ISSUE NO. 696 JANUARY 18, 2017
FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com
MUSIC, FILM, COMEDY + MORE
INSIDE This Week
NG A IIR E
Headlining Goat Island Sounds this Australia Day.
T HE X X
After a long break, they've learnt how to coexist once more.
K IL L ING HEIDI
Forget sibling rivalry, the Oz rock icons are back on deck.
T HE DOOBIE BRO T HERS
And how smoking pot brought them together.
Plus
M A RG A R E T GL A SP Y W HI T E L UNG T HE T E S TA ME N T OF M A RY L ION A ND MUCH MOR E
THE CHANGING SHAPE OF PUNK
MUSIC IN
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WEYES BLOOD 19 JANUARY
JESSY LANZA 20 JANUARY
Weyes Blood - Photo: Cayal Unger The Comet is Coming - Photo: Fabrice Bourgelle
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BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 3
the BRAG presents
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Joseph Earp, Chris Martin and Nathan Jolly
Newtown Social Club Monday April 10
speed date WITH
Best Gig Ever It’s incredibly hard to 3. choose only one, but I’ll go
We’re in it for the long haul (not one of those hit-it-andquit-it kinda bands). Keeping Busy The last few months have been ridiculously busy for all of us. Tom owns and runs a school on the Central Coast. The rest of us are working full-time office gigs. Apart from juggling the jobs and various projects, we’ve
2.
Newtown Social Club Wednesday April 12
a bit recent and say that opening The Plot festival back in November was a huge moment for us – not just because we shared a stage with acts like Montaigne, Tash Sultana and Gold Fields, but just the fact that it was our firstever festival gig has really cemented the event deep into our most treasured memories as a band. Great organisers, great artists, and just great people all day – such an awesome experience, and we’re still pinching ourselves about it.
Current Playlist First of all, if you 4. have not heard ‘This Must
Be The Place (Naive Melody)’ by Talking Heads then what are you even doing here? Go listen to it right now! It’s my fave song of all time and you have my permission to play that at any moment in my life – my wedding, birthday, funeral, it’s all good. Secondly, MGMT’s second album Congratulations is probably the most underrated album I’ve ever listened to. It’s got some incredible lyrics and musical ideas. It’s just a shame that fans didn’t take to it because it wasn’t the synthpop sound that they were used to after their first album. Your Ultimate Rider Well, if we’re 5. going all-out here, then
a fridge full of Pasito and a tray of doubledoubles from In-N-Out Burger ought to do it. Perhaps some frozen yoghurt for after the gig, if we’re feeling peckish. I dunno, but you’d think that a band called Froyo would wanna add some actual froyo to their rider, wouldn’t you? Also, next time you’re at a frozen yoghurt joint, make sure you add some of those sweet mango boba thingies when you’re selecting your choice of toppings. Seriously, that stuff’s the real deal. What: Hottest 100 Party With: L-Fresh The Lion, Olympia, VXV and more Where: Parramatta Park When: Thursday January 26
MILES ELECTRIC BAND
Enmore Theatre Thursday April 13
CORINNE BAILEY RAE Metro Theatre Sunday April 16
NIKKI HILL
Newtown Social Club Monday April 17
THE STRUMBELLAS Oxford Art Factory Monday April 17
ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES Metro Theatre Wednesday April 19
Kasabian photo by Neil Bedford
Kasabian
PRINT & DIGITAL EDITOR: Chris Martin chris.martin@seventhstreet.media SUB-EDITOR: Joseph Earp STAFF WRITERS: Nathan Jolly, Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: Brandon John, Nathan Jolly, Ariana Norton ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHER: Ashley Mar COVER PHOTO: Dustin Rabin ADVERTISING: Tony Pecotic - 0425 237 974 tony.pecotic@seventhstreet.media PUBLISHER: Seventh Street Media CEO, SEVENTH STREET MEDIA: Luke Girgis - luke.girgis@seventhstreet.media MANAGING EDITOR: Poppy Reid poppy.reid@seventhstreet.media GIG GUIDE: gigguide@thebrag.com AWESOME INTERNS: Anna Wilson, Ariana Norton, Harriet Flitcroft, David Burley REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Arca Bayburt, Prudence Clark, Chelsea Deeley, Christie Eliezer, Matthew Galea, Emily Gibb, Jennifer Hoddinett, Tegan Jones, Sarah Little, Emily Meller, David Molloy, Annie Murney, Adam Norris, George Nott, Daniel Prior, Tegan Reeves, Natalie Rogers, Erin Rooney, Spencer Scott, Natalie Salvo, Leonardo Silvestrini, Jade Smith, Aaron Streatfeild, Rod Whitfield, Anna Wilson, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address Level 2, 9-13 Bibby St, Chiswick NSW 2046 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Tony Pecotic - tony.pecotic@seventhstreet.media Level 2, 9-13 Bibby St Chiswick NSW 2046
Alcest
COME DOWN FOR KODAMA
France’s acclaimed experimental metal duo Alcest have announced their triumphant Antipodean return. The head-banging overlords are set to crash back to Sydney on what is sure to be a blistering, uncompromising tour through our fair land, bringing with them a swathe of new material. The pair are well known for belting out a mix of crushing instrumentation and light, melodic choruses, making them a truly enticing proposition to see live. Better still, their new record, Kodama, is as boppable as it is brutal, so one can imagine it will be perfectly suited for the concert setting. Miss this one at your own peril. Alcest play Newtown Social Club on Thursday April 27.
FEELING RATTY
Australia’s premiere stoners and guitar legends Dune Rats will be continuing their search for Scott Green, it seems, announcing a massive national tour in support of new record The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit. Dune Rats have of course been pretty busy on the live front for the past year, touring locally and overseas, all culminating with
A NICE LITTLE PRESSIE
UK rockers Kasabian have locked in two exclusive shows at the Sydney Opera House this year. Tom Meighan, Sergio Pizzorno and friends will make their way Down Under for two nights only, and the famous sails are the only place to see them. Kasabian have cemented their reputation as the latest torch-bearers in a long line of mega British rock bands, and the only question left to answer is whether the Opera House will be big enough to match their (in)famous egos. Kasabian play the Concert Hall on Wednesday March 8 and Thursday March 9.
an amazing set at Beyond The Valley. The record itself has been produced by Fidlar’s Zac Carper, and apparently captures a bit more of the Dunies working out who they are as a band. They play the Metro Theatre on Saturday March 25.
MARGARITAS ON US
Bluesfest 2017 has just gotten that much bigger, with a brand new addition to the lineup set to wow punters. The prolific US singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett – well-known for a string of hits such as
The Waifs
DEADLINES: Editorial: Friday 12pm (no extensions) Ad bookings: Friday 5pm (no extensions) Fishished art: No later than 2pm Monday Ad cancellations: Friday 4pm Deadlines are strictly adhered to. Published by Seventh Street Media All content copyrighted to Seventh Street Media 2017 DISTRIBUTION: Wanna get the BRAG? Email george.sleiman@ seventhstreet.media PRINTED BY SPOTPRESS: spotpress.com.au 24 – 26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204
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‘Margaritaville’, ‘Come Monday’ and of course ‘Cheeseburger In Paradise’ – has been announced to fill the hole left following Neil Young’s inglorious exit. Buffett joins iconic acts like Santana, Patti Smith, The Doobie Brothers, Madness, Jethro Tull, Buddy Guy and Mary J. Blige, as well as a new generation of artists like The Lumineers, Grammy nominee Gallant and plenty more. Bluesfest goes down from Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm.
PREPARE FOR PAIN
Undeniable R&B hitmaker and Auto-Tune pioneer T-Pain is heading to Australia and New Zealand for a run of DJ shows from late January to early February. While the shows are billed as DJ sets, he promises “a few special onstage surprises” along the way – hopefully including the odd live performance. Having taken a well-deserved break in 2013, T-Pain is back making music and building towards the release of his new album Stoicville: The Phoenix, including his most recent drop ‘Dan Bilzerian’ with Lil Yachty. T-Pain hits Marquee on Saturday January 28.
FORWARD FOR THE FOO
WAIF-ER THIN
A quarter of a century is always worth celebrating, and The Waifs are marking 25 years as a band with a big national tour. Feeling understandably sentimental, the Aussie folk stars are asking for fans to send through any stories fans may have of when their music has played a significant part in their lives. The Waifs hope to incorporate some of these tales into their live performances, and any touching anecdotes can be fired through to the group’s label on waifsstories@jarrahrecords.com before possibly being heard live onstage. The Waifs will hit the Enmore Theatre on Saturday April 1.
The Strumbellas photo by Josh Goldman
1.
Your Profile Four young 20-somethings with an exotic blend of Papua New Guinean, Chinese, Fijian, Indian, French, Australian and Filipino backgrounds. Currently seeking a longterm relationship with fans of any race, gender or build. Bonus points if they’re into Scrubs, Arrested Development or listening to cheesy ’80s pop music.
TREVOR HALL
MICHAEL CHOW FROM FROYO been recording, producing and planning the release of our new single. So yeah, brand new songs, a music video, heaps more gigs. We’re very excited for 2017!
TURIN BRAKES
St Paul and The Broken Bones photo by David McClister
music news
Sure, Taylor Hawkins may have spoken of an indefinite Foo Fighters hiatus last March, but those who have followed the band’s career knew better. Dave Grohl can’t sit still at the best of times, so the suggestion that his major artistic vessel was to be put on ice was frankly ridiculous. Granted, the Fooies were quiet throughout 2016, but in the past few days they announced they would be headlining BottleRock Napa Valley Festival in May, which led to BottleRock organiser Dave Graham spilling the beans on a new album. The record will mark the band’s ninth full-length record, and bodes well for a 2017 release. Let’s hope it times well with our summer festival season. thebrag.com
MELONHEADS VS PAKISTAN
24 million Aussies take on Pakistan in the Victoria Bitter ODI Series. Dress-up for a chance to win a round the world trip for two and a spot on the Dress-up Deck.
22 JAN ı SCG ADULTS FROM $30 ı KIDS FROM $10 ı FAMILIES FROM $65 *Ter *T erms ms and Con ondi ditition onss ap appl ply.y. See cririck cket et.c .com om.a .au/ u/od odid idre ress ssup up thebrag.com
BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 5
live & local
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Ariana Norton, Nathan Jolly and Brandon John
head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
WITH
Growing Up We grew up in a 1. house bus travelling New
Zealand so our childhood was an adventurous, storyrich one. We were taught everything through music, so for us music is closer to a language than it being a skill. It’s at the very core of our being and affects our music in every way. We are storytellers.
xxx
five things
Japandroids
ZECH WALTERS FROM WOODLOCK
Inspirations The biggest 2. inspiration would be two
artists: Coldplay and The Paper Kites. When Coldplay came out with the album Viva La Vida we listened to that religiously every day. We were at absolute awe of the sheer expressionism that came out of that album. It was pop, but unlike any pop
we had heard before. It had heartfelt substance that we hadn’t seen anywhere in the music scene. The Paper Kites we heard about on a trip back to New Zealand. We were at a music festival called Parachute and we stumbled across this band completely by accident. We went to a stage early to get a good spot for the next band, and we sat in complete silence as they played. It is one of our favourite memories as a group. Your Band We have three 3. members: Eze Walters
(singer, guitarist, musical genius), Zech Walters (singer, guitarist, band mother) and Bowen Purcell (drummer, fulltime smiler). We met at church and started playing
together in the streets next to a sausage sizzle trying to raise money for an orphanage our church was building in Africa. We all have a passion for missions; that’s where we really bonded. The music came after that. The Music You Make 4. Defining ourselves is a
really difficult task. We write in many different genres from straight folk to altrock, pop and anthemic sing-alongs. The consistent element in our music is our storytelling. Everything we have ever released has always been a reflection of our lives. In our live shows we like to capture the crowd and take them on a journey; help them to feel the longing of missing someone, the assuredness of knowing yourself, the
anxiety of the unknown. We like to make the experience more than just music. Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. As musicians we are
having to battle for space with DJs, and I think it’s a bit of a shame. Consistently we hear people talking about how DJs are getting more money, that music is dying, people are sheep. The fact is, music is changing in a big way. And change is hard. The best thing you can do is get out there and explore new music, regardless of whether it is DJ or live bands. With: The Franklin Electric Where: Newtown Social Club When: Friday February 3
JAPANDROIDS
Those two-piece masters of noise creation Japandroids are back at last with a new album, Near To The Wild Heart Of Life. The record arrives as something of a surprise to the band’s devoted fan base, some fi ve years after 2012’s Celebration Rock. In 2014 and 2015, the Canadians reconvened in Vancouver, Toronto, New Orleans and Mexico City to write their next set. Near To The Wild Heart Of Life is out Friday January 27 through Pod/Inertia, and we’ve got fi ve CDs to give away. Enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.
Hot Dub Time Machine
Vallis Alps
VINTAGE TUNES
Hot Dub Time Machine, featuring DJ Tom Loud, is embarking on a national tour with a vintage bent. The so-called Hot Dub Wine Machine tour will take in vineyard locations in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, and promises a boutique and grown-up version of the parties that have ruled at venues and festivals around the country. Loud plays a banging tune from every year in the history of modern music to deliver a high-energy setlist that will only be even more epic in these surroundings. Hot Dub Wine Machine plays Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley on Saturday March 18.
Wil Wagner
WIL ON THE ROAD
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Beer lovers and wannabe pirates alike, gather round: Lagerfest is coming back to town with its usual combination of beer, bands and buckets of fun. For the fourth year running, Lagerfest will take over The Bald Faced Stag with Lagerstein, Darker Half, The Stiffys, Valhalore, Keggin, Saralisse, Head In A Jar and Eightball Junkies as well as live magic performances, acoustic acts, competitions, games, party prizes, boutique food and the all-important beer. The night supposedly goes something like Oktoberfest colliding with a pirate ship – at least that’s what we hear. Lagerfest is back on Saturday February 18.
If you caught Sydney-based duo Vallis Alps at Falls Festival, you’ll know better than to miss them on their 2017 Australian Fable Tour. The shows mark their biggest shows to date, with gigs lined up at the Metro Theatre, The Corner in Melbourne, and various other mid-level venues. The east coast dates will also feature support by young Melbourne rapper and artist to watch, Baro. Vallis Alps play the Metro Theatre on Saturday April 8.,, stage. Thundamentals’ MC Jeswon says they’re super pumped to be playing for a Western Sydney crowd alongside the likes of Olympia, L-Fresh The Lion and Froyo. It’s all going down at Parramatta Park on Thursday January 26 with festivities from 6am.
OLD MATE RETURNS
The Lockhearts are back with their Old Mate’s Block Party event at the Factory Theatre on Saturday January 28. The bill features The Stiffys, Borneo, The Persian Drugs, Private Function and Twin Fires. Get around them next weekend, right? Chase The Sun
PROTEST LODGED
Forward-thinking prog metal outfi t Protest The Hero will be back on Aussie shores this year. It’s an appropriate moment for the Canadian rockers to cross the Pacifi c, as their new record Pacifi c Myth – initially a subscription-based release – landed in full last year. Led by the golden pipes of Rody Walker, Protest The Hero bring their outrageous riffage to the Factory Theatre on Saturday April 22 with Closure In Moscow opening.
AUSSIE DAY ESKIMOS
Veteran rockers Eskimo Joe and Blue Mountains hip hop outfi t Thundamentals are set to head a stellar lineup of artists playing this year’s all-day Australia Day bash at Parramatta Park. R&B singer Thandi Phoenix and Western Sydney’s own girl group sensation Beatz will also take the
BEFORE SUNRISE
After five years, Sydney-based blues trio Chase The Sun are back with a brand new single and a huge run of east coast tour dates this February, starting right here in Sydney. ‘Live It Up’ is the first single from the band’s upcoming as-yet-untitled third album and is a celebration of life in all its glory. It features blistering guitar work, punchy rhythms and funkladen bass. Chase The Sun are also set to tour with American rockers Black Stone Cherry in April. See them headline at the Factory Floor on Friday February 10.
thebrag.com
Chase The Sun photo by Glen Morgan
Taking the opportunity to squeeze in a few solo shows before things get too busy for The Smith Street Band this year with new releases, frontman Wil Wagner has announced he’ll be heading out for a pretty substantial run of gigs throughout February. In fact, he’s packing so many shows into the tour that he’s only taking one day off the whole time, as he takes in his most far-reaching venues yet. He’ll be joined by plenty of mates to keep him company on his solo endeavours, with an international roster that includes New York singer-songwriter and Smith Street collaborator Laura Stevenson, Michigan-based guitarist Ian Graham and Shit Present bandleader Iona Cairns from the UK. Wagner headlines Oxford Art Factory on Sunday February 19.
BEERS AND BANDS, ME HEARTIES
ASCENDING ALPS
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BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 7
Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
Lifelines Dating: The Weeknd and Selena Gomez have made their relationship public. Engaged: The Veronicas’ Lisa Origliasso and US actor Logan Huffman after a two-year relationship. Engaged: Australian country music artist Morgan Evans and rising US country singer Kelsea Ballerini. They met while co-hosting an awards night last March. Engaged: The Bennies’ guitarist Julien ‘Jules’ Rozenbergs and Melbourne band The Sugarcanes’ singer and guitarist Lucy Wilson. Charged: ten attendees of NSW’s Psyfari festival on drug charges, including one for supplying. In Court: Scott Wyatt, 31, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court over charges that he set off fireworks in Canberra nightclubs Meche and ICBM in 2011. He said an intelligence officer was involved and that God told him to hand himself in. Died: Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s former partner, visual artist and university lecturer, Dr. Rachel Owen, 48, from cancer. Their split in August 2015 heavily influenced Radiohead’s latest album A Moon Shaped Pool. Died: Johnny Dick, 73, drummer with Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, Doug Parkinson In Focus, Fanny Adams, Wild Cherries, The John Paul Young Allstars and the Stevie Wright Band. Died: Bruce Begley of Sydney alt-rock bands The Honeys and Flicker. The Honeys lasted briefly in the late ’80s, issuing debut album Goddess through Waterfront, before reuniting in 2008 for a second record, Star Baby. Died: Darwin-born, Newcastlebased country singer Auriel Andrew, 69. She worked with the likes of Jimmy Little and Chad Morgan, and last year toured with the cast of indigenous country music documentary Buried Country. She was given the Lifetime Achievement award at the Deadlys in 2008. Died: Samantha Aulton, 46, former singer with Hunter Valley band Crimson Tide, after a 16-year battle with breast cancer. She trained as a counsellor to help others with cancer and wrote a book about her life and battle. Died: Beatles associate and sham ‘technological guru’ ‘Magic’ Yanni Alexis Mardas, 74. Mardas was generally dismissed by the mainstream media for his “crazy” ideas, including creating an artificial sun using laser beams and the invisible curtain that used ultrasonic vibrations to screen The Beatles from their fans. But 50 years ago he was predicting the phone that dialled by voice recognition and displayed the numbers of callers.
THE BRAG JOINS NEW MEDIA COMPANY
Seventh Street Media has acquired Tone Deaf, the BRAG and J Play after reaching separate agreements with all three privately owned music publications. News of the acquisitions coincides with the launch of Seventh Street Media’s new pop music portal, Don’t Bore Us. CEO of Seventh Street Media, Luke Girgis, said: “Throughout 2017, Seventh Street Media will be announcing further acquisitions and brand launches as part of our strategy to become the biggest music media publisher in Australia.”
8 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
THINGS WE HEAR • Are Daft Punk sending signals – first with a website called Alive 2017 and now a YouTube post called ‘ALIVE 2017’ – that they’re going back on the road this year? A light show with mysterious numbers in the video caption has fans speculating that the code could cite GPS coordinates, which would mean that the first show would take place in the Chad desert. • With Paul McCartney announcing three shows in Japan in late April, will we see him in Australia beforehand or
afterwards? • Shortly after vomitstep pioneer Snails dropped a recent video hinting at a possible Australian tour, a similarly toned teaser from Jauz was released. Are the two legends going to be heading our way? • Is the Queensland Government planning to dump or delay the second part of its lockout laws, due to kick in on Wednesday February 1? • As per a cryptic video, expect a KLF reunion mid-year. • During his set at New Zealand’s Rhythms And Vines festival, Chance The Rapper announced he wanted to move there “in the next 15 years”.
Kris Furst, director of Furst Media (former publisher of the BRAG), said: “The BRAG’s place as Sydney’s only dedicated music and arts street press is in good stead with the Seventh Street team. Luke’s knowledge of the Australian music industry and his knack for content creation surely signals an exciting future for the BRAG.” As part of a proactive initiative to give back to the industry, the BRAG has created two scholarships to award and recognise music photographers and music journalists. Details will be announced on thebrag.com in the coming months.
SYDNEY VENUES CHANGE HANDS
A number of Sydney’s key live venues changed hands over the holiday break. Geoff Dixon and John Singleton’s Australian Pub Fund (APF) sold the Bristol Arms Hotel in the CBD for $19.5 million, and Como Hotel in the Sutherland Shire for $5.6 million, both to Oscars Hotels. Meanwhile, the Peakhurst Inn was sold to JDA Hotels for $22.5 million. APB’s remaining properties include the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown and Kinselas in Surry Hills. Meanwhile, the Lone Pine Tavern in Rooty Hill has been bought by Bondi Asset Management (BAM). Iris Capital’s Clovelly Hotel in the east is now part of Solotel’s portfolio, while the 24-hour-licensed Lalor Park Hotel in Sydney’s west was bought by Lewis Hotels. The Shout website also reported the Keystone Group’s divestment is now complete – the news was confirmed by its receivers Ferrier Hodgson. The group went into receivership in June 2016 with debts of $80 million. 16 of the 17 venues will continue to operate. Of those catering for the live music and DJ crowd, Bungalow 8 and Cargo Bar are now with Dixon Hospitality Group, while Gazebo and Sugarmill Hotel went to private buyers.
RACHEL KELLY PROMOTED AT BMG
BMG Australia’s Rachel Kelly, previously creative director of the company, has been promoted to the newly created position of vice president of creative. Managing director Heath Johns said, “Rachel has done an incredible job for BMG since joining us at the very start of our journey in Australia in March 2016. She is a well-connected and well-respected synch executive, but more than that, she is a champion for our growing roster of Australian and New Zealand writers and artists.”
• A woman has reported to police that she was sexually assaulted in the moshpit of hard rock festival Unify in Gippsland at about 10pm last Friday. The victim said she could not see the offender because of the crowd. • At a press conference at Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, Amanda Palmer opined that the presidency of Donald Trump would “make punk rock great again”. • The Jezabels may be touring following keyboard player Heather Shannon’s treatment for ovarian cancer, but recording sessions will be based around her recovery. They will write new music soon but don’t know when
in 2012 after moving to Sydney. She is set to take over from previous MD Stephen Goodhew on Monday January 23. “It’s an enormous responsibility, but I’m ready to take on the role with the respect and dedication it deserves,” she said.
DEADMAU5 FILES TO PROTECT CAT’S TRADEMARK
EDM star Deadmau5, AKA Joel Zimmerman, has previously gone to court to protect infringement of his name and logo. But in the latest case, he’s protecting his pet cat’s brand. In 2010, he adopted the black-and-white moggy Meowingtons. The cat has since become a viral hit, sporting its own Twitter handle and a featured spot on Deadmau5’s album artwork. The DJ superstar has even launched Meowingtons headphones, the first designed for cats. When he tried to trademark the name in 2015 he discovered a Florida online business selling cat-themed apparel and gifts had beaten him to the punch back in 2014. He’s asking a court to revoke its trademark.
EIGHT NSW ACTS INVITED TO SXSW
Eight more New South Wales acts have been invited to play South By Southwest in Texas. They are All Our Exes Live In Texas, The Rumjacks, Starley, Food Court, Black Rheno, Castlecomer, ELSZ and Beth Brown. Other Australian additions include Tkay Maidza and Coconut Kids from Adelaide and Cameron Avery from Perth, as well as Slum Sociable, Sui Zhen, Japanese Wallpaper, Tim Wheatley, Slow Dancer, The Elliotts, Wilsn, Woodes and Totally Mild, all of whom are from Melbourne. Altogether, 2,000 acts from around the world will play from Monday March 13 – Sunday March 19.
PARRAMATTA SEEKS MUSIC ACTS
The City of Parramatta is seeking artists from Western Sydney for its Live and Local
recording will start. • After six years, Wollongong’s Bombie Bar will no longer hold its monthly Sunday live music sessions at Coalcliff Surf Club, following a council decision. The sessions raised thousands of dollars for equipment for the club. • Flume got the rock star treatment on his tour last month. In Adelaide, a female patron ran onstage to give him a hug while another went topless – a gesture shown on the large screens. • The Stafford Brothers were among those who cut short a surf in Byron Bay when a threeand-a-half-metre great white shark turned up.
music program, which will run on Saturday February 25. Its partnership with the Live Music Office will see local acts perform across pubs, clubs, cafes, restaurants and off-centre locations such as hairdressing salons. Submit your interest by January 25 at cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/ events/live-and-local-parramatta. Other projects bringing live music to Parramatta include The Crescent Live program run by Parramatta Park Trust to support performances by Western Sydney artists, including paid performances at key events such as Australia Day.
SIX BOROUGHS MOVES
Six Boroughs Media has moved to Level 5, 292 King St, Newtown 2042. Its mobile phone numbers have not changed.
DEATHPROOF PR WIDENS SERVICES, ADDS TWO STAFF
After five-and-a-half years of offering music publicity to bands and brands, Deathproof PR has a new website (deathproof.com. au) and expanded its full service to social media management for clients across a range of industries and events. Joining the team is skilled PR veteran Kate McCabe (Face The Music, AIR Awards, Xavier Rudd, Seth Sentry, Illy, Birds Of Tokyo), while designer Dean Reeve, a pro who has been working on Deathproof campaigns for some time, now joins the team on a formal basis.
MAITREYA FESTIVAL POSTPONES 2017 EVENT
The former regional Victorian festival Maitreya has postponed its March 2017 event in Byron Bay, saying it won’t have enough time to “tick all the boxes and have all relevant approvals in place” so it can thrive in its new home. A Facebook post says that all the 2017 ticket money has been refunded, while those with tickets for the 2016 event are asked to hold on to them. “Once we have a permit in hand these will be valid for the new event,” reads the statement.
123 AGENCY SIGNS TOTALLY UNICORN
The latest addition to Melbourne-based 123 Agency is Wollongong-bred, Sydney-based metalcore/mathcore band Totally Unicorn. 123 and Wollongong agency Farmer And The Owl are jointly presenting their Party Goon Tour, taking in five shows from Saturday February 18 – Saturday February 25 and landing in Sydney at The Chippendale on Thursday February 23. Totally Unicorn
TRIPLE J PROMOTES AIME TEES WITH PARODY VIDEO
In the wake of a viral video depicting Channel Nine presenters arguing over the similar clothes they were wearing on air, triple j’s breakfast and drive presenters Ben Harvey, Liam Stapleton and Veronica Milsom have filmed a light-hearted parody to promote triple j and AIME Hottest 100 tees. The shirts are on sale to help 10,000 indigenous kids through high school and into university. In 2015, the sales raised $100,000. Get your hands on one at shop.aimementoring.com/collections/ hottest100.
NEW MD FOR FBI RADIO
FBi Radio’s third music director since its 2003 launch is Amelia Jenner, who has been presenting the shows The Bridge and Body Promise since she joined the station
thebrag.com
Brothers Of The Night
The Revival: Women and the Word
SAT 25 FEB 9:15PM Director Patric Chiha has done a superb job of illustrating the comings and goings of the lives of a group of young, ‘gay for pay’ sex-workers from Bulgaria, working in Vienna.
FRI 24 FEB 7:30PM (CASULA) MON 27 FEB 6:45PM Join five queer women of colour on an eight-city tour celebrating poetry, performance, creativity and community. Unique, uplifting and inspiring, this intimate documentary is not to be missed.
Suited
Women Who Kill
WED 1 MAR 7:00PM Suited follows tailors Bindle & Keep and their transgender and nonconforming clients, who come in search of clothes befitting of who they are and how they want to be in the world.
SAT 18 FEB 9:00PM In this wry indie comedy, the co-host of a podcast about female murderers gets work and pleasure confused when she meets a mysterious woman, who may not be all she seems.
Pushing Dead
1:54
WED 1 MAR 6:15PM A fresh look at living with HIV in the modern day. Features great comedic performances from James Roday, Robin Weigert, and Danny Glover. Winner of multiple audience awards.
WED 22 FEB 6:15PM Antoine Olivier Pilon, star of Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, winner of the 2014 Cannes Grand Jury Prize, delivers another outstanding performance playing closeted teenager, Tim.
FEB 15 – MAR 2 2017
Full program out now queerscreen.org
UNPLANNED PREGNANCY? WE CAN HELP. THU 19 - MAT McHUGH + ELWOOD MYRE
(Beautiful Girls)
FRI 20 - ELGRANDE + BIN JUICE
$_; $-00o| o m7-ঞom ŋ v|u-Ѵb-Ľv vr;1b-Ѵbv| l;7b1-Ѵ -0ouঞom ruo b7;u EARLY MEDICAL TERMINATION AVOIDS SURGERY
SUN 22 - KING TIDE
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LEVEL 2, 75 THE CORSO, MANLY
WWW.HOTELSTEYNE.COM.AU | @MOONSHINEBARMANLY
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REFUSED LET FREEDOM REIGN BY DAVID JA MES YOUNG
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2015 saw Refused release Freedom, a brand new studio album in which they freely experimented with their sound and turned their mighty pen to the modern world around them. It was met with divisive reviews and more than a few hostile comments about the band daring to make an album that wasn’t a carbon copy of the seminal 1998 LP The Shape Of Punk To Come. Lead singer Dennis Lyxzén even went on record to provocatively affirm that he felt Freedom was
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an even better album than The Shape Of Punk To Come – which, ironically, was one of the most punk things he could have done.
Lyxzén speaking about Refused in the present tense after all this time is exciting, and that excitement only grows when he says the band will indeed be making a fifth studio album at some point – and no, it’s not going to take another 17 years for it to come out.
18 months have now passed, and Lyxzén is asked what he makes of the LP now as he nears the end of touring in support of it. “It’s funny I said all those things – I actually hate it now,” he quips sarcastically. “The process of every creative work is that you invest in it, you release it and you live with it for a while.
“We’re not in a hurry,” he says. “We’re not that type of band any more – we don’t have to be in a hurry. There is a definite plan, however. There is material that we have in the works, and bits and pieces that we’re fiddling about on. It might not happen right away – after this last bit of our tour, the four of us are all going to go work on some other different projects for a while. It will happen, though.”
“I still love Freedom – after 17 years, it felt like the exact right record for us to make. I feel that, with this album, we were able to properly take control of Refused as a sort of entity. That was one of the most important things we wanted to get out of this album.”
Refused were formed in 1991 in Umeå, a riverside town in the north-east of Sweden. Only Lyxzén and drummer David Sandström have seen the band through every incarnation of its lineup since the very beginning, although the other half of the
“MUSIC AND ART HAS TO PREVAIL, BECAUSE IT HAS TO FUCKING OUTLAST POLITICS.” group – guitarist Kristofer Steen and bassist Magnus Flagge – worked with Refused for various periods throughout the ’90s. It goes without saying that a whole heap of things concerning Refused and the world around them have drastically changed since those early beginnings – the shape of punk has shifted countless times over, and their defining opus ‘New Noise’ is now old enough to drive a car. What is perhaps most fascinating, however, is what hasn’t changed. In fact, many of the key political issues and radical ideals that defined the band’s earlier work are more pertinent now than ever before. “It’s surprising – you always think in your heart of hearts that things are going to get better,” Lyxzén says. “When we were writing these songs in the ’90s, we were writing about what we felt like were the worst-case scenarios. You’re an artist, y’know – you’re prone to exaggerate. You amp it up to 11 to get your point across. You don’t hit people over the head with a feather, you hit them with a brick.
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Refused photo by Dustin Rabin
n 2012, 14 years on from their acrimonious split, Swedish hardcore giants Refused made a triumphant return for one of the year’s biggest and most successful tours. Few anticipated they would ever see the likes of Refused again in the 21st century, but even fewer could have anticipated what was to follow.
Lyxzén says that control will change Refused’s live show. “We’ve got a much clearer idea of what songs work the best in the live setting, and in what way. The downside of that, of course, is if a song changes when you play it live, you start to pick up on a couple of things you would have changed about the studio-recorded version. There have been songs, too, where I haven’t initially been convinced that they would work, and they’ve ended up completely surprising me. It’s a fascinating process.”
COVER STORY
FRIDAY 20TH “When we got back together in 2012, I think one of my main concerns on my mind was how I was going to perform these songs with the same conviction as I did when I first wrote them. Reading the words, it hit me: ‘This is still fucking valid today.’ Sure, there’s a couple of lines that 40-year-old me wouldn’t have written, but I remember back to being a young punk and it all makes sense again. Politics have failed us because it has not lived up to the idea of benefi ting people. It’s invested in power. It’s invested in capitalism. The election in America, in Sweden, in Australia… it’s a freak show. Music and art has to prevail, because it has to fucking outlast politics.” Lyxzén and co. are about to return to Australia for Refused’s second-ever headlining tour here, following their hugely acclaimed run in November 2012. Although Lyxzén has visited Australia several times, including at the helm of retro rockers The (International) Noise Conspiracy, and as a special guest of The Bloody Beetroots (yes, those Bloody Beetroots), Refused never made it Down Under until their initial reunion run. As anyone who was at one of those shows can attest, it was more than worth the wait. “[Those shows] came at the end of a really intense year,” Lyxzén recalls. “It was just so gratifying to see how into it all the people at those shows were. That show in Sydney, those two nights in Melbourne…
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I’ve been to Australia a lot, and I can honestly say those were some of the best shows I’ve ever done here. “When it came time to plan touring for Freedom, Australia was at the top of the list – it was actually one of the first places we were supposed to go. Everything, as you know, got cancelled, so we just pressed on. We actually fi nished touring a few months ago, and that was originally supposed to be it. We knew we couldn’t leave out Australia, though.” Joining the Swedes for the entire run will be Melbourne noisemakers High Tension and veteran punks Sick of It All, whom Lyxzén and his bandmates grew up idolising. “I started my first hardcore band in 1989,” says Lyxzén. “We just wanted to sound exactly like Sick Of It All. As time has progressed, they’ve become peers – we go hang out every time they play Sweden. I thought it was crazy talk to ask them to join us as the support for this tour, but they immediately said yes. It’s such an honour and a privilege for us. They set the fucking template for what I wanted to become.” With: Sick Of It All, High Tension Where: Enmore Theatre When: Saturday January 21
THE DINLOWS BORNEO THE KAVA KINGS FRIDAY NIGHT IN SELINA’S FROM 8PM
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Salt Lake Band In Harmony By Shaun Cowe
“W
arnindilyakwa is the name of our people. Our mob. Anindilyakwa is our language. It is said to be the second most difficult language in the world to learn. That’s why we must share it more with the world.” Ten-piece group Salt Lake Band are from Umbakumba, a tiny community in Groote Eylandt, off the coast of the Northern Territory. There are only about 400 people in Umbakumba, largely consisting of the land’s native owners, the Warnindilyakwa. Many of the members of Salt Lake Band are from this group, as well as the neighbouring community, Angurugu. They speak with the BRAG via an interpreter. “We play regularly, which brings all our families and clan groups around the island together in the one place. It’s busy and it’s exciting. There are smiles and a lot of happiness having family come together to sing and dance. There will be babies just beginning to walk, teenagers and our old people. It’s beautiful to watch.” Many of Salt Lake Band’s songs are deeply connected to the people’s cultural beliefs and daily practices. Totemism, in particular, is a major inspiration for the music. The band says some of its people’s totems include the parrotfish, eagle, stingray, shark and dugong. These totems have spiritual significance, as well as more practical applications in governing day-to-day roles of community members. “Most of us on any given day will hunt with spears along the
White Lung Take A Deep Breath By Anna Wilson cheese – not the diet for a lady like me!” Touring in support of their fourth album Paradise, White Lung have indeed embarked on an extensive stretch of work in the past 12 months. Set to play the 2017 Laneway Festival, Barber-Way expresses her excitement with an adhering hint of dottiness. “Oh yeah, we had a blast last time we were there – we’ve always had so much fun, you guys are animals,” she laughs. “You love to have a good time, and I can speak English so we’ve got no problem. I just don’t know all your weird little slangs but that’s half the fun.” Barber-Way’s wonderfully peculiar character comes across in Paradise, with the instrumentation avoiding traditional sounds, manipulated as they are to create something unique. “This is how our band works: Kenneth [William] and Anne-Marie [Vassiliou] paint a picture. This is how [William] described it once: creating a musical stage for me to perform on. I write melody and lyrics and Kenneth turns his guitar into three other instruments – synth, keys, none of that is on the record.
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raving Los Angeles traffic is a stressful feat at the best of times, so attempting to navigate the city’s metal matrix around the holiday season would put a dampener on most people’s spirits. But not Mish Barber-Way – the frontwoman for Canadian experimental punk outfit White
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Lung is a firecracker of energy and enthusiasm, busy navigating her adopted metropolis as she chats with the BRAG at the tail end of 2016. “This year’s been a great year for us,” she says. “Touring all year, travelling. We played our last show
of the year in LA a week ago – I’m happy to have a break but I’m happy to have had a chance to not play the States too. I love playing the US because it’s not Europe. I hate Europe. OK, I don’t hate it, it’s just annoying. “You know what I hate? I hate
being a tourist. Going somewhere, not speaking the language, I feel like I’m a burden on the country, I feel helpless, and I lived in the Netherlands! I can’t speak a word of the language and it makes me feel dumb, then I self-project and say I hate it. I get fat when I’m there too, because it’s all meat and bread and
“I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE WHO’S A POET, WHO SAID TO ME, ‘EVERY WRITER EXPLORES THE SAME TOPICS THEIR ENTIRE LIVES,’ AND THAT COULD NOT BE MORE TRUE.” thebrag.com
Killing Heidi The Resurrection By David Molloy waterfront for fish, stingray and mud crabs, collecting mussels, clams, oysters and turtle eggs,” the band says. “Our whole families will take part in hunting or collecting these foods, including the little ones sitting in a low tide collecting pipi [a type of small clam], then throwing the food on the fire. “Everyone has a job they naturally do, from cleaning the food to preparing the fire to cooking. We also have our ‘sorry songs’ singing of one who has passed, remembering them. It’s played at our sorry business [funeral] where our dancing will take place too, farewelling them.” At their heart, Salt Lake Band create dance music. They may want to encourage the dissemination of their language and traditions, but it’s not just strict traditionalism. Salt Lake Band incorporate many Western influences, including reggae, blues and rock. Much of the music is upbeat, but the band says it endeavours to write introspective, searching and mournful songs to connect with people on a deeper level as well. “Our songwriting is open to the group, each contributing in some small way – a verse, an idea, a melody. We work harmoniously together in this way, supported by the beautiful tones of our lead singer Branden Yantarrna and the backing vocals of youth community Elder, Basil Mamarika. “It was also important to bring our young boys in, to pass the knowledge on. To have them
“He created a MIDI board where he put samples into it and played a secondary guitar with his feet. He wanted to use tech every possible way to transform punk rock guitar into something completely different. “Our producer and Kenny clicked right away and experimented with all that nerdy pedal stuff and were real nerds. Folks ask him what he uses and he’s a cheapo and uses the shit, but he’s stepped up his game and now it’s showing.” The eclectic blend of sounds in Paradise sits well with Barber-Way’s equally eclectic and sometimes controversial opinions, also reflected in her lyrics. Addressing topics of sex and feminism through music, Barber-Way has a profound yet relaxed way of explaining the place from where she writes these songs. “I had a friend of mine who’s a poet, who said to me, ‘Every writer explores the same topics their entire lives,’ and that could not be more true. Look at any writer. Burroughs, one of my favourites, explored love and dope his entire life and finally figured it out before he passed away. I’m interested in human relationships; the carnal, primal, reptilian parts of our brain that help us survive.” There’s no trace of irony in BarberWay’ rather philosophical statement, and those concerns surrounding human relationships are particularly present in the standout Paradise track ‘Hungry’, which explores life in the music industry. “I’ve been in LA now for almost four years in an industry that merges art and commerce and self-promotion,” says Barber-Way. “I love playing music, but promoting myself makes me feel stupid. I feel stupid
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“WE WANT EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER, BLACK AND WHITE. WE WANT US TO ALL BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER.” participating. To get their ideas and know what they’re thinking.” Salt Lake Band will be playing at Yabun Festival in Sydney on Thursday January 26, marking the farthest the band has travelled to date. It’s an important festival too: Yabun is an event that celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture on what is commonly referred to as either Australia Day, or for many others including Aboriginal people, Invasion Day. “We want everyone to come together, black and white. We want us to all be good to each other, but nobody asked us if they could take our land. We have non-indigenous friends on our island; we work with them too. Our history is sad, though, and it still affects our people all over Australia.” What: Yabun Festival 2017 With: Kev Carmody, Oka, Rochelle Pitt, Vic Simms, Philly and more Where: Victoria Park When: Thursday January 26
competing, and worrying about my career beyond the monetary. It’s a song about wanting to be something, famous and adored, and feeling desperate doing so. It’s partly inspired by my friend Amber Tamblyn’s book Dark Sparkler. There’s a lot happening in that song. I think I re-wrote the lyrics about 25 times.”
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our years ago, in an interview with music blog It’s My Kind Of Scene, former Killing Heidi frontwoman Ella Hooper said of her beloved ’90s pop-rock group: “It really did just run its natural course and I think it would be very unnatural to start it up again now.” But last year, in a suburban lounge room in Melbourne, something changed. The old gears clicked back into place, and within months, Killing Heidi were not just back, but locked in to headline a 2017 Twilight At Taronga set. With the benefit of hindsight, Ella’s brother and co-founder, guitarist Jesse Hooper, can laugh off the comment, having recently assuaged his own doubts with the group’s first revitalised local shows. “When we first started playing songs, there’s that nervousness of, ‘Will this feel awkward, will this feel like we’re pretending to be 15?’ – I think that’s where Ella’s quote comes from,” he says. “I guess what I’m really excited about now is that it doesn’t! It feels like we’re interpreting these songs with all these new skills and all these life experiences that we’ve had, and it doesn’t feel like we’re pretending to be teenagers; it feels like we’re playing these songs in a mature, fantastic, reinvigorated way. “We’ve done the first three shows now, and we feel great. We love it, we come off so excited and the audience responses have been so positive that it’s reinvigorated it even more. We’ve been working really hard on rehearsing up the show because we have very high expectations of this, as we think other people do, so we’re really pumped. It’s even exciting to do press again!” In the decade since Heidi disbanded, the siblings have been hard at work with their individual music careers – Ella as a solo artist, and Jesse as a teacher and producer with several respected Australian institutions – both of which now feed back into the band.
The lineup returns with original drummer Adam Pedretti and “a couple of new friends joining us on bass and keys”. “With [Ella’s] solo project, she’s done a whole bunch of songs and genres and ways of performing that she didn’t get through Killing Heidi, so she’s enhanced her craft so much more,” says Jesse. “The same with me – I’ve been collaborating with hip hop artists, refugee artists, soul artists and R&B artists, so I’ve learned a whole bunch about different genres that I never would have done. It’s almost like the souped-up ‘Heidi on steroids’ version that’s been amplified a hundred times from ten years ago. It really is the next level of Killing Heidi.” One could assume working with family in such close proximity would naturally have its strains, but for Jesse, it’s so much a part of his life that he and Ella have found creative ease, using their bond to push their efforts further. “As soon as we’d finished high school, we were in the band together for another ten years – it wasn’t till the last eight years or so that we stopped working with each other every day, so we don’t really have anything to compare it to,” he says. “But I guess we just have a great working relationship, we still drive each other crazy like brothers and sisters do sometimes, but I think we just have a really kinda shared vision for what we love to do in terms of music, and that’s a nice thing to come back to.” The other source of pride for Jesse was his residency at Melbourne’s Artful Dodgers, a community arts program where he worked with disadvantaged youths and refugees to build their capacity as musicians and creatives. “I was the resident musician there for three years and got to foster some amazing relationships with young people and create some amazing music,” he says. “One thing in particular was we worked
with a Burundian hip hop duo who were former child soldiers who came here as refugees, and we got to produce and co-write a song with Paul Kelly and them called ‘Child Soldier’. That was a really nice way of me using my professional network in the music industry to make art with these two fantastic young former refugees, that I think just shows that you can bridge these gaps between the top end of the music industry and real grassroots emerging musicians.” As the music program leader at Melbourne’s Collarts, and as a world-touring musician, Jesse has further honed his skill set while passing on his experience to a new generation of musicians. It’s a position and school of which he’s immensely proud, judging by the tone of his voice. “[The students] are too young to have experienced when Killing Heidi was at its height of success, but they know some of the songs, and they can watch the YouTube videos,” he says. “There’s just the respect there that, you know, I’m not just a teacher – I’m someone who’s experienced working in the industry and having successes and writing hit songs, that I actually have some practical application. It’s not just about the theory of being a great musician – which is very, very important – but I can show them how to apply it in a contemporary music context, which is why Collarts is the best music university in the country by a mile.” The kids must have watched some of those YouTube videos, too, because, like the press, all his students want to know one thing: are the red dreads coming back? “I think that’s the most popular question I’ve been asked in the last three months,” Jesse laughs. “I wish I could grow it back! They ask me about it every day.” With: Abbe May Where: Taronga Zoo When: Saturday February 4
“WE’RE INTERPRETING THESE SONGS WITH ALL THESE NEW SKILLS AND ALL THESE LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT WE’VE HAD.”
Barber-Way is evidently a smart cookie, with a good head on her shoulders and a strong voice with which she has much to say. She’s been described in the past as a “good/bad feminist”, a label about which she offers another thoughtful observation. “A bad feminist believes in equality, yet demands special treatment. She victimizes and scorns and is unwilling to be critical of her own ideology. A good feminist is realistic about the relationships between human beings, is open-minded, practical not ideological and reads the theories of those she assumes she may not agree with. “She is willing to be wrong sometimes. She will listen and debate. That’s just my opinion as someone who went from ‘good’ to ‘bad’, which is really just an act of growing the fuck up.” What: Laneway Festival 2017 With: Tame Impala, Glass Animals, Nick Murphy, Nao and many more Where: Sydney College of the Arts When: Saturday February 4 And: Also appearing at Newtown Social Club on Thursday February 2 More: Paradise out now through Domino
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Margaret Glaspy Tour De Force By Jade Smith
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o some, music is an occupation – a creative enterprise that takes over life itself, all-encompassing in devotion and drive. Margaret Glaspy is one such professional: she started out as a touring musician for various bands, before self-producing her debut album and embarking on a virtually non-stop international tour. Currently playing nightly shows in her native US before heading down to Australia for the first time in March, it’s no wonder the Californian singer-songwriter likens touring to an Olympic sport. “It’s very athletic, it’s hard on the body, you have to keep long hours, and every day you’re eating weird food because you’re in different places all the time,” she says. “It can be uncomfortable if you’re not ready for it.” Glaspy adds that the compulsion to communicate with family and friends while on the road also presents a challenge. “You crave to reach out at times,” she says.
‘Natural’ is the key word here, and it applies to Glaspy’s songs as well, which have an introspective first-person feel to them. Perpetually honest and unironic,
The Doobie Brothers Cotton Mouth By David Molloy
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alk about a long train runnin’ – it’d be hard to find a music group with the kind of renown and career longevity that The Doobie Brothers have enjoyed in their near 50 years of busting out classic American folk-infused rock. Named for a shared proclivity for the humble joint back in 1970, the Brothers have kept up their musical efforts with reinvention, re-appropriation and renewing of their signature style.
Founding member and fingerpicking master Pat Simmons will be revisiting our shores this year for Bluesfest and more, and in a fortuitous turn of events, he’ll be joined by fellow founder Tom Johnston and their stadiumsmashing Latin peer, Carlos Santana. “I think the first time we were ever in Australia touring, we were actually playing some shows with Carlos – the very first time we were there, back in the, oh gosh, mid-’70s or something like that,” says Simmons. “Always a thrill. An honour, really. I’ve been listening to Carlos for such a long time, since the ’60s, and seen him quite a few times through the years. We have played quite a few shows with him through these decades, so it’s always really fun.”
“ART AND CREATIVITY BRINGS PEOPLE CLOSER TOGETHER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.” 14 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
Simmons, all warmth and calm at 68, says the setlists nowadays alternate between the hits “as they call them”, mixed in with “a few oddball tunes” for good measure, along with deep cuts for those who’ve been keeping up pace with the Doobies’ 14 studio albums. “The music is such a gift for me, personally,” he says. “It’s what I’ve always enjoyed doing my entire lifetime and to still be doing it, gosh, 50 years practically into the career of this band is… you know, I feel very blessed in that regard.” Imagine the bond formed between artists over 30-plus years, especially two whose skills are as complementary as Simmons and Johnston. “We’re probably more than brothers in so many ways just because of spending so much time together,” says Simmons. “I think art and creativity brings people closer together than you can imagine, so we’re very close as friends and as colleagues.” Of course, there’s more to the name than brotherhood. With marijuana culture having been core to the band since its inception, and becoming a beast of its own in the years since Woodstock, one would think a musician of Simmons’ calibre would rue the old title, but he’s comfortable leaning into the connotations of the name. “I have pretty much smoked most of my life, on and off,” he says. “I’m not averse to taking hits – somebody offers me a hit of a joint, you know, that’s not a problem for me – but I don’t find that it defines who I am, necessarily. Some people really are
into it and it really is a huge part of their identity, I guess, and their reality, but I’m not a different person when I’m stoned, as to when I’m not.” For Simmons, the recent legalisation of pot across eight of the United States was more or less an inevitability, and his interest in mindaltering substances is leisurely and non-committal. It’s just one of many ways of shaping one’s perceptions. “There’s certainly an altering of your consciousness a little bit when you get high, but it’s so much less than if you had a couple of shots of tequila or something,” he says. “Then your reality really gets altered! I remember when I first started smoking pot, it was hard to identify the fact I was even stoned. And I’ve had so many people, noobies who never smoked weed before, and they smoke it for the first time, and always, almost without exception, people go, ‘I don’t feel anything, what’s the big deal, what am I supposed to be feeling?’ “It’s so subtle, and it’s such an altering of your consciousness that it’s not necessarily something that maybe you haven’t felt before under certain circumstances. Oftentimes when people are creating or they’re reading a novel, you’re into kind of an altered consciousness in terms of where your attention is at, and I think that’s true of smoking pot.” Naturally, removing the stigma around the substance lifts the barriers to its free and uninhibited use, but Simmons sees this as a positive, given marijuana’s comparatively low social cost compared to Sydney’s own and far worse poison: alcohol.
“I think that if the majority of people who maybe have a hesitance about what that [experience] might be or how that might affect the culture in general, if they understood that it really is not a game-changer, it’s not a lifechanger, it’s simply a momentary experience, that most people would be much less averse to it,
you know what I mean? Especially when you compare it to, you know, having a cocktail or something, and most people – I would say the majority of people, a good portion of the populace – has a drink once in a while and doesn’t think twice about it, and they know that it alters their consciousness but not in such an adverse way that it
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Margaret Glaspy photo by Ebru Yildiz
However, Glaspy says the process of touring with other acts before starting out as a solo artist helped prepare her for what she was about to get into. “I feel fortunate that I’ve had the opportunity to travel to other places before I’ve done this, to understand what it’s like to be around different cultures and traditions. Logistically, it’s easier for me to tour because I’ve done it before. It feels natural now.”
Glaspy paints a picture of her everyday life through her lyrics. “Every time when I’m out and being one with life, I get ideas for songs – and that’s the natural part,” she says. “And then there’s the part where you have to work at it and sit down and make things make sense. Those are the two different sides to the coin. I often log ideas I get for songs when I’m out and about, and then when I get back home and have time, I get out my guitar and work through them and try and pick up different ideas. I try and flesh an idea out with different chord changes and guitar parts, and then I hack away at the songs for a while until I feel like they’re in the right spot.” The resulting tracks are raw yet introspective creations, interspersed with barbed guitars and soulful vocals. Lyrically, they subvert traditional love songs for something fresh and new. On ‘Somebody To Anybody’, for instance, Glaspy croons that relationships just aren’t for her, and laments not a love lost but time wasted during her relationship with a previous partner, known as ‘Anthony’. Likewise, Glaspy’s production work – as heard on Emotions And Math – is so accomplished that it will likely see her make a name for herself outside of her own material. “It was a first for me,” she explains. “I’d never produced a record before, and when I was making the decision to do it, it was a little frightening because it’s my first record, and to also have it be my first production credit was a little intimidating. But then I realised that I knew exactly what I wanted and it was really fun, and now I’m excited to produce more records as well. It was a blast.” As to whether she would also consider producing the work of other artists, Glaspy replies with enthusiasm. “I’d love to produce lots of different records. I wouldn’t say who I would want to produce, because I feel like they’re already producing great records for sure! But I have aspirations to be a producer
“EVERY TIME WHEN I’M OUT AND BEING ONE WITH LIFE, I GET IDEAS FOR SONGS – AND THAT’S THE NATURAL PART.” and certainly work with other people, and on other people’s records.” Arriving in Australia after only a two-week holiday from her US tour, Glaspy will be bringing her show to Sydney in March. At the mention of Australia, Glaspy quickly affirms her eagerness. “I am so excited to be in Australia – it’s going to be really fun. I don’t want to give away too many secrets, but we’re going to play the record in its entirety, and we’ve been playing a Björk cover, and I may or may not play a Lauryn Hill cover too. And we’ve been touring as a trio, which has been really fun, and we’re just so excited to be there.” Proving that there really is no rest for the professional musician, Glaspy recounts her plan for the year ahead with determination. “I’m going to be working on writing songs – for some other artists as well – and right now it’s just the process of working on the next record. So any downtime I have I’ll be working on that, then start a whole new tour cycle with The Lumineers and Andrew Bird, and then keep going for the year with touring and take some time off in a couple different spots to write the rest of the record and get that out in 2018.” What: Emotions And Math out now through ATO/[PIAS] With: Slow Dancer Where: Newtown Social Club When: Monday March 6
GRIFFIN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
A STRATEGIC PLAN BY ROSS MUELLER 27 JANUARY - 11 MARCH “Failure is not on the whiteboard.” completely changes their lifestyle.” Of course, the real trip for Australian audiences is going to be the dual experience of these seasoned veterans alongside the wild style of Santana, along with the rest of the shifting Bluesfest legacy lineup. And who knows – maybe some lucky attendees can share more than just a melody with Simmons.
What: Bluesfest 2017 With: Zac Brown Band, Jimmy Buffett, Santana, Patti Smith and many more Where: Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm When: Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17 And: Also appearing with Santana at Qudos Bank Arena, Thursday April 13
The hilarious new Australian play about office life, KPIs and other TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms). griffintheatre.com.au 02 9361 3817
Government Partners
SBW Stables Theatre 10 Nimrod Street Kings Cross Production Sponsor
Griffin acknowledges the generosity of the Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Foundation in allowing it the use of the SBW Stables Theatre rent free, less outgoings, since 1986.
thebrag.com
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arts in focus
free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Ariana Norton
five minutes WITH
NOELLA LOPEZ FROM URBAN THEATRE PROJECTS listen to the external environment and the acoustics of the internal space. We’re using lots of different parts of the car park – it is the set design for the entire show.
ome Country is an Urban Theatre Projects production taking place in a multi-level car park. What is the story about? Home Country is made up of three stories, written by three writers: Andrea James, Peter Polites and Gaele Sobott. Over the course of the night, audiences meet
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Aboriginal Elder Uncle Cheeky, who has lost his way. Uncle is visited by the Blacktown Angel who both reminds him of his past and helps him reconnect with his home country. Sitting alongside this story is a work written by Peter Polites, which explores the theme of home through the relationship between a son and his mother. The
third work is a love story between Ali and Zaphora, who search for common ground.
There’ll also be a communal feast for the audience – how does that work? Between the first and second part of the show, audiences will share in a feast on the rooftop. On the menu we have Greek, Afghan and Ethiopian food. It’s all delicious.
How does the play interact with this unique setting? In many ways, when making work site specifi cally, the site dictates the artistic choices. You let the architecture lead,
How do different people from different walks of life come to define home in Western Sydney? Every person you meet, no matter where they’re from, has a different story and a different
understanding of home. The work of Urban Theatre Projects is to uncover just some of those stories. Our home is in Bankstown, and Western Sydney is our backyard, so as a theatre company, we’re in the fortunate position of being able to tap into the diversity of stories, experiences and perspectives that Western Sydney offers. Are there any other dream locations you’d like to host a play? An airport. What: Home Country as part of Sydney Festival 2017 Where: Colo Lane Car Park, Blacktown When: Until Sunday January 22
GOLD
Inspired by the true events of the Bre-X Mineral Corporation scandal in the ’90s, the new Matthew McConaughey film Gold follows a familiar American dream: one man’s quest to discover gold. McConaughey’s Kenny Wells teams up with a geologist (Édgar Ramírez) for a journey to Indonesia, and while getting the gold is hard, keeping it is even harder once Wall Street gets involved. Gold opens in cinemas on Thursday February 2, and we’ve got five in-season double passes to give away. Find out more at goldmovie.com.au, and enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.
RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER The most successful video game movie franchise of all time is coming to a spectacular close. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter lands in cinemas on Thursday January 26, picking up immediately after the events of Resident Evil: Retribution. Alice (Milla Jovovich) is back, and returning to where the nightmare began: The Hive in Racoon City. Australia’s own Ruby Rose also features in the cast. We’ve got ten in-season double passes to give away, and you can enter at thebrag.com/freeshit.
The Inspection
INSPECT THIS
Brace yourself for impact as self-proclaimed ‘angry feminist’ play The Inspection takes over the Old 505 Theatre this month. Starring Julia Christensen, The Inspection is a no-holds-barred satirical look at the Sydney rent crisis and the kinda-sorta-really messy reality of life as a 20-something woman when the landlord comes knocking. Especially when there’s dirty laundry on the floor, Blu-Tack on the walls and your AirBnB guests may or may not have had an orgy in the bathroom. Oops. The play will premiere as part of the theatre’s Fresh Works program with a cast and crew of talented NIDA grads. The Inspection will play at the Old 505 from Tuesday January 24 – Sunday January 29.
NEW YEAR NIGHT MARKET
Photography And Cabbages by Kylie Banyard
BANYARD HEREAFTER
Galerie Pompom is joining forces with Sydney artist Kylie Banyard to present her third solo exhibition, Hereafter. Banyard has a fascination with capturing more experimental ways of living and learning, and channels this through Hereafter, which depicts the legacy of the iconic Black Mountain College. Banyard focuses on a number of impressive and often overlooked women from the college and its reputation as one of the first schools to teach multimedia liberal arts as well as exploring its day-to-day functioning at the time. The exhibition will be accompanied by an essay from Eleanor Zeichner. Galerie Pompom is showing Hereafter until Sunday February 12.
Puppetry Of The Penis
THEY’RE COMING DOWN UNDER
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MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL
This year’s Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival is set to be bigger, brighter, bolder and more inclusive than ever with all-star casts and films that showcase the full spectrum of queer life. Featuring a world premiere, four international premieres, a massive 31 Aussie premieres and Moonlight (Golden Globe winner for Best Drama), the 2017 program features films covering issues like safe schools, marriage equality, economic migration, political asylum and the struggles of ageing, alongside plenty of fun films celebrating the sequinned, sexy and sultry side of queer life. From James Franco making porn to a singalong with Doris Day, there really is something for everyone. The 2017 Mardi Gras Film Festival will run at Event Cinemas George Street from Wednesday February 15 – Thursday March 2.
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
Comedyish is back for its annual barrel of laughs that is The Panic Series, in which comedians (funnily enough) panic over the fact they have shows opening in a matter of weeks and test out new material that they cross everything and hope to God will be funny. This year’s cast includes Rhys Nicholson, Susie Youssef, Nikki Britton, Justin Hamilton, Becky Lucas, Tom Walker, Michael Workman, Michael Hing and a couple of others whom we’re not allowed to name yet but we know you’ll absolutely love. Chances are you might even hear some material that will end up at the Comedy Festival Gala later in the year. The Panic Series is running at Giant Dwarf until Wednesday February 15. thebrag.com
The Inspection photo by Bonnie Mocchetti
The beloved and completely nuts (yes, we went there), spectacle that is Puppetry Of The Penis is returning home for a whole lot of laughs and utter idiocy. Follow the strange and fantastical journey of two near-naked men (they do wear shoes) as they mould and manipulate their nether regions using the ancient art of Genital Origami. Yes, apparently it’s a thing. Needless to say, it involves an unbelievable array of shapes and impersonations and will be shown in 24 cities across the country, including Sydney. You can probably leave your hat on when Puppetry Of The Penis play at the Enmore Theatre on Friday April 28.
King Cobra
Carriageworks is going all-out for Chinese New Year and Sydney Festival with a onenight-only vibrant celebration of Asian food and culture curated by the amazing Kylie Kwong. Welcome in the year of the rooster with a melting pot of contemporary Asian food, pop culture and sounds including a performance by DJ Tyson Koh and speciality dishes created exclusively for Carriageworks. There’ll be 50 stallholders including Billy Kwong, Rockpool Bar and Grill, Eleven Bridge, Moon Park, Good Luck Pinbone, Lankan Filling Station and a whole bunch more. Word on the street is that Kylie Kwong and RivaReno Gelato are collaborating on an exclusive Chinese New Year inspired gelato, too. Carriageworks’ Night Market is on Saturday January 28.
arts in focus FEATURE
Lion
“LOOK, THE STORY IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO LOVE, CLEARLY – THE MIRACLE OF THE STORY. THE THING THAT GOT TO ME WAS I COULD FEEL THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE STORY.”
[FILM] Hear Him Roar By Anna Wilson
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ou’d be forgiven for expecting Lion to be another foreign fi lm drama with a predictable slumdog-rises-on-high plotline. Yet despite the ideas planted by its preceding visuals, Lion is actually the incredible autobiographical adventure of Saroo Brierley. At fi ve years old, Brierley found himself lost at a train station in India. He fell asleep on a train and woke up in Kolkata, nearly 1,600 kilometres from his home. 20 years later, long after he was adopted by Australian parents, he traced a journey back to his natural family using Google Earth.
innocents across India, who are lost or taken every day. Each year, 80,000 children in the country are separated from their families.
Naturally, such a feat would see people empathise without hesitation. What they might not anticipate, however, is the coreshaking and theatrical embodiment of not only Saroo’s plight and the trauma he endured, but some very real, very overlooked issues in India as well.
Davis points out, however, that covering the issues of missing children was never the aim of his fi lm. “It was through the making of the movie that we realised that we made something critical and brought about a greater awareness to the treatment of children,” he says. “Through Saroo’s honesty we’ve exposed a very big question about what is happening – [but] I didn’t realise just how powerful it was going to be.
In his feature fi lm debut, director Garth Davis captures a long-standing sociopolitical issue. Not only does he address the difficulties faced by Saroo from childhood through to adulthood, but he exposes the reality faced by the children, those complete
“Look, the story is impossible not to love, clearly – the miracle of the story. The thing that got to me was I could feel the spirituality of the story; a love the characters held that was unique and powerful that engineered the tale.”
■ Film
LION
The overwhelmingly humble Lion is the story of one man’s emotional and inspiring plight to find his natural family after getting lost as a child in Kolkata, nearly 1,600 kilometres from his village in India – and what a story it is. Director Garth Davis opens your eyes to some very raw experiences of longing, sorrow and joy, pinning you down to experience the different types of family there are, and exposing the same tribulations they all endure – all through colourful cinematography, a limited script and a powerful cast. Lion photos by Mark Rogers
“I imagined myself as a young Saroo, where I would take shelter or ask for help. Very quickly I stumbled across homeless children. Lo and behold, there was a child asleep on the railway line. There’s Saroo’s story everywhere, but the thing that shocks me is the child trafficking. “We’re actually all born very pure – Saroo is pure innocence and pure light. Despite the poverty, they haven’t been damaged, and all children are like that. It becomes about the environment. I tried to cast children that had light in them, because that’s what we need to protect on this planet, children and their light – they
REVIEW
In cinemas Thursday January 19
Only with the advent of Google Earth, 20 years after he is lost in India and subsequently adopted by Australian parents, is Saroo Brierley able to explore the possibility of tracking down his family and home – but having been only five years old at the time of his ordeal, he recollects little information. In his feature debut, Davis captures the realities of poverty in India while subtly retaining the beauty of the country – this is, after all, not a romantic tale of the nation, but a bittersweet story of true happenings; of hardship, destitution, family, and above all, love.
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Forming a connection to Saroo’s history was something Davis felt essential to the making of Lion. “One of the things I did was retrace Saroo’s steps,” he says. “But when you actually stand at Kolkata Station, imagine you’re three feet tall, five years old, can’t speak the language… it’s terrifying.
The cast is truly wonderful. Just as you thought he was being typecast as the poor little brown boy, Dev Patel gives an enormously powerful performance as the tormented adult Saroo, torn between his desire to find his natural home and his despair at the potential for showing ingratitude to his adoptive parents. Though his Australian accent is at times unconvincing, Patel works wonders.
Patel and Rooney Mara may seem like an odd choice for an on-screen couple, but they execute romantic chemistry and the trials of a mixed race relationship brilliantly. In fact, screenwriter Luke Davies cleverly focuses the bulk of his script on dialogues, pairing characters off for extended interactions. Nicole Kidman, Sunny Pawar and Abhishek Bharate are just a handful of the actors who explore some of the deepest human emotions. Kidman in particular falls into role of an ageing mother with a fascinating and comforting ease. There’s much more that could be said about the brilliance and the hurt in the story of Lion. It’s just that kind of film; one that will open your eyes to the desperate plight of thousands, and to the very real issue of lost children and missing families in India. Expect compassion, sorrow and joy to wash over you. Anna Wilson
have this light and quality that adults so often overlook.” Indeed, the cast of Lion reflects some bold decisions. One could argue that British actor Dev Patel – who plays the adult Saroo – gets typecast as the underdog Indian boy fairly frequently. However, in Lion, Patel reveals a talent for undertaking a more brooding and tormented character than we have previously seen him play. Matching him on screen are Rooney Mara and Australia’s own Nicole Kidman. “There are definitely more Indian actors emerging internationally and I met a lot of them, but for me, Dev had this incredible light and likeability,” says Davis. “I didn’t want to start with this tortured Saroo – he accepted his fate with gratitude and wasn’t someone who was constantly tortured. I was very excited to take him into an internal performance and I had to work hard on him. “[Patel] was ready in his life and career to try something where he wasn’t typecast and worked very hard. He just flew. I saw this beautiful man find these performances within himself. “I got interested in those very still moments, and how as people we connect psychically and spiritually,” Davis adds. “A lot of times we see these characters in moments of stillness and you can see them connecting. Saroo was always connected to his birth mother and brother, connected to things that weren’t in the film.” Davis’ research for the film put him on first-name terms with almost all the people who inspired its characters. “I met and connected with everybody, really, everyone that’s alive,” he says. “I went to India and I was there when [Saroo’s adoptive mother] Sue met [his birth mother] Camella. I met all the people in his Indian life and went back to Hobart and spent time with Sue and John [Saroo’s adoptive father]. “Let the film speak for itself,” he finishes. “It does speak to everybody, this film. If we can get people in the doors, they’re going to love it.” What: Lion Where: In cinemas Thursday January 19 BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 17
arts in focus
Sydney Comedy C
FEATURE
[COMEDY] No Laughing Matter By Joseph Earp
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f there’s any art form that has had to consistently fight back against misrepresentation and misinformation, it’s comedy. There are still punters out there who think comedians make up their entire routines on the spot, effortlessly, and the stereotype of the stand-up as a laid-back layabout holds a surprisingly firm grip on contemporary thought. That said, anyone who doesn’t properly understand the range of issues facing working comedians would do well to spend a little time chatting to Darren Sanders. The celebrated comic and talk show host has a wealth of stand-up experience, but more than that, he also happens to be a deep thinker who is fully invested in his chosen field. For example, he’s a man who understands all too well that comedians don’t just lean over and fart out perfect routines. “A comic’s setlist is never complete, I don’t think,” he explains. “What you do is build routines and then you end up adding to them over the years. It’s taken me 24 years to get two-anda-half hours’ worth of material that [I] know works with every type of audience.” That fine-tuning results in a lot of mistakes and misfires, and in that way, a comedian is always subject to a range of evolutionary factors. “If you want to get consistent laughs
The Testament Of Mary [THEATRE] Motherly Love By Adam Norris
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arol Brady. Anjezë Bojaxhiu. Malory Archer. The world has no shortage of famous mothers, yet few – in fact, none – have become so mythologised and cherished as Mary, mother of Jesus. Step beyond the New Testament and the Quran, and her legacy – cobbled together across various interpretations, speculations and faiths though it may be – is indisputable. From speaking words of wisdom to Hollywood, from gallery to cathedral, the Holy Mother is one of the core figures of world history. Now, Alison Whyte has the curious honour of bringing her to life in Colm Tóibín’s The Testament Of Mary, and the prolific performer cannot wait. “I’ve done one solo show before, sort of,” Whyte explains. “That was The Bloody Chamber down at Malthouse. An actor came on to read a page of dialogue with me, but the majority was just me. So in terms of the responsibility for telling a solo story, I’m feeling pretty good. “Monologues are really interesting in terms of their little arcs, what needs to support it,” she says. “I’ve just come off Faith Healer [at Belvoir], which is a three-handed [play] but we never speak to each other onstage. I finished Faith Healer on a Sunday, and started rehearsals for Mary on the Monday. And it feels like these two plays have such… resonance. And it’s not only the proximity of the two shows, but there’s a lot of crossover in theme. I mean, both writers are Irish as well, and have quite a musical tone to their script. There’s a real musicality to the language which we’re trying to bring to life, and that’s been a major challenge and pleasure.” The Testament Of Mary is set many decades after the crucifixion
of Jesus, and rather than the divine matriarch some might expect, instead we find a woman still haunted by the trials her son endured. Adamant that the reality of her child not be lost to history and parable, Tóibín’s version of Mary is first and foremost that of a mother, as proud and flawed as any of our own. “In terms of the play, that’s what is so interesting,” Whyte says. “She is a mother of someone who is crucified, and for a very particular reason. She doesn’t really know any of the iconography that [develops], or what she has come to represent. In fact, she’s fighting against that in a way. We first see Mary as a 70-year-old woman, and we’re flicking between watching her in the years leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, to now. “[Tóibín]’s painted a really beautiful, humane, multidimensional person, and that’s what the play is about. Stripping all the other stuff back, and allowing this person to be who she perhaps might have been. Looking at things through a mother’s terrified, adoring eyes, seeing what’s going to unfold, wanting to warn him, seeing how people are orchestrating it. She’s very suspicious, very fearful. It’s a beautiful portrait. “And in a way, I suppose a lot of the narrative is already there!” Whyte laughs. “So you can concentrate on the psychological all the more. [Tóibín] was doing some writing masterclass, and decided to talk about the topic of relentlessness. He was thinking about the relentlessness of grief, of living with trauma; how relentless that might be. And he thought, ‘Well, maybe I could use Mary as my main character!’ And that’s how it came about. It’s written for one voice, so it was perfect for a stage adaptation.”
“THERE’S A REAL MUSICALITY TO THE LANGUAGE WHICH WE’RE TRYING TO BRING TO LIFE, AND THAT’S BEEN A MAJOR CHALLENGE AND PLEASURE.” 18 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
For an audience, stepping into the theatre to hear the reflections of Mary is a scintillating proposition. There exists a potential for controversy, of course (any depiction of such a renowned and revered figure is bound to invite some share of debate), but neither Tóibín nor the cast and crew of The Testament Of Mary are seeking to offend or criticise. Instead, we are invited to witness the humanity behind the hagiography; to feel for Mary not as the Blessed Virgin, but as a grieving parent. “There’s a couple of versions of this story out there,” Whyte notes. “One called Testament, while Testament Of Mary is [Tóibín’s] later version. It’s the same story, but very different styles. This version concentrates more on the episodic miracles that Jesus performs, though she never speaks his name. In the play, there are two people trying to get her version of events – or rather, they’re trying to instruct her on what her version of events are. Two of the disciples, also never named, who are writing their testaments. It’s not at all blasphemous. All of those lessons of loving others, loving strangers, that basic message to be selfless and to love – that’s what this story is. The amount of love this woman feels for her family, it’s beautiful. I’m very lucky to play her. “The play raises a lot of questions. Look at ‘Love thy neighbour’. Now, the morality has changed. Greed, selfishness, it’s somehow not immoral any more. It’s accepted and celebrated. The state of the world is such that there’s a different morality, and perhaps we need to be reminded of that. Reminded what the foundations of this religion are. Was his suffering, being sent to redeem mankind, was it worth it? It’s something Mary asks in the play. Now at the start of 2017, people are still being murdered, you see homelessness, see what’s happening in Aleppo. We need to be a little bit kinder, don’t we?” What: The Testament Of Mary Where: Wharf 1 Theatre When: Until Saturday February 25
from a paying audience [you’ve] got to stick to the gold and every now and then do something for yourself,” Sanders explains. “Setlists change over the years as newer jokes slowly replace older bits. It’s consistently changing, since as a performer you are also changing.” Of course, as comedians themselves alter, so too does the world around them. Although Sanders argues that Sydney’s comedy scene hasn’t been too badly affected by the stringent lockout laws, he admits that the swathe of new technological formats available has altered the face of an ever-shifting art form. “I think the internet and TV have affected live comedy. People believe or are told comedy is on TV and radio, but it’s not. Stand-up comedy is best experienced live. There are so many comedians that have been working for over 20 years that aren’t household names but are some of the funniest people in the country.” Sanders’ enviable working knowledge of the contemporary comedic landscape has also put him in a perfect position to oversee the programming for Sydney’s brand new comedy hotspot, the Sydney Comedy Club. For Sanders, the decision to become involved with the space was a no-brainer. “I’ve always believed Sydney needs a comedy club where headlining
Academy Of Music [EDUCATION] Generating Geniuses By Anna Wilson
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pportunity knocks for the next generation of musicians, producers and all other persons of the creative kin. After all, what do most of us know of the performing arts without a little education? The answer is, not as much as we could. Now, the Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) is about to unveil a brand new campus in Surry Hills, ready to open its doors to a fresh intake of budding talent on Wednesday January 25. Executive Dean Ian Bofinger explains the factors that demanded a new location. “Growth in student numbers in the Bachelor of Music and the need for a larger, professionally equipped theatre certainly were some of the primary drivers,” he says. “It was also influenced by the need for easier transportation access. The central location and proximity to bus, train and light rail of the Chalmers Street campus make it ideal for staff and students.” The project has been entirely funded by the owners of AMPA, as there is currently no federal or state capital funding available for private higher education providers, and in its mission to offer the best opportunities in industry-based subjects, AMPA’s board has made allowances for state-of-the-art facilities, expanding on existing venues to cater for that growing student body and thirst for musical knowledge. “The Tom Mann Theatre, which forms the heart of the new campus, has been operating as a professional theatre for many years,” says Bofinger. “This allows students the ability to study in a specialist venue that has industry-standard digital sound, lighting and staging, including fly tower. This is unique amongst private tertiary music providers. “Built around the theatre will be teaching studios, classrooms, a library, ensemble rooms, dressing rooms and small tracking studios for students. Student administration and staff offices then complete the facility.” While the opening of the new facility won’t introduce any new
subjects, AMPA’s current courses will expand to facilitate more in-depth tuition and study for students. “AMPA offers a number of courses in music as well as dance,” Bofi nger says. “In music, AMPA focuses on individual and personally tailored courses training in classical, contemporary, music theatre and composition.” Bofi nger’s involvement and delight in organising the new side of AMPA comes fairly early on in his tenure at the academy, and in such a relatively short space of time, he has implemented great change to the faculty. thebrag.com
lub
arts in focus FEATURE
Queer(ish) matters with Arca Bayburt
“I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED SYDNEY NEEDS A COMEDY CLUB WHERE HEADLINING COMEDIANS WHO HAVE WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 20 YEARS HAD A DECENT, CLASSY VENUE TO PERFORM IN.” of the day at the club. “Comedy has always been very subjective. What one person thinks is funny another doesn’t, so you’ll always need a diverse range of acts within a comedy night. Here we are even venturing into different forms of comedy including ventriloquists and also looking at comedy magicians.” But no matter how they choose to get sides splitting, all those booked to appear – including big names like Wil Anderson, Mikey Robins, Tommy Dean, Sarah Levett, Mick Meredith and Darren Carr – share one thing in common: a classy polish that Sanders argues is the key to all good comedy.
comedians who have worked in the industry for over 20 years had a decent, classy venue to perform in,” he says. Above everything else, the drawcard of the new space rests on its diversity. Sanders isn’t some comedy snob, and he stresses that inclusivity and variety will be the name
out & about
“You need to be prepared if you want to be professional,” he says. “You still need to think of this as a job because you’re getting paid for it.” What: Sydney Comedy Club Opening Night featuring Wil Anderson Where: Sydney Comedy Club, Luna Park When: Friday January 20
And Performing Arts FEATURE
That Time I Didn’t Know How To Say ‘No’
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s someone socialised to navigate through heterosexual spaces, I never considered that one day I’d have to readjust so much of my perspective and my behaviours to safely (and without offending anyone) navigate through homosexual ones. A lot of what I was taught growing up – whether it was directly through my parents or indirectly through whatever social rules I absorbed by consuming media – centred around how to protect oneself and one’s virtue from men. Part of this defensive default is instinctual, of course; you usually learn pretty early what’s OK and what’s a little bit off. I learned how to be assertive with men and was taught chiefly by my mother that I had an absolute right to my own body that nobody could take away. She’d warn me about how boys could be pushy when they wanted sex and that it was most important, above all, to remain vigilant around them. I remained vigilant around them like it was my calling. I found it easy to say ‘no’ to men or tell them when they were making me uncomfortable. I knew I could rely on my friends to back me up if I told them that somebody was making me uncomfortable. I knew, for the most part, that I was lucky enough to be taken seriously when
I expressed that I felt unsafe or violated. I knew all this because I was taught to navigate heterosexuality this way. Women are supposed to stay untouched as long as possible, all the while fending off hungry men. I was told that that was just the way of the world and it was unfair but, y’know, life ain’t fair. You can imagine my surprise when I realised I had absolutely zero learned defences against women who made me feel uncomfortable. I grew up never knowing that women were capable of being rapists, sexual abusers, creeps or whatever kind of predator. Growing up, I never saw women as useful to be suspicious of – it seemed silly. When some of my friends during high school formed relationships with much older women, I didn’t think it was creepy or strange. I thought different rules applied to gay people. I thought that women couldn’t rape other women, so what did it matter that a 15-year-old was dating a 30-something woman? Last year I was at a queer event in Redfern. Most of my friends were around and we were at a bar, chatting and celebrating. A woman known to us all approached the bar. She was much older and was chatting to us about business. As she did this, she continually put her hand on the small of my back.
I was surprised at how intensely angry I felt. I felt helpless to say anything, so I tried to squirm out of her way. She then grabbed my thigh and rubbed it and I finally said, “You can talk to me without touching me,” and she looked gobsmacked. She passed it off as a joke and the people around us laughed. It wasn’t a big deal. She wasn’t being inappropriate because women can’t be inappropriate like that. Women can’t be predators; what she was doing was perfectly harmless. In hindsight I wished I had done more than just sit there seething, but to be honest, hearing people laughing at the situation, thereby diminishing its seriousness, made me feel a lot less like pursuing this small piece of justice for myself. I didn’t know how to say ‘no’, and I have thought a lot about this ever since. We don’t often speak of the flaws in our communities because we want to protect them from arseholes who will use those flaws as an excuse to oppress us further or alienate us even more. The members of the queer community don’t need to be told that the abuse they experience is because they’re queer, and I think that’s where this fear comes from. It’s easy to stamp it down and pretend like everything is OK, but we need to recognise that it’s time to learn how to say ‘no’.
for the diary… On Thursday January 19, The Shift Club presents Lay’d Girls. It’ll be a classic showgirl extravaganza, starring Polly Petrie, Annie Mation and their new cast member Fran Giapanni featuring DJ Kirby on the decks. Free entry! On Saturday January Fritz Helder
“It was wonderful that a number of staff that had worked with me in my previous position have now joined AMPA. Dr. Elizabeth Jones, who was formerly head of classical and academic studies at AIM, joined AMPA in May 2016 and now heads up the music program. Jamie Rigg, who was Associate Dean and head of contemporary at AIM, has just signed with us and will be heading up the AMPA contemporary music program in 2017. “This is a major coup for us and will see AMPA take the lead in tertiary music education. The quality of the teaching staff at AMPA has always exceptional. We have continued to develop the pool of talented, industry-current professional practical and academic staff.” thebrag.com
28, the Imperial Hotel is hosting Yo! Sissy, the Sydney incarnation of Berlin’s international queer music festival. Yo! Sissy is bringing some of its favourite artists from the German capital and pairing them up with hometown favourites in Melbourne and Sydney. Yo! Sissy focuses on
bridging the gap between established performers and up-and-coming superstars highlighting female and trans* identified talent. The current lineup includes JD Samson, Fritz Helder, Pansy & Scout, Sullivan and of course local legends Stereogamous. Tickets are available now. JD Samson
Indeed, Bofinger has a benevolent attitude towards the academy and its students. “My personal goal is not to become the largest music school possible. My mission, which is fully supported by the board and company directors, is to create a highly specialised, quality music and dance education provider. The learning experience is individual and uniquely customised and the focus is on the highest quality of performing arts training rather than just the profit margin of the business.” What: AMPA 2017 Open Day Where: Tom Mann Theatre, Surry Hills When: Wednesday January 25 More: ampa.edu.au BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 19
BARS BRAG
bar bar
OF
THE CAPTAIN COOK HOTEL
The ArtHouse 275 Pitt St, Sydney CBD (02) 9284 1200
TH
EK
B R A G ’ S G U I D E T O S Y D N E Y ’ S B E S T WAT E R I N G H O L E S
A Work In Progres King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri noon-2am; Sat 5pm-2am
E E W
ADDRESS: 1/162 FLINDERS ST, PADDINGTON PHONE NUMBER: (02) 9331 4533 WEBSITE: CAPTAINCOOKHOTEL.COM.AU OPENING HOURS: 10AM-1AM DAILY
199 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9250 3118 Mon – Sun noon-midnight
PS40 40 King St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight
Ash St Cellar 1 Ash St, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri 8.30am-11pm
Grandma’s Basement 275 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 3004 Mon – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat 5pm-1am
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern 199 Elizabeth St, Sydney CBD Mon – Fri noon-midnight
Assembly 488 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9283 8808 Mon noon-midnight; Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed – Sat noon-midnight
The Fox Hole 68A Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 4369 Mon 7am-3pm; Tue – Fri 7am-late
The Australian Heritage Hotel 100 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 2229 Mon – Sun 11am-midnight
The Grasshopper 1 Temperance Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9947 9025 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri noon-1am; Sat 4pm-midnight
Mon noon-midnight; Tue – Wed 10am-midnight; Thu 10am-1.30am; Fri 10am-3am; Sat noon1.30am
Bar Eleven Lvl 11, 161 Sussex St, Sydney CBD (02) 9290 4000 Mon – Thu 4-9pm; Fri – Sat 4-11pm The Barber Shop 89 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 9699 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat 4pm-midnight
bar
Barrio Cellar Basement Level, 58 Elizabeth St, Sydney (02) 9232 7380 Mon – Sun noon-late Basement Bar Basement, 27-33 Goulburn St, Sydney CBD (02) 8970 5813 Mon – Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight The Baxter Inn Basement 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9221 5580 Mon – Sat 4pm-1am Beta Bar First Floor, 238 Castlereagh St, CBD (02) 8599 8970 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri midday-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight
Tell us about your bar: A boutique live entertainment venue supporting original music, with a great bistro menu, quality craft beers on tap and rooftop views. What’s on the menu? Delicious pizzas and burgers!
Bulletin Place First Floor, 10-14 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thurs – Sat 4pm-1am; Sun 4-10pm
Care for a drink? We’ve got heaps of craft beers on tap, but the signature drink is Reschs.
Burrow Bar De Mestre Place, Sydney 0450 466 674 Tue – Sun 4pm-midnight
Sounds: Live music Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, including Sydney’s best bands and touring bands. Highlights: The Captain Cook Hotel is one of Sydney’s best live entertainment venues with quality food and beer on tap. Every week we have live music, and make sure you keep an eye on
our rooftop party calendar! We’re an event specialist with the Galley Garden Bar and the rooftop bars for hire. Remember, it’s quality not
quantity: no event too small. The bill comes to: Pizza ($15) + Reschs ($6) = $21.
The Captain’s Balcony 46 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 3526 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight deVine 32 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 6906 Mon – Fri noon-11.30pm; Sat 5.30-11.30pm Easy Eight 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney (02) 9299 3769 Tue – Sat 4pm-midnight El Camino Cantina 18 Argyle St, The Rocks (02) 9259 5668 Mon – Sun noon-midnight Frankie’s Pizza 50 Hunter St, Sydney CBD Sun – Thu 4pm-3am; Fri noon-3am Gilt Lounge 2/49 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 0000 Wed – Friday 5pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight The Glenmore 96 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 4794 Mon – Thu, Sun 11am-midnight; Fri – Sat 11am-1am Grain Bar
20 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
Hacienda Sydney 61 Macquarie St, Sydney CBD (02) 9256 4000 Sun – Thu noon-10.30pm; Fri – Sat noon-midnight Harpoon Harry 40-44 Wentworth Ave, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 8800 Mon – Sat 11.30am-3am; Sun 11am-midnight Hudson Ballroom 53-55 Liverpool St, Sydney CBD Wed – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 6pm-3am Kittyhawk 16 Phillip Ln, Sydney CBD Mon – Thu 3pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 3pm-2am The Lobo Plantation Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence St, Sydney CBD 0415 554 908 Mon – Thu, Sat 4pm-midnight; Fri 2pm-midnight The Local Bar 161 Castlereagh St, Sydney CBD (02) 9953 0027 Mon – Wed 7.30am-10pm; Thu – Fri 7.30am-11pm The Loft (UTS) 15 Broadway, Sydney (behind 2SER) (02) 9514 1149 Mon – Thu 2-10pm; Fri 2-11pm Mojo Record Bar Basement 73 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4999 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu 4pm-1am; Fri – Sat 4pm-1am The Morrison 225 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9247 6744 Mon – Wed 7.30am-11pm; Thu 7.30am-midnight; Fri 7.30am-2am; Sat 11.30am-2am Mr Tipply’s 347 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 4877 Mon – Thu 11.30am-10pm; Fri 11.30am-midnight; Sat 10pm-4am The Palisade 35 Bettington St, Millers Point 9018 0123 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat – Sun 11am-midnight Palmer & Co. Abercrombie Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Sun – Weds 5pm-3am; Thu – Fri 3pm-3am; Sat 4pm-3am Papa Gede’s Bar Laneway at the end of 348 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 5671 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight Peg Leg Pyrmont 11a Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Pyrmont Mon – Thu 3pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 11am-midnight
Rockpool Bar & Grill 66 Hunter St, Sydney CBD (02) 8078 1900 Mon – Fri noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sun 5.30-10pm The Rook Level 7, 56-58 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 2505 Mon, Sat 4pm-midnight; Tue – Fri noon-midnight The SG 32 York St, Sydney CBD Tue – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight Shirt Bar 7 Sussex Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 8068 8222 Mon – Fri 8am-10pm Since I Left You 338 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4986 Mon – Tue 4.3010pm; Wed – Fri 4.30pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight Small Bar 48 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0782 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight The Smoking Panda 5-7 Park St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 4618 Mon – Sat 4pm-late Stitch Bar 61 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0380 Mon – Tue 4pm-midnight; Wed – Sat 4pm-2am The Swinging Cat 44 King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 3696 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Tapa Vino 6 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay (02) 9247 3221 Mon – Fri noon-11.30pm; Sat 5-11.30pm Tuxedo Bar 195 Gloucester St, The Rocks Tue – Wed 3-9pm; Thu – Sat 3-10pm Uncle Ming’s 55 York St, Sydney CBD Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 4pm-midnight York Lane 56 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 1676 Mon – Wed 6.30am-10pm; Thu – Fri 6am-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight
121BC 4/50 Holt St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 1582 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight Absinthe Salon 87 Albion St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 6632 Wed – Sat 4-10pm Arcadia Liquors 7 Cope St, Redfern (02) 8068 4470 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Bar Cleveland Cnr Bourke & Cleveland St, Redfern (02) 9698 1908 Mon – Thu 10am-2am; Fri – Sat 10am-4am Bar H 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 1980 Mon – Sat 6pm-11.30 Bellini Lounge thebrag.com
2 Kellett St, Potts Point (02) 9331 0058 Thu – Sun 6pm-late
The Bells Hotel 1 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9357 3765 Mon – Sun 10am-1am The Beresford 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 8313 5000 Mon – Sun noon-1am Big Poppa’s 96 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sun 5pm-3am Black Penny 648 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9319 5061 Mon – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Button Bar 65 Foveaux St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1544 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Café Lounge 277 Goulburn St, Surry Hills (02) 9016 3951 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sunday 4-10pm Casoni Italian Bar & Eatery 371-373 Bourke St, Darlinghurst Tue – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-10pm Central Tavern 42-50 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3814 Mon – Sat 10am-2am; Sun 10am-10pm Ching-a-Lings 1/133 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 3333 Wed 6-11pm; Thu – Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 5-10pm The Cliff Dive 16-18 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst Fri – Sat 8pm-3am The Commons 32 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 1487 Tue – Wed 6pm-midnight; Fri noon-1am; Sat 8.30am-1am; Sun 8.30am-11pm Darlo Bar 306 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 3672 Mon – Sun 10am-midnight Darlo Country Club Level 1, 235 Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 9380 4279 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 5pm-2am Dead Ringer 413 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3560 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-midnight Della Hyde 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Thu – Sat 5pm-late Eau-De-Vie 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst 0422 263 226 Sun – Fri 6pm-1am; Sat 6pm-midnight The Exchange 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 2311 Mon – Sun noon-late Fonzarelli’s 65-67 Foveaux St, Surry Hills 0402 874 511 Wed – Sun 5pm-midnight The Forresters 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Mon – Wed noonmidnight; Thu – Sat noon1am; Sun noon-10pm Gardel’s Bar 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills thebrag.com
(02) 8399 1440 Tue – Sat 6pm-midnight
Gazebo 2 Elizabeth Bay Rd, Elizabeth Bay (02) 8070 2424 Tue – Sun noon-midnight Golden Age Cinema & Bar 80 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1556 Wed – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 2:30pm-midnight Goros 84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 0214 Mon – Wed 11:30am-midnight; Thu 11:30am-1am: Fri 11:30am-3am; Sat 4pm-3am Hinky Dinks 185 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6379 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 2-11pm Hollywood Hotel 2 Foster St, Surry Hills (02) 9281 2765 Mon – Wed 10am-midnight; Thu – Sat 10am-3am The Horse 381 Crown St, Surry Hills 1300 976 683 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Jangling Jack’s Bar & Grill 175 Victoria St, Potts Point Tue – Wed 4-11pm, Thu – Sat 4-1am, Sun noon-11pm Hustle & Flow Bar 3/105 Regent St, Redfern (02) 8964 93932 Tue – Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 2pm-midnight Li’l Darlin Darlinghurst 235 Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6100 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight Li’l Darlin Surry Hills 420 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills (02) 9698 5488 Mon – Fri noon-11pm; Sat 4pm-midnight LL Wine and Dine 42 Llankelly Place Potts Point (02) 9356 8393 Mon – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 11am-10pm The Local Taphouse 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 0088 Mon – Wed noonmidnight; Thu – Sat noon1am; Sun noon-11pm The Long Goodbye 1/83 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst (02) 8957 7674 Tue 5-11pm; Wed – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5-10pm Love, Tilly Devine 91 Crown Ln, Darlinghurst (02) 9326 9297 Mon – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5-10pm Low 302 302 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9368 1548 Mon – Sun 6pm-2am Mr Fox 557 Crown St, Surry Hills 0410 470 250 Tue – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm Moya’s Juniper Lounge 101 Regent St, Redfern 0431 113 394 Tue – Sat 4pm-11pm; Sun
2-10pm
The Noble Hops 125 Redfern St, Redfern 0431 113 394 Mon – Fri 4pm -midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm The Norfolk 305 Cleveland St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 3177 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Old Growler 218 William St, Woolloomooloo 0458 627 266 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm The Oxford Circus 231 Oxford St, Darlinghurst 0457 353 384 Wed – Sat 6pm-3am The Owl House 97 Crown St, Darlinghurst 0401 273 080 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight; Sun 6-10pm Peekaboo 120 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo 0403 747 788 Tue – Thu 4pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight
This Must Be The Place 239 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 8063 Mon – Sun 3pm-midnight The Tilbury Hotel 12-18 Nicholson St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9368 1955 Mon 9am-10pm; Tue – Fri 9am-midnight; Sat 10am-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm Tio’s Cerveceria 4-14 Foster St, Surry Hills (02) 9368 1955 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Tipple Bar 28 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 0006 Mon midday-10pm; Tue – Sat midday-midnight Vasco 421 Cleveland St, Redfern 0406 775 436 Mon – Sat 5pm-midnight The Village Inn 9-11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 Mon – Sun noon-late The Wild Rover 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 2235 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight
Play Bar 72 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 0885 Tue – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight
The Winery 285A Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 0833 Mon – Sun noon-midnight
Pocket Bar 13 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9380 7002 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight
Anchor Bar 8 Campbell Pde, Bondi (02) 8084 3145 Mon – Fri 5pm-late; Sat – Sun 12.30pm-late
The Powder Keg 7 Kellett St, Potts Point (02) 8354 0980 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4:30pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-midnight The Print Room 11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 Thu – Fri noon-midnight; Sun – Wed noon-10pm Queenie’s Upstairs 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Tue – Thu 6pm-late, Fri noon-3pm & 6pm-late; Sat 6pm-late Riley St Garage 55 Riley St, Woolloomooloo (02) 9326 9055 Mon – Sat noon-midnight Roosevelt 32 Orwell St, Potts Point (02) 8696 1787 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Rosie Campbell’s 320 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9356 4653 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 11am-midnight Shady Pines Saloon Shop 4, 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight The Soda Factory 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills (02) 8096 9120 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu – Fri 5pm-3am; Sat – Sun 6pm-3am Surly’s 182 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3705 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Sweethearts Rooftop 33/37 Darlinghurst Rd, Potts Point (02) 9368 7333 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sun noon-midnight
Bat Country 32 St Pauls St, Randwick (@ The Spot) (02) 9398 6694 Mon – Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Rd, Bondi Beach (02) 9130 7247 Mon – Fri 11am-1am; Sat 10am-1am; Sun 10am-10pm Bondi Hardware 39 Hall St, Bondi (02) 9365 7176 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri noon-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm The Bucket List Shop 1, Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive (02) 9365 4122 Mon – Sun 11am-midnight The Corner House 281 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 8020 6698 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm Fat Ruperts 249 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 1033 Tue – Fri 4-11pm; Sat – Sun 2-11pm Jam Gallery 195 Oxford St, Bondi Junction (02) 9389 2485 Wed – Sat 7pm-3am The Phoenix Hotel 1 Moncur St, Woollahra (02) 9363 2608 Mon – Wed 4-11pm; Thu – Fri noon-11pm; Sat – Sun 8am-11pm The Robin Hood Hotel 203 Bronte Rd, Waverley (02) 9389 3477 Mon-Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-10pm Selina’s at Coogee Bay Hotel 253 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee (02) 9665 0000 Selina’s Thu 8pm-midnight;
Coogee Bay Hotel Mon – Thu 7am-3am, Fri – Sat 7am-6am; Sun 7am-midnight
Speakeasy 83 Curlewis St, Bondi (02) 9130 2020 Mon – Sat 5-11pm; Sun 4-10pm Spring Street Social 110 Spring St, Bondi Junction (02) 9389 2485 Tue – Sat 5pm-3am Stuffed Beaver 271 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 3002 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Bar-racuda 105 Enmore Rd, Newtown (02) 9519 1121 Mon – Sat 6pm-midnight Batch Brewing Company 44 Sydenham Rd, Marrickville (02) 9550 5432 Mon – Sun 10am-8pm
Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight
noon-10pm
Forest Lodge Hotel 117 Arundel St, Forest Lodge (02) 9660 1872 Mon – Sat 11am-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
Lord Raglan 12 Henderson Rd, Alexandria (02) 9699 4767 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon10pm
Freda’s 109 Regent St, Chippendale (02) 8971 7336 Tue – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm
The Record Crate 34 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9660 1075 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 3-10pm
The Gasoline Pony 115 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville 0401 002 333 Tue – Thu 5-11.30pm; Fri – Sat 3-11.30pm; Sun 3-9.30pm
The Royal 156 Norton St, Leichhardt (02) 9569 2638 Mon – Thu 10am-1am; Fri – Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-midnight
The Grifter Brewing Co. 1/391-397 Enmore Rd, Marrickville (02) 9550 5742 Thu 4-9pm; Fri – Sat noon-9pm; Sun noon-7pm The Hideaway Bar 156 Enmore Rd, Enmore (02) 8021 8451 Tue– Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-1am
Bauhaus West 163 Enmore Rd, Enmore (02) 8068 9917 Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight
Hive Bar 93 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville (02) 9519 1376 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm
The Bearded Tit 183 Regent St, Redfern (02) 8283 4082 Mon – Fri 4-11pm; Sat 2-11pm; Sun 2-10pm
Kelly’s On King 285 King St, Newtown (02) 9565 2288 Mon – Sat 10am-11pm; Sun 11pm-midnight
B.E.D. 36 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9660 0678 Tue – Sat 2pm-midnight; Sun 2-10pm
Kingston Public Bar & Kitchen 62-64 King St, Newtown (02) 8084 4140 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 2pm-midnight
Blacksheep 256 King St, Newtown (02) 8033 3455 Mon – Fri 4pm-11pm; Sat 2pm-11pm; Sun 2pm-10pm Bloodwood 416 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 7699 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Calaveras 324 King St, Newtown 0451 541 712 Tue – Wed 6-10pm; Thu 5-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5.3010pm Cornerstone Bar & Food 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh (02) 8571 9004 Sun – Wed 10am-5pm; Thu – Sat 10am-midnight Corridor 153A King St, Newtown 0405 671 002 Mon 5pm-midnight; Tue – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 3pm-midnight Cottage Bar & Kitchen 342 Darling St, Balmain (02) 8084 8185 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu – Sat noon-midnight Deus Sydney Bar + Kitchen 98-104 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown (02) 9519 0849 Mon-Tue 8am-3pm; WedSun 8am-11pm Different Drummer 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9552 3406 Mon 4.30-11pm; Tue – Wed 4.30pm-1am; Thu – Sat 4.30pm-2am; Sun 4.30am-midnight Doris & Beryl’s Bridge Club and Tea House 530 King St, Newtown Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 3.30pm-midnight Earl’s Juke Joint King St, Newtown
Secret Garden Bar 134a Enmore Rd, Enmore 0403 621 585 Mon – Tue 7am-5pm; Wed – Fri 7am-11pm; Sat 7am-10pm; Sun 7am-11pm Staves Brewery 4-8 Grose Street, Glebe (02) 9280 4555 Thu 4-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm Temperance Society 122 Smith St, Summer Hill (02) 8068 5680 Mon – Thu 4pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Thievery 91 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8283 1329 Mon – Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri 6pm-midnight; Sat noon3pm & 6pm-midnight The Thirsty Wolf 127 King St, Newtown (02) 9517 2081 Tue – Sat 6pm-midnight; Sun 6-10pm
Knox Street Bar Cnr Knox & Shepherd St, Chippendale (02) 8970 6443 Tue – Thu 4-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight
Timbah 375 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9571 7005 Tue – Thu 4-10pm; Fri 4-11pm; Sat 3pm-11pm; Sun 4pm-8pm
Kuleto’s 157 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 6369 Tue – Sat 4pm-3am; Sun 4pm-midnight
Vernon’s Bar L2. One Penny Red, 2 Moonbie St. Summer Hill (02) 9797 8118 Mon 4-10pm; Tue – Thu 4-11pm; Fri – Sat 4-midnight; Sun 4-10pm
Leadbelly 42 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 9409 Sun – Thur 4pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 4pm-1am The Little Guy 87 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8084 0758 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 1pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm Mary’s 6 Mary St, Newtown (02) 4995 9550 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-midnight The Midnight Special 44 Enmore Road, Newtown (02) 9516 2345 Tue – Fri 5pm-noon; Sat 1pm-midnight Miss Peaches 201 Missenden Rd, Newtown (02) 9557 7280 Wed – Sun 5pm-midnight Mr Falcon’s 92 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9029 6626 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm Newtown Social Club 387 King St, Newtown (02) 9550 3974 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-2am; Sun noon-10pm The Oxford Tavern 1 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham (02) 8019 9351 Mon – Thu noon-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-3am; Sun
Wayward Brewing Co. 1 Gehrig Ln, Annandale (02) 7903 2445 Thu – Fri 2-10pm; Sat noon-10pm; Sun noon8pm Websters Bar 323 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 1511 Mon – Sat 10am-4am; Sun 10am-midnight Wilhelmina’s 332 Darling St, Balmain (02) 8068 8762 Wed – Fri 5-11pm; Sat 8-11pm; Sun 8am-10pm The Workers Lvl 1, 292 Darling St, Balmain (02) 9555 8410 Fri – Sat 5pm-3am; Sun 2pm-midnight Young Henrys D & E, 76 Wilford St, Newtown (02) 9519 0048 Mon – Fri noon-7pm; Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-7pm Zigi’s Wine And Cheese Bar 86 Abercrombie St, Chippendale (02) 9699 4222 Tue 4pm-10pm; Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Sat 3pm-midnight
Crooked Tailor 250 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill (02) 9899 3167 Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight
Your bar’s not here? Email: chris@thebrag.com
Daniel San 55 North Steyne, Manly (02) 9977 6963 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sun 11am-2am Firefly 24 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 0193 Mon – Wed 5-11pm; Thu 5-11.30pm; Fri noon11.30pm; Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10pm The Foxtrot 28 Falcon St, Crows Nest Tue – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-1am; Fri 4pm-2am; Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 4-10pm The Hayberry Bar & Diner 97 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest (02) 8084 0816 Tue – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri & Sat noon-midnight Sun noon-10pm Hemingway’s 48 North Steyne, Manly (02) 9976 3030 Mon – Sat 8am-midnight; Sun 8am-10pm The Hold Shop 4, Sydney Rd Plaza, Manly (02) 9977 2009 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Honey Rider 230 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9953 8880 Tue – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm InSitu 1/18 Sydney Rd, Manly (02) 9977 0669 Tue – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm The Hunter 5 Myahgah Rd, Mosman 0409 100 339 Mon – Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon- 10pm Jah Bar Shop 9, 9-15 Central Ave, Manly (02) 9977 4449 Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed-Fri noon-midnight; Sat 8am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm Manly Wine 8-13 South Steyne, Manly (02) 8966 9000 Mon – Sun 7am-11pm Miami Cuba 47 North Steyne, Manly 0487 713 350 Mon – Sun 8am-4pm Moonshine Lvl 2, Hotel Steyne, 75 The Corso, Manly (02) 9977 4977 Mon – Thu 9am-3pm; Fri – Sat 9am-2am; Sun 9am-midnight The Pickled Possum 254 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 2091 Thu – Sat 9pm-1am SoCal 1 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9904 5691 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-1am; Sat noon-2am; Sun noon-midnight The Stoned Crow 39 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest (02) 9439 5477 Mon – Sat noon-late; Sun 11.30am-10pm The Treehouse Hotel 60 Miller St, North Sydney (02) 8458 8980 Mon – Fri 7am-midnight; Sat 2pm-midnight BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 21
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live reviews What we’ve been out to see...
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
PARQUET COURTS, LOW LIFE Factory Theatre Wednesday January 4
Parquet Courts are in the process of weaning out the unwelcome contingents of their fan base. In an automated, tongue-in-cheek pre-show PSA (voice set to ‘stereotypical Aussie male’), we are told in among general band and individual member hype that the New Yorkers “are not likely to stray from the setlist, so your attempts to shout out songs are futile”, and that dancing is encouraged but “please no pushmoshing. I’m talking to you, tough guy.” These two statements prove prophetic. They are touring Human Performance, a damn fine record that sees them subtly feeling their way out of the indie punk corner they painted themselves into in the first place. What’s more, they know it’s good; they open confidently with the first six songs from the record in order. With each new song from the album, though, a sneaking feeling creeps in; these songs don’t have the visceral impact the previous two albums did live. As Andrew Savage barks “one-twothree-four!” signalling the breakneck ‘Sunbathing Animal’, I can see the crowd agrees. But I also see why the band is eager to move away from its early primal noise image.
CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN, FAN GIRL Enmore Theatre Friday January 6
Almost two years since Catfish and The Bottlemen cancelled what would have been their first Australian tour, hundreds of fans packed into a sold-out Enmore Theatre, eagerly anticipating the band’s Sydney debut. And as if to make up for lost time, Catfish turned it up loud. Melbourne punk rockers Fan Girl warmed up the crowd with an assortment of heavy head-banging tracks. At times their performance was chaotic, and they felt like a garage band onstage, but their undying energy held the audience’s attention. When Catfish And The Bottlemen emerged by blasting out ‘Homesick’, an equally deafening roar greeted them. They seemed taken aback at first by the enthusiasm, but quickly settled into it, encouraging the cheers and chants of the audience. They truly weren’t shy about turning the sound up, which made the experience all the more impactful. At first the band pushed through some sound mixing
issues, which left lead singer Van McCann’s vocals sounding tinny, and made the crashing and banging of guitars and drums seem like crowded noise. But the extra grunge certainly didn’t hurt their performance.
The crowd forms a mess of the type of push-moshing it was warned against, and has separated itself into two factions: music nerds who this band of golden-age-of-indie surrogates naturally attract, and five skinheads whose sole purpose in life at this moment is to hurl smaller people into other smaller people.
The pent-up aggression of the hardcore in the audience has the nerds all scared shitless, scouring the edge of the pushing circle. They all come together again for the complexities of more Human Performance material, only to get pummelled again when the intensity ratchets up with ‘Master Of My Craft’ (a manifesto in song if ever there was one). Not a good feeling at a gig, but they should have seen it coming. Low Life treated us earlier to one of their trademark feedback-laden doom punk workouts; “You know who the fuck we are / We are Western Sydney!” chanted by a crowd of people who if given the chance would abandon Western Sydney in a heartbeat. Parquet Courts themselves show us time and time again how they can draw such clientele. They are in full control at all times, flitting from the more considered new material to the blunt force of the old, recalling at various points every guitar trend from the history of the instrument, almost all caked in noise. But Parquet Courts don’t want to just replicate rock history; they want to be a part of it. That might explain the shift in sound on Human Performance, or why they don’t play their most well-known song tonight. Everyone in the audience is OK with this, except for one very vocal drunk man who does exactly what the pre-show voice told us not to do for the entirety of the night. So Parquet Courts continue to wean, a process that will probably last a few tours. It will be hastened if they can somehow top the masterpiece that is Light Up Gold. ‘One Man No City’ is a good start, though. That song is mint. Leonardo Silvestrini
Tracks from their latest album The Ride were the real crowd-pleasers, with ‘Soundcheck’, ‘7’ and ‘Twice’ lighting up the mosh. While the band never strayed too far from the recorded versions of the songs, as a first Sydney show this didn’t matter – these melodic rock tunes were enough to enchant the fans. However, things took a turn when the Welshmen unexpectedly ended the show with ‘Tyrants’ from their first album The Balcony. It seemed like an odd choice for a final song, as many of the audience members were scratching their heads at the lyrics. But the song erupted in a glorious guitar solo, swirling and escalating until McCann climbed to the top of their enormous stack of amps and launched off, leaving his guitar to screech out into nothing. Unfortunately there was no encore, but our eardrums probably couldn’t have taken it. Erin Rooney
HALESTORM
Factory Theatre Wednesday January 11 It was a hot and heavy atmosphere at the Factory Theatre on Wednesday, and the rising temperatures had nothing to do with the insane summer weather. Instead, thunderous clouds of rock formed over the venue as two equally sensational bands, fronted by two equally phenomenal vocalists, took to the stage for a night of inspirational female-driven rock. Kiwis Devilskin came skulking into town with their contralto metal, and Halestorm were heavy on their heels, both bands captivating on that clammy night before a sweaty and swooning crowd. For their antepenultimate show on a massive 20-date tour, Devilskin delivered a driving performance that appeased loyal fans and garnered many new
ones. Frontwoman Jennie Skulander maintained an exceptionally ambitious set of vocal melodies – despite her accelerating exhaustion in the heat of the night, you had to admire her dedication to some incredibly detailed songs from past releases and their current album. Theatrically crouched on the stage through ‘Voices’, Skulander looked ever the goddess, an aggrieved angel with a voice to match. The band’s very own Tweedledum and Tweedledee, twins Nail and Paul Martin, filled the pregnant pauses between songs with humorous anecdotes. Numbers like ‘In Black’ and ‘Mountains’ saw the twosome demonstrate some cool skills on guitar and bass respectively. If Devilskin were the quake on the ocean floor, then Halestorm were the resultant tsunami, crashing out a weighted set
of bluesy rock numbers from a titanic catalogue, and leaving their audience in a deliciously hot mess. Hits like ‘Amen’, ‘Freak Like Me’ and ‘I Am The Fire’ had bodies pumping and hearts thumping, before many of the crowd were left wondering why there was no encore. Never has this humble reviewer left a show so elated and inspired by the musical contents of one evening. The rich syrup of Lzzy Hale’s voice coupled with some positively devastating riffs had every person in the venue bumping, grinding and rocking as Halestorm crooned the night away. They’re an immense rock collective, and you shouldn’t pass through this life without having seen them at least once. Every moment spent listening to this band drains every ounce of happy energy you have, but ye gods is it worth it. Anna Wilson
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
22 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
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EVERY TIME I DIE, LETLIVE., COUNTERPARTS, BARE BONES Metro Theatre Tuesday January 10
Sydney hard rockers Bare Bones have opened for tonight’s headliners in the past. Truth be told, they’ll probably do it again. It’s an obvious pairing, given the stylistic parallels, but the two years since their last team-up has seen Bare Bones grow even tighter and more confident in their approach to big-wheeling, tough-as-nails riffs and fist-raising choruses. They’re quickly followed by Canadian post-hardcore outfit Counterparts, who went through some major shifts recently that left vocalist Brendan Murphy as the sole remaining original member. As such, the current incarnation of the group feels somewhat nondescript and perfunctory, with only Murphy showing any proper enthusiasm for the songs being played. He meets with quite a few fans in the front row, but the performance doesn’t quite expand beyond that niche at any given time. If Murphy wants some tips on how to carry a band, you’d hope he’s paying attention to Jason Aalon Butler. As the intense, unbridled vocalist at the helm of Letlive., Butler has evolved into one of post-hardcore’s truly great, irrepressible frontmen. His captive audience this
evening is equal parts people physically throwing themselves into every single groove and swerving breakdown, and people overcome by the passion and emotion within Butler’s lyrics. If that weren’t enough, he’s backed by the impeccable drumming of Loniel Robinson, as well as right-hand man Jeff Sahyoun, who fills out the songs with sturdy guitar and complementary backing vocals. Letlive. are a force to be reckoned with and a thoroughly entertaining live prospect. Although conditioned to small, sweaty rooms without a barrier, Buffalo natives Every Time I Die adapt well to playing a bigger room, feeding off the energy of every last party animal that has come to make this mosh pit their own. 2016’s Low Teens gets the lion’s share of the setlist this evening, with highlights including the big-swinging ‘The Coin Has A Say’ and the pummelling ‘I Didn’t Want To Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway’. Older favourites such as ‘We’rewolf’, ‘Bored Stiff’ and ‘No Son Of Mine’ are also unleashed to a huge reception – the latter even sees freshly mulleted guitarist Jordan Buckley launch forth into the throes of the crowd and play the last part of the song while being crowdsurfed around. Every Time I Die have been raising hell in Australia for over a decade now. If tonight is anything to go by, they are far from done.
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David James Young (10:00PM - 1:15AM)
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT JAMIE T, HOCKEY DAD Enmore Theatre Wednesday January 4
A quick survey at the Enmore Theatre suggested there were far more Aussie natives in attendance than for Jamie T’s Metro show two years ago, presumably thanks to solid radio rotation for his latest LP Trick. And it seems that his tales from ‘Tescoland’ – old and new – translate surprisingly well for suburban Sydney kids. A confident, snarling performance gripped the young crowd in beer-flinging, rowdy rapture. Similarly strong triple j support for Hockey Dad’s debut album Boronia ensured a sizeable audience for the Windang duo. If a little derivative, their brand of surf grunge and tales of pursuing chicks and bromance struck a jangly, buoyant chord with most of the teens and young 20-somethings in singlets and snapbacks. The punk revival cues were strong in Jamie T’s set from the start; ska classic ‘Wooly Bully’ and the bassline to ‘Guns Of Brixton’ by his beloved Clash provided the walk-on soundtrack. The backdrop of Trick’s album art was lit in the colours of the Spanish flag for ‘Operation’, bringing to
SUMMERNATS 2017 Exhibition Park Saturday January 7
Grease monkeys from all over the country descended on the dusty plains of Canberra’s Exhibition Park to demonstrate their automotive prowess and bask in the adoration of car fans at this year’s Summernats, a staple in the annual Aussie summer madness. There was no shortage of revved-up beasts showcasing custom creations with top-class makeovers. Custom paintwork glittered in the burning sun, with a rainbow of colour and ideas to be seen everywhere – not forgetting the immense display of upgrades and renovations accompanying the bodywork, giving a new lease of life to the classic vehicles. Summernats of course wouldn’t be the colossal celebration it is without an excellent soundtrack to accompany the event. Saturday’s jam-packed action finished with Thirsty Merc and Airbourne riling up the already rambunctious crowd, warranting another beer or several as punters kicked up more dust to greet the night and these Aussie greats. The earlier heat of the day couldn’t be understated, and combined with coming
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mind ‘Spanish Bombs’. Yet if the influence of The Clash songwriter Mick Jones is writ large throughout Jamie Treays’ catalogue, live he brings the spirit of more recent kin The Libertines and Alex Turner. There’s a dark side to some of the new songs, not least ‘Dragon Bones’. “Rolling the dice two and a-three / There ain’t nothing left if you’re leaving me … 50,000 feet up in the clouds / If I had a gun I’d blow my brains out,” sung over synth bongos, comes off like a disturbing but jaunty Madchester-era tune. ‘Sheila’ makes clear that this has long been Treays’ formula: “When I fall, no one catch me / Alone lonely, I’ll overdose slowly / Get scared, I’ll scream and shout / But you know it won’t matter / She’ll be passing out”. The audience – most of which was still dancing to The Wiggles when this song first hit a decade ago – sang (shouted) along with every word.
Party DJs 21 Steve sat
JAY in the
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Sometimes, Treays only needed to play the first chord of a song – such as ‘Salvador’ – for the audience to go bananas. When he was allowed to get as far as the choruses of ‘Sticks ‘N’ Stones’ and ‘Zombie’, pogoing almost descended into rioting. Anthemic songs, fervent crowd, brilliant gig. David Wild
off the back of a steady year of touring, Thirsty Merc were visibly tired. After an impressive display of fireworks, they were a step down in energy – their brand of rock had several punters murmuring, “Who are these dudes?”, going to show that perhaps Rai Thistlethwayte and co. weren’t as gritty as Saturday’s crowd were expecting, given they’d been billed alongside Airbourne. Nevertheless, the Merc overcame their bumpy start and smashed out ‘In The Summertime’, ‘The Hard Way’ and ‘The Good Life’, as well as several other staples from their catalogue. Sealing the grease and grime of the day, Airbourne brought an appropriate amount of sleaze to Summernats, letting the audience get down and even dirtier with massive numbers like ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’, ‘Down On You’ and ‘Chewin’ The Fat’. Each of the band members was equally vicious with their performance, rocking the stage and bringing their audience to a point of delighted exhaustion. As the crowd filed out in a happy state of congealed booze, sweat and oil, Summernats kick-started the year in a way like no other festival could – rough and skilful, with boobs and beers on tap. Anna Wilson PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 23
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MODERN BASEBALL, CAMP COPE, DAVE DRAYTON Metro Theatre Wednesday January 4
Local Sydney singer-songwriter Dave Drayton opened up proceedings for the evening. Though he’s usually billed under the alias of Zzzounds, Drayton delivered his unusual form of emo-folk with aplomb, letting the crowd slowly turn in his favour. In between songs, his banter was casual – more akin to playing in front of his mates at the pub than hundreds of people. He closed out his set with ‘Centrelinkin Park’, a song about getting on the dole that won everyone over. It took Camp Cope exactly 35 minutes to completely sell out of merch once the doors
live reviews What we’ve been out to see...
opened, such is the passion their audience brings to the table. From the opening bass notes of ‘Done’, the crowd was hooked into the entire set, singing along at every opportunity. Blasting through the majority of their self-titled debut album, as well as recent single ‘Keep Growing’, Camp Cope were in fine form for their biggest show to date. In between songs, Georgia Maq was as quiet as a mouse, but during the tracks she stood loud and defiant. This was a hell of a set that confirmed why Camp Cope are one of the best up-and-coming bands in Australia today. If the crowd was loud for Camp Cope, it was deafening for Modern Baseball. The Pennsylvanians walked onstage to the title track of their new album Holy Ghost and went straight into first single ‘Wedding
Singer’. The sound of the fans singing the opening lines to ‘Fine, Great’ nearly overshadowed singer Brendan Lukens, and it stayed that way for the majority of the set. Still, there were a few awkward moments. Unfortunately the shoey isn’t a trend that dropped dead at the end of 2016, with the audience breaking into a demanding chant on four separate occasions during the set, leaving the band to politely decline each time. But for the most part, Modern Baseball looked stoked to be back, with their big smiles, rock star poses, and just mucking around with each other as they went. Four days into 2017, and a few of those present may already have locked in their vote for gig of the year. Spencer Scott
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
FALLS FESTIVAL 2016/17
North Byron Parklands Saturday December 31 – Monday January 2 Facing extreme heat – with a relentless downpour to come on its fi nal night – Falls Festival at Byron Bay launched into festivities on New Year’s Eve by saying sayonara to the annus horriblius that was 2016 (at least in music, right?) with one of the best Boogie Nights lineups it’s seen since its inception. The heat was nothing an ice-cold bevvy or frosé couldn’t ease, though, as Northeast Party House appropriately sprung into the weekend’s tunes with their namesake party fl air, throbbing bass and enough energy to prompt many to make the most of the afternoon and get dancing in the mind-melting sun. Client Liaison and Grandmaster Flash masterfully kept up the party vibes into the night – the former’s set a festival highlight. Performing from an epic Australiana-dense stage, Client Liaison strutted and posed across an entertaining hour made all the more better by Monte Morgan working his showmanship and losing his graphicprinted ensemble for gold leather hot pants and boots in the fi nale.
WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL 2016/17 Woodfordia Tuesday December 27 – Sunday January 1
And so ended my… (seventh? eighth?) Woodford Folk Festival. It’s hard to keep track when each Boxing Day rolls around and the strange cavalcade starts to build steam once again. It’s been long enough now to have witnessed the festival soldier on through scorching sun and mighty rains that flooded Brisbane itself and came close to washing the event away altogether. Through it all, Woodford has been able to summon a very unique kind of magic, and at the risk of sounding outrageously saccharine, there are precious few places out there that manage year after year to live up to the hype. You make the hour sojourn north-west of Brisbane for the tone and spirit of the festival, of course – the people, the carnivalesque sights and sounds, the workshops and food – but even for a festival that tends to shun the idea of headliners, it’s hard not to get excited at a bill that promises the likes of Amanda Palmer, Tash Sultana, Paul Kelly (joining him and several thousand others in an amphitheatre singing ‘Let It Be’ is a memory that won’t be fading soon), Wallis Bird, Bob Hawke… indeed, the only big-draw name that didn’t quite manage to leave us reeling were Canadian rockers Half Moon Run, who brought an enthusiastic if unmemorable set.
24 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
When Palmer arrived – nursing both her one-year-old and a fever-struck Neil Gaiman – she did so in spectacular style. After wowing a media posse with a soaring cover of ‘Creep’ and the revelation she and Gaiman have been granted Australian work visas, she went on to a slew of seductive appearances including a set shared with Brendan Maclean and, particularly memorably, with the festival’s diminutive powder keg (and certain crowd favourite) Bird. The Irishwoman brought to life that ephemeral magic that sits at the heart of Woodford. From the raucous energy and passion for performance she brought to each appearance, to her endearing warmth and humour, and the fucking ferocity of her playing, this lady is something special. It was quite a festival for young Australian artists. Tullara, but also the blistering Sultana and the frighteningly splendid The Mae Trio. With a new album given an early Woodford release, The Mae Trio’s latest work – notably, eponymous track ‘Take Care, Take Cover’ and ‘Call Me Stranger’ – is full of the kind of songs you’d like to marry in some twilit garden overlooking a sky blue sea. With 438 events and a record attendance, Woodford 2016/17 ranked as one of the best iterations of the festival yet. From towering stilt-walkers to vaudevillian villains, butterfly guides (who knew dragonflies were such jerks?), tree houses and old mate Hawke himself, I’m counting the days until Woodford rolls around once more. Adam Norris
Blissed-out boogieing continued for the rest of 2016 thanks to (almost) birthday boy Grandmaster Flash treating Falls to a set of education in cutting and mixing, from iconic old- and new-school hip hop to the late George Michael and Flash’s own timeless ‘The Message’. The man himself was evidently just as stoked with his hour as the thousands of grinning faces heaping adoration on him. Afterparty favourite Hot Dub Time Machine embarked on another clever chronological musical journey, before Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino met anticipation with his first performance of 2017. Rather than delivering a heavy dose of new album Awaken, My Love!, material from all three of his records was on the cards. The mix meant a solid combination of repertoire, and Glover gave Byron all of his inimitable electric energy, breathless rapping, stank face and captivating falsetto with enough conviction that it felt like all the tracks were freshly written. The result was a soulful and undeniably world-class performance that ended supremely with ‘3005’. Dusting off hangovers and tired eyes galore, the day two crowd enjoyed the Aussie acts almost exclusively. The Jezabels returned to the big festival stage with fi nesse; lead singer Hayley Mary commanded the stage and stole the show as she swore, swung her hips and limbs and shook her Bowie cut to bad-ass effect. They took things to another level with their rendition of Tina Turner’s ‘Simply The Best’ (it was). Jamie T continued the stomping rock, running around the stage and spitting out old favourites like ‘Sheila’ and ‘Sticks ‘N’ Stones’, before Matt Corby
kept hearts full by just being himself. Although it wasn’t a Corby original, it was a real pleasure to hear his cover of Tina Arena’s ‘Chains’ live, showing just how phenomenal his voice is. Violent Soho, The Rubens and Pond capped the night’s variations of Aussie rock and satisfi ed the adoring crowds with standard, uber strong performances, plus Pond playing a stellar new track ahead of their next album release. LDRU lifted the roof off the shady Forest Stage to a heaving crowd he declared his “best ever”, before Ta-ku brought his chilled, heartbreaking and mending R&B to the tent. Sitting stage right, he wove originals and personal favourites as if he was playing for friends, with Wafi a featuring on guest vocals. There was no slowing down on day three, with revellers raring to go and settled into Falls life, made clear not only through the echoes of this summer’s meme “Nice Garry!” but little pockets of spontaneity. Fat Freddy’s Drop’s Joe Lindsay stole the show during their slot, running around in a singlet and tighty whities both onstage and in the crowd; his antics were a pure joy to watch as the group dubbed on behind him. A mega can-can line spanned the amphitheatre during Ball Park Music’s ‘Coming Down’, and masses stood arm-in-arm during Bernard Fanning’s acoustic ‘These Days’ and ‘Purple Rain’ combo (right as the clouds begun to break serendipitously, too), signalling a reassurance as to why Falls is a mainstay on the festival calendar. Back over at the Forest Stage, AlunaGeorge, or more specifically, Aluna Francis, bounced around with their bubblegum synthpop sung back equally as loud by the overflowing tent, not least for the Flume collab ‘I Remember’ and recent single ‘I’m In Control’. DMA’s later proved their worth with a set that went from strength to strength. From Matt Mason’s nonchalance in smashing out his sharp guitar to Tommy O’Dell hyping up the hoards with genuine enthusiasm, you can only imagine how much more these guys will further grow their performances. It’s exciting, to say the least. As the weekend drew to a soggy end, Catfi sh and The Bottlemen did, in fact, play after an hour’s rain delay to a substantial and adoring crowd soaked to the bone and dedicated to having a damn good time. The temptation to stay dry was strong, and as the only shelter from the deluge was at the top of the amphitheatre, it was pretty tricky to hear much of what was going on at the bottom of the sprawling hill. After staunchly trying to make out Hannah Reid’s vocals as part of London Grammar’s set to little avail and despite plenty of music still on offer, it was time to call it and determine whether the campsite was actually underwater. Thanks, Mother Nature – and Falls. Emily Gibb
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pick of the week Nick Cave
FRIDAY JANUARY 20
SATURDAY JANUARY 21
ICC Sydney Theatre
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds + The Necks 7:30pm. $103. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Matthew Ottignon’s Tough Tenors Foundry616, Ultimo. 8pm. $21. Salsa Wednesdays feat: DJ Miro The Argyle, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free. The Gypsy Art Club Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 6:30pm. $10. Wailing Wednesdays Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free.
Nick Cave photo by Kerry Brown
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Cash Savage And The Last Drinks Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $30. Folkswagon Cafe Lounge Bar, Surry Hills. 7pm. Free. Montz Matsumoto + Shane O’Neil + Taylortrash thebrag.com
The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $7. Songwriting Society Of Australia Showcase - feat: John Chesher + Kelvin Bannan + Michael Feeney + Pete Scully Old Fitzroy Hotel, Woolloomooloo. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Body Type Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:30pm. Free. Cameron Avery + Slow Dancer Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $18. Hiaground + Oscar & The Grouchies + Mesmeriser Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10. Jimmy Eat World Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $88.50. Karaoke Wednesdays Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 10pm. Free. Kirk Brandon Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $25. The Lulu Raes +
Jade Le Flay + Miners Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. The Music Of Queen Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $59. The White Tree Band Leadbelly, Newtown. 5pm. Free.
THURSDAY JANUARY 19 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Greg Poppleton & The Bakelite Broadcasters Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $16.50. Jenny Biddle The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $20. Jr’s Jazz Jam - feat: Various Artists B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Jukebox Thursdays - Moving With Motown Madness Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Live Jazz And Blues The Long Goodbye, Darlinghurst. 5pm.
Free. Nicole Lizee City Recital Hall, Sydney. 8pm. $50. Weyes Blood Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $40.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Alice Terry Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:30pm. Free. Harbourview Hulabaloo - feat: Zack Martin + Guests Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Matt Henry + Jen Mize The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $7. Ryan Enright Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 7pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Alexisonfire + The Dirty Nil Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 7:15pm. $76. Balmain Blitz Band Comp Bridge Hotel,
Rozelle. 7pm. $15. Beth Brown + Julian Linklater + Tim Bowen Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 7pm. $15. Forever Ends Here Factory Floor, Marrickville. 5pm. $15. Hazel English The Newsagency, Marrickville. 9pm. $13.50. Iterim Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Jagwar Ma Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $50. Luka + Aurora Motel + Dying Adolescence + Space Carbonara Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. Pierce Brothers Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $33.50. Pizza Party - feat: The Die Youngs + Giorgio Panini + Marcus King Freda’s, Chippendale. 6pm. Free.
FRIDAY JANUARY 20 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Carlco & Adkins Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 8pm. Free. Jack Horner Heritage Hotel, Wilberforce. 7:30pm. Free. Shy Guys Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8:30pm. Free. V-Vi-I + Methylated Chicken Collective The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $7. White Knuckle Fever B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Broadway Sounds Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:30pm. Free. Cath & Him St George Leagues Club, Kogarah. 9pm. Free. Courtyard Sessions - feat: Leroy Lee Seymour Centre, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Flamin’ Beauties Royal Hotel, Bondi. 9pm. Free. Forever Ends Here Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $15. Kenta Hayashi Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 5pm. $10. Lazertits Vic On The Park, Enmore. 4pm. Free. Mini Skirt + Heavy Lids Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. $10.
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds + The Necks ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $103. Oily Boys + Enderie + Aloha Units + Sinkhead + Pinkbatts Black Wire Records, Annandale. 6pm. Free. Ruins + King Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $14.59. Rumours - A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. Free. She’s The Band + Ess-Em + Stfu + Ebolagoldfish + Ivan Drago Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. Soul Tattoo Club Central, Hurstville. 5pm. Free. The Marvin Gaye Experience - feat: Doug Williams + Armondo Hurley + Franchesca Appolis + Kimi Tupaea Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $53. The Matchbox Tribute Show Riverstone Memorial Club, Riverstone. 8pm. Free. White Bros Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill. 8pm. Free. Yeo The Eastern, Bondi Junction. 8pm. $10.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Bodacious Cowboys The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $40. Grooveology Club Cronulla, Cronulla. 8pm. Free. Labrassbanda Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $17. Miriam Waks & Alberto Pibiri Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $16.50. Not The Full List Well Co. Cafe And Wine Bar, Glebe. 8pm. Free. Retro Groove Trio Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 7pm. Free.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Brad Johns Plough & Harrow, Camden. 8pm. Free. Los Romeos Oxidados The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 3pm. $7. Money Killed Jonny The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $7. Scott Gibson Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free.
Songsonstage feat: The Count + Russell Neal + Guests Orange Grove Hotel, Lilyfield . 7pm. Free. Sugar Bowl Hokum B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Alan Solomon Jazz Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. Free. Alim Quasimov Ensemble City Recital Hall, Sydney. 8pm. $46. Emma Pask Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $26.50. Great Scott! The Music Of Raymond Scott + Peter Dasent The Sound Lounge, Darlington. 8pm. $25. John & Yuki Well Co. Cafe And Wine Bar, Glebe. 6pm. Free. Mdou Moctar Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 9:30pm. $40.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
After Party Band Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8:30pm. Free. Amanda Palmer Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $49. Baxter + Pist Idiots + Jurassic Nark Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. $10. Brunette Drive + Florentine + Ocean Street Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $3.50. Cath & Him Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm. Free. Cryptic Abyss The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 6pm. $15. Hot Potato Band Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $20. Jessica Says + Marcus Whale Golden Age Cinema, Surry Hills. 10pm. Free. Jester The Lair @ Metro Theatre, Sydney. 4:45pm. $14. Lazertits Tokyo Sing Song, Newtown. 4pm. Free. Murderworld + Lethal Vendetta + Fenrir + Terrorential + Reaver Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds + The Necks ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $103. Oh Boy Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7:30pm. Free. One Hit Wonders North Bondi RSL, Bondi North. 8pm. Free.
Refused + Sick Of It All + High Tension Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $84.40. So Frenchy So Chic In The Park 2017 - feat: Nouvelle Vague + Bertrand Belin + The Limiñanas + Deluxe Bicentennial Park, Glebe. 1pm. $77. Sons Of Mercury Penrith RSL, Penrith. 9pm. Free. Soul Tattoo Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 9pm. Free. The Spooky Men’s Chorale Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 12:30pm. Free. We Lost The Sea Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17.74.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Eastern Empire Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:45pm. Free. Soul Of Sydney Hyde Park, Sydney. 12pm. Free. Sunday Collective Secret Garden Bar, Enmore. 5pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Acoustic Sessions Buena Vista Hotel, Mosman. 2pm. Free. Ess-Em + El Duende + The Sycamores The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $7. Jim Finn B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Just Alex Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 4pm. Free. PJ Harvey ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $103. Stephanie Lea Penrith Panthers, Penrith. 3:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
The Be-Bop-A-Lula Band Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. Free. Coming Down The Mountain - feat: Cakewalk + Feast Of Fools + Madame Fatale + Jackal Or Tiger Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $10. Deadspace Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 6pm. Free. Halfway Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $30. The Limiñanas Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 6:30pm. $21.94.
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g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
MONDAY JANUARY 23 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Adam Anderson + Kenneth D’Aran + Peter Gee + Paul Ward Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK &
COVERS
Daniel March Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. Free. Frankie’s World Famous House Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free. The Monday Jam The Basement, Circular Quay. 8:30pm. $6.
TUESDAY JANUARY 24 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Chris Brookes + Pauline Sparkle Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill. 7:30pm. Free.
Stag, Leichhardt. 7pm. $44.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Alma Music Presents: Adm Ventoura Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10. Frank Bennett & The Fundamentals B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. The Henry Fjords Moya’s Juniper Lounge, Redfern. 7:30pm. Free. Yann Tiersen Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $50.
Live & Original @ Mr Falcon’s - feat: Georgia Ruth Duo + Olivia Mcauliffe + Matt Smith + Matt Thomson Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Stick To Your Guns + Knocked Loose + Relentless + Reactions The Bald Faced
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
gig picks up all night out all week...
Jimmy Eat World
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18
FRIDAY JANUARY 20
Cameron Avery + Slow Dancer Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $18.
Lazertits Vic On The Park, Enmore. 4pm. Free.
Cash Savage And The Last Drinks Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $30. Jimmy Eat World Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $88.50.
THURSDAY JANUARY 19 Courtyard Sessions Feat: Leroy Lee Seymour Centre, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. Forever Ends Here Factory Floor, Marrickville. 5pm. $15. Jagwar Ma Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $50. Nicole Lizee City Recital Hall, Sydney. 8pm. $50. Pierce Brothers Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $33.50. Weyes Blood Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $40.
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Weyes Blood
Ruins + King Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $14.59. Rumours - A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. Free.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21 Amanda Palmer Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $49. Baxter + Pist Idiots + Jurassic Nark Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. $10. Emma Pask Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $26.50. Hot Potato Band Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $20. Mdou Moctar Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 9:30pm. $40. Refused + Sick Of It All + High Tension Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $84.40.
So Frenchy So Chic In The Park 2017 - Feat: Nouvelle Vague + Bertrand Belin + The Limiñanas + Deluxe Bicentennial Park, Glebe. 1pm. $77. We Lost The Sea Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17.74.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22 PJ Harvey ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $103. Halfway Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $30. The Limiñanas Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 6:30pm. $21.94.
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BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
brag beats
inside:
also: + club guide + club snaps + weekly column
austra
the xx
ngaiire xxx
a star at goat island sounds thebrag.com
BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 27
brag beats
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
on the pulse club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Chris Martin and Ariana Norton
he said she said WITH LIZ
Matrix & Futurebound
ECKEL FROM KATH & KIM’S STRAYA DAY EVE PARTY There will be no chardonnay, just cardonnay (the ‘H’ is silent). We have an exclusive Kath & Kim Australiana-themed drinks menu for the evening including Australiana Bloody Marys with Vegemite and footy franks, BBQ Shapes margaritas, Tia Maria espresso martinis, pavlova shots, lamington shots, Baileys and Vodka Passionas.
K
ath & Kim’s Straya Day Eve Party is happening next week at Hudson Ballroom. What can the lucky hornbags, foxymorons and hunks of spunk expect from the night? We’re inviting the Kath & Kim fans of Sydney to come together in celebration of the TV show we all know, love and quote daily. Cancel all your dates (even sticky dates) on Straya Day Eve because with the ‘effluent’ crowd at this event you might find your very own purveyor of fine meats. There’ll be life-sized Kath and Kim cutouts, Kath and Kim face masks and Kath and Kim Snapchat geofilters on the night. Come in
if you’re good-looking! If you loik what you soi, tickets are only $10 via Moshtix. Who’s providing the soundtrack? Kritty will be curating Kath & Kim’s Party Tape in the front room. She’s a Hudson Ballroom regular and really knows her way around a bottle of Baileys. Kritty will be playing a foxy mix of songs from the Kath & Kim TV show, Aussie pop and party classics. Melbourne DJ Tranter will be providing your shapecutting soundtrack to the Aussie club classics rave in the back room. Get ready to rave all night with a retrospective of the best dance music to come out of Oz, covering
all the best Aussie club releases from ’90s rave to ’00s indie dance, early ’00s house, late ’00s electro and Australian sound. Will dress-ups be encouraged? We’re hoping for as many hornbags as possible! Our outfit inspiration is mutton dressed as lamb, midriff tops, muffin tops, lycra, fashion victims, netball skirts, yummy mummys… The opportunities are endless! We’re giving away a $50 bar tab for best dressed on the night so show us your finest Dotti or Witchery ensembles. We assume there’s chardonnay at the bar, right…?
If Kath and Kim each had one banging song to sum up their life, what would it be? Kath’s life could be summed up by Mousse T’s ‘Horny’. It’s nice, it’s different, it’s unusual; it would be a great track for Kath to listen to while working on keeping herself trim or getting cracking on her important projects. Kim is more of a Black Eyed Peas ‘My Humps’ kind of girl. She’s not a housewife, she’s a hornbag; she’s the life of the party and wants to shake her Jessica Simpson (or Homer…?) bod for all of the hunk of spunks to see. Both of these bangers will be getting a rinse on Australia Day Eve at Hudson Ballroom! What: Kath & Kim’s Straya Day Eve Party Where: Hudson Ballroom When: Wednesday January 25
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
ENTER THE MATRIX
Drum and bass royalty Matrix & Futurebound are set to return to Australia this month with a lineup of shows at clubs all over the country. The UK duo will be hitting Chinese Laundry on their Sydney stop with a massive repertoire of tracks under their belts to cater to lovers of mainstream and underground dance music alike. Their latest track, ‘Fire’ (featuring Max Marshall) is powerful and feel-good and virtually guaranteed to get your feet moving. Matrix & Futurebound will play Chinese Laundry on Friday January 27.
THE RIVERS OF BABYLON
Self-styled as “Australia’s latest electronic music and lifestyle camping experience”, the three-day Babylon Festival has now locked in a second round lineup. Joining the likes of the legendary Carl Cox, Max Cooper and Loud on the festival bill are Psychemagik, the UK production duo who’ve remixed acts as diverse as The Temper Trap, Noel Gallagher, Haim and Metronomy. Also lining up for Babylon are Andreas Hanneberg, Captain Hook, Vibe Tribe, Kiko, Barclay Crenshaw, SQL and Knobs. Together they’ll dive into rural oases in Victoria and New South Wales across a single weekend in March, with the latter event going down in the Capertee Valley from Friday March 10 – Sunday March 12.
RETRO CLASSICS
Hudson Ballroom will mark Australia Day Eve with a celebration of the Australian club sound of the ’90s and ’00s. Relive the glory days of your youth with classic tunes from The Aston Shuffle, TV Rock, Midnight Juggernauts, Rogue Traders, Tame Impala, Knife Party, Canyons, Honeysmack, Ta-ku, The Presets, Cut
Copy and many more. That means everything from vintage rave to indie dance, house, neo electro and whatever you might find in between. Wednesday January 25, be there.
PARTY AT PACHA
Pacha Sydney has hit the ground running with its lineups for 2017, and this Saturday January 21 will be no different. The headliner is Danish expat and Los Angeles resident Morten, whose 2010 breakthrough single ‘Domestic’ preceded his first number one, ‘Every Time (You Look At Me)’. Meanwhile, Melbourne youngster Tyron Hapi will also be filling floors with his originals, remixes and collaborations. As usual, Pacha takes over Ivy this weekend.
ALL ABOARD THE SOUL TRAIN
Play Bar is getting down and dirty this Saturday January 21 with Soul Train, the party that revisits all the soul, disco and house from the early ’70s to the early ’90s. The soundtrack will be provided by Shan Frenzie, Juzzlikedat, Makoto and Benny Hinn, all Play Bar regulars who know their way around the Surry Hills crowd and its demands. Toot toot.
ENTER ISTORIA
SILKY SMOOTH ROCK
Influential hip hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth are bringing their signature boom-bap and rap to Sydney this year. Australia won’t know what hit it once the New Yorkers have had their way – it’s their first visit together to these shores, and they’ll be sure to make it count. Rock and Smooth met way back in their school days in 1991, delivering the epic LP Mecca & The Soul Brother in 1992. After a career that took them to the top of the charts and onto blockbuster movie soundtracks, they went their separate ways, before reuniting to hit the road in 2016. Now Aussie fans have the chance to see them, including at the Metro Theatre on Thursday March 9.
Sander van Doorn
Trance fans, prepare your bodies: Australia’s largest trance event for 2017, Istoria, is coming to Sydney. Sander van Doorn will lead the proceedings, deploying his monstrous P.Haze 1 and P.Haze 2 productions at the Melbourne and Sydney events respectively. If you’ve yearned to hear Van Doorn explore his highs, this is your chance. The lineup also boasts Andrew Bayer, Ben Nicky, Khomha and Pure NRG Live, with more to follow. Be there at the Sydney Showgrounds on Saturday March 18. xxx
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BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17 :: 29
The xx Brave For Us By David Molloy decided to kick them out of their comfort zones. The success of The xx isn’t all down to Pawson, though – the three band members have been each other’s solace and strength for over a decade now, and it’s evident in the way that Sim and Smith check in with each other, sitting loose-limbed in the tea room at The Langham in Sydney to speak with the BRAG. “[The new album] I See You kind of captures where we are in our relationship between the three of us,” says Sim, “being a willingness to be vulnerable and more open with one another, and I think I See You within the relationship is just about…” He’s suddenly sheepish, averting his eyes and turning to Smith. “Oh, God, you’ve very good at this, you go for it.” Smith, no stranger to the attention after the success of solo effort In Colour, is gently and immediately encouraging. “No, no, you’ve been going well.” On Sim’s insistence, he takes the reins. “[It’s about] becoming closer than ever, letting each other be seen by each other,” Smith says. “We’re also allowing the world to see us more than ever before and we’re not hiding in the shadows or anything.
E
ight years ago, on the back of their critically acclaimed debut album, no one could accuse Romy Madley Croft, Oliver
Sim and Jamie Smith – AKA The xx – of overconfi dence. Even confidence seemed like an
overstatement back then – with a hip minimalist aesthetic that spawned countless imitators and deeply personal lyrics that led to
intrusive lines of questioning, the English three-piece were quick to withdraw into their shells. That is, until manager Caius Pawson
“We’re trying to show that with the music, obviously, but also with all of the photos we’ve been taking and our music video, and to show that we’re different people to who we were when were teenagers just starting out. And, in general, pretty happy.” Even as guarded as they are, both musicians are more forthcoming
“THAT SEPARATION WENT ON FOR A LITTLE TOO LONG, MAYBE, AND WE STARTED TO REALISE HOW MUCH WE NEEDED EACH OTHER.”
Austra Culture Crusher By Augustus Welby
T
he latest album by Katie Stelmanis’ Toronto-formed project Austra was driven by the diminishment of her city’s progressive cultural pulse.
Stelmanis made the move to Montreal in 2013, following the release of the band’s 2011 debut, Feel It Break, and the completion of LP number two, Olympia. But in the lead-up to the project’s third record, Future Politics, Stelmanis spent time living in Mexico City, an experience that showed her Toronto isn’t the only place facing such cultural decline. “I realised that the disenchantment I was feeling with Toronto is almost like a worldwide epidemic with cities,” she says. “Most desirable cities to live in in the world are becoming so unaffordable and so taken over by a financial culture that they really aren’t what they once were, even five years ago. “As someone who travels a lot, every city I go to, people are having the same complaints – Berlin, London, Seattle, Austin, even Mexico City, Toronto… all of these cities are experiencing this financialisation that is a culture crusher.” The ramifications of this trend can be maddening, but it’s also imperative for creative people to push back against such profitoriented swings and make their voices heard.
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The album title Future Politics alludes to Stelmanis’ grander intentions for this album – to make music that contributes to a better future and circumvents the decline into an arts-free dystopia. Released three-and-a-half years after Olympia, it’s a rather bold endeavour, particularly within the realm of pop music – but the album’s construction was a form of self-therapy as much as anything else. “I started writing the record from a very dark and pessimistic place and I think it’s quite obvious which songs on the record were written in that time,” Stelmanis says. “But that’s not a state I’m generally comfortable being in, and it was really important to me to find a way out. And I did that through reading a lot, everything from economic books to sci-fi. I was able to see this light at the end of the tunnel with this whole concept of, ‘The future doesn’t exist and it can be anything.’ That was something that did eventually make me feel optimistic.” Stylistically, Future Politics seems like the logical follow-up to Olympia. Olympia was a more extroverted record than debut album Feel It Break and Future Politics again features several songs that tie in with Stelmanis’ aim to tap into the liberating and galvanising potential of dance music. Furthermore, the two albums are united by a contrast between
the positive tint of the musical arrangements and a dark lyrical focus. As Stelmanis explains, maintaining this balance is not only a conscious act, but one she attributes to her upbringing. “I never have to worry about making things too light,” she says. “Just in a songwriting sense, it’s so easy for me to slip into these ultra-melodramatic, opera-inspired melodies that I always try and lighten up a little bit. I think it’s because I was raised in opera – that’s the music that I grew up on so it’s ingrained in my brain to write music like that. It’s a struggle to write rather light-hearted music.” But despite the seeming similarities, the origins of Olympia and Future Politics were far removed. While Feel It Break was more or less a Stelmanis solo record, Olympia was a true product and demonstration of the Austra live band. The band went on a major world tour in support of Olympia, but following this, Stelmanis reverted to a solitary approach. “Olympia was a collective album that I wrote with the five musicians I was touring with at the time. Future Politics was the complete opposite of that. Future Politics was 99 per cent written by myself at home and that was something I felt like I really needed to do after having the Olympia experience. I felt this need to reconnect with my independence.
“The making of Olympia was a beautiful process and I loved doing it, but a lot of the collaboration was done [at a time] where I was telling myself that I couldn’t do it myself. I was like, ‘I’m not good at writing lyrics so I’ll get somebody else to do it,’ or ‘I’m not good at this so I’ll get somebody else to do this part of it.’ “After making Future Politics almost entirely by myself, I’m excited to collaborate again and come from a place of so much more confidence. I do feel like I am capable of doing all of those things.” Stelmanis’ journey of creative self-discovery explains the threeand-a-half year gap between albums, and she returns feeling confi dent about the identity of the Austra project. Meanwhile, her regenerated enthusiasm for collaboration doesn’t signal an intention to relinquish her position as Austra’s driving force and creative leader. “It’ll defi nitely always be me calling the shots and leading the way. It wouldn’t be an Austra record if it was any other way. I think it would be interesting to collaborate with people [who are] not a part of Austra. That’s something I would be open to trying.” What: Future Politics out Friday January 20 through Domino
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than ever before; it’s hard not to feel a momentary sting of sympathy for Croft, who’s fielding questions on her own somewhere else in the city. “We needed our space to be at home or just do our own thing for a bit,” says Smith of the band’s post-tour hiatus. “And then that separation went on for a little too long, maybe, and we started to realise how much we needed each other and how important it was for our friendship, and for the music, that we are together. “It’s difficult if you’re in a band and you’re always spending time together, you also have to remember that friendship is important. I think we learned that over the course of the few years of making this album.” Sim is visibly relieved once he’s reassured the conversation isn’t steering towards their private lives, though it’s something he has fewer reservations about in both his creative process and the company of his fellow musicians. “The band is something we do on the side of being mates, being best friends,” he says. “But you know, I feel way braver putting my feelings into songs than I do in conversation, which probably is not the right way to be thinking because at some point I’m gonna be sharing these songs with lots of people. Which is why I feel insecure and reluctant to explain songs – firstly because I wouldn’t want to ruin someone’s interpretation of what the song means, and also, words fail me a bit.” Fortunately, The xx have found self-assurance through nonconversational means, engaging with both their fans and their industry peers by racking up a Spotify playlist of everything that influenced the new album, or simply impressed them.
“It’s just a way of including people,” says Sim. “We’re not big Twitter users or anything, but music is a way of giving an insight into what we’re doing and what we’re listening to. Music and pictures are our way of doing it.” As the gap between albums and the drive to evolve means they’re no longer tied to any one definition of what their sound is, The xx are playing with bolder aesthetics than ever before, partly taking cues from Smith’s solo album. Opening with horns and a dancefloor-worthy bassline, I See You is a far cry from the heartaching whisper of Coexist. “We definitely learned how to play shows to bigger crowds when we were touring Coexist,” says Smith, “and maybe sometimes in the studio, after making something we really liked, we would talk about how fun it would be to play live. But genuinely, for this album, we got into a really good place of just making music for ourselves again, instead of thinking about the fact that lots of people would hear it, which is the problem that we had making Coexist.” Critical responses to their second album often made mention of The xx trying too hard to stick to what had been praised about their debut – “We didn’t realise that quite so much at the time, but in hindsight, [it] definitely was,” says Smith – so their last year of writing, touring and recording has been all about new challenges, including “really intense” shows to crowds of 40 at London’s Park Avenue Armory. It’s anyone’s guess what The xx will bring to Sydney stages when the new album drops, but with all the daring of their latest efforts, it seems London’s favourite wallflowers are finally ready for us to see them. What: I See You out now through Young Turks/Remote Control
“EVERY CITY I GO TO, PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME COMPLAINTS …ALL OF THESE CITIES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS FINANCIALISATION THAT IS A CULTURE CRUSHER.”
Ngaiire Take It Easy By Anna Wilson
I
t must be breakfast time in Papua New Guinea, because Ngaiire is happily munching away on something when she answers her phone. She’s taking some time out at her family home, relaxed, confi dent and prepared to talk about her whirlwind career so far. “I haven’t had a holiday for a while so I thought I’d start the year right,” Ngaiire says, priming herself in a less windswept spot to talk. “I’m actually returning to visit family, on a little island north, spending some time here.” A holiday in such a wonderfully tropical environment is an excellent chance for the vocalist to prepare her energy reserves as she gears up for an extensive round of festivals, including a headline slot at Goat Island Sounds on Australia Day, where she’ll share a stage with the likes of Nina Las Vegas and Basenji. “I mean, it’s always nice to be considered good enough to headline a festival, so you know, it’s just going to be kind of what I’ll do at other festivals this year,” Ngaiire says. “It’s a beautiful island – me and Nina Las Vegas went out and checked it out, and I think it’s gonna be a good one. Hopefully the sun stays out for the whole event.” Ngaiire’s performances are always electric, and if her standout set at Splendour In The Grass 2016 is anything to go by, or even just the excitement with which she speaks, her Goat Island set will reach new heights. Though she is working on new material, she says she’s unlikely to unveil anything new at this gig. “I’ll definitely be bringing material from both albums to the set, until we get the new album sounding like songs. We’ll start editing that throughout the year, but for now, we’ll be playing songs people
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have been loving off last year’s album [Blastoma], but definitely songs from Lamentations as well.” Ngaiire oozes confidence as she speaks, surprisingly clear and concise with no hint of an overseas accent – there’s a tone in her speech that carries the same edge that can be heard in her music. Ngaiire has toured the world over, played the famous Glastonbury Festival and won a number of esteemed awards, including R&B/Soul Live Act of the Year at Australia’s National Live Music Awards. Such achievements didn’t come naturally, however. Some fans may remember her from her stint on Australian Idol, where Ngaiire got as far as the top 30 – unfortunately, it wasn’t an experience the star particularly relishes. “I always wanted to do it the traditional way and I wanted to see what it was all about, and I’m glad I didn’t get any further,” she says. “It was a bit of a weird thing and I’d only just moved to Australia at that time and I was adjusting to being in a different country, especially a Western country, and then to be thrown in front a camera in front of all of Australia… it was really daunting. It’s TV, they want a story and to make good television, and you end up like you’re feeling you’re being used, and I don’t think it’s natural to play with people’s emotions like that.” Though Australia is her adopted home and where she launched her career, Ngaiire still maintains close ties with her home country and her family. Her personal history is something she’ll address on her next record. “One of the reasons I came back to Papua New Guinea was to do a research trip because the next album is gonna draw on a very
PNG aesthetic, very different to the last album,” she explains. “I’m looking to release it later this year.” Travelling to a different country just to research new material would ordinarily seem like quite a venture, but really, Ngaiire is at home. “I think it was more to do with the amount of questions people have for me about my background – everyone feels so fascinated about PNG and don’t know much except that it’s Australia’s closest neighbour. People haven’t seen a lot of imagery and interesting things, things that I took for granted growing up as a kid, things people in the world wouldn’t see. I’m really excited to take things about here and put it on the stage and say, proudly, ‘This is where I come from.’ Everyone in the world has the same issues, everyone has jealousy and heartbreak, but this will be different – imagery and fi lm will be tied in with photos and such, and I’m really excited about it.” Ngaiire’s goal of sharing the beauty of her heritage and her home with audiences is admirable, but it’s a long road to get there. “I’ve got a few festivals coming up but we’ll try not to focus too much on performing,” she says. “We brought my producer of the last album over to PNG last year to see what it’s like so he can work closely with what’s around us, so this year is just about the new album – a lot of creating, a lot of writing.” What: Goat Island Sounds With: Nina Las Vegas, Basenji, Kuren, Adi Toohey, Ariane Where: Goat Island When: Thursday January 26
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g guide
club picks p up all night out all week...
send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com
club pick of the week Young Franco
6:30pm. $49.95. Hobart To Sydney Hip Hop Don’t Stop! - Feat: Refl ekt + NJE + Embrace MC + Primitive Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $10.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21 CLUB NIGHTS
SATURDAY JANUARY 21 Metro Theatre
UV Boi & Young Franco 8pm. $28.35. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18 CLUB NIGHTS
Sbw Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Wet Wednesdays Scary Canary, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free.
THURSDAY JANUARY 19 CLUB NIGHTS
Get Some Goodbar, Paddington. 6pm. Free. House Keeping Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Throwback Thursdays Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free.
HIP HOP & R&B
Argyle Thursdays Feat: Mike Champion + Moto + Nino Brown + Tubz + A-Game The Argyle, The Rocks. 12pm. Free.
FRIDAY JANUARY 20 32 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
CLUB NIGHTS
DJ Tim Parish Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 10pm. Free. El Loco Later - Feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free. Ellis Island Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 11pm. $10. End Of The World Party Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Fire Up Fridays - Feat: Cool Jerk DJs Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Friday Frothers Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Friday Night Dance Off - Feat: Modern History + DJ Lou Lou Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 6pm. Free. Gaylordz - Feat: Sex Havers + Daddy Banga + Lillian Star + Greta Now Red Rattler, Marrickville. 6pm. $10. Jayceeoh Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $17.70. Jessy Lanza Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 9:30pm. $40. Misbehaviour Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 7pm. Free. Mo Funk Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 7pm. Free.
Resident DJ: Kali Harpoon Harry, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Welove - Feat: Pako S + Sucrè Salè Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $10.
HIP HOP & R&B
Changeroom Fridays Feat: DJs On Rotation Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Fatback Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Faydee Metro Theatre, Sydney.
Always On Time: A Tribute To Ashanti And Ja Rule Freda’s, Chippendale. 8pm. $10. DJ Matt Alcock Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8:30pm. Free. El Loco Later - Feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free. Frat Saturdays Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Funkdafi ed Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 7pm. Free. Go Freek Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $17.70. Insert Coin(s): Disco Fever Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $8.50. Kamazilo Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free. Mad Ting Vs Gassed Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 11pm. $10. Pacha Sydney - Feat: Morten + Tyron Hapi Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 9pm. $27.70. Precious Cargo - Feat: Special Guest DJs Cargo Lounge, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Project Pablo The Chippo Hotel, Chippendale. 3pm. Free. Resident DJ: Kali Harpoon Harry, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Scndl Candy’s Apartment, Potts Point. 8pm. $20. Selecta Saturdays Feat: Cool Jerk DJs + Special Guests Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 8:45pm. Free. Soda Saturdays Feat: Resident DJs Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Step On Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $8.50. Stuart B + Raye Antonelli
Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free. Timmy Trumpet Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $23. UV Boi & Young Franco Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $28.35.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22 CLUB NIGHTS
Beresford Sundays Feat: DJs On Rotation The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills. 12pm. Free. DJ Brent Cox Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 4pm. Free. Graham M + Alex Mac Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 4pm. Free. Marco Polo Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $22.90. Pantha Du Prince Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $41. Postside Sundays Feat: Mark Jarvin + Guest DJs The Port, Darling Harbour. 3pm. Free. Simon Caldwell Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 4pm. Free. Sunday Sounds Feat: Treble Bass The Deck, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Sunday Sundown Feat: Nina Las Vegas + Dom Dolla Coogee Pavilion, Coogee. 12pm. Free. Sunshine Sunday Sound System - Feat: Bossdog + Cool Jerk DJs Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 12pm. Free.
MONDAY JANUARY 23 CLUB NIGHTS
I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
TUESDAY JANUARY 24
Pantha Du Prince
FRIDAY JANUARY 20 Ellis Island Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 11pm. $10. End Of The World Party Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Jayceeoh Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $17.70. Jessy Lanza Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 9:30pm. $40. Welove - Feat: Pako S + Sucrè Salè Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $10.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21 Go Freek Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $17.70. Insert Coin(s): Disco Fever Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $8.50. Pacha Sydney - Feat: Morten + Tyron Hapi Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 9pm. $27.70. Scndl Candy’s Apartment, Potts Point. 8pm. $20. Step On Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $8.50. Timmy Trumpet Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $23.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22 Pantha Du Prince Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $41. Simon Caldwell Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 4pm. Free. Sunday Sundown - Feat: Nina Las Vegas + Dom Dolla Coogee Pavilion, Coogee. 12pm. Free. Nina Las Vegas
CLUB NIGHTS
Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 8pm. Free. Propaganda Tuesday Scary Canary, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free. Side Bar Tuesdays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
Jessy Lanza
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01:01:17 :: The Domain :: Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
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03:01:17 :: Big Top Sydney (Luna Park) :: 1 Olympic Dr Milsons Point thebrag.com
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live reviews
Off The Record
What we’ve been out to see...
Dance and Electronica with Alex Chetverikov Mathew Jonson
T
he last four years have seen cuts proposed to community radio funding on a number of occasions, with $1.4 million ripped from its underbelly over the next four years (from 2016 on).
their music heard without reliance on commercial stations and their ineffective quota systems. It is essential in respecting our cultural and ethnic differences and how we can learn from one another.
The above is a perfectly normal sentence if divorced from its context. But once we actually consider what this means to millions of people, it’s a sobering and altogether infuriating situation. Coupled with the New South Wales Government’s lockout laws and an altogether indifferent approach to property developers and magnates gentrifying entire areas for their own vested interests, it’s a sobering series of ignorance, and the latest in a string of recent severances for the creative community.
With those multiple cultures comes, of course, the richness of their music, the nuance of their rite and ritual, and the innate difference in perspective that cultures afford one another. History has taught us that the cross-pollination of ideas is the building block of evolution and progress.
It says an awful lot about a complete lack of understanding as to the social and cultural importance of the radio medium for individuals and groups. Modern Australia is built on a principle of multiculturalism, no matter the efforts of some to undermine or tarnish it, and the maintenance of an accessible, funded and supported community radio station network is essential for a number of reasons.
This isn’t just important for the disenfranchised within our society. It is incredibly important for the many who will find their home here in the coming decades. Even the most cursory of glances at immigration statistics shows India as the leading country of origin; India, a country which has 22 officially recognised languages, let alone the hundreds of others that permeate its diverse geographical and cultural tapestry. What better way to welcome them than to divorce one of their connections to the broader community!
It is essential in satisfying the fundamental need to learn and to communicate with other people. It is essential in providing a voice to those less enabled and to those seeking an avenue for their expression. It is essential in offering an outlet for local musicians and broadcasters; to have
Commercial radio, what with advertising and reduction of licence fees, has found the transition to digital a smooth and largely unfettered process. Let’s work together to remind the powers that be that community radio deserves more than a slow and ungratifying path into oblivion.
THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST
Miles Davis’ live Agharta record, in all its stunning, world-shattering, all-consuming construction-and-destruction-of-rhythm glory. Simply incredible. Neu’s debut album; a Kraut-klassic exercise in ambient and ever-changing soundscapes through repetition. And Francis Bebey’s Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984: the second fabulous compilation of but a small part of the Cameroonian artist’s work; an occasionally deranged, transformative chunk of bikutsi, and a modern blend of ethnic traditions.
THE AVALANCHES, GRANDMASTER FLASH Enmore Theatre Thursday January 5
Grandmaster Flash is at a point where he has absolutely nothing left to prove. It’s safe to say he’s been in this position for quite some time, having cemented a legacy thanks to an influential run in the ’80s alongside The Furious Five. These days, the man born Joseph Saddler is just along for the ride, frequently travelling around the world and playing broad, easily accessible DJ sets with enough cries of “make some noise” to last a lifetime. If you’re here for deep cuts or a thorough study of hip hop as a genre, you’d be best hitting up somewhere else for now. Over here, we’re putting our hands up for classics from MJ, Bowie and Queen. It’s got all the subtlety of a wedding DJ, and yet it’s the perfect lead-in to tonight’s headliners. “We gonna have a good time tonight!” Flash promises over and over. You believe him. Your hands are up in the air and waving, but it’s not because you just don’t care – it’s because, in that moment, Grandmaster Flash can make you care more about the song that’s playing than anything else. One thing we’ve learned about The
Avalanches over the years is that they’re always going to need a little extra time. As long as we waited between Since I Left You and Wildflower, the latter proved to be more than worth our time. Then came the live show: while their Splendour appearance wasn’t entirely without merit, it was more or less agreed there were a lot of improvements to be made. Within the first few days of 2017, The Avalanches have redeemed their live reputation, clearly indicating that if practice doesn’t make perfect, it gets pretty damn close. Vocalists Eliza Wolfgramm and Naeem ‘Spank Rock’ Juwan are quick to rile up the hugely energetic dancefloor – much of which is comprised of people who were barely even alive when Since I Left You was released – while drummer Paris Jeffree and guitarist Jonti Danilewitz take the guidelines provided by the songs’ sample work and illustrate within them masterfully. ‘Flight Tonight’ turns into a tribal chant, ‘Frontier Psychiatrist’ is every bit the triumphant banger it deserves to be and Wildfl ower cuts such as ‘Subways’ and the Oscar Key Sung-assisted ‘Colours’ are finally given life in truly awe-inspiring fashion. Brace yourselves for how great the 2033 tour is going to be. David James Young
Baba Stiltz
RECOMMENDED FRIDAY JANUARY 20
Fouk, Attic DJs The Civic Underground Baba Stiltz Goodbar
THURSDAY JANUARY 26
Mathew Jonson, Extrawelt Greenwood Hotel
FRIDAY
JANUARY 27
Floating Points, Red Greg Jam Gallery
SATURDAY JANUARY 28
Analog Cabin Live
The Bearded Tit
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3
Andras, Spice, Rainbow Disco The Civic Underground xxx
34 :: BRAG :: 696 :: 18:01:17
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