The Brag #411

ROMY

THURSDAY 8PM

12TH MAY

ALPHAMAMA

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4 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

VILLAGE SOUNDS AND SECRET SERVICE PRESENT THE 11TH ANNUAL ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL

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VISIT SPLENDOURINTHEGRASS.COM FOR UPDATES BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 5

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

five things WITH

FROSTY & JOEL FROM SIERRA FIN Midnight Oil, Boards Of Canada, Rufus Wainwright, Radiohead and locals acts like The Drones, Dappled Cities, and The Winter People.

Your Band Russ takes guitar and piano duties while 3. singing away, Frosty pounds drum kits into submission, Joel makes weird noises with his keyboards, while Oli provides the bass and handsomeness. From memory, Russ spotted Frosty in Eastern Latvia holding a sign saying “will drop pants for food” and figured, ‘there’s the drummer’. They then felt the band needed more weird synth sounds and recruited Joel, Brisbane’s premier keyboard-touching guy.

And lastly they spotted bass player Oli in a David Beckham lookalike contest. The rest is un-Wikipedia-worthy history.

Growing Up Frosty: I’ll never forget the time when I was 1. about eight years old and my dad asked my

stereo, the opening riff to AC/DC’s ‘TNT’ rang out, and four impressionable kids had their introduction to rock.

mates if we wanted to hear some music. There was a round of groans, with the expectation of Barry Manilow filling the car speakers. Dad slid the tape (remember those?) into the car

Inspirations Aside from Justin Bieber, of course, our 2. favourite musicians are The Flaming Lips,

The Music You Make We are yet to find an answer for that old 4. question, ‘What sort of music is it?’ Orchestral Rock? Indie Pop? Acoustic Folk? Who knows?

Let’s just say that for the upcoming album launch tour, we’ll be playing the album from start to finish along with an eight-piece minisymphony. The album was recorded as a cohesive piece of music so we’d like to present that at the launches; we’re really looking

forward to presenting the album as an album and taking the crowd on that journey with us.

Then we’ll follow it up with an encore of some of our older songs, most probably interspersed with stupid costumes or hardcore nudity.

Music, Right Here, Right Now The Sydney music scene seems to be in 5. a constant state of flux. Venues closing, then new ones popping up. People not willing to take a punt on an unknown band vs those who actively seek out something they’ve never heard of. Thankfully, there are still pockets of great community radio who’re willing to play exciting music, despite the fact that a band doesn’t have a million dollar budget behind them. There are still people that appreciate artists who are trying to make something personal as opposed to copying the last #1 hit.

We are very excited to present our album to that band of dedicated music lovers, whoever they are and from wherever they come!

What: Cautionary Tale of the Beautiful Blackout album launch Where: Notes Live, Newtown When: Thursday May 12

MEGAFUN FUNFARE

The Black Angels

PUBLISHERS: Adam Zammit & Rob Furst EDITOR IN CHIEF: Adam Zammit 9552 6333 adam@peergroupmedia.com EDITOR: Steph Harmon steph@thebrag.com 9552 6333 ARTS & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Dee Jefferson dee@thebrag.com 9552 6333 STAFF WRITERS: Jonno Seidler, Caitlin Welsh NEWS CO-ORDINATORS: Nathan Jolly, Chris Honnery ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant GRAPHIC DESIGN: Alan Parry SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER: Tim Levy SNAP PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar, Daniel Munns, Vicky Nguyen, Patrick Stevenson, Thomas Peachy, Totem Onelove Group, Sophie Schirmer, Onur Karaozbek COVER DESIGN: Sarah Bryant

Usually when bands sound like another band I get all smug and hum the other band’s tunes over the set. I’m a real treat to be around. But even though Megastick Fanfare sound a lot like Animal Collective, it’s the old squelchy-chanty Animal Collective, which is not only a sound that’s very difficult to hum to but is also one that they aren’t using anymore. So it’s up for grabs, and Megastick Fanfare have grabbed it, evolved it, recorded it and will launch it (Grit Aglow, their ace debut album) on May 26 at FBi Social with The Parking Lot Experiments and Sealion.

Check the album artwork. Amazing.

Bachelor Girl

SALES/MARKETING MANAGER: Blake Rayner 0404 304 929 / (02) 9552 6672 blake@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 9552 6618 les@thebrag.com GIG & CLUB GUIDE CO-ORDINATOR: Conrad Richters - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock) clubguide@thebrag.com (dance) INTERNS: Sigourney Berndt, Lenny Adam REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Simon Binns, Joshua Blackman, Mikey Carr, Oliver Downes, Tony Edwards, Christie Eliezer, Murray Engleheart, Mike Gee, Thomas Gilmore, Chris Honnery, Nathan Jolly, Alex Lindsay Jones, Matt Roden, Romi Scodellaro, Rach Seneviratne, RK, Luke Telford, Rick Warner, Beth Wilson Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this address 153 Bridge Road, Glebe NSW 2037 ph - (02) 9552 6333 fax - (02) 9552 6866 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor or Staff of The Brag.

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6 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

THE BLACK ANGELS TOUR

Madonna got canned for daring to suggest that Jesus was black - yet the Austin psychband above can dare suggest the existence of black angels, the most contrary idea since Jah knows when. Well it turns out that The Black Angels are playing The Metro on July 1, with a special DJ set from the only member of Brian Jonestown Massacre that doesn’t deserve a slap: Joel Gion (the tambourine one). Nice!

FOR YEEZY, FOREVER AGO

That dope rhyme-spitter Bon Iver is dropping a solo joint. Everyone obviously first heard him when he appeared on Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, where we can all agree he trumped even Nicki Minaj with her scary monster voice - and now he has (finally!) gone solo. Best of all, every song title is also a city name, and he gives a mad shout-out to Perth. We assume Drapht features heavily on this track. Expect Bon Iver’s self-titled bangin’, auto-tuned, floorfiller on June 17. (Disclaimer: mostly sarcasm.)

LITTLE RED TOUR AGAIN

As you watch your New Year’s resolutions list float further and further into the distance, like the younger Darling children’s memories of their parents, just know that Little Red have already circled the globe twice in 2011 - and this after a 2010 that saw them Buzz Aldrin the Hottest 100, drop a platinum single like P Diddy and rock PNG like this is a normal land mass to ‘rock’. And now they are playing The Metro Theatre on June 10, as part of the ‘All Mine’ tour. The support band are World’s End Press, who sound like EMF.

CLARE BOWDITCH

The adorable Clare Bowditch has a new single (a duet with Lanie Lane called ‘Now You’re Home’), which means a new tour (with Lane in support) and more adorable banter.

And to up the adorability levels she’s inviting anyone who can play a weird instrument to join her onstage for a multi-instrumental mess of madness that will have Architecture in Helsinki jealous as hell. Details on how to get involved at clarebowditch.com/ wintersecrets. Oh yeah, she’ll be at the Factory Theatre on July 1. Tickets are on sale now.

RATCAT!

In 1991, Simon Day perfected fuzzy, reverbdrenched sugar-fuelled pop, and it was pretty obvious to all. In fact, Ratcat’s Blind Love is credited for beginning the flood of Australian indie to hit the charts in the ‘90s – meaning that Ratcat pretty much invented YOU. They’re playing this album in its entirety on June 18 at the Factory Theatre, and more than anything we have ever recommended to you, we recommend you go to this. There will only be one show. Tickets on sale May 13.

BACHELOR GIRL IS BACK!

Back in the late ‘90s the public transport system was a mess, with timetables a running joke and accidents up to tragic levels (citation needed). One plucky band knew something had to be done about this, and so Bachelor Girl ripped out the shocking exposé ‘Buses and Trains’, which went on to make the band (or the song) a household name (or song), despite the violent, confronting imagery. Now Bachelor Girl are back, with a new Best Of and a fire that won’t be sated until they play The Basement on June 3. Yep.

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BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 7

rock music news

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... With Nathan Jolly and Cool Thomas

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

he said she said WITH

PAPER PLANE PROJECT

P

aper Plane Project is Mason Kimber and Nick Bennett. We’re a productionduo originally from Perth, but we now live together in Surry Hills with our studio in the living room. We just met at a random party, when someone said, “Oh you guys should meet each other…you’re both really into underground hip hop”. We ended up chatting for a few hours, and decided we were both on the same page. Nick is a drummer so he takes care of the rhythmic aspect of making the beats; Mason plays keys, and creates the melodies.

Mason’s dad used to own nightclubs, so he’d always be playing around with records during the day while nobody was around.

I think that spawned the obsession with vinyl from an early age. Nick’s mum is from the UK, and had a nice collection of ‘70s soul records that we ended up sampling for some of our first beats. Nick was also the lead snare drummer of a Scottish pipe band, so he brings diverse influences to the groove of the songs.

We’re inspired by music that has soul and makes you feel something. A few of our major influences would be George Benson, Roy Ayers, Jorge Ben - and we get just as much inspiration from contemporary artists like Quantic, DJ Day, J Dilla and AD Bourke.

Sister Jane

We make groove-based music with soul.

Our style is a blend of hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, boogie and Brazilian beats. Our latest album, Pacific Connection, was recorded while living in New York and Brazil for a year, and uses samples alongside live session musicians from each location. Our live show is similar – a blend of sampled sounds with live elements. Nick drums live on percussion pads and provides the cuts, while Mason triggers samples and plays keys. We also have a horn section playing with us. It’s almost like a Brazilian Carnival - expect a lot of energy, Latin-inspired rhythms and beats, whistles (no joke) and a good time!

The music scene in Sydney right now is really good. We’ve met so many people who are supportive of our music and help us get shows and DJ gigs. Groups like Afrobeat band The Liberators are inspiring, and an example of some world-class sounds coming from Sydney. It’s an exciting time for musicians.

With: The Bamboos, The Psyde Projects What: The Bamboos 10th Anniversary Show Where: Manning Bar, Sydney University When: Friday May 20

MIKE NOGA

Impossibly blue-eyed Drones member Mike Noga has been earning rave reviews for his sophomore solo album of alt-folk, The Balladeer Hunter. He’s about to embark on a tour around this great nation too, joined by long time collaborators Pat Bourke (Dallas Crane) and Gus Agars (The Gin Club).

He hits Sydney on Wednesday May 18, at Newtown’s Notes Live – and we’ve got two double passes to give away. All you gotta do is tell us your favourite song from Mike’s album.

CREATIVE SYDNEY TUNES

Vivid Creative Sydney – the ideas branch of Vivid Sydney – has announced some musicbased events, which means that we can finally acknowledge its existence in this part of the magazine. Of particular note is their program at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is hosting events from June 10 – 12. On June 10, they’re putting on a Music Open Day where you can nab advice from the music directors of triple j, FBi and MusicNSW, and on June 11, there’s a Sydney Music Showcase courtesy of Broken Stone Records, featuring Sister Jane, The Magnetic Heads and more to be announced.

Vivid Creative Sydney happens from May 27 – June 12; check out the full (and amazing) program at www.creativesydney.com.au. For all the other music-based Vivid Sydney events, you’re after Vivid LIVE: vividlive.sydneyoperahouse.com

SOSUEME TURNS FOUR

GO STEADY AT OAF

In a bid to encourage you to crush on some fantastically sexy bands, Oxford Art Factory have put together a great lineup over two rooms for ‘Going Steady’ on Thursday May 12, for the unbelievably cheap price of $5. Baptism of Uzi, Betty Airs, Peppercorn, Evil J & Saint Cecilia, 6 Noir, Shakin’ Howls, Sister Jane and Day Ravies are all on the bill. Is that a pedal in your pocket or…?

Sosueme has been around longer than keyboard cat, the concept of Rickrolling and even longer than yelling “this is Sparta!” or making remix videos of 300 for YouTube. LOLOLOLOLOL!!!1one ROFL!!11!. Seriously though, clocking up four years is impressive, because it is actually a really long time to run a night in Sydney.

Equally impressive is Sosueme’s lineup for their fourth birthday bash, which is set to go down Saturday May 28 at Oxford Art Factory: Parades, Guineafowl, Stonefield, Redcoats, Pluto Jonze, Joyride & the Accidents, Mrs Bishop, Bon Chat Bon Rat, The Growl and Furnace & the Fundamentals – with DJ sets from Zia from The Dandy Warhols, The Vines, Joyride, Stoney Road DJs, F.R.I.E.N.D/s and more. Aint that something.

MATT WALTERS

Embracing your fading youth is something that no-one ever really wants to do. Most dudes go ahead and buy a convertible or grow a horrible ponytail, and others try to date girls that they could have produced themselves. Matt Walters has gone a far more palatable route: releasing an album! He’ll be launching Farewell Youth on Wednesday May 11 at The Vanguard. Tickets are on sale now through the venue.

Robert Smith

KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME, ETC. ALSO, WOW.

The Cure are coming to Australia, which is amazing. And what is even more amazing is that they are performing their first three albums, in their entirety, in a ridiculously extreme and amazing spectacle for Vivid LIVE on May 31 and June 1. If you have recently broken up with a partner, then maybe you should skip this one. Everyone else, time to crash the Internet again – tickets on sale May 12. Also, wow.

SAM SHINAZZI

Papa vs Pretty

PAPA DON’T PREACH

There’s a video on YouTube where an even-younger-than-they-are-now Papa vs Pretty do a cover of ‘Purple Rain’. It’s all pretty alright until about three minutes in, when the lead vocalist/guitarist (let’s call him “Tom”) rips into the most face-melting solo ever. They do this kinda stuff live too, and if you don’t believe us (why the mistrust?), you should come to The Annandale on Friday June 24 when they launch their debut record, United In Isolation. That ‘One Of The Animals’ track is ace, too…

When The Lights Come Up might be the most desperate album title ever, only because it evokes that horrible, crushing moment when the evening is over and you are suddenly aware of just how empty and pointless everything is... and also that the girl you’ve been chatting to has lipstick on her teeth. Nevertheless, Sam Shinazzi’s fourth record is a gem and he launches it May 13 at Notes, with Perry Keyes and 49 Goodbyes in support. Don’t leave after the lights comes up, because stumbling home and seeing early morning joggers bounce by is the worst.

10K FREEMEN WANTS TO GO TO NYC. YOU SHOULD HELP.

Just because a fella screaming over a Game Boy might not be appreciated in Sydney doesn’t mean the Yanks don’t want a piece of it. BRAG’s own Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families (aka 10k [aka Cool “Rock News” Thomas]) has been selected to play Blip Festival in New York City. So come to his farewell - featuring Henry Earle, Moranis, super FLORENCE jam and Laurence Rosier Staines. Tone in Surry Hills.

Tuesday May 10. $5. Plus… DOORPRIZES!

“I swear our jet is crashing in my mind you can hold on but i wouldn’t waste your time”- THE KILLS 8 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

TIKIDUB PRODUCTIONS AND STOP START PRESENT ACOUSTIC / MC SET WITH DJ OPTIMUS GRYME

FRI MAY 27 SELINA’S Coogee Bay NSW Coogee Bay Rd & Arden St Tix from www.Moshtix.com.au (1300 GET TIX) or Moshtix Outlets or www.Oztix.com.au 1300 764 545

NEW ALBUM OUT NOW

TOUR supported by 3D World

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Burlesque

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 9

dance music news

free stuff

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

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

he said she said WITH

CHRIS AND SCOTT FROM BOTANICS

The Music You Make We have many styles we’re influenced 4. by: jazz, reggae, rock, hip hop. So our genre is hip hop, but our style is unique. Our contemporaries would include local artists like TZU, The Herd and Space Invadas, and international artists like The Roots and Beastie Boys. We recorded this album at Song Zu Studios in Sydney with our good friend Nathan Cavaleri as producer. Our live show includes our live drummer, bass, keys, guitars, samples and triggers along with the three of us on vocals.

Music, Right Here, Right Now The music scene at the moment feels 5. like it’s still finding solid ground. Original artists Growing Up [Chris] My key childhood music memory 1. is when I was about three years old, sitting

I distinctly remember hearing Arrested Development for the first time and loving the mix of music and hip hop. Other acts like The Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Ozomatli inspire me to continue producing live music.

in the lounge playing my dad’s rack and floor toms. Dad was a jazz drummer, so music has always been a huge part of my growing up and my relationship with family, which has influenced my music. Side note: my brother features on the album too.

Your Band We’ve known each other for many years, 3. but came together musically back in 2004. Out

2.

of everything we do, what really connects us is the quality performance of music - any music.

We value artists that work on quality execution in the performance of their art.

Inspirations [Scott] My favourite musical acts are probably those that I found in my teens.

really need to push their craft, and it’s very competitive in such a small market. The best thing about the scene, though, is the large number of acts and the diversity within the musical community. It’s good to see venues financially backing good artists and further developing the local scene, so that punters can have a trusted and consistent place to go and appreciate good live music.

What: The Fabric album launch With: The Conscious Pilots, Whitehouse Where: The Vanguard, Newtown When: Thursday May 12

MY COUSIN ROY

My Cousin Roy, the head honcho of The Wurst Music Co., is headlining an Adult Disco/ Picnic ‘co-pro’ on Saturday May 21 at The Civic Underground. Roy has run parties and cooked up productions with NYC buddy Brennan Green and with Nick Chacona as Beg To Differ, while his record label The Wurst Music Co. has released such stonkers as Green’s ‘My First House’, Runaway’s ‘Just Got Paid’ and Neurotic Drum Band’s ‘Robotic Hypnotic Adventure’. With local support from Marcus King, Dave Slade, Mirror Mirror and Andy Webb, the press release’s assertion that this will be a “mammoth party” may well be on the mark. $15 presale tickets are available online.

PNAU

BELL WEATHER

Electro-indie-rocking four-piece-on-therise Bell Weather Department have had their noses to the musical grindstone – recording, mixing and mastering their new single in their home city of Sydney. BWD have been crafting their colourful and complex sounds together for just over a year now, and have already been tagged as ones to watch. The fruits of their labour – new single ‘Where The Wolves Can’t Find Me’ – will no doubt be executed superbly this Friday May 13, when the guys play Oxford Art Factory’s Gallery bar. You should totally come, and it’s FREE! To win a copy of the single and a copy of Bell Weather Department’s debut EP, tell us your favourite hiding spot as a kid.

TIKI TAANE

Representing Aotearoa, New Zealand, Tiki Taane returns to Australia to support the release of his new album, In The Word Of Light, which is out now. Known and respected as one of the major influences of Aotearoa roots music, Tiki spent eleven years as the frontman for Salmonella Dub, writing, singing and producing some of their best known cuts. Taane’s previous solo album, Always On My Mind, was released back in 2009 and went on to break two alltime NZ records - spending 54 weeks inside the NZ singles chart and being the first ever digital single to achieve platinum sales. Taane plays Selina’s in Coogee on Friday May 27, with presale tickets available online.

PNAU IS BACK

Before Empire of the Sun there was PNAU, Nick Littlemore’s original creative brainchild.

Having returned to Australia for a fleeting visit as part of the Big Day Out tour earlier in the year, PNAU will play a series of mid-year dates across the country, including a show at The Enmore Theatre on Wednesday July 27, to support the release of their forthcoming LP, Soft Universe. Slotted for a July release, Soft Universe will end a four-year production sojourn that followed the release of PNAU’s previous self-titled album, which spawned hit singles like ‘Baby’ and was described by none other than Sir Elton John as the best album he’d heard in 10 years. In a side note, Littlemore has also been given the auspicious duty of composer and musical director for the famed international production Cirque du Soleil; he’ll be unveiling his work at the official launch of Cirque du Soleil at Madison Square Garden in late June.

This Saturday May 14, Robopop are hosting a winter hibernation party at The Supper Club, located upstairs at 134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

The party comes with the mandate of offering the “cheesiest pop choons (sic) this side of Bieber’s egg-smashed face” – so in other words, prepare for a night of guilty pleasures. There’s also a fancy dress element to the revelry, with punters being urged to come as their favourite animal. The DJ lineup consists of triple j’s Tom Ballard and Brendan Maclean, along with Toki Doki, Franne Damme, Kill The Landlord and Girls Gone Wrong. $10 from 10pm.

DEADMAU5 BRISBANE BIFF

I normally do my best to avoid naff populist news items in this section, but I suppose Deadmau5 punching on during the final show of

his recent Australia tour is newsworthy. There’s a lot of speculation as to what happened, but the basic facts involved Deadmau5 being punched in the head by a local DJ at the Creamfields after-party in Brisbane, at the club Birdee Num Num. Naturally there are plenty of theories circulating online as to why fisticuffs ensued, but there’s a Facebook page set up under the banner ‘Music Award: James Cameron for hitting Deadmau5’ that offers the most recent take on what happened: “James [the local DJ who swung at Deadmau5] didn’t punch Deadmau5 coz (sic) he tweeted that he didn’t like the music… this is what happened. James punched Deadmau5 after Deadmau5 swung at him, while he was standing between him and his friend (who had told Deadmau5 he didn’t need to be a wanker after Deadmau5 had told him to fuck off/ had his security guy push him for asking for a photo). That’s all there is to it.” Interesting...

Dangermouse

DANGERMOUSE COFFEE SHOP

Calling all flâneurs from around town: Sydneysiders will have the perfect opportunity to be among the first to hear the new Dangermouse album, Rome, within the unique setting of a pop-up cafe in a “gorgeous” Surry Hills laneway location. In an inventive PR ploy, the coffee shop will be the first place to hear and celebrate the release of a defiantly analogue album that took five years to craft. Furthermore, the first 50 people to check into the venue - located at 285A Crown Street in The Winery Laneway, Surry Hills - via Facebook Places or Foursquare will receive a free Republica coffee. The venue will be open between 9am and 11am on Friday May 13, Saturday May 14 and Sunday May 15. Note; French theorist Charles Baudelaire developed the derived meaning flâneur, that of “a person who walks the city in order to experience it”. Baudelaire saw the flâneur as having a key role in understanding, participating in and portraying the city, playing a double role in city life and in theory while remaining a detached observer. (Sighhhh – ed.)

“We need body rockin’ not perfection, Let me get some action from the back section” – BEASTIE BOYS 10 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

Pnau photo by Louis Westgarth

ROBOPOP

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BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 11

free stuff

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

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

five things ROBOPOP DJS collective of cheesy popplaying, shenanigan-loving fun-buggers. The door revolves between Kill The Landlord, T-Rompf, Erectro, Fantomatique, Ping Pong Tiddly and anyone else who plays our party regularly.

The Music You Make If it’s been in a top 10 or a shitty 4.

DanceNow CD, we play it. If you pretend to hate it (but secretly don’t), we play it. If it features Ludacris on the guest verse, we play it. Some of us have mad skillz and some don’t. It’s not the point – we bring the party and when a classic is dropped, we know y’all like to hear the third verse. Especially if it’s The Real Slim Shady…

Growing Up For us it was all about backwards shirts, 1.

Kepper pants, Kriss Kross and Mel Gibson not yelling at Jewish people yet. It was a simple time, when you had to call friends on their home phone and talk to their mum first, and Push Pops didn’t mean injured Grandfathers.

into the ‘90s now but we like to push all of the awesome pop from the ‘00s as well. We’re not all about retro, just cheesy pop goodness.

We’re influenced as much by the artistic works of Bieber circa May-July 2010 (that was a good era) as we are by Gwen’s hotpants. By being into the recent past, we’re ahead of time.

Our inspirations cross time. Everyone’s 2.Inspirations

Crew ROBOPOP DJs are a ramshackle 3.Your

Kurtis Blow

RESIDENT ADVISOR TURNS X

Electronic music website/emporium Resident Advisor will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this year by throwing ten parties in ten locations around the globe, including a bash at Sydney’s Civic Hotel on Saturday September 17. RA issued a statement highlighting the importance of celebrating the big X with “you, our readers that have made this whole thing possible.

After all, if it weren’t for you, we might still be a progressive house fan site with the occasional movie review”. Each of the ten parties will be curated by a secret headliner, selected because of their impact on the electronic music landscape over the past decade. Their identity will remain strictly under wraps until they take the stage; up to that point, each one will be known simply as the ‘X’, although the rest of the lineup might provide a hint as to who’s waiting in the wings. The series opener in London will feature artists such as Kyle Hall, Ben UFO, Lawrence, Trevor Jackson and Onur Özer, and if Sydney gets a lineup anywhere near the quality of that then we’re in for a treat.

NAKION

KURTIS BLOW

American luminary Kurtis Blow, hailed as “one of the most important performers in African American (if not global) music development of the past 30 years,” will be playing at Tone on Thursday May 26 as part of his 30th Anniversary Tour of The Breaks.

‘The Breaks’ was Blow’s single from his 1980 eponymous debut album, and it’s the first certified gold record rap song; indeed, Blow was the first rapper to ever sign to a major record label. Touring Australia for the first time in a decade, Blow will be supported

by Paper Plane Project (Live), Gian Arpino, Mike Who?, DJ Naiki and Kato.

Music, Right Here, Right Now At the moment, everything is all about post5. irony. We’re all about pumping irony. Our next night is a hibernation party before we take the winter months off and come back cheesier than ever in the Spring. Animal outfits are a must!

With: Tom Ballard & Brendan Maclean Where: ROBOPOP @ Supper Club, 134 Oxford St (above Oxford Hotel) When: Saturday May 14

is about to be released on Stones Throw Records as the label’s first ever 10” record, while Classixx new single ‘Into the Valley’ has just come out on Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound - also home to Chromeo, Holy Ghost! and The Cool Kids. Future Classic’s McIness is particularly susceptible to the “erotic sax use” on Classixx’s latest cut – the man’s a worry…

KOLLEKTIV TURMSTRASSE

Fusing jazz, progressive, chillout and deep house influences in their sonic palette, German duo Kollektiv Turmstrasse headline Shrug at Tone this Saturday in their Australian debut. The pair have steadily built up a substantial following after their breakthrough cut, ‘Grillen im Park’, hit shelves back in ’06 and was backed by figures like Claude VonStroke. Kollektiv Turmstrasse branched out last year with a fun ‘above ground’ remix of Hot Chip’s ‘Touch Too Much’ in the lead-up to the release of their debut album Rebellion Der Traümer, which they dropped a few months back. An album that was best appreciated under a good set of headphones,

Hip hop MC and semi-professional funny dude Joelistics is getting ready to release his debut solo record, Voyager, on Elefant Traks on May 20. With his new single ‘Glorious Feeling’ on rotation on triple j, he’s been busy touring with The Herd and wowing crowds at sold out shows. He’s about to go for round two, joining Lowrider on their national tour - the Sydney leg hits our very own city this Friday May 13 at The Annandale Hotel. To get your hands on a copy of his record and a double pass to the show, tell us the name of the Melbourne hip hop group that Joelistics belongs to. And while you’re on the Google, check out the web series he’s put together for the release.

It’s hilarious.

BOTANICS

Sydney hip hop crew Botanics dropped their fresh LP The Fabric last month, and they’re celebrating with a national tour that’s sure to impress hip hop aficionados, and draw in those who’re new to the genre.

Botanics boast a unique brand of hip hop that combines roots, soul, jazz and quality hooks in one organic sound, and their live show is a must-see. Having been described as hip hop’s elite, Botanics are keen to kick off their national tour and get The Vanguard bouncing this Thursday May 12. We’ve got a double pass to give away as well as a copy of The Fabric. It’ll go to a lucky someone who can tell us how many guys make up the crew. (Not too hard an ask, considering we featured a photo of them, like, a page ago...)

Rebellion Der Traümer still resonated with discerning listeners even though it wasn’t aimed squarely at the dancefloor, and served to illustrate the versatility of the highly touted duo. Kollektiv Turmstrasse will be supported by the evergreen Raffi Darkchild, Robbie Lowe, Mitch Croshner and your party host Dave Stuart, and at time of print there were still a few presale tickets available online.

PICNIC IN BONDI

The Picnic crew have taken over Sunday evenings at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi, upstairs in the Rex Room. Picnic will offer a range of locals along with the odd international surprise guest to wind down the weekend every Sunday in May, with their program reading as follows; this coming Sunday May 15 will feature The Loin Brothers and Kali behind the decks, the following week Kali will be joined by Marcus King while the final Sunday of the month will showcase a surprise guest from NYC. Oooh aaah…

Koolism

Young Korean producer Nakion will release her debut LP Oh Ah! This week on Joakim’s Tugersushi imprint. The female producer has been recording in her own home studio for years now, and even released a self-made CD of her early works in her own country, which was picked up and supported by the likes of Ivan Smagghe in his DJ sets. Nakion’s music is something of a wild ride through strange melodies and chaotic beats; her music, created with a very minimalistic set-up consisting of a computer and a few synthesizers, relates to electronic music such as Yellow Magic Orchestra, Art of Noise and even Aphex Twin.

In discussing her music, Nakion espoused, “I like humour. I like funny things, chaotic energy and loud noises versus serenity, strange looking people, extreme personalities, street kids, mean looking punks, cliquey crowds, ‘80s Manga, juvenile naivety and raw. We never really grow up.” The release is well worth investigating for more than the novelty value – Nakion offers quirky electronica that is well outside of the well-worn box.

FUTURE CLASSIXX

LA twenty-something duo Classixx are set to return to our shores courtesy of Future Classic in June. Classixx have a sound that’s imbued with Donna Summer-esque grooves and “pillowy synths”(?). The pair broke through with their cut ‘I’ll Get You’, which featured Jeppe from Junior Senior and was released through Kitsune, and have since reworked the likes of Phoenix, Major Lazer, Holy Ghost! and Mayer Hawthorne. Of late, it has been confirmed that their collaboration with Hawthorne, ‘No Strings,’

KOOLISM, BRIGGS AND HEAPS DECENT TUNE IN

Tuned In is an annual celebration of music, culture and reconciliation hosted by the NSW Reconciliation Council, and is the largest youth-focused reconciliation event in NSW. This year, Tuned In will cap off Reconciliation Week in Sydney with a bash at Oxford Art Factory on Friday June 3, when an array of local indigenous and non-indigenous hip hop talent will share the stage and speak out about reconciliation. The lineup boasts the likes of Koolism, Briggs, The Last Kinection, Blue Mountains product Tuka (of Thundamentals fame) and emerging Redfern crew Stunna Set. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Heaps Decent, who will team up with the NSW Reconciliation Council and run music workshops with underprivileged Indigenous youth in Juvenile Justice Centres across NSW. Entry will be a mere $10, with full details at www.nswreconciliation.org.au/tunedin

“Well, now don’t you tell me to smile, You stick around I’ll make it worth your while” – BEASTIE BOYS 12 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

Robopop photo by Innerstyle

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BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 13

The Music Network

themusicnetwork.com

Industry Music News with Christie Eliezer

THINGS WE HEAR * Just as well that Chris Brown cancelled his Perth show due to illness. Tix were selling so poorly that promoters were offering a three-for-one deal. * Lady Gaga will be here for a lengthy three-month tour a la Pink, her manager told The Music Network. * Will we see the Fleet Foxes here by the end of the year? * Kylie Minogue has hired a scriptwriter to write a musical based around her hits, to debut in London next year. * Visiting Canadian punk-rockers Propagandhi warn that their stand on civil, gay and animal rights has led Australian neo-Nazis to take to the nationalist website Stormfront, to organise anti-Propagandhi rallies to disrupt their shows. * Deadmau5 got smacked in the head by a Brisbane DJ, after he allegedly described his choice of music at the

“BIG FOUR” FOR OZ? Will the Big Four tour - Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax - make it to Australia?

The four bands are keen to do a world tour, and Australian metal fans are eager for it.

Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson told Artisan News Service, “We’ve got South America screaming at us and Australia and fans all around the world saying, ‘Please come to our country.’ So I think we have a lot of territory in front of us. Hopefully, it’ll just carry on and the goodwill will continue.” Anthrax’s Scott Ian added that they were battling logistics and schedules, but believed the extended dates could happen, “because we all want to do it.”

SONGS FOR JAPAN RAISES $5 MILLION… The global music industry’s two-CD Songs For Japan raised US$5 million after selling 500,000 copies in its first month in digital and physical form. The money is for the Japanese Red Cross Society for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief. The initiative of Universal’s Max Hole and Sony’s Rob Stringer, the CD includes 38 tracks from 30 acts, from names like John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Chili Peppers, Bruno Mars, Pink and The Black Eyed Peas.

…FOO FIGHTERS RAISE $1 MILLION… The Foo Fighters’ two awesome charity shows raised a total of $1 million, Frontier Touring announced. The Auckland show raised NZ$354,903 for the NZ Government Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, while in Australia their Brisbane charity concert raised A$770,717 for the Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal. Full audits are posted on www.frontiertouring.com. The Frontier Touring Company’s Michael Gudinski said, “The overwhelming success of the concerts and the more than AUD$1 million raised across the two countries shows how much the Foos care for the people of Australia and New Zealand, and they

FAKER’S BACK LOT Creamfields afterparty as “fucking Godawful”. * Five Star Prison Cell have split. * A second Aussie album hit #1 on the iTunes Metal Chart in as many weeks. After five hours, Segression’s Never Dead went to #1, as well as #30 on the rock chart. * In America, Ticketmaster teamed up with the National Federation of the Blind to use screen access technology to make its website fully accessible to blind consumers. This includes developing a program to convert website text into synthesised speech or Braille. * The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas admits he has delayed writing sessions for the follow-up to their new album Angles.

The problem, he says, is that guitarist Nick Valensi - who was pushing for the new sessions - had tried to use songs that the Strokes wrote and arranged for his own solo album.

displayed this by staging two of the more memorable rock shows in recent times.”

…AND AUSSIES ANNOUNCE SOUNDCRANE Soundcrane is a compilation of Australian artists’ cover versions of famous or remarkable Japanese music, to raise funds for the disaster relief effort in Northern Japan. The 19 acts include The Boat People, Lawrence English, McKisko, Robert Davidson (of Topology), The Rational Academy and Edward Guglielmino. They do covers of music

by Tenniscoats, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Supercar, and themes such as Astroboy, Spirited Away, and Final Fantasy VII.

BONDI WAVE MUSIC INDUSTRY CONFERENCE The free Bondi Wave Music Industry conference is held on Friday May 20 at the High Tide Room, Bondi Pavilion. Convened

by Lindy Morrison, it provides a complete overview of the different sectors of the music industry for those wanting to enter it.

Speakers are FBi music director Dan Zilber (10am), Kobalt Publshing Australia’s Simon Moor (10.30am), 3D editor Kris Swales (11am), Warner Music Australia president and CEO Tony Harlow (11:30am), Modular CEO Steve Pavlovic (12pm), Elefant Traks’ Tim Levinson aka Urthboy (1:30pm), Parallel Management director Will LarnachJones (2pm), Love Police managing director Brian Taranto (2:30pm) and Resist Records’ managing director Graham Nixon (3pm).

SPLENDOUR TIX TROUBLES No instant sell-out for Splendour In The Grass as in past years. Moshtix struggled with heavy traffic as tens of thousands hit the site, causing lengthy delays. At the same time, a computer meltdown affecting Westpac and St George banks meant their customers couldn’t use their credit cards to pay for the tickets. It didn’t help that Moshtix was using Westpac to process payments, and had to make a quick switcheroo!

While Sydney band Faker work on their next album, the band is also uncovering its past.

Demos, b-sides and unreleased songs cut in bedrooms have been placed in an area called ‘The Back Lot’. Fans can go to www. faker.com.au and stream or download a new track every three days for the next two weeks. Each comes with a blog post from the band.

RADIO AND LABELS HEAD TO COURT Record labels and commercial radio go to the High Court on May 10, over a 1% cap imposed by the Commonwealth Government in 1968. The cap means radio does not have to pay more than 1% of its annual revenues to labels in royalties. Labels say that the figure is 4% in Europe - but radio squeaks they’ll go broke if they match that.

SONY REGAINS LEAD IN THE US Sony Music has overtaken Universal Music as the biggest record company in the US, for the first time in 2005. Its market share is 29.35%, compared to Universal’s 29.26%.

But Universal’s digital share is 32.4%, compared to Sony’s 26.7%.

UNEARTHED HIGH RETURNS triple j is inviting songwriters, bands, producers and MCs in high schools for the fourth Unearthed High. The winner gets a track recorded at triple j and played on radio. triple j will also put on a lunchtime gig at the winners’ school, where the winning band will play alongside The Living End. Last year’s winner Stonefield are playing the UK’s Glastonbury festival after being spotted at an Unearthed showcase.

VIDEO CONFERENCE CLASS: THE RIGHT SOUND AND LOOK FOR AMERICA The Australian Music Office in Los Angeles holds a live video conference masterclass on Tuesday May 24. It looks at audio and video recording trends and tips on what labels, radio and film/TV in the US are looking for in your recording, how your video content can stand out on YouTube and other social media, and how to make your own video for cheaper.

The panel includes producer, engineer and mixer Mark Needham, video maker Mark Schrobilgen and Austrade LA’s Peter Cohen. The session costs $55, and runs from 11am to 1pm. Register at www. austrade.gov.au/AMOMasterclass (register under your home state.)

MUSIC STOPS AT EXCELSIOR Venue owner Justin Hemmes has turned the live music off at The Excelsior - the band room will become a Mexican restaurant. He’ll turn it on at another of his venues in July though, at the 600-capacity Beresford, after they install a new sound system.

MUSHROOM SIGNS JEZABELS Mushroom Music Publishing has added The Jezabels to its roster. The band is currently recording its debut album.

Lifelines Ill: Jenny Conlee, accordion and keyboardist of The Decemberists, diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ill: US gangsta rapper Bo$$, 42, needs a kidney transplant.

She suffers from renal disease, which prevents her kidneys from properly processing toxins and waste from blood. Her Born Gangstaz album (1993) yielded two #1s in the US. Sued: Beyonce for US$100 million, by video gamemaker Gate Five LLC, after she bailed out on creating a “motion-sensing dance video,” leading to its closure.

In Court: The Michael Jackson manslaughter trial has been delayed til September.

Died: Dan Stokke, keyboardist with Norwegian metal band TNT, 44, cancer.

Died: Jim Dickson, producer and ex-manager of The Byrds, at 80.

He found the demo of Dylan’s ‘Tambourine Man’ and turned it into a hit for The Byrds. He also produced for The Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons.

WANNA PLAY BIG SOUND? Brisbane’s Big Sound has opened artist showcase applications. Last year’s showcases all sold out, with six stages and 4000 attendees over two nights. Deadline is Monday May 16 - see the event’s website.

FACEBOOK EARNS $2 BILLION Facebook is growing so fast it’s exceeded expectations forecast a few months ago.

The Wall Street Journal now reckons it will earn over $2 billion this year.

RYDE’S 2RRR STATION OFFERS RADIO COURSE 2RRR’s next training course starts on May 30 for would-be community radio broadcasters. The eight week course (held in the evenings) sees radio executive Steve Ahern go through announcing and presentation, studio operation, production and interviewing. For full details, email office@2rrr.org.au; application forms are available at www.2rrr.org.au

CHANNEL [V] INTRODUCES VIDEO CHART Channel [V] has introduced a self-styled “first official” music video chart in Australia.

It looks at the hottest Top 40 videos from around the globe. The ad-free chart countdown premiered on the network last Saturday from 8 - 10:30am.

“Got six troubles on my back like six little milk teeth, all gone bad”- THE KILLS 14 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 15

HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY

The Great Escapade By Jonno Seidler

I

t might be time to institute a stamped coffee-card system for Brisbane quintet Hungry Kids Of Hungary. They’ve lapped the country so many times in the past year that they’re starting to recognise the regulars. “Melbourne, Adelaide - all of the capital cities, really.

We’ve been there so many times that we sort of get to know people who come to the shows,” says the band’s frontman, the humble Dean McGrath. “Naturally from seeing them all the time, there are people in places like Sydney who’ve almost become mates,” he says. “You know their names, you say hello; it’s cool in that way.”

“In terms of the lineup, from start to finish, we’ve really nailed it.

These bands have just been blowing our minds every show.”

Having just finished the first leg of their month-long, chock-a-block ‘The Final Escapade’ tour, McGrath is at home stretching his legs before heading back out on the road. Following last year’s album launch tour, this will be the Kids’ last jaunt around the Australian coastline with the Escapades LP before they hunker down to work on some new tunes. And for ‘The Final Escapade’, Hungry Kids are doing things a little differently.

“We’ve been doing the plane thing for ages, it’s usually our norm. But for this tour we’ve got this massive 12-seater rock van with the TV and the curtains and the whole bit - we thought we’d try that so we could take our own backline with us this time.”

For a band who spend as much time on stage as these guys, they’ve come to know what they want from their live performance, and they’re not apologetic about it. “We wanted to be a little more meticulous in the sound aspect of things; [we wanted to use] our own amps, our drum kit,” explains Dean. “And there’s also the lure of doing something a little bit different.

Planes may be a quicker journey, but it’s not necessarily the less stressful or the easier way. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re kind of sick of airports - so the prospect of the drive seemed pretty appealing.”

That is, until someone had to do all the driving… With five players in the Hungry Kids Love Bus the work should be split relatively easily, but McGrath concedes that their tour manager ends up with a lot of the longer stints. “And Ben [Dalton], our bass player, is always amazing with it too. He’s the guy who consistently puts his hand up and gets behind the wheel for longer stretches.” The shows are so stacked that when Hungry Kids aren’t cruising down some highway, they’re on stage: the initial leg they’ve just returned from saw them play Wagga Wagga, Ballarat, Adelaide and Melbourne over four consecutive nights.

So it’s a good thing they’ve brought along such great company. With Perth band The Chemist, Daniel Lee Kendall and long-time buddy Andy Bull in support, the Hungry Kids’ live show is starting to look a bit like a mini-festival. “In terms of the lineup, from start to finish, we’ve really nailed it. These bands have just been blowing our minds every show. It’s more enjoyable for us; we get to enjoy the acts who are on before us, rather than, you know, sitting at the bar and waiting for our turn to play,” says McGrath.

The acts join Deep Sea Arcade, The Holidays, Ball Park Music and Boy & Bear in what must now be the ultimate support gig for any local outfit worth their salt - but Dean’s just happy to have them there. “We’ve had amazing support bands in the past, and we’ve been incredibly lucky to have this calibre of acts on board. When Boy & Bear

came on tour with us we were just like ‘Yep, we want them’ - and we were lucky enough that they were available.” Aren’t they playing Lollapalooza this year? “Yeah, they’ve totally eclipsed us now!”

Hungry Kids Of Hungary don’t just haul their friends on the road with them – they record with them, too.

While on tour with the band, Andy Bull will be touting his latest single, ‘Last Waltz’, which just so happens to feature his gracious hosts… “We did that track with him on his last EP and we’ve always wanted to get him on a tour, but it’s been a matter of getting him at the right time,” says McGrath. “Of course it gives us a really good opportunity to do that [track] with him live, and it’s been getting such an amazing response.”

The underfed European children have been getting enthusiastic responses across the pond, too, where they recently completed a USA tour that was comprehensive enough to include both the South by Southwest Music Conference and Canadian Music Week. “Everything went really well, it was all massive fun,” says Dean. “You sort of have that picture in your mind of what stuff like SxSW is going to be like, and then you get over there and it’s even bigger. It’s nuts.” Similarly nuts is how popular their music is on television: they’ve had ‘Scattered Diamonds’ featured on Grey’s Anatomy, and even been on the soundtrack of that, errr, prestigious documentary series, Cougar Town…

“We’re probably at the stage now

where we can be a little more selective,” McGrath laughs. “There’s things that we’d never have said yes to…” Damn - looks like the producers of The Enforcers will have to find other music to dramatise the issuing of parking tickets...

No fines for Hungry Kids, though: they never stop in one place long enough. They’ve even been writing some new tunes on the road. “At this stage there’s about ten or eleven of them,” says Dean. “Once this tour’s over and we have a bit of time, we’ll try and book some studio time and at the very least knock out a few songs and a single.” Attendees of ‘The Final Escapade’ will get the chance to hear some of these new gems in their prime. “We’re roadtesting a few of them,” McGrath says. “It’s nice to get up there and bang out some songs people haven’t heard before, songs that we haven’t been playing for ages.” Maybe hearing brand-new stuff equals two stamps on your Hungry Kids Card?

They’re a much better buzz than coffee, anyway.

What: Escapades is out on EMI With: The Chemist, Daniel Lee Kendall and Andy Bull Where: The Metro Theatre When: Saturday May 21, all ages More: Also playing at Splendour In The Grass from July 29 – 31 at Woodfordia, Queensland, with Coldplay, Pulp, Kanye West, The Hives and loads more.

“Kiss all your fingers. What’s that for? You’ll never get to heaven with your shirt all tore” - THE KILLS 16 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

Snowman The Parting Gift By Luke Telford

J

oe McKee sounds further away than London.

The connection bearing his voice aloft is brittle and changeable, and much of what he’s trying to impart folds itself quietly into the digital ether. It’s apt, really.

For ten years, McKee has been a member of Perth band Snowman, who trade in the knotty collision between surf rock, tribal pop and abrasive noise. While the band’s music has been difficult to listen to at times, it has almost certainly been infinitely more challenging to make - especially following their 2008 relocation to London, after the release of their acclaimed second album, The Horse, The Rat And The Swan. Three years on and the group has decided to go their separate ways. “It affects the way you live your life,” McKee explains, of the move abroad. “Our working relationship hadn’t changed drastically, but everything around us changed, quite literally and in a pretty significant way. That affects what you do creatively to no end. It puts a strain on the relationship when you’re living out of each other’s pockets… I suppose when you’ve been working beside three people for a long period of time there are restrictions to the things you can create together.

You write in a certain way, and it might not be a way you want to write forever.”

travelling and moving; transience is what we wanted to capture.”

The record is at once a departure from the past and a superbly executed progression - which is sadly ironic for a band that no longer exists. It’s also a much softer record than fans might be accustomed to. “After The Horse, The Rat And The Swan, which is a challenging listen for 99.9% of the population, I wanted to make something that left on a cathartic note. I wanted it to be a human thing. I didn’t want to mar people with chaos,” he explains. “All of my favourite music is something that makes me feel good, not bad, and I think that was the key: to create something that captures that emotion which cant be written down or can’t be spoken.

“The intangible nature lends itself to distance, I suppose,” he continues. “But it’s not us trying to be distant from the listener. Quite the opposite. I think this album is far more seductive and giving than anything else we’ve done.”

What: Absence is out now on Dot Dash, through Remote Control Records.

Thankfully, the band are leaving us with their third and arguably best album, Absence. It’s a billowing, inviting spectre of a record, one which references and absolves the band of the looming menace that pervaded their past work.

Although McKee is reticent to acknowledge any overarching theme, there’s an almost palpable sense of purpose threading the album’s individual pieces together. “We were basically trying to capture an unnamable emotion that we were all going through at the time, that was all tinged with dislocation or displacement,” he says. “In order to do that, we wrapped everything up in this loose metaphor for communicating with someone who’s passed away; this idea that you’re communicating with memory rather than a real, tangible thing.”

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“I wanted to make something that left on a cathartic note. I think this album is far more seductive and giving than anything else we’ve done.”

The idea of turning to a false memory for solace in nostalgia is a sublimely powerful device. It lends itself as much to wistful scenes of modern homesickness – fueled by images of ghostly figures on the other side of a Skype window – as to the early signs of madness; a disturbed soul beginning to answer the voices inside their head. But actually translating that into sound is a tall order; there’s only so much metaphoric intangibility a piece of pop music can withhold before it stops being a song. “When I’m making an album, I’m trying to not really write a song, but create something that’s textural, something that’s lyrical… which we achieved in this instance,” says McKee. “I build a kind of realm or barrier to write within. I had a collection of postcards, and this theme that ran through them … it was the absence of something, this loss or removal of the focal point.” Compelled by the collection, McKee and his bandmates set out to capture its effect in song. “That’s where the notes and the textures and chord progressions were born from - gazing into these photographs for hours and getting lost in that.” To conjure this effect musically, the band employed the immense reverbs to dull the attack of individual instruments, lulling them into dense, immersive textures. “It needed to be dreamlike in nature, and it needed to be constantly moving,” he explains. “I didn’t want it to have a structure, a physicality… I wanted it to be cloudy, or for it to be transient. I wanted it to be constantly swirling.”

The thing that keeps Absence from disappearing into utterly intangible loftiness is the group’s signature bone-snap percussion - although that too has been meddled with. On ‘Snakes & Ladders’ for instance, the drums resolutely refuse to settle on a starting point for each bar, demanding that listeners wander, lost, through winding rhythmic tangents. “The idea of dislocation and being removed from your comfort and from your home is what we’re trying to get out there… I think that spiralling-out-of-control in ‘Snakes & Ladders’ is definitely what we were trying to get across,” says McKee. “The whole intangible nature of the album - these clouds of chords, as opposed to jagged edges that you can latch onto - is because of this transient state that we were in. Constantly

WEDNESDAY JULY 27TH

AUSTRALIA 2011

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BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 17

Megastick Fanfare A Series Of Unfortunate Events By Dan Patrick

S

ometimes a sense of flickering renewal can spark up from the end of an era. For Sydney’s Megastick Fanfare, their Grit Aglow debut might just be a proverbial phoenix born of its own fire and ash, after being recorded almost into the ground over a marathon two-year session marked by setbacks and second guesses.

The band began with modest intentions: to casually knock out the Grit Aglow tracks between April and June... of 2009. But ‘casual’ unwittingly collided with ‘causal’, as misadventure after misadventure kicked the band down a rabbit hole that finally spat them out in late 2010 with a debut triumphantly in hand. “We gave ourselves a couple of months, and a series of unfortunate events extended those months to years,” recalls Danny Keig, one of Megastick’s everything-men.

The band is sitting at a booth in Moore Park’s Fox & Lion Bar, and Keig is torn between disbelief and utter amusement at his band’s recording exploits. “We were recording it at (drummer Adam) Zwi’s house when his family was away, but when they came back we hadn’t finished. We decided to relocate to a proper studio, and that was the probably the worst decision in the making of the album...”

Keig’s noisemaking foil Adam Connelly is just as bemused - but this is a band who clearly see humour in the predicament now behind them. “Further unfortunate circumstances led us to being evicted from that place. And then there was the swine flu epidemic - Zwi got it, a further hindrance,” Connelly adds. “And before that, our manager - who was the only person that was associated with our band who had a clue; the only one who was pushing the process in a proper way - moved to Mongolia.”

While the band’s quiet, bass-playing member Shaun “Stonecrusher” Grevler sits beside me pondering the logistical nightmare of Mongolian relocation, I ask Danny and Adam if the writing process was equally tumultuous. Fortunately for Megastick, that part of the equation tends to be an easy, natural by-product of their praised onstage musings. “When we were writing the album there was no hindrance at all. We would just write a Fanfare for the next show, and then we’d have a song accidentally.”

For the uninitiated: the extravaganza of knobtweaking-versus-keyboard-mashery of a Megastick show will customarily open with a “Fanfare” - a completely new piece of music that “starts off as the idea of doing something that won’t be played again”. But as Connelly explains, these spontaneous explorations not only flexed the band’s creative muscles, but also provided Grit Aglow with some of its technicolour bulk.

“We found that we just liked that type of writing,” he says. “A lot of the songs on the album started as Fanfares and then we adapted them. It’s often something that won’t be played in that form again, but these days we take what’s good and what we like about that process and make a song out of it.”

“Putting the songs in a format where people can actually hear them is like an entirely different medium for us.

It’s crazy.”

While the now FBi-certified Grit Aglow is already a contender for the most dynamic and multidimensional record to emerge from Sydney this year, there are clear pop sensibilities that lie beneath its eccentricities. Sure it’s a less conventional beast, with the hooks often obscured by a veil of delay-induced reverb - but according to Connelly, accessibility depends on who’s listening. “I feel like when we were writing, we were writing pop music. I’m sure most bands experience some form of this, depending on the context of what your influences are and what you consider ‘music’... Everyone’s ears are different.” Keig agrees, describing one of the more charming characteristics of the release: “It will probably sound like a pop album on first listen, but once you give it a few listens you might notice something else about it...”

That “something else” may well be buried in the treasure trove of manipulated sounds that dart in and out from behind walls of percussion, a sonic egalitarianism that was learnt as the album came together. “We’ve always considered our music as a focus on texture,” says Connelly. “We realised that although our music was very layered and dense, we needed to find a way to balance our songwriting in terms of frequencies.” The greatest lesson of the entire exercise, he says, was “to do things more immediately ... to not put off decision-making.”

Megastick Fanfare are the first to admit that there were idle months; Danny’s “overseas research trips” and other distractions threatened to strip Grit Aglow of its wide-eyed, in-the-moment grandeur. But now that the notes on that era have finally been put to bed, the band are genuinely awed by how revitalised their songs seem on the finished product. “It’s like hearing the songs in a completely different way,” says a surprised Connelly, of the album. “Putting them in a format where people can actually hear them is like an entirely different medium for us. It’s crazy.”

Keig is just as chuffed that his songs have been given a completely new and independent lease on life. “It was just so frustrating before, listening to a song and knowing that it’s not going to be out for months and months,” he says. “Now we listen to it and it’s like, ‘This exists in the world.’

And it’s nice.”

What: Grit Aglow is out now on Other Tongues With: The Parking Lot Experiments, Sealion Where: Radiant presents FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel When: Thursday May 26 18 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

Joan As Policewoman Out Of Left Field By Liam Pieper

J

oan Wasser’s rise as a solo artist has taken a circuitous, sometimes faltering and sometimes tragic route. From her classical music beginnings, through her stints in the NYC indie scene; from her doomed relationship with Jeff Buckley, to her time playing in Antony and the Johnsons. The Deep Field is her fourth album released under her solo project, and it takes the various threads of Joan’s considerable musical education and life experience, and nails them to a wonderful collection of songs.

The record is at once deeply personal and surprisingly universal; idiosyncratic but highly relatable. “I named it after an area of outer space,” Joan explains. “The Deep Field is one of the furthest spaces they can see with the Hubble Telescope, and it helped scientists figure out that other galaxies - the universe - is more uniform than they thought; that things that occur in our galaxy occur again and again. That’s what this record is about, in a way. I’ve written about stuff that happens to me, but is typical of the human experience. Everyone goes through shit. Sometimes that shit is typical of the human experience.”

To lay down the album, Joan entered Trout Studio in Brooklyn with long-time collaborator and producer Bryce Goggin, bringing in a revolving cast of friends and musicians to flesh out the sound. “Living in this city is the most inspirational thing. A lot that moves me happens in everyday life. I live in NYC and am constantly blown away that people of all different kinds and races and opinions can live together in one city and generally get along. If you read the papers you would think that’s not the case, but here in NYC that is the case. If you keep your eyes open, you see amazing things every day.” It’s this type of city life that inspires much of her songwriting. “I’m fascinated by people; I talk to people all the time that I don’t know. I think that people are really very beautiful, actually. That may come as a shock if you listen to some of my old songs, but there you go,” she laughs.

saving her life, giving her the confidence she needed to sing again. “The violin had been my voice for ages,” she explains. “You have to learn [singing] for yourself. You can’t be there until you’re there”.

After recording with Antony she toured with Rufus Wainwright, before finally setting out on her own ‘Joan As Policewoman’ project. Two albums of original songs and a covers record later, she has fully come into her own with The Deep Field, with its smooth synthesis of all the elements that have defined her so far; from the desolation of losing Buckley to the brittle hope of Antony’s music. The record marries gently optimistic lyrics to balls-out soul riffs swimming in gorgeous dense harmonies, that throw the full weight of a classical education behind the hook.

“My whole life I’ve been trying to tie together all these different sounds,” she admits. “I’m really happy with how it went on this album.”

What: The Deep Field is out now through Liberation Where: The Enmore Theatre When: Thursday June 9

“I’m fascinated by people. I think that people are really very beautiful, actually. That may come as a shock if you listen to some of my old songs, but there you go.”

The Deep Field is a wildly eclectic record, fusing slow and funky soul with an art music sound reminiscent of Antony and the Johnsons. The album is playful, brave, and both sweet and dark at the same time; instantly recognisable as JAPW songs, although considerably enhanced by the musicality of her shifting bandmates. “I finish the songs completely at home and get them demo’d before I go into the studio. If the song is not done, I won’t feel right about it,” she says. “Then I get in there and invite my favourite musicians to join me… I don’t send them any music beforehand, so that I can bounce off their intuition. Some of the best ideas come out of imperfect takes.”

Joan was trained as a classical violinist before she got into rock music, playing in a handful of bands around NYC with an aggressive style that made her a favourite on the indie scene. It was during this time that she started studying at the conservatory. “I was really shocked, because all my life I’d gotten by not doing very much; going to punk rock clubs, playing that kind of music,” she says. “[But] I got to the conservatory and all the people there had started playing at three years old, and practiced for many hours a day. I had to rethink what I was doing…. The thing that I learnt, simplified, was that if you practice, you get better.

It sounds so simple, but it’s a great lesson.”

It was only after the tragic death of her partner, the late musical legend Jeff Buckley, that she started singing. It was a way for her to cope with her grief. Joan found herself fronting Black Beetle, a group cobbled together from the remaining members of Buckley’s old band; her first attempt at writing for and fronting a band. They finished one record, which was never released, and broke up in 2002.

Although Black Beetle weren’t the success she hoped for, Joan’s vocals attracted the attention of Anthony Hegarty, who asked her to join Antony and the Johnsons and record on the Mercury Award-winning record I Am A Bird Now. She credits the nurturing environment of that band, and Hegarty’s gentle encouragement (she describes him as her “spiritual guide”), with BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 19

Beastie Boys Make Some Noise. Again. By Matt Roden

“T

he title, we can’t actually tell you what it means. It is code for several different operative manoeuvres that we’re encountering at this particular time. All we can say at this particular time is that it’s hot and it is all encompassing.”

Oh - Beastie Boys back. New album Hot Sauce Committee Part II dropped on April 29. What did you want to know? Jam slamming, street-stalking single? Check. Avant-garde video accompaniment?

Check. Nonsensical quote-filled press packs? See the comment from Ad Rock above… It’s the first Beastie Boys rap release in seven years with the same old gimmicks. So can we please stop taking them for granted now?

When the Beasties broke in 1986 it was with a whole new archetype: the kid brother who stole his sibling’s beers and smokes and headed out on the town. It’s no coincidence that MCA was dating Molly Ringwald - these guys were as fauxbratty as a pack could get, their antics playing like Ferris Beuller’s Day Of Burning Out. And 25 years since Licence To Ill introduced them to the world, it’s as good a time as ever to rethink the Beasties’ legacy.

Whether it’s the 25th anniversary or Ad Rock’s battle with throat cancer that’s made the Boys reflective, this new album reeks of nostalgia. “It was written as a prequel to Licensed To Ill,” explains MCA. “What is it all about? It’s like a rollercoaster ride. When you just get to the top and you about to drop off and boom! The person in the front row throws up, the throw up flies onto the people in the back. We’re sort of like guys in the front that are throwing up, and the people who are listening to us are like the people riding in the back.” Of course. It’s not like the Beastie Boys ever lost their delinquency, despite protests from the greying members. “I’m a grown-up,” declares MCA. “Look, I’m wearing a tie and a blazer and everything. I’m like set, I’m all adulted up.”

Hot Sauce is an album of old school released by a bunch of gracefully-aging whip-smart knuckleheads. With one foot in the Bronx and the other in the Borscht Belt, they’re back on old turf after years of polishing their shtick. Have a listen to the new old simple back-and-forths, the duck-call synth squawks and vaudeville honked melodies.

There are the novelty songs, the self-hype, the cheap gags, the braggadocio. The Beastie Boys are rewriting their own history. “It’s set in 1985, 1986 - it’s a period piece. A missing link,” MCA continues. “Like if you’re an archaeologist or an anthropologist and you’re searching for the link between apes and humans and you couldn’t find that skull - maybe it didn’t exist and then you just wanted to make it and show it to people and be like, ‘Yo, this is the skull that proves the whole thing that I was talking about before.’”

“It’s like a rollercoaster ride. The person in the front row throws up, the throw up flies onto the people in the back...”

The album sounds rushed in the best sense.

It captures the nonchalance of their youthful recordings and punk rock roots; that unescapable feeling that while you’re picking away at each audible layer, the band has just laid this shit down between whippit hits and tag runs. “We wanted to keep it raw, which is a bit of work these days, because a lot of the machinery tends to be too clean,” MCA says. Soaked in heavy echoes and borderline-amateur sound play, you can hear that quality the whole way through. Album highlight ‘Nonstop Disco Pack’ shakes and reverbs like it was taped on some non-stop subway journey - NYC has always played a part in their sound, but this time the very pipes and stairwells bash around through the album like it was unavoidable.

“I think we actually kind of moved somewhat on this record to find noises that really set a certain tone - noises that you could probably never convert into sheet music,” says Mike D. “Like in the song ‘Say It’ - it might be like a guitar feedback that’s looped and it’s building, it serves to build a certain tension, it actually makes your body feel a certain way, as much if not more than notated music ever could.”

None of which hits the heavy rotation auto-tunechorus, after-school-brass-band or African-drumsample buttons that we’re hearing in other notable recent hip hop releases. “I think that we’re kind of making our own thing and I think that’s kind of how we continue this band, to not follow what trends are happening. We make our own trends, for just the three of us… We’re kind of like Philippe Petit,” explains Ad Rock. Comparing themselves to an indecipherable tightrope artist is about right.

Precariously walking the fine line between cutting edge and oldies act, serious musicians and prankrappers, it’s a thrill to see the Boys wobbling along the path, delivering on what they’ve promised from their earliest releases.

And so: polite applause, stifled chuckles and unconscious head-bobbing as the Beasties serve up this dish again. As the willing and eager celebrity cameos attest in their latest video outing (check out YouTube for the full 29 minutes), The Beastie Boys are a pop-culture institution, whether they intend it or not. “I don’t think that we do. You can’t avoid it, culture is there, it’s out there. We don’t stay outside of culture, we’re in culture. We have videos on MTV and downloadable stuff. We certainly watch TV. I eat Haagen-Dazs Ice cream. I like most of the Haagen-Dazs flavours, I really do.

They make a great vanilla, obviously.”

The Beastie Boys may seem as sweet and ubiquitous as that standby dessert, but even this far on they’re more like some ungodly concoction of pop-rocks and bourbon than straight-up vanilla.

Make some noise.

What: Hot Sauce Committee Part II is out now on EMI 20 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

“...punk rock R&B – more evocative than ever.”

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Ponytail Whatever They Want By Benjamin Cooper time, and Seeno was focused on continuing his electronic forays. Australian audiences may have seen Hyman last October as a visiting drummer with Japanese act Boredoms’ national tour, and Siegel needed to do her own thing for a while. Yet six months later the band announced they were going to release a new album, Do Whatever You Want All The Time – but with no intention to tour. That was a particular shame; the last time I saw Ponytail live they were at Purple Sneakers, inflicting awesome blasts of noise at bewildered teens. “Oh shit man, I remember that!” he laughs. “That was a weird gig.” When asked if the vibeless room and passive audience made the show less than ideal, Seeno replies, “It didn’t matter. We just shredded straight through them anyway.”

“I

need a lemon. Why can’t I find a lemon?

Anywhere?” When I speak to him, Ken Seeno is making a delicious dinner, but the recipe won’t work sans citrus. I cheekily observe that, were he in Australia, it would be possible to simply extend forth a limb from any window to retrieve the required fruit – and receive the deserved reply: “Shut up, man.”

There’s a degree of nerves involved in interviewing a musician whose work you admire.

Seeno is one of two guitarists from Baltimore noise-thrash-pop/fun-time band Ponytail. Dustin Wong, a successful solo artist in his own right, sets the other strings while Jeremy Hyman accounts for the percussive maelstrom up back.

Kicking ass at front and centre is a short-shortsclad Molly Siegel; the girl screams and giggles for blood and/or candy. It’s hard to tell which she doesn’t use words so much as join the aural assault with deadly vocal lasers.

The instruments which achieve the shred - two guitars, no bass - are a defining aspect of the band’s sound. But following the release of Ice Cream Spiritual, Seeno was quoted as saying that he thought the next Ponytail release would be more expansive than prior work. “We wanted to expand the tone and the colour, and now we’ve got the tools to have done it,” he clarifies. Not different; just bigger. Moving from a background in jazz to a pretty “heavy” fixation with artists like Aphex Twin, Seeno acknowledges that these days, the whole band listen to more electronic music. A large amount of the drum work on the new album, for instance,

Early last August, Wong announced that the band were all “going off about their own endeavours.” They had thus far released the seriously strange and brief Kamehameha (2006), followed by the equally odd (but more sustained) Ice Cream Spiritual in 2008. And then suddenly, they were breaking up. At the time, a number of legitimate reasons were provided: Wong had been occupied with his own solo work for some

Joris Voorn

involves samples and programmed beats, which Hyman started to experiment with following his involvement with Boredoms.

One of the lead singles from the album, ‘Honey Touches’, possesses the trademark aggressive riffing, but then splits into differing time signatures throughout. I ask if that was part of the expansion, too, but am interjected “Can I use lemon juice? Is that just some kind of concentrate? Maybe I should just ask my neighbour for a tiny slice of lemon...” There’s a pause while the phone is put down and picked up again, before Seeno continues: “With the feel of the new songs - the guys from Yeasayer gave

me this synthesiser guitar, and it has been so awesome to play around on.”

With Seeno relocating to Los Angeles soon to work on music with other (secret) bands, and with no tour plans in sight, is there any possibility at all of an upcoming antipodean trip? “I love Australia, man, no question in my mind. I’d probably have to hop over to New Zealand too,” he says. “Right now though, man - I just really need to find a lemon.”

What: Do Whatever You Want All The Time is out now on Popfrenzy

Dave Graney A Grane Of Truth By Denis Semchenko

All Aboard By RK

S

aying that Dave Graney is one cool cat is stating the obvious; the razor-sharp lyricist has been that way ever since he first formed The Moodists in Melbourne back in 1980. Hipper than Darlinghurst and Fitzroy combined, never following any popular styles or trends and always pursuing his own creative muse, the ARIA winner (at the time you could win ARIAs for good music…) and King Of Pop (self-proclaimed at that memorable 1996 ceremony) keeps powering on, a singularly unique Australian rock entity.

T

here’s little in the way of introduction required: Joris Voorn is a guru of the electronic music scene, and has been for some time. But this past year has been especially busy for the Dutch DJ, too. “There’s always a lot happening, and a lot of touring,” he says. “There are a lot of big festivals happening in the summer, and then I’m also working on a lot of remixes. I did ‘The Secret’ which was really big - that was great, too.”

It’s a hectic schedule that doesn’t always give Voorn the time he wants to spend recording, but he makes it work. “It is hard sometimes, with all the touring,” he says. “But I did get a chance to spend some time in January recharging and having a bit of rest, before getting back into the studio. It’s a DJ’s life!”

Touring and recording aren’t the only things that are keeping him busy; Voorn has taken a step back to focus on improving and evolving his sound, too. “I’m slowing down a bit, because it does take a lot of time to get productions right,” he explains. “I’m trying to work on another album, and trying to step away from the standard techno and tech house music I’ve been doing over the last few years. It’s about focusing on the music and doing something different, and keeping myself inspired. That’s always the hard part.”

This focus on evolving his sound has been a point of conjecture around Voorn’s musical direction in recent times. “That’s one of the dynamics that you have when you’re a DJ and producer as well, especially when you start out with banging commercial hits. If you start underground, then more and more people start to like your music - and maybe your style becomes more accessible, as more people get to know you. Those people might include some of those who’ve followed you from the beginning, but then you also take on new fans. It’s a balance that happens

naturally. As an artist you push yourself and you have to change. If you stay the same you become irrelevant and become bored, as in my case. I never think about [staying] the same, [but] for some it’s essential, it’s a way of staying relevant.”

It’s not an easy reconciliation though; the challenge is to balance the sound that made your name in the past with the sound you want to take into the future. “The people who liked my music ten years ago, they might not be in the clubs right now,” he says.

“They might be those who loved techno and thought house was commercial… they might stand at the back of the room and be bored. There’s no easy way to make everyone happy, I guess. All I can do is make the music I enjoy, and hope that the people at the club appreciate it.”

Marking three decades of Graney’s artistic activity, this year sees the release of the ubergroovy Rock & Roll Is Where I Hide, a collection of re-recorded classics plus a new anthem, ‘We Don’t Belong To Anybody’. He’s releasing an accompanying bio book, too - the roadtripping, irreverent and above all savagely funny 1001 Australian Nights. As ever, the fiercely intelligent and verbose Dave is an absolute joy to interview.

“I’m very happy with the book,” he admits in his deep, droll voice. “I’ve sort of had an interesting perspective, even though I haven’t been a hugely commercially successful artist. The period I essentially invoke in music is post-punk. Coming from country South Australia, from a blue-collar background ... it was such a long period of myself and Clare Moore [wife/drummer/collaborator] working as artists. We had a stamina for that kind of thing, I thought; you have to measure your success yourself. The book also reflects on the period in my life before I got into music, and the second part is me writing about playing in different parts of Australia.”

Recorded with Moore as well as longtime sidekicks Stu Thomas (bass), Stuart Perera

(guitar) and Mark Fitzgibbon (keys), the tasty, guitar-dripping new record spans a variety of Coral Snakes and Lurid Yellow Mist chestnuts, acting like a mini-anthology of sorts. “We recorded it in three days and there’s not a single overdub - apart from maybe some backing vocals,” Dave attests. “It’s all in the way we play.

My favourite songs of mine off this record are ‘I’m Not Afraid To Be Heavy’ - I like the chords and ‘Night Of The Wolverine’. The original one I like too, but this [version] brings another drive to it ... I do like all my songs,” he laughs. “I like the re-recordings.”

I mention to Dave that the re-arrangement of ‘Three Dead Passengers In A Stolen Secondhand Ford’ lends it a completely new life on the record. “We’ve been playing that song in a different arrangement for a while, and I thought it would be interesting to have this... bossa nova kinda chording,” he responds. “I love to play it whenever we’re playing it like that and people often ask for it at gigs.”

Already a cult favourite among fans, the fantastic new track ‘We Don’t Belong To Anybody’ is a defiant lyrical and musical statement from Dave and co. “I wanted to have a bit of a band anthem to open our shows with,” he says. “It’s a story of our band and our attitude; I like the simple style. That we don’t belong to anybody is kinda sad,” he says, “but in other ways, it’s not sad.”

What: Rock’n Roll Is Where I Hide is out now on Liberation; 1001 Australian Nights is in bookshops Who: Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist Where: Notes Live, Newtown / Coogee Diggers, Coogee / Lizottes, Dee Why When: May 19 / May 21 / May 26

Voorn is coming to Sydney this weekend along with Edwin Oosterwal, his production partner and co-owner of the Green and Rejected record labels. They’re here for the the third instalment of Spice Afloat, a midnight harbour cruise put on by the party gods at Reckless Republic.

“As always, I’m really looking forward to doing the Australia tour. I did the Creamfields tour last year, which was a bit more mainstream [than this show will be]; as an artist you take people to a different place at a club compared to a festival. [At a club] you have the real attention of the people as well. I want to push the boundaries a little more this time,” he says.

“That’s what I’m looking forward to. Going a bit more melodic and deeper.”

What: Spice Afloat - Joris Voorn (NL), Edwin Oosterwal (NL), Murat Kilic, Nic Scali and more Where: The Bella Vista Cruiser / board at Star City Casino Wharf, Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont When: 23:30pm – 6am, Saturday May 14

“But make no mistakes and switch up my channel, I’m Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle” – BEASTIE BOYS 22 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

Wild Beasts Beautiful Brutes By Oliver Downes

W

hile originality in pop music is a rare and precious thing, the shock of the new has a tendency to repulse as many as it attracts. Back in 2008, Wild Beasts managed to blindside a UK scene grown comfortable with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Muse, and stretch the four-blokes-withguitars-drums-‘n-bass formula to an outer limit of theatrical faux-camp outrageousness. Their first record, Limbo Panto, split critics and audiences alike, thanks in no small part to Hayden Thorpe’s inimitable vocals, his soaring countertenor liable to swing from wanton caterwaul to velvet croon while never being anything less than hypnotic.

Chatting from his East London flat ahead of the release of the group’s third album, Smother, Thorpe looks back on their initial splash with pride, attributing its more bizarre aspects to youthful naivety and a long, cloistered gestation in their isolated, North England town of Kendal. “There’s a sort of purity to it, in that it was completely unknowingly Dada and avant-garde. We thought we were making pop music,” he muses. “For a long time we were more embarrassed by [the weirder elements], but then we began to realise that those were the things that set us apart.”

meant to. I just think that songs can reveal things that can’t be revealed in the everyday. I think that there’s a real thrill in revealing those things, those forces; exploring the line between what’s safe and what’s unsafe, what’s right to sing and what’s wrong to sing.” Although less overtly salacious than its predecessor, a sense of risk unavoidably percolates beneath the glisteningly seamless surface of Smother, the lyrics veering between uncomfortably intimate and outright lascivious. “These songs are love songs,” says Thorpe, “but that love is not the pumping, glamorous all-or-nothing thing that a lot of love songs try and make it seem. We try to be human about it: you can love and hate someone at the same time. It’s about the push and pull of power.

“It’s a complex thing to be a man. There’s that unresolved element of what is expected of a man, that blend of being a gentleman as well as being a brute, caring as well as protective – I think there’s a strange dynamic going on there.”

What: Smother is out now on Domino Where: Wild Beasts are playing Splendour In The Grass 2011

Peopled by blokes who are into their booze and footy, Limbo careered between the abject and the divine, its hapless characters slaves to raging libidos and desires that exceed the bounds of what society may deem acceptable or even want to know about - take ‘The Old Dog’ as case in point, a simmeringly lush ballad about casual sex amongst the over-65s. For their follow-up Two Dancers (2009, made “in the aftermath of our dreams with the first record collapsing”), the group reigned in Thorpe’s wilder vocal excesses, giving greater weight to the gruff, moderating baritone of bass player Tom Fleming, while incorporating more electronic textures to produce a sleeker, more sophisticated sound.

SECRET SERVICE & VILLAGE SOUNDS PRESENT

“It’s a complex thing to be a man – that blend of being a gentleman as well as being a brute.”

This direction has found its logical extension on Smother, the aching carnality of ‘Plaything’ or glowing surface of ‘Albatross’ being reached through a need to “create something of beauty”, as the band challenged themselves with unfamiliar equipment and software to achieve the shimmering textures of the finished songs. “When I pick up a guitar, I know what it’s going to do,” says Thorpe. “I think there’s something rather boring about that.

[But] use a sampler or software, and there’s an element of not knowing that I think is crucial for creating the atmosphere that we want to create ... You have to be excited about what you’re doing, and one of the ways of doing that is to sort of go into the dark and see what you pull out.

“One of our big realisations was that beauty demands imperfection and demands a crudeness and a brutality sometimes, twinned with a lushness, y’know? It’s like the Photoshop syndrome, where the face has a few blemishes on it, a few pockmarks, but [when] you clear that face up, it’s no longer human ... it’s just this generic face. There was a real sense of wanting to maintain those things that make it seem more vulnerable, show ourselves a bit more.”

Although the group was boosted by being signed to Domino early in their career, Thorpe is dubious about success within “the dirty machinery and filthy cogs that work behind the beautiful facade that is the music industry”. “I think we cannot be needy about what we do – it’s not a snatch and grab scenario,” he says.

“We’re not the product of hype or sensationalism.

Maybe that’s why it’s a slowly growing success; we’re aiming to make a long-range point, rather than make our point and disappear.”

As to what that point might be, try passing the steely-eyed social realism of, say, Mike Leigh, through an aesthetic sensibility more in keeping with Oscar Wilde or Rimbaud. There are few groups brave enough to have delved as deeply into the (sometimes intensely ugly) rents and fissures of male sexuality with such singleminded focus, nor with such exquisite musicality.

Take Fleming’s ‘All The King’s Men’ from Two Dancers for example, where any comforting old-world charm is undercut by savagely ironic lines like “you’re birthing machines / and let me show my darling what that means”.

“I think that the way society is set up, we can’t really fully explore real desire,” says Thorpe. “Society is set up to regulate and compartmentalise instinct.

That probably sounds really highbrow, but it’s not

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brushstrokes WITH EMBER

FLAME

I

so you could call me alternative. I’m inspired by lots of contemporary burlesque performers, and a friend also recently introduced me to Gypsy Rose Lee, a poet and burlesque performer from the 1930s. I love that she did witty and intellectual monologues while stripping.

t was only a matter of time until Messr.

Bublé took 34B Burlesque to smokey 1930s Berlin – the home of burlesque, the honorary fatherland of cabaret, and a site of the steaming artistic underground that had all of Europe talking. Hosted by Francois (or is it Franke?) Büble himself, 34B’s Weimar wonderland will rock to the beats of FBi’s Jack Shit, and swoon with the sultry moves of Kira Hula-la, Audrey L’Espionne, Briana Bluebell, Electrik Dreams, and Dizze Der Kazz. We caught up with rising burlesque star Ember Flame, who will be making her 34B debut at this special event…

What is your signature routine? And what will you be performing for 34B’s Berlin extravaganza?

My signature routine at the moment is the iBabe – the new generation of fembot. I’ll be bringing her out again for the NSW heat of Miss Burlesque Australia. I usually draw inspiration from contemporary issues, so it was interesting to travel back to 1930s Berlin for the upcoming 34B extravaganza. My show is about the struggle between our decadent pleasure-loving selves and the inner Gestapo figure that enforces order. I wonder who wins...

How did you come by your moniker?

Months of agonising brainstorming! Finally one of my best friends christened me. Ember Flame is about ‘becoming’ and quiet-hot potential; she’s the beginning and end all in one.

What is your background in performance?

I love dancing and did ballet and jazz when I was younger, but after high school my only outlet was writhing around on nightclub podiums. I also love writing and went back to uni to do a Masters, but working within such a formal, academic structure gave me a massive creative block. I’ve only started writing and performing poetry and feeling generally inspired again since discovering burlesque. It turned out that taking my clothes off onstage was my way out of my writer’s block.

How, when and why did you first get involved in burlesque?

In April 2010 I did a course called ‘Unleash Your Fire’ with an amazing American teacher and performer named Vixen Noir. It combined writing, dancing and self-discovery, and

culminated in a show at the Supper Club. I invited my Mum, sisters and friends along to watch me do this kind of earnest poem about my journey before stripping off. At that stage I didn’t know much about burlesque, so I started scoping out the Sydney scene and meeting other performers. I’ve been getting gigs since last October, and just love it - burlesque is so creative, liberating and fun.

Can you describe your particular brand of burlesque?

I fuse burlesque with poetry or spoken word,

Any costume tips for punters looking to head along?

Check out the opening scene from Cabaret for a Weimar-era look. Think ringlets, faded feather boas, heavy eye make-up and stockings that barely stay up. I think the guys were pretty sharp-suited in comparison. I’m not sure what kind of fashion you see at the modern underground art clubs of Mitte and Kreutzberg, but people could also find inspiration there.

What: 34B Burlesque: BERLIN! When: Saturday May 14, from 8.30pm Where: 34B – 44 Oxford St Darlinghurst More: Pre-sale tickets $20 (general admission) or $30 for a reserved table (min. three persons) through moshtix.com.au.

SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL

Sydney Writers’ Festival kicks off this coming Monday, with an impossible schedule of talks, panel discussions, live readings and workshops, that runs the gamut of May 16-22. On Wednesday May 18, The Chaser’s Empty Vessel will provide us with heated (and possible defamatory) afterdinner conversation. On Thursday May 19 we’re skipping out of work for a ‘lunchbreak’ and pitching our heartbreaking work of staggering genius at So You Think You Can Write: International Edition, followed by an hour listening to 25-yearold New York sensation Téa Obreht talk about her incredible life, and her best-selling debut novel, The Tiger’s Wife. Later that night, FBi Radio’s All The Best team will present a live episode of their show, on the subject of power-trips in Sydney throughout the ages. We’re closing our week on Friday May 20 with a double dose of Imperial Panda: Erotic Fan Fiction, followed by Ghost Stories, featuring Nick Coyle and Claudia O’Doherty. On Saturday evening, we’re down at the Sydney Dance Café for the launch of Penguin Plays Rough’s first anthology of short works – where five of the short pieces will be read aloud by their authors, and YOU (if you get there early and sign up) can read your fictional response to one of those stories…You can download the five stories from penguinplaysrough.com – and Sunday is the annual MCA Zine Fair! 11am-5pm, we’ll see you there, punks. www.swf.org.au

GREY by Shauna Greyerbiehl

AGNSW OPEN WEEKEND

HEAD ON PORTRAIT PRIZE: WINNERS & FINALISTS

The annual launch of Head On Photo Festival took place at the Australian Centre of Photography last week, with the announcement of the winners of the Head On Portrait Prize: Shauna Greyerbiehl’s unsettling portrait GREY (pictured above), Stephen Dupont’s innovatively-framed portrait Why Am I A Marine?, and James Brickwood’s striking portrait of Indigenous dancer Michael Leslie. The winner of this year's Critics Choice award is Melbourne-based documentary photographer Katrin Koenning, for her haunting portrait Sleeping Woman. To see the 40 Head On Portrait Prize finalists, head to the Australian Centre of Photography, from now until June 11. headon.com.au

PADDLE EMPORIUM: LO-FI

With Dr Pong closing its doors on April 30, LO-Fi Collective in Taylor Square have picked up the slack, with their new ping-pong weekly, Paddle Emporium. All you need is three friends, handeye coordination, and a sense of humour – LO-FI provide the rest: six ping-pong tables, and more balls than you can shake a bat at. It’s running every Friday night for the month of May, from 7pm until Midnight. facebook.com/PaddleEmporium 24 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

Sydney Film Festival launch their full program this Wednesday May 11 – and we’re not just talking the full line-up of Official Competition contenders and regular film screenings, we’re talking international guests and jury members (Miranda July please!). All we know right now is that master filmmaker Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) has been appointed President of the 2011 Official Competition Jury. WATCH THIS SPACE: sff.org.au

The Art Gallery of NSW is throwing its ‘doors’ open for May 21 & 22, with free entry to its new contemporary art floor, including the John Kaldor Family Gallery and the AGNSW’s first dedicated photography gallery. There’s also a silly amount of free talks, tours, screenings, workshops and performances – including an artist talk by avantgarde trailblazer Tracey Moffatt, screenings of Mary Harron’s I Shot Andy Warhol and Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat, and a rare ‘Bodyweather’style dance performance by Tess de Quincey and sound artist Jim Denley. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

DUNGOG FILM FESTIVAL

Dungog Film Festival launched its 2011 program last week, defying the laws of physics with a line-up of 194 films screening from May 26-29 – including 10 world premieres. Amongst this year’s highlights, we’ve got our eye on the Opening Night Gala screening of Oranges & Sunshine, starring Hugo Weaving and Emily Watson, and indie comedy Frank and Jerry, about a homeless windscreen-washer who unexpectedly lands a job as a film producer. There are also masterclasses on offer, including acclaimed Australian playwright and screenwriter David Williamson, and Golden Globe-winning composer Lisa Gerrard (Gladiator). For ticket packages and transport/ accommodation info, hit up www.dff.org.au

SEMI-PERMANENT! WIN! Semi-Permanent is the Australian mecca for creative souls; run by the Design is Kinky crew, who also publish the covetable EMPTY magazine, S-P brings together a line-up of the most exciting, cutting edge creative talent from Australia and abroad.

This year’s drool-worthy line-up includes iconic Australian illustrator Reg Mombassa, production designer Annie Sperling (L.A.), typographic illustrator Gemma O’Brien, VFX pioneers FUEL, fashion photographer Kayt Jones (UK), fisherman-turnedphotographer Corey Arnold (Portland, USA), design duo WeBuyYourKids, creative agency Moffit.Moffit, design studio Alt Group (NZ), graphic designer and skate-label maven Michael Leon, Sydneybased creative/design studio Supervixen, and photographer/illustrator Kelly Thompson (NZ)…

Semi-Permanent takes place Friday May 13 & Saturday May 14 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Thanks to Design Is Kinky, we have five passes up for grabs to both days of the festival. To get your hands on one, tell us who you most want to see, and why! semipermanent.com

ART AT THE WALL

Satisfy your curiosity this Wednesday when the World Bar relaunch their weekly arts ‘happening’ – The Wall. Curator Matt Roden has asked a bunch of The Wall’s favourite creative-typepeople to assemble a collection of their favourite recent images in a live, non-internet-based blog-type-thing. Pictures! Sharing their Tumblrs are writer-illustrator-artist Kenzie Larsen (of ‘T Shirts By Kenzie’ and Some Film Museums fame), Lifelounge founder and typographer Luke Lucas, Future Classic DJs, FBi Radio’s Shag, illustrator Mel Stringer, vintage-installationists Bams&Ted, Marty ‘Go Font Ur Self’ Routledge, and watercolour portraitist Caitlin Shearer – and MORE. Tumblng Ovr opens Wednesday May 11 from 7.30pm at the World Bar, Kings Cross. artonthewall.tumblr.com

CREATIVE SYDNEY @ MCA

As we go to print, registrations for all the Vivid Creative Sydney sessions at the Sydney Opera House have reached capacity – only three days after going on sale. But in happy news, Creative Sydney have just dropped the second instalment of their line-up, to take place at the Museum Of Contemporary Art from June 10-12. It kicks off on the Friday with a special as-yet-undisclosed Australian Premiere courtesy of Sydney Film Festival, and weekend highlights include Broken Stone Backyard, showcasing live music from the Broke Stone stable; the Music Open Day, where music directors from jjj, FBi Radio and MusicNSW give bands advice on getting played and getting paid; and Portfolio Makeover, where the directors of online career network The Loop and industry leaders present an afternoon of advice and networking. There are also panel discussions, and an ‘after-dark’ art tour through the MCA… All sessions will open for registration this Thursday May 12. Don't snooze! creativesydney.com.au

BLACK CHERRY BURLESQUE

Black Cherry is back next week, with its trademark mix of burlesque bombshells, bands and beats, serving up everything from punk to soul, ska, alt-country, blues, swamp, glam & alternative – including premier rockabilly and roots from The Satellites (S.A.); a fresh serving of ska from Pete Porker and Los Capitanes; dancefloor mayhem courtesy of the Pat Capocci Combo; and rock’n’roll karaoke courtesy of Jungle Rump, with a live back-up band featuring members of Torch Le Monde… On the performance front, Black Cherry are hosting Miss Samantha Diamond’s Sydney farewell show, and performances by pint-sized powerhouse Lillian Starr, and Brisbane boylesque boywonder Mark Winmill. To top it off, there's even a special rum bar on the night, courtesy of Sailor Jerry. Saturday May 21 at The Factory Theatre. For the full line-up and tickets head to factorytheatre.com.au

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 25

Brendan Fletcher takes the long road less travelled for his remarkable debut feature.

By Dee Jefferson

W

hen I talk to Brendan Fletcher, he’s in the studio working on film clips for the Mad Bastards soundtrack. k. It’s just one more step in the 10-year year journey of taking his debut feature ature from first thought to cinema release. elease.

Back in 2001, it was an idea to o make a film using real people (rather than actors), and using g the Saltwater folk music of Western rn Australia’s Pigram Brothers – no stars, no big-name writer or director; irector; just a bunch of people telling real stories. “It took a long time to convince people that we could d pull it off, and that it was going to be good,” he admits.

Sundance Film Festival this for Su s year. of the most fascinating things One o hings about this film, however, is the e story of how a white, middle-class class Sydney boy came to make it in Sydne n the firrst place. Brendan Fletcher’s her’s journey is long, circuitous, full of journe unexpected turns, and characterised unexp cterised persistence. by pe

Of course, that was before Samson amson & Delilah and Bran Nu Dae came ame along and redefined the market et for Indigenous films in Australian ian cinemas – even tough ones, that hat deal with the darker issues facing cing Indigenous communities around nd Australia.

More interested in music than n film in his teens, it was chance that hat saw Fletcher enrol in a Communications Fletch cations degree at Macquarie University. degre ity. was the most general thing “It wa g you could do – I didn’t have film in n mind at all,” Fletcher admits. “But then iin second year we did the he The first day, we film elective. e e were set making a film; I had written on se ritten little script and they chose this lit se it, got to be the director – and so I g one day, I’ll never forget; I just that o went, ‘Holy shit, this is great.'' All of sudden, everything went ‘pop’… a sud op’…

It was almost like a lightning bolt.”

Mad Bastards navigates the experience of Indigenous men, n, and the effect that endemic alcoholism, olism, violence and neglect has on the he young boys in a small community unity in Western Australia’s Kimberly ly region. Based on oral testimonies, nies, and cast almost exclusively with ith non-actors, the film's poetic visuals, captivating characters s and compelling performances (including luding newcomer Dean Daley-Jones,, who also stars in Ivan Sen’s Cannesesselected Toomelah) saw it selected ected

Lightning bolt or not, Fletcherr spent Lightn years after graduating from the ye m uni doing market research to pay the bills. ““On the weekends I would ld make these little music videos just m deos and sshort films – for a couple of years. And then gradually, I thought, ought, ‘Oh, I gotta give this a go,’ so I quit job, and went into filmmaking my job king of full-time. But it took a long kind o before I was able to survive time b vive nancially; I was gardening and financ nd labouring, doing the odd market labou ket research stint. It took years until resea ntil I

actually was able to make a pay actua cheque.” chequ The yyoung filmmaker cut his teeth on music videos (including ding numerous collaborations with nume h Alex Lloyd, who plays alongside the he Pigram Brothers in Mad Bastards), tards), followed by documentaries. “I follow was yyoung and very impulsive, e, wanted just to start shooting; and w oting; didn’t really want to write. And I didn nd everything that everyone else everyt e was writing, I didn’t really feel like it was writing mine. I didn’t know how to make ake it into a drama. So I just started ted making docos. And most of my makin were about music – and first docos d gradually I started making social gradu cial docos, and getting funding from docos om or SBS…” ABC o Among Fletcher’s awardAmon winning documentaries are 900 winnin 00 Neighbours, about Sydney’s Neigh infamous Northcott housing infam commission; and Black Chicks comm ks Talking, starring Leah Purcell and Talkin Deborah Mailman, and examining Debo ining experience of modern the ex Indigenous Australian women.

Indige n.

Fletcher also co-wrote and directed Fletch rected live musical theatre tribute the liv e Cannot Buy My Soul, about the Canno life of Aboriginal folk legend, Kev Carmody.

Carm It was Fletcher’s music work, however, that set him on the path howev Mad Bastards. He was to making ma around the age of 24 when he aroun e first met m the Pigram Brothers,, who

Dean Daley-Jones stars in Mad Bastards approached him to make some appro me music videos for their songs.

They told him they didn’t have e any money to pay him, but could m ould take him h fishing. He’d fished a lot growing up, so he decided gro d to take tak them up on the offer. He instantly instan clicked with the Piggies gies – something he attributes to a som combination of shared interests, comb sts, complementary skills, and a deepcomp seated seate desire for a family of older brothers. brothe “After we made the first few music videos, we just started m arted hanging hangi out, going camping and fishing, shing and I kind of moved up there.” there.

Around Aroun the same time, he had d started starte working with Russell Crowe on the documentary Texas, about bout Crowe’s Crowe band, 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts.

Grunt “It was right after Russell ssell made Gladiator, and I was kind nd of foll following him around the world making makin this music documentary, ary, and he’d ring up and say ‘Oh,, h we’re going to Milan this weekend; kend; Giorgio Giorg Armani’s flying us over er there to play the opening night ht of fashion fashio week, at his private club.

Come film it.’ So I’d get on a plane, fly first rs class; and then the next ext week, I’d go up to the Kimberly rly with the Piggies, and we’d be in this P his little A Aboriginal community, making aking a film or documentary or whatever atever it was. was

If it seems risky for a filmmaker se at the beginning of his career to turn his h back on the Hollywood machine, Mad Bastards' Sundance mach accolades and Australian release accola suggest sugge Fletcher made the right decision.

“I wouldn’t wish it on decisi everyone; it was a very timeeveryo consuming process. It all happened consu in very ver remote places, over a long period time; lots of false starts, and lots of hits and misses. But look, I was really determined to make it; I knew I’d wait as long as I had kn to wait, wai and do whatever it took to make it, and make it good!”

“I was having a good life, but it was d definitely two extremes – rubbing rubbin shoulders with Tarantino tino

SNOWTOWN! TICKETS! C

WIN!

ontinuing the Aussie tradition of crime thrillers, Snowtown is based on Adelaide’s infamous ‘Bodies in the Barrels’ killings. Rather than glamourising the criminal elements of the story, however, local filmmaker Justin Kurzel has created a devastating portrait of a neglected community, based on an unusual amount of consultation with the affected community-members themselves. Shooting in and casting real people from the area, Kurzel tells the story through the eyes of teenager Jamie Vlassakis (played by newcomer Lucas Pittaway), whose newfound relationship with charismatic older man John Bunting slowly unravels as he realizes that his mentor is a serial killer.

Snowtown opens on May 19. Thanks to Madman, we have ten in-season double passes for the film to give away. To get your hands on one, email freestuff@thebrag.com with the film festival where Snowtown debuted and won the Audience Award.

www.snowtownthemovie.com 26 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

and Russell and Ron Howard, and R then going on these remote fishing g trips, and filming music videos. I enjoyed enjoye them both as much, but at the end en of the day, you know, I was living in New York at one stage and [Russell [Russ and I] were editing [Texas] in Harvey Weinstein’s edit suite, Har and I just realised that every spare moment mome I had, I would start talking about the Pigrams, or I would be showing showi these New Yorkers video clips I had shot in the Kimberly, I kept telling them these stories… t I thought, ‘This is fun, but I’ve thou just gotta go go home and make this movie.’ movie I wanted to make my film, not be hired to make someone else’s film – which is where all of that was w heading.”

What Mad Bastards, Dir. Brendan What: Fletcher Fletch When: Screening now When

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE I N ASSOCIAT I ON WI TH BL AC K F EL L A F I L M S & S C R EEN AUS TR AL I A P R ES EN T S

12-15

MAY

2011

A CELEBRATION OF INDIGENOUS FILM FROM AUSTRALIA & AROUND THE WORLD.

SHAI PITTMAN AS KAREN IN BECK COLE’S HERE I AM

ALL SCREENINGS AR E F R E E .

0 2 9 2 5 0 7 7 7 7 SYDN EYOPERAHOUSE.COM BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 27

Thomas M. Wright as Baal

Connected [DANCE] Sculpture comes alive in Chunky Move’s latest work. By Sasha Petrova

Connected continues Obarzanek’s interest in transforming human movements into another medium, by connecting the dancers to Margolin’s paper-based sculpture via what sounds like a fairly complicated rigging system.

“There’s an overhead grid that gets rigged and hung from the ceiling of the theatre and then it has something that we’ve been calling the block, which is this mechanical element that’s out on the stage. The strings run from the grid to the block and then attach to dancers. It’s the dancers’ movement that causes the strings to move, going through the block and the grid down to the paper elements. So the lower part of the sculpture is reflecting the movement of the dancers.”

[THEATRE] Something wicked this way comes… By Dee Jefferson

S

imon Stone may have come straight off the back of a season of The Wild Duck on Belvoir’s main stage, followed immediately by a season of Baal at Melbourne’s Malthouse, but when I sit down with him in the Sydney Theatre Company foyer, he’s showing little to no signs of fatigue.

Stone’s meteoric rise through Sydney’s theatre scene over the last two or so years inevitably hurtled towards a point in time – about 18 months ago – when he sat down with Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton, and was invited to pitch a project for STC’s upcoming main stage season.

“We were talking about German theatre specifically, and I kind of ran through this list of plays that I considered probably more attractive to a main stage company – certainly safer, and more traditional. And I said, ‘Then of course, you could do the show that no main stage company should ever do, and that is the actual risk – and the kind of thing that a main stage company therefore must do – and they started getting very excited.”

That play is Baal – a bleak treatise on the antisocial instincts of man that is rife with violence, sexual depravity, misogyny and nihilism; Bertolt Brecht’s first play, written when he was just 20 years old; more poetry and music than narrative, and rarely performed. Not an evening of light entertainment, but not an entirely surprising choice given Stone’s background of creating challenging, formally experimental re-interpretations of classic works, and his passion for exploring human relationships. For Stone, Baal is a play that – like Rousseau, or Plato's Republic – forces us to examine “why we would want to be part of groups of people, rather than on our own.”

Stone first read Baal when he was 17, on the eve of embarking on an acting degree at the Victorian College of the Arts (where he met cast members and previous collaborators Thomas M. Wright, Chris Ryan and Shelly Lauman). “It was psychologically raw in a way that [grabbed me].

It’s about the antisocial instinct; Baal represents a

character who has decided to not in any way pay any lip service to the notion of society; he is just his instincts; he is just what he wants.”

Stone has transposed Brecht’s character from Weimar Germany to the modern day, where Baal is a sort of rock poet, a sexually charged, hedonistic idol with a guitar in one hand and a bourbon – or his cock – in the other. He’s an anti-hero to end all anti-heroes, amoral, nihilistic, stumbling from one rape or murder to the next with impunity – a little like Patrick Bateman of American Psycho, but with without the ego or the self-preservation instinct.

Stylistically, Stone describes his production as like both a poem and a piece of visual art – almost a ‘happening’ (in the traditional late-'60s sense of the word) inasmuch as production is “really going into a bacchanalian rite, where you explore the depths of certain parts of humanity.”

R

euben Margolin's work is said to ‘collapse the divide between the human and the human construct.’ “What does that even mean?” Margolin asks me, confused. Although he admits that his inability to understand somebody else’s interpretation of his work doesn’t necessarily make the interpretation untrue, he says, “I can tell you for sure that my goal in making art is not to collapse the…. what was it again?”

“[We] embraced the notion that this is a play that was intentionally written not to make narrative sense, and intentionally written to explore a state of mind, and certain atmospheres, and archetypal states of being, rather than – and actually as a revolt against – the notion of traditional ‘psychological’ theatre, that had been [prevalent].”

Margolin is a kinetic sculptor – he makes 3D pieces of art that move. Transported from his workshop in California, his voice reminds me of a Simpsons character, childlike yet distorted by a subtle masculine gruffness.

When I speak with him he has just returned home from Melbourne, where he was working with Chunky Move’s creative director Gideon Obarzanek on their new dance production, Connected.

While The Wild Duck was met with rapturous critical approval and a sell-out season, Baal’s Melbourne season suggests that it will prove more divisive. Interestingly, Stone describes Duck as part of a “middle class version of theatre,” in the sense that it is observational and psychologically realistic. “All of the darkness that lies underneath a show like The Wild Duck – all of the implicit violence and implicit moral decay in that play – is being explored in [Baal] in archetypal reality."

Margolin and Obarzanek met each other in the United States in 2009. “We just liked each other’s work and decided to do a collaboration,” says the sculptor. “I tend to use a lot of motors and cams and mechanical parts. Dancers are so incredibly fluid and dynamic, and their range of motion is so wild, that if there’s any way to respond to that even a little bit in the sculpture, it’d be pretty amazing.”

What: Baal, Dir. Simon Stone When: Until June 11 Where: Wharf 1 / Sydney Theatre Company Tickets: $30 for under 30s at sydneytheatre. com.au

The Experts Project

Known for their groundbreaking productions, Chunky Move have successfully fused choreography with technology in recent years, through productions like Glow and Mortal Engine, in which dancers’ energy was converted into light (through the use of lasers)

As well as paper, the construction also incorporates magnets. “As part of the performance, [Gideon] really wanted the performers to build part of the sculpture, so I put in the magnetic connection that would snap together easily and allow the sculpture to be built on stage”.

Kinetic sculpture is a fairly niche specialty, and Margolin arrived at it through a fairly convoluted academic route. He started off studying Maths in college, went on to Geology, then Anthropology, and finally graduated with a degree in English. When his poetry career didn’t take off, he went to study art in Italy and Russia.

Then in 1999, while he was observing a caterpillar, Margolin had an epiphany: “It was the fluidity of the caterpillar. But it looked somehow mathematical, like maybe I could get to the bottom of that motion in a mathematical sense.”

Drawing on all his knowledge and education, Margolin started making fascinating, mechanical artworks made of wood, steel, aluminium, plastic beads – or in one case, 14,000 bicycle reflectors. But regardless of the material, the hope is that they appear weightless in their wave-like motion.

“I think also that by being mechanical, [my sculptures] are accessible. If you see something and you can actually understand how it works, and it’s made by hand, and it’s made by someone who enjoys their work – I think people respond to that.”

What: Chunky Move's Connected When: May 10-14 Where: Sydney Theatre Tickets: sydneytheatre.org.au

Lara Thoms dressed up as (and photographed by) Minto resident Shirley Robinson, an expert in decorative toilet roll holders...

[TINY STADIUMS FESTIVAL] Lara Thoms does it better. By Lucy Fokkema

L

ara Thoms is a know-it-all. “I’ve learnt about hitchhiking from someone who has been doing it for 33 years, [about love songs from] someone who has been writing them for 45 years, how to skin a rabbit with your bare hands, making decorative toilet roll holders, bubbleology, staying out of a psych ward, polyamory, preparing for a one-man play, maintaining the peace, medieval history.... [I’ve got] a pretty broad range of knowledge.”

Over the last year, Thoms has met with people who are unofficial experts to learn about their skills, talents and obsessions. This weekend, as part of the Tiny Stadiums festival of ‘live arts’, Thoms will present her findings in a threehour lesson at Erskineville Town Hall. “[The Experts Project] comes from my desire to learn and collaborate with new people. As an artist and expert in nothing, I wanted to find out about what things other people get excited about and spend their energies on. I wanted to hang out with people I wouldn’t usually get to meet,” she explains. "I sat in different libraries and literally met strangers. Sometimes they immediately knew their area of expertise, other times we found it out together through our conversation."

One of her interviewees was Barbara, an expert in medieval history who lives in

28 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

Hastings, an historic fishing village outside Melbourne. “I went into this room and laid out on the bed were all these components of a home-made medieval costume. Barbara dressed me up delicately and we spent the whole afternoon laughing and taking shots out in the bush. I think we both came out of it really invigorated and excited.”

Rather than using a dictaphone or a video recorder, Thoms took notes during the conversations, and documented each exchange with a photograph of herself dressed up as the expert (usually taken by the interviewee).

Thoms works across performance, new media and live art, but her works have one thing in common: they’re about people. Thrashing Without Looking (2010) united video goggles, fake snow and a curious audience in a live cinema experience; Pie (2009) encouraged strangers to thrust cream pies into the faces of contemporary art curators.

She’s also the curator of Performance Space’s regular short works showcase, NightTime, and a member of PACT’s resident ARI, Quarterbred, who curate the Tiny Stadiums Festival. “[Curating is] another collaborative project that feeds my artistic process and builds a bit of an ecosystem for the work I like to see and make,”

Thoms explains.

The Experts Project at Tiny Stadiums will be a kind of ‘extended and improvised artist talk’ with a few experimental touches to the presentation. But there are other elements to the project too – some of the photos from the projects are on show at Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Thoms plans to create a publication as well. However, real live humans remain at the core of her practice: “I am

interested in this process [of interviewing] being the artwork itself. The social exchange between us is just as important to me as the outcome.”

What: The Experts Project @ Tiny Stadiums When: May 14 – 15, from 12-3pm Where: Erskineville Town Hall More: pact.net.au / quarterbred.blogspot.com

Baal photo by Jeff Busby

Baal

Chunky Move photo by Jeff Busby

and sound and then back again into their own bodies. “[Gideon] has been working with these digital collaborations, so I think it was interesting for him to work in an analogue way,” Margolin speculates.

© Dungog Film Festival Limited 2011 artwork by MAMBO

24HR PARTY PACK

ALL ABOARD FOR THE DUNGOG FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE!

Do you want to try something new? Hop on the CountryLink XPT at Sydney Central with a Dungog Film Festival Train & Ticket package and join the stars at the world's biggest festival of Australian films...

FRIDAY 24HR PARTY PACK (27— 28 MAY) $159 / Dep Sydney Fri 7:15am, Dep Dungog Sat 3:23am. Pack includes Jumbuck All-Day Film Pass and Friday Night Film & VIP Party SATURDAY 24HR PARTY PACK (28 — 29 MAY) $236 / Dep Sydney Sat 7:15am, Dep Dungog Sun 3:23am. Pack includes Jumbuck All-Day Film Pass and Saturday Night Film & Dance Party Accommodation not necessary -- sleep on the train home!

Ticketing info contact your nearest CountryLink travel centre on 13 28 29 or visit www.countrylink.info.

Individual ticket info contact Ticketmaster on 136 100 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.au. Festival info visit www.dff.org.au.

dff.org.au BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 29

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.

Trapture

■ Theatre

TRAPTURE Until May 14 / The Old Fitzroy

PICS :: TL

go font ur self*

The Old Fitz is one of those venues that always feels like the Old Fitz. It doesn’t matter what show you’re seeing, as soon as you walk in you recognise the space: the steep seating bank, the upper ledge that overhangs the backstage area, and the familiar feeling of walking across the stage to your seat. The space imposes its rules on you, not the other way round.

28:04:11 :: Roller Studio :: 6 Lacey Street Surry Hills 92817808

Performance duo SandS through the hourglass and director Shannon Murphy (My Name Is Rachel Corrie) have therefore achieved something truly remarkable by making the space their own. Welcomed with a hug, you enter the theatre through a plastic curtain, to find yourself in an oddsmelling, brightly lit and noise-filled room, with live sound provided by composer Basil Hogios. It’s a joyful moment.

PICS :: KC

bat human project

The piece begins with performers Sarah Enright and Simon Corfield coming together in a moment of intimacy. They touch each other, each caressing the other’s form, and smiling with delight.

Finally, Enright leads Corfield to a dentistlike bed, where she blindfolds and then leaves him.

From this point on the relationship becomes negative – and beyond that, damaging. Unfortunately, the dynamic remains the same for the majority of the performance. The couple get progressively more violent, covering the stage in the debris of their performance, until a final, vaguely conciliatory resolution.

29:04:11 :: Cook & Phillip Park :: 4 College St Sydney

The press release claims that the show “explores the beautiful horror that is the days of our lives.” Perhaps I simply haven’t had enough damaging relationships to recognise this in the show. I found that after my initial glee at the exciting space the group had created, and interest in their emerging relationship, the following 45 minutes of degradation lost my attention.

Henry Florence

adidas art exhibition

PICS :: TL

■ Theatre

28:04:11 :: Tom Dunne Gallery :: 11 Little Burton St Darlinghurst 93315863

Arts Exposed What's on our calendar...

Quarterbred and PACT theatre present

TINY STADIUMS 2011: LIVE ART WEEKEND May 14-15, 11am–3pm Erksineville The Tiny Stadiums festival of live art officially kicked off last week with the opening night of a brief doublebill season at Erskineville’s PACT theatre: Applespiel’s Executive Stress/Corporate Retreat, and Nat Randall’s Cheer Up Kid. But the free live art weekend is really the beating heart of Tiny Stadiums: a series of works by emerging artists, tailored to the streets of Erskineville – so if you’re in the ‘hood, it’s worth floating through central Erskineville on Saturday or Sunday with a takeaway coffee in hand, footloose and fancy-free… The line-up includes: Dan Koop’s ‘mystery postcard’ service, Wish We Were Here; Keg De Souza’s inflatable ‘Gigloo’, and Bennett Miller’s short-film tribute to the ibis, Tip Turkey. And if you feel like learning something, Lara Thoms will be at the Erko Townhall from 12-3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, sharing the skills she has acquired through The Experts Project. It’s all FUN and FREE. Pact.net.au 30 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

THE BUSINESS Until May 29 / Belvoir Main Stage Jonathan Gavin’s modern adaptation of Maxim Gorky’s Vassa Zheleznova transposes this dark family comedy from turn-of-the-century Russia to the brash, upwardly-mobile mercantile classes of ‘80s Australia, where free-market capitalism was God, and 'regulation' just another word for communism.

The Business gives us ringside seats at a living-room showdown between members of an extended family, as they scratch and claw for their piece of the family business – while the patriarch and CEO lies dying in the next room. Cut out of her husband’s will, but determined to claim her share of the business she helped build, family matriarch (and consummate operator) Van (the wonderful Sarah Peirse, last seen in Neil Armfield’s Gethsemane) shamelessly sets about manoeuvring and manipulating her children and in-laws – who are all so obnoxiously entitled that we don’t feel terribly sorry for them.

There’s a nice dramatic momentum to the first third of the play, as characters enter the living room one by one, and tidbits of information and secrets are gradually revealed. Besides the abundant comedic potential of family dynamics, the ‘80s era is also ripe for laughs – and both Gavin and director Cristabel Sved take full advantage

of this, from bad dancing, big hair, blue eye-shadow and lurid outfits, to Cheezels and cringeworthy one-liners about the "Asian invasion". The bogan milieu, relationship-related comedy and cracking one-liners almost reminded me of Tommy Murphy (Gwen In Purgatory) – except for the lack of any prevailing humanity.

Part of the problem with The Business is that there isn’t a lot of dramatic tension in watching a pro like Van outrun the cretins she’s surrounded by. The other problem is that for all their compelling awfulness, the children and in-laws don’t get much past being caricatures – performed to various degrees of success by a mostly-great cast.

(Jody Kennedy and Samantha Young are very funny in their respective roles as the nymphomaniac daughters-in-law.)

If I’m honest, The Business was entertaining regardless of these flaws.

The woman-on-top plot is satisfying – and the ending in particular had overtones of Jackie Weaver’s lethal matriarch in Animal Kingdom. These women aren’t lionesses, they're lions – they’d eat their children if they got in the way of dinner.

Dee Jefferson ■ Film

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Released May 12 If you’ve seen Me and Orson Welles, you’ll know that Zac Efron is a decent actor.

Unfortunately, his teen heartthrob cohort, Robert Pattinson (Twilight), is not. At least, there’s little evidence in Water for Elephants, where he plays a young man inducted into a Great Depression-era circus troupe. Pattinson’s brand of wooden stoicism actually suits his character’s naivety, but he’s the weak link in a central love triangle that features Reese Witherspoon and Christophe Waltz, both of who can hold the screen with next to no effort.

This film itself is an endearing, handsomely produced slice of cinema corn that could just as easily have been released, with little alteration, in the year in which it’s set.

That year is 1931, and it’s where we meet a 23-year-old Cornell veterinarian student, Jacob (Pattinson), fleeing his home after a family tragedy. Wandering the countryside late at night, he serendipitously lurches aboard a passing circus train, and quickly finds favour within the troupe of misfits and outcasts. Impressed by his touch with the animals – first with horses, and later with Rosie the elephant – the unpredictable circus ringleader, August (Waltz), assigns him as the circus’ resident vet. What August doesn’t expect is his young protégé’s growing infatuation with his wife, Marlena (Witherspoon), a bareback rider and the circus’ big star.

Despite its morose title taken from Sara Gruen’s source novel, Water for Elephants is actually quite sprightly and colourful, especially in the array of curious animals and characters that populate the Benzini Brothers circus. Skimping on the hardships of the time, the film is at its best in the scenes with the animals. Even though you know the scenes have been arduously rehearsed, there’s a kind of beauty in the way that Tai the elephant actress (who plays Rosie) interacts with the humans around her.

It’s a shame then that the PattinsonWitherspoon romance doesn’t possess the same authentic energy. Witherspoon does her charming best (and looks smashing sporting a Jean Harlow 'do), but the oddlymatched pair have zero chemistry. Waltz fairs better, essentially playing a lesssadistic variation of his Col. Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds. Both do what they can with the melodramatic, swoony script, and director Francis Lawrence gets good mileage from an evocative period production design and the timeless lovetriangle theatrics. And since everyone – even Pattinson – approaches it so earnestly, it works.

Joshua Blackman

See www.thebrag.com for more arts reviews

DVD Reviews

UNDER 30?

TICKETS JUST $30*

Extras, extras...

BUS 174

THE SECRET OF THE GRAIN

Accent Film Entertainment

At one point in the film, an interview subject suggests that, ‘a hostage situation exposes a society’s character.’ Padilha treats the ‘Bus 174’ incident as a microcosm of a much larger social problem, holding up Sandro as an example of how society fails its most vulnerable charges: the thousands of kids who live in poverty, squalor and crime in the streets and prisons of Brazil. Sandro hit the streets aged six, after seeing his mother stabbed to death in their home. Padilha roughly fills in the gaps of Sandro’s life over the ensuing 15-or-so years, to imagine how he reached breaking point.

I remember being blown away by this film when I first saw it. Rewatching it, I was more irritated by the stirring dramatic soundtrack, and felt that the film was probably 20 minutes too long – but nevertheless, it’s essential viewing for anyone interested in Padilha’s later films – Elite Squad (Sydney Film Festival 2008) and Elite Squad 2 (showing in this year’s festival) – which, while they are fictional, are just as fascinated with the murky morality of Rio’s criminal justice system.

Dee Jefferson

Madman Entertainment

This is the third film from Tunisian-born French filmmaker Abdellatif Kechiche – and his fourth, Black Venus, plays in Sydney Film Festival this year. All his films deal with the Franco-Arabic experience, and all find audiences because they are as funny, frank and poetic in their portrayal of everyday life as they are incisive about France’s ‘racial problem’.

Set in the port of Sète in south-eastern France, The Secret Of the Grain (with an original title that translated roughly as ‘The Grain and the Mullet’ – or 'fish couscous') centres around recently-redundant 61-year-old FrenchTunisian boatyard worker Slimane Beiji (Habib Boufares), and his chaotic extended family of children, ex-wife, new girlfriend, and young ‘stepdaughter’. While the narrative follows Slimane’s plans to transform a derelict fishing boat into a traditional Tunisian-style restaurant, the story’s real colour comes from the women in his life, as they fight, laugh, nag their husbands and children, prepare food (NB: either watch this film on a full stomach OR have a supply of couscous, harissa paste and fish on hand) and gossip. Ultimately they have far more narrative agency than Slimane or his incompetent sons. In particular, his precocious teenage stepdaughter Rym (Hafsia Herzi) is like a ray of sassy sunshine, stealing every scene – right up to her heroic act of belly-dancing bravado, at the film’s climax. The tender relationship between Slimane and Rym is the warm, beating heart of this film.

The Secret Of the Grain has underlying notes of melancholia, but – aside from a tragic final shot – they’re hard to hear over the laughter, perseverance and cutlery. Here is an aging man trying to make a fresh start in a new career, not as much for himself as for his kids – who are too self-absorbed to realise.

BRECHT’S FIRST PLAY SCREAMS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

BAAL

by Bertolt Brecht

Translated by Simon Stone & Tom Wright

Now Playing! Wharf 1 Sydney Theatre Company STC Box Office (02) 9250 1777 sydneytheatre.com.au/baal Director Simon Stone With Brigid Gallacher Geraldine Hakewill Louisa Hastings Edge Shelly Lauman Oscar Redding Chris Ryan Lotte St Clair Katherine Tonkin Thomas M Wright WARNING: Contains adult themes, nudity, violence, simulated sex scenes, drug references and very coarse language.

A co-production of Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Melbourne

*Conditions apply, transaction fees may apply

Photo: Terence Chin

Brazilian director José Padilha vaulted into the international film scene in 2002 with this emotionally powerful twohour documentary about a real life hostage incident that took place in Rio, in 2000, in which a former street kid and ex-con in his early 20s took the passengers of a bus hostage. Using media and archival footage, and a series of ‘talking head’ interviews with survivors, military and police officers, and friends and family of the perpetrator, Sandro do Nascimento, Padilha constructs a chronological account of the incident that keeps the viewer in suspense about the outcome, while constantly making excursions into Sandro’s background, and the state of Rio’s prisons and streets.

Dee Jefferson

Street Level With U rsula Yovich

T

he annual Message Sticks Festival has traditionally focused on showcasing Indigenous shorts, features and documentaries from Australia and around the world – but this year’s program has expanded to include live music, dance, children’s performances, and cabaret – including powerhouse actress and singer Ursula Yovich, who will appear later this year in the Sydney Theatre Company’s main stage production of Bloodland. For Message Sticks, Ursula will be taking over the Sydney Opera House’s Studio for three nights, to perform her acclaimed autobiographical cabaret show, Magpie Blues.

When and why did you first start performing?

My first ever performance was when I was 13 years old. I was in a kids choir singing Christmas Carols in the local shopping centre.

I’d just started vocal lessons and wanted so desperately to sing on stage.

What is your background in performance?

Neither of my parents were musicians but my bloodline is rich with music and song. My Serbian Grandmother Melia (whom I never met) was apparently a beautiful singer. And the Burarra people of Arnhemland have a culture that is steeped in performance and song. I did some training at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts but mostly I am self-taught.

What experiences or people have most influenced you as a performer?

I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with so many talented people, people like...Wesley Enoch, Rachel Maza-Long, James Shipstone and my Dad. I’ve learnt mainly by watching and mimicking.

What made you decide to create Magpie Blues?

Magpie Blues was a year spent talking with my other half about wanting to do a cabaret show.

Once I fell pregnant we decided to write it. It also became important for me to pass on something to our daughter. The show is a mix of storytelling and song – originals and covers of songs that have had an influence in my life. I even do a Mega Medley of '80s pop tunes that takes a lot

of people back to a fun and daggy time.

How has the show evolved since its debut in 2009?

The basic core of the show has remained the same but over the last couple of years there’s been some fine-tuning, and I’ve become much more comfortable with the show.

Are you a Message Sticks pro, or newbie?

I have been to a few of the Message Sticks Festivals, I think I even attended the first one. I was also an MC for the Festival one year.

What else are you up to in 2011?

I’ll be taking Magpie Blues to Canberra next month, and who knows where the show will go from there? In early July I’ll be sharing the stage with some amazing female Indigenous singers from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia for a show called Barefoot Divas. And later this year I’ll be working with the STC and Stephen Page on a new production, Bloodland.

What: Magpie Blues as part of Message Sticks Festival 2011 When: Friday May 13 & Saturday May 14 at 8.15pm / Sunday May 15 at 7.15pm Where: The Studio, Sydney Opera House Tickets: www.sydneyoperahouse.com More: blackfellafilms.com.au/messagesticks

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 31

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

ALBUM OF THE WEEK TUNE-YARDS

and soaring, vulnerable, Mariah-high notes the next. She’s Tina Turner, Miriam Makeba, Antony Hegarty, Salt and/or Pepa, a strange bird, a child, an ancient.

Merrill Garbus combines a musical style drawn from Afropop, R&B, folk and tribal rhythms – styles we tend to subconsciously associate with a certain degree of artistic naïveté, lack of ironic remove, and unadulterated musical expression – with a forthrightness and clear-eyed self-scrutiny that can be intensely disconcerting at first.

If you’ve ever seen someone on a dancefloor who’s dancing just for themselves, completely lost in the music, and been slammed in the chest by a hybrid of spiritual envy and lust - then you’ve had a taste of the raw appeal that Garbus brings to her performance and her lyrics. She wrestles visibly with her body image, and struggles with her place in the world as a privileged white woman.

But the way she approaches the difficult issues is unabashedly positive and constructive, rather than being preachy. “There’s a freedom in violence that I don’t understand”, she cries triumphantly in ‘Riotriot’, after confessing to fantasising about the cop who “put handcuffs on [her] brother in an alley”. ‘Powa’ is an ambiguous little ode about

whokill 4AD

This record is joyful, honest and deeply physical, and should be celebrated accordingly.

The New England artist hurls truth bombs amongst a shower of crisply shambling percussion and distinctly un-twee ukulele, warm, jazzy bass and the odd found-sound or vocal sample - and always those astonishing pipes. Garbus’s voice is a completely unique instrument, delivering mealy mumbles from the back of the throat one moment

CASS MCCOMBS

CRYSTAL STILTS

THE WEEKND

Wit’s End Domino Records

In Love With Oblivion Popfrenzy

House Of Balloons the-weeknd.com

It’s hard to think of an American songwriter working with a back catalogue of greater quality and a profile kept as deliberately low as Cass McCombs'.

Exploring the underbelly of the USA psyche as much as his own, over four inimitable albums McCombs has combined oblique lyrics with a musically minimalist aesthetic, gesturing as much towards the country fixtures of AM radio as the aloof poise of Leonard Cohen, in songs as finely wrought as they are unique.

Crystal Stilts are one of those deceptively amazing bands, the kind that often get dismissed as peddlers of secondrate homage to long-lost classic, cult hipster groups. And while The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Doors or even The Monks do come to mind when listening to In Love With Oblivion, it doesn’t take long for the subtle touches to reveal themselves, glowing confidently amidst the murk as proof of why this band wipes the floor with every other act of their ilk.

With Wit’s End, McCombs has shifted away from the down-to-earth tenderness that marked 2009’s Catacombs, instead plumbing dark inner spaces and unconfronted fears, the kind that lurk beneath even the most convincing outer show of happiness. Opener ‘County Line’ sets the tone, a warmly nostalgic refrain that recalls the Twin Peaks theme, suggesting fallen expectations and romantic desolation, delivered in Cass’ shiver-inducing high register. Upbeat it ain’t, this cowed melancholy finding its natural extension in the claustrophobic intimacy of ‘Buried Alive’ or the despair of ‘Saturday Song’.

But there is much murk. If you’re not partial to having your 60s/80s revival indie smothered in inky echo, then best steer clear; it lies across everything like a narcotic eiderdown, threatening to suffocate the music entirely at points. The reverb is crucial to the allure, though, inviting the listener to hold their breath and dive in. A heady wave of tape echo opens the record, propulsive bass and pragmatic 2/4 drums bolstering garage guitar mayhem, wrought with effervescent tendrils of organ.

It’s a darkness that continues on the droning ‘Alien Rivers’, as crickets and swirling organ usher in Hargett’s booming drawl, ominous and atonal.

There’s a stillness at the heart of the songs here, a static sense of gradually emergent revelation. The harmonic simplicity of tracks such as ‘The Lonely Doll’ or album closer ‘A Knock Upon The Door’ (which features the same looped riff for nine minutes) is offset by the precision and variety of their arrangements, the instrumentation providing the base which McCombs’ meandering, elusive thoughts sweetly sail over – or return to, as with the bass clarinet-led soft-sell climax of album highlight ‘Memory’s Stain’, into which his seductive voice dissolves.

Wit’s End is alive with the stillquesting spirit of a fella whose songs seem to say all that he feels needs be said.

The thing that could almost elevate …Oblivion from impressive to great is that it matches its nerve-addled gloom with foamy euphoria. ‘Silver Sun’ takes the listener on a humid afternoon punt down an idyllic majorkey estuary, the spires on ‘Invisible City’ match the giddiness of Barrettera Pink Floyd, while first single ‘Shake The Shackles’ is so near jangle-pop perfection it will make you want to cry.

It sounds about as lo as any kind of fi could possibly hope to get, but …Oblivion will keep you in a heady fug all winter if you let it under your skin.

House Of Balloons offers a voyeuristic glimpse into the debauched private life of a hedonist. Each song chronicles a different part of a decadent, sinful weekend, whether it be the carnal, substance-fuelled evening in ‘High For This’, the libidinous cocaine-themed house party of the title track, or the sober humility of the morning after (‘The Morning’).

The Weeknd, aka Toronto’s Abel Tesfaye, avoids being clumped in with other woozy R&B artists thanks to lush production and innovative sampling. Opener ‘High For This’ is a slow burner, but no song has been written that better encapsulates the steamy atmosphere and ebb-and-flow of an iniquitous sexual rendezvous.

Lashings of reverb and a pure, intense croon guide the listener through the misty fog, slowly leading you towards a mind-numbing orgasm 2.5 minutes in. The title track harnesses the irony of Siouxsie & The Banshees’ ‘Happy House’ to mirror the self-destructive party that is the protagonist’s life, and Beach House’s ‘Master Of None’ is warped into an almost eerie ballerina music box tune, as it lingers above Tesfaye’s more intimate vocals in ‘The Party & The After Party’.

This is a world where the mind is always in the gutter; a world where there’s no such thing as sexual innuendo, because “come” and “no closed doors” always refer to an erotic tryst. It’s confronting, frightening and darkly sexy all at once – and by the end of the mixtape, your ears and mind have been exhausted and flooded in a thick wave of honesty, highs and self-hate.

There’s intentional anonymity surrounding The Weeknd which, coupled with the contradictions embedded in the lyrics, leaves you wondering if Tesfaye is damning this lifestyle - or actually living it.

Luke Telford Oliver Downes

Full Hearts & Empty Rooms EP Independent As far as debuts go, the Full Hearts & Empty Rooms EP

by Brisbane's Emma Louise is about as synoptic as you could hope for; despite its brevity, it flaunts a worldly sophistication you’d expect from someone doubly as travelled. It’s this quality that producer Mark Meyers enhances from behind the controls, with the same wiles he employed on the latest jaw-dropper from The Middle East.

32 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

‘Jungle’ embraces synthetic avenues, as the 19-year-old songwriter seemingly comes to grips with an emotional wilderness within - and it’s a thundering about-face from the Sunday morning-after chill of the previous track.

In two songs, she makes a tasteful divide in her range before stepping back into effortless, guitar-handed pop with the Feist-like ‘Al’s Song’, which offers dark and tuneful minimalism

TEETH & TONGUE

Golden Era Council Partners/ Other Tongues

Tambourine Dot Dash/Remote Control

What saves this album from sounding too samey is Del’s voice, which seems to get warmer, closer and more intense with each passing year. The brash, egotistical tenor of years gone by has been replaced by a rich, authoritative baritone reminiscent of Chuck D, which only reinforces Del’s status as one of the pre-eminent independent MCs around.

All in one chunk is too much of a good thing, but each individual album makes it clear just how good Del is. If old school is your style, you can’t go past this collection.

Hugh Robertson

that erodes down to stripped breaks of buttery voices and barely-there chord strums.

The heartbroken lament in ‘1000 Sundowns’ concludes a set of mostly unsurprising but elegant heart-onsleeve numbers, with the diary entry of “I met a boy who made me cry” blaring out as the clearest betrayal of a record that otherwise sounds mature beyond her years.

On Full Hearts & Empty Rooms, Emma Louise plays the obligatory cards with a lot of grace, and leaves the game wide open for a more adventurous full-length release.

Dan Patrick

DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN

Del has always existed in a bizarro, Outkast-esque playground of sounds and styles, and these three discs take in everything from classic West Coast groove to Bomb Squad bombast, never staying in one spot for long enough to get pinned down.

It’s a testament to what Del can offer that this collection comprises 34 tracks made over three years, and yet each track is totally different from the other 33. His flow and lyrics are less varied though, with much of it concerned with Del’s independent stance and his vocal skills - and it does get repetitive.

But then you realise that he hasn’t once mentioned bitches or blunts; and then you become sad, as you think of how much modern hip hop remains myopically concerned with those topics.

Rach Seneviratne

The simple life-yearning of ‘Bugs’ recalls a bleary-eyed Clare Bowditch at her fondest, with the sweet refrain of “I know it’s not much/I don’t have much/But would you stay here with my love?” shedding some light on the significance of an opaque title like Full Hearts & Empty Rooms.

Caitlin Welsh

First, some clarification: this is not just one Del album. This is three.

Funk Man and Automatik Statik were both self-released in 2009, but this is the first time they’ve been available in hard copy. Plus, of course, you get Golden Era - the brand new release.

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK EMMA LOUISE

someone whose love or sexual energy is strong enough to make her forget her own imperfect being for a few moments: “Baby, bring me home to bed / I need you to press me down before my body flies away from me”. Garbus’s persona and her album is raucous, robust, unconcerned with conventional sexiness - and infinitely sexier for it.

Between Anna Calvi, Adalita, Jonneine Zapata and now Melbourne’s Teeth & Tongue, I can’t get enough of ladies making smoky, sparse indie rock right now. I enjoy a sweet young songstress being wistful in a smock as much as the next person with two ears and a frankie subscription, but there’s a muscular, worldly heft to Tambourine that reflects an encouraging trend.

This is a grungy glam or a glamorous grunge. The scuzzy, yearning guitars of ‘To Be Alone’ and ‘Rot On The Vine’ recall J Mascis at his eloquent best, Jess Cornelius is arch and Ferry-esque in the knowing shuffle of ‘Unfamiliar Skirts’, and ‘Sad Sun’ feels like a softer iteration of PJ Harvey’s vulnerable/ menacing dichotomy. And when her voice is at its strongest - openthroated and a little husky - there’s no small resemblance to Polly Jean.

But Cornelius is far less in thrall to her most obvious influences than she was on her 2008 debut, Monobasic.

Tambourine is more cohesive, broad without trying to be eclectic. The judicious use of drum machines as well as live drums keeps the sound crisp and warm at the same time; the guitars creak and thrum and shimmer, never showy, just evocative.

But it’s not all texture and mood – Cornelius has a knack for slipping in an unexpected hook, too. A prime example is ‘Rot On The Vine’, which perfectly crystallises all that’s wonderful about this album – from the unexpected, lilting melodic detours of the chorus, to the way her voice slinks from high and honeyed to deep and almost belligerent; from the creep and shimmy of the tambourine at the beginning, to the feedback and melancholy motifs the guitar carves into the second half.

Melodically rich, ballsy, unhurried and a little singed around the edges; this is a record to soak in.

Caitlin Welsh

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

WYE OAK - Civilian SNOWMAN - Absence YO GABBA GABBA! - Music is Awesome!

TAPES N TAPES - The Loon FLYING LOTUS - Cosmogramma

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live reviews

up all night out all week . . .

What we've been to see...

If there’s one thing I learnt within five minutes of Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed’s performance, it’s that looks can be deceiving. After two hours of twodimensional DJ-ing, the curtains open and on walks Harry Highpants, in what can only be described as a vomit-green shirt – but he opens his mouth and you forget it all.

From pure falsetto to Beatles-like yelping, from a soft love song like ‘Time Will Tell’ to the rich soulful melodies of ‘Name Calling’ and ‘Young Girl,’ he had it all. The band was as eclectic as Eli’s material: keyboardist JB Flatt looked like a Cambridge graduate from the '60s, bassist Mike Montgomery bore a striking resemblance to Seal, and drummer Attis Jerrell Clopton was like a dreadlocked, ever-smiling bobbing head sitting atop the band’s dashboard. Their combined funk and groove propelled Eli into the soulful stratosphere.

Eli likens his music to “a lot of late-'60s, early-'70s soul music from Chicago…

It’s all very lavishly produced stuff, a lot of horns, a lot of strings, but it’s also really tough.” This is the sound his label knows sells well – but halfway through the show, when the whisky started flowing, Eli took a trip from Chicago back to his past, when he played blues on the streets of Boston. Out came the trusty harmonica and with it a bit of raw charm – refreshing compared to the trailblazing, cluttered tracks from earlier.

It took this talent hundreds of Sundaymorning gigs in his local ‘juke joint’ and two records before he made it - and it’s those experiences that underscore the best moments in his music.

Eli’s incredible wailing could have been used a bit more sparsely for greater effect, and some of the song endings were a bit sloppy, but these setbacks simply humanised his performance. The main thing that upset me about this gig was the audience - I seemed to be the only one under the age of thirty, which doesn’t augur well for the future of soul music. Still, dancing with a bunch of geriatrics like it’s 1970 all over again isn’t a bad way to spend an evening.

Zac Seidler

JETHRO TULL The State Theatre Thursday April 28

Jethro Tull were just one of the many grey pilgrim acts putting on post-Bluesfest sideshows as part of their nostalgia tours tonight. One woman, who had bought tickets to both tonight’s show and that of Mr Robert Zimmerman, was anxiously trying to offload one or the other in the queue, while simultaneously trying to decide which to use. Keep the Tull, we advised, it probably being the last chance to catch them before Ian Anderson’s voice disintegrates completely and he’s forced to retire. Not that he’ll be on the streets anytime soon, what with cluey investments in fish farms ensuring he’ll be rolling in it once global ocean stocks collapse.

The Tull milked it for all they’re worth, with a still spry, bandy-legged Anderson capering around the stage with as much energy as might have been exhibited back in the band’s heyday - although at 63, the move from tights and codpiece to black jeans was a welcome one. Less welcome was the mimed flute masturbation; what might’ve been risqué in 1969 now seems

just a little... unnecessary. That said, half the entertainment tonight was in enjoying Anderson’s antics, as he played to the expectations of his audience with a knowing twinkle (although the fact that he’s also a genuinely superb flautist was occasionally overshadowed by his exaggerated showmanship). There was an element of musical history lesson at work in the setlist, with Anderson’s chatty interludes placing each song in context.

Barely playing any material post-1974, songs from each of the group’s major releases from their debut to that point were featured, with highlights including ‘Thick As A Brick’ and ‘Farm Freeway’ – though it was the chunky riff of ‘Aqualung’ that remained stuck in our heads for the ensuing 36 hours.

To be honest though, it became difficult not to drift off in the second half. While innovative for their time, the group’s proggier excesses began to seem rather dull after a while, with everything fading together into a blur of angular hooks. Not that a predominantly baby boomer audience minded too much, one gentleman in particular growing so agitated with excitement that rhythmically thrashing around in his seat proved inadequate in expressing his passion of the moment, rising during the encore to throw himself around the front centre aisle. Good times.

Oliver Downes

STRANGE TALK, MITZI GoodGod Small Club Thursday April 28

Technically, I should start this review with the support band – but just like Pippi at the wedding, Mitzi outshone the bride.

It was an unexpected turn of events.

Having featured on the most recent Maison Kitsuné compilation, supported The Rapture, Marina and The Diamonds and become a staple on the summer festival circuit, you’d think Strange Talk would have their live show rocking by now.

The crowd certainly can’t be to blame.

After Mitzi they were exuding amicability, drunk, raucous and ready to dance yet even they could sense through the cheap-drinks fuzz that Strange Talk were uncomfortable on stage. Playing crowd favourite ‘Climbing Walls’ early on in the set, Docker attempted to get a crowd sing-a-long happening – but he was trying too hard, and it made matters worse. Moments of unease were briefly diffused by moments of success: ‘Is It Real’ and the second last song, ‘Eskimo Boy’, got the crowd shaking. But when Strange Talk decided to play ‘Climbing Walls’ again as an encore, and Docker attempted to get the crowd to sing the opening bars with him again, we learned that no matter how much hype surrounds a band, a great debut EP does not equate to a great headline tour. It’s a shame, because there’s so much to love about this band – not least of all their great tunes, which have earned comparisons to Cut Copy, Phoenix and Passion Pit. When I recently interviewed the classically-trained Docker, he listed Cutters and the like as strong influences, who the band dream of playing with.

They’ve got a bit of work to do ‘til then.

The quiet confidence of Brisbane band Mitzi, on the other hand, catapulted the crowd into an intergalactic, cosmic pop galaxy almost immediately. Oh man! Why have I not heard of these guys before?!

The keyboard player was mesmerising to watch - his dreadlocks swinging wildly back and forth as he pounded the keys.

Frontman Dominiqe Bird was decidedly chiller, and the contrast worked. So well.

Smooth bass lines, straight drum beats and silky vocals that’ll just about make your face melt. Basically, 40 minutes of disco bliss… on Mars… in your bikini.

Their production background was clear from the outset too, as the smooth beats bubbled out through the crowd, hot and intoxicating.

With Mitzi at its helm, Goodgod provided the perfect tropical oasis of cheap drinks, great live music and youngsters lookin’ for a good time. It was just a shame that Strange Talk couldn’t follow through.

Liz Brown

tim & jean

30:04:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711

strange talk

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Oxford Art Factory Thursday April 28

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ELI ‘PAPERBOY’ REED

28:04:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: ASHLEY S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) :: THOMAS PEACHY :: TOTEM OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER SON VEN STE ICK PATR :: YEN NGU MAR :: DANIEL MUNNS :: VICKY BEK AOZ KAR R ONU :: R IRME ONELOVE GROUP :: SOPHIE SCH

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 33

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p*a*s*h

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up all night out all week . . .

doppelganger dames

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29:04:11 :: Qbar :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93316245

01:05:11 :: Tone Venue :: 116 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills

It’s called: Bell Weather Department’s ‘Where The Wolves Can’t Find Me’ single launch

Who’s playing? Bell Weather Department, Palms, Hello Vera & Nu Balance DJs. Sell it to us: It’s free, so we can’t actually sell it to you. However, we will be selling copies of the single (w/ bonus tracks!) on the night.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: How good-looking Tom the bass player is.

zz top

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It sounds like: That 15-minute wig-out towards the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey, done to a psych/pop tune.

03:08:10 :: Enmore Theatre :: 118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown 9550 3666

Crowd specs: 3D. Wallet damage: FREE! Where: Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar When: Friday May 13

mum

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party profile

bell weather department

dynamite!

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29:04:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

30:04:11 :: GOODGOD :: 55 Liverpool St. Sydney 92673787 34 :: BRAG :: 411: 09:05:11

:: KATRINA CLARKE :: ASHLEY S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) :: THOMAS PEACHY :: TOTEM OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER SON VEN STE NGUYEN :: PATRICK MAR :: DANIEL MUNNS :: VICKY BEK AOZ IRMER :: ONUR KAR ONELOVE GROUP :: SOPHIE SCH

CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT, LUNATIC ENTERTAINMENT & PEDESTRIAN.TV PRESENT

WEDNESDAY 27 JULY OXFORD ART FACTORY TICKETS: MOSHTIX.COM.AU OR 1300 438 849

ON SALE FRIDAY 13 MAY

- ALSO PLAYING SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

NEW ALBUM SMOTHER OUT 13 MAY

WWW.WILD-BEASTS.CO.UK WWW.CHUGGENTERTAINMENT.COM

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 35

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

The Wombats

(SCOTLAND)

ALL-AGES GIG PICKS

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chool has just gone back and you need a break, granted. So finish your homework, hang up your uniform, polish your shoes and head off to one of the all-ages gig you read about in The Minor Chord this week. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a hankering for some awesome live tunes, you'll be delighted by the likes of UNKLE, The Wombats, Ben Folds, A Day to Remember, Suicidal Tendencies, Chasing Amy and an evening of all-ages fun at Leichhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Wall.

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If you were a little down in the dumps that you missed out on tickets to the Friday May 13 A Day To Remember show, NEVER FEAR - because a second show has been announced the following day, Saturday May 14. The Big Top at Luna Park will host the gig, with doors opening at 7pm.

Underoath will be the support group, and it all happens for $67.30. Who can put a price on AWESOMENESS?

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Darwin Deez, Owl Eyes The Metro Theatre

SATURDAY MAY 14

A Day To Remember, Underoath Big Top Luna Park Suicidal Tendencies, Toe to Toe The Metro Theatre

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

Darwin Deez, said to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;a little bit Thriller, a little bit Dismemberment Planâ&#x20AC;?, will be gracing Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Metro Theatre on Tuesday May 10, supported by Owl Eyes - a great night of folky-bohemian twee-pop magic.

Doors open at 8pm; fork out $45.80.

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THE WOMBATS

Darwin Deez

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The Wombats, Tortoise Shell Enmore Theatre

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DARWIN DEEZ

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UNKLE Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House,

On Monday May 9, UNKLE will take to the Opera Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Concert Hall stage, backed by a full live band with strings.

Long-time fans can hop along to hear the career-encapsulating set of atmospheric experimental trip hop/electronica, along with material from UNKLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent release, Where Did the Night Fall. And there are standing room tickets still available.

Let's sing and dance to a song about wanting to dance to Joy Division, while actually singing and dancing along to The Wombats! Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing at the Enmore Theatre with Tortoiseshell on Monday May 9. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll set you back $62.70 for either general admission or a reserved seating spot available through Ticketek.

(USA)

MONDAY MAY 9

On a slightly more sedate note, the everbrilliant, forever-legendary Ben Folds will be playing at the beautiful State Theatre with the lovely Kate Miller-Heidke this Saturday May 13. Tickets will set you back $94.80 - but for the venue and the

SUNDAY MAY 15

Chasing Amy (album launch) The Annandale Hotel

In the tradition of genre jumping, back we hop to a band on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;harderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; end of the spectrum. Suicidal Tendencies, out from the US, will be playing an all-ages show as well this Saturday May 14, at Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Metro Theatre. Supported by Toe To Toe, tickets are still available - so for those of you whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been waiting to see Suicidal Tendencies live, this is your chance!

CHASING AMY AT THE ANNANDALE

The Annandale Hotel - a place where many of us saw some of our very first gigs - has supported the all-ages music scene for quite some time now. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re up on your venue news, you might know that there's a possibility of this legacy coming to an end with the Annandale Hotel going up for auction - in which case, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to pay your respects and head along to watch Chasing Amy on Sunday May 15. This is one of those afternoon shows where you can go along for the day and end it with afternoon tea. Tickets are a mere $15 at the door, so there are no excuses. Make a day of it!

THE WALL

Last but by no means least, another venue notorious for its support of the allages crowd, The Wall at Leichhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bald Faced Stag will be hosting another allages evening. Starting at 6pm on Sunday May 15, Panda Face, Scared of Clowns, Springfield Isotopes and The Nomadics will be providing the havoc. Head along to support these bands and to support the scene we all love so very much - for the tiny sum of $10.

AS ALWAYS

Remember to tune in to FBi 94.5fm each Wednesday at 5pm, to hear get the latest all-ages news and gig picks from the team at The Minor Chord. You can also email us at minorchords@thebrag.com if you have any info on all-ages events, be they musical, artistic or of any other vein for the under 18s.

Send pics, listings and any info to minorchords@thebrag.com 36 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

RES EATEST PLEASU O OF LIFE’S GR MARRYING TW

ND MUSIC GREAT FOOD A Y

NE LIZOTTE’S SYD 33 9933 84 99 84 98 99 2 99 02 lo Reinhardt 11 Lu MAY Beadle 13 Ray

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Lizotte’s present 18 ve and Local MAY Li 20 ur De Force MAY To Calling 21 Tribute Show all artists

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Lizotte’s Sydney 629 Pittwater Rd Dee Why

Lizotte’s Central Coast Lot 3 Avoca Dr Kincumber

for Live and Locals!

Contact: events@lizottes. com.au

Lizotte’s Newcastle 31 Morehead St Lambton

WWW. LIZOT TES.COM.AU BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 37

Remedy More than The Cure since 1989 with Murray Engleheart

Motley Crue

HOWLIN’ WOLF

Howlin’ Wolf’s controversial 1969 slab, which was wordily-titled This is Howlin’ Wolf’s new album. He doesn’t like it. He didn’t like his electric guitar at first either, has been out of print on both vinyl and CD for a long time - unless you’ve been happy to fork out about $200 for a Japanese CD, or have chanced upon the vinyl and had the cash for it. Also know simply as The Howlin’ Wolf Album, it saw the Wolf being forcibly moved into the then-modern musical age much like Muddy Waters’ Electric Mud, with wah wah pedals and a general edge of psychedelia. Purists hated it, and as the title blatantly indicates, so did Wolf. Us? We dug it and now so can you, with a recent reissue of the recording on vinyl and a lousily packaged (as in, no liner notes) CD. The wonder of it all is that, ridiculous-contracts-of-the-day or not, someone was brave enough to tell the notoriously volatile Wolf - all 20 stone and 6ft-4in of him - how it was going to be.

VANTERA

COOGE E

Someone should do a book that details all of the bands which various people almost joined (or at least quietly auditioned for) over the course of their career. A pre-AC/DC Brian Johnson for example could have been the frontman for Uriah Heep, our own Lobby Loyde tried out to fill Ritchie Blackmore’s shoes in Deep Purple, and also those of former Free guitarist, Paul Kossoff in Back Street Crawler. It seems that one-time Van Halen front-dude Sammy Hagar has had his share of maybegigs too - some more eyebrow-raising than others. He recently told Forbes magazine that he had the chance at the main mike with Aerosmith (which kinda works) and also Mötley Crüe (which kinda don’t), and quite unbelieveably, Pantera. Can you imagine? The very proudly Southern cowboys from hell, with a virtual tanned beach boy front and centre in their ranks. The behind-thescenes tour footage on that DVD would really be something...

BIRTHDAY BLUES

Hallowed blues master Robert Johnson was believed to have been born 100 years ago on May 8. Of

SAT MAY 14

RAY BEADLE

DAVE GRANEY BOOK & CD LAUNCH FEATURING THE LURID YELLOW MIST

PLUS DOG TRUMPET

SOON! T THE ATLANTICS SAT MAY 28 TRIPPLE SHOT OF ROCK SAT JUNE 4 3 LOCAL ORIGINAL BANDS INCLUDING CROWS FEAT & FRIENDS. $10 @ DOOR

BONDI CIGARS FRI JUNE 10 NATALIE GAUCI SAT JUNE 25 Band Bookings

CRUE, DOLLS, POISON

Mötley Crüe are going on the road in the US in June with Poison. Big deal, you say? Damn right. But there’s more that’s much cooler: the New York Dolls will be in tow. The coupling of The Crüe and The Dolls is sort of a master-and-apprentice thing, with the Crüe’s heritage firmly rooted in the pre-punk scene that the Dolls pioneered. Not that the crowds will care or appreciate the lineage, of course…

WARREN HAYNES

Those who saw Warren Haynes tear it up at his Bluesfest sideshow the other night (a far stronger display of the man’s talents than his rather muted outing with Little Feat) might have thought the gent had a body-double side of stage tending to the guitars.

Actually, that was long time Gov’t Mule (and at one point Johnny Cash) roadie, Farmer.

TOP DOG = HEAD CAT

While Lemmy originally wanted Motörhead to be like The MC5 or The Yardbirds with a twin guitar attack, his first musical love wasn’t proto-punk metal at all, but '50s and early-'60s rock’n’roll. His teaming with Slim Jim Phantom from The Stray Cats and Danny B Harvey for The Rockats in 2000 for the Lemmy, Slim Jim and Danny B record (with its album artwork pisstake of Elvis) was very much a nod to those eras. (Still, some Motörhead purists were almost as outraged as they had been when Lem did a single with Wendy O’Williams of the mighty fine Plastmatics.) A record as The Head Cat called Fool’s Paradise followed in 2006 with the same lineup - and in July, Head Cat’s second effort, Walk The Walk…Talk The Talk will be out.

ON THE TURNTABLE

SAT MAY 21

COMING

course, a century back birth records weren’t quite what they are now certainly for underprivileged AfroAmerican kids in the South, so the date might be open to academic argument much like John Lee Hooker’s birth date.

But 100 is a hell of a stately figure.

info@codeone.net.au - www.codeone.net.au

On the Remedy turntable is The Georgia Satellites’ cracking self-titled effort, which never fails to lift those early morning black moods and generally vibe us up for the day. Also spinning is The Dirty Three’s majestic Ocean Songs and The Allman Brothers’ Eat A Peach.

TOUR AND INDUSTRY NEWS Here’s some serious rock; the mighty Hoss, The New Christs and Nunchukka Superfly, at The Sandringham on June 3.

No Life Til Leather is back again to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Skid Row’s Slave To The Grind! It’s happening on May 27 from 9pm at Hermann’s Bar, Sydney University.

Sydney’s “premier stadium goth band” Naked On The Vague return home from another triumphant US tour, to launch their Clock Of 12’s EP and Abstract Figures 7” at the Red Rattler on June 4. Joining them, and launching their new Winter’s Blade LP, is Lakes - the

long running “DIY-bleak-folk-post-punk” project of Melbourne’s Sean Bailey and Brisbane’s Blank Realm. They’re making their first journey South since This Is Not Art and the R.I.P Society label’s Success Summit weekend last year. Opening the night is a new, yet-to-be-named project from Jon Hunter (Holy Soul), Nic De Jong (Naked On The Vague, Ghost of Television) and Nic Warnock (Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys, and RIP Society head honcho). They’re currently referring to themselves as “Poor Man’s New Order”. We much prefer the alternative hope that they really sound a bit like a poor man’s Brian Eno with a touch of poor man’s feedtime and poor man’s Venom P Stinger… But that’s just us.

Tickets & info from www.coogeediggers.com.au

COOGEE DIGGERS 9665 4466 CORNER BYRON & CARR STREETS 38 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

USE ME.

Send stuff to remedy@ozemail.com.au by 6pm Wednesdays.

Pics to art@thebrag.com www.facebook.com/remedy4rock

(NZ)

COMING SOON CABINS | STRAIGHT ARROWS | ALPHAMAMA ROMY | MIRROR MIRROR | WOLF & CUB NICKY BOMBA | THE LOIN BROTHERS | KALI NUMBERS RADIO | CONERSTONE ROOTS

THE BASEMENT’S BIG JAZZ JUNE! From June 8 to 19 The Basement gets back to its roots with a huge line-up of Australian and international jazz stars. We’ve got US legends The Ron Carter Trio, New York’s Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, Belgium’s Pascal Shumacher Quartet, England’s The Magnets, and Australia’s Steven O’Connell, Jane Badler, Paul Grabowsky, The Gapp Project, Watussi, the fabulous Velvert Set Swing Band, and more. Oh, and Kinky Friedman and Van Dyke Parks, too …

Tickets online at

www.thebasement.com.au BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 39

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

pick of the week

TUESDAY MAY 10 ROCK & POP

Ball Park Music

Adam Pringle and Friends Sandringham Hotel, Newtown 8pm Darwin Deez (USA), Owl Eyes Metro Theatre, Sydney $45.80 (+ bf) 8pm Matt Jones The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8:30pm Outlier Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Steve Tonge O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9:30pm The Delta Riggs Landsdowne Hotel free 8:30pm They Call Me Bruce Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9:30pm Tyla Guy, Alan Moroney, Dan Cresant Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm

THURSDAY MAY 12

The Gaelic Theatre

Ben Sherman’s Big British Sound: Strange Talk, Ball Park Music, Boy In A Box, Step-Panther 7:30pm $10 (+ bf) MONDAY MAY 9 ROCK & POP

Bernie The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8:30pm Mandi Jarry Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 9pm The Delta Riggs Old Manly Boatshed, Manly free 9pm The Drums (USA), Tiger Choir

Metro Theatre, Sydney $55 8pm The Wombats (UK), Tortoiseshell Enmore Theatre $62.30 (+ bf) 7:30pm Unkle (UK) Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House $55 8pm

JAZZ

Guy Strazz World Jazz Quartet 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8:30pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Andrew Browne, Russell Neal Kellys On King, Newtown free 7pm Carolyn Crysdale Orange Grove Hotel, Lilyfield free 7pm

COUNTRY

Camden Valley Country Music Club Hope Christian School, Narellan free 7pm

JAZZ

Alisa Fedele, Tin Sparrow, Langs Theory The Basement, Circular Quay $12 (+ bf)–$15 (at door) 9pm Jazzgroove: The Danny G Felix Project, Gerard Masters Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 8:30pm Paul Sun Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK Russell Neal Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick free 7pm

COUNTRY

Blacktown Country Music Club The Lucky Australian, North St Marys free 7pm Mark Olson (USA), Gabby Huber, Halfway Duo Brass Monkey, Cronulla $30.60 (presale) 7pm

ROCK & POP WEDNESDAY x

MAY 11

ROCK & POP

Andy Mammers Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9:30pm Dave Seaside Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7:30pm David Agius Northies, Cronulla free 7:30pm Goodnight Dynamite O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9:30pm Harmonic Generator, Inner City Crepes, Bonnie Read Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8:30pm Helpful Kitchen Gods, Psychic Date, Particles, Sativa Sun, Stephanie Says The Valve, Tempe 7pm Matt Walters The Vanguard, Newtown $15– $45 (dinner & show) 8pm Mavis & her China Pigs Downstairs @ Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm Mike Bennett The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8:30pm Open Mic Night: Artist/s unknown Coach and Horses Hotel, Randwick free 8pm

Ray Beadle, Pete Cornelius, Andrea Marr Brass Monkey, Cronulla 7pm Reckless Duo Ettamogah Pub, Kellyville free 6:30pm The Delta Riggs Landsdowne Hotel free 8:30pm The Filth: Cabins, Straight Arrows Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm The Lockwoods, Flight, The Tsars and Bon Chat Bon Rat DJs GoodGod Small Club $10 8pm The Tom & Dave Show Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm Two Minds Trio Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm

JAZZ

Anna Salleh’s Bossa Boots Cru54, Surry Hills free 7:30pm Deva Permana Trio Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Lulo Reinhardt Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $51 7pm Mary Coughlan (Ireland) The Basement, Circular Quay $35 (+ bf) 9pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm Robert Susz & the Continental Blues Party The Rose Hotel, Chippendale free 7pm Steve Hunter 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8:30pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Carolyn Woodorth Blaxland Tavern, Blaxland free 6:30pm Gavin Fitzgerald, Paul McGowan, Ken Mclean, Monii, TAOS Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick free 7pm Mark Wilkes, Dan Usher, Russell Neal Kogarah Hotel free 7pm Raoul Graf, Craig Henry, Daniel Hopkins Taren Point Hotel free 8pm The Song Factory: Tamara Stewart Royal Cricketers Arms, Prospect free 7:30pm

COUNTRY

Musos Club Jam Night Bald Faced Stag Hotel. free 8pm Ray Beadle & Pete Cornelius & Andrea Marr Brass Monkey, Cronulla $15 8pm

THURSDAY MAY 12 ROCK & POP

Adam Rennie Rag and Famish Hotel, North Sydney free 7pm Afro Moses Vault 146, Windsor 8pm Andy Mammers Cronulla Hotel 915pm Apostrophe Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7:30pm Ben Salter, Richie Cuthbert, Gabby Huber GoodGod Small Club $12 8pm British India, Veora, The Dead Love Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor $15 (presale) 8pm Calling Mayday, Bonney Read, Cities of the Red Night

The Sandringham Hotel $10 7:30pm Cambo Observer Hotel, The Rocks 9:30pm Chasing Melissa, Jupiter Menace, The Raids Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $8 7:30pm Craig Thommo Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 8:30pm Cut Copy, The Holidays Enmore Theatre $51 (+ bf) 8pm Dappled Cities, The Bungalows Rock Lily, Star City free DJ Rock Fan Woollahra Hotel free 7.45pm Drop: Romy, Alphamama, LouLou & Bentley Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Goin Steady: The Shakin Howls, Day Ravies, Baptism Of Uzi, Betty Airs, Peppercorn, 6Noir, Sister Jane, Evil J & Saint Cecilia Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $5 8pm Greg Byrne Harbord Beach Hotel 8pm Hot Damn!: Caulfield, The Ocean, The Sky, Azlock, Chasing Light Spectrum, Darlinghurst $12 (guestlist)–$15 8pm Islands, Scarlett Lake, Stanmore Phoenix, Fireroom The Valve, Tempe 7pm Jeff Martin (Canada) Brass Monkey, Cronulla $44.90 (presale) 7pm Johnathon Devoy Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm JP O’Malleys Hotel, Kings Cross 9:30pm Katrina Burgoyne Duo Dee Why Hotel 8pm Mardi Pannan El Rocco Jazz Cellar, Woolloomooloo 8pm Michael McGlynn Greengate Hotel, Killara 8pm Nicky Kurta Green Park Hotel, Darlinghurst 7pm Open Mic: Carolyn Woodorth Lone Pine Tavern, Rooty Hill free 6:30pm Pat Drummond Pioneer Tavern Penrith 12pm Ray Beadle, Pete Cornelius, Andrea Marr Old Manly Boatshed $15 8pm Rock Show, Scarlett Lake, Stanmore Phoenix, The Fire Room The Valve, Tempe 7pm Romy, Alphamama, LouLou & Bentley Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach 8pm Sam & Jamie Trio Maloneys Hotel 9:30pm Sierra Fin Notes Live, Enmore $20– $42.25 (dinner & show) 7pm Singled Out Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Steve Edmonds Band Empire Hotel, Annandale free 7:30pm The Bridge: The Mumps, Elizabeth Rose, The Money Smokers, Telafonica Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $8 8pm Ben Sherman’s Big British Sound: Ballpark Music, Strange Talk, Boy in a Box, Step-Panther The Gaelic Theatre $10 7:30pm The Cat Empire Annandale Hotel $60 8pm The Nuts Bankstown Trotting Club 8pm Tony Mazell & the Four Tunes, Paradise Greek Band South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford free 8pm

“Funny monkey tore money loose and soda hands. Pink plastic Jesus on the dashboard”- THE KILLS 40 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

g g guide gig g

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

JAZZ

Anna Salleh’s Bossa Boots Cru54, Surry Hills free 7:30pm Cameron Undy & the Abstract Brotherhood 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8:30pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm Sirens Big Band, Samba Mundi Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 9pm Ted Sly’s Band Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Alan Reid, Rob van Sante Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $20–$25 8pm Aneesh Pradhan The Drama Studio, Macquarie University, North Ryde free 1pm Craig Thommo The Marlborough Hotel free 8:30pm Daniel Hopkins and guests Narrabeen Sands free 7:30pm Lulo Reinhardt The Basement, Circular Quay

$40–$88.80 (dinner & show) 8pm Matty Jay, Helmut Uhlmann and guests Lone Pine Hotel, Rooty Hill free 7pm

COUNTRY

Musos Club Jam Night Carousel Hotel, Rooty Hill free 8pm Ray Beadle, Pete Cornelius, Andrea Marr Old Manly Boatshed $15 8pm

FRIDAY MAY 13 ROCK & POP

3 Way Split Camden RSL Club free 8:30pm A Day To Remember (USA), Underoath (USA) The Big Top at Luna Park, Milsons Point $67:30 (+ bf) 7pm

Cut Copy

Alestorm (Scotland), Voyager, The Darker Half Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $47 (+ bf) 8pm Andre Rieu (Netherlands) Sydney Acer Arena, Sydney Olympic Park $89 (D Res)– $150 (premium) 8pm Anna Salleh’s Bossa Boots The Loft, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo free 6pm Armchair Travellers Club Rivers, Riverwood free 9pm Bell Weather Department, Palms, Hello Vera, Nu Balance DJs Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Ben Folds (USA), Kate Miller-Heidke State Theatre, Sydney $94.30 (+ bf) 7pm Butcher Blades, Hump Day Project, Mike Who, PhDJ, Randall Stagg, Cries Wolf DJs Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills $10 8pm Chase The Sun, The Backwoods Creatures, Cass Eager The Vanguard, Newtown $17 (+ bf)–$52 (dinner & show) 6:30pm Diesel Phoenix, Dinkbike, Neon Heart Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor free 8:30pm Dirty Deeds: The AC/DC Show Ettalong Beach Hotel free 9pm Elevation: U2 Tribute Penrith Hotel free 10pm Friday 13th Party: Mark D’Costa Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free (early bird) 11pm

Genevieve Chadwick, Kristen Adams, Andrew Harrisberg The Eastern Lounge, Chatswood $14 (presale)–$16 (at door) 7pm Hotel California: A Tribute to The Eagles: Bernie Segedin, Floyd Vincent, Shane Flew, Rex Goh, Nick Meredith, Steve Bull, Lloyd G, Clare O’Meara The Basement, Circular Quay $30 (+ bf)–$78.80 (dinner & show) 8pm Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders, Melodie Nelson plus Adwok and Castratii DJs Goodgod Small Club, Sydney $20 8pm Jeff Martin (Canada) Vault 146, Windsor $44.90 –$70.40 (dinner & show) 7pm John Rowles Auditorium, South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford $27 8:30pm Kill for Satan, Hellbringer, Teratomis, Rampage The Valve, Tempe 7pm Kiss Off, Unmasked Brass Monkey, Cronulla $19.90 (presale) 7pm Lowrider, Joelistics, Empire Rising Annandale Hotel $12 (+ bf) 8pm Lulo Reinhardt Rafferty’s Theatre, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta 8pm Mark D’Costa Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney 11pm Mick Harvey Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $20 (+ bf) 8pm New York, New York - A Tribute Show: Damien Lovelock, Rob Younger, Link Meanie, Shaggin Wagon, Carrie Phillis & the

Ben Folds

Downtown Three Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $20 (+ bf)–$25 (at door) 8pm Nikki Thornburn Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7:30pm Nobody Knew They Were Robots, Inside the Exterior, Mish Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $10 7:30pm Party Central South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford free 8:30pm Party Vibe Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm Sam Shinazzi, Perry Keyes, 49 Goodbyes Notes Live, Enmore $14.30 (presale)–$36.75 (dinner & show) 7pm The Cat Empire, Eagle & the Worm Metro Theatre, Sydney $60 8pm The Maristians Rag and Famish Hotel, North Sydney free 8:30pm The Pleasure Principle: Gary Numan (UK), Severed Heads, Motor Enmore Theatre $59.50 (B Res)–$89.90 (A Res) 8pm

The Three Nevilles Commercial Hotel, Parramatta free 7pm The Wharf Sessions: Richard in Your Mind Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company, Walsh Bay free 10pm Tom T Duo Customs House Bar, Sydney free 7pm Wylde Times Duo Bambu, Western Suburbs Leagues Club Campbelltown, Leumeah free 8pm

JAZZ

Freefall Duo Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Mary Coughlan (Ireland) Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $25–$30 8pm Ray Beadle, Andrea Marr, Pete Cornelius Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $38 –$78 (dinner & show) 7pm Red Beans, The Leisure Bandits Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8:30pm Robert Susz & the Continental Blues Party Penrith Panthers free 9pm

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TUESDAY ROCKSTEIN

FRI 13

BUTCHER BLADES + HUMP DAY PROJECT

MAY

CRIES WOLF DJ’S + MIKE WHO(FBI) + KILL THE LANDLORD

LITTLE BLAK DRESS

SAT 14

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

MAY

THE PREACHERS + THE MONEY SMOKERS + 1929INDIAN

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THU 19 MAY

SUN 22 MAY

2!)."/7 2%,)%& %3+)-/ */% SAT 28 MAY

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 41

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com SIMA: Matt McMahon Trio The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $10 (member)–$20 8:30pm The Felas 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8:30pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Lulo Reinhardt’s Latin Swing Project Rafferty’s Restaurant, Benalla Nick & Liesl The Roxbury Hotel, Glebe $10 (+ bf) 8pm

COUNTRY

Flamin’ Beauties Crown Hotel free 8pm Macarthur Country Music Club Wests Campbelltown Tennis Club, Leumeah free 7:30pm Ray Beadle & Pete Cornelius & Andrea Marr Lizottes, Dee Why $38 6pm Reno Nevada, Peter Oxley Rose of Australia Hotel, Erskineville free 9pm

SATURDAY MAY 14 ROCK & POP

031 Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm 3 Way Split Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club, Bondi Junction free 8:30pm A Day To Remember (USA), Underoath (USA) The Big Top at Luna Park, Milsons Point $67:30 (+ bf) 7pm

Absolute 80s: Brian Mannix, Dale Ryder, Scott Carne Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $48 –$88 (dinner & show) 7pm Andre Rieu (Netherlands) Sydney Acer Arena, Sydney Olympic Park $89 (D Res)– $1500 (premium) 8pm Armstrong Brown Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool free 9pm Bang Shang a Lang South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford free 8pm Ben Folds (USA), Kate Miller-Heidke State Theatre, Sydney $94.30 (+ bf) 7pm Bitsu, Sodomiser, Panda Face, Danger Bus The Valve, Tempe 7pm Bno Rockshow Crows Nest Hotel free 11pm British India, Boy In A Box, City Riots Hornsby RSL $25 (presale) 8pm Check It Aqua Jam Session: Adam Katz, Benny Vibes Beach Palace Hotel, Coogee free 8:30pm Creedence & Beyond Maroubra RSL Club free 8:30pm Dark Horse, Kids At Risk, Convaire Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $10 8pm Dirty Deeds - The AC/DC Show South Hurtsville RSL free 9pm Emma Dean, Fronz Arp, Jacob Diefenbach The Basement, Circular quay $20 8:30pm Frankie 4 All Seasons, Walter Ciappara Auditorium, South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford $10 (member)–$15 9pm

Front End Loader, Overreactor Caringbah Bizzo’s 8pm Gilbert Whyte Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7:30pm Helpful Kitchen Gods, Eager 13, White Knuckle Fever & Jusgo Mosh Gladstone Hotel Chippendale Jerrico Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $12 8pm Mike Mathieson Duo, Chris Alexander Bambu, Western Suburbs Leagues Club Campbelltown, Leumeah free 5pm MISS INK AUSTRALIA: Sunset Riot and Zero Degrees Annandale Hotel $25 8pm Ray Beadle, Pete Cornelius, Andrea Marr Coogee Diggers $15 8pm Red Hot Numbers Brighton RSL Club, BrightonLe-Sands free 8pm Sharron Bowman Engadine RSL & Citizens Club free 8pm

Steve Edmonds Band Hornsby Inn free 9pm Stormcellar Avalon Beach RSL Club free 8pm Suicidal Tendencies (USA), Toe to Toe Metro Theatre, Sydney $67:30 8pm Tall Pop Syndrome Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm The Cat Empire, Eagle & The Worm Enmore Theatre $60 7pm The Manly Fig: Mick Peaker & The Usual Suspects, Zoe Elliot, Steve Henderson, Ritch Fowler The Manly Fig $13 7pm The Mick Hart Experience, Flowers from the Band, Katy Wren Band The Vanguard, Newtown $12 (+ bf)–$47 (dinner & show) 6:30pm The Radiators Celebrity Room, Blacktown RSL Club free 9pm The Waysmiths, The Glimmer, The Bloody Kids,

Gods Of Rapture Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm Tice & Evans, Kaki Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm We Lost the Sea, Between the Devil & the Deep Hermann’s, Darlington $8 (at door) 7pm

JAZZ

Blue Moon Quartet Supper Club Fairfield RSL Club free 7pm Leanne Paris Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8:30pm Paul Sun, Mark Szeto, Monique Lysiak Larrikin’s Café & Lounge Bar, Walsh Bay free 5pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 5pm SIMA: JazzGroove Mothership Orchestra, Kristin Beradi The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $22 (member)–$27 2pm Susan Gai Dowling Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Unlit, Luke Cleland 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8:30pm Vince Jones Camelot, Marrickville $28 (presale) 7pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie Well Connected Cafe, Glebe free 7pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK

Kate Miller-Heidke

Armchair Travellers The Belvedere Hotel free 8pm Ben Osmo, Morgan & Neil, Ciara Hayes, Marianna Bagnato Belrose Bowling Club free 7pm

Cailin Harnett Hawkesbury Hotel, Windsor free 6pm Jont 505 Club, Surry Hills $15 7:30pm

COUNTRY

Finn Bald Rock Hotel, Rozelle free 8pm Ray Beadle & Pete Cornelius & Andrea Marr Coogee Diggers $15 8pm

HIP HOP

Halfway Crooks Phoenix $10 10pm

SUNDAY MAY 15 ROCK & POP

Ace Brighton RSL Club, BrightonLe-Sands free 7pm Blues Sunday: Mark Hopper Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7:30pm Chasing Amy Annandale Hotel $15 (at door) 12pm Craig Calhoun Woollahra Hotel free 6:30pm Dom Turner and Supro Sandringham Hotel 4pm Drive: Peter Northcote Bridge Hotel, Rozelle $15 Elizabeth Rose, Albatross, Fishing, Galapagoose (Melb) and Electric Sea Spider (Melb) Tone $15 7pm Hiding from the Gallows, Head in a Jar, To the Grave Lucky Australian Tavern St Marys $10 1pm

MONDAY 9TH MAY

MOTHER’S DAY COMEDY NIGHT SPECIAL

THURSDAY 12TH MAY Wed 25/05 Greek Festival Of Sydney Pop & Rock Revolution

FRIDAY 13TH MAY

Thur 26/05 Freddie White (Ireland) Fri 27/05 Shot Of Desire 4th Birthday Fri 3/06 Contraban + Mad Charlie + The Static Silhouettes + The Electric Vogue

WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY

Wed 8/06 Dominique Fraissard EP launch Fri 10/06 First Ladies Of Soul Sat 11/06 Perry Keyes

THURSDAY 19TH MAY

Tue 14/06 Eora Showcase Fri 17/06 Organ In Rock Thur 23/06 Carus

FRI 20TH & SAT 21ST MAY

Fri 24/06 D.I.G. 20th Anniversary Fri 1/07 Skipping Girl Vinegar (album launch) Fri 15/07 Deep Purple Tribute Fri 9/09 Otis Redding 70th Birthday Celebration w/ Johnny G & The E Types

42 :: BRAG :: 411 : 09:05:11

THE FOXY HORNBAGS + Ms Vicky B + Mr Peter Meisel (USA) emcee + Luke O’Shea

TUESDAY 10TH MAY

MARK OLSON OF THE JAYHAWKS

+ Gabrielle Huber (Dead Letter Chorus)

WEDNESDAY 11TH MAY

RAY BEADLE, PETE CORNELIUS & THE DEVILLES, & ANDREA MARR THURSDAY 12TH MAY

JEFF MARTIN

(THE VOICE OF THE TEA PARTY)

+ Hazel Eyes The Devil

FRIDAY 13TH MAY

KISS OFF

(KISS TRIBUTE) + Unmasked

SUNDAY 15TH MAY

THE RITMO ARCH (CD LAUNCH)

TUESDAY 17TH MAY

MIKE NOGA (THE DRONES)

Wednesday 18 May Freddie White Friday 20 May GANGgajang Saturday 21 May Doc Neeson Sunday 22 May Glen Mead Tuesday 24 May John Overholt Wednesday 25 May Bones Atlas Thursday 26 May Jackson Mclaren Friday 27 May Mark Seymour Saturday 28 May Abby Dobson Sunday 29 May The Brewster Brothers Tuesday 31 May Pete Sot Thursday 2 June Renée Geyer Saturday 4 June Classic Rock Show Sunday 5 June Darren Jack Band Wednesday 8 June Joel Leffler Saturday 18 June Steve Flack Monday 20 June Kinky Friedman Tuesday 21 June Kinky Friedman Thursday 23 June English And The Doc Sunday 26 June Natalie Gauci Thursday 30 June Caravãna Sun Wednesday 6 July James Blundell Saturday 9 July Johnny Cash Tribute Saturday 16 July The Paper Scissors Thursday 4 August Diesel Wednesday 17 August Bob Log III Thursday 18 August Wendy Matthews Wednesday 24 August Alvin Youngblood Hart

gig picks

g g guide g

up all night out all week...

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Mark Lucas & The Dead Setters, Band of Gold Petersham Bowling Club 6pm Medicine For Robots, Tenpenny Towers, To The Grave The Lucky Australian, North St Marys $5 (child)–$10 6pm Nudist Colonies of the World, Batfoot, Silver Lizard, Skinpin The Valve, Tempe 3pm Once Were Weekend Warriors: Generation Crash, Panda Face, Scared of Clowns, Springfield Isotopes, The Nomadics Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $10 6pm Overreactor, Five Star Prison Cell, The Side Tracked Fiasco Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills free 8pm Peter Byrne Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 3pm Solid Gold Bastards Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $15 7pm Steve Edmonds Band Wickham Park Hotel free 5:30pm The Cat Empire

The Cat Empire The Basement, Circular Quay $55.20 (+ bf) 9:30pm The Ritmo Arch Brass Monkey, Cronulla $17.85 (presale) 7pm Theatre Organ Society of Australia: David Bailey Orion Function Centre, Campsie $10 (child)–$25 2pm Tim Finn (NZ) Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $88 (show only)–$128 (dinner & show) 7:30pm Triple Imagen South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford free 8pm

JAZZ

Dom Turner, Supro Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm John Blenkhorn Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Mike Majkowski, Decibel Recital Hall East, Sydney Conservatorium of Music $12 (student)–$20 5pm Motosoul Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $10 4pm Paul Sun, Stan Valacos, Monique Lysiak

Frenchs Forest Organic Market free 9:30am Pete The Belvadere Hotel free 5pm Robert Susz & the Continental Blues Party Pyrmont Bridge Hotel free 5pm Unity Hall Jazz Band Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain free 4pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK Aneesh Pradhan, Adrian McNeil The Drama Studio, Macquarie University, North Ryde $20–$25 5pm Cafe Carnivale Riverside Theatres, Parramatta $22 (member)–$28 1pm Paul B Wilde, Shannon Reynolds, Russell Neal Club Totem, Balgowlah free 7:30pm Shane MacKenzie Cohibar free 5pm

COUNTRY

Finn Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor free 12pm Fiona Fields Royal Cricketers Arms, Prospect free 3.30pm Hunter & Suzy Owens Band Marrickville Bowling and Recreation Club $10 4.30pm Ray Beadle & Pete Cornelius & Andrea Marr Bomaderry Hotel, Bomaderry free 3pm The Graveyard Train, Brothers Grim The Vanguard, Newtown $20 (+ bf)–$55 (dinner & show) 6:30pm

UNKLE

MONDAY MAY 9

Saint Cecilia Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $5 8pm

The Wombats (UK), Tortoiseshell Enmore Theatre sold out 7.30pm

FRIDAY MAY 13

UNKLE (UK) Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House $55 8pm

TUESDAY MAY 10 Darwin Deez (USA), Owl Eyes Metro Theatre, Sydney $45.80 (+ bf) 8pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 11 The Filth: Cabins, Straight Arrows Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm

Bell Weather Department, Palms, Hello Vera, Nu Balance DJs Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders, Melodie Nelson, Adwok and Castratii DJs Goodgod Small Club, Sydney $20 8pm The Pleasure Principle: Gary Numan (UK), Severed Heads, Motor Enmore Theatre $59.50 (B Res)–$89.90 (A Res) 7pm

The Wharf Sessions: Richard in Your Mind Wharf 1 Sydney Theatre Company, Walsh Bay free 10pm

SATURDAY MAY 14 Ben Folds (USA), Kate Miller-Heidke State Theatre, Sydney $94.30 (+ bf) 7:30pm

SUNDAY MAY 15 The Graveyard Train, Brothers Grim The Vanguard, Newtown $20 (+ bf)–$55 (dinner & show) 6:30pm

Jack Ladder

THURSDAY MAY 12 Ben Salter, Richie Cuthbert, Gabby Huber GoodGod Small Club $12 8pm Cut Copy, The Holidays Enmore Theatre $51 8pm Dappled Cities, The Bungalows Rock Lily, Star City free Goin Steady: The Shakin Howls, Day Ravies, Baptism Of Uzi, Betty Airs, Peppercorn, 6Noir, Sister Jane, Evil J &

Darwin Deez

BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11 :: 43

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

club pick of the week Joris Voorn

SATURDAY MAY 14

MONDAY MAY 9 World Bar, Kings Cross Mondays at World Bar Mifta Killa free

TUESDAY MAY 10 The Gaff, Darlinghurst Coyote Tuesday Kid Finley, Johnny B free The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Smoke & Mirrors iOTA, Wayne Scott Kermond, Kali Retallack, Timothy Woon, Queenie van de Zandt $65 (conc)–$70 The Valve, Tempe Underground Tables Gee Wiz, Myme, Benji, BC free Tone, Surry Hills 10K’s New York Festival Gala 10k Freemen, super FLORENCE jam, Henry Earl, Moranis, Laurence Rosier Staines $5 World Bar, Kings Cross Pop Panic Pop Panic DJs, Karaoke free

WEDNESDAY MAY 11

Bella Vista Cruiser

SPICE Afloat Midnight Cruise:

Joris Voorn,

Bank Hotel, Newtown Girls’ Night DJ Heartattack free Front Bar, Goodgod Small Club, Sydney Special Moments Long John Saliva free Lewisham Hotel Club Cubano: DJ Jamie free $12 Marlborough Hotel, Newtown DJ Moussa free Macquarie Hotel, Sydney Dereb The Ambassador free The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Smoke & Mirrors iOTA, Wayne Scott Kermond, Kali Retallack, Timothy Woon, Queenie van de Zandt $65 (conc)–$70 The Sugarmill, Kings Cross Battery Operated free World Bar, Kings Cross The Wall free

THURSDAY MAY 12 Goodgod Small Club Front Bar Club AL Levins, James McInnes, Joe Gadget free Ivy Courtyard The Groove Academy feat.

Michelle Martinez free Piano Room, Potts Point DJ Dirt Nasty The Gaff, Darlinghurst The College Party Gaff DJs free The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Smoke & Mirrors iOTA, Wayne Scott Kermond, Kali Retallack, Timothy Woon, Queenie van de Zandt $65 (conc)–$70 The Vanguard, Newtown Botanics Botanics $8 (+ bf)–$12 (at door) The World Bar, Kings Cross Propaganda Propaganda DJs free (student)–$5 (at door)

FRIDAY MAY 13 Annandale Hotel, Lowrider, Joelistics, Empire Rising $12 (+ bf) 8pm Bank Hotel, Newtown Friendly Fridays Richie Carter, Jack Prest free Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross Liquid Sky DJs: Knocked Up Noise, Cunningpants, D.U.I, Sweet Distortion, Knight riders, why’s that + more! $10/$15 Chinese Laundry, Sydney Doctor Werewolf, MC Shureshock Club 202 Broadway Frathouse Venuto Cohibar DJ Shamus, DJ Mike Silver & DJ Anders Hitchcock free Goldfish, Kings Cross Pink House Breast Cancer Charity Event! Helena, Alley Oop, Dj Cassette, Lavida, Beth Yen, Bambalam, Elly K, Suadale Goodgod Smallclub - Front Bar Jack Shit’s Friday 13th Jack Shit, free Home The Venue, Sydney Area 51 Cyberpunkers, G-Tronic, Obey & Ra, Ajax, Redial, Motor, Smackdown, Valentine, Deleted Scene, Oh-Glam, Starfuckers DJs, Fake Bratpack, Down Kick, We Monsta, Glove Cats, Trumpdisco, Dub Panik, Loco Crooks, Cheap Lettus, Whatever Crew, Foutre Le Camp, Teenage Terror Squad, Radio Crash $40 (+ bf) Jacksons on George Ultimate Party Venue over 4 Floors Resident DJs free Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst FBi Social: Sketch the Rhyme, Lotek, MC Rapport, Jeswon, P-Smurf $10 Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Falcona Fridays Georgia & Morgan $10 The Dee Why Hotel

The Immigrant Kiss & Fly Regular night The Gaelic Black Friday @ Purple Sneakers presents: Last Night Butcher Blades (live), Hump Day Project, Mike Who, PhDJ, Randall Stagg, Cries Wolf DJs $10live The Rouge, Kings Cross Hollywood Gossip Bounce Crew DJs $5 The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Smoke & Mirrors iOTA, Wayne Scott Kermond, Kali Retallack, Timothy Woon, Queenie van de Zandt $65 (conc)–$70 Tone, Surry Hills High Spirits Alphatown live $10 Water Bar – Blue Hotel The Groove Academy feat.

Sarah J. Hyland Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Bring on the Weekend! DJ Matty Roberts free World Bar, Kings Cross MUM MUM DJs $10 - 15

SATURDAY MAY 14 Arthouse Hotel, Sydney Mustard Pimp (FRA), Vengeance, Moowho, Slipperywhenwet, Teez, Kyro & Bomber + more! $25 Bank Hotel, Newtown Js Slynk & Emme free Bella Vista (Star City Casino Wharf Pick Up) Spice Afloat Midnight Cruise: Joris Voorn, Edwin Oosterwal, Murat Kilic, Matttt & Tomass, Nic Scali, Sam Roberts $75 midnight Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross Disco Disco DJs: Vengeance, Teez, Disco Volante, Boy Genius, Stick It, Lady K + more! $10-$20 Chinese Laundry, Sydney MUMDANCE (UK), Fraser, The Immigrant, Jeff Drake,

Edwin Oosterwal, Murat Kilic, Matttt & Tomass, Nic Scali, Sam Roberts $75 - midnight pick up from Star City Wharf, Pirrama Rd Pyrmont

N-TYPE

‘Can’t do me nothing, can’t tell me nada, Don’t quote me now because I’m doing the lambada, The forbidden dance, here’s my chance, To make romance in my B-boy stance’ – BEASTIE BOYS 44 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

club guide

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com Jonny Pow!!, Club Junque, Matttt, DJ Eko, Marky Mark Civic Hotel, Sydney Adult Disco Future Classic DJs $15 (presale) Coach and Horses Hotel, Randwick Retro Night free Cohibar DJ Brynstar & DJ Mike Silver free eleven, Paddington Digital Therapy Empire Hotel, Darlinghurst Empire Saturdays Empire DJs free Establishment, Sydney Sienna G Wizard, Def Rok, Teko, Lilo $20 GOODGOD Small Club Danceteria Reggae Reaction Admiral Kilosh (live), DJs Spin D Music, Fasmwa, Wally G, Rebel Bass $15 GOODGOD Small Club Front Bar DJs Hana Shimada & Jimmy Sing free Jacksons On George, Sydney Ultimate Party Venue DJ Michael Stewart free Oxford Art Factory,

Darlinghurst Void 4th Birthday N-Type (UK), Garage Pressure, Victim, Swindle, Zerodub, Max Gosford, Prize, Precha, Low Society DJs, Jonny Faith, DJ Huwston $25 (+ bf) Tank, Sydney One Last Time Acid Jacks, Goodwill, Ian Spicer vs Toby Neal $25 The Forbes Hotel, Sydney We Love Indie $10 The Gaff, Darlinghurst Johnny B free The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Smoke & Mirrors iOTA, Wayne Scott Kermond, Kali Retallack, Timothy Woon, Queenie van de Zandt $65 (conc)–$70 The Supper Club, 134 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst Robopop: The Hibernation: Tom Ballard & Brendan Maclean (triple j), Toki Doki, Franne Damme, Girls Gone Wrong, Kill The Landlord $10 The World Bar, Kings Cross

WHAM! Mark Walton $15–$20 Tone, Surry Hills Kollektiv Turmstrasse $15 (1st release)–$30 (at door) Water Bar – Blue Hotel Tikki Tembo

SUNDAY MAY 15 Bank Hotel, Newtown DJ David DC free Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Picnic Sundays Kali & The Loin Brothers Fakeclub Spice Yokoo, Tyson Ballard, Mike O’Connor $20 Jacksons on George Aphrodisiac Industry Night Resident DJs free Sweeney’s Rooftop Sundaes Hanna Gibbs, Ty The Hunter Bar Daydreams Dayclub Yoshi Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Afternoon DJs DJ Matty Roberts free World Bar, Kings Cross Fortune! Disco Punx free

club picks up all night out all week...

Lettus, Whatever Crew, Foutre Le Camp, Teenage Terror Squad, Radio Crash $40 (+ bf) 10pm Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst FBi Social: Sketch the Rhyme, Lotek, MCs: Rapaport, Jeswon, P-Smurf $10 8:30pm

Botanics

TUESDAY MAY 10 Tone, Surry Hills 10K’s New York Festival Gala 10k Freemen, super FLORENCE jam, Henry Earl, Moranis, Laurence Rosier Staines $5 8:30pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 11 Macquarie Hotel, Sydney Dereb The Ambassador free 7:30pm

THURSDAY MAY 12 Goodgod Small Club Front Bar Joelistics

Club AL Levins, James McInnes free 8pm The Vanguard, Newtown Botanics Botanics $8 (+ bf)–$12 (at door) 6:30pm

FRIDAY MAY 13 Annandale Hotel, Annandale Lowrider, Joelistics, Empire Rising $15 (+ bf) 8pm Home The Venue, Sydney Area 51 Cyberpunkers, GTronic, Obey & RA, Ajax, Redial, Motor, Smacktown, Valentine, Deleted Scence, OhGlam!, Starfuckers, Fake Bratpack, Down Kick, We Monsta, Glove Cats, Trumpdisco, Dub Panik, Loco Crooks, Cheap

Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Falcona Fridays Georgia & Morgan $10 10pm

SATURDAY MAY 14 Civic Hotel, Sydney Adult Disco Future Classic DJs $15 (presale) 10pm GOODGOD Small Club Danceteria Reggae Reaction Admiral Kilosh (live), DJs Spin D Music, Fasmwa, Wally G, Rebel Bass $15 10pm Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Void 4th Birthday N-Type (UK), Garage Pressure, Victim, Swindle, Zerodub, Max Gosford, Prize, Precha, Low Society DJs, Jonny Faith, DJ Huwston $25 (+ bf) 9pm The Supper Club, 134 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst Robopop: The Hibernation: Tom Ballard & Brendan Maclean (triple j), Toki Doki, Franne Damme, Girls Gone Wrong, Kill The Landlord $10 10pm

SUNDAY MAY 15 Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Picnic Sundays Kali & The Loin Brothers 6pm Fakeclub Spice Yokoo, Tyson Ballard, Mike O’Connor $20 4am

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Deep Impressions Underground Dance and Electronica with Chris Honnery

Robag Wruhme

Soul Sedation

Soul, Dub, Hip Hop & Bottom-heavy Beats with Tony Edwards 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.

T

L

ast week in the column across the page, one Tony Edwards made a brazen play for a portion of the electronic music market, by referring to a podcast from German minimal proponent Robag Wruhme. While one can understand how trotting out the same old platitudes regarding Fat Freddy’s Drop et al on a weekly basis could become irksome, that doesn’t excuse Edwards wading into waters where he is well and truly out of his depth. Still, I must admit that the brazen assault forced me to recognise that Robag has been conspicuously absent from my column of late – and given the quality of his recent releases, such a conspicuous absence from this page was inexplicable.

Robag, one half of the now-defunct Wighnomy Brothers, has just released a serene new LP (on the Pampa imprint) that is highly recommended: Thora Vukk.

It’s a dreamy and melodic album with shades of late-‘70s kosmische and also the early 21st Century Kompakt/Cologne sound (which of course Wruhme had a hand in shaping). As Robag himself puts it, it’s “ideal for the bedroom or passenger cabins of any kind”. While on the Robag tip, his Wuppdeckmischmampflow compilation on Kompakt, which features cuts from WhoMadeWho, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Four Tet and Voom Voom, is a serious contender for mix of the year, and should be in your physical/digital shopping cart after you read this column, if it wasn’t there already. Phew, portion of the market reclaimed, Robag – covered!

Expert sound engineer and acclaimed producer tobias. – real name Tobias Freund – will release a new album on Ostgut Ton in early July. Entitled Leaning Over Backwards (a reference to the lyrics of Wire’s ‘Single K.O.’), it was made by the nsi. man chiefly using a Roland TR-808 and Korg Mini Pops without computer sequencing, and includes vocal contributions from Hercules & Love Affair’s Aerea Negrot, along with a collaboration with Uwe Schmidt AKA Atom™. Freund has previously released albums under such pseudonyms as Pink Elln, Zoon and with Max Loderbauer as nsi., but Leaning Over Backwards will be his first album under the ‘tobias.’ moniker - which, for what it’s worth, has been described as the most “accessible” of his various aliases. With sounds built around classic drum machines, hardware synthesizers and oddball vocalist contributions, this is certainly worth a listen when it hits shelves – I’m not sure how “accessible” the album will be, but I can confidently predict it will be a release of the highest quality.

LOOKING DEEPER SATURDAY MAY 14 Kollektiv Turmstrasse Tone Joris Voorn Spice Afloat

SATURDAY JUNE 4 Iron Curtis Inner-city warehouse

SUNDAY JUNE 12 Marcellus Pittman Tone

“When I began to put together ideas for the Omega Live Show, I wanted to bring together elements that would of course, reflect the movie, Omega Man,” Hood said of the project. “I thought, why not include a few past recordings, such as ‘Unix’, ‘Side Effect’, and ‘Minus’ but with a postapocalyptic sound. The idea was to simply stay true to my roots and to represent the sci-fi essence of the movie’s theme. I added some unfamiliar elements such as ‘Bells At Dusk’ and ‘Minimal Minimal’, as well as James Ruskin’s re-interpretation of ‘Alpha’.”

Omega: Alive is due for release in June.

Conceptual Polish techno DJ/producer Margaret Dygas will release a mini-album on the canonical Perlon imprint at the end of this month. The EP follows the recent release of Dygas’ first full-length artist album How Do You Do in November last year, an experimental minimal offering that was commissioned by Tokyo’s PowerShovelAudio, an analogue camera company-turned-record label that releases photo books and conceptual CDs, and had previously released material from the likes of Maayan Nidam. Dygas is primarily known for her DJing - she’s been a longrunning resident DJ at Berlin institution Panoramabar and has mixed a few highly acclaimed podcasts for online factions but her production pedigree should not be overlooked by those with a penchant for minimal and ‘intellectual’ electronic sounds.

The forthcoming EP is more like a minialbum, boasting six tracks and clocking in at 46 minutes, offering a good chance for any newcomers to get acquainted with a figure who is hugely respected by the techno cognoscenti.

Margaret Dygas

his column had the pleasure of catching jazz master Herbie Hancock at the Opera House last Monday night - and by my and most other accounts, it was a seriously great performance. Flanked by James Genus on bass and Trevor Lawrence on drums, we heard a little slice of everything the keyboard wizard has dabbled in over the years. From delicate jazz recitals on the grand piano, to future space jazz on the big electronic Korg and keytar, to pop and world music interpretations from his newest Imagine project, to extended versions of ‘Watermelon Man’, and ‘Cantaloupe Island’, it was a show of depth, colour and variety.

Hancock didn’t play ‘Rockit’, but there was a tribute to the song as a show-closer, while the band ‘popped and locked’ front of stage in good humour. The Chicago native is in good shape for 71 as well, and doesn’t look like he'll be slowing down anytime soon. I’m fairly certain he’ll be back for a couple more tours yet.

From jazz to disco: a re-edit compilation you definitely need to get your head around is the Rio Special Edits. They’ve put together some killer vinyl releases over the course of the last couple of years, and now a good swag of those are available on CD, as Rio Special Edits Vol 1. As the name suggests, the version’s heavy with a percussive, dancefloor-friendly Latin flavor. There are also some boogie sounds, some epic synth work, and some nice subtle choices of tracks to edit as well. Soul Sedation is loving this release - loads of good vibes to be had.

Yet another great release on the disco front is Gene Hunt Presents – Chicago Dance Tracks. If you like that early Chicago sound, you’ll dig this retrospective of some bonafide classics – and some not-so-well-known grooves as well. The compilation features tracks from Farley Jackmaster Funk, Robert Owens and Steve Silk Hurley, it’s out on Rush Hour Records.

Odd Future frontman Tyler The Creator has dropped his second album Goblin this week, the first single of which - ‘Yonkers’ - has been doing the rounds for a couple of months now. ‘Yonkers’ features a heavy beat, a slightly abstract groove, dark themes and expletive-laden verses. It’s a

ON THE ROAD SATURDAY MAY 14 th Void 4 Birthday ft N-TYPE Oxford Art Factory

FRIDAY MAY 20

The Bamboos 10th Anniversary Manning Bar, Sydney University

FRIDAY MAY 27 Bliss n Eso, Horrorshow Hordern Pavilion

MAY 31, JUNE 1 & 2 OFWGKTA Sydney Opera House

THURSDAY JUNE 2 Sonny Rollins Sydney Opera House

SATURDAY JUNE 4 Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Sydney Opera House

worthy track, and piques my interest for the rest of the album. Hopefully it’s a taste of what the OFWGKTA show might sound like when at Vivid LIVE. The LA collective play at the Opera House from May 31 – June 2.

NY party don Nickodemus is back with his tune ‘A New York Minute’. He’s teamed up with Sadat X of Brand Nubian, Rabbi Darkside, iLLspokinN and The Real Live Show for the production and, returning to his roots somewhat, it’s a prime slice of Latin funk and hip hop.

The Record Kicks label has dropped a great new release from Nick Pride & The Pimptones. Midnight Feast Of Jazz, the band’s debut album, is a collection of dancefloor jazz, funk and nu-soul, with some Latin influences, and a swag of guest vocalists involved as well. Check out the single ‘Waiting So Long’, featuring Jess Roberts on vocal. Fans of The Bamboos, Dap Kings etc should take note - it’s definitely walking in similar territory.

Speaking of which, The Bamboos are in Sydney this month - check the Soul Sedation calendar for more details.

New electronic soul figurehead Jamie Woon’s debut full length, Mirrorwriting, is out through Candent Songs. The full release will allow you to check out what the producer is packing beyond his breakthrough compositions ‘Night Air’ and ‘Lady Luck’. Expect explorations in soul, garage, post-dubstep, and fringe electronica.

Electric Wire Hustle's Benny Tones has broken out on his own to release his debut album, Chrysalis. The tracks I’ve heard have an omnipresent deep blue coolness to them, making the album yet another divergence in the Pacific soul scene. Tones produces everything from electronic soul to ambient downbeat and dub-style versions.

The record is out through BBE.

Tyler The Creator

The label that broke the massive UK funky tune from Joy Orbison, ‘Hyph Mngo’, has released an extensive label comp. Back & 4th: A Hotflush Compilation allows you to delve into the rest of the Hotflush roster, from headliners in their own right like Mount Kimbie and Scuba, to emerging producers like Sigha, FaltyDL and Boxcutter. Think bass music in all its new variants: post-dubstep, wonky, UK Funky and on into the unknown.

Nick Pride & The Pimptones

Australia-bound Robert Hood will revisit the post-apocalyptic techno themes he first explored on last year’s Omega album with the release of Omega: Alive. The new album will work as an accompaniment to the Detroit producer’s forthcoming live show, which you have the chance to experience at HaHa’s ‘Versus’ warehouse bash on Saturday May 28. Omega: Alive takes the raw elements of tracks from last year’s album along with new and old material, and reworks them into a pulsating twelve-track set which will form the basis of what should be a thumping live show.

Deep Impressions: electronica manifesto and occasional club brand. Contact through deep.impressions@yahoo.com.

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Send stuff for this column to tonyedwards001@gmail.com by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to art@thebrag.com

FRIDAY 13TH MAY THE GO ROLL YOUR BONES

DUNE RATS!, LET ME DOWN JUNGLEMAN, D BEN SALTER, GUERRE, SENDFIRE, KAROSHI + MUM DJS B

STUDENTS FREE BEFORE 10PM, $10 AFTER

DEATH PARTY

THEWORLDBAR.COM 24 BAYSWATER RD

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snap sn ap

wham!

PICS :: WN

up all night out all week . . .

falcona fridays

PICS :: PS

30:04:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

29:04:11 Kit & Kaboodle :: 33-35 Darlinghurst Rd Kings Cross 93680300

It’s called: 34B’s Berlin Burlesque It sounds like: A burlesque tribute to the home of seductive, cuttingedge performance, twisted humour and scintil lating tease: Berlin.

Who’s performing? Kira Hula-la, Audrey L’Espi onne, Lucille Spielfuchs, Ember Flame, Electrik Dreams, Bubbling Brook e, Briana Bluebell, with MCs Dizze Der Kazz and Franke Büble – and tunes by DJ Jack Shit.

Sell it to us: Berlin Burlesque recreates the mystique and velvety seduction of Weimar-era burlesque cabaret fused and avant-garde abandon of modern-day Berlin with the dark humour – the 1980s pop-culture of those crazy Germans! with a tip of the hat to The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Captivating performances, velvet drapes and the warmth of our smoky cabar et.

Crowd specs: Corseted cabaret stars, 1920s underground artists, well-suited gents, short-fringed flappers and (for a more modern take) asymmetrical outfits.

Wallet damage: $20 pre-sale / $25 on the night / reserved tables $30pp (min 3pp), through moshtix.com.au Where: 34B Burlesque / 44 Oxford St Darlin ghurst When: Saturday May 14 from 8:30pm

hot damn

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creamfields 25:04:11 :: Spectrum :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93316245 48 :: BRAG :: 411 :: 09:05:11

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party profile

berlin burlesque

29:04:11 Kit & Kaboodle :: 33-35 Darlinghurst Rd Kings Cross 93680300 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: ASHLEY S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) TOTEM OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER VENSON :: THOMAS PEACHY :: STE ICK PATR :: YEN NGU Y MAR :: DANIEL MUNNS :: VICK ONELOVE GROUP

A LIFE OF NEVER TRAINING WAS REALLY PAYING OFF.

STRIKE CHATSWOOD STRIKE KING STREET WHARF, DARLING HARBOUR STRIKE ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER, MOORE PARK

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snap

oxford art factory

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paddle emporium

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up all night out all week . . .

29:04:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711

29:04:11 :: LO-FI Collective :: Floor 3, 383 Bourke St Surry Hills

29:04:11

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

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29:04:11 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex Street Sydney 82959958

bungalow 8 PICS :: AM

last night

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28:04:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

chinese laundry

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propaganda

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0

29:04:11 :: Bungalow 8 :: 8 The Promenade Kings Street Wharf 92994440 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: ASHLEY S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) :: THOMAS PEACHY :: TOTEM OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER SON VEN STE NGUYEN :: PATRICK MAR :: DANIEL MUNNS :: VICKY ONELOVE GROUP

SYDNEY THEATRE & CHUNKY MOVE PRESENT

CONNECTED 10 -14 MAY 2011

SYDNEY THEATRE AT WALSH BAY BOOK NOW sydneytheatre.org.au OR PHONE (02) 9250 1999 TICKETS FROM $30 (PLUS TRANSACTION FEES)

PHOTO Jeff Busby PICTURED Alisdair Macindoe & Stephanie Lake

“..MATHEMATICALLY PRECISE AND MESMERISINGLY BEAUTIFUL” THE AGE