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rock music news
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Nathan Jolly and Steph Harmon
he said she said WITH
JAMIE FROM RAPIDS
cheekiness and their hair dos and their doo doo bubbas and their skiffy doos. I’m also totally inspired by the love I share with my close friends and family.
Xxx
Rapids consists of me, Will, Angus and Remy. It’s a complicated story of how we all came together, but we did and now we love each other and love making music together. It all started on the Gold Coast though. We actually don’t have many musical differences when it comes to writing; we share similar tastes and adapt well (generally speaking) to each other’s ideas and vibes.
I
grew up on Phil Collins, The Beatles and John Farnham, because my mum loved them. My dad listened to Joe Cocker because he’s a cocker.
The first tape I bought was TLC’s CrazySexyCool. Amazing record. If you’re stoned or just chillin’ right now, put on ‘Diggin’ On You’, grab yourself a pineapple juice and open
the window, baby. If you’re not, go fill out a form. My favourite musicians are The Beatles. Endlessly cool. I love their
I hate the term ‘indie’. We are indie in as much as we are unsigned. I think we’re post-indie. How indie’s that? (#sofuckingindieicouldcry). This new EP is a new sound for us. Sits back a bit tempo-wise and has kept its spaciousness, although there are moments that are quite full-bodied. Can’t wait to play it live. We love and support local bands. To name a few: I Know Leopard, Deep Sea Arcade, Myth & Tropics, and we still hold a candle for The Scare! Come
Royal Headache
PUBLISHERS: Adam Zammit & Rob Furst EDITOR IN CHIEF: Adam Zammit 9552 6333 adam@peergroupmedia.com
ADVERTISING: Matthew Cowley - 0431 917 359 / (02) 8394 9492 matthew@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 8394 9027 les@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Meaghan Meredith - 0423 655 091 / (02) 8394 9168 meaghan@thebrag.com GIG & CLUB GUIDE CO-ORDINATOR: Conrad Richters - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock) clubguide@thebrag.com (dance & parties) INTERNS: Sigourney Berndt, Greg Clennar, Julian de Lorenzo, Alex Christie REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Simon Binns, Michael Brown, Liz Brown, Bridie Connell, Bridie Connellan, Ben Cooper, Oliver Downes, Alasdair Duncan, Max Easton, Tony Edwards, Christie Eliezer, Murray Engleheart, Henry Florence, Mike Gee, Chris Honnery, Nathan Jolly, Alex Lindsay Jones, Robbie Miles, Peter Neathway, Hugh Robertson, Matt Roden, Emma Salkild, Romi Scodellaro, Rach Seneviratne, Luke Telford, Rick Warner Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this address 8a Marlborough Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9552 6333 fax - (02) 9319 2227 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor or Staff of The Brag. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Stephen Forde : accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121 DEADLINES: Editorial Wednesday 12pm (no extensions) Art Work, Ad Bookings Thursday 12pm (no extensions) Ad Cancellations Tuesday 4pm Published by Cartrage P/L ACN 104026388 All content copyrighted to Cartrage 2003 DISTRIBUTION: Wanna get The Brag? Email distribution@ furstmedia.com.au or phone 03 9428 3600. PRINTED BY SPOTPRESS: www.spotpress.com.au 24 – 26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204 Win a giveaway? Mail us a stamped and addressed envelope, and we’ll send your prize on over...
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I think the biggest obstacle for musicians is money. Like any artistic endeavour, music is tricky when it comes to stacking dem Benjamins. Most of us are in dead shit jobs to pay the bills, which can be quite taxing on the soul. It’s probably useful though, in that it makes us all hungry! What: New Navy, Skryptcha, Monks of Melonwah, Sydney Girls Choir & Patrick and the Deep End Where: Major Raiser’s ‘Tickets For Tucker’ @ The Gaelic Club, Surry Hills When: Saturday December 10 More: majorraiser.org.au / raising funds for Botshabelo, an African orphanage
played. They’re in Sydney this week promoting their latest album Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, momentous moments from which they’ll be playing at the Metro Theatre this Sunday December 11. They’re being supported by Charge Group and tickets, quite miraculously, are still on sale.
GO HERE GO THERE
EDITOR: Steph Harmon steph@thebrag.com 02 9698 9645 ARTS & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Dee Jefferson dee@thebrag.com 02 9690 2731 STAFF WRITERS: Jonno Seidler, Caitlin Welsh NEWS: Nathan Jolly, Chris Honnery ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant GRAPHIC DESIGN: Alan Parry SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER: Tim Levy SNAP PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Daniel Faust, Ashley Mar, Daniel Munns, Thomas Peachey, George Popov, Rukes, Tim Whitney COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Katharina Poblotzki
back! ...Nah, they won’t. Love Tame Impala and DZ Deathrays. We spent a week in November in the Hunter Valley recording our debut EP with Liam Judson, which was really fun. The Hunter was beautiful. We cooked BBQs every day and played lots of chess and had lots of laughs. EP drops in March! Get excited.
ROYAL HANGOVER
New Year’s Eve has never lived up to anyone’s expectations in the history of mankind. Truth. There’s even movies about it. Proper movies! Well, this year is set to be no different – unless of course you head to GoodGod Small Club to see Royal Headache ring in the new year with their only show ‘til they reach that faraway landmass known as April 2012. Royal Headache, in case you don’t know, released the best, most soulful, heart-on-sleeve, garage punk record this year, which saw them crowned ‘Best New Talent’ in The Age’s EG Awards last week. And guess what? Tickets are on sale now.
SMAC AWARDS
The finalists for FBi Radio’s annual Sydney Music, Art & Culture (SMAC) Awards were announced last week, and a quick scan through the list offers a spot-on cross-section of everything it is that we love about Sydney. BRAG is very proud to present one of the awards this year – Best Major Festival – with Harvest, Peats Ridge, Vivid LIVE, Musica Tumbalong, and Graphic in the running. But there are thirteen categories in all, spanning music, art, collectives and, for the first time, food. For the full list of music categories, skip along to The Music Network column on page 20; for arts, get ye to page 33. To see all of them at once, hit up smacawards.com – voting is open until January 4.
GRANDADDY’S JASON LYTLE!
You mean you’ve spent the last ten years searching the corners of the internet (it’s a Fucked Up
rectangle, btw) for the cutest thing ever, yet you totally missed the ‘Nature Anthem’ video by Cali legends Grandaddy? It also contains the best lyric ever: “I wanna try to be nice to everyone”. He wants to try – such an amazingly loose declaration. Anyways, the frontman of Grandaddy, Jason Lytle, is playing at the Vanguard on February 11 and 12 next year, which is extremely good news seeing that Grandaddy only came out once ever, and that was seven years ago.
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY THIS WEEKEND
Texas quartet Explosions In The Sky can build a mood like no other, and anyone whose experienced them live has walked away muttering more things about galaxies crashing into each other than that time that Sigur Ros
MUM @ The World Bar and FBi Social make a pretty good match: both in Kings Cross, both involving many flights of stairs, both frequented by the best-looking, best-dressed that folks Sydney has to offer, and both championing the young indie bands that we ourselves are exceptionally partial to. They’re celebrating their mutual interests with a huge joint party this Friday, ‘Go Here Go There’, for which one ticket will give you access to both venues, and sets from Bleeding Knees Club, Velociraptor, The Paper Scissors, The Rubens, Underlights, Peppercorn, Atom Bombs, The Fabergettes, Sures, Polographia, Young Romantics, Kempsey, Grams and MUM DJs. Who could ask for anything more?
THE APARTMENTS ARE BACK!
I like it when bands refer to themselves as pop romantics – it’s a lot better than hate-metal or horrorcore or psychedelic space warriors (actually I like that last one, too). ‘70s, ‘80s ‘90s and nowsies pop romantics The Apartments are getting ready to launch the vinyl single ‘Black Ribbons’, their first piece of music in pretty much forever. The seminal Aussie band has been fronted across its (intermittent) 30-year career by Peter Walsh, a cult-hero of a songwriter who inspired The Go Betweens’ ‘Don’t Let Him Come Back’. He was lulled out of his reclusive retirement for a reunion show in 2007, and ‘Black Ribbons’ is the first taste of their forthcoming record, their first since 1998. The show is happening at the Factory Theatre this Friday December 9, which is coincidentally the same evening that you will be happening at the Factory Theatre! Lucky...
FUCKED UP AT THE STANDARD
What are you doing on Tuesday December 6? Nothing? Wanna come to The Standard? It’s upstairs from Kinselas at Taylor Square, and we can watch Polaris Prize-winning Canadian punkers Fucked Up, fronted by a huge hisute man who takes his shirt off and screams in the most awesome way imagineable. They’re in town to support Foo Fighters’ massive stadium show on Thursday even though they sound nothing at all like Foo Fighters, and tickets are on sale now.
GIG OF THE WEEK
VEGAS
Q Bar + Phoenix Vegas + Spectrum
SAT 10TH DEC 10PM $10
FRI 9TH DEC 9PM $10
WED 7TH DEC 8PM $10
FRI 9TH DEC 12PM FREE
THURS 8TH DEC 8PM $15/$20
10 Things I Hate About Q
THE ALTERNATIVE
The Egyptian
Destroy All Lines
$8 Margarita Buckets $5 Vodka Cherry Cola $5 $ Local Beers
VIRAL MILLENIUM NOVEAUX
The Former Love Tigertown Cordial Factory
LIVE
SAT 10TH DEC 10PM $10
Halfway Crooks FRI 9TH DEC 9PM $10/$15 $10
Xmas
A Hip Hop Party for Festive People
1970 – 1979 All the time with your hosts
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Domeyko Gonzalez Toucan Rainbow Chan
Jack Horner Tobey Thompson Kara Mia
SAT 10TH DEC 9PM $10
WITH
THE COVEN
Captain Franco, Levins, Toni Toni Lee SAT 11TH DEC 10PM FREE
Loose Ends FRI 9TH DEC 10PM FREE
Feel Good Inc Free Ping Pong, Cheap Drinks
5th B’day with
Matt Vaughan, Avra Cybele, Apocalypstik
Presents
Jason & The Lyrebird AFTER 11:30
P*A*S*H INDIE,RETRO, ROCK&ROLL
Sights & Sounds One Vital Word Grenadiers Chasing Ghosts Nuclear Summer
SAT 10TH DEC 5AM $15 SUN 11TH DEC 5AM $15
AFTER DAY CLUB
COMERICIAL HOUSE TILL THE SUN RISES AND THEN SOME
M d - Friday F id Monday 10am - Late Saturday - Sunday 9am - 6am Sunday Recovery 9am – late Happy Hour 5-7 every day
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rock music news
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Nathan Jolly and Steph Harmon
he said she said WITH
SHE & HIM
CLAUDE HAY My music is kind of a cross between the blues elements of Ben Harper and the rock elements of Lenny Kravitz, with a bit of funk thrown in. It’s definitely music that challenges me; I’ve got to be thinking about all parts simultaneously, and always keep an ear out to see if things are working. I generally get bored playing with one instrument too much, so I really enjoy the aspect of playing a little bit of bass and drums as well as guitar… Whenever I’m in the mood to play a specific instrument, I can go with it. I’m working on my third album now, in between touring. It’ll encompass a new guitar I’m making – a cigar box guitar.
I
loved KISS when I was a kid. Theirs was the first record I bought. I even snuck in to see them play at the Sydney Showground with my sister, when I was around 10 years old. We were so small that no one could catch us. It’s a concert I’ll never forget. Being a songwriter was something I just fell in love with, ever since I was a kid with a dodgy four-track. I must have a box full of those tapes somewhere under the house that I recorded back in the early days. As soon as I
got that four-track, that was it for me. Back when I first started playing music, the only thing I listened to was loud guitar rock like Van Halen and Steve Vai. It all changed when I saw the movie Crossroads. To me, before I saw the movie, blues was a 12-bar thing that your school teacher taught you, and back in those days we didn’t have the internet. But when I heard Ry Cooder and Robert Johnston in the movie, it opened up a new world for me.
FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM
This year was focussed on promoting and touring my second album, Deep Fried Satisfied, overseas. I toured for two months in the USA and just got off the plane from France, playing a run of shows at a festival over there. The difficulties of travelling overseas include excess baggage, sorting working visas and finding good coffee. What: Deep Fried Satisfied is out now With: Gotye, Xavier Rudd, The Stanton Warriors, The Dum Dum Girls, LTJ Bukem, The Paper Scissors and more Where: Peats Ridge Festival @ Glenworth Valley When: December 29 – January 1
Imagine all of the adorable pictures of kittens you’ve ever seen on the internet. Now forget them, because all the big eyes and bad grammar ain’t got nothing on the adorable-ness that is She & Him’s Xmas album, A Very She & Him Christmas. Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward have outdone themselves with their collection of Christmas classics – and BRAG not only has copies of the album to giveaway, but they come with a sickeningly cute beanie and mittens combo (sure it’s Summer now, but you tell that to Zooey…). If you’re in need of A Very She & Him Christmas, we want you to send us the cutest thing you can find online.
FUCKED UP
There ain’t nothing we enjoy more than some well-placed profanity. And it doesn’t get much more well-placed than The Standard on Tuesday December 6. That’s when punk gods Fucked Up will take to the stage and get your blood pumping and your feet stomping. These guys are in their finest form yet, recently releasing their third studio album and tagging along in support of rock legends Foo Fighters, who also play in Sydney this week. BRAG’s got some double passes up for grabs for Fucked Up’s show at The Standard, if you can tell us the name of their most recent album.
FLORENCE IN 2012
Lock up your mothers and daughters and friends and brothers and boyfriends and everyone, really, ‘cos Florence and the Machine are coming back to Australia to play the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Thursday May 24, and you better believe everyone will be rushing to their nearest internet and logging the heck on to buy tickets this Wednesday December 7. So if you love Florence, hurry, hurry, hurry – she’s the Adele that it’s okay to like because she can actually write songs, and oh my god, the hair and the legs.
HAT PARTY!
This one doesn’t need to be wrapped in a joke, so I’ll just state the facts: Oxford Art Factory’s first official Hat Party. Free entry, free drinks from 8 ‘til they run out (read: get there at 8!), free hats (save me a fedora for my ‘Billie Jean’ routine?), free CDs (they’re like a rounder MP3...) and Only The Sea Slugs, Rapids, Made In Japan, Little Lovers, I Know Leopard and hip hop DJs. I know! I know! HAT PARTY!
XMAS BURLESQUE BBQ
The Strides
The inherent brilliance of the phrase “Xmas Burlesque BBQ” almost caused me to choke on my morning potato bake, and the 3pm-3am run time set for Friday December 23 only makes this event even more amazing. Burlectricity is being held at Valve Bar on Princes Highway, and has live performances by the likes of The Strides, Fait Accompli and Xanthopan, and burlesque performances by the likes of Bunni Lambada, Evie Va Voom and Memphis Mae. There’s Kranskies a-cookin’, cheap drinks and free shuttle buses from Newtown Station. Triple win.
HANGGAI ARE BACK
You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, Google “Hanggai”, and then imagine this Mongolia-via-Beijing six-piece playing in Sydney on January 3 and 4. My point is that a picture can sometimes be worth a million words. Add to these million words the fact they play an awesome mixture of throat singing, rock, pop and bluegrass music, and you’ll realise that sometimes a picture and a brief description
Slipknot
can be worth a gazillion words... Go see them. They ruled Sydney festival this year, and are coming back to rule The Basement – and they’re playing Peats Ridge Festival, too!
ADAM COHEN
Adam Cohen is a musical poet, whose folk-rock stylings have won over critics and fans alike – and it turns out he has a famous dad, too. That’s right, it’s legendary balladeer Sandy Cohen, who belted out an unforgettable number in the second series of The OC while taking a stray teenager into his household. Meanwhile Leonard Cohen is also claiming parentage, but I’m not convinced… We can discuss it when Adam plays The Basement on March 14, in support of his latest album, the beautiful Like A Man. Gossling will be in support, and tickets go on sale this Wednesday December 7.
JIM WARD TOUR
Remember At The Drive In and Sparta? Yeah, yeah I know you do. You haven’t stopped remembering them since they became a memory, which is why Jim Ward, frontman/founder of those bands, keeps returning to Australia. You love it, he loves it – it just makes sense. He’s still touring in support of this year’s record Quiet In The Valley, but this time it’s set to be so much better: Melbourne’s Smith Street Band are supporting, who sound like Bright Eyes mixed with The Pogues and, on the right evening, after the right amount of wine, are the best thing ever. Head to the Sandringham on January 6 to see exactly what I mean.
CELL BLOCK 69
Once a year, the self-proclaimed World’s Greatest Rock Pop Band, Cell Block ’69, emerge from a triumphant retirement to bring their longstanding fans a night of the hugest, sexiest, stadium-worthy pop rock the year has ever seen – before promptly packing it in again. The ten-piece (all named Corey, and headed by the ever-defamatory Mssr. Le Corey-Michaels) are descending on Oxford Art Factory this Sunday December 18, and you’ve never been as excited as you are right now. Get tickets through Moshtix, and start polishing your leathers.
MAJOR RAISER
SLIPKNOT SIDEWAVE
We were already looking forward to experiencing the easy wit and charm of conversationalists Christopher Hitchens and Ira Glass in early 2012, and now returning to Australia to discuss that old age contradiction, “Clowns: They’re actually terrifying”, are Slipknot – who have announced a freaking HUGE Sydney sideshow on February 27 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. It’s been ten years since they first broke through with Iowa, and they’ve been getting better ever since – so catch them at Soundwave and at the sideshow, and then do whatever the pretty stranger tells you to...
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We’ve been supporters of the Major Raiser initiative since it was launched, based purely on the awesomeness of the idea: regular parties with killer music, raising funds and awareness for a different cause each time. The next one is ‘Tickets For Tucker’, set for Saturday December 10 at the Gaelic Club and raising money for an African orphanage called ‘Botshabelo’. The night will also feature a live art installation put together by Interwoven, which the audience will contribute to – and which will be travelling to Botshabelo along with the organiser Dom Greenwood. Nice huh? And we didn’t even mention the lineup: New Navy, Skryptcha, Rapids, Monks of Melonwah and more. Tickets are just $24, and karma is easily the best hangover cure.
Jim Ward
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The Music Network
themusicnetwork.com
Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
THINGS WE HEAR
* Where do Lady Gaga and her actor boyfriend Taylor Kinney go on dates? To shooting ranges, where they fire automatic weapons and set off explosions. On their first date, she gave him a list of fetish clubs to visit. Apparently she’s so turned on by him playing a bloodsucker in US TV series The Vampire Diaries that she makes him dress up as a vamp in the bedroom… * Shore Thing, the NYE bash at Bondi Beach with Snoop Dogg, Calvin Harris and Pendulum, has pulled out the Sold Out sign. * Empire Of The Sun had their giant swordfish heads stolen at Stereosonic. * Shaun James, GM of XYZ Networks (V, V Hits, Max and Country Music Channel), sold his Federation place in Willoughby for over $2.1 million. Meantime, hotelier Donnacha Reidy, who’s behind the Days Like This music festival, has his hilltop Coogee place for auction on December 10. * Ben Lee and Old Man River are going to India. They are heading over for a wedding, and to possibly collaborate on a new project. * One of the three fans selected to meet Dolly Parton before her Brisbane show at the
FBI ANNOUNCES SMAC AWARDS FINALISTS
FBi Radio announced the finalists of its Sydney Music, Art & Culture (SMAC) Awards. Its thirteen categories cover music, art, collective endeavours, stage performances, innovative uses of Sydney’s public spaces, video clips and – new this year – places to eat. They were chosen by public call-out and in consultation with industry figures, and winners will be chosen by public vote, which runs until January 4 at smacawards.com. Nominees include: MAJOR FESTIVAL (presented by BRAG): Harvest, Peats Ridge, Vivid Live, Musica Tumbalong Graphic. NEXT BIG THING: Oliver Tank, Catcall, Jonti, Lanie Lane, Matt Corby, WIM, Royal Headache. BEST LIVE MUSIC ACT: Thundamentals, Jezebels, Jinja Safari, Kirin J. Callinan, StepPanther, The Snowdroppers, The Laurels. BEST SONG: Alps – ‘Sail Away’; Flume – ‘Sleepless feat. Anthony & Cleopatra’; Ghoul – ‘Lodum (Rising)’; Hermitude – ‘Speak of the Devil’; Jack Ladder – ‘Cold Feet’; Jonathan Boulet – ‘You’re A Animal’; Matt Corby – ‘Brother’; Melodie Nelson – ‘My Johnny’; Lime Cordiale – ‘Say It’; Nantes – ‘Fly’; Palms – ‘The Summer Is Done With Us’; Rescue Ships – ‘On The Air’. RECORD OF THE YEAR: Africa Hitech – 93 Million Miles; Belles Will Ring – Crystal Theatre; Megastick Fanfare – Grit Aglow; Collarbones – Iconography; Lanie Lane – To The Horses; Royal Headache - Royal Headache; Seekae – +Dome. BEST MUSIC EVENT: GoodGod Long Birthday Nights, Radiant LIVE, VOID, Rabbit Hole, HOOPS, Wormwood, Mad Racket.
GOYTE WINS TRIPLE J AWARD
Goyte’s Making Mirrors took out this year’s J Award for Album Of The Year – although he almost didn’t make it, thanks to flight delays from Melbourne. Gotye beat nominees The Middle East, Ball Park Music, Big Scary, The Jezabels, Papa VS Pretty, Kimbra,
20 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
Boondall Entertainment Centre was Northern Rivers singer-songwriter Joshua Fussell. He serenaded her with her song ‘Joshua’, which she sang harmonies to – and which he recorded on his micro-recorder. * Hot on the heels of Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon splitting after 27 years of marriage, Lee Ranaldo said Sonic Youth were splitting up.. * Frontier Touring announced that both of PJ Harvey’s Sydney shows have sold out, with dates in Melbourne, Perth and Hobart also heading that way. * One of the contestants from The X Factor UK, Frankie Cocozza has been banned from the show’s finale and edited from the contestants’ charity single, after media reports of him snorting cocaine and hosting orgies in his hotel room. * The last time Newcastle band Funnel Web streamed a jam session at Tommirock Studio in front of the live studio cam, they were watched by 349 fans. When they streamed a two-hour rehearsal recently, so many logged on that the audio feed collapsed immediately. Nevertheless, 399 fans were recorded still watching at the end of the session, even despite the lack of sound. Drapht, Architecture In Helsinki and Art vs Science. The award ceremony happened at the Oxford Art Factory, and featured live performances by Big Scary and Art vs Science. Other winners were Ball Park Music for Unearthed Artist Of The Year, while Music Video Of The Year went to Emma Tomelty’s clip for Hermitude’s ‘Speak Of The Devil’.
ARIAS WRAP-UP
The five wins by Boy & Bear and three by Goyte helped the overall tally by indie labels reach 18, compared to the 12 by major labels. Front End Loader said they couldn’t afford to get to the awards to pick up their win; Kimbra arrived at the awards by helicopter, straight after her set at the Queenscliff Music Festival outside Melbourne; Missy Higgins painstakingly learned Gurrumul’s dialect for her duet with him, and she had a scare when she was about to announce a winner – the name was not on the envelope, and she had to stall until a replacement envelope was rushed to the stage. Meanwhile, a tearful Kylie Minogue saw her induction into the Hall of Fame as vindication that she was finally embraced by the Australian music industry; The Wiggles thanked Macquarie University, where they met while studying early childhood education (they began writing children’s songs as part of a music project); The Living End walked the red carpet with beers in hand; Kasey Chambers beat husband Shane Nicholson for the country award, and laughingly hoped he’d beat her at the Country Music Awards in January – “or else there’ll be a divorce.” The full list of winners can be found at ariaawards.com.au
BLUESFEST WINS TOURISM GONG
Byron Bay’s iconic Bluesfest took the gold award in the Major Festivals And Events category of the NSW Tourism Awards, held November 17 in Sydney. Of the 124,000 who attended over six days during this year’s Easter break, 54.23% came from interstate and 1.5% from outside Australia. The festival’s
* In June, Clash bassist Paul Simonon went incognito as a cook on a Greenpeace ship MV Esperanza, which launched speedboats at the Leiv Eriksson oil rig off the coast of Greenland, to protest that its owners refused to disclose their oil-spill disaster plan. He was one of 18 activists arrested and jailed for two weeks. The cops still didn’t recognise him, even after the activists asked if Simonon could cook for them as the jail food was awful. * Three Margaret River (WA) cops, who gave Cold Chisel an escort from the airport to their gig, face disciplinary action after they were clocked doing speeds of up to 129km/h in an 80km zone. * Rihanna is getting stressed out! After a Thanksgiving lunch in Dublin with her touring entourage, where she was downing Guinness, she had a meltdown and refused to play the night’s show. A tearful call to Beyonce calmed her. * The ARIAs drew an average audience of 369,110 viewers on digital multichannel Go! in the five metro markets. At its peak it drew an audience of 541,802 in the cities – possibly up to 807,140, if you include regional areas. It did best in the 16-39 age group, with a share of 18.6%.
estimated contribution to the Byron area’s economy was $26.2 million, and it created 317 full-time equivalent jobs. It pumped $32.7 million into the Northern Rivers region and 427 extra jobs, and $46.7 million to the Australian economy and an extra 562 full-time equivalent employment positions.
TRIPLE J LOSES ROSIE BEATON, ANDREW HAUG
Triple j will lose two long-lasting presenters this month. Rosie Beaton leaves weekday evening program Super Request after ten years, saying, “It’s time for new opportunities.” A replacement has not been announced. Andrew Haug leaves heavy metal show The Racket, for which he has completed 612 interviews, to concentrate on his band Contrive. A new metal show will be announced next month.
PAV CONSULTING FOR WILL O’ROURKE
Modular founder and Vivid LIVE 2011 curator Steven Pavlovic has a new avenue for his tastemaking creative ideas: he is a consultant in music and performance for award-winning production company Will O’Rourke. It was set up in Sydney last year by film producers Revolver, to create “extraordinary ideas” for events and ads. Pav joins creatives like Shaun Gladwell (art), Chris Bosse (architectural design), Chaser members (writing, broadcasting), Sascha Ettinger Epstein (documentaries) and The Glue Society (brand content).
MA MAKE IT POZIBLE
Electro-pop duo MA launched a campaign using crowd-sourced funding tool Pozible (www.pozible.com.au) to raise $5000 to release their second album, Dance Until My Heart Breaks. They raised $9965 in only three weeks – 197% of the target. This will allow them to fund radio campaigns for their album, and the single ‘Horses Dream Of Horses’. Investors will get advance copies of the album, and those who make “substantial” contributions will get MA playing at a house
Lifelines Sick: Dr. Wohlt, who is caring for George Michael in intensive care in Vienna, has warned that the singer is on a ventilator that forces air in and out of his lungs, which could affect his voice. Sued: Elvis Presley’s estate by Lisa Johansen, $130 million in damages for “defamation and infliction of emotional distress.” She has claimed for 20 years that she is Presley’s real daughter, and that Lisa Marie stole her identity. In Court: DVD pirate Tony An was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence and put on a two-year good behavior bond by Melbourne’s County Court, after pleading guilty to making and selling 1400 and 2100 pirated Asian and western movie DVDs and music CDs in his home in St. Albans. Cleared: A UK police commission has cleared of any wrongdoing the police who carried out a raid on reggae singer Smiley Culture’s home, during which he died from a single stab wound to the heart. Died: Porn actress-turned-‘70s disco singer Andrea True (‘More More More’), 68, heart failure. Died: Barry Llewellyn, who co-founded groundbreaking ’60s reggae trio The Heptones, 64, of unknown causes in Jamaica. Died: British film director Ken Russell, 84, whose movies blended music, sex and violence, and included an adaptation of The Who’s Tommy. Died: Columbia Records exec Don DeVito, 72, from a 16-year battle with prostate cancer. He produced Bob Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks and Desire, and won a Grammy in 1989 for Folkways — A Vision Shared: A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly.
party, and writing and recording a song written just for them.
SEARCH FOR A SUPASTAR
Supafest promoters Paperchase Touring and Entertainment are looking for an unsigned/ unmanaged artist to perform alongside Kelly Rowland, Diddy, Rick Ross, Lupe Fiasco and Trey Songz before 100,000 people. Co-promoter Dwayne Cross says, “This is a project I have been working on for the past five years, as I feel there is a lot of raw undiscovered talent across Australia that don’t have the means or know-how to get their music to record labels.” Deadline to enter is December 19, with public and industry voting. The prize includes a record deal with TOTW/ Paperchase Music. See supafest.com.au
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the whitest boy alive
White And Nerdy
A
fter a long break over the European summer, The Whitest Boy Alive are itching to go out on tour again. “That’s where the magic can really start to happen,” bass player Marcin Öz tells me. “We like to use our soundcheck time before the shows to work on new material; we use our excitement to test new things out, and create new ideas. We always bring a little audio recorder with us, and try and use the ideas we come up with for new songs.” After their last trip to Australia, which saw them play a brief but wonderful set at the Never Ever Land festival in 2008, they’re especially thrilled to be returning for a round of headline shows. “The last time, people had to buy a festival ticket to see The Whitest Boy Alive,” he says. “We want people to be able to see us play a proper show. We feel it necessary to come and play a show for Whitest Boy Alive fans.” A cover of Stardust’s ‘Music Sounds Better With You’ was a highlight of the band’s Never Ever Land set, and I ask Öz if they’ll be busting out anything similar this time. “We are very connected to electronic dance music,” he says, “so we used to cover that one a lot, alongside ‘You Don’t Know Me’ by Armand Van Helden, and ‘Show Me Love’ by Robin S. It’s really hard to say what’s going to happen this time, though, because we like to make up our setlist in the spur of the moment. It’s kind of like a DJ set, in that we come prepared with all of our songs but we choose which ones to play on the night… In the middle of a show, depending on where the mood is going, we can go off in a number of directions.” It’s an approach which makes for a highly enjoyable and
By Alasdair Duncan
unconventional live show – as long as everything goes to plan. “If it works, it’s great,” Öz says with a laugh. “The hardest part for us, when it comes to playing songs, is the beginning and the end – so if you run them all together, as a DJ would, you’re never faced with the problem of how to start and finish them. It very often works well, and sometimes it ends in catastrophe. A DJ has to synchronise two records to match the beats, and in Whitest Boy Alive, there are four of us, which makes it four times as hard. We have to do the transition right, and sometimes that doesn’t work properly. When the DJ drops a mix, that’s a huge disaster – and it’s entirely possible for us to drop a mix in our live set, too!” The Whitest Boy Alive started out as an electronic act, with Öz and singer Erlend Øye, but as they added more members, they stripped back their sound to its bare essentials. And although their roots are in dance, and their songs draw on the more wistful side of disco and electro pop, everything they do is live. In studio, their music is played in continuous takes and recorded without overdubs, programming, or any other kind of technological trickery. It’s a rigorous approach, and it takes an awful lot of work to get it right. “In the earliest days of recorded music, bands would always record live, but these days it’s something quite unique and unusual,” he says, explaining the band’s rationale. “I guess partly that comes down to convenience – overdubs and guide tracks make it a lot easier to record. We thought it would make the whole thing easier and faster if we tried to get the right takes direct to tape, without relying on any technology. That was our great idea, but it was kind
of hard to realise that. We ended up playing 200 takes of the one song before we really got it right, then we had to choose which of the recordings was the best one… It resulted in a very long recording process.” For their upcoming third album, though, The Whitest Boy Alive have taken a somewhat different approach. “So far, we’ve recorded our albums in studios that we’ve built ourselves,” Öz tells me. “Each time, we found a nice location we liked, we set up our gear, and we did it amateur-style. This year, for the first time, we decided that we wanted to try something new, so we went into a great recording studio in Hamburg, rented some time there and recorded some songs. The results have been interesting, because the sound is very different. It’s cleaner than what we’re used to. We’re looking for more songs at the moment to refine more what the new direction is going to be.” Of the new songs The Whitest Boy Alive have already written, they’ve taken to playing two – ‘Upside Down’ and ‘Bad Conscience’ – as a part of their recent sets, so if all goes well, you can expect to hear these when they play at Keystone Festival Bar early next year as part of Sydney Festival. As for anything else, it comes down to what happens on the night – but with these guys, that’s just part of the charm. With: New Navy, Future Classic DJs When: Saturday January 21 Where: Keystone Festival Bar, Hyde Park Barracks Museum More: For more on Sydney Festival, visit sydneyfestival.org.au
“We like to use our sound-check time before the shows to work on new material; we use our excitement to test new things out, and create new ideas.” 22 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
Sydney Festival 2012 @ Keystone Festival Bar
BRAG’s Quick Picks
If Sydney Festival is our city in summer, then Keystone Festival Bar is about heading out into those balmy evenings to be graced by some of the finest musical talent around. For 14 steamy nights, Hyde Park Barracks watches on as Sydney bumps, grinds, chin-strokes and rocks out. We don’t have room for the whole program here, but below is a list of a few nights hosted by Keystone Festival Bar that you’d do well not to miss.
Deerhoof and DJ Yamantaka Eye (The Boredoms)
If you like your cute with a dash of chaos, you’ll already know all about San Francisco’s Deerhoof – they’re sweeter than a pink bag of musk sticks, but with a little chilli thrown in. They’re being supported DJ Y amantaka Eye, direct from Japan; a vocalist and artist, and the founder of Japanoise-mer chants Boredoms. We anticipate his track selection to be peculiar, eclectic, and incredible. Details: Monday January 9 / $32 (+ bf)
Dan Deacon Ensemble & John Maus
There ain’t no party like a Dan Deacon party . Known for jumping off the stage and partying with the crowd, he’s bringing along a five-piece ensemble to add a little extra kick to his electro-shock sounds. John Maus will be there too, and if his name doesn’t ring a bell, the names of the bands he plays with might: Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Ariel Pink. And after all that? Donny Benet. ‘Nuff said. Details: Wednesday January 11 / $32 (+ bf)
FBi Night: Shabazz Palaces, Taylor McFerrin & Shangaan Electro
One of the more hyped names on the Sydney Festival bill, the elusive Shabazz Palaces hip hop collective have a Wikipedia entr y shorter than this blurb. Their debut LP Black Up is a boundary-pusher filled with smart lyrics, jarring beats, and atmospheric, soulful samples. Beat-boxer Taylor McFerrin will be on support, with a late night party courtesy of Shangaan Electro. Details: Friday January 13 / $42 (+ bf)
Picnic: Andrew Weatherall & Neville Watson
The UK’s Andrew Weatherall seems to have done it all; dappled in music journalism, started a fanzine, turned it into a label, had a hugely successful production career (Primal Scream, Fuck Buttons and Beth Orton, anyone?) and built a reputation as one of the most seminal DJs of the last twenty years. Factor in fellow countr yman Neville Watson, and you’ve got a night with some of the baddest beats in town. Details: Saturday January 14 / $42 (+ bf)
FBi Night: Tune-Yards & Jonti
Merill Garbus (aka Tune-Yards) is a singer, songwriter, percussionist, ukulele player, and probably a genius; her eclectic, multi-genre, experimental mess of incredible that was this year’s record W H O K I L L won accolades from every music blog you read and, even better, it actually deserved them. And Jonti? Well, we all love Jonti. Details: Friday January 20 / $42 (+ bf)
Future Classic: DJ Koze & Prins Thomas
Dancefloor don of the deep and twisted, Germany’s DJ Koze is teaming up with wonky disco wonder Prins Thomas for a heady night of eclectic goodness that’ s sure to explore the outer regions of two of the world’ s most coveted record bags… Anyone with a taste for deep house, space-disco and genre-defying beats will already be sold on this party. Details: Friday January 28 / $42 (+ bf) For more Keystone Festival Bar events, or to learn about the entire Summer that Sydney Festival has planned for us, hit them up online: s ydneyfestival.org.au
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Howling Bells On The Road By Alasdair Duncan
B
ands often say that their music is inspired by life on the road, but in Howling Bells’ case, you get the feeling this is really true. The Aussie rockers, known for introducing elements of the gothic to their sprawling indie pop, wrote The Loudest Engine surrounded by the desert of the southern United States – and listening to it, you can almost picture singer Juanita Stein emerging from a dust storm, her dark hair whipping dramatically in the hot desert wind. “We spent a lot of time in Nevada, and it was amazing,” she says. “Anybody’s initial experience with Las Vegas is The Strip, but the city goes far beyond that. It was cool to experience that. The desert landscape, the locals, the ghost towns we visited – all of that seeped into our music in really unexpected ways.” In musical terms, Las Vegas is best-known these days for being the hometown of The Killers, and there’s a connection between them and Howling Bells. The two bands toured together, and got on so well that Killers bassist Mark Stoermer stepped behind the boards for The Loudest Engine, his first ever effort as producer. The first thing you notice about
the album is how much more menacing it is than their previous LP Radio Wars, which was soaked in keyboard and production sounds. This was an effect they worked hard to achieve with Stoermer. “We made a huge effort not to overplay things on this album,” Stein says. “We all had the same vision, which was for a really honest, stripped-back album and, luckily for us, Mark shared exactly the same vision, so working with him really was a breeze.” I ask Stein how it is that Howling Bells and Mark Stoermer actually ended up working together. “He mentioned a couple of times before that he’d like to break out of playing and say something different,” she explains, “so when it came time to think about who we’d like to work with, he seemed like an interesting choice.” Though he was inexperienced as a producer, Stein insists that Stoermer took to it like a pro for The Loudest Engine. “He’d done a lot of research, read a lot of producer autobiographies,” she says with a laugh. “His bible was the complete guide to The Beatles’ production history, which was always sitting on the production desk. He’s a watcher by nature, if you know what I mean. He stands back and watches. He’s a very quiet guy. That dynamic worked perfectly.” The Loudest Engine, with its bold pop choruses nestled inside dusty desert rock production, reminds me a lot of The Killers’ own Sam’s Town. I ask if this particular album was a touchstone. “Other than the fact that we recorded in their studio in their hometown with their bass player, we weren’t making a conscious effort to reference The Killers,” she replies, somewhat sheepishly. “I mean, we loved that record, and we can see the similarities. The climate, the heat, and the desert – all those things seeped into our music without us even realising it.” There are many stories on The Loudest Engine, but none more intriguing than the title track, which was inspired, believe it or not, by the tour bus that the band travelled around in. “That particular song began its life in the back of the bus. It was a long drive that just took hours,” Stein says. “It started as a poem I’d written the night before when I was lying in the bus, unable to sleep. I wrote this poem about what I believed to be the soul of the tour bus. I thought it was really romantic to think that we’d spent so much time in this vehicle, but so many artists had been there before us, experiencing all kinds of ups and downs in their careers and their personal lives – and maybe even having trouble sleeping, like I had.
“I believe tour buses, like houses, carry the ghosts of previous tenants. She was an old bus, and there were all kinds of things scratched into the walls from bands who’d been there before...” “I believe tour buses, like houses, carry the ghosts of previous tenants,” she continues. “That’s where the lyrics came from, and then Joel [Stein, Juanita’s brother and lead guitarist] really took that idea to heart instrumentally.” I ask for a little more information about this bus. “Well, she didn’t have a name,” she laughs, as though this is obviously what I was fishing for, “but she was an old tour bus, and there were all kinds of things scratched into the walls from bands who’d been there before. I watched my bandmates going through intense things and not-so-intense things on the bus, and started feeling really connected to the space.” Howling Bells have spent a fair bit of time lately mixing with rockstar royalty – in addition to playing shows with The Killers, they played a series of shows around America with Coldplay, which, according to Stein, had a great effect on them as a band. “It was absolutely breathtaking to watch them do what they do every night of the week,” she tells me. “You can’t help but be in absolute awe of what that beast is – and it is a beast. It involves a whole crew of dudes, and it’s a production on a scale I’ve never witnessed before. It was inspiring to watch it all go down, then see them come off-stage and be really nice and level-headed afterwards. It was just a really great experience, and it taught us a lot about ourselves as a band.” What: The Loudest Engine is out now through Shock With: Step–Panther & Steve Smyth When: Saturday December 10
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Xxxxx
Where: The Standard
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 25
Mum & FBi Social – Go Here Go There T
THE FABERGETTES
If there’s anyone who knows anything about going here and going there, it’s local indie bands – those East Coast tours can be killers. We asked a few of the acts playing the festival all about road trips; the good, the bad, and the horrifically ill-advised.
Sell your band to us: Doowopy, garage punk with some surf licks thrown in for good measure, all washed down with an overdose of reverb. We are also a majority ladies band – something you don’t see often enough.
wo of our favourite live music venues, MUM @ The World Bar and FBi Social, have teamed up to bring you the second year of Go Here Go There – a mini-festival that happens this Friday and will be broadcast live on FBi Radio. There are 18 bands booked to play across the venues, with one wristband that’ll let you party with them all (and will also give you a 20% discount to re-fuel at Guzman y Gomez between sets...).
Natty – front lady with guitar. Bec – bass and backing vox.
KEMPSEY
Flynn – guitar, vox. Sell your band to us: I’ve been sitting for about 20 minutes trying to think of how to sum up my band while my girlfriend cleans the fridge... I still haven’t got anything, and she is still cleaning the fridge. What’s been your most memorable road trip experience? Seeing foxes all over the road at Lake George. It was 4am, and there weren’t actually any foxes. It happens way too often. Top three road trip snacks? Egg and lettuce sandwiches. Three of them. If you could pick anyone to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be? Tracy Grimshaw. We’d probably just talk about my shifty real estate agent who’s trying to pull the wool over my eyes while administering over-inflated electricity bills to the community, in a bid to ensure his evil boat friends can come over and convert
THE PAPER SCISSORS
rolls from Charcoal Kingdom in Rockdale, and our sound man Ben’s partner Georgia’s homemade baked bean toasties.
Sell your band to us: Most people describe us as “underrated”. I’m kinda getting jack of that though, so let’s go with the greatest fucking band in Australia.
What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? I DJ’d there once, and was playing Béyonce and heaps of hip hop and RnB jams, and the guy who was running the night had to keep yelling, ‘Play more indie!!!’ I think that was the last time I DJ’d there...
Jai Pyne – guitar, vox, dancing.
my defenceless, Christian neighbours to Islam. Then we’d go our separate ways and refer to our irrelevant, sensationalist and offensive chat as ‘the news’ to our work mates… (But to be honest, I’d probably just like to talk to Richie Benaud about cricket.) What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? The memory that I left at the bottom of a tea pot... What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? A group of people singing me happy birthday (it wasn’t even my birthday!), and then pretending that they were singing to some other guy and that they didn’t even know me... Strangers can be so weird. Where: 12am @ FBi Social
Which band member do you hate being stuck in a car with the most? Both of the other members of my band. There are three of us, and I am the only one with a license. Dickheads. Top three road trip tracks? ‘We Share Out Mother’s Health’ – The Knife; ‘McNasdty Filth – J Dilla and Madlib; ‘Crosseyed and Painless’ – Talking Heads. Top three road trip snacks? Golden Gaytimes, chicken
VELOCIRAPTOR Jeremy Neale – vox.
What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? We played there a few months ago, and it was really lovely. The Ghosts, Guerre and March Of The Real Fly supported us and it was obvious that the people there were mega keen on music, for reals – it was just all round, mega mondo awesome.
Sell your band to us: The spirit and camaraderie of The Avengers meets a
Sell your band to us: Katy Perry, but shit.
Top three road trip snacks? Grainwaves, Dorritos, chicken Twisties. If you could pick any person to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be?
Top three road trip tracks? ‘Walk The Dinosaur’ – Was (Not Was); ‘The Sulphur Lights’ – Little Pills; ‘Let’s Dance’ – David Bowie.
Larry David. He would do the talking. What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? Got drunk and jumped off the bass drum in a folk song.
If you could pick any person to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be? Russell Crowe. We’d talk about what being a good bloke is all about. And talk about plans to work together on an
What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? Slam poetry. Where: 10pm @ The World Bar, downstairs
Marty Slattery – guitar.
Which band member do you hate being stuck in a car with the most? Matt Byron (bass). He’s the only person in the band who can’t drive – and at the moment he’s all into these protein shakes which don’t promote a healthy balance in his intestines, if you know what I mean. Top three road trip snacks? A sausage roll and sauce, a large bottle of Coke, a pack of Gummi Bears (scientifically proven to be tastier when
What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? Discounting the house party where we played four songs, we had our first ever gig at MUM. I guess we are bonded for life now. What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? Broken record shards in our ears, courtesy of Straight Arrows. Where: 10:30pm @ The World Bar, upstairs
album. Russell Crowe feat. Velociraptor. Then once we got to Sydney, we’d party like we’ve never partied before. Russell Crowe Party Mansion for party bros. What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? We DJ’d at MUM as part of our last East Coast tour, and yeah, there was a lot of partying – but the night ended up in some of the single greatest deep and meaningful talks the town had ever known. That’s the power of love. What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? A celebrity spotting of a Tom Selleck look-a-like. For just one moment, Magnum P.I. was real and it was here and the world was good. Where: 12am @ The World Bar, downstairs
Alex Wall – guitar, vox. Sell your band to us: Bad-ass booty bitchez.
they start to melt in the sun after you leave them on the dashboard). If you could pick any person to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be? Tom Waits. That bloke tells the best stories and jokes, plus I reckon he’d put together a pretty good mixtape. He’s a walking encyclopaedia of useless trivia and I’m an aspiring one, so who knows what we’d end up talking about. What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? I once snuck my dog into MUM because I felt guilty
about leaving her at home. I stuck ear muffs on her, because dogs have sensitive ears, and put her side of stage while we played. It seemed like a good idea until some clown turned up with their cat on a leash... Who brings their cat to a nightclub? Seriously! What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? I don’t have any memories of FBi Social, which means I’ve either never been there, or every time I have been there I’ve had TOO good a time. Where: 2am @ The World Bar, downstairs
With: The Rubens, Underlights, Atom Bombs, Polographia, Young Romantics & Grams
26 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
If you could pick any person to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be? Conor Oberst. He would spend the car ride singing us heartwrenching ballads and staring into our eyes.
BLEEDING KNEES CLUB
PEPPERCORN Sell your band to us: Peppercorn are intent on soundtracking parties and barbecues, and making people believe that music can save your life. We walk the line between sunny pop tunes and ‘90s indie rock, and write songs mostly about love, or the lack thereof.
drunken tribe of wookies. Musically, it’s chaotic garage ultra pop at its finest. What’s been your most memorable road trip experience? We hit a kangaroo about two hours outside of Melbourne. It wasn’t good, and it cost us a lot of money, but it definitely woke us up – and, well, now we always fly.
Matt & Jonas – guitar & vox.
Top three road trip tracks? Lord Of The Rings audiobooks 1, 2 and 3.
Which band member do you hate being stuck in a car with the most? Bec: Well… as bass player with a giant amp who doesn’t drive, I can’t really answer this... Nat: There is a particularly gassy member of the band. Not naming any names.
Top three road trip snacks? Twisties, Twisties, Twisties.
Where: 1am @ FBi Social
SURES
What’s been your most memorable road trip experience? Convincing people to open doors on highways.
What’s been your most memorable road trip experience? Any road trip that involves a stopover at the doughnut van in Berry is a good road trip.
Top three road trip tracks? ‘Dirty Back Road’ – B-52’s; ‘Have Love, Will Travel’ – The Sonics; ‘Khe Sanh’ – Cold Chisel.
What’s been your most memorable road trip experience? On a road trip in NSW there was a redhead guy on the side of the road, so we yelled mean things at him. We then realised we were at a dead end, and he started throwing rocks at my car – so we got out of the car and told him how nice and rad his red hair was. We were lying, his hair was shit. But we left unharmed. Top three road trip tracks? ‘Drive’ – Shannon Noll; ‘Drive’ – Bryan Adams; ‘In Da Club’ – 50 Cent. Top three road trip snacks? Penis, Dorritos, Coke.
If you could pick any person to jam into the car on a long trip, who would it be? Probably Jesus. We would drive the car into space and eat ice cream and talk about world domination. What’s your best memory from a night at MUM? I remember one night some guy gave me a hand full of guitar picks, and I was like, why the fuck do I need
Where: Go Here Go There @ FBi Social & The World Bar
all these guitar picks? So I gave them all away. Then I found out they were used as free drink tickets. What’s your best memory from a night at FBi Social? I think when we played there last. Everyone came on stage and someone ripped the FBi sign down. That was pretty fun! Where: 1am @ The World Bar, downstairs
When: Friday December 9 / $15 from 8pm, $20 after 10pm
The Church The Last Men Standing By Max Easton
T
he Church have been one of the mainstays of Australian rock ‘n’ roll since their inception in Sydney in 1980, but unlike their contemporaries they’ve never spent time off; the band has toured and released at regular intervals over their thirty-year lifespan. This steady and perpetual grind has seen them, at times, almost forgotten – so why have people started talking about The Church again?
“People have started thinking about us again, haven’t they?” muses frontman Steve Kilbey, from his Bondi home. “The problem with us is that we’re a very subtle band. We’ve just been in our corner making records decade in and decade out, and meanwhile, people are always looking for novelty and new things. Then after a while, they all of a sudden go, ‘Oh, The Church, they’ve been around a long time. They’re pretty good, aren’t they?’ Then you have a movement where people sort of ‘discover’ you. We are getting new attention; we just went off the radar for a while.” Although they never really went away, their time off the radar – in addition to their lengthy lifespan – has seen The Church presented as a band of the past, as evidenced by their prominent billing at Homebake’s Classic Edition last weekend. But that doesn’t faze Kilbey. “I don’t care if we’re ‘classic’, or ‘heritage’, or ‘vintage’ – as long as we’re still there,” he assures me. “If you keep going long enough, sooner or later you become a ‘classic’ act whether you like it or not. Not many bands out there have been going as long as us… It’s like [there were] ten thousand bands stumbling through obstacle courses, and we just kept stumbling until we realised we were the last man standing. I don’t think we did anything right in particular to remain this long.”
I don’t think there are a lot of similarities between The Church and The Triffids and The Go-Betweens, other than that we all had a bit of integrity. I think those two bands were much more [about] trying to paint the Australian landscape than us; we weren’t that concerned with representing Australia. In the ‘80s, it didn’t seem like the material I should have been writing songs about – but Grant and Rob, and The Triffids, they did a good job of getting that Australian feeling. “But I don’t know if The Church have got it,” he says. “If people think we do, that’s okay, but we’re not really like them; it’s just a convenient thing to lump us together... It’s an ‘after’ thing. They might label the surrealists, but many of them had nothing in common, or were even at odds with each other – but now [with hindsight] it’s easy to lump movements together. At the time we didn’t feel a part of any movement, and we didn’t feel connected to anybody at all. And we liked it that way.” Where: The Enmore Theatre When: Saturday December 17
“I don’t care if we’re ‘classic’, or ‘heritage’, or ‘vintage’ – as long as we’re still there... If you keep going long enough, sooner or later you become a ‘classic’ act whether you like it or not.” Despite having collaborated recently with the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Ricky Maymi, and pursuing a number of solo endeavours and side projects, Kilbey has always had his thoughts focused on the one place. “If I want to play, I want to play with The Church. I’ve always wanted to play with The Church,” he says adamantly. “We spent 31 years of arguments and god knows what fucking else just getting here, and the one thing we have is that we can go on stage and start playing. We’re like a football team that’s been together a long time; we have our own ways of doing things and communicating. It’d be an enormous pain to have to start again. I really like playing with those guys – I’d rather play with them over anyone else, even if I had the choice.” One of the most definitive aspects of The Church throughout the 1980s was their insistence on the dual guitars of Peter Koppes and Marty Wilson-Piper; the band ignored the rise of synth technology for a sound that was their own. “We defined ourselves by reacting against all that; [using synthesisers] became one of the things we weren’t going to do, so it was never on the cards that we’d start doing it. I think the guitar is a lot more expressive an instrument than a fucking synthesiser; you can do a lot more with a guitar than you can with a synthesiser. There are great synth players as well, but a great guitar player… they can get so much more out of the instrument, I think.” As an alternative Australian band of the early 1980s, The Church have often been associated with the other mainstays of ‘80s Aussie rock; namely Grant McLennan and Robert Forster’s Go-Betweens, and Dave McComb’s Triffids. Fronted by poetic frontmen and featuring the cavernous production and sweeping soundscapes that are undeniably Australian and of a particular time, a label of ‘‘80s Australiana’ tends to fall The Church’s way. But Kilbey rejects the pigeon-hole (“Do you really think we sound like The Triffids? Do you really, truly think that?” he presses), instead painting the label as retrospective inaccuracy, blaming lazy generalisations of what he sees as entirely separate sounds. “No one referred to us as ‘Australian’ until recently,” Kilbey says. “Now I don’t mind that, I can see that’s a good thing, but in the ‘80s we were trying not to be ‘80s and not to be Australian; we wanted to be cosmopolitan and of any era. BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 27
The International Swingers Still Swinging By Alex Wheaton
“O
n Saturday we fly to LA to rehearse and then on with the tour – so it’s good to get the band together,” says Glen Matlock of The International Swingers, sounding well chuffed with himself. Hang on, Matlock? ...Wasn’t he a Sex Pistol? A member of The Professionals? The Rich Kids? And now in The Faces? Correct. The International Swingers is a side project comprising Matlock and his mates: Clem Burke (who’s played with Blondie and the Eurythmics), James Stevenson (Generation X, Chelsea and The Cult), and Gary Twinn (Speedtwinn and Supernaut). The foursome are descending on The Metro Theatre this week, with a setlist filled with songs of the Sex Pistols, Billy Idol, Blondie, Rich Kids, New York Dolls, The Clash, The Stooges and more. “James plays with me in my other band The Philistines, and I think Clem is one of the best drummers in the world – it’s an honour to play with him. Hopefully he’d say the same about me,” Matlock quips. “It’s a big wide world out there, and I’d rather be out there touring and playing music than sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.” Matlock keeps involved in the music world by playing with mates, and putting together bands like The International Swingers and
the aforementioned Philistines. As an elder statesman (“Given my age, you might be justified in calling me that,” he says good naturedly), he’s not only paid his dues, but has become known as the bass man to call upon; recently, Matlock played in Primal Scream, taking over duties from the Stones Roses’ Mani at a benefit gig for the Japanese tsunami victims at Brixton Academy. But when it comes to his Sex Pistols days, he seems reluctant to reminisce; after 35 years, a film or two, and a pair of autobiographies (one from Matlock: I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol), all that’s there to tell has been told. Later, when we discuss the International Swingers setlist, he sniffs at the thought of doing lead vocals on a ‘Pistols song or two. “It won’t be like [Johnny] Rotten,” he says with a hint of scorn. While Matlock may still get recognised in the street, that doesn’t mean he can’t be starstruck himself. “I was living in this flat, with the bloke whose band opened for Bo Diddley, and they came to pick him up,” Matlock says. “There’s knock on the door, I answer it, and there’s – there’s Bo Diddley, standing there. He says, ‘I need to use the can, can I come in?’ That’s my greatest claim to fame,” he relates with a snort. ‘You’ve outlasted a few people,’ I venture, and he snorts again. “That just proves I’m either thick-skinned, or that I vacillate. What I do, I call ‘serious fun’. Back in the days when there was pirate radio, a fantastic thing, that coincided with Kinks, The Stones, Yardbirds,” he rattles off... I ask if there are any musicians or bands he listens to these days. “Nah. I’m probably showing my age, but no-one in particular,” he says. “It’s more when someone like Earl [Slick, now in the New York Dolls] rings up and says ‘I’m in town, wanna come to the show?’. I went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers the other night because my son wanted to see them. All right, if you like that sort of thing,” he offers magnanimously. What: The International Swingers – Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids), Clem Burke (Blondie, Eurythmics), James Stevenson (Chelsea, The Cult) and Gary Twinn (Speedtwinn, Supernaut) Where: The Metro Theatre When: Thursday December 8
Explosions In The Sky Lock In And Let Your Mind Go By Alasdair Duncan
T
exan instrumental rockers Explosions In The Sky craft songs that unfold like stories – lengthy and exquisite narratives with evocative guitar sounds and crescendos of emotion. Guitarist Michael James feels that storytelling is a big part of what his band do, and that means getting the titles just right. “The title of the song is kind of our one chance to tell people with words what the song means to us,” he says. “Being instrumentals, the meanings of the songs are open to a lot of interpretation – you can talk to 20 different people and hear 20 different stories of what it might be about. The titles are our one chance to put our own little stamp on the songs, so we think really hard about them.” Explosions In The Sky rose to fame after writing the score for the high school football film Friday Night Lights in 2004, and have been steadily building an international fanbase ever since. Their sixth album, this year’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon release, a sure sign that they’re edging ever-closer to mainstream acceptance. “It shows that there are people who are interested in what we’re doing,” James says of this success. “We write ten-minute instrumental rock songs, which is not the most immediately accessible form of music, but it’s encouraging to know that people are into us – it shows that they like different things. They’re looking for things that are new and out of the ordinary.” James is especially proud that it was Take Care which scaled such heights, given that it represented an all-new way of working for his band. “For every album up until this one, we always wrote the songs specifically to be played live,” he explains. “We didn’t want to record anything that we couldn’t play perfectly in front of a live crowd. We sort of abandoned that idea with this new album, though. We had a
lot more textures and layers and different sonic qualities, so it actually took us a while to learn [to play] these songs live. It’s always been easy to rehearse the songs in the past, and this time around it was a lot more work – but it was a really interesting process, to take these songs and try and work out how to play them.” With most bands, the role of ‘leader’ defaults to the singer, but for Explosions In The Sky, whose music is built around three guitarists, it’s a far more democratic process – for better and for worse. “We disagree on that, and pretty much every other creative aspect of the band,” James says with a laugh. “That’s just how it is – we all have pretty clear artistic ideas that we’re trying to bring to the table, and sometimes they just aren’t greeted with the reception that you want. It can be frustrating to let go of ideas that you like and that nobody else does, but that’s just how we do it. There have been tonnes of songs and titles that we’ve argued over, but at the end of the day, it has to be unanimous. That’s just how we work.” Explosions will bring their live show to Australia this month, and I ask James just what goes through his head when he’s on stage with the band – does he ever find himself drifting off into the songs? “You have to be pretty engaged in what you’re playing,” he says, “but my mind will go with the songs sometimes. My mind wanders, images appear while we’re playing, and it can be a pretty meditative experience sometimes, playing live. You can lock in and let your mind go.” What: Take Care, Take Care, Take Care is out through Spunk Records With: Charge Group Where: The Metro Theatre When: Sunday December 11
Set Sail Chasing Summer By Birdie
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possible. At the same time, I really believe in the nature of the whole street promotion, [and the] guerrilla aspect of having a band. I’d love to see more bands take on that approach, do some secret shows and really build a fanbase from the ground-up. …It’s sort of like busking, but all around the world. It just felt natural for us to focus on other countries, rather than other cities. It was just a matter of going, ‘Well, instead of Sydney, let’s play in China!’ or ‘Instead of Perth, let’s play in Dubai!’ We literally left Australia with $800.”
as it the music that came first, giving Set Sail the opportunity to play around the world? Or was it the band’s travel bug that inspired them to make music, and take off on tour? Not even violinist Josiah Willows is quite sure about that one, but what he does know is that so far he, guitarist Brandon Hoogenboom and drummer Joshua May have had the time of their lives. Playing across America and Europe? Check. Rockin’ this year’s ARIAs red carpet? Check. Getting arrested in Madrid? Check… And that’s just 2011. “We just quit uni in November last year, and the plan was to try and get a gig or two in London,” says Willows. “Once we got to Europe it just spread out of control, and we ended up spending seven months travelling around the world. We had a lot of fun times – we slept in a van for a good month in America, and we drove over 17,000 kilometres in less than a month around the country… One of my biggest highlights was playing in Iceland in this community of 160,000 people. It still felt like a small town, even though it was a capital. The sun never set over there; you’d be up at midnight thinking it was the afternoon. There’s no sleeping there.” Another obvious highlight for Willows was in Nashville, Tennessee, when he offered to give Nicole Kidman a copy of his band’s EP, only to have the actress insist that she purchase 28 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
two copies instead. “Nashville we loved – it was the opposite to LA, where it was very Hollywood and artificial,” Willows explains. “Nashville has the same amount of stars, but it’s more of a community. One of the gigs we did had such a relaxed, cool vibe about it, with people just hanging out – and you could hardly tell that they were famous because of the attitude. We were just hanging out and having drinks with people like Kings Of Leon, then Nicole Kidman rocked up and she bought two of our CDs. We were going to just give them to
her, but she was like, ‘Are you selling them?’ – so she bought them.” Willows admits that very little of what the band has achieved so far would have been possible had they not been able to harness social media so successfully. “Social media is the only way that you can get the word out [these days],” he says. “People are following you only because you’re posting videos on YouTube and Facebook and keeping them in the loop about what you’re doing – without that, it wouldn’t be
In just one year, the group of uni drop-outs has gone on to release an EP (which, Willows says, has sold almost 10 000 copies) and make preparations for a full-length album, ready to be recorded next month. At present, they’re promoting a brand new single, ‘The Boat Song’. “We’re really looking forward to the shows, because it’s going to be very different to what people are used to seeing from us. Usually we’re in a pop-up format, which is very stripped down – sometimes our drummer even plays on a bucket on the ground. So this is very different. It will present the full spectrum of what we’re really like musically.” What: The Riley Moore EP is out now With: Holland Where: The Oxford Art Factory When: Thursday December 15
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Machine Head After The Blackening By Tom Hersey
T
he Blackening was the saving grace of Machine Head’s career. After a string of ill-considered stylistic shifts throughout the late ‘90s and early ‘00s (in 2002 there were rumours that the band were considering calling it quits), the record, released in 2007, re-established Machine Head as a force to be reckoned with within the then-nascent thrash revival and the greater heavy metal community. The album was the band’s highest charting to date, earned them a Grammy nomination, and was even named ‘Album of the Decade’ by respected metal magazine Metal Hammer. It served as the best possible introduction Machine Head could hope to extend to a new generation of metal heads.
But even with all of the success and accolades that The Blackening brought Machine Head, guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn saw it as a product of the band as they were in 2007 – so when it came time to start working on a follow-up, Flynn and company would need to avoid repeating themselves. “We started writing for The Blackening in August 2005, and we started writing for this record five years later, in June of 2010. When
we wrote The Blackening, that was pretty much the limit of our abilities – but then we went and toured the record for three years, and what was the limit when we were writing the record became the norm. We were better musicians when we started writing the new album, and we didn’t want to be limited to what our abilities were five years ago.” With this year’s Unto The Locust, Machine Head had to prove that their career renaissance wasn’t confined to a single album. And although their new record bears resemblance to its predecessor (in that both albums are thrash metal offerings arranged with progressive sensibilities), the record pushes the envelope further than The Blackening. Every song clocks in at over five minutes and explores different sonic territory – but although exploratory, the songs are also more cohesive when arranged back to back than anything Machine Head has done before. “We just started writing to see where we could go,” Flynn explains. “The first song that came out was ‘This Is The End’, and it was this total barn-burner of a song, super-fast and really hard to play, and it was a challenge right off the bat. It was super inspiring because we realised, ‘Fuck man, this song is so fucking hard to play – so we’d better get better, to write and play at this level’. It really set the tone, to push ourselves and see how far we could take things.”
“The first song that came out was ‘This Is The End’, and it was this total barn-burner... We realised, ‘Fuck man, this song is so fucking hard to play – so we’d better get better...”
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Unto The Locust was released in September, and Machine Head are getting back on the road to bring the music alive in front of fans. Since The Blackening had the band on tour for three years, I ask Robb if they’ll will be slogging it out until 2015 following their upcoming Australian tour for next year’s Soundwave. “I don’t know about that. I don’t know if the world wants us out there that long,” the frontman laughs. “If we were going to be out for as long as we were after The Blackening, we’d probably take longer breaks in between. Everyone in the band needs to be able to incorporate their families into their lives, as well as the band. I had my second son and then three weeks later I went on tour for three years. It was fucking crazy. There were some breaks here and there, but the majority of that time I was on the road. We’re a touring band, and we know that. On average, per record, we tour 16-20 months, which is a long fucking time. That’s probably twice what most bands tour on a record.” Although Flynn is reluctant to commit himself to another massive tour, his band of road warriors have already begun playing Unto The Locust material live. Flynn assures me that by the time the band returns to the Soundwave stage, the material from the record will be honed to a lethal roar – and he promises that the dedicated fans who’ve come out for Machine Head’s numerous Australian tours over the last three years won’t be disappointed. “We were playing ‘Locust’ on the American tour before the album had been released, and it was killer. Even though it was one song on iTunes, tonnes of people knew the song and were getting into it. It was fun for us to play a new song after playing – not the same songs, but focusing on The Blackening for three years. “I was stoked watching the response to the new material,” he continues. “I mean, you jam a song and you never really know what people’s reaction to it is going to be. You never know what people are going to like – you never know. The music business is fickle, people’s tastes change in a heartbeat. I don’t assume everybody’s going to love what I do, but I go out there and work hard and do a good job playing the music, and then to see them getting into it made me think, ‘Fuck yeah! Kick ass!’” What: Unto The Locust is out now With: System Of A Down, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, Bush, Bad Religion, A Day To Remember, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Dashboard Confessional and loads more
30 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
Where: Soundwave @ Sydney Showground When: Sunday February 26
Xxxxx
Strong sexual references, coarse language and nudity
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
Hugh Hughes in....
Story of a Rabbit
Hoipolloi (UK)
A smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe “Heartfelt and insightful stuff that has great powerr to move.” Evening Standard, UK A comic and curiously uplifting show about the complexities of life and death.
TO BOOK 02 9250 7777 SYDNEYOPERAHOUSE.COM
Image: Geraint Lewis
IImage: Im mag ma m aagggee: Geraint Ger Ge G eerrai aaint iint in n Lewis nt L wi Le
29 Nov –10 Dec. Tickets $35*
* Transaction fee of $5 - $8.50 applies to all bookings, excluding Insiders
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Centennial Park 8 Dec y 25 Mar Tickets & information moonlight.com.au
*CTC
DECEMBER
preview: The
Descendants*M
09 fr Real Steel M 10 sa The Twilight Saga:
19 th Monty Python’s Life of Brian M 20 fr New Year’s Eve CTC 21 sa Mission: Impossible -
11
22 su
08 th
Breaking Dawn - Part 1 M su The Help M tu Anonymous M we Warrior M th The Debt*MA15+ fr Johnny English Reborn*PG
13 14 15 16 17 sa
preview: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked*G
Ghost Protocol* CTC preview: J.Edgar*CTC 24 tu Top Gun* PG
25 we preview: A Few Best Men*CTC 26 th preview: The Sitter*CTC 27 fr Midnight in Paris PG 28 sa Dolphin Tale PG 29 su preview: Buck*PG
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18 su Crazy, Stupid, Love. M
31 tu The Princess Bride PG
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20 tu In Time M 21 we Drive MA15+ 22 th Arthur Christmas G 23 fr preview: We Bought a Zoo*CTC
FEBRUARY
No free tickets Check the Classification Doggie Night Special Valentine’s Day Screening
26 mo Midnight in Paris PG 27 tu The Rocky Horror Picture Show M 28 we The Smurfs G 29 th Contagion M 30 fr Grease Sing-A-Long*PG
JANUARY 01 su
preview:
The Muppets*G
03 tu Moneyball M 04 we preview: Arrietty* CTC 05 th Immortals* MA15+ 06 fr The Ides of March M 07 sa Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*PG 08 su The Ages of Love MA15+ New-York Style
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tu The Inbetweeners Movie MA15+ we The Breakfast Club*M th Jack and Jill PG fr Puss in Boots*PG sa preview: The Darkest Hour*CTC su Red Dog PG
17 tu Dirty Dancing M 18 we The Twilight Saga:
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01 we Attack the Block MA15+ 02 th Tower Heist* CTC 03 fr Warhorse M 04 sa Happy Feet 2 CTC 05 su The Iron Lady CTC 07 tu Flying Swords of the Dragon Gate CTC 08 we We Bought a Zoo CTC 09 th preview: Carnage* CTC 10 fr Sherlock Holmes:
A Game of Shadows CTC
11 sa Don Giovanni CTC 12 su Sherlock Holmes:
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But wait, there’s more! Season continues until 25 March. For film listings visit moonlight.com.au
arts frontline
free stuff email: freestuff@thebrag.com
arts, theatre and film news... what's goin' on around town and more...
five minutes WITH ALICE
GAGE
f you like walking and staying at home, do both this Saturday for House Work, a walking tour that takes audiences on a voyeuristic journey into the private lives and homes of five groups of artists living in the Redfern and Waterloo area. The lineup reads like a who’s-who of Sydney’s indie arts scene (or like a rollcall of FBi’s 2011 SMAC Award nominees), including Lucas Abela, Ella Barclay, Keg de Souza, Dara Gill, and Julia Holderness.
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with poetry readings and we would be drinking ciders. In our household, there’s nothing we like more than a) ordering each other around, b) performing, and c) drinking. Very often these things come as a package, usually in the form of Sale Of The Century (the board game) and some kind of recital.
Curator and tour coordinator Di Smith (of Brown Council) asked each participating household to collectively James and Nick being badass develop a performance or installation that would revolve around everyday Jamie and Dan. Jamie moved out and Nick rituals and routines, make use of the available moved in. Dan moved out and James moved in. light/sound/space, and involve an audience. Jamie and Dan were real pricks so it’s nice to We caught up with writer-editor Alice Gage live with some decent people. (Ampersand) to see what she and her housemates – writer-director Nick Coyle (Me So is being arty and talented a prerequisite Pregnant!) and visual artist James Harney – for living in your house? No way. The came up with. fact that we're all arty and talented is out of necessity, because no-one else could stand How did you all come to be living together? to live with us. When Jamie left I tried to make Nick, James and I have known each other a dentist move in, but he took one look at since we were little undergrad dickheads our hand-painted fridge and excused himself putting on theatre shows and art happenings. immediately, forever. We were very excited about being adults. Now we are in no way dickheads – we are stylish, What did you guys come up with for House 30-ish, still putting on theatre shows and art Work? It took around about seven seconds happenings, and tolerating being adults. This is to think of what we would do: a games event how we came to live together: I moved in with
A photographic impression of Brad Eastman's studio
inflatable tunnel. The press release asks ‘How will you cope with your changing environment?’ We don’t know. But a yellow inflatable slide sounds like a great start. The next installation will come from renowned multimedia artist Lynette Wallworth, and involve an Augmented Reality iPhone app that opens portals to coral reefs and such the like. cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cityart
THE DESIGN KIDS DO WALL
BEASTMAN
Beaaaaasssstmaaaaaaaaaannnn is opening his show Cosmic Nature this Thursday December 8. Because a picture says more than a 1000-word excerpt from H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call Of the Cthulhu…(see above). The show will also serve as a launchpad for Beastman’s first publication, Suburban Nature – a limited-edition 60-page zine featuring street art, murals and collaborations created by the artist over two years throughout ten different countries. kind of gallery (72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst)
JIM JEFFRIES
WE MAKE THIS CITY
Oh yeah – there’s a yellow jumping-castle-typeslide thing in Taylor Square! It’s part of Clover’s ‘We Make This City’ summer art project, which will unveil four different art installations in Taylor Square between now and March 2012. First up is NZ artist David Cross’s Drift, a huge yellow PVC
The Design Kids is a rad collective of emerging designers who make limited-edition wares, from tees and totes to posters and prints… They’re turning two this month, and putting on their own show at The Wall@ World Bar, appropriately titled Terrible Twos. The lineup is a mix of babynew, quasi-established and big gun: e.g. Vince Frost and Saatchi alongside Toby & Pete, Naughtyfish and Toko, and Gemma O’Brien and Bianca Chang, etc. TDK director Frankie Ratford has divided the lineup into pairs (one emerging, one pro), and given them one half of a compound word (e.g. line-up) to play with – in any medium they like. To see what happens (and be in on the silent auction) head along Wednesday December 14 from 7pm to The Wall @ World Bar. thedesignkids.com.au/artonthewall.tumblr.com
CAB SAV XMAS EDITION
What roles did you all take? Nick is the only one that can make the batteries in the buzzers of the Sale Of The Century board game work, which also means he usually gets to be Tony Barber. James is on décor, and I am in charge of pointing and yelling. Any unexpected challenges? Sometimes, very rarely, we will have a guest who does not want to play, and basically ruins the night. They will sulk and say unhelpful things like ‘This is stupid’. To handle this we make these people perform some Australian bush poetry, and usually they are so moved by the profound beauty of the waratah and the Bungle Bungles that they are immediately reformed and suddenly earnest. If we don’t see this change, they are removed from the premises. What: House Work When: Saturday December 10, from 1-6pm Where: Private homes in Redfern & Waterloo More: RSVP (essential) at performancespace.com.au/2011/house-work
MOVIE EXTRA WEBFEST 2.0
There’s no point complaining – you had your chance to vote, so if your mate’s film didn’t make it into Movie Extra Webfest’s 15 finalists, it’s your own fault. Anyway – stay positive: you can still exert what little power you have to make someone else’s dream come true: head to facebook.com/ movieextrawebfest by Tuesday December 6 at 12.00am and vote for the web-series trailer that a) is made by that dude/babe in your suburb OR b) is made by the dude/babe with your name OR c) the one that’s really awesome. We’re noting that Christian Van Vuuren (aka Fully Sick Rapper) from MEW 1.0 is back with a new webisode, parodying Bondi hipsters; and theatremaker Holly Austin (Boxing Day) is also in the running, with Ultimate Fanj. Get along.
PADDINGTON MARKETS
If you think your friends, family and loved-ones are worth more than run-of-the-mill factory-line Christmas pressies, then this is a good chance to hook ‘em up with some hand-made, oneof-a-kind awesome stuff – and raise money
Moonlight Cinema launches its summer of outdoor cinematical soirees this week, drawing Sydneysiders like moths to a Centennial Park flame. The season of new, classic and cult films kicks off on December 8 with a preview screening (a month in advance of the cinema opening!) of The Descendants, the new comedy by Alexander Payne (Election), starring George Clooney-face, and closes on January 31 with The Princess Bride (to celebrate its 25th anniversary). In between? Awesome – including The Breakfast Club and a special preview of Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, starring Leo. We have five double passes to Moonlight Cinema up for grabs YAYYYYY! To get your hands on one, tell us one other film (not mentioned above) from their program: moonlight.com.au
THE TREE OF LIFE: DVD!
Besides winning the prestigious Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival, this latest from maverick director Terrence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line) is quite the conversation (argument?) point. A kaleidoscopic vision of the human condition that includes a visually ravishing montage of evolution – from gas particle, to cell life, dinosaurs and apes – the film examines the life of one man as he reflects on his path from troubled childhood to dissatisfied adulthood, and the very different wisdoms imparted by his mother (Jessica Chastain) and his father (Brad Pitt). Visually orgasmic, poetic, and moving, The Tree Of Life is quite simply unlike anything you’ve seen before. Thanks to Icon, we have FIVE DVD copies of The Tree Of Life up for grabs. To get your hands on one, email freestuff@thebrag.com with your postal address and the name of Malick’s first film.
for the Eddie Dixon Homeless Shelter. Win! Win! Paddington Markets are holding a one-off special shopping night on Thursday December 15 from 4-9pm, in their normal possie on Oxford Street. It’ll feature over 70 stalls, including organic wines and gift baskets, candles, clothing, Christmas cards, jewellery… Don’t say we’re not looking out for you. You’re welcome. (We're size M). paddingtonmarkets.com.au
BIZARRE BAZAAR
And if you can’t wait to start shopping (and/ or you have trouble leaving the CBD), this Thursday December 8 from 5-9pm, Bizarre Bazaar are holding their final 2011 instalment of night-time market-timez, back where it all started: Sussex Lane. The night will feature its usual mix of emerging and boutique designers, with some brand-new faces, and a swag of designers from the online portal Young Republic. Expect clothes, textiles, homewares, jewellery, and heaps of gifts you never knew you wanted to give yourself. It’s also conveniently close to small-bars Balcony, Shirt and Small… bizarrebazaar.info
Charlie & Gareth
Our indie-arts cup runneth over, with Imperial Panda Festival (cough ahem – the SMACnominated Imperial Panda Festival) holding a special Christmas instalment of Cab Sav, featuring the sphinx-link enigma of Brown Council, post, Whale Chorus, Pig Island, Nick Sun (see our story! Page 36!), Nat Randall, Kenzie Larson, Nick Coyle, Zoe Coombs Marr (also page 36!), Matt Prest, Eddie Sharp, Lara Thoms, Kate Jinx, Claudia O’Doherty… A logical thing to do would be head to this, then head to the SMAC Awards nomination webpage and vote accordingly. Anyway, it’ll be fun, have pyramids, and cost heaps less than a trip to Egypt ($10). Doors open at 7pm, performances at 8pm @ Stinson Lane, Marrickville (near corner of Warren Road & Illawarra Road).
CARRIAGEWORKS 2012
Carriageworks has just launched its 2012 arts buffet, under the helm of new-ish Director Lisa Havilah (formerly of Campbelltown Arts Centre). First cab off the rank is Black Capital, a program of performances and exhibitions celebrating Redfern. In collaboration with Sydney Festival, Black Capital will feature Wesley Enoch’s theatre piece I Am Eora, an extended version of internationally acclaimed visual and performance artist Brook Andrew’s Travelling Colony, and the 181 Regent St showcase of Sydney’s Indigenous theatre history. Black Capital runs January 8-29. Next up, they’ll celebrate Chinese New Year on February 3 with a showcase of bands from the Chinese Underground, and exhibition of Chinese punk artefacts. For the full 2012 program, see carriageworks.com.au
FBi RADIO: SMAC AWARDS NOMINATIONS
A selection of industry insiders select ‘em and then you vote on ‘em – and so far it’s all going according to plan: FBi’s SMAC Award nominees are in, and they’re a rollcall of the people who make you happy. On the Arts & Culture side of the equation, here are your nominees: Alaska Projects, No Fixed Address, Jurassic Lounge, Art & About, The Paper Mill, Queen Street Studio; Holly Austin, Nick Coyle, post, Belinda Bromilow, Claudia O’Doherty, Charlie Garber and Gareth Davies; Ampersand magazine, Dirty Shirlow’s, Applespiel, Big Village, Makeshift, Dorkbot; Gallery A.S., Late Night Library, Outpost, Secret Wars, Underbelly; Dara Gill, Bridie Connell, Dan Boyd, Daniel O’Toole (aka EARS), Justin Shoulder and Tim Moore. The food noms (nom nom) are Youeni provides, The Dip, Feather & Bone, Bar H Surry Hills, Izakaya Fujiyama, FourAteFive, Orto Trading. For music noms (including the BRAG-presented ‘Best Major Festival’ category, ahem) see The Music Network column on page 20…And then go VOTE! smacawards.com
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Charlie & Gareth photographed by the awesome Lauren Farmer
If you want to be charmed, don’t go to a Jim Jeffries gig; he swears, he’s controversial, he’s offensive. And he’s really popular (except with the fundamentalist Christians, feminists and lesbians) in the USA (where he’s now based); he sells out his Edinburgh Fringe runs, he’s had his own HBO special – he’s one of our most successful comedy exports. And before you mentally pigeonhole him: he trained as an opera singer before getting into stand-up. If you’re curious to see what all that’s about, he’s doing four shows at The Comedy Store this week – Monday December 5 and Tuesday December 6; the 7.30pm slots have already sold-out, because Australians love sweary rants about sex, religion and poo, delivered by a regular-looking c*&t who’s drinking a beer – but there are two new 9.15pm shows. Climb aboard the Jim Jeffries ship at comedystore.com.au
MOONLIGHT CINEMA
SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY 2012
By Dee Jefferson
Cora Bissett and Matthew Pidgeon in Traverse Theatre Company’s Midsummer – photo by Euan Myles
Affordable treats from the main stage.
Artistic Directors Andrew Upton & Cate Blanchett
W
ith Sydney Theatre Company’s 2011 season finally coming to a close, and their 2012 season officially launched, I sat down last week with Artistic Directors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton in their Wharf office – which looks like the inside of a beach house: a lowslung couch with a colourful throw that doubles as a day bed (I know, because Cate tells me she’s just had a fiveminute cat nap on it), comfy armchairs, and a woven palmleaf mat on the wall (by artist Newell Harry) that reads ‘No Point Being King Shit of Turd Island’. Cate’s just in the opening stretch of a four-week season of Gross Und Klein, in which she laughs, cries, yells, dances like a madwoman – and barely leaves the stage for a whopping two-and-a-half hours. So she’s exhausted. Her first port of call is caffeine, then chocolate (an assistant brings in a ball of Lindor balls), then halfway through the interview she tries to sneak a cigarette out the window (unsuccessfully). ON THEIR APPROACH TO PROGRAMMING
CATE: As an audience member, we’re always interested in the unexpected, and surprises – and you do have to have an audience hat on when you’re programming. You want to guide an audience, and be ahead of the audience, as Artistic Directors – but you do have to then sit back at a certain point and say – ANDREW: – who would want to see this? (laughs) CATE: – and you have to interrogate your choices. And because we have a number of months to program [the season], if we get bored with something [in that time], it usually gets dropped. You want to be still excited by the idea eight months after you first start talking about it. ON THE 2012 SEASON CATE: We’re gonna blow the dust off several things – ANDREW: – yeah we’re reinventing a few things that people will know well, because that’s one aspect of theatre that we’re very adamant about: there is a great canon of work, and getting varied interpretations of that is one of the great theatrical experiences. If you’re really into theatre, seeing a number of Hamlets over the course of your life is a great thing, because you get to know the play really well, and so then you start to see the shifts and changes. NEW IN 2012 Finally in 2012, STC get their Wharf foyer back. Cate and Andrew have been focused on creating a strong post- and pre-show foyer culture at the Wharf since they started in 2008, so this is a big deal for them: “We’ll have our bar back, the pool table will be in action, there will be more Wharf Sessions [where bands play],” says Cate. Even better, they’re planning an overhaul of the Wharf Restaurant that will slash the prices (and the snootiness factor). UNDER-30s DO IT BETTER For punters aged 30 or younger, a season ticket is the smartest (read: cheapest) way to get across the program. “$215 for six plays,” Cate smiles proudly. “It’s pretty incredible value, I reckon!” Of course you can do all 11 plays from the Main Stage season – but the minimum number of plays for a season ticket is six. Once you have the season ticket, you also get access to cheaper deals for a handful of their sidebar shows, including Sydney Festival co-production A History Of Everything, and Sasha Regan’s high-camp take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s musical The Pirates Of Penzance. 34 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
BRAG SELECTS:
TOP SIX [WHARF 1]
NEVER DID ME ANY HARM
Devised by: Force Majeure (2011 Helpmann Award-winner for Not In A Million Years) Directed by: Kate Champion The basics: Drawing inspiration from Christos Tsiolkas’ novel The Slap, Kate Champion’s physical theatre company Force Majeure interviewed people of all ages and backgrounds about their views on parenting. Who’s in it? Helpmann Awardwinner Marta Dusseldorp (The War Of The Roses) and stage and screen veteran Heather Mitchell. Reasons to see this: Just like the recent TV adaptation of The Slap, this is one that everyone’s going to be talking about. When: Previews from Jan 6 / season Jan 11 – Feb 12. [DRAMA THEATRE]
MIDSUMMER: A PLAY WITH SONGS
Written by: Gordon McIntyre (from Scottish band Ballboy) and Scottish playwright and director David Greig. The basics: A tragicomedy of epic, madcap, rock’n’roll proportions, about a onenight stand between two 30-somethings that turns into a weekend crime caper. Reasons to see this: This sell-out Edinburgh Festival hit has now charmed London and Broadway – it’s pretty much
a sure thing for your end-ofsummer entertainment. The critics say: “Exhilarating… You float out laughing as if you’ve just swallowed sunshine on a spoon.” – The Guardian Cate & Andrew say: “It’s really, really funny, and very zeitgeisty.” When: Previews from Feb 1 / season from Feb 6 – March 10. [WHARF 1]
LES LIASONS DANGEREUSES
Adapted by: Christopher Hampton after the novel by Choderlos de Laclos. Director: Sam Strong (Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company) The basics: If you never saw the Glenn Close/John Malkovich film version, this one’s going to knock your socks off: a totally diabolical drama about sex used as a weapon. Who’s in it? Pamela Rabe and Hugo Weaving play scheming, sexually ruthless rivals and lovers. Reasons to see this: Pamela Rabe (an incredible Richard III in The War Of The Roses) and Hugo Weaving (last in Uncle Vanya) being funny, charming and terrifying by turns. What Cate & Andrew say: “A wonderful story of delicious wit and venom.” When: Previews from Mar 31 / season from Apr 5 – Jun 10. [DRAMA THEATRE]
UNDER MILK WOOD
Written by: Dylan Thomas Directed by: Andrew Upton (Long Day’s Journey Into Night) The basics: A radio-play written in 1954, Thomas’ prose invites the audience to listen
to the dreams and innermost thoughts of the inhabitants of a small Welsh village called Llareggub (‘bugger all’ backwards). Who’s in it? Stage and screen veterans Jack Thompson and Sandy Gore. Reasons to see this: Discover a modern classic. Andrew says: He discovered the play aged about 15, when he got into Thomas’ work generally. “His commitment to the extraordinary life rather than the ordinary life really shows in the tension in this play.” When: Previews from May 22 / season from May 26 – Jul 7. [SYDNEY THEATRE]
FACE TO FACE
Co-adapted by: Simon Stone and Andrew Upton from Ingmar Bergman’s 1976 film. Directed by: Simon Stone (Baal, The Wild Duck) The basics: A drawingroom psychodrama about a psychiatrist who is losing her mind, written by one of cinema’s greatest dramatists, and reworked by one of Sydney’s most fearless young directors. Who’s in it? Screen actress Kerry Fox (Cloudstreet, An Angel At My Table), John Gaden (No Man’s Land). Reasons to see this: Kerry Fox (trying to upstage original actress Liv Ullmann), Ingmar Bergman and Simon Stone – everyone will go, everyone will probably argue about it. Andrew says: “It’s a very intimate play. Simon will have a lot of fun with it theatrically, because it slips between dream and reality.” When: Previews from Aug 7 / season from Aug 11 – Sept 8.
Pamela Rabe & Hugo Weaving star in Les Liasons Dangereuses [WHARF 1]
SEX WITH STRANGERS
Written by: Laura Eason Directed by: Jocelyn Moorhouse, director of the dark Australian comedy Proof (1991). The basics: A two-hander in which a middle-aged woman and younger man surf the highs and lows of online intimacy. Who’s in it? Jacqueline McKenzie (In The Next Room: The Vibrator Play) and Ryan Corr (Packed To The Rafters). Reasons to see this: It comes highly recommended from the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago – and STC are nabbing it before its Broadway debut. The Critics say: “Arresting, involving and shrewdly selfaware.” – The Chicago Tribune When: Previews from Sept 25 / season from Sept 28 – Nov 24. FOR SEASON TICKETS & THE FULL 2012 LINEUP: SYDNEYTHEATRE.COM.AU
adventure into design THINKING | MAKING | CONNECTING
Billy blue ‘LIVE’ Open Day Saturday FEB 4 – must RSVP Enrol now on 1300 851 245 or join us at www.billyblue.edu.au Think: Colleges Pty Ltd, ABN 93 050 049 299 trading as Billy Blue College of Design, RTO No. 0269, HEP No. NSW5028, CRICOS Provider Codes: NSW 00246M, QLD 03107J, VIC 03252M.
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SEE ALL 3 MOVIES FOR $20! SUNDAY DEC 11 at 5PM At Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace
A one-off opportunity to see the entire Back to the Future Trilogy remastered in high definition digital on the big screen! Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace 380 Military Road Cremorne NSW 2090 Phone: 9908 4344 www.orpheum.com.au BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 35
Zoe Coombs Marr
[THEATRE] Going Places By Pierce Wilcox
I
t’s been less than 24 hours since Zoe Coombs Marr was announced as the 2011 winner of the Philip Parsons Young Playwright’s Award, and she’s hovering somewhere between excited and surprised. Her winning piece, And That Was The Summer That Changed My Life, is a disturbing and hilarious solo show that’s closer to soul-baring stand-up comedy than your traditional kitchen-sink drama. “It is weird for me to win a playwright’s award, because I wouldn’t consider myself a playwright,” Coombs Marr confesses. “It’s the thing that I have most difficulty with, defining what I actually do. I do stand-up in a theatre context, I do theatre that’s kindof comedy, sort-of performance. It’s an ongoing negotiation. I just try to make stuff I would really like to see.”
Nick Sun [COMEDY] Entertaining The Troops By Michael Brown
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hen expat comedian Nick Sun returns to Sydney this week, it will have been almost two years since anyone saw him on a local stage – or, for that matter, lying on the floor beside a local stage, giving a running commentary on a speck of dust. Yes this happened, I was there. It’s testament to Sun’s fiercely original style, a hybrid of freeform, surrealism and social commentary. In the five years after Nick broke onto the standup scene by winning the national Raw Comedy competition and its UK equivalent, So You Think You’re Funny, in 2004 (the first and only Aussie to do so), he exhausted the Australian club and festival circuit, playing the same rooms in Sydney every week. “I hadn’t really had to change a lot,” he says of the experience. And so in 2010 Nick decided to take the international plunge, and moved to London. “I don’t know how to describe it, there’s just so many gigs here… I’ve been connecting a lot more. I guess I’ve got a lot more consistent just from gigging at so many different places. I’m by no means out of the woods yet, but I feel more confident than ever on stage, and I don’t know, I’ve learned a lot about myself. Blah blah blah (laughs).” Last month UK institution The Guardian commended Nick's every-show-is-different unscripted freeform as “the real deal…touched with a certain unorthodox kind of genius.” “Oh yeah,” he says, “that was like my first good review ever, and I was like, ‘Oh great. Finally.’” In terms of a sustainable career, I ask Nick whether he sees writing as something he’d like to extend into – having recently been published in The Penguin Plays Rough Book Of Short Stories, under the pseudonym Rick Doom.
“Ideally my plan is to write a really amazing book, kind of in that vein, but better. And then that gets me heaps of money, so I won’t ever have to do anything ever again, and I can also just go on a never-ending comedy tour up until about the age of 50 – and that’s when I’ll call it a day, and I’ll move to the North Coast of New South Wales, around the Mullumbimby area, buy a farm, and just meditate for the rest of my life. That’s the plan.”
The award comes with a commission from Belvoir to develop a new play. Coombs Marr may have made her name on the festival circuit, but she’s no stranger to the main stage, having created Who’s The Best? for Sydney Theatre Company’s Next Stage program earlier this year, as part of performance trio post. “I think there’s a lot of talk about the ‘mainstream’ and the ‘fringe’, and I don’t know how relevant those terms are any more,” suggests Coombs Marr. “In order to have a sustainable career in the arts, most
Reflecting more seriously on his career, Nick adds, “Stand-up’s my main medium. I think I just want to get heaps better and get paid work, really (laughs). Um, at this point, man, I just want to cover rent. And then I’ll think about the rest later.”
of us have to be able to work across a lot of different contexts. For me it’s always been about creating work for a specific context and trying to speak to that audience. And different contexts have different audiences.” Coombs Marr’s current work, I’ve Been Everywhere, Man sees her land in a new context: the Old Fitzroy, where she’s performing a new solo show as part of The Horse’s Mouth festival, a celebration of autobiographical storytelling. “It’s great! I’ve never worked there before. It’s really rough, it’s accessible... you can see some great stuff there, and you can see some crap stuff there, but it’s always quite fun, and it’s really laid-back.” I’ve Been Everywhere, Man is inspired by a misguided attempt to travel around Australia. “A lot of stuff went wrong. I was quite crap at it. My story’s about that: my car breaks down, I get confused, I drink too much... it was all quite strange.” It’s a familiar anecdote, but Coombs Marr has a rigorous self-awareness that suggests she’ll always offer something deeper than a simple fireside chat. “I mean, they always say, ‘Everybody’s got a story to tell!’ but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a good story to tell. I’m not really interested in just ‘telling a story’, or representing stuff that happens outside of the theatre, in the theatre. I’m more interested in what is actually going on in the theatre, what’s actually happening in that space.” That’s not to say, though, that a straightforward personal revelation can’t touch a chord in young and old. Coombs Marr recalls a story that featured in one of post's shows, about someone in a dance concert wetting their pants. "We had so many responses from that, people just coming up and saying ‘I wet my pants in a dance concert!’ It’s amazing how many people wet their pants in dance concerts.” She laughs at the memory. “You gotta find some way to connect with people.”
Then, fatefully, all of Nick’s life questions are answered by an incoming email. “I just got an email message asking whether I’m appropriate for an army mess hall gig. Should I say yes? In the middle of fucking nowhere. I think I’m going to say yes,” he says all in one breath. It would pay rent, I suggest. “I need it,” he agrees, then turning with mock offence, “No, I need the experience, come on.” It could be his ‘Folsom prison’ gig, I say. “Yeah, well I want to play a prison, and I want to MC a strip night as well.” Suddenly Nick exclaims, “Actually, that’s my career goals: play a prison, be a resident MC at a strip club, and entertain the troops.”
What: I’ve Been Everywhere, Man as part of The Horse’s Mouth festival, in a triple bill alongside Tim Spencer’s Show Me Yours… and Phil Spencer’s The Great Apeth. When: December 8, 10 and 14 Where: The Old Fitzroy Theatre More: horsething.com
When/where: Friday December 9 at Cab Sav’s Xmas Edition / Stinson Lane, Marrickville; Monday December 12 at The Comedy Lounge / Café Lounge, Surry Hills. More: facebook.com/the.imperial.panda / cafelounge.com.au
We Buy Your Kids [DESIGN] Ka-ching! Living The Dream By Jeremy Williams
S
For Day, the most memorable WBYK collaboration to date was also their least permanent: “We had to paint a mural on a wall made of 110 cases of beer, for a beer launch. We did it in front of an audience (who were simultaneously drinking the beer), then when we finished they pulled it apart and gave everyone at the launch a case. That was weird, seeing this thing we’d worked on for nine hours dismantled in 45 seconds.”
o many of us wish our hobby could be a self-sustaining career, but so few realise that dream. Well, Sonny Day and Biddy Maroney are living the dream. But when the Newtown-based creative duo started out in 2006, making screen-printed posters for Popfrenzy’s roster of Australian tours, under the design moniker We Buy Your Kids, little did they know that within five years they’d be multimedia artists with a national profile. “I think that we’ve always tried to push ourselves and keep what we make moving forward, hopefully improving,” says Day, of their trajectory. In his opinion, luck and diversity have been just as important to WBYK’s success as talent. “There’s quite a lot of variety of styles in the work we’ve made over the last five years. I think that plays a part in staying in business, for sure.” As you might expect, Sonny and Biddy have a partnership based on complementing talents and interests: “Biddy is a fantastic designer, but I’m not a designer by any stretch of the imagination,” says Day, “but I’ve always liked how words can work with pictures. I really like
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painting – but screen-printing is close to my heart. I love the process, as stressful as it can sometimes be. Nothing’s better than holding a freshly finished print.” Their increased profile has afforded Sonny and Biddy the luxury of being a little bit more
picky about the projects they take on (another advantage of living the dream, just quietly). “We have to be interested in the project,” Day says simply. “It’s always good to work on something when you and the client can meet in the middle. ‘Where ideas meet’ – sounds like an ad for TeleCafe…”
Beverages are also at the centre of WBYK’s most recent collaboration: Schweppes’ Summer Rewind campaign. “We were approached for this job through our agent, and asked if we were keen to make a series of T-shirt graphics for the Schweppes summer campaign,” Day explains, adding that the immense proportions of the project were enough to get their creative juices flowing. “We thought it sounded great – and it’s pretty crazy seeing our name on the side of all these bottles in the supermarket.” What: Schweppes Summer Rewind When: Bidding now open to win WBYK’s limited-edition retro tees, in six flavas More: summerrewind.com.au / wbyk.com.au
STC’s
SINGLE TICKETS NOW ON SALE HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE FACES WHICH WILL GRACE SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY STAGES IN 2012. SINGLE TICKETS START FROM $35.
Highlights of the Season: Hugo Weaving and Pamela Rabe in the deliciously wicked Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Jack Thompson and Sandy Gore in Dylan Thomas’ beautifully poetic Under Milk Wood; Andrea Demetriades as the original Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion; Kerry Fox, Jacqueline McKenzie and Greta Scacchi as three formidable females; Bille Brown and Barry Otto facing off in The Histrionic.
SYDNEYTHEATRE.COM.AU/2012 BOOK NOW 9250 1777 BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 37
Arts Snap
Film & Theatre Reviews
At the heart of the arts Where you went last week...
Hits and misses on the silver screen and the bareboards around town.
Until December 10 / Playhouse @ Sydney Opera House
Until December 17 / SBW Stables Theatre
Hugh Hughes is so charming he’d be insufferable if he weren’t so convincingly sincere, and so damn funny. Having seen both his previous Sydney shows, Floating and 360, I entered his latest theatre experiment fully prepared – for the live deconstruction of the theatre experience, via mind-maps, flow charts and detailed audience instructions. Because I’d read an article about it, I was also prepared to be spending 90 minutes looking at Hugh’s personal experience of death – and death being something I feel quite familiar with at this stage of my life, I felt like I was gonna keep my own experience on a pretty even keel.
A short, sharp and snappy cautionary tale for our times, Marius von Mayenburg’s play shows us what happens when our obsession with physical perfection is taken to its logical (which in this case is illogical) extreme.
THE UGLY ONE
PICS :: TL
And I wasn’t far wrong; but for people who haven’t seen Hugh Hughes (the playful, ‘emerging artist’ alter-ego of Welsh theatremaker Shôn Dale-Jones), it would have been a delightful, novel experience at the theatre. Like a stand-up comedian, Hughes opens his show with responsive back-and-forth banter with his audience – heckling late-comers, breaking the ice by offering cups of tea (well, one cup of tea) to the audience, and giving shit (friendly, charming shit) to hecklers. Hugh is a wideeyed boy wonder from small-town Wales, and his guileless approach to the everyday wonders is offset by a keen sense of observation about human behaviour. You can’t get anything past Hugh – and one of the pleasures of his shows is having him call bullshit on a lot of your own behaviours and mindsets.
24:11:11 :: Kind Of Gallery :: 72 Oxford St Darlinghurst
The other big pleasure of the show, is watching Hugh deconstruct the production of theatre into its separate components – props, lighting, movement, narrative, audience participation – with no-bullshit explanation, and then allowing him to suspend your disbelief with his God-sent ability to spin a yarn. The only flaw of this show – and his work generally – is that there’s a little too much explanation and deconstruction. You’ll find yourself wishing he’d just get on with the bloody story – instead of pulling you out of your tender reverie with incitements to sing in rounds, or examine your own reaction at any given point in time.
PICS :: TL
feast your eyes #2
■ Theatre
STORY OF A RABBIT
24:11:11 :: Artists Residency Program gallery :: 70 & 58 Oxford St Darlinghurst
numskull
■ Theatre
23:11:11 :: The Wall @ World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700
Arts Exposed What's in our diary...
BAMBINA BORRACHA & TAMARAMA ROCK SURFERS THEATRE CO. PRESENT
THE HORSE’S MOUTH FESTIVAL
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A.R.P. pop-up gallery
PICS :: TL
Hugh Hughes in Story Of A Rabbit
Upon discovering that his extreme ugliness is holding him back at work, Lette (played here by Eden Falk) – encouraged by his wife – decides to get radical facial surgery. Emerging from his bandage-cocoon a specimen of perfection, he quickly soars to the giddy heights of success – in the bedroom and the workplace – before tripping his way downwards into the depths of existential despair, as he finds not only that sex, money and popularity aren’t everything, but that beauty (like any other commodity) has value in directly inverse proportion to its supply. Once everyone around Lette starts copying his ‘face’, he becomes disposable. Von Mayenburg isn’t interested in realism, and his weapon, while sharp, is not subtle. His characters careen from one impulsive action to the next – which is a large part of the humour; the other part comes from observational comedy, and recognising a nugget of truth in his characters' outrageous carryings-on that you can relate to, whether it be as trivial as the boss who seems to be peeling fruit every time he talks to Lette, or the petty jealousies of the workplace. The punchline has a bit more weight, as we ponder the extreme end-product of mass produced, heterogynous beauty. Director Sarah Giles (K.I.J.E.) has executed the text cleverly, and with a fantastic cast of comedically gifted actors; in particular, Jacinta Acevski has an unusually expressive face that is extremely watchable as both Lette’s wife and 74-year-old lover, and Gig Clarke dishes his humour deadpan, in the roles of Lette’s straight-laced and slightly neurotic co-worker, and would-be boy-toy.
It’s a small quibble; if you aren’t laughing within the first ten minutes of this show, you’re probably irreparably damaged by life already; if you are, then you’ve just discovered the wonderful world (and world-view) of Hugh Hughes. Even death looks pretty spectacular the way he tells it.
Extreme lighting changes mid-scene and the use of microphones for sound effects (one of the highlights) adds to the sense of Lette’s increasingly dissociative mental state, while the cracking pace and overlapping scenes (including some madcap mid-conversation character-shifts by the actors) add to the sense of rising anxiety. It’s funny, yes, but dark. You’ll be out of the theatre in under an hour, and feeling cognitively breathless.
Dee Jefferson
Dee Jefferson
A Festival Of Autobiographical Stories Until December 17 / Old Fitzroy Theatre Bambina Borracha came up with this rad idea, which assembles a lineup of Sydney’s most entertaining storytellers to perform short theatre works based on episodes from their lives. Impressively, all the shows appear to be new – specially created for this festival – so it’s a bit of an epic thing, and hopefully a new addition to Sydney’s annual indie-arts-festival calendar. BB’s own Zoe Norton Lodge and Tim Spencer present new pieces, as do Philip Parsons Young Playwrights' Award nominee Nick Coyle, Philip Parsons winner Zoe Coombs Marr (see our story just over the page), Tamarama Rock Surfers’ Associate Artistic Director (and Tin Shed theatre company co-Artistic Director) Tim Spencer (Bluey) and his partner-in-crime Scarlett McGlynn, burlesque babe Emma Maye Gibson (aka Betty Grumble), photographer Alex Vaughn (winner of the Head On 2011 People's Choice Award)… and so on. Each show is a multi-billing of several shows, and you can find the minutiae (and tickets) at horsething.com
Jacinta Acevski, Eden Falk and Gig Clarke in The Ugly One Xxxx
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DVD Reviews Grrrl Power...
JANE EYRE
BRIDESMAIDS
Universal Home Ent. Released December 8 Getting the director of Mexican indie-crime drama Sin Nombre to helm a Charlotte Brontë adaptation doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence; but cognitive dissonance aside, Californian director Cary Fukunaga has done a fine job bringing one of literature’s gems to screen, using a mostly-British cast (including the staple Judi Dench role). Like Andrea Arnold’s forthcoming version of Wuthering Heights, this film really evokes the wild and muddy wind-chill of the moors, the stony grey coldness of Lowood school for orphans, and the gothic imagination of its heroine. This version is also relatively true to Brontë’s characterisations of her protagonists as physically and emotionally flawed. Mia Wasikowska can be beautiful, but she’s no Joan Fontaine or Susannah York – she makes a plain, forbidding and often inscrutable Jane; and Michael Fassbender might be the modern cinephile’s wetdream (yeah, he is), but he has the right cragginess, piercing eyes and lopsided grin to play the roguish Mr Rochester. Both give superb performances, Wasikowska once again displaying the quiet grace and restraint that sets her apart from her peers. Some have found the age differential a bit offputting (even gross) but that was also part of the book, and acceptable for the times. With all its strengths, it’s still hard to imagine any two-hour version of Jane Eyre doing justice to the burgeoning sexual tension and layers of character history that give the book its narrative impact. It’s testament to Fukunaga’s talent that he can draw out tears a mere 40-minutes-or-so into the script, and he does a fine job interweaving the different episodes from Jane’s life – but the full power of this film relies on viewers bringing a more detailed knowledge from the novel.
Universal Home Ent. Released November 3
Melbourne International Comedy Festival is looking for Australia’s next comic star
Let’s forget that this is one of the most hyped comedies of 2011, in order to excavate the nuggety goodness that has made it so popular: it’s funny. Forget sexual politics, forget gender-norm analyses – Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote a really funny script that pretty-much everyone can relate to, and then self-evidently funny comedians like Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy teamed up with surprisingly comedic actors like Jon Hamm and Rose Byrne, to execute that script. Finally, producer Judd Apatow and director Paul Feig know heaps about shooting comedy and improv from their extensive TV and film work. So it’s a great comedy film, period. The commentary track on this release is great (despite being executed by seven drunk comedians) if you’re interested in how Apatow & Co. make their screen comedy work, as it reveals the unusual amount of takes that get shot and then discarded, based on editroom discussions and audience testing. As an example: the Jon Hamm character was originally more of an arsehole – which the filmmakers and their hipster friends thought was hilarious; but the first time an audience of real people saw it, they felt too sorry for Wiig. One of the other fascinating reveals is that the engagement party ‘speech-off’ between best friend Annie and wannabe best-friend Helen was shot live, with Wiig and Byrne improvising and the crew running between actresses with notes, off camera. Having watched the US ‘Uncut’ version a couple of times, I prefer it because they’re allowed to include more gross-out humour and swears; this local DVD release does have the deleted scenes as an add-on, but it would have been nice to have both versions on the disc.
GIN IN JAN SYDNEY HEATSYBSETORE AT THE COMED
W! REGISTER NOY.C U .A M O D E M O C W RA
Melbourne International
Comedy Festival
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
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28 Mar — 22 Apr 2012 comedyfestival.com.au
Street Level With Georgia Clark
E
x BRAG Editor and rocker-turnednovelist Georgia Clark is currently living the dream in New York, as a freelancer writer and unofficial expert on Brooklyn’s dive bars. She’s back in Sydney this month to teach a short course in writing at the NSW Writers' Centre – specifically, 'Young Adult' fiction. With her debut novel She’s With The Band getting a US and UK release this year, she prolly knows what she’s talking about. And with YA fiction like Harry Potter and Twilight making massive dents in both the publishing and cinema industries over the past decade (soon to be joined by cult series The Hunger Games, which will make the silver screen transition next year starring Jennifer Lawrence), it seems like YA is no longer just the province of the under-18s. What is your training? I did the Media Arts & Production BA at UTS, and I’ve done a bunch of short courses, including Robert McKee’s famous ‘Story’ workshop, which is a must for all storytellers in any medium. (Be warned, he is slightly terrifying). A lot of freelancers say that it’s difficult to balance it with writing fiction; how do you make the combination work? I’m super disciplined with weekly word counts – if I don’t get my words done by Friday, I work the weekend (a good method to train yourself out of procrastinating!). What’s your YA fiction course about? It will cover both the craft of writing a long form piece and the industry side of things — how to find an agent, submit your work etc. We’ll look at lots of examples from classic and contemporary YA novels to explore topics like Beginnings, Plot, Psychic Distance, Showing
Not Telling, Villains, and more. It’s a great introduction for writers with an interest in the genre, who have everything from a concept to a first draft. Is YA fiction a tricky field to navigate, in terms of getting it past gatekeepers like publishers, parents, school librarians...? Depending on your publisher and the story you’re telling, there are boundaries, yes. But you should never feel overly censored as a writer. It’s interesting how many intense, high-stakes novels, like The Hunger Games, convey so much tension without swearing – you don’t even miss it. As a fan of The Hunger Games, can you explain why it’s such a hugely popular series – and what makes it ripe for cinematic adaptation? Suzanne Collins has a background in screenwriting, which is evident in the storytelling: plot-driven racy action that tells a great internal and external story. And a fierce young heroine up against a dystopian fascist regime, caught in a love triangle, fighting for her life – what’s not to like!? Which other writers inspire you? In YA, I love David Leviathan and Simmone Howell. In literary fiction, everyone from Bret Easton Ellis to David Mitchell to Kazuo Ishiguro. Do you get a lot of narrative inspiration from things outside of fiction? Two words: Battlestar Galactica. Fracking awesome. What: Writing Your First YA Novel When: Sat Dec 10 and Sun Dec 11, 10am – 4pm Where: NSW Writers Centre, Rozelle More: nswwc.org.au / georgiaclark.com
THURSDAY JAN 5 GOLD COAST ELSEWHERE BAR FRIDAY JAN 6 BALLINA AUSTRALIAN HOTEL SATURDAY JAN 7 BRISBANE THE HI-FI SUNDAY JAN 8 BATEAU BAY THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES+ WEDNESDAY JAN 11 SYDNEY FACTORY THEATRE* THURSDAY JAN 12 CANBERRA TUGGERANONG ALLIANCE(AA) FRIDAY JAN 13 MELBOURNE THE HI-FI SATURDAY JAN 14 ADELAIDE FOWLERS LIVE(AA) THURSDAY JAN 19 PERTH THE BAKERY FRIDAY JAN 20 DARWIN RAILWAY EXPRESS
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BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 39
Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...
ALBUM OF THE WEEK THE BLACK KEYS El Camino Warner Music
With a trail of killer Gold-status singles, a stash of Grammy awards, and album sales edging close to two million copies worldwide, the seventh fulllength release from Nashville’s The Black Keys arrives amidst grand expectations.
El Camino is an all-killer collection of grungy, raw rock’n’roll; the signature sound of one of the most exciting partnerships on the world stage.
Having once again returned to hip hop auteur and super producer Danger Mouse, it’s clear from the outset that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have reverted to the elements that have worked so well for them in the past. But what is noticeably different is a back-to-basics aesthetic on El Camino; a driving, raw rock’n’roll sound that draws on a range of ‘60s and ‘70s stylised drumbeats and basslines throughout.
Leading single ‘Lonely Boy’ is already getting a smashing on the airwaves, and it begins like a bull out of the gate, with its bellowing guitar riff followed by the hand-clapping drums and touch of playful harpsichord that makes for a wellconcocted shake-it-out-and-dance anthem. Raw guitar, head-bopping drums and echoing, reverbed vocals continue throughout, while tracks ‘Dead And Gone’ and ‘Little Black Submarines’ offer up a mellower vibe, starting slow before building to distorted guitar licks, chanted full-bodied choruses, and a whole lot of tambourine. The layered choir-style choruses underpinning most tracks in the second half of the LP give it a uniquely Delta-tinged gospel feel; songs like ‘Money Maker’ and ‘Run Right Back' about fast women and wayward love give the record just the right amount of depth. And a number of newer
elements – like the disco-synth in ‘Sister’, and a reggae feel to ‘Hell Of A Season’ – are melded seamlessly with the ‘70s psych influence of the hypnotising closing track, ‘Mind Eraser’. Tegan Butler
AUSTRA
AA BONDY
SHE & HIM
DARKER HALF
Feel It Break Domino Records
Believers Spunk
A Very She & Him Christmas Spunk / EMI
Desensitized Rock Star / MGM
The more cynical among us may be skeptical about Domino Records' signing of Toronto band Austra – fronted by opera-trained Katie Stelmanis – just as the music industry has become enamoured with classically-trained sirens; Karin Dreijer Andersson and The Knife sold a tonne of records, and Zola Jesus is every indie publication’s wet dream. Austra could indeed be seen as just another artist that the savvy label has threaded onto a hook, hoping to jag a portion of the market – but as this record shows, the band is much more than just a copycat commodity. Feel It Break’s electro-pop backdrop is a simple affair, reminiscent of Miss Kittin and Fischerspooner. It’s dark and moody, with the musical accompaniment doing its best to compete with Stelmanis’ shadowy lyrics. The heavy-handed bass on songs like ‘Spellwork’ and ‘Lose It’ (two of the singles from Feel It Break) are seedy backroom club fare, whereas the sweeter, playful melodies heard in ‘Hate Crime’ and ‘The Future’ juxtapose more sinister lyrics. It’s an album filled with analogue simplicity that straddles Stelmanis’ vocal blitzkrieg. Producer Damien Taylor, more commonly known as Björk’s go-to guy, has harnessed the power of Stelmanis’ voice and knitted it seamlessly within a gentler electropop fabric. There’s meticulousness to each drum sound and melody and it’s a beautifully mixed album – but then again it has to be, as the subtle and occasionally underdeveloped musical framework doesn’t quite reach the heights of the deskwork or the gorgeous vocals. Katie Stelmanis’ rich vibrato is enough to carry this debut, but expect something brighter and bolder next time. Austra are potentially amazing.
The solo project of Alabama native and former Verbena lead singer, Auguste Arthur Bondy, Believers is another album that came out this year to be mislabelled as ‘folk’ – but more on that later. With two previous releases (American Hearts from 2007, and 2009’s When The Devil’s Loose) that were far sparser than Believers, Bondy has taken a more layered approach to this album. It still has the minimalist energy we expect – a mood that feels somewhere between that moment you get home from a big night and the hours it takes you to fall asleep – but sonically there is a little more going on. The odd harmonica, a sigh, multitracked vocals, pedal steel and a gentle rhythm all support his isolated guitar and almost apathetic vocals; Bondy's voice feels effortlessly conveyed in the truest sense, as if he barely opens his mouth to sing each note. These days, the alt-folk label has broadened to mean anything that isn’t rock (but still has an electric guitar), but I would be more inclined to put this into the ambient rock/ alt-country cabinet myself. The album’s sleepiness is intentional and is probably going to be the energy that will make people fall in love with it – but conversely, it could also be its undoing. The over-simplicity of each song and the monotonous tempo starts to drag from ‘Surfer King’ and continues until the final track, ‘Scenes From A Circus’. Morose, dim and lethargic, Believers is made up of some lovely parts that, when put together, become a little murky. Pretty and emotive and bordering on boring.
Everyone's favourite Portland pair, guitar wizard M Ward and actor/musician Zooey Deschanel, have returned in time for the holiday season, to cover a bunch of famous Christmas songs and save some parents considerable time when they inevitably panic over what to put in the stockings of their twee-obsessed offspring. A Very She & Him Christmas follows on from the duo’s gorgeous 2010 record, Volume 2, a work distinguished by Deschanel’s silky smooth pop vocals, Ward’s nuanced guitar work, and a cascade of lush strings and instrumentation. Here, the approach is stripped back, Ward settling in beside the more prominent and confident Deschanel, acoustic in hand, content to add in the odd verse here and there (such as on the sublime ‘Sleigh Ride’). But the approach does not prevent a sense of imbalance from permeating the record. Deschanel’s performance is inconsistent, often guilty of being flat, uninterested and lacking in variation. The cover of Brian Wilson’s ‘Christmas Day’ is particularly gloomy, Deschanel singing as if she’s celebrating Christmas holed up in an US Army compound in Afghanistan, and ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ is painfully slow and lacking in enthusiasm. Fortunately, they manage to lift the mood during the second half; the brighter ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ and the undeniably cute ‘Little Saint Nick’ definitely feel more festive. Deschanel even manages to break out a ukulele during highlight ‘Silver Bells’.
When was the last time you heard a didgeridoo on a metal album? If you pick up Desensitized, the second fulllengther from Sydney’s Darker Half, you’ll be able to answer that question. Said didgeridoo features on a stunning re-working of Goanna’s classic Aussie rock hit ‘Solid Rock’, one of nine hard-hitting tracks on the follow-up to 2009’s Duality. Apart from the effortless transition of the track from classic rock to modern metal, the thematic content of the song fits perfectly alongside subject matter commonly raised within original Darker Half tracks – alienation, displacement, war, frustration and loss. Desensitized demonstrates just how much professional distance the band have covered in the couple of years since Duality. Frontman Vo Simpson’s vocals have noticeably matured, delivering admirable strength in his (extremely freakin’) high range, and powerful conviction in lower, more emotive sections – likely a result of the past year’s hectic touring schedule. And his guitar solos appear to be more consciously considered, demanding the listener’s interest during sections through which other guitarists of similar influence might shred mindlessly. The album also features the first compositional efforts of guitarist Brad Dickson, whose intricate rhythmic supporting parts perfectly complement to the band’s overall sound. Add to this the involved and relentless drums of Dom Simpson – formerly rhythm guitarist – and solid bass support from Simon Hamilton, and you have a polished, successful product.
While this album's imperfections prevent it from reaching the heights of the duo’s previous work, it's still one in which you – and possibly your grandma – should be able to find some Christmas cheer.
While Desensitized maintains the elements of old-school thrash and power that we've come to expect, the album also marks departure from that typical sound – and is arguably more accessible for it. It is no surprise that Darker Half’s fanbase is steadily climbing.
The Grinch
Sheridan Morley
Krissi Weiss
Rick Warner
Baby Caught The Bus Independent It often feels that for a real authentic RnB and soul flavour you need to turn to your stack of Motown and Stax 45s, but Melbourne’s Clairy Browne has all the right ingredients to get your hips grindin’ and your hearts sighin’. Baby Caught The Bus is her band’s debut album, and it’s 11 tracks of hardedged rhythm and blues, featuring a full band with horn section and piano,
40 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
S/T Mercury/Universal For an entire generation of (mostly British) kids, Oasis invented rock and roll. They mashed together the attitude of The Sex Pistols, the Manc swagger of The Stone Roses and the inherent melodic sensibilities of The Beatles, and melded it with Noel Gallagher’s songwriting genius, unashamedly informed by Best Ofs from greats like The Bee Gees, Neil Young and T-Rex. Of course Liam and Noel’s antics made for an exciting spectacle, and as long as they backed up the public spats and intolerable-if-they-weren’t-so-funny bouts of boasting with undeniable records, we could forgive them almost anything. But then they couldn’t – and the gleam wore off. Oasis were never going to come down with any form of dignity, making a series of serviceable albums before splitting over a squabble. We’ve heard the extremely okay Beady Eye record that Liam hastily cobbled together with Gem Archer and Andy Bell; Noel took his time and made two albums. And that's the main issue. This album is quite good, and occasionally great. It’s just that for an effortless songwriter, this is too effortless. There are strings, rousing choruses and stylistic detours a-plenty (the baggy swing of ‘AKA…Broken Arrow’; the Kinks-stomp of ‘Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks’), but one can’t help but feel that this album is a placeholder – a feeling certainly confirmed by his constant crowing about his other album, a collaboration with psychedelic masterminds Amorphous Androgynous. Gallagher promises it will be mindblowing, and that may very well be true – but after 15 years of magnificence, this debut is less of a statement and more a case of Noel treading water until he can unleash his true post-Oasis masterpiece. Nathan Jolly
INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES
NOEL GALLAGHER AND HIS HIGH FLYING BIRDS
the Rackettes backup singers, and Clairy Browne’s own smokey vocals. ‘Frankie’ is an upbeat dancehall track peppered with loose and limber lead breaks, while ‘I’ll Be Fine’ sees the band nailing it with a passionate gospel number. ‘She Plays Up To You’ has a more contemporary feel, and could sit well with the Duffy and Amy fans, but the band is still not even close to pushing the neo-soul envelope. For the most part, Clairy’s voice lies somewhere between Diana Ross and Koko Taylor: sweet and soulful one minute, dirty and grinding the next.
The Rackettes' backing vocals are perfectly complementary, never overshadowing Clairy Browne – and their reworking of ‘Bang Bang’ by Sonny and Cher really shines as a result, and is a fantastic inclusion. ‘Aeroplane’ deserves a special mention too, with its infectious rollin' piano riff (reminiscent of Sgt. Peppers) luring you in, and the hard-hitting chorus further cementing it as a standout. Baby Caught The Bus grinds and grooves in all the right places; it can get you shaking your hips or dimming the lights and slipping into something more comfortable... Krystal Maynard
OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week... BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Nebraska KURT VILE - Childish Prodigy OPIUO - Slurp and Giggle
DAN MANGAN - Nice, Nice, Very Nice SHABAZZ PALACES - Black Up
Keystone Festival Bar Hyde Park Barracks Museum. January 8-28. 14 nights | The hottest live bands and DJs January 8
MOUNTAIN MOCHA KILIMANJARO & ELECTRIC EMPIRE January 9
DEERHOOF & DJ YAMANTAKA EYE (THE BOREDOMS) January 11
DAN DEACON ENSEMBLE & JOHN MAUS January 12
SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SONGS & THE LAURELS January 13
FBi NIGHT: SHABAZZ PALACES, TAYLOR MCFERRIN & SHANGAAN ELECTRO January 14 Cnr Coogee Bay Hotel & Arden St, Coogee 2034 // www.coogeebayhotel.com.au // T 02 9665 0000
PICNIC: ANDREW WEATHERALL & NEVILLE WATSON January 18
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC: ASA & FEFE January 19
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC: NOUVELLE VAGUE & MORIARTY January 20
FBi NIGHT: TUNE-YARDS & JONTI January 21
THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE & NEW NAVY January 25
MAD RACKET: PEVEN EVERETT January 26
THE PEDRITO MARTINEZ GROUP & WATUSSI January 27
THE STEPKIDS & ELECTRIC WIRE HUSTLE S January 28
FUTURE CLASSIC: DJ KOZE & PRINS THOMAS sydneyfestival.org.au/keystone
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 41
snap sn ap up all night out all week . . .
songs for no one
eskimo joe / pnau
Who’s playing: ARIA nominee Lisa Schouw (Girl Overboard), soul troubadour Edoardo Santoni, bright new thing Ali Carter, plus special guests Peter Bailey, Robin Gist, Inneke Taalman, Erika Visser, Andrew Stapleton and Emma Leigh. Sell it to us: An intimate, grungy cabaret in Sydney’s oldest jazz spot, featuring '90s music stripped back and sung with its signatory disenchantment, by torchlight. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Raw songs of love borrowed, lived and lost. Crowd specs: Anyone who loves folk-jazz-soul-cabaret-rock. Wallet damage: $15 Where: El Rocco Room / 154 Brougham St, Potts Point When: Wednesday December 7 @ 7.30pm / doorsales from 6.30pm
:: St Stephen's Church :: 189 Church St Sydney 9221 1688
guineafowl
PICS :: AM
23:11:11
It sounds like: A grungy torchlight cabaret; a collection of songs from Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, R.E.M., Soundgarden etc.
PICS :: AM
party profile
It’s called: Songs For No One
23:11:11 :: Phoenix Bar :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9331 6245
matt corby
PICS :: KC
ladyhawke
PICS :: AM
25:11:11 :: The Standard :: Lvl 3/383 Bourke St Surry Hills 9262 4500
25:11:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 9357 7700
:: KATRINA CLARKE :: S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER CHEY :: GEORGE POPOV :: PEA MAS THO :: DANIEL MUNNS :: DANIEL FAUST :: ASHLEY MAR TIM WHITNEY
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htrk
PICS :: TL
mum
PICS :: TP
24:11:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9332 3711
24:11:11 :: GoodGod Small Club :: 53-55 Liverpool St Sydney 9267 3787
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 43
snap sn ap up all night out all week . . .
the hat party
boom bap pow
It sounds like: The freshest Sydney music, in the freshest hats. Who’s playing? Only The Sea Slugs, Rapids, Made In Japan, Little Lovers, I Know Leopard. Sell it to us: Sydney’s first official Hat Party! Wear your favourite, most outlandish, classiest, weirdest, loudest, subtlest, whatever hat! There is free entry, free drinks – and free hats courtesy of the epic Strand Hatters. Five bands, DJs and light-works, plus the best vibe in Sydney. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Dude, where’s my hat? Crowd specs: Swaggers and swingers and general legends. Wallet damage: NOTHING! And free drinks till the bar runs out, so get there early! Where: (The infamous) Oxford Art Factory / 38 Oxford St, Darlinghurst When: Friday December 9
PICS :: KC
party profile
It’s called: The Hat Party!
gaylordz
PICS :: KC
strange talk
25:11:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9332 3711 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER CHEY :: GEORGE POPOV :: PEA MAS THO :: NS MUN :: DANIEL DANIEL FAUST :: ASHLEY MAR TIM WHITNEY
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26:11:11 :: Red Rattler :: 6 Faversham St Marrickville 9565 1044
PICS :: GP
25:11:11 :: The Lansdowne :: 2 City Rd Darlington 9211 2325
myth & tropics
PICS :: AM
vultures
PICS :: GP
24:11:11 :: FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel :: 248 William St Kings Cross 9331 9900
26:11:11 :: The Enmore :: 118-132 Enmore Rd Newtown 9550 3666
live reviews What we've been to see...
EMMA DAVIS, PATRICK JAMES Hibernian House Friday November 25
Wandering through the graffiti-coated corridors of Hibernian House, we eventually locate Emma Davis’ ‘Feel a Thing’ single launch. But we are early – or they are running late – and we have time to admire the street art. Soon enough everything is ready, and we are welcomed at the door by the singer-songwriter herself. Apologising for the delay she invites us to help ourselves to the cookies and alcoholic milk provided; there are cupcakes, tea lights, and the floor is scattered with pillows. As I wait for Emma to begin her set a photographer drops a tripod on me, and I experience firsthand the seesaw effect of the wooden crate I’m sitting on. But I’m undeterred. It’s a sold-out show and the crowd, made up of friends, family members and fans, are enjoying their BYO beverages when support act Patrick James takes to the stage (joined by Scotty Stevens on banjo). Patrick’s acoustic indie/folk is well received; he’s a superstar in the making. Emma appears a little after 9.30pm, and by then my splinter-pricked arse is numb. First up is the debut of the ‘Feel a Thing’ video clip – and it’s worth the wait.
Conceived by filmmaker and writer Byron Quandary, it stylishly depicts the nighttime wanderings of a sleepwalking family. It’s haunting, in brilliant juxtaposition to the optimistic ukelele. Dressed in a white shirt-and-pant pyjama combo, Emma starts her set with ‘Losing Faith’; Mark Stevens, also in his jammies, joins her on double bass and vocals. There are a few technical difficulties, but it adds to the charm and intimacy of the night. There is nothing more boring than a gig that sounds the same as the album. Another pyjama buddy, Leroy Lee (clad in plaid), offers up some expert banjo and harmonica, and the crowd is buzzing by the time Emma performs her second single ‘Machines’, during which she is showered with bras from audience members. The gig finishes with an impromptu encore cover of ‘I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked’, and there is more disrobing and clothes throwing. Emma is funny, a little shy and very sweet, and there is nothing forced or dishonest about her collection of upbeat break-up songs and tales of disillusionment, which she performs skilfully and earnestly. The show comes to an end, and once again Emma is at the door thanking everyone for coming – which isn’t necessary; it was our pleasure.
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ND MUSIC GREAT FOOD A Y
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Calling ts all artisand for Livels! Loca Contact: es. ott events@liz com.au
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GUINEAFOWL, FIRE! SANTA ROSA, FIRE!, GLASS TOWERS The Standard Friday November 25
I love The Standard. It’s large enough to afford hard-working musicians the respect they’ve earned, but compact enough to embrace emerging artists that aren’t quite ready (or conventional enough) to headline larger locations like the Metro – although this venue is definitely giving that place a serious run for its money. Guineafowl are just at that stage in their development: they’ve played the odd show overseas, been featured as up-and-comings at many large festivals, and headlined numerous modest venues throughout Sydney. Glass Towers have done some impressive things in recent years, including sets at Splendour In The Grass (at only 17 years of age) and coveted support slots for bands like Metronomy and Bluejuice. Their set was tight, with a few stand-out songs and a charismatic frontman. Ultimately, however, it was quite conventional indie pop. I was more impressed by Adelaide’s Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!, who had drawn a sizeable mob of fans who had come to exclusively witness their brand of infectiously catchy indie pop (check out ‘Little Cowboys, Bad Hombres’ to see what I mean). Guineafowl’s set opened to the riotous
applause of their devoted followers. I remember seeing their frontman, Sam, hosting his hilarious trivia nights at Manning Bar, and I often wonder how such a comical guy could have founded and fronted a group with such emotion-driven music. That didn’t stop him from flexing his dry wit between sets, however: “I’m funding my beer rations for the best dancer” – and, when the police turned up with sniffer dogs mid-set, “Hey, even the cops are here! No…okay…” I can’t help comparing Guineafowl’s growth and background to that of The Jezabels. Just like them, I can see Guineafowl headlining shows at The Enmore or even bigger places sometime soon. They also let slip that “this is our last Sydney set for some time,” so it looks like this could be a reality. After an emotive thanks to their early fans who followed them through thick and thin as well as ‘various venues’ (I had a chuckle as I remembered the CD packet of one of their early EPs, on which they offered their services at birthday parties and socials), they offered-up their beautifully crafted hit single, ‘Botanist’. It was a lovely homage to the Sydney music scene and its fans, and a stunning climax to the evening. Caught up in the upbeat mood, I perhaps overlooked just how mainstream some of their newer stuff is beginning to sound...
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ASTLE LIZOTTE’S NEWC
Matthew O'Neil
St Stephen’s Church Tuesday November 22
What with mums, nannas, daughters, aunties, and we-still-love-New-Buffalo indie couples, sitting-space in the pews of St Stephen’s is scarce on this drizzly evening. Taking the stage solo, with a deep drawl, thick glasses and beard of dreams, Henry Wagons wins the audience with a mix of troubadouric storytelling and covers, including Hoyt Axton’s ‘Never Been To Spain’. A keen foot-stamper, the Melburnian often forgoes the mic to serenade his onlookers, proving that he needs no amplification with these church acoustics. Some banter and an adorable plug for his tea towel merch later, Wagons has proven himself to be a genuine entertainer. He caps his set with a howling tribute to his own ‘Jesus’ – Willie Nelson. After a swift turnaround, presumably for the sake of the mums, the sirens of Seeker Lover Keeper emerge from behind the altar, greeting the soggy crowd with a pristine rendition of ‘Bring Me Back’ that reminds us of Those Astonishingly Beautiful
Harmonies. Sally Seltmann, Sarah Blasko and Holly Throsby are a vision of loveliness, delicately clad in lace, silk and bow ties, sharing jokes between themselves and coy banter with the audience. From unofficial theme song ‘Seeker Lover Keeper’ to the '90s-esque pump of ‘Everytime’, Australia’s songbird triumvirate bring a hush across their alcohol-free audience, the three giggling and bumping shoulders like 14-year-old Catholic schoolgirls who just glued sequins to a nun’s habit. Swapping instruments, taking turns for the lead, and casting grins at accompanying Synergy musicians Bree Van Ryk and Dave Symes, the three bust out their cover of Neil Finn’s ‘Sinner’, before holding musical hands and performing their own songs. Seltmann is the standout, with ‘Emotional Champ’ affording this renowned introvert the chance to get a few things off her chest and display her remarkable talent on the keys. The girls keep it short and sweet, capping their powerful sermon off with ‘Even Though I’m A Woman’. For the idealists among us, SLK is an ideal ‘Australian music’ stereotype to beat down any latent perceptions that we're a nation of pub-rockers and Bushwhackers fans. Let us pray... Bridie Connellan
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The Minor Chord The all-ages rant brought to you by Indent.net.au & Janette Chen
Remedy More than The Cure since 1989 with Murray Engleheart
ARIAS
A Guy Called Gerald
Had to laugh last week when we heard someone defending the ARIAs, saying that people should just get behind the event because it’s about the music. And they’re right: the reason so many folks roll their eyes is because of the music and the grand celebration of the mediocrity of it all – with the exception of The Living End, of course (although some folks reckon that their popularity is more down to having a double bass than anything else...). No one was grumbling when silverchair did Radio Birdman’s ‘New Race’, know what we mean?
ALLMAN BROTHERS
ALL-AGES GIG PICKS
W
e’ll be starting things with a big night this week, as Sydney’s Hard Rock Cafe officially opens on Tuesday, with a night of food, music, and pyrotechnics over the harbour. Great things are promised, with a VIP Hard Rock guitar smash, celebrity red carpet, and a free open-air concert featuring the likes of Australian Idol favourites Shannon Noll and Stan Walker, as well as X Factor (and ARIA) winner Altiyan Childs. Joining them will be Sydney rockers Syndicate, who released their self-titled debut album earlier this year. Nat Col and the Kings, featuring Nathan Cavaleri and Col Hatchman of The Screaming Jets, will be celebrating with their thumping bluesy rock, as well as vocalist Mark Vincent and young country singer-songwriter Tori Darke. Footing the bill will be Colourfide, a Gold Coast band with world music sensibilities. Their debut EP is a reggae/funk/blues experiment made accessible to audiences – something worth getting there a little earlier for. It’s all happening on the forecourt outside Hard Rock Café, in the Harbourside shopping centre at Darling Harbour. The event kicks off at 4pm, with the live music starting at 6pm and a fireworks show to send off the night. On Wednesday night, head to George Street Apple Store for a rare, intimate in-store set by Mancunian acid-house pioneer A Guy Called Gerald. Coming out of the same early ‘80s Manchester scene that gave us New Order, this guy has had more than twenty years of experience in electronic music – and has released more albums than you have fingers. Sydney pop-punkers Sons of Mercury will be playing the Lair at the Metro Theatre on Friday night, with a little help from their friends The Former Love and Morgan Joanel. Sons of Mercury will be launching their self-titled debut album, which is expected to be hitting the shelves early next year, followed by an East Coast tour – so see them before they get hyped. triple j Unearthed discoveries The Former Love (who recently announced a namechange from ‘The Former Love Pirates’, via a parody of Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ filmclip) will be sharing songs from their EP Ghost Town, released in July this year. Opening the night will be Perth solo artist Morgan Joanel, armed with a guitar and a loop pedal as well as her finger-snapping pop single ‘Devil’s In The Detail’.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 6
Stan Walker, Shannon Noll, Altiyan Childs, Nat Col & The Kings, Syndicate, Mark Vincent, Tori Darke, Colourfide Hard Rock Cafe, Harbourside
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7
A Guy Called Gerald George Street Apple Store
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9
Sons of Mercury, The Former Love, Morgan Joanel The Lair, Metro Theatre Cat Cat, Ghastly Spats, Day Ravies Black Wire Records, Annandale
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 Because They Can Annandale Hotel
A hero of the local all-ages scene, Black Wire Records in Annandale will be opening its doors on Friday night for Melbourne’s Cat Cat, who will be launching their debut LP. A ten-track forgotten dream, Uralba is jangly guitar pop for a rainy day. Singles ‘Hate Me’ and ‘Keys And Locks Don’t Work’ are available to download free from their bandcamp page (catcat.bandcamp.com) – and while you’re there, it might be worth checking out the two EPs the band has previously put out. Supporting Cat Cat on on the night are droning post-punk locals Ghastly Spats and shoe-gazing indie popster Day Ravies. Finally, get down to the Annandale Hotel on Saturday to see the sweet faces of energetic pop punk band Because They Can. Winning hearts and minds when they supported teen favourites Short Stack on their national tour this year, the Sydney four-piece subsequently sold out their own headline show at the Metro’s Lair. They’ll be rocking a special Christmas show for fans this Saturday, before heading down to Melbourne to celebrate the holiday spirit. Don’t forget, FBi 94.5 will be having The Minor Chord over for a chat on Wednesday afternoon at 5pm, for more news and reviews. Tune in and chill out.
The Allman Brothers have been doing it big style over the past few weeks in the US, playing two shows in various cities – the classic Fillmore East live set one night and the Eat A Peach album the next, each in their respective entireties. Not the original band from that era, sadly, but mighty cool nonetheless.
SUNN 0))): 00VOID
Sunn 0)))’s pummelling 00Void effort from 2000 is being reissued this week, having been out of print and thus tough to find for several years. This is the duo in their premultitude-of-guests era, so – as someone so poetically and accurately put it – it’s purely the sound of several tectonic plates of the Earth’s crust rubbing up against each other.
FEEDTIME
Our collective feedtime cup runneth over, with a second release by the rumble masters due in March, in addition to that Sub Pop box we've already mentioned. This time it’s an album on S.S. Records (whose 10th anniversary bash they played in May in the US) and consists of out-takes and unreleased songs, including stuff from the feedtime sessions that ended up on the Shovel album in re-recorded form, material from the Shovel recordings that ended up on Cooper-S, plus unreleased tracks from the latter day Billy sessions, demos – and maybe even some live stuff, too.
while Angus Young was positioned at 24 and Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, 25. Johnny Ramone (28) beating Elvis’ gun man Scotty Moore at 29 was a weird one, while intriguingly, The Stooges’ Ron Asheton (60) knocked off King Crimson’s Robert Fripp (62) and modern rock saviour, Slash (65). Just as interesting was Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis (86) beating Metallica’s James Hetfield (87). The kicker for us however was Jack White somehow being deemed to be better than Robert Johnson. But surely making no mention – that we could see anyway – of AC/DC’s Malcolm Young is sin of immeasurable magnitude, while the inclusion of Joni Mitchell at all leaves us without speech.
BUZZCOCKS
Next year the Buzzcocks will be doing two UK shows with original member Howard Devoto, who went on to form Magazine (an outfit that has just released a comeback slab). Word is that Devoto will be guesting for part of the set rather than walking on and off with the band. The dates are the Manchester Apollo on May 25, and Brixton Academy on May 26.
LEADFINGER
Leadfinger’s new EP, I Belong To The Band, was released digitally on December 1 via Imedance Records. Led by Stewart ‘Leadfinger’ Cunningham (of Proton Energy Pills, Asteroid B612, Brother Brick, The Yes Men and Challenger 7 infamy), the EP includes two-and-a-bit cover versions – The Replacements’ ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’, Rory Gallagher’s ‘Tattoo’d Lady’, and the title track, which is a re-working of the Reverend Gary Davis classic – as well as originals. A limited edition of 100 numbered and signed CDs will be available at gigs, or directly from the band. It can also be downloaded from impedance.com.au/media/leadfinger Jimi Hendrix
GREATEST GUITARISTS
Poll results are about getting people talking, and in some cases arguing and yelling and throwing things. Rolling Stone’s recent poll of the 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time had us doing all those things. Of course there were the obvious winners, like Jimi Hendrix at number one, and a generally reasonable (if strangely ordered) top ten with Eric Clapton (2), Jimmy Page (3), Keef Richards (4) and Jeff Beck (5). Outside of that, things got, um, interesting… with Eddie Van Halen at 8 beaten by both Chuck Berry and the endlessly yawnsome B.B. King,
ON THE TURNTABLE On the Remedy turntable is the 13th Floor Elevator’s Psychedelic Sounds of…, which must have frightened the pants off a world that thought that The Beatles’ Revolver and Rubber Soul were a revolution of the mind that should be kept well away from the youth of the day. Strange thing is that for all the Elevators’ legend and later influence on punk, they sound almost folky and garage RnB-ish here at times – although of course songs like the shrieking ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ and the murderously paced ‘Roller Coaster’ are absolute daggers.
TOUR AND INDUSTRY NEWS Don’t forget that The Church bring their epic Future Past Perfect Tour to town in a few weeks, for which they’ll perform an album from each decade of their existence: Untitled #23, Priest=Aura and Starfish. Dates are December 11 at Waves in Wollongong and December 17 at the Enmore. One-man-band Lewis Floyd Henry returns in January. He’s the gent who made a name for himself on street corners around London; armed with a pram carrying a battery-operated 30-watt amplifier and a custom-made drum kit, he bashes out covers of Jimi Hendrix and The Stooges, and has clocked up 130,000 YouTube hits for a performance of Wu-Tang Clan’s ‘Protect Ya Neck’ outside Tottenham Court Road tube station. His debut album, One Man & His 30W Pram, is a testament to the fact that he’s about more than just spewing forth other people’s stuff. Apart from
appearing at the Falls Festival, on January 6 he’ll be at The Vanguard in Sydney with The Dad Horse Experience (GER), Made For Chickens By Robots, Kirk Special and Blackbear, and then on January 7 at the Sydney Festival’s First Night. The damn fine Royal Headache rightly whipped the likes of various ‘big guns’ to take out the Best New Talent award at the Melbourne Age EG Awards. The win comes on the back of the band’s successful US tour and the constantly-growing and rightlyrabid interest in their self-titled debut album, which was co-produced by Mikey Young of Melbourne’s Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Total Control, and Owen Penglis of Sydney’s Straight Arrows. La Headache’s remaining shows for the year are as support for Kurt Vile & the Violators at the Oxford Art Factory on December 6, and at Last Resort, a New Year’s Eve show at GoodGod Small Club in Chinatown.
Sons Of Mercury
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g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
pick of the week Future Of The Left
Tuesday Night Live: Stewart Says, Skank De Ville Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm Vanity The World Bar, Kings Cross free 10pm
JAZZ
Jazzgroove: The Denominators, Judy Bailey Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $8–$10 8.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK Carolyn Crysdale Kogarah Hotel free 7pm
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 ROCK & POP
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8
Annandale Hotel
Future Of The Left (UK), Dead Farmers, Yes I’m Leaving $44 (+ bf) 8pm MONDAY DECEMBER 5 ROCK & POP
Blue Mondays: Frank Sultana Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm Dave Tice, Dennis Aubrey, Graham Healy Technology Park Hotel, Alexandria free 6.30pm Jack Howard Industries Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills 8pm Matt Jones The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm
JAZZ
20th Century Dog 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 8.30pm The Peter Head Trio Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 4pm Rob Eastwood Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK Carolyn Crysdale, Lorias James, Captain Obvious, Massimo Presti, Andrew
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Denniston, Helmut Uhlmann, Russell Neal Kellys On King, Newtown free 7pm
TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 ROCK & POP
Adam Pringle and Friends Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel free 8pm Buy The Band A Beer: Lost Souls Club Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt free 8pm Fucked Up (CAN) The Standard, Darlinghurst $38.50 (+ bf) 8pm Guy Sebastian, Radio Ink Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills $40 (+ bf) 7pm Kurt Vile & The Violators, Royal Headache, Step Panther Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $44 (+ bf) 8pm sold out Mudhoney (USA), The Holy Soul, The Treatment Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $40.80-$48 (+ bf) 8pm
Noah Taylor & the Sloppy Boys Notes Live, Enmore $17.35 8pm OMG Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10pm Rob Henry The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Sam Joole, Andy Golledge The Basement, Circular Quay $15 (+ bf)–$20 8.30pm Shady Lane, Through The Forest Door Flinder’s Bar, Darlinghurst 8.30pm Songs on Stage Performers Competition Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm The Songwriter Sessions Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 7.30pm Stan Walker, Shannon Noll, Altiyan Childs, Syndicate, Nat Col and the Kings featuring Nathan Cavaleri and Col Hatchman (Screaming Jets), Mark Vincent, Tori Darke, Colourfied Hard Rock Café Grand Opening, Darling Harbour free 4pm all-ages They Call Me Bruce Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 8.30pm
Andy Golledge Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel free 8pm Andy Mammers Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm Ben Wells & the Middle Names, Iluka, We Are the Bird Cage FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel $10 8pm Co Pilot The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 9pm The Cracks, Fait Accompli, The Deer Republic Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Elliphant, Godswounds, Hinterlandt, Marosi Di Buriana Valve Bar, Tempe free 7.30pm The Field Brothers, Mandi Jarry The Vanguard, Newtown $20 (+ bf) 8pm How To Dress Well (USA), Wintercoats, Alabtross, Preacha, Wedding Ring Fingers GoodGod Small Club, Sydney $15 (early bird)-$22 8pm Jamie Lindsay Northies, Cronulla free 7.30pm Jed Zarb Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm JP O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm Kurt Vile & The Violators, Circle Pit Red Rattler, Marrickville $44 (+ bf) 7.30pm Lisa Schouw, Edoardo Santoni Bar Me, Potts Point $15 7.30pm Luke Dixon Summer Hill Hotel free 7.30pm Lunch Break: Guineafowl FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel free 1pm Matt Jones Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Musos Jam Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt free 8pm OFF! (USA), The Hard-Ons, Epics Annandale Hotel $39.60 (+ bf) 8pm Singer Sonwrier Series Grand Final: Neoncoustics,
Georgia Juliette, Modern Error, Del Santo The Lair, Metro Theatre, Sydney 8pm The Study: Found At Sea, Taylor King, Marosi Di Buriana Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills free 7pm Unknown Mortal Orchestra (NZ), DZ Deathrays, Kill City Creeps Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $25 (+ bf) 8pm WIM, Boats of Berlin, Jason & the Lyrebird Rock Lily, Pyrmont free 8pm Zac Slater The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 9.30pm
JAZZ
Alister Spence Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8.30pm Jimmy Vargas and the Black Dahlias Blue Beat Bar & Grill, Double Bay $10 10pm Songs For No One: Lidas Schouw with Robin Gist, Edoardo Santoni, Ali Carter, Peter Bailey, Inneke Taalman, Erika Visser, Andrew Stapleton, Emma Leigh El Rocco, Potts Point $15 6.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Daniel Hopkins Taren Point Hotel free 7pm Jaz Whalley and Loz Freedom, Bow & Davis, The Stationmasters, Dunes Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8pm Josh Singer, Tabi Magnan, Greg Sita Cookies Lounge and Bar, North Strathfield free 8pm Men With Day Jobs, Senani, Russell Neal Cat and Fiddle Hotel, Balmain free 6.30pm Roza - The Queen of the Greek Blues: Out of the Blue, The Greek Folk Dancers of NSW Factory Theatre, Enmore $40 (+ bf) 8pm Songwriting Society of Australia Concert: TAOS Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick free 7pm
Foo Fighters (USA), Tenacious D (USA), Fucked Up (CAN) Sydney Football Stadium, Moore Park $107.55–$130.40 8pm Future Of The Left (UK), Dead Farmers, Yes I’m Leaving Annandale Hotel $44 (+ bf) 8pm Geoff Achison’s ‘Classically Blue’ featuring Adrian Keating Notes Live, Enmore $28 8pm Greg Byrne Toxteth Hotel, Glebe free 8pm Hot Damn!: Sights & Sounds, One Vital Word, Grenadiers, Chasing Ghosts, Nuclear Summer Spectrum, Darlinghurst $12 (guestlist)–$15 8pm The International Swingers (UK) Metro Theatre, Sydney $45 8pm Jedi Mind Tricks, Outerspace The Factory Theatre, Enmore $56.10 (+ bf) 8pm Johnathan Devoy Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm King Brown, 4th Wall City, Deadbeat and Hazy, Unforced Error Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8pm Kirk Burgess Sackville Hotel, Balmain free 7pm The Living Chair Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills free 9.30pm Matt Andersen, Claude Hay Brass Monkey, Cronulla 8pm Musos Club Jam Night Carousel Hotel, Rooty Hill free 8pm New Sound Showcase: Sound Theory, Ibis Nixon and the Cowboy Zealots, Stray Pixels, Little Voice, The Jeff Chinky Fan Club Valve Bar, Tempe free 7pm The Nuts Club Bondi Junction free 8pm Open Mic Night Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Sonpsilo Circus Low 302, Darlinghurst 8pm Speakeasy The Whitehouse Hotel, Petersham 8pm
JAZZ
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 ROCK & POP
2 Day Hits Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10pm Bluehouse The Basement, Circular Quay $20 (+ bf) 9pm The Asthmatix, Reason, Raven, DJ Mickey Morphingaz, Hezekiah, David Brookes FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel $10 (+ bf) 8pm Bruno Brayovic, Man & Woman, Dave Fletcher Union Hotel, Newtown free The Donovans The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 9pm
D1 Orchestra Blue Beat, Double Bay $15 10pm Lionel Robinson Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Mucho Mambo 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 8.30pm Tablao Flamenco Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $37 8pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK Matt Toms The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 8.30pm
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 ROCK & POP
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
2 Way Split Customs House Bar, Sydney free 7pm The Apartments, Peter Fenton Factory Floor, The Factory Theatre, Enmore $18 (+ bf) 8pm Assaulter, Hellbringer, Demon Reich Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt $10 (presale)–$12 8pm Barnestorming Richmond Inn free 8.30pm Beat Crazy, Broken Hands, Cleanskins Valve Bar, Tempe 7pm
g g guide gig g
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com BigBozza Band, Del Santo, Milkmaids, The Underground Architect The Lansdowne Hotel, Broadway free 9pm Big Way Out The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears (USA), DJ Smitty, B Goode The Factory Theatre, Enmore $45.70 (+ bf) 8pm Bubsy Marbou, Winter People, Ben Salter Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills $18.40 8pm Cat Cat, Ghostly Spats, Day Ravies Black Wire Records, Annandale 7pm all-ages Club Blink: Screaming Bikini, Babyroll Club 77, Darlinghurst $10-$12 9pm Festival Of The Sun: Art Vs Science, Ladyhawke, Dan Sultan, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Floatingme, The Snowdroppers, Young Revelry, Brothers Grim, Guineafowl, King Cannons, The Delta Riggs, The Medics, Benjalu, Pigeon, The Pixiekills, Ben Wells & the Middle Names, Colin Moore, Claude Hay, Blake Noble, Microwave Jenny, Larissa McKay, The Lyrical, Surecut Kids DJ’s, Dirty Little Rebels Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie sold out Flamin’ Beauties Penrith Hotel free 9pm Go Here Go There: Bleeding Knees Club, Velociraptor, The Paper Scissors, Atom Bombs, Peppercorn, The Rubens, Underlights, Polographia, Nakagin, Sures, The Fabergettes,
Young Romantics, Kempsey, Grams The World Bar, Kings Cross & FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel $20 (+ bf) 8pm Hat Party: Only the Sea Slugs, Rapids, Made in Japan, Little Lovers, I Know Leopard Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm The Headliners Wallacia Hotel free 7.30pm Hermitude, Flume The Standard, Darlinghurst $20-$25 8pm High Maintenance Overlander Hotel, Cambridge Park free 8pm Hip Not Hop Stacks Taverna, Darling Harbour free 5pm Jim Conway’s Big Wheel Empire Hotel, Annandale $20 8pm Johnny G & the E-Types Brass Monkey, Cronulla 8pm K-Ci & JoJo, Barry Southgate, DJ Mac & Favor Enmore Theatre $69.95$148.50 7pm Kurt Williams Chatswood RSL free 5pm Lies N Destruction Guns N Roses Tribute Engadine Tavern free 9.30pm Little Bob Orange Grove Hotel, Leichhardt free 8pm Living Chair Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney free 10.30pm LJ Collaroy Beach Hotel free 5.30pm Mesa Cosa, Brackets, Nick Carson, F’Tang Dirty Shirlows, Marrickville $10 8pm Michael Weatley Trio Rose of Australia Hotel, Erskineville 9pm
Mid Nyt Sun Kro Bar, East Leagues Club free 8.30pm Millennium Bug Rooty Hill RSL Club free 8pm Musecology: Kirin J. Calinan, Justice Yeldham, BAADDD, Forces PCYC Boxing Ring, Woolloomooloo $10 6pm A Night at the Crossroads – a Tribute to Robert Johnson: Dom Turner, Ian Collard, Suzannah Espie, The Blues Preachers, Nick Rheinberger, Jeremy Edwards, Johnny Cass, Syd Green, James Haselwood Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $33 8pm No Dice Paradise: Chet Faker, Valar, Boatfriends, Lion & The Lotus, Warbonds DJs, No Dice DJs, Pyramid Scheme DJs Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory free 8pm The Nomadics Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Penny & the Mystics, Tess Hathaway Notes Live, Enmore $12 8pm Professor Groove & the Booty Affair Blue Beat, Double Bay $10 10pm Reckless The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free (early bird)–$5 9.30pm Remixes Kingswood Sports Club free 7pm Replika Duo Crowne Plaza, Terrigal free 5pm The Road Runners Matraville RSL free 8pm Rose Tattoo, T.H.U.G., Sativa Sun Annandale Hotel $27 (+ bf) 8pm
Sade (UK) Sydney Entertainment Centre, Darling Harbour $109.90– $199.90 8pm Self Is A Seed, Miramar, Minus House Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $12–$15 8pm Sons of Mercury, Morgan Joanel, The Former Love Pirates The Lair, Metro Theatre, Sydney $15 (+ bf) 7.30pm all-ages The Snowdroppers Metro Theatre, Sydney $23.70 8pm Thompson Gunners Duo Vineyard Hotel free 9pm Tone Rangers Kingswood Sports Club free 7pm Toucan Spectrum, Darlinghurst 8pm Trilogy, Stephanie Janson The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free–$5 5pm
JAZZ
Declan Kelly 505 Club, Surry Hills $15–$20 James Morrison The Basement, Circular Quay $25 9.30pm Elphick’s Last Stand 2: Kim Sanders and Friends The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $15 (member)–$20 8.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Aaron Lyon Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Garage Daze, Darren Bennett, Slightly Off, Emma Waugh, Ben William, Carolyn Woodorth Everglades Country Club, Woy Woy free 7pm
Hungry Kids Of Hungary
Michael Peter The Belvedere Hotel free 8pm Sanity’s Collision, Joe Dabron, Massimo Presti, Russell Neal Mars Hill Café, Parramatta free 8pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 ROCK & POP
Altitude Hurstville RSL Memorial Club free 9pm Batfoot The Lansdowne Hotel, Broadway free 9pm Bears With Guns, The Siren Tower, Jack Cowell, Chloe Harrison The Square, Haymarket $12 8pm Because They Can Annandale Hotel $18.50 (+ bf) 12pm all-ages Bno Rockshow Crows Nest Hotel free 11.15pm
Cirque De Monstre: Nightmare Before Christmas, Deconstructivist, The Tormentor, DaneJer, Calmity Hawkins, Freakshow The Clown Valve Bar, Tempe 8pm Classic Rock Show Band Brass Monkey, Cronulla 8pm Dave Mason Cox, 2 Fold The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free–$5 4.30pm Dave Tice and Mark Evans Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm Dirty Deeds – The AC/DC Show Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown free 9pm Feick’s Device, Tunnel Vision, The Belle Havens Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Framed Music Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor free 8.30pm all-ages The Furious Five Engadine Tavern free 9pm Gang Gang Dance The Studio, Sydney Opera House 8pm Girls Talk Kingswood Sports Club free 9pm
THU DECEMBER 15th, GOODGOD SMALL CLUB with support from UNDERLIGHTS,THIEVES and FLIGHT $8.00 PRE-SALES / $10.00 DOORSALES TIX AT WWW.GOBOOKEM.COM CANDYMAN SHIMMER SINGLE FREE DOWNLOAD AT WWW.THECHECKS.NET BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 49
g g guide gig g
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Gladstonebury Festival: Helpful Kitchen Gods, Men From U.N.C.L.E., Dirty Youth, Lollipop Sugar, Fabels, Call To Colour, Red Zora, Cheese Dream, Dirty Sluts, Strange Horizon, Ned Alphabet, Simon Li, Mike Budden, Izzettin, Bobby Mahers, Kerryn Stanton, Dr Delites Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale $1 4pm Guitar Wolf (JAP), Straight Arrows, Dead Farmers Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $29-$35 8pm Howling Bells, Step Panther, Steve Smyth The Standard, Darlinghurst $25 (+ bf) 8pm JD’s Duo Engadine RSL & Citizens Club free 8pm Jive Bombers Penrith RSL free 8pm John Vella Hollywood Café & Bar, Broadway free 6pm Kirk Burgess Picton Hotel free 8pm Luke Dixon Trio Kro Bar, East Leagues Club free 8.30pm Mad Cow Oatley Hotel free 8.30pm Major Raiser – Tickets for Tucker: New Navy, Rapids, Monks of Melonwah The Gaelic Club, Surry Hill $27.55 8pm Mental As Anything, Matt Cornell Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $48–$106 (dinner & show) 8pm Moonshine with Finn Raby Tavern 8pm Mumcunt, Bloody Kids, Hungdonkey, 4Play, One More Time, DJ Bi-Curious Avalon RSL $25 7pm
My Siberia Valve Bar, Tempe free 12pm Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (USA), Le Butcherretes (USA) Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $21.25-$25 (+ bf) 8pm The Paradise Motel, Lazy Susan Notes Live, Enmore $23.50 8pm Professor Groove & the Booty Affair Blue Beat, Double Bay $10 10pm Ray Beadle Band Empire Hotel, Annandale $20 8pm Replika Rock Trio Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill free 9pm Retro Groove Brighton RSL Club, BrightonLe-Sands free 8pm Rose Tattoo, Young As You Wanna Be, Black Label, The Corps Annandale Hotel $27 (+ bf) 8pm Sade (UK) Sydney Entertainment Centre, Darling Harbour $109.90–$199.90 8pm SFX: Ghosts on Broadway, Apart From This, Milestones, Skyway St James Hotel, Sydney $12$15 9pm The Siren Tower, Bears With Guns, Jack Colwell & the Owls, Chloe Harrison & Band The Square, Cook & Phillip Park, Sydney 8pm Skyscraper Stacks Taverna, Darling Quarter free 5.30pm Southland Jannali Hotel free 8pm Stormcellar Baldrock Hotel, Rozelle 8pm
Thompson Gunners Duo Riverwood Inn free 8pm Tom T Trio Beach Palace Hotel, Coogee free 10pm Total Control Rock Caringbah Bizzo’s 8pm Vanity Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10.30pm The Walking Who, The Foreign Objects Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Walk on the Wildside: Damien Lovelock, Jeff Duff, Danny Marx, Rex Goh, Clare O’Meara, Dario Bortolin The Basement, Circular Quay $28 (+ bf) 8pm Wildcatz The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm
JAZZ
Blue Moon Quartet Fairfield RSL free 7pm Chris Arnott Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Tina Harrod 505 Club, Surry Hills $15– $20 8pm Wanderlust The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $15 (member)–$20 8.30pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie Wellco Café & Wine Bar, Leichhardt free 7.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Aural Hallucinations: Strelizia Trio York Theatre, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $25-$40 7pm
Russell Nelson The Belvedere Hotel free 9pm Sarah Charles, Carolyn Woodorth Terrey Hills Tavern free 7.30pm
Explosions In The Sky
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11 ROCK & POP
3 Way Split The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Ace Brighton RSL Club, BrightonLe-Sands free 7pm The Blue Tongues Botany View Hotel, Newtown free 7pm Boats of Berlin Brass Monkey, Cronulla 8pm Explosions in the Sky (USA), Charge Group Metro Theatre, Sydney $60 7.30pm Finn Bald Rock Hotel, Rozelle 6pm The Generators Riverstone Sports Hotel free 2pm Glenn Whitehall Oatley Hotel free 2pm Hunter & Suzie Owen’s Band Marrickville Bowling and Recreation Club free 4.30pm In Sepia, Making, F’Tang Black Wire Records, Annandale 3pm Intercontinental Playboys, The Dunhill Blues, The Escapes Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 7pm John Vella Waverley Bowling Club free
Kirk Burgess Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool free 5pm LJ Kro Bar, East Leagues Club free 6pm Lucy DeSoto and The Handsome Devils Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm Mark Hopper Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm Mr Breeze Overlander Hotel, Cambridge Park free 3pm Pete Hunt Collaroy Beach Hotel free Ray Beadle The Vault, Windsor free 2.30pm School Of Rock Showcase Valve Bar, Tempe 12pm Skyway, Milestones, Apart From This Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt 8pm Vibrations at Valve: The Corridors, Slam Dance, Masta Gravity, The Mankoos, Sinnister Valley, Where’s Rachel Valve Bar, Tempe free 4pm
JAZZ Blue Moon Trio Yardhouse Hotel, Haymarket free 4pm Jimmy Shaw & Shaw’n’Uff Big Band, Peter Power, Paige Delancey Randwick Labour Club $8 (conc)–$10 3pm The Peter Head Trio Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 4pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK Joyce Collins The Belvedere Hotel free 4pm Russell Neal Kellys On King free 7pm Sarah Charles, Russell Neal Avalon Beach RSL Club free 6.30pm Shane MacKenzie Cohibar free 3pm U2 Elevation Acoustic Show The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 4.30pm
Friday December 9 L2 Kings Cross Hotel www.fbisocial.com
Go Here Go There:
OFF WITH YOUR HEAD BLEEDING KNEES CLUB (single launch)
Monday December 5
VELOCIRAPTOR, THE PAPER SCISSORS,
Wednesday December 7
ATOM BOMBS, PEPPERCORN, THE RUBENS, UNDERLIGHTS, POLOGRAPHIA,
Digital Citizen: SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (panel, music & xmas party)
BEN WELLS & THE MIDDLE NAMES (single launch) + ILUKA
+ WE ARE THE BIRDCAGE 8pm $10
SURES, THE FABERGETTES, YOUNG ROMANTICS, KEMPSEY, GRAMS
8pm-late $20 across two Bars FBi Social & World Bar
Saturday December 10
FREE
LATE NIGHT DJs: HARRY COTTON 6pm $10+bf at Sticky Tickets
Thursday December 8
Tuesday December 6
THE ASTHMATIX (EP launch)
FBi Radio & Metroscreen: Film 30 Comp Winners!
+ REASON + RAVEN+ DJs MORPHINGAZ & HEZEKIAH
7pm FREE
8pm $10+BF or $15 door
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+ FRAMES + FELIX LLOYD midnight - late
Sunday December 11 FOREIGNDUB AIRWAYVZ LIVE BROADCAST from FBi Social with special guest KAKHAND! 5pm - 9pm $5
gig picks up all night out all week...
wed
07 Dec
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
thu
08 Dec
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
fri
09 Dec
(5:00PM - 8:00PM)
(5:00PM - 12:30AM)
s PA R T Y D J D O W N S TA I R S TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 Fucked Up (CAN) The Standard, Darlinghurst $38.50 (+ bf) 8pm Mudhoney (USA), The Holy Soul, The Treatment Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $40.80-$48 (+ bf) 8pm Shady Lane, Through The Forest Door Flinders Hotel, Darlinghurst 8.30pm
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 Kurt Vile & The Violators, Circle Pit Red Rattler, Marrickville $44 (+ bf) 7.30pm Lunch Break: Guineafowl FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel free 1pm Unknown Mortal Orchestra (NZ), DZ Deathrays, Kill City Creeps Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $25 (+ bf) 8pm
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 Foo Fighters (USA), Tenacious D (USA), Fucked Up (CAN) Sydney Football Stadium, Moore Park $107.55–$130.40 8pm Future Of The Left (UK), Dead Farmers, Yes I’m Leaving Annandale Hotel $44 (+ bf) 8pm The International Swingers (UK) Metro Theatre, Sydney $45 8pm
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears (USA), DJ Smitty B Goode The Factory Theatre, Enmore $45.70 (+ bf) 8pm
Festival Of The Sun (until Sat Dec 10): Art Vs Science, Ladyhawke, Dan Sultan, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Floatingme, The Snowdroppers, Young Revelry, Brothers Grim, Guineafowl, King Cannons, The Delta Riggs, The Medics, Benjalu, Pigeon, The Pixiekills, Ben Wells & the Middle Names, Colin Moore, Claude Hay, Blake Noble, Microwave Jenny, Larissa McKay, The Lyrical, Surecut Kids DJ’s, Dirty Little Rebels Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie sold out
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Dan Sultan
sat
10 Dec
(4:30PM - 7:30PM)
SATURDAY NIGHT
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
(12:30AM to close)
(4:00PM - 7:00PM)
sun
11 Dec
SUNDAY NIGHT
(8:00PM - 11:00PM)
Go Here Go There: Bleeding Knees Club, Velociraptor, The Paper Scissors, Atom Bombs, Peppercorn, The Rubens, Underlights, Polographia, Nakagin, Sures, The Fabergettes, Young Romantics, Kempsey, Grams The World Bar, & FBi Social, Kings Cross $20 (+ bf) 8pm Hat Party: Only the Sea Slugs, Rapids, Made in Japan, Little Lovers, I Know Leopard Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Musecology: Kirin J. Calinan, Justice Yeldham, BAADDD, Forces PCYC Boxing Ring, Woolloomooloo $10 6pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 Guitar Wolf (JAP), Straight Arrows, Dead Farmers Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $29-$35 8pm Howling Bells, Step-Panther, Steve Smyth The Standard, Darlinghurst $25 (+ bf) 8pm
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11 Explosions in the Sky (USA), Charge Group Metro Theatre, Sydney $60 7.30pm Howling Bells
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Jo in th e G re at es t Aut og ra ph Tre as ure H un t in M us ic H is to ry. The biggest names in music have given us the shirts off their backs. All you have to do is head to signedfinds.com and start searching at your favourite Vinnies store.
52 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
brag beats
inside
big freedia
jedi mind tricks
salmonella dub + how to dress well
chali 2na
quality control also: + club guide + club snaps + columns
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dance music news club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Chris Honnery
Supafest Search For A SupaStar BY ANDREW HAZARD HICKEY
T
he hip hop invasion of Australia kicked off around a decade ago with the infiltration of troublemakers like Eminem. After years of festering in the beer-fuelled underground, hip hop of the Aussie variety began to make its mark, as the Hilltop Hoods and their brethren shook up radio complacency – and now a new generation of Illys and 360s is recording
music and attending shows. Looking to create a new tradition and do their part for the local infrastructure is Paperchase Touring and Entertainment and their crown jewel event, Supafest. “We’ve been doing this a long time, we’ve never changed our philosophy or business model,”
Paperchase co-founder Dwayne Cross tells me, on a typically rainy Melbourne day. A former Harlem Globetrotter (yep, you read right), Cross runs Paperchase with business partner John Denison. Moving to Australia to continue his hoop dreams, he went on to become a distributor for that bastion of ‘90s hip hop clothing, FUBU, before being bitten by the music bug. “To see Good Vibrations with Ludacris and Erykah Badu and Nas, and [having] Kanye West headlining Big Day Out, shows us there’s a change in the market.” Possibly their biggest and most eclectic event to date, the four-city Supafest 2012 tour will see Diddy, Ice Cube and Lupe Fiasco head down under this coming April.
by public fan voting before a panel of celebrity judges come in for the semi-finals. It will all culminate on the Supafest tour itself, where the selected artist or group will find themselves on the main stage supporting the international stars on all four tour stops; the burgeoning star will receive a private dressing room, return flights from their hometown to each show, luxury hotel accommodation, and four Bling Ring passes for their family and friends in each city. “Every year we get more and more enquiries; there’s some crazy, crazy talented kids out there. I thought it would be a great way for us to give people a legitimate chance. We’ll put them in a place right away, put them on Supafest, put them in a limo.”
But what has Cross especially excited is the latest Paperchase venture: the Supafest Search For A SupaStar. A combination artist showcase/concert, the concept picks up where the standard TV talent show format has fallen off in the urban department, providing a major platform for the flourishing Aussie hip hop and RnB scene. “We get hundreds if not thousands of demos and videos from people who want to be the opening acts on Supafest. Because they’re hip hop or R&B artists, they feel like they don’t have a chance on Australian Idol or X-Factor or any of these shows,” Cross says. “I’ve literally been working on it for the past five years. It’s only become possible now because we’ve had the time and resources.”
Biggest of all though is a record deal through TOWW/Paperchase Music; the successful applicant will be taken to the studio to record a song, which will be featured on the Supafest 2012 compilation album alongside Diddy and company. “We thought it would be a good opportunity. We want to support local talent,” Cross says. “I’d love to see 20,000 people come out to see a local artist.”
The online talent search will be determined
French duo Air have announced details of their new album, which is due out on February 7. Their first full-length offering since 2009’s Love 2, Le Voyage Dans La Lune takes its title from Georges Méliès’ pioneering 1902 silent film of the same name, and originated as a score for a new version of the film shown at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. (You know that famous still of a cheesed-off moon grimacing because it has a rocket lodged in its head? Yep, same flick!) Victoria Legrand of Beach House sings on the track ‘Seven Stars’, and ‘Who Am I Know?’ features lyrics by Au Revoir Simone. One half of Air, Nicolas Godin, says that the album is “undoubtedly more organic” than Air’s past work. “Everything is played live,” he elucidated. “We wanted it to sound ‘handmade,’ ‘knocked together,’ a bit like Méliès’ special effects.”
CANYONS
Perth duo Ryan Grieve and Leo Thomson, collectively known as Canyons, will be premiering their six-piece live band show at the Civic Hotel Underground on Thursday December 15. They’re touring on the back of the recent release of their long-awaited debut album, Keep Your Dreams, which is out now on Modular Recordings. Canyons have been supported by some of the more respected names in the electronic scene throughout their
career thus far, having had their track ‘Blue Snakes’ released on Cosmo Vitelli’s esteemed Parisian label I’m A Cliche, and their jamming epic, ‘Fire Eyes’, pressed by none other than DFA Records. Keep Your Dreams consists entirely of unreleased material save for two tracks, one of which is ‘Blue Snakes’ – which was also used by eclectic French DJ Agoria on his fabric mix. The other is the rocky anthem ‘My Rescue’, released earlier this year via Modular replete with a Dr Dunks extension. Anyone planning on attending Peats Ridge, Golden Plains Sixxx or Playground Weekender will have a chance to see the Canyons lads in a festival environment – but if you wanna see the premier of their new live show, then you’ll have to saunter down to the Civic on Thursday week.
METRONOMY SIDESHOW
Metronomy will play a Field Day sideshow at the Manning Bar, Sydney University, on Thursday January 5. Predominantly a bedroom project of lead man Joseph Mount, Metronomy recently expanded to a four piece for their third album, The English Riviera, and the results are apparent in a release that has been praised for its “languid funk and belting pop” which, according to Resident Advisor, is “a lush sounding love letter to the South coast towns from which the quartet hail”. Support will be provided by Oscar + Martin.
New Order
TIM SWEENEY
Quintessential tastemaker Tim Sweeney, the man behind the online radio show Beatsinspace, is playing a Sydney show for HaHa at Marrickville Bowling Club on Friday December 16. Also known for his close ties with NYC’s ‘hipper-than-thou’ DFA label, Sweeney’s sets traverse a broad range of quality electronic music spanning disco, house and techno, and always throw up a few peachy tunes that you will have never heard before – and in all likelihood will never hear again. One can measure Sweeney’s stature in the electronic music community by the number of quality guests that have dropped by his studio over the years – for Sweeney, having the likes of Michael Mayer or Cosmo Vitelli stop in for a guest mix is a fairly standard affair. Long John Saliva and residents Dean Dixon and Dave Fernandes will also be performing on the night, with tickets available online.
VINCE WATSON
Veteran Scottish producer Vince Watson headlines an international triple bill at Greenwood this Saturday, that also includes Cocoon’s Egbert and rising Berlin outfit Channel X – fresh from their set at Subsonic last weekend. The party is an initiative of the renowned Melbourne label Chameleon Recordings, who are making their entrance onto the Sydney clubbing circuit in some style. A fellow with a penchant for melodic techno, Watson has released on hallowed labels such as Planet E, Tresor and Everysoul, and his recent EP Pressure Part 2 included remixes from Steve Rachmad and the Australia-bound Octave One. Watson is currently preparing 54 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
to release his seventh studio album, as well as high profile remixes for John Beltran, Alexander Kowalski, Kirk Degiorgio (who is one of the foremost electronic drawcards on the Playground Weekender 2012 lineup), Funk D’Void and Orlando Voorn. And as anyone who was in attendance when Vince Watson performed at Marrickville Bowling Club for HaHa when he was last in town will attest to, the Scotsman delivers a thoroughly riproaring live set. In addition to the headliners, Lisbon-based duo The Bastards (former Bar25 residents), Infusion’s Jamie Stevens and Melbourne’s Uone are among a strong local cast of DJs who will be representing. The fiesta commences at midday and runs through till 11pm; presale tickets are on sale now.
NEW ORDER FOR FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2012
More acts have been added to the already huge Future Music Festival lineup. And not just any acts either. New Order, anyone? That’s right, the seminal Manchester band that formed out of the ashes of Joy Division and released timeless classics such as ‘True Faith’, ‘Blue Monday’ and ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ will be fronting up for FMF 2012 along with the other second-round announcements: Friendly Fires, Gym Class Heroes, Mark Ronson v Zane Lowe, John O’Callaghan, Oliver Huntemann, Knife Party, Professor Green and Flux Pavilion. They join a lineup that includes Swedish House Mafia, Fatboy Slim, Paul van Dyk, Hercules & Love Affair, Azari & III, The Juan Maclean, Benoit & Sergio, Gareth Emery, Jamie Jones, Frank Ocean, Alex Metric, Holy Ghost!, Jessie J, The Rapture, Sven Vath, Horse Meat Disco, Skrillex, Tinie Tempah, Die Antwoord and The Wombats, who will all be performing at Randwick Race Course come Saturday March 10. Presale tickets are on sale now.
Tim Sweeney by Tim Soter
AIR
Tim Sweeney
More: If you think you’re the next urban music sensation, visit supafest.com.au to enter Where: Supafest 2012 takes place in Sydney on Sunday April 15 at ANZ Stadium, featuring P. Diddy, Kelly Rowland, Ice Cube, Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, and more to be announced – and tickets are on sale now.
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dance music news
free stuff
club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Chris Honnery
FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM
FLIGHT FACILITIES
five things WITH
LUKE MCD (VIC) Your Crew As a DJ, I’ve travelled the world and played 3. gigs I dreamt of from an early age – including Love Parade in 2008 (thanks, Murat). My record label Smash Bang Records has taken me even further; making music with friends and taking it to the stage has been one of the most musically rewarding things in my career. The Music You Make My production has always stayed a 4. hobby; DJing has kept me out of the common workforce. With diverse taste and a dancefloor customer satisfaction focus, I seem to enjoy entertaining as much as the music I play. The music I’ve released is hard to categorise, but I like it and plan on writing more in the future when I’m working even less for a living. Music, Right Here, Right Now I think music has gone in its usual 5. rotation and come back to what I love the
Growing Up Inspirations I’m not sure that I have grown up, to be My taste seems to change with age, time 1. 2. honest – and now with a little one of my of day, location and weather, and I love that. own, I seem to be embracing my childhood again. My old man was out to the wee hours on weekends, dancing to a different beat but tearing it up all the same, and I already love having a boogie with my twoyear-old.
4OUR
Four of Sydney’s foremost female DJs will be throwing down at the 4our BYO warehouse party this Saturday, the venue of which will be revealed online later in the week to those who have purchased tickets... Claire Morgan, Magda Bytnerowicz, Trinity and Kate Doherty will be taking turns behind the decks to churn out some top-drawer house and techno, with Snez and Vlad providing the visuals. $15 presale tickets are available through residentadvisor.net
TREVOR JACKSON COMPILATION
Respected former Output Recordings honcho Trevor Jackson, aka Playgroup, will release a double CD compilation of his favourite industrial, post-punk and EBM tracks from the 1980s entitled Metal Dance, which will hit shelves in February. The unmixed compilation sees the man behind Playgroup delve into his enviable record collection for 27 tracks from the more underground and club friendly end of the era, in what is essentially a rare chance to indulge in some of the classics and oddities that have peppered Jackson’s DJ sets since he started spinning records almost 20 years ago. Tracks from iconic acts such as Nitzer Ebb, Jah Wobble, Cabaret Voltaire and Severed
My brother introduced me to dance music back in 1992 with his vinyl collection. A stand out tune for me was ‘Playing with Knives’ (1991) by Bizarre Inc (later known as Chicken Lips). Disco has been a constant inspiration, and I think dance music all has a link back there somehow. Heads are sprawled across the compilation, while Jackson also includes a fair amount of rare and unexpected music too – take, for instance, an edit by Klein & MBO’s Mario Boncaldo of a track from John Carpenter’s classic film Escape From New York, and a UK only promo mix of Yello’s ‘Say Yes To Another Excess’.
most – and with house music making a comeback, I am excited. I also think Sydney has stepped up over the last couple of years to offer some great parties and venues like The Spice Cellar, often outdoing Melbourne’s efforts.
The Christmas spirit is all-pervasive, extending from the living room to the workplace to the irritating musak in suburban shopping centres that’s pretty much been playing since April. It’s even made it to venues; Flight Facilities are throwing a Christmas blow-out at GoodGod Small Club this Saturday December 10 to celebrate an awesome year had by all. The trio love to go all-out with their aviation-themed outfits, and are set to spread the love with an aviation-themed dance party, with support from Jonny Pow, Elizabeth Rose, Graz and Rocco Raimundo. Oh, and aviation attire is apparently essential. To get your mitts on two boarding passes to GoodGod Mile High Club, tell us the best story you’ve got about flying.
CHALI 2NA
In 2009, Chali 2na supported Nas on his sellout tour of Australia – Nas is cool and everything, but it’s Chali who really tore the roof off. Jurrasic 5 and Ozomatli, people! He’s back on our shores again, gearing up to release his Against The Current EP, and he’s hitting the stage to show you what it’s all about. Oxford Art Factory will host Chali 2na on Sunday December 11 – and if you want to get along, all you have to do is email us with the MC’s real name. Chali 2na
With: Murat Kilic, YokoO, Sam Roberts and Garth Linton Where: The Spice Cellar When: Saturday December 10, from 10pm
Yolanda Be Cool
SASHA + RADIOSLAVE
The heavyweight international triumvirate of Sasha, Radio Slave and In Flagranti will be representing at the New Year’s Day night One Night Only bash at the Metro Theatre. Having established himself as something of a superstar DJ through the ‘90s via his b2b sets with John Digweed, Sasha’s DJ sets are the stuff of clubbing folklore. Discerning Sasha fans will also talk your ear off about the man’s versatility, which is apparent on his debut – and only – studio album, Airdrawndagger, from 2002, a sophisticated and atmospheric release that more than holds up a decade on. His Involver compilations have also garnered considerable acclaim, while his remix output has become increasingly eclectic over the years; see his sleek Depeche Mode and Kasabian reworks in recent times. One Night Only commences at 10pm and runs through till 6am; limited $50 first release tickets are now on sale.
Hudson Mohawke
HARBOUR PARTY NYE ADDITIONS
Sydney duo Yolanda Be Cool, responsible for the gargantuan club smash ‘We Speak No Americano’, will be joining the lineup of the 2011 NYE Harbour Party! The Harbour Party lineup also includes Wynter Gordon direct from NYC, The Potbelleez, ARIA-nominated pop diva Zoë Badwi, and some of the country’s better-known DJs, including the inimitable Ajax, Kitsune’s Beni and Cassian, with up-and-coming Sydney dance-indie outfit Rüfüs also playing a DJ set on the night. Second release tickets are currently on sale from www.harbourparty.com
MOHAWKE + RUSTIE DOUBLEHEADER
Niche Productions’ dubstep/funk/future beats night Hold Tight! will host an evening with Warp Records’ Glasgweigan producers Hudson Mohawke and Rustie on Saturday February 25 at Manning Bar. Mohawke is a precocious talent to say the least, having made his first mixtapes at ten before producing beats on a Playstation at 12, and becoming a U.K. DMC finalist at 14. He’s also enjoyed a rather solid year in 2011, releasing the EPs Satin Pathers and Pleasure Principle. Rustie, meanwhile, makes his Australian debut in 2012 after a terrific 2011 that saw the release of his debut LP Glass Swords, which traverses RnB, crunk, house, techno and dubstep influences. Tickets are available through manningbar.com.au
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BONOBO PLAYGROUND SIDESHOW
Simon Green, aka Bonobo, will be touring Australia with a six-piece band for the first time next year, which features vocalist Andreya Triana. Already announced as part of the Playground Weekender lineup, Bonobo will also play a sideshow at the Metro Theatre
on Friday March 2. Signed to the Ninja Tunes label on the strength of his debut LP, Animal Magic, Bonobo has accumulated a back catalogue of acclaimed albums that lead up to his most recent – and in many critics’ eyes, most accomplished – record, 2010’s Black Sands. Tickets to Bonobo’s Metro sideshow are available through metrotheatre.com.au
How To Dress Well A Pop Aspirant’s Experiments By Rach Seneviratne
I
saw Tom Krell, aka How To Dress Well, play at Roskilde Festival in Denmark this year, after torrential rain shepherded several hundred people into the dark, sweaty, marijuana-filled tent in which he was set to perform. The walls of the dome were shrouded in beguiling visuals, half the room was high, and Krell was in his element. Since then, he’s released the Just Once EP, a slightly orchestral follow-up to last year’s lo-fi, ethereal RnB masterpiece Love Remains – and with his impending Australian tour and a new release due early next year, Krell is audibly excited about what the future holds. “This next record is a really nice middle ground between Love Remains and Just Once,” Krell says from Chicago, via a wonky Skype connection. “The songs are just much bigger… I feel way more confident coming out of the ambient haze of Love Remains.” Through his releases, Krell has built a reputation as an experimental artist – a label he considers as both a blessing and a curse. “I started writing another noisy, ambient record, and it didn’t feel like experimentation anymore. I realised if I was actually going to engage in what, for me, would be a musical experiment, it’s way more intimidating and brave and experimental for me to just go the opposite way,” he muses. “One song on my new record is this totally naked a capella piece, but formally, it doesn’t really share the characteristics of what we call ‘experimental music’. It’s not noisy, harsh or intimidating; it’s quite accessible, and incredibly vulnerable.” Krell’s distinct RnB influences, paired with his falsetto croon and ambient production, have earned him comparisons to that league of extraordinary gentlemen à la James Blake, The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye, Frank Ocean – but he’s quick to distance himself from that movement. “My new record will make it more clear what the commonalities and differences are between The Weeknd and I. There’s one song that’s a real wintry RnB jam where you can hear our similarities, but then there’s other songs on the record with really dark, sweeping vocal arrangements and strange production. The biggest beats on this record coming out are big, poppy, almost Alice Deejay-style Europop… a lot of the newest Weeknd mixtape sounds to me like fuckin’ Evanescence.” Krell displays a certain disdain for popularised music, yet at the same time relishes the idea of making it. He says of James Blake, “He doesn’t write songs per se; in some ways his music is ‘post-song’. He sings a vocal loop and repeats it a tonne of times, but he doesn’t aspire to write verse-chorus pop songs… In a certain way he’s going hard against it. Whereas I wanna write pop songs you can play at the Olympics and your wedding and shit.” But given his musical roots, the Olympics-andyour-wedding-and-shit goal is still out of arms reach for Krell. The heartbreaking Love Remains made How To Dress Well an overnight Pitchfork sweetheart, but its pop music credentials – in the form of smooth, Aaliyah and Cassie-inspired ‘90s RnB – were obfuscated by a thick blanket of
ambience and experimental noise. “I don’t think that I’ve proven myself as a pop artist yet,” Krell admits. “I think that I have a foot in the door – and I’m really happy that Love Remains is my debut, because it sets the stakes differently. I don’t have 50 000 followers on Twitter because of a song that got on a Starbucks compilation… I’m coming out of a background in much more experimental waters. So to combine that with my desire to be a pop singer – this is the pedigree I want to have.” But it’s not an aspiration for pop stardom that drives Krell so much as his desire for people to see How To Dress Well as the sum of all its parts. “I hope one day that I can put out a record and people will listen to it and situate it within
“My new record will make it more clear what the commonalities and differences are between The Weeknd and I... A lot of the newest Weeknd mixtape sounds to me like fuckin’ Evanescence.” my more general body of work… I don’t know if I’m established enough yet as an artist to expect that from listeners.” Krell makes a big distinction between pop music and more left-field music; not just the song itself, but in the way he listens to it, and the attention he devotes to it. “When I listen to new Xiu Xiu records, I’m listening to hear what Jamie Stewart’s going to do. I don’t judge the new Xiu Xiu record in the same way that I judge the new Drake record. With Drake I’m like, ‘Okay, is there a hook that catches me?’ If not, next song. When I listen to the new Xiu Xiu, I sit down with a patience and an attention that is very different to when I’m listening to pop radio.” If I’ve gleaned anything from my conversation with Krell, it’s that he’s a deep thinking, vulnerable person whose music and personality are both fragile and forthright all at once. His love-hate relationship with pop music and experimentation seems to mirror his desire to evolve his output, and change. “How many times do I [hear] myself speaking and I’m like, ‘Holy shit, I’m still just a four year old boy, looking at my dad and just fucking imitating his behaviour.’ I think it’s one of the hardest things in the world, to change yourself – not just musically, but spiritually and personally.”
MARC ANTONA DISSONANT | FRA
SAT 17 DEC www.thespicecellar.com.au
MATTHEW DEKAY CECILLE / ALL DAY I DREAM, NL
With: Wintercoats, Albatross, Preacha, Wedding Ring Fingers Where: GoodGod Small Club When: Wednesday December 7
SAT 24 DEC www.thespicecellar.com.au
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 57
Big Freedia Azz Everywhere By Dorian Grey Big Freedia’s one of the leading lights of ‘sissy bounce’, a micro-genre so-named because it’s bounce music hyped by flamboyantly gay or transsexual MCs (although, as Big Freedia says, “You may have a gay or straight rapper – but it’s all bounce music”). I’ll spare you the essay on why it might be culturally significant that New Orleans is home to massively popular gay rap stars, or why an outrageously fabulous gender bender is the best possible emissary to get women and men shamelessly shaking their arses – it’s all been written before. Suffice to say, Big Freedia rules bounce parties from Brooklyn to Melbourne, and she’s worked damn hard to get there.
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ew Orleans’ unique cultural gumbo has given the world many outstanding music genres over the ages: jazz, Dixieland, Creole, rhythm ‘n’ blues (and later, rock’n’roll) all came out of the Louisiana swamps. These days, the city’s best known musical export (among a certain demographic) is southern rap, particularly that of Lil Wayne and the Cash Money roster – but according to those in the know, Weezy isn’t the true sound of the streets in the Wards of New Orleans. That title goes to ‘bounce’, a hyper-regional off-shoot of hip hop in the same genus as juke, Miami bass and Baltimore club. Usually built around the ‘Triggerman’ beat (you know the one – dan-da-da-dan) and samples from hip hop and RnB chart hits of the past and present, bounce is a frenetic mix of looped beats and high hats, whistles, horns and shout-outs. In short, upbeat club music designed for nothing more than getting you to bend over and show us what you’re working with. The MCs role is not to demonstrate lyrical dexterity and wordplay but to get the people going, with a mix of Mardi Gras Indian chants and call and response – think Waka Flocka Flame, if he was trying to hype the party rather than demonstrate how hard he is. And when it comes to bounce MCs who get the party started, nobody does it for more people or more frequently than Big Freedia (pronounced ‘Frida’).
Between playing at least two clubs a night, six nights a week in New Orleans, Big Freedia also runs an interior design and party planning business, and for the past few years has been hitting the road regularly as an emissary for bounce music. Watching a Big Freedia film clip, like the insanely catchy ‘Azz Everywhere’, two things are immediately apparent: people go absolutely nuts at her parties, and if you’re not able to shake it like a salt shaker, you might feel a little left out. But Freedia says not to worry if your pelvic flexibility is a little lacking. “Freakin’, grindin’ – you can do anything you feel comfortable doing! The most important thing is for people to feel free to let loose at a Big Freedia show. We get all types everywhere – gay, straight, black, white, punk rockers, hipsters. Big Freedia shows are for everyone.” The whole role of a bounce MC is to conduct the action on the dancefloor like a manic, arse-slapping aerobics instructor, shouting out directions to ‘Bend over’, ‘Lift your leg’, ‘Wind it’ or ‘Make it clap’. You can also count on it getting pretty filthyminded when Fredia plays at GoodGod’s ChristmASS Everywhere party this weekend – as is to be expected from a genre where the dance style is based entirely around sex simulation. Classic bounce shout-outs include ‘Suck dat pussy for a pork chop’ and ‘Do it, baby, stick it’, but Freedia has a few shout outs of her own in the catalogue. “Listen out for ‘I got that gin in my system. Somebody’s gonna be my victim’ and ‘You already know!’” says Big Freedia. “But they all mean the same thing: get ready to shake some azz and have a good time!” With: Juiceboxx (USA), Love Kings and DJ Sveta Where: BOOTY BOOTY BOOTY (ChristmASS Everywhere) @ GoodGod Small Club When: Thursday December 8
Jedi Mind Tricks Tunnel Vision By RK
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us Allah and Vinnie Paz have changed the underground world of hip hop rather dramatically over the years. With uberproducer Stoupe in tow (along with a few recruits), the Jedi Mind Tricks posse continues to tread the warpath of solid, no-holds-barred rap music that takes no prisoners. “I met Stoupe a long time ago – it was like 1991 – through a mutual friend who was like, ‘My man got crazy beats’,” Paz explains. “Within a few weeks we were making demos, and maybe a year after that I met Jus Allah at this party and I heard he was dope. At that point, we were all about getting a deal and trying to get signed; we had some deals on the table but I was pretty young so I didn’t know what was going on. By 1995 we’d put together a tape and scraped up some money and put the first record out independently – music-out-the-trunk, basically!” Music-out-the-trunk continues to be the modus operandi for Jedi Mind Tricks; they’ve never been about achieving massive commercial success. But their legions of loyal fans remain committed to their hard-hitting lyrics and bass heavy production – and Vinnie is completely comfortable with where they’re at right now. “For us as a group, I feel the evolution has come sort of organically. We’ve never been about being popular; we’ve never made a concerted effort to change anything about our process or the way we do things,” he says. “If you’re conscious of what’s going on around you, what has worked and what hasn’t worked, what people like and what they don’t like, you think back to what has worked in your career. [And] you’re always growing as a person. “Just to reiterate, there hasn’t ever been a conscious effort to do anything other than hardcore rap. Maybe philosophically something has changed, but you wear your heart on your sleeve, and it reflects where your head’s at.”
Indeed, their just-released album Violence Begets Violence is another masterstroke of gangsta rap; leading on from everything that has come before, it’s the raw, gritty, street hip hop that fans have come to expect. “I can only give my perspective, but I think the reason we’ve been a success is because I never saw myself doing anything else,” Paz explains. “I never wanted to be a lawyer or doctor or accountant. I feel like if there is a plan B, you’ve admitted there is a chance of failure. When failure isn’t an option, you conduct yourself differently, and you sort of realise that you have tunnel vision. “It’s an honour to do something for your friends or family that you couldn’t do in the past for whatever reason; you want to look after the people that looked after you. I’m cool with not being a superstar on MTV, I’ve never really wanted that. I’m just blessed to be hanging with my boys and doing things that I enjoy.” That said, Paz has also had a successful career with his side projects (he releases under his own name and with Army of the Pharoahs), with material that maintains the same raw edge and usual smattering of cameos from good friends. “It has always been something I’ve wanted to do. And regardless of what the music is, when you’re doing something with the same people you’ve worked with for your whole career, doing something fresh and different can reinvigorate you in every aspect,” he explains. “Doing my solo project really has reinvigorated me to do better stuff inside Jedi as well.” What: Violence Begets Violence is out now With: Outerspace, Mass MC & Reason, Kerser Where: The Factory Theatre When: Thursday December 8
Salmonella Dub Green Tea, Gooey Ducks & Possums In The Kick Drum By Rachel Corbett
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It’s a lovely gesture which, fictional or otherwise, certainly wouldn’t have been possible in the early days, when the band hardly had enough spare change to feed themselves. “I can recall in the early days … we had to beg for hotdogs at the hotdog stand. It wasn’t a good scene, that.” Those days of begging are well and truly over now – as well as the partying, if Dave is to be believed. “It’s all early-to-bed and late-to-rise; I may allow myself an extra cup of green tea if I’ve been especially good.”
he Summer Rhythm Festival is hitting Canberra from December 9–11, set to raise awareness of mental health issues =and money for Beyond Blue, while also raising the decibels. With over 80 bands and DJs on the bill, it’s sure to be a musical education for those lucky enough to be attending – but in amongst the lineup is a band as familiar to local dub fans as their favourite pair of slippers. With 15 years’ of experience under their belt and over 120 festival shows to date, Salmonella Dub are veterans of the local music scene, with a unique mix of dub, jazz, DnB, electronica and reggae that’s paved the way for many of the bands they’ll be sharing the bill with. But even with this wealth of experience, drummer Dave Deakins says the boys’ gig routine runs anything but smoothly. “We don’t have anything down like clockwork,” he says. “We are very much an off-the-cuff, hope-for-the-best type of group.” Whatever their strategy, it seems to have worked if their Gold and double-Platinum records are anything to go by – and after all those years, they still have an undying passion for playing live shows. “Both festivals and gigs have such a pumped-up vibe – and I say this with my arms spread like an eagle as I sit at the kitchen table recapturing the emotion,” Deakins says. “We’re like monks focused in on the Zen of music, our thoughts amplified 100 times over by a massive PA system. It’s amazing – I love it!” (I think that’s Salmonella Dub-speak for ‘life is great’.)
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Not the crazy booze-fuelled lifestyle that Salmonella Dub fans may have expected, but a good night’s sleep will certainly come in handy with the band’s plans for more albums and shows next year. “2012 is time for a radical reinvention,” he says. “Either that or we may make an album slightly different from our last one...” And for those making the trip to Canberra, Dave has some advice for dealing with the summer heat of an Aussie music festival. “I find deep meditation and looking at pictures of igloos particularly good. That, or wearing a deep freezer for pyjamas.”
Younger bands on the bill have the longstanding band to thank for opening Australian ears to their fused genre all those years ago, but when it comes to the idea of mentoring, the boys concentrate on teaching larger life lessons. “I once taught Reno from Shapeshifters how to shell a gooey duck,” Dave says. Turns out there are more clams at a festival than you’d have
expected, but at big shows like that a band needs all the Bear Grylls-style knowledge they can muster. They’re playing their music out in the elements, and there can often be casualties. “Once a small possum went to sleep in my kick drum before a festival,” he says. “It turned out ok in the end – we all chipped in for a high tech hearing aid for the little fella.”
With: Evil Eddie, The Bird, Hermitude, Jeff Lang, Ganga Giri, Hook n Sling, Van She Tech, Goodwill, Cassian and loads more Where: Summer Rhythm Festival @ Goolabri Golf Course, ACT When: December 9 – 11 More: Also playing at Peats Ridge Festival, held from December 29 – January 1 at Glenworth Valley
Chali 2na Quality Control By Alasdair Duncan
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apper Chali 2na may have been a central part of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli, two of the most admired and respected hip hop outfits of the past decade, but these days he’s more of a lone wolf. With an acclaimed album under his belt, and the first in a series of EPs due out very soon, he’s loving life as a solo artist – even if it’s required a bit of adjusting. “The biggest change I’ve felt since going solo is I have to fill the spots that I used to look to my fellas to fill,” he admits. “I can’t let myself slack off – I have to be the fine-toothed comb that goes through all the little details.”
To better explain going solo, Chali uses a basketball analogy. “When you’re playing on a basketball team and you’re the centre, you know that position and you fill that position and play it to the best of your abilities.” He ponders this for a second and, seeming unsatisfied, changes his train of thought. “A better way to explain it would be to say that when you’re in a band, you’re a small cog in a finely-made watch,” he tells me. “Every part in the watch has its duty and knows its place. Now I’m solo, I’m more free, but the trade-off is that I have to be a lot more exacting. The reward is great, but it’s tiring.”
subtly or outright, in my music to make people think about these topics. My weapon is my music, so I try and use that to help the world.” Chali and his live band will soon be making their way to our part of the world for a series of shows, and I ask what exactly we can expect. “Let me tell you about my live band,” he begins enthusiastically. “My keyboard player is one of the original members of the old-school ska band The Untouchables, and he’s played in every band since, it’s ridiculous. We’ve been friends for a long time, and he always said to me that if I ever did some solo stuff to let him know. All these years later, and here we are – he’s the leader of my band! As for the show, we play my solo stuff, a bit of Jurassic stuff, even a bit of Ozomatli stuff – there’s something for all of the fans!” With: True Vibenation, Bentley, Klue, Adi-B & DJ Ability Where: Oxford Art Factory (moved from Upstairs @ Beresford) When: Sunday December 11
“When you’re in a band, you’re a small cog in a finely-made watch. Every part in the watch has its duty and knows its place. Now I’m solo, I’m more free – but the trade-off is that I have to be a lot more exacting.” Chali has collaborated with some of the biggest names in hip hop, reggae and roots across his career – but recently he could be heard on a track by UK dubstep guru Rusko, a change of pace to say the least. I ask him if the experience has given him the urge to experiment with dubstep in his own music, and he tells me it definitely has. “I’m from Chicago, which is the birthplace of house,” he says, “so I naturally gravitate towards electronic music. I talk and I rap in percussive patterns, and I love the percussive patterns that dubstep creates. Working with Rusko opened my eyes to something new – I feel like I was blind before I met him.” In the coming months, Chali plans to release a series of EPs, Against The Current, which aim to bring all of his disparate influences together. “The EPs will encompass all the different types of music that have inspired me, from Caribbean and reggae music to street hip hop. There’s going to be live instrumentation, and there’s going to be electronic music like dubstep and house. My album Fish Out Of Water [2009] was meant to show you who I was; with this new music, I want to try and make a connection with the music I love. Listening to it will be like turning on Chali 2na Radio!” When it comes to politics, Chali is passionate and frequently outspoken – he once told an interviewer he feels that greed is the most destructive force in the world today. In light of this, I’m driven to ask him about the Occupy protests that are still sweeping through America and the world. “Well, I support the movement from a certain perspective,” he says, “but the thing about it is that not enough people in America are educated enough about the things going on around them to know what the Occupy movement is actually about. I feel that while there are people who are aware and taking part, getting arrested and hassled by police, a lot of their effort is in vain because nobody knows exactly what’s going on.” Like an increasing number of Americans, Chali is beginning to feel that there is something going wrong in his home country, with everyday people at the mercy of financial institutions, falling between the cracks of society. But he’s a little pessimistic about the Occupy movement itself. “I appreciate the effort the protestors are putting in,” he continues, “but I don’t know how much change it will bring about in the end. Ultimately, there’s enough for everyone but some people want more – and if you are one of those people who want more than the others who get left out, then what’s happening is maybe indirectly your fault. I think about the situation a lot, and I place messages, whether BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 59
Deep Impressions Underground Dance And Electronica with Chris Honnery
Marc Antona
renchman Marc Antona, who recently released his debut full-length album, Rules Of Madness, through his label Dissonant, will headline the notorious annual Pirates Of The Underground boat party on Saturday December 17. He’ll be joined by an illustrious support cast of DJs, including A Guy Called Gerald and colourful Lisbon-based duo The Bastards. Antona has been releasing his stuff on imprints such as Mobilee, Highgrade, Freak N' Chic and Micro Fiber for years, and also plays an influential (and often unheralded) role behind the scenes at Cadenza. Rules Of Madness is described by Antona as an album about “creating musical trips … and making [people] enjoy the changes of moods: from happiness to melancholy, from energy-pumping moments to relaxing deep waves.” And there’s no better way to get acquainted with these deep waves than on Sydney Harbour, for one of the standout events on the Sydney techno calendar.
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Highly touted Detroit collective Visionquest, comprised of Lee Curtiss, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and the Australia-bound enfant terrible Seth Troxler, have mixed the forthcoming Fabric 61 compilation, which will be released locally from December 12 through Balance Music. Konrad Black, My Favorite Robot, Green Velvet and Carl Craig all feature within the tracklisting, along with Franco Cinelli’s remix of Cassius’ ‘The Sound Of Violence’, one of the Ibiza anthems of the European summer just passed. “We took into consideration the timelessness of the songs, tracks from our past and our present, and presented them to tell our story,” Reeves said. “The start is very representative of the Visionquest DJ sound, and the end shows the eclectic sound of our label. It goes from music for clubs to music for life.” This Saturday, Disconnected returns for its final 2011 instalment with a three-hour set from Berghain resident Marcel Fengler, in the atmospheric confines of The White House. Fengler compiled one of the better mixes of the year in Berghain 05, which traversed an array of house, techno, garage, electro and experimental electronic soundscapes, and should provide some indication of what we can expect from Fengler come Saturday. Playing alongside him is Simon Nielsen, aka Advanced Human, a chap who has formerly released under the DJ Hi-Shock moniker. Under his recently coined Advanced Human alias, Nielsen has released on labels like Gynoid Audio, Slap Jaxx, Impact Mechanics and
LOOKING DEEPER SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 Marcel Fengler The White House
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11 Vince Watson, Channel X The Greenwood Hotel
SATURDAY DECEMBER 17
Pirates Of The Underground ft Marc Antona Subsonic Boat Party
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 Matthew Dear AGWA Boat Party
Synewave, and this will be his first official set under the guise of Advanced Human. Support, as ever, will be provided by Ben Dunlop and Defined By Rhythm. Experimental Viennese techno trio Elektro Guzzi, comprised of guitarist Bernhard Hammer, bassist Jakob Schneidewind, and drummer Bernhard Breuer, have just released a new album, Parquet, on Stefan Goldmann and Finn Johannsen’s avantgarde Macro imprint, and it comes with the highest possible endorsement from your author. Lauded as an act resembling “Liquid Liquid for a digital age”, Elektro Guzzi are all about organic approaches to electronic music, performing everything live in real time. Parquet features nine cuts of dark, heady techno, all, of course, played live and recorded straight to analog tape with no edits or overdubs. Given that Elekto Guzzi’s ethos is based around laying down material live, and their resultant reputation for putting on a rollicking live show, I’d also advise you to check out their Live P.A. album, which captures the band’s performance at the Red Bull Music Academy in London last year. For an engaging, original and visceral take on electronic music, make sure you cram Parquet into your Christmas stocking.
Elektro Guzzi
Deep Impressions: electronica manifesto and occasional club brand. Contact through deep.impressions@yahoo.com 60 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
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.
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t’s well and truly the big end of the year; this mag is full of killer parties that should turn your head one way or the other, and I’ve taken the trouble to shortlist what I think will be the best of them. Ex-Jurassic 5 mic rocker Chali 2na plays a show at the OAF this weekend, with local three-piece True Vibenation in support. Comprised of MC Native Wit, Verbaleyes and DJ Gabriel Clouston, the Sydney boys have just dropped a killer debut album, The Sunshower Phenomenon, which is 100% flagged for your essential listening. My pick of the record is ‘No More’ featuring Rashaan Ahmad, on which the group merge eyes-open hip hop with an Afrobeat rhythm. To this column’s mind it’s the best thing to come off the Big Village label thus far, and I’ll be back with a further take on it once I’ve been able to sink my teeth in a little more. Sydney producer Flume has been added to the Hermitude bill at The Standard this Friday night. If you haven’t schooled yourself in Flume’s work yet I’d get straight to his SoundCloud page and check it out. He’s emerged as one of Sydney’s finest (and most diverse) electronic producers, releasing disco and future soul sounds through the Future Classic label, as well as banging club electro under the What So Not? moniker. This gig is expected to be off the chain. Come New Year’s Eve, this column will be safely installed up at Peats Ridge with the grass between its toes. But if you don’t have big plans for NYE and you’ll still be in Sydney, this might be a good choice for you: if anyone was hanging around the Bondi RSL last Saturday night you would have caught five-piece The Leisure Bandits performing their top shelf show of soul, funk and reggae. Really great band on the rise, as anyone who’s been hanging around The Mac this last year will know well. The Bandits will be playing alongside Crazy P and DJ Maestro (plus the cream of Sydney’s soul, funk and hip hop community) at a New Year's Day party at Sun Studios in Alexandria. And as you’re recovering from New Year’s Eve/Day, you may want to get enough rest to make sure you can wake back up in time for the Hold Tight event at the Metro on January 6. Mr Future Beat himself, Flying Lotus, is joined by Martyn, Africa Hitech and ARP.101, who’ll take you through a global showcase of post-dubstep, UK funky and all things bass music. The Metro will be pumping, so make sure you put enough pennies away to afford tix. In fact I’d jump on them soon – last year’s equivalent event that went down at The Forum (soon re-opening as The Hi Fi) sold out well in advance. And on the Flying Lotus front, his very own Brainfeeder label has just dropped a new album from Teebs. Collections is Teebs’ second gathering of beats, and he’s certainly one of the finest makers out there. This column sees eye to eye with the description that came through: “From hypnotic, dustcovered beats and languid daydreams to cascading shuffles and bright bursts of colour, this beautiful collection is a further glimpse into the world of Teebs, painter of sound.” It’s
ON THE ROAD FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 Hermitude, Flume The Standard
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11 Chali 2na, True Vibenation Oxford Art Factory
FRIDAY DECEMBER 30 Scratch Perverts Oxford Art Factory
SUNDAY JANUARY 1 Crazy P, DJ Maestro Sun Studios
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 4 Easy Star All-Stars Factory Theatre Aloe Blacc Enmore Theatre
THURSDAY JANUARY 5 Pete Rock Upstairs Beresford
FRIDAY JANUARY 27
Stepkids, Electric Wire Hustle Keystone Festival Bar Kanye West Entertainment Centre
MARCH 2–4
Playground Weekender Wiseman’s Ferry certainly not far off – check the release out. NZ drummer/producer Julien Dyne has released his second album, Glimpse, through BBE records. Soul Sedation has high praise for Dyne’s debut, Pins & Digits, and this album is expected to be of the same high calibre. ‘Candy Apple Grey’ is the first single, a down-tempo vocal collaboration with Claire Duncan. If you like your electronic deep and soulful, then definitely check this guy out. US soul crooner Mayer Hawthorne is back in the country next February, touring his second album How Do You Do?. Universal music have snapped him up for this release – yep, the boy’s gone major. Hawthorne plays the Metro on Friday February 24. Inner West dwellers may want to check out the White House Hotel, who have taken up the helm for bass music in a serious way. Their weekly Fridays take in the sounds of dub, DnB, dancehall, dubstep and jungle, with crews like Foreigndub, DSS and Low Society all getting involved. In other news: Soul Sedation has been up at Barrington Tops all weekend. I’ll be able to give you the full run down of the three-day festival in next week’s issue...
Teebs
Send stuff for this column to tonyedwards001@gmail.com by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to art@thebrag.com
Cnr Coogee Bay Hotel & Arden St, Coogee 2034 // www.coogeebayhotel.com.au // T 02 9665 0000 BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 61
club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com
club pick of the week Vince Watson
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11
Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney
Chameleon Presents: Vince Watson (UK), Egbert (NED), Channel X (GER), The Bastards (GER), Jamie Stevens, Uone, YokoO, Trinity, Claire Morgan, Jimi Polar, Jamie Lloyd, JML, Magda Bytnerowicz, Matt Weir, Felipe Cintra, Miss Babi, Chris Honnery, Tom Brereton, Jordan Deck, Raffi Lovechild $35 (+ bf) 12pm MONDAY DECEMBER 5 FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel Digital Citizens Acid Stag DJs $10 (+ bf) 6pm 62 :: BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11
The Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale Monday Jam Danny G Felix, Djay Kohinga free 9pm Scubar. Sydney Crab Racing 7pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Jazz DJs free 7pm
TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 Establishment, Sydney Rumba Motel DJ Willie Sabor free 6pm
Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney Frat House free Scubar, Sydney Backpacker Karaoke 8pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Coyote Tuesdays DJs free The World Bar, Kings Cross Tuesdays Vanity, Mike J, Mike Andy free 8pm
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 Beach Palace Hotel, Coogee Palace Uni Night DJs free 9pm Cargo Lounge, Sydney Menage a Trois 5pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Astral People Present How To Dress Well (USA), Wintercoats, Albatross, Preacha, Wedding Ring Fingers $15-$22 8pm Kong’s Jungle Lounge, Bondi Junction Voodoo DJs free 9pm The Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale Frat House Friend DJ free 8pm The Ranch Hotel, Eastwood Beach Party Stafford Brothers, Timmy Trumpet, Steve Frank, Troy T free (early bird)–$5 9pm Scubar, Sydney Schoonerversity 3pm Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney Sincopa free 7pm Woodport Inn, Erina Amber Savage, Chris Lawrence free-$10 9pm The World Bar, Kings Cross The Wall Brown Bear, Autoclaws, Rubio, Rehu, Double Goose, Deckhead free 7pm
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 The Cool Room, Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill 1st Birthday Bash Starfuckers DJs, Big Will, Anthony K, Shifty 7.30pm Cargo Lounge King St Wharf Thursdays I’m in Love DJs free 5pm Factory Theatre, Enmore Jedi Mind Tricks (USA), Outerspace (USA), Reason & Mass MC, Kerser $55 (+ bf) 8pm FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel The Asthmatix, Reason, Raven, DJ Morphingaz, DJ Hezekiah $10 (+ bf) 8pm GoodGod Front Bar, Sydney Rhythm & Booze Eric Shortbread, DJ Hey Man free 8pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Big Freedia (USA), Juiceboxxx (USA), Love Kings, DJ Sveta $15-$25 9pm Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney Tenzin, Cadell, Zannon, DJ K-Note free 8pm Gypsy Lounge, Darlinghurst Naked Tarantula DJs free 8pm Hugo’s Lounge, Kings Cross Bad Apple DJs $5 8pm Ivy, Sydney Ivy Live DJs 5pm Kong’s Jungle Lounge Easy Lei Convaire DJs, Jen n Erik DJs free 9pm Low 302, Darlinghurst Thursday Switch DJs free 9pm Q Bar/ Phoenix Bar, Spectrum Hot Damn DJs $15-$20 8pm
Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Flaunt Dim Slm, Troy T, G Wizard, Mistah Cee, Mo Green, Soprano, DJ Rask, DJ Rocboi, MC Jayson 9pm The Sly Fox, Enmore Inhale Foreigndub DJs free 6pm Soho, Potts Point Ladies Night Down & Out DJs free 9pm The Standard, Surry Hills Pizza Parties DJs free 9pm Theloft, King St Wharf Thursdays at theloft Nad, Stu Turner, Mr Belvedere 9pm Venue 505, Surry Hills Mucho Mambo, DJ Toon 7.30pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Propaganda Tom Ballard, Urby, Mush, Dan Bombings free (student)–$5 8pm
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 Arthouse Hotel, Sydney RnB Superclub G-Wizard, Troy T, Lilo, Def Rok, Eko, MC Jayson $15 9.30pm Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Movement Flatwound free 8pm Candys Apartment, Kings Cross Button Down Disco Nightmare, Sohda, Brosman, Tongue In Cheek, Digital T, Donald Crump, M9, Acid Mouth, The Rehearsals 8pm The Cellar, Broadway Void Sound Rollers Music, MC Antic, Preacha free-$10 9pm Chinese Laundry, Sydney Cyantific (UK), Wilkinson (UK), Gee Fluxz, Typhonic, Brown BearMindquad, Shudder-X $15 (early bird) $25 10pm Civic Underground, Sydney Volar DJs 10pm Enmore Theatre K-Ci & JoJo, Barry Southgate, DJ Mac & Favor $69.95-$148.50 7pm Forbes Hotel, Sydney Haus Nights - The Xmas Edition Yenga, Shaolin, Jaspa, Chris Nakkan, Tito free-$10 9pm GoodGod Front Bar, Sydney Yo Grito! King Opp, Daniel Darling, Silky Doyle free 9pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Slowblow Second Birthday DJ Dreamcatcher, DJ Jungle Snake, Softwar, Graz, Cleric Apton, DJ Buttfuck, Chux, Motorik, Deathstrobe DJs $10 10pm Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney DJ Cadell free 5pm Hugo’s Lounge, Kings Cross Rat Pack DJs 9pm Jackson’s On George, Sydney Ultimate Party Venue Resident DJs free Kong’s Jungle Lounge, Bondi Junction W!ldlive Fridays DJs $10 10pm The Marlborough Hotel, Level 1, Newtown Resident DJs free Nevada Lounge, Darlinghurst DJ Hayden free 6pm Oatley Hotel We Love Oatley Hotel Fridays DJ Tone free 8.30pm Omega Lounge, Sydney Unwind Fridays DJ Greg Summerfield free 5.30pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Club Onyx Sim Slm, Discokid, Lavida, Peeping Tom, DJ D, Tenkix $15 8pm Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney Frisky Friday DJs free 6pm
Shark Hotel, Sydney Pulse8 Jono free Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney Mixtape free 6pm Soho, Potts Point Soho Fridays DJs free 9pm Space, Sydney Zaia Savvy, Edo, D’Kutz, Em-Tee, Ming, Ace, Flipz, DJ Sefu, MC Suga Shane, Arbee, Suae, Pulsar, Askitz, Jinkang vs Tezzr vs Rhe3, MC D 9.45pm The Standard, Sydney Hermitude, Flume $25 8pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Eve Christmas Party DJs 9pm The Whitehouse Hotel, Petersham Champion Sound - Nice up the Bounce! DJs $5 (early bird)–$10 9pm Woodport Inn, Erina The Aston Shuffle, Wolfpack, Random Knightz, E=JM2, DJ Delicous & Age $15 9pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 Arthouse Hotel, Sydney Armageddon – The White Party N-Trance Ultrabeat, Alex K, G Wizard Supercharged, Steve Play, Joey Kaz, Charlie Brown, Teflon, Nick Hoodz, Anthum, A Ron $35 (+ bf) 9.30pm Candys Apartment, Kings Cross Disco! Disco! Threesixteen, Disco Volante, Sherlock Bones, 2Busy 2Kiss, Leanzy, Hoodlmz, Intheory, Flckr, Stick It! 8pm Cargo Bar, King St Wharf The Institute of Music DJs free 9pm Chinese Laundry, Sydney In The Mix Iphone App Launch Party Far Too Loud (UK), Trent Rackus, Punk Ninja, E-Cats, Nash T, Ben Korbel, Matttt, DJ Just 1, Samrai, King Lee, Whitecat $15-$25 9pm Cohibar DJ Brynstar free The Cool Room, Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill DJ free 9pm Dee Why Hotel Kiss & Fly DJs 8.30pm Establishment, Sydney Sienna G-Wizard, Troy T, Def Rok, Eko, Lilo 9pm The Factory Theatre, Enmore Xzibit (USA) $49 (+ bf) 8pm FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel Late Night Social Frames, Felix Lloyd, Harry Cotton free 11.59pm Goldfish, Kings Cross Switch Luke Solomon, John Donaldson, Tom Brereton, Matt Cahill, Johnny Gleeson 8pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Flight Facilities Xmas Party Flight Facilities, Jonny Pow, Elizabeth Rose, Graz, Rocco Raimundo $25 (+ bf) 10pm Home The Venue, Sydney Homemade Saturdays DJs $20-$25 9pm Ivy, Sydney Pure Ivy Ember, Sir Charles, Alley Oop, John De Beers $20 8pm Jackson’s On George, Sydney Ultimate Party Venue Resident DJs free Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Miss T, Gabby, Cassette, Alison Wonderland 8pm The Marlborough Hotel, Level 1, Newtown Resident DJs free Nevada Lounge, Darlinghurst DJ Hayden free 6pm
club guide send your listings to: clubguide@thebrag.com Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Trashbags 5th Bday Party Mr Flash (FR), Digikid84 (FR), Redial, Nadisko, Smacktown, Obey & Ra, Nat Noize, We Can Solve Mysteries $20 (+ bf) 9pm Red Rattler, Marrickville The Sequined Menace DJ Sveta $20-$25 8pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross The Suite Troy T, Joey Kaz, Charlie Brown, Disco Kid, Dim Slm, Jo Funk, Steve S 8pm Shark Hotel, Sydney Pulse8 Jono free Soho, Potts Point The Usual Suspects DJs 9pm The Spice Cellar, Sydney Luke McD, YokoO, Garth Linton $20 10pm Star Bar, Sydney Situation DJs free 10pm Sydney Opera House Studio Gang Gang Dance $45 8pm Sydney Showground, Homebush Bay Bass Control Frontliner (NL), The Pitcher (NL), Psyko Punkz (NL), Darren Styles (UK), Amnesys (ITA), Unexist (ITA), Meccano Twins (ESP), Kevin Energy (UK), Sharkey (UK), Nitrouz, S3rl, Nomad, Weaver, Suae, Nik Fish, Steve Hill, Matrix, Xdream, S Dee, Spellbound, Pulsar, HSB, Kid Finley, Ravine, JTS, Dover, Mantello, Convict, Tezzr, Rhee, Hardforze, Arbee, Micky D, Panik, Nasty, Nik Import, MC Losty, Erase MC, MC D $75-$130 12pm
Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Christmas Party DJs 9pm The Watershed Hotel Watershed Presents… Skybar The White House, Petersham Disconnected Presents 007 Marcel Fengler, Ben Dunlop, Defined By Rhythm, Advanced Human $25-$30 10pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Wham! Gus Da Hoodrat, James Taylor & MC Shureshock, Boonie, Lennox & Oakes, Harry Cotton, Mitch Crosher, Kerry Wallace, Gabby, Illya, Richie Carter, Adam Bozetto, Pipemix, Daigo, Bermuda P $15-$20 8pm
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11 Basement Level, 58 Elizabeth St, Sydney Spice Sam Roberts, James Taylor, Murat Kilic $20 4am The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills Beresford Sundays DJs free 3pm Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills Layzie Bone, Lil Eazy-E $43.90 8pm Goldfish, Kings Cross Martini Club free 6pm Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney Chameleon Presents Vince Watson, Egbert, Channel X, The Bastards (GER), Jamie Stevens, Uone, YokoO,
Trinity, Claire Morgan, Jimi Polar, Jamie Lloyd, JML, Magda Bytnerowicz, Matt Weir, Felipe Cintra, Miss Babi, Chris Honnery, Tom Brereton, Jordan Deck, Raffi Lovechild $30-$35 12pm Hugo’s Lounge, Kings Cross Sneaky Sundays DJs 8pm Jackson’s On George, Sydney Aphrodisiac Industry Night Resident DJs free Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Easy Sundays Stu Turner, NAD, Mr Belvedere, Murray Lake, Pat Ward 6pm Kudu Lounge, Darlinghurst Timeless Sundays Dan Copping, Ravi Ravs, Thomas Waldeier free 2pm Name This Bar, Darlinghurst Sunday Sets Flight Deck, Mashed, Ben Mitchell, Kate Weston, Adam Kain 5pm Oatley Hotel Sunday Sessions DJ Tone free 7pm Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Chali 2na (USA), True Vibe Nation, Bentley, Klue (Gabriel Clouston), Adi-B, Ability $30 (+ bf) 8pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Sapphire Sundays DJs free 8pm The Watershed Hotel Afternoon DJs DJ Brynstar free The World Bar, Kings Cross Dust Simon Caldwell, Gaby, James Taylor, Alley Oop free 7pm
club picks up all night out all week...
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 The World Bar, Kings Cross The Wall Brown Bear, Autoclaws, Rubio, Rehu, Double Goose, Deckhead free 7pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Astral People Present How To Dress Well (USA), Wintercoats, Albatross, Preacha, Wedding Ring Fingers $15-$22 8pm
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 The Cool Room, Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill 1st Birthday Bash Starfuckers DJs, Big Will, Anthony K, Shifty 7.30pm Factory Theatre, Enmore Jedi Mind Tricks (USA), Outerspace (USA), Reason & Mass MC, Kerser $55 (+ bf) 8pm
Dreamcatcher, DJ Jungle Snake, Softwar, Graz, Cleric Apton, DJ Buttfuck, Chux, Motorik, Deathstrobe DJs $10 10pm
Xzibit
The Standard, Sydney Hermitude, Flume $20$25 8pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 Chinese Laundry, Sydney Far Too Loud (UK), Trent Rackus, Punk Ninja, E-Cats, Nash T, Ben Korbel, Matttt, DJ Just 1, Samrai, King Lee, Whitecat $15-$25 9pm The Factory Theatre, Enmore Xzibit (USA) $49 8pm Chali 2na
Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Trashbags 5th Bday Party Mr Flash (FR), Digikid84 (FR), Redial, Nadisko, Smacktown, Obey & Ra, Nat Noize, We Can Solve Mysteries $20 (+ bf) 9pm Sydney Opera House Studio Gang Gang Dance $45 8pm The Spice Cellar, Sydney Luke McD, YokoO, Garth Linton $20 10pm
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11
Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Movement Flatwound free 8pm
Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Chali 2na (USA), True Vibe Nation, Bentley, Klue (Gabriel Clouston), Adi-B, Ability $30 (+ bf) 8pm
GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Slowblow Second Birthday DJ
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 63
snap
salt-n-pepa
PICS :: KC
up all night out all week . . .
daedelus
PICS :: GP
25:11:11 :: The Enmore :: 118-132 Enmore Road Newtown 9550 3666
26:11:11 :: GoodGod Small Club :: 53-55 Liverpool St Sydney :: 9267 3787
25:11:11 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex St Sydney 82959958
It’s called: Astral People pres. How To Dress Well It sounds like: reverb-soaked ethereal glo-fi RnB Who’s playing? How To Dress Well, Wintercoats , Albatross, Preacha, Wedding Ring Fingers. Sell it to us: For the first time ever in Austra lia, How to Dress Well plays an exclusive and super-intimate Sydney set of his abstract RnB beat compositions; this is a night of exploration of voice and sound not to be missed. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Eating that 3am kebab reminiscing on how good HTDW was. Crowd specs: The nicest people in Sydney, there for ridiculously good music and not their latest Facebook profile pic. Wallet damage: $22 Where: GoodGod Small Club / 55 Liverpool Street, Sydney CBD. When: Wednesday December 7
pantha du prince 25:11:11 :: The Spice Cellar :: 58 Elizabeth St Sydney 64 :: BRAG :: 441: 05:12:11
PICS :: GP
thundamentals
PICS :: DF
PICS :: AM
chinese laundry
party profile
how to dress well
26:11:11 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93323711 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER CHEY :: GEORGE POPOV :: PEA MAS THO :: NS MUN :: DANIEL DANIEL FAUST :: ASHLEY MAR RUKES :: TIM WHITNEY
BRAG :: 441 :: 05:12:11 :: 65
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propaganda
PICS :: DM
up all night out all week . . .
24:11:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700
party profile
stereosonic
PICS :: R
chinese laundry
the exchange hotel
Who’s spinning? Cyantific (Hospital Recor ds, UK), Wilkinson (Ram Records, UK), Typhonic, Geeflukz, Brown Bear, Mindquad, Shudder-X. Three songs you’ll hear on the night: ‘Touch Me’ and ‘Bounce It’ – Cyantific; ‘Pistol Whip’ – Wilkinson. And one you definitely won’t: ‘Cotton Eye Joe’. Sell it to us: This is gonna be one of our best Friday nights ever – two hot DnB internationals in the Laundry, and Brown Bear and Co. hosting the cave with some of the most badass dubst ep around. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: That you had so much good music ‘Ram’med into you you had to go to ‘Hospital’ . Crowd specs: Anything goes, my friend. Wallet damage: A measly $15 before 11pm and $25 after. Where: Chinese Laundry / Cnr Sussex and King Streets, Sydney CBD When: Friday December 9
PICS :: GP
26:11:11 :: Sydney Showground :: Homebush Bay :: 9704 1111
It’s called: Chinese Laundry Fridays It sounds like: Bass music at its finest – heavy , wobbly, hands-in-the-air shit!
wham!
PICS :: DM
25:11:11 :: The Exchange Hotel :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93601375
the cool room
PICS :: TW
26:11:11 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700
24:11:11 :: Australian Brewery :: 350 Annangrove Rd Rouse Hill 9679 4555 66 :: BRAG :: 441: 05:12:11
:: KATRINA CLARKE :: S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER CHEY :: GEORGE POPOV :: PEA MAS THO :: NS MUN :: DANIEL DANIEL FAUST :: ASHLEY MAR RUKES :: TIM WHITNEY