ISSUE NO. 667 JUNE 15, 2016
FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com
MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE
INSIDE This Week
T HE PA PER K I T E S
Paying their dues to the visual side of being a band.
K YA RY PA M Y U PA M Y U
D N A R B E IH LD
A N N A I BR
The princess of J-pop brings her colourful show to Sydney.
SE A N A S T IN
From The Goonies to The Lord Of The Rings and beyond.
M A R K L A NE G A N
He remains a serial collaborator, but don't expect a Screaming Trees reunion.
JACK G A R R AT T
The breakout multiinstrumentalist is thriving on the road.
Plus
HOL LY M A R IE COMB S T R IBUL AT ION MOUR N AWAY S W ERV EDRI V ER A ND MUCH MOR E
T A R A T S G N I S A RI
A V O N A P U S
BRINGS YOU
A JIM MORRISON TRIBUTE SHOW HOSTED BY
CELEBRATING THE LIVES OF LEGENDS
MONDAY JUNE 27TH AT 6PM TICKETS INCLUDE DOORS ALIVE TRIBUTE BAND 2 COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS & FREE GUITAR LESSONS + MUCH MORE
27
BUY TICKETS NOW
ELCAMINOCANTINA.COM.AU 18 ARGYLE STREET THE ROCKS ELC_BragAd_27CLUB_V2.indd 1
10/06/2016 5:18 PM
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 3
rock music news
the BRAG presents
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with James Di Fabrizio, Anna Wilson and Amy Henderson
PETER BJORN AND JOHN
speed date WITH
THE RUCKUS
they share with people through it, however, so being poor, living in Bexley and having to catch the train in to Newtown is still OK with them. Keeping Busy The Ruckus spent the last year in a 2. reconstructing phase. They go away on trips
to country towns with their producer, where they set up and blast the surrounding area with music from the crack of noon, dissecting the songs like science class frogs. They’ve been concentrating on being sober and eating more fruit and roughage. The new song ‘Fever’ is the first of around 30 songs they’ve written over the past year while reinventing themselves.
The following questions are answered by The Ruckus’ super fan known only as ‘Chris’, who knows the band better than the members themselves ever could. Your Profile The Ruckus are from Sydney, Australia. 1. They tell people they live in Newtown, even though they haven’t lived there for years. Rent’s too high and bands don’t get paid much. They love music and the connection
Metro Theatre Wednesday July 20
Best Gig Ever They’ve played with some of Australia’s 3. biggest bands over the past year in the dopest
of venues. It’s awesome to see, but the best show I’ve seen them do over the past year has been on the street corner outside Beach Burrito in Newtown when a flash crowd of 200+ strangers turned the footpath into a discotheque and we all vibed out till the cops came. Which in Newtown, thankfully, is often
THE 1975
Sydney Olympic Park Saturday July 23
reasonably late. That was my first experience of the band and I’ve been to every show since. Current Playlist Must-see Sydney artists include Colour 4. Cage, Creo, Alphamama, The Dead Love,
AT THE DRIVE-IN
Lepers And Crooks, The Lazys, Bandintexas, Julia Why?, The Red Wine Roses, Reidemeister, Narla, The Mountains, Andy Golledge, Kieran Morris, Daniel D’Arcy, Kvlts Of Vice, Born Lion, P. Smurf, The Lockhearts, Wasters, The Persian Drugs… Sydney is a hive of talent that greatly outweighs the support it receives from ‘da biz’.
Enmore Theatre Sunday July 24
JAKE BUGG State Theatre Tuesday July 26
Your Ultimate Rider I consider myself fortunate to be able to share in this experience with these guys. They seem genuinely stoked to be able to play their music and see more and more people showing up to share in it with them. Anything else is no doubt just gravy.
5.
SAD GRRRLS FEST Feat: Le Pie, Coda Conduct, Twin Caverns + more Factory Floor Saturday October 8
With: Bandintexas, Julia Why? Where: Slyfox When: Thursday June 16
RAH RAH READY
MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: James Di Fabrizio SUB-EDITOR: Sam Caldwell STAFF WRITERS: Joseph Earp, Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: Gloria Brancatisano, James Di Fabrizio, Amy Henderson, Keiren Jolly, Anna Wilson
Australian legend Rory Ellis is hitting the road this month to support the release of his new EP Rah Rah. Ellis has performed on some of the world’s biggest stages with the likes of Richie Havens, Canned Heat and many others, and has seven albums and hundreds of festivals under his belt. Now, Ellis is concentrating on his return to his homeland with an east coast tour, catching up with his fans along the way. His new five-track release Rah Rah showcases his classic sound, taking the listener on a sensual journey. Ellis plays Marrickville’s Django Bar, Friday July 8.
ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHERS: D.A. Carter, Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar
IT’S ALL COMING UP BRIGHTON
ADVERTISING: 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)
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Prudence Clark, Tom Clift, Anita Connors, 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
Following its smashingly engaging Melbourne debut, Shir Madness is set to grace Sydney come September. From the soulful Melbourne duo Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier to the musical gypsy dance flourish of the
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Luke Forrester: accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121
DISTRIBUTION: Wanna get the BRAG? Email distribution@ furstmedia.com.au or phone 03 9428 3600 PRINTED BY SPOTPRESS: spotpress.com.au 24 – 26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204
THE BRAG
4 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
Monsieur Camembert act, the Jewish music festival will cover a wide variety of tastes and styles. Yet while providing engrossing, boogieworthy tunes, Shir Madness also recognises darker works, including a cabaret by singer-
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are set to hit Sydney on a national tour. The group will be heading over in support of its latest album, Distortland, which was recorded in frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s basement on an ’80s cassette recorder with the band adding the finishing touches in a studio. Thanks to an impressive back catalogue of iconic hits, The Dandys’ setlist is sure to not only include Distortland tracks, but should also be jampacked with crowd favourites including ‘We Used To Be Friends’, ‘Horse Pills’, ‘Get Off’ and ‘Bohemian Like You’. They’ll play the Big Top Sydney, Luna Park on Friday November 4.
actor Alexis Fishman that takes a look at the life and last show of a cabaret artist as the Nazis rose to power. Shir Madness will take place on Sunday September 18 at Bondi Pavilion.
ALLEY CAT
Gregory Porter is coming to Australia with his band to perform an intimate show in support of his critically acclaimed fourth studio album, Take Me To The Alley, released on the iconic Blue Note record label. Take Me To The Alley, the much-anticipated follow-up to Porter’s Liquid Spirit, is the current number one album on the Billboard jazz album chart and went number one on Apple Music’s jazz charts across six continents. The opening track ‘Holding On’ is a version of the song Porter co-wrote and recorded with UK electronica act Disclosure, a collaboration which has opened up Porter’s music to a new audience not necessarily familiar with the jazz genre. Porter will hit The Basement on Wednesday September 28.
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
Seminal proto-punk pariahs The Sonics are set to return to Australia for the first time in almost fi ve years. The legendary outfi t are responsible for ear-wormy slices of fried gold like ‘Strychnine’ and ‘Have Love, Will Travel’, and helped pave the way for bands such as The Black Keys and genre-bending wunderkinds The Cramps. So what are you waiting for? Anything that’s good enough for Lux Interior is good enough for you. The Sonics hit Manning Bar on Sunday October 1. thebrag.com
The Dandy Warhols photo by Erich Bouccan
DEADLINES: Editorial: Friday 12pm (no extensions) Ad bookings: Friday 5pm (no extensions) Fishished art: No later than 2pm Monday Ad cancellations: Friday 4pm Deadlines are strictly adhered to. Published by Furst Media P/L ACN 1112480045 All content copyrighted to Cartrage P/L / Furst Media P/L 2003-2014
like us:
Summernats 30 has unveiled the killer lineup for its 30th birthday celebrations in Canberra next year. Headlining the main stage is chart-topping hip hop act Drapht, supported by urban duo Spit Syndicate. The rest of the weekend will see indie rockers Thirsty Merc performing their greatest hits, followed by Australia’s wildest rock’n’roll band Airbourne in their first Australian show since 2013. The annual Summernats fest sees over 100,000 punters from across the country and around the globe descend upon the nation’s capital for a monstrous weekend of automotive displays and hot entertainment. Next year will mark the event’s 30th birthday, and it promises to be a huge one with more announcements to come. Head to Exhibition Park in Canberra from Thursday January 5 – Monday January 9 for some hot rod madness.
HANDY DANDYS
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG.
follow us:
START YOUR ENGINES
WE’RE ALL MAD HERE
Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address 100 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9212 4322 fax - (02) 9319 2227
@TheBrag
Airbourne
George Maple photo by Darren McDonald
AWESOME INTERNS: Keiren Jolly, Amy Henderson, Anna Wilson
Seemingly ignoring all the gloom surrounding Sydney’s live music scene, Brighton Up Bar has been going full steam ahead in order to bring joy and music to Sydneysiders. The home of laughter, beer and crisp live tunes has (almost) made it to a ripe four years of age, and to consolidate its place in all our hearts, it’s set to hold a big, bold and boisterous birthday bash to commemorate. Joseph Liddy and The Skeleton Horse, Wild Honey, West Thebarton Brothel Party, Hunch and Loose Tooth are going to bring their fiery energy and infectious hooks to your hungry ear canals come July. So if you love birthdays, live music and fermented hops, get thyself down (or up) to Brighton and have yourself a merry old time. Brighton Up’s birthday shindig is on Saturday July 2.
RADIOHEAD A MOON SHAPED POOL
CD & VINYL • JUNE 17
DAY OF THE DEAD Various Artists
Oh Inhuman Spectacle
Hopelessness
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
STEVE GUNN
PARQUET COURTS
FUTURE OF THE LEFT
99.9%
Eyes On The Lines
Nonagon Infinity
brought to you by remote control thebrag.com
METHYL ETHEL
ANOHNI
KAYTRANADA
Human Performance
The Peace & Truce of Future of the Left
W W W . r e m ot ec o nt ro l R ECO R D S . CO M BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 5
live & local
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Chris Martin, Joseph Earp and James Di Fabrizio
head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
five things WITH
ANDY MILES FROM THE BRAVADOS
Jay Hawkins, Southern Culture On The Skids, Sammy Davis Jr., et cetera. Your Band Lachie Dengate (drums 3. and xylophone), Steve Junor
Growing Up The first record I ever 1. bought was God Bless Tiny
Tim. Older brothers and sisters introduced me to all the greats of the ’60s and ’70s. I have always liked artists and musicians who added something extra – it wasn’t always about the music. I love a gimmick! If you are not entertaining then you had better play with gusto, passion, truth, honesty, et cetera. Actually,
a gimmick isn’t much good without those other qualities.
(keyboards and sequencing), Bernie Hayes (bass), Elmo Reed (guitar) and Andy Miles (vocalist). We have all been playing in bands for many years and the gods brought us together to bring joy, happiness and irresistible sick beats to the people!
Inspirations Elvis Presley, James 2. Brown, The Cramps, Patti
The Music You Make We present a show that 4. features great songs from a time
Page, Little Richard, Hank Williams, Tina Turner, Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett, Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Spector, Peggy Lee, Trini Lopez, Napoleon XIV, Frank Sinatra, Motown, Herb Alpert, Dean Martin, Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Screamin’
when rock’n’roll was unsure of its direction. This is a time when many pretenders tried to claim Elvis’ crown in his absence and decline. We have reinterpreted these songs, adding more cheese and mayhem. You won’t believe that Connie Francis
could sound so rocking! You will feel compelled to be a part of that strange new cultural phenomenon, the fl oss! You will be amazed that fi ve people can make so much noise! Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. Finding somewhere to play has always been a challenge for musicians in Sydney. It is great to see the Inner West opening up with so many great new venues. There are plenty of people who want to play, it is up to us to make sure that we go out and see live music and support these venues and artists. The Gasoline Pony satisfi es like no other venue – there’s always something worth listening to at the Pony. Where: The Bravados play regularly at The Gasoline Pony More: gasolinepony.com
MANE
Adelaide songwriter Mane (AKA Paige Renee Court) is getting better – but first, she’s getting ‘Bitter’. That’s the name of the new single from the pop- and blues-loving artist, which launched last week alongside an abstract video clip by Benjamin Lancaster Powell. ‘Bitter’ is also the first cut of Mane’s EP House Of Horror, produced by Jack Hookey and set for release on Friday June 24 – which means she’s got a bunch of new tunes to share around the country on a brief threedate tour. Mane comes to The Newsagency on Friday July 29, and we’ve got three double passes to give away. Enter at thebrag.com/freeshit. Wild Honey photo by Thomas Champion
Wild Honey
SWEET, SWEET TUNES
Sydney’s own Wild Honey have just released their latest track, and are playing a hometown show to celebrate. The song ‘Pull It Together’ follows on from their self-titled debut EP. Lead single ‘Eye To Eye’ quickly became one of the most played Australian songs of the summer on triple j, and led to the band scoring support slots with Twin Peaks, Hinds and The Delta Riggs. Wild Honey will smear themselves around Brighton Up Bar on Saturday July 2.
MERRILY EVER AFTER
Good news if you’re one of the fans who has waited over two decades for these guys to return. The Merry Widows, the legendary Australian folk-rock group that has
been compared to acts as diverse as The Go-Betweens and Midnight Oil, are set to reunite for a mere four shows this year. All this admittedly brief activity marks the end of a 21-year-long silence for the group. Looks
My Echo
Halfway
HALFWAY THERE
Brisbane’s Halfway might have been around for 16 years (and counting), but they’re just getting started. The Golden Halfway Record has received grand reviews from publications around Australia, and it’s become the band’s first ARIA charting release in a decade and a half of hard work. The eight-piece rock storytellers, fronted by singer-songwriter John Busby, are ready to build on a wealth of experience to reach the next level, starting at Newtown Social Club on Friday June 24. like the timing is just right, too – the politically minded band will be playing a special Sydney show on election night. So if the unceasing horror of politics is getting you down, head to the Widows’ show to dance away your grief. The Merry Widows play Lazybones Lounge on Saturday July 2.
Neville Staple
SYDNEYVISION ENTRIES OPEN
METAL AT FRANKIE’S
MY ECHO IN YOUR EARS
Old-school punk/classic rockers My Echo are set to make a mark with ‘Old And Grey’, the first taste of their forthcoming debut album. The Melburnians have been on the scene since 2011, scoring supports for the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Shihad and Kingswood, and they’ve now channelled their sound into something that’s ready for a full-length release. In the meantime, they’ll play three dates around the land this July and August, including at the Botany View Hotel on Saturday August 13. Go on, help the boys out – someone’s gotta help pay for those sharp haircuts (seriously, take a look at that barbership).
6 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
Sydney’s home of underground rock, Frankie’s Pizza, is bringing back the metal this Sunday June 19. It’s a diverse bill spanning doom through prog and more, and those crazy Frankie’s kids have promised – and we quote – “free beers to anyone showing up in parachute pants”. You know what to do. The lineup? Sumeru, Flaming Wreckage, Lord Sword, Genetics, Forecast Tomorrow and Sqwauk.
THE ORIGINAL RUDE BOY
Neville Staple, the one and only toastmaster of The Specials and FunBoy3, has announced a series of regional and capital city shows around Australia this July and August. Staple’s visit will rekindle the 2 Tone sound for those who were there and those who wished they were, with his setlist promising to be chock-full of classic hits alongside selected cuts from his latest album Ska Crazy! Skank your way to the bank at Newtown Social Club on Sunday July 31.
thebrag.com
The Bravados photo by Milestones Photography
The Sydneyvision Song Contest – Sydney’s answer to Eurovision, except without the Europop trash and endless rounds of voting – is still welcoming entries for its August competition. The rules are simple: submit an original song and music video, include the name of a Sydney suburb in the lyrics, and display something ‘iconic’ about that suburb in the clip. You can enter at sydneyvision.org before the deadline of Monday August 1, with the 12 finalists to screen at the Wednesday August 31 gala evening at Dendy Opera Quays, and the winner to score $2,000 in prize money.
NEW
thebrag.com
ALBUM
OUT
NOW
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 7
Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
ED SHEERAN SUED FOR $20M OVER X-FACTOR SONG…
Ed Sheeran has been hit with a US$20 million lawsuit by two songwriters, Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard. They claim his song ‘Photograph’ is “note-for-note” the same as their 2009 song ‘Amazing’, which was recorded by UK X Factor winner Matt Cardle. Harrington and Leonard argue there are 39 identical notes, meaning the notes are “identical in pitch, rhythmic duration, and placement in the measure,” adding, “The similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators”. The two have gone to LA attorney Richard Busch, who helped Marvin Gaye’s estate win a US$7.3 million lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over ‘Blurred Lines’. Sheeran’s co-writer Johnny McDaid is also named in the suit, along with labels and publishers. Ed Sheeran
THINGS WE HEAR • Which band that wanted to make a “musically challenging” album now complains that it’s bloody hard to play live? • Who might be heading towards a lawsuit after an intern got fired for not continuing to sleep with the boss? • Which manager is quipping to friends that he plans to chain himself outside a music company that owes him money? • Are Paramore reuniting with ex-drummer Zac Farro or not? • “It WORKS. It just totally works!” Brian Johnson said after meeting with the inventor of in-ear monitors, Asius Technologies founder (and AC/DC fan) Stephen Ambrose. The latter invited him to try and use technology to get back to performing live onstage. Johnson says he’s able to hear music in a way he hasn’t for years. • Meanwhile, angry with Queensland losing the Queen’s Birthday as a holiday, the Rebel Radio Network’s breakfast show Ash & Dave declared Monday June 13 as AC/DC Day in lieu. It played every AC/DC album in full, alongside concerts, interviews with the
Pon Cho has signed a number of deals. Night High Records, a joint venture by EMI Music Australia and Nic Kelly of Project U, released his debut solo single ‘Lonely Walls’ (feat. Paige IV) and he’s now being booked by New World Artists, Nathan Farrell Entertainment for Australia, and Affinity Music and Vitalic Noise in North and South America respectively.
NEW SIGNINGS #2: RICE IS NICE’S REBEL YELL
…AND BEYONCÉ OVER TRAILER The teaser trailer that Beyoncé released ahead of her Lemonade album has aroused the ire of New York independent filmmaker Matthew Fulks. He says it has nine visual similarities to his short film Palinoia.
TROY HORSE STUDIOS CLOSING Troy Horse Studios is closing at the end of June, announced the Botany Road establishment that opened in 1988. Owner Chris McBurnie blames it on rising rent. “A new venture is in the pipeline,” the announcement said. It’s apparently a new studio set up by staffers but McBurnie will not be involved.
FBI DANCE CLASS RETURNS
FBi Radio is bringing back its female-driven DJ skills and mentoring initiative Dance Class, supported by V Movement. Station managing director Clare Holland says, “It’s hard to ignore the gender imbalance when it comes to women in electronic music. FBi’s Dance Class is our attempt to do something about it.” Four trainees will participate in masterclasses run by DJs Andy Garvey (Sunset with Future Classic DJs), Adi Toohey (Sunset) and Kali (Picnic on FBi Click), as well as FBi program director Caroline Gates. The classes will cover DJing, mixing, radio presenting and the music business. The trainees will be paired with a FBi mentor who they will join on air over a month before they host their own radio show on FBi’s dance music station, FBi Click. Apply by Saturday July 3 at fbiradio.com/danceclass.
Sydney indie label Rice Is Nice has signed industrial electronic act Rebel Yell and premiered her debut single ‘Never Perfection’, the first taste of her EP Mother Of Millions, which will be released in midAugust. Rebel (Grace Stevenson) also plays in Brisbane band 100%. Appearing onstage with a Korg ESX-1 and Metal Zone pedal, she says the Hackers soundtrack led her to discovering bands like “Underworld, Orbital and even The Prodigy”.
NEW SIGNINGS #3: TASH SULTANA O/S DEALS
Three months before she heads off for European shows (and with plans for America in 2017), Tash Sultana has joined the roster of two overseas booking agencies. For North America, she is now with Paradigm/ Windish Agency under the care of Tom Windish (Alt-J, Lorde, The xx), Jackie Nalpant and Aaron Pinkus. Her UK and European bookings are now through Free Trade Agency under Paul Boswell (The National, Fat Freddy’s Drop).
NEW SIGNINGS #4: FRIENDSHIPS AT DOT DASH/ REMOTE CONTROL
Melbourne electro tribal duo Friendships have signed with Dot Dash and Remote Control Records. Single ‘When I Feel Like Killing, I Murder’ is a taster for the
band, and artists and fans they’ve inspired. • After 27 years, Adelaide street paper Rip It Up will close at the end of the month. • Flume’s Skin has the biggest first week EDM sales in America for 2016. • The Punks For West Papua documentary and tour through Australia is getting bigger. More screenings will be announced in the lead-up to International Punks For West Papua Day on Saturday June 25, with benefit gigs in cities around the world. A New Zealand documentary road trip is in the works for later in the year. • Angus Stone told Fairfax Media that while living in Rick Rubin’s palatial house in Los Angeles when making his new record, he and his band went to town on sushi and organic smoothies, thinking they were free. The bill came to $20,000. • “OMFG, I grew up watching these!” was Tkay Maidza’s response when she learned via Instagram that she’s up for Best International Act (Viewer’s Choice) in the BET Awards. Her manager knew because he was told ahead of time, but he kept mum. Run by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate AfricanAmericans and other minorities in music, acting and sports, the awards are
on Saturday June 26 (US time) at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Maidza plans to be there: it’s the second award she’s been nominated for after the South Australian Music Awards. • PJ Gallagher’s in Leichhardt has now changed hands from Patrick Gallagher and John Daly to Peter Walker for $14.5 million. The Parramatta Road venue has a 5am licence and recently underwent a $2 million revamp. • Pro audio website CX Media reported that after the death of founder Eric Robinson, JBJ Audio was sold to America’s Clare Bros, with Bruce Johnston keeping a 20 per cent share and Jack Straw retaining his position as CEO. • A spate of rock names were targeted by Twitter hackers. Handles for Keith Richards, Tame Impala and Bon Iver were hijacked to display false or obscene messages. The Tame Impala account sent a bomb threat to JetBlue. Iver’s handle was changed to @ihavelegcancer and dissed the late Muhammad Ali. Sonic Youth’s claimed a hoax reunion show. The mastermind who hijacked the Twitter account of the late Beatle George Harrison said he didn’t know Harrison was dead.
September-due album Nullarbor 1988-1989, out in partnership with US label Mansion. Friendships was formed by Nick Brown and Misha Grace two years ago.
AMEB, ROCKSCHOOL, MUSIC SALES HOLDING LAUNCHES
JULIE WARD BACK AT ARIA AWARDS
TV producer Julie Ward, whose production company ZigZagTV produced the ARIA Awards from 2005 to 2007, is back on deck for its 30th anniversary celebrations this year. She’ll work side by side with Shine Australia CEO Mark Fennessy. The pair worked together on the launch of The Voice in 2012, and her credits include Australian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Australia’s Next Top Model and Rove Live.
SUPPORT ACT CALLS FOR INDUSTRY SUPPORT
Support Act Ltd, the charity which helps performers and workers in hard times of finances and health, is calling for support from the music industry. It gets no government funding and needs $50,000 to keep up its good work. It’s seeking individuals and businesses for donations. Visit supportact.org.au/donate to do your part. Any donation made by Thursday June 30 will be tax deductible.
STUDY: MILLENNIALS CHECK PHONES AFTER SEX
One in three millennials checks their smartphones immediately after sex. And 12% check it during sex! A survey by Coupofy, a database of coupon and promo codes for online stores, found that members of this age group check their smartphone between two and ten times an hour, and 73% sleep with them next to their beds. 28% prefer to shop by mobile than online. Over 68% get their news via Facebook on their phones, while 24% of high school students do it through Instagram.
Alter Bridge
DRONES FOR CONCERTS?
Are fleets of drones that create lighting and audio effects the future of music concerts? Ad company MicroAd, which operates mostly in Japan, has come up with Sky Magic. The flying machines, already showcased at a Mt. Fuji open air concert, dazzle music fans and advertise brand names. Sky Magic is headed by Tokyo-born filmmaker and author Tsuyoshi Takashiro, whose work explores futuristic technology. More recently, 100 illuminated drones lit up the sky at Vivid Sydney as part of a seven-minute piece of choreography synchronised to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, performed live by the Sydney Youth Orchestra. One of Vivid’s panels also discussed the potential use of drones in society.
NEW SIGNINGS #1: MULTI DEALS FOR PON CHO Thundamentals member and co-producer
Rockschool, the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) and Music Sales are holding launches in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to launch the new Rockschool contemporary syllabus delivered by AMEB. Rockschool covers acoustic and electric guitar, piano, bass, drums and vocals. Pop and rock musicians are graded for all levels and abilities, from complete beginners (debut) to professional standard (grade eight). Find full details of this joint venture between AMEB and Rockschool, plus examinations, at rockschool.ameb. edu.au.
Lifelines Split: rapper Wiz Khalifa and model Amber Rose celebrated their divorce settlement (US $1 million and $14,800 monthly child support for her, while he keeps the Pennsylvania house and ten cars) with a trip to a Los Angeles strip club. Injured: Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares finished off their last four Australian dates in a chair after he tore a muscle in his left foot in Melbourne. Recovering: Slipknot’s Corey Taylor from “unplanned spinal surgery” after he broke his neck without realising it. Ill: Corrosion Of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin left and then swiftly rejoined the band’s tour after suffering an alcoholrelated seizure before going onstage in Canada. Ill: The Ghost Inside’s Jonathan Vigil has a bone infection following further surgery on his ankle. The surgery was a result of the band’s 2015 car crash, one which left Vigil and many other members of the group badly injured. In Court: a Massachusetts court has again rejected a defamation suit by Tom Scholz, founder of US ’70s band Boston, who tried to sue the widow of the band’s singer Brad Delp and the Boston Herald after they claimed Scholz might have had something to do with the singer’s suicide. The court ruled it was just an “opinion”.
NEW SIGNINGS #5: ALTER BRIDGE SMELL NAPALM
Florida-based hard rock band Alter Bridge’s next records will be released in Australia through Napalm Records/Rocket Distribution. The band signed a worldwide deal with Napalm excluding North America. Started in 2004 by Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips, Myles Kennedy and Brian Marshall, Alter Bridge are working on an album with producer Michael ‘Elvis’ Baskette. It should be out later this year, after which they’ll tour worldwide, possibly including Australia.
In Court: Cher is suing a financial manager whom she claims defrauded her of over US $800,000 in investments that soured. Died: former Canadian teen idol Bobby Curtola, 73, who had hits in the ’60s with ‘Fortune Teller’ and ‘Aladdin’.
xx
8 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
thebrag.com
PUNCH BROTHERS THURSDAY JUNE 16TH
SONS OF THE EAST + LAZY COLTS
FRIDAY JUNE 17TH
WINSTON SURFSHIRT + RACKETT
SATURDAY JUNE 18TH
SELAPHONICS + GLADES
SUNDAY JUNE 19TH
KOOYEH + MAJUN BU
LEVEL 2, 75 THE CORSO, MANLY WWW.HOTELSTEYNE.COM.AU | FACEBOOK/HOTELSTEYNEMANLY | @HOTELSTEYNE
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 9
COVER STORY
B R I A NN A HIL D E B R A ND DEADPOOL AN BY TEGAN JON E
S
B
rianna Hildebrand blasted her way into the geek world this year with her role as Negasonic Teenage Warhead in the film adaptation of Deadpool. Packing plenty of punch and attitude, she became an instant fan favourite, and Sydney devotees will be able to see her at the Supanova Pop Culture Expo this month. We chat to Hildebrand about the film, her plethora of other talents and what it was like to play such a kick-arse character.
“It definitely was a lot of fun to have that much attitude, for sure,” laughs the 19-year-old actor. “I would say it came naturally – I had some pretty angsty teenage years, so that was pretty easy to draw from.” Despite being able to empathise with and understand her Deadpool character quite easily, Hildebrand worked quite hard to prepare for the role, in order to make her as vibrant and rounded as possible. “Usually when I’m [preparing] to get into any kind of character I like to develop a journal for them. But I definitely had a few conversations with the director, Tim [Miller], and because there’s barely anything about her character in the comics, I had to come up with a little bit myself and get his advice for sure.” As fans of the comics will know, this is certainly accurate. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a relatively small and obscure character in the Marvel Universe. Furthermore, she was a late edition to the Deadpool script and her mutant powers were drastically changed for the film. In fact, she was initially chosen because the writers simply liked her name. Although the lack of
10 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
D BEYOND
canon and literature to draw from might have seemed intimidating, Hildebrand rose to the occasion.
“It was really fun, actually! It definitely felt a lot less limited, I guess. I felt like I could just do my thing and be an angsty teen instead of following instructions, you know? I’m all about strong female characters and with Deadpool it was one of my favourite things about the script.” Hildebrand encompasses her character so well that she might have been born to play the part. As it turns out, she wasn’t much of a comic book fan before doing Deadpool, despite comics’ rising popularity in mainstream culture.
“It’s really interesting and the fans are awesome – a lot of them are really crazy and it’s great. My favourite part is seeing how everybody is dressed. I get lots of tweets and people will tag me in their Instagram posts when they’re cosplaying Negasonic Teenage Warhead and it’s so awesome. It’s very exciting.”
Despite being a rising star on the big screen, Hildebrand cut her acting teeth in the world of web series with Annie Undocumented. The award-winning show, which is inspired by a true story, follows the life of a teenage girl after she discovers she is an undocumented immigrant.
interesting perspective on the artistic licence such productions provide. “They’re easy to access and so fun. I wouldn’t say they’re easy, but they’re a lot easier to make than a TV show and having to pitch it. I think that it’s really cool to be able to put your creative abilities to work without having any kind of restraint from any kind of production.”
Hildebrand would know – she has also spent time behind the camera as a producer on the short film The Voice Inside. “We shot The Voice Inside basically about a young girl who falls in love with an ex-convict. They have a pen pal relationship and write back and forth. So the short is them finally meeting in person and how all of that plays out. It was super fun to work on and it was my first short. It was so cool getting to talk to the director [Jonathan Marshall Thompson] about his vision and being able to contribute on that side of filmmaking as well. It was even at the Newport Beach Film Festival a few months ago.
“I GET LOTS OF TWEETS AND PEOPLE WILL TAG ME IN THEIR INSTAGRAM POSTS WHEN THEY’RE COSPLAYING NEGASONIC TEENAGE WARHEAD AND IT’S SO AWESOME. IT’S VERY EXCITING.”
“I was not at all into any kind of comic or superheroes before any of this started,” she says. “But my co-star Ed Skrein [Ajax] is a super comic book nerd, so I had him coach me a bit before I got to set. I told him I had to borrow some of his comic books because I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, and he helped a lot for sure.” I wonder whether doing the film and now working the convention circuit has provided Hildebrand with a newfound appreciation for the medium.
“Yeah, for sure. It’s actually really cool the amount of people who are super into this world and all of these other worlds that are somehow parallel to each other.
“We filmed Annie Undocumented about two years ago now and I’m pretty sure that it was the first thing that I ever worked on. It was such a great experience and really interesting in terms of the plot. You should really check it out. Also, Nikki SooHoo was there and I was like, ‘Oh my God, you were in Bring It On!’” Being someone who has both worked on a web series and grown up during that platform’s rise in popularity, Hildebrand offers an
“The director is a good friend of mine and he just came to me one day with this idea and I thought it sounded really cool and I wanted to help make it happen. That’s how I kind of went into it – it wasn’t me thinking about wanting to be a producer. It was more about me being super excited about the project.” Despite killing it as an up-and-coming actor, being on the big screen was never Hildebrand’s original intention. Much like her production credit, it happened inadvertently and with no real plan.
“I moved to LA initially because I’m a musician – I play guitar and I’m a singer-songwriter. I play the acoustic guitar, so most of my stuff is kind of folk-influenced, but there’s some R&B influence as well. I really wanted to get a music career going and I kind of just fell into acting via my manager. So I gave it a try but music is definitely my first love. Combining music and acting would be really cool. That is definitely a goal of mine in the future.” Hildebrand is asked what other career aspirations she harbours, and if she has any dream roles or projects beyond her breakout Deadpool performance. “I have no idea. I would like to act on as many projects that I feel passionate about as I can. I think eventually I would like to produce an album myself to release, and I guess those are the main goals right now in my mind. “I’m trying to think of other things I would want to play. I have always wanted to play a boy. I don’t know why I want to play a boy – it’s a strange thing to want to play, probably. I think it’s so far from myself that it would be awesome. I really love characters who are super three-dimensional and that you can really see through.” What: Supanova Pop Culture Expo 2016 With: Travis Fimmel, James Marsters, Juliet Laundau, Sean Astin and more Where: Sydney Showground When: Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19
thebrag.com
Swervedriver Lost And Found By Augustus Welby
W
hile they were never fl agbearers for the shoegaze movement, Swervedriver’s popularity stretched far enough to bring them to Australia a number of times before they entered a decade-long hiatus in 1998. They were quick to return after reforming in 2008, and they’ll be back again this month to play songs from last year’s I Wasn’t Born To Lose You – the band’s first record in 17 years. With a new album in pocket, the UK foursome has managed to visit a number of previously untested territories over the last 12 months. “We played Brazil and Chile, which we’d never been to, [and] Hong Kong,” says vocalist/guitarist Adam Franklin. “We went back to Japan for the first time in 25 years or something ridiculous. Hawaii as well, which was a nice little shot in the arm at the end of the US tour.” Released last March, I Wasn’t Born To Lose You arrived seven years after the initial reunion of Franklin, guitarist Jimmy Hartridge and bassist Steve George (with current drummer Mikey Jones entering the picture in 2011). Franklin has been pleasantly surprised by the impact of the album, especially considering his initial reluctance to add anything to the Swervedriver catalogue. “[When we got back together] everyone was doing other things and there wasn’t really time to think about putting our minds to a Swervedriver album,” he says. “But then when we fi nally did and we’ve come up with this album, which we’re very proud of. We think it’s a great record, so now it seems quite strange to think that we didn’t do it earlier.”
Swervedriver’s previous LP, 99th Dream, was released at the beginning of 1998. It was their fourth album and the culmination of a decade’s work. Then, after six months on the road, the band members decided to go their separate ways. Franklin stayed visible in the ensuing years, making albums with Toshack Highway, Magnetic Morning, and Adam Franklin and Bolts Of Melody. 2005 saw the release of the Swervedriver retrospective compilation, Juggernaut Rides ’89-’98, which helped to spark the band’s enthusiasm and attract plenty of new listeners. Also, by virtue of the internet and various ‘best of the ’90s’ lists, a whole generation of younger listeners discovered Swervedriver during the hiatus. “At our shows now there’s certainly the older people that were there back in the day, but also clearly younger kids who weren’t there the first time around,” Franklin says. “It’s great for them because they can feel that they’re part of it – they get to hear the new album the day it comes out and they get the excitement that they might’ve felt they didn’t have because they weren’t around when the first records came out.” When making I Wasn’t Born To Lose You, Franklin was mindful of the expectations of their expanded audience base. “It was obvious that we couldn’t go off and do a completely left-field album. But on the one hand, it’s the natural sound of Swervedriver anyway, so it’s always going to sound the way it does. But I suppose we could’ve been experimenting with synthesizers or something, but [it] would’ve been ridiculous to come
back with something that wasn’t the Swervedriver sound.” The new album was recorded in the midst of the Raise Tour, which had the band performing the 1991 debut LP in its entirety. Revisiting this album encouraged Franklin to reacquaint himself with many of the band’s formative influences. “[The debut album] was when the first excitement about formulating the ideas and even the name of the band and the artwork and the song titles – it all coalesced into this one thing. I was listening to some music that I had been listening to when we first formed and re-reading things like Love And Rockets, the comic book that used to inspire me lyrically and just generally.” Being on tour had a direct impact on the record – half the album was recorded at Birdland Studios in Melbourne during Swervedriver’s
last Australian tour, while the rest was done in London’s Konk Studios during a UK tour. “It was really because Mikey lives in New York,” Franklin explains. “It was like, ‘Since we’re going to be together, we should really make the most of the time and get in the studio.’ But the fact we had been playing live and we had been playing Raise gave a shot in the arm to the recording sessions. You’ve got that nervous energy from playing in front of an audience the night before and the night after.” A lot has changed in the world of rock music since 1991. Raise was released via Creation Records, a cult-like UK label that was also home to The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and My Bloody Valentine (and later Oasis). However, despite the impacts of changing technology and trends, Franklin hasn’t seen much of a shift in the fundamentals of albummaking.
“People say these days that artists don’t think in terms of albums, but I think most artists probably still do,” he says. “Perhaps it’s just artists of a certain age, but you think of an album as a whole piece of art in itself. “The week the album came out there were people tweeting things, one of which was somebody saying, ‘Hey, I’ve just discovered this new band. They’re called Swervedriver.’ And it appeared to be a teenager, and that’s great. I think [the album] definitely does stand alone and I think it’s my favourite album of the lot.” What: I Wasn’t Born To Lose You out now through Cobraside/Dine Alone With: Sounds Like Sunset, Grinding Eyes, Holy Soul Where: Factory Theatre When: Saturday June 25
LIVE
wed
15 June
AT THE
thu
16 (8:30PM - 11:30PM)
June
(8:30PM - 11:30PM)
5
$
fri
17 June
FIREBALL WHISKEYS 7.30 - 9.30PM
SLY
5
$
TINNIES ALL NIGHT
(10:00PM - 1:40AM)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
sat
sun
18 June
3:00PM 6:00PM
4:30PM 7:30PM
19 June
(10:00PM - 1:15AM)
mon
(8:30PM - 12:00AM
tue
20
21
June
June
(8:30PM - 12:00AM)
(8:30PM - 12:00AM)
Thurs 16 JUNE
THE RUCKUS
SINGLE LAUNCH
BANDINTEXAS JULIA WHY? 1 9 9 E N M O R E R OA D, E N M O R E
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 11
The Paper Kites Sight And Sound By Joseph Earp
I
t’s just gone half past three in the morning. A ragtag group of teenagers stand around the edges of a public pool, bodies bathed in shimmering blue light. Across one wall, a film plays – black-and-white images of athletes, their faces contorted. Soon the gang take turns diving into the water, the air taut with an energy nobody wants to understand. So it goes in The Paper Kites’ dreamy video for ‘Renegade’, a cinematic snapshot of adolescence and vague melancholia that almost wasn’t. “The more we thought about the [video] the more we realised it was going to be difficult to make,” laughs Sam Bentley, the band’s lead singer. “Mainly ’cause we thought about shooting in Australia, but there’s so many rules about using public pools after dark and after hours. We just couldn’t pull it off here. “So we got in touch with a guy called Dan Huiting who we had done the ‘Revelator Eyes’ video with, and he said he could pull it off. He shot it in Minneapolis. He had all these great connections. He knew the group of kids who [appear] in the video. They were like a local skate crew, which was really sweet ’cause they had that grommit vibe. They were already friends, which was good for the chemistry in the video. They were up for that kind of thing.” The ‘Renegade’ clip is another success for a band that has become famous for valuing the visuals it puts out as much as the music. “Is it just me or are these videos better than the songs?” reads one comment under the ‘Revelator Eyes’ video, and though there’s a flock of diehard fans out there ready to argue nothing is better than the band’s songs, Bentley himself acknowledges the importance of the moving image in his practice. “I think you are able to imply visual things [with music], even if it’s just a colour or a certain image,” he says. “Even with the neon cover we came up with for [latest album Twelvefour], I wanted to get across those colours to everyone while they listened to the record. That’s what people’s minds go to when they think about the record – those neon colours. “I find it hard to write without seeing where someone would be listening to the song, or in what scenario,” Bentley continues. “Like, is it a driving around at night song? Is it a lying around at the beach song? I always have that kind of
stuff in mind, because I think music is definitely a visual thing, even if people don’t realise. I mean, there are bands like Sigur Rós who don’t even [have] lyrics that are in English, and you can still feel exactly what they want you to feel. It kind of transcends a lot of understanding. It’s all about feeling – about how songs make you feel. About how records make you feel. Certainly that’s the kind of music that I love. That’s what I want to tap into. Music is its own language.” Given The Paper Kites’ cinematic pedigree, it’s unsurprising that their upcoming tour will include plenty of recorded footage. The sotitled Midnight show will be a fully immersive experience rather than just a regular gig, featuring a filmed backdrop of apartment windows through which the audience will be able to glimpse brief flashes of strangers’ lives. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the ‘trilogy’ of videos the band put out in support of Twelvefour, but more than that, it will also be a true moment of satisfaction for the group, and particularly Bentley. For the accomplished Melbourne songwriter, performing live is an integral part of why music matters. Though he evidently adores the process of locking himself away and writing songs, he makes it sound like a kind of artistic guesswork – like stumbling around a room with the lights off. “You can certainly sit down and say, ‘I want to write this kind of song,’ and then sometimes it takes a direction you didn’t expect,” he says. “But there’s certainly a part of my writing where I sit down and say, ‘This is how I want someone to feel, listening to this song.’ When you’re writing … you hope they can understand and sympathise. Or you hope that you’re able to move them in some way.” The art of performing live is a different beast entirely. Rather than guessing or manipulating, you are seeing the fruits of your labours unfold before your very eyes, and it’s that kind of instant gratification that Bentley is so looking forward to when The Paper Kites take their show on the road. “Most of the time you talk to people after playing a show and they say, ‘I was really moved by this particular song,’ and you say, ‘That’s kind of what I wanted you to feel.’ It’s really rewarding when you’re able to connect with people like that.”
Bentley laughs, but his voice sounds almost awed. “You see people with their eyes closed. People even crying, not out of any kind of hysteria, just because a song has become their song, and they’re affected in that way. I think that’s the biggest pay-off that you could ever get.”
What: Twelvefour out now through Wonderlick/Sony With: I Know Leopard, Luke Thompson Where: Enmore Theatre When: Thursday June 23
Tragic Earth Digging In Deep By Rod Whitfield of the album, and it just became a very big, exhausting process.” The band adopted a determined approach to writing and recording Hatred And Tolerance, which is evident in the way the album turned out. “Right from the start, a few years back, we just decided that we’d go big,” Shafro says. “The whole point was ambition – aim real high and just try to achieve it.” The band’s ambitious practice is even more impressive when you consider Tragic Earth are an entirely DIY concern. “We’ve done everything ourselves,” Shafro says. “Self-managed, self-promoted, self-booked. Everyone’s got a role in the band. We approach it almost like a business.” Tragic Earth prefer to go a little deeper with their subject matter than many traditional hard rock bands. In keeping with the tone of and meaning behind the album title, Shafro says there’s thematic continuity running through the lyrics and imagery.
12 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
within an alternative hard rock framework. Frontman Dima Shafro is experiencing all manner of mixed emotions now that the album’s fi nally fi nished. “[I’m] excited, exhausted, relieved – all of those things,” he says.
“We’ve been working on it for that long. We’d been writing it for quite a while before we’d even gone into the studio, and before the studio there was a lot of rehearsals to just get it as tight as possible. It came down to working out each second
Tragic Earth are heading off on a national tour to promote the album, taking in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. And then, in even more exciting news, they will head off to Southeast Asia for their very first international shows. Shafro says this marks the realisation of one of the band’s long-term goals. “When you’re starting a band and you say, ‘We want to be serious about this,’ we all just asked ourselves these questions back at the start: ‘How far are we willing to go?’ And of course being very aware of the fi nancial and time costs. Part of that was that we have to get overseas, we just have to keep fi nding a way. So in January/February, Malaysia came up. It was a tough decision, but it was just like that whole idea of, ‘We’ve got to keep moving forward.’ So we just committed to it.” What: Hatred And Tolerance out now independently With: Eightball Junkies, Snow Leopard, Black Knuckles Where: Valve Bar When: Saturday June 25
thebrag.com
Xxx photo by xxx
A
fter a year and a half of exhaustive effort, the debut album from Melbourne four-piece Tragic Earth is fi nally complete. Entitled Hatred And Tolerance, it’s a dark, sprawling, semi-conceptual labour of love
“I fi nd it hard to defi ne what concepts are [there], but we tried to just work in that theme of hatred and tolerance. It’s sort of been the theme of what we do as a band, trying to talk about topics that aren’t, ‘Are you ready to rock?’ and ‘Let’s get drunk’ and all that sort of stuff. [We’re] more about, ‘Let’s try to talk about what’s really happening in all of society.’
“The album just sort of goes through that in a pretty honest kind of way. It’s got ups and downs, it’s got a bit of mood to it. It’s a nice little journey. Just listen to it a few times, over and over, and it’ll start making more and more sense. Dig deep into it.”
Tribulation Paint It Black By Rod Whitfield
A
cross a 12-year, three-album career, Swedish heavy band Tribulation have never toured Australia – until now. They bring their explosive live show to our shores for the first time this month for a whirlwind tour of gigs in Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane, and guitarist and co-founding member Adam Zaars has a very simple, confident message to Australian fans about what they can expect from the Tribulation live experience.
ourselves! So it’s going to be quite an experience, I think.”
“Our everything!” he says. “As usual, we never do anything else. We of course can’t do as big a production as we would, say, here in Stockholm. But we always manage to get around that, so you can expect a really good show.”
It’s great for Aussie fans that Tribulation’s maiden tour of our nation is a headlining one, as the Swedes will get to spread their wings and cover their entire back catalogue over the course of a set.
It’s that level of confidence that has carried Tribulation forward for more than a decade, ever since the band formed in high school back in 2004. When Zaars is asked what he would say if someone had told them all those years ago that in 2016 they would be doing interviews with Aussie journos in the lead-up to their first tour Down Under, he has another simple, self-assured response: “I would have said, ‘Of course!’”
In fact, this will be the first trip to our nation in any capacity for any member of the band. “None of us have [been to Australia], so this is very cool for us,” Zaars says. “We’ve all heard about Australia, since it’s so very different from Sweden, where nothing is really dangerous, where no animals are dangerous to
“I’m not sure if we expected to headline the very first time we went to Australia, but that’s what we’re doing. I hope it works!” laughs Zaars again. “We do [play a comprehensive set] when we can. When we get 30 minutes, we can’t, we can’t really do songs from all the albums. But when we get an hour, we can. It all depends on what show it is. When we go to new places, we always try to present as much as we can.” Reflecting upon the fact his band has now been around for more than a decade, Zaars says those formative early years were vital in the development of Tribulation despite their youthful naivety. “Back then, we were very young. Obviously we were still at school, and of course we were not as actively touring as we are now. We’ve actually only been doing that actively for three or four years now.
“So in a way it seems like a long time ago, but the band has been so much more active in the recent years, so it’s almost like it’s a different band. But in a way I think it’s good that we had that initial time of building the band. Even though we recorded the first album [The Horror] nine years ago, and that’s still relevant to some extent, but we didn’t release it till 2009. So it’s not recent, but it’s not 12 years in the past at least.” Zaars has very vivid and positive memories of those heady early days in school when Tribulation were getting things together, and he maintains great reverence for their early musical influences. “It’s
all pretty much the same, to be honest – I guess our main influence back then was most likely Morbid Angel, but we always had the heavy metal basics. And we still do, I guess. “I remember those days very fondly, because we were very passionate about what we were doing, and quite focused as well. Looking back, when we recorded and made the layout for the first album, we were very prepared. I remember that we really felt that we knew what we were doing, and I’m sure we did know. We were very confident and very passionate. In a way it was a very different band, but in other ways it is very similar.”
And that passion is one of the reasons why Zaars believes Tribulation have another ten years left in them at the very least. “I think we do, yeah – I’d be surprised if we didn’t. We’re equally as passionate today, it hasn’t really been fading. I think we’re even more focused in a way today, because this is about the only thing we do now. So we take it very seriously – if we want to keep doing it, we have to. So I’m pretty confident that we’re going to continue for quite a while yet.” Where: The Bald Faced Stag When: Friday June 17
Tribulation photo by by Linda Åkerberg
He laughs. “I think I probably would have thought it would happen sooner, maybe within a year or two.”
Ultimately, Zaars’ expectations for the shows and the Aussie fans are quite high. “I have a few friends from Australia, and I imagine that it will be quite intense – at least I hope so! But it should be really good. We’re starting in Tasmania [for Dark Mofo], and that seems like a really cool festival, we’re very glad to be a part of that.”
Mark Lanegan The Man Who Wasn’t There By David James Young have been recorded but are yet to see the light of day – and who knows if they ever will? “A few years ago, somebody started putting together a box set of my work,” says Lanegan, alluding to One Way Street: The Sub Pop Albums, which was finally released last year. “One of the discs was dedicated to previously unreleased stuff, so that took care of most of what I had in the archive. There’s probably plenty more in there, y’know, for all I know. I used to record a lot of songs, and of course not all of them were going to make it onto the record. That’s not really how I do things anymore – those extra songs usually end up as B-sides to a seven-inch, or maybe I’ll put them on an EP. Those older songs, though, they’re all still out there somewhere, I’m sure.” The unearthing continued into Lanegan’s most recent release, last August’s Houston (Publishing Demos 2002). As the title suggests, the album is a collection of songs recorded by Lanegan and some close friends back in 2002. Some 13 years later, fans were able to hear that session in its entirety thanks to the project’s producer, Alain Johannes.
thebrag.com
Lanegan has traversed a myriad of genres, styles and collaborators through a prolific and critically acclaimed career. Of course, there are still songs of Lanegan’s that
While he is best known for performing under his own name, Lanegan has also forged his way as a noted musical collaborator. He was a key part of the first few lineups of Queens of the Stone Age, has recorded under the name The Gutter Twins (alongside Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers), and has released three albums with Isobel Campbell and another, Black Pudding, with multi-instrumentalist Duke Garwood. So, what draws Lanegan to working with another performer? “First and foremost, it’s the music,” he replies. “More specifically, it’s the music that they make without me – it’s something that I have to enjoy. The people themselves, too, are very important to the operation. Almost always, it’s someone that I’m well-acquainted with. If that’s not the case initially, it certainly is by the time the work is done and the project is finished. It has to be something that I can see my part in. There are rare occasions where a collaboration hasn’t worked out for that very reason – I think I can handle something, and then we’ll get further into the piece and it will become clearer that it’s simply not the case.” It’s worth noting that, at a time when everyone from At The Drive-In to LCD Soundsystem is back from the dead, Lanegan personally expresses no interest in nostalgia. He is adamant that there will never be a Screaming Trees reunion – although he clarifies he’s not against the idea of reunions on a grander scale. “I completely appreciate that people want to continue to make music with their band – I mean, The Rolling Stones are still doing it,” he says. “There’s no reason that The
Afghan Whigs or Alice In Chains or Soundgarden shouldn’t be doing it. It’s their band. I’m 100 per cent behind that. With that being said, to be completely honest with you, noone has ever been knocking down the door for a Screaming Trees reunion. We were never the kind of band that was as popular as those bands I just mentioned. We just kind of had our little corner and we did our thing for a little while. There was never a huge market for it. We’ve all moved on to our own things, and I’m completely fine with that.” This July, the Mark Lanegan Band are headed to Australia to perform at Splendour In The Grass. It will be Lanegan’s third outing as part of the festival, having previously visited in 2009 with The Gutter Twins and in 2013 alongside Isobel Campbell. It’s suggested that he may well be seen as the outlier of the Splendour lineup, an odd-one-out inclusion among more hip and trendy acts. “Maybe I’m delusional, but I don’t think about it in those terms,” Lanegan shoots back with a snigger. “It’s just another show. I turn up, I play, I leave. If there’s a friend of mine on the bill, I see them too. Naturally, I enjoy a more intimate setting, but I also get something out of the scale of festivals. I’m bringing my band, too, so it will be more fitting to the climate.” Who: Mark Lanegan Band What: Houston (Publishing Demos 2002) out now through Ipecac Where: Factory Theatre When: Saturday July 23 And: Also appearing at Splendour In The Grass 2016, North Byron Parklands, Friday July 22 – Sunday July 24
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 13
Mark Lanegan photo by Steve Gullick
A
t 51, Mark Lanegan has been making music for over half his life. Since emerging as an angsty, long-haired teen back in 1984 as part of Screaming Trees,
“Alain has remained a good friend of mine throughout the years,” says Lanegan. “We’d talked about putting it out for a few years now, but every time he had brought it up in the past I already had a new project or a new record that I was looking to put out at the same time. There was never an appropriate slot for it to work its way into a release schedule, and after a while I just forgot about it. Sometime at the start of last year, Alain sent the songs over again. To my surprise, everything sounded really great and the songs were fine. I had some time, so I just
figured ‘Why not?’ It wasn’t all that mysterious, really.”
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu The Princess Of J-Pop By Augustus Welby want my fans to be very excited for me to come.” Almost all of Kyary’s lyrics are in Japanese. For years, artists from non-English-speaking countries have adjusted to market demands and decided to sing in English. However, Kyary’s decision to sing in Japanese hasn’t hindered her international success, which could be due to the overall mood conveyed by her songs. “Even in Japanese there are some lyrics that have no meaning,” she says. “I think how it sounds – [it’s] just a sound. It’s important for me to sing in Japanese as a Japanese person. And the lyrics, even though it’s in Japanese, I make it sound good. So it doesn’t matter if it’s Japanese or in English or any other language, it’s a good feeling you have from the lyrics.” However, while the songs are able to communicate something even without the lyrics being understood, a large percentage of Kyary’s nonJapanese fans make an effort to memorise her lyrics.
T
he name Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is near-synonymous with J-pop. Her latest album, 2014’s Pika Pika Fantajin, was her third straight Japanese number one, leading to countrywide notoriety and a number of sold-out stadium shows. But it’s the extent of her international profile that lifts her above many of her J-pop contemporaries. She’s toured North
America, Europe and Australia, received kudos from Katy Perry and Grimes, and even gained critical recognition from Pitchfork.
at Universal Studios Japan, she unveiled dates for an extensive world tour, which includes two Australian shows this month.
In January, Kyary announced a five-step plan to spread more Japanese energy around the world this year. Along with her greatest hits package, KPP Best, and the installation of a Kyary-themed ride
“I’m really looking forward to the Australian concerts,” Kyary says via a translator. “I went to Sydney before, but never to Melbourne, and the theme for this tour is flowers. It’s a new theme for my activities, so I
“My fans go through the translating lyrics sites and they remember the lyrics, how they sound, and sing with me when I perform,” she says. “So I don’t think that they don’t really understand the lyrics. My fans actually study what I’m trying to say when I’m singing in the song.” Prior to gaining enormous popularity as a pop performer, Kyary found success as a fashion blogger and model. While she’s no longer
engaged in these pursuits, a lot of attention is given to her unique style – embracing Harajuku street fashion and Western trends – and the visual design of her music videos and album covers. But she’s confident her image doesn’t overshadow her music. “I don’t really think the attention to fashion distracts attention from the music because it’s linked in total,” she says. “Yasutaka Nakata produces my style, fashion and music, so it doesn’t really distract [attention from] my music.” Nakata is an accomplished producer and songwriter who’s worked with other Japanese pop acts like Perfume and Capsule. So far he has composed and produced all of Kyary’s music, and she explains the nature of their creative partnership. “Usually when I record with Yasutaka I go to dinner after recording, and when I go to dinner I talk – like what happened recently in my life and what I want to make and what I’m in to right now. So Yasutaka gets ideas and he makes music after he has enough information from me. So when he has a new song ready for me, I don’t really reject that or make new revisions for the track he makes.” What: KPP Best out now through Warner Where: Big Top Sydney, Luna Park When: Friday June 24
Mourn Songs Of Identity By Patrick Emery “It was like a rehearsal but being recorded,” says Bueno. “It’s like we were playing at home together, but in the studio. It’s cool, but it captures how we sound. It’s not overproduced. We did the same with the second album, but it took a couple of weekends rather than a couple of days. We recorded something like two songs a day.” The release of Mourn’s first record saw the band generate interest outside of Spain, including from hip Brooklyn indie label Captured Tracks. “They saw our video that we recorded at our studio,” Bueno explains. “We have some friends that are called Look Behind You. They make music videos with musicians playing live. They wanted to record and film us. Mike Sniper [Captured Tracks general manager] saw one of these videos and wrote to us on Facebook. He asked for our email, and he asked us if we had any label in America, and we said no. He was glad because he wanted to release our songs there. We introduced him to our label in Spain, so all that happened.”
O
Mourn were formed a few years ago by Bueno and her school friend Carla Pérez Vas. Bueno’s father had introduced his daughter to a range of classic and contemporary punk and 14 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
rock’n’roll bands, broadening her music tastes well beyond the Europop that clutters Spanish radio. “My dad is a musician, so he was always showing me bands – I discovered a lot of bands through him,” Bueno says. “When I was little I liked this sort of music, so I started to look on the internet. You can’t hear this sort of music on the radio, but you can find whatever on the internet if you’re interested in it. But you have to go looking for it, because you will never hear it here.” In her early high school years, Bueno and her sister Leia formed a band with their father, “just to have fun”. A couple of years later, while still at school, Bueno and Vas decided to start their own group, recruiting Leia on bass and Antonio Postius on drums. While
the band’s name is evocative, it came simply through a random selection process. “We had a very long list of band [names], but we couldn’t decide on any of them,” says Bueno. “We didn’t like any of them, so we decided that it would be random and opened a dictionary and pointed at a word, and the word was ‘mourn’.” From their conception, Mourn took their cues from PJ Harvey and Patti Smith, augmented with The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Replacements and The Clash. Mourn’s self-titled debut album was recorded straight to tape over two days in 2014, a deliberate attempt to capture the band’s live sound.
For their second album, Ha, Ha, He., Mourn again sought to recreate their live intensity, though this time around they not only took longer in the studio, but also chose to disguise the subjects of the songs – though Bueno says the results are more
The fact Bueno sings in English helps with the subterfuge. “Singing in English is kind of a protection or shield,” she says. “When we finished recording the songs, I thought it would be more difficult for me to sing the songs without thinking about those things.” Catalonia remains proud of its cultural heritage and radical political tradition. In 1936 the region was the home of the world’s first (and only) anarchist government; when Australian art historian Robert Hughes went to write about the great art of Barcelona, he found himself drawn to the unique culture and politics of Catalonia as a whole. “We feel Catalan, not Spanish,” Bueno explains. “We’re Catalan and have our own traditions, so we don’t feel that we’re Spanish – but I don’t know how that’s influenced our music.” In particular, Bueno isn’t so positive about the economic future in Spain. Youth unemployment levels remain in double figures, and Bueno and her colleagues are not looking forward to what lies ahead. “I think there’s no hope,” she says. “It’s frustrating because nothing’s changing. Hopefully there are some political movements that are trying to change this, but it’s a slow process. But a lot of people here are angry with the world, and I don’t feel comfortable here. I’m studying and trying to make my own things, so I hope the situation changes, because it’s not very good now.” What: Ha, Ha, He. out now through Captured Tracks/Remote Control thebrag.com
Xxx photo by xxx
n their debut album, Catalan band Mourn took a metaphorical knife to the people around them in the way that only pissed off teenagers can. A track such as ‘Boys Are C**ts’ left little to the imagination; even ‘Your Brain Is Made Of Candy’ wasn’t especially flattering in its observations. “We used to use anger and those kinds of feelings to write our songs,” says singer Jazz Rodríguez Bueno. “I think our songs are kind of a diary of things that happen in our life. And anger sometimes helps,” she laughs.
Signing with Captured Tracks was the catalyst for Mourn playing overseas, including shows in the United States, where the band members were amazed at the reception they received. “Playing in America was like being in a movie, it was really fun,” Bueno says. “People there were really different to people in Catalonia or Spain. I think they are more inside the music culture – they feel it more. It was more impressive that people came to our shows because it’s the United States – it’s so far away! It was a great experience.”
sincere than their debut. “It’s not as obvious what we’re talking about. It came out as writing not as directly. I think it’s kind of clear what we’re singing about, but it’s different to the songs on the first album.”
BRAG’s guide to film, theatre, comedy and art about town
arts in focus
away
Away photo by Marnya Rothe
theatre spanning generations
also inside:
SEAN ASTIN / HOLLY MARIE COMBS / ARTS NEWS / ARTS REVIEWS / ARTS GIVEAWAY / GAME ON thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 15
arts in focus
free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Anna Wilson, Chris Martin and Amy Henderson
five minutes WITH
W
hat is the concept behind Godface? We’ve spent the last two years developing Godface. During that time we’ve watched and groaned about the political stupidity on all sides in our own government. So on one level, Godface is a critique of that – political games, wars on young people, show pony politicians and disillusioned voters. But on a larger level we were interested in power – is it possible to seek power without ulterior motives, or does the system eventually catch up with you? Peter Garrett syndrome, right? You started with good intentions but then
SCOTT PARKER, DIRECTOR OF GODFACE
the system seems to turn you into a sell-out despite all your good intentions. We use the term ‘god’ as being synonymous with extreme influence and power, so becoming a god is infinitely aspirational. There are clear parallels between Godface and political works like Animal Farm. How direct is the influence? The work is influenced by all sorts of stuff, from Ovid’s Metamorphoses to Gaiman’s American Gods to Faust and Gilgamesh. Orwell is always a presence in works like this, so it’s hard not to live in his shadow. The connection between political allegory and animals is an interesting one – we are really interested in social archetype and I love how the animals allow us to quickly explore these things.
The show premiered at the Old 505 Theatre last year – was its return always planned around the federal election? No! We were programmed a while ago and then Mal decided to call his double dissolution at exactly the same time. Believe me, we’re not complaining; it’s bloody great to be presenting a show about an election on the same day that we go to the polls. Thanks, Mal! What makes Matriark Theatre’s approach to storytelling unique? One of our core philosophies is ‘big action, small space’. We tell epic, ambitious stories in tiny spaces. The work is simple in the way we restrict our materials and textures to the familiar, but we try to reimagine and stretch them to create new worlds. For us, the audience is the final collaborator in the show. We
local environment, with an environmental message or theme covering no more than seven minutes. Finalists’ films will be screened in a bicycle-powered cinema tent, and the competition offers entrants the chance to be discovered as an upcoming talent as well as share in $5,000 worth of prizes. The winner will be announced at the free festival on Sunday August 21 at Whites Creek Valley Park, Annandale.
bring the show and you bring your imagination. How does directing a show incorporating puppetry like this differ from other work you’ve done? Our previous show was for children and we also dabble in commedia dell’arte (masked, Italian slapstick) so that history is definitely noticeable in our work. Also, Godface is an ambitious project and it doesn’t cleanly sit in one genre. It’s farcical, fantasy, political, sci-fi, slapstick, pantomime nonsense. With puppets. And masks. I guess you’ll just have to come and see for yourselves! What: Godface Where: 107 Projects When: Wednesday June 29 – Sunday July 10
GOLDSTONE
Ivan Sen’s new fi lm Goldstone had the city abuzz when it opened Sydney Film Festival last week, and now it’s set for release on screens around the country. Aaron Pedersen reprises his role from Mystery Road as indigenous detective Jay Swan, this time chasing the trail of a missing person that leads him to the small mining town of Goldstone. There, he encounters a cast of multicultural and intertwined characters, played by the likes of Jacki Weaver, David Wenham, David Gulpilil, Cheng Pei-pei, Michelle Lim Davidson and Tom E. Lewis. Goldstone opens in cinemas on Thursday July 7, and we’ve got ten in-season double passes to give away. Head to thebrag.com/freeshit to enter. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee photo © James Terry
Weak Spot by Emmaline Zanelli
Goldstone
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
ENTER THE ELECTROFRINGE
For one night only, Electrofringe will present New Terrains, a program of experimental electronic art and sound. Featuring artworks by Joe Hamilton, Danny Wild and Grace Blake, with new music by Skyline, Kynan Tan and Hviske, New Terrains refashions familiar landscapes and pervasive technological platforms to explore uncharted cosmic territories that will lead you through a multiverse of electronic art. Catch New Terrains from 6pm upstairs at Wellington Street Projects in Chippendale on Thursday June 30.
TOGETHER FOREVER STILLS ON SHOW
A trio of fresh exhibitions have been locked in at Paddington’s Stills Gallery over the forthcoming weeks. First up is Please Touch by Adelaide’s Emmaline Zanelli, who merges photography, sculpture and performance in her work to address themes of privacy, power and sexuality. Meanwhile, Kawita Vatanajyankur’s Machinized explores the grey area between humanity and machinery, and David Collins’ Pony is a series of three video works in which a human interacts with a horse. All three exhibits are showing Saturday June 25 – Saturday July 23.
IT’S SUPANOVA WEEK
LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINT
Submissions are now open to enter the Footprints Film Festival competition for the best short films with an environmental or sustainability theme. As part of Leichhardt Council’s Footprints Ecofestival, the film competition is an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to produce a short film about their 16 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
SPELLING IT OUT
A famous play about 12-year-olds and their particular penchant for spelling is set to hit Sydney come November. Having started off-Broadway in 2005, it didn’t take long for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to take Broadway and then the world by storm. The production, wherever it has played in the world, has captivated audiences with its touching, relentlessly funny and infectious traits. As the spelling bee progresses, the audience is made privy to the hopes, dreams and trembling fears of each contestant, all of whom are keen to win for very different reasons. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and its eclectic and quirky contestants are to hit Hayes Theatre Co. from Thursday November 17 – Sunday December 18.
Those Who Fall In Love Like Anchors Dropped Upon The Ocean Floor
A FOUR-LETTER WORD
Following unprecedented success in its Perth production, Those Who Fall In Love Like Anchors Dropped Upon The Ocean Floor heads to Sydney next month. Coming to Sydney for the first time this July as part of the Griffin Independent 2016 Season, Those Who Fall In Love was commissioned by Western Australiabased independent artists Jo Morris and Renee Newman, performing to sell-out audiences on the west coast. Written by multi-award-winning playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer, Those Who Fall In Love transcends time and geography, following four stories and 11 characters as they navigate the timeless act of falling in love. The production runs from Saturday July 23 – Saturday August 6 at SBW Stables Theatre.
thebrag.com
Those Who Fall In Love photo by Michael Timmins
Supanova Pop Culture Expo is here at last. The 2016 Sydney edition of the bumper convention and entertainment event is bringing a lineup of big-name guests to town, from Brianna Hildebrand (you may have spotted her on the cover of this week’s issue) to Warcraft star Travis Fimmel, Buffy heartthrob James Marsters, Charmed ladies Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs, and Samwise Gamgee himself, Sean Astin. The cosplay will be in full swing as well, so there’ll be plenty to see for pop culture fans of all ages. Supanova takes over Sydney Showground this Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19.
Side Show, the musical that pays homage to the conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, is set to bring its deeply touching and ambitious production to Sydney through the vision and hard work of the Hayes Theatre Co. Side Show is a sweeping tale of the real-life rise of the Hamilton sisters from ‘circus freaks’ to megastars. The twins started out in the grim world of the early 20th century’s cultural obsession with so-called freaks. From their dark beginning, the twins remarkably rose to become the highest-paid performers in vaudeville in the early 1930s. Side Show explores the intricate and rare connection these two sisters shared, covering their fervent desire to find true love, battle oppression and achieve freedom. Side Show plays at Hayes Theatre Co. from Friday September 23 – Sunday October 16.
F E AT U R I N G
G U E S T
V O C A L I S T S
DALLAS FRASCA S I M O N M E L I T H E W I D O W B I R D S T I M
T H E
W I N ! Buy tix by midnight 19 June & enter the draw to WIN an amazing Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless iPod/iPhone speaker system valued at $999.95. Conditions Apply.
M E A C O
LO C K H E A R T S
JIMMY CUPPLES U N D E R
T H E
J O S E P H
C R E AT I V E
D I R E C T I O N
O F
C A L D E R A Z Z O
9 PIECE BAND ֲ STRING SECTION ֲ BIG SCREEN VISUALS
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 17
Sean Astin [FILM] From Childhood Star To Supadad By Natalie Rogers is this amazing Civil War story about the tragedy of 1,100 soldiers who died in a boat accident right at the end of the war. It’s a totally unknown story. It’s the biggest maritime disaster in the history of the country, but nobody knows about it, so we had to do a documentary – but I don’t know when you’re going to get to see it, unfortunately.” As comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, Astin has tackled comedy, drama, adventure and horror across his career. “I’ve done a couple of little horror movies,” he says. “I recently did one called Dead Ant [with Jake Busey and Tom Arnold], and I can’t wait to see how that turns out. We play rock’n’rollers, and the character I play is absurd!
S
ean Astin’s family is as close to Hollywood royalty as you can get. His mother Patty Duke was a star of stage, film and television, winning her first Academy Award at the age of 16. She went on to become president of the Screen Actors Guild, while also winning three Emmys and two Golden Globes. His adoptive father John Astin is most notably known for his role as Gomez in the much-loved TV series The Addams Family, and his uncle Ray Duke, brother Mackenzie Astin and eldest daughter Ali Astin are all actors. But Sean is best known for portraying some of the most loved and recognised characters of the last 30 years – and he is about to bring his cult status to
Australia’s biggest pop culture expo, Supanova, which arrives in Sydney this week. After he greets me with a ‘G’day’, the Lord Of The Rings star talks candidly about fame, fatherhood, films and becoming forgetful at 45. “Often people will come up to me and say they enjoyed this movie or that movie, and I think, ‘Oh right, I almost forgot I did that!’” he laughs. “But I am getting on in years, so I can be forgiven for getting a little forgetful. “I’m blessed to have such a body of work and I seem to just keep trudging along doing things, and every now and again something is massive, but other times I’m just
doing little independent films and sometimes I’m producing them.” Astin’s producing, writing and directing credits include the 1994 Academy Award-nominated short film Kangaroo Court, as well as 2003’s The Long And Short Of It (made with the help of LOTR director Peter Jackson and some of the cast), and more recently Video Games: The Movie, which he also narrated. “It’s a love letter to the video games industry, and we’ve actually turned it into a television series – a kind of doco series called Unlocked: The World Of Games, Revealed. “I’ve also just finished Remember The Sultana, a documentary, which
“Oh, and I’m in The Do-Over with Adam Sandler and David Spade. Full disclosure: don’t watch it if you have any delicate sensibilities, and it’s definitely not for kids, but it was fun! And there’s another film called Range 15 that I’m in. It’s produced and written by, and stars, Iraqi and Afghanistan war vets – it’s a zombie apocalypse movie. I’m not in it a lot, but it comes out in limited release in a week or so. “And of course [TV series] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that’s on Down Under. I’m the voice of Raphael. We just had a big recording session today – it’s been going like gangbusters! The big feature film is out now, so that also brings attention to it.” Astin’s interests are as varied as his film projects. He’s a longdistance runner and an Ironman; he graduated from UCLA with double degrees; he acted as campaign manager for his friend, Democrat
Dan Adler; and he has the power to make you an honorary Goonie – something he plans to bestow upon worthy fans at Supanova. “We [the cast of The Goonies] celebrated the 30th anniversary last year, so this year’s convention is going to be fun. One of the cool things about this convention setting is that all of a sudden you can have a real connection with people, instead of them just watching you in a movie theatre. My father always taught me that every human interaction is sacred, and so I try to enjoy the moment with people.” Family is extremely important to Astin, a proud father of three girls, but he admits that they don’t always seem so impressed with him. “The eldest is in university studying drama, but she is yet to come to me for advice on the craft of acting. Although I think she respects the fact that I’m working in the entertainment business … I think they get how cool I am!” he jokes. “But that’s not something that anybody focuses on in my family, really. I try to tell them when I come back from Australia that being in a Supanova convention shows how cool I am, and they say, ‘Yeah, yeah, we get it!’ Cool is relative, and I think you can never be that cool in the eyes of your kids.” What: Supanova Pop Culture Expo 2016 With: Travis Fimmel, Juliet Landau, Brianna Hildebrand, Holly Marie Combs and more Where: Sydney Showground When: Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19
Away [THEATRE] Generational Change By Tegan Jones
M
ichael Gow’s Away is one of the most iconic plays in Australian cultural history. Capturing the tumultuous period of change that occurred during the 1960s, it depicts three families and the struggles they face during a Christmas holiday – everything from the loss of love to the Vietnam War and death is explored with a solid injection of teenage angst. Sport For Jove co-director Samantha Young talks about the new Seymour Centre production and why Away is still part of school curriculums in 2016.
are growing up in the most prosperous time in Australian history. So they really are diametrically opposed, but you have these big ideas of what Australia is at the time, and Michael Gow really distils these down to something that is very human, real and personable. That is what we took into the production dramaturgically.”
“It’s so funny, because one of the things that is so amazing about doing this play is that so many people have seen it, worked on it or been involved in some incarnation,” Young says. “We’ve just had our first two previews and they have been sold out. Schools are really wanting to come and see it – maybe because it’s been so long since it’s been done professionally in Sydney and maybe because of the reputation of Sport For Jove.”
“I don’t think you can take the play out of 1967 – it is such a specific year,” says Young. “We have these gorgeous costumes and fabulous props from that era. But I do think it has a larger resonance – you can focus on different elements without changing the time and place.”
Despite being a play set during the 1960s and published in the 1980s, Away is still highly regarded as a relevant piece of Australian theatre. With several generational gaps in play, how does Sport For Jove aim to keep it fresh in 2016? Will people still be able to relate?
“What really stood out for me is the xenophobia that Gow plays with within the play. There’s this tension between generations – you have the baby boomers and their parents who have radically different perspectives on what the world is going to be. Their parents’ generation have gone through two World Wars, the Great Depression and now the Vietnam War. The baby boomers 18 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
In truth, those elements Young describes never really change. Technology may evolve, but at the end of the day, human beings are dealing with the same basic struggles – particularly teenagers, who are a focal point of the text. “I love schools audiences because they’re so human,” says Young. “As teenagers you’re growing up, feeling weird about all of this stuff. You are dealing with this newfound power of becoming an adult, feeling weird about dating and your body. Any of those moments of vulnerability that are onstage, teenagers really resonate with. I can’t even count how many applauses we had during the matinee I watched today with people either kissing or fighting with each other – high emotional states where teenagers are just drawn to that vulnerability. They’re a real truth barometer. I think in keeping the production really truthful and making sure the acting is really detailed, nuanced and alive, our school audiences have been responding really well so far.” Raw human emotion really is timeless, and this play and its continued popularity proves as much. Our surroundings may change, but the basic concepts are as familiar as ever.
“The content of what we’re talking about is different – we might bicker now about someone losing the iPad, but back then it would have been the camera,” laughs Young. “It actually really is important as well that this play is set in a time that’s before mobile phones, before internet, because it really opened up Australia culturally to move with the times faster than we were able to before we could access so much information. At that time we have a really iconic sense of what it is to be Australian. I think it’s really important to this play to have that sacredness to it.” This may be the fundamental reason why Away continues to be performed and studied, but Young believes there’s even more to it.
“I think another [reason] is the scale of it. Whilst it is a family drama, it’s three sets of families. Then you bring in the elements of it – magical changes happen through it, you have fairies that tear the place apart, you have storm, you have summer, you have ocean. Imaginatively, the play is huge in scale, and that’s an amazing thing for an Australian play to be and I think that’s another reason why we keep bringing it back.” What: Away Where: Seymour Centre When: Wednesday June 22 – Saturday June 25
thebrag.com
Away photo by Marnya Rothe
“That has been a really interesting question for me: how do we do it now?” says Young. “How is an audience going to see it nowadays? That has been something we have really wanted to ask ourselves. What are people thinking about in Australia? Because it is so iconically Australian, it really captures an Australian sensibility well. What will our audience bring to it with new eyes?
Changing the context and setting is a theatrical technique that has been in vogue for a while now, but it wouldn’t necessarily work for Away.
Holly Marie Combs
game on Gaming news and reviews with Adam Guetti
[TELEVISION] Living A Charmed Life By Tegan Jones
“It’s surprising to me, especially when we do these conventions where we’ll talk to people a few minutes at a time about how much the show meant to them,” says Combs. “When doing the show, I just wanted to make it the best I could possibly make it. We didn’t have Twitter at the time, so there was no instant response like there is now. There certainly wasn’t any face-to-face because we were in the trenches. We weren’t doing conventions, so we really didn’t get to meet the fans. “Now we meet families and people will come up to me and tell these incredibly lovely and sad stories like, ‘My mom died and she had cancer and we would watch the show together. Every time I watch it, it reminds me of her.’ I never anticipated the show meaning that much to anyone else. It meant a lot to me because I was terribly personally invested in it and it was eight years of my life. But it’s pleasantly surprising to me and I’m never not amazed when I hear what it meant to someone. “If a show that I did for so long and invested so much into is still living on in people’s hearts, minds and families, then I could never complain about that. I wanted it to have a lasting effect – I just didn’t know it would be anything like this.” Unsurprisingly, even a decade after the show fi nished, people still want to see more Charmed – and the idea has occurred to Combs, too. “Now with all the reunion shows the fever pitch of the fans is reaching this crescendo,” she says. “They’re like, ‘Why is there is no reunion? Why is there no movie?’ I don’t know if I’m too old to play Piper anymore or if I remember how,” she laughs. “But after hearing so many stories and meeting so many people, I wouldn’t be able to say no to those who kept it close and alive for so long.” Some actors are afraid of being typecast or never being able to escape from their iconic characters. Combs, however, has wholeheartedly accepted and embraced her position.
Mojang has confirmed that Minecraft, the incredibly popular brick builder, has passed 100 million lifetime sales worldwide, with an average of 53,000 copies sold every day since the beginning of this year. In case that wasn’t impressive enough, the game has also been purchased in every country on Earth – including Antarctica. “We’d like to offer our heartfelt thanks to every one of you who’s bought Minecraft over the past few years, no matter which platform you play on,” gushed Mojang in a public statement. “You really are the best.”
2016
Still On The Horizon
One of 2016’s most anticipated PS4 games has sadly been delayed. Horizon Zero Dawn – the third-person action/RPG blend with robo-dinosaurs – was originally slated for the latter half of this year, but will now drop on March 1, 2017. “It wasn’t an easy choice to make; we know many of you have been anxious to play the game since we first announced it,” said Guerrilla Games managing director Hermen Hulst. “However, we also want to ensure that Horizon Zero Dawn lives up to the visuals and gameplay quality that our games are known for.”
Another Tale
If you’ve been craving some new adventure titles, Telltale Games has announced that two of its most awaited projects are on the way soon. Both Batman: A Telltale Game Series and The Walking Dead Season 3 are set to premiere around spring this year, with footage of the former expected any day now. In other words, get excited!
Review: Doom (PS4, XBO, PC)
F
irst released in 1993, the original Doom undeniably helped shape video games as we know them today, paving the way for first-person shooters. Understandably then, the franchise’s resurgence has a whole lot of pressure behind it. But while Id Software’s latest doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel all over again, it still manages to be an entertainingly old-school romp.
“It can be hard when you get identifi ed with one character. It’s funny because on Pretty Little Liars, half the time the kids don’t know what my character’s name is – they just call her Aria’s mom. Then there are other people who say that to them I will always be Piper. There are even people who watch PLL who expect me to freeze someone,” she laughs again. It should come as no shock that Combs has also encountered and spoken with a lot of Wiccan fans of the show since Charmed first hit television screens. “We talk to them at the conventions all the time,” she says. “In the beginning it was really tricky because we had people complain that we were being too accurate and that we were conjuring up things in the universe, but then others complained that we weren’t accurate enough. We wanted to be as accurate as possible without offending anyone, getting anything wrong or cursing anyone in real life.” As it turns out, they may have inadvertently done just that. “So many people are actually convinced that my house is haunted,” Combs laughs. “I’ve had house-sitters that have even refused to come back and girlfriends who won’t sleep over. My boyfriend even said the other day, ‘You may not want to see it, but there are things going on here.’” One of the most iconic aspects of Charmed was its focus on female empowerment in a positive way that still fi t into a family-friendly time slot. “It’s funny,” says Combs, “because a lot of that
came from a man. It was [executive producer] Aaron Spelling who insisted that it should be three women, that we would be good witches and that there would be a family or social message even though it was supernatural. He was someone who was so appreciative of women and valued his stars, and I think it came through in his shows. It gave us a bit of weight being a show about sisters that struggled with normal family problems, struggled to be good people. It was inspirational the way he saw the show and shaped it to make us interested.” Similarly, Pretty Little Liars boasts an all-female leading cast that is evidence of just how far the industry has come. “The girls on PLL are incredible to watch and they are so invested in themselves,” Combs says. “They are also very different from my generation. We liked to go out and work hard, but these girls are so diligent and serious about their careers even at such a young age. Shannen [Doherty] and I loved what we did and do and were very dedicated, but these girls make us look like slackers. They’re very empowered – there’s no stopping them and they’re very inspiring for me.” What: Supanova Pop Culture Expo 2016 With: Travis Fimmel, Juliet Landau, Brianna Hildebrand, Sean Astin, Shannen Doherty and more Where: Sydney Showground When: Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19
“Now with all the reunion shows the fever pitch of the fans is reaching this crescendo … I wouldn’t be able to say no”. thebrag.com
A Real Goldmine
NEWS
H
JUN
olly Marie Combs has forged her acting career by appearing in shows with strong female leads. From Charmed to Pretty Little Liars, the focus has always been on women, and the former was still subversive even in the ’90s. To have a hit family-orientated show that didn’t stigmatise witches or Wicca was an incredible thing. In fact, Charmed was so magical that people still fl ood to conventions such as Sydney’s forthcoming Supanova Pop Culture Expo to meet the cast almost 20 years after it began.
And old-school much of Doom’s game design is. Instead of the tactical, considered approach to combat many shooters now adopt, Doom encourages a rapid fire of reactions and movement. As a result, limits to both your inventory and sprinting have been tossed out the window, as have regenerating health and reloading. It’s a refreshing change of pace that constantly keeps you on the move – placing action at the forefront as you take on one demon at a time in exceptionally brutal fashion. That said, fighting these demons does tend to involve taking on endless hordes within a confined space until you’re finally allowed to move forward, which by the campaign’s halfway point, can
start to feel a little samey. Multiplayer tries to round out the package, but fans of the series will likely be disappointed, as many modern conventions are stirred in to varying degrees of success. Still, with vertically inclined maps, a good selection of weapons and close-quarter combat that resembles Quake, you’ll have a good time. And this is true for much of Doom’s final product. It might not be a game-changer, but it’s incredibly enjoyable. Adam Guetti
Review: Overwatch (PS4, XBO, PC)
O
f all the companies within the video game industry, Blizzard is often considered one of the most influential. Simply map out its history and you’ll notice well-defined footprints on some of the most popular genres around. The MMO was in many ways reshaped by World Of Warcraft, just as Hearthstone dominates collectible card games and StarCraft influenced the humble RTS. Now, the developer has crafted its most ambitious and addictive effort yet with Overwatch – finally placing its stamp on the first-person shooter and effectively turning it on its head. The beloved kill/death ratio, for example, has been shown the door in favour of short, six-versus-six objective-focused matches. Comparisons will instantly be made with MOBAs, much like last month’s Battleborn, however Overwatch’s DNA is actually in line with more traditional shooters such as fan favourite Team Fortress 2. Like that classic, characters are eccentric and colourful, as are each of the 12 varying multiplayer maps. Most importantly, though, the whole experience runs at a silky smooth pace even when the battlefield turns into utter chaos. At the heart of Overwatch’s charm is its roster – packing an impressive 21 characters who are split into four distinct classes, each with unique abilities. Offensive heroes are all about the aggression and speed – like Tracer and her ability to quickly teleport around the map. Meanwhile, defence-centric heroes handle crowd control with a healthy amount of sniping, tanks (like the cannon-wielding, leap-happy gorilla, Winston) are primarily about heavy weapons, and supports spend their time trying to lend their teammates a helping hand.
The key to your team’s success and one of Overwatch’s greatest hooks lies in experimenting with how the various play styles complement one another. After a few matches, understanding the strength and weakness of each character will become second nature – not just to determine how best to counter your enemy’s lineup, but to recognise your own team’s inherent limitations at any given moment. Some may be disappointed to learn that there is no campaign in sight, especially considering the entry fee, but in all honesty it’s hard to complain too much when the core gameplay is this unabashedly entertaining. So round up a couple of friends, choose your favourite character and bid farewell to your free time. Such is the power of Overwatch. Adam Guetti
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 19
film & theatre reviews Hits and misses on the silver screen and bareboards around town ■ Film
PATCHWORK
■ Film
Reviewed as part of Sydney Film Festival 2016
In cinemas now
Herbert West would sure be proud of Tyler MacIntyre, the young writer/director re-animating the gruesome legacy of Stuart Gordon’s cult hero. As gut-bustingly funny as the sources from which it draws, MacIntyre’s retro throwback Patchwork benefits from an injection of originality that keeps it from being obsequious. Jennifer (Tory Stolper), Ellie (Tracey Fairaway) and Madeleine (Maria Blasucci) don’t know each other yet, but they’re about to – after a night on the town, they wake to find themselves stitched together into one Frankensteinian horror. With separation seemingly impossible, they seek out the next best thing – good old-fashioned revenge. MacIntyre’s unashamedly schlocky, B-movie approach is tone-perfect for the film, particularly considering how closely it apes Re-Animator and the ’80s works that inspired it. Chaos reigns from beginning to end – every wild impulse on behalf of the writers is allowed and expanded on to ridiculous effect. Patchwork shines brightest in how it navigates the challenge of filming one body with three personas. Scenes of Stolper, Fairaway and Blasucci conversing as normal are
NOW YOU SEE ME 2 The band of renegade magicians known as the Four Horsemen may have returned to the limelight, but their bag of magic tricks is far from full.
spliced with stolen glances at the creature (Stolper) having conversations with itself, spasming in an effort to control its own limbs. Watching this Frankenstein flail about is impressive, and often hilarious. Therein lies the unique element of the film. The interplay between three characters in one body works surprisingly well, and the film gives weight and time to its female leads. Hand Mary Shelley a machete, a suffragette flag and a Dead Kennedys mixtape, and you may get the picture. In any film of this nature, the audience comes expecting the wrath of a woman scorned, but you’ve never seen it like this. The creature’s extended, manic assault of the foul denizens of a college frat house has to be one of the most riotous scenes appearing at Sydney Film Festival, and is preceded by a similarly
uproarious sex scene. You think Fifty Shades is hardcore? Try losing an arm! MacIntyre’s choice to structure the film episodically strikes as dysfunctional, however. Certainly, the title card saying “MASSACRE” will get people going, but it feels token elsewhere, a gag conceived out of covering structural weaknesses in the storytelling. Other slips in consistency are more forgivable – Corey Sorenson’s knowingly corny monologuing at the end is ludicrous enough to warrant it. And even though most characters are mere fodder, a few manage likability, particularly James Phelps’ weedy nerd Garrett. A feminist Re-Animator with a retro soundtrack and lacking in all subtlety? Two tickets, please! David Molloy
Having gone into hiding at the end of the last fi lm, they return for Now You See Me 2 with a new mission to oust yet another high-profi le villain. Only they are foiled at their own game by another villain, who is recruiting them for a different mission. Are you following yet? Neither is the person next to you, who, by the way, didn’t see the first fi lm either and is now struggling to piece together the backstory this sequel relies so heavily on, yet reveals so little of. Cue confusion. Like its characters, a band of egotistical magicians, this second instalment to the franchise is too big for its britches. Its overblown cast of A-list names is a dead giveaway to this, with Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Dave Franco all lending their names, though not their talents, to the film. Throw in Daniel Radcliffe and a token female (Lizzy Caplan), and fan service and gender equality are ticked off the Hollywood blockbuster checklist, too.
Go in expecting smoke and mirrors, because you won’t fi nd any magic here. Stephanie Yip
■ Theatre
BRIGHT THOSE CLAWS THAT MAR THE FLESH Reviewed on Wednesday June 1 Bright Those Claws That Mar The Flesh begins in complete darkness. Lightning flashes and the audience is unsettled by a young woman, Leda Swann – wearing a black wig, maroon velvet blazer and dodgy slip-on shoes – standing motionless and way too close. Swann is an unsettling character, as is the ancient Greek tale from which her name is derived – y’know, the one where Helen of Troy’s mum is raped by a freaking swan (Zeus turned himself into a swan specially for the occasion). The rest of the play continues on a disturbing, though often comic trajectory.
What's in our diary...
As far as sequels go, Now You See Me 2 is everything its predecessor wasn’t. Where the first instalment drew on infl uences like Ocean’s Eleven and The Usual Suspects, sitting deservedly inside the crimemystery genre with just enough plot twists to keep us tickled, this follow-up plays closer to Rush Hour and Zoolander, preferring excessive action, farce and cheap tricks to win our attention. Even if it tried (and it doesn’t), this fl ick cannot pull the wool over our eyes slowly enough. Its continuous attempts to outwit with fancy twists and turns are its own self-sabotage, as the fi lm becomes so exhaustingly predictable that every scene is less remarkable than the last.
But all the pomp and pizzazz doesn’t stop there. Adding more excess to
Euripides’ famous tragedy The Bacchae pits the word of a god against the word of mortals. Similarly, in Bright Those Claws... the word of a newly accredited facilitator for a sobriety support group is pitted against the cocaine-enabled rantings of a knight errant, two thespians and a judge – who, after having ingested a lot of gear, are convinced of their own divinity.
this fi lm’s ego are drawn-out fi ght scenes and over-choreographed magic sequences, both of which serve no purpose other than to make you realise that you’ve paid a high price for some cheap glitter.
The addicts shout over the top of each other, spray each other with spittle and talk in circles. The knight errant, Edmundia Dante (a watered-down Don Quixote) claims that she’s just had “the greatest idea of all time”: they should stage a play while coked out of their minds. The characters tuck into booze, coke, weed and apples as they rehearse their rendition of The Bacchae. Thespian Sir Rexion Mustyorvsky is cast as the King of Thebes, Pentheus, but he desires the role of the Queen Mother, Agave. Alarmingly, he castrates himself and presents the offcuts splattered in blood to the audience; unfortunately for him, his botched sex change doesn’t win him the part. This play is a farce; a fast-paced 55 minutes of watching people slip, slide, yell, guffaw, eat apples, drag a pretend baby around inside a box, and reference Sylvia Plath. It’s a highly amusing show brimming with literary and cultural references and silly physical comedy. Sarah Little
Arts Exposed
Sydney Unlocked: Charting A Course For Sydney’s Creative Future Museum of Contemporary Art, Saturday June 18
Tickets are $15+bf. Visit vividsydney.com for more details.
20 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
thebrag.com
Keep Sydney Open photo by Ashley Mar
Sydney’s cultural identity is in a time of upheaval, there’s no doubt about it. From the lockout laws to the Federal Government’s Catalyst funding scheme, the last few years have seen the sands shifting beneath the arts and music industries of our city. And while the debates around these issues have ranged in mood from optimistic to outraged, the only solution can be positive discussion. FBi Radio’s Sydney Unlocked event looks to bring together the people who will shape Sydney’s cultural direction over the next few years, so we can work out not only where we’ve gone wrong, but what comes next.
out & about Queer(ish) matters with Lucy Watson
I
’m not sure about you, but domain.com.au is going HAM on my Facebook feed with sponsored posts, desperately trying to get my attention. Every day, a new post from Domain appears at the top of my feed, vying for my clicks.
The other day, a story appeared about share houses that share more than just living space: they share ideas, communities, beliefs. No shit, I thought. Anyone with half a brain knows that the most functioning share houses share more than just space. When you choose a new housemate for your place, you pick someone who you have something in common with. Seems obvious. It might come as no surprise, then, that when I moved into a new share house a few weeks ago and needed to find some new housemates, I built a house of lesbians. Ideas, community and beliefs, all wrapped up in one gang of dykes. In my previous share houses, I’ve always lived with a mix of genders and sexualities. There was the house of lads who would periodically leave me (literally) five hours’ worth of dishes to do; there was the house of uni mates who were equally into rockabilly and English folk music; there was the family share house with my brother, his partner and her brother; and there was the studio apartment I shared with my best friend, where the sock on the (front) door became a real thing. But this homo house was new to me. Three bedrooms, four lesbians. And it became immediately apparent that this was a share house unlike any I was previously used to. And so, here are my seven telltale signs you’re living in a lesbian share house.
1.
The art on the walls is very… sapphic
We have a boob wall at my house. Literally, a wall in the living room is dedicated to the boob art we collectively brought with us. There were enough framed images of tits between the four of us that we now have a whole wall dedicated to it. Big plans for the wall include anonymous Polaroids of every pair of boobs that enters our house. Another wall in our living room is simply titled “the lady wall” and basically features the rest of our pictures where the women have clothes on. And the other wall features our house’s collection of tank girl paraphernalia. Our living room is women: topless, clothed, and in messy military wear.
2.
Vibrators, everywhere
It doesn’t help that my partner works in an adult store and I work for a magazine that reviews sex toys – but still.
Vibrators arriving in the mail, vibrators in the shower, dildos sterilising on the stove; anywhere you want, we’ve got it.
Men’s underwear on the washing line, yet not a man in sight
3.
Anyone walking past our washing line would be mistaken for thinking it was a house full of dudes, with the occasional lady guest. But no, those Spiderman jocks, and those alpha male Y-fronts… yeah, they’re ours.
More nail clippers than people
4.
More so than vibrators, there is a serious proliferation of nail clippers in this house. No prizes for guessing why.
A fridge full of vegetables (and tofu)
5.
It’s a well trodden stereotype that lesbians are vegetarians. So it should come as no surprise that a lesbian house fridge is chock-full of tofu, spinach, broccoli, soy milk… and not a sausage in sight.
It’s a house of smokers
6.
Did you know 48 per cent of lesbian, bisexual and queer women aged 16-24 smoke? So if you’re in a house of young lesbians, you literally have a 50/50 chance that the house smokes.
7.
Four identical wardrobes
Is your plaid shirt in the wash? Your denim jacket? Your sneakers wet from the rain? Never fear, you have three identical wardrobes in the other bedrooms! Lost your snapback? Your beanie? We’ve got you covered. Just bring it back, or else I’m stealing your ciders.
this week…
HomoLoco photo by Cait Northam
HomoLoco On Wednesday June 15, head to the Newtown Hotel for the next instalment of its new homo night, HomoLoco. Last week was great, with outside and inside DJs, beer specials, and a courtyard brimming with lesbians, and this week will be no different.
thebrag.com
This Friday June 17, head down to Homosocial at Secret Garden for a night of dancing and performances curated by yours truly. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen, so you’ll just have to come along to find out – but expect dancey tunes and outrageous performers.
Then, on Sunday June 19, make your way to The Townie for June’s edition of Chicks With Picks. With special guests Spines, and a bunch of great performers, it’s the best way to wind down from the weekend.
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 21
Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...
ALBUM OF THE WEEK MUMFORD & SONS
beats has brought a rawness and fresh energy to the Mumford catalogue, one that can be very easy for bands to lose this far into their career.
Johannesburg Dew Process/Universal
Some months ago, Mumford & Sons embarked upon a sold-out tour of South Africa. During their time there, they immersed themselves in the culture, bonded with musicians, and learned a thing or two about how South Africans make music. Their subsequent EP Johannesburg is their most inspired and unconventional effort yet. Mumford & Sons cross cultural boundaries on an exploratory and unconventional new collection.
MARGARET GLASPY Emotions And Math ATO/[PIAS]
There’s no room to stuff around when it comes to Margaret Glaspy, the soulful singer-songwriter releasing her debut solo album. The title – and indeed everything else tied up within Emotions And Math – is short, razorsharp and cuts straight to the point: this is an artist looking closely at her romantic relationships and weighing up the personal with the analytical, wondering whether any of it is worth the trouble. Spoiler: it’s not. There’s a callousness throughout the album, brought about by multiple woundings that inform a newfound strength and sensitivity apparent in each track. The result is a collection of anti-love songs comprised of barbed wire guitar lines across bluesy Americana with Glaspy crooning and howling over the top of it all. Tracks like ‘Memory Street’ and anthemic lead single ‘You And I’ are gutsy and powerful, with the former featuring drums tapping out a broken heartbeat flanking some furious guitar work and incensed, spat-out lyrics. However, it’s ‘Somebody To Anybody’ – a delicate number in which Glaspy wails over a lone electric guitar – which details the quiet dignity that undercuts the album.
Teaming up with South African musical greats Baaba Maal, Beatenberg and The Very Best may have been one of the finest creative decisions the band has ever made. The use of native tongues and stampeding
CLEOPOLD
Altitude & Oxygen Detail / Create/Control The way in which Cleopold writes and executes his vocals is a vital centrepiece around which he builds his music. Altitude & Oxygen simply defies belief that this is his first-ever solo effort. The five-track EP has the depth and emotion of music from a seasoned artist, communicated through his clean production style and an ability to convey real passion via a less-ismore approach to the way he crafts instrumental tracks around his impressive vocals. The LA-based musician’s vocal style isn’t one that could easily be confused with many other Aussie singers, either. His falsetto is intensely rich, soothing and melodically pleasing. On tracks like ‘Down In Flames’, he really starts to explore the capabilities of his powerful range, executing his multitracked harmonies with ease. Across the EP he contrasts funky, upbeat Nile Rogers-esque guitar (‘The Space Between’) with slowburners (‘Down In Flames’), and shows off his masterful production on the rhythmic and experimental ‘Cleveland’.
Fierce and fragile, Glaspy’s struggles between the internal and the rational make for an entirely relatable and rocking debut.
If this EP is really Cleopold just starting to make waves on the surface of the pool of his talent, it begs the question how much more he’ll be capable of in the future.
Jade Smith
Zanda Wilson
Some of Johannesburg’s most powerful moments arrive when all that can be heard is foreign chanting and strong African beats. The fusion of Marcus Mumford’s signature smooth and milky vocals with those of the South African locals is seamless and magical, adding an amazing flavour to the collection. In fact, should Mumford ever be in the market for more Sons, we know the perfect candidates. With ethereal sounds that conjure an image of wideopen plains and warm summer nights, Johannesburg is the stuff of folk music dreams. Matthew Galea
THE KILLS Ash & Ice Domino You could argue that these are increasingly mature times for artists, where delicate prowess and tight production take priority over the frantic kineticism of a decade past. Ash & Ice perfectly reflects this atmosphere. It’s a different beast to earlier Kills albums like Midnight Boom; the same fuzzy guitar licks and punchy attitude are still there, but there’s also a level of sophistication. The title acts as a monument to the creative duality of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. They’ve forged a career by integrating their different influences: the fusion of a bubbly drum machine with crunchy neoWestern guitar licks should sound confronting and experimental at best, but here it effortlessly saunters along, buoyed by the confidence of a band that realises the virtue of subtlety. Where ‘Bitter Fruit’ almost falls on the classic rock side of the spectrum, ‘Days Of Why And How’ whisks straight back to a contemporary indiepop feel. ‘Hard Habit To Break’ is the evolution of earlier tracks like ‘Cheap And Cheerful’: at once stylistically antithetic, yet born from the same unyielding power. Mosshart’s vocals are just as powerful and passionate as ever, but there’s an air of melancholy to them. Ash & Ice feels like a natural progression: minimalist, as always, but polished. Jacob Colliver
INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK A pensive mirror selfie of Emma Russack graces the cover of her third album, In A New State. The album’s lyrics are largely centred on Russack becoming more selfreliant, and in the process you gain a deep understanding of her personal life – from the highs and lows of her romances to her feelings towards her New South Wales hometown and adopted home of Melbourne.
EMMA RUSSACK In A New State Spunk
22 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
‘Cottesloe’ reminisces on times spent floating in the ocean, pairing these memories with intricate guitar work and a bubbling synth. ‘If You Could See Me Now’ appears to be a snide message to an ex-lover, with Russack delving into her lack of a sex life over the last six months. But rather than expressing frustration, she appears content and says she doesn’t need to
have sex for self-validation. ‘Have You’ looks at the contradictions that characterise a relationship, steadily building up to a crescendo before the song abruptly ends. But any disappointment is appeased by ‘Best Love’. It explores at the relationship a 16-year-old Russack had with an adult man, documenting the new world she was exposed to, along with her family’s disapproval. Paired with a charming instrumental accompaniment, Russack manages to perfectly capture the naivety of teenage love. Russack appears to be at peace with her place in the world and never plagued by the doubts that afflict most people of a similar age.
SØREN JUUL
PUP
There’s definitely something in the Nordic water, because that region of the world keeps on producing ethereal, viscerally charged music. The artists behind all these ambient gems seem to be consistently creating stellar sounds that don’t just refer to clubs, large booties or the inability to control one’s hands.
It takes a whole 55 seconds for The Dream Is Over to really kick into high gear – and while this may seem like an odd thing to say about most bands, it’s basically a lifetime for Canadian four-piece Pup. But as soon as frontman Stefan Babcock spits, “If this tour doesn’t kill you / Buddy, I’m on it”, we are off to the races.
This Moment 4AD/Remote Control
Denmark’s Søren Juul is one such crafter of songs, who with spirit and vulnerability has weaved an album that will swallow up your Sunday afternoon, have you staring at the sky in blissful abandon and wondering why you didn’t study philosophy instead of that finance degree. Each track on This Moment reflects different hues of light, yet it is with their accumulated power that his work shines brightest. Juul’s soaring voice meanders its way through undulating minor melodies of synths, eclectic soundbites, crisp guitar work, simple but elegant piano chords and just a pinch of triangle. There’s something refreshing about an artist who tactfully leads us through the confusion, pain and hope they’ve experienced without trying to solve, avenge or instruct. Juul offers life, in all its grubby and precious glory, and in such celestial fashion that you’re left in a happy daze.
The Dream Is Over SideOneDummy/Cooking Vinyl
Pup’s second album is everything you want from the band: frantic rhythms that turn on a dime, paired with dual guitar assaults and covered in gang vocals, yet with everything kicked into the next level. Their relentless touring schedule has left them as sharp as a scalpel, laying precise incisions across the album through key changes, time signatures and the occasional fist-in-the-air punk anthem. Songs like ‘DVP’ and ‘Old Wounds’ simply refuse to stand still, whereas ‘The Coast’ and ‘Pine Point’ display a softer but no less intense side to the band. ‘Pine Point’, in particular, starts with an acoustic guitar, only to build over five minutes, hitting all of the band’s trademarks and making for a monumental closing track.
This Moment is the Danish trip you’ve been craving.
Pup came into this album with a vision to be bigger and bolder, and they’ve passed with flying colours.
Amy Henderson
Spencer Scott
OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week... ARCTIC MONKEYS - AM JOELISTICS - Blue Volume SPIDERBAIT - Spiderbait
JEREMY NEALE - In Stranger Times ALT-J - An Awesome Wave
Holly Pereira thebrag.com
snap sn ap
VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT
thebrag.com/snaps
live@the sly
PICS :: DC
up all night out all week . . .
dma’s
PICS :: AM
09:06:16 :: Slyfox :: 199 Enmore Rd Enmore 9557 2917
the ataris
PICS :: AM
09:06:16 :: Metro Theatre :: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666
05:06:16 :: Metro Theatre :: 624 George St Sydney thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 23
g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
pick of the week Steel Panther
FRIDAY JUNE 17
Night Train Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $10. The Journey 2016 Eastside Radio 89.7 FM Radiothon Launch Party - feat: Queen Porter Stomp + Afro Brasilana Soundsystem + Special Guest Play Bar, Surry Hills. 7pm. $11.44.
FRIDAY JUNE 17 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Mike Nock Quartet Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $21.50. Suite Az Fridays + DJ Troy T The Arthouse, Sydney. 8pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Big Top Sydney, Luna Park
Steel Panther + Black Stone Cherry 7:30pm. $96.90. WEDNESDAY JUNE 15 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
John Mcsherry + Donal O’Connor + Rob Hillman The Gaelic Club, Surry Hills. 8pm. $25. Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm. Free. Manouche Wednesday - feat: Gadjo Guitars Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free.
POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Bones Atlas + Cherry Dolls Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Rogue Company + Joe Dabron + Connie Kis Andersen The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7. Swamp To Sahara Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $15. Tex Perkins & Murray Patterson Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7pm. $43. The Ramblers Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 7:30pm. Free.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
INDIE, ROCK,
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Eleanor Friedberger Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $25. Freda’s Tribute To Sade - feat: Freda’s House Band Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Jones The Cat + Dave + Fitzroy + Ambulate + 6 Strings Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.
24 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Echo Deer The Temperance
Society, Summer Hill. 7:30pm. Free. Frances Paddington Uniting Church, Paddington. 7:30pm. $25. Ginger’s Jam - feat: Various Bands Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst. 7:30pm. Free. Harbourview Hulabaloo - feat: Zack Martin + Kenneth D’Aran Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm. Free. Michael Fix & Darren Coggan Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7pm. $20. Pugsley Buzzard Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10. RB Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. Songwriters In The Round The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 5pm. $7.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Continental Robert Susz’s Southern Soul Shakedown Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $21.50. Gin + Jazz Busby, Woolloomooloo. 6pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Benj Axwell Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 9:30pm. Free. Big Country + Buzz Kull Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $62.40. Coda Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $33. Evangeline The World Bar, Kings Cross. 8:30pm. Free. Freda’s Tribute To Tina Turner - feat: Freda’s House Band Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Good Counsel Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $18.
SATURDAY JUNE 18 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
John Wilson And The Sydney Symphony: Hollywood Rhapsody Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $39. Monsieur Camembert Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $41. Nic Jeffries Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $21.50. Steve Clisby The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $44.70. Vivian Sessoms Venue 505, Surry Hills. 7pm. $35.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Dave Anthony Buckley’s Bar, Circular Quay. 1pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 3pm. Free. Glenn Esmond
Peachtree Hotel, Penrith. 9pm. Free. Leanne Paris Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $23. Steve Crocker Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free. The Macs Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Baddies Sydney Park, St Peters. 2:20pm. Free. Dave Debs Figtree Hotel, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free. Five Coffees Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $15. Freda’s Tribute To George Michael feat: Freda’s House Band Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Harmonise 107 Projects, Redfern. 4pm. $2. Karnivool Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $49.50. Katcha Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 9:30pm. Free. Lisa Richards The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7:30pm. Free. Michael Gorham Panania Hotel, Panania. 8:30pm. Free. Michael Kopp St George Masonic Club, Mortdale. 7pm. Free. Northlane + In Hearts Wake + Hands Like Houses + Ocean Grove Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7:15pm. $57.77. Peter Head The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Spit Roasting Bibbers The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free. Taberah Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 7pm. $15. The Baby Shower - feat: Scabz + Smudge Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10. The Beach Boys Show St George Masonic Club, Mortdale1. 8pm. Free. The JP Project Engadine Bowling Club, Engadine. 7:30pm. Free. The Underground Architect Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. Free. Whelan & Gover Crown Hotel, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Winterbourne Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $23.10. Young Docteurs + Rosie McDonald + Ruth Carp And The Fish Heads + Fabels + Big White Factory Floor, Marrickville. 7pm. $18.50. Ziggy - The Songs Of David Bowie - feat: Jeff Duff
+ Steve Balbi + Brydon Stace Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.
SUNDAY JUNE 19 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Hammer Time At Frankie’s - feat: Sumeru + Flaming Wreckage + Lord Sword + Genetics + Forecast Tomorrow + Sqwauk! Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Handsome Young Strangers Botany View Hotel, Newtown. 6pm. Free. Michael Gorham Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 1pm. Free. The JP Project The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free. The Loose Shreds/ Ladyham + Daughter’s Agenda + Venus Alkatraz + Authority Downfall + Crokodylus Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 4pm. $10.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Benj Axwell The Rivo Hotel, Riverstone. 4pm. Free. Dave Anthony Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 2pm. Free. Dave Tice + Ross Ward + Jim Finn Beats Eats Drinks, Glebe. 5pm. Free. Eagle And The Wolf + Harry Hookey + Grizzlee Train Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 6pm. $18. Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 3pm. Free. Matt Toms Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free. Mick Daley Trio + Mark Lucas The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 5pm. $7. Miss Peaches Hootenanny Bluegrass Sundays Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 8pm. Free. Ricardo Steyer Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Sad-O-Meter - feat: Spencer Scott + Rachel Maria Cox + Bofolk Ballico + Dog Dirt Black Wire Records, Annandale. 3pm. $5.
MONDAY JUNE 20 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Rare Groove Monday - feat: Greasy Chicken Orchestra Foundry616, Ultimo. 7:30pm. $8.50. The Monday Jam thebrag.com
Steel Panther photo by David Jackson
Drums Bone Bass Trio Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $10. Guantanamera - feat: DJs Av El Cubano + Don Rivera + Guest DJs + Monthly Live Bands Barrio Cellar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. The Darren Heinrich Trio Play Bar, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free. The Glenn Doig Collective Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $16.50.
THURSDAY JUNE 16
Jordan Sly & The Glorious Spies Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Live & Original feat: Alchemy + Katherine Vavahea The Mercantile Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Live At The Sly feat: The Ruckus + Bandintexas + Julia Why? Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm. Free. Michael Fryar Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 7:30pm. Free. Michael Gorham Crown Hotel, Sydney. 4:30pm. Free. Roadhouse Rockabilly Night Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 7pm. Free. Savages Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $50. Starman - A Show With The Music Of David Bowie - feat: Sven Ratzke The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $43. Supernaut The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $38. The JP Project General Gordon Hotel, Sydenham. 4pm. Free.
Blake Wiggins Panania Diggers, Panania. 8pm. Free. Dave Anthony Crown Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Flamin’ Beauties Royal Hotel, Bondi. 9:15pm. Free. Funk Engine Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 9pm. Free. Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Isaiah B Brunt & Band + Angela Lount & Leo Joseph Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $15. Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm. Free. Psycho Zydeco Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $20. Queen Porter Stomp + Dusty Ravens The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7. Rob Eastwood Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 6pm. Free. Steve Crocker Lord Raglan Hotel, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Whelan & Gover Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.
Michael Gorham 99 On York, Sydney. 5:30pm. Free. Never Ending ‘80s The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $23.80. Sam Newton Clovelly Hotel, Clovelly. 4:30pm. Free. Series + Hollow Heart + Drowning Atlantis + Honeyglow + Olivia Mcauliffe Studio Six, Sutherland. 8pm. $15. Slumberhaze + Slow Turismo + Soundly Sounds DJs Waywards, Newtown. 8pm. Free. Starving Millions + The Phosphorous Bombs + Two Faced + Boneless + Ben Gel & The Boneyard Saints + Alla Spina Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. Steel Panther + Black Stone Cherry Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7:30pm. $96.90. The Fossicks + A Girls A Gun + Hurst Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor. 8pm. Free. The JP Project Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9:30pm. Free. The JP Project Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm. Free. The Morrisons Present Smoke On A Foggy Highway (The Bluegrass Albums Of Paul Kelly) The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $29.20. Thelma Plum Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $22.70. Tribulation Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $38.
g g guide gig g gig picks email : gigguide@thebrag.com feat: The New Ojezz House Band + Local DJs The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $5.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Live & Original @ The Corridor Corridor Bar, Newtown. 7pm. Free. Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Frankie’s World Famous House Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
Savages photo by Colin Lane
TUESDAY JUNE 21 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Steve Hunter Band Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm. $10.
thebrag.com
Tal Cohen + Jamie Oehlers Quartet Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $26.50.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm. Free. Songsonstage feat: Ingrid Mae + Murder Of Crows Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Bandviews Sessions - feat: The Ramblers Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 7:30pm. Free. Bucket Lounge Presents – Live & Originals Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Live & Original @ Mr Falcon’s - feat: Andrew Samual Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Live Rock & Roll Karaoke Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Ruby Tuesday - feat: Bill Hunt Ruby L’otel, Rozelle. 7:30pm. Free.
up all night out all week...
WEDNESDAY JUNE 15
FRIDAY JUNE 17
Bones Atlas + Cherry Dolls Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
Big Country + Buzz Kull Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $62.40.
Rogue Company + Joe Dabron + Connie Kis Andersen The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7.
Coda Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $33.
Swamp To Sahara Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $15. Tex Perkins & Murray Patterson Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7pm. $43.
THURSDAY JUNE 16 Eleanor Friedberger Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $25. Frances Paddington Uniting Church, Paddington. 7:30pm. $25. Live At The Sly - Feat: The Ruckus + Bandintexas + Julia Why? Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm. Free. Savages Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $50. Supernaut The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $38. Savages
Smudge
Good Counsel Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $18. Queen Porter Stomp + Dusty Ravens The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7. Series + Hollow Heart + Drowning Atlantis + Honeyglow + Olivia Mcauliffe Studio Six, Sutherland. 8pm. $15. The Morrisons Present Smoke On A Foggy Highway (The Bluegrass Albums Of Paul Kelly) The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $29.20. Thelma Plum Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $22.70. Tribulation Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $38.
SATURDAY JUNE 18 Karnivool Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $49.50. Nic Jeffries Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $21.50. Northlane + In Hearts Wake + Hands Like Houses + Ocean Grove Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7:15pm. $57.77. Steve Clisby The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $44.70.
The Baby Shower - Feat: Scabz + Smudge Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10. Winterbourne Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $23.10. Young Docteurs + Rosie Mcdonald + Ruth Carp And The Fish Heads + Fabels + Big White Factory Floor, Marrickville. 7pm. $18.50.
SUNDAY JUNE 19 Bofolk Ballico Black Wire Records, Annandale. 3pm. $5. Eagle And The Wolf + Harry Hookey + Grizzlee Train Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 6pm. $18. Hammer Time At Frankie’s - Feat: Sumeru + Flaming Wreckage + Lord Sword + Genetics + Forecast Tomorrow + Sqwauk! Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Sad-O-Meter - Feat: Spencer Scott + Rachel Maria Cox + Bofolk Ballico + Dog Dirt Black Wire Records, Annandale. 3pm. $5.
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 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 Anna Wilson
five things WITH
Anna
MINX
MOTORIK TURNS FIVE
1.
Growing Up My parents absolutely loved music and playing it loud. While Mum would do the housework, she’d be listening to artists such as Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Al Stewart, Fleetwood Mac et cetera. Who knew doing housework was so much fun? I even have a photo from when I was about seven months old – headphones on, dummy in mouth and Dad’s Kraftwerk records in the background. Classic! Inspirations I have pretty varied taste in music, from the classics I grew up on, to rock and punk as a teenager, then later on to dance. There was never one particular artist I always think of or channel for inspiration, however I was huge on going to concerts and getting the rush of seeing a band/artist play live in front of their fans.
2.
Your Crew DJing was something 3. I fell in to; practising for
hours each day in a closed club during the week, just because I loved it. At that time, fresh into the club scene, I really looked up to and followed the original Onelove Melbourne guys (Dirty South, John Course, Grant Smillie et cetera), who later became my good mates and funnily, my agent. At the moment I work closely on music with Chris Arnott. He’s excellent at what he does and damn good fun to work with. I now work with the crew at Electric
Harvey Sutherland
Circus nightclub in Adelaide, helping with artist bookings, marketing, promotions… I’m loving it! The Music You Make And Play I’m a house girl. My last few releases have been more hands-in-the-air, piano house, summer kind of vibes – a tad more uplifting than my moody single ‘Hold On’. Depending on the crowd will depend on which way I push my live sets – if I go a little deeper, or towards the more bass house direction, or bigger again. My track selection tends to happen on the spot. I’m big on sussing the energy in the room and building my sets as I go.
4.
Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. I am really enjoying the
music scene at the moment. House has been back for a while and I’m incredibly happy about that! Sydney has been fighting against the lockouts but in saying that, some incredible parties have continued to pop up week in, week out. Since I’ve been working for Electric Circus in Adelaide, I’ve been so impressed with how responsive their market is to new music. The scene is in a good place right now musically – or for my taste at least. What: Parallel Universes: Marvel Where: The Argyle When: Until Saturday June 18
Ivan Ooze
CATCH A VIBE WITH IVAN
Following the sold-out shows on his 18+ headline tour and performances at Groovin The Moo and Beyond The Valley, Ivan Ooze will be headlining Vibe City 2016. Ooze has built a formidable reputation within the Aussie hip hop industry, and his national tour in support of his recent mixtape ’93 KFC Rotisserie Gold has further propelled his success. Now fans who are underage can enjoy world-class live music and party the night away. Drummer Matt McGuire will be joining Ooze at the Vibe City events, and beatmaker Kuren will be there for the Sydney set, along with a cast of local DJs. Ooze will headline at the Metro Lair on Sunday July 10.
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT DOWN UNDER
Hip hop and groove visionaries Arrested Development first burst onto the scene 20 years ago. To celebrate this milestone, they’ll be coming out on a national tour and dipping into their deep pile of hits. The Grammy-winning group will be dropping tacks including ‘Tennessee’, ‘Mr Wendell’, ‘People Everyday’, ‘Revolution’, ‘Ease My Mind’ and more. Over the last 16 years, Arrested Development have performed concerts in just about every part of the world. They continue to release new music and find new success in different corners of the globe. See them at the Enmore Theatre on Friday August 26.
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
Our mates down in Melbourne really are making their mark on the electronic scene lately, with a steady stream
of breakout international stars emerging since Will Sparks inspired the so-called Melbourne bounce sound. Now, another Melburnian DJ and producer, Zac Waters, is on the rise. Waters plays what he calls ‘Meltrance’ music, and thanks to his track ‘Zenit’, he’s already started turning heads overseas, with David Guetta and Gareth Emery among his fan base. Waters will headline Pacha Sydney at the Ivy this Saturday June 18, so bring your trancing shoes.
Dyan Tai
I PREDICT A RIOT
Get some bass in ya face with a trip to Chinese Laundry this weekend. The man responsible? None other than Virtual Riot, the 21-year-old DJ and producer from Marl, a German city of 90,000 people. Being that he hails from a hometown other than the musical mecca that is Berlin, Virtual Riot brings that left-ofcentre attitude to his music, which sits somewhere in the region of dubstep and bass. Joining the party at Laundry is Melbourne’s trap lord Herzeloyde. It all goes down this Friday June 17.
SOUND SELECT ROUND THREE
Red Bull isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and neither should you – its much-hyped Sound Select night is ready to bust a move come the end of June, and it wants your tush there. Curated by Johann Ponniah of I Oh You, June’s edition of Sound Select is set to be a banger. Electronic visionary Harvey Sutherland, Lucy Cliché and Hubert Clarke Jr are all set to craft shows that’ll thrill up a storm. It’s all going down at the Civic Underground on Friday June 24, and you can RSVP at redbullsoundselect.com for $3 entry.
26 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
The party people at Motorik are gearing up for a big ol’ birthday bash after five years at the forefront of the electronic scene. But this won’t be simply a celebration of past glories, for Motorik is looking to the future with its appropriately titled Futurism event. With music from Brazilian techno star Anna, Warp Records favourite Mark Pritchard and Sydney’s own Motorik Vibe Council, plus some special guests, tickets are already going quickly. The shindig will be held at a “never before used” indoor/outdoor venue outside the lockout zone on Saturday July 2. Book yourself a spot via Pulse Radio.
TIME FOR TAI
Malaysian electropop artist Dyan Tai is a welcome addition to the Refugee Week lineup, representing its ethos at the Harmonise evening in Sydney this weekend. Having performed for audiences across the country, including at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Sydney Fringe Festival and Tasmania Pride Festival, the now-Sydney resident Tai is bringing his electric and captivating style to town for an event that will run close to home for him especially. As an emigrant to Australia himself, Tai will focus his high-energy pop act on important issues surrounding migration at a young age, sharing his story and experiences through his vibrant medium. Harmonise is a drug-and-alcoholfree event organised by the City Of Sydney as part of Refugee Week, promoting diversity and multiculturalism in Australia. It takes place at 107 Projects in Redfern on Saturday June 18.
thebrag.com
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 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
Welove - feat: Various DJs Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. Free.
SATURDAY JUNE 18 HIP HOP & R&B
SATURDAY JUNE 18
Whisky Mixd + Dusty Allen + Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Purple Sneakers
Lord L d Gl Gladstone d t Hotel
Purple Sneakers Tenth Birthday 6pm. Free. WEDNESDAY JUNE 15 CLUB NIGHTS
Birdcage - feat: Various DJs Slyfox, Enmore. 9pm. Free. Inflatable Indie Night Jungle - feat: DJ Jez Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. Free. Muso’s Club Jam Night - feat: Various Ruby L’otel, Rozelle. 7:30pm. 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: Banoffee + Noy + Kimchi Princi Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. The Wall The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. Free.
THURSDAY JUNE 16
xxx
HIP HOP & R&B
The Funkoars Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $25. Urthboy + L-Fresh The Lion Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $28.70.
CLUB NIGHTS
Femme Fetale The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. House Keeping - feat: DJ Conor Boylan + Guests Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Muso’s Club Jam Night - feat: Various Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free. Toho Nights - feat: Jay Katz + Special Guests Goros, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.
FRIDAY JUNE 17 HIP HOP & R&B
Paul Conrad Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. $10. Sarah’s B'Day Jam - feat: Coolhand Luke + Diola + DJ Adverse + DJ Amity + Makoto + Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Urthboy + L-Fresh The Lion Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $28.70.
CLUB NIGHTS
Argyle Fridays The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Bassic - feat: Virtual Riot + Herzeloyde + Squeef + Ventures + Tdy + Infamous + Goreway + Artinium Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28.
28 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
Belvie Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. Cult - feat: Maxxxyt + Saffron Mash + DJ Rise Different Drummer, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Current Value + Machinecode + Bruxism + Commit + Ncrypt + Transforma Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 9pm. $33.15. 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. Fridays At Zeta Zeta Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free. G-Wizard Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $13.40. 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. Residents Launch Party Slyfox, Enmore. 8pm. $10. Ribognia + Klue Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $15. Scubar Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney. 8pm. Free.
CLUB NIGHTS
Argyle Saturdays feat: Tass + Tap-Tap + Minx + Crazy Caz The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Bar Bombay Red Rattler, Marrickville. 9pm. $25. Charades X Something Else - feat: Pinch + Cliques + U-Khan + John Glover + Letabruthaknow + Strafe + Dread Jensen Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $16.50. Clique Sydney Cruise Bar, Sydney. 8:30pm. $20. El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free. Frat Saturdays feat: Danny Simms + Jayowens Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Hayden Calnin + Lupa J + Moza Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $20. Lndry - feat: Set Mo + Ara Koufax + Friendless + Nine Yards + Paul Jextra + Elijah Scadden + Stoive + Clueless + DJ Just 1 + King Lee Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $17.70. MusicNSW’s Women In Electronic Music Showcase - feat: Banoffee + Rainbow Chan + Gl + Habits + Buoy + Mira Boru Museum Of Contemporary Art, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. My Place Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Bar100, The Rocks. 8pm. Free. Picnic One Night Stand 5th Birthday - feat: Ben Fester + Andy Webb Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9pm. $16.50. Purple Sneakers Tenth Birthday feat: Motorik Vibe Council + World Champion + Purple Sneakers DJs + Andy Garvey + Ariane + Astral DJs + Dual Point (Live) + I Oh You DJs + Indian Summer + Lastlings (Live) + Levins + Linda Marigliano + Luen + Mezko (Live) + Moonbase Commander + Nico Ghost + Pilerats DJs + Plastic World DJs + Purple Sneakers DJs + Sidechains DJs + Stephane 1993 + Stoney Roads DJs + Tashka
(Live) + Undr Ctrl DJs + World Champion (Live) Lord Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. R&B Takeover Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $26.70. Scubar Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney. 8:30pm. Free. Sing Street 1985 School Disco feat: DJ Maynard Sydney Town Hall, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Soda Saturdays Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. The Beat Kitchen - feat: El Chino + Walking Fish + Jon Different Drummer, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. The Fuego Series - feat: Steve Ward + Sam Arellano + Ricky Cooper + Ben Nott + Jake Hough + Ben Ashton + Sam Roberts + Thomas Lisse + Jac Frier + Jimmy Galvin + Taylor Chirk + Ben Mitchell The Chippendale Hotel, Chippendale. 3pm. $27.50. Tresor 25 Years - feat: DJ Pete AKA Substance + Marcelus + Sebastian Bayne + Biz-E + Phile + Matt Lush + Jordan Peters + Gav Whalan Zoo Project, Potts Point. 9pm. $44. Vivid Closing Party - feat: Touch Sensitive Cruise Bar, Sydney. 8pm. $33. Wot U Call It - feat: Champain Lyf + Low Motion + T-Syd + Adrian E + Jon Watts + Max Gosford + Moriarty Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 11pm. $9. Yours - feat: Varcity + AC3 Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 6pm. Free.
SUNDAY JUNE 19 CLUB NIGHTS
Beresford Sundays - feat: DJs On Rotation The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills. 12pm. Free. Picnic Social Tatler, Darlinghurst. 4pm. Free. S.A.S.H. By Day - feat: Ben Fester + James Fazzolari + Dan Bayton & Scott Rotton + Matt Weir Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15. S.A.S.H. By Night feat: Secret Guest + Politics Of Dancing + Tahl + Jmcee + Stefan Yeah + ZiO + Tom Studdy + Edseven + Kerry Wallace Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $15. See You Sundays Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 4pm.
Banoffee
WEDNESDAY JUNE 15 Sosueme - Feat: Banoffee + Noy + Kimchi Princi Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free.
THURSDAY JUNE 16 The Funkoars Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $25. Urthboy + L-Fresh The Lion Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $28.70.
FRIDAY JUNE 17 Bassic - Feat: Virtual Riot + Herzeloyde + Squeef + Ventures + Tdy + Infamous + Goreway + Artinium Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28. Current Value + Machinecode + Bruxism + Commit + Ncrypt + Transforma Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 9pm. $33.15. G-Wizard Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $13.40. Residents Launch Party Slyfox, Enmore. 8pm. $10. Ribognia + Klue Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $15.
SATURDAY JUNE 18 Charades X Something Else - Feat: Pinch + Cliques + U-Khan + John Glover + Letabruthaknow + Strafe + Dread Jensen Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $16.50. Hayden Calnin + Lupa J + Moza Newtown Social Club,
Free. Sin Sundays The Argyle, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.
MONDAY JUNE 20 CLUB NIGHTS I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
Newtown. 8pm. $20. MusicNSW’s Women In Electronic Music Showcase - Feat: Banoffee + Rainbow Chan + Gl + Habits + Buoy + Mira Boru Museum Of Contemporary Art, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Picnic One Night Stand 5th Birthday - Feat: Ben Fester + Andy Webb Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9pm. $16.50. The Fuego Series - Feat: Steve Ward + Sam Arellano + Ricky Cooper + Ben Nott + Jake Hough + Ben Ashton + Sam Roberts + Thomas Lisse + Jac Frier + Jimmy Galvin + Taylor Chirk + Ben Mitchell The Chippendale Hotel, Chippendale. 3pm. $27.50. Vivid Closing Party - Feat: Touch Sensitive Cruise Bar, Sydney. 8pm. $33. Wot U Call It - Feat: Champain Lyf + Low Motion + T-Syd + Adrian E + Jon Watts + Max Gosford + Moriarty Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 11pm. $9.
SUNDAY JUNE 19 S.A.S.H. By Day - Feat: Ben Fester + James Fazzolari + Dan Bayton & Scott Rotton + Matt Weir Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15. S.A.S.H. By Night - Feat: Secret Guest + Politics Of Dancing + Tahl + Jmcee + Stefan Yeah + Zio + Tom Studdy + Edseven + Kerry Wallace Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $15.
MONDAY JUNE 20 Brandy Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:30pm. $88.
Lost In The Zoo feat: Open Decks 9 To 11 + Anthony Elia + Anya B2B Surkess B2B Nick Reverse + Kazi Zoo Project, Potts Point. 9pm. Free.
HIP HOP & R&B
Brandy Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:30pm. $88.
TUESDAY JUNE 21 CLUB NIGHTS Side Bar Tuesdays - feat: Black Diamond Hearts Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Terrible Tuesdays Slyfox, Enmore. 5pm. Free.
thebrag.com
DRINK SPECIAL
10 COCKTAILS $
10PM -12AM FRI & SAT NIGHTS 199 ENMORE ROAD
W W W. S LY F O X . S Y D N E Y
Ben Fester James Fazzolari Dan Bayton & Scott Rotton Matt Weir Gree Gr eenw ee nwoo ood d Ho Hote tell 2pm 2p m to 10p pm
Secret Guest Politics of Dancing (all night long) Tahl Jmcee Stefan Yeah ZiO Tom Studdy Edseven Kerry Wallace thebrag.com
www.sash.n net.a au H ME Nig HO ght htcl c ub cl b 9 m ti 9p tillll 4am
BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16 :: 29
Jack Garratt A Second Phase By Joseph Earp
J
ack Garratt is evidently a morning person. Despite the fact he has woken up a mere 30 minutes before his interview with the BRAG, the rising talent proves unbelievably chipper. This is a man who handles his press while blasting around Europe on a tour bus – a man who can juggle promo work and performing, all with the sleep still stuck in his eyes. “It is pretty exhausting,” Garratt says, sounding like the least exhausted man on the planet, “but I’m also very lucky that I am with a team that I have been working with for a long time, since before all the press and the accolades. I’ve kept those people around me because I feel like that’s the most sensible thing to do. But they understand how physically and mentally exhausting the live show is for me, and so they try not to book up too many interviews while I’m out on the road … because it does tend to get too much. “Like this year I went to America,” he powers on, “and I didn’t do any shows. I just went to America for a week and went around the Midwest and did loads of radio interviews and went straight from there to Europe and then [did] radio interviews in Germany. It’s great. It’s fun. You get to see the different cities and different countries in a totally different light.” All this press is ostensibly in support of Garratt’s Phase, a pulsing collection of soul-soaked tunes the young musician wrote, produced and performed all by himself. But it’s also a way of selling Garratt, a task that must be as easy as selling heaters to Eskimos. After all, not only does the musician spit soundbites at a frenetic pace, he also speaks about his audience with a deep-seated affection.
“I make a lot of my music by myself … and performing is exactly the same,” he says. “I go up onstage every night on my own and play lots of different instruments and have fun playing these songs I’ve spent so much time caring over. It is really, really fun. It is tiring, and it is exhausting, [but] I love coming out on the road and meeting people. “It’s at a point now where the crowds are wanting to come to the shows now because they like the music. Even having that kind of attitude to walk onstage to is so [great]. It makes everything – [all] the travelling and the late nights and the early mornings – totally worthwhile.” To say audiences merely ‘like’ Garratt’s music is an understatement. Phase was a critical and commercial success across the world – not least of all here in Australia, where lead single ‘Weathered’ became a radio fixture. The album’s high international appeal means that Garratt has been able to experience crowds from almost every corner of the globe, though his upcoming Splendour In The Grass slot and associated sideshows will be the first time he has made his way to our shores. Nonetheless, even though Australia has sadly been left off his tour itinerary until now – through no fault of his own, he promises – his trips have given him a fascinating insight into the variation in crowd etiquette across the globe. “Audiences around the world are completely different,” he says. “In the UK, things are different only because my music is listened to a bit more in the UK and my name is more recognisable. But in America, even audiences from
state to state can be drastically different. New York and LA are kind of renowned for being difficult audiences to win over, but when you win them over they’re so incredibly … supportive.” Garratt admits that the strippedback nature of his live show can occasionally prove problematic. It’s only him up there under the hot lights, after all, and he can only blame his successes and failures on himself. “Emotionally it’s nervewracking, because there isn’t that kind of support structure for me to fall back on if I need it,” he says. “If I stop, the show stops. If I miss a chord, it’s obvious. If I miss a beat on the kit, it’s obvious. But I’ve really come to enjoy that part of the show, that humanising quality.
“That’s the show for me, really. It’s all the mistakes and all the problems. And the crowd really love it when something goes wrong because it turns me into a person, whereas five minutes before I was an octopus to some of the people just because I do a lot of different things onstage.” For Garratt, the key to a good gig is not in the theatrics. It’s not the stage lighting, or the projections, or even things like onstage banter or the physical exuberance of the performer. It all comes down to a simple matter of respect. “That’s why you hear nightmare audiences of people hating gigs they went to see because they felt like the performer onstage didn’t care, or was rude,” he says. “You hear those nightmare situations because that performer
Off The Record
[didn’t] respect their audience. “It’s a really important thing to me,” he continues warmly. “I do mean it when I say there are two bandmates. There’s me, and there’s the everchanging second member … which [changes] depending on the 500 to 1,500 people in the audience. It’s amazing.” What: Phase out now through Island/Universal With: Kacy Hill Where: Metro Theatre When: Thursday July 21 And: Also appearing at Splendour In The Grass 2016, North Byron Parklands, Friday June 22 – Sunday June 24
RECOMMENDED Matthias Meyer
Dance and Electronica with Tyson Wray Hubert Clarke Jr.
Moderat
SATURDAY JUNE 18
Pinch Burdekin Hotel DJ Pete, Marcelus Zoo Project Andy Webb, Ben Fester JAM Gallery
T
Sweet merciful Jesus. The Belleville Three, AKA Detroit techno pioneers Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, who have not performed together in almost a decade, are in the midst of planning a global reunion tour. In an interview with the Canadian publication We Got This Covered
last week, Saunderson said: “What I can say for the future is that we’re working on a tour now, for all three of us as The Belleville Three. We’re gonna try to kick it off next year, and it’s gonna start out with DJing and evolve into a much bigger thing, too.” This will be a bigger tour than Daft Punk, guys. Keep an eye out. Tour rumours: they’re being crowned as the greatest live electronic act in Europe at the moment, and word on the street is that we’ll be seeing Moderat coming our way mighty soon. Oh, and Jackmaster? I would happily put $20 down on seeing his face on Australian shores before the year is out. Best releases this week: after loads of hype the new record from Matthew Dear’s Audion project has finally dropped. It’s titled Alpha (on !K7) and it, uhh, kinda sucks. Sigh. On a more positive note, spend this week spinning Monolake’s GMO (Imbalance
Computer Music), Eric Miller’s Flora (Sushitech), Vicmari’s Autodidact (Eclipser Chaser), Margaret Dygas’ Even 11 (Perlon), FP-Oner’s 6 (Mule Musiq) and Richie Brains’ Who Is Richie Brains (Exit) and you’ll be set. Some upcoming releases to look forward to: Nils Frahm, Frederic Gmeiner and Sepp Singwald AKA Nankeen have revealed that their sophomore LP Oddments Of The Gamble (R&S Records) will drop on Friday July 15. Old mate Aphex Twin will release a new EP titled Cheetah (Warp Records) on Friday July 8; while South African house visionary Culoe De Song has a new album entitled Washa (De Song Music) also coming on Friday July 8. Though there’s no official release date for Berlin-based producer Dinky’s sixth studio record Casa (Crosstown Rebels), she will release a single on Friday July 8. Gonna be a goooood weekend for listening, that one.
SATURDAY JUNE 25
DJ Pierre Civic Underground Argy The Greenwood Hotel
Matthias Meyer Slyfox
SATURDAY JULY 23
Delano Smith Café Del Mar
FRIDAY DECEMBER 2 – SUNDAY DECEMBER 4 Subsonic Music Festival: Lee Scratch Perry, Mad Professor, Josh Wink, Ben UFO + more Riverwood Downs Mountain Valley Resort
Argy
Got any tip-offs, hate mail, praise or cat photos? Email hey@tysonwray.com or contact me via carrier pigeon. Hit me on Twitter via @tysonwray. 30 :: BRAG :: 667 :: 15:06:16
thebrag.com
Moderat photo by Flavien Prioreau
he futuristic disco trio of Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda are coming to Sydney for the latest instalment of the monthly live music showcase Red Bull Sound Select. Sutherland proved himself to be one of the most exciting Australian names in live electronic music over the festival season last summer, and his Bermuda project is on a whole other level (live violin, anyone?) It’s happening on Friday June 24 at Civic Underground with support coming from Lucy Cliché and Hubert Clarke Jr. Tickets are only $10, but you can lower that down to $3 by registering for the guest list at redbullsoundselect.com.
FRIDAY JULY 1
LIGHTS • MUSIC • PARTY
MARVEL 13 - 18 JUNE
Minx • Dave Winnel • Tass • Chivalry • Sabio THEARGYLEROCKS.COM.AU
ALL STOCK MUST GO!!
BRAG CDS 2016 - 275 x 385.indd 1
30/05/2016 9:33 AM
ANNANDALE 55 Parramatta Rd
CLOSING DOWN
SALE
% 20-80 OFF RRP
ELECTRIC GUITARS • ACCOUSTIC GUITARS AMPLIFIERS • ACCESSORIES
! ! R E F F O ! ! D E N S U A F E R S R U E F F E O E K L B A N MA O S A E R O N
E 2016 N U J h 0t ENDS 3
DEALS NEVER TO BE REPEATED!! The RRP is the recommended retail price as set by the Australian distributor of the product. While stocks last, some stocks are limited. Products pictured are for illustration purposes only. Gallins reserves the right to determine what constitutes a reasonable offer and may reject or accept any offers at their discretion p
p p
y
g
y
j
p
y