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2 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 3
THIS WEEK
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exclusive LISTEN TO DAVEY LANE’S FIRST SOLO ALBUM ATONALLY YOURS IN FULL. NEWS WHO IS MAKING WAVES IN THE MID-WEEK CHARTS? WE LET YOU KNOW WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO BE #1 ON THE WEEKEND.
NEWS WHICH OF YOUR FAVOURITE ACTS ARE GETTING ADDED TO TRIPLE J? WE HAVE THE LOWDOWN.
exclusive MISSY HIGGINS READS FROM OZ, HER BOOK OF MUSIC ESSAYS. 4 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 5
CREDITS PUBLISHER
Street Press Australia Pty Ltd
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Mast
EDITOR Steve Bell
ASSISTANT EDITOR Benny Doyle
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Cassandra Fumi
MUSO EDITOR Michael Smith
GIG GUIDE EDITOR Justine Lynch gigs@themusic.com.au
CONTRIBUTORS Alice Bopf, Amorina Fitzgerald-Hood, Anthony Carew, Baz McAlister, Ben Marnane, Ben Preece, Benny Doyle, Bradley Armstrong, Brendan Telford, Brie Jorgensen, Carley Hall, Chris Yates, Cyclone, Dan Condon, Daniel Johnson, Dave Drayton, Guy Davis, Helen Stringer, Jake Sun, Jazmine O’Sullivan, Lochlan Watt, Madeleine Laing, Mandy McAlister, Mitch Knox, Paul Mulkearns, Roshan Clerkea, Sam Hobson, Sky Kirkham, Sophie Blackhall-Cain, Tessa Fox, Tom Hersey, Tony McMahon, Tyler McLoughlan
THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 24 SEPT - 30 SEPT 2014
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Freya Lamont, John Stubbs, John Taylor, Kane Hibberd, Markus Ravik, Rick Clifford, Sky Kirkham, Stephen Booth, Terry Soo, Tessa Fox
QLD SALES Juliet Brooks, Madeleine Budd sales@themusic.com.au
ART DIRECTOR Brendon Wellwood
ART DEPT David Di Cristoforo, Eamon Stewart, Julian De Bono
ADMIN AND ACCOUNTS
Ben And Jerry’s Open Air Cinemas are back again. They’re ready to crank out eight weeks of music by day, movies by night and ice cream whenever the heck you like. As usual, there’ll be an eclectic mix of hot new movies like opening night film What We Do In The Shadows and the classics you cut your teeth on like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Folk band Husky also play Sunday. Head on down to the Rainforest Green.
After going nuts all over the world since 1997, The Lion King is here, and it’s astonishing that it’s taken this long. The highest-grossing Broadway show in New York history needs little introduction, but here we go: six Tony awards, music from Elton John, the story we know and love, the immaculate costumes and sets, the lyrics we love to mispronounce. Tickets are still available, running until 25 Jan.
Jarrod Kendall, Leanne Simpson, Loretta Zoppos, Niall McCabe accounts@themusic.com.au
DISTRO Anita D’Angelo distro@themusic.com.au
SUBSCRIPTIONS store.themusic.com.au
CONTACT US Phone: (07) 3252 9666 info@themusic.com.au www.themusic.com.au Street: Suite 11/354 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 Postal: Locked Bag 4300 Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
BRISBANE
Wooly Mammoth, a multi-room music complex takes over the spaces previously occupied by 633 Ann, Cookie Jar and Coniston Lane from this weekend. Featuring three unique stages, housing indoor gardens with giant Jenga and the Ale House (which has more than 30 beers on tap). Add to that an opening weekend hosting the PotBelleez DJs on Friday and KLP on Saturday, just to name a couple, and things are looking mighty fine.
gig
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 7
national news news@themusic.com.au VIOLENT SOHO
KATCHAFIRE
HUNGRY FOR MORE CATCHING FIRE
New Zealand-based funk troupe Katchafire have been turning heads all over the world, having just completed a US road tour and showcasing their musical talent that spans across four reggae-inspired albums. The band are gearing up to play 16 dates across the country in November, including 31 Oct, Metropolis Fremantle; 1 Nov, Capitol, Perth; 6 Nov, Southern Cross Club, Canberra; 7 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Sydney; 8 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Melbourne; 13 Nov, Byron Bay Brewery; and 14 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane. More dates on theMusic.com.au.
JUST #BEAUTIFUL
The best-selling female artist of all time, Mariah Carey, is bringing The Elusive Chanteuse Show tour to our shores. The Heartbreaker will deliver the hits, fan favourites, never-before-performed cuts and of course selections from her latest, perfectly-named album Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse. See Carey at Sandalford Estate, Perth, 2 Nov; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, 7 Nov; Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney, 10 Nov; and A Day On The Green at Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, 8 Nov; and Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton, 16 Nov.
IT’S LIKE DATSUN
In support of their new album Deep Sleep, out on 3 Oct, The Datsuns are taking their wheels out for a spin around the country. If you like ‘70s cult film super villains and/or proto-metal then Deep Sleep will totally be your bag. Get acquainted with it before heading to the shows: Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne, 5 Dec; Crowbar, Brisbane, 6 Dec; Factory Floor, Sydney, 7 Dec; Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, 12 Dec; and Astor Theatre, Perth, 13 Dec. Check theMusic.com.au for full list of dates.
MOONLIGHT CINEMA
FEELING GOOD
The Preatures have skyrocketed toward international fame over the last two years, and it’s crazy to think that they’ve achieved so much without an official full-length release in their pockets. That all changes this week however, with their debut album Blue Planet Eyes hitting shelves this Friday. The Sydneysiders aren’t stopping there – they head on a national tour in November and December: 13 Nov, ANU Bar, Canberra; 20 Nov, Barwon Club, Geelong; 22 Nov, Forum Theatre, Melbourne; 28 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane; 5 Dec, The Hi-Fi, Sydney; and 6 Dec, Capitol, Perth. More dates from theMusic.com.au.
MARR FOR OZ
Toting a new album, Playland, his second official solo release due out in October, one of the most influential British guitarists of the past 30 years, Johnny Marr will return to Australia for a run of theatre shows that kick off 29 Jan, Astor Theatre, Perth; followed by 31 Jan, Forum Theatre, Melbourne; 4 Feb, The Tivoli, Brisbane and 5 Feb, Enmore Theatre, Sydney.
MY DAD JUST WROTE ME A LULLABY. IT STARTS WITH “HEY GIRL”
@GOSLINGSBABY IS OUR NEW FAVOURITE TWITTER.
8 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Violent Soho have had an outstanding year, and after selling out their last tour – 14 dates(!) – they’re doing it all again throughout November and December, this time across 23 dates, before settling down to write album number four. They play 7 Nov, Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane; 22 Nov, Capitol, Perth; 28 Nov, 170 Russell, Melbourne; 3 Dec, ANU Bar, Canberra; and 5 Dec, Metro Theatre, Sydney. More dates at theMusic. com.au. Proudly presented by The Music.
THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS
Moonlight Cinema is back for its 19th season, and it runs from: 4 Dec – 22 Feb, New Farm Park, Brisbane Powerhouse; 4 Dec – 29 Mar, Central Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne; 7 Dec – 29 Mar, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth; and 11 Dec – 29 Mar, Belvedere Amphitheatre, Centennial Park, Sydney. There’ll be an LA food truck, live music sessions, celebrity guests, cult classics and themed screenings. Plan your picnic now. LANIE LANE
THE NIGHT LANE
Three years after her stunning debut, To The Horses, Lanie Lane has a second album, Night Shade, in the wings, complete with lead single, Celeste. After warming up the stage for Tom Jones 24 Sep when he plays Forum Theatre in Melbourne, Lane heads out on a tour that’ll see her play 29 Oct, Corner Hotel, Melbourne; 30 Oct, Newtown Social Club, Sydney; 31 Oct, Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong; 7 Nov, The Bakery, Perth; and 15 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane.
JONSON STREET BYRON BAY FRI 26 SEPT
CASTLECOMER HATTIE CARROLL TIM BOWEN SAT 27 SEPT KING OF THE NORTH FRI 3 OCT TOMORROWS TULIPS THE BABE RAINBOW SAT 4 OCT BLUEJUICE THURS 9 OCT
HOLY HOLY FRI 10 OCT VERNAS KEEP SAT 11 OCT
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OCEAN ALLEY FRI 31 OCT HALLOWEEN DRUNK MUMS ELEGANT SHIVA TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE WWW.THENORTHERN.COM.AU
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 9
local news
FRONTLASH BEST HEADLINE EVER?
From Brisbane Times online: “Gympie Man: I Spoke To A Yowie – It Was Intelligent”. Works on so many levels, you couldn’t make that shit up…
PLEASE BE TRUE So the ACCC are promising to toughen up and stop price gouging and collusion by petrol stations ripping us off with fuel – about fucking time. And we ain’t holding our breath…
STICKS AND STONES Amazing that the freaks from The Block are having a public spat calling each other bogans in the press. Can we just concede that they’re all fuckwits and move on?
qld.news@themusic.com.au
YAMMA BE TOURING
CYPRESS HILL
National favourite Frank Yamma is back with new album Uncle which he’ll show off at Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby, 22 & 23 Nov; and New Globe Theatre, 21 Nov.
DAISY CHAIN
The Dead Daisies are travelling across New Zealand and Australia. The announcement coincides with the release of Angel In Your Eyes, the second single from their Face I Love EP. Catch them at Triffid, 5 Dec.
NEW TIPPLE
Former Cairns now Melbourne punk five-piece Drunk Mums have a new single with a strange name, Nanganator, that they’re touring 31 Oct at The Northern, Byron Bay; and 1 Nov at Crowbar.
THIRSTIN’
Melbourne-based duo Willow Beats have released their sophomore EP Water, in conjunction with a national tour announcement. Catch them at New Globe Theatre on 5 Dec.
KING OF THE HILL
The original Cypress Hill trio are back together and hitting our shores come December. Having sold 18 million albums worldwide, the West Coast rappers have nothing to prove. 9 Dec, Eatons Hill Hotel.
ARTISTS HELPING ARTISTS
Mullum Music Festival partners the cream of the region’s youth with the cream of the festival’s talent through their Youth Mentorship Program. The festival are offering mentorships in the Vocal, Band, SingerSongwriter and Under-15 categories, where the chosen artists will receive a rehearsal/mentoring session, a ticket to the festival with backstage access, and a 20-minute performance slot at the festival. If you’re under 19, apply at mullummusicfestival.com.
NATIONAL RAID
Gold Coast alt/prog rockers Mass Sky Raid have released their new single Oceans and have also announced east coast tour dates. You can catch them playing 18 Oct at New Globe Theatre, Brisbane and 24 Oct at Coolangatta Hotel.
HOT TOD DUX OF GYMPIE?
New York house legend Todd Terry is set to return to Australia for less than a handful of shows. Since the late ‘80s Terry has defined New York house music, watch him dominate the dancefloor at Blackbird Bar & Grill, 2 Nov.
POLITICAL JOKES
IMAGINE WHAT EVERYONE QUEUING AT THE SHOPS FOR AN IPHONE WILL DO WHEN THEY DISCOVER THE INTERNET.
A new political force is required to shake up the major parties, but what’s with PUP? Surely a decent alternative needs more than complete morons and ex-footy players?
DEBUT DAVEY
BACKLASH WHEELIE?
So the rubbish bins at train stations have all been welded shut? That’ll stop ‘em… for about two minutes. Feels like the terrorists have won already…
ON YA BIKE Local pop merchants Sheppard have signed with Bieber’s manager Scooter in the US to fast-track world domination. Get the flock out of here…
10 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
JEFF WAUGH [@JDUB] ORDERED HIS NEW PHONE ONLINE. EDDIE PERFECT
JOKING AROUND
Television stars from all networks like David Koch, Carrie Bickmore and Shaun Micallef are teaming up with a host of stage and screen identities to raise money for the Society For Mental Health Research at Friday Night Crackup, hosted by Eddie Perfect. Watch it on the ABC, 10 Oct.
It might surprise you to discover that Davey Lane, of You Am I and The Pictures, is only now releasing his debut album, Atonally Young, but there you go. He’ll be showcasing the album 21 Nov at The Brightside.
GOLDEN DAYS
Busby Marou are headed around Australia once again, off the back of their debut album going Gold and the reissue of their killer second record: Farewell Fitzroy. UK singer-songwriter Fiona Bevan and Aussie group Zeek Power will support. Playing Solbar, Sunshine Coast, 19 Oct; Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, 22 Oct; and 30 Oct, Byron Theatre, Byron Bay.
KEEP THE FAITH
Fans of The Church, keep your faith as they announce their 25th studio album Further/Deeper: Old Museum, 1 Nov.
local news qld.news@themusic.com.au LONDON GRAMMAR
KUCKA
MEET KUCKA
Kučka is taking her debut headline spin around the nation showcasing her single, Unconditional + Remixes, and more, performing 18 Oct, Southside Tea Room. Proudly presented by The Music.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN
New York-based singer-songwriter Jay Brannan is heading back Down Under in December following the release of his fifth album, Always, Then, & Now. See the tenor performer at The Milk Factory Bar & Kitchen, 11 Dec.
REDEMPTION
Earlier this year, London Grammar were forced to postpone their Splendour In The Grass sideshows due to illness. To make up for it, the trio announced shows in Melbourne and Sydney in March next year, both of which sold out instantly. They’ve now announced a show at the Riverstage, 7 Mar. Proudly by The Music.
FEEL THE MUNK
Munk (aka Mark Ross) – right after having been inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame for his contribution to the hip hop scene and producing in Australia – brings his crew Renegades Of Munk to east coast stages. Catch the five-time Deadly Award nominee and co at New Globe Theatre, 12 Oct.
HELL OF A NEW YEAR
Hellraisers unite as Swedish metalheads, Marduk, announce their 2015 tour supported by industrial metal duo, Inquisition. Kick off 2015 with a big dose of barbaric black metal: Crowbar, 18 Jan.
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 11
music
HIP TO BE TRIANGLE “I think having Gwil [Sainsbury] leave the band just before we started this album, that was the main event.” Alt-J’s Gus Unger-Hamilton tells Hannah Story about finding unity in the midst of change.
“I
think we all got closer together,” says keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton. “We realised if we were going to be a three-piece we couldn’t have any fractions in the band. It had to be the three of us being close together as three rather than, well, when there’s four of you, inevitably you’re going to be sometimes split off into two twos, so I think it was like, ‘Okay, we can’t have two against one,’ so probably it brought us closer together and made us try to agree on stuff more rather than disagree on stuff.”
reasoning, in the words of Unger-Hamilton, comes down to being “almost opposed to being successful”. “[It was] just the whole lifestyle, really: it was the touring aspect, it was the music industry aspect, he didn’t enjoy doing interviews at all, he didn’t enjoy having to go out for dinner with people from the record label, he didn’t enjoy going on tour, he didn’t enjoy that kind of thing, having to shake hands with radio programmers after gigs and things. I think he just thought the whole thing was bullshit, which it sort of is, but I’m okay with that. We don’t have to
I think overall we’re quite understanding people and we’re quite friendly people and we enjoy going on tour, we’re okay with meeting people like that, because ultimately they’re playing our records and so we do have to be nice to them because they’re largely responsible for the success we’re having. I think Gwil was never really about success, he was almost opposed to being successful as a band in a way. We were sort of thinking, ‘Well, I’ve got to go shake hands with this guy and have a chat to him and whatever but that’s okay because frankly, if his radio station hadn’t been playing our track we wouldn’t have sold out this massive venue in this town.’ I think Gwil was sort of thinking, ‘Well, I’m not interested in selling out the venue in the town.’” Nonetheless, Sainsbury’s departure got the band thinking: where would they go from here? Instead of feeling that oft-talked-about second album pressure, they were traversing a very different territory. “I think having Gwil leave the band just before we started this album, that was the main event, it wasn’t just thinking, ‘Okay, time for a followup to the Mercury Prize-winning album.’ It was like, ‘Right, we’ve got to figure out what to do now we’re a threesome.’ That was much more in our minds really than any pressure.
“I THINK HE JUST THOUGHT THE WHOLE THING WAS BULLSHIT, WHICH IT SORT OF IS.”
Unger-Hamilton, singer and guitarist Joe Newman, and Thom Green on drums are what remains of Alt-J, the Mercury Prize-winning alt-rock band behind 2012’s An Awesome Wave. Minus departed bassist Gwil Sainsbury, they’ve crafted a follow-up record, This Is All Yours. Losing a band member, although Unger-Hamilton says it did not affect the band musically, shook up the band dynamic. It meant that on the new record they had to approach things differently, to find a new way of working together in order to make something worthy of release. “I think that, we probably, Tom and I, probably let Joe make more decisions. He probably is more opinionated than either of us, feels more strongly about things than either of us, so he probably takes the lead in a lot of the decision-making in the band now, whereas before Gwil and maybe me as well more stuck on our own, disagreed about things more. Whereas I think this time it was like, ‘Okay, maybe we can let Joe make more of the decisions.’ But equally I think the three of us are more like-minded; when there were tough decisions in the band to be made it was often Gwil who felt differently to the rest of the band.” Sainsbury left the group in January this year as announced on Twitter: “With regret, Gwil is leaving alt-J. This is purely a personal decision and as our best friend we support him completely.” His 12 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
do it too much. You’ve just got to play the game up to a point. The three of us still in the band understand that, he doesn’t feel like that, and that’s fine. “We definitely would feel the same way as him on occasion. Obviously sometimes you finish a gig in the middle of a really long tour and you’re tired after the gig and you just want to be by yourself and then suddenly you’re presented with the head of the station for the local radio station in your dressing room and they don’t leave. Everybody feels that, like, ‘Oh my god, please fuck off.’
“We’re quite confident in what we do. I think we knew if we were going to release a second album it would have to be good enough. We knew that we weren’t going to put out a sub-standard second album. If we’d not been able to write a good album we just wouldn’t have done one. “I think before starting the album we were all pretty worried. We knew we had to do it quite quickly and it was like, ‘Shit, have we got enough music for this?’” But then once they got their teeth into it, it was “smooth sailing”. They headed into the studio in January with the album semi-written and the deadline the end of May in mind. It was then that the album had to be fully finished and mastered. And even though, thanks to their success, they could’ve drawn upon all the bells and whistles, they chose to go low-key. “We recorded it with the same producer [Charlie Andrew] in the same small cheap kinda crappy studio. I think this album ended up costing about five grand more than the first album, which is basically nothing. And both albums didn’t cost very much to make for albums at all. We didn’t exactly turn on the cash just because it probably would’ve been available to us. We still got our lunch form the same sandwich shop across the road every day. “It was partly a deliberate decision because we wanted to try and think about why the first
A FEMALE SAMPLE
We just had to talk about that Miley Cyrus sample (“I’m a female rebel”) in Hunger Of The Pine. After all, Cyrus is an Alt-J fan herself, having used their song Fitzpleasure in her Bangerz shows. Although some critics have called the sample jarring, the band reckon it made sense.
album was good. We didn’t want to change things. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it kind of thing. The first album turned out really good so we thought let’s do it in the same studio with the same guy. And also I think in the band we’re quite frugal in some ways, we don’t want to just spend money just because we can spend money on things. We don’t need to be chauffeured to and from a really posh studio every day. We’re happy to go down to Brixton on the Tube and be pretty normal about it, that’s fine for us.” Alt-J will be back in Australia in October for two headline dates, the Melbourne date being Newman’s birthday, before jetting off to North America. Then they return for Falls and Southbound festivals over New Year’s. Unger-Hamilton says he’s “pumped”. “We first came to Australia in October 2012 and we’d never been there before ever as people and we did two shows, small shows, they both sold out, we had some of the most memorable receptions we’ve
WHAT: This Is All Yours (Liberator)
ever had in both cities. We played Oxford Art Factory and um, a place somewhere else, I can’t remember, somewhere in Melbourne with a kind of saucy name [Ding Dong Lounge], I can’t remember what it was. Both those shows were incredible. Fans were unbelievably keen and we were like, ‘Shit, this is amazing.’ We never knew if we had any fans in Australia, so we’re always excited to come back, and it’ll be really wicked.”
“We decided to use it because it sounded good. Tom was doing a remix [of 4x4] for her so he had all the stems and the song Hunger Of The Pine was sounding quite a lot like the remix for her so he chucked in a sample, and it actually sounded really good. It blended in really well, and out of context it sounds different. I think, y’know, despite her fame and reputation we thought, ‘This sounds good, we should use it.’ She was up for us using it so that all worked out. “I think she’s quite interesting, I think she’s trying to not fit the mould of your standard out-of-the-box pop star which is probably to be applauded.” Meanwhile, Alt-J veer away from the idea of being “famous people”. “I think that we’re not exactly like getting photographed stumbling out of nightclubs at 3am in the sort of gossip pages of newspapers, we’re not famous like that; people don’t know much about us as individuals at all. Our band is successful but people when they see us or meet us think we’re pretty normal probably because I think we kind of are. We don’t use the success of our band to promote ourselves as famous people, you know what I mean?”
WHEN & WHERE: 30 Dec, Falls Festival, Byron Bay THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 13
music
COVERING OUR OWN She’s gone from sounding white to clear nights and a bit of ol’ razzle dazzle. Now Missy Higgins is taking on the great Australian songwriters. She takes Liz Giuffre around her own musical tour of Australia.
M
issy Higgins’ roots have always been clearer than most – her lovely Aussie twang as proudly evident as Eddie Vedder’s growl or a Bee Gees falsetto. She’s also done some cracker covers in her time, including a sexy as crooner take on Skyhooks’ You Just Like Me ‘Cause I'm Good In Bed for triple j’s 30th and a mega version of Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody’s From Little Things Big Things Grow. With her new album, Oz, Higgins flips through the songbook to find some old gold as well as polish up some lost gems. “There were quite a few songs that were big inspirations to me, or artists like The Waifs and Frenté and Colin
music
Hay, and they’re songs I love to play at home because I love the songs and they influenced me so much, but I couldn’t think of anything original to do with them,” Higgins says of the selection process for the album’s tracks. “I guess because [there are some artists that] influenced my sound so much, I couldn’t extract myself out from the general sound enough to create something new out of it. So I had to look a little bit further out of my genre to artists that I may not have heard of, that I wasn’t necessarily directly inspired by, so that I could reinvent that song with fresh ears.”
Sometimes the process of ‘extraction’ was as simple as moving a bit sideways or back a generation. In addition to the album Higgins has also written a short collection of essays to accompany her covers, part love letters to the tunes, as well as short insights into how they’ve come to make sense in their new setting. She describes this idea as “kind of like being at a show and having me tell stories just in between songs, really,” and certainly her characteristic humour, honesty and sweet dagginess come through in the prose. Like, for example, her description of the fan letter she wrote to Paul Dempsey which introduces her cover of Something For Kate’s You Only Hide, or explaining a weird affinity with ‘Amanda’ in The Angels’ No Secrets. There’s also just a desire to right the wrong that is the “criminally underrated” Neil Murray with Calm And Crystal Clear. As our chat goes on Higgins rubs her tummy occasionally, her first baby perhaps not quite developed enough yet to get much beyond the sound vibrations of heartbeats, but no doubt in for some serious musical education over its life. “I think kids have a really great ability to fall in love with great music; we just have to expose them to it. If they don’t get really cheesy kids’ music then they won’t know the difference. Anything that’s really melodic they’ll like, and ultimately you just wanna make your kid smile.” One little bub’s going to have the best lullabies ever. WHAT: Oz (Eleven/Universal) WHEN & WHERE: 27 Sep, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre; 30 Sep, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
LESSONS LEARNED Seven albums and more than two decades into their career, singer-songwriter Adam Duritz tells Michael Smith that Counting Crows are finally letting silliness into their songs.
T
wo years ago – after a couple of years of time out from each other to pursue various side and solo projects and recover from pretty much constant touring over the previous 20 years – Counting Crows returned with an unexpected album of covers of songs by acts as diverse as Madonna, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan and Faces titled Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Holiday). Recording and touring that album proved pivotal in the creation of their new album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, as singer, songwriter and frontman Adam Duritz explains. “That was such a good experience for us. I mean, we really love the record – it was really satisfying to make – and it was great to be able to put all our skills and talents into all that variety of songs. I’ve said it a million times but man, make an album like that and it reminds you what a waste it is to spend your entire career only working on one person’s songs, even though in this case the person is me! I mean I’m not just a songwriter – I’m a musician too – and it was a great experience to work on things that weren’t my songs, because it shows you there are so many ways to do it. “So I don’t think I spent any time thinking about Bob Dylan as a person writing songs, but I did take You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere inside me and try and sing it from there. And you know what’s one of the things you
14 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
learn from the way he puts words and rhymes together? They’re ridiculous. For all of his genius – I mean come on, he’s amazing – but he wasn’t afraid to be ridiculous. He wasn’t afraid to write little jokes in a song. So you realise that’s out there too. You can write truly meaningful stuff and also be silly. We’re all silly sometimes too – certainly I am – but I never allowed that stuff to enter into songs at all and I’m glad I allowed it [in the new album]. I’m glad I could go, ‘What is the price for all this fame and self-absorption?/ We turn ourselves into orphans/And then spend our nights alone/
Living in fear of some imaginary consequence/Terror incognito, ob-la-di li-bi-do’ [Earthquake Driver],” Duritz chuckles. “I mean it’s just silliness but like… why not?” The lessons learned went beyond merely creating Counting Crows arrangements for those songs. “I can remember the third gig on that (album) tour. We were in Portland and played, like, a spectacular show – and then we did it again the next night – and all of a sudden we realised, ‘Whoa, what’s goin’ on?’ We’ve always been a really good live band, but all of a sudden we’ve gone up a whole other level. That made a huge difference when we got in to record this (new) record because, man, we were flyin’ by the time we got in to record. We’re a very collaborative band and that gets overlooked a lot. I don’t there’s a single song on the record I would have finished if it weren’t for them.” WHAT: Somewhere Under Wonderland (EMI)
FAME NO SPUR Much-loved for his roles in iconic television programs like Spaced, Black Books and Doctor Who, it’s Bill Bailey, stand-up comic, that’s up for discussion with Cyclone.
“I
feel an immense fondness for Australia because it was the first countries that I performed in outside of the UK,” enthuses Bill Bailey (in fact, ‘Bill’ is a nickname; he was born Mark). “The reaction I got was so encouraging – I never forgot that.” This visit Bailey, his comic approach one of befuddled and tripped-out rumination, will premiere Limboland. The show’s theme is (self )-perception and the slippage between what’s conceived and the reality – or, as Bailey puts it, “this gap, almost a transition, a sense of weightlessness, between how we imagine our lives and how they actually are, and how we imagine the world
and how it actually is.” Indeed, Bailey is seeking ‘the greater truths’. “It’s not too much of a New Agey mindfulness, ‘cause there’s a lot of jokes along the way!” When Bailey toured his last show, Qualmpeddler, he was feeling “grumpier” than of old – especially about politics. “The spur for that was an interview that I had on TV where I was referred to, and introduced as, ‘Bill Bailey, celebrity’. That really got under my skin. I realised that I was really very angry about it (laughs). I guess it’s really a bit of a realisation about the nature of fame and how people perceive me, and then comparing myself to the
sort of people who’ve achieved celebrity – these kinda reality show stars and people who are desperate for fame. There was a certain sense of pride which made me feel very angry about that – ‘Don’t cast me into the pit with these people!’ I suppose there’s maybe a bit of vanity, let’s be honest. You think, ‘Well, surely I’m not just some fame-hungry twerp!’” Regardless, Limboland is ‘more reflective’ than Qualmpeddler. “The stories and the anecdotes and the themes and the jokes are all based around me – my own experience of things not quite turning out how you imagine them.” That said, Bailey feels “anguish”, if not outright anger, over the “lurch to the right” in Europe and Australia – and, yes, that comes up in Limboland. (Bailey, a natural history buff, is notably frustrated by climate change deniers.) “You think, ‘Oh no – this is a backward step. Why has this happened?’”
comedy
Bailey is also a muso and will show off his latest unusual acquisition, a musical Bible custom-made by an Australian, in Limboland. “I like to look at new musical genres – I like to explore them.” He found ‘fresh’ inspiration at the recent Reading and Leeds Festivals in the ‘hip’ electro outfit Chvrches. “They sound like a band from the ‘80s and so I thought, ‘Wow, hang on, there’s something here,’” Bailey explains. “I’m working on a song actually, a new song, based around that which is [saying]: ‘The ‘80s, I hated them the first time around – not again!’” Best of all, Bailey, who once assembled a Kraftwerk tribute band called Augenblick, will do a Krautrock version of Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball – “which,” he quips, “seems to go down very well.” WHAT: Bill Bailey: Limboland WHEN & WHERE: 12 – 15 Oct, QPAC, Concert Hall
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 15
music
GOOD VIBES ALL ‘ROUND
Caravãna Sun have been doing plenty of adventuring since releasing their second album at the end of last year. Bass player Ant Beard is all too keen to tell Kane Sutton all about it.
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he gypsy-ska-rockers have just returned from their third European tour, supporting their second album AYA. For the boys, who travelled through various places including Holland, France, Portugal, Holland and more, it was as much about playing their own music as it was about experiencing others’ and their respective cultures. “It was really good, man”, Beard says animatedly. “It was amazing for the main reason of going back and seeing some of these communities that have sort of nurtured us over there, it made it feel pretty
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special. There’s a big pond of amazing musicians over there, and it’s such an inspiring place to go, not just for the music but for the crowds and you respect the connection you have with the people. “With so many of the places we visited, music is such an old part of their culture and they just really connect that way. Places like Portugal, we just had friends there that were on, like, €300 a month, but coming out and paying €10 of that to see a live band that’s come all the way from Australia. You can’t thank people enough for that kind of stuff. It’s so inspiring and it’s all about growing as people. At the end of
the day, we choose music because we love the sound, but it’s a choice of lifestyle too. You choose to live your life through your best mates and going through all these amazing experiences, and sharing things with them. Everyone’s going through their own battle and the one thing we all have in common is the music.” The Sydney-based quartet have been back in the country for a month, and are already psyching themselves up for an 18-date national tour, which begins this week. The tour celebrates their final single from their latest album, called Jackal In The Night. “We wanted to road-test a bunch of songs in Europe to see how people reacted, but there was just something about this track that really got people going crazy. I mean, we don’t want to see people going mental and doing this and that, but when you look out over the crowd and you’re playing a certain track, you know what’s working. From Amsterdam to Austria, and down to Portugal, where there were so many different sorts of people, everyone got into it and were dancing their arses off, so that was it. “We’re really feeling the momentum. Now, instead of us being behind the eight-ball we’re way out in front of it. We’ve obviously got this tour happening as we head into summer and it’s great for us as a band. We’ve had people coming us to us like, ‘Man, we really love the album,’ and it’s such a nice feeling. I don’t think many people understand just how good it makes you feel. Those sorts of things are really pushing us into the future and it should be an awesome next few months.” WHEN & WHERE: 26 Sep, Miami Marketta, Gold Coast; 5 Oct, Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads; 10 Oct, Solbar, Maroochydore
OUTTA JUICE A farewell tour talk ends up part confession, part celebration, part rant – all in the quest for finding their best musical place. Jake Stone and Stav Yiannoukas speak to Liz Giuffre about draining Bluejuice one last time.
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luejuice announced their demise a few months back. Ending with a farewell Retrospectacle tour and new single, I’ll Go Crazy, fans, wannabes and curious ambulance-chasers snapped up stock stupidly fast. Stone and Yiannoukas are clearly grateful, but also seem to think the farewell fascination comes from their twisted place in the market rather than the music, man. “If we stay together then we’ll start getting openly bad press. And we’ve always managed that well in the past. These little caveats that we’ve built into the band that allow us to still be in the pockets of people we’ve despised, and I was one of those indie people too, but we’ve managed to stay in those people’s pockets by rolling on our backs like dogs for them when necessary, and being submissive when we need to pretend to be, and then revealing in the live arena and in singles recording that we’re as good a band as any,” says Stone. While TISM and Machine Gun Fellatio are the go-to comparisons in terms of Bluejuice’s likely legacy, they’re not comparisons they’re down with. “We hate all those bands because we’re a pop band, we’re not a joke band… TISM were a great socially aware band, MGF were a joke band. Songs like Act Your Age, I’ll Go Crazy, they’re not joke songs, when you listen there’s no joke there at all,” says Stone. 16 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
“We did it by having funny clips, basically, and joking around in interviews,” chimes in Yiannoukas. “And the other similarity with MGF is that they wore costumes, and that’s part of the comparisons too. You see You Am I and Tim Rogers, or The Cruel Sea and Tex Perkins or whatever, as the version of themselves that they want people to see – it’s a look. Whereas we wear stupid costumes because we want attention, we want it to look bright and brilliant.” Maybe The Cruel Sea, Custard or Regurgitator might be a better fit. “I love Regurgitator as an example because I think that band is
much more consistent with what we do. I think they want to make contemporary pop music,” says Stone. “And they do eclectic; not every record sounds the same, they are a band, band,” adds Yiannoukas. If Bluejuice were to start again now, would they do it differently? “Nobody would have cared about us if we’d done it differently. We played the cards and the hand we had to play. We were in a band together for seven years before anyone gave a shit,” says Stone. “But because of the way we look and the type of music that we make, we don’t play that game of being cool, and can’t... So then we have to wear stupid statements from people who say stuff like we’re visually distracting to make up for never having had a hit. I mean, I don’t know what eight high-rotation singles means to you, but that’s success.” WHEN & WHERE: 1 Oct, Solbar, Maroochydore; 2 Oct, The Hi-Fi; 3 Oct, Coolangatta Hotel; 4 Oct, The Northern, Byron Bay; 30 Dec, Falls Festival, North Byron Parklands
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 17
music
HUMAN REPETITION Many do bangers better than Orlando Higginbottom, but if there’s some confetti handy, the man behind Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs will still let it off. He leaves the headpiece on the mantle to talk party with Benny Doyle.
A
lthough he’s still making appearances at the hottest events in Europe and finding himself inside “flame-throwing, giant mechanical [spiders]” (in front of 70,000 at Glasto no less), Orlando Higginbottom is currently in a period of downtime. On a break from the “crazy” schedule that followed his breakout 2012 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs debut Trouble, the Oxford lad is right now at the heart of a follow-up record, playing sporadic DJ sets as a way to get out of the studio.
However, Higginbottom will admit that he’s going for a “bigger” sound with his next record, though he uses the descriptor a little differently than we probably would. “When I say bigger I’m talking about wider, I’m talking about more widescreen, more epic. Not necessarily in the sense of banging,” he laughs. “There are people who do bangers a lot better than me, but that’s not my goal. My goal is to write a great song.
The 28-year-old won’t be touring his “precious and special” live show when he visits for Listen Out, but he does promise to try and wear some nice clothes for us, “and if I get my hands on some confetti I’ll let it off ”.
“I wouldn’t say it’s any harder in electronic music than playing in a band to make an album,” Higginbottom reasons. “You have to be quite [brave], your material has to be flowing the right way and then it’s a possibility, but it’s difficult for everybody to put together nine or ten tracks, and have it really work as a whole. You’re giving something to people and obviously this has taken me two years to make so please sit down for an hour-and-a-half and listen to it.”
He also confirms that he’ll be putting in some studio time locally, though he refrains from telling us who he’ll be working with, leaving us to linger with the intrigue.
His individual success has also made his father, Edward – a choral professor and musical director at the University of Oxford – very proud.
“You work with people and sometimes it turns into something, sometimes it doesn’t,” Higginbottom shrugs. “But I’ve got some great friends down
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in Australia. I’m going to be getting stuck into whatever is going on in Sydney and Melbourne.”
“I am his only experience of anything clubby and electronic; he doesn’t know anything about it,” Higginbottom chuckles. “But I grew up making music with my dad so he knows [and likes who I am] as a musician. He trusts that what I do is half-decent – he’s always very complimentary – but he always says, ‘Why does it have to repeat so much?’ And I think he’s got a good point.” WHEN & WHERE: 5 Oct, Listen Out, Brisbane Showgrounds
GETTING PHYSICAL A successful comedic actress in Argentina, Juana Molina took a risk and quit to focus on music. Six albums in, she’s still chasing that element of risk, as she tells Sky Kirkham.
W
hen Juana Molina sat down to put together her sixth album, 2013’s Wed 21, she had already written seven or eight new songs. The new material was a departure from her previous work; where her earlier albums had been dense and intricate folktronica, the new tracks were spare and acoustic, simply composed of guitar and vocals. But after listening back to some demo recordings, she decided she needed to start over again. “I didn’t like to listen to them. I thought it was a good thing to sing for myself, but not good enough to put on a record.” Only one song from that set survived, Eras, which has been completely reworked, and has become a complex mix of beats and delicate melodies. It had been years since Molina had released her last album, years since she’d gone through the process of recording. “I really was completely away from music and didn’t even know how to start,” she explains. A recommendation from a friend saw her trade in her favourite plug-ins for the guitar pedals they were based on, and that change, that shift to the physical, gave her the starting point she needed. “New instruments make you compose differently, or at least, new instruments give you new ideas,” Molina says. “The only thing I had in mind for this record was to not transit the same paths that I knew very well. I had 18 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
discovered a very easy way to write a song, and I didn’t want to do it the same way [any more]. I had discovered my own formula, but once you see it, it stops working. I avoided everything that I knew, or I tried to. I don’t know if I actually managed to get away from what I am, but at least the trip was different.” The potential for change is something Molina finds attractive in the live environment as well. Even the possibility that things could go wrong has a certain appeal. “It makes me more focused on what I’m doing. It makes me be really attentive. I started [using laptops
live] with my very first record because I was on my own, and I wanted the live show to sound exactly like the record. I thought that if it didn’t, the audience would be disappointed. So I triggered some tracks and then I played on top of that. But after the third show, I was actually thinking about something else while I was playing. That wasn’t good at all, because you can’t transmit anything like that. So I decided to strip down everything, to take only what really matters, what makes the song the song. And all that risk, that the things could fall, or you could get a wrong loop; there are a hundred-trillion things that could go wrong, and many times do, but I think that’s more alive.”
WHEN & WHERE: 25 Sep, Brisbane Festival, The Telstra Spiegeltent
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 7
★★★★
album reviews
LEONARD COHEN
GERARD WAY Hesitant Alien Warner
Popular Problems
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Sony Leonard Cohen, in his quickest turnout of records since the ‘70s, has followed up 2012’s wonderful Old Ideas with the equally lovely Popular Problems. Rare is the gift of the songwriter who can leave you hanging on every word as if they might reveal a hidden secret of life, but there really only ever has been one Leonard Cohen. Always channelling a deep-rooted melancholia about life, over the nine songs here Mr Cohen manages to reveal yet new sides to his songwriting. Sure, the religious themes, love and sensuality still permeate through the cracks on the record, yet the refined and accepting sense of hope we see here is something new and quite special. The man’s ironic charm and wit though still shine through despite it all: “There’s torture, and there’s
killing, and there’s all my bad reviews,” he croons in Almost Like The Blues. As is often the case with Cohen, the songs themselves are deceptively simple, employing a strippedback arrangement of electric organ, piano and female vocals as the norm. Yet the oddball funk of Nevermind and the haunting gospel of Born In Chains show there’s something more to the man than the folk poet troubadour of the ‘60s. Suitably, Cohen, now 80 years old, leaves us with his trademark charm as the album closes – “You got me singing even though the world is gone” – and that’s just him all over. Andrew McDonald
SBTRKT
20 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
rock opera attempts with MCR, Way falls just short. The album’s heavier and noisier moments feel the same, with Way undecided if he wants to accept his poprocker fate or not. Essentially, Way’s overestimation of his ability to craft sweeping epics and progressive masterpieces becomes the elephant in the room: Hesitant Alien is a complete, functional and pretty bloody good album, but wears an air of pretension that casts a shadow over ever jingly guitar chord and vocal harmony. Perhaps Way will bring about a pop renaissance in the vein of Elton John, but not while he thinks he’s Lennon. Cameron Cooper
Blue Planet Eyes
Young Turks/Remote Control
Voices in general contribute greater on this sophomore release, humanising the album in a way that the organic production demands. Jessie Ware is a standout on Problem Solved, Caroline Polachek goes full
The album is, at times, purposefully painful: opening track The Bureau leads with dark discords and buried vocals. It’s a sign of things to come: a pop album that is trying a bit too hard to be art. Way is at his best when crafting radio hits: Millions and Maya The Psychic are hook-filled while still musically interesting. Like his
★★★½
THE PREATURES
Wonder Where We Land The man in the mask is back with another collection of gorgeousness; after-hours exotica that feels like velvet touching your skin. No track on Wonder Where We Land overstays its welcome; SBTRKT – British producer Aaron Jerome – finds a good idea, lets it live with you briefly, then builds on the songs one by one to create a stunning whole. The consideration he shows within these tunes is sublime. The title track is full of nondescript whirs, fizzes and crackles, sounds that envelope vocal showcase Sampha. He plays an integral role on this record, as he did on SBTRKT’s 2011 eponymous debut, offering up a smooth style – confident and assured.
If you were a teenager in the ‘00s, My Chemical Romance were an important part of your adolescence – whether you kissed their poster before bed or set it on fire. By the end of the band’s career, they had proven they were much more than a whiny emo band, and instead a theatrically and conceptually enthralled outfit. It was this progression which makes Way’s first full solo effort since the band’s annihilation all the more left-field, with an approach that summons comparisons to dream-pop, punk rock and Weezer.
Universal
★★★★ Bond muse during the at-times uncomfortable Look Away, while Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig adds some tropical frivolity to proceedings with lead single New Dorp. New York. No one is more suitable, or exciting, however, than Sampha. He’s a show-stopping talent in his own right, but with SBTRKT showering him in creative electronic brilliance, he’s a superstar. There are also a number of songs where SBTRKT leaves the sounds standing as the hero. It gives the album gills, letting it breathe on its own without leaning on any third party. But although the overall sonics are spacious, there’s no doubt this record is about togetherness. Benny Doyle
Sydney band The Preatures’ greatest strength is also their weakness: they’re really good at writing songs that sound like Is This How You Feel?. Their debut album is as slick as a pair of tight leather pants, but that’s not to say these tracks haven’t had their fair share of reverb spilt on them at bars. Blue Planet Eyes simultaneously drips with equal portions of rock’n’roll detachment and dark desire. Released just after Haim’s single, Falling, started to pick up traction, Is This How You Feel? revels in the retro renaissance that fuelled much of last year’s pop music. Similar styles soak through most of this album, as Somebody’s Talking skips to the church on time and Better Than It Ever Could Be struts in a New York groove. Throughout all this, lead singer Isabella Manfredi’s voice channels the
★★★½ sultriness and mystery of Kim Carnes’ Bette Davis Eyes. There’s not much beyond this sunglasses-at-night vibe on Blue Planet Eyes. Manfredi’s songwriting is strictly pop, and she’s said that she wants to make people “feel the most in the least amount of time.” The closing track, Business, Yeah, is the most reflective writing on the album. Two Tone Melody is the only other moment that comes to any kind of clear-eyed sentiment, and even then it’s shrouded behind a hazy mist of production from guitarist and co-producer Jack Moffitt. Blue Planet Eyes waltzes through the haze and on to the scene like it’s been here all along. Roshan Clerke
albums/singles/eps
★★★½
★★★
★★★★
BLUEJUICE
CHRISTOPHER OWENS
KING TUFF
Retrospectable
A New Testament
Black Moon Spell
Vibrate On Silent
Dew Process/Universal
Turnstile/Caroline
Sub Pop/Inertia
Mexican Summer
After a 13-year relationship Bluejuice are breaking up, but it’s one of those good breakups, where you end things amicably, and know you’ve had a great time and will always treasure the memories of times shared together. That’s the Sydney group’s intention at least – they wanted to go out before they became a bit “shit”. Comprising all of their hit singles as well as three new tracks, Retrospectable is designed to help you remember Bluejuice as they were and as they still are – energetic, fun, covered in sequins and anything but shit.
There’s an overarching hopefulness to former Girls member Christopher Owens’ work. Whether lamenting heartbreak or wishful thinking, everything in the lilting pitchiness of his voice and hearton-sleeve lyricism has the air of a man throwing all his cards onto the table. A New Testament sees this optimism take shape in gospel-tinged Nothing More Than Everything To Me and the twanging country guitars on Key To My Heart. Stand-out song Never Wanna See That Look Again is rhythmically sharp, smoothed out with his doleful voice. A New Testament is sweet, almost saccharine, but Owens is endlessly endearing.
Black Moon Spell proves that you can never have enough Marc Bolan. Some of the more glam sections are forsaken for more outlandish garage growl, as on the sharp stab of Sick Mind or the pagan rock swell of the opening and title track. The stoner R’n’R grooves of yesteryear are evident in the likes of Rainbow’s Run and Eyes Of The Muse; elsewhere there is The Beatles-esque paisley-swirl of Staircase Of Diamonds and the sugar-rush hallucinogenics of Black Holes In Stereo. Pastiche? Homage? It’s a killer blast regardless.
ANDRAS FOX Melbourne producer Andras Fox is getting some muchdeserved hype for his new age, chilled-out synthesiser jams and he deserves every bit of it. This EP builds on the genius of Overworld, perhaps even eclipses it. Just incredible stuff.
THE DATSUNS Bad Taste Hellsquad/Valve Man, The Datsuns could not be accused of jumping on bandwagons and trends, Bad Taste is straight-up what they have always done: big riffs, wah, excellent stop-outs. Good!
Ash Goldberg
ART VANDELLAY
Brendan Telford
Sevana Ohandjanian
Head In The Sky Independent Surely this is not the first band called Art Vandellay? What an oversight if it is. They’re a Sydney group with a nice and swirly, affected take on safe guitar pop with big melodies.
THE SMITH STREET BAND Surrender Poison City The overwhelming and, I’ll say it, surprising success of The Smith Street Band shows how ready some rock’n’roll punters are to embrace something honest and with a sense of location.
APHEX TWIN Minipops 67 [120.2] [Source Field Mix] Warp You really shouldn’t need any more encouragement to check out new Aphex Twin than just knowing it exists. This number straddles the divide of being very listenable with small challenges to keep you on your toes.
MORE REVIEWS themusic.com.au/reviews/album ★★★
★★★
YELLE
JACK CARTY
Complètement Fou
Esk
Kemosabe/Sony
Gigpiglet/Inertia
Yelle rode high on the popularity of a wave of remixes that followed their last album. Complètement Fou is their third release, and finds the band as the same peppy pop act that occasionally dips their toes into buoyant electro. The title track and lovely ballad Nuite De Baise I are the sweetest moments on the album, while Coca Sans Bulles (which means ‘cola without bubbles’) is among its most effervescent highlights. American producer Dr Luke lends some tracks a little extra bump, but for the most part Complètement Fou is as smooth as champagne.
This time around, Carty delivers an album with some wonderful collaborations on board to bolster proceedings. Not only does Josh Pyke turn up, co-writing on single The Joneses, Carty has surrounded himself with some great musicians to flesh out these love songs. Highlights include the hypnotic If I Am A Candle, You Are A Spark which is both melodically and lyrically a challenging song. Carty’s belllike tones are perfectly suited to the aggressive Be Like The Water which has a rhythm reminiscent of an Ed Kuepper signature. Esk is an exceptional album that eclipses all his previous work.
Roshan Clerke
Lenny Kravitz – Strut Lowell – We Love Her Dearly Gary Clark Jr – Live Perfume Genius – Too Bright Erasure – The Violet Flame Spencer Burton – Don’t Let The World See Your Love Professor Green – Growing Up In Public Chris Brown – X Clue To Kalo – The Motives Records Dark Fortress – Venereal Dawn
Sebastian Skeet
Chris Yates THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 21
live reviews
ICEAGE, COBWEBBS, OCCULTS The Brightside 19 Sep The numbers at The Brightside tonight may be small, but the sense of excitement is pervasive. Tonight’s headliners have put out two great albums and are in Australia for the first time. How could it not be great? Occults do a fine job of whetting the appetite of the crowd with their swampy indie-punk played with a demeanour that’s as dark as a midnight black mass. Cobwebbs keep the mood going by serving up waves
themselves. And there’s a compelling watchability in their aura of misery. There’s something in watching the sweat pour down vocalist Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s pallid face while he continues to wear a trench coat and missteps against the foldback and staggers across the stage. Or listening to how the dead-eyed singer nonchalantly garbles his way through Forever, the first single off the new album, perhaps the only song many in the crowd have heard before. Or how bassist Jakob Tvilling Pless spends most of the time turned to face the drummer. Because what’s the point of facing the crowd anyway? One of the most powerful moments of the night arrives when a crowd member calls out a request for White Rune
ICEAGE @ THE BRIGHTSIDE. PIC: MARKUS RAVIK
of dark psych-rock feedback that roll, rather than crash, over the audience. Then it’s Iceage… Did Iceage come all the way from Denmark just to fuck with whoever turned up at their first-ever Australian shows? That’s the question that becomes more and more prevalent as the indie-punk poster boys veer through their set that features entirely from their third, and yet-tobe-released album, Plowing Into The Field Of Love. It’s a move that’s fantastic in its conception and frustrating in its execution. When the four-piece take the stage they embody the nihilism and disaffection dripping from their earlier records – throughout the whole set there’s not even the slightest hint that they may be enjoying 22 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
band roll into town and take a shit on you, but then, a band has still taken a shit on you. Tom Hersey
HTRK
The Telstra Spiegeltent 19 Sep With Brisbane Festival already in full swing, tonight sees a late night offering from experimental Melbourne duo HTRK. As with any HTRK show, a sense of scepticism is always healthy before seeing the band live as they often struggle to bring the intensity and depth they offer up on record to the live arena. This is always due in part to sound issues and the setting ruining the atmosphere intended by the
HTRK @ THE TELSTRA SPIEGELTENT. PIC: SKY KIRKHAM
from 2011’s New Brigade and the suggestion is summarily dismissed by Rønnenfelt with nothing more than a very small shake of the head. In this interaction, it becomes entirely apparent Iceage are not going to do anything to please anybody. Why should they try and please others when they themselves appear so morose? It’s all well and good to wax intellectual about the importance of displays of this nature – how in an age of immediate gratification, denial becomes such a precious commodity – when the record label has put you on the doorlist for the show. But if you were to shell out a 50 for the privilege, you might walk out of The Brightside tonight feeling a little pissed off. Because, yes, there’s a masochistic thrill to having a
out of tune during sections of the track, and seems not to know what to do on stage when she’s not contributing to a point in a track. The rest of the set proves to really be quite hit and miss. Work (Work, Work) cut Synthetik is so eerily haunting while at the same time hypersexual, but this same environment does not translate with Psychic highlight Chinatown Style with tempos and volume levels so drastically unbalanced that it sounds like a complete mess that isn’t aided by Standish’s voice, which, on record is a tender, open and addictive moment but tonight sounds as if she’s a chain-smoker attempting karaoke.
THE KITE STRING TANGLE @ THE TELSTRA SPIEGELTENT. PIC: SARAH PADDON
group. But with the backing of a thumping PA and the Spiegeltent’s production values well known, a good handful of punters have gathered with high hopes. Things initially start off quite dull with, yes, the sound not working in the group’s favour. This does shift quite dramatically though as the group dive into their latest masterwork, Psychic 9-5 Club, with Give It Up demanding attention, forcing you into its dark world of thick and deep 808s and almost space-like synths playing the heavily textured backdrop to the defeatist vocal delivery of Jonnine Standish. All of a sudden it falls apart again with Blue Sunshine as the production loses all depth and Standish begins to drop noticeably
Nigel Yang is clearly the driving force of the group and on stage seems to be constantly busy in comparison to previous performances where it felt as if he was just hitting a play button somewhere. The lighting also plays a big part tonight as fog fills the room and lights go from pitch black to blood red with each shifting moment, and it does aid the atmosphere tremendously, even at times overshadowing the band’s actual music. By the time closer, The Body You Deserve, kicks in, the audience is clearly divided in their opinion of the set so far but it’s a solid way to go out on that should have appeared earlier in the set, while older tracks such as Panties and Eat Yr Heart should have been getting an airing as opposed
live reviews to the obvious flops. By HTRK live standards, tonight did go slightly better than past appearances but only by the pubic hair of a dubby 808. Bradley Armstrong
THE KITE STRING TANGLE
The Telstra Spiegeltent 17 Sep There’s been a lot of anticipation building around the release of a new record ever since last year’s breakout single, Given The Chance, sent The Kite String Tangle, aka Danny Harley, hurtling into the limelight. In the less than a year, the rapid rise saw him go from playing in front of a modest gathering at Red Deer Festival to packing out one of the main stages at Splendour In The Grass. The launch of his debut EP, Vessel, has finally come and what better way to mark its arrival than with two sold out shows at The Spiegeltent in this year’s Brisbane Festival. His home crowd has stood up and responded with resounding
support – now it’s all up to Harley to bowl ‘em over with a TKST experience that fits the bill. Over the course of recent performances it’s seemed as if TKST had been overextending himself a little, with the 60-minute timeslot wearing things a bit thin in places. Tonight however, TKST appears to soar on a high wind, while glimpses of manifold forms tease at future potentials that reach even higher. The enclosed intimacy of The Spiegeltent provides the perfect setting for this music, while the ambience really enables the set to lift off. After Vessel opener Arcadia rounds out a few solid deliveries, a four-piece string section and drummer are brought out on stage for a rendition of Adventure Club’s Wonder. On its conclusion, Harley jokes about wasting the players’ talents with the demands of such simplistic accompaniment, but he’s wise to keep them restrained and not oversaturate his sound with their flavours. The slight nervous quality of his between-song banter expands on his music and lyrics by further sketching an impression
of vulnerability. It also gives off the sense that the swiftness of TKST’s ascent has left the man on the ground standing flabbergasted, and perhaps even a little humbled by it all. In what starts to seem like a regular game of musical chairs, a saxophonist is brought out for What’s The Point?, featured vocalist Tiana Khasi is brought out for Stone Cold, and finally the string section and drummer are brought out again for the successful Like A Version cover of Flight Facilities’ Clair De Lune. Harley is more than happy to go it alone when it comes time for the rapturous finale, Given The Chance, but of course this is the moment where everybody comes together in chorus, and the room-sized choir becomes his final accompaniment. The growing strength of TKST’s live sound and catalogue of songs, along with the elements of embellishment from guests, all work wonders towards shaping a set that feels more confident, varied and better-paced than ever.
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KANYE WEST @ BEC. PIC: STEPHEN BOOTH
Kanye West @ BEC The Painted Ladies @ The Judith Wright Centre
Jake Sun
arts reviews to the screen with impressive, muscular energy and intelligence.
THE MAZE RUNNER
THE MAZE RUNNER Film
In cinemas now
★★★ ½
With the exception of the Hunger Games, the recent wave of dystopian young adult fiction hasn’t made the transition to the screen all that successfully. The Maze Runner, however, is an engaging piece of future-shock action-adventure, with firsttime feature director Wes Ball bringing James Dashner’s novel
Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) awakens in the Glade, a wooded marsh smack in the middle of a massive, impenetrable maze, with no memory of how he got there. The rest of the Glade’s resident young dudes are similarly amnesiac, although they know enough to steer clear of the maze, which is teeming with Predatoresque monsters called Grievers. Only the quick, badass Runners are bold enough to map the maze, and when Thomas joins the ranks he eventually finds a possible escape route. But what’s beyond the maze? And who put the kids – including lone girl Teresa (Kaya Scodelario, valiantly trying to give depth to an underdeveloped role) – in there in the first place? What sets The Maze Runner apart from its contemporaries is its willingness to be a thrill ride rather than a metaphor festival. It’s action-driven, and Ball and his fine cast handle the requirements of the story with tremendous vigour. Guy Davis
THE SHRINK AND SWELL OF KNOTS Theatre
Brisbane Festival
★★★
The Shrink And Swell Of Knots begins with a man building a coffin – one that simply allows the person to be what they have always been: carbon and a neverending rearranging of matter. The man is addressing his grandson throughout, attempting and largely failing to imbue some pearls of wisdom. Grant has a lot to do here – too much. From dragging wood, building teepees, to tying and untying knots, to folksinging, to video projection, to hammering home an analogy that may not deserve 60 minutes of elaboration. Knots. They’re many things: they strengthen and weaken; they join disparate elements
together. They’re also a measure of speed, which is, in turn, a measure of time. Point taken. It’s saving grace is that Grant is impeccable. Compelling for the full hour, you find yourself willing the material to be better developed, allowing Grant to really move the audience, without relying on every theatrical device available to single-handers. It’s a pity because in the penultimate final scene the play seems to go somewhere beautiful, somewhere simple and poignant. Helen Stringer
THE SHRINK AND SWELL OF KNOTS
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 23
24 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
the guide
Member answering/role: Steven Appleton – singer/guitarist How long have you been together? Since 2010. How did you all meet? Through a serendipitous chain of friends and air-conditioned nightmares. You’re on tour in the van – which band or artist is going to keep the most people happy if we throw them on the stereo? The Raveonettes, Joy Division, Savages, The Horrors, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Would you rather be a busted broke-but-revered Hank Williams figure or some kind of Metallica monster? Hank Williams – any day. Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)? DZ Deathrays. Watching them move from go to whoa. Very inspirational to see hard work and talent pay off. What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make? Knowing that if you dig a little (or a lot) in the right direction, there will always be someone making a sound that you really dig in a venue to match. Having world class acts looming in Brisbane’s dark little corners is pretty exciting and motivating. Is your band responsible for more make-outs or break-ups? Why? It would probably be break-ups because most of our songs are about disentangled or frustrated lovers.
SOVIET X-RAY RECORD CLUB
What reality TV show would you enter as a band and why? Something with Gordon Ramsay. I’m sure our haircuts and pasty faces would be enough to piss him off. He’d yell, the band would laugh. Then we’d all have something good to eat at the end. Perfect! What’s in the pipeline for the band in the short term? A single launch show at The Bearded Lady (26 Sep) followed by a quick stint to Melbourne and Sydney, then our album release for Wake (24 Oct), more shows and then back to writing another album. Soviet X-Ray Record Club play The Bearded Lady on Friday 26 September.
Pic: TERRY SOO
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 1
eat/drink
MOCKTAILS If you’re practicing for Feb-fast, Dry July, OcSober or just not keen on the drinks, we’ve complied a list of places to keep you going while your mates have the drinks flowing. Words Taylor Yates. Illustration Sophie Blackhall-Cain.
MELBOURNE RED SPICE ROAD – 27 MCKILLOP ST, MELBOURNE
SYDNEY MANTRA RESTAURANT & BAR – 6 COWPER WHARF RD, WOOLLOOMOOLOO Boasting not only a vegetarian menu, but a vegan one as well, Mantra have a small but sweet cocktail menu consisting of fizzy, fruity goodness, like the Fizzy Bliss (pineapple and lime juice, pineapple puree, soda water and a dash of grenadine).
If refreshing and fruity is your thing, head over to Red Spice Road for a Lychee Passion (fresh passionfruit, lychee, grape and lemon juice with a kaffir lime syrup), or a Vera’s Choice (cucumber, aloe vera juice, pomegranate molasses, Hepburn Springs) if you’re on a bit of a health kick.
AFTER THE TEARS – 9B GORDON ST, ELSTERNWICK With cheery names like Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (black elderberry syrup, lemon and “fizzy stuff ”), and Very Berry Yum Yum, (mint, strawberry, raspberry), contraire to the name, After The Tears is sure to put a smile on your sober face.
PERTH MY PLACE BAR & RESTAURANT – 70 PIER ST, PERTH As well as basic mocktails (think Virgin Mary), they have some extra sweet ones like Tobledelight (chocolate, coffee, vanilla ice cream, hi lo milk, blended over ice) and My Place Mocktini (muddled pieces of fresh lime soaked with green tea, honey syrup, black current syrup and homemade melon syrup topped with lemonade); more like desserts than mocktails, but we are perfectly okay with that.
BRISBANE EMPORIUM HOTEL COCKTAIL BAR – 1000 ANN ST, FORTITUDE VALLEY If you’re feeling like something a little more like a real cocktail, go for a Lychee & Lemongrass Collins (lemon juice, cloudy apple juice, lemongrass syrup, ginger ale, mint, lychee). If you’re not feeling it, go for a Rosy Refresher (cranberry juice, grapefruit, rose syrup, peach bitters, cucumber).
FANCY WATER Not keen on syrups and fizz but like the idea of putting fruit in drinks? Jazz up some good ol’ H2O with these combos: Good for digestion: Lemon. Plain and simple. Maybe chuck some orange in there for some sweetness. Fresh: Cucumber. (Add lemon, orange or even tomato for some tang.) Watermelon and mint. Sweet: Strawberries and apple. Or lime. Basil wouldn’t go astray. Summery: Mango and lime. Coconut and raspberries.
26 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
INDIE NEWS
CHART WRAP
IN THE DESERT
DUNNY ROCK
ROCK TEMPLE
Brisbane folk singer Sahara Beck shows off her gorgeous second EP Bloom on 28 Sep, Brisbane Powerhouse; 3 Oct, Studio 188, Ipswich; and 10 Oct, The Loft, Gold Coast. Kick back, sip a cold one and enjoy.
The Dunhill Blues are bringing their no-rules rock’n’roll show up north, getting sweaty at Prince Of Wales Hotel, Nundah, 26 Sep; Roundhouse Tavern, Murwillumbah, 27 Sep; and Freemasons Hotel, Nimbin, 28 Sep.
Chrome Recliner, Dead Wolves and Roth (pictured) play the opening of The Sonic Temple, Brisbane’s newest music venue, located behind The Chalk Hotel. Head down for some thinking man’s rock on 26 Sep.
LOOK AND LISTEN
A FRIEND IN NEED
TO THE SKY!
Roots musician Pat Tierney celebrates the release of his new single, Love We’re Looking For, with a couple of shows at The Rails, Byron Bay, 24 Sep; and Solbar, Maroochydore, 26 Sep.
Raise money for Mick Blood’s medical bills and get sets from Screamin Stevie, Dr Bombay, The Busymen, Hill 60 at Bloodstock, Beetle Bar, 28 Sep from 1pm. The Lime Spiders frontman was savagely beaten in Newcastle recently.
To promote their new single Oceans, Gold Coast prog-rockers Mass Sky Raid will be hitting up venues down the east coast, with New Globe Theatre (18 Oct) and Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast (24 Oct) both locked in for a session.
SHOWTIME
THREE DECADES ON
APOCALYPTIC COUNTDOWN
Melbourne folk five-piece Playwrite have a new single, Whittaker, and are setting out on tour to launch it. See them when they visit on 10 Oct at Beach Hotel, Byron Bay; and 11 Oct at Ric’s Bar.
Jon Stevens will be singing tracks from his 30-year back catalogue at Bangalow Bowling Club, Byron Bay, 25 Sep; Lonestar Tavern, Gold Coast, 26 Sep; Villa Noosa Hotel, 28 Sep; and Blue Mountain Hotel, Toowoomba, 2 Oct.
Headlining Doomsday Festival will be US heavy dudes Windhand and vengeful New Zealanders Beastwars. Hear today’s finest sludge, doom metal, psychedelic, stoner, post-rock and experimental bands at Crowbar, 2 Oct.
HOEDOWN HIPPIES
GET FASHIONABLE
SOUTHERN BRASS
Bellamy Brothers are honkytonk kings stateside, racking up 20 chart-topping singles and recording with everyone from Dolly Parton to Willie Nelson. Get side-stepping 3 Oct, Empire Theatre, Toowoomba and 4 Oct, Twin Towns, Tweed Heads.
Underground house aficionados, get out your diaries: Venezuelan duo Fur Coat will finally be bringing their dirty beats, including this year’s veritable banger There Is No Time, to Australia for the first time. Get low at TBC Club, 3 Oct.
Direct from New Orleans, the big band, good time ensemble that is Tuba Skinny will play Mullumbimby Civic Hall, 3 Oct; and The Zoo, 4 Oct to go with their scheduled appearance at Caloundra Music Festival, 5 & 6 Oct.
FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU
It has been a week of “Joyous” domination on the Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts, with Aussie man-ofthe-moment Vance Joy not only keeping two singles in the top five, but stepping out with a #1 debut for his recently released LP, Dream Your Life Away. With Mess Is Mine (#4) and Riptide (#5) still performing admirably on the singles chart, Dream Your Life Away shot straight to the top of the ladder in its first eligible week, knocking off Jimmy Barnes’ 30:30 Hindsight retrospective LP and placing solidly ahead of next-highest debutant The Wolfe Brothers, whose Nothin’ But Trouble LP makes its entry just inside the top five, at #4. The self-titled EP from turnof-the-’90s synth kings Client Liaison steps out at #14, with fellow BIGSOUND alumnus Steve Smyth not far behind with Exits at #16, while Thirsty Merc’s Acoustic Anniversary Album rounds out the fulllength newcomers for the week, sliding into the top 20 at #19. Over in the singles stakes, Missy Higgins claims topperforming newcomer with Back To The Wall earning her a Top 10 debut at #9, while Allday’s You Always Know The DJ makes its belated entry at #19. Otherwise, it was a fairly tepid week – the top eight singles are all the same tracks as last week, with the top five – Timmy Trumpet (Freaks), Sia (Chandelier), Sheppard (Geronimo) and Joy’s two hits – remaining completely inert, with only a slight jostling for #6 – #8 (which are now occupied respectively by Illy’s One For The City, the Hilltop Hoods’ Won’t Let You Down and Illy again, with Tightrope). THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 27
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
ALBUM FOCUS
MATT CORNELL Album title? Matt Cornell Where did the title of your new album come from? I was considering naming the album after one of the song titles, but I felt this being my first country release, having a self-titled album was the best way to go. How many releases do you have now? Released an EP back in 2007, Miles From Texas, an album in 2011, Out Of Suburbia, and currently Matt Cornell. How long did it take to write/ record? This record, from the time the first single was released, till the album came out, it’s almost been a
ALBUM FOCUS
two-year project, but some of the songs were written a little over three years ago.
Go Your Way. Some songs are years old, some were written very close to recording.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The events going on in my life over the duration of the writing process, and although I had some hard times throughout this period, I was focusing on writing positive songs.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? I’ve got lots of friends who are amazing songwriters... Alison Ferrier, Brooke Russell, Rich Davies, Jed Rowe, Justin Bernasconi, Jeff Lang, Les Thomas. They’re all really inspirational.
What’s your favourite song on it? We Were Good for personal reasons resonates with me, and I’m really proud of Don’t Feel Like Doing It. Will you do anything differently next time? We always evolve as people and as artists, so I’m sure the next time around I’ll do a few things a little different. When and where is your launch/ next gig? I’m opening for Adam Brand on his national tour, we have around 25 shows in eight weeks. Website link for more info? mattcornellmusic.com.au
CAT CANTERI Album title? When We Were Young Where did the title of your new album come from? The album centres around themes of personal relationships. The cover image is of me sitting in the room where I was born, and where I slept until I left home when I was 21. How many releases do you have now? This is my first solo release. My other band The Stillsons has released three albums. How long did it take to write/record? I recorded the album in between touring with The Stillsons and doing pre-production and tracking for their third album Never
What is your favourite poem? It changes week to week. Poems are a bit like music for me, when I hear something I love I want to listen to it over and over until I’ve killed it for myself and I have to go looking for my new favourite. What do you prefer, iambic pentameter or quantitative metre? Ha ha. Just wait here while I look that up... No idea. I like work that makes me feel something. No English degree needed. Do you like rap? I was never a fan until I got into spoken word. Then I started noticing the lyrical 1 • THEE M MUSIC U • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Will you do anything differently next time? I won’t play most of the instruments. I’ve got a band together of good buddies so I’m already looking forward to some studio time before the year is out. Website link for more info? catcanteri.com Cat Canteri plays 27 Sep, Queen Street Mall; 28 Sep, Livespark, Brisbane Powerhouse; 28 Sep, Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall; 2 Oct, The Rails, Byron Bay.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO
POETRY SLAM FOCUS
ANGELA PEITA
What’s your favourite song on it? In terms of lyrics See My Bones. Musically, Giovanna.
skill involved. Now definitely. There’s a definite cross section between slam and hip hop.
WOOLLY MAMMOTH
What’s the biggest challenge in poetry slam? Probably the simple fact that it’s a competition. It takes so much to get up there and share a piece of yourself, scoring someone on that can take away from how great it was that they got up there at all. But competition also means crowd interaction, excitement; it’s part of what makes slam great too.
Address: 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
In an ideal world who would you be the literary love child of? Tom Robbins and Richard Brautigan. I’d be an insane genius. Also, I’d probably be just as weird as I am now but there would be a clear explanation as to why.
Answered by: Libby Kilby
What’s the capacity? 500-1000 Why should punters visit you? We’ve got more craft beers on tap than anywhere else in Queensland... just to feed the mammoth in the alehouse. What’s the best thing about the venue? We can’t pick just one, so... Star Wars quotes on the main stairway, a moving moose head on the wall, a hairy mammoth in the alehouse and inspirational phrases right above the craft beers.
S U P P O R T I N G
I N D E P E N D E N T
What’s the history of the venue? What started as three separate and very different venues, has ended up as one colossal beast (pun intended). We look forward to rewriting prehistory with a 21st century/craft beer twist. What is your venue doing to help the local music scene? Our Alehouse Stage is set to become a haven for local musicians. We’re booking Brisbane legends and inter/national superstars alike. What are some of the highlights? Our highlights? We should totally carbon date because our half-life would approach eternity. Website link for more info? woollymammoth.com.au M U S I C
CAFÉ - BAR
321 BRUNSWICK STREET MALL, FORTITUDE VALLEY
WED SEPTEMBER 24TH
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (10:15PM) + OCEAN LEAVES (9:30PM) + SAMUEL DYLAN COOPER (8:45PM) + PLAYBOIMILLAIRE (8:00PM)
THU SEPTEMBER 25TH
BETWEEN KINGS (10:30PM) + NILA BONDA (9:30PM)
FRI SEPTEMBER 26TH
SHAGGY GALFUNKUS (9:00PM) + GUEST (8:00PM)
SAT SEPTEMBER 27TH
GHOST AUDIO (9:00PM) + GUEST (8:00PM)
SUN SEPTEMBER 28TH
EXPOSED ULTIMATE HEAT 4
MON SEPTEMBER 29TH
CONSPIRACY OF ONE (9:30PM) + STEVE DORRINGTON (8:30PM)
TUE SEPTEMBER 30TH
SIICK RIICK (9:30PM) + THE MUGGY RIVER RAMBLERS FREE LIVE MUSIC AND INDIE DJS
WANT TO PLAY? EMAIL BOOKINGS@RICSBAR.COM.AU
WWW.RICSBAR.COM.AU
Ŷē ē
PRE ORDER NOW STORE.THEMUSIC.COM.AU THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 29
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt + JXCKXLZ: Fat Louie’s, Brisbane
THE MUSIC PRESENTS The Bombay Royale: The Telstra Spiegeltent 24 Sep Juana Molina: The Telstra Spiegeltent 25 Sep Midnight Juggernauts: The Telstra Spiegeltent 26 Sep Caravãna Sun: Miami Marketta 26 Sep, Solbar 10 Oct Missy Higgins: BCEC 27 Sep, Empire Theatre Toowoomba 28 Sep, GCAC Gold Coast 30 Sep DMA’s: The Brightside 2 Oct Bluejuice: Solbar 1 Oct, The Hi-Fi 2 Oct Woodlock: The Rails 8 Oct, Black Bear Lodge 9 Oct Bonjah: The Zoo 10 Oct, Racecourse Hotel 11 Oct, Surfers Paradise Beer Garden 12 Oct
Bear Lodge 2 Nov
KlubKnight: Helm Bar, Surfers Paradise
Radio Birdman: The Hi-Fi 7 Nov
Eddie Garzia Band: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End
Airlie Beach Music Festival: The Whitsundays 7 – 9 Nov
Mantra Trio: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central
Daniel Lee Kendall: Black Bear Lodge 13 Nov
Wayward Angels: Manly Deck Bar & Restaurant, Manly
Gorguts: Crowbar 16 Nov
The Smith Street Band: The Hi-Fi 21 Nov Davey Lane: The Brightside 21 Nov Jungle Love Festival: Lake Moogerah 21-22 Nov Mullum Music Festival: Mullumbimby 20-23 Nov
Courtney Barnett: The Zoo 11 Oct
The Delta Riggs: The Factory Maroochydore 5 Dec, The Triffid 6 Dec
Pierce Brothers: Black Bear Lodge 16 Oct
The War On Drugs: The Zoo 10 Dec
Jack Carty: New Globe Theatre 17 Oct
Festival Of The Sun: Port Macquarie 12-13 Dec
The Blurst Of Times Festival: The Brightside, The Zoo 18 Oct
Dead Letter Circus: The Hi-Fi 18 Dec
The Meanies: Prince Of Wales 18 Oct Ball Park Music: The Tivoli 18 Oct, Alhambra Lounge 2 Nov (U18) CW Stoneking: The Hi-Fi 31 Oct
Brisbane Festival presents Clem Jones City Hall Concerts feat. Jo Lawry: City Hall (Main Auditorium / 12pm), Brisbane Brisbane Festival: American Music Club + Various Artists: QPAC, Cascade Court, South Bank Through The Looking Glass + Ocean Leaves + Samuel Dylan Cooper + Playboimillaire + DJ Redbeard: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley Brisbane Festival presents The Bombay Royale: Spiegeltent, South Bank Unstable Landings feat. Brainbeau + 24 Hour Gym + The Feather Collector + Henry Blake: The Bearded Lady, West End Sara Bareilles: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Veruca Salt + Bloods: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
THU 25
The Grills + Elvis Got Fat + Yellowcatredcat: Beetle Bar, Brisbane
Meg Mac + Rainy Day Women: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Ultrafeedy + End Of The First Note + The Eagle Junction: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
Brisbane Festival: Twilight Music Series feat. Willow Beats: River Quay, Southbank
Swollen Members: Woolly Mammoth (Mainstage), Fortitude Valley
A Little Province + Vernas Keep + Matt Stillert: Solbar, Maroochydore
Switchblade Suzie + Hobo Magic + The Halls + Youth Allowance + Reud Mood: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley
Brisbane Festival presents Midnight Juggernauts: Spiegeltent, South Bank
New Navy: Alhambra Lounge, Fortitude Valley
Smooch feat. Some Jerks + Jackie Marshall + Kellie Lloyd + Jeunae & Serinda: Beetle Bar, Brisbane Friday On My Mind + Various DJs: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Thy Art Is Murder: Crowbar 20 Dec & 21 Dec (U18)
Hemi King Trio: Morrison Hotel, Woolloongabba
Taylor + Ashleigh Mannix + Jac Stone: Soundlounge, Currumbin
FRI 26
The Belligerents + The Jensens + Baskervillain: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Soviet X-Ray Record Club + Gazar Strips + Roku Music (DJ Set): The Bearded Lady, West End
Brisbane Festival presents Piers Lane + Schwarz & Schwarz + Queensland Symphony Orchestra: QPAC (Concert Hall), Southbank Brisbane Festival: American Music Club + Various Artists: QPAC, Cascade Court, South Bank Cat Canteri: Queen Street Mall (12pm), Brisbane
Le Suits + Shanghai + Fat Susan + Weightless In Orbit: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Missy Higgins + Dustin Tebbutt: The Events Centre Caloundra, Caloundra
Face2Face; A Tribute To The Angels: Racehorse Hotel, Booval CMC Rocks North Queensland 2014 feat. Gary Allan + The Mavericks + Blackjack Billy + more: Reid Park, Townsville Chester: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong
London Grammar: Brisbane Riverstage 7 Mar
Gabriel Iglesias: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank
Mojo Burning Festival: New Globe Theatre 21 Mar
Justin Timberlake + Common Kings: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
Cheap Sober + Triple 3 + Bates + Defmenwalking + Nuggy G: The Hi-Fi, West End
The Russel Family: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point
Frazer Goodman + Friends: The Loft, Chevron Island
Knockoff + Various Artists: Brisbane Powerhouse (Turbine Platform), New Farm
The Floating Bridges: The Motor Room, West End
Rumblefish: Taps Australia, Mooloolaba
Marko Halstead + John Wilsteed + Mick Elliot: The Underdog Pub Co (Red Room), Fortitude Valley
Smoke + Love Craft: The Bearded Lady, West End
Bluesfest Byron Bay: Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, 2 – 6 Apr
Steve Smyth: Black
WED 24
Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane
GIG OF THE WEEK BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB: THE TIVOLI 27 SEP
Gossling: Black Bear Lodge 19 & 20 Nov
Thrilling Thursdays feat. Bluescorp: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Swollen Members + Madchild: Coniston Lane, Fortitude Valley Ape Farm + Rohan + Walken + Dameena: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley
Brisbane Festival presents Juana Molina: Spiegeltent, South Bank
Penny Rides Shotgun: The Underdog Pub Co (Red Room), Fortitude Valley
Andrew Tate: Morrison Hotel, Woolloongabba Miazma + Slug Guts + Vyrion + Universe + Those Who Endure: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley Patrick James + Winterbourne: Old Museum, Bowen Hills The Dunhill Blues + The Dirty F Holes + Union Radio + Crooked Face + Marville: Prince of Wales Hotel, Nundah Brisbane Festival: American Music Club + Various Artists: QPAC, Cascade Court, South Bank Shaggy Galafunkus: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley
Flynn Effect + The Midway Creatures + Isiis + Scallop: The Zoo, Fortitude ValleyMammoth Official Launch feat. Potbelleez DJs + Cliftonia + DJ Gatling Gun + Golden Sound + Cheap Fakes: Woolly Mammoth (Alehouse), Fortitude Valley
Tsun + The Family Jordan: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Caravana Sun: Miami Marketta, Miami
The Sunburys + The Massive Fergusons: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Recharge DJs: Russell Tavern, Dalby Kooyeh: Solbar, Maroochydore
Big Bongin Baby + The Wet Fish + Spook Hill + The Layrights: Beetle Bar, Brisbane
Dan Brodie: Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane
The Brodie Graham Band: Solbar, Maroochydore
David Aurora + Jon Whitten + Mentally Twins + Dominique Maurice: The Loft, Chevron Island
Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt + JXCKXLZ: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley
Symbolic Weapon: Irish Club Hotel, Toowoomba
Between Kings + Nila Bonda + DJ Valdis: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley
Warped Covers + Burning Brooklyn + Malibu Stacey + We Set Signals: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley
Howling Seas + The Moose + Gonzovillain + The Larch: Club Greenslopes, Greenslopes
Slice n Dice with Tooshoes + Benibee + Hynzey + Migs: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill
Brisbane Festival: American Music Club + Various Artists: QPAC, Cascade Court, South Bank
Hannah Rosa + Astrid + Jackson James Smith: The Bearded Lady, West End
Kim (The Presets): The Factory, Maroochydore
Traffic Light Party + Take Us To Vegas + Wendy Icon + The Brave + Dead End Friends: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Mitch Green + Salt & Steel + Anika Mantell: The Loft, Chevron Island Bombay Bicycle Club + East: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Bitter Lungs + Staunch + DMS + El Monstro + Wilful Damage + Akuma Valley: The Underdog Pub Co, Fortitude Valley
Missy Higgins + Dustin Tebbutt: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (Great Hall), South Bank
Toy Watches + Thumping Bumjoys + Kingston Stompers + Lincoln Howe + Tall Tale Tellers: The Underdog Pub Co, Fortitude Valley
Justin Timberlake + Common Kings: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
The Royales + Outliers + Bilby: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
Knightmare + Avarin + Gorefield + Prophets Of War + Feed: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley The Punk Rock Hillbilly + The Dead Ringers + Deadweight Express + Big Iron: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley Anonymous Club + The Buzzbees + Kasper + Kobrakai + The Storytellers + Q The Moon: Currumbin Creek Tavern, Currumbin Waters
Jon Stevens: Villa Noosa Hotel, Noosaville Jeff Carter Duo: Warner Tavern, Warner Operation Dub Temple MASSIVE feat. JPS + Nam + A13 + Samedi Soundsystem + Voodoo Dred: Woolly Mammoth, Fortitude Valley Astro Travellers + Dub Temple DJs: Woolly Mammoth (Alehouse), Fortitude Valley The U2 Show - Achtung Baby: Wynnum RSL, Wynnum
S U P P O R T I N G
I N D E P E N D E N T
M U S I C
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au Glenn Thomas: Wynnum RSL, Wynnum
SUN 28
Bloodstock - Mick Blood Benefit Gig feat. Screamin Stevie + The Counterfeit Umbrellas + The Pretty Fingers + Dr Bombay + The Busymen + Team Utopia + Hill 60: Beetle Bar (1pm), Brisbane Castlecomer: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Jon Stevens: Blue Mountain Hotel, Harlaxton Vertigo: Breakfast Creek Hotel, Breakfast Creek Gary Allan + The Mavericks + Blackjack Billy: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank Spyglass Gypsies: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Livespark + Sahara Beck + Cat Canteri: Brisbane Powerhouse (Turbine Platform), New Farm Waxhead: Broadbeach Tavern (Liars Club), Broadbeach Sunday Unplugged + Nic Tango: Burleigh Heads Hotel, Burleigh Heads Locky: Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabba Miazma + Guests: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley Michael Eotvos: Coomera Tavern, Upper Coomera
classies
Daryl James: Coorparoo Bowls Club (2pm), Coorparoo Maybeshewill + Solkyri: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley
classies.themusic.com.au
Zac Gunthorpe: Dragon Bull, Noosa Heads
MUSIC SERVICES
Missy Higgins + Dustin Tebbutt: Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
RECORDING STUDIOS
Midnight Son & The Crime Scene: Habitat Restaurant & Bar, South Brisbane
ALCHEMIX RECORDING STUDIO
Spike: Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton Take Me Home: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
VERUCA SALT: THE ZOO 24 SEP
Cat Canteri: Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane The Enterprise: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane The WellSwung Daddies + The Sugar Shakers + The Good Ol’ Boys + Mark D’s Big 3: Morrison Hotel, Woolloongabba Mimi Macpherson: Noosa Reef Hotel, Noosa Heads
Hillbilly Hoedown feat. The Casuarinas + Coco Baulch + The Demon Drink + The Sugar Shakers + Moondog Gypsy Blues Band: The Bearded Lady, West End Rebel Souljahz + Anuhea + Manalion + DJ J-Tok: The Hi-Fi, West End
Hanja: OMalleys Irish Bar, Mooloolaba
Dan Brodie + The Pin Ups + Penny Rides Shotgun: The Underdog Pub Co, Fortitude Valley
Jabba + Jeremy Peter Allen: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong
Andy Dub: Woolly Mammoth (Gardenbar), Fortitude Valley
Pat Tierney: Solbar, Maroochydore
Nik Phillips: Wynnum RSL, Wynnum
Open Air Cinema feat. Husky: Southbank (The Rainforest Green), Brisbane
MON 29 The Bachata Social: Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabba Conspiracy Of One + Steve Dorrington: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley
TUE 30
Reece Mastin + The Kin: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm Missy Higgins + Dustin Tebbutt: Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach HRBRT: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End The Bug feat. Not A Lemur + 3 Miles From Texas: New Farm Bowls Club, New Farm Open Air Cinema feat. Boy Oh! Boy: Southbank (The Rainforest Green), Brisbane Siick Riick + The Muggy River Ramblers: Ric’s Bar, Fortitude Valley
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Mark Sheils: Samford Valley Hotel, Samford Valley
THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 • 31
32 • THE MUSIC • 24TH SEPTEMBER 2014