The Brag #390

DECEMBER RESIDENTS

[MODULAR]

FRIDAY NIGHTS FROM 8PM

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EC I A L G U

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IER TOURING CO. PRESEN THE FRONT TS

“Eliza Doolittle is the aural equivalent to lemonade; her voice is clear, sugary sweet, bubbly and best served on a sunny day... she’s an irresistible pop-package” – GROUPIE MAGAZINE

“Devastatingly catchy tunes” – SUNDAY AGE

!

T U O S S I M ’T N O D THIS WEEK –

TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER OXFORD ART FACTORY WWW.MOSHTIX.COM.AU 1300 GET TIX (438 849) S E L F T I T L E D D E B U T A L B U M F E AT U R I N G ‘ PA C K U P ’ O U T N O W W W W . F R O N T I E R T O U R I N G . C O M 4 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

W W W . E L I Z A D O O L I T T L E . C O M

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CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT, XIII TOURING, DRUM, BEAT AND BOMBSHELLZINE PRESENT

CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT, XIII TOURING AND CHANNEL [V] PRESENT

cold war kids SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER SYDNEY FACTORY THEATRE ALL AGES WWW.FACTORYTHEATRE.COM.AU, WWW.TICKETEK.COM.AU

THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER MELBOURNE THE HI FI 18+ WWW.THEHIFI.COM.AU

TUESDAY 4 JAN : MELBOURNE : THE FORUM THEATRE 7 7 7 4 ) # + % 4 - ! 3 4 % 2 # / - ! 5 s 7 7 7 & / 2 5 - - % , " / 5 2 . % # / - ! 5

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MYSTERY JETS C H U G G E N T E R T A I N M E N T, X I I I T O U R I N G A N D C H A N N E L [ V ] P R E S E N T

Tuesday 28 Dec Melbourne The Hi Fi ÜÜÜ°Ì V iÌi °V °>ÕÊ ÀÊ£ÎÓÊn{ ÊÊUÊÊÊÜÜÜ°Ì i w°V °>Õ

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Thursday 30 Dec Sydney Factory Theatre

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Marina & The Diamonds Are Also Appearing At Falls Festival, Lorne 29Th Dec, Field Day Festival, Sydney 1St Jan, Southbound Festival, Margret River 2Nd Jan.

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ON SALE NOW Debut album ‘The Family Jewels’ out now

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MYSTERY JETS LATEST RELEASE SEROTONIN IS OUT NOW ROUGH TRADE/ REMOTE CONTROL RECORDS

ON SALE NOW

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THE FRONTIER TOURING CO. PRESENTS

SOME KIND OF TROUBLE TOUR

Monday 16 May State Theatre 132 849

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MAKE IT HAPPEN...

DIPLOMAS & COURSES DEGREES IN AUDIO ENGINEERING & FILM MAKING

OPEN DAY

SAE SYDNEY – DECEMBER 4TH, 11AM - 3PM 55-57 WENTWORTH AVE SYDNEY 2000

O F N I E R O FOR M ww.sae.edu

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SYDNEY – MELBOURNE – BYRON BAY – BRISBANE – ADELAIDE – PERTH CRICOS: 00312F (NSW) 02047B (VIC) 02431E (WA) Please contact relevant campuses for further information regarding open days, tours, course programs and FEE HELP options.

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- NEW LIVE SHOW NATIONAL ALBUM TOUR 2010

THE FORUM

SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

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WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

2 WEEKS TO GO! THE DOMAIN

SATURDAY DECEMBER 11

BOOK NOW! 136 100 or ticketmaster.com.au Jack Johnson will donate 100% of his 2010 tour profits to charity. Learn more at AllAtOnce.org Presented by Michael Coppel, Nik Tischler & MAX I jackjohnsonmusic.com I jackjohnson.com.au I Brushfirerecords.com I coppel.com.au 16 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Instore now

S*L*A*M MILTON JACKSON BJORN WILKE SAT 01.01.11 SOMA – UK

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MURAT KILIC ROBBIE LOWE SHADES OF GRAY BUMP DJS YOKOO NIC SCALI SAM ROBERTS MITCH CROSHER

NEW YEARS MORNING SUNRISE CRUISE 3.30AM - 10AM

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BUTCH (DE) VINCENZO (DE) TRUS’ME (UK) TICKET INFO: RECKLESSREPUBLIC.COM BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 17

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rock music news welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on, down and around town. With Nathan Jolly and Cool Thomas

five things WITH

DJ WALKIE TALKIE (MUM) FOR GO HERE, GO THERE Bleeding Knees Club, the amazing psychrockers Fearless Vampire Killers, Sydney’s most energetic party boys Chicks Who Love Guns, the soon-to-be-famous Felicity Groom, the dance crossover sounds of Convaire and The Dirty Secrets, Jugu, Disco Club, Dark Bells, The Holy Soul, Shakin’ Howls, Old Men of Moss Mountain, a bunch more bands and 20 rad DJs.

The Checks

Has this kind of thing happened in Kings Cross before?

3.

No, it hasn’t - but everyone does a bit of bar hopping when they go out, so we thought we’d give people the chance to skip from gig to gig without having to pay entry at each new venue.

We’re trying to make a little golden triangle out of the three venues - the ‘Cross has a few great options!

A festival over three venues in Kings Cross? What what WHAT?!

1.

MUM has held a few huge parties with bands playing over all three levels of The World Bar - but we wanted to do something bigger, to show people that you can come to the ‘Cross and bounce between a few cool places. So we created Go Here, Go There. We’ve been hyping the party for a few weeks and it blows up this Friday. We’ve got 20 awesome bands

and 20 DJs playing across World Bar, Melt Bar and Iguana Bar - and the best bit is that $20 gets you access to it all!

What’ll be the best bit of the night?

The highlight has to be the novelty of 2. skipping between bars and only getting your wallet out once to pay for entry! And of course there are some great bands playing too: The Checks from New Zealand, the much hyped

Tell us about the venues. Why are they suited to Go Here, Go There?

4.

Apart from being only 100 metres apart, all three venues have a strong history with Sydney’s live music scene. MUM @ The World Bar has been the biggest indie night in the city for nearly four years. With three levels, four dancefloors, two balconies and a huge terrace, more than 300 bands have played there this

year alone - including Howl, Richard In Your Mind and We Say Bamboulee. MELT has to be the best kept secret in the city for live music. It’s hidden away on Kellet St and has a long room with a stage at the end (that The Temper Trap once played, for $5 entry). It’s got a smoking balcony and a quaint little cocktail bar, too! IGUANA BAR is the perfect late-night dive to escape the chaos of Kings Cross, and it’s quite often the place you’ll find touring international rockstars deep into a bender, thanks to the bars’ owner being good mates with the biggest name in Australian touring…

What’s next for Go Here, Go There?

The next Go Here, Go There will be just 5. as uni goes back, at the start of March. We want things to be even bigger… How does seven Kings Cross venues and 40 bands including some international acts sound? Or maybe the council will be cool, and let us close off some streets and have a stage outside...

What: MUM presents Go Here, Go There - three venues, 20 bands and 20 DJs Where: World Bar, Iguana Bar, Melt When: Friday December 3, 8pm - for $20 only!

LUKA IN BLOOM THIS MARCH

Sia

PUBLISHERS: Adam Zammit & Rob Furst EDITOR IN CHIEF: Adam Zammit 9552 6333 adam@peergroupmedia.com EDITOR: Steph Harmon steph@thebrag.com 9552 6333 ARTS EDITOR & ASSOCIATE: Dee Jefferson dee@thebrag.com 9552 6333 STAFF WRITER: Jonno Seidler NEWS CO-ORDINATORS: Nathan Jolly, Cool Thomas, Chris Honnery ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant GRAPHIC DESIGN: Dara Gill SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER: Tim Levy SNAP PHOTOGRAPHERS: Lauren Johnston, Patrick Stevenson, Tom Tramonte, Maja Baska, Sofii McKenzie COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: Isabella Moore (Shot at Tea Parlour: 569 Elizabeth St, Redfern.)

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20 :: BRAG :: 390 : 29:11:10

Irish singer songwriters are always very good.

They’re part of a lineage that goes back past Damien Rice and Glenn Hansard, pretends like it doesn’t notice Bono there waving a flag in an arena, through to Van Morrison, then Dylan Thomas, James Joyce, Francis Bacon, George Bernard Shaw and probably Jesus (citation needed). Meanwhile, we have Banjo Patterson, and the Umbilical Brothers and I can’t remember what my point is. Oh! Luka Bloom is coming out to play the Enmore on March 26, so we have until then to hide all our bush poetry collections. Start spreading out - we’ll burn the libraries, you ransack the bookshops… (Tickets on sale now!)

THIS LITTLE HIPSTER WENT TO MARKET

BIG DAY OUT MK II: THE VINES, SIA, MATT & KIM, WASHINGTON, MORE.

The second round of announcements for the Big Day Out held some surprises; none bigger or better than the news that The Vines are back, kicking out the jams by opening all the shows. I’ll be sending off my suggestions for set list inclusion this week, so hopefully the group will open both Sydney Big Day Outs with ‘Fuck The World’, followed closely by ‘Evil Town’. The game will be over before it even began. Oh and Washington, Sia, Matt & Kim, Black Milk and The Greenhornes have been added nationally, while in Sydney Smudge, The Hard Ons, Boy and Bear, Parades, Cameras and more have been added to the first day, while The Hummingbirds (best.ever), Jinja Safari, Papa vs Pretty, The Snowdroppers and more have been added to the second. Check the world wide web for less vague, less rambling and more detailed details.

NWA 4 FBI

Wow, twenty years after the police-baiting ‘Fuck Tha Police’, it seems violent rap group NWA and the Bureau have finally made peace, and are celebrating with a benefit gig. Except in this story, NWA is New Weird Australia, a radio-show/compilation series which highlights experimental and odd acts (anything in the category of ‘nan won’t like this’); and FBi is the community radio station which hosts it. The benefit gig is called ‘Unpopular Music’, and takes places at The Red Rattler on Friday December 3, featuring Scattered Order, Tantrums, Scissor Lock vs Cleptoclectics (not a wrestling match), Melanie Nelson, Stitched Vision and Mere Women. It will only cost you $12 though, so if you’re using it as an opportunity to flash your cash in front of that girl you like, I’m sorry - this is quite cheap and good value for money. Go to the races. Or HMV.

JAMES BLUNT

Right, let’s talk James Blunt. You may know him as the man who single-handedly soundtracked a million weddings and is currently going through divorce proceedings, and I’m sure you’ve heard he was in the British Army at some point - we like to think he was

captain of the Army during the Kosovo war, in charge of leading 30,000 armed troops into the Kosovan capital... Just keep that potential scenario in mind when he plays ‘You’re Beautiful’ at the State Theatre on May 16 next year... At any given moment he could leap off stage, and snap your pencil neck like a chicken bone. Gives the songs a sinister edge, doesn’t it? Tickets on sale December 3.

Finders Keepers design markets are on again on Friday December 3 and the next day at CarriageWorks, the space that refused to yield to its surroundings and intended usage, and instead insists on being a magical wonderland of markets and art and music and light and life and fun and fairy floss. Amongst that string of whim you may have noticed ‘music’; I’m talking about Eye to Eye, Missing Children, Rainbow Chan and Eirwen Skye on Friday, and Art Rush, Shady Lane, The Falls, Jack Shit DJs and Fergus Brown on the Saturday.

Michael Franti

EMMANUEL BROTHERS

Phil: Hey Tommy, we’d better rehearse for our upcoming show. You know, the one in which you and me play Star City Casino on December 9? [Phil is an awful info-dumper] Tommy: We don’t need to practice. We are the Emmanuel Brothers! [does the riff to ‘Baker St.’ with his mouth, while miming guitar playing with his hands; a curious choice, considering this is a horn-line...]

Phil: You’ve changed since you won that Order of Australia medal.

Tommy: You mean this one? [points to medal around his neck] I’m still the same Tommy that lost your Jenga set at school and made you cry.

Phil: I didn’t cry.

Tommy: Is this only the second time we’ve toured together in fifteen years?

Phil: You know it! [high-five] END.

FRANTI TO TOUR!

Michael Franti may have just entered some form of world record book (possibly with a spin-off show hosted

by TV’s Dean Cain) as the only artist to ever start an album during a hospital stay for a burst appendix. That’s the back story behind the creation of The Sound Of Sunshine, and to celebrate the album, and the fact that he stared death in the face and is now invincible (I think that’s how science goes?), Michael Franti and Spearhead are coming out in April, playing the Enmore Theatre on the 24th. Tickets on sale December 9 - don’t forget!

PRESENTS

METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY / 8PM THURSDAY 6 JANUARY, 2011

EROL ALKAN

& STRANGE TALK

ON SALE 30 NOV FROM: FUZZY.COM.AU METROTHEATRE.COM.AU TICKETEK.COM.AU BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 21

rock music news

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on, down and around town. By Nathan Jolly

free stuff

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

he said she said WITH

JORDAN FROM GEORGIA FAIR job you can think of. I’ve pulled beers and worked in various botte shops, I know Ben was a pizza boy for a while… He had to leave though, because a few too many husbands came home early from their work trips.

I guess our style ranges anywhere from folk to rock, with maybe a little bit of an alt-country vibe in there. I’m really into Ryan Adams, Ray Lamontagne - artists with real voices and lyrics. We’ve both listened to Angus and Julia since they started out as well. Our latest EP, Times Fly, is a prelude to the album that we recorded with Bill Reynolds in North Carolina. Bill was a cool dude. He plays bass in Band Of Horses and has produced some awesome records, so he helped us make the record we always wanted to make.

I

remember my old man singing me ‘Beautiful Boy’ by John Lennon and playing ‘Stairway to Heaven’ on the guitar as I tried to sleep. My household was always musical; I have a little brother that used to sing at the top of his lungs at all hours of the night. He probably still does.

I love the classics; Bob Dylan and John Lennon would probably be my top two. I’ve been listening to a lot of Ray Lamontagne and Iron & Wine of late. All things inspire me though: conversation, swimming in the ocean,

drinking tea, loved ones. Whatever makes you feel something, I guess.

Georgia Fair consists of myself and Ben Riley. We met a long time ago kicking around in various bands; we’ve only really played in bands with one another. We listen to a lot of different music, but at the core we love the same stuff. In the beginning we were really inspired by bands like Nirvana, but ended up moving on and listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and heaps of older records. Between us both we must have done every shitty day

I can’t really complain about the music scene; it’s always treated us well. I guess we’re pretty laid back, so we don’t really buy too much into any real “scene”. There are some really cool bands floating around. We recently did a track with Boy And Bear - they’re awesome guys, and we can’t wait to hear their new record. Another one of our friends Thom Savage just started his new project Kins, which I’m keen to get my hands on.

What: Times Fly EP is out now Where: The Vanguard When: Wednesday December 15 More: Peats Ridge Festival, Dec 29 – Jan 1 at Glenworth Valley

LAUGHING OUTLAW XMAS

Celebrating independence, a tally of over 150 albums and great Australian music is something you all should be into. On Friday December 10, make your way to Notes because from 7pm there will be a bunch of performances from artists on one of our favourite indie labels, Laughing Outlaw. Perry Keyes, Bek Jean Stewart, L.J. Hill, The Leisure Suit, Jason Walker, Transat, The Rumjacks, Bryan Estepa and Hailer are all confirmed, and you can expect more to be announced. Tickets are on sale now for $20 or you can buy any Laughing Outlaw CD from their store (8A Victoria Street in Lewisham) and score a free ticket. Pretty great deal!

Ghoul

Mark E Smith of The Fall

THE FALL, NEXT WEEK

Britain’s seminal bad boys The Fall will be led by their enigmatic front man Mark E Smith as they venture out of their comfortable Northern Hemisphere touring circuit to Sydney, for a lesson in postpunk scorn and energy at The Metro on December 7. In their 34th year of witty derisiveness coupled with abrasive guitar, and after 28 studio albums, the group is older than everyone in THE BRAG office - and they have a bigger discography to choose from than pretty much anyone.

They were named by Q Magazine as one of the 50 bands to see before you die, and times a-ticking – so get to it! To get one of the two double passes to their show, tell us the name of their 12th studio album (chronologically speaking).

THIS JUST IN! KINGS OF LEON TO TOUR!

We got this tip-off at 4:30pm on a Friday, and although usually we’d be all like, ‘Oh, no way, our news desk is CLOSED and our beer is OPEN’, this was kind of a ‘STOP THE PRESS!’ kind of deal. Kings Of Leon are coming back to show us how Come Around Sundown works live: Acer Arena on March 8 & 10, and tickets are on sale December 6 at 9am. BAM!

Tricky

INDIGO GO GO

Indigo Girls, everybody’s favourite female folk duo, are coming back to Australia for a fourth time to play at The State Theatre on April 28.

Last time I was there I spilled a beer on myself, and as the beer seeped through my jeans and swam around my parts, my hatred for life grew to unreasonable proportions. You guys will probably have fun though, because of all of the friends that you have! Tickets on sale Wednesday December 1.

NYE HOUSE PARTY

FBi and Purple Sneakers have been tossing New Years Eve shindigs for nigh on five years, and this year they are kicking it super-local styles. The first round announcement includes The Paper Scissors, Guineafowl, Gold Fields, Ghoul, Bearhug and Butcher Blades as well as Purple Sneakers DJs, FBi DJs, Surecut Kids and Kato behind the decks at various points throughout the night. It’ll be at The Gaelic, and tix will be on sale Thursday December 2 for $29 (less for supporters). And remember: all the proceeds go to FBi. Also remember: sign up to become a supporter.

MACHETE MOON

Imagine if GOODGOD Small Club transformed into the best live venue in the city on Thursday, and if members of The Mess Hall, Bridezilla, Holly Throsby and Spod teamed up with the guys Stockdale kicked out of Wolfmother (for changing the password to his WoW account) to form a mega, ultra, Voltron-type band. Well, it will, and they did. It’s called Machete Moon and they play this Thursday December 2. It’s their first performance, and it will be an amazing feat of togetherness and reverb pedals.

DALEBAKE

No Homebake this year: sad face. But lucky for us, the Annandale also believe that This Just Won’t Do At All, and have assembled some fine acts for DaleBake on December 4. There’s Dan

Kelly, Jack Ladder, Custom Kings, Songs, Kid Sam, Fergus Brown, Daisy Tulley (one of the many ladies from Bridezilla) and heaps more. It’s $15 entry before 5:30 or $25 after; Considering that all the acts are so good, come early to save money, and then waste it on beer.

THE FUMES

LIVE AT THE WALL

‘Live At The Wall’ (the scene of Humpty’s unfortunate early death) is a night at The Bald Faced Stag in Leichhardt, and Thursday December 2 sees Broadway Mile, The Jones Rival and the grammatically troubled Broke Down Engines play. Ten dollars at the door and cheap drinks, too!

PARIS WELLS @ VANGUARD

Since releasing her new album Various Small Fires, Paris Wells has been absolutely everywhere at once. One of the places she will be at on Thursday December 2 is The Vanguard, where she’ll be playing live and maybe even having dinner - because the food is pretty good there! Tickets on the door.

CHRISTMAS SPUNK Touring around Australia to adoring fans is Got $20 and an unshakable Christmas spirit that something The Fumes are getting used to – lingers even after you’ve seen a homeless guy so they’re doing it again. This time, Carmen pissing against a wall, and read about a string Townsend (Canada) will be joining them as a of murders in the paper? Well, get along to the special guest support. You can catch them at Coogee Diggers on Friday December 3, Manly Spunk Records Christmas party at GOODGOD Small Club on December 14. Jack Ladder will Fisho’s Saturday December 4, The Brass Monkey in Cronulla on Thursday December 16, be there; in fact, he is playing. So are Leader Cheetah and Bearhug, with a DJ set by Holly the Beach Road Hotel Bondi on Wednesday “DJ Rock” Throsby. It starts at 7, so get there December 29 - or The Cambridge Hotel early; ‘Small Club’ isn’t just a name...

Newcastle on NYE. Tickets on sale now!

PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER MK II

Oh man, what an amazing second round lineup Playground Weekender have just flung at us. Lamb, Tricky, The Beautiful Girls, Architecture In Helsinki, You Am I, Midnight Juggernauts, Black Mountain, The Like (va voom!), I Am Kloot and many many more acts are playing. There are still even more to be added to the lineup, which already included Doves, Kool & The Gang, Caribou, Four Tet, De La Soul, Tunng and all of the other people in the world.

February 17 – 20 at Wiseman’s Ferry.

“We will be thankful And we will be fed You take the torso And I’ll take the head” - VILLAGERS 22 :: BRAG :: 390 : 29:11:10

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dance music news

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... With Chris Honnery onthefly.com.au

he said she said WITH GRACE WOODROOFE (WA)

M

When I was 12 years old I was tired of being bored and uninspired by my current music collection, and asked my dad to recommend something new. He placed in my impressionable hands the Beatles’ record Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and circled ‘She’s Leaving Home’ as a stand-out track. That night I did not sleep. My ears from that point, have been eternally open. I devoured the entire Beatles catalogue; hungry for more I progressed on to the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell… I was feeding myself with jewels of heartache, adolescence, life experience and sorrow. For the first time, I became truly infatuated with something, and it felt so good.

When I listen to Elliott Smith I feel like he has cracked open my skull and seeped into my soul. He is the musician - the writer who writes about me. When I sit down to create my music, I aim for the same level of honesty and truth - total unrelenting confession. One of my true inspirations is Jack White. I remember many years ago when I first saw the White Stripes’ debut performance of ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’ on the MTV Music Awards - I sat and watched, enthralled yet baffled. A few years later I bought Elephant. That album changed my musical make up and the way I felt about the contemporary state of music; it just changed everything.

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

SOLA ROSA

New Zealand really are great neighborinos. They’ve given us Flight Of The Conchords, fush & chups, Neil Finn, pretty great wine, Peter Jackson, and a big blue whale who repeatedly says ‘I’m beached az, bru’. Not to mention the genre defying outfit Sola Rosa.

Fusing soul, funk, jazz and electro into a musical clusterfuck of party-jam-funtime, we promise you they are equally, if not as entertaining, as that youtube clip. Don’t believe us? You can check out Sola Rosa Friday December 3 at The Gaelic Theatre - and thanks to Niche Productions we have two double passes to give away. Just tell us why you heart New Zealand (not including Russell Crowe. I know, it’s hard.)

CLIPSE I am currently always touring with a different band and am yet to have players I can call my own. Whenever I can though, I play and tour with my best friend Kyna. We have been playing music together since we were 13 years old, including in our first band at school - a punk band called Levity. She can’t commit to touring the world with me because she’s at university studying to be a chiropractor… She wishes she could though.

I like to call my music blues, although it isn’t in the traditional sense. It’s blues because it’s personal to me - honest and confessional - somewhat exposing. I hope that this is what makes it special to whoever

is listening. I recorded my debut album Always Want in Los Angeles, California with Ben Harper as producer, and with his band Relentless7 backing me up. They are brothers to me. Someone once described me as a mix between Karen Dalton and Nick Cave. Yes please.

There are many obstacles musicians have to overcome. I think the main one is getting heard! That was the advice that got me discovered - “just put something out there!”.

Out There can be a scary world for a closet musician, but if you want it - just do it.

What: Always Want is out now through Universal

Virginian (but certainly not virginal) rap group Clipse consists of brothers (in a bloodline sense, but also in the way black people use it) Malice and Pusha T. The duo released their third studio album Til The Casket Drops in late ’09 which features collabs from the likes of Pharrell, Cam’ron and Kanye “10.0” West. Pusha T has more recently gained mainstream props for his feat-dot on Sir Kanye’s epic tune ‘Runaway’. Clipse are comin’ down under for an appearance at Meredith Music Festival and will swing

by Sydney on their way, for a show at The Metro Theatre on December 12, supported by Nina Las Vegas, Levins and Wax Motif. To win a double pass to the show, tell us who produced their debut LP Lord Willin’.

BAG RAIDERS

The Field

Local lads Bag Raiders will be playing a Sydney homecoming date at The Forum on Saturday December 4. After dropping singles ‘Fun Punch’ and ‘Turbo Love’ on Bang Gang 12s, and remixing the likes Cut Copy, Midnight Juggernauts and Kid Sister, the duo finally released their self-titled LP last month, reaching #7 in the Aria charts. The Baggies have been touring relentlessly to support the album, having already played no less than fourteen national dates in the lead-up to this show, so you can expect them to be polished and in top nick for the big hometown gig!

Koolism

THE FIELD

Swedish ambient techno producer Axel Willner, aka The Field, makes his Australian debut on Saturday December 11 at The Gaelic Club. Renowned by aficionados for his remixes of Battles and Thom Yorke and two albums on Kompakt, The Field has also completed a pair of accomplished LPs; the aptly named debut LP From Here We Go Sublime and the more recent Yesterday & Today, which moved away from the splintered shoegaze techno sounds of its predecessor with krautrock influences, and even a cover of the Korgis classic ‘Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime’. Local support comes from Mark Pritchard (aka Harmonic 313), Picnic’s Kali and Domeyko/Gonzalez. Presale tickets are available online now.

PICNIC NYE

Underground disco proponents Picnic have announced details of their NYE warehouse bash. One half of NYC duo Rub N Tug, Eric Duncan aka ‘Dr Dunksone’, will be throwing down along with Lovefingers, who’s also the label manager of his own ESP Institute imprint.

Lovefingers is one half of The Stallions with pal Lee Douglas, and is renowned for a sound that conflates classic disco elements with more psychedelic touches. The Loin Brothers and Steele Bonus will be providing support, with party details (and warehouse location) to be released through www.picnicstuff.com.au.

Presale tickets are available online for $50, and keep in mind this is a BYO affair – extra booze for your buck, peoples!

SUBSONIC THIS WEEKEND

This weekend is the date of the second annual Subsonic Music Festival, held at Barrington Tops in a picturesque world heritage site three hours away. An array of recognised local tech DJs such as Simon Caldwell and Phil Smart have been handpicked to support a lineup that boasts some of the best electronic acts in the business; Kompakt kingpin Michael Mayer, label-mate Tobias Thomas, Cocoon’s Extrawelt, Highgrade’s Jens Bond, Berlin wunderkind Tombspringer, Heinrichs & Hirtenfellner, Gunnar Stiller and Telefon Tel Aviv and many others - including a range of dub acts and live bands. Tickets will still be available at the entrance for those who decide to drive up ‘on a whim’. All the details can be found at www.subsonicmusic.com.au

KOOLISM

After selling out their first run of album launch shows, Koolism MC Hau and DJ Danielsan – play Melt Bar on Kellett street in Kings Cross next Thursday December 9.

The pair recently released their fifth LP The Umu, an album four years in the making. Hau says the album was “dedicated to the essence of original and classic hip hop, and the title is inspired by a Tongan word for an underground oven - a cooking technique that is practiced throughout the South Pacific… Dan and I have been cooking up this album since December 2006. And now, in 2010, we’re finally ready to serve it.” With this aural feast out now on Remote Control Records, and recently lauded in this very publication as “fucking absolutely bumping”, you now have the opportunity to experience the bumping in person at Melt, with support courtesy of Kai Fresh (formerly of Natural Causes).

BOUNDARY BONDS WITH...

DAN BYCROFT,

MARKETING MANAGER & LITTLE AS HELP PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR, COLOUR Tell us about Little Help Project?

The Little Help Project is a t-shirt design contest with a prize of $10,000 worth of products and services, including AS Colour blanks tees, printing and custom labeling. T-shirt design and fashion in general is a really hard industry to make it in, so we wanted the prize to be like a one-off start-up grant.

Why was it created?

We saw a lot of talented designers using our blank tees and trying to start their own labels. Most had big dreams and sound plans but no cashflow. Being a supplier of shirts rather than a marketing company means we can offer a really decent prize, and also give the winner advice and connections.

How are the nominees and winners chosen?

We’ve enlisted the help of three very talented judges; Lara Burke, Creative Director of Frankie Magazine, Stephen Richardson from t-shirt design site www.parinto.com and Eddie Zammit, the creator of T-World Magazine. Our judges selected the top 10, and then it’s up to the public to vote. All shirts will be available for $39.95 with royalties going to the designers, and each sale counts as 10 votes. People can also vote on the designs by using Facebook likes.

What’s your involvement with the project?

Well, I came up with the concept, pitched it to the boss and he said yes. I pretty much oversee everything Little Helprelated, including updating the site, co-ordinating with judges and following up the designers. Right now I’m getting the final shirts ready for printing, and planning a party for the winner early 2011.

“You’re surrounded by hungry scavengers that take the greatest care to befriend you first” - VILLAGERS 24 :: BRAG :: 390 : 29:11:10

Hermitude GET IN MY LIFE SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR Call them futurebeats; call them hip hop; call them electro goodtime monsters.

Just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this incredible live duo play their first headline shows in over a year.

Saturday 11 December 2010 Tone 16 Wentworth Avenue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Surry Hills

with Monk Fly and DJ Prince Valium Tickets available from elefanttraks.oztix.com.au and regular outlets More info plus Hermitude releases and merch available at

www.elefanttraks.com

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 25

free stuff

dance music news welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... With Chris Honnery onthefly.com.au

five things WITH

BAG RAIDERS

OPIUO

Growing Up I grew up in a small town, deep in the 1. backwaters of the New Zealand countryside,

The Music You Make My music is a blend of futuristic funkadelic 4. hippopotamus hopabilities bound together with

where the Vikings roam and the rivers are crystal clear. My musical beginnings were at festivals held on my parents’ land. I was super young, but remember the feeling of mighty bass music through a gigantic sound system.

Freedom and expression was massive at these parties, and I think this helped me feel free within my own musical realm. I then went on to play drums for most of my school days, until I developed an obsession with computerised noise.

tasty textures of all consistencies. It’s chunky, funky, and fun. In my live show I play 100% my own material and try combine all the styles of music I love. Funk to hip hop, reggae to breaks, and everything in between. Recently I’ve been stoked to collaborate with some of my favourite hip hop artists - DJ Vadim, and BluRum13 - to make new styles of bass heavy sounds! My debut album dropped midway through this year, and has since topped electronic charts the world over. I am truly stoked, and super appreciative of all the support I’ve received.

Inspirations My musical inspirations come from 2. everything and everywhere. Living life is my biggest inspiration. I think all music I have ever heard has influenced me in some way.

Whether it’s good or bad, it either gives me an idea, or helps cement a direction that I’d rather not try and develop.

Sydney’s synth sensations Bag Raiders have made waves internationally after the viral popularity of ‘Shooting Stars’, and have recently released their debut album, which has been enthusiastically received by the populus. Not only do they have an album under their electro-pop belt, they also have a lineage of dope remixes and a YouTube cover of Senegalese rapper Bang’s song ‘Take U To Da Movies’ – no shortage of street cred there, yo. They’re playing at The Forum on December 4 with The Holidays and we have three double passes to give to you, as long as you promise to dance, and dance manically... Just tell us which song off their album you’re most likely to lose it to.

Music, Right Here, Right Now I dig the electronic music scene in 5.

Australia; it’s super supportive and exciting.

Even whilst touring overseas I came across so many artists dying to come to perform out here, as they’d heard of our thriving and fun music festivals and parties. So we’re definitely doing something right! :)

You Opiuo is me, Oscar. I am extremely lucky 3. to be able to do what I do, and to live off the

Who: Slurp & Giggle is out now

hobby I absolutely love. I have an awesome bunch of people around me (and some around the world) who help get the job done, too. I sometimes jam and produce with other artists, and on very special occasions I’m found venturing out to gather a fine collective of musicians to perform my music as a live band.

Where: Subsonic Music Festival @ Riverwood Downs Resort, Barrington Tops

With: Telefon Tel Aviv, Extrawelt, Hermitude, ora, Watussi, Michael Mayer, Tobius Thomas and heaps more

When: December 3 – 5

GUILTY SIMPSON TOUR? Little Dragon

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

Being ahead of the curve, us Bragsters have it on very good authority that that Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson, the long time collaborator of Madlib and J Dilla, is going to be doing a complete national tour of Australia at the end of January alongside compatriot Phat Kat...

Simpson has made his mark on Stone’s Throw Records with Ode To The Ghetto, and is gearing up to release a follow-up to his OJ Simpson LP next year. Prepare for a more official announcement in coming weeks…

SMOKED OUT

Anyone who turned up to HaHa last Saturday and noticed Glaswegian minimal producer Alex Smoke was absent: there’s a story behind his no-show, and it wasn’t bad sushi or anything like that. In fact, Smoke suffered a lung collapse while playing in Melbourne; approximately 15 minutes into his DJ set performance, Smoke purportedly felt a pain “every time the bass kicked in” but he was not deterred and

Bag Raiders continued to perform, seemingly unaware of the severity of the situation despite the immense pain. Displaying a work ethic beyond the call of duty, Smoke honoured his scheduled one-hour DJ set before being taken to the emergency room directly after. A make-up gig is on the horizon – in the interim, let’s wish Smokey a speedy recovery.

BRIGGS DRAPHTED

Perth hip-hop lad Drapht is preparing to release the follow-up to his Brothers Grimm album from ’08, an LP that spawned the radio hits ‘Jimmy Recard’ – #10 in the Triple J Hottest 100 – and ‘Falling’. After spending the majority of this year holed up in the studio, Drapht will release the LP The Life of Riley in the new year. In the leadup to this release, he plays The Gaelic Club on Saturday December 4 along with guests Dialectrix and Briggs, who’s just released his album The Blacklist and is basking in the accolades flowing in for his current single ‘The Wrong Brother’.

Kato

LITTLE DRAGON TOUR

Swedish-based four piece Little Dragon are touring Australia for the first time next month in support of Gorillaz, and will play a sideshow at GOODGOD Small Club on Wednesday December 15. Apparently drawing their name from the short-temper of their SwedishJapanese front woman Yukimi Nagano, Little Dragon met at Gothenburg High School in the mid 90’s - but it wasn’t until 2007 that they released their first self-titled LP on the hallowed Peacefrog Records imprint. After touring the album, the band adopted a more upbeat sound on their second LP, Machine Dreams, which has just been released in Australia and was preceded by the lead-off single ‘My Step’ - a cut that has been on heavy rotation on triple j.

HOPSCOTCH OPENS

Hopscotch Nightclub opens its doors for the first time next Saturday December 11, with a lineup comprising Bang Gang 12 Inches’ Light Year, Kitsune’s Beni and Melbourne’s Indian Summer. Hopscotch is a complete remodeling of the old 169 Oxford St, which in previous incarnations has been known as ‘Havana’ and ‘Suzy Q’s’. Apparently the new décor fuses influences from bad Chinese restaurants and Brookyln – a broad spread indeed.

ART VS SCIENCE NEW LP!

Art vs Science – who, regardless of what your musical taxonomy/intution might tell you, belong in dance news, ok! – are gearing up to release their debut album early next year. The Sydney trio gained recognition via their single ‘Parlez Vous Francais?’ (not sure of the translation) and came in at numero deux on the triple j Hottest 100 list. The group have just unveiled their new single ‘Finally See Our Way’, released last Friday via iTunes as a harbinger for their forthcoming debut LP, set to drop early next year. Art vs

Science play both Field Day and Future Music Festival, and have snared the support slot for The Chemical Brothers at The Entertainment Centre on Thursday March 10. Big things ahead indeed then, for the local rock/dance – pardon me, that’s dance/rock – three piece.

CARGO NYE MK II

The final round of acts for the NYE harbour party at Cargo Bar have been locked in.

Fresh from the clubs of NYC, DJ Equal will be representing along with local lass Anna Lunoe. They’ll be flanking Frenchman Breakbot and Melbourne’s Miami Horror, whose debut album Illumination has spawned no less than five rather successful singles in recent times. Bag Raiders will also be in the thick of things, while Van She Tech, Sosueme DJs, Cassian and the delectable Alison Wonderland are all in the mix too. Final Release tickets are still available along with the VIP Champagne Lounge & Fireworks Package, for you high-rolling Pablo Escobar types. All info at www.cargonye.com

GO HERE GO THERE

This Friday, weekly institution MUM will be spilling out of The World Bar with Go Here, Go There, a bash that’ll also seep into Melt Bar and Iguana Bar - with all three venues conveniently located within stumbling distance of each other. There will be more than twenty DJs across the different clubs to complement a plethora of bands, with the inimitable Kato leading the charge along with the SVU DJs, made up of members of Lost Valentinos and self-proclaimed “acid house trippers”. Felix Lloyd Vs Walkie Talkie, Sammy K Vs Swim Team, Biff! Bang! Pow! DJs and Cosmic Explorer Vs Gatsby will also be selecting, among plenty of others. $20 entry to one venue gets you into all three.

“True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain”- VILLAGERS 26 :: BRAG :: 390 : 29:11:10

Photo: Jarvis Cocker performing Further Complications for Live, Peaches performing for Live, Warren Ellis performing for Live.

An intimate video study of the art of performing

Jarvis Cocker Peaches Warren Ellis Feist Gareth Liddiard Martha Wainwright Rufus Wainwright Juliette Lewis Róisín Murphy Sarah Blasko

Featuring more than 20 of the world’s best singers and musicians captured performing on film in a compelling largescale video installation.

Opening Night Event January 13 at 7pm $45 (including 2 FREE drinks)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! $15/$12 Concession Lower Sydney Town Hall (Enter via Druitt St) January 14-23 (closed Jan 17) Sydney Festival: 1300 668 812 Ticketmaster: 1300 723 038 sydneyfestival.org.au/live

To celebrate the opening of Live, be among the first to experience the installation, as well as seeing it come to life with intimate solo performances by Gareth Liddiard, Sarah Blasko, Kram (Spiderbait) and Laura Jean. sydneyfestival.org.au/liveopening

and many more...

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 27

The Music Network

themusicnetwork.com

Industry Music News with Christie Eliezer

TEMPER AT THE CHAPEL

THINGS WE HEAR * Bruce Springsteen is negotiating for a 2012 visit. Molly Meldrum bailed him up on this during an interview. The Boss, first shuddering that his last interview with Moll ran for four hours, said he’d seal the deal if he got one of Molly’s hats… * Taylor Swift is heading here late next year; Kenny Wayne Shepherd wants to return next year. * Most of the 6000 who attended the Full Noise Festival at the Hugh St Rugby Grounds in Townsville tried to jam into the dance tent to see Art vs Science, and only ventured out afterwards to see headliners Wolfmother. * Wolfmother, after playing Indonesia recently, are looking at dates in India and possibly China. *A consortium led by radio boss John Singleton raised $100 million to buy pubs around Sydney — including former cabaret showcase Kinselas in Darlinghurst, for $12 million.

Life lines Born: daughter Skylar Dee, to Sydney venue operator Fraser Short (Cargo Bar, Bungalow8) and wife Ally.

?

Temper Trap mesmerised the crowd at St Stephen’s Church in Newtown when they were filmed for Russian Standard Vodka’s Live At The Chapel. The performance is broadcast on Nine Network on Thursday December 16 followed by Go! on the Sunday, with a screening also confirmed for Channel [V].

EMILY BUTLER AT MYSPACE Emily Butler has joined the newly redesigned MySpace as Online Marketing Manager, working online product marketing campaigns across the Tasman. She was previously Online Marketing Manager at Sony Music Australia.

The Annandale is looking for an equity partner to help fund renovations. Co-owner Dan Rule said; “We’ve had our DA passed last April, and are really keen to get moving on it. We are looking for someone that believes in the music that we do and believes in the vision we have for ongoing success of the Annandale.”

MODFATHER FLIPS THE BIRD Not only did Paul Weller personally ask for Sydney R&B band Widowbirds to open for his Oz tour, but he turned up at a soundcheck and asked if he could jam with them on keyboards.

“I hope I passed the audition,” he quipped, before asking them to send him their CD when they finished it.

MORE INVITED FOR SXSW

Married: Ryan Adams and actress and singer Mandy Moore, in a quiet civil ceremony in Savannah, Georgia.

Hospitalised: Jörg Michael, drummer with Stratovarius, surgery for cancer.

COMMUNITY RADIO: 26% OF AUSSIES TUNE IN

Sued: Courtney Love, by New York’s Jacob & Co. for not returning most of US$114,000 worth of jewellery she borrowed in September.’

Suing: Axl Rose is hitting Guitar Hero-makers Activision for US$20 million, for using ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ in Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock, when he had stipulated they could only use it if Slash and Velvet Revolver were not used in the game. The cover also features a Slash caricature.

In Court: Britney Spears’ mother failed to have a California appeals court throw out a defamation lawsuit by Sam Lutfi, Brit’s former manager and confidante. Spears was sued for claiming in her book that Lufti controlled her daughter and ground pills into her food. She tried to tell the court she couldn’t have defamed Lufti, because he already had such a bad reputation.

Peacebeliever, founded last year in Australia to find peace through music, is holding a commemoration of the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s assassination, on Tuesday December 7 at the Oxford Art Factory. Katie Noonan, Fergus Brown, Sui Zhen, Winter People, The Preachers, WIM, Hero Fisher and Herb Armstrong will be performing Lennon tunes. In a world first, Peacebeliever is re-releasing ‘Give Peace A Chance’ in English and Spanish, to raise funds for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF).

APRA AND AMCOS ANNOUNCE BOARDS

THE ANNADALE LOOKS FOR EQUITY PARTNER

Aussie acts invited in the second round for March’s South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas are Blue King Brown and Wagons. Already in are Art vs. Science, The Holidays, The Jezabels, Miami Horror and The Swiss.

Missing: Canadian rapper DY, not seen since August.

PEACEBELIEVER GET LENNONISED

The Community Radio National Listener Survey 2010 revealed that 26% of Australians aged 15+ (or 4,433,000) listen to community radio every week. They tune in an average of 7.1 hours per week, with people over 55 listening the most (10.1 hours), then 40-54 (6.7 hours), 15-24 (5.5) and 25-39 (5.4). The appeal is specialist programs, local news and information, and the desire to support Australian artists. 4% of Australians aged 15+ ( 640,000 people) listen exclusively to community radio in an average week.

LIBERATOR TEAMS WITH HOMME

At their AGMs held in Sydney, composer Mike Perjanik was elected back as Chair of APRA, and Mushroom Music MD Ian James returned as Chair of AMCOS. New EMI Music Publishing Australia CEO Santiago Menendez-

Newcastle’s Here Come The Birds, whose career launched after winning the Tooheys Extra Dry uncharTED band competition in 2008, have split. Their prize included playing Splendour In The Grass, and they released an album and signed to Difrnt Entertainment Group. They also got a publishing deal, and airplay on Austereo. They quit as two decided to go overseas, one became a doctor of psychology and another got engaged.

The top 40 most ‘heard’ songs on Australian radio.

TW LW TI HP P1 P2 P3 ARTIST

TRACK

LABEL

1

1

7

1 16 41 69 PINK

RAISE YOUR GLASS

SME

2

3

6

2 15 29 60 KATY PERRY

FIREWORK

CAP/EMI

3

7

6

3 11 28 58 KE$HA

WE R WHO WE R

SME

4

4 11 4 11 27 46 NELLY

JUST A DREAM

UNI/UMA

5

10

HEARTBEAT

INT/UMA

6

2 11 1 13 31 62 RIHANNA

ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)

DEF/UMA

7

6 15 6 14 29 58 ZOE BADWI

FREE FALLIN’

NEON/WMA

8

8 17 2 14 29 53 MIKE POSNER

COOLER THAN ME

SME

9

5 13 1 15 29 60 BRUNO MARS

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

ATL/WMA

10 11 4 10 12 26 53 GOOD CHARLOTTE

SEX ON THE RADIO

CAP/EMI INT/UMA

7

5 13 27 59 ENRIQUE IGLESIAS FT. NICOLE SCHERZINGER

11 29 4 11 11 28 48 THE BLACK EYED PEAS

THE TIME (THE DIRTY BIT)

12 9 13 5 15 30 58 CEE-LO GREEN

FU

WMUK/WMA

13 13 21 8 16 38 64 BIRDS OF TOKYO

PLANS

CAP/EMI INT/UMA

14 17 5 14 11 25 44 FAR EAST MOVEMENT

LIKE A G6

15 19 10 14 12 44 67 TRAIN

SAVE ME, SAN FRANCISCO

SME

16 12 11 2 18 43 63 KINGS OF LEON

RADIOACTIVE

SME

17 14 11 14 11 31 54 ADAM LAMBERT

FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

SME

18 20 4 18 11 24 52 JESSICA MAUBOY FT. LUDACRIS

SATURDAY NIGHT

SME

19 26

F**KIN’ PERFECT

SME

FOR THE FIRST TIME

SME

3 19 11 23 48 PINK

20 16 17 6 12 38 68 THE SCRIPT 21 77 2

21 14 23 39

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

SING

WB/WMA

3

22 14 29 58

KINGS OF LEON

PYRO

SME ISL/UMA

22

28

23 18 18 1

TAIO CRUZ

DYNAMITE

24 15 22 12 16 32 49

14 28 56

THE TEMPER TRAP

FADER

LIB/UMA

25 23 9

23 9

LIFEHOUSE

ALL IN

GEF/UMA

26 31 3

26 11 25 48

37 65

Liberator Music, part of the Mushroom Group, has gone into a joint venture with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Joshua Homme’s label Rekords Rekords, for the Australian and NZ markets. Three releases come in January.

BRUNO MARS

GRENADE

ATL/WMA

27 27 20 7

14 26 57

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS

CLOSER TO THE EDGE

VIR/EMI

28 21 19 2

14 28 57

USHER FT. PITBULL

DJ GOT US FALLIN’ IN LOVE

SME

29 22 18 1

14 32 58

KATY PERRY

TEENAGE DREAM

CAP/EMI

INTERN AT BEACH ROAD HOTEL

30 32 4

30 11 24 48

RIHANNA FT. DRAKE

WHAT’S MY NAME?

DEF/UMA

31 25 5

The Beach Road Hotel in Bondi needs an intern. The position will be two to three half days per week and is unpaid, with the possibility of this developing down the line into paid part-time work for the right person.

You will help maintain websites and social networking sites, write newsletters, liaise with artist management and do basic office duties. You need an interest in and knowledge of music and social networking sites, and a driver’s license is helpful but not essential.

Forward CV to sally@beachroadbondi.com.au.

25 11 24 45

PITBULL FT. T-PAIN

HEY BABY (DROP IT TO THE

SME

32 24 16 10 14 31 54

GOOD CHARLOTTE

LIKE IT’S HER BIRTHDAY

CAP/EMI

33 59 3

33 8

THE SCRIPT

NOTHING

SME

34 35 4

28 12 28 49

TAIO CRUZ FT. KYLIE MINOGUE

HIGHER

ISL/UMA

35 36 7

35 12 28 56

JAMES BLUNT

STAY THE NIGHT

ATUK/WMA

36

36 10 24 43

SME

1

28 59

CHRIS BROWN

YEAH 3X

37 37 21 15 13 39 53

NICKELBACK

THIS AFTERNOON

RR/WMA

38 33 26 5

TRAIN

IF IT’S LOVE

SME

39 39 24 18 14 37 64

JOHN BUTLER TRIO

REVOLUTION

JAR/MGM

40 30 18 11 10 28 51

B.O.B FT. RIVERS CUOMO

MAGIC

ATL/WMA

14 40 61

Take advantage of our 25% off November specials

28 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

THERE GO THE BIRDS

› THE MUSIC NETWORK TOP 40

Stickers, posters, flyers, banners & design at very competetive prices.

50 x A3 posters $60 - $45

Pidal joined the two boards. Jenny Morris was returned as Australian Writer Director on the APRA Board. Bob Aird (Universal Music Publishing), David Albert (J Albert & Son), and Matthew Capper (Warner/Chappell Music Australia) were returned as Publisher Directors on the APRA board. David Albert, Philip Burn (Hal Leonard Australia), Catherine Gerrard (AMPD) and Philip Walker (Origin Music Group) were returned to the AMCOS board.

1000 x postcard size D/S flyers $265 - $198

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â&#x20AC;&#x201C; James Mottram (The Observer, The Times, Rotten Tomatoes)

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BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 29

THE

Summer Sounds With A Bit Of Bite By Oliver Downes t’s a quarter to eleven on an unseasonably hot October morning, and The John Steel Singers are running late.

A punishing schedule of press meetings arranged ahead of the release of their long-awaited debut have proved no match for delayed flights and Sydney’s traffic. The Surry Hills offices of their label Dew Process are pleasant enough however, and before long trimly hirsute frontman Tim Morrissey and spectacularly afro-ed drummer Ross Chandler are ushered in - gratefully clutching cups of instant coffee and muttering about time zones and sleep deprivation. “I’ve been up since a quarter to five this morning,” murmurs Morrissey, “so I’m a little bit tired – we lose an hour ‘cause of daylight savings.” Despite his lethargy Morrissey is all business, carefully sticking to talking points while Ross seems content to sit in the corner, offering occasional clarification. “I’m a very quiet person,” he explains simply.

Expectations around the JSS have been percolating for some time now. The band was formed close to five years ago by Brisbane natives Morrissey and fellow songwriter Scott Bromiley. Rising out of the ashes of a group that had to be put to sleep (thanks in no small part to “a drummer who was massively into Dream Theatre”), the new project was named in homage to Morrissey’s childhood toy horse, John Steel. “I wanted to start a band since about grade eight,” he says, eyes boring intently through his glasses.

“I didn’t know how to play anything so I would just write songs in my head. I would meet people and I was always trying to envisage them in my band, but it wasn’t until I was actually twenty years old that I met Scott…

He ended up teaching me some guitar, and we ended up forming a band.”

From this seed the pair gradually expanded the line-up (currently stabilised at an even six), juggling personnel (“we’re like Spinal Tap with bass players”), incorporating brass (a move that was “never intentional”) and cutting their teeth through some persistent

touring up and down the east coast, all the while developing their own idiosyncratic style with a pair of EPs and a mini-album. And acclaim began to flow: the band took out triple j’s Unearthed Artist of the Year award back in 2008, while garnering a reputation among punters for live sets brimming with youthful exuberance and prodigious quantities of hair.

weren’t available, so he asked JSS to be his backing band. “For people who are massive Go-Betweens fans, to [be] asked to play Go-Betweens songs as Robert Forster’s backing band, that opportunity doesn’t come around very often … [it] was bloody surreal,” Morrissey says. “We wanted to get a producer and Robert’s name came up, and we were like, ‘Yeah! Let’s do it!’”

It’s odd then that their debut long player, Tangalooma, has taken so long to emerge.

“We’ve always taken a long time to do things,” admits Morrissey. “We never did any really rough early demos, we just went into the studio after we’d saved up enough money to do it, and I think that was a little bit like the same thing with the album. We wanted to make sure we could do it the way we wanted to do it.” The album was actually already mixed and mastered by October last year; after that, Morrissey says, the “music industry side of things [took] over.

The result, a collection of breezy pop songs buoyed by some creative arrangements and tempered with lyrical bite, is one of the best Australian releases in a year that has seen no shortage of strong debuts. Morrissey claims inspiration from sources as diverse as David Byrne, Ray Davies and The Kinks, and widely influential English post-punk group Wire. He also pays due respect to the morphing euphoria of post-rock pioneers Talk Talk, with the moody atmospherics of Spirit Of Eden being an important shaping force for Tangalooma - particularly its closing track, ‘Sleep’.

“It has definitely been a year longer than we hoped,” he continues, “but that has its benefits as well – in that year we’ve been writing new songs, and the next album definitely won’t take as long as this one did.”

When it came to getting the right sound for the record, the band were fortunate enough to be able to call on the talents of Robert Forster - producer, critic, songwriter, and one of Morrissey’s musical idols, as frontman of The Go-Betweens. “The Fire and Flood benefit up in Brisbane was on and we were playing, and Robert was also on the bill,” he explains. Forster’s drummer Glen Thompson and bassist Adele Pickvance

“I guess the album’s pretty densely layered, so there’s parts you’re not necessarily aware of,” says Morrissey. “Nicholas [Vernhes] the engineer [who has previously worked with Animal Collective, Deerhunter and Spoon] probably stripped away a lot of unnecessary stuff as well… Hopefully it sounds like John Steel Singers, and hopefully whether we flop or go well, it’ll rest on us sounding like the John Steel Singers.”

While the JSS sound is generally bright and bouncy, lyrically Tangalooma delves into darker territory. Although it’s “definitely not a concept album”, Morrissey and Bromiley’s

thoughtful and literate lyrics draw on a shared fascination with Ernest Becker’s 1974 Pulitzer-winner The Denial Of Death, exploring ideas of mortality, desire and the stories people tell themselves to stay sane in a material world. “Both Scott and I were getting to a time in our lives when we were experiencing similar anxieties about the nature of everything,” explains Morrissey.

“You sort of have to lie, have a vital lie to keep yourself going as a human being …

Most functioning humans lie to themselves about certain things; it’s vital to being human… I dunno, I’m not very good at explaining this out loud!” he laughs.

Rather than buying into any of the solutions offered by the world of the gainfully employed, The John Steel Singers seem intent on becoming their own heroes (as the caped horses adorning the cover art of Tangalooma might suggest), throwing themselves into the music lifestyle with total dedication. The forecast for their next year is a whirlwind of touring, writing and recording.

“I worked out the other day that I’d only, in my twenty-seven years, worked about three or four months at most in full-time jobs,” says Morrissey. “So, if I can avoid doing that for as long as possible, that would be excellent.”

Who: Tangalooma is out now through Dew Process With: Deep Sea Arcade, Fishing Where: Brass Monkey, Cronulla / Beach Road Hotel, Bondi / Oxford Art Factory When: November 30 / December 1 / December 4

“Each time they found fresh meat to chew I would turn away and return to you”- VILLAGERS 30 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:10:10

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 31

The Lemonheads It’s About Time... By Patrick Emery

E

van Dando’s affection for Australia is well documented. In the early 1990s, his fledgling band the Lemonheads was amongst a swathe of punk-edged groups competing for attention in the wake of the Nevermind-led underground feeding frenzy. They toured the country in an effort to capitalise on their growing fanbase, and Dando left three weeks later with a new long-term songwriting partner, a new bassist, and a handful of pop songs that would form the foundation of the band’s breakthrough 1992 album, It’s A Shame About Ray. Dando is at his most effusive when talking about this first tour of Australia. It was there that he became friendly with Nic Dalton, who was then moonlighting as a bass player for The Hummingbirds. Dalton introduced Dando to his friend Tom Morgan who had recently formed the band Smudge, and Dando became enamoured with the pair - in particular, with Smudge’s Go-Betweens baiting single ‘Don’t Wanna Be Grant McLennan’. He co-wrote three songs with Morgan one morning, and a new, commercial sound for the Lemonheads was born. “It’s all about the band Sneeze [a Dalton/Morgan project],” Dando explains. “Nic wanted me to play on the

& W I T H

S U P P O R T

F R O M

ARE PROUD TO PRESENT

“If we really wanted to go for success, then we would’ve done it more professionally...”

Sneeze record - and then we realised we both really loved the Velvet Underground.” Prior to It’s A Shame About Ray, the Lemonheads had released a quartet of promising but unfocused punk albums – Hate Your Friends, Creator, Lick and Lovey – before deviating down the powerpop road that would provide the band with its greatest success. The motive, Dando explains plainly, was simply to differentiate The Lemonheads’ brand.

“After Nevermind, punk rock became too big, so we decided to get quieter,” he shrugs.

The Lemonheads went especially quiet in the late 90s as Dando pursued other projects, but in 2005 he revived his band, and the following year they released The Lemonheads - their first album in almost a decade. Two years later they received the Classic Album award for It’s A Shame About Ray at the NME Awards USA; Dando was said to have thrown the trophy in the bin after the ceremony concluded. “Yeah, that’s true,” Dando admits. “I didn’t really like the statue, but I was honoured to get the award.”

It was a reaction characteristic of his volatile reputation. At a gig in Adelaide in February 1994, he concluded the show with one foot standing on his guitar, the industrial strength feedback effect in acidic harmony with Dando’s moaning intonations; the crowd, perplexed by Dando’s erratic finale, filed out in frustration. At an airport in Sydney in 1995, he was arrested on a concoction of acid and heroin; Dando would later concede that past tours had been fuelled by a diet of amphetamines and acid. In a 1996 interview with NME, he said: “I lost my marbles down there in Australia. I was going off on this private conspiracy theory, learning weird handshakes and feeding coins into grates thinking I was gonna ‘pooooof!’ back home. I lost it so hard.”

With Sydney as a birthplace and spiritual home of the album, it makes perfect sense for the Lemonheads to perform It’s A Shame About Ray in its entirety during their forthcoming Australian tour. Dando remains enthusiastic about the album, while claiming the change of style wasn’t intended to solicit commercial attention. “If we really wanted to go for success, then we would’ve done it more professionally,” he says. Almost twenty years after the album was released, Dando says he remains proud of the record. “At the time, I did think it was a good record,” Dando says. “Looking back on it, I still think it’s really good. It’s unique. It’s a bit warm, and it’s good a couple of good words on it.”

The lyrical inspiration was drawn directly from Dando’s experiences in Australia, including ‘Alison’s Starting to Happen’ (a tribute to Smudge drummer Alison Galloway), and the title track, co-written with Smudge’s Tom Morgan. “[The song] ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ was written after we read an article in The Sydney Morning Herald,” Dando recalls. “The article was about a Catholic boy, and what happened to him... It all seems illogical now, but it made sense at the time we wrote it.” As for ‘Alison’s Starting to Happen’, Dando says Galloway was “a bit flattered and embarrassed” at being the subject of a song. Another chapter in the Evan Dando saga was the media’s interest in his “are they/ aren’t they” relationship with American singer/ songwriter and alternative poster-girl Juliana Hatfield. Their relationship concluded not long after the release of It’s A Shame About Ray, but he still concedes her influence on the album.

“She’s got a good voice, and she practised with us once a day - and she made up all the bass lines on the record,” Dando explains.

SYDNEY SATURDAY 19 FEB AT OXFORD ART FACTORY ALSO APPEARING AT PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER AND PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THE VENUE AND CIVILSOCIETY.COM.AU 32 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Dando’s reputation for being unpredictable shows no sign of fading; our interview reaches an abrupt end when he becomes unspecifically distracted, possibly annoyed by the line of questioning. “I gotta go now,” Dando butts in, as I prepare to ask about The Lemonheads’ future musical activities. “I gotta go do something -” he says, and he puts the phone down. Deep down, it’s not entirely surprising Dando has cut the interview short; in the remaining half a second I thank him for his time, and it’s all over. Sometimes it’s perversely satisfying to be stood up by a rock star with a reputation for dysfunctional behaviour.

What: ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ national tour With: Smudge Where: The Metro Theatre When: Wednesday December 1

NLY O T H G I EN N O R O F A SPECIAL SCREENING OF 2 FILMS BY

MOGWAI BURNING & ADELIA, I WANT TO LOVE. O

`s

NEW YEARS EVE

DRESS-UP HOUSE PARTY

Screening at the Chauvel Cinema, Paddington on the 9th of December at 6.30pm.

Tickets available at the Chauvel or through Moshtix at www.moshtix.com.au and Moshtix outlets.

British indie. Bubbles. Courtyard.

Balloons. Costumes. Rubbish DJs. Couches. Cheap drinks. Mayhem.

15

$

THE GLADSTONE HOTEL www.britpop.com.auwww.britpop.com.au for further info & ticket sales BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 33

MxPx All Stars The Ever Passing Moment By Alexi Sebastian

T

he adolescent fun ride that was MxPx’s 90s heyday is all but a memory for Mike Herrera, as he recalls one particular highlight in the American nu-punk trio’s colourful history: shows with a reformed Sex Pistols, back in 1996. “That was forever ago!” laughs the band’s singer-bassist over the phone. Having formed the Descendents-inspired MxPx in his mid-teens at high school in Silverdale, about an hour’s ferry ride from Seattle, Herrera enjoyed the fleeting success of 1996’s Life In General (thanks to the tearaway hit Chick Magnet) and 1998’s Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo, before the punk-pop party gradually thinned out, following the peak of 2000’s The Ever Passing Moment.

“Music in general was just so much bigger back then,” muses Herrera, now 34. “Bands were bigger, and every band was selling more, in every genre. Even new bands who are big today would’ve been much bigger ten years ago if they’d come out then.” Whilst MxPx delivered four albums through the noughties, culminating in their most recent disc 2007’s Secret Weapon, Herrera’s musical vision now also involves a new band Tumbledown, plus a solo career. In fact he was in Sydney this September, performing acoustic dates that included a private function.

Herrera says his switch from light-speed punk

chops to an unplugged format worked wonders on a recent South America tour. “I didn’t necessarily plan to do the solo stuff,” he explains.

“I just started doing it, and people seemed to enjoy it. It’s a cool thing for the fans to come out and hear the songs in a different way, and they get to see me and hang out with me in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a whole new way of touring I guess, and I enjoy it, it’s really cool. I definitely like travelling alone and going where the day takes me. So if MxPx can’t come out, then at least I can play shows for people.”

With long-time drummer Yuri Ruley still a core MxPx member but no longer involved the band’s touring plans (family commitments - “punk rock doesn’t plan for retirement”), Herrera says the group’s recent hiatus has allowed him time to jam with his friends, notably The Ataris’ guitarist Kris Roe and drummer Chris Wilson (ex-Good Charlotte). The result is MxPx All Stars, fresh off a Japanese tour and now slated to appear at this summer’s Soundwave festival alongside Iron Maiden and Queens Of The Stoneage. “I was at Soundwave a couple of years ago as a solo artist, but this time The Ataris are going to be there - and so we’ll have back-to-back sets using the same gear,” explains Herrera. “Kris will be playing with us in the MxPx All Stars, and I may even be playing with The Ataris.”

It’ll be a case of full circle for Herrera, whose association with the national festival dates back to its humble origins. “I think we played Soundwave when it was just in Perth. It started out as this little weekend gig and it’s grown to become this mammoth festival,” he says. “But the people who are running it are still the same, and when you can connect with people on that level that’s what it’s about.”

L

et’s get one thing straight: Wally Meanie is Roderick Kempton. “Wally is Roderick, Roderick is Wally,” Kempton confirms. The Meanies’ bassist is direct and jovial, immediately likeable. When I suggest he sign-off his emails with ‘Wally is Roderick’ to diminish confusion he muses, “That’s a really good idea” - before erupting into self-deprecatory laughter. “I’m not very fuckin’ smart for 43!”

t is hard to believe Spiderbait are 21 years old; that man the end of the phone, Kram, has two kids - boy and girl, aged three and nine months, respectively - and now lives in the idyllic coastal village of Brunswick Heads, about 15 minutes north of Byron Bay.

those early days in the early ‘90s he didn’t hold the tightest beat - but these days you’ll find the man’s got a wicked sense of groove.

And he still plays with power; there’s nothing better than a drummer who thumps the tubs with passion.

Kram is still a rock star, though. He’s always been a rock star - the man with the slam, the beard and the ferocious grin, glaring as he pounds away at his drumkit or holds a beat while singing. If we’re talking about the fire inside that drives you to get out on stage and on tour after two decades, then Spiderbait have it in spades. Furthermore, they’ve retained their honesty and rawness – perhaps because they haven’t flogged themselves to death over the years.

His daughter on the other hand, even though she’s just nine months old, is (according to her father) definitely an indie chick. “She seems a bit more introspective; she’s got that look in her eyes - she’s going to be a songwriter.”

She’ll be able to get a few tips from her dad, who’s found that splitting his career into band (“my heart and soul”) and solo (“my road trip”) has worked well in terms of where to place the material he comes up with.

Part of that is having kids; besides Kram’s pair, bassist Janet English has also had a couple. “They obviously added some natural breaks, but they also give us a fresh perspective as well,” says Kram. “We’ve now got little ones on the side of the stage. I’ve already got my little boy in a film clip for one of the songs from my solo album [last year’s Mix Tape].”

Unsurprisingly, the little bloke is already drumming. “I’d definitely describe him as a free jazz drummer. There’s an Ornette Coleman record which he sounds a lot like.

He doesn’t hold a beat well but he’s got the power.” Bit like his Dad; Kram agrees that in

What: Soundwave Festival @ Eastern Creek Raceway, Sydney When: Sunday February 27

21 Years Young By Kate Hennessy

Built For Power By Mike Gee

“In the early days, I was very intense and into wanting everything to be as perfect as possible,” he tells me. “These days I’m happy to relax and let it happen as it will. It’s the best job in the world to play music and to have that connection between yourself and the audience. I think the fire burns out if you do too much. We’ve always taken breaks in our career and known when it’s time to chill.”

With: Iron Maiden, Queens Of The Stone Age, Slayer, Primus, One Day As Lion, The Ataris, Bullet For My Valentine, Gang Of Four and more

The Meanies

Spiderbait

I

Who: MxPx All Stars

The good news for fans of the ‘Bait is that six years after Tonight Alright, the band is scheduled to have its first writing session in Melbourne this week. Maybe there’s another ‘Buy Me A Pony’ in the batch Kram is taking down; maybe Janet or guitarist Damien ‘Whitt’ Whitty have got another Triple J Hottest 100 #1 in the oven.

In the meantime, however, the ‘Bait will be doing that other thing they do best – rocking out. They’ll be taking the stage alongside the legendary Guns N Roses, in a perfect maelstrom of rock and roaring engines, fastdrumming and even faster cars at the Sydney Telstra 500 this weekend. Then it’s pedal to metal for studio record number seven … look out 2011.

With: Guns N’ Roses, The Delta Riggs, The Angels, Mondo Rock, James Reyne What: Sydney Telstra 500 When: Sydney Olympic Park Where: Saturday December 4

Seminal Melbourne punk-rockers The Meanies are a grizzled 21 years old, and will be playing the last Sydney show of their anniversary year at The Factory Theatre this Saturday for Black Cherry’s Christmas party: ‘the wildest band, burlesque & DJ variety show in town.’ The band has only broken up once between ‘96 and ’98 (a brief hiatus compared to peers like Tumbleweed, whose original line-up reunited last year after a 13-year rift), but even the short break transformed their trajectory. In the early 90s, The Meanies were young, dumb and ridin’ the wave, selling out 1000-capacity venues and loved for their explosively energetic shows and the pungent adolescent whiff of songs like ‘Scum’, ‘Gangrenous’ and ‘10% Weird’. But it all changed for them in 1996. “In ’96, our whole world fell apart and we stopped abruptly,” he explains. “There was no Last Ever Tour, nothing but a ‘Fuck this, can’t do it anymore’ from a couple of our members.”

Three years on, Japanese garage band the 5.6.7.8’s asked The Meanies to play support, at Melbourne’s Hi-Fi. “We thought we were old farts by then – though we weren’t even 30! But there was a huge queue down Swanston Street by 8:30 and we thought, ‘What the fuck?’ Every second person had a Meanies shirt on!” Post-comeback, The Meanies didn’t want the band to be as “full on” as before, says Kempton. “Not that we were ever careerist. It was more like ‘Hey that worked, let’s try it again!’ It was dumb luck; everything we

tried just sorta worked, and we went from zero to hero in a few years.

“But people move on. After three years off, we were lucky if we could fill The Tote. That’s just fact.

It’s doesn’t bother us because we don’t give a shit, but in business terms it was the most ridiculous thing... When we reunited everyone was rapt to see us - ‘Yay, Meanies!’ - but then the nostalgia thing was over,” he says. “It was just the hardcore followers left, and they’re still coming.”

The Meanies’ recorded output these days is characterised by fun camaraderie with other bands. In 2008 they released two 7-inch singles featuring B-sides of Meanies’ covers by The Drones, Dan Kelly and Spiderbait among others.

Pressed to vinyl only –“We’re old school. We love it.” – a couple of the singles are still languishing.

“Our label these days is Infidelity run by Bruce [Milne] from Au Go Go, who was licensee of The Tote when it went under. So for now, our poor old record label has no money, and those 7-inches are waiting to be pressed.”

Meanwhile, The Meanies keep busy with side projects like singer Link Meanie’s band The Bakelite Age. Kempton also plays in Even and The Verses, manages three bands, and books The Espy in St Kilda. “There’s a gig every month that I want to make a complete Wal-fest, but I don’t!” he says. “Let’s just say I have my finger in a few pies, and I like to keep the pies warm.”

Though surrounded by new bands at the Espy, Kempton still gushes praise for old-school heavy pub rock. “My favourite gig ever was The Monster Sessions in Sydney in March. It was so cool to be an old fart in the crowd surrounded by fellow old farts watching even older old farts like The Hard Ons, Lime Spiders and Hellmenn, and just going, ‘How fucking good are these bands?’”

What: Black Cherry’s Christmas Party Who: The Meanies, Torche Le Monde, Graveyard Train, Gay Paris With: Burlesque by Suzie Q & Toby J, Anna ‘Pocket Rocket’ Lumb and La Viola Vixen, plus The Black Cherry DJs and Limpin’ Jimmy & The Swingin’ Kitten Where: The Factory Theatre When: Saturday December 4

“In the centre of the city was a statue and her twin and together they watched over everything” - VILLAGERS 34 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

The Morning Benders The Californian Approach By Caitlin Welsh

I

f you haven’t heard The Morning Benders’ astonishing second album yet, put down this fine publication and go score yourself a copy any which way you can. [Independent record store, please – ed.] Since a relatively quiet release earlier this year, Big Echo has been collecting accolades like seashells, including a coveted Best New Music tag from Pitchfork. Words like “sunny”, “summery”, “Cali-pop” and “coastal” all pop up with regularity in reviews and promo copy - but it’s hard to find another landscape that captures the languid shimmer of their sound better than the watercolour beach of the album art, so perhaps it’s their own fault. Still, Chris Chu, founder and frontman, seems a little weary of his music being lumped in with the current indie fixation on hazy Californian Summers.

“I’m a little confused by it, because I don’t quite get what a California sound should sound like,” he says, speaking from the back of a darkened tour van. “A lot of bands from California sound pretty different.

But I will say that because the four of us [grew up there], there is something about California that’s made its way into our music. Maybe it has more to do with the approach than the actual sound. We approach things in a pretty laidback way, we often go into the studio with songs half-finished and just figure it out as we go along; maybe that’s a Californian approach.”

US blog SayMayDay, he put together a sweetly hazy mix of summer jams, including Smokey Robinson, Bibio, The Radio Department and the Avalanches, as well as a unique little cover: himself singing Joanna Newsom’s ‘Have One On Me’ over a J Dilla beat. The entire mix is perfectly formed, but that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it slow-jam shimmer is worth the price of admission (read: free download) alone. We get talking about Dilla’s Donuts, with its layers of hidden messages and twisted beats that demand almost obsessive listening... “I really loved doing [that cover], so maybe I’ll keep it up,” says Chu. “The thing I find really interesting about hip-hop in that way is that there’s a whole other layer [in] the sampling; you have another entire song and another entire body of lyrics involved in the song… It’s another palette, I guess, to expand your sound,” he continues. “The possibilities are amazing.”

What: Big Echo is out now on Rough Trade, through Remote Control With: The John Steel Singers Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Tuesday January 4, 2011

Far from the lo-fi warblings of the chillwave crowd, Big Echo is actually a flawlessly-structured chamber pop record; but soaked in wall-of-sound production and Chu’s irresistibly clear, wistful vocals, it sounds more like Grizzly Bear emerged from the Yellow House into the sunshine for an end-of-summer picnic. Bear’s Chris Taylor co-produced and mixed the album, and it’s easy to detect his touch in the cautious space between the harmonies and multi-tracked guitars. Chu says Taylor brought a certain clarity to the process. “[Chris] has a really good ear for picking out all the little spaces where the sounds are clear and where they translate well… We had all this sound recorded to tape and all these different ideas that were pretty cluttered, and for him to come in at that point in the middle of the process, not being in too deep but having a clear ear - that helped a lot.”

“The songwriters that I really like - there’s always duality there.

The Beach Boys are associated with that sunny-sounding pop... [but] those songs are really rooted in fear.”

The Benders are now Brooklyn-based but, as tends to happen, taking the band out of Cali doesn’t take the Cali out of the band. Chu acknowledges an unavoidable debt to The Beach Boys – although not in the way you might think. While the rich, sweet harmonies of Brian Wilson’s classic pop songs do pop up on Big Echo, what Chu finds more fascinating is the darkness lurking beneath the waves. Songs like ‘Cold War (Nice Clean Fight)’ and ‘Promises’ hide bitterness and regret in plain sight, dressed in jangly harmonies and woah-oh backing vox. “It is something I recognise in my songs a lot,” admits Chu. “I think it just comes from the songwriters that I really like - there’s always duality there.” He cites Brian Wilson as the patron saint of sunny-but-sad. “The Beach Boys are associated with that sunny-sounding pop, but a lot of the time the lyrics behind those songs are really sad; they’re pretty dark. Brian was a pretty sad guy… Those songs are really rooted in fear.”

The Morning Benders are not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeve, releasing an album of lo-fi covers near the same time as their first album, 2008’s Talking Through Tin Cans. Heavy on Spector-era girl-group tracks like the Crystals’ ‘He’s A Rebel’, as well as under-used cuts from the Velvet Underground and Smiths back catalogues, it’s easy to read The Bedroom Covers as a statement of purpose by a young band devouring all the music that they can. Chu says while his listening habits have shifted since, those sounds had a definite influence on Tin Cans. “Things have changed sort of naturally – not that I don’t really like any of those people any more, I still do, but some of the stuff I’m listening to now is nowhere to be found on those covers,” he says. “That was the first music that I was really passionate about, and I just listened to it so much that I think I burned out on it.”

Chu’s new directions are already starting to take shape, with the continuously flowing structure of mixtapes and beat tapes holding particular appeal to him now. “Creating a really fluid story - I wanna try to maybe do that with the next album. I mean, it’s something we did to an extent with the last album, but I think we could make it even more extreme.” In the first of a series of mixtapes for BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 35

Mary J. Blige Getting Down To Business By Hugh Robertson

W

hen conducting phone interviews, my standard opening is to ask the interviewee what they have planned for the day. Even if there’s nothing noteworthy to talk about, at the very least it allows the artist to settle into our chat and not feel as though I’m trying to ambush them from the very start...

So when Mary J. Blige replies that she’s in L.A. doing an interview with me, and shows no inclination to expand on that (“Um, I’m in L.A. Los Angeles, California. Doing an interview with you. That’s what I’m up to.”), I start having a bad feeling about this... Indeed, as we progress Blige seems to have very little interest in answering any of my questions with any detail whatsoever.

It’s not as though we don’t have anything to discuss; the talking points, in fact, are endless.

After twenty years, nine Grammys, eight multi-platinum albums and fifty million albums sold, Blige is making her way to Australia for the very first time to headline the huge Ragamuffin Festival - alongside acts like Jimmy Cliff and The Original Wailers. But don’t read anything into an R&B star performing at what’s traditionally been a reggae-based festival; she

tells me she’s not planning any reggae-fied versions of her enormous back-catalogue, nor is she making a statement about her love for her herbal namesake... The reason a reggae festival is what finally enticed Blige out here, she says, is simply because “they asked”. And when I inquire as to what she’s looking forward to most about her first trip downunder, she tells me she wants to “see some things.”

Another talking point? The new album Mary J. Blige is currently working on, with a rollcall of the top producers in the hip hop world that includes Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Ne-Yo and Q-Tip - along with many others. But it turns out we already know what it’s going to sound like... “I mean, basically it’s the formula that I do all the rest of my albums with,” Blige reveals.

“Where I’m at right now, what’s around me, what I’m coming through, what I am victorious in...

People expect from me what they want from me.

So I just make what people want.”

“What people want” has, for much of Blige’s career, been to hear her sing about overcoming the hardships of her life - abusive relationships, childhood torment, substance abuse... The basic template is catharsis-by-numbers, with Blige battling her demons over swelling string arrangements and R&B production. It’s the content of the songs as much as the style itself that has endeared her to so many for so long. “I think people in general just want to know that they’re not the only one suffering,” she says. “So if you have someone that you love, like Mary J. Blige, or Michael Jackson, or Janet Jackson – when Mary J. Blige speaks to you, and she’s this huge superstar, [and she] says to you ‘I’m going through this too’ or ‘I went through this too,’ it makes people feel better. It makes people look at you as not so untouchable. And now you become loveable. You become touchable, and when they see you they’re not thinking about killing you, they’re thinking about hugging you.

They’re thinking about giving you something that you gave to them.”

Here, then, is the centre of the Mary J. Blige world view: it all comes down to respect and reciprocity. Do unto others, stay neutral, and get along. It’s a philosophy that encompasses everything, from her frequent collaborations with hip hop and very non-hip hop stars (including Sting, Elton John and Andrea Boccelli), her detachment to any of the famous rivalries and ‘beefs’ through the history of her genre, and her tendency to work with lots of producers at once (there are seventeen producers listed on her last album Stronger With Each Tear - and only twelve tracks).

“People expect from me what they want from me. So I just make what people want... I think people in general just want to know that they’re not the only one suffering.”

The longer the interview goes on, the more answers Blige gives that are seemingly devoid of any real interest in the subject matter... She tells me that she features on other people’s songs “because they request [her] presence”; and she works with countless producers because “they all have something different to offer”, rather than because they reinforce her own artistic vision. This last one is especially significant, because her artistic vision seems to consist of creating the music that people want to hear. And then Blige makes it easy for me, explaining that she enjoys doing guest vocals on other people’s songs because she likes “to work with people that have great personalities” – and I realise that, despite talking to her for ten minutes, I have absolutely no sense of what she is like as a person at all.

Maybe it doesn’t matter. She writes huge hits and puts on a huge show; fifty million Mary J. Blige fans can’t be wrong. And in an industry as ego-dominated as the music world (and particularly the hip hop world), Blige may well have hit on the perfect method for winning friends and influencing people: do your work, do it well, keep your head down, and don’t say anything that might upset anyone. It certainly seems to be working for her.

With: Jimmy Cliff, Maxi Priest, The Original Wailers, Sean Paul, Ky-Mani Marley and more Where: Raggamuffin @ Parramatta Park When: Friday January 28, 2011 36 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Retrolicious Oddities By Luke Telford

M

ost people are familiar with Ariel Pink via 2010’s Before Today. It’s very much of the genre come to be known as glow-fi; gauchely nostalgic for the stylistic excesses of music heard in half-lucid childhood memories, with production carefully tailored to sound like the audio track on a damaged VHS. But the important difference between Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and bands like Toro Y Moi or Washed Out is that with Before Today, Ariel Pink (aka Rosenberg) raised the aural quality bar a couple of notches.

His early records were lo-fi by default, the result of a self-set challenge to see how far musical ideas could be taken on brutally limiting equipment.

As his very first recording set-up shows, this philosophy of limited means goes a long way back.

“I had a bass guitar back when I was in high school.

I had a pair of headphones and I would plug into a delay pedal, or just a pedal of some sort, and then record directly onto tape using the headphones as a microphone.” Given that his early work harbours the feel of a radio station pushed to the absolute extremities of the passively tinny AM spectrum, this comes as no surprise. “Not many people know that there are microphones in headphones,” Rosenberg goes on. “You can speak into the earpiece and it’s just a very low channel, so there’s all this hiss. Basically it’s just a very low volume recording... I wouldn’t even amplify the bass,” he continues. “I’d play the bass on my bed acoustically and I’d put the headphones right next to the bass, and try and get some kind of signal.

So: very, very, very crappy. Humble beginnings.”

over stuff I’ve already written and fine-tuning it for live performance, that it’s a welcome distraction from my artist block. It definitely doesn’t come like it used to,” he admits anxiously.

“I was really desperate, when I was younger, to be heard - so I was really willing to check everything, just to do things my own way. Those times I’m really proud of, because I was really inspired, and I knew it back then and I took advantage of that,” he says. “I want to go back there. I take my time a little bit now; I don’t just rush into recordings or anything. I want to make things sound good, so time is necessary. I’m happy to go at a slower pace.”

What: Before Today is out now on 4AD / Remote Control With: Djanimals and Holy Balm Where: The Manning Bar When: Wednesday February 9 More: Laneway Festival 2011 on February 6 @ SCA, with Foals, PVT, Menomena, Beach House, !!!, Warpaint, Yeasayer and more

“Retrolicious is what I call it. I never wanted to operate within a scene, or any kind of passing fad. It’s a bigger cannon that I’m trying to pull from.”

It’s easy to forget that many a great pop musician has shared in this humility, starting on a cheap guitar and recording in their bedroom. That musos can cling to this simplicity is both the beauty of bedroom pop, and it’s curse; the subjective indulgence can mean the quality of the music never advances beyond the naivety of its genesis.

But Rosenberg insists that determination is all you need to make it work. “The longer you do it, the more likely [it is] that you will actually stumble on your own voice. It has nothing to do with abilities, but it does take preservation, it takes commitment, it takes … somebody being realistic at the outset, and [just] doing it.”

Something that distinguishes Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti from acts of a similar ilk is Rosenberg’s sincerity. Despite the bewildering incongruity of the influences he wears on his sleeve, from prog to freak psych to FM cheese, Ariel Pink means what he plays. “Retrolicious is what I call it. It’s a survey of music that I’ve come to know and love at various points in my life, just all melded together,” he says. “I never wanted to operate within a scene, or any kind of passing fad. It’s a bigger cannon that I’m trying to pull from. I don’t want to be a prog band, I don’t want to be a pop band. I see myself as an experimental composer, and an artist in the classical sense - but that’s me being extremely… modest.”

That Rosenberg considers himself a composer doesn’t come as a surprise. The unsettled/ unsettling façade of his earlier albums make them feel like distant relatives of the first few released by Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention; although he doesn’t share Zappa’s iconoclasm. “I really have to say it’s a sincere pursuit on my part,” explains Rosenberg. “Even if it sounds cynical, there’s very little cynicism in why I do it. I probably take myself way too seriously, ultimately.”

To find this degree of honest sincerity in someone who could so easily be perceived as a diehard cynic is enormously refreshing. Rosenberg feels compelled to set himself and his art aside from the posturing and pretence that accompanies much contemporary music. “I think there is a lack of creativity and a lack of vision on the part of the musicians; I think there’s a lack of good role models out there. Everybody wants to be the Rolling Stones, you know? Rolling Stones overload! Everyone wants to be a rockstar. And be a boozer. Loser.”

In addition to this active unwillingness to put up with rock clichés, he also shares a work ethic with Zappa. Before Today is the most recent of a literally countless number of releases. It’s not easy being so prolific. “I perpetually have writer’s block these days. It’s ok though, because I spend so much time rehearsing and performing with a band, going BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 37

Don McLean That One Song By Mike Gee

H

ow does it feel to know you are immortal? To have made a song which could withstand 40 years and remain as popular today as it was in the post-hippie twilight of 1971? No one would have thought that a single song, based on the death of Buddy Holly but extending far beyond into the heart of American pop culture and ultimately the nation’s psyche, would have marched a man through life to a position today where he can look back and declare that in some ways, the music has finally died. The man is Don McLean, the song is ‘American Pie’, and at 65 years of age he has recorded his final album, Addicted To Black; a heartfelt, at times tearful farewell that looks back at a dream which has become somewhat faded. Not that McLean is giving up playing to the audiences he loves; he just wont be recording anymore.

It’s -5C, raining and thinking about snowing in McLean’s hometown of Maine, where he’s been musing over why, despite his

successes, many people have never really understood his music. He believes it’s because he is a fusion artist, has no roots, isn’t easily categorised; because he’s always tried different things, refused to play the game. “I’ve realised that I’m very difficult to categorise, and I’m somewhat contrary as far my relationship with the business goes. I was always doing things that were weird, that they didn’t get,” McLean says. Remarkably, for instance, he’s never even performed the same set list twice.

Through it all, there’s been ‘American Pie’.

“Sometimes I try to imagine what life would have been without [that song],” he says.

“There were times when I was putting out stuff when I was younger, and it just didn’t seem to matter … I was looked at very carefully at the time Tapestry [McLean’s 1970 debut LP] came out,” he continues. “Nobody realised inside me were so many different personalities. Luckily for me I didn’t have an overriding addiction to fame, or the need to be famous.”

And yet he is famous, and he deserves to be.

‘American Pie’ is song as art, a mini-film in its own right. And there are other songs, some of which can be found on Addicted To Black, that say just as much. As does his decision to walk away from the studio... “It is definitely the last record I’m going to make; I’m not going to record any more of my songs. I like the idea of being classy enough to say ‘I’m through’. It’s time to do that. And there really is no music business left as I remember it; [the industry] that I was honoured and excited to be part of.

“I started with records and loved the companies, the great studios, the great A&R people, heads of labels, producers,” he continues. “Now the studios are closed, the record companies are closed. It’s a horrible thing and it doesn’t interest me.” Thankfully, it’s a different story as far as performing goes. “I’m ready to rock’n’roll for a while yet.

I love the audience and the feeling I get after a good show, where the audience is really excited. That [feeling] is still there.”

The lyrics of ‘American Pie’ are eerily prophetic: “I went down to the sacred store / Where I’d heard the music years before / But the man there said the music wouldn’t play…”

Thankfully, Don McLean still will.

What: Addicted To Black is out now Where: The Enmore Theatre When: February 15, 2011

The Straight Arrows Cheese Plates, Drugs And Penis Porno By Nathan Jolly

I

t’s Thanksgiving, but that means nothing to you or me. I only mention it because Owen Penglis, frontman of Sydney’s Straight Arrows, is touring America right now, drumming for the perpetually adored/hated Circle Pit – and Thanksgiving means he gets a rare day off from playing and can focus on other things. Like interviews about Straight Arrows’ debut album - or, you know, a drug bust. A few days earlier, Circle Pit’s van was searched by drug dogs in Idaho. “We pretty much got pulled over for some bullshit reason - our ‘windows were tinted too dark for Idaho’ - basically so they could search us. They brought a drug dog out and sniffed around, but the guys had already swallowed the stuff so we were cool...” He relents: “Uhhhh, I mean, all that stuff allegedly happened.”

After a series of 7-inches endeared them to the ever-fickle indie set, Straight Arrows have finally recorded a full-length album and slid nicely into the family of Rice Is Nice Records (Richard In Your Mind, Seja, SPOD). They’ve dragged their sound up to a commercially-tolerable “medium fidelity” and coupled Penglis’ obvious songwriting and arrangement skills with the band’s seemingly vast knowledge of musical history, to create an extremely impressive debut album. It’s Happening is understated, assured and contains an overabundance of hooks and frantic ideas, like every great debut should. Even the manner of its release suits the sound of Straight Arrows down to the ground. “Jules ([Julia Wilson; Rice is Nice label manager] and I have got a 7-inch label called Juvenile together, so it was no big deal at all. She’s doing the CD, and we’re doing the LP on Juvenile. Super easy, and makes total sense.”

For all the Straight Arrows’ infamy as a scrappy, bratty group (most of this being the run-off from Circle Pit’s reputation; Circle Pit’s Angela Bermuda plays in Straight Arrows, too), a lot of their decisions are based on what makes ‘total sense’.

Their live birth was conducted and honed in the upstairs area of the now-defunct gay bar Newtown Hotel, a notoriously under-policed venue. “Our friend went there and asked if she could [put on a gig] upstairs, which was usually where some serious partying would occur; we’re talking booths

and cages and heaps of penis porno,” Penglis explains. “They told her she had to be gay to get the room and she responded, ‘I’m gay, I love muff’.

So it started. There were no hassles whatsoever – you could do anything up there. People would bring their own bongs.”

Times have changed; rent was jacked up after the owner died and now the building stands empty.

Meanwhile, Straight Arrows have graduated from 7-inch to album; from 4-track cassette to ‘real’ tape. It’s this sonic upgrade that Penglis credits for their newfound clarity, as opposed to a deliberate stylistic shift. Another instrumental element in the new sound is the production of SPOD (Brent Griffin). An inspired choice - which in actuality was mostly inspired by proximity and, again, logic.

“It was pretty logical; he lived around the corner when we started off and I knew he’d be happy to help me fuck with it,” Penglis explains. “We both got pretty nuts about putting weird echo on stuff.” The echo-laden production adds a possibly unintentional ‘60s feel to the record, an aesthetic topped off by the psychotropic nature of the cover art. Again, this isn’t quite as it seems... “That’s just a recreation of a weird ‘60s cheese plate I found one time.”

Just over a week after its release, the album has already received a flood of positive attention.

According to Penglis though, the band’s growing success won’t affect the other musical projects Straight Arrows’ members belong to. In fact you get the feeling that as soon as a project is completed, his mind is already on other things.

“We’ve got time for everything,” he enthuses.

“Right now I’m playing drums for Circle Pit in America - then we get back and tour the Straight Arrows record, then Pee Wee will put out a 7-inch and I’ll record Angie’s other band Southern Comfort. And Al [Grigg] is demoing stuff as well.

What else is there to do?”

What: It’s Happening is out now on Rice Is Nice / Juvenile Where: GOODGOD Small Club When: Thursday December 9

Dead Letter Chorus Running Wild By Steph Harmon

“E

very band is like a dysfunctional family; every personality is different,” explains Gabby Huber. Her and Cameron Potts, the two principal voices and songwriters behind Sydney’s Dead Letter Chorus, are catching up with me on the eve of their latest single release. ‘Run, Wild’, an up-beat and infectious track, has this week won a coveted spot on the triple j airwaves.

“The one time you want it to be seamless is when you’re on stage together,” Gab continues.

“All of that dysfunctional time when you’re together [is fine]; it just has to work for that one hour when you’re on the stage.”

Dead Letter Chorus have been a stalwart component of the local circuit for the past four years, so they’re pretty much experts when it comes to indie groups surviving under pressure. Cam tells me that, like relationships, bands need work - “even moreso than a girlfriend/boyfriend thing,” Gabby clarifies. The pair are no strangers to the girlfriend/boyfriend thing, either. Cam and Gab have been together since late-2006; they live together, write together, and play together. It can’t be easy.

“We can’t say that we have our relationship on the one hand and our band on the other; they permeate one another,” Gabby shrugs. “We just have to make it work.” For them, the key is staying honest and open, and trying to never take anything band-related too personally. “Just because she might like an idea and I don’t

doesn’t mean that she loves me any less,” says Cam. “It just means that we’re both trying to push each other artistically.”

The band started gigging in 2007. After releasing their debut EP, they built their own home studio in which to record and produce their first album, The August Magnificent - a sprawling, dense and colourful release that mixes orchestral alt-country with intimate balladry and epic, all-in jam-outs. Gabby’s haunting, clear voice is the perfect offset to Cameron’s rawer vocal intensity – and with her on keys and him on guitar, it’s a little too easy to call her the Marketa Irglova to his Glen Hansard; even more so now that the pair have started writing together for their second album.

“Before about six months ago she’d write her songs and I’d write mine, and that would be it,” Cameron explains. “But for this [second] record, there’s a few we’ve done together.” One of them is ‘Run, Wild’ - their headiest, catchiest pop song to date. There’s jungle rhythms, playful da-di-das, and a celebratory melody that’ll worm its way into your brain. All of that, with a lyrical message, too: life is hard, we’re all messed up, so shake it off and just run wild.

The song, mixed and mastered by Darryl Neudorf (The New Pornographers, Neko Case), was written by the pair and their bassist Tristan ‘T-Bone’ Thorne, in a freezing Ontario basement. DLC were in Canada

for a six-week stint that turned out to be surprisingly successful. “We were really blown away,” Gabby says, shaking her head.

“From the first gig, we just had an amazing response. It was just really – it felt really bizarre.” As Gabby explains, the band found a natural home in Canada (“The top forty in Canada is just folk rock…”), but it was an overwhelming response regardless. “At the end of the trip we played a really big, awesome show in Vancouver, and the next day we went into HMV and our CD was on the rack, right next to Death Cab, in a prime position,” Cam laughs. “We were like, ‘Wooooooooahhhhh… This is weird.’”

Dead Letter Chorus are planning for another Canadian trip to catch their Summer, but until then there’s the new album to take care

of. Tentatively titled after the leading single (which is being launched with a huge triple bill this Friday), Cam explains that their second LP will be “heaps more succinct” than their first. “Everything is focused…

We know what we want to do now.” Gab elaborates: “We’re trying to be more sincere.

We’re not trying to write songs to appeal to a certain type of person; we’re just writing songs that make us feel good.”

What: ‘Run Wild’ is out now With: Seagull, Dan Parsons Where: Oxford Art Factory / The Brass Monkey When: December 3 / December 5 More: Peats Ridge Festival, December 29 – January 1 @ Glenworth Valley

“The flames wander through the city and set fire to the sea” – VILLAGERS 38 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Muse Can We Get Much Higher? By Jonno Seidler

M

ost rock fans in Australia have their own favourite Muse moment; mine is when they premiered the blistering ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ at a [V]HQ live recording in Moore Park when I was sixteen. The Devon-upon-Entire Universe trio have been coming here for years, and though they’ve been progressively growing in stature (and nipping at U2’s heels in the So Big It’s Ridiculous stakes), their performances have never been anything less than amazing.

Fresh off the release of their most ambitious record since Origin Of Symmetry, Muse will be back in the antipodes with their mind-bending, visually arresting and American-conquering Resistance tour in the next month. Drummer (and occasional fake frontman) Dominic Howard phoned in from New York to tell fans what to expect this time around, and explain why rotating 360-degree risers aren’t as fun as they look, and how recording your bass drum in a swimming pool is a totally legitimate thing to do even when the pool is full.

“Well, you know, arenas, not stadiums.. Like what they play basketball in and stuff.” Apparently, there is a difference. Howard, humble rock star that he is, would like to point out that Muse are currently playing an arena tour, not a stadium tour, across the US of A. Not that it makes much difference when you consider the kind of set-up the band has going at the moment.

To put their current show on the road, Howard and his bandmates Matt Bellamy and Chris Wolstenholme need no less than eighty crew members travelling with a custom-made stage.

“Sometimes you can turn up and the stage is already there!” Dom jokes. “But that doesn’t really work for us…” That might have something to do with the ridiculous set-up the boys have going at the moment, which includes purposebuilt skyscrapers for each player, enough lights to blind an entire invading alien army and, you know, a giant UFO with an acrobat inside it...

The subtle difference between a stadium and an arena tour, then, “is the amount of crazy shit we get to pull off. Like in Europe, we had this massive spaceship docking on the stage and we’d walk out of it.”

“The drum riser also rotates around 360, so I can face the entire audience... Most times I just close my eyes, and try remember where the drums are.”

their latest record. “We do a lot of experiments with old and rusty things and we hit them to see what happens. A lot of the time, nothing happens,” he admits.

America is a strange place for Muse. They’ve only recently warmed to the country properly, following their involvement with the Twilight films - and Dom admits it’s strange playing songs like ‘Plug-In Baby’, ‘New Born’ and ‘Feeling Good’ that weren’t even released in the States the first time around. Unlike Australian audiences, most Yanks only own the band’s last two albums, so they’re being taught the back catalogue. Still, Howard still believes in the power of the tunes themselves: “‘Plug-In Baby’ is just one of those songs that when you hear it, it’s just so upbeat and positive in its vibe, that you don’t really need to know it to kind of understand what we’re doing,” he says. “You don’t need much training for that one!”

What: Resistance is out now Where: Acer Arena When: December 9 (sold out), December 10

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

Nobody has it worse (or better, depending on your love of heights and motion sickness) than Howard, whose drum riser not only propels up to five meters off the ground, but also spins around, while he’s playing. “When they stop [at the top] they kind of shake and wobble… It was slightly nauseating,” he says. “The whole drum riser also rotates around 360, so I can face the entire audience who are behind the stage; to be honest, that’s a bit weird. Looks cool, but it really puts me off a bit. Most times I just try to close my eyes, and try remember where the drums are.”

The interests of their fans - who are the kind of fans that are happy to buy seats behind the stage - have always been Muse’s priority. It’s the reason that they’ve got a website with over 300,000 members that’s growing every day, their own Wiki which is constantly being updated with everything from the type of guitar Bellamy plays through to Dom’s brief fling with pink pants, and a forum full of diehards - many of whom follow the band across the continent whenever they embark on a tour. “Oh yeah,” Dom laughs, “we get lots of travellers. There are those people who’ll come to a huge bunch of gigs. It’s great sometimes you see them again and you get to say hello, and if they’re cool, you can hang out and meet them properly. We do get that sort of reaction,” he says. “Our fans are either diehard passionate or they hate us; we don’t get a lot of middle ground.”

In case you haven’t heard ‘Space Dementia’ or their latest polarising opus, ‘Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)’, Muse don’t do a lot of middle ground recording, either. Fans have famously retold the story of how the band cut Absolution-opener ‘Apocalypse Please’ underwater - and Howard is on hand to confirm the rumour. “We were in this studio in Ireland and really isolated,” he recalls, “and we were just trying out all the different rooms for sound, as you do. The hotel’s swimming pool was great, though, because it supplied this massive reverb.

I set up some bass drums and got in the pool to play them, ‘cause that was the most comfortable thing to do.” It’s kind of what you’d expect from a band that cut a three-part symphony on

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arts, theatre and film news... what's goin' on around town and more...

brushstrokes WITH ALLI

SEBASTIAN WOLF was my space year – this year it's dragons and jellyfish). They had to spend the festival covered in green paint talking in bad Russian accents, was awesome.

A

lli has tried more career paths than most, including study at Sydney College of the Arts, screenwriting at AFTRS and NSCAD, and playwriting at NIDA. When we first caught up with her, 18 months ago, she was making amazing space-tacular dioramas for an exhibition at MORI Gallery; she described them as being “like if Men Without Hats did a synthedup cover of ‘Alice’s Restaurant’, but in dioramas. If stick men took acid, this might be where they’d think they were.” Next up, she is bringing a wheelbarrow of goodness to Peats Ridge, including dioramas, a band that plays bubbles, and a troupe of Deep Sea Astronauts who make junkyard theatre…

What is your 'Festival Self Portrait'?

The Festival Self Portrait is a diorama that will be created during the festival, by the people at the festival. I wanted to make something that gave people a chance to play, a reason to sit by the river and get their craft on.

Tell us about the Surface Tension Quintet? Intriguing.

The Surface Tension Quintet is a marching band, but rather than play music their instruments have been Frankensteined up by artist Sam Henning to play bubbles. The Astronauts march around in their blinged-up uniforms being so muther’ucking whimsical it will delight everyone.

What’s been going on over the last 12 months in Alli land?

So much! Something like 11 exhibitions, 1 solo show, 2 residencies, 4 installations at festivals, 4 plays up across seven festivals, 1 grant, 28 masks made for 2 plays, 8 collaborations with 38 artist and a puppet show. It’s been brilliant fun. Even telling you just the highlights would take up this whole page. I’ve been really lucky, and obviously working like a demon – it’s my inability to say no to awesome shit.

Gentlemen – we did it at Newtown Festival a couple of weeks ago – great fun, but we’re making it much better for Peats. It’s about three con-men vultures in the Deep South during the Depression - half puppets, half theatre, half bluegrass band.

Who are the Deep Sea Astronauts?

Deep Sea Astronauts are a ragtag gang of brilliantly talented people that just naturally formed around me over the last few years - performers, musicians, artists and designers. We make Junkyard performances for festivals. We did The Hideous Demise of Detective Slate at Sydney Fringe – that went really well and won the Best New Theatre Award. For peats we’re bringing The Vulture

Have you been to Peats Ridge Before?

This is my third – first time was just enjoy (there are some excellent stories there, but we’ll save them for over a beer) and last year was to participate. Anna Wilkenfeld and I made Slugworhts Adventures Through Time and Space – three giant glowing slugs who changed costumes as they went on adventures. And Astronauts performed Revenge of the Space Gypsies (last year

dimensional or otherwise. The cows, in fact, come courtesy of Rachel and Claire Fuller, the sisters behind retail installation revelation (tee hee) bams & ted. As part of City of Sydney’s laneway regeneration program, b&t were given creative control over Market Row, the passageway between Clarence Street and the QVB. Taking inspiration from their childhood in rural Australia, they’ve titled their laneway project The Long Paddock - the name given to the country roads in Australia which double as feeding paddocks during the drought. As they say, you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink; the rest, dear readers, is up to you! Start walking.

POETRY SLAM

TIN & ED

To celebrate their 5th Birthday, Somedays is presenting an exhibition of new works by eccentric Melbournebased design duo (and SOYA 2009 winners) Tin Nguyen and Edward Cutting - aka tin & ed. It’s their first solo show in Sydney, and we’re a bit excited. From the fellas who brought you the alphabet in drawn, collaged, built, baked, knitted and animated letter forms, comes United Eye – an exhibition of risographic prints continuing the themes explored in their recent exhibition Holy-Grams. It Opens Wednesday December 1 from 6-8pm, and continues through to January 30 – at Somedays Gallery, 72B Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills. tinanded.com.au / somedays.com.au

THE LONG PADDOCK

The other day as we were walking from the Paramount Theatrette in Clarence Street to the QVB bus stands, taking our customary backalley shortcut, something caught our attention: (besides the two dodgy teens ‘practising their signatures’): cows. Well, silhouettes of cows, on the laneway walls. This is totally normal, we thought to ourselves. Turns out, it’s not normal.

Most Sydney laneways don’t have cows, two42 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

When we saw who won the Australian Poetry Slam last year, we did a double-take: Sarah Taylor, a 60-year-old retired librarian from Newcastle, with her piece ‘A disgraceful old woman’, which (among other things) conjured up graphic images of labia; shortly before that, she burst into the public consciousness at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, where she won their inaugural Soapbox competition, and consequently delivered a plea titled ‘My right to die’, prior to Christopher HItchens’ key note address. Sarah: we dig your styles. Which is also our way of saying: poetry slams? Kinda rock’n. The National Final of the Australian Poetry Slam will take place this Sunday December 5 at 5pm, at the Sydney Theatre (22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay). We will actually see you there. australianpoetryslam.com

ANYPLACE X SERIALSPACE Serial Space, in conjunction with Anyplace Projects, are urgently calling for applications from individuals or groups for their off-site 3-month residency program, located in Rozelle. This callout has a quick turn around – the deadline is TODAY (November 29) so get on it pronto. Each studio is a secure, glass fronted, 4m x 4m room, and residency includes access to a kitchen, and a ‘lawn’.

For all the deets go to anyplaceprojects.com or email anyplaceprojects@gmail.com. Now for something more leisurely (phew): Serial Space is also currently inviting applications from individuals or groups for THEIR on-site artist residencies, screen-based events and workshops in 2011. Applications are open until January 30, and all the deets are at serialspace.org

SANTA’S STASH

You know the scenario. Christmas Day with the family, present-unwrapping time, and you get the same Steven Seagal DVD from your two uncles. You know what they should’ve

What else are you up to this year?

Yesterday we recorded a five-part radio version of Detective Slate, which’ll be on FBi in January. Vulture Gentlemen is being made into a album, and being performed at the Home Brew Festival in a few weeks, and I’m writing some sister plays for my short The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons for a season at the Old Fitz next year. I’m also getting my diorama on for Ampersand magazine and making floating landscapes for Melbourne’s Midsumma festival. Busy month.

What: Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts & Music Festival When: December 29 – January 1, 2011.

Where: Glenworth Valley (NSW) More: peatsridgefestival.com.au

BLACK CHERRY CHRISTMAS TREATS

Sydney’s notorious burlesque night is celebrating Christmas the way it should be celebrated – wild bands and thrilling burlesque. The Black Cherry Christmas Party is on December 4 at The Factory Theatre and will play host to rock ‘n’ roll’s finest: The Meanies (Melbourne’s answer to The Ramones), Torch Le Monde, Graveyard Train and Gay Paris.

Reppin’ the burlesque side of the coin are trapeze artistes Suzie Q and Toby J, hula hooping Anna ‘Pocket Rocket’ Lumb, and Brisvegas bombshell La Viola Vixen. MCing the proceedings is sultry Sydney sasspot Lauren La Rouge. Yeow!

We have two doubles to the Black Cherry Christmas Party up for grabs; if you want in on these debauched festivities that put the XXX in XXXmas party, tell us what colour hair Lauren La Rouge’s is sporting…

JEWELLERY + OBJECTS

The only thing we like more than art is art you can wear – oh hang on, we mean affordable art you can wear!

Which is why we’ll be sashaying over to the end-of-year exhibition for the Design Centre Enmore’s Jewellery + Object Design students. Titled Inseparable Companion, this year’s show will feature over 500 handmade pieces by more than 60 students, for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. This covetable collection includes wearable jewellery as well as larger-scale sculptural objects - and since they’re all fresh and inspired, you can expect some seriously off-the-hook investment opportunities. Inseparable Companion runs from December 1-5 at Danks St Galleries, Depots I & II. More deets at jewelleryandobjects.org - P.S. it's a ring.

done? Gone to Santa’s Stash – a pop-up Christmas art store crammed with cool gifts, bargains and art goodies, especially sourced for the stall. There will be prints from a horde of artists - including Shepard Fairey, Pure Evil, Mr. Brainwash (!?!), Stylo, Cut Collective, and loads more. It runs for two weeks in the Dendy Cinema Arcade off King St, Newtown, from December 4. The first chance for you to get your hands on the goodies will be at the opening party on Friday at 6.30pm, where there’ll be drinks, a DJ and your chance to get dibs on the freshest gifts out! urbanuprising.com.au

LOL / LMAO / ROFLWAP`

Sydney Comedy Festival’s first lineup announcement has hit, and by god is it good.

Amongst the LOL, LMAO and ROFL inducers are Danny Bhoy, Stephen K Amos, Jason Byrne, Tommy Tiernan, Greg Proops, Nina Conti, Gabriel Iglesias, Bo Burnham and Ardal O’Hanlon. Personally, we’re quite excited for Tommy Tiernan, whose popularity in his homeland is reflected by the fact that he’s second only to U2 in live ticket sales in Ireland – which we really don’t get, because Tiernan is so much funnier than Bono. The first ten shows go on sale this Tuesday November 30 through Ticketek. Giddy up! sydneycomedyfest.com.au

100 SQUARED

You may have noticed that the unglamorous construction site that WAS in Pitt St Mall has transformed itself into the new-look, revamped Westfield Sydney; designed by the team behind chic Parisian couture-haven Colette, the

complex features high-end boutiques threaded through laneways and overpasses, presenting plenty of chances to ‘accidentally’ lose your better half, and then fall on your credit card to the tune of $200-i-was-s’posed-to-pay-in-rent.

Oops. This week at Westfield Sydney sees the launch of 100 Squared, a fashion incubator from the people behind the Fringe Bar Markets and the Stairwell Gallery. Situated on the first level, 100 Squared is a springboard for 12 up-and-coming brands, including Miss Unkon, King of Nothing, Victorious, Coco Liberace, Love & Luck, Mok Theorem, Muchacho, Recreational, Romy-Oh, Sage Sydney, Princess Polly and Cirkel. 100squared.com.au

THE SPIRIT MOLECULE

That funny thing that happened other night, with the stuff? It was probably part of the new psychedelic revolution that is apparently upon us, thanks to a small, blue-shaped (not true) molecule called DMT. There’s a school of thought that embraces DMT as a key to understanding reality, consciousness and our (tenuous, in our case) relationship to both...

Dimethyltryptamine is the most potent psychoactive compound on the planet, and is naturally produced throughout the animal, plant and human kingdom (dramatic pause) Which all goes to say: a one-off screening of The Spirit Molecule, a documentary on DMT that will actually melt your brain, is happnin on December 8 in a dimension just slightly to your left (Randwick Ritz) from 7pm. Tickets at showclix.com/event/14883/ and more info at thespiritmolecule.com

OSC AR HILLERSTROM

“0ACABRE HUMOUR AT ITS

MOST INVENTIVE. 7IM %URTON EAT YOUR HEART OUT.” TOM SEYMOUR, LIT TLE WHITE LIES

facebook.com/RareExportsAustralia @rare_exports www.iconmovies.com.au

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 43

Boy from Oz

True Blood star Ryan Kwanten returns home to shoot nightmarish neo-western Red Hill. By Caitlin Welsh

A

s a formerly avid TV Hits reader and current HBO fangirl, my mental image of Ryan Kwanten goes a little something like this: great tan, cheeky grin, not a lot of clothes. And who can blame me? The roles he’s best known for here – lifeguard Vinnie Patterson on Home & Away, and True Blood’s sweet but perpetually wrongheaded pretty-boy Jason Stackhouse – both lend themselves to an awful lot of shirtless scenes. So it’s a little unnerving (but also a relief) when I meet Kwanten on a Sydney spring day so grey and miserable he’s swathed in a thick grandpa cardigan. He’s unfazed by the clouds, though: “Always look on the bright side!” he reminds me, beaming over the city from the hotel room window.

But there’s not much to be gloomy about from where Ryan Kwanten’s sitting. Having left Summer Bay in 2002 to seek his fortune in LA, he scored roles in minor horror films and the short-lived series Summerland, before landing True Blood in 2007. His timing couldn’t have been better – the current golden age of television, originating in the 90s with HBO’s hugely successful Sopranos and Sex & The City series, shows no sign of winding down. Shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Wire have broken new ground for cinematic-quality television, and Martin Scorsese recently directed the first episode of Prohibition-era drama Boardwalk Empire. “[Networks like HBO have] given the power back to the auteur, you know,” says Kwanten. “They’re not standing over [True

Blood creator] Alan Ball’s shoulder saying you should do it this way or that way; they’re letting him create the show that he wants…

I think the delineation between film and television is becoming smaller and smaller.”

There are overtones of HBO’s influential series Deadwood in Kwanten’s first Australian project in years: first-time director Patrick Hughes’ elemental neo-Western Red Hill.

Kwanten plays Constable Shane Cooper, a recent transfer to the isolated town of Red Hill in country Victoria, with his pregnant wife and unshakeable moral code in tow. The film takes place over Cooper’s first 24 hours in town, as a convicted murderer escapes from prison and heads for Red Hill with revenge in mind. It’s an arresting combination of influences: the enigmatic moral figures of spaghetti-Westerns, Tarantino’s taste for bloody vengeance and stunning Australian landscapes on a scale that makes Somersault look like Buried.

“It was kind of every young boy’s dream to wield a gun and become the hero of a small town,” says Kwanten, admitting he was drawn almost immediately to his character’s everyman blend of battered idealism and a sense of duty. Cooper clashes straight away with veteran cop and town patriarch Old Bill (Steve Bisley), whose bluntly pragmatic approach to country policing leaves no room for his newest officer’s cautiousness. The scenes that establish their differences set up the rest of the film not as a shoot-em-up, but

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A W AY

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE

You better watch out, you better not cry; you better not pout, we're telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town – and if you’re bad, you’re in for a nasty surprise.

From Finnish director Jalmari Helander comes one of the most fabulously strange films of the year, that takes the Santa Claus legend back to its dark, twisted Nordic roots. The story takes place in a small town on the edge of the Korvatunturi mountains, where an archeological dig has uncovered the frozen body of Santa Claus, buried 500 metres underground. At the same time a young boy, living with his father above the local reindeer slaughterhouse, begins to suspect that unearthing Santa is a really, really bad idea...

Ryan Kwanten in Red Hill as a subtle power struggle between the old ways of country Australia and the inevitable encroachment of more modern urban standards.

“I thought it was like a changing of the guard, you see both sides of the fence,” says Kwanten of the dynamic between Cooper and Bill. “I had that sort of sense of awe anyway when I was working with him, so that really played into the characters... They couldn’t be more polar opposite.”

The shoot verged on guerilla-style at times.

Kwanten flew from the sweltering True Blood set in Baton Rouge straight into Melbourne, before being whisked to the tiny town of Omeo to begin filming that same night. “From the Louisiana Bayous and stinking hot heat and sweat just pouring off the camera to, uh, shaking Patrick‘s hand for the first time,” he laughs. “Minus 7 [degrees], rain machine above me, [fake] blood pouring off my face, and straight into the most emotional scene in the film.”

“I think you must have a chromosome missing to want to be a part of this business,” he adds, a bit too seriously. “We shot this film in sub-zero temperatures for 24 days. I was bruised, battered, beaten, taken to hospital a couple of times; Patrick mortgaged his house, umm… But it’s those kind of experiences where you look back now with nostalgia and sort of think, ‘Damn, I’m not only happy that I survived it but I’m happier that the film

Rare Exports: a Christmas Tale opens on December 2.

Thanks to Icon, we have ten in-season double passes up for grabs! To get your hands on one, email freestuff@ thebrag.com with your postal address, and tell us the name of one of the two awardwinning and cult online shorts this film is based on. www.iconmovies.com.au

44 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

has seen the light of day and is getting sold throughout the world.’” In fact, recent reports have the film turning a profit already just from distribution deals, and as Kwanten points out, Hughes is now signed with Quentin Tarantino’s agent in the US. Australian audiences will get another chance to see Kwanten using his native accent early next year as the eponymous wannabe superhero in Leon Ford’s sad and sweet Griff the Invisible, with Maeve Dermody and Toby Schmitz. I can’t help but point out that between the upright but naive Cooper, sweet, reckless Stackhouse and the shy do-gooder Griff, Kwanten seems drawn to characters with an almost childlike innocence and innate moral compass. Wouldn’t he like to be the villain at some point? “Well, I’m playing Charles Manson next year,” he says wryly. “So he kind of crushes any sense of… you know, there goes that…”

While he’s found undeniable success and status internationally for his work in True Blood, Kwanten still considers himself a Sydney boy. “My feet have left, but my heart’s still here,” he says without a trace of selfconsciousness. “The minute I fly in over the city I can’t help but feel a sense of ease and calmness.”

What: Red Hill, Dir. Patrick Hughes When: Released November 25

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[DESIGN] Everyone’s a winner. By Liz Schaffer

W

ith its appreciation of colour, craft and budding local talent, the Finders Keepers Markets are doing wonders for Australia’s independent design and art scene.

Considering it also aims to be anything but normal, it’s not surprising the bi-annual event is attracting admirers and bringing back nana-chic.

post [THEATRE] The personal, the political and the GFC – in an hour. By Dee Jefferson

L

ast time I interviewed her, Mish Grigor said post were born out of a mutual desire to see if she could fit in a kitchen cupboard.

(She could). It’s an anecdote that at once captures the disarming appeal of their work, and belies its political bite. Then again, the charm of this Sydney performance trio is their ability to disguise the political, with explosions of colour, costumes, bad dancing and bogan behaviour.

In their 2007 show Gifted and Talented, for example, they explored the torture mentality of Abu Ghraib through the hyper-competitive world of tweenage jazz ballet.

For their latest work, however, the ladies from post are breaking new ground. Asked by performance collective version 1.0 to create a piece about the Global Financial Crisis, they found themselves in the unfamiliar territory of working with a ‘brief’, and a limited time-span of just four weeks – to devise, write and rehearse a 50-minute piece. The result is Everything I Know About The Global Financial Crisis In One Hour, which will play as part of a double bill with version 1.0’s The Market Is Not Functioning Properly. version 1.0 are famous for making exciting, subversive verbatim theatre based on public transcripts – notably with A Certain Maritime Incident, which lampooned the Children Overboard saga. “Their original idea was, ‘We think it would be interesting to do two different responses to the GFC: one from Gen X, and one from Gen Y’ – and we’re Gen Y,” says Mish, wrinkling her nose dubiously.

When I interview the posties (Mish, Nat Rose and Zoe Coombs Marr) it’s just four days until their show opens in Belvoir’s downstairs theatre – and they’re still putting the finishing touches on it.

“Normally we’d spend about a month researching for a show,” says Mish. “We thought ‘wouldn’t it Adam Bull Amber Scottknow and anything Noah Gumbert be funny (coz we don’t about the Molto GFC, Vivace and we only have a month) if we did the whole show explaining the GFC, and we do no research. So we’ve done hardly any.”

In fact, the logistical constraints imposed on the group became grist for their creative mill, and are reflected in the show’s treatment of the GFC as a mysterious entity. “A big part of the show is that you see us, being us, on stage discussing what we think might have happened,” Mish explains, “and imagining what possibly could be an example of a metaphor that might make it all make sense to us, maybe. And then we get to the end, and it’s like, we could be wrong. No one’s going to learn anything. We haven’t learned anything.” Peals of laughter ensue. “We’ve kind of gone into a bunker and gone a bit mental,” Zoe admits.

The posties are rife with these kinds of selfdeprecating comments; when asked about their process, they demur, “A lot of talking; lots of talking, a lot of lying on the ground saying ‘I don’t know what we’re doing’. Sometimes somebody falls asleep.” However they go on to describe, in detail, a rigorous process that involves both academic and pop-cultural research, hours of recorded improvisations, which are then transcribed, edited, and reconfigured into a script that is then filtered through the pop-cultural and visual lens once again… “The final script for this show is all conversations that we have had with each other over the last four weeks,” concludes Zoe, before deadpanning, “I would call it incredibly self-obsessed verbatim theatre.”

“We’ve always been concerned with the political stuff,” Zoe later concedes, “but I think we approach it from a different vantage point [from version 1.0].” Mish interjects – “David put it well; he said that they make the political personal, while our company makes the personal political.”

What: Everything I Know About The Global Financial Crisis In One Hour – as part of the double bill A Distressing Scenario When: Runs until December 19 Where: Belvoir St Downstairs

Co-directors Sarah Thornton and Brooke Johnson, bored by the offerings of markets in their local area, came up with the Finders Keepers concept over Christmas drinks in 2006. Their plan was to promote original work, create a festivaltype environment and be as supportive and creative as possible. Since its launch in 2008, Finders Keepers has done just that.

In place of the usual bric-a-brac, Finders Keepers comes with a café, licensed bar (because nothing goes with Boy Georgeinspired watercolours like rosé) and impressive music lineup - Eirwen Skye, Rainbow Chan, Fergus Brown and Art Rush are all making an appearance at the upcoming markets. Sarah and Brooke never host the same event twice, only accept original products, and let local artisans nab some experience, exposure and good-old community interaction.

After winning over fans in Brisbane and Melbourne, the Spring/Summer markets are returning to Sydney’s CarriageWorks from December 3-4 and are bringing 75 budding artists along for the ride. This includes firsttime stallholders Fold Studio - a collective of Melbourne-based furniture, object and lighting designers with an environmental focus and experimental edge. Their range consists of geometric wooden necklaces, sleek coasters and flat pack wastepaper bins; the idea being that even rubbish belongs some place pretty.

Roz Campbell, the lovely lady behind Fold Studio’s necklaces, came across Finders Keepers in Melbourne and instantly fell in love. “Finders Keepers is a fantastic way for Australian designers to get their name known,” says Roz. “The team do an amazing job in the promotions department, and because [it’s] held in three cities, it certainly attracts a wider audience than most other markets.”

As an example of how intimate the artistic community really is, Finders Keepers has enabled Roz to reconnect with her Tasmanian

Sarah Thornton and Brooke Johnson

roots. When checking out the stallholder lineup she came across the label Borderline Rif Raf and its creator Asher Gilding. “We used to live together in a small village south of Hobart a few years ago,” says Roz, “so it will be great to catch up with him!”

Other designers making an appearance include Sydney’s Parliament of Two, the bookish brainchild of Vanessa Moule and Melissa Beal. The arty duo met, as all good arty duos do, on the first day of uni and bonded over a mutual love of tea and “world domination” (read: old illustrations and typography). The pair will sell their ‘Open Book’ range of broaches, necklaces and bookmarks, which features images borrowed from rare, old books.

Despite being new on the scene, Vanessa and Melissa happily braved the lengthy Finders Keepers application process. “You definitely get the sense they are trying to gauge you and your work as best they can before selecting, which we really respected,” says Vanessa. As the markets helped kickstart Parliament of Two, it’s not surprising the duo wanted to get in on the action. After rocking up to their first Finders Keepers as shoppers, they wanted everything. “There was so much talent,” explains Vanessa. “We both came away inspired and resolved that we too must make our own mark. I think we began plotting Parliament of Two pretty much straight away.”

With its ability to inspire brands, promote small town reunions and defy the market stereotype, Finders Keepers clearly knows what it’s doing.

What: The Finders Keepers Markets When: Fri December 3 - Sat December 4 Where: CarriageWorks, Eveleigh More: Full line up and designer profiles at thefinderskeepers.com

Emergency ArtLab

[ART VS. SCIENCE] Providing prescriptions for your backyard. By Georgie Meagher cultural institutions around Australia (including Performance Space in Sydney) art is being seen as a viable source of new solutions for old environmental problems.

At the front of the pack is ArtLab, a long-term project in which a series of artists, designers and creatives have come together to form a “rapid response team of ecological health workers”. Over two years, the team will conduct five labs – in Brisbane, Sydney, New Zealand, New York and Seoul – each considering a specific local issue. The international, crossdisciplinary team includes media artist Keith Armstrong (QUT), artist/designer Natalie Jeremijenko (NYU), filmmaker James Muller, design theorist Tony Fry and sound artist Leah Barclay, with communications artist/writer Ilka Blue Nelson, roboticist/puppeteer Kirsty Boyle and environmental engineer/media artist Tega Brain. Their objective is local outcomes for global concerns.

C

limate change, sustainability, “greening”, carbon talk – it’s all quite overwhelming.

What used to be the unique preserve of lecture theatres, research labs, policy-makers and business executives now seems to be invading the art world from every angle. From In The Balance: Art for a changing world at the MCA to the series of Tipping Point 'Art and Climate Change' conferences held in 46 :: BRAG :: 390:: 29:11:10

Right now the ArtLab team is in Sydney, where a threat to the local flying fox community has highlighted the greater issue of how humans can coexist with nature in an urban environment. Responding to concerns about the impact of flying fox behaviour on the trees, the Federal Government approved a relocation of the Grey Headed Flying Fox colony that had made the Sydney Botanic Gardens its home – without thinking about the impact this would have on the animals, or the ecological

fall-out for the rest of their ecosystem. And did I mention they’re endangered?

The bat/human issue highlights what the group is really getting at – the inextricable link between environmental and cultural concerns. The ecological impact is second to the cultural assumption that the trees at the Botanic Gardens are more important than any other part of it. Armstrong is quick to point out, however, that - besides their inherent value the 22,000 colony of bats is just as big of an attraction as the trees, for the thousands of people who visit the Botanic Gardens every year.

In its quest to find solutions to the bat/human problem, Sydney’s ArtLab – the second in the series, and titled ‘Remnant/Emegency’ – has adopted the methodology of Natalie Jeremijenko’s New York-based environmental health clinic: X-Clinic. The X-Clinic is for ‘ImPatients’ – people who are tired of waiting for politicians to address local environmental health issues. You take along a concern, and are given a prescription - perhaps instructions on how to orchestrate some kind of urban intervention, for example. The prescriptions encourage a pay-it-forward mentality of conversation and social engagement. (One of the more bizarre examples included keeping a tadpole named after a local water board bureaucrat and taking it for walks in a purposebuilt rolling tank.)

As part of the Remant/Emergency ArtLab, the team have spent two weeks meeting with bat experts, Botanic Gardens staff, bush regeneration specialists, architects and urban planners – all in an attempt to find participatory projects that allow Sydneysiders to improve the local environment. In terms of the immediate bat/human dilemma, the group are reimagining different models for a future Botanic Gardens, that would be designed not just with humans in mind, but also non-humans like the flying fox community.

Armstrong says of the team, “We’re provocateurs, talking about possibilities”. The paralysis that often comes with the crisis of “What to do?!” is gently eroded by this speculative project. It’s almost like they are screaming back “We don’t know!” – but with more excitement than exasperation.

What: Remnant/Emergency launch / X exhibition opening (Natalie Jeremijenko) When: Tuesday November 30 from 6-8pm.

Remnant/Emergency artist floortalk from 5pm. X continues until Dec 11.

Where: UTS Gallery, Level 4, 702 Harris Street, Ultimo More: remnantartlab.com / environmentalhealthclinic.net

post photo by James Brown

Finders Keepers

post: Natalie Rose, Zoe Coombs Marr & Mish Grigor.

Come work with us!

The Brag is seeking a new Advertising Sales Junior to add to our energetic and youthful team!

A fantastic opportunity exists for the right person to join one of Australia’s leading music titles.

car allowance adds to a great package with all the usual benefits.

A knowledge of and passion for of all things Sydney bars, clubs, pubs, music, entertainment is essential.

Applicants with sales experience and/ or existing contact base who can hit the ground running are preferred.

Plus, you get to work in a cool, inner city location with one of Australia’s foremost youth marketing companies and publishing teams.

A retainer and generous incentives are offered, commensurate with experience. A mobile phone and

This is an excellent opportunity for the right, self motivated and hard working person to break into the music industry!

Got what it takes?

Email resume and cover letter to robfurst@beat.com.au The Brag is part of Peer Group, Australia’s foremost youth marketing company and Furst Media, Australia’s biggest streetpress company BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 47

Arts Snap

Film & Theatre Reviews

At the heart of the arts Where you went last week.

What's hot on the silver screen and the bareboards around town.

Monsters

■ Film

MONSTERS

capture the fade

PICS :: TL

Released November 25

17:11:10 :: The Paper Mill Gallery :: Angel Pl Sydney

The independently-made sci-fi films that have been popping up over the last two years have more than proved that smaller films in this genre can compete, and in some cases completely outclass, the studio-funded big guns. Monsters is one such example, beautifully crafted from a tiny budget (reported to be anything from $15,000 to $500,000), with a miniscule cast (two professional actors) and a crew of four, including creator, director and cinematographer Gareth Edwards (making his feature film debut).

A road movie, a love story and a travelogue, Monsters is not much like a sci-fi film at all. Taking a unique spin on alien invasion, the film’s premise has similarities to District 9, with alien life forms taking up residence on Earth, in an area that is economically deprived. But here is where the comparison ends; Monsters treads a very different path, creating an engaging and poetically humanistic film.

The story takes place in the ‘Infected Zone’ of northern Mexico, as an unlikely pair of travellers try to make their way northwards – and homewards – to the United States: photojournalist Andrew Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) and his boss’s daughter, Sam (Whitney Able), who he has reluctantly agreed to escort. The film’s success owes a huge amount to the chemistry between its two leads, a couple in real life.

While this is an obvious advantage, the quality of their performances shouldn’t be underestimated.

Monsters is a good-looking film, with Edwards creating a lovely visual lyricism from Central American landscapes. As the person behind the special effects he has also created magic in post-production, providing the all-important extra-terrestrial action.

PICS :: TL

kimono kiku

With clever political undertones, an affecting love story and gigantic squid-like aliens, Monsters may just be the best sci-fi film of 2010.

17:11:10 :: Peer Gallery :: 153 Bridge Rd Glebe

Beth Wilson ■ Dance/Theatre

Arts Exposed

NOT IN A MILLION YEARS November 18–27 / CarriageWorks

What's on our calendar...

Beastman, Creepy, Max Berry & Phibs Microcosm / LO-FI / 383 Bourke St, Taylor Sq / December 2, 6pm This group show features three of Sydney’s best-known artists, alongside Perth boy Creepy - which means you can expect bold lines, geometric shapes and explosions of colour.

Having watched one-too-many nature docos about the origins of life, the four are collaborating around the theme of Mother Nature and her mysteries, taking their inspiration from the micro-organisms that form the basis of life on Earth. Amaze!

The exhibition will feature a large collaborative mural, a sculptural installation created in conjunction with local artist Melanie Ryan, video projections – and two limited edition prints created by each artist (you can see a detail from one of Beastman’s prints to the left). wearelofi.com.au/collective 48 :: BRAG :: 389 :: 22:11:10

A paraglider soars higher than Mount Everest and survives the journey back to earth with only minor frostbite. A pair of miners endure two weeks underground trapped in a tiny space. A man wakes from a decade-long coma and speaks to his family non-stop for sixteen hours before once again falling unconscious. These are stories so incredible they nearly beggar belief. Woven together by dance theatre company Force Majeure, they make for moving, funny and sometimes heartrending storytelling.

Directed by veteran choreographer Kate Champion (with help from her creative collaborators Roz Hervey and Geoff Cobham), Not In A Million Years unites four dancers in an exploration of seven tales of survival. But almost inevitably, the stories were treated with varying amounts of depth, invention and skill, meaning the overall work had an uneven, episodic feel. While the paraglider plotline was undercooked, the heartbreaking depiction of the two Beaconsfield miners (played by Vincent Crowley and Joshua Tyler) was poignantly convincing. Elizabeth Ryan was

also excellent as the caring but frustrated wife of a coma patient.

Another highlight was Cobham’s set – a huge, lush field of white polystyrene flakes that is alternately snow, a pile of money, a rockslide and a blank projection screen.

While visually stunning (I wanted to flop straight into it post-show), the ‘snow’ hampered the performers’ movements and limited Champion’s choreography, rendering the dance elements of this work uninteresting.

Force Majeure are known for their ability to fuse dance, theatre and multimedia in an exploration of contemporary life, and I entered the cavernous CarriageWorks space expecting a work that wove all three together effectively, even brilliantly. Instead, the dance elements felt awkwardly tacked on to an otherwise moving and highly successful theatre piece.

Lucy Fokkema ■ Film

DUE DATE Released November 25 In Due Date successful architect Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr) is stuck making a cross-country road trip with wannabe-actor Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), after they are both thrown off a plane flight by an over-zealous Air Marshall. On a strict deadline, and with his wallet and passport still on the plane, Peter opts to hop a lift with Ethan, in order to get back to LA in time for the birth of his first child, with wife Sarah (Michelle Monaghan). Along the way Peter learns about fatherhood and friendship from his eccentric travel buddy, through a series of incidents that includes masturbating dogs, violence against children, and various car wrecks.

With its gross-out humour and overly manipulated set-ups, Due Date is more cringe-worthy than humorous. The film feels like it has been pieced together from the leftover scraps of funnier, more entertaining films. The writers appear to have a checklist of comedy props annoying child, ugly pugdog, angry war veteran, scary Mexican immigration officials - that they were obliged to mould into a coherent storyline. Any attempt by the filmmakers to say anything even vaguely true about fatherhood or friendship appears tacked on, as if the only way they can get away with the series of idiotic jokes is to inject in the odd emotional revelation.

What is most disappointing is that Due Date hasn’t been made by talentless hacks, and doesn’t have a second-rate cast. Downey Jr. and Galifianakis could and should have made a more appealing pair for a buddy film, but director Todd Phillips (The Hangover) hasn’t been able to balance the pairing at all, and both come off as highly unlikeable characters.

Obviously playing on The Hangover riff that did so well last time, Phillips is too reliant on Galifianakis as a visual gag.

Saying all this, the film has already made back its budget of $65 million at the US box office, with a pretty hefty bit of change on top of that. So there is definitely an audience for this film, and (knowing the laws of Hollywood) an even more depressing sequel is probably already in the pipeline.

Beth Wilson

See www.thebrag.com for more arts reviews

DVD Reviews What's been on our TV screens this week The Good, The Bad, and the Totally Unicorn.

GREENBERG

THE RUNAWAYS

Universal Home Entertainment Released November 24 At the risk of being glib, I’m going to posit that Greenberg audiences can probably be divided into two groups: those who can relate to aspects of its socially inept protagonist, and those who can’t – which camps also correspond to those who hate the film, and those who love it. I don’t think it’s as simple as saying this film will only appeal to the already-converted Noah Baumbach fanbase; although Baumbach does specialise in white middle class angst, with comedies (like The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding) that are 85% cocoa, Greenberg is actually his most accessible film in many ways.

Ben Stiller stars as Roger Greenberg, a 40-something New Yorker and musician-turnedcarpenter who is house-sitting for his brother in Los Angeles, while sorting through the mental debris of a nervous breakdown. His brother’s personal assistant, Florence (Greta Garwig) proves to be an irresistible tonic, despite Roger's best efforts. I could use the remaining 100 words to tell you why I love this film so much – I could, for instance, talk about how much I love Ben Stiller (and wish he’d do more drama), or how sweetly awkward Greta Garwig is; or the fact that Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Greenberg’s self-obsessed ex, and Rhys Ifans plays his long-suffering best friend…

OR, I could just quote from Universal’s handy ‘Greenberg Memorable Quotes’ PDF. Roger Greenberg: Dear Starbucks, in your attempt to manufacture culture out of fast food coffee you’ve been surprisingly successful for the most part. The part that isn’t covered by ‘the most part’ sucks.

Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, and another on Baumbach's process of adapting from novel to screen.

Dee Jefferson

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Released November 25

I like girl rock and hot girls making out as much as the next person, but it’s not quite enough to make this Runaways biopic stick, despite solid performances from leads Kristen ‘Twilight’ Stewart and Dakota ‘not so sweet now’ Fanning. The storyline plays out as though director Floria Sigismundi set out to adapt Cherrie Currie’s autobiography, then discovered that Stewart blew Fanning out of the water… not to mention the fact that Joan Jett is easily the most interesting character in the band. The result is a film that pays lip-service to Joan, but gives only Cherrie a real back-story, and most of the emotional meat – leaving the rest of us unsatisfied.

Coming out of dirty Los Angeles in the mid-70s, The Runaways were one of (if not the?) first all-girl rock groups; in a masculine landscape, their coming was like the breaking of a drought – and the kids just went nuts.

Which all would have been fine, had they not been largely manufactured and manipulated by sleazy producer/impresario Kim Fowley (played by intense Oscar-nominee Michael Shannon). Ripped away from their families, thrust into a highly sexualised package, and by all accounts abused by Fowley, the group imploded after only a few years.

With this incredible premise for a film, solid lead performances, and one of the year’s best on-screen kisses (which makes the sexual tension between Bella and Edward feel like a warm cup of cocoa) – it’s probably some kind of crime that Sigismundi turned out your run-of-the-mill rock biopic, with all the tired clichés. If you managed to score Joan Jett & The Blackhearts tix, maybe watch this first so you can hate on it even more?

Dee Jefferson

Street Level With Anna ‘Pocket Rocket’ Lumb

B

lack Cherry is back this weekend, with a Christmas gift box of bands, beats and burlesque, featuring Melbourne punk-rockers The Meanies, Torch Le Monde, and Gay Paris; rockabilly DJ duo Limpin’ Jimmy & The Swingin’ Kitten; and performances by aerialists Suzie Q and Toby J, Brisbane bombshell La Viola Vixen, and MC Lauren La Rouge. Coming northwards for the event is Melbourne pocket rocket Anna Lumb…

What's your background and training?

I began gymnastics aged 5, trained for eight years before entering into a jazz hands dance school, where I tapped, shuffled and leapt around for five years in the most outrageously daggy costumes. I really wanted to be a professional dancer but I was discouraged somewhat by my parents and the conservative careers adviser at my school. After a four-year sojourn at Art School my passion for acrobatics and performance was reinvigorated when I was asked by a friend to perform at a party. I began training again and took some circus classes at Circus Oz and NICA to get back into shape.

The gigs started rolling in and after successfully auditioning for Strange Fruit (Aerial Theatre Company) I began touring the world.

What are your signature acts/routines?

Hula Hoops and Trapeze. My hula hoop acts are quirky, character-based numbers that combine hooping techniques and circus skill with a variety kitschy cool soundtracks. My trapeze acts involve much of the same with aerial skill and fabulous costumes.

What has been your strangest show so far?

I survived a very hairy tour to Angola; we were caught in a riot following a show in a football stadium. We were also transported to various shows in the back of a Russian cargo plane and in helicopters that landed in rural areas riddled with land mines. To top it off we all got very sick. Not the most luxurious tour...

How do you usually devise your routines?

I’m often inspired by a song I hear or a costume I find randomly in a vintage shop or jumble sale. I’ve recently being enjoying performing to live music or having my tracks deejayed live by Lazer Ferrari (really great Melbourne DJ).

Is this your first Black Cherry?

Yes - and it looks like it’s going to be a fabulous event. Bands, babes & burlesque - what more could you want from an Xmas soiree!

What are you performing?

Spectacular Fire Fans, sultry Dance Trapeze and my signature sassy Hula Hoop act.

What else are you up to for 2010?

I just finished two Melbourne seasons of my new solo show, Big Shoes to Fill: An exposé of a 50Ft Woman, and I’m busy with gigs for the festive season. This weekend involves cabarets, circus big tops and burlesque shows.

Next week I get to wear a gigantic pair of gold antlers and matching gold skates for the ‘The Last Tuesdays Third Annual Xmas Special’ show…

What: Black Cherry Christmas Party When: December 4 from 8pm Where: The Factory Theatre, Enmore More: factorytheatre.com.au / blackcherrypresents.com.au

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Fresh urban designs from King Of Nothing.

Introducing a brand new incubator for Sydney’s hottest emerging talent.

KING OF NOTHING MEET: JIMMY BAXTER AND CLAUDIA TADMAN MORE: KINGOFNOTHING.COM.AU/ A chance meeting in a Perth Post Office brought us together nearly four years ago. A shared passion for travel, handmade stickers, photography, art and all things creative has kept us together ever since. Being from opposite sides of the globe Jimmy from Perth and myself from London - we spent time in Europe before settling in Sydney. We had both been searching for something to satisfy our creative natures, and after months of talking about it and mulling over ideas, King Of Nothing was born in late November 2009.

There are so many brands out there ripping images from the net, or reproducing an iconic photograph and whacking it on a tee. We wanted to create something more than that; something original and artist-based. Through our ‘Feature Artist’ collaborations, we support the

W

e’re a bit excited about the new-look Westfield that’s finally opened in the heart of Sydney, just off Pitt Street Mall.

Bringing a raft of big brand flagship stores to Sydney for the very first time, the innovatively-designed Westfield Sydney is set to give fashion retail in our city a much-needed makeover.

And they haven’t forgotten the little guy. This week, a new fashion incubator called 100 Squared launches on Westfield Sydney’s lower level. Set up like a marketplace, twelve new young Australian designers have been given space to showcase and sell their wares to a much larger market. The young labels have been given free range to create unique environments for their brands, through which they can engage directly with consumers. It’s an interesting idea for a Westfield Centre, sure; but just a hop, skip and a jump from the other projects of 100 Squared’s curator Justin Levy, who also runs the Fringe Bar Markets in Paddington and the Stairwell Gallery in Kings Cross. Justin plans to use the space to host a bunch of events in the future, from film screenings to art exhibitions, and maybe even gigs.

We spoke to a few brands from the first batch of fresh talent, about how they got started and where they hope to go from here...

Words by Hayley Hughes Photography by Hayley Hughes and Hobogestapo 50 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

When we were initially introduced to the 100 Squared concept, we liked the way they aimed to nurture young Australian labels. Getting involved has enabled us to trade seven days a week and create a better consumer awareness of the brand and what we’re about. It’s also given us the opportunity to create a space that reflects the freedom, love and passion for originality that KON represents.

We’ll be transforming our space into a retail art installation, offering insight into the ideals and design philosophy behind KON. You can expect to see

high levels of visual stimulation and attention to detail. It’s going to be rad - and yes, there will be more astro turf!

King Of Nothing combines various aspects of youth culture to create an original, clean, crisp and bold aesthetic. Life is a constant inspiration, as we evolve ideas and concepts through daily experiences and interactions. Surf, street and skate cultures are strong within the brand’s agenda, along with artistic freedom - both visually and verbally. Global domination would be nice, but until then we plan on just keeping doing what we’re doing. Working with more artists, more exhibitions, more team riders, and more fun times; getting KON out there to the people that dig it. We are in no hurry to be the next big thing - maintaining quality and originality are much more important.

VICTORIOUS MEET: BREE BENNETT AND SALLY GOULTER MORE: FACEBOOK.COM/PAGES/ VICTORIOUS Victorious photo by Travis Grace @ 2C Management

Hosting an impressive fashion line-up that includes Mulberry and Diane von Furstenberg (with Zara, Bottega Veneta and Miu Miu to follow closely on their heels), Westfield Sydney know that it’s not just what you wear, but how you wear it. Taking in the old Centrepoint, Imperial Arcade and Skygarden, boutiques have been threaded through new laneways and overpasses, providing a unique connection to Pitt Street Mall. Each shop has been encouraged to make the most of its environment, with rope walls, astro turf, creative window displays and lighting installations bringing an innovative and exciting community vibe to Sydney’s new home of fashion.

artists behind the design, as well as presenting a wider scope of artistic disciplines to the consumer. It’s really rewarding being able to work with such a variety of talented artists, while promoting their work to a broader audience than they would otherwise be exposed to.

Modern clothes with a vintage bent and a social conscience.

Victorious started as a little laneway shop in Paddington, where our dream to merge vintage pieces with young Australian designers began.

We leapt at the chance to to get involved with 100 Squared, where we could showcase our unique vision to a wider market.

Our inspiration comes from supporting young Australian designers. People who are doing something special, using beautiful fabrics and prints, and manufacturing in an ethical way.

We believe in treading as lightly as possible on this earth, and that’s why vintage and re-making are so important to us. While we appreciate a trend, we like to focus more on timeless pieces that you’ll be wearing for years to come. Our Bree Bennett-customised dresses

in vintage fabrics are truly one off, handmade and heirloom material - not to mention environmentally friendly.

When Justin from 100 Squared approached us at Victorious in Paddington and gave us the spiel, we quietly freaked out at first, then gave the two thumbs up! Our motto is NO GUTS, NO GLORY. In our space we definitely let our garments do the talking; it has a simple and personal vintage aesthetic, we even hand write our receipts! We wanted the clothes to be the focus, but we’ve included some nice vintage framed paintings and a vase for flowers; flowers are an essential for any interior. Having realised our dream is huge - but to keep on dreaming is important too.

We’ll be dreaming for growth and new challenges. BRING IT ON!

MISS UNKON MEET: COURTNEY MEYER MORE: MISSUNKON.COM I started the label from a passion to create a story, and a fashion culture that would enable people to live their dreams. A few months later we were invited to show at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week - which was a huge honour.

At Miss Unkon we believe that by living your passion and allowing others to do so, we create a beautiful world. Our current collection, Love Is Like a Dreamland: A Journey of Young Love, is about the journey of a young girl, and the moments and feelings of falling in love. I’m always inspired by the exploration of the emotions of whimsical girls, and seeing other people’s journeys in life unfold.

The Miss Unkon girl is a girl who loves fashion that she can dance, laugh, cry and play in. She loves to create her own style, and is influenced by the underground, pop fashion icons, and where she is at with her love, life and career. She is passionate about life and making a difference to her world and the environment that we live in.

Fashion is her love that never leaves; passion is what she puts into her dreams and her world.

THE REST OF THE FAMILY: Sage Sydney

Love, dreams and stories with Miss Unkon.

Meet: Kerry Hoby and Christian Alsted What: A mix of vintage, new and re-invented, Sage Sydney brings Australia’s laid-back beach lifestyle to 100 Squared.

More: sagesydney.com.au

Cirkel Meet: Kerry Hoby and Christian Alsted What: Originating in Bondi, Cirkel’s range of tees and tanks has sustainability in mind. Influenced by pop culture, a Cirkel tee is a Bondi must.

More: cirkel.com.au

When I was asked to be part of the 100 Squared project, we were already looking for a new avenue to expand the Miss Unkon essence in retail.

What better place than the heart of the city? I’ve endeavoured to create a space that’s unique to the Miss Unkon brand. Ours is a constantly evolving feminine space with trinkets and found objects, so that people naturally find their little home there; it’s comforting, like a nice big blanket on a freezing cold day. We are currently working on our expansion into the United States, with preparations for our RAFW 2011 show underway, and plans to launch the Miss Unkon online store.

Miss Ukon photo by Nelly Pro

Muchacho

RECREATIONAL

Meet: Andrew Cameron What: Influenced by his time living in Mexico and Chile, Andrew decided to combine his love of fashion, design and South American culture in the label Muchacho. It’s a collection of tees, shorts and singlets in premium cottons with printed South American designs.

More: muchachoclothing.com

Princess Polly Meet: Mary Evans What: 100 Squared’s answer to high street fashion, Princess Polly brings you on-trend, up-to-the-minute fashion from a range of Australian designers.

More: princesspolly.com.au

Mok Theorem Mok Theorem photo by Paul Mitchell

MEET: EMMA SWANN MORE: RECREATIONALBOUTIQUE.COM

Making pop culture look even better, with minimal, classy and affordable unisex jewellery at Recreational.

I’ve always loved jewellery, and I started making pieces as a hobby.

Then people asked to buy them - and I thought, ‘I might be onto something here’. That’s how I launched Recreational - originally with a stall at the Fringe Bar Markets.

I find it hard to find simple, classic jewellery for men and women that’s not over-priced. Jewellery is a great way to jazz up an outfit without breaking the bank, and I try to design stuff I want to wear - as well as for my friends.

My designs are very minimal and industrial. Shapes and everyday objects inspire me, like spray-can nibs and iPod earphones. They can be transformed into beautiful things when made in metal and plated in a colour like gold. The biggest kick I get is seeing people in the street wearing one of my pieces - that, and the lovely returning customers who love and wear Recreational each season.

I’m always thinking about the type of person who a particular design will look good on. All ages wear us, which is great. Recreational is also about what’s current; I take huge influence from pop culture and what I see people wearing on the streets of London and Sydney, so I try and apply that filter to everything I do.

I was excited to be asked to be involved with 100 Squared. I love interiors almost as much as jewellery, so I had a lot of fun designing my space. I wanted the jewellery to be the hero of the space, so I kept it simple and only focused on a few quality items and some cool graffiti prints to put in my light boxes - to get the attention of passers-by. I just want as many people as possible to enjoy my designs and want to wear Recreational.

Meet: Grace and Gloria Mok What: A fashion label that takes influence from persona, passion and physicality over dominant trends, Mok Theorem’s current collection is full of distinctive fabrications in glamorous silhouettes.

More: moktheorem.com.au

Coco Liberace Meet: John and Nicole Ullo What: Coco Liberace began when John couldn’t find the perfect cocktail ring for his wife Nicole. Noticing a gap in the market, they decided to start their own label and create the ostentatious costume jewellery that they both love.

More: cocoliberace.com

Love and Luck Meet: Merlin and Sarah Luck What: Love and Luck is a label with a lot of love. The newly-married couple have designed a kitsch range of luxury leather handbags for style-conscious women who aren’t afraid of the dark.

Where: loveandluck.com

Romy-Oh Meet: Cindy Ginsberg and Romy Abrahamson What: Behind Romy-Oh’s fashion-forward jewellery is a mother and daughter team who are influenced by French and European designs. And you can tell on first glance, from their whimsical collection of locktets and trinkets.

Where: romy-oh.com.au What: 100 Squared is open now, on level one of the newly revamped Westfield Sydney.

More: Check it out online at westfield.com.au/sydney

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 51

Album Reviews

What's been crossing our ears this week...

ALBUM OF THE WEEK KANYE WEST

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Roc-A-Fella/Universal When the dust settles, Pitchfork go back to giving bands nobody has heard of 5.3 out of ten, and sixteen year olds add something else to their torrent download queue, what will we say about Kanye West’s fifth album?

Will it become the generational classic that so many are (somewhat prematurely) heralding it as?

Kanye West doesn’t ever misstep; he just takes steps in a direction most people would never consider until he’s moved on once more.

Pharrell Williams once boasted that he could see sounds, and Nas has said in interviews that he can feel beats before they’re even delivered to him - but nobody can hear things

If we were to pick one album for a time capsule that preserves the first decade of this new millennium, it would surely have to be Girl Talk’s 2008 masterpiece, Feed The Animals. In a musical landscape where the divides between genres have disintegrated to the point where one can enjoy Beyonce, Black Sabbath and Peter Gabriel, and in a global culture where we flick from one viral video to another, what better soundtrack than an album that samples close to four hundred songs in 53 minutes? If nothing else, future generations (or the invading aliens) could have a great party.

The only real flaw in Feed The Animals was that Gregg Gillis seemed to suffer from ADHDJ, and the brilliant individual mashups would vanish well before you got sick of them. But three albums into this style, and Gillis now seems content to linger on each mashup, letting you savour the joyous incongruity of Lil’ Jon rapping over Simon & Garfunkel, or Souljaboy’s absurd lyrics imbued with genuine terror courtesy of Aphex Twin’s ‘Windowlicker’.

Sidewalks doesn’t always kick a goal, though. The combination of Matt’s over-autotuned, distorted vocals with arpeggiated synthesiser results in ‘Red Paint’ venturing dangerously close to Madden brother-monotony, whilst early 90s Enya is temporarily revived via excessive keyboard chorus at the beginning of ‘Good For Great’.

In addition, ‘Red Paint’, ‘Silver Tiles’, ‘Cameras’ and ‘Wires’ sound so similar to each other as to almost be made redundant.

Gillis’ trademark is to put rap vocals over classic rock tracks – MSTRKRFT over T-Rex, or Pitbull over Depeche Mode – and certainly this style hasn’t changed much from 2006’s Night Ripper. But with All Day, the sequence of songs does seem to flow a little more, and the longer samples make for a better listening experience; something you can sit and enjoy without your ears feeling assaulted.

But above all else this is music for a party, and the sheer joy of musical trainspotting will put a broad grin on the face of anyone with more than a passing interest in music.

Despite some setbacks, Sidewalks is frivolous, feel-good fun that is particularly . . . um . . . cute.

If you loved the last two, you’ll love this. And if you didn’t love them, I don’t think we can ever be friends.

Andrew Geeves

Hugh Robertson

this record is encouraged to become someone or something else and nobody more so than West, who at once is the image of decadence and self-destruction (see the porn-star marriage fantasy, ‘Hell Of A Life’), and an intensely personal, wounded antihero (‘Blame Game’). Whether he’s the black Patrick Bateman of rhyming or the Liberace of production, this is what great pop music is all about.

Lyrically, it’s mind-bogglingly dense and incredibly difficult to pin down; many will come for the beats and leave for the really heavy, disturbing stuff. As an album competing with all the others released this year, it’s a juggernaut that will absolutely destroy anything else you’ve heard.

JAMIROQUAI

All Day illegal-art.net/allday

Sidewalks Liberation

Sidewalks, the Brooklyn couple’s third album, is, unsurprisingly, heavy on the cute. Whether it’s the Pet Shop Boys-esque pizzicato synthetic strings and marching beat of ‘Where You’re Coming From’, the robo-bounce glee of Hammond B and electronic clap accompaniment on ‘Block After Block’ or the syncopated calypso chorus of ‘Ice Melts’, listening to this album without smiling and sighing contentedly is impossible. The inherent energy of the record makes it easy to see how Matt & Kim have built an increasingly strong live reputation since their inception six years ago. From the strong offbeat accentuation that dominates most tracks, to the sing-along “Oh-ay” anthemic chanting in the chorus of ‘AM/FM Sound’, this music begs to be paired with good times spent in good company.

The concept of the six-minute rap song, long since abandoned by mainstream artists, is brought back with terrifying force, as storytelling destroys posturing, and personas overtake personalities. Each guest on

GIRL TALK

MATT & KIM

Pop-punk-indie hipsters Matt & Kim are so gosh darned cute they make me want to puke. Cute lovers in real life, Kim plays drums to Matt’s keys and vocals. Their cute music videos for their cute songs have involved them getting nekkid and arrested in New York’s Times Square (‘Lessons Learned’) and squeezing their cute little bodies into cute little spaces (‘Daylight’). Cute cute cute, barf barf barf.

like Mr West. If My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy should be celebrated for anything, it must be the decisive clarity with which West combines old and new, samples and live elements, string arrangements and beats in a way so seamless, so effortless and so convincing that had he not acknowledged the source in the liner notes, you could believe he wrote the whole lot. Every second of this record is perfectly calculated, expertly set up and devastatingly executed.

I’ll admit I was nervous to hear this supposed first official “real band record”. Many of my favourite artists have been coming back from the dead lately all commercialised and sterile; but still, I had higher expectations of Jamiroquai and his promised organic live sound. Despite short snippets of acoustic purity however, the album is overwhelmed by multiple electronic layers which consume any sense of melodic depth. The title track sets the tone for the rest of the album, with Kay announcing “Ok, that’s the one…” after trialing a groove with the band, before rocketing into a synth-laden extravaganza. But just like the songs that follow (most noticeably ‘Lifeline,’ and ‘Smoke and Mirrors’) it fizzles, and the structural and musical repetitiveness becomes apparent.

The whole album is filled with the promise of funky beats reminiscent of ‘Love Foolosophy’ – before the tracks coast along, comfortable but anticlimactic. Nothing leaps out at you that screams Jamiroquai; ‘Blue Skies’ could be mistaken for a lame James Blunt track, and ‘White Knuckle Ride’ resembles Calvin Harris in overdrive.

The same old groovy basslines are as prominent as ever, and Derrick McKenzie’s tight drumming keeps the band on its toes - but without Kay’s undeniable magnetism, this album would simply be a compilation of easy-listening tunes.

Julian Casablancas has a lot to answer for. Thanks to the distorted-revolvingspeaker treatment of his vocals on Is This It, vocal effects were shored up as flavour of the month/decade – and readily discernible lyrics and clarity of sound became something of a rarity. Now I love reverb, distortion and flange as much as the next Gen Y brat child, but the accumulation of these effects is akin to listening to music through cotton wool.

So it is with Young, the new release from London duo Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley a.k.a Summer Camp. Despite wanting to love this release, the copious effects mercilessly overlaid on most vocal and instrumental tracks throughout served only to provoke frustration and dissatisfaction. Prompted by Young’s sonic landscape, thoughts of what Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Best Coast and She & Him would sound like if submerged under water and fed through a wind tunnel continued to distract from musical enjoyment. Particularly irksome, given the promise of untainted sounds that managed to slip through the mix…

It’s not all bad news though.

Habituation occurs with repeated listens and makes way for punchy doo-wop vocals and infectious surfpop melodies, backed by synthetic keyboard sounds thick enough to intimidate even the bravest member of A-ha. A layer of what-lies-beneath intrigue that would make David Lynch proud also underscores the record, found in the juxtaposition of vaguely menacing lyrics (“Go on and ruin me / Take my life and run”) against Summer Camp’s syrupy-sweet ensemble sound.

It’s not the way I wanted it, but it’s still great to have them back.

Wading through a sound unnecessarily complicated by overabundant effects does yield rewards; it’s just a pity that it’s such hard work.

Zac Seidler

Andrew Geeves

A Strawberry Situation Half A Cow

Raised on a staple diet of the totally way cool Nuggets compilations, Sydney’s Love Parade have all bases covered on their new EP. Taking vocal cues from Split Enz co-founder Phil Judd, front man Nathan "Rock News" Jolly is manic and lovestruck on opening track ‘It’s Happening Again’ (which is fondly reminiscent of a moodier Donovan), and the warbling, downward spiral of ‘Come Alive’. There’s something really irrepressible about these guys, as ‘Strangers With Secrets’

52 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

slams forward with a groovy, driving rhythmic combination of producer Chris Jahnsen on drums and Ben Law on bass. ‘Pink Shoes’ is a poppy little ditty that zips out in under two minutes, with such a great, telling lyric; ‘All that glitters/ Will make your friends bitter/You know it’s true’.

Keys are the focal point of Love Parade’s sound, with most tracks dominated by much-loved keyboards of the 1960s, as James Law masterminds an electric Rhodes, a Mellotron and sometimes just a plain old piano, interjecting spritely kicks and melancholic shimmers wherever he pleases. But Love Parade prove they can still write a great tune without 'em, too; standout track, ‘As Spring Hits The Valley’, hits a Grateful

Dead nerve (they weren’t just a jam band, people!) with the mere simplicity of an acoustic guitar and a couple of tortured vocals.

Even though Love Parade are unabashed Beatles fans (They played Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety with a bunch of mates in Newcastle last year), you’d be hard pressed to find a direct sonic homage of the Beatlesque variety throughout A Strawberry Situation. While taking cues from the past, this is a sound all their own.

Their psychedelic forefathers would be so proud right now.

Matt Petherbridge

Jonno Seidler

NOUVELLE VAGUE

Young Popfrenzy

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK LOVE PARADE

Is it as good as The College Dropout?

As a longtime fan, I’d say My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is different - but West was also a different man then.

Newly discovered and acknowledged, the world was at his feet; now the world is struggling to catch up as he and a cackling Nicki Minaj disappear into the Hawaiian sunset.

SUMMER CAMP

Rock Dust Light Star Universal Jamiroquai’s new record marks the band’s return to the scene after almost four years. What’s come out of all that time is an album full of music that can’t be tamed but rather leaps from style to style within seconds, as the band pays homage to their acidjazz roots while flaunting influences in 70’s pop, reggae and even house.

‘All Of The Lights’, with more guests than Thanksgiving and more sound than three orchestras, will floor you, ‘Blame Game’ will move you and by the time ‘Lost In The World’ hits with that fantastically reconfigured Bon Iver hook, all bets are off. This is who West is, a trailblazer.

Couleurs Sur Paris Kwaidan Records Prepare yourself for French new wave and post-punk covers, in a bossa nova style, with a plethora of silky smooth guest vocalists. That’s right - silky smooth post-punk. It seems the irony is well and truly intended by Nouvelle Vague producers Marc Collin and Olivier Billaux, who pay tribute to the goldenage of nihilistic French post-punk with a cheeky samba rhythm.

It pays to do your research on this one.

Previous Nouvelle Vague albums have covered better-known artists like Joy Division and Echo & The Bunnymen - but this time the focus is French.

Some background info on the era and original artists will increase your enjoyment, and this baffling album will begin to hang together better.

Highlights include a cheeky number called ‘Putain Putain', with Camille’s cutesy tones spouting sour observations like, “The poor may be poor, the rich may be rich, but they all beat the shit out of each other.”

Another high point is ‘So Young But So Cold,’ featuring English singer Charlie Winston over a simple piano riff with loads of attitude. ‘Week-End A Rome’, however, is memorable for all the wrong reasons, with overly breathy vocals from Vanessa Paradis interspersed with an even breathier deep male voice singing, “mmmm… la notte, la notte (the night).”

This album is hit and miss to the extreme. Some songs simply lose their bite in translation; others are clever and quite beautiful. It’s generally those that stray from traditional bossa nova arrangements that are more remarkable - but in that way, the main idea behind the album just doesn’t quite work for me.

Café Del Mar meets French postpunk sarcasm, with wildly varying success.

Jordan Smith

OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week...

DEERHUNTER - Halcyon Digest WARPAINT - The Fool THE MESS HALL - Notes From A Ceilingt

J-LIVE - Undivided Attention EP THE HUMMINGBIRDS - LoveBUZZ

8pm

THURSDAY DECEMBER 2ND

ART OF GRACE

SARAH BIRD/BRENT HILL

9pm

FRIDAY DECEMBER 3RD

MUM

GO HERE GO THERE 9pm

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4TH

KONTRAST XMAS SPECIAL

ROBBIE LOWE /YOKOO/JOEY KAZ/ JOEY TUPAEA/MATT WEIR/DEEFLOY

9pm

THURSDAY DECEMBER 9TH

KOOLISM DJ SHANTAN/KAIFRESH/ SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

9pm

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10TH

REGROOVED GOOD GROOVE VS BOMB STRIKES BUSTER & WILL STYLES / SLYNK & PAUL MASTER

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 53

live reviews What we've been to see...

BIG BOI

When diminutive rapper Big Boi strides across the Hordern stage you’re immediately hit with a sense of irony. Wearing an army jacket with accompanying jewellery and trademark dark shades tucked under a baseball cap, the MC seems to have been camouflaged for an eternity by the band that unleashed him.

As one half of the acclaimed hip hop outfit OutKast, Big Boi has won six Grammy’s and sold over 25 million albums, bringing Southern rap to the fore and creating another player to challenge the East Coast/ West Coast rap dominance. But while he’s hardly been anonymous, Big Boi has long been viewed (unfairly) as simply the group’s anchor - the earthy, gritty, rapper from the Dirty South who holds the fort whilst flamboyant bandmate Andre 3000 goes off on experimental tangents.

Tonight’s performance – equal parts inventive, joyous and bizarre – went a long way towards changing that perception.

Tonight, Big Boi (AKA Antwan Andre Patton) sets an early statement by sending the crowd into euphoria with OutKast’s 2000 classic ‘Ms. Jackson’ near the beginning of the set. The crowd embraces the “Oooh!” hook as it reverberates around the Hordern, and any concerns about this one-off promo show being a fizzer soon fade away. The MC’s energy and enthusiasm belies the fact that he arrived from a fifteen hour flight only this morning, as he launches into cuts from his brilliant new solo record, Sir Lucious Left Foot…

The Son Of Chico Dusty. The side-project features the likes of Gucci Mane, Janelle Monae, T.I. and funk legend George Clinton.

OutKast are famous for their experimental approach to a genre that too often remains formulaic, and tonight Patton doesn’t disappoint. Straddling soul, RnB, rock and 80s synth-funk effortlessly with the support of DJ Cutmaster Swiff, Big Boi reminds you of the power of hip hop when it’s executed well. Behind his sly grin there’s a charming, playful subversive, and his performance relies on sharp wordplay and cadence rather than bravado.

Boi delves into OutKast’s considerable back catalogue with the smooth ‘The Way You Move’ from 2003’s Speakerboxx/The Love Below through to gems from ’94 debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. The powerhouse performance lasts well over an hour and features almost two dozen tracks – an impressive cross-section of the band’s repertoire. To close, he’s joined on stage by a group of enthusiastic young female concertgoers, who dance around him through the encore. Careful Big Boi, you might just have blown your cover.

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THE STUDY presents WED 01 DEC

THU 02 DEC

FRI 03 DEC

SAT 04 DEC

RUFUS + SPECIAL GUESTS

V.I.P. THURSDAYS PARTY

ft ALPHAMAMA + DJ TICKELZ + DJ MOTO

SOLA ROSA (NZ) + THE VERSIONARIES

DRAPHT + DIALECTRIX + BRIGGS COMING SOON

SUN 05 DEC

Tim Armitage

PAPER CHAMPION

54 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

FRI 10 DEC

EL GUINCHO

SAT 11 DEC

THE FIELD

ELECTRIC WIRE HUSTLE, ISAAC AESILI Tone, Surry Hills Wednesday November 17

Having very quickly built a reputation for quality live music, Tone in Surry Hills draws its usual eclectic, non-pretentious crowd as warm-up act Isaac Aesili starts the night.

A compatriot of NZ's Electric Wire Hustle, Aesili’s blend of soul, RnB, reggae and funk perfectly complements the headliner to come. It's maybe too complementary; I would’ve preferred to hear an emerging New Zealand act of a slightly different strain to EWH... Nonetheless, Aesili and vocalist Rachel Fraser are charismatic and full of rhythm and energy, as Aesili mixes his beats through a laptop, sporadically adding his own live vocals along with some classy muted trumpet solos.

Before Electric Wire Hustle begins, a little peculiarity: drummer Myele Manzanza emerges on stage and takes his seat at the kit. He sits alone on stage, eyes closed in intense concentration, oblivious to the eager crowd just a metre away. This ritual lasts for about five minutes, after which Manzanza opens his eyes, hops over the front of the stage and joins his band mates out of sight. As I was soon to find out, whatever it is that goes on behind those closed eyes - it works.

After an extended introduction, EWH swing into ‘Buy Some Land, Put a House On It’ from their new self-titled debut album, delivering it with so much punch and attitude it seems doubly alive compared to the recording. Vocalist Mara TK really comes into his own live, rocking some serious armswing between passionate warbles. EWH rolls through highlights from their album with complex yet seamless transitions, keeping such a delayed beat you can’t help but feel you’ll never be quite cool enough to hang back with it. Keys man Taay Ninh lets loose on the knobs in a Korg-synth solo in the midst of my favourite track of the evening, ‘Burn’ - after which point everyone takes a tiny breather, while Mara TK tells us how he changes “kills” to “told off” when reading The Iliad to his six-month-old daughter. Cute!

Amidst raucous woops from an appreciative crowd, Manzanza squeezes in a killer extended drum solo followed by the cheekiest of grins. Then all too quickly it’s encore time, and Aesili and Fraser are invited back on stage to have a jam around the Curtis Mayfield classic ‘Move On Up’.

The Electric Wire Hustle boys are musicians of the truest ilk, and if you weren’t dancing by the end, you’re definitely a robot.

Jordan Smith

KAKI KING

Oxford Art Factory Saturday November 20 The plight of the virtuosic musician isn’t one to be taken lightly. After mastering their instrument, there comes a point where demonstrations of ability clash against an attempt to sell records – often with messy results (see: Carlos Santana’s inglorious recording with Nickleback’s Chad Kroeger...)

So when guitar queen Kaki King takes the stage at the Oxford Art Factory, you’re presented with a very interesting case study of said plight, as she tries to find the comfortable mid-point between two extremes.

Originally gaining buzz as one of Rolling Stone’s modern-day ‘Guitar Gods’, King explored a combination of loop pedals, slide guitars and creative finger-picked soundscapes to assert that King was not just her birth name, but the appraisal of her place in guitar royalty. But in an attempt to fly the pigeonhole (and no doubt meet a need for record sales) Kaki King recently underwent an evolution, whereby the virtuosic guitar-work took a passenger seat to something more conventional - as seen at the Oxford Art Factory.

At her finest on the night, King exhibits a near unparalleled two-handed dexterity and creativity that ventures all along the fret board. At her worst, she’s peering out from under her fringe for simplistic emopunk, with the occasional flourish in an unusual tuning. Her band seem to dumb themselves down to highlight Kaki’s playing, relying on over-loud hard-rock beats and straight-forward trumpet-synth lines rather than venturing into eclecticism, tending to overpower rather than augment her performance.

King seems to be revelling in her fame-found status as a sex symbol, at times ignoring her virtuoso roots for neo-emo angst; and while it may be a challenge to sit through constant showy demonstrations of six-stringed ability, it’s significantly worse watching an artist of this calibre stoop to such off-kilter lows.

Completing her encore with lap-steel and

Electric Wire Hustle photos by Rosette Rouhana

Electric Wire Hustle

Hordern Pavilion Thursday November 18

live reviews What we've been to see...

loop pedal to create a commanding wall of sound of intricately crafted layers, you’re left with the realization that with a sense of adventure and some more exploratory bandmates, she could be part of the creation of something truly unique.

been ahead of the curve when it comes to marrying disparate musical genres, and today was no exception.

THE VASCO ERA, WONS PHREELY, I AM GIANT

It might have been better to drop Metronomy from the bill, however. The British lads, such a hit at Parklifes of old, showcased far too much material from a yet-unreleased album nobody had heard.

By the time ‘Heartbreaker’ dropped, most people had already resigned themselves to the bar. They came back fighting, however, for Flight Facilities - Sydney’s coolest downtempo duo, who’ve graduated from clubs to stages like it ain’t no thang.

Already home to international buzz, the ‘Crave You’ writers executed a great set with a sax player who, thankfully, could play more than just the lick from ‘Destination Unknown’.

The Vasco Era have built up a devoted fanbase, and I see a few familiar faces at The Annandale tonight - but they seem confused by the first support act, Kiwisvia-London I Am Giant. Apparently these guys have been making a name for themselves in the world of extreme sport as ‘ambassadors’ for Quiksilver, but all I can think is how much they remind me of Birds Of Tokyo, who I personally cannot stand. You have to hand it to these guys, though – they are giving it their all to a nearly-empty room.

The real heroes of the day, however, had to be The Yacht Club DJs. Straight out of the middle of nowhere, these guys partied like rockstars and threw in enough bizarre mash-ups (Toploader and Biggie? Isley Brothers and The Presets?) to make the entire bumbag crew forget how awesome their biceps were and promptly lose their shit. The most engaging hour of mixing this side of Girl Talk, these guys were criminally good. Though Ember put in a valiant effort afterwards, it remained The Temper Trap’s job to match the heights of these Ballarat boys. But that’s why they’re The Temper Trap, right?

Considering that there are very few guitarists on this planet that can reach into the musical territory Kaki King is capable of finding, it’s a little disheartening to see this musical Darwinism take place; cutting short an artistic evolution in order to stay alive in a music industry that craves the familiar.

Max Easton

The Annandale Saturday November 20

Running really late due to technical difficulties, a noticeably flustered Wons Phreely finally gets underway, promising a short, sharp set in the twenty-five minutes left to him. And he certainly delivers on that promise. I’ve never particularly warmed to his brand of slightly idiosyncratic pop, but tonight it’s sounding really good. There’s something that reminds me of Dan Kelly, while the seamy surrounds of the Annandale seem to imbue the set with an indisputably badass, garage-y sound. New single ‘The World Has A Bank Account’ reminds me of no one so much as Evan Dando, Phreely’s voice managing to carry that simultaneously disaffected yet warm timbre. He should play all his gigs on this stage.

Right from the start of their set, this is vintage Vasco Era - although something seems a bit off. They open with a blistering cover of ‘Voodoo Child’, but seem a bit flat.

They don’t have a setlist, so there are long breaks between songs punctuated only by Sid’s quite bizarre banter. This is the first time I’ve seen them play when there hasn’t been a giant, sweaty moshpit down the front, and I suspect they need that energy to feed off.

I may just have unreasonably high expectations. A couple of my mates came along who had never seen them before, and were blown away – their eyes widening in amazement when told it was the weakest Vasco show I’ve seen. In a recent interview, it was revealed that the boys are planning a bit of a shift away from their first two albums on LP number three, although they didn’t reveal exactly what that means... Whatever the case, I really hope it doesn’t diminish their live show – there are very few things I would rather do than scream ‘Honey Bee’ at the top of my lungs.

Hugh Robertson

HARBOURLIFE

Lady Macquarie’s Chair Saturday November 20 Before we examine the music on offer, there are certain points that need to be made about one of Fuzzy’s newer festivals.

First, and somewhat superficially, it has arguably the best vibe of the lot - a fact no doubt aided by supremely beautiful views and surrounds, non-stop sunshine and a limited crowd size. I can now see why people shell out huge amounts of money towards the end of each year to party near the Opera House and Sydney Harbour. It really is that gorgeous. Of course, those views are contradicted by the overall appearance of the clientele, who have since taught me the fundamental male dress rules: shirts optional; offensive and badly-inked tattoos mandatory; bumbags not a fashion mistake; and sunglasses Prada. The range of music on offer further contrasts the staggering visual divide between Beauty and the Fully Sik Beast, beginning with the always hectic SoSueMe DJs and closing with the benign and superuplifting Temper Trap. Fuzzy have always

SIDESHOW WEDNESDAYS

Jonno Seidler

PIETA BROWN, LUCIE THORNE The Basement Monday November 22

JOHN STEEL SINGERS + DEEP SEA ARCADE

1ST DECEMBER - 8PM

Entering The Basement’s cavernous embrace evokes a sense of both comfort, and time travel. This is peculiarly palpable when the venue hosts country/ folk songstresses Pieta Brown and Lucie Thorne. Whether it’s the mature audience demographic, Tim Freedman’s presence at the wood-panelled bar, genre-characteristic whimsy or a combination of all of these, the feeling that I’ve emerged from a DeLorean that was programmed to an easy-listening 1995 never quite abates…

But with Melbournian Lucie Thorne on stage, it is clear that The Basement will deliver the high quality of sound for which it is renowned. Just as well, because Thorne ain’t afraid to capitalise on a deep, husky, vocal capacity that rivals the roar of the most voluminous lioness. Purring her way through a slow-paced, reflective setlist, her performance is more soothing than might be expected from her exquisitely maudlin vocal timbre. Complemented by the closely attuned drumming of Hamish Stuart and her own dulcet guitar tones, half-growled words escape the corner of Thorne’s mouth.

Although her songs are not especially memorable, she is an accomplished and endearing performer, showcasing clever mic techniques that extend her naturallyconstrained vocal variability, and handling a solitary heckler from the crowd with admirable finesse.

Pieta Brown looks fresher than her 37 years - no mean feat given that she and husband Bo Ramsey, Fender Stratocaster accompanist and acclaimed musician in his own right, have been in the country for less than 24 hours. As a child flâneur, accompanying her mother on jaunts between Iowa and Alabama, Brown’s Americana tunes are grounded in experience. Like contemporaries Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams and Cat Power, whose influence is easily heard, a firsthand knowledge of the blues is conveyed through Brown’s performance when she manages to imbue it with adequate energy. Blame jetlag, but the punch of openers ‘Rollin’ Down The Track’ and ‘Faller’ is short lived. “Me and my guitar are still adjusting to Australia, I guess”, she acknowledges halfway through the set which is courteous, but doesn’t prevent Brown’s eyes from becoming increasingly droopy.

Lucky then for Ramsey, whose intuitive harmonies and restrained soloing lift the performance. The couple’s electric connection in tracks such as ‘How Many Times Do I Hear Myself Say These Things’ and their cover of ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin' is the highlight of the night’s performance and an indication, perhaps, of Brown’s potential when she’s firing on all cylinders.

COMING SOON SOFTWAR 3RD DEC DIRECT INFLUENCE 5TH DEC CLOUD CONTROL + GUINEAFOWL 8TH DEC JUICE 11TH DEC

Andrew Geeves

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 55

The Minor Chord An all-ages rant bought to you by Indent.net.au. By Eva Balog

Fozzy

ARCHITECTS

With the jolly season just around the corner, there is more than enough stocking-filler to get you through the holidays. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hoping youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been nice and not naughty this year. With summer festivals galore, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good news to be had all round.

GROOVINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; THE MOO

GTM has announced their festival dates for 2011, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hitting up Maitland again next May. Their line-up is yet be announced, but they are polling to see what bands and artists you would like to see headline the show. Head over to their website www.gtm.net.au and tell â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em who to put at the top of the bill.

WASHING-TOWN

What about Washington? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost a case of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Which Festival is Washington, NOT Playing At?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The Melbourne songstress has been announced in the second round of Big Day Outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s line-up, along with Sia and The Vines. But you probably got your tickets well before you knew she was going to be there. Consider it as a bit of a bonus, eh?

FOZZY

US band Fozzy are coming to Sydney direct from their hometown of Florida, and bringing their heavy metal thrash to the Enmore Theatre this Friday December 3.

Doors open from 8pm, and you can get your tix from the venue.

LORD

As part of their Tyrants Return tour, melodic metal rockers Lord will be freshing it over at the Hyland Road Youth Centre in Greystanes, for a crunchinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; all-ages show, this Friday December 3. Get your tickets on the door, and make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there nice and early, doors open from 8pm.

+ JPS + SPIKEY TEE + FOREIGNDUB

ALL AGES GIG PICKS FRIDAY DECEMBER 3 Fozzy Enmore Theatre

Lord Hyland Road Youth Centre, Greystanes Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats UNSW Roundhouse

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Architects, Comeback Kid, This Is Hell Metro Theatre

Was I There In Your Future?

Cloud Control (other acts TBA) Factory Theatre

TUESDAY JANUARY 4 Interpol, Bridezilla Enmore theatre

Straight from their recent tour of the UK, Architects will be rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; down at the Metro Theatre this Saturday December 4. Playing alongside Comeback Kid and This Is Hell, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sure to be a circle pit for everyone. Well, maybe just hang up the back. A foot to the face wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go down too pretty.

TAKING CONTROL

Have you ever wondered how the music industry actually works? We all know that bands and musicians get royalties and everything, but how does that come about? To dispel the myth that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a royalties elf doing all the dirty work, Fairfield City Council, in collaboration with Fairfield RSL Club is holding an event called Taking Control: the Music Industry and You, which provides the opportunity for young bands to develop their skills and industry knowledge. The workshop will run from 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5pm on Saturday December 4 with presentations exploring everything from booking gigs and working with promoters and venues, to royalties and APRA. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FREE, and open to young musos aged between 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 24, but places are strictly limited. Call 9725 0860 to register.

REEL BIG FISH

Reel Big Fish and The Aquabats team up for an all-ages show that is set to resemble a clash of the titans, with a twist. With Reel Big Fish being a band that â&#x20AC;&#x153;will never die from taking themselves too seriouslyâ&#x20AC;? and The Aquabats being described as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the first all-crime-fighting all-surfing rock super group in history!â&#x20AC;? what could possibly go wrong? The UNSW Roundhouse will host this evening of madness for the price of 57 buckaroos on Friday December 3.

WAS I THERE IN YOUR FUTURE?

Was I There In Your Future? is a mind expanding music and arts mini-festival, curated and headlined by Cloud Control.

For this event the Cloudies will turn the Factory Theatre into a mini festival ground full of indoor and outdoor stages incorporating bands, DJs, arts and video.

To make this event all the more enticing, the band are announcing more acts each week in the lead-up to the event, which will take place on Saturday December 18 from 2pm. Get your tickets for $25 through The Factory Theatre.

INTERPOL

As part of the Falls Festival sideshows Interpol will be playing an exclusive Sydney show at the Enmore Theatre on January 4, in support of their highlyacclaimed self-titled fourth record. With tickets at $83.50, this might be something you should be asking someone to get you for Christmas...Also playing on the night are local darlings Bridezilla, who are sure to fill your eardrums with goodness. Tickets are available through the Enmore Theatre website and Ticketek.

That just about wraps it up for this week.

Remember to tune in to FBi Radio 94.5fm each Wednesday at 5pm to get the all-ages picks from the team at The Minor Chord.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a young band, pedaling your demos or have any info on all-ages events (be they musical, artistic or of any other vein) then email us at theminorchord@musicnsw. com

Send pics, listings and any info to minorchords@thebrag.com 56 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 57

Remedy More than The Cure since 1989 with Murray Engleheart

Jimi Hendrix

wed

01 Dec

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

thu

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

02 Dec

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

fri

03 Dec (5:00PM - 8:00PM)

(9:15PM - 1:00AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON (4:30PM - 7:30PM)

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

sat

04 Dec

sun

SATURDAY NIGHT

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

05 Dec

SUNDAY NIGHT

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

If hanging out in a cave is a pre-requisite or at least a rite of passage for “stardom” these days then maybe there’s still plenty of hope for many of this column’s heroes, who at various times have been forced to live in rocky outcrops, in cardboard boxes on the street, under bridges and in subway train tunnels.

WEED WILL ROCK YOU

The Aztec label has just issued a compilation of Tumbleweed material on a twin disc effort titled The Waterfront Years 1991-1993 - Waterfront being, as you should know, their Sydney-based label from back in that day. The 35-track effort is pretty damn welcome given that it’s next to impossible to get anything by these guys now (at least in an old school “physical” sense). The package brings together all their early singles, including their first, ‘Captain’s Log’, which was produced by Mark Arm of Mudhoney. The Weed were signed to Atlantic Records in the US at one point, and we still reckon that the headline in NME (or maybe it was Melody Maker) of - if we recall rightly - “Weed Will Weed Will Rock You” is deserving of some sort of sharp wit award. In January they’ll be doing their first Sydney headline show since their reformation several years back, coupled with a coastal tour that’ll take them all the way from Wollongong to Byron Bay.

QOTSA

Here at Remedy we get a bit carried away sometimes. We know we do. We’re emotional people. But we like that about us. Anyways, all our snorting and eyerolling about Queens of The Stone Age’s

Rated R album being reissued as a deluxe package just a decade after it first came out? That shouldn’t be confused with our snorting and eye-rolling about the reissue early next year of the band’s self-titled debut (with three bonus tracks) on Josh Homme’s Rekords Rekords label. What we didn’t know (until it was pointed out to us) was that the original has been out of print for some time, and now fetches silly prices.

JIMI TIME

With Jimi Hendrix’s BBC collection and utterly-smokin’ comp Blues each reissued with bonus DVDs, comes word of still more Hendrixness. This time a movie, due out in the coming year, centred around the great man’s legendary shows at the London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1969. The doco also draws from the goings-on during his European tour at the time.

MOGWAI

Mogwai – seemingly both the most prolific and loudest act in the world – have a new album out in February (see what we mean?) called Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.

HITMEN

In December there’ll be yet another Hitmen compilation. This one’s called Dancing Time ’78 – ’79. It’s a 52-track effort that draws from the band’s prime time pre-major label era and includes studio sessions and a live recording from an early line-up of the band with by then former Saints’ drummer Ivor Hay, plus a collection of the sort of covers the outfit used to do so very well, by everyone from The Sonics to their killer take on The Remains’ ‘Hard Time Coming’.

ON THE TURNTABLE On the Remedy turntable is Alice In Chain’s masterwork Dirt, and the newie from The Jim Jones Revue, Burning Your House Down – which (if you’ll pardon the pun) we’re really warming to, even though it’s not quite the glorious lo fi distorto rush of their debut. Also spinning (and at some length cos it’s much longer) is Mulennium, a triple-disc live album by Gov’t Mule that was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia on New Year’s Eve 1999, when loveable bass bear Allen Woody was still with us. (Just quietly? We lost the vibe from these guys after the big bloke passed). Typically these guys tackle everything including the sonic kitchen sink. That means Zeppelin’s ‘Dazed and Confused’, King Crimson’s ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’, Alice Cooper’s ‘Is It My Body?’, The Who’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, plus blues like ‘It Hurts Me Too’, with special guest guitarist, the legendary Little Milton. And all done in their beaut brawly, soulful, wonderfully jammy manner.

TOUR AND INDUSTRY NEWS Lest any of us dare forget, The Fall are at the Metro Theatre on December 7.

Mojo Music in York Street continue their Rock n’ Roll Club nights on December 3 from 7-9pm, with three bands performing in store: Angels Of The Tattooed Generation, The Prehistorics and The Elephant Gods. For free and for real.

There’s an event called Back to the Bowery #4 happening on December 3 at Jets Sports Club at Tempe, “celebrating the hey-day of punk rock”. On the bill are Megastar Overdrive, who’ll be paying tribute to Johnny Thunders (and featuring former and current members of Mushroom Planet, The Deadly Hume, The Baddies, Hoodoo Gurus and Celibate Rifles) as well as Simon Chainsaw (ex Vanilla Chainsaws) with his all-star band, 25th Floor, who’ll be bowing down to Patti Smith, Young Docteurs and New Vintage.

Doors open at 7.30pm. $10 in.

We had the great honour of seeing them play twice. Firstly, in Chicago and then in Minneapolis the following night during the ‘White Light White Heat White Trash’ tour

– but getting them to this part of the world has proven to be impossible. Until now. As well as doing Soundwave, the legendary Social Distortion, fronted by Mike Ness – old school punk rock’s ice cool answer to the late Peter Wells – will be at the Enmore on March 1 with The Bronx, in what will be a huge one.

On December 3 Repressed Records have a show at the Excelsior with True Radical Miracle, Black Jesus, Whores and Burning Servant.

The glorious Built To Spill, who are riding the biggest critical rave wave of their career with their There Is No Enemy album, return not only for the Peats Ridge and Pyramid Rock Festivals but for a show at the Metro on December 29. Special guests are Bearhug.

Apart from doing the Golden Plains Festival, the mighty Hawkwind are also at the Manning Bar on March 11. Founder Dave Brock is the sole remaining member of the band that recorded the classic Space Ritual.

Send stuff for this column to remedy@ozemail.com.au by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to art@thebrag please. www.myspace.com/remedy4rock 58 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

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19:11:10 :: Phoenix Bar :: Downstairs 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst 93311936

18:11:10 :: Luna Park :: 1 Olympic Drive Milsons Point 99226644

:: The Factory :: 105 Victoria Road Enmore 95503666

Go Here Go There It sounds like: Chaos!

Bands playing: The Checks (NZ), The Dirty Secrets, Felicity Groom, Bleeding Knees Club, The Fearless Vampire Killers, The Honey Month, Convaire, Chicks Who Love Guns, The Holy Soul, Dark Bells, Slow Down Honey, Post Paint, Nick Van Breda, Shakin Howls, Leroy Macqueen & The Gussets, Drop Tank, Disco Club, Jugu, Old Men Of Moss Mountain, Donny Bennet DJs playing: Kato, SVU DJs, Felix Lloyd Vs Walkie Talkie, Biff! Bang! Pow! DJs, Sammy K Vs Swim Team, Cosmic Explorer Vs Gatsby, Jack Shit, Alvin, Ghoul DJs, Pages DJs, Party By Jake DJs, The Gripp, 10th Avenue, Cries Wolf DJs, Sweetie, Fuck Hugo, Nic Yorke.

Sell it to us: One entry fee, three venues, 20 Bands, 20 DJs and 1000 people capacity = the best opening weekend of summer ever.

The bit well remember in the AM: The fact that you saw 20 bands at three bars and still had enough cash in your wallet for Pieface and a taxi.

Crowd specs: Bands, DJs, and the people who love them.

Wallet damage: $20 (free before 8, bands start from 9) Where: The World Bar, Melt Bar, Iguana Bar / Kings Cross When: Friday December 3 60 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

the jezabels 19:11:10

PICS :: RO

party profile

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called: MUM presents Go Here Go There

:: The Gaelic Theatre :: 64 Devonshire St Surry Hills 92111687

) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI :: DAN

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 61

snap sn ap

kaki king

PICS :: AM

up all night out all week . . .

20:11:10

:: The Metro Theatre :: 624 George St City 92642666

sfx

PICS :: RO

femi kuti

PICS :: TL

19:11:10 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711

20:11:10 :: St James Hotel :: 114 Castlereagh St City 92618277

Papa vs. Pretty

the gin club

PICS :: TT

party profile

It’s called: OAF Showcase - feat. Papa vs. Pretty

11:11:10 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711 62 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

It sounds like: Four great Sydney bands Acts: Papa vs. Pretty, Traps, Dark Bells, Tin Sparrow Three songs you’ll hear on the night: More than likely, ‘Heavy Harm’ – Papa vs. Pretty; ‘constructdeconstruct’ - Traps; ‘The Boat’ - Tin Sparrow …at an educated guess.

And one you definitely won’t: ‘Somewhere In The World’ - Altiyan Childs.

Sell it to us: It's the last time you’ll see Papa vs. Pretty for this cheap… Get in while you can.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Hopefully you’ll be running up the road to Big Rig Diner, freaking out about how good Sydney music is.

Crowd specs: 400 people with excellent taste.

Wallet damage: Only $5 at the door.

Where: Oxford Art Factory When: Thursday December 2

) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI :: DAN

snap sn ap

hot damn

PICS :AM

up all night out all week . . .

teenage kicks

PICS :: AM

18:11:10 :: Spectrum :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93316245

vasco era

PICS :: RO

18:11:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

20:11:10 :: Annandale Hotel :: 17 Paramatta Rd Annandale 95501078

The Jones Rival

djanimals

PICS :: AM

party profile

It’s called: The Jones Rival

18:11:10 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711

It sounds like: The Brian Jonestown Massacre Bands playing: The Jones Rival and The Broke Down Engines Sell it to us: The Jones Rival’s original blend of psychedelic/garage/rock/pop is almost certain to transport you to a well-known place; the place of warped, distorted tranquillity. It’s a place you feel you’ve been before, but with all new surroundings. Lie back and listen, and you’ll be dancing when you’re done.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: You know you’ve had a great night when you don’t remember too much!!

Crowd specs: A swirling menagerie of free spirits, dead-heads and pioneers of psychedelica.

Wallet damage: $10 pre sale tickets - $15 on the door.

Where: Live @ The Wall: The Bald Faced Stag / 345 Parramatta Road, Leichhardt When: Thursday December 2, from 7.30pm

) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA DAN :: TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 63

small bars guide Smaller Than Your Average Hordern Pavilion...

Is there a bar we should know about? Email listings@thebrag.com

TH

EK

bar

OF

ching-a-lings

brag

E E W

THE BRAG’S GUIDE TO SYDNEY’S BEST NOOKS SYDNEY CITY

Alira Shop 120, 26 -32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont Wednesdays: $25 paella & glass of wine Ash St Cellar 1 Ash St, Sydney CBD Balcony Bar 46 Erskine St, Sydney CBD Firefly 17 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay GOODGOD Small Club / Jimmy Sing’s 53-55 Liverpool St, Sydney The Grasshopper Bar & Café Temperance Lane, Sydney CBD Number One Wine Bar 1 Alfred St, Circular Quay, Sydney Small Bar 48 Erskine Street, Sydney CBD Monday – Thursday 12pm – 3pm: any main meal, with glass of wine or beer for $20 Tone Venue 16 Wentworth Ave, Sydney CBD Verandah Bar 55 – 65 Elizabeth St, Sydney CBD Tuesdays 12pm – 9pm: $9 schnitzel

INNER WEST

1/133 Oxford St Darlinghurst THE HOSTS Jack Brown (me) and Cameron Reid. Both have a background in hospitality, mainly working in the typical small laneway bars of the city. In truth, most of our experience actually came from getting drunk in the venues, as opposed to serving the drinks on the other side of the bar. That counts, doesn’t it?

THE PITCH It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why ching-a-lings has been so successful, and I guess maybe that’s its strength. There’s nothing complex or fancy about its fit-out or service style. We strictly rely on good music and a good crowd, and think that that in itself disarms everybody, and sets the tone for the house

party-type atmosphere we generate.

it felt fitting to keep the Urban Tanning sign.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS?

Ching-a-lings came from a chapter of the Nomad Bikie group that were notorious for bank robberies and murders in the 70’s, in LA and San Fran.

We were originally looking for something that was linked to the speak-easy vibe we were after, but ended up stumbling across ‘ching-a-lings’ - and it just felt right.

LOCATION LOCATION We chose Darlinghurst/Surry Hills because it’s where we liked to spend our free time when we first arrived in Sydney, and it seemed to be the area with the most likeminded people. We originally had a rear lane hidden access, which was important when selecting potential sites. The building was a solarium originally, and when we moved to the Oxford entry,

Cam and I came up with the design. It’s very simple really, and changed continually throughout the design and building process. Ultimately we wanted something that would make people feel relaxed, and that was gimmick free.

SIGNATURE DRINK? Long neck beers. A very Melbourne thing, but I feel it really sums up our venue.

HINDSIGHT Obtaining the approvals is without doubt the biggest obstacle, and it’s only becoming harder as the hotels association puts pressure on the councils to stop new bars, to protect their interests in larger venues.

It’s hard for small operators to compete with pokie money.

brag cocktail of the week: Pour it in your mouth-hole... (responsibly).

INNER EAST

Gin Garden@ Gotham 35 Oxford St Darlinghurst best drunk with: seafood during: Summer while wearing: nothing,or close to nothing and listening to: The Wiggles.

Ingredients: House special cucumber-infused gin, elderflower liqueur, rose syrup and freshlypressed lemon juice Method: Add all ingredients to a boston glass, add ice and shake well and then double strain Glass: Martini Garnish: Rose petal 64 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Berkelouw Wine Bar 70 Norton Street, Leichhardt Friday 3pm – 8pm: 2-for-1 sparkling wine Bloodwood 416 King St, Newtown Corridor 153a King Street, Newtown Monday – Friday, 5-7pm: $9 mojitos Wednesday Mexican Night - $12 for a bowl of soup, crispy turkish bread and a glass of red wine.

Different Drummer 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe Daily, 6 – 7:30pm: Cocktail Happy ‘Hour and a Half’ The Hive Bar 93 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville Monday - Thursday: any pizza with a free glass of wine or E’ville Pilsner, $12 Kuleto’s 157 King Street, Newtown Saturday 6-7pm: Happy Hour (2 for 1 cocktails) Madame Fling Flong Level 1, 169 King St, Newtown Tuesday: Movie Deal - $20 for mezze plate for one and a glass of wine or beer Rosebud Restaurant & Bar 654 Darling St. Rozelle Soni’s 169 King St, Newtown Well-Connected 35 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe

Absinthe Salon 87 Albion St, Surry Hills Boteco 421 Cleveland St, Surry Hills Café Lounge 277 Goulburn Street, Darlinghurst Tuesdays, 6:30pm: Sin-e with live music, $5.50 champagne cocktails, free entry Ching-A-Lings 133 Oxford St, Surry Hills The Commons 32 Burton St, Darlinghurst Jazz Thursdays, from 8pm Doctor Pong 1a Burton Street, Darlinghurst Sundays: Doctor Pong’s Grand Royal Roast, $19 with DJs, mulled wine and fireplace Eau de Vie 229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst Thursdays, 8pm: jazz, free entry El Rocco @ Bar Me 154 Brougham St, King’s Cross The Falconer 31 Oxford St, Surry Hills Fringe Bar 106 Oxford St, Paddington Tuesdays, 7:15pm: Trivia Thursdays 6-9pm: all you can eat pizza Thursdays 9-11pm: $8 cocktails

Sundays, from 4pm: Lounge Olympics - exhibit your athletic prowess with favourites such as table tennis, foosball, giant Jenga, UNO & Connect Four.

The Gazebo 2 Elizabeth Bay Rd, Potts Point Gotham 35 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Iguana Bar 13-15 Kellett St, King’s Cross The Local Taphouse 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst Lo-Fi L2, 383 Bourke St Darlinghurst Low 302 302 Crown St, Surry Hills Name This Bar 197 Oxford St, Paddington Happy Hour every day 4pm – 7pm: $4 tap beers, $5 dumpling boxes, $6 mojitos The Passage 231a Victoria St, Darlinghurst Piano Room Cnr Darlinghurst & Kings Cross Rd, Kings Cross Pocket Bar 13 Burton St, Darlinghurst Mondays: ‘Pocket Change’ - $10 crepes Shady Pines 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Solas Bar 557 Crown St, Surry Hills Stanley Street Station 85a Stanley St, Darlinghurst Sunday – Thursday 5pm-7pm: Early-bird dinner, two courses for $26 (excluding pork belly & New Yorker) Supper Club @ Will & Toby’s 134 Oxford St, Taylor Square, Darlinghurst Tea Parlour 569 Elizabeth St, Redfern Toko 490 Crown St, Surry Hills Tonic Lounge 62-64 Kellett St, Kings Cross Velluto 7/50 Macleay Street, Potts Point Saturday & Sunday, 2-5pm: High Tea The Winery 285a Crown St, Surry Hills Yullis 417 Crown St, Surry Hills

EAST

Bondi Social 262 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction Cream Tangerine Swiss Grand, Campbell Pde, Bondi Mocean 34A Campbell Pde, Bondi Beach Ravesi’s Corner of Campbell Pde & Hall St, Bondi Beach Thursday - Friday : 6pm - late Saturday: 3pm - late Sunday: 2pm - late Until August 31st: Winter Magic Specials, 2-course menu - $26 The Rum Diaries 288 Bondi Road, Bondi Mondays: Live acoustic sets, $5 house wine, $5 Coopers, $5 wedges Speakeasy Bar 83 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach White Revolver Cnr Curlewis & Campbell Pde, Bondi Beach

NORTH

Firefly Lodge Lane Cove 24 Burns Bay Rd, Lane Cove Firefly Neutral 24 Young St, Neutral Bay Miss Marley’s Tequila Bar 32 Belgrave St, Manly Small Bar 85 Willoughby Rd, North Sydney The Winery 8-13 South Steyne, Manly

Your bar’s not here?

Email us! listings@thebrag.com

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 65

g g guide gig g

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

pick of the week SATURDAY DECEMBER 4

Xxx

The Forum Theatre, Moore Park

Bag Raiders, The Holidays, Flight Facilities $33 (+ bf) 8pm

Eliza Doolittle Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $33 (+ bf) 8pm Embrace Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour free 7pm Food That Rocks: Brothers Grim, Blue Murders The Vanguard, Newtown $85 (dinner & show) 7pm Hikoikoi Old Manly Boatshed free 8pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 7.45pm Open Mic Night Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle free 7pm Phil Spiller Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Rivet Soled Jump Ups Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills free 5pm Rob Henry The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Songs Alive! Grand Final: David Sattout, Jasmine Crittenden, Kay Proudlove, Amy Lee Wilson The Basement, Circular Quay $12 (+ bf)–$15 (at door) 8.30pm Steve Tonge O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm The Eagles (USA) Sydney Entertainment Centre, Darling Harbour $102.50 (silver)–$257.10 (gold) 8pm The John Steel Singers, Deep Sea Arcade, Fishing Brass Monkey, Cronulla $15 (+ bf)–$18 (at door) 7pm They Call Me Bruce Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm Unherd Open Mic: Adam Pringle Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm

JAZZ

James Valentine’s Supper Club: James Valentine Quartet Golden Sheaf Hotel, Double Bay free 7pm Paul Sun, Monique Lysiak, Tim Brosnan Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm Warwick Alder, Marty Wieczorek 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 8pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK

Yu Si Li: Uneasy Rider ACF Fundraiser, Art Rush, Sally Hackett Cafe Lounge Surry Hills free 7pm Tuesday Night Live: Tether, Kindread, Howler Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm

COUNTRY

Blacktown Country Music Club The Lucky Australian, North St Marys free 7pm

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1 MONDAY NOVEMBER 29 ROCK & POP

Bernie The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Carribean Soul Paddy Maguires, Haymarket free 8.30pm Passenger (UK) The Vanguard, Newtown $12–$15 6.30pm Songwriter Sessions@Excelsior Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills free 7.30pm Steve Tonge Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 9pm Unherd Open Mic: Derkajam Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm

66 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

JAZZ

Matt McMahon Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 8.30pm Open Mic & Jazz/Latin Jam Session: Daniel Falero, Pierre Della Putta, Phil Taig, Rinske Geerlings, Ed Rapo Bar Me, Potts Point free 7pm

COUNTRY

Camden Valley Country Music Club Hope Christian School, Narellan free

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30 BNO Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm

Jon Stevens Brass Monkey, Cronulla $47.95 7pm Katrina Burgoyne & Michael Muchow Dee Why Hotel free 7pm Kindread Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West free 8pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 7.45pm Mandi Jarry Opera Bar, Sydney Opera House free 8.30pm Mark Hopper Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Mike Bennett The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Open Mic Night Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Open Mic Fubah on Copa, Copacabana free 7pm Philip Ricketson (The Hoo Haas) Sandringham Hotel – street level bar, Newtown free 8pm Reckless Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Sam Buckingham, Brett Winterford, Lou Bradley Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $10 8pm Sideshow: The John Steel Singers, Deep Sea Arcade Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Syndicate, The Lazys Annandale Hotel $12 (+ bf) 7.30pm The Angel Affair, the Alcohotlicks, Dave Carr’s Fabulous Contraption, Valar The Sandringham Hotel $10 8pm Tribute to Manu Chau: Oscar Jimenez, Janni Casanova, Ras Ronnie, Carlos Adura Notes Live, Enmore $17.85 (presale) 7pm YourSpace Muso Showcase: Art Rush & the New Termites, Fishing Backwards, Against The Grain, Spinnaker, Tim Walker, Simon Li Town Hall Hotel, Newtown free 7pm

JAZZ

Pugsley Buzzard Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 9pm Virna Sanzone 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 8.30pm

COUNTRY

Shawn Mullins The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (+ bf) 9.30pm South Coast Country Music Club Mount Kembla Heights Hall free 6pm

THURSDAY DECEMBER 2 ROCK & POP

Adam Cousens Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm Andy Mammers Harbord Beach Hotel free 8pm

Asong SOS Concert: GANGjajang, Mahalia Barnes, Serenik, SNEZ Shush, Newtown $25 (presale)–$30 (at door) 7pm Contraban, Papa Piko & the Bin Rats, Neon Heart, Vanity Riots Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $10 8pm Custom Kings, Leena Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba $35 (show only)–$7 (dinner & show) 8pm Diesel, Halfway to Forth Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $45 (show only)–$120 (dinner & show) 7pm Hikoikoi Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle free 8pm Hot Damn!: As Silence Breaks, The Rose Line, Ghosts On Broadway, Falling for Beloved, Hot Damn DJs Spectrum, Darlinghurst $12–$15 8pm Jon Stevens Brass Monkey, Cronulla $47.95 7pm Kate Ceberano, Mark Vincent Enmore Theatre $56.60 8pm Kora (NZ), Heavy Metal Ninjas, Juice Annandale Hotel $33 (+ bf) 8pm Latin Style Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 7.45pm New Navy, I Know Leopard, Baba O’Riley Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Nic Dalton & The Gloomchasers, Dog Trumpet, The Exiles, Ruby For Lucy Petersham Bowling Club 8pm Papa Vs Pretty, Traps, Dark Bells, Tin Sparrow Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $5 8pm Paris Wells The Vanguard, Newtown $15 (+ bf)–$17 (at door) 8pm Pianoman The Loft, Darling Harbour free 6pm PJ & The Art Of Grace, Sarah Bird, Brent Hill Melt Bar, Kings Cross $10 9pm Roots ‘n’ Blues Open Mic: Merewether Fats Shenanigans, Maitland free 7pm Simon Chainsaw Mojo Music, Sydney free 6.30pm Intentions, Hira Hira, Mere Women Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $5 8pm Take 2 Newport Arms Hotel free 7.30pm The Eagles (USA) Sydney Entertainment Centre, Darling Harbour $102.50 (silver)–$257.10 (gold) 8pm The Fumes, Carmen Townsend Vault 146, Windsor $23.50 (presale)–$49 (dinner & show) 8pm The John Steel Singers, Deep Sea Arcade, Fishing The Grand Hotel, Wollongong $15 (+ bf)–$18 (at door) 8pm The Lazys, Sunset Riot Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor free 8pm The Leadbellies Wickham Park Hotel, Islington 8pm The Little Stevies, Scott Mellis Raval, Surry Hills $10 (+ bf) 8pm The Snowdroppers, The Rumjacks, Cape Tribulation Harp Hotel, Wollongong 8pm

ROCK & POP

Andy Mammers Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm Ben Finn Duo Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm Diesel, Halfway to Forth Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $45 (show only)–$120 (dinner & show) 7pm Dylan Drew Hawkesbury Hotel, Windsor free 7pm Embrace Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour free Giggly Rose, Ernst Carter Jnr, Designer Pilot The Vanguard, Newtown $8.50 (+ bf) 6.30pm Goodnight Dynamite O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm It’s A Shame About Ray: The Lemonheads (USA), Smudge Metro Theatre, Sydney $52 (+ bf) 8pm

The Eagles

g g guide gig g

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com The Suspects Marble Bar, Sydney free 8.30pm The Whitlams, Big Smoky Notes Live, Enmore $42.85 (presale) 7pm Thursday Night Live Miranda Hotel free 9pm Up Late: The Messiah, Psychonanny & The Babyshakers, Reckless Vagina Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 11.30pm Wormwood: Justice Yeldham, Lakes (Melb), Kusum, Hacks, Low Life, Shadow Puppets (Upstairs) Jesse Cox, Kaleidovision Jezilla, Open Mic Spoken Word DJs Toecutter, Psychonanny & The Babyshakers, Loz Nonsense The Loft, UTS, Ultimo free 6pm

JAZZ

FRIDAY DECEMBER 3 ROCK & POP

Cafe Carnivale: Eddie Bronson The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $22 (member)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$28 8.30pm Merenia & The Way 505 Club, Surry Hills $10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$15 8.30pm Miriam Lieberman, Sibo, Rachael Bangoura, Declan Kelly The Basement, Circular Quay $18 (conc)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$25 (at door) 9.30pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm Richard Valdez Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm The Catholics Presbyterian Church, Springwood $20 (conc)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$30 7.30pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

The Graveyard Train Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $10 8pm Mick Thomas Hotel Gearin, Katoomba 8pm

Angels of the Tattooed Generation, The Prehistorics, Elephant Gods Mojo Music, Sydney free 7pm Blonge 182 Customs House Bar, Sydney free 7pm Brown Sugar Marble Bar, Sydney free 9.30pm CC the Cat Hotel Gearin, Katoomba free 8pm Craig McLauglan, Mullet Rose of Australia Hotel, Erskineville free 9pm Creedence & Beyond Towradgi Beach Hotel free 8.30pm Custom Kings, Leena Old Manly Boatshed $23.50 (+ bf) 8pm Dead Letter Chorus, Seagull, Dan Parsons Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $12 (+ bf) 8pm Diesel, Halfway to Forth Lizotteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant, Lambton $45 (show only)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$120 (dinner & show) 7pm Dropping Honey, Traces of Nut The Cabbage Tree Hotel, Fairy Meadow $6 (at door) 7pm Fozzy (USA), Segression The Factory Theatre, Enmore $45 (+ bf) 8pm Friday Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m In Love Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst 11.30pm Friday Night Live Miranda Hotel free 9pm GANGgajang Brass Monkey, Cronulla $29.60 (presale) 7pm Go Here Go There: The Checks (NZ), The Dirty Secrets, Felicity Groom, Bleeding Knees Club, Fearless Vampire Killers, The Honey Month, Convaire, Chicks

Who Love Guns, The Holy Soul, Dark Bells, Slow Down Honey, Post Paint, Nick Van Breda, The Shakin Howls, Leroy Macqueen & The Gussets, Drop Tank, Disco Club, Jugu, Old Men of Moss Mountain, Donny Bennet The World Bar/Iguana Bar/Melt Bar, Kings Cross $20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$2 5 8pm Hue Williams Avalon Beach RSL Club free 8.45pm Johnny Faith Tone, Surry Hills 9pm Jonathan Boulet, Grace Woodroofe, Nova & the Experience CBD Hotel, Newcastle 8pm Kids With Kids Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton 8pm Kill the Motive Manly Fishoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $10 8pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$99 7.45pm Lord Hyland Road Youth Centre, Greystanes 8pm Megastar Overdrive, Simon Chainsaw, 25th Floor, The Young Docteurs, The New Vintage Jets Sports Club, Tempe $10 8pm Mick Thomas & The Sure Thing, Van Walker The Vanguard, Newtown $22 6.30pm Mr Breeze Hawkesbury Hotel, Windsor free 8pm Nicky Kurta The Belrose Hotel free 8.30pm Nova Tona Celebrity Room, Blacktown RSL Club free 8pm Purple Sneakers: Bridezilla DJs, M.I.T, Ben Lucid, Kill The Landlord, Bluth Brothers DJs, Banshee Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale free 7pm Red Hot Numbers Camden Valley Golf Resort,

The Bleeding Knees Club

Catherine Field free 7pm Reel Big Fish (USA), The Aquabats (USA) Roundhouse, Kensington $57 (+ bf) 7pm Rob Henry Duo Harbord Beach Hotel free 8pm Shade Of Red Padstow RSL Club free 8pm Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings (USA), Victor Valdes Trio, Miss Goldie, Aranbee Sound System Enmore Theatre $67.10 8pm Shellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Band Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Smitty & B. Goode Sandringham Hotel, Newtown 8pm Sola Rosa Gaelic Hotel, Surry Hills $27.50 8pm Stone Parade, Indigo Rising, Perfect Revolution, The Salvagers, Exit Row Annandale Hotel $12 (at door) 7.30pm Stormcellar Stockton RSL free 8pm The 3 Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show Moorebank Sports Club, Hammondville 8pm The Eagles (USA) Sydney Entertainment Centre, Darling Harbour $102.50 (silver)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$257.10 (gold) 8pm

The Fumes, Carmen Townsend Coogee Diggers $15 (+ bf) 8.30pm The Keep On Dancinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, The Summervilles Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm The Kylie Show Scruffy Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hotel, Sydney free The Maristians Rag and Famish Hotel, North Sydney free 8pm The Ocean, The Sky Caringbah Bizzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 8pm The Rebel Rousers Woy Woy Bowling Club free 7.30pm The Rocks Markets by Moonlight: Girl Most Likely, Ruby for Lucy The Rocks Market free 6pm The Strides, Firehouse The Basement, Circular Quay $20 (+ bf)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;$25 (at door) 9.30pm The Whitlams, Juan Alban Notes Live, Enmore $42.85 (+ bf) 7pm True Radical Miracle, Black Jesus, Whores, Burning Servant Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $12 8pm Unpopular Music: Scattered Order, The Tantrums, Scissor Lock, Cleptoclectics, Melody Nelson, Stitched Vision, Mere Women The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville $12 8pm

Chugg Entertainment, Lunatic Entertainment, Drum Media & FasterLouder present

THE HOLD STEADY â&#x20AC;&#x153;...The Hold Steady donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just show us how much they love classic rock â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they make some of their ownâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rolling Stone

Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849, www.metrotheatre.com.au chuggentertainment.com theholdsteady.net

New album HEAVEN IS WHENEVER available now

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 67

gig guide

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

Dan Kelly

V Tribe The Lucky Australian, North St Marys free 7pm Velvet Hotel Mosman RSL Club free 7pm

JAZZ

Baecastuff 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8.30pm Bridge City Jazz Band Club Ashfield free 7.30pm Full Swing Quartet Lane Cove Golf & Country Club, Northwood free 7.30pm Pianoman Cruise Restaurant, The Rocks free 10pm Pugsley Buzzard Empire Hotel, Annandale free 8pm Shawnuff Swing Band Newtown Jets Rugby League Social Club, Tempe free 8pm SIMA: Selah The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $15 (member)–$25 8.30pm Unity Hall Jazz Band Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain free 8pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Night Ragas and Flamenco: Rasa & Duende Elizabeth Farm, Rosehill $20 (member)–$30 5.30pm The Arrebato Ensemble Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba $35 (+ bf)–$80 (dinner & show) 8pm

HIP HOP

Neon: Softwar (Modular) Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm

COUNTRY

Macarthur Country Music Club Wests Campbelltown Tennis Club, Leumeah free 7.30pm Suzannah Espie, Jeremy Edwards & the Dust Radio Band Heritage Hotel, Bulli 7pm

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4 ROCK & POP

Architects (UK), Comeback Kid (Canada), This Is Hell, Rolo Tomassi (UK) Metro Theatre, Sydney $56.30 8pm Armchair Travellers The Belrose Hotel free 8.30pm Bag Raiders, The Holidays The Forum Theatre, Moore Park $33 (+ bf) 8pm Black Cherry Christmas Party: The Meanies, Torch Le Monde, The Graveyard Train, Gay Paris, Limpin’ Jimmy & the Swingin’ Kitten, Ruby Riot, CeeCee, Nathan Deviant The Factory Theatre, Enmore $16 (+ bf)–$20 (at door) 8pm Bryen Willems, Bayou Boogie Boys Harbord Bowling Club, Curl Curl 7.30pm

68 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

Combichrist (Norway), Shiv-R, Novakill Metro Theatre, The Lair, Sydney $45 (+ bf) 7.30pm Dalebake: Dan Kelly, Custom Kings, Kieran Ryan, Songs, Leena, Fergus Brown, Spooky Land, Hanna & the Barbers, Daisy M Tulley, Felicity Groom, Radio National, The Drawing Class, Skankda’ville Annandale Hotel $15–$25 (at door) 2pm Daryl Braithwaite Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $43 (show only)–$106.50 (dinner & show) 7pm Deep Newport Arms Hotel free 7.30pm Double Whammy Woy Woy & District Rugby League Football Club free 7.30pm Fearless Vampire Killers Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Forever Diamond: Peter Byrne Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club, West Ryde $17 (member)–$20 8pm Funkstar Marble Bar, Sydney free 10.30pm Funpuppet Peachtree Hotel, Penrith free 9pm GANGgajang Coogee Diggers 8pm Hit Machine Campbelltown Catholic Club free 8.30pm Hit Selection Duo Brighton RSL Club, Brighton-LeSands free 8pm Hook Elation, The Glimmer, SAR Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $10 7.30pm Jeff Martin (Canada), Terepai Richmond, Spooky Land Heritage Hotel, Bulli $37–$40 8pm Keeping It Real Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor free 2pm Korn (USA), Shihad (NZ), Sydonia Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park $84.90 8pm Linkin Park (USA) Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Broadmeadow $119 8pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 7.45pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 4pm Marcia Sings Tapestry: Marcia Hines, Deni Hines State Theatre, Sydney $85 8pm Mick Thomas & the Sure Thing, Van Walker The Vanguard, Newtown $22 6.30pm Original Sin INXS Show Nelson Bay Bowling Club free 8pm Patio de Tango Milonga: Tango Bar Bexley RSL & Community Club $22 8pm Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Saturday In The Rex: Jonathan Boulet, Grace Woodroofe Beach Road Hotel, Bondi $15 8pm Sean Coffin, Gavin Ahearn Freeway Hotel, Artarmon free 7pm

SFX: 12 Foot Ninja, Pirate, Lunar Calm, Delorean Tide St James Hotel, City $15 Sierra Fin Raval, Surry Hills $15 (+ bf) 7.30pm Steam Engine IX: Twisted Science Society The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville $15 (presale)–$20 (at door) 8pm Steve Balbi Harbord Beach Hotel free 8pm Swinging Sixties Celebrity Room, Blacktown RSL Club free 10pm Sydney Telstra 500: Guns N’ Roses (USA), Spiderbait, Delta Riggs, The Angels, Mondo Rock, James Reyne ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park $116 (whole event) 6pm The Fumes Manly Fisho’s $20 (at door) 8pm The Jacksons Experience: Barry Southgate, Carmen Smith, Glenn Cunningham The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (early bird)–$29 (+ bf) 8pm The John Steel Singers, Deep Sea Arcade, Fishing Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $15 (+ bf)–$18 (at door) 8pm The Last Cavalry, Clean Marlin, Vienna Circus Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $10 8pm The Licks Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm The Rebel Rousers Doyalson-Wyee RSL Club free 7.30pm The Road Crew Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill free 9pm Undercover Penrith RSL free 8pm Venom Basement, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo free (early bird)–$10 8pm Very Metal Xmas: Daysend, Illcontent, Pulseeffect, My Hollowed Fantasy, Never Trust a Bunny, Blackened They Rise, Cursing Stone, Winter Gaunt, Syko Sapian, As Chaos Unfolds, Foundry Road, Shadowmill, Jaded Empire The Lucky Australian, North St Marys $20 (presale)–$25 (at door) 3pm Zoltan Club Menai free 8.30pm Zu2 Tea Gardens Hotel, Hawks Nest free 7pm

JAZZ

Eclipse Alley Five Strawberry Hills Hotel, Surry Hills free 4pm Jaraka Collective Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm My Goodness McGuinness Cockatoo Island, Sydney free 5pm Paul Sun, Matt Lamb, Didi Mudigdo Orange Grove Public School, Leichhardt free 9.30am Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 5pm Sally Street Trio Sean’s Kitchen, Sydney free 6pm SIMA Christmas Party: Mike Nock Trio, Karl Laskowski The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $15 (member)–$20 8.30pm Wyatt Moss-Wellington, Wartime Sweethearts 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8.30pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK

David Hibbert Picnic Point Bowling Club, Panania free 8pm Key String The Entrance Sails Stage free 9pm Mary Gauthier (USA) Notes Live, Enmore $35 (presale)–$40 (at door) 7pm The Arrebato Ensemble Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba $35 (+ bf)–$80 (dinner & show) 8pm

COUNTRY

Suzannah Espie, Jeremy Edwards & the Dust Radio Band Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland 8pm

The John Steel Singers

HIP HOP

Drapht The Gaelic, Surry Hills $20 8pm

SUNDAY DECEMBER 5 ROCK & POP

An Intimate Space: The Church Notes Live, Enmore $39.80 (presale) 7pm Brash & Sassy, Lunar Module, Pom Pom The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville 8pm Creedence & Beyond Bradford Hotel, Rutherford free 2pm Daryl Braithwaite Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $43 (show only)–$106.50 (dinner & show) 7pm Dead Letter Chorus, Dan Parsons, Seagull Brass Monkey, Cronulla 5pm Dirt Track Demons Sandringham Hotel – street level bar, Newtown free 4pm Elevation U2 Acoustic The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 4.30pm Hue Williams New Bayview Hotel, Woy Woy free 3pm Looking Through A Glass Onion: John Waters, Stewart D’Arrietta Playhouse, Sydney Opera House $75 (conc)–$99 4pm Matt Jones Harbord Beach Hotel free 6pm Nick Andrews Charing Cross Hotel, Waverley free 5.30pm Rockin the Kasbah The Gaff, Darlinghurst free 5pm Sunday Chill: Jamie Keys Newport Arms Hotel free 3pm Sunday Sessions Miranda Hotel free 4pm That 1 Guy (USA), Mr Percival Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West 8pm The Gotan Project (France) Sydney Opera House $99 8pm The Holy Sea, My Fiction Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills free 8pm

The Ruby Wilde Resurrection, Soulfox Blues Review, Reno Nevada Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $10 5pm The Sunday Niceup!: Direct Influence, Sunset Retirement Club, Ability, Christian Burns, Mike Who Beach Road Hotel, Bondi $15 8pm

JAZZ

Blues Sunday: Mark Hopper Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Club Jazz Velluto Champagne and Wine Lounge, Potts Point free 6.30pm Don Hopkins Dee Why RSL Club free 6pm Drum 10: Catherine Britt, Nathan Cavaleri, Grant Walmsley, Brien McVernon & The Retro Rockets, Bob Corbett, Solver, mcArtney Wests Leagues, New Lambton $25 4pm Feral Swing Katz Rocksalt, Menai free 12pm Jim Conway Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why free 8pm Paul Sun, Alex Compton, Monique Lysiak Frenchs Forest Organic Market free 9.30am The Tonedogs Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor free 2pm Unity Hall Jazz Band Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain free 2pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK

Acoustic Lounge: Kinetic Method Cafe Lounge Surry Hills free 7pm Gemma The Entrance Sails Stage free 11am The Wheeze & Suck Band Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $12 (conc)–$15 2pm

COUNTRY

Suzannah Espie, Jeremy Edwards & the Dust Radio Band Petersham Bowling Club 5pm

gig picks

up all night out all week...

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1

Sharon Jones

It’s A Shame About Ray: The Lemonheads (USA), Smudge Metro Theatre, Sydney $52 (+ bf) 8pm

THURSDAY DECEMBER 2

Kora (NZ), Heavy Metal Ninjas, Juice Annandale Hotel $33 (+ bf) 8pm Nic Dalton & The Gloomchasers, Dog Trumpet, The Exiles, Ruby for Lucy Petersham Bowling Club 8pm Papa vs Pretty, Traps, Dark Bells, Tin Sparrow Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $5 8pm Paris Wells The Vanguard, Newtown $15 (+ bf)–$17 (at door) 8pm

FRIDAY DECEMBER 3

Dead Letter Chorus, Seagull, Dan Parsons Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $12 (+ bf) 8pm Go Here Go There: The Checks (NZ), The Dirty Secrets, Felicity Groom, Bleeding Knees Club, Fearless Vampire Killers, The Honey Month, Convaire, Chicks Who Love Guns, The Holy Soul, Dark Bells, Slow Down Honey, Post Paint, Nick Van Breda, The Shakin Howls, Leroy Macqueen & The Gussets, Drop Tank, Disco Club, Jugu, Old Men of Moss Mountain, Donny Bennet The World Bar/Iguana Bar/Melt Bar, Kings Cross $20–$25 8pm Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings (USA), Victor Valdes Trio, Miss Goldie, Aranbee Sound System Enmore Theatre $67.10 7pm

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4

Architects (England), Comeback Kid (Canada), This Is Hell, Rolo Tomassi (England) Metro Theatre, Sydney $56.30 8pm Black Cherry Christmas Party: The Meanies, Torch Le Monde, Graveyard Train, Gay Paris, Limpin’ Jimmy & the Swingin’ Kitten, Ruby Riot, CeeCee, Nathan Deviant The Factory Theatre, Enmore $16 (+ bf)–$20 (at door) 8pm Dalebake: Dan Kelly, Custom Kings, Kieran Ryan, Songs, Leena, Fergus Brown, Spookyland, Hanna & the Barbers, Daisy M Tulley,

Felicity Groom, Radio National, The Drawing Class, Skankda’ville Annandale Hotel $15–$25 (at door) 2pm Korn (USA), Shihad (NZ), Sydonia Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park $84.90 7pm Saturday In The Rex: Jonathan Boulet, Grace Woodroofe Beach Road Hotel, Bondi $15 (+ bf) 8pm The Fumes Manly Fisho’s $15 (+ bf), $20 (at door) 8pm The John Steel Singers, Deep Sea Arcade, Fishing Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $15 (+ bf)– $18 (at door) 8pm

Jonathan Boulet

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 69

club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

club pick of the week

3-5 DECEMBER

Michael Mayer

Mountain Valley Resort, Barrington Tops

Subsonic Music Festival

Michael Mayer, Dominik Eulberg, Kora, Extrawelt, Hermitude, Weekend Heroes, Heinrichs & Hirtenfellner, Earthling, Boris Brejcha & more $90 (+ bf)

MONDAY NOVEMBER 29 Empire Hotel, Potts Point Bazaar HBK, I Low free Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills I Love 90s DJ Alloy, Grumpy Gramps free before 10pm / $5 after One World Sport, Parramatta Ricky Ro free Soho, Kings Cross Comedown free World Bar, Kings Cross Mondays at World Bar Ooh Face, Hot Carl and friends free

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30 Xxx Cruise Bar, Circular Quay DCE Salsa Lessons $20 Establishment, Sydney Rumba Motel DJs Willie Sabor and Guests free Martin Place Bar, Sydney Louis M, Sammy free Oatley Hotel Suburban Alternative DJ Mini Mullet free Opera Bar, Circular Quay DJ Jack Shit free The Gaff, Darlinghurst Coyote Tuesday Johnny B, Kid Finley free–$5 The Valve, Tempe Underground Tables Loko, Disco Rossco 70 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

World Bar, Kings Cross Pop Panic Karaoke, DJs Shipwreck, Cosmic Explorer, Madhonour (Neon Hearts), M.I.T free

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1 Bank Hotel, Newtown Girls’ Night Beth Yen free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Rockstar free Establishment, Sydney Mid Week Hurdle Nic Phillips, Craig Patterson free Fringe Bar, Paddington F.R.I.E.N.D/s $5 drinks & pizzas, free entry Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta DJ Fresh free Goldfish, Kings Cross The Salsa Lounge Latin Mafia Sound System free Goodgod Small Club, Sydney Special Moments Long John Saliva, Sud Soundsystem, Firehouse Sound free King Street Hotel, Newcastle West Krafty Kuts (UK)

THURSDAY DECEMBER 2 202 Broadway, Chippendale Basic Foreign Dub, Headroom, Space is the

Place, Void free Collingwood Hotel, liverpool After School Detention DJ Rangi, Mac, K-Note MC Buddy Love free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay DJ Dwight ‘Chocolate’ Escobar free Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown Brett Hunt free Dug Out Bar, Burdekin Hotel Speakeasy Magda, Dave Fernandes Empire Hotel, Potts Point Episodes DJ Schoder, Wanted, Zahra, Jason K, Johar free Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills V.I.P Thursdays Tikelz, Moto, J Lyrikz, Naiki, Rkayz, Mistah Cee $10 Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta Da Bomb with DJ Fresh free Goldfish, Kings Cross The Funk Quarter Phil Hudson, Phil Toke, Dave 54, Michael Wheatley free Home Terrace, Darling Harbour Unipackers Rnb, Top 40, Electro $5 Judgement Bar, Taylor Square Judgement Night. Sex Worker & Ymerej, weekly guests free Kinselas Hotel, Darlinghurst Simon Alexander free

LO-FI, Darlinghurst Hamish Rosser, Bad Wives Mansions, Kings Cross Van Sereno and Cavan Te live on rotation free Martin Place Bar, Martin Place Thursdays at MPB Louis M free Melt Bar, Kings Cross Art of Grace live, DJ Popsuey $38.50 (+ bf) Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Disco Club Disco Club DJs 11.30pm Q Bar, Darlinghurst Hot Damn! DJ Sarah Spandex, Mark C, Heart Attack $10–$12 Sapphire Suite, Kings Cross Flaunt Nacho Pop, Diaz, Eko, Tom Piper, R-Son, Zero Cool free Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney The Social Club Beth Yen free The Argyle Hotel, Rocks Husky & Yogi free Tone, Surry Hills Loop Thursdays Simon Caldwell, Jimmi James $30 World Bar, Kings Cross Teenage Kicks Urby, Johnny Segment, Monkey Genius, Bruce free

FRIDAY DECEMBER 3 Bank Hotel, Newtown Absolut Fridays DJs Alex Almeida & Marc Us free Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach Neon Softwar (Modular) free Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross Liquid Sky Moonchild, Kyro & Bomber, Dikoriot, Bass Thiefs $10/$15 Civic Underground, Sydney Plus One DJ Pocket (Pocket 808 / Poxymusic / Hussle / Thunk), Mike Acetate,Telefunken and Mitch Crosher $10-$15 Collector Hotel, Parramatta Corner Shop Tikelz, DJ Browski, J Lyrikz, Naughty, Gunz free Club 77, Darlinghurst Way 2 Fonky Mike Who, Wedding Ring Fingers, Generic DJs $5 Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Johnny Vinyl, Strike free Establishment Hotel Carnival La Fiesta Sound System and Special Guest DJs all night free Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale Purple Sneakers Bridezilla DJs, M.I.T, Ben Lucid, Kill The Landlord, Bluth Brothers DJs, Banshee $12

Drapht

Goldfish, Kings Cross Sugar & Soul Phil Hudson, Paul Hatz, Agey, Danny De Sousa, Matt Cahill, Tom Kelly free GOODGOD Small Club, Sydney TwoThousand’s 5th Birthday Captain Franco, Spruce Lee, Radge & Tyson, National Treasure, Perfect Snatch, Continental Breakfast $10 Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle Mind Over Matter, Ilz, Tycotic, Prem Bedlam, Urban Free Flow $10 Home The Venue, Darling Harbour Voodoo 14th Birthday Iain Cross, Nomad, Peewee, Scotty G, Big Dan, MC Losty, Hannah Gibbs, Venuto, Flite, I.KO, Mc Uncle Abe, JTS, Pulsar, Haze, Kinekt 4, Energizer Bunny, RaversMVP, Monk3y, Bionic, Geeflukz, Morphee, Vesper, Dirty Stopout $17 pre, $25 door King Street Hotel, Newcastle West Miami Horror DJs Kinselas, Taylor Square Toby Wilson free Kit & Kaboodle, Darlinghurst Falcona Fridays Falcona DJs, The Gameboys $10

Mansions, Kings Cross Nick Polly, Little Rich, Nick T, Stevie S, Adrian Allen free Martin Place Bar, Martin Place Jimmy Mac, Sammy free Metro Theatre, Sydney Ricardo Villalobos, Murat Kilic, Garry Todd, Simon Caldwell $45 (+ bf) Middle Bar, Kinselas, Darlinghurst Flavours on Friday MC Q-Bizzi, C-Bu, Trey, Mike Champion, Naiki, Tekkaman $20 Mountain Valley Resort, Barrington Tops Subsonic Music Festival Michael Mayer, Dominik Eulberg, Kora, Extrawelt, Hermitude, Weekend Heroes, Heinrichs & Hirtenfellner, Earthling, Boris Brejcha & more $90 Oatley Hotel We Love Oatley Hotel Fridays Reg Tee, Slip N Slide, Tony Shock Free Omega Lounge, Sydney Unwind Greg Summerfield, Matt Brunton free Opera Bar, Circular Quay Gian Arpino free Phoenix, Darlinghurst Teen Spirit 90210Bros, DJ OJ Simpson, De-Goldfoot Junior High, DJ Tanner, Clarence Hermitude

club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com Knight, Doogie Howser MD RSVP - $5 before 11pm, $10 after Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Sapphire Fridays Miss Match, Rob Morrish, Dave 54, Kate Monroe, Chiller $10 guestlist Soda Bar, Golden Sheaf, Double Bay Mike Who, Mr Glass, Brynstar Spectrum, Darlinghurst Silent Alarm Silent DJs $5 St James Hotel, Sydney Club Blink DJs Bzurk, Luke, Nick, Naked Dave, Firefly, Absynth Tank Nightclub, Sydney RnB Superclub G Wizard, Def Rok, Troy T, Eko, Lilo, Jayson, Losty, Ben Morris, Matt Nukewood, Charlie Brown, Oakes & Lennox, Venuto, Adrian M The Gaff, Darlinghurst Dubstep?! Bouddi Bass, Catalyst, Juzlo, Justmore DJs $10 The Lincoln, Kings Cross The Scene Charlie Brown, Samari The Sugarmill, Kings Cross The Gameboys, Calling In Sick, Joyride $10 after 10pm Tone, Surry Hills Blue Sky on Mars Jonny Faith, Monk Fly, 48/4, Edseven free Tonic Lounge, Kings Cross Tonic Fridays $15 Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Warped free

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4 Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo Trash DJ M!Veg, DJ Absynth $12

Bank Hotel, Newtown Absolut Glimmer DCUP, Pedestrian DJs, Rhythm Punkz, DJ Slynk Vs Paul Master + DJ Delacroix invitation Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross Shake!! Shake!! Shake!!

Zomg! Kittenz, Disco Valante, Slipperywhenwet, Moo Who $15 – $25 Chinese Laundry, Sydney The Only, Luke Chable, Rollin Connection, Kraymer, Mattt, Northie, Redial, DJ Eko, King Lee, Naany $15-$25 Clarence Hotel, Petersham Caesars Sandy Bottom, Justin Scott, DJ Chip free Cricketer’s Arms, Surry Hills Pod War free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Ben Vickers, Danni Presti free Eastern Hotel, Bondi Junctn I Love Saturdays Zannon, Tony Shock, Matt Ferreira, Tass, Akay, Don Juan, Dante Rivera, Dennis Agee, Willie Sabor, Oscar Cadena free Empire Hotel/Plantations, Potts Point The Temple Alex K, Sunset Bros, Outsource, Rata, Steve Play, Andre Jay, Dk1, Wilz Frantic, Benino G, Blinky, ScottyO, Nick Nova, Danny P, Rath $15-20 The Gaelic Hotel, Surry Hills Drapht + special guests $20 Goldfish, Kings Cross Abel, Tom Kelly, Phil Hudson, Ross Middleton on Sax free Hollywood Hotel, Surry Hills MOTION Dean Dixon (HAHA) Dave Fernandes (HAHA), Northern Soul Poster Boy, DJ Burn-Hard $5 Home, Sydney Homemade Saturdays The 808s, Aladdin Royaal, James

“Saxman” Spy, Matt Ferreira, Hannah Gibbs, Tony Venuto, Dave Austin, Flite, LKO, Seiz, Uncle Abe $20 VIP/$25 door Ivy, Sydney Pure Ivy Beth Yen, Ivy Courtyard - Robbie Santiago, Ember & Cadell supported

by Adam Jacob (Percussion) The Den - Danny De Sousa, Robbie Santiago & John Devicchis $20 Jacksons On George, Sydney Leno, Aladdin Royaal free King Street Hotel, Newcastle West Hook ‘n’ Sling, Tommy Trash $10 (at door) Kinselas, Taylor Square Brynstar, Shaun Keble, Yin Yang, Beth Yen and Matt Hoare free Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Gabby, Cassette, Alison Wonderland free before 10pm, $10 after, members free all night Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown Noche De Fuego Son Veneno, Mambo G, Amit, Mani, Av El Cubano, DJ Coco $25 (presale)–$32 (at door) Mansions, Kings Cross Reckless, Little Rich, Shaun Keeble, Nick Polly free Martin Place Bar, Sydney Bamboo Eko, Nude-E, Mirage, Shorty, Ace, Moto, Qrius, IllDJ $5 Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill Fiddler Bar free Melt Bar, Kings Cross Kontrast Xmas Yokoo, Robbie Lowe, Deeflow, Matt Weir, Joey Kaz, Joey Tupaea $15 Newtown RSL December Double Header Cyantific, Linken & Vertigo feat DTechMC, Peter Chen,

Spruce Lee

Royalston $25-$35 Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney Shipwreck, Daniel Nall, Leon Pirello $10 after 10pm Soho, Potts Point Stafford Brothers, Timmy Trumpet, Tenzin, Ember, Benibee, John Glover free entry before 11pm Spectrum, Darlinghurst P*A*S*H Goldfoot, DJ Knife St James Hotel, Sydney

SFX DJs Bzurk, Snowflake Stonewall Hotel, Darlinghurst Greg Boladian, Nick J free Supper Club, Darlinghurst Robopop DJs Ben Lucid, Kill The Landlord, Erectro vs. Hot Stepper, T-Rompf, Mush vs Seabas, Gavin The Immaculate $10 Sydney International Tennis Centre, Homebush Bay

Bass Control Technoboy, Brennan Heart, Toneshifterz, Bio Weapon, Nik Fish, S Dee, Kid Finley, MC Losty, Art of Fighters, Hellsystem, ReStyle, Decipher, Spellbound, Nexus Project, Terrorist, MCD, Mark EG, Stimulant DJs, Matrix, Shadower, Erase MC, X Dream, Yoshi, Amber Savage, Arbee Pulsar, Brisk, S3RL, Nomad, Weaver, Suae,

DECEMBER

03 FRIDAY

BRIDEZILLA DJ SET

GROUP LOVE

KILL THE LANDLORD . BANSHEE BLUTH BROTHERS DJS

GIVEAWAYS COURTESY OF DEW PROCESS

M.I.T VS BENLUCID

THE EP

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 71

club guide

Deep Impressions

clubguide@thebrag.com Team Rocket, Haze, Dover, DJ JTS, Destiny $59 (early bird)–$99 (premium) The Argyle Hotel, Rocks MarcUs, Levi 5 Star, Phil Hudson free The Bank Nightclub, Kings Cross Sin City Don Juan, DJ Willie, Mista Kay, MC Q-Bizzi The Dolphin Hotel, Surry Hills DJ Chris Skinner, DJ Carl O’Brien free The Forbes Hotel, CBD We Love Indie We Love Indie DJs $10 The Gaff, Darlinghurst Johnny B free The Loft, King St Wharf Late at The Loft Somatik, Noel Boogie, Noodles, DJ Huwston, Meem, Swat DJs, Lippo free The Manhattan Lounge, Martin Place Hushhh... DJs Stunna, Sonny, Special K $10 after 9pm The Mansion, Darlinghurst Wonderland Johnny B free before 10pm The Rouge, Kings Cross Le Rouge Keli Hart, Dave Manna, John Glover $10 before 11pm The Venue, Double Bay Pure House Ben Morris, Illya, Robbie Lowe, Matt Mandell, Ollie Brooke, Matt Roberts, Simon Caldwell, Kato, James Taylor, Lummy, Mitch Crosher, Phil Smart Tone, Surry Hills No Half Steppin - Original NYC Party Rocking Deejay Floskel, Nacho Pop, Sage One, Scot Doo Rok $10 Verandah Bar, Sydney The Booty Bar George B, Nasser T, Lenno, K Sera Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour

Underground Dance and Electronica with Chris Honnery

Paul Moussa free World Bar, Kings Cross Habebe (QLD), James Taylor, Trent Rackus, Adam Bozzetto, Pete Nouveau, Rob Marshall, Vivi, Mehow, Shamozzle, Moneyshot, The Jackal, Adam Lance, Danny Lang, Joe Gadget $15 before 10pm, $20 after

SUNDAY DECEMBER 5 Alexandria Hotel Sunhaze Future Classic DJs $10 Bank Hotel, Newtown DJ Murray Hood Beach Palace Hotel, Coogee Adam Katz, Benny Vibes, Soul Patrol free Collingwood Hotel, liverpool Michael Peter Colombian Hotel (Downstairs), Darlinghurst Hotrod Sunday Sandi Hotrod and guests free Colombian Hotel (Upstairs), Darlinghurst The Deep Disko Phil Hudson, Michael Wheatley, Mark Matthews, Vincent Sebastian free Docks Hotel, Darling Harbour Salsa Caliente Sabroson, DJ Vico free Goldfish, Kings Cross Martini Club live Tom Kelly, Johnny Gleeson free Home Terrace, Sydney Spice After Hour Simon Caldwell, Murat Kilic, Sam Roberts, Nic Scali $20/$10 Ice Bar, Sydney The Kitsch Sound System, Phil Hudson, Chloe West,

Mark Matthews free ivy, Sydney Courtyard Miami Horror DJs, Hook n Sling, Acid Jacks, Starfucker DJs, Oakes & Lennox, Oh Glam, Recess $30 Kings Cross Hotel Jammin Sundays free Kinselas Hotel, Darlinghurst The Fifth Dimension free Oatley Hotel Sunday Sessions DJ Tone & Friends free Phoenix Bar, Darlinghurst Loose Ends DJ Matt Vaughan & guests Vinyl Richie & Craig Wilson $10 Sapphire Suite, Kings Cross Random Sundays Mike Rukus, Tom Piper, James Taylor, Matt Nukewood, Goodfella, Adam Lance, RobKay free (guestlist)–$15 The Argyle Hotel, Rocks Charley Bo Funk, DJ BBG free The Bank Nightclub, Kings Cross Soul On Sunday Nino Brown, Don Juan free The Forbes Hotel, Sydney Church Of Techno Defined

by Rhythm, Rob Zobec, Altay Altin, Vinae, Shepz $10 The Rouge, Kings Cross Cheap Thrill$ John Glover, Matt Nukewood, Will Bailey (UK), J Smoove free Trademark Hotel, Darlinghurst Soul on Sunday Nino Brown, Don Juan Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Miss Gabby free World Bar, Kings Cross Fortune! Disco Punx $15

club picks up all night out all week...

Simon Caldwell

THURSDAY DECEMBER 2 LO-FI, Darlinghurst Hamish Rosser, Bad Wives Tone, Surry Hills Loop Thursdays Simon Caldwell, Jimmi James $30

FRIDAY DECEMBER 3 Civic Underground, Sydney Plus One DJ Pocket (Pocket 808 / Poxymusic / Hussle / Thunk), Mike Acetate,Telefunken and Mitch Crosher $10-$15 Club 77, Darlinghurst Way 2 Fonky Mike Who, Wedding Ring Fingers, Generic DJs $5 GOODGOD Small Club, Sydney TwoThousand’s 5th Birthday Captain Franco, Spruce Lee, Radge & Tyson, National Treasure, Perfect Snatch, Continental Breakfast $10 Phoenix, Darlinghurst Teen Spirit 90210Bros, DJ OJ Simpson, De-Goldfoot Junior High, DJ Tanner, Clarence Knight, Doogie Howser MDJ RSVP - $5 before 11pm, $10 after

72 :: BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4 The Gaelic Hotel, Surry Hills Drapht + special guests $20 (+ bf) Supper Club, Darlinghurst Robopop DJs Ben Lucid, Kill The Landlord, Erectro vs. Hot Stepper, T-Rompf, Mush vs Seabas, Gavin The Immaculate $10 Sydney International Tennis Centre, Homebush Bay Bass Control Technoboy, Brennan Heart,

Toneshifterz, Bio Weapon, Nik Fish, S Dee, Kid Finley, MC Losty, Art of Fighters, Hellsystem, Re-Style, Decipher, Spellbound, Nexus Project, Terrorist, MCD, Mark EG, Stimulant DJs, Matrix, Shadower, Erase MC, X Dream, Yoshi, Amber Savage, Ar-bee, Pulsar, Brisk, S3RL, Nomad, Weaver, Suae, Team Rocket, Haze, Dover, DJ JTS, Destiny $59 (early bird)–$99 (premium) Tone, Surry Hills No Half Steppin - Original NYC Party Rocking Deejay Floskel, Nacho Pop, Sage One, Scot Doo Rok $10

Theo Parrish

“P

eople pay too much attention to the damn DJ, you know, the talent is sitting on the turntables… I was always that negro on the side of the corner, doing my thing. That was my soundtrack so I decided to share a little bit with the world, and a few cats liked it, and I enjoyed it.”

The speaker is none other than Kenny Dixon Jr, aka Moodymann, who is headlining the forthcoming D25 bash at The Forum, alongside fellow dance music deity Carl Craig and Theo Parrish, on Saturday December 11. From classic releases like Brown Mahogany and Black Mahogany to recent cuts such as ‘It’s 2 Late 4 U and Me’, Moodymann is entrenched in the club canon for musical sketches that drift between house, disco, jazz and the avant-garde. Also in this elite echelon is Theo Parrish, a man who despite producing ‘deeper than deep’ house records is known to play vintage disco or soul ballads as much as ‘house’ music in his DJ sets.

As for the use of the term ‘house’, I fear to think what Parrish might think if he were to come across this column, based on his infamous diatribe [wink] to BBC: “If the music formerly known as ‘house’ has less or more meaning than any other music conveniently categorised into a one-word catchphrase, it is because of weak, uninformed, uninspired, lazy music journalism,” Parrish opined back in ’04.

“Perhaps, if you actually commented on something I have said, as opposed to offering a blanket statement for me or any other artist to co-sign on to, this unbalanced view of any music in any form might change.” (NB: Parrish probably would endorse Deep Impressions since this column delves below the surface and really deconstructs tracks and the producers behind them.)

The third Detroit native in the D25 triumvirate, Planet E main-man Carl Craig, has been similarly adventurous in dabbling in sounds outside of the techno oeuvre throughout his career. Craig has urged, “we need to gain a historical respect for electronic music. Classical has had that for hundreds of years. I love all styles of music, but I don’t find that electronic has the same type of timelessness.” But Moodymann, Parrish, and Craig himself certainly are exceptions to this, and any serious fan of dance music should not miss the chance to see them all throw down, together, at D25 at The Forum next Saturday.

After an extended absence, German producer Rajko Müller, aka Isolee, has made a welcome return to the production fray over the past year. On the back of remixes of Ripperton and Onur Ozer, Müller has just dropped a new single on the Dial imprint, The Fantastic Researches Of Yushin Maru (the Yushin Maru being an actual Japanese whaling harpoon ship that undertakes whaling operations in the Southern Ocean). The two-track EP is a precursor to the new Isolee full-length

LOOKING DEEPER FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 Ricardo Villalobos The Metro Theatre

DECEMBER 4 – 6

Subsonic ft Michael Mayer Barrington Tops

SATURDAY DECEMBER 18 Pantha Du Prince The Civic Underground

SATURDAY DECEMBER 11

D25 ft Moodymann, Theo Parrish The Forum

Moodymann album, Well Spent Youth, which is due out in January on DJ Koze’s Pampa Records.

The LP will arrive nearly six years after his last full-length album, We Are Monster, and is apparently psychedelic and full of analog sounds, as well as “fit for both home listening and club soundsystems” – apologies for such non-descriptive platitudes, but there’s no other information that’s currently available about one of the more alluring LPs set for release in coming months. I really hope Parrish isn’t reading…

This weekend there is absolutely no reason not to get your techno on to the utmost of your ability. Ricardo Villalobos is playing The Metro on Friday night, while a few hours away at Barrington Tops we have the Subsonic Music Festival offering a smorgasbord of renowned underground acts, such as Extrawelt, Tobias Thomas and Heinrichs & Hirtenfellner, playing non-stop from Friday to Sunday evening at the world heritage resort site. Those of you wanting to do both Ricardo and Subsonic ought to know that there will still be tickets available at the entrance to the festival site for anybody wanting to drive up ‘on a whim’. It will be well worth doing the double, as the inimitable Michael Mayer will be playing an extended set on Sunday to close the festival. My advice?

Take Monday off work and do it all – properly!

Deep Impressions: electronica manifesto and occasional club brand. Contact through deep.impressions@yahoo.com.

Soul Sedation

Soul, Dub, Hip Hop & Bottom-heavy Beats with Tony Edwards

Koolism Soul Sedation goes live every Wednesday night on Bondi FM (88.0 or bondifm.com.au). Tune in 10pm 'til midnight to hear a deep and soulful selection of the tunes covered here, and plenty more that I don't have room for.

F

irstly, have you or have you not heard Katalyst’s new single ‘Day Into Night’ (ft. Stephanie McKay)?

If you haven’t you need to remedy the situation fast. Don’t underestimate the beautiful construction of this track; it’s a fusion of bluesy guitars, warm dub and a heavenly (potentially career-topping) vocal froml McKay. If this is any indication of what’s coming on the album then we could be staring down the barrel of a magnum opus-esque LP very soon. Look up the tune on Soundcloud right now have a listen and then try and tell me it’s not the best sound around. Even if you try, I’m unlikely to believe you.

No doubt you’ve heard some of Koolism’s new album The Umu, the fourth on their books to date. This column has been feeling the bassline that underwrites ‘Cash Monet’; it’s heavy, heavy gear. The Sydney album launch goes down at Melt Bar on Thursday December 11, where Hau and Danielsan will be holding it down like only they know how. Look out for Kai Fresh and School of Thought on support duty.

Good to see Melt Bar returning to its hip hop roots for the evening!

Soul Sedation’s pick of the Peats Ridge lineup serves as a reminder of the smorgasboard of high-quality camping festival options available to Sydney folk that just weren’t there 5-10 years ago: the entire Dub Shack lineup (proper hectic flavours!); Freq Nasty will pull out some good sounds; King Tide in full flight is a sight to see; the Space Invadas – playing fresh material from the new Katalyst album if you’re lucky; skilled party pilots The Freestylers; the loud Latin rock of Watussi; Thundamentals and Horrorshow – future kings of Aussie hip hop; Bomba’s rootsy funk and dub outta Adelaide; Flatwound’s live disco sound – only just home from their national album tour. If you’ve got yourself a ticket you can be feeling mighty smug right now. And if you haven’t made plans for New Years yet you could do a lot worse than turn up to this.

The Niche juggernaut rolls on. Just when you thought they might be exhausted of ideas comes the announcement that reggae royalty Horace Andy and Dub Asante will both take the stage at the Metro Theatre next March – Wednesday 16, to be precise. The Soul Sedation calendar below may just buckle under the weight of its own content if this keeps up.

Look out for a collaboration by G-Love and Melbourne’s Plutonic Lab. Their first single is tastefully entitled ‘Fuck It’.

And here I was wondering what the hell I was going to give grandma on Christmas

morning! Inertia are calling it a hip hop/ blues fusion. Send me a copy and I’ll put my own label on it.

Hands up anyone who found themselves at the inaugural Shine On Festival last weekend? It went down in Western Victoria in case you didn’t know. Cracking lineup, though: Fat Freddy’s, Blue King Brown, Sola Rosa, Mista Savona, the Cumbia Cosmonauts and so on and so forth. Much like the upcoming Subsonic Festival, the music policy married the sounds of dub reggae and underground tech. Soul Sedation hopes to take the long road trip south next year.

Speaking of Subsonic, see you bastards there! There’s still a chance to score yourself a ticket if you haven’t already. Set in the belly of the Barrington Tops National Park, surrounded by clear running water, with a BYO drinks policy, and a high level of attention to sound quality. Sounding real good innit? It’s one of the few events where the audio leanings of this column meet the musical fetishes of my addled contemporary Mr. Honnery one page back. And it’s certainly tricky to discount that barely-there link between Germany, techno and strange fetishes, if you know what I mean? My advice, take a wide berth of the Deep Impressions author if you run into him at Subsonic, just don’t let a sighting put you off your game; when all’s said and done, he’s fairly harmless.

ON THE ROAD FRI DECEMBER 3

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Enmore Theatre

DECEMBER 3-5

Subsonic Music Festival Barrington Tops

FRI DECEMBER 10 Hermitude Tone

SUN JANUARY 9 Mos Def Enmore Theatre

FRI FEBRUARY 18

Kool & The Gang, Roy Ayers Enmore Theatre

SAT FEBRUARY 19

Mayer Hawthorne & The County Manning Bar

FEBRUARY 17-20 Playground Weekender Wiseman’s Ferry

WED MARCH 16

Horace Andy, Dub Asante The Metro Theatre

Send stuff for this column to tonyedwards001@gmail.com by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to art@thebrag.com BRAG :: 390:: 29:11:10 :: 73

snap sn ap

17:11:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

mum

PICS ::SB

the wall

PICS ::RO

up all night out all week . . .

wham

PICS :: DM

19:11:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

20:11:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

It’s called: ROBOPOP: Santa Edition It sounds like: A veritable triple-cheeseburg er of cheesy goodness - if cheese could talk.

DJs: Ben Lucid, Fantomatique, Kill The Landl ord, Erectro vs Hot Stepper, Mush vs Seabas, T-Rompf, Gavin the Imma culatte.

Three records you’ll hear on the night: ‘Girlfr iend’ – Nelly & N'Sync; ‘Last Christmas’ – George Michael; ‘Break Ya Neck’ – Busta Rhymes.

And one you definitely won’t: ‘All I Want For Christmas’ – Christina Aguilera.

Sell it to us: What better time to celebrate the art of cheese than Christmas!

With all the pop hits you love and a few Xmas twists thrown in, we’re going to get colourful and crazy! Basically, if it’s been in a Top 10 or a shitty DanceNow compilation, it’s going on our dancefloor.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Being moles Hogan dressed as Santa dressed as Bon Jovi. ted by a man dressed as Hulk Crowd specs: Gay kids, straight kids, indie kids, everyone’s kids!

Wallet damage: $10 Where: Supper Club, 134 Oxford St (above Oxford Hotel) When: Saturday December 4, from 9pm

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starfuckers

PICS :: AM

party profile

ROBOPOP

20:11:10 :: Club 77 :: 77 William St Kings Cross 93613387 ) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI :: DAN

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DECEMBER 4TH, 10AM TO 2PM

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:: Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point :: 92471666

sugamill 2nd b'day

20:11:10 :: Forbes Hotel :: 30 York St Sydney 92993703

PICS :: AM

20:11:10

we love indie

PICS :: TL

harbourlife

PICS :: AM

up all night out all week . . .

18:11:10 :: Sugarmill :: 37 Darlinghurst Rd Kings X 93687333

It’s called: SPICE AFLOAT - Sunrise & Midnight Cruises It sounds like: Deep rocking underground shit that you don’t hear anywhere else.

DJs: SLAM (Soma – UK), Milton Jackson (Freerange – UK), Butch (Cecille – DE), Vincenzo (Dessous – DE), Kevin Griffiths (Tsuba – UK).

Sell it to us: Expect to see circus animals, firestarters, locked-up leather gimps, lipstick-smudging, relentless dancefloor antics, sugar-snorting competitions, DJs who will go home and have sex with you and charisma tic bartenders that can juggle more than bottles.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: The sun rising, as you dance on the rooftop.

Crowd specs: People there to dance and have fun.

Wallet damage: February and April Editions $40 (1st release) / New Year’s Edition (1st release sold out) now $99.

Where: The most spectacular party playground of all - Sydney Harbour When: January 1 Sunrise Cruise 3.30-10am / February 12 & April 9 Midnight Cruises 12.30am – 6am.

76 :: BRAG :: 389: 22:11:10

garden party

PICS :: AM

party profile

SPICE AFLOAT

20:11:10 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex Street Sydney 82959958 ) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI :: DAN

BRAG :: 390 :: 29:11:10 :: 77

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downtown

20:11:10 :: Q-Bar :: 34-44 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93601375

PICS :: AM

17:11:10 :: Tone Venue :: 116 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills

girl thang

PICS :: AM

electric wire hustle

PICS :: RO

up all night out all week . . .

19:11:10 :: Club 77 :: 77 William St Kings Cross 93613387

It’s called: Sola Rosa album launch It sounds like: The soulful dub sounds of New Zealand’s Sola Rosa, launching their new album.

Who’s playing: Sola Rosa, The Versionaries, Foreigndub.

Sell it to us: Crossing the Tasman to share their latest offering, the dynamic Sola Rosa are back, putting on a great show with vocalists Spikey Tee and Iva Lamkum. They're celebrating the Australian launch of Get It Together , which hit gold sales in New Zealand and was nominated for best Electronica album at last years New Zealand Music awards. Along for the ride are special local guests The Versionaries and Foreigndub.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: A great soulful show, getting everyone in the mood for Summer!

Crowd specs: Anyone looking for a great Friday night out.

Wallet damage: $27.50 + bf Where: The Gaelic Theatre When: Friday December 3

78 :: BRAG :: 389: 22:11:10

big in japan

PICS :: TL

party profile

Sola Rosa album launch

16:11:10 :: Royal Hall Of Industries :: 1 Driver Ave Moore Park 93834000 ) :: ASH LEY MAR :: TOM S : TIM LEV Y (HEA D HON CHO OUR LOV ELY PHOTOG RAP HER IEL MUN NS :: ROS ETT E ROU HAN NA TRA MON TE :: SUSAN BUI :: DAN

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