Reverb Magazine - issue 55

central coast|hunter|north coast

FREE #055 Feb ’11

music, arts & culture monthly

Martha Wainwright From the shadows of music royalty I Am Kloot Adrift in the night sky the Waifs Leading us into temptation

the licks of a legend A l s o i n s i d e : L o c a l Na t i v e s + M u r d e r d o l l s + R o l l e r D e r b y + W i r e f l y s

No. 55

reverb

Reverb Magazine is locally owned & published by The Lockup Garage.

Printed by Spotpress, Marrickville: sales@spotpress.com.au

index

contents

News Smashing Pumpkins Martha Wainwright Local Natives I Am Kloot G Love & Plutonic The Wireflys Top 50 Albums of 2010 Album reviews Slash Millencolin Bullet For My Valentine Murderdolls Gig guide Act Yo Age Waifs George Thorogood Old Man River & Passenger Fashion Motoring Stooged theatre Talking Shop Roller derby Live reviews Peats Ridge Festival review Falls Festival review Big Day Out review Film reviews DVD reviews Socials

8-14 14 16 18 19 20 20 21-23 24 25 26 26 27 29-31 32 33 34 34 36-37 38 39 40 40 41 42 43 44-45 46 47 48

Deftones

editor’s letter

Credits

What a stinking hot day it was at the Big Day Out. For the last three years, I have dripped (mostly sweat, some blood) in order to get the best images I can for Reverb. Check out the big BDO double page review where we cover both Sydney and the Gold Coast. You may also notice that this month’s Reverb is a bit chunkier than usual. This is due to the special Soundwave feature right in the centre of the mag. Let’s hope this year’s Soundwave is not as hot as last years. I’m not too sure that this old body of mine will take any more.

Much love all, Kevin

Editor

Senior Writers

Liana McDonald

Photographers

Editorial

Kevin Bull

Peter Douglas

Matt Petherbridge

Tim Boehm

kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360

Nick Milligan

Sallie Pritchard

Kevin Bull

Mark Snelson

Max Quinn

Bibi Eckhardt

Sales, Newcastle & Central Coast

Jessie Reid

Cassandra Hannigan

kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360

Writers

Jessica Saxton

Ian Laidlaw

art director

Georgina Bible

Jordan Watton

Julie Lowe

Sales, North Coast

Cam Bennett

Nick Bilbey

Rob Whitfield

Scarlett O’Horror

stephen@reverbstreetpress.com or 0458 559 938

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magazine issue #055 — february 2010

Sub-Editor

Contacts

Amanda Bevan

Steve Bisset

Sam Paquette

IT Manager

Nina Brooke

Linda Wales

Kieran Ferguson

Kevin Bull

Gig guide gigguide@reverbstreetpress.com.au

Josh Clements

Cartoonist

North Coast MGR

Emily Cones-Browne

Tony Jenkins

Stephen Bocking

Mick Daley

Production cam@reverbstreetpress.com.au

Sean Frazer

Sales

Paul Frost

Postal address

Stephen Bocking

James Gallagher

PO Box 843, Woy Woy NSW 2256

Kevin Bull

Terrease McComb

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Giveaways just email editorial@reverbstreetpress.com.au First come, first served

1 double pass

One double pass to the Future Music Festival, Royal Randwick Racecourse, Saturday, March 12

2 prize packs 3 CDs

Win one of two packs: One copy of Old Man River’s Trust CD, one copy of Passenger’s Flight Of The Crow CD and one double pass to their show at the Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton on Saturday, February 12

Win one of three Pearl Jam CDs, Live On Ten Legs

2 prize packs

Win one of two packs: One copy of Flickerfest 20th Anniversary DVD and one double pass to any of the Flickerfest 2011 National Tour dates. Local dates include Avoca Beach Theatre on Friday February 4 and Saturday February 5; Dungog Cinema on Saturday February 12; Bandbox Cinema, Kempsey on Friday February 18 and Saturday February 19; First Avenue Cinema, Sawtell on Friday February 18 and Saturday February 19.

mark cashin

FLOOD RELIEF FUNDRAISERS

When the chips are down, the music community stands up to make a difference. Reverb is proud to announce that the local music community has quickly organised two flood relief concerts to raise funds for the Queensland flood victims. Friday, February 4 — Doyalson RSL: In collaboration with Doyalson RSL, RgM Management & Foghorn Records, Mark Cashin & The Lil Hussys, Stolen Memories and Damnation are calling for the community to band together and attend with gold coin donations being requested for entry.

Doors open at 7.30pm. Saturday, February 5 - Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley: Sea FM is showcasing some of the awesome local talent with Paddy, Ciel & Dan, hosting what will be night for a cause close to all of our hearts. Featuring October Rage, Taylor & the Makers, OMG!, Mark Cashin & The Lil Hussys, SASS, No Pressure and Stolen Memories, entertainment will kick off at 4pm with a cover charge of $10.

wil anderson

WIL ANDERSON WORK IN PROGRESS

How do comedians develop their material? Do they sit at home in their bedrooms with a voice recorder cracking funnies? Do they google gags on the internet? Do they inflict them on friends and family at gatherings to garner a crowd reaction? Wil Anderson is travelling to Byron Bay to give his local fans a chance to be part of the creative process of getting a new show together. This is a rare opportunity to catch comedy when it’s at it’s most exciting: when the ideas are still rough around the edges.

Polished comedy only becomes polished after routines have been made and shaped. Wil Anderson’s Work in Progress will be performing two shows at the Byron Bay Ex Services Club on Saturday, February 26, at 7pm and 9pm.

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magazine issue #055 — february 2010

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ANNUAL ACOUSTIC AWARDS 2011 sounding out

The Annual Acoustic Awards are up and running again in 2011 with organisers now calling for artist’s applications. The Annual Acoustic Awards are an initiative to give acoustic musicians of all ages an opportunity to give exposure to their music. Whilst there is a competitive element to the awards, the aim is to showcase musical talent, performance and songwriting skills. The awards will take place over a seven week period in The Hive, Erina Fair, every Thursday evening from 5.30pm until 9.00pm. This year is set to be even bigger and better, with prizes including a studio recording with Rod McCormack Productions, publicity photo shoot with Image Focus Australia, a paid performance opportunity at Erina Fair, live interview on SeaFM, a premier package including a live interview with Indie Showcase, an interview with Reverb Magazine, announcement of winner piece in Express Advocate and an Epic Guitars voucher. Also, every successful entrant will be recorded live on the night by ASLE. To apply, email info@imagefocus.com.au for an application form. Applications close Monday, February 7.

AUSTRALIAN SURF MOVIE FESTIVAL 2011

The Australian Surf Movie Festival 2011 Tour: Walkabout is scheduled to hit NSW and Queensland throughout February. The line-up is filled with films that convey a passion for travel and exploration partnered with live Australian music. Filmmakers have been on the road capturing swell, adventure and discovery and are collaborating to be part of this extraordinary blend of elements that is the Australian Surf Movie Festival’s

ninth annual event. In the spirit of discovery, ASMF 2011 presents a multifaceted evening incorporating projects such as the visually stimulating mosaic of Tim Bonython’s footage collected on the road during 2010, plus incorporates a classic roster of household surf names such as Taylor Steele, Matt Hoy, Ry Crake and Jamie O’ Brien. Hosted by ideally distinctive venues, ASMF 2011 offers a fine balance for the festival goer’s experience with unique musicians and live performances by Juzzie Smith, Laura Hill, Band of Frequencies and more. The Australian Surf Movie Festival 2011 Tour will be performing at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Thursday, February 17; Twin Towns, Coolangatta on Friday, February 18; Avoca Beach Theatre on Sunday, February 27.

PURPLE SNEAKERS MIX, YOU DANCE

Fresh from the release of their outstanding new compilation, We Mix, You Dance, Vol. 2, Purple Sneakers DJs will head out on an all-encompassing national tour this February to celebrate the album. Featuring tracks from recent Australian visitors The National, Sleigh Bells, Local Natives, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Two Door Cinema Club, Warpaint and Deerhunter, We Mix You Dance Vol. 2 also pays tribute to PSDJs love of local artists, starring the likes of Cloud Control and The Holidays, as well as Tame Impala, Yolanda B Cool, Fishing, Art vs Science, Little Red, Muscles and Hungry Kids of Hungary. Purple Sneakers DJs National Tour drops into Neverland, Coolangatta on Saturday, February 12; Terrigal Hotel on Friday, February 18; King St Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday, February 25; Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Friday, March 18.

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EXCEPT SUN 10AM-MIDNIGHT reverb magazine issue #055 — february 2010 9

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eastmania

ed kuepper

KUEPPER PERFORMS ELECTRICAL STORM AND TODAY WONDER

With a recent run of sold-out solo shows under his belt, Ed Kuepper is pleased to announce a March tour, this time featuring his former sparring-partner Mark Dawson (on drums) as they re-imagine the Kuepper classics: Electrical Storm and Today Wonder.

Electrical Storm was Kuepper’s first solo album recorded in early 1985 shortly after the dissolution of Laughing Clowns. Musically a departure from his earlier bands (the original Saints and Laughing Clowns), Electrical Storm proved to be the most raw and stripped back recording of Kuepper’s long career and featured some of his most enduring songs including the title track, ‘Car Headlights’ and ‘Rainy Night’. Today Wonder was the album that began Kuepper’s wrecking ball-like prolific recording stretch in the 1990s. Recorded and mixed live in the studio over two days in early 1990, it features only Kuepper on effects-laden acoustic guitar and vocals, with Dawson on drums and cardboard box. Ed Kuepper performs performs at Lizotte’s Kincumber on Thursday, March 24, and Lizotte’s Lambton on Saturday, March 26.

GOING OFF AT GOATS

The Annual GOATS Family Music Festival which attracts thousands each year is on once again in 2011 on Sunday, April 3, at Sam Reno. Showcasing over 40 bands, all of whom have at least one member aged 25 or under, the festival covers all genres of music from metal, rock and punk to folk, blues and alternative. Three stages, loads of market and community stalls, kids rides as well, this is the perfect opportunity for young performers to get out there and show the crowds their musical talent. GOATS is organised by San Remo Neighbourhood Centre with support from many sponsors such as Reverb, SeaFM, Express Advocate and Wyong Shire Council. Applications are now open for anyone aged 25 or under, with application forms available by emailing goatsfamilymusicfestival@yahoo.com.au.

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EASTMANIA MEETS WEST

Eastmania is the new project from guitarist Kamal Musallam and legendary jazz drummer Billy Cobham, bringing together a group of the world’s top musicians who are all stars in their own right. Creating a unique and innovative musical experience, EastMania is a synergy of Middle Eastern, Oriental, and Western music brought together in a Jazz Fusion setting, reminiscent of the great Jazz fusion group of the 1970s, the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Eastmania transports and merges musical cultures and traditions of the East and the West through the one universal language of music. A true musical meltdown, performed by prominent artists from both sides of the planet, EastMania expresses each artist’s musical traditions and passions, daring to test new ground and new musical ideas never before explored.

Eastmania will be performing at Twin Towns, Tweed Heads, on Thursday, March 15.

FLICKERFEST ON TOUR

Celebrating 20 years screening the best internationally acclaimed short film fun, Flickerfest is preparing to hit the road for the annual national tour, taking short film to 30 venues across regional and rural Australia. The international touring programmes include the Australian premiere of Academy award-winning animator Bill Plympton’s hilarious new Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger, the moving and thoughtprovoking Protect The Nation from South Africa, and the beautiful and haunting digital masterpiece, Babel, from France. Australian touring highlights include The Telegram Man, starring Jack Thompson, Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton; Bee Sting, starring Brendan Cowell and Matilda Brown and Glenn Owen Dodds, featuring David Wenham. Flickerfest will be playing at the Avoca Beach Theatre on Friday, February 4 and Saturday, February 5; Dungog Cinema on Saturday, February 12; Bandbox Cinema, Kempsey on Friday, February 18 and Saturday, February 19; First Avenue Cinema, Sawtell on Friday, February 18 and Saturday, February 19.

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CROOKED STILL’S STRANGE COUNTRY

out the speaker

AUSSIE’S SUNDAY SESSIONS

the waifs

THE WAIFS’ TEMPTATION

The Waifs created their career in music on stages in every city and country town around Australia. To mark the release of their sixth studio album, Temptation, they will tour the nation to many of their favourite old haunts. The Waifs have, through their various personal journeys, all ended up living in the USA. So what was once a regular addition to the music fans calendar in their homeland, has become a rare treat. With six studio albums, two live albums, multiple ARIA Awards, countless festival appearances and over half a million albums sold locally, it will have been two years since they played to Australian fans. The Waifs, with Mama Kin in support, will be performing at the Civic Theatre, Newcastle, on Sunday, February 27, and the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Tuesday, March 1.

OASIS IN LENNOX

Following hot on the resurgence of live music scene right across the east coast, a brand new venue has opened its doors in Lennox Head. Oasis Restaurant located in the main street of Lennox Head is now playing host to those with a hunger for music and fine middle eastern cuisine. Lennox Head, located between Byron Bay and Ballina has long been known for its brilliant point break and its quintessential laid back coastal town attitude. Lennox for the select few that have dared to venture off the highway is simply a panacea for all those attempting to escape the rat race. Everything in Lennox Head is done a little slower, a little classier and with a little more style than the backpacker packed Byron Bay can offer. So if you’re looking for somewhere classy to kick back, catch some beautiful tunes, enjoy the finest of foods and watch the world float by, then Oasis restaurant in Lennox Head is just your speed.

PHANTOMS EXIST

Just south of Brisbane is a lovely place where dreams come true - Wet ‘n’ Wild.

While touring together in March 2010, Canberra sludge merchants I Exist and Sydney pseudo-thugs Phantoms visited this magical place and decided to immortalise it in song. Recorded in an afternoon with Lachlan Mitchell between visits to Sizzler and a Soulfly concert, the result is Bad Romance, two songs from each act and all named after Wet ‘n’ Wild rides. Both bands will be touring in support of the release, performing at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday, February 12.

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magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

Ballina’s Australian Hotel is set to take on a fresh vibe on Sunday afternoons. The guys from Out the Speaker have teamed up with the Aussie Hotel to bring dubstep, breaks, hip hop and funk beats to a brand new audience. With a long track record for pounding out quality, the Sunday Sounds DJs Eamsey & Balance, are passionate about bringing something fresh and new to the North Coast. Eamsey is well known on the north coast and has been on the road for the last decade DJ-ing, collecting vinyl and honing his skills. Balance has been DJing since 2000 and is known for his fluent sets of drum’n’bass and breaks, and has played at Splendour in the Grass and also supported a long list of internationals including Aphrodite (UK), Die & Krust (UK) and J-Majik (UK). Out the Speaker, deliver soulful sounds, chunky beats and live MCs every Sunday from 4pm at the Aussie Hotel in Ballina.

GUM BALL 2011 SECOND Lineup ANNOUNCEMENT

Hot on the heels of the first round line-up, Gum Ball 2011 has added another half dozen artists for their seventh annual event. Those artists - Kora, The Vasco Era, Space Invadas, Custom Kings, Resin Dogs and Papa Vs Pretty - will be joining CW Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra, The Bamboos, Chase The Sun, Eagle & The Worm, Jordie Lane, Claude Hay, Blackest Sabbath, at the Dashville Outdoor Arena, Hunter Valley on Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30.

Purveyors of the nu-folk, bluegrass movement, Crooked Still are equal parts ambassador and innovator as evidenced on their newest release Some Strange Country. The musical prowess of this defiantly non-traditional bluegrass quintet is on display as radically re-imagined traditional fare blends seamlessly alongside four original compositions and a surprising take on the Rolling Stones’ “You Got The Silver”. On Some Strange Country, Crooked Still has honed in on their unique refraction of roots music, recording their most personal, visionary album yet. “The music is not just ‘alternative bluegrass’ or whatever people used to call it,” Brittany Haas remarks. “It’s at another level now: artful, but still grounded in that funky, string band thing.” Some Strange Country is expansive yet intimate – a powerful document of five distinct musical voices working in concert to explore and redefine their relationship to tradition. Crooked Still will be performing at the Blue Mountains Folk Festival, March 18-20; Lizotte’s Lambton on Tuesday, March 22; Lizotte’s Kincumber on Wednesday, March 23.

TROY HENDERSON’S SALTY ROAD

Central Coast musician Troy Henderson has a musical journey of close to two decades, including a few major cities and a lot of time on the road. Best known for his work with Sydney band Field Day, Henderson has toured the east coast on numerous occasions and has played alongside Jet, Diesel, The Whitlams, George, Iota and Evermore, including a coveted support spot for Lenny Henry at Sydney’s State Theatre. Henderson released his debut EP, Salty Town, in October 2010, showcasing his matured songwriting style and multi-instrumentalist talent, and garnering much industry acclaim.

Henderson will be celebrating Salty Town’s release by playing the Erina Leagues Club on Saturday ,February 12, with Nick & Liesl and Shawn Lidster in support.

kamikazi thundercats

KAMIKAZI THUNDERKATS AT THE AUSSIE

Coming together for the sheer love of skarock music (and the desperation to play anything), The Kamikazi Thunderkats started playing together in 2007 while still in high school. The experiment was simple: grab four relatively untrained musicians, one enthusiastic but horrendously untrained vocalist and throw in a heaped spoonful of naivety and see what happens. The result was a success, and through several line-up changes they have since enjoyed a prosperous few years playing many venues (both good and bad) throughout the north coast and SE Queensland, slowly building a loyal fan base in the process. The Kamikazi Thunderkats will be performing at the Australian Hotel, Ballina, on Saturday, February 5.

hungry kids of hungary

HUNGRY KIDS FOR MORE

With one hell of a 2010 under their belts, Brisbane’s Hungry Kids of Hungary will extend the reach achieved on their recent sold-out Escapades Tour and kick off their 2011 calendar with a string of summer festival dates as well hitting regional centres with specially selected supports in tow.

They’re calling it The Everywhere Else Tour.

To say 2010 was a formative year for the band would be an understatement. It was the year Hungry Kids of Hungary supporters have been waiting for - after earning their stripes relentlessly treading the touring trail around the country and, for the first time, across the globe, they finally delivered their exceptional debut album Escapades. Hungry Kids of Hungary, with The Honey Month and Mosman Alder in support, with be performing at the Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Saturday, February 5.

mad charlie

MAD UNCLE CHARLIE

Slightly intoxicated and swaggering into a venue near you, Mad Charlie are cranking everything to the maximum to provide what you’ve been crying out for — no frills and no bullshit rock n’ roll. Built on a mutual love of pub cuisine mixed with live music and good times, these four rockers from Sydney have created a raw and real sound with a simple formula that combines crunching riff-driven verses and big choruses with rough and raunchy lyrics about liquor, women, loud music and everything else you love about getting out on the town. Mad Charlie released their debut EP Stones and Snakebites in October 2010, and will be heading to the Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday, February 12, and the Port Macquarie Hotel on Thursday, February 17.

professor green

Future Music Festival JUST GOT BIGGER

Punters… lady luck is on your side, yet again!

The award winning music spectacular that is the Future Music Festival, already featuring a blue ribbon field flush with the world’s finest bands and DJs just got even bigger and brighter with news that a whole bunch of smoking hot new acts have just been added to the bill. That’s right, Future Music Festival is dealing another winning hand with the announcement that the likes of Professor Green (UK), Zowie (NZ), Binary Finary (UK), Tydi (Aus), Tai (Ger), Stafford Brothers (Aus), Shazam (Aus) and snapper extraordinaire Cobra Snake (US), are joining the party. Future Music Festival hits the Doomben Racecourse, Brisbane, on Saturday, March 5, and Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, on Saturday, March 12.

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DALI’S ANGELS SWIM NORTH

The Central Coast’s eclectic indie-pop rockers are heading back to the road after a string of well received shows promoting the release of their debut album, Nightswim.

Dali’s Angels are striking out while the band is still hot to continue the summer fun and showcase their music to a fresh crowd. They will be stopping by The Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie, on Thursday, February 10, and Tattersall’s Hotel, Lismore on Friday, February 11, to promote the release of their first single, ‘Microscopes’.

TRAICOS BEGS FOR LOVE

guineafowl

HELLO, GUINEAFOWL

Starting out as a soloist, Guineafowl quickly grew into a sextet to help bring to life the quirky indie-tronic songs. The band manage to balance deep earthy harmonies with soft, electronic bubbles that are seemingly weightless. Guineafowl have only recently made the jump from backyard performances to bars, yet are selling out Sydney indie venues. Guineafowl won a triple J Unearthed comp in which the means to produce a video clip was awarded to them. ‘Botanist’, taken from the soon to be released Hello Anxiety, was the tune selected for the clip and subsequently came in #48 in RAGE’s top 50 clips of 2009 – beating Britney Spears no less!

Guineafowl, supported by Of The Red Sea and Long Island Sound, will be performing at the Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton, on Saturday, February 19.

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‘Beg For Love’ the new single from Catherine Traicos, is a perfect piece of classic poptinged with melancholy. Following the critical success of Catherine’s 2009 LP, The Amazing, Traicos re-entered the studio armed with a swag of songs developed, for the first time, with a settled band line-up. In guitarist Darren Nuttall (Tucker B’s), bassist Kasper Kiely (Sketching Cato) and drummer Tim Day (O), Traicos found a group of musicians to attain her musical vision.

Under the direction of 5-time ARIA award winning producer Paul McKercher (You Am I, Jen Cloher, Augie March) the new tracks came to life baring a refreshing simplicity and directness yet intriguing depths. Catch Catherine Traicos, with The Dennis Boys Band in support at the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Saturday, February 5.

THE ETERNAL to TOUR the EAST COAST

Melbourne dark-rockers The Eternal are set to unleash their fourth studio album Under a New Sun on February 10, and to celebrate the release, the band will be touring the east coast before heading to New Zealand and Japan. Under a New Sun sees the band also experiment with new styles, combined with the colour, tone, textures and intricacies that have become the sound that defines The Eternal. In order to help them achieve their vision, The Eternal enlisted multi-instrumentalist, multi-platinum selling artist Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) to produce the album. The Eternal will be performing at the Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday, February 19, and Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore, on Friday, March 18.

BRIGHT KNIGHTS IN LOVE

Brand new Melbourne band Bright Knights are set to release their single ‘This Love’, which is lifted from their debut album The Ocean And The Night released February 12.

Produced and mixed by Scott Horscroft (Silverchair, Little Red, Birds of Tokyo, The Sleepy Jackson, The Temper Trap), ‘This Love’, is laid back and melodic with an irresistible hook and is the perfect first single to be lifted from the band’s debut album.

Thanks to the online world, the song is already making waves in the industry and has picked up some positive reviews. Bright Knights will be performing at the Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday February 26.

sugarcane collins

SUGARCANE BLUES

Internationally renowned blues singer Sugarcane Collins is back in Australia and on his latest east coast tour. Having recently returned from his fifth trip to the USA where he played blues festivals in Illinois, Montana and Washington, Sugarcane Collins is a one of a kind singer/songwriter/guitarist. Beginning in the rough and tumble waterfront bars and canefield pubs of Cairns and continuing on through six albums and countless performances around Australia, to juke joints in the Mississippi Delta, smoky bars in Buenos Aires and blues festivals in Turkey, Sugarcane performs his potent no frills blues with an emotional intensity and raw abandon that only the very best solo bluesmen achieve. Sugarcane Collins will be performing at the Ballina RSL on Saturday, February 12, and Lennox Point Hotel on Sunday, February 13.

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s m a s h i n g p u m p ki n s

lord bishop rocks

LORD BISHOP ROCKS AND CLOUDMOUTH TEAM UP

After witnessing their three unforgettable shows together at Melbourne venues Spensers Live, Noise Bar and the Brunswick Hotel in January, 2010, fans and newcomers alike hoped to hell they’d see Lord Bishop Rocks and Cloudmouth attack the stage together again, and now that time has come. Following their first stampeding Australian tour, and having spent the remainder of 2010 rocking out all over the globe, the kings of sex rock, Lord Bishop Rocks will grace our shores again this summer. Taking a break from hypnotising just about every Melbourne band room there is, to share their newly recorded self-titled double EP with the rest of Australia, Cloudmouth will complete the party oozing their dirty bluesy, groovin’, psychedelic blow your face off jams all over audience when they play the Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday, February 3.

REPEAT OFFENDING PUNKS

darren hanlon

DARREN HANLON RELEASES BUTTERFLY BONES

Following sold out album launches across Australia and an extensive US tour, indiefolk troubadour Darren Hanlon has announced his first Australian tour since the release of his critically acclaimed 2010 release I Will Love You At All. To coincide with the tour, Darren will release ‘Butterfly Bones’, a digital EP available via iTunes from February 18. Lead track and live favourite ’Butterfly Bones’ is the third single taken from I Will Love You At All, and is a bouncy, mostly acoustic song about an easily broken girl. 2010 was a stellar year for Hanlon, after releasing his fourth studio album I Will Love You At All, Hanlon went on to sell-out album launches across Australia before embarking on a three-month US tour, performing with the likes of Billy Bragg, Corin Tucker, Tim Kasher and Sean Lennon. Darren Hanlon will be performing at the Lismore City Bowling Club on Sunday, February 27, and Gallipoli Legions Club, Newcastle, on Thursday, March 3.

They are loud, angry, obnoxious, fairly strange looking and probably just a little insane. Less then five months since The Lost Cause and The Scam hit the highways of Australia’s east coast for their Southern Invasion tour, two of the Gold Coast’s most notorious punk bands prepare to launch a full-scale assault on Port Macquarie punters as part of their Repeat Offenders tour. The Lost Cause and The Scam perform at a free All Ages show at 4pm at the Switch Sk8park, Port Macquarie on Thursday, February 3.

Later that same evening, they attack the Port Macquarie Hotel for another free show.

IT’S A SCORCHER

IN THE RAW

live n local at lizotte’s

Got a few jokes up your sleeve? Raw Comedy is Australia’s biggest open mic competition, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival is looking for the country’s best new comedian. So if your mates refer to you as ‘the funny one’, here’s your chance to take to the stage and get the whole of Melbourne laughing. Whether it’s stand up comedy, two handed farce or a clowning routine, if it’s funny then it qualifies. Finalists get to perform in the Raw Grand Final at the 25th Melbourne International Comedy Festival next April, and the winner will pocket the much sought after prize of a trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Heats take place nationwide, with two Byron Bay heats at the Byron Bay Ex Services Club on Monday, February 21, and Monday, March 7, and the Newcastle heat at the Civic Theatre on Saturday, February 26.

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magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

Scorcher Fest is a live music festival which is known to be the hottest ticket in town. In 2011, Newcastle will be included for the first time, and organisers are sorting through the first band intake, with applications now being open. Scorcher Fest best suits proactive artists, and is a huge party of live music discovery of touring and local bands.

For your diary, 30 acts will be chosen to play the Newcastle leg, which will hijack the Hamilton Station Hotel on Sunday, April 17.

Bands from all genres and backgrounds are welcome to apply through the band registration section at www.scorcherfest.com.au.

There’s plenty of local music to be had at Lizotte’s this month. Lambton Lizotte’s: Wednesday, February 2, Jade Gannon, Emma Davison, Sare McLennan, John Newsome; Wednesday, February 9, Shaun Lidster EP Launch, Fado Bica, Luke Pittman, Nick Kingswell; Wednesday, February 16, The Humm, The Elevators, Marty Worrall; Wednesday, February 23, Renny Field, Chelsea Reed Trio, Jacob Pearson, Robbie Macaulay & Gareth Hudson. Kincumber Lizotte’s: Wednesday, February 2, Shawn Lidster EP Launch, Liss n Sweetie, Paul Rothenbuhler, Jacob Pearson; Wednesday, February 9, Sarah Humphreys, Jo Caseley, Sam Buckingham; Wednesday, February 23, Luke Pittman, The Firetree, Daniel March, December.

The Smashing Pumpkins are bravely stepping into new territory, with Teargarden by Kaleidyscope a first in music history. A 44-song concept album based on The Fool’s Journey — a metaphorical journey embedded in the Tarot — is being released one song at a time for free download — with songs such ‘Freak’, ‘The Fellowship’, ‘Tom Tom’ and ‘A Song for a Son’ showcasing a reinvigorated experimentation and melodic directness to Corgan’s current song writing.

the grand pumpkin holds court

The Smashing Pumpkins are stepping into new territory with Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. A 44-song concept album, based on “The Fool’s Journey”, a metaphorical journey embedded in the Tarot, is being released one song at a time for free download on SmashingPumpkins.com – with such songs as ‘Freak’, ‘The Fellowship’, ‘Tom Tom’ and ‘A Song for a Son’ showcasing a re-invigorated experimentation and melodic directness to Corgan’s current song writing.

In December 2010, Corgan experimented with communicating to fans about the album via a public Facebook page, referring to the first eight songs of Teargarden and two impending songs (recorded but as yet unreleased) as the “first phase” of the album, teasing he would announce new plans to change the release pattern of Teargarden... in early 2011.

Reverb contributor and Smashing Pumpkins fanatic Matt Petherbridge got the shock of his life when a question he posted on Billy Corgan’s Facebook page was answered. This was not an official interview and Corgan has since deactivated his Facebook page, which makes this a very rare opportunity for a fan to communicate with the Grand Pumpkin himself.

How rewarding have you found the creation and recording of the first phase of your latest album Teargarden By Kaleidyscope... and the subsequent discovery of a great combination with Nicole (Fiorentino, bass/vocals), Mike (Byrne, drums) and Jeff (Schroeder, guitar) in the latest incarnation of The Smashing Pumpkins?

I have found the process of recording Teargarden By Kaleidyscope to be a strange journey. The first thing I have found, which surprised me, is that over the course of recording TBK, I have lost a lot of my passion for spending so many long hours in the studio.

I mean, I’m used to it, but all those years of working alone a lot perhaps have finally fried me out, so the beauty of the situation with Jeff, Nicole, and Mike is that since they are playing their own parts, my work time (or heavy focus time) is somewhat reduced. I’m still producing with Bjorn (Thorsrud, producer) so that is still a lot of responsibility and time, but for the most part I go and get into something else when they are tracking because I went into Teargarden with the idea that it would be an organic journey and exploration of hopefully a new ground by which modern

Smashing Pumpkins could operate from, I haven’t made a lot of assumptions about the way it should be.

Even the initial recordings were a bit more raw and loose than I would have normally allowed, but Kerry (Brown, producer) was very vocal about doing things in a more fun way.

What I would like fans to understand about Jeff, Mike, and Nicole, is that they have restored my faith about even being in a band! I would see this is a pretty big deal.

You can talk about old Smashing Pumpkins all you want, but they helped to destroy my faith in the band construct, and Zwan only obliterated whatever hope/faith was left.

So yes, I never again thought The Smashing Pumpkins would be a ‘band’ in the literal sense of the word. I was approaching it as more of a collective, hence bringing in friends like Mark Tulin or even Dave Navarro (in the super-group Spirits In The Sky, which simultaneously paid tribute to the late Sky Saxon of The Seeds fame and road tested an early batch of songs touted for Teargarden By Kaleidyscope) to give me feedback.

We are still ‘open’ to our friends, but are now mainly operating as a closed system, and I think that shows on stage. It takes time for a band to ‘gel’, and not every band clicks at the first go. I feel quite strongly that the four of us have what it takes to make a new (and just as important in a different way) era of The Smashing Pumpkins that would yield a deep vein of rich music. What is most important for me is this has been an organic process. No record company put us together.

I’m very proud of what we have accomplished so far. Comparing old Smashing Pumpkins and new Smashing Pumpkins is inevitable but ultimately misguided. Would you feel more comfortable if I called it ‘The Inevitable Bananas’? And do you think we would be any less compared? That is just naive if you think we wouldn’t be, especially if we would be making Smashing Pumpkins style music.

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reverb magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011 15

m a r t h a wai n w r i g h t

french connection

MARTHA wa i n w r i ght 16 reverb

magazine issue #055 — february #055 — F ebruary 2011

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Since her first trip to Australia, where she performed alongside her mother Kate McGarrigle and brother Rufus in a magic homage to Leonard Cohen, Martha Wainwright has made a point of returning here on a regular basis. This month will see the enchanting singer fly back to perform songs from her ode to Edith Piaf — Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, à Paris. Wainwright speaks with Nick Milligan.

Hi Martha, where are you at the moment?

I’m at home in Brooklyn.

Just enjoying some down time? ’ish. I’ve been doing a lot of house painting.

My husband and I bought a big rambling, brownstone and we’re trying to fix it up in some weird way. It takes twice as long and it’s twice as expensive, like everyone says it is.

What can we expect from your upcoming tour? Will we hear songs from all three of your releases?

We’re mostly going to do the Piaf record.

So I’m coming over with a piano player and my husband, who plays bass. In larger venue, like the Sydney Opera House, we’ll hire some local players — like strings and horns — to duplicate the sound that was on the record.

What was the biggest challenge in interpreting her music?

Getting through the song from point A to point B in a convincing manner. The poetry in the songs is quite intense and it’s quite intense to sing for so long in French.

It uses different muscles in your face, so you’re singing on 10 all the time — at that level. So just trying to this material justice is a challenge.

And you’re fluent in French?

I’m fluent in French — I went to school in French and all that. But this is a high level of French, to be honest. I sang really fast.

She sings a lot of her stuff twice as fast as I am. Trying to express the meaning in the words, especially when the audience is mostly english speaking.

Have you continued to write your own original material during this Piaf project?

Well I’m not too prolific a writer. I’ve started now in the last few months to write my next record. I’ll be doing some of those songs in Australia. We’ll see what people think.

Has anything you’ve learnt from the Piaf project crept into your original music?

Well, I hoped it would. But I have to admit it sounds like the old stuff. I can’t seem to get away from myself. It’s autobiographical, as usual. I was really hoping that doing Piaf and some other projects would have rubbed off on me. But I guess you have to actually study these things and consciously make the decision to write like that.

You come from a family of well known performers, but have you always been a confident performer yourself?

I’ve gotten a lot better. It took a while. I’ve always been confident on stage, but then my confidence could be easily shattered.

Now I’ve learned to stay in control of the situation, even if you lose power — if the guitar’s out of tune or the strings break, or someone’s heckling you. After a while you learn to deal with that. The audience wants you to be in control. You’re driving the train, you don’t want a train wreck.

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Were you performing at a young age?

Not too young. I performed with my parents, but I performed with Rufus as his back up singer around the age of 17. I started doing my own shows around that same time — maybe about 18 years old.

You were born in New York, but grew up in Montreal. About ten years ago, you relocated back to New York — was it a difficult transition to return?

It was a very easy transition — I have an American passport, so it wasn’t a question of getting a green card. I have family members here — my dad lives here and I have aunts and uncles here. I’d spent a lot of time here as a kid and as a teenager, so it was a very natural move. Also, it’s very close to Montreal.

You can drive in six or seven hours.

Having come from a well known musical family, have you ever felt a desire to distance yourself from their music so as to be recognised on your own merits?

Not really. My family and their music is something that really defines me in many ways to people. I’ve always sung with my family. In many ways, it’s not really apparent in my music. It sounds quite different anyway. I came up in a folk tradition and in a folk tradition it’s good to sing together.

Do you still enjoy performing your older songs and have any of them changed in meaning for you over the years?

I try and write songs that can stand time.

They’re not too topical. They’re broader and expres broader emotions and it makes it easier to sing them over the years.

There’s a few where I talk about being 21 or unmarried or something like that, but I enjoy singing those even more now because I can pretend as though I’m that age again.

When writing music, are there any particular conditions that you require?

Just to be by myself with no one in ear shot.

Can you write on the road?

Not much. I tour with my husband and now with my son, so I haven’t had my own hotel room in a long time.

Do you like to take a break from music or do you get restless if you’re not working on something new?

I don’t get restless. I’m not very prolific in the sense that I don’t sit down and play every day. I don’t view everything as a songwriter — I’m not turning everything into a song that happens to me. I get restless after a while when I haven’t written a song in a while or if I haven’t been playing. I get kind of angry and upset and realise I haven’t picked up the guitar in a week or two. [At that time] I should probably go and pick up the guitar and start something [new] or practise a little.

Martha Wainwright performs at Lizotte’s Newcastle on Thursday, February 17, and Friday, February 18. Show tickets and dinner plus show tickets are available now from www.lizottes.com.au.

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lo c a l n at i v e s

Are you excited about coming to Australia?

Yeah, we’re all really excited to come out. None of us have been there before except for Ryan (Hahn, guitarist) has been there with his family when he was little. So yeah, we’ve never played at all over there and we’re really excited.

You’ve been compared to Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. Do you take comfort from those comparisons and do you believe they are valid?

Yeah, I think it’s hard for people to talk about bands without a point of reference. We’re just very flattered to be, I guess, compared to other really great bands that we like, know and respect. Yeah it’s fine, but you can’t just be like “oh, listen to this band, they’re awesome.” You do have to help people along and get it a bit more into their ballpark. We think it’s great.

Is there a track that has real significance to you personally? Obviously you must be a Talking Heads fan with the cover of ‘Warning Sign’, but are there any originals that stand out to you specifically?

Actually, we all write in the band and then like one person will head up the lyrics to a song, but we all came up with the origin for the track. I think ‘Cubism Dream’ is about a girl that went to Australia to study abroad, which led to the demise of a relationship.

So it’s pretty funny now, actually being able to fly over there and play that song. But ‘Airplanes’ is a big one for me. That’s

puts on the Laneway Festival, were telling us how it’s going to be great, and they’re going to have lots of great bands there.

Looking at the line-up, it looks like it’s going to be a cool little festival to be at, and we’re really excited to come play there. I mean there are times where you visit another country and do a few shows on your own, and then come home, but then this is a few shows in a festival with awesome bands and it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Have you had any previous encounters with any of the acts playing Laneway? Anyone you want to see?

I think Deerhunter is playing, right? I’ve been really getting into their latest record and been kind of back-tracking to their older stuff and I think I’m really going to get into their set. There’s another band called Bear in Heaven who are actually really good friends of ours and it will be great to catch up with them, but also to watch their live set because it is amazing.

You’ve just played at so many fantastic festivals like Coachella, SXSW, Reading, Leeds, Oxegen and Glastonbury. Is there ever a point where you sit down and go “holy crap, we are a fantastic band playing at all these great festivals?” [laughs] Yeah, that actually happens a lot. I definitely think we’re very grateful for all the support that’s been out there. Because all of us have been playing music for pretty

Gorillas In Their Midst another one that I wrote the lyrics for and it seemed to really resonate with a lot of people who have lost loved ones, so it’s been really kind of awe inspiring in the way that I will meet people and we’ll be able to relate to one another just through this song that we wrote. It’s pretty crazy.

much our whole lives, and we’re all still pretty young, in our mid-twenties or whatever, but we really feel that we broke through last year and I think we’ve got a really great platform for the second record, and I hope to maybe be able to do this for the rest of our lives.

You’re coming here for the Laneway Festival in February. How do you feel about performing there?

The Temper Trap, whose manager, I guess,

I’ve heard a rumour that you played a festival gig in Switzerland to only five people. Is that true?

Yeah, [laughs] we showed up and there was

One of the many indie delights to grace the stage at Australia’s Laneway Festival is Los Angeles quintet, Local Natives. They’ve enjoyed immense critical acclaim for their 2009 debut album, Gorilla Manor. Keyboardist and singer Kelcey Ayer has a chat to Josh Clements.

no one at the festival, it was the first day and it was a fairly new festival. It was the first day, and they hadn’t even opened the doors yet. So they wanted us to start playing, then they’d come and open the doors. So we we’re supposed to play to this empty festival ground, it was the weirdest thing ever because that whole summer, we were playing festivals everywhere, so we’d be used to the normal festival experience.

Having a crowd when you come out, and just be a part of the chaos of a festival and

then we were in Switzerland and it was a ghost town. It was very poor planning. Oddly enough, we got paid a ridiculous amount of money just for that show, like way more than any other festival, so it was just really funny how it turns out.

Okay so lastly, what can we expect from your live show, what is the best reason for seeing Local Natives?

I guess I can definitely say that our live shows have a different kind of energy than the album. I think the recording sounds a little more subdued and relaxed. I think there’s a lot more energy to the live show that people don’t normally expect, but that’s cool to have people see that. I’m just excited because we haven’t played in a while and it’s great to be doing shows again.

Local Natives are touring for St Jerome’s Laneway Festival on Sunday February 6 and at the Metro Theatre on Thursday February 10 with Leader Cheetah and The Paper Scissors.

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magazine issue #055 — February 2011

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i am kloot

While they toiled away in Europe for almost a decade, releasing albums of timeless, emotive folk music, I Am Kloot are finally gaining the international acknowledgement that they deserve. Nick Milligan speaks with the incredibly friendly John Bramwell — the Manchester trio’s singer and songwriter — about their first Australian trip, insomnia and why we should thank I Am Kloot for inventing weekends.

Staying Out Of The Rain Are you looking forward to your first trip to Australia?

Yeah, absolutely. We’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the place in the last ten years, but we’ve never been to Australia.

Every year I’ve been asking when we’re coming.

Do you know what to expect?

We’ve heard that some of the gigs are in massive bars. We’ve got a mate who owns a couple of bars here — he’s from Melbourne.

I’m expecting to have a great laugh!

A lot of great bands come out of Manchester — Doves and Elbow are two modern examples. Is it a rich music scene to be a part of?

It appears so. I don’t know how much of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, in a way. Our bass player Peter [Jobson], he’s from Newcastle originally. He moved to Manchester to meet all the musicians. Two of us used to work at this small venue called Night and Day, and we used to help put the gigs on. In one year we had over one and a half thousand CDs sent in, just from bands in Greater Manchester — trying to get a gig in our little venue. It never really occurred to me when I started playing guitar, because I was about five years old and I lived on the outskirts. I wasn’t aware of any pop music or rock music heritage.

It’s one of the wettest places in Europe, so maybe that’s it — we’re driven indoors.

But we invented a few things here - we invented the weekend. The industrial revolution started here and there were all these big cotton mills and everyone was in

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full employment for the first time — there was more jobs than people. So they were able to turn around to the mill owners and say, ‘We have Sunday off, because it’s the day of God, but we’d like Saturday off as well.’ It had never happened before. So that’s how the weekend was invented and the mill owners had to agree. It was the first time the workers had any power, because there was so much work.

Well I enjoy my weekends very much, so I have you guys to thank.

Well, yeah. You can tell the readers of Reverb to come to the gig and personally thank us for the weekend (laughs). And I’ve got to say, you Aussies have made very good use of it.

We don’t waste it.

No, there’s no waste of that 48 hours!

Has Manchester’s working class culture shaped the music that comes from there?

Perhaps it has, yeah — my grandparents, my dad and my mum and my uncles all worked in the mills. It was such a massive employer. The housing and everything was all built by the mill owners. The vision that people have of the north west of England — the mills and the terrace houses — it’s still there. The mills have been remade into flats and regenerated. The beginning of industrialisation has had a big impact on us — that and the rain.

It’s hard for me as an insider to talk about it, because it’s where I grew up. I don’t know any different. Over the last 30 years — from The Buzzcocks — people [in

Manchester] think that music can be done.

It feels viable. There’s a tremendous amount of bands, so inevitably it’s going to throw up some [good] stuff.

Your album from last year, Sky At Night, has been a breakthrough record for you.

Why has it reached a wider audience compared to your other records?

It’s interesting, because it’s on our own label with a new manager — our manager’s a pretty clever guy. We started our own label with him. The record itself is a bit more cohesive. In the past I’ve tried to get the whole of life into one LP — every time, really. And it’s been very effective. I’m not sure this is our best LP, but I think it’s our most easily digested. I like our first and second LPs, personally, more than this one.

But mine’s not really the perspective to be talking about, it’s the listener that counts.

There’s a single mood — a thread running through [Sky At Night]. Whereas before, I would deliberately put in stuff that broke up that mood. This time I’ve not done that.

We spent a lot of time on it with Guy and Greg from Elbow — they produced it. We only had two or three days every month to record, so I’d have these big three or four week gaps before the next part of recording. In those gaps, I came up with a lot of extra melodies — not just the vocal melodies. Then I spent time rehearsing with musicians to try and find the right instrument to play each melody. Hence, it is a more elaborate [record], but I don’t like to think of it as padding. It was never our intention to have the extra instruments, it was only because of these long gaps in

recording. That also meant I had to pare back my lyrics, so lyrically it’s not as complicated.

The album’s name aside, there is a real night-time quality to the lyrics on Sky At Night.

Absolutely. That was accidental. As we were gathering the songs together, it worked out that way. For the first time — we gigged and gigged for years, usually about 100 to 150 shows a year. But for the last year it hasn’t felt like we’ve always been running and moving. Because of this recording schedule — it took a year, but only 60 actual days of recording all together — that was the first time I’d spent a whole year back in Manchester [in a long time]. I became quite reflective — [the lyrics are] a person looking back. The song ‘Lately’ is about insomnia. I think I was up late at night a lot because my body clock was used to that from gigging. I was back home a lot seeing familiar things at night time. Of course, the night-time is a metaphor for a lot things. But I think [in the album] you can hear the glow of the streetlights and the moon and the metaphor of the stars — the romantic metaphors. And the song ‘Radiation’ is about the sun — it’s almost like the sun coming up at the end. It was not a thought out thing.

I Am Kloot perform at the Playground Weekender from Thursday, February 17 and at the Gaelic Club in Sydney on Friday, February 18. Sky At Night is out now through Mushroom.

reverb magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011 19

“The reason it worked so well is that me and Leigh like to start drinking beer at the same time of day,” says blues-fusion maestro G Love of his latest partner in crime, Plutonic Lab of Melbourne act, Muph and Plutonic.

They are each well known in their own right, with G Love renowned for his unique and eclectic sound that is largely grounded in blues and old school hip-hop. Plutonic is a prolific figure in the Australian music scene both as a performer and behind the scenes.

The record Moonshine Lemonade is the result of the pair’s collaboration and the reason for their whirlwind tour which spans three nights, beginning in Melbourne before heading to Sydney and finishing up in Newcastle.

G Love, also known as Garrett Dutton, and Plutonic, Leigh Ryan, look like old mates as they sit out the back of an inner Newcastle watering hole, each with a schooner in hand.

“I just really wanted to try and do something different,” says Ryan. “All last year I just wanted to branch out and do different things.

It seemed like a really good idea to me.”

They were introduced by Ryan’s manager, Matt Tanner, who had also worked previously with Dutton on a recent G Love tour. “We kind of met about a year ago and just hit it off,” explains Ryan.

The project was free from any preconceived ideas or direction according to Dutton, who makes a point of talking about the relaxed mood around which the record took shape. “It was a real creative outlet and there was no pressure on the project,” he says. “There was never any expectation and you never had a manager breathing down your neck and no record label.” “[Moonshine Lemonade] grew as a real collaboration,” notes Ryan. “The sound of

©J i m G r aham

G L o v e & P l u t o n i c — T h e W i r e f ly s

Wasted On Lemonade Before the last show of their tour, American blues man G Love and Australian jack-of-all-trades Plutonic chatted with Nick Bielby about collaborating across the globe. the record is pretty much just my taste and G’s taste coming together. It was just something that kind of evolved naturally.”

The album was made entirely while Dutton and Ryan were on opposites sides of the world, the US and Australia, with ideas shooting back and forth between the pair over the internet. They explain that the natural vibe of each song was what kept the collaborative spark alive. “Leigh would send me some tracks, the first lot was six or

seven tracks,” explains Dutton of the early days of the process. “I just basically got blazed and I really had this one creative night. It went from being in a legit studio to just me being in a hotel room or sitting in my kitchen rapping into my computer.”

It was only at the point when the pair realised they had enough songs for a full album, and outside interest was shown, that the idea of playing shows was brought to the table. The unique aspect of this project

is that Dutton and Ryan had only met briefly before the American’s arrival in Australia for the tour and they had never played a show together.

“So, we met that one time and then we made a record and the next time we met was at rehearsal for these shows,” laughs Dutton.

“We did three days of rehearsals in this shitty-arse rehearsal studio and it was raining in Melbourne and a hundred degrees and mushrooms were growing,” he adds, much to the amusement of Ryan, who adds, “I’d come home from rehearsal and my girlfriend would be like ‘you smell like harmonicas and mildew’.”

Ryan explains that as well as being an opportunity to get the show together, rehearsals were also a good chance for Dutton and Ryan, along with bassist Chris Toro and keyboard player Dustin McLean, to get to know each other better.

“And also, we haven’t been a band long enough to start hating on each other yet,” Dutton chimes in with a laugh.

A new G Love album is due for release just over a week after Moonshine Lemonade is scheduled to hit the shelves, leaving little time for the pair to go on a more extensive tour, but both agree that they hope to work together again before too long.

“We’re going to streamline the next one a bit more into being a real hip-hop/blues thing using a lot of samples of public domain, maybe like field recordings of old delta blues singers,” explains the American.

Ryan predicts: “The next one, we’ll be coming at it with a bit more experience together so we can take it to another place.”

Moonshine Lemonade is out February 11 through Inertia.

You’re just about to release your debut, The World We Live. How’s the band feeling right now?

We did a digital release of the album on iTunes late last year in October — mainly because we’d been promising the album to our friends for quite some time. But to actually physically release an album, it’s been a long time coming.

‘Take You Home’ was recently featured on MTV drama, Freshwater Blue. How did that opportunity come about?

At some party, I got talking to someone who worked for the show’s production company. They asked me for some of our songs and it went from there. It was a great opportunity and it’s definitely made us want to do things smarter.

You started recording the album about three years ago — how badly did the floods impact on the recording of The World We Live?

Thousands of dollars of equipment was destroyed; my computer, my microphones and my hard drives went underwater. A fair bit of recordings were damaged also. I had backups, but they weren’t that concise, so we had to rebuild a lot of songs from scratch.

It was frustrating and heartbreaking at the time. In the end, everything was better for it.

What inspires the band’s creative process?

We rarely sit down and say “let’s write a song”.

It just happens. The band has this chemistry that’s hard to explain. The title track is a prime example. I hadn’t even plugged in yet and Justin (Holland, guitar) was playing with his delay pedal, Ben (Briscoe, drums) started a marching beat and it went from there.

The vocals on the album have this 20 reverb

magazine issue #055 — February 2011

FRESHWATER WIREFLYS After three years in the studio, fiercely independent Newcastle rock outfit The Wireflys have finally released their debut album, The World We Live. Singer/bassist/producer Chris Tester speaks to Matt Petherbridge about the initial setbacks and taking on more responsibility for the band’s future. distinctively jarring harmonising effect.

How did you achieve the sound?

I like double-tracking my vocals; every song has lots of harmonies. I went nuts with it. On stage, I started playing around with vocal effects about three years ago. I liked the sound of it with my voice, but it was disastrous at a couple of early gigs. I’ve expanded now to a vocal effects processor

and it’s made things a lot easier.

I must say it’s a very impressive DIY record.

What was the inspiration to do it yourself?

We’d always felt like we had to make excuses for recordings we’d done with smaller producers in the past. I’d been recording demos for the band for years and I had a fair bit of gear, so I put my hand up to produce.

Recording the album by ourselves gave us the chance to dream, as opposed to sit in a room and try to explain our grandiosity to somebody else.

What’s on the cards for the rest of 2011?

For the moment, we want to let the album speak for us as much as it can. We’ve flogged ourselves up to Brisbane and down to Melbourne before, just to play to ten people. There is a better way to catch these ten people than driving a thousand kilometres to do that. We want to do things a lot smarter.

The Wireflys launch The World We Live at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday, February 19, supported by Sleight Of Hand.

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The Book Of Ships Dark Continent, Cold Century Vitamin

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It’s an incredibly eclectic mix of soundscapes and sonic influences — from the hazy, Brian Jonestown Massacre-esque psychedelia of ‘Fruits Of The Earth’ to the whimsical whirlwind of ‘Push/Pull’, Dark Continent, Cold Century is held together by Calf’s understated, yet dynamic charisma.

Nick Milligan, Issue 49

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Bonefinger Records

Matador

Front man Neil Finn croons in his sweet tone over the ballads, recalling the Phil Judd-era of Split Enz with ‘Twice If You’re Lucky’, and the slow, unfolding angst of ‘Elephants’, where Finn delivers, “Let’s admit the world don’t care about us/It’s acting like we don’t exist/ Sweet dreams, make waves, find bliss.”

Matt Petherbridge, Issue 48.

Brisbane trio Drawn From Bees really got the memo that sometimes less is more.

With that in mind, they have attacked this album with a minimalistic attitude resulting in a refined sound in which they can experiment freely with melody and harmony. Jess Saxton, Issue 50.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Sufjan Stevens

Beat The Devil’s tattoo

The Age Of Adz

Shock/Abstract Dragon

48

Interpol

Fear Not The Footsteps of the Departed

Spunk

43

The album switches seamlessly between optimistic, upbeat songs such as the album opener ‘Success’ and the emotional and introspective wrenching of ‘Always Malaise’, with Banks’ deep, legato croon stretching across the entire album. Jordan Watton, Issue 52.

39

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Children Collide

Option Paralysis

Theory of Everything

Party Smasher Inc

With psych-garage mastery, they present minimalist blues assaults, crunchy feedback noise and sweet wandering elegies of love and bad women. Shapiro’s stripped-back, stomping drumbeats perfectly scaffold the gritty wailing guitars and eerie slurs of front men Robert Levon Been and Peter Hayes.

Rachet Urquhartm, Issue 45.

Stevens has moved away from whimsical story-telling and explored internally constructed, repeated snippets of phrases.

The Age Of Adz is a movie musical, complete with gospel choirs and a full orchestra, pushed through Stevens’ doors of perception and reimagined by technology. Nick Milligan, Issue 52.

The ambitious six-and-a-half minute ballad ‘Widower’, which marries frenzied metal riffs with piano-guided jazz-inspired minimalism, delicately manoeuvres through diversity while showcasing how forward thinking The Dillinger Escape Plan’s songwriting is. Nathaniel Try, Issue 47.

Shy Child

Washington

John Grant

Liquid Love Liberator Music

47

From the neo-disco style of the single ‘Criss Cross’ to the warm and iridescent anthem ‘Open Up The Sky’, every track has a sense of refinement well adapted to Pete Cafarella’s vocals. It’s sublime and mesmerising electro-pop that’s an absolute must listen. Hugh Milligan, Issue 43.

Gil Scott-Heron I’m New Here Remote Control/XL

46

It is the nuances, the little spaces between the notes coupled with his stark, balls to the wall honest voice that makes Gil Scott Heron’s first album in thirteen years so special. The subject matter may be stark, but there is something about this album that demands repeated listens. Stephen Bisset, Issue 43

Hoodoo Gurus Purity of Essence Sony Music

45

Dave Faulkner’s lyrics are as venomous and satirical as ever and Brad Shepherd’s guitar flourishes haven’t lost their charm. This latest album is a bubbling melting pot of musical styles, which they stir with delight: surf rock, soul, blues, Detroit punk — they’re all there. Nick Milligan, Issue 45.

I Believe You Liar Universal

42

35

Queen of Denmark Bella Union/Cooperative Music

38

Universal

34

As the title Theory of Everything suggests, this audio thesis collection from Melbournian rockers, Children Collide, emanates musings and ideas of science, religion, life and death — all projected through the language of grunge. Jess Saxton, Issue 51.

Parkway Drive Deep Blue Resist Records

33

‘How to Tame Lions’ is brought to life by front-woman Megan Washington’s intriguing choice of lyrics and vocal phrasing. This may be the key to the record’s charm, it is relatively accessible musically, but it is the lyrical content and phrasing that sets it apart. Nick Bielby, Issue 51.

The common thread tying these elements together is the beautiful, melancholic baritone of Grant, as well as the songwriter’s odd lyrical mix of self-deprecation, hopelessness, and surreal humour — a combination that seems jarring at first, but reveals more layers of meaning with subsequent listens..Scott Gilbert, Issue 47.

The production on the album is flawless and definitely gives a more polished sound in comparison to their previous albums Horizons and Killing With A Smile which posses a rawer quality. Deep Blue is a beautiful and intense hardcore/metalcore album. Scarlett O’Horror, Issue 50.

Paul Weller

Deftones

I Am Kloot

Wake Up the Nation V2 Music/Universal Music

41

Featuring 16 songs (most of which barely break two minutes), Weller has not only been able to enthral us with a sonically adventurous and diverse album, but he has also (perhaps inadvertently) updated his own legendary status. Paul Frost, Issue 48.

Robert Plant Band of Joy Decca Recordings/Universal

40

The album flows with a moody intensity whose songs, all covers, are treated with tender care by Plant and chief collaborator, Patty Griffin. The centrepieces of the album are the two tracks sourced from US minimalist rockers Low — both ‘Silver Rider’ and ‘Monkey’ groan with an intensity well matched to Plant’s vocals. Paul Frost, Issue 51.

Diamond Eyes Warner

37

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. Nick Milligan, Issue 46.

Neil Young Le Noise Reprise/WEA

36

His lyrics are less oblique than in the past, but the voice is as timeless as it’s ever been; the melodies and guitar work ragged, yet gloriously so. The production brings to mind the sound of his work on the Dead Man soundtrack, with jagged chunks of electric guitar dominating the aural landscape.

Roger Killjoy, Issue 53.

Sky At Night EMI

32

The album is filled with excellence. The opening track ‘Northern Skies’ sets the ambient mood for the album, bursting with acoustic guitars and layers of chamber strings that converge to create a desirable dark folk atmosphere to accompany the profound song-writing skills of Andrew Hargreaves. Josh Clements, Issue 52.

Tokyo Police Club Champ Due Process

31

The record is filled with dance-worthy, indie-rock tunes like ‘Wait Up’ — sounding so energetically young, so full of youth, but never childish. The Canadian quartet have just enough cheek and cheer to be uplifting and enough rock not to float away. The collection is refreshingly minimal for indierock. Jess Saxton, Issue 52.

Grinderman Grinderman 2 EMI

20

This second instalment from Grinderman is nothing short of a welcome assault on the ears. It seems to have found the edgy swagger of Cave’s earlier work without sounding dated and is very sharp in its delivery. This is Cave and company in fine and aggressive form. Nick Bielby, Issue 52.

Seabellies

By Limbo Lake Alberts/Sony

30

You Am I You Am I Other Tongues

25

Eminem Recovery Aftermath Records/Universal

19

The six-piece group have delivered a truly beautiful and stirring musical journey.

Floating, luscious layers of sound are soldered together with soaring harmonies.

From the rolling symphonic opener ‘Ices (Death & Love)’ to the chill-inducing single ‘Orange X’, By Limbo Lake feels like a joyous release of pent-up creativity. Nick Milligan, Issue 50.

Swapping their wild, bombastic rock and anthemic ballads for a psychedelic, mature and melodic approach, the influential fourpiece have created a consistently enchanting album. Singer Tim Rogers’ lyrics are poetic and elusive, his voice clearer and more focused. Nick Milligan Issue 52.

Recovery is more emotionally driven then its predecessor, Relapse. There is a new level of maturity and growth on the record.

Recovery is a portfolio of change and growth for Eminem, showcasing his talent with artists Pink, Rihanna and Lil Wayne.

Kellie Wallace, Issue 49.

John Butler trio

The Roots

Avett brothers

April Uprising Jarrah/MGM

29

Fans will be happy to know that success hasn’t softened this ARIA award-winning band. April Uprising is chock-full of infectiously catchy songs with bold, antiestablishment statements. Andrew Chesham, Issue 45.

Delphic Acolyte Modular

28

How I Got Over Def Jam

24

Cloud Control Bliss Release Ivy league

26

Most striking about Bliss Release is that while its near-flawless musical aesthetic offers immediate satisfaction, the melodies take longer to grab hold. So while you’re drawn in the first instance to the album’s good-looks, you’re convinced after several listens by the personality of the songs.

Lucy Hearn, Issue 47.

Liddiard’s latest recording consists only of his unique style of vocals and his impressive acoustic guitar skills. Strange Tourist wasn’t made for commercial success, but more to highlight Liddiard’s talents as an Australian poet, which is where he finds his true success. Josh Clements, Issue 52.

Surfer Blood Astro Coast Spunk

14

Marina and the Diamonds

Blitzten trapper

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby

The Family Jewels

Destroyer of the Void

679 Recordings/Warner

23

Antony and the Johnsons

The real strength of this set is that each song is attractive in its own right, while the album as a story flows to near perfection.

This album is simply a gem. This selfproclaimed nod to Elvis Costello is a triumph. Nick Bielby, Issue 44.

15

Astro Coast is lofty, guitar-driven rock that’s laden with indie-pop hooks and spacious production. There’s the abrasive nuances of groups like Pixies, Pavement and Television, and the pop angles of modern bands like Tokyo Police Club and Vampire Weekend.

Surfer Blood have released an incredibly impressive debut - now watch everyone take a bite. Nick Milligan, Issue 43.

The Vasco Era Universal

Shock

I And Love And You is a lush, epic album that grabs you right from the outset with its goose-bump inducing titular track. From gorgeous piano arrangements, strings that never border on the cheesy and lyrics that conjure up an uplifting redemptive feel, it’s a marked departure from the dark, ‘mountain-punk’ of 2007’s Emotionalism.

Stephen Bisset, Issue 44.

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.

This cheeky and audacious pop offering is bound to put Marina on the map. Hugh Milligan, Issue 46.

27

American/Sony

18

Strange Tourist

With these alternate, soul and folk inclusions they create fluid diversions into other streams of alternative genres. They don’t conform to the usual hip-hop samplings but rather add to an already established multi-faceted approach to hiphop. How I Got Over is The Roots at their most spiritual. Adelaide French, Issue 53.

Excuse the melodramatics, but Acolyte is fucking amazing. With a hauntingly subtle hue to his voice, lead singer James Cook proves that dance-floor electronics can uphold the substance of a rock ballad – leading many critics to proclaim that Delphic are this decade’s New Order. Lee Tobin, Issue 44.

Lucille

I and Love and You

Gareth Liddiard

Swanlights Spunk

22

Whether singing about breast amputation or sodomy, this seemingly boyish recluse unleashes a velvety ocean of transcendental vocal ability. An odd and revered musical commodity, Hegarty’s fourth album with band The Johnsons, continues to showcase his knack for brooding, camp theatricality. Adelaide French, Issue 52.

Sia We Are Born Monkey Puzzle

21

Every track is a tightly arranged gem loaded with catchy hooks and tongue-incheek playfulness, with an accessibility that doesn’t yield to convention. Sia’s vocals have, as always, an unmistakably raw and expressive quality, and they’re applied here with complete confidence.

Hugh Milligan, Issue 49.

Subpop/Stomp

17

They again fuse soft folk, soft rock, alt-country and lashings of psychedelia. Songs like piano ballad ‘Heaven and Earth’ and ‘The Man Who Would Speak True’ are further examples of Earley’s ability to craft timeless and instantly memorable music. He’s a balladeer and a poet who is clearly capable of brilliance. Nick Milligan, Issue 48.

Eels End Times Shock

16

Musically, this is E at his best. There is no one in the world that makes music like him. While someone might find his sorrow too hard to swallow, keep in mind that no one is making you listen to it if you don’t want to. True fans will realise that sadness and self-inspection are inherent aspects of Eels’ music. End Times is direct and captivating. Nick Milligan, Issue 43.

Lonely Avenue Nonesuch/Warner

13

The song-writing ability of Hornby is very similar to that of Folds, his content is filled with flippant attitudes towards current political and social issues, which are perfectly appropriated by Folds into what would seem to be a simply amazing collaboration of creative genius. Lonely Avenue is a highly involving and entertaining record.

Josh Clements, Issue 53.

Local Natives Gorilla Manor Liberator

12

Their beautiful, multi-layered harmonies are swollen with melodic hooks and offkilter ideas. With influences of everything from pastoral folk to indie rock and afropop, their sound is destined to not only grow in popularity, but endure for a very long time. Nick Milligan, Issue 47.

Foals Total Life Forever Transgressive Records/Warner

11

With producer Dave Sitek (of TV on the Radio fame) manning the boards, the indie rockers have crafted a more expansive, less tightly-coiled album than Antidotes, and ultimately, Total Life Forever succeeds in every area that Antidotes failed – which is the mark of a quality sophomore release.

Scott Gilbert, Issue 48.

10

The Tallest Man On Earth

Imogen Heap

The Wild Hunt

Ellipse

Dead Oceans/Inertia

Megaphonic/Sony

7

Kristian Matsson’s music is impossible to ignore. 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. All of the differences between this new collection of tracks and his arresting debut, are limited. 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, Issue 46

Imogen Heap's third studio album shows the artist at the height of her powers. The electronic rhythms and dense multitracking of her last album are once again prevalent, but they never feel artificial; they blend seamlessly into acoustic piano and string lines as well as Heap’s ethereal vocals to create a rich organic sound. Her creativity is applied to an eclectic range of styles, from the vibrantly a cappella ‘Earth’ to the tongue-in-cheek pop number ‘Swoon’, each intelligently considered and accessibly catchy. Many provide an outlet for her wry humour, such as ‘Bad Body Double’, a song for those who can’t help but see their worst faults when they look in the mirror. It’s more than just electronic indie pop – it’s joyously eccentric, exceptionally polished and unmistakably unique. Hugh Milligan, Issue 43

Midlake

Coheed and Cambria

The Courage Of Others Speak N Spell

9

After the timeless brilliance of their 2006 record, The Trials Of Van Occupanther, many have waited patiently for Midlake’s third record. The Courage Of Others has their unmistakable sound. As Tim Smith’s gentle, dreamy vocals appear on opener ‘Acts Of Man’, it’s like a familiar embrace.

Most of this new album is slower than Occupanther, which cantered along with uptempo tunes like ‘Roscoe’ and ‘Head Home’. But there’s a simmering energy in the precise melodic arrangements of ‘Winter Dies’ and ‘Core Of Nature’ that leaves you breathless. ‘Children Of The Grounds’ has an ancient quality that gives you shivers and delivers one of the best choruses Midlake have ever written. This Texan five-piece are indeed one of the most accomplished groups in the world at the moment. May their road wind ever on.

Nick Milligan, Issue 43

Year of the Black Rainbow Roadrunner

Coheed and Cambria garner high expectations. But being as technically accomplished as singer/visionary Claudio Sanchez and his brothers-in-arms always are, it’s no surprise that they deliver on album number five. Year Of The Black Rainbow is harder hitting and edgier than their previous No World For Tomorrow.

This new release visits the sound of their earlier, more challenging and progressive material, but isn’t void of jackhammer melodies and brutal hooks. Sanchez’s vocal delivery feels more raw and overall, the sound is bolstered by the drumming of Chris Pennie (ex-Dillenger Escape Plan).

The aching ballad ‘Pearl Of The Stars’ is a sentimental highlight, as is the soaring ‘Here We Are Juggernaut’. But they’re just two of the amazing facets in this new chapter. Nick Milligan, Issue 45

Band Of Horses Infinite Arms Sony Music

Melissa Auf Der Maur Out Of Our Minds Roadrunner

8

Opening with a thudding, echoed heartbeat, Melissa Auf Der Maur’s second solo record is indeed a lush, experimental and enrapturing affair. As a bassist, her songs roll and frolic around the skeletons of grinding rhythms, like sensuous, flexing flesh. While she may have been viewed in the past as just the bassist from Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, Auf der Maur is a clever songwriter and deserves a bright, wide spotlight. Out Of Our Minds is full of constant surprises, like the slinking, gloomy pop of ‘Meet Me On The Dark Side’ and the duet with Glenn Danzig on ballad ‘Father’s Grave’. The dark, twisting arrangements seem to reach their tendrils up toward Auf der Maur’s sweet, strong vocals - but she’s always out of reach.

Incorruptible. Nick Milligan, Issue 45

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5

Infinite Arms is the first time Bridwell collaborated on the songwriting with the rest of his band, who up until the making of this third effort were simply live performers. It’s a genius move, because this is the best record that Band Of Horses have made. It’s diverse, often breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly crafted.

Band Of Horses’ lanky guitarist Tyler Ramsey, pens the album’s stand-out, ‘Evening Kitchen’. While Band Of Horses’ rock takes a back seat on Infinite Arms, it is still present. ‘NW Apt’ is an upbeat stomper delivered in typical fashion. Two of the record’s strongest tracks, ‘Compliments’ and ‘Laredo’ best exemplify the group’s trademark melodic bombast.

Beach Boys fans will appreciate ‘On My Way Back Home’, while country enthusiasts will smile at ‘Older’. Nick Milligan, Issue 47.

Black Keys Brothers Shock

Minus The Bear Omni Alberts

4

Seattle’s Minus The Bear have now reclaimed their dance-rock past. There’s the drug-addled, slinking synth-pop of ‘Into The Mirror’, a vivid depiction of a sleek rock get-together. There’s also some backing vocals by Visqueen’s Rachel Flotard. ‘Secret Country’ unwinds with the crazed, slowgroove arrangements that only Minus The Bear can deliver, with Dave Knudson’s offkilter guitar parts running like ripples through the melody. On ‘Hold Me Down’, his guitar shifts between light-tapping to strident chords and then wailing notes, over the song’s speedy, kinetic drumming.

As always, Minus The Bear’s arrangements are inventive, whimsical, hazy and dreamlike. Their interest in synthesisers brings together organic rock and electronics in an incredibly joyous and often restless fusion.

Nick Milligan, Issue 48.

Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

3

There’s something apt about Kanye West sampling ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ by King Crimson on his latest album. First single, ‘Power’ sees West rip himself apart behind tribal chanting and the aforementioned King Crimson sample, with some telling lyrics such as “I was the abomination of Obama’s nation/Well that’s a pretty dour way to start a conversation.”

Despite West’s arsehole tendencies, his artistry on this record is remarkably redemptive as ‘Runaway’ is cathartic, recounting self-destructive various scandals whilst ‘Lost in the World’ cut and pastes a heart wrenching Bon Iver (kidnapped by Auto Tune) into the same breath as legendary poet Gil Scott Heron.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy makes for an unnerving listening experience that goes for the listener’s jugular. Matt Petherbridge, Issue 54

2

Singer Dan Auerbach’s normal approach to the guitar, with his in-your-face wailing blues riffs, takes a back seat on Brothers to more nuanced parts and dark, creepy atmospherics. There’s heavy, absorbing production, made clear on opener ‘Everlasting Light’, where Auerbach coos in falsetto. Then there’s the immediately catchy ‘Next Girl’ where the singer croons with intent: “My next girl, she’ll be nothing like my ex-girl. I made mistakes back then, I’ll never do it again.” There’s hooks aplenty, like in instrumental ‘Black Mud’, that emerge from a fuzzy molasses. Drummer Patrick Carney provides tribal beats, over which Auerbach can weave his black magic.

The duo’s biggest achievement on Brothers is to take their well established sound and twist it into something that feels both fresh and foreboding. Nick Milligan, Issue 48

Broken Bells Broken Bells Sony Music

1

This collaboration between two of modern music’s most innovative and insanely talented individuals - Shins singer/ songwriter James Mercer and Gnarls Barkley’s Brian ‘Danger Mouse’ Burton delivers on all expectations. From Mercer’s unmistakable, evocative vocals to Burton’s off-kilter, lurking arrangements and production, these ten tracks are a rich tapestry of effective experimental ideas and cohesive atmospherics. Opening with the sublime singalong of ‘The High Road’, before the funky, organ-driven jangle of ‘Vaporize’, Broken Bells manages to be immediately catchy without ever feeling solely pop-focused. ‘The Ghost Inside’ is the record’s highlight, Mercer employing a falsetto over slinking trip-hop grooves - it’s genius. This record is a melodic pleasure cruise. A joyride. Two masters working in perfect harmony. Nick Milligan, Issue 44

reverb magazine issue #055 — february 2011 23

album Reviews Feature albums

The Wireflys The World We Live INDEPENDENT

3.5/5

Newcastle band The Wireflys are showing no mercy with their debut album The World We Live. The industrial opening chug of ‘Bread Not Bombs’ lulls us into a sense of security, kicking arse and taking names later. ‘Take You Home’ is spacious, driven by a humble rhythm section and the uptempo ‘Go’ rips forward with urgency. Three years in the making, with false starts and reworked songs, The Wireflys have crafted an impressively textured, self produced album — full of atmospheric intros, and gripping songs. Vocalist/bassist/producer Chris Tester is at his strongest melodically, which include album highlights such as the smoky, melodic ‘Taylor’s Reign’, the odd, offbeat dance-fury of ‘If Truth Were a Currency…’ and ‘Brown Suits, Black Ties’, where guitarist Justin Holland shows off his early U2-style guitar lead breaks in style. Drummer Ben Briscoe lends a strong, effortless beat through the entire album, flexing his creative muscle with ‘Paranoia Jayne’ and its crazy, Moby sample feel that jumps between punky verses, and the title track, a stately melancholy march that shows The Wireflys are at their best when making grand statements. The World We Live is a fast-paced rock album brimming with excitement, experimentation and sometimes near brilliance — the sooner you get it, the better. ~Matt Petherbridge

WIRE

Red Barking Tree Pink Flag

3.5/5

Most fans treat a new studio album from a 35 year old band with trepidation, but English post-punk stalwarts Wire have captured a beautiful moment in time with their newest album Red Barked Tree.

Swaying through the sonic divides of the “post-punk” tag, Wire have taken a more lyrical approach here, allowing songwriters Graham Lewis and Colin Newman to express alienation, open-eyed beauty, dismay and hope. Guitarist Newman is equally affecting, injecting an abrasive edge with the booming, rampageous ‘Moreover’ and the jagged, self-explanatory ‘Smash’.

Saving the best for last, the album closers are the highlights of the record. The mechanical ambience of ‘Down To This’ is harrowing, whilst the title track kangaroo hops with hope and mystery. Red Barked Tree is not a huge dissemination from the traditional Wire sound, but it is a captivating record and an interesting introduction to a criminally underrated, seminal band. ~Matt Petherbridge

24 reverb

magazine issue #055 — February 2011

album of the month

Carmen Townsend Waitin’ and Seein’

The Decemberists

Cut Copy Zonoscope

ABC Music/Universal Music

The King Is Dead

Modular

4/5

Capital/EMI

4.5/5

There must be something in the water in Canada.

Tragically Hip, Destroyer, New Pornographers, Sloan, Rheostatics and The Joel Plaskett Emergency are but a tiny fraction of musical awesomeness to emerge from the country that Robin Williams once described as a loft apartment over a really great party. After just one listen to Nova Scotia songstress Carmen Townsend’s debut effort Waitin’ and Seein’, there’s little doubt that she belongs in the pantheon of great Canadian songwriters. Produced by the Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano, Waitin’ and Seein’ is an eclectic set that mixes powerful emotional rock that recalls a more melodic Afghan Whigs (River Rat, Hands and Mouths) with an almost freakfolkishness reminiscent of Devendra Banhart on tracks like ‘Sweet Little Bird’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’. Townsend’s unique vocals soar over the lush instrumentations, be it a slow burning rocker or a lazy acoustic jam, that literally drip with melody. Waitin’ and Seein’ is an impressively well-rounded debut album. My only regret is that I didn’t catch one of her Down Under sets last year. ~Stephen Bissett

John Vella Backbreaker MGM

3/5

Sydney troubadour John Vella’s debut album Backbreaker is all about (autobiographical – I’m guessing) paeans to love, girls and broken hearts. I was a little curious about this record after reading the bio which espoused comparisons to Ben Lee, Coldplay and Bob Dylan. However, while quite well produced, Backbreaker comes off sounding more Happy Birthday Helen than Positively Sweet Marie. That said, there are some great moments on Backbreaker – most notably the final track, the sparse ‘The Whole Way’. ‘Eye of the Beholder’ is another standout, with its meandering angular riffing, lazy drumming and ambling Hammond. While Vella and band like to get their pop-rock on with tracks like ‘The Caller’ and ‘Princess of The West’, it’s the quieter moments, like the aforementioned ‘The Whole Way’ and ‘Slow Burner’, that are the most memorable.

While Backbreaker isn’t likely to break any backs in the near future, it may get a few feet tapping. ~Stephen Bissett

Los Capitanes

Rest For The Wicked Sound System Music

4/5

This is a collection that uses, exploits and enhances traits of a range of genres from punk, ska to rap, rock to reggae, and garage to chill-out. Thanks to Los Capitanes’ liberal approach, each track from Rest For The Wicked is a journey through a vast musical range that draws on whatever genre they need to best say whatever they need to in that particular moment. ‘The Impartial Re-Telling of a Fictionalised Hypothetical’ compliments acoustic soft rock with hard-core punk

4.5/5

How does a band produce a follow-up to a concept album (2009’s The Hazards Of Love) that embraced the story of shape-shifting lovers and the odd bout of infanticide? If you are cult folkies The Decemberists, you do anything you damn well want to. A much more concise and digestible album that its two predecessors, The King Is Dead harks back to the early days of the band, in emotion and sound. With no discernible theme to link the songs, each track is able to breathe life on its own, which will be a refreshing change for some listeners. From the cruisy sentimentality of ‘Calamity Song’ to the homespun sing-along ‘Down by the Water,’ Colin Meloy’s wordy yet emotional vocals allow each little dreamscape to drift into your consciousness. This is earnest music played with wit and vigour – check it out. ~Paul Frost choruses and ska riffs. They scream, they rage, they slash; trumpets sail across the deafening clash that is punk at its very best. While ‘Ode To Explode To’ is a soft, beach-rock, bittersweet love song, it could be by an entirely different group. This is a great collection that stretches across genres to define the music and bring a rounded listening experience. For fans of Reel Big Fish, Girls. ~Jess Saxton

Klaxons

Landmarks of Lunacy Modular

2.5/5

Landmarks of Lunacy is a truncated documentation of the scrapped sessions of Klaxons’ attempt to record their second album in 2008, available for free download on www. klaxons.net. Produced by Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford, Landmarks is full of distressed guitar patterns, switched off snare drums and understated arrangements. Highlights are the groovy, psychedelic ‘The Pale Blue Dot’ and the ominous mechanoid chomp of ‘Ivy Leaves’.

‘Silver Forest’ mixes creepy melodies with whimsical, upbeat pop as the downbeat ‘Wildeflowers’ plays like a sullen woodland lullaby. EP closer ‘Marble Fields’ is the track most-akin to Surfing the Void as a stately piano figure soon gives way to that savage bass sound as frontman Jamie Reynolds spouts, “There is hardly an afterlife mirrored here,” as the music fades into intergalactic obscurity. Landmarks of Lunacy is enjoyable, but (like all Klaxons material) largely emotionless. The songs aren’t that different from Surfing the Void – which isn’t a crime... except they supposably remade the record entirely.

Was there ever a “prog-doom” first attempt at their second record or was it just false promises that stemmed from their bombed-out druggy logic? For fans of: Klaxons, Syd Barrett, Danny Elfman ~Matt Petherbridge

Full of melodic genius, gentle homage and the hypnotic thud of house beats, Cut Copy are leaving the women and children behind with third album Zonoscope. Opening track ‘Need You Know’ is dripping with regret as a gospel choir props up front man Dan Whitford’s hurting vocals. The chant-heavy ‘Where I’m Going’ kicks happiness into overdrive with cheers of “all you need is a dream, and a lover too”, complete with a whimsy Who-esque breakdown. Jungle fever strikes ‘Take Me Over’, as rollicking roto-toms stride “through the jungle, through the night, forever”.

‘Pharaohs and Pyramids’ and ‘Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution’ take a pornographic soundtrack turn, whereas ‘Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat’ has a real swagger to it with acoustic guitar flourishes amidst oozing keyboard textures and bubbling bass. The intimidating, 16 minute long ‘Sun God’ closes the album with three epic sections of massive drums with tribal chanting, moving into INXS sex-funk territory, counterpointed with chants of “you’ve got to live” and “love won’t give you enough” then heading into aciddrenched oblivion with a clusterfuck of pulsating, laser beam, shoe gazing Krautrock madness. Zonoscope isn’t some crappy made up name, it’s a damn good record.

Surrender now or forever hold your peace. ~Matt Petherbridge

The Naked and Famous

Passive Me, Aggressive You Somewhat Damaged/Universal

3.5/5

Overcoming immense amounts of hype on an album is incredibly difficult for any band, let alone for their debut. But young, electro-pop group The Naked and Famous, have managed to overcome and exceed all the expectations and hype. Passive Me, Aggressive You is a truly exceptional start to the career of this New Zealand-based quintet. ‘Punching In A Dream,’ the latest single released from the record contains a heavy synthesised bassline, pulsating drums and incredibly catchy lyrics that blend together to create a perfect summer festival track. A very similar approach was taken with ‘Young Blood,’ which was the previously released single that gave The Naked and Famous considerable amounts of international attention. This track aims to encapsulate the spirit of all young people, which is executed perfectly. By using a fast-paced tempo, bright, pop-styled synthesisers and loud, passionate vocals, they create a warm and exciting atmosphere throughout the song. What is most impressive about The Naked and Famous however is their aspiration to retain their youth. There are many young bands fooling themselves into believing that they require an older and more mature sound, but there are circumstances where a young, naïve and relaxed record can shine much brighter; and Passive Me, Aggressive You is the perfect example of this. For Fans of: Passion Pit, Miami Horror, Operator Please ~Matt Petherbridge

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else’s songs — do you get restless if you’re not working on something new?

I get restless if I’m not playing. If I’m not doing something productive. So, it’s good to satiate that for me because if I don’t, then I end up getting in trouble. I’m a busy-body.

I can’t really relax. I just took my first real vacation with my wife. It’s the first time we’ve taken a vacation for more than 48-hours in eight years. But I was so exhausted from this last eight month tour, that I actually did appreciate it.

Where are you at the moment?

I’m at home. I’m in my little home studio, working on riffs.

Is that fairly common practice for you when you’re chilling out?

Well, I’m not usually home that’s the thing.

So while I was on the road I had this little Pro Tools studio put together in the house.

I just got home, so that’s what I’m going to be doing for the next two months before we go out on the road.

You composed the full score for the Mexican film This is Not a Movie. What impact has that experience had on your songwriting?

About three of the songs on the record originated on the film score, which was sort of interesting. The funny thing about scoring a movie is my whole MO changes. My whole way of going about it. With a film score, the sky’s the limit. I didn’t know this about myself, because I hadn’t really sat down and scored a movie before. I made up some music here and there and I’ve written songs that have been in movies but, with scoring, I became an uninhibited guitar player.

You’ve been to Australia many times over the years, but did your solo tour in 2010 really demonstrate how much Australians love what you do?

Yeah (chuckles). For the first time in my career I’ve felt a really keen welcome. When Guns N’ Roses was really big, obviously we had a huge, massive crowd. But I never felt a graciousness from the Australians like this.

It’s been really, really cool.

What are your strongest memories of your very first trip to Australia with Guns N’ Roses?

My very first trip to Australia… I’ll tell you, that first trip was the stepping stone into an ages-long drug binge (laughs). It started in Australia. The most important memory I have from the first trip to Australia was that we were playing in a tent — it was in Melbourne, I think. It was this big, outdoor tent. At soundcheck we actually put the music to ‘Civil War’ together. I wrote the music at home in LA and the first time the band ever played it musically was in Australia.

On your debut solo record, you work with a long roster of amazing artists. Was there any particular criteria you were looking for in the people you wanted to work with?

There’s a pretty common misconception about how it works. The music dictated who should sing it. It wasn’t really me searching a list of potential singers. I’d write the song and in my mind’s eye I would figure out who should sing it and then I would make that phone call.

Did anyone say no?

Not really. There was a couple of people where it didn’t come together for whatever reasons — really technical reasons or logistical reasons.

Before you started writing these songs, did you have any idea about the kind of album you’d like to make?

Nope. I was just making a record for myself, really. I didn’t have any big aspirations for it.

No big goals or anything. I was very casual in writing the material. It wasn’t a rush — I didn’t have a set schedule to release it. Once I’d compiled enough material, I started making proper demos. When I started making demos, that’s when I started sending them out to potential singers.

So you were using guitar as the basis for your score?

Well, actually the director’s intention was to have the entire movie scored with guitar, so

“ My first trip to Australia was the stepping stone into an ages-long drug binge.”

NO REST FOR THE WICKED in their bedrooms learning to play riffs you’ve written?

It is. It’s so surreal that I don’t have a mental picture of it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s more hearsay (laughs). There is a reality when I’m out signing autographs for kids, or whatever it is, and people say that they picked up the guitar because of me. I mean, that’s a huge compliment. But I don’t focus on it enough to really picture what that means, because it’s overwhelming to me.

When you were starting out, I know you were influenced by Jimmy Page and Joe Perry from Aerosmith. Is it surreal now to think that’s there a legion of kids out there

You have certainly written a long list of riffs, which seem to become more iconic as time goes by. Is there any secret to writing a memorable riff?

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Were you working off images?

No, I started with a script and a storyboard.

I actually started writing to that. I had footage eventually, but it wasn’t until I was about halfway through writing the score.

Not really, no. There’s no secret to any of it.

Sometimes I make up stuff in my head and then go and pick up the nearest guitar and see if I can translate what I’m hearing in my head — if it’s the same thing. Sometimes I’ll just be noodling around and stumble on something. Whenever you sit down to try and write a riff is when you have the biggest problem. It’s always good to have a guitar around and maybe something you can record with — try not to push it and just let things happen.

All the great guitarists have a definable style, in terms of how they approach the guitar as an instrument — how do you approach the guitar?

Cautiously… no (laughs). The way that I approach the guitar? That’s a deep question. I don’t know how I approach it, I just do it. I don’t have a recognisable way of going about it. As far as how I play is concerned, I’m definitely a guitar player that digs in and plays very hard. I attack hard and I play with a lot of strength, you know, like physically. Which is different to some of the guitar players that I grew up listening to, who play very delicately. So I go through a lot of picks and a lot of strings — a lot of guitars, for that matter.

But that said, I play with what I would consider a lot of emotion, whether it’s fast stuff, heavy stuff or blues stuff — whatever type of music it turns out to be. That’s about all I could tell you.

Your name is always attached to new releases and projects — whether they’re your own or whether you’re guesting on someone

Slash performs at Soundwave in Sydney on Sunday, February 27. At the time of print, no Sydney sideshows have been confirmed.

While the teenage discovery of Joe Perry and Jimmy Page may have set Saul Hudson on a musical path, as the guitarist of Guns N’ Roses he would become the man known as Slash. Today, his iconic riffs have inspired new generations to pick up an instrument and aspire to the annals of rock immortality. While few would argue that Slash doesn’t deserve the reverence that music lovers continue to have for him, Nick Milligan discovers that the man himself is a humble, friendly and unaffected dude.

Out of all the people you’ve worked with, does anyone stand out as being the biggest honour?

Well, I mean, a lot of people [have been an honour]. Working with Iggy Pop, working with David Bowie, working with Michael Jackson. I think the biggest one was working with Ray Charles. I didn’t record with James Brown, but I did some gigs with him for fun.

Working with Motorhead was killer.

that’s what I did. But for the first time ever I used a lot of different effects — it was a very interesting, eye-opening process for me.

reverb magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011 25

mille ncolin — b u lle t for my vale ntin e

Return to Pennybridge Valentine’s A decade after the release of Pennybridge Pioneers, the boys of Millencolin are dusting the cobwebs from their most successful album to date and taking the tracks back on the road. Sean Frazer speaks to guitarist Erik Ohlsson about giving the record a second life.

To celebrate ten years of Pennybridge Pioneers, you have recently decided to take the whole album on the road, playing the album start to finish I believe?

Yes, we are playing the record from first to last song. The tour is strictly Pennybridge Pioneers and then we go off stage and come back to play some old classic songs, but we won’t be playing any songs after the album — it will be all of our real early stuff.

It takes us 40-minutes to play the Pennybridge album so I’m a little unsure of how much other stuff we will get to play at the Soundwave Festival.

when we came back our lyrics were a little more serious, the writing was a little bit different and we also started working with different producers. We really grew to become a “real” band during the process of recording Pennybridge Pioneers which is why this album means so much to us. For the three years before that album we were constantly touring, I spent barely any time home at all — it just wore us all out. Once we decided to have a break, we were able to break down the things that were breaking us down and focus on a more enjoyable playing environment for the band.

How has the reaction for the Pennybridge Pioneers Tour album been so far?

It’s been really great, way bigger than our expectations. It’s something really different for us. We only ever play a few songs from each album when we play live, so to just focus our live set on the one record has been quite strange for us but very cool at the same time.

All the boys of Millencolin have their separate side projects outside of the band.

How has the influence of these projects helped when writing new songs for the band?

It feels really fresh when we come back in the room together. When you experiment with other projects your ideas for music become a lot broader. If we strictly wrote Millencolin songs I believe the sound would change too much and it might send us a little insane doing the same old thing.

It’s always great to have something else to keep you going, whether it be another band, skating or even art and photography.

Sometimes I feel more like a graphic designer than a musician [laughs].

What made you decide to take this record solo on the road?

About a year-and-a-half ago we did a show in our home town, we were the last band that would be playing that night and it would be the last time that any band would play at that place again. After the show there was a lot of footage circling YouTube of us playing our earlier songs and the comments and response from most people was “when are you guys going to take this stuff on the road?” We were in between albums and thought that it would be a good idea to tour the album and just do a couple of shows. It turned out to be more than just a few shows, now it’s a world tour!

How do you feel you guys have changed in the decade since the record?

Before Pennybridge Pioneers we recorded albums in a much more different way. We took a little break, about nine months, before we began to record the album and 26 reverb

magazine issue #055 — February 2011

Day Massacre

Welsh metal wizards Bu llet For M y Va len tine (BFM V) are riding an exponential cur ve of popularity. As the band prepares to return to our shores for the Soundwave Festival, Georgina Bible catches up with dr ummer Mich a el Thom a s.

BFMV is the biggest thing to come out of Wales since Tom Jones. Are you a fan?

I like Tom Jones and so does Michael Paget (BFMV lead guitarist). We put him on the player and have a bit of a listen… he has an amazing voice.

BFMV grew up in the Cardiff music scene, which has produced some first rate bands like Funeral For A Friend and Lostprophets.

How influencial has Cardiff been on the band?

Coming from Cardiff is the reason we started the band in the first place. It’s the same old story for a lot of bands that grow up in an area where there is absolutely nothing to do.

We started the band out of boredom. It’s why towns like Cardiff have a tonne of unsigned bands playing around the traps.

Millencolin has landed a spot on the Soundwave Festival line-up. What’s got you excited most about coming down under?

We love it there. It’s like Los Angeles without all the bullshit. We are so keen to soak up some sun over there — it’s been absolutely freezing these last couple of weeks in Sweden!

You started BFMV for ‘something to do’ and have gone on to sell more than two million albums. How has success affected you?

It hasn’t changed anything for us that much.

We still just want to write songs that we want to hear on the radio. We still live in Wales. I bought a house 20-miles outside Cardiff because I want to be around my family and the friends I grew up with.

Millencollin will be performing at Soundwave on Saturday, February 26, at RNA Showgrounds, and on Sunday, February 27, at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway. There will also be a headline sideshow on Monday, February 28, at the UNSW Roundhouse with Pennywise.

The band’s rise to fame has attracted the haters. Check out any internet forum where metal fans gather and the debate rages from whether BFMV even qualify for as ‘metal’, to the colour of your hair. Does it affect you?

We are aware of it, but it does not affect us in a negative way. We are four blokes that

just want to play music. It’s sad that people feel the need to slag us off. I guess with success comes criticism.

You toured Australia last year in support of your third album, Fever. How did the tour go?

We loved Australia. The crowds over there are amazing, everyone goes completely nuts. Plus we got to see a bit of the place in between gigs. We checked out some of the beaches and hung out in some great pubs in Sydney and Melbourne. It’s a beautiful country.

BVMV is back in Australia this month for Soundwave Festival. What bands are you looking forward to seeing?

It’s a great line-up. There are a tonne of bands I want to see, like Slayer, Iron Maiden, Bring Me The Horizon, High On Fire, and All That Remains. There are some kick-arse drummers in there.

Are there any drummers that you consider as an influence?

Dave Grohl was always a bit of a hero. I’m talking more from his days in Nirvana. I think if it wasn’t for him, I would never have picked up a pair of drumsticks. I would also have to count Dave Lombardo from Slayer.

I will be checking him out at Soundwave.

Soundwave Festival takes over the Eastern Creek Raceway on Sunday February 27.

BFMV will also be performing at the UNSW Roundhouse on Tuesday March 1 with The Amity Affliction and Asking Alexandria.

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m u r d e r d o l l s — s o u n d wa v e s i d e s h o w s

Soundwave Sideshows

primus

Thu, Feb 24 Iron Maiden Fri, Feb 25 Gang Of Four

Sydney Entertainment Centre

The Hi-Fi, Brisbane

Mon, Feb 28 Primus/Melvins Enmore Theatre, Sydney Stone Sour/Coheed and Cambria/Sevendust, 36 Crazyfists Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney Pennywise/Millencolin/Mad Caddies

UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney The Gaslight Anthem Metro Theatre, Sydney Anberlin/The Starting Line/Bayside

Manning Bar, Sydney

Serious side projecT Side projects are, by a general rule of thumb, pretty hit-and-miss affairs. They often appear to be a bit of an ego boost, or a way for an artist to get his/her cast-off songs, unwanted by the main act, released. Others can actually be superior to the main project (see Maynard James Keenan’s A Perfect Circle band, in this writer’s humble opinion).

Seminal, massively successful bands often spawn a side project or two, or more, in a similar way to which successful teams often breed coaches in later years (see the mighty Hawthorn teams of the 70s and 80s). Slipknot are one such band, having produced at least two high profile side projects since their inception in the mid to late nineties.

“At the start, it was huge shock,” Joey explains, “Slipknot fans were like ‘what the fuck is he doing?’ (laughs) People didn’t know what to think. But people will be surprised when they hear the new record, it’s all heavy, even though it’s more of a rock feel. So yeah, I think Slipknot fans will get into it as well.”

The album, entitled Women and Children Last (as a tongue-in-cheek ode to a Van Halen album from the early 80s), due out on August 31 through Roadrunner, is indeed a lot heavier than you might imagine. It’s also taken it’s time to become a reality, with the previous, and debut Murderdolls album Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls actually coming out no less than eight years ago. Joey explains that it was simply a matter of he and Wednesday 13 deciding that it was just

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Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison formed Murderdolls in 2002 with shock rock/horror punk psycho Wednesday 13 (who also does Murderdolls as a side project outside his regular solo gig), with the intention of creating a sound that was markedly different the crazed, frenetic metal sound of Slipknot, but could still appeal to many of their fans. By Rob Whitfield.

time, time they got their collective act into gear again. “I was just like, ‘it’s time to shake shit up again,’” he recalls, “but this time, do it for real, with complete seriousness, and with real songs and real production. I called Wednesday up and I said, ‘hey man, do you really want to do this, make another Murderdolls record,’ and he didn’t say anything for a while. He stood there for 30 seconds, so I said ‘okay, never mind dude,’ but he just said, ‘dude, you just made my life, I’ve been waiting for this call for five and a half years!’

So we just started exchanging songs. We had something like 60 songs. We went in, and this is the first time me and Wednesday have really sat down, and wrote together. So I actually consider this to be the first Murderdolls record.”

The record is also steeped in lyrical images of blood, death, gore, drugs and the darker side of life in general. Anyone familiar with Murderdolls, and indeed Slipknot, wouldn’t be at all surprised by this, and the lyrics on

the new album, whilst basically tongue in cheek, go even further down this path, and take on a more personal tone this time, amid the horror movie imagery. Joey agrees that they can be a little obsessed with the nasty side of life at times. “Yeah, I would say so,” he says, with the merest hint of hesitation, “we’ve always found it an intriguing thing.

The first record was more ‘funny’, kinda camp and cheesy type of record. And it was great for what it was. But this one is a lot different — you got songs like ‘Nowhere’, and ‘Nothing’s Gonna be Alright’, and ‘Rock n Roll is All I Got’, those are very personal lyrics, those are no joke, he’s not makin’ things up. It’s about the last six years of his life, pretty much missing me!

He’s been pretty much living out of a suitcase.”

At the time of writing, Murderdolls had a long list of massive shows coming up to support the release of the album, including a run of huge arena shows across Europe, the London version of Ozzfest and throughout the States with Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper, no less. The band has definite plans to bring their colourful stage show to Australia at some stage during the next 12-18 months. “Absolutely,” he states definitively, “at the end of next year.”

With Slipknot on hold after recent tragedy, it’s a feast for fans of their two major side projects, with singer Corey Taylor’s Stone Sour also currently active after an album release, and will be appearing at Soundwave along with Murderdolls.

the sword

Tue, Mar 1 Third Eye Blind/The Rocket Summer

Annandale Hotel, Sydney Murderdolls/Monster Magnet/Dommin

Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney Bring Me The Horizon/The Amity Affliction/ Asking Alexandria

UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney Sum 41/The Blackout/There For Tomorrow, Veara Metro Theatre, Sydney Social Distortion/The Bronx

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Gang Of Four The Gaelic Club, Sydney Saxon/The Sword Manning Bar, Sydney Mayday Parade/Breathe Carolina/Every Avenue

The Forum, Sydney High On Fire/Trash Talk/Kylesa

The Hi-Fi, Brisbane

coheed and cambria

Wed, Mar 2 Queens Of The Stone Age

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Terror/H2O/Polar Bear Club/Fucked Up

Manning Bar, Sydney Devildriver/Ill Niño/All That Remains/Nonpoint

The Forum, Sydney We The Kings/Never Shout Never/The Maine

Metro Theatre, Sydney Slash/Coheed and Cambria/Taking Dawn

The Tivoli, Brisbane Silverstein/Blessthefall/I See Stars

The Hi-Fi, Brisbane

reverb magazine issue #055 — february 2011 27

28 reverb

magazine issue #055 — February 2011

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gig Guide North Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Tues, Feb 1

Thora Zoo

Finnian’s Irish Tavern, Port Macq

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Hungry Kids of Hungary +

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

The Honey Month + Mosman Alder

Lennox Point Hotel

Phil and Gaz

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Foals + Last Dinosaurs

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Cool

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Glenn Massey

On Your Bike comedy fundraiser

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Two Door Cinema Club + Parades

Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs Cloudmouth + Lord Bishop Rocks

Port Macquarie Hotel The Scam + The Lost Cause + Fushia

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Bo Jenkins The Scam + The Lost Cause

Balance

Sawtell RSL

The Feramones

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Mick Bateman

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Slim Jim and the Boney Hardmen

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Borgs & Reidy

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Vanessa Lee and Road Train

Italo Club, North Lismore

Jo Rigby

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore

Christian Pyle + Mick Daley + Sideshow Duo

Jabiru

Treehouse, Coffs Harbour Twin Towns Ex Services Club The Choirboys

Lennox Point Hotel

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Vanessa Lea and Road Train

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Floating Me

Greg Lyon’s Hip Operation

Sawtell RSL Tacking Point Hotel

Italo Club, North Lismore

Dave Calandra

The Fig, Port Macquarie

Lennox Point Hotel

Hekyl and Jive

Leigh James

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Harry Healy

Wed, Feb 16 Great Northern Hotel, Byron Matt Buggy

Sunday 6 SUMMER SOUNDS – HIP HOP FUNK DUB STEP & BREAKS + LIVE DJ’S – 4PM Friday 11 VANESSA LEA & ROAD TRAIN – 8PM Saturday 12 BUGGY & CARLEY – 7:30PM Sunday 13 SUMMER SOUNDS – HIP HOP FUNK DUB STEP & BREAKS + LIVE DJ’S – 4PM

Saturday 19 LOCKIE & DENNY DUO - 7:30PM Sunday 20 SUMMER SOUNDS – HIP HOP FUNK DUB STEP & BREAKS + LIVE DJ’S – 4PM Friday 25 THE KELLY GANG – 8PM Saturday 26 SHY BABY – 7:30PM

Tattersall’s Hotel, Lismore Dali`s Angels

Yamba Bowling Club

Granite Revolution

Coolangatta Hotel

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Bill Jacobi

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Beats Antique + Benjalu + Nick Saxon

Saturday 5 KAMIKAZI THUNDERKATS – 7:30PM

Friday 18 DUE WAVE BAND – 8PM

Tues, Feb 15

Little Big Fish

Benjalu

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Phil & Gaz

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Port Macquarie Hotel

Bellingen Diggers

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Slim Pickens + Dr Baz

DJ Dexter

Mon, Feb 14

Gentleman Rambling

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Brett James

Jimmy Watts + Karl Williams +

Ebb n Flo

Kamikaze Thunderkats

The Havelocks

The Fig, Port Macquarie

Rochelle Lees

Lennox Point Hotel

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Tony Worsley + Rowland Stones

Tacking Point Hotel

Friday 4 MOSSY ROCKS TRIO – 8PM

Port Macquarie Hotel

Little Fish

Sat, Feb 5

Sawtell RSL

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Nick Batterham + Thom Crawford

Sugarcane Collins

Painted Crows

The Last

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

The Black Ghost Party + CBD Dub Project + Invisible Friend

Ben Martin

The Stillsons

Dean Jones

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Stoneage Romeos

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Mason Rack

Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs Fungi’s

Daniel Isaac Jones + Rowland Stones

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

The Grains

Finnian’s Irish Tavern, Port Macq

Quick Fix

Lennox Point Hotel

The Edge

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga

Mason Rack

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Dan Hannaford

Mountain Girls

Slipstream

Coolangatta Hotel

Fyah Walk

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Round

Tijuana Cartel

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Mossy Rocks

Fri, Feb 11 Australian Hotel, Ballina

Balance

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Vanessa Lea

Sun, Feb 6

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Fri, Feb 4

Sun, Feb 13

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Sunday Sounds w/- DJ’s Eamsey &

Lord Bishop Rocks

Rochelle Lees

Sunday Sounds w/- DJ’s Eamsey &

Nick Batterham + Thom Crawford

Switch Sk8park, Port MacQ (4pm)

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore

Australian Hotel, Ballina

SNUG

Stoneage Romeos

Courthouse Hotel, Mullumbimby

Tony Harvey Andy Bourke

Dali`s Angels + Jimmy Watts +

Twin System

Calm Collective

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Port Macquarie Hotel

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Beni

Beauty and the Beast

Sawtell RSL Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Kim Boekbinder

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Pacha Mamma

Thur, Feb 3

Doc Neeson

Amanda Palmer + Mikelangelo and

Gentleman Rambling + Karl Williams

Neverland, Coolangatta

FEBRUARY AT THE AUSSIE

Rob Saric

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour

The Lucky Wonders

The Tin Star w/- Saint Clare +

The Downstairs Mixup

Wed, Feb 2

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Fossil Rock

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Harry Healy

Purple Sneakers DJs

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Barral House

Goonellabah Tavern

Andy Showbox

Neverland, Coolangatta

Thur, Feb 10

Dave Calandra

Simone Smith

Juzzie Smith

Thur, Feb 17

Mon, Feb 7

Sat, Feb 12

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Wayne Evans

Tues, Feb 8 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Andy Burke

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Harry Healy

Buggy and Carley

Ballina RSL Sugarcane Collins

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Vaudeville Smash

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour AC/DC Show

Goonellabah Tavern Sky Daddy

Wed, Feb 9

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Guy Katchel

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Jon J Bradley

Brat Pack w/- Beni Ben Francis

Lennox Point Hotel One Step Closer

Raindance

Sunday 27 SUMMER SOUNDS – HIP HOP FUNK DUB STEP & BREAKS + LIVE DJ’S – 4PM

Aust Surf Movie Festival w/- Juzzie Smith

Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs DJ Jordy

LaLaLand, Byron Bay Fort Knox Five

Port Macquarie Hotel Mad Charlie + The One Eyed Kings + Mark Spence

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Matt Buggy

103 River Street, Ballina Ph 02 6686 2015 www.theaussiehotel.com reverb magazine issue #055 — February 2011 29

CENTRAL COAST Don’t forget — Live & Local

gig Guide North (cont.)

Fri, Feb 18

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

A&I Hall, Bangalow

Lennox Point Hotel Barkers

Deva Premal and Miten + Manose

every Wednesday night

Australian Hotel, Ballina

4 Feb

Adam Harvey

Bandbox Cinema, Kempsey

5 Feb

Damien Leith

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Due Wave

6 Feb

Jez Mead

Flickerfest Morgan Evans

Vanessa Lee and Road Train Vale Brothers

Sawtell RSL Shane Peters + Rowland Stones

Tacking Point Hotel Graham Cain General Electryk

Valentine’s Day special w/ Violet Highway

18 Feb

Rick Price

Ben Francis Flickerfest Afro Fiesta Sounds of Summer DJ comp

24 Feb

Paul Greene

25 Feb

Cotton Keays and Morris

Belinda Carlisle

Valla Beach Tavern

27 Feb

Jenny Morris – Sunday lunch

2-3 Mar Gina Jeffreys Workshop Protegé Concert

A French Butler Called Smith

Yamba Bowling Club Rob Dowsett

Sat, Feb 19 Australian Hotel, Ballina Lockie and Denny

Bandbox Cinema, Kempsey Flickerfest

4 Mar

Lior

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Raz Bin and the Lion I band

5 Mar

Holly Throsby

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

10 Mar

Mat McHugh

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

(The Beautiful Girls)

Jerico Sugarcane Collins

First Avenue Cinema, Sawtell

11 Mar

The Robertson Bros

12 Mar

Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Gollan Hotel, Lismore

13 Mar

Renée Geyer

Goonellabah Tavern

18 Mar

Chain

23 Mar

Crooked Still (USA)

24 Mar

Danielle Spencer

Flickerfest Stone Mountain + Hogjam Brian Watt

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Issac Paddon and The Tides

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Quick Fix

Lennox Point Hotel General Electryk

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

26 Mar

Ed Kuepper w/ Mark Dawson

30 Mar

Luka Bloom

31 Mar

McAlister Kemp

Beauty & The Beast

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour Troubadours

Sawtell RSL Bronte Wake

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Twin System

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore

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

Richie Williams

Twin Towns Ex Services Club The McClymonts + Harmony James

General Electryk

Mon, Feb 21 Byron Bay Ex Services Club RAW Comedy heats

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Dan Hannaford

Rails, Byron Bay Jimmi Carr

Harry Healy

Lisa Hunt Stoneage Romeos

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Josh Boots

magazine issue #055 — February 2011

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Minnie Marks

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Beauty & the Beast

Great Northern Hotel, Byron The Blackbirds

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Little Fish

Lennox Point Hotel

Damien Leith

Fri, Feb 4 Avoca Beach Theatre

Blind Lemon

Flickerfest

Neverland, Coolangatta Surecut Kids

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Shihad + Floating Me + Strangers

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar Fossil Rock

Doyalson RSL Mark Cashin & The Lil Hussys + Stolen Memories + Damnation

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

David Moye

Latino Underground

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

Mister Twisted

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore

Act Yo Age + The Immigrant

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf

Jabiru

Carl Baron

Wed, Feb 23

Sun, Feb 27

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Matt Buggy

Adam Harvey

Sunday Sounds w/- DJ’s Eamsey & Balance

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Deep Sea Arcade + Surf City

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Tyson Faulkner

Port Macquarie Hotel The Supergroup + The Jamie Boyd Trio + Rob Gainey

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Glenn Massey

Tattersall’s Hotel, Lismore A Little Province in China

Fri, Feb 25

Fossil Rock Jimmi Carr Quick Fix

Lennox Point Hotel Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson

Lismore City Bowling Club Sawtell RSL

Run Squirrel

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland

The One Eyed Kings

Yamba Bowling Club

Catherine Traicos + The Dennis Boys

Yamba Country Music Club

Frushia Sting

King Street Hotel, Newcastle John Course

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Carl Baron

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

The Rockets

Damien Leith

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Coastal Soul

Adam Harvey

A Little Province in China

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Hope Estate, Hunter Valley

M Ward

Jimmi Carr

Flickerfest

The Smith St Band + Like Alaska +

Tacking Point Hotel

Byron Bay Community Centre

Mary Gilhooleys, Lismore

Avoca Beach Theatre

Defiance Ohio + Will Wagner +

Brett Thomas

Austin Busch

Sounds of Summer DJ comp

Sat, Feb 5 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Darren Hanlon

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Lennox Point Hotel

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington DV8 + Ravanged

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

The Kelly Gang

Vanessa Lee and Road Train

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Shawn O’Friel

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

The Hussy Hicks + Matt Zarb + Minnie Marks

Thur, Feb 24

Supercheeze 30 reverb

Thur, Feb 3 The Hussy Hicks + Matt Zarb +

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Jade Gannon + Emma Davison + Sare McLennan + John Newsome

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Australian Hotel, Ballina Balance

Dubmarine + Tin Can Radio

Sawtell RSL

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Byron Bay Ex Services Club

Tues, Feb 22 Bill Jacobi

Liss n Sweetie + Paul Rothenbuhler + Jacob Pearson

Goonellabah Tavern

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Shawn Lidster EP Launch +

ME

Sun, Feb 20 Sunday Sounds w/- DJ’s Eamsey &

Merewether Fats

Finnian’s Irish Tavern, Port Macq

Surf Club Fundraiser

Twin Towns Ex Services Club

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

The Weekenders

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Phil Mayer

A&I Hall, Bangalow

Wil Anderson

Mum Says Rock

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Carl Baron

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Port Macquarie Hotel

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Sat, Feb 26

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Lennox Point Hotel

Wed, Feb 2 Inhale The Sea + I Am The Agent

Shybaby

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Cessnock Performing Arts Cent.

Cessnock Performing Arts Cent.

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Guy Katchel

Vince Jones

Yamba Bowling Club

Martha Wainwright

First Avenue Cinema, Sawtell

Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar

19 Feb

2 Some

Tattersall’s Hotel, Lismore

Jimeoin

Brewery, Byron Bay

Tues, Feb 1 Carl Baron

Joel Cook Band + Bats Vs Snakes

Treehouse, Byron Bay

Planet Love Sound + M Jack Bee

14 Feb

Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Vika & Linda Bull

Psycho Magnet The Weekenders

Timothy Carroll + Husky +

11 Feb

Port Macquarie Hotel

Darron Hanlon

Mon, Feb 28 Great Northern Hotel, Byron Wayne Evans

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Bob Corbett

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Heart Attack and Vine

Sun, Feb 6 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Mission In Motion + Stealing O’Neal Follow us on Twitter

gig Guide Newcastle Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf Carl Baron

King Street Hotel, Newcastle Tenzin

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Jez Mead + Benjalu

Vika and Linda Bull

Queens Wharf Brewery, Newc Boom Crash Opera

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Shawn O’Friel

Sydney College Of The Arts Laneway Festival

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Hell Bent

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Robert Paul Burton + Dave and the Demons

Sat, Feb 12 Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter

Mon, Feb 7

Joe Cocker + George Thorogood + Diesel + The Dingoes

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Two Door Cinema Club + Parades

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle I Exist + Phantoms + The Hollow + Caverns

Centennial Park, Sydney

Yeasayer + Ghoul

Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney

Good Vibes

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Jenny and Johnny

Carl Baron

Tues, Feb 8

Erina Leagues Club Troy Henderson + Nick & Liesl +

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf

Trent Crawford + Shawn Lidster.

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Carl Baron

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Nova and the Experience EP Launch + Lime Cordial

Deerhunter

Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney Warpaint

Hamilton Station Hotel, Newc Mad Charlie

West Leagues Club, Lambton Belinda Carlisle

Lizotte’s, New Lambton Vika and Linda Bull

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Old Man River + Passenger + Daniel Lee Kendall

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Daniel March

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington The Dennis Boys

Sun, Feb 13 Civic Theatre, Newcastle Belinda Carlisle

Wed, Feb 9 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Tillegra Damned

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Foals + Last Dinosaurs

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Crystal Cove + Melody Pool + Rhys Zacher

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf Carl Baron

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Sarah Humphreys + Jo Caseley + Sam Buckingham

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Carl Baron

Lizotte’s, New Lambton Kieran Kane + David Francey

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Steve Edmonds + Pat Cappocci

Zoe K

Wed, Feb 16 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Shivering Indies

Fado Bica + Luke Pittman +

Aaron Auld + Kathryn Hartnett

!!! + World’s End Press + Super Melody

Thur, Feb 10 Metro Theatre, Sydney Local Natives

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Blind Lemon + Dillian James + The Tone Bakers

Fri, Feb 11 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle One Vital Word

Civic Theatre, Newcastle Carl Baron

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Lloyd Cole Small Ensemble

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Benny T + Deni Hourihan + Sophiella Watt + Reggae Got Soul Find us on Facebook

Martha Wainwright

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Swervedriver

Cotton, Keays and Morris

Terrigal Hotel

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Purple Sneakers DJs

Paul Greene

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Nick Saxon

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Adam Miller

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Milestones

Sat, Feb 26

Annandale Hotel, Sydney

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle GLB Hardbass

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Wireflys + Sleight of Hand

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Nicholas Roy + Georgia Fair

Hamilton Station Hotel, Newc

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

King Street Hotel, Newcastle Lizotte’s, Kincumber

25 Feb

Paul Greene

26 Feb

James Morrison

2 Mar

Rent

3 Mar

Holy Throsby

4 Mar

Petulant Fenzy play

Roxy Music + Mondo Rock Bright Knights

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Vince Jones

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

James Morrison

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Rick Price

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Shawn O’Friel

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

Tricky

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

The Blues Bombers

Guineafowl + Long Island Sound + Of The Red Sea

Queens Wharf Brewery, Newc You Am I

Frank Zappa

Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

5 Mar

Bob Corbett

8 Mar

Annandale Hotel, Sydney Black Mountain

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Allon Silove

Sun, Feb 27 The Waifs + Mama Kin

Eastern Creek Raceway, Sydney

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

10 Mar

The Roberson Brothers

11 Mar

Eugene Hideaway Bridges

12 Mar

Renée Geyer

13 Mar

Mat McHugh (The Beautiful Girls)

Soundwave 2011 w/- Iron Maiden + Queens of the Stone Age + One Day

Fishkicker

As A Lion + Slayer + Primus + Slash

Masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

Bright Knights

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

17 Mar

Chain

18 Mar

Ash Grunwald - Show Day

24 Mar

Ed Kuepper

+ Thirty Seconds To Mars + Stone

Gee Wizz

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Sour + Bullet For My Valentine +

Luke Pittman + The Firetree + Daniel March + DecembeR

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Murderdolls + Rob Zombie + Social Distortion + Millencolin + Gang Of Four + New Found Glory +

Renny Field + Chelsea Reed Trio +

Pennywise + Bring Me The Horizon

Jacob Pearson + Robbie Macaulay &

+ Sum 41 + Anberlin + Dimmu

Gareth Hudson

Borgir + The Gaslight Anthem + Coheed and Cambria + Third Eye

w/ Mark Dawson 25 Mar

Gareth Liddiard w/ Dan Kelly

Amity Affliction + Monster Magnet +

26 Mar

Catherine Britt

Silverstein + Terror + MXPX +

1 Apr

Mental As Anything

Protest The Hero + Melvins + 36 Crazyfists + Ill Nino + The Ataris

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Adam Hole and Marji Curran Band

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Martha Wainwright

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Jenny Morris

Caribou + Four Tet

I Am Kloot

The Café at the Gate of Salvation

Sun, Feb 20

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Gaelic Club, Sydney

17-18 Feb Martha Wainwright Rock trivia night

Niksta

Dan Parsons + Steve Grady

Danny Bhoy

Valentine’s Day with Zoe K

24 Feb

Hope Estate, Hunter Valley

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Vandalism

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Francey

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

The Eternal

Thur, Feb 17

Safe Hands

Vika & Linda Bull Kieran Kane & David

Rick Price

Less Than Jake + The Bronx + The

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

12 Feb 13 Feb

19 Feb

Blind + Devildriver + Sevendust +

Fri, Feb 18

Adam Harvey

Little Feed Frenzy

Marty Worrall

Resistance + Revenge + Bert & Ernie

5 Feb

The Little Stevies + Birds and Belles +

The Humm + The Elevators +

Rampage

Damien Leith

14 Feb

Sat, Feb 19 Black Mountain

3 Feb

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Snowdroppers

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

every Wednesday night

Purple Sneakers DJs

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Don’t forget — Live & Local

Taken By Force

Lizotte’s, New Lambton

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Violet Highway

NEWCASTLE

Fri, Feb 25 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Rick Price

Wed, Feb 23

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Metro Theatre, Sydney

DecembeR

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Mon, Feb 14

Shaun Lidster EP Launch + Nick Kingswell

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Renny Field

Thur, Feb 24 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Paul Greene

Lizotte’s, New Lambton Rock Trivia

Sydney Entertainment Centre Iron Maiden

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Funk Party + Dead Beats + Psycho Pucko

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

For bookings and information,

Mama Jane Blues Band + Dave &

phone (02) 4956 2066

the Demons

or visit lizottes.com.au

Mon, Feb 28 Enmore Theatre, Sydney Primus + The Melvins

Luna Park Big Top, Sydney Stone Sour + Coheed and Cambria + Sevendust + 36 Crazyfists

Newcastle Entertainment Cent Rihanna reverb magazine issue #055 — February 2011 31

act yo age

I

t’s been a long time coming, as the boys from Sydney tech-house duo Act Yo Age explain. “This is our most major release to date,” says Shivers. “We feel like there has been a major leap in the quality of the tracks.

It’s music that we’ve been wanting to make for a long time and we’re only just getting in touch with that sound now. At the same time, we’ve signed with Southern Fried Recordings which is a huge deal for us because it is a label with an amazing international stable being home to Crookers, Armand Van Helden and the like. That’s been the key for us — the fact that with this label we’re exposed to a truly international audience. In that sense, the EP has been perfect for them too because it’s such a global offering musically. At the same time, it still caters to the cooler dance-floors in Australia — it’s jacking organic, house and techno, and it draws inspiration from the global-house sound.”

To call Love From Below a turning point for Act Yo Age would be something of an understatement. With their sights firmly set on putting a musical stamp on the overseas market, the pair are eventually planning an extended sojourn to the ‘Hollywood’ of techno — Berlin, Germany.

“Soon we will be releasing more original music,” reveals Shivers. “We’ve got about five tracks ready to go for our next EP, or the next two EPs. The plan is to turn AYA into an international brand and we’ve already had solid exposure overseas. We have played some pretty iconic venues in Europe and Asia in the last 12-months, playing Social Club in Paris last year was definitely a wild highlight. In the next 12-months we’ll be continuing to focus on representing ourselves internationally as much as possible.

We’ve been making gradual moves towards

32 reverb

magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

Acting Up It’s always been about the thrill of the journey for Sydney twosome Act Yo Age, but it’s ever so sweet when you’re that much closer to the destination — the bright lights of Berlin, Germany, that is. With (Fatboy Slim) Norman Cook’s Southern Fried imprint behind them and a first major international release in EP, Love From Below, under their belts, Shivers and Pablo Calamari’s unique twist on warm tech-house is quite literally about to conquer the world. By Nina Brooke. relocating to Berlin — it’s pretty much the city of our dreams. We’ve got a fan-base there, and so many great friends too and there is a massive network of amazing artists like Jesse Rose, Zombie Disco Squad, Renaissance Man, and Oliver-$. It’s the perfect location

— it’s a truly cosmopolitan city, like Paris but with a much more vibrant culture, and it is really affordable living there.”

With Berlin’s infamous Jackmode Agency also in their corner, Act Yo Age are set to become one of Australia’s biggest exports

in house and techno in 2011.

Success has not come overnight and the last six months has proved a long wait for the duo — but you can bet things are about to skyrocket in the new year, according to Calamari. “We were embargoed by Southern Fried since February, which meant we couldn’t release original material with any other label. At least in that time we’ve been able to deliver a whole lot of wicked remixes for artists like Drop The Lime, Jesse & Crabbe, Mommas Boy and, of course, for Crookers’ single, ‘Royal T’ which featured Róisín Murphy from Moloko. We have just finished another remix for Camel and we are always working on new original material.”

In dance music things certainly do move fast, and in that sense the boys’ early works with cult Aussie imprint Sweat It Out may seem now like a lifetime ago. “We released our first EP with Sweat It Out at the end of 2008,” Shivers says. “Two singles followed and in 2009 we were humbled to be asked to mix the comp, Sweat It Out, Vol-2. We love the crew there. They are our dear friends and our true Australian spiritual home. Matt and Jaxxy were the first ones to really push us and champion our sound to audiences here and further afield to really start us on our path.”

With the thrill of the ride sure to carry the guys for many years to come, AYA are at peace with their current success and looking to the future. “We are proud of what we have become and what we have built here,” states Calamari. “More and more Europe is calling — it’s a matter of having the courage to say goodbye to our friends and family in Australia and make the jump.”

Act Yo Age are to perform at the King Street Hotel in Newcastle on Friday, February 4.

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t h e wai f s

Lead me into Temptation Temptation has a very laid back, reflective mood. Was it important to capture that spirit in the recording process?

No, it’s just the way that it came out. We weren’t sure we were even going to make another album after SunDirtWater, but we did a couple of small tours in the States and had a heap of songs, so we thought, let’s just get these songs down live and if it sounds good, we’ll release it. Music is something we love to do. It’s a great opportunity to get together and indulge ourselves in our own creative pursuits.

We’re all getting on now; some of us are in our 40s… not me (laughs). 2012 will be the band’s 20th anniversary if we can stick it out that long.

What is it like to be in a band with three songwriters with their own style and spark?

We’re very respectful of each other’s creative process. We weren’t always that way; we’ve grown up a little bit now. If one of us brings a song forward and the others aren’t into it, it’s politely ignored or forgotten about. Some of the songs appearing now were set aside five years ago. You bring them back out and they’re heard with fresh

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Recorded over just ten days within a Minneapolis basement, Temptation is The Waifs’ sixth record and perhaps the band’s strongest collective vision yet.

Matt Petherbridge spoke with one-third of The Waifs — singer/songwriter Vikki Thorn — about changing tastes, upcoming milestones and cabin fever. ears and they go “Oh that’s really good, I like it” because your tastes have changed or you’re at a different point at your life.

It sounds like you would have a lot of B-sides stockpiled.

We could compile a whole album of our B-sides to release right now! I was just thinking of all the recordings we’ve done over the years, even when we record albums, there’s always a couple of tracks that don’t make it. I have to talk to the band about that.

I love the Lynyrd Skynyrd feel to ‘Somedays’, one of the songs that you contributed to Temptation. What inspired this track?

I wrote ‘Somedays’ after I spent my first autumn in southern Utah. Everybody said that I’d hate it, but I loved it. However, winter came and it was miserable, we spent three or four months snowed in the house, it was freezing cold and the wind was howling. I was housebound. I was writing

directly about what I was feeling at that moment, which was very stuck.

The Waifs have announced a fairly comprehensive Australian tour. Do you find it rewarding to reach out to regional communities?

I get a lot out of playing those regional communities, that’s where the band cut its teeth. In Western Australia, we used to play up and down the coast, every little town, every weekend from Albany up to Broome — it’s close to 2,500–3,000kms. Those communities supported us when we needed it and they are very appreciative when music comes to town.

Do you find there’s greater financial security being in an independent band?

Or do you find it impossible to make money from touring?

Touring Australia is our bread and butter; it’s supported us over 19 years. I would go

so far to say, it has supported us more so than album sales, aside from when ‘London Still’ was on the radio and we sold a lot of albums. I’m interested to see where this tour goes because the economy is suffering a little bit. Since I’ve moved back here, I can’t believe how expensive it is to buy food! I think we’ll come out ahead on this tour; we’ve always come out ahead. We have a very loyal following.

What’s on the cards for the rest of 2011?

Will you be touring overseas?

We might do some festivals in the States, I’m hoping we’ll get the chance to do more than the Australian tour, because I’d like to give the songs the chance to develop and mature live. With songs we’ve just recorded, they’ve only ever been performed live once and a song will change the more you play it.

The Waifs, with Mama Kin supporting, will be playing the Civic Theatre, Newcastle, on Sunday February 27, and the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Tuesday March 1. Temptation will be released early March through Jarrah Records and MGM.

reverb magazine issue #055 — February 2011 33

george thorogood — old man river & passenger

Hi, George.

Nick, in New South Wales — as opposed to Old South Wales.

‘Chain Of Fools’ by Aretha Franklin. I select the material that is right for what I can do.

I think that’s served us well.

That’s right.

I’m in modern times, man. I’m with the new stuff.

Have you met many of your blues heroes and have they given you positive feedback about the blues that you play?

I’ve met and played with just about all my heroes. Some of them have [liked what I do].

Some of them have said nothing. Usually the ones you cover who have made a lot of money, are the ones that come over and tell you you’re okay (laughs).

Well, I suppose we’re a newer country compared to others.

You know, I brought that up the other day [in an interview]. I was asked what countries I like to play in and I said, “The United States, Canada and Australia — and not in any particular order. Because they’re still young countries compared to the other countries in the world.” And rock music, which is what I play basically, is a youthorientated phenomenon. So naturally, a younger culture is going to receive what we do with a lot of energy — there’s a lot of energy in Australia.

When was your first trip here?

1981. It’s been a good relationship over 30 years.

GOOD WITH THE BAD

What are your strongest memories of that first tour?

The people. The energy. How they received us.

Then I asked myself, “Why wouldn’t they go for you, George? ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’? This is your home!” Australia is a home away from home. I’ve always said, “If they could put Australia where Hawaii is, it would solve a lot of my problems (laughs).”

It’s expensive to play there, but the audiences are tailor-made to what we do.

We played a town called Rockhampton.

We should do a live album there. It was really one of the last strongholds of the old Australian boogie people. Not really touristy.

A hardcore working place. We played in a

Undeniably a legend of blues rock, George Thorogood has spent his career championing the rawer side of blues rock. Influenced by the greats, like John Lee Hooker, the Delaware native has impacted popular music with hits like ‘Bad To The Bone’ and ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’. He tells Nick Milligan why he has felt an affinity with Australia for three decades. rodeo arena with a dirt floor. Imagine that.

It was awesome. I thought, this is Australia at its best. That energy is everywhere we go in Australia. It’s a primitive outlet for what we do — if a song’s got more than two chords, [the crowds] aren’t interested.

You’ve released a lot of your own songs over the years, but you’ve also released a number

Touring Troubadours Troubadours Old Man River (Ohad Rein) and Passenger (Mike Rosenberd) have just embarked on a co-headlining national tour. The duo have ditched their electric guitars and bandmates, opting for an intimate, ‘solo acoustic’ setting instead. Max Quinn caught the travelling twosome for a chat before their opening night in Newcastle.

A collaborative Old Man River/Passenger tour feels to me like of one of those chocolate and peanut butter scenarios. It’s just a genuinely good idea. How did the tour come about?

Old Man River Chocolate and peanut butter? Does that go well together?

Passenger Mate! Have you never had a Snickers bar?

Old Man River I’ve had a Reese’s… is that close? The tour was the brainchild of our booking agent. I didn’t actually know of Mike beforehand, but when I listened to his stuff I felt like it would be a really good combination. Even when we met, violins were playing… it was love.

Passenger It really was a beautiful moment, wasn’t it? I’ll cherish it forever.

The both of you are fairly well travelled as musicians. How does that impact your songwriting?

Passenger Definitely, with my last record, it was all about travelling. I was travelling around Australia busking and meeting people, and I feel like that comes across in the songs. They have a very transient feel.

Old Man River I started recording my last album here in Sydney, and think I wasn’t getting excited about the process at the time. Out of habit, I did what I feel like

34 reverb

magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

I definitely do know how to do, and I purchased a ticket to India and recorded the rest of the album over there. That definitely influenced the songs because I was recording with people and instruments that you just can’t record with here in Australia.

How does it work, then, shifting from a studio where you can make use of people and instruments, and moving to the ‘solo’ format of the upcoming tour?

Passenger I haven’t played with a full band in nearly two years now. I went off busking back in England, and by playing solo and acoustically, I really was able to connect with the people. It’s difficult to find a balance in a bigger band between sound and narrative. My music is quite lyrically led, so the solo acoustic thing has been really cool for me. There’s a real freedom to it.

Old Man River It’s really hard to choose what to have for dinner when you’re with a band. Four or five people will all want different things to eat. It’s hard.

Passenger That is one of the biggest obstacles facing any band. Finding something to eat, period. The freedom to choose is the nicest part about it.

You both mentioned that the solo acoustic

of famous covers. What’s your process in approaching someone else’s material?

I try to get something that nobody’s ever heard before. Something that nobody’s ever covered. I look at material the same way an actor looks at a script. There’s something that’s right for me. In other words, I know my limitations. I’m not going to do ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. I’m not going to do

Blues has been a main influence for you, but have other genres influenced you too?

I’m a realist. A lot of times when I put together a song I’m usually thinking of another artist.

I would love to have heard Hank Williams Jr do ‘Born To Be Bad’. I wanted Muddy Waters to do ‘Bad To The Bone’. I wanted Dean Martin to do ‘I Drink Alone’. I wanted Merle Haggard to do ‘Oklahoma Sweetheart’.

But no one was interested! I couldn’t get an answer from any of these people. So I did those songs.

Do you play a lot when you’re not touring or do you like to take a break?

I’ve never embraced the idea of rehearsal or practice! I do what I’ve gotta do. I start looking at the calendar and I’m thinking [the tour] is getting close. I better pick up the guitar and get my hands moving. I’m lazy as hell. I had all the natural ingredients to be a musician. My parents said, “You’re lazy as hell. You have no ambition. All you want to do is lie around and get drunk. You may as well be a musician.”

George Thorogood and The Destroyers perform with Joe Cocker at Bimbadgen Estate on Saturday, February 12.

format is advantageous for storytelling and narrative. I feel like good storytelling is something that has experienced resurgence in the public eye quite recently. Is being able to sell a good story more important to musicians now than it was maybe ten years ago?

Old Man River We’re soaked by all kinds of music in the modern day. A lot of people have a lot of access to basically anything that they want to listen to. I think that by that logic, there’s always going to be room for the singer songwriter in music Passenger I think that more than anything, it’s really important to just do your own thing.

You can spend your whole life worrying about what’s in fashion, but I couldn’t, for example, turn around and drop some dance beats behind my music because dance music was the flavour of the month.

The last Passenger record was entirely a collaborative affair. As far as I can see, there’s only one name missing from the album insert. When can we expect a Passenger/ Old Man River collaboration?

Passenger It’s interesting you bring that up! In fact, we’ve just been working on something over the last couple of weeks.

It’s nothing big, just a little promo video and song that you can expect to be hitting your respective internets in a couple of weeks.

Old Man River The only clue I can give you is ‘Kate Hudson’. Don’t get your hopes up, though, she’s not directly involved.

Old Man River, Passenger and Daniel Lee Kendall are to performing at the Northern Star Hotel in Hamilton on Saturday, February 12.

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Photography by Linda Wales Modelling by Bonnie Hanson and Elyse Cochrane Make-up by Danielle Hampton Styling by Cris White

magazine issue #055 — february 2011

above, and above left Bonnie wears red polka dot halter $35, black booty shorts $55, single row studded wrist band $8. Elyse wears black swallow singlet $35, black booty shorts $55, bandanna $7, double row studded wrist band $10, fishnet stockings $12.

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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 i n d a wa l e s

Bonnie wears Black burlesque baby singlet $35, black knuckle duster mini skirt with inbuilt shorts $35, bandana $7, kitty

Bonnie wears Sailor halter top $39, sailor ruffle skirt $35,

necklace $20, knee high socks $7. Elyse wears Black swallow singlet $35, purple guitars and lightning bolts mini skirt with

shock culture ring $8. Elyse wears Sailor halter dress $59.

in-built shorts $35, lightning bolt necklace $15, fishnet stockings $12, over-the-knee socks $10.

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reverb magazine issue #055 — february 2011 37

motoring

“ If you are a one-eyed HSV supporter, better run away now and have a cry in the corner.”

It’s funny how some people see themselves as Fordies or Holden heads, because we really couldn’t give a toss. Chuck us the keys to a Holden and, yeah, we’ll take it for a spin.

Same applies to Fords — we like cars from both sides of the red/blue spectrum, though we would probably play it safe in some circles and say nothing. Sometimes, one model from these two local warriors is definitively better than its main competitor holding sway in strengths vs weaknesses when compared back-to-back. This is how the current, on-going FPV and HSV war has panned out in 2011, specifically, the FPV GT up against the HSV Clubbie R8.

Put simply, we reckon the GT is a better drive than the Clubbie not only because it outguns the Holden for power but also has better manners on the road and is a sharper tool through corners and under brakes. If you are a one-eyed HSV supporter, better run away now and have a cry in the corner. The FPV GT actually fits in between the R8 and the HSV GTS for dollars so it’s not exactly comparing apples with apples but you have to start somewhere. The GT goes for $71,290 and has more kit than the R8 at $69,600 though the Clubbie wins in engine capacity well and truly.

The GT fills the bill as a big and boofy four door sedan that has some distant connection with V8 Supercars — the more so now that its engine is actually a 5.0-litre V8. The similarity ends there because the GT is a high-tech device, whereas V8 Supercars are based on old-tech. The new GT, with a supercharger bolted into the vee of the engine

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magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

An FPV GT For Me r e vi e wed

Ford Performance Vehicles – GT r e vi e wed by

Peter Douglas really nails it in the go department and backs that up with tidy dynamics headed by a set of big Brembo brakes and sports calibrated suspension.

The new GT is the most powerful ever built and is good for 335kW/570Nm output thanks, in part, to an Eaton 1900 supercharger refined locally by Harrop. The same company is used by Walkinshaw Performance to boost various Holdens and HSVs. But whyoh-why didn’t FPV go the whole hog and give the GT a full 500 horsepower (380kW) to really set the dogs barking. Perhaps that’s been reserved for the HO version mooted for later this year.

The engine is a lift from Ford’s Mustang and is designated the Coyote V8. It’s about 50kg lighter than the previous 5.4-litre V8 and passes more stringent Euro 4 emissions.

The engine arrives in bits at Prodrive in Melbourne where it’s hand-assembled by one engine builder apiece who dutifully sign their handiwork for posterity. They add the blower in Melbourne and quite a few other

locally sourced parts.

The result is a brilliant powerplant with more get-up than anyone will ever need. It feels a bit like a 500 horsepower V8 due to the wave of torque that hits at around 2000rpm.

This is one of the biggest differences between the GT and the HSV GTS or R8 which needs to rev to get going. It makes the FPV GT an engaging drive on winding roads, off the line and during roll-on acceleration. And FPV has done a better job with its bi-modal four-tip exhaust that has a raunchy howl once the throttle passes halfway mark. It’s not the high end model but is possibly quickest in FPV’s range because the GTP and GT-E have more kit and more weight.

The GT benefits from Ford’s handy humanmachine interface system in the centre console, button start, seven-mode trip computer, audible shift alert at 6200rpm, premium audio and Bluetooth among a range of goodies. The sports seats have cloth upholstery. Handling is boosted by a set of 19-inch tyres and a limited slip differential.

We got a steer of the six-speed manual version with a Tremec gearbox and found it to be good to use once you become accustomed to the firm change action. After tooling around in the GT for a few days we were taken by surprise when we floored it and the thing absolutely took off. Got our

attention that’s for sure. Then we pointed it at the winding place and cut loose. It’s quite astonishing what a car this size and weight can do when it’s properly set up. Pity the stability control system is pessimistic and intrudes on your driving experience. We finally deactivated it, which isn’t necessarily the ideal situation on public roads.

Still, the GT was impressive, hooking in to corners, soaking up the bumps and diving deep under brakes though that tended to drop away after a while due to the GT’s weight.

Coming out the other side is just as good with the quad exhausts bellowing and the supercharger howling — like a mad beast.

Couldn’t get enough of this action and nearly ran out of fuel as a result.

Once the silliness was out of the way, the GT resumed its poise, rumbling along the freeway just like a GT car should, eating kilometres in comfort. Dunno which one we’d go for because the manual is a cracker; but so is the six speed auto, with the added benefit of being a better thing in traffic.

The auto is a no cost option — better again.

We like the look, the feel and the goodies this car has. It’s even a fairly accessible price — sort of.

Can’t wait for the GTHO — rumoured to be here before the end of the year.

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s to o g e d t h e at r e

You have made a commitment to produce only contemporary theatre during your 2011 season. As a company that is associated with the classics, was the decision to focus on only contemporary theatre a difficult one?

Since our first production in 2003, Stooged has been associated with large cast comedies, and mainly Shakespearian works. Our first major departure from this was in 2009 when a decision was made to try the challenging and contemporary work of American writer Neil LaBute. The Shape Of Things only had four actors and dealt with some pretty emotional issues, but proved to be a hit with the company and audiences alike. The fact the production got nominated for four professional Newcastle Theatre awards (winning one for Best Actress) certainly reinforced that it was a step in the right direction and at a

like many conversations I’d had before, only with much better dialogue. I found this part of the play (and mainly the fantastic arguments) to be both incredibly funny and very interesting.

I think audiences will find themselves choosing favourite characters depending on what side of the debate they are on — it certainly gets very heated at points.

The central theme of Rabbit, however, is about getting older and how people deal with that. This is something we can all associate with, and this was the part of the play that stayed with me long afterwards. It is very powerful stuff and deserves all the awards it has received. I’m confident we can do it justice in March.

members have had to slowly build their craft and learn from past mistakes to get to where we are at now. After nine years I feel like Stooged has only recently started to find its feet and begin to appeal to a wider audience base — I could not be more proud of the shows we have produced in the last two years.

There are also a lot of theatre companies in Newcastle. Luckily, as a collective, the companies tend to support each other.

Companies like Tantrum Theatre, PantSeat Productions, Newcastle Theatre Company and the Uni have all helped out Stooged productions in the last couple of years with costumes, sets and publicity which has been a great help.

There are also pretty large costs associated with getting a show off the ground, which can be a gamble as you don’t know what audience numbers will be. Newcastle City

Down the Rabbit Hole As Stooged Theatre enters its ninth season, it leaves behind the Shakespearian classics in favour of the contemporary and thought-provoking. Kevin Bull speaks with the artistic director, Carl Young, about producing theatre in Newcastle, rabbits, and being included in the Inspirations Subscription season for the first time. meeting in mid-2010 we decided as an ensemble that contemporary was the way to go.

As you enter into your ninth year, I would like to hear your thoughts on what it has been like to establish a theatre company in Newcastle.

It was incredibly hard starting out, and

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Council has given Stooged grants over the last few years to subsidise our rent at the Playhouse because they seem to like what we do, so that has been very valuable.

Your first production for the year is UK playwright Nina Raine’s Rabbit, a play that was awarded an Evening Standard award for best new play in 2006, and earned

Raine a London Critics’ Circle award for most promising playwright. What were your thoughts when you first saw Rabbit?

There are parts of Rabbit I associated with straight away. For the main part it shows five people in their twenties sitting around a bar drinking and talking about the issues that affect them: love, sex, relationships and the differences between the sexes. It was

Rabbit will be performing in March as part of the Civic Theatre’s Inspirations Subscription season, a first for the company.

What has the play’s inclusion meant for Stooged?

The subscription season puts Stooged alongside professional touring companies from Australia and around the world. It is a huge honour to be included in the 2011 season.

For Stooged it has meant a huge increase in publicity by getting our name out there to theatre goers who may not have heard of us before. It also shows an incredible vote of confidence from the Civic precinct for including us — they must think we’re okay.

Stooged hopes this is the first of many subscription seasons with the Civic for years to come.

Stooged Theatre will be presenting Rabbit as part of the Civic Theatre Inspirations Subscription season, March 2–12 at the Civic Playhouse.

reverb magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011 39

roller derby

TALKING SHOP Profiling music industry professionals

Name?

Graham Seaton Who do you work for?

Ruffneck Promotions Current position title?

Venue booking agent, office morale expert How long have you been in this position?

Four years What are the main responsibilities of your position?

Booking bands for The Cambridge Hotel (and sometimes The Plantation in Coffs) and making sure everybody knows they’re playing. I also manage a band called Long Island Sound.

How did you get involved in the music industry?

When a DJ friend was looking for someone to book bands at a club he worked at, I volunteered. One thing led to another… history was made.

Proudest moment?

Any sell-out show is a proud moment. I also get a kick out of watching a local band play their first show at the Cambridge to 50 people, then coming back and playing their fifth show to 200 people.

Is there anyone you would really like to meet (living or dead)?

Eddie Vedder and Robert De Niro.

Best live show you’ve been to?

I can’t decide between Oasis at The Civic Theatre in 2002 and Pearl Jam at Acer Arena in 2006 Favourite venue?

The Cambo.

Favourite musical instrument? iPhone To whom should we be listening?

Original bands at The Cambridge.

What would be on your ultimate rider?

A case of Carlton Draught; water crackers with cheese and salami; some pickled onions; and a packet of deli rock sea salt chips.

Best way to spend a Sunday morning?

Sleeping.

Any advice for people trying to break into the industry?

Start small, organise a local bill at a pub before organising the next Big Day Out. Work for free and work hard.

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magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

scarz ‘n’ strikez

calamity cutthroat

The Hottest Thing on Eight Wheels It could be fair to say that no other sport has undergone a bigger facelift and makeover in the last decade than roller derby. Gone are the endurance races of over a century ago, replaced with a predominantly female, full-contact sport that was improved by putting it to a punkabilly beat. There’s a new cut to the ‘derby girl’ costume that is universal, but who orchestrated this takeover? Kevin Bull gets his skates on…

The story of roller derby has many a twist.

There have been great success (over 50,000 fans at the Oakland colosseum in 1972), dwindling crowds (less than 200 in San Francisco in 1958), and now an underground revolt that on the surface appears as a peaceful takeover. The game is still the same, the rules are unchanged, yet the soundtrack to which the contemporary roller derby rolls is very different.

The seeds of contemporary roller derby were sown in 2002 in the American south — Austin, Texas, to be precise. With no affiliation to the sport’s history, this grassroots DIY revival has taken a sport that was tired and near forgotten, and reclothed it as their own. “Elements of the old game still survive,” explains Fallen Star of the Newcastle roller derby league, “and the vintage/retro fashions that you see now are both an expression of the modern retro revival, and also a way of enhancing the alter-egos that grow within the game. Every superhero has a costume.”

And every alter-ego has their derby name, a “secret password to an exclusive club”, as Fallen Star so eloquently puts it, where your mild-mannered mothers, shop assistants, receptionists and business professionals can strip away their daytime uniform, strap on their skates, take on their derby personality and become a different person.

“Being able to take on a persona whilst skating is all part of the fun and empowerment, and often the line between persona and personality are blurred.”

With derby names such as Skarz ‘n’ Strikz, Calamity Cutthroat and Kamikaze un-Leesh-ed skating the local rinks, it is refreshing to hear that the grinding of teeth stops once the skates are removed. “The derby world is like no other culture I have ever seen,” says Calamity Cutthroat of the Newcastle

roller derby league. “We are a heavy duty sporting club but we are also a family. I spend more time with my squad than my real family.”

It is this sense of sisterhood that I hear often. As the president of the newly formed Central Coast Roller Girls, Jodie Stephenson explains, “It’s the lack of judgement amongst the girls. You can be who you are from any walk of life and your team loves you anyway.

A mum of three is out there with an 18 yearold fresh out of school, a tattooed punk, a former figure skater… anyone is welcome — it’s called “derby love”.

The spectacle of a roller derby bout is like no other sport. Fast paced and full of the derby girls’ personality, there is an air of ‘take no prisoners’ on the rink. With the Central Coast Roller Girls media officer, Linda Wales, putting it more simply, “chicks skating around bashing each other is way hotter than guys doing it.” But what is it that attracts the girls to pull on the skates, and why are we seeing so many tattoos, fishnets and hotpants?

“The girls have decided it is time to see some female empowerment”, offers Kate Tomlinson of the Sydney roller derby league.

“To step up to the challenge that girls can play rough… and possibly look better at it too. The fact that derby isn’t a girly girl sport like netball means you have to be a little tougher than the average girl to play this sport, and that type of girl is generally not your average girl but an alternative girl looking for something more. Also, most rockabilly or alternative girls appreciate the look of derby a lot more. Some girls become their derby persona once dressed up and on the track, and you wouldn’t guess it’s the same girl a few hours earlier who is quiet and shy. For some it’s the female bonding thing

fallen star

including the fact that most teams have some lesbians within their teams and within derby, that’s cool… no one cares about sexuality.

They are there to play a sport and have fun with the girls! The costumes and music just add to the fun of it all!”

When posed the question of what is attracting girls who are into alternate subculture to roller derby, the answer revolves around the simple emotions of acceptance, and expression without judgement. When you consider that any alternate culture, be it punk, rockabilly or goth, that sits outside of the perceived mainstream, the feeling of being accepted by your peers is paramount.

To find this within a sport, where your subculture is actually encouraged and embraced is unique.

Kamikaze un-Leesh-ed of the Newcastle roller derby league confirmed my thoughts.

“I think it appeals to so many people who don’t fit in anywhere else or want to participate in a sport that also has another side to it that makes it more interesting than something like netball or soccer.” Suzie Tomlinson of the Western Sydney Rollers continued this thought, “roller derby is an unusual/different sport and I guess that may be why it attracts alternative girls. I don’t think it’s because of it being a primarily female sport as netball is also primarily female and doesn’t attract the same demographic. I also don’t think it’s the contact as there other contact women’s sports that again, don’t attract alternative girls. I guess the dressing up for bouts probably helps to attract alternative girls because where else can you play a sport and wear fishnets and makeup? I do love dressing up!”

So is this a case of which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did contemporary roller derby evolve from the alternate subcultures, or did the alternate sub-cultures evolve into contemporary roller derby?

Either way, roller derby is expanding worldwide in the hands of women who live an alternate lifestyle, and when they strap on the skates in the evening, they roll for their very own sport. For Calamity Cutthroat, “roller derby teaches you to channel your aggression, overcome your fears, achieve an amazing level of fitness, step out of your comfort zone and feel good about yourself… oh, and smash bitches… that’s always a plus in my eyes!”

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live Reviews Interpol Enmore Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, January 4

Interpol ©Ian Laidlaw

Interpol sparked the flock of ears with ‘Success’ from their latest album Interpol; The Sydney showing abidingly resonated in more than just a poetic form of success.

As the night progressed it was plain to see Paul Banks (vocals, guitar) and Daniel Kessler (guitar, vocals) were enjoying the fruits of their fourth labour. A perfect merge of Interpol discography provoked iPod nostalgia. This increased traffic in my brain led me to realise that most of the audience would have indulged in Interpol’s music in solitary. The majority of rhythmic movement blanketed itself in unison across the Enmore goers. Summoned by Sam Fogarino’s (drums, percussion) earth shattering precision, his foot and stick attack well and truly on the pulse. The lights doused the band in what seemed a snakebite dream allowing them to riff like beacons within torpid silhouettes. ‘Rest My Chemistry’ reminded us of all those rascal decisions we could have made in a better mind. Fans connected almost intravenously with ‘Take You On a Cruise’ and as the reality of the nights’ end collided with our guts, we were tucked in to the charming comfort of a stellar encore drenched in baritone. ~Terrease McComb

Tumbleweed

occasional summer tours.

Richie’s appeals to the drug-happy jingoism that defined and nearly blinkered their albums… “Hands up, who loves drugs?” was an ironic tilt, but nothing could deny the visceral tug of their tidal guitar onslaughts, the brimming energy and gusto that converted the Northern into a roomful of flailing punters transported back 20 years to their skinny youth.

The band looked delighted with the mayhem they’d made — Richie rampaging across the stage with rockstar shimmy, Lenny, the brains of the outfit, grimly sculpting psychedelic masterpieces from his corner. Paul, maniacally grinning as he surveyed the rock-mad punters, bemoaning his only technical hitch in 20 years — a broken string. Jay, the youngest Curley and an early disciple of vice, looking ravaged beyond his years but delighted to be born into such a vocation. Truly, a happy return to a rock institution. Long may the ’weed grow. ~Mick Daley

tumbleweed ©Sam Paquette

Tumbleweed’s summer tour may have been blighted by Biblical plagues and a distinct dearth of Triple J’s paternal attentions, but there was more venom and fun and pure raunch in every riff-packed number than in any of the fifty hot new things the yoof network flings at us every month.

They rolled and swung and stung like some kind of punch-drunk lurching phenomenon … Ali in Zimbabwe, Keating in question time, the Stones in exile.

The astonishing cavalcade of hits – ‘Healer’, ‘Acid Rain’, ‘Carousel’, ‘Stoned’, reminded us why this band, from the ashes of the already prodigious Proton Energy Pills, engulfed Wollongong and briefly, the international stage before staunch necessity and brotherly feuds confined it to

Little Blak Dress ©kevin bull

Summer Vibes Festival Croatian Club, Newcastle Sunday, January 16

The Havelocks ©kevin bull

New Beginnings Festival Morriset showground January 15-16

Paul Kidney Experience ©Scarlett O’Horror

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Sunday, January 9

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gig of the month

If your idea of a great summer festival involves being groped by overzealous security, sniffed by drug dogs and paying $18 for a bottle of water to stave off heat stroke; and all this only if you were lucky enough to nab an exorbitantly priced ticket between 10am and 10:06am when they sell out, then perhaps the Summer Vibes Festival is not for you. The laidback nature of this indie carnival was one unique to the festival calendar. A wood fire pizza oven manned by a shirtless (and at times pantless) chef, coupled with $2 snags and a wide range of cheap Aussie and international beers set this festival apart. Fans, young and old, of the indie rock/punk/electro scene were out in force either hanging out on the bowls’ lawn or inside being treated to a range of bands. Of note was Kitchen’s Floor who travelled through the floods in Queensland to play for an appreciative crowd. Circle Pit from Sydney were billed too high and were not a solid enough outfit to be so aloof. Thee Oh Sees of California were the obvious draw and had even the darkest members of the pit eating out of their hands. They were obviously appreciative of the reception they received in this far-off land. Looking forward seeing what Summer Vibes has in store next year! ~JESSIE REID

Walking through the main entrance where the sign told me I was entering ‘New Beginings’, expectations were low for the Morisset festival.

Despite the heat, clashing stage set-up and a crowd concerned about escaping the sun, there were enough highlights to keep the 1000-strong crowd entertained.

Bluejuice proved why they are one of the country’s favourite live acts with an as-always emphatic headlining set.

Other headliners, particularly the local ones led by The Seabellies proved worth the wait for a predominantly local crowd.

Early on, things were confusing to say the least, but Little Blak Dress hit the stage and kicked things into gear with their pop-rock tunes. The four-piece were energetic in front of a small crowd.

The Foreign Objects were next on the

G Love and Plutonic Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Sunday, January 16

It’s a pat on the back for the Northo, as an original live music venue, that American blues-fusion man G Love and Aussie beatmaster Plutonic brought their three show tour to Newcastle to promote their forthcoming collaboration, Moonshine Lemonade. There was a genuine sense of excitement in the air as the packed room waited to see just what these two would deliver. After shaking hands and toasting each other side stage, the pair began blasting through their new album of old school flavoured hip-hop tunes, from start to finish. The trilby sporting American

main stage — far too early than they deserved but they didn’t seem to care.

Their set started just as the sun reared its UV-drenched head testing the resolve of even the most hardened festival-goer.

It was a shame the sound wasn’t loud enough on the main stage as the electro/hip-hop shed howled through the site making it even harder to keep punters interested. Highlights included tracks ‘Doing Time’ and ‘Bar Stool Blues’ and, of course, drummer Dave Hall who harks back to a time when rock drummers hit one way … hard. A Bonham-esque crossover drew horns and howls from the crowd, made all the more impressive for how hot it must’ve been on stage. The Snowdroppers, Canyons and The Holdays all showed the future is bright for music in Australia, and, with a few looks at the drawing board, New Beginnings could be a pleasant surprise in years to come. ~James Gallagher

began seated but it wasn’t long before he found his legs and began bobbing around the small stage, rapping verses, soloing on his guitar and wailing on his harmonica.

Plutonic, eyes barely visible from the rakish angle of his cap, hit the tubs with a precise savagery. G Love introduced the first single from Moonshine Lemonade, ‘Fuck It’, with a dedication to the Queenslanders hit by the recent floods. The crowd roared and the song kicked into gear, with middle fingers waving high in the air at the command of the man at the mic. The set was tighter than tight and the mood circulating between the stage and the crowd gathered in the small room made it a top night. ~Nick Bielby

reverb magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011 41

photos © Tim Boehm

peats ridge Festival Review

washington

jezabels

shout out louds

peats ridge festival Peats Ridge, New South Wales December 28 — January 1

What words can I use to voice my amazing experience? Unity, diversity, love, happiness, craziness and the unique untainted feeling of freedom to be whatever and whoever I wanted. This year's Peats Ridge Festival held special importance for me, as two of my friends were married on the first day. To those friends and fellow festival go-ers who witnessed this union, there was a special kind of magic felt, and I think we all saw the endless possibilities that the epic three day festival holds.

The chai temple was a perfect place to start the PRF experience. Jack Carty pleased a relaxed room with his acoustic guitar and small ensembles. His modern folk songs and poetic lyrics had connected with it a very definite travel feel. I just felt like going on a road trip. Sofellia Wait was barefoot and shone the essence that is PRF. It was simple guitar playing, but her quivering, changing vocals and thoughtful lyrics made the performance beautiful. There’s something so intimate about seeing artists in the small area of the chai temple in daylight, as the artists have a chance to see their audience.

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magazine issue #055 — F ebruary 2011

the dynamites

bomba

Angus and Julia Stone was the highlight for me. The popular duo explained to a full house why they love the festival so much and told stories of past performances. Haunting trees in the dark and a sea of peaceful faces was their backdrop. I listened in a trance to the melodic, dreamy, in sync sounds. They were both brilliant, especially Julia’s skill on

her piano, guitar, harmonica and trumpet.

‘Jet Plane’ evoked a roaring appreciation as the crowd sang it for them.

I stopped at and soaked up every last fragment of the festival on January 30.

Sampson gave a talk on Aboriginal philosophies, I did yoga, participated in meditation and listened to motivational talks.

Sitting outside the chai tent on the grass, I ate many different cuisines and listened to the angelic tunes of Amy Vee. Her cover of ‘Glory Box’, by Portishead, was fantastic. Every glance up from a plate of Hari Krishna food revealed snapshots of immense diversity and culture. Alchemical cabaret; an illusion

show, had everyone cringing as he did things like hammer nails up his nose.

The Gin Club on New Year’s Eve were impressive. It was amazing to see these musicians sharing their instruments throughout the performance and taking turns as lead singer. The Oka show was exactly what PRF is all about. The rhythmic electronica, tribal beats and didgeridoo had the crowd dancing and partying as one.

The night was electric and colourful with so many different costumes. New Year’s Eve went out with a massive but peaceful bang, and me and my fairy wings danced until the sun came up. ~Liana McDonald

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photos © Cassandra Hannigan

falls festival Review

wolfmother

The cuban brothers

marina and the diamonds

falls festival Lorne, Victoria December 28 — January 1

joan Jett

paul kelly

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sleigh bells

The highlights of the first full day of music was undoubtedly the twisted, operatic disco of Marina and The Diamonds, who are led by the amazing vocals of gorgeous Welsh-Greek songstress Marina Diamandis.

Paul Kelly drew the largest crowd of any band on the bill. It was amazing to see young kids on each other’s shoulders, singing along to every song of the Australian music icon’s hit-loaded set — particularly as many of them would not have been born when Kelly released ‘Before Too Long’ in 1986, ‘To Her Door’ in 1987 or even ‘Dumb Things’ in 1988. But it was abundantly clear that Kelly’s loyal fanbase has indeed crossed the bridge to Generation Y. Swedish rock group Junip, fronted by tranquil folk singer José Gonzalez, were a surprise highlight.

Vocally, Gonzalez pushes himself further in Junip, whose music is a hybrid of melodic rock and Doors-esque psychedelia.

Two Australian bands on the rise — Boy & Bear and The Jezabels — both completely packed out The Grande Theatre stage, performing to over 5000 people. The Jezabels, in particular, had the crowd spellbound and their epic ballad ‘Hurt Me’ had hands in the air.

New York City’s The Rapture were impressive on stage, proving themselves to be more talented musically than their angular calypso pop might suggest. Singer and guitarist Luke Jenner sounded strong on the microphone and his guitar-work was intricate.

Klaxons were equally impressive — despite the unusual synth-laden sound of their records, on stage they were a force to be reckoned with. Their encore opened

with their cover of Grace’s ‘Not Over Yet’ and was quickly followed by the whirlwind frenzy of ‘Atlantis To Interzone’.

Interpol played a commanding show, blasting their dark rock over a captivated audience.

With singer Paul Banks sporting a mohawk and thick-rimmed glasses, the New York City group played crowd favourites like ‘Say Hello to the Angels’, ‘Evil’ and ‘Safe Hands’, as well as slowburners like ‘Rest My Chemistry’.

Rap luminaries Public Enemy delivered one of the powerful and politically-charged sets that have made them legends of the genre. Focusing on their classic record Fear Of a Black Planet, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release, MCs Chuck D and the always eccentric Flavor Flav, had the crowd in the palm of their hand.

California’s Cold War Kids performed a melodic, blues-rock set, with singer Nathan Willett wailing with distinct purity. The new year was rung in by legendary rock chick Joan Jett and her band The Blackhearts, who opened with the teen anthem ‘Bad Reputation’, before launching into the Runaways hit ‘Cherry Bomb’.

When the spritely lady sung ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’, ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ and ‘Crimson and Clover’, the relatively young crowd screamed in reverance.

Beardyman, the world’s greatest beatboxer, wowed crowds on the main stage before doing an epic DJ set at 1am on New Year’s Day. As festivities wound down into the morning of New Year’s Day, it was clear why discerning music lovers make Falls Festival an unmissable pilgrimage on their yearly calendar.

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photos © sam paquette

big day out Review

tool

die antwoord

BIG DAY OUT

Missing the early starters I decided I’d start my BDO with Melbourne’s Children Collide. I asked a trusty sidekick, who pointed me in the direction and I was on my way. Instead I was greeted by the sound of Operator Please. “That bitch”, I thought before finding Children Collide who had the Converse Essential tent packed and eating out of their hands. Bailing early to watch Jim Jones Revue paid-off handsomely as they tore through early era rock n’ roll that would’ve kept any Jerry Lee Lewis fan happy. Elliot Mortimer on the keys had my ‘Dude of the day’ title — but it was only early. Lupe Fiasco was on next and he spat the dummy while people crammed in to the main stage. With the wind swirling what little sound was about, I pulled the pin and made my way to The Greenhornes. My first thought was how few people had turned out to see the Ohio Blues-rockers and it seemed it wasn’t far off drummer Patrick Keeler’s mind either.

But with one of the most boring frontman I’ve ever seen it became evident why they were playing the local stage despite some killer songs and one of the greatest rhythm sections of the modern age in Keeler and bassist Jack Lawrence. Keeler stole my

Gold Coast Parklands Sunday, January 23

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attention for most of the set and in the process the ‘Dude of the day’ title. Andrew WK was the surprise packet as he tore through a party-loving set that turned into one of the biggest (and funnest) circle pits I’ve seen. Next time I know to be there from the start. Not much needs to be said about Iggy and The Stooges. So, for those who have never seen Iggy Pop in the flesh… do so before you die (or he does).

LCD Soundsystem proved once again they are one of the most accomplished and dance-your-arse-off-brilliant bands you’re likely to see, with a set lined with hits and heart. Opening with the song of 2010, ‘Dance Yrslf Clean’, James Murphy and friends howled through a set that didn’t pull a punch till the last notes of ‘All My Friends’. From here I left Tool to the fanatics and made my way to Grinderman who I’m sure blew more than a few minds, mine included, as they closed the Green Stage. Warren Ellis went oh so close to taking Keeler’s ‘Dude’ crown, so too Andrew WK But everyone knows the crown is fit for the greatest. So… Iggy, that crown must fit pretty snugly these days? ~James Gallagher

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big day out Review

lupe fiasco

edward sharpe

BIG DAY OUT

iggy pop

While Tool delivered their trademark hypnotic, progressive journey — complete with full light show, Sydney’s Big Day Out for 2011 really belonged to Rammstein. As a gigantic German flag covered the stage and then fell to the ground, the lusty band from Berlin appeared. They stood around a gothic set that looked like something borrowed from Alien 3, wearing costumes that wouldn’t have looked out of place in David Lynch’s Dune. But musically, the power of their chugging German metal blasted out of the speakers in a wall that nearly knocked you over. There were elaborate pyrotechnics and fireworks in practically every song. Singer Till Lindemann marched around the stage, his booming baritone voice rolling like thunder. During the ir performance of ‘Pussy’, he even jumped on a giant penispainted foam cannon and sprayed all over the audience.

Before Rammstein, the main stage punters were treated to a high energy set from Iggy and The Stooges. Iggy twirled, spat, howled and waved to the audience with an

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expression of addled glee. He even got 20 kids on stage to party with him. The Stooges rocked out an encore of Raw Power’s ‘Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell’.

Earlier in the afternoon, crowds were treated to more rock than you could shake a fist at - Deftones, Dead Letter Circus and Birds Of Tokyo all delivered colossal sets.

Lupe Fiasco was an undeniable highlight — his show had hands in the air as far as you could see. He didn’t leave out any of the crowd favourites, like ‘Superstar’ and ‘Kick, Push’, but also played a selection from his latest record, Lasers. It was impossible to remain still during his rocked up finale of ‘Daydreamin’’.

The Big Day Out was brought to a close by Nick Cave and his band, Grinderman.

While Cave is never reserved on stage, he’s even more wild and menacing in this side project for The Bad Seeds. He was manic in ‘Honey Bee (Let’s Fly To Mars)’ and devastating in ‘No Pussy Blues’, ‘Heathen Child’ and ‘Palaces Of Montezuma’. It was a memorable end to another very big day out. ~the Reverb team

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Film Reviews

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truly gritty True Grit is the latest Coen brothers outing and is an adaptation of the western novel of the same name which was previously made into a film starring John Wayne in 1968.

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is a fourteen year-old girl eager to settle her family’s affairs after her father was gunned down by outlaw-on-the-run, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin).

She wants him to pay for his crime by hanging from the gallows in her hometown.

Her age and gender make it hard for her to be taken seriously when she starts scouting around town to find a marshall to hire, but her headstrong attitude and sharp tongue soon see her with Reuben “Rooster’ Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) in her employ. Despite his love for the bottle and unhealthy weight, he is considered the best and meanest man for the job. Along the way they team up with a Texas Ranger by the name of LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) who also wants Chaney for the murder of a US senator. So off they set into the wild Indian territories where they learn Chaney

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4/5 stars has joined a criminal gang led by Ned Pepper, making the task more difficult than first expected.

The Coen Brothers have a knack for authenticity and the production of this film almost has you wiping the dust from the rugged terrain off your lap as you leave the cinema. The cinematography here from longtime collaborator Roger Deakins is nothing short of breathtaking and the set design as well as costuming is superb. Jeff Bridges shines in his role as the grouchy drunkard of a marshall and Matt Damon also does well as the über confident Texan ranger. But it is newcomer Hailee Steinfeld who almost steals the show with her performance and is definitely a name to watch.

As far as westerns go, this is a great offering.

It is dialogue driven with a sharp wit and plenty of suspense to go with it. It may not rank with the likes of Fargo and No Country for Old Men but it is not very far behind those Coen classics.

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DVD Reviews

DVD Marathon

Both Sides, Now

Before Sound in Film, There Was Music With The Social Network earning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross a Golden Globe and The Kids Are All Right voted No. 2 in a top ten of 2010’s best soundtracks in the New York Post, there’s no better time to get acquainted with the best scores and soundtracks in film.

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4.5/5 stars Nic and Jules, a gay couple, have been married for almost 20 years. But when their children contact their biological father, their solid relationship is shaken to its core.

As television series like Modern Family suggest, the nuclear family looks a lot different to the way it used to. But this film asks us if we are truly ready to let go of the notion of the conventional family. Laser, the younger of Nic and Jules’ kids, seems to think he needs a father figure, prompting Joni, the eldest, to contact their biological father. But rather than being the father Laser and Joni wonder if they’ve been missing, Paul becomes an unwitting catalyst for the family’s disruption. Realising that he has children, Paul’s premature mid-life crisis ends (or so he thinks) and he believes that he is now ready to have a family. Unfortunately this seems to come at the price of Nic and Jules’s family.

Director Lisa Cholodenko is no stranger to this territory. Having examined lesbian relationships in high art and the shifting

Best scores The Godfather Francis Ford Coppola , 1972 It’s the last scene that gives you chills, but it’s Nino Rota’s sweeping score that makes the hairs of your neck stand on end.

dynamics between mothers and their children in Laurel Canyon, she brilliantly tells the story of the conventional struggles of an unconventional family; children growing up and leaving the nest, the struggle to keep physical and emotional love fresh through many years of marriage, and the strain something as devastating as infidelity can cause. There’s a real warmth to this film, reflective of the family being portrayed. The film is punctuated with humour, genuinely moving moments and a realistic bond between

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5/5 stars

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Inception Christopher Nolan, 2010 Dreams crashing down around you will never have quite the same impact without Hans Zimmer’s deft touch.

The Best of the Best Bernard Herrmann Legend has it that Hitchcock wanted the shower scene in Psycho to be completely silent. After viewing the scene with Herrmann’s screeching violins and cellos, Hitchcock is said to have doubled his salary. Herrmann’s melodies have defined films such as Citizen Kane (1941), and Vertigo (1958).

Best soundtracks Fast Times At Ridgemont High Amy Heckerling, 1982 The soundtrack boasts Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks and a Led Zeppelin faux pas. And the song that helped etch Phoebe Cates’s emergence from a pool into the collective memory – ‘Moving In Stereo’ by The Cars.

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Based on Ben Mezrich’s The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook – A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal, a fact-based narrative account written with no contribution from Zuckerberg and some from other co-founder Eduardo Saverin, the film could easily have opened itself up to the criticism that it must by its very nature present Zuckerberg in a negative light.

Not only that, but upon hearing the news that there would be a film made about Facebook, a lot of people (including yours truly), asked, Why? In David Fincher’s hands (with the invaluable assistance of screenwriter Aaron Sorkin) this film is so much more than the story of a website, or even a story of two friends who turn on each other after creating a successful venture. California’s Silicon Valley, the home of groundbreaking digital and computer technology, is littered with stories like this. Hell, so is Hollywood.

What makes this film stand out is the friendship between Zuckerberg and

the characters.

The performances are flawless — Benning and Moore are powerful as Nic and Jules.

Mark Ruffalo is superb as the accidental villain, Paul. The music perfectly reflects the shifting emotions among the characters, with tracks from artists that bridge the generation gaps between the characters perfectly, from Vampire Weekend to Joni Mitchell, David Bowie and MGMT. And, as the title suggests, it seems the kids really will be all right.

Once Upon a Time in the West Sergio Leone, 1968 How can you look at Henry Fonda’s battleweary face any other way than with Ennio Morricone’s arsenal of gunshots, whips and guitar?

Saverin. By the film’s end, the tragedy isn’t that Mark may have screwed over his best friend, it’s that they aren’t friends anymore.

The performances are brilliant, with Eisenberg and Garfield perfectly realising a relationship with dramatically shifting dynamics. Timberlake plays Napster founder and dubious mentor Sean Parker like a man who believes he’s a rock star. Eisenberg especially proves himself to be a rising young star. He’s been called a ‘poor man’s Michael Cera’ but with his natural performance and his ability to bring an endearing credibility to both dramatic and comedic roles, this role will erase this nickname.

The score, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross packs a powerful emotional punch, giving computer codes and algorithms the drama and tension they can create in both the real and virtual world.

Zuckerberg has called the film fiction, but The Social Network is the best kind of fiction.

Garden State Zach Braff, 2004 In a specialist’s waiting room, Sam tells Andrew that The Shins will ‘change his life.’

Likewise for everyone who saw the film.

The Squid and the Whale Noah Baumbach, 2005 As Walt attempts to repair his strained relationship with his mother, Lou Reed’s ‘Street Hassle’ provides the perfect emotional climax for the film’s subdued denouement.

The Best of the Best: Quentin Tarantino What makes Tarantino such a master of the film soundtrack? Is it his use of Stealer’s Wheel for a torture scene in Reservoir Dogs (1992)? His use of surf music in Pulp Fiction (1995)? Is it the 5,6,7,8’s in Kill Bill vol. 1 (2003) or a medley of Ennio Morricone’s best work in Kill Bill vol. 2 (2004)? Or is it his use of David Bowie in his extraordinary love letter to WW2 films, Inglourious Basterds (2009)? Tarantino is a filmmaker who knows that the perfect song transcends time, space and most importantly of all, genre.

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