Reverb Magazine - Issue 67

music, arts & culture monthly

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#067 March

Joe Satriani Extreme guitarist Adam Ant Return of the Highwayman The Rapture Big on love

falling into you plus: Tonight Alive + Sprung Monkey + Zoe K + Aleks and the Ramps + Ginger Beer

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13/02/12 2:23 PM

photo by kevin bull

No. 67

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

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

index

contents

News 8-13 Joe Satriani 14 Aleks and the Ramps 15 Tonight Alive 16 Zoe K 17 Closure in Moscow 18 Eric Bibb 18 Will and the People 19 Adam Ant 20-21 Sprung Monkey 22 The Rapture 23 Evanescence 24-25 Happy High Herbs 26 Ginger beer 27 Fashion 28-29 Motoring — Volkswagon Scirocco R 30 Cartoon 31 Horoscopes 31 Talking Shop 31 Album reviews 32-34 Soundwave review 35 Big Day Out review 36-37 Live reviews 38 Laneway Festival review 39 Film reviews 40 DVD reviews 41 Gig guide 42-44

editor’s letter

Credits

So the Big Red draws clear in the final 100 metres to take the Labor Leadership Group One by a good length. The trainer and strapper had been confident in the days leading to up to the race that dulled the nation, but you can never tell what can happen when the decision is taken out of the punter’s hands.

The track was rated as mind-numbingly slow, with much mud needing to be covered.

All runners returned to their stables a little worse for ware having received bloody welts across the rump from the parliamentary whip.

Big Red will now be rested for a good 12 months. The filly’s next outing will be against Budgie Boy in the Prime Ministerial Piss-take Group One held in Canberra each four years.

Much love guys, Kevin.

Editor

DVD Reviewer

Timmy Johnston

Shelby Houghton

Editorial

Kevin Bull

Sallie Maree Pritchard

Ashlee Kellehear

Charli Hutchison

kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360

Kiah McCarthy

Ashlee Kellehear

6 reverb

magazine issue #067 — March 2012

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HOROSCOPES

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Max Quinn

Gig guide

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Louisa Bulley

Melissa Roach

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RAILWAY WONDERLAND BRINGS LISMORE RAILWAY STATION BACK TO LIFE

Take your seat under the stars as Railway Wonderland brings Lismore Railway Station back to life. Immerse yourself in a dreamy wonderland of strange encounters, wild stories, comedy, romance and song. Take a ride across time and discover the extra in the ordinary. In March, NORPA premieres Railway Wonderland, a spectacular original theatre work performed live on Lismore train station platform. Dance, theatre, live music, a choir and video projections all combine to take the audience on a magical ride across time from the 1940s to the present day. The audience will be immersed in all the action being played out on the platform from special tiered seating that has been constructed across the disused railway tracks. “Train stations are such evocative and romantic places where a thousand hellos and goodbyes resonate across time,” says the show’s director and NORPA’s artistic director Julian Louis. “Railway Wonderland continues NORPA’s strong tradition of creating adventurous, fun and highly entertaining works that take people out of the theatre and into the heart of our cities and towns.

What more significant site than Lismore train station — a place that is steeped in the stories of our community.”

Two years in the making, Railway Wonderland is one of the largest and most dynamic theatre works to be created in the Northern Rivers region. Starting in 2009 with a call out to local writers to submit short stories that were then performed at the 2010 Byron Bay Writers Festival, the stories, along with the region’s rich history of post-war migration, act as inspiration points for Railway Wonderland. The production is also informed by engagement with historians, Rail Corp staff, the general public, enthusiasts and lobby groups.

“Some of the most fascinating, beautiful material has come out of Railway Wonderland’s development process,” said Louis. “That spirit of exchange, collaboration and discovery has informed the work from the very beginning. We’re thrilled and deeply grateful to have involved so many people in this adventure.” Railway Wonderland performs at Lismore Railway Station, March 27 to April 3.

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ALEKS faces facts

city and colour

GTM LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

Rich feathers… precious stones… the Groovin’ the Moo [GTM] cosmogram returns in 2012. With a record ten international artists, alongside local essentials, coming together for Australia’s only touring regional event, the scene has been set for a ritual of musical and communal expression.

From City and Colour and Kaiser Chiefs to Public Enemy and more, this will be one awesome technicolour spectrum of artist-allsorts, handpicked for GTM fans to enjoy this May. Twenty five artists will be ceremoniously presented on a double outdoor stage, by the voodoo glow of the Moolin Rouge Big Top, for the delight of all you astral plane and magic carpet train or bus travelers, Australia-wide. In alphabetical order, behold these artists preparing to lavish us with storytelling and song: 360, Adrian Lux, Andrew WK One-Man-Party Tour, Beni, Big Scary, Bluejuice, Chiddy Bang, City and Colour, Digitalism, The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs, Kimbra, The Maccabees, Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath, Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Public Enemy, Purple Sneakers DJs, San Cisco, Wavves, and with more local and Triple J unearthed artists to be announced. GTM occurs at Maitland Showground on Saturday May 12.

To celebrate the release of their monumental third album, Facts, Aleks and The Ramps will be hitting the road in March to play 12 dates around the country. This is the band’s biggest tour yet and if Aleks and The Ramps aren’t coming to a town nearby, then you need to move house. From the upbeat pop serenade of opening track ‘Crocodile’, to the infectious pop of their recent single ‘Middle Aged Unicorn on Beach with Sunset’, Facts showcases Aleks and The Ramps’ unique sound — dreamy, shimmering pop soundscapes juxtaposed with Aleks’s trademark deadpan vocals and stoic lyrics. Aleks and the Ramps perform at Chino’s Bar, Newcastle, on Sunday March 4, and Rails, Byron Bay, on Thursday March 8.

august burns red

AUGUST BURNS RED TO PLAY NEWCASTLE

When August Burns Red unleashed their 2009 breakout album, Constellations, they became a band that could no longer be ignored. They debuted in the Top 25, coheadlined the AP tour, headlined the Warped Tour and connected with a colossal legion of fans. Having briefly stopped by in 2010 to say ‘g’day’ to Aussie fans as part of the No Sleep Til Festival, August Burns Red are now set to grace our shores once more in support of their fourth full-length album, Leveler, described by Revolver Magazine as setting the standard for 2011. And they are bringing some of the genre’s finest live bands along for the ride on their mammoth Australian tour. August Burns Red, Blessthefall and Northlane perform at Newcastle Panthers on Thursday April 19.

mat mchugh

the GUM BALL KEEPS ADDING TO Line-up

The Gum Ball are pleased to announce their second round artist line-up to perform in the secluded bushland surrounds of Belford in the Hunter Valley. Gum Ball 2012 now boasts frontman and creative force behind The Beautiful Girls, Mat McHugh, performing hits from the band’s catalogue. ARIA award-winning Aussie rock stalwarts Front End Loader will be there, alongside 60s-inspired rhythm and soul spectacle, Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes.

Also appearing are The Delta Riggs, The Tongue, Massy Ferguson, Eucalypso featuring Gleny Rae, Two Rivers Blues, The Perch Creek Family Jug Band, The Bakery and Irish singer/songwriter, Rosey. Add this to the first line-up announcement of Custard, Jinja Safari, Ash Grunwald Wagons, Sietta, Kim Churchill, Fire! Santa Rosa Fire!, Benjalu and The Joe Kings, and you have one of the best rural festivals going. The Gum Ball occurs at Belford, Hunter Valley, April 27-28.

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ball park music

BALL PARK MUSIC COMES 180 DEGREES

Off the back of two entries in Triple J’s Hottest 100, Ball Park Music announced their most ambitious national tour yet — The 180 Degree Tour. After being officially Unearthed by Triple J just over a year ago, Ball Park Music have become one of Australia’s must-see musical outfits. With widespread airplay the catalyst for a touring regime that doesn’t seem to let up, this band is becoming known as one of the most cohesive creative units in the country. Ball Park Music, with Nantes and Cub Scouts in support, perform at the Coolangatta Hotel on Thursday March 22; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Friday March 23; Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni, on Wednesday March 28.

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 9

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LIVE MUSIC L I V E S P O R T, G R E AT F O O D MAR 1 boy & bear

THU A LICE ‘N Z OE K

BOY & BEAR REMEMBER THE MEXICAN

MAR 3

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F USHI A

O C E AN IC

FoReiGN BoDY T E A L

MAR 7

WED MAR 8

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EASY TIGER LET ME DOWN JUNGLEMAN

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ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS SWOOP TAMWORTH

MAR 15

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MARRIAH

MAR 18

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LUKE HOSKINS INEXPERIENCE

HORSE BOLTED

MAR 22

THU THE LE ADBELLIES MAR 24

SAT

Boy & Bear has grown into a bigger beast then even the five core members could ever have imagined. Debut album Moonfire secured five ARIA awards, a prestigious shortlist nomination for The Amp and no less than three entries in Triple J’s Hottest 100, with single ‘Feeding Line’ reaching the top five. But this is one band that has not forgotten its roots — looking forward to sharing its success in the form of a huge 25-date tour. Boy & Bear perform at Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni, on Thursday May 31; Coolangatta Hotel on Wednesday June 6; Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday June 7; Yamba Bowling Club on Wednesday June 13; Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday June 14; Forster Ex Services Club on Friday June 15; Port Macquarie Panthers on Saturday June 16; Entrance Leagues Club on Sunday June 17.

MISTAKEN

MAR 25

SUN M A R K E A S T O N

For five guys who got together five years ago to play an occasional local gig for a ‘bit of fun’, the Round Mountain Girls have exceeded all expectations in a very short space of time. After this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, the band drove north with three Golden Fiddle Awards in their suitcase. “It was a huge privilege to be playing in the beautiful Tamworth Town Hall surrounded by some of Australia’s top musicians,” said frontman and banjo player, Chris Eaton. “We never dreamt, when we first started out, that we’d take a stage and be immediately followed by Troy Cassar-Daley, which is exactly what happened at the awards ceremony.” Round Mountain Girls perform at the Central Coast Country Music Festival at Memorial Park, The Entrance, between March 9 and 11. Also performing at the event will be Shane Nicholson, Sunny Cowgirls, Amber Lawrence, Luke Austen, Travis Collins, The Apprentices and Tori Darke.

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THU DEEP WATER BLUES MAR 31

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CLOSURE IN MOSCOW’S IMPECCABLE BEAST

Hot on the heels of supporting My Chemical Romance on arena stages, Closure In Moscow [CIM] are back with a new single titled ‘The Impeccable Beast’, produced by Wayne ‘Lotek’ Bennett and mixed/mastered by Forrester Savell. ‘The Impeccable Beast’ introduces an amazing new rhythm section — Duncan Millar on bass and Salvatore Aidone on drums — and a fresh direction for the band.

To celebrate the release of the new single, CIM are pleased to announce a national headline tour of 12 shows throughout March, with special guests Strangers as main support for all shows. Then fully warmed up, CIM will fly to Europe to headline tour dates throughout the UK and Europe, with their sophomore album due for release later in the year. Don’t miss your chance to catch the sonic bliss that is a Closure In Moscow live show. Closure in Moscow perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday March 17, and Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday March 29.

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deep sea arcade

DEEP SEA ARCADE RELEASE AND TOUR OUTLANDS

Sydney’s Deep Sea Arcade are letting off some steam in the lead up to their longawaited debut album, Outlands, set for release on Ivy League Records on March 9.

The second cut from the band’s debut long player, ‘Steam’, picks up where the outrageously catchy radio favourite, ‘Girls’, left off. Another accomplished, cinematic, 60s-inspired pop nugget, ‘Steam’ ensures Deep Sea Arcade will be one of the bands to keep an eye on this year. Fresh from supporting Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Deep Sea Arcade will be setting out on a national tour in support of Melbourne grunge lords, Children Collide throughout March. Dates include the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday March 15; Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Wednesday March 21; Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday March 22.

FLOCK STARS AT THE GLASSHOUSE

Created by the Powerhouse Museum in collaboration with IMG Fashion, Frock Stars is a captivating behind-the-scenes look at the history, highlights, glamour, controversies and achievements of Australian Fashion Week — an event that has challenged the perceptions of the Australian fashion industry. From backstage to front row, Frock Stars takes a look at the complex organisation behind the staging of this major event, and the roles and experiences of selected people working inside Australian Fashion Week — including buyers, media, models, designers, volunteers and producers. Frock Stars is showing at the Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, until Sunday April 22.

CHILDREN COLLIDE TAKE SWORD TO A GUNFIGHT

It’s been just over a week since Children Collide unleashed their Kraut disco-influenced track, ‘Sword to a Gunfight’, on the world and the Melbourne trio have well and truly hit the ground running, with plans for a huge Sword to a Gunfight Tour throughout March and April. The boys are stoked to finally announce the bands (and good mates) who will be joining them on the road. First up, Sydney-based psychedelic indie-pop swordsmen, Deep Sea Arcade, will be filling the role of main support.

Opening duties for the tour will go to Sydney’s indie newcomers Palms. Although to be completely honest, these boys are anything but newcomers — featuring former members of indie trendsetters, Red Riders — Al Grigg (singer, guitarist) and Tom Wallace (drummer, girlish backing vocals).

Children Collide, Deep Sea Arcade and Palms perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday March 15; Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Wednesday March 21; Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday March 22.

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garage-rock pioneers The Sonics, brothersin-spirit Redd Kross, The Fleshtones, Died Pretty, The 5.6.7.8’s, Tek & Younger, HardOns, Belles Will Ring, Royal Headache, The Lovetones and The Straight Arrows. But that’s not all. In a personal celebration of this milestone, the Hoodoo Gurus have announced they will perform Stoneage Romeos in its entirety, plus a selection of their other hits. Dig It Up takes over the Enmore Theatre, Notes Live and The Green Room, Sydney, on Sunday April 22.

hermitude

HERMITUDE ENTER HYPERPARADISE

HyperParadise is Hermitude hitting the bullseye of their artistic vision — a beautifully inventive record of future beats and electronica. It’s not just their meticulousness in production and musicianship, it’s the passion and love they have for instrumental music that makes them so special. The songs are bubbling with personality: choruses leap out of songs demanding an emotional response. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine the more notably adventurous R&B/ soul vocalists wishing they could get their hands on the likes of ‘All of You’ and ‘HyperParadise’. Hermitude perform at the Brewery, Byron Bay, on Friday March 9.

HOODOO GURUS DIG IT UP

Come along as the Hoodoo Gurus invite some of their favourite acts and key influences for a one-of-a-kind tour that celebrates 30 years since the release of ‘Leilani’, and a career that has delivered more than 30 timeless hit singles. The Gurus’ nine studio albums have enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim in equal measure and they have the reputation of being one of Australia’s most consistent and powerful live acts. Invitees include the legendary

LISMORE YOUNG SONGWRITERS COMP IS OPEN

The third annual Lismore Young Songwriters Competition is now open to all Northern Rivers musicians aged between 12 and 25, with a finals event scheduled to be held during Youth Week, April 13 to April 22, at the Lismore City Hall. The annual Youth Week competition attracts scores of entries and is a great opportunity for young people to gain experience in live public performance. There are four categories in the Lismore Young Songwriters Competition: Pop/Rock, Folk/Country, Hip Hop/R&B and Electronica, and all entries must be original material. Prizes include studio recording time, a sound system, musical equipment, music store vouchers and CDs. For more information and full entry details you can ‘like’ Lismore Young Songwriters Competition on Facebook, visit Council News on the Lismore City Council website at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au or contact Council’s Youth and Community Development Officer, Lizette Twisleton, on 1300 87 83 87. Application closing date is Sunday March 31.

diafrix

DIAFRIX AND JOELISTICS JOIN FORCES AND TOUR

Combining the dynamic pair of Diafrix and Joelistics, two of Australia’s most eclectic hip-hop forces, the Running To Shine national tour spans 14 dates across the country this coming March and April. Both acts are excited to announce brand new singles for 2012 — Diafrix with ‘Running It’ and Joelistics with ‘The Shining’. Melbourne duo Diafrix had a bumper 2011, releasing their biggest single yet — the Daniel Merriweather assisted ‘Simple Man’, as well as scoring the national support slots for Bruno Mars and Tinie Tempah; accepting an invitation to perform at the UK’s legendary Glastonbury Festival; successfully touring Europe and beginning work on their sophomore album.

After releasing his debut album in 2011, Joelistics returns with The Shining EP, which will feature remixes of tracks off his critically acclaimed debut, Voyager, as well as ‘The Shining’ single. Diafrix and Joelistics perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday March 10, and the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday April 12.

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SCU UNIBAR GOES LARGE

The newly revamped and now super sexy SCU Lismore Unibar has almost doubled in size over the break and it’s now preparing to throw open its doors to some massive acts and some big, hot, sweaty crowds. Kicking off on Friday, March 2, with the massive Yespleez dubstep bass party and fire show, everything just gets bigger from there. On the bill for March are the sexy Aston Shuffle, Purple Sneakers, Soul Reference and wrapping up a enormous month, the mighty Potbelleez on Thursday, March 29. Tickets for all shows are available at the Unibar and everyone’s welcome, but be quick because this hot little room is going to sell out quick.

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

pieta brown

PIETA BROWN RETURNS WITH MERCURY

A free-spirited beauty who is both self-possessed and disarmingly unaffected, Pieta Brown is being hailed as a modern American troubadour. Her seventh album, Mercury, evokes the sounds of her native Alabama, with raw folk and Americana songs that have strains of Gillian Welch and The Civil Wars, with the radio-friendly allure of Feist and Ray Lamontagne. When Pieta Brown was last in Australia in 2010 she connected with Australian singer songwriter Lucie Thorne, leading to a few collaborations and rumours of a combined album in 2013. Pieta Brown and Lucie Thorne are possibly two of the most intriguing, talented and quietly enduring songwriters of their generation and respective homelands, and will be performing together at the Star Court Theatre, Lismore, on Saturday March 17.

the potbelleez

POTBELLEEZ HIT THE UNIS

Australian APRA award-winning dance sensations The Potbelleez emerged from their Bondi Beach ‘Wonderland’ studio in 2011 where they had been writing and recording their second album, Destination Now, which was released in May, dropping three massive platinum and gold hit records in its wake. One of Australia’s most loved bands, The Potbelleez are also regulars on the festival circuit and have headlined incredible events including Homebake, Good Vibrations, Future Music Festival and Stereosonic. Now The Potbelleez are shaping up to kick out the jams for the university students: SCU Unibar, Lismore, on Thursday March 29, and Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni, on Friday March 30.

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After the overwhelming success of last year’s production of As You Like It, Tantrum Theatre and Livesites once again bring family-friendly Shakespeare to the park with A Comedy of Errors. Leap into the chaos with this contemporary re-imagining of The Bard’s riotous comedy about mistaken identity. After his award-winning direction last year, Carl Young (CONDA winner, best professional director) returns to adapt and direct this comedic classic, hurling it into the 21st century where everybody has a mobile phone and Facebook addiction but miscommunication reigns. A Comedy of Errors performs on Mount Carrington between March 8-18. This is followed by a regional tour: Bain Park, Wauchope, on Friday March 23; Paterson Park, Dungog, on March 25-26; Lake Macquarie Art Gallery Grounds, on Friday March 30; Peace Park, Cessnock, April 1-2; Gloucester Shakespeare Festival, May 16-17.

ETTALONG BEACH FESTIVAL NOW spans THREE DAYS

This year’s Ettalong Beach Festival expands to three days, with the inaugural Friday Beach Ball and Saturday Film Night being added to the Sunday Street Festival. Running between March 16-18, the festival begins with the Beach Ball, featuring the Spooky Men’s Chorale. Saturday is the Festival Film Night at Cinema Paradiso, where the theme is ‘Ettalong — Then and Now’. Sunday is Street Festival Day, which runs from 10am – 4pm, with entertainment by King Tide, Circle of Rhythm, Kavisha Mazzella, Dusha Balkana Dance, Central Coast Ukulele Orkestra and the Ganang Spirit Dancers. The Ettalong Beach Festival occurs between March 16-18.

BIGGEST FIELD IN YEARS FOR SURFEST newcastle

A whopping 201 male surfers from 21 territories have registered their intention to wear a competitors’ singlet in the 6-star Surfest Burton Toyota Pro, and have thrown organisers a challenge to fit them into a field that will start with 144 surfers. Some of the big names intending to head to Newcastle include Aussies — Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow, Kai Otton and Adrian Buchan; Hawaiian — Fredrick Pattachia; Americans — Damien Hobgood, Chris Ward, Gabe Kling and Cory Lopez and former winners of the Mark Richards trophy at Newcastle, including Jay Thompson, Glenn Hall and Travis Logie. The 6-star Hunter Ports Women’s Classic has also attracted keen interest, with 81 surfers from 13 territories, including world number one Carissa Moore from Hawaii and an Australian trio comprised of world number two Sally Fitzgibbons, world number four Tyler Wright and three–time winner at Newcastle Rebecca Woods. Surfest Newcastle Australia is conducted over 12 days from March 7-18 at Merewether Beach, Newcastle.

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lachlan bryan

LACHLAN BRYAN ON THE FLY

As frontman of alt-country outfit, The Wildes, Lachlan Bryan has traversed the country, performing songs from the wonderful 2009 Ballad of a Young Married Man. Bryan now steps out on his own with his debut solo album, Fly By Night. 2011 saw Bryan co-writing, playing shows and showcasing at the AMA Festival in Nashville, with the likes of Jerry Salley and Byron Hill, and seeing his first single spend 10 weeks in the CMC Top 50.

In preparation for his Bluesfest 2012 performance, Lachlan Bryan will be visiting the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Saturday March 17. Following Bluesfest, Bryan performs at the Nimbin Hotel on April 12.

CHE-FU HITS THE HI-SCORE

Unquestionably one of New Zealand’s most popular and respected male vocal artists, Che-Fu is charged and ready to deliver the performance of a lifetime, showcasing a back catalogue of Kiwi iPod hits. The multiaward winning hip-hop powerhouse crosses the Tasman on the back of his recently compiled best-of album, Hi–Score, which perfectly balances the singer’s three solo albums, 2b S.Pacific, Navigator and Beneath the Radar. With a dedicated fan base, not only in New Zealand but in Australia and around the world, Che-Fu’s latest tour is set to be off the charts, with tickets expected to sell out quickly. Che-Fu performs at the Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday March 22, and Coolangatta Hotel on Friday March 23.

SprUNG MONKEY CAUSE SHANK’D TO REFORM

Shank’d were heavy hitters in the Newcastle original music scene in the mid to late 90s. Their unique take on hard rock, mixed with surf music and Seattle grunge, attracted a considerable fan base and the industry was quick to jump on board.

International acts, including Lagwagon and 311, as well as San Diego’s Sprung Monkey, had their crowds warmed up by Shank’d.

Indeed it is because of Sprung Monkey that Shank’d find themselves united again.

Touring Australia in celebration of the anniversary of Taylor Steele’s iconic surf film Momentum, Sprung Monkey’s management invited Shank’d along for the ride.

Sprung Monkey, with the Shank’d and The Grains perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Sunday March 11. Sprung Monkey and The Grains also perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay on Thursday March 1; Coolangatta Hotel on Friday March 2; Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley, on Saturday March 10.

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dirty three

DIRTY THREE TOUR BEHIND NEW ALBUM

Dirty Three’s first album since 2005’s Cinder, Toward The Low Sun, is the product of the most creative period in the band’s career, in which Jim White, Mick Turner and Warren Ellis have relentlessly made music in different permutations and locations around the globe. The album is not a cosy, nice-tobe-back, return to the comfort zone, however.

There is an energy and a raw excitement evident from the first electrifying opening moments through to the album’s finale. In Warren’s words, “Dirty Three has always been about the way we play together and feed off each other. We wanted this one to be a return to the more improvised and instinctive approach of the earlier recordings”. And Toward The Low Sun indeed sounds like a first-ever recording — a punk, avant-garde, art-jazz record. To coincide with the release of Toward The Low Sun, Dirty Three will perform at the Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, on Monday March 12, and Star Court Theatre, Lismore on Friday March 23.

LIVE & LOCAL AT LIZOTTE’S

Lambton Lizotte’s: Wednesday March 14, Ben Hanley, Andrew Scully & Richard Murphy, Grant Wolter, Ben Crawford; Wednesday March 28, Jasmine Beth, Lyall Maloney, Ashleigh Mannix, Jessica Cain. Kincumber Lizotte’s: Wednesday March 7, Jasmine Beth, Lyall Maloney, Ashleigh Mannix, Sam Joole; Wednesday March 28, Renny Field, Miss Priya, Sticks & Strings, Jethro.

reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 13

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Guitar Gods

American guitar powerhouse JOE SATRIANI needs no introduction. On the backa of successful touring runs with hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, ‘Satch’ has revived G3 — a concert tour of three powerful guitarists, of which he and fellow game-changing guitar shredder, Steve Vai, have been mainstays. This year, they bring G3 down under with the most unlikely of all G3 guests, guitarist Steve Lukather, a founding member of pop legends, Toto.

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magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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It’s been five years since the last G3 tour, eight since Steve Vai played with you on one. What inspired you to do the G3 concerts again?

It just felt like the right thing to do. I played with Steve Lukather on a festival in France last July - it stuck in my head. Lukather is an amazing musician, and he’s a great friend who I’ve jammed with a lot on stage, but never played with in an official capacity.

Once I got a clear idea in my mind, I went to my guys and said, “let’s take G3 down under and it’ll be Steve, Steve and Joe”.

Lukather isn’t really considered a “guitar shredder”, but he’s quite an accomplished player.

He is — he really is. He’s sold about 60 million albums with Toto; played on the biggest albums in music history. He played guitar on Michael Jackson albums [most prominently on 1983’s Thriller], and countless #1 albums.

He’s part of the fabric of rock music, but he’s not in the Top 10 poll of Guitar Shredders.

I feel he’s more known for his intense musicianship, which is what I feel when I play with him. I always shake my head and say, “man, he’s good!”. He’s one of the most impressive musicians that I’ve ever met and he’s such a fun person to be around.

It’s interesting to note that the current Toto bass player, Nathan East, has also performed as part of your band in the past.

Did that have any role in how you met Steve?

That’s just one of those things. I didn’t even know that until you just mentioned it. I think that’s cool. Nathan is one of those incredible musicians. There are so many things people don’t know about Nathan — he’s a pilot, a magician and he’s the kind of guy who listens to a piece of music... once.

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As it’s going down, he can write his chart and nail it immediately.

I read a cover story on Joe Bonamassa recently and it was a very fired-up piece, cursing the old methods of the music industry — building upon a successful career without touching radio. What’s your perspective on the way you’ve approached a successful career in music?

I have worked the contrarian angle my whole career. I made music nobody wanted and certainly didn’t ask for, in the beginning.

Somehow, it became accepted. I started off really small, playing tours and selling albums out of the trunk of my car; started my own record company and [signed] with Relativity Records [in the] mid to late 80s. It might be hard to [compare] my trajectory to someone in the 90s or in the current age.

The one thing that will always remain is that you have to make a good connection with other human beings and see what happens there. People connected with me as an artist and over the course of my career I’ve met some great people. It’s not a business where people are trying to make money on top of money. It’s not like that — it’s about music. It’s about meeting people.

Without over-analysing it, your relationship with other people is so important. It could just be meeting a fan who’s eight or 80 years old, it doesn’t matter. That fan might have a job in a radio station, a record store, as a journalist or even an employee of Google.

I’ve got nothing but fond memories, over my career, of just meeting people.

G3, with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather, perform at Newcastle Panthers on Thursday March 29, and at Bluesfest, Byron Bay, on Friday April 6.

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a l e k s a n d t h e ram p s

Melbourne legends ALEKS AND THE RAMPS are only days away from releasing their third album, Facts, and following it with a tour through Newcastle and Byron Bay. CORMACK O’CONNOR chatted to lead singer ALEKS BRYANT about Leonard Cohen, striptease, and all things Ramps.

Facts is to be released in a couple of days.

How are you feeling about that?

I’m probably not as excited as I should be because we finished it ages ago. We haven’t got the vinyl copies of it yet so I’m pretty psyched to see how the album art came out on the big 12-inch.

Why did you decide to go with ‘Middle Aged Unicorn On Beach With Sunset’ as the first single and what’s the go with the name?

What’s up with the name? You got a problem with the name? (laughs) No! It’s crazy good.

It just seemed like the best single. It’s snappy.

I don’t think we really gave it that much thought; it was a bit of a no brainer. As for the title, I don’t really know — it’s just a title.

I like really long-winded titles. I also thought it was kind of evocative. I see it drawn by a four-year-old in watercolours.

I love all the different sounds used on the album. Can you tell us about the process of arrangements?

Simon (Connolly, keys) and I were doing demos at a computer — the others were coming and going at various points — and we just made it… by throwing ideas down and then moving stuff around. We were deleting things and shifting them in and out

Stripping Back of time and then realising that we preferred them out of time. It’s a fairly artificial record — we weren’t really going for the sound of an actual band playing in a room.

Do you intentionally try to be funny when writing lyrics? I found myself cracking up while listening to Facts.

No I’m not trying to be funny. I’m just telling it how it is man! It’s kind of weird, I don’t mean to be funny but it just happens.

You said Facts has been in the making for quite a while. How do you think it compares to the last two albums?

It’s a bit snappy and maybe a bit more restrained. I think we were a bit more economic with our ideas, arrangements and

instrumentations. The first two records we got a little bit carried away with piling on way too many ideas and instruments. It was a detriment to the overall sound. So I think, with this record, we were deliberately trying not to add too many things all at one time because it would sound too cluttered and busy.

What do you think the female and male vocals bring to the music?

Obviously it brings a lady’s voice which is much nicer than mine. It’s a fun songwriting tool. It can be kind of hard to write though, because as soon as you’re writing for two people at once it turns into a conversation and it’s either a love song or an argument. I’m not necessarily interested in writing either of them.

The whole album made me want to get up and jump around but it has some darker moments. How did you balance it?

I guess it’s just what comes naturally. I think when we started making it I had this vague idea that I wanted to make a really depressing party album. I don’t know if you listened to Leonard Cohen and his album Death Of A Ladies’ Man but it was almost a template for Facts. It’s really funny but bleak and over-produced. I think for most people that like Leonard Cohen, it’s a record they actually hate. I think Leonard Cohen hates it as well. But it’s one of my favourite records ever. Naturally I just write depressing things because I’m a totally depressed hobo with no friends (laughs).

But then I still write funny things because I can’t help it.

What can audiences expect at the Newcastle and Byron Bay shows?

I don’t know if I want to say too much. I might give it away or maybe I don’t even know yet.

Chuck a Bluejuice and come out in your undies?

No, nothing like that (laughs). We won’t come out in our undies. But by the end of the set we might be down to our undies. It will be a little bit theatrical, I can say that.

There’ll be something of a DIY light show and maybe some synchronised dance routines. When I say DIY light show I mean like a shonky built-from-Jaycarpieces type thing. Don’t expect lasers or anything.

Aleks And The Ramps perform at Chino’s Bar in Newcastle on Sunday March 4, and Rails in Byron Bay on Thursday March 8.

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northcoast.tafensw.edu.au reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 15

tonight alive

Nothing To fear Since the release of their debut album What Are You So Scared Of?, in October 2011, Sydney pop punk band TONIGHT ALIVE have been grabbing attention across the globe. Having just returned from touring in the UK and Europe with Never Shout Never and Young Guns, singer JENNA MCDOUGALL took time out of her relentless schedule to chat with ASHLEE KELLEHEAR about touring, Tesco, and Texas Hold’em.

Tell us what it’s like going from small-scale gigs to selling-out venues on headlining tours and being billed on festivals, such as Soundwave 2012?

It’s totally rewarding. We’re stoked with where we’re at as a band and it feels really good to know we worked our butts off to get here!

How have your families and friends responded to your success?

They’re really proud. I think it’s hard being away from your loved ones at times but I think we’ve got through some of the hardest parts and it’s definitely all been worth it.

You’ve had a pretty hectic schedule of late.

What do you look forward to most in your free time these days?

At this point we just look forward to vegging out! Sometimes just not having anywhere to be is enough.

On tour, what is a typical day-in-the-life of Tonight Alive?

Well there’s always some travelling to be done; some One Tree Hill; in the US and UK — a stop at Tesco or Walmart; some Borderlands or Skate 3. In Australia — skateboarding at every stop. And pretty much everywhere we go there is poker involved — Texas Hold’em.

Tell us a little about your writing process for What Are You So Scared Of? We use a program called Guitar Pro to write out our songs and develop them on manuscript. A handful of songs were originally written acoustically but were collectively developed on Guitar Pro later.

Since …Scared we’ve been writing acoustically or demoing the music before vocals are written.

For those of us who are quite familiar with your earlier releases, it’s clear there is a significant development in the overall style of What Are You So Scared Of? — lyrically, musically and conceptually. What would you put that down to?

Thank you! I guess it was just a natural progression — the same way that any band will grow, learn and change over a year of touring.

There are a few songs, such as ‘Safe & Sound’ and ‘Reason To Sing’ that you as a band haven’t performed live yet

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magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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(excluding your acoustic performances).

Is there any reason why these songs are yet to be played?

We wanted to introduce songs from the new album slowly into our set as a lot of the people that come to our shows have been long supporters of the band and will still want to hear earlier music. Also we are very selective with our live sets to make sure they are as high energy and… dynamic as possible. Sometimes that means leaving a few songs out.

What is the process of deciding a set list for each show? Do you ever butt heads over what songs are going to be played?

We rarely butt heads but some of us do have personal favourites that not everyone agrees on. We take into account what feels good to play and perform but also what the crowd will want to hear or react to best.

You have said that …Scared reflects where you were as a band during the recording process, a year ago. How have you changed in the past year and how will this influence the new material?

I think we’ve experienced new and different hardships and having two consecutive years of touring under our belts by the time the next album is recorded, we will have been pushed and challenged in ways we hadn’t before, individually and as a band.

Your fan base is a rather mixed bunch — from burly boys running circle pits, to young girls stage-diving like seasoned pros.

How’s that view from where you stand?

Absolutely perfect! We like to think our music has something for everyone so it’s good to know we’re not too far off!

As someone who has attended multiple Sydney shows, I am in awe each time by just how intense and passionate the home crowd can get. Would it be fair to say that Sydney shows are a bit special?

Totally fair! There’s nothing like playing a home show.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Somewhere halfway across the globe, with a few more albums under our belts.

Tonight Alive perform at Level One, Newcastle Leagues Club, on Saturday March 10.

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zoe k

At Home With The Blues With her faithful jazz and blues vocal tones, vintage frocks and entrancing stage show, ZOE K stands on her own in the Newcastle live scene — a fact recognised by her ABC Music Award. KEVIN BULL spoke with Zoe K about her debut self-titled release, and life in Newcastle as an independent artist.

Your debut self-titled album has been out since the middle of last year. How has it impacted your life as an independent artist?

It has given me the opportunity to make my music available to a wider audience.

We were fortunate enough to be circulated on the AMRAP community radio circuit, which allowed our music to be heard all over Australia. Also, it is great to have a representation of your work available on a CD for punters to take home.

Apart from the obvious financial strain, what were the hurdles of putting together an independent release?

Well, marketing can be quite hard. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve earned myself a reputation for being a ‘shameless self promoter’. In terms of the release of this album, there are things I would have done differently. But it’s all a lesson and I learnt from it. It was a strain doing it all myself, and I was a bit oblivious to the importance of what a good publicist can do. I just wanted it to be ready for a festival and didn’t really bother chasing distribution. I was lucky to have secured some contacts that did help me promote the album, so it’s not all gloom and doom.

The album was recorded at Sound Ideas in Newcastle. Why did you choose this space and what was the experience like?

I had seen Robbie Long play in numerous bands in Newcastle and I think he has the best ears in the business — a multiinstrumentalist and a very genuine top bloke. I chose Sound Ideas based on Robbie being such a relaxed, easy going and very professional man to work with. It’s a small studio space, but the results are nothing but organic. I also had a tight rhythm section (Andrew Wallace, Nic Cecire, Jason Tyler and Huw Jones) on the job, so we smashed out the rhythm section in one day. The next day we did horns, and then vocals. Most of the vocals were done in one recording session, so it was a quick recording all round. Robbie even played on one of the tracks as well. I was very grateful for the experience and the people who helped create it.

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Etta James, Bessie Smith, Peggy Lee — you have name-checked many of the jazz/blues greats as your influences. Can you remember when and why this attraction first hit you?

My aunty first gave me an Etta James album and I never looked back. With any instrument, when you hear a sound you like, you want to find out more about it.

And I did just that with rhythm and blues.

In 2009, you won the 1233 ABC Female Artist of the Year award. Looking back at the time since, how did this acknowledgment from the industry impact on you as an artist?

It was a great boost to my confidence! It’s also something that people take into account when booking you for shows, and it did boost my profile. In all honesty, its great exposure, but it’s not something that I feel makes me better than anyone else.

It’s great to get recognition but you would be a fool to base your success on one award.

For an independent artist, is Newcastle the right place to be?

Financially, yes. It’s cheap to live here, not too far to gig in Sydney, close to airports, and you have space to create. Although Melbourne would be fantastic to live in, and probably a good move, I am happy to use Newcastle as my base and do my tours.

What does 2012 have in store for Zoe K? Touring. We have an upcoming east coast ‘Curse the Day’ tour in March, which will see us play nine gigs in 10 days. I am also planning and saving to travel to the US in October, that’s if I can stop spending my money on vintage frocks, booze and false eye lashes. I already have two new songs up my sleeve, so 2012 will be all about progressing as a performer and having a fantastic time while doing so.

Zoe K and the Shadow Katz perform at the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Friday March 9; Valla Beach Tavern on Friday March 16; No. 5, Bellingen, on Saturday March 17; Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday April 12.

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c l o s u re i n m o s c o w — er i c b i b b

Trans-dimensional Pink Lemons It’s been about three years since we’ve heard a long-player from Melbourne progressive rock band CLOSURE IN MOSCOW. CORMACK O’CONNOR had a chat to lead vocalist CHRIS DE CINQUE about their upcoming album, new band members and a March tour.

So I hear you’re working on a new album at the moment. How’s that going?

It’s really, really good. It’s going to be the first thing written with the two new guys, apart from the single we released recently [and] it’s a different kettle of fish this time around. It feels good.

What’s the new album like, sound-wise, in comparison to First Temple?

It’s still got a lot of that sound but it’s moved away from it a little bit. It’s been a long time between drinks. That album was recorded in early 2009… so a lot has changed since then.

I guess it’s a little bit more funk-flavoured because the new rhythm section played in a funk band together and that’s their background.

What can we expect, lyrically?

It’s going to be a concept album. It’s called Pink Lemonade. That’s all I’ll say for now.

But [there are] lots of lyrics about pink lemonade!

So you like pink lemonade? (laughs) I actually love pink lemonade but the pink lemonade in question is a mystical brew from trans-dimensional pink lemons and, supposedly, the key to enlightenment. But all is not what it seems. It may be a bit of a scam.

How is it working with new people on drum and bass?

It’s been great! I actually went to high school with Sal (Aidone, drums). He filled in when our old drummer broke his wrist a couple of years back - there’s some history with Sal. He’s slotted in really well. To use a shitty cliché — he’s on the same wavelength. Duncan (Millar, bass) is awesome as well. Sal and Duncan have a great dynamic together from playing in the past.

So why did Brad Kimber and Beau McKee leave?

Well in the case of Brad (bass), he met a girl while in America. He basically fell in love (that old chestnut) and wanted to head down that path rather than pursue the band, which is fair enough. In regards to Beau (drums), we just weren’t moving in the same direction and it was becoming 18 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

more and more apparent that it wasn’t the right fit. I think all parties involved are better off for it. Beau’s got his own studio now and he’s doing great with that. It all happened for the right reasons.

What do Sal and Duncan bring to the overall sound of Closure?

The way they approach composition and arrangement has shifted things a lot. They approach things quite differently to what we’re used to — we’ve gone from [the majority of] stuff being written by one person, to jamming a skeleton out [together].

How was it supporting My Chemical Romance earlier this year?

Awesome! I got to play in some venues that I’ve always wanted to perform in, like Festival Hall and Hordern Pavilion. I think people were receptive. It’s kind of hard to gauge when you’re a support band and everyone’s waiting [with] bated breath for their beloved My Chem. They put on a really good show and it was good to see behind the scenes how their whole operation worked.

Any crazy backstage shenanigans?

Actually no. It was pretty much as Christian camp as it could be. It was only three shows so there wasn’t heaps of time to interact with them. It was pretty much sit in the green room and sip tea.

Are you looking forward to touring in March?

Yeah! We’re going to be playing some new material so that will be fun. I’m really looking forward to it.

Are there going to be any shenanigans on-stage during the March tour?

Well I hope so! I’ll try and bring some shenanigans. I think there’ll be lots of room for debauchery and silliness onstage - it’s a rock and roll show!

Closure in Moscow play the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday March 17, and the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay on Thursday March 29.

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Beyond Tinsel and Frills

When he’s not touring the world, folk and blues artist ERIC BIBB calls Helsinki home. After an astonishing 21 albums, you’d think this music man would be running out of steam, but, as MEL ROACH discovered, he’s still got plenty of the good stuff in him, including apple cider vinegar.

At what age did you start playing music and whom did you grow up listening to?

I started playing guitar at age seven or eight, by recollection. During that time I listened to 60s folk artists in the Greenwich Village theme I grew up with.

today’s musicians. How do you feel music in the entertainment industry has changed over the years?

The kind of music that I do isn’t really so much about show business. It’s more about carrying on a tradition, and that tradition comes from people who need music for their own enjoyment from their own community.

It may turn into a commercial commodity later but the origins of this music are more folk-orientated, and these folk don’t need all that tinsel and frills to make them happy. All you need is to play and sing with a lot of heart and soul, and preferably with a little skill, and it works.

Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge with other artists through your workshops?

We’ve been conducting several workshops in Canada — I just decided it was time to share my experience as a writer and be able to meet other songwriters and basically concentrate on that part of my journey as well as just performing.

Is it true that you spoke with Bob Dylan when you were younger?

I was very thrilled to meet him at age 11 and of late I have been playing quite a few of his songs. His inspiration has helped me throughout my professional life.

Am I wrong or did I count 21 albums you have out? That’s a massive achievement.

I’ve been recording a lot — especially lately, at least every year and I really enjoy recording as much as I enjoy touring. One compliments the other.

Do you prefer to record, or play live?

Touring live is very rewarding but very strenuous. I find recording is a relaxing counter-balance to touring. At least I’m in the one place long enough to make some music and listen to it coming back to me without any uncontrollable variables. It’s a good balance to touring life.

Costumes, dancers and massive productions are common with some of

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It looks as though you have 18 gigs for us in Oz during March. How do you keep your vocals healthy and how do you warm up?

Actually, I don’t do too much with warming up but in keeping my vocals healthy, I think apple cider vinegar is something that works really well. I have a daily routine of drinking a small shot glass of apple cider vinegar, all natural and organic. That seems to really work with my vocals.

You have stated that you have been working on your latest release, Deeper in the Well, your whole life. Is it your favourite album?

My most recent recording, which will soon be released in Australia, is something I’m very excited about. I recorded it in Louisiana with a group of wonderful musicians so I’m really looking forward to bringing it to you guys.

Eric Bibb performs at the Blue Mountains Folk Festival on Sunday March 18; Lizotte’s Kincumber on Tuesday March 20; Lizotte’s Lambton on Thursday March 22.

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will and the people

With four years under their belt, UK band WILL AND THE PEOPLE have forged a path on their own terms. Multi-genre, multi-member, self-managed… and they still managed to land themselves on the European festival circuit.

KEVIN BULL spoke with main man WILL RENDLE as the band prepared for their first trip to Australia.

Can you give us an indication of your feelings as you step on to your first Australian stage?

I picture sun, beautiful women, and floods of cold beer on tap — let’s hope it’s just that.

To be honest we think our music is perfect for Australia.

There is an eclectic mix of genres that make up the Will and the People sound, although reggae may be the underlying bones. Are you finding this freedom from expectations

in life and can’t afford to do it, or they don’t have the balls to be fucking poor and eat shit for months at a time while creating something pure and real. That’s what a real band should live for... that’s what WATP are about now. It was just me and now it’s a band — a team. We all have everything when we are together.

How do you decide if a musician will fit Will and the People?

I don’t decide — it kind of just happens. But it’s

Where There’s a Will liberating?

Very much so. Although up until recently we felt limited by people — mainly industry folk, to be honest — saying we were a pop/ reggae band. We do make pop songs but any limitation is annoying. So we have been enjoying the freedom of knowing we can make a whole load of sounds with the instruments in our hands.

With so many musicians coming in and out of the band, how has this impacted on your creativity?

It has taught me so much about playing music live, recording it and crafting performance, I suppose. It was always quite hard for me — people coming and going so much. I just want to do it all the time — [to] live through music. But people get caught up

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not The X Factor, that’s for sure.

While Morning Sun is about to get its official release, the album has already had a limited run in order to meet the demands of your fans. To be able to provide something quite unique to those who support you must be satisfying for an artist.

You literally have no idea. I would like to hug every one of them. It’s all very cool.

For those listeners new to Will and the People, what can they expect from Morning Sun? You will just want more, which we will have.

But you hopefully will want to come and see us live. That’s where we become one.

The moment you left school you stepped in to the life of a working musician. Was there

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any doubt that this was to be your career?

No. I thought if I don’t make it by the time I’m 20, I will be a rally driver or something, and I kind of just stuck with the music. I love it and I am very lucky. I would be dead if I became a rally driver probably.

Over the past year, you have easily moved into the European festival circuit. How does a band need to adapt to succeed on these expansive stages?

It’s the secret, you need to know it — stick together when on stage.

As a band, you have been quite selfsufficient with the booking of shows and being self-managed. Are you getting to the point where you can see the benefit of having this side of the business being

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looked after by somebody else?

Nearly. Imagine you had a baby, and then when it was five it was told it had a special talent and could be a massive philosopher of ages, but needed to go away for five days a week to study with a great master.

Kind of cool, but brutal for you. We have a great manager now who takes care of some stuff but we do it all in the UK because, well, it is important to be in control; because there are people who only want to turn your baby into money. Babies are better than money. It’s a fucking old Catch 22, because for us to be heard, we need to make money. Damn capitalism!

Will and the People perform at Lizotte’s Lambton on Thursday March 8. Morning Sun is available through MGM.

reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 19

BYRON BAY

a d am a n t

BREWERY SALMONELLA DJ SOUND SYSTEM

MAR 1ST FT THE MIGHTY ASTERIX / DJ RUDE SELECTA 8PM

YESPLEEZ!

MAR 4TH 4PM

SUNDAY SAFARI

MAR 11TH 4PM

PRESENTS TRUTH (NZ) / A-SIDES (UK) / M_PHONIK / LUCIOUS DEED FEAT. AJAX, THE CAIROS, SAMPOLOGY & PAM PAM PAM

LIVE MUSIC - TWO STAGES Thu 1

MARCH 2012

Salmonella DJ Sound System Ft The Mighty Asterix / DJ Rude Selecta $17 + b.f pre / $20 door 8pm

Wed 14 Open Mic Night $200 in prizes Thu 15 Cockatoo Paul

Fri 2

Blake Noble (free in the Beer Garden) / Shak Shuka CD Launch - $15 (Inside)

Fri 16 Kindread

Sat 3

Red Bantoo (FREE in the Beer Garden)

Sun 4

YesPleez! presents Truth (NZ) / A-Sides (UK) / M_Phonik / Lucious Deed $15 - 4pm

Sun 18 Sunday Funk Sessions ft DJ’s Scooby Drew & Guests (FREE in the Beer Garden)

Mon 5 SuperMarioDuo (FREE in the Beer Garden) Tue 6

Sat 17 Blaze Fire Sound (FREE in the beer garden 6pm)

Mon 19 Soul By The Pound – Soul DJ Session with Scooby Drew (FREE in the Beer Garden) Tue 20 Guido Unplugged

Guido Unplugged

Wed 21 Open Mic Night $200 in prizes

Wed 7 Open Mic Night $200 in prizes / The Getaway Plan (Main Room 8pm)

Thu 22 Cockatoo Paul

Thu 8

Cockatoo Paul

Sat 24 Kellie Knight & The Daze

Fri 9

Hermitude / Sietta (The Hyper Paradise Tour) $17 + B.f pre / $22 door

Sun 25 CBD Dub Project

Fri 23

In-Cyde

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magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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Mention the name Adam Ant to anyone over the age of 30 and the tribal beat of seminal 1980 track ‘Antmusic’ comes rushing back, along with an image of the singer, clad in outlandish New Romantic style. In the early 80s, Adam Ant, lead singer of London band Adam and the Ants, was no less than a phenomenon — Antmania swept the world and dancefloors were filled with kids, made up with the singer’s trademark strip of white face-paint under their eyes. But behind this flamboyant persona was a man attempting to live with a darker past and an uncontrolled illness.

The epiphany that led to the creation of Adam Ant came during a performance by a little-known act that was playing in support of Goddard’s own band, Bazooka Joe. “It was a bit of a life-changer, really,” he says.

“It was November ‘75 at St. Martin’s College of Art, and these four young oiks turned up to support. They had no respect for the audience at all - they did not care if the audience liked it or not. It was just a break from the whole guitar solos and pretentiousness, and it was just a breath of fresh air. It had such an effect on me that I left the band I was in that night. I thought these guys are playing four chords, I can play four chords — there’s something new happening here. And I did it.” The four young oiks were the Sex Pistols in their first public performance.

“I got involved with the whole punk ethic and it’s been great,” says Ant. “I still feel that’s with me now. Though we got called New Romantic, I don’t know why. I still consider myself punk or post-punk, and that really means being the one per cent that just say no, I want to do it this way. I don’t care about what’s in the charts, I’m going to do this. It cracked a big hole in a great big wall.”

After leaving Bazooka Joe, Goddard formed the B-Sides, a band that rehearsed but never performed in front of an audience. In 1976 he invented the Adam Ant persona, after a bout with anorexia and an attempted drug overdose that led to him being hospitalised. “I felt that I needed to strip myself of everything that had happened in my life up to then,” he says. “It was all or nothing. That produces great work, and has produced an attitude that stays with me now.”

Following the birth of Adam Ant, the B-Sides became Adam and the Ants, and in 1979 a collection of dark and diverse punk was released under the title of Dirk Wears White Sox. “We recorded it in about five days [and] I produced it because nobody else wanted to. It’s not really a punk rock record at all, it’s quite a complex record actually. I play a number of songs from it on the tour now, and the reaction is quite extraordinary.”

Following Dirk’s commercial failure, Ant approached the Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren to take on the band.

McLaren introduced Ant to some world music records, in particular The Royal Drummers of Burundi, which would have an enormous impact on his future sound.

But then he lured away Ant’s band to form Bow Wow Wow, with a new, female singer.

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“It was none too pleasant,” recalls Ant. “He was quite thoughtful to me privately. He was advising me that we had been knocking about for three years, and these guys were just wanting to do something else. Then the press release came out and it [claimed] they had kicked me out because I was too old and couldn’t dance, so that wasn’t too nice. But my competitive spirit drove me to act very quickly.” Ant’s new band employed the Burundi beats as their backbone, recording Kings of the Wild Frontier in 1980.

Kings sounded like nothing else at the time, giving Ant the commercial success he felt he deserved. Prince Charming followed, as well as a less than successful solo career. But Ant’s mental illness was never far below the surface. “In the media, being a person of fame or whatever, the only time you hear [bi-polar] being mentioned is when someone has a hiatus in their career… and it comes across as an excuse.

“There’s a taboo and guilt that surrounds it, and the individuals that suffer from it. I think anti-depressants are very useful under close guidance by your doctor but… you have to find alternative methods — cognitive therapy; music; even walking; having the ability to take time off work.

Everybody is treated with a broad sweep but everybody is unique. The brain is so complex and we know so little about it and its functions.

“The definition of bi-polar disorder means up and down; light and shade. I need that to be a creative person. Creative people make a living out of a very abstract idea - it’s a very unreliable way of making a living. If you’re an engineer, you build bridges. If you get unemployed you can always get a job because you’re trained to do something. When you are a creative person, it’s a very fine line.” “[For me], when two or three things go wrong, one after the other – being run down, getting tired, succumbing to the pressure of things, and then not sleeping it gets into a cycle, that’s been my experience. It’s a hellish place to be but there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

And the light appears to be shinning on Ant this year with a world tour beginning in Australia in March, and the release of his first album in 17 years. “It’s finished - it’s coming out in July. It’s 18-track and a double album. The full title is Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter. The Blueblack Hussar character is the guy with the white stripe across his nose. What would he look like, 30 years later, had he been in the Napoleon Hussars and walked to Moscow in 1812 (that being my favourite period), and then come back? It seems to be picking up that theme and updating it.”

Adam Ant performs at the Enmore Theatre on Friday March 23.

Feeling blue? Contacts for mental health include: SANE Australia — Ph. 1800 187 263 Lifeline — Ph. 13 11 14 Beyondblue — Ph. 1300 224 636 Mental Health Information Services — Ph. 1300 794 991

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a d am a n t

Early in 2010, Stuart Goddard — better known as ADAM ANT — returned to the stage for the first time in 15 years for a series of low-key, quite often unannounced, London shows.

But by May, Ant had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment for his lifelong bi-polar disorder. From this most recent setback, Adam Ant has bounced back and is now delivering a live show that is being called a revelation, and quite possibly the greatest comeback in recent memory. KEVIN BULL spoke with Ant about his early punk days, his soon-to-be-released double album, and living with a mental illness.

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 21

sprung monkey

The early 90s were a revolutionary time. Thanks in part to events like Lollapalooza and the Vans Warped Tour, the counter-culture of extreme sports and punk/alternative rock became mainstream for the first time ever. At the forefront of that period of innovation and creativity was surf film-maker Taylor Steele and his ground-breaking piece of surf art, Momentum. Now, to celebrate 20 years since the release of Momentum, the film-maker and his musical muse, fellow Southern California natives SPRUNG MONKEY, are combining to tour the east coast of Australia. NICK MACKAY spoke with lead singer STEVE SUMMERS about the film that gave them their break and the two-decade ride that followed.

Gaining Momentum This tour you’re about to embark on is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Taylor Steele’s Momentum. How does it feel knowing it’s been 20 years since that film came out?

It makes me frightfully aware of just how fast time passes. All the clichés you’ve always heard, now I understand. But mostly I feel grateful and proud. I’m proud to know that after 20 years we’re still able to make music and tour, and grateful that there are still people who appreciate our music.

How did the first collaboration with Steele and his films come about?

We were just starting out trying to make a name for ourselves in the local club scene when Taylor approached us at one of our shows. He asked if he could use some of our music in a surf film he was making called Momentum. Of course we agreed, thinking any promotion is good promotion.

Little did we know the impact that movie would have on the surfing world as well as

22 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

our career. Momentum became a cult classic to the surf world, and now our music was everywhere.

What impact did this have on the band’s career arc?

Almost overnight we were able to tour all over to crowds who knew our music. It was a very appropriate movie title, Momentum.

We felt it, we rode it, and are still riding it.

Can you give us a little background as to what the Momentum tour is going to be all about?

It’s going to be a little of where we were, and a little of where we are — brand new tunes mixed with the ones people know from the films and radio. There will also be a showing of the Momentum film and a surfart exhibition. It will be an old school, arsekickin’ rock show.

You took a break in 2002. What were the

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reasons behind this decision?

We never stopped playing together. We just stepped away from the seriousness of it.

The music business had left a somewhat bad taste in our mouths so some time away was needed to gain a fresh perspective on things. Only over the past few years have we been pushing hard again with the band.

With the release of our upcoming record we plan on doing the full assault again.

Can you tell us a bit about the new album and what it’s going to sound like?

The new album is almost done. We are going for a more direct raw sound with this one and those who have heard it so far say it reminds them of our first record [1993’s Situation Life].

I understand what they mean by that because it’s the band making music for ourselves again, on our terms.

Have you found that there is a new generation of fans listening to your music

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now, discovering the band or coming to your shows?

We’re starting to see the next generation of fans at our shows and it’s way cool. The old fans are bringing their kids!

The last time you were in Australia was 2008. What are you looking forward to most about getting back down under?

We can’t wait to hit those remote surf spots and play those shows where the walls sweat and the crowds go nuts. Australia has always treated Sprung with love and respect, and that feeling is reciprocated ten-fold by us.

‘Celebrating 20 Years of Momentum’ with Sprung Monkey, kicks off Wednesday February 29 at the Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Thursday March 1; Coolangatta Hotel on Friday March 2; Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley, on Saturday March 10; Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Sunday March 11.

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t h e ra p t u re

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from 8pm | tickets $10 “Matt [Safer, bass] quit the band, then Luke [Jenner, lead vocals/guitar] quit the band, then Matt came back and then Luke came back,” laughs Roccoforte. “But then Matt left for good, and now it’s the three of us.

With Matt, it didn’t end particularly badly, we just didn’t really feel as connected to him, in terms of friendship, as the rest of us were, and he obviously felt the same. Matt wasn’t very happy being in the band anymore. There are no hard feelings there, it just wasn’t meant to be. By the time Matt joined the band, we’d already had a lot more experience than him, so maybe it had to do with the fact that he entered the whole thing later on. We’d already started writing some new songs with him before he left. But we realised we had to scrap the whole thing and start again when it looked like he just wanted out.”

While Safer’s reasons for leaving The Rapture were very different from Jenner’s, Roccoforte says the singer was battling some very serious demons for years — made worse by the tragic suicide of his mother while the band was touring Pieces Of The People We Love.

“Luke couldn’t get over that for a long while,” Roccoforte recalls. “It’s very hard to process anything when you’re on tour because you’re just in a bubble. He stuffed a lot of that inside at the time. But then when we got home he distanced himself from the band. He just needed to take that time, I guess. In the end, he took this negative thing and decided to turn it into a positive. He started making a lot of changes for the better in his life. It wasn’t about him ignoring the pain, but more about refusing to dwell on it and be some kind of tortured artist. Luke decided to transcend all

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A lot of things can happen to a band during a five-year absence — members leave, babies are born, loved ones die. Life’s been a massive whirlwind for THE RAPTURE since the release of their third album, Pieces Of The People We Love. However, 2011 saw the band return as a three-piece with In The Grace Of Your Love.

Drummer VITO ROCCOFORTE filled BIRDY in on the last five years.

the bullshit. I’ve known him since we were eight years old, and I really mean he started to shift his whole outlook on life. I think he also realised how important his family was to him because as much as he loves this band now, I think his kid comes first. Luke really came through to the other side.”

At the same time, the band was stripping things back to basics — reminding Roccoforte and Jenner of why they formed The Rapture in the first place. Pioneers of the early 2000s post-punk revival, the band has channelled their 2003 debut, Echoes, on their fourth album.

“We’ve also gone back to working with [label/production team] DFA,” the drummer adds. “It’s probably a little bit darker than Echoes, but it’s pretty much in the same vein, except that it’s a tighter package.

Considering the circumstances, I don’t think we really had a choice but to make a deeper, more atmospheric record. And to be in the company of the people at DFA, that we’d been so close with, was amazing, too. Our

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relationship hasn’t changed very much in the last 10 years. They’re people who actually enjoy music and know music and we were a part of the DFA family, so it feels like a homecoming. Working with Philippe [Zdar, producer] was just a bonus. Luke really bonded with him because they both had a kid and Luke had just been coming to terms with the changes that he needed to make in his life.”

The pieces were finally falling into place.

On In The Grace Of Your Love, the trio is back on form and ready to start the touring cycle all over again. It’s been a blessing, according to Roccoforte, who is looking forward to getting back on the road, despite the fact that he is “in serious need of some sleep”.

“I’ve also had a baby recently so that’s been keeping me busy!” he laughs.

“Normally I’d be talking about how tired I am from touring, so it’s a little weird to be talking about how tired I am from waking up at crazy hours of the night. I’ve got these huge bags under my eyes and I’m feeling a little delirious. But we have been touring on top of that. We just did our first tour of Europe in a while, so it’s exciting to be getting back into it.

“What I love about this album is that it’s really a document of this long journey we’ve been on since Pieces… I love the fact that we can listen back to it and see how we’ve transcended the bad things and turned them into something positive.”

The Rapture perform at Future Festival, Doomben Racecourse, Brisbane, on Saturday March 3; Metro Theatre, Sydney on Thursday March 8; Future Festival, Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, on Saturday March 10

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www.tattshotel.com facebook.com/tattshotel reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 23

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No stranger to band politics, McLawhorn was a long-standing member of Seether, a post-grunge/alternative metal band.

Seether frontman Shaun Morgan was dating Evanescence founding member and frontwoman Amy Lee and the pair re-recorded Seether’s ‘Broken’ as a duet, before Lee broke it off with Morgan in 2011, taking McLawhorn with her and writing the Evanescence hit single ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’, proclaiming it a direct hit at Morgan.

According to McLawhorn, while he still has a good relationship with former Seether members, drummer Johnny Humphreys and bass player Dale Stewart, the rift with Morgan has not healed. “With me and Shaun, it seemed like everything was cool for a while,” he said. “I don’t want to talk any trash about anyone but he wasn’t

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24 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

With his childhood sights firmly set on becoming a dragster driver, EVANESCENCE guitarist TROY MCLAWHORN never thought he’d be touring the world as a member of a popular rock band.

Neither did he imagine he’d have long rocker locks, look good in eyeliner, and dress in head-to-toe black. MEL ROACH spoke with McLawhorn as his band prepared for their upcoming Australian tour.

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happy that I left the band.”

The public stoush with Morgan was not Lee’s first such falling out. In the 15 years since Evanescence was formed, there’s been a high turnover of band members, with Lee the only original member. Ben Moody, co-founder and principle writer for Evanescence, left suddenly mid-tour when the band were promoting debut album Fallen, in 2003. Reluctant to comment on the falling-out between Lee and Moody, McLawhorn conceded, “it was kind of mutual, from what I understand from talking to Lee and the other guys. I don’t think he [Moody] was really satisfied, musically. He and Lee talked and it was a mutual feeling.”

However Moody has stated that his and Lee’s friendship deteriorated “into a downward spiral of animosity, conflicting

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Into the Fray opinions, and a very volatile environment”.

According to Lee, “we’d gotten to a point that if something didn’t change, we wouldn’t have been able to make a second record.”

Perhaps the Fallen album liner notes, in which the pair stated that they were best friends, were somewhat dated by the time they went to press. Lee has said it was almost a relief that Moody left because of the tensions created within the band.

In the face of all this artistic temperament, does Lee have the last word when it comes to the creative process? According to McLawhorn, the songwriting for last year’s self-titled album was a collaborative effort.

“We all got together in the one space and just put stuff together,” he said. “I think we are all connected in such a way we all feel whether something’s good or whether it’s bad.”

Producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters,

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Velvet Revolver, Marilyn Manson, Deftones) was another collaborator on the new album, helping to build the songs and make them more cohesive. “When you’re creating, your ideas are flowing out of you and you don’t always remember exactly what you play,” said McLawhorn. “But Nick was recording it so we could always go back, listen and pick out the coolest parts and build the song that way. It was very cool.”

The video clip for ‘What You Want’, the first single off the new album, was filmed in a tiny warehouse in New York. Evanescence ran a competition for fans, and the winners took part in the making of the clip. “There would have been between 150 and 200 fans,” said McLawhorn. “It was in a little warehouse and just so hot — there was no air conditioning at all. One girl threw up on the stage because it was so hot. It really

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helped with the grittiness of the video! We were all so sweaty, having a lot of fun doing it, and the fans were great sticking it out with us.”

Recording at Nashville’s popular Blackbird Studios was a comfortable experience for McLawhorn who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, just three hours down the road. “It was great. I’ve got a lot of friends in Nashville so it was nice to be close to home and in a place where I had some friends to visit on my days off. Nashville’s a great town — it’s a great place to hang out [and] the people at Blackbird Studios are so nice.”

Asked for his favourite song on the new album, McLawhorn nominates ‘Never Go Back’. “It’s a really cool song — I like the energy of it and the guitar riff.” The irony is, joining Evanescence is a going back for McLawhorn, who replaced former guitarist John LeCompt on the band’s The Open

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Door album tour, during 2007.

And the inside scoop on the band’s first lady? “We’re like a family on the road — she’s like our sister. The dudes are great.

We’ve had shows that have sold out. It’s all great, especially after being off the road for three or four years. It’s good to know there are still people out there wanting to hear new music from us.”

Evanescence will be touring Australia (including a Newcastle date) in March, and McLawhorn is looking forward to his return, having played here before with different bands. “I’m a sun and a surf kinda guy, I like the beach and I like the sun. I’ll feel right at home in Newcastle.”

Evanescence performs at the Newcastle Entertainment Centr on Wednesday March 28.

reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 25

h a p p y h i g h h er b s

M A R CH

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festival stalls spruiking the joys of the legal high through an alchemical array of herbs and extracts.

But the question has to be asked — just how high can you get by chewing basil and oregano? We let our own chemically-damaged tragic, Steve Burrito, off the chain to partake in some Happy High Herbs.

Bliss Tea

60ml

Seeds of Light. 271 Mt Mellum Rd, Mt Mellum. QLD 4550.

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Bliss Tea The recommended dose is 3-5 mls.

So I’m taking 10 mls because I’m a bit of a villain, and bliss for the wicked sounds like a great idea. Hey this is nice. It tastes bloody awful but the effect comes on quick.

Sort of like a mellow stone. I can still concentrate and do stuff, but it’s all on cruise control. No stress. There’s no brain fog or body stone. There’s nothing weird, no hallucinations, just a nice mild buzz — very mellow. I might go for a swim. Mmm — the water was cool and lovely and I floated like a big nude starfish. Hey, the bottle says it’s supposed to make me sexy, too. I might go find the girl and test that theory. Nup — she said to put it away. Seems it didn’t make me better looking. Still, I think I’m damn sexy and I’m now officially open to offers.

Par Tea

TM

Love, Damiana, Yerba Mate, Siberian Ginseng, Muira Puama, Tribulus, Cinnamon, Liquorice, Ginger.

Vibrational infusion of Green Obsidian and Higher Heart Andara

B.001.11

Anything named Par Tea has me written all over it. I love a party. Once again, because I’m a larger and more experienced pig than most, I’ve upped the dosage on myself.

Responsible, nice, innocent or sensible people probably shouldn’t do this. But hey, responsible, nice and sensible people probably don’t work for Reverb, either.

This one doesn’t taste so good either.

But because you drink it like a tea I put a bit of honey with it. It’s a bit slow to come on, but half an hour later, I’m feeling good.

It’s a bit like the effect of a seventh Red Bull but without the god-awful burping. I’m chatty and busy and now that I’ve pumped up the office stereo, I’m jumping around and annoying the shit out of everyone within range. I like this. Forty-five minutes in and I’m rocking, but by the look on the editor’s face I think he’s regretting giving me this gig. It’s either that, or he’s not a fan of my frog-in-a-sock dance moves.

26 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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This one came with a little cautionary note attached telling me that I should only take one at a time and not to consume alcohol with them. So I’ll pop one now and then try and figure out what a nonalcoholic fluid might look like. I’ll be back in 15 minutes. Buzzzzz — geez, now I know what a bee feels like. I’m starting to think that perhaps I should have given myself a few things to do before I started this product review. La la la la la. I might go for a ride on my bike. I’ll be back in 15 minutes. Damn, I’m a fast rider! That 15 minute ride only took 10, and I was overtaking cars on the highway. I’m the fastest fat man in the world. Oh, look — something sparkly. I might turn out the lights and do some dancing. I wonder if we’ve got any of those glow sticks left.

Cherry Pop

I’ve left the Cherry Pop until last for a reason. Unlike the other products, it doesn’t have a self explanatory name, or a little cautionary note attached. And after the other products sort of did what the name said they’d do, I’m hoping that I don’t develop a cherry again and then, literally, pop. Christ, the last thing I want to be is an exploding virgin. I’ll drink this and get back to you in half an hour or so. Oh, interesting! This one seems to have gotten me quite touchy-feely. This news, however, seems to be making my work mates quite nervous. It’s a pleasant feeling and seems to make things extra sensitive.

I really am enjoying this musk lolly I’m sucking on just a bit too much. I think this one might be best suited for use between a few very close friends in a secluded location. Again, bad news for my work mates.

Wrap up

All in all, the Happy High Herbs products were gentle and more or less delivered as promised. Unlike the less legal products I may or may not have experienced in the past, there were no hallucinations or uncontrollable effects, and for most people that’s probably a good thing. There were also no hangovers or dregged out next day issues. I have been warned however that if I’d combined these things with alcohol the outcome could have been a bit messy. This has been a rather pleasant experience for me, but I can’t say the same for the poor suckers that have been trapped in the office all week with a half-naked, dancing, noisy and overly suggestive colleague. Oh well, their problem.

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g i n g er b eer

Hunter Ginger Beer

Rose River Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Wychwood Brewery Ginger Beard

Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Alcohol content: 4.5%

Alcohol content: 4.0%

Alcohol content: 4.2%

Alcohol content: 4.0%

750ml

500ml

500ml

500ml

$15 per bottle

$5.90 per bottle

$6.49 per bottle

$6.99 per bottle

Big bottle, big price, and a big beer presence.

In fact, everything about this brew screams beer. It’s honey in colour with a lush creamy head, and ginger notes amongst the prominent yeast aroma. The action is lively, to the point where care was needed with the pouring. Everything about the taste screams beer, although there is a lingering ginger aftertaste. All tasters enjoyed the Hunter, but the consensus was that it was a little too beery for a true ginger beer. Hunter Beer Company [Potters Brewery], Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba, Hunter Valley. www.hunterbeer.com.au.

Pours like a soft drink; looks like lemon squash with no beer head to speak of. Rose River is new to the market and perfect for those who prefer their ginger without the beer body.

All tasters enjoyed the Rose River Original with its hint of lemon making it perfect over ice on a warm summer day on the verandah.

Rose River Original would be a hit with all but the most discerning ginger drinkers.

Think Bundaberg with alcohol, and you are getting close. Rose River Beverages, 27 Tullamarine Park Road, Tullamarine. www.rrb.net.au. Available at Dan Murphy’s.

Now this is a complex little number. Clear golden amber in colour; strong ginger to the nose, and with slight carbonation, all the action happens once it hits the mouth. Sure, the ginger is there, but it was the pleasant malty depth that was unexpected. The sweet ginger heat then kicks in and lingers for quite a while. This is a craft beer infused with root ginger, and would be favoured by those who like their ginger to give a real kick. This divided the tasters due to the ginger punch. Wychwood Brewery, Witney, Oxfordshire, UK. www.wychwood.co.uk.

Available at Dan Murphy’s.

Another newcomer from the UK, Crabbie’s is cider in colour and to be honest, there is a sickly sweetness that dominates. Sure there are ginger notes, but if it was not poured out of a bottle that had ‘ginger’ written on it, you could mistake it for a cider. There is no beer fullness to be had here. On the positive, it is inoffensive and would appeal to those who shy from ginger’s bite. On a warm afternoon over ice... with a little umbrella in it. www.crabbiesgingerbeer.co.uk. Available from Dan Murphy’s.

Williams Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Ginger Rabbit

Alcohol content: 3.8%

Alcohol content: 5.0%

500ml

20 litres

$6.00 per bottle

$30 for all ingredients

New off the boat from Scotland and not yet in the shops, this one came straight from the distributor. Put your nose to it and you know this is ginger — not overpowering but you know what’s to come. Cider colour in the glass, but definitely not to the taste buds. It resembles beer in the mouth, but it’s far more than that. The malted barley and wheat used in the brewing gives it a depth that draws you in, and the ginger burn reminds you exactly what you are drinking. This is a winner and I can’t wait to see it on the shelves. www.brookbrothers. com.au.

Beginning with the Coopers ginger beer kit, Max Plank of the Hunter United Brewers has added his DIY flair in the form of lemon juice, citra hops, and an extra kilo of chopped ginger. The result is a ginger that has possibly outdone the commercials. With a hue of pale amber under its crisp white head, Max’s ginger warms the throat as it should, and delivers a spicy aftertaste. The question was asked a number of times — why would you pay $6 for half a litre when you can do it yourself for a fraction of the price? When you add a keg fridge and tap, it becomes a no-brainer. www.hunterbrewers.com.

Ginger spice Stone’s and Bluetongue are no longer the only ginger tipples in the fridge at your local bottle shop — the brands of alcoholic ginger beer on the shelf these days are wide and varied. This month the Reverb team took the challenge and put six of the best to the test (including a couple of DIYs). Time to get firey!

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 27

fa s h i o n — p h o t o g ra p h y b y s i m o n e d ar c y

Skip wears vintage fox fur hat, $40.

All-seeing eye pendant, $20. High-waisted 70s leather pants, $80. Sunglasses, $20.

Knives wears Waves 80s surf shirt, $15.

Vintage Levi’s, $20. Sunglasses, $20.

Viv wears red felt hat, $20. Vintage Doc Martens, $40. Black & white print 80s ‘Virginia Who’ dress, $45.

Photography by Simone Darcy | Style by Naomi Saunders Clothing by Odditorium Vintage. 14 Thorn Street, Newcastle. Ph. 0432 508 322 28 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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fa s h i o n — p h o t o g ra p h y b y s i m o n e d ar c y

Lucy wears [as below]. Knives wears [see left].

Lucy wears Make me Loco Nancy punk jacket, $90. Make me Loco graveyard earrings, $16.

Electric Blue 80s swimsuit, $25.

Vintage microphone, $20.

Robert wears Winni Fox tee, $20. vintage jeans, $15m. Grey Arden jacket, $25. Assorted pendants, $5–20

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 29

g e n era l m o t o r i n g

ROCKIN’ ON IN SCIROCCO r e vi e wed

Volkswagen Scirocco R r e vi e wed by

Peter Douglas Volkswagen took its time to bring us the 2+2 Scirocco R — until the current model was mid-life. But the wait was definitely worth it. Now there’s (another) front wheel drive coupe alternative to Sooby’s all wheel drive WRX and the overpriced Mitsubishi Evo 10.

Scirocco R (from $47,490) joins the razorsharp Renault Mégane RS250 in the coupe hotrod segment, with the advantage, pricewise, going Renault’s way. Even so, both are under the $50 grand start price and both look the duck’s guts — totally awesome on the road.

Scirocco R is pretty much a sexy body on a Golf platform with the power-train, minus all wheel drive lifted from the delectable Golf R. The Scirocco costs less than the Golf R and is just as engaging to drive.

Volkswagen might have a problem on its hands with Scirocco R cannibalising Golf R sales. And don’t worry about the front wheel drive torque steer — it’s been effectively dealt with by an electronic locker diff and other technology that is completely unobtrusive.

UNDER THE BONNET

Scirocco R gets its go from a 2.0-litre, 16-valve, petrol four-pot, with direct injection and an inter-cooled turbo pumping at 1.2 bar. It’s been strengthened 30 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

with a reinforced block, conrods and stronger pistons among a raft of other enhancements to help it live a life under pressure. The Euro 5 compliant engine has been around for quite some time and in the Scirocco R is calibrated to deliver heaps of grunt from idle right up to redline, approaching 7000rpm. That’s a bit of a rarity for a turbo four. They usually drop off a little at the top end. The Scirocco pulls like a train right through. It’s good for 188kW at 6000rpm and 330Nm of torque between 2500-5000.

Two transmissions are available — a sixspeed manual and a six-speed DSG dual clutch manumatic, which costs an extra $2500 but is completely worth it because it allows you to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. This is particularly handy when you are up it for the rent on a tight section of road. Fuel economy hovers around the 8.0 litres/100km mark using 98 octane.

WHAT YOU GET

The Scirocco R boasts an extensive list of features including six airbags; ESP with counter-steering assist; electro-mechanical power steering; LED daytime running lights; central locking with remote control and electric windows, to name just a few goodies.

Also included are bi-xenon headlights with static curve lighting, dynamic headlightlevelling control, headlight cleaning system and warning lamp for low washer fluid level.

In terms of luxury kit, it gets automatic climate control with separate left and right controls; an RCD510A radio-CD touch

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“ T he Scirocco R delivers heaps of grunt from idle right up to redline, approaching 7000rpm. It pulls like a train right through.” screen system with eight loudspeakers; Bluetooth phone and audio; six disc CD changer; MP3 playback function with title display and AUX-IN multimedia socket in the centre console. There’s an automatic tyre-pressure monitoring indicator and LED daytime running lights. Despite the lack of leather, you certainly won’t feel deprived.

DYNAMICS

The electrically controlled dampers of Scirocco R’s adaptive chassis control constantly adjust to the road conditions, the driving situation and driver requirements.

Using a button located on the centre console, you select between three damper settings — normal, comfort and sport.

Scirocco R’s extended diff lock (EDL) improves driving and steering characteristics when accelerating on road surfaces where each wheel has a different degree of traction. The system operates automatically and is combined with the ABS system, using the ABS wheel sensors to transfer engine power to the wheel with the

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best traction. The 1350kg coupe rides on a strut front and multi-link rear suspension and has 19-inch wheels with sports rubber.

ON THE ROAD

Volkswagen let us loose on a superb stretch of road out of Falls Creek in Victoria’s high country. It is one of the best drivers’ roads around, meandering along the top of Australia and into the heart of Victoria (too cold for the cops, too). The Scirocco R was blisteringly fast on these convoluted stretches leaving us feeling slightly unwell from the constantly changing g-forces of endless hard cornering, braking and accelerating. The brakes refused to fade even after a complete pizzling on a long, winding downhill stretch.

There’s a stirring exhaust pop under full throttle up-changes with the DSG car and it blips the throttle on the down-changes.

A 0-100kph sprint passes in about 6.0 seconds.

Gearing is bang-on, in both manual and the DSG, fully capturing all available power/ torque even if you slip up and get caught in the wrong cog.

We put away a lot of fast kilometres in the Scirocco R and were ready for more but had to call it a day because fuel was getting low and there ain’t too many servos down there. We really enjoyed Scirocco R’s luxury kit, especially the killer audio system and sports seats. It looks superb inside and out but misses out on a spare — a small price to pay for such an excellent car. Wait until you see one on the street.

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toenail clippings — crunchy fortunes

Profiling music industry professionals

Name? Atiliana Ace Lear.

Whom do you work for? Public relations company, Tigris Armour PR. Current position title? Director.

How long have you been in this position? In entertainment public relations for seven years; Tigris Armour launched this year.

What are the main responsibilities of your position? Social media networking, event management, promotion, content writing, and music creation.

How did you get involved in the music industry? Playing solo and in bands; constantly organising events – small and large.

fortunes

Steve Burrito’s crunchy fortunes

Pisces: Your eyebrows are really humming. You’ve got a great arse, too. Pass me the butter. This month don’t give a fuck. Yep, that’s exactly the same horoscope as last month. Your lucky, dead, blind, blues man is Stove Pipe Willy.

Cancer: Sometime this month you will be boarded by pirates and sailed to Wollongong.

The people of Wollongong will unfortunately then take you out to sea and sink you. You’ll make a great reef. Your lucky smell is parrot.

Scorpio: You are such a fish dick, and that’s why we love you. This month you’ll have the stupidest idea ever, and I can’t wait to see it. Three people is a 3some, four people is a 4some, and you’re handsome. Look into my eyes. You’re getting hungry.

Aries: To improve your luck this month, send near-naked pictures of yourself to me. I’m lucky. Your idea of farting at smokers is brilliant, but I don’t think it’s improved the smell around you at all. Your lucky fruit thing is the custard apple.

Leo: You will drop your phone in the toilet again. Now you really do get shit reception.

Your lucky food this month will be egg. Eat a fuck load of eggs. Avoid fundamentalist snake handlers and always wear my lucky undies.

Sagittarius: Opinions are like nipples, everyone has one.

Some people are Ford people, others are Holden people?

They’re all wankers. This month you’ll win a crab never knife fight. Fly low, fly often.

Taurus: Did you know that ‘dammit, I’m mad’ is ‘dammit, I’m mad’ spelt backwards?

However ‘I’m a useless twat that believes in horoscopes’ spelt backwards is “sepocsoroh ni seveileb taht tawt sselesu a m’I”. Spooky, hey?

Virgo: Relax, you’re not a complete tosser — some parts are missing. Brain cells come and go, but fat cells are forever. But on the positive side you do look glazed and confused. Very soon your spandex pants will also run out of luck.

Capricorn: This month you’ll have your happy face on. You will be shameful, base, irrational, obsessive, and hornier than you thought possible. You hire the jumping castle, I’ll get the custard.

Your lucky clothing item will be the snorkel.

Gemini: When you least expect it you will be hollowed out and used as a canoe. Your lucky feeling this month will be a burning sensation while urinating, and your lucky flavour will be yoghurt. Try standing up to pee.

Libra: If you knew what part of the chicken was its nugget, you’d never put one in your mouth. Your lucky key this month is A. That means you’ll have to play harp in D, and the D harp always rocks. Avoid advice.

Aquarius: The department of Coughs, Colds & Sore Holes rang. Apparently you’ve set a new record. When you pass a drugs test, does that mean you have or haven’t taken drugs? Your lucky move this month is the rowboat — pants optional.

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Proudest moment? Two years ago at “Rockin’ the Random” — an epic 15 hour event I ran in one of Sydney’s innerwest warehouses. Standing with the team, silently nodding and sporting a few tears. The moment when all your dreams and hard work, driven by a love for live music, become a reality.

Is there anyone you would really like to meet (living or dead)? Mike Patton, Bon Scott, Stevie Nicks, Jethro Tull.

Best live show you’ve been to? Alice in Chains, Soundwave 2009 tour.

Favourite venue? The Sandringham Hotel upstairs, Newtown.

Favourite musical instrument? Flute.

To whom should we be listening?

BugGiRL. What would be on your ultimate rider?

Sangria and tequila.

Best way to spend a Sunday morning?

Still kicking from Saturday night, with a well-earned head-banger’s neck.

Any advice for people trying to break into the industry? Believe in your passion — create it, fight for it. Don’t sacrifice your artistry for anything, but respect each person who comes your way because everyone will have something profuse and propitious to share.

reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 31

album Reviews Feature albums

hermitude

HyperParadise

aLEKS AND THE RAMPS

Ben Kweller

Last Dinosaurs

Go Fly A Kite

In A Million Years

Elefant Traks

Facts

The Noise Company/Shock

Dew Process/Universal

4.5/5

Rampsassemble!

3.5/5

3/5

I’ll admit I was expecting big things from the Blue Mountains boys’ fourth album HyperParadise after hearing the single ‘Speak Of The Devil’ on high rotation on the Js. They didn’t disappoint.

HyperParadise is an eclectic mix of electronica, hip-hop and awesomeness.

A drummer myself, I really appreciated the beat work on tracks such as ‘Engage’ and ‘HyperParadise’. The album takes you on a strange journey of electric blips and samples, and the more chilled out tracks such as ‘Let You Go’ conjure heavy emotions. The layering is superb, the production clean and the album as a whole is pretty well faultless. I’m extremely interested to see how Hermitude will spin this little gem in a live situation.

Bring on May! ~Cormack O’Connor

3.5/5

Lacuna Coil

Alex Bryant’s voice is the first thing that hits you on listening to this album. It’s a deep, full baritone along the lines of The National’s Matt Berninger or Jonathan Richman. Luckily (or perhaps intentionally) Bryant’s voice is never allowed to overshadow the playful and creative arrangements of Facts, instead adding a zesty layer to the Melbourne band’s whimsical brand of pop-rock. Selfdescribed as, “ridiculously DIY”, Facts nevertheless sounds like a professionally produced pop album full of quirky backing vocals, handclaps and festive horn flourishes. In lead single ‘Bummer’ they have produced one of the genuinely great synth-pop choruses to come out of Australia in recent years. In a just world Aleks and the Ramps would appear on festival posters in the same size font as Architecture in Helsinki. Facts may just get them there. ~Nick Mackay

Century Media

bleeding knee club

Dark Adrenaline 4.5/5

Dark Adrenaline, Lacuna Coil’s sixth full-length studio album shows an incredible maturity. Staying true to the metal genre, the male vocals, guitars and drums give off an edge of intensity and power, nicely counterbalanced by the mesmerising vocals of Cristina Scabbia. With tasteful new components, such as orchestral interludes and synthesiser backtracks, the band have shown they are willing to explore new avenues, without losing track of their beginnings. The result is a superior final product. With standout tracks such as ‘Intoxicated’, ‘Give Me Something More’, a tasteful cover of R.E.M.’s ‘Losing My Religion’, and ‘My Spirit’, a haunting but touching tribute to Peter Steele (Type O Negative Bassist/vocalist), this an album definitely worth indulging in. ~Ashlee kellehear

Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror Mom + Pop

4/5

If you haven’t jumped on the Sleigh Bells wagon yet, you probably should - the Brooklyn duo is back and better than ever. Their new album, Reign of Terror, is more focused then their previous effort, Treats, but brings the same sonic blasts layered with sugary sweet vocals and the gutsiest guitar riffs you’ve ever heard. Reign of Terror is more mature and emotive (like good cheese - and trust me it’s just as tasty). Backing up their stellar debut may have been a hard task but they’ve done well. Standout tracks include ‘You Lost Me’ and ‘D.O.A.’ but every song is loveable. In fact it seems to just get catchier with each listen. ~Cormack o’connor

32 reverb magazine issue #059 — June #067 — March 2011 2012

Nothing To Do I Oh You

3.5/5

Gold Coast trio Bleeding Knees Club introduce debut LP, Nothing To Do - 25 minutes of indie-garage tunes, inspired by surf, sand and sinning.

Single ‘Teenage Girls’ is the perfect opening track, with its excitable energy, reckless guitar and party-hardy attitude.

Boisterous vocals and a muddy guitar tone contrast with the laid-back summery timbre of the album to create the BKC sound, which, with its themes of high school romance and misfit woes on tracks like ‘Lipstick’ and ‘Boy In Lust’, is bound to excite the indie teen girls. From simple and upbeat distorted riffs to retro melodies and cutesy backing vocals, the BKC are a very now hybrid incarnation of the Ramones and the Beach Boys, for the kids of 2012. ~Charli Hutchison

Jack’s Mannequin People and Things Sire Records/Warner Music

3.5/5

For his third Jack’s Mannequin album, songwriter Andrew McMahon evokes the brighter pop-rock mood of 2005 debut Everything in Transit and filters it through the more sombre lens of his introspective 2008 follow-up, The Glass Passenger. The result is a more versatile package, if perhaps a less exciting one. The proverbial cake is iced with a vaguely folksy tinge that most likely recalls the vinyl heroes of his parents – the rustic strains and newfound predilection for narrative recall Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, albeit packed tightly under the hooky piano jams we’re accustomed to. There’s still significant cheese to his efforts, and the album hardly breaks new ground. But songs as catchy and immediate as ‘Release Me’ and ‘Amelia Jean’ are sure to inspire the affection of proven fans regardless. ~Michael Sykes

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To label Go Fly A Kite a return-to-form album for Ben Kweller would be somewhat unfair, given that 2009 effort Changing Horses was a sometimes gorgeous foray into Americana and alternative country music. But it sure is nice to have the old Ben back. Kite is by and large an amalgam of what has made Kweller interesting for the best part of a decade - consistent songwriting, heartfelt lyrics, power-pop gloss, and the ‘aw shucks’ optimism that lacquers every BK outing. All that’s really missing is a grand-slam single. Lead-off track ‘Mean To Me’ makes a good attempt, but comes up short of joyous, older cuts like ‘Penny On The Train Track’ (Ben Kweller, 2006) and ‘Wasted and Ready’ (Sha Sha, 2002). A worthy starting point for new fans and a sure-fire smash for the converted. ~Max Quinn

Psycroptic

The Inherited Repression Riot Entertainment

4/5

Psycroptic’s dedication to their craft and machine-like work ethic has reaped rewards on an international scale, propelling them to the top tier of their subgenre. The Inherited Repression is the fifth album from the Tasmanian technical death metal stalwarts. Sonically, the new album veers away from the cold, sterile production of recent albums to return to a more organic sound - especially evident in the natural, robust tones of the bass drums. The most enjoyable aspect of The Inherited Repression is Psycroptic’s willingness to reign in the speed and excessive blasting, in favour of more accessible mid-paced grooves, without sacrificing the heaviness and technicality listeners have come to expect. The more riffbased approach and greater variation in structure and tempo adds a new dimension to their sound. Intelligent song-craft, in place of the self-indulgent and monotonous blasting that plagues lesser bands, is best illustrated in the intense dynamic and necksnapping groove of ‘Unmasking the Traitors’.

Capped off with a ‘making of’ DVD for the diehards, The Inherited Repression is essential listening for fans of quality extreme metal. ~Luke Saunders

Kit Bray

The Time He Waits Independent

4/5

My first impression of Kit Bray - this guy’s not a fan of wearing shoes and possibly likes to surf and smoke weed, which isn’t a bad thing at all. I’m a big fan of the finger work on the acoustic.

Loving the casual beats and rhythm guitar in ‘Daisy’ - it carries plenty of soul and any fan of Ben Harper will love Kit Bray. I also heard a hint of another well known Kiwi, Tiki Taane. Top sound. At first I thought the reverb was a little overdone on ‘Eyes So Bright’ but I totally get it now and dig it.

I’m liking how each track differs from the other in their story line as well as the mix of instrumental techniques. I can easily see this guy travelling in the top 20 and getting loads of smiles. ~Mel Roach

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The debut album from Brisbane-based indierock quartet Last Dinosaurs, In A Million Years, is a solid release, which is lacking stand-out qualities. The first singles ‘Zoom’ and ‘Time & Space’ are highlights and would be magic in a live environment, with ecstatic guitar melodies and upbeat, energetic tempos. However the rest of the album needs something more to make it unique.

That said, Last Dinosaurs definitely have potential – with signs of creative genius, especially in their songwriting. Perhaps branching out could prove beneficial in such a competitive local music scene. ~Josh Clements

Tonight Alive What Are You So Scared Of? Sony

4/5

After forming in 2009, Sydney punk rockers Tonight Alive made some serious moves in Sydney’s underground punk/metal scene and released two EPs before being picked up by record producer extraordinaire Mark Trombino and flown to the USA to record their debut album What Are You So Scared Of? The album opens with the introductory ‘Eject, Eject, Eject’ before launching into the punk powerhouse track ‘Breaking and Entering’. Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus lends his vocals on the emo-pop track ‘Thank You & Goodnight’ and 19-year-old frontwoman Jenna McDougall bares all on the deeply emotional ‘Amelia’, which describes the loss of her childhood friend. Every song on the album is catchy as hell, staying stuck in your head long after you finish listening. Tonight Alive are a great young Australian band who have really set the standard on this record.

They might just be Australia’s answer to Paramore. ~Mark Henderson

howler

America Give Up Rough Trade

3/5

As far as raw energy, fuzzed-out summer vibes and no-frills rock is concerned, Howler ticks all the right boxes. Clocking in at a concise 32 minutes, the songs blaze by in an urgent blur of surf rock, garage fuzz and a dash of pop-punk spark. The first half of the album is solid enough but fails to raise any real excitement. As the second half unfolds, the gems emerge. Several of the later album tracks are spikier and harder-hitting with greater variation in the vocal department and some truly memorable hooks. ’Pythagorean Fearem’ is a standout - a dark, heavy rocker with killer guitar work and an inspired, deeper vocal from teenage frontman Jordan Gatesmith. The rollicking ‘Black Lagoon’ ends the album on a thumping high note. Howler are a talented young band, and while America Give Up is a slightly flawed and inconsistent debut, there is enough to suggest much greater things to come if they can step out of the shadows of their influences and fulfil their sizable potential. ~Luke Saunders

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album Reviews album of the month

Sharon Van Etten

Leonard Cohen

Rodrigo y gabriela

Sony

Rubyworks/Warner Music

Tramp

Sony Music/Roadrunner

4/5

3.5/5

jagjaguwar

3.5/5

Old Ideas

At the age of 77, Leonard Cohen is showing no sign of slowing down, with the release of album, Old Ideas, introducing 10 new tracks to his anthology. To listen to Leonard Cohen is like continuing a journey with a faithful friend. ‘Anyhow’ exemplifies his ability to transform spoken poetry into soulful lyrics with accompanying jazzy tunes, in a way only Cohen can. Through an amazing career, Cohen has gathered a complete musical ensemble and array of voices that mesh impeccably with the deep tones of his lyrics. Often depicted as the protagonist on his albums, in ‘Going Home’ he sings of “Leonard”, once again.

This album explores all of Cohen’s old ideas - love, God and the deep spirit of life. ~Eliza Church

Area 52

In their four previous albums, Rodrigo y Gabriela have never strayed far from their signature blend of gorgeous, acoustic guitar punch and counter-punch. For Area 52 however, the Mexican duo has recruited a 13-piece salsa band, C.U.B.A, to join them in recreating nine of their own classic songs. Wailing horns, fluttering conga drums and funky bass lines abound, as songs like ‘Santo Domingo’ and ‘Diablo Rojo’ morph into something spicy and exotic, like the Buena Vista Social Club with a couple of extra mojitos under their collective belt. They even take a song like ‘11:11’, add a sizzling electric guitar solo, handclaps, and African tribal chanting and somehow make it their own. A quirky, charming and ambitious piece of work. ~Nick Mackay

Of Montreal

San Cisco

Polyvinyl/Shock

Island City Records/MGM

3/5

2/5

Paralytic Stalks

At their best, Of Montreal offer the same psyche-pop perfection as early Flaming Lips. At their worst, they are a muddled mess of ideas.

Paralytic Stalks falls somewhere in the middle. The Athens, Georgia band long ago became the main outlet for Kevin Barnes’ own brand of creative compulsion, and he occasionally hits the perfect balance - like on the gorgeous, spaceodyssey of ‘Gelid Ascent’, or the genrebending, ‘Ye, Renew the Plaintiff’. But when you name songs, ‘Authentic Pyrrhic Remission’ you know there is a pretty good chance you’re going to over-reach. It’s clear from listening to Paralytic Stalks that Barnes doesn’t have anyone looking over his shoulder saying, “this works” and (more importantly) “that doesn’t”. Maybe he should have. ~Nick Mackay

Passenger

All The Little Lights inertia

4/5

Indie-acoustic bands can often be categorised by what I like to call the ‘beard theory’: those that have killer beards make killer music (think Bon Iver, Angus Stone, Matt Corby). And Passenger (aka Mike Rosenberg) fits the theory with this influential album. Hailing from Brighton, UK, this one-man storyteller made his first album with the profits from busking across the globe. His third release, All the Little Lights, is sophisticated, developed and a little bit of fun, making for one stellar record.

Produced in Sydney with a reputable band (including Boy & Bear drummer Tim Hart), Passenger has created the perfect mix of tender songs about life on the road, quirky lyrics (“who needs love when you’ve got silicone and strap-ons”), and the occasional banjo thrown in for good measure. If that’s not enough, closing track ‘I Hate’ is a live recording with some great, comical lyrics that will be sure to draw a smile and make Passenger a name to remember. ~Shelby Houghton

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Awkward

t was their kooky stalker-inspired song that saw West Australian band San Cisco take out the seventh spot on the Hottest 100 of 2011.

Now ‘Awkward’ is the title track, and opener, of their sophomore EP and it immediately hooks you in. With its catchy opening riff, cutesy boy-girl call-andresponse and polished production, you can’t help but love this track. But the EP as a whole feels more like a single. ‘Awkward’ is light-years ahead of the other tracks.

While ‘Rocket Ship’ and ‘Lover’, share its theme of young love, its sense of fun and its do-do-da-da hook, neither feel as finished as the title track. ‘505’ and ‘Reckless’ are down-tempo love songs that reveal a more serious side to the band. But despite lead singer Jordi Davieson’s passionate delivery on these tracks they are a little hard to digest after the EP’s upbeat opening. Awkward is a record with a spilt personality that fails to live up to the promise of its opening. ~Amelia parrott

Deep Sea Arcade Outlands Ivy League

4/5

Sydney’s genre-defying Deep Sea Arcade are an extremely exciting band whose potential has already been spotted, having scored prestigious support slots for Noel Gallagher, Kaiser Chiefs and Modest Mouse on their respective Australian tours.

All without a debut album being released.

Outlands is the five-piece’s first LP and is a truly sublime recording, influenced by 60s psych-rock, 80s synth-pop and noughties alternative indie-rock, skillfully combined to create music that sounds familiar, but unique. ‘Girls’ and ‘Seen No Right’ are bursting full of energetic melodies and catchy lyrics, while tracks like ‘Together’ and ‘Outlands’ are an acid trip back to 60s psychedelia with an exclusively modern twist. Outlands is a wonderful debut album and Deep Sea Arcade are worth every bit of commendation. ~Josh Clements

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4.5/5

With Bon Iver and The National having covered songs from Sharon Van Etten’s second album, the songstress had big boots to fill on her most recent release. And fill them she does. With Tramp, Van Etten has crafted a beautiful folk album of songs about heartbreak, leaving home and love lost, rich with magnificent vocals. Van Etten’s voice retains its delicacy while packing an emotional punch. The instrumentation, on tracks like ‘Serpents’, only adds to the atmosphere, which slowly builds until the listener is swept away.

Softer song ‘Kevin’s’ gives Van Etten’s songwriting ability a chance to really shine - simple guitar arrangements showcasing her vocal and lyrical talents. Densely packed with show-stopping tunes, Tramp proves Van Etten’s musical prowess. ~Jonathan McCullum

Steve Smyth Release

Permanent Record

3.5/5

It’s difficult to release a debut that doesn’t sound like something else. But Steve Smyth has arrived on a gust of fresh air, with his first album Release. His voice range is incredible: gruff at times and sweet at others, and he doesn’t hold back.

The wild ‘Barbiturate Cowboy and His Dark Horses’ grabbed my attention with a wailing vocal, which plunges into a deep, layered chorus. The album continues on like it is Smyth’s secret and yours - each note is fervently personal. ‘Endless Nowadays’ changes the tempo a little, with some looping and a folksy banjo lead. It’s filled in well, in comparison to the majority of the short album that is mostly voice and electric guitar. ‘No Man’s Land’ is memorable - Smyth projects his voice into your skull with the force of a thousand horses - and his duet ‘Stay Young’, with Juanita Stein of Howling Bells, is a standout.

The grave yet colourful Release could almost be the tortured and distorted soundtrack to a Tim Burton film. ~Jamie nelson

The Maccabees Given To The Wild Fiction/Universal

3.5/5

The Maccabees’ new two-part album Given To The Wild showcases a fresh, more mature sound for the London indie band - a flowing pattern of stunning music and lyrics that marry the album as a whole. Given To The Wild begins well with tracks like ‘Child’ featuring brass instruments accompanying the guitars and drums. The chilled out mood breaks suddenly with ‘Pelican’ as The Maccabees build a louder more upbeat vibe. Coming to our shores later in the year for Groovin The Moo, The Maccabees are a must see for 2012. ~Eliza Church

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Lamb of God Resolution

Resolution, Lamb of God’s seventh studio album, is a typically uncompromising, precision attack of thrash-based groove from the veteran frontrunners of modern metal. Opener ‘Straight to the Sun’ is an ominous, sludgy gut-punch that feeds into the more familiar bite of ‘Desolation’. The energy and fury builds with the visceral crunch of ‘Cheated’ and ‘Terminally Unique’. But at 56 minutes Resolution is overlong - several of the weaker, less inspired tracks could have been culled. As expected, the musicianship is outstanding, built around the inventive drumming of Chris Adler. His array of complex fills and precision double bass battery is coupled perfectly with the intricate twin guitar attack of Willie Adler and Mark Morton. Frontman Randy Blythe is as pissed off as ever – spitting out venomous rants with his trademark growl.

Lamb of God are an uglier beast than their mainstream metal contemporaries.

Although criticism could be levelled at the creative straitjacket that binds them, it is difficult to fault another solid set of no-nonsense metal. Lamb of God’s dedication to unwavering aggression is still burning strong after a decade plus career, and Resolution is another worthy if unspectacular addition to their discography. ~Luke Saunders

Van halen

A Different Kind of Truth Interscope/Universal

4/5

Although many would argue as to the necessity of a new Van Halen album, the return of David Lee Roth and his sticky sweet sass is well overdue. With the classic Van Halen sound still intact, the compositions contain more mature melodies with a toned down energy. Eddie Van Halen proves he’s still on top, with erratically impossible fingering and general guitar virtuoso wizardry. Always more a frontman than a singer, Roth plays it safe - mostly voice scatting with the occasional signature squeal, while Alex Van Halen owns with his dynamic, thunderous drumming style. The only thing missing is former bassist Mike Anthony’s glass-shattering high- pitched harmonies, which I always thought were the cherry on the poundcake. Single ‘Tattoo’ is the dullest song on the album, compared to the heavy, fast chugging of ‘China Town’ and the volatile ‘Bullethead’. A Different Kind Of Truth delivers for the fans, but isn’t really innovative enough to gain a new following. ~Charli Hutchison

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LOCAL album Reviews Feature albums

I Am The Agent Volume Three

Independent

4/5

With the final instalment in their trilogy of EPs, I Am The Agent have crystallised their blend of posthardcore into their most engaging release so far.

The primal urge of opening track ‘Drown’ provides a raw, emotional core to the album — the manic desperation of vocalist Michael Gale complementing the thematic gloom of the lyrical content.

The band has grown in confidence with their continued studio experimentation — resulting in an intensity reminiscent of early At The Drive-In. This aggressiveness is probably best realised on ‘An Anchor’ — a swirling maelstrom of noise that highlights why Newcastle needs local bands like these to stir the scene. Do you need more incentive? The disc also features limited edition hand-drawn artwork. ~Paul Frost

The Delta Lions Magnetic South Independent

4/5

The Delta Lions’ debut album Magnetic South is a barn-burning record full of songs about lost nights drinking, unnamed rivers and cars heading nowhere on lonely roads. The Newcastle five-piece sound like the best bar band you’ve never heard, expertly bouncing between up-tempo, altcountry gems (‘Aeroplane Blues’, ‘Archer Song’) and mosh pit singalongs (‘Lifers’, ‘King and the Crown’), with ease. Although Magnetic South tries, but ultimately fails, to compete with the storytelling prowess of Springsteen or The Hold Steady, it clearly doesn’t matter. When they deliver blistering lines like, “We are the kids who grew up on sin/and I’m glad we turned out the way we did” you don’t begrudge them for pandering to their heroes, you just grab your beer and pump your fist. ~Nick Mackay

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bats & battleships

Indian Gun Seaworthy

The Phat Controller

The Week That Was

Independent

All Aboard

Independent

3/5

Independent

3.5/5

Talented Newcastle locals, the posthardcore four-piece Bats & Battleships, released their debut album The Week That Was at the beginning of the year. The tone is set from the start, with album opener ‘The Annual Reminder’ bleeding into the more aggressive ‘A Toast’, followed by tracks such as ‘Your Jacket Pocket’, which explore a softer and slower sound. Guitarist Jason Breen carries the melody throughout the album and the tracks are cleverly blended to create a seamless listening experience that also highlights the band’s impressive collaboration. A worthy first album from a band with a promising future, The Week That Was is available to stream or download from the Bats & Battleships website. ~Eliza Church

Joe Robinson

Let Me Introduce You ABC Music/Universal

3.5/5

Without doubt, Joe Robinson is a talented young man. His skills on the guitar have been lauded worldwide, and after two instrumental albums, Robinson steps forward with the aptly named Let Me Introduce You, which showcases his voice for the first time. First single, ‘Out Alive’ is a fine introduction with its punchy bass and groove underpinning Robinson’s sweet, smooth singing voice. But while the musicianship of Robinson and his band is wellestablished, his voice needs time to grow and mature; requiring extra strength at times — more roundness when laid back, more force when the band lifts. That said, many will find the overall sound of Let Me Introduce You appealing. It is a confident step forward for a young Australian who is yet to turn 21. ~Kevin Bull

The local talent in our region is definitely worthy of high praise, with so many excellent Novocastrian acts producing brilliant work in recent years.

One of said bands is Newcastle-born and -bred Indian Gun, whose raw, alternative rock is something to behold. Seaworthy is the group’s first release, and the four tracks that comprise the EP are each brilliant in their own right. The opening track ‘To Be Wild’ shows a great use of progressive-rock elements, while the final two, ‘Hey Creative’ and ‘When You Gave Up,’ highlight a more radio-friendly soft rock experience.

Versatility in music is a skill, which can be rather hard to find amongst the local crop, but Indian Gun seem to have nailed their variety in rock styles with Seaworthy’s contrasting genres. With some more extensive mastering and a few more energetic tracks, these guys will have a killer debut album. Definitely keep an eye out for Indian Gun. ~Josh Clements

Sendfire Sampler Independent

3.5/5

morgan evans

With just a year under their belts, Newcastle locals Sendfire have managed to put together some impressive sounds in their free sampler EP. Top track ‘The Mess’ is cohesive and energetic and while ‘The Biggest Mistake’ is too heavy on the reverb, it is still a standout. ‘Earth Lights’ is enjoyable although there may have been a little too much play with the vocals in post-production. The album as a whole is adaptable — simple enough to either have a bit of a jig too or stand there like Captain Serious jerking your head back and forth. For an EP that’s free, I urge you to get onto it, and to then drop a few bucks to see these guys live — it would be interesting to see what other material they have up their sleeves. ~Mel Roach

Warner Music

The Lazys

Live Each Day 4/5

There’s a reason why Morgan Evans won the annual Telstra Road to Tamworth competition contested nationally by over 800 entrants. There’s a reason why Morgan Evans topped the iTunes charts over the likes of Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Taylor Swift and there’s a reason why Morgan Evans’ hit single ‘Live Each Day’ received so much TV and radio play on release. A fan of the background composition, Evans vocals are easy listening, no matter what your fave genre. There are sweet storylines in each track and I’m liking the way he’s put it all together. Evan’s EP is currently a bestseller at the local music stores and it’s well worth the (three-year) wait. ~Mel Roach

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Temptation Never Liked You Independent

3.5/5

There’s a moment in the song ‘Angels Sun’ where you begin to sense The Lazys aren’t just another hard-working, garage rock band. Just under a minute into it, a slow, thumping kick drum drops and a guitar riff emerges sounding like it was wrenched from the bottom of a canyon, and you think to yourself, “This is a serious rock and roll band”. The combination of Leon Harrison’s gravelly, soaring vocals and the monstrous, twin guitar attack of Matt Morris and Dom Sweeney allows The Lazys to pull off grungy, stoner rock with actual substance and style.

This is a record for people with long and dirty hair. Bands with this aesthetic come along all the time. Bands with these chops rarely do. ~Nick Mackay

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2.5/5

Newcastle’s hip-hop collective The Phat Controller brings their brand of sleazy, sexually charged mayhem to their fulllength debut. All Aboard is a hip-hop infused, rap-rock hybrid designed for ultimate offensive impact with highly explicit rhymes and a healthy dose of black humour. The sharp production values manage to pull a big, clean sound without sounding sterile or overproduced, and the strong emphasis on guitars offers a nice change for the genre. The solid riffs are complimented by some surprisingly tasty leads, snappy percussion, clever samples and keys; cementing a solid backdrop for the comically named Flash Dangerfield to spread his infectious flow and ludicrously crude, occasionally disturbing lyrics. The obligatory female vocals provide a melodic counterpoint to Dangerfield’s catchy rhymes. Worthy tracks include high school celebrity fantasy, ‘Ruby Rose’, the darkly humorous and vaguely disturbing, ‘I’m Not a Rapist’, and ‘The Diver’ — an upbeat gem with a great chorus. Although accomplished in many ways, All Aboard comes across as more of a novelty album than a serious musical endeavour. The Phat Controller might need to stretch its one-dimensional lyrics if it’s to become a long-term force in the crowded field of Aussie hip-hop. Solid fun but hardly essential. ~Luke Saunders

Sea Legs Sea Legs Independent

3/5

Triple J’s Unearthed has allowed a hotbed of emerging talent to bring its music to a wider audience.

Central Coast trio Sea Legs, another exciting band on the Unearthed scene, display a great deal of professionalism and potential on this self-titled EP. They play trendy alternative rock, with a rhythmheavy approach, powerful vocal melodies and tasteful use of keyboards. The EP format remains an effective medium for young bands to explore the intricacies of a studio, focusing on a smaller batch of songs to fine-tune and develop, leaving little room for filler and undercooked songwriting. The six tracks on the EP are tight and punchy, accentuating their knack for soft-loud dynamics, catchy hooks and stadium-sized rock. ‘Morse Code’ and ‘Open to Suggestions’ are the strongest cuts on a very consistent release, although just about every song seems ripe for radio airplay. As with any young band there is room for Sea Legs to expand on their potential, develop a unique sound and hone their craft. However, they prove to be skilled musicians and capable songwriters with the kind of big melodies and stirring rock anthems that may just attract a larger audience in years to come. ~Luke Saunders

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photos by kevin bull

soundwave Review

shadows fall

mastodon

in flames meshuggah

slipknot

soundwave Sydney Showground Sunday, February 26

Now in its sixth year, Soundwave could be described as the ‘glutenous uncle’ of the festival season – 96 artists across 11 stages full of bruising metal. This drew the crowds in early, who were met by a one-hundred metre queue at the entrance.

Not the most promising start to your day. Steel Panther are Motley Crüe reborn, and it appears that the world is ready for the return of 80s glam, metal and sleaze. For a band to play to such an expansive crowd at 12.40pm was quite extraordinary, and there was much talk of them being the band of the day. Hair metal returns — who would have thought it?

With the best set of dreads in the business, Shadow Falls front-man Brain Fair whipped the early-afternoon faithful into a frenzy, concluding their set with a visit into the adoring mass. This ‘getting close, close and personal’ visit was repeated throughout the day with Break Even,

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Thursday, Biohazard, Dillinger Escape Plan, Madina Lake and Limp Bizkit all exchanged bodily fluids with their fans.

Opening with ‘Loco’, Coal Chamber’s return to the stage was most welcome, and considering these Soundwave shows are their only reformation performances, kind of special as well. Sound issues may have hampered their set, but the band sounded super tight, and I can see a full return to service for the band.

The Limp Bizkit crowd could only wait until Bad Religion were half way through their set on the adjoining stage before their mosh began seething. The band rose above any negative perception that the band and front-man Fred Durst may carry to deliver a set that was intense and nostalgic.

To be honest, it is hard not to throw the fist into the air to ‘Nookie’. Jessica Michalik was rightly acknowledged and

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remembered as it was in this very arena that she lost her life at the 2001 Big Day Out during Limp Bizkit set.

Marilyn Manson played a chaotic set, as frustrating as it was enthralling. Whether for show or not, Manson’s numerous on-stage meltdowns have become comical and quite distracting to what could be an amazing rock performance. Heckling from the Slipknot fans would not have helped, either.

The Slipknot freak circus literally exploded on stage with heart stopping percussion and flames. These faceless caricatures of our nightmares are relentless in their assault, brutalising those before them. System of a Down closed the main stage with an impressive set filled with cuts that fill the hardcore lover’s hearts. The return of SOAD to the live stage is a most welcome return, and Sydney is all the better for their visit. ~Kevin Bull

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photos by kevin bull

big day out Review

rÖyksopp

odd future

battles my chemical romance

Big Day Out Sydney Showground Thursday, January 26

Ponchos and party hats were the essentials as Big Day Out prepared to celebrate its 20th birthday in the middle of the wettest summer Australia has seen in years. Young Sydney locals Papa Vs. Pretty blasted their alternative rock to the early comers, ending with an incredible version of the Smashing Pumpkin’s song ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’.

Bluejuice bounced off the sweating walls of the Boiler Room before New York experimental rock trio Battles turned heads on the Green Stage. The Hilltop Hoods scored the crowd of the afternoon, as a forest of arms stretched toward the sunset, swaying to the beats and lyrics of Australia’s most popular hip-hop group. Familiar hits ‘The

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Hard Road’ and ‘The Nosebleed Section’ got the crowd singing in unison. Festival regulars The Living End got the Australia Day vibe in full swing, playing an array of their own Aussie hits and delivering an energetic rockabilly set that left no doubt as to why they make the bill year after year.

As the day progressed, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk mixed things up by launching himself down the barrel of a half-pipe, flipping, spinning and providing a solid set of high-risk manoeuvres, meanwhile Mariachi El Bronx (aka punk band, The Bronx) slapped on sombreros and strummed out mariachi music to the delight of a capacity crowd at the Hot Produce stage. Back on the main stage, it

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sounded like the sound tech had fallen asleep at the dials (or perhaps there was no sound tech), leaving vocalist Gerard Way dancing around to the sound of his own voice and completely ruining My Chemical Romance’s set.

Heading towards the back-end of the night, Soundgarden were, thankfully, allowed to finish before headlining act Kanye West rose from the fog on a cherry picker in the middle of the crowd, while his dancers paraded around on a stage as spot-lit as the guy’s ego. Despite criticism over the choice of West as headliner for the festival, he pulled in the numbers and pleased the punters, which must have eased the minds of the organisers immensely. Bravo, Mr West. ~Sean Frazer

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bDO SIDESHOW Reviews Kasabian

Soundgarden

Cavalera Conspiracy

Best Coast

Royksopp

Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Tuesday, January 24

Sydney Entertainment Centre Wednesday, January 25

Newcastle Panthers Tuesday, January 24

Manning Bar, Sydney Wednesday, January 25

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Friday, January 27

Kasabian ©Richard Hedger

With the release of their fourth studio album Velociraptor!, British indie rockers Kasabian graced the Hordern Pavilion stage with infectious pommy energy. The set crystallised the band’s unique musicianship and hyper-awareness of their audience. With a mix of texturally different songs that put supporting band The Vaccines to shame, these guys really worked the crowd. Opening with at least five minutes of steady synth bassreverb, before unfurling a contagious Jon Bonham-esque drum riff, this dub-stepinfluenced sound, often used in the new album Velociraptor!, proved a crowd pleaser. Kasabian have mastered the knack of pulling back, as shown in guitarist Sergio Pizzorno’s solo acoustic version of ‘Thick as Thieves’. Although I felt the occasional guitar solo from Pizzorno fell short. But rather than focusing on musical technicality, this crowd was hanging out for the catchy chorus lyrics that anyone could pick up after a few gos, such as ‘Re-Wired’ and ‘Club Foot’. The band paid their respects to their true fans by playing classics such as ‘L.S.F’, ‘Shoot the Runner’ and, the encore and clear highlight of the night, ‘Fire’. For this tune the band requested that everybody “get the fuck down low”, which the audience obeyed, embracing the awkwardness of leaning on strangers while chanting the song’s endless “na-na-na’s” — a true reflection of the power these dandies possess. ~Vanessa Caspersz

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There’s something special about seeing a classic band recharged, rejuvenated and reformed, ready to rock the foundations in all their middle-aged glory. Seattle heavyweights Soundgarden are back with a new album in the works. But tonight was about showcasing their classic back catalogue. The Entertainment Centre was packed to near capacity as they opened a generous two-hour set with ‘Searching with My Good Eye Closed’.

They wasted no time launching into some of their best-known classics, with ‘Spoonman’ and ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ following in succession. The balance between Soundgarden’s thunderous sludge-rock meets psychedelic metal, and Chris Cornell’s famed wail, took a few songs to get right.

On ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ the vocals were drowned out by the scathing metal riffing and Matt Cameron’s high-energy, frenetic drum beat.

But the song destroyed anyway, and was played with aweinspiring power.

Cornell was in his element fronting his most famed band.

After slight muddiness and feedback issues early in the set, he quickly hit his vocal straps, commanding the crowd and the stage, with humble interactions with the audience and no bullshit banter.

The set-list favoured Soundgarden’s best known albums – Badmotorfinger and Superunknown, but went beyond the obvious choices to feature deeper album cuts such as the underrated, down-tuned doom of ‘4th of July’ and the menacing, upbeat groove of ‘Drawing Flies’.

Songs from Louder Than Love and Down on the Upside popped up sporadically during the set, and the classic ‘Hunted Down’ from Screaming Life/Fopp sounded as fresh as ever.

‘Outshined’, ‘Black Hole Sun’, ‘Rusty Cage’, ‘Blow Up The Outside World’, ‘Fell on Black Days’ and ‘My Wave’ sounded positively inspired, drawing big crowd reactions. The guitar tone had a muscular weight with plenty of heft and clarity to drive the songs in unison with the tight rhythm section.

Other highlights were the stellar lead work of guitarist Kim Thayil, and some superbly orchestrated lighting and visuals, while the inevitable three-song encore culminated in a chunky, heavy-as-fuck version of ‘Slaves and Bulldozers’. Tonight, Soundgarden delivered a lesson in rock, and a steel-booted reminder that they are back and ready to conquer the world once more. ~Luke Saunders

Cavalera conspiracy ©Ashlee Kellehear

There seems to be an unspoken agreement between Max Cavalera and the metalheads — to pretend that his latest stuff can stand next to the towering monoliths of thrash he and his drumming legend brother Igor made with Sepultura. Every show is tempered with the fact that although he will play a bunch of songs from his current band, chances are he’ll play at least ‘Roots’ and ‘Refuse/Resist’. Given that he has Igor in tow this time, it’s a little puzzling that they haven’t even sold out the smallest auditorium at Panthers, but it’s quite a rush being this close to the guys.

Local openers War Faction acquit themselves adequately — the grindy, tech-death metal sounds good and the drummer is phenomenal. Gold Coast band Lynchmada’s hardcore infused metal goes over a treat, but it’s telling that the number of people in the room triples when Max, Igor and the boys near the stage.

Truth be told, Cavalera Conspiracy kick arse live.

Guitarist Mark Rizzo works the whammy pedal sending banshee wails above Max’s chugging, churning low end. Igor is in sensational form, proving his inhumanity with perfect renditions of some of his own benchmark songs. The CC material comes off great, but it’s muscular performances of ‘Attitude’, ‘Refuse/Resist’, ‘Troops of Doom’ and ‘Roots’ that have the crowd at its most vocal and lively. A great night — I dare anyone to say it wasn’t an uplifting experience. ~Simon Threadgate

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It was a monsoonal midsummer night but for Best Coast fans inside Sydney University’s Manning Bar, the Californian surf-rock sun was shining. With a voice somewhere between Alison Krauss and Karen O, frontwoman Bethany Cosentino grabbed the crowd’s attention from the start, breaking the hearts of besotted uni students all over the joint.

The band played for just under an hour, with an arsenal of short, snappy songs about unrequited love and lazy summers. The crowd went wild for the hits of last summer from the band’s debut album, Crazy For You, including the ever-popular single ‘Boyfriend,’ before being treated to a few as-yet unreleased songs, heralding the band’s move toward a slightly edgier, heavier rock sound. While the songs were simple and somewhat repetitive, Cosentino kept the night alive with her magnetic stage presence, charming the audience with her witty repartee and even treating them to a tutorial on ‘chip shots’, featuring tequila and corn chips.

The band went out with a bang, finishing their set with the hit ‘When I’m With You,’ an impromptu crowd-surf from guitarist Bob Bruno, and another new song ‘Up All Night’, in a stripped-back encore. A great band to listen to on a hot day with a beer in your hand. ~Louisa Bulley

Cage the Elephant Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Saturday, January 28

Cage the Elephant launched on-stage full throttle with ‘In One Ear’, followed by a string of stage dives from frontman Matt Shultz — a common occurrence for the night, with Shultz racking up a bruising 19 before I gave up the count. The crowd blissfully ate it up. And then it happened — ‘Shake Me Down’ — and 400 hyped-up indie kids found their vocal chords and the ability to jump like absolute bat-shit crazy!

By this stage a highly interactive Shultz had taken a particular liking to the crowd… “Have you ever seen the movie Misery?

Well… that’s what I’m going to do, just break all your legs and keep you here”. Which only caused the absolute bat-shit craziness to escalate. An intense night was capped off with the encore that we all anticipated — ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’. An ideal way to end what was a fucking wicked night, indeed. ~Chloe Webb

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Royksopp ©Mitchell Pinney

It was 2009, in the unlikely confines of JB Hi-Fi, Glendale, when I first heard the mysteriously gorgeous, pulsating string section of ‘Royksopp Forever’. Once ‘Miss It So Much’ blasted over the speakers, I was smitten. This album was the Dark Side of the Moon of dance music and Junior, Royksopp’s third album, became the soundtrack to my girlfriend and I falling in love.

I doubt many people have record store epiphanies like that anymore. But I was not the only fan of the Swedish duo pumped for their first Australian tour. The band entered the stage in a giant, devilish steampunk cod, backed with artwork of giant cogs — a starkly beautiful image, reflective of their music. Featuring tracks from their first two albums, Melody AM and The Understanding, mixed up with a handful of Junior in ‘Happy Up Here’, ‘The Girl and the Robot’ and ‘This Must Be It’ — Royksopp attempted to make up for lost touring time. But there was no energy to it. Sure, the giant cod bopped and blipped, lights flashing by the millisecond. But the performance was all style and no substance — none of the melancholy, none of the emotive overload of their records. It was just studio-quality sound, with Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland fiddling some knobs and making a few obligatory hits on a drum pad. As the encore dragged on with the monotonous unreleased jam of ‘Fat Burner’ sitting at 15 minutes, it stopped the crowd dead in their tracks.

What a letdown. ~MATT PETHERBRIDGE

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lIVE Reviews

gig of the month

Thee Oh Sees

Sleepmakeswaves

Roger Waters

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Wednesday, January 18

Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Saturday, February 18

Allphones Arena, Sydney Tuesday, February 14

©Timmy Johnston

©Kiah McCarthy

The anticipation of the grungy, beersteeped audience at Chino’s mounted as they waited for Californian band, Thee Oh Sees, on a summery Wednesday night. The audience was champing at the bit to see John Dwyer’s double drummer band, notorious for their exciting live sets. And boy, did they deliver. The performance was wild – featuring an apparently random assortment of songs from a copious collection of ferocious, distorted rock.

Brigid Dawson’s gorgeously haunting voice cast against the zigzagging sounds of Petey Dammit’s guitar during ‘The Dream’, while Dwyer cavorted about the stage in melodic mayhem, weaving his own voice with Dawson’s. With Chino’s low bandstand, it resembled an intimate house party with a raging mosh pit in the corner. ~Jamie Nelson

Kerser Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Saturday, February 11

Locals, Lander Configurations, set the mood at the Great Northern Hotel with their psychedelic and ambient instrumentals, while projectors screened scenes of cloudscapes and soaring eagles.

Clean guitar absorbed in reverb teamed with synth and occasional wispy vocals, while a countdown on screen ensured the band played their set in perfect time.

Sydney’s Sleepmakeswaves received a warm welcome from the crowd when they took to the stage, as flickering pools of light danced across the walls and the drummer kicked off with erratic, thundering drums that just about knocked me off my chair. Sleepmakeswaves were heavy as hell, and the sheer power and precision of these skilful musicians reminded me of a contemporary version of The Who’s Tommy era, with ‘Sparks’ in particular coming to mind. Intricate melody lines led with guitar, while synthesised drums were triggered by loop pedals to mesmerising effects. An enthralled audience soaked up the band’s 40-minute instrumental set and, although it was at times difficult to determine one song from the next, the anti-structure of it all was refreshing. ~Charli Hutchison

Palm + Step-Panther Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Saturday, February 25

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As this tour approached, you could sense the anticipation - not only among those who held tickets, but also in the media. All it took was five minutes of watching Youtube videos of the tour to be convinced that we were in for something quite spectacular. In retrospect, it was an extravagant sensory overload - an overblown theatre production that fell short as a rock concert.

The Wall has always been Waters’ baby, so it feels appropriate for him to take the album on tour with all the technical advancements that 30 years has given him. Aeroplanes crashed, puppets danced and pigs flew - every visual associated with Pink Floyd was on show, apart from David Gilmour and Nick Mason (Richard Wright passed away in 2008 so he is permanently unavailable). This left Waters as the sole focal point, musician-wise, in front of a crack band-for-hire, and unfortunately, he is just not that engaging.

The quality of the music was without party needed. Palms impressed with a steady set of danceable numbers. Their melodically pleasing sounds of jangly pop tunes seemingly had everyone in a happy trance as they breezily strummed through a lengthy set, including popular single ‘Summer Is Done with Us’ and ending with a sweet little ditty about a love of Coca Cola. Overall, the night was the perfect lastescape from reality. ~Charli Hutchison

©Kristen Wright

As I walked into the Glasshouse I was greeted by an obviously disgruntled crowd.

The doors had been open for two hours already and it seemed like Kerser was never going to make an appearance. Finally he bounced onto the stage just before everyone lost their shit. The Campbelltown rapper opened with ‘Welcome’ (no surprises there), the crowd throwing their hands in the air at his request. Kerser nearly hit his head on the ceiling numerous times as he jumped about, infecting the room with energy. Clear favourites included ‘Don’t Fuck With Kerser’ and ‘Kerser Is The Sickest’. A handful of others joined the man on stage, including Nebs and Rates, and I don’t think I’ve ever really seen a room full of people shouting profane lyrics together like this. To be honest, MC Kerser isn’t really my cup of tea but if you like yours iced and served the Long Island way you would appreciate the amazing explosions of bass and intricate lyrical work that Kerser brought to Newcastle. Cormack O’Connor

©Troy Constable

palm ©Jim Graham

The Back to School party at the Cambridge Hotel was a much needed ‘last hurrah’ for students to shake their summer sillies out as they came dressed in blazers, knee high socks and buttoned shirts. Vulture Culture and Maids kicked off the night’s proceedings with a bang, while Sydney three-piece Step-Panther were the garage band you could picture playing at a high school prom in a teen movie with their sweet loved-up melodies drenched in distorted, grungy guitars. Each song harboured a different flavour from elements of surf, punk and even metal.

Step-Panther showed real character with their fast-paced lo-fi tunes. Aside from the occasional gnarly feedback, it was a fun, simple set of party-hardy tunes.

Palms emerged adorning Hawaiian shirts as loud as their music. Their beachy, effortlessly cool sound was just the lift the

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San Cisco + Jungle Giants Brewery, Byron Bay Thursday, February 16

san cisco ©Sam Paquette

San Cisco were first on stage, churning out a charmingly good set comprised mostly of tunes from their debut EP, Golden Revolver.

Frontman Jordi Davieson is more affable

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question, with all The Wall sound effects present. For those wishing to relive the album, it was a superb reproduction - close your eyes and it was as if you had placed your vinyl copy onto a high-end stereo. The Wall was played from start to finish, with an appropriate intermission so you could get disk two ready.

In the end though, the visual production obscured what was essentially a groundbreaking double album. I kept asking myself - if all the bells and whistles were removed, what would the resulting concert be like? Would Waters be able to carry it off on his own? Then again, Waters and Pink Floyd have never been known to scale things back. I have vivid memories of the Gilmore Floyd A Momentary Lapse in Reason tour in January ‘88, and consider it one of the best concert experiences I have had. I am sure there would be very few here tonight who will not say the same about Waters’ The Wall tour. ~kevin Bull onstage than any 18-year-old should be: he’s instantly likeable, charismatic and committed, telling stories between songs in an endeavour to clue the crowd into his somewhat cryptic lyric sheet. It was even easier to swoon over the band’s cute-as-abutton drummer, Scarlett Stevens, who swamped me with a strong urge to pick her up from behind the kit, wrap her in a warm blanket and say romantic things. She pretty!

The band closed with ‘Awkward’ - everybody knew the words, and then Davieson made an attempt at crowd-surfing that was, well… awkward, to say the least.

Headliners for the evening (and my personal highlight) were Brisbane’s Jungle Giants. They have everything you’re looking for in a good-times, indie-pop hyphenated-fun-band: engaging to listen to, engaging to watch, and obviously in it for no other reason than the sheer fun of playing music – a band that smiles between songs! Vocalist Sam Hales was clearly humbled by the turnout – perhaps even more so that people knew the words to almost all of his songs. Every track was a sing-along for the increasingly eager and sweaty crowd. The two bands united for the night’s closer, ‘Mr Polite’ from the Jungle Giants’ self titled EP, and this time Davieson and Giants bassist Andrew Dooris were both rewarded with a proper crowd surf. They earned it. ~Max Quinn

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photos by kevin bull

laneway festival Review

sbtrkt

yuck

m83 cults

dz deathrays

the horrors

Laneway Festival Sydney College of the Arts Sunday, February 5

Set amongst the picturesque grounds and historic sandstone buildings of the Sydney College of the Arts, the Laneway Festival drew a massive crowd this year. A day of varied and exciting local and international alternative bands, the event remains a prime opportunity to discover some of the world’s up-and-coming underground acts. After a week of rain that flooded parts of the country, the sun returned with a vengeance and the crowd were clearly feeling the heat — the limited shade trees and verandahs were over-flowing with wilted punters.

And judging by the hundreds of queuing girls, more toilets, as well as shade, would have been welcomed.

Logistics aside, the music was remarkable. An early highlight was San Francisco’s Girls, with their loud, guitar-driven indiepop. Their live rendition of the epic six-minute track ‘Vomit’ was a memorable moment. Singer Christopher Owens, a

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former child member of the Children of God cult, put on an explosive musical performance, despite his shy and understated stage presence. On the downside, the band’s wall of fuzzy guitars was too loud for the speakers.

Oregon band Portugal. The Man were tight and kinetic.

Singer John Gourley’s high, effeminate vocals danced over the group’s groove-laden hybrid of soul, funk, rock and pop.

Moody folk-rockers The Panics had the crowd singing with their hit ‘Don’t Fight It’, and impressed with performances of new material, plus the title track from their Cruel Guards record. There were many stellar females on the bill, with magical and beguiling sets from Laura Marling, Feist, Ema, Anna Calvi and a wild performance by Austra. British rockers, The Horrors, were another highlight, playing a loud, wild set full of brooding dynamics. Channelling 80s

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groups like Joy Division and post-punk acts like The Birthday Party, the five-piece conjured a simmering energy that lasted from anthemic opener ‘Endless Blue’ to the mammoth, thundering finale ‘Moving Further Away’. Lanky singer Faris Badwen crooned in compelling fashion, while guitarist Joshua Hayward conjured storms. With hair hanging down over his face, he strummed with finesse before throttling his guitar to the point of asphyxiation.

M83, led by French musician Anthony Gonzalez, brought the festival to a close with a dreamy and warm synthetic pop odyssey that kept the crowd enraptured. It was clear the success of the group’s 2011 double album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, has struck a chord with a wider fan base here in Australia. A mesmerising end to a memorable day of music. ~Nick Milligan

Film Reviews

Cancer comedy Two words that never normally co-exist in a movie are ‘cancer’ and ‘comedy’. But somehow director Jonathan Levine and screenwriter Will Reiser have successfully delivered a movie that tackles the seriousness of the disease while having a laugh along the way. Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) plays a 27-year-old radio producer who lives with his attractive artist girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard).

His life is turned upside down after his recurring back pain turns out to be a malignant tumour on his spine, giving him a 50/50 chance of survival.

As Adam tackles life with cancer his personality changes, affecting his relationships. His girlfriend leaves him, unable to cope with his illness, and he has regular bouts of anger and depression, for which he sees Katherine (Anna Kendrick), a young and inexperienced psychologist whose nervous ministrations humour and comfort Adam. But it is his friend Kyle (Seth

r e vi e wed

50/50

r e vi e wed by

Mark Snelson r ated

4/5

Rogen) who sticks by him through every high and low that the illness delivers and who manages to buoy Adam’s hope using unconventional and hilarious methods.

The performances in 50/50 are all brilliant but it is Gordon-Levitt who really steals the show. While Ryan Gosling is deservedly getting a serious amount of attention in Hollywood at the moment, it won’t be long before Gordon-Levitt rises to the ranks of sought-after leading men, especially if he keeps choosing smart roles like this. Seth Rogen is once again playing Seth Rogen — the stoner dude that audiences have come to love, albeit

somewhat toned down here. Rogen’s role is key to the film’s success and his comic timing is spot on. Likewise, the buddy chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Rogen is never forced, making the story all the more believable and affecting.

Will Reiser, who penned the script, fought and won a battle with the same form of cancer as Adam and the authenticity shines through the writing. Director Jonathan Levine is no stranger to unconventional

comedies with his previous movie, The Wackness, being one of the more quirky and original films of recent years. This time he gets a little more serious but still manages to find positives in the darkest of places and successfully brings it to the screen.

50/50 is a unique and well-crafted film that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The balance between humour and drama is pitch perfect — one of the first must-see comedies this year.

Pressure Cooker r e vi e wed

Carnage r e vi e wed by

Mark Snelson r ated

3.5/5 Polanski’s latest film, Carnage, is a stage-to-screen adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s Gods of Carnage. In it he places four actors at the top of their game in one room, where they try to resolve an issue, only to have the meeting unravel into a tirade of verbal attacks on each other. The movie opens with a scene from the schoolyard, shot from afar so we cannot hear the dialogue. But we see a child who is being bullied by a group of kids, reacting by cracking the instigator across the face with a large stick. The action then cuts to the home of Michael and Penelope Longstreet (John C. Reilly and Jodie Foster), the parents of the boy who was hit, meeting with the attacker’s well-to-do parents, Alan and Nancy Cowan (Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet), in an attempt to resolve the incident.

Pretty soon, the civilised facades of both sets of parents begin to crumble as they attempt to defend the actions of

their children. Things get so heated that Alan and Nancy threaten to leave on a couple of occasions, only to be lured back by the promise of great coffee and Penelope’s apple and pear cobbler. At times the reason for the meeting seems lost as they launch judgemental attacks on each other’s personalities and lifestyles. Then Michael introduces his 18-year-old single malt scotch and things gets even messier as the stoush gets pitched between husbands and wives.

Carnage has a superb cast and it is hard to picture anyone else as fitting as the four actors chosen here. John C Reilly is a great character actor and master of comedy, both of which are used to full effect here; Winslet is on fire as a stuck-up and frustrated mum; Foster almost bursts an artery in her hilariously over-the-top performance and Waltz gets all the best lines in his role as a slimy corporate lawyer, taking work calls on his mobile phone right after launching verbal grenades into the discussion. Polanski has constructed the film well but most of the credit goes to the creator of the source material, Yasmina Reza, whose pressure cooker of a script is nothing short of brilliant.

There is no escaping the fact that this feels like a filmed play which may feel claustrophobic for some. But its razor sharp wit and social commentary, presented by some of today’s finest actors, make Carnage a must-see.

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magazine issue #067 — March 2012

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DVD Reviews This month’s release of Family Guy series 11 and Archer series 2 proves that cartoons are not just for kids.

The writers and animators of series such as these have taken the childish delight and wonder of their youth and mixed it with the scepticism, apathy and darkness of their adult lives to create the perfect blend of awkward comedy and adorable characters. Those looking for undiscovered treasures or alternatives to better-known series like South Park and Beavis and Butthead should look to the following worthy additions to their cartoon collections. the venture brothers

Kids’ Stuff The Critic

The Venture Brothers

The decline of Hollywood cinema mirrors a disheartened film critic’s unsatisfying life. If that storyline doesn’t reek of comedic gold, the critic’s crazy family, the voice talents of Jon Lovits and various regulars from The Simpsons will. Unlike the films Jay Sherman watches, this series does not stink.

A failed scientist living in the shadow of his infinitely more heroic late father, his idiotic children, and their incredibly brutal bodyguard (voice artiste Patrick Warburton) do battle against some of the worst villains in history. That the villains are as ridiculous as Venture himself is part of the show’s charm.

Dr Katz, Professional Therapist

Comedian Jonathan Katz lends a sympathetic ear to many patients, most of whom are comedians themselves. The series is outstanding primarily because of the relationship between Katz and his son Ben, voiced by Archer’s H. Jon Benjamin.

The two lend the series a feeling of improvised brilliance, along with a visual companion to America’s stand-up talent.

Home Movies

Home Movies is the story of Brendan, an eight-year-old who makes films with his

the critic

friends in his basement. Brendan’s newly single mother, his soccer coach and his friends’ parents serve to highlight the disjuncture between childhood and adulthood; the children portray constructed versions of adulthood in Brendan’s movies, while the adults use those very constructions as a gauge of their own success in careers and relationships. The season’s finest moment, however, is a rock opera based on Kafka’s Metamorphosis.

Mission Hill

It’s an ‘odd couple’ premise: a cool hipster in a trendy area is saddled with his painfully nerdy brother when their parents move interstate. But like all odd couples, these brothers have plenty to learn from one another including how to get drunk without your parents finding out; that if you hang around with your brother’s nerdy friends you can score with their hot sisters; how to preserve a tooth that’s fallen out until you can get to the dentist; and most importantly, how to get kicked off MTV’s The Real World.

Spy Vs. Spy Organisation As long-suffering ISIS accountant Cyril Figgis tells ISIS director Malory Archer, ‘spy comedy? It’s been done’. And while Archer’s footing in the spy comedy subgenre is fairly firm, it’s the combination of animation, writing and characterisation that makes this series one of the best of its kind.

For those unfamiliar with the first series, Archer revolves around the organisation ISIS, headed by the considerably un-maternal Archer and staffed by her son Sterling, the (self-proclaimed) world’s greatest spy, his ex, Lana Kane, HR Officer Pam, accountant Cyril, and secretary Cheryl.

This series sees the selfish, womanising Archer begin to grow up: becoming a father (prostitute’s baby daddy), being diagnosed with breast cancer (that triggers a killing rampage he insists on

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Archer, Series 2 r e vi e wed by

Sallie Pritchard r ated

4/5

filming and later screening), and even getting married (to a defector from the KGB). But this doesn’t mean Archer’s a better person — there are no valuable lessons learnt and no real changes of heart and if there were, we’d probably be disappointed (this is one of the show’s strengths). While Archer’s second outing is much of the same as the first, it is a more complex affair with sophisticated cross-cutting between stories and more consistency between the

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episodes. Insane scientist Krieger and fabulous intelligence analyst Ray Gillette make a welcome return as series regulars.

H. Jon Benjamin, as Sterling Archer, is something of a veteran voice actor, with previous turns as Benjamin Katz (Dr Katz, Professional Therapist) and Coach McGuirk (Home Movies). Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer, and Arrested Development’s Jessica Walter round out the impressive cast of voice actors. Some hilarious guest-starring roles from Peter Serafinowicz also make for an enjoyable affair.

Some episodes, however, are better than others and this series actually takes two or three episodes to hit its stride. The first is the weakest in the series, lacking the humour and chemistry of later episodes.

Even so, as both a spy spoof and bitingly funny animated series, Archer reaches all of its objectives.

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 41

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

gig Guide Newcastle Thur, March 1

Mon, March 5

Sat, March 10

Thur, March 15

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Allphones Arena, Sydney

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Carter Rollins

John Cleese

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Alice n Zoe K

Troy Cassar Daley (album launch)

Think Rock n Food Trivia

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Alice Vs Everything, Shoreline

Caves Beachside Hotel

Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Steve Edmonds, Mighty Kingsnakes

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Rattlehand, Spurs for Jesus

Great Northern Hotel, Newc The Havelocks, Emerson

Kibble Park, Gosford Sons of Alamo, Two Steps Twice,

7 Mar

The legendary Judy Collins (USA)

Pennyblack, One Minute of Living, Room 13, Tess Green, Beth Haslam, Jessica Beazley, Alyxanthe Hull, Chris Edwards, Bradley Quaife, Max Lawson Matt Nukewood, John Glover, Matt Nugent, Brenden Fing

James Morrison

11 Mar

James Reyne

18 Mar

Tim Hart (Boy & Bear)

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham Bones Jones and the Skeletones, The Jimmies, Heather O’Friel

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Loft Youth Centre, Newcastle Engage The Fall, War Faction, Paradise Found, City Meets Cyclone, Days Diminished, The Decibels

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton

21 Mar

Abigail Washburn (USA)

Nick Raschke

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield The Big Bang

Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter

Eric Bibb

30 Mar

Alabama 3 (Bluesfest sideshow)

31 Mar

Frankie J Holden & Wilbur Wilde

Noiseworks, Richard Clapton, 1927, Ian Moss, Dragon, The Choirboys

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Mr Kite, Brain Spank

Fannys Nightclub, Newcastle Wynter Gordon

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Fearless Vampire Killers, The Owls,

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

4 Apr

Steve Earle USA

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

(Bluesfest sideshow)

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

14 Apr 20 Apr

Fushia, OCeanic, Foriegn Body, Teal Stafford Brothers The Havelocks, Bayonets for Legs,

Chain Daryl Braithwaite

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Troy Cassar-Daley, Harmony James

phone (02) 4956 2066 or visit lizottes.com.au

The Axis Of Awesome, The Blanks, Clair Hooper, Rhys Nicholson

Judy Collins, Daniel Champagne

Wests Leagues Club, Lambton

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Belinda Carlisle

Wed, March 7

Ngariki

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Joelistics, Diafrix

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle One Vital Word, Anchor, Promises,

The Dennis Boys Band

Level One, Newc Leagues Club

Taken By Force

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Tonight Alive

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

John Cleese

Chris Byrne

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Mereweather Fats Blues Jam

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

Ashleigh Grace

Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Ben Crawford Project

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

New Order

Phonic

Jack’s Bar, Erina

The Entrance

DecembeR

Central Coast Country Music Festival

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham Ben & the Sea, Hudson Arc, Amy Vee

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Jasmine Beth, Lyall Maloney,

Sun, March 11 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Ashleigh Mannix, Sam Joole

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Sprung Monkey, The Grains, Shank’d

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Judy Collins, Daniel Champagne

Thur, March 8

Lloyd Spiegel

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Run Squirrel

Kincumber Hotel

Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni

Jonathan Lee Jones

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Pell Mell

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Darren Jack

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Bits & Pieces

James Reyne, James Thomson

Sydney Opera House

Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Jesse J, Professor Green

Lakes Hotel, The Entrance Steve Edmonds Band

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Lizotte’s, Lambton

Bon Iver

Mon, March 12 Factory Theatre, Sydney St Vincent

Sydney Opera House

Will and the People The Rapture, Azari & III

Bon Iver

Tues, March 13

Fri, March 9

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Allphones Arena, Sydney

Manning Bar, Sydney

Mick Harvey

Taylor Swift

Wild Flag, Love Of Diagrams,

Riley and Donna

Chino’s Bar, Newcastle Aleks and the Ramps, Megastick Fanfare, Shanna Watson

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Benjalu, A French Butler Called Smith

Die Antwoord Zoe K and the Shadow Katz

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Tommy Nine Finger The Business

Troy Cassar-Daley, Harmony James

Lizotte’s, Lambton Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Basement, Sydney Adam Cohen

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Dancing Heals

Factory Theatre, Sydney Rory Erickson

Great Northern Hotel, Newc

Bassjackers Delta Lions, Easy Tiger, Run Squirrel

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Wed, March 14

King Street Hotel, Newcastle Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

Heather O’Friel, Woe & Sorrow,

Bon Iver

Kincumber Hotel

The Owls, Easy Tiger, The Pornskas,

Sheepstation, Psycho Pucko, Birdbath

Sydney Opera House

Brother Grimm, The Delta Riggs,

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham Tommy 9 Fingers, The Young Pretties,

Unity Floors

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Free Fallin’

Sun, March 4 information,

Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Sunday School

Lizotte’s, Lambton

For bookings and

Other MC Laughing Stock Comedy Gala w/

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Briscoe

Rick Price

Vika and Linda Bull

The Phat Controller, Spandex Moose,

James Reyne, Sarah Humphreys

1 Apr

12 Apr

Sprung Monkey, The Grains

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

John Cleese

Sparkadia

Sat, March 3 22 Mar

Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley

Easy Tiger, Let Me Down, Jungleman

King Street Hotel, Newcastle

9 Mar

Tues, March 6

Fri, March 2 We Built Atlantis, Drawcard,

4 Mar

Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong Trapped Under Ice, Relentless

Lizotte’s, Lambton

3 Mar

Taylor Swift

Steve Lane and the Autocrats

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Shirts from Matthew, Jen Buxton, Brad Vincent

James Reyne, Sarah Humphreys

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

James Morrison

Loft Youth Centre, Newcastle

Mick Harvey

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Class Clowns 2012

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield

Sybreed

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Set Sail

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Marriah

Lizotte’s, Lambton Eddi Reader

Fri, March 16 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Nickson Wing

Chino’s Bar, Newcastle Mojo Juju

Enmore Theatre, Sydney Trailer Park Boys

Ettalong Beach Cabana DecembeR

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Bluesbombers

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Grey Ghost, Caravana Sun

Kincumber Hotel Soul Station

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Tim Hart, Patrick James, Mike McCarthy

Lizotte’s, Lambton Scott Carne, Brian Mannix, Dale Ryder

Loft Youth Centre, Newcastle Dropsaw, Mark My Words, Taken By Force, Make No Mistake

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Great Big Hits

Sat, March 17 Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club Baby Animals

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Closure in Moscow, Strangers, The Dead Love

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Lachlan Bryan

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Marshall O’Kell

Katoomba Blue Mountains Folk Festival

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Holly Throsby, Rainbow Chan

Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Voodoo Express

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Phase III

Sun, March 18 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Hedkandi DJs

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Shane Pacey Blues Trio

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Luke Hoskins Inexperience, Horse Bolted

Karuah Hotel Steve Edmonds Band

Katoomba Blue Mountains Folk Festival

Kincumber Hotel Tim Pringle

Lizotte’s, Lambton Tim Hart, Patrick James, Mike McCarthy

Tues, March 20 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Eric Bibb, Gian, Krystle Warren

Ben Hanley, Andrew Scully & Richard Murphy, Grant Wolter, Ben Crawford

Iguana

42 reverb

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

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gig Guide Newcastle (cont.) gig Guide North Wed, March 21

Mon, March 26

Thur, March 1

Sun, March 4

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

A & I Hall, Bangalow

Brewery, Byron Bay

Safe Hands

Great Northern Hotel, Hamil Lovers Jump Creek

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Eddi Reader

Lizotte’s, Lambton Abigail Washburn

Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton Nick Raschke

Sydney Entertainment Centre Lenny Kravitz, The Cranberries, Wolfmother

Thur, March 22 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Children Collide, Deep Sea Arcade

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Luke Watt

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling The Leadbellies

King Street Hotel, Newcastle Sounds of Dubstep w/ Bar 9

Lizotte’s, Lambton Eric Bibb, Gian, Krystle Warren

Royal Exchange Theatre, Newc Hudson Arc

Elbow, Bombay Bicycle Club

Wed, March 28 Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni Ball Park Music, Nantes, Cub Scouts

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Rosie’s School of Rock

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

Jasmine Beth, Lyall Maloney, Ashleigh Mannix, Jessica Cain

Newcastle Entertainment Cent Evanescence, Blaqkaudio

Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Bombay Bicycle Club, Megastick Fanfare

Thur, March 29 Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Jarrah Thompson

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Deep Water Blues

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosf Ross Noble

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Adam Ant Dallas Frasca and her Gentlemen, Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Only the Sea Slugs, Holly Who

Kincumber Hotel Blackstar

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Mark Wilkinson, Katrina Burgoyne

Lizotte’s, Lambton Tour De Force

Mingara Recreation Club, Tumbi Shannon Noll

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Luke Austen

Sat, March 24 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Ill Brigade

East Maitland Bowling Club Zen & the Art, Cerebral Contortion, Exit for Freedom

Gallipoli Legions Club, Hamil Holly Throsby

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Steve Lane and the Autocrats, Jimmy Williams

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Tour De Force

Northern Star Hotel, Newc Snakadaktal, Elizabeth Rose

Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Wooden Shjips

Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Nick Raschke

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield The Sue & Micky Show

Sun, March 25 Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling Mark Easton

Kincumber Hotel Twitcho

Lizotte’s, Lambton Shawn Brown, Jame Chatburn

Brewery, Byron Bay

Wandering Eyes

Rails, Byron Bay

Salmonella DJ Sound System, DJ Rude Selecta

The Funk Thieves

Coolangatta Hotel

Sawtell RSL

Rick Price, Tamara Stewart Bombay Bicycle Club, Megastick Fanfare

Newcastle Panthers G3 w/ Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Lukathur

Fri, March 30 Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni Potbelleez

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Havelocks

Cessnock Performing Art Cent Ross Noble

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl Hubert Hubertson Show Band

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Global Battle of the Bands

Kincumber Hotel Co-Pilots

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Frankie J Holden, Wilbur Wilde

Lizotte’s, Lambton Alabama 3

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Phase III

Sat, March 31 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle The Herd, Thundamentals

Chino’s Bar, Newcastle Jack Ladder

Civic Theatre, Newcastle Ross Noble

Entrance Leagues Club Funkoars, Swarmy, Drakezilla

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl The Bon Scotts

Great Northern Hotel, Newc Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen

Hamilton Station Hotel, Isling The Construct, Caverns

Lizotte’s, Lambton Frankie J Holden, Wilbur Wilde

Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington The Throsbies

Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Two Stomp

Tempus Two Winery, Hunter

Morgan Kent, Rowland Stones

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Sprung Monkey, The Grains

Lennox Point Hotel

Clay Blyth

Ben Francis

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Sleepmakeswaves, Stellar Green,

Feenixpawl

Rails, Byron Bay

Cleveland Blues

Rails, Byron Bay Dan Hannaford Toga

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Coast Road

James Reyne

14 Mar

Mick Harvey (The Bad Seeds) Tim Hart (Boy & Bear)

Wed, March 7

20 Mar

Eric Bibb

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

21 Mar

Eddi Reader Quartet

Keogh

Fri, March 2

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Port Macquarie Panthers

feat. Boo Hewerdine,

Double Trouble

Moonstone

Alan Kelly, Ian Carr

Belinda Carlisle

Brewery, Byron Bay

Thur, March 8

Blake Noble, Shak Shuka

Coolangatta Hotel

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Sprung Monkey, The Grains

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Garrett Kato

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Thora Zoo

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Roger Faynes

29 Mar

Rick Price

30 Mar

Frankie J Holden & Wilbur

Port Macquarie Hotel

Lee Simpson

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Wilde

This Sanctuary, Mark Spence, Eliza Ellen

And Oh!

Lennox Point Hotel

Rails, Byron Bay

Sounds of Summer DJ comp - heat 3

Mary Gilhoolies, Lismore

1 Apr

Aleks and the Ramps

Hannah Broomfield Trio

Matt Buggy

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Polaroid Fame

8 Apr

MOS Clubbers Guide w/ Denzal Park, Danny T, SQK, The Wisemole

Port Macquarie Hotel

Easter Sunday w/ Jon English

Cole, Cox, Lovejoy

Plantation Hotel, Coffs

Alabama 3 (Bluesfest sideshow)

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Fri, March 9 Australian Hotel, Ballina

The Lyrical, Cleveland Blues & the

Marshall O’Kell

Ballina RSL

Red Eyed Junction

Sawtell Hotel

Abbalive

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Grayson

SCU Unibar, Lismore

Raz Bin Sam, The Grains

Brewery, Byron Bay

Yespleez

Valla Beach Hotel

Hermitude, Sietta

Coolangatta Hotel

A Beggars Second

Aqua, Radio Ink

Sat, March 3

Coorabell Hall, Byron Bay Wild Marmalade, Si Fixion,

Australian Hotel, Ballina

13 Apr

Vika and Linda Bull

19 Apr

Daryl Braithwaite

27 Apr

Afro Moses – The Spirit of Bob Marley

DJ Andrew Booth

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

Siskin River

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

A Little Province

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Feremones

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Secret Squirrel

Lennox Point Hotel

A Beggers Second

Diggers Tavern, Bellingen

Sounds of Summer DJ comp - heat 4

Sawtell Hotel

Boss Cats, Driftwood Allies

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

The Quinn Band

SCU Unibar, Lismore

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

Lennox Point Hotel

Aston Shuffle, Purple Sneakers DJ’s

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

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Tim Stokes Band

Mary Gilhoolies, Lismore

Cath Symes

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Cath Simes Band

Never Land Bar, Coolangatta

Grayson

8-9 Mar

16 Mar

The Getaway Plan

SCU Unibar, Lismore

The legendary Judy Collins (USA)

Chris Aronsten

Brewery, Byron Bay

Donovan Frakenreiter,

Sawtell Hotel

6 Mar

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Port Macquarie Hotel

Lazy Sunday Lunch w/ Troy Cassar Daley

Leigh James

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Kerser, Cory Fletcher

4 Mar

Tues, March 6 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Marshall

Chris Fisher

Treehouse, Byron Bay Mark Wilkinson

Valla Beach Hotel Sam Joole and the Rhythm Factory

Duran Duran

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CarterRollins

Lennox Point Hotel

Billy Field

Dead Beat Band, The Ottomans

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Grand Junction Hotel, Maitl

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Cath Simes

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Black Lips, Velociraptor,

Lizotte’s, Lambton

Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night

Lucious Deeds

Sticks & Strings

Lizotte’s, Kincumber

The Barons of Tang

Truth, A-Sides, M_Phonik,

Ballina RSL

Renny Field, Miss Priya, Jethro,

Fri, March 23 Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Baro Banda

CENTRAL COAST

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reverb magazine issue #067 — March 2012 43

gig Guide North (cont.)

MARCH AT THE AUSSIE

Sat, March 10

Fri, March 16

Tues, March 20

Sun, March 25

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Roo & Steve

Sabotage

Ballina RSL

Ballina RSL

Leigh James DJ Daniel Webber

FRI 9 MARSHALL O’KELL DUO 8PM SAT 10 ROO & STEVE 7:30PM FRI 16 SABOTAGE 8PM SAT 17 CLARK BLACK DUO 7:30PM FRI 23 EL PIRATA 8PM SAT 24 TROUBADOURS 7:30PM FRI 30 LEGLESS LIZARDS 8PM

Damion Towner Rhys Bynon Nitestar

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Greg Kew

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Lennox Point Hotel

Children Collide, Deep Sea Arcade, Palms

Sounds of Summer DJ comp - semi 1

Mary Gilhoolies, Lismore Push

Mary Gilhoolies, Lismore

Rails, Byron Bay

Broadfoot

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Mick McHugh

Marshall

Nimbin Bowling Club

Star Court Theatre, Lismore

Greenthief

Rails, Byron Bay

Kate Miller-Heidke

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Paul Hasselgrove, Rusty Steel

Sawtell Hotel

Mumbo Jumbo

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Ben Francis

Norman & Louise

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Yolan

Thur, March 22 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Valla Beach Hotel

Steve Lane & the Autocrats, Jimmy Williams

Zoe K and the Shadow Katz

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Rhett Brambleby

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore

Sat, March 17

Coolangatta Hotel Ball Park Music, Nantes, Cub Scouts

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Australian Hotel, Ballina

Bats vs Snakes

Twin Towns Serv Club, Tweed

Kane Cahill

Jetty Theatre, Coffs Harbour

Clark Black

Ballina RSL

Belinda Carlisle

Yamba YHA Backpacker Resort

Wheelers and Dealers

Glenn Massey

Plantation Hotel, Coffs

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Nathan Kaye

DJ Rhythm Cutloose

Sun, March 11

Cherry St Sports Club, Ballina

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour

Late for Woodstock, Alison Wonderland

Brewery, Byron Bay Ajax, The Cairos, Sampology, Pam Pam Pam

Cath Simes Band Bounty Hunters

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs The Quinn Band

Dave Stringer

Discrow, Daniel Webber

Lennox Point Hotel Clay Blyth

Lovers Jump Creek, Shaun Kirk

Rails, Byron Bay Tom Richardson

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Bo Jenkins

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Federal Hotel, Bellingen Gollan Hotel, Lismore The New Christs, Slug

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Che Fu, The Kratez, Kaha

Port Macquarie Hotel

Coorabell Hall, Byron Bay

Frogmouth, St Patrick’s Day Band

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Cod Squad

Dan Hannaford

Ballina RSL Rochelle Lees

Mick McHugh

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Brewery, Byron Bay In-Cyde

Coolangatta Hotel

Jimmy Watts

Rails, Byron Bay Carter Rollins

Sawtell RSL

Che-Fu, Kratez, Beatkamp, Paua

Rails, Byron Bay

Federal Hotel, Bellingen

The Wild Zinnias

Steve Lane & the Autocrats,

Sawtell Hotel

Simon Gillespie, Rowland Stones

Mon, March 12 Glasshouse, Port Macquarie

Barney Miller Classic

Jimmy Williams

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Sawtell RSL Tom Richardson

Ball Park Music, Nantes, Cub Scouts

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

SCU Unibar, Lismore Soul Reference

Shaun Kirk

Lennox Point Hotel

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Dirty Three

Neil Anderson

Wed, March 14

Star Court Theatre, Lismore

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Russ Walker

Pieta Brown, Lucie Thorne

Dave Strauss

Thur, March 15

Sun, March 18

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Josh Matherson Neil Anderson Steve Lane and the Autocrats Glenn Massey Kyle Watson & Friends

The Bon Scotts

Sat, March 24 Australian Hotel, Ballina Troubadours Mad Professor, Fyah Walk

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Lazy Sundays

Lennox Point Hotel

Jetty Theatre, Coffs Harbour Soundlabryinth

The Leisure Bandits

Lismore City Bowling Club

Lennox Point Hotel Marshall O’Kell

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Valla Beach Hotel

Great Northern Hotel, Byron

Bobby Alu

Willie Hona

Slipway Hotel, Ballina

Dirty Three

Brewery, Byron Bay Scooby Drew

Port Macquarie Hotel

Matt Dean and the Rhythm Sect

Yamba YHA Backpacker Resort Bart Thrupp

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Mad Professor

Port Macquarie Hotel

Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore Rochelle Lees

Children Collide, Deep Sea Arcade

Sounds of Summer DJ comp - semi 2

Plantation Hotel, Coffs

Star Court Theatre, Lismore

Matt Lydon

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

DJ Magu, DJ 1iSAMURAi

Rails, Byron Bay

Pacific Hotel, Yamba Surf Report

The Bon Scotts

Shaw Bay Hotel, Ballina The Leisure Bandits

Tues, March 27 Glasshouse, Port Macquarie Ross Noble

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Louis Van Senden

Rails, Byron Bay Shaun Kirk

Wed, March 28 Byron Bay Comminuty Hall The Necks

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Dave Strauss

Manning EntertCentre, Taree Ross Noble

Thur, March 29 Ballina RSL The Big Gig w/ Chris Radburn, Ellen Briggs, Mandy Nolan

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Lucky Wonders

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Closure in Moscow, Strangers, Epidemic Over

SCU Unibar, Lismore

Zoe K and the Shadow Katz

Pacific Hotel, Yamba

Shaun Kirk

Rails, Byron Bay

Australian Hotel, Ballina El Pirata

No. 5, Bellingen

Coastal Soul

Lennox Point Hotel

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Ziggy

Lennox Point Hotel

Lisa Hunt

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

Fri, March 23

Sabotage

Ocean Shores Tavern

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

magazine issue #067 — M arch 2012

Wed, March 21

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Vanessa Lee

Lennox Point Hotel

Faye Blais

44 reverb

Brunswick Heads Hotel Bats vs Snakes, Fat City Strut

Lalaland, Byron Bay

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Wickham

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

Jeff Green

Brewery, Byron Bay Kindred

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs

SAT 3 SISKIN RIVER 7:30PM

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore

Clay Blyth

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

FRI 2 MOONSTONE 8PM

Josh Matherson

Dali and the Paper Band

Sawtell Hotel

Ben Francis Potbelleez

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Matt Buggy

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Intentions

Fri, March 30 Australian Hotel, Ballina Legless Lizards

Ballina RSL The Feremones

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Ganga Girl

Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Vanessa Lee

Lennox Point Hotel Sounds of Summer DJ comp Grand Final

Valla Beach Hotel Mick Hart

Sat, March 31 Ballina RSL Mambies

Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Leisure Bandits

Coast Hotel, Coffs Harbour Weekenders

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Yacht Club DJs, Hunting Grounds

Lennox Point Hotel The Feramones

Sawtell Hotel Minnie Marks

Slipway Hotel, Ballina Bill Jacobi

Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore State of Integrity

Geoff Turnbull

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MAR 1

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MAR 2

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MAR 9

Spkrbox & the unibar present

ASTON SHUFFLE & PURPLE SNEAKERS THE FIRST DEGREE TOUR – from 8pm

MAR 17

SOUL REFERENCE with NORMAN & LOUISE & ELECTRIC LEMONADE

MAR 29

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‘SEE HIM AND MARVEL

...BRILLIANTLY INVENTIVE, QUIRKY STAND-UP’ THE SUN

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GLASSHOUSE PORT MACQUARIE TUESDAY 27TH MARCH BOOKINGS PH: 6581 8888 glasshouse.org.au

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MANNING ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE - TAREE WEDNESDAY 28TH MARCH BOOKINGS AT VIDEO EZY PH: 6552 5699 gtcc.nsw.gov.au

CESSNOCK PERFORMING CIVIC THEATRE LAYCOCK STREET ARTS CENTRE NEWCASTLE THEATRE - GOSFORD THURSDAY 29THTMARCH FRIDAY 30TH MARCH SATURDAY 31ST MARCH OUPH: BOOKINGS PH: BOOKINGS PH: BOOKINGS D L 4993 4200 4929 1977 4323 SO 3233 laycockstreettheatre.com cessnock.nsw.gov.au ticketek.com.au