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2 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 3
4 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 5
CREDITS PUBLISHER
Street Press Australia Pty Ltd
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Mast
NATIONAL EDITOR MAGAZINES Mark Neilsen
EDITOR Bryget Chrisfield
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Cassandra Fumi
ASSISTANT EDITOR Stephanie Liew
GIG GUIDE Justine Lynch vic.giguide@themusic.com.au
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Jeff Jenkins
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 1 OCT - 7 OCT 2014
Steve Bell
CONTRIBUTORS Emma Breheny, Luke Carter, Anthony Carew, Oliver Coleman, Cyclone, Guy Davis, Simon Eales, Guido Farnell, Tim Finney, Bob Baker Fish, Cameron Grace, Andrew Hazel, Brendan Hitchens, Kate Kingsmill, Baz McAlister, Samson McDougall, Tony McMahon, Fred Negro, Matt O’Neill, Josh Ramselaar, Paul Ransom, Michael Smith, Dylan Stewart, Stephanie Tell, Simone Ubaldi, Glenn Waller, Matthew Ziccone, Sophie Blackhall-Cain
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Lena Dunham has done it all. An accomplished writer, director, actor and creator, her memoir Not That Kind Of Girl is out today. It’s a stunning collection of revealing, hilarious essays from the woman at the forefront of progressive thinking. Dunham makes a point of letting you know that she isn’t perfect, a refreshing stance in an egotistical celebrity world. Whether you’re in the hunt for laughs, or enlightenment, this is a must-read.
Prepare for five days of blues music, theatre, cabaret, comedy and arts, with Docklands Arts & Laughs Festival kicking off on 1 Oct. There’s the Gala Comedy Show starring, Peter Helliar and Bob Franklin, a life-sized pupper parade, a night market and more, in various locations across Docklands. 5 Oct is festival day. For more info head to docklandsartsand-laughsfestival.com.au.
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MELBOURNE
The Music ACHES FOR The Peep Tempel. And the combined force of their tunes and The Tote is a match made in our rock’n’roll dreams. You know what to do/where to be on 3 Oct. You’re welcome.
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THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 7
national news news@themusic.com.au
PORTUGAL. THE MAN
MAN ALIVE
Psychedelic indie-pop stalwarts Portugal. The Man are escaping winter in Portland to play a bunch of Australian dates, right on the cusp of summer. Now seven albums down, the group has already graced us with their presence at Laneway and Splendour In The Grass. This time around they’re charging zero dollars for the honour. 1 Nov, The Left Bank, Fremantle; 8 Nov, Jubilee Hotel, Fortitude Valley; 22 Nov, Manly Wharf Bar, Sydney; and 30 Nov, The Deck, Frankston; with more dates on theMusic.com.au. Proudly presented by The Music.
SHEERAN SEASON
UK singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is clearly a big fan of Aussie shores – he’s played a couple of concert tours over the past few years since he broke out with his hit single The A-Team in late 2011 and he was here earlier this year on a promo visit. Sheeran’s also gearing up for a performance at this weekend’s AFL Grand Final. He’ll come back in March and April next year, playing Riverstage, Brisbane, 20 Mar; Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney, 24 Mar; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, 28 Mar; and Perth Arena, 4 Apr.
GRUDGE FROM A T
Jamie T finally releases his third album, Carry On The Grudge, the perfect excuse to make the trip to Australia for the first time in nearly six years. On 21 Jan he takes to the Metro Theatre, Sydney; followed by 23 Jan, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane; 24 Jan, Forum Theatre, Melbourne; and 26 Jan, Astor Theatre, Perth.
MEGAN WASHINGTON
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
After selling out shows across the country in August and performing a series of free pop up shows in September, ARIA Awardwinning songbird Megan Washington has announced a national run of tour dates in early 2015, taking her newly released album There There out on the road. She’ll be playing 13 Feb, 170 Russell, Melbourne; 14 Feb, The Triffid, Brisbane; 21 Feb, Metro Theatre, Sydney; and 28 Feb, The Bakery, Perth.
IN THE FLESH
You’ve seen the 2009 doco, now see the Canadian cult metal trio Anvil – singer and guitarist Steve Kudlow, bass player Sal Italiano and drummer Robb Reiner – in the flesh, delivering their latest album, Hope In Hell, and so much more 6 Nov, Astor Lounge, Perth; 7 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Melbourne; 8 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane; 9 Nov, The Hi-Fi, Sydney and 10 Nov, The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle.
FACING HEIGHTS YELLOWCARD
PICK A CARD
With their seventh album, Lift A Sail, being released this month, Jackson, Florida poppunk four-piece Yellowcard have announced that they’ll be bringing it and all your faves back to Australia live and in person next July, and they’ll be bringing best buds Mayday Parade along with them. Last here in 2013 celebrating their tenth anniversary in acoustic mode, Yellowcard play 4 Jul, Metro City, Perth; 8 Jul, The Tivoli, Brisbane; 10 Jul, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney; and 11 Jul, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne.
COLIN FARRELL IN SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
ALL STAR DETECTIVES
HBO has given us a taste of how season two of drama series True Detective will pan out, including the casting of Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn in lead roles. The second season will centre on “three police officers and a career criminal (who) must navigate a web of conspiracy in the aftermath of a murder”. True Detective Season Two will premiere only on Foxtel’s Showcase channel Express from the US in January 2015.
MATT DAMON IS SUPPORTING THE HEFORSHE CAMPAIGN. THAT’S STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY FIXED, THEN. @HELENRAZER THROWING SHADE. 8 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
US post-hardcore/pop punk band The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus are returning to our shores, this time bringing along their pals Hawthorn Heights, who are celebrating the ten-year anniversary of their breakthrough album The Silence In Black And White. Mixtape For The Drive has nabbed the national support slot (bar Perth dates), and two local acts for each city will be chosen in a comp run through giggedin.com. The show comes to The Brightside, Brisbane, 4 Dec; The Lab, Brisbane, 5 Dec; The Small Ballroom, Newcastle, 12 Dec; The Underground, Sydney, 13 Dec; Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne, 19 Dec; Arrow On Swanston, Melbourne, 20 Dec; Amplifier Bar, Perth, 21 Dec; and Cockburn Youth Centre, Perth, 22 Dec. For all dates check theMusic.com.au.
LISTEN UP
The Kooks are set to return to our shores for what will be their largest headline shows to date. They’re no strangers to Australia, having toured here several times including as part of Groovin The Moo. This time they’ll be bringing tunes from their latest album, Listen, and have recruited The Griswolds and Catfish & The Bottlemen as supports. Catch the all ages shows at Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth, 17 Jan; Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, 20 Jan; Riverstage, Brisbane, 23 Jan; and Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Melbourne, 24 Jan.
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THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 9
local news
FRONTLASH SILVER SCREEN STAR
OMG, Nick Cave is doing Q&As at Astor Theatre as part of two special screenings of 20,000 Days On Earth on 19 Dec! Ticket purchased.
BLINDED BY SCIENCE Mantis shrimps can see cancer? Sounds like good news to us.
COMEDY CHOPS We don’t usually buy merch and stalk artists after shows, but Ethel Chop’s Fringe show, Ethel Has A Pianist, was THAT good!
vic.news@themusic.com.au
ON THE SIDE
EXTRA EXTRA
Sleep add a second show, 7 Dec at Corner Hotel. US comedian Andrew Dice Clay performs a final Palms show, 21 Oct. Mia Dyson adds a show on 19 Oct at Beav’s Bar, Geelong.
MORE QUEENSCLIFF
Queenscliff Music Festival, running 28 – 30 Nov, has announced the headliners in the QMF Comedy Show – Colin Lane, Claire Hooper, Dave Thornton and Rod Quantock – a huge injection of local acts, including Charles Jenkins, Aluka and The Yearlings, and more.
TRIPLE THE DEMPSEY Paul Dempsey is heading on a 3 Cities Tour, bringing new solo material and more 21 Nov at Corner Hotel.
STEENIN’
BACKLASH WHiPHONE?
Why do old iPhones immediately start playing up as soon as a new model is released?
SWEET DREAMS Bring Messina Dessert Bar to Melbourne immediately! Crepe-lined cup filled with fanta sorbet and burnt vanilla gelato swirl, Cointreau set custard, mandarin tuile and mandarin gel – now we’re hangry!!!!
FREE HUGS Cuddlr, Tinder for cuddling. GROSS! Who wants to cuddle a stranger? That’s what friends are for!
It’s been a decade since Yngwie Malmsteen was last in Australia. He returns, playing Forum Theatre, 7 Feb. VIP tix for a Q&A session are available.
THOUGHT BEAT
Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving team up with Kerretta and Hazards Of Swimming Naked in support of their forthcoming EP, Downbeat: 14 Nov at Evelyn Hotel.
A-MAY-SING
Indie-folk-pop trio Little May have announced their debut national headline tour. They come to Northcote Social Club, 21 Nov.
A FRIEND IN NEED
In supports news: Dick Diver are supporting Real Estate 25 Feb at Corner Hotel. Opening for Miley Cyrus at Rod Laver Arena, 10 Oct will be Lolawolf and The Faders. Sons Of Rico and Lanks support The Griswolds at Corner Hotel, 25 Sep and Karova Lounge, Ballarat, 26 Sep. Bodyjar and The Bennies open for NOFX at 170 Russell, 17 Nov; Barwon Heads Hotel, Geelong, 18 Nov (minus Bodyjar); Forum Theatre, 20 & 21 Nov. Bluejuice’s supports include Thelma Plum, The Aston Shuffle, Tyler Touche, Tkay Maizda, Deep Sea Arcade and The Love Junkies – but they’re not saying who’s playing where so you’ll just have to rock up early. Joining Krisiun 15 Nov at The Bendigo are Truth Corroded, Metalstorm and Sewercide, while 18 Nov in Ding Dong Lounge it’s In Malices Wake and Internal Nightmare. Chook Race and The Icypoles open when Smudge hit 25 Oct, Northcote Social Club.
ED ALONE
Former frontman of Live, Ed Kowalczyk returns to Australia to play a stripped back show, I Alone Acoustic. He plays 10 Nov at The Hi-Fi.
STEPPIN’ OUT
Frontman of Koolism Hau Latukefu is heading out on a solo tour of the nation that sees him play The Espy, 1 Nov and The Workers Club, 3 Nov.
A MATCHES TENTH
The original line-up of The Matches reunite to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album, E Von Dahl Killed The Locals: 17 Jan at Corner Hotel.
GOOD FIND
Yeo’s dropped his anticipated EP, Come Find Me, celebrating with a launch at Shebeen Bandroom, 8 Nov.
FOLKING AROUND
Suzie Stapleton plays a farewell gig at The Old Bar on 19 Oct, before heading to Europe. Catch her supporting The General Project with James McCann and The New Vindictives. 10 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
LITTLE MAY
We Two Thieves – the side project of Mama Kin and Emily Lubitz (Tinpan Orange) – are gearing up to release their debut album At Midnight We Ride in October. They play a show on 16 Nov, Northcote Social Club.
JULIAN CASABLANCAS & THE VOIDZ
FALLIN’ OUT
Julian Casablancas & The Voidz are joining the line-up at Falls Festival, 28 Dec – 1 Jan, Lorne; and 29 – 1 Jan, Marion Bay. Then in sideshow news: Cold War Kids play The Hi-Fi, 5 Jan. The Black Lips play 6 Jan, The Hi-Fi. The Temper Trap hit 170 Russell, 5 Jan. Milky Chance take over 170 Russell, 6 Jan; while Glass Animals play 10 Jan, The Hi-Fi. Big Freedia & The Divas bring the booty to Howler, 30 Dec. SBTRKT plays Forum Theatre, 7 Jan. Ásgeir performs 9 Jan, Forum Theatre.
T H E
E D I N B U R G H C A S T L E H O T E L
MUSIC THIS WEEK
THU: EC Cocktail Hour with King Lucho (6:30pm) EC Ping Pong Comp (7:30pm) FRI: Howl & Crow (front bar) (6pm) + Ellie B (9pm) SAT: DJ Simon Laxton SUN: DJ Sean M Whelan EVERY WEDNESDAY 8PM: MRS. SMITH’S TRIVIA 6pm: MELBOURNE UKULELE KOLLECTIVE BEGINNERS’S CLASS
FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH: PING PONG COMP 681 Sydney Rd. Brunswick 3056 VIC (03)9386 7580 www.edinburghcastle.net.au
DAY MON
NE & WI ROO .99 $
9
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WEDNESDAY 1ST OCTOBER
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$15 FRI OF B JUGS OAGS BEFO RE 6P
HANNAH ROSA + LISA CRAWLEY + HOLLOW DRUMS ANNA SMYRK
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MONIQUE SHELFORD + DAVID CRAFT CANDICE MCLEOD DAVID KNIGHT & ALISTER TURRILL
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THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 11
local news vic.news@themusic.com.au
LAST LEG
MEDEA
Josh Pyke brings the third and final leg of his national Lone Wolf solo tour to the Victorian stages, 21 Nov, Karova Lounge, Ballarat; 22 Nov, Barwon Club, Geelong; and 23 Nov, The Loft, Warrnambool.
YES! IT’S JASON
Toting his latest album, YES!, and the band with whom he recorded it, Raining Jane, Jason Mraz is heading back to Australia, playing Palais Theatre, 3 Dec.
FREE SPEECH
Citizen Kay warms things up in the lead-up to supporting Ice Cube on his Aussie tour with his own Demokracy tour. Catch him 8 Nov, Laundry Bar.
ONE MORE FOR JAY
Tumbleweed have cut a new single, Drop In The Ocean, the video for which aims to raise awareness for Sea Shepherd Australia. Catch Tumbleweed on 13 & 14 Nov at The Gasometer Hotel and 15 Nov at Rover Rocks Festival, Geelong.
STAYIN’ HAPPY
Squeeze’s frontman Glen Tilbrook returns for the first time since 2007 to tour new album, Happy Ending. Catch him 11 Dec, Spotted Mallard and 12 Dec, Caravan Music Club.
12 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
GOLD SCREEN
Goldfrapp penned the score for Ben Powers’ production of Euripides’ Medea, which will be screened at cinemas globally on 4 Oct as part of the National Theatre Live initiative.
MORE FOR AWME
AWME 2014 is on 13 – 16 Nov. Among the international speakers just announced are Malcolm Haynes (Glastonbury Festival), Emere Wano (WOMAD NZ) and Jerome Williams (Earthbeat), while joining the music line-up are Mojo Juju, Yoyo Tuki, Uptown Brown and more.
NEW YEAR CAKE
First release tickets are now on sale for Let Them Eat Cake at Werribee Mansion’s park 1 Jan. The line-up includes Alexander Nut, Hudson Mohawke, Mr Carmack, Todd Terje and more.
BY DEMAND
Despite having been in the country earlier this year performing a string of sold out shows, fans of The Waifs have demanded they come back, and they will: on 1 Dec, Corner Hotel.
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Wednesday 1st October
Wednesday 1st OCT
Pete Ewing Kelsy James & Georgie Darvidis 8.30pm
Thursday 2nd OCT
Liam Gerner Solo Acoustic 8.30pm
Saturday 4th OCT
Blown Cones & Sean McMahon and the Moon Men 5pm
Sunday 5th OCT
Backwood Creatures 5pm
Coming Up
8:30PM $5
CAL WILSON, MICHAEL CHAMBERLAIN TOMMY DASSALO, NICK CAPPER CAM MARSHALL, SONIA DI LORIO
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DJ KRITTER
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DOUBLESHOTS WEEKENDS:
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DJ KEZBOT
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MICRO MONDAY:
Pheasant Pluckers Harvey Cartel Goatpiss Gasoline King Wolf
MANTA 5, WEEDY GONZALEZ
BIG SMOKE, BACKYARD
Sunday 5th October
THE SHABBAB, TANGRAMS, SHINY COIN
SWAMP MOTH
8:30PM $7
Thursday 2nd October
Saturday 4th October
LIGHTNING TAPE WOLF (NZ), DOUBLE YA D (NZ), BOSS CHRIST (NZ), THE IMPOSSIBLE NO GOODS
RUSTY JAMES & THE HELL FIRE FLAMES
SMOKY SEAS, CYCLO TIMIK
KINDER 8:30PM $20
THE MOLTING VULTURES 8:30PM $10
TOMB HANX
Wednesday 1st October
7:00PM FREE
KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND 3 (UK) THE BAUDELAIRES, THE MORNING NIGHT (WA) 8PM $6 $3 TINNIES/ /$15 JUGS JUGS ALL NIGHT
Tuesday 7th October
ʻSTEALING SOULSʼ NICK MANUELL ART OPENING THEM BRUINS, GATHERER, MARICOPA WELLS
7PM $6
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 13
comedy
MAKING THE FUNNY From sitting on the steps of his Flight Of The Conchords co-stars’ trailer (and going into the bathroom to get changed), Rhys Darby went on to work alongside one of his idols, Jim Carrey. Now he’s turned werewolf for What We Do In The Shadows: “That’s a role I was born to play, I think, being such a manly man,” he tells Bryget Chrisfield.
H
e relocated to Los Angeles about a year ago and Rhys Darby reckons he’s already “pretty popular in the neighbourhood”. “We do a bit of the white trash water park out on the front lawn,” he continues. “It’s quite hot here so a lot of the locals were a bit worried at first, but then they got to know me and they’ve since seen me pop up on various shows over here and so there’s a bit of respect, a bit of regard.
mantra then you’ll do fine. It’s when you start expecting too much, expecting things to be brilliant or amazing, to run smoothly, that you’ll only get yourself upset.” This mantra would have served Darby well during filming of the first season of Flight Of The Conchords. “I never had a trailer at all,” he recalls. “We had such a small budget for that and it was everyone’s kind of first TV show. I think that Jemaine [Clement] had done something back in New Zealand, but I certainly hadn’t done anything. And so there I was in New York and there was one trailer that they had for hair, makeup and it had, like, a tiny wardrobe where the boys could get dressed, and
you put your feet up and you think, ‘Right, here we go, where’s my grapes? What’s goin’ on? I can’t be bothered doin’ my lines’. So to that end, yeah! It’s sort of worked out quite nicely that I’m still roughing it in a way.” Darby reunited with one of his Flight Of The Conchords co-stars (Clement) for a small (but extremely memorable) part in the New Zealand-based vampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows. On how this masterful project came together, Darby tells, “Well these guys – Taika [Waititi] and Jemaine, Jonny Brugh – had made a short of this idea about eight years ago, I think, about these vampires living in Wellington who were just the focus of a documentary. They made a short, and they enjoyed themselves, and they vowed that they would one day make a feature from it. And one thing didn’t really lead to another – it took eight years – and finally they got around to making it, and it’s a real hoot! [Laughs] They actually wrote the script at my beach house, they stayed at my place, and I think that’s one of the reasons they gave me a part. They sort of owed me, you know. I said, ‘Oh, how’s that film that you’ve written in my house? How’s that coming along? Any chance of a part in that? That you wrote in my house with my pen?’ And Jemaine I think literally said, ‘Oh, alright. Oh, well, we’ve got some werewolf characters and I think you’d be good for that.’ So anyway it turns out I’m Anton, the leader of the wolf pack! So that’s a role I was born to play, I think, being such a manly man.”
“…WHO KNOWS WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT CORNER? WHO KNOWS WHAT’S THE NEXT THING I’M GONNA DO THAT MIGHT BE AMAZING?”
I still kick around in my shorts and flip flops, though, you know.” When asked whether he gets recognised on the streets, Darby offers, “Oh, they know me down at the local Starbucks, the guy there always says, ‘It’s Rhys,’ as I come in and writes my name on my cup.” Darby is endearingly self-deprecating and responds to questions thoughtfully, unlike a lot of comedians who, as interview subjects, tend to ignore the questions in favour of rolling out their latest string of jokes to ensure they ‘read’ funny via your finished copy. “I forget some people recognise me,” Darby admits. “So I’ll be just wandering around with my family – at a shopping mall or something – and someone’ll come up to me, out of the blue. It happens every now and again and you go, ‘Oh, what do you want?’ And then you sort of remember, ‘Oh, that’s right, I’ve been on TV a few times.’ So it always surprises me. It’s such a big world here, you know, you can really go undetected quite easily having the small cult status I have,” he laughs. You get a sense that Darby isn’t too far removed from band manager Murray Hewitt (his Flight Of The Conchords character) and a lot of his real life experiences translate easily into material for his side-splitting standup. “I guess being military trained, as a soldier, they just said one of our things was, ‘You have to adapt and overcome,’ and so, therefore, you know: ‘Don’t expect too much, and you’ll love it’ – there’s another phrase, hahaha… I think that was on one of the tourism posters on Murray’s wall… As long as you have that kind of 14 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
it was their show and I had nothing. I used to just sit on the steps and kind of go into the bathroom to get changed. And so Season 2 we had dressing rooms, and it was quite a shock, really, to have my own room. “Then other work I’ve had since then – ‘cause I’ve got good agents over here, they always broker a good deal for me to have a trailer or whatever and, ah, I’ve never taken anything for granted. Since then I’ve always just quite liked the idea of – especially working in comedy – that you’re sort of lucky to be there and the rougher surroundings that you’re in, the more that you can bring… It works in that way that it’s better not to have too much luxury otherwise you get lazy and, you know,
Was Darby just a little bit gutted that they didn’t cast him as a vampire given that they’re the glamorous ones? “They are the glamorous ones,” he allows, “but, you know, the wolf pack are the underdogs and, of course, as I say, they just recast who they used in the original short anyway. So it was something they basically reshot and, well, reworked from the beginning. They already had the names down [of ] who were gonna be the vamps, so I was just lucky to be in there at all and of course I jumped in there. The whole thing was improvised, so it was really my cup of tea. They just chose the best comic actors that they could find, who turned out to be a lot of their friends. I mean, these guys could’ve used big names and things so full credit to them for using people in New Zealand that haven’t had much exposure that now, thanks to this film, will get some great exposure all over the world. You’ll see, when you see [the film], how funny some of these people are and it’s a real blessing because it’s hard to get a break – especially if you’re living in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand – so good on them for getting these names in it.” Although Darby says, “I’m pretty early in my career,” he’s already had the privilege of working with one of his idols. “Working with Jim Carrey was a huge deal for me ‘cause he was a massive inspiration,” Darby shares. “And I watched every film of his and I hoped that one day I might meet the guy – you know, on a red carpet or something – but I got offered my first movie role to be working with him [in Yes Man as Norman, the boss to Carrey’s character] and it was kind of surreal. I had to
SHE’S THE BOSS After ten years of marriage, Rhys Darby decided it was high time his wife, Rosie Carnahan Darby, was mimicked in his stand-up routine. Bryget Chrisfield hears her in action. When reminded of a genius inclusion in the stand-up routine he performed when touring our shores earlier this year, during which he mimicked his wife calling to him from another room in the house, Rhys Darby considers, “I think that was the first time that I had used Rosie [Carnahan Darby], my wife, in my stand-up. We’ve been married for ten years and I thought this year was time for me to collect some of the stories, some of the feelings I have towards the comedy that we have together in the house. And she at first [laughs] – I call it comedy, she’s looking at me as if it’s not funny, especially as you’ve attested…” [Rosie calls out, Darby translates]: “Haha, she detested, you attested.” Blatantly aware that his better half is now listening in, Darby now runs with it: “But I tell you what; I don’t get to spend much time with my friends, being in this marriage.”
pinch myself, and he was lovely, and he went on to say great things about me. And it’s things like that that make the whole planet seem a lot smaller than you imagine it is, and [remind us] that we’re all connected, and it’s kind of like anything could be possible. So that’s why I’m still here in America thinking that who knows what’s around the next corner? Who knows what’s the next thing I’m gonna do that might be amazing? I’ve just gotta keep the spirits up, be optimistic and keep rollin’.” Fortunately for Darby, comedians can potentially have long careers because “you never really lose your funny”. Not only does Darby hope to be “inspirational to young comedians, to make people laugh all over the world”, he’s more ambitious than that: “I’d love to go down as one of the greats one day, but I’m so far away from that. I’ve just gotta keep making the funny, I guess.”
[Rosie calls out again, Darby translates once more]: “Haha, and being who I am, yeah.” He continues: “All my best friends live in other countries so, yeah! She’s made sure of that… She’s treated me really well actually since that last show; she’s been one helluva wife: she’s dropped the calling thing [laughs]. So I’m just looking for her to slip up again and the next slip up will end up on stage, and she knows it! So she’s falling into line.” After a warning that Rosie is probably spitting in his tea right now, Darby concurs, “Yeah, I think she might be doing that, actually. She can hear what I’m saying so I’m playing up to that. She knows she’s the boss.” [Rosie calls out yet again] “There she is! Yelling out!” We feel privileged to experience this inspiration behind one of Darby’s first-class impersonations. First hand. Darby chuckles, “You’ve experienced it live, you see what it’s like!”
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ALL GROWN UP Now happily settled in the US, Mia Dyson has found a new confidence, as Michael Smith discovers.
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hen Mia Dyson took the call from The Music, she was just back from a session in Nashville where she’d been recording some new songs with a producer she was looking at working with for another album next year. “It just feels like a prolific time for me, especially as someone who’s not particularly prolific,” she admits with a giggle. After all, she’s only recently released her latest album, Idyllwild, songs of change, of growing up and growing old, and quite the diverse collection it is. “Definitely. I did have that fear that all of these songs sit on the one album together, even though they were
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written in a much shorter space of time than some of my previous records that sound perhaps more of a similar ilk, but I had to trust it. “I think moving to another country, and in my case the States, where most of the music I grew up listening to is from and a place I’ve been drawn to and inspired by for many years… Even music aside, just moving to the States was just lifechanging and challenging and a crazy experience, and continues to be, and it’s really expanded my horizons. I got a whole new or expanded musical community and particularly the band that I have in the States – Erin Sidney, who’s my drummer that also produced [2012’s]
The Moment and Idyllwild with his musical partner Pat Cupples – they just really encouraged me to explore and create and expand in a way that I guess maybe, in my younger days, I just didn’t have the confidence or experience or whatever was missing to do.” Dyson moved to the US five years ago. After a disastrous period working on a project with The Eurhythmics’ Dave Stewart, a split with her agent, the end of a long-term relationship and the loss to cancer of a lifelong friend, meeting Sidney and Cupples proved a godsend. Finding her feet once more with The Moment, Dyson decided to approach the craft of songwriting in a different way. “Where the album stylistically headed was not clear or obvious in the writing process but became more clear as we began rehearsing and arranging the songs. I spent about a month in June last year on, really the first time I’d ever taken a songwriting retreat, and I tried to put aside as much as possible the rest of my life and just focused on writing, which in the past has been something I would never want to do because the thought of just spending all that time by myself writing was too daunting for someone who’s not particularly prolific and is scared to spend that much time feeling like they don’t know the answers. “So it was challenging but I was just blown away to discover that I wrote a bunch of songs. I mean, that might sound silly but it really was a surprise.” WHAT: Idyllwild (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: 8 Oct, The Workers Club; 10 Oct, Howler; 11 Oct, Caravan Music Club; 19 Oct, Beav’s Bar; 12 – 14 Dec, Meredith Music Festival
BE PREPARED Newtown’s DMA’s have swiftly ripped through the scene like wildfire, becoming the “next big thing” virtually overnight. Ben Preece attempts to unravel the mysterious success so far with guitarist Johnny Took.
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s The Music calls Johnny Took, he’s at home in Newtown cleaning the toilet, a revelation not too many aspiring rock stars would admit to in a hurry. And that goes a long way to explaining just what DMA’s are about – there isn’t a lot of bullshit within the minds of these three youngsters. DMA’s emerged late last year armed with debut single, Delete. A self-titled EP quickly followed, as did another killer single, Feels Like 37, and were equally embraced by all, eventually leading to full houses on tour and spots on the country’s biggest festivals. “It’s what we’ve been wanting from our first release. It’s still got our kinda sound to it; we recorded and mixed the whole thing ourselves so it’s not too far from all the demos we’ve done at home. Bands can lose the plot a bit if they jump into using a producer too early or if they change something that isn’t, you know, broken. “There are so many different vibes and attitudes that you take when you write a song. You sit there and you’re writing and you might want a song that can be like a folk tune almost and normally the vibe that comes, comes after the production aspect. I’ve written songs for DMA’s that has ended up on a Little Bastard album, the only difference being there are violins and mandolins going on instead of loads of noise, delays and overdriven guitars. We don’t think about it too much though and I can 18 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
understand why people think it has that British sound to it. And Tommy’s voice definitely resonates from some of those early ‘90s guitar bands. The group that I hang around with are all into Primal Scream and The La’s and Oasis and Pulp and all those kind of bands.” DMA’s next release is a 7” featuring two brand new songs – Laced and So We Know. “It kinda has moved quickly but it moved really slow at the start there. We were writing together and we didn’t feel like there was any rush to play live and we weren’t releasing stuff, we were just happy playing demos for our mates in
our bedroom and working our own production. We didn’t feel a rush at all; before we had management or had a label, me and Tommy realised we had a fair few songs and some were a little bit better. We’re talking about two-and-a-half years. So that’s the reason, I feel, when things do start to move quick, that we can be prepared. It’s been a hectic year and you can often tell when bands are working, the output slows down a bit. So we’re prepared for that. “I’m not too sure what’s coming next though. We’re just going to keep writing and writing and doing these live shows and I’m really excited to see where we’ll take it in the New Year. Personally, I’d love to do an album. I feel like we have lots of tunes and it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while and we’re ready for it, you know?”
WHEN & WHERE: 11 & 12 Oct, Northcote Social Club; 28 Dec – 1 Jan, Falls Festival, Lorne; 29 Dec – 1 Jan, Falls Festival, Marion Bay
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PUMPIN’ UP THE JAMS Bonjah have come a long way since lobbing in as buskers from New Zealand, and as frontman Glenn Mossop tells Tyler McLoughlan, they’ve picked up some distinctly rock and blues sounds along the way.
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ith the release of Evolution, the first single off third album Beautiful Wild, Bonjah confirmed their reputation as tight, toetapping groove merchants capable of convincing even those unfamiliar with the Melbourne outfit to get a bit
of a booty shake going on. We’d heard those deliciously fuzzy guitar tones before, alluding to a shift towards rock, but the record’s release has confirmed this proper. “The writing process was a little bit different this time around,” begins the raspy-voiced frontman Glenn Mossop. “I put together a lot of demos for the guys to listen over; although we came together after each demo was done, it was a little bit different because we didn’t all get together and write. I think it’s been three years since the last album so there was a lot of progression in that sense from the roots sort of days. I
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guess we’ve sort of grown more electric and blues in that way. We’ve gathered different influences along the way, especially over three years and as you get a bit older. I was sick of the acoustic guitar – I really wanted to play electric.” With a couple of early July warm-up shows in Melbourne selling out, Mossop was pleased with the reception of the new material. “We’re still getting comfortable playing them live, but it’s really nice to have that uncertainty when you play live as well. It kind of gives it a little bit more of an organic feel to the set when you’re playing new songs and you as a band are still finding the groove in it. The set now is a lot livelier with a lot of the songs on the new album so you can really let loose and get in there. We’ve always found that we love to really come out of our shells when we play live and the last two records, as much as we tried, I don’t think the songs really let us get there. But with this album they are.” With the national album tour keeping the outfit busy until the end of October, Mossop shares some insights on their preparations. “It’s very organic for us. We rehearse a little bit, but to be honest we don’t really prepare that much. We don’t like to pre-rehearse or anything like that, so yeah, it will be a really organic tour and what happens on the night happens on the night. I can’t really say what will happen, we’ll see,” he chuckles.
WHAT: Beautiful Wild (Inertia) WHEN & WHERE: 3 Oct, Torquay Hotel; 4 Oct, The Hi-Fi
FACE TO FACE Ex-BBC1 presenter and all-round industry legend Jen Long will touch down in Australia soon to speak at the forthcoming Face The Music conference as part of Melbourne Music Week, and, even after several southerly sojourns, there’s always value in making the trip, she tells Mitch Knox.
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t an industry panel at BIGSOUND, a British booker (who shall remain nameless) made a contentious assertion – that Australia may just possess the friendliest music industry on the planet. It seems a stretch, but Jen Long – a veteran of not only previous BIGSOUND events but multiple international trips around the world – is happy to confirm it on her way Down Under. “Everyone in Australia was just so friendly to me, and just so lovely,” she says. “I think within the three days I spent at BIGSOUND, I met more than half the Australian music industry, and everyone was so nice that we’re still friends today.When I got announced for Face The Music, loads of people from Sydney were like, ‘You are going to come to Sydney though, right?’… but I think in the UK, I think you just have to prove yourself; and once you’ve proved that you’re either a good person or you’re actually doing good work, and you’re bringing something, then people are so nice.” She should know – Long only recently wrapped up a considerable career as a presenter for BBC Introducing, a radio program renowned for its track record in breaking bands, and she now splits her time between running celebrated indie label Kissability, working with Aussie world-beaters DZ Deathrays, and promoting 20 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
just-launched initiative DICE, a gig-finding app that does away with pesky booking fees. While she’s in town, Long will canvass topics from the radio industry to the speed with which bands now break through – and break up. “I’m sure that’s something that we’ll explore [at Face The Music], but I think it’s very easy to get caught up in buzz and hype,” she says. Still, despite her clear wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry, Long says making the long trip to Australia for conferences such as Face The Music is still incredibly worthwhile.
“Because we’re in London, it’s so easy to get to Europe and it’s so easy to get to America that… you can be emailing someone and the chances are you’re gonna get to meet up with them within a few months of emailing, but when you’re emailing someone in Australia and you’re trying to get anything done... You guys are so far away from us; it takes 24 hours to fly there, so I think it’s really valuable to meet up with people face to face. You get to know so much more about a person and what they do by meeting up with them. The real value is going out to things like Face The Music and making contacts, because then people are fresh in your mind and when you’re back in the office like, ‘Who can we get to do that?’, then you’re like, ‘Ah! I know!’ – And even if you don’t know, you’ll know someone you can email.” WHEN & WHERE: 14 – 23 Nov, Melbourne Music Week; 14 & 15 Nov, Face The Music, Arts Centre
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 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.”
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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: 3 Oct, The Westernport Hotel, San Remo; 4 Oct, Sookie Lounge
FLYING HIGH Ball Park Music frontman Sam Cromack just wants to get high with his friends. As he prepares to circle the nation on the Trippin’ The Light Fantastic tour, he dissects the past with Tyler McLoughlan, and explains why he’s ready to shake shit up.
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s far as career trajectories go, Ball Park Music does not subscribe to the gently-gently approach. Fresh from a late afternoon slot at the Splendour amphitheatre, Sam Cromack may be gearing up for Puddinghead’s second national tour before repeating the process in Europe, though his thoughts are already on album number four, and what the fuck is supposed to come next. “Even though [Puddinghead] came out in April, that whole project feels like a lifetime ago already,” Cromack reflects. “I spent most of last year making it, so it’s easy as the artist to move on… I got a test pressing of it on vinyl at my house this week which I had to listen to, and it was hard to even get the enthusiasm to want to put it on, but I really enjoyed it once I did listen. I’m just kind of thinking towards the future even though it is only a couple of months after the record. I think a lot of artists are naturally thinking where they’re gonna go next – it’s almost instinctual to retaliate against what you’ve just done.” Championed by triple j through two laps of the country for each record and billings on every major Australian festival, Ball Park Music have been riding the typically fickle momentum train with great vigour since releasing their debut EP Rolling On The Floor, Laughing Ourselves To Sleep in 2009. “I still love playing music, there’s no
doubt about that; it really feels super natural – as in, two separate words there; I don’t have special powers! So yeah when someone says you’re going on tour again, I don’t really baulk too much, but I’m reaching a point now where I’m starting to think for the first time, what does the future hold for us? And that doesn’t mean I’m cynical about going on, it just means I’m ready to well and truly shake it up, and just rethink how we do things and how we approach it and what the rules are for us, you know.” Together with bandmates Jen Boyce, Paul Furness and Dean and Daniel Hanson, their musical
charisma has captured the affection of the common man and the thinking man. “I accept that Ball Park Music’s not the coolest band,” Cromack admits. “We’ve almost taken the approach of trying to entertain people and perform more than sort of being stubborn about our art and say, ‘This is my song, take it or leave it.’ It’s only now, three records in, where I’m kind of reaching that point where you do do something so much that you’re like, ‘Well, next time around I’m keen to just write whatever I feel like, and I don’t care if anyone likes it or not, and you can take it or leave it.’ But I guess maybe we’re in a better position to do that given that we’ve already done some hard yards.” WHEN & WHERE: 4 Oct, Forum Theare; 8 Oct, Karova Lounge, Ballarat; 9 Oct, Black Swan Hotel, Bendigo; 10 Oct, The Westernport Hotel, San Remo; 11 Oct, Wool Exchange, Geelong THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 21
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STILL KICKING Dead Kennedys may have been one of the most wilfully offensive bands in history, but founding bassist Klaus Flouride tells Steve Bell all they ever really wanted was for people to think.
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f shock value is one of the major tenets of punk rock, ‘80s San Francisco outfit Dead Kennedys must surely qualify as one of the most pure punk bands of all time. Ruffling plenty of feathers from the get-go with their name alone, it was predominantly the scathingly satirical lyrics of frontman Jello Biafra (who left permanently when they originallly dissolved in 1986) that really outraged the ultra-conservative moral majority. As well as releasing singles such as California Uber Alles, Too Drunk To Fuck and Holiday In Cambodia, they further triggered obscenity trials with the artwork for 1985 third
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album, Frankenchrist, amid many such episodes. Sadly this ruckus tended to overshadow their quite unique music, an amalgam of surf, psych, spaghetti western, garage and rockabilly which has stood the test of time remarkably well. “For one thing the music stands up because [guitarist East Bay] Ray and I had been musicians for a while,” reflects bassist Klaus Flouride, “and Bruce [Slesirger – drums] – who was Ted on [1980 debut] Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables – he’d also played a little bit in bands, and Biafra had played in a band called The Healers or something in Colorado when he
was there, but we were all record collectors and we all brought all sorts of different music to the band. Two things really were important to us: a sense of humour and some melodic sensibility of some sort. Most people knew Sex Pistols and the Ramones at the time, and we really didn’t want to be one of those bands so we created our own little template that involved humour, melody and a lot of politics. We were known as a political band by a lot of people, but I think it was mostly social politics – we peek into things that make people act like they do. “Back then we were looking at things like [child murderer narrative] I Kill Children, which got us into a mess of trouble, and the first album got us into trouble later. The people who got so offended didn’t read the lyrics, and if they had they would have seen that the bridge for instance explains that we’re looking inside the minds of people and why they act this way. I think most of our songs, at least ones like Terminal Preppie, Forest Fire and Well Paid Scientist [from 1982 album Plastic Surgery Disasters] – all that stuff still applies, including unfortunately a lot of the political stuff. We weren’t telling you what to think – and we still aren’t – rather than saying, ‘Here’s some seeds for you to think about’ and just getting them to think. “We weren’t just complaining about how fucked up people are we were exploring it, like, ‘Why? What causes this?’ Unfortunately the short answer is always greed and avarice and stuff like that. We were aware that things were fucked up, but we weren’t just saying, ‘Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue’ – which is wonderful stuff, but it’s not what we were about.” WHEN & WHERE: 1 Oct, 170 Russell
THE NEVERENDING PARTY Whether it’s the core four, the maximum dozen or the ten currently travelling as Dr Piffle & The Burlap Band, singer and lead guitarist Alex Harris assures Michael Smith it’s always party time.
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fficially still travelling on their second album, Sirius San And The Promised Land, released last year, Adelaide’s raggletaggle busking collective, Dr Piffle & The Burlap Band do have a new “interim” release titled Forest Bootleg, aptly enough recorded in a forest. “That was just four of us from the band,” singer and guitarist Alex Harris admits. “We went and did a busking tour through Tasmania and played a few gigs over there, but it was mainly just busking. There are a few similar folk-punk kind of bands over there that we linked up with and played some shows with, and while we were there we thought we may as well record, ‘cause we were working with all this new material. So the four of us just went into the forest one day with an old tape recorder and recorded some songs. In Tasmania, all the old-growth forests are just incredible so we wanted to capture some of that while we were over there. We just felt those songs were really alive and happening – that’s why we just threw down Forest Bootleg.” It might have only been the “core” four – Harris, harmonica player Paul McCarthy, banjo player John Bowler and rhythm guitarist Rob Smith – playing to the trees of Cradle Mountain, but the songs they’ve been developing naturally feed into the ten-piece line-up. So do
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the messages within those songs, songs that will make up the bulk of the forthcoming third album. “We’re always playing music when we’re travelling and moving around, and then when the whole band gets together, that’s when we do shows, but we started out as a street band – that’s where our roots lie. Now we tour a lot and play a lot of venues, festivals and bigger shows and such but our roots and where we’re happiest performing is acoustic folk-punk loud on the streets.We’re building our own studio at the moment and that’s where we’ll be recording the new album over the next
few months. There are lots of songs coming out and this record will actually be really big on the message front. We’ve been touring and recording for the last three years as a band and it’s been really fun, but I think these songs are much more about what our message is as a group. I think they’re a lot more politically-minded. With the political system in Australia how it is right now, we’re really focusing on that as our message, with all the things we’ve learnt in travelling, especially in Tasmania, seeing some really magical nature and forests get cut down for mining and things like that. They’re the things that we want to say, because we’ve seen some things in Australia that are beautiful that are going to get destroyed for the purpose of short-term resources and money.” While the message night be serious, ten like-minded musicians travelling together means “it’s usually quite a party by the time we jump in the van and travel to a gig”. WHAT: Forest Bootleg (Crystal Dish) WHEN & WHERE: 2 Oct, The Gasometer Hotel
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 23
dance
SO CLOSE YET SO FAR Chunky Move Artistic Director Anouk Van Dijk speaks to Paul Ransom about atomisation, collaboration and realisation – all part of Complexity Of Belonging.
“T
he human body is the society,” says Anouk van Dijk. The Dutch-born, now Melbourne resident Artistic Director of Chunky Move is holding forth about the spine of ideas around which the company’s upcoming Melbourne Festival show Complexity Of Belonging is based. “In the end, all of this stuff is sensory,” she states. “It’s all about how I feel and it’s all connected directly to our bodies. Our bodies are the core of our belonging.” It all makes sense within the context of the project that van Dijk is bringing to life in collaboration with German writer Falk Richter and nine local performers. Complexity Of Belonging is about how we find and create
PIC: SARAH WALKER
music
a sense of belonging in an increasingly digital and disjointed world. Indeed, the much discussed atomisation of society and the attendant collapse of community have inspired and informed the work; both personally and philosophically. “A lot of people I speak to in Australia say, ‘Yeah, that’s my life’,” van Dijk explains. “Skype, airports, long-distance relationships, working in one state but having a family in another, being a weekend parent; y’know, it’s not so exceptional anymore.” For Complexity’s co-creators, Richter and van Dijk, the reality of this tech driven lifestyle is close to home. Although van Dijk is
from Amsterdam, she has an uncle in Japan, a brother moving to Singapore and new life here in Australia. The same, she reveals, is true for Berlin-based Richter; a busy, successful writer/director travelling and working wherever the commissions take him. “Falk and I always reflect upon our personal experiences when we’re devising a new work, and so for me, having recently moved to the other side of the world, the questions are: where do I belong, what happens to the people I belong to who are living far away from me now, and how does it affect my work?” However, far from doom-mongering, van Dijk suggests these newly emerging forms of society represent “an adventure” of sorts. “How do we form societies now?” she asks. “But also, how do we form relationships and what forms of relationships are there? Different partners, same sex, different religions? What are the implications of that and how do we build families from that?” Although Complexity will be van Dijk and Richter’s fifth collaboration it will be their first in English and the first since van Dijk’s move down under in 2012. “Because Falk is a writer and I’m really interested in the emotional impact of words physically we work really well together.” However, it is the notion of togetherness that lies at the heart of Complexity Of Belonging. “Falk and I feel it’s something really positive that we have all these options and ways of discovering new forms of being together. We have to re-calibrate our belonging; and we see that as something exciting and not as something depressing and suffocating because, in the end, it’s about ‘how can I be close to you and how can we connect?’.”
WHAT: Complexity Of Belonging WHEN & WHERE: 6 – 25 Oct, Southbank Theatre, The Sumner
HONORARY CATS Ever wanted to play in The Cat Empire? Well, singer and percussionist Felix Reibl is here to tell you, via Michael Smith, how you can do just that.
F
resh from an extensive European tour that saw The Cat Empire play Romania and Portugal for the first time, singer and percussionist Felix Reibl admits to being energised “because we were playing a lot of outdoor festivals and it was summer over there and, you know, that suits the band just great and then I came back and I’m making the most of that rhythm in my mind from touring and then that translates to a good patch of songwriting”. Not that The Cat Empire, who chalked up their 1,000th gig in their hometown’s Federation Square back in March, are going to allow Reibl that much of a break just yet, even if he also has a couple of films for which he’s writing music. No, it’s straight back out on the road, albeit their last off the back of their last album, Steal The Light, and last Australian jaunt for a while. But this tour comes with a twist, as he explains. “When I was 17 or 18, I used to go out with Ollie [McGill, keyboards] a lot, and then Harry [ James Angus, singer/trumpet] as well. We met more or less in this context, sitting in with other people’s bands. Melbourne had an older generation of musicians at that time who were very generous with us. They would often have us on stage and that’s really how we learnt a lot of the craft of performing. It was mostly Harry’s idea this one, but it’s got its place in a lot of 24 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
our backgrounds.” The idea is for musicians to submit audition videos up to two minutes long to The Cat Empire’s website, from which the band will then select at least one musician in each state to join them on stage at the show closest to the various winners’ hometowns. Better still, you don’t have to audition with a Cat Empire song. In fact, if they like your selection enough and feel it’ll fit into the spirit of a Cat Empire show, they’ll learn your song. “That’s been going quite well. We’ve been looking at some videos – there’s a
lot of young musicians have submitted videos – so it should be fun. I think it’ll also freshen everyone up. We’re not specifically looking for any one instrument and that’s the thing that makes it more interesting as well, because there are some really unique instruments that have auditioned that we would never expect or go out to try and find that could be really interesting.” They’ve yet to have someone audition playing the “Crystal Organ” or “Cristal Baschet”, an instrument based on the same principle as running your finger along the lip of a glass, like the guy Reibl met on the last European tour, “but,” he admits, “it’s always nice to learn about new instruments. There are only seven Crystal Organs in the world so I don’t know if we’ll have one of those on our tour, but we’ll certainly have instruments that we wouldn’t usually have on stage.” WHEN & WHERE: 4 Oct, Festival Hall
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 25
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
★★★★
album reviews
DAVEY LANE
WEEZER
Everything Will Be Alright In The End
Atonally Young Field/MGM
Given Davey Lane’s formidable resume, even focusing on the areas outside of lead guitar duties in You Am I, the fact he’s only just now releasing a debut full-length album is understandable. On one hand, fans of the ‘chord-slinging cowboy’ (a description too apt to omit from any statement about him) might be wondering what took him so long, but on the other, after consideration, it really is no surprise. Two full-time band memberships, world tours, collaborations and contributions to countless other musicians’ works; the man needed more time than he had to focus on his own release. Make no mistake, however; this one was well worth the wait. Atonally Young is a melting pot of the old and the new; original ideas and influences; Lane’s eccentricities and his debonair wickedness. Lane explores interstellar territory across this album, paying homage to a
Universal
pioneer cosmonaut in Komarov, delves into topics of supernatural lust in the Bowie-esque Witch In My Mind and delivers the bittersweet The Undergrowth in a simultaneously tender and eerie manner. Atonally Young is spotted with both smooth, soulful hits (A Lesson In Cause And Effect) and hurtling rock numbers. Perhaps stealing the show in the latter category is The Last Of The Freakazoids. Also worth a mention, In The Light Of The Sun makes for a well-rounded and titular ending to the record. Davey Lane masterfully illustrates just how amazing the scope can be on an electric guitar. Lukas Murphy
★★★★
After proto-Weezer opener, Ain’t Got Nobody – first-person confessional lyrics contrasted against crunchy riffs and hookladen singalong choruses – first single, Back To The Shack (“the shack” being their old sharehouse/ rehearsal space) acts as both a mission statement (“Rockin’ out like it’s ’94”) and a literal apology to fans for recent musical indiscretions (“Sorry guys I didn’t realise that I needed you so much”). Accordingly ex-The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek returns (he helmed 1994’s Blue Album and 2001’s Green Album) to oversee a collection of catchy rock’n’roll tracks shaped by frontman Rivers
★★★
AUGIE MARCH
JOHNNY MARR
Dark Satanic/Caroline
Warner
It’s Augie March – it’s never going to be uncomplicated. An eye is often cast over the nation from Glenn Richards’ self-imposed St Helena – that title from Napoleon’s island of exile. Perhaps it’s most overt in Definitive History, bemoaning what a mean little country we’ve become – but presented over a gentle sprinkling of Kiernan Box’s piano, giving it an uncomfortable beauty. The musical reference points are many: A Dog Starved is one moment a George Harrison outtake, while various members argue XTC or Field Music as its main influence. Moods jostle for prominence.
Johnny Marr continues to mine big indie guitar sounds and anthemic vocals while adding retro synths with mixed results. First single, Easy Money was a bolt from the gates with a guitar riff he snuck out the door when he left Modest Mouse, while Dynamo is a deadset candidate for a redux of the Pretty In Pink soundtrack with its synths and Psychedelic Furs meet U2 guitar sound. The most rewarding tracks are those that echo his seminal work in The Smiths, in particular the understated This Tension and The Trap. Playland’s over-exuberance creates a sense of disorientation.
Ross Clelland
Chris Familton
Havens Dumb
If lead single, Memories, from nerd-rock legends Weezer’s last album, 2010’s Hurley, found them pining for their halcyon beginnings, then their optimistically titled ninth studio effort finds them actually striving to replicate the magic of their mid-‘90s heyday.
Playland
Still, it’s best not to overanalyse Weezer lest you go crazy. It’s a fun foray and their strongest album in ages, though still far from their best. It’s probably impossible to recapture the past glories they’re trying to evoke here, but it’s sure nice of them to try. Steve Bell
★★★
ICEAGE
Plowing Into The Field Of Love Matador/Remote Control Plowing Into The Field Of Love is slower, darker and more layered than anything the band has done before, and drips of a Nick Cave influence. However, where their debut New Brigade was compelling indie-punk and follow-up You’re Nothing was proof they could play instruments, Plowing Into The Field Of Love loses the band’s sense of stylistic surety. There are notes of The Birthday Party’s dirgey swamp-rock on Forever – frontman Elias Bender Rønnenfelt even does a pretty good fucked-up junkie baritone – and plenty of the Murder Ballads-esque fascination with Americana on The Lord’s Favorite. Tom Hersey
26 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
★★★½ Cuomo’s inscrutable vision of Weezer’s core strengths and the quartet’s irrefutable musical chops. The classic pop of Lonely Girl, the snappy Cleopatra and the catchy ‘80s vibe of Go Away (featuring Best Coast’s Beth Costentino) all work well and there are no major headscratchers, although closing three-piece hair-metal suite The Futurescope Trilogy is probably for diehards only.
★★
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS Dancehall Days MGM Following a four-year hiatus from the moniker The Beautiful Girls, Mat McHugh returns under the title for the release of Dancehall Days. At only eight tracks (not including opener, The Beautiful Girls Are Dead, which sounds like 20 seconds of bad Slipknot) Dancehall Days mightn’t be worth the purchase price. The title track is a solid roots production; however, the LP as a whole would have to do without its tiresome middle tracks and provide more like standout penultimate song, Survival, to justify you opening your wallets for any kind of chart-boosting purchase. Ash Goldberg
singles/ep reviews
★★★★½
★★★★½
★★★★
★★½
LUCINDA WILLIAMS
SCAR SYMMETRY
CARIBOU
FLYING LOTUS
City Slang/Inertia
Warp/Inertia
Our Love is Dan Snaith’s most accessible release to date. The irony is that he’s never looked at club music in this much detail before. Snaith holds a magnifying glass over specific aspects of dance music, revealing hidden textures and emotional cues, blowing them all up to big screen size. It’s a fluid, satisfying listen and moves through several sub genres without losing tonal consistency. His hyperactive whimsy is almost completely gone, replaced by an impressive mental dexterity that controls large amounts of detail with grace and precision. Our Love is a pleasure from start to finish.
When an artist releases a record inspired by friends’ deaths, it’s not unreasonable to expect a dour treatise in funereal dirges and gloomy reflections on their own mortality. Flying Lotus confirms his astonishing lateralmindedness with a document that conceives of life and death as a singular psychedelic journey. And what a journey it is; as the astro-rock of Fkn Dead smashes into the panicky verbiage of Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat’s fidgety bass skips over Tesla and Niki Randa ghosts through Coronus, The Terminator. You’re Dead may be Mr Lotus’ deepest offering to date.
Thirty Tigers/Cooking Vinyl
Nuclear Blast
Lucinda Williams returns with a 20-song double album showcasing her unabashed skills in both songcraft and delivery. It’s tonally diverse – blues, honkytonk and classic rock flourishes colour the Muscle Shoals-imbued country-soul template – and her laconic drawl is more emotive than ever. The songs are rife with oft-bitter life experience (Cold Day In Hell, Wrong Number, Big Mess) but a ray of light permeates the bleakness at intervals. An album that’s timeless, heartfelt and beautiful despite the omnipresent despair and regret, in that finest country tradition.
Concept albums are tricky to pull off. While many bands, Scar Symmetry included, are pretty adept at weaving musical ideas together to create something magical, lyrical prowess in this area seems a lot harder to come by. Hell, there aren’t even that many poets that attempt long, narrative pieces. While they could be forgiven for the slightly-off clean vocals and praised for some cracker riffs and growls, the hokey sci-fi concept doesn’t really have anything going for it. Unfortunately, the band sacrifice musicality to drive home their average, far too literal storyline.
Matt MacMaster
Christopher H James
Steve Bell
Cameron Cooper
Our Love
You’re Dead!
Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone
The Singularity (Phase I - Neohumanity)
MORE REVIEWS themusic.com.au/reviews ★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
SICK OF IT ALL
THE PEEP TEMPEL
THE DATSUNS
Century Media
Wing Sing
Hell Squad/Valve
Sick Of It All’s artistic marriage to producer Tue Madsen just keeps delivering. Since 2006’s Death To Tyrants the NYHC veterans have done no wrong and this album, their tenth fulllength for those counting, keeps up the strike rate. Last Act… is 14 tracks of no-nonsense hardcore goodness. The riffs driving the likes of 2061 and Never Back Down are some of the best in the band’s career and vocalist Lou Keller’s ‘positive belligerence’ again makes the lyrics not only memorable but also meaningful. The kings are back: bow down.
The Peep Tempel continues to unhinge. The unbridled viscosity of these tracks is channelled through vitriolic liberation (Vicki The Butcher), Wires-esque abrasion with David Fields-esque delivery (Big Fish) and tempered, headache-subduing punk (Untitled). The songs get longer but no less barbed and ridiculous – the Mark E Smith slur of Don’t You Love Me Joan?; the Mcluskyas-coiled-contemplation of Civil Defiance; the cacophonous slide of The Opera Of Lester Moore. There’s little cohesion here bar the spit and gristle of lunatic flair and unhinged airs – but that’s what makes these Tales well worth telling.
The Datsuns first hit the hardrock scene like a firecracker back in 2002 and now on their sixth time around they’ve released one of their strongest albums. Deep Sleep takes in all the usual elements that make up the band’s DNA – glam-, stoner- and garage-rock with some MC5 ramalama and an endless supply of riffs and yelps and big choruses – yet it is the quality of songs that make this one stand out. It never wilts under the heat of its own amps and the band add some nice contrasting shades of psychedelia to their arsenal.
Last Act Of Def iance
Mark Hebblewhite
Tales
Deep Sleep
Julian Casablancas & The Voidz – Tyranny The Drums – ENCYCLOPEDIA Sam Amidon – Lily-O John Mellencamp – Plain Spoken Donny Benet – Weekend At Donny’s Christopher Owens – A New Testament Jennifer Hudson – JHUD
Chris Familton
Brendan Telford
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 27
live reviews
TOM JONES, LANIE LANE Forum Theatre 24 Sep The average age of punter expected at tonight’s Tom Jones show can be gauged by the following message on the venue’s website: “Please note Tom Jones is a GA Standing concert. There are limited seats available on a first come, first served basis.” And Forum Theatre’s booths prove to be in hot demand when we witness a queue forming to secure these seats as soon people vacate them. But who’s leaving?
completely lost it. The part in It’s Not Unusual where Jones usually belts out, “To find that I’m in LOVE with you/Oh-WHOAOH-oh-oh-oh!” is omitted, but he still owns that perfect diction and cruise ship entertainer shtik. And up goes the first pair of knickers (red satin ones) to be thrown on stage this evening! Jones still loves a good sidestep and finger snap and the visuals are as crisp as Welsh winter air. A mighty encore sees Jones rip out his 1965 James Bond theme, Thunderball, complete with fiery cannonball imagery on the cyclorama that would have been just as suitable accompanying Sex
TOM JONES @ FORUM THEATRE. PIC: CHRISSIE FRANCIS
Lanie Lane’s outfit is conservative compared to what we’re used to from the pretty singer, who usually resembles a cute pin-up girl: perhaps she doesn’t wanna fly her freak flag too wildly in front of this crowd? Oh Well That’s What You Get For Falling In Love With A Cowboy sounds sweet, but this tough crowd just wants to conserve energy for the main attraction. Sir Tom Jones appears fashionably late and his foofed-up silver barnet and tanned visage are instantly recognisable. He rhymes “do” with “coo” and other lyrics include, “Raise a ruckus tonight.” The Delilah live arrangement is hip-popping with the song given an almost calypso flavour. There’s already sexagenarian pashing in the house that completely obscures our view! Excepting the part where punters sing along, ‘assisting’ Jones to close out the song and masking his rich timbre, Green, Green Grass Of Home is exquisite. A neighbour in the crowd/superfan we spoke to prior to Jones’ set when she was losing her voice has now 28 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
City Calm Down commence with the simmering mid-tempo dirge of Pavement. The best elements of ‘80s new wave combine to form the band’s sound, with driving bass, enveloping synth and pounding drums a seamless blend. Baritone singer Jack Bourke doesn’t hold back vocally, occasionally letting loose with an intensity that evokes Robert Smith’s best guttural howls. Suddenly it’s jammed in the pit and lights dim as Bombay Bicycle Club emerge. Guitarist Jamie MacColl strolls out first, gleefully waving arms. BBC’s touring contingent is six members strong, with a backing vocalist and key/synth player adding special
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB @ FORUM THEATRE. PIC: LOU LOU NUTT
Bomb (which we definitely wanna hear). Is that another pair of flying knickers? It’s a covers-heavy set and Sex Bomb isn’t to be, but we are treated to Jones’ Kiss, which includes the “think I better dance now” confession and shows off Jones’ backing band to perfection. Age hasn’t wearied this Welsh crooner’s vocal chops, but can he conquer the dreaded MCG acoustics before the big game? Bryget Chrisfield
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB, CITY CALM DOWN, EAST Forum Theatre 25 Sep Backed by a guitarist/synth player and drummer, East parades the stage in a KISS T-shirt, grooving to the booming rhythms. Chuffed to open for a band she loves, East doesn’t waste the opportunity and confidently delivers an effortless falsetto that visibly awes.
small drum kit to bring in the buoyant Feel. The band’s latest LP title track winds up the main set and highlights the quality of backing vocals on display, with each member on point. Foot stomping brings the band back out, and after What If provides an adrenalin dump (not to mention retinal damage from the blinding strobes), BBC triumphantly finish with the dance groove of Carry Me. Consummate professionals to the core, Bombay Bicycle Club can rest assured that after tonight’s flawless performance their popularity with fans in this town is not about to waver.
Glenn Waller
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB @ FORUM THEATRE. PIC: LOU LOU NUTT
sauce. Slender band honcho Jack Steadman is dapper in a red shirt, grinning as the looping intro to Overdone – from recent release So Long, See You Tomorrow – issues forth. Much to crowd’s delight, the band choose to follow swiftly with It’s Alright Now, as per album tracklisting. Shuffle elicits hearty audience love as it begins and the appreciation continues during the guitar harmonies in Lights Out, Words Gone. Bass player Ed Nash pumps out the low-end vigorously, long hair a blur, feeding off the energy from the crowd. A cover of Robyn and Kleerup’s With Every Heartbeat is given the BBC treatment; backing vocalist Liz Lawrence is now centre stage, her gentle vocals and graceful swaying lending subtle charm to the song. The Giantess features an acoustic intro reworking, the track slowly building upon itself with intermittent shotgun-blast drums before a climactic crash ushers in the blistering cacophony of Emergency Contraception Blues. “We’re gonna hopefully have ourselves a little dance party here,” Steadman enthuses, taking to a
MORE REVIEWS themusic.com.au/reviews/live
ANDY BULL @ CORNER HOTEL. PIC: ANNA MADDEN
Andy Bull @ Corner Hotel Angus & Julia Stone @ Palais Theatre Tomorrow Tulips @ The Tote The Bennies @ Evelyn Hotel Juana Molina @ Thornbury Theatre The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra @ Howler The Griswolds @ Corner Hotel
Fringe reviews Created entirely from YouTube comments, audiences are privy to the elite and expressive “God Zone,” Australia’s only Taxiride tribute group “Maxitaxiride” and a hilarious memorial to those we’ve loved and lost in the YouTube world (R.I.P. Keyboard Cat) among other things, concluding with a “craffle” or “crap raffle” that succeeds in bringing a final round of LOLs. Izzy Tolhurst YOUTUBE COMMENTS
THE YOUTUBE COMMENT ORCHESTRA The Coopers Malthouse
★★★★½
In The YouTube Comment Orchestra, comedy collective The Last Tuesday Society reveals all the wonder, horror, OMGs and plain stupidity accumulated by YouTube since its creation in 2005.
SASSY MAMA ALTO The Butterfly Club
★★★★ ½
Mama Alto gives a passionate history lesson on Sarah Vaughan, the legendary American jazz singer, treating us to a detailed biography of “The Divine One” between musical highlights from her career including Misty, Tenderly and Send In The Clowns. Mama does this all with the intention of turning us all into “Sarah Vaughan addicts” and arguably succeeds.
Mama’s magical, flawless voice, accompanied by pianist Tiffanni Walton, paints a beautiful picture of the inspirational figure in a moving, genuine tribute that’ll have you Googling furiously. Harry Hughes
PANIC Revolt
★★★★ A collaboration between Japan’s Theatre Moments and Macau’s Godot Art Association, Panic is the object theatre dramatisation of Nobel Prize for Literature candidate Kōbō Abe’s dark short story about the unexpected effects
of crime. Using only toilet paper and a shopping trolley as props gives the imagination a workout, while the actors switching between English, Cantonese and Japanese (with English subtitles projected onto the wall) adds another layer of communication and interpretation. By combining a recorded soundtrack with human noises and dialogue, plus selective lighting and exaggerated expressions and actions, Panic manages to create an animated and dynamic world out of very little. A playful, macabre, entertaining and thoughtprovoking performance. Stephanie Liew
PANIC
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 29
30 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
the guide How did you get your start? Would have been when Edwards (Ben) sat me down and started talking about doing an album in 2010. I was sort of playing around Lyttelton for nothing at that stage. Sum up your musical sound in four words? Oh, hey, look! ‘Awful tired brain prayer?’ I don’t know if that’s right. If you could support any band in the world – past or present – who would it be? Elvis. Bowie would be so good to you after, though.
ALDOUS HARDING
You’re being sent into space, no iPod, you can bring one album – what would it be? Silent Passage – Ben Carpenter Greatest rock’n’roll moment of your career to date? Probably telling Justin Townes Earle that his new pin -up girl tattoo was weak, and he should call me. Why should people come and see your band? I couldn’t possibly answer that. When and where for your next gig? The Melbourne Folk Club (Bella Union, Carlton) with Rob Snarski on 1 Oct. Website link for more info? facebook.com/aldousharding
Pic: Sabin
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 31
eat/drink
GO OUTSIDE
With the sun making itself present more frequently, we’re less inclined to do stuff under roofs. Beer gardens are great places as is, but here are a few that bring something different to the table. Words Erika Donald. Illustrations Brendon Wellwood.
HOWLER – 7-11 DAWSON ST, BRUNSWICK Did someone say converted warehouse with two performance spaces and an outdoor cinema? On Tuesday nights from the 7 – 28 Oct, Lauren Valmadre is programming the Howler Spring Break Cinema, with flicks such as L For Leisure, Charles Bradley: Soul Of America, Drinking Buddies and Autonomy And Deliberation.
THE FITZROY PINNACLE – 251 ST GEORGES RD, FITZROY If live music combined with beers is your thing (there must be hordes of you), head down to The Fitzroy Pinnacle for just that. Music is on Wed/Thu/ Sat/Sun, and all the gigs are free entry. Score.
HOWLER IN MELBOURNE. PIC: SEAN FENNESSY
THE ALEHOUSE PROJECT – 98-100 LYGON ST, BRUNSWICK EAST If you know a little more about beer than the fact that it gets you good and drunk, The Alehouse Project is where it’s at. Get your beer-nerd on, because they have official beer launches and showcases, as well as rotating on-tap list. Sink some suds in the sun.
MADAM BRUSSELS – LEVEL 3, 59-63 BOURKE ST, MELBOURNE If you’re feeling a little fancy, take the lift up to Madam Brussels. They don’t do high tea, but they sure as hell do booze (as well as coffee, tea and finger foods), and that’s good enough for us. They do private parties that range from $2500-$4500, so if your wallet is a little heavier than normal, this is the place for you.
HOT SPOT HOPTOBERFEST @ HOPHAUS BIER BAR GRILL – SHOP MR5 MID LEVEL, SOUTHGATE PROMENADE, SOUTHBANK From now until 5 Oct, Oktoberfest – or as they like to call it, Hoptoberfest – is on at Hophaus for the first time. Dress up and you could win prizes and giveaways. There is live German music and entertainment every Sunday from 1pm, facepainting and balloons for the kids, German beer galore, traditional Bavarian food specials (with a modern twist) and on 3 Oct you can ‘Journey through German Haus Music’ with the Haus DJ until late. hophaus.com.au
32 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
the guide vic.live@themusic.com.au
LIVE THIS WEEK
CHART WRAP
MADE FOR WALKIN’
PATENT THAT
HERDING TALENT
Blending soul, blues and folk, Boots is a bit of a mixed bag. He’s also got a voice that floats between a soft and soulful smooth sound and a powerful raspy growl. Catch him at The Sporting Club, 2 Oct.
Melbourne alt-rock five-piece Inventions are hitting the road in support of their new selftitled EP and their new video for single Shadows. Catch ‘em in action at The Curtin, 2 Oct.
Sheppard will play an all ages show at The Gasometer Hotel on 3 Oct. With the highest selling Australian single for 2014 under their belt with Geronimo, the Brisbanites toured the world to sold out shows. Show starts at 1pm.
ELECTRIC FEEL
PIECE O’ PISS
KILLIN’ IT
Short film fest Electric Shorts is the only one in the world that showcases films that have been fully self-funded. Come along and support independent films at Loop on 1 Oct to see 12 short films spanning a range of genres.
Tasmanian songwriting machine Ramblin Van Walker joins forces with guitar prodigy Hank Elwood Green and Adelaide’s Dave ‘Suit’ Watkins in Melbourne’s Goatpiss Gasoline. Get down to Drunken Poet on 4 Oct for a good time.
The Killjoys get their groove on for another great afternoon show at Drunken Poet on 5 Oct. The Guinness will be pouring, the guitars strumming, and voices singing. Come on down and take advantage of the free entry.
SWANNING AROUND
BAMMER MAN
WITH GLEE
Brisbane country rock outfit Suicide Swans will be charming audiences with their tales of drunken desperation and good times on 4 Oct at Catfish. Supports from Mightiest Of Guns, Big Smoke and The Wild Comforts.
Hip hop young gun Bam Bam will be launching his third single Better Man at Evelyn Hotel on 4 Oct. A young entertainer with considerable talent, it’s no surprise that the Melburnian is one of the brightest new acts of the hip hop scene.
The Bakersfield Glee Club will be rocking Retreat Hotel with two sets of high octane country on 5 Oct. Returning to the scene of their album launch in 2013, they’re back with a new album of tunes ready for your dancing pleasure.
JUST BLABE
MEATING PLACE
IN A FLASH
Take a nostalgic trip to The Sporting Club and see DJ Blaberunner spin an exciting cacophony of classic tunes on 4 Oct, playing eveyrthing from The Velvet Underground and Grace Jones to Prince and Kid Creole.
All the way from the UK come King Salami & The Cumberland 3 to give Melbourne a taste of their bluesy, funky headbangers. They’ll play The Old Bar 6 Oct with The Baudelaires and The Morning Night.
Melbourne folk act Flash Company will be bringing their signature sweet, close harmonies to Retreat Hotel with a Wednesday residency in October. Hear them weaving together Aussie and Irish influences, along with a new double bassist in tow.
FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU
Sydney-bred electrowhizzes Flight Facilities have scored the highest debut for either a single or album release on this week’s Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts with their new track Two Bodies, featuring Brisbane’s Emma Louise, picking up a top ten entry at #7. Dance scene contemporaries Knife Party also make an inaugural appearance in the singles stakes this week, with Resistance snagging a #14 debut, as venerated singer-songwriter Missy Higgins makes it three singles holding consecutive spots on the ladder — the newly arrived No Secrets claimed #19, with her previous releases The Way You Are Tonight and Back To The Wall occupying #17 and #18 respectively. Perenially unmovable troubadour Vance Joy remains steadfast with Mess Is Mine (#4) and Riptide (#5), though he was beaten out by the same songs that have occupied the top three rungs for several weeks now — Timmy Trumpet’s Freaks (#1), Sheppard’s Geronimo (#2), and Sia’s Chandelier (#3). It was a similarly lukewarm week for full-length entries, with the only new arrival coming from New South Wales electronic heroes Seekae, with their newest album The Worry claiming a respectable #12 on entry. Otherwise, it’s all familiar faces as Jimmy Barnes retakes pole position with 30:30 Hindsight, Vance Joy’s Dream Your Life Away slips to #2, and the Hilltop Hoods (Walking Under Stars), Kingswood (Microscopic Wars) and Sia (1000 Forms of Fear) respectively filling out the remainder of the top five. THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 33
the guide vic.live@themusic.com.au
ALBUM FOCUS
HAVE YOU HEARD You’re being sent into space, no iPod, you can bring one album – what would it be? There are four very different personalities in Dreamboogie, so it would have to be a compilation: Millie Jackson, Bessie Smith, Memphis Jug Band, Gene Krupa, and Albert King would all have to be on there!
The recording process took about three months all up. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? I suppose we got a lot of inspiration from these old songs and listening to the originals. Also, the memories they bring back from when we were kids.
THE SUNNY COWGIRLS Answered by? Sophie and Celeste Clabburn Album title? My Old Man Where did the title of your new album come from? Well, this album is dedicated to our dad who has been a huge musical influence for us. How many releases do you have now? This is our seventh studio album but we have also released two DVDs. How long did it take to write/ record? This one was relatively quick because it’s an album of old covers which means we didn’t have to write the songs.
What’s your favourite song on it? It’s really hard to pick favourites, but we are big fans of The Eagles so One Of These Nights. Will you do anything differently next time? You always learn each and every time you record in a studio so I’m sure the next recording process will be just as enjoyable. When and where is your launch/ next gig? The next gig on the calendar is the Deni Ute Muster, 4 Oct!! It’s one of our favourite gigs so we can’t wait to play to all the ute lovers!! Website link for more info? sunnycowgirls.com
DREAMBOOGIE Answered by: Rebecca Davey How did you get together? The Dreamboogie boys wanted a singer, and Rebecca turned up to the audition with a case of beer. The beer was drank, and Dreamboogie was born. We did our first gig the following week. Sum up your musical sound in four words? Blues versus hip hop. If you could support any band in the world – past or present – who would it be? Denise LaSalle at the Mississippi Mother’s Day Blues Festival. Either that, or Mavis Staples at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre.
VIDEO CLIP FOCUS
Greatest rock’n’roll moment of your career to date? Flying down the freeway on the way to a show, and having the bonnet of the van suddenly fly up and smash the windscreen while we were driving on the side of a cliff. We made it... but only just. Why should people come and see your band? A Dreamboogie show is emotional, passionate and sparkly! The boys get the ladies’ hips moving in a very spectacular way. When and where for your next gig? We’re playing at the Docklands Blues Festival! Sunday 5 Oct. All day, all free! It’ll be AWESOME! Website link for more info? dreamboogie.com
COMEDY FOCUS
white room at Kindred Studios in Yarraville. All of it was in the same massive room. There was a delicious cafe downstairs too which kept us going.
INVENTIONS Answered by: Jake Leaney Song title? Shadows Director: Kit French What’s the concept behind the clip? Key words were weird, dark, fun, and unique. The director was inspired by a White Stripes video with the stop-motion-style production, and we just took it to the next level to suit our music! How long did it take to make? It was ten hours of shooting, and then another 40 hours of post-production. Where did you f ilm it? We filmed it at the Cyclorama/ 34 • THE HHEE M MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
What’s your favourite part of the clip? Obviously the confetti flying everywhere was the funnest part to film and looks great, but there’s a moment close to the end where the entire back lighting changes and the stop-motion drums solidify, which looks amazing together. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Mostly just how much fun we were having: one kilogram of confetti is enough fun to inspire anyone I think. Will you be launching it? 2 Oct, The Curtin Website link for more info? inventionsband.com
BOB FRANKLIN Can you give us a tweetlength summary of your show? Concise.
When and where for your show? Docklands Arts, Laughs & Blues Festival, 4 Oct at Wonderland Spiegeltent.
What do you f ind funny? People falling over. What do you f ind unfunny? People staying on their feet. What’s a ridiculous situation you’ve been in that you got a joke out of? My carrier pigeon learnt to write and started tampering with my messages. Do you have a preshow ritual? I always try to find the venue where the show’s on.
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 MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 35
opinion THE GET DOWN
TRAILER TRASH
WAKE THE DEAD
FUNKY SHIT WITH OBLIVEUS
DIVES INTO YOUR SCREENS AND IDIOT BOXES WITH GUY DAVIS
PUNK AND HARDCORE WITH SARAH PETCHELL
There’s a lot of shaking going on round these parts, so let’s head over to the funkiest street in Melbourne Town. Of course I’m talking about the latest single to hype the upcoming The Putbacks album on Hope Street Recordings. These boys have been far below the radar for way too long but they’ve come correct with some superduper funk that sounds like it was made for a Pam Grier blaxploitation flick, if the first single is anything to go by. Dawn is actually available for free from the label’s website and features Indigenous Australian soul singer Emma Donavan. Sultry is one word I’d use to describe her style and she adds that extra bit of “umphh” that sends The Putbacks into a whole new stratosphere of ‘accessible funkiness’ that they haven’t been able to hit as an instrumental band. On another tack altogether, I was hyped recently to a dude named Thomas Roberts for his Nu Disco beats on primo label, Mr Moutarde Records. Paying homage to funkier versions of Human League instrumentals, his latest EP is dope. My money is on Midnight Star for that acidic drive into deep territory that’ll have all the club kids tripping over each other’s happy pants near closing time. Hit him and the label up on Soundcloud because you won’t be disappointed. Whilst there, check out the latest edit EP sampler from Bellabouche. The Fatback discomonster Concrete Jungle grew me new lapels and the whole EP oozes groove and is more Travolta than Welcome Back, Kotter. With that, I am outta here.
THE PUTBACKS
36 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
THE DOUBLE
Doppelgangers, duplicates, lookalikes and twins malignant and benign have long lingered in fiction. Could it be an interesting way to explore the duality of human nature? Or are some producers simply too cheap to hire a second actor? I don’t know. I do know, though, that I tend to be a sucker for tales of a person plagued or pestered by the antics of someone sharing their face – a chilling, clinical piece of work like David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers is probably the example that stands out most, but two recent releases approach the notion with different styles but explore it with similar intelligence and rigour. The Double is multi-talented UK comic Richard Ayoade’s second directorial outing, following on from his debut feature, Submarine. This new film is a tad more ambitious, both thematically and stylistically, and while not all of the filmmaker’s moves pay off, his ambition is nevertheless to be admired. It helps that he has The Social Network’s Jesse Eisenberg in the lead role(s), giving a dual performance that is well suited to his distinctive skill sets. Eisenberg can play shy, selfeffacing neuroticism with the best of them but he’s equally adept at conveying a cocky charisma that stems from heightened intelligence and insight into human nature. Playing putupon wage slave Simon James, a lonely, lovelorn shlub toiling away at a tedious nine-to-five gig and getting zero respect from anyone he encounters enables him to make good use of the first mode; playing James Simon, Simon’s new work colleague and exact lookalike who effortlessly gets everything Simon has ever
wanted (including co-worker Hannah, played with remarkable acuity by Mia Wasikowska), allows him to deploy the second. The story, based on Dostoyevsky’s novella, has all the elements of every nightmare a timid or easily embarrassed person has ever conjured up in their own head, whether it’s scenes of public mortification or simply watching someone no more qualified or capable than yourself receiving the validation or satisfaction you’ve been denied or simply too scared to pursue. Ayoade often nails these moments, but The Double does seem to slip through his fingers in its final third. By then, however, it’s already cast its dark spell. Just as oblique in parts but twice as unsettling overall is our second doppelganger story, Enemy, from French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, the maker of the grim Prisoners. Villeneuve reunites with Prisoners star Jake Gyllenhaal – currently in the midst of his own personal McConaissance, and deservedly so – for this little skin-crawler, which sees the actor doing double-duty as detached academic Adam and hot-tempered actor Anthony. The two men not only share identical features – are they long-lost twins? Two halves of the same whole? – but similar personality traits that manifest themselves in different ways, leading to a swap that ends somewhat badly. And when I say somewhat, I mean completely and utterly. Enemy prizes mood over cohesion, which may frustrate some viewers, but the delicious chill it sends through your veins compensates for it.
A friend has gone back to uni to study video game design (I promise this is relevant, bear with me). One of his classes this semester is introduction to digital media and in a class about music, he was shocked that most of the people in his class had either never held music in a physical format – because CDs are so last decade – let alone actually paid for music. This got me thinking, particularly because I just bought a record player, how much we as a sub-culture, a group of fans of punk and hardcore, still respect music as a physical format. And I’m talking specifically about vinyl here. Admittedly, I haven’t bought a CD in the last two years, but I buy vinyl. Often. Collecting vinyl is an obsession for many of my friends. But what has made me think about this even more – how much we LOVE vinyl – is the fact that a lot of older releases that are either long out of print or were released in the heyday of CDs so may have never even had an original pressing, are now being re-pressed. Resist Records announced a month or two ago that Mindsnare’s The Death (aka one of my top ten favourite records) is getting the vinyl treatment, and only a week or two ago, Poison City Records announced that it would be reissuing some of seminal punk act The Meanies’ early releases. This respect for the physical form of music is something that very few other genres can lay claim to, and is just something that further defines us as unique. wakethedead@themusic.com.au
MINDSNARE
opinion HOWZAT! LOCAL MUSIC BY JEFF JENKINS OCEAN STORIES Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. After two albums, three EPs and two DVDs, Antiskeptic called it quits, exiting with a gig at The Hi-Fi on 20 Sep, 2008. “I don’t think we ever really gave ourselves a holiday from the band,” singer Andrew Kitchen reflects. “We were always writing, rehearsing, gigging and planning… I reckon every band should take at least three weeks off each year – no gigs, no communication, no writing on the side, just time off. We didn’t do that, and after nearly ten years of being on the treadmill, we’d run ourselves into the ground.” Instead of a break, it was a breakup. And it hit Andrew hard. “I went on with my job, with being a father and renovating my house and all the other things in my life, but the fire was out. I felt like a shell of a man.” Andrew and drummer Nick Coppin talked
about starting a new band called Echo The Arrow. Then they got the call to farewell legendary Melbourne venue The Arthouse in 2011. Andrew’s fire was reignited. He was also inspired by a Jimmy Eat World line: “There’s still some living left when your prime comes and goes.” And the Antiskeptic fans hadn’t forgotten, contributing more than $20,000 via Pozible, which enabled the band to work with producer Forrester Savell. The result is the superb Stare Down The Ocean, which they’re launching at Evelyn Hotel on 11 Oct. “I’ve heard of people with mental illness saying their illness came in waves, and they had a decision to make each time: to face it head on, or just go with it and be swept away,” Andrew explains. “I think that’s true for all of us, that we all face significant challenges. To us, the phrase ‘Stare Down the Ocean’ summed up how we felt about re-forming, writing and releasing a new Antiskeptic album.” Andrew
ANTISKEPTIC
had three aims for the album: A sax solo, a key change and a tempo shift. He managed to achieve just the tempo change (check out closing cut, Reach For The Sun). A huge INXS fan, Andrew dreamed of Kirk Pengilly playing the title track’s opening riff. “Unfortunately, I recorded a version, with me playing the lead part on guitar – a big mistake. The other guys heard it and said, ‘Dude, that sounds sick on guitar!’” The Kirk Pengilly discussion was over… until the next Antiskeptic record. CHERRY GOOD It was a decade ago today (1 Oct) that Corporation Lane in Melbourne was officially renamed ACDC Lane to honour AC/
DC. Lord Mayor John So said: “As the song says, there is a highway to hell, but this is a laneway to heaven. Let us rock.” FOR THOSE ABOUT TO RUCK The AFL should start planning now for the 2015 Grand Final. Howzat!’s list of Top 5 Aussie Legends Who Have Never Appeared At The Grand Final: AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Kylie, James Reyne and Ross Wilson. And Missy Higgins would be good, too. HOT LINE “I’m wondering if I’ll ever get to wake in the sun” – Bertie Blackman, Darker Days.
THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 37
the guide vic.gigguide@themusic.com.au Ball Park Music + more: Forum Theatre, Melbourne
THE MUSIC PRESENTS Courtney Barnett: 2–5 Oct Corner Hotel Caravãna Sun: 3 Oct The Westernport Hotel San Remo; 4 Oct Sooki Lounge Ball Park Music: 4 Oct Forum Theatre; 8 Oct Karova Lounge Ballarat; 9 Oct Black Swan Hotel Bendigo; 10 Oct The Westernport Hotel San Remo; 11 Wool Exchange Geelong Bluejuice: 9–11 Oct The Hi-Fi; 11 Oct (evening) Village Green Hotel Mulgrave; 12 Barwon Club Geelong DMA’s: 11, 12 Oct Northcote Social Club Assembly Festival: 11 Oct Wesley Anne Missy Higgins: 12 Oct The Cube Wodonga; 29 Oct Regent Theatre Kučka: 16 Oct Shebeen Bandroom Kingswood: 17 Oct Karova Lounge Ballarat; 18 Oct Torquay Hotel; 23 Oct The Loft Warrnambool The Blurst Of Times: 19 Oct Seaworks The Meanies: 24 Oct The Hi-Fi Davey Lane: 30 Oct Karova Lounge Ballarat; 31 Oct Northcote Social Club Jack Carty: 30 Oct Babushka Bar Ballarat; 1 Nov The Bridge Hotel Castlemaine; 2 Nov The Loft Warrnambool; 4 Dec
WED 01
Dead Kennedys + The Bennies + Drawcard + Wolfpack: 170 Russell, Melbourne The Jesters + Aurora Tide + Sway: Bar Open, Fitzroy Veruca Salt + Bloods: Corner Hotel, Richmond Shady Lane feat. Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird + more: Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy Japanese Wallpaper + Wintercoats + Huntly: Northcote Social Club, Northcote Gary Allan + The Mavericks + Blackjack Billy: Palais Theatre, St Kilda
The Demon Parade: Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
Howler; 5 Dec Kay St Traralgon; 6 Dec Montrose Town Centre; 7 Dec Bended Elbow Geelong
Chopped 2014: Newsted Racecourse & Recreation Reserve (Levi’s Stage), Newstead
Radio Birdman: 2, 3 Nov Corner Hotel
Laura Jean + more: Northcote Social Club, Northcote
Gossling: 6 Nov Corner Hotel Pierce Brothers: 7 Nov Corner Hotel; 14 Nov The Westernport Hotel San Remo; 28 Nov Spirit Bar & Lounge Traralgon; 4 Dec Torquay Hotel Gorguts: 14 Nov Northcote Social Club
GIG OF THE WEEK COURTNEY BARNETT: 2 – 5 OCT CORNER HOTEL
Daniel Lee Kendall: 14 Nov Shebeen Bandroom
Bad//Dreems + Bearhug + Hockey Dad: Shebeen Bandroom, Melbourne
Face The Music: 14, 15 Nov Arts Centre
Danny O’Keefe + more: Spotted Mallard, Brunswick
The Eighty 88s: Reverence Hotel (Front Bar), Footscray
Wolf Party feat. Tapewolf + Boss Christ + Double Ya D: The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
The Smith Street Band: 26–28 Nov Corner Hotel
Inventions + We Disappear + Bound By Hounds: The Curtin, Carlton
Violent Soho: 28 Nov 170 Russell The Delta Riggs: 29 Nov Ding Dong Lounge
The War On Drugs: 8, 16 Dec 170 Russell; 11 Dec The Hi-Fi
Dr Piffle & The Burlap Band + more: The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood
Chronixx: 11 Dec The Espy
Kinder + Big Smoke + Backyard: The Old Bar, Fitzroy
Thy Art Is Murder: 13 Dec The Hi-Fi; 14 Central Ringwood Community Centre
Van Walker + Shane O’Reilly: The Post Office Hotel, Coburg Boots: The Sporting Club, Brunswick
Dead Letter Circus: 20 Dec The Hi-Fi
Lightning Tape Wolf + more: The Luwow, Fitzroy Golgotha Motel + more: The Old Bar, Fitzroy Willow Darling + Amadeus Tulip: The Tote, Collingwood
Spiral Arm + Black Street Choir + Reika: Bar Open, Fitzroy Courtney Barnett + more: Corner Hotel, Richmond
Andrea Marr Band: Spotted Mallard, Brunswick
Lace and Whiskey + more: The Bendigo, Collingwood
The B.East Does Oktoberfest + DJ Miguel Of Berlin: The B.East, Brunswick East
Lightning Tape Wolf + more: The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
Mojo Juju + Kira Puru: The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
New Gods + Big Smoke + Old Violet: The Curtin, Carlton
The Right Words + 4Tress + Spidey + Pockets: The Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick
Flyying Colours + The Grand Rapids + more: The Espy (Front Bar), St Kilda
Goatpiss Gasoline + Jimmy Dowling: The Drunken Poet, Melbourne
Sheppard + Microwave Jenny: The Gasometer Hotel (All Ages), Collingwood
Hollow Drums + more: The Espy (Basement), St Kilda
Oolluu + Phantom Hitmen + Trust Us: The Tote, Collingwood
The Peep Tempel + Gold Class: The Tote, Collingwood
Bonjah: The Hi-Fi, Melbourne
Harry Hookey + Kasey Chambers + Darren Middleton + Tom Busby: The Workers Club, Fitzroy
Caravana Sun: The Westernport Hotel, San Remo
Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats + more: The Old Bar, Fitzroy
Husky + Twin Beasts: The Workers Club, Fitzroy
Lightning Tape Wolf + more: The Public Bar, North Melbourne
Bonjah + The Kite Machine: Torquay Hotel, Torquay
Blaberunner: The Sporting Club, Brunswick
Green’s Dairy Angel Ensemble: Wesley Anne (Front Bar), Northcote
Bloodline: The Tote, Collingwood
Sepultura: 170 Russell, Melbourne
Courtney Barnett + more: Corner Hotel, Richmond
Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions: Bar Open, Fitzroy
Clowns + Morning Glory + more: Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
Courtney Barnett + more: Corner Hotel, Richmond
Flash Company: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick Blow Out: The Bendigo, Collingwood
Melbourne Fringe Festival + Live & Resist: Howler, Brunswick
Bayou + The Infants + Slow Fires: The Curtin, Carlton
Sheppard: Ormond Hall, Melbourne
Chopped 2014: Newsted Racecourse & Recreation Reserve (Levi’s Stage), Newstead
Wine, Whiskey, Women feat. Kelsie Rimmer + Cookie Baker: The Drunken Poet, Melbourne
Grand Prismatic + more: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
Bondax + Godwolf: Prince Bandroom, St Kilda
SUN 05
SAT 04
T-Pain: Festival Hall, West Melbourne
S U P P O R T I N G
A Grain Of Truth: Wesley Anne (Band Room / 1pm), Northcote
Songwriters In The Round: Wesley Anne (Band Room), Northcote
Lightning Tape Wolf + more: Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
38 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014
Caravana Sun: Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
Masketta Fall + Special Guests: The Gasometer Hotel (All Ages / 1pm), Collingwood
Fading Hour + Lung + Arakeye + Shortfall: Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy
Night Flight: Ferdydurke, Melbourne
Hardwell + Kill The Buzz: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats + more: The Old Bar, Fitzroy
FRI 03
THU 02
Boris The Blade + more: Reverence Hotel (Band Room), Footscray
Endless Melt Showcase: The Tote, Collingwood
Monique Shelford + David Craft: Wesley Anne (Front Bar), Northcote
Hannah Rosa + more: Wesley Anne, Northcote
The Ivory Elephant: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
Lepers & Crooks + more: Revolver Upstairs, Prahran
Bad//Dreems + Bearhug + Hockey Dad: Shebeen Bandroom, Melbourne
Ron S Peno + The Hired Guns: Spotted Mallard, Brunswick
Dead City Ruins + Electrik Dynamite + Ice on Mercury: The Espy (Front Bar), St Kilda
Portugal. The Man: 30 Nov The Deck Frankston
Totally Extinct Dinosaurs (DJ Set): Prince Bandroom, St Kilda
River of Snakes + Udays Tiger: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
T-Pain: Star Bar, Bendigo
CW Stoneking: 15 Nov Forum Theatre
Listen Out 2014: Observatory Precinct, Royal Botanical Gardens, South Yarra
Courtney Barnett + more: Corner Hotel, Richmond Alone With Tiger + more: Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy Bill Bailey: Hamer Hall, Melbourne Sheppard: Kay St, Traralgon
Bam Bam + more: Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy Helmet: Ferdydurke, Melbourne The Cat Empire + Madre Monte + Tom Thum: Festival Hall (All Ages), West Melbourne
I N D E P E N D E N T
The Dire Straits Experience: Palais Theatre, St Kilda The Bakersfield Glee Club: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick Darren Gibson + more: Reverence Hotel (Front Bar), Footscray
M U S I C
the guide vic.gigguide@themusic.com.au Tek Tek Ensemble: Spotted Mallard, Brunswick SteelBirds: The B.East, Brunswick East Loony Tunes - Fundraising for Mental Health: The Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick Waking Up the Spirit Fundraiser: The Curtin, Carlton Rock 4 Renewables: The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood Fever Teeth + more: The Old Bar, Fitzroy Doomsday Festival: The Tote, Collingwood The Future Is Now feat. Fractures + more: The Workers Club, Fitzroy Docklands Blues Music Festival: Wonderland Spiegeltent Docklands (Harbour Town), Docklands Boris The Blade + more: Wrangler Studios (All Ages), West Footscray
MON 06
Sleepy Dreamers + Sarah Stone + Splendidid: Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy Alt-J + Grace: Forum Theatre, Melbourne Chopped 2014: Newsted Racecourse & Recreation Reserve (Levi’s Stage), Newstead
TUE 07
Goatpiss Gasoline: Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
Moulin Beige: Wesley Anne (Band Room), Northcote
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THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014 • 39
40 • THE MUSIC • 1ST OCTOBER 2014