ISSUE NO. 688 NOVEMBER 9, 2016
FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com
MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE
INSIDE This Week
PUSCIF ER
The band that takes Maynard James Keenan to extremes.
THE
RUBENS ON THE ROAD TO VANFEST
TA SH SULTA N A
From beatboxing on the streets to collaborating with the stars.
BIR D S OF T OK YO
And why they were compelled to get political.
A BBE M AY
How a near-death experience gave her a new start.
SL EIGH BEL L S
We meet Derek Miller, a hardcore rocker turned pop performer.
Plus
K ING S W OOD JA PA NE SE FILM F E S T I VA L JOEL LEFFLER S A M JOOL E A ND MUCH MOR E
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the BRAG presents
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Joseph Earp, James Di Fabrizio and Chris Martin
Brass Monkey Thursday November 17
five things WITH
JOEL SENA
JIM MICHALOPOULOS FROM SOCIETY OF BEGGARS doctor, but the game Operation made light of my unsteady hands and crushed my childhood dreams. Inspirations The Beatles were like 2. gods in our household. At the
Your Band We recently finished recording an EP with Lindsay Gravina (Violent Soho, Rowland S Howard), and it’s a big step up music, production and composing wise. We really tried to establish a unique sound, something familiar but dangerous, like a La-Z-Boy wrapped in barbed wire.
1.
Growing Up My dad was in a band called Vertical Hold in the ’80s, so there were always guitars
lying around in our house, which obviously had a huge impact on my brother [Yianni] and I. I thought I was going to be a
The Music You Make I guess the best way to 4. describe us is if Nirvana got in
a fist fight with the Bee Gees while a bunch of old Greek men played bouzoukis and did shots of ouzo in the background. If you like high-energy rock’n’roll and the possibility of being sweated on, then we’re your band. Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. Easily the best thing about the
current music scene is the ability to put something out there and get an immediate reaction. You’ve also got a lot of bands like us who have a different and eclectic mix of musical influences and styles and it’s always cool to see a band not hung up on one set of genre rules. With: Taylor King, Starla Where: Oxford Circus When: Thursday November 10
Ludovico Einaudi
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) AWESOME INTERNS: Anna Wilson, Ariana Norton, Harriet Flitcroft, David Burley REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Arca Bayburt, Prudence Clark, Chelsea Deeley, Christie Eliezer, Matthew Galea, Emily Gibb, Jennifer Hoddinett, Tegan Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Sarah Little, 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, Aaron Streatfeild, Rod Whitfield, Anna Wilson, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address 100 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9212 4322 fax - (02) 9319 2227 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Kris Furst: accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121 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 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 follow us:
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THE BRAG
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Newtown Social Club Monday April 10
CORRINE BAILEY RAE Metro Theatre Sunday April 16
NIKKI HILL
Newtown Social Club Monday April 17
THE STRUMBELLAS Oxford Art Factory Monday April 17
ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES Metro Theatre Wednesday April 19
IN HIS ELEMENT
NEW CAREERS IN THE SAME TOWN
ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST
Hælos will be coming our way on their maiden voyage Down Under. After a massive year touring their debut album Full Circle all over the US and Europe, they played some of the world’s biggest festival stages (Leeds,
Reading, Coachella and Lollapalooza), and went on to perform a staggering 11 shows at SXSW. First turning heads in 2014 off the back of their debut single ‘Dust’, the trio gathered momentum in the years following, culminating with Full Circle reaching number one on the UK iTunes electronic charts. They’ll play Oxford Art Factory on Friday January 6.
NEW YEAR NOODLING
The Bamboos are back. Australia’s premier soul and funk outfit have announced that they will be holding a special New Year’s Eve show, so that lucky punters can send off the flaming garbage fire that has been 2016 in style. Better still, the group will be bringing along three very fine DJs in Frenzie, Meem and Paris Pompor. What kind of self-effacing boogier could say no to that? The Bamboos play The Basement on Saturday December 31.
THRASHING GOOD FUN
Thrash, Blast And Grind Festival might only just be getting started, but the debut iteration of the fest is already off to a solid start with a lineup that boasts both national and international heavy music acts. King Parrot are headlining, with Psycroptic, American death metal giants Revocation, Whoretopsy and Black Rheno following them up. Not to mention an as-ofyet unnamed local band who will kick off the madness in each city. Ours is going down at Manning Bar on Saturday February 11.
FEELING NEUROTIC
After celebrating their 30th anniversary last year, Neurosis are returning to our shores for more, announcing an Australian tour. The heavy music veterans are arriving in the wake of their acclaimed 11th studio album, Fire Within Fires. In their 30 years together, the California natives have been credited with influencing the likes of High On Fire, Yob and Mastodon. They’ll hit Manning Bar on Friday February 17.
Fanny Lumsden
FOLK FOR YOU
The 51st edition of the National Folk Festival, which takes over the nation’s capital for five days and nights, will attract some 200 artists to Exhibition Park – not to mention tens of thousands of music fans from around the country. After the initial teaser announcement, the festival has now confirmed its full first round of acts. Martha Tilston, a BBC Folk Awards nominee in the best newcomer category, leads the program, joined in the international contingent by Quebec’s Les Poules à Colin, Denmark’s Himmerland and America’s harmonica virtuoso Phil Wiggins (with The Backsliders’ Dom Turner), among others. Australia’s finest up-and-coming country singer, Fanny Lumsden, heads up a domestic lineup that also includes Claymore, The Spooky Men’s Chorale, Ami Williamson, Trioc, Low Down Riders and heaps more. The 2017 National Folk Festival runs from Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17 at Exhibition Park, Canberra. xxx
@TheBrag
Kim Salmon
Sunday January 8 will mark the 70th birthday of our lord and saviour David Bowie, and the first we will have to get through without him around to help us. To that end, all those Bowiephiles looking for somewhere to go and drink to commemorate his passing/celebrate his life would do well to hit up The Berlin Trilogy tribute show going down at the Enmore Theatre on Saturday January 7. The event will feature turns from some of Australia’s finest talents, including Kylie Auldist, Dave Graney, Kim Salmon and Ron Peno all paying tribute to the three albums Bowie recorded in Germany: Low, Heroes and The Lodger.
TURIN BRAKES
The master of the genre mash-up returns. Ludovico Einaudi is no stranger to Australian shores – or even the Sydney Opera House for that matter. But just because this will be his fourth time hitting up the House, that’s no reason to become complacent or to miss out: the man’s blend of electro and acoustic styles is genuinely hypnotic, and his upcoming show will feature deep cuts from his trance-like record Elements. The pianist achieved no small amount of viral fame this year, after a video of him playing the piano while fl oating ’bout the Arctic went international. Tickets are sure to go like hotcakes, so get on it, yeah? He’ll play the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House on Wednesday February 15.
MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: James Di Fabrizio SUB-EDITOR: Joseph Earp STAFF WRITERS: Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: David Burley, James Di Fabrizio, Harriet Flitcroft, Ariana Norton ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar
Slyfox Thursday November 24
The Strumbellas photo by Josh Goldman
moment I’m not really that moved by much in the rock world. Hip hop is becoming the last bastion for real dangerous, cuttingedge stuff, but I grew up on Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, 2 Unlimited, all that ’90s shit, and that’s bled its way into our music.
3.
JOEL LEFFLER
St Paul and The Broken Bones photo by David McClister
music news
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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10TH
SEA LEGS
+ SWEET JELLY ROLLS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11TH
JACKIE BROWN JR. + SPACE MONK
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13TH
THE STRIDES
LEVEL 2, 75 THE CORSO, MANLY WWW.HOTELSTEYNE.COM.AU | FACEBOOK/HOTELSTEYNEMANLY | @HOTELSTEYNE
JOEL SENA
EP/Artist Launch
"Sax drenched melodies. Infectious grooves. Honest songwriting."
SLYFOX 199 Enmore Road Doors 7.30PM FREE ENTRY
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live & local
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Harriet Flitcroft, David Burley and Ariana Norton
head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
songwriters’ secrets WITH The First Song I Wrote The first song I ever wrote 1. was a poem about anti-uranium
mining protests in the Kakadu National Park. I was nine. It was a kind of love song to the canopy and its musical inhabitants, the native birds. I remember it but I honestly haven’t thought about it in years. I mostly do write love songs now. The Last Song I Released My latest release is a track titled ‘A Place For Me’. It was originally written about an old friend of mine who arrived in Australia in the early ’90s as a refugee fleeing the war in Bosnia. It has taken on a more universal theme of displacement and references the Arab Spring and more specifically the Syrian refugee crisis. The brilliant pianist Andrew Bruce cowrote it with me with Miles Thomas on drums and Jarrol on bass,
2.
INÊS Simon Cohen engineering. You can stream it on Spotify and download it on iTunes. Songwriting Secrets I don’t think there are any 3. secrets – if you want to write, you
will. The practice and craft of art can always be improved but the desire has to be there initially. I hand write with a pen in a diary/ journal style, mostly in a stream of consciousness; I’m not concerned with rhyme. The words come first. Then I usually sing them a capella, playing with melodies until something flows and then take it to the band to harmonise and develop. The Song That Makes Me Proud 4. ‘Lungs’ would be the one that has
had the best response. It has a visual component to it, a film clip I produced with Virginie Laverdure,
so that may influence people’s perception. I developed vocal nodes on my larynx that forced me to stop singing, and in fact made me silent for three months – it forced me to see who I was without my voice, my livelihood and my sense of identity. ‘Lungs’ is about that time. The Song That Changed My Life 5. ‘The Other Woman’, written
by Jessie Mae Robinson and performed by Nina Simone. I can’t say if it’s the melancholy, the lyrics or Nina’s fierce tone. I go back to it to remind myself of integrity in songwriting, as an example of how to tell a story. I use it to connect to my solitude. With: James Bennett Where: Leadbelly When: Friday November 11
WALLIS BIRD
Irish treasure Wallis Bird is set to bring her songs of home all the way to Australian shores this summer. Home is the new album from this two-time winner at Ireland’s national music awards, the Meteor Awards, and it lands this Friday November 11. A singer-songwriter from County Wexford, Bird has now recorded five albums across nine years, so she’ll have ample material to share on her debut trip Down Under in December and January. Bird plays Newtown Social Club on Thursday January 12, and we’ve got two double passes to give away. Head to thebrag.com/freeshit to enter. The Smith Street Band photo by Kane Hibberd
The Smith Street Band
DEATH TO THE LADS
After a huge 2016, The Smith Street Band are refusing to relent, returning with their brand new single and a sprightly tour to boot. Penned on the road while driving through America, ‘Death To The Lads’ has crept into their live set and become an instant fan favourite with its call-to-arms chorus. “It’s mainly about growing up and changing. Admitting we make mistakes and trying to improve ourselves,” says frontman Wil Wagner. The video clip features The Smith Street Mums – AKA the mothers of each of the four band members, spending a day in the life of the boys from waking up in a share house to playing a sold-out show at The Rev in Melbourne. The Smith Street Band (not their mums) play the Factory Theatre on Friday November 25.
Elliot The Bull
RELEASE THE BEAST
Central Coast indie rockers Elliot The Bull have shared a new single called ‘Beast’, as well as tour dates, as they prepare to bring out their third EP. Formed in 2010, the fourpiece consisting of brothers Jake and Simon Dobson, Jared Drennan and Milan Savic are dedicated tourers, having played at festivals in Australia, New Zealand and China. They teamed up with ARIA Award-winning producer Lachlan Mitchell on their second EP, Dazed. The band is set to reveal one song a week from its upcoming five-track EP, also called Beast, and will tour during December. See Elliot The Bull at The Factory Floor on Friday December 16.
MORE DIESEL FOR THE ROAD
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LEGION’S LAST STAND
Legion Music Fest, the rock festival that first emerged after the untimely demise of Soundwave, has ended a difficult birthing period by confirming its 2017 debut will not go ahead. Legion Music Fest subscribers were alerted to the news in an email from the festival, which read: “The organizers wish to thank all Aussie metal fans for their continued support of the Legion project over the last 10 months. Due to a number of business considerations, we have made the decision to not proceed with the proposed launch of Legion Music Fest in January 2017.” In March, the initially crowd-funded festival had been confirmed for a debut instalment with a lineup featuring Lordi, DevilDriver, Devil You Know, Darkest Hour, Front Line Assembly and more.
GUESTS OF HONOUR
The Rob Guest Endowment Concert is set to light up Sydney again this year as the six Rob Guest Endowment Award finalists showcase their talent in the hope of taking home the highly coveted award of $20,000. The finalists will be joined by pop sensation Paulini, principal cast members from Aladdin, the Helpmann Award-winning Matildas Molly Barwick, Sasha Rose, Georgia Taplin and Bella Thomas, as well as 2015 winner Daniel Assetta and cast members from Dream Lover – The Bobby Darin Musical in a celebration of sound, colour and Australian musical theatre. Now in its eighth year, the Award seeks to recognise outstanding young stars and help them to become leaders in their field. The concert will be held on Monday November 14 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
BLOW BY BLOW
Blow’s second album is due to come out this Friday November 11, and the band recruited the help of a legendary rock producer to make it. Having worked with some huge acts over his time including Sex Pistols, Cold Chisel, INXS, The Screaming Jets and Mental As Anything, Aussie superproducer Steve James was called in to help record the new release. When I’m Gone continues to prove Blow’s love for the pub rock genre as they smash out gigs at RSL clubs and hotels all over Sydney, showing off their country-influenced hits plus a healthy amount of storytelling within each tune. Catch Blow as they launch the album on Saturday November 26 at the Sharks Leagues Club in Cronulla. thebrag.com
Diesel photo by Jesse Lizotte
Diesel
Fresh from being revealed as the opening act for Bruce Springsteen’s outdoor concerts in 2017, Australian singer-songwriter Diesel has locked in more solo dates. Having already played shows around the country with his band, Diesel’s next leg of the tour visits even more regional areas before returning for some select capital city shows. The upcoming sets will see Diesel perform stripped-back singles and deep cuts from his 15-album-strong career, as well as from his alt-country album Americana. Capping it off, Diesel has just released his latest video – a cover of James Taylor’s seminal track ‘Fire And Rain’. See Diesel at the Brass Monkey on Saturday November 12, the Bridge Hotel on Friday December 9 and The Basement on Saturday December 10.
A STICKY SITUATION
The three-day music and arts festival The Gum Ball will take place at Dashville once again, home to its fellow Dashville Skyline, PigSty In July and Thrashville festivals in the Hunter Valley. The Gum Ball is cozy, familyfriendly and BYO (but leave glass at home!). The festival focuses on developing an eclectic mix for its performances. Previous headliners include Custard, The Preatures and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. The 2017 party will spread over three days, and only one artist at a time will play on the main stage in order to keep the vibe chilled and relaxed. Things are getting sticky at The Gum Ball from Friday April 21 – Sunday April 23. The 2017 lineup will be announced on Friday December 16.
Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
THINGS WE HEAR • Is the A Day On The Green winery series set to go to a third country, after Australia and New Zealand? • Has the Country Music Awards erased a video of the Beyoncé and Dixie Chicks duet on ‘Daddy Lessons’ from the awards ceremony after racist comments were posted on its website? One comment about Beyoncé read: “That’s right folks. Beyonce performed at the CMAs last night and is on a mission to take country music away from us, hardworking
white people!” • Former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison’s band Vimic will tour Australia in the first half of next year. • At the final Jazz In The Vines concert in the Hunter Valley, a brawl broke out after police and security tried to evict a 24-yearold woman for punching another woman. Other people intervened. A 45-year-old man was charged with breaking the wrist of a male police officer after pushing him over, and spitting on a female officer and punching her in the face. He was capsicum sprayed. A number of others in the affray will be facing court.
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC EXPORT?
At a time when Australian acts are ruling the world stage, it makes sense that a study would be conducted to determine the economic and cultural value of Australian music export. The study in question, a collaboration between the music industry and academics from the University of Newcastle and Monash University, will be funded by the Australian Research Council, APRA AMCOS and the Australia Council for the Arts. It will be conducted over three years. Not only will the results be useful for the industry to know, but they will also be helpful in order to source government and corporate investment.
Lifelines Ill: Michael Bublé is putting his career on hold to look after his three-year-old son Noah, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Engaged: tour manager Luke ‘Boo’ Johnston proposed to publicist Cat Clarke onstage during Mariachi El Bronx’s set at the Gasometer in Melbourne. In Court: Alien Ant Farm guitarist Terry Corso pleaded guilty to assaulting a fan in Chester. In Court: Billy Corgan lost a legal battle to take over TNA Wrestling, which he is now president of, from its major shareholder. In Court: an 18-year-old Sunshine Coast man who plans to study music at college next year got a lesson in behaviour at gigs. As a band was packing up after a gig at the Solbar, he kept harassing them, then punched a security guard who told him to get out, and lashed out at police when they arrested him. He was given a 12-month parole order, banned from the bar for a year and must pay the bouncer $650. Sued: DJ Steve Angello by New York DJ/producer Junior Sanchez, who says he was offered five per cent of Size Records and US$3,000 a month in 2008. He worked there as a business development exec and says he never got paid. Died: former Black Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch, at 59, cause not known. Died: US country songwriter Claude ‘Curly’ Putman, 86. His best-known songs included ‘Green, Green Grass Of Home’ (Tom Jones), ‘D-I-V-O-R-C-E’ (Tammy Wynette) and ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ (George Jones). Died: Justin Nichol, founder of Zed Vegas Bookings agency and mentor to Western Sydney hardcore bands, cause unknown. Died: US jazz bassist Bob Cranshaw, 83, best known for his work with Sonny Rollins. Died: French electronic music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey 87, lung cancer. His ‘Baroque Hoedown’ was a classic, and his work appeared in ads as well as The Simpsons and South Park.
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• 5 Seconds Of Summer’s Sounds Live Feels Live World Tour, which covered four continents during an eight-month span in 2016, grossed US$39 million after selling 743,906 tickets to 102 shows. • Melbourne band Dream On Dreamer have overcome a disaster on their current European tour. Just before their Milan show, someone broke into their van and stole belongings, gear and, worst of all, their passports. As a result, they were stranded in Milan and forced to cancel three shows. But fans rallied around: an $8,000
crowdfunding campaign raised $7,819, they were able to get replacement passports and they were able to pick up the tour in Prague. • Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack and his wife Juliet Simms were reportedly involved in an on-flight altercation that ended up with her being taken away by the FBI. • Four out of the fi ve categories for Mullum Music Festival’s Youth Mentorship Program were won by up-and-coming female musicians from the New South Wales Northern Rivers region. It’s a big plus in a year where gender
As APRA AMCOS head of member services Dean Ormston points out, “With the right investment, Australia could set its sights on becoming a net music exporter. This research will seek to provide evidence of the far-reaching economic and cultural benefits generated by Australian music export.” The Australian Council for the Arts’ director of music Paul Mason says the research will demonstrate the impact of cultural funding on music export: “The project will deliver empirical results that can be used by government and industry to plan and support the Australian music sector well into the future.”
PROMOTER CHUGG SUPPORTS ROAD CREWS
TAYLOR BEATS ADELE AS HIGHEST-PAID WOMAN IN MUSIC
A hot topic at the Association of Independent Festivals’ Festival Congress in Cardiff, Wales, was that two festivals this summer trialled pill-testing. Of the 200 who tested At Secret Garden Party, brokered with the local police and council, one in four disposed of their drugs after discovering their contents. The second festival involved was Kendal Calling, whose spokesperson said, “Any police force that thinks you can have zero tolerance at a festival is deluded. You can’t stop drugs getting into a prison, so you’re not going to be able to stop them getting onto a festival site. We needed to look at what we could do to mitigate that.”
Taylor Swift has beaten Adele to become the highest-paid woman in music. According to US business magazine Forbes, Tay-Tay earned US$170 million from June 2015 to June 2016. Adele was second with $80.5 million, and Madonna third with $76.5 million. The rest of the top ten included Rihanna ($75m), Beyoncé ($54m), last year’s leader Katy Perry at sixth place ($41m), Jennifer Lopez ($39.5m), Britney Spears ($30.5m), Shania Twain ($27.5m) and Céline Dion ($27m).
The Australian Road Crew Association has landed another benefactor. Michael Chugg’s company Chugg Entertainment is the first promoter to donate five cents per ticket sold at its shows. This follows Air Supply donating proceeds from their tour this year. ARCA’s mission to raise money for road crews in distress has no government funding, and is working with Support Act Ltd.
UK FESTIVAL CONFERENCE ON DRUG TESTING
equality at festivals has been a hot topic. They are each set to perform for 20 minutes at the festival, Thursday November 17 – Sunday November 20. • The next Muse album might be acoustic, they hint. • According to online bookies, Jessica Mauboy is the $5 favourite to represent Australia in next May’s Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev. Delta Goodrem is at $7 and The Veronicas at $7.50. Flume is way down at $12, Empire Of The Sun at $12, and AC/DC, John Farnham and Jimmy Barnes are at the bottom at $101.
SMITH STREET BAND SET UP LABEL
Melbourne’s DIY crew The Smith Street Band have set up their own record label, Pool House Records, in partnership with Remote Control Records. Inspired by Remote Control and Poison City (whose founder Andy Hayden they cite as a mentor), the idea is to make the band even more independent, and to help friends in other bands. Pool House takes its name from their Footscray headquarters where many of the band’s videos were shot. The first label release is the single ‘Death To The Lads’.
RESEARCH: WA MUSIC BIZ WORTH NEARLY $1B
Research by Perth’s Edith Cowan University for Western Australia’s peak music association WAM found that the state’s music industry is worth nearly AU$1 billion to the WA economy. It directly creates almost 3,000 full-time jobs, and accounts for wages of $149 million. WAM’s CEO Mike Harris said considering the figures only represent those listing this industry as their primary profession, the total impact would in fact be much higher. The report also found that the WA music industry is an integral contributor to new employment.
FLUME, ADAMS MAKE SPOTIFY’S UNDER 25 LIST
Flume made it to number ten in Spotify’s global 25 most influential names under the age of 25, while rising pop singer Joel Adams was at spot 16. The list –headed by Shawn Mendes – also included names like Ariana Grande, Chance The Rapper, Justin Bieber, Martin Garrix, Demi Lovato, Glass Animals, Selena Gomez, Fifth Harmony, DNCE and Kelsea Ballerini.
MORE CHARTS FOR TMN
Australian music trade publication The Music Network has launched a new crossplatform music chart and hit predictor. The new Australian Singles Report is the first in Australia to combine radio and streaming plays, digital sales and video plays, while the service also analyses predictive data from streaming services like Spotify, Pandora and Shazam to predict future hits. Publisher Mark Dalgleish said: “Chart data is useful for identifying trends and making decisions on when and where to release or play a single, book a tour, or focus marketing.”
UNPLANNED PREGNANCY? WE CAN HELP.
AAM ANNOUNCES NEW HEAD, MENTOREES
The Association of Artist Managers (AAM) has appointed Queensland-based Leanne de Souza as executive director. Currently running the Rock And Roll Writers Festival and a foundation board member of peak music association QMusic, her roster of current and past clients includes Thelma Plum, The Medics, Kate Miller-Heidke, Stringmansassy, George and Katie Noonan. She was executive programmer for Bigsound and a lecturer of music business at Griffith University, TAFE and JMC Academy. “Managers are the unsung heroes of the business – their ability to nurture artists and traverse a complex industry makes them vital,” she says. The AAM Mentor Program, in partnership with APRA AMCOS and Face The Music, has chosen six young managers to be awarded a six- to 12-month mentorship. Those receiving the mentorship from Melbourne are Adrian McGruther (manages Gordi), Louise Cuming (Lanks) and Tim Shiel (Braille Face) while the two from Sydney are Mark Smithers (Patrick James) and Eva Trifonas (Ku ka).
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COVER STORY
THE RUBENS
B R O T H E R S 10 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
I N
C H A R M
BY ANNA WILSON
O
ver the last five years, The Rubens have proven themselves a living embodiment of that classic Kelly/Carmody lyric, “From little things, big things grow”. They’re the little acorn that fell from the tree, rolling out and away from their humble country town beginnings to plant their roots and blossom into a mighty oak of musical achievement.
Last year alone saw their second album Hoops catapulting the five-piece to the top two of both the ARIA and iTunes charts, before they marched out across the country to win legions of fans on a sold-out 22-date national tour. The album’s title single was certified platinum and topped the triple j Hottest 100, captivating even more followers with their resonant blues rock sound – no small feat for a band from a sleepy town like Menangle, population 877. And that’s part of The Rubens’ massive appeal: the Margin brothers Sam, Zaac and Elliott are small-town boys who spent their younger years jamming in their bedrooms with their childhood friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Never did they conceive of music as a serious career path, nor did they have any issues with being around family so often.
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“WHEN YOU EXPECT TOO MUCH OF IT, YOU SET YOURSELF UP FOR A FALL. IT’S KIND OF NICE TO GO IN AND JUST PLAY.” As if a colossal regional music festival in Forbes wasn’t enough to whet their collective appetite, The Rubens are also about to be busy with a series of free shows around the country sponsored by Corona. “Corona’s been doing these music events for a while – The Preatures and Cloud Control, they’ve raved about the tour,” says Elliott. “You get to play these small venues you don’t normally get to play and they’re packed out with fans who just want to have a good time. “As a touring band you need the charge to make a living, eat, pay rent. If you get a chance to play these free shows, you snap it up. People are going to be there for a good time. People say, ‘22 shows is so many, how are you going to do it?’ but I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to get on the road.” There’s something wonderfully refreshing about the awe in Elliott’s voice as he discusses the reception the band receives these days – he’s neither cynical nor self-deprecating, ecstatic nor dumbfounded; he’s seemingly an observant and thankful member of a very lucky collective. “As a band, we’ve been playing for fi ve years and we’re getting better at working the crowds than when we first started. We were pretty shit – we practised the songs two or three times each and expected we sounded good. Slowly but surely, we realised how wrong we were. We got better at working the crowd, changing the dynamic of the set. We’ve learnt a lot as a band in fi ve years. It’s nice to think you’re getting tighter as a band as the years go on.” If there’s one crucial lesson The Rubens have digested, however, it’s the importance of taking nothing for granted. “Pretty much every show, you go in with expectations. You’ve this expectation it’s going to be the best gig of your life just because of the size of the venue or the crowd – then you don’t sell out or fi ll up. Then you have gigs in a town or country you’ve never been and you don’t expect anyone to show up, and suddenly you’re sold out. There’s not many gigs where you get what you’re expecting. I think when you expect too much of it, you set yourself up for a fall. It’s kind of nice to go in and just play, go from there and sit back and think about it afterwards.” Just last week, the band released an acoustic EP to complement the deluxe edition of Hoops and celebrate what’s been a watershed year. In true Rubens style, the acoustic recording was a no-frills affair. “Will just set up a home studio in Camden; a DIY set-up in an old World War Two bunker,” explains Elliott. “We always used to jam there and he fi nally got around to doing that – we thought, ‘Let’s whack some songs together and see how it sounds.’ “It’s not so much acoustic – we’ve got to stop saying that, because it’s [more like] a strippedback EP; us in an echoey room playing together, DIY-ing as we go. We’ve never recorded drums in there, and set up for a couple of days and worked on weird sounds, redoing a demo [‘Trickle Down Effect’] which hadn’t been released. It was fun to fl ex [our] muscle again.”
“I don’t think any of us thought we’d do this as a career, just a hobby,” says keyboardist Elliott. “For us it’s something we did in our bedrooms as a hobby, not thinking it would be a job or career, then five years after that, that’s all we’ve done – write and play music. I almost feel guilty sometimes when I think about it, because I know there’s people who that’s all they want to do and they don’t get that lucky break we had, which is a shame – we just kind of fell into it. “We [brothers] get along really well. We’re lucky we’re not Gallagher-esque in our relationship – for us it’s been beneficial growing up together, there’s no surprises. We’ve slept in bunk beds and we’ve got Scotty and Will who help break it up so the Margins don’t smother each other. On the road, you’re constantly in each other’s faces and in close quarters, and in some ways it’s nice to have an experience of the people you’re doing it with.”
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It’s The Rubens’ humility and appreciation of their position and success (which hasn’t come without hard work, of course) that draw people to them. Then there’s the maple syrup sound of their music: it’s sweet and rich, running onto your listening palate in the most satisfying of ways. Now, The Rubens are set to appear at the regional New South Wales music festival Vanfest, and it’s with a great deal of excitement that Elliott talks of their being on the bill. “Playing a regional show is cool because you get to bring music to smaller communities, so you get fans that are super excited to see you and excited to have a good time. You see that in the crowd – a lot more high energy. People appreciate bands that come out with live music because they don’t come as often.”
It seems that nothing but the apocalypse would stop these boys, because as Elliott reveals, The Rubens will also be writing and recording into the New Year. “We have some things on the cards, but mainly for us, it’s going to be writing and recording the next record. We’re always trying to write on the road – any time we have some time off, we try and work on the next project. We’re going to bunker down and get into recording some new material and start the whole thing again.” What: Vanfest 2016 With: Angus & Julia Stone, Dead Letter Circus, Drapht, Vera Blue and more Where: Forbes Showgrounds When: Friday November 25 – Saturday November 26 And: Also appearing at the Beach Road Hotel on Thursday November 10, Coogee Bay Hotel on Friday November 11 and Clovelly Hotel on Sunday November 27 More: Hoops (Deluxe Version) out now through Ivy League
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Kingswood A Long Way To The Top By Anna Wilson
“LET’S SEE IF WE CAN’T MAKE SOMETHING CONNECT AS FAR AS OUR TAKE ON ROCK’N’ROLL.”
I
n the never-ending battle for rock’n’roll success, it’s inevitable that a band will do what it’s got to do to get where it wants to be. It’s a battle that Melbourne boys Kingswood are not only fighting, but one they’re winning. After the release of their 2014 debut Microscopic Wars, Kingswood embarked on an incredibly successful national tour, selling out some of the country’s biggest venues as well as spreading their reach off the beaten path. With the release of their new single ‘Creepin’, Kingswood are set to hit the road again this month for a string of nationwide shows – but not before they’ve made an attempt at international domination. Speaking from a media event in New York City, lead guitarist Alex Laska finds himself rubbing shoulders with industry magnates, but thinking all the while of being elsewhere. “I’m in a really weird place, I’m moving to another place where it’s quieter,” Laska bellows into his phone. “The brand H&M, they’re doing a collaboration and there’s a launch in NY with Ice Cube rapping. It’s pretty surreal to be here and see him. It’s not really my thing… it’s a long story as to why I’m here. I’m standing next to a Jonas brother – it’s a really weird little corner to get into.” Evidently, the lifestyle of the touring musician is not always what Kingswood expect it to be. They work hard and play hard, but as Laska explains, their hearts are on the stage, even
Birds Of Tokyo It’s The End Of The World As We Know It By Anna Wilson
And as a true sign of the times, the new album is laced with subtle political messages, as bassist Ian Berney explains. “I read a great quote from [MC Solo of] Horrorshow who says he feels artists have a responsibility to write about the world we live in. [The album is] about pointing out what’s wrong and unfair, never about jumping on some Trumpbashing bandwagon – but the more people that are, the better.” For the first time in Birds Of Tokyo’s career, Brace represents new music that’s been written around a visual landscape, and designed to be performed live. “Birds have quite often written music first and put lyrics in last,” explains Berney. “Not to discount anyone’s contributions, but starting off with a visual approach and wanting those ideas to influence the sounds – the more we discussed these things as a band, the more the record wasn’t going in the direction
“NOW IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO NOT USE OUR MUSIC TO SHINE THAT KIND OF LIGHT.” 12 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
of a calming folksy album. The whole conversation really honed in on an identity for the songs with a semipolitical landscape.
creative starting point, current affairs, and staying true to their traditional sound, all the while bringing something audibly fresh to the table.
“Songs were being created and ideas thrown around from a very different place. It wasn’t a live place – nine out of ten bands when they form, you begin as a live band and worry about becoming a more experienced studio band down the line. [2013 album] March Fires had a slower atmospheric sound, and even all the talk to tear it back down to bring it back up again, it feels like that kind of idea is more suited to the Brace idea we’re doing right now. It was more about what would work better in a live environment, it was more about building a show and have the song support that, rather than putting out a record and worrying about how we’re going play it live. The roles were reversed.”
“Everything came from a fairly visual place,” says Berney. “When the guys are messing around with synth sounds, you’re like, ‘Woah, that sounds like something out of Neverending Story or Blade Runner, and you kind of put yourself in an ’80s world, and we’re like, ‘Hang on, we don’t want to write an ’80s record.’
With an end-of-days mood pervading each of the ten tracks, Berney agrees there may be certain subliminal messages around the band’s political leanings attached to the electronic ’80s feel of Brace. “I guess the ‘end of days’ thing was probably influenced by the sci-fi sounds and movies that we’re referencing. It’s not leaning on anything dystopic as bands used to do, but it gave us a world where we could apply conversations of the day. “Flick on the telly and it’s about same-sex marriage, animal abuse, people’s rights, Sydney lockout laws, things happening to the music industry, things directly affecting our work. We’ve all listened to a lot of politically charged music, but never felt we needed to raise a flag and put ourselves in a cult of that kind of artist. Now it feels like it would be irresponsible to not use our music to shine that kind of light.” There was a lot for Birds Of Tokyo to consider in writing the album: a new
“We’re going to great lengths to give it a 2017 version of Birds – [Brace] is defo the best record because of how naturally it has come. I could talk to you in three years’ time and we could be putting out a record completely different to this. There’s nothing more frustrating than other people thinking they have you figured out. While this new record may be more in favour with people who liked our earlier stuff, it still feels like completely new territory for us, for the worlds we combine together – the natural rock band and the countless hours spent on design and studio wizardry.” As Birds Of Tokyo bring together the past, present and future, and switch up both their writing process and the influence behind their work, the scene is set for their most electrifying tour yet. “We’ve built some incredible visuals,” says Berney. “We’re really trying to do justice for the songs, picking out venues – trying to get into venues like Metro City [in Perth] where you can get in people’s faces much more. We’re gonna work on delivering both the new stuff and the old stuff.” What: Brace out now through EMI Where: Enmore Theatre When: Friday December 16
Birds Of Tokyo photo by Mclean Stephenson
T
here’s nothing quite like a band that really strips back a new release to prove it hasn’t forgotten the roots of its original sound. Brace sees Australian rock stalwarts Birds Of Tokyo do just that. The dark and dystopian record embraces a more heavy and urgent attitude, focused around the history of sounds that made Birds Of Tokyo one of the country’s most popular contemporary rock bands, while adding a little synth flavour reminiscent of the ’80s.
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if their promotional trips overseas see the Melburnians flexing their muscles a little. “We’re having a bunch of meetings to get our new album out here [in North America], setting things up, all that sort of thing,” says Laska. “We’re touring Canada with July Talk doing about seven or eight shows before we go on the Australian tour. We’re essentially opening for the Canadian equivalent of us and we get to do a run of the new album. I’m super excited and all the shows are sold out. Let’s see if we can’t make something connect as far as our take on rock’n’roll.” Kingswood’s interpretation of the genre has proven to be fresh yet moody, and ‘Creepin’ captures the darker sides of the mind, portrayed with psychedelic guitars and soothing vocals – a juxtaposition of innocence and darkness. “It stems from the darker corners of my mind, really, which is something that’s unique to put out to the general public, for me anyway,” says Laska. “I guess it’s reflective. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite stylised – the basis of it is the darker aspects of higher desires, stemming from a place where you’re in a position of desire and you kind of bypass the nice stuff and go into the… I don’t know, sadistic? It’s the more sinister and sadistic parts of your mind that can twist things that appeal to you and the things you may or may not want to do in regards to it … This is the darker part of the corners of my mind.” So how does Laska get to a point where he feels he must voice this dark side? “With the new stuff, I dunno, I wrote a lot of it in NYC because we were living here this time last year. I was in a relationship with someone and I went through phrases and words that connected with me on an emotional level, and I feel like it’s the sort of thing that will make sense to someone eventually, to someone who may or may not hear it.
“Putting things together phonetically, if it made sense I constructed the melody around it. Once I get something that’s emotionally connective, I’ll kind of link it into a nice grouping of phrases that feel musical to me. Like lyrics from The Beatles, that immediately moves people, and I wanted the same sort of aesthetic, the same experience from a lyrical base. And from there melody came naturally, the songs wrote themselves. That was the process – it makes sense to me as a creative process to do it this way [rather] than the way I used to do it.” The fans will soon get a taste of this material with November’s national tour. And yet, Kingswood have already honed themselves as stellar performers, achieving great things through opportunities like supporting AC/DC on their most recent outing. “It’s really surreal,” Laska says. “Every time we’ve done something for a well-known or established act like AC/DC, when you get out there it’s incredible. “When you finally engage with the reality of what you’re doing, it’s hard because it’s an opportunity you’ve dreamt of since you were 14 years old, then once it takes place, you realise what you’re doing and you fall back into the habit of saying, ‘Crap, this is one of the biggest days of my life – there’s a lot of people here.’ But you fall back into the comfort of being a musician and you say, ‘Wow, that was super rad.’ It’s such a weird experience from the start to the end.” Recollecting how far Kingswood have come leaves Laska somewhat stumped, and as an afterthought, he adds: “All this stuff is really exciting – as awesome as the international stuff is, you just love going home and playing to the people where you’re from.” Where: Imperial Hotel When: Thursday November 17
ROLLING STONE
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BLACK OPAL Includes “ Helluva Lot” & “ Rivermouth”
NOVEMBER ALBUM LAUNCH Wed 16, Newtown Social Club, Sydney Fri 18, Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong thebrag.com
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Shining Bird The Long Road Behind Them By Emily Gibb
A
s history has it, after Midnight Oil toured outback Australia for several months in 1986 playing to and connecting with remote Aboriginal communities, the band’s experiences manifested into 1987’s Diesel And Dust. Fitting, then, that Shining Bird listened to that iconic album en route to shows between Adelaide and Alice Springs last month. “We listened to a lot of Midnight Oil in the desert,” says keyboardist Russell Webster. “Diesel And Dust is a classic desert album, and being out there, the rhythms and the space of it made so much sense.” With their sound equally worthy of road-tripping through Australian landscapes, Shining Bird’s own experiences somewhat paralleled those of the Oils. Chatting from their South Coast hometown of Austinmer, Webster is still pensive about the encounters they had while playing in the middle of the country last month. “[It was] incredible,” he says. “It was probably the most special tour we’ve ever done. None of us had ever been out there before … there’s nothing like it, really. We’d heard it was a special place that we had to visit, and I just don’t think anything really prepared us for how special it is around Uluru in particular. I think even a hardcore atheist would have a hard time not being moved out there. It’s just a feeling out there. It’s actually not even so much about the rock, it’s more about the atmosphere.”
From Wollongong to Uluru, the first half of their tour for new album Black Opal not only had Shining Bird driving 90 hours straight through the middle of the country, camping out along the way, but most signifi cantly, it saw them connect with Uluru’s Mutitjulu community. For anyone who has followed their music, it’s easy to imagine how signifi cant such an experience was for Shining Bird – potentially the most rewarding they’ll have in their whole career. “I reckon hands down,” Webster agrees. “I don’t think a soldout worldwide tour would even compare to having that kind of experience. Luckily we were invited out there to play a show for the elders, and that was the most interesting kind of reception that I think we’ve had. I think it was more of a cultural exchange than just playing a show to an audience. It defi nitely felt like a lot of the lyrics resonated in a different way when we played them in that setting.” The respective releases of their 2013 debut Leisure Coast and now Black Opal have clearly established Shining Bird’s Australiana aesthetic, alongside a solidification of their social purpose, both as a band and as individual artists. Having previously collaborated with notable Australian talents across video clips and shows, Shining Bird’s interaction with the Mutitjulu people resulted in another collaborative performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art last month. “It was another kind of bizarre part of the whole thing,” says
Webster. “Sarah Dalby did the sand drawings for us and she was like the liaison to the outside world. [Saha Jones] who was working out there – who invited us out there – she was asked to curate an event at the MCA, and so she came up with this idea of trying to recreate what happened and also to bring Sarah to the city … she’d never been out of the community before. “That was first time she’d seen the ocean. It was incredible, really. She took it really well. She didn’t seem stunned, she was just more like a child just looking and staring at everything and pointing and laughing. It kind of makes you look at everything in a different way when you’re with someone like that. She was kind of just standing out there at the MCA looking at a huge cruise ship. She didn’t even really have a way of describing the ocean; it was just, ‘That’s big water.’ Mutitjulu’s a lineage of 6,000 years, which is the oldest culture in the entire world. It was great, it was an honour.” As Shining Bird commence the second half of their tour, also on the horizon is a nomination for Best Live Act at the National Live Music Awards this month, and a slot at Newtown Festival. However, the medium-term focus is working on new music. “We’ve got a lot of songs that didn’t really fi t on Black Opal that we’re going to get stuck into next year,” says Webster. “We’re going to go away somewhere and just try and work hard, spend more time actually making music than talking
about it or thinking about it,” he laughs. “Just get more productive! It’s just important to get away from where we live – even though we live in paradise, somehow being in a different place allows your mind
to do something slightly different.” Conveniently for the band, however, the tour will conclude in Thirroul, the neighbouring town to Austinmer – a date that will be all too welcome
“WE’RE GOING TO GO AWAY SOMEWHERE AND JUST TRY AND WORK HARD, SPEND MORE TIME ACTUALLY MAKING MUSIC THAN TALKING ABO
Puscifer Maynard’s Got The Money By Augustus Welby following the inspiration,” he says. “So if there’s something that seems inspiring to us now, we have to recognise that as being where we are now. The same things might not have been inspiring us or tilted our ear five years ago, two years ago. You just have to remain true to your intuition and think, ‘This is inspiring me in this moment, so it must be where I am today.’” Keenan is the figurehead and driving force behind Puscifer, but both Money Shot and the band’s live show are enhanced by the personalities and ideas of a number of other contributors. The most notable of these are Round and multiinstrumentalist Mat Mitchell. “[Mitchell] and I work off each other very well,” says Keenan. “A lot of the stuff that comes up on the records has to do with [the process where] I have an idea or a certain rhythm in mind or a particular paint palette I’d like to pursue, and he might’ve just gotten some new gear or something he’s found. So he’s playing around with his new toys and I’m playing around with whatever idea is bumping around in my head, and we bring those together and see where they meet.”
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Coming four years after its predecessor, Money Shot ties together the various characteristics displayed on the band’s earlier records. There remains a strong focus on electronics, but it sounds
very much like the work of a band and features copious interplay between Keenan and co-vocalist Carina Round. There is some lyrical humour, but on the whole Keenan seems more interested in offering
social commentary and philosophical musings. “Like everything we do, it’s about being in that moment and listening to various ideas that we all have and
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Puscifer photo by Robin Laananen
I
t’s 12 months since the release of Money Shot, the third album from the Maynard James Keenanled Puscifer, and now the band has announced some Aussie tour dates for early next year.
From the outset, Keenan has been intent on distinguishing Puscifer from his other two bands, Tool and A Perfect Circle. The significant presence of Round’s vocals goes a long way towards achieving this. “She’s an amazing writer and amazing vocalist to begin with, but when you look back at other things that I’ve done, most harmonies have been my voice stacked on my voice,” Keenan says. “That starts to paint
Joel Leffler Quenching The Thirst By Natalie Rogers
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t’s now only days away from the release of his new single ‘Love Thirsty’, and the Shire’s own Joel Leffler couldn’t be happier. “If I’m not out gigging, I’m in the studio till two in the morning,” he says, sounding remarkably cheery despite the early hour. “On top of that I’m still working full-time, so sleep is last on my list at the moment.” His upbeat attitude is infectious, which explains why he’s on a mission to spread his style of pop-infused funk across the airwaves. “When I was a teenager I remember pretending I was on a radio show interviewing myself – that was the only way I could get myself to sleep. I’d imagine being discovered and being interviewed about new music – that’s how I got my kicks. And now that everything seems to be becoming reality, it’s pretty exciting, to be honest.” But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the hard-working singersongwriter. Starting out young, Leffler says he’s had his fair share of hard knocks. “I was given my first guitar when I was 13. My dad would teach me chords and different things, and I would try my hand at songwriting, but it wasn’t until I was about 18 that I started feeling a little more confident about what I was doing.”
after hundreds of hours of travel in a van. “Oh yeah, it’s amazing! There’s literally no drive home, just walk home. The gear can stay down there until the next day!” Webster chuckles.
UT IT OR THINKING ABOUT IT.”
What: Black Opal out now through Spunk Where: Newtown Social Club With: Solid Effort, S M Jenkins When: Wednesday November 16 And: Also appearing at Newtown Festival 2016, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Sunday November 13
With Leffler playing mainly rock and blues music back then, soon heavyweights of the Australian music scene began to take notice, and the artist found himself as the special guest of several major acts. “I was playing for some pretty decent names in the industry like Diesel, Wendy Matthews and Ian Moss, but then I hit a spot where everything just kind of stopped,” he says. “I did nothing for a couple of months and I started questioning myself, so I just put music to one side and decided not to worry about it any more.” Leffler was living life away from the spotlight when a series of personal issues sparked the inspiration he needed to pick up the guitar again. “That kicked off a ridiculous amount of new ideas and I started feeling more confident about myself again, and I did a run of ten shows between April and May this year.” It was around this time Leffler started listening to different kinds of music, and that would be the catalyst for his new sound. “I started listening to X by Ed Sheeran and it opened my mind to a whole new world of songwriting. Instead of writing with the guitar in hand, I started writing down lyrics and the melodies that I had in my head. Then when I had the opportunity to
get to the piano or a guitar, I already had an idea of what I wanted the sound to be – it changed the direction of my songwriting.” Fast-forward to 2016 and Leffler has signed a deal with Sydney’s Foghorn Records, alongside finishing work on his second EP with the help of Sony Music Australia’s in-house engineer and ARIA-nominated producer, Peter Holz. “I’m so lucky I got to work with Pete Holz – he is a killer!” Leffler says. “We laid down these tracks on the electric guitar. These songs have the pop sensibilities of Ed Sheeran with the electric funk of Bruno Mars, so it’s kind of a unique mix. “I just want to start building on this new sound and my career. I’m 26 now, and I started when I was 18, so it’s been eight years of work. I’ve been put in situations where I had to sink or swim. I’ve learnt to take some hard lessons and turn them into a positive thing. Now I just want to get out there and play as much as I can.” What: ‘Love Thirsty’ single launch With: Josh Johnstone Where: Brass Monkey When: Thursday November 17
“I’VE BEEN PUT IN SITUATIONS WHERE I HAD TO SINK OR SWIM. I’VE LEARNT TO TAKE SOME HARD LESSONS AND TURN THEM INTO A POSITIVE THING.”
“‘WHAT IS PUSCIFER?’ IS WHAT PUSCIFER IS. TO STAY TRUE TO THAT, WE ALLOW IT TO EVOLVE.” a particular waveform, because my voice has spikes and valleys and when you layer them those spikes and valleys become more prominent. But when you add the second or third vocal like Carina or Juliette Commagere and you start adding those other waveforms in, they tend to smooth out those peaks and valleys and so you have another chord, another harmony, another feel altogether.” In the time since the album’s release, Puscifer have done a couple of North American tours and made their first trip to Europe. They’ve kept an open mind regarding the shape and character of the Money Shot material. “[The shows] definitely nod to what the records sound like, but we definitely let them evolve live,” says Keenan. “Although, there is an electronic element that can hinder it, but then if we want to expand on that we’ll remove or change those elements according to our whims. Performing it live, it has to have a pulse, it has to have a living, breathing feel to it, otherwise we’re just regurgitating the album.” Indeed, the Puscifer live show is designed as an immersive and unpredictable experience that involves much more than just a run-through of the recorded songs. In recent times they’ve been touring with Luchafer, a Mexican-style wrestling performance group that specialises in comedic, dramatic wrestling. Luchafer will join the Australian tour as well. “Quite a bit of our music is written from the place where we live, the Southwest, so that’s our landscape for the most part,” says Keenan. “A lot
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of the concepts are from here. Just like wine expresses a terroir, we’re hoping to have these songs express a particular region. In these regions we have a lot of local flavour and the luchadores are part of those flavours.” Puscifer has been Keenan’s major focus over the last ten years, taking in three albums, three EPs, two live records and a whole lot of touring. He’s often described it as more of a performance piece than a standard rock’n’roll band, and it remains an outlet for creative exploration. “‘What is Puscifer?’ is what Puscifer is,” he says. “To stay true to that, we allow it to evolve. You have to, otherwise you just become a commodity. We want this to be something different every year, evolve with the weather. “At the end of the day, if you’re successful in this, you’re considered to be an entertainer and so people expect you to entertain them in the way that they have grown accustomed to you entertaining them. But I think there’s some freshness that should come along with that. That’s not easy to maintain, that happy medium of not just being a carbon copy of yourself and yet not going so far outside of what you do that it’s unrecognisable from where you started. That’s a very delicate balance to strike, so in a way Puscifer provides me with that goingtoo-far project, and I can always default back on my other two projects to maintain where I came from.” What: Money Shot out now through Puscifer With: Luchafer Where: Darling Harbour Theatre When: Wednesday January 25
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Sam Joole On The Road Again By Joseph Earp
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or many musicians, touring is a straight-up slog: a barrage of deadlines met and missed, all toiled away at under the shadow of iron-clad itinerates. And yet singer-songwriter Sam Joole is the exception to that particular rule, a performer who relishes every single moment he is out traversing the wide open road. “I love touring,” the Sydneysider says. “I seem built for it. I seem to live much better on the road. When I come home, I usually go to pieces, eat badly, stop practising and become a sloth. But when I’m on the road everything feels right. Isn’t it meant to be the other way?” Joole’s relish for the rigours of touring is particularly surprising given he usually travels solo. The blues- and Americana-influenced music he plays is often carried simply by his striking voice and some nimble guitar-picking, and he has nobody else to stop him from withdrawing too far into himself when he’s travelling from country town to country town.
Abbe May
Perhaps his humble, committed work ethic is to be expected – after all, Joole is currently living the life he
Time To Fight By Adam Norris
I
n 2013, Abbe May glimpsed the end of the road. The prospect of enjoying a near-death experience might be unfamiliar to most, but for May – who these days happily calls Fremantle and the Western Australian music scene her home – a trip to the emergency room brought with it a strange affirmation. Having bounced back from the seizures that could have killed her, May has been able to assess her life and art from an entirely revitalised perspective. “I’m glad it happened,” May says without missing a beat. “I really like where I’m at now; I like that my mental and emotional processes now are very solid. I’ve learned that I have an amazing support network. It really is like being thrown in the deep end and learning how to swim. I did have a few very dark moments where it came close to the end of my life. And I was lucky. I could choose to reach out and get support for that, which was vital. “I live in a nice mezzanine apartment on my own about three minutes from the beach, and I basically spend my time writing and learning to play piano, developing my guitar and songwriting skills. It’s a pretty recreational kind of time for me – lots of yoga to keep my head together. I read this thing how there’s this massive sharp spike in anxiety in people post-9/11, and I think it’s a real thing. I think the world is a really scary place, and it blows my mind. I try to keep myself light on the booze, and heavy on being healthy. I have no intention of falling apart – not when I have an album to make.” The experience in question was the culmination of a shock to her nervous system. May collapsed with severe seizures, and in a strange twist of fate, it happened right beside where she is currently sitting enjoying her lunch. She has come a long way from those fragile days – days where the prospect of moving forward
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“I HAVE NO INTENTION OF FALLING APART – NOT WHEN I HAVE AN ALBUM TO MAKE.” seemed both unrealistic and unwelcome. May styles them as dark times, yet from that she has found a perhaps unsurprising reservoir of strength. It has so far produced two singles from her forthcoming album in ‘Doomsday Clock’ and ‘Are We Flirting?’ – songs that are poles apart thematically, yet manage to represent the scope of what she is trying to achieve. “I had a couple of years there where I was defi nitely drinking too much and self-destructing. I had a physical nervous breakdown on the heels of all the work I was doing, and I started to see links between the external world and my own internal world – concepts like the Doomsday Clock, which was created by atomic scientists decades ago as a way of measuring the onward march towards the ultimate destruction of the planet by nuclear war, or climate change. And I think my own near-death experience, and the depression that rose from the ashes of that, led me to pretty dark, near-life-threatening actions and thoughts. “But it eventually made me realise there’s a macro and a micro, and there are a lot of parallels, so I became very interested in my external world to fi nd a way to fi x myself internally. It’s been pretty successful. So the Doomsday Clock is an interesting concept, especially since they’re not talking about it in terms of hours [from catastrophe] now – they’re talking minutes, which I think is partly why people are having such strong, anxious moments recently. It’s strange times.”
If anything, this lends an air of urgency to May’s ambitions. With her life settling into place again – her mind and intentions clear – she is obviously an artist with a lot to say, and a great deal of backedup energy to say it. For us, all we have to do is kick back and wait. “I think there are two or three more songs to work on. Not all of them will make the final cut. I [released] ‘Flirting’ and ‘Doomsday’ because, well, I’d been out for quite a while recovering. It’s been a long time, so I wanted to throw a few songs out there just to see the lay of the land. Particularly in Australia, we’re looking at how different the response is from certain songs compared to, say, Europe. I’ve deliberately thrown out some very different sides of the record. My producer and I are both quite dedicated to delivering a cohesive record rather than a collection of different elements, which is what I think I’ve done with every other album. Even though ‘Flirting’ and ‘Doomsday’ sound quite different, I think once we put them all together it’ll make a lot more sense. “The music I’ve released is not particularly flattering to me,” she continues. “There are songs that are bitter. I’m not painting myself in a very noble way, and I think people can relate to that. None of us are always noble. We have noble moments. I look back on my catalogue, and I’m fine with it. I’m happy with the choices I’ve made, and the personality traits I’ve ever had to tame, or the drives and desires I’ve had to embrace. And people connect with that, because we all know that we’re flawed, and we don’t want to be alone with that.” If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 46 36. With: Mike Noga Where: Newtown Social Club When: Thursday November 17
“Even on the odd occasion I do other things, I usually feel like I’m just gathering songwriting material,” he explains. “I didn’t come from a specifically musical family or a showbiz family of any sort. But it wasn’t unmusical, either – my parents had a wicked vinyl collection and mum made us all take piano to grade three. She also made us all go and see shows and musicals. Dad was well into rock’n’roll and blues and was always getting good music going at parties. Me and my brothers jammed out on guitars a lot.” That extensive musical background means Joole has a hearty range of influences, and though the music he makes might be easy to categorise as typical rock’n’roll, the sources from which he draws his talent and tone are incredibly varied. “When I was 11 I went through a lot of hard metal bands and then started getting into punk. Eventually I settled on The Cure as a favourite and it’s still the case. But as I grew up I started getting really into folk, people like Bob Dylan, but I was also pretty hit by grunge. I also went through a big trance and drum and bass phase and still listen to loads of electronica.” Joole’s jumbled, wide-ranging tastes go a long way to explaining his scheduled performance at an upcoming iteration of Xan Müller’s ever-popular event series,
Sleigh Bells Mad As Rabbits By David James Young
D
erek Miller has a very different origin story to most working within the realm of electronically oriented indie rock and pop music. While many of his peers were trying to get into the cool clubs or chase hype on the blogosphere, Miller was attending matinee punk shows and packing into sweaty rooms full of psyched-up hardcore kids. As a key early member of heavy Miami band Poison The Well, Miller spent his teens and early 20s as a purveyor of down-tuned riffs and persistent brutality – a world away from what he would be doing with Sleigh Bells upon their formation in 2008. “There are definitely parts of hardcore that I miss,” reflects Miller. “Those were extremely formative years – we were just young kids from Florida trying to make something of ourselves. It was a difficult task, but we were able to make a lot of memories. I still love those guys, and I still think even some of the material holds up. That whole time in my life is still something I carry with me – Ryan [Primack], who was in Poison The Well with me, is our production manager and our touring guitar player. Even with all that said, I was glad to get out of it. “Your fans can turn your first record or your demo into a cage for you. If you expand outside of that sonically, you get called a bomb and a sell-out. You get your tyres slashed. I’m in this for the music, and with hardcore there’s a lot of baggage. With Sleigh Bells, there’s no fist fights at our shows – and they’re actually excited when we try something new.” Miller and singer Alexis Krauss are
days away from the release of their fourth studio album as Sleigh Bells, entitled Jessica Rabbit. It arrives just over three years removed from their previous LP, Bitter Rivals, and marks a considerable change of pace for a band that more or less hit the ground running following its debut, 2010’s Treats. As Miller testifies, letting the ideas build up and marinate in their own time ended up working wonders – despite the urgency of the music itself, it doesn’t always have to be delivered on a rapid-fire basis. “As soon as we got on the bus for Bitter Rivals, I was writing and coming up with ideas,” he says. “I didn’t stop writing and working until June this year, so we had a lot of material to draw from. Up until that point, we’d had a pretty rapid rate of production – we put out three albums over four years. Initially, we thought that the momentum would reflect in the music itself. Reflecting on Bitter Rivals, however, I really feel as though I should have spent more time on it. I feel like I should have worked harder on my craft of production and songwriting. “With Jessica Rabbit, I really busted my arse. I learned my way around the technical side of things a lot more. That’s not always a good thing – you can definitely find yourself in a position where you overthink these things. In the case of this record, however, I really feel as though spending more time on it proved to be a lot better for it.” The dynamic between Krauss’ multi-faceted vocals – from sweetly serene coos to authoritative shouts
“WITH HARDCORE THERE’S A LOT OF BAGGAGE. WITH SLEIGH BELLS, THERE’S NO FIST FIGHTS AT OUR SHOWS – AND THEY’RE ACTUALLY EXCITED WHEN WE TRY SOMETHING NEW.” thebrag.com
Abbe May photo by Thom Perry
Not that Joole really minds. “It can get very lonely and weird sometimes but you just get used to it,” he says. “I keep my spirits up by writing songs, taking cool photos, videos and journal entries about the travels and reaching out to local artists and people for new and fun conversations.”
has always lusted after. Ever since he was a child, music has played an important part in his world, and he sees writing songs as a way to truly express himself.
“WHEN I COME HOME, I USUALLY GO TO PIECES, EAT BADLY, STOP PRACTISING AND BECOME A SLOTH. BUT WHEN I’M ON THE ROAD EVERYTHING FEELS RIGHT.” Surveillance Party. Though many of the acts on the bill perform electronic music, Joole is deeply connected to the other musicians playing; linked to fellow party-starters like cyber-punk act No Illuminati through both a deep sense of camaraderie and a shared desire to push genre boundaries. “[I] was introduced to Surveillance Party [through] No Illuminati, topnotch friends of mine. We’ve known each other forever and supported each other musically a lot. I’m so excited because the way they throw parties is exactly how I roll with creative energy.” What: Surveillance Party With: No Illuminati, Royalston, Nam Shub Of Enki, La Vif and more Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Saturday November 12
– and Miller’s buzzsaw guitar fuzz has always been instrumental to what makes Sleigh Bells a unique force within contemporary pop music. For Miller, it’s never been about fitting into a certain sound or aesthetic. If it feels right as a Sleigh Bells song, then that’s what it’s going to be. “Without wanting to oversimplify it to an obnoxious degree, I work until I’m psyched on the sound I’m pursuing,” he says. “That goes for everything that I have a hand in – the guitars, the synths, the beats I’m incorporating. When the blend of those three starts to become recognisable as Sleigh Bells, I know that I have something. That’s when I’m on the phone to Alexis, or on the phone to my friends that I share this sort of thing with. That’s all I’ve ever pursued as a songwriter – I’ve been doing this since I was 13 years old, and I’m now 35.” Touring in support of Jessica Rabbit is already under way, with hopes for the band to return to Australia in 2017. However, don’t expect Miller to be getting too crazy at the afterparty – these days, he’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow as best as he can. “When we came off the road for [2012 album] Reign Of Terror, I was treating myself pretty terribly,” he says. “My life was not without joy – I had some great memories from that tour – but I was drinking heavily and doing a lot of hard drugs. I really wasn’t taking care of myself. This was well beyond any chasing of the party lifestyle, too – I was straight-up seeking oblivion. I made a lot of changes in my life, and I feel like I’m maintaining it to the best of my abilities. Truthfully, I’ll always be a self-destructive person. Still, I have a better handle on myself. It’s nice to have a bit more clarity in my life.” What: Jessica Rabbit out Friday November 11 through Sinderlyn/ Remote Control
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arts in focus
free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Ariana Norton, David Burley and Harriet Flitcroft
five minutes WITH
CONNIE ANTHES AND REBECCA GALLO FROM MAKE OR BREAK How will visitors be able to engage with the work on the day? We will be ‘floating’ the currency as the doors open at Artbank, choosing four individuals at random and explaining how they can use their currency. The rest is up to them and the people they make deals with! So if you see someone walking around in a gold T-shirt on the day, by all means go up to them and try to make an exchange.
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ell us about the work you’re developing for the Artist Flea Market at this year’s Artbank Social Club. Make or Break’s new work is called One Day Currency, and it involves floating four temporary ‘currencies’ that will remain in circulation throughout the day. Instead of coins or bank notes though, there will be four golden T-shirts that entitle the wearer to a series of free exchanges; for food, bespoke cocktails or special access to off-limits areas and experiences.
Whether or not each person chooses to ‘hoard’ their currency or give it away or trade it is completely up to the wearer, and that provokes some interesting questions. What unexpected modes of exchange can emerge in the space of a single day? Are there different ways to do economy? These are questions that Make or Break are interested in exploring: how value is generated, how markets work, how labour is valued and exploited. These forces can feel particularly arbitrary in the art world.
What do you hope people take away from the experience? An experience that might result in an examination of their own value systems, and their own power to change and influence these systems – perhaps even a sense of how fragile an economy really is. If folks are after something more tangible, we also have a book for sale for the low price of $20! The book talks about some of these ideas and documents an earlier project of ours called Make Or Break Studio, where we set up a live working studio in a
gallery for three weeks, with tools but no materials. Everything we had to work with was donated by our audiences while we worked around the clock, placing the focus on how the value of an artwork is constructed and how artistic labour is valued. How did you come to collaborate as artists? In the wake of substantial cuts to public funding of the arts in 2015, many of our peers were talking about how we felt undervalued in the community and we wondered if we could find a way to involve audiences in the unpaid, invisible labour we undertake every day as artists. It really did feel like a ‘make or break’ moment for the arts in Australia. Together we decided to try sharing that messy ‘behind the scenes’ world that exists for artists.
WATCH DOGS 2
Could you cut it in the shadowy world of hacking? What if the future of your very city was in your hands? Ubisoft adds to a growing franchise with the release of Watch Dogs 2 this Tuesday November 15 for PS4, XBO and PC. You’ll dive into the city of San Francisco – the birthplace of the tech boom – circa 2016, with lead character Marcus Holloway, a young hacker who encounters the dangers of a government-sponsored operating system that networks the city’s infrastructure. Your task: launch a hack like the world has never seen before, and spark a revolution to restore freedom to your fellow citizens. To celebrate the release, we’ve got fi ve copies of the game to give away for PS4. Enter the draw at thebrag.com/ freeshit.
What: Artbank Social Club 2016 Where: Artbank, Waterloo When: Saturday November 19
Jerry Seinfeld
The end-of-year improv contest, the Cranston Cup, is back with a Game Of Thrones-themed evening. The annual Theatresports grand final is just around the corner, and after two months of rigorous heats and semi-finals, the best Aussie improv comedy is on its way to the Enmore Theatre. The night guarantees to show off the best new teams from university leagues as well as veteran improv stars from around Australia, all competing for the iron(y) throne. As well as all that, Gep Blake and The Axis Of Awesome’s Benny Davis are set to provide some of their signature musical comedy and the evening will be MCed by Steve Lynch and Jane Simmons. Expect the unexpected on Sunday November 27.
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THE BEST OF IMPROV Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema
AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE
Fancy settling in for a classic summer picnic with a few mates while catching a movie? Head to Castle Hill Showground this January for the new season of Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema. Kicking off while summer’s at its best, the Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema will return in 2017, showing 20 movies throughout the month across an array of genres including new release action, thriller, comedy and children’s animation as well as a few throwback classics just for fun. Punters will be able to grab dinner and drinks on-site with food stalls, a fully licensed bar and the all-important candy bar all available. You’ll also be able to hire out beanbags for extra comfort on the night. Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema runs from Thursday January 12 – Sunday February 12. To see the full program with films like Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, The Accountant and Pretty Woman, visit sydneyhillsoutdoorcinema.com.au.
ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS
Never underestimate the voice of a woman who is determined to be heard. As women all around the world grow louder and louder in speaking about the issues they face daily, theatre has become more and more bold in exploring them, and Dacia Maraini’s Hurried Steps is poised to be one of the hardest-hitting commentaries of them all. Comprising ten true stories from women all over the world and written in collaboration with Amnesty International, the play is set to take Sydney stages at the end of November in conjunction with the
UN Women’s Campaign’s 16 Days of Activism and White Ribbon Day. Written to be performed as a staged reading, Hurried Steps presents shocking and often confronting stories of pain and abuse from women in Belgium, Italy, Jordan, the UK, Mexico, Nigeria, Tibet and Albania as well as a special addition for Australian performances. The hour-long play will be followed by a Q&A between a panel of local experts (including professionals) and the audience. Hurried Steps will play at the NIDA Playhouse on Friday November 25 and Saturday November 26, and the New Theatre on Sunday November 27.
Jerry Seinfeld is coming to Sydney on an arena stand-up tour, his first appearances in Australia since 1998. “I love the Australian attitude and personality,” he told The Herald Sun. “Australians are professional fun-havers. That’s the way I see Australians and that’s what comedy is. Let’s have some fun along the way around all of this other stuff that we have to do in life.” Globally known and loved for his eponymous sitcom about nothing, Seinfeld’s career took off in 1981 after his first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Eight years later, he teamed up with fellow comedian Larry David to create what was to become the most successful comedy series in the history of television: Seinfeld. He’ll play on Friday August 11 at the ICC Sydney Theatre.
If you’re like us and have a slight obsession with pretty, handmade gifts and all things oneof-a-kind, chances are you’re already on the lookout for places to turn upside down for that perfect Christmas gift. Well look no further, because Finders Keepers is coming to town once again. After touring Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, the market is coming back to the Australian Technology Park this December for its last stop on the spring/summer market calender, just in time for Christmas. With over 200 stalls, Finders Keepers might be just the place to find that stocking filler, Kris Kringle trinket or present for someone near and dear. The market will be at the Australian Technology Park from Friday December 9 – Sunday December 11.
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Mahana
WINDA FILM FESTIVAL
33 indigenous films from across Australia and the world will feature at the Winda Film Festival in Sydney this week. The opening night at Dendy Opera Quays will include a screening of Lee Tamahori’s Mahana, a period piece set in 1960s New Zealand (Aotearoa) and focusing on family and reconciliation. The remainder of the program is set around the theme ‘From the Four Directions’, screening highlights like Fire Song, Bonfire, Goldstone and Sparrooabbán at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter. Experience Winda from Thursday November 10 – Sunday November 13, with the full program online at windafilmfest.com.
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Finders Keepers photo by Mark Lobo
FIND IT, KEEP IT
A SHOW ABOUT NOTHING
The 25th Parkes Elvis Festival will hit New South Wales in January. The 2017 edition of the festival will take place over the King’s birthday and will feature headliners Jake Rowley and Pete Storm, two of the world’s biggest Elvis performers. The program will feature a themed Viva Las Vegas night on the Thursday, with the Friday night focusing on Elvis’ greatest live performances. Saturday will showcase Elvis: From Hollywood To Vegas, and the weekend will be wrapped up with a matinee performance of A Pair Of Kings. Budding Elvi will even have a chance to show off their own talents in the preliminary rounds of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition. The King lives from Wednesday January 11 – Sunday January 15 in Parkes. Visit parkeselvisfestival.com.au for full details.
arts in focus
Saving The Devils: A Film’s 45-Year Fight Against Censorship
FEATURE
[FILM] Satan And The Ratings Board By Joseph Earp
I
n early 1971, British director Ken Russell completed his masterpiece. A dark, profoundly surreal film about religious persecution and the infectious nature of insanity, The Devils was based in part on the novel The Devils Of Loudun by Aldous Huxley, though Russell injected Huxley’s carefully constructed narrative with his own trademark manic creativity and froth-mouthed madness. Being a hysterical film about hysteria, then, The Devils was always unlikely to be beloved by the British ratings board. And in any case, Russell had never enjoyed a particularly good relationship with such institutions – though his 1969 film Women In Love was both Oscar-nominated and commercially fruitful, its controversial male-on-male nude wrestling scene brought down a fair share of ire and consternation onto the work, leading it to be banned completely in Turkey. So no, given his history, Russell mustn’t have expected a warm reception from censors. But The Devils wasn’t merely trimmed or tutted at by the classifications board – it was straight-up mauled, not only by the board but also the studio that had commissioned the film in the first place. It wasn’t simply The Devils’ sexual content that so incensed those who saw it, nor even its violence. The Devils shocked precisely because of its openly, flagrantly sacrilegious tone. After all, the work is less a film than it is a dark, satanic text, and a deliberate attempt to inspire intoxication and insanity in its audience. The film’s demonic intent comes to a particular head in the ‘rape of Christ’ sequence, a scene that sees Jesus Christ “debased”, as Russell himself put it, and one that lays plain the director’s triple-headed desire to shock, scintillate and seduce. Indeed, as far as Russell was concerned, the ‘rape of Christ’ was the film’s “crux”. It was his spearhead, an unremittingly bleak visual condensation of everything the movie was about. But needless to say, such artistic concerns mattered little to the ratings board or to Russell’s studio. His film wasn’t re-edited – it was gutted, and that infamous scene was watered down. But it wasn’t just that one sequence that was so trimmed. As Craig Lapper notes in his fantastic essay on the butchering of the film, ‘The Censors, The Studio And ‘Cutting The Orgy In Two’’, the British Board
THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS VERSIONS OF THE FILM AVAILABLE ON THE HOME VIDEO MARKET OVER THE YEARS, NONE HAVE CONTAINED ALL OF THE MATERIAL CUT BACK IN 1971. of Film Classification (BBFC) had an extraordinarily lengthy series of cuts it wanted made. Lapper quotes the letter the censors initially sent to Russell in February 1971, a document that would be profoundly amusing in its po-faced Britishness if it weren’t so constrictive. Cuts
imposed by the BBFC included, “The removal of all sight of excrement on the Mother Superior’s leg after the enema is administered,” and “a reduction in the mime sequence to remove ‘dildo sucking’ and ‘red crotch’ shots”, among numerous other slashes.
The process was even worse in the United States. After undergoing heavy snipping, the film was initially released under the dreaded X rating, a tag often associated with outright pornography, before being further hobbled down into an R rating. As film critic and passionate The Devils scholar Mark Kermode has noted in one of his many essays on the film, Russell said studio executives and censors had “really let me have it”. In that way, the mistreatment of The Devils perfectly set the stage for the moral fervour and restrictive censorship that would unfold in the ’80s, another mass panic centred around the new wave of violent horror films being released on videotape. That said, it is the ongoing restriction of The Devils that sets it apart from the so-called ‘video nasties’ that would follow in the decade after its release. Even today, some 45 years after it was butchered, a full cut of The Devils is still an elusive, mysterious beast. Though there have been numerous versions of the film available on the home video market over the years, none have contained all of the material cut back in 1971: even the excellent two-disc edition of the film recently released by the British Film Institute does not contain all the material ripped from the work.
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Nonetheless, in response to all that restriction, a not inconsiderable thebrag.com
amount of resistance has emerged. Over the last few years in particular, the film has become a hotly contested topic, with a #FreeTheDevils hashtag circulating and Russell’s own widow, Lisi Tribble, vocally defending the work. Lauded horror director Guillermo del Toro has weighed into the fight as well, railing against “the powers that be at Warner Bros. that refuse to allow the movie to be seen”. And despite the fact he has been supporting the film for decades now, Mark Kermode has remained an impassioned, tireless voice in the debate, organising screenings and releasing television documentaries and video blogs about the censorship. And for good reason. Films much more violent than The Devils have seen release, and sexualised content is no longer the shocking exception to the rule it was back in the ’70s. So why is the full cut of the film being denied release? The answer, sadly, points to unabashed, unadulterated moral policing. In that way, the full release of The Devils isn’t about pleasing cinephiles. It’s about ethics. It’s about resisting any organisation that aims to decide what is and is not appropriate for the masses. And it’s about intellectual freedom, plain and simple. More: facebook.com/freethedevils
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arts in focus
5.
Japanese Film Festival [FILM] Next Generation Cult Favourites By Margarett Cortez
T
he world of Japanese cinema is about to descend on Sydney thanks to the 20th edition of the Japanese Film Festival. The program is a diverse one, spanning drama and action to romance and anime. Japanese film is also a favourite of cult cinephiles around the globe, and with such a reputation in mind, we asked JFF program coordinator Margarett Cortez to select her seven next generation cult favourites of the 2016 lineup.
1.
2. and serious version of GTA gone (more) wrong. But if you let the enigmatic characters pull you in and drag you below the surface you’ll find that the film tells us a few things about society, mass hysteria and media frenzy.
THE SUN
The Sun is a beautifully composed, quietly riveting film about survival and the status quo. We don’t see very many recent Japanese films tackle social issues the way they did in earlier Japanese cinema (’50s – ’70s). The Sun reminds me of these earlier films. The post-apocalyptic world it paints is fresh and different from Hollywood counterparts – instead of a deserted city or an abundance of metal and neon lights, theirs is set within the lush unkempt vegetation of the mountainside.
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HIME-ANOLE
Hime-Anole starts off as a pleasant rom-com of sorts. But the tone shifts halfway through and that’s when insanity ensues. There’s blood,
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Female director Yukiko Mishima uses haunting, poetic visuals to paint a dark and intense portrait of youths at the cusp of depression. But instead of being actually depressing, the film actually manages to be playful, albeit sinister at times. Plus points for the cool soundtrack by Japanese rock duo Glim Spanky.
violence, sex, and all these other things that mainstream Japanese cinema tends to shy away from. If you’re a fan of twisted movies and plot lines, then you’ll enjoy this.
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NIGHT’S TIGHTROPE
DESTRUCTION BABIES
Destruction Babies is an indiestyle grunge flick that’s easy to misunderstand. It’s ultra-violent and raw – we’re talking fist fights and street brawls, not blazing guns. The premise of the film doesn’t make sense at first glance; it’s like a dark
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HK2: THE ABNORMAL CRISIS
It doesn’t get any more ridiculous than a university student who fights crime with the help of a pervy alter ego whom he summons by putting a pair of knickers over his face. HK2: The Abnormal Crisis ticks all the boxes that make a good superhero comedy film, with the advantage of being written by Japanese scriptwriters. Even though the protagonist is dressed like Borat, it’s not as cringeworthy as you may think. Everything’s so absurd it’s just funny.
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SETO & UTSUMI
Seto & Utsumi is the most interesting film you’ll see about nothing in particular. It’s straightforward: two high school kids talking about this and that for 75 minutes straight. If Richard Linklater (mumblecore) and Hirokazu Kore-eda (slice of life) had a baby, it would be this film.
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PINK AND GRAY
It isn’t exactly something that we’ve seen in Japanese cinema so it’s hard to describe, but it’s a film that revolves around fame, relationships and someone’s death.
It’s like Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s 2LDK crossed with Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, injected with a bit of testosterone. Pink And Gray is by arthouse favourite Isao Yukisada (probably best known for Parade and Go). Cool cinematography, mysterious characters and a really unpredictable plot. What: Japanese Film Festival 2016 Where: Event Cinemas George Street / Art Gallery of New South Wales When: Thursday November 17 – Sunday November 27
Sakdiyah Ma’ruf [COMEDY] Laughter Across Cultures By Anna Wilson
I
n a world as messed up as ours, it can sometimes be hard to find anything to laugh about – never mind if you’re a Muslim woman thinking about providing humorous release for the masses. And yet, Sakdiyah Ma’ruf is just that: a hilarious Indonesian comedian intent on finding the light in adversity and releasing tensions across the globe via her unique comedic stylings. Ma’ruf grew up watching US-based comedians and decided to use the same medium to talk about issues plaguing her own country. Television producers have requested she censor her jokes, but Ma’ruf, who believes comedy mirrors a culture’s hypocrisy, has refused to be silenced. Thanks to her admirable defiance, Ma’ruf has been invited to deliver the Sesquicentennial Inaugural Chaser Lecture at Sydney Town Hall this month – an opportunity she could never have conceived of in her younger days. “I participated in a school competition where they asked each class to perform a sketch and I ended up second place out of three contestants, and that was the beginning,” she remembers. “I never imagined becoming a comedian – I didn’t know why I was encouraged and motivated to participate in that contest, it was just meant to be I guess.” Ma’ruf’s career has escalated rapidly over the last few years, ever since she drew inspiration from one artist in particular. “I saw Robin Williams live on Broadway in 2009 and it was a life-changing moment,” she says. “My whole life was passing before my eyes. I grew up watching Seinfeld, Full House, many US sitcoms without knowing that this was the path I could choose for my life. “Watching Robin Williams performing, it all made sense to me. I had to try it out. The linguistic aspects of stand-up because I studied English, the rhetoric and the message hiding behind it, and all different kinds of performance relies on a single performer speaking in front of a large audience – it’s fascinating, it’s inspiring. I realised you 20 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
can actually say those things out loud, offending all these people without being too aggressive or harsh about it. It’s beautiful in many ways. It’s not fine art, it’s not poetry, but it feels like poetry to me.” With a set that focuses on largely controversial topics, mostly pertaining to Ma’ruf’s religion and the global perception of Muslims, the tone of her comedy looks to give a gentle poke to the irony of Ma’ruf’s position as an Islamic stand-up. “It’s largely ironic, because myself being Muslim, wearing the hijab is in itself ironic,” she says. “At the Chaser Lecture I’m not sure I can go too political, in the sense that I’ll discuss current issues, but I don’t think I’ll go down that road [too much]. “I’ll talk about things that are more personal. Because a Muslim woman in Australia, solo, in a hijab and joking, is in itself ironic. One of my favourite jokes to warm up, that I may or may not do, is I like to start out, ‘Thank you for having me, you have no idea what operations I have gone through in appearing before all of you – I shaved my legs, I got a haircut and you can totally tell!’ People cannot tell, because I’m fully covered! Irony.” Ma’ruf’s brand of comedy certainly comes from an unusual place, making her a great fit for a Chaser event. “I think it’s diversity,” she says. “I couldn’t call myself unique, but I think if I’m looking at it from a global context, people are on one hand more accustomed to different voices, to diversity, but on the other hand, people are getting more divided. “I would hope that one of the reasons they’re inviting me is because they consider me to be a medium for dialogue – how a Muslim women at a high-profile event with [a] more political tone in a way provides a privilege not only for me, but for Muslim women in Australia, Indonesia, the world; that they’re acknowledged as having a voice. And hopefully I’ll be able to bridge dialogue only by standing there.” What: The Sesquicentennial Inaugural Chaser Lecture and Dinner Where: Sydney Town Hall When: Thursday November 17
thebrag.com
out & about
arts review ■ Magic
DYNAMO
Queer(ish) matters with Arca Bayburt
Reviewed at Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday November 5 For the first time ever, Australian audiences had the chance to bear witness to the mind-boggling mastery of Steven Frayne. Thanks largely to the success of his own show Dynamo: Magician Impossible, the world has become familiar with Dynamo’s ability to shock and amaze.
My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend: The Problem With Language
R
ecently I heard a woman say the phrase, “my girlfriend’s boyfriend”, and I must admit I entered a state of confusion for a few minutes. I wasn’t sure how to contribute to the conversation. I automatically assumed this person must be polyamorous, have multiple partners, or just be really open and evolved or something.
Whether you’re one of the six million people who have seen the ‘God In Disguise’ video, in which Dynamo walks across the River Thames, or you stared at your TV in disbelief as he floated in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, or you prefer seeing him trick and bewilder his famous friends like Noel Fielding, Travis Barker or Tinie Tempah, it’s easy to see why the Bradford-born magician has mass appeal.
I was wrong. She was just using the word ‘girlfriend’ to describe a platonic friendship. I feel like anybody under the age of 50 should be banned from using the word ‘girlfriend’ in the platonic sense. It’s an unnecessary distinction. Guys don’t call their mates their boyfriends, why do women do it?
Transforming the stage inside Sydney’s impressive Qudos Bank Arena into a giant IMAX screen gave the street magician extraordinaire the opportunity to showcase his grand-scale illusions such as levitation and mind reading, as well as his gamut of card tricks and sleight-of-hand – or “small, intimate miracles” – to the thousands of spectators who packed into the venue.
I’ve always found it slightly infantilising to hear young women talking about their girlfriends, like female friendship is whimsical but silly, stunted emotionally and devoid of much substance. Why must we make this strange distinction? I don’t get it.
Through the wonder of animation, we were transported back in time to where it all began for Dynamo, as a small boy being mercilessly bullied by kids on the Delph Hill estate in Yorkshire, where ball games were prohibited. The video chronicled his journey from being teased and pushed in the mud, to inventing his own games to keep himself amused, and to the time his beloved great-grandfather or ‘Gramps’ taught him to hone his skill for illusion to baffle the bullies, reinforcing his message that there’s a little magic inside everyone.
In any case, it can be confusing and can trip up the ol’ gaydar when a chick casually mentions her girlfriend in conversation, but so ambiguous is the term that we can’t immediately tell whether or not it’s just a friend or a romantic relationship. I always know when an older woman refers to her girlfriend to assume it’s a platonic thing. It just makes more sense, considering that the term to describe a female friend for younger people has now just become… friend. It makes using the word ‘girlfriend’ in a platonic sense seem quaint and outdated. Which it is. So I can forgive its use by older generations, but I can’t hide my disdain for a 20-something using the word.
Whether you’re a sceptic or a believer, a Dynamo show is a truly uplifting and awe-inspiring experience. A must-see for every underdog.
Now, I couldn’t figure out why, for the longest time, something so innocuous could bother me so much. I mean yeah, for the reasons I mentioned above, it could be confusing at times and lead to awkward social miscommunication – but I still couldn’t really get my head around why I couldn’t stop an automatic sneer of contempt from unpleasantly taking over my face in reaction to my straight 23-year-old co-worker saying she had dinner with her girlfriend last night. I felt like a judgemental twat, but I couldn’t help thinking less of her in that moment. My respect for her had diminished for reasons that seemed stupid, so I tried to figure out what it really was that bugged me about it. After some thought, I believe it’s because it is a word that has the unique ability to be both utterly benign and inoffensive but also erase the queer experience. It’s nothing malicious either – it’s not like the word ‘girlfriend’ is the homophobic rug we’re being swept under. It’s old language, so it no longer fits with contemporary society’s reformed views of what love and sexuality can be. Used in the platonic sense, the word ‘girlfriend’ inadvertently makes the assumption that no female person would ever use it in a romantic sense, as if romantic/sexual girlfriends don’t exist; they’re just friends! It’s an example of outdated language that doesn’t take into account the many social changes that have occurred throughout the years, and which now clumsily try to include people outside of the heterosexual binary. But if your mother still wants to use ‘girlfriend’ to describe someone in her yogalates class, then nobody’s going to stand in her way.
MCA photo by Jacquie Manning
Natalie Rogers
What's in our diary...
arts exposed
MCA’S 25th Birthday Weekend Museum of Contemporary Art, Friday November 11 – Sunday November 13
Newtown Festival
Newtown Festival photo by Adam Scarf
this week…
One of the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking arts institutions, Sydney’s own Museum of Contemporary Art, is celebrating its 25th birthday with a long weekend of fun. To mark the occasion, the MCA has commissioned four new interactive performance art pieces by Lauren Brincat and Bree van Reyk, Hossein Ghaemi, Jess Olivieri and Techa Noble, while Lyndal Jones will resurrect a famous work originally performed at MCA’s inception. Oh, and there’ll be cake.
On Thursday November 10, head over to The Shift Club for Bingay (gay bingo). The event is a fundraiser for ACON. Expect classic disco tunes, weird rules and penalties and a wide range of prizes. Tickets are available now.
On Friday November 11, Girlthing is celebrating its 100th party at the Imperial Hotel. There’ll be DJs, visual art and performances over two levels, with Hookie (Starfuckers), NatNoiz, Sveta, Bad Deep DJs, Matka, Cunningpants, Catlyfe, Betty Grumble and special guests Canned Fruit. Grab a ticket while you can.
On Sunday November 13, Newtown Festival kicks off a day of creative, vibrant and diverse community celebration at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. The festival actively supports the homeless in the Inner West through the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre. So donate at the gate and please give generously.
For the full weekend program, visit mca.com.au. Most events are free, but some are ticketed. thebrag.com
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 21
BARS BRAG
ADDRESS: 201 MISSENDEN RD, NEWTOWN PHONE NUMBER: (02) 9557 7280 WEBSITE: MISSPEACHES.COM.AU OPENING HOURS: WED – SUN 5PM-MIDNIGHT
bar
OF
MISS PEACHES SOULFOOD KITCHEN
Ash St Cellar 1 Ash St, Sydney CBD
TH
EK
B R A G ’ S G U I D E T O S Y D N E Y ’ S B E S T WAT E R I N G H O L E S
A Work In Progress 50 King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri noon-2am; Sat 5pm-2am
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WE
(02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri 8.30am-11pm
11am-midnight; Fri – Sat 11am-1am
The Attic 275 Pitt St, Sydney CBD (02) 9284 1200 Mon – Wed 10am-midnight; Thu 10am-1.30am; Fri 10am-3am; Sat noon1.30am
Grain Bar 199 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9250 3118 Sun – Fri noon-9pm
Assembly 488 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9283 8808 Mon – Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight The Australian Heritage Hotel 100 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 2229 Mon – Sun 10.30am-midnight Bar Eleven Lvl 11, 161 Sussex St, Sydney CBD (02) 9290 4712 Mon – Thu 4-9pm; Fri – Sat 4-11pm The Barber Shop 89 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 9699 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat 4pm-midnight
bar
Barrio Cellar Basement Level, 58 Elizabeth St, Sydney (02) 9232 7380 Mon – Sun noon-late Basement Bar Basement, 27-33 Goulburn St, Sydney CBD (02) 8970 5813 Mon – Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight The Baxter Inn Basement 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-1am Beta Bar First Floor, 238 Castlereagh St, CBD (02) 8599 8970 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri midday-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight
Tell us about your bar: Located in the heart of Newtown, Miss Peaches Soulfood Kitchen is a blues-infused Southern cocktail bar that serves up authentic homemade soul food and drinks. With a weekly live music lineup featuring some of the best Americana bands in town, Miss Peaches brings you the Southern American states’ most authentic watering holes without the 17-hour fl ight. Miss Peaches is a good time that’ll have y’all fi xin’ for more!
Bulletin Place First Floor, 10-14 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thurs – Sat 4pm-1am; Sun 4-10pm Burrow Bar De Mestre Place, Sydney 0450 466 674 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight
What’s on the menu? Miss Peaches serves up authentic soul food straight from the Deep South! We recommend:
The Captain’s Balcony 46 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 3526 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight
Starter: baked brie with toasted corn bread ($16) Main: Archie Rose white rye and honey brined brisket with a soft roll, pickles and red eye gravy ($24) Side: slow-cooked okra tomato ($8)
deVine 32 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 6906 Mon – Fri 11.30am-11.30pm; Sat 5.30-11.30pm
Care for a drink? Our signature drinks are our range of home-made sodas (all $5). These Southern-style soft drinks
are prepared in-house and include the ginger beer, melon-ade, sarsaparilla, Southern lemonade and mandarin soda. You have the option of adding a variety of spirits to your soda for an extra $5. Sounds: Miss Peaches has a vibrant and
diverse music offering, refl ecting the eclectic neighbourhood in which she lives! From live bands on Thursday’s Roadhouse Rockabilly night and Hootenanny Sundays, to DJs on Friday and Saturday nights, Miss Peaches has your dancin’ fi x covered. If you’re looking to hone your skills, stop by on Wednesday and Thursday for Sharon Hanley’s swing and rock’n’roll dance lessons. Highlights: Miss Peaches is home to some of the best blues, folk, bluegrass and rockabilly acts from around Australia. Our Southern roots can also be seen behind the bar, which features the largest US beer list in Australia! With its vibrant soul and quirky character, Newtown’s favourite lady is a Southern gem that you won’t fi nd anywhere else in town. The bill comes to: $58 includes a starter, main and side dish plus an alcoholic homemade soda.
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Easy Eight 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney (02) 9299 3769 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight El Camino Cantina 18 Argyle St, The Rocks Mon – Thu noonmidnight; Fri – Sat noon-3am; Sun 11.30am-midnight Frankie’s Pizza 50 Hunter St, Sydney CBD Sun – Thu 4pm-3am; Fri noon-3am
Grandma’s Basement 275 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 3004 Mon – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat 5pm-1am
Peg Leg Pyrmont 11a Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Pyrmont Mon – Thu 3pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 11am-midnight PS40 40 King St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern 199 Elizabeth St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight
The Fox Hole 68A Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 4369 Mon 7am-3pm; Tue – Fri 7am-late
Rockpool Bar & Grill 66 Hunter St, Sydney CBD (02) 8078 1900 Mon – Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm
The Grasshopper 1 Temperance Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9947 9025 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri noon-1am; Sat 4pm-1am
The Rook Level 7, 56-58 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 2505 Mon, Sat 4pm-midnight; Tue – Fri noon-midnight
Hacienda Sydney 61 Macquarie St, Sydney CBD (02) 9256 4000 Mon – Sun noon-late Harpoon Harry 40-44 Wentworth Ave, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 8800 Mon – Sat 11.30am-3am; Sun 11am-midnight Hudson Ballroom 53-55 Liverpool St, Sydney CBD Wed 5pm-11pm; Thu 5pm-1am; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 6pm-3am Kittyhawk 16 Phillip Ln, Sydney CBD Mon – Thu 3pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 3pm-2am The Lobo Plantation Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence St, Sydney CBD 0415 554 908 Mon – Thu, Sat 4pm-midnight; Fri 2pm-midnight The Local Bar 161 Castlereagh St, Sydney CBD (02) 9953 0027 Mon – Wed 7.30am-10pm; Thu – Fri 7.30am-11pm The Loft (UTS) 15 Broadway, Sydney (behind 2SER) (02) 9514 1149 Mon – Fri 2-11pm Mojo Record Bar Basement 73 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4999 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu 4pm-1am; Fri – Sat 4pm-1am The Morrison 225 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9247 6744 Mon – Wed 7.30am-11pm; Thu 7.30am-midnight; Fri 7.30am-2am; Sat 11.30am-2am Mr Tipply’s 347 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 4877 Mon – Thu 11.30am-10pm; Fri 11.30am-midnight; Sat 10pm-4am The Palisade 35 Bettington St, Millers Point 9018 0123 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat – Sun 11am-midnight
Gilt Lounge 49 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 0000 Mon – Fri 5pm-2am; Sun 5pm-midnight
Palmer & Co. Abercrombie Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Sun – Weds 5pm-3am; Thu 3pm-3am; Fri noon3am; Sat 4pm-3am
The Glenmore 96 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 4794 Mon – Thu, Sun
Papa Gede’s Bar Laneway at the end of 348 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 5671 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight
The SG 32 York St, Sydney CBD Tues – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight Shirt Bar 7 Sussex Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 8068 8222 Mon –Wed 8am-8pm; Thu – Fri 8am-10pm Since I Left You 338 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4986 Mon – Wed 5pm-10pm; Thu – Fri 4.30pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight Small Bar 48 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0782 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight The Smoking Panda 5-7 Park St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 4618 Mon – Sat 4pm-late Stitch Bar 61 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0380 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri noon-2am; Sat 4pm-2am The Swinging Cat 44 King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 3696 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Tapa Vino 6 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay (02) 9247 3221 Mon – Fri noon-11.30pm Tuxedo Bar 195 Gloucester St, The Rocks Mon – Fri noon-7pm Uncle Ming’s 55 York St, Sydney CBD Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 4pm-midnight York Lane 56 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 1676 Mon – Wed 6.30am-10pm; Thu – Fri 6am-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight
121BC 4/50 Holt St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 1582 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight Absinthe Salon 87 Albion St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 6632 Wed – Sat 4-10pm Arcadia Liquors 7 Cope St, Redfern (02) 8068 4470 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Bar Cleveland Cnr Bourke & Cleveland St, Redfern (02) 9698 1908 Mon – Thu 10am-2am; Fri – Sat 10am-4am thebrag.com
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Bar H 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 1980 Mon – Sat 6pm-11.30 Bellini Lounge 2 Kellett St, Potts Point (02) 9331 0058 Thu – Sun 6pm-late The Bells Hotel 1 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9357 3765 Mon – Sun 10am-1am The Beresford 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 8313 5000 Mon – Sun noon-1am Big Poppa’s 96 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sun 5pm-3am Black Penny 648 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9319 5061 Mon – Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Button Bar 65 Foveaux St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1544 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Café Lounge 277 Goulburn St, Surry Hills (02) 9016 3951 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sunday 4-10pm Casoni Italian Bar & Eatery 371-373 Bourke St, Darlinghurst Tue – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight
(02) 8399 1440 Tue – Sat 6pm-midnight
Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm
Gazebo 2 Elizabeth Bay Rd, Elizabeth Bay (02) 8070 2424 Tue – Sun noon-midnight
The Norfolk 305 Cleveland St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 3177 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Golden Age Cinema & Bar 80 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1556 Wed – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 2:30pm-midnight Goros 84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 0214 Mon – Wed 11:30am-midnight; Thu 11:30am-1am: Fri 11:30am-3am; Sat 4pm-3am Hinky Dinks 185 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6379 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 2-11pm Hollywood Hotel 2 Foster St, Surry Hills (02) 9281 2765 Mon – Wed 10am-midnight; Thu – Sat 10am-3am The Horse 381 Crown St, Surry Hills 1300 976 683 Mon – Thu noonmidnight; Fri 11.30am-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon10pm
Central Tavern 42-50 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3814 Mon – Sat 10am-2am; Sun 10am-10pm
Jangling Jack’s Bar & Grill 175 Victoria St, Potts Point Tue – Wed 4-11pm, Thu – Sat 4-1am, Sun noon11pm
Ching-a-Lings 1/133 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 3333 Wed 6-11pm; Thu – Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 5-10pm
Hustle & Flow Bar 3/105 Regent St, Redfern (02) 8964 93932 Tue – Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 2pm-midnight
The Cliff Dive 16-18 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst Fri – Sat 6pm-late
Li’l Darlin Darlinghurst 235 Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6100 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight
The Commons 32 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 1487 Tue – Wed 6pm-midnight; Thu – Fri noon-late; Sat – Sun 8:30am-late Darlo Bar 306 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 3672 Mon – Sun 10am-midnight Darlo Country Club Level 1, 235 Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 9380 4279 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 5pm-2am Dead Ringer 413 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3560 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-midnight Della Hyde 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Thu – Sat 5pm-late Eau-De-Vie 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst 0422 263 226 Sun – Fri 6pm-1am; Sat 6pm-midnight The Exchange 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 2311 Mon – Sun noon-late The Forresters 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Mon – Wed noonmidnight; Thu – Sat noon1am; Sun noon-10pm Gardel’s Bar 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills thebrag.com
Li’l Darlin Surry Hills 420 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills (02) 9698 5488 Mon – Fri noon-11pm; Sat 4pm-midnight LL Wine and Dine 42 Llankelly Place Potts Point (02) 9356 8393 Mon – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 11am-10pm The Local Taphouse 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 0088 Mon – Sun noon-9:30pm Love, Tilly Devine 91 Crown Ln, Darlinghurst (02) 9326 9297 Mon – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5-10pm Low 302 302 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9368 1548 Mon – Sun 6pm-2am Mr Fox 557 Crown St, Surry Hills 0410 470 250 Tue – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm Moya’s Juniper Lounge 101 Regent St, Redfern 0431 113 394 Tue – Sat 4pm-11pm; Sun midday-10pm The Noble Hops 125 Redfern St, Redfern 0431 113 394 Mon – Fri 4pm -midnight;
Old Growler 218 William St, Woolloomooloo 0458 627 266 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight The Oxford Circus 231 Oxford St, Darlinghurst 0457 353 384 Wed – Sat 7pm-3am The Owl House 97 Crown St, Darlinghurst 0401 273 080 Mon – Sat 5pm-late; Sun 5-10pm Peekaboo 120 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo 0403 747 788 Tue – Thu 4pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight Play Bar 72 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 0885 Tue – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight Pocket Bar 13 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9380 7002 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight The Powder Keg 7 Kellett St, Potts Point (02) 8354 0980 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4:30pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-midnight The Print Room 11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 Thu – Fri noon-midnight; Sun – Wed noon-10pm Queenie’s Upstairs 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Tue – Thu 6pm-late, Fri noon-3pm & 6pm-late; Sat 6pm-late Riley St Garage 55 Riley St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9326 9055 Mon – Sat noon-midnight Roosevelt 32 Orwell St, Potts Point (02) 8696 1787 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Rosie Campbell’s 320 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9356 4653 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 11am-midnight Shady Pines Saloon Shop 4, 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight The Soda Factory 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills (02) 8096 9120 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 5pm-3am; Sat – Sun 6pm-3am Surly’s 182 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3705 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Sweethearts Rooftop 33/37 Darlinghurst Rd, Potts Point (02) 9368 7333 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sun noon-midnight This Must Be The Place 239 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 8063 Mon – Sun 3pm-midnight
The Tilbury Hotel 12-18 Nicholson St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9368 1955 Mon 9am-10pm; Tue – Fri 9am-midnight; Sat 10am-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm Tio’s Cerveceria 4-14 Foster St, Surry Hills (02) 9368 1955 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Tipple Bar 28 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 0006 Mon midday-10pm; Tue –Sat midday-midnight Vasco 421 Cleveland St, Redfern 0406 775 436 Mon – Sat 5pm-midnight The Village Inn 9-11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 Mon – Sun noon-late The Wild Rover 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 2235 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight The Winery 285A Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 0833 Mon – Sun noonmidnight
Anchor Bar 8 Campbell Pde, Bondi (02) 8084 3145 Mon – Fri 5pm-late; Sat – Sun 12.30pm-late Bat Country 32 St Pauls St, Randwick (@ The Spot) (02) 9398 6694 Mon – Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Rd, Bondi Beach (02) 9130 7247 Mon – Fri 11am-1am; Sat 10am-1am; Sun 10am-10pm Bondi Hardware 39 Hall St, Bondi (02) 9365 7176 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri noon-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-8pm The Bucket List Shop 1, Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive (02) 9365 4122 Mon – Tue 11am-5pm; Wed – Sun 11am-midnight The Corner House 281 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 8020 6698 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 1pm-10pm Fat Ruperts 249 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 1033 Tue – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 2pm-midnight
Coogee Bay Hotel Mon – Thu 7am-3am, Fri – Sat 7am-6am; Sun 7am-midnight
Speakeasy 83 Curlewis St, Bondi (02) 9130 2020 Mon – Sat 5pm-11pm; Sat – Sun 4pm-10pm Spring Street Social 110 Spring St, Bondi Junction (02) 9389 2485 Tue – Sat 5pm-3am
Freda’s 109 Regent St, Chippendale (02) 8971 7336 Tues – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm
Stuffed Beaver 271 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 3002 Mon – Sat noonmidnight; Sun noon-10pm
The Gasoline Pony 115 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville 0401 002 333 Tue – Thu 5-11.30pm; Fri – Sat 3-11.30pm; Sun 3-9.30pm
Bar-racuda 105 Enmore Rd, Newtown (02) 9519 1121 Mon – Sat 6pm-midnight
The Grifter Brewing Co. 1/391-397 Enmore Rd, Marrickville (02) 9550 5742 Thu 4-9pm; Fri – Sat noon-9pm; Sun noon-7pm
Batch Brewing Company 44 Sydenham Rd, Marrickville (02) 9550 5432 Mon – Sun 10am-8pm
The Hideaway Bar 156 Enmore Rd, Enmore (02) 8021 8451 Tue– Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-1am
Bauhaus West 163 Enmore Rd, Enmore (02) 8068 9917 Wed – Thu 5-11pm; Fri 4-11pm; Sat 2-10pm; Sun midday-10pm
Hive Bar 93 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville (02) 9519 1376 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 11am-10pm
The Bearded Tit 183 Regent St, Redfern (02) 8283 4082 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Kelly’s On King 285 King St, Newtown (02) 9565 2288 Mon – Fri 10am-2.30am; Sat 10am-3.30am; Sun 11am-11.30pm
Blacksheep 256 King St, Newtown (02) 8033 3455 Mon – Fri 4pm-11pm; Sat 2pm-11pm; Sun 2pm-10pm
Kingston Public Bar & Kitchen 62-64 King St, Newtown (02) 8084 4140 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Bloodwood 416 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 7699 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Calaveras 324 King St, Newtown 0451 541 712 Wed – Sat 6pm-midnight Cornerstone Bar & Food 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh (02) 8571 9004 Sun – Wed 10am-5pm; Thu – Fri 10am-late; Sat 9am-late Corridor 153A King St, Newtown 0405 671 002 Mon 5pm-midnight; Tue 4pm-midnight; Wed – Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Cottage Bar & Kitchen 342 Darling St, Balmain (02) 8084 8185 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Jam Gallery 195 Oxford St, Bondi Junction (02) 9389 2485 Tue 4pm-midnight; Wed – Sat 4pm-3am
Deus Sydney Bar + Kitchen 98-104 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown (02) 9519 0849 Mon – Sun 8am-late
The Phoenix Hotel 1 Moncur St, Woollahra (02) 9363 2608 Tue – Wed 4-11pm; Thu – Fri 11.30am-1am; Sat 8am-11pm; Sun 8am-10pm
Different Drummer 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9552 3406 Mon 4.30-11pm; Tue – Wed 4.30pm-1am; Thu – Sat 4.30pm-2am; Sun 4.30am-midnight
The Robin Hood Hotel 203 Bronte Rd, Waverley (02) 9389 3477 Mon-Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-10pm
Doris & Beryl’s Bridge Club and Tea House 530 King St, Newtown Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 3.30pm-midnight
Selina’s at Coogee Bay Hotel 253 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee (02) 9665 0000 Selina’s Thu 8pm-midnight;
Forest Lodge Hotel 117 Arundel St, Forest Lodge (02) 9660 1872 Mon – Sat 11am-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Earl’s Juke Joint King St, Newtown Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm
Knox Street Bar Cnr Knox & Shepherd St, Chippendale (02) 8970 6443 Tue – Thu 4-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 5-10pm Kuleto’s 157 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 6369 Mon – Sat 4pm-late; Thu – Sat 4pm-3am Leadbelly 42 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 9409 Sun – Thur 4pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 4pm-1am The Little Guy 87 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8084 0758 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 1pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm Mary’s 6 Mary St, Newtown (02) 4995 9550 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm The Midnight Special 44 Enmore Road, Newtown (02) 9516 2345 Tues – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-10pm Miss Peaches 201 Missenden Rd, Newtown (02) 9557 7280 Wed – Sun 5pm-midnight Mr Falcon’s 92 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9029 6626 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm Newtown Social Club 387 King St, Newtown (02) 9550 3974 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-2am; Sun
noon-10pm
The Oxford Tavern 1 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham (02) 8019 9351 Mon – Thu noonmidnight; Fri – Sat noon3am; Sun noon-10pm Lord Raglan 12 Henderson Rd, Alexandria (02) 9699 4767 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm The Record Crate 34 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9660 1075 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Sat 2pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm The Royal 156 Norton St, Leichhardt (02) 9569 2638 Mon – Thu 10am-1am; Fri – Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-midnight Secret Garden Bar 134a Enmore Rd, Enmore 0403 621 585 Mon – Tue 7am-5pm; Wed – Fri 7am-11pm; Sat 7am-10pm; Sun 7am-11pm Staves Brewery 4-8 Grose Street, Glebe (02) 9280 4555 Thu 4-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm Temperance Society 122 Smith St, Summer Hill (02) 8068 5680 Mon – Thu 4pm-11pm; Fri – Sat: noon-midnight; Sun: noon-10pm Thievery 91 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8283 1329 Mon – Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri 6pm-midnight; Sat noon3pm & 6pm-midnight Timbah 375 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9571 7005 Tue – Thu 4-10pm; Fri 4-11pm; Sat 3pm-11pm; Sun 4pm-8pm Vernon’s Bar L2. One Penny Red, 2 Moonbie St. Summer Hill (02) 9797 8118 Mon – Sun 4pm-11:30pm Wayward Brewing Co. 1 Gehrig Ln, Annandale (02) 7903 2445 Thu – Sat 2-10pm; Sun noon-8pm Websters Bar 323 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 1511 Mon – Sat 10am-4am; Sun 10am-midnight Wilhelmina’s 332 Darling St, Balmain (02) 8068 8762 Wed – Fri 5-11pm; Sat – Sun 8am-11pm The Workers Lvl 1, 292 Darling St, Balmain (02) 9555 8410 Fri – Sat 5pm-3am; Sun 2pm-midnight Young Henrys D & E, 76 Wilford St, Newtown (02) 9519 0048 Mon – Sat 10am-7pm; Sun noon-7pm Zigi’s Wine And Cheese Bar 86 Abercrombie St, Chippendale (02) 9699 4222 Tue 4pm-10pm; Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Sat 3pm-midnight
Crooked Tailor 250 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill (02) 9899 3167 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight
Your bar’s not here? Email: chris@thebrag.com
Daniel San 55 North Steyne, Manly (02) 9977 6963 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Friday – Saturday noon–2am; Sunday noonmidnight Firefly 24 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 0193 Mon – Wed 5-11pm; Thu 5-11.30pm; Fri noon11.30pm; Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10pm The Foxtrot 28 Falcon St, Crows Nest Tue – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-1am; Fri 4pm-2am; Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 4-10pm The Hayberry Bar & Diner 97 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest (02) 8084 0816 Tue – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri & Sat noon-midnight Sun noon-10pm Hemingway’s 48 North Steyne, Manly (02) 9976 3030 Mon – Sat 8am-midnight; Sun 8am-10pm The Hold Shop 4, Sydney Rd Plaza, Manly (02) 9977 2009 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Honey Rider 230 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9953 8880 Tue – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm InSitu 1/18 Sydney Rd, Manly (02) 9977 0669 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm The Hunter 5 Myahgah Rd, Mosman 0409 100 339 Mon – Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon- 10pm Jah Bar Shop 9, 9-15 Central Ave, Manly (02) 9977 4449 Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed-Fri noon-midnight; Sat 8am-midnight; Sun 9am-midnight Manly Wine 8-13 South Steyne, Manly (02) 8966 9000 Mon – Sun 6.30am-late Miami Cuba 47 North Steyne, Manly 0487 713 350 Mon – Sun 8am-4pm Moonshine Lvl 2, Hotel Steyne, 75 The Corso, Manly (02) 9977 4977 Mon – Thu 9am-3pm; Fri – Sat 9am-2am; Sun 9am-midnight The Pickled Possum 254 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 2091 Thu – Sat 9pm-1am SoCal 1 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9904 5691 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-1am; Sat noon2am; Sun noon-midnight The Stoned Crow 39 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest (02) 9439 5477 Mon – Sat noon-late; Sun 11.30am-10pm The Treehouse Hotel 60 Miller St, North Sydney (02) 8458 8980 Mon – Fri 7am-midnight; Sat 2pm-midnight BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 23
T its m S
Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...
ALBUM OF THE WEEK well as collaborating with the likes of powerhouse vocalist Emma Donovan, Deborah Cheetham’s Dhungala Children’s Choir and the Short Black Opera choir.
Shining with the all-encompassing love that resonates through all of Archie Roach’s work, his tenth studio album Let Love Rule harbours 11 tracks filled with pure human essence and warm musicianship.
Opening with the emotionally charged title track, the record then reveals one of its standouts in ‘Mighty Clarence River’, with its guitar twang backing a tale of Roach’s ancestors crossing the river to establish a better life. There’s a wealth of soul on this record too, as ‘Get Back To The Land’ showcases a more impassioned and slightly rasping vocal delivery, and ‘No More Bleeding’ closes the whole affair with angelic choir tones, heavily
Let Love Rule Liberation
All you need is love – but a little Archie Roach won’t hurt you either.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
Dissociation Party Smasher/Cooking Vinyl Though the end is nigh, The Dillinger Escape Plan sure as hell aren’t going quietly. The prog metal juggernauts have chucked us this beast of an album to ensure that even long after they disband, people will still talk about the savagery they brought. Hate Monday mornings? Try setting opening track ‘Limerent Death’ as your alarm clock ringtone. A sickeningly inhuman noise from vocalist Greg Puciato begins the album, spewing profanity in that Dillinger fashion fans have come to love. Slipping down the spectrum to a more melodic sound, ‘Symptom Of Terminal Illness’ is hauntingly morbid yet enjoyable, conveying a wonderful poetry in the lyrics. The middle tracks of the record explore more speculative tones with spoken narrative and crazy drumming, blending ambiance and brutality while never straying from the path of awesome. ‘Surrogate’ pushes and pulls in a shake-up of anguish, and ‘Nothing To Forget’ is Dillinger toying with a poignant farewell before they close with the album’s title track, disassociating their music with an eerie finality. If you’re looking for an aggression injection, Dissociation kicks butt so hard that it’s almost worth praying to the metal gods that Dillinger defer the break-up and continue on this crazy roller coaster. Anna Wilson
On the second release to come after a string of personal setbacks, Roach has managed to follow up superbly by delving into elements of country, soft rock and blues, as
24 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
Chelsea Deeley
JOHN K. SAMSON
TOVE LO
BIRDS OF TOKYO
The second full-length release from Sydney indie rockers The Griswolds is a fun exploration into a new sonic direction for the band.
Winter Wheat sits in an interesting crossroads for the Winnipeg-born singer-songwriter John K. Samson. His first solo record in four years comes after the announcement that The Weakerthans are officially no more, yet the album still features the very same rhythm section.
The latest release from Swedish artist Tove Lo is stale at best. In a repetitive attempt at proving herself to be an edgy and defiant woman, Lo’s self-portrayal as a feminist is juxtaposed with unimaginative lyrics, concealing what would otherwise be an excellent set of beats and catchy harmonies.
Friends, Aussies, countrymen, lend me your ears. Actually, lend your ears to the new Birds Of Tokyo release, as they go back to basics with Brace – an interesting hybrid of classic tones meets ’80s electronica with sneaky little political messages stitched throughout, all neatly moulded around a series of visual influences that mean the tracks are meant for live eyes and ears only.
High Times For Low Lives Chugg
There’s a lot happening across this album. The production, bass, synth, drums and Chris Whitehall’s vocals combine to redefine The Griswolds’ sound – but there still isn’t a clear definition of what exactly that is. While some tracks like ‘YDLM’ (feat. Lizzo) and ‘Feels So Right’ bring to mind the classic vocal stylings of the glory years of R&B, others return to the summery, jungle-like beats that shone on their fi rst album. ‘Out Of My Head’ and ‘Get Into My Heart’ are two such examples of a return to the style the band knows best, and both are fun, catchy tracks with quite contrasting messages. They epitomize the album’s tumultuous narrative of falling in and out of love, then back in love again. The album is also punctuated by two floaty interludes, while the star track that shines in the middle section is ‘Hate That I Don’t Hate You’, offering a more vulnerable take on the overarching narrative.
Winter Wheat Epitaph/Anti-
Samson’s songwriting has lost none of its charm. His skill as a songwriter remains world-class, thanks to his ability to weave intimate stories through universal themes without ever feeling overbearing or exclusionary. Samson’s characters feel human in the most beautiful way. Technology serves as a major theme throughout this record, from the disarming opening line, “That hashtag wants me dead,” (‘Select All Delete’) to an illustration of the vapid intimacy computers can provide on ‘Carrie Ends The Call’. Neil Young’s 1974 album On The Beach serves as an overarching inspiration and companion piece, most notably on the environmentalist-leaning ‘Vampire Alberta Blues’. Long-time fans of The Weakerthans will feel their heart tense upon learning that Winter Wheat contains two songs about Virtute the cat.
Ultimately, this album is an interesting next step for The Griswolds, but they’re still just at the beginning of their journey.
The closing track ‘Virtute At Rest’ is one of the greatest pieces of songwriting ever to fall under 100 seconds.
Erin Rooney
Spencer Scott
Sincere is a short but sweet addition to the cruisy sounds of Melbourne duo Alta. The EP is is exactly what it says on the tin: a sincere set of mellow grooves and hypnotic vibes that needs only a decrease in penetration from R&B drum machines to achieve must-have status as a chill addition to your summer soundtrack.
Sincere Soothsayer
Let Love Rule is possibly the most healing album of 2016. It’s an album that works through the strife and complexities that we currently face
as humans and, backed by organic instrumentation, instils in us that love is the only way forward.
THE GRISWOLDS
INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK
ALTA
resonating keys and light strings.
‘Unbelievable’ is indeed unbelievable – an excellent platform of synthesizers and percussive sounds gives rise to vocalist Hannah Lesser’s rich and sultry sound, while her raspy voice with its intentionally cracked tone pushes heavy on the feels. The gentle pulse of the first single ‘Plans’ carries an interesting urgency that is only
complemented by experimental instrumentals. Standout track ‘Mess’ can be described as nothing but a beautiful culmination of levelled-out vocals and instruments thanks to a production that has as much soul as the performers. There’s a heavy dose of contradiction between the track names and their moods; what you hear is pleasantly different from what you expect. It’s only the EP title that rounds it all up and proves true to its name. Sincere leaves room for interpretation without detracting from the ethereal enjoyment of what’s been created.
Lady Wood Universal
Brace EMI
Generally focused around partying, sex, drink and drugs, there’s nothing unsurprising about this addition to what’s out there in dance-pop. The title track seems to defeat the artist’s objectives of confidence and no-damns-given; on that note, much of what she has to say has to do with selfdeprecation and not being able to get by without the sleazy affections of some guy or other. In Lo’s world, everything is a blur, and accordingly, so are her lyrics. Ignore what she’s saying and sure, you have an album you can really move to – ‘Cool Girl’ is just one of the toe-tappers, with an effect layered over Lo’s vocals to shake up the otherwise standard dance material.
You can’t gush and rave about this release without listening to it twice, because it’s the kind of album that needs time to grow on you. ‘Above / Below’ delivers the biggest hand of ’80s noise in the album, blending the old with the really old; it’s a songwriting element that doesn’t really prove necessary against the multitude of other audible goodies occurring. The subtle drumlines of ‘Crown’ underline the messages of hope and the band’s political opinions, pushing through a powerfully motivational tone of desperation in the lyrics. ‘Brace’ and ‘Empire’ are the standout tracks, displaying that classic Birds sound of bending harmonies, layered builds and heavier rock chants.
Otherwise, Lady Wood is an exercise in monotony.
The record is evidence of what has made Birds Of Tokyo one of the best representatives of Australian contemporary rock – just remember, you might need to give it time to bloom.
Anna Wilson
Anna Wilson
Similarly, ‘Vibes’ makes effective use of an acoustic guitar and the addition of vocals from Joe Janiak.
OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week... ARTHUR RUSSELL - Calling Out Of Context ROBBIE WILLIAMS - The Heavy Entertainment Show CLIENT LIAISON - Diplomatic Immunity
OASIS - Defi nitely Maybe GAZEBOS - Die Alone
Anna Wilson
thebrag.com
Archie Roach photo by Wayne Quilliam
ARCHIE ROACH
thebrag.com
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 25
live reviews What we’ve been out to see...
SUPERHEIST
makeshift podium and gazing down upon the audience.
Factory Theatre Friday November 4 Superheist have returned: just don’t call it a comeback. In any case, their nu-metal hit the Factory Theatre with a surprising explosion of impressive energy that didn’t let up the entire show.
The set opened with ‘The Fight Back’ and the enthusiasm around me was immediate, as new frontman Ezekiel Ox jumped down into the crowd on more than one occasion to sweep empty bottles from a barrel table before mounting this
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK 2016 Various venues, Cronulla Thursday November 3
It’s the first of four nights at the second year of Australian Music Week, and the infamous southern Sydney beach spot of Cronulla is playing host to another round of panels and music. The 8pm slot at the Brass Monkey is filled by Katoomba blues rocker Claude Hay and band. Later in his 30-minute set, Hay jokes, “I’ve been solo forever, now I’ve been let out to talk to other people!” but you wouldn’t have picked it. Hay, with bassist Ryan Van Gennip and drummer Marcus MissioSpiteri, riles up the slowly filling room with an abundance of guitar whirls, fearless and funky basslines and some stellar, powerful vocals. His cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ classic ‘I Put A Spell On You’ in particular has all in the room enraptured by his presence and falsetto. The AMW program allows punters and delegates to float around Cronulla, and we stop in at different venues to see what each has to offer. First up it’s El Sol, where the folk-tinged rock-pop stylings of Sydney’s Allan Smithy begin to ring out over loud conversations across the room. This show precedes the release of his debut EP I See A Palm Tree the next day, and we’re treated
to renditions of newbies ‘The Streets’ and the acoustic-led ‘Air’, to much appreciation. After revelling in a little bit of Diesel at the outdoor stage at Space 44, and stopping by St. Andrew’s Church to catch the last of Hollow Coves’ set, we trek it back to Cronulla RSL to catch the lairy (and slightly hairy) rock’n’roll vibes of Sydney quintet Lepers And Crooks, their lead singer Sam Baker keeping the energies high as he sways and throws himself around to the music. The night is almost over as Fijian musician Knox warms the Brass Monkey with the upbeat ‘Moonshine’ and ‘Summertime’. But the evening ends in those mellow surrounds of St. Andrew’s with the bluesy folk magic of Claire Anne Taylor. A self-professed “bastard from the bush in Tasmania”, she holds a completely individual tone with her signature husky vocals, emotive delivery and riveting lyricism. She eventually unplugs her acoustic guitar, descends to the floor, and plays a completely off-the-cuff rendition of ‘Our Mother The Mountain’. It’s a powerful and visceral moment, and a gorgeous way to cap off the first night of AMW music in Cronulla. Chelsea Deeley
It was a shame the keyboardist was drowned out by the multitude of audio activity overpowering the venue, but that wasn’t enough for Superheist to lose their edge; guitarist DW Norton and bass guitarist Drew Dedman supporting Ox in his antics to get the crowd wild and involved. ‘Two Faced (Check Your Head Up)’ saw the fans gather on the floor around Ox’s podium, moving their bodies to extended chants of “Check your head up, check, check your head up”, encouraged by a singer who more than proved his worth as a great vocalist and frontman. Then, to capture some footage for a video clip, Superheist got the fans involved in carrying their wolfy mascot through ‘Wolves In Your Headspace’. Swarms of people
09 Nov
It was an infectious show, and man, I hope these guys really are back, because I’d follow this party anywhere. Anna Wilson
Big Top Sydney Friday November 4
The Dandy Warhols are currently touring their ninth album, Distortland – but you’d be forgiven if you weren’t quite up to speed with the band’s discography. Most of the crowd in Sydney on Friday seemed to be there for offerings from 2003’s Welcome To The Monkey House. Discerning readers will note that was over ten years ago and probably feel old as well. Morning Harvey, hailing from Brisbane, opened the night with some inoffensive indie rock, some of which is probably familiar to triple j listeners. They’re undeniably a talented outfi t, and certainly one to watch out for in the next couple of years.
As an album, Distortland is complex and accomplished. The rendition of single ‘STYGGO’ encompassed its broody introspection, but like anything else from the Dandies at their best, it was full of energy live. It retained Courtney
thu
Setting up with an acoustic guitar to close with mood-changer ‘This Truth’, Ox declared the song “has had a [negative] comment from every reviewer but fuck it, it’s getting noticed!’ – and what a beautiful finisher it was, too. Ox has said he thinks of it as a ballad, but given the band’s history and joyful performance tonight, let’s call it a refrain: a refrain on 13 years of success, on devoted fans and personal hardships, and on musical strife – in spite of which Superheist have returned and look set for nothing but better days.
THE DANDY WARHOLS, MORNING HARVEY
The Dandies didn’t seem particularly concerned with whether to play or entirely avoid their hits, striking a good balance across their catalogue. Opening with ‘Be-In’ set up both the incredible density of their guitar noise and the insane strobe lights that would intermittently blind the audience for the rest of the show.
wed
rushed the front of the stage to aid in the crowd-surfing efforts of the fuzzy-faced fireball, a burst of hilarity amid a vibe of love that just didn’t quit.
Taylor-Taylor’s iconic voice and deadpan delivery, but there was a new level of subtlety underlying it all. Despite this, it was the band’s earlier offerings that got the crowd excited. The prophetic ‘Bohemian Like You’ still gets everyone moving – perhaps because its lyrics are more resonant than ever, perhaps just for a heavy dose of early noughties nostalgia. We were informed early on that this show was being recorded for a live album. While that meant one song was interrupted by three false starts, and sound issues arose throughout the set, it also made the night feel somehow important. Plus, Taylor-Taylor made it a point that if there were any more fuckups during the set, they would just push through. And thanked the audience for its patience multiple times. While the momentum slowed in the middle of their set – the main casualty being ‘You Were The Last High’ – by the time they got to ‘We Used To Be Friends’ all was forgiven. A solid performance, and potentially the last time Australia will get to see the Dandies for a little while. Emily Meller
10 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)
Nov
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
AFRICAN RHYTHM AND ROOTS FESTIVAL 2016 Addison Road Community Centre Saturday November 5
fri
11 Nov
(10:00PM - 1:40AM)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
sat
5:45PM 8:45PM
12 Nov
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
sun
13 Nov
(10:00PM - 1:15AM)
mon
3:30PM 6:30PM
(8:30PM - 11:30PM)
tue
14
15
Nov
Nov
(8:30PM - 11:30PM)
EVERY SATURDAY
Party DJs GROUND FLOOR - AFTER BANDS
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(8:30PM - 11:30PM)
Marrickville’s Addison Road Community Centre is an essential hub of multicultural celebration in Sydney, with the weekly Addison Road Markets and monthly Street Food Markets actively encouraging and supporting local stallholders and community groups. Now entering its sixth year, West African Festival Inc. (WAF) is one such collective that values and emphasises grassroots involvement and the invaluable work of volunteers to drive its celebration of culture. Saturday’s inaugural African Rhythm And Roots Festival continued this rich, essential tradition in colourful style, bringing the earthy ochres, decorative fabrics and textiles, and insatiable spirit of West African cultures to Inner West suburbia. Keeping in line with WAF’s strong focus on community, much of the early part of the afternoon was devoted to the dynamic drumming and dancing of local groups featuring a cross-section of African-Australian and Australian children. Embodying the many vibrant nuances and practices of West African dance were the lively Afro Kidz (of Sydney’s African Drum and Dance group), who treated a steadily building crowd to an energetic and funky display. Over several plates of delicately spiced couscous and mafé (a sweet nutty beef stew
popular throughout West Africa), the day’s events gently heaved and swelled through the afternoon, as the long-running Sydney-based reggae group King Tide drew the curtains of warm dusk gently closer with their upbeat rocksteady. Not unlike the traditional call-and-response structure that features heavily in African music, each artist in the program was followed by performance from communal dancing and drumming troupes, with a battery of impressive tribal drummers ensuring a steady groove within which to ensconce oneself. Unruffled by a momentary lapse in their performance, Ghanaian-born Newcastle musician Afro Moses and his impressive Afrobeat band were one of the festival’s highlights; the jangling guitar riffs responding to Moses’ chanting song, painting an unmistakable figure with his traditional tribal headpiece. Every smile and movement was testament to the safe, relaxed and intimate environment created by director Rachel Bangoura and her many volunteers. Aided by the festival’s small scale, there was a real and tangible sense of happiness and celebration hung lightly in the warm air; this was the warm embrace of Africa. Alex Chetverikov
thebrag.com
FIRE SONG
RA’SATSTE
W I NDA F F ilm estival
10 13 NOVEMBER 2016
SYDNEY | AUSTRALIA
WINDAFILMFEST.COM | #WINDAFILMFEST
GOLDSTONE
NGAPA JUKURRPA WATER SONGLINE
BONFIRE
DIRECTOR MAX
CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS FILMS UNDER THE MILKY WAY thebrag.com
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 27
snap sn ap
VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT
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up all night out all week . . .
PICS :: AM
missy higgins + the sydney symphony orchestra
emma louise
PICS :: AM
hifi days
shawn mendes
04:11:16 :: Metro Theatre :: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666
PICS :: AM
06:11:16 :: Cronulla Park Cronulla
PICS :: KC
04:11:16 :: State Theatre :: 49 Market St Sydney 9373 6655
01:11:16 :: Enmore Theatre :: 118-132 Enmore Rd Newtown 9550 3666
28 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
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g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
pick of the week
The Boyish Maureen Tucker Town Hall Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free.
Deftones
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival - feat: Sorcha Albuquerque Trio + Crossover + Pheno Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $25. Tara Tiba Quintet Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $38.50.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12 Hordern Pavilion
Deftones
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
+ Karnivool + Voyager 6:30pm. $96.01. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Cameron James Henderson Band + Joe Conroy Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10. Live & Original @ Lazybones - feat: Julianne Jessop & Matt Hanley + Sean Rudd + Beck Fielding + The Moon Hounds Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10. Louis Stapleton Quartet Play Bar, Surry Hills. 8:30pm. Free. Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival - feat: Microfiche Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $20. The Fever Pitch feat: Special Guests
The Hideaway Bar, Enmore. 8pm. Free. Wailing Wednesdays feat: Live Reggae Acoustic Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 7pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Bucket Lounge Presents – Live & Originals - feat: Julianne Jessop & Matt Hanley + Sean Rudd + Beck Fielding & Archie Petrie + The Moon Hounds Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10. Jim Finn Ruby L’otel, Rozelle. 7:30pm. Free. Manouche Wednesday - feat: The Squeezebox Trio Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Mark Travers Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free. Spines + Sloom + Easy Street Lazybones Lounge,
Marrickville. 8:30pm. $15.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Bill Hunt + Liam Gale + Chris Neto + Direwolf + Sam Newton The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7. Brewster Trio Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Choirboys + Release The Hounds The X Studio, Kings Cross. 7pm. $38. Live And Original Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10. Melancholy Flowers The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. Free. Moon Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free. Songwriting Society Of Australia Showcase Old Fitzroy Hotel, Woolloomooloo. 7:30pm. Free.
3 Way Split Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free. Anthony Charlton Australian Arms Hotel, Penrith. 7pm. Free. Ben Lee + Danny Ross One Space HQ, Bondi Junction. 7pm. $36.50. Citizen Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $35. Dominiques + Sudek + The Dinlows + Ladyslug Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. John Maddox Co Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Jordie Lane And The Sleepers + Richard Cuthbert + Didirri Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $25. Letters To Lions Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $11. Live Band Karaoke Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain. 9pm. Free. Maia Marsh - feat: Crush Hour + Swamp Fat Jangles Slyfox, Enmore. 8pm. Free. Moonshine Thursday - feat: Sea Legs + Stonefox Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 8pm. Free. No Refunds The Bald Faced Stag,
Leichhardt. 8pm. Free. Society Of Beggars Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free. Stonefox Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 8pm. Free. The Rubens Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 7:30pm. Free. The Tapes + Guests + DJs Till Late Civic Underground, Sydney. 8:30pm. $11.44. Upstairs Live The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Anthony Charlton Australian Arms Hotel, Penrith. 8:30pm. Free. Blues Exile Leadbelly, Newtown. 4pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Folk At The Lodge - feat: John Vella + Leroy Lee + Friends Forest Lodge Hotel, Forest Lodge. 7pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Jim Finn Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free. Mark N’ The Blues The Temperance Society, Summer Hill. 7pm. Free. Michael Gorham The Bourbon, Potts Point. 5pm. Free. Nathan Cole Crown Hotel, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. PJ Orr Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 7:30pm. Free. William Crighton + Magpie Johnston Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 9pm. $15.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Kidum Kibido Club Central,
Hurstville. 6pm. $52.24. Los Hombres Del Diablo + Green Amphibian The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 8pm. Free. Revolution Incorporated Coogee Diggers, Coogee. 8pm. Free. Richard’s Gypsy Stalkers + John & Yuki Well Co. Cafe And Wine Bar, Glebe. 8pm. Free. Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival - feat: Tara Tiba Sextet Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $40.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Bayside + Young Lions + Far Away Stables + Undercast + New Trends Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $49.50. Ben Lee + Danny Ross One Space HQ, Bondi Junction. 7pm. $36.50. Botany Idol - feat: Karaoke Competition Botany Bay Hotel, Banksmeadow. 9:30pm. Free. Columbus + Horror My Friend + Plts Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $18. Damascus - feat: Once Remained + 6 Strings + Shinu Gnu Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10:50am. $10. Dope Lemon Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $45.80. Ella-Jane Sharpe Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Eye Of The Tiger Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9pm. Free. Factory Fridays feat: Carlos C Major + Resident DJs Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Fridays - feat: New Horizons Band + M7 & DJ Marty Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7pm. Free. Fridays - feat: Special Guests Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 9pm. Free. Inês
Leadbelly, Newtown. 4pm. Free. Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free. Karaoke Figtree Hotel, Figtree. 8:30pm. Free. Letters To Lions Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi . 7pm. Free. Oliver Tank Hibernian House, Surry Hills. 7:30pm. $20. Plgrms Waywards, Newtown. 8pm. Free. Razor Blade Fest - feat: Speedball + Fireballs + Barefoot + NCOTW The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 7pm. $25. Reckless Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 10pm. Free. Stonefox Oxford Art Factory Gallery, Sydney. 8pm. $13.60. The Mission Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $79.60. The Rubens Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 8:30pm. Free. The Swinging Gypsies Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
AJ Dyce The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Dave Anthony Crown Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free. David And Mike Cruise Bar, Sydney. 5pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith 99 On York, Sydney. 5:30pm. Free. Diesel + Mark Wilkinson Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $54.10. Glenn Esmond Duo The Intersection Tavern, Ramsgate. 9pm. Free. Jim Finn Mortdale Hotel, Mortdale. 8pm. Free. Jp Project Buckley’s Bar, Circular Quay. 6pm. Free. Mark Crotti Hunters Hill Hotel, Hunters Hill. 4:30pm. Free. Michael Dimarco Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm. Free.
Michael Fryar Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 9:30pm. Free. Mr Blonde + Forever Since Breakfast + Fallon Crush Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $15. Robbie Miller + Morgain Bain + Elki Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $13.80. Steve Crocker Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Ted Nash Clovelly Hotel, Clovelly. 4:30pm. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Lord Raglan Hotel, Alexandria. 7pm. Free. Whelan & Gover Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Frances Madden & Band The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $29.20. Hieronymus Trio Foundry616, Ultimo. 5pm. Free. Jazz At The Powerhouse - feat: Young Women’s Jazz Orchestra Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo. 2:30pm. Free. Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival - feat: Queen Porter Stomp Foundry616, Ultimo. 3pm. Free. The Samples + The Cake Jazz Allstars Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern. 5pm. $11.44.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Codju Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 5:45pm. Free. Deftones + Karnivool + Voyager Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 6:30pm. $96.01. Expire + Born Free The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 8pm. Free. Katcha Well Co. Cafe And Wine Bar, Glebe. 6pm.
on the record WITH The First Record I Bought Adam Newling: It was The Cat 1. Empire (self-titled) and still to this day it’s one of my all-time favourite albums. I heard ‘Hello’ on the ABC one afternoon when I was in the second grade and was hooked for life.
The Last Record I Bought Joel Osborn: Blood Orange 2. – Freetown Sound. A good friend of
mine got me onto them, I’ve never heard of them before until now. I like all types of music, anything that sounds good to my earholes. I love this album – it’s so diverse and has great production as well as structure
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to it, making it flow and never staying in the one place. The First Thing I Recorded Curtis Newbett-Hill: An early 3. high school project a mate and I started called Cold Ambition. I think we recorded our first song using the camera on my Nokia to video us playing. Still don’t understand why we didn’t make it big [laughs].
The Last Thing We Recorded We’ve just been laying down 4. some red hot demos for our next EP, so get keen for some new tunes on the horizon.
LETTERS TO LIONS
The Record That Changed My Life 5. AN: Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The
Mountain. I was at a pretty low point in my life when I heard this album and although I couldn’t understand a thing that is said on the album, I knew exactly what was meant and it just made sense. This was the period I started to focus all my worldly frustrations into music and art, and it’s the way I’ve been surviving since. Where: Hudson Ballroom / Brass Monkey When: Thursday November 10 / Thursday November 24
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 29
g g guide gig g
g g picks gig p up all night out all week...
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Free. Mainline Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free. Marcel Dettman Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 4pm. $22. Mmrs - feat: With Confidence + Flipside + Whatever Forever Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 9pm. $20. Stanley Knife + Lord Sword + Obat Batuk + Death Church + Unbound Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $15. The Dirty Earth + Bitch The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 8pm. Free. The Million Leadbelly, Newtown. 4pm. Free. Wildcatz Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 10pm. Free. Zia Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
AJ Dyce St George Masonic Club, Mortdale. 7pm. Free. Benj Axwel Duo The Bourbon, Potts Point. 7:30pm. Free. Big Mama & The Love Express Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $15. Blake Wiggins Duo Panania Hotel, Panania. 8pm. Free. Blaming Vegas Crown Hotel, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Dave Anthony Panania Diggers, Panania. 8pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith Hunters Hill Hotel, Hunters Hill. 5pm. Free. Diesel + Mark Wilkinson Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $54.10. Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Engadine Bowling Club, Engadine. 7:30pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Duo Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 11:55pm.
Free. Jim Finn Paddo RSL, Paddington. 8:30pm. Free. Josh Needs Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 8pm. Free. LJ Peachtree Hotel, Penrith. 7pm. Free. Lost Ragas + Darren Cross + Adam Young And The Haints Union Hotel, Newtown. 8pm. Free. Luke Zanc Duo Cruise Bar, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Marc Crotti Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free. Michael Gorham The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free. Paul Hayward And His Sidekicks The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 2:30pm. Free. Simon Rudston Brown Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 4:30pm. Free. Stars Of Country Tribute Show Toongabbie Sports And Bowling Club, Toongabbie. 7:30pm. Free. Ted Nash Twin Willows Hotel, Bass Hill. 7:30pm. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Buckley’s Bar, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. Free.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Sundays Roots & Reggae - feat: The Strides Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 4pm. Free. Sunshine Sunday Sound System feat: DJs Bossman + Prince Vince + Guests Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 4pm. Free. Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival Fair Day The Goods Line,
Ultimo. 12pm. Free. The Unity Hall Jazz Band Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain. 4pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Blake Wiggins The Rivo Hotel, Riverstone. 4pm. Free. Chantal & Cesar 4 Pines Brewing Company, Manly. 5:30pm. Free. Dave Anthony The Bourbon, Potts Point. 12:30pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Kings Cross Hotel, Kings Cross. 2pm. Free. Hawaiian Cowboy Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Heath Burdell Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain. 3pm. Free. James Brennan Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 3:30pm. Free. JJ Hausia The Push Bar, The Rocks. 4pm. Free. John Slaven The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free. Josh Needs Bellevue Hotel, Paddington. 2pm. Free. Jp Project Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free. Marc Crotti Wentworth Hotel, Homebush West. 1pm. Free. Michael Fryar Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 2pm. Free. Michael Gorham Sackville Hotel, Rozelle. 4pm. Free. Milan Duo Cruise Bar, Sydney. 2pm. Free. Ryan Enright Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 6:30pm. Free. Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Zac Coombs Oatley Hotel, Oatley. 2pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Baddies
Botany View Hotel, Newtown. 7pm. Free. Becky And The Pussycats Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 6pm. Free. Disturbed + Twelve Foot Ninja Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 6:30pm. $101.85. Expire + Born Free The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 3pm. Free. James Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $95.90. Monkeypig + The Overtones + Urban Guerrillas Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 1pm. $10. Monkeypig + The Overtones + Urban Guerillas The Record Crate, Glebe. 7:30pm. $10. Newtown Festival feat: The Griswolds + L-Fresh The Lion + All Our Exes Live In Texas + Richard In Your Mind + Stereogamous + Purple Sneakers DJs + Shining Bird + Fortunes + Mossy + World Champion + Polographia + Dweeb City Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Newtown. 9:30am. Free. Outlier Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free. Overtones + Monkey Pig + Urban Guerillas Agincourt Hotel, Sydney. 3pm. $10. The Rubens Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi. 3:30pm. Free. White Bros Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 3:30pm. Free.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 14 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Latin & Jazz Open Mic Night The World Bar, Kings Cross. 7pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY,
BLUES & FOLK
John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Frankie’s World Famous House Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Lime Cordiale Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 1pm. $20. Marty R Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free. The Monday Jam The Basement, Circular Quay. 8:30pm. $6.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9 Bill Hunt + Liam Gale + Chris Neto + Direwolf + Sam Newton The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7. Choirboys + Release The Hounds The X Studio, Kings Cross. 7pm. $38.
Robbie Miller + Morgain Bain + Elki Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $13.80. The Rubens Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 8:30pm. Free.
SATURDAY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10 NOVEMBER 12 Ben Lee + Danny Ross One Space HQ, Bondi Junction. 7pm. $36.50.
Frances Madden & Band The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $29.20.
Citizen Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $35.
Lost Ragas + Darren Cross + Adam Young And The Haints Union Hotel, Newtown. 8pm. Free.
Jordie Lane And The Sleepers + Richard Cuthbert + Didirri Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $25. Letters To Lions Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $11.
Arna Georgia + Jessey Nappa + Chasing Giants Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8pm. Free. Bucket Lounge Presents – Live & Originals Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Karaoke Party Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7:30pm. Free. Matt Jones Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free. Rodriguez + Archie Roach State Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $102.74. The Troggs The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $49.80.
Society Of Beggars Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Dope Lemon Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $45.80.
A Piece Of Quiet - feat: Elena KatsChernin + Lior + The Idea Of North City Recital Hall, Sydney. 7pm. $50. Steve Hunter Band Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10.
Razor Blade Fest - Feat: Speedball + Fireballs + Barefoot + NCOTW The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 7pm. $25.
Mmrs - Feat: With Confidence + Flipside + Whatever Forever Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 9pm. $20.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13
Stonefox Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 8pm. Free.
Disturbed + Twelve Foot Ninja Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 6:30pm. $101.85.
William Crighton + Magpie Johnston Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 9pm. $15.
James Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $95.90.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11 Columbus + Horror My Friend + Plts Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $18. Diesel + Mark Wilkinson Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $54.10.
Inês Leadbelly, Newtown. 4pm. Free. Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 7pm. Free.
Newtown Festival Feat: The Griswolds + L-Fresh The Lion + All Our Exes Live In Texas + Richard In Your Mind + Stereogamous + Purple Sneakers DJs + Shining Bird + Fortunes + Mossy + World Champion + Polographia + Dweeb City Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Newtown. 9:30am. Free.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15 Rodriguez + Archie Roach State Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $102.74. The Troggs The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $49.80.
five things WITH
Growing Up 1. I remember my parents playing a lot of Mariah Carey and Bob Marley growing up, and 2Pac being blasted from my older brother’s bedroom. I remember waking up early to catch Korn’s ‘Freak On A Leash’ on Video Hits. Being 30 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
exposed to diverse genres of music from an early age has no doubt influenced the songs I create as a musician now. Inspirations I am inspired by so many artists for various reasons. I love System Of
2.
ZEADALA
A Down for the way they infuse traditional Middle Eastern music in their art. Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley for the raw, conscious and spiritual elements in their songs. Angus & Julia Stone because their music takes me into spaces in which I can dream, and Horrorshow – they know what’s up. Their Inside Story album moved me to put my music out there so I am forever grateful for that. Your Crew I have been writing 3. songs since I was 13 and
used to play in an all-girl metal band in high school.
It wasn’t until 2014 when I was mentored by MC Trey and The 26th Letter to create hip hop tracks for a theatre production called Tough Beauty that I took to writing raps. A notepad, pen and a beat, I loved it. I have recently been performing with Stayfly Sydney – a collective of incredible creative women that I am blessed to share stages with. The Music You Make And Play I believe my live sets offer something unique – a blend of acoustic hip hop and folk. You can expect rap, folky vocal
4.
melodies and eclectic guitar riffs. My live shows are said to be hard-hitting as I do strive to make people feel. I love to connect with my audience – it’s my favourite thing about performing, that beautiful exchange of energy. Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. There’s a lack of
representation of women in the music scene, especially women of colour. These are some obstacles I see so many talented artists trying to overcome. It’s unfortunate. Being of mixed heritage I can relate. The best thing about
my local scene is that there is a sense of community and support. It’s about the love for music and celebrating diversity, which is something I think L-Fresh The Lion does. I watched him at the last two events I performed at – the high and positive energy that is exuded by him and all band members is totally infectious and refreshing. What: Lion A’Go Roar With: Katherine Vavahea, Foreigndub Where: Hustle & Flow Bar When: Friday November 11
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brag beats
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
on the pulse club, dance and hip hop in brief... with David Burley, James Di Fabrizio and Ariana Norton
five things WITH
PVT
El Guincho
ELIZABETH HUGHES FROM VYPES
PVT POINTS
After a three-year hiatus, PVT are officially throwing themselves back into the fray. Announcing a homecoming tour for 2017, the Aussie beatsmiths have also returned with a new track and video for ‘Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend’. Capping it off, PVT will be releasing their comeback album, New Spirit, early next year. See them at Oxford Art Factory on Friday March 3.
going down in the beautiful surrounds of the Capertee Valley from Friday March 10 – Sunday March 12.
NO FOMO FOR YOU
1.
Growing Up I grew up in the Blue Mountains, which is a pretty creative community. My mum played classical guitar and piano when I was growing up and my parents would play records at dinner time pretty much every night. My key childhood music memory would be playing the piano as a child, making up melodies and songs and trying to learn ‘A Thousand Miles’ by Vanessa Carlton like every other kid my age.
2.
Inspirations My parents started taking me to jazz and world music festivals from the age of five, so I listen to a lot of music within these genres. When I was a teenager I started listening to a lot of African blues, particularly Ali Farka Touré, Tinariwen and Toumani Diabaté. Right now I’m really enjoying listening to Margaret Glaspy, Bon Iver, FKA Twigs and Frank Ocean. Dave [Hammer] and I also share a love of J-pop and K-pop and artists like Sophie and Kero Kero Bonito.
Your Crew I’m lucky to be part of a strong and diverse music community in Sydney. I have a couple of other projects, one under my own name Elizabeth Hughes and I also play guitar in Phantastic Ferniture. Dave’s a full-time producer but I still work a day job. My job is really flexible and super
3.
BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON
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The Music You Make And Play 4. I really like the freedom of
Vypes. As both a guitarist and singer I usually craft an entire song including vocals and instrumentation. Because I can focus entirely on vocals within Vypes, it lets me have a lot of freedom with melody, rhythm and style and it has allowed me to experiment with different vocal techniques to create a different sound that I otherwise might not have found. Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. I think there’s a lot happening in
the Sydney music scene at the moment. There are still so many obstacles musicians have to overcome, but I guess a lot of these aren’t unique to music, they are struggles a lot of people experience just trying to achieve a sense of balance within their lives. I’ve overcome enough musical setbacks now to know that I’m resilient enough to handle more if they come my way. The most inspiring local artists I’ve seen lately include Suiix and Middle Kids. What: ‘One Dimensional’ out now More: facebook.com/vypesss
on techno, psytrance, deep house and experimental beats, all delivered with crystal clear sound and immersive production. The first round of acts is an absolute doozy, featuring names like Claude VonStroke, Late Nite Tuff Guy, DJHMC, D-Unity, Danny Daze, Joris Voorn and many more. It’s
VANFEST GOES ELECTRONIC
Vanfest has announced that the “world’s first time-travelling dance party”, Hot Dub Time Machine, will
A GOODBAR DIVE
UK techno don Paul Rose, AKA Scuba, is diving down to Goodbar next month. Rose has been on the scene in his native land since 2003, but he’s recently championed a move back to the grassroots via his esteemed label Hotflush – and who can blame him, given the state of radio-ready EDM these days? Scuba has recently hosted the Fabric 90: Scuba Launch Party in London, but you can see him closer to home on Saturday December 3.
KINGS CROSS FIGHTS ON
For the first time in five years, El Guincho is bringing his kaleidoscopic Spanish dance vibes back to Sydney. The Canary Islands-born artist has hypnotised Australian crowds in the past at the Meredith and Laneway Festivals, and come February he’ll be ready to do it all again. With special guest Donny Benet set to join him, as well as a full band for his set, it’s sure to be an evening of buzzing dance grooves. El Guincho’s 2016 album Hiperasia was recorded throughout Spain during a chaotic period for the region and reflects an atmosphere of concern, keeping the audience on the edge with its jangly and unpredictable tropical dance beats. Relying heavily on electronic instruments and technology, it’ll be interesting to see how it all translates into a live show. Catch El Guincho on Wednesday February 15 at Oxford Art Factory.
On Thursday November 17, House Of Bacardi will bring Phile, Ben Drayton, Dusty Fingers and plenty more acts together for a free gig. After organising a successful party in Brisbane, House Of Bacardi is heading down to Sydney to combat lockout laws, noise complaints and increased police crackdowns with an epic free party at The World Bar. It’s promised that this is just the beginning, with plenty more Sydney parties in the works throughout summer, as well as a three-part video series on the local nightlife to be released soon. Other party people include Jimmy Sing, Marcus King, Jayteehazard, Nes and more. Jayteehazard Cesqueax
SAY IT AIN’T CESQEUAX
Dutch DJ/producer Cesqueax will make a return trip to Australia following his successful visit less than 12 months ago. The 2016 Eauxtralian Tour will see the born-andbred Dutchman traverse our land from Wollongong to Perth, stopping in at Chinese Laundry to prove the hype around him online is no mirage. Be there on Friday December 16. xxx
Meet Babylon, a new electronic festival featuring a world of music, art, mindfulness and community exploration. Billed as equal parts dystopian playground and bohemian gathering, the music lineup focuses
supportive but I am looking forward to the day when I can put all my energy into music.
In the lead-up to the first-ever FOMO Sydney in January, the festival has announced an exciting new party series. Countdown To FOMO will be taking Perth duo Slumberjack and fellow Brisbane producer Feki across Sydney and beyond from late November to early December, playing shows in the Western Suburbs, the Northern Beaches and the north coast of Newcastle. Countdown To FOMO will visit the Mona Vale Hotel on Saturday November 26 and The Australian Brewery, Rouse Hill on Thursday December 1.
join an already huge lineup including Angus & Julia Stone, The Rubens and Drapht for its Forbes festival in 2016. The new additions to the lineup also include house and techno duo Set Mo, electronic funk group ManaLion, reggae band Ocean Alley, R&B singer Morgan Bain and the country rock sounds of Jane Martin Band. Vanfest is on at Forbes Showground, Friday November 25 – Saturday November 26.
HYPER HYPNOTISED
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 31
Tash Sultana International Notions By Julia Sansone
F
rom busking on the streets of Melbourne to a sold-out international tour, Tash Sultana has built her success on nothing but pure talent and a love for what she does best: holding a crowd at the very tips of her insanely talented fingers. The musical range of this singer-songwriter and storyteller knows no bounds. Sultana’s performances are a mix of carefully layered pieces featuring beatboxing, percussive finger-tapping and guitar work. Now, after a string of positive reviews around the country, Sultana is expanding her horizons across international borders. “It consistently blows my mind how different countries react to what I’m doing,” the 21-year-old Sultana says, with the thought of her upcoming US tour on her mind. “We get word that it’s going really well in another country and I’m just like, ‘OK, let’s put on a few shows over there.’ Then those shows sell out, and we have to put on even more shows, and it’s just like, ‘When did this happen?’” For the millions of fans who have been introduced to Sultana, it was love at first sight. Her homemade videos, filmed from the gritty setting of her bedroom, usher in the raw and soulful sounds of songs like ‘Jungle’ and ‘Gemini’, which can be heard on her debut EP, Notion. With a season of summer festivals in Australia on the horizon, Sultana is preparing to further flex her multiinstrumental skills on the stages of festivals like Strawberry Fields, Mullum Music Festival, A Day On The Green, Festival Of The Sun, Southbound, Woodford Folk Festival, NYE On The Hill, Laneway, Port Fairy Folk Festival and more. “I’ve played so many festivals lately, I can’t even think,” she says. “But I love playing festivals and at [bush] doofs, they’re an awesome experience. Something is always popping up. All the artists on festival lineups are pretty nice too, and we all merge by the end of it, so overall it’s a really good time.”
“IT’S ACROSS THE OCEAN IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE BUZZ, SO THAT’S COOL TO SEE.” Performing alongside the likes of Californian artist Anderson .Paak at Listen Out festival this year, the genre-defying Sultana is further breaking the boundaries of her sound by collaborating with the hip hop star. “I jumped on Anderson .Paak’s new album that’s coming up, and I’ve done a track with him on that,” she says. Among a jam-packed schedule of gigs and festival appearances, it’s the sheer number of crowd members waiting eagerly for Sultana’s uniquely crafted performances that stands out to her the most. However, 2017 promises a new adventure altogether. From the intimate venues and buzzing festival stages of Australia’s major cities, Sultana is taking her loop pedal melodies and reggae-soul sound to the US in mid-February. “I’ve got absolutely no idea what to expect,” she says. “We are flying out of the country because it’s a completely different vibe. It’s impressive to see where people have found you. It’s across the ocean in another country and people are getting the buzz, so that’s cool to see.” Having only previously been to the US for a holiday, Sultana will be stepping out of her comfort zone to impress her overseas fans with the same passionate and hypnotic performance style that captivates her audiences back home. “I haven’t been to any of these cities before, except Los Angeles,” she says. “The tour is almost sold out as well, and that is so exciting for me.” But the enormous and seemingly exhausting series of shows on Sultana’s calendar doesn’t end there, with an exciting diary date in Amsterdam in mid-2017, and even plans for some exciting festival appearances towards the end of next year. “I’ve been confirmed for a massive festival in South Africa and I’m so keen for that, but I can’t disclose too much information on that one,” she says. What: Notion out now independently Where: Supporting The Temper Trap at the Enmore Theatre When: Wednesday November 30 And: Also appearing at Mullum Music Festival, The Plot, A Day On The Green, Woodford Folk Festival and Laneway Festival
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club picks p up all night out all week...
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club pick of the week TLC
Blackfriday + Thrill House DJs + Baad Family Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $10. Webben & Korebi Play Bar, Surry Hills. 4pm. Free.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12 HIP HOP & R&B
Bentley Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. Tech N9ne + Krizz Kaliko + Stevie Stone Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $69.90.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15
CLUB NIGHTS
Enmore Theatre
TLC
7:30pm. $91.65. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9 HIP HOP & R&B
The Doppelgangaz The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 7pm. $53.
CLUB NIGHTS SBW Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Wet Wednesdays Scary Canary, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10 HIP HOP & R&B
Tkay Maidza + Sable + Midas.Gold Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $30.
Tkay Maidza photo by Andrew-O’Toole
CLUB NIGHTS
Crate Digger Thursdays - feat: DJ Yaknow + Ryan & Pip + Maxxxyt Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. DJ EZ + Ben Ashton + Adrian E + Bad Ezzy B2B Garage Fingers Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $49.90. Femme Fetale The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. House Keeping Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Jukebox Thursdays - feat: Zia From Dandy Warhols (DJ Set) Soda Factory, Surry thebrag.com
Hills. 5pm. Free. Yo/ Da Fu/ Nk feat: Resident Funk DJs The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. Free.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11 HIP HOP & R&B
Fatback Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Fridays Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. Role Modelz Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. Zoo - feat: Miracle + Ziggy Marquee, Pyrmont. 9pm. $12.30.
CLUB NIGHTS
Argyle Fridays The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Awaken Full Moon Cacao Party - feat: Awaken DJs Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Bondi Beach. 7:45pm. $45. Bassic XL - feat: Ookay + Ember + G-Buck + A-Tonez + Blackjack B2B Goldbrix + Heirs To The Throne + Sidhu + Leviathan Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $38.20. Friday Frothers Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Girlthing 100th Party - feat: Hookie + NatNoiz + Sveta + Bad Deep DJs + Matka + Cunningpants +
Cat Lyf + Double O + Betty Grumble + Canned Fruit Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 9:30pm. $16. Henry Saiz + Petar Dundov Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $49.50. Lion A’Go Roar feat: Jah Tung + Kye Heta + Zeadala + Foreigndub Hustle & Flow, Redfern. 7pm. Free. LTJ Bukem Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $38.50. Old Skool Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation St Johns Park Bowling Club, St Johns Park. 8pm. Free. Peoples Club Weekly - feat: Fantastic Man + David Bangma + U-Khan + Jungle Murray + Dante Peaks Goodbar, Paddington. 8pm. Free. Return To Rio - feat: Carl Cox & Eric Powell’s Mobile Disco + De La Soul + DJ EZ + Mr C + LTJ Bukem + Atish + Super Flu + YokoO Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry. 12pm. $220. Somatik Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 8pm. Free. TGI Freda’s - feat: Simon Caldwell + Earl Grey + Spicy Tuna Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Trap City 3 - feat: DJs 6ftsounds + Terabyte +
2006 - A Year In Dance Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 11pm. $27.80. Aden Mullens And Tim Boffa Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free. Argyle Saturdays - feat: Tass + TapTap + Minx + Crazy Caz The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free. Barney Cools 2nd Birthday - feat: Touch Sensitive + Du Tonc + Poolclvb + Barney Cools DJs Manly Pavillion, Manly. 5pm. $30. C.U X Spice X By Your Side - feat: Murat Kilic + Black Angus + Statz Civic Underground, Sydney. 9:30pm. $16.50. Clique Sydney Cruise Bar, Sydney. 8:30pm. $20. Euphoria - feat: Giuseppe Ottaviani Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 6:30pm. $27.70. Eve X Low Ton - feat: Lotic + Chunyin + Candlelyte Portugal Madeira Club, Marrickville. 5:45pm. $20. Fortunes + Moon Holiday Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $15. Frat Saturdays Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Heart People + Buzz Kull + Pelvis Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. $10. Moonshine Saturdays - feat: DJs Moonshine Cider & Rum Bar, Manly. 8pm. Free. Mr.C + Olluss + H.A.T.S + Roberto Carrano + Db + Frankie Romano + Ramon Lopez + Ben Morris Zoo Project, Potts Point. 10pm. $11. Return To Rio - feat: Carl Cox & Eric Powell’s Mobile Disco + De La Soul + DJ EZ + Mr C + LTJ Bukem + Atish + Super Flu + YokoO Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry. 9am. $220. Sangria Latin
Saturdays St Johns Park Bowling Club, St Johns Park. 9pm. Free. Soda Saturdays feat: Resident DJs Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Something Else feat: Tom Trago + Oscar De Lima + Menial Arts + Marley Sherman + Brosnan Perera + James Rogan Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $11. Surveillance Party Lockout - feat: No Illuminati + Royalston + Nam Shub Of Enki + La Vif + Sam Joole + Wonky + Animatic + Dotmicro + Michael Rein + Haptic + Xan Muller + Rye Gordon + Gintoki Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $20. Switch - feat: DJ I-Dee + K-Note + Sabio Marquee, Pyrmont. 9pm. $26.60. The Sweet Escape - feat: Stereogamous Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 9pm. Free. Trapstep - feat: Allstar DJs Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $10. V MoVement X Lndry XL - feat: Marcel Dettmann + Latmun + U-Khan + Marc Jarvin + Persian Rug + This DJs + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Mike Hyper + Offtapia Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $38.20. Yours - feat: Gill Bates + Tigerilla Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12
DJ EZ + Ben Ashton + Adrian E + Bad Ezzy B2B Garage Fingers Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $49.90.
2006 - A Year In Dance Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 11pm. $27.80.
Tkay Maidza + Sable + Midas.Gold Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $30.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11 Bassic Xl - Feat: Ookay + Ember + G-Buck + A-Tonez + Blackjack B2B Goldbrix + Heirs To The Throne + Sidhu + Leviathan Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $38.20. Girlthing 100th Party - Feat: Hookie + NatNoiz + Sveta + Bad Deep DJs + Matka + Cunningpants + Cat Lyf + Double O + Betty Grumble + Canned Fruit Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 9:30pm. $16. Henry Saiz + Petar Dundov Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $49.50. Lion A’Go Roar - Feat: Jah Tung + Kye Heta + Zeadala + Foreigndub Hustle & Flow, Redfern. 7pm. Free. Return To Rio - Feat: Carl Cox & Eric Powell’s Mobile Disco + De La Soul + DJ EZ + Mr C + LTJ Bukem + Atish + Super Flu + YokoO Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry. 12pm. $220. Zoo - Feat: Miracle + Ziggy Marquee, Pyrmont. 9pm. $12.30.
C.U X Spice X By Your Side - Feat: Murat Kilic + Black Angus + Statz Civic Underground, Sydney. 9:30pm. $16.50. Fortunes + Moon Holiday Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $15. Something Else - Feat: Tom Trago + Oscar De Lima + Menial Arts + Marley Sherman + Brosnan Perera + James Rogan Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $11. Surveillance Party Lockout - feat: No Illuminati + Royalston + Nam Shub Of Enki + La Vif + Sam Joole + Wonky + Animatic + Dotmicro + Michael Rein + Haptic + Xan Muller + Rye Gordon + Gintoki Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $20. Tech N9ne + Krizz Kaliko + Stevie Stone Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $69.90. V Movement X Lndry XL - Feat: Marcel Dettmann + Latmun + U-Khan + Marc Jarvin + Persian Rug + This DJs + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Mike Hyper + Offtapia Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $38.20.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 S.A.S.H By Day Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15. Tkay Maidza
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 CLUB NIGHTS
Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda + Andy Hart + Youandewan + Simon Caldwell + Adi Toohey + Anno Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern. 3pm. $27.12. Marco Polo Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $22.90. Picnic Social Fun - feat: Powder + Hannah Lockwood + Kali + Valerie Yum + Mira Boru + Nat James + Jemma Cole Secret Location, Sydney. 3pm. $33. Return To Rio - feat: Carl Cox & Eric Powell’s Mobile Disco + De La Soul + DJ EZ + Mr C + LTJ Bukem + Atish + Super Flu + YokoO Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry. 9am. $220. S.A.S.H By Day Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15. S.A.S.H By Night Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 9pm. $15.
Shady Sunday feat: Retro DJs Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. 4pm. Free. Sin Sundays The Argyle, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Somatik And Murray Lake Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 4pm. Free. Tropical Sundae The World Bar, Kings Cross. 5pm. Free.
HIP HOP & R&B
Ced Linius + Pep-C + Alex Johnson + Emcee Arlee + Guests Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $10.
Reign Sydney Cruise Bar, Sydney. 8:30pm. $23.50. Rooftop Sundays Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. Tech N9ne + Krizz Kaliko + Stevie Stone Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $69.90.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15 HIP HOP & R&B
TLC Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:30pm. $91.65.
CLUB NIGHTS
MONDAY NOVEMBER 14 CLUB NIGHTS I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 8pm. Free. Propaganda Tuesday Scary Canary, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free. Side Bar Tuesdays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16 :: 33
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Off The Record Dance and Electronica with Alex Chetverikov
here are some among us who fondly cherish the memory of the dearly departed Central Station Records (OK, it’s not technically dead – it exists, albeit swallowed up into Universal Music Australia, so best to keep those rose-tints on). Remembered for its landmark Central Station Records stores in Sydney (eventually laid to rest in what is now Oxford Art Factory, and formerly of Pitt Street), Melbourne and across the country, this was a label synonymous with dance music in Australia for decades.
T
Like many, I’m extremely partial to nostalgia. Around about the age ‘Young Adult’ fiction was apparently relevant, I was rifling through CD racks at department stores, constantly confronted with crappy compilations that effectively put radio hits direct-to-disc (So Fresh was, in fact, a bit rotten). So it was hard not to notice the violently outdated (even then!) Windows 95 mythology-meets-fantasy graphic adorning the latest Skitzmix (it’s all in a name) or the citric neon glare of Wild FM CD covers.
Central Station was to become an essential Australian conduit for the dance music circulating around Europe and the United States, with the charting success of 1994’s ‘Here’s Johnny’ by Dutch doof duo Hocus Pocus in particular catapulting the label into the greater public conscience.
These were to be my introductions to Central Station, in its distilling of dance music’s many guises into readily consumed mixes. While I might have missed the boat on Hithouse and the sound of the underground, I was fi nely curating a hot mess of Vengaboys, Barbara Tucker, Deep Dish and Eiffel 65…
Intrinsically tied in with community broadcasting and the establishment of clubs and other music institutions, Central Station was a defining social and musical foundation in Australia. Its seed, pregnant with the sounds and influences of foreign music movements, quickly germinated across the country, enabling thousands of DJs, dancers, collectors and the general public to be exposed to a hitherto largely unexplored area of music. Perhaps most importantly, it enabled a generation with alternate avenues of expression, cultivating positivity and openness, whether musically, socially, physically or sexually. Though you’d barely find a whiff of its tradition these days, these were the foundations set into motion by the eccentric Joe Palumbo and enterprising Morgan Williams.
Ten years on from the occasionally embarrassing (but absolutely necessary) retrospective documentary 30 Years Of Central Station, and I’m still waxing lyrical about a national music institution that was a formative entry point into trance, vocal house, Eurotrash and the world beyond. But where do we go from here? As far as Central Station is concerned, the train’s pretty much pulled into the terminal, with dozens of record labels now shouldering the many-headed hydra of genre and subgenre. While we are unlikely to ever experience anything quite as encompassing, the future looks very promising for Australian electronic music, and we’ll be looking at a few of its brightest-burning stars in the months to come.
BEST RELEASES THIS WEEK:
Check out DJ Xanax’s EDR004, with its heavy, bleak overtone, and its dense, juicy breakbeat, while Vol. 3 from the Rhythms Of The Pacific label offers up four slices of jazzy, airy house with a hint of acid. And in case you missed it, Paso’s We Can See That EP from earlier this year is house steadily fed on jazz and hip hop, or ‘low-slung’, as the cool kids call it.
RECOMMENDED Tom Trago Burdekin Hotel
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12
Harvey Sutherland, Andy Hart, Youandewan Cake Wines Cellar Door
Fantastic Man Peoples Club
Reggae Carnival Market Day, Marrickville Fraser Park
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18
De La Soul Greenwood Hotel
34 :: BRAG :: 688 :: 09:11:16
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25 Max Graef Peoples Club
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27
Move D, Discodromo & Wonky Cruise Bar
TUESDAY JANUARY 3
Chance The Rapper Big Top Luna Park
SATURDAY JANUARY 14
Moses Sumney St. Stephen’s Uniting Church
SUNDAY JANUARY 22
Pantha Du Prince Oxford Art Factory
method man & redman
PICS :: AM
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11
31:10:16 :: Enmore Theatre :: 118-132 Enmore Rd Newtown 9550 3666 thebrag.com
Drug Alert kits use the same technology as that found in professional screening laboratories, without the need to send them away to obtain result.
PLAYING ALL THEIR HITS LIVE IN CONCERT
THE
TEMPTATIONS
Tickets available at www.surfandsoul.com.au,Ticketek - Sydney, Ph: 132 849, Ticketmaster - Wollongong, Ph: 136 100.
www.surfandsoul.com.au