16.11.16 Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Sydney / Free / Incorporating
ARIAS Yep, it’s time for our annual awards Form Guide
Inside: Remembering Leonard Cohen
Issue
165
WED 18 JAN ENMORE THEATRE ON SALE THU 17 NOV FOR EXCLUSIVE PRESALE INFO VISIT FRONTIERTOURING.COM
2 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 3
23 NOV
COMPOSITION AND
MUSIC
PRODUCTION SHOWCASE LOCATION:
OXFORD ART FACTORY 38-46 OXFORD ST, DARLINGHURST
TIME: 6:30PM
FREE ENTRY
18 LICENSED VENUE, MANAGEMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DENY ENTRY
Australian Institute of Music
BASEMENT
THU 17TH 8PM
“WHISPERING JACKIE”
LOW/FI PUNK ROCK SHOW SUPPORTED BY “OPERATION IBIS” , “DISCLAIMER” , “BILLY PUNTTON”
BASEMENT
FRI 18TH 8PM
BASEMENT
SAT 19TH 8PM
LEVEL ONE
“BLACK REIGN” PRESENTS
METAL NIGHT
WITH SUPPORT FROM “ENTER IV” , “LETHAL VENDETTA” , “NECROSTALGIA”
SAT 19TH 10PM
NO REST IN NOVEMBER NO REST FOR THE WICKED PRESENTS
ALTERNTAIVE NIGHT FOR ALTERNATIVE SPECIES, THE NIGHT’S HIGHLIGHT IS “THE CULT”, FEAT: DJ’S S.H.E. , ACTION ANT. XERTOSKITTE AND MANY MORE
SYNCHRONICITY PRESENTS:
SYNCRON CITY FEAT: STEEZ, SHEPZ, SUBSENSE, SENKA
AND MANY MORE IN NIGHT OF HOT BEATS AND CONSCIOUS ATMOSPHERE DEAD SUN PROMOTIONS PRESENTS:
LEVEL ONE
FRI 18TH 10PM
WIRADJURI PLATINUM MIXERS AND CORKSCREW EVENTS PRESENTS:
FLIRTY FRIDAYS
BASEMENT
SUN 20TH 1PM
HIP HOP PARTY FEAT ALLSTAR DJ CAST
CORE SHOW WITH “ISOTOPES” SUPPORTED BY “AMODEUS” , “LAST DAYS HERE” , “CHAOS WARRIOR”, “GHOSTS OF PANDORA:”, “PROPHECIES”
COMING UP Thu 24 Nov: 8pm Basement: “Stone Empire” in Rock/SKA Show supported by “Shatter The Crown”, “Eager 13” and guests; Fri 25 Nov: 8pm Basement: Pants Off Party Inc presents Last Show of 2016/Free Party with “Tensions Arise” supported by “Facing Zero”, “Eugine”, “Liability”, “Adriaan”; 10pm Level One: Mutilate presents: Hardcore Party feat: Usual Suspects; Sat 26 Nov: 9pm Basement: UFO Club presents GlitchSys Bass Rave feat: Dysphemic, Exsetra, Drachemann, Vertical Transport, Loz Nonsense, Sundog Illionaire; 10pm Level One: Havoc Sydney presents: Synoid (USA), Lady Lilith, Ritza, Metlad, Rompa, Deflik, No-Syt and many more; Sunday 27 Oct: 5pm Basement: Rockabilly Promotions presents: “Bad Luck Kitty” with many special guests
Friday 9th December 8pm
Triple J presents:
Boy & Bear with Special Guests
Saturday 17th December 8pm
Birds of Tokyo
Friday 27th January 8pm
Amity Affliction
Thursday 9th March 8pm
The Living End & The Bennies
All tickets available at Moshtix www.towradgibeachhotel.com.au
theMusic.com.au: breaking news, up-to-the-minute reviews and streaming new releases
170 Pioneer Road, Towradgi 2518 | 02 42833 588
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 5
Music / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Pew Pew!
The 2007 Mark Walberg vehicle Shooter has been given a new coat of paint and put back on the road as a television series with ‘90s dreamboat Ryan Phillippe taking up the main role. Catch it on Netflix, 16 Nov.
The Shooter
The Greatest Former triple j Unearthed winner Ali Barter has announced the national tour for her feminist anthem, Girlie Bits. The Melbourne musician will be headlining east coast in December.
Ali Barter
82 The age at which musical legend Leonard Cohen passed away.
6 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Woodlock
Smashed It Folk rockers Woodlock have unveiled their brand new single Something Broke That Day, intriguingly inspired by a comic book about love triangles and murder. Woodlock will hit the road on a ten-date tour in January and February.
Arts / Li Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Credits
Publisher Street Press Australia Pty Ltd
Clearly Pickled
Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast
It’s done, Hendrick’s Gin have successfully grown the Unusually Australian Cucumber, a new breed fertilized, by popular vote, in emu poo, yabbie shells and Simpson Dessert soil. Find it in select bars from December to January.
Hendrick’s Gin
Versus
National Editor – Magazines Mark Neilsen Arts & Culture Editor Maxim Boon
Gig Guide Justine Lynch gigs@themusic.com.au Contributing Editor Bryget Chrisfield
Editorial Assistants Brynn Davies, Sam Wall Contributors Adam Wilding, Anthony Carew, Brendan Crabb, Cameron Cooper, Carley Hall, Cate Summers, Chris Familton, Daniel Cribb, Chris Maric, Christopher H James, Cyclone, Daniel Cribb, Danielle O’Donohue, Dave Drayton, Deborah Jackson, Dylan Stewart, Eliza Berlage, Guido Farnell, Guy Davis, James d’Apice, Jonty Czuchwicki, Liz Guiffre, Mac McNaughton, Mark Beresford, Mark Hebblewhite, Matt MacMaster, Mitch Knox, Neil Griffiths, Paul Ransom, Mick Radojkovic, Peter Laurie, Rip Nicholson, Ross Clelland, Sam Baran, Samuel J Fell, Sarah Petchell, Sean Capel, Sean Maroney, Steve Bell, Tanya Bonnie Rae, Tim Finney, Tyler McLoughlan, Uppy Chatterjee, Xavier Rubetzki Noonan Photographers Angela Padovan, Cole Bennetts, Clare Hawley, Jared Leibowitz, Josh Groom, Kane Hibberd, Pete Dovgan, Peter Sharp, Rohan Anderson
Hot Shots
Advertising Dept Georgina Pengelly, Brad Edwards sales@themusic.com.au
In collaboration with Melbourne Bitter, highly respected music photographer Kane Hibberd has launched an intimate new behind the scenes tour zine called Versus. The first issue uncovers Tassie punk rockers Luca Brasi’s recent sell-out tour.
Art Dept Ben Nicol, Felicity Case-Mejia Admin & Accounts Ajaz Durrani, Meg Burnham, Emma Clarke accounts@themusic.com.au Distro distro@themusic.com.au Subscriptions store.themusic.com.au Contact Us Heart Beach
PO Box 2440 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Suite 42, 89-97 Jones St Ultimo
Pucker Up Hobart indie-pop outfit Heart Beach have released their second LP Kiss Your Face. To celebrate, the trio have announced an extensive run of east coast album launch shows in November and December.
Phone (02) 9331 7077 info@themusic.com.au www.themusic.com.au
— Sydney
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 7
Music / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Cloak & Swagger
Jordan Rakei
Returning home for a rare run of shows accompanied by his full band, Jordan Rakei will be celebrating the release of his debut album, Cloak. Rakei’s groove-based soul sound will be hitting home soil in March.
Love All
Seminal Phoenix poppunks Jimmy Eat World will return to Aussie shores in January for a three-date tour in support of their ninth LP, Integrity Blues, one of which is at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Jimmy Eat World
Melody Angel
Everybody’s Talking ‘Bout It Brisbane five-piece The Jensens have announced a new single Everybody Talks. As well as a couple festival appearances this month, the surf rockers plan to take the track on tour in December.
Blue Good Bluesfest have made another ridiculously massive announcement, this time dropping that Eric Gales, Mud Morganfield, Devon Allman, St Paul Discovery Artist Melody Angel and more have all been added to the line-up.
Nothing Doing
theMusic.com.au: breaking news, up-to-the-minute reviews and streaming new releases
Nothing
8 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Philadelphia altrock shoegaze quartet Nothing has announced an Australian tour this January in support of their new album Tired Of Tomorrow. Nothing will be performing in venues in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Arts / Li Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Frontlash
Dope
Bliss N Eso
Aussie hip hop outfit Bliss N Eso have announced their return to the nation’s stages in February and March. They will be touring their latest single, and first taste of their upcoming LP, Dopamine.
Hilltop Hoods
By getting the might of Google behind them and joining with CanTeen, the guys have kicked off the Side Of Stage Project, giving young people affected by cancer special access to live shows.
Think Of The Inspiration The only shining light we can think of for Donald Trump’s election win is imagining all the amazing creative endeavours that will emerge in protest.
The Jensens
Crowded Charts
Hopetoun Hotel
Backlash 2016
@amateuradam
Martha Wainwright
Sweet Dreams Singersongwriter Martha Wainwright will return to Australia for an extensive 12date tour across the country in March. The Goodnight City tour will begin in Perth’s Astor theatre with support from pop duo Oh Pep!.
Lashes
If you wondered about the opposite of Netflix and Chill, it’s CNN AND PANIC.
Pretty good week for Crowded House, with all of their albums charting in the ARIA top 100 after being re-issued.
Look, this year can just get fucked as far as we’re concerned as it keeps delivering crazy-arse political decisions and notable entertainment deaths. Let’s wipe the slate clean on next year, yeah?
Team America – Fuck No
We still have no idea how Donald Trump can be elected US president, but suddenly Kanye West’s statement of running in 2020 doesn’t sound so outlandish.
From Go To Hoey For a brief moment there on social media it seemed like legendary venue The Hopetoun Hotel would be resurrected for live music, but it apparently hasn’t been sold at all and still remains dormant.
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 9
Music / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Mountain Men
Fair Go
Hermitude
Mountain Sounds have just announced Sydney duo Hermitude as their special guest, adding them to their lineup of top tier Australian talent. Hermitude will be gracing the stage in February along with RÜFÜS, Dune Rats and DMA’S.
Australia’s longest running street fair, the Glebe Street Fair, returns for its 33rd year this Sunday. As well as stalls there will be a range of entertainment including performances from bands like Coda Coduct.
HK2: The Abnormal Crisis
JFF The Sydney leg of the Japanese Film Festival begins this Thursday. Running until 27 Nov, the festival will screen a range of contemporary and classic films from the original Godzilla to HK2: The Abnormal Crisis.
Call Of The Country
290
Telstra are hitting Toyota Park in January with #LIVEANDLOUD as part of Tamworth Country Music Festival. #LIVEANDLOUD is a free live show featuring contemporary artists including Caitlyn Shadbolt, Kaylens Rain, Chelsea Basham.
The number of electoral college votes for Donald Trump, handing him the US Presidency. Caitlyn Shadbolt
10 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Glebe Street Fair
Arts / Li Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture
Got The Plot
We’ve waited and sweated for months and now it is finally time - The Plot is on. AB Original, The Bennies, Ivan Ooze, Tired Lion – over 30 artists in all will converge on Parramatta Park this Saturday.
The Plot
Here’s a wrap of who’s just announced a new release: M&M This Friday Mack & Mabel opens at Hayes Theatre Co. Staring Scott Irwin and Angelique Cassimatis and directed by Trevor Ashley, it’s the tale of silent movie director Mack Sennett and iconic starlet Mabel Normand.
The xx
The xx have announced I See You will be released on 13 Jan via Young Turks/ Remote Control, their first album in five years. The UK’s As It Is have announced their second album Okay to be released on 20 Jan on Fearless/Caroline. Homeshake (the musical project of Peter Sagar) will drop his third album Fresh Air, on 3 Feb through Sinderlyn/ Remote Control. France’s master of techno Vitalic will release his first record in 15 years – Voyager – on 20 Jan, out on Clivage Music/Caroline. The Universe & Me from Tobin Sprout is out 3 Feb via Burger Records.
Mack & Mabel
Starset are returning with their second album Vessels to be released on 20 Jan on Razor & Tie/Cooking Vinyl.
Rabbit Season Owen Rabbit has just unveiled his latest single Oh My God in the lead up to the release his debut EP. Rabbit has announced a run of shows across Australia from December to February.
Owen Rabbit
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 11
ARIA Form Guide So 2016 marks the 30th ARIA Awards and Bryget Chrisfield’s careful research unveiled an interesting fact: every single year since the very first ARIAs, way back in 1987, the Album Of The Year winner has won multiple awards. So, if 2016 follows this pattern, whoever wins this award, will already have at least one ARIA statuette in their hot little hands. Will Flume need to clear more shelf space in the trophy cabinet? And can he top Tame Impala’s nearperfect five wins from six ARIA Award nominations result in 2015? Check out what The Music editorial team reckon below. Cover illustration by Felicity Case-Mejia. Album Of The Year Flume – Skin, RUFUS – Bloom, Sia – This Is Acting, The Avalanches – Wildflower, Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Who will win? Flume Who should win? Flume Why? Handsome though he may be, we’re probably gonna tire of seeing Harley Streten (aka Flume) on the winner’s podium. A few of us weighed in that The Avalanches’ Wildflower has a chance due to the anticipation created by this mysterious outfit who took a whole 16 years to release a follow-up to their stunning Since I Left You debut, but we eventually agreed that Flume has it in the bag.
Best Female Artist Delta Goodrem – Wings Of The Wild, Jessica Mauboy – This Ain’t Love, Montaigne – Glorious Heights, Sarah Blasko – Eternal Return, Sia – This Is Acting Who will win? Jessica Mauboy Who should win? Montaigne Why? All of the nominees except for Montaigne already have this Award proudly displayed in the pool room and we reckon Mauboy will pick up her second award this year following the success of her This Ain’t Love single and recent starring role in Seven Network’s The Secret Daughter.
Jessica Mauboy. Pic: Peter Dovgan
Breakthrough Artist Of The Year
DMA’S – Hills End, LDRU – Keeping Score (ft Paige IV), Montaigne – Glorious Heights, Olympia – Self Talk, Safia – Make Them Wheels Roll Who will win? DMA’S Who should win? Safia Why? This category has a habit of acknowledging artists after they’ve well and truly broken through (ahem, Courtney Barnett was last year’s recipient). DMA’S will win, but their self-titled debut EP dropped back in March, 2014! Keep up please, ARIAs, and reward Safia for breaking through right now.
Best Male Artist Bernard Fanning – Civil Dusk, Flume – Skin, Guy Sebastian – Black & Blue, Illy – Papercuts (ft Vera Blue), Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Who will win? Bernard Fanning Who should win? Flume Why? Flume and Bernard Fanning are the only two contenders this year who have already won Best Male Artist ARIAs, but then again a scroll down the list of past winners reveals this category makes a habit of rewarding artists multiple times. So we’re tipping Flume or Fanning (but fingers crossed for Flume).
Best Urban Album Citizen Kay – With The People, Drapht – Seven Mirrors, Koi Child – Koi Child, L-FRESH The LION – Become, Urthboy – The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat Who will win? Drapht Who should win? Koi Child Why? We kinda reckon this one depends on whether the ARIA Awards judging panel are across the fact that Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker mixed and produced Koi Child’s self-titled set. Unfortunately history shows that Best Urban Album is more often awarded to more established acts, however. So we suppose previous Best Urban Album winner Drapht had better start penning an acceptance speech.
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album Hellions – Opera Oblivia, Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity, Parkway Drive – Ire, The Amity Affliction – This Could Be Heartbreak Who will win? Parkway Drive Who should win? The Amity Affliction Why? This is The Amity Affliction’s third album in a row to debut at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, but Ire by previous winners Parkway Drive (2010, Deep Blue) also scored #1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart in the US (and we all know how favourably ARIA judges look upon international success). But hang on; The Amity Affliction’s This Could Be Heartbreak hit #1 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) chart. It’s gonna be close.
Best Pop Release Flume – Never Be Like You (ft Kai), Illy – Papercuts (ft Vera Blue), Sia – This Is Acting, The Veronicas – In My Blood, Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Who will win? Flume Who should win? Flume Why? Have you heard the track!? Matchless, understated beauty. We just wish we could dance like Storyboard P (from Drop The Game’s music video) to adequately express how we feel about the song.
12 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Some of the 2016 ARIA Award nominees. Pic: Peter Dovgan
Best Rock Album Ball Park Music – Every Night The Same Dream, Boy & Bear – Limit Of Love, Gang Of Youths – Let Me Be Clear, The Living End – Shift, Violent Soho – WACO Who will win? The Living End Who should win? Violent Soho Why? Somebody needs to say it: since when are Ball Park Music filed in the “Rock” section? Some of us thought it would be a good chuckle if they actually went on to win this, but the majority reckon Violent Soho are the worthiest Best Rock Album winners; they’ve been nominated for five awards this year, after all. But in saying that, The Living End have done well in this category previously (winning twice), so they’ll probably get lucky again this year to join Powderfinger as three-time Best Rock Album winners.
Best Blues Best Adult Alternative Album Jarryd James – Thirty One, Matt Corby – Telluric, Peter Garrett – A Version Of Now, Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier, Sarah Blasko – Eternal Return, The Temper Trap – Thick As Thieves Who will win? Peter Garrett Who should win? Matt Corby Why? Get angry about this result right now, ‘cause you just know it’s gonna come true. We’ll still be crossing everything and praying for worthy winner Matt Corby to get up, though.
Best Independent Release Flume – Skin, Jarryd James – Thirty One, Violent Soho – WACO, King Gizzard – Nonagon Infinity, Sia – This Is Acting, Who will win? Flume Who should win? Violent Soho/King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Why? We were completely split down the middle with this one, but acknowledge it’s unlikely for Flume to miss out on any of the ARIA Awards he’s been nominated for this year. Violent Soho scored their first #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for WACO, but Nonagon Infinity just continues to smoke our noodles in the best possible way.
Jimmy Barnes – Soul Searchin’, The Cat Empire – Rising With The Sun, Kev Carmody – Recollections... Reflections... (A Journey), Russell Morris – Red Dirt Red Heart, The Wilson Pickers – You Can’t Catch Fish From A Train Who will win? Jimmy Barnes Who should win? The Wilson Pickers Why? While we ache for Barnsie (what a legend!), we would prefer it if The Wilson Pickers collected this award because Barnes’ Soul Searchin’ is a covers album.
Best Country Album Adam Brand & The Outlaws – Adam Brand & The Outlaws, Bill Chambers – Cold Trail, Fanny Lumsden – Small Town Big Shot, Sara Storer – Silos, The Wolfe Brothers – This Crazy Life Who will win? Bill Chambers Who should win? Adam Brand & The Outlaws Why? Because we all recognise the name. The surname Chambers dominates this category, however, and so maybe 2016 is Bill’s year. His daughter Kasey has taken home a colossal seven Best Country Album gongs so it’s kinda high time dad got a look in.
Best Dance Release Flume – Skin, Hayden James – Just A Lover, LDRU – Keeping Score (ft Paige IV), RUFUS – Bloom, The Avalanches – Wildflower Who will win? Flume Who should win? Flume Why? Flume and The Avalanches have each released two albums to date, and both of their debut sets were victorious in this category. RUFUS won in 2015 for their You Were Right single. It’s so weird that some of these ARIA Award categories put singles up against albums! But if you think Flume’s not gonna win this one, you’re dreamin’!
Best Group King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity RUFUS – Bloom, Violent Soho – WACO, The Avalanches – Wildflower, The Veronicas – In My Blood, Who will win? King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Who should win? King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Why? Some of us are rooting for Violent Soho, but it really is all about King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. This spectacular septet have released eight albums in five years and are making considerable inroads internationally.
Best Adult Contemporary Album Bernard Fanning — Civil Dusk, Bob Evans — Car Boot Sale, Paul Kelly — Seven Sonnets & A Song, Robert Forster — Songs To Play, Tina Arena — Eleven Who will win? Paul Kelly Who should win? Paul Kelly Why? Because Shakespeare plus Paul Kelly is just about as adult as it gets. One of Australia’s favourite songwriters, Kelly has already taken out Best Adult Contemporary Album three times (once together with Neil Finn for Goin’ Your Way) and he really deserves to tie with Farnsie (who has picked up four gongs in this category).
When & Where: 23 Nov, Star Event Centre
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 13
Music
The Power Of Love Archie Roach tells Bryget Chrisfield about a time when he met a special old man called Doug Suprian who knew his father, shared a story and inspired a song on his latest album.
A
t last year’s Screen Music Awards, Archie Roach and Shane Howard took home the award for Best Original Song Composed For The Screen for their composition A Secret River (from the ABC TV series based on Kate Grenville’s book The Secret River) and also performed this song live on the night during the awards ceremony at Melbourne Recital Centre. This scribe will never forget the moving atmosphere created. When asked whether such an atmosphere can be felt from the stage, Roach offers, “There’s certainly a feeling and it’s just, you know, this interaction between yourself and everyone — it’s
They just lifted me, lifted me up into this place and I could feel the full support and love.
a two-way street... One of the most amazing [examples of this] was at Port Fairy after Ruby Hunter passed away,” he recalls, “and we’d just come back from her funeral and I didn’t even know if I was gonna perform that day, you know, and I can’t remember much about what I sung but what I do remember is the audience being... while I was on stage performing, the energy was, like, that they just lifted me, lifted me up into this place and I could feel the full support and love, and it was amazing.” Roach obviously continues to grieve the loss of Hunter, his soul mate, and over the past few years he’s also experienced some setbacks health-wise. After acknowledging his friends, particularly manager Jill Shelton, were instrumental to his recovery, Roach praises 14 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
the “healing quality” of music: “Even in medicine they don’t realise that there is a healing aspect to music.” Roach is sitting in an office at Mushroom HQ in Albert Park and, when asked about the story behind his song Mighty Clarence River, he remarks, “It’s amazing how we came by that”. A few years back, Roach was up Byron Bay way to play Boomerang Festival and manager Shelton encouraged him to take a road trip on a day off. “’Cause she knows where my father comes from — my people come from, my father’s people — she said, ‘Let’s take a drive down to Lawrence, where your father’s from’,” Roach tells, “but we didn’t realise it was about two hours away... so it took us the best part of the day.” Once there, they located “an old church that they’d converted; it was a historic society”. “As soon as we walked in... down this hallway on the wall was this big photo of my father... when he was younger and his family, brothers and sisters, and his mother, you know, my grandmother. “And so we went in and had a look around, and there was an elderly lady in there and she kept confusing me with my father ‘cause his name was Archie, too — I was named after dad, Archie. And she said, ‘Oh, yeah, so maybe if you go along to this old fella by the name of Doug Suprian he might be able to tell you a bit more about your family.’ And she kept looking at me saying, ‘You remember Dougie, don’t ya?’ I said, ‘No, no, that’s me dad.’... And she said, ‘Yeah, you remember. It’s a golf course now but just behind where the golf course is, [was] the aboriginal camps; you remember the aboriginal camps, don’t ya?’ I said, ‘No, that was my dad’ [laughs]. Anyway, we ended up going to this place to visit Doug Suprian and he knew my family when he was younger; he went to school with my uncles.” Suprian was “about 90 years old” at the time and Roach remembers, “He was sort of, like, laying back [with] his eyes closed... And as soon as he heard my name his eyes just shot open, and he sat up, ‘Archie Roach. I knew Archie Roach!’... I sat down and we talked and he just lit up. And he just spurted out everything about my family. And then he talked about... my great grandmother and her two sisters, how they used to be out on this island out in the middle of the Clarence River.” After lamenting “they weren’t treated too well sometimes, unfortunately”, Roach continues. “But they decided to escape and jumped into the river... and they swam across the Clarence River to a place called Lawrence where my great grandmother had her family and, yeah! [That’s] where dad was born. So that’s what the song’s about: it’s about those girls, you know, getting off the island and deciding to escape and [look for a] better life on the mainland. “It was just amazing. It was just like old Doug, old Dougie Suprian; it’s like he’d been just waiting for somebody to come back so he could tell those stories... ‘I need to get this out. I need to tell somebody about this family,’ you know?”
What: Let Love Rule (Liberation Music) When & Where: 17 Nov, State Theatre; 19 Nov, A Day On The Green, Bimbadgen Winery; 5 Dec, Enmore Theatre
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 15
Music
The Other Wainwright Martha Wainwright assures Anthony Carew that she was not a “child prodigy” and chats about growing up in a family that writes songs about each other.
“I
don’t have very much musical talent,” says Martha Wainwright, not with any sense of self-effacement, but only honest self-appraisal. The 40-year-old Canadian sees her songbook as a work of emotion over composition, her career one of slow, steady refinement. It’s something, Wainwright says, that has never come easily. “I’m not a musical genius, nor am I particularly a natural musician,” she explains. “I’m a good singer, but I worked on it a lot. I’ve worked on my craft, practiced the guitar, gotten better. I was never some child prodigy, I didn’t look at a piano and know how to play it. I think I’ve had to fight for my music, in a way, because it wasn’t so natural. I think you can hear that fight in my music, especially in my early music.”
I was never some child prodigy, I didn’t look at a piano and know how to play it. I think I’ve had to fight for my music.
Wainwright’s perceptions of her own musical abilities are entirely informed by the fact that she was raised in a family of talented musicians, and, still, is routinely compared with her brother Rufus, who very much was — and is — the musical prodigy. Her father is the oddball singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, her mother the late Kate McGarrigle, of the McGarrigle sisters. She grew up split between the “toughness” of New York and the “innocence” of Montreal, moving between her largely absent father, and her mother and aunt. “I was pretty goofy, pretty quirky, always a little bit different. Being different was applauded in my family growing up; not being too normal was a good thing,” 16 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Wainwright offers. “Playing music was very nurtured, and very normalised. That’s what my parents did. In a way, my choice is very uncreative, very predictable.” The Wainwright-McGarrigle clan is famous for writing songs about each other; her parents trading barbs through song following their acrimonious divorce. The song that put Martha on the map, from her 2005 debut LP, was an ode written to her father called Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole, enshrining her in the family tradition of songwriting confession and candour. “There’s certainly not much of a persona that I’ve created that I hide behind,” says Wainwright. “I tend to be very open and candid on stage, there’s storytelling that’s very open and autobiographical. My family, we’ve been known to write songs about each other, and in and around each other. In that way, we let people into our stories, it’s a real window into our lives. It’s not a whole picture, but a view through a window that I’m allowing people to look into, to see a nakedness. It’s a willingness to expose myself. I don’t say that in a grotesque way, this idea of exposing my naked self. It’s more that I always wanted to be on stage, to be seen, to be heard, to have people notice me.” On stage, Wainwright says, she feels at home; able to project her feelings, and her life, in grand gesture. “I have a tendency to be very emotive in my music. To be very forward in the way I sing, the way I express myself. I don’t know if that’s a reflection of who I am and how I am in real life -I’m far more shy off stage than on stage — but it’s a part of me, and they’re certainly things that I’m feeling. I use music in a really aggressive way, to be quite emotional and quite exposed.” Wainwright’s latest album, Goodnight City, seems as if it is a step aside from that incredibly personal approach; especially after her last solo LP, 2012’s Come Home To espe Mama, was made in the wake of her mother’s death. For Mam her ffourth album, Wainwright outsourced the writing of half the songs, to people like Glen Hansard, Tune-Yards, Beth Orton, and even the novelist Michael Ondaatje. But, half the songs are still hers, and boast confessions like “I used to do a lot of blow” and “we made love in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth”. And even those songs by others were Adel written specifically for her, and even about her. writt “I wanted people who knew me, so that they’d be thinking about me, putting themselves in my head,” think Wainwright says. “I think the best example of that, and Wain the m most obvious example of the two artists melding, is brother’s song. It’s partly because we’re related, I’m my b sure. Rufus wrote this song about Francis, my son, who is sure two and a half. Rufus wrote this song, clearly, for me; it’s written itt as me singing to my son. But, at the same time, it sounds like such a Rufus Wainwright song. He’s playing the piano, I’m singing, it’s this pure fusion of the two of us. It’s like, if someone is a fan of both Rufus and myself — some people like both of us, though some are adamant about only liking one or the other — then this is their dream come true.”
What: Goodnight City (Inertia) When & Where: 11 Mar, Taronga Zoo; 12 Mar, Oxford Art Factory; 14 Mar, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul; 15 Mar, Canberra Theatre Centre; 16 Mar, Lizotte’s Newcastle,
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 17
Music
Funeral Songs Paul Kelly & Charlie Owen’s recent album Death’s Dateless Night was an album based on songs for funerals. Because the lads aren’t talking much about it, we decided to ask a few of their musical friends and contemporaries what song they want played at their funeral.
Dan Sultan
Wil Wagner (The Smith Street Band)
“Highway To Hell by AC/DC. I’ve chosen it because I love AC/DC in life and in death!”
“Being a slightly morbid, very dramatic music lover I’ve often thought about what songs I’d like played at my funeral. My choice is a song I’ve loved for a long time that looks at death in a different way from most pop music, Don’t Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. It’s such a unique song lyrically, as if someone on the Grim Reaper’s PR team wrote a list of all the reasons death maybe ain’t that bad! It’s a strangely hopeful look at death and what comes after. And hopefully at least one mourner would enthusiastically play air cowbell.”
John Butler “I’ve never really thought about a funeral song as such for myself. Maybe I’m avoiding the whole subject when thinking about my farewell to the physical realm. The other day though Aretha Franklin’s Spanish Harlem was playing on the radio and my wife tapped me on the shoulder as to make a point and said, ’Just so you know this is one of my funeral songs’. It sparked a conversation which then invited a whole swath of great tunes to come flooding in, but Aretha’s song is the one that stirs in my mind now. I think those gospel tones and the imagery of this song really sticks with me as a celebration of this simple yet beautiful life that shines amongst the dullness and every day grind of the city. Not just because she’s my queen, but I think whenever you look upon any life that you’ve had a connection with in the retrospect, the unique beauty of that person comes to the fore and leaves the rest of the noise behind. That is one of the upsides to the whole funeral ritual. Celebrating the truest and best part of that spirit that’s taken flight into the never never.” 18 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Urthboy “I don’t know what song I’d have played – I’m naturally drawn to melancholy, heavy hearted music so I’d probably choose from the same selection of songs I’d play while reading the paper on a Saturday morning. So rather than mine, I’m reminded of my grandma’s, where my cousins chose Tina Turner’s Simply The Best as we carried the coffin out. It was a strange concoction of sadness, joy and confusion as the song that I’d best known as an advertisement for NRL accompanied one of the most sombre moments of my life.”
When & Where: 17 & 18 Nov, St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney
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THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 19
Music
Homesickness & Heartache
Flat Pack Fashion Chris Familton caught up with Eilen Jewell to get her thoughts on (constant) touring, new recordings and the evolution of her songwriting.
Fashionistas need to head to their nearest IKEA this week to get their hands on the limited edition SPRIDD collection. Featuring a range of vibrant printed fabrics created by British fashion designer Kit Neale, IKEA’s marketing bods have described the line of colourful homewares and clothes as “must-haves perfect for modern nomads.” If you fit that description, we suggest you get down to IKEA stat, from 14 Nov for a strictly limited time only.
20 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
W
ith her young family in tow, Americana singer-songwriter Eilen Jewell manages a busy touring schedule and when we phone her she’s enjoying a brief period of downtime at home in Boise, Idaho after a busy European trip. “It’s great to be home but it was a good tour,” reflects Jewell. “Every country is a little bit different over there and I forget that. Some are a little more reserved and some are a little more raucous. That can even vary from town to town or venue to venue. It’s often hard to predict what each night is going to be like. They have great government support for the arts over there. They have great hospitality, beautiful venues and professional lighting. We get very spoiled there. Then we come back to the US and very little government support of the arts.” In the year since her last album, Sundown Over Ghost Town, was released, Jewell has also been making tentative steps in the studio, working towards what might constitute her next album. “I’ve been mostly touring like crazy. It’s been pretty rare that we’ve had our feet on the ground for very long. We did go into the studio over the summer and recorded some of my favourite old blues songs and we’re not sure yet if that will be an EP or a full-length album or when
it will come out. We started it and we like how it sounds so far. I might try and add some originals onto it or it might be an all covers album, I’m not sure yet. It kinda gives me hope for the future, that we can move forward still, even while we are touring nonstop,” says Jewell. With a decade of recorded music now behind her, how does Jewell view her back-catalogue, dating back to her 2006 debut Boundary Country? “I don’t really see those songs as being much different from the others. That’s interesting because it means I started out in the place where I already knew how I wanted to write and play. I started writing the songs that seemed right to me at the time. It turns out ten years later I still like those songs, I’m still playing them and I’m still writing in a similar style even though that doesn’t mean I haven’t changed as an artist,” stresses Jewell. “I think that songs I write nowadays are different but not fundamentally different. I’m still in love with the same concepts in a song. I still really like to write about the western part of the US and I still like themes of homesickness and heartache. I think a lot of that comes from having listened to blues and country music for so long. It’s just in my blood.”
When & Where: 19 & 20 Nov, Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby; 22 Nov, Newtown Social Club
SUMMER S SU MMER SUNDAY Y
SESSIONS SE E ESSIONS S
12PM M · $5 DRINK DRINKS KS
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 21
Leonard Cohen 1934 – 2016
Legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.
A
statement posted to the musician’s Facebook page confirmed the news. “It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away,” the statement read. “We have lost one of music’s most revered and prolific visionaries. A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date. The family requests privacy during their time of grief.” A cause of death is yet to be announced at the time of writing. The iconic Canadian poet’s illustrious career spanned across five decades, in which he released 14 studio albums. His most recent, You Want It Darker, was released just over three weeks ago. While promoting his last album late last month in an interview with The New Yorker, Cohen said, “I am ready to die. I hope it’s not too uncomfortable. That’s about it for me”.
As Rolling Stone reported, Cohen pursued a career in music in 1966 after becoming frustrated from poor book sales as a writer, despite the attention he received for his novels. He soon met US singer Judy Collins, who added two of his songs, including Suzanne, on her own album. Quickly earning a reputation as a go-to songwriter, the Quebec-born artist embarked on the first of many tours in the ‘70s. In 1995, Cohen faded from the music scene when he became an ordained monk and did not make his return until 2001 with the release of his tenth studio album, Ten New Songs. In 2005, Cohen sued his long-time manager Kelley Lynch, accusing her of embezzling over $US5 million from his retirement fund. It resulted in Cohen having to embark on a massive world tour to recoup the losses and he returned again to touring in 2008, performing all over the globe in the following years. Cohen has been inducted into the US Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame.
Leonard Cohen @ Sydney Entertainment Centre. Pic: Josh Groom
Vale Leonard Cohen Poet, Ladies’ Man And A Master Of Coaxing Beauty From Dysfunction
L
eonard Cohen was the type of musician who told both extremely specific but also extremely relatable stories. This struck me most when he wrote women’s stories. The title track to 1977’s Death Of A Ladies Man somehow captures what it’s like to be disappointed as both a man and a woman — well, I imagine what the first is like, and somehow, he’s imagined the second to near perfection. It’s all there in the first line — “The man she wanted all her life was hanging by a thread / ‘I never even knew how much I wanted you,’ she said.” Right there — both sides aiming for perfection, and
22 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
ultimate destruction. Add to it the weird and wonderful Phil Spector production and cowrite, and well, it’s magic. Cohen specialised in writing about strange and often beautifully dysfunctional relationships. 1971’s Songs Of Love And Hate said it right there on the tin — although these weren’t all just romantic relationships. On that album, Joan Of Arc tells the story of the relationship between the famous crusader and the flames that killed her. Telling the story of Joan’s struggle, then acceptance of her brutal fate, Cohen punctuates the story with a chorus of whimsical “la-lala”s, supported by perfectly placed female backing singers. Towards the end, a solo horn-like sound covers the bass line — a darkly funny, but also ambiguous, sonic salute. For the last chorus it moves to the melody — just to seal the deal. Like most kids who came of age chronologically and musically in the 1990s, I first came to Leonard Cohen via Jeff Buckley. Call it sacrilege if you need to, but a ‘90s teenager didn’t have much choice at the time. Music on the internet was beyond our imaginations, as was willingly listening to our parents’ music. Nuanced, slowburn and often quite dark (and darkly funny), at the time I didn’t want music from someone else’s generation. But, somehow, it drew me. The song dares to speak to those who “don’t really care for music” while also rewarding the nerds with “the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift.” All wrapped up with a “Hallelujah” — so balls-out religious that you’d think it would never have a place in the devil’s playground that is popular music. It remains the song that let Cohen bridge genres and generations, and overexposure is hardly his fault. Perhaps my favourite song of Cohen’s is Chelsea Hotel #2 from 1974’s New Skin For The Old Ceremony. The song tells the story of that one time, when living in the famous New York establishment, Cohen got a blowjob from Janis Joplin. As you
Leonard Cohen @ Sydney Entertainment Centre. Pic: Josh Groom
do. The ‘cute’ lines like “You told me again you preferred handsome men / but for me you’d make an exception” are funny, and they build to the crushing account of their brief relationship — what he names as Joplin’s account; “We are ugly, but we have the music”. The song’s verses are stoic, but the chorus brutal in its plain statement of Joplin’s demise — “You got away, didn’t you, babe / you just turned your back to the crowd”. As I read more about her life years after first hearing the song, I can to find this line almost hateful in its directness. But Joplin’s determination comes through in the chorus as Cohen sings, “I never once heard you say I need you / I don’t need you / and all of that jiving around”. She didn’t need him, but he spelt out her strength and vulnerability so eloquently. Just last month, Cohen released what would be his last album, You Want It Darker. Released in the extremely rare “written and performed by someone over 80” category of popular music, mortality was a dominant theme. Cohen’s deep voice delivered a version of the devil’s gospel as he ushered the album and its title track in with deep chanting and keys that he sounds like he stole from their usual Sunday spot. The mostly spoken lyric climaxes with, “I’m ready, my Lord”. You can almost imagine the smiling Cohen behind the microphone, appearing ageless in a perfect suit, daring what/whoever the Great Maker is come and get him. Like Bowie’s Blackstar and Johnny Cash’s American series, we now know that You Want It Darker was Cohen having one last victory lap. The ladies’ man, as he will always be to me, again spoke for our side in a way that perhaps only an outsider really can. One of his last songs of love, hate and a relationship appears on this album: Treaty. After the wicked title track, it appears, and he sings, “I wish there was a treaty between your love and mine”; “I’m so sorry for that ghost I made you be / only one of us was real, and that was me.” Here, the music is surprisingly upbeat, disconcerting almost. As if to correct himself, the song appears again as the album’s very last track (and now, we assume, his very last recorded statement). The words are replaced with weepy strings that sigh the song’s melody for the most of the song. Just when it seems he’s left the building, Cohen’s voice appears to sing one last verse — “I wish there was a treaty we could sign… were broken then, but now we’re borderline”. Now that Cohen’s crossed the ultimate border, he’s left a treaty for us to sign — to keep telling wonderful, complex, sometimes brutally honest musical stories.
#RIPLeonardCohen With an artist of Leonard Cohen’s stature, many entertainers from all walks of life took to social media to share their thoughts on his passing. Here is just a small selection of what they said:
Nick Cave “For many of us Leonard Cohen was the greatest songwriter of them all. Utterly unique and impossible to imitate no matter how hard we tried. He will be deeply missed by so many.”
Rufus Wainwright “…Farewell Leonard, we need you now up there as much as we did down here.”
Beth Orton “…I am eternally grateful for his existence and his music. He has always resonated on the astral and the earthly planes. Now more so than ever. Beautiful man... you will be deeply and endlessly missed and you will always be with us.”
Martha Wainwright “Leonard… moved me with his music to no end. Goodnight Leonard. We can hear you singing from the tower of song.”
Patton Oswalt “Leonard Cohen dying is so goddamned symbolic right now. You just don’t let up, do you 2016?”
Marc Maron “RIP Leonard Cohen. He got out just in time.”
Ben Folds “Kids. Take a moment to listen to Leonard Cohen’s song Going Home when you can. RIP L Cohen and thank you.”
Krysten Ritter “...it’s time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again” RIP Leonard Cohen :(“
Liz Giuffre THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 23
Music
and how to use harmonies”. Shining Bird’s first record, 2013’s Leisure Coast, showed that formative influence: thick with textures, but also boasting bright single Distant Dreaming. To the band, the LP had a “coastal feel”, so, for their second record, Black Opal, they sought “more of an inland feel”. Black Opal was recorded half in Austinmer, half in Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. The band watched classic Australian films — Wake In Fright, Walkabout, The Last Wave — and took in the local landscape; calling the result ‘Eucalyptus dream pop’. On Charlie, they dare to use didgeridoo. And single Helluva Lot, they summon the epic Ozrock of the ‘80s, Taylor opening with the line “from the Great Dividing Ranges, River Murray, to the sea” as he depicts a sunburnt country on the brink of environmental collapse. “We wanted to explore Australia, what it meant to be Australian. How we fit into that landscape, and how we fit in in general,” Taylor offers. “We hoped that exploring these ideas would give us a sense of perspective. In the same way, we hoped that touring the record through Central Australia would give us a real sense of perspective.” Upon Black Opal’s release, the band played a run of shows in the rarely toured heartland, travelling through the Woomera to Uluru and Alice Springs. “We camped along the way, and played shows as we went,” says Taylor. “We did a show at one of the Aboriginal communities at Uluru, Mutitjulu, for the elders there, which was really special. As a kind of cultural exchange, we were given a bush-tucker lesson, and a lesson in sand drawing, the symbolism of what it means. It was very humbling, very grounding. It was the best tour we’ve ever done, and the best holiday I’ve ever had.”
The Australian Map
Sky Snag
Aussies love a sausage sizzle, and the humble snag in bread available at hardware store Bunnings is as good a place as any to get a tasty sausage sanger. Unless, of course, you choose to collect the afore mentioned snack by drone, as a group of Victorian men attempted to do last week. They said it “was a bit of a fun.” The Civil Aviation Safety Authority begged to differ and slapped the men with a $9k fine. That’s one pricey banger.
24 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Dane Taylor, frontman of Shining Bird, tells Anthony Carew that to make their latest record they had to ask what it meant to be Australian, and where they fit in the national landscape.
“I
’m walking through a wasps’ den,” says Dane Taylor, frontman of Leisure Coast outfit Shining Bird, agitation audibly creeping into his laid-back Aussie voice. “I’m getting harassed here, I’m freaking out. Sorry, what was the question again?” Taylor is in Valla Beach, en route from Austinmer to Byron Bay. Taylor and Russell Webster are Shining Bird’s dual songwriters, but on stage they sprawl out to seven members. Save saxophonist Michael Slater, who hails from Nashville, the band grew up “in the Illawarra”, spending their youth by the beaches. “Austinmer always been a bit of a holiday town for Sydneysiders to come to,” Taylor offers. “So, you’re always holding that feeling of what home means to you, versus what it means to the people who are just passing through.” Taylor and Webster started making music together after high school; Taylor broken-hearted after losing his first love. “I was pretty depressed, listening to a lot of super-emotional post-rock, like Sigur Ros and Explosions In The Sky, and really textural music, like Brian Eno and Steve Reich.” At first, they made layered soundscapes via loop-pedals, but slowly drew closer to pop, taking a crash-course in The Beach Boys songbook to learn “how to construct a song,
What: Black Opal (Spunk) When & Where: 16 Nov, Newtown Social Club; 18 Nov, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
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THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 25
In Focus Glebe
Street Fair
The 33rd Glebe Street Fair returns on Sunday, with a one kilometre stretch of Glebe Point Road to feature over 200 stalls. Pick through work from local artists, cuisine from around the globe, vintage fashion and artesian jewellery, plus performances from the likes of Coda Conduct, Marlene Cummins, Alice Terry and local DJs. There are programs for punters big and small, with children’s entertainment, pony rides and interactive. Glebe Street Fair performers Marlene Cummins, Steve Dubs (Inner West Reggae Disco Machine), Alice Terry and Sally Coleman (Coda Conduct). Pic by Josh Groom.
26 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Trump Slump
Music
Learning Curve
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
The pollsters got it wrong. The news casters and political pundits got it wrong. Common bloody sense got it wrong. All so very, very wrong. Last week, the unthinkable happened, and the most demagoguey demagogue in American political history, Donald Trump, made it to the White House. As the dust settles, the initial responses have been touching, terrifying and trouncing.
Scientists Panic As a proud climate change denyer, one of Trump’s first acts as Prez has been to appoint a major climate sceptic, Myron Ebell, to head the EPA transition. Scientists across multiple fields have publically declared Trump’s presidency to be “dangerous”.
Not So Popular One of the most maddening things emerging from the election fallout is that Hillary Clinton actually received more votes than Donald Trump, by (at current estimates) around 2.5 million. The Electoral College system doesn’t recognise the popular vote.
SNL Tear Jerker During the campaign, Saturday Night Live has run numerous sketches featuring Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton. This week, as a tribute to both Clinton and the late Leonard Cohen, McKinnon sang Hallelujah, and it broke our hearts with its sweet, sad beauty. 28 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Sascha Kelly, who performs under the moniker Sash, chatted to Brynn Davies about the personal struggles she overcame to send a big message on her debut EP Night Light.
A
t 22, Sascha Kelly is only just coming to terms with the difficulties of breaking into the elusive music industry. Her strong support network of family, friends and music team have her back, but it hasn’t always been this way. “My whole family growing up told me that music wasn’t a realistic career and that I shouldn’t follow it, so I kinda went against my passion for it,” she explains. Growing up in the country, she moved to Sydney for a university course in nursing, but dropped out after two and a half years when she realised “that it was just so not what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do at all”. “My family was extremely concerned and disappointed in me,” she laments. “It was kinda like they put that pressure on me to go to university and do a degree because that’s what everyone’s supposed to do... it just wasn’t for me.” “Now I’ve worked really hard and shown them that I can do this without their help at all I think Mum, who’s a huge part of my life, really supports me now and is so, so proud of me. It took a bit of work, I really had to prove to her that this is what I really want.” Breaking away from the security of family support wasn’t immediately met with reward, with Kelly facing the harsh reality of
the music industry alone. “One of the songs on the record is called I Don’t Want Something and it’s kinda about standing up as a female in the industry and not taking crap from male producers, and it’s also kinda like standing up for yourself and who you wanna be,” she impassions. “I think starting out in the industry, I was very freshly 21 and I didn’t know the first thing about how anything worked, so I was taken advantage of very easily. People, and particularly men, saw that I was a young girl who had a decent amount of talent... Because I didn’t know the rules of how stuff worked I was screwed over a couple of times. It can happen so easily, for a young girl particularly — I’m sure for guys as well — but I feel like as soon as a guy sees a young girl in the music industry with a decent amount of talent [they think] that they can make a little money out of them and it’s easy to do that and manipulate them,” she muses. “I was actually really terrified to put that on the EP, because this is me standing up and going ‘I don’t want anything from you’, which is tough as a girl to do that — I don’t want to piss people off, but I also want to succeed and stick to my morals and show other girls that are younger than me that want to do this too that they have nothing to be afraid of and they can stand up and be who they want to be without being screwed over or manipulated.”
What: Night Light (Independent)
Music
Fully Fledged Katy Steele has emerged from Little Birdy as a completely independent solo artist, but not without experiencing the pain of a few cracks while breaking out of her old shell, she tells Brynn Davies ahead of the release of her debut Human.
W
ith Little Birdy put to bed, Katy Steele moved to New York to find her own sound and make a solo album. “I’m independent, so I do what I want,” she jokes, sipping a coffee while on the phone to us from WA. But her newfound independence involved some difficult soul searching to find her voice. “I took my time, it had to be right. I had a few goes [writing the album] in America and it wasn’t really sticking. I was like ‘I can’t put this out! It’s not me!’” Two failed attempts at a record with two different producers later, and “they just weren’t really right, so I scrapped them and came back to Perth,” she shrugs. Steele is open about her struggle with depression and anxiety during this time; a combination of self-imposed pressure — “I was being really, really hard on myself going ‘you gotta write a hit song, you gotta do the best record possible’” — and her unfamiliar surroundings. “It was more to do with the headspace I was in and it was the production I couldn’t get across the line — I didn’t know what I wanted. Because I had come from Birdy and I had it in my head that I had to do something completely different... but I think sometimes you can take that too far and I think I was just trying to make things maybe not as much about the songs at first,” she muses. Leaving the the band “was completely about challenging myself as an artist and wanting to kinda be in charge of all the production and wanting to have a solid vision just by myself, like I didn’t want to share that any more... you have to share it with people, and I kinda didn’t wanna any more,” she protests with a giggle. Avoiding the cliche of the folky acoustic singersongwriter debut record, Human is a textured, rich wall of sound, with the matured voice of Steele weaving through intricate percussion and plenty of gospel tones. Steele
Because I had come from Birdy and I had it in my head that I had to do something completely different... but I think sometimes you can take that too far.
chats about the nature of a solo album, the way “you have to have something solid to say and you have to have been somewhere,” she suggests. “Like, if you wanna be a soul singer you have to have that pain in your soul otherwise it isn’t gonna come through, and that’s kinda what happened to me. I went through some crazy depression and experienced anxiety like I’ve never experienced it before and that was really a jolt to the system because I’d never really been that debilitated before, you know?” Not that New York was “doing my nut in!” she enthuses, “it just kinda aggravated the anxiety.” Channelling Bjork in an moment of inspiration, Steele “walked around for like a week recording all the noises [of New York] and I’m pretty sure that didn’t help my anxiety because if you actually notice how many noises are going on, like, it would drive you mental!” she laughs. It’s no wonder that the peace and familiarity of Perth was what she needed to finish the record.
What: Human (Independent) When & Where: 24 Feb, Transit Bar, Canberra; 25 Feb, Newtown Social Club; 26 Feb, 48 Watt Street, Newcastle
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 29
Indie Indie
Sobie
Joel Sena
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? I had been in the studio many times before but it was really inspiring to be in charge of everything. I learnt a heck of a lot! I’m looking forward to doing it all again.
What’s your favourite song on it? My favourite song is Truth. I love the simplicity and profoundness of it.
Album Focus
I
f you hit a creative roadblock and things stop moving the best medicine is a bag of Pineapple Lumps according to Sobie, aka Sophie Botta. “Pascalls’ Pineapple Lumps have been our saving grace,” insists the drummer turned singer-songwriter. “We take a break, smash some lumps and head back in — usually bringing a new vibe — and things start to flow again.’” With the power of Pascalls in her corner, Botta has recently completed her debut album The Montreal Winter, “a collection of songs that in someway relate to the eight months I spent living in Montreal in 2014,” explains Botta. “I was there studying and each of the songs have a connection with the city or people. “I often drew on memories from [the trip]. For example, the song The Aftermath Of An Alligator Po’Boy was written about my friends and I going and visiting New Orleans.” The project began there in North America after Botta stepped out from behind the skins. “I was always a drummer who wrote songs and then I moved to Montreal, started playing a bit more guitar and back-up vocals until one day Ben, the guy I gigged a lot with, was like, ‘sing one of your songs’, and so Sobie began.” But the album itself was recorded here in Australia across the “studios and bedrooms” of Sydney. “It all depended on where we could get some space,” adds Botta. All together it’s been a two-year process getting the tracks down, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still “vary it up a little bit”. Live, Botta likes to “keep things fresh and interesting. I like to add a lot more solos in too! You can never have enough guitar solos!”
What: The Montreal Winter (Independent) When & Where: 19 Nov, LazyBones Lounge 30 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Album title? Joel Sena Where did the title of your new album come from? This is my debut release so I decided to use my artist name to make sure people knew exactly who I am! This project is the first chance for people to get to know me. How many releases do you have now? This is my first and only release! How long did it take to write/record? I wrote the songs for this EP over 18 months. The recording process took a total of about six months from start to finish because I spread the recording sessions out a fair bit.
Whispering Jackie
Have You Heard When did you start making music and why? Sare wrote some songs in response to shit going down around her, and earlier this year she asked Nath and Maz to come jam. The end result is our debut EP Social Isolation. Sum up your musical sound in four words? Sydney-centric punk rock. If you could only listen to one album forevermore, what would it be and why? So many options, but it’s probably gonna be I Get Wet by Andrew WK. Every song is about partying and in general this album will get you pumped for anything.
Will you do anything differently next time? I’m going to be much more decisive about which musicians to use, how to instruct them and which sounds to go for. I’m excited to take everything up a notch. When and where is your launch/ next gig? 24 Nov, Slyfox. Website link for more info? joelsena.com
Greatest rock’n’roll moment of your career to date? Probably getting added to rotation on triple j Unearthed radio and getting our song Casino Mate reviewed by Josh [Merriel] from short.fast.loud. We’re big fans of that show. Why should people come and see your band? Because we’re an indie punk rock band with a ‘90s vibe, catchy tunes, and a female voice that roars. When and where for your next gig? 17 Nov, Valve Bar; 25 Nov, Bald Faced Stag; 23 Dec, Brighton Up Bar. Website link for more info? facebook.com/whisperingjackie
Music
Great Heights
Jonathan Bowden, one half of alt-electro duo PLGRMS, chats to Brynn Davies about friends in high places, overnight Spotify fame and Tinder for musicians.
J
onathan Bowden started out life playing music for coins. Growing up with a piano teacher for a father, he jokes about getting “forced into half an hour practice a day” in exchange for pocket money. “I have three younger brothers as well and they all learnt instruments, and part of earning pocket money every week was doing music practice in the morning before school. One of my brothers didn’t learn an instrument, so for pocket money he had to do the dishes — practicing an instrument was better than doing the dishes!” he laughs. From piano, Bowden progressed to studying jazz at university before playing in the then four-piece Sydney outfit Battleships. PLGRMS is his latest musical evolution, combining electronic elements with traditional instrumentation to create a sensual, cosmic exploration of alt-electro. “For me personally — obviously electronic music is such a big thing now — but it was about incorporating what I grew up doing. I started on actual instruments, so it’s great to be able to fuse the two of them together and that way you’re getting the best of both worlds I think. The rawness and the feel of live instruments with electronic music,” he analyses. The multi-instrumentalist and songwriter began laying down tracks before realising that he couldn’t hack the project alone. “I
can sing but I’m not amazing,” he laughs, “so I decided that I needed a singer and started trawling the internet trying to find somebody who was really good, and I came up with a short list and Jake [Pearson] was top of my list.” Man-crushing on Pearson’s YouTube videos, Bowden reached out and the two met up to have a chat about PLGRMS. That first meeting “wasn’t awkward, but it was a bit tentative,” he jokes. “Basically it’s like Tinder dating for musicians — maybe they should invent that!” Their debut track Pieces has “about 50,000 off a million plays,” but Bowden recalls being realistic about his expectations when it was first released. “It was pretty incredible. You kind of set yourself up for that to happen because the goal is for that to happen every time — you put all these strategies in place to make that happen — but in the back of your mind you’re like ‘there’s a big chance it won’t happen’.” PLGRMS hope their latest single Gemini garners a similar response, but they’re approaching its publicity from a slightly different angle. “It’s still a case of, ‘It’s not what you know it’s who you know.’ Previous connections I’d made... that definitely helped the process of a new band breaking in. For example, the first track was co-written and a little bit of production by Jimmy [Lyell] from Flight Facilities. Jimmy and I went to school together back in Queensland, so I’ve known him for years. And through Battleships I met Luke [Davison] from The Preatures, so he’s drumming on all the tracks. With the first song we definitely [publicised the connections] because I feel like people need a story, and if you give them some kind of familiarity, give them something to latch on to, they’ll connect with it on a deeper level. It was a conscious decision especially with the first song. But as it’s progressed we’re relying now on our own steam.”
When & Where: 16 Nov, Beach Road Hotel
Selfie Destruct
If you needed any more proof that selfies are just the worst, a tourist at the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, Portugal, destroyed a priceless 18th century statue of St Mark last week in their quest for the perfect Instagramable moment. The hapless tourist was far luckier than some other selfie victims, who like that unlucky statue in Lisbon, have fallen foul of their camera phones.
Blown Away A disturbing number of people have accidently shot themselves while taking pictures trying to look badass with guns. Unsurprisingly, the majority of them have occurred in the US.
The Long Drop A viral trend of taking pictures from terrifying heights on the top of tall buildings and monuments has become especially popular in Russia. Several dare devil extreme selfie seekers have plummeted to their deaths.
Indian Bummer India has an unusually high number of selfie related deaths, far higher than any other individual country in the world. Of the 27 reported selfie fatalities last year more than than half occured in India. THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 31
Film
Do Look Back New documentary Supersonic studies the astronomic rise of UK rockers Oasis, and the man who discovered them — Creation Records label head Alan McGee — tells Steve Bell how the same factors driving their massive success eventually helped usher their downfall. ew rock documentary Supersonic is a fascinating in-depth look at the incredible ascension of Britpop icons Oasis, following them from their formation in 1991 through to their legendary zeitgeisttapping gigs at Knebworth in 1996, when a staggering 5% of all Britons applied for tickets to the two shows. Directed by Mat Whitecross, the film offers a riveting look inside the inner sanctum of Oasis and how the differing world views and approaches amid this sudden mind-blowing success — particularly between
N
Noel and Liam’s relationship I think it started as comedy, and then it became reality when they became big.
the Gallagher brothers, Noel and Liam — manifested in acrimony (and occasional violence), eventually tearing the band asunder. Oasis’ record label boss Alan McGee — who ran indie behemoth Creation Records, also home at the time to acts like Primal Scream and My Bloody Valentine — plays a major role in both the band narrative and the documentary, and he believes that for the most part Supersonic is an accurate representation of what transpired during these crazy times. “As much as you can view anything 20 years later it felt like it rang quite true,” he reflects. “The times were crazier than that, but at the end of the day what can you really say to show that properly? It just was what it was.
32 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
It was crazy times the ‘90s, and they were crazier than what they could show in the film but I think they captured the spirit. It’s a very good film.” McGee famously discovered a then fledgling Oasis at a Glasgow gig where they were opening for one of his bands 18 Wheeler, signing them on the spot. “It was a complete fluke to be honest,” he smiles. “Glasgow had just been named ‘European City of Culture’, and to even mention Glasgow in the same sentence as culture is a joke — Glasgow is one of the most un-cultural cities in the fucking world! Being in Glasgow was like being in Poland, only with more rain. But I just happened to be there, and because it was a ‘city of culture’ the pubs were open 24 hours a day and the bands would go on late — instead of going on at half-past-eight the bands would go on at ten — and so I saw the first band and at that was Oasis: it was just luck that I saw them. “Of course nobody saw what happened next coming — nobody knew they were going to be that big. In a way, it went too big. Creation was well-positioned, being a big indie, but it went way beyond that really fast. When it got to Sheffield Arena in early ‘95 it was already getting really fucking big then and that wasn’t even half of it yet.” Supersonic paints a picture of McGee if not cultivating then at least revelling in the ‘bad boy’ image that quickly attached to the band. “I didn’t really have any option other than to embrace it — what was I going to do?” he laughs. “They didn’t need any encouragement. But to be fair I was worse behaved at that point than what they were anyway, right up until the point when I got sober.” McGee tells that while he often witnessed the fractious nature of the Gallaghers’ relationship firsthand, it was fortunately usually at arm’s length. “It was probably more difficult for the manager, I was just the record label and had signed them for the records,” he laughs. “It was probably tougher for Marcus [Russell] — he was fucking incredible. Maybe Marcus is the unsung hero of the film to be honest. But with Noel and Liam’s relationship I think it started as comedy, and then it became reality when they became big. But I honestly thought the antagonism started as comedy, playing up the media and everything.” Yet Supersonic also highlights via in-depth interviews with the brothers (naturally recorded separately) as well as their family members and bandmates — transposed over largely unseen archival footage from the time — how this intense relationship and sibling rivalry was also an integral part of the band’s musical and interpersonal chemistry. Sadly it’s also the reason that McGee believes there will never be a full-blown Oasis reunion. “They’ll never get back together because of Noel — Noel will never go back to Oasis,” he states emphatically. “Liam might I think reform Oasis in a few years’ time without Noel, just because he’d be keen to play to ten thousand people a night singing Oasis songs — I could see that happening — but I can’t see Noel re-joining Liam and it being Oasis. I just can’t see it happening.”
What: Supersonic (Madman Entertainment)
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Eat / Drink Eat/Drink
Taronga Zoo Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman Fulfil your childhood dream of working with animals and swap your suit for khakis with the Keeper For A Day experience. Go behind the scenes and get up close and personal with critters of the world. Try your hand at food prep, enclosure cleaning (yeah, you pay for this) and meeting the animals (makes it all worth it!) Plus, what’s cuter than a hot date cuddling a koala?
Moonshine
tinder finger... food... W
inter is over folks, and the nights of Bridget Jones-ing it solo with a bottle (or two... okay three) of wine and ratty pjs are coming to an end. Cue the rush en-mass to the gym, targeted slim tea advertising on Facebook and that empty hole of loneliness you’ve been stuffing with comfort food all winter can no longer be ignored. It’s summer fling time. Suddenly, the mindless swiping you enjoyed during the winter months (because who can be arsed getting dressed up for a date when it’s cold outside?) becomes slightly frantic in the search for that perfect summer romance. *Cue Grease’s Summer Lovin’ Here are a few Tinder/Bumble/WhatsApp date ideas that will get you out of the house following months of hermitism.
34 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
75 The Corso, Manly Okay, so we had to put a bar on this list. Because first dates often require a little liquor to make them more tolerable. Or fuckable. Whatever. Moonshine bar atop Manly’s Steyne Hotel is like a pirate ship for grown ups, with over 100 rums on demand. Stare dreamily out to sea on the open air balcony while a live band plays ‘your song’.
The Pottery Shed
Govinda’s
7 Nickson St, Surry Hills
112 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst
Remember that scene from Ghost? With the sexual pottery? Have your own Unchained Melody moment while learning wheel-thrown pottery in a class designed for beginners. But have a wheel each... no one wants an awkward boner in the back while making a decorative bowl.
Want to see a movie to avoid any awkward conversations but don’t want to look unoriginal? Govinda’s provides the ultimate ‘laying down’ movie experience — with lush floor cushions and a stunning vegetarian buffet! The best movie date you’ll ever snuggle up on.
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 35
OPINION Opinion
The Heavy Shit
Moderately Highbrow
Stuart Ringholt
I
n which we look at an instance where a suit is suitable for a night at the gallery. Wank And Often at exhibitions and opening nights the only people you see in suits are politicians, doing their Theatre bit to be seen seeing things worth seeing (but rarely supporting financially). The rest of the assembled crew Foyers With are a little more motley — bold earrings, asymmetrical Dave Drayton hair and or cardigans, technicolour dream coats... By the time you read this Sydney’s Museum Of Contemporary Art will have just that little bit more in common with the pitch at the MCG, your bathroom, and numerous “display homes” on the United States West Coast: the MCA will have been occupied by people in their birthday suits. The MCA has turned 25, and to celebrate WA artist Stuart Ringholt offered two performances of his ridiculously incredibly titled: Preceded by a tour of the show by artist Stuart Ringholt 6-8pm (the artist will be naked. Those who wish to join the tour must also be naked. Adults only) on 11 and 12 November, during which he and an equally starkers audience did pantsless ponder portraits, paintings, pop art, and probably Stu’s own untitled [clock], not the only thing on display in the Today Tomorrow Yesterday collection.
Visual Art
O G F l ava s
Alicia Keys
Urban And R&B News With Cyclone
T
he careers of Alicia Keys and Emeli Sande have become curiously entwined. The pair have much in common. Both have biracial identities. They play piano, write and produce. And they share a love of trad R&B. The Grammy-winning Keys co-wrote Hope for Sande’s mega 2012 debut Our Version Of Events. The Brit returned the favour for Keys’ 2012 Girl On Fire, assisting
36 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Donald Trump and Mike Pence
with the single Brand New Me. Now, coincidentally, these transatlantic friends have each dropped longheralded comebacks. Keys, a young mother, has cut her most socially conscious album in Here. The New Yorker addresses multiple concerns — even, as a #NoMakeUp advocate, body image. Here presents vintage, and intentionally unhewn, hip hop soul approaching adult contemporary — primarily produced by Keys’ ILLuminaries crew with husband Swizz Beatz. A$AP Rocky cameos on the feelgood jam Blended Family (What You Do For Love). The highlight is She Don’t Really Care/1 Luv, with Roy Ayers’ vibraphone. Sande co-penned the urban-folk Kill Your Mama — which is very Lauryn Hill MTV Unplugged No 2.0. A bonus, In Common is Drizzy-style trop-dub co-produced by Illangelo (The Weeknd). Sande’s Long Live The Angels is deeply personal as she writes about a transitory marriage, liberty and selfhood. It’s all epic ballads — featuring piano, strings and gospel choirs — interspersed with acoustica. The Scottish singer has again mainly assembled UK producers — pivotally Chris Loco (Raleigh Ritchie). The lead single Hurts, for fans of 2011’s hit Heaven, modernises quiet storm with dramatic handclaps. The avant R&beat Garden could be a stripped-down Laura Mvula. And it introduces the album’s sole ‘name’ guest — eccentric New Orleans MC Jay Electronica.
OPINION Opinion
Metal And Hard
S
o the world is now heading Rock into uncharted territory, like the With Chris end of Terminator 2, the system we Maric know or thought we knew has been pushed aside for something new. Who knows. Maybe Trump’s Amerikkka was part of the New World Order all along? US politics are just two sides of the same coin. After all the talk of ushering out the old guard in favour of Trump, it won’t be so radically different anyway. He is still a republican and has to do republican things. He didn’t win as an independent with no party allegiance and he isn’t a dictator. This shit about building walls and all the other rubbish spewed out over the last year and a half was all designed to get Ma and Pa Kettle out of their chairs and into polling booths since voting is voluntary in the US and, as the numbers showed, only about half the people eligible to vote did so. I’m sure every election would be vastly different if voting was compulsory like it is here, AND if the ridiculous rounding up method of the Electoral College didn’t play massive favourites and bump numbers where they shouldn’t be. Anyway, it’s going to be an interesting four years and as I write this, protests, racial attacks and general mayhem are in full effect in many places across the US and I’m sure will only get worse. Selfishly, it makes for some great music. While a nation burns, the anger, angst and frustration will inevitably spill out of the speakers. The Reagan and Thatcher eras produced punk and thrash revolutions that totally reflected the world at that time. Many music industry leaders and experts have already predicted a new wave of punk that rises up and tells old Donald where he can stick it... Time will tell and there is no shortage of subject matter that’s for sure. There’s only a handful of Heavy Shits remaining for the year and inevitably I’ll do my year-ending one focusing on my favourite releases and moments from the past 12 months. It’s been another year that’s both flown by and taken forever. One the world at large I think wants to desperately put behind them. Way too many legends left us, too many horrible events and it was just flat out exhausting. I reckon that’s got a lot to do with my musical preferences lately too. For the most part I’ve been immersed in a lot of postblack metal. Bands that combine ethereal shoegazing vastness with epic soundscapes
that almost remove the humanity from the record. Total escapism. Sure, who doesn’t like blasting Pantera/ Slayer/Meshuggah in peak hour Sydney traffic? But more and more, shutting the shitstorm of news off with otherworldly music is doing the trick. Hit me up, there’s an email somewhere on the page here and I still get hate mail for some of the things I write here ha ha. Tell me which albums have done it for you this year. No one person can be across everything and there’s bound to be hidden gems I’ve missed. Maybe some old fashioned tape trading is called or! News just in, Sydney’s premiere death metal band (well, premiere metal band in general) Daemon Pyre have signed a worldwide deal with Extreme Management Group under the guide of King Parrot’s Matt Young who is EMG’s Aussie rep (one of) — This is great news. The international community has been looking at Australia for the last few years as we keep on delivering world class music. Signing to EMG will allow them more opportunity to take their message to the world and hopefully opens the door that much further for more bands to burst through too! Well done!
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Album / E Album/EP Reviews
Album OF THE Week
Man & The Echo Man & The Echo 1965 Records/ [PIAS] Australia
★★★½
Man & The Echo’s debut has a certain ‘dinner and a show’ vibrancy to it, the swinging rhythms of buffet cabaret and the storied threads of a Dusty Springfield type somewhere on the road to Vegas punditry. It’s a skittishly retro sound that eats off a dozen plates, blue-eyed soul buried under bites of disco, country-seasoned crooning and a suitable Britpop base, with songs that take their truths as much from cultural mythology and literary illusion as they do from elderly care and suburban despair. Many of these tales are extrapolated from frontman Gareth ‘Gaz’ Roberts’ own experiences working for welfare rights and in pubs. At times it can brush awfully close to self parody, but there’s an unalloyed sincerity in Roberts’ delivery that buoys the benefit of the doubt, enough to warrant following through on the homespun narrative threads that tie the inspirations to their tracks, and though the rhythms and themes have their own ebb and flow, the energy of the album never wavers. The UK four-piece present even the most absurd portions of their material with a wholly committed zeal that unifies the album and speaks to their easy cohesion. Even if the mix of elements may seem disparate at first, the end result is something familiar yet wholly idiosyncratic. It’s not new or daring necessarily, but is nevertheless completely fresh. As a first course, Man & The Echo is boldly genuine and compellingly flavoursome. Nic Addenbrooke
Kerser
Lamb Of God
Tradition
The Duke
ABK/ADA
Nuclear Blast
★★★
★★½
The name suggests little has changed. Why would it? Kerser’s rise has come on the back of his own charisma, a talent for evoking his difficult background, an upsetting amount of hate speech, a highly effective online game, and a catalogue of Nebs beats. The formula ain’t broke, so why break with traditions? “I don’t make hip hop I make boss rap,” Kers explains on Waitin’ For This. It’s accurate: listening to Kerser is less about engaging with a musical genre than meeting with a fully fleshed out individual. We don’t hear an MC, we are granted an audience with a boss. We The Type is the album’s highlight: a bouncy beat with exaggerated brags and Kers and Jay UF’s personalities front and centre. See Me In Real Life is a nice reminder of Kerser’s sharp tongue: “You’re about as relevant as fucken Channel V”.
American metal stalwarts Lamb Of God must have had some downtime to kill in-between album releases. After last year’s VII: Sturm Und Drang, the five-piece have dished out two new songs and a handful of live tracks. While there’s much that’s likeable in their new offerings, one can’t help but feel a little teased with a very scant promise of more to come. First fresh track The Duke comes bursting out of the gate with some furious, tight grooves and solid kit-work. Randy Blythe’s vocals are showing no signs of fatigue; if anything they’re sounding better than ever as he dips and weaves between his straight, screech and forceful deliveries. Culling bumps the thrash up a notch with a rampant snare and a hardcore growl pretty much throughout. What impresses here is the shredding
38 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
This is Kerser’s sixth album in five years. It’s a testament to his creative stamina and the enthusiasm of his fan base that he’s able to keep releasing commercially viable music. It does beg the question, though: how much is too much? Would his results benefit from a longer gestation period? Would the music be as popular if all the misogyny, homophobia and violence was cut out? This is at times highly offensive and similar to Kerser’s previous work; consistent with tradition. This is fun, engaging, well-made boss rap; also consistent with tradition. What you do about it is up to you. James d’Apice
in-between motifs; it’s not only a respite from the tense energy, it’s also just some incredible guitar work from Mark Morton. The tail end is three live recordings of some of their much-loved anthems. While that includes Still Echoes, 512 and Engage The Fear Machine, it just doesn’t seem like enough to warrant this humble package release. Having said that, the newbies prove the lads still know how to thrash out some grooves after all these years. But this release as a whole is more recommended only for Lamb Of God diehards. Carley Hall
EP Reviews Album/EP Reviews
Cooper Lower
Tasseomancy
SLOTFACE
Jess Kent
Impetus
Do Easy
Empire Records
My Name is Jess Kent
Independent
Bella Union/[PIAS Australia]
Propeller Recordings
EMI
★★★½
★★★½
★★★
★★★½
Currently holed up in his Victorian country homestead of Warrnambool, rising teenage troubadour-folk/bluester Cooper Lower seems ready to ramble through the world in the same romanticised Combi we like to imagine Jack Johnson or Passenger swearing by. A delicate hand on the mixing desk allow Clocks and Stars some emotional oomph and Before I Fall Apart builds steadily, then crumbles hearts. The focus throughout remains on Lower’s ambered vocals even if occasionally he has a definite Jose Gonzalez’ tint (particularly on Trick Or Treat). A wellrounded debut, Impetus should give Lower momentum.
Prolific twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman give us their fifth Tasseomancy album in Do Easy. Wooing our ears with sweet harmonies, they delight in producing art pop that sets listeners adrift across luscious layers of dreamy atmospheric moods that seem to blossom magically. They get things started by name checking Dead Can Dance & Neil Young, reminiscing about the past and taking clear direction from Kate Bush on a piano-driven ballad. Their sympathies seem to lay with freak folk but the title track and new single Missoula push personal lyrical insights onto beautifully crafted experimental pop that’s wilfully elusive but rewarding.
Norwegian pop-punkers Slotface (FKA Slutface - another story for another time) arrive to offer us Empire Records, a frothy little piece of escapist guitar noise that, despite being derivative, might just be what we need right now. Its four tracks are indebted to American mid-’90s music cinema, specifically the titular Empire Records and High Fidelity. Its sound is most definitely post-millennial, but its spirit is timeless, channelling youthful dreams (memories?) of reckless, mind altering (inclusive) fun, manifested as pristine pop-punk song writing. Crisp mixing and junk-food guitar riffing ensure a fundamentally pleasing listen, but don’t look for depth.
England-born and Australianbred Kent channels MIA’s swaggering collage of streetlevel samples and Lily Allen’s ska and reggae inflected Britpop. This debut EP includes her two big singles thus far: 2015’s Get Down and the recently released The Sweet Spot. Kent’s production has the candid jauntiness of DIY production but none of its lo-fi. Her flow is dextrous and her rhymes, like Allen and MIA, lean on an English accent that she hasn’t lost (“we’re not posh/We’re flying so high like oh my gosh”). Kent is a new artist looking for her own sound to carve out between her two predecessors, but as soon as she does, big things await.
Mac McNaughton
Samantha Jonscher
Matt MacMaster
Guido Farnell
More Reviews Online Body/Head No Waves
theMusic.com.au
Darling James Theory Of Mind
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THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 39
Live Re Live Reviews
Deftones @ Hordern Pavillion. Pic: Clare Hawley
Deftones, Karnivool, Voyager Hordern Pavilion 12 Nov
Tkay Maidza @ Metro Theatre. Pic: Brendan Delavere
Deftones @ Hordern Pavillion. Pic: Clare Hawley
Dope Lemon @ Metro Theatre. Pic: Josh Groom
Tkay Maidza @ Metro Theatre. Pic: Brendan Delavere
Tkay Maidza @ Metro Theatre. Pic: Brendan Delavere
40 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Perhaps it’s an inherent pop sensibility, but prog-metallers Voyager have long projected a personality and demeanour larger than the pub and club venues they’ve frequented. This was the Perth crew’s opportunity to broaden their fanbase and they didn’t squander it. Copious energy helped overcome a muddy mix; Sandstorm-infused Lost engaged and confounded in equal measure. Karnivool reached a status aeons ago whereby supporting just about anyone on home shores no longer seemed viable. Perhaps this was an offer too lucrative to decline, especially since the Perth progressive outfit treated an adoring crowd to a new song sans the responsibility of topping the bill. Ian Kenny dancing like a hard rock Peter Garrett was somewhat offputting, but endeared them to the faithful. Basing much of the taut 45-minute affair around 2009’s Sound Awake, closer New Day left the room baying for proceedings to continue. That was until Deftones arrived — blinding light show included — for their biggest (non-festival) Sydney headliner yet. Opening one-two Diamond Eyes and Digital Bath reinforced that when straddling pounding heaviness and sublime melodicism — the cerebral and the visceral — few modern heavy bands harness this with as much aplomb as Deftones. In years prior the quality of the quintet’s shows often hinged on frontman Chino Moreno’s varying degrees of enthusiasm for the task. Nowadays he retained an off-kilter charisma and subsequently maintained a forceful, seasoned presence whether leaping about the stage or getting up close and personal
My Own Summer (Shove It) dragged grizzled punters out of mosh retirement.
with the front rows. Kudos also to bassist Sergio Vega, whose restless presence has come into its own. Headup and My Own Summer (Shove It) dragged grizzled punters out of mosh retirement; Engine No 9 gleefully referenced the teenage numetal angst of yore while affording counterpoint to latest disc Gore’s decidedly more sophisticated fare. On record Deftones have been on a creative hot streak recently, a feat mirrored by increasingly potent performances. This was no exception. Brendan Crabb
Tkay Maidza, Sable Metro Theatre 10 Nov Sable pumped up the crowd with his electrifying beats and drops, really proving himself to be the perfect support. He got the crowd raving and ready for a huge night, which was a real achievement as it was still early on in the evening when his set began. The Metro Theatre filled up and the mosh became sticky and sweaty when Tkay Maidza took to the stage with her stunning presence, the whole room instantly gravitating to her track Always Been — one of the standouts from her newly released debut TKAY. She waltzed around the stage in an eye catching sequinned outfit that sizzled with her every move. As she transitioned into Do It
eviews Live Reviews
Right the additional drums in her stage set-up shone, giving the song a whole new level of energy. She extended the vocal part in this track, as well as in others, mixing up the feel of the tunes and keeping the crowd on their toes. One of her earlier tunes, Uh Huh really got the crowd hyped up and dancing! Unfortunately the sound levelling here, and in general, was a little disappointing. Her rapping often got lost in the electronics, which was especially noticeable for punters standing towards the back of the venue.
Despite dropping only weeks ago, Maidza’s fans have TKAY down word for word.
Afterglow from the new album seemed to groove with deeper frequencies then her usual MO, digging into really old school hip hop. The main vocal hook is crazy catchy, humming with velvety rhymes. The show vibed like a dance party, possibly because her vocal levels were really soft, which just made the drops and electronic frequencies starker — something Maidza made work in her favour. For M.O.B. the crowd rapped along, spitting out the last word of each sentence and then chanting “money over bitches”. Maidza returned the energy firing off of the walls as she spiralled off into her own intense dance sequence and bounced from the corners of the stage. She then played her track Tennies — also off of the new album. Here the momentum built even further with strobe lighting and deep
vibrations. Ghost and Switch Lanes got the loudest applause and the most frenzied moves out of the crowd before Maidza ended with the lead single from the album, Simulation. Despite dropping only weeks ago, Maidza’s fans have TKAY down word for word. Sara Tamim
Dope Lemon Metro Theatre 11 Nov As Jack River waltzed onto the stage, Metro Theatre was already full with keen punters, all of them seemingly impressed by her angst-ridden vocal tones but shiny stage personality. Dream Girl glowed with pop ingredients and mixed together to create this catchy wonder before she ended with her debut EP’s lead track, Palo Alto, a real stunner of a song to hear live. Before Dope Lemon graced us with their presence, the lights on stage dimmed and fairy lights glowed. The stage lit up with warm oranges and reds and this really set the scene for an enchantingly unique experience. Angus Stone brought out a mini banjo to play the opening track, River Love. Although starting simple, the momentum then built up swiftly, once the skilful drums exploded over the melody line.
Stone got thrown a pair of men’s underwear, which he spun around in his hands before cheekily putting them in his mouth.
The sound quality was perfect in the sense that, throughout the whole night, each sound on stage echoed through the room, everyone mesmerised by the magic opening up before them. They then played the track Please You off the Angus & Julia Stone self-titled album. With the mandala like-visuals mixing with the low lighting and warm tones, this all really enhanced the experience of Angus Stone’s velvety drawl and his timid yet endearing presence on stage. For the tune Coyote, from Dope Lemon’s debut album, Honey Bones, Stone whistled angelically in time with the guitar chords playing; the crowd was quiet as they basked in the pure resonance. The crowd sang along to the hook, “Lemons don’t get much sweeter than this... a coyote”. Stone then walked out from the shadows and said, “This one’s about a girl who took me to a river,” then began the ear catching riff to Marinade, the audience throughout the song sang this little ditty as well as the chorus, and were rewarded with a sweet smile from Stone. He then ploughed through his tunes Fuck Things Up, Crash & Burn and Uptown Folks earning instant loud cheers, swaying and sing-alongs from the crowd, just pure bliss. Before exiting, Stone got thrown a pair of men’s underwear, which he spun around in his hands before cheekily putting them in his mouth. The band re-entered the stage for the encore after a loud cheer; Stone had a great echoing effect on the vocal here, increasing the overall vibe. To end, deep bass vibrated from the stage, lingering until lights were out.
More Reviews Online theMusic.com.au/ music/live-reviews
Sex On Toast @ Factory Theatre Ceres @ Newtown Social Club PLGRMS @ Waywards
Sara Tamim
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 41
Arts Reviews Arts Reviews
or stirring (where are the explosions?), but Arrival is so enthralled and excited and inspired by the ideas it raises that viewers may find themselves under the spell it subtly but surely casts. As the film begins, a dozen alien spacecraft are hovering above various parts of the world. Their reason for being here is unknown, but the American military - represented by Weber (Forest Whitaker) - believes language expert Louise Banks (Amy Adams) has the best chance of finding out. Every 18 hours, he explains, the vessel hovering over Montana opens up. The next time it does, Banks will go in and begin the long, complex process of learning an alien race’s way of communicating while trying to teach our own. It’s a process that will basically require a rewiring of the way humanity thinks, Banks comes to understand. It’s also a race against time, because some of the other nations trying to communicate are getting more and more anxious as they fail to grasp what the visitors are trying to say. And the consequences could be dire. It’s easy to understand why Arrival introduces this plot line - it’s credible enough, and it adds some necessary dramatic tension. But it also distracts from the true heart and soul of the film; that looking at everything around us with a wider, broader sense of perspective enriches us all, even if that different perspective reveals the bad as well as the good in life. Director Denis Villeneuve keeps the movie vibrating with a sense of imminent discovery - fear walks hand in hand with wonder here. But he doesn’t overplay either sensation, instead giving the movie a modest, understated but assured feel. Being present is a term that has become close to cliched through recent overuse, but in many of her performances - and especially here - Amy Adams embodies the best of it. In keeping with Arrival’s message, it’s a beautiful act of translation. Arrival
Arrival Film In cinemas now
★★★★ It’s one of the most important questions we can ask: How do we best communicate with one another? To do so, we need to understand what we are saying to each other, even if it means learning a different language from our own. We need to understand the meaning of what is being said, which can be difficult when each language comes with its own set of quirks and nuances. The new science fiction drama Arrival goes one step beyond that when alien beings come to our planet, understanding them and making ourselves understood by them will require patience, open-mindedness and cooperation. It may not sound like subject matter that’s particularly riveting
Guy Davis
42 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Nocturnal Animals
Nocturnal Animals Film In Cinemas Now
★★★½ With some of the rave reviews about Nocturnal Animals setting up possibly too-high expectations, it’s best to go in with a wait and see attitude rather than anticipating being blown away. Sure, it’s good and pretty clever, but not that clever, as some critics would have us believe. Based on the novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright, filmmaker and fashion designer Tom Ford (who also wrote the screenplay) offers up a starkly different work from his modest but probably superior debut, A Single Man. There’s no denying that Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams are extremely watchable whatever they’re in and their performances here are amazing. Gyllenhaal plays writer Edward, who sends ex-wife, Susan (Adams), his soon-to-be-published debut novel, titled Nocturnal Animals, to read. A bored art gallery curator whose husband is clearly being unfaithful to her on his trip out of town, Susan starts reading the book. We then go into the book for the harrowing and violent story about a man named Tony - also played by Gyllenhaal - who along with his wife (Isla Fisher) and teenage daughter are caught up in a nightmarish scenario when some erratic, drug-fuelled thugs terrorise them. These scenes are incredibly tense and confronting, but we’re meant to pay attention to them as the writings of a guy who was cruelly rejected by Susan years ago. At the film’s conclusion, we realise what’s been going on in Edward’s book but it’s not all that difficult to work out and many viewers will be on top of it long before the supposed ‘a-ha’ moment. Still, it’s nice to see an intelligent film with two charismatic leads, even though it jars with some strange and hard-to-fathom choices. Vicki Englund
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THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 43
Comedy / G The Guide
Wed 16
APES
Boy & Bear: C.Ex Coffs, Coffs Harbour
Songbook with Katie Noonan + Leeroy Lee: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Troy Kinne: Comedy Store, Moore Park TLC: Enmore Theatre, Newtown Golden Age Of Ballooning
The Music Presents Mullum Music Festival: 17 - 20 Nov Mullumbimby Caligula’s Horse: 19 Nov The Small Ballroom; 20 Nov Newtown Social Club Dan Sultan: 19 Nov Manning Bar
Satellite Sky + Elko Fields + Mikey’s Mate: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Sancha & The Blue Gypsies + Methylated Chicken Collective: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Flight of the Conchords Trivia +Trivia: Hudson Ballroom, Sydney Manu Low: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville The Troggs + Mark Wilkinson: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton Diamond Platnumz: Max Watt’s, West End
Vanfest: 25 & 26 Nov Forbes Showgrounds Ne Obliviscaris: 1 Dec Manning Bar; 2 Dec Cambridge Hotel Newcastle West Fairgrounds Festival: 2 & 3 Dec Berry Bell X1: 3 Dec Factory Theatre Festival Of The Sun: 8 – 10 Dec, Port Macquarie Golden Age Of Ballooning: 11 Dec Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice
Manouche Wednesday feat. Gadjo Guitars: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe Shining Bird: Newtown Social Club, Newtown Thirsty Merc: O’Donoghues, Emu Plains Wisecracker Wednesdayz with +Dave Eastgate: Oatley Hotel, Oatley Mark Travers: Orient Hotel, The Rocks Illy: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst The Sole Hop Crew: Play Bar, Surry Hills
Tenderfoot + Andy Golledge + Milo Green: 505, Surry Hills
Michael Wheatley + The Dirty Carpet Disco Band: Leadbelly (formerly The Vanguard), Newtown
Musos Club Jam Night: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle
The Troggs: Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood
Broads: Smiths Alternative, Canberra Joel Leffler + Josh Johnstone: Brass Monkey, Cronulla Michael Griffin
Danielle Deckard: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst Holy Holy + I Know Leopard + Alex L’Estrange: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West
Snarky Puppy: 10 Apr Enmore Theatre Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: 10 Apr Metro Theatre
Nina Ferro: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Roy Ayers: 11 Apr The Basement
Caravan Slam: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville
Gregory Porter: 12 Apr Enmore Theatre
Gallant: 18 Apr Oxford Art Factory
The Sax Man
Musos Club Jam Night: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill
Michael Griffin (2016 Young Australian Jazz Artist Of The Year nominee at The Bells) is back from NY and leading a band, performing Charlie Parker With Strings at The Basement this Sunday.
Lawrence Mooney: Comedy Store (7pm), Moore Park
Library Siesta + Currawong: Marlborough Hotel, Newtown Nelly: Metro Theatre, Sydney GC O’Connor: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe
Leadfinger
The Christmas Spectactular 2016: Comedy Store, Moore Park Nick Cody + Luke Heggie + Bart Freebairn: Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Nerdlinger + Kvlts of Vice + Molly & The Krells: Studio Six, Sutherland Andrea Kirwin: The Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham
Lead Heads
JaLi: Foundry 616, Sydney Stormcellar: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Imperial Broads + Richard Cuthbert: Franks Wild Years, Thirroul The Villebillies + The Black Horses: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Russell Neal + Kenneth D’Aran + Monica + Chris Brookes: Harbour View Hotel, Dawes Point
44 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
Phil & Trudy Edgeley + George Washing Machine: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
Echo Deer + Maia Marsh + Ben Horder: Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington
Laura Mvula: 12 Apr Metro Theatre
The Lumineers: 17 & 18 Apr Sydney Opera House
Broads: Janes Wollongong, North Wollongong
Clever + Burlap: Bald Faced Stag (Front Bar), Leichhardt
CW Stoneking & Nathaniel Rateliff: 7 Mar Enmore Theatre
Bluesfest: 13 – 17 Apr, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm
Kingswood + The Vanns + Twin Fires: Imperial Hotel, Erskineville
Melt feat. DJ Kitsch 78 + MC Blazin: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Grouplove: 3 Jan Enmore Theatre
Twelve Foot Ninja: 9 Mar Uni Bar; 10 Mar Manning Bar; 11 Mar Cambridge Hotel
Thu 17
Garfish: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Bob Downe: Rhythm Boat Cruises, Pyrmont
NAO: 1 Feb Oxford Art Factory
APES have announced an east coast tour to celebrate their new single If You Want It, which is taken off their debut album, due out next year. Their next show is Saturday at Brighton Up Bar.
House In The Hills feat. KLP + Generik: Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill
Parcels: 15 Dec Selina’s Coogee Bay Hotel
The Avalanches: 5 Jan Enmore Theatre
Monkey Magic
Leadfinger have been rocking for ten years and Friday night at Factory Theatre they will support another legend, ex-Sacred Cowboys frontman Garry Gray and his band The Sixth Circle along with Chickenstones.
Gigs / Live The Guide
Mayday Way Hey: Vic On The Park, Marrickville
The Troggs: Entrance Leagues, Bateau Bay
The Gypsy Dub Sound System: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe
Gary Grey & the Sixth Circle + Leadfinger + Chickenstones: Factory Theatre (Factory Floor), Marrickville
Mullum Music Festival: Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby
Leftfield (DJ Set): Factory Theatre, Marrickville
Laura Jean + Nadia Reid + Georgia Mulligan: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
British India + Planet: ANU Bar, Canberra
Swing, Sister, Swing! with The Starr Sisters: Foundry 616, Sydney
I Am Sam + Zeek + Shots Fired: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
Daryl Braithwaite: Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill
The Glammarays: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville
The Rhythm Hunters + Si Mullumby + Direwolf: One Space HQ, Bondi Junction
Draw Card
Departe + No Haven: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
Sampology: Goodbar (People’s Club), Paddington
Dave Tice + Jim Finn + Ross Ward: Orange Grove Hotel, Lilyfield
Trouble in Paradise + Chicanery: Bald Faced Stag (Front Bar), Leichhardt
The MatchBox 20 & Rob Thomas Tribute Show: Goulburn Worker’s Club, Goulburn
Reckless: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
The national tour for singersongwriter Dan Sultan’s latest single Magnetic stops at Manning Bar on Saturday, with tour mates Caiti Baker and Morgan Bain, for the final show of this run.
Fri 18
Electric Wire Hustle: 505, Surry Hills Shining Bird: Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
Dan Sultan
Eilen Jewell + The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer + Julien Baker + Henry Wagons & The Only Children + Skunkhour + Olympia + Gareth Liddiard + Natalie Rize + Matt Andersen + Yirrmal + Tash Sultana + Suzannah Espie + William Crighton + Bobby Alu & The Palm Royale + Lior + The Meltdown + Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson + Jordie Lane & The Sleepers + more + Mullum Music Festival: Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby
LTR ON feat. Fred Falke: Oxford Art
The Strums + Bleach Girls: Bank Hotel (Waywards), Newtown Ian Moss: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Abbe May
The Vernons: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst The Owls + Dave: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West Nicole Millar: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West The Brazil Project: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville Ramblin’ Nights with Emilee South + Bill Jackson + Brielle Davis: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville Mac The Knife + Forest Hall + Disclaimer: Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington
Abbe May + Mike Noga: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
The Pigs: Central Hotel, Shellharbour City Centre
Done & Dusted: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
Bjarki + Ninz Kraviz + Stephan Bodzin + Robbie Lowe: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Countdown
The Christmas Spectactular 2016: Comedy Store, Moore Park
Abbe May is playing Newtown Social Club on Thursday with Mike Noga. The show is part of the singer-songwriter’s tour for her latest single Doomsday Clock, the follow-up to Are We Flirting?.
Kazi A: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Little Wise + Alana Bruce: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham Castlecomer: Rad Bar, Wollongong Reggae Thursday feat. Errol Renaud + Caribbean Soul: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Factory (11pm), Darlinghurst
Spectacles + Lord St Collective + Beatlab: Slyfox, Enmore
Broads: Grand Junction Hotel (The Junkyard), Maitland
Papa Pilko & The Bin Rats + Bella Groove: Smiths Alternative, Canberra
De La Soul: Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney
Cub Sport + Bec Sandridge: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
Without Wings + The Know Goods + Breaking Point: Hermanns Bar, Darlington
Dan Romeo: ParkRoyal (Bar 30 & Bistro), Parramatta
Tiny Little Houses + Body Type: Hudson Ballroom, Sydney
Swingshift - Cold Chisel Show: Penrith RSL, Penrith
Three Kings
Luke Dixon: Jacksons on George (PJ’s Irish Whiskey Bar), Sydney
Shaky Handz + Ted Danson With Wolves + Sachet + Pinkbatts: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham
Tickets to Melbourne trio Kingswood’s tour have been selling fast, but there are still a few left for their show at Imperial Hotel with The Vanns and Twin Fires on Thursday.
Rude Rahlis: Janes Wollongong, North Wollongong
Paul Kelly + Charlie Owen + Sweet Jean: St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney
Kingswood
Rodriguez: State Theatre, Sydney Strawbery Fields 2016 feat. George Fitzgerald + Henry Saiz + Kuniyuki + DJ So Leftfield + Marcel Fengler + Move D + Patrick Topping + Petar Dundov + Radio Slave + Stephan Bodzin + Super Flu + Tom Trago + more: Strawberry Fields, Tocumwal Marlon Bando: The Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham Somatik: The Newport, Newport
The Harry Heart Chrysalis: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville Lime & Steel: Leadbelly (formerly The Vanguard), Newtown
The Baudelaires + Myriad Ways: The Phoenix, Canberra
Diesel + Mark Wilkinson: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
Jordan C Thomas Band: The Temperance Society, Summer Hill
Ben Morris: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly
Fred Falke + Tees + VibaSe: Uni Bar, Wollongong Whispering Jackie + Operation Ibis + Disclaimer + Billy Puntton: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo
Lepers & Crooks: Commercial Hotel, Milton The Headliners: Dundas Sports Club, Dundas Safia + Set Mo + Running Touch: Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Meniscus + Toehider + Mish: Manning Bar, Camperdown Holy Holy + I Know Leopard + Alex L’Estrange: Metro Theatre, Sydney Lazy Eye: Milton Theatre, Milton
Beatlab: Play Bar, Surry Hills R&B Fridays Live with Nelly + TLC + Mya + 112 + Montell Jordan + Blackstreet + Fatman Scoop + DJ Horizon + Blu Cantrell + Dante Thomas + Kevin Lyttle + R&B Fridays Live: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park Tinderry + Jester + Powla: Rad Bar, Wollongong Jellybean Jam + Hype Duo + DJ Kitsch 78: Rock Lily, Pyrmont Little Wise + Rosie Burgess: Smiths Alternative, Canberra Paul Kelly + Charlie Owen + Sweet Jean: St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 45
Comedy / G The Guide
The Adele & Amy Songbook with Bloom: The Basement, Sydney
Katcha: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe
Hellions
Mullum Music Festival: Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby
Caligula’s Horse + Despite Eviction + Tundrel: The Basement, Belconnen
Mick Thomas & Roving Commission + Rich Davies and the Low Road + Eagle & The Wolf: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
Jackson: The Beach Hotel, Merewether Dragon: The Bridge Hotel, Rozelle
Lighthouse Folk Festival feat. Paul Kelly + Charlie Owen + Husky + Winterbourne + Ainslie Wills + Elwood Myre + more: Norah Head Lighthouse, Norah Head
Melancholy Flowers: The Chatswood Club, Chatswood Danielle Deckard: The Commons, Hamilton
Cover Me Crazy: Oatley Hotel, Oatley The Lulu Raes + S.Kape: The Eastern (El Topo Basement), Bondi Junction
Songs On Stage feat. Ross Daley + Warren Munce + Monica: Orange Grove Hotel, Lilyfield
LLC: The Hideaway Bar, Enmore
Wildcatz + Rob Henry: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
The Squeezers: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle JR Dynamite + DJ Alex Mac + Ben & Emily: The Newport, Newport Taj Ralph: The Newsagency, Marrickville Prom + Imperial Broads + Richard Cuthbert: The Phoenix, Canberra RNB Fridays Official After Party hosted by Nelly & 112 with Fatman Scoop + Blu Cantrell: The Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Access feat. Indian Summer + Oski + Luude + No Vacancy + more: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Waves), Towradgi
Blueprint + Radio Slave: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
Hells Bells Five-piece Sydney outfit Hellions are off on a huge tour running right through to February. For the first leg they’ve joined Northlane and the two are headed for Metro Theatre on Saturday with Polaris.
Sat 19 Kinsky: 505, Surry Hills Meniscus + Escape Syndrome + Local Horror + Knights Of The Spatchcock: ANU Bar, Canberra Shock feat. Warriors of The World: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
Whispering Jackie
Head to Valve Bar on Thursday for a massive night of lofi punk when Whispering Jackie, Operation Ibis and Billy Puntton take over the venue before headliners Disclaimer cap off the evening.
The Goyles: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi
Flirty Fridays: Valve Bar (Level One), Ultimo Pretend Eye + Los Espinas: Vic On The Park, Marrickville Annick Gouw + John & Yuki: Well Connected Cafe, Glebe
Afternoon Show with PJ Michael & the Bandits + Sam Newton + Maia Marsh: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Andy Baylor: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville
Ian Moss: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Black Milk + The Goods + Mike Who + Edseven: Hudson Ballroom, Sydney
Just A Gent + Kuren: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West
The Blues Brothers Rebooted: Heritage Hotel, Bulli
Ivan Ooze + Lyall Moloney: Hudson Ballroom, Sydney
Morgana Osaki: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West
One Rhythm Katoomba feat. The Rhythm Hunters + Si Mullumby + Snails: Katoomba Leura Community Centre, Katoomba
Nadya & the 101 Candles Orkestra: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Songs On Stage feat. Russell Neal + The Vegas Nerves: Kauri Foreshore Hotel, Glebe
Dallas Crane + Iron Horses + Chris Russell: Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington
Sobie + Lazy Byrd: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Spy V Spy + Urban Guerillas: Caringbah Hotel, Caringbah
Sundown State: Leadbelly (formerly The Vanguard), Newtown
MK + Boogs + more: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Diesel + Whistle Dixie: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
Original Sin - INXS Show: Club Central Menai, Menai
Lazy Eye: Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor
Abbe May: Transit Bar, Canberra City Black Reign + Enter VI + Lethal Vendetta + Nekrostalgia: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo
John Morrison’s All-Stars + George Golla: Foundry 616, Sydney
A Day On The Green with Rodriguez + Xavier Rudd + Russell Morris + Archie Roach + Mark Wilkinson: Bimbadgen Winery, Rothbury
Apes: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Quiet Riot
Sworn Enemy + Daemon Pyre + Staunch + Straight To A Tomb + Absolution: Factory Theatre (Factory Floor), Marrickville
Lawrence Mooney: Comedy Store (7pm), Moore Park The Christmas Spectactular 2016: Comedy Store, Moore Park
Nice n Tight feat. Loretta Palmeiro: Corrimal Hotel, Corrimal
All Ages Show with Northlane + Hellions + Polaris: Metro Theatre, Sydney All Ages Matinee Show with Joel Leggett: Metro Theatre (The Lair), Sydney Tour De Dance feat. Various DJs: Metro Theatre (The Lair), Sydney Alfie Arcuri: Mounties, Mt Pritchard
46 • THE MUSIC • 16TH NOVEMBER 2016
The Plot feat. A.B. Original + Alex Lahey + Allday + Amy Shark + The Belligerents + The Bennies + Bootleg Rascal + Buoy + The Confidence Man + Dorsal Fins + Dylan Joel + E^ST + Ebony Boadu + Elizabeth Rose + GL + Gold Fields + Hellions + Indian Summer + Ivan Ooze + Japanese Wallpaper + Kinder + Lanks + Luca Brasi + Mallrat + Montaigne + Nicole Millar + Ocean Alley + Paces + Pierce Brothers + Running Touch + Sarah Connor + Soul Benefits + Tash Sultana + Thelma Plum + Tired Lion + Vera Blue + Ziggy Alberts + more: Parramatta Park (Monument/ Old Government House), Parramatta The Finalists + Trent Marden (The Holy Soul): Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham Go Freek: Proud Mary’s, Erina Abbe May: Rad Bar, Wollongong The Troggs: Revesby Workers, Revesby Mindi Jackson Duo + DJ D-Flat + Brown Sugar: Rock Lily, Pyrmont Geoff Yule Smith: Sir Stamford Hotel (The Bar), Sydney
Safia
Dan Sultan: Manning Bar, Camperdown
Get Rocked Band: Coogee Diggers, Coogee
Hot Dub Time Machine: Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Radio Slave: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
DJ Graham M + DJ Brenny B Side: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly
Rise of the Watchers feat. Crypsis + Jack of Sound + Mashup Jack + Zentiments: Max Watt’s, Moore Park
Black Rheno: Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong
Afternoon Show with Cub Sport + Bec Sandridge: Oxford Art Factory (Gallery Bar), Darlinghurst
Big Three Ahead of their Southbound and Beyond The Valley festival appearances, electronic threepiece Safia are set to perform at Enmore Theatre on Friday. Set Mo and Running Touch are coming along as support.
Gigs / Live The Guide
Fanny Lumsden + Melody Moko + Tori Forsyth: St Stephens Church, Newtown
Rose Langford + Tommy Use: Timbah Wine Bar, Glebe
Mystery Mark feat. Mashd n Kutcher + Bombs Away + Joel Fletcher + Yolanda Be Cool + Who Killed Mickey + Tenzin: Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney Olympic Park
Gingerfest 2016 feat. Clowns + Grenadiers + Lamexcuse + Batfoot + Chris Duke & The Royals + Tom & Russell + Vee Bees + Sketch Method + Nick Cody + more: Transit Bar, Canberra City
Garry Gray & The Sixth Circle + Chickenstones: The Beach Club, Collaroy
Whatever Forever + Amends + Zan Haircuts + Rifle Lessons + Orphans: Rad Bar, Wollongong
Syncron City feat. Shepz + Senka + more: Valve Bar (Level One), Ultimo The Baudelaires + Sloom: Vic On The Park, Marrickville
Suite Az + DJ Troy T: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Garry Gray & The Sixth Circle + The Willing Ponies: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle Tate Sheridan: Smiths Alternative, Canberra Holy Holy + I Know Leopard + Alex L’Estrange: The Basement, Belconnen Yes Commissioner: The Beach Hotel, Merewether The Troggs: The Bridge Hotel, Rozelle
Paul Sun + John Mackie: Well Connected Cafe, Glebe John Paul Young & the Allstar Band: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Summer Lovin’ If you’re looking to celebrate the end of exam season Towradgi Beach Hotel has got your back this Friday. Indian Summer are playing as part of their Real Time Engagement tour along with Oski and Luude.
Black Horses: The Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham
Lazy Eye: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Hair Dye + Body Type: The Oxford Circus, Darlinghurst
Grenadiers + The Cereal Picnic + War Hawk + Blind Man Death Stare + Bad Moon Born: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Caiti Baker + Bleeding Gums Murphy: Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Broads: Golden Barley Hotel, Enmore
Fruit + Allie Gallagher: Janes Wollongong, North Wollongong
DJ Tim Boffa + DJ Cam Adams: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly
The Royz: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle DJ Soup + Craig Calhoun + The Brothers of Oz + Natalie Slave + Graham Mandroules: The Newport, Newport
Spike Flynn & The Open Hearted Strangers: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle DJ Sam Wall + Rob Edwards + DJ Cool Hand Luke + Ines: The Newport, Newport
Lazy Sunday Lunch with The Beatnix: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
Pacha feat. Mashd n Kutcher: The Ivy, Sydney
Spank The Tortoise + Alister Turrill: The Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham
Sun 20
SASH feat. Super Flu: Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney D Love: The Beach Hotel, Merewether
I Know Leopard
Rory Ellis: Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill Holy Holy + I Know Leopard + Alex L’Estrange: Uni Bar, Wollongong No Rest in November feat. DJ SHE + Action Ant + DJ Xerstorkitte + more: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo
Indian Summer
LeFunk: Petersham RSL, Petersham
Mullum Music Festival: Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby Caligula’s Horse + Hemina + Sevsons: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
Jessica O’Donoghue + Pheno: The Newsagency, Marrickville
Anna George: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
Bob Log III + Space Party: The Phoenix, Canberra
Cover Notes Duo + U2 Elevation: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
Caligula’s Horse + The Loom of Time: The Small Ballroom, Islington
Mick Thomas & Roving Commission + Rich Davies and the Low Road: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham
Speedball: The Record Crate, Glebe Running In The Shadows - Fleetwood Mac Show: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi Isotopes + Amodeus + Last Days Here + Ghosts of Pandora + Prophecies: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo
New Spot Having only just released their new single, Rather Be Lonely, I Know Leopard are headed to Metro Theatre on Friday with Alex L’Estrange to support Holy Holy as part of their Darwinism tour.
Jonathan Jones: Orient Hotel, The Rocks Rob Ickes + Trey Hensley: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham The Birthday Bootleg Sessions with Brass Knuckle Brass Band + Massive Sherlock + Rumshack + Guyy & The Fox: The Phoenix, Canberra Cam Knight + Ry Badran + Bec Deunamuno: The Unicorn Hotel, Paddington
Jack Shit: Vic On The Park, Marrickville
Mon 21
Tue 22
Chin Suzuki: Foundry 616, Sydney
Trouble in Paradise: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Frankie’s World Famous House Band: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney
Open Mic Night with Champagne Jam: Dundas Sports Club, Dundas
SongQuest Final feat. Russell Neal + Jonval + Ruby Run + Gia Clarissa + more: Kellys on King, Newtown
Tim Rollinson: Foundry 616, Sydney
John Maddox Duo: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe Julien Baker + Emma Russack + Elizabeth Hughes: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
Rise Of Avernus
Rock n Roll Karaoke with Dave Eastgate’s Boner Contention: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Songs On Stage feat. Russell Neal + Chris Brookes + Pauline Sparkle: Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill Songs On Stage feat. Stuart Jammin: Kellys on King, Newtown Eilen Jewell + Jason Walker: Newtown Social Club, Newtown Tom Trelawny: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
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Fight For Your Right feat. Basenji + Just A Gent + Luke Million: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer: Play Bar, Surry Hills
Rise & Departe Rise Of Avernus, No Haven, Lo!, and Gvrlls are all headed for Bald Faced Stag on Friday. They’ll be supporting Tassie metal quartet Departe, who are touring their debut album Failure, Subside.
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals + Pierce Brothers: Sydney Opera House (Forecourt), Sydney Jack’s Thanksgiving feat. Gang Of Youths + Pat Capocci: Three Blue Ducks, Roseberry
THE MUSIC 16TH NOVEMBER 2016 • 47
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