ALWAYS
FREE
+ WOE AND FLUTTER + I KNOW LEOPARD
QANTM COLLEGE DIPLOMA & DEGREE COURSES IN: Animation Games Design Graphic Design Games Programming Web Design & Development
Come and try a course for a day – Study Day July 14th This is an opportunity to experience a full day of hands-on training in your chosen field, with industry-experienced instructors, for only $40.
Call 02 8241 5300 to Register
CRICOS Codes - 03204G (QLD) 00312F (NSW) 02047B (VIC) 02431E (WA)
FBI 94.5FM, THE BRAG, DEW PROCESS, HELLO PAVEMENT & ARTIST VOICE PRESENTS
(USA)
F R I D AY 1 7 A U G U S T
THE METRO THEATRE (LICENSED ALL AGES) All tickets come with free download of The Blind Date Tour EP inc. JINJA SAFARI’s new single Toothless Grin. OPOSSOM debut album Electric Hawaii out now on Create/Control WHITE ARROWS debut album Dry Land Is Not A Myth June 22 on Dew Process
T I C KE T S ON S A LE NOW From M O S H T I X a n d W W W . J I N J A S A F A R I . C O M
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FEATURING FEATURIN NG
UK U K
CHINESE LAUNDRY FRIDAY 29TH JUNE DOORS OPEN AT 10PM
SPENDA C / A-TONEZ
SATURDAY 30th june CHINESE LAUNDRY Doors open 9pm
HYDRAULIX / J-MAC / DISKORIOT CNR KI KING & SSUSSEX USSSEX SE STREET ( UUNDER SLIP INN )
chineselaundryclub.com.au
CHINESE LAUNDRY FRIDAY 6TH JULY DOORS OPEN AT 10PM
CNR KING & SUSSEX STREET ( UNDER SLIP INN )
chineselaundryclub.com.au
SATURDAY 7th july CHINESE LAUNDRY Doors open 99pm
Spenda C / Go Freek Emoh In Instead tead / AA-Tonez Too Devola / King Lee / Athson Brown Bear / Big Slim CNR KING & SUSSEX STREET ( UNDER SLIP INN )
chineselaundryclub.com.au
CNR KING & SUSSEX STREET ( UNDER SLIP INN )
chineselaundryclub.com.au
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rock music news
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Nathan Jolly
he said she said WITH
JAY FROM THE WALKING WHO
I
grew up in a house stacked with old vinyl records. I blame my parents for my taste in music today and for a majority of what I find inspiring. My earliest childhood memories of music is being in bed at a party at my parents’ house at around 2am, and hearing ‘Been Down So Long’ from The Doors’ LA Woman pumping from upstairs. My favourite bands change a lot based on what I’m into. At the moment, on the vinyl trip, I really like Neil Young and Crazy Horse (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Zuma), Van Morrison (Astral Weeks, Moon Dance), The Velvet Underground (Loaded), early Floyd with Syd (Piper At The Gates Of Dawn), Fleetwood Mac, The Stones, The Doors etc... Bands these days I really dig: The Black Angels, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Flaming Lips, Panda Bear, The Horrors, The Dodos, too many to mention. Rohin plays guitar and sings, Paul plays the drums and I play the bass. Rohin, Paul and I met a few years ago and played mostly as a trio until the end of last year. We get on pretty well, we’re good mates, we like the same music and also play together, so it works, I guess.
BOULET TOUR SUPPORTS
PUBLISHERS: Adam Zammit & Rob Furst EDITOR IN CHIEF: Adam Zammit 9552 6333 adam@peergroupmedia.com EDITOR: Steph Harmon steph@thebrag.com 02 9698 9645 ARTS & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Dee Jefferson dee@thebrag.com 02 9690 2731 STAFF WRITER: Caitlin Welsh NEWS: Nathan Jolly, Chris Honnery, Andrew Yorke ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant GRAPHIC DESIGN: Alan Parry COVER PHOTO: Luke Stephenson SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER: Tim Levy SNAP PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Rasa Juskeviciute, Ashley Mar, Elke Owens, George Popov, Rosette Rouhana ADVERTISING: Ross Eldridge - 0422 659 425 / (02) 9690 0806 ross@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, hip hop & parties) INTERNS: Verity Cox, Andrew Geeves, Dijana Kumurdian
Wander into a record store. You remember record stores, right? This isn’t like Peter And Wendy when the Darling children forget their parents now, is it? ...Anyway, grab Jonathan Boulet’s second record We Keep The Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start The Heart. Weird cover, isn’t it? Now turn it around and look at the back. Bam! You cannot unsee that! I’ll make it up to you at his album launch this Saturday June 30 at The Metro; they’ve just announced Wolf And Cub and Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse as supports.
JULIA STONE
Julia and Angus Stone must have had some tiff, because they’re both releasing great solo records and embarking on solo tours and releasing solo promo photos where Julia isn’t even draped off Angus like a pretty little satchel at all. Julia’s solo album By The Horns even features a cover of ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, something Angus no doubt shook his mane at. On September 15 she plays The Metro Theatre in support of this solo, solo, solo album, and Angus doesn’t even care, ‘cos he has his own album to promote anyway (Broken Brights, out July 13), and is busy with other stuff anyway so there.
NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE
Melbourne outfit Northeast Party House are one of those bands where you imagine what they sound like based on their name and get it so correct that you are tempted to ask them for co-writing credits (Kids Of 88 are another such example). They launch their new single ‘Pascal Cavalier’ at GoodGod Small Club on July 20, and you better believe there are dual vocal hooks and streams of synth.
Devo
GOTYE TOUR!
Gotye just spent eight barnstorming weeks at the top of the American singles charts and has developed a severe swagger, to the point where he is taking the nickname Yeezy and bestowing it upon himself. Watch the throne? He set fire to the throne (feat. Kimbra) – but he hasn’t forgotten Australia, which is why he’s organised a run of massive shows here, including a December 14 set at the Entertainment Centre which goes on sale this Wednesday June 27. We hope he draws the crowds in and then only plays Basics’ tunes. Seriously, we really want this to happen. It’d be great.
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of The BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Stephen Forde : accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121
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6 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
Gotye
KMH FTW
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With: Belles Will Ring, Iluka, Major Tom and the Atoms, The Dusty Duets and Manchoir, plus vintage and handmade markets, food stalls, Blingo, a dance competition, a live mural painting, and a photography auction Where: Winter Warmers @ Beach Road, Bondi When: Saturday June 30 – markets from 10am; bands from 6pm More: Funds go to 21 Family/Open Family Australia; bring a warm thing, toiletries or baby supplies to donate!
There’s a song on Kate Miller-Heidke’s (‘i’ before ‘e’, except Heidke) new record Nightflight called ‘Sarah’ which namechecks the Livid festival and Ben Folds Five and it’s all rose-coloured glasses until the title character goes missing and they find her clothes in a creek and holy balls, KMH, aren’t you the girl who sings that Neighbours song?! The new record is dark and layered and impressive, and you can check out songs from it LIVE on August 23 and 24, when she’ll be unsettling us all at The Metro Theatre. Try and get her to play ‘You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man’, too – she did it at the APRA Awards, and it was amazing. Tickets to her album launch are on sale now.
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Benjamin Cooper, Alasdair Duncan, Max Easton, Christie Eliezer, Murray Engleheart, Andrew Geeves, Chris Honnery, Nathan Jolly, Anna Kennedy, Sheridan Morley, Jenny Noyes, Hugh Robertson, Romi Scodellaro, Jonno Seidler, Rach Seneviratne, Roland K. Smith, Luke Telford, Rick Warner
DEADLINES: Editorial: Wednesday 12pm (no extensions) Artwork, ad bookings: Thursday 12pm (no extensions). Ad cancellations: Tuesday 4pm Published by Cartrage P/L ACN 104026388 All content copyrighted to Cartrage 2003
Our mates The Chitticks are by far one of my favourite bands at the moment. There’s something about their sound and their live show that’s just really fucking cool. They’re definitely one of the best bands kicking about in Sydney at the moment.
RICK ASTLEY. LOLZ!
DEVO + SIMPLE MINDS
For a certain generation (and then all the generations after that), Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ is intrinsically linked to The Breakfast Club, the best bottle-episode-thatlasted-an-entire-film ever (also, it was all coming-of-agey and Estevez-y too). So the news that they are touring is enough to fill pockets of Sydney with joy; moreso when I casually toss off the news that Devo will be joining them. You may know them for that little hit single ‘Whip It’, which is currently being used in a Bonds advertisement with the clever rewrite ‘Zip It’ (see what they did there?). On December 7, the two of them will be synthing up The Entertainment Centre. Tickets go on sale July 2.
Here is Rick Astley’s career map. 1987: Huge, unassailable pop star with a huge hit single and seven other less-huge-but-stillTop-10 singles. 1988-2009: odd jobs, pottering, hobbies, ya’know? 2009: Unwitting star of Rickrolling, a phenomenon that made Family Guy seem witty. 2012: Rick had a thought: “Hang on, I can tour Australia based on an Internet fad, bust out ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ (which still rules), make loads of money, and Rickroll the entire world, you cynical motherfuckers. Look at how soulful my baby blue eyes are.” You can look at how soulful his baby blue eyes are on November 25 at the Enmore Theatre; tickets are on sale July 9.
Xxxx
We tell people we play psychedelic rock’n’roll. At this point we’ve recorded and
released an EP (The Walking Who) and an album (Candy Flu). We record and mix all of our own stuff at Rohin’s house in his homemade studio – he’s living in an old mansion from the ‘60s in Wollongong at the moment. Recording at home gives us way more time to play around with sounds, and rooms in the house. We’re in the process of finishing our next record too; we did a majority of this one on tape in the bathroom upstairs.
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rock music news
free stuff
welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Nathan Jolly
FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM
he said she said WITH
JORDAN FROM GEORGIA FAIR I remember the first time I heard Dylan’s ‘Blood On The Tracks’ – it stirred something inside of me. There were images that were floating in my mind that I could barely comprehend; strip joints and highways, things like that. That album has stayed with me throughout the years. I refer to it when things hit the skids. People come and go all the time. We have a family around us at the moment that we love and trust. It’s worth mentioning our sound guy Todd – he looks like he should probably be in the band, either that or Jesus or something. He gives us weekly tutorials on musical history that we probably need. We did our first record with a guy named Bill Reynolds. He has the soul of a lion but looks like a gazelle. He plays in a band called Band Of Horses who we love and respect very much. We’re changing styles by the day at the moment, but we’re really only concerned with writing something that feels right.
B
later. I remember dancing to The Police’s ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ while my old man was making curry in the kitchen, trying to tell me what it all meant. As fate would have it, both of these moments would be poignant for Ben and myself.
en and I moved around a lot when we were kids. There’s this photo of Ben when he was about four years old holding his first guitar, right after he unwrapped it under the Christmas tree – I know that image so well it feels like I was there, but I didn’t meet him for some years
You know, there’s always something going on if you’re willing to sort it out. We’re still meeting a lot of brilliant musicians and writers along the road. What: ‘Blind’ is out now Where: The Standard When: Friday July 6
THE TEA PARTY
The Tea Party are modest lads. The Canadian band (that isn’t Zit Remedy) tried one of those Pledge Music crowd-sourcing things a few weeks back to get funding for a double live album. They needed to meet the target in two months; their fans laughed at this, and put up the cash in a cool five days. Which means that their latest tour, which stops in at the Hordern Pavilion on July 21, is to be recorded for a double-vinyl live album. Which means that if you choose this show to be the one where you yell your name incessantly, you may get on the record. Just sayin’.
Pluto Jonze
FATHER JOHN MISTY TOUR SUPPORTS
PLUTO JONZE AT GOODGOD
Our favourite song of the past month or so is Pluto Jonze’s ‘See What The Sun Sees’, which sounds like Sean Lennon in space, basically. He is launching this single on July 21 at GoodGod Small Club with two of the most Inner-West-named bands ever: The Townhouses and Readable Graffiti. More reverb on the vocals please, sound-guy. Also, nice ponytail.
ANNANDALE BIRTHDAY: RATCAT, BABY ANIMALS, HARD-ONS
Crooked teeth were one of the features that set a 14-year-old Kate Moss apart from the crowd at New York’s JFK Airport when she was discovered by a model scout. Standing out from the crowd with last week’s release of their new album Crooked Teeth, who knows what kind of bright future awaits Melbourne hardcore boys House Vs Hurricane... Touring Australia to promote the album and with a new frontman, Dan Casey, in tow, House Vs Hurricane will play The Hi-Fi on Saturday July 28 supported by While She Sleeps, Northlane and Heights. To be in the running to win one of five double passes we have to the gig, tell us the name of another celebrity with crooked teeth.
LAWRENCE ARABIA
Wikipedia warns not to confuse Lawrence Arabia with Lawrence Of Arabia, “one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema”. As the internet never lies, the New Zealander (known to his friends as James Milne) has a lot to achieve if he wants to compete with the 1962 biopic of T. E. Lawrence. The symphonic lounge-pop musician is giving it a fair crack though, having last week released his third studio album (named The Sparrow on account of the “small, malevolent bird” representing Milne “defining himself against the prevailing culture of his provincial upbringing [and] the angst of the inexorably approaching thirties” because, humourously, “God knows why”) and with an impending international tour. We have two double passes for Lawrence Arabia’s show at Enmore’s Green Room Lounge on Tuesday July 3. To win, tell us which iconic actor played Lawrence OF Arabia.
MICK HART
Can you believe it’s been ten years since Mick Hart was nominated for an ARIA award? Well if not, you have severe trust issues that must stem from somewhere deep if you have to question the news section of a street press magazine... It’s true though (the nomination and your issues), and to mark the occasion (it’s actually pure coincidence), Hart is releasing his latest opus Side By Side on July 1, and launching it at the Vanguard on July 14 – which gives you plenty of time to learn all the lyrics and bellow them back at him.
FBI WATCH LIST
FBi Social weekly list of joy: Wednesday June 27: those shimmying babefaces The Fabergettes do that ‘60s pop stuff we all crush on them for at 1pm, before Urbantramper (NZ electro), Telafonica (so many delay pedals), Colour Coding and Rescue Ships play that evening. Thursday (June 28): Vice party featuring the skuzzy Tiny Migrants, Newcastle’s best band The Nugs and the ‘Gold Soundz’ of Tape/Off. On Friday: the schizophrenic Sugar Army, Tom Ugly and 1929India (disturbing cover art!). And on Satdee: Bell Weather Department (trippy pop), Battleships (great!) and Sorry Socrates. Well played, FBi… Well played.
faster than you could Google the meaning of ‘sustainable’, so head to peatsridgefestival.com.au and start refreshing!
Annandale Birthday Week is a wonderful time in the annual musical calendar, and it was already looking great last week when they announced Tumbleweed, Front End Loader, 78 Saab, Smudge and more for the Auld Lang Syne festival on July 14. And now the whole shebang is undeniable, with the inclusion of The HardOns and Ratcat – the latter of whom spent the early-‘90s showing inner-Sydney bands how you can have number ones with glorious fuzzed-out pop tunes. The Baby Animals have also been announced for a show two days prior; these guys threw a handful of great rock albums and poses at us in the ‘90s, and will do similar on July 12. Don’t miss The Mess Hall on the night between, either – it’s their only 2012 show.
YOUTH LAGOON + SURES + BEARHUG
PEATS RIDGE EARLY BIRD TIX ON SALE THIS MONDAY
You know when you hear a phrase or band name so often that the meaning is smashed into a dull thudding submission? Well Cherry Poppin’ Daddies (horrendous connotations!) are bringing their ska-tinged, zoot-suitin’, jumpin’ swing thing (sorry, “swaang thaang”) back to Australia on November 1 for a show at The Factory Theatre, which is kind of turning into the house of zoot suitin’ ska. Tickets on sale this Thursday June 28. Wear your nice shoes.
Youth Lagoon, aka 22-year-old purveyor of dreamy lo-fi Trevor Powers, is coming to Australia for the first time to support last year’s Pitchforkjizzed The Year Of Hibernation – and because he is one of those zeitgeist-riding types, he has wrangled together surf-pop band Sures and indie-pop maestros Bearhug to support him. It’s happening on July 28 at the Factory and we are presenting this one, so if you wanna send us packets of thankyou Twisties, that’s quite alright with us.
CHERRY POPPIN’ DADDIES TOUR
Rescue Ships
RESCUE SHIPS TO SHORE
Sydney’s The Rescue Ships (Brian Campeau and Elana Stone) have a new video out for their sparkling pop tune ‘City Lights’, and if you skip to 1:42 you will see Elana get smacked in the face with a tennis ball in this year’s finest example of suffering for one’s art. The duo are dropping their debut album in October, but until then we suggest you watch that video on repeat, and catch them at The Rattler on Friday July 13 for the single launch – with special guest Ngaiire, and all the nicest furniture you could possibly spill drinks onto.
“In the shadow of the big screen everybody begs to be redeemed” - METRIC 8 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
Xxxx
If you are the type of person to iron undergarments, label Tupperware containers and alphabetise compact discs, then you are probably finalising your New Year’s Eve plans right about now – which is good news for everyone, as Peats Ridge are putting their early-bird, awesomelycheap tickets on sale at 10am on Monday July 2. Last year, these three-day passes sold out
Father John Misty might sound like a character from a morally dubious mid-‘80s BBC children’s show, but it is actually the name of ex-Fleet Foxes’ drummer J. Tillman’s solo project. He recently released the excellent Fear Fun record (check that artwork!) which is touted as a debut album, but is actually his eighth solo record since 2005 – that’s hitting Dylan-levels of productivity. Catch him on July 27 at Oxford Art Factory, and get there early to see six-piece Mosman Alder, the psychedelic Melodie Nelson, and The Trouble With Templeton.
HOUSE VS HURRICANE
BEACH ROAD FRIDAYS | FREE
OBESE - SINGLE LAUNCH
29/06/12
SKRYPTCHA.
+ dutch
06/07/12
WORDLIFE. + dysphemic & miss eliza (melb)
NOW!) EMMA LOUISE, LOUISE THE RUBENS (2ND SHOW ON SALE NOW!), OF MONSTERS AND MEN (IS), HOWLER (US) + ZULU WINTER (UK), FATHER JOHN MISTY (US), YUKSEK (FR), HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE (US), ELECTRIC GUEST (US), DJANGO DJANGO (UK) + THE CAST OF CHEERS(IRE), THE AU REVIEW 4TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, PSEUDO ECHO, RICKI-LEE, BONE THUGZ N HARMONY FT. KRAYZINE BONE & WISH BONE (US), FUTURE ISLANDS (US), URTHBOY + THE LAST KINECTION…
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The Music Network
themusicnetwork.com
Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer
THINGS WE HEAR
* Take That have been accused of avoiding tax through a music scheme set up to help young talent. The band’s Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen and manager Jonathan Wild invested £26 million into a scheme which puts musicians and investors together. The tax men claim it is a tax dodge and closed the loophole. Take That sniff that they pay “significant” tax as it is... * Katy Perry is following the footsteps of Madonna (Maverick) and Prince (Paisley Park), and setting up her own record label. * Has Adele's music got healing powers? Doctors told the mother of a seven-yearold English girl, who was in a coma after suffering a brain hemorrhage, to come and say their final goodbyes. In the hospital room, Adele’s ‘Rolling In The Deep’ came on the radio, and the girl’s mum sang it to her. The child began to smile and within two days was speaking and able to get out of her hospital bed. * Select Music’s seventh birthday party on Thursday was a sell-out, which was good news for anti-depression charity beyondblue, who got all the proceeds.
UNIVERSAL ACQUIRES EMI IN NEW ZEALAND
Universal Music Group’s £1.9 billion (A$2.92 billion) acquisition of EMI Music was approved late last week by the New Zealand Commerce Commission – the first country in the world to do so. The deal was approved despite fierce opposition from Warner Music and indie labels. Meanwhile, the European Competition Commission handed Universal its list of objections. Universal responded that fears it would give the merged company too much market power were “inaccurate”, as indies now have a 30% market share. “Our acquisition of EMI will create even more opportunities for new and established artists, expand the marketplace with more music, and support new digital services.” Over in America, UMG CEO Lucian Grainge, EMI chief Roger Faxon and Live Nation CEO Irving Azoff appeared before a U.S. Senate anti-trust sub-committee last Thursday to argue for the deal to be approved in America. Beggars Group’s Martin Mills, Warner Music Group former chairman/CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. and public advocacy group Public Knowledge president Gigi Sohn appeared to argue against it. Critics say the sale gives Universal 40% of the U.S. recorded music market (Sony is second with 29%, Warner third at 19%), which could increase the price of music and have the label controlling the future of digital media by withholding content. Grainge emphasised that EMI would be run as “a distinct business”. Azoff said that piracy and the rise of digital players like Facebook and Spotify have diminished label power.
MIPI CHANGES NAME TO MUSIC RIGHTS AUSTRALIA
The Australian music industry’s Music Industry Piracy Investigation unit (MIPI) has changed its name to Music Rights Australia. The new name, says general manager Vanessa Hutley, better reflects its work and, observers suggest, distances itself from MIPI’s expensive lawsuits. “MIPI has always focused its efforts on the three core areas of advocacy,
* Adding to news that Sydney’s The Basement is up for grabs, The Tivoli in Brisbane and The Palace in Melbourne (the latter went into administration) are also now on sale. * The Grates scored a US deal with Vagrant Records, with their Dew Process/ Universal album Secret Rituals due to be released there on July 10. * Australian metal trio Kunvuk will be donating 50% of all profits from second album Consume Rapture to the Save The Tasmanian Devil Program. * Despite reports that Drake will be arrested for allegedly throwing a bottle at Chris Brown in their nightclub fracas, law enforcement offices told TMZ there is no evidence, and that Drake is not facing arrest. * What does this tell us about radio audiences? The latest radio ratings saw a rise in listeners for Kyle Sandilands (“piece of shit”, “fat slag”), Alan Jones (slated by authorities for wrong facts about climate change) and Adelaide’s Bob Francis, currently on a month’s leave for his comments about asylum seekers: “I hope they bloody drown out there on their way over here.”
education and protection, to highlight the valuable contribution that music labels and publishers make to the Australian economy through their investment in new and emerging talent.” MIPI is a joint venture between ARIA and APRA, and represents 70,000 songwriters, composers, music publishers and labels.
MADONNA TOUR RIDER LEAKED
Madonna likes to travel with all the comforts, as made evident by a leaked copy of her rider for her MDNA world tour – tipped to hit Australia in January. She travels with 200 people including 30 bodyguards, a yoga instructor and a personal chef who only prepares vegan meals. Backstage, she demands that promoters supply her with 20 international phone lines, and replace all the venue’s furniture with items that she ships out, and which have to be draped in a special fabric that smells like lilies and roses. There must be a dry cleaning service, and all flowers must be cut to a perfect 6-inch stem.
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE STREAMLINES ENTRY
Organisers of the Eighth Australian Music Prize (AMP) have made changes. Unlike in previous years when entries did not open until September, albums are already being collected for consideration. The $55 fee has been dropped, hoping to entice more acts. This year there was drama when some in the judging panel felt that the shortlist overlooked too many creative records. Getting music to AMP is streamlined via a new sponsorship deal with D-Star, which delivers tracks to AIR and major label distributors through its DMDS audio system. “We’re simplifying the process for artists, and going digital,” says Scott B. Murphy, AMP founder and prize director. “We can now accept Australian artist album releases digitally and – when the panel is ready – our judges can access the music online, as and when it suits them.” Those nominating an album for consideration who don’t have access to D-Star can post a CD (with contact details) to The 8th Amp/DMDS,
60 Upper Deck, Jones Bay Wharf, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont NSW 2009.
SUPAFEST PROBLEMS
While fans waiting for refunds after P. Diddy and Rick Ross pulled out from this year’s Supafest continue to wait (and fume), an interesting saga has emerged about its promoter Paperchase Touring. The Sydney Sunday Telegraph reported that when APRA went to the Supreme Court in Victoria on June 6 to get the $13,200 owed to it, it was told that one of the promoters, Dwayne Cross, was in New York trying to secure new funding, and the other, John Denison, sold his 39% share in Paperchase last month and is no longer involved.
MOG ARRIVES IN OZ
Telstra last week launched America’s MOG to Australia’s increasingly crowded music streaming service market. It offers 16 million tracks ad-free. The basic plan at $6.99 a month is for web players and desktops. Premium MOG, which costs $11.99 a month, also includes mobile devices, tablets and Sonos players. Telstra customers escape extra data charges. Said David Hyman, CEO and founder of MOG: “Australia is a key music market, ripe for disruption, and our best of breed listening and discovery service, coupled with Telstra’s market leading broadband and mobile networks, are a winning combination.”
UNFD SIGNS EURO DEAL
Staple Group’s UNFD signed a distribution and service deal with UK company Essential (part of Cooking Vinyl) covering Europe and England. First out are Buried in Verona’s Notorious and House vs Hurricane’s Crooked Teeth.
GOLDEN STAVE GEARS UP
The music industry’s annual Golden Stave luncheon for NSW children’s charities has raised $13.3 million in the last 33 years, and $520,000 last year alone to help 19 charities. This year, it has received $260,000 worth of items and services for the auction, including prizes from the Australian Radio Network, Fairfax Radio, Southern Cross Austereo, four TV networks and two print groups. This year’s event is held on June 29 at the Hordern Pavilion, between midday and 6pm. Guests are expected to dress up in this year’s theme of Heroes & Villains, with Diesel, Black Sorrows, Bluejuice and 1927 playing. Single tickets are $225, tables of ten are $2250. See goldenstave.com.au
BROADWAY UNPLUGGED
The Vanguard in Newtown has launched a once-a-month free industry event called Broadway Unplugged. Put together by George Youakim, from 8–9pm seven musical theatre singers and actors will perform songs from their current and favourite productions. This will be followed by an open mic segment for anyone wanting to perform Broadway toe-tappers. See broadwayunplugged.com
SURRY HILLS FESTIVAL
Surry Hills Festival is giving original acts from all over Australia the chance to perform in front of 90,000+ festival goers at Prince Alfred Park on Saturday October 27. You have to apply via surryhillsfestival.com by Thursday August 16. “From folk to indie, roots to reggae, electronic to funk, world music to hip hop and soul to blues, the Surry Hills Festival has a place for everyone,” said festival director Matt Grant.
Lifelines
Split: Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas told the Daily Telegraph that Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins has been downgraded from “boyfriend” to “friend”. Ill: Jack Osbourne, record producer and Adrenaline Junkie presenter, and son of Ozzy and Sharon, has been diagnosed with incurable multiple sclerosis at 26. He lost vision in his right eye, and was diagnosed three weeks after becoming a father to daughter Pearl with fiancée Lisa Stelly, 26. Injured: Talent manager Glenn Wheatley lost part of his finger in a nasty dog attack in Sydney. He was taking his son Tim’s dog Danko for a walk when it was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and Wheatley intervened. Charged: Rickey Charles Goodrich, 54, with 33 counts of theft. He used his position as chief financial officer for Pearl Jam’s management company, Curtis Inc, to bill $380,000 from the band from 2006 until he was fired in September 2010. In Court: Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav escaped 180 days in jail by coming up with the $111,186 he owed in child support. Sued: Jay-Z, over his 2010 partmemoir part-lyrics book Decoded, by Patrick White who claimed many phrases were nicked from his work which was stored in a laptop computer that had been stolen the year before. Suing: Sophe Monk is demanding $900,000 from the L.A. driver who put her temporarily in a wheelchair after a car accident two years ago. Died: Tamworth guitarist and Hilltop Recording Studio owner, Gary Brown, after being diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. Died: Flying Pickets singer Brian Hibbard, 65, prostate cancer. They toured here a number of times after their 1983 success with ‘Only You’. Died: Hawkwind bassist John Harrison, 69, after a long battle with Huntington's disease. His throbbing bass was an integral part of the British space-rockers’ sound. He later became a record producer in L.A. Died: Tim Mooney, drummer for American Music Club and Sun Kil Moon, 53, from a blood clot and a heart attack. Died: Welsh comic actor Victor Spinetti, who appeared in three Beatles movies, 82, from pancreatic cancer.
Over the next few months in Sydney, we’ll be installing new equipment which is designed to bring you a better experience than ever before from Vodafone and to prepare for 4G. If you are a Vodafone customer there is likely to be some disruption to your service. However, we’ll mostly be working throughout the night between 11pm and 8am to minimise any inconvenience. We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience. If you have any queries or experience any issues please visit vodafone.com.au/networknews or call us on 1300 650 410.
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Dilf Party – The Suit
An Art Exhibition to raise funds for Greenpeace, helping in the fight against rainforest deforestation and wildlife extinction in Borneo and throughout the world.
Se llin g
Se llin g
Thu 26 July
Passenger
Nasum
Fri 17 Aug
Fa st
w/ The Getaway Plan
Se llin g
Sat 14 July
Fa st
THE ART FOR JUNGLE PROJECT
Thu 12 July
Metric
Say Anything
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THU 28 JUN FRI 29 JUN
Karnivool
So ld O ut
Sun 8 July All AGES
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Hardcore 2012
Sat 7 July 18 +
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Hardcore 2012
L I V E M U S I C , V I S U A L A R T, T H E AT R E , CO M E DY, B U R L E S Q U E & B O O Z E
Fri 31 Aug
Sat 4 Aug
COMING UP
LV L 3 , 3 8 3 B O U R K E S T S U R RY H I L L S
Apocalyptica
Fri 13 July
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2
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d de Ad
House Vs Hurricane Sat 28 July
Sat 25 Aug
Dream On Dreamer
Wheatus
Russian Circles
Illy
Sat 18 Aug
Karnivool
w/ Psycroptic
Sat 1 Sep
An eclectic collection of Art and Jewellery for sale, created by an amazing array of artists from across Australia.
Earth
‘ROB ME BLIND’ TOUR
Fri 21 Sep
Sat 6 Oct
1300 THE HIFI Everclear Fri 12 Oct
Fa st
‘END OF THE ROAD’ ANGUS PLATE
Sat 15 Sep
Se llin g
SAT 30 JUN THU 5 JUL
Hanson
Thu 13 Sep
So ld O ut
‘N O M A N S L A N D’ ALBUM LAUNCH
District 7 Fest Sat 27 Oct
Leb I Sol
THEHIFI.COM.AU
Sat 3 Nov
ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER, BUILDING 220, 122 LANG RD, MOORE PARK, SYDNEY
Two unseen photographic series from 2010 and 2011, explore the relationship that exists between the photographer, spray painter and forgotten landscape. The two series take the viewer right across the Australian continent and address ideas of waste traces and the unexplained narrative.
PLUS PATRICK JAMES
FRI 6 JUL SAT 7 JUL Dirt Farmer Jack Carty COMING UP
JULY
8th 11th 12th 13th 21st
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GLAM ROCK BURLESQUE NEVER NOT FUNNY MONTHLY COMEDY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH BERTIE BLACKMAN SOSUEME
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BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 11
ROCKWIZ LIVE Bigger, Louder And Looser By Mark Liebelt
“I
’m right here,” announces head SBS RocKwiz-zer Brian Nankervis as he answers the phone, to which I reply with Keith Richards’ oft-quoted line: “It’s great to be here, it’s great to be anywhere”. (It’s incorrectly attributed though – it is actually a line from 1950s British Music Hall performer Max Miller.) “It’s great to be anywhere,” Nankervis concurs. Although when we speak it’s several months until the RocKwiz ‘Some Kind Of Genius’ national live tour, Nankervis is already very busy at RocKwiz HQ. “We’re getting fired up for the big touring show. We are also in the process of making series ten. We’re halfway through – we’ve made six and we have another six to go. It’s wonderful; we were just watching a couple this morning, having the final frosting put on them – there’s some really great shows. It’s like a dream come true sometimes, particularly for me as a music fan. Or you could even call me a music tragic.” To be able to reach the magical double digits for a TV series (the RocKwiz team have remained together since 2004, and according to Andrew Denton, make Australia’s most beloved music show) is indeed a milestone. “It’s been a really wonderful ride,” says Nankervis. “SBS have always been very encouraging and very supportive, and also very happy to let us make the shows that we want to make. I’ve never ever experienced such freedom in a TV show… If we were making the show at one of the commercials, there’d be a lot more blokes in suits telling you what to do. But right from the start SBS have trusted us and given us a lot of freedom.”
The ‘Some Kind Of Genius’ tour is playing selected regional cities and state capitals across Australia, including sacred musical sites like Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and Melbourne’s Festival Hall. Nankervis, Julia Zemiro, the RocKwiz Orkestra and Dugald McAndrew – the human scoreboard, the housewife’s choice – will all be there, with high profile stars and up-and-coming artists rubbing shoulders with contestants (or should that be music trivia tragics?) selected from the audience. It follows on from the huge 35-date tour in 2010 and the six date Christmas tour last year – and the whole team is pumped. “We are pretty excited about Festival Hall, it’s such an iconic venue,” says Nankervis. “The very first international act I ever saw was at Festival Hall… I saw The Kinks in about ‘71/’72 [3 June 1971 to be precise, with Chain and Ted Mulry Gang as supports]; Lola had just come out and it had been banned. And now all these years later I have a daughter called ‘Lola’… I’ve never seen a show at the Hordern, but that’s another
Xxxx
I previously spoke with Nankervis ahead of the RocKwiz Christmas Tour last year; it was September and he’d just come from a meeting on Philip Island, where a controversial plan for re-zoning farmland had been successfully overturned thanks, in part, to his actions. “It was a win for people power if you like – a bit of a cliché, but I think it actually worked,” he explains. “We were rather lucky; one of the families down there has a connection with Miley Cyrus and she got on the Tweet, and suddenly people all around the world were up in arms about this planning decision. Yeah – it was incredible, and it worked.” So a future RocKwiz guest could well be one of the Cyruses? “Miley,” he answers, tongue in cheek. “I gotta say, she did a version of a Dylan song [‘You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go’] on that Dylan album that came out for Amnesty International [Chimes Of Freedom], and it’s really good!”
L-R: Brian Nankervis, Julia Zemiro and The RocKwiz Orkestra iconic venue, so I’m looking forward to playing there.” The name of the tour had me intrigued. “We realise that a big part of the RocKwiz experience is the contestants, and every now and again Julia [Zemiro, the host from coast to coast] will delight the crowd by telling someone that he or she is some kind of genius,” Nankervis explains. “We’re taking the Bull Sisters on the road this year, and there will be the usual multiple guests… The shows, they’re bigger, they’re louder and they’re looser, because there are no TV cameras. Essentially they follow the structure of the TV show, but with Contestant Karaoke, which we don’t do in the Gershwin Room.” I’ve managed to appear on two touring shows: the 2011 Clipsal V8 Supercar Thursday concert in Adelaide, and the 2011 Christmas Tour. But if you’re lucky enough to score a ticket to the regular tapings at the Espy’s Gershwin Room in Melbourne, you’re surrounded by about 400 people, potentially all intent on making it to
“It’s like a dream come true sometimes, particularly for me as a music fan. Or you could even call me a music tragic...”
the stage. Still, your chances are good – two episodes are filmed per night. “There are 12 tables and every table has to elect one rock brain, and then I get 12 from the standing room,” Nankervis explains. “I sort of move around and we run a little quiz out the back to get the 24.” The chosen few are whittled down in rounds of six to the final four – and let no RocKwiz-zer be under the delusion that this is your typical local pub trivia night, as the wildcards make clear: ‘The wildcard should be used by an audience member with excellent music trivia knowledge, the willingness to participate in the contestant selection process and, if successful, the desire and confidence to be part of the show. If you don’t think you’ve got what it takes, please pass this card to somebody around you who does’. Sample questions? “Which Australian actor appeared as a guest harmonica player with Frank Zappa at the Hordern Pavilion in 1976.” (Gary McDonald); “Which Australian historian wrote the liner notes for the Goanna Band’s 1982 album, Spirit Of Place?” (Professor Manning Clark); From which blank verse poem by John Milton did Nick Cave borrow the phrase, ‘Red Right Hand’? (Paradise Lost). You’ve been warned. The elimination rounds take place on stage, in front of what is, perhaps, a jealous audience,
under the substantial lighting rig and the gaze of the RocKwiz Orkestra. There we are, surrounded by the heat, the nerves, the intensity and the perspiration. To come out on top as a contestant (in a process taking close to an hour without a drink, mind) is a win in itself – but we do receive a bit of a pep talk from Brian first. The contestants, Brian, Julia, The Orkestra and Dugald are all in the cast, and we need to work together. One must also be entertaining, so if the answer disappears the moment you have buzzed and Julia focuses on you with those piercing hostess eyes, make your answer something funny or be prepared to incur a cutting remark. Finally: don’t be too much of a know-all, as the crowd doesn’t like smartarses and can turn quickly. So when the curtain goes up, the Orkestra plays and you walk on stage, you all of a sudden go ‘Shit!’ This is as real as the enormity of the room, the nerves, adrenaline, humour, pathos; sitting with performers of the calibre of Vika Bull, Dave Gleeson and Josh Pyke, who all kick in – and it’s game on. And then in what seems like the blink of an eye it’s over – and you wish that you could do it again. What: ‘Some Kind Of Genius’ – RocKWiz live When: Friday August 31 Where: Hordern Pavilion
“Hangman we played double dutch with a hand grenade behind the church hiding place” - METRIC 12 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
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Howler Jordan Gatesmith Is Actually Nice By Simone Ubaldi
H
owler’s rise is the product of NME hype, no doubt about it. Barely out of infancy, the Minneapolis garage rockers are riding a wave of success both fragile and phenomenal, which began when a freelance NME writer went to their EP launch in the United States last year. The writer sent a missive home about it, setting off a chain of events that saw Howler signed to Rough Trade and listed as #3 Best New Band of 2011 in the magazine, with lead singer Jordan Gatesmith named one of the 50 Coolest People of 2011. When asked why he chose to champion an obscure nascent indie band from Minnesota, the NME journalist said he was particularly impressed by Jordan’s stage presence. Their music was rough but full of potential; Jordan, on the other hand, was ready to explode. Since their catapult into the spotlight, he has become Howler’s main talking point. “He’s known for not giving a fuck and hating his hometown,” their publicity material reads, comparing Jordan to Julian Casablancas, swinging from the microphone with a bottle of Jack in hand. The description, along with NME’s dubious ‘cool people’ credit, is designed to impress 12-yearold boys and would-be tween groupies. It’s not
actually cool to act like a petulant dick – even 20-year-old Jordan Gatesmith knows that. “I’m not a cock,” he laughs, “I’m a decent human being, I swear. There’s nothing rock’n’roll about me. I can be a dick in interviews sometimes, but it only happens every once and a while and it’s mostly because I’m cranky or I didn’t get a nap that day or something like that. I had a great nap today. I slept for hours and I feel so nice.” Jordan’s not sure how he came to be known as a home-hater (he seems to have blocked out the Minnesota Public Radio interview where he joked that Minneapolis is where dreams go to die), but his reputation as a burgeoning enfant terrible is easy enough to trace. He’s not bad, he just struggles to take everything seriously. “I guess it’s good to have some sort of image,” he muses. “The Jordan being portrayed in live performances, in Howler, is actually completely different from who I really am. It’s actually kinda nice having two identities, I think. I can hide from my press identity and just be a little private with my own affairs.” So who is Jordan Gatesmith when he’s at home? “I love the faith, the homeless, I volunteer at youth group, I volunteer at the humane society from time to time – I’m just a godly young man,” he says, utterly deadpan. If Jordan takes up a lot of the spotlight, it’s because Howler is Jordan’s creation, the product of many furtive, fertile years spent ignoring his teachers and forming dozens of failed high school bands. “I never really paid attention in class,” he says, “I’d just sit there and sing different melodies to myself, or think of different beats and put melodies and beats together in my head. These ideas were constantly flowing through my mind, and I needed to channel them; I needed people around to channel them with me. After school I’d find people who played an instrument and ask them to jam with me, and I started a lot of different groups with a lot of different people, just trying to find new people to play with, deconstructing bands, reconstructing bands, kicking people out, adding people. I was writing lots of music very quickly, and I needed lots of people around to help me with it.”
“I’m bored with the musical landscape. We’re definitely part of some weird hipster bullshit scene, but I’d like to erase myself from it and be on my own.” Ironically, his first successful project came from isolating himself, being more reflective and recording music alone. Jordan birthed Howler in his bedroom and then brought the other four members in to form the live band. This is why when he talks about songwriting he only talks about himself – but on stage, it’s a different story. The band members riff with each other like seasoned professionals, witty and goofy and having a great time in their own little self-amused fun bubble. Jordan seems to have found a very sympathetic crew to bring his music to life. “No,” he laughs, “I don’t like them at all. We got off this last tour and the consensus was that we were never going to talk to each other ever again. It was respectful. It was kind of like, ‘That was terrible and I hate you all. Let’s shake hands and forget this ever happened.’ I’m sort of kidding but I’m also not. It’s complicated. Band relationships are a very complicated thing.” With a debut album fresh on the shelves, feted performances at SXSW just behind them and American press following the British lead, Howler are young, hot and hip – well placed to enjoy the spoils of rock’n’roll success. But Jordan Gatesmith isn’t interested; he’s on a much more serious mission. “I want some day to have that one song that can resonate with a large group of people,” he says. “I’m bored with the musical landscape. We’re definitely part of some weird hipster bullshit scene, but I’d like to erase myself from it and be on my own. I’m going to do a lot of studying of music, I’m going to do a lot of writing, and when something good hits – I know when something’s good and when it’s shit – I’ll know it’s really worthy. It’s almost like falling in love, you know? When you hear a song that’s so powerful and really resonates with you, it’s like you’re falling in love with that song. I want to make people feel that way.”
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What: America Give Up is out now on Rough Trade, through Remote Control Where: Oxford Art Factory, with Zulu Winter When: Wednesday July 25 More: Also at Splendour In The Grass, held July 27-29 at Belongil Fields, Byron Bay
Lawrence Arabia Wayfarer By Oliver Downes
B
ack in the olden days, when folks took the march of civilisation seriously and intercontinental travel took years, sailors would get a sparrow tattoo (or swallow, depending who you ask) upon successfully voyaging across the equator or clocking up 5000 miles of time at sea – and another to mark the journey home. ‘Safe travel, safe return’ went the thinking, in what seems a pre-modern take on earning one’s stripes. It thus appears entirely appropriate that globetrotting kiwi songwriter James Milne, AKA Lawrence Arabia, should name his third record in honour of the diminutive bird. Having spent much of the latter noughties throwing himself at the London scene, Milne returned to Aotearoa towards the end of 2010, older, wiser and ready for a rest – though as it turns out, the title’s historical significance is entirely coincidental. “I’d written down the words ‘The Sparrow’ in my notebook,” explains Milne from his bed in Auckland, “as some sort of guide title for the album. [I’d imagined it as] some sort of innocuous-looking, malevolent creature that was going around ruining things. I’d always envisaged that I’d change the title of the album, but could never come up with anything different, and The Sparrow was catchy somehow – and in some sort of subtle way, it does underpin the thematic content of the work and the sound of the album. But maybe that’s just me.”
“My innate New Zealand-ness tends to sabotage things – being ostentatious is kind of foreign to the New Zealand psyche.” What is clear is that The Sparrow is an immaculately produced collection, its many charms proving Milne’s ear for unusual melody and nuanced lyrical wit. Unlike 2009’s Chant Darling, which was the product of a determinedly one-man-band approach, this time around Milne elected to work with friends, with Connan Hosford (AKA Connan Mockasin) and Elroy Finn (younger son of Neil) providing the rhythm section. Lush horn and string arrangements provide some ornamentation, with Milne’s searching warble (which seems to effortlessly channel the spirit of George Harrison) sailing above the mix. “I went in with the idea that I would try to capture interesting musicians in a state of unpreparedness,” he says, “[and] let them use their instincts to create something interesting. It was a definite reaction to the previous record – I was getting into all of these crises during the recording of that one ... so I just wanted to simplify the process and do as much of it live as possible. Because I had this aesthetic limitation that I put on myself, it never got to that level of woe that can happen when you’re trying to pursue your vague idea of wanting to make something sound awesome, and not knowing how to do it.”
the goal, these days Milne is reconciled to the realities of life as an independent touring musician. “It really requires a philosophical mindset that accepts failure as the most probable option, and is willing to endure tedium, but also enjoy it for what it is,” he muses. “The reality and what you might dream of are pretty far removed from each other... “Now I just think of success as being able to keep doing it,” he continues. “The reality of people’s careers, the expenses and the mental travails they go through – I just think that keeping on is a huge measure of success. I mean, I’d still like to play big shows and theatres and stuff, it’s still there as a dream – [but] as an ideal of what I’d like to do with my career, I’d like to still be touring every couple of years, see the world. You can get a sense of being trapped in New Zealand, it’s so expensive to get anywhere and it’s so far. That’s a humble goal for me, to still be able to travel the world.” What: The Sparrow is out July 13 through Spunk Where: The Green Room, Enmore When: Tuesday July 3
“A POWERHOUSE OF EMOTIONAL JOLTS, freewheeling comedy and socially-minded storytelling. Like a whole season of ‘The Wire' packed into a single film." - THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
WINNER-JURY PRIZE
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
Though it may be thoroughly infused with the sounds and textures of the late-‘60s, Milne is certainly a songwriter of the moment. Alongside autobiographical sketches and whimsical musings, his lyrics often directly address the modern musical scene of which he is irreducibly a part, with songs such as ‘Talk About The Good Times’, ‘Beautiful Young Crew’ or ‘Perfect Specimens’ casting a scathing eye over a generation characterised as bloated with self-absorption and ennui, while being blithely unaware of its own privilege. Which begs the question: might Mr Arabia not be pissing in the well from which he drinks? “Yeah probably,” chuckles Milne. “Maybe it’s some sort of perverse, self-defeating thing that I’ve got going on. I’ve never wanted to pander to people... I don’t consider my audience when I write songs, unless I’m writing songs about them specifically. I often feel quite bombarded with modern music; you get so much information about people – [and] they’re all just like me, predominantly middle class people with no interesting stories,” he says. “There’s no mystique in modern music.” Boredom with the mundane realities of pakeha life seems to drive much of the Lawrence Arabia M.O., from his fascination with the music industry of the late-‘60s (“there’s a real romance to it”), to his restless pursuit of fame (if perhaps not fortune) in the northern hemisphere, to his choice of such a heroically over-blown moniker in the first place. “I’m not sure how successful it is all the time,” he says. “My innate New Zealand-ness tends to sabotage things – being ostentatious is kind of foreign to the New Zealand psyche, but it definitely was part of my rationale for having some kind of persona. I feel it does free me more than if I was just James Milne, singer-songwriter – which is also very unmystical and boring.” Though pursuit of dreams and stardust remains
a film by MAÏWENN
OPENS JUNE 28 at DENDY NEWTOWN / PALACE VERONA Strong sexual content
www.facebook.com/curiousfilm BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 15
The Ghost Inside Clear Eyes, Full Hearts By Lindsey Cuthbertson
Y
ou’d think that with a new album out, The Ghost Inside vocalist Jonathan Vigil would want to wax lyrical about nothing else. How wrong you would be... It’s The Ghost Inside’s first stint on the massive Vans Warped Tour, and Vigil is two days into achieving a goal that probably sounded better in theory than in practice. His beloved ice hockey team, the Los Angeles Kings, have just won the Stanley Cup, and the vocalist of the LA hardcore group is attempting to rep their jersey on stage as often as he can. “I’m going to try and wear it every day of this tour, but it’s really, really hot here right now so the first two shows were pretty brutal,” he admits. “I think there’s going to be a few shows where I won’t be able to wear it… but I’m going to do my best to wear it every day.” If the Kings were a basketball team it might be easier for Vigil, but ice hockey jerseys are far from lightly-meshed singlets: they are long-sleeved heat insulators. On top of that, the Kings’ primary colour is black – which makes for an item of clothing that is never good to wear every day of an outdoor summer festival. Vigil is refusing to shy away from the challenge though. “They just won the Stanley Cup for the first time ever since they became a team 45 years ago. I’ve got to wear it proudly – do you think they gave up when it
got too hot?” he asks. “No, they didn’t – so I shouldn’t have to either.” It’s the best possible time to speak to Vigil: The Ghost Inside’s third album Get What You Give has just been released on Epitaph Records, he’s living a musician’s dream by playing on the Warped Tour, and a week on he’s still buzzing from witnessing first-hand the Kings’ win in their hometown over the New Jersey Devils. “That win was huge,” he enthuses. “I was at the game and I was freaking out. I’m surprised I can even talk right now, because I’m pretty sure I blew my voice out screaming so hard – and that’s kind of crazy, because I scream for a living.” Vigil is incredibly knowledgeable about sport outside of hockey as well: he asks about AFL, rugby league and cricket (although he admits he has no idea what’s going on in the latter), in between professing his love for baseball team the Los Angeles Dodgers and an appreciation for American football. “But there’s no Los Angeles team right now,” he adds, “so it’s hard to pick a team; I’m a big fan of hometown pride.” He’s even into the English Premier League, and is planning on taking up an invitation to watch a Euro 2012 match with English group and fellow Warpers You Me At Six, once he has the time. “They’re obviously really into that and into the English team, so I hear about it
all the time. I was going to watch a game with them, but I didn’t get a chance.” You can put that down to how heavy the schedule is for a band on the Warped Tour – something that Vigil is still getting used to. The tour is hitting 41 US cities between June 16 and August 5, with a stop over in London in November for the first time in 14 years. He admits that at times he finds it overwhelming, but ultimately the pros far outweigh the cons.
“You have to wake up early and unload, figure out when you play and where you are, and then there are signings, interviews and press,” Vigil says. “So yeah, you’re busy and it’s kind of exhausting, but it’s seriously worth it. There’s so much exposure for your band. It’s just an incredible feeling.” What: Get What You Give is out now through Epitaph/Shock
Sures Seeing Stars By Benjamin Cooper
Tape/Off Backseat Bandits By Darragh Murray
W
hen you’re a newish band, touring with more seasoned acts can yield certain rewards – but spending all of May living the rock’n’roll life does border slightly on the unhealthy. “We spent a month with Wavves, on the road around Australia,” Matt Hogan, one half of Sydney duo Sures, enthuses. “It was completely off the chain hanging out with those guys. We pretty much just did what they told us to – which involved a lot of partying. It was the most fucked up I’ve ever been, prior to performing... I know it was an awesome tour, and we had a lot of fun, but I was pretty out of it for most of the tour. I struggle to remember specific shows, which was totally down to peer pressure,” he laughs. Sures consist of Hogan and schoolmate Jonas Nicholls, and they hail from Sydney’s North West. Following on from the successes of fellow local (and newly hirsute) Jonathan Boulet, Sures’ unique brand of pop is a complex array of loops, droning bass tones and the appropriate degree of ghostly vocal phrasing. In reply to my suggestion that being partied-out might impact the concentration needed on stage, Hogan is candid: “Well, we’ve gotten pretty good at what we do. But to be honest, on that [Wavves] tour we were pretty much only playing stuff off our first EP. This time half our set is new songs – which isn’t very hard considering there were only five songs on the first EP. So we have to be fixed up and looking sharp to play these new songs, or else it just won’t work.” The band released that EP, Stars, in March this year, with lead single ‘Poseidon’ creating big waves both online and through local radio. It’s an ambitious track that leaps from balladry and melancholia to soaring vocal harmonies, before finishing with an elegantly bawdy guitar solo screaming across the night. This pattern – underwriting an inherent pop mentality with eclecticism – suggests a significant amount
of consideration is undertaken when the band are composing… Or not. “Oh man, we don’t agonise over our music,” Hogan replies, slightly horrified. “We just get together and do what we do. Our touring band are joining us on this next tour, so we’ll have a dedicated bass player and a dedicated drummer. Which just means Jonas and I can play around more with loops and effects and stuff – and that can only be a good thing, right?” Hogan does admit that the band has some classical influences – but it’s in the most unlikely of quarters. “Our drummer is a virtuoso piano player,” he says, “and we’ve got him hidden away up the back. Do you think we’re wasting him? Well in any case, he’s physically the strongest and a really great drummer, so he has to keep the job.... Our bass player rules because she’s the most qualified person in the band, and has had the best training. And then you’ve got Jonas and me, who’ve between us had no vocal training and a few drum lessons.” After being signed to local label Ivy League Records just weeks ago, Sures are rehearsing ahead of their first ever headline tour. “Recently we had a little bit of time off from touring, so there was the opportunity to listen back to some of our favourite old songs, by bands like Underoath and Bright Eyes. I really couldn’t be sure if they’ve had an influence on how we write now – we’re obviously not a heavy act. But anyone who’s concerned should come on down to the show.” What: Stars EP is out now on Ivy League With: Woe & Flutter Where: GoodGod Small Club When: Thursday June 28 More: Also supporting Youth Lagoon on Saturday July 28 at The Factory Theatre
I
’m at Casa Branko, the studio underneath Tape/Off drummer Branko Cosic’s house, where the group regularly rehearses and record – but the space could double as a museum of contemporary Brisbane music history, albeit with a definitive Tape/Off slant. Merchandise from countless shows decorates the space, and posters of gigs Tape/Off have played are pasted across the walls: Harmony, Screamfeeder, Future Of The Left and even Lou Barlow – all artists who have shared stages with Tape/Off. Branko hands me a beer as I sit down, and it’s immediately apparent why many consider him one of the nicest guys in the local scene. Who could be more cordial than he? “Probably the guys from Violent Soho,” Branko answers. “No, seriously! Once you get to know them, they’re just way nice. They’ve obviously got the rock persona that you see in video clips and photos and all that sort of stuff. [But] if they saw an old lady fall on the street, they’d be the first to pick them up.” Although Tape/Off are about to undertake their first East Coast tour of Australia, they have been gigging consistently since the release of their well-received second EP, …And Sometimes Gladness, last September. I ask Branko how his band manages to maintain the seemingly endless energy that keeps their live shows fun. “Not writing set lists,” he answers without a pause. “We’ve got a bit of set flow. I know Fugazi used to do it – Fugazi rarely had the same set list twice. I always liked the idea of not having a set list, just feeling it out, however the night was going. “We do play quite a lot,” he continues. “Whether people are sick of us, I don’t know. I haven’t really heard from people saying ‘slow down’. Really cool opportunities have come and we’ve just said ‘yes’… But I could probably count on one hand the amount of headline shows we’ve done – this will be our fifth or sixth headline show. With all the other shows, opportunities have just [come from] people asking us just because they like us.” The appreciation from their peers is obvious, with the band’s often ear-splitting take on Pavement-
esque indie rock winning them a loyal local following and also catching the attention of tastemakers nationally and internationally – they’ll be playing the Vice magazine-curated night at FBi Social this Thursday, along with Tiny Migrants and The Nugs. According to Branko, Tape/Off’s inclination for loudness was evident from their first gig years ago at the iconic LoFly Hangar in Brisbane. “We were so fucking loud that night,” Branko says. “We had no idea how to play in front of a crowd so we played so fucking loud. The guys turned up their amps accordingly because I hit so hard... That first show was amazing.” But as much as playing loudly has been a selling point, it’s also managed to land the band in hot water on occasion – for instance, during their second gig, at Ric’s Café. “We asked the Belligerents to support us [at Ric’s]. They were amazing, people fucking loved them. Then we came on like sardines. We were fucking loud. I remember seeing the work sheet and was like, ‘What? 105 decibels, what?’ We really tried to play under volume. I was playing brushes and I thought that was fucking lame, so after three songs I fucked them off and grabbed the sticks…” In addition to Tape/Off, working full-time and recording groups like Gazar Strips, Moonjog and The Belligerents, Branko still manages to find time to drum for Kellie Lloyd. “Back in February there was the SLAM [Save Live Australian Music] day. Kellie was playing at the Esplanade Hotel. I so wanted to play that gig, but I could not get work off,” Branko says. “And you know who she gets to replace me? Clint Hyndman from Something For Kate! One of the guys that I always looked up to was replacing me! I always dreamt that I would replace him – him replacing me was just fucking unbelievable!” What: ‘Backseat’ is out now With: Tiny Migrants, The Nugs Where: Vice Party @ FBi Social When: Thursday June 28
“Now I’m all baboon boys, cootchie cootchie coo. Sort of wonder why I missed a kiss for you” - METRIC 16 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
arts frontline
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arts, theatre and film news... what's goin' on around town and more...
five minutes PHOENIX KEATING
school that I chose to do a VET course at TAFE – this led to me later learning from and working with retired designer Jenny Clarke. While continuing with Jenny, I took to some community courses in pattern making and sewing. How would you describe your style? A mix of classicism and the avant-garde. I love to use unconventional materials, for example Latex and rope binding. My colour palette is usually quite pared back; black and white are my staples, however mixing them up with nudes and vibrant reds in the right areas is also favourable. In regards to silhouette, I love the juxtaposition of the deconstructed with the sharpness of tailoring.
L
ocal fashion designer Phoenix Keating is Lady Gaga’s cup of tea – so we’re talking haute haute haute couture. Normally out of the grasp of mere mortals, his designs will be served up to the masses at the upcoming third instalment of Seven Hundred Photos – a series that basically sets up a wonderland of installations for the photographic pleasure of shutterbugs. Created by Jesse Willesee and his creative cohorts, the concept involves taking over seven hotel rooms on the upper level of Darlo Bar, each containing an art-fashion installation created by a different artist or designer – which punters are then free to snap as they please.
'The Kiss' – photograph by Jonathan May
World Press Photo: Mubarak steps down (Cairo, Egypt, 10 February 2011) by Alex Majoli, Italy, Magnum Photos
What’s your training/background in fashion? I was so enamoured with fashion during high
ART FOR JUNGLE
If you like jungles and art, you’re in luck: head along to The Standard this Thursday for a sale-type soiree raising funds for Greenpeace’s anti-deforestation campaigns. On the menu are prints, originals, fashion, accessories and jewellery by a lineup of local and interstate artists that includes illustrators Alice Amsel, Rohani Le Rossignol, Aylie Mcdowell and Helen Li, recycling rock’n’roll couturists Grimm Noir, and painter-cum-Tshirt-maker Sean Carver. A $5 donation to Greenpeace will get you through the door, after which you only have yourself to blame for blowing all that rent money. Thursday June 28 from 6pm at The Standard (Lvl 3, 383 Bourke Street, Taylor Square).
How did you get involved in Seven Hundred Photos? I received a call from Jesse and I liked the concept. It appealed to me on an artistic level and I was very happy to oblige and become a part of it. I feel that it provides a creative outlet that, as a designer, one would not usually receive. What will you be sharing at the event? I will be presenting select pieces from the collection DE-SEX which was shown in May, but I will be twisting them in a way... I won’t say too much – you’ll have to come and see for yourself! What was the inspiration for DE-SEX? The clothing of Belgian housewives around the 1700s; as I looked at their outfits I began to see the foundations of modern day fetish wear emerging – and that’s where DE-SEX began. In general I’m inspired by 1940s fashion, but many different historical periods have reigned over
OOOH LA-LA!
We’re giving you plenty of notice for this one, so you have time to get your best frock/ threads in order: 34B Burlesque are taking on the land of love for their next soirée, paying tribute to everything from the Belle Epoque to 1920s Paris, Moulin Rouge and X-rated Montmartre, the Nouvelle Vague… It’s a French frolic! Your belles du jour will be Holly J’aDoll, Rita Fontaine, Frankie Faux, Bijou Belle, Baby Blue Bergman, pole-dancing queen Electric Dreams, and newcomer Mystique Rose – all wrangled by the inimitable MC Francois Bublé, who should be even more than usually in his element. Friday July 13 (Bastille Day eve) at 34B (44 Oxford St Darlinghurst). Tickets from qbar. iwannaticket.com.au
various aspects of my design aesthetic. Tell us the story about dressing Gaga! Well it started with my very first collection. I awoke to an email in my inbox, the subject read: “URGENT REQUEST FOR LADY GAGA” – and a week later the entire collection was in New York on the racks of Nicola Formichetti. But it was not used. Then one year later, after the showing of my second collection, the exact same subject popped up again in my inbox. The email, however, was different, saying that Lady Gaga would be in Sydney and would love to wear some of my pieces while here. I sent them again and she wore two whole outfits, which i was ecstatic about! Unfortunately I never met her though. She just wore my clothes. Tell us about this dress (pictured): It’s made from black mesh, and the rope over the top was hand tied and stitched by me and has gold clasps which I fixed onto the rope ends to take the harsh fetish edge off. I was inspired to create this piece taking the fetish hood concept as well as the rope binding concept, and using the sheer mesh to reveal a less constricted, womanly figure.
World Press Photo 2012 kicks off at the State Library of NSW this week, in conjunction with their third annual Festival Of Photography. A snapshot (har) of the world’s best photojournalism from 2011, the exhibition will feature over 200 images from around the world, and across categories as divergent as current affairs and sports. While you’re there, you can also check out the local talent in Photos 1440, which is the same kinda idea, but uniquely featuring images by Sydney Morning Herald photographers. Both shows run from June 30-July 22 at State Library of NSW (Macquarie Street, Sydney CBD) and they’re FREE. sl.nsw.gov.au
Former triple j unearthed winner Yunyu is bringing her critically acclaimed show Twisted Tales to CarriageWorks this weekend. Inspired by the Grimms fairytales her father used to read her growing up in Singapore, the show is a heady mix of her own characters (including an over-zealous plastic surgeon called Mr Midnight) brought to life by Yunyu and her six-piece band, and with visuals by New York Times best-selling manga artist Queenie Chan. We have two double passes to check it out this Saturday June 30; to get your hands on one, email us with the name of one song by Yunyu. yunyu.com.au Yunyu
BONDI FEAST
Tamarama Rock Surfers (the theatre company behind The Old Fitzroy and Bondi Pavilion theatres) have come up with a diabolical plan to draw Sydney’s creatives down to Bondi this winter – an irresistible lineup of playwrights (including Toby Schmitz, Duncan Graham, Vanessa Bates, Tim Spencer, Jessica Tuckwell, Caleb Lewis, Suzie Miller and Sam Atwell) writing one-off short theatre works for TRS’ inaugural Bondi Feast festival. Taking place over two weeks in July, the festival will also feature bite-sized bits of music, comedy and food, all bound together no doubt by beer and mulled wine. July 17-28 at the Bondi Pavilion Theatre – for the full lineup, see rocksurfers.org
THE REGINALD
GALLERY BURLESQUE
WORLD PRESS PHOTO 2012
YUNYU’S TWISTED TALES
What: 700 Photos feat Phoenix Keating, Alex Goddard and Laurel & Hector, with live music from Buzz Kull and New Brutalists Where: Darlo Bar / 306 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst When: Thursday June 28 from 7pm More: phoenixkeating.com / sevenhundredphotos.tumblr.com
Now in its second year, Seymour Centre’s theatre space, The Reginald, launched its five-show 2012 season last week. The eclectic, Australian-made lineup includes: a new dance work by award-winning choreographer and director Sue Healey; comedian Damian Callinan’s acclaimed one-man show The Merger (nominated for a Barry Award for the most outstanding show of this year’s Melbourne Comedy Festival); a production of Tony Awardwinning composer and lyricist Adam Guettel’s song cycle Myths And Hymns (directed by Kate Gaul); Deborah Thomson’s Sydney Fringe hit My Private Parts; and five.point.one’s awardwinning Adelaide production of Daniel Keene’s visceral drama The Share. First cab off the rank is Sue Healey’s The Variant, kicking off July 26 – for details and tickets, head to thereginald.com
1st prize General News Singles – by Alex Majoli
Missed it at Sydney Film Festival? Never fear, we have five in-season double passes to check out Maïwenn’s Cannes Jury Prizewinner Polisse – a drama set in a Parisian Child Protection Unit. To get your hands on one, check out our story on page 18 and tell us how many César Award nominations it got…
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POLISSE! TICKETS! WIN!
One for the diary: having tackled a Tim Burton tribute and Doppelganger Dames, regular neo-burlesque night Gallery Burlesque will take on Harry Potter for their next instalment: Harry Potter And The Curse Of The Tassel Twirl. Expect re-enactments of your favourite scenes by a lineup of game belles and babes that includes Sheena Miss Demeanour, Baby Blue Bergman, Fancy Piece, Frankie Faux, and Mr Boylesque Australia 2012, Raven. Assuming there’s nothing involving a stripping Voldemort or a pole-dancing Hagrid, this sounds like a lotta fun. Sunday July 22 from 7.30pm at The Standard (Lvl 3, 383 Bourke Street, Taylor Square).
TIGER STREET SOCCER
The only thing better than beer and soccer is playing/watching soccer while drinking beer – so head down to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay this Saturday June 30 from 10am til late for the Tiger Street Soccer tournament, a diabolical confluence of Tiger Beer, YOU, and 15 local teams, all dukeing it out alongside international street soccer superstars the Pele Trick Stars (aka the
FIND LOVE AT BEACH ROAD HOTEL
In conjunction with Winter Warmers fundraising festival this weekend, Beach Road Hotel is hosting an exhibition (followed by an auction) of 50 prints by renowned and awardwinning Australian photographers – all around the theme of ‘love’, and all raising funds for local charity Bondi Youth Accommodation. Bidding starts at $10, and the lineup includes Head On Photo Festival People’s Choice winner Jonathan May, fashion photographer Jennifer Stenglein (Vogue, Oyster), Kristian TaylorWood (Dazed & Confused), and music photographer Sarah Enticknap (including shots of The Flaming Lips and Elbow’s Guy Garvey). You can check out the exhibition from now until the auction, which takes place Saturday June 30 @ Beach Road Hotel (71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach).
Harlem Globetrotters of the street soccer world). There’s also art by Beastman and Numskull, DJs, freestylers – and did we mention beer? tigerstreetsoccer.com.au
CLUB CAB SAV
And finally, some good news: after intermittent bursts of revivification, Cab Sav all-sorts cabaret soiree nights are launching a regular alt-comedy night called Club Cab Sav. A fixture of Sydney’s arts underground after they emerged in 2006, Cab Sav had a couple of years hiatus after the demise of Lanfranchis Memorial Discotheque – so it’s nice to see they’ve found a new home at GoodGod. Celebrate the return with an old-school all star lineup that includes Nick Coyle, post, Zoe Coombs Marr, Annaliese Constable and Kenzie Larsen, as well as comedy duo Smart Casual and actress/comedian Emma Beech – July 18 @ GoodGod Small Club (and then every third Wednesday of the month thereafter). BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 17
Polisse
Law & Order à Paris By Kit O’Connor “The cops were so on the edge, and so fragile. They all had a personal reason to work there – a brother who had been a victim, or an uncle who had been a paedophile; I always knew that they were there for personal reasons, so that makes them also a victim.”
The officers of Belleville’s Child Protection Unit, in Polisse
B
y the time it reached Sydney Film Festival this month, Polisse had been cutting a swathe through the international cinema scene for over 12 months. An unflinchingly real drama set inside a Parisian Child Protection Unit, it swept up the Jury Prize at last year’s Cannes, followed by 13 César nominations (the French Academy Awards) and prizes for editing and most promising actress. When it opened in France last October, up against juggernauts like The Help and The Adventures Of Tintin, it maintained top position at the box office for two weeks. At last count, it had made $20 million worldwide – not bad for a film with a budget of $7 million.
Polisse is the result of a massive labour of love by 36-year-old French actress and director Maïwenn, who sought out an internship with one of the Paris Police Department’s Child Protection Units after seeing a TV documentary on their work – and subsequently channelled her experiences into the film, in which she also stars, as young photo-journalist Melissa, who is commissioned by the Police Department to do a ‘puff piece’ documenting the work of the CPU officers. “I didn’t want to judge the policemen [and] I didn’t want to judge the victims or the guilty people,” Maïwenn explained to the audience after the film’s Sydney premiere, “because [by the time] I finished the internship, I
was feeling empathy towards the guilty people. So I really wanted to transmit this emotion through the movie. The cops were so on the edge, and so fragile. They all had a personal reason to work there – a brother who had been a victim, or an uncle who had been a paedophile; I always knew that they were there for personal reasons, so that makes them also a victim.” While the visual style of the film is defined by the lo-fi handheld aesthetics of news-crew or documentary footage, the narrative is finely wrought, interweaving Melissa’s story with those of several of the CPU officers, and handling difficult subject matter with as much levity as drama. “I really wanted to be as close as I could to the reality,” says Maïwenn, whose internship involved shadowing officers day and night, listening to their cases questioning them about their lives. “But also you have to [temper] that reality [with drama] – you can’t just be real. Otherwise I’d be making a documentary. I like making films, I like to put the music, I like to work with the actors. The reality is not just one thing you have to follow.” The film’s happiest moments – including a scene where the officers let off steam at the disco, and another where a bus of children recently evacuated from a gypsy squat begin to dance – were unexpectedly the ones that Maïwenn had to fight hardest to keep in the film; while those around her felt they were too unrealistic,
G IV EA W AY S
Director Maïwenn stars as Melissa in Polisse
PAINTED SKIN: THE RESURRECTION
F
rom the director of martial arts action comedy The Butcher, The Chef and The Swordsman comes Painted Skin: The Resurrection, a martial-artsmeets-demons romantic epic about a lovelorn Princess of the Han Dynasty who makes a pact with a heart-eating demon in order to the secure the attentions
of her one true love – without realising that those kind of deals always have a catch. Visually lavish and screening in 3D, Painted Skin: The Resurrection promises to be an uncannily perfect oriental antidote to a certain other current blockbuster fantasy about beauty and evil and love…
Painted Skin: The Resurrection opens June 28 at Event Cinemas George Street and Macquarie, and Greater Union Burwood and Hurstville.
We have four in-season double passes up for grabs to check it out; to get your hands on one, email freestuff@ thebrag.com with the title of one other Chinese film.
18 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
she recognised that they provided necessary relief for the audience. Those scenes also represent what Maiwenn observed to be necessary moments of relief for the officers. In one of the film’s most confronting (and yet irresistibly funny) scenes, three officers, while questioning a teenage girl who admits to providing blowjobs to boys who stole her phone, unexpectedly dissolve into giggles. “I was [working within the CPU] when this girl came in and said what she [had done] for her smart phone,” the director recalls. “I have to say, the cops were not laughing like in the movie, [but] because I was [working] with them and I knew their personalities – I could feel through their eyes and through their expression that they were laughing so much inside… Sometimes with the movie you have to push the idea further, and sometimes you have to get the idea less strong,” she explains. “I [realised] after two days [of] my internship [that] they really needed to have this black humour, otherwise it’s too hard; this is the best armour they had to push away the misery. After a few days I was already using the same jokes.” A former child actress who had two previous feature films as a director under her belt – both of which she also starred in – Maïwenn says that juggling the two roles on Polisse was nevertheless difficult, and admits that there were moments of tension
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between her and the cast. “It was hard to use a different energy as an actress, in the sense that when I was on the set I was the director and I needed to be the example for the crew and for the actors – I needed to always [be in] good humour, be positive – but my character [Melissa] is the opposite of that; she’s like a little cat on the sidelines, very shy, and I said to myself this is a bad decision to have chosen to be this part.” Even with her substantial body of work and this latest film’s success, Maïwenn professes to still lacking confidence in her chosen career – something she ascribes to being an outsider from a young age. “Coming from a really poor family…and [being] one year younger than the others [at school] – I have this memory of always running around after things I didn’t have as a child: the ‘right’ jeans, the right shoes; I didn’t have a television, so I couldn’t be part of the discussion about those things.” At the age of 12 she dropped out of school and started taking her classes by correspondence; by the age of 16, she had dropped out of the education system altogether. “I feel like it is a handicap for me now, having missed out on that sense of structure – structure for the mind – that school teaches.” At the same time, she allows that being an outsider also contributed to her keen sense of observation. “And I had bad marks at school, I was always sitting at the back of the class,” she adds, laughing – “so maybe that helped!” What: Polisse – Dir. Maïwenn When: In cinemas from June 28
Stefan Gregory Stefan Gregory – photo by Heidrun Löhr
[THEATRE] Sound Design By Dee Jefferson
the scenes directly before and directly after those things. That way, the audience imagines what we don’t show – which becomes more theatrically interesting. So my job became to sort of soundtrack the audience’s imagination. What was missing from the show was the ‘epic mythology’ of the story, so we tried to make the soundtrack about that – and so the music had a really specific role to play, in that show.”
M
ost times, if a sound designer does their job right, you won’t even notice it; similarly, you’ll hear many film editors and cinematographers tell you that the mark of their job well done is the fact that no-one notices the editing or camerawork – they’re too wrapped up in the story. Stefan Gregory takes frequent exception to the rule – for instance, in Simon Stone’s punk adaptation of the Greek tragedy Thyestes, where his work on sound design, which included a soundtrack heavy on Wu-Tang Clan and Ice Cube, Roy Orbison, Queen, and even some interstitial Schubert and Handel, was one of the production’s most enjoyable elements. Or his compositions for Baal (also directed by Stone, for whom the young composer and sound designer is becoming a go-to), which included those discordant, menacingly nihilistic guitars. When I sit down with Gregory, he’s taking time out from sitting in on the rehearsals for Stone’s upcoming Belvoir production of Death Of A Salesman. “Working with Simon now is quite easy, because we’ve done so many shows together in the last few years; there’s a language,” says Gregory (who is also a regular for award-winning expat director Benedict Andrews, taking sound design duties on The War Of The Roses, Measure For Measure and The Seagull). “Thyestes was interesting; we did several versions of the script – the first versions had the action play out on stage, these horrible rapes and murders and dismemberings; and then we sort of thought that with the hyperreal quality of the dialogue, it was almost a bit too gruesome and strange when you did that. So we decided it might be better to remove all the actual action from the play, and just never show the gruesome stuff – just show
At the other end of the creative spectrum is his work on productions like Old Man, currently playing at Downstairs Belvoir: you do notice the urgent violin bowing between scenes in the first half, and the constant single ‘pings’ throughout the second half – but they don’t take centre stage. “Old Man and Wild Duck were hard, in a way,” Gregory admits, “because you’ve got a functional role: you have to put some music in there that’s gonna cover up the blackouts [between scenes]. But it’s good to find a role that the music can play [in the narrative] – in both of those, it was about zooming out a little bit [between scenes] but also maintaining the energy of the piece as a whole.” Gregory says [Death Of A Salesman] doesn’t require that much sound – “Well, at the moment,” he quickly clarifies. “That changes so quickly: on Wild Duck I think we had three sound cues in the show, and then after the second preview we decided we needed another fifteen or twenty, so I had to rearrange everything.” In addition to his work behind the scenes, Gregory occasionally appears on stage – as in Neighbourhood Watch, where he doubled as the local chemist/piano player, or The War Of The Roses, where he created an eerie underlying live soundtrack using a guitar, an amplifier and eight effects pedals. Gregory’s time as a member of local indierockers Faker prepared him for onstage performance – but one of the most remarkable things about his work is trying to tally it with the fact that he’s a former computer programmer with one degree in maths and another (unfinished) in jazz theory. “My dad taught me [guitar] when I was a kid, he was a folk musician... And then I taught myself a lot of theory, because I was into that, as a ‘maths head’… I don’t quite know how this is my fulltime occupation now,” he concludes, self deprecatingly. “It’s bizarre – but quite fortunate, really!” What: Old Man / Death Of A Salesman Where: Belvoir Street Theatre When: Until July 15 / June 23 – August 19
Cameron Carpenter [MUSIC] Pipe Dreams By Alice Hart
W
hen Cameron Carpenter comes to Sydney Opera House this week, he’ll be dusting off the Concert Hall organ and taking it for a spin – but he’ll be wishing he wasn’t. The 30-year-old music prodigy (currently an artist in residence with the Berlin Philharmonic) has been playing the organ for the better half of his life and even designs them these days, and as far as he’s concerned, our organ is just something he’s going to have to suffer with – until something better comes along (more on that later). In an area of music more commonly the purview of middle-aged and religious types, Carpenter is virtually a superstar, almost single-handedly revolutionising the old-fashioned instrument and its repertoire over the last four years, via sheer force of personality, prodigious talent, flashy sartorial choices (for a long time his performance attire of choice involved a tightfitting, Swarovski-encrusted tee, but he tells me that recently he’s been wearing more Chanel), and his Grammy-nominated album, Revolution. For Carpenter, the revolution is an ideology, and talking with him is like receiving a sermon. He has ideas – and he’s frustrated by the inability of the world to keep up with him. “The organ itself, especially in the English-speaking world, runs about 20 years behind the rest of classical music, which is still itself painfully out of date on a lot of fronts,” he declares. “When one studies the organ, there’s a tacit assumption that you’ll have a church job – so already, there’s an assumption that you’ll be the hand-maiden of some other activity, rather than pursuing your own work or your own vision.” There’s also an assumption that the organ-player must adapt to each instrument he or she plays – which, when you consider that no two organs are alike, and are typically in states of disrepair, is a steep challenge. (It will take Carpenter between three and four days to familiarise himself with the Concert Hall’s pipe organ.) Carpenter is not from a musical or a religious family; he discovered the organ at the age of four or five when he saw a picture of someone playing one, and his first instrument was a Hammond B-3 electronic organ. “I really do not hold with almost anything about the way traditional organists view the instrument or what is an appropriate relationship to it – or indeed, what is appropriate to play on it!” he retorts. The final step in Carpenter’s campaign for world organ domination is the completion of his personal ‘touring organ’ – a digital model designed my himself. “I want to have the same relationship that Joshua Bell has with his violin: I want to walk on stage – no matter where the hell I’m playing – and be confident that I’m playing an instrument of the highest quality, with which I have a deep ongoing relationship,” he tells me. When the manufacture of his touring organ is
completed (this winter, he anticipates) Carpenter will never be forced to compromise his skills on a pipe organ again; and so his upcoming show at Sydney Opera House seems likely to be the last of its kind. So what will Carpenter be playing? While he doesn’t believe in announcing programs before the night – he thinks people should come for the performer, not the music – he says it may include his own arrangements of Rufus Wainwright and Leonard Cohen, music from Truffaut and Kubrick films, his original compositions, and probably something by Australian pianist and composer Percy Grainger, who Carpenter says has been a key influence. Besides these, Carpenter has confirmed that he’ll definitely be playing what he calls the ‘Syncretic Prelude and Fugue in D’: his own arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne in D Minor (“which is, at 15 minutes, one of the ultimate statements of humanity,” he gushes), and the last movement of the great finale to Mahler’s 5th Symphony (“My transliteration of Mahler’s 5th into a ‘monologue’ for solo organ was something I spent an entire year of my life on during high school, I skipped almost all of my classes,” he recalls.) “[Together] they add up to one of the most pregnant and powerful musical statements… This is a very rare chance to hear them together.” Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Saturday June 30 @ 3pm More: sydneyoperahouse.com
Rupert Sanders [FILM] Fairytale Ending By Dee Jefferson
W
hen the first trailer dropped last November – a hallucinogenic slice of dread-laced fantasy in which ravens disintegrate into flocks of ravens, soldiers shatter into shards of black glass, Kristen Stewart wears chainmail, and Charlize Theron has the world’s most sinister milk bath – Snow White And The Huntsman quickly became one of 2012’s most anticipated films. And audiences around the world started asking – who the hell is Rupert Sanders, and how did he score such a mammoth debut feature assignment? Sanders has been honing his distinctive, extravagant visual and Lynchian narrative sensibilities for ten or so years in the commercials industry, with work for Adidas, Nike, Absolut, and hot gaming properties X-Box, Call of Duty and Halo. Winning top gongs at peak commercial markets like Cannes Lions, and branching out creatively with sci-fi-horror short Black Hole and a grisly clip for How To Destroy Angels (aka Trent Reznor’s side project), Sanders eventually attracted the attention of Hollywood, with Universal actually pitching the behemoth bigbudget Snow White production at him, rather than the other way around. Although initially skeptical, Sanders quickly saw the potential for marrying his visual sensibilities with the script’s more masculine take on the fairytale, which brings the character of The Huntsman (a boozing, brawling axe-man, played by Chris Hemsworth) to the foreground. “And then for me it was [a case of] what do I
want to see, and what would excite me about this film – so it was about creating an epic medieval war movie, with a kind of Joan of Arc/Luke Skywalker character who rallies the masses… It’s an archetypal story really; I mean, we’re not reinventing the wheel in that respect, but what we are reinventing is the machinations of the fairytale.” Within 24 hours of reading the script, Sanders had created a virtual ‘mood board’ for the film’s aesthetic: “A lot of stuff like Gustave Doré, [British-Victorian fairy painter] Richard Dadd, some Arthur Rackham, and some preRaphaelite [paintings] – Ophelia, Lady of the Lake… The kinds of things that inspired me as a kid in museums and stuff.” Sanders started his career studying Graphic Design at London’s Central St Martins. (He remembers watching Atonement director Joe Wright through the little window of his basement editing lab, cutting student films on an old Steenbeck – “It was quite magical”). After graduating, he scored a gig in the art department of American History X, directed by British commercials director Tony Kaye. “He gave me [my first] break – he sent me back to England and said ‘You should be a director’, and put me in touch with some people in advertising.” Sanders ran with the opportunity, hauling arse to shoot a commercial on spec for Sony Walkman (which they bought) and then returning to Kaye to ask for a job. “So I was there for like three years, steadily making slightly bigger and slightly better commercials
Thor, Bella & Rupert Sanders on the set of Snow White And The Huntsman as I got better and as the scripts got better.” While his work for gaming campaigns and his background in graphic design might suggest a CGI-heavy production, Snow White was largely created ‘in-camera’, with extravagant set design. “I'd just rather be immersed in the real world when I’m photographing it; and when the actor can immerse themselves in the world – they’re in it and they can see it and smell it – that’s much more exciting to me,” says the director. In terms of filmic influences, he cites Polanski’s hallucinatory and grisly Macbeth,
and says his taste generally runs towards epics like Lawrence Of Arabia, the visually extravagant productions of Terry Gilliam, Peter Greenaway and Nicolas Roeg, and the blockbusters of Ridley Scott. “[But] it’s just instinctual,” he says of the process. “You don’t know what you’re doing – you just go with your gut and hope it makes sense; I mean, you’re making so many decisions every second of every day, you just hope you’re making the right ones.” What: Snow White And The Huntsman When: Showing in cinemas from June 21
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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.
■ Theatre
the name because they “can replace anyone, just as the mountain range can”.
Until July 15 / Belvoir Street
It’s a tenuous metaphor, and the morality of their pursuit is equally questionable. Is it OK to sleep with your fake father, or an oedipal tragedy? Is it wrong to hope a car accident victim on life-support will die, so you can step into her shoes? These and other moral conundra are faced/ignored by Monte Rosa on her daily rounds, via a series of vignettes that could have been penned by Samuel Beckett. The major drama comes when she tries to turn fiction into reality. And in Lanthimos’s Greece, fiction is hard to escape. It’s the only protection against social breakdown.
OLD MAN So often in the theatre, the storylines seemed contrived. The plot turns seem unlikely, the characters seem over the top, and you just end up thinking “that would never happen.” Sometimes that’s totally fine and absolutely the point, but in other cases, supposed ‘naturalism’ is anything but natural. Old Man’s greatest success is that it never feels forced, despite dealing with some pretty emotional material. Each moment of fear or heartbreak is truthfully rendered by a great cast, under the perfectly measured direction of Anthea Williams.
brett chan - rescue the future
PICS :: KC
Set in Newtown, Old Man brings us into the mind of Daniel (Leon Ford) a youngish father who along with his wife Sam (Alison Bell) are bringing up their kids (Tom Usher and Madeleine Benson) in the inner city. Daniel’s father left him when he was barely a child and the play centres on his fear of history repeating. It plays out more as a study in the aftershocks of leaving a family and as such, leaves the audience with more than a few scenarios to ponder.
15:06:12 :: China Heights :: 3/ 16-28 Foster St Surry Hills
Despite not being autobiographical, the play is obviously deeply personal, with playwright Matthew Whittet creating a nuanced family full of love, frustration and confusion. Williams and the cast have brought them to life with the same amount of love with which they were written; the family dynamic is perfect among the four as we watch the siblings fight and the parents cave. The acting is truly superb. Ford’s central performance is outstanding as he takes us from the extreme paranoia to extreme charm (the scene where he is doing his son’s homework is too adorable), while Bell allows us into Sam’s vulnerability with apparent ease. Even Usher and Benson seem perfectly at home in the intimate downstairs theatre, which is the perfect setting for this sort of life-laid-bare production. Henry Florence ■ Film
ALPS
sydney film festival hub
PICS :: KC
Winner of the Sydney Film Festival Official Competition
15:06:12 :: Lower Town Hall :: 483 George Street, Sydney
Arts Exposed What's in our diary...
The Wall presents
CONFESSION BOOTH
Alps is as black as a black comedy can get before it’s not a comedy anymore, but a Munchian scream into the abyss. With jokes. It’s a funny but disturbing modern fairytale by writer/director Giorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth), about middle-class Greeks who fill their lives with ersatz relationships, complete with 100% play-acted emotions. Are they scared of reality? Definitely. Does “real” even exist in a world like this? Maybe not. That’s a cold prospect, but Alps manages to turn down the temperature while being constantly engaging. Poker-faced Dogtooth star Aggeliki Papoulia returns in Alps as Monte Rosa, a young nurse who moonlights as a “stand-in”: hiring herself out to newly-bereaved families as their replacement daughter, to help them adjust to the loss (or to help them pretend it didn’t happen). Monte Rosa is so-called because she’s part of a group of stand-ins called “The Alps”. Group leader, paramedic Monte Blanc (Aris Servetalis), gives them
Oscar-nominated Dogtooth was hailed as a breakthrough for a new generation of post-GFC Greek filmmakers known as the ‘Weird Wave’. But the moniker doesn’t aid in the interpretation of Alps. ‘Weird’ suggests that it’s being wilfully bizarre or silly, and neither is the case. The use of the absurd may not be naturalistic, but it’s a valid technique that only serves to deepen the exploration of the meaning of life (or lack thereof). Camus describes “the absurd man” as the most enlightened of all because he knows the search for meaning is futile, but perseveres anyway. By that measure, Alps is a tour de force. Maybe if Australia was in as bad a place as Greece, it would be more immediately relevant – but we all have our fictions. Nikos Andronicos ■ Film
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS Until June 27 / Chauvel Cinema It is true what many of you have heard: The Cabin in the Woods is best experienced with as little knowledge of its narrative and conceptual goings-on as possible. To a degree, of course, this is true of most storytelling. All prior knowledge of plot points or subtext colours your experience of the film or show or book, and for those of us who are dedicatedly anti-spoiler, being led blindly and trustingly through the story by a skilled teller is one of the narrative arts' greatest pleasures. A film that relies entirely on a twist, however, is a poor film indeed (the difference between, say, The Sixth Sense and The Village). I went in smugly unspoiled and I was consistently delighted by each deft new revelation of the plot. If you too value going in blind, just know that this is an incredibly surprising, clever and fun addition to the horror/fantasy pantheon, and a must-see for anyone who appreciates Whedonesque meta-commentary. Now stop reading (and avoid the film’s Wikipedia page, because the entire plot is laid out in detail). I won’t discuss the central conceit of the film even vaguely, because as noted above, the way it reveals itself one careful detail at a time is masterful. The film was produced by pop-culture auteur Joss Whedon, directed by Drew Goddard (who wrote several episodes of Buffy, Angel, Lost and Alias, as well as Cloverfield) and co-written by both. Whedon’s involvement in particular, as well as the film’s genresavvy self-awareness and quips, have
Wednesday July 4 from 7.30pm / Top Floor World Bar
Lou Sanz, with typewriter
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The Wall are onto a good thing with their Confession Booth series; it turns out no-one doesn’t like hearing funny/clever people tell embarrassing personal stories. Their next event will feature Melbourne writer-slashcomedian Lou Sanz (Please Don’t Use My Flannel For That), bloggerslash-broadcaster Max Lavergne (reallyreallyreallytrying.tumblr.com), Sydney comedienne Gen Fricker, writer-slash-broadcaster Shaun Prescott (2SER / shaunprescott. com), Vine/TwoThousand/etc writer Bethany Small, and Sydney musician, scientist and radio journalist Joel Werner (Off Track on ABC Radio National). Lists! It’s hosted by A.H. Cayley, and it’s FREE.
Richard Jenkins, Fred and Josh Lyman in The Cabin In The Woods
See www.thebrag.com for more arts reviews
Film & Theatre Reviews Hits and misses on the silver screen and the bareboards around town.
seen it compared repeatedly to Scream. While there are similarities in tone and approach, Cabin seems less likely to upend the teen horror genre the way Kevin Williamson’s smirking slasher homage did in the ‘90s, spawning endless snarking Scooby gangs of doomed starlets – primarily because Cabin turns the meta spotlight on the entire teen horror genre so cleverly that it’s hard to imagine where potential imitators would even begin. The shocks are genuine and effectively earned, the special effects agreeably balanced between convincing and schlocky, and the riffing on horror clichés are very clever and incredibly fun to spot and deconstruct. It’s perfectly cast Whedon dialogue isn’t easy and neither is the surprisingly subtle character work involved, but everyone from Kiwi newcomer Anna Hutchison to the incomparable partnership of Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford is noteperfect. More than anything, though, it’s really fucking funny – the dryly meta, obliviously meta and straight-up snarky jokes flow as fast and freely as the fake blood. Caitlin Welsh ■ Dance
INTERMISSION Until June 30 / PACT Watch very closely as you enter the PACT space for Matthew Day’s Intermission. Emerging from the narrow entrance space into the almost completely darkened theatre alone, it’s easy to miss the ghostly face bobbing eerily in the blackness. But it’s there, moving almost imperceptibly forwards and backwards as the lights come down entirely.
Snap What you wore last weekend...
That kind of attention to detail will serve you well throughout the surprisingly gruelling sixty minutes of Intermission. Day’s choreography is essentially small variations on a very simple motif – his body rocks from side to side, his arms swing wider, he takes bigger steps, his torso shifts more noticeably. It’s easy to think he is simply performing the same action over and over again until you realise he’s actually traversed half the incredibly wide stage in the last ten minutes. It’s a relentless wave of movement, and the thudding, droning sub-bass soundtrack mixed live by James Brown adds to the feeling of being slowly wrung dry. There’s a meditative aspect to the work – complete surrender is needed to perceive the small changes and shifts in Day’s movement. If you can make that surrender, you might realise that he’s asking questions about pattern and repetition, about both the possibility and oppressiveness of the human body. It’s exhausting to watch a body stuck in a cycle, but it does call attention to how much of our life is spent repeating actions infinitely. As Intermission enters its final moments, the realisation that the movement that this body is not going to break out of its pre-determined trajectory is heartbreaking. Intermission is not comfortable viewing, and in the moment-to-moment experience of it frustration and even boredom threatens to overwhelm. But this is a work greater than the sum of its parts. Observe how thoughtlessly you leave the theatre and make your way home, how many things your body does without your attention, and suddenly, the whole thing makes a very tragic kind of sense. Rebecca Saffir
Street Level With Nell (facebook.com/Nellbunny)
A
s part of Campbelltown Arts Centre’s new show, a bunch of local artists were paired with musicians to create new works – including local artist Nell, who was matched with Bec from Wollongong punk-rockers BabyMachine. With previous shows ranging from sculpture and paintings to installations – and even a collaboration with fashion label Romance Was Born – this latest show sees Nell turn her hand to video art… How did the art start? I’m NOT from a creative family; I left Maitland to go to art school in Sydney then kept going to art school in LA, came home and made art and had shows, helped run an artist-run space called Rubyarye, made more art and had more shows, went back to art school in Paris, came home and made more art and had more shows!
How would you sum up your practise? When I’m working I try not exclude any possibility, any thought, any material. But ultimately the work has to be about something, and the prevailing themes in my work at the moment are a mishmash of Buddhism, Christianity, rock ‘n’ roll and art-history, with a touch of urban shamanism thrown in! I like to make spaces of private worship; weird spaces of devotion and rock ‘n’ roll chapels with objects that look like they are part of some unknown ritual.
xxxxx
How did you discover BabyMachine? I had recently worked with some amazing rock chicks for [Tasmanian festival] MONA FOMA and they recommended BabyMachine. Tell us about your video work for Transmission: I’m sitting cross-legged, meditating on Bec’s ‘Marsha’ amp wearing a black robe while she is making some pretty
crazy sounds on her red guitar (and wearing a Motörhead T-shirt). As all sound exists in relation to silence we called the work quiet/ loud. Obviously I’m embodying the ‘quiet’ and she is the ‘loud’. But the inverse is also true because the first thing you’ll notice when you sit still is how noisy your mind is; and yet when your whole being is fully engaged in an activity – in this case rocking out on a guitar – that there is no room for other thoughts. We wrote a list about all these opposites and then we just did it: quiet/loud, stillness/movement, black/white, nothing/something, restrained/ unrestrained, silence/noise, monastic/ exhibitionist, birth/death, marsha/marshall. Who or what are you creatively crushing on at the moment? My wife and midwives, dark chocolate, Grimes, Black Sabbath, The Kills, Odetta, Romance Was Born, crisp mornings and the creative love coming to me from Maitland and Campbelltown. What: Transmission feat Heath Franco/ Andy Rantzen (Itch-E & Scratch-E), Parachutes For Ladies/Sydney Chamber Choir, and more Where: Campbelltown Arts Centre When: Until August 5 campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/transmission
supanova
PICS :: AM
What are your main influences? The most formative things for me are all universal things – how and where I grew up, my (dysfunctional) family, my friends, meeting all sorts of people, change, love, 10,000 other feelings and emotions, learning to live in body, sex, boys and girls, life and death, money, music, marriage, divorce, meditation, therapy, travelling the world, making art – you get the picture!
16:06:12 :: Madman Cosplay National Championships :: The Dome, Olympic Park BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 21
THE BRAG ♥s MARKETS GUIDE
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have to spend the weekend drowning in your doona; get outside, smell the flowers/second-hand books/pulled-pork burgers. We did – we even set ourselves some challenges and wrote a little report card thing, to help you navigate some of our favourite second-hand, vintage, food and fashion hot-spots. You’re so very welcome.
ROZELLE MARKETS
Specialty: Stalls-wise, it’s an eclectic mix of second-hand – but they’re also starting to emphasise the live music, with a breezy, unobtrusive soundtrack of live folk, pop and soul. Atmosphere: In the shadow of huge trees and the sandstone school building, it’s a haven of chilled vibes and egalitarian rummaging, like going through the best attic or garage ever. It’s a popular destination for the young ladies of the Inner West to flog their excess wardrobe items, but the stallholders mostly seem to be regulars with a particular focus – whether that’s glinting silverware, mid-century pots and pans in candy pastels, or succulents of all sizes, from teensy to Triffid.
By Caitlin Welsh
Crowd: Young families aplenty, pairs of teenagers draped in ‘90s ‘vintage’ getup, good old boys browsing the second-hand music, stallholders chatting excitedly in French or Spanish, and dogs. Lot and lots of dogs. This is the peninsula, after all.
Saturday June 30 Carlos Alberto Perez – classical, flamenco, Latin and country; Playing from 11am-3pm. Jewel-Tones Trio – swinging soulful grooves taking their lead from Chicago blues of the ‘50s and ‘60s; Playing from 10.30am-2.30pm.
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When: Saturdays and Sundays, from 10am-4pm Where: Rozelle Public School / 663 Darling Street. More: rozellemarkets.com.au
LAUNCHING THIS WEEK
Specialty: Vintage and handmade, plus up-and-coming designers, gourmet food, flowers, fresh coffee – and a bar! Atmosphere: We’re indoors – so it’s nice and cosy in winter, with comfortable seating, great food options and a bar that will be serving a wide range of drinks (including The Favourite Things signature drink – think Bloody and Virgin Marys, with a twist). That said, we’re also kid-friendly, and with the markets taking up the top floor’s indoor and outdoor areas, there’s plenty of space for frolicking. Pop in for a browse, grab a coffee and breakfast or come for lunch; after you’ve shopped, stay and enjoy the chilled music and perhaps have a couple of drinks. Relaaaxx! Highlights: Fox and Beau – beautiful homewares, stationary and accessories (foxandbeau. com.au); Barretts Soy Candles – 100% handmade, 100% soy candles that smell so delicious you could eat them (barrettsoycandles.com.
PADDY’S @ HAYMARKET
au); rain&hale – clothes for your inner gypsy (rainandhale. wordpress.com); and Coco’s Buds – a floral wonderland of amazement guaranteed to get you high on intoxicating aromas and stimulating colours. Crowd: A mixed bag of punters – including families, shopaholics and people who can have a drink while their partners shop, instead of shoe-gazing! When: Every Saturday from 10am-4pm, launches June 30 Where: Upstairs at the Beach Road Hotel / 71 Beach Road, Bondi More: facebook.com/ favouritethingsmarkets
By Ross Eldridge
Paddy’s Groceries Challenge $10, four people, one meal – GO! Making the most of all the fresh produce available, I’d be crazy not to go with a salad of some sort. With what’s available, I’ve opted for a Thai salad with homemade egg noodles.
Highlights: Don’t go in with a mission – browse with an open mind. There are plenty of fun bargains: the entire BBC Hitchhikers’ Guide To The Galaxy radio series in a six-cassette slipcase ($10), vintage skinny ties (from $15), and a huge range of books – we scored a 1974 The Rolling Stone Rock’n’Roll Reader anthology for $3, but could have had our pick of Rommel biographies. And there’s a lot of vintage wooden furniture to be had for cheaps too.
Upcoming Live Music
Keep it local: The Rozelle strip of Darling is also a foodie paradise. Hit the Orange Grove farmers’ markets down the road early for in-season produce, swing by Herbie’s Spices and The Essential Ingredient on the way up, then wander into the markets to nibble hot gözleme and score vintage kitchenware. The Terry Street Adriano Zumbo cafe is close enough so you can keep an eye on the queues and duck down when it’s quiet; other treats are even closer, with the Wonka-wondrous creations of Belle Fleur chocolatiers and proper French patisserie Victoire just across the road (don’t leave without a baguette and one of the sugarcrusted strawberry-rhubarb tarts).
FAVOURITE THINGS @ BONDI
Here’s what I needed for it:
Sunday July 1 On Four – Renata Arrivolo leads this trio of piano, trumpet and bass, delivering jazz standards and originals; Playing from 11am-3pm. Marty & The Sly Dogs – originals and covers of blues, roots, rock and funk; Playing from 10.30am-2.30pm.
Specialty: The fresh produce aspect of Paddy’s really is the highlight – but let’s not forget about what else they have to offer: cheap sunnies, socks, wallets, and watches – basically anything and everything to do with clothing and accessories. Atmosphere: In a word – LOUD. Be prepared for big crowds and vendors spruiking their best buys at you. As the competition heats up, brace yourself for crowd rushes, with the loudest vendor usually the one drawing the biggest throng. The free samples that are given out also dictate the direction of the crowd...
Crowd: Brothers, sisters, mums and daddies – the ad does not lie (although they missed one: tourists). If you’re after groceries, you’ll be competing with locals who have cottoned on to the great fresh produce that is available for a fraction of the price of supermarket chains. When: Wednesday – Sundays, from 9am-5pm Where: Haymarket, Chinatown (under Market City) More: paddysmarkets.com.au
• • • • • • •
12 eggs .................... $2.20 1 bunch of mint ........$1.00 1 bunch of basil ........$1.00 1 bunch of coriander .$1.00 3 long red chillis ......... 0.60c 2 limes ......................$1.00 A massive bag of garlic .....................$1.00 • 1 carrot ..................... 0.30c • 1 capsicum ................ 0.90c Grand total:
$9.00
The salad was delicious, and the wallet has been thanking me all week.
Eat Art Truck
STALLHOLDER PROFILE
What is it? It’s one of those food trucks you’ve been reading about – but with a couple of twists: it’s fronted by a former Tetsuya’s chef and a former chef of Quay Restaurant; and one side of the truck is a dedicated art canvas for showcasing original one-off works by Sydney’s talented artists (which are then auctioned for charity). As you’d expect, the kitchen is state of the art, and the menu is a serious cut above you average street food. Even better, they change it up according to what’s fresh, available and in-season. Who is it? Eat Art Truck is brought to you by Stuart McGill (that ex-Testuya’s chef we mentioned before) and Mo Moubayed. Inspirations? “The inspiration to start a food truck came about from our travels overseas, including to the US, Japan and other parts of Asia. For some of these countries, food trucks are part of their culture. As a busy international city, Sydney was crying out for food of a really high standard that was reasonably priced and without the pretension of fine dining, so for us food trucks seemed like a perfect fit. We like the idea of being able to be experimental in our food offerings, and not being confined to any one location. With regards to our concept, we really wanted to do great street food and we all love street art, and the connection between the two was obvious!” What’s on the menu? Favourites include sashimi kingfish with crispy tortilla, chilli and lime; chicken wings with shichimi pepper; pulled pork in a bun with mustard cabbage; BBQ beef in a bun with slaw and hot sauce; and spatchcock ssam with crispy noodles. Desserts-wise, there’s hot chocolate cake with dulce de leche and salted peanuts – and the fellas even make their own juices, including apple and pomegranate. Where/when: Find them at Favourite Things markets this Saturday at Beach Road Hotel; for other times and locations, head to EatArtTruck.com – DJ
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THE BRAG ♥s MARKETS GUIDE GLEBE MARKETS
By Kayla Brock
Keep it local: Once you’ve had your shopping fill, snag a window seat at The Wedge Espresso so that you can indulge in a little peoplewatching with a killer coffee and the toasted bresaola and mushroom olive tapenade sandwich. Specialty: Eclectic, from wellthumbed books to home-made foods – but clothing is the main attraction. Expect a mix of retro and contemporary pre-loved items, unique pieces by local designers, fast-fashion imports, and the odd vintage gem. Atmosphere: With stalls and merchtents set up on the asphalt of the Glebe Primary School playground, the whole thing feels a little
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reminiscent of fête days from your childhood. Each corner you turn brings new scents and sounds; in one spot it’s a heady brew of cloveladen masala tea and a cheesy guitar ditty, in another, incense and candles battle it out to a soundtrack of bongo drums. Crowd: Well-dressed 20-somethings, university students and young families.
When: Every Saturday, from 10am-4pm Where: Cnr Derby Place and Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe (aka Glebe Public School) More: glebemarkets.com.au
My best finds at Glebe today are from the stall of a sweet lady named Jacki, who has a regular spot in the fa r left corner of the markets. I whittle down my must-haves to a multi-coloured tunic style knit ($15), a black mohair jumper ($20), and a large floral-printed chiffon scarf ($5), rescued from its rack just in the nick of time. A range of chunky statement necklaces ($15-$35) at a table of costume jewellery are sorely tempting, but I pass these over when I spy the well-edited collection of another regular stallholder, Wade. He caters mostly to the vintage-loving man with collared shirts and jackets aplenty, but I still manage to add a leopard-print button-up ($25) to my haul for the day...
VINTAGE PICKS
EVELEIGH FARMERS’ MARKET Specialty: Fresh farm-grown goodies from all around NSW – we’re talking seasonal fruit and veggies, meats, breads, organic treats and pretty much all of the cheese. There’s also a great selection of artisan food products: olive oils, organic wines, vinegars, sauces, condiments, gourmet dog cookies (that’s a thing) and cupcakes galore. Atmosphere: Tucked into the heritage-listed Blacksmith Workshop right outside CarriageWorks, Eveleigh Markets have a traditional market-square vibe and a dog-friendly policy, which always makes things fun. It’s undercover and built on concrete but there’s greenery everywhere – from the fresh fruit and veggies, to pots of herbs (from $3.50!) and flower stalls – with friendly and passionate stallholders who’ve often grown/made the food themselves, and want you to taste all of it. If you’ve got time, there’s a couple of excellent coffee options, hot breakfast food stalls and chairs and tables down the back. Bring the paper (or buy it there). Highlights: If you’re looking for gifts, you can’t go past Pukara Estate – a huge, award-winning range of artisan olive oils, vinegars, tapenades and dukkah all the way from Muswellbrook, and yep, you can try before you buy. The freshly baked bread at Shepherd’s Bakehouse rival’s Bourke Street – try the chilli and garlic sourdough – and if you get there a little bit later, you’ll get two loaves for $10. Salads Direct are a cult favourite too – their freshlybagged salads cost around $5 and stay crisp for weeks (and the stall is staffed by total babes). Oh, and no one should leave without lining up for the Billy Kwong stall: Kylie will cook you up a steamed savoury pancake with veggies and egg for $10 – beats gözleme any day. Crowd: Everyone! Sweet old couples, tiny kids, hungover flatmates, food bloggers on mum dates, and those super healthy-looking people who wake up early and only eat organic. And seeing as farmer’s markets are the new churrasco, there’s plenty of hipster eye-candy too. – SH When: Every Saturday, from 8am–1pm Where: 243 Wilson St, Darlington (next to CarriageWorks) More: eveleighmarket.com.au
PADDINGTON MARKETS Speciality: Up-and-coming fashion designers and up-market vintage. Boutique homewares, stationery, art, organic food and fancy plants. Atmosphere: When the sun’s out, this is about as picturesque as you can get: the overarching trees, the historic Paddington church, the flagstones; when the sun’s not out, they’ve got the advantage of substantial undercover space. Highlights: Joseph Austin’s etchings – reminiscent of fossils and Margaret Preston florals – will set you back a couple of hundred dollars. In the same price bracket and upwards, if you please: Hosanna Bonsai’s living, interactive art. Grab a small one for around $100, they’re cuter anyway. Cushions made from of tea towels ($40) are closer to my budget and really much cooler than they sound, with lots of Australiana themes going
herecomesthesun
By Jenny Noyes
on. Stannard-Inc’s jewellery is a standout, however: androgynous, bold, chunky yet elegant neckpieces, cuffs, and rings – cast in bronze, gold and copper with crystal, leather or feather details (prices start around $40-$50). Or for $20 you can snag a slap-watch from one of the miscellaneous accessory stalls – hours of fun. Crowd: You’re in the land of the beautiful people, so expect a fair swag of perfectly tousled hair, yummy mummies with impeccably dressed children, and silver foxes in snazzy eyewear rubbing shoulders with the rest of us. When: Saturdays, from 10am-4pm Where: 95 Oxford Street, Paddington (next to Paddington Uniting Church) More: paddingtonmarkets.com.au
“The band’s newest album ‘New Church’ is nothing short of astonishing.”
“Best band ever to play at National Celtic Festival”
Central Victorian News
STALLHOLDER PROFILE
Award-winning lighting designer Ken Flower sells his beyond-gorgeous creations at Paddington markets most Saturdays. Both beautiful and functional, the lamps are low-energy and long-life, repurposing vintage crystal decanters, bone china and even water bottles, and designed with a balance of three key colours (either red/amber/blue or red/green/blue) that can be wirelessly dimmed and colour-adjusted to suit your mood and the time of day.
The ‘New Church’ Tour
Apart from being pretty, the modulations in colour and brightness are designed to adjust with your circadian rhythms (or bio-rhythms): for example, blue-tinted light suppresses melatonin, and red-tinted light releases it. “Think blue sky in the morning – red sky at night,” Flower explains. “Colour rendering is the big new conversation in our lit environment.” Alternatively, you can eschew vibrant saturated colours in favour of different colour-corrected whites. One of Ken’s highly covetable Crystal Vintage Decanters will set you back $250, with Water Bottles ($150) and Bone China Spotlights ($200) on the cheaper end of the spectrum, and his Silk Kimono lamps ($550) and Crystal Vintage Chandelier ($1500) on the ‘pinch me I’m dreaming’ end. For more info, head to herecomesthesun.com.au – DJ
BONDI MARKETS
THE POPES
27 June Great Northern, Newcastle 28 June Vanguard, Newtown - 2 for 1 offer 29 June Mars Hill Cafe, Parramatta 30 June Master Builders, Wollongong “...Formed originally by Shane McGowan they have long outgrown their creator to become their own monster and one that takes no prisoners ...” Gillian Potter-Merrigan The Gig Review www.thepopesofficialsite.com 03 6105 0585
like us on Facebook ThePopesMusicOz
www.arelmedia.com.au
info@arelmedia.com.au
By Bridie Connellan
Specialty: Emerging and boutique designers, vintage fashion, hand-made jewellery, arts, crafts, homewares. Atmosphere: Bondi Beach Public School has been smashing this Sunday hub since 1993, a regular hotspot for hungover hip-young-thangs and Never Too Many Pugs. A coupla ocean waves in your ear and a trip to the canteen for an unbeaten egg & onion roll for just threefiddy… you’re cruisin’, man. Highlights: It’s upcoming designer happy haps around here: hit up Manirack for the snuggliest winter capes – all-Australian made, using hand-picked fabrics; Spunky Bruiser for designer Bex Frost’s gangbuster oneoff creations made with reclaimed vintage garments and fabrics (including the best
panda/denim hoodie spotted this season); and don’t leave without a saunter around the back amongst the flea-market vibe to visit Abe & Sara, an emporium of vintage eyewear. Calling themselves ‘Optical Sartorialists’ these cats trawl the best optometrists of the US and Europe in search of the greatest specs and sunnies, from Clubmaster variations to hornrimmed dreams. Peek-a-woo! Crowd: You know me, I’m on the 333, Circular Quay then back to the sea. Make it Bonsoy. When: Sundays, from 10am-4pm Where: Bondi Public School / Campbell Parade, across the road from Bondi Beach More: bondimarkets.com.au
Spunky Bruiser / Soto Smith
STALLHOLDER PROFILE
Spunky Bruiser is the label of Sydney creatrix Bex Frost, while Soto Smith is the work of Chilean born Christian Olea. The two have been sharing a stall for several years now: “We actually met at the markets, operating separate stalls,” says Frost. “Then life and business and love collided.” The Spunky label is distinguished by oneoff, texturally adventurous tailored garments (pictured right) made from second-hand and vintage materials, with their show-stopping centrepiece the tapestry bomber jacket, which has a vintage needlepoint tapestry in the back panel, and is made using combinations of denim, leather, wools and corduroys. “The garments are ‘composed’ one piece at a time with the cutting/composing process often taking more time than the sewing,” says Frost. Soto’s range of cheeky, unisex and highly wearable clothes and accessories shares Spunky’s affinity for repurposed threads, with an extra splash of bright colour. There’s a fun range of printed tees incorporating references to nostalgia, hip hop, and pop culture, but the stand-out items are Soto’s signature design accessories, made using recycled materials – including the ‘Sotoghetto purse’ (graff’ed glo-mesh handbags). “To be surrounded by the people we are making for is so important,” says Frost – “people who shop at the markets are generally style- rather than fashion-oriented, which is what we are all about. So while we are super happy to say our labels are also available at Monster Threads [The Galeries, George Street / King Street, Newtown], nothing beats the feeling when we are able to actually watch someone fall in love with a piece that we’ve spent so much time creating.” Check both labels out at sotosmith.com – DJ BRAG :: 368 :: 25:06:12 :: 25
Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...
ALBUM OF THE WEEK it’s immediately clear that something’s changed. She’s always had an angstridden and defiant charm, and those emotions are still here, but on her new album she’s quieter and more relaxed.
FIONA APPLE The Idler Wheel Is Wiser... Epic/Sony Fiona Apple’s first two albums, Tidal and When The Pawn…, were two of the best of the ‘90s. Melding her angry yet fragile voice and lyrics with Jon Brion’s riotously imaginative production, they established her as one of the best songwriters of the decade and earned her a legion of obsessive and spellbound fans (this reviewer among them, in case you couldn’t tell). Not so much a break-up album as a breaking apart album.
PATTI SMITH Banga Sony The importance of Patti Smith to the development of punk rock is well known, as is her determination to coax rock'n’roll further into the personal and the poetic, often verging on a sort of secular spirituality. On Banga, her 11th studio album, she demonstrates that her maturation as an artist hasn’t come at the expense of a shred of inspiration. Smith inhabits the same spectrum as Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison but eclipses them for sheer evocativeness, to say nothing of latterday-career relevance (Morrison politely excused). Here she revels in religious imagery – basilicas, baptismal rain, omens, pulpits, saints, icons and souls – but is rarely explicitly concerned with religion itself, instead using these motifs to explore art, the new world, love, loss and devotion. She does this organically, slipping from meditative spoken word to a husky, earthy croon with an ease that draws attention to the beauty of both. The music is uniformly pretty and the production crisp, with lush cellos and brushes keeping it ethereal and jazzy (save the raucous title track, which is a standout). This is often a perfect complement to Smith’s lyricism, but despite some angular guitar appearances by old flame Tom Verlaine it occasionally seems a little overpolite; ‘Tarkovsky (The Second Stop Is Jupiter)’, for example, builds up some poetic and musical momentum before quietly trickling away when we want it to explode. This ebb and flow might be the point, but it’s still wonderful to hear the follow-through of the snowball effect on ‘Constantine’s Dream’, which reaches a fever pitch as Smith improvises an arresting streamof-consciousness linking Columbus with Piero della Francesca. No one else could do that so effortlessly. A beautiful album that leaves you both enlightened and relaxed. She’s still got it. Laurence Rosier Staines
It’s now been 2445 days since the release of Fiona Apple’s last album and it has, thankfully, been worth the wait. The Idler Wheel… commences with the twisted lullaby ‘Every Single Night’, where Apple intones over gentle chords, “That’s where the pain comes in / like a second skeleton” – and
BOBBY WOMACK The Bravest Man In The Universe XL Recordings Robert Dwayne Womack’s twentyseventh studio album is attracting a great deal of attention, but not entirely because of the artist himself: Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) and Richard Russell (XL head honcho) are responsible for much of the record’s production. Albarn made the initial suggestion that the project be attempted, Russell afforded Womack a place on his roster, and both worked as producers for the final recordings. So does it still sound like Bobby Womack? Naturally, the answer is complex. The opening title track suggests a harmonious union between Womack’s broken croon and the early-‘90s horror soundtrack production, before early single ‘Please Forgive My Heart’ seamlessly picks up the beat, and muted beats snap back and forth across steadily arpeggiating keys. Fellow traveller Sam Cooke’s introduction to ‘Dayglo Reflection’ gives the misleading impression that the song is heading in a classic direction. Instead, we get Lana Del Rey drawling unmemorably behind the most boring instrumentation imaginable. It's okay, Damon and Richard, we understand everyone’s doing the minimalist Jamie xx thing – but it becomes tricky when the vocalist isn’t providing inflection. Just something to consider. The back half of the album is typified by ‘Love Is Gonna Lift You Up’. Increasingly more trite refrains – in which Womack’s trademark boom is lost amidst choirs or vocal effects – are augmented by fairly bland MPC work. There’s certainly no doubting the talents involved, so it’s rather frustrating that the triumphant first half isn't followed by a similarly skillful second. Your dominant memory of this album will be that voice, regardless of the slight distraction of competing egos.
The focus is on her voice and words, the instrumentation sometimes so sparse and minimalist you forget it’s even there. On ‘Regret’, she sounds like she hasn’t so much written a song as an audio document of her inner turmoil. Her voice breaks and cracks so much you can almost picture her playing the last chord, slamming the piano closed and then downing a bottle of whiskey. It’s a melancholic album that’s so personal and revealing you’ll almost feel like an emotional voyeur. But Apple has always worn not just her
JOE MCKEE
Stars EP Ivy League Records
Burning Boy Dot Dash
Sydney outfit Sures bring back the blissedout surf-pop sound of the ‘60s, and although there are only a small handful of tunes on EP Stars, they manage to make a little go a long way. Plucked from triple j Unearthed and dropped into appearances at Laneway Festival and support slots for the likes of Best Coast and Wavves, Stars is awash with more whimsical shoe gazing pop than you’d dare dream to find on one EP. Sticking to the same scuzzy melodies and washed-out guitar riffs throughout, the EP seems to wander from one track to the next with seemingly little variation; although each song brims with snappy hooks and languidly beautiful melodies and vocals, there is something frustratingly safe about Stars. Lead single ‘Poseidon’ is the stand-out here; featuring some impressive guitar work and a rib sticker of a chorus, it has enough indie fuzz around the edges to stop everything from sliding too far into Beach Boys territory. But after this point everything starts to blur together. It's a shame because 'Poseidon' and the opening title track have the spark of something truly special, and the urgency that some of the others seem to lack – and with those first two songs, Sures have shown off some killer songwriting skills. Elsewhere, ‘Romeo’ is a jaunty, retro-glazed ode to troubled relationships which is pleasant enough, and while ‘The Sun’ is true to the well-produced pop agenda of the record, it starts to feel a bit like filler. Sures have their sound down pat, and a fine sound they’ve honed indeed. Stars is a promising first EP from some exciting new talent – hopefully their debut full-length album will push them to branch out a little more. Marissa Demetriou
The first solo album from Snowman’s Joe McKee represents a stark contrast to his former band’s sound, though it shares the ambience and sparseness that crept into the band’s swan song, Absence. The biggest change is McKee’s warm croon, a far cry from the rabid shriek of his Snowman vocals. Where he once chimed in as one part of the chaotic ensemble, his voice is now front and centre, with the minimal instrumentation following his cue. “Am I losing touch with reality or am I waking up from some lucid dream?” asks McKee on the introductory track ‘Lunar Sea'. This is the work of someone disbanded and uncertain of the future, who’s submitted himself to something new and unknown. Oscillating scales courtesy of a gorgeous string section surge in as McKee finally lets himself be pulled into the ‘lunar sea’ (lunacy) to the sound of canned laughter. With the instrumentation spare and occasionally adorned with strings, the various samples and additional vocals play an important role in setting up an atmosphere or introducing an unsettling, otherworldly element. There are intermittent bursts of transistor radio in ‘Darling Hills’, Goldfrapp-like wails wafting through the pretty ‘An Open Mine’, and soft, dreamy backing vocals lulling the listener into ‘Golden Guilt’. Some songs, particularly ‘Flightless Bird’ and the up-tempo second half of 'The Garden', recall the baroque balladry of Augie March, though McKee favours scene-setting and moodbuilding over elaborate storytelling. Later in the album, a few waves are made on the lucid aural sea, with thumping piano and percussion adding a menacing edge to ‘A Double Life,’ and a more passionate vocal delivered for the atypical ‘Blue Valeria’. Burning Boy requires more patience than McKee’s past work, but it’s ultimately more rewarding.
Little Father Time Source Music Following in the sweet footsteps of symbiotic boy-girl pairings like The Swell Season, Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan and Angus and Julia Stone, Sydney duo We Are The Birdcage (aka Amanda K. and Matthew C. Destry) convincingly demonstrate folk music’s favourite ‘smell the cheese’ method of emotion-induction on their new EP Little Father Time. Like a cold glass of water thrown into a warm shower, WATB utilise the power of surprise to invoke bittersweet emotion to
26 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
The earnestness with which WATB execute this technique ensures that their music is effective and touching without feeling deceitful. Amanda’s vocals – reminiscent of Kate Rusby and Clare Bowditch – are accompanied at the front of the mix by finger-picked acoustic guitar, as well as Matthew’s often-falsetto harmonies
MUSCLES Manhood Modular/Universal It’s five years on from Muscles’ debut, and in that time, a lot has changed – but also very little. Guns Babes Lemonade was packed with gurning synth-pop tracks that proved irresistible to shirtless festival bros, and for a while at least, Manhood sounds like more of the same. That’s to say nothing of the obvious (and likely intentional) penisary connotations of the title, which will do precisely nothing to convince the h8rz that Muscles has grown up in any way. The first couple of tracks hark back directly to his debut, each of them an energetic, fist-pumping electro banger, each one bursting with big, bright hooks and those characteristically bizarre half-sung, half-moaned Muscles vocals. Then ‘Brainfreeze’ kicks in and things get a little more interesting. One of several longer tracks on the album, it unfolds over six-plus minutes, with a sound much closer to club music than pop. On the tracks that follow, it becomes clear that Muscles is far more adept a producer now than he was five years ago – he has added many more sounds to his palette, like live drums, various guitar distortion pedals and effects units, and an array of synths, both analogue and digital. Lyrically, the album dwells very much on themes of growing up and becoming a man – its centrepiece, and also one of its best tracks, is ‘1823’, which is a personal reflection on the great difference between those two ages. With a lot of cookie cutter synth acts around, it’s nice to know that Muscles is out there doing something a little more interesting and bizarre than the rest of the pack. Alasdair Duncan
Chris Girdler
INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK maximum effect. The listener is placated via memorable melodies, mellifluous harmonies, ambulatory tempos, whimsical titles and homely aesthetics into a warm sense of contentment and rosy-cheeked wellbeing before – BAM! SURPRISE ATTACK! – lyrics brimming with sorrow, heartbreak and disappointment, which signal a swift descent into heartrending territory.
Josh Donellan
SURES
Benjamin Cooper
WE ARE THE BIRDCAGE
heart but also her ego, her id, her guilt and her lust on her sleeve, and like she says, “There’s nothing wrong when a song ends in a minor key.”
on all but the last song on the album (on which he takes the lead). The sound is occasionally thickened with adumbrations of bass, drums and glockenspiel, and always accompanied by punch-in-theguts lyrics: “In the light of the moon / Daydreams become sobering” (‘Crook’), “My innocence fades with every day you bring” (‘Much Too Small’) and “When my lips won’t say a word / I hope you’ll know I’m sorry / Sorry for all I was and who I am to you” (first single ‘Two Left Feet’). With sounds as sweet as their lyrics are sombre, We Are The Birdcage push all the buttons. Andrew Yorke
OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week... HOT CHIP - In Our Heads LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - The London Sessions OF MONSTERS AND MEN - My Head Is An Animal
THE SHINS - Port Of Morrow MARTHA WAINWRIGHT - S/T
th
IT’SCK! BA
THE DMC CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA IN 2012 BIGGER THAN EVER. THIS YEAR A NEW FORMAT TAKES PLACE WHERE DJ’S CAN USE THEIR CHOICE OF DIGITAL VINYL SYSTEM AND MIXER. NOW THAT THE WARRIORS CAN CHOOSE THEIR WEAPON, EXPECT TO SEE THE BEST BATTLE YET.
TO ENTER GO TO www.dmcdjchamps.com for more info email australia@dmcworld.com BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 27
snap sn ap
up all night out all week . . .
winter warmers
kids of 88
It sounds like: Psychedelic folk rock rhythm and blues, Northern soul, mod and ska. Who’s playing? Belles Will Ring, The Walking Who, Iluka, Major Tom and the Atoms, Manchoir, The Dusty Duets, Greg ‘Chocolate’ Civic (Hott Roxx FM); DJs Frenzie, Rob Godburn, DJ Sara (The Crimplenes) and Graham M. Sell it to us: Winter Warmers is a mini indoor festival and fundraiser for Open Family, who work with at-risk youth. Besides the kickarse bands, it’s the launch of the Favourite Things markets (vintage and hand-made goods by local and boutique designers), there’s a scooter meet, a live mural by Zena Santos, food by Eat Art Truck (gourmet street food by Tetsuya’s former sous chef), DJs, a dance comp, a fundraiser raffle, a photography auction and comedy acts. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: The rocking sounds, the comedy gold, that cute guy/girl you met, and a night packed with fun and musical mischief. Crowd specs: Music lovers, interpretive dancers, pub regulars, and friends. Wallet damage: $15 in advance via moshtix.com.au / $20 on the door. $5 from every ticket sold goes to openfamily.com.au Where: Upstairs @ Beach Road Hotel / 71 Beach Road, Bondi When: Saturday June 30 / 10am until midnight
PICS :: RW
party profile
It’s called: Winter Warmers
oliver tank
PICS :: KC
eight miles high
PICS :: KC
13:06:12 :: Beach Road Hotel :: 71 Beach Rd Bondi Beach 9130 7247
14:06:12 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst 93323711
the black seeds
16:06:12 :: The Metro:: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666 PICS :: KC
graveyard train
15:06:12 :: The Metro:: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666 28 :: BRAG :: 468: 25:06:12
PICS :: RJ
15:06:12 :: GoodGod Small Club :: 53-55 Liverpool St Sydney 9267 3787
:: KATRINA CLARKE :: RASA S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER OV :: ROSETTE ROUHANNA :: POP RGE GEO :: NS OWE :: ELKE JUSKEVICIUTE :: ASHLEY MAR ROCKET WEIJERS ::
snap sn ap
matt corby
PICS :: AM
up all night out all week . . .
ned collette + wirewalker
PICS :: KC
12:06:12 :: The Metro :: 624 George St Sydney 9550 3666
mum
PICS :: EO
15:06:12 :: FBi Social :: Kings Cross Hotel 248 William St 9331 9900
15:06:12 :: The World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 9357 7700 :: KATRINA CLARKE :: RASA S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER OV :: ROSETTE ROUHANNA :: POP RGE GEO :: NS OWE :: ELKE JUSKEVICIUTE :: ASHLEY MAR ROCKET WEIJERS ::
BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 29
Remedy
live reviews What we've been to see...
More Than The Cure Since 1989 with Murray Engleheart
PISTOL WHIPPED
The organisers of the London Olympics are reportedly trying to incorporate bands from various eras into their ceremonies. Thankfully, The Sex Pistols have knocked back an approach – how ridiculous would that have been? – but now there’s a hole in the program for a ‘punk’ act. What’s the bet they by-pass the uncannily accurate Nathan Maverick aka Johnny Rotter from The Sex Pistols Experience, or his equally powerful Lydon alter ego in Public Imitation Ltd, and just put together a Sid Vicious tribute band with pink mohawks?
FLEETWOOD CACK
ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Antony, The Kills, and a teaming of Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis are some of the acts on an album of Fleetwood Mac tunes that’s due in August. Ranaldo and Mascis tackle ‘Albatross’, while Gibbons (who we would have thought would have been in seventh heaven doing one of the band’s early Elmore James’-styled stompers) has a run at ‘Oh Well’. Indeed.
COPENDIUM
We don’t care too much about The Teardrop Explodes, but between his Japrock Sampler, Krautrock Sampler and Head On books, chief rock druid Julian Cope is something of a God here at Remedy – which is why we’re excited about his new book, Compendium. While the tome itself isn’t out until November, there’s a super deluxe package of it available now if you can find a copy and have the necessary big bucks. It’s leather bound, signed, and comes with CDs compiled by the man himself to give an understanding of what he’s getting excited about in the book.
GOING COMMANDO
Speaking of books, Commando, Johnny Ramones’ all too brief but excellent autobiography, is available in special ‘punk’ (for want of a better term) packaging – the kind of thing Malcolm McLaren or Vivienne Westwood might have put together. It’s not easy to find, but it is out there.
RIP JOHN HARRISON
Early Hawkwind member John Harrison has passed away, just two days before his
70th birthday. He had been suffering from Huntington’s disease.
OPITZ AUTO
Gun Australian producer, engineer and allround good guy Mark Opitz, who worked with AC/DC, The Angels and Rose Tattoo during the Alberts label’s golden era, as well as Cold Chisel, INXS and even Kiss, is working on his autobiography.
MUDDY STONES
Muddy Waters and most of The Stones jamming together at Muddy’s Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago in 1981 has long been the stuff of legend. What started out as a quiet night in for The Stones ended as a perfect grounding point, before they tackled three sold out stadium shows in the windy city. Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Ian Stewart wound up on stage with Muddy and his band, along with Buddy Guy. It’s the best fun they probably ever had sitting down, and it’s out soon as one of those increasingly popular and very cool DVD/CD packages.
NEW DINOSAUR
That new Dinosaur Jr slab that we mentioned is their tenth, and will be titled I Bet On Sky.
RYAN ADAMS BOX-SET
He doesn’t get much of a run here at Remedy, but we’ve always been broad fans of Ryan Adams’ general thing, in terms of where he comes from, his taste, his amazing bouts of productivity, the fact that he somehow seemed to have a long history in front of him right from day one, and his apparent zero tolerance for poor human behaviour. We like that. And we like his super-duper limited-edition box-set, which is out now. It’s called Live After Deaf (An Iron Maiden nod, maybe?) and it be some serious effort, including 15 albums and downloads for more than 70 additional songs.
OBSESSED
The Obsessed have a live album out that was recorded way back in their renewed heyday of 1992. It of course features Wino, and is called simply Live at Music Hall Kolnand, with the run limited to 1000 copies.
TOUR AND INDUSTRY NEWS The lineup for this year’s Harvest Festival thus far includes Beck, Sigur Ros, Grizzly Bear, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane, Ben Folds Five, Santigold, Beirut, Cake, The Dandy Warhols, The Black Angels, Chromatics, Ozomatli, Liars, Fuck Buttons, The War On Drugs and Dark Dark Dark. The Sydney date is November 17, again back at glorious Parramatta Park. Johnny Casino y Los Secretos are, as we mentioned previously, set to tour. Dates are August 9 at the Patch in Wollongong, August 10 at The Square in Sydney, August 11 at Manly Fishos, and August 12 at the Sando. Mondo Cane
Send stuff to remedy@ozemail.com.au by 6pm Wednesdays. Pics to art@thebrag.com www.facebook.com/remedy4rock 30 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
In their self-titled second LP, Charge Group may have crafted one of Sydney’s most cinematic records of 2011 via instrumental Dirty Three-esque epics and anthemic narratives. A few hours down the Hume, and Canberra’s Hoodlum Shouts have also released one of the year’s highlights: their sprawling debut Young Man, Old Man, which takes Australiana to despairing depths. Assembling the two on the one night, then, was quite an inspired booking. Unfortunately, including ex-Snowman frontman Joe McKee on the bill proved to be the night’s downfall. Following the tempered aggression of Hoodlum Shouts with a sparse solo set was always going to be a difficult venture, but there was little in McKee’s repertoire that was able to capture the near-capacity and noisy venue, and his set, all forced moans and frustratingly drawnout guitars, wasn't a good fit. Or maybe it was the growing impatience for the overdue return of Charge Group to Sydney that did it to McKee; the band holds a special place in the hearts of many, and the restless murmers were relentless. Rolling Stone once said of Purplene (the precursor to Charge Group) that they were a band “in love with the art of crafting the perfect song.” Since Purplene’s demise in 2005, Charge Group have ably continued that pursuit through intricately paced sonic adventures. In a live setting, they have the ability to both strike an audience dumb and lift them to fist-pumping heights, with tracks like the set’s bookends of ‘The Gold Is Gone’ and ‘Broken Sunlight’ eliciting shellshocked sing-alongs. When they dip into their instrumentals, like in the epic journey of ‘Search Party’ or the chase-themed ‘Run,’ it affects people almost primally, with the front row hypnotised in a blank-faced struggle. Charge Group writhed through their set with that almost telepathic 'tightness' that comes from years playing together. As they left the stage, you were left with a sense that this is a band far too much of Australia has heard far too little of.
OLIVER TANK, FISHING
On the Remedy turntable is Sonic Youth’s magnificent Bad Moon Rising, which – with its neat segues of loops and noise and even a grab of The Stooges’ ‘Not Right’ between haunting songs of abrasion, feedback and love – is one of the most complete start-to-finish statements of the ‘80s. ‘Death Valley 69’ with Lydia Lunch isn’t as apocalyptic as it might have been, but still winds things up not on a wing and a prayer, but a roar and a drone.
The reunited Heaven hit town this week, with former Dio axeman Rowan Robertson. Dates are the Annandale on June 29 and 30, and Waves in Wollongong on July 1.
The Red Rattler Friday June 15
Max Easton
ON THE TURNTABLE
On Saturday June 30, Solid Gold Hell present a big night at The Square, Haymarket, with Melbourne’s Midnight Woolf (featuring Raul from Magic Dirt on guitar), La Mancha Negra, Glitter Canyon and Blackbear (which is Bodie from Mother & Son in solo mode). 8pm until midnight for $12. Midnight Woolf and Blackbear will also be in Wollongong on July 1 at Music Farmers record store/The Drop (pop-up bar) in Crown Lane at 4pm. Free entry.
CHARGE GROUP, JOE MCKEE, HOODLUM SHOUTS
Oxford Art Factory Thursday June 14
I was surrounded by swoon. “He’s so cute,” said one fan. Another turned to her boyfriend as they jostled for position in the capacity crowd and suggested, “You should get hair like him.” On stage stood 22-year-old Oliver Tank, red Fender strapped to his frame, unruly hair melding into beard like a furrimmed Eskimo anorak. He’d just returned to his home city after a jaunt in Europe and couldn’t keep the smile of his face while scanning a sold-out Oxford Art Factory. But before the throng of adoration directed at Oliver Tank swept towards the stage like an ocean tide, there was the charming Fishing. As two members of the electronica act We Say Bamboulee, Fishing’s music sounded, well, much like We Say Bamboulee, but with added jerk spice and plantains to give it that calypso feel. Head-nodding over MPCs, the duo bounced their way through some warped tropical beats and disjointed (yet thoroughly enjoyable) cosmic hip hop. They were an excellent choice to warm up, and the building crowd wasn’t afraid to let them know it – especially one young long-haired fellow who took it upon himself to commandeer the entire dancefloor and dance the shit out of the damn thing for the majority of the set! (Dude, you fucking rule.) Bathed in blues and purples, Oliver Tank took the stage. Commencing with a track from his lauded EP Dreams, he took the crowd through a gentle mix of songs, some known through their Australian radio airplay, and some rarities that were just as strong. He lulled the crowd into a blissful nap with every single song seemingly about dreams, or dreaming, or sleeping, or missing girls (in dreams, of course), but the repetitive lyrical themes did nothing to stem the tide of love projected towards the lone figure surrounded by trigger bands and synths on stage. The obligatory cover of Snoop Dogg’s ‘Beautiful’ was a crowd favourite, but set-closer ‘Up All Night’ was the moment that really captured
the energy and beauty of the show. As the show wound up, Tank found himself frantically trawling his laptop, trying to appease the hungry crowd. “I don’t have that many more songs to play,” he laughed. “I should write some more music.” Finally, he had a swig of beer, played ‘Dreams Of Fish And Waterfalls’, and was gone. Rick Warner
LADY GAGA
Allphones Arena Wednesday June 20 Lady Gaga’s crowd is as diverse as it is fearless of dress-ups. Mother Monster’s broad palatability is unsurprising. Like Barbie – and, if you’re feeling ‘reductive’, Madonna – Gaga has many incarnations. The most concise way to convey the impeccable and spectacular nature of Stephanie Germanotta’s stadium show is via a chronological summary listing of the different Gagas manifest throughout the evening: Covert Gaga (veiled in black) emerges from a gigantic castle riding a life-sized black unicorn (puppet) and singing ‘Highway Unicorn (Road To Love)’. Predator Gaga (elaborate black plastic headpiece) belts out ‘Government Hooker’ while simulating lewdness with a gimpish bureaucrat eventually slain by Assassin Gaga. Giant Inflatable Roast Chicken Gaga (Gaga’s head atop splayed, gigantic, inflatable, fishnetstockinged legs) births Neonatal Anthony Robbins Gaga whose “Make a promise that you will love yourself” proclamation precedes ‘Born This Way’. Disco Oriental Flying Nun Gaga (gold lamé top/miniskirt with sedge hat and flowing cream cape) performs a surprisingly lacklustre rendition of ‘Black Jesus’. Ghost Of Apiarist Bride Riding A Segway Gaga mysteriously floats around stage in a long, flowing white dress and nails ‘Bloody Mary’. Beatnik Miss Havisham Gaga (sculpted in a lace-doily-like, polypropylene, psychedelic dress) leads a seriously down-tempo ‘Bad Romance’. Empowerment Gaga intones “Without your creativity, I would not even exist” to end one of many rambling quasimotivational speeches before seguing into ‘Judas’. Gatsby On Japanese Acid Gaga (origami crane dress and matching mink coat) sings an effervescent ‘Fashion Of His Love’ and well-received ‘Just Dance’. Folsom Street Fair Statue Of Liberty Gaga (black leather blingkini and spiky headpiece) pops up for a shortened ‘LoveGame’ and banging ‘Telephone’. Hell’s Angel Gaga (blingkini, giant inverted skill-tester claw hat) rides a three-wheeled motorbike while singing ‘Heavy Metal Lover’ and ‘Bad Kids’. Relatable Gaga slows the pace by sitting down and talking to an audience that responds by lovingly throwing all its worldly possessions at her; a reaction professionally and hilariously handled by Stand-Up Comic Gaga. Mildly Autocratic Grandma Gaga reminisces and dispenses advice authoritatively between verses of an acoustic ‘Hair’. Country Gospel Gaga thumps out ‘You And I’ before Awkward Gaga hooks a leg over her guitarist’s shoulder. Dark Overlord Of Faux Rock Gaga (long, black, pointyshouldered glitter coat) adopts an oversized electric guitar prop for ‘Electric Chapel’. Carnivorous Army Widow Gaga races through ‘Americano’ and ‘Poker Face’ wearing an outfit made of material paying homage to that meat dress, before Victim Gaga survives being thrown into a giant sausage grinder. Vengeful Femme Fatale Gaga (machine-gun bikini top, army pants) pleasurably purrs through ‘Alejandro’ on a lounge made, she tells us, of the ground meat of ex-lovers. Mortal Kombat Gaga (asymmetric black cheongsam top and tortoiseshell hat) recites high-energy versions of ‘Paparazzi’ and ‘Scheiße’. Monastic Hippie Gaga (batik-y kimono with huge hood) performs an overwrought ‘Edge Of Glory’ piano introduction that merges into its full version, performed by Barbarella Gaga (leather outfit blinged up with gold and silver chains). Pedagogical Oprah Accepting Academy Award Gaga informs the audience “This moment is yours now. I did it and so can you!” before launching into the finale, ‘Marry The Night’. Master Entertainer Gaga reigns supreme. Andrew Yorke
BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 31
g g guide gig g
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
Jonathan Boulet
Carolyn Woodorth, Michelle Cashman, Brian Manning The Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 7pm Mark Thompson Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst free 1pm Russell Neal Taverners Hill Hotel, Leichhardt free 7pm
WEDNESDAY JUNE 27 ROCK & POP
SATURDAY JUNE 30
Metro Theatre, Sydney
Jonathan Boulet, Wolf & Cub,
Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse $26.80 (+ bf) 8pm MONDAY JUNE 25 ROCK & POP
Open Mic Night Hard Rock Cafe, Darling Harbour free 8pm Sarah Paton The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm West Tigers Homeground Heroes ‘Retro Rockers’ Heat 2: Crancking Old Bastards, Age Against The Machine, The Consorts Edith Grove & The Crawdaddies, Modern Dayz Valve Bar And Venue, Tempe $15 7pm
JAZZ
Alison Penney Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Benny Lackner Trio, Billy McCarthy, Harry Sutherland The Basement, Circular Quay $20 (+ bf)–$74.80 (dinner & show) 7.30pm
Brian Campeau Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 (conc)–$15 8.30pm Monday Jam: Danny G Felix The Lansdowne, Broadway free 9pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Russell Neal, Massimo Presti, Chris Brookes, Brent McGregor Kellys On King, Newtown free 7pm
TUESDAY JUNE 26 ROCK & POP
Adam Pringle And Friends Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm The Audreys (Duo) Brass Monkey, Cronulla 7pm Jurassic Penguin, Postal, Wallow, Tired Minds, Vices, Kagaroo Kebab Valve Bar, Tempe 7pm
Mandi Jarry Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 8.30pm OMG Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10pm Rob Henry The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 4pm Songwriters Special Sandringham Hotel, Newtown
Andy Mammers Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm Bernie Segedin Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Co Pilot The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 9pm Deep Sea Arcade, Woe & Flutter, I Know Leopard Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm The Fabergettes FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel free 1pm Jagermeister Presents Annandale Hotel $8 7.30pm Josh McIvor Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm The Maple Trail The Loft, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo 5pm Maux Faux, Black Anchor, Lorenzo And The Canals, Medicated Youth Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8pm Mike Bennett The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 9.30pm Musos Club Jam Night Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt free 8pm Nicky Kurta Summer Hill Hotel free 7.30pm Rockabilly Burlesque: Pia Anderson & Pat Capocci, The Aston Martinis, DJ Brian Rock Lily, The Star, Pyrmont free 8pm Steve Tonge Duo O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm Ungus Ungus Ungus, Cam Raeburn Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel free 8pm Urbantramper (NZ), Telafonica, Colour Coding, Rescue Ships FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $10 8pm The Vanns, Men Of The West, Call To Colour, Bradley Cork & The Folklore Mantra Valve Bar, Tempe 8pm
JAZZ
Greg Coffin Trio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 (conc)–$15 8.30pm
JAZZ
Be-Bop And Beyond: Bernie McGann Quartet, Sean Coffin Brothers The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $11.50$16.50 11am Jazzgroove: The Music Of Roger Frampton, Pen Island 505 Club, Surry Hills $8 (conc)–$15 8.30pm John Hill Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm World In The Basement: Ali Penny & The Money Makers, Berni Love, DJ Brent Clough The Basement, Circular Quay $15 (+ bf) 8pm
Peter Head The Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Andrew Denniston, Kyle Dessent & Chris Inada, Tim Bray, David Mark, Lucy B, Darren Paul Evening Star Hotel, Surry Hills free 7pm Daniel Hopkins, Jules Backman, Johnny Wildblood, Ritchie Taren Point Hotel free 7pm Give A Little, Get A Little: Maxine Kauter Band, Genevieve Chadwick The Vanguard, Newtown $18.80–$53.80 (dinner & show) 7pm Greg Sita, Two Screws, Loose Cat And Fiddle Hotel, Balmain free 6.30pm Live and Local: Jordan Donnelly, Men With Day Jobs Duo, Crown Point Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $15 8pm Live & Local Open Mic Royal Hotel, Bondi free 8pm Sarah Cherlin, Richard Brown, Black Diamond Cookies Lounge And Bar, North Strathfield free 6.30pm Songs On Stage Contest Grand Final: Phoebe Eve, Joseph Giuffrida, Alan Watters, Rebecca Fielding, Max De Groot, Kyle Dessent, Chris Inada The Basement, Circular Quay $15 (+ bf) 8pm TAOS, John Chesher, Gavin Fitzgerald, Simon Li Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick free 7pm World Music Wednesdays: The Hi-Tops Brass Band Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8pm
THURSDAY JUNE 28 ROCK & POP
B-Massive, DJ Skarlet Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm Ben Vereen Parade Theatre, NIDA, Kensington 8pm Chrissie Pearce, Reruth, Dear Orphans Sydney Livehouse @ Lewisham Hotel $10 8pm Collarbones, Bon Chat Bon Rat Terrace Bar, Mounties, Mount Pritchard 8pm Dave White The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 9pm Eddie Spaghetti, Judy Campbell Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $30 (presale)–$35 8pm Elevate Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10pm Enlightenment: Celebrating Van Morrison
The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (+ bf)–$79.80 (dinner & show) 7.30pm Glenn Cardier And The Sideshow Blue Beat, Double Bay $15 (+ bf) 7pm Hot Damn!: The Bride, Wish For Wings, Trainwreck, As Paradise Falls Spectrum, Darlinghurst $10– $15 8pm King Cannons, Major Tom & The Atoms Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $12 (+ bf) 8pm Kirk Burgess Sackville Hotel, Balmain free 7pm Live & Local Open Mic Peakhurst Inn free 8pm Live Thursdays: After Dark Hard Rock Cafe, Darling Harbour free 8.30pm Mick Aquilina Bankstown Sports Club free 8pm Musos Club Jam Night Carousel Hotel, Rooty Hill free 8pm Open Mic Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7pm Peter Byrne Paragon Hotel, Sydney free 6pm The Phat Controller, Pink Ribbons, Tall Tee Nation, Pom Pom Valve Bar, Tempe 7pm The Popes, Handsome Young Strangers The Vanguard, Newtown $48.80 (+ bf)–$83.80 (dinner & show) 8pm Red Ink, Tom Ugly Rock Lily, The Star, Pyrmont free 7pm Remmos K, Adaja Black, Anne Marie Town & Country Hotel, St Peters free 8pm SCA End of Semester Party Annandale Hotel $10 8pm Simon And Sonia, Trent, Luke, Jules & Ela, Millie The Union Hotel, Newtown free 8pm Sures, Woe & Flutter, Will & The Indians GoodGod Small Club, Sydney $10 (+ bf) 8pm Vice Party: Tiny Migrants, The Nugs, Tape/Off FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel free 8pm Young Romantics, Lanterns, Professor Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm
JAZZ
The Cellar Jazz Jam: Phil Stack Trio The Spice Cellar, Sydney free 9pm Gary Honor Band Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $24 7pm Hammerhead 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 (conc)–$15 8.30pm Lionel Robinson Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Peter Head The Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Deep Sea Arcade
Helmut Uhlmann Mars Hill Café, Parramatta 7.30pm Nick Drake Tribute Night: Elana Stone, Brian Campeau, Leroy Lee, Katie Wighton, Brendan Maclean, Jack Carty, Matt Tonks, Andy Golledge, Edoardo Santoni, James Edgar Francis, Dave Calandra The Red Rattler, Marrickville $12-$15 8pm Russell Neal, Massimo Presti, Nick Domenicos, Spencer McCullum Kogarah Hotel free 7pm
“Watch out Cupid. Stuck me with a sickness. Pull your little arrows out. Let me live my life” - METRIC 32 :: BRAG :: 468 : 25:06:12
Xxx
pick of the week
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Up Close & Personal: Dave Wilkins Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 8pm
FRIDAY JUNE 29 ROCK & POP
The Archaic Revival, Nobody Knew They Were Robots, Goldfish Murder, Mc Bamboo, The Net Of Being, DJ Alley Cats Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm The Audreys (Duo) The Vanguard, Newtown $28 (+ bf)–$68 (dinner & show) 8pm Australian Guns N Roses Show Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills free 9pm Boy Meets Girl Ramsgate RSL, Ramsgate Beach free 8pm Breaking Orbit, The Hungry Mile, Scatterfly, Swing From A Streetlight The Square, Haymarket $15 8pm Calling Mayday, Halfway Homebouy The Fitzroy Hotel, Penrith 7pm Classic Spain: Slava Grigoryan, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra The Concourse, Chatswood $34 (conc)–$39 8pm Dedderz, The Dark Shadows, Fun Machine, Lanterns The Burdekin, Darlinghurst $13.30 Dirty Dezire, The Bitter Sweethearts Sydney Livehouse @ Lewisham Hotel $10 8pm Eddie Spaghetti, Johnny Casino, Chopper And The Honeyboy Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $30 (presale)–$35 8pm Elevate Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club, Bondi Junction free 7.30pm Generation Gap Vineyard Hotel free 9.30pm Gerard Masters, Stuie and Camille, Round Mountain Girls The Manly Fig $12 (student)–$15 7.30pm The Good Stuff Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10.30pm Harbour Master Chatswood RSL free 5pm Heaven, Hazmat, Crimson Lake Annandale Hotel $23.20 (+ bf) 8pm Ipanema Bankstown Sports Club free 9pm Kim Sanders & Friends, Bobby Singh Camelot, Marrickville $20–$25 7.30pm La Vista Petersham RSL Club free 8.30pm LJ Figtree Hotel free 8pm Mad Cow Engadine Tavern free 9.30pm Mary Kiani The Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst free 8pm Mike Mathieson Duo Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club free 8.30pm The Monotones Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8pm MUM: Mat Cant, Sativa Sun, Let Me Down Jungleman, Permanent, The Heavy Heads, Padlock, Swim Team DJs, Wet Lungs, Cries Wolf DJs. DJ Boy, 10th Avenue, Glenn Be Trippin, Padlock The World Bar, Kings Cross $10-$15 8pm Nearly Neil – Neil Diamond Tribute: Bobby Bruce
North Sydney Leagues Club, Cammeray $25 (+ bf) 7.30pm Nick Barker & The Reptiles, Chuck’s Wagon The Factory Floor, The Factory Theatre $20 (+ bf) 8pm Northern Beaches Orchestra With Lime Cordiale Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $37 8pm Original Sin INXS Show St Marys Band Club free 10pm Outlier, Conrad Greenleaf Rock Lily, The Star, Pyrmont free 7pm Party Vibe The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm The Pat Capocci Combo Town Hall Hotel, Newtown free 9pm Rapture Customs House Bar, Sydney free 7pm Red Ink, Kristy Lee Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills free 9pm Remixes Kingswood Sports Club free 7.30pm Rocky’s Juke Box Friday Rockdale RSL Club $25 8pm Roots: Casino Rumblers, Liberation Front Spectrum, Darlinghurst $10 8pm SANE Australia Fundraiser: Alison Wonderland, Elizabeth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Mrs Bishop, Rainbow Chan, Panama, Ginger & The Ghost, Future Classic DJs, Disco Punx, Mary’s Basement DJs, Astral DJs Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst 8pm Steve Edmonds Band Warilla Bowling Club free 8.30pm Streams Of Whiskey Paragon Hotel, Sydney free 6pm Sugar Army, Tom Ugly, 1929Indian FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $15 (+ bf) 8pm The Sunny Side Up, Wake The Giants, Forever Ends Here, Breakaway The Lair, Metro Theatre, Sydney $15 (+ bf) 6pm allages Vigilante, Deathkrush, Sick People, Unknown to God, NS Mayhem, Oily Boys Valve Bar, Tempe 8pm
JAZZ
Alister Spence Trio The Sound Lounge, Chippendale $10-$20 8.30pm Cass Greaves 505 Club, Surry Hills $15 (conc)–$20 8.30pm The Hang, Michael Wheatley, Bek Jensen Blue Beat, Double Bay $15 (+ bf) 7pm Mucho Mambo, Victor Valdes The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (+ bf)–$78.80 (dinner & show) 7.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Russell Neal Cat And Fiddle Hotel, Balmain free 6.30pm
SATURDAY JUNE 30 ROCK & POP
031 Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10.30pm Basement, Endless Heights, One Vital Word, Clipped Wings Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt $23.50 (+ bf) 8pm
Bell Weather Department, Battleships, Sorry Socrates FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel $10 8pm Bembeya African Dance Club: The Majestics, Paul Mbenna, Okapi Guitar Band, Chris gudu Band The Red Rattler, Marrickville $10 8pm Blue Venom Engadine Tavern free 9.30pm The Booty Affair’s Disco Dimension Blue Beat, Double Bay $15 (+ bf) 7pm The Cracks, Sea Legs, Phebe Starr, Bert & Ernie Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills free 6pm Desert Sessions, Arrowhead, Space Ticket Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $17 (presale)-$20 7.30pm Diamond Rhythm Petersham RSL Club free 8.30pm Elevation U2 Show Hurstville RSL Memorial Club free 9pm Family, Desert Luck, Stag, Whores Sydney Livehouse @ Lewisham Hotel $10 8pm Finn Taverner’s Hill Hotel, Leichhardt free 8.30pm Foreday Riders Marrickville Bowling Club $20 7pm Funkstar The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm Gav Darby Palace Hotel, Mortlake free Heaven, Hazmat, Crimson Lake Annandale Hotel $23.20 (+ bf) 8pm Hit Machine Penrith RSL free 9pm Howlin’ Steam Train, Papa Pilko & The Bin Rats, Smitty & B. Goode The Vanguard, Newtown $10 8pm Ipanema Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club free 8.30pm Jay Brannan (USA) The Standard, Darlinghurst $40 (+ bf) 8pm The Jed Rowe Band, Dan Hopkins & The Generous Few, Rusty Peach & Ketty Ellen, Matt Rainshadow Empire Hotel, Annandale $12 8pm Jonathan Boulet, Wolf & Cub, Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse Metro Theatre, Sydney $26.80 (+ bf) 8pm Jordie Lane, The Falls Camelot, Marrickville 8pm The Kamis Rockdale RSL Club free 7.30pm Kittens: Olympic Ayres, Colonies Spectrum, Darlinghurst $10 8pm Lime Cordiale, Lenox, Dubious Company, Dirty Grotto, Gods Of Rapture, The Bloody Kids, Trappist Afterland, The Stringsmiths, The Fontaynes Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 8pm Live & Local Open Mic Panania Hotel free 8pm LJ Hoyts, Entertainment Quarter free 5.45pm Matchbox Ramsgate RSL, Ramsgate Beach free 8pm Midnight Woolf, La Mancha Negra, Glitter Canyon, Blackbear The Square, Haymarket $12 8pm Mirrors In Iceland, Sam Newton, Lucy & The B Sides Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Monster Gale, Red Bee, Modern Murder, Psycho Sapien Valve Bar, Tempe 7pm
Mr James Bankstown Sports Club free 9pm Nantes GoodGod Small Club, Sydney $12 (+ bf) 8pm The Nox, DJ Urby Rock Lily, The Star, Pyrmont free 7.30pm Original Sin INXS Show Bradbury Inn free 8pm Peep Tempel, The Electric Vogues Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Pete Hunt Hollywood Bar & Café, Hoyts Broadway free 6pm Salt Campbelltown RSL free 8.30pm Set Sail, The Khanz, 5 Mile Town Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $15 (+ bf) 8pm Souled Out Paragon Hotel, Sydney free 6pm Sunset Riot, Rattlesnake, Tonk Notes Live, Enmore $15 7pm Tangled Up In Bob – A Tribute To Dylan Brass Monkey, Cronulla $23.50 7pm Ted Nash Manly Leagues Club free 8pm Thompson Gunners Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill free 8.30pm Tim Freedman Lizotte’s Restaurant, Dee Why $49–$107 (dinner & show) 8pm Time Machine Regents Park Sporting & Community Club free 6.30pm Tone Rangers Kingswood Sports Club free 8.30pm Totally Ga Ga Dundas Sports & Recreation
Club free 9pm Trav & Rosco Show Coogee Diggers 8pm Whispering Jack Show Level 1, East Leagues Club 8.30pm Winter Warmers Fundraiser: Belles Will Ring, The Walking Who, Iluka, Major Tom And The Atoms, The Dusty Duets, Manchoir, Frenzie, Rob Goodburn, Sara DJ, Graham M, Greg ‘Chocolate’ Civic Beach Road Hotel, Bonci $15 (+ bf) 6pm Yunyu CarriageWorks, Eveleigh $25 8.30pm
ACOUSTIC & FOLK
Black Diamond George IV Inn, Picton free 8.30pm Carlos Alberto Perez, Jewel Tone Rozelle Markets free 10.30am Hayley Sales The Belvedere Hotel free 9pm Russell Neal, Alex Thompson Terrey Hills Tavern free 7.30pm
SUNDAY JULY 1 ROCK & POP
JAZZ
Greg Poppleton & His Bakelite Broadcasters Penrith RSL free 2pm Jazz Nouveau Supper Cub, Fairfield RSL Club free 7pm Liz Martin 505 Club, Surry Hills $15 (conc)–$20 8.30pm Peter Head The Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 5pm Sandy Evans Indian Project The Sound Lounge, Seymour Chippendale $10-$20 8.30pm Sibo Bangoura, Keyim Ba Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8pm Tim Sowerbutts, Peter Inglis Well Co. Café / Wine Bar, Leichhardt free 7.30pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie, Tony Burkys, Lee Hutchings, Alan Gilbert Corrimal Hotel, Wollongong free 3pm
Alison Penney And The Money Makers Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm The Audreys (Duo) The Vanguard, Newtown $28.80–$63.80 (dinner & show) 8pm Basement, Endless Heights, The Perspectives, DJ Distance Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt $23.50 (+ bf) 2pm all-ages Classic Spain: Slava Grigoryan, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra The Concourse, Chatswood $34 (conc)–$39 2pm Don Hopkins Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Fatt Lipp Riverstone Sports Hotel free 12pm Kristy Lee Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club free 4pm Mark Hopper Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly free 7.30pm
wed
27 June
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
thu
28 June
(9:00PM - 12:00AM)
fri
29 June (5:00PM - 8:00PM)
(9:30PM - 1:30AM)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
sat
30 June
(4:30PM - 7:30PM)
SATURDAY NIGHT
(9:00PM - 1:30AM)
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
sun
01 July
(4:30PM - 7:30PM)
SUNDAY NIGHT
(8:30PM - 12:00AM)
BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 33
g g guide gig g
send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com
The Laurels
The Wall @ Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt $15 6.30pm
JAZZ
On Four, Marty & The Sly Dogs Rozelle Markets free 10.30am The Peter Head Trio & Friends The Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 4pm
up all night out all week...
WEDNESDAY JUNE 27
THURSDAY JUNE 28
SATURDAY JUNE 30
Deep Sea Arcade, Woe & Flutter, I Know Leopard Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm
King Cannons, Major Tom & The Atoms Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $12 (+ bf) 8pm
The Maple Trail The Loft, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo 5pm
Sures, Woe & Flutter, Will & The Indians GoodGod Small Club, Sydney $10 (+ bf) 8pm
Bell Weather Department, Battleships, Sorry Socrates FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel $10 8pm
Urbantramper (NZ), Telafonica, Colour Coding, Rescue Ships FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $10 8pm
Vice Party: Tiny Migrants, The Nugs, Tape/Off FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel free 8pm
Give A Little, Get A Little: Maxine Kauter Band, Genevieve Chadwick The Vanguard, Newtown $18.80–$53.80 (dinner & show) 7pm
Nick Drake Tribute Night: Elana Stone, Brian Campeau, Leroy Lee, Katie Wighton, Brendan Maclean, Jack Carty, Matt Tonks, Andy Golledge, Edoardo Santoni, James
The Maple Trail
LUNCH BREAK presented by Alberts
VICE presents
featuring...
TINY MIGRANTS (QLD) THE NUGS TAPE/OFF (QLD)
+ TELAFONICA, THE RESCUE SHIPS & COLOUR CODING 8pm // $10 at the door
34 :: BRAG :: 468 : 25:06:12
Winter Warmers Fundraiser: Belles Will Ring, The Walking Who, Iluka, Major Tom And The Atoms, The Dusty Duets, Manchoir, Frenzie, Rob Goodburn, Sara DJ, Graham M, Greg ‘Chocolate’ Civic Hott Roxx FM Beach Road Hotel, Bonci $15 (+ bf) 6pm Yunyu CarriageWorks, Eveleigh $25 8.30pm
SUNDAY JULY 1 Rice Is Nice Party!: The Laurels, Spod, Donny Benet, Seekae DJs, Shady Lane, Richard In Your Mind, Straight Arrows Annandale Hotel $10 (presale)-$13 3pm
fbisocial.com
Thursday June 28
URBANTRAMPER
Edgar Francis, Dave Calandra The Red Rattler, Marrickville $12-$15 8pm
Sugar Army, Tom Ugly, 1929Indian FBi Social @ Kings Cross Hotel, Darlinghurst $10 8pm
Wednesday June 27
1pm // FREE // Broadcast on FBi
Brian Campeau
MUM: Mat Cant, Sativa Sun, Let Me Down Jungleman, Permanent, The Heavy Heads, Padlock, Swim Team DJs, Wet Lungs, Cries Wolf DJs. DJ Boy, 10th Avenue, Glenn Be Trippin, Padlock The World Bar, Kings Cross $10-$15 8pm
L2 Kings Cross Hotel
THE FABERGETTES
Set Sail, The Khanz, 5 Mile Town Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $15 (+ bf) 8pm
FRIDAY JUNE 29
ACOUSTIC & FOLK Black Diamond, David Shepherd, Griffin James Corrimal Hotel free 3pm Greg Poppleton & His Bakelite Broadcasters Concrete Lounge, Kings Cross free 12.30pm New Empire Brass Monkey, Cronulla $17.85 7pm Russell Neal Salisbury Hotel, Stanmore free 2pm Shane MacKenzie Cohibar, Darling Harbour free 3pm Sundays @ Sunset: Josh McIvor The Belvedere Hotel free 4pm
The Cracks, Sea Legs, Phebe Starr, Bert & Ernie Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills free 6pm
Xxxx
Mick Aquilina Ramsgate RSL, Ramsgate Beach free 2pm Reels On Fire Paragon Hotel, Sydney free 6pm Rice Is Nice Party!: The Laurels, Spod, Donny Benet, Seekae DJs, Shady Lane, Richard In Your Mind, Straight Arrows, Seja Annandale Hotel $10 (presale)-$13 3pm Rock Monster Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills free 3.30pm all-ages Satellite V Marrickville Bowling Club free 4.30pm Steve Edmonds Band Catho Pub, Catherine Hill Bay 1.30pm Sydney Battle Of The Bands Heat 1 Bexley North Hotel $5 8pm Tombstone Ramblers Botany View Hotel, Newtown free 7pm Vibrations At Valve Band Competition Valve Bar, Tempe 12pm Willie Dixon Tribute CD Launch: The Violent Loves
gig picks
Saturday June 30 BELL WEATHER DEPARTMENT + BATTLESHIPS & SORRY SOCRATES 8pm // $10 at the door
8pm // FREE
LATE NIGHT SOCIAL Midnight // FREE
Friday June 29
SUGAR ARMY
Monday July 1
TOM UGLY 1929INDIAN
A RATIONAL FEAR
8pm // $15+BF // $20 at the door
7:30pm // $10 at the door
COMEDY SHOW BROADCAST ON FBi
brag beats
BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture
dance music news club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Alasdair Duncan
five minutes WITH
Robyn
ASTRAL PEOPLE
W
hen a party with a good cause comes along, we’re all over it like a bag of burritos – and even moreso when it looks this good. One of our favourite promoters, Astral People, have put together a Friday night raising money for SANE Australia – and the lineup is ridiculous... For the uninitiated, who are Astral People? Astral People are a Sydney-based artist management and touring company started up by Vic Edirisinghe, Tom Huggett and Lee Danilewitz. We manage artists like Jonti, Collarbones, Dro Carey, Bon Chat Bon Rat and Albatross, amongst a heap of others. Over the past year we’ve curated over 30 shows across Australia and hosted and/or toured over ten internationals. We’ve been in existence for about nine months now so we’re still in the emerging phase of our careers – we’ve got some big plans for the rest of the year, and can’t wait to share them with all of you guys very soon. You’re throwing a party next weekend, to raise funds for SANE Australia. Could you tell us a bit about the charity? SANE Australia is a national initiative that’s been around since 1986, conducting research, educational campaigns and fundraising in order to improve the lives of people living with mental illness (and those who love them). Our last fundraiser at GoodGod Small Club raised over $2500 for beyondblue, and we thought we’d try and double that this time around for another organisation that supports an issue that’s very relevant today amongst our youth – and especially prevalent within the music community. What’s happening on the night? We’ve tried to put together a bill that caters
THE PRESETS RETURN
Four years and a number of mud-caked festival appearances after Apocalypso, The Presets have confirmed that their third album is finally done, and will be released later in the year. Entitled Pacifi ca, the record is due on September 14 through Modular. While it
to the tastes of a lot of you out there, and not just our personal ones. We’ve got legends like Elizabeth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Rainbow Chan, Mrs Bishop, Panama, Ginger & The Ghost doing live sets early on, and DJs to keep the partying going well into the morning – with Alison Wonderland, Future Classic, Discopunx, Mary’s Basement and our own Astral DJs providing the tunes. Who knows – maybe a special guest might pop in for a little visit as well? ;) How much does it cost to get in? It’s a ‘pay what you want’ policy at the door. We trust the Sydney public would get behind this to the best of their capacity and hopefully be generous with what they donate. One thing we realised from our last fundraiser was how many remains to be seen whether or not the duo have embraced the rise of dubstep – ‘doing a Bieber’, I think that’s now called – they have promised a collection of “prismatic, synth-laced songs” that traverse light and shade in energy and emotion, and “venture into new, uncharted musical territories.” Bang
Oliver$
people in our scene suffer or know of someone that suffers from mental illness. People were coming up to us that we’d never met before, telling us their personal stories of dealing with those struggling with the condition, and that is what has spurred us to do more of this sort of stuff as much as we can. With: Elizabeth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Rainbow Chan, Mrs Bishop, and more; DJs Alison Wonderland, Future Classic, Discopunx, Mary’s Basement and more What: Astral People presents SANE Fundraiser @ Oxford Art Factory When: Friday June 29 – entry via donation, but please be generous! More: www.sane.org
Gang guy Gus Da Hoodrat had an early listen to the album and described it as “really awesomely techno” in a recent interview with triple j, so maybe that’s a better indication. The first single from the record, ‘Youth In Trouble’, is due out soon.
Z-TRIP COMES TO THE METRO
It’s been a big year for turntable wizard Z-Trip, touring with the likes of LL Cool J and collaborating with dubstep guy Datsik on his Dim Mak-released debut. Amid this, the DJ has kept up a busy touring schedule of his own, and he recently announced his return to Australia for a series of shows in August. Z-Trip recently took to Facebook to rail against the rise of digital DJ formats, decrying the lack of skill involved – the more time a DJ’s hands are in the air, he said, the less time they’re on the decks. With that in mind, you can presumably expect a display of old-school skills when he brings his allnew A/V show to The Metro Theatre on Friday August 10, for the Red Bull Thre3style National Final.
KID MAC LAUNCHES NO MAN’S LAND
OLIVER$ HEADS DOWN UNDER
Berlin-bred house producer Oliver$ has made a name for himself as a serious player in house music circles over the last few years, having released original tracks on Made To Play, Grand Petrol and Front Room Recordings, and toured with the likes of Jesse Rose and Riva Starr. Last year proved the biggest yet for the producer, with his remix of Aloe Blacc’s infernally catchy ‘I Need A Dollar’ making it big, and his own track ‘Do Ya Thing’ shifting some serious units. You can catch Oliver$ for yourself when he plays at Chinese Laundry, 111 Sussex Street, on Saturday August 4. Tickets are $15 on the door before 10pm, and $25 after.
Macario De Souza is a guy who definitely likes to keep busy. The youngster, who hails from the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, has already made something of a name for himself co-directing the documentary Bra Boys before going on to release his own first film, Fighting Fear. De Souza also makes music under the name Kid Mac, and after touring the US with Mickey Avalon, he released his debut album, No Man’s Land, earlier this year. The album, which features cameos from Avalon, Snoop Dogg, Steve Aoki and Sarah McLeod, is full of energetic, fi st-pumping electro pop and house tunes. To celebrate the release, Mac is embarking on a national tour, which kicks off at The Standard on Bourke Street this Friday June 29. The Sydney show will feature special guest Sarah McLeod, who’ll be performing her vocals on their collaboration ‘Don’t Look Back’.
PARKLIFE 2012: HUGE
There’s no better way to shrug off the winter chills and celebrate the arrival of the summer festival season than with Parklife, and this year, the festival is coming back with a formidable lineup of live acts and DJs. Perennial festival favourites The Presets will headline, giving them a chance to showcase their new tunes, while Swedish songstress Robyn will have pop fans in conniptions when she plays her first Aussie shows since V Festival waaaaay back when. Also on the bill are Passion Pit, Justice (performing a DJ set), Tame Impala, Wiley and Parachute Youth, while Nero, Rusko, Benga, Modestep and more will be on hand to fly the flag for dupsteb. One of the bill’s surprises is Madonna and Killers producer Stuart Price, appearing in his DJ guise Jacques Lu Cont.
MARTYN TAKES AIM AT DUBSTEP
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that if you’re there for the beginning of a new musical movement, you have absolute carte blanche to shit all over anyone who follows. Such is the case with Dutch DJ Martyn, who took a recent Guardian interview as an opportunity to take an amusing swipe at the new breed of dubstep artists. Martyn told the paper that he himself got into dubstep around 2005, when he was blown away by the likes of Burial, Kode9 and Digital Mystikz. These days, he says, the genre has become too crass and commercial. “An electronic music rave in America now is like a Limp Bizkit concert 10 years ago,” he says. “If you listen to a Skrillex set, it’s basically just an orgasmic reaction every three minutes. It has little to do with what dubstep was really all about, which was sort of a meditation on bass. Now it’s like a caricature of that in the US.” Snap.
CANYONS: SECRET WAREHOUSE SHOW
Canyons’ Keep Your Dreams was one of the most intriguing albums of last year, a journey through a weird and wonderful galaxy of acid house, disco and electro pop. The duo will be drawing on all of these things – and likely a whole lot more – when they return to One Night Stand next month for a very special DJ gig, presented by Picnic. The show will take place on Saturday July 14, but the warehouse location will be disclosed closer to the night of the event – tickets are currently a cool $20 through residentadvisor.net. Those who’ve seen Canyons spin promise that they’re a truly unique force behind the decks, and will be exposing us to some “ridiculous, impossible, magnifi cent records.” They will play from the moment doors open at 10pm until last man standing. BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 35
dance music news
free stuff
club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Alasdair Duncan
FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM
five things WITH
DARK SKY
OLD MEN OF MOSS MOUNTAIN
Growing Up Subsketch grew up in 1. Adelaide with the hip hop scene
collaborations, as well as a huge label mixtape coming out by the end of the year – lots to look out for.
down there and loads of Batman toys. Polyphics was heavily influenced by Elvis Costello and He-Man. Mister Whisper was pretty devastated when he learnt that Beck was a Scientologist. Maatzi was formed from the seedy cloud of North Bondi, searching the sand for early Nas demos.
Music, Right Here, Right Now 5. Clown metal fusion is really
Inspirations The slippery gears of 2. industry; technological advance; armour exhibitions; the decibel range on stereos; toast with much butter; other people’s records; dreams, dreams are a big one; supply and demand chains; fuzzy logic; gardening. Your Crew Old Men of Moss Mountain 3. are still banging away with our nerd-rap gangsta forest pop, recording new tracks, with a second EP out soon and an album at the end of the year. Still looking for fresh sounds and scary beats. We’ve formed a label/collective with Big Dumb Kid, Deadbeat & Hazy and
Subsketch called Dead City Zens, or DCZ. We made our first big video clip for a track with the whole crew, pretty cool stuff.
4.
The Music You Make Everyone in the DCZ crew comes from a different angle but we’re all ultimately juiced up by what’s a bit left-field, a bit weird and new. Big Dumb Kid has a kind
of electro, synth-driven big beat sound, Deadbeat & Hazy use a lot of dubstep and deep gritty rhythms, Subsketch prolifically produces straight-up mad clever hip hop, and with Old Men we try to have a bit of everything, from crunchy beats and big harmonies to abstract raps and sci-fi. The whole crew have new releases coming out and lots of cross
Daily Meds
dominating the East at the moment; its adherents occasionally warring with the West’s classical lounge sound. We try to stay out of the fray but sometimes you get pulled in. Across the board people in the hip hop scene are making great stuff, still pumping out that Oz hip hop sound – it can get a bit same old, though. Lots of new venues are needed but we’re looking to change that by slowly buying up council seats and subverting legislation. With that power though comes great responsibility, so we’re taking it upon ourselves to change the game and bring an underground sound to the airwaves.
While remixing is totally fly and meta, remixing those who remix is so gigantically fly and uber meta that David Cronenberg would be envious. Given that they’ve remixed the likes of Ben Westbeech and The xx, it might be best for London trio Tom Edwards, Matt Benyayer and Carlo Anderson – known collectively as garage/ dubstep/house outfit Dark Sky – to avoid visiting Toronto any time soon …so lucky for all of us that they’re coming to our shores! We have one double pass to give away to new-ish Pitt Street venue One22 on Saturday July 7, when Dark Sky will be playing alongside Kato, Preacha and Astral DJs. To be in the running to win, just tell us the name of one of their releases. Dark Sky
With: Deadbeat & Hazy, DCZ, Big Dumb Kid, Subsketch Where: Bel-Air Social @ 1 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross When: Wednesday June 27
and Elizabeth Rose, as well as DJ sets from Alison Wonderland, Future Classic, Mary’s Basement, Discopunx and the Astral crew themselves. Entry is by donation, and all proceeds from the event go towards SANE – last time they raised $2500 for beyondblue!
Greenwood. After three years, the infamous SOS is set to return on Sunday October 7 – a date worth putting in that diary of yours.
SOUNDS ON SUNDAY RETURNS!
Yep, that thing on the previous page wasn’t a joke – thanks to Justin Bieber, wholesome teen pop is now a gateway drug to Skrillex haircuts and all kinds of other nonsense. For the record, the unnaturally-smooth youngster’s first foray into harder-edged club music is a song called ‘As Long As You Love Me’, and, in case you’re morbidly curious or have nothing better to do with your internets, it’s out now. Beliebers, of course, are going mental for the track... WILL YOU?
“Those lucky enough to have enjoyed it will undoubtedly be frothing at the thought of being able to spend each Sunday in the courtyard with a generous amount of Coronas, great company and some of Australia’s most talented DJs.” So read an official announcement declaring the triumphant comeback of Sydney clubbing institution Sounds on Sunday at the
JUSTIN BIEBER GOES DUBSTEP
Tornado Wallace
DAILY MEDS SHAKE UP THE ANNANDALE
Up-and-coming hip hop act Daily Meds are on a bit of a roll at the moment. Their single ‘Insane’ was picked up by triple j and subsequently caused quite a stir among Aussie hip hop heads, and their debut full-length Happy Daze arrived in April. Following a massive album launch show at Oxford Art Factory last month, Daily Meds are setting off on a tour of the country, which sees them stopping by Sydney once again. You can catch them at The Annandale Hotel on Saturday July 7, with support from The Last Kinection. I took a couple of Mersyndol yesterday for a blinder of a headache, but these meds sound like a lot more fun…
EROL ALKAN GETS BUGGED OUT
Since the release of his classic A Bugged Out Mix in 2004, Erol Alkan has become one of the most in-demand men in the world of electronic music, working as a remixer, producer and DJ, as well as one half of the duo Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve. Eight years on from that hugely influential compilation, Alkan will return with a second, Another Bugged Out Mix/Another Bugged In Selection. As with the first, this set contains two discs, one for dancing and another for more reflective home listening. The first disc includes a broad array of tracks, from contemporary artists like Scuba right back to classics like Model 500’s ‘No UFOs’. The second is the trippier of the two, with selections from the likes of Jan Hammer Group, Chromatics and Buffalo Springfield.
BJÖRK GETS REMIXED
Manic Icelandic pixie dream girl Björk is the only artist in the history of ever who can sing the line “like a mushroom on a tree trunk as the protein transmutates” and make it sound sort of like something a normal person would sing about. Also, she is presently releasing a series of remix EPs to accompany her last 36 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
album, Biophilia, so if you’re a fan, maybe you should get on that. The series began on April 16, with the plan being to release a new entry every two weeks. Volume 6 came out this week as a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl and CD single, featuring remixes of ‘Mutual Core’, ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Virus’, all of them courtesy of Matthew Herbert. Previous entries have seen Current Value, Hudson Mohawke and Death Grips take on Björk’s raw material; the next one will feature re-workings by 16bit.
ASTRAL PEOPLE FUNDRAISER
Sydney based artist-management and touring company Astral People are stepping up to do another good deed: hosting a charity event for SANE Australia, a national mentalillness initiative that conducts innovative programs and campaigns to improve the lives of people living with mental illness, and their family and friends. And Astral People have assembled a great collection of artists in their honour. The Astral People x SANE Australia Fundraiser takes place at Oxford Arts Factory on Friday June 29, and features the likes of Guerre, Rainbow Chan, Albatross, Mrs Bishop, Panama, Ginger & The Ghost
TORNADO WALLACE @ SPICE CELLAR
Tornado Wallace has long been one of Melbourne’s most in-demand DJs, but of late he has taken his act international, spinning his trademark enigmatic mix of house, techno and disco at such hallowed venues as London’s Plastic People and Space in Ibiza. He has a number of releases to his name, and has crafted a number of fine remixes, most memorably for Cut Copy. On Friday June 29, Wallace will storm the decks at The Spice Cellar, Elizabeth Street, with support from Morgan and James Taylor. There’s free entry on the guest list before midnight – hit up The Spice Cellar’s Facebook page for more info.
Kid Mac Caught In The Middle By Andrew Geeves
K
id Mac has finally dropped his debut album, No Man’s Land, and is heading out on a national tour to show it off. An exceptionally creative individual, he bridges the gap between art and music, winning both the Artist of the Year and Video of the Year titles at this year’s MusicOz Awards – as well as winning Best Documentary at Sundance for his co-directed Bra Boys.
became my strongest points in the process of making this album.
After four years in production, how did you feel when No Man’s Land was finally released? It was a great feeling of relief and pride. I wanted to put out a body of work that best represented me and my sound – and I feel that No Man’s Land definitely does both.
You co-directed Bra Boys in 2007 with Sunny Abberton. What was it like working alongside someone who the public considers somewhat notorious? I was raised in Maroubra and got my Bra Boys tattoo when I was 18. When I was making the Bra Boys movie with Sunny, I was just proud to be making a film about where I grew up and my brotherhood. Looking back on it now, I can see why people kick up a stink about the film and us, but the movie is about the Abberton Brothers first and foremost, and so it’s a good representation of them and what they went through. I also think a lot of young guys around Australia and the world took the wrong idea out of the movie, and thought you had to start fights or get involved in punch ups to be considered tough – which is completely wrong. This is why I wanted to make my second film, Fighting Fear – to show the dangers of violence and alcohol.
It took a while to get it out there – what was the most surprising part of the albummaking process for you? Discovering some of my strengths and weaknesses in writing and recording. Certain things I thought I would nail easily took a lot of work, while things like melodies and singing were something I didn’t expect to explore as much, but they
Born in Australia as the son of Brazilian immigrant parents, can you describe how you experienced being in a no man’s land when you were growing up? There is more to the title of No Man’s Land than just the cultural reference. I have always felt in the middle of two elements ... two different cultures that I never felt 100% a part of, like surfing and street culture for example. [I’ve always] felt I was in the middle somewhere, and that’s where I felt most comfortable. It was the same with music.
I started making music in high school and came from a neighbourhood that embraced hip hop, so I was obsessed with that genre. But then when I started surfing, when I was about 14, it shifted to rock and punk. And over the years I would fuse the two genres into my own style. I never felt a part of the Aussie hip hop scene because I didn’t grow up around that, I didn’t battle my mates or freestyle all day long. I surfed, then I wrote songs paying out my mates. On the other hand, I never felt like a typical muso either, and spent days on end rehearsing with the band... I am somewhere in the middle there, in No Man’s Land, where I feel at home. You ended up meeting Warren G and Snoop Dogg, you toured with Wu-Tang when they were in Australia, and your album features Snoop, Mickey Avalon and Steve Aoki. What was it like meeting some of your idols? Meeting my idols like Snoop and Warren G was so surreal, but what made it even better was the fact that these guys were super mellow dudes and down to earth. I was also lucky enough to meet one of my other musical inspirations, Anthony Kiedis. I annihilated Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik record for years, so I was in the presence of one of my heroes! What: No Man’s Land is out now Where: The Standard When: Friday June 29
Doorly Life Is Good By Marissa Demetriou
M
artin Doorly is the type of guy who doesn’t seem to ever be able to sit still. With projects ranging from his PigeonHole This! label, hosting a radio slot on every bass freak’s radio dial, UK station Rinse FM, and fleeing to Ibiza for a residency each summer, it comes as no surprise he’s someone with boundless energy. When I ask him about the latest at PigeonHole This!, he proudly explains he has had the likes of Annie Mac and Zane Lowe behind the debut release of his latest signing, Extra Curricular. “It went into the top 10 on iTunes’ electronic chart yesterday; I produced their first two singles so I’m very involved in this project at every stage. It’s really exciting to focus on something outside of my own stuff,” he says. The label itself was born from his hyperactive approach to music, and Doorly’s enthusiasm for the recent output of the electronic music scene is palpable. “I set up the label because I genuinely can’t stick to one sound; my attention span is too short and I get too excited about new sounds. The landscape of music changes so fast these days that I just want to play and produce without restraint. “Right now there’s a great influx of hybrid music fusing a bass mentality with house music, with labels like Swamp 81, Dirty Bird and Hypercolour – I suppose that’s what is dominating my sets at the moment,” he continues, before going on to cite the set lists of UK bass masters Loefah, Oneman and Jackmaster as the ones he is “salivating over” at the moment. Having been lauded as a technical, hands-on DJ who professes to “trying to convert the world away from laptop DJ-ing and onto the Rekrodbox and the CDJ2000’s”, working alongside audio-tech company Pioneer has been an even bigger source of inspiration for Doorly. “I’ve always been a very technical DJ and I use and understand every aspect of [Pioneer’s] equipment, so they now involve me in the development of all the new stuff, and I do master classes and product demos for them – which I love… I’ve turned into a bit of a travelling salesman now as well; I managed to train and convert Roska the other day!” he laughs. When it comes to the techniques of his fellow DJs, Doorly praises Disclosure as having a great live set-up, as well as James Zabiela: “I love watching [Zabiela] to learn new tricks – he’s like a witch!” Recently initiated into the prestigious roster of DJs at Rinse FM, Doorly admits he’s never seen himself as a radio presenter, but has been enjoying having a new way to communicate with his audience. “It’s such a nice way to connect with people who are
Ben Walton Vinyl Only By Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey
M
into what you do, in that you can talk about the music you’re playing and banter with them on Twitter and stuff during the show – unlike at a gig where you’re separated by a barrier and a loud sound system. It’s also nice to play deeper and more interesting music that you wouldn’t necessarily get away with in a club,” he says. As for the rest of 2012, Doorly explains he has a gruelling tour schedule ahead that includes 23 dates in the Balearics this summer alone, as well as squeezing in an Australian tour this July – with some new projects with the likes of Grandmaster Flash in the works. But busy as he may be, in the words of the man himself: “Life is good!” Where: Soho, Potts Point When: Saturday July 28
uch like his music, there is a frenetic energy that underlies the laidback personality of Ben Walton. This evenkeeled intensity has been one of the factors that has kept this Melbourne-based DJ/ producer extraordinaire so vital in the dance music community for more than 15 years. (Well, that and his killer mixes and sets). Walton is pumped ahead of his return to Sydney at Spice Cellar this coming weekend. “It is the only club I hear of there that is consistently pushing electronic music outside of the safe and obvious, and in the process educating people to what exists beyond the mainstream,” he says of the venue, and his enthusiasm makes sense; pushing boundaries is the same approach Ben takes to his live sets. “What I play will really depend on my mood on the night and the feeling within the club, but will certainly fall into the spectrum of house and techno. You can expect some raw classics in there, paying homage to my warehouse party roots.” Never going into a set with preconceived notions, Walton is a fan of spontaneity. “It’s great when it all just flows, but you can never really pick it – it’s something that just happens.” A well-known champion of vinyl, he plans to bring some of the best records out of his collection on the night. “I’m vinyl only,” the traditionalist affirms. Having collected for almost two decades, there’s something about the format that just speaks to him. “Flicking through vinyl to pull out the next tracks, seeing the artwork and all it evokes – it’s so much more enjoyable than simply words on a computer list.” While he’s quick to clarify that he’s not anti-technology, Walton believes that digital tech needs to be integrated and in harmony with older traditions and formats.
Originally from Sydney, Walton’s move to Melbourne was on the cards for some time. “For me [Melbourne] has elements of Montreal, New York, San Francisco and Berlin; in other words, it has a cultured international feel about it.” Ben knows what he’s talking about, too – a few years back the globe-trotter packed up and headed to Berlin, after being struck by the city’s cultural climate and history. “Despite its recent popularity, I will be surprised if the place can ever ‘sell out’; there is a rawness to it that keeps it very real.” And in one of his most memorable career moments, Ben performed at an Austrian ski resort known as Lech. “Watching the turntables being taken up by a chairlift was amusing, and skiing down with everyone afterwards as the sun set over the mountains was quite euphoric, to say the least… And playing on a barge in the canals of Amsterdam for the annual Queensday party was also really cool.” But even with all the adventures his career has taken him on, Walton still favours more intimate gigs. “The energy is more contained and it’s nice not to feel separate from the crowd; it feel like you’re all sharing in the experience.” And he holds fond memories of his formative days in Sydney, in the buzzing early-‘90s. “Admittedly I was very young, but there was without a doubt a musical revolution occurring, particularly in Europe, directly influenced by the music in Chicago and Detroit, which spilled over here.” It was a period of few boundaries and much experimentation, and things have come full circle again as many dip back into sounds from the ‘80s and ‘90s – with Ben Walton standing the test of time. With: Matt Weir, Sam Roberts, Lewie Day Where: The Spice Cellar When: Saturday June 30 BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 37
club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com
club pick of the week Alison Wonderland
FRIDAY JUNE 29
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Astral People fundraiser
for SANE Australia Alison Wonderland, Elizabeth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Mrs Bishop, Rainbow Chan, Panama, Ginger & The Ghost, Future Classic DJs, Discopunx, Mary's Basement DJs, Astral DJs 8pm entry by donation MONDAY JUNE 25 Scruffy Murphys, Sydney Mother Of A Monday DJ Smokin Joe free 8pm The Sugar Mill, Kings Cross Makeout Mondays DJs free 8pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Jazz DJs free 7pm
TUESDAY JUNE 26 Empire Hotel, Kings Cross Tight Resident DJs free 9pm Establishment, Sydney Rumba Motel Salsa DJ Willie Sabor free 8pm 38 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
Scruffy Murphys, Sydney I Love Goon Tuesdays DJ Smokin Joe free 8pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Coyote Tuesday – The Zoo Project DJs 9pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Jam Nick & Adam free 8pm
WEDNESDAY JUNE 27 The Bank Hotel – Velvet Room, Newtown Lady L, Resident DJs free 9pm The Bank Nightclub, Kings Cross Money Talks DJs free 10pm Bel Air, Kings Cross Deadbeat And Hazy, Dead
City Zens, Old Men Of Moss Mountain, Big Dumb Kid, Subsketch 8pm Epping Hotel DTF Resident DJs free Flinders Hotel, Surry Hills Hip Hop Resident DJs free 8pm Harbord Beach Hotel DJ Jason Bettinger free 7pm Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale Frat House DJ Alley Cats free 8pm The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown DJ Pauly free 9pm The Village, Potts Point The Fresh Testament Paradise Lost, Papatear, Beastside, Minus2 7pm The World Bar, Kings Cross The Wall Redial, Bassriot, Kemikoll & Hydraulix, The Brothers Frimm, Pop The
Hatch, Deckhead, Kyro & Bomber $5 9pm
THURSDAY JUNE 28 Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Champion Sound Champion Sond DJs free 7pm The Cool Room, Australan Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill We Love Thursdays Sarah Robertson $10 8pm Fake Club, Kings Cross The Collective Reunion Ryan Lazy, Chris J, Sakura, Mad Cow, Highly Dubious, Lewby free 9pm GoodGod Front Bar, Sydney Girls Gone Mild Eliza & Hannah Reilly free 8pm The Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney The Greenwood Thursday Nights Resident DJs free 8pm Gypsy Lounge, Darlinghurst Naked Resident DJs 9pm Ivy Poolclub & Changeroom, Sydney Changeroom Thursdays Shantan Wantan Ichiban, Elly K, Yogi & Husky 8pm Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Resident DJs free 8pm Q Bar, Darlinghurst Hot Damn Hot Damn DJs $15-$20 8pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Rack City DJ Tikelz, DJ Lenno, DJ Ziggy, DJ Lyrikz, DJ Rkays, Mista Cee 8pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Swag Thursdays Resident DJs 9pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Propaganda Urby, Nickles, Ali Stringer, Dan Bombings free (student)-$5 9pm
FRIDAY JUNE 29 Abercrombie Hotel, Broadway Totally Barry Bad Barry DJs free 9pm Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Movement Skryptcha free 8pm Burdekin Hotel – Underground Floor, Darlinghurst Significant Others Timmus, LeOCh, Ezequiel, Gabriel Fernandes, Tezzel, DJ Hamish free 9pm Candys Apartment, Kings Cross Smash Bang Pow! Stalker, Crux, Donald Crump, Slip & Slyde, Acid Mouth, Retro Junk $10-$15 9pm Cargo Lounge, King St Wharf Kick On Fridays Resident DJs free 4pm Chinese Laundry, Sydney Tantrum Desire (UK), Spenda C, A-Tonez, Hydraulix, Diskoriot, J-Mac $15-$25 10pm Cohibar, Darling Harbour Gimme Five DJ Jeddy Rowland, Candidate free 9pm Epping Hotel Flirt Flirt DJs free Factory Theatre, Enmore One Night In Miami Pauly Iovan, Teddy, Yianna Stavrou, Steve Play, Mavros, Vourli, Eiro, V!xen, Evalyn Sokias, Jaysoundz, Alec B, Sharka, Mikey Mz, Levendi, Benny Beats, Darcy $20 (+ bf) 7pm 15-18yo only GoodGod Front Bar, Sydney Yo Grito! Yo Grito! DJs free 8pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney
Slowblow Presents Club Tropicana Canyons, Softwar, Slowblow, Debonair $10 11pm Hugo’s Lounge, Kings Cross Hugo’s Fridays Resident DJs 8pm Ivy Changeroom, Sydney Love Gun Fridays Tina Turntables, The Apprentice, Hooligan 8pm Jacksons On George, Sydney DJ Ivan Drago, DJ Rain Julz free 9pm Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross KK Fridays Falcona Agency DJs 8pm The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown Resident DJs free 9pm Metro Theatre, Sydney 360, Spit Syndicate, Bam Bam sold out 7.30pm Nevada Lounge, Darlinghurst DJ Hayden free 6pm Omega Lounge, City Tattersalls Club, Sydney Unwind Fridays DJ Greg Summerfield free 5.30pm Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Astral People Fundraiser For SANE Australia Alison Wonderland, Elizabeth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Mrs Bishop, Rainbow Chan, Panama, Ginger & The Ghost, Future Classic DJs, Discopunx, Mary's Basement DJs, Astral DJs 8pm Oxford Art Factory – Gallery Bar, Darlinghurst Sky’High, DJ Leon Smith, DJ Ology $12 (+ bf) 7pm Pontoon, Darling Harbour Perfect Resident DJs free 9pm The Red Rattler, Marrickville Arabic Dance Party DJ Apollo (Lebanon) $15 7.30pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross My Studio Nacho Pop, Dim Slm, Digital Mouthm Mike Ruckus 8pm Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney Frisky Friday DJs free 6pm The Shark Hotel, Sydney Puls8 DJ Jono, Guest DJs free 9pm The Spice Cellar, Sydney Tornado Wallace, Simon Caldwell, Discopunx, Andy Webb $10 10pm The Standard, Surry Hills Kid Mac $12 8pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Eve Resident DJs 9pm The World Bar, Kings Cross MUM Mat Cant, Sativa Sun, Let Me Down Jungleman, Permanent, The Heavy Heads, Padlock, Swim Team DJs, Wet Lungs, Cries Wolf DJs. DJ Boy, 10th Avenue, Glenn Be Trippin, Padlock $10-$15 8pm Zink Bar, Cronulla Far Out Friday Derek Turner 7pm
SATURDAY JUNE 30 Abercrombie Hotel, Broadway Strange Fruit Strange Fruit DJs free 9pm The Basement, Circular Quay The Basement Goes Greek Maria Stavrapoulou, Nikita Ellenis, Adonis, Dimi K, Dimi Gee $25 (+ bf) 7.30pm BJs Nightclub, Bondi Junction DJ Shane Taylor 10pm Bluebeat, Double Bay The Booty Affair’s Disco Dimension $15 (+ bf) 7pm Candys Apartment, Kings Cross Heat Sherlock Bones, Pretty Young Things, Chick Flick, Hypa, Stalker, Mindquad, Stick It, Ethan Boyd, Monkey
Bones $20 9pm Chinese Laundry, Sydney The Aston Shuffle DJs, Nukewood, Tigerlily, LA Tech, King Lee & Fox The Fox, Murray Lake, Mr Belvedere, Raulll, Tom Yum, Devola, Georgia, Joe Barrs $15-$25 9pm The Civic Underground, Sydney Sydney Trance Pato De Gomah, Nathan Cryptic, Zac Slade, Duress, T&O, Adriano Giorgi, Alex (Chico) Arias $15-$20 10pm Cohibar, Darling Harbour Yellow Sox DJ Matt Roberts free 9pm The Cool Room, Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill Saturday Nights DJ Koffee 9pm Establishment, Sydney Sienna – Ladies Night G-Wizard, Troy-T, DJ Def Rok, Lilo 8pm Goldfish, Kings Cross Switch Shivers, DJ Tricky, Johnny Gleeson, Matt Cahill, Tom Kelly 6pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Jingle Jangle! Smokey La Beef & smart Casual, Flash & Crash $5 11pm Ivy, Sydney Pure Ivy Helena, Cadell, Emoh Instead, Fear Of Dawn, Robbie Santiago, Chick Flick, Oh-Glam, Astrix Little $20 6pm Jacksons On George, Sydney DJ Simon Laing, DJ Michael Stewart free 9pm La Cita, King St Wharf Miami Saturdays Resident DJs free 9pm The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown Resident DJs free 9pm Marquee Sydney, The Star, Pyrmont Miss Nine, Johnny Gleeson $30 9pm Nevada Lounge, Darlinghurst DJ Hayden free 6pm One22, Sydney Huxley (UK), Ben Ashton & Gemma Van D, Kerry Wallace, Jack Fuller, Whitecat, Moonchild $20-$25 10pm Q Bar, Darlinghurst Wasted Years Wasted Years DJs $10 8pm Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross The Suite Charlie Brown, Big Will, Dim Dlm, Discokid, Troy T, Jo Funk, Steve S, Adamo, J Smoove 8pm Secret Location, Sydney Paradise Lost – Ready To Go! Paradise Lost DJs $15 10pm The Spice Cellar, Sydney Spice Ben Walton, Lewie Day, Robbie Lowe, Sam Roberts, Matt Weir $20 10pm Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park Prophecy Undertow 2012 Josh & Wesz (NL), Mark Breeze (UK), Crypsis (NL), Ophidian Live (NL), Jack Of Sound (NL), Stephanie (IT), Titan (USA), Weapon X (NL), S3RL, Weaver, S Dee, Suae, Nik Fish, Matrix, XDream, Nomad, Ravine, JTS, Mc Losty, MC D, Erase MC $69$130 9pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross Trademark Saturdays Daniel Berti, Alex Borello, Cadell, Steve Play, Troy T & MC Deekay 9pm Tunnel Nightclub, Kings Cross ONE Saturdays Resident DJs $10-$20 10pm The Watershed Hotel Watershed Presents… Skybar $15 9pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Cakes Say Whut!?, Mike Hyper, Bentley, Illya, Hannah, Oakes & Lennox, John Glover, Raye Antonelli $15$20 8pm
club guide
Deep Impressions Underground Dance And Electronica with Chris Honnery
send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com
SUNDAY JULY 1
SUNDAY JUNE 24
The Abercrombie Hotel, Broadway S.A.S.H. Sundays S.A.S.H. DJs $10 2pm The Beresford Hotel, Surry Hills Beresford Sundays Resident DJs free 5pm
Goldfish, Kings Cross Martini Club Sundays Martini Club, Tom Kelly, Straight Up Steve free 6pm Hugo’s Lounge, Kings Cross Sneaky Sundays Sneaky Sound System, Resident DJs 8pm Kit & Kaboodle, Kings Cross Easy Sundays Resident DJs 8pm
Q Bar, Darlinghurst Daydream DJs 4.30am The Spice Cellar, Sydney Spice After Hours Lewie Day, Murat Kilic $20 4am The Watershed Hotel Afternoon DJs DJ Brynstar free The World Bar, Kings Cross Dust Shaun Broughton, James Taylor, Morgan free 9pm
Alex Smoke
club picks up all night out all week...
Deadbeat And Hazy
T
WEDNESDAY JUNE 27
GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Jingle Jangle! Smokey La Beef & Smart Casual, Flash & Crash $5 11pm
Bel Air, Kings Cross Deadbeat And Hazy, Dead City Zens, Old Men Of Moss Mountain, Big Dumb Kid, Subsketch 8pm
One22, Sydney Huxley (UK), Ben Ashton & Gemma Van D, Kerry Wallace, Jack Fuller, Whitecat, Moonchild $20-$25 10pm
The World Bar, Kings Cross The Wall Redial, Bassriot, Kemikoll & Hydraulix, The Brothers Frimm, Pop The Hatch, Deckhead, Kyro & Bomber $5 9pm
Secret Location, Sydney Paradise Lost – Ready To Go! Paradise Lost DJs $15 10pm
FRIDAY JUNE 29 Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Movement Skryptcha free 8pm Chinese Laundry, Sydney Tantrum Desire (UK), Spenda C, A-Tonez, Hydraulix, Diskoriot, J-Mac $15-$25 10pm GoodGod Small Club, Sydney Slowblow Presents Club Tropicana Canyons, Softwar, Slowblow, Debonair $10 11pm
The Spice Cellar, Sydney Spice Ben Walton, Lewie Day, Robbie Lowe, Sam Roberts, Matt Weir $20 10pm The World Bar, Kings Cross Cakes Say Whut!?, Mike Hyper, Bentley, Illya, Hannah, Oakes & Lennox, John Glover, Raye Antonelli $15-$20 8pm
SUNDAY JULY 1 The Spice Cellar, Sydney Spice After Hours Lewie Day, Murat Kilic $20 4am
Metro Theatre, Sydney 360, Spit Syndicate, Bam Bam sold out 7.30pm
Luciano has put together a mix called Vagabundos 2012, due for release at the end of July. But as Luciano has long since traded in making/supporting interesting music for becoming the next Sven Vath, I’m going to avoid wasting undue column space pumping his tires up any further. Instead I’d advise you to explore Luciano’s back-catalogue – start with the above-mentioned Sci.Fi.Hi.Fi mix – up until about 2009, at which stage you can move on to someone else, as I’m about to do now. Next!
Oxford Art Factory – Gallery Bar, Darlinghurst Sky’High, DJ Leon Smith, DJ Ology $12 (+ bf) 7pm The Red Rattler, Marrickville Arabic Dance Party DJ Appolo (Lebanon) $15 7.30pm The Spice Cellar, Sydney Tornado Wallace, James Taylor, Discopunx, Andy Webb $10 10pm The Standard, Surry Hills Kid Mac $12 8pm
And now for someone who has not lost his mojo, despite years in the game. Luke Slater has announced that another remix package of his cut ‘Function 4‘, which was originally released under his Planetary Assault Systems moniker a few years back, will be released in the coming months. And as can be expected, some pretty serious names have contributed remixes – I’m talking the likes of Marcel Dettmann, Lucy and Shifted. Ever since
SATURDAY JUNE 30 Chinese Laundry, Sydney The Aston Shuffle DJs, Nukewood, Tigerlily, LA Tech, King Lee & Fox The Fox, Murray Lake, Mr Belvedere, Raulll, Tom Yum, Devola, Georgia, Joe Barrs $15-$25 9pm Goldfish, Kings Cross Switch Shivers, DJ Tricky, Johnny Gleeson, Matt Cahill, Tom Kelly 6pm
he rightfully revered Glaswegian proponent of all things dark, druggy experimental and minimal, Alex Smoke, returns to Sydney to play a live set at One22 on Saturday July 14 in a co-pro between Techno Tuesday and [The Box]. In stating the bleeding obvious – which is how it’s done on this page – this should be a ripsnorter of a night. Smoke, whose real name is plain old ‘Alex Menzies’, has released a number of critically acclaimed artist albums on the canonical Soma imprint, namely Incommunicado and Paradolia, and a couple of stonking EPs on Vakant, along with a varied collection of remixes for outfits like Depeche Mode, Junior Boys, Mylo – anyone remember him? – and Andre Kraml. The classically trained musician released his debut mix compilation back in 2006 with Sci.Fi.Hi. Fi Vol. 3, following on from the efforts of Ewan Pearson and Luciano with a brooding voyage through dub techno, classic Detroit and new-wave minimalism that remains a favourite of mine. His most recent album, Lux, was released a couple of years back and is also well worth a listen, offering another accomplished assortment of experimental ‘wonky’ techno to his celebrated back-catalogue. Last year Smoke continued to break new ground by composing a semi-classical score for FW Murnau’s seminal 1926 silent film Faust, which was performed by Scottish Ensemble and premiered at the 2011 Glasgow Film Festival. “I think anyone that is truly making music for the sake of making music is going to want to push at their own boundaries, and to explore new sonic territory,” Smoke told Pulse Radio recently. “If you just re-tread the same ground continuously, you’re going to get bored and stale and end up just going through the motions.” Excited for this one yet? You certainly should be! Smoke will be flanked by some of Sydney’s finest DJs on support duties: Trinity, Jay Smalls and techno’s odd couple, the Glitch lads. Doors open 10pm, with limited $20 early bird tickets available through Resident Advisor.
LOOKING DEEPER Basic Soul Unit
SATURDAY JULY 7 Basic Soul Unit Marrickville Bowling Club
SATURDAY JULY 14 Alex Smoke (live) One22, 122 Pitt St
SATURDAY JULY 28 Vakula Marrickville Bowling Club
Vakula the release of Planetary Assault Systems' debut album The Electric Funk Machine way back in that acid-washed summer of ’94, Slater has used the project as a means of exploring the dynamic aural interplay of club and home listening, creating ‘allpurpose’ techno that has a sufficiently strong thematic unity that can be appreciated in any context. ‘Function 4' was first released on the renowned Peacefrog label back in 2000, via the Coad Warrior 2 EP, before being reissued last year on Slater’s own Mote Evolver label, with the original cut accompanied by remixes from Chris Liebing and Marcel Dettmann. Having obviously not quite scratched that sonic itch, Dettmann has contributed another rework on the forthcoming EP with his “bass dub” remix, while enigmatic British producer Shifted rounds off the package with his own version. No word of the precise date that this one drops, but keep your ears and eyes open over the coming weeks.
Huxley
Deep Impressions: electronica manifesto and occasional club brand. Contact through deep.impressions@yahoo.com BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 39
snap up all night out all week . . .
astral people fundraiser
parkside feat. sleep d
PICS :: AM
party profile
It’s called: Astral People fundraiser for SANE Australia It sounds like: Bread coming out of a toaste r when it’s ready. Who’s spinning? Alison Wonderland, Elizab eth Rose, Guerre, Albatross, Rainbow Chan, Mrs Bishop, Panama, Ginge r & The Ghost, Future Classic DJs, Discopunx, Mary’s Basement DJs, Astral DJs and special guests. Sell it to us: Pay whatever you want. We’re dishin proceeds going to SANE Australia to help those g up over 13 acts, with 100% of struggling with mental illness. The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Walking out of the club after booty-shaking all night long, and knowing you contributed to helping those struggling with mental illness. Crowd specs: Legend-only door policy. Wallet damage: Entry is via donation. Don’t be cheap. Where: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst When: Friday June 29, from 8pm
strange fruit
PICS ::AM
16:06:12 :: GoodGod Small Club :: 53-55 Liverpool St Sydney 8084 0587
kittens
PICS :: GP
16:06:12 :: The Abercrombie Hotel :: 100 Broadway Ultimo 9211 3486
15:06:12 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex St Sydney 8295 9999
:: KATRINA CLARKE :: RASA S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER OV :: ROSETTE ROUHANNA :: POP RGE GEO :: NS OWE :: ELKE JUSKEVICIUTE :: ASHLEY MAR ROCKEY WEIJERS ::
40 :: BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12
propaganda
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bass mafia
PICS :: GP
16:06:12 :: Q Bar :: 34-44 Oxford St Darlinghurst Sydney 9331 3100
14:06:12 :: The World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 9357 7700
TRIPLE $15 FOR 3! BOWLING / DRINKS / LASER TAG
MIX AND MATCH AS YOU LIKE.
TUESDAY NIGHTS AT STRIKE KING STREET WHARF, STRIKE CHATSWOOD & STRIKE ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER CONDITIONS APPLY. LASER TAG NOT AVAILABLE AT STRIKE KING STREET WHARF.
FIND US ON
BRAG :: 468 :: 25:06:12 :: 41
snap up all night out all week . . .
club tropicana It’s called: Slow Blow presents Club Tropic ana
PICS :: RJ
itchy beats
party profile
It sounds like: Tropical fruit being hand fed by sun-kissed topless women and men.
roots
Three songs you’ll hear on the night: Wham – ‘Club Tropicana’; Omar S – ‘Set It Out’; Daniel Maloso – ‘Discoteca Carve nAcola’. And one you definitely won’t: Hmm… Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, and Justin Beiber. Sell it to us: Dance the night away in a tropic al environment that is both relaxing and comfortable. Simmering sound s that will make you dance and sweat the night away! The bit we’ll remember in the AM: All the topless people, the fresh music, and maybe the umbrella. Crowd specs: If the world ended, these are the people you would more than likely want to die with. Topless. Wallet damage: 10 sweaty clams all night. Where: GoodGod Small Club / 55 Liverpool Street, China Town When: Friday June 29, from 11pm
PICS ::GP
16:06:12 :: Brighton Up Bar :: Level 1/77 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9361 3379
Acts: Ice cool Canyons, sensual Softwar, hedon istic heros Slow Blow and the refreshing Debonair.
guy j
PICS :: AM
15:06:12 :: Spectrum :: 34-44 Oxford St Darlinghurst Sydney 9331 3100
16:06:12 :: Spice Cellar :: 58 Elizabeth Street, Sydney :: KATRINA CLARKE :: RASA S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO) OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER OV :: ROSETTE ROUHANNA :: POP RGE GEO :: :: ELKE OWENS JUSKEVICIUTE :: ASHLEY MAR ROCKEY WEIJERS ::
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strike
PICS :: AM
spice cellar
PICS :: AM
16:06:12 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex St Sydney 8295 9999
15:06:12 :: Strike Bowling Bar :: King St Wharf Darling Harbour
3 MONTHS FULL-TIME OR 1 YEAR PART-TIME OPEN NIGHT THIS FRIDAY, 29 JUNE 6PM
Level 3, 50 Margaret St Sydney (02) 9299 1166 shillingtoncollege.com.au facebook/shillington.fb twitter.com/shillington_ 39$.%9 s -%,"/52.% s "2)3"!.% ,/.$/. s -!.#(%34%2 s .%7 9/2+
Are you wanting a career change but don’t want to study for 3 years? The good news is that a world class design education needn’t take forever. It should be well planned, continually adapted to the times and presented by passionate professionals. That’s what happens at Shillington College and we have the record to prove it. Our students are taught by outstanding designers and are getting top design jobs. Starting with no prior experience they graduate with a professional portfolio and an in-depth knowledge of the design programs. Enrolling now for September intake. The college will be open from 5.45pm to 7pm on Friday 29 June with a 45 minute presentation starting at 6pm. Bookings are not required to attend the Open Night.