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2 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
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THIS WEEK
watch THEMUSIC SESSIONS WILL BE KICKIN’ IT WITH RUBY BOOTS!
22/05
JOSH WADE ‘REGIONAL RUB’ COMEDY SHOW
23/05
SLEEPMAKESWAVES THE CROOKED FIDDLE
BAND // TROLDHAUGEN + MORE 29/05
SAN CISCO CROOKED COLOURS // METHYL ETHYL
AGAINST ME! // JOYCE MANOR (US) // JACOB 01/06 TIGERTOWN // CASTLECOMER // THE TAMBOURINE GIRLS 04/06 ALLDAY 25/06 ALPINE // PEARLS // OLYMPIA 10/06 THE GETAWAY PLAN 10/09 (US)
WE’RE LIVE ON PERISCOPE! FOLLOW US FOR BROADCASTS ON @THEMUSICCOMAU.
30 YEARS AGO, HOODOO GURUS RELEASED MARS NEEDS GUITARS... TRAVEL BACK WITH US.
stream LISTEN TO A STREAM OF JASMINE RAE’S NEW ALBUM HEARTBEAT.
6 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 7
CREDITS PUBLISHER
Street Press Australia Pty Ltd
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Mast
NATIONAL EDITOR MAGAZINES Mark Neilsen
ARTS EDITOR Hannah Story
EAT/DRINK EDITOR Stephanie Liew
MUSO EDITOR Michael Smith
GIG GUIDE EDITOR Justine Lynch nsw.gigs@themusic.com.au
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Bryget Chrisfield, Steve Bell
CONTRIBUTORS Adam Wilding, Andrew McDonald, Anthony Carew, Ben Meyer, Ben Preece, Brendan Crabb, Brendan Telford, Cam Findlay, Cameron Cooper, Cameron Warner, Carley Hall, Cate Summers, Chris Familton, Chris Maric, Christopher H James, Cyclone, Daniel Cribb, Danielle O’Donohue, Dave Drayton, Deborah Jackson, Dylan Stewart, Guido Farnell, Guy Davis, Helen Lear, James d’Apice, Kristy Wandmaker, Liz Giuff re, Lukas Murphy, Mac McNaughton, Mark Hebblewhite, Matt MacMaster, Paul Ransom, Rip Nicholson, Ross Clelland, Sam Hilton, Sam Murphy, Sarah Braybrooke, Sarah Petchell, Scott Fitzsimons, Sebastian Skeet, Sevana Ohandjanian, Simon Eales, Tim Finney, Tom Hersey, Tyler McLoughlan, Xavier Rubetzki Noonan
THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 13 MAY - 20 MAY 2015
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Angela Padovan, Cole Bennetts, Clare Hawley, Cybele Malinowski, Jared Leibowitz, Jodie Downie, Josh Groom, Kane Hibberd, Peter Sharp, Rohan Anderson
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ART DIRECTOR
PIC: WAYNE MITCHELL.
The Bondi Wave Music Industry Conference celebrates its 24th year on Friday at Bondi Pavilion with an all-bases-covered line-up of industry experts and veterans.
Rhymes With Silence is your eye-opening theatre fix this week. Head to 107 Projects Saturday or Sunday for some gripping short plays about domestic violence.
Brendon Wellwood
ART DEPT Ben Nicol Nick Hopkins
ADMIN & ACCOUNTS Niall McCabe, Jarrod Kendall, Leanne Simpson accounts@themusic.com.au
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CONTACT US PO Box 2440 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Suite 42, 89-97 Jones St Ultimo Phone (02) 9331 7077 info@themusic.com.au www.themusic.com.au
The Round She Goes Fashion Market, one of the world’s largest indoor women’s fashion market is this Saturday at Marrickville Town Hall. Come with empty canvas bags and a sharp eye. SYDNEY
TONE WOLF MUSIC PRESENTS: WED 13TH 7PM
LEVEL ONE
ELECTRONIC MUSIC SHOW
FRI 15TH 9PM
FEAT: “TONEWOLF”, “CHUGRO”, “SPTR”, “TILKY MITS”, “NEON AGENDA” BASEMENT
THU 14TH 8PM LEVEL ONE
THU 14TH 9PM
BASEMENT
FRI 15TH 8PM
FEAT: “2FACE”, “LEE MONROE X ELLO C”, “SARAH CONNOR”, “TAMPERED MINDS”, “316”, “NONNE & BASKIAT”, “ SUB & CREEP”, “STEPHEN ARHIPOFF”, DJ GOLD CLASS
“FLACCID MOHAWK”
INDIE/BLUES/ROCK SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “MICHAEL CRANE”, “JONES THE CAT”
JIMMY MADDON MUSIC
ACOUSTIC SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “SNOTELEKS”, “NICK COADY MUSIC”, “THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS”
“SOVIET X-RAY RECORD CLUB”
BASEMENT LEVEL ONE STREET LEVEL
SAT 16TH 9PM
SUN 17TH 3PM
VENOM CLUBNIGHT METAL/ALTERNATIVE/ ROCK/PUNK
CLUBNIGHT FEAT LIVE PERFORMANCES BY: “ABSOLUTION”, “AS PARADISE FALLS”, “TO THE GRAVE”, “GHOSTS OF PANDORA”, “DIAMOND CONSTRUCT”
BASEMENT
POST PUNK SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “SOUNDS LIKE WINTER”, DJ ACTION ANT, DJ KAFKA
THE “GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD” SHOWCASE HIP HOP SHOW
“DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG” PUNK ROCK SHOW FEAT: “LARANGE BUCKET”, “SKINPIN”, “ARSE EYES”, “TICK US A BAG”, “GARDEN HOSE”
COMING UP
Wed 20 May: Indie Show with: “Killing Lenon”, “Mammoth”, “Transcendent Sea”, “Trapdoor Captive”; Thu 14 May: 8pm Basement: Punk Rock Show with “Half Eaten Apple”, “Kill Your Heroes”, “Wacked Out”, “Cult Killers”; Fri 22 May: 8pm Basement: Metal Show with “Devine Ascension”, “Fenrir”, “Hemina”, “Lycanthia”; 9pm Level One: RMAS presents MUTILATE Rawstyle party feat: Brkdwn, Duplex, Anton vs Tommoe, DJ Medik, Dactiv8, Tim Dawes, Mutilate DJ’s; Sat 23 May: 8pm Basement: Street Rock’n’Roll Show with: “RUST”, “The Corps”, “Eager 13”, “Thug”; 8pm Level One: Main Music Entertainment and Wormdawgent presents: Underground Fest Sydney, Hip Hop Show feat: BJ MIlli, Shortymain, King FJ, Sub & Creep, Electric Elements Crew, Sarah Connor, Izzy & The Profit feat DJ Maniak, DJ Jimmy New, 5 Finger Discount, Hard Evidence, T Wreckz & MORE
sat 23rd may
UWA Rock & Roll Wrestling
Thurs 25th June
Will Sparks
All Ages Licensed Show
‘Lets Bounce’ Australian Tour
Fri 5th June
Sat 27th June
Baby Animals + The Superjesus + Special Guests ‘She Who Rocks Tour’
Feast Of Rock Featuring The Radiators + Steve Hart & The Allstars with Angry Anderson
Sat 13th June
Reece Mastin
Fri 10th July
+ Special Guests ‘Rebel & The Reason Tour’ All Ages Licensed Show
The Angels
www.towradgibeachhotel.com.au 170 Pioneer Road, Towradgi 2518 | 02 42833 588 THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 9
national news news@themusic.com.au INXS
MORE INXS-UCCESS
XAVIER RUDD & THE UNITED NATIONS
WAVING THE FLAG
Flying in from Italy the week before hitting Splendour, Xavier Rudd & The United Nations will follow that appearance up with three months’ touring around this wide brown land Rudd calls home showcasing his dream project, a full-blown dub album, Nanna, recorded with his eight-piece multicultural band. Dubbed the Flag Tour, Rudd and the band play 20 Aug at The Tivoli in Brisbane, 23 Aug at Miami Marketta on the Gold Coast, 28 Aug at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre, 4 Sep at Enmore Theatre, Sydney, 5 Sep at Waves in Wollongong, 6 Sep at UC Refectory, Canberra, 11 Sep at Palais Theatre in Melbourne, 26 Sep at Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth, 27 Sep at 3 Oceans Winery in Margaret River and back up to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast 2 Oct to join the Caloundra Music Festival. More dates from theMusic.com.au.
AND NOW WE’RE HERE
Cali punks The Story So Far are joining forces with New Jersey’s Man Overboard to make their return to Australian shores this September. The Story So Far will be showcasing tracks from their self-titled third album, which is out this month, while Man Overboard are currently working on their fourth record following on from 2013’s Heart Attack. With Apart From This coming along for all dates except Sydney, the bands make their way to Amplifier Bar, Perth, 2 Sep; Max Watt’s, Brisbane, 5 Sep; Metro Theatre, Sydney, 6 Sep; Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, 7 Sep; Belconnen Magpies, Canberra, 8 Sep; and Max Watt’s, Melbourne, 11 Sep. More dates from theMusic.com.au.
TOUR OF THE SENTRY
Right off the back of dropping his new single Hell Boy and announcing his new album Strange New Past, Seth Sentry has decided he’s coming to a town near you for what will be a mammoth tour spreading from June through to September, including a bunch of regional dates in each state. His new album will be released a day before the tour kicks off, so prepare for an onslaught of new tracks when he makes his way to The Met, Brisbane, 20 Jun; Coolangatta Hotel, 21; Newcastle Panthers, 27 Jun; Academy, Canberra, 3 Jul; Barwon Club, Geelong, 17 Jul; Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, 20 Aug; Astor Theatre, Perth, 22 Aug; and Forum Theatre, Melbourne, 4 Sep. More dates from theMusic.com.au.
“I CAN MAKE VEGEMITE CHOCOLATE AT HOME, SIMPLY BY PLACING A BLOCK OF REGULAR CHOCOLATE IN A DRAIN FOR TWO WEEKS.” C’MON NOW, @ACEMCWICKED, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FAIR GO? 10 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
The screening of biopic, INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, put the band back at the top of the charts again, 20 years after they lost charismatic frontman Michael Hutchence. A little more of that reaffirmed public love affair has rubbed on the young actor, Luke Arnold, who won the 2015 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor for his portrayal of Hutchence in the biopic. The biopic itself was pipped for the Most Outstanding Miniseries of Telemovie gong by Devil’s Playground. Arnold was also nominated in the Most Popular Actor category but lost out to Home And Away actor Stephen Peacocke.
HAVE RECORDS, WILL PLAY
They love the “Melbourne Sound” the world over, particularly as it’s expressed by Will Sparks, who at 22 can already claim two platinum-selling records. Our #1 DJ, as voted by inthemix, presents his only Australian tour for the foreseeable time kicking off 18 Jun at 170 Russell in Melbourne, 19 Jun in The Met in Brisbane, 20 Jun at Marquee in Sydney, 25 Jun at Waves in Wollongong, and 27 Jun in Metro City, Perth.
PETER GARRETT
BIG MAN FOR BIGSOUND
Perhaps the most popular music industry gathering in the nation, BIGSOUND, is returning to Brisbane in September and the organisers have just announced two of the keynote speakers signed up for the event. First up, the inimitable Peter Garrett, former Oils frontman and onetime Federal Arts Minister, will make his first music industry appearance since leaving government outlining his thoughts on the direction of the industry, public policy and his part in it all. Also speaking is rapper and activist Brother Ali, talking about his experience as a white Muslim hip hop artist. BIGSOUND 2015 will naturally be hosting a plethora of A&R industry reps, among them RCA Records’ Senior Director Tunji Balogun and Harvest/Universal’s General Manager Jacqueline Sutton, flying in from the US.
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 11
local news nsw.news@themusic.com.au
FRONTLASH CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
This movie just keeps getting bigger, with Paul Rudd (AntMan), Paul Bettany (Vision), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Martin Freeman in an unspecified role added to a bulging cast, meaning that it’s almost resembling an Avengers movie in itself.
VANCE JOY Riptide has now broken the record for the song that’s spent the most weeks in the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart.
TV RENEWALS ‘Tis the season for TV series renewals in America, and we’re gladdened the likes of Orphan Black, The Simpsons, iZombie, Agent Carter and many others will be back for more.
BACK IN BUSINESS
A LEGEND RETURNS He first performed in Australia in 1971, and Elton John still considers Australia one of his favourite countries to tour – so much so that the living legend is making his way Down Under in December for his aptly titled All The Hits tour, which will see him playing a range of songs from the 58 that made it into the Billboard Top 40 over the years. Hope Estate Winery, Hunter Valley, 5 Dec; Qantas Credit Union Arena, 19 Dec.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST CAPTAIN AMERICA
BACKLASH SPOTIFY EARNINGS
Streaming has been hailed as a saviour of the music industry, but when Spotify’s recent’s earnings report mentions it’s in the red (and apparently hasn’t turned a profit in a while), it makes you wonder if all the hoo-ha about upcoming video content is worth it.
VEGEMITE CHOCOLATE We will have to reserve full judgement until we taste it, but the announcement that there will be a Vegemite flavoured chocolate bar doesn’t instill us with confidence.
TV RENEWALS The American TV renewals highlight just how lax Aus TV networks are in screening some of these shows. Some are yet to even make it to air and others are only just starting as the seasons are finishing in the US. 12 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
JOHN OLIVER
After an extended period of time living and working in California, Mark Sholtez has produced a new body of work and is ready to take it along the east coast. The Edge Of The Known World is a balance between hopeful and hopeless, and you can enjoy those polarising vibes at Camelot Lounge, 26 Jun.
Internationally renowned pioneer of performance art Marina Abramović will mentor 12 Australian artists during an intensive live in Artist Residency Program for the 30th Kaldor Public Art Project. The program will take place as part of Marina Abramovic: In Residence, presented at Pier 2/3 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay from 24 Jun until 5 Jul. For a full list of selected participants, head to kaldorartprojects.org.au.
FOR THE LOLS
Emmy and Writer’s Guild Award winner John Oliver, who is the face of HBO show Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and a former correspondent on The Daily Show, is making his way to Australia to deliver a couple of stand-up performances, packed with his signature wit and satire. He performs at State Theatre, 30 Aug.
TWIN ATTACK
Two of America’s heavyweight doom/sludge metal bands, San Francisco, California’s Black Cobra and Athens, Georgia’s Jucifer, have teamed up to deliver what their dubbing the Twins Of Evil Australian tour. 11 Jul at Hermann’s Bar, 13 Jul at Newtown Social Club, 14 Jul at The Basement in Canberra.
AUSTRALIAN FIRST
Rock band veteran and cancer survivor Andrew McMahon makes his Australian debut. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness will be touring the self-titled album nationally. McMahon has sung with Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin in the past, and will be joined this time by a full band to play hits from those bands and from his solo project. 22 Aug, Factory Theatre.
PLEASURE POP
Hot on the heels of their latest and third album, Kindred, released in April, Passion Pit are heading our way. Accompanied by special guests, Sydneysiders The Griswolds, Passion Pit play 23 Aug at Enmore Theatre. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
With the closure of Qantas Credit Union Arena imminent, Cold Chisel will be playing two special gigs there on 17 & 18 Dec. The inner city venue has been the heart of rock’n’roll in Sydney since it opened in 1983 but after the weekend of this performance, it will be demolished and replaced by a new arena nearby. Cold Chisel played five farewell shows at the venue (known back then as the Sydney Entertainment Centre) in 1983, so this will undoubtedly stand up as a performance not to miss.
HEY CUTIE
Death Cab For Cutie have announced shows on top of their Splendour appearance, following the release of their album, Kintsugi. Catch them 30 Jul, ANU Bar, Canberra; 31 Jul, Uni Bar, Wollongong; 1 Aug, Sydney Opera House.
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 13
local news nsw.news@themusic.com.au AMY
THE GRATES
THEY’RE BACK
November last year, The Grates dropped their fourth album, Dream Team, and followed it up with singer Patience Hodgson dropping her first baby. Now they’re ready to take the former for a quick run round the place after their Splendour shot. Supported by guests Straight Arrows and Brisbane duo Pleasure Symbols, The Grates play 14 Aug at Oxford Art Factory.
SOME MUSICAL TONIC
Based these days in LA, expat kiwi via Sydney singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore rocks hard on her forthcoming new album, Blood To Bone, due 26 Jun, from which she’s lifted first single, New Rush, to start revving things up for her return in a very short south-eastern Australia visit to perform. Wigmore plays 8 Jul at Newtown Social Club.
THE FULL ENCHILADA
The full program of the 2015 Sydney Film Festival (SFF) program running 3 – 14 Jun has been announced and it’s bigger than Ben Hur, with the number of titles screening up from last year’s 183 to 251, drawn from 68 countries and including 33 world premieres. Among those premieres is Brendan Cowell’s adaptation of his play, Ruben Guthrie, starring Alex Dimitriades and Robyn Nevin, and Neil Armfield’s Holding The Man, starring Ryan Corr and Anthony La Paglia, both features opening and closing the festival. A dozen titles are in contention in the internationally recognised SFF Official Competition, three of them Australian, including two features – The Daughter, starring Geoffrey Rush and Miranda Otto, another world premiere, and outback thriller, Strangerland, starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving. Another Australian world premiere is Gillian Armstrong’s doco, Women He’s Undressed, about Australian Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly. There are eight films in the program direct from Cannes, including Asif Kapadia’s documentary about Amy Winehouse, Amy, and Japanese director Hirozaku Kore-ada’s Our Little Sister. There are more SFF venues too, with Dendy Newtown and Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre joining the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George St, Dendy Opera Quays, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, the Art Gallery of NSW and Skyline Drive-In Blacktown. For full details, check in to theMusic.com.au.
I WISH I WAS AS INTERESTED IN ANYTHING AS BABIES ARE IN THEIR FEET.
UB40
AH, TO BE (EXTREMELY) YOUNG AGAIN, EH @CHESHNINETY?
GOON AHEAD
SMOOTH REGGAE RETURNS
For a band who got their name from the UK dole form, UB40 have done fairly well for themselves. UB40 bring their latest album, Getting Over The Storm, and all your favourites back to Australian stages in November, playing 18 Nov, Civic Theatre, Newcastle; 20 Nov, Big Top Sydney; 21 Nov, Towradgi Beach Hotel, Wollongong. 14 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
The new single might be titled We Are The Future but Sunshine four-piece Drawcard have dubbed their tour Goons Gone Wild. The clip they’ve created for the single puts the band in an otherworldly patch of southeast Queensland state forest. Anyways, catch them 11 Jun at Hot Damn, 9 Jul at Rad Bar in the ‘Gong, 10 Jul in Sutherland’s Studio Six and 11 Jul in Tattersalls Hotel in Penrith.
MOVING WATERS
Mike Waters is releasing his debut EP, LIFE, and a clip to accompany the lead song on it, Gambling Man. Now Melbourne-based, the former Adelaideian is launching both of the above 12 Jun at Oxford Art Factory.
JUST THE BEGINNING
With the release of their EP Step On Sleep right around the corner, Sydney old-school soul and R&B connoisseurs Jones Jnr are showcasing it live with a tour down the east coast, including shows 2 Jul, Newtown Social Club; 3 & 4 Jul, Bello Winter Music Festival, Bellingen.
REACH FOR THE STARS
Aussie hip hop group Astronomy Class is teaming up with Joelistics for a very special collaborative tour this May/June. They’ll be joined by special guests Srey Channthy and Vida Sunshyne – it’s gonna be epic. Catch them when play 30 May, Newtown Social Club; 6 Jun, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul.
www.thebasement.com.au
The Home of Live Music Since 1973 WEDNESDAY8 20 MAY SATURDAY JUNE COMIN G UP
LOST HIGHWAY PRESENTS: COUNTRY & INNER WESTERN FT. CATHERINE BRITT + MORE
DON’T MISS THE SECOND INSTALMENT OF LOST HIGHWAY PRESENTS COUNTRY & INNER WESTERN. ONCE A MONTH, LOST HIGHWAY RECORDS IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNTRY & INNER WESTERN, WILL BE BRINGING YOU SOME OF THE BEST AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS IN THE WORLD OF AMERICANA AND ALT COUNTRY. MAY 20 STARS CATHERINE BRITT, AMBER RAE SLADE & THE MIGHTY BIG NOISE, AND KATIE BRIANNA – PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS. BUY TICKETS NOW!
SELLING FAST… SAT 30 MAY RICHARD BONA (EARLY SHOW) – VIVID MUSIC EVENT SAT 13 JUNE ART VS SCIENCE ‘IN THIS TOGETHER’ TOUR SAT 04 JULY MARLON WILLIAMS & THE YARRA BENDERS – ALBUM RELEASE TOUR FOLLOW US: ON FACEBOOK @ THE BASEMENT & ON TWITTER @ #BASEMENTSYD RESTUARANT OPENS AT 11AM, SERVING FOOD ALL DAY
THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY A PINK FLOYD CELEBRATION
THU 14 MAY
THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY A PINK FLOYD CELEBRATION
FRI 15 MAY
CHRIS WILSON & THE CYRIL B BUNTER BAND
SAT 16 MAY
SWING TUESDAYS WEEK FIVE
TUE 19 MAY
AUTUMN FOLK FESTIVAL
THU 21 MAY
THE PIGS
FRI 22 MAY
THE FUNKOARS
SAT 23 MAY
HOMEBREW TOUR
VIVID MUSIC EVENT
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 15
music
FAITH RESTORED
If Faith No More were a Hollywood actor they’d be Martin Sheen: versatile, respected, diverse and able to go from zero to ape shit no matter their age or the setting. Their new album is their first since 1997. Frontman Mike Patton talks about finally making new music together with Liz Giuffre.
“T
here was never really an agreement to come back and do it again. And if there was, I think that it probably wouldn’t have happened,” admits singer Mike Patton, as he explains what led to Faith No More reuniting and recording a new album, Sol Invictus. “I remember having a meeting when we broke up, and I remember being pretty adamant that, you know, it was time to move on. And
forward to being a bit more selective in their approach to making an album. “It’s experience. And you know, some would call that senility or old age, but I think it’s good. You don’t have to do everything; it’s nice to be in a position where you can say no. It is really empowering. And we just really don’t have the energy to do it anymore. And you know, I know we’ve been away for 20 years or whatever, and what makes it exciting is being able to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this, and then maybe not this.’” Famously a guy not short of other musical options (Mr Bungle, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom, Fantomas and the rest), Patton would be the least likely to be pushing
in the way… It’s another instrument, it just so happens that it comes out of my mouth. It’s not more or less important than a guy hitting a piece of cow skin or a guy playing a string.” Sol Invictus delivers ten new tracks ranging in style and pace, kicking off with Patton roaring for the title track and follow-up, Superhero, while its single (of sorts), Motherfucker, has a typical melodramatic (and mischievous) growl. Fans of FNH’s awesome creepy will also be well happy with Matador and ending track, From The Dead, the latter including a weird singalong chorus that’s mellow as well as haunting. “Yeah, it resolves nicely, that was what we were hoping for,” says Patton of the track listing. However, getting him to give much more detail about the ideas for the tunes is a bit harder. “When you finish a record, it’s like you’re giving it, you know? You gave birth to something and then it’s someone else’s. In some ways, that’s why interviews, at least for me, are hard to do because I’ve got nothing to say about it, I did it,” he says with another smile. On the page this might come across as arrogance or disinterest (and certainly in the past he’s been called ‘difficult’ by some of the best), but the reluctance does make sense. “I mean, talking is nice because it gives you perspective. But also, it’s more like we’re curious to hear [what the reaction is beyond us]. Especially with a newborn like what we have in this album, I mean, I’ve played
“WHEN YOU FINISH A RECORD, IT’S LIKE YOU’RE GIVING IT, YOU KNOW? YOU GAVE BIRTH TO SOMETHING AND THEN IT’S SOMEONE ELSE’S.”
I was really nervous about it, ready for ‘ok, I’m going to be the bad guy’ or whatever. But we all just looked at each other and were like ‘yeah, yeah’ and was, like, so comforting to know that there’s this collective consciousness that actually is really the Godfather of the situation. It’s not about you, it’s a band thing, and it governs pretty much every situation.” Patton’s description of the band as a mob (albeit with a mafia mastermind) is romantic but unsurprising. It must have been tempting to listen to the chorus of press, fans and the rest calling for a return all this time. “No, that had zero influence,” he says with a smile. “We didn’t really have a master plan, meaning, ‘Hey, we’ve gotta make another record and it’s gotta sound like this.’ No. Basically Bill [Gould, bass] wrote a set of music and it wasn’t like, there weren’t guns pointed at anyone’s head, I heard what he was doing and it was just kinda great, you know? Look at it as, I don’t know, a collection of music. To me, any project I do, I look at it in a vacuum and then see what does it need? What do I have in my toolbox? What can I do to add to it?” This time around Patton and the band are looking 16 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
for a FNM reunion if the time or vibe wasn’t right. The idea that ‘the band’ is bigger than any one person is one he maintains throughout. “I don’t know, maybe some bands need that [a frontman to stand out], but I don’t feel that that’s my place, at least not in the kind of music I’ve been making. Very rarely do I need to be that guy,” he laughs. “I don’t feel I need to provide that, whatever, fill that role. With these guys, yeah, to be honest the music, I really liked it so much that I just wanted to not get
this record for like my wife and a couple of close friends, and that’s it. People I trust have heard it, so it’s interesting to kind of hear other people’s opinion too.” The old ‘no, what do you guys think?’ defence is one that artists have used since Iggy was a boy, but when Patton gives his blessing for interpretations, you can have faith (pardon the pun). This time Faith No More’s offering has happened beyond the music industry machine, so they’ve already had plenty of control. “Oh, I’m not doing that ever again and in fact, I’m not even sure if that machine exists anymore for people like us,” Patton smiles while the record label reps look on. “So the way of doing things is, I guess, the only one way now. The fact that we’re able to do it this way [on our own] is encouraging. If anything, it was one of the more natural records we’ve made. From front to back we did it ourselves – recorded it, produced it, even released it – and that’s kind of, at least, comparing what we’ve done in the past, a total anomaly; it’s exciting. I’ve been doing stuff like that for a while, but it was really nice to do it that way with these guys.
“When I joined this band they already had a deal signed, so I hopped onto the ship, so to speak, the train, the caboose. But it’s cool, it’s very encouraging to kind of watch it happen in that way that I’m maybe more used to.” Discussion moves to the fact that this ‘new way’ (or only way) of moving in the music industry includes the new wave of ‘making it big’ avenues – insert “pop star talent quest soul-selling television competition” here. “That’s all bullshit. It pretty much always was, but now there’s no infrastructure to support it,” Patton says definitely, but not quite with the bile you might expect. “Now you’ve gotta find ways of staying busy, creative
and stimulated, and you know, moving forward. And making a living for God’s sakes too, that’s not a bad thing.” Confirming he’s a supporter of crowdfunding ventures as ideas and in practice (“which is great, totally great… I do it all the time”), this writer suggests that from a fan’s point of view there’s a logic to it that just makes sense. Audiences wouldn’t expect a professional in any other line of work to do a freebie for their expertise – we don’t expect plumbers to drain sinks for nothing – so why would we expect those that provide the soundtracks to our lives to do the same? “You know, we’ve figured out a way of doing musical plumbing,” Patton sniggers with a sweet smile. “There’s your headline, ‘Faith No More – musical plumbing!” The pattern (sorry, pun time again) sees him deflecting a bit, but it’s not a bad thing. This is a man, and a band, who helped rewrite genre rules to allow awesome new waterways to be added to the mainstream. But it’s not something he sees as a big deal. “I don’t think that’s special, I think that’s normal,” Patton says of the suggestion FNM are innovators. “C’mon man, if you’re a writer, do you write the same few paragraphs every article? Of course not. Same with us, same with the plumbers. They – and we – try and switch it up every few time.” WHAT: Sol Invictus (Reclamation/Ipecac/[PIAS] Australia)
MUSICAL ASIDES While FNM would be more than enough for many, it’s actually been something of a day job for Mike Patton. It draws our attention to other great side projects that have yielded amazing things – as well as noting that many musos who side-project once go on to be “serial offenders”. Gorillaz Blur’s Damon Albarn doesn’t like to stay still – ever. This animated awesome foursome let Albarn and co-conspirator Jamie Hewlett break free and feel good (inc), and has since developed alter egos, four studio albums and cameos by De La Soul (among others). Grinderman Nothing captured the plight of the aging male rock star like debut single, No Pussy Blues. Hilarious and (ironically) hard, it was glorious. Long may Nick Cave and whatever he wants to do, with whoever he wants to play with next, reign. Them Crooked Vultures Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme were apparently bored in the mid2000s. Sitting around telling war stories about Led Zep, Nirvana/Foos and Queens Of The Stone Age clearly wasn’t enough – so new material was born. So far there’s only been one album (self-titled, 2009), and another threatened, but with all those hall of fame attendances to do, who has the time? Traveling Wilburys Maybe technically more a supergroup, but still in clear side-project land, it was just something to do for Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne. The band’s two albums literally saw Orbison off the mortal coil (he died before the last was released), but his ghost can still be heard on their iconic single, Handle With Care.
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 17
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READY TO LAUNCH “Five years ago we were scared to use [the term Americana] in Australia, but it’s always something that I’ve loved because it doesn’t sit in the fucking box.” Ruby Boots chats to Kane Sutton about her new album’s lengthy gestation.
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t’s a big day for Ruby Boots, aka Bex Chilcott, this scribe the first in line for a day’s worth of interviews. Such is the life when you’ve just won a WAM Song Of The Year Award and have an anticipated new record, Solitude. It’s a bit of a bizarre feeling for Chilcott, who began her career as Ruby Boots in 2011 and has been working on these songs since day dot. “It’s an interesting place to be because it was finished so long ago, I’ve been sitting on it for a long time, so I feel so detached from it now. But it’s strange because it’s been this long-winded journey and it’s almost like walking to the very top of a mountain, and that last peak is, you know, you’re dog tired, and that last peak is the most challenging part. It’s almost like I’m at this point where I’m about to tip over. I just need it to be out so badly, and as it gets closer I tell myself, ‘Ok, it’s only a couple more weeks now,’ so it’s cool, it’s nice to have a positive – as an artist, you want to see the reaction from people, and when you’re sitting on a piece of art for so fucking long, it’s like, forest from the trees kind of thing, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, does this even exist anymore?’ You’re so in your own head about it you need to feed off what other people give back to you about it, whether it’s good or bad.”
corner backing what you do as an artist, the more exciting it is, and it frees up more time for you to be the artist... They’re my dream label in many ways. Lost Highway’s got such an Americana blanket over it and a long history to it – Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Ryan
“I DON’T WANT TO SIT IN THE BOX BECAUSE I WANT TO BE FREE.”
Chilcott sought the help of a number of people for the album, which saw her travelling around the world. “I had a band here in Perth and we broke up right before we were looking to do the record – I decided I was going to do it anyway because I’ve written too many songs and I’ve come too far to sit on it more, that would just prolong everything. I went forth and did that, but I did it with about six or seven bands across the album. I spent time in each state twice, and a bit of back-and-forth overseas. So that was a year-long process.”
Adams – you know that the people who work that record get what you’re trying to do. You’re not just joining any label because they’re offering you some money and they’re gonna give you some marketing – these guys are passionate about Americana music and that’s the most important thing to me.”
At the beginning of this year, Chilcott signed to Americana-focused label Lost Highway Records – they were so impressed with the record they wanted to represent her immediately. “The good thing about it is that you’ve got someone backing your record who’s in your corner. I think the more people who are in your
While many peg Ruby Boots as a country/ Americana singer, and rightly so, this album doesn’t lend itself specifically to jangly
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guitar hooks and typical outback banter. Chilcott tackles an alternative spin on some more sobering tracks. “I knew I wanted to ditch the fiddle and the mandolin and the band sounds of it, and I think I might introduce some of those sounds on maybe one or two tracks on the next record if it lends itself that way. If it can communicate to more people, obviously that’s the best part about it. That’s the thing about Americana music – I was reading this article the other day and five years ago we were scared to use that term in Australia, but it’s always something that I’ve loved because it doesn’t sit in the fucking
box. That’s what people want; people want music that doesn’t sit in the fucking box. I don’t want to sit in the box because I want to be free. I respect people like Emmylou Harris, who went, ‘I’m not gonna sit here and be a country music singer because you guys called me a country muso. I’m gonna do this record because I want to do this record,’ and I want that throughout my career. Americana lends itself to that, as opposed to country music, which is fairly straight down the line in what it does – I love country music so I’m not bagging it – but you know, I think that’s the appeal of Americana and I think people are slowly getting into it over here. Hopefully the record does translate to a wider audience.” WHAT: Solitude (Lost Highway Records) WHEN & WHERE: 21 May, Newtown Social Club
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 19
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READY FOR THE FLOOR
Hot Chip’s various cross-pollinating musicians must make aligning schedules tricky. “Some members of the band have missed gigs before, through oversleeping,” Alexis Taylor tells Bryget Chrisfield.
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ver been on the dancefloor when Hot Chip’s Over And Over is dropped? This scribe has, and always struggles to decipher the words that are spelled out in the middle of the track. “It’s not really worth deciphering,” Alexis Taylor claims. “It’s really infantile. It says – I can’t remember what it is: it says ‘kissing’, ah…” Is it ‘sexing’? “Yeah. ‘Casio’. Ah, ‘poke’… But having just said those words out loud, and [hearing] a grown woman say them out loud, I think it’s pretty embarrassing lyrics to put in a song, so, sorry about that.” When told no apology
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is necessary because the song challenges temporarily mungled brains, Taylor jests, “Yeah, well, we gave you something to ponder for years and then discover how awful it is.” Hot Chip’s playfully titled sixth album Why Make Sense? contains a track called White Wine And Fried Chicken. Is this Taylor’s favourite meal or his idea of a cheap date? He laughs, “I’ve actually never had that meal and I’m also a vegetarian. When I was writing that I think I was just enjoying the idea of a slightly ridiculous combination of food and drink together – an unlikely pairing.”
Taylor admits he “did try some alternative words that were less to do with food and drink”. When asked who provided the glorious diva vocals that open Need You Now, Taylor confeses, “I don’t know the name of that singer. It’s a band called Sinnamon that we’ve sampled and I think it’s a male singer – even though in our video we have somebody called Joy [Leah Joseph], who plays in New Build with Al [Doyle] and Felix [Martin] from Hot Chip, she’s miming it in our video – but on the record, yeah! It’s a sample we took from another band.” Asked to identify lyricists he admires, Taylor singles out, “Bill Withers, Bill Callahan, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, um, they all have to have the name Bill in them [laughs]. William Shakespeare, Willie Nelson, um, er – no, I’ll stop.” Bill Oddie? “No, no, definitely not an inspiration.” Joe Goddard was in the country earlier this year with The 2 Bears. How do the various members get their schedules to align? “Um, just the Google calendar,” Taylor illuminates, “and managers and common sense. It’s not always easy and some members of the band have missed gigs before, through oversleeping.” However, Taylor stresses, “[Making music is] what we enjoy doing, and that’s what we should be doing, so we keep ourselves busy. And we do try and keep enough time free for Hot Chip to be able to actually tour and not just become secondary to all the other things we do as well.” So when will Hot Chip next tour our shores? “I think maybe it will be at the end of this year, or at the start of next year,” Taylor confesses. WHAT: Why Make Sense? (Domino/EMI) To read the full interview head to theMusic.com.au
RUNNING RINGS
The ever-iconic Paul Weller has embarked on yet another stylistic shift with latest album, Saturns Pattern, and he tells Steve Bell that even when facing mortality a good tune’s still a good tune.
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egendary UK singer-songwriter Paul Weller has never been afraid of a shift in sound or style, whether amidst the punk and new wave stylings of his ‘70s behemoth The Jam, the blue-eyed soul he favoured fronting The Style Council in the ‘80s or the more chameleon-like nature of his subsequent quarter-century-old solo career. His new album, Saturns Pattern, is the 12th record to bear his name alone, and once again it ushers in a marked shift in direction: it’s eclectic, it’s ambitious and it’s definitely and defiantly Weller. “I’m really pleased, yeah,” he admits. “I think it’s kinda different enough in terms of the arrangements and sonically, but there’s still really good tunes. And I think it’s different again – for me it’s another move on, so I am very proud of it.” Age certainly hasn’t blunted Weller’s creative ambition – is it important for him to keep evolving sonically? “Yeah definitely, especially the older I get. I can’t help thinking that time is running out – without being too dramatic – so that seems to make me want to try to go further and further with the music, hopefully without losing sight of what makes a good song. Because that’s the bottom line really – a good tune’s a good tune. But I think in terms of styles and sonics that I 20 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
think I can still try and go anywhere with it, and hopefully I will do in my twilight years. “I had a very clear idea of what I didn’t want it to be. I had sort of seven or eight acoustic songs and some were nice tunes, but I didn’t want to make a record like that so I put them aside and then really started from scratch. And [co-producer] Stan Kybert was quite glad about that, because the other songs had arrangements and were fairly set in their way, so I think it was good for him to say, ‘Here’s a completely clear canvas and let’s just fucking see what happens and just kind of build it up
as you go along.’ It’s exciting, because you don’t know what’s going to happen really, then all of a sudden you get one tune that you feel ‘that’s where we should be going to,’ and that sort of becomes the cornerstone of the record really, and you kind of build on that.” Some of the album’s arrangements are fascinating, with tunes like Pick It Up and In The Car… almost like a series of suites. “We did a lot of that with a lot of editing and a lot of edited pieces,” Weller explains, “and we really kind of arranged it as we went along. We’d play from the top, then we’d get an intro and then a nice verse and then a chorus – we sort of built it almost piece-by-piece, really. It was just a bit of a different way of working; not that it came with any sort of formula – it was just a nice experiment that kind of worked as well.” WHAT: Saturns Pattern (Parlophone/Warner) To read the full interview head to theMusic.com.au
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 21
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Having just celebrated its 20th anniversary, Steve Bell looks back at how TISM’s third album, Machiavelli And The Four Seasons, helped them break through despite their best efforts and why it remains a watershed piece of work for them.
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or the longest time the idea of masked Melbourne iconoclasts TISM – the acronym for This Is Serious Mum – crossing over into the mainstream and receiving any sort of cultural or commercial acceptance seemed like some far off utopian fantasy. The masked marauders (TISM favouring anonymity and adopting piss-taking pseudonyms) had been an underground success in Melbourne since the late-‘80s, having built a fanatical, cult-like following for their bizarre amalgam of highbrow situationist humour and lowbrow tomfoolery. They used their intelligence (and anonymity) like a scythe to cut through the flaccid music norms of the day, paying out on the music scene, the media, their fans and often even themselves in ever-inventive ways that were occasionally acerbic but never less than fascinating (and nearly always hilarious). Indeed this recalcitrance, such an integral part of their charm, was also one of the main reasons one assumed
TISM’S MACHIAVELLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS
that TISM would always remain in the margins taking potshots at those in the spotlight – given their early tunes carried titles like Defecate On My Face, Saturday Night Palsy, If You’re Creative Get Stuffed, Choose Bad Smack and I Drive A Truck. It really didn’t seem like they were keen to pursue more commercial avenues anyway. So how did this band of unknown muckrakers manage to weasel their way into the spotlight with their third album, Machiavelli And The Four Seasons, a collection that managed to achieve sustained radio domination (including on then commercial behemoth MMM), infiltrate the Top 10 of the Australian Album Charts and win an ARIA for
Best Independent Release all without majorly compromising their core aesthetic or pandering to the nebulous whims of the mainstream molasses? According to (possibly apocryphal) lore TISM started way back in 1982, but didn’t play their first gig until the end of 1983 – following which they promptly split up. They reformed in 1984 (making every subsequent gig they ever played a “reunion gig” in their addled mythology) and started accruing a rabid word-of-mouth following for the mayhem and irreverence that manifested at their routinely insane live shows. Their early releases were issued through tiny independent, Elvis Records, including their 1986 mini-album Form And Meaning Reach Ultimate Communion (which topped the alternative charts) and their debut long-player, Great Truckin’ Songs Of The Renaissance (1988), which snuck into the lower reaches of the Australian Top 50 album chart – peaking at #48 in its only charting week – as did its single, Saturday Night Palsy on the corresponding singles chart. The band’s ongoing momentum and clear penchant for controversy soon had the major labels sniffing around; after lengthy negotiations with CBS fell through they were picked up by Phonogram. Their second album, 1990’s Hot Dogma, quickly became a fan favourite but didn’t set the world on fire commercially nor bother the charts, so TISM were dumped by Phonogram during 1991 and found themselves homeless.
But not for long – burgeoning indie Shock Records stepped up to the plate, reissuing both their debut record and a collection of the early material (hitherto unavailable on CD) under the title Gentlemen, Start Your Egos (1991). Over the next couple of years TISM released a couple of cool EPs – 1992’s The Beasts Of Suburban and 1993’s Australia The Lucky Cunt (the title of which was soon changed to Censored Due To Legal Advice) – and continued their sporadic guerilla attacks on the live scene. Towards the end of 1994, TISM having been on hiatus from public duties for some eight months, a song was released to radio called Jung Talent Time – a techno-heavy track featuring one of the band’s co-frontmen Ron Hitler-Barassi reeling off a massive list of public figures and cultural identities who TISM claimed had outlasted Warhol’s proposed ‘15 minutes of fame’ – and just like that they were back. Nineteen ninety-five started with a slew of live shows, so by the time the new album – the aforementioned Machiavelli And The Four Seasons – dropped at the start of May the scene was set for this most unlikely of artistic zeniths. Naturally elements of a release which many bands look at as an adjunct to the main job at hand and choose to play safe – such as choosing album titles and artwork – take on a whole new significance in TISM World, and it was unsurprising when Machiavelli
musical backing, and an abundance of hooks and melodies was long one of TISM’s main strengths. This facet of their creative endeavours didn’t diminish with the change in oeuvre – the songs on Machiavelli were catchy, insistent and sounded great on radio, and they quickly started gathering traction aplenty. The song (He’ll Never Be An) Ol’ Man River – and its chorus of “I’m on the drug that killed River Phoenix” soon became a live favourite and triple j began to get bombarded with requests to play it to the point where Shock rushreleased it as a single. As with many TISM songs it’s a track that works on many levels – most listeners no
from a TAC road safety commercial that had been ubiquitous at the time. On some level a semiexistential treatise on death and mortality, on another an examination of the roots of suburban malaise, it featured a Beach Boys-aping chorus. Two more tracks were released as ‘radio only singles’: Garbage, which sought to dissuade bands from copying existing musical styles, and All Homeboys Are Dickheads, which looked at genre-related dysfunction (one guesses). The result of these convergences was that Machiavelli became TISM’s most successful album, yet it wasn’t given the complete red carpet treatment by the music media (many of whom had presumably run foul in the past of the band’s rampant unwillingness to take even the most important interviews remotely seriously). While much of the street press coverage was positive, the established music magazines of the day didn’t let TISM off so lightly with Rolling Stone giving it 2 1/2 and Juice awarding 3 1/2 but both making plenty of disparaging observations. Fortunately this lack of high-end critical acclaim didn’t stop Machiavelli gaining traction in the marketplace, buoyed in part by some fortunate happenings in radio land. TISM had always had strong support from community radio stations, but now as mentioned the band were suddenly being championed by triple j, who made Machiavelli their Feature Album Of The Week and flogged individual tracks just after
“THEY USED THEIR INTELLIGENCE (AND ANONYMITY) LIKE A SCYTHE TO CUT THROUGH THE FLACCID MUSIC NORMS OF THE DAY.” And The Four Seasons featured a cover listing both a band and contents completely at odds with what was actually on the record. The band on the cover were actually a short-lived ‘60s group called The Hollywood Argyles, and the song titles for the album were listed on the back as: Side One 1. I Love You Baby 2. You And Me, Baby Love 3. Baby, I Love You 4. Love, Baby You 5. It’s You I Love, Baby. Side Two 1. In Love With You, Baby 2. Baby, Baby, Baby 3. Love, Love, Love 4. Baby Love 5. I.L.Y.B. (this not being surprising in the slightest to anyone familiar with their earlier releases). This brings us to the album’s music, which represented in some ways a seismic shift in the core TISM sound but in others a return to their roots. Since Truckin’ Songs the TISM sound had been an alt-rock-pop hybrid with the focus on guitars – albeit over the drum machine and sequenced keys that had long been part of their stock-in-trade – but on Machiavelli the emphasis changed to a more dance-heavy sound while retaining the guitars as counterpoint (in essence a fusion of the grunge and techno scenes that were so prevalent at the time). It seemed at first like a major shift, until one thought back to earlier material such as Death Death Death (b-side to Defecate On My Face) and even Lillee Caught Dilley Bowled Milli Vanilli (from The Beasts Of Suburban), which had long ago incorporated a similar sound. Even though a lot of TISM’s appeal was always lyric-driven and cerebral, it wouldn’t have stood up as well as it did without proper
doubt focused on the perceived ‘pro-drug’ angle and completely missed the aspect of its deconstruction of fame as a construct and studied the vapid nature of celebrity obsession – and it also became their first track to enrage an international celebrity when Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea heard the song and purportedly expressed a desire to “kill TISM”. (He’ll Never Be An) Ol’ Man River became the only TISM song ever to dent the top 30 in the national singles chart, peaking at #23 and spending eight weeks in those charts. TISM soon parlayed this success with their next single release Greg! The Stop Sign!!, which took its title
the station had truly started being embraced on a national level, and this airplay ultimately had a big impact on the record’s fortunes. Due to a fortunate turn of events TISM also found themselves getting simultaneously played on commercial radio – former triple j staffer Barry Chapman had been appointed CEO of the MMM network in May 1995, and he led the station’s bid to ditch the classic rock format and move closer to triple j’s “more contemporary sound”. Suddenly TISM had a toehold in every facet of Australian music radio, no mean feat, and one that – in conjunction with their still powerful live shows – had a positive flow-on effect in the marketplace. Machiavelli And The Four Seasons went on to spend 14 weeks in the Australian Top 40 album chart, peaking at #8 on 11 June, 1995. The album was certified Gold, meaning it shifted at least 35,000 copies. The album won TISM an ARIA in 1995 for Best Independent Release, and in typical fashion they had SBS football broadcaster Les Murray accept the award on their behalf and offer an acceptance speech in Hungarian, in the process answering the titular question posed in Machiavelli album track What Nationality Is Les Murray?. To top it all off three of the album’s tracks made it into triple j’s Hottest 100 – (He’ll Never Be An) Ol’ Man River (#9), Greg! The Stop Sign!! (#10) and All Homeboys Are Dickheads (#93) – something that wouldn’t have been even vaguely imaginable a mere 12 months earlier. THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 23
film
SOUND TO VISION Lionised for his work across a variety of spheres of composition, the visual arts, installations and music production, the classically-trained Thomas Köner draws his inspiration from the unlikeliest source, as Anthony Carew learns.
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laying violin at three, in youth orchestras at seven, Thomas Köner was being pushed towards a classical musical career. But he was drawn towards a different kind of sound. “Playing music at such an early age really attunes your skill of listening,” says Köner. “And, as a child, I always loved the sound of the freight cargo trains in the distance, in the night, when they were passing. It’s a very grey noise, with a very soft envelope and a very long fade in; this opaque, granular, cloudlike sonic quality. And then there was the very long fade out, an end that
was imperceptible. It was impossible to say when it faded wholly into the background, joined into the sounds of the cityscape. This is something that, still, years later, plays out in my compositions, these envelopes of sound where you can’t tell when something starts and when it ends.” Köner’s approach to music-making, in turn, was always experimental. His debut album, 1990’s Nunatak Gongamur, was entirely composed from recordings of gongs, which were then electronically treated. Whilst working as a film sound designer and editor, Köner would turn out a run of ambient and experimental records.
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But Köner’s most prolific output is scoring old silent films. After performing the collaborative piece, Alchemie, with film artist Jürgen Reble at the Louvre in 1994, Köner struck up a relationship with curator Philippe-Alain Michaud, and since being solicited for his first score (for Murnau’s Nosferatu), not a year has passed without a new commission, having performed alongside 28 films in 21 years. As part of this year’s Festival of German Films Köner will play a live score at screenings of Murnau’s 1926 film, Faust. “My hope is always to make the movie relevant again for a 21st-century audience. So much time has passed [that] it can be hard to get beyond the change of viewing habits, of narrative, of visual storytelling, of technology. During the set, you have to navigate the expectation of an audience, your own desires as a composer presenting something in a concert-like setting and, then, the film itself needs to shine; everything needs to come together.” Köner feels his scores are more personal, more revealing. “You’re much more stuck with your history, and your personal biography, than if you were just stuck in front of a blank canvas. With this silent film presentation we are doing, it’s a one hundred-year-old movie, it’s considered a masterpiece of this and that, there is so much context that you can really see the difference between it and what you are doing. What you are bringing to bear becomes so much clearer.” WHAT: Thomas Köner Plays Faust WHEN & WHERE: 23 May, Audi Festival Of German Films, Chauvel Cinema & Palace Norton Street; 25 May, AFGF, Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra
UP YOUR NOSE
Matt “Youngy” Young, frontman of madcap Melbourne bruisers King Parrot tells Brendan Crabb about walls of death, Phil Anselmo and repulsing his own mother.
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mong the sensations of this year’s Soundwave run were globe-trotting Melburnians King Parrot, whose thrashedup grind/death/punk attracted significant crowds despite early timeslots. However, vocalist Matt Young nearly didn’t survive to enjoy it. At the festival shows, the vocalist interactively incited “walls of death”, an activity since retired due to occupational hazards. “It probably wasn’t the smartest career move,” he laughs. “Obviously there’d been internet footage circulating... When we got to Brisbane, some little smart-arse dude just lined me up, took my legs out. I was in the wall of death, the wall of death crumbled and I was at the bottom of it. I actually thought I was going to die. Fortunately I went into beast mode, fucking started throwing people off me, and got the fuck out of there.” It’s one of the few things that haven’t turned up trumps for the road-dogs lately, although a recent tour van break-in during yet another exhausting US jaunt tested their mettle. “We were in a real hurry that day and we’d had fuck-all sleep as you usually do. We had to park about a mile away from where we were playing... It was Chicago, a big fucking crazy city. We just made a mistake. We left the safe in there and we should have taken it,” Young sighs. “It really sucks, but we decided that after speaking with our manager that we would
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ask our fans how they felt about donating. “People decided they wanted to help, and within about twenty-four hours we were so lucky that the money started trickling back. When we got to the point where we’d almost made the money back… Your faith in humanity has been restored. To go from the lowest of the low to having it completely restored within twentyfour hours was an incredible feeling.” Also boosting morale is second album, Dead Set, recorded by former Pantera and Down vocalist Phil Anselmo at his New Orleans NODferatu’s Lair studio. They’re also signed to his Housecore label
Stateside. “He doesn’t let you get away with any bullshit. He sat down with me and we went through pretty much every line, every word on the whole album. You try and get the best result; we wanted to work with the best people that we possibly could and Phil’s definitely that. It was cool for me to have someone like him advising me, pointing me in the right direction and saying, ‘That’s not cutting it, do it better, try doing it this way.’” King Parrot have unleashed a clip for Home Is Where The Gutter Is. “I showed my mum this morning, and she was almost dry-reaching. It was fucking hilarious.” Then, impersonating her. “‘Matthew, you didn’t do that?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah Mum, we did.’ So if I make my mum dry-reach I’m fucking happy.”
WHAT: Dead Set (EVP) WHEN & WHERE: 21 May, Magpies Belconnen, Canberra; 22 May, Corrimal Hotel, Wollongong; 23 May, Newtown Social Club; 24 May, The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
THU 14 MAY - 8PM
THE BUTTON COLLECTIVE FRI 15 MAY - 8PM
THE HP CORONADOS WITH ADAM PRINGLE
SAT 16 MAY - 8PM
THE WEIRD ASSEMBLY SUN 17 MAY - 3PM–6PM
COURTYARD SESSIONS
JENNA & ZANA 17 parramatta Rd. Annandale www.annandalehotel.com
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 25
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FURTHER TRAVELS Following the success of his 2007 supernatural action thriller Gabriel, Hollywood beckoned Australian filmmaker Shane Abbess. He didn’t warm to it, though, he tells Guy Davis.
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hile Abbess, whose successful action thriller, Gabriel, inevitably prompted the call from Hollywood, was attached to a variety of high-profile projects while there, including the Jake Gyllenhaal sci-fi adventure Source Code and a sequel to the Jim Henson fantasy, The Dark Crystal, “I left every project,” he admits. “When I say left, it’s because I was not happy with the parameters that were being established. Gabriel was successful and I had lots of offers, but in meetings with studios and producers I was hearing, ‘We want your vision for the
SHANE ABBESS WITH ACTOR DANIEL MACPHERSON
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film, Shane, as long as you do exactly what we want you to do the way we want you to do it and with the people we want you to do it with.’ I couldn’t deal with that; I had a very specific opinion about the way films should be made.” It sounds frustrating but it was also educational, providing Abbess a crash course in the ‘business’ side of show business. “I used my time over there to learn how you set yourself up, how you get a film off the ground and how to understand the marketplace right now.” And it paid off. Abbess is about to release his second film, the intense sciencefiction thriller, Inf ini.
Using a somewhat familiar set-up as its launch pad – a tough-as-nails search and rescue team dispatched to a deep-space mining facility to retrieve the lone survivor of a biological outbreak – Infini soon travels into some dark and unexpected territory. “Gabriel was a love letter to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and with this one I wanted to go back to ‘79 to ‘82 – a very specific period, a seminal period for genre material exploding into the mainstream.” Abbess cites the likes of Alien, Apocalypse Now, The Empire Strikes Back and John Carpenter’s The Thing as influential. “We wanted to draw from those inspirations, and then with the script it was about taking all the notes we received in Hollywood – you know, audiences need to have this certain thing at this particular point – and then not do that. The idea was to create expectations and by the time you get to the end of the film have you go, ‘Wow, what was that?’” Infini is now available via digital platforms such as iTunes and Google Play. Abbess says there were initially plans for a cinematic release prior to Infini being available through other platforms but on crunching the numbers he and his colleagues realised a video-on-demand release would be more cost-effective. And while he says he doesn’t want to get “too deep into the piracy debate,” he does have some strong words regards illegal downloading. “It’s fucking stealing. I know so many filmmakers who have made films people have loved but never paid for, and these guys literally work at car washes. They hear all the time, ‘Hey, when’s your next film coming out?’ Well, they can’t make another film because you didn’t pay for the first one.” WHAT: Infini Available digitally
TRAVELLING TOGETHER
Country icon Emmylou Harris has just crafted another record with her longtime friend and collaborator Rodney Crowell, and tells Steve Bell how the pair’s voices and lives have been intertwined for decades.
F
orty-odd years ago the paths of country vocalists and songwriters Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell crossed briefly, a meeting of voices and minds that would impact on both their lives for years to come. After a near lifetime of friendship and shared experiences, the pair released their first duet album together, Old Yellow Moon, back in 2013, and it went so well – receiving great critical acclaim and landing them a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album – that they decided to go back to the well, teaming up once more for new collection, The Traveling Kind. This time they’ve co-written some tracks for the record as well as covering genre standards. “The one that thing that Rodney really had in mind was that he wanted me to contribute more writing, and that we would write together – I’m always very satisfied to sing other people’s songs,” Harris offers with a giggle. “I do like to write on occasion, but he was very generous to pull me into that. It was a really good experience, and I think it added a little bit of a different thing. We’re not trying to change the world here; it’s me and Rodney singing songs together – there’s nothing new – but I think people enjoy seeing two people who just love singing together and who’ve been friends for a long time and make pretty good records.” Harris attests that the pair was buoyed by the response to Old Yellow Moon. “We loved the record and being able
26 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
to go out on the road and play and sing together like we had done in 1975, 1976 and 1977 before he made his first solo record. Rodney was so much a part of those early years for me, he helped put me on that trajectory that I’m kind of still benefitting from – Rodney was a really big part of that. We stayed friends – our lives have intersected – as we’ve both gone through marriages, divorces, births of children and now births of grandchildren and the loss of very dear friends. Our lives have intertwined as friends, and I think that’s maybe something that comes through on the record. And the music of course I believe is
really good, but I think there’s something else. People, as we get older, we realise how important friends are.” The pair is now bringing their wonderful voices to Australia, and Harris explains that the only downside to sharing a stage with Crowell is that they have so many songs between them that picking a set-list can be a nightmare. “Yeah, we go back obviously – we’ve got great material from the past in both our careers to pull from. Now the problem is going to be putting the new material in – we’re not Bruce Springsteen, we can’t play for three hours! I wish we could!” WHAT: The Traveling Kind (Nonesuch/Warner) WHEN & WHERE: 23 Jun, AIS Arena, Canberra; 27 Jun, The Star Event Centre; 28 Jun, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong To read the full interview head to theMusic.com.au
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 27
music
CLOSE BUT FAR
It’s been five years since Miles Away released an album, and the band is now a completely different beast. Vocalist Nick Horsnell tells Daniel Cribb why they needed to change.
P
erth hardcore legends Miles Away are as tight as ever with their new record, Tides, but in the time since they dropped 2010’s Endless Roads and now, they’ve undergone a massive transformation in terms of dynamics and relationships. “It’s been a good five years since the last album, so we’ve all kind of been all over the place just doing our own thing,” frontman Horsnell begins, ducking out of work for a quick chat. It’s been a while between records, but spending precious lunch minutes focusing
on band promo is a promising sign the passion’s still there. The past five years has seen Horsnell get married and buy a house, guitarist Adam Crowe move to Berlin and guitarist Cam Jose get a PhD and take up lecturing at university. “I guess our outlook on life in general has changed a little bit. We never started out to do [Miles Away] as a career or make money from it. It was always just a passion and just something we loved doing – and we still have that passion, it’s just we can’t give as much time as we used to – but when we do do it, it feels really good. “There’s times when you’re in a band when
music
you get a bit, not down, but you get a bit over it. Like you’re far away from home and like, ‘What am I doing here?’ To have that break and then come back, we’re really excited to play and write new music together; it’s really a refreshing feeling.” Recorded in the hardcore capital of the world, Boston, with renowned producer Jay Maas, Tide also sees Defeater drummer Andy Reitz behind the kit, with guest spots from Zach Jordan (Bane), Jamie Hay (A Death In The Family) and more. “When we were thinking about people we wanted to contribute to the album, it wasn’t like, ‘We want this guy ‘cause he’s the coolest thing right now; he’s the most influential guy right now,’ it’s just like, we really get along with that person and we love what they do and they’re kind of on the same wavelength as us so they can bring more to this album. It’s a reflection of people we’ve met doing this band and how lucky we are to have met those people as well.” Sonically, Tide follows strongly from Endless Roads – with hints of the band’s earlier material. When it comes to lyrics, at 35, Horsnell has taken a step back and assessed exactly what the band means to him at this stage. “I guess we grew up in the band and we’ve learnt a lot of life lessons through Miles Away. We were growing up through our twenties and then early thirties overseas and met a lot of our friends and now partners and really changed the direction of our lives, and the course of our lives. And music was a huge part of that, and I’m very, very grateful for that.” WHAT: Tide (Resist Records) WHEN & WHERE: 15 May, Red Rattler; 16 May, The Small Ballroom, Islington
ROAD WARRIORS Usually what happens on the road stays on the road, but The Milk Carton Kids have flipped that mantra, bringing you the whole thing in stereo. Joey Ryan explains the power of not being so precious to Steve Bell.
G
iven the immense success enjoyed by The Milk Carton Kids’ third album, 2013’s The Ash & Clay, it’s somewhat surprising they would want to meddle with the successful formula for its follow-up. That record’s mix of strong songwriting, authentic old-time instrumentation and soaring harmonies proved a massive winner in the Americana scene, eventually scoring the duo – Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale – a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album, as well as bringing home the prestigious Duo/Group Of The Year gong at the Americana Music Association Awards. When it came time to record the inevitable followup, they decided to take the pressure off and demystify the recording process by making it just another part of the daily itinerary while on the road. The result is new long-player Monterey, a wonderful collection that expands their palette without diluting their core appeal or authenticity. “The consideration of the fact that there was a modest audience that we could count on to at least listen to our new album seems not to have entered into the process of making the album at all,” Ryan reflects. “Once Kenneth and I get into the room together and start fighting about songs pretty much all other considerations go out the window except for just getting to the point 28 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
where we’re both happy with the thing. We did not give ourselves a mandate for what the songs should be about, but we did give ourselves a mandate for the way that we wanted to approach making the record, which was to get away from the preciousness and overly singular focus in making the record. We decided that we would do it on tour, where each day recording the album was just another thing we were doing that day, in addition to travelling, in addition to playing a show and in addition to soundchecking. We knew that we wanted to be not so precious about it as we’d been in the past.”
The pair’s economic set-up is part of their charm, but this also happened to abet the Monterey sessions perfectly. “Our entire set-up is just four microphones... That puts us in the unique position of being able to record ourselves everywhere, and as long as we’ve invested in the proper equipment there’s not an inherent difference between us recording on a stage and recording in a studio. There’s a really small amount of equipment we need to lug around in order to set up a really high-quality studio anywhere we go. We were playing for the first time in some really beautiful theatres and churches, and it seemed a waste not to capture the sounds of ourselves in those rooms.” WHAT: Monterey (Anti-/Warner) WHEN & WHERE: 28 Jun, City Recital Hall; 4 Jul, Bello Winter Music Festival, Bellingen To read the full interview head to theMusic.com.au
NDS THE INDUSTRY THE LOCALS THE B ES THE DJS THE GIGS THE PRODUCERS T MIXES THE ARTISTS THE FESTIVALS THE UMS THE TOURS THEMUSIC.COM.AU TH E INDUSTRY THE LOCALS THE BLOGS T HE GIGS THE PRODUCERS THE CLUBS T STS THE FESTIVALS THE GROUPIES THE A E FANS THE BANDS THE INDUSTRY THE DS THE INDUSTRY THE LOCALS THE BLO S THE DJS THE GIGS THE PRODUCERS TH IXES THE ARTISTS THE FESTIVALS THE G E INDUSTRY THE LOCALS THE BLOGS TH HE GIGS THE PRODUCERS THE CLUBS TH TS THE FESTIVALS THE GROUPIES THE A E FANS THE BANDS THE INDUSTRY THE HE ENCORES THE DJS THE GIGS THE PR
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★★★★ ½
album/ep reviews
HERMITUDE Dark Night Sweet Light
Sol Invictus
Elefant Traks/Inertia “No surprises here.” Normally that’s a searing indictment, the tale of a musician driven by inspiration, perspiration, occasional hesitation and perhaps a little medication who has failed to surprise us. The opposite is true for Hermitude. The fact that they’ve emerged with another multi-headed, dancefloor-destroying monster is utterly, gloriously, unsurprising.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
FAITH NO MORE
Album opener, Hijinx is a triumph of pacing and drama – euphoric squeals, buzzy bass and Dirty South circa-2000 chanting. It begins as a tour de force, then morphs into a reflective tick tock mini-song, before returning bigger and badder than ever. The Wiktionary defines hijinx as “tricky... behaviour”. This is the equivalent of Batman emptying his entire utility belt. Ukiyo is less piercing but equally groovy. Bermuda Bay and the aptly named Hazy Love provide a little respite for our dancing shoes, a little like
Reclamation/Ipecac/ [PIAS] Australia
finding a nice quiet spot to chat at the house party. Metropolis is the theme song to a Sega Megadrive game we wish we could play. Accessible, engaging Searchlight is brought back to close the album. End to end this is a compelling experience, one not to be missed lightly. When we discuss Sydney talent and locals we can be proud of, Hermitude are near enough the top of the list. Their fifth full-length is a complete work, no obvious flaws and a few moments of genuine magic. It’s at once free-flowing and intricately planned. That’s a near impossible balance to strike, but Hermitude have done it. Yes, no surprises here. James d’Apice
The last time Faith No More (FNM) had an album out, early adapters were buying “personal computers” so they could try this “internet” thing out. Eighteen years on, rock has evolved, naturally, and while praise was near universal during their reign, FNM’s legacy is now somewhat contentious, with modern hipsters digging more extreme flavours of metal and baulking at the rapping on Epic. Expectations have generally been high though, with two muscular comeback singles; the accountability tantrum Motherfucker; a timely reminder that no one snarls – or whispers for that matter – like Mike Patton, and Superhero, which confirms FNM’s guillotinesharp pop instincts remain intact. Current trends in metal are mostly ignored, but the band’s collective thirst for new territory, such as the spaghetti-
KING PARROT
SHAMIR
EVP Recordings
XL/Remote Control
One hundred percent grinding thrash. That’s the skinny on the new record from Melbourne five-piece King Parrot, who’ve shot to fame over the last year or two through a few funny music videos and a chaotic live show. Their efforts won the favour of none other than Phil Anselmo, who lent his hands, ears and studio to Dead Set. Grindcore is defined by its relative simplicity and no-nonsense approach, making it more difficult for bands within the genre to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps what allows King Parrot to do so is that, rather than join the myriad other bands constantly fusing and mismatching other genres in an attempt to create something unique and original, the Parrot have instead pushed the grindcore genre forward within itself: the record is chockfull of more aggression, more humour and more... more-ness.
Destined to completely dominate dancefloors, Shamir’s debut is an energetic explosion of irresistible party-starting beats. Just 20 years old, Shamir’s tunes capture a reckless, youthful energy that offers listeners a joyously affirming good time. Serving up an update on Fresh Prince of Bel Air cuteness, Shamir exists somewhere between the house of Chicago and the disco of New York. His androgynous vocals situate him within a triangle defined by Sylvester, Prince and Michael Jackson. Shamir kind of picks up where Azari & III left off but it would be disappointing if he didn’t generate the same kind of excitement MIA did when Piracy Funds Terrorism hit the streets.
Dead Set
While most grind bands sit either on the more metal or punk side of the spectrum, 30 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
★★★★
western atmospherics of Rise Of The Fall, is consistently present. While some have derided Patton’s eclectic array of projects and pined for something more radio-friendly, FNM’s neurotic melodrama – embellished once again by Patton’s operatics, which on Matador build from a hushed moan to a Godzilla roar – have always been more adventurous than, say, Tomahawk.
FNM’s jaded cynicism has only deepened over time and fits into today’s economically stagnant, rights trampling, Big Brother Is Watching You climate more so than in the ‘90s. So, ironically, FNM may be more relevant today than ever. Christopher H James
Ratchet
★★★½ Parrot swear allegiance to neither flag. One or two mid-paced numbers and some subdued intros keep the endless carnage from becoming all too much, but if you’re looking for an easy ride, you’re spinning the wrong disc. Demented vocals that leap from faster-than-a-bullet screeches to guttural moans lay over the noisy and distorted instrumental cacophony, with bass, drums and guitar lines all bleeding into each other, wrapped up with a decidedly Australian sense of humour. Dead Set proves that, aside from an infamous live show and hilarious film clips, King Parrot can also pen killer tunes. Cameron Cooper
Comparisons to Hercules & Love Affair seem inevitable, but Shamir is less of a shrieking disco diva and a whole lot more funky. Demonstrating his versatility, Shamir seamlessly works minimal techno soul,
★★★★½ gospel and R&B into a vibrant life-affirming mix with a sweet rubbery bounce. He raps On The Regular with plenty of streetwise attitude in a way that recalls Azealia Banks, but he’s definitely not a Le1f wannabe. Shamir goes further, dealing out more soulful vocals on cuts like Youth, which blossoms into euphoric gospel. Even when Shamir gets reflective, on Darker, his cracked falsetto hits hopeful, optimistic notes that shine a light on difficult times. Shamir’s instantly likeable debut proudly aims to show us a blinding good time. After all, life is for living and not drifting away to all the mellow fluff that’s currently passing for popular music. Guido Farnell
album/ep reviews
★★★
BRANDON FLOWERS The Desired Effect Island/Universal Flowers comes out all guns blazing on his second foray in solo guise. Dreams Come True really does echo the opening track’s moniker in lyric and in content – it’s all brassy motifs and rejoicing vocals – but it’s hard to predict how Flowers will break the moulds created by The Killers and his 2010 solo outing further along. There are tracks like Can’t Deny My Love, for instance, that risk being far too ironic with glossy vocals and ‘80s synths, while Still Want You and others mix gospel with Caribbean percussion for a bit of deviation. Carley Hall
★★★½
DARTS
Below Empty & Westward Bound Rice Is Nice The Pixies-high slacker rock punch that permeated Darts’ early sounds still casts a shadow over their debut album. The Frank Black incursions come from frontman Angus Ayres’ maniacal vocal manoeuvrings on tracks like Push You Thru and quasi-title-track Westward Bound. The angular maelstrom takes a sojourn into latter-day Modest Mouse territory from Pony Up, especially on the mariachi drumroll-led Dead. These reference points aren’t derogatory, and are countered by the languid Aeroplane and laconic yet propulsive closer, My Darling Bendingo, which lend gravitas to the off-the-wall histrionics.
★★★★
★★★½
HOT CHIP
PAUL WELLER
Domino/EMI
Parlophone/Warner
Hot Chip have something for your mind, your body and your soul. The title and plain album cover seemed to suggest a more serious, sombre affair after their last album, but the British electronic septet has given us yet another innovative, nuanced release. “You make my heart feel like it’s my brain,” Alexis Taylor sings on Started Right, summarising the band’s earnest approach to musicmaking. There are highlights, from the tender White Wine And Fried Chicken and the sublime Need You Now, to the joyful Easy To Get. Hot Chip still grapple with the big issues.
Right here, right now, let’s stop calling Paul Weller ‘The Modfather’. No disrespect to his monumental success with The Jam in the ‘70s, but comparing Saturns Pattern to his classic output is akin to saying the new Harley Davidson Livewire Electric is just like a Vespa. With psychedelic busybodies Amorphous Androgynous noodling the furious White Sky and bluegrass reeds weaving through In The Car (surely earning a respectful nod from Jack White), this is very much a modern record drawing on a galaxy of musical influences. Weller hasn’t sounded this gutsy in years.
Why Make Sense?
Roshan Clerke
Saturns Pattern
Mac McNaughton
Brendan Telford
MORE REVIEWS
themusic.com.au/music/album-reviews
★★★½
SAUN & STARR Look Closer
Daptone/Shock Sharon Jones’ backing vocalists, Saundra Williams and Starr Duncan Lowe, step into the spotlight in fine style with the release of their much anticipated debut album. Recording with The Dap-Kings, these Dap Queens naturally revel in the vintage sounds of the soulful ‘60s. There’s a deep, smoky smoothness to Saun’s vocals while Starr’s astonishing range soars across the mix on tunes like Hot Shot. Duetting across much of this album, their voices come together seamlessly, the luscious sweetness of their gospel-inspired harmonies hitting the sweet spot. A fine collection confidently dealt with plenty of passion. Guido Farnell
★★★½
★★★½
THE MILK CARTON KIDS
NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS
Anti-/Warner
Goliath Enterprises/Kobalt
On stage Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan offset their earnest folk music with self-effacing humour, yet their albums are wholly musical affairs that have in the past found them lacking personality and spirit. Monterey corrects that somewhat with their strongest songwriting to date but that depth of character is still missing, preventing the album from becoming truly compelling. Their calling card remains their dynamic acoustic guitar playing, their sublime near-telepathic vocal harmonies and their ability to conjure a yearning ache in their voices akin to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Bad Seeds co-conspirators Nick Cave and Warren Ellis have created another haunting score, this time for Loin Des Hommes, a French film adaptation by director David Oelhoffen of Albert Camus’ short story, The Guest. Experienced in isolation, without the film, the soundtrack works as a tensionfilled, primarily instrumental collection of pieces using piano, violin, droning tones and some electronica to create a feeling of both beauty and dread. The pair, composing soundtracks for over a decade now, have developed a unique style of dark and drifting moods and experimental otherworldliness continued here.
Monterey
Chris Familton
Loin Des Hommes
In Hearts Wake – Skydancer Surfer Blood – 1000 Palms Urban Cone – Polaroid Memories Ceremony – The L-Shaped Man Oisima – Nicaragua Nights Barbarossa – Imager Guantanamo Baywatch – Darling… It’s Too Late The Helio Sequence – The Helio Sequence Holly Herndon – Platform
Chris Familton THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 31
live reviews
GROOVIN THE MOO
Maitland Showground 9 May Maitland’s Groovin The Moo was far from a parade that was to be rained on! Even its staff and law-enforcement seemed to feed off Mother Nature’s blessings in the name of music. Its lead-up was open to chance with the week prior being the wettest the area had seen in years. Barricades separated the drinkers from those underage, reminiscent of a hobbyfarm as steel fencing sank into muddy ground. The underage occasionally peered over, fantasizing about
sounded like Pavarotti for Leave Your Windows Open, with an a cappella beginning that captured every soul watching. The man has serious skill. However, it was his version of Scribe’s Not Many that proved the climactic point of this set. Sticky Fingers defied genres for most of their set, liberating them from musical confinement. A pseudo-reggae sound at times had the young and the old rejoicing. Lead singer Dylan Frost used his raspy pipes to play through their set-list but had little more to say to the crowd. That lack of connection with the audience was in stark contrast to what The Preatures dished out. Frontwoman Isabella Manfredi was a woman possessed by her craft and her commitment to entertain. Manfredi displayed
THE PREATURES @ GROOVIN THE MOO. PIC: JOSH GROOM
spending $10 on a cup full of watered-down garbage. Meg Mac’s Grandma’s Hands beamed in clear sound from the stage, its lyrics in an interesting juxtaposition to a sea of young hands in the air. Back at the more restrictive encasement that was The Moolin Rouge DMA’s inspired a ‘90s ‘geezer renaissance’: tracksuits, bucket hats and Beastie Boys-inspired infection suits appealed to fans of Trainspotting. There was a noticeable shift in energy as hip hop ensemble One Day got off to a pumping start. A medley-style set was well received as the attention spans of festival-goers rarely seemed to sustain for a full track. Joyride may have looked like a gangster Mr T with his flat-top hair cut and chains but 32 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
DMC; some fundamental rules of mixing were broken but you couldn’t argue with tunes that brought a festival to climax. The crowd was commanded to do a modern-day Mexican wave of spirit fingers for their popular track Maybe. Blink182’s What’s My Age Again finished the set, abruptly ending with a tapping-out sound and a nice bit of anarchy in EDM. Musical defiance gained more traction as Peaches opened her set to a modest crowd. Proving that age does not limit her exhibitionist side, sexual paraphernalia – a giant inflatable condom for Shake Yer Dix – and theatre rocked all notions of a ‘comfort zone’. For a set with this much shock factor, it was only natural to have its master get on the decks and send everyone off screaming
HERMITUDE @ GROOVIN THE MOO. PIC: ANGELA PADOVAN
an untrammeled sense of purpose. A tongue-in-cheek interactive cover of The Angels’ Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again got the crowd so amped, she placed one hand to her ear and encouraged that infamous Australian response (“No way get fucked, fuck off.”) On leaving the main stage one could hear San Cisco’s Awkward in the distance, as people bottle-necked their way to their next timetable preference: this scribe’s being Carmada. The Star Wars theme opened for the energetic electronic duo. As it was the eve of Mother’s Day one of their mums came out to the decks to give well wishes to a maxed capacity tent. Bouncing was taken to another level when Charli XCX made a cameo; hip hop beats glided over a dubstep back drop, AC/DC over Run
“DICK, DICK, DICK” while the condom flapped in the wind. A performance filled with that much innuendo surely would make you want a $17 yiros – basically some hot chips stuffed into some grade-Z ‘meat’ in pita bread. You could find it on the way to Hermitude. Two massive blocks spanned across the two main stages and all the way up to outlying fences; it was like one of those army scenes where soldiers form perfect blocks when brought to halt. Speak Of The Devil was the set’s highlight, complete with notable scratching skills, but with that many keen people in new darkness its energy was too inconsistent. Back over at Hot Dub Time Machine it was evident this was no DJ of the Year, but man, his set was fun – ‘90s samples, balloon drops and
glitter bombs distracted from disruptive transitions. It was sensory overload. To finish with Owl Eyes featuring on Flight Facilities’ Clair de Lune seemed only fitting. As much as it was perfection, it was a little tiring, this whole “artist feature artist” notion that was prevalent throughout the day. Nonetheless the festival’s energy and the vibe of the whole day negated any repetition. Good job, Maitland! Hayley May Casey
PEACHES
Max Watt’s House Of Music 8 May Peaches, aka Merill Beth Nisker, rocked up on stage in all her mighty glory wearing a full
CHARLI XCX @ GROOVIN THE MOO. PIC: JENNIFER OAKES
bodysuit covered in sequinned handprints, bright pink body armour and a sequinned cape with shoulder pads practically larger than her head. She started with Show Stopper before delving into Rub, Operate and Talk To Me, where her gender-bending backup dancers emerged wearing full-sized animated vagina costumes, wiggling, shaking and groovin’ about on stage while Peaches sang of vaginoplasty and pranced around, baring her teeth and even jumping into the audience to crowd-surf. She emerged with bottles of champagne, shook them up and shot them into the crowd before taking a swig herself, and spraying it back into the crowd in classic Peaches fashion. Halfway though the show her dancers returned to the stage wearing nothing but fishnets,
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 33
live reviews knee-high Converses and tank tops that read ‘WHOSE JIZZ IS THIS’, bound together by leather handcuffs, dribbling and vomiting neon glow paint onto themselves. The night somehow ended up at a slightly awkward stage, Peaches stopping the show in a seemingly desperate and somewhat tacky attempt to start selling T-shirts from the stage, fanny pack and all. This appealed to the more hardcore, enthusiastic fans lucky enough to have their tee rubbed up on her chest and crotch before she threw them into the crowd. Ending with Back It Up, Boys and Shake Yer Dix, Peaches reaffirmed her rock star status. Promising more than just a performance, she consistently pushes the boundaries of
Cupcake, was received well by the crowd, along with her vocal performance and friendly banter; a joy to witness. There can be no bigger buzz Australian artist of this year than Courtney Barnett. Her debut album has propelled her into the Ellen Show zone and given her justified popularity overseas and, finally, in her home nation as well. This was the second of two sold-out shows at the Metro for the Melbourne songstress, but you wouldn’t have seen any nerves. Barnett’s on-stage demeanour is one of shyness and almost embarrassment. That is, until she begins to play. She comes alive during her songs, possessed by the guitardriven melodies, the songs of everyday life, particularly tracks like Pedestrian At Best, Debbie
PEACHES @ MAX WATT’S HOUSE OF MUSIC. PIC: CLARE HAWLEY
gender identity and aggressively confronts the traditional concepts of sexuality. This is one show not to be missed. Tanya Bonnie Rae
COURTNEY BARNETT, TEETH & TONGUE
Metro Theatre 8 May Teeth & Tongue, although starting as a solo venture for vocalist and songwriter Jess Cornelius, has grown to a fivepiece tonight. Her presence as a performer has developed and the songs from her album, Grids, of last year fitted well on the bigger stage of The Metro Theatre. The new single, 34 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
Qantas Credit Union Arena 9 May Alt-J have certainly gone places in the last two years. When they first dropped in, the humble folks at the Oxford Art Factory hosted them. Having had a Mercury Prize win and numerous Brit Award noms, they had no trouble filling the Qantas Arena this time around, and even nabbed Icelandic crooner Ásgeir for support. Natch. Young local crew Mansionair delivered a decent set of their material that got a bit lost in the lofty arena space. Hold Me Down, with its wonky synths,
COURTNEY BARNETT @ METRO THEATRE. PIC: JOSH GROOM
Downer and a rousing cover of The Breeders’ Cannonball. Barnett ironically draws attention with her casual, down-to-earth attitude. She doesn’t talk much and when she does it almost feels awkward, like she’s not sure what to say. So she lets her guitar do the talking, and we don’t mind. Her vocal delivery seems to almost come out as a drawl sometimes, but if you really watch, you can see she knows what she’s doing and doesn’t miss a beat. “I’m just trying really hard to make you, notice me being around,” she sang, solo, covering The Lemonheads, their cheeky lyrics suitably matching her own. Pickles From The Jar rounded out a perfectly rounded set. We’ve noticed you, Courtney, and we hope you’ll stick around. Mick Radojkovic
ALT-J, ÁSGEIR, MANSIONAIR
Alt-J scrubbed the slate clean. Just quickly, for those who aren’t familiar with their sound, think of a vibrant combination of Bowie, Fleet Foxes and Battles, and you’re in the vicinity. The huge lighting set-up (simple concept/excellent execution) was awesome, casting brilliant reds and blues from several massive bars stretching across the stage. Their strange angular songs bounced and dipped, and their bluesy breaks rattled chest cavities. The harmonies were on point and their dynamic bombast and subtle yet complicated rhythms ticked along nicely. It was an excellent performance that was exciting and incredibly well received. It was art-pop full of swagger, and we can’t wait for them to come back. Matt MacMaster
ALT-J @ QANTAS CREDIT UNION ARENA. PIC: CLARE HAWLEY
minimalist late night guitar atmospherics and haunting falsetto sounded good, but ultimately the energy they generated evaporated once the internationals took over. Ásgeir played with all the personality and stage presence of a bowl of cold porridge. His delicate brand of saccharine synth-pop was ill-suited for an arena setting, and was not aided by the huge crowd chatting away in the pit below. There was no effort to connect with an obviously largely indifferent audience, and as he and his musicians all just stood there mumbling and noodling away at their instruments it got stale super quick. If they were excited or invested it didn’t show. Shuffling down the street listening to them on your headphones? Sure. Live in front of thousands of people? Nope.
MORE REVIEWS
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BACKSTREET BOYS @ ALLPHONES ARENA. PIC: ROHAN ANDERSON
Everclear @ Metro Theatre Paloma Faith @ Sydney Opera House Suffocation @ Manning Bar Peace @ Oxford Art Factory
SCF reviews
RAY BADRAN: RHYS NICHOLSON: RAISED & CONFUSED FORWARD
STEEN RASKOPOULOS: CHARACTER ASSASSIN
SCF
SCF
Enmore Laneway, Enmore Theatre (finished)
Wild Oats Wine Bar, Enmore Theatre to 16 May
★★★ ½
★★★ ★
The self-confessed man child/gentleman boy performed his stand-up show in a room full of about 40-odd people and was pretty damn funny. Badran is honest, observant, self-deprecating and he more than proved himself a witty and worthy comedian. He spoke of his experiences being banned from eBay, meeting ‘The Hoff ’ dressed in matching gorilla suits, and being referred to and known as ‘Graham’ as his local café.
From Nicholson’s look to his stage presence and delivery, it’s easy to accept this comedian will leave a legacy. Nicholson took his audience on a journey through life’s ups and downs from a 20-something, gay man’s Gen Y perspective. He summed up his generation’s narcissism and inability to put in a hard day’s work, giving insights into working shit jobs, as well as dating in the gay world, including many a penis joke.
Thatcher’s Cider House, Factory Theatre (finished)
Tanya Bonnie Rae
Kassia Aksenov
Sean Maroney
NEEL KOLHATKAR: TRUTH BE TOLD
TOMMY DASSALO: CUTIE PIE
Thatcher’s Cider House, Factory Theatre (finished)
Container, Factory Theatre (finished)
RONNY CHIENG: YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
SCF
SCF
★★★★
★★★★ ½ Kolhatkar delivered a stellar performance for his last show of the Sydney Comedy Festival. His jokes were clever and well thought-out, touching on gender stereotypes and throwing in a little sneak attack feminism to kick things up a notch and adding something to his shows most other comedians lack; class and maturity far beyond his years.
A not-so-full Container did nothing to dampen the boyish charm of Tommy Dassalo, bounding onto the stage with the gusto of a performer strutting onto a stage 20 times the size. Dassalo delighted the crowd with tales from his boyhood, complete with his first experience of jokethievery from a classmate and his literally uncontainable excitement for the new Nintendo 64. His drawings broke up the hour and capped off stellar punch lines.
Tanya Bonnie Rae
Paul McWhirter
SCF
★★★ ★★ Raskopoulos is the man to see. You’re never a bystander at his shows, the entire audience hooting with encouragement and moaning with laughter. He inhabits characters from Greek Orthodox Priest to a rap battle MC with style; a master storyteller.
SCF
Enmore Theatre to 15 May
★★★★ ½ Ronny Chieng is quick, casual and sharp. His multicultural background is the basis for his delivery, but he makes it relatable to everyone. His set plays up his awards and trolling Twitter followers. There’s anything but ego here though, as Chieng makes you feel like you’ve known him for years. Mick Radojkovic
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36 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
the guide
SKA VS ROCKABILLY @ SYDNEY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL & ALTERNATIVE MARKET The Sydney Rock ‘N’ Roll & Alternative Market returns to Manning House and Bar at Sydney University this Sunday. Aside from clothing, accessories, posters, homewares, retro hair and make-up stylists, vinyl, cult DVDS and more, you can catch a Ska Vs. Rockabilly musical line-up featuring the likes of The Rocksteady Ratpack, The Detonators, Backy Skank and The Cruisin’ Deuces with DJs Limpin’ Jimmy & The Swingin Kitten, Wally Wally, Andy Travers and The Crimplenes. Pictured: Zane Banks (The Cruisin’ Deuces) and Carol Bernhard (The Rocksteady Ratpack). Pic: Josh Groom THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 37
eat/drink steph@themusic.com.au
PIZZA PLZ
EATIN’ OUT MAD PIZZA E BAR
Cold hands? Get some hot pizza on ‘em. Best slices around town. Pic: Ryan Brabazon
Address: Various sites in the Eastern Suburbs and Newtown/NSW Answered by: William Matthews What’s one food you can’t live without? Pizza.
HOT SPOT THE PIZZA BOX – 12/41 BOURKE RD, ALEXANDRIA
Chianti’s Ristorante – Kellyville Plaza, 18/50 Wrights Rd, Kellyville
paella pizza), vegans and vegos are totally looked after here, too.
Classic, gourmet, calzone – Chianti’s does them all, woodfired. Try the La Vera pizza: pizza sauce, woodfire roasted eggplant, sundried tomato, marinated artichokes, fresh spinach, black olives, mozzarella and bocconcini cheese. For fusion fans, there’s a tandoori chicken and a satay chicken pizza too.
Pizza Birra – 1/500 Crown St, Surry Hills
Mad Pizza E Bar – various locations The super thin pizza base these guys do means you get less filler and more killer (toppings). Also, there’s a $30 allyou-can-eat special for bookings of ten people or more, plus a bunch of other great deals. If you love out-of-the-ordinary pizzas, you’ll love their menu (lamb shanks on the Tibia pizza; a 38 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
The Frutti di mare is a seafood lovers’ dream: mussels, clams, scallops, calamari, prawns, oregano and chilli. If you wanna spoil yourself, go for one of the new gourmet pizzas: Fiore, with mozzarella, zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, anchovies, sundried cherry tomatoes. Plus, all you can eat pizza for $20 on Monday nights. *prayer hands emoji*
Salt Meats Cheese in Alexandria has been famous in recent times for its vast array of fine produce that blends your average food and grocery market with a more engaging experience for the customer – cooking classes, taste tests and all. And their newest venture might be their biggest success yet. Sydney’s newest pizzeria, aptly named The Pizza Box, has been installed in to the food warehouse. Shipped all the way from Naples, the woodfire pizza oven is nestled in to a open ten foot shipping container on display for all customers to see. Food lovers can literally watch their pizza be made by the talented chefs on hand from start to finish – from a lump of dough to a warm crisp slice on their plate. The aim has been to add a creative retouch on the traditional and it shows. A perfect example is the specialty, the lobster pizza, which is a must, as it combines the tasty crustacean with fontina, mozzarella and garlic oil. Other standouts include unique spins on the wagyu and margarita pizzas. The Pizza Box is open seven days a week from 6 to 10pm. Words Neil Griffiths
What is an ingredient you couldn’t live without? Fior de latte white cheese is amazing on pizza. What food fad do you see being popularised next? North Korean burgers. What’s the design/atmosphere of your restaurant? Relaxed yet pumping. Design and atmosphere is towards your busy local Italian pizza joint. Friendly and all welcome, fun is front and centre. Who is serving/cooking and what makes them special? Tristian Hope is the co-owner and executive chef of the group. As mad as a cut snake and as much fun as New Year’s Day, he runs his teams with love and big bear bugs to get them through the busy times; not scared of enjoying himself and infectious to all around him. What should I order when I come down? Queen Margherita Pizza with olives and anchovies; simple and soo soo good. The share plate is awesome and goes well with lots of vino and juicy gossip with your best mate who is a bitch. Website for more info: madpizzaebar.com
AROUND THE WORLD Here are some ways pizzas have mutated. Japan: Mochi pizza, with a crust made from mochi (rice) cakes. Tabasco sauce is a common condiment for pizzas. Pakistan: Chicken Tikka and Achari Chicken Pizzas are popular. India: Local pizzas are generally spicier and have more vegetable toppings. Malta: Kebabpizza. Yeah, what it sounds like: tomato sauce, mozzarella, onion, green peppers, doner kebab and kebab sauce. Scotland: Deep-fried pizza. Also known as pizza supper of pizza crunch.
the guide nsw.live@themusic.com.au
LIVE THIS WEEK
CHART WRAP
NEXT STOP: EUROPE
IN THE FOREST
RAE OF LIGHT
If you’ve never seen a guy play honky tonk piano on a “guitar”, you have to check out Claude Hay, the piano featured on new single, Crossfire, Friday at Lazybones Lounge and Sunday at Sydney Blues & Roots Festival, Windsor.
Melbourne folksters Forest Falls have a newly released single, Hounds, and a second EP of the same name due out soon after, on 1 May. The sixpiece celebrate with a tour that takes in Bondi Bowling Club, Thursday; The Gaelic, Saturday.
Jasmine Rae has released her new album Heartbeat, and is playing some shows in support. She brings her soul, country sound to Lizottes Newcastle, Thursday; Casino Canberra, Friday; and Rooty Hill RSL, Saturday.
#PINNING
PINK & PURE
FEEL THAT HAIR
“Leisure Coast” rockers The Pinheads have released the first single, I Wanna Be A Girl, and launch it Thursday at Oxford Art Factory, Saturday at Rad Bar, Wollongong, and an all-ager Sunday at Finbox in Wollongong.
CCE’s 11th annual ‘The Great Gig In The Sky’ Pink Floyd tribute night returns to The Basement on Thursday and Friday. Witness The Voice’s Mitch Anderson, The Widowbirds’ Simon Meli and more performing.
The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) alumni production company, Exclaim, is presenting their interpretation of the classic ‘60s anti-Vietnam War theatre experience, Hair: The Musical, 15 – 17 & 22 – 24 May at Australia Hall in the City.
GOOD PLAN
BOUNTY BUNTER
PUT A BIBBY ON
Having reached their crowdfunding target on PledgeMusic, The Getaway Plan are in the studio laying down their new album, Dark Horses. In the meantime, they hit up Newtown Social Club, Saturday and Sunday.
The Cyril B Bunter Band play Towradgi Beach Hotel on Sunday, with Chris Wilson supporting. The Bunters are celebrating the re-release of their sole studio album Mad Money In High Places, available for purchase at the show.
Scallywag Peter Bibby is playing at Newtown Social Club this Thursday with The Dandelion and Big Dingo on support duty. Check out his newie from last year Butcher/Hairstylist/ Beautician in a live setting.
BUDDY, NOT PEABODY
ART ATTACK
GROOVY, BABY
When he’s not fronting Peabody, Bruno Brayovic is Buddy Glass and fronts The Wise Childs. Glass is showcasing debut LP, Buddy Glass, Thursday at The Junkyard, Maitland, and Friday at Six String Brewery Company, Holgate.
The Art are touring off the back of their latest single, Dead Inside. The group play Wednesday, Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle; Friday, Sweaty Betty’s, Miranda; and Saturday, Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong.
Craig Calhoun is set to launch his new album Groovology at Jam Gallery on Saturday. It’s a record of songs written in the ‘80s yet sound like they belong right here, right now. Embrace the funk resurgence.
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MIAMI HORROR
Resurgent Melburnian electrowhizzes Miami Horror have stormed back into the popular consciousness with second album, All Possible Futures, walking away with the #3 spot and highest entry point of any new act on this week’s Album rankings on the Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts. The album marks the Sometimes scribes’ first new work since their 2010 debut, Illumination, and manages to knock fellow second effort, Gracetown, by San Cisco, down a peg to #4. Rick Price’s Tennessee Sky – the only other new face on the full-length ladder this week – comes in just below but still strongly, at #5. Respective top-two album placeholders Sia (1000 Forms Of Fear) and Courtney Barnett (Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit) remain for another week unassailable in their positions, with additional consistency across weeks coming courtesy Sticky Fingers’ backto-back effort (still Land Of Pleasure at #7, Caress Your Soul at #8), and Colin Hay’s Next Year People, which stays solid at #14. Sia’s hat-trick atop the Singles chart comes undone this week, with Hermitude’s The Buzz, featuring Mataya and Young Tapz, jumping three spots to wedge itself in at #2, sending Sia’s Elastic Heart and Chandelier down a spot each to #3 and #4 respectively, though Big Girls Cry remains untouched at #1. It’s not like Sia’s had a bad week, however; latest single Fire Meet Gasoline makes its entry at #10 this week, a few places behind fellow debutante Gemini (#7), by What So Not. Meanwhile, Ta-Ku rounds out the week’s fresh faces with Love Again newly charting at #20. THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 39
the guide nsw.live@themusic.com.au
LIVE THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES… KING PARROT Dead Set EVP THE MILK CARTON KIDS Monterey Anti-/Warner THE HELIO SEQUENCE The Helio Sequence Sup Pop/Inertia HERMITUDE Dark Night Sweet Light Elefant Tracks/Inertia 40 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
BAIN OF MY LIFE
ANIMAL SOUNDS
ADAM’S ARK
This Thursday, rootsy rocker Morgan Bain will show off his emotive tunes and toe-tappers at Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice. It’s aural storytelling at its finest.
Cult Melbourne act Jericco are celebrating the release of their new album Machine Made The Animal with a national, tour, which is coming to Bald Faced Stag on Saturday.
On Sunday at The Vanguard, Adam Gibson & The ArkArk Birds’ launch their new album, Australia Restless. It’s all tunes about loves, lives and houses lost. Special guest Mick Thomas supports.
ROCKA-BY-BILLY
GOOD TRAVELZ
X-RAY EYES
Rockabilly Thursday is on this week at Rock Lily, from 8pm until late. The Drey Rollan Band will headline, while Limpin’ Jimmy and Swingin’ Kitten support. Show ya moves and maybe you’ll win a prize.
On Friday at Coogee Diggers, see Travelaz playing two sets from 8pm. Travelaz blend reggae, trip hop, dub, Latin and electro. With all their members from diverse backgrounds and heritages, they bring an eclectic and unique sound.
On Friday, get your dose of post punk at Valve Bar, with Soviet X-Ray Record Club hitting the stage. They’ll be supported by Sounds Like Winter, DJ Action Ant, DJ Kafka and more.
RUB-A-DUB-DUB
DREAMLANDIN’
He dubs himself the ‘world’s first time travelling dance party’ and if the masses are anything to go by, he is a hit wherever he goes. And now Hot Dub Time Machine hits Metro Theatre, Saturday.
Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders are celebrating their newie Playmates, released late last year. They continue riding the huge wave when they come to Oxford Art Factory on Saturday.
WHAT THE HEART MONTS
THE HORROR
OOH HOT DAMN
ROCK’N’SOUL
Wollongong alt-rockers The Crimson Horror are releasing their debut EP Only Pop Can Save You Now. They launch it at Rad Bar, Wollongong on Wednesday, with Latham’s Grip, Postmentalist and Alison’s Disease joining the fun.
Keen to get the weekend going a little early? Hot Damn! at Spectrum on Thursday sees Justice For The Damned, Before Ciada, Countdown To Armageddon and Series take to the stage.
At Brass Monkey on Friday, it’s the Sydney Rock & Soul Review featuring Sally King, Ward’s Xpress and Sametribe. They’ll be bringing you the best rock and soul music from the ‘60s through to the ‘80s.
If you’ve been fangin’ for some country, The McClymonts might be playing a show near you: Friday, Young Services Club; and Saturday, The Cube, Campbelltown.
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EP FOCUS
ALBUM FOCUS and master. The songs were originally written in 1983.
CLINT BOGE
CRAIG CALHOUN
Pyke, Pete Murray and other solo acoustic artists.
EP title? Songs Of A Delicate Nature How many releases do you have now? As a solo artist just the one but overall I have released more than ten separate works.
Album title? Groovology
Website link for more info? clintboge.com
Where did the title of your new album come from? Funk and groove, what I’m best known for in America, Europe and Australia with my original funk bands from the ‘70s, ‘80s and current, The Brothers Of Oz. Groovology: the concept of groove... my roots.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The simple fact of working on my solo material after years in bands was not only inspiring but it was a very liberating and cathartic experience also.
ALBUM FOCUS
Album title? Before Before Where did the title of your new album come from? I need a hundred words for this one. How many releases do you have now? Two. How long did it take to write/ record? We recorded most of it at the same time as our last one, River Mirrors, so around seven or eight days. The songs were taken out of a pool of looser/ noisier collected over the years. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? I’d been putting out solo records
Will you do anything differently next time? I’m very happy with this album. Maybe next time feature other guests artists. When and where is your launch/ next gig? Groovology launches 16 May, Jam Gallery.
How long did it take to write/ record? This album, Groovology, took four weeks to record, mix
We’ll like this EP if we like... Angus & Julia Stone, Josh
Answered by: Jamie Hutchings
What’s your favourite song on it? Heartbreaker.
Website link for more info? craigcalhounmusic.com
How many releases do you have now? Two previous independent releases: Ain’t It Funky Vol 1 and Ain’t It Funky Vol 2.
What’s your favourite song on it? Bone Yard.
INFINITY BROKE
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson’s song Uptown Funk shining a spotlight on the resurgence of funk to the mainstream. Discovering cassette tapes of my songs from 1983 that sound so current today.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO
with the other guys helping out. Those records were in another musical language, a more restrained one. This was inspired by letting stuff erupt more. Colonic irrigation. What’s your favourite song on it? It changes all the time. I think maybe Dogfall. Will you do anything differently next time? That’s always the point for us in taking the time to make an album: the opportunity to try something different. When and where is your launch/next gig? 30 May, Factory Floor with Yes I’m Leaving and The Maladies. S U P P O R T I N G
THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY Answered by: Joseph Calderazzo Why should punters visit you? This is a show that we put together to play some tunes that we know and love. The nature of the music tends to make it more of a spectacle rather than a gig. What’s the history of the event? It’s an annual show and we’re now in our 11th year.
Do you have any plans for the event in the future? We’d like to tour this show interstate in 2016. When and where for your next event? 14 & 15 May, The Basement; 16 May, Laycock Street Theatre, Woy Woy; 23 May, Sutherland Entertainment Centre. Website link for more info? thegreatgiginthesky.net
Any advice for f irst timers who want to visit the event? Bring your crash helmet and be prepared to be tingling for the next couple of days. I N D E P E N D E N T
A U S S I E
MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 41 M U STHE I C
opinion OG FLAVAS
THE HEAVY SHIT
URBAN AND R&B NEWS WITH CYCLONE
METAL AND HARD ROCK WITH CHRIS MARIC
For years Australia was virtually barren when it came to soul music. Deni Hines had modest success in the ‘90s – and charmed the Brits. Today things are very different. There are performers such as The Bamboos laying down rare groove, while others, notably Chet Faker, craft ambient electronic soul. Darwin’s (underrated) Sietta straddle ‘90s R&B and post-dubstep. However, our most flamboyantly triumphant act has to be Melbourne’s Hiatus Kaiyote, fronted by singer/songwriter/ guitarist Nai Palm. The quartet premiered with 2012’s buzzy Tawk Tomahawk, encompassing their nu-jazz break-out Nakamarra, on Bandcamp before signing to Flying Buddha, a US label devised by superproducer Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse) under the umbrella of Sony Music Masterworks. Hiatus Kaiyote would become the first Australian act to be nominated for a Grammy in an R&B category with a fresh version of Nakamarra featuring Q-Tip – prestigious, indeed. Since then, Palm has cameo’d on Taylor McFerrin’s Early Riser on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder. Now, following 2014’s EP By Fire, Hiatus Kaiyote return with the wondrous Choose Your Weapon – led by the lush, Stevie Wonderinspired single, Breathing Underwater. The collective have experimented with classic synths, ensuring that their artisan music is futuro (retro + future) – but it’s also ever more psychedelically boho. Choose… could be the progressive rock equivalent of a neo-soul LP. Palm writes eccentrically whimsical songs about monsters (the D’Angeloesque funk Swamp Thing) and video games, as well as life experiences. Don’t sleep.
HIATUS KAIYOTE
42 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015
MÖTLEY CRÜE
Ok, it’s Mötley Crüe time. This is it, they’re here this week and then it’s curtains. They’ll never come back and will hang it up for good with a farewell show in LA on New Year’s Eve. There are some reduced tickets out there for just $60 for those sitting on the fence. Sure they aren’t as potent as they were in their prime, but just like a Kiss concert, you can’t help but grin your arse off at the spectacle before you while they pump out their greatest hits. Tommy’s rollercoaster drum rig will be out in force. There’ll be enough pyro to rival a New Year’s Eve fireworks display. Last chance to see one of the great arena rock shows as there ain’t many coming through to fill that gap… Make sure you get there early enough to watch the local support band (Smokin’ Mirrors in Sydney and Muscle Car in Melbourne), who each won the Triple M radio competition to open the show – don’t just hang in the bar waiting for them to finish. And of course let’s not forget the great Alice Cooper, who never ever disappoints. The annual Stormrider Festival that happens in Perth got some major media coverage last week when Indonesian band Lord Symphony had to pull out citing political and visa issues. They didn’t go into specifics on their apology video but it’s clear they were affected by what had happened over there recently. It was the Australian side of the fence that blocked them coming in, not their side preventing them from coming, so it seems we want to punish more than the people involved for the biggest media beat-up of the century. Whatever your stance on what has happened, it should not impact on a fucking
power metal band from playing some shows here. When metal bands are the ones breaking down frontiers all over the world, led mainly by Maiden and Metallica, it shows that we as fans are total diehards and support each other to the end. Some immigration department do-gooder got out the red stamp just because, it seems… I will say this though. There’s a massive scene across South East Asia and the fans turn up in force to everything; 800 to 1500 people for shows with Aussie bands on the bill. I can’t say I’ve ever seen that many people here turn up to a show with Aussie bands on the bill…. It was recently announced that a film version of Lords Of Chaos, the book that blew the lid off the entire early ‘90s Norwegian black metal scene, will be made by Jonas Akerlund. If anyone was going to do it, it had to be him. The one-time Bathory drummer turned big-time video producer for U2, Madonna and Metallica among others is probably the only person in Hollywood who is close to anyone from that scene and era. The casting is a bit odd with Rory Culkin (little brother of Macaulay) and Caleb Landry Jones of X-Men fame set to portray Euronymous and Varg Vikernes. You should watch Until The Light Takes Us before you even think about seeing this film though. The 2008 film features the people who were actually involved, telling it how they saw it. Completely captivating and hard to believe now that the events in it are coming up to 25 years old! ...Satan. heavyshit@themusic.com.au
MODERATELY HIGHBROW VISUAL ART WANK AND THEATRE FOYERS WITH DAVE DRAYTON In which we provide sentences on Sol Lewitt’s Sentences On Conceptual Art. 3. Are limitations placed on the concept in the attempts to fix it in writing? 1. A numbered list of sentences is a practical form for writing conceptual art. 4. Rory Kennett-Lister’s Notes On Artworks I Fully Intend To Realise is not numbered – would numbering them be an artistic, conceptual, conceptually artistic or artistically conceptual act? 1. A numbered list of sentences is a practical form for writing about conceptual art. 5. Edouard Leve’s Works is a numbered list of 533 artistic projects – is it conceptually stronger than Roy KennettLister’s because it is numbered? Is it conceptually stronger than Sol Lewitt’s because there are 498 more entries? 9. What are the conceptual implications of numeracy and questions? 2. What distinguishes conceptual art from sentences on conceptual art? 6. Edouard Leve’s Works is a numbered list of 533 artistic projects – would a list of 534 projects be more impressive? 5. Lewitt says his sentences are about conceptual art, but are not conceptual art – should this statement be accepted as one of fact? What is the truth of art? 3. Kennett-Lister says if you can’t make it, write it – but does writing it make it too in as much as the conception of concept has been conceived and recorded? 5. A conceptual artwork in the form of a potentially endless column about conceptual art with entries numbered as the digits in pi.
SENTENCES ON CONCEPTUAL ART
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THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 43
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au All Star Variety Fundraiser with Doug Williams + Craig Calhoun + Barry Leef Band + Diana Rouvas + Sam McNally Group + Kimi Tupaea + First Ladies Of Soul + Nic Jeffries + Rick Robertson + more: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why
THE MUSIC PRESENTS
Melody Rhymes: Manly Leagues Club (Menzies Lounge), Brookvale Steve Crocker: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale Red Fang + King of the North + Los Hombres Del Diablo: Manning Bar, Camperdown Hot Dub Time Machine: Metro Theatre, Sydney
GIG OF THE WEEK HOT DUB TIME MACHINE: 14 – 16 MAY METRO THEATRE EVERYTHING EVERYTHING: 23 JUL METRO THEATRE
sleepmakeswaves: 16 May Cambridge Hotel Newcastle; 23 Wollongong UniBar; 13 Jun Metro Theatre Ruby Boots: 21 May Newtown Social Club San Cisco: 29 May Wollongong UniBar; 30 Enmore Theatre Ben Howard: 30 May Hordern Pavilion Jebediah: 4 & 5 Jun Metro Theatre Come Together: 6 & 7 Jun Luna Park
WED 13
The Wombats: 27 Jul Hordern Pavilion
Musos Club Jam Night + Various Artists: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
The Vaccines: 28 Jul Metro Theatre
Sosueme feat. Torren Foot + Crooked Colours + Thandi Phoenix: Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach
The Districts: 28 Jul Newtown Social Club Kitty, Daisy & Lewis: 1 Aug Metro Theatre Rubber Soul Revolver: 7 & 8 Aug Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Open Mic Hosted By Anthony George: Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay Phil Hancock + Holly Terrens: Cafe Lounge, Darlinghurst Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: City Recital Hall, Sydney The Count Basie Orchestra: Civic Theatre, Newcastle Mitch Anderson & His Organic Orchestra: Coopers Hotel, Newtown Echo Deer: Corridor Bar, Newtown
Youth Group: 26 Jun Newtown Social Club
Bam Margera + Andy McCoy + Mindshank: Entrance Leagues, Bateau Bay
Everything Everything: 23 Jul Metro Theatre
The Art: Hamilton Station Hotel, Islington Aaron Michael Band: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Ben Salter: 24 Jul Factory Floor, 25 Jul Front Gallery Canberra
Live & Local + Various Artists: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton Nothin But Jam: Marble Bar, Sydney
Blur: 25 Jul Qantas Credit Union Arena
Sarah Connor + Astrix Little + Luen + Bam Bam: Newtown Hotel, Newtown Trivia: O’Malleys Hotel, Darlinghurst Mark Travers: Orient Hotel, The Rocks The Roots & Riddim Club with Errol Renaud Trio + DJ Dizar: Play Bar, Surry Hills The Crimson Horror + Latham’s Grip + Postmentalist + Alison’s Disease: Rad Bar (formerly Yours & Owls), Wollongong Defining Decades of POP + Natasha Stuart + Evelyn Duprai + Carmel Mesiti + Joseph Calderazzo: Rock Lily, Pyrmont IONIA + Dear Orphans: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville
THE DISTRICTS: 28 JUL NEWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB
Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: The Glasshouse, Port Macquarie
S U P P O R T I N G
Goons Of Doom: Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale Cesar & Chantel: Newport Arms Hotel (Terrace Bar), Newport
Open Stage feat. Various Artists: The Soda Factory, Surry Hills
Peter Bibby + The Dandelion: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
Edgar’s Girls By The Poe Burlesque Theatre feat. Various Artists: The Vanguard, Newtown
Watsup: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
Tone Wolf Music: Valve Bar, Ultimo
THU 14
Karaoke: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
Trivia: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
The Pinheads: Oxford Art Factory (Gallery Bar), Darlinghurst Porchlight Sessions feat. Lisa Caruso: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham Sydney Freestyle Lounge Open Mic Night + Various Artists: Play Bar, Surry Hills
Nick Saxon: Black Penny, Surry Hills Forest Falls + Jenny Broke the Window: Bondi Bowling Club, North Bondi
Jericco + Ariels + Tomb For A Titan + Siren Lines: Rad Bar (formerly Yours & Owls), Wollongong
Stormcellar: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville
NesR & The Avenue: Robin Hood Hotel, Waverley
Close To Forever: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Rockabilly Night feat. The Drey Rollan Band + Limpin’ Jimmy & the Swingin’ Kitten: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Musos Club Jam Night + Various Artists: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, Cessnock Nick Charles: Colbourne Avenue, Glebe The Other Guy with Matt Okine: Comedy Store, Moore Park Singer Songwriters Showcase with Various Artists: Coogee Diggers, Coogee Cactus Blastus + Cameron James & Jared Jekyll: Enmore Theatre, Newtown Mark Trenwith: Factory Theatre, Marrickville Vanessa Heinitz: Fortune of War Hotel, The Rocks Morgan Bain: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Buddy Glass: Grand Junction Hotel (The Junkyard), Maitland Trivia: Jacksons on George, Sydney Little Big Wolf + Ina Maker: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville Karaoke: Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham
Hot Damn! feat. Justice For The Damned + Before Ciada + Countdown To Armageddon + Series: Spectrum, Surry Hills America + Sharon Corr: State Theatre, Sydney The Count Basie Orchestra: Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall), Sydney The Button Collective: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale The Great Gig In The Sky Pink Floyd Celebration feat. Mitch Anderson + Simon Meli + Mark Da Costa + Natasha Stuart + more: The Basement, Sydney De’May + James Thomson: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Edgar’s Girls By The Poe Burlesque Theatre feat. + Various Artists: The Vanguard, Newtown Phil Hancock + Holly Terrens: Three Chimneys, Wollongong Flaccid Mohawk: Valve Bar, Ultimo Jimmy Maddon Music: Valve Bar, Ultimo
Jasmine Rae + Matt Cornell: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
I N D E P E N D E N T
A U S S I E
M U S I C
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au
FRI 15
Battlegod Productions 21st Anniversary Show + Dark Order + Pegazus + Temtris + Herratik + Black Reign: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt International Social + Various DJs: Bar 100, The Rocks Akova: Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Sydney Rock & Soul Revue feat. Sally King + Wards Xpress + Sametribe: Brass Monkey, Cronulla Forest Falls: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst Original Sin - INXS Show: Bull & Bush, Baulkham Hills Nova & The Experience: Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay Jericco + Let The Number Be X + Aerials + Siren Lines: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West Purple Doves: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville The Furbelows: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville Rob Eastwood: Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown The Motor City Syndicate: Canterbury Leagues Club (Paragon Showroom), Belmore The Cambodian Space Project: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Casula
Just A Gent: Fusion Night Club, Cronulla
No Troubles: Club Cronulla, Cronulla
Mitch & Mike Gordon + Kristen Fletcher Trio + Sky Tribe: Gingers, Darlinghurst
Claude Hay: Club Jervis Bay (Huskisson RSL), Huskisson
Texasradeo: Corrimal Hotel, Corrimal Rob Eastwood: Crown Hotel, Sydney
Jack Homer: Heritage Hotel, Bulli Finn: Home Tavern, Wagga Wagga Ami Williamson: Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Folk Club, Hornsby Aaron Manhattan + Amanda Louise: Imperial Hotel (Imperial Bar), Erskineville
The Beatles Forever: Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, Queanbeyan Elwood Myre + Joe Mungovan + Kris Morris: Rad Bar (formerly Yours & Owls), Wollongong
DJ Nrichd: Jacksons on George (PJ’s Irish Whiskey Bar), Sydney
Miles Away + Blacklisted: Red Rattler, Marrickville
Jayowenz: Jacksons on George (Temple Bar), Sydney
Salsa Kingz: Revesby Workers (Infinity Lounge), Revesby
Kallidad: Kings Cross Hotel, Potts Point
Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: Rooty Hill RSL (Tivoli Showroom), Rooty Hill
Vanessa Heinitz: Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park
Catherine Britt: Club Old Bar, Old Bar
Chris Wilson + The Cyril B Bunter Band: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton Mental As Anything + The Chosen Ones: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why
Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: Dee Why RSL, Dee Why
THE HAUNTED: 16 MAY MANNING BAR
Matt Jones: Jacksons on George, Sydney
Brotherhood of the Blues: Lismore City Bowling Club, Lismore
Stormcellar: Commercial Hotel, Bega
Rosco James: Coogee Diggers, Coogee
Morgan Bain: Grand Junction Hotel (The Junkyard), Maitland
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: City Recital Hall, Sydney
The Other Guy with Matt Okine: Comedy Store, Moore Park
Nick Saxon: Commercial Hotel, Milton
Sydney Pony Club feat. Simon Caldwell + Cala Tarida + The Streat + Maximus Nice Guy: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney
Kurt Williams: Chatswood RSL, Chatswood
Iron Bark Rock: Colonial Hotel, Werrington
Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase + Various Artists: Comedy Store, Moore Park
The Lockhearts + Jody + The Strange: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney
Claude Hay & The Gentle Enemies: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Chloe: Collector Hotel, Parramatta
The Other Guy with Matt Okine: Comedy Store, Moore Park
Friday Lite feat. Lazer Gunne Funke + The Rudy + Lap Rats: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney
Sempre Libera: SHH Centre 4 Hybrid Arts , North Parramatta
Tony Cini’s Blues Explosion + The JHD Revival Band + The Urban Chiefs + Cameron James Henderson: The Vanguard, Newtown Big Rich: The Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard Melody Rhymes: Town Hall Hotel, Balmain Dr Farquha: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi Brian Cadd + Joe Camilleri + Glenn Shorrock + Kate Ceberano: Twin Towns, Tweed Heads
Buddy Glass: Six String Brewing Company, Holgate
Soviet X-Ray Record Club: Valve Bar, Ultimo
The John Denver Story with Rick Price + The Colorado Quartet: South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford
2Face + 316: Valve Bar, Ultimo El Monstro + Dr Parallax + Flynn Effect + Big & The Bangs: YAC, Byron Bay
Willis + Reka + Freeza MC: Studio Six, Sutherland
The McClymonts + Kaylee Bell: Young Services Club, Young
The Art: Sweaty Betty’s, Miranda
Ted Nash: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale
Adam Harvey + Luke O’Shea: Sydney Opera House (Playhouse Theatre), Sydney
DJ Brenny B Side: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly
Dave Ireland: Tahmoor Inn, Tahmoor
Dirty Cash: Marble Bar, Sydney
The HP Coronados: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale
SAT 16
Motley Crue + Alice Cooper: Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park Jericco + Teal + Red Bee + Surrender The Sun + Aerials: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
Travelaz: Coogee Diggers, Coogee
Hot Dub Time Machine: Metro Theatre, Sydney
Karaoke: Corrimal Hotel, Corrimal
Various Artists: Mona Vale Hotel (Courtyard), Mona Vale
Harbour Masters Duo: Crown Hotel, Sydney
The Getaway Plan + Guests: Newtown Social Club, Newtown
Evie Dean: Crows Nest Hotel (Public Bar), Crows Nest
Various Artists: O’Malleys Hotel, Darlinghurst
Floyd Vincent & The Temple Dogs: Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong
Mickvee: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
Rob Henry: The Crest Hotel, Sylvania
Jonathan Jones + Reckless: Orient Hotel, The Rocks
Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd & Deep Purple presented by Peter Northcote + Brydon Stace + Chris E Thomas + Virginia Lillye + Guy Delandro + more: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Steve Edmonds: Engadine Tavern, Engadine
The Maybees: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville
Rose Carleo: Oriental Hotel, Springwood
CC The Cat: Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay
Sammy J & Randy: Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Satellite V: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle
Gang Of Youths: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
Cactus Blastus + Cameron James & Jared Jekyll: Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Rave On: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge), Penrith
Tropical Zombie + Love Cannons + Tea Society: The Northern, Byron Bay
Sleepmakeswaves + Gay Paris + Glass Ocean: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West
Dave Debs: Figtree Hotel, West Wollongong
73 Til Infinity + Yelo Magic + Edseven + DJ Benny Hinn: Play Bar, Surry Hills
Colleen Fricker: Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor
Spandau Ballet: Qantas Credit Union Arena, Haymarket
Halfway Homebuoy + 19 Twenty + Genevieve and the Stones Throw: Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor
Cath & Him: Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill
Noire: The Bank (Waywards), Newtown The Great Gig In The Sky Pink Floyd Celebration feat. Mitch Anderson + Simon Meli + Mark Dawson + Natasha Stuart + more: The Basement, Sydney
Mitch & Mike Gordon: The Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst Waxhead: The Pier, Port Macquarie Duo Performance + CC The Cat: The Treehouse, Byron Bay
Shaggy + Andrew De Silva: Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point Nite Fields: Blackwire Records, Annandale
The Art: Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong Superwog: Enmore Theatre, Newtown Cactus Blastus + Cameron James & Jared Jekyll: Enmore Theatre, Newtown Eurogliders: Ettalong Beach Club, Ettalong Beach MMRS feat. Devastator + Pledge This! + Dystopic + Grizzly Adams: Exchange Hotel, Darlinghurst Chris Wheeler + Nick Charles + Jeremy Smith + Leigh Burkett + Michael Vidale: Fairlight Folk Acoustic Lounge, Fairlight Morgan Bain + Tom WilliamsMoore + Jacinta Laws + Stephen J Perrett + Doggin It + Two Girls Will + Jack Millar + Luke Escombe: Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor Ted Nash: Fortune of War Hotel, The Rocks Anna Salleh: Foundry 616, Sydney David Bridie + Fred Smith: Glebe Town Hall, Glebe TaikOz: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney Mike Who + Memuna Sesay + Nick Toth + Louis Bassline: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney Catherine Britt: Grafton District Services Club, Grafton Zac Gunthorpe: Haven Bar & Restaurant, Murwillumbah Alturas: Hotel Blue, Katoomba Kate Munroe + Paris Groovescooter: Imperial Hotel (Imperial Bar), Erskineville
The Protesters: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville
Mazstock feat. Front End Loader + The Flangipanis + Meatbeaters + Vee Bees + Lewd + Bruce! + The Dunhill Blues + Ironside + Blurter + Forever Since Breakfast + Thundergods of the Multiverse + Substation + more: Italo Australian Sports & Recreation Club, North Lismore
Eye Of The Tiger: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill
DJ Ta$k: Jacksons on George (Temple Bar), Sydney
The Cambodian Space Project: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Casula
DJ Sloppy: Jacksons on George (PJ’s Irish Whiskey Bar), Sydney
Victor Valdes & The Real Mexico Mariachi Band: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Edu Imbernon: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
S U P P O R T I N G
Cath & Him: Dee Why RSL (Scores Sports Bar), Dee Why
I N D E P E N D E N T
A U S S I E
Craig Calhoun: Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction
M U S I C
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au Jonny Gardiner: Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park The Pigs: Kinross Woolshed, Thurgoona Echo Deer + Floyd Vincent & The Temple Dogs + Brendan Ludlow + Josh Reeves + The Subterraneans: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville Dio Driver + Sweet Velvet + Rock Shots: Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham Pearl - The Janis Joplin Story feat. Liza Ohlback: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton Local Harvest: A Tribute to Neil Young + Various Artists: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why Eric Grothe & The Gurus: Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown Blake Tailor: Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor DJ Tim Boffa + DJ Super C: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly The Haunted + Insomnium + Daemon Pyre: Manning Bar, Camperdown Alphamama: Marble Bar, Sydney Harbour Master: Marrickville Ritz Hotel, Marrickville Ocean Alley + Blueberry Circuit: Metro Theatre, Sydney Hot Dub Time Machine: Metro Theatre, Sydney Mojo House Blues Band + Jesse & Jimmy: Mojo Records Bar, Sydney Original Sin - INXS Show: Mt Pritchard Community Club, Mt Pritchard The Alpha Experiment: Newport Arms Hotel (Terrace Bar), Newport The Getaway Plan + Guests: Newtown Social Club, Newtown Various Artists: O’Malleys Hotel, Darlinghurst Soundproofed: Oatley Hotel, Oatley Jimmy Bear + Reckless: Orient Hotel, The Rocks Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders + Alex Cameron: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Waxhead: Pacific Hotel, Yamba Evie Dean: Penrith Panthers (Squires Bar), Penrith Big Swing Band: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge), Penrith
Jasmine Rae + Matt Cornell: Rooty Hill RSL (Waratah Room), Rooty Hill The Red Rattlers: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle
Terza Madre + Dead China Doll + The Singing Skies: St Stephens Church, Newtown
Frankie’s World Famous House Band: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney
MORGAN BAIN: 14 MAY FRANKIE’S PIZZA BY THE SLICE, 16 MAY FITZROY HOTEL
El Monstro + Dr Parallax + Flynn Effect + Big & The Bangs: Tatts Hotel, Lismore Weird Assembly: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale Chris Wilson + The Cyril B Bunter Band: The Basement, Sydney Ted Nash: The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney O [Phase]: The Burdekin, Darlinghurst Holidays On Ice: The Cad Factory, Boree Creek Buddy Glass: The Commercial Hotel, Morpeth Cambo: The Crest Hotel, Sylvania The McClymonts + Mickey Pye: The Cube, Campbelltown Upstairs & Underground feat. Forest Falls + Bears With Guns + Sons Of The East: The Gaelic, Surry Hills Shotgun Wedding: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville The Royz: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle Retro Retro with Jimmy Dee + Justin Scott: The Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst Elwood Myre + Kris Morris + Direwolf + Willowy: The Rhythm Hut, Gosford Miles Away + Blacklisted: The Small Ballroom, Islington Paul Hayward: Town & Country Hotel, St Peters Andy Mammers: Town Hall Hotel, Balmain Brian Cadd + Joe Camilleri + Glenn Shorrock: Twin Towns, Tweed Heads
Rebecca Moore: Picton Hotel, Picton
Melody Rhymes: Wentworthville Leagues Club (Wenty Lounge), Wentworthville
Classic Saturdays + Various DJs: Robin Hood Hotel, Waverley
Tranny Bingo: Coopers Hotel, Newtown
Jaguar Club: Sweaty Betty’s, Miranda
Jed Zarb: Wallacia Hotel, Wallacia
Mesa Groove: Revesby Workers (Infinity Lounge), Revesby
MON 18
Tom Burlinson: South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford
Crossroads: Picton Bowling Club, Picton
The Pinheads: Rad Bar (formerly Yours & Owls), Wollongong
Floyd Vincent & The Temple Dogs: Wickham Park Hotel, Islington
Sempre Libera: SHH Centre 4 Hybrid Arts , North Parramatta
Rattle & Hum-U2 Show: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge), Penrith
Clive Hay: Plough & Harrow, Camden
Eurogliders: Wests, New Lambton
Tom Trelawny: Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney
Absolution + As Paradise Falls + To the Grave + Ghosts of Pandora + Diamond Construct: Valve Bar, Ultimo
Still Love Her with Kween G + Josie Styles + Krystel Diola + more: Play Bar, Surry Hills
Driverside Airbag + Larange Bucket + Skinpin + Arse Eyes + Tick Us A Bag + Garden Hose: Valve Bar, Ultimo
Marshall Okell: Wickham Park Hotel, Islington
SUN 17
Jose & Ben: Alfie & Hetty Restaurant , Glebe Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: Bankstown Sports Club, Bankstown Ian Moss: Bankstown Sports Club, Bankstown The Hot Potato Band + Dan Twining + Dane Layborie Trio: Brass Monkey, Cronulla Colin Hay: Byron Cultural & Community Centre (Byron Theatre), Byron Bay Pena Flamenca: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville Sam Westphalen: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville Declan Kelly & The Rising Sun: Coalcliff Surf Club (The Bombie Bar), Coalcliff
Monday Jam: Gingers, Darlinghurst
LA Experiment + DJ Graham M + DJ Husky: Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly Rock n Roll & Alternative Market feat. The Rocksteady Rat Pack + The Detonators + Backy Skank + Cruisin? Deuces + Limpin’ Jimmy & the Swingin’ Kitten + Wally Wally + Andy Travers + The Crimplenes + MC Limpin’ Jimmy: Manning Bar, Camperdown Blackhill Ramblers: Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville Various Artists: O’Malleys Hotel, Darlinghurst Bop Louis Duo: Oatley Hotel, Oatley Sounds On Sunday with Danny B : Oatley Hotel, Oatley Andy Mammers Duo + Ben Fox Trio: Orient Hotel, The Rocks Ryan Enright: Pendle Inn (Sportsmans Bar), Pendle Hill
Wards Xpress: Coast Hotel, Budgewoi
McCauleys Raiders: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge), Penrith
The Other Guy with Matt Okine: Comedy Store, Moore Park
Bill Kacir: Picton Hotel, Picton
Stormcellar: Dromedary Hotel (Arvo), Central Tilba Claude Hay + Shannon Kenny + Glenn Cardier + Christian Marsh + The Urban Chiefs + Mescalero feat. Steve Edmonds: Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor Rob Eastwood: Fortune of War Hotel, The Rocks Marshall Okell: Grand Junction Hotel (The Junkyard), Maitland Jonny Seymour + Paul Mac + more: Imperial Hotel (Imperial Bar), Erskineville Traditional Irish Music Session + Various Artists: Jacksons on George, Sydney Gem Bossa feat. Taylee Jayde: Jam Vybz Restaurant, Glebe Nick Saxon: Jamberoo Pub, Jamberoo
Ridvan: Woodport Inn, Erina
Just A Gent: King Street Hotel, Newcastle West
Just A Gent: World Bar, Potts Point
Kurt Williams: Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park
Steve Edmonds: Wyong Leagues Club (Main Lounge), Lake Haven
The Mighty Surftones: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Melody Rhymes: Plough & Harrow, Camden Pasha Bulka + Grizzly Adams + Pridelands + Punchdagger: Rad Bar (formerly Yours & Owls), Wollongong
Karaoke: O’Malleys Hotel, Darlinghurst They Call Me Bruce: Orient Hotel, The Rocks The Monday Jam + Various Artists: The Oxford Hotel (Gingers), Darlinghurst
TUE 19
Trivia: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt
Open Mic Night + Champagne Jam: Dundas Sports Club, Dundas Rock n Roll Karaoke with Various Artists: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney Trivia: Imperial Hotel, Erskineville Steve Hunter Band: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville Trivia: Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale Anton: Orient Hotel, The Rocks Swing Tuesdays + The Basement Big Band: The Basement, Sydney Trivia: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi
Stayin’ Alive - The Australian Bee Gees Show: Revesby Workers (Whitlam Theatre), Revesby Finn: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle Sempre Libera: SHH Centre 4 Hybrid Arts , North Parramatta Brian Cadd + Joe Camilleri + Glenn Shorrock + Kate Ceberano: State Theatre, Sydney Sunday Courtyard Sessions feat. Jenna & Zana: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale Icingonthecake Choir: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville Simone Dee: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle John Vella: The Mill Hotel, Milperra Adam Gibson & The ArkArk Birds + Mick Thomas: The Vanguard, Newtown
Alex Bowen + Paul George: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton
The Cyril B Bunter Band: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi
Harbour Master: Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown
Kentucky Moon: Union Hotel, Newtown
S U P P O R T I N G
Sonic Mayhem Orchestra: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
I N D E P E N D E N T
A U S S I E
M U S I C
THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015 • 47
48 • THE MUSIC • 13TH MAY 2015