Reverb Magazine - Issue 46

central coast|hunter|north coast #046 May ‘10

music, arts & culture monthly

Give your heart to

The fearless love of MELISSA ETHERIDGE

HOODOO GURUS essential rock

vampire weekend CONTRA band

Also Inside: Sheila E + Minus The Bear + Dillenger Escape Plan + Dropsaw + Evergreen Terr ace

AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT RETAILER

d n a n e e r G Go

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and marketing ma es gu alo cat of er mb nu e th ing uc red sic is committed to

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s and es dr ad l ai em ur yo th wi e lin on or e or st in Join the VIP Club or update your details prizes: ly th on m ng wi llo fo e th of e on IN W to mobile number to go into the draw dal bal Pack•Pearl Eliminator Double Pe Line6 Pod X3•Zildjian ZHT Cym o• mb Co 5 11 BA g pe Am 2• 11 IVr ide Line6 Sp ellerhead Record Software op Pr c• Mi ser en nd Co A 00 22 SE 3• Kaoss Pad Legacy LEDD502 Electronic Kit•Korg elmer AS600 Alto Saxophone •S lin Vio 4/4 ge lle Co ef Jos nz Fra LeBlanc LB320 Bliss Clarinet• COMPETITION RUNS APR 1  JU

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with special guests

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ON SALE NOW ALL AGES

powderfinger.com

yalari.org

No. 46 index 08 18 19 20 22 24 26

News Melissa Etheridge Evergreen Terrace New Young Pony Club CD Reviews Gig Guide Vampire Weekend

27 28 29 30 31

Sheila E News Marshall and the Fro Gig Guide Dropsaw

32 33 34 36 37 38

39 40 41 42 43

44

Minus The Bear Hoodoo Gurus Fashion — On Board Motoring — Honda Civic Type R Dillinger Escape Plan Talking Shop Field Music Joey Cape Gamer’s Corner Live Reviews Bluesfest Review Film Reviews DVD Reviews Book Reviews Socials

Publisher’s letter The Australian Music industry is in for a big shakeup with the announcement that American giant, Live Nation Entertainment, plan to start a local concert business. Live Nation is massive - they produce and promote over 22,000 events worldwide each year, and have more than 5000 full-time employees. Time will tell how the Chuggs, Frontier, Dainty and Coppels react to having such a goliath on their doorstep.

It only feels like yesterday when the Reverb office set up camp at Bluesfest. Quite possibly the best festival that this old timer has been to - great site, artists and organisation. That said, the Splendour lineup is incredible. Looks like there’s another road trip North ahead. Much love, Kevin

bluesfest PAGE 41

Editorial nick@reverbstreetpress.com.au Phone 0421 255 566 Gig Guide gigguide@reverbstreetpress.com.au Sales Enquiries sales@reverbstreetpress.com.au Sales Manager: Newcastle/Central Coast tommy@reverbstreetpress.com Phone 0413 166 208 Sales Manager: North Coast stephen@reverbstreetpress.com Phone 0458 559 938

Editor Nick Milligan Sub-Editor Amanda Bevan IT Manager Kieran Ferguson Sales Tommy Leung Stephen Bocking Kevin Bull Nick Milligan

Senior Writers Peter Douglas Hugh Milligan Mark Snelson Writers Nick Bilbey Stephen Bisset Kevin Bull Noah Cross Adam Dorrington Sean Frazer Paul Frost Ashleigh Gray Scott Gilbert

Lucy Hearn Mark Henderson Michelle Hogan Jessica Saxton Madeline Smith Steve Tauschke Jeff Theys Roger Thornhill Lee Tobin Nathaniel Try Jordan Watton Abbey Wright

Photographers Kevin Bull Courtney Fitzsimmons Richard Hedger Luke Holdstock Mark McIntosh Scarlett O’Horror Madeline Smith Graphic Designers Kevin Bull Cartoonist Dave Townley Jones

Production cam@reverbstreetpress.com.au

Postal Address : PO Box 843, Woy Woy, NSW, 2256 Reverb Magazine is locally owned & published by The Lockup Garage. Printed by Spotpress Pty Ltd: sales@spotpress.com.au 6 r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 6 — m ay 2 0 1 0

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australian tour with special guests presented by Fidelity corporation and Billions australia

Wednesday 23 June The hifi, brisbane qld tickets from www.thehifi.com.au or tel: 1300843 4434 or oztix outlets

friday 25 june sawtell rsl, coffs harbour nsw tickets from park Beach Music (the plaza), coopers surf (palms shopping centre), www.offbeatoperations.com.au & www.karnivool.com.au

saturday 26 june ne wcastle panthers, ne wcastle nsw tickets from the venue, www.karnivool.com.au & www.moshtix.com.au

wednesday 30 june metr o theatre, sydne y nsw tickets from Metro Box office tel: (02) 9550 3666 or www.metrotheatre.com.au

tickets on sale now K A

www.karnivool.com.au

www.myspace.com/karnivool

the new album

s o u n d

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out now

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Giveaways 2 double passes

Two double passes to the sold out Groovin’ The Moo festival in Maitland on Saturday, May 8

1 double pass

One double pass to the Gum Ball festival on Saturday, May 29

1 double pass

mondo generator

Double pass to see the Hoodoo Gurus on Friday, May 14, at Newcastle Leagues plus a copy of their new CD, Purity of Essence

2 copies

Two copies of Triple J Hottest 100 Volume 17 MultiScore book

5 copies

Five DVD copies of Triple J Hottest 100 Volume 17

mail Just e ial@ r edito etpress. r t s b e rever om.au. t c , firs come First rved. se

5 copies

Five copies of Paranormal Activity on DVD

What do Nick Oliveri [Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age], Dave Grohl [Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures], Happy Tom [Turbonegro] and The Fresh Prince Of Darkness [The Dwarves] all have in common? Aside from the fact they all play in some of the best bands to ever grace the earth, they all feature on the brand new single from Los Angeles band Mondo Generator. The first taste of the new album from the band, which is due for release in August, is the track ‘Dog Food’.

Catch Mondo Generator at The Cambridge Hotel on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Tickets are selling fast. the beautiful girls

PARKWAY DRIVE ENTER STUDIO

princeofwales.com.au

Nickson Wing & Empire Burlesque Sunday 30 May from 6pm

n u S & t a S i, r F ic s u M e Liv Coronas Cruisers

$4

Sundays

+ $10 Snitzels all day

Monday - $10 Schnitzels Wednesday - Free Trivia 7.30pm Tue, Wed, Thu - $12.90 Specials 1 Morgan St, Merewether 4963-1722 8

NICK OLIVERI BRINGS MONDO GENERATOR TO NEWCASTLE

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Australian hardcore heavyweights Parkway Drive have announced plans to return to the studio to record their third studio album, scheduled for a release this winter via Resist Records.

The long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s breakout album Horizons was written in the band’s home town of Byron Bay over the past six months and will be recorded in Los Angeles with celebrated producer Joe Barresi [Queens of the Stone Age, Bad Religion] over April.

“Writing with a concept in mind has given us more direction,” explains Parkway Drive front man Winston McCall. “Every song on this album was created with a definite purpose, as opposed to just writing a riff and building on that.”

While McCall concedes the album’s basic narrative — the tale of a man lacking direction in life who goes looking for answers at the bottom of the sea — is “kind of bizarre,” he says the concept was flexible enough to open itself up to many far-reaching ideas.

“The ocean is where I find the most clarity,” says the former bodyboard champion. “To go to the beach and sink into the water, the sound cuts out and you can just forget about everything. So I guess the concept is about cutting out everything and focusing on what’s inside yourself.”

SHAI HULUD to PLAY THE CAMBRIDGE hotel

Hardcore/metal pioneers Shai Hulud are touring Australian shores for the second time this coming May. Since their early beginnings in 1995, Shai Hulud have released three studio albums and toured relentlessly across the world. The band continues to tour in support of their 2008 album, Misanthropy Pure, one of their most critically acclaimed efforts to date.

Originally formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, but now residing in Poughkeepsie, New York, Shai Hulud have continued to belt out sounds of angry, melodic, multi-layered blends of beauty and aggression.Shai Hulud, Shinto Katana and Iexist perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Tuesday, May 18.

GET SPOOKED WITH THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS

The Beautiful Girls are no strangers to the stage or the road. From Brazil to Japan, the USA to Canada, France to the United Kingdom and right here at home, the band have toured relentlessly year in, year out. Late 2009, Mat McHugh entered the studio once more to lay down the tracks for the band’s fourth studio album, Spooks. In 2010, they will head out on one of their most ambitious and jam packed tours to date. Spanning two months, and reaching every corner of the country, the tour will feature the full six-piece line-up, melding old favourites and new tracks from Spooks into their most adventurous live offering ever.

Melbourne band Washington, fronted by chanteuse Megan Washington, will be joining the band for the entire tour. Washington has spent the past year, since being Unearthed by radio station Triple J, wooing music lovers on stage and on the airwaves with their indie pop tunes. The Beautiful Girls and Washington perform at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay, on Thursday, June 3 and Sunday, June 6.

Then on to Newcastle Panthers, Friday, June 11, the Entrance Leagues Club, Sunday, June 13, Port Macquarie Panthers, Friday, July 23, and Sawtell RSL, Saturday, July 24.

WHITLEY SOLO TOUR SELLS FAST With two stunning albums under his belt and a trail of captivating performances around the country, it’s no surprise that Whitley’s solo tour of Australia is selling very quickly. Catch this mercurial entertainer at the Northern Star Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday, May 29, 2010.

GRAYSON #1 ON PHYSICAL SINGLES CHART

Did you catch it? For the week of April 12, local boy Grayson landed his single, ‘Change’, as the #1 physical single release on the ARIA charts. Grayson performs at the Northern Star Hotel with Nicholas Roy and Diana Anaid, Saturday, May 22.

news

BLACKROCK TO BE STAGED BY TANTRUM, ZACKARI OF MOUSEMOON DOES SOUNDTRACK

Last dinosaurs

COME TOGETHER FOR 2010

Luna Park’s Big Top will again host one of the funnest weekends on Sydney’s calendar. Come Together will return for 2010 on June 12-13 of the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. You’ll have the Monday to recover! Bands confirmed for Saturday are: Frenzal Rhomb, Gyroscope, The Butterfly Effect, The Loved Ones (US), Strung Out (US), MM9, Toe To Toe, Deeznuts, House Vs Hurricane, Heroes For Hire, Circle Put and Jericco. Sunday’s lineup already includes: Last Dinosaurs, Bertie Blackman, Grinspoon, British India, Kisschasy, Boy & Bear, Ernest Ellis, The Jezabels, Dead Letter Circus, The Snowdroppers, Horrorshow, and Calling All Cars. Both days run from 1.30pm till 11pm. Tickets to Come Together also include free Luna Park rides all day. For all information and ticket purchases please head to www.cometogether.com.au Last Dinosaurs will be performing a free show at the Cambridge Hotel on Wednesday, May 26, 2010.

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For the first time since its premiere in 1996, Academy Award Nominee Nick Enright’s Blackrock will be staged in Newcastle, opening the Civic Theatre’s Inspirations Playhouse season for 2010. Newcastle’s own Tantrum Theatre has brought together some of the regions finest performers to create a gritty, thought-provoking production bolstered by a blistering original score performed live.

Recently described by RealTime magazine as “ambitious, innovative and inclusive”, Tantrum Theatre is preparing to take local audiences on a passage through events that transpired in Newcastle 20 years ago — the shocking story of unthinkable violence and the repercussions for the people involved, their families and the wider community.

Blackrock brings together professional artists Rod Ansell, Karen Lantry, Erika Gelzinnis and Cheryl Sovechles with emerging talent from Tantrum’s ensemble; Dean Blackford, Sarah Coffee, Ben Freeman, Cordelia HamiltonRussell, Steffen Hesping, Rachel Jackett, Dean Johnson, Bradley McDonald, Brittany Turner and Daniel Yaxley.

Tantrum will be collaborating for the first time with Zackari Watt, of The Lovelorn Living Party, and formerly of The Hauntingly Beautiful Mousemoon. Zackari was the winner of the Best Male Vocalist award in the 2002 ABC Radio Music Awards. Zackari has composed an original score for the production that when performed live promises to inspire and charge the Playhouse atmosphere.

Blackrock plays May 13-22 at the Playhouse, Civic Theatre Newcastle. Tickets are $30 ($26 concession and groups 8+), and available through Ticketek.

THE SUN SETS ON POWDERFINGER

Enduring Australian rock icons Powderfinger announced at a press conference at the Annandale Hotel that they would be hanging up their Powderfinger boots forever. Their ‘Sunsets’ farewell tour will kick off in Newcastle on September 1, with support from The Vines.

The band’s public statement said: “After a career that has lasted for over 20 years, seven studio albums, a live album, two DVDs, 30 odd video clips, around 1,000 shows, 16 ARIA awards and hundreds of thousands of kilometres travelled around the globe on local, national and world tours, we believe that the time has come to call an end to what we think has been an extremely privileged and rewarding run.” Tickets are on sale now.

DANIEL MARCH LAUNCHES THE Wonder AND HUNGER

Twenty-three-year-old songwriter Daniel March is releasing his debut album, The Wonder and Hunger, which showcases 11 brand new tracks and most of the instruments are played by Daniel himself. The record is co-produced with Gareth Hudson. In the last 12 months Daniel has shared stages with Ian Moss, Jon Stevens, James Morrison and Mental as Anything, just to name a few. Last year saw Daniel play to a full house for his Live to Tell EP launch, with 60 people waiting outside who were unlucky not to get in. The Wonder and Hunger launch takes place at Lizotte’s Lambton on Thursday, May 13, 2010. See www.lizottes.com.au for tickets.

SNOWDROPPERS to HIT THE VIEW FACTORY

Hitting the road with songs about fornication and intoxication, The Snowdroppers highly anticipated first tour of 2010 celebrates the release of their new single ‘Do The Stomp’.

The four Sydney lads are hitting the road to entertain an array of drunken deviants up and down the east coast of Australia. Catch them at the View Factory in Newcastle on Saturday, June 12, 2010.

Dappled Cities

DAPPLED CITIES WARM YOUR WINTER

Australian Youth Week Ambassadors, Dappled Cities, return from overseas in June for the home leg of their current world tour with a national series of special headline shows.

Aptly titled the ‘Winter Tour’, the band will arrive home following five months of touring their unique brand of art-rock across the United States, the UK, Europe and Asia. These will be Dappled Cities’ only Australian shows for the remainder of 2010. We then bid the band adieu for more festival dates across Europe and a return to Los Angeles to complete work on a new album.

Catch them at The Cambridge Hotel on Thursday, June 3, with John Steel Singers and Otouto. They’re also at the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, on Friday, June 25, 2010, with Fire! Santa Rose, Fire!. Entry to the Byron Bay show is free. For the Cambridge show, entry is $18, but for $30 you can get a ticket plus the double vinyl album of their amazing record Zounds. $40 gets you a ticket, the vinyl and a tee. It’s a dappled bargain.

TICKETS

THE ROCK SHOP (02) 4929 1856 WWW.OZTIX.COM.AU WWW.BIGTIX.COM.AU

news

karnivool Solver

KARNIVOOL ANNOUNCE ‘NEW DAY’ TOUR

SOLVER RETURN TO NEWCASTLE

urthboy

Urthboy’s tour kit

As one of the hardest working men in Australian hip-hop, Urthboy’s no stranger to life on the road. With his ‘Sneakquel’ tour already underway, Reverb decided to ask him which essentials are the first to go in his suitcase.

Clean Tees: I take way more tees than I need cos once I get off stage, I’m usually drenched in sweat. To begin with it’s fine and the adrenalin is pumping, but after 30 mins or so the hypothermia kicks in and it’s usually about 1 or 2am. Shivering, shaking rapper is a bad look.

Book: I always take a book but never read it. It’s supposed to be there to relax with, but there’s no such thing as relaxing, nor a gentle read on tour.

Camera: This falls into the same category.

I’m wary of people who photograph everything, so I barely ever take it out to get photos. The irony is I love checking out Jane’s [Jane Tyrell, vocalist] photos and I kick myself for not taking more. So my camera travels with me like a small pet that I never feed or pay any attention to.

Sharpies: The funniest thing about autographs is that people let you ruin perfectly good t-shirts/hoodies/hats etc with messily scribbled tags. It’s actually pretty great — it’s not like I’m asking to do it either. If I have time I’ll happily draw all sorts of dumb shit on any willing punter.

No tits — sorry ladies, and, er, blokes.

Mini-jack to mini-jack lead: The mini-jack connects the mp3 player to the car stereo and then it’s all hands-in-theair screaming lunacy with five people in a cramped car tearing down the local roads doing 120 in a 50 zone. Urthboy and Elefant Traks do not condone speeding or putting your hands in the air.

Multi-vitamins: If you destroy your immune system, it’s only fair to give it a break with a couple of these little pills. To be honest, who really knows what’s in these little things — but vitamin B makes you pee bright yellow, so it does something!

Hats: A man like me needs options. I find that the best time to catch up with people is post show — in all seriousness [the booze and energy makes people a lot more forthcoming] — but there’s always someone that demands my hat… or insists I swap mine for theirs.

Phone: There’s nothing better than all five of the touring party all sitting around together looking at their phones. It’s a good way to get to know other people (people that are not in your band).

Beroccas: They say one a day — but who listens to “them” anyway.

Urthboy hits Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel on Friday, May 21, and the Ripe Festival, Noosa, on Saturday, May 29, 2010.

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It’s been a while since Newcastle rockers Solver have played in their hometown but on May 28 they will return. Since reforming in late 2008 and completing a residency at The Grand Hotel in July last year, the three-piece haven’t stopped moving. They have played over 60 shows, including a week in The Solomon Islands with the Australian Defence Force. They also independently released an EP amd followed up on some interest in the USA by traveling to Austin, Texas, to record three new tracks.

In May, Solver will officially release their self-titled EP to the digital distribution networks.

The Solver EP was recorded in mid-2009 with legendary Aussie rock producer Mark Opitz [AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Rose Tattoo, INXS].

“These five tracks are a snap-shot of where we were at when we reformed in late 2008 — three dudes hellbent on making some genuine balls-out rock‘n’roll. These songs are meant to be listened to loud and live, that’s exactly how we recorded them!” says singer/guitarist Morgan Evans.

Solver will be joined on their Newcastle show by newcomers State Of Grace, who have created a groundswell throughout the Hunter since the release of their debut self-titled EP earlier this year.

Solver are playing the QWB on May 28 with State of Grace from 9pm.

MICK HART AT WICKHAM PARK After a magical solo European tour late last year and a wonderful string of summer east coast shows, ARIA nominated Blues and Roots artist Mick Hart will return to Newcastle for a special session at the Wickham Park Hotel on Saturday May 22.

This promises to be a brilliant evening with a huge set planned featuring songs from his entire back catalogue as well as showcasing tracks from the new albums Where I Go and What Lies Beneath.

Dan Sultan

DAN SULTAN TOURS THROUGH BYRON BAY, NEWCASTLE

With a star that’s been swiftly rising since the release of the second and highly acclaimed album Get Out While You Can, Dan Sultan and his band’s powerhouse performances are reputed to be amongst the most talked about shows in the country. With a voice that is simultaneously sweet and rough, Sultan knows how to turn on a crowd. The musical partnership and great synergy between Scott Wilson and Dan Sultan is as visible on stage as it is on this breakthrough new album. From haunting acoustic ballads to big-band soul rock guaranteed to make you move, Dan Sultan and his knock out seven-piece group will deliver their dynamic live set to audiences around Australia.

After wooing audiences at the recent BluesFest, Dan Sultan kicks of the national tour in Byron Bay on May 14 at the Great Northern, also taking in The Bar On The Hill at the University Of Newcastle on Thursday May 20, 2010.

Support on the tour will be New Zealand’s very own Gin Wigmore.

NICHOLAS ROY AT FAULT

Nicholas Roy is in for a change of scenery…

He’s packing up his gear and hitting the road with his band for an east coast tour. Along the way he’ll be supporting the ultra talented Diana Anaid, in what promises to be great shows.

To coincide with the tour will be the release of Nicholas’ new EP It’s All My Fault. Catch Roy with Diana Anaid and Grayson at the Northern Star Hotel, Saturday, May 22.

Having rocked American audiences in support of their most recent record, Sound Awake, Karnivool have announced regional dates in their homeland — their last live performances for 2010.

Their overseas trip has been a whirlwind. The morning after their sold out London show the band headed to Texas where they crammed six shows into four days at the SXSW festival, before starting their 20 date co-headlining tour with Dallas rockers Fair to Midland.

Guitarist Drew Goddard sums up their trip so far: “Six weeks and counting – life on the road has been treating us well.

We’ve been clocking up some serious mileage over Europe and the US, playing cracker shows and meeting awesome people, many who have travelled from all over [Poland, Hungary, Greece and, of course, Tampa!] to come see us. Many boozy nights and too many hung-over breakfasts at Waffle House to count. As amazing as this has been, there’s nothing like the feeling of coming back to our island home. Come party with us! It’s been too long!”

Catch Karnivool at the Hi Fi, Brisbane, on Wednesday, June 23, Sawtell RSL, Coffs Harbour, on Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26, at Newcastle Panthers.

AUDREYS’ ACOUSTIC DUO

Taasha and Tristan from The Audreys are on the road, playing in a rare and intimate acoustic duo mode. Hear a large selection of new songs from the forthcoming third album due for release in late 2010, so maximum bragging rights will be awarded to those of you who can say, ‘I heard that song first, way back in May.’ Taasha and Tristan play Lizotte’s, Newcastle, Sunday May 30.

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2010 — GREATEST FESTIVAL LINE-UP OF ALL TIME?

On the morning of Thursday, April 15, the Splendour organisers unveiled their artists for 2010’s festival. Suffice to say, the Reverb team thought it was a very clever hoax. How have they put together all of our favourite bands on the one bill? We still don’t understand it.

Here’s the confirmed acts: The Strokes, Mumford and Sons, The Temper Trap, Band Of Horses, Surfer Blood, Passion Pit, Pixies, Florence and the Machine, Laura Marling, Grizzly Bear, Band Of Skulls, LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Alberta Cross, Two Door Cinema Club, The Drums, Broken Social Scene, Midlake, Foals, Frightened Rabbit, Goldfrapp, Jonsi of Sigur Ros, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Scissor Sisters, Ben Harper and The Relentless 7, The Ting Tings, We Are Scientists, Richard Ashcroft and The United Nations of Sound, K-Os, Delphic, School Of Seven Bells, The Magic Numbers, Angus and Julia Stone, Wolfmother, The Vines, Empire Of The Sun, Yeasayer. Tame Impala, Paul Kelly, Operator Please, Lisa

band of horses

Mitchell, Midnight Juggernauts, Little Red, Space Invadas, Whitley, Clare Bowditch, Washington, The Mess Hall, Jonathan Boulet, Boy and Bear, Last Dinosaurs, Gypsy and the Cat, Ernest Ellis, Tim and Jean, British India, The Middle East, Bluejuice,

Philadelphia Grand Jury, Miami Horror, Dan Sultan, Cloud Control, Violent Soho and Yacht Club DJs. It takes place from July 30 to August 1 in Woodford, Queensland. Tickets are on sale 9am on Thursday, May 6. For all info head to splendourinthegrass.com

LIVE MUSIC

L I V E S P O R T, G R E AT F O O D MAY 5

WED THU

RED INK shivering indies BAMBINO KORESH (DUO)

KOLO SENSATIONS

MAY 7

FRONT BAR 9.30PM

BACK ROOM 10PM

FRI

Fluid Fridays

SUN MAY 12

WED MAY 15

SAT MAY 16

SUN MAY 19

WED MAY 20

THU MAY 21

SUN

The Adam Eckersley Band

09

MARSHALL AND THE FRO

SAT

ALBUM LAUNCH

PLUS BENJALU

PLUS

E ING RANG ID IV D T A E GR

Gum Ball Recovery Party WITH

COLLARD GREENS AND GRAVY

The Wildes

15 FRI

21 SUN

30

PLUS: SAT 1ST CHASE THE SUN SUN 2ND THE BEARDS PLUS GAY PARIS THUR 6TH NGARIKI FRI 7TH ERROL JM AND THE TRADE SECRETS (EP LAUNCH) PLUS SUPPORTS WED 12 BULK PISS FOR DISCO’S RANDY FORTY SUN 16TH THE PAT CAPOCCI COMBO, THE EZRA LEE SHOW, DANNY AND THE COSMIC TREMORS SAT 22ND THE RE-MAINS (ALBUM LAUNCH) SUN 23RD GRANT WALMSLEY AND THE AGENTS OF PEACE FRI 28TH ABBIE CARDWELL AND HER LEADING MEN PLUS BROTHERS GRIM

SABRETUNG

FRONT BAR 8.30PM

MAY 9

88 Church Street, Maitland 02 4933 5242 / MySpace / Facebook

A RED DAWN

BACK ROOM 9.30PM

SAT

Grand Junction Hotel

FIVE STAR PRISON CELL

MAY 6

MAY 8

MAY

FRONT BAR 9PM

FRI MAY 22

SAT MAY 23

Gunius

SMOOTH BEATS AND TASTY TREATS - LIVE DJS

surrogate

local h ip-h op FRONT BAR 7PM

Corey Price

KEIRAN GLASGOW FRONT BAR 9PM

The Clap

GALAXY UNIVERSE

BACK ROOM 10PM

SPEW YA GUTS UP

YES I’M LEAVING (SYD)

SLOGAN FREE YOUTH

TIM CROSSEY

FRONT BAR 7PM

Corey Price

JESS LAMBIE

The Havelocks

FRONT BAR 9PM

THE J-21’S BACK ROOM 10PM

KOLO SENSATIONS 7PM

MANIC THE CASINO PISTOLEROS VEEBEES RUMBLERS (MELB)

( CAN B E R RA - C D LAU N C H )

BACK ROOM 10PM

METALCASTLE SHOW FRONT BAR 7PM

SUN The Tim Crossey Band MAY 27

BACK ROOM 9.30PM

THU

THE SCUL HAZZARDS + more TBA

MAY 28

FRI MAY 29

(MELB)

BACK ROOM 10PM

LEADFINGER DEAD FARMERS

ROYA L H EA DA CH E THe BeD WeTTiN’ BaD BoYS

BACK ROOM 10PM

SAT P I X I E M U S I C N I G H T

Monday Nights BEAUMONT STREET’S Tuesdays 7.30PM ONLY POOL COMPETITION SUN 4-6PM Happy Hour THURS $3.50 SCHOONERS

7PM $9.90 RUMPS, MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, MUSO’S NIGHT, 9.30PM FREE POOL

2-6 BEAUMONT ST OPEN 9.30AM-3AM DAILY

02 4961 3852

EXCEPT SUN 10AM-MIDNIGH

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KARUAH BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

The Karuah Bluegrass Festival is ready to roll for 2010. Confirmed acts are Hardrive Bluegrass Band, The Lawnmowers, Gleny Rae Virus and Her Tamworth Playboys, Daniel Watkins & Friends, The Slicksville Pickers, Steve Wood & The Johnson Creek Drifters, Birdbath and Fat Wombat.

Karuah is a two hour drive north of Sydney via the Pacific Highway. Originally occupied by the Worimi Aborigines, the area’s indigenous place-name is thought to mean ‘native plum tree’.

To be held over the weekend of May 14-16, people are encouraged to be involved in this community festival where residents, musicians and music lovers can gather to listen or play. In addition to scheduled concerts there will be workshops including banjo, mandolin and fiddle, plus blackboard gigs and picking for those who wish to bring their instruments.

Tickets are $35. Pre-sales available from bigtix.com.au, Karuah Mobil and during the weekend of the festival. Karuah offers various accommodation options include motels and camping all within walking distance of venues.

More information is available at krom.org.au.

RED INK SHOW THEIR SCARS

After their 2009 debut Audrey received rotation on Triple J, Channel V, MTV and good ol’ fashioned community radio, the four youngsters from Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula, Red Ink, have been flat stick gigging across the country with the addition of playing at Pyramid Rock Festival, Stereosonic, Playground Weekender, One Movement and Festival of the Sun. With a rapidly growing reputation for their infectious tunes and sex-on-the-dancefloor live shows, the hype comes as no surprise.

After eagerly awaiting the lads’ second release, 2010 is setting up to be an even greater year for Red Ink, with their follow-up coming in the form of the single ‘Battlescars’.

They play the Hamilton Station Hotel on Thursday, May 6, 2010.

POWERAGE win YOUTHROCK

Hinton band Powerage has followed in the footsteps of Silverchair, claiming top honours at YouthRock 2010. Powerage was one of 13 Hunter bands among the 44 finalists at YouthRock, clinching the ArriveAlive competition at the Sutherland Entertainment

Centre in Sydney. Drummer Ben Crawford said the band was ecstatic with the win. “I believe we’re doing it right at the moment, and this is going to help us out heaps,” he said. “I was pretty confident, I thought our performance was well-received. We’re just stoked.” Representing Maitland High School at YouthRock, the band wins $10,000 worth of prizes including rehearsal studio time, support gigs and internet space.

JEFF MARTIN AT LIZOTTE’S

Following the success of his recent Australian tour with The Armada, and exceptional performances at WOMADelaide and Canadian Music Week, Jeff Martin (formerly of The Tea Party) is set to embark on a national tour this May, bringing fellow Armada multiinstrumentalist and ex-Sleepy Jackson, J Cortez, along for the ride. Together, Martin and Cortez will perform the best of The Tea Party, plus an array of Martin’s solo offerings and a few newly found treasures from The Armada. Be reminded of what made The Tea Party so special… the blues, the mystique, the Middle Eastern influences. Jeff Martin plays Lizotte’s in Kincumber on May 3-4, as well as Lizotte’s, Newcastle, May 11-12.

astronomy class

Astronomy Class 101

Ahead of Astronomy Class’s visit to the Gum Ball on May Saturday May 29, Ozi Batla tells Reverb which essentials he always takes on tour.

Earplugs: In case I am rooming with someone who snores more than me.

A novel: Readable with a hangover.

Nurofen: Also Panadol, Berocca, cheese ‘n’ bacon balls.

Car transmitter: For iPod wars while on the road.

Little camera: For capturing weird and wonderful moments.

Appetite: For big breakfasts.

Worksheets: To get us there and back.

A hastily taped-up box: For merch’ that may or may not explode in transit.

Some tasty new music: To impress highly critical band-mates.

A bit of good old fashioned “can do”.

The Gum Ball is at Belford on Saturday, May 29, 2010. Tickets are selling fast.

HEY MR LAZYS

The Lazys hit the road in support of their new single ‘Hey Mr Mr’, which is just a taste of what’s to come from the band’s forthcoming studio album due for release mid year. The Lazys have been busy recording their debut album Prison Earth. The album explores the vicious truth about the world from one’s personal existence to global injustice. There are some escapes, yet sometimes one’s perception exceeds their mental state of mind… The Lazys perform at Erina’s Woodport Inn, Saturday, May 8.

COME OUT AND PLAY

Come Out and Play isn’t just a great Offspring song, it’s also the name of a great new gig that will take place at the Wickham Park Hotel.

Affectionately known as ‘The Wicko’, Rosie’s School of Rock will be hosting a regular jam night at the Hotel which will be held on the first Wednesday of the month starting at 8pm. This is a jam night with a difference, as it is open to all ages. “Getting up in front of a crowd is a really important part of being a musician for any age,” says Rosie’s School of Rock principal Craig “Rosie” Rosevear. “I wanted to create a way where we could help aspiring musos get up in front of a real pub rock crowd but have support from industry professionals as well. The Jam night will have professional music teachers on hand to help fellow musos who might want some help.

We’ve got experienced guitar teachers, drum teachers, vocal teachers who can help you with chords or just how to tune up your guitar, if you don’t need any help then that’s cool too…just get up there and blast away,” says Rosie. Come out and Play is free, open to all ages, for individuals and bands. Equipment is supplied or bring your own. The first gig was a big success and a full crowd is assured. The next gig kicks off 8pm Wednesday, May 5.

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news

WAITING FOR MOLDRE

Central Coast based singer/songwriter Mark Moldre spent much of last year holed up in the studio with some of his closest childhood friends, including best mate Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss) and Jamie’s siblings Sophie (piano) and Scott (drums) recording an album which lyrically entwines the threads of their past and the trials that we face as time moves on. Moldre’s memories, dreams and regrets have become woven into the tapestry of his debut solo album, The Waiting Room. On the live scene, Moldre has been steadily building a following by playing shows alongside fine artists like The Church, Mark Seymour, Steve Kilbey, The Gin Club, and Tex Perkins. The Waiting Room will be launched across the East Coast of Australia with a full band and special guests, local Mike McCarthy and Brisbane’s Talltails — Wednesday, May 19, at Lizotte’s, Lambton (with extra special guest Sarah Humphreys), and Sunday, May 23, at Lizotte’s, Kincumber.

THE PRINCESS OF PERCUSSION

Making her first trip to Australia in a number of years, Sheila E is one of the world’s most recognisable drummer/percussionists. Her own career as a recording artist (‘The Glamorous Life’, ‘Belle Of St Mark’, ‘Love Bizarre’) on Warner Bros and Concord Jazz is as impressive as her resumé as a session musician alongside names such as Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Marvin Gaye to name but a few. During the 80s, her profile rose as she served as drummer and musical director in Prince’s backing band, The New Power Generation. Joining Sheila E is Jazz-Funk virtuoso Ricky Peterson, a man who has established himself as one of the world’s leading keyboard players. Completing this star-studded outfit are brothers Paul Peterson

Marx, Prince, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis of Flyte Tyme Productions). Ricky Peterson and The Peterson Brothers, and Sheila E will be performing at the A&I Hall in Bangalow, Friday, May 21, and at Lizotte’s, Newcastle, on Wednesday, May 26.

FINAL GUM BALL LINE-UP AND FUNDRAISER mark cashin with lauren

CASHOLOGY

Mark Cashin and a number of Lil Hussys visited the house of Reverb publisher, Kevin Bull, a few weeks ago with an unmastered version of his new release, Cashology, for a listening party. What started out as a couple of hours of loud music turned into much beer and champagne being drunk, the barbecue being lit, and two messy ladies that had to be tucked into bed. So what does Cashology sound like? Mark has stepped back into his rock roots — this is a slap in the face that represents his live performances far better. Catch Mark Cashin and the Lil Hussys [sic] at Lizotte’s, Kincumber on Wednesday, May 5, and the official album launch at the Doyalson RSL on Saturday, May 22.

aka St Paul (bass, guitar, drums – former member of acclaimed funk outfits The Family & The Time, sideman for the likes of George Benson, Joe Sample, Oleta Adams), Billy Peterson (bass, and long-time member of The Steve Miller band, sideman for jazz greats Harry “Sweets” Edison, “Brother” Jack McDuff and Benny Carter) and Jason Peterson-DeLaire (current touring sax/keyboard player for Michael Bolton with credits including Richard

The final line-up for the 2010 Gum Ball Festival has been announced, plus an amazing fundraiser raffle that will be drawn at the event. The raffle includes ten major prizes, with the highlight being a double pass and camping to Splendour In The Grass. For details on how to enter, head to thegumball. com.au. As for the full line-up, here it is — The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Basics, Tijuana Cartel, Astronomy Class, Marshall and the Fro, Laneous and the Family Yah, Collard Greens and Gravy, Jackson Firebird, The Firemen, The Wildes, Brothers Grim, The Snowdroppers, Abbie Cardwell, Zoe K and the Band of Lost Souls, The Animators, Rachael Brady, Dead Puppets and The Domestics. The Gum Ball Festival will be held at Belford on Saturday, May 29.

SHUFFLE KINGS BECOME THE BAND OF GYPSYS

In May, 1996, Paul Robert Burton formed the Shuffle Kings, a band whose main goal was to reach an unprecedented musical freedom and creativity. With a history of over 12 years, 2,500 shows and touring both nationally and internationally, The Shuffle Kings realised that dream. Now in 2010, the Band Of Gypsys continues to re-define the limits of contemporary live musical performance. Paul has gathered together a highly eclectic, versatile collection of world class virtuoso musicians that perform a vast repertoire of

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Weekly

Lizotte’s are at it again in May, bringing to you the best in local music. At the Lambton venue on Friday May 7 is the double header of Mark Wells and Marisa Saroca — don’t miss this one.

Daniel March presents his debut CD, The Wonder and Hunger, on Thursday May 13 supported by Beth Robertson. Mark Moldre launches his debut CD, The Waiting Room, with support from Mike McCarthy, Talltails and Sarah Humphreys on Wednesday May 19. Rounding off the month at Lambton will be Bob Corbett and the Roo Grass Band on Thursday May 27.

Heading down to the Kincumber venue, and the local talent begins on Wednesday May 5 with Nathan Wilmont, Zoe Elliot, Niksta, and Mark Cashin and the Lil Husseys. A week later on Wednesday May 12, you can catch Jessica Ashby, Billy February, and Sons of Alamo.

Finally, on Sunday May 23, Mark Moldre releases his debut to the Coasties with Mike McCarthy and Talltails in support.

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originals and unusual traditional musical pieces. His music reflects an eclectic creative blend of blues, celtic, rockabilly, gypsy, Middle Eastern, gospel, bluegrass, swing, jazz and folk rock influences. Catch Paul Robert Burton and the Band of Gypsys performing at Kantara House, Saturday May 30, and Lizotte’s, Newcastle, Sunday, June 6. You can also see Paul Robert Burton in solo mode with Michael Fix at Kantara House, Thursday, May 13.

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Film

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melissa etheridge

Oscar winner. Grammy winner.

Environmental activist. Gay rights campaigner. Cancer survivor.

Melissa Etheridge’s personal achievements are only outshadowed by the enduring strength of her music. Her eleventh studio album, Fearless Love, is a stirring and uplifting, highway-friendly collection of rock songs. In this candid interview with Nick Milligan, Etheridge reflects on the journey that has brought her to 2010.

Fear & Now Your back catalogue spans over two decades.

Have the meanings of any of your earlier songs changed for you?

Yeah, the songs that I’ve written before have, of course, lost their original meaning because I’m no longer in that place. But I can always apply meaning and emotion to them. They always ring true inside of me. I still love the old songs very much.

Do you ever go back and listen to your earliest records?

A few years ago, when I was on chemotherapy, dealing with cancer, I sat and listened to all of my stuff from the very beginning. It took about three days. I listened to it and discussed it with my friends. I really remembered every single song. It was very healing.

What triggered your decision to listen to all your past work? Was it simply what you were going through?

I think sometimes we have a tendency to just race through life and try to get to the next thing without taking a moment to reflect and remember and celebrate what we’ve done, and that was a time for me to do that.

What was your impression when you listened to your back catalogue and discussed it? [chuckles] That I have a lot of angst. [The songs] were stronger than I thought. Sometimes there was meaning in them that I didn’t know I was speaking about. There was a lot of things I was saying to myself that I didn’t know.

How did the writing of Fearless Love compare to albums you’ve made in the past?

Well, much has changed about the way I write.

For one, the first few albums of mine came from

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myself as an artist. I was free, I was writing on buses and always had a guitar. I could write in my room. I was just a writer. Now I’m a mother and I have to schedule time for write. The subjects of the place I’m writing from is more mature.

It’s wider in scope and hopefully in depth.

Is there a place where you’ve always felt the most comfortable to write songs?

I’ve always just needed to be alone. That’s mostly what I require. I have an office here in my house and I usually sit on the couch and write there.

Eleven albums into your recording career, do you still feel as though your best music could be ahead of you?

Well, I hope so! I want to get better. I want to learn. That’s how I approached this album.

I’ve made ten albums. I have a huge catalogue of songs. Hopefully I’m getting better and I want these to be mature songs that continue to reach people.

Did you have a clear idea about how you wanted this album to sound compared to your previous records?

Yes, I was very clear. I met with John Shanks, the producer. I said, “This album has to be huge.

It has to rock. It has to feel like those albums we grew up with that we loved. It has to be as deep as The Who and Led Zeppelin, and as forceful as Bruce Springsteen and Peter Gabriel.”

Yes, I definitely wanted it to be large.

How did you go about achieving that epic quality? Was it purely in the writing or was it in the production?

It was both. To get anything that you could say was epic, you have to start with a very large

plan. The songs had to be able to hold that, otherwise it would be kind of ridiculous. John was fearless in requiring me to step up to the plate, musically.

Lyrically, do you see any recurring themes on this record?

Yeah, there’s a few things woven in there.

Of course ‘fear’ and ‘love’ are the two anchors for the album. Everything came from fear and love. There’s a lot of recurring themes, like birth and death. All kinds of things.

At what point in the writing did you see those threads starting to appear?

If you use the thread analogy, I had all of those threads in front of me. Then you just start creating the piece from that. I knew what the themes were. I knew they were going to be heaven, spirit, soul, fear, love, pain and hope.

Those were the colours.

You know, I never thought I did. I never defined myself that way. I just wanted to make music, yet the situation would present itself to me.

I would find myself with this choice — like the choice of love or fear. Whether I was going to speak my truth and push through whatever I may be afraid of.

I really love the song ‘Indiana’. It’s incredibly catchy. Can you tell us a bit about that song and what it’s about?

Well, my partner Tammy is from Indiana and it’s her story. It’s a tribute, I guess. It’s influenced by her story and her life. The small town American dream — which I can relate to — and the maturing into a mother and releasing past pain and finding your answer, or finding your own love and family inside youself.

Is there a set of lyrics on the album that you would say you’re the most happy with?

Probably ‘We Are The Ones’. It’s very tribal. ‘We are the ones we’ve been waiting for’ is where I feel I am at spiritually and socially.

What have been your strongest memories of your trips to Australia?

Oh, I love Australia so much. I love the people — you guys are just solid. You care and you’re all natural environmentalists. It’s always been first and foremost with you. Your food is fresh and natural and your cities are so alive and vibrant.

I love your country very, very much!

You’re also known for your activism and have always been outspoken on things you believe in. Can you remember what your first act of protest was — in the traditional sense?

Probably as a feminist in the eighties, when I first came out here [to California] I was involved in a lot of women’s groups and some gay groups. That was probably the most political I got at first.

It’s a long way to travel for artists. How did it feel to first arrive here and perform to people?

I remember when I put my first album out. My manager called me and said, “Guess what?

Your song ‘Bring Me Some Water’ is a huge hit in Australia.” Sometimes in America, we really lose grasp of the communities around the world. I just didn’t think that my music could reach that far and it made me very happy.

Have you always had that streak in you to be outspoken?

Fearless Love is out now through Universal.

Keep your ears out for Australian dates in 2010.

e v e r g r e e n t e rr a c e

Grass Is Greener Evergreen Terrace is of course known as the residence of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. But to four Jacksonville, Florida boys, and an internationally growing fan base, Evergreen Terrace is also known for diverse melodic hardcore music. Michelle Hogan sat down with guitarist Josh James to discuss Evergreen Terrace’s upcoming Australian tour and his fear of babies.

With more than eight years under Evergreen Terrace’s belt, and five full-length albums, how do you think the music has matured and changed since Losing All Hope Is Freedom?

If it hasn’t matured and the riffs haven’t changed, than I would be really bummed on myself and the rest of the guys in the band... If we were still writing the same stuff that we were ten years ago when we started writing Losing All Hope Is Freedom, I would be pretty uninspired by my gradual musicianship. But no, it has changed a lot; in the beginning it was much more chaotic, and I don’t mean that by the way most people might think about chaotic music, I mean there was less structure going on in the first couple of records, and then we started to actually incorporate real choruses - making better and stronger songs, and songs that I think people will remember, versus something that is just cool for a hot second.

This will be the first Australian tour since Almost Home was released last year, what can the fans expect?

We’re going to bring over a boat of clowns, and some small stolen children - there is actually a small child staring at me right now and it is really bothering me! Most of the time, I don’t like babies, and this baby is just staring at me, and I don’t know where its parents are (long silent pause), ok, here they come, oh no

they have two other kids, so now I feel bad for them. Anyway, back to what I was saying, we’ve never been a band who just releases a record and only sings all the songs off that record on tour. We’ve always appreciated our older fans and our newer fans, so we try to make sure that everyone gets a little bit of what they want to hear.

What do you think the boys of Evergreen Terrace would be doing if this band had not taken off as well as it did?

Craig would have invented Twitter, Drew would be working on a boat somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, and I would be a lottery winner!

No actually, I take that back. I would have been framed for something horrible and that would have caused me to spend the majority of my life in prison. That way I will always feel good about playing in Evergreen Terrace knowing what the other side of my life was!

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Almost Home was the first album where Evergreen Terrace had a producer; how do you think that affected the album and creative process?

Yeah, we had a producer only for the vocals.

We still have not worked with a producer for the songwriting or the actual recording. Oh god, here comes another baby! No ok, they’re going... So yeah, anyway, producer Jason Suecof, he is a crazy, crazy motherfucker.

Really bizarre, out of control. He would wake

Drew (Andrew Carey) up at 5.30am, 4.30am in the morning and be like, ‘Alright we have to record your vocals right now!’ And, Drew would be like, ‘What are you talking about, I’m still drunk!’ And Jason would just be like, ‘No, we have to do it right now!

Is there a moment in your career that stands out?

It’s crazy because I have been able to tour with bands that I grew up listening to, like Agnostic Front and Strung Out and Hatebreed, and then we’ve been able to tour with bands that I didn’t know that much about until we did tour with

them and then I’d become a really big fan of the music, like As I Lay Dying, or even Circa Survive. But we toured Russia with Agnostic Front and played Moscow and I just remember thinking, ‘Holy shit! We’re playing Moscow with Agnostic Front and this show is sold out, everyone here is loosing their mind while we’re playing. Yeah this is awesome.’ That was really fucking cool, definitely a big highlight in our history so far.

Evergreen Terrace play the Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong, Thursday May 20, and Byron Bay High School, Friday 21.

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It’s been a fairly long time between albums for you guys. Why so long?

Well it’s only really been two and a half years since Fantastic Playroom came out, and we toured for around a year and a half of that and then it took about a year to do the album. We came to Australia like five times, we went to Asia and America and people don’t realise how much we did tour around the world. I guess after that we needed a break to find out who we were again.

When you finally decided to go back into the studio, did the band feel any sort of pressure to live up to the success of Fantastic Playroom?

We definitely did feel some pressure, but you’ve just got to get over that. It’s easier to let go of that pressure when you’re not connected, out touring and doing interviews and talking to people about your music. I think that’s why we needed that time off to kind of buffer ourselves and get back to being who we were before we were in the band. Once we did that, it was just a case of finding a sound and seeing what came out. Some people thrive on that kind of pressure, but I’m not into that at all, I’m just doing this because I want to do it.

I guess if you’re not doing it because you want to, the end result has less value.

Completely. That’s the problem with a lot of modern music, there is so much pressure. We did feel it even though our label and

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After a short hiatus, British dance-punk band New Young Pony Club are back with a bold new sound and new album — The Optimist. Stephen Bisset spoke to main pony Andy Spence about ignoring pressure, optimism and the recent parting of ways with their Aussie label.

management weren’t particularly heavy, but there is pressure to get out there and do more and continue that success. A lot of people would cave to that and just create something for the sake of it.

How do you see life on the road shaped The Optimist?

I think it did more than we know. I’ve never really thought about that before, but I think just seeing more of the world in general would have definitely influenced us.

How did the writing and recording process differ this time around?

Well, last time it was much a case of me coming up with some musical ideas and giving them to Tahita [Bulmer, vocals] and then her doing the vocal and maybe working on it a bit together.

But this time we actually really just sat in a room and did that thing of ‘let’s sit down and write some songs together’ and not just come up with weird little instrumentals, but come up with stuff that works on its own and not just in a computer. That was definitely different and we really didn’t want to just follow the same

path. You’ve just got to move on, but I’ve had a lot of interviews where people say, ‘Oh, the sound has changed, do you think it’s going to be as successful as ‘Ice Cream’?’ The answer is I don’t know, but we had to do something that excited us and that’s what we’ve done and I think it’s a much better album and we’re all really happy with it.

So I guess you’ll be champing at the bit to get the album out on the road?

We’ll we’ve got no immediate plans as we’re getting the promo and stuff for the album sorted. We’ve obviously missed this summer but I’d say we’ll definitely be back down your way. We’d love to get back down there for the Splendour In The Grass festival as that was one of the highlights of our trip in 2008. It was a blast.

So who’s the biggest optimist in the band? [laughs] Well, that’s a very good question actually. The answer is that it changes from day to day. One day it’s me, one day it’s Tahita, some days it’s Sarah [Jones, drums]. I’d say our tour manager, actually.

It’s always good to have an optimistic tour manager.

No, I’d say our manager, actually.

Well that’s even better.

Yeah, he’s been fantastic. Every time we’ve been all self-doubting and stuff, he reassures us. The next day we’re like, ‘Yeah, fuck it, we’re great!’

So any final words/scoops for the fans? I hear you guys have parted ways with Modular?

Yeah, I didn’t know if news of that had got out or not as no one has asked me about it.

Essentially it was just a parting of ways. Modular are going through a bit of an upheaval worldwide.

I think things changed for them and it wasn’t really suitable for us — they weren’t just an Australian label anymore. They didn’t really say much though, we gave them the record and they weren’t really sure about it so we went elsewhere.

Thanks again for the chat, Andy. Look forward to seeing you down here next summer.

Yeah, we look forward to coming down there and playing some of our big new tracks at some of those great summer festivals. We’d also love to do Big Day Out, and one of the things about being on Modular is I think that there was a bit of rivalry there and not many Modular bands got to play it, so now that we’re free maybe we can do it.

The Optimist is out now through Liberator/PIAS.

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album reviews Feature albums

David Byrne & Fatboy Slim Here Lies Love Todomundo/Nonesuch

5/5 Imelda Marcos, the notoriously excessive former First Lady of the Phillipines, is the unlikely subject of this collaboration between David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) and Fatboy Slim; her humble beginnings, rise to success and eventual exile are related through twenty-two tightly woven tracks in an eclectic mix of disco, pop, Latin and folk. While this in itself makes the album a great listen, the real drawcard is its exceptional array of guest artists. Every track features a different female vocalist, including Tori Amos, Cyndi Lauper, Martha Wainwright, Sia, St Vincent, Roísín Murphy, Camille and Santigold, among numerous others. Here Lies Love thus becomes something truly incredible, a catalogue of strong female voices that celebrates an iconic symbol of female strength – the Iron Butterfly herself. ~Hugh Milligan

Goldfrapp Head On Mute Records/EMI

4/5 While their last album, Seventh Tree, may have wandered into folkier territory, Goldfrapp’s latest offering is very much a return to the electropop and dance influences of earlier releases such as Supernature. Though not quite as salacious, the tracks are smooth and polished; catchy synth hooks and pounding electronic bass lines are the perfect springboard to launch Alison’s breathless atmospheric melodies.

Supernature’s raw electronica has evidently been refined into lush sonic decadence, exemplified by the sleek, ultra-cool exuberance of tracks like ‘Hunt’ and ‘Alive’. If ‘Satin Chic’ is in any way a definable musical quality, it surely applies to this album. For Fans Of: Roísín Murphy ~Hugh Milligan

Jonneine Zapata Cast The Demons Out Laughing OutlaW

3.5/5 Like the name suggests, Cast the Demons Out is not the feel-good album of the year. The Los Angeles-based Zapata has a somewhat ethereal vocal range, that shifts between Marianne Faithful’s depths and Tori Amos’ heights. This, her first album, is a very dark collection; her soulful cries ranging from anguish to despair, backed by grungy distorted guitar. Supported by slow drumming and delicate guitar, ‘Good Looking’ is a beautifully emotive showcase of Zapata’s mournful vocals.

She discards vocal range for grunt in ‘Worry’, a hypnotically repetitive song encompassing the dark feel of the album. These glimmers are just a shadow of what can be expected of Zapata in the future. ~Jess Saxton

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The Break Church of the Open Sky

Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!

Bombora Creative

Sea Priest

3/5 There has been quite a bit of noise about this latest “super group” to step into the spotlight. Made up of three former Oils and a Violent Femme, The Break recorded Church of the Open Sky in three short sessions at guitarist Jim Moginie’s Sydney studio. There is a certain element of risk versus reward when approaching this album.

The idea of an entire set of essentially vocal free surf music may seem daunting to the average listener, however the musicality of these four men shines through. There is no doubt that Brian Ritchie, ex-The Violent Femmes, makes his mark on this record. Church of the Open Sky is largely about rhythmic hooks, which Ritchie and drummer Rob Hirst provide exceptionally, most notably on the hectic ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Surfing Priests’. The result is a solid collection of songs that have a certain intrigue. ~Nick Bielby

British India Avalanche

Dot Dash

3.5/5 Adelaide five-piece, Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! deliver their debut album after two years in and out of recording sessions, during which time the studio they were using moved locations, the band lost two members and gained an extra guitarist. Despite the restlessness of this process, Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! have come out the other end with an offering that flows more than was to be expected.

The big draw card of this album, and arguably a large part of the characteristic charm of this band, is the way the voices of singer Caitlin Duff and guitarist Dave Williams contribute to the atmosphere of Sea Priest. ‘All Of Us In The Water’ is a lament that sees both voices create a mood that is both haunting yet starkly pretty. Sea Priest is a cohesive bunch of songs and is well worth a listen. For fans of: The Middle East, Cloud Control, Angus and Julia Stone. ~Nick Bielby

Shock

2/5 Avalanche is a frustratingly safe album and sounds like a band trying incredibly hard to remain mediocre.

Songs rely on being fast and loud to be interesting, riddled with excessive drum fills and guitar solos — it comes across as extremely over indulgent. British India’s sound has developed very little, so Avalanche may appeal to fans of their older material. The singles ‘Beneath the Satellite’ and ‘Vanilla’, among others, are solid pop-rock songs.

‘Friends’ is one of the more interesting songs on the record, the sinister guitar intro is a cautious step out of the box British India have put themselves in. Ultimately there is no real message and if this is the best they can offer three albums in, it is unlikely to win many new fans or even keep older ones interested. ~Jeff Theys

Deftones Diamond Eyes Warner

4.5/5 For Deftones fans, the American rock band’s long-awaited sixth studio record will harbour mixed feelings. While it’s a triumphant return from singer Chino Moreno and his clan, it’s also the first record without founding bassist Chi Cheng, who remains in a semi-conscious state following his horrific car accident in November 2008.

Since their aggressive, hard-rock debut Adrenaline in 1995, Deftones have continued to improve upon their thundering riffage, while Moreno’s versatile vocal delivery continues to breathe atmosphere into their pounding arrangements. Deftones were working on an album called Eros, but following Cheng’s accident, they decided to scrap it to create something that better represented their feelings — songs like ‘Royal’ and ‘CMND/ CTRL’ are every bit as dark and brutal as what they’ve done in the past. But emotionally, the big release comes in the tortured, dynamic ballad ‘Sextape’. Diamond Eyes is a tightly ravelled ball of energy and you can’t help but be moved by it. For fans of: Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, The Butterfly Effect, Marilyn Manson. ~Nick Milligan

Fozzy Chasing The Grail Riot Entertainment

4/5 With the pleasant surprise of shying away from the common nu metal/hard rock style offerings, the fourth studio album of head banging band Fozzy, Chasing the Grail, brings an energetic metal vibe especially in the opening song ‘Under Blackened Skies’ ,and also ‘Martyr No More’, with its rapid-fire riffs and catchy lyrics. ‘Let the Madness Begin’ pays homage to Led Zeppelin in its guitar solo, and WWE superstar Chris Jericho provides hard hitting vocals throughout the album in the style of Ozzy Osbourne. The 14-minute epic closer, ‘Wormwood’, ventures into progressive rock territory to give the album that overall experimental feel. Just goes to show how far Fozzy have come from being hailed a gimmick band. Chasing the Grail will appeal to both hard metal and non metal fans alike. ~Adam Dorrington

Kate Gogarty Blurry Independent

4.5/5 Blurry is the first offering from Sydney based singer/songwriter Kate Gogarty, and this EP was produced by guitarist Sean Carey of Thirsty Merc. It is a beautiful, yet haunting work in which Kate welcomes us into her world. Her stunning vocal is complemented by her deeply poetic lyrics.

On the track ‘You’re Not Here’, we are pulled

by Kate into a tale of love with someone who is never really here; the descriptive language and emotion in the track bring it right to the listener, allowing us to truly feel what she is feeling.

The opening track ‘I Will Be Waiting’ is a smooth acoustic rock track and entails the entirety of Kate’s vocal range from the bluesy and moody, right through to the soaring and beautiful voice that she will certainly become known for. Blurry is a fantastic work that you need to listen to; Kate Gogarty is a rising star that anyone who hears her voice could fall in love with. ~Mark henderson

Jimi HenDrix Valleys of Neptune Sony

3.5/5 So the Jimi Hendrix vaults have been opened, and 12 unreleased studio recordings are available for the first time via Valleys Of Neptune. Many of the tracks are available in various forms on his studio and posthumous releases – ‘Stone Free’ is funkier than on Are You Experienced, ‘Bleeding Heart’ is the best studio recording I have heard of this song, and ‘Hear My Train A Comin’ is the original recording that was butchered on Midnight Lightning. ‘Ships Passing Through The Night’ foreshadows The Cry of Love’s ‘Night Bird Flying’ – much slower and quite different to what it became. Likewise, ‘Lullaby For The Summer’ is ‘Ezy Rider’ in development – no vocals but interesting none the less. ‘Mr Bad Luck’ was recorded during the Axis: Bold As Love sessions, yet a completed version would not appear until Rainbow Bridge, renamed as ‘Look Over Yonder’. It should be noted though, that Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell did rerecord their bass and drum parts on this track in 1987, under the guidance of original producer, Chas Chandler.

The centrepiece though is the title track, one of Hendrix’s most sought after recordings.

Though a final master was never achieved before his death (it does sound like a demo), it clearly shows where the man was heading, which is a great insight. Valleys Of Neptune is not for the new listener – grab his original studio releases for that. If you’re already a fan though, this is a must. ~Kevin Bull

The Honey Pies Oh Hi, We Didn’t See You There, We’re The...

Independent

4.5/5 For people looking to be entertained, The Honey Pies’ upbeat and bouncy tunes will immediately catch your attention and get your feet tapping along. For the technical music lovers, their musicianship and arrangements are so tight that you could very well set your watch to them! Every song is just as good as the last. The stand out ‘Sold My Soul’ evokes subconscious emotions, with the harmonised chorus“…I sold my soul so I could be with you, and now the Devil must collect what is due’ playing havoc with the heartstrings. These guys are ones to watch for the future. ~Ashleigh Gray

Los Amigos Invisibles Commercial Gozadera Records/Fuse

4/5 Originally a party band playing small shows across Venezuela, funk act Los Amigos Invisibles have hit the world music big-time, with their latest release – the frenetic and eclectic Commercial – winning Best Alternative Album at last year’s Latin Grammy Awards.

The band’s acid jazz-infused groove is all over first single ‘Mentiras’, whose stupidly catchy Latin rhythm meshes wonderfully with keyboardist Armando Figueredo’s buzzing, electro-tinged runs. And while they command an impeccable grasp of Latin music across the course of the album, it is Los Amigos Invisibles’ foray into other genres that really make Commercial an enjoyable, visceral experience.

The band mix the best of Latin rock mystique

album reviews album of the month

and disco bombast on Santana-cum-Bee Gees hybrid ‘Sueno Erotica’, and manage to pull off the seemingly Love Boat-inspired lounge pop of ‘Vivire Para Ti’ without descending into flamboyant cheesiness, making Commercial an exciting and unique entry into the world music canon. ~Scott Gilbert

Magnetic Fields Realism Warner

3.5/5 The latest Stephin Merritt concoction, Realism, is expected to be simultaneously weird and wonderful, and it does not disappoint. This collection of anti-love songs, as the name suggests, explores life and love in an indie-pop satirical adventure with the distinct feel of being hurled head first into a country folk festival.

‘We Are Having a Hootenanny’ takes the folk vibe almost to the point of yokel, with insistent acoustic guitar, sporadic banjo riffs, frivolous piano and chanting lyrics. The sole use of acoustic instrumentation sets the album afloat on a sea of folksy, indie-pop tunes, with only Merritt’s mocking and sarcastic lyrics for direction. Nothing is taboo in this album, with songs ranging from light folk dance tunes, to a cynical Christmas jingle; complete with a verse entirely in German. ~Jessica SaxTon

Marina and the Diamonds The Family Jewels 679 Recordings/Warner Music

3.5/5 This is the debut album from Welsh singer/ songwriter Marina Lambrini Diamandis, and it’s certainly a bold entrance. From the exultant rock pop introduction, ‘Are You Satisfied?’, she asserts a headstrong musical independence with often candid and confessional lyrics. Enormous electronic bass lines are no match for her wailing vocals; she’s guttural at times and delicate at others, executing Regina Spektor-esque leaps of inflection that give quirky character to each track. Her brassy attitude dominates the album and sets a constant pace – as a result, she’s a little too heavy-handed with songs such as ‘Obsessions’ that require a lighter touch. Still, this cheeky and audacious pop offering is bound to put Marina on the map.

For Fans Of: Lily Allen. ~Hugh Milligan

Laura Marling I Speak Because I Can EMI

3.5/5 Fans of British singer/ songwriter Laura Marling won’t find any surprises in her sophomore album – it’s another collection of quietly commanding folk songs, fuelled by her dark poetry and earthy vocals. The instrumentation is remarkably subtle, led primarily by mellow guitar lines; strings and piano enter with such gradual finesse that burning, climactic choruses really creep up on you. The album drags a little at times (particularly between the second and third tracks, which are essentially variations of the same song), but thankfully, songs like ‘Alpha Shallows’ and ‘Hope In The Air’ lend a grave urgency that maintains balance. Despite some slightly lacklustre moments, there’s some real balladry on offer here. For Fans Of: Neko Case, Martha Wainwright ~Hugh Milligan

Mark Moldre The Waiting Room Yellow Moon Records/MGM

4/5 Sydney songwriter Mark Moldre, spent the better part of a year recording his debut album, The Waiting Room, and after just one listen one can clearly see that it was time well spent. A follow up to the excellent Troubled Genius EP (the title track of which also appearing here), The Waiting Room represents a perfect introduction to the Mark Moldre oeuvre — lush instrumentation and production coupled with thoughtful, yet understated lyrics that range from heartfelt to the quirky.

The albums opener, ‘The Buzzing of Bees’ is a perfect example of this, with its simple yet infectious melody and an almost dreamlike quality, thanks in no small part to some perfectly placed piano and slide guitar. ‘In This Life’, the album’s single and a definite standout in the eleven song set, sits firmly in Transmissions From The Satellite Heart-era Flaming Lips, if the latter were not relying so much on lo-fi angst. This almost dream-psych feel continues throughout the album with an air of melancholy that recalls the late Mark Linkous (aka Sparklehorse) at his best, on tracks like ‘This Romantic Day’, ‘Lifeboat’, and the closer, ‘Smoke’. The only real stumbling block here is the album’s title track, but not because it is a bad song – far from it. It’s a classic Australiana-esque driving ballad in the vein of early Paul Kelly or The Sunnyboys. It’s just that it doesn’t really gel with the remainder of this set, with all of its sonic quirks and peccadillos. For a debut album, The Waiting Room is a surprisingly rich release – the kind you keep coming back to only to find another sonic treat that just wasn’t there before. If The Waiting Room is anything to go by, you get the feeling Mark Moldre won’t be waiting long. ~Stephen Bisset

The Ruby Suns Fight Softly

The Tallest Man On Earth The Wild Hunt Dead Oceans/Inertia

5/5 Kristian Matsson’s music is impossible to ignore. The Swedish troubadour’s piercing vocals recall early Bob Dylan, his live performances echo of Johnny Cash’s onstage presence and his lyrics touch on Leonard Cohen’s atmosphere without losing their strong sense of whimsy. Matsson’s words draw on the eternal triumvirate of a man — his soul, nature and the people in his life. There’s vivid imagery in his effortless words that capture romantic poeticism — always slightly abstract.

The Wild Hunt employs the same production as his debut, Shallow Grave — it’s just Matsson and a guitar.

He could be sitting in a recording studio or somewhere in the dense Swedish undergrowth. All of the differences between this new collection of tracks and his arresting debut, are limited.

One could argue that Matsson pushes his voice further on The Wild Hunt. You could suggest that his guitar-picking is slightly more kinetic. Perhaps he’s come closer to finding his perfect set of melodies. But someone might argue successfully to the contrary. Playing these two albums back-to-back feels like a very natural continuation.

‘Burden Of Tomorrow’ is an example of Matsson’s restless spirit and is the first unavoidable indication of his genius. His brooding verses and wailing chorus on ‘Love Is All’ come dangerously close to completely immaculate songwriting. When he switches to piano on the record’s closer ‘Kids On The Run’, the breathless silence at its end makes you immediately yearn for more. ~Nick Milligan

Sub Pop/Stomp

3/5 Fight Softly isn’t an immediate record.

Instead it relies on the slow reveal. Ryan McPhun’s rambling melodies crystallise to become palpable pop after the third or fourth listen, and his light, tropical synth lines begin to seem expansive rather than passive. ‘How Kids Fail’ builds from electric wash to a tribal celebration. Similarly, album closer ‘Olympics On Pot’ starts as a flickering neon meditation that by its end is delirious and hyper coloured. There is an obvious (and somewhat apt) comparison that can be made of The Ruby Suns to Animal Collective. But Fight Softly doesn’t ape Merriweather Post Pavilion, despite drawing from a similar palette. Where the latter is hypnotic and circular, McPhun’s latest is dreamlike and meandering. It may seem somewhat underwhelming at first, but given the necessary space, Fight Softly unfurls as joyous and danceable. ~Lucy Hearn

Teenage Fanclub Shadows

Gerrad Love and Raymond McGinley — again merge their music together in beautiful cohesion, a hazy miasma of Byrds-esque psychedelia and power pop. Their melodies and harmonies are as sweet on the ear as ever, again wafting with the softness of their previous record Man-Made, as opposed to the harder-hitting pop of Bandwagonesque or Grand Prix. Indeed, the immediate rock fuzz of classic songs like ‘Metal Baby’ seem like a thing of the past, but this lush, folk-inspired direction is every bit as buoyant and rewarding. Echoed, chiming strums of guitar, shimmering arrangements and layers of piano are captured with warm production. Recorded in the Norfolk countryside, there is a distinctly pastoral atmosphere in songs like ‘When I Still Have Thee’, perhaps strengthened with assured lyrics like, “But the birds still sing and the sun shines free. No, I don’t need much when I still have thee.” Teenage Fanclub, ten records into their wondrous catalogue, are still a class act. For fans of: Big Star, Iron and Wine, The Byrds, Meat Puppets (later material), America. ~Nick Milligan

Liberator

4/5 The finest power pop band to ever emerge from Scotland return with another radiant songbook. The songwriting trio in the band — Norman Blake,

Wave machines Wave If You’re Really There Neapolitan/shock

3.5/5 This Liverpool based

band have brought their sublime pop to the world with their debut album, Wave If You’re Really There. The release forming a combination of dance pop tracks, the slow motion funk and strong guitar opening of single ‘Keep the Light On’, and most importantly — an upbeat persona which develops the band’s sleek acoustic beats and Britpop-style anthems. This allows Wave Machines to stop and do something completely different with singles ‘I Go I Go I Go’ and the disjointed and psychedelic ‘I Joined A Union’. Overall, with the powerful drumming skills of Vidar Norheim throughout the album and vocals in the style of The Bee Gees, it truly seems that the era of synth-pop is slowly on the rise again. ~Adam Dorrington

The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights XL Recordings/Remote Control

4.5/5 For a ball-busting blues rock release, look no further than this package from the red, white and black ones. This is a set of live recordings from The White Stripes’ 2007 tour and it captures the raw ferocity of their renowned performances. While their studio work is rarely polished, their onstage delivery is brutal, messy and an unrelenting onslaught.

Their manic, overblown deliveries of ‘Black Math’ and ‘Blue Orchid’ connect like a drunken right hook. Jack White wails, screams and regularly misses notes — but no one makes flaws as potently as he does. On ‘The Union Forever’, White’s inhuman, ghostly cries send chills up your spine. On ‘Ball and Biscuit’, White busts out some ‘Phonograph Blues’ by Robert Johnson. Meg White bashes her kit in the usual fashion, providing a thick backbone for Jack’s twisted improvs on songs like ‘Icky Thump’. There’s a sing-a-long version of ‘We Are Going To Be Friends’ and ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’, and their epic cover of ‘Jolene’. This package is a CD/DVD release, with the latter being a feature length concert documentary film about the band by director Emmett Malloy. A beautiful insight into this enduring duo. ~Nick Milligan

Zeahorse Zeahorse Independent

3.5/5 The self-titled debut album from local Sydney act Zeahorse is a rollercoaster ride of intricate psychedelic soundscapes and post-hardcore angular guitar riffs. With roots based in garage rock and an accompanying low-fi sound, Zeahorse begins the album in a barrage of attacking tracks smothered in fuzz guitar and laced with singer Morgan Anthony‘s husky and, more often than not, screaming vocals. But this doesn’t last long, with the album smoothly developing into explorative five minute guitar jams such as ‘Morphine Pie’ and ‘Sulfer’ with drawling, intermittent vocals throughout the whole middle half of the album. Zeahorse’s grassroots approach to rock is an evident and appealing notion that contrasts the zeitgeist of the current local music scene. The band, as well as producer Donovan Miller, have done well in capturing the breakneck guitar and raucous disposition of their live shows, on this debut that covers a lot of musical ground for what they have titled a “mini album”. ~Jordan Watton

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NEWCASTLE Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night 6 May

Don Walker

7 May

Mark Wells

8 May

Variety Club Bash Fundraiser

9 May

Mother’s Day lunch with Grace Knight and Jonathon Welch

11-12 May Jeff Martin

Saturday, May 1 14 May Daryl Braithwaite 15 May Catherine Britt 16 May Bobby Flynn 21 May The Flood 22 May Dragon 26 May Sheila E, Ricky Peterson w/ The Peterson Brothers 28 May Harry Manx 29 May Jazz and Chilli Crab 30 May Mr Percival

3,9 June Tim Finn 4 June

Jon English

10 June Arrebato Ensemble 11 June The Bondi Cigars 12-13June Richard Clapton

18 June Beccy Cole 23 June 100 to 1 Birthday Celebration 24 June Burlesque Show 25 June Mental As Anything

26 June John Waters 27 June Special Movie Day with Rocky Horror Picture Show, Mary Poppins

For bookings and information, phone (02) 4956 2066 or visit lizottes.com.au

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Numbers Radio + The Owls + Candy and the Full Moons Chilli Lounge, Wyong In The Wake + Allay The Sea + Revived + Taken By Force + Kill Crotty Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Chase The Sun Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Ruckus Minuit + Hey Presto! + Pony Boy + Levins (Heaps Decent & Ro Sham Bo) + A-Catt’s Revenge + G-Len + Mr. Dickens + Cassi + Clouds and Friends Kantara House, Green Point Beautifully Mad Lizotte’s, Kincumber Black Sorrows + James Chatburn Lizotte’s, Lambton Diesel + Carmen Smith Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton The Beards + Gay Paris State Theatre, Sydney Wilco + Liam Finn View Factory, Newcastle Erin Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle The Clap EP launch + Glory Meat + Elephant

Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney The Cult Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Ngariki Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Red Ink + Shivering Indies + Bambino Koresh Lizotte’s, Lambton Don Walker + Roy Payne Metro Theatre, Sydney The Slew Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Ezra and the Lost Souls

Blush Night Club, Gosford MM9 + Origin of Janken Chilli Lounge, Wyong Aeturnus Dominion + Letters of Carnage + Darker Half + Katabasis Coast Hotel, Budgewoi The Adam Eckersley Band Crowne Plaza, Terrigal Chris Byrne Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Mama Jane’s Blues band Lizotte’s, Lambton John Paul Young Maitland Showground Groovin The Moo w/ Silverchair + Spoon + Vampire Weekend + Empire Of The Sun + Grinspoon + Tegan and Sara + The Slew + Kisschasy + British India + Lisa Mitchell + Miami Horror + Bag Raiders + Funkours + Muph and Plutonic + Jonathan Boulet + Yacht Club DJs + Ajax + Illy + Killaqueenz + The Only View Factory, Newcastle Jez Mead Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Milestones Woodport Inn, Erina The Lazys + Miramar

Sunday, May 9

Factory Theatre, Sydney Wilco + Liam Finn Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland The Beards + Gay Paris Lizotte’s, Kincumber Black Sorrows Lizotte’s, Lambton Diesel + Carmen Smith The Loft, Newcastle Amy Meredith + Tonight Alive + Flicks Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Zoe K and the Lost Souls

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland The Adam Eckersley Band Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Keiran Glasgow + Corey Price Lizotte’s, Lambton Grace Knight + Jonathon Welch Metro Theatre, Sydney Julian Casablancas The Loft, Newcastle Mourning Tide + Nazarite Vow + Violence + Revival Ashore + Red Dawn Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Ezra Lee + Pat Capocci

Monday, May 3 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Jeff Martin + Pear & the Awkward Orchestra

Tuesday, May 4 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Jeff Martin + Pear & the Awkward Orchestra

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Safe Hands + Totally Unicorn + Cannons Mouth Delany Hotel, Cooks Hill Jaywalker Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Merewether Fats r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 6 — MAY 2 0 1 0

Thursday, May 6

Saturday, May 8

Sunday, May 2

Wednesday, May 5

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Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Five Star Prison Cell + Sabretung + Red Dawn Lizotte’s, Kincumber Nathan Wilmont + Zoe Elliot + Niksta + Mark Cashin and the Lil Husseys Lizotte’s, Lambton Aurora Jane + Mal Webb View Factory, Newcastle Bobby Virtue + Gilbert Whyte Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Come Out And Play jam night

The Owls

Friday, May 7 Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney Tegan and Sara Chilli Lounge, Wyong Illusions of Despair + The Sunpilots + I Am The Agent Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay Mental As Anything Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Errol JM and the Trade Secrets Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Genius + Surrogate Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newcastle The Owls Lizotte’s, Kincumber Don Walker + Roy Payne Lizotte’s, Lambton Mark Wells + Marisa Saroca Newcastle Entertainment Centre John Mayer + Orianthi Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle DV8

Tuesday, May 11 Lizotte’s, Lambton Jeff Martin + Pear & the Awkward Orchestra

Wednesday, May 12 Enmore Theatre, Sydney Vampire Weekend + Cloud Control Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle The Clap + Galaxy Universe Lizotte’s, Kincumber Jessica Ashby + Billy February + Sons of Alamo Lizotte’s, Lambton Jeff Martin + Pear & the Awkward Orchestra View Factory, Newcastle Woohoo Review

Thursday, May 13

Thursday, May 20

Wednesday, May 26

Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Vampire Weekend + Cloud Control Kantara House, Green Point Paul Robert Burton + Michael Fix Lizotte’s, Kincumber Bobby Flynn Lizotte’s, Lambton Daniel March CD launch + Beth Robertson Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Spew Your Guts Up + Yes I’m Leaving + Tim Crossey

Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni Dan Sultan + Gin Wigmore + The Hello Morning Chilli Lounge, Wyong Tall Tails + The Temperamental Pocket Lizotte’s, Lambton Chris Pickering + Cookie Baker + Matt Gresham + Nicole Brophy Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong Evergreen Terrace + Casey Jones + Dropsaw Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Dirty Pint Blues Review

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Last Dinosaurs + Neon Love Lizotte’s, Lambton Sheila E + Ricky Peterson View Factory, Newcastle Jason Lowe

Friday, May 14 Chilli Lounge, Wyong Dark Order + Pitchfork + Rampant + Myyrman Lizotte’s, Kincumber Catherine Britt Lizotte’s, Lambton Daryl Braithwaite + Dexter Morph Newcastle District Tennis Club 1 Shot Kill + Celebrity Morgue + Anno Domini + Sagacity Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Milestones

Saturday, May 15 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Cloud Control + The Owls + Long Island Sound Chilli Lounge, Wyong Seek The Silence + My City Screams + The Driftwood Theory + We Lay Decayed Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Spew Ya Guts Up + Slogan Free Youth + Yes I’m Leaving + Tim Crossey Kantara House, Green Point King Tide Lizotte’s, Lambton Catherine Britt Newcastle Leagues Club Hoodoo Gurus + The Fumes View Factory, Newcastle Electric Monk Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Australian Beefweek Show + The Dennis Boys

Sunday, May 16 Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Pat Capocci Combo + The Ezra Lee Show + Danny and the Cosmic Tremors Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Corey Price + Jess Lambie + The Havelocks Lizotte’s, Kincumber Daryl Braithwaite + Dexter Morph Lizotte’s, Lambton Bobby Flynn Queens Wharf Brewery, Newcastle King Tide The Mark Hotel, Lambton Jigsaw View Factory, Newcastle Brazil Nut Sunday w/ Samba Frog Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Grant Walmsley and the Agents of Peace

Tuesday, May 18 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Shai Hulud + Shinto Katana + I Exist

Wednesday, May 19 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Foreign Objects Lizotte’s, Lambton Mark Moldre + Mike McCarthy + Talltails + Sarah Humphreys View Factory, Newcastle Kym Campbell + Melody Pool

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Urthboy + Mantra Chilli Lounge, Wyong Recoil + Overthrown + 4arm + Khargish Croatian Club, Wickham Batrider + Pets with Pets Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Johnny Casino and the Secrets + Great Dividing Range Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Casino Rumblers + The VeeBees Lizotte’s, Lambton The Flood + The Pardoners Queens Wharf Brewery, Newcastle Solver + State of Grace The Loft, Newcastle Ashleigh Grace + The Heartfelt Promise + Respect Sunday + The Chestnuts + The Influence + Waiting For Adam View Factory, Newcastle Electric Monk Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Milestones

Saturday, May 22 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Kira Puru and the Very Geordie Malone Chilli Lounge, Wyong One, Two Many + Before The Lights + Chasing Amy + One Minute Of Living + Sky Squadron Doyalson RSL Mark Cashin and the Lil Hussys Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland The Re-Mains Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Metalcastle Show Lizotte’s, Kincumber The Flood + The Pardoners Lizotte’s, Lambton Dragon + Israel Cannon Newcastle Leagues Club The Coronas Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Diana Anaid + Nicholas Roy + Grayson View Factory, Newcastle Doc Jones and the Lechery Orchestra Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Mick Hart

Sunday, May 23 Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Grant Walmsley and the Agents of Peace Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Tim Crossey Band Lizotte’s, Kincumber Mark Moldre + Mike McCarthy + Talltails St Fiacre Distillery, Erina Brendan Watson

Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night

Thursday, May 27 Blush Night Club, Gosford The Delta Riggs Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Joey Cape + Tony Sly Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle The Scul Hazzards Lizotte’s, Kincumber Harry Manx Lizotte’s, Lambton Bob Corbett Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Heart Attack and Vine

Casino Rumblers

Friday, May 21

CENTRAL COAST

3-4 May Jeff Martin

7 May 8 May

Don Walker Variety Club Bash Fundraiser Mother’s Day Lunch with

9 May

Kerri Garside Trio

Friday, May 28 Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Abbie Caldwell and her Leading Men + Brothers Grim Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle New Christs + Dragstrippers Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Leadfinger + Royal Headache + The Dead Farmers + Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys Lizotte’s, Lambton Harry Manx Queens Wharf Brewery, Newcastle Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu + Jackson Firebird + Little Blak Dress The Loft, Newcastle Rosevelt + Ghosts On Broadway + Heroes For Hire + There Goes The City + Crystal Cove View Factory, Newcastle Claude Hay

Saturday, May 29 Belford , Hunter Valley Gum Ball Festival w/ The Basics + Tijuana Cartel + Collard Greens & Gravy + Astronomy Class + The Snowdroppers + Laneous & The Family Yah + Abbie Cardwell + Jackson Firebird + Rachael Brady Chilli Lounge, Wyong Empirical + Deathmask + Red Dawn Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Catfish Blues Lizotte’s, Kincumber Mr Percival Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Whitley + Gosling + Seagull Wickham Park Hotel, Newcastle Chuck’s Wagon Wyong Leagues Club The Carpenters From Kempsey

Sunday, May 30 Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu + Marty Simpson Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland Collard, Greens and Gravy + The Wildes Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle Muddy Turds + The Clap Kantara House, Green Point Paul Robert Burton and the Band of Gypsys Lizotte’s Kincumber Taasha and Tristan (The Audreys) + Andy White Lizotte’s, Lambton Mr Percival Rhythm Hut, Gosford Claude Hay St Fiacre Distillery, Erina Kerrie Garside & Brent Murphy

13 May Bobby Flynn

14 May 16 May 21 May 22 May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May

Catherine Britt Daryl Braithwaite Dragon The Flood Harry Manx Jazz and Chilli Crab Night Mr Percival The Audreys Duo

5 June 8 June

Jon English Tim Finn

11 June Richard Clapton 16 June Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier 17 June Matt Zarb 18 June Jazz and Chilli Crab Night 19 June Beccy Cole 24 June John Waters 26 June Mental As Anything

27 June Ash Grunwald 2 July Vince Jones

For bookings and information, phone (02) 4368 2017 or visit lizottes.com.au

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vampire weekend

photo by tim sote

Working for the Weekend Vampire Weekend’s percussive, angular pop has struck a chord with Australian audiences, so it’s no surprise that their second record, Contra, has made them a very hot ticket. Words by Steve Tauschke.

Refreshed after a dip at Sydney’s Bronte beach, Ezra Koenig is enjoying a rare spell of R&R in the sand and surf after an arduous two years on the road. Confined to a hectic tour schedule since early 2008, singer-guitarist Koenig and his New York-based indie rock nomads Vampire Weekend have found life in transit a challenge at best.

“It’s difficult,” attests the 24-year-old frontman on the phone, “especially being the singer, because you have to worry about your voice all the time and not getting enough sleep and all that stuff. But I’ve found a lot of mental peace from reading books, especially when we’re touring in the van.”

Despite the sleep-deprivation and motelhopping lifestyle, Koenig says a motivating force for Vampire Weekend has been to witness their own incremental rise of late, both in the growth of their radio profile and live audiences. “If things had gotten worse over the course of the year then I think we would have gone crazy,” he suggests. ”But the one thing that got us through was that things kept getting better and better for us. More people were getting excited about the band.”

It was during the quartet’s marathon global jaunt that Koenig believes the seeds for their

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r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 6 — m ay 2 0 1 0

second album Contra were planted. Unable to jam out new songs in transit, he instead kept a daily captain’s log of “little melodies and lyrics”.

“It might even be as slow as one line at a time, but things popped in to my head on tour,” he says.

“I’ve got lots of note books and word files.”

Much of that has since coalesced into last year’s Contra, including the first single ‘Cousins’, a kinetic slice of reverb-soaked guitar-pop recorded in Mexico City’s storied Coyoacan neighbourhood.

The band’s original vision for the album was to record on the west coast as an ode to California’s rich and colourful musical history.

But after such a long period away from home Vampire Weekend returned to New York, albeit with a vision of breezy Pacific sounds in their heads.

“When I was a kid in the nineties one of my first loves was ska,” says Koenig, “so when I think of music in California, Sublime was a band that came to mind. At first I thought they were just some fake white boy version of Jamaican music but then I started to think of them as a very real taste of Southern Californian culture and the interaction between Jamaican culture and Mexican culture and whatever — it’s all in there. The more you learn about music the more

you recognise it as a form of fusion.”

Contra’s cool coalition of dancehall, Brazilian baile funk, faux-Afro pop and American suburban punk a la Descendents, provides an eclectic soundtrack for chief lyricist Koenig’s lament on the loss of youth’s innocence. “I think it’s just a product of growing up a little bit,” he says of the album’s sentimentality. “It was written when I started having responsibilities, I had to pay for my own health insurance and at least pretend I was an adult with some sort of authority. That doesn’t mean it’s a black hole

how movies are made and the thing that struck me the most was the incredible boredom,” he laughs. “It seems like this glamorous and exciting process, making a Hollywood movie, but it’s actually incredibly hard work. And it’s not that different from making an album. People assume that being in a band is all about getting wasted and not having a care in the world. But putting on a show and making an album, you have to work hard at it. And you see the finished product as a work of art and as entertainment, but it’s not always entertaining for the people

tt en worse ov er o g d a h s g in h t f “I r t hen I t hin k ea y e h t f o e rs u t he co g on e cr a zy…” w e wou ld h av e of depression against the first [2008’s self-titled] album which was non-stop laughs and parties, but to me this one is a little bit more nuanced.”

Koenig reveals he learnt a valuable lesson in artistry from his father, a set supervisor for film director Spike Lee in the 1980s. “I got to see

making it.”

Vampire Weekend play Groovin’ The Moo at the Maitland Showground on May 8, Sydney’s Enmore Theatre [sold out] on May 12 and the Hordern Pavilion on May 13. Contra is out through XL/Remote Control.

sheila e

Percussion Princess

When talking about percussionists, you’d be hard pressed not to mention Sheila E. A long and fruitful collaboration with Prince, beginning on the iconic Purple Rain album, alongside work with such musical luminaries as Herbie Hancock, Gloria Estefan and Ringo Starr, has rightfully earned her a place in the popular music pantheon. Stephen Bisset caught up with Sheila E on the eve of her Australian tour with one of the world’s leading exponents of jazz-funk keyboards, Ricky Peterson.

Can I ask what you were up to before this pesky interruption? [laughs] Well, at the moment I have a little bit of an allergy so I’m a little stuffed up. But right now I was getting ready to make my lunch.

Then I’ll try to keep this short and sweet.

Oh, no worries, I was expecting all of this. I was just going to eat a little fish. It’s all good.

Lovely. So are you looking forward to getting back down to Australia with Ricky Peterson and the Peterson Brothers?

Yeah, I’m really, really excited — I just can’t wait.

I love Australia and I always look forward to coming back. The last time I was down there I was doing more ministry work and that was just amazing as well. We were doing different churches and clinics and big auditoriums, which was really cool, but this time around it should be totally different.

So you’ve worked pretty extensively with Ricky and Paul [Peterson — bass, guitar, drums, aka St Paul] before, but is doing it in this format an exciting prospect for you?

Oh yeah, totally. I’ve been friends with St Paul for so long now and the entire Peterson family and we’ve often discussed both of our families playing together, but there’s so many of us we’d probably have trouble fitting on the stage [laughs]. But yeah, they just told me they were going to go to Australia and they wanted to throw me into the mix and I said that I would absolutely love to. It’ll be the first time we’ve actually all played together, which is really exciting So what can the uninitiated expect from the shows?

There will definitely a lot of fun and some awesome music. The musicianship of course is going to be incredible because those guys are just amazing. They are so versatile they can play just about anything.

Well, you’re no slouch yourself.

Oh, why thank you.

“...the song came on the radio and I was going, ‘Oh my god, my song’s on the radio,’ and then smash — this guy hits me.”

You come from quite a musical background [Sheila E’s godfather is the late latin jazz legend, Tito Puente] and I just wanted to know how important were your family in shaping you as an artist?

Well, my dad, Pete Escovedo [percussionist] has been playing all my life and is still playing — we’re playing next week actually, the whole family together. Growing up watching my dad play and practise in the house every single day — and then periodically during the week he would have his band come — so our living room was pretty much our personal studio. Growing up we had so many amazing latin artists, jazz artists coming through our house, it was just incredible growing up in that atmosphere. Also, growing up in the Bay Area in Oakland, California, we came from a city of bands. My dad and my uncle were also playing with Santana too, so we grew up in an environment of Santana, The Grateful Dead, Sly and The Family Stone, Tower of Power, the list just goes on and on and it’s just amazing that all of these great bands were a part of my life growing up.

You started collaborating with Prince during quite a heady period of both your careers, at a time which your first solo single, ‘Glamorous Life’, hit big. Was it hard to keep grounded during this time?

Yeah, I guess it was kinda challenging. I mean everything kind of blew up so quickly once we put the record out. What happened was I ended up performing on the Purple Rain tour and we toured Europe for two months and it was really hard work. By the time we got to the States everything had blown up and I didn’t really

realise how big everything was. The first time I heard ‘Glamourous Life’ on the radio I was driving a Mercedes convertible rent-a-car and I was making a left to go get a sandwich and the song came on the radio and I was going, ‘Oh my god, my song’s on the radio’ and then smash — this guy hits me [laughs]. I was listening to my song and I thought, ‘Wow, that was powerful.’

Your list of collaborations reads like a bit of a popular music hall of fame [Prince, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Beyoncé, Ringo Starr, to name a few]. Is there anyone you haven’t worked with yet that you’d dearly love to?

There are two people I’d definitely love to work with — Garth Brooks and Dave Matthews.

I’ve gone to Dave Matthews’ rehearsal, I know the band and I know him and we keep saying that we’re going to do something together. I just love that band — they’re amazing. Also, I’m friends with Garth Brooks and he’s just such an incredible guy and just a fantastic songwriter.

So what’s next on the agenda for Sheila E? Well, my family has just finished a record — so we are hoping that it will be released sometime this year. We’re all really exited about it — we’ve got Earth, Wind and Fire on there, Joss Stone — I wrote a song with her — Raphael Saadiq, Gloria Estefan, just a bunch of our friends.

Also, for the first time in a long time, I’m working on a new Sheila E record. I haven’t done an album in so long and I think it might be about time.

Ricky Peterson and The Peterson Brothers, and Sheila E, will be performing at the A&I Hall, Bangalow, Friday, May 21, and at Lizotte’s, Newcastle, on Wednesday, May 26.

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news

Super massive

SUPER MASSIVE ARE OUT OF THEIR HEADS

Sydney alt-pop/electro/rock band Super Massive have released their new digital single, ‘Get Me Out Of My Head’, [available on iTunes and digital retailers], and are heading to Byron.

‘Get Me Out Of My Head’ is a wildly dynamic, exciting new experimental pop track. With a sound that lies between the emotional intensity of Florence & The Machine, the stadium synth/ rock sound of Muse, and the dark electronic power of Massive Attack, the track is an intense ride. Super Massive will be touring the east coast through May, playing the Great Northern Hotel, Thursday, May 20.

The Strides

THE STRIDES to play AT bellingen AND BYRON

Sydney-based band The Strides have been making waves around the country with their fresh afrobeat-reggae sound and “whole lot of soul.” With recent performances at The Bellingen Global Carnival, The Peats Ridge Festival, as well as supporting Afrobeat legend Tony Allen, The Strides are quickly becoming the talk around town. The Strides bring together some of Sydney’s best new talent in afro-funk, reggae and hip-hop, spurring a new wave of Sydney interest in the hypnotic grooves of afrobeat. They have been compared to Fat Freddy’s Drop and the Cat Empire, yet have something of their own. Having expanded to a ten-piece band featuring a heavy rhythm section and a powerful three-piece horn section, they forge a form of high energy dance music, as well a laid-back dub experience. Catch The Strides at Diggers Tavern in Bellingen on Saturday, May 29, and the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay, Sunday, May 30.

SPOON AT COOLI AND MOO

The Bamboos

NUMBER FOUR FOR THE BAMBOOS

Starting the new year off with a bang including performances at Falls Festival, Days Like This!, Womadelaide and headlining St Kilda Festival, Australian funk and soul royalty The Bamboos, are hitting the road again to celebrate the launch of their fourth studio album — aptly entitled 4. Released on UK’s prestigious Tru Thoughts imprint, 4 is one of the most exciting, original, vibrant and downright addictive albums of the coming year and could easily see The Bamboos catapulted beyond the confines of a niche genre. Catch The Bamboos before they head to Europe and the UK in June at the The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, Friday May 14. [image available]

THE LAST WALTZ

The Last Waltz, the farewell concert for The Band, has achieved legendary status due to its unparalleled lineup of rock superstars, and the amazing concert film that documented the event. The Last Waltz Tribute Show brings the glorious music alive, with the 12-piece band performing all songs from the original concert, with the backing of a full brass section. With sold out shows behind them, you can catch the The Last Waltz Tribute Show at the Bangalow Bowling Club, Friday, May 14 and Yamba Bowling Club on Saturday, May 15.

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Last here in 2008 for a tour that included appearances at all six Big Days Out, as surprise guest to the Arcade Fire and for their own headline shows, Texan pop rockers Spoon return this Autumn, having signed up to perform nationally for the Groovin’ The Moo experience and for a selection of major city headline shows. The 2010 tour coincides with the release of a brand new album, Transference, the follow-up to 2007’s much heralded US top ten hit Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga. Unlike its predecessor though [arguably the band’s most polished statement to date], Transference is a stark reminder of the proverb “less is more” and a nod perhaps to the bare bones production style of the band that inspired the Spoon name: krautrock pioneers, Can. Catch Spoon at the Coolangatta Hotel, Thursday, May 6, and Maitland’s Groovin’ The Moo on Saturday, May 8.

OX FROM THE FORT

Spawned from the north coast of New South Wales, OX [featuring three members of Byron hard-rock icons, Fort], boasts one big slab of hard-edged and mammoth riff’o’rama. Born during Fort’s hiatus, this four-piece can only be described as sonic heaviness and power all rolled up in the one. With George Christie [guitar], Deon Driver [drums], Brent Crysell [bass] and now Gray Allsbury on vocals, OX is set to deliver. Having just come off the road from touring with Tumbleweed, OX is set to play the Lennox Point Hotel Friday May 7.

Local bands The Painted Crows and Dan ‘The Villian’ Best will support. No cover charge.

This is a free gig!

dallas frasca

DALLAS FRASCA is MUSICOZ ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jesse Emmanuel

JESSE EMMANUEL MUSICOZ SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Billed as one of the next big things Down Under, Coffs Harbour-based country music star, Jesse Emmanuel is one of the entrants to receive her fairytale ending at the recent MusicOz awards. After being announced as the 2010 APRA Songwriter of the Year, she gushed, “I’ve been recognised for something that I have done nearly all my life, all by myself, never really thinking about accolades and awards but doing it for fun and to help me deal with certain moments in my life. It feels good to know that all my hard work, passion and drive is finally being recognised, and that my music is starting to get out there, being heard by some very important ears in the industry.” Phil Emmanuel commented on Facebook that he “couldn’t be a prouder Pop.” Catch Jesse Emmanuel at Coffs Harbour Ex-Services Club, Saturday, May 1, or Thursday, May 27 at the Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour.

UNITED WE STAND

After a successful debut year in 2009, the United Tour returns to join a selection of the country’s hottest emerging musicians for an innovative nationwide jaunt. 2010 sees a new crop of artists recruited from all walks of the musical spectrum. Chris Pickering [QLD], Cookie Baker [SA], Matt Gresham [WA], and Nicole Brophy [NSW] will step into the largely unknown, expanding their touring comforts zones and sharing an array of instruments and stages, as well as driving duties and truck-stop dinners. The line-up will see the fantastic four on stage together in various configurations, intertwining stories with song. They will perform their own material, sometimes alone, sometimes helping each other out with additional instrumentation, and perhaps even jumping in on a few covers together. Individual styles will be meshed, tales will be spun about their lives and music, and the spotlight will be shared – the result will be a unique evolving performance as even the artists themselves hear their music as they have never heard it before. Chris Pickering, Cookie Baker, Matt Gresham, and Nicole Brophy will perform at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay on Sunday, May 16, and Lizotte’s Newcastle, Thursday, May 20.

Lennox Head-based singer Dallas Frasca has won the award for The Music Network Artist of the Year in the 2010 National MusicOz Awards. Celebrating their tenth anniversary, the MusicOz Awards event was held at Sydney Town Hall on Friday, March 26. Dallas also won the Best Blues and Roots category for her song ‘Thank You for Making Me Who I Am’ taken from her debut album Not For Love or Money released in August 2009. The MusicOz Awards gives independent and unsigned artists vital recognition, support, and exposure to further their success with sponsors including media heavyweights MTV, Bigpond, Nova FM, The Music Network and the City of Sydney. “Dallas is an awesome performer,” said MusicOz founder Pat Maloney, “a powerhouse on stage, with strong songs and a killer debut album. We are excited to be working with artists of the calibre of Dallas Frasca.

Dallas epitomises the artist we like to work with — talented and unique, with a great work ethic, diligent and professional, and she tours relentlessly. Dallas knows what it takes to be a successful independent act. It doesn’t get any better for us than working with people like Dallas now and into the future.”

FOREIGN OBJECTS DEBUT EP AND TOUR

Port Macquarie’s The Foreign Objects are well into a massive tour Australia’s eastern states, to celebrate the releases of their eagerlyawaited debut EP, Amongst Ghosts, By The Sea. Combining the punk ferocity of The Bronx with the rock swagger of early White Stripes, the four-piece are proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Having come together only eleven months ago, the group have built their name the old-fashioned way: tirelessly performing for an ever-growing base of devoted locals. Boasting a raucous, relentless sound, the debut EP was recorded in approximately four months at the Line Level Studios in Port Macquarie. Bolstered by blistering opening track ‘Get Outa My Sun’ and the rapid-fire showstopper ‘Vampirate’, the record is built on rock’s fundamentals: 60s and 70s pub-rock beats, punk-fuelled guitar triplets, sweltering riffs, and chaotic, howled vocals. Foreign Objects play Flynn’s Beach Surf Club in Port Macquarie on Saturday, May 8 [U18], and Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel on Wednesday, May 19.

m a r s h a ll a n d t h e fr o

SAT 1ST SUN 2ND

FRI 7TH SAT 8TH SUN 9TH

POSITIVE TIMING

FRI 14TH

Go With The Fro After bunkering down over the past few months, Marshall and the Fro have emerged with their second release, Friends For Life. Kevin Bull chats with vocalist and guitarist Marshall O’Kell about the recording and life on the road.

You’ve just released your second album, Friends For Life. What was done differently in the studio this time round?

We spent a heap of time in pre-production and changing the song structures, it’s a bit deeper than the last album. We also recorded at 301 studios, Byron Bay, on to tape using all analogue gear. It’s a warm CD with massive drum sounds.

Similar to how Zeppelin and Hendrix recorded; we tried to keep everything totally raw. I used old Marshall JMP stacks and an old fender twin.

You had producer Anthony Lychenko in the studio with you. What did he bring to the table?

He brought a load of cool ideas and recording techniques into the studio. He changed some of the song structures, making the album super dynamic but still quite raw and organic. Sonically, he’s totally fussy and nothing half-way there was good enough, he really puts all his heart into the tracks. He definitely brings out the best in the performer.

What are the positives of being based in Byron Bay? I live in Lennox Head just south of Byron, it’s a bit quieter and not as tourist driven. It’s a fab place to come home to after the tours! The surf is always consistent and it’s warm most of the year. It’s a great place for inspiration and songwriting. There are colourful people and places everywhere, which I get pretty inspired by. The local venues are very supportive of home-grown music; which means I can watch great music and also play it in the local area.

There’s a lot of amazing musicians here so we do a lot of jamming. Small-town community spirit shines up here.

You’re about to hit the road in support of the new album. What are the essentials for the big road trip?

We’ve done a heap of touring and I’d have to say, having a cool band that have a laugh and find the funny side of simple things is essential. We’ve got an iPhone with a video recorder so this tour we’re going to try and make crazy short tour

movies. You see some weird stuff on tour, this time we’re going film it and post them up on our sites, so the fans can see what actually happens on the road. We have the tour van set up with power inverters so we can get on the internet and keep the phones charged up. We listen to a heap of cool music in the tour van.

Poodle and Fergo [Jacob Mann, drums and Luke Ferguson, bassist] listen to crazy jazzed-up fusion stuff and metal bands. I try to listen to a broad range of music, a lot of Aussie bands, and also friend’s bands we meet on the road. We all try to out-do each other, so the tour van is never dull. Also, an esky and vegemite are a necessity — servo food sucks!

There are plenty of chances for the punters to see you in the coming month. What can we expect when the Fro hit the stage?

We’ve got 11 new tracks that we haven’t played to the fans before; we’ll be playing them and mixing in some of the crowd faves from the first album as well. Fergo has a great voice and we do a lot of duets, it’s really changed the sound of the band, I love it! Fergo’s a big boy who spends a fair bit of the set jumping in the air and I try and put my thongs on as much of the stage as I can. There’s still sweat and shenanigans! Poodle’s hair has got longer, he’s starting to look more like a real poodle every time he hits the sticks. We’ve slept on more couches than most people will in a lifetime and our faces tell the story of a band that have eaten two-minute noodles far too many times! We have our friends Benjalu as the support act for the entire tour so I’d say there will be some guest appearances for sure. They have a clarinet in their set and we have a song that I’d love to hear it in.

Marshall and the Fro play the Nimbim Mardi Grass Festival on May 1-2, followed by the Great Northern Hotel, Saturday, May 8; the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, Saturday, May 15; the Gum Ball Festival at Belford, Saturday, May 29; the Laurieton Hotel, Saturday, May 29; and the Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley, Sunday, May 30.

INVISIBLE FRIEND T KILLERS 9.30PM +JACK & THE GIAN - JA ZZ 4. 00 PM JACK THORNCRAFT OX (ex FORT) K99.3.300PPMM ANARCHIST DUC 4.00PM REBECCA MOORE 9.30PM

9.30PM G IN L IL W Y M IM SAT 15TH J S 4.00PM N E K IC P IM L S T S 6 SUN 1

FRI 21ST SAT 22ND

0PM MONKIBLOOD 9.3 PINC ZINC 9.30PM

TAIN N U O M Y R R A U Q D SUN 23R DEAD RATS 4.00PM N 9.30PM E K IT A L L A B 8 H T FRI 28 9.30PM G A H E Z O O B H T SAT 29 D ROWE 4.00PM SUN 30TH

JE

WEDNESDAYSX!

FREE POOL & JUKE BO

THURSDAYS

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M LIVE MUSIC FROM 4P

Corner Byron Street & Pacific Parade Lennox Head, NSW PH: 02 6687 7312

myspace.com/lennoxpub Lennox is now on facebook!

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gig guide

Saturday, May 1

Saturday, May 8

Saturday, May 15

Saturday, May 22

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Direct Influence + Timbah Club Coffs, Coffs Harbour Jo Bangles Coolangatta Hotel Tumbleweed + Hytest Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Nancy Boyz Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Mike Vee Jazz-Bah, Ballina Hotel Jim Kelly’s Healin’ Feeling Band Lennox Point Hotel Invisible Friend + Jack and the Giant Killers Neverland, Coolangatta Urthboy + Mantra Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour Surecut Kids Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga Global Battle of the Bands The Brewery, Byron Bay Pink Zinc Yamba Bowling Club Hoodoo Gurus + The Break

Bangalow Hotel Slim Pickins Brunswick Heads Hotel The Hard Word Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Bostocks Flynn’s Beach Surf Club, Port Macq The Foreign Objects Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu + Dead Beat Band Jazz-Bah, Ballina Hotel Gary Pinto + Sam Keevers Lennox Point Hotel Anarchist Duck The Brewery, Byron Bay The Lincolns

Ballina RSL Bowling Club Bob Walton Bangalow Hotel Mick McHugh Club Coffs, Coffs Harbour Lucy McDaniel Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Floyd Vincent + Nick Skitz Coolangatta Hotel Hearts 4 Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser w/ Dave McCormack & the Polaroids + Delphin + Kobya Panguana + Surecut Kids + Gentle Ben & his Sensitive Side Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Broadfoot Jazz-Bah, Ballina Hotel Tim Sladden and the Nightwatch Karuah Karuah Bluegrass Festival Lennox Point Hotel Jimmy Willing Pioneer Tavern, Alstonville The Bostocks The Brewery, Byron Bay Andrea Soler Yamba Bowling Club The Last Waltz tribute show

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Dirty Laundry Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Dan Kelly and his Dream Band Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Mick Bateman Infusions Cafe, Bellingen Van Walker + Kym Campbell Jazz-Bah, Ballina Hotel Kirk Lorange + Jim Kelly Lennox Point Hotel Pink Zinc Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour He’s Holding a Thermal Detonator + Nine Sons of Dan + The Outcome

Sunday, May 2 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Aurora Jane Brunswick Heads Hotel Harry Healy Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Mick Bateman

Sunday, May 9 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Lisa Hunt Brunswick Heads Hotel Mick McHugh Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Ben Francis Lennox Point Hotel Rebecca Moore Sea Breeze Hotel, South West Rocks Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu

Tuesday, May 4 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Matt Hanley and the Maintenance Men Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Lisa Mitchell

Wednesday, May 5 Southern Cross Uni, Lismore Unibar Comedy

Thursday, May 6 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Ghost Mountain Coolangatta Hotel Spoon Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour One Eyed Kings Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Invisible Friend and The Downstairs Mix-up The Brewery, Byron Bay Manie Shika Youth Activity Centre, Byron Bay Confession

Friday, May 7 Bang Thai, Bangalow Leigh Carriage + Sam Keevers Bangalow Hotel The Genes Club Coffs, Coffs Harbour Nitebeat Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Fat Albert Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Josh Pollard Lennox Point Hotel Ox + The Painted Crows + Dan Best Neverland, Coolangatta Space Invadas + Koolism Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour Yacht Club DJs 30

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Lisa Hunt

Thursday, May 13 Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour Ben Francis Southern Cross Uni, Lismore Saints and Sinners Ball w/ Pink Zinc The Brewery, Byron Bay Incognito

Friday, May 14 Bangalow Bowling Club The Last Waltz tribute show Bangalow Hotel Robert Owen Campbell Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Bamboos Civic Hall, Mullumbimby Jen Cloher + Jordie Lane Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Ben Francis Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Dan Sultan + Gin Wigmore + The Hello Morning Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Josh Pollard Lennox Point Hotel Positive Timing Pioneer Tavern, Alstonville Rochelle Lees Duo Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga Vanessa Lea + Roadtrain The Brewery, Byron Bay Kooii and Ruby Blue

Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson

Sunday, May 16 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Floyd Vincent and the Child Brides Brunswick Heads Hotel Wear The Fox Hat + Super Cheese Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Chris Pickering + Cookie Baker + Matt Gresham + Nicole Brophy Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour David Moye Karuah Karuah Bluegrass Festival Lennox Point Hotel Slim Pickens The Brewery, Byron Bay The Big Band at the End of the Universe

Thursday, May 20 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Soul Shakers Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Super Massive Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie Robert Owen Campbell Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour Present Tense The Brewery, Byron Bay Somersault

Friday, May 21 A + I Hall, Bangalow Sheila E + Ricky Peterson Australian Hotel, Ballina Mick McHugh Buddah Bar, Byron Bay Undertow + Davedog (Resin Dogs) + Flawlezz + Jessie Morris & The 3 Beans + Rukus Crew Byron Bay High School Evergreen Terrace + Casey Jones Federal Hotel, Bellingen Lea Gillard band Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Sampology Lennox Point Hotel Monkiblood + Plastic Wood Port City Bowling Club, Port Macq Robert Owen Campbell

Sunday, May 23 Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Jade Porter and friends Lennox Point Hotel Quarry Mountain + Dead Rats

Thursday, May 27 Ballina RSL Club The Big Gig w/ John Zeez Laurieton United Services Club Kasey Chambers + Shane Nicholson Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour Jesse Emmanuel

Friday, May 28 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Tijuana Cartel Club Forster Kasey Chambers + Shane Nicholson Lennox Point Hotel 8-Ball Aitken Southern Cross Uni, Lismore 8-Ball Aitken

Saturday, May 29 Bangalow Hotel Mark Easton Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Botonics Brunswick Heads Hotel Pink Zinc Diggers Tavern, Bellingen The Strides Laurieton Hotel Marshall and the Fro + Benjalu Lennox Point Hotel Booze Hag Sawtell RSL Kasey Chambers + Shane Nicholson

Sunday, May 30 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Strides Yamba Golf Club Kasey Chambers + Shane Nicholson

dr o p s a w

justice for alL Newcastle destroyers Dropsaw will later this month unleash their most metallic, focused and technically exhilarating offering thus far.

Nathaniel Try caught up with party animal vocalist Jarrod McIntosh.

You’ve just recorded your third full length, Hard Justice, in San Diego with As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis, along with Kelly Cairns and Daniel Castleman. How was the recording process?

It was pretty full on. Compared to recording Missing Limbs (2007) and Victims or Killers (2008), where we spent just a bit over a week recording each of them, we spent a month working on Hard Justice. It was an experience and it brought out the best in all of us. That’s for sure.

Apart from the fact you were based overseas and you spent a lot longer working on the album, how else was the experience different compared to recording your previous albums?

Before we left Australia, the songs were pretty much 100% written. But when we got over there, there were a few little bits that Daniel (producer) came up with, to add in. The producers seemed to have more input than we’ve been used to. And it’s just the little things really. Some producers over here might say “That’s fine,” whereas our producers knew we could get things done better. So they would keep pushing us until we nailed it. We just took a lot longer and made sure everything was a lot tighter I guess.

Do you have any interesting stories to tell

about the shenanigans you got up to in your free time in the States?

Well, we were in Vegas and some of us went into a strip club. We got roped into going into a private room. We were told that buying a $400 bottle of vodka got you a private room with girls that dance. So, half an hour into it the girls were dancing and we were smashing down the bottle of vodka. One of the girls came up to me and said, “How are you going to pay for us?” and I said, “What?” She said “Well, each girl’s $400.” I was like “You’re fucking kidding,” because there were nine girls there. They told us we had to pay and I basically told them we weren’t going to pay.

So all of a sudden the security came from everywhere and started blowing up at us.

They said, “Well it’s either pay for the girls or leave without your teeth.” So we had to pay. It ended up costing us about $3,500. So I had a couple of things to pay off when I got home,

Throughout May you’ll be touring with Evergreen Terrace and Casey Jones. What are you looking forward to about getting back on the road again?

Showing people the new songs really. That’s what I’m most excited about. We’re all stoked on how the new record’s turned out. So we’re just hoping people will like it as much as we do. I think getting on the road and showing it off is going to be the best thing we could do.

And I’ve met most of the guys in the other bands before and they’re all good dudes. So I’m sure the tour’s going to be pretty sick!

become a full time touring group?

Not really. We’ve never really looked at ourselves as a band that could do that. I don’t think we play the style of music that everyone’s going to like. We all love Sworn Enemy. And their new records are all done with Tim (producer). And Nigel (Melder; Dropsaw’s manager) knew Tim. So I asked Nigel to see if Tim was interested in recording us and he was more than interested. I don’t feel we could have achieved the sound we have now, anywhere in Australia. We’re not expecting anything huge out of this. We’re just happy to have made a record that sounds so good.

Dropsaw seem to tour less frequently than many other Australian hardcore bands of comparable size. Was the decision to record with a producer on an international level a result of a desire to push the band to

Catch Dropsaw with Evergreen Terrace and Casey Jones at Wyong’s Oasis Youth Centre on Thursday, May 20, and Byron Bay High School on Friday, May 21. Hard Justice is out now through Trial and Error Records.

that’s for sure.

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minus the bear

Omnipresent After the swirling prog-rock colossus of their third studio record Planet Of Ice, Seattle five-piece Minus The Bear have backed it up with a synth-pop odyssey called Omni. Nick Milligan speaks with their guitarist extraordinaire, Dave Knudson.

Did you have clear ideas about how you wanted Omni to differ from Planet Of Ice? Well, we all had a clear vision that we wanted Planet Of Ice to be a ‘proggy’ record. With this new record, we just knew that we didn’t want to do that again. We knew the direction we didn’t want to take, and we knew we wanted to make some songs that were more dancey in nature. Early on in the band’s career, the songs were a little bit more dancey, but in Planet Of Ice that aspect was lost a bit. [For Omni] we wanted to go back and reclaim our dance-rock past.

Does the name of the new record come from your usage of the Japanese Omnichord synthesiser?

Somewhat. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the synthesiser. It has to do more with the fact that on this record we were drawing on everyone’s different influences, as opposed to being on the same page with something. So it was more of an all encompassing everything-and-nothing sort of vibe, which also loosely ties into the lyrics. If you think about the trip that this character is on, on the record.

Is there a narrative on Omni?

I think it has a lot to do with city living and someone who’s trying to find his way through relationships. There’s a lot of that in our previous songs too, but I think this has a darker tone to it. It’s hard for me to talk about Jake’s [Jake Snider, vocals] lyrics, so I’ll leave that to him.

There’s a great female voice on the track ‘Into The Mirror’. Who is that?

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It’s Rachael Flotard. She sings in a band called Visqueen, from Seattle. She’s got an amazing voice. We’ve been friends with her for a while.

When Joe [Chicarelli, producer] had an idea to get a female on the song, that was the first woman we thought of and it worked out beautifully.

What’s the band’s usual songwriting process?

A lot of times the songs will start with a guitar riff that either I’ve come up with at home or that we’re jamming at the space, and it starts from there. The way we recorded it and working with a different producer also helped change and shape the vibe too. We recorded everything live in the studio. With Joe we kept everything as live as possible, so it’s got more of a live feel which is something we definitely wanted to try and capture.

Your previous recordings have a big studio sound. Have you found it difficult to translate songs to the stage?

Sometimes it’s just hard to do that in general although these [new] songs, surprisingly, have been some of the easier songs to [translate].

There’s that weird period where you’ve written a song in the rehearsal space, then you go in to record and you add all this other stuff to it, then you relearn the new song. That process is what we’re going through now and it’s been surprisingly easy to replicate everything.

You’re known for your unique guitar style and experimentation as a musician — was there anything new you wanted to try on this album?

“…we wanted to go back and reclaim

our dance-rock p ast.”

It’s funny, because I think a lot of people expect a certain amount of flashy craziness or whatever, whether it’s [finger] tapping or pedals, but honestly on this record I didn’t feel any pressure — I’ve never really felt pressure to outdo myself in that regard. The only thing I’d want to outdo is to write better songs. Some of my favourite riffs that I’ve written are on this record. ‘Secret Country’ is a pretty great song. ‘Excuses’ and some of those riffs in there are some of the best stuff we’ve come up with. I think my guitar playing was a bit more streamlined and simplified on this record. I don’t know if that’s what people want to hear or not [laughs], but it was what I wrote and what sounded good to me.

You have a distinct and inventive approach to the guitar — particularly the finger tapping you do. How did your style develop?

I took a few lessons as a kid for about six months. I picked up a guitar after I heard Metallica for the first time when I was in sixth grade or something, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is amazing.’ It was a lot of learning of other people’s songs and getting tab books for records I loved and playing along. Just playing other guitarist’s riffs and learning from their songwriting and their style of playing. All those combined influences brought me to where I am today. But I’ve never been classically trained. I don’t know how to read music.

There was a time when I was really interested in a lot of glitchy electronic music and I was like, ‘How can I do that with my guitar?’ That’s when I started triggering a lot of samples and loops. So there’s been moments of inspiration that I can trace back,

where I’ve thought something was awesome and tried to do it on my guitar. Who knows what’s next? We’ll see what my next obsession is that I try and recreate on my guitar.

Minus The Bear have four studio records out now and there’s such a varied array of sounds across those releases. But what to you see as being the defining aspects of your band’s sound?

I would say there’s a certain amount of romanticism in the lyrics, which is a common thread. I would say there’s a certain amount of dancability that the songs have to them, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily accurate for Planet Of Ice. The common thread would just be that it is a guitar-driven rock band, but it’s also about having fun. I think that’s something that comes across live, too. I think people realise that Minus The Bear isn’t necessarily the most serious thing in the world and there’s a bit of good nature that goes along with it.

In 2001, when Minus The Bear were forming, did you guys have a clear idea of how you wanted to sound?

Most of us were reacting to the bands we had been in. For me, Minus The Bear was a nice break to the hardcore metal I was playing in Botch. As the band started, we definitely had more of an idea of what we exactly wanted to sound like. Whereas now, it’s opened itself up so that we can do almost whatever we want.

It’s more of an album-by-album basis. I think we have a lot of freedom — we could go in a bunch of directions that would all make sense.

Omni is out now through Alberts/Sony.

hoodoo gurus

It’s been six years between drinks, but one of Australia’s favourite rock bands, the Hoodoo Gurus, have returned with album number nine. Nick Milligan speaks to singer Dave Faulkner about what keeps the fire in his belly and the venom in his lyrics.

It’s been six years since your last record.

Why such a long gap?

I was basically a bit lazy, most of the time [laughs].

I had a lot of stuff on. My father wasn’t well for a long, long time and he eventually passed away.

I spent a bit of time over in Perth looking after him and the after effects. I also moved and renovated a house. There was just all these distractions. I was accumulating material and not realising it. I was always saying, ‘We’re not ready yet. We need to delay it a bit longer.’ Finally last year I said, ‘This is ridiculous. We’ve got to do something. Let’s book some studio time and then that will make me pull my finger out.’ And that’s exactly what happened.

There’s some diverse influences on your new record, Purity Of Essence, whilst maintaining your band’s quintessential sound. Was it your intention to create an eclectic collection?

That was something I was definitely hoping would happen. You can’t force it, but I’d been saying to the guys beforehand, ‘Let’s not inhibit ourselves and rule out anything because of any kind of political agenda about what we think doesn’t belong in the Hoodoo Gurus. Let’s not even think about that and just play stuff that sounds right.’ That’s how it worked.

Tell us why you called the record Purity Of Essence?

Because the album is so diverse, I thought I’d do

a little switch-a-roo and put a title on it that made it appear to have some sort of vision that had only one clear line. If we called the album ‘Mixed Bag’, that’s all anyone would talk about. ‘Oh, they’re trying to be diverse.’ So I thought we could cover our tracks a little bit.

And the title, of course, comes from one of our favourite movies in the band, Dr Strangelove: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb, directed by Stanley Kubrick. ‘Purity Of Essence’ is actually one of the plot points in the movie. I think it’s what Alfred Hitchcock would have called the ‘MacGuffin’. When they manage to crack the code of what this crazy general has done to set off World War III, ‘Purity Of Essence’ is the phrase that he’s obsessed with before he commits suicide.

Movies have remained an influence for the Hoodoo Gurus over the years, haven’t they?

They have. I’ve always been into film. Music was something I always did, but film was something I always loved. Even at high school, I did a little film course and made a movie. We edited it and did all the sound and that was quite an awakening for me, to see how making a film works. I’ve always watched film with a critical eye, rather than just going as entertainment.

There seems to be some venom in your lyrics on this record… [laughs] Yeah, particularly one [song]. I’m not

always sweetness and light. There’s been a few things that have happened in my life and among my friends that have bugged me. We’re emotional vampires, in some ways, writers.

We take our own experiences — or other people’s experiences and make them our own — and we twist them up a bit to make ourselves look more heroic or the other person more villainous.

But all of my songs, in one way or another, have been about my point of view. Even when they’ve been written from a fantasy basis, like ‘Leilani’. It still does reflect my morals, in a way, even though it’s a ludicrous story. Others are more literal and there’s a few of them on this album, that’s for sure.

Are there any themes that you return to in your lyrics?

Well, death has always been in my music somewhere. In the early days we had light-hearted songs dealing with death, like ‘Dig It Up’ and ‘Leilani’, of course. A song like ‘Night Must Fall’ was a fairly sober reflection on the carnival moving on, having lost a couple of very dear friends around that time.

Of course, losing my father has come out in the song ‘The Stars Look Down’. Being a more mature person, death is a more real possibility to me than when I was 21. It starts to become something that you do occasionally wonder about.

Is there a particular set of lyrics on the new record that you’re the most happy with?

Yeah, ‘The Stars Look Down’. It was the hardest one to write in some ways, even though I was close fairly quickly on it.

What is it about the Gurus’ music that you still love to perform after all these years?

Number one, there’s a spirit there — there’s something in the songs that I write, but also in the band as we perform them. That’s something you can’t fake. You can sometimes hear a song on the radio and it sounds like a very impressive production and you think it’s very tremendous. But you hear the same thing live and for some reason when it’s in flesh and blood in front of you — and they might be doing it off samplers and pretending to play their instruments — it kind of gives it away.

On stage it suddenly becomes a big nothing.

[Our songs] don’t have that. They feel more real than anything when we’re live. That’s something we’re really proud of.

Is it humbling to look out into a crowd and see 18 year-old fans that wouldn’t have even been born when your first music came out?

Absolutely. Obviously you have no conception of something like this when you start a band and you’re 23 years-old. All these years later it’s still a revelation, everything that happens with this band. We haven’t changed in our ambitions. From day one, it was just to make a decent album that we liked and then we’d tour it and play it. It’s always been a process of discovery. There was never a plan to make five albums and then do something else. We just took it week to week and we’re still doing it that way.

Hoodoo Gurus play Newcastle Leagues Club on Friday, May 14, 2010. Purity Of Essence is out now through Sony Music. r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 6 — m ay 2 0 1 0

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f a s h i o n — p h o t o g r a p h y b y l u k e h o ld s t o ck

left Martini snakeskin cocktail dress, $200. Sports Girl leather strip wrist band, $12.95. Leather emboss necklace, stylist’s own, $POA.

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above left Martina retro one shoulder snakeskin, $160. Inudi bow-top heels, $99.95. Vintage wooden bracelet, stylist’s own, $POA. Sports Girl shield diamonte ring, $29.95.

above Azuki Prediction pants, $75. Martini leotard point, $85. Sports Girl emerald badge oval ring, $29.95. Sports Girl emerald diamonte ring, $24.95.

Sports Girl emerald diamonte round ring, $24.95. Vintage grunge anklet, stylist’s own, $POA. Vintage cross necklace, stylist’s own, $POA.

f a s h i o n — p h o t o g r a p h y b y l u k e h o ld s t o ck

left Martina retro snakeskin jacket, $85.

Nique wom. phoenix pants, $175. SD double strap leather belt, $100. I Love Billie slice shoes, $90. Equip flower ring, $18.95.

above left Wrangler slice top, $64.90. Azuki Medusa skirt, $85. Grunge anklet, stylist’s own, $POA. Sports Girl leather strip wrist band, $12.95. Leather emboss necklace, stylist’s own, $POA.

above Party-lace Baby Doll Dress $155. Sports Girl leather strip wrist band $12.95. Inudi bow-top heels $99.95.

Photography by Luke Holdstock Hair & make-up by Wade Ambler Styling by Brogan Elizabeth Moore Modelling by Jade Mason

All clothing from Ramjet.

Darby Street, Newcastle.

Phone (02) 4926 2839

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general motoring

reviewed Honda Civic Type R reviewed by Peter Douglas

Hyper Type R Some numb-skull in a truck ran into one of his mates on the F3 and we couldn’t get home to Newcastle because the freeway was blocked [for hours]. So, the only alternative was via Wisemans Ferry, then through the hillbilly town of Spencer on the Hawkesbury and on up to Newcastle through Calga.

We happened to be in the latest version of Honda’s Civic Type R, a car we drove a few years ago at the international launch in the UK and then again on local turf about a year later, so this was drive experience number three and was by far the best.

The Type R and that winding Spencer road at night made for a jolly old time of cut-andthrust driving interspersed with white knuckle grabs at the wheel, as the convoluted and at times broken bitumen disappeared into black depths around tight hairpin corners.

Almost puts wax in your pants but no, the Type R was in its element, responding like the scalpel of a hatchback that it is, buzzing up to redline at 8000rpm, diving deep into corners under hard braking and then howling out the other side, headlights flashing from side to side trying to stay aligned with the front wheels.

Lucky the road was pretty clear and the conditions were ripe for a bit of a fang.

The Type R was all the better for its recent upgrade that brought a limited slip differential to give better grip and cornering in the front wheel drive hot hatch. You could virtually feel it pulling the car around corners keeping it on the desired trajectory with no torque steer at all.

Woo hoo, look out, ready or not, here we come.

Trouble is, we got home too quickly and felt 36

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like turning around for another crack, but dinner was on the table and the worms were biting.

We have always had a soft spot for the Type R because it’s such a fun car to drive, even if it gets hosed by pretty much all of its turbo boosted competition — in a straight line. Around corners, well that’s a different matter.

The Type R would be all over them like a rash and if there’s more than 5400rpm on Type R’s tacho, the turbo cars won’t jump too far ahead on the straights. But you must be prepared to rev the tits off it and not worry — a bit like a four wheeled motorbike.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated, four cylinder with VTEC variable valve timing and lift. It’s good for 148kW/ 193Nm with maximum power coming in at 7800rpm, 200 short of redline, though we reckon at times the Type R blasted through that the other night.

It’s hooked up to a short shifting, close ratio six-speed manual ‘box and breathes through a twin, wide-spaced exhaust system with a mad exhaust note. Could be a bit more vocal but then the cops would be on to you like a tonne of bricks, especially given the startling looks of the Type R. The ‘new’ model that sells for $39,990 plus on roads also scored a tyre deflation warning system, rear park sensors and full iPod connectivity. The driver’s wheel-well features

“Luck y the roa d was pr ett y clea r a nd the co nditions wer e r ipe for a bit of a fa ng.”

red illumination.

Using a strut front end and surprisingly, a simple “econobox style” torsion beam rear end, the Type R is sprung hard, so driving every day on rough roads would send you nuts. But the hard setting comes into its own when you go into attack mode on a winding road. This car handles like a kart, offering sharp, precise steering, eye popping brakes and flat body attitude pretty much regardless of the speed.

There are limits, of course, but the ESP has a high threshold so you can really sink your teeth in to those corners without having the whole thing shut down on suspicion of a loss of grip.

The steering is among the best we have driven in a hot hatch — front or all wheel drive and makes you feel like you have a direct connection with the road surface.

Similarly, the close ratio ’box offers precise control over the engine, allowing quick flicks up and down the range in a blink. Wonder what it would be like with a DSG paddle shift.

But it’s not all sweetness and light as the Type R has a few issues that detract from its appeal. Throttle flare when gear changing is super annoying because the revs don’t die down instantly when you lift off the gas. You need to be a contortionist to reach the front seat belts and the key and start button ignition is a serious pain in the arse. Why have a button when you have to put the key in the ignition and turn it?

The trip computer takes a bit of time to get your head around. Rather than flick through folders for different info, it clicks back to home and then you have to click again for the next folder. Pain in the butt if you ask us.

The UK-made Type R is a gorgeous thing to behold with a crouching, athletic stance, wheel at each corner, angry face, flat profile and stubby rear end punctuated by a decent wing.

It rolls on sexy-looking 18s and those triangular exhaust tips set off the whole look.

Inside is a sea of hard, grey plastic that is well-styled but crap to touch. The audio is decent and the big digital speed read-out essential.

Goodies include auto headlights and wipers, cruise, leather sports wheel, racing seats, dual zone climate control, aluminium drilled pedals and heated exterior mirrors.

There are six air bags and a host of other safety gear including the specially reinforced body which is possibly one reason for the three door Type R’s rather portly 1345kg weight.

Honda specifies hand finished cylinder heads for the Type R [port and polish] and the VTEC valve system has recorded not one failure in the world on any Honda engine since its inception — amazing.

That’s what you get with this car — engineering the others can’t really match for the money, as well as the fun factor behind the wheel.

Almost as good as a shag.

t h e d i ll i n g e r e s c a p e p l a n — k i tc h e n c o m p l a i n t

PLANNED PARALYSIS Those New Jersey-based mathcore maniacs, The Dillinger Escape Plan, voyage back to Australia in May in support of their stunning new full-length album, Option Paralysis.

Ben Weinman, guitarist and lone founding member of the quintet, conversed with Nathaniel Try. As the internet progressively populates as an avenue for circulating new music, a ‘DIY’ type approach is becoming a healthier option for artists who feel record deals are of less benefit to them, than in years gone by. For The Dillinger Escape Plan’s latest album, Option Paralysis, which was released in March this year, they elected to create their own label — and so Party Smasher, Inc. was born.

Guitarist Ben Weinman elaborates on how this facilitated the group’s inspiration. “We’ve written [the album] under much more positive conditions. We were all very relaxed, so we were able to focus on the album as a whole and what was best for the record. On top of that, we were under different circumstances on a label front. We’ve had a lot more creative cont rol over the artwork, how the record is presented and the different packaging options. So that’s been a pretty cool thing.”

Option Paralysis, which was recorded with Steve Evetts, who has been creating the goods for the ensemble for the majority of their existence, is the group’s fourth full length

album. Perhaps you may be musing over precisely what ‘Option Paralysis’ means? “The name ‘Option Paralysis’ refers to the idea that people have so many options that they just don’t know what’s important anymore.

Literally, I guess it means you have so many choices that you pick nothing and you’re paralysed. It relates to the time that we’re in right now, where there’s so much access to information. We feel that it’s taken a toll on our culture and the artistic integrity of what’s going on,” elucidates Weinman.

Weinman assisted in conceiving The Dillinger Escape Plan back in 1997 and remains today as the only founding member of the group. Weinman asserts that the extensive personnel changes to the band have not jeopardised the temperament of the group.

“Being the sole original member of the band — and the main songwriter — helps keep a certain level of consistency throughout the

years. At the same time, having new guys in the band has kept things exciting and fresh.

Especially with our new drummer Billy (Rymer, joined in 2009). He’s just so enthusiastic about being in this band. It’s really good to have someone on board who feels there’s so much to live up to,” claims Weinman, with an exceptionally affirmative tone.

Experiencing a Dillinger Escape Plan live performance is a truly engaging encounter.

The group are renowned for providing a chaotic live show, which incorporates some exceedingly dynamic manoeuvres, of which could easily cause serious injury if not executed to perfection. The middle of May will see the ensemble, which last left our stages in a shambles on the Soundwave Festivals in 2009, obliterating the country once again. Weinman’s response, when confirming which aspect of returning that he

most looks forward to, is unexpectedly supplied with a warm chuckle, “The weather!

We love the weather in Australia.”

After concluding his school-boy-like giggling, Weinman offers some very positive praise for fans in Oz. “On top of that, our Australian fans have been the most loyal and probably the coolest out of all the people we’ve played in front of over the years. Right away, the first time we came to Australia was such a warm welcoming. I think that people in Australia in general seem to appreciate more eclectic and interesting music. It doesn’t seem like they’re looking for run-of-the-mill typical music as much as the masses do in other parts of the world.”

The Dillinger Escape Plan play at The Hi-Fi in Brisbane on Sunday, May 23, and Sydney’s Metro Theatre on Friday, May 25. Option Paralysis is out now.

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t a lk i n g s h o p — f i e ld m u s i c — j o e y c a p e

Profiling music industry professionals with Jess henderson

Talking shop The Measure

of Music Brothers David and Peter Brewis, otherwise known as the core of UK guitar pop band Field Music are back with a massive double album, Measure. Stephen Bisset caught up with David Brewis.

With music festivals being an essential part of the live music scene, we speak with the organiser of the upcoming Gum Ball, Matt Johnston.

Name Matt Johnston.

Who do you work for?

The Gum Ball.

Current position title?

Head honcho.

How long have you been in this position?

6 years.

What are the main responsibilities of your position?

Basically coordinate the festival, this includes all worldly manner of duties.

How did you get involved in the music industry?

When I jumped in the deep end - now I dream of spare time and being a musician again.

Proudest moment?

Probably after the success of last year’s festival, if not maybe when I caught that 26kg jewfish off Stocko Beach a few years back.

Is there anyone you would really like to meet [living or dead]?

No one really sticks out, maybe Michelangelo, apparently he was a bit of a doer. Other then that just people who are friendly, appreciate life and the offer of a good festival.

Best live show you’ve been to?

That’s a tough one, usually the best ones you don’t remember. When I first started going to festivals a little over ten years ago, Bluesfest, Splendour, Falls, were just awesome and so much more laid back. Although Slane Castle Ireland in ‘03 with RHCP, Foo Fighters, QOTSA, PJ Harvey all on the one stage would be my biggest memory though, I lost my shit at that one — literally.

Favourite venue?

Indoors, The Junkyard. Outdoors, Dashville.

Favourite musical instrument?

Banjo - always up for a good hard pluck.

Free plug – who should we be listening to?

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra are going to blow people away at Gum Ball.

What would be on your ultimate rider?

Lamb roast, and a flagon of good old port.

Best way to spend a Sunday morning?

Good dawn surf, followed by big breaky, maybe some light recreation, moving on to a live band and solid Sunday sesh.

Any advice for people trying to break into the industry?

Self promotion, if that doesn’t work, try another career.

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It’s been three years and various side projects since we’ve heard any new Field Music. What was the decision behind doing another album?

We just kind of thought it would be the most fun thing to do. We spent a bit of time making records separately and we both enjoyed that, but at the same time I think we learnt how we could spend more time with each other and not get really annoyed with each other.

How would you say yours and Peter’s side projects, The School of Language and The Week That Was, have shaped this new version of Field Music?

One of the big things is that we toured quite differently with the solo records and it’s meant that we both had to get a lot better as players. Peter had to play piano a lot better and I was playing guitar every night for four weeks, whereas in Field Music those things had always been hidden. So there was a little bit more confidence that we could use our skills as performers to make the record sound better this time round. Also, The Week That Was album - Peter wrote that entire album on piano, and I think this time he was really keen to write more stuff on the guitar.

There was a sense that if we’d gone straight into the next Field Music album our horizons would have been narrowed. There are lots of things on this record if we’d thought of in the past we would have said, ‘Oh that’s not Field Music enough,’ but this time round none of that mattered. As writers, the editing process is always upmost in our minds, so we basically changed the criteria of how things were going to be edited.

Given that Measure is quite an expansive and eclectic set, what was influencing both you and Peter in the lead up to the album,?

For me there’s a lot of personal stuff on there which I don’t really want to go into. But me and Peter are preoccupied with the same things. We’re mainly preoccupied by whether what we are doing is worthwhile at all and how we can go about making music our way.

So would you say in that sense that you influence each other?

Yeah certainly, and we both really like each other’s solo record. We’re both really competitive although quite light-hearted about it. But this new record is the first time that I’ve indulged my taste for David Bowie (laughs). We’ve also been going back to things that got us into music in the first place. Like it’s not really cool to say that you really, really like Led Zeppelin, but they were the first band that both of us really cared about. When I picked up a guitar when I was ten, all I wanted to do was be in Led Zeppelin. I don’t think that comes across particularly in the first Field Music albums, but I think it does a little more on the new one.

Measure is out now.

Off The Wagon Joey Cape and Tony Sly are two names synonymous with modern punk rock, frontmen for Californian bands Lagwagon and No Use For A Name respectively. With each having accumulated over two decades worth of credibility and a burgeoning fan base around the globe, Sean Frazer spoke with Cape as this dream team prepares to tour Australia.

With Lagwagon on hiatus, you have spent much of your time writing solo... Do you find this writing process any more comfortable?

Yes and no. On one hand it’s definitely cool that you only have to answer to yourself, on the other hand you only have yourself to be your own critic. With a band, it’s beautiful when I work with those guys [Lagwagon] because they know me and they know my songs, they know when to tell me if a song sounds bullshit. When I’m by myself in my little hole in the ground in my basement with no windows, I get a little mad down there sometimes and it would be nice if I had someone to pull the reigns and say, “Buddy, you’re going nowhere with this one.”

What are you most looking forward to about touring Australia?

Well Australians are fun and they like to have a good time. Sometimes when people think of acoustic shows, they think, “Oh, it’s going to

be boring... a guy sitting in a chair with an acoustic, how boring!?” and that’s the opposite of what we try to bring. We try to bring a kind of camp fire party, I always say, “Come get drunk and cry together with us...”

The songs we have are a mixture of sad and fun, which is great because it makes for a great atmosphere, especially when everyone’s drinking and having a good time.

You are giving away one song a month from your latest album, Doesn’t Play Well With Others, through the internet. What was the idea behind this approach?

I just felt for a long time that it has gotten a lot more difficult to sell records with people buying single songs nowadays and steering away from buying albums in stores. I always thought it would be nice if i could record more frequently and release a song or two every month or two, as opposed to hiding in a recording studio for a year where everyone would have to wait that long until you released anything new. I like the fact that I can

just go into my little studio and record a tune and get it straight out there and into people’s ears immediately.

How much have you changed as an artist since the release of Bridge (debut solo album)?

I’ve changed a lot. When I made Bridge I think I felt a little confined to a style, I was really trying to figure out who I was. Writing acoustic songs was pretty new to me, as far as making a record went. Now, especially that I’m only doing one song at a time, I feel that the writing process is coming a lot more naturally and I’ve been given more freedom writing at my own place. The way I’m doing it now, it’s giving my music time to breathe for better ideas and thoughts. I have also played with a lot of people that strictly only play acoustic music so I’ve learned a lot from those guys. They have helped me a lot.

Joey Cape and Tony Sly perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Thursday, May 27.

game reviews HOSTILE RELATIONS

hands on massive foreign oil reserves. The Chinese, Japanese and Russian agents are all presented as villainous Cold War caricatures straight out of a James Bond film, vomiting a lot of predictable vitriol about America while whipping out their respective WMDs. The plot, however, is immaterial; this is a

sandbox-style action game, after all. Your progress is measured only by the amount of Chaos you’ve caused, and you’re free to cause it in any way you wish as you explore the island.

As an open world environment, Panau is nothing short of spectacular — it features over four hundred miles of vibrant explorable terrain, all

gorgeously rendered and remarkably interactive.

There’s an exceptional draw distance, so when you’re flying at high altitude you can quite literally see the entire island spread to its extremes in all directions.

The gameplay is fast paced and fluid thanks to Rico’s impressive toolkit. His grappling hook in particular is an endlessly versatile device that caters to the player’s creativity — you can use it to scale walls, latch on to vehicles, yank enemies towards you, or even tether two objects together [try securing a pursuing vehicle to the ground at full speed, or attaching a soldier to an airplane and dragging him into the sky].

Additionally, Rico carries an inexhaustible parachute that can be deployed and redeployed at any point, so you’re free to leap from any height without consequence. Vehicles are easy to hijack, and there’s over a hundred different kinds to play around with. The game will give you a few ideas, but essentially you’re given free rein to experiment.

Like its predecessor, however, Just Cause 2 contains some niggling bugs and flaws. The audio is fairly glitchy (you’ll often hear lines of dialogue stalled or cut off in mid-sentence), some of the loading times are excruciatingly long, and even the interface occasionally malfunctions for prolonged periods. These faults are annoying but never truly ruin the experience, and given the sheer scope and detail of the environment, the game maintains a surprisingly consistent frame rate.

Just Cause 2 is quite an achievement. It’s certainly not perfect, but it presents a lush and seemingly limitless playground in which you can unleash your own destructive creativity.

With so much to explore, collect or blow up spectacularly, there’s always something to do — learn to think outside the box, and you’ll have an absolute blast with this one.

makes them appear dull and washed out.

While exploring towns and residences, the camera moves inexplicably on static rails that give the impression of two-dimensional backdrops; there’s no sense of freedom, as the characters appear to walk through a series of matte paintings. Even the world map is represented as a series of flat boards divided into hexagonal cells. Given the visual spectacle of the game’s combat and cinematics, it’s odd that the developers have not injected nearly so much detail into other areas of its presentation.

The plot is dense and often ludicrous — the main storyline doesn’t become at all clear until well into the game, and you will, for quite some time, simply run errands for Basel’s wealthy patrons. Cardinal Barbarella, for example, sends you to a frozen valley teeming with icy mutants just to fetch another bottle of wine so she can finish dinner. The silliness, however, is justified by some truly hilarious cutscenes; veteran voice actors such as Nolan North bring real humour and wit to their characters. While other moments aim for poignancy and fail to achieve it, the narrative sets a far better pace when it’s not taking itself so seriously.

The real showpiece of this game is its combat system, which combines elements of both turn-based and real-time gameplay; the characters still take turns, but are able to move freely around the battlefield while doing so. They are, moreover, capable of stunningly stylised feats of acrobatic gunplay, performing all manner of gravity-defying cartwheels, somersaults and aerial manoeuvres as they riddle their enemies with bullets. These moves are presented with a tight cinematic sheen that makes them endlessly enjoyable to watch. Tri-Ace has clearly paid the greatest attention to the game’s combat, and it absolutely shines.

Perhaps the greatest annoyance in Resonance of Fate is its difficulty level. Even at the very beginning there’s a steep learning curve — the menu includes a detailed in-game manual covering all the different mechanics, but early on this is more likely to confuse you. Even small mistakes are harshly punished; restarting a fight incurs an ever-increasing cash fee, and if you want to start again with all your bars replenished, you’ll have to cough up every last cent you have.

Augmentations, special ammo and grenades do make things easier [so long as you can maintain

a steady supply], but by the game’s halfway point, certain fights will have you tearing out your hair in frustration.

Resonance of Fate is a work of extremes, gorgeous and sleek in some areas and woefully bland in others. Tri-Ace has pinned its hopes on the game’s innovative combat system, but the world map, towns and quest system seem rushed and incomplete by comparison. Still, it’s a reassuring step away from the stationary battle structure inherent to older RPGs, and is definitely worth a look for fans of the genre.

reviewed Just Cause 2 (Xbox 360/Playstation 3/PC) reviewed by Hugh Milligan rated 9/10 Just Cause was a game with grand ideas that went largely unrealised in execution. Its open world action gameplay offered interesting possibilities, but was ultimately marred by some fundamental limitations [not to mention some truly infuriating glitches]. Now, with the release of a sequel, it appears that Avalanche Studios has finally produced the game they intended to four years ago.

Just Cause 2 sees the return of Rico Rodriguez, an exceptionally skilled black ops agent in the employ of the clandestine ‘Agency’. He’s airdropped on to the island nation of Panau, where corrupt dictator Baby Panay has just taken the reins and cut all diplomatic ties with America; with three rival factions now vying for control amongst the terrified and oppressed Panauan populace, it’s up to Rico to get in there and wreak havoc on Panay’s regime.

While the premise may seem at first like a woeful cliché that panders to American patriotism, it becomes increasingly tongue-incheek as the storyline progresses; Rico’s mission to restore political stability soon degenerates into a pissing contest between the world’s super-powers as they all scramble to get their

Life After Doomsday reviewed Resonance of Fate (Xbox 360/Playstation 3) reviewed by Hugh Milligan rated 7/10 In the distant future, the Earth is a dark wasteland wreathed in toxic gases and disease. Most humans have been eradicated; those that remain have taken refuge in Basel, an immense air purification tower whose central mechanism regulates their lifespan. In the face of growing civil unrest and escalating external assaults, freelance hunters have become a valuable commodity — hunters such as Vashyron, Zephyr and Leanne, offering their military services at a price.

This is the latest release from Japanese RPG developer tri-Ace, and it’s a notable departure from the Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile series for which they’re best known. Basel provides an altogether grittier steampunk setting, where humans live amongst the vast grinding gears and machinery that supports them — it’s quite striking in some regards, but poorly conceived in others. Most environments are coated in a bleak monochrome that, while perhaps appropriate to the industrial dystopian aesthetic, inevitably

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Live reviews Gig of the month

Newton Faulkner

as I lay dying

Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni Tuesday, March 30

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Thursday, April 1

Newton Faulkner ©Courtney Fitzsimmons

To all of those that didn’t make it to Bar on the Hill on March 30, you really missed out.

Supported by cute, redhead songstress Amy Vee, who won Newcastle fame through stations like ABC 1233, Newton Faulkner wowed the crowd for the two hour gig. In short, he was amazing.

Watching Faulkner play is like watching one-man-band magic. He uses every section of his guitar to create a raw, original sound. When he wasn’t strumming his guitar or picking up the frets, he was using the entire body to create his drum kit, and at one point vibrated his lips against the strings. And when he couldn’t play all the instruments at once, he would refer to a screen on stage where pre-done footage showed him playing the wind instruments and harmonising with himself. It was absolutely hilarious. After doing a cover of ‘You Spin Me Round’ by Dead or Alive and ‘No Diggity’ by Blackstreet, Faulkner did a stunning rendition of ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack. It commenced the slower section of his performance, which may have dragged on for a bit long. But he picked up the pace again with the radio hit, ‘Dream Catch Me.’ Faulkner described the event as soggy. “I’ve never been so humid at a gig — so naturally soggy,” he said just before the end of the performance. Faulkner ended the five-star set with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen. ~Abbey Wright

As I Lay Dying ©Scarlett O’Horror

Rupturing on to the stage, Californian metalcore titans As I Lay Dying got fans energised early.

At the completion of the first song, vocalist Tim Lambesis unexpectedly announced, “We’re As I Lay Dying and that’s all we’ve got time for tonight,” before hurriedly exiting the stage with his band mates. The metallers quite cheekily resumed their obliteration soon after, before explaining that it was still early morning back in America, thus they were entitled to play an April Fool’s Day prank on us.

In a set which showcased plenty of their material, ‘Forever’, ‘The Sound of Truth’ and the Grammy award nominated ‘Nothing Left’ were obvious stand-outs. Lambesis assured fans they will return to play some new tunes, once their fifth full length, The Powerless Rise hits the shelves. Though, bassist/vocalist Josh Gilbert seemed more content discussing the pie he had devoured at Harry’s earlier in the day than fret over when they would return.

Towards the end, Lambesis explained they had finished their set, but would play two further songs if the crowd wanted them to. Obviously, an As I Lay Dying set devoid of the speedily paced singles ‘94 hours’ and ‘Confined’ was never on the cards. Fortunately, the band realised this, too. ~nathaniel try

The Swell Season Sydney Opera House Monday, April 5

Crusty Demons Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford Saturday, April 17

Roger Hodgson ©kevin bull

Roger Hodgson Civic Theatre, Newcastle Sunday, April 11 As support acts go, you could do a lot worse than 10cc. Sure, they only have one original member in Graham Gouldman, but this line-up is quite amazing on stage. From their musicianship and vocal harmonies, they take the crowd through a mindblowing set that results in a standing ovation. Yes, they play ‘Dreadlock Holiday’.

Surrounded by lush, green foliage (basically lots of pot plants), Supertramp’s ex-vocalist and principal songwriter Roger Hodgson steps on to the Civic Theatre’s stage. With a brief bow, he sits at his keyboard and leads the silenced auditorium into a two hour musical journey. On stage, Hodgson has a majestic, calming presence — an ethereal personality. He bows to the crowd with great appreciation and also chats about the origins of each

stumbled upon at a festival by the name of LJ Hill. Hill joins The Frames for one song — a beautiful, sentimental song called ‘Pretty Bird Tree’. Finishing the evening with a traditional Irish song, ‘The Parting Glass’, they say their goodbyes as we all sing along, choir-like, followed by a truly deserved standing ovation. ~roger thornhill

song with genial and gentle banter. Most importantly, Hodgson still has his unique, androgenous vocal range. He sings classic tracks, like opener ‘Take The Long Way Home’ and the immediate follow-up ‘Give A Little Bit’, with the same nuanced delivery as he did 30 years ago. Hodgon’s peformance is backed by only one other musician — Candian multi-instrumentalist Aaron MacDonald, who played alto, tenor and soprano saxophones, along with synths, harmonica and backing vocals. A very talented guy.

Hodgson’s set list also includes Supertramp hits like ‘It’s Raining Again’, ‘School’, ‘Breakfast In America’, ‘The Logical Song’ and a magical rendition of ‘Hide In Your Shell’. He also performed some of his solo work, like the haunting ‘Along Came Mary’.

With rumours of a full blown Supertramp reunion in 2011, this is hopefully just a taste of things to come. ~Nick Milligan

MM9 The Brewery, Byron Bay Thursday, April 15

Justin Townes Earle

The Swell Season ©Richard Hedger

Crusty Demons ©Kevin Bull

Emanating from Bluetongue Stadium, the sound of motorcycles and rock music breaks the serenity of this glorious Saturday afternoon — the Crusty boys are back in town. Having seen them at this same venue two years ago, I was keen to see what new tricks they had in their bag. The answer, very few actually.

That may seem harsh, but I did feel that I had seen 95 per cent of this show previously.

We did get a number of firsts though — the first attempted front flip on Australian soil (failed), and the first successful ramp-to-ramp Harley Davidson flip. Other highlights included a successful quad bike back flip, and a failed attempt at a mini bike double back flip.

Unfortunately, when you removed these handful of special moments, you’re left with over an hour of ‘seen-it-all-before’. ~Kevin Bull 40

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Almost everyone who has seen the movie Once cannot help being moved by the sweet, emotional love story that was played out by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. From that movie a touring duo was born, and now, joined by members of Hansard’s previous band, The Frames, the question is can they replicate those sentiments in a live setting? From the second that they took to the stage there was absolutely no doubt. Hansard is a natural and affable front man — after just a couple of songs he has everyone in the audience singing backing vocal parts, without any of the usual forced corniness that often goes hand in hand with such moments. His self-deprecating humour shines throughout the evening as he fills us in on the details that inspired each song. The emotion in his performance fills the night with many goosebump inducing moments — from tender harmonies with Irglova as she sits at the piano, to attacking his guitar with such abandon that you could absolutely understand why he’d worn away a huge hole in the deck. Irglova gives an admiring introduction to an Australian folk singer that they had

Lizotte’s, Newcastle Thursday, April 8 Opening the evening was Earle’s touring partner, Jason Isbell — a man whose pedigree as a former member of alt-country rockers, Drive-By Truckers, ensured the crowd’s attention and interest.

Isbell impressed many with his storytelling and guitar skills, and his solo performance was a good indication of what was to come.

After a brief intermission, Justin Townes Earle strolled onto the stage with Isbell to welcome applause. He then proceeded to take the crowd on a musical journey through southern America, the home of the honky-tonk country and blues that dominates his art. Each new song was greeted with a story or explanation, and Earle soon had the audience hanging on his every word. A regular reference point was his father, well-known singer/songwriter Steve Earle. The opening line of ‘Mama’s Eyes’ (“I am my father’s son”) goes a long way to explain Earle’s troubled adolescence — but he was also more direct with other tributes — “This is a new song about my two favourite things, women and fried chicken,” Earle said.

A special mention also needs to be made of the venue. The old theatre authenticity of Lizotte’s was a perfect match for the homespun country blues of the performers, and Earle probably said it best at the end of the night: “good food, good wine, good times.” ~Paul Frost

MM9 ©madeline smith

MM9, Sydney’s self proclaimed hard-edged electro-rock band, rocked the foundations of Byron Bay’s homely bar, The Brewery. Bringing their unique combination of electronic rock and pop harmony fusion to the unexpected, sleepy Byron Bay, audience members were given a surprising treat from the usual bands. MM9’s founder, Daniel Sutherland, fronts this ambitious project with his flawless tone and vocal originality.

With a devilish charm, Sutherland’s magnetic performance will have any crowd dancing and singing along. The Brewery saw this exact reaction with the small and intimate audience rising to the front of the stage to dance to MM9’s pulsating rhythm, with individuals yelling out, “I’ve never heard you guys before but I love it.” Their live sound was smothered with heavy guitar-driven melodies from Kerry Foulke combined with synth samples and the electro beats from Ben Ellingworth, the solid drummer, along with phenomenally fast bassist, Luke Ford, who anchors each song with perfection. MM9 are certainly taking steps in the right direction as one of the few versatile Aussie bands defining and blurring the rigid lines of musical genre. ~madeline smith

all pics © kevin bull

bluesfest review BLUESFEST 2010 Byron Bay April 1-5 While heavy rain is predicted to span 2010’s Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival, sporadic torrents fail to dampen the buzz of this world class event. The peaceful and enthusiastic atmosphere of Bluesfest is heightened by the bounty of local and international talent, which amazes at every turn. With an easy-to-follow layout, small food and drink queues and lots of places to sit down and chill out, this year’s event [partly due to its new location] is a stand-out on the Australian festival calendar.

Music The Avett Brothers from North Carolina are the first awe-inspiring act of the festival.

Imagine if Kings Of Leon had moved further towards howling bluegrass and honky tonk influences rather than stadium rock. There is an epic quality to these tortured arrangements and piercing harmonies from brothers Scott and Seth Avett — just guitars, banjos, an upright bass and a Steve Aoki look-a-like on the cello. With some lingering, profound lyrics, this four-piece have a lasting impact.

Dr John [who’s now 70-years-old] and his band the Lower 911 kick out some cool New Orleans blues. Dr John is a legend — he even inspired a muppet! — and his uber-chilled stage presence is a sight to behold.

The Swell Season, the romantic duo of The Frames’ Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, are one of the most beautiful live acts in the world at the moment. Those familiar with Hansard’s mind-blowing singing voice, that delivers the yearning of Damien Rice’s vocals with about ten times more power, will know that he can also pen a momentous tune. From their haunting performances of ‘Falling Slowly’, ‘When Your Mind’s Made Up’ and a long cover of Empire Of The Sun’s ‘Walking On A Dream’, The Swell Season leave jaws in the mud.

Matisyahu, the world’s favourite American Hasidic Jewish reggae singer, is a highlight of Friday’s proceedings. Backed by a three-piece band that opened with a punk instrumental, Matisyahu’s soaring fusion of dub, hip hop and reggae has a massive audience bouncing up and down and twirling around. An impressive beatbox break-out from this unique artist, along with the performance of hits like ‘King Without A Crown’ and ‘One Day’, ensures that this is the feel-good performance of the entire festival.

Buddy Guy, one of the most influential blues musicians on the planet, holds a packed Crossroads tent in the palm of his hand. His sleazy lyrics are delivered with such charisma and mischief that you can’t help but be utterly absorbed. His approach to guitar is raw and pure, and when he starts to pay homage to his friends and heroes by way of covering John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boom Boom’ and Cream’s ‘Strange Brew’, this truly becomes a set to remember.

Colin Hay proves to be the sing-a-long act of Bluesfest 2010, with his set of both Men At Work and solo material. When he performs ‘Who Can It Be Now?’, ‘Overkill’, ‘Be Good Johnny’ and ‘Down Under’, the audience erupts. His introduction for ‘Down Under’ indicates his feelings towards the ludicrous legal battle he is currently enduring. “I co-wrote this song in 1978… I feel like it’s mine… but it’s yours too.”

Bluesfest also hosts three live performances of the Rockwiz game show. It proves incredibly popular, with big crowds cramming into the Caba Caba Ray tent each afternoon to see the show’s regulars, including Julia Zemiro, along with guests like Jen Cloher, Andrew

the ever mischevious buddy guy

matisyahu works the crowd

ozomatli shows the way

washington buzzes in at rockwiz

Morris, Megan Washington and Ross Wilson.

Peter Green was a particularly depressing experience. Undoubtedly a legend of blues music, Green founded Fleetwood Mac, played in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and penned songs like ‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘Albatross’.

But at Bluesfest he limped on stage, sat in a stool, read from a lyrics book and played some incredibly simplistic and uninspired guitar solos.

Green has famously battled severe drug addiction and mental illness, and has been absent from the live arena for far too long.

Sadly, it is evident that his personal battles have had a devastating impact on his musical

ability and he is now a shell of his former self.

Poor Man’s Whiskey are the talk of the festival. A Californian country-folk-bluegrass band that have transformed Pink Floyd’s seminal Dark Side Of The Moon into a hoe down odyssey called Dark Side Of The Moonshine. To keep the Dark Side theme going, they also dress up as each character from The Wizard Of Oz. John Mayall, at 74 years of age, is a genial entertainer, wailing away on keyboard and harmonica and politely introducing each song.

The Gipsy Kings prove why they’re legends of world music. When the Reyes and Baliardo brothers step on to the stage the crowd, a mixture

of old and very young fans, scream at a high volume. Opening with ‘Djobi, Djoba’, the Kings have the Crossroads tent shaking their collective money-maker. It’s no surprise that ‘Bamboleo’ becomes a defeaning sing-a-long, as is their encore of ‘Volaré’. Constantly bowing and thanking the crowd in French, The Gipsy Kings are humble and powerful live performers. They are the unparalleled highlight of Bluesfest 2010.

10cc, despite only consisting of one original member [Graham Gouldman], are phenomenal.

The band are all supreme performers, having toured in their current line-up for approximately a decade. The hits put gigantic smiles on people’s faces: ‘The Things We Do For Love’, ‘Art For Art’s Sake’, ‘Dreadlock Holiday’, ‘I’m Not In Love’ and an encore performance of ‘Rubber Bullets’.

All part of an amazing finale to this year’s Bluesfest.

Deckchair army The Deckchair Army, as Reverb will affectionately call them, are something of a blight on the Bluesfest vibe. The ‘older’, greying members of the crowd flock in numbers with foldable seating and spread out in each tent before the standing crowd has arrived. This obviously takes up a lot of space. There is tension between those that are capable of standing for an entire set and those that kick back as if they’re at Jazz In The Vines with a plastic cup of Cab Sauvignon.

Be gone, six-legged fiends. ~Nick Milligan r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 6 — m ay 2 0 1 0

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film reviews

Way too preachy reviewed The Book of Eli reviewed by Mark Snelson rated 2/5

Kick flick Blending teen romance, quirky comedy and the superhero and gangster genres all into one film could have been a disaster, but the team behind Kick-Ass have come up with a winner.

Based on the comic book of the same name, Kick-Ass follows the story of high school geek Dave Lizewski [Aaron Johnson] who decides one day to don a costume and become a vigilante crimefighter going by the name of Kick Ass. He has no superpowers and his fighting skills suck, but his heart is in the right place. He soon becomes a local sensation but

reviewed Kick-Ass reviewed by Mark Snelson rated 4.5/5

also becomes the target of violent mob boss Frank D’Amico after a number of his men are mysteriously killed by a superhero. However, the far more lethal duo of Big Daddy [Nicholas Cage] and 11-year-old Hit Girl [Chloe Moretz] are actually responsible and they have D’Amico in their sights. They soon befriend Dave as they see him as the key to getting to

Use the farce Bob Wilton [Ewan McGregor] is a reporter who is down on his luck. His gorgeous girlfriend has just left him for the one-armed editor of his publication. Wilton is after a big story to prove his worth, but he finds himself trying to do character profiles on whack-jobs like Gus Lacey [Stephen Root]. Lacey lives with his mother and maintains that he once worked for a top-secret military unit called Project Jedi, which trained soldiers to use psychic abilities.

Lacey speaks of one of the stand-out members

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of the Jedi — a man named Lyn Cassady. Wilton dismisses Lacey as a loon.

To gain credibility, Wilton heads over to Iraq to try and cover the invasion there. His bad luck continues until, by chance, he meets Lyn Cassady [George Clooney] in the flesh. Cassady explains that Project Jedi was started by Bill Django [Jeff Bridges], an officer who researched cultural movements in the 1970s. His investigation led him to believe that a special group called the New Earth Army could use peace and other

D’Amico and he is drawn into a far more dangerous showdown than he ever anticipated. Whilst the performances all round are great [including Nicholas Cage making a welcome return to a decent movie], it is Chloe Moretz as a highly lethal 11-yearold who completely steals the show. Her use of both ‘C’ words and her large body count has sparked controversy, but her character is hilarious. The script is filled with sharp-witted humour and there are breathtaking action sequences reminiscent of John Woo’s earlier works. Not only is this worthy of a trip to the cinema, it is worthy of repeated viewings.

Kick-Ass is not for the easily offended but is definitely one of the surprises of the year and it has ‘cult status’ stamped all over it.

reviewed The Men Who Stare At Goats reviewed by Nick Milligan rated 4/5 non-deadly techniques to fight battles. These methods include the psychic and paranormal.

The group becomes tainted when Larry Hooper [Kevin Spacey] joins its ranks. Hooper seems to be more interested in the ‘dark side’ of the New Earth Army’s potential, like developing an ability to stop someone’s heart by staring at them.

Based on the 2004 book of the same name

In The Book of Eli, Denzel Washington plays Eli, a man who roams a devastated wasteland of the future on a mission to deliver a mysterious book. He is very handy with all forms of weaponry and will cut down anyone who gets in his way. Along his way he stumbles into a Wild West-style town headed by Carnegie [Gary Oldman] who understands the power of Eli’s precious cargo and will stop at nothing to get his hands on it.

Despite the fluff that they are working with, Washington plays his part very coolly and Gary Oldman hams it up as the villain. The movie looks great too, with its de-saturated tones and stylised action sequences. But none of this is enough to save it from one of the silliest scripts to grace the screen in a long while, not to mention the Christian sermon attached. Essentially, The Book of Eli is The Road meets Mad Max 2 with some Blade-style swordfights thrown in. Normally this would be fine for a bit of thoughtless escapism but unfortunately it comes with a faith-based message in the last quarter that is very hard to swallow.

by Jon Ronson, the film is far more comical than its source material. Ronson’s book was a piece of serious research into the covert New Age activites of the US military and how traces of those activities are alive and well within today’s Homeland Security — including methods of psychological torture and interrogation.

Clooney has developed the adaptation with Grant Heslov, who he collaborated with on Good Night, and Good Luck. Here Heslov makes his debut as a director and the resulting film joins an impressive list of military satires. In adapating the book into a black comedy, Heslov and Clooney have not lost sight of the most important messages of the text.

The idea of the New Earth Army is a noble one, but as the film subtley points out, humans are incapable of changing their violent ways — we’re simply not ready to pursue peaceful resolutions. This is dealt with poignantly and, most interestingly, by using many references to Star Wars. Even the narrative arc of the film shares a number of parallels with A New Hope.

All the performances hit their marks, from Clooney’s tanned oddball to Jeff Bridges’ fallen visionary. His Django character has been unfairly compared to The Dude from The Big Lebowski, but it should be pointed out that all the two characters have in common is a penchant for marijuana. That’s where the similarities end.

The Men Who Stare At Goats is likely to be misunderstood by many who see it, but beneath its off-kilter humour is a lot of food for thought.

DVD reviews

Hard road A cataclysm has devasted life on Earth. The sky is clouded over with smog and the ground is covered in deep ash. A man [Viggo Mortensen] and his son [Kodi Smit-McPhee] wander the length of a cold, barren road that they hope will end in salvation. In a world descended into madness, with humans on the brink of extinction, their only hope is “the fire” that they keep inside them.

Those that have read Cormac McCarthy’s powerful novel, The Road, would be aware of the inherent challenges in adapting it to film.

While its setting — a post-apocalyptic world with a landscape picked over by groups of cannibals — is undoubtedly cinematic, the essence of the plotting revolves around monotony. The unbreakable bond between an unnamed father and son ensures that they keep the flame of humanity alive within themselves, and feed off each other’s strength to stay alive. But this entails waking up each morning, walking along a road that they hope will lead them to salvation, looking for food, and then going to sleep again. Waking up, walking, sleeping. Waking up, walking, sleeping.

Director John Hillcoat has risen to the challenge of adapting this gripping, Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece. In the movie, as in

reviewed The Road reviewed by Nick Milligan rated 4.5/5 the book, the terrors of the wilderness are kept to a minimum. But when a moment of horror appears, its impact lingers on until the final credits. McCarthy’s take on postapocalyptic America is a grim one. In their desperation to stay alive, humans become sadistic animals. There’s an environmental message, suggesting that humans have brought this end upon themselves.

In his adapting of the book, scr¡eenplay writer Joe Penhall has expanded the flashback sequences involving the son’s mother, who is played deftly by Charlize Theron. The endless grey ash and lack of sunlight, that create a forboding atmosphere in the novel, are brilliantly recreated here with some stellar set design. It truly is a cremated Earth that has left no lifeline for the humans that continue to dwell upon it. Adding to The Road’s absorbing qualities is a soundtrack from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

The DVD release features audio commentary with director John Hillcoat, and two featurettes: The Making of The Road and Walking Into Darkness — Directing The Road.

Dead funny Columbus [Jesse Eisenberg] has managed to survive a zombie apocalypse by following a strict set of rules, based on the commonly fatal mistakes of others. He is travelling across the countryside to Columbus, Ohio, to see if his parents are still alive. On the way he meets the macho and confident Tallahassee [Woody Harrelson], a man whose only wish is to have one last Twinkie before the remainder of the famous desserts pass their use-by date. On their travels, they come across two determined and clever sisters, Wichita [Emma Stone] and Little Rock [Abigail Breslin] who are looking for sanctuary from the zombie hordes.

Zombieland is a bizarre concoction. It feels like a low-budget, dialogue-driven indie film, like Adventureland or Juno, but happens to be riddled with occasional moments of extreme gore.

There’s probably not quite enough flesh-eating or viscera to satisty the bloodlust of George A Romero fans, though a few gruesome moments, like a woman skidding across the surface of a road, might bring a smile to their dial. The fact that its US box office earnings surpassed that of the recent Dawn Of The Dead remake, illustrates Zombieland’s cross-over appeal.

Some aspects of this film make it a worthwhile watch. Woody Harrelson’s redneck jock is a hilarious creation, which he beefs up with relish.

But Harrelson also brings some touching

reviewed Zombieland reviewed by Nick Milligan rated 3/5 nuances to his character, which save Tallahassee from becoming a cartoon hero. Abigail Breslin [Little Miss Sunshine] delivers another gutsy performance as Little Rock and Emma Stone [Superbad] is simply gorgeous as Wichita.

The major detraction is another type-cast appearance from Jesse Eisenberg, who is reprising the timid, virgin character that he played in Roger Dodger and Adventureland. While it worked so brilliantly in Roger Dodger, it’s annoying to see the young actor repeat his performance so blatantly. Bad casting.

The comparisons between Zombieland and Adventureland extend not only to the films’ actual titles and lead actor, but also to the fact that Zombieland’s finale takes place in an amusement park [the setting of Adventureland].

Adventureland writer/director Greg Mottola, also directed Emma Stone in Superbad. Eerie.

In the middle of Zombieland is a drawn-out cameo by a famous American comedian and, as always, this comedian completely steals the show. The movie is worth watching just to see this extremely funny portion, but unfortunately the majority of Zombieland’s script is not quite as original as its writers would like to be.

book reviews

Winter reading

With the colder months on their way, some quality books are a necessity.

Here’s some essential reading.

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: the Mick Wall interviews Mick Wall Orion Books

Mick Wall emerged as a young British music journalist in 1979 and also dabbled in PR, working with the likes of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Dire Straits. He would go on to become the star journalist at Kerrang!, where he would interview the cream of hard rock and heavy metal: Axl Rose, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page, Nirvana, Metallica, Deep Purple and so on.

This book is a collection of his biggest articles and includes newly written introductions to each piece.

It’s a document of sex, drugs and some amazing rock ‘n’ roll.

Wall’s ‘Gonzo’ approach often goes on abstract and figurative tangents, but he still manages to portray his subjects in an interesting way and touches on aspects of them that other interviewers may not have.

He merges literary prose with more colloquial parlance and it certainly creates an interesting concoction.

For any music fan or aspiring rock journalist, this compendium is certainly worth checking out. There’s numerous insights into many über-rock stars, with Wall often being in the right place at the right time. It also captures some long gone eras in music.

A VERSION OF REASON: In Search Of Richey Edwards

together the group’s history, applying small elements of his own personal story. It’s clear that following Edwards’ history has had a profound impact on the biographer.

Even if you’re not completely familiar with the music of the Manics, this is a highly recommended insight into an individual who had a large cultural impact in a relatively short space of time.

Rob Jovanovic Orion Books

Manic Street Preachers fans will be no strangers to the story of Richey Edwards. A founding member of one of history’s all time greatest rock bands, Edwards mysteriously disappeared on February 1, 1995. In A Version Of Reason, rock biographer Rob Jovanovic investigates one of music’s high profile unsolved stories.

Edwards was certainly a challenging and complex individual, who believed passionately in his art, yet was always at odds with the fame that it inevitably brought. From the infamous ‘4REAL’ carving, to the final days of his disappearance, this biography is an incredibly important document of not only Richey Edwards, but also his band the Manic Street Preachers.

Jovanovic has done an admirable job of piecing

SUSTAINABLE EVENT MANAGEMENT: A Practical Guide Meegan Jones Earthscan

This easy-to-follow text on running an environmentally respectful music event is a must-read for any aspiring festival promoter, or even someone involved in organising conferences, community events, sporting clubs and associations. Jones has worked as an advisor on the Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury festivals and is heavily involved in our very own Peats Ridge Festival. Topics covered include water, waste, transport, marketing and communications, energy, emissions and carbon trading. Jones’ knowledge, laid out in Sustainable Event Management, is simply indispensible.

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plantation hotel, coffs harbour

G.O.A.T.S. festival, san remo

crusty babe search — central coast leagues club, gosford

Beach House, Port Macquarie

Afternoon Delight — king street hotel, newcastle 44

r e v e r b m a g a z i n e i s s u e # 0 4 5 — a p r i l 2 0 1 0

Red Floor Productions & Reverb Street Press Proudly Present…

Enjoy music the way nature intended…

Fri 28 & Sat 29th May 2010

Pro udl y Supporting

THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA (16 piece) The Basics - Tijuana Cartel - Astronomy Class Marshall & The Fro - Laneous & The Family Yah Collard Greens & Gravy - Jackson Firebird

The Firemen - The Wildes - Brothers Grim - The Snowdroppers Abbie Cardwell - Zoe K & The Band of Lost Souls The Animators - Rachael Brady - Dead Muppets

The Domestics An exclusive laid back weekend music festival, featuring a fine selection of Australia’s best emerging performers on a super relaxed program in a secluded natural bushland setting at Belford, 1hr west of Newcastle, Hunter Valley NSW. A $95 weekend pass includes entry and t wo nights onsite camping (fri & Sat), a popular BYO policy, superb food & market stalls, live art exhibition, kiddies mega playground, roving performers, heaps of games and prizes,some big warm fires and a classic vibe similar to your mates backyard party.

The Big Wh Black Dog o Win a double ppin’ R affle p as s +

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ho pr ize s ve r 10 o the r aw up f ge t to or grabs, You e some ’v G um Ba ll to win e go t to See de big! tails on

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Get on board, tickets selling fast via the website

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LOGORAMA - Check out the entire oscar winning Animated short

VIDEO OF THE MONTH - LA ROUX La Roux joined the rolling caravan that was the Bacardi Express. Here she covers ‘Under My Thumb’ at the Tivoli in Brisbane.

PIXELS When retro games destroy NYC

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ACA - Vicious Dog Man

Crusty Demons Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford April 17, 2010

DINOSAUR JR - Freak Scene Metro Theatre - March 11, 2010

UNDERBELLY - Golden Mile Is Gay?

To subscribe to the hard copy, please email kevin@reverbstreetpress.com for details

GAIL PAGE - The Shape I’m In Blue Mountains Folk Festival 2010

JEFF LANG - London Blue Mountains Folk Festival 2010

le|hunt

Reverb’s primary target market is Hunter, Central Coast, Mid- and Far North Coast residents aged 18-30 with low-cost living expenses and relatively high disposable incomes.

Readers are both male and female and enjoy reading about entertainment news, promotions, local and national events.

A large proportion of the readership is young and socialises regularly in cafés, shops, clubs, bars and at live performances.

They aspire to be modern, exclusive and culturally informed.

Reverb is the perfect vehicle to keep them up-to-date with the latest upcoming music, fashion and city-lifestyle trends.

Target market

Circulation 18,000 Primary demographic: 18-30 years Secondary target: 15-40 yearsReaching 33% of the total population

Female

newcastle|hun

ter|coast

FREE S CHER AFTER e THE FALL castl ET PREA al EXITING EXILE To New IC STRE Journ MAN ing the GZA/GENIUS Open WU-TANG LY FIRES

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+ FRIEND K ALSO INSIDE: YUKSE

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Sarah Blasko

TALK

OFFEND

SINGING YOU, YEAH?

+ TEX PERKINS

+ THE

THE BLUES

PANICS

AWAY

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I NSIDE:

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Newcastle

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Age PRoFiLe oF ReveRB’s geogRAPHiC segMeNTATioN

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15-17 yoFemale 54% 6% of total population 46% Male

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18-30 yo

14% of total population

educational

University & TAFe campuses

31-40 yo

13% of total population

Female

Male

The Hunter region, Central Coast, Mid- and Far North Coast is home to over 1.2 million people, which makes for a massive 400,000 potential readers.

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dour ing Splen Bring BOYDus DON BRANArt Of Incub The PATRIC

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