ISSUE NO. 697 JANUARY 25, 2017
FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com
MUSIC, FILM, COMEDY + MORE
INSIDE This Week
NEURO SIS
And why they'll never succumb to external demands.
JAPANDROIDS
GEORGE
How bucking '90s trends made their pop songs timeless.
T HE F RON T BO T T OMS
Encouraging the kids to express themselves at their shows.
AFI
There will be blood when it comes to their new record.
T HE S T RUMBE L L A S
Sharing their pain with others has given them new life.
Plus
H AT F I T Z A ND C A R A T HE L OCK HE A R T S T OUR IS T JACK IE A ND MUCH MOR E
ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW!
FINAL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED 30/70 AUSTRALIA • 9Bach WALES • Aaron Thomas AUSTRALIA • Ana Tijoux CHILE • Archie Roach AUSTRALIA • Aurelio HONDURAS • Aziza Brahim WESTERN SAHARA/SPAIN • BaBa ZuLa TURKEY • Bamba Wassoulou Groove MALI • Bebel Gilberto BRAZIL • Bokanté USA/GUADELOUPE • Brushy One String JAMAICA • Caiti Baker AUSTRALIA • Carabosse FRANCE • Dancenorth & Lucy Guerin Inc AUSTRALIA • D.D Dumbo AUSTRALIA • Dope Lemon AUSTRALIA • The East Pointers CANADA • Electric Fields AUSTRALIA • EkosDance Company “Cry Jailolo” INDONESIA • Emir Kusturica & the No Smoking Orchestra SERBIA • Fuel Fandango SPAIN • Gawurra AUSTRALIA • A Guy Called Gerald UK • Hanoi Masters VIETNAM • Hot 8 Brass Band USA • Inna Modja MALI • Jesse Davidson AUSTRALIA • Kelly Menhennett AUSTRALIA • Kiasmos ICELAND • La Mambanegra COLOMBIA • Lamine Sonko & the African Intelligence SENEGAL/AUSTRALIA • L-FRESH The LION AUSTRALIA • MANE AUSTRALIA • The Manganiyar Classroom INDIA • Mercedes Peón SPAIN • Montaigne AUSTRALIA • Nattali Rize JAMAICA/AUSTRALIA • Nhatty Man & Gara ETHIOPIA/AUSTRALIA • Oki Dub Ainu Band JAPAN • Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro ARGENTINA • Oumou Sangare MALI • Parov Stelar AUSTRIA • Philip Glass Ensemble “KOYAANISQATSI” Live USA • The Piyut Ensemble ISRAEL • Rahaan USA • Rich Medina USA • Senyawa INDONESIA • Sinkane SUDAN/USA • Skratch Bastid CANADA • The Soil SOUTH AFRICA • The Specials UK • Sudha Ragunathan INDIA • TAGO SOUTH KOREA • Tangents AUSTRALIA • Toni Childs USA/AUSTRALIA • Uncle Jack Charles AUSTRALIA • The Waifs AUSTRALIA • Warsaw Village Band POLAND • William Crighton AUSTRALIA • Xylouris White GREECE/AUSTRALIA Plus: Taste the World, The Planet Talks, Global Village, KidZone, visual arts, street theatre and more.
10–13 MARCH 2017 BOTANIC PARK ADELAIDE WOMADELAIDE.COM.AU
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the BRAG presents
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Harriet Flitcroft, David Burley and Chris Martin
Newtown Social Club Monday April 10
songwriters’ secrets WITH
Songwriting Secrets 3. It helps to read and
The Song That Makes Me Proud 4. I think maybe ‘Travelling
1.
was the biggest pile of garbage ever dreamed up. It got me on this path though! Everybody has to start somewhere. Last Song I Released 2. The
Newtown Social Club Wednesday April 12
I released my fourth album Home State in August last year, and the last song on that record is called ‘Wedding Song’ – so I guess technically that’s the last song I released? I kept it a
Shoes’ – for no other reason than it was a turning point in my writing and sent me off down a whole new path. I remember writing it and thinking, “Where did that come from?”
The Song That Changed My Life 5. It’s so hard to pick just
one! I’m going to go with Dire Straits’ ‘Romeo And Juliet’. I heard it as a little kid, before I played an instrument or had been in love, or any of that stuff – but it came on the radio in the car and it hit me in the chest. It made me feel so much in such a short amount of time and I remember thinking, “I want to do that.” What: Home State out now through The Curly Co Where: Paddington Uniting Church When: Friday March 31 And: Also supporting George at Taronga Zoo, Friday February 17
GET PSYCHED
PRINT & DIGITAL EDITOR: Chris Martin chris.martin@seventhstreet.media SUB-EDITOR: Joseph Earp STAFF WRITERS: Nathan Jolly, Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: David Burley, Harriet Flitcroft, Brandon John, Nathan Jolly, Ben Rochlin ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHER: Ashley Mar 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, Harriet Flitcroft, David Burley, Ben Rochlin 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 Whitfi eld, Anna Wilson, Stephanie Yip, David James Young
Brisbane rockers Dreamtime are set to join a host of local talent for the third instalment of Sydney Psych Fest. Grinding Eyes and Unity Floors will both be making their Psych Fest debut, while heavier sounds will come from Comacozer and Thorax. The Jim Mitchells will bring their usual surfy acid vibes, while Dead Radio return once again. These new additions join an already epic lineup of artists, including China’s Carsick Cars and White+, Melbourne fuzz band Flyying Colours and Sydney slayers Mere Women. A pop-up record fair has also been announced, promising some rarer-than-usual finds. This year’s Sydney Psych Fest will be held at the Factory Theatre on Saturday February 25.
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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
COME FOR COURTERS
It seems Bluesfest just won’t stop growing. Despite suffering the loss of both Neil Young and Barry Gibb, the festival organisers have recovered from their setbacks and delivered a truly impressive lineup. The newest addition to the bill is Australia’s own living legend, Courtney Barnett, a noted Patti Smith-ophile who will also be playing an exclusive show with her idol in Melbourne. The pair are set to amaze Bluesfest punters, with Barnett bringing her trademark guitar chops to the event. Bluesfest 2017 runs from Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm.
Jessie Lloyd
project between NIMA Award-winner Briggs and ARIA Award-winning producer Trials (Drapht, Illy, Hilltop Hoods), are leading the shortlist alongside Flume, whose two songs ‘Never Be Like You’ and ‘Say It’ also made the cut. The 25th annual APRA Song of the Year will be announced at the APRA Music Awards. Now in their 35th year, the awards take place on Monday April 3 at Sydney’s International Convention Centre Ballroom.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
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CORINNE BAILEY RAE
RECLAMATION TIME
Just in time for the Australia Day announcement of the triple j Hottest 100, two A.B. Original tracks have been recognised in APRA AMCOS’ own top songs list, the shortlist for the esteemed APRA Song of the Year. The tracks about the often dismissed side of Australia Day (‘January 26’) and the celebration of strength (‘2 Black 2 Strong’) – both from ARIA top ten-charting album Reclaim Australia – and were voted in by APRA AMCOS songwriter and publisher members. A.B. Original, a collaborative
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG.
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Enmore Theatre Thursday April 13
Courtney Barnett
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MILES ELECTRIC BAND
CANBERRA’S GETTING FOLKED
The First Peoples’ Program has been announced for the National Folk Festival, with a massive lineup joining the 2017 iteration of the fest. Leading the pack will be Genise and Nicholas Williams, Aranda people from the Northern Territory. Hailing from Aboriginal country music royalty, their music tells the story of their hometown of Hermannsburg. The siblings will also be leading the festival choir with Rachel Hore. The Mission Sings Project, curated by Jessie Lloyd, will revive a near-forgotten collection of indigenous Australian contemporary songs that were performed around missions and campfires. Meanwhile, 14-year-old South Australian Tilly Thomas, who will release her first EP this year, is also on the program, along with David Spry, who has taken his roots and blues sounds onstage with the likes of Michael Franti and Tex Perkins. The National Folk Festival 2017 will take place on the Easter long weekend, Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17, at Exhibition Park in Canberra.
Before Shannon Noll, there was Moving Pictures. Forming in 1978, the band came into the spotlight after the release of its 1982 hit ‘What About Me’, which reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2004, the song was brought back to the public’s attention when Aussie legend Nollsie covered it after being robbed on Australian Idol. In 2015, Moving Pictures reflected on their history with Picture This, a record that reinterpreted many of their past songs. Now, the Pictures are hitting the road to celebrate 35 years of ‘What About Me’. They play Rooty Hill RSL on Friday February 10.
HEAR GORILLAZ ROAR
It’s been a long, long wait, but your favourite animated band Gorillaz are back with a brand new track, the apocalyptic ‘Hallelujah Money’. Premiered on Uproxx, the track features a deep, rich vocal performance from British artist Benjamin Clementine, preaching sardonically from within a Trump Tower elevator, and serves as a very bold but not at all unexpected way for the band to return to our world for the first time since 2011’s The Fall. This is also the first we’ve heard of Gorillaz’ next record, which is due later this year. thebrag.com
The Strumbellas photo by Josh Goldman
listen widely, and work hard at it – it is a craft after all. Other than that, I think you just have to be present and ready when the inspiration comes.
The First Song I Wrote The first song I remember writing was called ‘Leave Again’. I was about 13 and I can’t remember how it went now, but I’m sure it
TREVOR HALL
JACK CARTY secret for nine months after I wrote it, so I could surprise my now-wife with it on our wedding day.
TURIN BRAKES
St Paul and The Broken Bones photo by David McClister
music news
IVY & THE BIG APPLES LIVE SAT 18 MAR
ENMORE THEATRE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
THE MEANIES Screamfeeder
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live & local
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with David Burley, Harriet Flitcroft and Joseph Earp
head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
WITH
THE BRUTAL POODLES to include mortals, then I guess The Beatles. Your Band The Brutal Poodles 3. met for the first time when they were all spawned by God herself. They all looked around at each other and immediately started playing the greatest music ever heard by anyone ever. That was over a thousand years ago. Since then they’ve been generally playing venues in the Inner West of Sydney. The Music You Make 4. The Brutal Poodles are
1.
Growing Up The Brutal Poodles were not born, they materialised into existence. Like Jesus or something. Something
about virgin births or something like that? Either way it happened a long time ago, and it was very important. God was definitely involved.
xxx
five things
Killing Heidi
2.
Inspirations The Brutal Poodles, Buddha, Yahweh, Jesus Christ, Allah, The Brutal Poodles, and if we have
influenced primarily by The Brutal Poodles. And to a lesser extent Katy Perry and The Stitches. To be honest, they basically just rip off late-era Beatles. They’re
currently recording an album through divine intervention from John. It should be available around May, Inshallah. Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. Sydney has good music all over the place if you know where to look. But The Brutal Poodles all live in the Inner West and don’t like travelling so they usually only watch and play shows there. Their epic 2017 tour kicked off in Redfern and, two shows and 5.3 kilometres on the odometer later, will come to an end in Marrickville on January 28. Where: The Gasoline Pony When: Friday January 27
The Veronicas
KILLING HEIDI
It has been 16 years since Killing Heidi’s debut album Refl ector was released, the soundtrack to many an adolescence across the country, which featured tracks such as ‘Weir’ and ‘Mascara’ and scored the number one spot on the ARIA charts. Now, the band will be playing its greatest hits under the stars at Taronga Zoo as part of the Twilight At Taronga series next month, with support from the charming Abbe May. We’ve got two double passes for Killing Heidi’s Twilight At Taronga show on Saturday February 4. For more info and to enter, head over to thebrag.com/freeshit.
Stellar Addiction
STELLAR STUFF
Stellar Addiction, a five-piece pop-punk band from Sydney, have been touring their debut album Full Moon Sky around Europe and Japan over the past couple of years. Now, they’re ready to release new music to their hometown fans. On the night of the launch party, the band will be donating all profits from merchandise sales as well as door and online donations to the Sydney organisation Camp Out. Camp Out focuses on providing a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth. Stellar Addiction’s new single will be launched at the Annandale Hotel on Saturday February 18.
TWIN TROUBLE
It’s a good time to be a fan of The Veronicas. After a not inconsiderable break from the spotlight, the brace of belters returned last year with anthemic banger, ‘In My Blood’, and since then their comeback has seen them go from strength to strength. Now, the two have been announced as part of the 2017 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras lineup, joining already announced cult legends Tegan And Sara. Two sets of twins belting out the tunes that made them famous? Count us in. The 2017 Mardi Gras Party is set to go down at the Entertainment Quarter after the parade on Saturday March 4.
ECHO CHAMBER
My Echo aren’t the kind of band that let the world get the best of them. Despite the fact their lead singer was struck down with an illness shortly after the group debuted, they have bounced back from adversity and are now set to release their maiden record Brothers. The highly acclaimed My Echo are an enticing live proposition, well known for their headbanging prowess, so one would do well to catch them up close. They play Brighton Up Bar on Friday March 17, so make a note in your diary, won’tcha?
ROCK AND/OR ROLL
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MAJOR KEY
Celebrate the vibrant culture of Latin America as Sydney’s Latin American Festival returns for its 37th year. After a two-year hiatus, the celebration returned last year and drew record crowds to Bondi. The festival is a chance for Sydney’s 106,000 Latin American Australians to celebrate and share their culture. The day will feature performances from a collection of folklore groups, bands, dance schools and DJs, an assortment of food and craft stalls and even an under-18s disco. Special guest C Major will be performing and emceeing on the main stage. The festival will be running from 12-8pm on Sunday February 26 at Bondi Pavilion.
WASCALLY WABBIT
Don’t let the name fool you: there’s nothing meek or mild about Melburnian Owen Rabbit. The multi-instrumentalist is much more ferocious than his moniker implies, as his recent EP One most definitively proved. The young talent has been flitting around Europe as of late, but is set to return home for a thrilling string of shows. He’s hitting up The Record Crate this Friday January 27, and given the intimate confines of that venue, one can imagine the show is going to be pretty special.
PRICKLY FOLKS
Victorian alt-soul babes The Cactus Channel will hit the road this February. The sevenmember band, which formed in high school, was quickly initiated into the mainstream soul scene of Melbourne. Since then though, the group has continuously evolved, blending jazz, hip hop and alternative rock sounds into its catalogue. The Cactus Channel are preparing to record the follow-up to their second album Wooden Boy, and will be performing unreleased music from album number three on the road next month. Their tour will take them from Victoria’s Fairfield Amphitheatre, across the sea to Hobart and Party In The Paddock, to St. Kilda Festival, and after shows in Canberra and Sydney, they will also play at the soldout magic forest fiesta Secret Garden. The Cactus Channel will be in our backyard at the Captain Cook Hotel on Friday February 24. xxx
The February edition of the Sydney Rock ‘N’ Roll & Alternative Market will be filled with the live sounds of Spurs For Jesus, A Band Called Twang, The Hellcat III, The Drey Rollan Band and DJ performances from Limpin’ Jimmy and The Swingin’ Kitten, Andy Travers, The Crimplenes and Grazza. The market promises to be the best place to stock up on rock memorabilia, records, album artwork, cult DVDs and everything else you can imagine within the rock and alternative genres. It will open at 10:30am on Sunday February 12 at Manning House & Bar, Sydney University. Entry is $6 and is free for kids under 12 years old.
The Cactus Channel
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‘IN-TENSE’ PRESENTS ‘AMERICA’S FUNNYMAN’
NEIL HAMBURGER WITH SPECIAL GUEST ‘AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER PARLOUR MAGICIAN/SOCIAL COMMENTATOR’ DR. EL SUAVO
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8 MANNING BAR, SYDNEY UNIVERSITY WITH CANBERRA’S ORBIS TERTIUS TICKETS THROUGH OZTIX thebrag.com
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16 NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB WITH DANIEL TUCCERI TICKETS THROUGH EVENTBRITE BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 7
Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
Lifelines Dating: Mariah Carey is reportedly seeing backup dancer Bryan Tanaka. Recovering: Daryl Braithwaite expects to be back on the road this weekend after his recent hospitalisation. Hospitalised: Steve Grimmett of US band Grim Reaper had part of a leg amputated after an “aggressive infection” saw him taken ill during a show in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In Court: Eagles Of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes was hit with a restraining order over alleged death threats made to a former friend. According to TMZ, Andrew Julian Vega says Hughes threatened to “shoot him and blow his lungs through his back”, alleging he also “glued a voodoo doll on his gate, stabbed it with a knife and wrote in red paint, ‘Andy is next’”. In Court: Renee Geyer was placed on a good behaviour bond for intimidating a Sydney hotel receptionist. Downing Centre Local Court magistrate Graeme Curran did not register a conviction due to “stress the accused was under on this occasion”. In Court: Alanis Morrissette’s ex-manager Jonathon Schwartz admitted he stole US$4.8 million from her. By admitting to this, he’ll probably get four to six years’ jail time rather than a maximum penalty of 23 years. Charged: two men, 24 and 18, over alleged sexual assaults in the mosh pit at Falls Marion Bay. Charged: a 41-year-old manager of Coffs Harbour’s Coast Hotel and a 22-year-old visitor with drug possession after a NSW Police strike force raided the venue. Both are set to appear at the Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday February 6. Died: British drummer Mike Kellie, 69, of Spooky Tooth and Peter Frampton fame. In 2011 his drum track from Spooky Tooth’s ‘Sunshine Help Me’ was sampled by Kanye West, Jay Z and Frank Ocean on ‘No Church In The Wild’ and in 2013 was used to promote Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Died: British producer and engineer Bill Price, 72. Among records he worked on were the Live And Let Die soundtrack, Sex Pistols’ Never Mind The Bollocks and the first three albums by The Clash. Died: renowned South African jazz singer Thandi Klaasen, 86, of pancreatic cancer. She inspired generations of singers. As a teenager, Klaasen’s face was permanently disfi gured in an acid attack by a jealous rival. Died: Howard Kaufman, 79, co-manager of Fleetwood Mac, and who guided acts like Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffett, Lenny Kravitz, Chicago and Def Leppard. Died: Loalwa Braz, 63, the Brazilian singer best known for providing the Portuguese verses for French group Kaoma’s massive 1989 hit ‘Lambada’, was found dead in a burnt-out car in Brazil. The circumstances of her death are unknown.
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THINGS WE HEAR • Which Aussie band is talking about a crowd-funding campaign to finance a lawsuit against a former member who’s trademarked its name? • Are Bastille set for a cameo on Game Of Thrones? • A veteran tour manager posted online that he’s been forced to sell his family home because of a court order. This follows a long-running property dispute that led to huge legal bills and his inability to pay them, as he’s on an aged pension. • Which company asked its sacked employees to rank their
bosses? • For Ed Sheeran fans anxiously waiting to hear when he’ll be back in Australia, the UK troubadour let slip he kicks off touring in Europe in March. • Peking Duk, who turned up to last year’s APRA Awards in trackies, have launched their own range of active wear with sports brand Kappa. They’re available in Glue stores. The duo will officially be introducing their threads with a live gig at the retailer’s Melbourne emporium. • Sydney deathcore outfit Thy Art Is Murder have been rejoined by singer C.J. McMahon. He left a year ago to clean himself up and get married while the band toured globally behind the Holy Wars
TUPAC BIOPIC READY FOR RELEASE
All Eyez On Me, the long-awaited biopic of Tupac Shakur, now has a release date. The production was overseen by Morgan Creek Entertainment and stars newcomer (and Tupac lookalike) Demetrius Shipp Jr. in the lead role. The film is set to be released in the United States on Friday June 16, the day Shakur would have turned 46. Like Straight Outta Compton, the 2015 biopic following the rise of hip hop group N.W.A, the film is an exciting tale. The son of a Black Panther activist mother, Shakur helped define ’90s hip hop globally, selling 75 million records. He was regarded as an influential poet and peacemaker until he was killed in Las Vegas aged 25.
album, with guest singers filling McMahon’s shoes. • Chicago’s Lollapalooza goes to its sixth international city, Paris, on Saturday July 22 and Sunday July 23, with The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lana Del Rey. At one point there was talk Lollapalooza would stage in Australia as a rebranded Big Day Out. • A clueless young New Zealand comedian spotted Nick Cave at an airport thronged by autograph hunters and got a selfie with him without knowing who Cave was. He then posted the photo online with the query, “Does anyone know who this is? People keep asking him to sign their T-shirt.” • Prince not only didn’t leave
ASC CONFERENCE DELAYED TO 2018 Due to budget issues, the Australian Songwriters Conference (ASC) will not be held this year. However, the reschedule has been confirmed for Thursday June 7 – Monday June 11, 2018. Speakers already
a will, but he didn’t protect his estate from the taxman. The US$200 million estate received a massive bill, with half of that money going to US and state authorities. • Residents of Tallows Creek, NSW, are taking action after punters at three all-night doof parties held there since November left behind mountains of rubbish (including broken glass and human faeces), damaged dunes and tramped a bird nesting habitat. • New Gold Coast nightclub Rumourz has a “clothing optional” Red Zone that also features a spa pool and three bedrooms, including the a 20-person capacity “Orgy Room”.
locked in include LA-based Grammy-winning writer Alan Roy Scott, Aussie writer/producer team Barbara & Adrian Hannan, Christian songwriter Gary Pinto, A&R expert Diana Torossian and publisher Matthew Donlevy, with Jack Nigro and The Grove Studios returning as its onsite recording studio.
Vera Blue
KEEP SYDNEY OPEN ANNOUNCES NEW RALLY
Keep Sydney Open (KSO) didn’t waste time after last Saturday’s rally was cancelled following the Supreme Court’s decision to side with the New South Wales Police Commissioner’s claims that the organisers lacked preparation and the safety of residents was at risk. KSO’s challenge to the Commissioner’s decision was aided by two barristers, two solicitors and a silk – all of whom donated their time. KSO is holding another rally that it claims will be “bigger, louder and stronger” on Saturday February 18. This one will not only protest that the relaxation of the laws by 30 minutes is ineffective, it will further argue that all NSW citizens have the right to hold political rallies. KSO’s statement on the matter reads: “The decision has huge implications for the future of political assembly in NSW. It has never been incumbent on protest groups to provide public toilets, evacuation plans, risk management assessments, traffic management plans or police officers. These have always been the responsibility of police when public assembly protocols are triggered.” In the meantime, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that 16 venues have applied for the 30-minute relaxation on their lockouts, with the Palace Hotel, The ArtHouse and the Observer Hotel first cabs off the rank. Paul Newson of the Justice Department said 50 venues intended to apply.
AUSSIES CHOOSE OWN MUSIC, NOT TRENDSETTERS
Do Australians tend to rely on their own tastes when it comes to choosing music rather than listen to the advice of trendsetters? A new study of 1,000 people by research firm YouGov found that 92% of males and 83% of females think they have enough good taste to make their own decisions. In fashion, 89% of women lean on their own choices, with 18% reckoning they have excellent or good taste, while it’s 73% for men, of whom 11% claim they have excellent/good taste.
BABYLON POSTPONES NSW LEG Despite the second release of tickets selling out, Richie McNeill’s new “music, arts and lifestyle escape” festival Babylon has had to postpone its NSW leg. The decision was informed by “legal proceedings between the owners of the NSW site and a third party regarding the availability of the site on the contracted festival dates”. However, the Victorian leg is definitely going ahead. Those with tickets for NSW can either get a refund or discounted tickets if they want to make the trek to Victoria. A series of FallOut! shows across NSW are being hastily organised.
NEW SIGNINGS #1: VERA BLUE
On the eve of her North American tour in March and the release of her debut album, Sydney-based Vera Blue has signed to Deep Well/Capitol Records in the US and Paradigm Agency in New York. In Australia, her work is distributed through Universal Music. The Fingertips EP has been streamed 21 million times worldwide, with her track ‘Hold’ peaking at number one on the Spotify AU Viral Chart, reaching the top five in the UK/US charts and cracking the Global Spotify Viral Charts. Blue’s US tour will follow showcases at South By Southwest from Monday March 13, following up with five club dates and finishing her tour on Friday March 31 in Canada.
NEW SIGNINGS #2: LANKS
Songwriter and producer Lanks AKA Will Cuming has assigned his publishing duties to Native Tongue. “I went to the Native Tongue writing camp late in 2016 and their culture around the making of great art was always the first priority,” he said. Last year Lanks signed with international bookers CAA and released the EP Viet Rose.
Lanks
NEW SIGNINGS #3: MIDDLE KIDS
Middle Kids have secured two record deals: EMI Music locally and Domino for North America. Their debut EP is due out on Friday February 17. They’re set to play 24 US club shows from Tuesday February 21 to Saturday April 1, including SXSW showcases. Their debut single ‘Edge Of Town’, released last May, was played by Elton John on his Beats 1 show, received high triple j rotation and racked up three million Spotify streams.
Middle Kids
NEW SIGNINGS #4: JNTHN STEIN
Australian indie label Etcetc has expanded its international roster by adding New York producer and multi-instrumentalist Jnthn Stein to the fold. The classically trained 25-year-old is the co-founder of production collective Team Supreme along with Djemba Djemba and Blood Company’s Mr Carmack. His EP Changes is due out on Wednesday January 25. In the meantime, his new Etcetc labelmates Pnau have hit the top ten in Australia, Poolclvb has reached number one on the ARIA Club Chart and Jax Jones went top five in the UK.
Jnthn Stein
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JAPANDROIDS
COVER STORY
ALL FIRED UP BY DAVID MOLLOY
T
hree years ago, after the rapture of Celebration Rock’s intensive touring came to a close, Japandroids disappeared from our lives. Their website went dark and the boys passed their long nights of wine and roses unseen and unheard. Now, as the sun rises over a new day – and scores of music fans lick their wounds from the year that was – Japandroids are back in town, bringing with them Near To The Wild Heart Of Life and all the fervour we’ve been missing. Kicking off 2017 with a new Japandroids record seems like the perfect tonic for the times, but it wasn’t concocted with that intention. For Vancouver rockers Brian King and David Prowse, positivity was par for the course; a natural ingredient to their brand of garage rock rather than a response to a moment in history. “For people in the US, it’s like a comment about how, ‘You announced your record around the time that Trump won the election, so did you plan to fight this evil with something positive?’” says King. “And I’m like, ‘Man, when we were recording this record, it wasn’t even announced that he was running for President!’ It’s like, ‘Do you really think
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this is part of our game plan? We’re not even American!’” (Just days after our interview, during a performance of ‘Continuous Thunder’ at Sydney’s Red Rattler, the audience converged in a venue-wide, spontaneous group hug – which might explain the depth of feeling people have for this band, and why the new album’s timing would seem fortuitous.) “2016 was a shit year for a lot of reasons, and I think people are kinda desperately looking for some way to put it behind them, and positive things to put in their minds instead of all the negative,” King says. “And Japandroids make very positive, life-affirming rock music, I like to think. I can see why people wanna think of it in terms like counter-balancing the evils of the world, but I don’t think our music is designed to affect policy. It’s designed to affect values. It’s more about the individual and less about the [political]. Save that for Prophets Of Rage.” It may not be openly political, then, but Near To The Wild Heart Of Life is still just as restless as the times. “The future’s under fi re / The past is gaining ground,” cries King in the opener, evoking the tightrope space in which the new record was crafted. There was never any debate over the opening track, but having its name spread to the front cover, and thus define the whole record, was not so obvious. Prowse calls it an “old-school thing to do”. “Honestly, we did that a bit reluctantly,” says King. “There was definitely a time in music history where [there were] shitty records with
one good song, that song is number one and that’s what the record’s called, and then the rest of the record sucks.” “We’re bringing back that trend!” laughs Prowse. Across eight tracks, the ’Droids serenade the boards they’ve tread on their global tours; the long roads that separate their homes in Mexico City, Toronto, Vancouver; and the romantic partners left behind as they chase their dreams. “Song one is about the moment you decide to go away, song two [‘North East South West’] is about being gone, and the middle of the record is [about] balancing being away, finding your sense of place, finding your sense of home,” says Prowse. “A lot of that is finding a person who makes you feel that way.” He’s talking about his girlfriend, but the comfort between Prowse and King shows they’ve found home equally in each other’s company. The bond they share goes a long way to explaining how they’ve maintained their sanity working so intensively with each other, especially given the pressure of producing a new record after two consecutive critical hits. “Whenever you’re trying to make ‘art’, quote unquote, you’re always trying to push yourself to make something that is the best that you could ever have done,” says Prowse. “And so I think inevitably there’s always a lot of internal pressure that we put on ourselves, which always makes it a very intense process.”
“Celebration Rock wasn’t done until we felt like we’d made something better than PostNothing, and this one wasn’t done until we felt like we had created something that we thought was better than the first two,” says King. “There’s definitely a motivating factor of trying to outdo yourself, but I’m not sure there’s an example of a band or an artist who continue to outdo themselves right until the end, you know? “Maybe Metallica really thought St. Anger was their best album, I dunno!” he laughs. “I think we’ll continue operating under that until, I suppose, we become really rich and just implode. Or just a ‘so drunk with power and surrounded by yes-men that we have no idea that we’re making a piece of shit’ type deal.” They’re unwilling to stagnate, unwilling to sit still, and despite every critic’s statement of Japandroids’ newfound ‘maturity’, still bursting with the same youthful fire. It helps that they share a singular vision for their music, welcome new perspectives in production, and stay true to the way they’ve always played: “back to basics, drums and guitar”, as a duo. “We connected, playing as the two of us, and never found someone that we connected with in that same way,” says King. “Then we kind of eventually just stopped looking. I really don’t think bass players are getting the shit end of the stick; they can be in a two-man band, too.” “Some of our best friends are bassists,” says Prowse. “We don’t hate them, we don’t have anything against them. It’s just not for us.”
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THU 26 - THE VANNS + ELWOOD MYRE
FRI 27 - BETTY & OSWALD + BIN JUICE
SUN 22 - KING TIDE
LEVEL 2, 75 THE CORSO, MANLY
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What may surprise the fans is the embracing of new textures among the strippedback, straight-up rock of Post-Nothing. Japandroids’ transformation peaks in the eight-minute ‘Arc Of Bar’, something of a prog rock anthem that’s been sparking rockist ire for its use of ‘synths’. Fear not, guitar heroes, as King is quick to reassure us that it’s not really synths, just “a guitar that sounds very synthy”. “Certainly it’s a very foreign sound for a Japandroids record, very foreign,” says Prowse, recalling a moment with a fan in Vancouver who had followed the boys across Canada as they toured the new material. “Because I’m triggering ‘Arc Of Bar’ with a sampler live, he was like, ‘When I first saw a sampler onstage at a Japandroids show, I was scared, I was very scared,’” laughs Prowse. “And then he came around.”
“SOME OF OUR BEST FRIENDS ARE BASSISTS,” SAYS PROWSE. “WE DON’T HATE THEM, WE DON’T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THEM. IT’S JUST NOT FOR US.” “We’d probably be a lot happier,” says King. But Prowse hopes it would “piss more people off than if we just make records that are a little different”.
“We’ve been pretty dogmatic about the sonics of our band, so a lot of people, as soon as they think of our band, they think of a very specific kind of sound. So on some level, I think we can’t control how people respond to that kind of stuff. We just had to do what we wanted to do, y’know?
“Can you imagine if Radiohead just kept trying to write ‘Creep’ for the next 20 years?” says King. “We made the first two records that people loved just by following our instincts, and we just followed our instincts again. I mean, it’s worked twice before!”
“I think the most important thing we can do is just stay true to ourselves and follow our muse and go where our inspiration takes us, because if we had just decided that people like this kind of album, let’s just make another one like this every three years until we die – ”
And to those few still harking after the younger them, King says: “The kids will always have Celebration Rock.”
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KLP FRIDAY JANUARY 27
( DJ SET/TRIPLE J ) + SPECIAL GUESTS
LOCAL AUSTRALIAN ACTS LIVE & LOUD EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT IN SELINA’S FROM 8PM
What: Near To The Wild Heart Of Life out Friday January 27 through Pod/Inertia
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The Strumbellas A New Hope By Adam Norris
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ou’d struggle to find any artist – be it in music, literature, film, whatever – whose career has seen nothing but wine and roses. Any attempt to make a life within the arts is a gamble, and one that may not actually pay off until long down the road (if at all). Canadian indie folk band The Strumbellas are keenly aware of this; it wasn’t until 2016’s Hope – their third album – that they finally found commercial success and the confidence to keep going. Frontman Simon Ward talks to the BRAG about the pros and cons of uncertainty. “I can’t speak for other band members,” Ward explains, “but yes, I was at a very low point in the band’s career before this album was released. We were struggling to make a name for ourselves on a worldwide level, we were barely affording to pay the bills, and we were away from our families a lot. So it was tough. I wouldn’t say I was ready to quit per se, but I was getting really worried about our future as a band.” Grim though that future may have appeared, with Hope’s lead single, ‘Spirits’, The Strumbellas’ fortunes swiftly changed. The song topped the Billboard Alternative Charts, and they even got to play for Stephen Colbert, which is surely a massive tick on anyone’s bucket list. ‘Spirits’ also acts as a handy thematic anchor for the album itself. “Luckily for me, most of the songs
I write are about sadness, selfloathing and death,” Ward laughs. “So regardless of the order the songs are made, they usually are about similar topics. But I never think about an album as a whole when making an individual song. Each individual song for me is its own story, and I’m definitely not organised enough to think about connecting songs together to sound cohesive together. I can’t even get myself to wear the same coloured socks every day. “In the beginning, it was just about trying to make good songs. However for me, Hope has become something different than that. I’ve had probably 200 messages from people telling me the lyrics of this record have helped them through the hardest times of their life. I never in a million years thought that sharing my pain with others would be one of the things I’m most proud about in my life. It’s like I’ve made a bunch of sad friends and we can all be sad together,” he chuckles. “I truly appreciate every note I get that tells me I’ve helped someone’s day.” Should you happen upon any press from the release of Hope (which dropped back in April), you’ll likely find reference to the various pop releases The Strumbellas were delving into as they toured from coast to coast. Indeed, you don’t need to listen for very long to hear some rather anthemic arcs arise, blended rather splendidly with the band’s original kind of quirky
folk. The Canadians have been described as Mumford & Sons meets The Decemberists, which isn’t an inaccurate touchstone, but it does give you pause. Surely to pour blood, sweat and tears into an album, only to then hear yourself compared to some other band entirely, would be a frustrating experience? “It doesn’t bother me, because to be honest, they are probably right,” Ward responds. “I could probably name a band or song that I tried to emulate for every song I ever wrote. It’s my secret. Don’t tell anyone. I think it’s inevitable our band gets compared to others. I’m a musical thief. “Also, movie theme songs were a huge inspiration for me when writing this album. I love movie theme songs. The theme song from the movie Elf, Back To The Future, Indiana Jones, Police Academy, among others. Movie theme songs often hit me hard emotionally, so I always try to embrace that when writing Strumbellas songs. In terms of literature – not really. I’ve only ever read like 40 books in my life. I’m more of a movie guy.” The next chance you’ll get to see the sextet in Australia will be at the conclusion of their world tour, at Bluesfest 2017. It’s been a remarkable road they’ve followed – from sleeping rough and playing local residencies just a few years ago, to hitting the road and touring overseas. The best part is, with
“I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS THOUGHT THAT SHARING MY PAIN WITH OTHERS WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS I’M MOST PROUD ABOUT IN MY LIFE.”
their newfound success, it shouldn’t be long until we see them out here again. “For me, playing live is like songwriting, in that I feel like there’s always things to learn and new things to try to make it better,” Ward
says. “Yes, playing residencies helped in the development of our live show but I still feel like I can make it better – even after eight years! I definitely miss elements of the early years. There is a satisfaction in trekking across the country and playing to empty bars
Neurosis In The Mind’s Eye By Aaron Streatfeild explains why long-time engineer and friend, the prolific Albini, returned to helm the Neurosis recording process this time around. “He makes it effortless for us to realise our dreams,” Von Till says. “He sees himself as providing a service – he fi gures you’ve done all the work on the music and you’ve got it fi gured out. He has no opinion on it, he doesn’t have to like it and he’s not going to tell you to change anything. He sees his job as using his technical knowledge of audio recording to capture what you put in front of him in the most natural, organic and high-fi delity analogue manner that’s possible. “[With Albini] it always sounds like my guitar amp coming out of the speaker, it sounds like Scott [Kelly]’s guitar amp coming out of the speaker, or Jason [Roeder]’s drums. We never have to second-guess it. We know it’s going to sound exactly how we sound. We record live – the only thing we overdub is the vocals, everything else is recorded at the same time, straight to tape, fucking done! You don’t fix what’s not broken, you know?”
W
here most bands have succumbed to the pressures of life as a collective, Neurosis continue to offer forward-thinking and boundless music. By the light of the band’s still burning fire, frontman Steve Von Till reveals what’s kept it burning so long, why producer
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Steve Albini is still the right man for the job, and how Neurosis have managed to stay at the forefront of experimental music for 32 years, up to and including their 11th studio album, Fires Within Fires. “Our progression has always been one of forward-thinking,” says Von
Till. “As far as developing new music goes, we’ve never once looked backwards. We’re always trying to open ourselves up to the creative force that’s so much bigger than us and will push us into new territory.” Released in September 2016, Fires
Within Fires is aural proof of Von Till’s mantra. Significantly shorter in length than its predecessors, it’s a record of dynamic ebb and flow, orchestrated by masters of intensity and subtlety. Although the aim is always to advance themselves, Von Till
After such a long haul, it would be excusable for the band to settle into complacency, a trend that is all too common for acts in their seasoned years. There is surely a price to pay for continually striving for an evolution of sound, art and self, but for Neurosis, whose members have spent most of their adult lives in the band, it’s all they know how to do. “Part of what makes us Neurosis is constantly evolving and pushing the envelope,” says Von Till. “I don’t think we have a singular sound.
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AFI A Sense Of Self By Anna Wilson
“WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IN THAT GARAGE WE WERE TERRIBLE, BUT WE JUST DIDN’T KNOW IT.”
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here’s something wonderfully endearing about the softly spoken, almost shy Adam Carson. The drummer for long-standing punk rockers AFI has racked up more than 25 years with the band, and along with singer Davey Havok, is one of two remaining original members. However, despite the fame and success that has come with churning out a multitude of award-winning albums, Carson remains remarkably, well, human. Rumination is his companion at the moment he speaks with the BRAG, just a regular guy with a regular perspective on life. “I’m at my folks’ house,” he begins. “I’m looking out at the garage we played in when I was 16. I’m feeling a little nostalgic – I figured I’d go in there and make some noise, let the neighbours know I’m visiting.”
and sleeping on people’s floors. It makes you feel like you’ve earned the success that you’ve achieved as a band when you put in the hard years. I think if we skipped the hard years to get to where we are now, the success wouldn’t feel as satisfying.”
We don’t have any hit records or any external demands – at least, we don’t pay attention to them. It’s the only thing that feels satisfying to us. I feel like doing the opposite would be the death note. That would be the end of everything. Stagnant water is poison.” The give-no-fucks, do-what-youwant band ethos is somewhat of a fairytale in today’s climate. Many talk the talk, but few walk the walk. “I don’t think we suffer from the kind of ego bullshit that a lot of bands get into,” says Von Till. “The ‘musical differences’ and all these pathetic excuses you hear for why bands break up – are they really in it for the music, or is it something else? If you’re really in it for the music, then you should be extremely grateful for the opportunity to make good music when you find it.”
The Strumbellas photo by Josh Goldman
Where most have failed, Neurosis has persevered, and it’s no wonder others have fallen at the hand of their own sword – the bond between band members, like any relationship, can be a volatile one. “Yeah, we’re dysfunctional like a family,” says Von Till. “I mean, we’ve been together a long time. We don’t tour ourselves to death like when we were younger, so I think that also gives us the space to be who we need to be individually and with our families, and to not have the conflicts. We’re appreciative and really grateful for those moments when we do get to be together and make music or travel and play a gig. “I have nothing but gratitude for those 25 times a year when we get together to play music. I feel so lucky that we have the ability to do
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What: Hope out now through Liberator Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Monday April 17 And: Also appearing at Bluesfest 2017, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Thursday April 13 – Monday April 17
“WE DON’T HAVE ANY HIT RECORDS OR ANY EXTERNAL DEMANDS … I FEEL LIKE DOING THE OPPOSITE WOULD BE THE DEATH NOTE.”
Carson’s love for his craft comes as naturally to him as breathing. He was made to play music, never having envisioned he’d be doing anything else for a living, and he certainly doesn’t remember achieving much before AFI formed in 1991. “Before we joined the band, that was always something I dreamed of doing,” he says. “We’ve all been attracted to music since we were very little. When we first started in that garage we were terrible, but we just didn’t know it. It would be years before we had anything that could be considered success. To put on our first show, it really felt like something we’d continue for the rest of our lives.” Indeed, after so many years of rehearsing and creation, what drives Carson to move ever forward is only that he loves what he does. “It’s something we
love doing, and since day one it’s been something I’ve really worked hard to continue,” he says. “What’s most important as a band is that we’ve always kept things fresh for ourselves, to evolve between records, and as long as it’s still exciting, we’ll keep going.” Carson is so single-minded about AFI and drumming, it’s a surprise he doesn’t ever have days where he wakes up and wonders, “Is this for real?” “It’s simultaneously extremely surreal to be doing it after all these years but it’s also completely normal,” he says. “It’s been our single-minded focus for 25 years through all stages of the band. And any time I step outside myself and think about it, I realise it’s incredibly rare and I’m extraordinary lucky to be doing it. “Honestly, when we first started, we thought it would be the biggest achievement to even play one show – to even string a couple of shows together and call it a tour would be great. We released a couple of seven-inch records on our own and thought if we could ever get someone to release our record, that would be seriously surreal – surreal and amazing.” These days, AFI have a grand reputation for theatrics, both in their music and the videos they put out. They always cause a stir, rumbling up interest among their loyal fan base (which goes by the name The Despair Faction) and influencing subsequent shock rock groups like Black Veil Brides and Panic! At The Disco. Their flair for drama has always kept people on the edge, and ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, AFI went so far as
to black out their social media platforms, just to see if anyone was still paying attention. “The same way there’s an art to trading the music, there’s an art to putting the packaging together in a way that’s consistent with the vibe of the music in a cohesive mood,” says Carson. “I also think there’s a way to use all this new media to make it part of that cohesion in a way – so if anyone is watching our social media and paying attention, they would wonder what was coming next.” The tactic worked, and AFI have now released a record that draws heavily on vintage New Romantic influences, with sounds of The Cure and Joy Division. “I think if you ask me, it’s something new,” Cohen adds. “I think any time someone in a band makes music, they are drawing on the foundation of the bands that influenced them. “We come from a childhood of listening to post-punk and punk rock and bands like that. They’ll come out, but when a song has a Cure vibe, I don’t think it’s mimicking – it’s a natural part of the band’s sound. It’s not a conscious thing to make it sound like them. “There’s really never any sort of fore discussion with the band – we might take the first and last songs that are written and put them down, and then you find the vibe of the album. When we’re working on the sequence and what we want on there, do we want slower, darker ones, the faster, heavier ones? Only then it becomes a conscious decision.” What: AFI out now through Caroline
that. I get to travel and see my best friends and make some fucking intense music and cleanse myself with it.” Neurosis will return to Australia for the second time ever this February, bringing with them the ferocity and rage of Sydney’s Dispossessed as support. “Dave [Cutbush] from the touring company Life Is Noise showed us their music,” says Von Till. “I’ve always been interested in indigenous peoples in the United States and around the world – native peoples and traditional cultures surviving not only their colonial past but surviving into the future and being vital. So hearing some really intense, angry and pissed off yet unique perspective of indigenous music and heavy music was amazing. I really like what I heard and the whole idea behind it is something that we can totally stand behind.” What: Fires Within Fires out now through Neurot With: Dispossessed Where: Manning Bar When: Friday February 17
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George Goodbye, Hello By Joseph Earp discography, or somehow change what has already been set down to record. “We’re still trying to perform the songs as basically as possible. That was always our intention. I mean, when the idea was first fl oated I think we were worried about going up and sounding like some dated ’90s band. But I guess when we were writing the albums we always consciously tried never to follow any pop trends. “We certainly had infl uences, but they were from a range of eras – lots of stuff that was around at the time, but a lot of earlier stuff as well. So I think that’s been a big help in doing this music again, ’cause it doesn’t sound dated.”
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ome 11 years ago, George took to the Forecourt of the Sydney Opera House and said goodbye. The Brisbane-based outfit had been making music for almost a decade, providing the soundtrack for the romance and heartbreak of thousands of adolescents around the country, and reshaping Australian pop for years to come.
off their melancholic yet wide-eyed choruses and take to the road once again.
Yet it was never designed to be a permanent farewell, and the group’s five members always knew the day would come when they would dust
Even though most members of the group have embarked upon successful solo careers since the split – with Tyrone’s sister Katie in
The only thing that has surprised Tyrone Noonan, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, is how easy it has all been. “Everything has come together nicely,” Noonan says. “It’s been a very serendipitous project so far.”
particular carving out an impressive catalogue of well-received pop records in the interim – their reunion wasn’t a case of a whole lot of egos crashing into each other. “I think everyone was on board when the idea was floated,” Noonan says. “I think we have all developed musically, which makes it lots of fun.” George have made it clear that they have no interest in the past – they’re not taking to the stage in order to fiddle with the
That said, even though George have managed to sidestep the thin veil of uncool that has descended upon many of the bands of their era, it would be a mistake to imply that Noonan and co. were deeply concerned with the group’s legacy when making a record like 2002’s Polyserena, or desperate to leave some decade-defying monument. “Looking back in hindsight, I don’t think we realised how it would play out later on. We were just trying to knuckle down and create as much as possible. It was about creating our own sounds. I guess by trying to do that, maybe that’s what gives it the nature of being timeless. But I don’t think we consciously said, ‘We want this song to sound fresh in 20 years’ time,’ or anything like that.”
“WHEN THE IDEA WAS FIRST FLOATED I THINK WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT GOING UP AND SOUNDING LIKE SOME DATED ’90S BAND.” In that way, Noonan argues that George have accidentally managed to achieve what so few others have: they have delivered songs that still bop heads and move teens to this day. And as far as he’s concerned, he can thank a very special ingredient for such unplanned longevity. “When writing the songs, they always started off on an acoustic guitar or a piano. Then later we would add [the] technical layer, the extra sound. That’s the icing. We had this guy who was like the sixth member of George in the studio; his name was Justin Tresidder. The product he was provided was called ‘orange glitter’,” Noonan laughs, remembering. “It was a beautiful extra sonic layer to add to everything, or a really beautiful sample or a loop that we used. That was the secret.” With: Felix Riebl, Jack Carty Where: Taronga Zoo When: Friday February 17
Hat Fitz & Cara Many Voices By Shaun Cowe
H
at Fitz & Cara are a Queensland folk duo founded upon the musical and romantic connection of the eponymous Fitz and Cara Robinson. Their raw, retrophilic approach to folk music has taken them all across the world, and now, in preparation for their latest tour supporting new album After The Rain, the pair talk about the recording process and the fresh ideas for performing that have sprung up along the way. It’s early morning when Robinson’s voice sounds down the phone line. She and Fitz are busy packing for the upcoming tour, and that’s an impressive feat in itself, considering they’ve just come home from celebrating New Year’s at Woodford Folk Festival. Robinson goes through the inventory of things the band will need on the road. “One of the main things that comes with us is the guitar and Fitzy’s good Fender amp. Then for me it’s the kick and snare. But if we’re in the car, we bring the whole lot – full drum kit, dresses, the whole shebang.” Robinson calls over her partner Fitz, who sounds off a friendly greeting and freely lets Robinson take the lead in the conversation once more. She explains their plans to feature a full choir at various shows on the tour. “As we were making the album, we thought it’d be really cool to have all these voices on some of the songs,”
Robinson says. “Now we have eight songs featuring choral harmonies. They really add a 1940s gospel vibe to it.” Enlisted for the Herculean task of organising the choral parts on tour is Peter Lehner, conductor of the Lismore Street Choir and Winsome Gospel Choir – both local groups around Nimbin, a regular touring hub for Hat Fitz & Cara. “I write all the harmonies by ear,” Robinson says. “But we’ve been really lucky to have Lehner, who brought his 50-piece choir with us for the Nimbin Bush Theatre. He wrote out all the parts for us, which was great, though we’re finding that doesn’t always help when organising choirs on the road, as not everyone can read music.” After The Rain represents new territory for Hat Fitz & Cara, who left behind their usual producer Jeff Lang for Angus & Julia Stone collaborator Govinda Doyle. “He lives much closer,” Fitz says. “Lang lives in Melbourne, so that’s more than a 20-hour round trip for us, but Doyle’s just on the Sunshine Coast. “Over the last two albums produced by Lang, he said to play the guitar and record the singing later. So I got out of me old way of thinking and now everything’s much better. One of the main focuses we wanted in this album was to have as much of the live sound as possible, so we tried to stick to that very closely. One of the main things was keeping it really raw.”
Fitz and Robinson say this tour will be extra special because they
“ONE OF THE MAIN FOCUSES WE WANTED IN THIS ALBUM WAS TO HAVE AS MUCH OF THE LIVE SOUND AS POSSIBLE, SO WE TRIED TO STICK TO THAT VERY CLOSELY.” 14 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
have decided to document their time on the road, including their collaborations with the choirs. “We’ve got a few videos we’re doing and we’re planning to record all the different choirs and put them together at the end on a big video,” says Robinson. “We only came up with the idea to do it recently. We’ll probably do the footage ourselves.
“I think we’ll do a wee bit of a documentary on it.” What: After The Rain out now through Planet With: Guns For Choir, The Fossickers Where: The Basement When: Saturday January 28
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The Lockhearts Old Mates By Joseph Earp gathering strength for almost a lifetime, and they are a group of young men who relish every element of what they do. “You know, when you’re a high school kid you’re like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna get a band house and it’ll be the best thing ever,’” Majam says. “‘We’ll have all the afterparties.’ And that’s what happened. Everyone used to come and stay at our house. Whenever there was a band on tour, they would always end up coming and crashing back at our house. It wasn’t odd to see people in the morning sleeping on top of the coffee table.” Majam particularly appreciated such a communal atmosphere because it was one he had been denied for so long, and he notes that Sydneysiders are perhaps luckier than they sometimes realise when it comes to the options available to them.
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directly to the draconian lockout laws affecting our fair city, but his calm voice is one of a man with few worries. “It’s alright,” he deadpans. “We had a band house – me, The Lockhearts’ guitarist [Sam Sheumack] and Tim [Meaco] the singer all lived together and now we’re all moving out. We have to be out the day before the Block Party.” He laughs. “Yeah, great timing. I think we’re planning to be all
moved out and then we’ll just do six hours’ worth of rehearsal in one go.” Certainly, if there is any band able to make such a tight schedule work, it’s The Lockhearts. The psychpop grungers live and breathe the Sydney music scene, and they’re incredibly hard workers. One can imagine part of their drive comes from the fact that playing in a band isn’t some diversion for them – it’s been a dream that has been
Indeed, that’s exactly what Old Mate’s Block Party has been designed to do. The mini-fest boasts an incredible lineup of bands both celebrated and underappreciated; class acts like The Persian Drugs, Twin Fires and The Stiffys. Majam hand-curated the lineup after spending over a year seeing a couple of gigs every week, and says the event was aimed at collecting together the cream of Sydney’s overstuffed crop.
“You go to see at least one or two gigs a week, and then you end up discovering all these different acts and you’re like, ‘This is incredible,’” he says. “As venues are closing, you’re still getting all these cool little venues opening up.” Majam stops – his voice is warm; hopeful, even. “Even pubs that weren’t doing live music are starting to do it, which is awesome. The number of bands are defi nitely not going down. Especially quality bands around Sydney – there’s heaps.” What: Old Mate’s Block Party 2017 With: The Stiffys, Borneo, The Persian Drugs, Twin Fires and more Where: Factory Theatre When: Saturday January 28
Xxx photo by Xxxx
t’s 30-something degrees, a week away from a major event he has been planning for months, and Jameel Majam is moving house. Not that you’d be able to tell he has so much on his plate, mind you, as the celebrated bassist for Sydney legends The Lockhearts sounds surprisingly unhurried. He might be just days out from the 2017 edition of Old Mate’s Block Party, the minimusic festival he has designed to celebrate local music and respond
“When I was 17 or 18, when I was trying to see local bands I’d noticed on Facebook or Myspace, I’d have no way of getting home because the buses would have stopped. I had to come from Avalon. So I’d be sleeping on other people’s coffee tables. I think that’s why I let people crash at mine now – you kind of just pay it forward as you get older.”
“WHEN YOU’RE A HIGH SCHOOL KID YOU’RE LIKE, ‘YEAH, WE’RE GONNA GET A BAND HOUSE AND IT’LL BE THE BEST THING EVER. WE’LL HAVE ALL THE AFTERPARTIES.’ AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED.”
The Front Bottoms Back And Forth By David James Young
I
t was almost ten years ago that two school friends in the midwest of New Jersey began toying around with instruments in their parents’ basements. Since those formative days, The Front Bottoms have gone above and beyond the wildest dreams of vocalist/guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Mathew Uychich. On the back of their fifth album, the ironically titled Back On Top, the folk-punk outfit were able to push through to a wider audience and even crack the top tier of the Billboard 200 album charts. Even better for Sella, however, has been the band’s extensive touring regime. “We were on the road for more or less a year solid after the record came out,” he says. “I’m really grateful that people seemed to really enjoy the new music, and that the shows themselves were getting bigger. This record has taken us all over the place. It’s really been such a positive thing. “For me, The Front Bottoms is a live band – the best way to experience this music is by seeing us play it, because that’s when you’ll really get it. For us to get to do that at all these amazing shows and these big festivals – I can’t begin to tell you what that means to me.”
“Some things you just can’t explain – and that, to me, is definitely one of them,” says Sella of their rise from cult favourites to something resembling mainstream appeal. “It was actually on a tour that we did over here with The Smith Street Band where we started to see a big change in our audiences. We’d play some random place out in Ohio, not expecting anything of it, and something like 2,000 people would show up. We’d get all these messages online of people waiting in line to come and see us. When we played in New York City on that tour, I was getting all of these tweets about people that had slept on the pavement and camped out so they could be the first in line. “To this day, that kind of response to what we do makes no sense to me. All I can say is that I really hope that Front Bottoms shows are safe places for these kids, who really just want to come along and express themselves.” The Front Bottoms’ sixth album will most likely be written in 2017, although not necessarily released this year. Before we get to that, however, there is the small matter of their first-ever headline tour of Australia. With Adelaide’s premier melodic punks The Hard Aches in tow, the excitement for these
relatively tiny club shows is already palpable. Sella, on behalf of the rest of the group, cannot wait. “The way I see it is this: we are travelling to the other side of the world to play music. To have an intimate feeling with however many people that come to see you play,
that really does mean a lot to us. I’m not going to say that it means more than one of those crazy 2,000-people shows, because we definitely love doing both. There is something really exciting, however, about having a touring relationship with a location that is still quite new. After the Smithies brought us out
“I REALLY HOPE THAT FRONT BOTTOMS SHOWS ARE SAFE PLACES FOR THESE KIDS, WHO REALLY JUST WANT TO COME ALONG AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES.” 16 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
that first time, we were immediately in love with the place. We get to come back, and we get to play these new songs for everyone.” You can feel Sella’s smile radiating down the phone line as he reiterates what is clearly a favourite mantra of his: “It’s all a positive thing, man.” With: The Hard Aches Where: The Bald Faced Stag When: Friday January 27
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Xxx photo by Xxxx
Completed by bassist Tom Warren and multi-instrumentalist Ciaran O’Donnell, The Front Bottoms have built their way up from floor shows to theatre sell-outs and back again. Their incremental but steady ascent
can be almost completely credited to their grassroots fan base, which has expanded with every release and resulted in a fandom unlike nearly anything else in the current realm of indie rock.
BRAG’s guide to film, theatre, comedy and art about town
arts in focus
BU21
BU21 photo by Michael Booth
theatre for uncertain times
also inside:
JACKIE / A STRATEGIC PLAN / ARTS NEWS / THEATRE & FILM REVIEWS / GIVEAWAY / GAME ON thebrag.com
BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 17
arts in focus
free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit
arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Ben Rochlin, David Burley and Chris Martin
five minutes WITH
JEANETTE CRONIN, WRITER OF I HATE YOU MY MOTHER
I
How much has femininity changed across the time period the play covers? That’s a difficult one to answer in relation to this play. These ladies are fi ghting for their survival. And playing very dirty. They tend to forget their manners. Quite a bit. Is there a link between the fi ve couples featured in different eras? There are only four left. We killed one couple off in rehearsal! But there is a prologue in which their ghosts still live. And yes, there is a link. A family line
Dragon by Fan Dongwang
with recognisable traits and even genetic markers. Is it more challenging to write and act in your own play, or does it give you more creative control? Well, the bizarre thing is, I still have to learn the lines. Like any other play. Did you have to explain the title to your mother? My mother is my sunshine. She’s also very very smart. But I did succumb to the urge to say, “You don’t mind, do you?” I love my mother. Big time. What: I Hate You My Mother Where: Old Fitz Theatre When: Until Saturday February 11
Silence
SILENCE
Martin Scorsese’s 28-year-long passion project, Silence, chronicles the journey to Japan of two priests (Andrew Garfi eld and Adam Driver) in their efforts to save their missing mentor (Liam Neeson). The fi lm highlights the clash of religions across the world as the two missionaries try to hold onto their faith in a place where Christianity brings certain death. The movie has been the talk of the industry this season, with clashing opinions circulating around it; if you fancy joining the debate, we have 15 in-season double passes to catch it in the cinemas when it is released on Thursday February 16. Enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.
there are only a limited number of rickshaw rides on offer, there will also be a walking tour option so you can burn off the calories for the treats as you eat them. On Saturday February 4 and Sunday February 5, 4A will also offer a special family program in which families can decorate a life-sized cardboard rickshaw using Chinese New Year motifs. The tours will run from Saturday January 28 – Tuesday February 14.
I Hate You My Mother photo by John Marmaras
Hate You My Mother opens at the Old Fitz this week. What’s the background of the story? It’s a little piece born of the notion that sex crimes are a bit like radiation poisoning. The repercussions can reverberate for centuries.
Art Month Sydney
SUPER BOWL GETS SUPER SIZED
ICONS OF IDENTITY
541 Art Space has teamed up with artist Fan Dongwang to present the Icons Of Identity art exhibition, celebrating the Chinese New Year. The exhibition showcases artwork exploring Australia’s national identity and the rise of Chinese contemporary culture. The works of Chinese-born and Sydney-based Dongwang are on display at 541 now, continuing until Saturday February 18.
Sydney’s Luna Park is planning to celebrate this year’s Super Bowl with a super sized American party. Starting early at Circular Quay, LunaBowl – Super Bowl 51 treats guests to a ferry ride across to Luna Park where the party really gets started. Feast on an allAmerican style buffet, unlimited rides and other entertainment while the biggest game on the US sports calendar unfolds. Join in on the fun, watch the game and Lady Gaga’s halftime show on a multi-screen display. Cheer on your fave team, yell at the other one – you know how it goes. LunaBowl begins at 8:30am Monday February 6 at Circular Quay.
ART MONTH SYDNEY 2017 Mark Colvin’s Kidney
THE MYSTERY OF LOVE AND SEX
Darlinghurst Theatre Company is teaming up with award-winning playwright Bathsheba Doran to present The Mystery Of Love And Sex. From the mind of Doran (Masters Of Sex and Boardwalk Empire) comes this story of family, friendship and romance that will debut at Eternity Playhouse this February. A Q&A with the actors and director Anthony Skuse will be held on Sunday February 16 and Sunday March 5 after the show. The Mystery Of Love And Sex runs at Eternity Playhouse from Friday February 10 – Sunday March 12.
CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA
ALL ABOARD FOR RICKSHAW TALES
The 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art is hosting rickshaw food tours of Chinatown next month. The tours on offer take place throughout Haymarket on a rickshaw designed by Louise Zhang, as you sample some of Chinatown’s most iconic snack spots while also learning the history behind the stops. As 18 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
T2 Trainspotting
HACKING AWAY
Mark Covin’s Kidney deals with an unlikely friendship that formed during the Murdoch News International phone hacking scandal. Mary-Ellen Field’s career was destroyed after she was accused of leaking private information to the press, so when the Murdoch scandal came to light, she set out to clear her name. In the play, this leads her into the path of Mark Colvin, who is covering the scandal from Australia. An unlikely friendship ensues that gives them both a kind of salvation. Mark Covin’s Kidney, based on true events, is written by Tommy Murphy and directed by David Berthold, and stars Sarah Pierse, Peter Carroll, Kit Esuruoso and John Howard. It will play at Belvoir St Theatre from Saturday February 25 – Sunday April 2.
MOONLIGHT FEBRUARY PROGRAM
Moonlight Cinema is occupying the Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park until Sunday April 2, so there are still a few months left to pack a picnic and see a movie under the stars. In February, Moonlight will be screening exciting new releases like Danny Boyle’s T2 Trainspotting, Jasper Jones and Loving as well as cult classics like Dirty Dancing, Anchorman and Top Gun. There will also be a special Valentine’s Day screening of La La Land, and the whole family will be able to enjoy Moana on the big screen. Head to moonlight.com.au for a full list of the February screenings and times.
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Mark Colvin’s Kidney photo by Daniel Boud
Burlesque performance artist Glitta Supernova will feature at this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival with her new show Body Map. It’s the latest project from Supernova, who is known for pushing boundaries of theatre and performance art since the ’90s with gender, sexuality and humour. Body Map is promising to be an objectionable, offensive and unlawful show, set for two dates at Giant Dwarf Theatre on Friday February 24 and Saturday February 25.
Art Month Sydney is back this March, and this time the program is bringing the streets alive after dark. The Art At Night precinct events form the cornerstone of the 2017 Art Month program, with three nights of visual and performance artists across town. On Wednesday March 1, Art Month will celebrate its grand opening in a playground of colour and performance in Redfern/Chippendale. There’ll be a massive street party and pop-up bar at Kensington Street. On Wednesday March 8, East Sydney and the National Art School will showcase female artists for International Women’s Day, and on Wednesday March 15, Paddington and Woollahra will host a pop-up bar at the Uniting Church with work by visual artists. Art Month Sydney 2017 runs from Wednesday March 1 – Monday March 20.
out & about Queer(ish) matters with Arca Bayburt
Gaming news and reviews with Adam Guetti
FEB
New Releases
The year might only have just gotten started, but the video game industry is back in full swing, meaning there’s a bunch of titles vying for your attention in February.
2017
First up on Thursday February 2, Abzû, a popular PS4 indie gem, scores its own retail release. A day later on Friday February 3, 3DS players receive some love in the form of Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World, which itself is a port of the adorable Wii U original.
The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir
I
’ve only ever had a dim awareness of the existence of gay organisations. Aside from the obvious Mardi Gras and organisations built around sexual health and mental well-being, I’ve been uncharacteristically unperturbed by other queer spheres outside that general area. I realise this means that I’ve not been doing my duty as a queer citizen or something – but the truth is not so much laziness as it is ignorance of possibility. I’d heard jokes about lesbians being super into sports, and I always considered softball to be notoriously gay – but somehow I never thought about this beyond the abstract. I seemed to miss the part where there were actual groups of queers doing actual activities together, and sometimes achieving a hell of a lot to boot. I knew the theatre and the arts and certain sports have been queer domains throughout their history, but beyond high school I never realised it was possible to make a life out of, for example, being queer and musical.
It was definitely stupid and short-sighted of me – my only defence is that I put those groups into the same basket where I’d carefully hidden away things like ‘marriage’ and ‘procreation’ and that’s how they became separated from my everyday life. Something like a queer acting troupe existed in the abstract but wasn’t tangibly part of my community. It wasn’t until I accidentally walked in on the Gay Men’s Chorus in San Francisco did I think to myself, “Oh wow, a group of gay people… doing something unrelated to sex or queerness.” I realise
for the diary… On Wednesday January 25, MaleBox celebrates its 18th year at Stonewall on Oxford Street. The beautiful Marilyn Mootrub and Maleman Francis will be hosting, making sure all the letters are delivered, so to speak. All men are welcome, entry is free.
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this isn’t politically correct, but it was my immediate thought. For me, queer gatherings were more about the discussion of queerness than of the actual gathering. I didn’t gather with other queers to knit or sing or make art – I just needed to be around other people who were similar to me in their experience of marginalisation so I could feel less like a freak. I was far too self-hating to explore anything beyond that immediate need for spiritual relief. But I digress. The real story here is not just about my astounding ignorance, but about the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir (SGLC). The SGLC is a nonauditioned choir and all-inclusive (queers of all shades and configurations are welcome), and was established after a letter was published in the Sydney Star Observer in 1990 calling for expressions of interest in forming a choir. The SGLC has provided the soundtrack to queer community events and celebrations for 26 years and has also toured across Europe, North America and New Zealand. The choir’s eminent music director, Dr. Sarah PenickaSmith, has decided to move on from her role following this year’s Mardi Gras after 12 years of leadership. Her credentials are intimidatingly impressive: along with her
work at the SGLC, she’s also directed the 61st Intervarsity Choral Festival in Canberra and started working with chamber opera company Opera Prometheus. Her opera credits include Purcell’s The Fairy Queen with SGLC, which was, unbelievably, the first opera ever staged by a queer choir. “SGLC is more than a choir,” said Penicka-Smith upon the announcement of her departure. “It’s both community and family to many of its members. Helping everyone to feel included, no matter which part of our community they’re from or how much singing experience they have, is a big part of my role and has helped me to appreciate the amazing personal journey that every person brings to our ensemble.” Associate conductors Adam Majsay and Rachelle Elliott will continue working with the choir until the recruitment process for PenickaSmith’s successor begins later this year. Oh, and by the way, I just want to reiterate: the first opera ever staged by a queer choir. I read this and couldn’t believe it. Opera is art and art hasn’t exactly been what you’d call unreachable for the queers, historically. I didn’t know that there were still realms in the arts where queers are still doing ‘firsts’ and not ‘millionths’.
Dr. Sarah Penicka-Smith
I guess it’s possible to be living in a bubble inside another bubble. The first opera in the world ever staged by a queer choir – how cool is that? It might be time for me to pay a little more attention to my extended queer family.
On Thursday January 26, head on over to The Shift Club to see a show you won’t soon forget. Alaska Thunderfuck is in town to promote her new album Poundcake. She’s been described as equally influenced by Divine and Britney Spears, so the Poundcake Tour is sure to leave you breathless and satisfied. Tickets are available now.
On Saturday January 28, get down to Freda’s in Chippendale to pay tribute to George Michael and Wham! with Club Tropicana. The live tribute features Freda’s house band with Personal Best, Touch Sensitive, The Goods and Harry Sutherland. Vocalists include Marcus Whale, Black Tree and Alex Cross, plus more to be announced. Entry is $10.
Moving on, the month’s bigticket release is For Honor – Ubisoft’s latest new IP that unites Vikings, samurai and knights in order to beat the hell out of one another. It smashes its way onto PS4, XBO and PC from Tuesday February 14. Also out is Sniper Elite 4 (XBO, PS4), the brutally graphic shooter series that has turned itself into a surprise hit. This time the action takes place in Italy in 1943. Meanwhile, anime fans can get their fix come Friday February 17 when Dragon Ball Fusion drops on 3DS. This time it’s an action-RPG that allows the creation of your own avatars. Wrapping things up on Tuesday February 21 is a strong double bill. For the kiddies there’s Lego Worlds on PS4 and XBO, which combines Minecraft’s core concept with the world’s most popular building material. Then for Xbox One gamers there’s Halo Wars 2 – the sequel to the 2009 cult classic. This upgrade comes with new leaders, abilities and a whole bunch of new missions. Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Store Celebrates Australia Day
NEWS
On Living In A Bubble… Inside A Bigger Bubble
game on If you thought the Xbox Onesie was a stroke of marketing genius, Microsoft Store Sydney has taken it one step further by designing an inflatable Xbox One controller for Australia Day. According to the company’s official description, “Replicating the enhanced comfort and feel found on the hardware that inspires it, the new and exclusive flotation device comes complete with two thumbsticks (for added grip) and two drinks holders, to keep swimmers hydrated throughout this scorching summer.” Check out Microsoft Store’s Facebook page if you want to try to nab one.
Nintendo Switch: The Details There’s been a lot of speculation since Nintendo initially unveiled its latest console, the Nintendo Switch, but a recent Japanese event has provided the nitty-gritty details. Most importantly, the console will be launching on our shores for an RRP of $469.95 on Friday March 3 in two colour schemes. The first is a classic grey, while the second takes a neon approach with one half of the controller bright blue and the other half bright red.
Should you still be confused about the actual functionality of the Switch, the console can be played three ways. There’s the classic tablet mode with controllers attached; the TV mode initialised by placing the system within its main dock; or a table mode that makes the most of an in-built kickstand for multiplayer affairs. When in portable form, the Switch’s tablet-esque screen is joined by two small gamepads now known as Joy-Con controllers. These can be used either in unison or separated entirely to pass along to friends, depending on your game – allowing for supreme flexibility. Outside of price, the system’s biggest drawback is software, with only four confirmed launch titles so far – only two of which are brand new. The current list extends to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, 1-2 Switch, Skylanders Imaginators and Just Dance 2017. A real lack of meaty day one titles for the hardcore market is worrisome, especially for non-Zelda fans, but if history has taught us anything, Nintendo is nothing but a wildcard.
Review: Super Mario Run (iOS)
W
hen Apple first made waves with its App Store, many speculated whether Nintendo, king of the portable, would ever enter the mobile space. For many years there was nothing, until last year when Pokémon Go took the world by storm. Now we have Super Mario Run, the famous moustached plumber’s first foray onto iOS. But is it everything Nintendo fans had been hoping for, or a bitter disappointment? Honestly, a bit of column A and a bit of column B. The bulk of the game is spent in the World Tour mode, consisting of 24 levels, each taking a few minutes to complete depending on your skill level, and all of which only requiring one hand to control. Mario runs automatically, meaning you simply need to tap the screen to leap between platforms, activate special tiles and jump on enemies. In typical Nintendo fashion, each stage gradually increases in creativity to show off some incredible level design considering the limitations of the platform and control method, but for hardcore fans of the Mario series it’s sorely lacking an inherent complexity. It’s also incredibly short. Revisiting levels to collect purple, pink and green coins adds some welcome depth, but still feels like obvious padding. Outside of the main campaign, Kingdom Builder and Toad Rally try to keep you entertained past your heroic antics. Kingdom Builder lets you purchase buildings and decorations with coins to arrange your own Mushroom Kingdom, while Toad Rally sees you playing levels on a timer in order to best your friends. They’re fun diversions, but sadly leave you wanting a little more. Ultimately, Super Mario Run is an incredibly fun, well-crafted experiment that is perhaps priced a little too steep for most. One thing’s for sure, though – we’re definitely interested to see what’s next.
BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 19
arts in focus FEATURES
Jackie: The Fragile Nature Of Truth [FILM] A Thousand Histories All Happening At Once By Joseph Earp
J
ackie Kennedy is stalking the White House like a ghost. She is wiping her husband’s blood off her face, sobbing into a mirror. She and John are disembarking from a plane, the cries of the crowd are as soft and lulling as the sound of the sea. She is black-veiled and bitter, marching down a street seen around the world; face cast in iron. She is holding together John’s blown-apart head, scraps of skull littering the back seat of their car. She is not all of these things simultaneously, but she is all of these things equally. So it goes in Pablo Larraín’s Jackie, a biopic that dares to offer up a barrage of faked fronts and artificial personas in lieu of the easily digestible character arcs we are usually offered in such films. In that way, it is a biographical drama in which the aim is not to examine a person, but to heavily suggest that such an examination is fundamentally worthless: a film that bucks the very purpose of its genre and throws up its gloriously empty hands.
A ‘Real’ Woman
Jackie’s title is a very good bad joke: a jolt of leering, considered misdirection. The film is not about Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, the woman, born July 28, 1929. Nor is it about Jackie Kennedy the mother, the wife or the friend. It is about Jackie Kennedy the signifier – America’s mother and a living, breathing Rorschach test. The driving force of the film’s plot concerns Kennedy (expertly played by Natalie Portman) and her fraught decision whether or not to offer herself up to history following her husband’s death. In that way, it is less a coming-of-age story than it is a coming-of-image story. Kennedy spends the film both aware she is defined by her own legacy and yet deeply suspicious of it, forever fighting and accepting countless contrasting versions of herself. For example, she is ever eager to stress to others her own intelligence, providing a riposte to the caricature maintained by the press that assumes she is a neutered, pretty woman. She constantly quotes from her beloved history books to friend Nancy Tuckerman (Greta Gerwig) and coolly undercuts the wit of reporter Theodore H. White (Billy Crudup), the man sent to chronicle her life post John’s death. But she is also obsessed with the finer things in life, dazzled by beauty: she is a modern royal blessed in pearls and antiques, and her endless attempts to restore the White House to ornate glory take up much of Jackie’s runtime. As the film progresses, Larraín offers up
“LARRAÍN LEAVES US NOT WITH A SINGLE JACKIE, BUT A CRACKED KALEIDOSCOPE FULL OF THEM, EACH MORE PLASTIC AND ARTIFICIAL THAN THE NEXT.” 20 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
more and more of these contradictions and manipulative constructs, ever obfuscating the ‘real’ Jackie, while Kennedy’s growing willingness to sacrifice her own feelings in the face of history is reflected in the film’s increasingly artificial feel. The soundtrack stops and starts as though controlled by a switch; archival footage is used as an eerily staged backdrop before which Portman and Gerwig strut; and the film’s controlled, carefully curated colour palette begins to border on the verge of surreal hysteria. Reality becomes legacy, and legacy becomes history, and history becomes myth. Before the film is over, Kennedy leaves her flesh and blood behind, and becomes but a character, an archetypal figure more akin to the knights from the musical Camelot her John so loved than the ethically hobbled human she once lived as. And more than that, she does it willingly.
Somewhere, The Truth
Kennedy’s decision to sink into the annals of history as one would into a hot bath is never treated as a deluded or amoral choice. Indeed, quite the converse is true. Both the filmmaker and his subject believe in the strength and power of images, and as the real Jackie shrinks, the borders of her artificial persona strengthen into iron.
■ Film
JACKIE
arts review
In cinemas now On paper, Jackie seems to have made all the right choices as a work of biographical drama. It’s an impressionistic snapshot of a historical figure at a key moment in her life rather than a straightforward biopic, attempting to convey a sense of her fraught subjectivity rather than prosaically illustrating the history surrounding her. Its director is Pablo Larraín, the Chilean filmmaker known for his stylistically bold explorations of his own country’s turbulent recent political history in films like Tony Manero (2008) and No (2012). As casting goes, Natalie Portman is a solid choice as Jackie Kennedy in terms of physicality and demeanour, and her mannered acting style jibes well for a person who was herself figuring out a way to publicly act out her own grief in the wake of her husband’s tragic assassination. That linchpin moment is teased throughout the film and then finally revealed in all its gruesome detail toward the end, which is a questionable structural tactic. And while Jackie jumps back and forth in time in a deliberately fragmented manner, its screenplay by Noah Oppenheim (Allegiant, The Maze Runner) is entirely conventional in the manner it literalises its self-evident themes of performance and myth-making, not only in the dialogue between Jackie and Bobby Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard) but also with a journalist (Billy Crudup) and priest (John Hurt). Portman’s performance, too, seems to be beamed in from the kind of boilerplate Oscar-bait biopic that the film strenuously attempts to separate itself from. Despite the efficiency of her impersonation, it’s an emotionally limited performance that alternates between robotic poise and histrionics with little in the way of nuance. Jackie works best as a purely textural experience, with grainy period-specific 16mm handheld cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine and a woozy, minor-key score by Mica Levi (Under The Skin) aiding the numbed, depressive mood that Larraín conjures. Even then, the superficially arty decor has the effect of highlighting the screenplay’s deficiencies. It all adds up to a mercifully brief (90-ish minutes) but sluggish experience that offers little in the way of pleasure or enlightenment. A film about grief shouldn’t be a breezy jaunt, but that shouldn’t give it licence to be a slog either. Ian Barr
This, Larraín and Jackie seem to suggest, is a question of necessity. America is shown as an image-starved nation – a country for which television is still new, fascinated by the allure of the depicted and driven by the endless consumption of other lives. Before John’s assassination, the country’s interest in the White House is shown as curious and passive. Following the assassination, it becomes obsessive. In the face of widespread horror and chaos, the only true medication is found to be myth. Kennedy serves that purpose, at first with some trepidation, and then finally with the full depth of her belief and conviction. As she grows more steadfast in this manner, so too does the film invest more and more in its own imagery, eventually abandoning the concept of context and linear history altogether. Before long, Jackie is more an assemblage of scenes and shots than it is a traditional narrative work. This, then, is the takeaway. Larraín leaves us not with a single Jackie, but a cracked kaleidoscope full of them, each more plastic and artificial than the next. But this conclusion isn’t satiric or depressed. It is, Jackie aims to assure us, the happiest of all endings; the kind of finale kissed onto the end of a fairy tale. In the final moments of the film, both Kennedy and Larraín leap straight into the arms of myth, leaving the world as it stands far behind. History is discarded, the timeline is severed, and a real-life woman willingly morphs into metaphor. Not because she wants to. But because she must. What: Jackie (dir. Pablo Larraín) Where: In cinemas now thebrag.com
arts in focus “[IF] PEOPLE ENJOY UNCOMFORTABLE HUMOUR, MY GUY IS IN AMONGST IT, IN THAT MAELSTROM OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE MANIPULATING THINGS FOR THEIR OWN ENDS.”
FEATURES
A Strategic Plan [THEATRE] The Hard Yards By Adam Norris
T
he reality is that for a lot of folks out there, office work is inevitable. Sometimes that ain’t so bad – those jerks at Pixar seem to have a pretty sweet deal – but peer behind the curtains of your favourite music label or theatre and, well, the commercial practicalities of bringing art to life can be rather humbling. Maintaining your sense of inspiration and creative optimism is tricky when the photocopier is jammed with actual jam and your boss is about as efficient as a startled otter, yet somehow, magic still happens. Enter Griffin’s A Strategic Plan, a new black comedy spearheaded by performer Justin Smith.
“It’s a really wordy piece. A lot of quickfire, overlapping dialogue,” Smith says in a break between rehearsals. “It’s smart and kind of sassy, and getting it to the right point has taken a lot of deconstructing and putting back together again. Particularly because it’s a new play. What was submitted to the theatre initially was very different to what we’ve ended up with as the fi nal working script we have now. It jumps around in time, so we have to make that clear to the audience, but I also need to fi nd my way through it across the four or fi ve different time frames, knowing where I am in the journey. That’s tricky.” For fans of The Office, or Office Space (really, anything that has ‘office’ in the title), A Strategic Plan might just be the ideal way to kick-start your working year. Described as a satire about office life and arts management, it might not immediately sound like the kind of production that
leaves you breathless – but then, black comedies often have the most unexpected of laughs. “Ha, it sounds kind of sterile when you put it like that!” Smith laughs. “But it’s really funny, particularly the first twothirds. My character goes through a lot, but the characters surrounding him are hilarious. It’s a clever, really biting comedy. But it’s also sympathetic, and is quite moving. It’s a satire looking into a world where…” Smith pauses. “Think of the people who would go to Griffin shows, who appreciate theatre but may not know what goes on behind the scenes. The [reality] of trying to run a company like Griffin, what people go through to get the art in front of an audience. There’s that side of it. But ultimately, it will hopefully be a moving journey for my character and the audience’s relationship with him. “It’s defi nitely black humour. It’s not for everyone – I always hesitate using that reference. [If] people enjoy uncomfortable humour, my guy is in amongst it, in that maelstrom of working with people manipulating things for their own ends.” At heart, A Strategic Plan is concerned with the compulsion to create art in the first place – what drives us to showcase and produce, and how artists persevere when it seems like such an uphill struggle. There are manifold reasons why artists keep fi ghting the good fi ght, but in the end, Smith believes it’s a matter of principle. “It’s that old thing of holding a mirror up to
BU21
[THEATRE] Generational Terror By Adam Norris
BU21 photo by Michael Booth
T
hroughout the ’90s, the most iconic moments of global media numbered Nelson Mandela being freed from prison, the death of Princess Di, the O.J. Simpson circus and the suicide of Kurt Cobain – personal stories. Of course, this was also the era of the First Gulf War and the Oklahoma City bombing, so war and terrorism certainly weren’t unknown. But the terror of the previous few decades had seemingly subsided. Nowadays, we live in a world shadowed by 9/11; by the Bataclan attack, by the Boston Marathon and London Underground bombings. Violence is at the forefront of many minds.
UK playwright Stuart Slade’s BU21 explores the psychological aftermath of a fictional terror attack, and how a young generation of survivors handle the trauma. Outhouse Theatre’s director Erin Taylor takes us into a savage but darkly humorous world. “It’s a unique play in that it is primarily made up of monologues,” Taylor explains. “I think the thing that strikes me the most, and Jeremy [Waters] as well as producer, is that it’s brilliant writing. Even though it is about trauma, and is essentially a terrorist incident, it is so blackly funny, and the language is so naturalistic, it feels like you’re having a conversation with a
our own selves, and seeing part of yourself in the story. Certainly art refl ects the time, what concerns us at the moment. I think the creative industries in Australia are really struggling. I read something today that university enrolments for the creative and media degrees have dropped seven points, because there are no jobs out there. But I think this is a time when art
What: A Strategic Plan Where: SBW Stables Theatre When: Friday January 27 – Saturday March 11
“YOU FEEL LIKE IT’S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU – AND THEN IT DOES. IT WILL BE INTERESTING FOR AUSTRALIAN AUDIENCES.” friend. It’s startling; it takes your breath away sometimes how people describe what they’re going through in such a casually blunt way, and then they’re suddenly guarded, the next minute they’re funny. “I think the thing that sparked my imagination was the brilliance of the words that [Slade] crafted. It’s unlike anything I’ve read recently. He’s dealing with such a serious and contemporary issue in a way that seems so real. It’s dark, it’s funny. The characters are incredibly flawed; they don’t really know how to cope. They’re just muddling along, and we go along with them.” There is something inherently compelling and immediate within a play structured in monologues – for proof you need look no further than Terminus by Mark O’Rowe – and given the current climate of terrorism and uncertainty, BU21 is likely to be quite resonant. Although Slade has set his story in the recovery from a British attack, one does not need to search far to find emotional parallels with Sydney. While we have been comparatively lucky – the horror of the Martin Place siege being the exception – it remains an awfully sobering concern that Sydney is itself a target today. “[Slade]’s been interviewed a lot about this, how he was struck by this thought of what would happen after [an attack],” says Taylor. “At the opening of the play one of the characters say, ‘We’re inundated with these stories of terror and horror and war, and you feel like you should just turn them off but you can’t look away.’ You feel like it’s never going to happen to you – and then it does. It will be interesting for Australian audiences. I don’t know if we have that palpable feeling of something really big happening in Sydney or elsewhere, but I think we also do have a feeling that something might. What will that be and when is it going to happen? I think our feelings have shifted from if, to when, and what will that be? How will we deal with it? I think that’s quite a contemporary thought. “[Slade has] specifically chosen characters that are reasonably young, and in their consciousness they have September 11 in their teenage or young adulthood. They’re not characters who have lived without that consciousness, so he’s really writing about young people who have always lived with this in their minds.”
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needs to step up and actually refl ect the collective consciousness of what we’re all struggling with now.”
Though the catalyst for the story is anchored in terrorism, terrorism per se is not BU21’s main concern. Rather, it is the way we learn to live with trauma; specifically, how a young generation raised on the spectre of violent extremism manage to rebuild their lives in the face of cataclysm. “All of the characters know each other, have met and come together through this mutual trauma they’ve experienced. They’ve all met through group therapy. There’s this really interesting [sentiment] in the play, that when you’re in pain, pain isolates you. It doesn’t bring you together, and so all you can really do is focus on yourself. So taking that idea of pain isolating you, and turning it into the form of the play, the monologues. So people are trying to interact with each other, but what they’re really doing is just trying to make it through the day with their pain.” Trauma, terrorism, pain. While it isn’t exactly happy-go-lucky fare, Slade’s writing is so fresh and engaging that Taylor believes audiences can’t help but be engaged by these vulnerable, very human characters. “He’s relatively new to theatre writing. This is his second full-length play. He has this obsession with contemporary language and ideas. He’s definitely a writer who is really working in a contemporary space, and working out the problems that young people have today. So he’s not new to writing, but he is to theatre, so that’s probably why he seems so vital and distinct. He really plays around with the form that theatre uses. This play is kind of described as… it’s very similar to a verbatim piece of theatre, but what he’s done is fictionalise and theatricalise it. It feels like we have people telling us real stories, but [Slade]’s really taken a step away and given us fictional characters. “I think that he’s someone who is new but very passionate about theatre, who is wanting to test the genre and form. It feels very exciting and very real.” What: BU21 Where: Old 505 Theatre When: Wednesday February 8 – Saturday February 25 BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 21
arts in focus
arts reviews Measure For Measure photo by Johan Persson
■ Theatre
■ Theatre
Reviewed at Roslyn Packer Theatre on Sunday January 8 as part of Sydney Festival 2017
Reviewed at Belvoir St Theatre on Saturday January 7 as part of Sydney Festival 2017
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Nick Ormerod’s stark set consisted of five enormous red cubes lit by a dozen or so hanging lights, which presented a very simple yet effective backdrop. As the cast wove in and out and around these red statues, shadowing each other between dialogue and waltz, it showed off artistic director Declan Donnellan’s flair for flamboyant subtlety. Slowly but surely the connections between those in power and those without it bubbled to the surface, as we relied more and more on gesture and expression to decipher meaning. Although there was much wit, humour, cheek (albeit more so for the Russian speakers in the audience, who were able to cotton on
much faster than I was) and abstract scene changes, the overall delivery of the piece was straightforward and the pacing exceptional (this production is also significantly shorter than the original text). Confronting, challenging and somewhat abrasive, the Duke addressed us as the ‘general public’, breaking the fourth wall as characters rushed down the sides of the theatre and back to stage again. With such a fierce cast and Donnellan’s bold and imaginative interpretation of the piece, this production of Measure For Measure left its audience feeling somewhat shellshocked, yet intrigued. Maia Jelavic
Future D. Fidel’s narrativisation of his own childhood displacement is a profound and impactful story that makes a bold statement as Belvoir’s first production for the year. Congolese refugee Isa Alaki (Pacharo Mzembe), AKA Steve ‘The Killer’, is prepping for his biggest boxing match yet, to win the title of Australian Light Heavyweight Champion. But his greatest test is his battle with his own past, having witnessed war as a child soldier, and with his future, desperately searching for his long-lost brother. Prize Fighter’s restlessness is twofold – firstly, it stems from textual choices by Congoleseborn playwright Fidel that frame Isa’s painful youth as flashbacks, occurring to him as jabs of memory unleashed by the fists of his opponents. Secondly, La Boite Theatre Company director Todd MacDonald’s decision to frame these flashbacks through simple light
transitions is clear, but jarring. If the technique is flawed, it’s not down to the actors, who leap expertly between states, characters and accents. It’s all stakes, all the time; an intense and visceral experience only added to by the impressive physicality of the performers, who are working out long before the audience steps in. But it all feels so heightened that some of the most traumatising moments are lost in the maelstrom. The grounding element is the palpable vibe of a genuine boxing match – the fights feel as real as the sweat flinging from the boxers’ bodies onto the front row. Because of the sheer effort of combat, it’s all over in a mere 65 minutes; tight and to the point. Those bodies deserve a second mention, as they’re remarkably uncommon to Sydney stages – imposing, powerful and proudly black. Gideon Mzembe, brother to Pacharo, is the play’s most
commanding presence, and no wonder – he’s a former rugby league player. To hear Swahili spoken in Belvoir’s Upstairs Theatre, and to see Fidel brought on to a standing ovation, is a rare treat indeed. The man of the match is undoubtedly Thuso Lekwape, whose accent work and uncompromising approach are mesmerising. As Kadogo, child soldier and ‘protector’ to the freshly recruited Isa, Lekwape captures the playfulness, menace and horror of his deeply conflicted character. Zindzi Okenyo and Margi Brown-Ash, naturally, offer further evidence of their wellearned place on our theatre main stages. Fidel hits hard and doesn’t stop hitting, piling blow after blow on his protagonist and his audience. If you can handle just a few rounds, his story is well worth your time. David Molloy
Prize Fighter photo by Brett Boardman
Stepping into Measure For Measure, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect… which was fine, because what Cheek By Jowl showcased was something entirely unpredictable anyway. On one hand, delving into a Shakespeare play I was mostly unfamiliar with was always going to be refreshing. What better way to sink into The Bard than to step away from the page and see the story performed? But there is a flip side to Cheek By Jowl’s approach. As captivating as the action onstage might be, there remains the odd hurdle of this entire production being performed in Russian. Reading surtitles is one thing; reading Shakespearean Russian while trying to focus on the actual performances was something else again.
PRIZE FIGHTER
The Season photo by Prudence Upton
■ Theatre
THE SEASON Reviewed at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House on Thursday January 12 as part of Sydney Festival 2017
The Duncan family meets every year at Big Dog Island on the Bass Strait to hunt muttonbird. Since the beginning of time, their ancestors have met in the same spot to ‘bird’, thus also managing flock that returns there to roost after a long migration from Alaska. Ageing Ben (Kelton Pell) and Stella Duncan (Tammy Anderson) are parents to Lou (Nazaree
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Dickerson) and Ritchie (Luke Carroll). Lou and her teenage son Clay (James Slee) are returning to the island after many seasons away in Melbourne, while the remaining family along with Stella’s sister Marlene (Lisa Maza) arrive on the island from Tasmania. What’s striking about this play is that the plot is not driven by a central complication; there is no one major challenge to overcome, only the unfolding of the life of a family over the course of the birding season. Marlene is tired of her ongoing affair with Ritchie’s rival Neil Watson (Trevor Jamieson), 30-year-old Lou is navigating parenting her teenage son, while Clay himself is learning to ‘bird’ while also courting another family’s daughter. It’s the stuff of family getaways; the excitement yet familiarity of being away and
together at the same time, a celebration of family life. Throughout, you can’t help but fall in love with the Duncans. Ben and Ritchie’s blokey humour, the frank filthiness of all three women, and Clay’s sincerity not only show in the ensemble’s performances but also in Nathan Maynard’s writing. It’s an excellent debut with an autobiographical tone and he captures the yarns and family dynamic perfectly. Isaac Drandic’s direction is fluid and lyrical, and creates imagery larger than the stage. With the ongoing opinion mill at fever pitch, it was a treat to see an indigenous story for what it was; human, vulnerable and compassionate. Julian Ramundi
■ Theatre
WHICH WAY HOME Reviewed at Belvoir St Theatre on Saturday January 14 as part of Sydney Festival 2017 Along with another Sydney Festival show, The Season, Which Way Home is a funny and poignant dramedy showcasing indigenous family life. Written and performed by Katie Beckett, the semiautobiographical plot focuses on the relationship between single father and daughter.
on her mother’s death and questioning why they left their hometown afterwards that the stresses of being indigenous and a single parent surface. Flashbacks throughout show money struggles, the fear of his children being taken away and his keeping brave through it all.
Emily Barrie’s design is crafty, with a map of North Queensland as backdrop. A continuous stream of sand flows down from above as a metaphor for their time on the Earth as well as their relationship with it, which serves as an excellent device through the play.
On a road trip from Ipswich to the family’s original home in Lightning Ridge, Tash (Beckett) and her dad (Tony Briggs) banter like any father and adult daughter; she worries about his health, he cracks jokes, they sing and reminisce. But it’s in ruminating
There’s an excellent chemistry and playfulness between the two actors, which is a pleasure to watch, and the direction from Rachael Maza is straightforward and smooth, particularly when moving through various time frames.
This is a show built to tour across the country and it will find some resonance with audiences of all walks of life. The only criticism is that it could be just a little longer. Julian Ramundi thebrag.com
Which Way Home photo by Brett Boardman
I went to see The Season by coincidence on the same day MLA released its annual Australia Day lamb ad; our country both simultaneously proud and up in arms over the way our national holiday is represented, with indigenous suffering at the centre of its debate. Following a day spent in the online opinion vortex, a spirited indigenous family comedy was the last thing I expected to see, but it was reinvigorating.
Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...
ALBUM OF THE WEEK GABRIEL GARZÓN-MONTANO Jardín Stones Throw/Inertia
Brooklyn-based songwriter Gabriel Garzón-Montano has created an album that is truly weird, often dark and very, very affecting. There’s a sense of absolute conviction within its surgical editing: there are no uncertain musical choices or production ambivalence. Garzón-Montano has given himself no quarter to hide. Each note is absolute and the composition is truly amazing.
BONOBO Migration Ninja Tune/Inertia Bonobo’s sixth studio album is more or less exactly what you’d expect from the veteran British producer: an evocative, easy listening record that’s a pleasant journey from start to finish. Across most of its tracks, Migration builds on Simon Green’s fifth release The North Borders. In his typical downtempo style, he develops peaceful soundscapes, as heard in the title track and ‘Kerala’. Teaming up with Nick Murphy (FKA Chet Faker) for ‘No Reason’ has built some hype around the album, and the single ‘Break Apart’ with R&B duo Rhye will have wide appeal. But Green has thrown in some surprises for us this time around, too. ‘Outlier’ begins much like the rest with some soothing sounds, but it builds to an aggressive electronic beat – imagine the soundtrack that would accompany defeating a boss in a video game, and you’re on the right track. Meanwhile, the collab with Innov Gnawa on ‘Bambro Koyo Ganda’ is quite different altogether, adding a spectacular African flavour to Bonobo’s usual slow-moving beats. ‘Figures’ wraps it all up with a nod to Aussie producers Flight Facilities, using a subtle sampling of the vocals in ‘Why Do You Feel’.
The minimalist approach connects songs that should otherwise sound very disparate. The bright little piano trills and sleigh bells of ‘Fruitflies’ should have no business next to the soul club tango feel of ‘The Game’, but with nothing but simple synth lines, drums and vocals, it somehow comes together. The songwriting chops are without question here, but it’s the musical symbioses of Garzón-Montano and producer Henry Hirsch’s clean-cut mastering that really set Jardín apart. Shaun Cowe
CLOUD NOTHINGS
CODE ORANGE
Life Without Sound Carpark
Forever Roadrunner/Warner
Two-and-a-half years ago, Cloud Nothings released their peak achievement. It was called Here And Nowhere Else, and it was scrubbed, and it was scratchy, and it was nearperfect – a lean, melodic serving of everything they’d been trying to do for almost half a decade.
The follow-up to 2014’s I Am King and Code Orange’s first LP on metal label Roadrunner Records, Forever is a culmination of nine years of savagery. The method remains the same – ruthless metal-infused hardcore, laced with end-of-the-world electronic samples and, you bet, breakdowns for days.
But such success has evidently left the group in a tricky place. Understandably, too – it’s always hard to decide what you’re meant to do after the universe has served you a happily ever after. Life Without Sound was always going to be a step backwards, if only because Here And Nowhere Else left the group standing on the edge of a precipice. The choice was death or a diminishment. Not that Life Without Sound is bad by any stretch of the imagination. It’s just less, both in a practical and a thematic sense. Songs are much shorter, truncated down under the four-minute mark, and lyrics seem to point down rather than towards the sky as before. ‘Enter Entirely’, though relentlessly enjoyable, is almost slight, and even when choruses shine like pebbles, their lustre is oddly underwhelming.
Migration is Bonobo’s most polished release yet, and proof that he can still experiment with his highly developed style.
Ultimately, though never a complete disappointment, Life Without Sound is the sound of a very good band leaning backwards, flinching desperately away from success.
Erin Rooney
Joseph Earp
Previous efforts, Love Is Love/ Return To Dust and I Am King, although glorious in their own right, integrated electronic textures to jarring effect, often sacrificing album flow. Forever is a result of persistence and perseverance – a refinement of the Code Orange way. Title track and opener ‘Forever’ previews the demonic and confronting tracks to follow with textural blends that Code Orange have made their calling card, before crushing ear canals with dense production and blood red rage. The band’s token ballad – a breath of fresh air amidst the madness – ‘Bleeding In The Blur’ this time throws guitarist and vocalist Reba Meyers front and centre with clean vocals untainted by heavy use of reverb, unlike in the past. Code Orange have found the middle ground with this one – the gap between electronics and conventional instruments is reduced to a cohesive, abrasive double-edged sword.
THE XX I See You Young Turk/Remote Control
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“You’ve had faith in me / So I won’t shy away” croon Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim on the danceworthy ‘Dangerous’, indicating their newfound confi dence in a record that reiterates their turned leaf as often as possible. Just check the tracklist – ‘Brave For You’, ‘I Dare You’, ‘Test Me’; see the theme? There’s plenty of vintage xx in there for fans, with Sim battling his introversion in the echo chamber of ‘A Violent Noise’ and
FLO MORRISSEY & MATTHEW E. WHITE Gentlewoman, Ruby Man Liberator/Glassnote Cover records are, by their very nature, bizarre beasts. When too organised or extensive, they have a habit of feeling pointless – save an oddity like Ryan Adams’ 1989 project, there’s not always much reason one would listen to a song-by-song reworking of an album over the original – but without structure, they run the risk of appearing like a lazy, disorganised cash-grab. Gentlewoman, Ruby Man collides into the latter problem with all the grace of a drunkard stumbling into a cold brick wall. The album has no discernible through line: songs covered range from a woeful and cringeworthily overproduced take on Leonard Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’ to a downright odd attempt to bring new life to ‘Grease’, the hit from the musical of the same name. It’s a shame, because our key players are usually so damn likeable: Flo Morrissey is a rising talent with one exceptional album to her name, while Matthew E. White impressed with 2015’s Fresh Blood. But here they sound like warbling brats unhappy to share the same space, and their vocal performances jostle ungainly up and down the scales.
Heads will bang, fists will fly and teeth will be lost.
It’s ugly and it’s insulting and it’s ridiculous, but more than that, it’s flat out pointless. Behold: 2017’s first real stinker is here.
Aaron Streatfeild
Joseph Earp
INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK Opening with a triumphant fanfare of horns and a bassline fi t for the bedroom, this is not The xx you remember.
xxx
Jardín is a melancholy album, but an absolute must-have for modern soul collectors.
Jardín shouldn’t work. It’s so minimalist and slick it outstrips everything close to it. It’s almost too much itself: too precise, too stripped-back. Jardín’s bones lie exposed, flayed clean and desolate to the listener.
The album starts off with ‘Trial’, a short, ethereally mournful piece. Garzón-Montano’s lyricism is probably at its most honest and reflective here, and it’s one of the album’s most instrumentally full pieces, featuring a string section. We move on to the well-known ‘Sour Mango’ and back to Montano’s more mainstream songwriting decisions.
Croft serenading your inner ache alongside d elicate arpeggios in ‘Performance’. The bloom of Jamie xx’s production skills is as evident here as on In Colour, produced alongside I See You, and its infl uence is unmistakable.
YOU ME AT SIX Night People Liberator Night People is like a book with a great beginning and a great end – it’s just such an epic shame that the chapters in between are just ordinary fi ller blighting what could otherwise have been a powerful volume for You Me At Six. The opener and title track comes grumbling in with a catchy-ass riff and the appealingly dull and husky soar in vocals that we’ve come to expect from frontman Josh Franceschi – it’s a typically anthemic track for You Me At Six, but a strong one. This and closer ‘Give’, a softly sweeping sigh of anguish and heartache, are the only truly great songs on this release. The rest is unremarkable. There’s really nothing to grab you, and for a band on its fi fth studio release, it’s a let-down that so much momentum should result in something so fl at. Night People sees the heavy fi nds some balance with the softer side, but with only a couple of worthy additions to the You Me At Six catalogue, you may be better off hunting down their single versions. Anna Wilson
OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week... CLIENT LIAISON - Diplomatic Immunity THE COMET IS COMING - Channel The Spirits THE CURE - Disintegration
The world’s most introverted rock band has taken an audacious step out of the shadows, and set foot on solid ground. I See You is this year’s party album for staying at home, and after four years on hold, it’s what The xx needed as much as we did.
SLØTFACE - Empire Records SOHN - Rennen
David Molloy
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BARS BRAG
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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
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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 Bulletin Place First Floor, 10-14 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thurs – Sat 4pm-1am; Sun 4-10pm
Tell us about your bar: The inspiration to open a bar in Newtown came to Nash, Sylvie and Cristian when they bar-hopped through America in 2008. In 2012 they opened Newtown’s neighbourhood bar named after the American Delta Blues legend Leadbelly’s version of the song ‘Midnight Special’. Locally brewed tap beer, wine, cocktails and tinnies are on offer. Berbisey, the eatery, is run by chef Tristan Suchaut and is offering delicious homemade European-inspired fare. Take a seat at the bar and chat to the friendly bar staff or kick back in one of the booths with friends while listening to anything from Abner Jay to Sonic Youth and on any given night some of the best live music this country has to offer. What’s on the menu? Drinks-wise, we get a lot of great
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Burrow Bar De Mestre Place, Sydney 0450 466 674 Tue – Sun 4pm-midnight 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
24 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
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 :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 25
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live reviews What we’ve been out to see...
REFUSED, HIGH TENSION, SICK OF IT ALL Enmore Theatre Saturday January 21
“Music has to be a place of hope,” announced Refused frontman Dennis Lyxzén, proud and articulate in one of the night’s many abstracted political speeches. Being the night of Trump’s inauguration, the room seethed with anger, but so many more emotions beneath the tattooed skin – solidarity, kinship, passion and that one crucial thing Lyxzén implored us to keep high: hope.
REGURGITATOR
the track.
“This next one’s a more upbeat song about heroin,” announced Quan Yeoman, leading into ‘Run Run Run’ and capturing the vibe of a surreal evening in Sydney Festival’s Spiegeltent.
What strange circumstances must have led to this moment. Whomever came up with this outlandish crossover, though, must have been onto something – the crowd, skewing older but with a broad array of demographics, soaked it all up with glee.
Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent Tuesday January 17
Pub favourites and national treasures Regurgitator used the slot to revisit a one-off performance at the National Gallery of Victoria, a commissioned work where they retrofitted the Chinese guzheng (a stringed instrument) into an otherwise straight-laced cover of iconic rock album The Velvet Underground & Nico. Joined by regular collaborator Seja Vogel (channeling Nico with eerie accuracy) and guzheng player Mindy Meng Wang, Quan, partner in crime Ben Ely and drummer Peter Kostic recreated the record with care, passion and their signature tongue-in-cheek attitude. “It sounds like I’m up here trying to spruik drugs to you,” said Ely, in the midst of a surprising preamble for ‘Heroin’ where he admitted to having used the titular substance. “I had a bad break-up, in my defence,” he added, before diving into a rousing rendition of
The ’Gurge’s efforts to reinterpret and reappropriate the record were the most rewarding moments, including ‘Fitter Happier’-style synth vocals for ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ and scattered guzheng solos. Sadly, the Spiegeltent’s audio mix meant that instrument, the most unique addition to the set, was often lost under distortion, devaluing Meng Wang’s fascinating contribution. ’Gurge fans unfamiliar with The Velvet Underground were truly spoiled – it was a real treat to hear ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ live, a track Ely called “relentless”. ‘Venus In Furs’, naturally, proved a highlight of the evening, as the band displayed uncommon restraint in bringing it to life.
Veterans Sick Of It All were hugely anticipated, and delivered on their 30 years of hardcore with bruising consistency. As Pete Koller wheeled and roundhouse-kicked his way through the set, brother Lou screamed his face off across a huge, hour-long showing. There’s something fresh and distinctive about their New York punk, even this deep into their career, and the gathering maelstrom of the pit consumed their energy greedily, especially when they
Then came Refused. Though a younger band than Sick Of It All – even referencing the latter’s influen e on them as teenagers – their musicality is on a whole other plane. Every track has the precision of jazz, the fury of hardcore, the danceability of punk and the power of a rally. In between slamming out classics (‘Rather Be Dead’), party-starters (‘The Refused Party Program’) and newcomers (‘Old Friends / New War’), the band gave Lyxzén time to speak to a crowd longing for his insight. Calmly, rationally and succinctly, Lyxzén lifted us up; he spoke of his pride in the “subculture we partake in”, the importance of our passion and our respect for each other, and the necessity for action against economic inequality leading to the rise of populism. Then David Sandström, Kristofer Steen and Magnus Flagge crashed into ‘Elektra’, setting off the best mosh pit this reviewer has seen in years. Arms flailed, bodies fl w left and right, and there was no fear, no hate. The number of women in the pit stood testament to everything Utomo had called for; everything that Lyxzén had held aloft in his rallying cry for men to be feminists. As Lyxzén paraded his sharp, unbridled dance moves, we too felt liberated. This was the frequency they spoke of 20 years ago. We’ve found the motion, we’re enjoying the right moves. Now it’s time to lead. Refused Are Fucking Alive. David Molloy
Hammer down and high fading, the crowd drifted away to all tomorrow’s parties, along with the spirits conjured by this most unusual seance. David Molloy
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
26 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
The night cracked open as Melbourne metalheads High Tension took to the stage, and the moment frontwoman Karina Utomo turns her furious glare on you, you shut up and listen. Leaping into the fray and starting her own personal circle pit, Utomo was quickly ringed by fans eagerly accepting the mic from her and screaming along. The pit felt symbolic, given Utomo’s boxing ring attire and her readiness to fi ht against the kind of thuggish mosh pit behaviour that was fortunately not on display tonight.
dropped the first song they ever wrote, ‘The Blood & The Sweat’.
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
thebrag.com
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS ICC Sydney Theatre Friday January 20
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ new album Skeleton Tree is a sad study in what happens when tragedy comes knocking at the door of a tortured artist. In the accompanying film One More Time With Feeling, we experience this tragedy and this music intimately, sitting by Cave’s side as he works through the stages of grief following the death of his teenage son Arthur. Tonight, we sit in an arena-sized theatre complete with cup holders on our seats, and observe tragedy from afar. Except tragedy is far from the overwhelming sentiment at Cave’s return Sydney show. Bravery is not the word either, though this soul-baring album only landed in September, and is hardly the kind of music suited to arenas. From the moment Cave and his seven Bad Seeds step onstage, this is a triumph; a triumph despite it all.
AMANDA PALMER Sydney Opera House Saturday January 21
Amanda Palmer is one of those artists who inspires a devout and colourful following, and onstage at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, stripped back to nothing but piano, uke and voice (and a giant glittering clitoris sculpture, the Glitoris), she delivered what was frankly one of the best gigs I’ve seen in some time. I happened to catch Palmer a handful of times up at the Woodford Folk Festival, where she shone, but nothing like what we were treated to in Sydney. At every show you hope for those moments where a song somehow manages to both electrify you and leave you rooted to the spot in awe; here, that was almost every song. It began with Brendan Maclean (in a rather marvellous frock) providing a ukulele version of ‘Stupid’; we would see him again throughout the night, most emotionally in a duet cover of John Grant’s ‘Glacier’ following his account of a rather ugly encounter he experienced with an attendee at Woodford. Given the popularity of Palmer’s own ‘Ukulele Anthem’ (which indeed concluded the night), it seemed fitting that the set was littered with uke numbers. Energetic though they were, it was when she sat at the piano, glass
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC IN THE PARK 2017 Bicentennial Park Saturday January 21
A celebration of joie de vivre – the exuberant enjoyment of life – is not precisely how I would describe most music festivals. Often the experience is somewhere between an hour-long wait outside a muddy portaloo flooded with (at best) unidentifiable liquids and having your feet repeatedly stomped by what appears to be an eight-foot goth wrestler as you lose the will to live completely. So it was strange to be in the middle of a
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of wine and raconteur smile at the ready, that the night truly soared. On the opposite side of the harbour Nick Cave was playing, and several Cave references and impressions found their way into the performance. Indeed, in addition to the actual songs, a significant part of the evening saw Palmer reflecting on the everyday foibles of her life now with an infant son and wonderfully odd husband (Neil Gaiman, who made a very moving guest appearance to recite Leonard Cohen’s ‘Democracy’ as Palmer accompanied gently on piano). Her conversation is hilarious, though in truth, I felt the continued encouragement for audiences to support her on Patreon – worthwhile though that may be – a bit much after a while.
There are some 8,000 fans in this new Sydney music venue, yet Cave gets up close and personal almost immediately. He casts a demonic figure as he bellows ‘Higgs Boson Blues’ at his disciples
in the front rows, while the industrial hammerfist of ‘From Her To Eternity’ is felt right up in the bleachers. From ‘Anthrocene’ and ‘Jubilee Street’ to set highpoints ‘The Mercy Seat’ and ‘Stagger Lee’, the songs depart significantly from their studio versions. It’s a wonder that it all manages to stay on course, but that much is owed to Warren Ellis and Marty Casey, the respective multi-instrumentalist and bass player, who are in particularly fine form tonight. Elsewhere, Cave suggests a singalong for ‘Into My Arms’, but the crowd seems happier to stand back and see where he’ll take it himself. No surprises there: Cave is eminently watchable, and whenever he’s not at the piano, he’s almost certain to be found in front of the stage and down at the barrier. After ‘People Ain’t No Good’, Cave casts a doubt on his introverted younger self – people “have improved”, he jokes – and he’s the first to wave a gracious goodbye after ‘Push The Sky Away’, while the band vamps its way to the final note. It’s impossible to predict where Cave might go from here, but the magic is as present as ever. Chris Martin
But the songs, Jim! The songs! ‘CoinOperated Boy’ was there of course – I’d forgotten just how much I enjoy that bridge. ‘The Killing Type’ was an early and energetic audience favourite, though for my money, the clear stand-out in an evening of exceptional performances was the spellbinding ‘Ampersand’. Other cover songs wove their way into the show – Regina Spektor’s ‘Uh-Merica’ and a darkly earnest ‘Cat’s In The Cradle’. But it was Palmer’s own material that made the night what it was. From the heartbreaking ‘The Bed Song’ to the raucous ‘Map Of Tasmania’, it was a concert few will soon forget. Adam Norris
music festival holding a plate of cheese and swaying calmly to what I’d affectionately describe as hip elevator music. Imagine a family barbecue, except that your family are cool French professionals in boat shoes, and not screaming at each other about burnt sausages. The sun was shining, I could see the Harbour Bridge and everyone was saying “excuse me!” and “merci”. There was a stand where you could get your hair braided. Children were – no word of a lie – frolicking. The Limiñanas are apparently France’s answer to The Bad Seeds. I am not so sure – there were elements of spaghetti Western, film scores and pop weaved throughout their set. Also, it featured probably the coolest
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
ukulele riff on the planet. At one point during an extended jam, there were three guitars, one bass and the uke making a wall of noise. The idea between sets was to eat as much cheese as possible. There was a stand selling something called haute dogs, which appeared to be hot dogs with very fancy mustards. I had a tricolour macaron that I am still dreaming about, and waited almost 40 minutes in line for a salted caramel icecream. By the time Nouvelle Vague arrived (whose name I can’t pronounce despite seven years of French lessons), the very cool crowd had apparently consumed enough champagne
to stand up and have a dance. This French cover band gives new wave a bossa nova twist – imagine Joy Division, except Ian Curtis is a French woman, and they mainly play weddings – in a thoroughly enjoyable way. Finishing things off was Deluxe, with a highenergy set that sat somewhere between pop and funk, complete with sax and the occasional record scratch. They started out as buskers and have worked their way up over ten years to headlining festivals. It was a delightful mess of sound, and one that had entire families dancing happily – a fitting end to a fun, cheesy day. Emily Meller
BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 27
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VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT
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up all night out all week . . .
live reviews What we’ve been out to see...
PJ HARVEY
ICC Sydney Theatre Sunday January 22
PICS :: AM
alexisonfire
12 hours before PJ Harvey took to the stage in Sydney, neo-Nazi and so-called ‘Karl Marx of the right’ Richard Spencer was being punched in the head. The incident caused an almost immediate outburst of hand-wringing from the left, and the relative merit of beating up fascists was quickly debated and discussed online. Ultimately, the question circulating was thus: is it acceptable for those resisting conservatism to co-opt the violence and militarism more often favoured by fascists? Or is such extremism merely a way of playing into the hands of those in power?
19:01:17 :: Hordern Pavilion:: 1 Driver Ave Moore Park 9921 5333
Harvey, it seems, has no time for such questions. Or at least, if she had them, they were resolved in her mind a long time ago. Entering stage right accompanied by marching drummers, and dressed in black, she was every inch the general; a vision of political might, armed with a glinting saxophone. This was not a protest singer playing balladeer, or a hippie Dylan type with a flower tucked behind one ear and nylon-string perched upon crossed legs. Harvey’s stance was of a conqueror, and her near-impeccable performance profited from a not inconsiderable jolt of stylised aggression.
the iron-clad tracks that make up her newest record The Hope Six Demolition Project, though by the time the night was done her entire back catalogue had been mined. Her face stony, she fired off bolstering track after bolstering track, the vicious tunes given new life by a highly trained backing band clad also in uniform black. The banter, as ever with Harvey, was non-existent, with the exception of a one-by-one introduction to her fellow musicians that felt as precise as a roll call. The humanity and life were in the songs themselves – though admittedly, the presiding theme of the evening was pain. As ‘The Ministry Of Social Affairs’ careened into ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’, Harvey’s outrage became almost corporeal, and her waved, stunted gestures seemed like the flailing of someone too angry to speak. It ended with a fade to silence, the brooding and brutal ‘Is This Desire?’ crushing the audience down to ankle height and leaving an oddly thrilling sense of unfinished business thick in the room. Nobody seemed to relax – nobody seemed capable of it. And on the buses and trains home, clenched fists sat in laps, as precise and bone-hard as one of Harvey’s songs. Joseph Earp
weyes blood
PICS :: AM
Appropriately, the setlist heavily favoured
19:01:17 :: Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent :: Hyde Park 28 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR
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g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
pick of the week Kev Carmody
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 Victoria Park, Camperdown
Yabun Festival 2017
Kev Carmody + Warren H Williams & Dani Young + Marlene Cummins + more 10am. Free. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Mike Love + Bobby Alu Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $21. The Groovemeisters Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10. Wailing Wednesdays Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Aurora Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $54.90. Car Seat Headrest + Jarrow Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $39.90. Glass Animals thebrag.com
Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $74.55. Hunch + Scabz Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free. Karaoke Wednesdays Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 10pm. Free. Mark Crotti The Bourbon, Potts Point. 5:30pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Alice Terry Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:45pm. Free. Manouche Wednesdays - feat: Gadjo Guitars Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Michael Dimarco Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free.
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 JAZZ, SOUL,
FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Eastern Empire Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:45pm. Free. John Maddox Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Jr’s Jazz Jam B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Kool Vibration & Friends Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Live Jazz And Blues The Long Goodbye, Darlinghurst. 5pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
AJ Dyce Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 1pm. Free. Blake Tailor Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club, 11am. Free. Blake Wiggins Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free.
Cath & Him Balgowlah RSL, Seaforth. 7pm. Free. Clive Hay Cronulla RSL, Cronulla. 12pm. Free. Crossroad Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 12pm. Free. Dave Anthony Horse & Jockey Hotel, Homebush. 2pm. Free. Dave Mcmaster Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 7pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith The Sackville Hotel, Rozelle. 4pm. Free. Elevate Duo Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 2pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 6:30pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Trio Peachtree Hotel, Penrith. 1pm. Free. Jed Zarb Penrith Panthers, Penrith. 6pm. Free. Lesion MiniFestival - feat: Head In A Jar + Purenvy + Grill + Chud + Infested Entrails Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $15. Michael Gorham Duo The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 1pm. Free. Stephanie Lea Jamison Hotel, Penrith. 4pm. Free. Sunday Sundown feat: The Bamboos + Winston Surfshirt The Newport, Newport. 2:35pm. Free. Ted Nash The Bourbon, Potts Point. 5:30pm. Free. The Vanns + Elwood Myre Hotel Steyne, Manly. 7pm. Free. Yabun Festival feat: Kev Carmody + Warren H Williams & Dani Young + Vic Simms + Marlene Cummins + Rochelle Pitt + Lucky Luke + Oka + Loren-Jade Ryan + Salt Lake Band Victoria Park, Camperdown. 10am. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Acoustic Grooves Florida Beach Bar, Terrigal. 1pm. Free. Benj Axwell Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 4:30pm. Free. Harbourview Hulabaloo - feat: Zack Martin + Guests Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 7pm. Free. Jared Baca Allawah Hotel, Sydney. 4:30pm. Free. Michael Fryar Padstow Park Hotel, Padstow. 1pm. Free. Michael Fryar Figtree Hotel, Figtree. 6pm. Free. Ricardo Steyer Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free.
FRIDAY JANUARY 27 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Gawurra Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 5:30pm. $30. Joe West B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Klub Koori - feat: Stanley ‘Gawurra’ Gaykamangu Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 5:30pm. $30.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Betty & Oswald + Bin Juice Hotel Steyne Manly, Manly. 7pm. Free. Binalong Road Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9pm. Free. Blake Tailor Club Central, Hurstville. 5pm. Free. Cath & Him Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill. 8pm. Free. Crossroad Coolibah Hotel, Merrylands. 8:30pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith Engadine Bowling Club, Engadine. 8pm. Free. Everyday People Band Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8:30pm. Free. Funk Engine Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. Georgia June The Hideaway Bar, Enmore. 7pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm. Free. Glenn Esmond Trio Marlborough Hotel, Newtown. 11pm. Free. Heads Of Charm Waywards, Newtown. 7pm. Free. Jack Colwell Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17. Jimmy Mann The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Jordie Lane Seymour Centre, Chippendale. 6pm. Free. LJ Panania Diggers, Panania. 8pm. Free. Los Tones Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:45pm. Free. Owen Rabbit The Record Crate, Glebe. 8pm. $15.30. Panic! At The Disco Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 8pm. $90.74. Passenger Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.90. Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos + Kev Carmody Taronga Zoo, Mosman. 6pm.
$80.95. Red Bull Sound Select - feat: Bec Sandridge + Jack Grace + Kelsey Lu Paddington Uniting Church, Paddington. 7pm. $10. Seattle Sound Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 9pm. Free. Soundproofed St Marys Rugby Leagues Club, St Marys. 9pm. Free. Ted Nash Clovelly Hotel, Clovelly. 4:30pm. Free. Ted Nash Trio Coogee Beach, Coogee. 12am. Free. The Front Bottoms The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 8pm. $49. Thunderstruck AC/DC Show + Shadowboxer Angels Tribute Toongabbie Sports And Bowling Club, Toongabbie. 8pm. Free. Wafi a St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney. 7pm. $40.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Adrian Joseph Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Benj Axwell Duo The Bourbon, Potts Point. 6pm. Free. Emad Younan Sappho Books, Cafe And Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free. Michael Dimarco Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 3pm. Free. Zac Coombs Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.
SATURDAY JANUARY 28 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Animal Ventura Hotel Steyne, Manly. 6pm. Free. Finnland + Gerard Masters The Sound Lounge, Chippendale. 8pm. $25. Geoff Power Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. Free. Lubomyr Melnyk City Recital Hall, Sydney. 8pm. $50. The Comet Is Coming Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $40. The Old School Funk Band Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 12:30pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Adrian Joseph Duo The Bourbon, Potts Point. 7:30pm. Free. Dori Freeman St Stephen’s Uniting
Church, Sydney. 7pm. $40. Michael Fryar Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 4:30pm. Free. Songsonstage - feat: Lance Aligiannis + Merilyn Steele + Guests Orange Grove Hotel, Lilyfi eld . 7pm. Free. The Heavenly Light Quartet The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 6pm. $20. Zac Coombs Panania Hotel, Panania. 8pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Abbalanche - The Australian ABBA Tribute Show Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7:30pm. $22. AJ Dyce Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 6pm. Free. Amy Winehouse Experience North Bondi RSL, Bondi North. 8pm. Free. Bad Day Out 4 - feat: Straight Arrows + Spod + Death Bells + Shady Nasty + White Dog + Shrapnel + Imperial Broads + Body Type + Shearin’ + Gauci + Georgia Mulligan Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham. 1pm. $22.50. Beatworx Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free. Blake Tailor Plough & Harrow, Camden. 8pm. Free. Blake Wiggins Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 8pm. Free. Dave Anthony Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 3pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free. Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free. Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons + The Sports Taronga Zoo, Mosman. 6pm. $74.95. JP Project Clovelly Hotel, Clovelly. 5pm. Free. LJ Crossways Hotel, 8pm. Free. Los Tones Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:45pm. Free. Michael Gorham Red Cow Inn, Penrith. 3pm. Free. Michael Gorham Engadine Bowling Club, Engadine. 8pm. Free. Nothing Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $35.60. Old Mate’s Block Party - feat: The Lockhearts + The Stiffys + Borneo + The Persian
Drugs + Twin Fires + Uptown Ace + Private Function + The Sweet Jelly Rolls + The Bitter Sweethearts + The Bottlers + Wolves In Fashion + Moon + Kvlts Of Vice + DJ Goggles Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 12:30pm. $25. Passenger Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.90. Peter Gabrielides Buckley’s Bar, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. Free. Social Dance (Blues) - feat: The Squeezebox Trio Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free. Soundbird Penrith RSL, Penrith. 9pm. Free. Soundproofed Oatley Hotel, Oatley. 8pm. Free. Spit Roasting Bibbers The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free. Ted Nash Peachtree Hotel, Penrith. 6:30pm. Free. The Wildbloods + Fence Sitter + Paravelle + Heart Of Mind Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 7pm. $10.
SUNDAY JANUARY 29 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Dave Tice B.e.d., Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. Soul Of Sydney Hyde Park, Sydney. 12pm. Free. Sunday Collective Secret Garden Bar, Enmore. 5pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Blake Tailor Northies Cronulla Hotel, Sydney. 6pm. Free. Blake Wiggins Wentworth Hotel, Homebush West. 2pm. Free. Celebrating David Bowie - feat: Bernard Fanning + Sarah Blasko + Paul Dempsey + Chris Cheney Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7pm. $160. Cumbiamuffin Meriton Festival Village, Sydney. 6:30pm. Free. Dave Tice Trio + Ross Ward + Jim Finn B.E.D., Glebe . 6pm. Free. Dean Michael Smith The Rivo Hotel, Riverstone. 4pm. Free. Dwayne Elix Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. Free. Evie Dean Northies Cronulla Hotel, Sydney. 1pm.
BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17 :: 29
g g guide gig g
gig picks
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Free. God Of Wealth Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8pm. Free. JJ Hausia The Push Bar, The Rocks. 5pm. Free. Kieran Wicks Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 4pm. Free. Mark Crotti Bellevue Hotel, Paddington. 2pm. Free. Michael Gorham The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free. Michael Gorham Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 6pm. Free. Paul Hayward And His Sidekicks Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham. 5pm. Free. Peter Gabrielides Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 3:30pm. Free. Raoul Graf Coolibah Hotel, Merrylands. 1pm. Free. Ride For Rain + Fit Bird + Viral Eyes + For The Dearly Beloved Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $10. Stephanie Lea Greengate Hotel, Killara. 2pm. Free. Steve Crocker The Bourbon, Potts Point. 12:30pm. Free. The Bats
Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 5pm. $40. The Emma & Lachy Tour Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 9:30am. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Panania Diggers, Panania. 12pm. Free. Vanessa Heinitz Observer Hotel, The Rocks. 6:30pm. Free.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
Acoustic Sessions Buena Vista Hotel, Mosman. 2pm. Free. Adrian Joseph Duo 4 Pines Brewing Company, Manly. 5:30pm. Free. Benj Axwell Moorebank Sports Club, Hammondville. 2pm. Free. Matt Gresham Old Manly Boatshed, Manly. 6:30pm. $10. Nat James Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7:30pm. Free. The Tav’s Blues Party - feat: Ward’s Xpress + Nick Murray + 3kings Castle Hill Tavern, Castle Hill. 12pm. Free.
up all night out all week... Circular Quay. 8:30pm. $6.
MONDAY JANUARY 30
TUESDAY JANUARY 31
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK
John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Adam Anderson + Kenneth D’Aran + Peter Gee + Paul Ward + Ju Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm. Free.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
Panic! At The Disco
Celebrating David Bowie - feat: Bernard Fanning + Sarah Blasko + Paul Dempsey + Chris Cheney Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7pm. $160. Frankie’s World Famous House Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Married Man + Cakewalk + Abigail & Daisy Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $17. The Monday Jam The Basement,
Martha Tilston Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. $28.60. Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Chris Brookes + Pauline Sparkle Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill. 7:30pm. Free. Songsonstage - feat: Stuart Jammin + Jenny Hume + Guests Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm. Free.
The Front Bottoms The Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt. 8pm. $49. Wafia St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney. 7pm. $40.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Bucket Lounge Presents (Live & Original) Mr Falcon’s, Glebe. 7pm. Free. Cath & Him Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 5pm. Free. Jed Zarb Heritage Hotel, Wilberforce. 7:30pm. Free.
SATURDAY JANUARY 28
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25
Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 5:30pm. $30.
Bad Day Out 4 - Feat: Straight Arrows + Spod + Death Bells + Shady Nasty + White Dog + Shrapnel + Imperial Broads + Body Type + Shearin’ + Gauci + Georgia Mulligan Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham. 1pm. $22.50.
Aurora Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $54.90.
Jack Colwell Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17.
Lubomyr Melnyk City Recital Hall, Sydney. 8pm. $50.
Car Seat Headrest + Jarrow Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $39.90.
Jordie Lane Seymour Centre, Chippendale. 6pm. Free.
The Comet Is Coming Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 7:30pm. $40.
Owen Rabbit The Record Crate, Glebe. 8pm. $15.30.
Dori Freeman St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney. 7pm. $40.
Glass Animals Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $74.55. Mike Love + Bobby Alu Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $21.
FRIDAY JANUARY 27 Betty & Oswald + Bin Juice Hotel Steyne Manly, Manly. 7pm. Free.
fri
wed
(5:00PM - 8:00PM)
25 Jan
27 Jan
(10:00PM - 1:40AM)
(10:00PM - 1:40AM)
Gawurra
SATURDAY AFTERNOON (9:00PM - 12:00AM)
sat
5:45PM 8:45PM
28
(12:00PM - 3:00PM)
26 Jan
(4:30PM - 7:30PM)
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
Party DJs 28 Jordan
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
Marine bar
11:30PM 3:00AM
Jan
30 :: BRAG :: 697 :: 25:01:17
3:30PM 6:30PM
Morgo in the Atrium
10:00PM 2:00AM
(7:30PM - 10:30PM)
Old Mate’s Block Party - Feat: The Lockhearts + The Stiffys + Borneo + The Persian Drugs + Twin Fires + Uptown Ace + Private Function + The Sweet Jelly Rolls + The Bitter Sweethearts + The Bottlers + Wolves In Fashion + Moon + Kvlts Of Vice + DJ Goggles Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 12:30pm. $25.
Celebrating David Bowie - Feat: Bernard Fanning + Sarah Blasko + Paul Dempsey + Chris Cheney Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7pm. $160.
sun
29
Red Bull Sound Select - Feat: Bec Sandridge + Jack Grace + Kelsey Lu Paddington Uniting
Nothing Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $35.60.
Dori Freeman
The Bats Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Sydney. 5pm. $40.
thebrag.com
Dori Freeman photo by Zeno Gill
in the
Jan
Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos + Kev Carmody Taronga Zoo, Mosman. 6pm. $80.95.
SUNDAY JANUARY 29
sat
JAY
Passenger Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.90.
Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons + The Sports Taronga Zoo, Mosman. 6pm. $74.95.
The Wildbloods + Fence Sitter + Paravelle + Heart Of Mind Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 7pm. $10.
Jan
(10:00PM - 1:15AM)
thu
Panic! At The Disco Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 8pm. $90.74.
Wafia photo by Clare Wakeford
$6 Melbourne Bitter cans
Church, Paddington. 7pm. $10.
Wafia
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
brag beats
on the pulse club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Brandon John, Harriet Flitcroft and David Burley
Norman Jay MBE
Cosmo’s Midnight
COSMO PHONES HOME
Sydney dance duo Cosmo’s Midnight will fill the dancefloor at the first Mona Saturdays of February 2017. Presented by the Mona Vale Hotel in conjunction with Northern Beaches brands Barney Cools, Aloe Swimwear and Escape Sundays, there’ll be three massive stages plus pop-up stores and giveaways running all night long. Joining Cosmo’s Midnight on the epic music lineup are Yolanda Be Cool and Roland Tings (DJ set), plus a whole host of local party-starters. Plus there’ll be XXXX Bright Summer Bright buckets of four for $20, and $10 cocktails from 9-11pm. The event takes over Mona Vale Hotel on Saturday February 4.
HEAPS GAY STREET PARTY
Ngaiire, No Zu and Broadway Sounds lead the charge for the Heaps Gay Street Party in Marrickville this February. Having just picked up the FBi Radio SMAC award for Best Live Event, Heaps Gay wasted no time celebrating by announcing another huge lineup. Fellow SMAC winner Ngaiire tops the impressive bill, which also includes party-starters No Zu and Broadway Sounds and a host of other live acts, DJs, artists and performers, including drag crew Gang Of She.
It’s all being supported by the City of Marrickville and Southern Comfort, and should make for a great time as all the streets are shut down in colourful fashion. It all happens on Garden Street, Marrickville on Saturday February 12.
ANOTHER SUMMER DANCE
The second instalment of Summer Dance for 2017 will feature a lineup of local artists to celebrate the season and Australian talent, as Astral People collaborate with V Movement, FBi Click and Thump.
Fresh from Melbourne, Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda will headline, bringing their electic jazzydisco funk sounds to the stage. The three-piece have emerged from Sutherland’s solo project and slice boogie into dance classics. CC:Disco! has secured her place on the dance scene after playing her weekly Friday night show on Melbourne’s PBS 106.FM; she has brought her electrifying sets to the Falls and Golden Plains festivals and toured across North America. Also getting dancers moving will be Ben Fester, The Possé, Haiku
Hermitude
AFTER THE ISLAND
The Island Live has locked in an official afterparty for its February event. The sold-out gig on Sydney Harbour will be followed up with a massive DJ set on solid ground from Norman Jay MBE, supported by Simon Caldwell and Stephen Ferris. All through the holiday period each year, The Island Live has been providing epic summer vibes, with acts like Alison Wonderland, What So Not, Hayden James and Cosmo’s Midnight bringing gigs to the iconic floating beach club. Now the organisers have announced that the February event will kick on from 9pm until late at Oxford Art Factory on Friday February 10.
Thompson and Rydeen. Summer Dance returns on Sunday February 19 at the National Art School.
SUNDAY SOCIAL KICKS OFF
There’s nothing like a good Sunday session, and now The Argyle will be one of Sydney’s go-to party destinations to see out the
weekends. Every Sunday, The Argyle is hosting its Sunday Social, with food and drink specials, free entry, and the best in R&B and hip hop from the ’90s, ’00s and ’10s. Expect music from the likes of K-Time, Helena Ellis, Lavida and Melkior, with more names to be added. Sunday Social is happening every Sunday evening for the rest of 2017.
Barac
MANTRA GOES UNDERGROUND HERMITUDE ON THE BEACH
The Australian Open of Surfing at Manly Beach has unveiled a massive music lineup for its 2017 event. Aussie electronic icons Hermitude will headline the first of two concerts on the beachfront in March – and best of all, entry is completely free. Hermitude will be supported on the MTV Stage by WA producer Elk Road, with the gig happening on Saturday March 4. The Sunday March 5 concert will double as the closing night of the Australian Open of Surfing for the year, with the lineup to be announced soon. The 2017 Australian Open runs in Manly from Saturday February 25 – Sunday March 5.
Bare Essentials and Mantra Collective are teaming up to throw an underground party with a huge lineup. The party is being headlined by Barac, one of Romania’s most accomplished producers, and East End Dubs from the UK. The two international acts will be backed up by a bunch of local talent with Mantra Collective, Persian Rug, Mike Watts, Tyson, A.Lias and more all set to play on the night. While the location still remains a mystery, we know the event will be on Saturday February 11 from 4pm. xxx
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FEATURE
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
on the pulse club, dance and hip hop in brief...
five things WITH
VINTAGÉ AND VEAZAH FROM VXV
Tourist U And Me By Ben Potter
T
here’s a great deal of modesty in the music world today. Gone are the days of a Grammy win being the pinnacle for many artists, with most of them instead becoming increasingly focused on the quality of music they make available to the world. That said, you’d be hard-pressed to name an artist who wouldn’t find winning a prestigious award as somewhat life-affirming – a testament to their hard work slaving away in a bedroom for years, hoping to inspire the world with their own brand of music.
Growing Up Vintagé: I grew up in a 1. household where all kinds of genres
of music were played daily. Both my parents were musos; Dad played guitar and Mum sang. My childhood affected me as a musician today because of the amount of love our household and family had for music. Veazah: When I was eight, I stumbled upon my dad’s ’80s Hits double album; I’m 100 per cent sure this was not a fluke. My mum used to sing and play guitar around the house and my older sis used to listen to all kinds of music in the ’90s so I’ve got them both to thank.
from day one. The retro sound is exclusively between the two of us for now, as seen on our first EP, The Gift, and a second one on its way. The Music You Make Veazah: Retro synthpop 4. infused with soulful R&B chords.
All of our tunes were recorded in my little bedroom-style studio. Expect major energy and a huge throwback to the sounds that once dominated the industry back in the ’80s. Vintagé and I have the same philosophy of doing something different, but relevant enough to make our way onto people’s playlists.
Inspirations Vintagé: Michael Jackson, for 2. Music, Right Here, Right his passion, skill and perseverance Now 5. which played a huge part in his Veazah: Let’s be honest, Aussie musicality and career.
Veazah: Definitely MJ. He influenced the foundation of my sound and style as a developing artist. Big ups to my sis for buying the HIStory album for me for my seventh birthday.
music is blowing up big time! We’ve got the internet to thank for putting us on the world map. I can’t speak on behalf of every muso, but for us personally, it’s the block on writing and producing. I’ve been finding myself in Surry Hills when I’m in need of some amazing local talent.
Your Band Vintagé: We’ve known each other since childhood, so it was only natural to team up and form the duo, VXV. Our chemistry and love for music connected us
What: Hottest 100 Party With: L-Fresh The Lion, Olympia, Froyo and more Where: Parramatta Park When: Thursday January 26
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For William Phillips, better known as UK electronic producer Tourist, the dream that never really was a dream became his reality in 2015, when he picked up a Grammy for a songwriting contribution to Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’, easily one of the biggest tracks of the previous year. Although Phillips can appreciate the prestige of such an incredible feat, he talks about it with ultimate modesty. “I think either you assign a great deal of meaning to that, or you assign very little meaning because you can’t deal with it,” he says. “I don’t really know which one I kind of sit with, but I don’t ultimately put it on display or covet it – that would probably make me a bit of a dick anyway. I just went into the studio one day, wrote some chords and the people around me put the song together. I just put it in those simple terms because that’s exactly how it happened. I mean, no one really cares if I have a Grammy. Music to me is much more exciting than that.” But for someone so humble, Phillips can agree that he came along at the right time in the world for electronic music. Being active since 2009, and after releasing a hefty number of EPs and singles, Tourist finally broke through last year with his album U, an accessible record of sombre thematics and a representation
of a breakdown within a troubled relationship. Phillips says the emotional weight of the album is not only important to himself, but to the listeners as well, and he hopes to explore it more in the future. “I think that’s my job, really. I like feeling responsible for that. Maybe my next record will feature things I regret, and I think the biggest lesson I learnt from my last record is not treating the listener like a kid. I don’t have to spell it out for them that I was in a relationship, but I think my intentions were always pure. But yeah, that’s extremely important of writing music. I always want my music to make other people feel how I felt at the time of writing. To make someone feel something, that’s special. “As for live instrumentation, I mean, sure!” he adds. “It’s very prevalent in a lot of the recent stuff I’ve been doing that no one’s heard yet. [I’m] really excited to get that out as soon as possible.” While U is ultimately an electronic album littered with samples and synths that Phillips himself says were inspired by the music present in his subconscious from his teenage years, the goal was to create something new and completely toss himself into the unknown. Phillips believes that for any musician, putting yourself into an awkward position is the best way to encourage creativity. “I do try and experiment a lot with samples and sounds but then also tempo,” he says. “I mean, I don’t really think about electronic music, I just try and make sounds. I don’t even think about where it’s going to be played or who’s listening to it. The way I see it is if you’re a DJ or a producer, you’ll instantly make a track with the assumption that it will be played at the club, so it happens to immediately define so much of what you’re doing. I think that can rub off as kind of boring,
“I ALWAYS WANT MY MUSIC TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE FEEL HOW I FELT AT THE TIME OF WRITING. TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL SOMETHING, THAT’S SPECIAL.” to me anyway. So to try and keep myself tested, I’ll always try and do things different ways – working in a different tempo, make something sound darker, starting with a sample rather than a synth. The creative process really interests me neurologically and I think the point at which you get boring is when you have a set formula.” Tourist will be hitting our shores soon as part of the massive Laneway Festival lineup, which he says is an honour to be a part of, but he has no expectations when it comes to crowd numbers. “I’m very excited to see what Laneway’s like because I’ve never been there. No expectations of approaching 10,000 fans though, because I really don’t think that many people know who I am. But what I do know is that I’m going to enjoy myself because I really love Australia. Anything’s better than London at the moment, you know?” What: Laneway Festival 2017 With: Tame Impala, Nick Murphy, Glass Animals, Nao and more Where: Sydney College of the Arts When: Saturday February 4 And: Also appearing at the Factory Theatre on Wednesday January 25 More: U out now through Monday
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club guide g
club picks p up all night out all week...
send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com
club pick of the week L-Fresh The Lion
THURSDAY JANUARY 26
FRIDAY JANUARY 27
Parramatta Park
Hottest 100 Party L-Fresh The Lion + Olympia + VXV + Froyo + Kuren + Hurst
12pm. Free. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25 CLUB NIGHTS
Australia Day Eve - feat: Yolanda Be Cool The Eastern, Bondi Junction. 9pm. Free. Extra Pulp - feat: CC:Disco! + Dreems + Juno Mars + Rimbombo + Simon Caldwell The Kerrigan, Sydney. 4pm. $28.14. Invasion Day Eve: A Black Rainbow Benefit - feat: Dusty Kid + Stereogamous + Ben Drayton + Matt Vaughan + Betty Grumble + Matt Format + Joe Pol Zoo Project, Potts Point. 10pm. $11. SBW Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. SHN Presents - feat: Marcus Decks + Sc@r + Scatterlie + Oky + Napoleon + The Smasher Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $20. Tourist + The Range thebrag.com
Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $55. Wet Wednesdays Scary Canary, Sydney. 9:30pm. Free. Wiradjuri Platinum Mixers And Corkscrew Events Presents Last Day Of Freedom - feat: DJ Isight And DJ Esi Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $20.
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 HIP HOP & R&B
Hottest 100 Party - feat: L-Fresh The Lion + Olympia + VXV + Froyo + Kuren + Hurst Parramatta Park, Parramatta. 12pm. Free.
CLUB NIGHTS Adi Toohey Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 6pm. Free. Behind The Green Door Day To Night -
For Life + Katia + Ben Fester + Mclean And Ma Fraser Park, Marrickville. 3pm. $20. Paris Groovescooter Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 8pm. Free. Sunday Sundown feat: Luke Million + Dro Carey Coogee Pavilion, Coogee. 12pm. Free. Throwback Thursdays Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Trench Returns feat: Pelvis + Lucy Cliche + Gabriel + Fernandes + Andy Garvey + Felix Warmuth + Lewba + Moose + Bass Bayan + Enzo Molinari + XXX + Loveless + David McCann + Igor Lukacevic + Asger Jorn + Laket Cannet + Matt Lush + Oscar Mike Secret Location, Sydney. 2pm. $20.
feat: Mark Cameron + Loane Lord Roberts Hotel, Darlinghurst. 12pm. Free. CC:Disco! Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 4pm. Free. Devola Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 7pm. Free. Funkdafied Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 12pm. Free. Goat Island Sounds - feat: Ngaiire + Nina Las Vegas + Basenji + Kuren + Adi Toohey + Ariane Goat Island, Sydney. 1pm. $72.50. House Keeping Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Mathew Jonson + Extrawelt + Garry Todd + Danni B + Marcotix + Ben Nott + Ricky Cooper + Gemma Van D + Aaiste Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 3pm. $40. MTK Together. Open Air - feat: Patrice Baumel + Zombie Nation + Stereogamous + Motorik Vibe Council + Made In Paris + Gemma +
HIP HOP & R&B
Breaking Ground Hyde Park, Sydney. 2pm. Free. Changeroom Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 9pm. Free. Clams Casino + Strict Face Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $45. Fatback Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
CLUB NIGHTS Bass Drop Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28. CC:Disco! Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 7pm. Free. DJ 2-Face Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 8pm. Free. El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free. Fire Up Fridays feat: Cool Jerk DJs Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 5pm. Free. Foreigndub Presents: Jah Tung + Stevie Dub Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $15. Friday Frothers Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Friday Night Dance Off - feat: Modern History + DJ Lou Lou Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney. 6pm. Free. I-Dee Marquee, Pyrmont. 8pm. $12.30. KLP + Third Floor Selina’s @ Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 8pm. Free. Resident DJ: Kali Harpoon Harry, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Sam Wall Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 8pm. Free. Supersonic Dark Disco - feat: She
Shinjuku + Jayne Doe + Alli H Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst. 9pm. Free. Wavyland Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $10. Zomboy + Ricky Remedy + Ian Munro + Yung Jalepeno + Blanke + Jade Le Flay + The Eighty-Sixer Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $50.90.
SATURDAY JANUARY 28 HIP HOP & R&B
Famous T Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 10pm. $10. Ty Dolla $ign + Kent Jones Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7:30pm. $95.
CLUB NIGHTS
Alaska Thunderfuck The Shift Bar, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $34. Brynny Candy’s Apartment, Potts Point. 8pm. $20. Comfort Club #12 The Rave Rainforest - feat: Variancé + Harrison Jones + B&H Smooth + Señor Face + Bilsn Tokyo Sing Song, Newtown. 9pm. Free. DJ Koby Justice Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8:30pm. Free. DJ Z-Trip Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $45. El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free. Electric Gardens 2017 - feat: Eric Prydz + Mark Knight + Andhim + Basement Jaxx (DJ Set) + Jamie Jones + &Me + Anna + Sasha + Hernan Cattaneo B2B Guy J + Guy Mantzur + Eelke Kleijn Centennial Park, Kensington. 1pm. $145.30. Frat Saturdays Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. Free. Funkdafied Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 7pm. Free. My Nu Leng Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $22.90. Nghtmre Metro Theatre, Sydney. 9pm. $57. Resident DJ: Kali Harpoon Harry, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free. Sanctuary Club Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10. Spice - feat: Rampue + Murat Kilic + Robbie Lowe + Jahra Mortimer Civic Underground, Sydney. 9:30pm. $22. Telefunken + A-Tonez + Mo Funk Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free. Vibe Positive - feat: Francis Inferno Orchestra + Simon
TK + Valerie Yum + Jamie Blanco Secret Location, Sydney. 9pm. $27.50.
Ngaiire
SUNDAY JANUARY 29 CLUB NIGHTS
Adi Toohey Sky Terrace, Pyrmont. 4pm. Free. Beresford Sundays - feat: DJs On Rotation The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills. 12pm. Free. Courtyard - feat: Drezo & Luude Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $21.50. DJ Ivan Drago Pittwater RSL, Mona Vale. 4pm. Free. Marco Polo Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $22.90. Oh? Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 4pm. Free. Pavlova Bar - feat: Kris Baha 77, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $20. Postside Sundays - feat: Mark Jarvin + Guest DJs The Port, Darling Harbour. 3pm. Free. S.A.S.H By Day feat: Garry Todd + Pepperpot Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15. S.A.S.H By Night Air Festival Launch - feat: Trus’me + Multi Culti Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 10pm. $20. Sunday Social - feat: K-Time + Helena Ellis + Lavida + Melkior The Argyle, The Rocks. 9pm. Free. Sunday Sounds feat: Alex Mac The Deck, Sydney. 4pm. Free. Sunday Sundown feat: Sable The Newport, Newport. 12pm. Free. Sunshine Sunday Sound System feat: Bossdog + Cool Jerk DJs Rosie Campbell’s, Surry Hills. 12pm. Free. The Fiddler Sundaze - feat: Steve Zappa + Kozai The Fiddler, Rouse Hill. 6pm. Free.
MONDAY JANUARY 30 CLUB NIGHTS I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney. 9pm. Free.
TUESDAY JANUARY 31 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.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25 Tourist + The Range Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $55.
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 Goat Island Sounds - Feat: Ngaiire + Nina Las Vegas + Basenji + Kuren + Adi Toohey + Ariane Goat Island, Sydney. 1pm. $72.50. Mathew Jonson + Extrawelt + Garry Todd + Danni B + Marcotix + Ben Nott + Ricky Cooper + Gemma Van D + Aaiste Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 3pm. $40. MTK Together. Open Air - Feat: Patrice Baumel + Zombie Nation + Stereogamous + Motorik Vibe Council + Made In Paris + Gemma + For Life + Katia + Ben Fester + Mclean And Ma Fraser Park, Marrickville. 3pm. $20.
FRIDAY JANUARY 27 Clams Casino + Strict Face Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $45. KLP + Third Floor Selina’s @ Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 8pm. Free.
SATURDAY JANUARY 28 Electric Gardens 2017 - Feat: Eric Prydz + Mark Knight + Andhim + Basement Jaxx (DJ Set) + Jamie Jones + &Me + Anna + Sasha + Hernan Cattaneo B2B Guy J + Guy Mantzur + Eelke Kleijn Centennial Park, Kensington. 1pm. $145.30. DJ Z-Trip Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $45. Nghtmre Metro Theatre, Sydney. 9pm. $57. Spice - Feat: Rampue + Murat Kilic + Robbie Lowe + Jahra Mortimer Civic Underground, Sydney. 9:30pm. $22. Ty Dolla $ign + Kent Jones Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7:30pm. $95.
SUNDAY JANUARY 29 Courtyard - Feat: Drezo & Luude Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $21.50. S.A.S.H By Day - Feat: Garry Todd + Pepperpot Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15. Sunday Social - Feat: K-Time + Helena Ellis + Lavida + Melkior The Argyle, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.
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live reviews
Off The Record
What we’ve been out to see...
Dance and Electronica with Alex Chetverikov
D
SUMMER DANCE
o you suffer from a prolonged or pronounced sense of inner emptiness or lack of self-worth? Have you experienced a bankruptcy of the soul? Has life become bereft of meaning? A drawn-out existential crisis brought on by grind of the generic daily modicum? Or has music simply lost its charm and romance?
National Art School Sunday January 22
The draconian lockout laws and awful government rules have been a blight on Sydney’s cultural growth. But every cloud has a silver lining, and the party scene that has erupted as a result of these laws has been nothing short of fantastic. Warehouse parties and a defiant club culture have developed around the periphery of the lockout zone, but we’ve also seen the advent of the day party, the perfect formula for an end-of-week shindig. Astral People’s Summer Dance series has become something of a Sunday staple around this time of the year, with a great little setting at Darlinghurst’s National Art School and a lineup of hyped local and global DJs/producers. FBi Radio’s Andy Garvey and Lauren Hansom kicked things off with a nicely tinkered arvo set, before Sweden’s Kornél Kovács brought in his eclectic brand of beats, drawing inspiration from lounge disco to Latin funk and everything in between. Crowd favourite Roland Tings delivered his distinctive dance flavours with a spirited mix of house cuts as well as his own colourful tunes.
Then the healing quality of spiritual jazz could be just the thing for you. In several easy steps through the medium of modal jazz, you can find your place in the circle of consciousness. Spiritual jazz is a meditation on genesis; on our composition, whether cultural, biological or cerebral. It is an exploration of organic rhythms and the nature of conscience and conscious. Structurally, it resists the harshly generalist nature of label. It is spiritual in essence, free in form, and melodious in its atonality. Palms Trax sunset house and techno bound to put a smile on the face of even the most irritable of punters. He played a brooding set while weaving in some of his own productions including ‘Equation’ and ‘In Gold’.
The sprawled set-up in the National Art School was either a complete fluke or a work of genius – the bar and seating was separate from the performance area, meaning that everyone around the stage was by no means a passive consumer, but an active participant in good times.
We may be struggling to convince the powers that be to think rationally about how Sydney’s nightlife and music scene should operate, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Summer Dance is a shining example of this city’s spirit and a sold-out Sunday event is reflective of the huge support base for this kind of thing in the face of adversity. Long live the Summer Dance.
Berghain don Palms Trax closed out the evening with a gorgeous cut of
Rachitha Seneviratne
But where to start?
Pharoah Sanders – Karma
Unsurprisingly, Pharoah Sanders features prominently in any discussion on jazz and its fusion with Eastern mysticism and spirituality. The jazz saxophonist emerged from Sun Ra and John Coltrane’s groups as one of the pillars of free jazz in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Replete with the scat and inimitable yodelling of Leon Thomas alongside a remarkably talented group of jazz musicians that included Lonnie Liston Smith, Reggie Workman, Richard Davis and more, Karma is a transcendent monolith. It’s widely considered among the more accessible of the free jazz canon; a lyrical, melodious journey. I regard it as among the most special experiences I’ve ever had with a record, and it’s touted as a spiritual successor to Coltrane’s meditative explorations in the mid-to-late ’60s.
Pharoah Sanders
The Pyramids – King Of Kings
Hypnotic rhythmic percussion from Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids, whose recent We Be All Africans release has emerged among the very best of 2016. The Ohio jazz collective undertake a spiritual reflection on African history, rite and ritual in their use of call-andresponse chants, references to African folklore and traditional instrumentation such as the Ugandan harp and African fiddle. Endlessly funky and throbbing with the spirit of birth, death, and renewal, King Of Kings truly is a celebration of life.
THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST In light of his recent death, it’s time to revisit William Onyeabor’s Who Is William Onyeabor? compilation on Luaka Bop. He was one of Nigeria and Africa’s most celebrated electronic music pioneers, and the celebration of the elusive synthfunkateer’s catalogue has become one of the most important catalysts into a wider exploration and appreciation of African music and its wonderfully diverse history (along with Awesome Tapes From Africa, Strut Records, Soundway and many others). William Onyeabor
RECOMMENDED FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3
Hubert Clarke Jr., Prequel, Luen Freda’s
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10
The Island Afterparty feat. Norman Jay MBE, Simon Caldwell Oxford Art Factory Carl Cox
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 11
A Human Movement (Day) Party feat. Ben Fester, Alba Beach Road Hotel
SATURDAY MARCH 4
Modular Sounds Festival TBC
SATURDAY APRIL 22
Carl Cox, Adam Beyer Jam Gallery xxx
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