The Music (Brisbane) Issue #104

21.10.15 Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Brisbane / Free / Incorporating

M U M F O R D & S ONS

THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION TOU R

ROCKWIZ TV

E VE N T

INDEPENDENT MUSIC A WARDS

Beyond The Banjo

Issue

104

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JONSON STREET BYRONBAY THURS 22 OCT

HUBCAP & HIGH HORSE FRI 23 OCT

BOO SEEKA SAT 24 OCT

MARSHALL OKELL ALBUM LAUNCH THURS 29 OCT

MAT MC HUGH, LYALL MOLONEY FRI 30 OCT

THE VANNS SAT 31 OCT

HALLOWEEN CREEP SHOW 2015 – WITH TROPICAL ZOMBIE, THE PINHEADS, EL BRAVO & DJ CHRIS BRADLEY FRI 6TH NOV

FLOATING BRIDGES & KALIDAD SAT 7TH NOV

LUKE MORRIS ALBUM LAUNCH THURS 12 NOV

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE WWW.THENORTHERN.COM.AU

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Credits

Publisher Street Press Australia Pty Ltd Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast National Editor – Magazines Mark Neilsen Editor Steve Bell Arts Editor Hannah Story Eat/Drink Editor Stephanie Liew

Music Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Gather ‘Round Folks

Courtney Barnett

It’s Woodford Folk Festival’s 30th anniversary this year, the event running 27 Dec – 1 Jan. They’ve gone all out with 2400 artists and presenters over 25 venues, including Michael Franti, Courtney Barnett, Trinity Roots, Tinpan Orange, Montaigne, Briggs and Marlon Williams.

Gig Guide Editor Justine Lynch gigs@themusic.com.au

A$AP Rocky

Gin Wigmore

Contributing Editor Bryget Chrisfield Contributors Alice Bopf, Anthony Carew, Baz McAlister, Ben Marnane, Ben Preece, Benny Doyle, Bradley Armstrong, Brendan Telford, Brie Jorgensen, Carley Hall, Chris Yates, Cyclone, Daniel Cribb, Daniel Johnson, Danielle O’Donohue, Dave Drayton, Guy Davis, Jake Sun, Jazmine O’Sullivan, Kane Sutton, Lochlan Watt, Madeleine Laing, Mandy McAlister, Michael Smith, Mitch Knox, Neil Griffiths, Nicholas Atkins, Paul Mulkearns, Roshan Clerke, Sam Hobson, Samuel J Fell, Sean Capel, Sky Kirkham, Sophie Blackhall-Cain, Tessa Fox, Tom Hersey, Tyler McLoughlan, Vicki Englund Interns Elijah Gall Photographers Freya Lamont, John Stubbs, John Taylor, Kane Hibberd, Markus Ravik, Rick Clifford, Sky Kirkham, Stephen Booth, Terry Soo, Tessa Fox Sales Trent Kingi sales@themusic.com.au

Get Tix A$AP

Art Dept Ben Nicol Felicity Case-Mejia

A$AP Rocky is returning to our sunburnt land to play headline shows in all capital cities. The American rapper and international sensation will tour his shows in quick succession from 17 – 28 Feb.

Admin & Accounts Jarrod Kendall, Leanne Simpson, Loretta Zoppos, Niall McCabe, Bella Bi accounts@themusic.com.au Distro distro@themusic.com.au

The DOC

Dan Sultan. Pic: Peter Sharp

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The DOC Is Calling — Brisbane

8 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

The DOC, integral performer and songwriter of NWA, is bringing his first ever speaking tour, touching on the many aspects and important points of his life, to JMC Academy.

Real Live Sultan Aussie gem Dan Sultan is touring from mid-November. Aptly, the tour celebrates the release of his new live albuvm, OpenLIVE. Sultan is giving love to metro and regional areas starting in Castlemaine on 13 Nov.

c / Arts / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Triple Header

Hoodoo Gurus

A Day On The Green comes through with the goods once again, announcing that Hoodoo Gurus, Sunnyboys and Violent Femmes will be part of the next set of A Day On The Green shows.

Gin Gig-more Touring her most recent album, Blood To Bone, Kiwi alt-rocker Gin Wigmore is returning to Australia.

Wigmore kicks off at Brisbane’s The Foundry 11 Dec, treating the east coast to a string of shows.

Patrick James

Don’t Be An Outlier To coincide with the release of his new LP Outlier, Patrick James has announced a massive headline national tour.

James is currently supporting The Paper Kites on their national tour but will take his turn as headliner in Feb and Mar.

5 The maximum number of ecstasy pills the Amsterdam Dance Event allows punters to legally possess.

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Lifestyle Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Garage Sale Trail

If you’ve got shit to sell, you might want to consider joining one of the greatest Australian redistributions of stuff since Gumtree was invented. Registering your sale at garagesaletrail.com.au puts you on the map for all to see on 24 Oct.

King Kendrick Having pulled out all stops for their 2016 line-up, Bluesfest 2016 promoters have announced another huge international name – hip hop royalty Kendrick Lamar.

Kendrick Lamar

Andromeda Festival

Oh My Stars The intimate, openair festival just 45 minutes West of Brisbane, Andromeda, has announced details for their event to take place 30 Oct – 1 Nov. International acts such as Fred P, DJ Deep and DJ NOBU will be playing alongside local acts.

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The Vaccines

e / Cultu Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Splinters In The Midde

Darren Middleton

Powderfinger’s Darren Middleton has announced his upcoming album Splinters, the follow-up to his 2013 debut solo album, Translations. He celebrates with a show at The Triffid on 7 Nov, surrounded by his mates.

The Preatures

Where You’d Rather Be Corona continues to play heavily on the beer, sunsets and bands card, taking Sydney indie-rockers The Preatures on a 20-date acoustic tour, kicking off 6 Nov. All shows are free and proudly presented

by The Music.

Brisbane Gets Vaccinated Landing in Australia next month to tour with good mates Mumford & Sons, The Vaccines will be treating Brissy fans to a headline show at The Triffid, 8 Nov.

2

MILLION

The number of feral cats the Federal Government is planning to cull over five years, which prompted Morrissey to slam the decision and the Government to officially respond to him.

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Music / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Dog’s Day Out

The John Steel Singers

The video for The John Steel Singers’ latest track Weekend Lover was premiered by RSPCA Queensland because it starts the band’s four-legged besties! The band are urging people to donate to RSPCA. They launch the vid at The Triffid, 6 Nov.

Last Dinosaurs

Fraser A Gorman

Fiesta Time Valley Fiesta is more than just a street party.

The three-day Brisbane event showcases the culture of The Valley from 23 – 25 Oct with Gypsy & The Cat, Last Dinosaurs and Resin Dogs recently added to the line-up.

The Rumjacks

Where’s The Rum Hot off the announcement that the folk-punk outfit have signed with Troubadour Music, The Rumjacks have revealed they’ll be going out with the bang this year as they head out on the Home Rule east coast tour to round off their 2015. Kicks off 19 Nov.

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Arts / Li Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Yellin’ Outta Compton

DJ Yella

Following a wave of fanfare that revolved around the release of Straight Outta Compton, NWA’s biopic, DJ Yella, founding member and beat spinner has announced a solo tour of Australia. Yella kicks it off in Brissy, 22 Nov.

22ND OCTOBER

YOWIE: BOO SEEKA + SPECIAL GUESTS 23RD OCTOBER GREENTHIEF (MLB) 24TH OCTOBER LOADED #2 25TH OCTOBER

Travellin’ Man Gorman Fraser A Gorman continues to present his wry, cheeky output as it is with the new video for Never Gonna Hold You (Like I Do). He’ll be doing a small east coast tour in Dec.

Music is the only thing that cures the sorrow we don’t have words and names for yet.

Feel u, @NekoCase.

STRICTLY SPEAKING #3 29TH OCTOBER PESCI’S W/ THE LULU RAES + SPECIAL GUESTS 30TH OCTOBER BABAGANOUJ “HIT SONG” SINGLE LAUNCH 31ST OCTOBER JEREMY NEALE EP LAUNCH 5TH NOVEMBER YOWIE #6 6TH NOVEMBER HARD-ONS, HOUND, RON SWANSONS 7TH NOVEMBER MULTIPLE MAN 8TH NOVEMBER MIDAS GOLD

Graham Bonnet

12TH NOVEMBER YOWIE #7 13TH NOVEMBER

Bee In Ya Bonnet Veteran UK rocker Graham Bonnet – known for his work with Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group and Alcatrazz – has announced a run of performances in Australia and New Zealand with his all-star backing band in April next year.

JOY “ODE” EP LAUNCH 14TH NOVEMBER LOADED #3 15TH NOVEMBER TAKING BACK SUNDAYS ACOUSTIC AFTERNOON 19TH NOVEMBER YOWIE #8 WWW.THEFOUNDRY.NET.AU THEFOUNDRY.OZTIX.COM.AU 228 WICKHAM STREET, FORTITUDE VALLEY

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Lifestyle Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

The Idol

BAPFF First Look

Brisbane is set to host its annual Asia-Pacific Film Festival once again from 19 – 29 Oct. The festival takes in multi-Academy Award winning Palestinian film The Idol for its first ever Australian screening on opening night.

Turnstile

Turn Up For Turnstile Representing the hardcore of Baltimore, Turnstile will be touring down under for an early 2016 tour. Joined by Melbourne’s Born Free, the boys start the tour by hitting Crowbar and Zephyr Hall in Brissy on 13 & 14 Jan.

Caffeine Fix Espresso di Manfredi has announced they will be official partner to the ARIA Awards Connected by Telstra. To celebrate, the Italian espresso brand has created a limited edition Espresso di Manfredi and ARIA Awards coffee cup.

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e / Cultu Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Water Me

sweatiness you will no doubt experience, the lovely folks at Falls Fest will be prepping an amazing water park for your flamingo-inflatable-reclining pleasure at this year’s Falls Fest Byron.

John Mellencamp

One Time At Camp Grammy Award-winning US artist John Mellencamp has announced he’ll be heading back to Australia in 2016 for a seven-date national tour in Feb, where he will also be joined by very special guests Jewel and Carlene Carter.

Cirque Adrenaline

Summerset

Jose Gonzalez

Queensland Performing Arts Centre has lined up Jan for the kids this summer, with their Summerset program. Catch the world’s most dangerous and death defying acts with Cirque Adrenaline, see wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall bring Deadly 60 to the stage, and more.

Be Speedy Softly stirring Swedish export José González is making his way down to Australia in 2016 for a couple of headline shows, including one at The Tivoli on 10 Feb.

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Music

OFF IN ANOTHER DIRECTION Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons returns to the place they first felt like “a proper international band”, he tells Cyclone.

M

umford & Sons have ticked off successive goals on any band’s bucket list. They’ve enjoyed multi-platinum albums, won awards, and headlined Glastonbury. But now frontman Marcus Mumford wants the Brits to prove themselves worthy.

Mumford & Sons’ rise from pub to stadium performers has, to an extent, been a glorious fluke. Mumford was playing drums for one-time girlfriend Laura Marling when he created the group with old school pal Ben Lovett on keys, banjoist Winston Marshall, and bassman Ted Dwane. Mumford & Sons were linked to London’s nu-folk movement along with Marling and Noah & The Whale. The quartet blew up here in Australia with the stompin’ single Little Lion Man - it’d later conquer triple j’s Hottest 100. “Australia was the first place where we felt like we were a proper international band,” Mumford declares.

Soon Mumford & Sons was a global phenomenon, listeners falling for 2009’s debut Sigh No More, its campfire acoustica and bluegrass elevated by Mumford’s stirring lyrics - alternately romantic, literary and Biblical (his parents are evangelical Christians). Sigh No More was named British Album Of The Year at the BRITs. Mumford & Sons, who’d backed Bob Dylan at 2011’s Grammy Awards, then scored the Album Of The Year gong for 2012’s consolidating Babel. The band paved the way for Ed Sheeran and influenced songs by everyone from EDM’s Avicii to One Direction.

In November Mumford & Sons are returning Down Under, some shows already sold out. Earlier this year they unveiled their most daring album in Wilder Mind - daring because, increasingly ambivalent about that ‘folk’ tag, they’ve shed its tropes, notably their signature banjo, for classic rock (cue: the synthy anthem Believe). Mumford touted Wilder Mind as “a development, not a departure”. Mumford & Sons experimented while jamming. Marshall picked up an electric guitar. And the band decided to trade Mumford’s kick drum for a full kit. Curiously, Mumford & Sons have even switched their tweed waistcoats for leather jackets.

“I think there was part of us that expected people to say that [it was a big change], because people very much associated our band with a certain look and, in effect, just the banjo,” Mumford

I definitely wanna make as many types of music as I can before I die - ‘cause I’m just a music fan.

16 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

says today. “But we also felt like we were confident to say to people, ‘Look, it’s not just about those things. Come and see us live and you’ll understand that actually it’s not that drastic a shift...’ But I s’pose we were expecting people to find it a bit weird. And that’s fine. But, hopefully, in the arc of our band, people will be able to put it in its place and to understand what we were trying to do at the time - which was just write songs that we could get behind and enjoy playing live, really.”

Mumford & Sons previously liaised with producer Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire).

However, for Wilder Mind they teamed with James Ford - following informal sessions under The National’s Aaron Dessner in Brooklyn, New York. Ford is a hybridist, among his studio credits Arctic Monkeys and Florence + The Machine - plus his own techno outfit Simian Mobile Disco.

“He definitely helped us sort of rediscover our love of recording - which we hadn’t necessarily lost, but we just hadn’t done it in a while,” Mumford says.

Wilder Mind is also Mumford & Sons’ most collaborative outing. Mumford allowed other band members input into the lyrics.

This was, he says, “a relief”. “I found it really exciting - especially when I realised that I could sing other people’s lyrics in the band as if they were my own... I guess I was writing more, percentage-wise, on the first couple of records. And, to be able to share that burden out with the lads - not ‘burden’, sorry, it’s the responsibility - I find it really exciting.”

It’s no wonder that Wilder Mind should be reactionary, if not iconoclastic. Mumford & Sons have experienced a backlash to their rustic sonics and image - the four’s relatively privileged origins a UK media fixation (Marshall’s dad is a hedge fund millionaire). Yet Wilder Mind has been favourably reviewed, drawing comparisons to The National and The War On Drugs. And Mumford & Sons have integrated the new material into shows. “I think to start with, it just needed some tweaking,” Mumford says.

“But, in general, we’ve found that the songs from the three albums fit together live better than we’d even imagined they would... We really enjoy being able to play the old ones now, as well as the new ones.”

Much has changed for Mumford personally, too. In 2012 he wed his childhood pen pal, Carey Mulligan, an A-list actor since the acclaimed An Education. Reluctantly, yet inevitably, they’ve emerged as indiedom’s ‘It’ couple. Last month Mulligan quietly gave birth to their daughter. News breaks as this interview is scheduled of Mulligan, bumpfree, walking the red carpet in London for her buzz film Suffragette. But such is the pair’s anxious desire for privacy that Kanye

BRAND N E W D AY

West-level stipulations are imposed. “Don’t mention the baby!”, we’re instructed.

Nevertheless, the scoop we’re after concerns reports of Mumford’s intriguing moonlighting in hip hop. The muso, raised on jazz and soul, is an ol’ b-boy, “fascinated” by sampling. “I grew up listening to hip hop, really. The first record I bought was [The] Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill - and Jurassic 5 was the first gig I ever went to. So it wasn’t, like, super underground - it was quite [laughs] ‘English boy hip hop’ - but I certainly grew up on it and have always enjoyed it.”

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly is his favourite album of the last year. While in NY, Mumford connected with beatmaker 88-Keys, a Yeezy compadre. “I just called him up and said, ‘Can I come and just watch what you do for a day?’ We sat there and talked and listened to music all day. He became a friend out of it, luckily. I hope one day we’ll be able to do something together.”

It’s here perhaps where Mumford’s liberating himself from ‘folk’ becomes pertinent. “I definitely wanna make as many types of music as I can before I die - ‘cause I’m just a music fan,” he shares. “I’m not a purist. I love too many types of music to be able to call myself a purist. And I respect purists.”

Mumford & Sons’ list of achievements

is impressive - they once even performed for President Obama at the White House (on David Cameron’s request).

But, asked what is left for them to do, and Mumford sounds almost... discomfited.

“I wanna be able to sustain [things] over a long period of time,” he replies. “That’s when I’ll look back and feel like we’ve achieved something... I wanna be able to look back and say that we made six amazing records that we’re really proud of and we toured for all of that time - or, like, ten records. I always look forward, ‘What’s the next thing that we can do?’... But I really wanna earn my place now.

I really don’t wanna see that [success] as a flash-in-thepan. I really wanna earn it by playing lots of shows live, by making better records than we’ve made, by still pushing ourselves to be as creative as possible, by making lots of different types of music, by promoting other bands’ music, by sharing the love of the people, and [by] being a good neighbour and stuff. So we’re very ambitious in kinda more broad stroke general ways.”

Indeed, Mumford & Sons are already contemplating fresh music. “We are looking forward to the next record and we have been writing some songs,” Mumford affirms.

“I think we left it too long between Babel and Wilder Mind.

I’d like to leave a little bit less time this time ‘round so that we can get going a bit quicker with another record.”

Despite declining music sales in the streaming era, indie-rock types still often baulk at canny entrepreneurialism beyond localised DIY endeavours. Not so the pragmatic Mumford & Sons.

The Brits have their own global company, Gentlemen Of The Road, with label, live promotion and festival arms. It is a brand, but a cool one. (Keyboardist Ben Lovett is also involved in the not dissimilar Communion.)

Mumford & Sons’ famed GOTR Stopover festivals typically happen over two days in unusual or neglected destinations, off the tour circuit, the band curating acts. (Back in 2012 they ventured to Dungog, NSW!) Next month, the boys, fresh from headlining Reading and Leeds Festivals, will play a one-day GOTR mini-fest in Sydney’s Domain on their Aussie tour. They’ve programmed it themselves, choosing Jake Bugg, Future Islands and The Vaccines (Justin Hayward-Young is an old folkie mate). And, commendably, this GOTR isn’t all ‘gentlemen’, either, with the addition of Aussie soulstress Meg Mac - triple j’s 2014 Unearthed Artist Of The Year.

Her current hit, Never Be, is a cross between Mumford & Sons, Adele and Lauryn Hill. “We had 100% say - we take it really seriously,” Mumford assures of the roster. “This is our jobs! [laughs]. This is what we love to do. These festivals have become a real privilege - and they’ve been really, really fun to be able to do.”

That’s the DIY spirit...

When & Where: 7 Nov, Riverstage

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Music

From The As The Phoenix Foundation are crossing the ditch for their first full east coast Australian tour, so co-frontman Sam Scott warns Steve Bell about his band’s penchant for embracing the weird.

E

ver ambitious Kiwi indie stalwarts The Phoenix Foundation have been concocting their idiosyncratic sonic playgrounds for nearly two decades now forming in Wellington back in 1997 - but they’re obviously still open to learning new tricks of their chosen trade. For recent sixth long-player Give Up Your Dreams the acclaimed outfit - who’ve been nominated for an astounding 24 New Zealand Music Awards over the journey, taking home six - could have easily stuck to their guns and given fans more of what they’ve enjoyed in the past, but instead they undertook a noticeable stylistic turn which is already paying handsome dividends.

I think you’d be a pretty cold-hearted New Zealand musician to not see the joy in The Clean or The Chills and the others, they’re great bands”

“It came out great,” smiles co-frontman Sam Scott of the album. “It was always going to be a challenging record I think because we wanted to shift our perspective and come up with songs from the rhythmic angle rather than the strummy acoustic guitar starting point where a lot of our songs start, and that definitely signalled a different approach right from day one. It was sometimes difficult but ultimately it was really rewarding and really fun to record once we were all working as a band.

“I think [the change] was probably because we had a new drummer [Chris O’Connor] - and he’s really amazing - so the challenge became for us to come up with beats that he couldn’t play I guess,” Scott chuckles.

“That proved impossible. It was mainly Luke [Buda] our other singer’s directive that he wanted to make stuff that was really rhythmically complex and more direct than our previous records.”

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Scott elaborates that there were some more esoteric influences at play than their usual indie rock touchstones.

“We were trying to combine that whole krautrock thing with AfroBeat rhythms, so the inspirations were all of the obvious cool reference points that people try to bandy about these days,” he tells. “I was listening to a lot of Ethiopiques kinda stuff over the last few years, and Conrad [Wedde] our lead guitarist always has some new genre he’s found like Turkish psychedelic stuff - there’s always some different element coming in from someone in the band.

Everyone’s got quite diverse tastes. It’s fun trying to push yourself in different ways and go, ‘Let’s try to not sound like Pavement on this one, let’s try and sound like Ethiopian spiritual and religious tracks from the ‘70s or something’.

[Pavement] were definitely an influence on us early on though - I actually do completely love them.”

Given that Pavement were themselves turned on by the earlier wave of New Zealand bands from the Flying Nun stable, the obvious question becomes whether The Phoenix Foundation also drink from that fertile local well?

“It is an obvious question but it’s also a really relevant one, because we do - there are heaps of bands that we absolutely love from that time and that label,” Scott admits. “I think you’d be a pretty cold-hearted New Zealand musician to not see the joy in The Clean or The Chills and the others, they’re great bands.”

Right now though Scott is particularly excited at how well the material from Give Up Your Dreams has translated into the live realm.

“I feel that what’s really exciting is not whether or not it’s our best album - that’s up for time to debate - but at this point it seems pretty unquestionable that it’s our best live record,” he enthuses. “Taking this record on the road just feels really, really exciting so I think that the people who’ve got the record and are enjoying it will come to see the shows and will probably enjoy the record more after seeing it live. You really get to see how our rhythm section of Will [Ricketts] on percussion and Chris on drums and Tom [Callwood] on bass work together to make these quite bizarre rhythms, and make them sound not so weird.

That s the trick, getting stuff that’s quite complicated and That’s making it sound easy and making it sound groovy so that you ca can have a good dance to it. Especially tracks like Myth are rea really interesting live - that has a really strange kind of pattern and strange accents, and once we get amongst that liv live it’s a really transcendental effect, it really takes you aw away.”

In Scott’s opinion is The Phoenix Foundation’s sound much different onstage than in the studio?

“I think it is,” he reflects. “It’s probably a bit heavier just because that’s the inherent nature of playing live.

On previous records we really focused on making really polished production music, but with this album we recorded most of it live and really focused on having really strong rhythmic performances, so even though it’s a real studio record I do feel like this one live is weirder and closer to the album than our previous records. It’s a much weirder thing to see live.”

What: Give Up Your Dreams (Caroline)

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Comedy

Frontlash Braindead Bolt

My Ireland Home

The Drones’ new single Taman Shud is so terrifyingly visceral it’s incredible, but even more awesome is the fact that our fave buffoon Andrew Bolt took the bait of being namechecked and tried to ‘critique’ the band and song...

Let There Be Rock!

Just when we thought that the impending AC/DC tour couldn’t get any more rocktastic, they announced Swedish rockers The Hives as support.

Lashes

There Ain’t No Party...

Like an Ocean Party! They launched their great new album Light Weight in Brissie on the weekend; we’re pleased to report both band and album rule.

The Hives looking ecstatic

Backlash Bad Robbie!

Robbie Williams told us ad nauseum he was going to entertain us but we didn’t realise that he meant trying to pick up teenagers at his Brisbane concert. Nah, ‘twas just one of those things and he was very contrite...

Tyranny Of Distance Every time they announce a Golden Plains line-up we curse it for being so far away and then buy ourselves a plane ticket.

Bye Bye Bunnies Lucky no one’s needed Playboy for a while except for the articles now that the mags will no longer feature nude women. What will the internet kill next?

20 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Blindboy Boatclub from Irish comedy sensations The Rubberbandits tells Steve Bell that not even groin sweatinducing broth can give him a culture shock.

A

s The Music catches up with Irish musical comedy sensations The Rubberbandits, they’re busily curating an exhibition for a Tokyo art gallery. Much to their chagrin it won’t facilitate their first visit to Japan, but they’re nonetheless delighted to be spreading their famed ‘Gas Cuntist Manifesto’ into Asia for the first time.

“We don’t get to go to Japan unfortunately — we just have to send our art over — but if it goes really well then it might open doors,” enthuses one half of the duo, Blindboy Boatclub. “I really want to go to Asia because I want a culture shock — it’s impossible to get a culture shock anymore because of the internet. Like when I go to Australia everyone dresses the same and listens to the same music, and it’s not really that different to Ireland except that it’s upside-down and it’s hot.”

The Rubberbandits — who wear masks fashioned from plastic shopping bags — are a massive proposition at home for their crude, surrealist humour, and are keen to spread the gospel far and wide. Blindboy and his partner-in-crime Mr Chrome have certainly done their best to ingratiate themselves on past Aussie visits. “I went to

a Chinese restaurant in Melbourne and I got this noodle soup and I don’t know what was in it, except that it made my bollocks smell like Chinese food for a week — I’d never experienced anything like that in my life. I had underpants on, and I had to throw them away because the Chinese food infiltrated my sweat — just exclusively in the area around my

bollocks!”

It’s probably best to avoid that restaurant — or that dish at least — this time around. “No fooking way, I want to go back!

Seriously, if you’ve got food and it’s tasty but it makes your nuts smell like Chinese food for two weeks and it’s in a different continent — man, I’m going back! It was broth that was made from pork, and I know that it’s going to make my nuts smell but I’m doing it and no one’s going to stop me!”

They’ve certainly noticed an evolution in their audience over the course of their trips Down Under. “We originally started going to Australia in about 2011 and we were playing for an exclusively Irish audience, but now so we’re playing to Irish people and Australians, which is quite nice. The Aussie crowds don’t seem to drink as much — I think that’s because the Irish crowd’s so isolated down there that when we do a gig in Australia every Irish person treats it like a reunion, and they end up getting extra drunk. It’s like playing at a wedding.

“But with no disrespect to our Irish fans, it’s far more enjoyable playing to a new audience in a different culture — it’s fun, like when you first started doing gigs. There’s nothing better than doing a song and seeing people laugh because they’ve just heard it for the first time. If they’re already singing along and they know every word that’s less craic — that’s just one for the money.”

What: Rubberbandits: The Cane Toad Cuddles When & Where: 30 Oct, The Zoo

Music

Everything’s Coming Together While Boy & Bear drummer Tim Hart admits to Simone Ulbaldi there were moments on their first record Moonfire where he thought, ‘This sucks’, he certainly feels a lot better about the band’s newest album.

“W

e didn’t have a great experience recording Moonfire in Nashville, and maybe I was a bit of a spoiled brat thinking, ‘This sucks’. It was tough. It was a tough record. I think a few years down the track I think I’m just a bit more grateful and a bit more humbled that I am able to do this as a career.”

Tim Hart of Boy & Bear is jazzed about their new record. Produced by Ethan Johns (Kings Of Leon, Laura Marling, Rufus Wainwright), Limit Of Love is described in the press notes as an “honest and organic album” from the folk rock quintet. It captures the band in their best light, in a way that Moonfire (2011) and Harlequin Dream (2013) might have failed to do.

“A lot of the things we’ve been trying to achieve for six years have really come together this year,” Hart explains. “We’re a live band, at the heart of it… People have commented over the years that we sound great live but we don’t sound the same on record. You take stock of that.

How can we get the same energy going on the record?”

Part of the solution was a more collaborative process. “I think we’ve felt ownership in all three records but for this one, it really feels like good teamwork from the boys,” Hart says. During songwriting sessions on the New South Wales coast, Hart and his bandmates took a fluid approach to their roles, downing red wine and swapping instruments just to test the new sounds.

They wrote Showdown, A Thousand Faces and Walk The Wire this way.

I think a few years down the track I think I’m just a bit more grateful and a bit more humbled that I am able to do this as a career.

As Boy & Bear’s drummer, Hart has left the lyricwriting to Dave Hosking in the past, but he was glad to help out on Limit Of Love when his lead singer asked for support. “I started out as a solo guitarist and singersongwriter so I’ve always been interested in the way songs are put together and storytelling, trying to come up with a whole plot line in three minutes, 30 seconds,” Hart explains. He and Hosking have a natural bond as writers, having both grown up on folk music, and Hart found the collaboration intensely rewarding. “It’s something that is really life-giving for me, I absolutely love it, but I still want Dave to tell his story. Anyway I can help him, I will, but he’s the one who is going to be singing the melody and communicating that story. I feel like I’m there to back him up, which is a cool place to be.”

At Johns’s suggestion, the band recorded the new album to tape, with live vocals and virtually no overdubs.

The other part of the solution of how to capture the band’s live energy was simply to record them playing live. The very simple concept made perfect sense to Hart, not just in terms of capturing their sound but as a way to fill out their songwriting. “The only way I can figure out what kind of drum sound we need for a song is for Dave to be singing, Killian [Gavin] to be playing guitar, Jon [Hart] to be playing keys and Dave [Symes] to be playing bass. I need to be able to see the whole picture to know the colour we need from the drums. That’s how we did it. That suits Boy & Bear.”

What: Limit Of Love (Island/Universal) When & Where: 13 Feb, Riverstage Theatre

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 21

Eat / Eat/Drink

Emily’s Sweet Treat — 2b/730 Sandgate Rd, Clayfield The name says it all: sweet treats galore. Definitely worth the short drive out of the CBD to visit this cafe/patisserie. Think freshly baked artisan pastries and sweets like croissants, macarons, tarts and cruffins.

Yep, we said cruffins. Salted caramel, blackberry cheesecake, Nutella and banoffee cruffins. Mmmmm.

y r t Pas en v a He

Les Folies de Paris — 97 Kenningo St, Spring Hill More than just Monsieur Macaron (although macarons are their signature style and are finger-lickin’ good), this inner city gem does pastry pretty darn well too. Probably because they’re all about anything sugary and French. Our favourite: the eclairs.

Oh, the eclairs! Devour them in pistachio, vanilla, coffee, strawberry and, of course, chocolate.

Emily’s Sweet Treat

With further ado, let’s just dive into flaky, buttery, sugary, fluffy heaven.

Words: Emma Dempsey.

Chouquette — 1/19 Barker St, New Farm

Sweet Crumbs

22 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Gourmandises et du bon pain.

We’re not French, but we’re backing the founder, Lara Sample, on this: the chefs here are artists and creators of fine food. Translation: everything that comes out of this kitchen is bloody yum. Pig out on le rendez-vous; a very light, flaky pastry filled with praline mousse and chocolate-covered nougat in the middle. Bon appetit!

Sweet Crumbs — 2/489 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove Your salivation levels will go nuts when you suss the range of treats these guys have.

Raspberry frangipani tarts, edible flowers and pastry slices that look like mini sandwiches staked on top of each other. Seriously.

Layers of cream, custard, berries and enough icing sugar to skyrocket your blood sugar to the best level possible.

We’re drooling.

/ Drink Eat/Drink

Gelato Messina — The Creative Department It must be tough at the top of the cold sweets game — to keep your perch you’d have to get creative. A little weird, if you will. Dessert juggernauts Nick Palumbo and Donato Toce of Gelato Messina aren’t afraid to get weird. For more than a decade now they’ve been scorning the oh-so-vanilla scoop and cone approach of yesteryear, instead opting for something that will melt your eyes before it melts in your mouth.

Read ‘Em & Eat

In their efforts to dethrone Willy Wonka they’ve created countless frozen delights and now they’ve published the secrets behind each in Gelato Messina’s second cookbook, The Creative Department. Inside are the blueprints for Dr Evil’s Magic Mushroom, the Royale With Cheese, and the Honey I Burnt The Kids, as well as the method (and madness) to mastering the perfect gelato cakes and monoporzione.

These two culinary architects lay it all on the page so you can make your own visual feasts.

And get a little weird.

The Creative Department will be available from November.

Sam Wall

Southbank Beer Garden

Hot Spot

Southbank Beer Garden Bevan Bickle has opened a new social space, now making it possible to enjoy a cold bevo by the beach without leaving the heart of the city! The new Southbank Beer Garden overlooks the Brisbane River and Southbank Beach and radiates the ultimate summer vibes with cold beer, delicious light bites and slow-cooked soul food, and breathtaking views (180-degree views, we might add).

The venue offers a range of bottled craft beers and ciders, plus 14 beers on tap, accompanied by a menu packed with gourmet goodness (having been transformed from a former steak bar). Its flexible hours mean you can go from soaking up the morning rays with their breakfast menu - go on and get yourself a breakfast cocktail too - to blissing out with late arvo drinks, to enjoying an alfresco dining spot against Brisbane’s kaleidoscope of city lights. This is a gem in the making already.

Lillie Siegenthaler

The Swindler Summer Ale Australian craft beer is a thriving industry, and it welcomes its newest addition to the summer ale family, The Swindler. From the brains behind James Squire, the ale is set to excite Aussie craft drinkers with a new flavour for this season, contributing to the summer ale sector that already makes up 3.1% of craft volume in the country.

Malt Shovel Brewery head brewer Chris Sheehan describes the beer as a “firm malt body with a cunning blend of Calypso and El Dorado hops” (a rare variety of hops indeed), showcasing a “distinctive aroma with

Check out

notes of pear and watermelon”. Following its exclusive debut on taps at James Squire Brewhouses around the country, The Swindler will be available at selected bars and venues from 26 Oct. Drinkers will also be able to enjoy The Swindler at home, as it’ll be added to the Tap King range (the first new craft beer to do so in more than 12 months), available from Dan Murphy’s from 26 Oct. Lillie Siegenthaler

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 23

Check Out BAPFF The full Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival program launches on 28 October, proudly presented by The Music. It’s the second year for the Film Festival, which this year will feature 75 feature-length films and docos, 19 – 29 November.

A taster for the program was released last week, including The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer), which will make its Australian debut as the Opening Night flick, hot off its world premiere at last month’s Toronto International Film Festival; and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain (Zhi Qu Wei Hu Shani), a 3D action-adventure from venerated director Tsui Hark will be this year’s Closing Night film.

‘Give us the full list!’ we hear – oh here you go: The Idol (Palestine/Qatar/UAE/ Netherlands/UK) The Taking Of Tiger Mountain (People’s Republic Of China/ Hong Kong) A Corner Of Heaven (People’s Republic Of China/France) Mina Walking (Afghanistan/ Canada) Set Me Free (Republic Of Korea)

THE FULL LIST

River (People’s Republic Of China) Mustang (Turkey/Qatar/ France/Germany) Right Now, Wrong Then (Republic Of Korea) A City Of Sadness (Taiwan) Tikkun (Israel) Hong Kong Trilogy: Preschooled Preoccupied Preposterous (Hong Kong) Early Winter (Australia/Canada) Spear (Australia) Mountains May Depart. (People’s Republic Of China) Tehran Taxi (Islamic Republic Of Iran) The Assassin (Taiwan) Bad Boy Bubby (Australia) Another Country (Australia) 24 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Film

Extreme Love

The concept of love is pushed to the extremes in Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film, The Lobster. He opens up to Anthony Carew.

T

he Lobster is the latest film from Yorgos Lanthimos, the maker of the masterful, mystifying, horrifying Dogtooth and prime export of the Greek weird wave. It marks the 42-year-old filmmaker’s English-language debut, shot on location in Ireland with a cast including Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C Reilly, Ben Whishaw, and Lea Seydoux. It takes place in a nearfuture — or alternate reality, really — in which single people are rounded up in a rural hotel and given 45 days to find a mate. If they fail, they’re turned into animals, and released into the wild. “We felt The Lobster demanded a complete world, its own world, because it’s a larger, universal theme,” says Lanthimos, this collective ‘we’ he and co-writer Efthimis Filippou, with whom he co-wrote Dogtooth and 2011’s Alps. “We wanted to do something about relationships and love, but push the initial idea to extremes, because we’re not very interested in just representing reality on film.”

Like all Lanthimos’ films, it’s delivered with absurdist deadpan, and functions as open-ended parable. “The ending is loose enough that it allows people to discover whether they’re optimistic about love or pessimistic. I always try to construct my films in a way where people are asked to think about the themes, and form their own opinions.”

This began with Lanthimos’ first film, 2005’s Kinetta, which was little-seen upon its release. But his career changed with Dogtooth, which won two prizes at Cannes in 2009 and received an Oscar nomination in 2010. All of which was a surprise to Lanthimos. “It was a very small film, [so] the most that I could hope for would be that it would show in Greece, and maybe a few film festivals.

I guess there are some artworks that just resonate with people. And chance plays a huge part, so does being in the right place at the right time.

The ‘why’ of it is not something you could easily identify.”

Growing up in Athens, Lanthimos was obsessed with ‘70s American cinema and went to film school, but never thought filmmaking a plausible career. Dogtooth was made from Lanthimos’ own savings, from money he earnt directing commercials. “There was no structure to support this kind of filmmaking, but that way of making films with friends is also incredibly positive: you’re just doing it because you love films, and you can obviously do whatever you want.”

After finishing Alps, Lanthimos moved to London, in part because he hoped to make films with more resources behind them. The Lobster will surely be his most widely-seen film, but it’s a sure sign that Lanthimos’s signature style isn’t going anywhere. “Making a genre film that’s straight-up generic, that’s something I’d never do,” Lanthimos says. “But if I was allowed to do a big genre film with my own approach? Yeah, sure! Why not?”

What: The Lobster In selected cinemas 22 Oct

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 25

All The Way With CMJ Oscar Scheller

Culture

Trivial Pursuit

The Music’s Bryget Chrisfield provides some highlights from industry festival CMJ Music Marathon in New York.

Katz’s Delicatessen: many overheard discussions reference that When Harry Met Sally scene. Sure, Katz’s sangers are quality but the servers expect you to know how things roll.

Slum Sociable proves to be a great thing. Their almost-trip hoppy, 3amsuited vibes go over well with the 20-or-so people assembled. Slum Sociable bring joy and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The vibrations Step-Panther send out cause stubbies and receptacles to slide from tables and smash onto the floor (which is all a bit Poltergeist until you realise this venue’s floor is slanted). They score a genuine encore and there’s some crazy dancing on the go.

Yak are the best thing we’ve seen so far. It was worth jumping on a flight from Australia just for this.

Remember that dangerous, anything-can-happen feeling The Vines conjured? That would be Yak. And then frontman Oli Burslem puts on a black beanie and khaki anorak (onstage) while his band plays out. Then he leans against the side of the proscenium facing the crowd, looking bored, in silence.

Delectable. Exhilarating.

Oscar Scheller makes an instant impression both visually and aurally.

Scheller has been vintage shopping as his Mickey Mouse T-shirt proves.

His deep croon calls to mind Morrissey while the instrumentation channels Franz Ferdinand in their heyday. Scheller also has cheekbones to die for. Gorgeous harmonies.

They kinda all look like grown up Skins characters. Would come back for more.

26 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

The RocKwiz Live! team are preparing to test our knowledge of ARIA Hall Of Fame artists, and co-creator Brian Nankervis tells Steve Bell that what happens on tour stays on tour.

T

V music quiz institution RocKwiz is hitting the road once again, this time hosting a themed RocKwiz Live!

Salutes The ARIA Hall Of Fame bash, and the show’s co-creator and ‘music brain’ Brian Nankervis explains that it’s a natural extension of this year’s RocKwiz Salutes The Decades concept which worked so well on the small screen.

“We’re really happy with this latest season of RocKwiz - it’s really seemed to touch a nerve with people - and having a similar structure that we can work towards [with the live show] will be great,” he tells.

“We produced an ARIA Hall Of Fame night about four or five years ago at the Hordern Pavilion [with a heap of great bands doing tributes] - it went really well. [The Church frontman] Steve Kilbey gave an amazing speech when they were inducted into the Hall Of Fame - it was remarkable.

“So we ended up pretty good pals with the ARIA people, and we’d see them from time to time and say, ‘You know, we should do one of these again - what if we do a whole show based on ARIA Hall of Fame artists?’, and then someone came up with the great idea, ‘What about a whole tour?’

So it’s sort of a chance to honour some

incredible artists, to delve back into the history of Australian rock, but also it’s not all too far in the past - there’s plenty of artists who are still playing, and in true RocKwiz tradition we’ll have younger artists interpreting classic Australian hits which were performed by these Hall Of Fame artists.”

Nankervis agrees that this live performance aspect has long been a major part of RocKwiz’s allure.

“Right from the very first show we did in November, 2004 we had Paul Kelly on the show and we had this idea of artists doing a duet at the end of the show and he suggested this young girl from Little Birdy, Katy Steele, and they were just starting at that point but the pairing worked really well. Audiences loved the fact that it was someone that they knew and loved like Paul Kelly, but they also like the idea of seeing new talent - I think it’s important for the industry to keep bringing up new talent, you can’t sit in the past and just always have old artists. It’s just a matter of striking a balance which I think we do really well.”

Furthermore the live arena gives all and sundry the opportunity to let their hair down a bit.

“The live shows are great - they’re bigger and they’re bolder and they’re a bit rowdier in a way,” Nankervis chuckles. “Because there’s no cameras - the live shows are not being filmed - that means that we’ve got a little bit more license to muck around, and I think for experienced performers when you do muck around you find new ways of doing things, you discover things. I think audiences love the fact that they’re in on something special that no one else will see.”

When & Where: 22 Oct, Jupiter’s, Gold Coast; 23 Oct, Eatons Hill Hotel; 24 Oct, QPAC; 25 Oct, Empire Theatre, Toowoomba

Music

Changing It Up

Despite expertly managing to create a sound that is inherently theirs, Dead Letter Circus refuse to be recognised as a “one-trick prog-pony”. Kane Sutton chats to Luke Williams about the band’s quest for reinvention.

S

ince bursting onto the scene in 2007 with their explosive self-titled EP, Brisbane’s Dead Letter Circus have become one of the premier Australian rock acts of the moment. Their first two albums showcased the band’s knack for constructing widely appealing progressive rock, while tinkering with delayed guitar effects and minimalist electronics on 2010’s This Is The Warning and heavier glitchy electronic sounds on 2013’s The Catalyst Fire, before throwing a successful curveball with 2014’s acoustic EP, Stand Apart. Their new album, Aesthesis, sees them stepping back slightly from the electronics to produce a rockier sound, thanks to a very different creative process, at least for them.

“We were all kind of in the room creating it together, rather than each person alone on their computer at home. Maybe that’s why there’s not as much of this computer-generated stuff on there,” drummer Luke Williams begins. “It was a bit more of an organic process this time around ... It was fucking awesome. It was so cool to do a record that way where we kind of went in with one song written... But really, we didn’t have any idea on how it was going to turn out. We just went into that big room down on the Gold Coast and just fucking went for it.

It was just pouring out of us. We weren’t overthinking things too much, which was nice. It made us fall back in love with the creative process again because in times past it’s been a little bit like pulling teeth for us. Getting a song out can be quite difficult at times because every member has slightly different tastes.”

The first single from Aesthesis, While You Wait, was a bit of a shake-up for them, Williams admitting the decision to make it the lead single was a “hotly debated subject”.

“It was obviously the most radio-friendly song on the record but it’s not really indicative of our style as a band. Management and the label thought it was a good idea to do that one first.

I was more toward maybe putting In Plain Sight out first to give fans a taste of the older DLC sound, but it kind of worked out that everyone was just like, ‘Fuck it, let’s give everyone a taste of a fully fresh direction and hope it doesn’t freak them out too much.’ Part of the reason for releasing the song was to let other people who weren’t fans into the band as well, to show people we’re not a one-trick prog-pony.”

It’s been important for the group to ensure they have the creative freedom to explore desired sounds, and this new record exemplifies that. “We want to push ourselves as artists and you’re always mindful of what you’ve been pigeonholed as - like, we’re an alternative prog-rock band - and that’s all in the back of your mind and those parameters are flexible in a way; they’re malleable and you can play around with them. We’ve never been too contrived with the sound we’re making; whatever comes out, comes out.”

All The Way With CMJ Marlon Williams looks relaxed on the fairy-lit rooftop surrounded by deck chairs and even a game of quoits or something similar. He opens with Hello Miss Lonesome and this dusk time slot is heavenly.

We learn his mum’s here, which is pretty damn adorable. The haunting Strange Things transfixes this smallbut-captive audience and Williams supplies a rare treat, performing a cover he’s “never played before”, Crying In The Chapel, made famous

by Elvis.

Hockey Dad bring the noise.

Drummer Billy Fleming could not look more Aussie if he tried, shaking those sun-bleached locks around like Animal from The Muppet Show.

There’s something a bit Julian Casablancas about frontman Zach Stephenson’s vocal and also his lackadaisical delivery. The duo are harsh, raw and explosive while giving absolutely no fucks.

Ezra Furman’s cover of LCD Soundsystem’s I Can Change is sparkling with a wistful undertone.

Furman expresses his frustration over the fact that he’s tried to find out what Paul Baribeau thinks of his cover of The Mall, but to no avail.

Clapping eyes on the sound guy, who rests his face in one palm and looks disinterested, we’re reminded there really is something next-level about The New York Hipster.

What: Aesthesis (UNFD) When & Where: 23 Oct, Coolangatta Hotel; 24 Oct, The Triffid Dinner at Katz’s Delicatessen

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 27

Music

Hippie Days Are Here Again After unexpectedly meeting an old friend in the main street of Nimbin, the seed for Leisure Panic! was planted, as Dan Kelly explains to Chris Familton.

T

hat jump-off point where a musician realises they’ve found the starting point for a new album can often be a difficult one to find. For some it’s a moving target, for others it’s a spark that keeps disappearing and reappearing in another form. For Dan Kelly it involved a scrapped album and a return to the drawing board before a chance meeting set him on course toward what would become his new album, fourand-a-half years later than he expected.

There’s a bit of synaesthesia like where you see colours as sounds.

“I wrote a song called Baby Bonus when I was minding a friend’s place up in the hills behind Nimbin and it was the first song where I thought I might base the record around a series of stories set in that region.

I’ve gone to Northern New South Wales since I was a kid. Once I’d written that one I went back to a few other ones and adjusted the lyrics a bit. I often have placebo lyrics in place until I can come up with an interesting story. After that I ended up framing it with that and a bit about my travels in a metanarrative, not exactly what happened to me. It’s written between the lines, in the lemon juice. The lateral life I’ve lived which has involved a bit of searching and all that. That song set it off, with a chance meeting with a friend in the main street of 28 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Nimbin who had just had a baby and I took on the role of a hippie woman in the song. Then I recorded some songs in a mud brick studio in Brunswick which is a cold-climate hippie kind of vibe. There’s a bit of hippie stuff to the record,” admits Kelly.

One recurring tool in Kelly’s songwriting style is the use of place names which give his songs geographical context. On Leisure Panic! a list of native Australian birds is also recited - it transpires that Kelly has a fascination for landmarks and the natural world.

“It is something I do and maybe it’s something I’ve inherited from playing a lot of Paul Kelly shows.

I’m fascinated by beaches and mountains, I studied environmental science when I was a youngster and I like the way they translate into sounds. There’s a bit of synaesthesia like where you see colours as sounds. I do tend to place songs. I probably do tend to always write the same kind of song, hopefully improving it and giving it variation. It’s like some kind of mystical Japanese art where I’m incrementally delving into and expanding this one style I’ve been doing for a long time. I change the musical styles a lot but I do work variations on a theme which often involves naming a town or a spot. I do make things up though - there is a reference on the album to Strawberry City, fuck knows what that is, it just sounds good! The real and the unreal is all kind of interwoven, I really enjoy that. Most of the place names are real, places I’ve been and where stuff has happened.”

Each Dan Kelly album takes a different tact to those that preceded it. Even if his compositional style riffs on the same theme he places the songs in different musical worlds, from his early solo work with The Alpha Males through to the dreamier soulful drones of his latest album.

“The first record was influenced by things like Pavement and the more aggressive music I grew up listening to like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Jesus Lizard. I was living with The Drones and we were all getting into music together and they played in the band so I was really keen to do that stuff. We reformed recently and it was super energetic and lots of fun. I do find it hard to sing over that stuff though as I don’t have a mega rock voice and those guys were rocking. The next record delved into this tropicalia clean tone, more clangy Sonic Youth adventure music. The third one I wanted to do a Dylanesque surrealistic ramble of words.

This one I wanted to be more meditative even though live it is still a bit crazed and spastic rock. It’s more soundscape-based. I definitely wasn’t in a rush to make another punk record, though the next one might be. One of the challenges of this was to play less and make it sound bigger.”

What: Leisure Panic! (ABC/Universal) When & Where: 23 Oct, Black Bear Lodge

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 29

In Focus BOB CRONK I Pic: Terry Soo

Instrument played? Guitar, drums, harp, voice.

How long have you been performing? 25 years.

You’re on tour in the van – which band or artist is going to keep the most people happy if we throw them on the stereo?

Johnny Cash would have to be on the stereo. We forgive him for turning from booze and pills to Jesus.

Would you rather be a busted broke-but-revered Hank Williams figure or some kind of Metallica monster? Busted and broke all the way. Long live Hank!

Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)?

Mexico City, Pretty Violet Stain, Sue Ray. What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make?

30 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

It’s all heat and sizzle. Must drink beer and irritate the normal folk.

Is your music responsible for more make-outs or break-ups?

Why? Break ups. I try to inspire people to breathe the spirit of youth at all times, not to be told what to do and at all costs, to endeavour through highs, lows and hangovers.

If you had to play a sport instead of being a musician which sport would it be and why would you be triumphant? Darts.

I have a mean eye.

What’s in the pipeline for you in the short term? Waking up thirsty, afraid of heights, a shower or two and a new baby.

Bob Cronk The First launches new album The Drowned & The Saved at Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall on Thursday 29 October.

FREE Listings Open NOW industry.themusic.com.au

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 31

Music

Woodford Folk Festival Announces

Making Mistakes

The venerated annual music and cultural event, the Woodford Folk Festival, has unveiled a fittingly expansive program for its 30th-anniversary shindig at the end of the year, with an esteemed musical lineup destined to woo the idyllic surrounds of Woodfordia led by acclaimed singersongwriters Michael Franti and Courtney Barnett.

Also signed on for this DecemberJanuary’s festival, which is proudly presented by The Music, are established and emerging acts from all walks, from local lip-smackers such as Boo Seeka, Josh Pyke, San Cisco, Ed Kuepper, Briggs, local adoptee Marlon Williams and Lanie Lane (who has apparently not retired after all) to international drawcards including Harry Manx (US), Canadians The East Pointers and The Duhks, Scottish prospects Dougie Maclean and The Poozies, Kiwi fly-ins Trinity Roots and Moana & The Tribe, among many others.

As previous attendees will be well aware, Woodford is far more than a straight upand-down music festival, however, taking great pains to ensure that its program caters to fans of not only excellent tunes but dance, poetry, talks, circus acts, healthy living, comedy, meditation, visual arts and cultural exploration and expression. If that sounds like a lot to get through, you needn’t fret — Woodford Folk Festival runs for six days, from 27 December to 1 January, which gives punters plenty of time to canvas the event’s picturesque 200-hectare grounds and many points of interest.

Woodford Folk Festival performer Lanie Lane

32 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Isaiah Mitchell, guitarist for San Diego psychedelic-rock crew Earthless tells Brendan Crabb about the beauty of musical mistakes.

I

n this digital era, whereby audiences have largely been conditioned to embrace clinical fare, produced within an inch of its life and often deprived of humanity, it’s refreshing to encounter a group undeterred by capturing a flaw or two on record. Instrumental psych-rockers Earthless are one such example.

“Mistakes are good,” axeman Isaiah Mitchell emphasises. “Sometimes there’s good mistakes and there’s total trainwreck mistakes unfortunately… Good mistakes or accidents or whatever, that can lead you onto a different trajectory of like what the band’s gonna do at that moment.

I think it’s awesome, and it is rock’n’roll. It’s not supposed to be polished and beautiful.

Mistakes are great, the ugliness is great.”

This is a sentiment underlined since the band began taping their own shows in the mid-2000s. Mitchell muses that Earthless release live efforts about as frequently as studio ones. During their upcoming Australian trek alongside fellow riff-meisters Elder, they’ll be selling vinyl copies of a set recorded at Brisbane’s Tym Guitars.

Is the guitarist able to derive pleasure from listening back to these gigs, or does he tend to be overly analytical? “It depends.

Some of the live recordings I haven’t been a huge fan of, whether or not it’s the actual recording quality or if it’s actually the night

and we were ‘on’ or ‘off’ with our playing. Some of them I’m not super stoked on, but there’s other ones where I go, ‘Wow, that’s really good.

That’s something I’d actually put on and listen to, and enjoy it.’ Even kind of pretend that it’s not even us, it’s just something that’s enjoyable to listen to because I feel like it’s in the zone. It was an ‘on’ night. Some stuff, yeah, some stuff, no. But the Tym Records one, I thought that was a really good performance, so I’m looking forward to hearing that on wax.”

Australia has proven a happy hunting ground - their latest jaunt the trio’s fourth time Down Under. “We might do a cover with some vocals involved, but instrumental usually. We have about a 45-minute to an hour-long song that is the main set. It’s heavy riffs, it’s loud, it’s like Zeppelin and Cream and... yeah, we just like to go for a ride. A lot of improv, and it’s fun. I think we’re best listened to in the live experience more than on record. The record’s nice, so you can clean your house and all that, spin it for road trips, but live you’ll get the real experience.”

Between straddling touring duties and the guitarist’s job teaching music, fresh material is also indirectly in the pipeline. “We rehearsed a little bit ago, and we’re working on a new record. We just have stuff for a new record, we’re not intentionally working on a new record at the moment. But we’re coming up with new stuff so we’ll have stuff for a new record, but I figure in the early part of next year I’ll go back down to San Diego and we’ll try to come up with some more stuff.

It’ll be nice not to wait six years for the next record, like we did for the last one.”

When & Where: 26 Oct, Crowbar

Music

Turning The Tide

Despite having been performing for ten years and producing three albums in that time, Ireland’s The Riptide Movement are mostly new to Australian ears. Vocalist Mal Tuohy gets chatty with Liz Guiffre.

H

aving started off as proper indies doing DIY records and busking in Dublin, The Riptide Movement have slowly gained mainstream attention and are finally getting on a plane to tell us all about it. Their no-nonsense rock sound is easy on the ear but not derivative: a good mix of familiar formula with new purpose. Talking from Dublin during a morning recording break, singer and guitarist Mal Tuohy talks about their biggest album so far, Getting Through, as well as what’s happening next. “I suppose it is a bit weird, we released this album [Getting Through] in Ireland last year and in the UK earlier this year, and we’ve been touring this album for the last 18 months and about to come to Australia. But we’re also writing and making the new one at the moment, so we’ve very much looking ahead.”

Tuohy and his bandmates have built an international following by just getting out there and performing, with invites having come to play all over the world just by virtue of being heard and getting out there on the streets. “That background really helped with playing, with our performance, because we were playing the songs so much, and

working on learning how to get people’s attention. Even now when we start in new countries and when we’re playing to new crowds, we’ve very comfortable with that because we know how to draw a crowd in and keep one, something that we learned in our busking days.”

These days the streets have given way to invites for some of the biggest gigs in the world including Glastonbury, while individual tunes like All Works Out have also had major lives, including having been used for an Irish tourism campaign, as well as being an international fan favourite for major life events. “That song seems to have touched so many people in different ways, and when we play it live, the place goes crazy,” Tuohy says. “We’ve also had Facebook and email messages in from people who say that it’s been with them during hard times in their lives, and for us, that’s what it’s all about. For us, when people come to a concert they often just want to pay money to have a break from their lives for a couple of hours and we’re really mindful of that, we want to leave people on a high, and that’s what music’s all about.”

The tune itself is about a complicated relationship within the band, but can be easily transformed. Tuohy admits there’s a bit of “cheesy pop” there if you want to hear that, but “it’s also bleak and a bit hopeful - there’s lot of grey in there, and that’s life, it’s not black and white”. In addition to their own stuff, the band have given the odd cover a great go too, with their version of Dolly Parton’s Jolene a thing of bloody wonder. “It was something they asked us to do on radio, and we chose what they might not play, so Jolene, and also Beyonce’s Halo as well,” he laughs.

What: Getting Through (Caroline) When & Where: 23 Oct, The Triffid

Woodford Folk Festival Announces

Woodford Folk Festival performer Claire Ogden

“There’ll be some fantastic surprises this year,” the festival’s head of programming, Chloe Goodyear, said in a statement.

“While we’re especially proud of our program offerings, we know that Woodford has always been about a great festival experience.

“This year, huge effort has gone into raising the bar on the festival art, layout and the overall presentation for our loyal patrons. We’ve always thought Woodford should be about discovering cultural gems.”

To that end, the organisers have filled out the event’s duration with a smorgasbord of brain-enriching activities, including a political discussion with former Prime Minister Bob Hawke regarding the future of Australia, as well as a talk from Noel Pearson on Indigenous constitutional rights, the circus stylings of Perched and Festival Of Fortune, ceremonial events Viktor, Katie Noonan & The Sunshine Coast Orchestra Project and The Fire Event, the First Nations-focused Ancient Cultures, New Conversations, hosted by Rhoda Roberts, as well as folksy vibes and wisdom from around the world at the Macedonian Music Extravaganza & Doch Reunion and Woodford Wisdom Talks, plus the traditionalist folk activities at the Festival Of Small Halls.

“We’ve hoped in the early years that the word ‘Woodford’ might conjure in people’s minds beautiful images of art, ideas, inspiration and contribution,” festival director Bill Hauritz said in a statement. “We have been ambitious to build meaning into that identity and social responsibility into its fabric. We feel that, after 30 years, achieving this to some extent gives us license to celebrate.”

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 33

Music

Nexxt week k willl not on nly ma ark th he ten nth h anniversaryy of th he Australian Independent Record Labels usic Awards, Association (AIR)’s Independent Mu but it willl also o ce elebra ate e 20 0 years sin nce the orga anis satio on was founded d. CEO O Dan Nevin and in ndiie re ecorrd hea ads telll Neil Griffiths about the grow wth h of the Aw wards s.

“T

he ARIAs last year, I think 14 out of the top 18 awards went to independent artists and this year it probably looks like it’s going to be the same, so I think the music being produced by independent artists is starting to resonate with an Australian audience,” says Nevin.

“It’s real, they’re not being sold a concept, they’re just being delivered good music.”

While the AIR Awards have often been compared to the ARIAs, Nevin believes there is a clear distinction between the two.

“I think the ARIAs are very much for Dan Nevin public consumption. I think ours has always been more about industry consumption and it’s been more focused on really paying tribute to the sector.”

On the subject of AIR’s two impressive milestones this year, Nevin says though he has only been in his role for one year, he knows how important it is for the organisation to have conquered two decades. “It’s a pretty marvellous thing when you think about the independent sector,” Nevin says.

“The awards are a testament to good music over the last ten years. From, I think, four awards in the first year, a short session and a few beers and one performance all the way through to here, for me personally is a bit humbling to be involved in something that’s taken such great shape.”

AIR has been responsible for kickstarting the careers of some of the country’s biggest talents over the years, which Nevin says is a credit to the organisation. “If you look back at the early days, particularly at the awards, you’ve got Gotye and Hilltop Hoods - they won awards in the very first year,” he says.

“We’ve put together a 20-year photographic exhibition that we’ll be showing at the awards, so that was kind of interesting to look back at all the artists that AIR has touched on over the years. Even as far back as Silverchair in the early days, who were independent, it seems like everyone started as an independent at some stage.”

34 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

As for who punters should be keeping their eye on at this year’s awards, Nevin tips the Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year Award as the big one to watch. “Over the last few years, it’s given us some artists that have gone on to decent international success like Courtney Barnett, Vance Joy, Sheppard. We knew that Courtney was on the rise but we’re always there at the beginning. With your Chet Fakers and your Vance Joys, it’s really nice to see that they’re being looked at for the ARIAs as well.”

As for what the future holds for AIR, Nevin has no doubts the indie scene will only continue to thrive. “There are more and more opportunities for labels nowadays,” he explains. “Artists and labels have the tools to do a lot of the stuff that once upon a time was just a domain of a big organisation. Anyone can get a website up and you can get your social media presence up and you can go out there and build your following without having to spend loads of money. I think we’ll see a lot more indie artists and labels springing up because they can do it.”

“I think that puts us in pretty good stead for at least the next five years, but beyond that, who knows?”

In celebration of AIR’s incredible milestones, a number of indie label heads have commented on the success of the organisation, as well as next week’s big event.

Ed Sholl of Future Classic says, “We feel very ... privileged and honoured to be amongst the great indie labels that have done such amazing work over the past year.”

“Particularly because its such a momentous year for AIR having been around now for 20 years and having grown the awards to what they are now.”

Meanwhile, Ivy League’s Chris Maund applauded the longevity of the awards and how it has continued to get better each year. “The professionalism of the awards has come a long long way in the last five years alone and this year’s nominees are the strongest I can remember,” he says, adding, “Courtney will probably win the lot but if she can leave one for Bad// Dreems (even if it’s hers), we’ll take it.”

Dale Harrison of Elefant Traks said the label was honoured to be recognised in this year’s proceedings “When we started out, we were very much a ‘spare room industry’ and it’s great to get some kind of recognition after all these years again.”

When & Where: 22 Oct, Independent Music Awards, Meat Market

Independent Music Awards 2015 Q&As Hermitude

Music

The Peep Tempel Answered by: Stew Rayner How did you find out you were nominated for a Carlton Dry Independent Music Award? I think I found out via email or it was probably Twitter.

What was the last thing you won? A game of Uno against my nephew.

Hermitude Answered by: Luke Dubs How did you find out you were nominated for a Carlton Dry Independent Music Award? I was trying to sleep in but was awoken to a Twitter frenzy on my phone vibrating off my bedside table.

What does being an independent artist mean to you? Freedom to create whatever you want on your own terms.

How did you finance your last release? The recording of the album was partially funded by an Arts Victoria grant.

Will you prepare a speech for the awards just in case or fly by the seat of your pants? Nah, we’ll wing it if that situation comes up.

What’s been a highlight of your year artistically?

I’d have to say our national Gettin’ On By tour was definitely the biggest highlight!

The Peep Tempel

What was the last thing you won? Personally I think I won two bucks on a scratchy a few months back.

The last thing Hermitude won was the 2013 Australian Music Prize.

What’s been a highlight of your year artistically?

Releasing our album. We spent a few years cooking this one up and to watch it fly out into the world with such praise is a massive honour.

What does being an independent artist mean to you?

Writing whatever the hell we want to. Demented R&B, jazz rave, any combination of awesomeness we can think of.

How did you finance your last release? The AMP prize helped a lot. We also toured extensively off the back of HyperParadise and saved some coin which we put towards studio time.

Will you prepare a speech for the awards just in case or fly by the seat of your pants? I’ll have the facts ready and then I’ll see where my improvisation takes me!

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 35

Indie Indie

Ash Dean

The Back Room Brisbane

The Lulu Raes

Japanese Wallpaper

EP Focus

Have You Been To

Single Focus

Independent Music

How many releases do you have now? This is my debut self-titled EP.

Answered by: Ben Dyson

Answered by: Terry Pipes

Awards Focus

Address: 688 Ipswich Rd, Annerley

Single title? Burnout

Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making?

I brought together some of my favourite musicians from around the country to play on this record. This EP touches on my passion for songwriting, celebrating my musical influences and my love of people.

What’s your favourite song on it?

It’s very hard to pick one song of this EP that I would label my favourite; they’re all unique.

We’ll like this EP if we like... I’m influenced by a diverse range of artists - Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, MJ, Jason Mraz. This disc is also diverse in styles and ties together as a singersongwriter EP. When and where is your launch/ next gig? My next gig well be my Australian EP release show in my hometown of Brisbane. It well be held at Black Bear Lodge, 28 Oct. Website link for more info? facebook.com/ events/1509798866007151

What’s the capacity? 800 Why should punters visit you?

South Brisbane’s best live music venue, hosting great local and interstate bands with an exceptional atmosphere.

What’s the best thing about the venue? Boasting one of the best sound systems in Brisbane, combined with its huge stage and room versatility — it is a must experience.

What’s the history of the venue?

Hitting it’s peak in the ‘90s Club Splurt, as booked by Rollo from Blowhard, saw some of the biggest names in Brisbane punk, rock and metal playing the venue regularly. Refurbished and reopened in May 2015.

What is your venue doing to help the local music scene? Giving up and coming artists and bands the opportunity to be heard — live and loud!

What are some of the highlights?

Hosting Brisbane’s best live metal, punk and rock gigs.

Stages recently lit up with the likes of Dragon and Katchafire.

Website link for more info? chardonshotel.com.au/shows

What’s the song about? Its kinda like Schindler’s List, where at the start he’s selfish, but then he becomes heaps nice.

How long did it take to write/ record? All the best songs start in underpants. From there it was about six months until the finished product.

Is this track from a forthcoming release/existing release? We don’t know! We’re putting together a list of songs, but it takes us six months to finish a song.

What was inspiring you during the song’s writing and recording?

Shiny disco beats, Schindler’s list, spacey textures, and the usual love for pop music produced by the Swedes and Dr. Luke.

We’ll like this song if we like...

The Beatles melodies with Abba disco beats, and then a real modern sound on it.

Do you play it differently live?

No, but we do intersperse a lot more banter. A guy messaged us the other day and said “You guys’ll go far if you just stop that bantering.” Thanks mate.

When and where is your launch/ next gig? 29 Oct at The Foundry!!!!

Website link for more info? facebook.com/theluluraes

36 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

How did you find out you were nominated for a Carlton Dry Independent Music Award?

Someone messaged me to say congratulations but I was totally oblivious to it! So I Googled it and read the nominees and just remember feeling so stoked to be considered alongside some of my favourite Australian bands.

What was the last thing you won? I can’t really remember tbh, I have a friend who’s always like winning radio competitions and stuff but I feel like I never win anything.

What’s been a highlight of your year artistically? There have been heaps of awesome experiences this year - finally releasing my EP and going on a headline tour for the first time were both unforgettable times.

What does being an independent artist mean to you? I guess mostly it’s just awesome to be able to do this on my own terms and not be at the mercy of people who have other motivations? Idk. How did you finance your last release? My EP came out on Zero Through Nine (an independent label) who financed the vinyl manufacturing, but I recorded it all myself so there weren’t really many big costs involved.

Music

Don’t Hold Back

Veteran singer-songwriter Josh Ritter’s eighth album sits at the intersection between spirituality and sensuality, and he tells Steve Bell that you only get one chance at life so you gotta grab it.

T

alk about picking up the pieces.

American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter’s last album, The Beast In Its Tracks (2013), chronicled the horrible period post-divorce (or after the dissolution of any major relationship) where one is mired desperately trying to work out what went wrong. It was an exceedingly personal and presumably cathartic release of emotion, Ritter using his art to glean something positive out of an experience that was overwhelmingly lacking in any other glimpse of positivity.

But here we are two years later and that album’s follow-up - Ritter’s eighth album, Sermon On The Rocks - is another beast altogether. It’s a far more upbeat and (for the most part) joyous collection that seems completely lacking in artifice or introspection, a celebration of being alive and in the present moment filtered through an offhand examination of religious tropes and secular myths. Self-described by Ritter as “messianic oracular honky tonk”, it’s an affirming and infectious batch of songs that manages to be thought-provoking while making you want to hit the nearest bar to pound some beers.

“I’m really psyched,” Ritter enthuses.

“I think I wanted a record that kinda jumped a bit. I wanted the sound to be brash and shred-y, it felt really good, and those sorts of songs are really fun to play. I wanted them to be exciting songs to play live as well, so in general I ended up with a pretty bouncy record which was really great - I’m really excited about that part.”

Ritter explains that he wanted this album to be the “album of his dreams” because of a growing realisation that the clock is ticking. “I think that I’ve had this realisation over the last couple of years that our time is fleeting - we don’t know how long we’re going to be here - and there’s no reason to hold back anything,” the singer reflects. “There’s just no reason for it, because it doesn’t matter. I think that’s what’s really infused the determination on this record - I wanted it to be right, and I wanted it to be wild and strange and I think I wanted it for that reason. Otherwise anything could happen and I could lose my chance at making a record like that.”

Ritter further tells that the secular thread running through the album was unintentional, and something that he only picked up after the event himself. “I never work from a theme when I’m writing, and it’s only when the songs are assembled do I start to realise what the preoccupations were in the songs,” he explains. “So going back here I noticed how much there was about the Beatitudes - about the Sermon On The Mount and the Golden Rule - and I think these ideas that have been so fetishised by thousands of years of use that we forget that they’re real and human. They’re ways that we humans can be good to one another, and I think I was struggling to put some warm blood back into those ideas without writing anything that was religious.”

Pride & Prejudice Here at The Music we fell that the calls for Violent Soho’s new single Like Soda to be the new national anthem are a tad premature (given it’s too early to guarantee it’s even the best song on their new album). Here are some other songs we reckon might even get our sportsmen and women singing along with gusto before games (and we didn’t include Slim’s Pub With No Beer because it’s just too sad).

Throw Your Arms Around Me – Hunters & Collectors Not so much for the sentiment but just because it’s quintessentially Aussie and would sound amazing sung by many voices.

Hunters & Collectors

Shark Fin Blues – The Drones If played before any sporting event the other country would be too terrified to participate (although The Drones’ new single Taman Shud suggests they mightn’t be too keen to buy in).

To Her Door – Paul Kelly Australia’s greatest storyteller not pulling any punches about the vicissitudes of life and love; the kids would learn valuable life lessons singing before school.

Wide Open Road – The Triffids Wonderfully evokes the feeling of space and isolation inherent in Australia’s vast brown landscapes.

Honorary mentions: Shaddup You Face, Up There Cazaly, Blackfella/Whitefella, My Pal, Treaty, (I’m) Stranded, Under The Milky Way, Cattle & Cane, Khe Sanh, I Touch Myself

What: Sermon On The Rocks (Warner) THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 37

Out In Summer

What’s a cool thing to do nearby before or after we visit you? Hitting up the city’s Botanic Gardens before stopping in for a long lunch and afternoon beers sounds perfect. If you are in The Valley, check out The Elephant Hotel!

Website for more info: stockexchangehotel.com.au & facebook.com/thestockexchangehotel

Sto ock k Ex xchang ge Ho ote el

Ele eph hantt Hote el Address: 230 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley

Address: 131 Edward St, Brisbane Answered by: Sheree Saye (Duty Manager) What makes your place better in summer? Great atmosphere and service.

What’s the vibe of your venue like? We like to think that we are a little bit fancy but a lot of fun. The atmosphere on the rooftop is magical as the festoon lights light the sky.

It’s 35 degrees - what drink would you suggest? I would recommend trying our Pimms Jug for fruity fun with friends or get your hands on something with more of a punch with AJ’s specialty cocktail the Clover Club.

What makes your place better in summer? More sun, more schooners.

Speedos or board shorts? Board shorts for sure. The vibe is unpretentious and chilled. Then the live music kicks in and we take our board shorts off, down to our speedos, and we dance.

It’s 35 degrees - what drink would you suggest? A pint of Carlton Dry/Stone & Wood or a house Tommy’s Margarita.

Tell us a few highlights of your summer menu. Our outside kitchen will be spinning our roast spits every Friday and Saturday afternoon, plus margaritas and cold beers.

Do I need to change out of my beach gear to get in? No! Relaxed dress code all day.

Can I get a tan in the beer garden and then cool off inside? Enter the pub through our air-conditioned Public Bar which leads out into our beer garden where there is plenty of sun shining but also plenty of umbrellas and undercover area.

Will you have any summer activities? $12.50 lunch specials every week day. Monday nights: outdoor cinema, playing cult movies in our beer garden. Block Party: Australia Day eve celebrations - live acts from 5pm until 5am.

Stock Exchange Hotel

Tell us a few highlights of your summer menu. It’s fresh, vibrant and full of flavour. Keep your eyes peeled for the ever changing chef specials for fresh fish and summery salads.

Do I need to change out of my beach gear to get in? Our dress code doesn’t kick in until 9pm so roll in with your singlet tan, sandy towel and double plugged thongs and enjoy the beer you have so tirelessly earned.

Can I get a tan in the beer garden and then cool off inside? You can bake in the sun, chill out underneath an umbrella or sneak into the aircon of the lower level. We have a spot for all of the summer types.

Will you have any summer activities? We are having a Garden Party on the rooftop with plants, Pimms, fairy lights, DJs and funky tunes. There’s $15 lunches from Mon-Fri and always a drink special available.

When’s the best time to visit? Friday afternoons from 5pm until late are a fantastic time to soak in all things rooftop. There is a sneaky hour or two that may or may not be happy.

38 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

When’s the best time to visit? Best time to visit is midday for our $12.50 lunches.

What’s a cool thing to do nearby before or after we visit you? Great for a pre-drink before a gig at our mate’s place The Foundry, which is next door.

Website for more info: elephanthotel.com.au

Elephant Hotel

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 39

Music

Greener Pastures Hoodoo Gurus are topping what many are calling the best A Day On The Green line-up yet, and frontman Dave Faulkner tells Steve Bell that you can’t beat the triumvirate of good music, good wine and good friends.

O

ver the last 15 or so years the A Day On The Green franchise has become a beloved part of the Australian music scene, putting on great multiband line-ups in picturesque outdoor winery settings and allowing discerning punters to enjoy top-notch live music whilst indulging in fine wine amidst the festive picnic atmosphere. It’s a recipe for good times and smashing hangovers (in roughly that order).

They have, however, just outdone themselves with the most recently announced bill which features Hoodoo Gurus, Violent Femmes, Sunnyboys, Died Pretty and

That [Sunnyboys first] EP is something that I remember playing endlessly on the jukebox at French’s Wine Bar on Oxford Street in Sydney

Ratcat - it’s a line-up of such unparalleled strength and depth that any self-respecting rock’n’roll fan would trek through a swamp to watch it in a tip whilst eating cold gravel washed down with kerosene. But for now they’ll have to put up with lolling on green hills imbibing fine wine.

“It’s pretty crazy,” marvels Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner. “Our fingerprints aren’t on [the line-up] at all, although obviously we’re very excited by everyone they suggested, and it just kept getting better and better.

Firstly it was just going to be us and Violent Femmes and Sunnyboys, and then Died Pretty came on the bill which was wonderful and then Ratcat as well - it’s great! Plus it’s a whole lot of people we like - besides all the music we actually like them as people so it’s going to be really 40 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

fun. Ron [Peno - Died Pretty frontman] is one of my best friends, and we have a bit of history with Sunnyboys and Violent Femmes.”

A storied history indeed, reaching back over 30 years to when the Femmes filled in for the Gurus at the 1984 launch for their debut album, Stoneage Romeos.

“They were signed to Slash Records and Big Time Records was our label at the time - they had the Slash catalogue for Australia, bands like The Germs, X, The Gun Club and Rank & File,” Faulkner recalls. “They were a really cool label and of course the Violent Femmes’ first album was enormous - everyone loved it - but it hadn’t really hit big yet in Australia at the time. [Single] Blister In The Sun was bubbling away but it wasn’t a hit, although it was all over alternative radio and seemed to become a sleeper over the years. But the record was fantastic and they were out here touring, and at the same time we were supposed to be doing our album launch and I got the bloody flu and couldn’t play. They were in town and coming anyway, so they stepped into the breach and said, ‘We’ll play!’ and they played their own set - it became a Violent Femmes album launch instead of our own! It was at a place called Stranded which was at The Strand Arcade in Sydney - another vanished venue of course.”

Naturally Sunnyboys were Sydney contemporaries of the Gurus in the ‘80s, and their paths would cross quite often.

“I thought that first EP was a knockout, and I still think it’s one of the best things they recorded,” Faulkner gushes. “It had Love To Rule on it which is a really great song, and The Seeker which is one of my favourite Sunnyboys songs. That EP is something that I remember playing endlessly on the jukebox at French’s Wine Bar on Oxford Street in Sydney - it was a venue as well with lots of bands playing, but you couldn’t buy beer there which annoyed me.

“The Sunnyboys were ahead of us - they were brea breaking through and people already loved them when we were w just starting - and they’d lend us a hand, they put on o us on quite a few shows as a support act because they liked us and that was quite helpful at the time.”

Of course the Gurus recently got to repay that favo favour, facilitating the original Sunnyboys’ first shows in de decades at the inaugural Dig It Up! bash at Sydney’s Enm Enmore Theatre in 2012.

“Obviously we were thrilled by that, although it seemed like [their comeback] was underway already,” Faulkner smiles. “Jeremy [Oxley - Sunnyboys frontman] was starting to come out of his shell more by the sound of things - that documentary The Sunnyboy shows his progress - so we were at the end of that line in a sense, although it was a crucial step for him obviously. He was quite nervous about doing the show, but at the same time he wanted to be a part of it - he loved the idea, so that was a really cool thing. We really feel proud, and I guess in a way we repaid our debt!”

When & Where: 6 Mar, Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton

Comedy

Even though Al Murray has been sutured to his alterego The Pub Landlord for over 20 years, he tells Oliver Coleman, “It’s a bottomless pit of material”.

A

l Murray has basically ticked off almost everything on a comedian’s bucket list: he’s played the O2, his sitcom has achieved cult status, he won the Perrier award at Edinburgh after a record run of nominations and next year he headlines a run of shows at Royal Albert Hall.

Had he any inkling that The Pub Landlord character he gave birth to two decades ago at the Edinburgh Fringe would have such longevity? “I did realise that it’s a bottomless pit of material because it’s a point of view, it’s an attitude and one that really works. It struck me: I could do this forever.”

Aside from making Murray one of the most recognised comedians in the UK, all this success must have had some impact on The Pub Landlord as well. “He’s become more big headed. I’ve given him this idea that he knows who he is, that he’s nationally known and that he’s on a one-man mission of common sense and that he sees himself as John The Baptist, voice crying in the wilderness and all that, and that’s how a lunatic behaves, that’s how he sees the world.”

Earlier this year The Pub Landlord took the next logical step for a beer-swilling prophet and leapt directly into the political process by founding his own party, the Free United Kingdom Party (FUKP) and running for parliament in the same seat as UK

Independence Party leader Nigel Farage.

Both candidates lost out in the end to the Conservative Party candidate, but Murray has fond memories of the experience.

“Well it annoyed the right people.

Winning was never a serious suggestion.

It was satirical - I mean, that’s a question of taste.

I was interested in getting involved in the political process and we thought it would be hilarious at the same time. We had some completely amazing reactions.

We had some people saying, ‘Your politics are completely fucking ridiculous,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, well don’t just ask that of me.

Everybody standing should be asked if their politics are completely fucking ridiculous.’”

Murray’s wit is lightning fast and on stage he’s known for exceptional crowd work that incorporates the audience as an essential part of the show. “I do improvise the first half hour. The idea behind that is to make sure that every audience gets a feeling that tonight’s the night.” Reminiscing about how his style developed, Murray remembers the safe, withdrawn stand-up he was seeing at the end of the ‘80s when he was just starting out. In contrast to this, he remembers the Australian troupe, Doug Anthony All Stars. “They put on a great big show, completely in your face they didn’t respect the audience. They to me were like, ‘Jesus Christ this is what you can do with this. You can make every show like blood, sweat and tears if you want.’” After 20 years, Murray’s prolific and notorious The Pub Landlord is doing the same, pouring everything he has into making people laugh.

What: Al Murray: One Man, One Guvnor When & Where: 23 Oct, The Tivoli

This Week’s Releases

Releases

Beer Wisdom

Joanna Newsom Divers Spunk

Mogwai Central Belters Rock Action Records

Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm/Caroline

Russell Morris Red Dirt – Red Heart Chugg Music

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 41

Album / E Album/EP Reviews

Album OF THE Week

Fat Freddy’s Drop Bays

The Drop/Remote Control

★★★★

It’s only been two years since the release of Blackbird, making this a quick follow-up in the world of Fat Freddy’s Drop. The reassuring thing about the Wellington band is that as their stock has risen they haven’t compromised their musical approach by shortening songs or devolving them to standard structures in the pursuit of hit singles.

They continue as they left off on the last album, if anything hitting a stronger strain of dark dub techno infused rhythms. The way they play with restraint, delaying the drop and stretching out the grooves is the key to their compositional and soulful interplay. Slings And Arrows is one of their finest singles, steeped in digital dancehall toughness. It’s contrasted by the dark pulse of Razor which shares similarities with Depeche Mode and Mogwai’s recent album.

Consistency is a key on Bays. At times in the past they’ve taken their collective foot off the pedal and allowed some filler onto their releases but here everything works equally well. There’s a balance and flow, much like their epic live shows, that, over its nine tracks, makes it their most listenable release. Vocally, Dallas Tamaira’s voice is as soulful as ever, adding the human element to the music in a number of styles - from the acid jazz vibe of Makkan, to the croon over the measured digi-funk strut of closer Novak.

Bays is a sublime addition to the band’s discography.

Chris Familton

Russell Morris

Joanna Newsom

Red Dirt - Red Heart

Divers

Chugg Music

Spunk

★★★

★★★½

Since 2012, guitarist and singer Russell Morris has been undertaking a music journey in the form of a blues and roots trilogy. Following Sharkmouth and Van Diemen’s Land comes this closing chapter of Australiana blues-rock, sunburnt land cliches and all.

Despite the straightforward nature of some of the turns of phrase Morris spins on the record, the album is an engrossing listen for a blues fan. Active since the 1960s, Morris revels in the history-making guitar work he’s known for here - groovy slide guitar and a country twang dance throughout the record around his 12-bar jamming. The band backing him here knows its place, leaving all flourishes and showmanship to Morris and his six strings.

The album’s themes make for a worthy close to his trilogy,

Love her or loathe her, someone with a voice like Joanna Newsom can’t be ignored; that voice, that harp, the way that otherworldly melding of the two find their way into the subconscious.

Refusing to give in to Newsom’s siren-like ways ensures you miss out on a whole world of the weird and wonderful, and it’s even more the case with Divers. The five-year gap between her latest and 2010’s Have One On Me hasn’t dimmed Newsom’s oddity, nor has it subdued her penchant for stylised orchestration to back her pearly harp plucks, but this time she nails the holistic sense of an album more than ever before, creating a start-tofinish storybook of nautical tales that are hard not to get swept away with.

The usual orchestration - oboes, fiddles, organs -

42 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

and deal with Australian history in a unique way, examining Indigenous culture in the face of perverse whiteness. Australiana is in full force on tunes like the harmonica-driven Bennelong, and the honestly danceable Lonesome Road. Morris knows his audience on this album, and plays to them without concern; this is not an experiment or a new side of him, and the album does feel overly long in its continued examination of Australiana, but for fans of the man, this will more than satisfy.

Morris’ position in Australian music history is already established, so it makes sense that in his later years he becomes a sort of musical historian.

Andrew McDonald

underpins these seaside musings beautifully, ironic given the woody sounds on opener Anecdotes and others. While some tracks tend to dip into obscurity, waterlogged by organ swells and harp flourishes (The Things I Say, Same Old Man, You Will Not Take My Heart Alive), there is a whole bunch of genre-bending stuff going on. Sapokanikan’s blues bent, for instance, parts the sea of twee folk and gives us some piano and light kitwork that dances around her trilling vocal. Meanwhile the title track gives us classic Newsom with her breathy piping over lush cascading harp plucks.

Carley Hall

EP Reviews Album/EP Reviews

Basement Jaxx

Drowning Horse

Eden Mulholland

Half Moon Run

Junto Remixed

Sheltering Sky

Hunted Haunted

Sun Leads Me On

Atlantic Jaxx/[PIAS] Australia

Art As Catharsis

Warner

Indica/MGM

★★★

★★★★

★★★½

★★★

Junto felt like one of Basement Jaxx’s more restrained long players delivering serviceable beats without the kinds of exuberant singles that featured on Remedy, Rooty and Kish Kash.

Handing Junto over to a load of hotly tipped young producers and DJs, the veteran dance producers deal 14 remixes that all come in all the classic house flavours that once dominated dancefloors. The loveable Martinez Brothers, illustrious Luciano and even Alex Metric among a cast of hundreds all manage to turn this album into one big house party, even though the production these days is bigger and crisper than their vintage counterparts.

Surely the heaviest band in Australia, as attested to by Perthlings fortunate enough to have their eardrums smashed and organs turned to pate at their rare but infamous gigs, Drowning Horse have evolved into a more complex animal.

Sheltering Sky is thick with plutonium-heavy riffs but also features quieter, subtly unsettling passages such as the ghoulish slo-mo dirge of Echoes which breaks perceptions as to how much one chord can achieve. Drowning Horse have the basic power of the universe at their fingertips.

Hunted Haunted explores indie music on a level just out of arms reach.

Each track is comprised of different elements of melodic goodness, aiming to eliminate any repeats of the same emotion. The album begins with River Of Hurt, a song that is perfect for those tough days when you need a pick-up in life - yet maybe not the kind of pickup you had in mind... The vibe to Four To The Floor proposes one of those tracks that could be used for a corny happy scene in a rom-com movie. Over My Dead Body completes the album with a flawless calm wind-down that makes the album pleasantly worthwhile.

Half Moon Run, the Canadian band who first arrived with their 2012 debut record and catchy single Call Me In The Afternoon, return with a record that’s similar to its predecessor, in that it’s solid yet unspectacular.

The band’s strengths lie in their song arrangements and excellent use of dynamics, but for a group showing so much potential there aren’t the inspirational moments that, say, Fleet Foxes or The Mountain Goats achieve on a regular basis. For music students Sun Leads Me On is a worthy case study in technical delivery, but for discerning music fans, you can do better.

Christopher H James

Guido Farnell

Dylan Stewart

Michelle Stroungis

More Reviews Online Mogwai Central Belterst

theMusic.com.au

Wave Racer Flash Drivet

Jean-Michel Jarre Electronica 1: The Time Machine

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 43

Album / E Album/EP Reviews

Rolling Blackouts

Killing Joke

Polish Club

Lusts

Pylon

Polish Club

Illuminations

Talk Tight

Spinefarm/Caroline

Independent

1965 Recordings/[PIAS] Australia

★★★★

★★½

★★★★

★★★½

Self-proclaimed purveyors of tough pop/soft punk, Melbourne’s Rolling Blackouts have added a rougher-hewn edge to the jangled slacker-rock that emanates from our great wide land on Talk Tight.

The five-track EP is indeed tight; a carefully calibrated beast made loose and fast.

It busts out of the gate in a rambunctious canter with Wither With You, taking a more tumbledown approach to Flying Nun guitar-pop via the off-kilter histrionics of Jonathan Richman and the laconic lyrical nous of Paul Kelly. The subject matter is more maudlin than the music suggests, but therein lies its charm.

Bring on the full-length.

Thundering on through a massive third career wind, three albums in riding the original line-up once more, it’s fair to say this is a joke that’s not ready to be finished.

However on Pylon, the ferocious eco-anger that stoked 2010’s Absolute Dissent and 2012’s MMXII appears to be coasting somewhat. Jaz Coleman’s ghostly howl and Geordie Walker’s pneumatic guitars trundle along dutifully but only a couple of Youth’s narcotic electronic injections (great on Autonomous Zone) give their 15th album any uniqueness from the recent riches.

What a smile this teasing EP brings to one’s face.

Sydney duo Polish Club come out all guns blazing on their debut EP with an intensely likeable fusion of gritty rock and Motown skuzz, and pump out an American swagger that is instantly ear-catching. Single Did Somebody Tell Me reeled plenty in on its rounds of the airwaves, but there’s a lot more gold to be unearthed on the sixtrack wonder. Able is sparse but moving with Novak’s soul-driven vocals, Beeping nails the chord surf rock riffage, and Don’t Fuck Me Over, of course, bursts with attitude. It’s brash, loud, messy, slightly derivative but full of so much heart.

A lucid fever dream of swirling hooks and power chords, the debut album from UK brothers Lusts comprises a dark analogue sound rooted in the past, tweaked for the digital age.

A lush, gothic shoegaze washes over the jubilancy of Sometimes and Careless, while the more contemporary indie of Bad Weekend, The Chair and Temptation give the album a ubiquitous verve.

Though unquestionably gratifying, injected with an air of urgency and consistency by its purring synths and throbbing motorik pulse, the lustre of Illuminations is perhaps prone to fading back into its shadowy milieu at times, a little too easily.

Carley Hall

Evan Young

Independent

Mac McNaughton

Brendan Telford

More Reviews Online The Arbitrary Method Augmentation

44 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

theMusic.com.au

The East Pointers Secret Victory

Listen to our This Week’s Releases playlist on

THE NORTHERN BYRON BAY Is hiring a

SENIOR VENUE MANAGER Both hospitality & Music industry Background preferred

SEND RÉSUMÉS TO info@byronbayentertainment.com

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 45

Live Re Live Reviews

Mia Dyson, The Waifs

KISS @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Pic: Dave Kan

The Triffid 14 Oct

The Waifs @ The Triffid. Pic: Stephen Booth

RUFUS @ The Tivoli. Pic: Dave Kan

The Waifs @ The Triffid. Pic: Stephen Booth

46 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

It’s as though God is a folk rock fan, because the weather presented to us tonight is the perfect for the line-up at The Triffid. Under a clear, balmy sky punters sip drinks in the outdoor beer garden in the lead-up to Mia Dyson taking the stage.

Dyson’s larger than life voice seems too big to play support to anyone, but the big crowd isn’t complaining as she works through some of the immersive cuts off latest album Idyllwild.

As the sold-out crowd finds their places underneath the band room’s imposing dome roof, The Waifs mosey up onto the stage.

It doesn’t take very long into the first number before every slight nuance of vocalist Vikki Thorn’s breathy Australian twang has the crowd captivated. The Western Australian outfit are no strangers to their home country’s stages and even on this, the first date of their Beautiful You tour, they’re sounding like a perfectly synchronised machine and the crowd is right there with them.

Even more so when The Waifs’ hit London Still second up in the set. It’s a gutsy move, especially considering the emphasis the band places on the number — as lilting notes ring out from Thorn’s harmonica the crowd joins Donna Simpson on the refrain and goes positively wild upon the song’s culmination. Well, as wild as a weeknight crowd might be inclined to go when they’ve had a couple of chardys in them and they’re listening to The Waifs.

As the set goes on, the fivepiece pepper their set with their mid-2000s hits that inspire the crowd to promote themselves to the position of co-vocalist. And even though it’s the familiarity of cuts from the Up All Night album — which at this point are starting

to feel like your favourite old T-shirt — that get the warmest reception, the appeal of the entire set runs deep.

What’s most engaging is watching how The Waifs are able to showcase the depth and diversity lurking underneath

It’s the power of these new songs that indicate that The Waifs are going to be selling out shows for years to come. their deceptively simple folk rock. Whether it’s Josh Cunningham switching from an acoustic over to an electric guitar so a lick will pack a bit more of a punch or the variety of hand percussion whichever singer is doing back-ups will sprinkle over a given song, the band’s passion for their craft is apparent. It’s this passion that makes cuts from the new record like Dark Highway and the title track Beautiful You — which Simpson prefaces with a lament about the prevalence of methamphetamine that attracts a sombre round of claps from the audience — hold their own next to emotionally lived-in cuts from their back catalogue.

And it’s the power of these new songs that indicate that The Waifs are going to be selling out shows for years to come.

Tom Hersey

eviews Live Reviews

KISS, The Dead Daisies

Brisbane Entertainment Centre 13 Oct

The KISS army has heeded tonight’s call to arms in vast numbers, a multitude of painted faces can be seen upon arrival at Boondall. Also present is one of the biggest merch ranges to be ever witnessed in this building — well it is KISS after all.

Support comes courtesy of The Dead Daisies, a collective of hard rockin’, tattooed gun flashin’ musos with former links to everyone from Motley Crue to Guns N Roses and even Barnesy, the Cold Chisel frontman namedropped by singer John Corabi as having helped co-write their latest release. They prove an astute choice as support band tonight, loud brash ‘80s-style cock rock the order of the day.

It’s a solid performance that goes down well with an already pretty massive crowd.

Glam metal legends KISS are pioneers of the big loud rock show, no spectacle too gimmicky, no firework too large. It’s incredible to think that they will celebrate their 40th anniversary next year and are still going strong, the very nearly sold out B.E.C. testament to their enduring popularity.

A massive roar greets their

arrival onstage as they proceed to rip into opener Detroit Rock City, followed shortly after by energetic versions of Psycho Circus and Creatures Of The Night. Singer, guitarist and major songwriter Paul Stanley (the Starchild) entertains with shamelessly cliche-ridden inbetween song banter sounding like a grandmother hosting a kids TV show, his piercing “Hey BRISBANE!!”’s getting more hilarious each time he tells us how much they love our town.

Glam metal legends KISS are pioneers of the big loud rock show, no spectacle too gimmicky, no firework too large.

Bassist Gene Simmons (the Demon) takes over vocals on I Love It Loud, the only other original member apart from Stanley onstage. Tommy Thayer (the Spaceman) and Eric Singer (the Catman) complete the still incredibly tight sounding unit on lead guitar KISS @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Pic: Dave Kan and insanely massive drum kit respectively.

Highlights come thick and fast via their vast back catalogue — Stanley flying foxing his way out over the audience onto a pontoon towards the back of the floor for an epic Love Gun, mobile phone

torchlights replacing lighters for ballad Shandi, Simmons going full gonzo primal for his blood-dripping-from-mouth bass dirgey section plus also his standard fire-breathing routine, all good stuff.

The night is finished off in true style with the epic tripleplay of Shout It Out Loud, I Was Made For Loving You and closer I Wanna Rock And Roll All Night (And Party Every Day). These timeless classics unite the room even more as the fireworks get ramped up, band members wire fly all over the place and mount the giant spider stage lighting rig and giant confetti guns temporarily turn everything into a winter wonderland. One hilariously cartoonish evening of maximum entertainment.

Ed Matthews

The guys have managed to sonically capture the ideals of warm nights, refreshing oceans and empty coastal highways.

Jake’s refined beat palette.

Producer Cassian is next to check in, giving energy levels a generous boost with his

KISS @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Pic: Dave Kan

Cassian, Rufus, Yuma X The Tivoli 16 Oct The sold out crowd is slow to make themselves known, but those who scan in early receive good vibes from the get-go with Yuma X. The boy/girl duo deliver a collection of light and breezy jams, with the emotive vocal sprinkle provided by Ms Lucy a natural accompaniment to Mr

intelligent grooves. His sound has a decidedly French house edge to it, and when you close your eyes and lose yourself in the void it’s easy to imagine yourself at an Ed Banger party in some trendy-arse Parisian loft.

By the time the headliner arrives, hips have been suitably loosened and lips well and truly lubricated. Beneath a couple of hectic lighting rigs, RUFUS assume their positions — each member allocated a musical workspace from which to ply his liquid electro-pop trade. An THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 47

Live Re Live Reviews

More Reviews Online theMusic.com.au/ music/live-reviews

John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension @ Melbourne Recital Centre Glenn Richards @ National Gallery Of Victoria Laura Marling @ Hamer Hall The Strides @ The Basement Ocean Alley @ Oxford Art Factory

enticing little intro then draws us out to the end of our anticipation tether before Sundream lands and the room moves as one.

Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt feed off the energy being created and seem to get instantly juiced up by the crowd. People climb shoulders, arms wave joyously and heads nod, shake and twist with every bar, while the guys completely own their performance, keeping us on our toes by comfortably adding personal splashes of colour here and there to rework the originals.

It’s a treat to hear Imaginary Air introduced mid-set. The concluding stand from Atlas, it’s arguably the trio’s most unique and accomplished track, taking the listener on a climatic journey which bursts with falsetto ecstasy. Tonight, they nail the live translation, giving us a glorious reach-forthe-lasers moment, but the biggest reactions are still saved for singles like Take Me, Desert Night and recent gem You Were Right — the latter which sounds especially robust in full flight.

The guys have managed to sonically capture the ideals of warm nights, refreshing oceans and empty coastal highways, and it’s this carefree spirit which has directly connected with the zeitgeist of generation now.

Bad//Dreems @ Woolly Mammoth.

Pic: Luke Henery

48 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Still, it’s kind of ironic the blissed-out sounds RUFUS create can generate such hedonism — even with latest cut Like An Animal further suggesting the band are set to take the intensity levels up a notch. The majority of the crowd tonight sing every lyric back at the band, and the heat in the venue suits the tropical sounds being released from the stage.

The time is more than right for RUFUS to release their second LP into the wild, and given the adulation which rained down tonight, Australia is more than ready.

Benny Doyle

Ash Grunwald @ The Triffid. Pic: URBANwildlife

Rufus @ The Tivoli. Pic: Dave Kan

Airling @ The Foundry. Pic: Bec Taylor

Arts Reviews Arts Reviews

Marc Maron

The Lobster

The Lobster

Film In selected cinemas 22 Oct

★★★★ Dumped by his wife, sad sack David (Colin Farrell) checks into a depressingly bland hotel occupied by an array of single people who have just over a month to partner up with a compatible mate or be transformed into an animal. Welcome to the world of The Lobster, the fourth feature from Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (his first in English). The maker of the acclaimed Dogtooth, Lanthimos’ style isn’t so much magical realism as mundane absurdity.

The oh-so-polite mood at the hotel barely masks an air of desperation — people pretend to be something they’re not or deny their true natures in order to make a connection. And when it all becomes too much for David, he makes a break for the surrounding forest, which is occupied by ‘loners’, a clan of unattached people whose rules about individualism prove just as restrictive.

The Lobster’s metaphors are strange but they’re also quite straightforward, and there are times when it displays a lack of nuance. What salvages the film is Lanthimos’ complete and confident control of tone — this situation he has set up is believable and nightmarish, blackly funny and unutterably sad — and the thorough commitment of the cast. The situations the actors depict are bizarre and the dialogue they deliver deliberately literal and awkward, and it’s a big ask for Farrell, Rachel Weisz (whose narration is brilliant), John C Reilly, Lea Seydoux (a real standout as the ruthless leader of the loners) and Ben Whishaw to convey the inherent emotion while adhering to Lanthimos’ approach. But all rise to the challenge of expressing the complications that arise, the compromises that are made and the sacrifices that are considered in the name of love.

Guy Davis

Comedy City Hall, 17 Oct

★★★★★ This is an exercise in futility. No one can review Marc Maron better than he reviews himself — he’s made a career out of it — and it’s not mere minutes before his renowned introspection bleeds into the comedian and podcast host’s Brisbane show. We begin steeped in the famed Maron self-deprecation as he takes a swipe at the 400-seat “conference room” venue with its recently removed podium. “We all know why we’re in here,” he says, referring to the gig’s original plan for the 1500-seat main auditorium, stymied by slack sales. It’s

Marc Maron Pic: David Borac

at once humble and wry, and a great way to begin building camaraderie with this roomful of discerning thinkers and misfits — “all the fans there are” in Brisbane. Ranting about a backhanded compliment he received in a review of the previous night’s show in Melbourne, he checks himself — and, he bows, drawling in the third person about how the show’s not going well, and wondering if there’s anyone on the room who knows him from his days slogging through stand-up rather than from the recent and exploding WTF podcast. “I heard he’s doing stand-up... I don’t know if he’ll be able to do it. We should be there to support him.”

But the show is going well, and he can work the stage. No one here expects “a show” from Marc Maron. Fans of his stand-up know him for his intimate, personal stories. Fans of his podcast know him for his organically-flowing conversations and observations. That’s precisely what’s on offer tonight. Topics seemingly plucked from the air speak to traits of Maron’s that have passed into comedy lore: he’s the grouchy guy with the anger issues who adopts feral cats and hosts icons like Barack Obama and Louis CK in his garage. It’s a glorious two hours of just watching one of the finest conversationalists in the world talk with an audience in which our part is gales of laughter. This reviewer is torn: may he return soon, and may the “show go well” once more, but maybe it’d be best if he didn’t play the big room. It’s selfish, but maybe it’d be best if we, the faithful, could keep this gem all to ourselves.

Finn Kirkman

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 49

Comedy / G The Guide

Laura Marling

WED 21

Jai Wolf

Timothy Dale + Maja + Jazel: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

Ms Lauryn Hill + Eric Benet: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Bank BJC Club Nite with Various Artists: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Megadeth + Children Of Bodom: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill

The Music Presents Laura Marling: The Tivoli 21 Oct

Voices of the Owls + WVLS: Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus) (The Garden), Southport

The Phoenix Foundation: Woolly Mammoth 23 Oct

James Scott Music: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane

Dan Kelly: Black Bear Lodge 23 Oct

Dennis Locorriere presents Dr Hook: QPAC, South Brisbane

Mumford & Sons: Brisbane Riverstage 7 Nov Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes: The Milk Factory 28 Nov A Day On The Green – Paul Kelly: Sirromet Winery 29 Nov Mew: Max Watt’s 4 Dec Father John Misty: Max Watt’s 6 Dec The Rumjacks: Jubilee Hotel 6 Dec

Terence Boyd Thallon + Rob Longstaff: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley Youth Allowance + The Bassethounds + Tree & Ray: Sonny’s House of Blues, Brisbane

A Day On The Green – Hoodoo Gurus: Sirromet Winery 6 Mar Bluesfest 2016: Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm 24-28 Mar

Brooklyn DJ/producer Jai Wolf is making the long trip down for his maiden Oz tour in support of his latest single, Indian Summer. See him at The Met, 24 Oct.

Jackson Muir: The Bearded Lady, West End Laura Marling + DD Dumbo: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

Dennis Locorriere presents Dr Hook: Brolga Theatre, Maryborough

Katie Noonan’s Vanguard + MKO: The Triffid, Newstead

Triffid Seeds feat. MIEL + Guava Lava: The Triffid, Newstead

Thirsty Merc: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta

Violent Soho + Palms + BUDD: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

THU 22

Gay Paris + Release The Hounds + The Steady As She Goes: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley

FRI 23

Bully: Woolly Mammoth 12 Dec Woodford Folk Festival: Wodfordia 27 Dec-1 Jan

Pup’s Summer

Dave Lombardo: Allans Billy Hyde, Windsor The Screaming Jets: Beach House Hotel, Scarness

Open Mic Comedy Night: Dog & Parrot Tavern, Robina Eden Mulholland: Greaser Bar, Brisbane

Greenthief

The Screaming Jets: Acacia Ridge Hotel, Acacia Ridge Shandy + Heavy Roller + The Submissives: Beetle Bar, Brisbane

Andrew Butt + Lateo: JMI Live, Bowen Hills Leo Rondeau: Junk Bar (Skukum Lounge), Ashgrove

Banoffee

ARIA Hall of Fame saluted by RocKwiz (Live): Jupiters, Broadbeach Des Reid: Loving Hut, Mount Gravatt Devin Townsend Project + Periphery: Max Watt’s (formerly The Hi-Fi Brisbane), West End

808s & Hardbreaks Melbourne’s Greenthief are hitting the road in support of brand new single Beneath Blue Skies, giving the east coast the first taste of their upcoming LP infusing elements of ‘80s electronica into their heavy psych-rock sound.

The Foundry, 23 Oct.

Banoffee: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Russell Brand: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall Jacki Cooper + George Golla: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

50 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

The Waifs + Mia Dyson: Miami Marketta, Miami Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Thando: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley Hayden Hack: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore Funk on Thursdays with DJ Blunted Stylus: The Bearded Lady, West End Friendzone feat. Donny Benet + Young Trouble + Bonerstorm: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Yowie feat. Boo Seeka: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley Kiara Jack & The Jills + Ladi Abundance + Steve Grady: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Canned Heat + Charlie A’Court: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

Banoffee Bear After successful performances at Splendour In The Grass, Golden Plains and New York’s CMJ Music Marathon, Banoffee has just dropped her new release Do I Make You Nervous?. You can catch her at Black Bear Lodge, 22 Oct.

Dan Kelly + Ben Ely: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Luke Morris: Boardriders Coolangatta, Coolangatta

Gigs / Live The Guide

Little Billy: Eat Street Markets, Hamilton ARIA Hall of Fame saluted by RocKwiz (Live): Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill

Gay Paris

A Gay OL’ Time After 13 months of recording, Gay Paris have a new album, Ladies And Gentleman, May We Present To You: The Dark Arts.

If you like Clutch or Kyuss, you’ll like these heavy rockers and you should head to Crowbar, 22 Oct, to see them.

Valley Fiesta 2015 feat. Alpine + Art Vs Science + Asta + Kilter + Last Dinosaurs + Young Franco + Gypsy & The Cat + The Cairos + Gill Bates + Luke Million + Resin Dogs + Feki + The Jensens + The Baskervillans + The Missing + more + Valley Fiesta 2015: Fortitude Valley Entertainment Precinct, Fortitude Valley Purling Brook: Habitat Restaurant & Bar, South Brisbane

Philadelphia Grand Jury + High-tails: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley

Greenthief + In Void + The Bacchanales: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley Music Makers Club feat. Georgia Mae + RichOdd + Torfason + L.U.V: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Al Murray: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley The Riptide Movement + Slip On Stereo: The Triffid, Newstead Thirsty Merc + Tequila Mockingbyrd + Brother Fox: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

Berst + Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane

The Waifs. Pic: Stephen Booth

Dezzie D & The Stingrayz: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point The GC Duo: Burleigh Brewing, Burleigh Heads Ryan Toohey: Cardigan Bar, Sandgate ZedHead feat. Amaringo + Sydney 2000 + Bad Bangers + Dag + more: Caxton Hotel, Brisbane Seleen McAlister + Will Day Band + Paul Cowderoy + Hayley Marsten + George Higgins: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley Dead Letter Circus + Guards Of May + 10 Years: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta

Beautiful Waifs Indie legends The Waifs are touring their seventh studio album, Beautiful You. With all three songwriters’ contributions, they’ve concocted a beauty and will be sharing with the crowd at Miami Marketta, 22 Oct.

Ben Salter + Connor & Bridget (The Gin Club): Junk Bar (Skukum Lounge), Ashgrove

Gay Paris: Wharf Tavern (The Helm), Mooloolaba

Ham: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

The Phoenix Foundation + Chesta Hedron: Woolly Mammoth, Fortitude Valley

4114: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central Eden Mulholland

Garden Of Eden Following up his debut solo album Feed The Beast, multiinstrumentalist Eden Mulholland now brings you Hunted Haunted.

This electronic-indie-pop release will be launched at Greaser Bar, 22 Oct.

The Rubens + Saskwatch + Winterbourne: Max Watt’s (formerly The Hi-Fi Brisbane), West End The Sunny Coast Rude Boys + Brad Wild: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Rumblefish: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Brodie Graham: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore The Floating Bridges + Matt Stillert: Solbar (Main Stage), Maroochydore Phil Barlow: Statler & Waldorf, Brisbane DJ Graham Fisher: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar), Kangaroo Point Paul Kiren: Story Bridge Hotel (The Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point

Young Offenders + Greyface + Hound + Worse For Wear: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley Peach Fur + Aralunar Beach + Deja Vudu: Currumbin Creek Tavern, Currumbin Waters

Sable: TBC Club (The Bowler Club), Fortitude Valley Good Boy + Doom Mountain + The Con & The Liar: The Bearded Lady, West End

SAT 24 Punkfest Xmas Bash with BMX-RAY + Ape Farm + more: Beetle Bar, Brisbane Shane Nicholson: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Shannon Noll: Blue Mountain Hotel, Harlaxton Trina Lincoln + Held To Ransom: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Lior: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm Castrol Gold Coast 600 feat. Cold Chisel: Broadwater Parklands, Southport Up The Aussie Punx feat. Half Pints + The Scam + Obserd + The Black Market + The Knock Backs + more: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley The Rubens + Saskwatch + Winterbourne: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 51

Comedy / G The Guide

Lecherous Gaze + Hobo Magic + Unpeople: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley

TUE 27

Katie Noonan’s Vanguard. Pic: Bec Taylor

Open Mic Comedy Night: Cecil Hotel, Southport

The Good Ol’ Boys: Eat Street Markets, Hamilton

Brad McCarthy Band: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

Valley Fiesta 2015: Fortitude Valley Entertainment Precinct, Fortitude Valley

Mark Sheils: Samford Valley Hotel, Samford Village

Across The Ditch: Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton Cherrybomb + Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane

WED 28

Songs By Request feat. Rob Snarski: Junk Bar (Skukum Lounge), Ashgrove

Ash Dean: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

Tea Society: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

Gavin Roche: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane

Black Majic: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central

The Fika + Shag Rock + Creature Kind: Sonny’s House of Blues, Brisbane

Thousand Foot Krutch: Max Watt’s (formerly The Hi-Fi Brisbane), West End

Alex Mitchell: The Bearded Lady, West End

Wasabi + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Berardi, Foran, Karlen: Old Museum, Fortitude Valley ARIA Hall of Fame saluted by RocKwiz (Live): QPAC (Concert Hall), South Brisbane The Screaming Jets: Racehorse Hotel, Booval

Katie Noonan has kitted up the band, and is touring as Katie Noonan’s Vanguard. In the wake of their recent album release, Transmutant, she will be hitting up The Triffid, 22 Oct.

Zac Gunthorpe + Tusk: The Bison Bar, Nambour

Stephen K Amos: Caloundra RSL, Caloundra

Valley Fiesta 2015: Fortitude Valley Entertainment Precinct, Fortitude Valley

Pulled Apart By Horses + Yellowcatredcat: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley

Dennis Locorriere presents Dr Hook: Jupiters, Broadbeach

British India + Lost Boys: Dalrymple Hotel, Garbutt

Progressive Tan + MIEL: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

Open Mic Comedy Night + Various Artists: Dog & Parrot Tavern, Robina

The Rubens: Max Watt’s (formerly The Hi-Fi Brisbane), West End

Road Plant + Clayton Young: JMI Live, Bowen Hills

Sasta + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane

Bob Cronk: Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane

Jesse Witney: The Scratch, Milton

Landerz-I + Michelle Clifford: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore

Des Reid: Loving Hut, Mount Gravatt

Dead Letter Circus + Guards Of May + 10 Years: The Triffid, Newstead

Simonsimon + All Things Lost: The Bearded Lady, West End

Inovo + Mass Sky Raid + Interalia: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

Project Montreal: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley

Thirsty Merc: Villa Noosa Hotel, Noosaville

Strictly Speaking Hip-Hop Sunday feat. 21 Hundred + Simply Complex + Swilo: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley

Jai Wolf: The Met, Fortitude Valley

Thirsty Merc are admirably soldiering on after experiencing a car accident, so head along and support them at Spotted Cow, Toowoomba, 21 Oct; Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast, 22 Oct; The Zoo, 23 Oct; and Villa Noosa, Noosa, 24 Oct.

Bluesville Station + John Malcolm: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Kingfisha + Bearfoot: Solbar, Maroochydore

The Bear Hunt + Being Jane Lane + Belligerent Goat + Yaurout: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Luke Morris: The Motor Room, West End

The End of the Line Festival feat. Blank Realm + Jess Ribeiro + East Brunswick All Girls Choir + Caitlin Park + Jack Carty + Banff + Machine Age + The Goon Sax + The Furrs + McKisko + Big Strong Brute + Kerbside Collection + The Purple Drippers + Jet Black Cat + more: Woolloongabba, Woolloongabba Yeo + Twin Haus + Nussy: Woolly Mammoth, Fortitude Valley

Agnes J Walker: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore

SUN 25

OFA: Statler & Waldorf, Brisbane

Diva Demolition: Barkly Hotel Motel, Miles End

Ed & Eddy: Story Bridge Hotel (The Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point

Byrne & Kelly: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

DJ Salvage: Story Bridge Hotel (The Shelter Bar), Kangaroo Point

Tiger Street + Los Stanum Trios + Bud Beckett & The Something Somethings: Coronation Hoel, West Ipswich

Aralunar Beagle + Caroline + Star Club: The Bearded Lady, West End

52 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Lucianblomkamp: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

Hounds: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley

Loaded No. 2 - Valley Fiesta Afterparty: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley

Thirst Quencher

THU 29

All Brassed Up: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

PATD vs Fall Out Boy with Scarlet Kill + Dion Cerreto + Elsewhere Bound: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley

Thirsty Merc.

Pic: Caleb Macintyre

Songwriter Wednesday feat. Steve Grady: The Triffid (Front Bar), Newstead

The Transmutant

Space Bong + Tombsealer + Lizzard Wizzard + Coffin Birth + Siberian Hell

Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Tenderfoot: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley The Paper Kites + Patrick James: Solbar, Maroochydore

Katie Noonan + MKO: The Majestic Theatre, Pomona Raw Sugar + Amberjade: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Triffid Roots feat. Michael David Thomas + Amela: The Triffid, Newstead

MON 26 The Kitty Kats: Caloundra RSL, Caloundra Earthless + Elder + Hobo Magic: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley The Halloween Horrorshow feat.

Something Something Explosion + 1% Left + Dark Decorum + Alice Lost Her Way: Expressive Grounds, Palm Beach

Boo Seeka

Seeka & You’ll Finda They’re pretty new to the scene but everyone already knows their name, and you can catch Boo Seeka at The Foundry, 22 Oct, after their tour with SAFIA, and before they get back to another European tour.

Gigs / Live The Guide

Anna & Jorden: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore

The Wet Fish: Eat Street Markets, Hamilton

David Orr: Statler & Waldorf, Brisbane

Koral & The Goodbye Horses + Shifting Sands: The Bearded Lady, West End

Halloween Party feat. Tenzin + Some Blonde DJ + DJ Courtney Mills + Benibee: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill

DJ Jamez Brown: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar), Kangaroo Point

Ivan Ooze + Lane Harry + Ike Campbell + Hype: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley

Stephen K Amos: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill

Pesci’s Club Night with The Lulu Raes + Born Joy Dead + Youth Allowance: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley

Purling Brook: Habitat Restaurant & Bar, South Brisbane

Michael David Thomas: The Loft, Surfers Paradise 4ZZZ presents Inspired Insomniac + JayCee + Yukon Snakes: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane

Jabba + Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Andromeda Festival 2015 feat. Black Jazz Consortium + DJ Deep + DJ Nobu + Fantastic Man + Tuff Sherm + Dan White + Michael Ozone + more: Ivory’s Rock, Peak Crossing

Julia Rose

Chris Todd: Story Bridge Hotel (The Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point

Island Vibe Festival feat. Melbourne Ska Orchestra + Natiruts + Mungoes Hi-Fi + Zion Train + K + Lab + Dov1 + Kingfisha + OKA + Hugo & Treats + The Seven Ups + more: Stradbroke Island (Home Beach), Stradbroke Island Shash’U: TBC Club (The Bowler Club), Fortitude Valley The Stress Of Leisure + Spirit Bunny + Gonzovillain: The Bearded Lady, West End Deadlam Halloween 2015 with Young Lions + Kaleidoscope + Twin Haus + Baskervillain + Zeahorse + The Jensens + The Pinheads + Walken + Big Dead + Road of Kicks + more: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Babaganouj + Zefereli: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley

A Rose By Another Name Queensland’s baroquepop queen Julia Rose has announced a brand new EP called Romeo, due out in February. She’s set up a crowdfunding campaign on Pozible. See her live on 24 Oct at Nerang Folk Club, Gold Coast.

I Am D + Renz + Midas.GOLD + Carl: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Diva Demolition: The Rocky Glen Hotel, West Gladstone

Halloween with Baauer: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Kisschasy + Luca Brasi + Beth Lucas: The Triffid, Newstead Rubberbandits + Wayne Keys: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley Mat McHugh: Woolly Mammoth, Fortitude Valley

SAT 31 Philadelphia Grand Jury

Philly Days

Yo Yeo

The boys are back, hitting up our eardrums with a brand new single Crashing & Burning Pt II, alongside second album Summer Of Doom.

Philadelphia Grand Jury will be at The Brightside, 23 Oct.

Anathema + Balloons Kill Babies: The Triffid, Newstead

Marshall Okell & The Pride: Joe’s Waterhole, Eumundi

Neon Tiger: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

The Cornermen: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

FRI 30

Seductive Soul: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central

City Calm Down: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Tribute to Nat King Cole with Dorian Mode: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Josh Lee Hamilton: Burleigh Brewing, Burleigh Heads Mr G: Capulet, Fortitude Valley Ben Salter: Cardigan Bar, Sandgate A Breach Of Silence + Bay Harbour + Thanartist + Vessel Born + Archetypes: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley Hussy Hicks: Currumbin Creek Tavern, Currumbin Waters

Yeo

After hitting up the US and BIGSOUND, Yeo is on a role and has announced a new single in Icarus. The synth-pop wonder will be stopping by Woolly Mammoth on 24 Oct.

The Vanns: 38 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley Giants Of Science + Hyde & The Hitcher: Beetle Bar, Brisbane Ainslie Wills + Machine Age + O’ Little Sister: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley The Tinderbox Spark: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Halloween Hellfest feat. Deraign + Universe + Lavidius + Headbore + Irukandji + Bleeding Gasoline + Terror Parade + Mergatroyd + Killers Creed: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley

Signature Duo + Stu Murphy: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Jackson Firebird + El Bravo: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley The Johnson Stompers: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Eden Mulholland + Pop Cult + Selaphonic: Solbar, Maroochydore Playskool: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore Preston: Sonny’s House of Blues, Brisbane The Paper Kites: Soundlounge, Currumbin

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 53

Comedy / G The Guide

Infectious Halloween feat. DJ AllanP: Clock Hotel, Surfers Paradise

Diva Demolition

Kisschasy + Luca Brasi: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta

At The Gates + Kyzer Soze + Chronolyth: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley

Clowns + Cosmic Kahuna + The Black Market + Crooked Face: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley

Cody Jones & The Lost Company + Tom Smith + Planet Clare: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane

Trainspotters feat. Tam Vantage + The Goon Sax + Bent + Ultra Material: Grand Central Hotel, Brisbane

Diva Demolition: The Rocky Glen Hotel, West Gladstone

The Wet Fish: Greaser Bar, Brisbane

Rocking Horse Records 40th Anniversary feat. Blank Realm + The Cairos + ISIS + Rob Hirst & Sean Sennett + Ron S Peno & Brett Myers + Kristy Apps & The Shotgun Shirleys + The Floyd Family Breakdown + more: The Triffid, Newstead

Halloween Party with Resident Trademark: Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton British India + Lost Boys: Harvey Road Tavern, Clinton

Rocking Horse Roots with The Floyd Family Breakdown + Kristy Apps & The Shotgun Shirleys: The Triffid (2pm), Newstead

Berst + Casey Fogg: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Andromeda Festival 2015: Ivory’s Rock, Peak Crossing

Nanana Diva

Hemingway: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

Having completed a five-month European tour and recorded their second album in Sweden, fully-charged Diva Demolition are hitting the road on their Home Dirt Tour. It stops by Barkly Hotel Motel on 23 and 25 Oct.

Who Remembers the 80s: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central Sako Polumenta: Max Watt’s (formerly The Hi-Fi Brisbane), West End Jackson Firebird: Miami Tavern (Shark Bar), Miami Halloweeen Party with Alter Egos + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Decades Festival feat. Cold Chisel + The Living End + Something For Kate + Suze Demarchi + Bjorn Again + The

Bertie Page Clinic + Nick Watson & The Bawdy Dicks + The Viola Cloning Project + more: The Bearded Lady, West End

Chris Flaskas: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore

Troy Cassar-Daley: Brisbane Powerhouse (Powerhouse Theatre), New Farm

Marshall Okell & The Pride: Sonny’s House of Blues, Brisbane

The Vanns + The Pinheads: Broadbeach Tavern, Broadbeach

Daniel Stoneman: Statler & Waldorf, Brisbane

Andromeda Festival 2015: Ivory’s Rock, Peak Crossing

Ed & Eddy: Story Bridge Hotel (Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point

Matt Graham: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

DJ Panda: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar), Kangaroo Point

MON 02 The Round: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Natiruts + Nattali Rize: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta Matt Corby: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

TUE 03 Neil Diamond: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall Andrew Saragossi: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End

Lucianblomkamp

Halloween with Shitfits + Gazar Strips + De Nada: The Bearded Lady, West End Halloween Horrorfest 2015 with Kissperience + Demolition Lovers + She Cries Wolf + The Comfort: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Kingfisha

Hail To The King Reggae ragamuffins Kingfisha have newly signed with The 123 Agency and are hitting Solbar, Maroochydore on 24 Oct as part of their national Water Running tour. Bearfoot support.

Jeremy Neale + Deafcult + Corporate Vibes: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley Jakarta Criers + Go Van Go + Jesse Taylor: The Milk Factory Kitchen & Bar, South Brisbane Diva Demolition: The Rocky Glen Hotel, West Gladstone Richard Clapton: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley CW Stoneking + Peter Bibby: The Triffid, Newstead DJ Black Amex: The Triffid (Beer Garden), Newstead

Rechords + The Hi-Boys + more: Pine Rivers Park Amphitheatre, Strathpine Grizzlee Train + Matt Stillert: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley Chet Faker + Silicon + Awesome Tapes From Africa + Cleopold: Riverstage, Brisbane Halloween Party with Allensworth + 8 Ball Aitken: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Mat McHugh: Solbar, Maroochydore

Lucianblomkamp has a new video for his single From Afar. To celebrate the dark and intriguing story, he’s doing a few east coast shows, including one on 29 Oct at Black Bear Lodge with support from Walrii and Ümbra.

Quazi-Smith + Alibrandi + The Young Art + Space Horse: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley The Paper Kites + Patrick James: Woolly Mammoth, Fortitude Valley

SUN 01 Stuart Hoy + The Wet Fish: Brewski, Brisbane Sophie Min: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

54 • THE MUSIC • 21ST OCTOBER 2015

Near Afar

Scorcher Fest: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley Built For Comfort + Toby Straton: Solbar (Lounge Bar), Maroochydore Big Kitty: Story Bridge Hotel (Outback Bar), Kangaroo Point

Big Backyard ‘80s Party with The Electric ‘80s Show: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley Mark Sheils: Samford Valley Hotel, Samford Village

THE MUSIC 21ST OCTOBER 2015 • 55