Reverb Magazine - Issue 59

central coast|hunter|north coast #059 June ’11

FREE

music, arts & culture monthly

karnivool The new sound Clare Bowditch It’s play time Van Dyke Parks Brings the colour Beastie Boys Adding hot sauce The Middle East Show the love The Pains at being pure at heart Where they belong

Joan as police woman goes deep A l s o i n s i d e : h e l m e t + r o bbi e r o b e r ts o n + t h u r s day + p otb e l l e e z + f l oat i n g m e

Fidelity Corp & Billions Australia present

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

SHOCK ONE

ANd

over-reactor

SUNDAY 19 JUNE PANTHERS, NEWCASTLE Tix from www.moshtix.com.au,the venue, ph 1300 438 849 or moshtix outlets. Doors 8pm

WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE PANTHERS, PORT MACQUARIE Tix from www.moshtix.com.au,the venue, ph 1300 438 849 or moshtix outlets. Doors 8pm

THURSDAY 23 JUNE CEX, COFFS HARBOUR Tix from www.moshtix.com.au,the venue, ph 1300 438 849 or moshtix outlets. Doors 8pm

SATURDAY 25 JUNE COOLANGATTA HOTEL, GOLD COAST Tix from www.oztix.com.au, www.karnivool.com.au, oztix outlets and the venue. Doors 8pm

www.karnivool.com.au

the albums

s o u n d

a w a k E

and

t h e m a t a

out now

photo courtesy tim boehm

No. 59

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

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

index

contents

News Clare Bowditch The Pains at Being Pure at Heart Beastie Boys Floating Me Thursday The Middle East Joan As Police Woman Album reviews Gig guide Helmet Karnivool Robbie Robertson Dave Graney The Potbelleez RawFM dance news Van Dyke Parks Talking Shop Altowave Papa vs Pretty Skydiving Fashion Motoring – Mercedes-Benz G55AMG Horoscopes Live reviews Groovin The Moo review Gum Ball review Film reviews DVD reviews Socials

8-13 15 16 17 18 18 19 20-21 22-23 24-26 27 27 28 28 29 30 31 32 32 32 33 34-35 36 37 38-39 40-41 41 42 43 44

Gotye

editor’s letter

Credits

With issue 59 completed and off to the printers, we begin work on #60, an issue that marks five years for Reverb, and four years for myself as publisher. Normally at this time of year we would throw a party in celebration but I have been thrown a curve ball, one that has meant my focus has been needed elsewhere. To put it simply, Reverb is only a step away from its biggest ever change, and with a tentative start date of July 1, there is no option but to ensure that all the boxes are ticked. If everything goes to plan, Reverb will begin its sixth year with a bang.

Much love guys, Kevin.

Editor

DVD Reviewer

Melissa Roach

Adelaide French

Editorial

Kevin Bull

Sallie Maree Pritchard

Madeline Smith

Paul Frost

kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360

Mark Snelson

Matthew Glen

6 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Contacts

Sub-Editor

Motoring writer

Tom Tokacs

Mark Henderson

Sales, Newcastle & Central Coast

Kate Hamilton

Peter Douglas

Linda Wales

Shelby Houghton

kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360

Julie Lowe

art director

Cartoonist

Writers

Nick Mackay

Sales, North Coast

Cam Bennett

Tony Jenkins

Mitchell Alexander

Jamie Nelson

stephen@reverbstreetpress.com or 0458 559 938

Ross Beckley

Amelia Parrott

North Coast Mgr

Photographers

Kevin Bull

Max Quinn

Gig guide

Stephen Bocking

Tim Boehm

Cameron Clark

Luke Saunders

gigguide@reverbstreetpress.com.au

Kevin Bull

Josh Clemments

Michael Sykes

Senior Writers

Ashlee Kellehear

Melissah Comber

Lee Tobin

Production

Nick Milligan

Julie Lowe

Emily Cones-Browne

Kirsty Visman

cam@reverbstreetpress.com.au

Matt Petherbridge

Dom Lumsden

Mick Daley

Kristyne Weiss

Kent Marcus

Cameron Edney

Rod Whitfield

Postal address

Film reviewer

Mark McIntosh

Craig Faulkner

Marija Zeko

PO Box 843, Woy Woy NSW 2256

Mark Snelson

Sam Paquette

Sean Frazer

Download Page

Download Issue

Download cover

Follow us on Twitter

news

LASUE AIN’T NO VAUDEVILLE

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

steely dan

2 double passes

Win one of two double passes to Funk n Grooves Festival at Tyrrell’s Vineyard, Pokolbin on Saturday September 10.

5 copies

Five copies of Ministry of Sound Session Eight on CD.

5 copies

Five copies of Triple J Hottest 100 Volume 18 on DVD.

1 double pass

Win a double pass to Storm In A Teacup at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall on Saturday June 18.

8 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

STEELY DAN AND STEVE WINWOOD PLAY THE HUNTER

2 double passes

Win one of two double passes to Bliss n Eso at the Coffs Harbour Showgrounds on Sunday June 12.

1 double pass

Win a double pass to Katchafire at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Saturday June 25.

1 double pass PACK

Win a Kooii double pass pack containing a copy of In This Life, and a double pass to their Bellingen Diggers Tavern gig on Saturday June 25.

Download Page

After dazzling audiences with their first-ever Australian shows in 2007, jazz rock icons Steely Dan are returning for an encore tour in October. And in a real treat for music lovers, legendary British vocalist Steve Winwood will be the special guest in his first visit here in more than two decades. Steely D a n — Wa l t e r B e c k e r a n d D o n a l d Fagen — had critics raving on recent US shows with The New York Times stating that Fagen “was deep in the music… a cross between Count Basie and Ray Charles”.

Steve Winwood was just a teenager when he rocketed into the international spotlight as the prodigious singer of the Spencer Davis Group. Seeking a wider artistic palette, in the next decade Winwood formed Traffic with friends Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason and then the ‘supergroup’ Blind Faith with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech, producing some of the most inventive and arresting music of its time.

Steely Day and Steve Winwood perform at Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, on Saturday October 22.

Download Issue

After much local anticipation, Lasue are launching onto the live scene. Lasue began in February 2009 as a home studio recording project between founding members Jae Nelson and Chris English. This started not two weeks after the two played the biggest gig of their lives, the Sydney Big Day Out, with Newcastle’s Vaudeville. “The week after the Big Day Out, Jae and I found ourselves playing mini golf at Bar Beach Bowling Club,” explained English, “and suddenly realised Vaudeville wasn’t the right band for us anymore. Before we knew it, a phone call was made and that era of the band was over.”

Lasue’s debut live performance will be at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday June 11.

LISMORE LANTERN PARADE

Now in its 18th year, the spectacular Lismore Lantern Parade gives people a chance to get in touch with their inner Tim Burton, with the theme ‘The Great Garden’ giving rise to imaginative and inspired lanterns that pay homage to the natural world. The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, the perfect date for a festival that celebrates nature, community and art in an event that runs from morning to night. The day features a kids festival, and the evening, a street party with wild gypsy band, Rapskallion, dancing in the street, craft markets, puppet shows and installations. The Lismore Lantern Parade happens Saturday, June 25.

Follow us on Twitter

news

FINNS IN PYJAMAS

elton john

ELTON JOHN AT HOPE ESTATE

To draw comparisons to Sir Elton John is impossible; artist, altruistic philanthropist, Grammy, Oscar, Tony and BRIT winner, his many accolades have made him an inimitable force in a career spanning five decades, with his versatility and effortless talent showing no sign of diminishing. Acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest living pop icons, Elton’s audience has seen him traverse a career that began in the 1960s when he was a shy singer/songwriter and saw him grow into one of the most successful musicians of all time. His crossovers from classic balladry, soul and disco to country, gospel and rock have often confounded but never disappointed his legion of worldwide fans. As one of the greatest showmen of all time, his spectacular stage shows continue to leave the competition standing in his wake. Elton John performs at the Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, December 3 and 4.

It’s always been the element of struggle that makes music human and exciting. Neil and Sharon Finn discovered that for themselves at home in their pyjamas, late one night, making a racket in the grand tradition of enthusiastic amateurs. For the next few weeks it became a nightly ritual, dinner, a few wines, and into the music room to jam.

They happened to hit the record button and on listening to what they had created were inspired to take it further, which they did, with eleven brand-new songs. The completed debut album will be available in stores and online in August. The Pyjama Club will be sneaking into Australia for an east coast run in June to perform their first shows anywhere in the world at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Saturday June 11.

YEAH, YEAH, IT’S DYLAN MORAN

Dylan Moran, star of Black Books, Shaun of the Dead and Run, Fat Boy, Run is about to spread a little happiness when he returns to Newcastle with a brand new tour for 2011,

‘Yeah, Yeah’. The themes of ageing, religion, kids and relationships intertwine with the general absurdities of life. Searing observations and sumptuous imagery, painted across a large fraying canvas with cruel, curmudgeonly ‘Moranesque’ brush strokes and all delivered with Moran’s renowned, shambolic charm… it’s simply unmissable. This will be Moran’s fourth Australian tour — the previous three were totally sold out shows, so it is advised to book early. Dylan Moran performs at the Civic Theatre, Newcastle, on Sunday August 7.

PNAU GOES SOFT

Having returned to Australia for a fleeting visit as part of the travelling festival experience that was the Big Day Out, Australia’s electronic/pop crossover pioneers Pnau will come home mid-year to launch their brand new album entitled Soft Universe. Already announced as part of the huge line-up that is Splendour In The Grass, Pnau will also include a handful of east coast dates to celebrate the launch of this brand new album before jetting back to international duties. Pnau perform at Newcastle Panthers on Friday July 29.

CLARE BOWDITCH BREAKS DOWN THE BARRIER

Last year was significant for our most inimitable female singer songwriter, Clare Bowditch, who was crowned Rolling Stone magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year’ for her contribution to culture. She was also handpicked by the legendary Leonard Cohen to open shows on his Australian tour. This year, Clare Bowditch’s ‘Winter Secrets’ tour is designed to offer a collaborative approach to live music, encouraging the audience to join in a creative adventure with Clare and support Lanie Lane to break down the barrier between artist and audience. The shows will reveal a shared collage of intimate performances, inspiring stories, songs, comedy, questions and answers, secrets, random audience participation and even group singing sessions with the two talented ladies. Clare Bowditch will perform at Lizotte’s Newcastle on Wednesday June 29; Lizotte’s Kincumber on Thursday June 30; A & I Hall, Bangalow, on Wednesday July 20.

KARNIVOOL’S FIRST AND ONLY TOUR OF 2011

They’ve toured their highly acclaimed Sound Awake album all around the world, and now Karnivool’s eager Australian fans need wait no more as the Perth sonic maelstrom announce an extensive Australian tour taking place throughout June. In news sure to be welcomed by their forever patient fan base, Karnivool have been writing solidly in the rehearsal room since their last Australian tour and the band will be sharing some new tracks with audiences on this tour, to the delight of their fans. Karnivool, with Shockone and Over-Reactor in support, will perform Newcastle Panthers on Sunday June 19; Port Macquarie Panthers on Wednesday June 22; Cex, Coffs Harbour on Thursday June 23; Coolangatta Hotel on Saturday June 25.

WINTER CHILLS FESTIVAL Line-up

Following on from the much-acclaimed Summer Vibes and Totally Autumn festivals, which saw hundreds of road-trippers descend on sunny Newcastle, Winter Chills Festival is the third instalment of Spring Break’s ‘Spring Every Season’ festival series.

The line-up again features a careful selection from some of the greats of the underground, some totally exclusive performances on the bill, as well as appearances from a few true pioneers. The line-up for Winter Chills consists of Batrider, Pumice, Scattered Order, Hit the Jackpot, Bitch Prefect, Oceans, White Woods, Collarbones, Holographic Cocoon, Stitched Vision, Unity Floors, Polyfox & the Union of the Most Ghosts, Mere Women, Pets with Pets, Oscar and Martin, Paint Your Golden Face, K Mason, Per Purpose, Palmists, Knee Chin, Sweet teeth, Hopes, The Mermaids and Boatfriends. Winter Chills Festival takes place at the Croatian Club, Newcastle, on Saturday 11 June, from 11am.

Find us on Facebook

Get more info from the Alcohol and Drug Information Service.

Call 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599 (outside Sydney).

Download Page

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 9

news

NEWCASTLE PANTHERS

TIX

SUNDAY 19 JUNE

little red

jimeoin

SOMETHING SMELLS LIKE JIMEOIN

KARNIVOOL

For a good, clean laugh, you can’t go past Jimeoin. Born in Belfast, he arrived in Australia at the age of 22 where he found work as a gardener, whiling away hours communing with nature, he had plenty of time to think and clearly he’s done okay for himself since then. He is one of the very few artists to have his own TV show, which aired on the Seven network in the mid-90s for three seasons. He’s appeared on every TV show you can think of, written and starred in hit movies, has a DVD with regular collaborator Bob Franklin, Jimeoin and Bob’s Cooking Show, and continues to tour the world to sell-out houses. Jimeoin will have local audiences in stitches when he brings his ‘Something…

Smells Funny’ tour to Mingara Recreation Club, Thursday June 16; Doyalson RSL on Friday June 17; Belmont 16ft Sailing Club on Saturday June 18; Wests Leagues Club, Newcastle, on Wednesday June 22; Nelsons Bay Diggers on Thursday June 23; Cessnock Leagues Club on Friday June 24; Club Singleton on Saturday June 25; Maitland City Bowling Club on Tuesday June 28.

TICKETS $45+bf DOORS OPEN 8:00PM, OVER 18’S

FRIDAY 29 JULY

TIX

PNAU

PRESALE $35+bf DOORS OPEN 7:30PM, OVER 18’S

TIX

SATURDAY 30 JULY

BLISS N ESO AFTER-PARTY

As everyone up north will be well aware, Bliss N Eso will be performing a massive outdoor gig at Coffs Harbour Showground on Sunday June 12. To ensure that the party does not stop, the Hoey Moey has been confirmed as the Bliss N Eso after-party venue. The Hoey bus will be at the showground to pick up all the fans and whisk them back to the Hoey Moey where they can party with the artists.

SHORT STACK

TICKETS $50+bf DOORS OPEN 7:00PM, ALL AGES

CRUEL HAND UNDER LOCK AND KEY

BEEROF THE : JUNE MONTH

Panthers supports responsible service of alcohol

we are a outlet

0 0 . $4

tle

Bot

Become a Fan

Maine’s hardest hitting sons, Cruel Hand, return to Australia this June to show why they have been heralded as the future of hardcore. Last seen in Australia for the 2009 Hardcore Festival, Cruel Hand have grown into a force to be reckoned with. Their 2010 album, Lock & Key, has earned them the title of “one of the most important young bands waving the flag of East Coast hardcore”.

Taking equal influence from across all eras of hardcore and throwing in elements of thrash metal, Cruel Hand are a band that have made waves, impressing everyone in their path. Cruel Hand, will perform at Byron Bay YAC on Wednesday June 15 (supports Phantoms, Third Strike, Shackles, Face Hate), and Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong, on Monday June 20 (supports Phantoms, The Hollow, Mark My Words, Revived, Make No Mistakes).

NEWCASTLE PANTHERS Cnr King & Union Streets Newcastle West 2302 Tel 4926 6200 newcastle.panthers.com.au fb.com/panthersnewcastle 10 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Download Issue

LITTLE RED ARE ALL MINE

Little Red have travelled around the world twice so far this year but they’re coming home in June and what better way to celebrate than a tour. The band are celebrating more than just a homecoming — last year’s sophomore album Midnight Remember has gone Gold, their single ‘Rock It’ took over the airwaves, went Platinum and scooped the #2 spot on Triple J’s hottest 100 (which also featured second single ‘Slow Motion’) and they’ve played some of the best shows of their lives. The ‘All Mine’ tour also celebrates the release of Midnight Remember’s third single of the same name. Little Red, with World’s End Press in support, perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Thursday June 30, and the Coolangatta Hotel on Friday July 1.

KATCHAFIRE ON THE ROAD AGAIN

In celebration of their latest studio album, On The Road Again, Katchafire have announced their launch tour through June.

With the past three Katchafire albums predominantly written by lead singer Logan Bell and keys/sax/vocalist Jamie Ferguson, On The Road Again is their first album where the whole band has contributed as writers. “In the past, individuals have brought songs and ideas to the table and then the band fleshed it out. On this album we let our guard down and let the strongest ideas be the ones that survived,” states Bell.

Katchafire performs at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Saturday June 25.

NORTH COAST ROLLER DERBY TAKES FLIGHT

There appears to be no stopping the growth of Roller Derby. Newcastle, the Central Coast, and now we have the Bay Rollers from Ballina involved in their first inter-league bout. The Bay Rollers have been training for a year now, and their first ‘gig’ will be between The Scare Hostesses and The Fright Attendants on Sunday June 12 at 4.30pm at Ballina Indoor Sports and Skate Centre.

PAPA VS PRETTY RELEASE DEBUT AND TOUR

Papa vs Pretty are very proud to announce that their debut album United in Isolation is not only ‘in the can’, it’s also looking and sounding pretty enough for them to want to unveil its wonders to the nation. Papa vs Pretty have an impressive reputation as a live act, and believe there is no better way for them to unveil their album to the nation other than to get in a room with some likeminded souls and recreate a sweatier version of their labours on a sticky stage under some hot lights. Papa vs Pretty, with Redcoats in support, perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday June 23.

Follow us on Twitter

news

james blake van halen

SPLENDOUR SIDESHOWS

pete murray

With Splendour In The Grass on sale, the sideshows have begun their announcements. Here is the list so far: James Blake — Thursday July 28, Factory Theatre, Sydney: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan — Friday July 29, Factory Theatre, Sydney: Dananananaykroyd — Friday July 29, Annandale Hotel, Sydney: Does It Offend You, Yeah? — Thursday August 4, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Elbow — Friday July 29, Enmore Theatre, Sydney: Fitz and the Tantrums — Wednesday July 27, The Basement, Sydney: Foster The People — Friday July 29, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Friendly Fires — Thursday July 28, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Glasvagas — Sunday July 24, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Gomez — Monday August 1, Metro Theatre, Sydney; Wednesday August 3, Factory Theatre, Sydney: Grouplove! with Young The Giant — Wednesday August 3, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney: The Hives — Thursday July 28, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney: Kele — Wednesday August 3, Metro Theatre, Sydney: The Kills — Tuesday July 26, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Modest Mouse — Monday July 25, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Mona — Thursday July 28, Annandal e Ho t e l , Syd ney : Noah a nd t he Whale — Tuesday Aug 2, Factory Theatre, Sydney: Pulp — Wednesday July 27, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. : DJ Shadow — Saturday July 30, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney: Thievery Corporation — Monday August 1, Enmore Theatre, Sydney: The Vaccines — Tues August 2, Metro Theatre, Sydney: Warpaint — Thursday July 28, Manning Bar, Sydney: Wild Beasts — Wednesday July 27, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney: Yelle — Saturday August 6, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney.

watussi

WOLLOMBI MUSIC FESTIVAL: line-up announcement

Reverb is proud to sponsor the 2011 Wollombi Music Festival, a celebration of awesome music, film, markets and art in one of the most beautiful and unique environments in the Hunter Valley. Wollombi is known for its creative and diverse culture with a rich indigenous history. The festival is about reflecting all those things and wrapping them into one groovy night of eclectic fun. Music will be provided by Watussi, Rapskallion, Marshall and the Fro, Radical Son, The Rhythm Hunters, Benjalu, Rachael Brady, The Merchants of Venice and Wollombi Radio, and happens on Saturday September 17.

12 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

tim rogers

TIM ROGERS AT Great northern hotel, NEWCASTLE

Still unable to secure steady employment, Tim Rogers will thrust himself on to a motley assortment of stages throughout June, in between dates recording the new You Am I album, in an effort to cleanse himself of both Catholic guilt and unwanted facial hair.

Rogers will be performing at the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday June 24.

DEAN SHARKEY AT THE HENRY ROUS

From the Bellinger Valley on the Mid North Coast, Australian singer songwriter Dean Sharkey has explored the length of the country spreading his sound to the masses.

Fuelled by his passion for the guitar, and with lyrics which border on protest, his live music takes on an instrumental chaos which, balanced by his smooth vocals, leaves audiences captivated. From bluesy surf songs to reggae rock, many genres are crossed as Sharkey moulds his sound into a unique package of guitar riffs and explosive rhythms. Dean Sharkey performs at the Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina on Thursday June 23.

CHASING GHOSTS

Sometimes it felt like in every state capital, city, small town or backwater community where there were young people in tight jeans, Jimmy Kyle was either touring through or booking there at some point.

Like many of the Australian hardcore scene kids, it was all DIY and living on the road out of makeshift beds was common. It was for the love of music and creating memories.

Finally in 2008, Kyle left screamo outfit Bellevue and started to slowly create something that told a humble story, ‘Chasing Ghosts’. Kyle has completed his debut solo record, Confessions from a Phone Booth with US producer Andy Beck, and will be performing at the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle on Friday June 17

ELEPHANT AND BAT YOGHURT RELEASE DEBUTS

The stage-shattering Elephant join forces with the frenetic and eclectic Bat Yoghurt for a tour of the east coast that will showcase not only the original approach to trio-driven rock the two bands have invented, but will also see the release of both bands’ debut albums, E and Non-Negotiable, respectively.

The members of both Elephant and Bat Yoghurt carry with them years of experience taken from the plethora of their former acts which include Schlauncher, Spazmoo, Athol and Strength to Strength. These two bands are a must for true lovers of smart and challenging rock tunes delivered with unbridled energy. Elephant and Bat Yoghurt perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday June 17 with Inhale the Sea and Horse Bolted.

Download Page

SOUNDWAVE REVOLUTION FULL LINE-UP

With all the teasing Soundwave Revolution have been doing over the past months, nothing prepared us for the final lineup and headliner announcement. Here’s the full lineup — (deep breath) Van Halen (with David Lee Roth), Alice Cooper, Bad Religion, Machine Head, Hole, Danzig, Sisters of Mercy, Alter Bridge, VersaEmerge, Kevin Devine, The Pretty Reckless, All Time Low, Dashboard Confessional, Gojira, Hatebreed, Hollywood Undead, Street Dogs, Panic! At The Disco, Relient K , Face To Face, Attack! Attack!, Framing Hanley, Watain, The Used, Cro-Mags, Kvelertak, Sum 41, Thursday, Yellowcard, Holy Grail, Times of Grace, Unearth, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (DRUGS), Funeral For a Friend, Steel Panther, Devin Townsend, Black Veil Brides, We Are In The Crowd, The Dangerous Summer, Set Your Goals, Hellogoodbye, Zebrahead, The Word Alive, In This Moment, Hellyeah, The Damned Things, Skindred, Every Ti me I D i e, T he Acac ia S t r a i n , Whitechapel, Madina Lake, We Are The Ocean, Make Do and Mend, Story of the Year, Four Year Strong, Terrible Things, The Swellers, This Providence, Young Guns. Soundwave Revolution will be at Brisbane RNA Showgrounds on Saturday September 24, and Old Kings Oval, Parramatta, Sydney on Sunday September 25.

BARREL HOUSE AND THE NEW SPECIES

Port Macquarie three-piece Barrel House are preparing to release their long-awaited debut album Species Vagabond. Recorded at Oasis Studios on the Gold Coast, it marks the full gestation of a band that burst on to the national stage in late 2008. “The boys and I wanted to try to create an album that was about dynamics,” explains frontman Dwaine Cameron. “So, building on the footstomping sound that we had, we started to incorporate some electronics and everything from fast finger picking dobro, animal noises, hooting and hollering, slow heavy bass drops and lots of reverb, to some synth.

All in all — Species Vagabond just covers all of the usual topics really; lost love, lust, hopelessness, travelling, sticking it to the man and not having enough money.” Barrel House perform at the Fotheringham Hotel, Taree, on Thursday June 16; CBD Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday June 18; Woody’s, Byron Bay, on Thursday June 23; Lennox Point Hotel on Friday July 30.

Download Issue

PETE MURRAY IN MULLUM

With his fourth album, Blue Sky Blue, scheduled for release in 2011, Pete Murray takes a break from the studio to play one of his first shows in a long, long time. With his three albums, Feeler, See The Sun and Summer at Eureka all topping the Australian charts, there is much anticipation for number four, and Mullumbimby gets a chance to hear what it sounds like. Pete Murray, with The Lucky Wonders in support, performs at the Mullumbimby Civic Centre on Friday June 17.

The Paper Scissors

LOVING THE PAPER SCISSORS

In the age of 3:30 digital singles, The Paper Scissors are cutting against the grain with their new album, In Loving Memory. A creation for lovers of long-form albums, the record brings together a range of influences and topics to create a truly international rock soundscape. “We’ve shed any insecurities and have pieced together an album that embodies us as a band,” explains vocalist Jai Pyne. “The way our sound has evolved and the fact that it reflects our learning and growth explains why it’s taken so long to realise this album.” The Paper Scissors perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Friday July 1, and the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday July 15.

SONGS FROM THE ETHER

Songs From The Ether is a live music and surf film experience curated by Andrew Kidman featuring live music from his band, The Windy Hills, teamed with projections from his latest film Lost In The Ether and the new film from Patrick Trefz’s, Idiosyncrasies.

Following on from the success of Last Hope in the live format, Kidman and his band The Windy Hills have reconvened to create a similar experience for his new film. Call it a surf night, a music improv night… call it what you will, Songs From The Ether shows the ocean and surfing in a mesmerising light, with live soundscapes and visuals to disappear to. Kidman and band will tour the production across Australia’s east coast, performing at the Stone and Wood Brewery, Byron Bay, on Friday July 1, and the Coolangatta Hotel on Saturday July 2.

Follow us on Twitter

news

LIVE MUSIC L I V E S P O R T, G R E AT F O O D JUN 5

SUN Nathan Neal genevieve chadwick

JUN 8

GENEVIEVE CHADWICK RIDES THE WIND

skipping girl vinegar

SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR KEEP CALM

Up-and-coming indie darlings, Skipping Girl Vinegar are proud to announce the national launch tour for their highly-anticipated second album. Keep Calm, Carry the Monkey is a darker gamut of moods that breaks wide open the hobo pop revelation the band hinted at on their critically acclaimed debut, and features a special guest performance from legendary singer/ songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Rich with sonic landscapes, melodies, and ltyrical turns along with the band’s undeniably classic sing-along choruses, these must-see shows are a more than musical experience. Skipping Girl Vinegar perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Sunday June 26; Lizotte’s Newcastle on Saturday July 2; Lizotte’s Kincumber on Sunday July 3.

The most exciting sound this year comes in the form of Genevieve Chadwick, a gutsy, bluesy, hearty siren who’s bucking trends and turning heads with her unique style.

Her debut album Riding the Wind Forgetting Time is an impressive release, filled with songs about dreams, heartbreak and music itself. Having been a finalist in Cosmopolitan magazine’s ‘Fun, Fearless, Female’ awards in the category of best emerging talent, Genevieve Chadwick is as infectious as she is charismatic. Genevieve Chadwick performs at the Mary Ellen Hotel, Merewether on Thursday June 9; Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Friday June 10; Port Macquarie Hotel on Thursday June 16; Ocean View Hotel, Urunga, on Saturday June 18; Lennox Point Hotel on Sunday June 19.

WED

BUNT

Batfoot The Jet Boys

JUN 9

THU

L e a d b e l l i es

JUN 11

Dropbear

SAT ENVIKATS JUN 12

SUN

Mark Woodros

JUN 15

WED

To Kill A Sunrise

Swallow Your Pride Why Say Chelsea

Alice vs Everything

JUN 16

PAPER ARMS Excitebike HurtxStore

THU A N C H O R S JUN 19 husky

SUN Nathan Neal

STORM IN A TEACUP

Pez

PEZ, MAYA JUPITER and 360 JOIN FORCES

It’s official, this June three of Australia’s brightest hip hop stars Pez, Maya Jupiter and 360 are joining forces to tour the country. Pez will unleash his stand-out single ‘Shine’ and unveil songs from the muchanticipated follow up to his chart-smashing hit, ‘Festival Song’, and ARIA-nominated debut album, Mind Of My Own. Maya Jupiter, fresh from supporting Aloe Blacc (‘I Need A Dollar’) on his world wide tour, will play her exotic brand of world hip hop from her just-released self-titled album, including her new single release ‘Phenomenal’. Special Guest 360, whose current release, ‘Just Got Started’, is attracting national airplay, rounds out this dynamic line-up. Pez, Maya Jupiter, and 360 perform at the CBD Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday June 4, and the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Wednesday June 8.

Find us on Facebook

A premium blend of Australia’s finest come together to share the stage, and their songs, for Storm in a Teacup, featuring Tinpan Orange, Husky, Jordie Lane, Jen Cloher, Harry James Angus and Liz Martin. There’s been a storm brewing of late for Husky, whose single ‘History’s Door’ has been gracing the national airwaves to much acclaim. Jen Cloher, Tinpan Orange and Jordie Lane take a break from recording their next offerings to preview new material, whilst Sydney’s Liz Martin has just released her third album, Dance a Little, Live a Little. Add versatile minstrel Harry James Angus (Cat Empire/Jackson Jackson) to the mix and you have a rich, satisfying brew. Playing as one band, singing duets, adding harmonies and lush instrumentation to each other’s songs, Storm in a Teacup perform at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall on Saturday June 18.

LIVE AND LOCAL AT LIZOTTE’S

There’s plenty of local music to be had at Lizotte’s this month. Lambton Lizotte’s: Wednesday June 1, Thomas Lawson, KarenAnne Waters, Sarah McLennan, The Widowbirds; Wednesday June 8, Nathan Buyers, Niksta, Hats Bennett, Riley & Donna; Wednesday June 22, Jessica Cain, Daniel March, Shawn Ofriel Duo, Andrea Soler; Thursday June 23, Benjalu, Kim MacKenzie.

Kincumber Lizotte’s: Wednesday June 1, Missing Children + Niksta + DecembeR.

Download Page

JUN 22

WED

To t a l l y U n i c o r n + SUPPORTS

JUN 23

THU Bits and Pieces JUN 29

WED Easy Tiger Grenadeirs The Delta Lions

Live It Up Karaoke

FRI SAT 9.30PM–2.30AM FRONT BAR

Monday Night Poker Tuesdays

7.30PM BEAUMONT STREET’S ONLY POOL COMPETITION

Happy Hour

THURS SUN 4-6PM $3.50 SCHOONERS

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

$20 BUY IN CASH PRIZES

02 4961 3852

EXCEPT SUN 10AM-MIDNIGHT reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 13

C=30 M=30 Y=30 K=100

C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=0

tion

c u d o r p d n a c i s n imagine a c u more mu o y n a h t courses

JUNE

Grand Junction Hotel NC173320

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

Genevieve Chadwick PLUS SUPPORTS

ZOE K

AND THE MONEY SHOT BAND

Score a career in the entertainment industry through TAFE NSW. If you’re thinking of a professional career in music, screen, sound, digital media, production or the entertainment business, then we have a course for you.

Call us on 131 601

KIM CHURCHILL PLUS SUPPORTS

ROCKBOTTOM JAMES AND THE DETONATORS

hunter.tafensw.edu.au 14 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

northcoast.tafensw.edu.au

FRI

10 SUN

12 SUN

19 FRI

24

PLUS: FR I 3 EU CA LY P S O FE AT U R I N G G LEN Y R A E V I R U S S AT 4 THE DENNIS BOYS B A N D SUN 5 S H AUN K IR K T H U R 9 B I G G I G T B A T H U R 16 T O M R I C H A R D S O N A N D B E N N Y WA L K E R F R I 16 B A R R E L H O U S E S U N 2 6 VA N WALKER , LIZ STRINGER AND SPECIAL GUESTS TUES 28 P O L I T I C S AT T H E P U B (6.3 0 PM F O R 7PM S TA R T ) Follow us on Twitter

c l a r e b o w d i tc h

2011 appears to be the year of collaboration for Clare Bowditch. What have you learnt about yourself through this process?

I learnt that other songwriters still amaze me. I learnt that fear and creativity work well together, and the most productive way to conquer fear is to get in the room with people you admire and lay it on the line a little. I learnt that I don’t think I could ever, not even for a day, tire of writing songs.

Sometimes it’s hard and it breaks your heart but mostly it feeds you like mothers’ milk. Not that I have drunk mothers’ milk in quite a while, because that would be weird. I can’t believe you asked me that.

What were you thinking?

You’ve recently written and recorded ‘Now You’re Home’ with Lanie Lane. Can you tell me about that experience?

I heard Lanie’s song ‘What do I do?’ and just fell in love with it. The next time I was in Sydney I wrote her an email and asked if she wanted to hang out and write a song.

We met at a kind of garage-studio, sat on the floor, said ‘hi’ ,and out tumbled ‘Now You’re Home’. As songwriters and collaborators, we keep a similar pace: we don’t get too caught up in the questions, we just see which wave is coming in and try to ride it. Also as performers, we share a love of involving our audiences in the creative experience, and reminding people of the joy of just making up little tunes together. I loved working with her so much that I invited her to come and collaborate with me for the ‘Winter Secrets’ tour.

Can we expect the upcoming EP to contain similar collaborative works?

This EP was written to remind myself of

Find us on Facebook

Come Play With Me

people over the years. Also, they write me wonderful letters and send me incredible presents and tell me stories that make me laugh and cry. I learn a lot from them, they inspire me, and I love giving people the chance to show off their hidden, or just underappreciated talents. We just don’t have enough places for random magic to happen. We are so obsessed with the idea that artists are special and everything must be perfect, with the whole commerce of that idea, the whole farce of pretending there is a best. It’s crippling and completely beside the point. So I stand firmly by my theory: just because you’re not a full-time musician or artist, or you’re not making money from your art, it doesn’t mean you’re not a musician or an artist. Not at all. And just because you’re in my audience, doesn’t mean I’m going to make you sing. It’s mainly a concert, just with a few special bits and pieces.

L a s t y e a r w a s a big y e a r for C l a r e B o w di t c h . He r fou r t h a lb u m Mo d e r n D ay A d d i c t i on w e nt Top 10 , s h e tou r e d w it h L e on a r d Coh e n , a n d s h e w a s n a m e d ‘ Wom a n of t h e Ye a r ’ b y R ol lin g S ton e . T h i s y e a r it i s a l l ab out c ol l ab or at ion . K E V I N B U L L s p ok e w it h B o w d itc h ab out w ork i ng w it h o t h e r a r t i s t s a n d w it h h e r aud ie nc e , a n d t h e r ic h e s s h e h a s g a i n e d f r om t h e e x p e r ie nc e . the possibility of joy. It contains songs I wrote with both Lanie and Gotye (Wally De Backer), as well as acapella versions of songs you might already know and a cracker version of my old song ‘Miss you Like the Rain’ by Lisa Mitchell and Golden Arrows.

audience with The Man, and what did you take away with you from the experience?

I spent a lot of quality time with Leonard: at his invitation, I ate his food, flew in his jet, and stole his best lines. I hope we get to see each other again.

What was your initial reaction to being named ‘Woman of the Year’ by Rolling Stone, and does the title sit comfortably with you?

All women are Women of the Year. Being given the title just means it’s my job to remind women of the fact. That’s not a bad job to have.

During this upcoming ‘Winter Secrets’ tour, you are inviting a punter to perform with you on stage, and taking artwork submissions for the official tour t-shirt. In an age where artists can be very protective of their image, you are inviting the public to actively interpret this for you. Why? This is nothing to do with image, it’s about experience. I want this experience with my audience. I know my audiences are full of ‘creative types’, because you get to know

Touring with Leonard Cohen must have been quite surreal. Did you get an

Download Page

Download Issue

This tour is being billed as breaking down the barrier between artist and audience.

What can we expect, and are you prepared for whatever comes your way?

As above — a Clare Bowditch concert with special bits and pieces. A random creative adventure, lots of songs and stories. Expect to be as involved or uninvolved as you like.

Am I prepared? I’ve been preparing for these shows my whole life, and I’m still not ready.

I guess this is going to be one of those unrepeatable experiences, which I look very much forward to sharing with you!

Clare Bowditch, with Lanie Lane in support, performs at Lizotte’s Newcastle on Wednesday June 29, Lizotte’s Kincumber on Thursday June 30; A&I Hall, Bangalow, on Saturday July 30.

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 15

t h e pa i n s at b e i n g p u r e at h e a r t

about making music. That’s the sign of his true genius right there.

Coachella would have opened your eyes to what playing to a large festival crowd was like. Did this mass expanse of people sit comfortably with you while you were on stage?

It’s not normal, but it’s cool. Most of our shows aren’t on that scale, so to get to do something like that is unnerving and thrilling. How many people get to say they played at Coachella? If you’re lucky enough to be one of them, you might as well have maximum fun and do your best.

How do you feel when you realise that your music is being embraced on the other side of the world?

It’s wonderful and surprising, and that sense of surprise hasn’t dissipated in the least.

We never anticipated anyone down the street caring about the songs we were making, so it’s pretty astounding to think people in different countries have even heard of us.

Having Flood and Alan Moulder in the studio with you for Belong must have brought on many ‘you’re kidding’ moments. When listening back to Belong, where can you hear their influence?

There’s an intuitive muscle, a real rock power that didn’t really come through on the first record. That’s not to say that heavy

16 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Seize the Moment With two critically acclaimed albums now under their belt, NYC’s The Pains At Being Pure At Heart are at a loss — they never expected the general public to have any interest in their music let alone a world-wide audience. Kevin Bull spoke with singer/guitarist Kip Berman about life in the spotlight. is always better. But for these songs and the ideas that we wanted to express, we really wanted to deliver something visceral, immediate and moving.

This record was about exploring every inch of the immediate and avoiding forced resolutions or pithy morals of the story, in favour of an absolute honesty, however open ended and ambiguous. We used less

Download Page

reverb and delay and Alan mixed the drums and guitar to sound extra epic.

Flood was super helpful too, he made us use stuff like piano and an old ARP Solina string machine together (‘My Terrible Friend’) instead of the synth presets we were content to employ up to that point.

He also kept the mood light and made us not get uptight and all ‘serious rock record’

Download Issue

It appears that the band is able to find the time to write amongst the ever increasing expectations being placed on you. Is it a juggling act?

I feel strongly that the best way to share music with people isn’t to wait for the internet to tell everyone they should like you, but to go out every night, work hard and prove your worth. If you can’t convince people you deserve to exist when you play for them live, then maybe you don’t. I don’t trust bands that don’t sweat.

If you ever read a book like Our Band Could be Your Life by Michael Azerrad (a chronicle of American indie bands from the early and mid 80s,) you’ll see how incredibly difficult it was to play independent music. Today’s bands have it easy compared to that, so you should never complain when the bands that came before you literally ate dogfood and had fistfights over a cookie so they could make the music they believed in.

Belong is out now through Pod/Inertia.

Follow us on Twitter

beastie boys

Street Reporters As one of the world’s longest surviving hip-hop acts, Beastie Boys have enjoyed 25 years of critical and commercial success. MCA, Mike D and Ad-Rock speak about fake skulls, growing up and their eighth studio album, the recentlyreleased Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Why does the new record have the add-on Part Two? Ad Rock: [With] Hot Sauce Committee Part One, we recorded a lot of songs, and I mean a lot of songs. And so when we started putting the arrangements together [for the album] we decided what we would do is put out two records and we’d take the weirdest of the songs and move them to the right side and make more weird songs and that would be Part Two… the weird stuff.

What parameters did you have when recording the album?

MCA: The basic parameters we came in with were to keep the songs short, keep it moving and not get barked down in any five minute jams. We wanted to keep it raw.

We did our best by using shitty microphones and just generally tried not to [make] it too clean which is a bit of work these days, because of a lot of the machinery that’s around. And the last parameter, I would say, was to try to mix some different styles in a way that we hadn’t — to really layer different types of music over each other.

Are there no limits to the topics of your songs?

Mike D: We have just tried to incorporate anything and everything, like famous Dadaist Marcel Duchamp did. He incorporated a urinal and we would incorporate the kitchen sink. So it’s a different choice but maybe we could incorporate the urinal too and that would be okay. Sometimes we get more focused

Find us on Facebook

on one thing or another. With this album, I think we really came into it with one of our main rules [being] ‘no rules’.

record Polly Wog Stew and before Licensed to Ill. So it’s interesting, you should bring that up.

After nearly 30 years, do you still see yourselves as reporters of street life?

Mike D: Not just us, but many hip hop artists and MCs [see themselves as] street reporters in essence. We’re just writing and documenting what we see or what we experience.

Did the songs of the new record occur a long time ago?

MCA: No, the album was just written recently, we made it over the last year-anda-half, two years. But it’s set in about 1985/1986 — it’s a period piece. This album is sort of a missing link. Like if you were an archaeologist or an anthropologist and you were searching for the link between apes and humans and you couldn’t find that skull, that one skull with the big-ass forehead that was like half ape and half human. And then all of a sudden you found that skull and you were like ‘Oh shit!’. Or that skull maybe didn’t exist… and you tried to forge it and show it to people and be like ‘Yo, this is the skull that proves the whole thing that I was talking about before!’. This album is like that. This album is that fake skull.

Why did you invite NAS as a guest on the song ‘Too Many Rappers’?

Mike D: We’ve been fans of NAS since his first album, Illmatic. I think all of us agree he has made an incredible contribution to hip hop as a whole and as an MC. We sent him a track that we thought… musically, was quite different to something he would usually make and put out there. It was this hard track with his vocals. The concept of ‘too many rappers still not enough MCs’ [originated from NAS]. MC is like a master craftsman, a master of ceremonies, a mic controller, master chef, if you will. There are plenty of people who rap but there are much, much, much fewer true masters of that craft, that really apply themselves and are able to define and redefine what they do and what the music does.

In what way can you be a grown-up in a comparatively young culture like hip hop?

MCA: That’s an interesting question and actually this album, as we’ve mentioned before, was written as a prequel to Licensed To Ill. In the timeline of Beastie Boys this album actually falls after our first hardcore

Download Page

What are Beastie Boys in their own self-image?

Ad Rock: I feel like we are honest. I feel like we are brave men. I feel we are erotic; sexy, I mean to us; hardened; creative; certainly sensitive. There are a lot of different words I could throw out to describe us as a band.

How grown up do you really feel?

MCA: I’m a grown-up. Look, I’m wearing a tie and a blazer and everything. I’m like set, I’m all adulted up.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is out now through EMI Australia.

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 17

f l o a t i n g mE — t h u r s d a y

“Basically it was two years ago that it all started to come together,” says Borich. “I mean, it’s been a project in the works for a long time, in terms of the writing of the music, when everyone could get together to do it.

Obviously I was doing Cog and whatnot and that’s taken a lot of my time, and the other guys have had families and day jobs and other commitments as well. So it has just been a really slow progression. It’s been purely just enjoyment of writing [and] getting together when we can.

“So when Cog started to put the brakes on… it was like what to do now? It just made perfect sense to meet with the other guys, and set some intentions. We said ‘look, we’ve got all these songs, they’re all finished. Do you want to finish off this record and make it a full-fledged band, and see what we can do with it?’ So it all came to a head really. We had 11 songs finished. We didn’t have any bass on them, and we needed bass, so I asked John

Floating Into View An indefinite hiatus in the groove of one of Australia’s all-time great alternative rock bands, Cog, left founding member and drumming legend Lucius Borich without a major project. Enter Floating Me, a band that has been floating around for longer than it appears. By Rod Whitfield.

(Stockman, bassist for Karnivool). I’d always wanted to play with him. And fortunately he said yes, he had the time, and he loved the music. He came in, played the bass on everything and everything kind of came together and was finished. So you could say that in the last two-and-a-half years, it’s really culminated into a full-fledged band.”

To use a dreaded term, Floating Me is something of a ‘supergroup’, at least as far as the Australian alternative/progressive rock scene is concerned. Borich is one of the best known skin pounders in the country,

and Karnivool’s name speaks for itself. The other members, vocalist Andrew Gillespie, guitarist Antony Brown and keys player Tobias Messiter, formed the bulk of the groundbreaking Sydney alternative band of the 90s, Scarymother. Throw in production maestro Forester Savell, doing the sound on the band’s self-titled debut album, and you have one hell of an illustrious musical pedigree.

Borich, however, is quick to de-emphasise the supergroup tag, which he agrees has something of a negative stigma attached to it. “I can understand why people would say

You went into the studio without any demos and wrote the album in a week. At what point did it become clear to you that the album would end up sounding so different?

We had a bunch of discussions about whether we wanted to keep playing as a band and one of the things we kept coming up with was ‘if we’re gonna keep going, it’s got to be really different’. But we didn’t know how different until we got into the studio. I definitely think that every album after this point will be pretty significantly different from what came before it. Maybe we’ll do a record that’s like super-heavy, I’m not sure. But I think it’ll probably never sound like War All The Time or Full Collapse again.

You have said Thursday could continue indefinitely, is that right?

For now at least. I mean, the way that our band is, it’s sort of like, we’re a bunch of brothers and as long as we’re willing to spend time with each other, the band will keep going. I don’t think of Thursday as having a sound, or really anything, other than our brotherhood.

I’ve always said that I don’t care whether we’re making music or serving food at a soup kitchen for homeless people. For me Thursday is just the guys in the band, and everything after that — the sound, the success, whatever — that doesn’t matter.

Entering their fourteenth year, post-hardcore stalwarts Thursday have surprised fans and critics alike with their acclaimed new album, No Devolucion. It’s an ethereal, textured foray that has actively challenged many perceptions about the band. With the news that they’ll be hitting our shores for Soundwave Revolution later in the year, Michael Sykes spoke with lead singer Geoff Rickly about the band’s new direction.

Are you worried about the fan response to the new Thursday sound?

I just feel happy with this record, we’ve had such a good reaction. For me, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever been a part of. It’s a very emotional record, it’s a very real record.

So I’m not worried about this year. I’m not worried about what people are going to think of it on tour. What I am worried about is us sticking to our guns and really playing these songs for people. I think that’s the biggest thing about this record. It was just us giving

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Floating Me’s self-titled debut album is out now through Cross Section/Inertia.

Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Bad Brains — it doesn’t matter what genre you’re in, it’s always going to be better when it’s from the heart.

Is it ever hard to love the fans when some of the more vocal ones go on about the new album as if they’re entitled to?

I wish I could make everybody happy all the time, but the truth is that once you start trying to make a record for a specific group of fans you’re just selling a product. You have to follow what’s in your heart or else the record’s always gonna suck. It’s going to sound like a gimmick. I think people sell out to their fans more often than anything else. I don’t even know what a hit song sounds like these days. Is it Lady Gaga or is it Story of the Year or The Used? I think it’s impossible to decide what’s going to be popular.

18 reverb

that… because we’ve all had some reasonable success in other projects. But by no means is this a ‘side project’, we want to see how far we can push it. We’re all putting 100 per cent into it, and it’s going great.”

Floating Me recently came off a national tour supporting Dead Letter Circus, the irony of which was not lost on Borich, since it was Cog who had given DLC some of their early touring breaks. “It was great for them to really take us under their wing,” he says.

“To share the stage with them was great.

They’ve come such a long way. It’s funny how the world turns. I was in Cog and I was taking them under our wing, and now it’s the other way round. They’re the kind of relationships you build on the road, with other bands. We all help each other out when we can, and we just feel really fortunate that they let us play to their crowd.

“We’re still very much finding our feet as a band. Although we’re all pretty experienced… it’s about making sure the dynamic is gelling on-stage. We’ve got a few teething problems, but people are being pretty forgiving.

Obviously being thrust into that position, being in the spotlight, so to speak, in front of that many people straight away is quite intimidating.”

With Cog out of action, Floating Me is looking like the number one focus for Borich, for the foreseeable future. “Your guess is as good as mine, when it comes to Cog doing anything, and I very much feel like it’s over.

But I’ve tried to just grab the bull by the horns really, and not let it affect my creative process… Floating Me is definitely the one at the moment.”

Straight From the Heart

Download Page

up on pleasing anybody and just trying to make a record that makes us happy. To me that’s how you get a good record. You’re not following trends; you’re not following people’s advice; you’re just doing what feels right. Like all my favourite records — Smashing

Download Issue

Do you ever listen to bands who ‘lost touch’ and worry that could happen to you?

Yeah, sure, I do. But at the same time, those kind of worries don’t really help anything.

I mean, I have lost touch, you know? I don’t keep up with Bring Me the Horizon or Attack Attack or any of that stuff. I feel like some of the youngest fans, they’re more in touch with what I care about. Like La Dispute, Touche Amore. The ones who are getting back in touch with their art form. I grew up on Fugazi and Shudder to Think and a certain school of bands. If I lose touch with the kids, I really don’t care, because I know what I like.

Thursday will be performing at Soundwave Revolution, RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane on Saturday September 24, and Old King’s Oval, Parramatta, Sydney on Sunday September 25.

Follow us on Twitter

the middle east

Rohin Jones, vocalist and guitarist from The Middle East, loves mixed martial arts, writes songs for imaginary women, and at the time of this interview, had no idea what planking was. His band has a new album out, I Want That You Are Always Happy, and are about to embark on a national tour. Jones caught up with MA X QUINN.

Let’s start with something topical: How do you feel about planking?

This goes to show how much of a hermit I am — I don’t even know what that is!

It’s this new internet phenomenon — people lie face down in weird places and photograph themselves.

Holy smokes. That’s interesting! Shit, I guess that’s pretty current with the crazed way we have of living through the internet.

I’ll have to look that up.

Let’s talk about the new album. It’s called I Want That You Are Always Happy. Have you ever wanted something more selfish than somebody else’s happiness?

Oh hell yes. I actually just bought a new bike — I’m a big cyclist — I’ve just been setting it up over the past half an hour. It’s too expensive and very wanky but I love it and I wanted it bad.

What I love about the new album is that it doesn’t always pull its punches. The songs threaten you for a while before they explode — ‘Dan’s Silverleaf’ is a good example. Was that something you thought about, going in to recording?

The whole process was a chaotic shambles.

We didn’t have much time to think about what we were doing, so we kind of fumbled our way through the processes. We ended up with this bastard child and we don’t really know how that happened.

Then what happened?

We got back together and planned to write new music, but instead of doing that we went on tour. Then there was another tour and then another, so when it came time to

Love in the Middle East write the album we didn’t have many songs or any idea of what we wanted to achieve, musically. Jord (Jordan Ireland, vocals, guitar) and I just wrote here and there in between tours. We went into studios in Townsville and Texas and then Alabama and Cairns. It chaotic, but it was great.

Tell me about your songwriting. How do you and Jord split the singing?

Well, Jord probably sings more songs on the new album, but it’s a close 50/50 split.

So if you write it, you sing it?

Somewhat. There are exceptions to the rule — for instance, I wrote the core of ‘Darkest Side’ on the last album, but I thought it better suited his voice.

Are you okay with songs that you’ve written being sung by somebody else?

Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s just another way to be creative. I always write songs with other people’s voices in mind. I have a whole project I’m writing for an imaginary female vocalist who I haven’t found yet.

Who is she, and what does she sound like?

I don’t know her name yet, but she sounds a little bit like Groper or something like that.

Tell me about the best gig you’ve been to lately. Who was it and why was it so special?

We have this house where we built a studio in Townsville, and everyone was moving out a couple of months ago. We had all of the people who have been playing music

up north, for ages, get together and play two or three songs each, in the studio. We were all sitting down and drinking wine — it was so good! Some of my favourite songwriters are friends of mine. But it was a beautiful night and we’ve got this great recording of it which no-one will ever hear.

Are you excited to hit the road again?

Yes and no. We’ve had a crazy time touring lately — so I do like my down-time. I like to ride my bike and write different music.

But it will be good to get the whole crew back together again.

Would you like to finish by telling me something unusual about yourself or the band?

You’ve stumped me. Actually — a couple of the guys in the band are really big mixed martial arts fans. It doesn’t exactly line up with being a guy in the music industry, but I just love it!

The Middle East perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Sunday June 19.

I Want That You Are Always Happy is out now through Spunk Records.

www.ismoketoomuch.com

Find us on Facebook

Download Page

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 19

joan as police woman

I really jumped at this interview because I’ve always viewed you as a very serious artist. I thought I could challenge myself to a serious interview.

But I’ve been speaking with your publicist, and I have it on pretty good authority that you’re actually really lovely. Is that true?

Oh! Well thank you, I’m flattered! I was thinking: ‘what do you mean, serious artist!?’ Can serious people be lovely too?

I’d like to think so.

Me, too.

This being the case, would you like to play a game? I’ll shout out a category and you tell me your favourite thing within that category. I’ll be keeping score. Does that sound okay?

I love games. Sounds great!

Let’s start with an easy one: favourite food?

Papaya.

Favourite book?

Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson.

Favourite Simpsons episode?

Oh man! Fuck. I haven’t watched The Simpsons in so long, but I love them!

I haven’t seen it since it was on initially — years ago — so I guess I can’t answer that question because I don’t have a memory.

Favourite holiday destination?

Hawaii.

Why? Because you really can get lost there if you go to the right place. You can forget that the rest of the world exists. All of a sudden you’re surrounded by this lush, tropical insanity and it really feels like some sort of divine heaven. A place created by the gods for the gods.

LIVE AT YAMBA BOWLING CLUB

Favourite doughnut topping?

Coconut.

SATURDAY 4TH JUNE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL - $22 TICKET MC - DAVE CALLAN DEANNE SMITH, CANADA. JUSTIN HAMILTON SAMMY J DIE ROTEN PUNKTE THURSDAY 9TH JUNE THE BLACK SORROWS & SPECIAL GUESTS $30 TICKET PRE-SOLD SATURDAY 11TH JUNE CASEY DONOVAN 2004 AUSTRALIAN IDOL WINNER $25 TICKET PRE-SOLD - ALL AGES CONCERT TIX FROM YAMBA BOWLING CLUB PH 0266-462305 WWW.YAMBABOWLINGCLUB.COM.AU ENQUIRIES@YAMBABOWLINGCLUB.COM.AU

20 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Favourite piece of advice you’ve ever been given? … never surrender?

Who told you that?

Oh, just one of my friends. Wait. Maybe that’s not a very good one. Hah! Can we come back to this one? Because it’s something similar, but that’s not it. Pass!

The next one is similar. Favourite piece of advice you could give to me?

Well… I guess I am always trying to challenge myself to be more openminded. I think it’s really funny to find things that I’m absolutely not open-minded about when I’m of the belief that I’m generally an open-minded person. I would urge anybody to try to do that themselves, because if you decide to be kind to yourself, then it’s fun to see where you’re a completely different person to who you think you are.

I hate giving advice. I guess that might be something that would enhance your life, because it definitely does with me.

What’s been challenging you recently?

In general, it’s hard for me to be openminded with people who behave inherently differently to the way that I do. But the more time that I spend, I realise that it’s

Download Issue

impossible to judge somebody because you don’t know what they’ve been through.

I’m interested in the protests in France at the moment about banning women from wearing burkas in public. What’s interesting is that there are a lot of women joining in these protests. In my world, I’m always striving for more freedom and I feel like that’s just a given with human beings, but it’s definitely not! My enculturation is so present when I read these articles. I start to question whether these women have been forced to protest by the men in their culture, or whether they’re doing it because they are fighting for their own freedom! That’s a heavyhanded example — the same thing happens on a much more subtle level. I just find that I’m much happier when I’m less judgemental. It’s interesting how your upbringing alters your perspectives.

Follow us on Twitter

joan as police woman

Playing the Field Joan Wasser is the woman who was dating Jeff Buckley when he drowned in 1997. Tabloid curiosity aside, however, Wasser’s bio contains other, more interesting, material. As Joan As Police Woman, Wasser has turned in three startlingly good studio albums and has garnered consistent critical praise for her intimate live performances. And she likes papaya. Wasser spoke with Max Quinn about her new album, The Deep Field, on the eve of her Australian tour.

Okay, now some harder ones: favourite song on your new album?

‘Run For Love’.

Favourite part about working with Lloyd Cole on his recent solo album, Broken Record?

Oh, he’s such a sweetheart! I guess he really pretty much liked most of what I did! Hah! That’s pretty much a positive recording session when you turn up and he says ‘Maybe do this!’ and you try to give him what he wants, and it’s exactly what he wanted. So I feel like he was pretty satisfied when I left, and that’s the point. Also, the songs were amazing.

He’s such a wonderful person to be around and he’s also really funny.

Favourite album at the moment?

Find us on Facebook

Favourite album at the moment… Jesus! I don’t listen to music! I always draw a blank when this comes up and I feel really embarrassed about that. Give me a second… wow. This is embarrassing. Can you re-ask me in a minute?

Favourite late night talk show host?

Oh! I don’t have a TV. I haven’t had one for 22 years. That’s probably why I couldn’t answer your Simpsons question, either.

I’m not very with it — I live on my isolated hill in Brooklyn.

Was that a conscious choice?

Well, to begin with, there’s nowhere in Brooklyn that’s too isolated. But where I live is full of warehouses. I do so much

Download Page

interacting with people when I’m on tour that it’s a really nice haven to just be as far away from humanity as you can get in New York City. I have a bit of space out here, and a roof where you can see the sky. It’s a nice contrast, because I don’t have to go far to find throngs of people.

Let’s clear these last couple up. Favourite piece of advice you’ve been given?

Oh, god! Antony [of Antony and the Johnsons] said something one time all of these years ago. It was something like: ‘Just get back on your little horsey, and smile, and ride through it’. That’s not the quote exactly. It was in the middle of a tour, and I was exhausted, and I didn’t think I could keep going. It was really helpful for me.

Download Issue

Favourite record right now?

I always want to pick something current, but I’m not going to. The band is called Ofege, I don’t know how to pronounce it, and the album is called Try and Love. They play African psychedelic rock. It is so damn good! I wish I could give you something more current, but that record is great.

And now, the most difficult one: Favourite interview ever, bearing in mind that I am keeping score and that the way that you answer this question will have significant influence on whether or not you pass.

This is my favourite interview of all time.

Fifty thousand points.

Oh my god! Thank you! I’m so happy I passed!

Joan as Police Woman performs at Lizotte’s Newcastle on Friday June 3, and Byron Bay Community Hall on Sunday June 5.

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 21

album Reviews Feature albums

Jebediah

I Am The Agent

Due Porcess/Universal

Independent

I Want That You Are Always Happy

4/5

3.5/5

Spunk

Kosciuszko

Loyal fans of Jebediah have been waiting patiently for close to seven years for a new album from the West Australian rockers. Their patience has finally been rewarded with the release of the band’s fifth studio album, Kosciuszko.

What is immediately obvious when listening to this record is the influence on the band of lead vocalist Kevin Mitchell’s recent work, performing as Bob Evans, and his time as a member of The Basement Birds. The signature nasal vocals heard on previous records have been replaced by a much more polished style of delivery. The change is most noticeable during ‘To Your Door’ and particularly the final track, ‘Are We OK?’. Delicate guitar work and soft vocals make for a very adult contemporary vibe. However, this is balanced by tracks that showcase the old-school Jebediah sound.

The album opener, ‘Lost My Nerve’, features heavily distorted guitar and bass and the grittiest vocals of the record. Overall, Kosciuszko is much more pop than alt-rock, making it extremely easy and enjoyable hear.

Jebediah fans who enjoyed Mitchell’s solo work will love this record and it was certainly worth the wait. ~Amelia Parrott

The Wombats This Modern Glitch

14th Floor Records/Warner

4.5/5

Arguably the best pop release of the year, This Modern Glitch is impossible not to love. Filled with exuberant riffs, convincing vocals and a newly-adopted synth-heavy sound, this sophomore album marks a mature progression for UK threepiece, The Wombats. While the Liverpool band’s 2007 debut, A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, was charming in its cheeky schoolboy approach, This Modern Glitch is sleek and sophisticated.

Produced in LA, it also leaves behind the heavily-accented British gimmick of their ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ fame. Highly-rotated first single, ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’, offers an accurate snapshot – with its thumping bass and shimmering synth, it’s ultra-uplifting, infectiously catchy and polished to perfection.

Despite this though, the record’s subject matter is actually quite melancholic. Lead vocalist Matthew Murphy makes frequent reference to his penchant for prescription medication (‘Anti-D’), dysfunctional relationships (‘Our Perfect Disease’) and sexual escapism involving lessthan-desirable women (‘Jump into the Fog’) – giving This Modern Glitch the raw, heartfelt edge that makes it really bloody brilliant. ~Lee Tobin

22 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Volume Two

The second release in a series of three EPs, local noise merchants I Am The Agent have continued to fulfil the promise they have shown as a live act.

The percussive, post-punk drive of opening track ‘Blood Brothers’ makes an immediate impact, and sits in clear contrast to the extended closing jam ‘Trees’ , with its stark arrangement and mix of studio trickery.

Atmospheric guitars and treated vocals feature throughout the EP, helping to create a claustrophobic space that allows these songs to express the energy they were recorded with. Singer Michael Gale also manages to channel his musical influences on the Bright Eyes-ish ‘Pelican’, and therein lies the beauty of this release – its four tracks cover a multitude of sound textures and emotions that leave you wanting more.

Bring on Volume Three. ~Paul Frost

James Blake James Blake Polydor/Universal

4/5

Budding young musician James Blake lives up to expectations with the release of his muchanticipated debut album, with its abundance of amazing compositions and unique sound. Blake utilises auto-tune technology in every song and in all the right places, reminiscent of folk superstar project Bon Iver, but with an exclusively soul flavour. There isn’t anything overtly exciting or bombastic on this record, in fact, its success is in its minimalist style. An elaborate combination of electronic ambience and reverberation, Blake’s album is a post-dubstep escapade with no individually stand out tracks, but a cohesive collection of musical movements, choreographed to near perfection. ~Josh Clements

Foo Fighters Wasting Light Sony

3.5/5

The Fooeys have largely been a disappointment since the release of their first two sensational albums. Releasing a new album virtually every two to three years since their inception in 1994, they seem to have fallen victim to a ‘quantity over quality’ routine. Wasting Light still doesn’t match the brilliance of 1995’s self-titled debut, nor The Colour and the Shape from 1997, but it is a good, solid collection of Foo Fighters tunes. Anyone who has followed the band over the years will be well satisfied with this effort. It rocks hard in all the right places; the choruses are as catchy as you’d expect of the Grohl hitmaking machine, and Butch Vig’s production is easy on the ears. Plus, in first single ‘Rope’, the band have created one of the grooviest tunes they’ve produced for quite some time. ‘One of these Days’ has rock radio potential written all over it. This is still an album of ‘moments’ but there are just a few more of them. At a stretch, it’s their best effort since the late 90s, and well worth some of your hard earned. ~Rod Whitfield

Download Page

The Middle East

3.5/5

When a seven-piece outfit takes two years to produce an album, you could be forgiven for thinking they are struggling to combine so many sounds. Instead, The Middle East have produced an eclectic mix of darkly beautiful ballads, coupled with catchy folk riffs, sure to be popular on the airwaves.

Stand-out single ‘Jesus Came To My Birthday Party’ offers an upbeat pop hit, not quite eclipsed by the album’s sombre tone, while the riffs on ‘Hunger Song’ are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. The highlight of this album is the instrumental layers, with the building momentum of the piano, on tracks like ‘Sydney to Newcastle’, revealing a complexity underlying the poprock front fans have come to know. At first listen some of the middle tracks blur together, but the album’s sophisticated sound soon makes itself heard. A slow-burner. ~Shelby Houghton

The Blackwater Fever In Stereo +1 Records

4/5

Sweet Misery, the 2008 debut from Brisbane duo The Blackwater Fever, coupled gritty blues-rock with bleak, sinister undertones to great effect. In Stereo treads a similar path, minus some of the grimy charm and rough edges of its predecessor. Carefully refined in both production values and songwriting approach, the new album has a more accessible sound, with subtle shades of light infiltrating the darker tones. The title track highlights the greater emphasis on catchy hooks, riding a memorable chorus over a comfortably-paced blues groove.

‘Sophia’s Waltz’ sees the band in soulful, reflective ballad mode, while ‘Back Roads’ and ‘Shot Thru’ blend raucous rock ‘n’ roll with swinging blues at the album’s peak.

The latter sees Shane Hicks (vocals/guitars) deliver a refreshingly gruff vocal over an addictive riff. Though comparisons to The Black Keys are inevitable, In Stereo proves The Blackwater Fever have their own voice and a fresh take on a retro formula, delivering an assured, confident album that demands a wider audience. Recommended. ~Luke Saunders

Turner Ghosts

Independent

3.5/5

After employing his talents in a series of bands over the past decade, Gold Coast-based Richard Grewar has funnelled his creative input into a solo project, adopting his family name ‘Turner’ as the moniker. Inspired by acts such as Radiohead and Gotye, channelled into a decidedly alternative sound, Ghosts’ high points, spearheaded by Grewar’s baritone charm, include the rolling, calculated punch of ‘Picking Locks’ and the phenomenally catchy hooks of ‘Always’. Grewar is a talented songwriter, but his experimental edge is diluted by its limited range. Regardless, he is one to watch. ~Michael Sykes

Download Issue

Liam Finn FOMO

Liberation

4/5

What is it with those Finn genes and a knack for cerebral pop perfection? It’s been almost four years since Liam Finn’s solo debut was released to critical acclaim, and this follow-up showcases the same innate sensibilities – every track massaged and twisted in his own genre-hopping style. The album’s title is an acronym for ‘fear of missing out’, and each track explores this notion — from the perfect 60s pop of ‘Cold Feet’, with its gorgeous vocal lines and Motown groove, to the dreamy idealism of ‘Chase The Seasons’. Finn’s mastery of instruments and studio technique (all songs were written and performed by Finn himself) has helped create an alt-pop album that thoroughly and gleefully ignores all the norms expected of the genre. ~Paul Frost

Nick and Liesl Feather

Independent

4/5

This debut album from central coast folk duo Nick and Leisl is a classy follow-up to their 2008 EP Wyong River. On first listen, it’s a tough choice as to which is the standout: the gobsmackingly powerful and melodic vocals – think Angus Stone/Katie Noonan – or the first-class sound production, topped off with thoughtful lyrics, fine musicianship and the album’s wonderfully eclectic folk/ pop/soul style. Like Wyong River, which earned an ABC Award for sound production, Feather was crafted in the pair’s backyard studio and features a slew of über-talented collaborators, including Paul Kelly/Rockwiz drummer Pete Luscombe, Kasey Chamber’s bass player, Jeff McCormack, and country guitar maestro Glen Hannah. Crown amongst the jewels?

The slinky ‘Witch’s Brew’ — a simply beautiful song on this simply beautiful album. ~Craig Faulkner

An Horse Walls

Mom and Pop Records

4/5

Australians write the best homesick melodies. ‘I’m in London Still’, ‘I Still Call Australia Home’, ‘Wide Open Road’, ‘Cattle and Cane’, to name but a few. Walls is An Horse’s contribution to this unique history — an album brimming with excitement for the future and longing for a far-away place.

Opening with the first single ‘Dressed Sharply’, Kate Cooper, yearning for news from home, chants “I will read every word that you send me”. The homesickness becomes much darker in the beautiful ‘Brain on a Table’. This track relates Cooper’s anxiety and powerlessness while a loved one undergoes surgery across the seas. She sings “the divide is oceans wide” and begs “just please wake up”. If An Horse, like many bands before them, had to leave our shores to reach this level of musical and lyrical maturity, then it’s a fair sacrifice. As Cooper sings in ‘Swallow the Sea’, “maybe it’s our convict blood”. ~Kirsty Visman

Follow us on Twitter

album Reviews album of the month

Synthetic Breed Perpetual Motion Machine Independent

4/5

This criminally underrated industrial metal band’s debut album, Catatonic, was one of the best albums of 2007. Three years later, Melbourne’s Synthetic Breed has a new line-up and (finally) a new album. If you’re a massive fan of the debut, then it’s probably best to view the new record in isolation and try your utmost not to compare it to the mindboggling Catatonic. Vocalist Cal Hughes’ has changed his singing style from the deep throated roars that abounded on Catatonic, to a more screechy, almost black metal, vocal style. The production is different too, since polyrhythmic former skinsman Daniel Luttick left the band, thus far not to be replaced. The programmed drum lines cannot recapture the sound and dynamism of human hands and the snare sound is especially weak. But this is the only disappointment of the record. Overall, it’s a mighty and monumental effort. The songs are compelling, especially the epic and dynamic feature track, ‘Mirrored Reflections’, which, whilst slower paced, sent shivers down my spine. ~Rod Whitfield

Pegz

Drama

Fleet Foxes

Thursday Epitaph

3.5/5

Sub Pop

Keep Clam Carry The Monkey

4.5/5

Popboomerang/MGM

No Devolucion is the sixth full-length album from New Jersey veterans, Thursday. The album is a feast of atmospheric, melodic indie-rock, with polished production from David Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips). ‘Fast to the End’ is a strong opener, propelled by hyperactive drums and a soaring chorus from Geoff Rickley. ‘No Answers’ showcases the shifting dynamics and melodies that permeate the album, with a slower laid-back vibe and haunting vocals.

Beginning as a slow-burner, ‘Past and Future Ruins’ develops into a percussionheavy stomper, with a powerful climax featuring aggressive, distorted vocals.

Swirling keyboards and guitars, woven skillfully through many of the tracks, form the backbone of the album. However the second half of No Devolucion lacks the potent, memorable edge of the earlier highlights. That said, this album is an accomplished effort by a band comfortable in their skin and willing to explore sonic boundaries and break genre limitations. A pleasant discovery. ~Luke Saunders

Noah and the Whale

Obese

Last Night On Earth

4/5

C0-op

Having spearheaded the Obese Records juggernaut for almost ten years, Pegz famously declared, several years ago, that he would not be releasing any further solo material. Thankfully the MC has broken his word, unleashing Drama, a potently mature LP. Aided by the production talents of Plutonic Lab and M-Phazes, amongst others, Pegz delivers a personalised project. ‘Deities Of Def’ is a poignant tribute to a recently-deceased close friend, whilst elsewhere the sentiment is more jovial. ‘Mad Bastards’ and ‘Priceless’ are two energetic platforms over which Pegz, along with Dialectrix and Joe New, delivers a series of flawless verses. The artwork for Drama is somewhat deceptive, solely utilising greys and blacks, while every tune on the LP is exciting and effervescent. A very high quality release. ~Cameron Clarke

4/5

English indie folk band Noah and the Whale’s third studio album is an upbeat collection of blooming and shiny tunes about making your own way in the world; the audio equivalent to skipping down the street with a grin on your face. Led by Charlie Fink (vocals, guitar, ukulele), Last Night on Earth combines masterful melodies with a distinct synth/piano element and a good dealing of anti-angst vocals fleshing out the sound. The star single ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N’ opens with exceptional lyrics (“Lisa likes brandy and the way it hits her lips/She’s a rock ‘n’ roll survivor with pendulum hips”). If this is what the last night on earth sounds like, it’ll be anything but dismal. For fans of: Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons. ~Jamie Nelson

Karma Cops

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Independent

Pod/Inertia

4/5

4/5

Hazards

Sometimes the bands most deserving of our attention are the ones playing at the pub around the corner.

Newcastle four-piece Karma Cops are a case in point. Hazards showcases duelling male and female vocals, sung over impressive guitar riffs and driving rhythms. The vocalists harmonise with each other perfectly and provide an interesting twist on the standard rock formula, and the songs themselves grab the listener’s attention in all the right ways. ‘Not Myself’ is a definite highlight, with its catchy chorus and awesome guitar solo. A band worth keeping an eye on. ~Matthew Glen

Find us on Facebook

Skipping Girl Vinegar

Helplessness Blues

No Devolucion

Belong

With its reference to an aesthetic as much as a way of putting chords and melodies together, the indie-pop tag has come to mean many things. I get a bit nervous when I see the ‘indie’ prefix attached to music that would usually be up my alley. But The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are indie-pop in the true meaning of the phrase — an old fashioned pop band who release their records independently. Belong is The Cure’s Head On The Door meets Smashing Pumpkin’s Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness – an ambitious and bombastic record that is unafraid to showcase a succession of delightful, uplifting, overwhelmingly clever pop hooks. Memo to Foals and The Drums: this is how it’s supposed to sound. ~Max Quinn

Download Page

Seattle-based Fleet Foxes’ selftitled 2008 debut was one of the most universally- acclaimed albums in years. Helplessness Blues may be even better.

Smarter, darker and richer than its predecessor, this album expands on the signature FF sound in all the right places — delicate acoustic guitars and strings, melding seamlessly with heart-stopping harmonies and gorgeous, evocative imagery, echoes, (and dare I say) surpasses, all but the best of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Evocative lyrics are at the heart of the record — gold jewellery, copper tombs, snowflakes and moon-lit shores abound, while the stunning eight-minute break-up epic ‘The Shrine/The Argument’ floats triumphantly in the space between a modern folk ballad and a sensual Keats poem.

But while the lyrics play a huge part in telling the FF story, the blindingly brilliant musicianship and harmonies serve notice that not only do we have a great band on our hands, but maybe one of our generation’s finest. ~Nick Mackay

Arch Enemy Khaos Legions Century Media

4.5/5

Not since 2007’s Rise of the Tyrant has Arch Enemy released any new material, instead re-working songs from the first three albums and releasing a live album. Four years later they are back with one of the best metal albums I have heard this year.

Khaos Legions is unlike anything Arch Enemy has done before — heavier, faster and more guitar-driven. The new album kicks off strong with a great opening instrumental leading into the first single ‘Yesterday Is Dead and Gone’. Tracks like ‘City of the Dead’, ‘Vengeance is Mine’ and ‘Through the Eyes of the Raven’ best describe Arch Enemy’s brutal new sound.

The blistering solos and pounding metal riffs, composed throughout by the Amott brothers, are nothing short of phenomenal.

Vocalist Angela Gossow sounds better than ever, with an extreme vocal range from high-pitched, blood curdling screams to the darkest, deepest guttural growls she’s recorded. I do believe the album could have done without its three instrumental tracks, but they fulfil their role of joining one song to the next.

Arch Enemy has certainly outdone themselves with this one. The production is crisp and, musically, its among the best work they’ve ever done. Khaos Legions is extreme metal at its purist and best! ~Cameron Edney

Download Issue

3/5

After 14 months of recording, Skipping Girl Vinegar have presented a blurry merriment of a sophomore album. It’s a mixture of delight and drone in the beginning, with the blissful storytellers ‘Chase The Sun’ and ‘You Can’ creating a soporific calmness.

These are followed by some edgy, dustytown alternative numbers, which are layered and recorded nicely but take away from the dynamic of the album by being disloyal to preliminary impressions. ‘One Long Week’ sparkles into a diffused yet dark folk-pop that attempts to bring the album to a glorifous finale, but fails, leaving a mound of recycled beats behind.

On the whole Keep Calm, Carry the Monkey appears to have dropped its primate friend in a mid-life crisis. ~Jamie nelson

The Little Stevies Attention Shoppers Independent

3.5/5

While Attention Shoppers seems a poorly thought-out title for The Little Stevies’ gentle folk-pop, this second album is sure to warm the coldest of indie-hipster hearts. The Melbourne four-piece follow a similar recipe to debut album Love Your Band with sweetly-constructed melodies, three-part harmonies and lyrical thoughtfulness.

Opener ‘Accidentally’ has a thicker, almost rock sound, confidently grounded by strong feminine articulation. ‘Last Summer’s Day’ really draws on The Waifs’ tradition of sparse country-tinged ditties — an ode to melodic dreaminess.

Five years ago this type of Australian folkcutsiness would have landed them a spot in the Hottest 100. Sadly they are likely to be eclipsed by the glory days of Ben Lee, Missy Higgins and The Waifs. ~Adelaide French

Okkervil River I Am Very Far Jagjaguwar

4/5

Okkervil River frontman Will Shelf’s prodigious output – eight albums and five EPs, are testament to tasteful excess. But I Am Very Far is the work of someone who is still searching.

Drooling with manifold instrumentation, exquisitely applied, the songs are enormous – but the clues to Shelf’s dissatisfaction are in the titles. Opening dirge, ‘The Valley’ witnesses his fate; “another ten million falling in the valley of the rock and roll dead”, Shelf’s operatic voice looking for “a path through the mist” (‘We Need A Myth’), while “our map blows away and our compasses fail” (‘Hanging From a Hit’). He’s not above dabbling in electronica, ‘Piratess’ giving more 80s synth rock than the symphonic twist of ‘White Shadow Waltz’, but ‘Wake and Be Fine’ seeks reassurance from a relentless muse. ~Mick Daley

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 23

NEWCASTLE Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night 2 Jun

Adalita

3 Jun

Joan As Police Woman

4 Jun

Bondi Cigars

5 Jun

My Friend the

gig Guide Newcastle Wed, June 1

Tues, June 7

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

One Vital Word, Sparrows, The Spontaneous Kevin Costner

Civic Theatre, Newcastle The Bar at Buena Vista

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Missing Children, Niksta, DecembeR

Lizotte’s, Lambton Thomas Lawson, Racz n Waters, Sarah McLennan, The Widowbirds

Chocolate Cake

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

10 Jun

Diesel

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

11 Jun

The Grigoryan Brothers

12 Jun

Mark Seymour

14 Jun

Kinky Friedman and Van Dyke Parks

15 Jun

Finbar Furey &

Rosie s School of Rock Jam

Fri, June 3 Megadeth Tribute w/ Sabretung, Cerebral Contortion, Revenant

The Radiators

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

18 Jun

The Black Sorrows

Eucalypso, Gleny Rae Virus

23 Jun

Benjalu

24 Jun

Big Biz Comedy Night

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

Amber Lawrence & Paul Costa

29 Jun

Clare Bowditch

1 Jul

Mental As Anything

2 Jul

Skipping Girl Vinegar

3 Jul

The Doors Experience

7 Jul

Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus)

Dali’s Angels Bag Raiders Bondi Cigars Joan As Police Woman

Loft, Newcastle Subject 16, Caleb Skips Chemistry, Centre Sectionnish, Ravaged

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Matt Purcell

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

9 Jul

Glenn Shorrock

CBD Hotel, Newcastle

10 Jul

1927 (Sarah Blasko, Holly Throsby & Sally Seltmann)

15 Jul

Paul Grabowsky &

The Playtapes Pez, 360, Maya Jupiter

Fannys, Newcastle Axel K, Fuel, Jaytee, Kagz

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Smitty & B. Goode, Dennis Boys Band

Jack’s Bar and Grill, Erina

The Baker Suite

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

16 Jul

Jon English

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

17 Jul

John Waters

21 Jul

Mr Percival & James Valentine

Sam La More, Tommy Trash Dave Carr’s Fabulous Contraption,

23-24 Jul Moving Pictures 29 Jul

Wolverines

Silk, Newcastle

30 Jul

Abba’s Back Choirboys

Ghostwood, Chicks Who Love Guns Ultimate NRG

Doyalson RSL

Sweet teeth, Hopes, The Mermaids, Boatfriends

Virgo Mikka, Masterclass, Karmajar,

Fannys, Newcastle

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Bunt, Batfoot, The Jet Boys

RnB Superclub

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Riley & Donna Ty Penshorn Kylie, Gypsy and the Cat

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Mark Seymour and the Undertow

Lizotte’s, Lambton The Grigoryan Brothers

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Brothers Grim

Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni

Sydney Entertainment Centre

Daniel March Kylie, Gypsy and the Cat

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Funnel Web, Torpedo Vegas

The Grigoryan Brothers Rock Trivia w/ Jaywalker

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Mark Woodros

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Diesel

Lizotte’s, Lambton Mark Seymour and the Undertow

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Steve Edmonds, Ross Benton

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

Tues, June 14 Cessnock Performing Arts Cent

Genevieve Chadwick, Brayden & Tom The Moniters, Nova & the Experience,

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow

Lizotte’s, Lambton Van Dyke Parks, Kinky Friedman

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

Mark Seymour and the Undertow

Josh Callaway

Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong

Bob Corbett

Emmure, Shinto Katana

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Allon

Patonga Hotel Phil Edgeley

Sun, June 5

information,

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

phone (02) 4956 2066

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Shaun Kirk Sunday Best

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Nathan Neal

Wed, June 15 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Local Resident Failure

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

Adam Miller

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington The Mighty King Snakes

Lizotte’s, Lambton My Friend the Chocolate Cake

Tom Richardson, Benny Walker

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Anchors, Paper Arms, Excitebike

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Festival Roadshow

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

The Black Sorrows

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Floyd Vincent & the Childbrides,

The Radiators

Mingara Rec Club, Tumbi Umbi

Nick Raschke

Barrel House

East Maitland Bowling Club Memorial Drive, Sexx Daniels

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Ganga Giri

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Ngariki, Benny Walker, Tom Richardson

King Street Hotel, Newcastle Potbelleez

Lizotte’s, Lambton The Black Sorrows

Loft, Newcastle Georgia Fair, Daniel Lee Kendall

Metro Theatre, Sydney Lyrics Born, Fdel, DJ Frenzie

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Hue William

Royal Exchange Hotel, Newc Daniel March

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Adam Miller

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington The Dennis Boys Band

Sun, June 19 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Middle East, Leader Cheetah,

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

Melbourne International Comedy

Scott Beker

CBD Hotel, Newcastle

Grand Salvo

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Chestnuts

Jimeoin

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Alice vs Everything, Why Say Chelsea

Thur, June 16

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Eye On You

Milestones

To Kill A Sunrise, Swallow Your Pride,

Sat, June 11 Lasue, Hawk Brooklyn, Sendfire,

Jack’s Bar and Grill, Erina

Amy Vee

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

Dexi & Perko, G-Luv & Biscut,

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Enola Fall

Festival Roadshow

Chikama

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Noddy & Delete, Mortus & Cravn,

Zoe K and the Money Shot Band

Bye Bye Birdie, Dane Fitzsimmons

Melbourne International Comedy

The Virtue

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

Festival Roadshow

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

CBD Hotel, Newcastle

Road Warrior, Anything For Now,

Melbourne International Comedy

Little Blak Dress, Holland

Light Noise, Cotton Sidewalk,

Cumlungz +The Flying Hell Fish,

Belmont 16ft Sailing Club

Sea Legs

The Fuelers

Fri, June 10

The Black Sorrows

Loft, Newcastle

Bateau Bay Hotel

The Playtapes

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

Itch-E & Scratch-E

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Sat, June 18

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Place Youth Cent, Charlestown

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

Sun, June 12

Mary Ellen Hotel, Merewether Genevieve Chadwick, Brayden & Tom

Chasing Ghosts, The Delta Lions, Owen Smith, Andrew Richmond,

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Barrel House

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Jen Buxton

Thur, June 9 Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

Jimeoin

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

Boys Boys Boys Envikats, Dropbear

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

The Owls, Sons Of Rico, The Moderns,

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

Nathan Buyers, Niksta, Hats Bennett,

Diesel

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Eucalypso

or visit lizottes.com.au

Per Purpose, Palmists, Knee Chin,

Maids

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

For bookings and

Inhale the Sea

Teleprompter

Bondi Cigars

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

31 Jul

Elephant, Bat Yoghurt, Horse Bolted,

Paint Your Golden Face, K Mason,

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Funkwit, LGT

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Fri, June 17

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Jellyfish

The Hatty Fatners

Ghosts, Unity Floors, Mere Women,

Nick Raschke Duo

Sat, June 4

Bob Corbett

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington

Polyfox & the Union of the Most

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Days Diminished, Eastern Break,

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

Wed, June 8

Leadbellies

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Paul Jackson (USA)

Seeker Lover Keeper

Pets with Pets, White Woods,

Airbourne, The Casanovas, Tonk

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

8 Jul

14 Jul

Collarbones, Holographic Coccoon,

Sydney Entertainment Centre

8 Ball Aitken

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

26 Jun

Bitch Prefect, Oscar and Martin,

Kylie, Gypsy and the Cat

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

16 Jun

Lisa Edwards

Hit the Jackpot, Stitched Vision,

Josh Callaway

Salt

Edgeworth Bowling Club

25 Jun

Pumice, Scattered Order, Oceans,

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Brendan Grace (Ire)

w/ Darren Carr

Winter Chills Festival w/ Batrider,

Sydney Entertainment Centre

How To Survive A Bull Fight

Mark Wood

Croation Club, Islington

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Kim Churchill

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Sunday Best

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Nathan Neal

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Stiff Gins, Michael Peter

Newcastle Panthers Karnivool, Shockone, Over-Reactor

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Blues Bombers, Dave & the Demons

Jimeoin 24 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Download Issue

Follow us on Twitter

gig Guide North Mon, June 20

Wed, June 1

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong

Coolangatta Hotel

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Cruel Hand, Phantoms, The Hollow, Mark My Words, Make No Mistakes

Wed, June 22 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Nine Sons of Dan, Broadway Mile

Great Northern Hotel, Newc The Gin Club, Jimmy Bazil Project

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Totally Unicorn

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Van Dyke Parks, Kinky Friedman

Lizotte’s, Lambton Jessica Cain, Shawn Ofriel Duo, Daniel March, Andrea Soler

Thur, June 23 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Papa Vs Pretty, Redcoats, Preachers

CBD Hotel, Newcastle Wolf and Cub

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Bits and Pieces

Lizotte’s, Lambton Benjalu, Kim MacKenzie

Fri, June 24 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Taken By Force

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Rockbottom James & the Detonators

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Tim Rogers

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Kevin Bennett, The Flood, Kim Cheshire

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Daniel March

Amy Meredith

Thur, June 2 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Amy Meredith

Coolangatta Hotel Pegz, Dialectrix, Simplex

Gollan Hotel, Lismore Dave Graney & the Lurid Yellow Mist

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Willow Tree

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Roo

Port Macquarie Hotel Mumford Disben, Geoff Jones, TCOT

SCU Unibar, Lismore The Remains

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Troupador

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore The Trip, Driftwood Allies

Fri, June 3 Australian Hotel, Ballina Shybaby

Ballina RSL Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Jack and the Giant Killers

Bonny Hils Hotel Ghost Road

Brewery, Byron Bay The Trip

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina Jane Henry

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Occa Rock

Coolangatta Hotel Lowrider, Joelistics

Sat, June 25

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Lalaland, Byron Bay

We Built Atlantis

Catherine Hill Bay Hotel Eye On You

CBD Hotel, Newcastle The Trip

Lizotte’s, Lambton Lisa Edwards

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Ryan Daley

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Half Nelson, Tooksie Collective

DJ Dan Webber And Oh!, Ryan Rushton

Lennox Point Hotel Altowave

Nick Saxon and the Elusive Few, Shaun Kirk

Sawtell Hotel Perverse Cowgirl

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga The Ford Brothers

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Lisa Edwards Amber Lawrence, Paul Costa

Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Bowen & The Lucky Dutchmen

Phil Mayer Round Mountain Girls, Bill Jacobi

Valla Beach Tavern Fingerprint

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Ballina RSL Bowling Club

Grenadeirs, The Delta Lions, Easy Tiger

Lizotte’s, Lambton Clare Bowditch, Lanie Lane

Thur, June 30 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Clare Bowditch, Lanie Lane Find us on Facebook

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Mr Coffs Coast

Bob Walton

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Dr Rhythm and Cutloose

Block Bar Cafe, Yamba Tim Stokes

Brewery, Byron Bay Phatchance, Jon Reichardt, Coptic Soldier

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Clelia Adams and the River Valley Express

Brewery, Byron Bay

9 Jun

The Grigoryan Brothers

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Occa Rock

Joshua Matherson

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Finnian’s Irish Tavern, Port

The Trip

Mason Rack

Sawtell RSL

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Julia Morris, Jackie Loeb, DJ Skrlet

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

DJ Eamesey

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Andy Bourke

10-11 Jun Mark Seymour 12 Jun

Rhett Brambleby

22 Jun

Ocean Shores Tavern

Shaun Kirk

Richie Williams

Yamba Bowling Club

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Melbourne International Comedy

Dylan James

Port Macquarie Hotel

Festival Roadshow

Jimmy Watts

Sun, June 5

Sawtell Hotel

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga

23 Jun

Gershwinesque

24 Jun

The Flood

26 Jun

Lisa Edwards

30 Jun

Clare Bowditch

1 Jul

Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus)

Down Hoochie Brown

Lisa Hunt, DJ Captain Kaine

Kinky Friedman and Van Dyke Parks

Lennox Point Hotel Penny Drops

The Aztec, Forster

Diesel – solo & incredible

16-17 Jun The Black Sorrows

And Oh!, Ryan Rushton

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Geoff Turnbull

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Frogmouth

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore CBD Dub Project

Community Theatre, Byron Bay Joan As Police Woman

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Dave Graney & the Lurid Yellow Mist

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

2 Jul

Jeff Lang

Casey Donovan

3 Jul

Skipping Girl Vinegar

Sat, June 11

8 Jul

1927

9 Jul

Wolverines

10 Jul

Lazy Sunday lunch w/

Woolgoolga Bowling Club

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Joe Moore

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Cajun Cats

Ballina RSL

Discrow, Daniel Webber

Lennox Point Hotel

Hannaford Clay

Ballina RSL Bowling Club

Kim Kelaart

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Glenn Shorrock 15 Jul

Amber Lawrence

16 Jul

John Waters

22 Jul

Tim Freedman

23 Jul

Mental As Anything

24 Jul

Sunday lunch w/

Glenn Massey

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay DJ

Norm Bell

Sawtell RSL

Nowak, DJ Beatdusta

Tommy Memphis, Rowland Stones

Block Bar Cafe, Yamba Luke Yeamann

Tues, June 7

Cabarita Beach Sports Club Cabba Comedy w/ Steve Allison,

Festival Roadshow

Robert Grayson

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina Cath Simes Band

Goonellabah Tavern

Wed, June 8

Postmortemists

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

The Pajama Club

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Pez, Maya Jupiter, 360

Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs

Josh Matherson, Dean Sharkey

Melbourne International Comedy

Hilltop Hotel, Goonellabah

Festival Roadshow

The Postmortemists

Troy Cassar-Daley 28 Jul

Menopause – The Musical

29 Jul

Choirboys

30 Jul

Brian’s famous Jazz and Chilli Crab night

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Thur, June 9

Mr Coffs Coast

Lennox Point Hotel

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Jimmy Willing

Lismore City Hall

Richie Williams

Africa

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Raygun Mortlock, Dracopede

Asa Broomhall

Sawtell RSL

Greg Kew

Manning Entert Centre, Taree Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow

Dave Moye

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga Mason Rack

Nambucca Heads RSL

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Casey Donovan

Dean Jones

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

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

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Glen Mead

The Black Lullaby, Tig and E

Port Macquarie Hotel

The Aztec, Forster

The Karma Cops, Franklin Montague, Dr Sweet Trouble, Dali’s Angels

Yamba Bowling Club

Bondi Cigars

Vanessa Lee & Roadtrain

Lennox Point Hotel

Matt Buggy

3 Jun

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Rhys Bynon

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

every Wednesday night

Deya Dova, DJ Afreeka

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Glenn Massey

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Watussi

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Wed, June 29 The Hedonists

Broadfoot

Gollan Hotel, Lismore

Ballina RSL

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Sat, June 4 Jamhog

Ballina RSL Tijuana Cartel, Clay Blyth

Melbourne International Comedy

Grand Junction Hotel, Mait

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Pegz, Dialectrix, Dutch

Down Hoochie Brown

Port Macquarie Hotel

Don’t forget — Live & Local

Perverse Cowgirl

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Australian Hotel, Ballina

CBD Dub Project

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Sun, June 26 Van Walker, Liz Stringer

Gunshy

CENTRAL COAST

Fri, June 10

Genevieve Chadwick

Valla Beach Tavern Watussi

Yamba Bowling Club Casey Donovan

The Black Sorrows

Download Page

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 25

gig Guide North (cont.)

reverb

JUNE AT THE AUSSIE

It ’s nice a n d war m i n the fr o n t b ar

Sun, June 12

Mullumbimby Civic Centre

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Ragga Jump, DJ Longtime

Coffs Harbour Showground Bliss n Eso, Horrorshow, Big B

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Bliss n Eso after party

Jimmy Watts

Port Macquarie Hotel The Martini Brothers

FRIDAY 10 PERVERSE COWGIRL 8 PM SATURDAY 11 CAJUN CATS 7:30 PM FRIDAY 17 SABOTAGE 8 PM SATURDAY 18 WANDERING EYES 7:30

Generik, Discrow, Daniel Webber The Lucky Wonders

Port Macquarie Panthers

SATURDAY 25 NATHAN KAYE 7: 30

Karnivool, Shockone, Over-Reactor

Ben Francis

Casey Donovan Asa Broomhall

Coolangatta Hotel Karnivool, Shockone, Over-Reactor

Diggers Tavern, Bellingen

The Bar at Buena Vista

Kooii, Wasabi

Valla Beach Tavern

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga Mark Easton

Benny Walker, Tom Richardson

Sat, June 18

The Lucky Wonders

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

The Lucky Wonders

Backroom, Byron Bay

Karnivool, Shockone, Over-Reactor

Gollan Hotel, Lismore

Mt Clifford, Altowave

Doug Lord & Till The Cops Come,

Ballina RSL

The Tesla Coil

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Leigh James

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Block Bar Cafe, Yamba

Port Macquarie Sports Ground

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Best of Wintersun w/ John Lewis, Rocking Eddie Band, Lamplighters, Digger Revell, Normie Rowe, Lucky Seven, Marti Brom

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Rochelle Lees

Bo Jenkins

Port Macquarie Hotel

Bounty Hunters

Coolangatta Hotel

Barb’s Birthday bash

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Airbourne

YAC, Byron Bay

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Matt Buggy

Woody’s, Byron Bay

Market Light Year

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Smoot Grooves

Thur, June 16

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Lennox Point Hotel

Leigh James

Jimeoin

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Shackles, Face Hate

Lloyd Spiegel

Nelson Bay Diggers

Matt Barker

Wed, June 15 Cruel Hand, Phantoms, Third Strike,

Dean Sharkey

Lennox Point Hotel

Electric Dreams

Mon, June 13

Barrel House

Fri, June 24 Australian Hotel, Ballina

Mr Coffs Coast

The Henchmen

Ballina RSL

Little Big Fish

Fotheringham Hotel, Taree Barrel House

Smashed Crabs

Mullumbimby Civic Hall

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Storm In A Teacup w/ Harry Angus,

Gollan Hotel, Lismore Hannah Gillespie, Mick Daley

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina Bevan Spiers

Husky, Tin Pan Orange, Jen Cloher,

His Merry Men

Bonny Hils Hotel

Liz Martin, Jordie Lane

Ocean View Hotel, Urunga

Martini Bros

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Genevieve Chadwick

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Scott Davey

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Twist Tops Mick Bateman

Webber & Deegs

Ocean Shores Tavern

Bats vs Snakes

Bevan Spears

Fat Albert

The Lucky Wonders

Bonny Hils Hotel

Port Macquarie Hotel

Crank

Mumford Disben

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Sawtell Hotel

The Alderman Brothers

Granite Revolution

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga

Thora Zoo

DJ Eamesey

26 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Sun, June 19

Altowave

Lennox Point Hotel Genevieve Chadwick

Lismore City Hall Soweto Gospel Choir

Brian Watt

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Loren

Valla Beach Tavern

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Coastal Soul

Lennox Point Hotel

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Tre Hombres, DJ Slinky

Full Moon party

103 River Street, Ballina Ph 02 6686 2015 www.theaussiehotel.com

The Weekenders

Genevieve Chadwick

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Blake Saban

Sun, June 26 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Late For Woodstock, DJ Matt Walker

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Skipping Girl Vinegar

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour Ben Francis

Lennox Point Hotel Mick Daley & Sideshow

Ocean View Hotel, Urunga The Lucky Wonders, Minnie Marks

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Surf Report

Sawtell RSL Black Tie

wagons

Wed, June 29 Port Macquarie Panthers Yada Yada

Thur, June 30 Ballina RSL The Big Gig w/ S Sorrensen, Steven J Whitely

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Shine

Gollan Hotel, Lismore Wagons

Great Northerm Hotel, Byron Little Red, World’s End Press

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Neil Anderson

Sat, June 25

Port Macquarie Hotel

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

John White

Download Page

Luke Vassella, Andrea Soler

Empire

Lennox Point Hotel

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

The Resonators

6/7 Empty

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

DJ Rhyse Byron

Sabotage

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Rob Saric

Star Court Theatre, Lismore

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Ballina RSL

CC The Cat, Anarchist Duck,

Top Shelf

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Bo Jenkins

Inside Outlaw, The Watchmakers,

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Weekenders

Sawtell RSL

Henry Rous Hotel, Ballina

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Australian Hotel, Ballina

CC the Cat

Sawtell Hotel

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Due Wave

Fri, June 17

Aston Shuffle, Good Kats, DJ Steve

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Bill Jacobi

Empire Square

Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Down Hoochie Brown

Sawtell Hotel Sawtell RSL

Andrew Cousins

Katchafire, Raz Bin Sam & Lion I Band

Beauty & the Beast

Mason Rack

Port Macquarie Hotel

Wear The Fox Hat

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Cex, Coffs Harbour

Wandering Eyes

Goonellabah Tavern

Thur, June 23

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Mark Easton

Rob Imeson

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Perfect Strangers

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Twin Towns Services Club

Sawtell RSL

Polaroid Frame, DJ Nowak

Route 66

Alien Zoo, Mark Nixx, Blakboi

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Neil Anderson

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Leigh James

Lismore Workers Club

Chukule

Ballina RSL Bowling Club

Block Bar Cafe, Yamba

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Genevieve Chadwick, Ben Martin,

FRIDAY 24 THE HENCHMEN 8 PM

Coolangatta Hotel Helmet, Pangaea

Light Year, Trip Kink DJs, Stretch,

SATURDAY 4 JAMHOG 7:30 PM

Wed, June 22

Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga

Lennox Point Hotel

Ballina RSL

Lee Conway, Rowland Stones

Sawtell Hotel Gunshy

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Jacques Renay, Rowland Stones

FRIDAY 3 SHYBABY 8 PM

Sawtell RSL

Pete Murray, The Lucky Wonders

Nathan Kaye

Download Issue

Ride, One Eyed Kings, Graham Cain Duke Wilde Band, Rattlehand Follow us on Twitter

helmet — karnivool

L

istening to Helmet’s brand new album, Seeing Eye Dog, there is no sign that front man Page Hamilton is slowing down.

It’s a blistering but dynamic slab of industrial-tinged metal and punk, with some ambient moments thrown in for variation, and it hits you right between the eyes.

“It’s the nature of the music for sure,” Hamilton agrees, “Helmet has got a certain intensity to it, and it’s not necessarily about being hard. Somebody said they saw me playing a jazz gig at a party. My approach to music is that I’m just kind of ‘in’ it. I’m a bit hyperactive and music’s a good outlet for me.

“Once I write the thing, I kind of just let it be and try not to compare it to anything. It sounds like Helmet to me, which is a good thing. I think people get carried away trying to be eclectic. People do music for different reasons, and I think Helmet at this point is well-established in its vocabulary. I love punk music, and if you listen to early Helmet stuff, a song like ‘Impressionable’ has kind of a punk/hardcore vibe. So I think it’s always been there, and is part of the fabric of the band. I love Gang of Four, Wire, Killing Joke, Buzzcocks, Undertones and all that music.”

Named after one of his favourite poems, by early 20th century American poet Ezra Pound, Page says the album title had been “bouncing around for a while”. “There’s this poem called ‘The Seeing Eye’ that I was drawn to, about the notion of karma, and it just stuck with me. I don’t want to get too heavy, but it turned out cool.”

Page is immensely happy with the way the album has turned out. “Yeah, I love it,” he

The Seeing Eye Page Hamilton, main man and only original member of New York alternative heavy band, Helmet, turned 50 last year. But despite 30-odd years thrashing it out , there’s been no chilling out or mellowing down for this Oregon native. Rod Whitford spoke with Hamilton as he prepared to return to Australia. enthuses. “We’re gonna have a really good time playing these songs live. It’s really been a blast.”

Helmet return to Australia, for the first time since 2008, in June and July. Page and the band love the sincerity of their Australian

fans’ response to the band, and rock music in general, and look forward to destroying Aussie audiences once again. “Oh God yeah, we can’t wait,” he says. “We’re really excited. [Australia] has always been one of the highlights of touring... and people seem

to be really into the music, which sounds silly, but so much of rock music is not about the music. It’s about the show, or the fashion or whatever. And Helmet is little to do with that. In Australia and Germany and France and a few other places, people really just want to hear a band play music, which is great for us, ‘cause that’s what we do.”

Helmet’s history goes all the way back to the late 80s. They saw the heady heights of commercial success during the grungedriven alternative rock boom of the early to mid 90s, before breaking up in 1998, burnt out by their relentless recording and touring schedule. “It was a great time, but then the guys decided it was a good time to... leave me sitting with my thumb up my ass,” he laughs, “John (Stanier, drums) and Henry (Bogdan, bass) were tired at that point, and wanted to do something else. “ After a five to six-year break, Page decided to revive the band, and Seeing Eye Dog is their third release since re-forming and seventh overall. Page agrees it has been a long and eventful career for the band, but is very happy with their current musical output and where things sit, in mid-2011, for Helmet.

“It’s worked out fine for all of us,” says Page.

“The (current) line-up is working out good, I really like these guys.” And, according to the irrepressible Page, another album may yet be on the cards. “I said that when I hit 50 I’d be done, but I didn’t know it was still going to be this much fun!”

Helmet perform at the Coolangatta Hotel on Wednesday June 22, and Newcastle Leagues Club on Saturday July 2.

in Europe has always been great. It really is quite surreal for us — heading over to another country, seeing a crowd of people that you don’t know singing along to your songs. It’s a real thrill for all of us… we never know what to expect. We’ve been to the USA a fair bit and the response over there has been incredible as well. We’ll be back in Germany after our national tour, which should be wicked.

You’re in the process of writing and recording a new record. How has it been so far?

Yeah, there will be a new record coming soon but we’re still piecing together ideas and we have a few songs in the mix that we’re playing around with. We have quite a way to go, so a date for release hasn’t been set yet. We’re just taking our time with it. We don’t want to rush it and we want it to sound as fresh as possible.

What’s changed for you guys, in terms of sound and writing, since the recording of Sound Awake?

We’ve aged [laughs]. It’s a bit hard to say at this point in time. We’ve probably matured and had a bit of time to experience a few more things. But it won’t be until this new record

Find us on Facebook

Sound Evolution the time we’ve got before we head off.

Has Ian’s role in Birds of Tokyo had any effect on the development of Karnivool?

Not really. When Ian heads off on tour with Birds of Tokyo, we usually write a lot of the music for Karnivool while he’s gone. By the time Ian comes back we have nearly all the music ready for him to sing over. It hasn’t been a problem at all. It also gives all of us in the band our time alone to write. For me, I need that time to just jam out some guitars when no one is around. I think everyone does.

You have toured the US, Canada and been to Europe. What’s the reception like for Karnivool overseas?

It’s still building, although it has increased since our last overseas trip. The response

Karnivool perform at Newcastle Panthers on Sunday June 19; Port Macquarie Panthers on Wednesday June 22; Cex, Coffs Harbour on Thursday June 23; Coolangatta Hotel on Saturday June 25.

Per t h-ba se d prog ressive rock ba nd , K a r n i vo ol , a re back on t he road t h is Ju ne for one la s t n at ion a l tou r i n 2 01 1 b efore head i ng over to G er m a ny. S E A N F R A Z E R caught up w it h g u it a r is t A n dr e w Godda r d to ch at about t he upcom i ng tou r a nd t he m a k i ng of t hei r much a nt icipate d ne w re cord . is released that we’ll get the full picture of how, in terms of sound, we’ve changed.

Can the fans expect a couple of new songs to be played on the upcoming tour?

Yeah, there may be one or two new ones played on the tour, depending on our progress and

Download Page

You and Ian (Kenny, vocals) had a Nirvana jam band back in the early days. Was that the beginning of Karnivool? [laughs] Yeah, Nirvana were a huge inspiration to Ian and I. We used to jam along to all of that early grunge stuff when we were kids.

We would play at local parties, just playing covers. Eventually we would throw in a few original songs, that Ian had written, and people started to get a bit more into us, which prompted us to write more original songs for our sets.

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 27

r o bb i e r o b e r t s o n — d a v e g r a n e y

‘Fear Of Falling’ That song really comes from Eric [Clapton], the style of the song, it comes from a life experience he was telling me, that I was then singing back to him. Both of us were talking about experiences that we had had in our love life that we had thought we had learnt a lesson about. We thought we had learned that — I’ll never make that mistake again, and of course, it’s completely not true. But we thought we knew what we were talking about.

It is a way that you feel, this whole fear of falling, no more for me, I know what doesn’t work and what does work. I’ve been around the block, you can’t tell me nothing, and you turn around and do the same thing again.

‘When The Night Was Young’ I was living at the Chelsea Hotel and my neighbour just down the hall from me was Edie Sedgewick. Andy Warhol, he loved her, thought she was a magnificent creature, and she was, she was an extraordinary character. Quite often she would come down to my room and be hanging out, and sometimes the phone would ring and they would say, “Andy Warhol’s down in the lobby and he is looking for Edie”, and she would be like, “Tell him I’m not here, Tell him I’m not here.” So I would say “Well, she’s gone downtown to hear some blues.”

So these were all pictures in the back of my mind that I look at now, thinking about the innocence of those times, as when the night was young.

‘He Don’t Live Here No More’ It was about a period of time that Martin Scorsése and I were housemates for a couple of years, and it was in a time period where it just seemed like there was no rules.

Everybody was pretty ruthless in their experimentation with lifestyle and drugs and decadence… it just seemed like the wheels came off and anything goes. And it wasn’t like any of us were doing anything different than everybody else was at the time. It seemed like this was just the way it was, and with Marty and I, we had been bad boys and we’re doing it very well, up to a point that it became dangerous, and then, thankfully it got to a place where, that’s it. You can’t do that any more, and my way of saying this to the outside world, and talking about Marty was, he don’t live here no more.

‘This Is Where I Get Off’ Once again I was going to a place that I’ve

Speaking To the Spirits Robbie Rober tson is a musical legend . As songwriter and guitarist during The Band’s 16 -year existence, he produced classics such as ‘The Weight ’, ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ and ‘Up On Cripple Creek ’, and was ranked 78th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Robertson discusses songs from his first release in 13 years, How To Be Clairvoyant. never really visited before in music. In my own kind of way revisiting this period of time when working with The Band was coming to a conclusion, and we had spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out, within this group of five people, how to do our best work, and how to survive… what success does to something… We tried everything that we knew to figure this out, and couldn’t, and then you

feel stuck and it goes on for as long as you can take it, and then you think, listen, I’m not going to survive this, and you have to know when to step aside. It was really me coming to the conclusion that we’d been through all of these things and now I just have to recognise, there’s nothing more that I can do.

So it’s the first time I’ve been able to really express that in a musical way.

Reincarnation

After 15 years of playing the songs, I can’t

28 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

imagine the recording process would have taken long.

We recorded the album in two days in this really great studio in Melbourne, half built in a factory type situation. It was all pretty spontaneous, it was like doing our first album — that’s why I’ve joked that Rock and Roll is Where I Hide is my third debut album, because that’s the album you make when you’ve been in music for a while and you know what you are doing. There’s no worry or anguish about whether you are doing the right thing.

It must have been an interesting experience for Victor Van Vugt to mix Rock and Roll is Where I Hide, considering he produced most of the songs on the album the first time around (during the 90s with Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes).

Yeah, Victor was revisiting the songs as Clare (Moore, drummer and Graney’s wife) and I were. I thought that was interesting and he liked it. There was very little editing or overdubs, so the mix was like putting the room back together, getting a few dynamics happening here and there and using all the different room mics.

It must be a great feeling to trust Victor.

After all, he was a member of your first

Download Page

How To Become Clairvoyant is out now through 429 Records/Universal.

stories were the same, so I wanted to write it in a mythological style… remembering myself and people I know as characters in a mythical way. I wanted to treat it as though somebody could pick it up and read it as a work of fiction. I’m not a huge commercial artist, I’m not talking to an audience who knows everything about me or knows about a period of my career in depth. I don’t have to worry about names or dates or anything, it isn’t very linear.

Dave Graney has lived a rich musical life. Over the past 30 years, he’s released roughly 24 studio albums as the main singer and songwriter in The Moodists, The Coral Snakes, The White Buffalos and most recently, The Lurid Yellow Mist.

Matt Petherbridge spoke with Graney about his latest album Rock And Roll is Where I Hide and his debut novel, 1001 Australian Nights.

What possessed you to revisit songs you had written and recorded over the past 15 years, with your latest album Rock and Roll is Where I Hide?

They are the songs that people always ask us to play, or expect us to play, so the songs have taken that amount of bashing around and some have gotten stronger; some have gotten weirder; some faster. This incarnation of the band, The Lurid Yellow Mist, really knows the material well and we wanted to make a record of our band playing these songs, because we do most of them differently than the original versions.

I also wanted to sing them better, because my singing on the original recordings was... timid. I lost my mojo for singing out, for whatever reason, working with the expectations of an audience [perhaps], and I was used to being a musician out in the wilderness, that’s what I like.

Muddy Waters, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, they always went back and re-recorded their songs later in their careers. I think it’s quite interesting because I like all of my songs.

I never wrote songs for the youth culture, I’m not a Triple J act — I’m not an ABC local radio act, I’m a bit old and a bit weird for most radio stations.

‘How To Become Clairvoyant’ The ‘How To Be Clairvoyant’ track is one of my favourite musical moments, because I’ve started it with this piano figure, and the way that the whole structure of the song came together, and it changes keys, and the chord changes in it are interesting. I wasn’t originally going to have Robert Randolph play on this track but he was just intrigued by it musically, and he said, ‘let me try something on this’. So he played a beautifully supportive role on this. I had a picture taken before this with this great photographer, Anton Corbijn, and I’m reading a magazine that says, ‘Becoming Clairvoyant’, and the way that these things just fit together was mystifying to me. It wasn’t like any of it was set out to connect these things or anything, so, anyway, that makes you think, in that clairvoyant frame of mind, some things are meant to be.

Have you had the chance to do any book readings yet?

I had one at The Toff in Town in Melbourne in early April and it was really awesome.

It used to be the Labor Party or the Communist Party headquarters, but it was full of ultra groovy hipster restaurants!

band, The Moodists.

It was a great opportunity, especially seeing as Clare and I haven’t worked with him in about a decade and we had a small window of opportunity.

I understand you’ve also got a book coming out, entitled 1001 Australian Nights. What inspired you to write the book?

I love books by musicians [like] Beneath the Underdog by Charles Mingus and that Mark Manning book (Fucked By Rock: The Unspeakable Confessions of Zodiac Mindwarp). But I thought all musicians’

Download Issue

You’re playing in Newcastle, Kincumber, Lismore and Byron Bay. What can fans expect from Dave Graney and The Lurid Yellow Mist?

We’ll be playing songs from this album and if anybody has any other requests, they can ask for them. We might play a few new tracks. There will be a bit of a reading from the book. In the book, there’s a large section dealing with Jim Morrison — he’s an icon to me. Some gigs, we’ve attempted a version of ‘Lament’ (from The Doors’ 1978 posthumous poetry album An American Prayer). So we’ll see what happens! (laughs).

Dave Graney and The Lurid Yellow Mist perform at Lizotte’s Kincumber on Friday May 27; Lizotte’s Newcastle on Saturday May 28; Gollan Hotel, Lismore on Thursday June 2; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Sunday June 5.

Follow us on Twitter

T h e P o tb e l l e e z

Destined for Now The Potbelleez are capping off a whirlwind tour with Usher by releasing their sophomore album, Destination Now. Full of heavy synth riffs and dirty club bangers, Destination Now is, creatively, a giant leap forward for the Australian dance-rock hybrid band. Matt Petherbridge speaks with DJ/ producer Dave Goode about their writing process and how overseas fans, including Usher, have embraced the music of The Potbelleez.

On your latest album, Destination Now, you worked with two of my favourite producers — Paul Mac (The Dissociatives, Itch-ee & Scratch-ee) and Justin Shave (Darren Hayes).

How did you tap them for the album?

We threw Paul Mac’s name around as someone we’d possibly like to work alongside. You have to be careful what you wish for, because sometimes it comes true. We had a meeting with him and he said “Yeah, let’s do it!”, so we had eight weeks in his Panic Room studio.

Same goes for Shave, he’s actually an old friend of Ilan’s (Kidron, singer) from way back.

He’d been the musical director for Darren Hayes and he had a break in his schedule, so we locked him down to co-produce the rest of the album. It’s been a great experience learning off those two, they are legends.

A lot of the tracks have a dirtier, darker, club vibe than your first album. Can you tell me a bit about your writing process?

We’re from a dance music background, so we were always coming from that angle. First of all, myself and Jonny (Sonic, DJ/producer) might come up with a backing track or a beat and then we’d start writing the lyrics. For instance, I wrote the lyrics to ‘Twitch’ and then I gave them to Ilan and he came back with some music to work with and we went from there. Each song is a different process.

I’m really enjoying the song, ‘From the Music’.

How much did it change from the original demo?

That song was written about two years ago.

We had a version of it, but we thought that the current climate of dance music had changed considerably from when we first wrote and produced it. So we revisited the track and apart from the lyrics and the chorus, it’s completely different. We felt the track didn’t have a big strong hook line, so we came up with that big synth intro and changed the rhythm.

What’s your take on overseas dance cultures and how have they embraced The Potbelleez?

In Europe, the dance culture has been there for over 25-30 years and I suppose, if you can make it in Australian dance-floor rock, then it’s really quite easy to tame Europe.

They really get into anything. For instance,

Find us on Facebook

in Ireland, you could play spoons and they’d have a dance... But the music is so ingrained into the culture of Europe that it’s a real pleasure to play. Each country is slightly different. We played in a club in China one night and everyone was just standing and staring at us — they didn’t move at all, and then they all applauded when I got off the decks! It was pretty weird, man! I’d never seen anything like it!

Do you find it hard taking your music out of the clubs, to festival stages, or even playing at half-time during rugby league matches?

Yeah it’s a big difference. The thing about The Potbelleez is that we deliver a big, anthemic sound — so it really does translate quite well. Playing in a football stadium is weird, but you just have to remind yourself there are eyes on you from every angle. It’s pretty mad and you just have to dig in to the performance.

You recently just finished touring with Usher. What was it like to tour with such a huge artist?

It was great to be involved with it, playing in front of thousands of people every night. The Newcastle gig was a really good one. It was awesome to see such a big and well-oiled professional machine. It’s a pretty amazing thing that Usher and the dancers do — they’re like athletes, night after night maxing out on stage.

LIVE AT THE STAG FRIDAYS

FROM 7.00PM

03 JUN 10 JUN 17 JUN 01 JUL 08 JUL

MATT PURCELL ADAM MILLER AMY VEE NICK SAXON AMY VEE

SATURDAYS

04 JUN 11 JUN 18 JUN 24 JUN 02 JUL 09 JUL

BOB CORBETT DANIEL MARCH ADAM MILLER DANIEL MARCH JOSH CALLAWAY MATT PURCELL

SUNDAYS

25 JUN

RYAN DALEY

Did you hit Usher up about writing and/or producing his next album?

Yeah absolutely! By the end of the tour, we got to know each other quite well and he was really blown away by our style. We swapped details with his creative director and he actually name-checked us on stage at shows in Melbourne and New Zealand, telling the crowd to watch out for The Potbelleez and that he’ll be working with these cats in the future! So he put it out there… we’ll have to hold him to it!

The Potbelleez perform at the King Street Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday June 18; LaLaLand, Byron Bay, on Friday July 22; Sawtell RSL on Saturday July 23. Destination Now is available through Vicious.

Download Page

187 MAITLAND ROAD, MAYFIELD PH 02 4968 1205 WWW.THESTAG.COM.AU Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 29

dance NewsDANCE NEWS

moby

MOBY DESTROYED

Moby is back with his tenth studio album, Destroyed. After reaching stratospheric heights with Play, Moby has made music as diverse as techno, house and ambient soundscapes. Apparently inspired by his insomnia, Destroyed looks set to return Moby to the moody music of his earlier days.

JUMP JUMP

Los Angeles based electro duo, Jump Jump Dance Dance will be releasing their debut LP on the EtcEtc label. The pair have remixed a broad array of artists, including MSTRKRFT, La Roux, The Aston Shuffle, Lost Valentinos, Tim & Jean, Datarock and PNAU. Their own track, ‘Show Me The Night’, was a big hit last year on Triple J. Their debut album features 12 tracks, including ‘Show Me The Night’ and previous hits ‘2.0’, ‘Do It For Love’, ‘City On Fire’ and ‘Modern Eyes’, as well as upcoming single ‘White Picket Fences’.

metronomy

METRONOMY VISIT

UK pop powerhouse Metronomy have just released the quirky electronica outing The English Riviera, and rumours are flying about their proposed Australian tour in the summer. Speaking to an Australian online music magazine, Joe Mount dropped some hints about their plans over New Year. “… I guess we’ve known for a little while that we’ll been coming out,” Mount admitted. “I think we’re gonna be there around New Year’s and maybe a couple of weeks afterwards. I’m not sure when it’ll be announced. We will come back and we will continue to come back until we’re told to fuck off.”

DETROIT INFLUENCE here in australia

the rapture

THE RAPTURE

Despite the rapture not coming to save us on Saturday May 21 (according to conspiracy theorists and religious types alike), The Rapture have announced they will be releasing their third full-length album, now called In The Grace Of Your Love, through James Murphy’s beloved NYC imprint DFA Records. Expected due date is September 6 although Australia can expect it a day or two before that.

DETROIT SOUNDS like marcellus pittman

Detroit will be represented by prodigal son Marcellus Pittman over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, with Pittman visiting three cities. Pittman’s production history is long and varied, with the most obvious starting point being his work as part of 3 Chairs with fellow Detroit dons Theo Parrish, Rick Wilhite and Kenny Dixon Jnr. Marcellus Pittman performs at Tone, Sydney, on Sunday June 12.

STRUCTURED WEED

John Digweed made an impression on Australian audiences with 2010 Structures and is set to release Structures Two, due out on Bedrock on June 20. There’ll be three discs, the first two will be overseen by Digweed, including a live set from Avalon in Los Angeles. Disc three, meanwhile, comes unmixed with a heap of DJ-friendly exclusives from the depths of Bedrock’s artist roster.

30 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Download Issue

Following the dancehall swordplay of their first single ‘Blen’ and the genre-straddling HiTecherous EP, Africa HiTech are set to release their debut album, 93 Million Miles, on Warp, through Inertia. Africa Hitech is the brain child of Australia-based producer duo Mark Prichard (Harmonic 313, Global Communications) and Steve Spacek (Spacek, Dilla collaborator). Both Prichard and Spacek share a passion for the seemingly distinctive spheres of bubbling Detroit techno, soul and fierce Jamaican digital dancehall. It was when they both, by pure coincidence, found themselves living in Australia that their connection was cemented and Africa Hitech was born.

LADY BLACKTRONIKA

Californian producer Lady Blacktronika will be releasing her debut LP, Future Blues, through label, Your Only Friend. She has released a string of singles rooted in Chicago and Detroit soul and groove and will be launching her 10-track album next month.

RAW FM’S HOTTEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH

The Subs feat. Highbloo — ‘Don’t Stop’, The Wombats — ‘Techno Fan (Afrojack Extended Club Remix)’, Tinie Tempah Ft. Bei Maejor — ‘So Addicted’, Sander Van Doorn – ‘Koko’, Wolfgang Gartner feat Will. I. Am. — ‘Forever’, Drew Deezy & Thai featuring Bobby V. — ‘I Don’t See Nothing Wrong’, Hypster — ‘The Uprising’, Jono Fernandez feat Katrina Noorbergen — ‘Hear Me (The Immigrant Mix)’, Lady Gaga — ‘Judas (R3HAB Remix)’, Lupe Fiasco feat. Trey Songz — ‘Out of My Head’

Follow us on Twitter

van dyke par k s

left doing things of worth that might bring some illumination. Performing for the illumination of a small group of people is something that I’ve never had the opportunity to do before. I’m at a place now where I can start promoting records I made 40 years ago!

I’m very excited about your upcoming singles project. You’ve released two so far: ‘Dreaming of Paris’ and ‘Wall Street’. What have you found freeing about this project?

Vinyl is the finest form of sound reproduction that’s available to us! It’s far more subtle than digital processes. I’m hitting the highway in what I believe is superior sound. I’m releasing six singles in the form of 45rpm singles, hi-fi stereo with the big hole in the centre, they’re beautifully illustrated… but I’m also allowing that they be downloadable for anyone that’s stuck in the digital ditch.

The six singles will be illustrated by six different artists, including Pulitzer prize winning artist Art Spiegelman (creator of Maus), who contributed artwork to ‘Wall Street’. How did you approach him?

Actually, Art Spiegelman approached me about ten years ago! He wanted me to write a “comic’s opera” with him. I’ve always believed that the music I participated in has a cartoon consciousness. We’ve done a great deal of work on it, but we’re in a holding pattern right now. Like I tell my kids, ‘There may be snow on the roof, but a fire rages within!’ (‘Wall Street’) is a dismally ugly

Illumination of a Cartoon Consciousness I have become a huge fan of yours since first hearing your contributions to Silverchair’s Diorama. It’s inspired me to make music my life’s work, so I thank you very much, Van. God bless you Matt! Working with those boys was a great out-of-body experience for me.

I heard they announced that they are breaking up…

They’ve announced an “indefinite hibernation”.

They deserve to look into new perspectives.

They have spent most of their lives entertaining others and it’s important for them to be able to entertain themselves. I don’t think you have to call that kind of self re-invention a divorce… although I’m still in kind of a deep shock, because I just heard it. (Silverchair) had a great impact on me and the way that I communicate with Australians.

How so?

It’s the aural equivalent of the kind of derring-do I saw in the films of Baz Luhrmann — a distinguishing, very refreshing character, a spirit of Australia’s invention.

It’s a big part of my decision to come down and see if I can bring any pleasure or illumination to an Australian audience.

You’re heading down under with a great American character, Kinky Friedman…

How did it come about?

I was last out on the road with Kinky about 30 years ago when I was a brunette!

Find us on Facebook

(laughs). Texas has its own chicken-fried state of mind and it was a surreal, rough and tumble adventure. It was his idea that I come down to Australia, he told me and asked if I wanted to come and do a co-billing!

Underneath the bravado that his Texan independence suggests is a heart of gold.

It’s like that expression, ‘Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver, the other is gold’. He’s slept in The White House under two different presidents, Bill Clinton and George W Bush… and I don’t mean that he slept underneath those men! (laughs) On that political note, what inspired your involvement in the 2009 documentary, The People Speak?

To perform in a trio with Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan. Wow! That shivered me timbers! I have great respect for them both. They both have a real understanding about the United States, especially to question it. I question a lot of what is taken as ‘God and America’s Way’ and I don’t believe America should pursue peace through war. The People Speak is predicated on our right to speak and to question. Sometimes the people aren’t allowed to speak when political processes are corrupted and boys like George W Bush are elected through the most dreadful chicanery.

Now that I’m entering my last few years, I want the songs that I write today to have a political potency that takes me beyond boy meets girl.

That’s very inspiring to hear.

I’m not planning on leaving this earth anytime soon, but I want to spend what time I have

Download Page

The effervescent, legendary composer Van Dyke Parks needs no introduction ahead of his co-billed Australian tour with satirical singer songwriter Kinky Friedman. MATT PETHERBRIDGE spoke with Parks about his upcoming singles project, Aussie rockers Silverchair and lacing the music of his remaining years with “political potency”. song that I wrote about the creed of greed which has infected our thoughts of progress.

I believe Art captured that visually.

I understand your wife Sally also created an artwork for a forthcoming single.

I’m looking at it now, it’s almost finished.

It’s a magnificent watercolour. The forthcoming song ‘Pass Christian’ was about a beautiful place in the bayou, destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. My wife and I are Mississippians. I was born in Hattiesburg and although my wife is from Memphis, she spent her youth in Mississippi. Her family own four plantations, one of them is where Robert Johnson was said to have made his deal with the devil. She’s a plantation baby!

That’s amazing! How much does your wife Sally inspire you?

I wrote ‘Dreaming of Paris’ in her honour, on a flight to Paris with her, the first day after America dropped bombs on Baghdad. It’s about her expatriation to Paris, she expatriated to Paris the day after Martin Luther King was shot at age 23. It dawned on me that America still loves dabbling in war and this bellicosity mentality that dropping bombs might solve something. It solves nothing.

War is not the answer. This is what I think, anyway, at the age of 68 — that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Van Dyke Parks, together with Kinky Friedman, performs at Lizotte’s Lambton on Tuesday June 14, and Lizotte’s Kincumber on Wednesday June 22.

Download Issue

PORT MACQUARIE HOTEL CNR HORTON & CLARENCE ST, PORT MACQUARIE PHONE 02 6580 7888

THURSDAY 2

MUMFORD DISBEN GEOFF JONES FRIDAY 3

NICK SAXON

AND THE ELUSIVE FEW SHAUN KIRK

THURSDAY 9

THE KARMA COPS DALI`S ANGELS

FRANKLIN MONTAGUE DR SWEET TROUBLE FRIDAY 10

JIMMY WATTS BAND THURSDAY 16

GENIVIEVE CHADWICK ANDREW COUSINS BEN MARTIN FRIDAY 17

THE MARTINI BROTHERS THURSDAY 23

BARB’S BIRTHDAY SUPERJAM + VERY SPECIAL GUESTS FRIDAY 24

MUMFORD DISBEN THURSDAY 30

THE RIDE ONE EYED KINGS GRAHAM CAIN

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP

PING PONG $2 ENTRY, HEAPS OF PRIZES TO BE WON

BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIES ADAM - 0409049573 AND PORTMACQUARIEGIGS@ MYSPACE.COM reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 31

A l t o w a v e — P a p a V s P r e tt y

Riding The Wave TALKING SHOP Profiling music industry professionals

The north coast’s finest DJs came out of the woodwork (and the woods) this summer, to take part in a series of one-on-one turntable duels at the Lennox Point Hotel, as part of the Sounds Of Summer DJ competition. The contest, which by all accounts was a resounding success, wrapped in April. MAX QUINN spoke with the winner, DJ Altowave (Byron Bay’s Dan Boukata), shortly after the competition closed.

Congratulations on your big win. How did it feel to take out the title?

It was great, man! It’s definitely great to have all of your hard work validated by an appreciative audience. It gave me a push in the right direction, for sure.

Name? Chris O’Brien.

Who do you work for? Soundwave Festival/Revolution/Touring.

Current position/title?

General Manager.

How long have you been in this position? Four years.

What are you main responsibilities? I am in charge of marketing, advertising, publicity and ticketing.

How did you get involved in the music industry? I started running punk nightclubs back in the late 90s.

Proudest moment? Being a dad for the first and second times!

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

Best live show you’ve been to? Faith No More at Festival Hall; Alice In Chains at The Palais; AC/DC at Download.

Favourite venue? The Enmore Theatre, Sydney.

Favourite musical instrument?

The recorder.

To whom should we be listening?

The new Thursday album is unbelievable!

What would be on your ultimate rider?

As long as there was a TV in the dressing room so I could watch Collingwood, I would be happy.

Best way to spend a Sunday morning?

Making a big brekky for the family and spending the morning gardening with my two little girls. Keeps my mind off music!

Any advice for people trying to break into the industry?

Develop a thick skin to go along with your passion… if you don’t have both you won’t last.

32 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

something the area really needs. And besides, who doesn’t like to break into the weekend with a bit of a dance?

What did you win?

I won a new set of Pioneer decks and a mixer.

They’re a huge step up from what I’ve been using at home, that’s for sure. It’s going to help me a lot on the DJ side of things. On top of that, I won a residency at the Lennox Hotel to play for a year which is exciting stuff.

What does the residency mean for you as an artist?

It means I get a good chance to play a large variety of music that I really like and share that with an audience. That kind of practice and audience interaction is invaluable for any artist, whether you play an instrument or you’re a DJ with turntables. It will also get me out of the studio, getting some live interaction, which will be really beneficial.

What will that entail?

We haven’t worked it all out yet but I’ll probably be playing at the Lennox Hotel every second week starting in May and continuing on through until next year’s Sounds of Summer competition. We’re going to be bringing some good electronic music to the hotel and promoting the local scene with DJ sets on Fridays. It’s a great idea for The Lennox Point Hotel because it’s

Is producing your own music where you want to take your career?

Definitely, although I feel that producing and DJing go hand in hand. On one side of things you’re training your ear and developing your sound while on the other side you get to hear what your work sounds like live, in front of an audience. I still get a kick out of mixing two records, but I really love making my own sounds and rhythms and getting

amongst the equipment that makes it all work. It’s really rewarding stuff.

With that said, where do you position yourself within the genre?

Well, my sound is ever evolving. At the moment, it’s very much a mix of disco, house and new wave electro. I have an appreciation for all styles, electronic or not, but I’m all about the positive stuff — feelgood melodies, driving synthesisers and grooving bass lines.

Sometimes I feel like some of the really innovative dance music stagnates as it becomes more popular. How do you feel about the popularisation of dance and nightclub music?

There’s so much room to move within electronic music, be it mainstream at the time or not. Even if you lock yourself within an established genre, the possibilities to change it and grow and innovate are endless. As much as it draws from the past, electronic music is really future-focused.

Congratulations on United in Isolation.

It’s so awesome — how the hell did you record it in only 15 days?

It was really quick because of the way I went about writing the songs — first taking [them] to Tom (Myers, drums) and Angus (Gardiner, bass) and fleshing out the songs together; doing a demo version of the album with bass and drums, then taking those recordings back home and adding synth parts and extra guitar layers, vocal harmonies, that kind of stuff. Then we went into BJB Studios and Oceanic Studios with producer Paul McKercher, with those demos as a reference, and, yeah, it was really good and really quick.

Creative Misfits

Sydney wunderkinds Papa Vs Pretty have delivered a heartbreaking work of staggering genius with debut album, United in Isolation. Matt Petherbridge spoke to front man Thomas Rawle about the band’s lightning-fast recording sessions and the album’s special release extras.

What inspired you to write United in Isolation? Did you begin writing it after the Heavy Harm EP? I had a much better feel for writing things in a melody-centric way (after Heavy Harm), with the melody carrying the chords, as opposed to chords being the basis of melody, if you know what I mean.

I became more comfortable writing songs acoustically, rather than my old process, which was to record and write. I would write while I was recording and that’s why I have heaps of old recordings and stuff. But I wrote the songs and then I’d record a really bare demo, no production, so we could work on it as a band — then take it to the studio in more of a band form.

What can you tell me about the ‘interactive version’ of United in Isolation?

If you buy the album on iTunes and pay two extra dollars, you get the whole interactive thing – I did it with Vert Pixels, the same company that did the iTunes LPs for Gorillaz and Grinderman. I made this massive mind map of all these crazy drawings and things I’ve done, and you browse around this massive map and find particular songs and when you get to particular songs, you can go into videos of the band in the studio.

Download Page

Dirk Larsen’s ‘Mona Bear’ is the striking image on the cover of United in Isolation.

How did you approach him?

I basically sent Dirk an email, asking him

Download Issue

whether we could use ‘Mona Bear’ as the artwork, because I remember the first time I saw it, I was just struck by it. It’s an intense picture, it’s quite off-putting and it hits you a bit. I thought it would be amazing to have that as an album cover.

You’re opening the tour in Newcastle, are you excited about coming back?

Yeah totally, last time we came to Newcastle was for the last show on the Last Dinosaurs tour; it was a really great gig and a lot of fun. It’s our drummer’s (Tom Myers) hometown, so this one will be just as good.

Papa vs Pretty perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Thursday June 23.

Follow us on Twitter

skydive australia

I

t’s 8am and Reverb’s north coast manager Steve Bocking and I are drinking coffee on Jonson St, Byron Bay, waiting for a phone call from Skydive Australia. Our 7.30am jump time has passed, and we mutter curses at the low clouds obscuring the sky.

The phone rings with good news. The cloud cover is lifting and we are given a tentative jump time of 10.30am. This is all the encouragement we need. We cancel our second round of coffees (adrenaline beats

special goggles to enable me to wear my glasses, and lastly our super-snug harnesses.

There is certainly no way I am going to slip out of this. We are then instructed in the fine art of leaping out of a moving plane — sit on the edge, grab the shoulder straps, arch your back, put your head back on your tandem’s shoulder, and out you go. It all sounds too easy but I still find myself going over and over these four simple steps, as we prepare for departure.

The final 5,000 feet under the chute is quite anti-climatic compared to the free-fall, and I find myself watching the ground as it comes closer rather than admiring the view. Landing involves lifting my legs straight in front of me and sliding on my backside to a stop.

My senses are heightened, my smile is beaming and I could have jumped on the next plane to 14,000 feet. I have the video to prove it. Visit www.reverbstreetpress.com/ skydive to see more.

Jumping from a Perfectly Good Plane caffeine any day) and head back to the car and off to meet our fate.

Skydiving has always fascinated me and I am brazenly unafraid of heights — I have climbed the Harbour Bridge and done the Skywalk at Sydney Tower. Heck, I was diving off the 10-metre tower at Lambton Pool at the age of 11 — I cannot see why jumping out of a perfectly good plane should bother me.

Skydive headquarters are a hive of activity when we arrive. The clouds have disappeared and the first eight jumpers are being fitted out with their overalls and goggles. There is a small plane sitting outside on the runway.

Firstly the paperwork needs to be filled in and as I name my next of kin I suffer my first and only moment of doubt. Should I have increased my life insurance? Too late for that now and, anyway, I am sure there would have been a skydive exclusion somewhere in there. On to the scales to determine who will be my tandem jumper.

Steve sneaks in under the magic 100 kilo mark, but a lighter tandem jumper needs to be found for him. “We’d drop like a stone out of the sky if I was with you,” says the equally-built instructor. Isn’t that the plan?

Following the formalities, we wait. Two plane-loads head off before us, and we get a chance to watch the other jumpers prepare, board the plane and leave the safety of solid ground. This is very much the time for a cigarette, and to take in the fact that within the hour, I will be following them in their upward climb to 14,000 feet. In what feels like a very short 15 minutes, parachutes can be seen circling above. The reaction from these first arrivals is universal —pumping fists, high-fives, and high-kilowatt smiles.

As the second plane-load leaves, it is our turn to prepare. Overalls are fitted, along with

Find us on Facebook

Above: Reverb editor Kevin Bull sucks in the breeze at a brisk 200kph.

Above, left: Photos courtesy Skydive Australia.

As if travelling to Byron Bay for Bluesfest was not enough, I took Sunday off to pay a visit to Skydive Australia. A 60 second free-fall from 14,000 feet was an opportunity too good to pass up, weather permitting. By Kevin Bull.

We board our plane in reverse order — last to jump in first, and eight jumpers and their tandem buddies hurtle down the grass runway. The climb to 14,000 feet is spectacular in itself, with the Byron coastline and Bluesfest site slowly getting smaller below us. Before I know it, straps are being tightened, goggles adjusted, and the plane’s door is opened. Steve is the first to exit. I am third.

Sit on the edge, grab the shoulder straps, arch your back, put your head back on your tandem’s shoulder, clench your sphincter, and I am free-falling.

It is a feeling that is hard to explain. It is windy, and quite cool, but there is no sense of speed because there is nothing going past me to reference motion. It is as if I am floating in the air, the ground is not hurtling towards me, I am simply there enjoying the view. It’s quite surreal.

After three seconds, I have reached 100kph; eight seconds, 180kph; 15 seconds and I am at a terminal velocity of about 200kph. We free-fall for a further 45 seconds until we reach 5,000 feet, and the jolt of the parachute is felt. In the space of 60 seconds, I have fallen 9,000 feet, or 2.8 kilometres.

Download Page

find us on

search for central coast roller girls

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 33

fashion — photogr aphy by kent marcus

‘Denim Queen’ custom sinamay and

‘Felt Flutter’ felt cloche

‘Ms Violet’ flower & feather fascinator

‘Big Red’ felt top hat

‘Flower Pot’ felt fez

denim 3/4 mad hatter

Custom black bridal veil with ‘Spring Bouquet’ fascinator

‘Roses Are Red’ sculptured sinamay rose

‘Ellenor’s Butterflies’ bridal veil (ivory & black) with feathers

‘Art Deco’ sinamay pill box

‘Dark Romance’ neo-Victorian fascinator with Russian veiling

‘Honey Bee’ dinamay fez

Sinamay toque, flower & feather feature

headpiece

34 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Download Issue

Follow us on Twitter

fashion — photogr aphy by kent marcus

Photography by Kent Marcus Modelling by Freya Montefiore, Tamika Wilson and Jade Hollis Hair by Wade Ambler Make-up by Karl Fjeseth Millinery available from Crooked Crow Couture Studio, Charlestown. Ph 0427 798 873.

3/4 dinamay mad hatter

Feather & velvet neck piece

Sinamay toque, flower & feather feature

Find us on Facebook

Goth art veil

Hand-crafted felt flower fascinator with

Cream & black straw hat with folded

peacock feathers

ribbon flower feature

Sinamay vintage style fascinator, winner of ‘Best Hat’, Newcastle Jockey Club’s Melbourne Cup, 2010

Sinamay hat featuring feathers and

Felt button with Russian veil, black rose

Spring flower headband with blue peony

Black widower fascinator, blood red roses

Russian veiling with beaded spider sequins

and butterfly feature

and feathers

and redbacks.

Download Page

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 35

general motoring

“ T he G55AMG is a real attention-grabber and, as a bonus, sucks up Hummers and spits them out the exhaust”

four on the floor H

e might be known as the ‘Panzer Pope’, but we reckon Pope Benedict would rather have a Mercedes G55AMG version of the Popemobile than his current wheels. Or a tank for that matter. The G55AMG would be as tough as a tank but a whole lot faster.

He wouldn’t have to fly so much because the G55 would get him there nearly as fast.

So, what is this thing, this G55AMG? Well, you can probably deduce that it’s a MercedesBenz product. But the big mystery is where it came from or, more precisely, how long ago?

The answer to that is simple — 32 years ago.

The Gelandewagen, as it is correctly termed, started its life on someone’s drawing board in the 1980s. Obviously a survivor, the popular offroader is finally here, bright and shiny in a range of variants for 2011, being sold up against a slew of ‘fourbies’. It still stacks up even though it looks out of context — just like the Land Rover Defender.

We get two versions here, a turbo diesel six and a monumental supercharged 5.4-litre V8 petrol with 373kW — 500 horsepower in the old money.

During the week we had the G55, it created as much, or more, interest than a Ferrari, particularly when people heard it fired-up.

There is no ignoring a V8 that sounds like

36 reve rb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

a ‘door-slammer’ drag race car when the taps are opened up.

It’s an old-school vehicle made of metal, glass and rubber in industrial strength, accentuated in this case by the hand of AMG, Benz’s performance arm. They had a real crack at the G55, turning it from a rather agricultural, stump-pulling, rockhopping mud-plugger into something that really defies description — a sledgehammer fourbie with near super-car performance.

It’s boxy and slab-sided like a bread van but slam down the throttle pedal in low range (yes, it has a two-speed transfer case) and this brute puts away a 0-100kph sprint in under five seconds. That’s serious poke, especially from a vehicle that touches 2.6 tonnes.

It’s built on a ladder chassis with rigid axles front and rear and the four wheel drive system is constant so you can’t just have rear drive engaged. But you can individually engage locking differentials, by push button, at the front and rear and also the centre diff’. Though why you’d take this thing off road defies explanation — the suspension is hard as the hobs of hell and the tyres are low profile sports rubber with minimal sidewall give.

Download Page

AMG has attempted to generate some road handling by firming everything up but it’s no corner-carver — too tall, too heavy and the steering is like a boat — imprecise and too light. But you are getting plenty of metal for your $220,000-odd investment, with thick steel panels, a near vertical windscreen and quaint body hardware from a past era.

The G55 would have aerodynamics akin to a brick wall, but it matters not with this amount of grunt (700Nm) from the supercharged engine lifted from a previous version of the Benz E55 AMG, with tweaks. Drive is via a five-speed auto with sequential change mode on the gear stick. There are seats for five with a large load space down the back.

The interior has been revamped with leather, sports seats and even an Alcantara (suede) roof lining.

The exterior is enhanced with 19-inch wheels and quad side exit exhausts, two per side, just under the front doors, so you can really appreciate the note. It gets out of the blocks with indecent haste and blasts away up to who knows what speed albeit limited to a snip over 200kph for sanity’s sake.

Much of the latest safety and luxury kit from the Mercedes-Benz range has filtered through to the G55 including performance stability

Download Issue

r e vi e wed

Mercedes G55AMG r e vi e wed by

Peter Douglas

control, tyre pressure monitor, speedtronic cruise control, bi-xenons, reverse camera and voice control to the Bluetooth phone, satnav and Harman Kardon audio with four gigabyte hard disc song register.

It uses a heap of fuel which at times exceeds 20-litres/100km but we averaged around 16 — thankfully there’s a 96-litre tank to give the vehicle a decent range.

There’s a full-size spare on the barn-door tailgate.

To offset the purchase price, a ‘Premium Package’ comes as standard equipment, including TV and heated/vented electric front seats. About the only thing we’d change with this vehicle is the suspension, by fitting a selection of two modes, comfort and sport for soft and hard.

Apart from that, the G55AMG is a real attention-grabber and as a bonus, sucks up Hummers and spits them out the exhaust.

Follow us on Twitter

fortunes

Steve Burrito’s crunchy fortunes

GEMINI — You’ll meet an old school friend this month who will force you to whistle while pinching your nipple.

SAGITTARIUS — In the next week you will meet an emu that will know your name, but still refuse to talk to you.

CANCER — You’ve left your lights on.

CAPRICORN — You love singing in your head all day long. You seem to have made up your own language, sadly.

LEO — This month you are the person you don’t want to sit next to on the bus.

AQUARIUS — Sometime this month you’ll discover that old wives don’t really have tails.

VIRGO — This month you come to the realisation that you have a size 8 head, but only a size 6 face.

PISCES — You’ll try vegetarian for the first time this month.

It’s nice, but you doubt you’ll ever be able to eat a whole one.

LIBRA — After falling asleep in the backyard you will wake up with a sunburnt tongue.

The look suits you.

ARIES — You keep waking up yelling ‘the clown is down, the clown is down’. You’re a freak.

SCORPIO — Mercury conjuncts with Jupiter and nothing happens. You don’t really believe this stuff do you?

TAURUS — Uranus is rising through your sign this month, which is nice. You should be taller.

performing

FRIDAY 17TH JUNE, GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, W/ JEN BUXTON, OWEN SMITH (ONE VITAL WORD), THE DELTA LIONS & ANDREW RICHMOND THURSDAY 30TH JUNE, HOT DAMN!, SYDNEY, W/ THE INITIATION, THE CITY IN MOTION, CHRYSTAL COVE & THIS TOWN IS A FOREST TWITTER.COM/CHASINGGHOSTSAU FACEBOOK.COM/IAMCHASINGGHOSTS

Find us on Facebook

Download Page

Download Issue

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 37

live Reviews ben Folds

Blue King Brown

Hugh Cornwell

Mazstock

State Theatre, Sydney Friday, May 13

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Saturday, May 14

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Wednesday, May 4

Italo Club, Lismore Saturday, May 21

Blue King Brown ©Linda Wales

Ben Folds ©Dom Lumsden

Looking right at home under the gold-leaf architraves of the Sydney State Theatre, the dapper, bespectacled Ben Folds played a huge and diverse two-hour set, which consisted of new songs, old songs, and even a tongue-in-cheek rendition of K$ha’s ‘Sleazy’, that left the crowd in stitches. Folds’ performance was intimate and ambitious, witty and astute; his songs detailing elaborate stories of trepidations and triumphs, played with effortless grace. Drawing from almost 15 years of material, Folds satisfied both devoted fans and recent enthusiasts, starting with songs from his latest album Lonely Avenue, like ‘Levi Johnson’s Blues’ (a flippant take on right-wing America that demonstrates his obsession for story-telling satire), and going full-circle, ending with ‘Rockin’ the Suburbs’ and the infamous ‘Underground’. Making a choir of the rapt crowd, Folds beamed with satisfaction as the audience hit the right notes, and they forgave him the hint of arrogance in his assertive demeanour and smart-alec comments, in exchange for the gift of his powerful and moving relationship with his piano and raw passion for music. ~Emily Cones-Browne

A last minute venue change and cold weather did little to diminish the spirit of the crowd gathered at the Cambridge Hotel for the belated launch of Blue King Brown’s second record Worldwize: Part One – North & South. From the moment the doors opened it was clear a big night was on the cards, revellers filling the venue long before the performers hit the stage. Hip-hop duo Diafrix warmed up the crowd with a set packed full of call and response that no one could help but join in. The venue could barely contain the energy of the crowd as seven members of Blue King Brown took to the stage followed by Natalie Pa’apa’a (brandishing green war paint), to open with the first three tracks from Worldwize.

As the set progressed so did the pace, with fluid instrumental sections in ‘Not Too Late’ and ‘Stand Up’ sending the crowd into a frenzy. Other highlights included soulful renditions of reggae classic ‘Red Red Wine’ and ‘Hey Ya!’ by OutKast, performed by the two backing vocalists. The night ended with pleased punters spilling streetward after a lengthy 17-track set of emotive protest songs. ~Amelia parrott

TiKi Taane Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Thursday, May 19

Gypsy and the Cat Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Saturday, May 21

It was a sold-out crowd that greeted Gypsy & The Cat at the Cambridge on their final stop of a national tour. In addition to the duo of Xavier Bacash and Lionel Towers, a drummer and extra guitarist had been brought in, creating a fuller sound with keys and synth, and lifting the vibe of the gig to better suit the venue. The hour-long set had it all – songs from last year’s debut album for the early fans, and new songs for those just hopping on the bandwagon, mixed to great effect, with the crowd singing along to every song, then cheering and applauding with gusto. However, this zealous appreciation did not seem to be enough for lead singer Towers, who kept asking for more, rather than establishing a rapport with the crowd who would have willingly hung off his every word. While this almost pretentious need for more affection came across a little rude, the crowd was oblivious to it, confirming this as a gig for true fans, not a gig where new fans are acquired.. ~Melissah Comber

38 reve rb

magazine issue #059 — june 2011

tiki taane ©Madeline Smith

Given that he fronted one of the world’s premier dub acts, Salmonella Dub, before parting ways in 2007, I was pretty curious to see a solo show by Tiki Taane. It was pleasantly surprising to see the muscular Maori begin his set with 45 minutes of solo acoustic material, complete with a couple of Salmonella Dub’s biggest singles and a Bob Marley cover. It was only when Taane brought out his DJ, Optimus Grime, that the show took a sharp downward turn.

Taane abandoned the electric guitar in favour of interpretive dance, and unfortunately, he also abandoned everything that was charming about the first half of his performance. Grime was too loud, overpowering Taane’s echo-drenched vocals. He quickly lost about half of the crowd, including this reviewer. ~Max Quinn

Download Page

Hugh Cornwell ©Ashlee Kellehear

The crowd of old punkers and young revivalists that filled the Cambridge Hotel to watch former Stranglers front man Hugh Cornwell, one of the seminal punk artists of the 70s and 80s, was no surprise.

Backed by a three-piece band, Cornwell’s show was stripped of The Stranglers trademark keyboard sounds, with some success.

The first set, a mixture of songs from his solo career and hits from The Stranglers, opened with ‘Going to the City’ and ‘Please Don’t Put Me On A Slowboat to Trowbridge’ from his latest album Hooverdam, following with ‘Duchess’ and the title track of 1997 album Guilty. It didn’t take him long to drop ‘Golden Brown’ (easily the best song of the night), retaining that jarring 3/4 timing, but with a fuzz bass and space reggae feel – an interesting and inspiring combination that sadly wasn’t to be heard again. ‘One Burning Desire’, ‘Always the Sun’ and ‘No More Heroes’ followed as the first set came to a close.

The second set comprised The Stranglers debut album, Rattus Norvegicius IV, in it’s entirety, played in driving, raucous punk fashion, with Cornwell performing energetic versions of ‘Goodbye Toulouse’, ‘Hanging Around’, ‘Peaches’ and ‘Down in The Sewer’. The older punks got right into it, jigging, dancing, bopping or respectfully nodding, with folded arms. But it was always going to be a challenge for Cornwell to sate the appetite of an audience whetted on 30 years of cult status.

Without keyboards, the Stranglers’ songs, except ‘Golden Brown’, lacked their shimmering punch. After the show, Cornwell told me his upcoming record Totem and Taboo would showcase more riffs, which should create extra dynamism in his live show, especially if the band remains a three-piece. ~Matt Petherbridge

Download Issue

The New Christs ©Tom Takacs

Conceived as a birthday tribute in recognition of former publican ‘Maz’s’ contribution to Lismore’s music scene, Mazstock indeed had an intimate vibe; a familiar collection of blackclad rockers peppered with occasional colour from the retro-styled girls of the birthday entourage. The Sunrose cracked open the afternoon like a whip, with the manpossessed fretwork of Fort’s George Christie: a gauntlet of classy, hard-edged rock. Standouts from the 17-band onslaught that ensued included Slug, their charismatic front man reminding all of the good-time possibilities of well-executed garage rock.

Byron’s The Black Stars delivered spitfire attitude and a contemporary, punk-infused element, finishing with the blazing ‘Alright Baby’, mic stands strewn on the floor. Jetlike Leadfinger lifted the roof further as Brut 66 vocalist Dave Curley joined them in a gutsy rendition of MC5’s ‘Sister Anne’.

Country/rock maestros The Re-mains then grabbed the baton with a powerful set that included a superbly swinging account of Rod Stewart’s ‘Maggie May’. The raging epilepsy of Six Ft Hick parted punters from their inhibitions, and former Scientists, Kim Salmon and Leanne Chock, kept them there with a virtuosic performance of screaming guitar and machine-gun drumming that did justice to the duo’s icon status. How to bring this hard-rock monster home? According to The New Christs you just go about your business — build a wall of scorching sound no bastard will ever get over. ~Craig Faulkner

Follow us on Twitter

live Reviews

gig of the month

Disturbed

Katy perry

Suicidal Tendencies

Kyuss Lives!

Newcastle Entertainment Centre Thursday, April 28

Newcastle Entertainment Centre Friday, May 13

Metro Theatre, Sydney Saturday, May 14

Luna Park Big Top, Sydney Saturday, May 7

Katy Perry ©Melissa Roach

Disturbed ©Kevin Bull

There’s no denying that Disturbed fans are one of a kind. At the Chicago heavy metal band’s recent Newcastle gig, tattoos of Disturbed mascot, ‘The Guy’, abound, and you’re a nobody if you are not sporting a black Disturbed t-shirt. I even had a beer bought for me after admitting to the guy sitting next to me that I was there specifically to see Disturbed.

Opening the night with ‘Remnants’ and ‘Asylum’, the first two tracks from their latest release, the near-capacity crowd got exactly what they came for, a chance to be in the same room as their idols. With rumbling bass and serrated guitar the trademark Disturbed sound, the night was akin to dining at your local curry shop — the basic ingredients are the same with only the sauce (in this case, the lyrics) distinguishing the dish. Vocalist David Draiman stalked the stage a la Brian Johnson — not overly energetic but with a delivery full of passion and force.

The staging of video screens and flames was quite simple, but no less spectacular. It was used to perfection during ‘Ten Thousand Fists’, when Draiman projected video of the crowd, via a hand-held camera, on to the screens. The vision of the crowd, fists pumping, was perfection, and highlighted just why this band is so successful. ~Kevin Bull

Joe Bonamassa Civic Theatre, Newcastle Wednesday, May 18

Joe Bonamassa was destined to be a guitarist.

As a fourth-generation musician, he cannot remember a time where music was not a part of his life. Just how good Bonamassa is was glaringly obvious as he ripped a new exit in the Civic Theatre. Blues aficionados are well aware of Bonamassa — his releases constantly top the Billboard Blues Chart.

With his name yet to cross over to the mainstream, it was pleasing to see the Civic Theatre close to capacity. It was clear the word had leaked out: this was a show not to missed.

Putting aside a few technical issues, the night delivered the finest blues/rock. Opening with

Find us on Facebook

If this is Russell Brand’s fantasy then it’s good enough for me. Hi-yo! A colourful array of costumes, back-up dancers, cotton candy mountains, giant lollipops, an enormous screen showcasing an entertaining narrative between songs.

Kiddy-rock? Wrong.

It’s so entertaining to see parents cover their children’s ears and recoil in horror when rock-stars (let’s face it, she is one), do shit they didn’t expect, like singing about getting rubbed up (or knocked up) as a teenager (‘Teenage Dream’), or, five minutes into the show, the line “You make me feel like I’m losing my virginity”(‘Hummingbird Heartbeat’), making oral sex motions with the microphone while asking to see a man’s “peacock” (‘Peacock’), displaying photos of being a drunken mess (‘Last Friday Night’), and eating a bad batch of “Brownies” from two mime artists (‘Ur So Gay’).

Is this moral panic, or was it kind of inappropriate? Perry’s showmanship was amazing, especially the half-jazz tease of ‘I Kissed A Girl’, after which she launched into the cathartic ‘Circle the Drain’, smash hit ‘E.T.’ and a cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, followed by a bizarre acoustic set which saw Perry pash a girl in the front row after singing the viral internet sensation, ‘Friday’, by Rebecca Black. However, her cutesy-poo spirit was infectious, her artistic merit was surprising (not many artists play their latest album in it’s entirety) and it was a highly enjoyable show. Most importantly, my girlfriend loved it – which put me in the good books. ~Matt Petherbridge

The Metro was laden with Cyco Miko lookalikes geared up for some Suicidal menace and Mike Muir didn’t disappoint as he and his crew exploded onstage to the mighty ‘You Can’t Bring Me Down’. Muir punched the air with brute force and the audience reciprocated and then it was all over red rover: Suicidal mania prevailed. Ever the showman, Muir conversed with his audience throughout the night, sharing messages and stories and the feeling was that of reuniting with an old friend. The good ol’ times came back with ‘Join the Army’ and’ War Inside My Head’. Dean Pleasants played the sharp solos brilliantly; bassist Stephen Bruner was Muir’s righthand man, ever-ready to pounce with his meaty bass lines, and Eric Moore performed one of the most dynamic and exciting drum solos I’ve ever witnessed.

With everything in place for a memorable night, it was an injustice that a girl thought it would be cool to jump onstage, grab Muir, who has a debilitating back injury, and try to take off his bandana. Limping off-stage to compose himself, Muir had a few words to say on his return, before ending the night with ‘Pledge Your Allegiance’. ~Marija Zeko

the first cut from his 2000 debut release, Rory Gallagher’s ‘Cradle Rock’, Bonamassa was simply mesmerising throughout the twohour performance. Armed with his weapon of choice, the Gibson Les Paul, highlights included the riffage of ‘The Ballad of John Henry’, ‘Sloe Gin’, and tracks from his current release, ‘Slow Train’ and ‘Dust Bowl’. There was even a nod to Led Zeppelin with ‘Dazed and Confused’ dropped into ‘Young Man’s Blues’. But the cherry on this blues birthday cake was when the electrics were put aside, and ‘Woke Up Dreaming’ shone under the best acoustic performance I have seen in a long, long while. This was a night where a master musician and guitarist stood tall, making it clear that the future of blues/rock is in safe hands. ~Kevin Bull

Joe Bonamassa ©Kevin Bull

Download Page

Kyuss Lives! ©Kevin Bull

Suicidal Tendencies ©Sam Paquette

Download Issue

Formed in 1989, Kyuss was arguably one of the biggest bands in the world before breaking up in 1995, only months after the release of what is considered their finest album, And the Circus Leaves Town. When news spread, last year, that original members Nick Oliveri, John Garcia and Brant Bjork would be reuniting under the banner Kyuss Lives!, fans around the world were excited at the prospect of once again seeing these legends live, despite the loss of Josh Homme.

Walking on-stage one at a time, the band, looking genuinely overwhelmed by the response from the crowd, kicked off with ‘Molten Universe’, followed by an outstanding set-list covering their entire history, including ‘Hurricane’, ‘Asteroid’, ‘Odyssey’ and ‘El Rodeo’.

Watching Oliveri work his magic on stage was phenomenal — his signature low end bass sound has to be experienced live to be appreciated. Vocalist John Garcia had me sold before the band had finished their second song of the night, ‘Gardenia’. Hair slicked back in a ponytail and dressed in black, the perfectly-pitched Garcia delivered every note like it was his last. Not to be outdone, Brant Bjork’s drumming was out of this world.

Newcomer Bruno Fevery looked like he belonged on that stage, and although many no doubt hoped to see Homme standing there, Fevery not only gelled well with the band but did every song justice.

As the night drew to a close, it was clear that the fans in Sydney had no intention of letting the band leave the stage without a fight, with ferocious roars unlike anything I have witnessed during a live performance. The band was happy to respond, playing three encores ‘Spaceship Landing’, ‘Allen’s Wrench’ and all-time classic ‘Green Machine’. As fans walked out of the venue, it was clear a great time was had by all. If ever there was any doubt, let it be said that Kyuss do truly live! ~Cameron Edney

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 39

groovin the moo Review

datarock ©mark m c intosh

gyroscope ©mark m c intosh

the drums ©mark m c intosh

house of pain ©mark m c intosh

architecture in helsinki ©mark m c intosh

cut copy ©mark m c intosh

washington ©mark m c intosh

Groovin The Moo Maitland showgrounds Saturday, May 9

40 reverb

magazine issue #059 — June 2011

Groovin the Moo has steadily built itself into one of the most enjoyable Australian festivals on the circuit. The music and atmosphere were fantastic, with the exception of Datarock who dropped the original version of ‘Time of My Life’ from Dirty Dancing, spurring drunken calls for ‘Dirty Bit’, in reference to the Black Eyed Peas’ epilepsyinducing cover.

House of Pain really turned it up, with front man Everlast playing his solo hit ‘What It’s Like’ (a mystery to most of the crowd) and the steamrolling ‘Jump Around’, which caused some seismic activity in Maitland for at

Download Page

least five minutes.

Architecture in Helsinki were up in round one of ‘synth bands homaging Fleetwood Mac’, playing a streamlined set with their new toys (having ditched the multiinstrumental set-up), with songs from their new record, Moment Bends, set highlights.

They paused the show when some drunk weasel began climbing the mast of the dance tent, an act later to be repeated during Drapht’s punchy festival-closer.

An anthemic performance by Birds of Tokyo was a definite highlight of the night and Bliss N Eso were huge crowd-pleasers, with

Download Issue

the wombats ©mark m c intosh

Cut Copy (round two of ‘Synth Bands Homaging Fleetwood Mac’) lacking the necessary punch of a headlining act, despite my love of their third album, Zonoscope.

My festival highlight was The Wombats, who were mind-blowing from the get-go, considering I had never heard their music before Groovin. Sandwiched in the mosh, I wondered if I was experiencing an historical moment (Nirvana at Reading?). Despite the night feeling ten times colder than the previous year, the festival was a great experience, one I can’t wait to repeat! ~MATT PETHERBRIDGE

Follow us on Twitter

gum ball Review

Gum Ball Festival Belford April 29-30

the jezabels ©tim boehm

Find us on Facebook

Download Page

Nestled away amongst the trees in a little town called Belford in the Hunter Valley, the Gum Ball Festival saw many people set up camp for the weekend for some quality music, partying and good old shenanigans.

The festival consisted of 23 performances on two stages ranging from rock to dance, jazz and reggae. With hula hoop and firetwirling lessons, drumming circles, face painting, a fancy dress party and a kids-only section, this festival catered to every musical taste, and had something for everyone.

The Friday night kicked off with local Newcastle funk rockers, Ngariki Electric Band, enticing campers out of their tents to the front of the stage, and finished with The Bamboos, who are becoming a familiar name in the festival scene and it’s easy to see why when lead singer Kylie graces the stage with her six band members on saxophones, trumpets, guitars and drums.

Just when I thought the night was over I

Download Issue

Claude Hay ©Julie Lowe

came across the Silent Disco, a small tent where people were dancing to music on wireless headphones. It was far from silent however, with everyone launching into their own version of their favourite song.

Fun to say the least.

Saturday saw another day of great performances featuring Claude Hay, a oneman band from the Blue Mountains, playing guitar, bass and electronic drums — definitely an act worth checking out.

Another name getting known in the festival scene is that of banjo-plucking bluesman CW Stoneking, channelling New Orleans circa 1920, with some serious voodoo. Kora, a reggae band from New Zealand, rocked the stage with their groovy rhythms — a great choice of band to close the festival with everyone dancing beneath the trees to their Pacific-flavoured tunes. An amazing and cosy festival that I highly recommend you get to next year. ~Julie Lowe

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 41

Film Reviews

Pirate’s Plunder r e vi e wed

Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides r e vi e wed by

Mark Snelson r ated

2.5/5 Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth instalment in what has been a highly successful enterprise for Disney.

Unfortunately this one feels more like a money grab than anything else, rehashing many elements that were done better in earlier episodes. The film opens in London where Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is trying to break his trusty sidekick Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from custody so he can set sail on another adventure. Pretty soon he finds himself captured and learns that his nemesis Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who is now serving the king, wants Sparrow to assist him to find the highlysought Fountain of Youth. After a couple of innovative escapes and a swordfight here and there, Sparrow sets out on an independent path to find this magical fountain.

Unable to secure his own ship, he ends up on the crew of Queen Anne’s Revenge

captained by Blackbeard (Ian McShane), the most feared pirate there ever was. Not only is he tough as nails but his ship gives him powers of sorcery that he uses to strike terror into the hearts of men. After Sparrow incites a failed mutiny, Blackbeard would love nothing more than to dispose of him. But Sparrow is the only one that can lead him to the Fountain of Youth, so his life is spared.

Blackbeard’s daughter Angelica (Penelope Cruz) is also on board and just happens to be one of Sparrow’s ex-lovers. Also on the trail of this mystical treasure are the Spaniards and Barbossa, backed by the royal navy.

While the cinematography is quite spectacular and the action sequences finely choreographed, it is the special effects in this one that disappoint. Previous outings featured amazing skeletal pirate armies and crews, half human and half crustacean, that

were incredible to watch. The best we have here are some nasty mermaids with fangs and some zombified guards, neither of which are as impressive as the skin-crawling enemies of the earlier films. Ian McShane is the most welcome newcomer and is perfectly cast as Blackbeard. He does not stray too far from his role in TV’s Deadwood — albeit a bearded version with a more Disney-friendly vocabulary. Depp is really just running through the motions here, his quirky mannerisms and drunken swagger were funny and entertaining the first couple of times but now seem a little old hat.

There is no doubt On Stranger Tides has enough entertainment to bring in the crowds but after the two hours it does border on tedious. The ending gives way to yet another sequel but perhaps it is time to bury this franchise and throw away the map.

Get Low, the feature-length debut from director Aaron Schneider, is a simple story boosted by a couple of fantastic performances from Robert Duvall and Bill Murray. Felix Bush (Duvall) is an old hermit who has hidden away in his woodland cottage for 40-odd years, with very little contact with the townsfolk.

His reclusive way of life has spawned many a rumour about his past and most of the townsfolk are afraid of him. One day he rides

The Funeral Party r e vi e wed

Get Low r e vi e wed by

Mark Snelson r ated

3.5/5 into town with a bundle of rolled up banknotes, wanting to buy a funeral from the local church with an odd request — that he be alive and present, so he can hear all the stories people have heard about him. The priest denies this request, yet word gets out to local funeral director Frank (Murray), who is very eager to get his hands on that wad of cash. Frank and his employee Buddy visit Felix and convince him they are the men for the job. They then set about organising a funeral party with an open invite to the whole town.

Set in the 30s, the attention to detail is 42 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

impressive from the costumes to the town streets. It is also wonderfully shot by David Boyd, known for his camerawork on TV shows such as Deadwood and The Walking Dead.

The screenplay reveals a little too much about the finale early on in the film but is otherwise well scripted with a number of quirky nods to the Coen brothers. If there is any weakness in the make-up of the film, it is soon forgotten due to the fantastic performances of the two leads. Duvall is a joy to watch as the cantankerous old man who has held a dark secret for too many years, and Murray is perfect as the funeral director who will go to any length to seal a deal.

Sissy Spacek also stars and Lucas Black puts in a solid performance as Frank’s sidekick.

Get Low may not be as deeply affecting or emotionally powerful as tries to be but it is still an enjoyable and somewhat poignant reflection on ageing and redemption that is well worth checking out.

Download Page

Download Issue

Follow us on Twitter

DVD Reviews

DVD Marathon

Five Wild Days Call of the Wild r e vi e wed

127 Hours r e vi e wed by

Sallie Pritchard r ated

5/5

I used to take my dog for a walk every night and leave my wallet and phone behind.

At first I felt free knowing that no one could bother me. Then it hit me: no one could contact me. Most of the time no one even knew where I was. I started to wonder what I would do if something went wrong.

This scenario is turned up to ‘11’ in 127 Hours: Danny Boyle’s take on the story of Aron Ralston, a man whose only means of escape, after being trapped in Blue John Canyon in Utah for just over five days, was to cut off his own arm. This film is not only a candid, and at times gruelling, tale of survival: it’s an exploration of the battle between man and nature. Ralston believes he’s conquered this particular terrain but is reminded rather harshly of his insignificance in the face of an uncaring wilderness.

The film is based on Ralston’s account of his experience and the story unfolds

flawlessly under Boyle’s skilled direction.

The cinematography is stunning, giving the film a warm, orange glow, even in Ralston’s darker moments. The use of multiple frames and camera angles beautifully expresses Ralston’s carefree attitude and an extreme sports documentary aesthetic that heightens the emotional impact when his

r e vi e wed

Survival Grylls One of our first adventures with ex-British Special Forces soldier and mountaineer Bear Grylls involves boiling water and flavouring it with Rosehips. The British really can make a cup of tea out of anything. But if you’ve ever wondered if you could get out of the Canadian Rockies in less than five days, avoid Aron Ralston’s fate in the Moab, or make it through a thunderstorm in the Kimberley, then Man vs Wild is the show for you.

In this 4-disc edition, you can join Bear (aka Edward Michael Grylls) as he willingly

Find us on Facebook

Man vs Wild — Complete Season 1: Limited Edition r e vi e wed by

Sallie Pritchard r ated

4/5

puts his life at risk in five days or less, over 15 thrilling episodes. After being simultaneously impressed, disgusted and horrified, I had to ask myself: why is this series so entertaining? Most of the audience will tell you they watch the show to witness Bear defeating nature at its own game; others will tell you it’s a great how-to guide for a lovely/dangerous hike in a treacherous mountain range or a nice/horrible desert trek. But most will tell you there’s something endlessly fascinating about watching

Download Page

adventure goes horribly wrong.

The use of digital media in the film evokes Generation X and Y’s preference for digital and online media, which at times impacts on their ability to deal effectively with human communication. Aron makes sure his camera batteries are charged but doesn’t have time to answer a phone call that could have altered the outcome.

If an integral part of developing a character is through the relationships between actors on the stage (or set), then Franco’s task was a challenging one; not only is Franco alone on-screen for the majority of the film, but Ralston’s character is such that his human interactions lack real connection. As Ralston, Franco is engaging, funny, endearing, and ultimately awe-inspiring. His performance at the Oscars aside, his Oscar nomination for this role was absolutely deserved. It’s just too bad Ralston wasn’t a British monarch.

someone who may not survive their adventure.

There seems to be a common theme, with survival stories or nature documentaries, of self-documentation. Whatever the medium, relaying your tale of eating worms, fighting rattle snakes, or wearing a T-shirt on your head that you’ve soaked in your own urine, is vital because it will either be a testament to sheer will and determination, or a last will and testament. We’re safe in the knowledge that Bear has a support team (and skilled camera crew) behind him, but when he’s at his weakest you can’t help but remember the stories of people in his situation who didn’t make it out.

Despite all this, or because of it, Man vs Wild makes for compelling viewing. It’s sexier than Bush Tucker Man, and more fashionable than The Crocodile Hunter.

And for me, even more incentive to stay home and have a proper cup of tea.

Download Issue

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden If the Western explores the opposing forces of civilisation and the wilderness, then the wilderness film represents the need to feel closer to nature while attempting to control it.

In films like Into the Wild, mankind loses the battle and in this month’s 127 Hours mankind wins, or at least calls it a draw. A series like Man vs Wild demonstrates so clearly mankind’s need to show nature who’s boss. I say mankind here because these examples seem so decidedly masculine. It’s the Western male’s quest and, as suggested by Joseph Campbell, it’s one men must create for themselves. With the help of popular culture.

As an audience watching these quests, we may ask: why would someone go rockclimbing without telling anyone where they were going?

Who goes hiking in the woods without even a map? Who goes to the Canadian Rockies without food or water just to see if they can get out in five days? Yet there’s something exhilarating about watching someone perform these feats. If they can do it, so can we, right?

These ruminations on nature ultimately reveal the necessity of civilisation. Aron Ralston’s perceived self-sufficiency almost leads to his death but his eleventh hour discovery of the need for human connection is what saves him. The real tragedy of Christopher McCandless’s story is that, had he brought a map with him, he would have known that a fresh water supply was incredibly close to the place in which he perished. And, in the case of Bear Grylls, there is a film crew monitoring his every move.

Perhaps the real reason for our retreat into nature is so we can better understand and appreciate one another. After all, Thoreau still hung out with friends at Walden. But maybe that’s a decidedly feminine perspective… ~Sallie Pritchard

reverb magazine issue #059 — June 2011 43

reverb socializm

GROOVIN THE MOO, maitland

axels of evil vs. little goody two skate, niagara park photos courtesy Linda Wales

harbour hellcats vs. fort smashleys, gateshead photos courtesy mark snelson 44 reverb

mag azine issue #059 — June 2011

Download Page

Download Issue

Follow us on Twitter

M 3A D TS LL N GH TI Y A NI A EN ID AY OP FR RD TU SA COMING UP AT THE ROUS: JUNE THURSDAY 2 FRIDAY 3 SATURDAY 4 THURSDAY 9 FRIDAY 10 SATURDAY 11

WILLOW TREE DUO DJ DAN WEBBER BROADFOOT GREG KEW DJ EAMESEY JOSH MATHERSON + DEAN SHARKEY WEDNESDAY 15 STATE OF ORIGIN PROMO THURSDAY 16 BEVAN SPIERS FRIDAY 17 DJ EAMESEY SATURDAY 18 SMOOTH GROOVES THURSDAY 23 DEAN SHARKEY SESSIONS FRIDAY 24 DJ RHYSE BYNON SATURDAY 25 EMPIRE SQUARE THURSDAY 30 CLOUD 9

PUB FAVOURITES • MONDAY NIGHTS – SCHOONER & SCHNITZEL $14 + NRL ON THE BIG SCREEN TV • MEMBERS’ STEAK NIGHT EVERY WEDNESDAY • MEMBERS’ HAPPY HOUR 6-7 EVERY WEEKDAY • MEMBERS’ DRAW EVERY MON 6–7, FRI 6–7 STATE OF ORIGIN ON THE BIG SCREEN DISCOUNT JUGS OF XXXX & TOOHEYS NEW

BALLINA 177 RIVER STREET, BALLINA PH: 02 6686 2411 WWW.HOTELHENRYROUS.COM.AU

THU 2ND

The Remains

THU 16TH

DJ

FRI

Chillout DJ on the deck

17TH

9PM

8PM

5PM FREE

TUE 21ST

Duo on the deck 5PM FREE

THU 23RD DJs 8PM $5/$10

FRI

24TH

Chillout DJ on the deck 5PM FREE

WED 29TH Chillout DJ

on the deck 5PM FREE

THU 30TH DJ 8PM

SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY MILITARY ROAD, LISMORE

FIND ‘UNIBAR LISMORE’ ON FACEBOOK OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS. HTTP://UNIBARANDCAFE.SCU.EDU.AU PHONE 6626 9602 EMAIL UNIBAR@SCU.EDU.AU SCU Unibar promotes responsible service of alcohol. Photo ID required.