of the performance…’”

the shape of what comes next. She is still yearning to keep moving her writing forward, and trusting those moments of inspiration wherever they occur.

a few things that we couldn’t end up doing ’cause they just didn’t work out. We’ve got six people in the band and had to cut some stuff. But it’s just how it is – you have to find balance.

“We used to struggle. We used to be just a big wall of noise, but I think now that we’re a bit more mature and [have] played a lot more, everyone knows their certain part and it’s less is more – you just need to relax. When we have the big, heavy choruses, everyone just comes in and gives it hell.”

‘Giving it hell’ doesn’t just apply to Ocean Alley’s music, with the band members up to fun and games away from the stage, at times testing each other’s patience or playing indoor cricket with beer bottles.

“We always end up making friends with weird people and they’re always inviting us back to big parties. It’s good fun, touring, but it can get to you,” Blom laughs. “It definitely takes its toll – you can be breathing down each other’s necks and everyone gets a bit grumpy in the mornings. [But] we’re all best friends, everyone gets over it. We really just want to travel and tour and in that, write new music and record albums. There’s always a lot of inspiration to be had on tour.”

What: Lost Tropics out Friday May 13 through MGM With: Borneo, Top Lip Where: Newtown Social Club When: Wednesday May 18

xxx

Sahara Beck Taking Charge By Adam Norris

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f the sky ain’t within striking distance for Sahara Beck, well, it’s pretty damned close.

Following years of developing within Australia’s nu-folk scene – which can come with just as many traps as trimmings – Beck has at last revealed her debut album Panacea, and despite the work that has preceded it, it acts almost as an introduction. The album shows the Queensland artist at her most open and honest, and it sure doesn’t hurt that the songs themselves are catchy as hell.

“In a way, all the music I’ve created before this album I’d always wanted to be as theatrical and epic as these songs, but I didn’t have the direction in my mind,” says Beck.

“I didn’t understand then how to create those sounds, so I’d just go along with what my producers would think or what other people were telling me. People would say, ‘We think it should sound like this,’ and I’d say, ‘Alright,’ because I didn’t know how to do what I want.

But this time I’ve said, ‘No, I need to work this out.’ At the end of the day, it has my name on it, so I have to make sure it sounds exactly how I intended it to sound so that I can be proud of it. This album has come out exactly how I heard it all in my head, so no matter how I feel about it, I can always look back and say that’s exactly how I wanted it back when I was 19.”

“I’ve always let myself be open to letting a song come out the way it’s supposed to. If you have an idea, I 14 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

“I got to understand everything I was going through in the last few years through those songs, expressing myself that way. When I was deciding which songs would go on the album, I had the word ‘panacea’ floating around that had been waiting for the right moment.

There were so many songs that were about something I had come to terms with in the last two years, so I thought for me, because I’d been so theatrical and vulnerable and honest with it, hopefully someone else would be able to connect with that, and maybe be able to express that part of themselves if they couldn’t do it on their own.”

‘Panacea’ is a splendid word (meaning a healing remedy), and as unifying themes go, Beck would be hard-pressed to come up with something more appropriate. Her career has covered quite a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of time, and the development of her music allowed Beck to not only open herself up through song, but learn to fully embrace the balm of live performance as well.

“I’ve started to…” She trails off, laughing. “Because each song is so different, I kind of imagine different characters now, and if I was in the audience, what I would like to see me doing up onstage during songs. That also kind of separates me from feeling nervous about whatever people are going to think. The moment you start letting

For now, even with the album and tour upon us, Beck is still pondering

“Over the years I’ve gotten better at recognising when that moment comes. You get this feeling, and you start to get excited, you realise that you can do something with this feeling, and in that moment you try to separate yourself from whatever you’re doing and whoever you’re around, and go and quickly write something down. There are

people who will go away and write for a couple of weeks, go travel somewhere far away. But I’ve never been able to understand that. How can you just turn on creativity like that? It just comes, you can’t control it.”

What: Panacea out now through Sugarrush / Create/Control Where: Newtown Social Club / The Brass Monkey When: Thursday May 19 / Sunday May 22

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xxx photo by xxx

It’s strange to think of Beck as still being so young, especially when her conversation is so assured. Not that she is sombre or overly serious – in fact, she laughs a lot – but she is most certainly a performer who has learned not to compromise on her vision.

always feel that I as an artist have no real right to change that idea and go, ‘Nah, it should be more like this.’ I’ve always been curious of other styles, and up until now I’ve been doing a lot of folky music, which I like, but it’s not really the stuff I listen to myself. It was just the way it was being translated.

arts in focus

free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

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

five minutes WITH

Candy Royalle photo by Nicola Bailey

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our live show combines poetry, funk, rock, hip hop and performance art. Is the broad scope a reflection of your desire for artistic freedom?

It’s a reflection of the fact we create songs based on what the words demand. The Freed Radicals are a versatile band, so we’re never locked into one genre, which means we can honour the words with driving rock’n’roll, sexy hip hop or expansive experimental soundscapes.

Do you feel you can express yourself completely freely in Australia in 2016?

Definitely not. Where are the

platforms for a queer woman of colour to speak about her experiences or of how we are constantly at war with each other as a distraction from the fact the super rich are fucking us over?

Who’ll allow me to talk about affordable housing, food, water or about revolution and overthrowing the upper echelons that continue to consume natural resources like the gluttonous, grotesque beings they are? I create my own platforms so that I and others like me can say what we want.

The show also comes with a disclaimer: “not for the fainthearted”. Why do you say that?

We push our audience to the brink – emotionally and politically. We talk of the heart, love, the pain of loss as well as revolution through direct action, civil disobedience.

After every show, people come up

CANDY ROYALLE

to me crying, asking to hug me, telling me we have opened them up in some way. It’s no accident – I seek to break people wide open.

Our audiences start off as strangers then end as a connected collective who shared an experience. A lot of people find that confronting because everyone walks around broken and fearful of being vulnerable.

With your band The Freed Radicals, you’ve released a new album, Birthing The Sky, Birthing The Sea. How did it come together?

The same way all our albums do – we go into the studio together, the band hear the words for the first time, they start creating on the spot and we record it. All our albums are recorded live and this one took 12 writing and recording hours.

It’s always intense and beautiful.

This one really sits on the edge of

Time Out Of Mind pleasure and pain – it talks about the magic of falling in love, the state of the world and the fear of mortality (I’ve been dealing with ovarian cancer for a few years).

You’ll be joined at The Red Rattler by Betty Grumble. Can you reveal what she’ll be doing on the night?

Betty brings her own burning beauty and grotesque glamour to the stage. She will punish and please in equal amounts as only the world’s greatest sex clown and obscene beauty queen can.

Who: Candy Royalle and The Freed Radicals With: Betty Grumble What: Birthing The Sky, Birthing The Sea out now independently Where: The Red Rattler When: Friday May 13

ESSENTIAL INDEPENDENTS: AMERICAN CINEMA, NOW

Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now is an upcoming film festival running from Tuesday May 17 – Wednesday June 8 at Palace Cinemas nationwide, including Palace Verona and Palace Norton Street. The screenings will include 32 features from a collection of independent US filmmakers spanning the documentary and narrative forms, all carefully curated by director Richard Sowada. The films are split into five categories, and will include the Australian premiere of Time Out Of Mind starring Richard Gere, old favourites such as John Cassavetes’ Shadows, and a newly restored print of Kelly Reichardt’s River Of Grass.

We have ten double passes to give away to Essential Independents, valid at any screening throughout the festival. Visit thebrag.com/freeshit to enter the draw.

ENTER A VIRTUAL REALITY

The future of film is upon us, and Sydney Film Festival is ready to embrace it. As part of this year’s SFF program, the Festival Hub at the Lower Town Hall will host a series of immersive Beyond Cinema experiences covering virtual reality, 360-degree 3D cinema and art installations – and all for free.

Sydneysiders will stream into Town Hall next month to get their hands on the Samsung Gear VR and Facebook’s new Oculus Rift technology, which will screen a total of nine VR films during the program. The Festival Hub series will also include three 360-degree 3D films as part of the iCinema program, and a four-sided video installation set in an Iranian bazaar (Char Soo). In other SFF news, its Gourmet Cinema program has been revealed, in which attendees can catch the premiere of the documentary Ants On A Shrimp: Noma In Tokyo, followed by a meal at The Bridge Room. SFF 2016 runs from Wednesday June 8 – Sunday June 19.

COX ON THE COSMOS

Superstar physicist Brian Cox will return to Sydney with a new one-night-only show as he attempts to make sense of the cosmos.

Professor Cox will delve into great unanswered questions of our time in his live stage show A Journey Into Deep Space. Are we alone in the universe? Will we ever know what happened before the Big Bang? Joining him onstage will be British comedian and co-host on The Infinite

HOMEGROUND TALKS

Rosalie Kunoth-Monks

A night of immersive culture, talks and art surrounding pertinent First Nations issues is coming to the iconic Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point, previously known as Tubowgule and a meeting place for the local Gadigal people for thousands of years. The Homeground Talks event on Friday May 27, a mixture of interactive panel events and innovative arts pieces, will feature prominent artists, leaders and academics including Marcia Langton AM, musician David Bridie, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks OAM and Maori activist Tame Iti. The event will aim to facilitate and promote a space for the passionate and reasoned debate around issues of economic opportunity and sovereignty for indigenous people. See sydneyoperahouse.com for full details.

Monkey Cage, Robin Ince. A Journey Into Deep Space will hit the State Theatre on Thursday August 11.

Hot Brown Honey

SUPANOVA GETS SUPA-SIZED

The Supanova Pop Culture Expo has come to represent the event where people of all ages can come together and bring out their inner geeks with pride. Now, Travis Fimmel of Warcraft fame, Deadpool actors Brianna Hildebrand and Stefan Kapicic, and Peter Facinelli from the Twilight films are all set to bring their experiences, loves and geeky secrets to real life come June, being added to the program after the unfortunate cancellation of Gal Gadot due to filming commitments. They’re just some of the names on the mighty Supanova 2016 program, taking over the Sydney Showground from Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19.

Cork And Chroma

Hot Brown Honey photo by Dylan Evans

HOT BROWN HONEY

The Sydney Opera House will host the local premiere of the politically charged cabaret show Hot Brown Honey. These honeys have shocked and delighted audiences in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide in the past year, and now the stereotype-destroying cabaret show comes to Sydney for a five-night season this June. With a captivating combination of dance, poetry, comedy, striptease and song, Hot Brown Honey features a talented mix of indigenous Australian, Samoan, Tongan, Maori, Indonesian and South African women, hell-bent on breaking down society’s racial and gender preconceptions.

Hot Brown Honey will run from Wednesday June 22 – Sunday June 26 at The Studio, Sydney Opera House.

PAINT, SIP, REPEAT

Set up your easel and pour yourself some shiraz at this new art class. A ‘paint and sip studio’ – which is exactly what it sounds like (unless you imagine sipping paint, which is a no-no) has opened in Surry Hills. The Cork And Chroma studio has made its way to Sydney after enjoying success in Brisbane, and invites locals to learn the ways of acrylic on canvas while enjoying a social drink. Alcohol is BYO, however the studio provides all the art essentials, and you get to take your piece home upon proud completion. If your life is a blank canvas, get painting at Cork And Chroma’s new HQ. Book your visit at corkandchroma.com.au.

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KAHLO AND RIVERA TOGETHER

On its way to the Art Gallery of New South Wales next month is an extensive set of iconic works and photographs chronicling the lives of two of the world’s most famous 20th century artists. It numbers more than 30 works hailing from the Gelman Collection, widely hailed as the largest private holding of Mexican art, and containing some of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s most iconic works.

Kahlo came to the fore in the early part of the 20th century due to her fierce independence from the orthodoxy of the day and acute uniqueness of artistic vision and style. Iconic works like Diego On My Mind and Self-Portrait With Monkey will be on display as well as notable works from her husband, Rivera.

Complementing the priceless paintings by these two visionary artists will be a series of 49 photographs providing glimpses into their private lives. The exhibit will show from Saturday June 25 – Sunday October 9.

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Howie The Rookie [THEATRE] Tall Tales From The Tavern By Tegan Jones very rock’n’roll, very fast and it’s very visual.”

In this way, Howie The Rookie is a beautifully modern take on the oral storytelling tradition that permeates Ireland’s history. It feels like a return to traditional roots while remaining both relevant and straight up fun.

“Exactly, and it’s very performative when we do it in a theatre,” says Henry. “There is a lot of movement around the stage. One of the things that our director Toby Schmitz got us to do early on was to go to pubs and tell people this story.”

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n 2014, Red Line Productions took over the management of the beloved pub theatre at the Old Fitz.

In what feels almost like a homage, actors Andrew Henry and Sean Hawkins – Red Line’s artistic director and associate producer, respectively – are reprising their roles in one of the theatre’s favourites, Howie The Rookie, set in the city of Dublin. We chat to Henry about the play and why the Old Fitz is the ideal venue for it.

“The Irish have always been brilliant storytellers – they have a way with language that is just terrific,” he says. “This play is made up of two monologues – it’s literally a scenario where I will get up and speak for 40 minutes and then Sean will get up for 30 minutes.

“We tell the story of two characters.

The one I play is the Howie and Sean is the Rookie. Essentially what happens is that I set everything up with a story about how the Rookie infected my best friend’s mattress with scabies. My task, with my mates,

is to go out and find him so we can give him a bashing to teach him a lesson.”

It’s hard not to be intrigued by the idea of a narrative centring around a contagious skin infestation. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that.

“What happens along the way here is that we get introduced to a lot of characters who exist in this little town and the play itself is really funny. It’s also something that people shouldn’t actually think is just about a mattress being infected by scabies,” Henry laughs. “The writer, Mark O’Rowe, is so clever with his language and he writes it in a real Joycean style.

It’s really magical and mythical.

Once the vengeance is taken out on the Rookie, the story takes a lot of twists and turns. You get two days in the lives of these characters and they’re interwoven very cleverly. For an audience it’s an absolute treat because you’re getting introduced to a character in the first half and then they will reappear with the Rookie. It’s

Being a pub theatre, this makes the Old Fitz perfect for the play. There won’t be a great deal of distinction between having a drink and a feed with your mates before the show and then watching some fellow pub-dwellers telling a few tall tales straight afterwards. After all, the entire narrative of Howie The Rookie is reminiscent of a fantastical story some old punter is recounting at his bar stool on a Friday night.

“That’s exactly right,” says Henry, “and it just so happens that the story is insane, so you think, ‘Wow, that guy has had a pretty big day.’ It fits the play perfectly and it highlights what the Fitz is brilliant for, which is actors and simple storytelling. It isn’t a gimmicky venue and you also can’t hide from the audience because they’re just there. It is a very wild ride for these characters to take in an incredibly intimate setting.”

What: Howie The Rookie Where: Old Fitz Theatre When: Tuesday May 17 – Saturday June 11

As We Forgive [THEATRE] Thrifty Shades Of Grey By Tegan Jones

W

hat does it mean to forgive, and does moral ambiguity have a place within forgiveness? This is the key concept explored in Griffin Theatre Company’s As We Forgive.

“It’s very grey and it’s very dark,” says legendary Tasmanian actor Robert Jarman. “Without giving away too much of the plot, you get introduced to three men throughout the course of the evening. They’re very consciously there with you in the theatre telling you their stories.”

These stories won’t merely be outside of the norm – audiences will find them to be confronting and challenging in a way that will make them question their own moral compasses.

“The first is an elderly man who has been through a traumatic experience in his home and decides to seek revenge,” Jarman explains.

“It’s interesting because it goes into territory where you think that

Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now [FILM] The Best Of The Fest By Richard Sowada

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ssential Independents: American Cinema, Now is the brand new indie film festival launching at Palace Cinemas this week. With a program spanning 32 films, including 14 Australian premieres, the festival represents American achievement in filmmaking both past and present. There are five different categories on show – Essential Fiction, Essential Intrigue, Essential Experiments, Essential Originals and Essential New York – and stunning performances from the likes of Richard Gere (Time Out Of Mind) and Natalie Portman (Jane Got A Gun). Festival curator Richard Sowada picks out five hot tickets from a wide-ranging selection. siding with the underdog and his LP Bitter Tears was a magnificent ode to the plight of Native Americans. A largely unrecognised record – aside from the classic ‘The Ballad Of Ira Hayes’ – Bitter Tears is bought back to life in the studio by Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and many, many more. It’s fantastic!

living in the suburbs accidentally find each other and then go on a crime spree that isn’t really a crime spree, in a relationship that isn’t really a relationship, pursued by family that don’t really care, and in an urban environment that doesn’t really have many buildings. It’s a lovely debut from Reichardt and a little-known piece of contemporary independent cinema.

1.

STYLE WARS This fantastic documentary from ’84 is the definitive graffiti art documentary made and released at the height of the hip hop and graffiti movements. It is really beautifully put together and is not just a mirror to the movement but an actual part of it. It captures a real honesty of the young artists who make some beautifully simple political comment and social observation… and the art is spectacular!

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4.

RIVER OF GRASS Kelly Reichardt’s newly restored great first feature has more than a tip of the hat to the indie classic Two-Lane Blacktop. This nugget is sparse, lean and strangely very funny. Two bored losers

CRUISING / INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR 5.

This double bill is an amazing creative free fall with Pacino on the beat in 1970s New York S&M bars and James Franco reconstructing 40 minutes of footage deleted from the film. You simply don’t see commercial feature films like this, and so this is a rare opportunity to experience the amazing piece of 1970s filmmaking that is still surprising in its content and depictions of a part of gay subculture.

It looks and sounds great, is always great to watch and Pacino is excellent throughout.

What: Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now Where: Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona When: Tuesday May 17 – Wednesday June 1

“The second man involves a really hard and difficult story. He’s a man who has been abused in his youth and he talks about how he has coped with that. Again, it’s not as simple as shaking it off and moving on – he has a completely other approach to dealing with it in his life. It’s very painful and not something that one would encourage necessarily, but it works for him.

“The third man is someone who really questions the whole notion of forgiveness itself: what does it actually mean to forgive or be forgiven? How do you live with forgiveness? So by having the three stories and giving a whole range of perspectives, it means that you leave the theatre with really rich material around the idea of forgiveness.”

This is certainly an interesting thought experiment, particularly because many stories that centre on revenge or someone being wronged focus on the retribution. It isn’t often that we are presented with different perspectives on forgiveness itself and what that concept even means. The more you think about it, the more you realise that it isn’t one-dimensional.

“I think what this play does in the popular conversation that’s going on around these questions is that it does open up the potential for grey areas,” says Jarman. “It also makes it very clear that these are utterly personal and individual decisions. The choices we have to make about whether to forgive or not forgive – to accept forgiveness and to find other ways to deal with issues – hold true for individuals but not necessarily society as a whole.”

This is what makes the Tom Holloway text so fascinating – nothing is blackand-white. These characters may act in a way that is contrary to what the law and morality dictate is right, but does that mean they are wrong? Can there be exceptions to the rules, and if so, how do we justify them?

“Obviously people are going to walk out saying, ‘Well, I understand that argument but I still don’t agree,’ and that’s fine,” says Jarman. “I don’t necessarily agree with these people’s decisions either, but I can totally understand how they have arrived at them because of what has happened in their lives. I hope, if nothing else, that audiences will walk away thinking that it was interesting to spend an evening in a theatre with a person telling stories that have these enormous moral dimensions.

For an hour and a half you can take part in and examine – in a very humane way, not an academic way – questions that have an enormous impact on each and every one of our lives.”

What: As We Forgive Where: SBW Stables Theatre When: Wednesday May 11 – Saturday May 21

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Howie The Rookie photo © Kathy Luu

2.

WE’RE STILL HERE: JOHNNY CASH’S BITTER TEARS REVISITED I love Johnny Cash and this film brings to life one of his great political moments with some of country music’s great artists. Mr. Cash was famous for

3.

THE FITS This debut feature by Anna Farrell is about as fresh as it gets as we explore the world of an 11-year-old tomboy. Played by Royalty Hightower, Toni spends a lot of time at the local community centre observing the older girls, and what we get is a dreamy and fragmented look at life from a female perspective on the cusp of adolescence. It’s a really lovely and poetic film in many ways and the style is always surprising. If you want to be on the ground floor at the start of what is bound to be a great directorial career – this is the one.

someone shouldn’t do that, forgive and forget. But this guy goes, ‘Nup, that won’t make me happy, I want to go for the throat.’ And in the end you totally understand why.

Shane Koyczan [SPOKEN WORD] Satellite Signals By Adam Norris

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hen people start comparing you to Ginsberg and Kerouac – hell, even to Homer – it’s probably time to start questioning if this whole ‘life’ gig isn’t actually some Inception-inspired bewilderment. Or so it must surely seem to Shane Koyczan at times, a man whose poetry and prose has been celebrated the world over and whose incredible 2013 piece, ‘To This Day’, has now been watched over 18 million times on YouTube. The incredibly moving anti-bullying video is a vast collaboration of Koyczan’s voice and words and the animated efforts of a score of other artists. It has tuned countless people to his work, and while he may not have all the answers, he at least has some interesting questions.

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through something like that. I think that was the most rewarding part for me, because all of a sudden I didn’t feel so alone.

“When I wrote that piece, it came from a very lonely place,” Koyczan continues, chuckling. “I wrote about two other people I went to school with who got teased and bullied pretty mercilessly, so it was pretty amazing to see all these people around the world connect with that piece. To raise their hand and say, ‘Yeah, me too.’”

Before reading any further, if you haven’t already experienced ‘To This Day’ (or its accompanying TED Talk, ‘For The Bullied And The Beautiful’), get thee to YouTube. It’s OK, we’ll wait.

“I think it’s opened people up to start exploring my work,” he considers.

“They look for other videos online, they look for other albums, other books. There are a lot of people in the world out there looking for answers, and I guess some of them think that I might have some. I don’t know, I think I just have more questions. People do get something out of the work, and I write about a lot of different things.

I write about politics, I write about death, I write about love – the major themes of the world.

The subject matter and sheer vibrancy of his words aside, what makes the video so compelling is the talent of its animators, and the hair-raising intensity of Koyczan’s own performance. There are countless spoken word artists out there whose sentiment on the page is not quite realised within their delivery (not that they should be dissuaded from trying). Koyczan speaks his words into thrumming life, though the root of this talent is not entirely benign.

“I think people sort of latched on to that particular piece at that particular time because it was becoming a big problem. I mean, that piece is a lot older than that video. It was written maybe three years prior to that, and had always been in the back of my mind to do something bigger with it. I felt like it deserved it, because every time I performed it at a school or a show, wherever, people really reacted to it. A lot of people went through something like that or are going

“For me, I think the reason I’m able to do it is because I’m able to overcompensate for something that I’m not able to do in my personal life. They say when a person loses a sense, another sense improves. For me, I grew up very uncomfortable with my physical self. Because of that, I think I was able to overcompensate my emotional self. That was one of the trade-offs. But even in having that sort of ability, I still struggle with personal relationships because I’m

not able to do it one-on-one. I can talk to a room full of strangers, but in an intimate, close setting? I’ve been in relationships where it’s become a point of turmoil, where they’ll come to a show and say, ‘How can you say all those intensely personal things to a room full of fucking strangers, and you can’t have a conversation with me?’ And I don’t have an answer for that. I didn’t develop that social skill in school because I was constantly being discluded from everything. I was constantly being told to keep quiet, that what I say and think doesn’t matter. You hear that often enough, it becomes a complex. It worms its way inside you.”

If Koyczan has not been able to exorcise his demons, then he’s at least become capable of sharing them and making their weight that much more bearable. As long as people keep finding some shape of solace in his work, he will keep exploring, keep seeking out our common worth.

“I have all those questions too and I’m trying to find answers, and I think the more you expose yourself to that world you can get bits of answers.

You might not get the whole answer, but you can get bits from here and there that then make sense to you.

Because the answer really only has to make sense to you. There’s no way you’re going to find an answer that makes sense to everyone. Whatever question they have, there’s a particular answer for that, and they’ll find it on their own path depending on how much of a satellite they’re willing to become to pick up on those signals.”

Where: Factory Theatre When: Friday May 20

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

THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY In cinemas now the eye of G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons), a renowned English mathematician, who calls him to study and publish at Cambridge.

But while Ramanujan never doubts his work, his untrained eye becomes his strength and his weakness.

His lack of tutelage brings about a creativity that Hardy admires, but his unexplained genius brings about scrutiny and jealousy from his peers, which leads Hardy to become his only confi dant against a group of educated elitists who refuse to acknowledge his contributions.

The Man Who Knew Infi nity is at times so familiar, yet so removed from any biography that has come before it. It follows in the footsteps of A Beautiful Mind and The Imitation Game, bearing the marks of the ‘mathematical genius bio’ genre with its arrogantly brilliant protagonist.

However, it strays from the lot with its unique formula of an underdog migrant and his autodidacticism.

Based on the short, phenomenal life of Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar (Dev Patel), The Man Who Knew Infi nity reads as though it belongs to the realm of fantasy realism. Ramanujan has no right to be as

ckets Early bird ti

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fundamental as he is to modern mathematics, yet it’s as though the gods speak numbers to him. Having grown up on the streets of Madras, India, Ramanujan might be untrained, but he understands the language of mathematics like no-one else in his time.

He lives it. He breathes it. He is consumed by it.

In the temple he scrawls numbers on the sandstone.

In notebooks, he scribbles formulas that can solve what even the most versed mathematicians have spent years trying to comprehend.

Ultimately, it’s his passion and potential that catches

There’s little that can go wrong with a cast that brings Patel, Irons and Toby Jones (John Littlewood) together and throws Stephen Fry (Sir Francis Spring) in for good measure. And little does, with the biggest disappointment being the inclusion of an insipid love story. It pales in comparison to the mathematical collaboration between Hardy and Ramanujan. It’s something Hardy would later call “the one romantic incident in my life”.

A beautiful story about more than one beautiful mind.

Stephanie Yip

ventbrite.com

E L L A Y O R CANDY ALS

tix through e

C I D A R D E E R EF

+ TH

“…energetic, assured and startling…”

Wales Arts Review

EY SHOW FINAL SYDN

Friday May13

This show is not for the conservatives or the faint hearted. It’s for the radical, the open, the skeptics and the dancers. It’s for the lovers, the dreamers and the people who want to see what happens when rock and roll, funk, hip hop, burlesque, the political and the emotional meet on one stage.

The Red Rattler

18 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

■ Comedy

Reviewed at The Comedy Store on Wednesday April 20 as part of Sydney Comedy Festival 2016

Reviewed at the Enmore Theatre on Saturday April 30 as part of Sydney Comedy Festival 2016

We hear Paul Foot before we see him. Quite a long time before we see him, actually, his Comedy Store show opening with a drawn-out, off-stage spoken intro. It’s a neat subversion of the standard start to a comedy show, and things only get weirder.

Tom Gleeson is surely run off his feet these days. Tonight’s show as part of Sydney Comedy Festival is performed in front of a sell-out crowd at the Enmore Theatre as he concludes his Great national tour. A career spanning almost three decades across stand-up, TV, radio and print speaks to a versatile performer who got his start at Sydney University collaborating with a bunch of young writers that would later become known as The Chaser.

TOM GLEESON

PAUL FOOT

After eventually revealing himself – he was behind a door right next to the stage all along – Foot springs into the clearly fond audience, running down the aisles, stopping to tell people they’re his favourite, before picking a new favourite elsewhere.

The instability of his mind manifests physically: he doubles over, points his ornithological features right into the faces of the front row, stamps his foot like an angry cockerel.

It was at Sydney University’s Manning Bar where I first saw Gleeson perform almost 15 years ago. On that night, he spoke of the challenges of navigating awkward family gatherings and deflecting comments about his weight and marital status. Fast-forward to 2016 and the same laconic, dry sense of humour is still present. Gleeson’s tales now involve his wife and her displeasure at being the source of so much of his material, along with musings about his young daughter, negative gearing, alternative uses for talcum powder, renewable energy and the motel his parents operate. It’s a whirlwind hour in anyone’s terms.

After he comprehensively lays out the agenda for the show, he works his way through the different chapters without pause. Billed as a ‘best of’ his last few years of shows, there are hits as well as misses.

Measured and comfortable, it at times straddles the fine line between silliness and having something genuinely important to say about leadership, relationships and the state of the environment.

Some parts strike of self-indulgence.

His long speech in nonsense gobbledygook lacks impact and peters out. It feels lazy and designed to burn the time. The humour fades quickly from his phrases that are “meaningless but somehow amusing”.

Some sections are too sprawling and free-form, without the punch of a proper pay-off.

Stylistically, the show delivers on the best elements of Gleeson’s regular spot on the ABC’s The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. It’s topical in a way that keeps his material relevant without taking itself too seriously.

However, it’s a little too safe in some parts. Gleeson laments not having Tony Abbott around any longer for material, but this might just be a blessing in disguise.

He cuts a strange figure as he darts about. He is a mismatch, a rag doll of different styles. His severe Rod Stewart haircut falls over a Michael Jackson-esque black jacket, beneath which he wears a ’70s kipper tie and flared trousers. This all carried by his thin and awkward frame, which jitters and jolts as he is inflicted by his own inane irritation.

His so-called “disturbances”, however – single-paragraph thoughts read from cards he’s decorated – are hilarious concentrated capsules of surrealism.

His breakdown on Pierce Brosnan and animal husbandry is extended long enough to lose its funny before finding it again through sheer endurance.

The hour over, cries of encore appear to catch Foot unprepared. He delivers some fan favourites before running off stage and down the exit stairs.

While prolific, the comedian is not flashy and doesn’t try to hit every ball out of the park. Instead he builds rapport easily and effortlessly with the audience members, many of whom I’m sure have been following his career for some time. The night ends on an interesting note as Gleeson moderates an impromptu Q and A session, in which audience members get a peek behind the curtain at what is involved in putting a show together.

It’s a delightfully deranged mess of a show. It’s an absurd, unsteady and unpredictable ride. Foot is probably a genius: nutso with gusto.

Gleeson might just be one of this country’s most beloved comics.

Tonight’s full house at the Enmore wouldn’t disagree.

George Nott

Tim Armitage

BMA Magazine

What's in our diary...

Arts Exposed

Pyrmont Festival 2016 Pirrama Park, Saturday May 14 – Sunday May 15 and venues around Pyrmont until Sunday May 22

The Mudgee Region’s finest arts, wine, and food talents are making their temporary home again at this year’s Pyrmont Festival. Running from Friday May 13 to Sunday May 22, this ten-day festival will also showcase live music, a sculpture park, and a mini pop-up produce market. At the peak of festivities, Pirrama Park will host a two-day, familyfriendly event this weekend, starting with a live Hi-5 show on Saturday at 11am, and including local art, music, rides, and other free entertainment. Wine tasting packages are available at the festival, starting at $20 and including a perusal of approximately 100 stalls of local wines and fine foods.

For more info and a detailed programme, visit pyrmontfestival.com.au.

Xxxx

6 Faversham St Marrickville

“...great music... with dance, poetry, hip-hop... the packed tent wasn’t going anywhere”

■ Comedy

thebrag.com

lady in the front row who hated me so much that from her wheelchair picked up her walking stick and tried to beat me off stage.

I’ve eaten some proper shit.”

Despite Sloss’ occasionally violent critics, he refuses to compromise the integrity of his material in the face of those who might be caught offside by it.

DANIEL SLOSS

“I have one atheist joke, which when I told it in Indianapolis, a man semi-threatened me with a gun. I did get warned by my agent not to do that joke in that part of the country – don’t press that button. And I was like, ‘I’ll fucking press the button, what’s the worst that can happen?’ The joke is a very valid argument that there may not be a God, and I argue that if there was a Jesus, he probably wasn’t white. He was like, ‘Of course he’s white.’ And I said, ‘Well, he was born in the Middle East, so that would have been fucking impressive.’”

For Sloss’ latest festival show, there are several topics up for discussion. “I’ll be talking about God, sex, tampons and

Dark

By Bel Ryan

“I’ve been coming across since I was 18 or 19, so it’s my seventh or eighth time here,” says Sloss. “I’ve got so many friends that I only see once or twice a year, so it’s good to hang out with everyone. They all take their shows very seriously, whereas because I’ve been doing this show for ages

Having started his career in his teenage years, Sloss has a plethora of stories from his time cutting his teeth in the industry.

“I’ve eaten shit so many times,” he laughs.

“Once when I was 17, I was doing a warmup for a non-comedy TV show. Every audience member was over the age of 70. The average age of the audience was clinically dead. The majority of my show was about masturbation, and the audience had lost function of their genitalia years ago. It was awful. There was a little

Echoing concerns about tampons that have also been raised in Australia, Sloss adds, “In the UK they’re taxed as luxury items. A bunch of women took it to the Houses of Parliament a while ago, and they were like, ‘Quick question: the fuck? First of all we’re paying for them, which we won’t complain about but will eventually because it’s stupid, but can we at least take the luxury tax off?’

The PM David Cameron, who allegedly fucked a pig, said no. Well David, if they’re luxury items, buy one for your wife’s birthday.”

WHERE: Enmore Theatre WHEN: Friday May 13

THE

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL 2016

BRAG’S

GUIDE TO

1

Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss has been making waves on the international circuit since he was 16 years old. After receiving worldwide acclaim for his latest tour, he’s returning to Sydney Comedy Festival this month.

and it’s got some of my favourite stuff, I can hamper everyone else’s shows by dragging them out into the early hours.”

death,” he says. “I find it really weird that tampons aren’t free. We’ve got free healthcare in the UK, but you still have to pay for tampons. I don’t understand how that’s not medical, because you’re bleeding.

That sounds medical to me. You can get Viagra for free – nobody needs fucking Viagra. You can get condoms for free at STI clinics, yet women have to pay for something they have zero fucking control over. It makes no sense.”

PART 5

This Week At Sydney Comedy Festival For the duration of Sydney Comedy Festival 2016, we’re bringing you a weekly round-up of the hottest tickets in town. Zanda Wilson reports.

MONDAY APRIL 18 – SUNDAY MAY 15

Em Rusciano: Em Rusciano Is NOT A Diva

UNSW Roundhouse, Friday May 13 and Enmore Theatre, Saturday May 14 This is a show about accepting that the dreams you had as a kid may have just been delusions of grandeur. Em Rusciano will have you in hysterics with her realworld comic stylings, as she looks back on what’s happened in her life since she wanted to win a Tony Award as a child.

best of the fest

Alex Williamson: Open Up

Enmore Theatre, Thursday May 12 With more than 60 million YouTube hits, Alex Williamson AKA ‘The Loosest Aussie Bloke Ever’ has captured the digital world with his hilarious impressions and no-holds-barred style of comedy. He’s been making waves in the stand-up world too, and returns to Sydney Comedy Festival to give audiences the chance to look inside his abnormal thought processes.

Dave Thornton: So On And So Forth

The Comedy Store, Wednesday May 11 – Saturday May 14 Dave Thornton has been described as a leading practitioner of ‘rambleology’, and his latest show So On And So Forth is perfect proof of his uncanny method of making an hour of talking about nothing not only funny, but captivatingly interesting. He’ll tell you all about the life distractions that most annoy him, and before you know it the show will be over and your mouth will hurt from laughing.

Jared Jekyll: Sodium Valpro 808

Factory Theatre, Saturday May 14 and Sunday May 15 Stand-up is always more engaging when it includes performance techniques outside the standard expectation of chatting and telling jokes. Jared Jekyll will keep you guessing throughout the entirety of Sodium Valpro 808, with his experimental mix of rapping, beatboxing and magic tricks, all of which combine with his exceptional wit in a charismatic hourlong show.

Michael Hing: The Unbearable Whiteness Of Being Factory Theatre, until Sunday May 15 Good Game and triple j host Michael Hing has developed a reputation for making comedy that explores how racial issues penetrate everyday life, like when his girlfriend of six months broke up with him because he was Chinese. The Unbearable Whiteness Of Being is an incredibly on-point, observational hour of stand-up that explores the hilarity in Australian race politics and white people.

THE BRAG’S GUIDE TO SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL 2016 BROUGHT TO YOU BY COOPERS thebrag.com

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 19

out & about Queer(ish) matters with Lucy Watson

L

ast week, the University of Sydney’s Catholic Society hosted a series of reasonably inflammatory events on campus, titled “Pornography: dangerous or delightful?”, “Men + Women = made for each other?” and “Misconceptions about contraception”.

These events, especially “Men + Women = made for each other?”, spurred some fairly hot campus debate, with many queer students (rightfully) denouncing that particular talk as homophobic and bigoted.

And this wasn’t just from the title: the event’s speaker, James Parker, is known to have participated in, and endorsed, gay conversion therapy – a practice that’s illegal in a lot of places because of how harmful it can be to young queer people.

Despite the queer students’ best efforts, the event went ahead. The university was reticent to do anything about it, calling on the students’ union to take action. The union hadn’t funded the event or provided the location (it was in a society-owned tent on university lawns), so there was nothing it could do.

For an hour, Parker – under the guise of ‘loving’ gays (the whole Christian rhetoric of “You’re a sinner, but God loves everyone, therefore God loves you anyway”) – spread homophobic vitriol implying that same sex marriage is a lie sold to gay people, that these marriages will never be as fulfilling as heterosexual ones, that lots of gay people commit suicide because their gayness makes them sad, and further implied that his own homosexuality was a direct result of the abuse he experienced as a child.

Make no mistake, these sentiments are harmful. You can dress them up as much as you like (“I love gays because God does!”), make as many excuses as you like (“He didn’t attribute his heterosexuality to conversion therapy, just regular therapy”), but their position remains that who queers have chosen to love is fundamentally wrong, and they will be unhappy until they make the right choice – heterosexuality.

The people behind the events claimed that by pushing for these talks to be shut down, the queer students were silencing them and taking away their right to freedom of speech, as well as freedom of academic thought in such a hallowed place of learning.

To claim that shutting down such events is stifling freedom of speech is the most tired and frustrating argument that conservatives consistently use to perpetuate hateful views and argue their legitimacy.

For starters, Australians don’t have a constitutional right to freedom of speech.

Even if we did, hate speech would be excluded from this. The difficulty here is proving that what Parker said is hate speech, given how dressed up in patronising ‘love’ it was.

Freedom of speech and freedom of academic thoughts as concepts do not give you the right to promote discrimination, bigotry, and factually, scientifically and medically incorrect schools of thought (the contraception talk particularly failed science and medicine too).

Freedom of academic thought is absolutely essential in a university, but arguing that gay people are sad because they’re gay (and not because of structural oppressions that lead them to be bullied, abused, assaulted, as well as less employable, and fuck, not even equal before the law in this country) wouldn’t even be passed in a first year sociology class.

University is about reading between the lines, seeing through the structures that have created knowledge in the past, to better understand the world around us.

Events like this are in no way academic – in fact, they’re just really fucking stupid.

this week…

Vibe Positive

On Wednesday May 11, the May instalment of Yellow Wednesdays hits Secret Garden Bar, with music from Ben England, Vibe Positive and Andy Garvey, and Telescope

a performance by Anna May Kirk.

Playwright Charles O’Grady’s new show, Telescope, opens this Thursday May 12 and

runs until Saturday May 21 at Leichhardt Town Hall. It follows two parents after they learn their child is transgender. In a fun twist, both parents are played by genderqueer actors, who alternate the role of mother and father in different showings of the play.

Then on Friday May 13, Girlthing hits the Imperial Hotel with a deep sea theme. Fitting, given the party will be in the venue’s basement. Given the new regulations at the Imperial, there’ll be a lot of security at this party, so be on your best behaviour.

20 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

thebrag.com

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

ALBUM OF THE WEEK TWIN PEAKS Down In Heaven Communion/Caroline

There’s something to be said about bands like Twin Peaks who start their career from scratch (AKA Chicago’s DIY garage scene) and work their way up the musical ranks. A certain unbridled spirit becomes engrained in their music early on, then as they grow, so does the integrity of their work, culminating in an album like Down In Heaven.

The Chicago garage dudes add greater depth to a strong catalogue.

GORDI

Clever Disguise Liberation

Perhaps it’s with a touch of irony that Gordi dubbed her debut EP Clever Disguise, for under all the electronic embellishment, shrouds of delay and vintage layering of these six tracks peeps an achingly authentic sound.

It’s also a familiar sound. Homegrown electro-folk musician Sophie Payten was the most played triple j Unearthed artist last year and many of the 22-year-old’s singles make a welcome reappearance on Clever Disguise. You’ll hear the burbling electronics and raw acoustic tug of ‘Nothing’s As It Seems’, the spirited stomp-clap of ‘Can We Work It Out’ and the echoing slippery melodies of ‘Taken Blame’.

These tracks carve out a space for Gordi somewhere between the nimble acoustic work of Josh Pyke, the wintry ambiance of Ásgeir and the playful vocal distortion of Imogen Heap – a combination both expansive and intimate.

Yet Gordi’s voice is distinctly her own. Whether she’s backed by stark chords in the piano rendition of ‘Can We Work It Out’ or filtered through a vocoder in ‘So Here We Are’, her vocals are somewhat earthy, somewhat ethereal and wholly captivating.

The bangers are in large supply here, from the upbeat Americana twang of opening track and lead single ‘Walk To The One You Love’, the ultimate break-up track you never knew you needed.

KAYTRANADA 99.9% XL/Remote Control

Kaytranada is the name behind some of the most exciting hip hop of the past few years. The Montreal-based producer has steadily developed his reputation, going from SoundCloud celebrity to studio staple, and now brushes shoulders with the likes of Anderson .Paak, The Internet and Freddie Gibbs.

His debut album, painstakingly created between rigorous touring schedules, is an ode to soulful R&B as well as an adept demonstration of his uncanny knack for bringing out the best in artists. That’s why from the start of ‘Track Uno’ it’s clear that 99.9% bangs as much in your car as in the club. The sunny vibes are trademark Kaytranada, with lush melodies that form the backbone of the album as they subtly morph to suit the artists featured on it.

Borrowing from trap music, electronica and funk, the young producer has enough tools in his wheelhouse to make everyone look tops, whether it’s Vic Mensa or Badbadnotgood. If anything, 99.9% should at least be remembered for making Craig David relevant in 2016.

They provide a literal and figurative heart to this small but promising collection.

It’s a strong debut, made stronger by the fact that Kaytranada’s peers are part of a musical elite slowly dominating the hip hop and R&B charts. He might be giving 99.9 per cent, but this album belongs in the very top percentile.

Jennifer Hoddinett

James Ross

Thematically, the record enters a dark realm, exploring otherworldly concepts with the album title Down In Heaven and the spectre of mortality on second single, ‘Butterfly’. (“Death was on the mind.

Also sex. Also The Zombies,” says guitarist Clay Frankel – you know, the key pillars to any decent rock song.)

While their energetic tracks give the album the lively feel that would be expected from a Twin Peaks record, some of Down In Heaven’s most enjoyable moments are on the laid-back and mellower tracks like the vocally strong and insanely catchy ‘Wanted You’ and the casually cruisy ‘You Don’t’. This is a wild ride from start to finish, and being down in heaven never sounded more appealing.

Matthew Galea

RY X

MELODY POOL

Deep Dark Savage Heart Liberation

PAUL DEMPSEY

Dawn Liberator/Infectious Much like the awakening feeling conveyed in the aptly titled opening track of Ry X’s debut album (also named ‘Dawn’), this release feels like the Australian expat is just beginning to explore his potential as a musician.

Melody Pool’s poetic-butstraightforward storytelling shoots through each track of Deep Dark Savage Heart like the strong core such a bold title suggests. Her vocals guide the listener through scenes vivid and personal; there’s absolutely nowhere to hide with this collection of unblushing vignettes. After 2013’s The Hurting Scene, Pool hits on some more vulnerable notes as a perfectly raw follow-up.

“The lyrics are quite surgically precise,” says Paul Dempsey in the promo notes for his second solo album. It’s a strange phrase, strangely put. Surely either something is surgically precise or it’s not. That’s like being absolutely almost exactly near enough. What a clanger, Paul!

‘Shortline’ is where we get the first glimpse of Ry X’s vocals. They’re dark, pained and mysterious – and this is the general sentiment felt throughout Dawn. The ethereal sound of easy listening tracks like ‘Salt’ and ‘Howling’ bring to mind artists like Bon Iver and James Vincent McMorrow – they are overall pretty, but not incredibly unique in this often saturated genre.

While ‘Only’ successfully continues the relaxed sound of Ry X’s promising first release, the Berlin EP, it’s towards the later tracks where the album starts to feel more adventurous and experimental.

Both ‘Deliverance’ and ‘Haste’ use electronic beats to interesting effect, steering a little away from the album’s acoustic tendencies. ‘Sweat’ is perhaps the most interesting and gentle track on the record as it layers and builds delicately to its conclusion.

This release generally feels restrained. It’s easy to get lost in, but by the end, you’re not sure what you’ve taken from it.

Erin Rooney

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK Happiness is as hard to embrace in music as it is in life. The pleasant makes us uncomfortable. The unashamedly uplifting feels trite.

Singing effectively about the pie cooling on the windowsill is harder than it is about the body decomposing in the well. Good things are embarrassing. Talking about them even more so.

MAJOR LEAGUES Dream States Popfrenzy

thebrag.com

Major Leagues’ Dream States isn’t only a pleasure, then – it’s a rare one.

Though a song like ‘Leave’ is laced with a distinct dash of melancholy, it’s about small wonders and delicate, tender miracles. Nothing is forced, or artificial, and though to call it ‘whimsical’ would be an odd way of neutering its successes, there is something wide-eyed about it.

‘Raymond Carver’ operates in the same quiet, heartbreakingly understated manner as its namesake, and the wavy, distorted chorus at the centre of ‘Get Lost’ ripples about with its own distinct brand of beauty. It’s light but not without weight; untroubled but not unconcerned.

James Cameron once described his film Aliens as being “ten miles of bad road”. Dream States is the exact opposite of that, and yet somehow just as significant – a good time that proves as memorable and altering as a bad one.

Every climb and fall on this album strikes with an unhinged sincerity; each moment of reverberated ambience allows for the more intense emotional climaxes of standout tracks ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Love, She Loves Me’ to create a balanced and fulfilling jaunt through the album’s 11 tracks. The hints of keys and tremolo give as much atmosphere to this album as the full band does the more immediate points; the orchestration lifts and accents effectively, then humbly steps aside where appropriate. And when things are pared back, an acoustic Pool sits centre stage in tracks like ‘Better Days’ to show strength, beauty and maturity in such simplicity. The common threads of depression and loss don’t take away from each song sounding distinctly different.

Strange Loop EMI/Universal

After listening to Strange Loop, however, I’m pretty sure the Something For Kate frontman drops odd lines like that intentionally. He has a knack for a lyric that makes your brain double take. Case in point – the refrain to album opener ‘The True Sea’: “She makes the ocean seem like a drop in the ocean”. On first listen it sounds like a broken line, a mixed up metaphor. But hang on – it’s genius. It’s lyrical Inception!

On ‘Lifetime Supply’ he sings: “You been making me up as you go along”. The last track is called ‘(I’ve Got a Feeling) Nobody’s Trying To Tell Me Something’. You get the idea. A bit wrong makes it write. Right?

Musically, Strange Loop is a lot less interesting. It’s all soft folk rock with occasional swerves from the middle of the road – ‘Hey History (Don’t Go Changin’)’ goes full-blown Brian May while ‘Morningless’ is angsty and angular. But these are the exceptions.

And don’t be fooled – catchy, poppy choruses swing up and shine, as the album surges forth optimistically despite the pain.

This standard soft rock is lifted by Dempsey’s way with words. But he would say that, wouldn’t I?

Keiren Jolly

George Nott

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

RADIOHEAD - A Moon Shaped Pool LAURA MARLING - Short Movie THE WAR ON DRUGS - Lost In The Dream

ALABAMA SHAKES - Sound & Color KNXWLEDGE - Hud Dreems

Joseph Earp

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 21

snap sn ap

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps

up all night out all week . . .

live reviews What we've been out to see...

MATT CORBY Enmore Theatre Wednesday May 4

The former Australian Idol finalist Matt Corby steps out onto the stage a little tentatively for tonight’s gig after the last-minute cancellation of his previous show due to illness. It’s difficult to believe that almost nine years have passed since the then-16-year-old singer-songwriter first came to our attention. As it currently stands, Corby is one of only a select few to have passed through the other side of the reality TV dream factory. A three-night stand of sold-out shows at the Enmore is testament to a maturing performer and songwriter.

Corby – with the help of plenty of triple j airplay – has built a signifi cant following across the country and it’s hard to believe that he has just recently released his debut album after touring extensively for close to fi ve years. Not long after these shows, he’s headed on tour through North America and Europe.

PICS :: AM

04:05:16 :: Metro Theatre :: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666

Though the crowd had grown considerably by the time the last band on the bill, Flowertruck, took to the stage, the same could be said of their considerable stage presence. Lead singer Charles Rushforth is equal parts David Byrne and stroke victim, a careering, bugeyed force of nature, and his voice filled every inch of available space.

THE WONDER YEARS, KNUCKLE PUCK UTS Underground Saturday May 7

PICS :: DC

“Is there anyone here that has never heard of us?” Halfway through his set, Joe Taylor casually asks those gathered downstairs at the University of Technology about their knowledge of the band he fronts, Chicago natives Knuckle Puck. It’s not such an outlandish question – indeed, were Taylor to pose the very same query to people in the immediate outside world across Broadway and Railway Square, he may well have a lot more responding in the affirmative. The lion’s share of those in attendance here, however, are all too aware of the highenergy pop-punk stylings of Taylor’s quintet, making a debut appearance in Sydney.

22 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

Tim Armitage

Something is happening in Australia. If that sounds vague, it’s because the very nature of the ‘thing’ means it has to – it’s yet to be defined. Safe to say, a sound is being developed. ‘Scene’ is as silly a word as any, but when you see three world-class bands performing in fast succession, it’s hard to use any other.

An Australian scene is forming. And it’s formidable.

Major Leagues should be packing out stadiums. Their faces should be on shirts. Their lyrics should be tattooed on young bodies, their songs should be soundtracking the latest hospital-set sitcom weepie. They should be changing

05:05:16 :: Slyfox :: 199 Enmore Rd Enmore 9557 2917

There’s a lot of soul in Corby’s voice but you feel like it needs time to stew a little.

No doubt many will be watching.

thousands of lives, rather than the hundred or so that saw them transform Newtown Social Club into a throbbing, humming hall of sound.

Julia Why? unfurled a set of pop hooks that came to resemble a vast wire fence.

Maintaining an ever-so-slight distance from the audience helped to weaponise their “oooh-aaah” choruses, transforming simple songs of heartbreak and regret into powerful anthems of self-realisation.

It was sterling stuff, and though the audience was comparatively meagre, everyone present took the full force of the band straight in the face.

live at the sly

The band provides able support but is not quite in sync with the singer’s new sound.

For such an understated performer, the presence of two keyboard players does jar a little bit, despite the second half of the show building greater momentum.

Corby rounds out the night with a capable cover of Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ as the crowd begins to saunter out onto the street.

FLOWERTRUCK, MAJOR LEAGUES, JULIA WHY? Newtown Social Club Saturday May 7

the temper trap

Tonight’s show meanders initially but the scruffy singer in the oversized T-shirt soon finds his stride, delving into a catalogue of radio-friendly hits from his number one album, Telluric. For most of the gig, his folkier material collides with a new soul-inflected sound, accentuated by some nimble flute playing. It’s a bold change in direction that’s well received by the packed crowd. As ever, his vocal range is imposing and his approach deceptively laid-back.

For the select few in the room who aren’t immediately familiar with Taylor and co., they make light work of impressing them as well – the drums are brisk and sturdy, the guitars shimmer and screech, and the hoarsely melodic hooks fly in on a fairly frequent basis. It’s not life-changing, sure, but in this moment it holds considerable weight in a room containing hundreds of people who know every single word off by the hearts they so proudly wear on their sleeves – and, dammit, that’s just gotta count for something.

‘Sunshower’ was the song that got the most visibly enthusiastic reaction from the audience, but in truth every track trembled with life. Flowertruck are a band that flirt with excess – they always seem one bum note away from total collapse – but they are also incredibly controlled.

Near destruction is a fine art, and the group have it nailed.

I don’t know what the purpose of a critic is if it’s not to tell people to listen to bands like these three. Buy their records. Wear their merch. Devote a significant portion of your life to their music. Tell your friends, tell them to tell their friends, and then celebrate this thing sitting upon your doorstep.

Joseph Earp

Across five albums and over a decade in the game, The Wonder Years have refined their self-described ‘realist poppunk’ into something that connects deeply with a younger audience, as well as those in a similar late-20s age demographic to that of the band members themselves.

Essentially, The Wonder Years make music that is, by design, used to remind the artists themselves – and those who hear them – that they are not alone and that their innermost struggles are not to be reduced or devalued.

Across an expansive 16-song setlist, the band firmly holds the audience in the palm of its proverbial hands, resulting in a mutual love-in that just happens to have an excess of bodies up in the air at any given time. The emotional weight of the band’s music – and indeed, the audience’s passionate vocal response in turn – comes through loud and clear on standouts such as ‘There, There’, ‘Don’t Let Me Cave In’ and the slow-burning main set closer ‘Cigarettes & Saints’.

Even in the lighter shades of ‘Melrose Diner’ or the Simpsons-referencing ‘Local Man Ruins Everything’, the six-piece can’t help but drop resonant truth bombs. With The Wonder Years, you’re never too old for this shit. Ever.

David James Young

thebrag.com

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps

IRON MAIDEN, THE RAVEN AGE

Guttural and pounding, with soaring melodic vocal lines, the young Brits prove just how influential Maiden have been to the modern metal scene.

Rarely in their 40-year history have Iron Maiden attracted much attention from music critics. Not that their fans care – it’s simply proof of the snobbish elitism of a media more concerned with finding cultural significance in Taylor Swift’s new hairstyle.

Maiden enter with a roar to a stage set up like an ancient South American temple, complete with flaming cauldrons and jungle backdrop. The set is heavy with songs from the new album The Book Of Souls, but not thin on the classics.

Bruce Dickinson is in a chatty mood.

He dedicates songs to Robin Williams, explains the history of the Mayan people and solves the mystery of who shot down the Red Baron.

Qudos Bank Arena Friday May 6

Iron Maiden fandom has been a grassroots movement grown completely outside of the mainstream. And it’s a powerful one. Maiden’s albums have gone platinum around the world. Their 2010 album The Final Frontier reached number one in 28 countries. You might not think you know an Iron Maiden fan, but you probably do.

A sign placed at the exit of Olympic Park station unintentionally serves to unify the black T-shirt wearing tribe streaming out: “X FACTOR AUDITIONS >” – ha, not for TOGRAP these folk.HER :: ASHLEY MAR PHO Maiden’s merchandise machine is in overdrive in the surrounds of the newly named Qudos Bank Arena. Kids convince their parents to buy them the latest tour tee – after previous incarnations as a pharaoh, cyborg, wicker man, grim reaper, alien and soldier, band mascot Eddie returns as a Mayan witch doctor – as The Raven Age rock the stage inside.

snap sn ap up all night out all week . . .

Make no mistake, the show is unashamedly theatrical and faintly ridiculous. The rumour that Maiden inspired Spinal Tap would appear to be well-founded – except these guys are acutely aware of their own absurdity. They revel in it.

Steve Harris runs up and down the stage and machine-guns his bass into the audience; there are pyrotechnics, and a ten-foot tribesman who attempts to chop off the head of guitarist Janick Gers. There’s Union Jack waving, guitar solos so long frontman Dickinson is able to take an off-stage break, a scene screen change for every song and a giant inflatable devil.

It’s big, it’s silly and it’s a helluva lot of fun.

George Nott

PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

BALL PARK MUSIC, MID AYR Oxford Art Factory Friday May 6

the crowd only sang the original rhythm defiantly over the top, almost drowning him out.

Ball Park Music fans are a peculiarly passionate breed. Though the band plans to tour Australia again soon with bigger shows, it decided to host a selection of intimate gigs, advertising the ticket link almost exclusively through Snapchat.

But this was no obstacle for an audience of ecstatic fans to completely pack out Oxford Art Factory.

Ball Park Music debuted some new tracks too (easily recognisable, as they were the only songs on which you could really hear the band over the audience).

‘Fearless’ featured an unwaveringly epic performance on the cowbell from drummer Daniel Hanson, while ‘Nihilist Party Anthem’ was reminiscent of the band’s earlier angsty sound.

Brisbane indie rock trio Mid Ayr warmed up the crowd with glistening, easy-flowing tunes. They had a comfortable confidence about them that made for a chilled atmosphere.

The set particularly shone with wellknown songs like ‘Coming Down’, where Cromack was so taken aback by the roaring response that he said, “Now I feel like people truly give a fuck.” The Queenslanders had fun with ‘Fence Sitter’, featuring a heavy, swirling guitar solo, and nailed their new seven-minute song, ‘Pariah’ (after a quick stretch to warm up of course).

It became clear pretty quickly when Ball Park Music came onstage playing ‘iFly’, with the audience chanting every word back at them, that this was a gig geared at fans – a chance to have fun singing along and celebrating Ball Park Music’s work thus far.

With this in mind, the band didn’t stray too much from the recorded versions of its songs in the live performance. In fact, when singer Sam Cromack tried to alter the rhythm to the choral-like intro of ‘She Only Loves Me When I’m There’,

thebrag.com

With a pretty cover of Elvis’ ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ for their encore and a powerful rendition of ‘Cocaine Lion’, Ball Park Music confirmed their status as a versatile and well-loved Australian band with an impressive discography already behind them.

Erin Rooney

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 23

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Capital Coast Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free.

Fastcore Forever, Sleep Never - feat: Disparo + Pavarotti + Dionysus + Boneless + The Phosphorous Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Harbourview Hullabaloo - feat: Zack Martin + Murder Of Crows + Ruby Run + The Yellow Fellows + Julia Michaels + Ryan Gordon + Kenneth D’Aran Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Live At The Horse - feat: Sharmantic + Firechild The White Horse, Surry Hills. 7pm. Free.

Muso’s Club Jam Night - feat: Jim Finn Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free.

Paper Parade The Sheaf, Double Bay. 9pm. Free.

Roadhouse Rockabilly Night Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 7pm. Free.

pick of the week The Drones

SATURDAY MAY 14 Metro Theatre

The Drones

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

+ Harmony 8pm. $44.10.

WEDNESDAY MAY 11 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC The Roots & Riddim Club - feat: Errol Renaud Trio + DJ Dizar Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

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

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Live & Original @ Lazy Bones - feat: Nic Cassey + Katie Rosewood + Alice

Knight Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10.

Manouche Wednesday - feat: The Squeezebox Trio Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Old Man Luedecke The Gaelic Club, Surry Hills. 8pm. $25.

Songwriting Society Of Australia Showcase - feat: John Chesher + Pete Scully + Gavin Fitzgerald + Paul Mcgowan Old Fitzroy Hotel, Woolloomooloo.

7:30pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Bradley Owens & The Florins + Just

Breathe + Special Guests Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

Hello Bones Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free.

Murks - feat: Split Feed + Pist Idiots + Dave + Filthy Teens Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm.

Free.

Muso’s Club Jam Night - feat: Jim Finn Ruby L’otel, Rozelle.

7:30pm. Free.

The Ramblers Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm.

Free.

THURSDAY MAY 12 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN

& WORLD MUSIC Jazz + Pinot Black Tie Dinner - feat: Vince Jones Icebergs, Bondi Beach. 6:30pm. $250.

Live At The Sly - feat: The Cooking Club + The Blissbots + Beastside Slyfox, Enmore.

7:30pm. Free.

Nigel Leung Band Play Bar, Surry Hills.

8pm. Free.

The Idea Of North The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $34.50.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Aegean Sun Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $5.

Adam Miller Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8:30pm. Free.

Ginger’s Jam - feat: Various Bands Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst. 7:30pm.

Free.

Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Ted Nash Crown Hotel, Sydney.

4:30pm. Free.

Tim Walker Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.

FRIDAY MAY 13 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Brasilian Journey - feat: DJ Paulo & Soulquest + Live Samba Outfit Bateria 61

Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

Kinetic Jazz Orchestra St Luke’s Hall, Enmore. 7pm. $30.

Masha’s Legacy Foundry616, Ultimo.

8:30pm. $16.50.

Mikelangelo And The Black Sea Gentlemen The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $43.80.

My Leonard Cohen - feat: Stewart D’Arrietta And His Six Piece Band Giant Dwarf, Redfern.

8:30pm. $35.

Suite Az Fridays + DJ Troy T The Arthouse, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Capital Colours + The Harlots + Black Knuckles + Skinpin Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free.

Cath & Him Kurnell Recreation Club, Kurnell. 8pm.

Free.

Clever Little Secretaries Mounties, Mount Pritchard. 9pm. Free.

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

Free.

Dragon Bridge Hotel, Rozelle.

7:30pm. $35.85.

Fallon Cush + The Nature Strip + The Forresters Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $15.

Georgia White Hurstville RSL, Hurstville. 7pm. Free.

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

Free.

Henry Wagons & The Only Children + Skylar Wilson + Leah Senior + The Daphne Rawling Band Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $28.

Ironbark Rock Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 8:30pm.

Free.

Jack Horner Heritage Hotel, Bulli.

7pm. Free.

Jimmy Bear

Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill. 8pm. Free.

John Carlo Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 10:30am.

Free.

Kllo + Buoy + DJ Marcus Whale Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 11pm. $17.

Little Mix Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park.

8pm. $85.

Live At The Horse - feat: Propeller + Amends + Propeller + Scum Shuvit The White Horse, Surry Hills. 7pm. Free.

Melbourne Ska Orchestra + Hot Tomato Band Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $35.

Paper Hearts The Fiddler, Rouse Hill. 8pm. Free.

Reverse Charges feat: Royal Headache + Cured Pink + Holy Balm + Sex Drive Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 7pm. $23.60.

Shy Guys Revesby Workers Club, Revesby.

8:30pm. Free.

Space Shred Vol 2 feat: Dadskin Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 1:55pm. $10.

Stephanie Lea The Oriental Hotel, Springwood. 8pm.

Free.

Steve Balbi Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8:30pm. $50.

Stockley + Dos Enos + Wesley John Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $11.50.

Summer Flake Union Hotel, Newtown.

8pm. Free.

Terza Madre Golden Age Cinema, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.

The Ruckus Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

9pm. Free.

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

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Alfredo Malabello The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Dave Anthony

Lord Raglan Hotel, Sydney. 7pm. Free.

Glenn Esmond Trio Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Mark Wilkinson The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $34.50.

Michael Gorham Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm. Free.

Michael Gorham Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9:30pm.

Free.

Rob Eastwood Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill. 6pm. Free.

The JP Project Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 9:30pm.

Free.

SATURDAY MAY 14 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Electro Carousel - feat: Electro Alley + Midnight Party + Dr Cat Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 8pm. $25.

My Leonard Cohen - feat: Stewart D’Arrietta And His Six Piece Band Giant Dwarf, Redfern.

8pm. $35.

Polymorphic Orkestra + Jeremy Sawkins Solo + Mike Kenny Septet St Luke’s Church And Hall, Enmore. 7pm. $30.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Blake Wiggins Hunters Hill Hotel, Hunters Hill. 5pm.

Free.

Blaming Vegas Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 7pm. Free.

Eye Of The Tiger Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free.

Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free.

JJ Hausia Picton Hotel, Picton.

8pm. Free.

Mat McHugh Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale. 7:30pm.

songwriters’ secrets WITH

STEVE SMITH FROM FALLON CUSH

13. It’s a song with a ‘bad moon rising’ kind of theme. Last year there were too many of those so-called supermoons for my liking. It felt like stuff, bad stuff was happening every time one of these things would appear, so much so I grew to dread them.

Songwriting Secrets 3.

It’s all a bit of a mystery for me, not unlike mushrooms appearing The First Song I Wrote 1.

I don’t recall the first complete song I ever wrote, but I think the first song of mine that was ever recorded in a decent recording studio was a song called ‘Black & White’ – a three-minute power pop song railing against authority using the metaphor of watching black-and-white movies on a colour TV to represent whatever deep-seated angst it was supposed 24 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

to represent at the time. I always wanted to be Paul Weller but always ended up as Elvis Costello.

2.

The Last Song I Released The last song we’ve released is ‘There’s A Dark Side To That Moon’ off our new album, Bee In Your Bonnet, which we’re launching at Lazybones with The Nature Strip and The Forresters on Friday May

in the garden or on the lawn after rain. I’ve got no idea how they get there or why they don’t appear every time it rains. If I was to give anyone a songwriting tip it would be to respect the melody. The melody’s what it’s all about, at least when it comes to the type of music we make. People will forgive a crappy lyric for the sake of a great melody but a crappy melody stands no chance.

The Song That Makes Me 4.

Proud Whenever I’ve seen one of those benches somewhere, usually at a lookout or somewhere similar with an “In Loving Memory” plaque on them, I’ve always wondered what the story was behind them. Who the people were, what that spot meant to them…

There’s a song on the last Fallon Cush album, April, called ‘Where Your Name Is Carved’, which I feel honours, in my way, all those people and their relationships. I wrote the song in Orange one weekend. We ended up in the botanical gardens around sunset and sat on this bench which had one of these plaques on it and watched the sun go down. It was such a beautiful little spot and just felt special. I had the chords and melody in my memory bank somewhere and it popped into my head while we were

sitting there. When we went back to the hotel room I wrote the lyrics in the time it took my wife to have a shower.

The Next Song I’ll Write 5.

The next song I write will be one of the unfinished ones I’ve got floating around for the next Fallon Cush record. I’m hoping we can continue to get looser and more ‘bandy’ when it comes to making the next record. I don’t think there’ll be any eight-minute jams in there, but then again, why not?

What: Bee In Your Bonnet out Friday May 20 independently With: The Nature Strip, The Forresters Where: Lazybones Lounge When: Friday May 13

thebrag.com

g g guide gig g

gig picks

up all night out all week...

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

Melbourne Ska Orchestra photo by Ian Laidlaw

$29.10.

Paul Hayward And His Sidekicks The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 3pm. $5.

Rob Eastwood St George Masonic Club, Mortdale. 7pm.

Free.

Spit Roasting Bibbers Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 9pm. Free.

Steve Crocker Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 1pm. Free.

Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.

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

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

White Horse Resident DJs - feat: Kusoa The White Horse, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Bird Yard Big Band Penrith RSL, Penrith.

2pm. Free.

Black Cab Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 3:40pm. $18.

Blake Tailor Novotel, Rooty Hill.

6:30pm. Free.

Cath & Him Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 10:30pm.

Free.

Charlie Heart

Golden Age Cinema, Surry Hills. 8:30pm.

Free.

Clever Little Secretaries Revesby Workers Club, Revesby.

8:30pm. Free.

Colytons + Batfoot + Alex ‘Party Cat’ Sepansky Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8:30pm. Free.

Divas Of Motown, Soul & Disco Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free.

DJ Axel P Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8:30pm.

Free.

Dragon Penshurst RSL Club, Penshurst. 8pm. $35.

Fire Knight Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 3pm. $10.

Floyd Vincent And The Temple Dogs Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $15.

Jellybean Jam Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Julia Jacklin Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $11.

Kiko Smokes Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free.

Lepers And Crooks Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $14.60.

Mournful Congregation Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $16.90.

Patrick James

Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 7pm.

Free.

Peace Train Wenty Leagues Club, Wentworthville. 8pm. $50.

Peter Northcote feat: The Songs Of Led Zepplin + Deep Purple & Pink Floyd The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $49.80.

Ryan Enright Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 5:45pm. Free.

Soul Tattoo Club Engadine, Engadine. 8pm. Free.

Steve Hart & The All Stars Campbelltown RSL Club, Campbelltown.

8pm. Free.

The Drones + Harmony Metro Theatre, Sydney.

8pm. $44.10.

SUNDAY MAY 15 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

The Soul Movers + Hot Sweets Union Hotel, Newtown. 4pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Bobby Bento’s Classic Sixties Show Penrith RSL, Penrith.

2pm. Free.

Jed Zarb Jamison Hotel, Penrith. 1pm. Free.

Jimmy Shaw’s 18 Piece Shawnuff Swing Band Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

3pm. $16.90.

Spectre Tapes Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm.

Free.

Sunday Sessions feat: The Low Down Riderss The White Horse, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free.

The Dinlows + The Dolphin Show + Larkah + Skiptracer Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm.

Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Adrian Joseph The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free.

Adrian Joseph Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 12:30pm.

Free.

Blake Wiggins Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 2pm.

Free.

Dave Anthony The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 5pm. Free.

Dave Anthony Duo Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 1pm. Free.

Dave Tice + Ross Ward + Jim Finn Beats Eats Drinks, Glebe. 6pm. Free.

JP Project The Rivo Hotel, Riverstone. 4pm. Free.

Mark Wilkinson + Anabelle Kay The Music Lounge, Brookvale. 7pm. $31.35.

Miss Peaches Hootenanny Bluegrass Sundays Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 8pm. Free.

Pat O’Grady Duo The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free.

Ricardo Steyer Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Steve Crocker Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Ted Nash Ingleburn Hotel, Ingleburn. 1pm. Free.

MONDAY MAY 16 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Paul Mbenna & The Okapi Guitar Band Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham. 5pm.

Free.

The Monday Jam feat: The New Ojezz House Band + Local DJs The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $5.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

wed

thu

11 May

12 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)

May

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

fri

13 May

(10:00PM - 1:40AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

5:45PM  8:45PM

sat

sun

14

15

May

May

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

(10:00PM - 1:15AM)

mon

16 May

thebrag.com

John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Live & Original @ The Corridor Corridor Bar, Newtown. 7pm. Free.

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

Free.

tue

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

17 May

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

Cat Power City Recital Hall, Sydney. 7pm. $60.

M83 + Japanese Wallpaper Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8:30pm. $79.

Marty R Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Old Man Luedecke

WEDNESDAY MAY 11 Old Man Luedecke The Gaelic Club, Surry Hills.

8pm. $25.

THURSDAY MAY 12 Aegean Sun Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $5.

Live At The Sly - Feat: The Cooking Club + The Blissbots + Beastside Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm.

Free.

The Idea Of North The Basement, Circular Quay.

7pm. $34.50.

FRIDAY MAY 13 Fallon Cush + The Nature Strip + The Forresters Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $15.

Henry Wagons & The Only Children + Skylar Wilson + Leah Senior + The Daphne Rawling Band Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $28.

Little Mix Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park. 8pm. $85.

Melbourne Ska Orchestra + Hot Tomato Band Manning Bar, Camperdown.

8pm. $35.

Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 7pm. $23.60.

Steve Balbi Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8:30pm. $50.

Summer Flake Union Hotel, Newtown. 8pm.

Free.

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

SATURDAY MAY 14 Black Cab Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 3:40pm. $18.

Julia Jacklin Plan B Small Club, Sydney.

8pm. $11.

Lepers And Crooks Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $14.60.

Mat McHugh Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale.

7:30pm. $29.10.

Patrick James Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst.

7pm. Free.

MONDAY MAY 16 Cat Power City Recital Hall, Sydney.

7pm. $60.

M83 + Japanese Wallpaper Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

8:30pm. $79.

Mikelangelo And The Black Sea Gentlemen The Vanguard, Newtown.

6:30pm. $43.80.

TUESDAY MAY 17

Reverse Charges - Feat: Royal Headache + Cured Pink + Holy Balm + Sex Drive

Eric Burdon And The Animals Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

8pm. $89.

TUESDAY MAY 17 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Bandsonstage Ruby Tuesday Ruby L’otel, Rozelle.

7:30pm. Free.

Songsonstage feat: Stuart Jammin + Ryan Gordon + Guests Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm. Free.

Melbourne Ska Orchestra

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Anton Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Bucket Lounge Presents - Live & Originals - feat: Various Artists Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Eric Burdon And The Animals Enmore Theatre,

Newtown. 8pm. $89.

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

Street Jam Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 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, James Di Fabrizio and Gloria Brancatisano

five things WITH

Flume

HELENA LEGEND

FLUME GOES MASSIVE

Growing Up 1.

Growing up in the UK I was surrounded by music – my brother was a DJ as were many of my male friends in school. We were all obsessed with music and the club scene. We used to host our dance parties just so we could spin at them.

A lot of us have gone on to do cool things in music and the industry, including a guy called Eats Everything, who was actually the first person to introduce to me to a set of decks around the age of 14.

I went on to professionally running large-scale events in the UK and Ibiza to eventually letting my passion take centre stage and made the switch into professionally DJing.

Inspirations 2.

Daft Punk were a big inspiration when I first started playing – I remember hearing ‘Around The World’ for the first time seeing them live at a festival and it being a turning point in my life that got me hooked into dance music. I went out and bought

their album immediately! I can’t say I’m really inspired by one particular act – lots of other acts inspire me for different reasons and different things. Whether it be sounds, mixing styles [or] performance, I like to take a bit of inspiration from lots of different places.

Your Crew 3.

I’m lucky to be surrounded by and work with the best crew. My manager Jon Hanlon has been there since near the start of my professional career; we have been building to something we both set our sights on. I won’t pretend it’s been easy and I’m still a way off where I want to be, but we are incredibly focused and we work hard as a team. There is a lot to come from me still but I am also very proud of where I am at right now and what I have achieved – it’s been quite the journey.

The Music You Make 4.

And Play I am playing a lot more trap in my sets at the moment, and

Locked Groove

LOCKED ON

Having established his own label Locked Groove Records in 2013, Locked Groove will now embark on an Australian tour to bring his beats to a live setting. Perhaps best known for his track ‘Drowning’, the Belgian continues to make waves through his experimentation with Berghain industrial techno and deep house. ‘Crossover’ can be a dirty word sometimes in dance circles, but not when someone of Tim Van de Meutter’s ability is behind it. He’ll show exactly why when he headlines as Locked Groove at the Oxford Art Factory on Friday May 27.

Music, Right Here, 5.

Right Now It’s an interesting time in the scene at the moment. There has been a big musical shift, especially in the US, and artists have been diversifying their sound and styles. This happens all the time in music over the years, though trends come and go of what’s hot, and now, you just need to move with it and adapt to your surroundings whilst staying true to what you love.

Where: The Argyle With: Minx, Glover When: Saturday May 14

BOB MOSES SUNDAY SESH

Fresh from a run of massive shows with RÜFÜS around the country, Canada’s Bob Moses are backing up for a headline slot of their own.

This Sunday May 15, Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie will roll into S.A.S.H By Day at the Greenwood Hotel, bringing with them some quality cuts from their new record Days Gone By. Bob Moses have also just been tearing it up at Coachella, so they’ll be absolutely primed for this one.

And when it comes to the tunes themselves, these guys are all about originality – in a recent interview with the BRAG, they laughed about

the popularity of bird noises replacing actual choruses in the trendy EDM hits these days. You won’t hear any whistling during a Bob Moses set, that’s for sure – nothing that’s pre-recorded, anyway.

and dreamy guitar work from Gold Coast brother-andsister duo, Lastlings. Golden Vessel will bring the chilledout vibes of his new music to The World Bar on Friday July 1.

IT GOES TO SHOW, YOU NEVER KNOW

CHINGY IS THE THINGY

Following the release of his latest single, ‘Never Know’, Golden Vessel has announced a string of tour dates for this June and July.

The shows will be in support of his upcoming debut EP, Before Sleep. His recent single, the second taste of that record, features vocals

It’ll be a big Sunday night at Marquee this weekend as none other than Chingy headlines the weekly Reign night of R&B and retro vibes. The US rapper, singer, actor and Ludacris protégé hasn’t cut a new album for a few years now, but in his mid-’00s heyday made it big with hits like ‘Right Thurr’.

See you thurr at Marquee on Sunday May 15.

Mat.Joe

THREE FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

Get into Chinese Laundry this weekend for a massive triple header featuring some of Australia’s fi nest electronic talents. First cab off the rank is Melbourne’s Indian Summer (AKA Gabe Gleeson and Chevy Long), the Sweat It Out twosome whose range spans from ballads to club bangers.

Joining them are Linda Marigliano, the triple j Good Nights host who’s itching to play in front of a live audience, and Danny T, the Brisbane “DJ/producer/ playboy millionaire” who’s renowned for his work ethic and dancefl oor-fi lling abilities alike. The three headliners will get a boost from local spinners Huggy Boiz, Goonz, Offtapia, Sondrio, Pat Ward, Twomuch, DJ Just 1, King Lee and Dollar Bear on Saturday May 14.

MEET MAT.JOE

Mat.Joe is the snappy moniker adopted by Berlin-based mates Matze and Johannes for their musical endeavours, and they’re making the most of it, locking in a visit Down Under this month. The German house/hip hop duo last toured Australia two years ago, but Mat.Joe have been working together much longer than that, having bonded over rap, skating and breakdancing ten years ago, when that’s what kids did for kicks. Discerning hip hop fans may also recognise Mat.Joe’s sound from their work as Twomanics, but it’ll be all about the dancefloor at Home Nightclub on Saturday May 21.

Xxx

26 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

my production style, although it has been somewhat varied, is now starting to head towards electro/trap – I guess the bridging sound between EDM and trap; maybe I need to coin my own word for it? ‘Electrap’ perhaps [laughs]. My live sets have always been genre-crossing high-energy; I play a mix of electro, trap, progressive and house.

With a huge Australian tour laid out in front of him, electronic wunderkind Flume has locked in a Sydney arena show to celebrate his new album, Skin. He’ll be joined by Vince Staples – who features as a special guest on the record – and UK producer Sophie.

Flume will be taking his revamped live show across the country, as well as internationally, with his tour totalling over 70 dates worldwide. Skin drops on Friday May 27, and Flume brings it to Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones Arena) on Friday December 9.

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BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16 :: 27

club guide g

club picks p up all night out all week...

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

club pick of the week Bob Moses

SUNDAY MAY 15

S.A.S.H By Day Bob Moses

CLUB NIGHTS Birdcage - feat: Various DJs Slyfox, Enmore. 9pm.

Free.

Salsa Wednesdays - feat: DJ Miro + Special Guests The Argyle, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free.

SBW - feat: Jonski Babysham + Resident DJs Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Sosueme - feat: Roland Tings Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

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

Yellow Wednesdays Secret Garden Bar, Enmore. 7pm. Free.

THURSDAY MAY 12 CLUB NIGHTS Femme Fetale The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

House Keeping - feat: DJ Conor Boylan + Guests Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

The Goods - feat: Guest DJ Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

xxx

HIP HOP & R&B

Cool Accidents Singles Club - feat: Mathas + Moody + Diger Rockwell + Samuel Dobson + Wallace Newtown Social Club,

FRIDAY MAY 13 CLUB NIGHTS

Acid Tannins Dance - feat: Mike Who + Anno Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern. 5pm.

Free.

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

Bassic - feat: Milo & Otis + Nemo + Stalker + Chenzo + Blackjack + Lennon + Bassriot + Autoclaws Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28.

Blvd Fridays - feat: Ember Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $13.40.

Brenny B-Side Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free.

Club Night #5 - feat: Amateur Dance + Nite Fleit + Vibe Positive + Post Pluto DJs Eleven Nightclub, Paddington. 9pm. $10.

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

Feel Good Fridays Bar100, The Rocks.

5pm. Free.

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

8pm. Free.

Friday Party Syd Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

28 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

Fridays At Zeta Zeta Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Harbour Club Fridays 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.

Scubar Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney. 8pm.

Free.

Sloth Wars - feat: Mantra Collective + MSG + Playdate + Adi-B + Levit8boy Slyfox, Enmore. 9pm. $10.

The Last Boogie - feat: Subaske + Ruby May Moon + Impailer + Laird-E + Swindler + Hackett + Georgy-D + Bias Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 9pm. $10.

Welove - feat: Various DJs Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm.

Free.

SATURDAY MAY 14 HIP HOP & R&B

Chasm Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8pm. Free.

Grindin’ Tribute To The 90s - feat: Raine Supreme + B-Hopps + DJ Saywhut?! + DJ Amity + Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills.

5pm. Free.

R&B DJs By The Greens

HIP HOP & R&B

Chingy Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $38.90.

CLUB NIGHTS

2pm. $20.

Newtown. 7pm. $15.

No Dice Paradise Presents: Elmntry + Goo + Sarai Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

Mathas

SUNDAY MAY 15

Greenwood Hotel G

WEDNESDAY MAY 11

Hills. 6pm. Free.

Something Else feat: Edit-Select + Kali + Sebastian Bayne + Anthony Bohlock + Dave Stuart + Shivers* Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $20.

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

Free.

Tim Boffa Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free.

Yours - feat: Dave Winnel + Housing Corp Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

Zac Waters + Who Killed Mickey Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $26.70.

Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville.

4pm. Free.

Swagger 90s Rewind Tour Arq Nightclub, Sydney. 10pm. $24.

CLUB NIGHTS

Acid Child + Andosound + DJ Hi-Shock + John Ferris + Sekwensa + Simon Mann Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Argyle Saturdays feat: Helena Legend + Minx + Crazy Caz The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Clique Sydney Cruise Bar, Sydney.

8:30pm. $20.

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

Foxlife - feat: Christian Burkhardt + Thomas Lisse + Mesan Slyfox, Enmore.

10pm. $10.

Frat Saturdays feat: Danny Simms + Jayowens Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Lndry - feat: Indian Summer + Linda Marigliano + Danny T + Huggy Boiz + Goonz + Offtapia + Sondrio + Pat Ward + Twomuch + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Dollar Bear Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $22.90.

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

8pm. Free.

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

8:30pm. Free.

Soda Saturdays Soda Factory, Surry

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

Magic, Pixels, Bubbles - feat: Meri Amber + Trish Koutrodimos + Liam Power + Patcat + Dev Diner Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm.

Free.

Picnic Social Tatler, Darlinghurst.

4pm. Free.

S.A.S.H By Day feat: Bob Moses Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $20.

S.A.S.H By Night - feat: Christian Burkhardt Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $15.

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

Stuey B + Graham M Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 8pm. Free.

Sunday Vibes - feat: Hyjak + Big Hustle Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham. 2pm. Free.

MONDAY MAY 16

THURSDAY MAY 12

Edit-Select

Cool Accidents Singles Club - Feat: Mathas + Moody + Diger Rockwell + Samuel Dobson + Wallace Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $15.

No Dice Paradise Presents: Elmntry + Goo + Sarai Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

FRIDAY MAY 13 Bassic - Feat: Milo & Otis + Nemo + Stalker + Chenzo + Blackjack + Lennon + Bassriot + Autoclaws Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $28.

Blvd Fridays - Feat: Ember Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $13.40.

Sloth Wars - Feat: Mantra Collective + MSG + Playdate + Adi-B + Levit8boy Slyfox, Enmore. 9pm. $10.

+ Mesan Slyfox, Enmore. 10pm. $10.

Lndry - Feat: Indian Summer + Linda Marigliano + Danny T + Huggy Boiz + Goonz + Offtapia + Sondrio + Pat Ward + Twomuch + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Dollar Bear Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $22.90.

Something Else - Feat: Edit-Select + Kali + Sebastian Bayne + Anthony Bohlock + Dave Stuart + Shivers* Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst.

10pm. $20.

SATURDAY MAY 14

SUNDAY MAY 15

Argyle Saturdays - Feat: Helena Legend + Minx + Crazy Caz The Argyle, The Rocks.

6pm. Free.

Chingy Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $38.90.

Foxlife - Feat: Christian Burkhardt + Thomas Lisse

S.A.S.H By Night - Feat: Christian Burkhardt Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $15.

Christian Burkhardt

CLUB NIGHTS I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

TUESDAY MAY 17 CLUB NIGHTS Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. $10.

Side Bar Tuesdays feat: Black Diamond Hearts Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Terrible Tuesdays Slyfox, Enmore. 5pm.

Free.

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Off The Record

up all night out all week . . .

Dance and Electronica with Tyson Wray

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps xx

Andhim

RÜFÜS

Hordern Pavilion Thursday May 5 Where to even begin. Hometown heroes RÜFÜS, fresh from playing Coachella and with a lighting rig worthy of the festival in tow (sitting like a halo above the crowd), tore up the Hordern Pavilion. It was night two at the venue for their national tour, the trio finally spruiking their superb album Bloom with a devoted audience ready to party and, most importantly, dance.

Each standing on a platform filled with their respective gear, the Sydney boys tinkered keys and built into a slinky intro to Bloom’s uplifting opener ‘Brighter’. In turn, they seamlessly flowed into Atlas’ equally metaphorical gem ‘Sundream’; the songs’ respective lyrics (“Make it brighter for me” and “I can feel that you want it”) a clever introduction to the set ahead.

I

t’s been two years, but Simon Haehnel and Tobias Mueller AKA Andhim have locked in a return Down Under. If you like your house with a side of tech, the Cologne natives are about as good as they come, with their releases finding homes on labels such as Black Butter Records, Defected Records, Get Physical Music, Heulsuse, Kompakt, Monaberry and Terminal M. It’s going down on Saturday June 11 at Chinese Laundry.

Speaking of which, Laundry keeps on bringing in the big names. This time around it’s pulling in one of London’s finest – Weiss. Best known for his dancefloor bombs such as ‘My Sister’ and more recently ‘Rollin’, the don is adored by the likes of Loco Dice, Green Velvet and Kenny Dope, bringing a distinctively European flavour to the archetypal Chicago house grooves. Catch him on Saturday June 4. As always, support will come from the regular Laundry heads.

Weiss

been called up to remix the likes of Om Unit, Fracture and Tessela, with regular releases on labels such as Critical Music, Exit Records UK and 50Weapons. Catch him on Saturday May 21 at Plan B Small Club, where support will come from 8 Diagram, Boot + Sook and Monako.

Lead singer and guitarist Tyrone Lindqvist wasn’t going to be confined to one side of the stage, and he soon moved to the middle, crouching with his guitar and taking in the fans up close as they passionately sung ‘Say A Prayer For Me’ back to him.

Tour rumour: can’t make it over to Berghain anytime soon? Never fear – you can get your fix as the one and only Marcel Dettmann will be returning our way mighty soon.

More of Bloom followed as RÜFÜS explained it was only a year ago they were working on the album in Redfern.

Bulbs illuminated above each of the boys and that halo lighting started to shine across the room as dance-heavy tracks ‘Daylight’ and ‘Be With You’ saw the room absolutely heave, bodies on shoulders

Best releases this week: the new 12-inch from DJ Metatron fi nally surfaced on the Giegling website shop during the week.

I’d be careful before heading over and listening to the (friggin’ delicious) samples, though. It sold out immediately, and I would have cried if I didn’t secure one. To soothe the pain of missing out I’d suggest giving some solid spins to Folamour’s Oyabun (on Moonrise Hill Material), Africans With Mainframes’ K.M.T. (Soul Jazz) Lukas Nystrand von Unge’s Studio Barnhus EP No. 2 (Studio Barnhus) and Acasual’s Spring Theory Reworks (Closer).

from front to back. The combination of synths and streams of light that looked like sunshine breaking through clouds was a sensory delight.

Understandably, a vast dance break ensued among the crowd – not that the audience hadn’t already been working up a sweat.

The indulgent ‘Innerbloom’, selfdescribed by Lindqvist as a song that says “Hey! This is pretty hard to do, thank you so much!” marked the time for fans to peel off a layer and reciprocate with enthusiastic gratitude. The relatively downtempo, ten-minute track didn’t see anyone in the Hordern ease up, and when the band left the stage, there was a sure sense across the board that things weren’t over.

Rhetorically asking the crowd, “Why do one more when you can do two?”

Lindqvist, keyboardist Jon George and drummer James Hunt returned for a killer finale. With a synth-filled, live spin on ‘Take Me’ and the somewhat keysand drums-heavy (and extended) ‘You Were Right’, RÜFÜS saw the evening out proudly, satisfying their grateful audience.

Emily Gibb

RECOMMENDED SATURDAY MAY 14

Edit Select Burdekin Hotel Christian Burkhardt

SUNDAY MAY 15

Bob Moses Greenwood Hotel Christian Burkhardt Home Nightclub

SATURDAY MAY 21

Tiger Stripes Burdekin Hotel Sam Binga Plan B Small Club Jack J Jam Gallery Fancy a little bit of live house techno this weekend? You’re in luck. German luminary Christian Burkhardt will be bringing his extensive hardware set-up to Sydney. A mainstay of the scene for the past decade, over the course of his career Burkhardt’s sonic explorations have found homes on the likes of Oslo, Pressure Traxx, La Pena, Deep Vibes and Cocoon. On top of that, he also runs his own label, CB Sessions, which has fostered top-tier names such as Andre Buljat, Hybris and Sascha Dive.

Catch him alongside the S.A.S.H residents on Sunday May 15 at Home Nightclub.

FRIDAY MAY 27

Locked Groove TBA

SATURDAY MAY 28

Detroit Swindle Chinese Laundry Andrey Pushkarev Civic Underground

SUNDAY MAY 29 Boris Cruise Bar

SATURDAY JUNE 4 Weiss Chinese Laundry

SATURDAY JUNE 11

Andhim Chinese Laundry

SATURDAY JUNE 25

DJ Pierre Civic Underground

Sam Binga

xxxx

If you dig your dancefloors ranging from the 150-170BPM spectrum, you’ll want to make sure you catch the return of Bristol-based selector Sam Binga later this month.

Renowned for conjuring up melting pots of everything ranging from jungle to grime, footwork, juke and DnB, recently he’s also

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

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

PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:15 :: 29

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live reviews

up all night out all week . . .

What we've been out to see...

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps xx

DANNY BROWN, ZELOOPERZ Metro Theatre Tuesday May 3

There are two sides to Danny Brown’s music. The first comes from a telltale Detroit native who takes us through a rough childhood, home invasions and drug addiction with rap narratives. The second is a trap MC who has found his perfect counterpart in DJ Skywlkr to bring us thumping music perfect to take molly to.

Zelooperz opened for Brown at the Metro on Tuesday night, and then joined the headliner for his entire set, fulfilling hype man duties. This member of Detroit’s Bruiser Brigade is one to check out for both his rough rapping and paintings, the latter being the only thing for sale at the merch desk.

To this crowd’s joy, Danny Brown’s set was mostly 2013’s Old rather than 2011’s XXX or 2010’s The Hybrid, playing ‘Dip’, ‘Smokin & Drinkin’, ‘25 Bucks’ and ‘Break It (Go)’ among others from his arguably most produced and danceable album. ‘Attak’, the collab with the producer behind ‘Break It (Go)’, Rustie, particularly turned the

room way up.

Afterwards, someone asked me what I was on, and when I replied I was sober, he said, “Dude, to not be on anything is disrespecting Danny.” I don’t doubt being on the majority of the crowd’s level would have worked, but being clear-headed let me hear how both sides of Brown’s music concurrently exist. He’s the ‘Adderall Admiral’ and the young boy who was given food stamps by his mum to go buy ‘wonderbread’.

Last year, on their respective visits to Sydney, Vince Staples and Earl Sweatshirt were offended by obnoxious audiences.

Sweatshirt was rushed during ‘Grief’ and Staples had cans and clothing thrown at him after sternly warning the crowd that that wasn’t cool. The disrespect came from everyone being too gacked to hear what either rapper was actually saying. On this occasion, there was no disrespecting Brown. You were either following long and thrilling stories about what life’s like in Brown’s lane, or dancing like a maniac, knocking your brain out.

Elias Kwiet PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

RUDIMENTAL, JESS GLYNNE Hordern Pavilion Sunday May 8

Their drum and bass touches fused with hooky pop melodies have made Rudimental notorious across the global pop and electronic scenes. However, as the hordes spill into the confines of the Hordern Pavilion on a Sunday night, the British contingent is raging and abundant.

Maybe it’s by pure chance that the majority of punters this reviewer interacts with carry a strong British accent, or maybe Rudimental are a source of pride that holds dear for these expatriates.

Whatever the case, they have to wait until main support Jess Glynne has shimmied, strutted and vocally blown out the cobwebs. Opening with ‘Ain’t Got Far To Go’, Glynne throws in fan favourites such as her Route 94 collaboration ‘My Love’ and ‘Real Love’, which she co-released with Clean Bandit. Flanked by two backing vocalists, Glynne and her cohorts bust out some synchronised toe-tapping as they bop from left to right through ‘You Can Find Me’ and ‘Hold My Hand’, many in the room joining her in the chorus.

But all memories of Glynne – despite her voice being ten times better live than on

record – are dashed when around 30 minutes later a swarm of people take to the stage almost frantically. Rudimental launch into ‘System’, taken from their latest record We The Generation, followed closely by a blasting of the hit ‘Right Here’ from their debut Home.

The set is complete with impressive vocal deliveries and hard-hitting DnB breakdowns that send the crowd pogoing relentlessly. John Newman feature ‘Not Giving In’ and newer slices ‘Bloodstream’ and ‘Love Ain’t Just A Word’ all cause a ruckus, the latter of which is performed by former touring vocalist gone soloist Anne-Marie with current touring singer Tom Jules on rapping duties. There are also some extras thrown in, including a sweet cover of drum and bass anthem ‘Incredible’ (originally by M Beat featuring General Levy) and ‘Welcome To Jamrock’ of Damian Marley fame.

But it’s the culmination of a solid a capella chant of ‘Feel The Love’ that really shows off this collective’s penchant for penning off-centre pop gold. They can thrash around the stage like possessed maniacs all night long, but their talent in creating relatable, sing-along-worthy anthems can never be disputed.

Chelsea Deeley

s.a.s.h by day ft. phil smart + stungewollah + pip dalton + linda jenssen

PICS :: AM

PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

08:05:16 :: Greenwood Hotel :: 36 Blue Street North Sydney 9964 9477 30 :: BRAG :: 662 :: 11:05:16

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