BSideMagazine-0008

ISSUE 0008 / November 20th - November 26th 2014

IT’S FREE - www.bsidemagazine.com.au

ALSO INSIDE: Saved By Summer, The Smith Street Band Lloyd Speigel, Ezekial Ox, Handpicked Festival plus BOB’s BITS, TOUR GUIDE and LOCAL MUSIC NEWS

AROUND THE TRAPS These Wild Animals, fresh from a quick trip over to sunny Melbourne, have just recorded their second EP, Enstasy, and are set to launch the wild beast at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Saturday 13 December with special guests to be announced soon. Grab your tickets at Moshtix.

All-female band Wild Rocket are finally set to issue their long-awaited debut album, Daisy Dream, and will do so with a free entry launch at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, from around 9pm on Saturday 22 November with help from Juliette Seizure & The Tremor Dolls.

Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, have announced a free entry line-up of music on Thursday evenings with it kicking off with a big opening night party on Thursday 20 November at which Iridescent, The Serra and Flying Doormat are all fired up to play.

There will also be lots of drinks specials throughout the night.

St Morris Sinners and gearing up for a fun-filled album launch on Friday 21 November with special guests Hello Newman and Gaijin at Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, in the band room from around 9pm. It’s to launch the band’s new album, For Lease, and they will be joined on stage

by Bianca Carbone on backing vocals, James Capatch on saxophone and Dave Moran on cello.

Soursob Bob and Emma Woolcock will be launching a new offering, March Of The Mincing Poodle, at The Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, from 4pm – an early start – on Sunday 30 November with Courtney Robb as special guest. Tickets will be $10 at the door.

Highly respected locally-based producer and live sound engineer Matt Hills will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Hillside Studios with a huge party that will feature some 22 or so local acts including The Dunes, Ghyti, Archers and Bad//Dreems, who took out the Best Rock Artist gong at the recent Fowler’s Live Music Awards as well as a trophy for SA Songwriters Of The Year, and even Peter Combe. Matt, who has recorded albums for those bands as well as for Horror My Friend, Wolf & Cub, Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! and so many, many more, has become known as the go-to person for indie groups in this city. The 20th birthday celebrations will take place from noon on Saturday 29 November at Hillside Studios, Torrensville, with tickets on sale now via Moshtix.

Adelaide punks The Meatbeaters are all set to launch a 12-inch vinyl album, Tug Of Phwoarrr, and will do so on Saturday 22 November with a free entry gig at The Cumberland Hotel, 76 Causeway Rd, Glanville (directly across the road from the train station), with good mates Blue Flame Special and The Toss. All copies of the vinyl, which recently topped Three D Radio’s Top 20 + 1 Chart, sold on the night will also come with a totally free colour poster and it’s also available from Mr V Music at Semaphore.

After 10 years together, four albums, over 1,000 live performances and an ARIA nomination, Adelaide’s muchloved Lowrider have elected to take an indefinite hiatus. Say goodbye to them when they perform at HQ on Friday 21 November.

It has been announced that The Aves will have the Friday evening residency at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, during the merry month of December.

By our primitive calculations this would mean the residency kicks on Friday 5 December and likely concludes on Boxing Day with a series of special guests each evening.

Local bands West Thebarton Brothel Party and Sincerely, Grizzly have been announced as the opening acts when cutting-edge, Cleveland-based indie rock trio Cloud Nothings, who are in Australia

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to perform at Meredith Music Festival, hit Adelaide Uni Bar on Tuesday 9 December.

Rising local singer songwriter Louis Donnarumma will be launching his EP at The Bluebee Room, 131-133 Pirie St, from 7pm on Friday 12 December. It’s a licensed all-ages affair with special guests Juno and Paige Renee Court. Tickets are $10 at the door or you can pre-buy at <louisdonnarumma.com>.

Throughout January, Adelaide Festival Centre will be programming live music on the River Deck, the outdoor bar area overlooking the Torrens and Adelaide Oval on Fridays and Saturdays. They are seeking to make the River Deck a relaxed hangout and looking for a range of music performers in solo/ duo and (absolute maximum) trio configurations with no drum kit. Lo-fi, acoustic, laid-back, in the main, with a bit more groove as the evening gets later and, of course, excellent quality!

Proposals for electro and DJ sets are also welcome. To put in an application, please head to <http://form.jotformpro.com/ form4309099113638963> with entries closing on Sunday 30 November.

Sasha March has been enjoying a free entry Monday evening residency at the Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St. The last one takes place on Monday 24 November from around 9pm so get along to see whom Sasha has chosen as her special guest for the final fling.

Exciting news! Much-loved Adelaide pop rock outfit The Trims will all be home for Christmas so have decided to do a reformation gig. It will take place at Jive, 181 Hindley St, from 8pm on Saturday 27 December so book quickly at Moshtix and remember to wear 100% polyester.

And there are to be some very special guests to be announced soon.

The quite outrageous Clowns Of Decadence had to cancel a recent city gig but will now be playing The Ed Castle, 233 Currie St, on Saturday 13 December with some special guests.

Keyboard-driven rock band The Cities Alight, whose debut album is picking up some pleasing reviews, will be performing with Crackling Static Fuzz at the Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, on Friday 28 November from around 8.30pm.

Young Sultans, featuring Gab Hyde, have scored a free entry Thursday evening residency at The Lion Hotel, Melbourne St, North Adelaide, which kicks off from Thursday 20 November from 8.30pm.

Alongside some great music, there will also be lots of drink specials and the band has heaps of drink cards to freely hand out to patrons.

The SA state final of the Emergenza competition will be taking place at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Sunday 23 November at which lots of top local bands and solo artists will be participating.

Shingleback & Red Knot Wine, 3 Stump Hill Rd, McLaren Vale, have commenced their Sundowners At Shingleback music series which happens as a free entry affair on Friday evenings from 5.30pm until 8pm. Expect acts such as Cal Williams Jr, Mike Bevan, Christian Andrew, Sam Brittain and more to be taking part as it continues until Friday 27 March. Food and wine is also available for purchase so check out the winery’s Facebook page for full details.

Jazz In Cheek, who recently performed at Gawler Jazz Festival, will be in trio mode when they undertake a free entry affair from 2pm until 6pm on Sunday 23 November at the recently re-opened Hampshire Hotel, 110 Grote St. The completely refurbished venue, which offers live music from 2pm on Sundays, is open for coffee from 8.30am with allday dining from high noon. Pop in and try their Hampster Burger although they do also offer yummy vegetarian dishes too.

Mammoth, Introvert, Tabula Rasa and Canephora will be having a big night of

rock at Worldsend, 208 Hindley St, on Saturday 22 November. It’s free entry with drink specials all night and as it’s someone’s mammoth birthday, expect a huge night.

Local rock band Stray Dog Strut will be launching their much-awaited Dance For Science EP on the main stage at Enigma Bar, 173 Hindley St, on Saturday 13 December. Special guests include the brilliant Sedulos Rouse, the distinguished Priority Orange and the thunderous Stoved and all those attending Stray Dog Strut’s launch will be handed a complimentary copy of the EP. Sparkspitter, who won Best Indie Act at the recent Fowler’s Live Music Awards, are set to release their debut, sevensong, long-player, Technê, on Saturday 13 December which follows the release of a self-titled EP in 2012 and the release of the single, Vandalis, earlier this year. Look out for it.

Al.Q.Bon are set to play their exotic, acoustic, world music rhythms at Sheoak Café, 38 Sheoak Rd, Belair from 8pm until 11pm on Friday 24 November and then The Franklin Hotel, 93 Franklin St, on Sunday 30 November. It’s free entry to both and the seasoned trio will be playing 3pm until 6pm at the city venue. Yummy food and cool vibes at each venue too.

Violinist Niki Vasilakis, one of South Australia’s most talented and loved musicians and a former Young South Australian Of The Year, will engage audiences for the next installment of the Cocktail Concerts series from 6.30pm on Thursday 20 November in Lyrics Bar, Adelaide Festival Centre.

Niki will be featuring Ludwig Van’s Septet In E-flat Major Op. 20 accompanied by several key members of Adelaide Symphony Orchestra along with cellist Rachel Johnston, a former member of The Australian String Quartet. Book at BASS with the ticket price including a complimentary drink.

Ragged But Right, a seasoned trio who play Americana music mixed with a good deal of hokum, will be playing a free entry gig at The Whitmore Hotel, 317 Morphett St, from 7-11pm on Saturday 29 November. Saddle up and git along!

Club 5082 will present a free entry, all-ages show at Prospect Town Hall, Prospect Rd, Prospect, from 6.30pm on Friday 21 November featuring Mr Wolf, The Chance Effective, Deadview, White Collar Heroes and Sweet Anarchy.

It’s that time of year again for Punx Picnic which is to be held from 2pm at Bonython Park, Port Rd, Thebarton, on Saturday 20 December with afternoon acoustic melodies from Wilderness Years (Matty K in solo mode), Hillbilly Witchdoctor (featuring members of Hell Bound & Proud), Crow Eater and Melbourne’s Roofcat, while the evening will bring out the rawk with Yoko Polo, Apteria, Grimalkin, Terania, Melbourne’s Smack Baby, The ProTools and Iron Worzel with more to be announced. There will also be food available by donation, bring everything else along yourself and please remember to take everything with you when you leave, especially your empties!

OUR PHILOSOPHY Created by veteran Adelaide music guru Rob Dunstan, BSide Magazine is a weekly magazine totally focussed on what’s going on in the Adelaide Music Community.

Every week we will be bringing you the latest news, up-to-date information and entertainment through: Regular music news updates Features and interviews Touring and gig guides Local music industry news Awesome competitions Live music and CD reviews Theatre news and interviews Plus, we welcome the return of BOB’S BITS in print.

Our goal with BSide Magazine is to help rebuild the Adelaide Music Community, to refocus the emphasis on local music and uniting the different tribes encouraging and further enhancing a prosperous live music industry for all.

We want BSide Magazine to be like Gaffa Tape. The thing that will hold everything together.

IN THIS ISSUE Page 2 Around The Traps Our Philosophy Page 4 Heading To Town The Preatures (Live Review) Page 5 BSide Tour Guide Page 6 Feature Article: The Peep Tempel Page 7 Lloyd Speigel Ezekial Ox Page 8 The Clothesline Page 9 Michael Griffiths Handpicked Festival Page 10 MusicSA CD Reviews Page 11 Bob’s Bits Page 12 Saved By Summer The Smith Street Band Page 13 Bob Downe Page 15 The Bizzo Advertising Enquiries Ph: (08) 8346 9899 sales@bsidemagazine.com.au

ISSUE #0008 November 20th November 26th, 2014

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HEADING TO TOWN Thelma Plum is bringing her Monsters to town as presented by triple j. Having created a beautifully delicate, yet densely layered EP under the guiding hand of hip hop producer M-Phazes, Thelma has since assembled a misfit cast of seasoned musicians to recreate the soundscape on stage and bring Monsters to life. Catch her at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Thursday 20 November with electronic duo Left and also Dalli. Book at Moshtix.

Melbourne’s Nai Palm, New Zealand’s Marlon Williams will be playing Here’s To Now on Saturday 3 January at McLaren Vale’s Coriole Vineyards alongside The Shaolin Afronauts, Oisima, Toot Whistle Crew DJs, Max Savage & The False Idols, Hurricanes and Naomi Keyte. There will also be wine

by Coriole, cocktails by Clever Little Taylor, beer from Wheaty Brewing Corps and food by The Happy Motel with tickets now on sale via <thehappymotel. com>.

Get your lariats at the ready! Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks will play the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, as part of an Aussie jaunt on Wednesday 25 February. Book at OzTix or via the venue.

Ezekiel Ox, formerly of Full Scale and Mammal and currently fronting The Nerve, is touring around the place in intimate solo mode. In Adelaide, the famously wild front-person will be hitting the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 27 November with Favour The Brave and Zelorage. Book quickly via Moshtix.

Japan’s world famous all-girl rock band Shonen Knife are stepping into overdrive and touring their latest album, Overdrive. It marks their 19th release and they will be hitting Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Thursday 22 January with tickets available now via Moshtix.

Melbourne rock trio The Peep Tempel are heading to town to launch their new album, Tales, and will do so at Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St, on Saturday 22 November with an early start of 5pm.

Rhino Room, Frome St, have an exciting comedy line-up locked in over coming weeks. Catch Kitty Flanagan on Friday 28 November, Dave Callan on Friday 5 December and Saturday 6 December and Merrick Watts on Friday 12 November and Saturday 13 December.

Book quickly at <adelaidecomedy.com.> as some shows are selling fast.

Rockin’ Melbourne psychobilly combo The Workinghorse Irons are making a road trip that will bring them to Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 21 November with Standard Union and The Villenettes and Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, on Saturday 22 November with Loveless and The Villenettes.

American soft rock band America, who actually formed on a German air force base, have announced their 45th anniversary tour which will bring them to Thebarton Theatre on Monday 11 May. Expect to hear such classics as Horse With No Name, Ventura Highway, Sandman, Muskrat Love and more with tickets now available via VenueTix. Now based in the US, red-haired Australian guitar-slinger 8 Ball Aitken hits Adelaide to play a free entry shindig at The Gilbert Street Hotel, 88 Gilbert St, from 7pm before heading to McLaren Vale’s The Singing Gallery on Saturday 22 November. On Sunday 23 November, you’ll find 8 Ball at Semaphore Workers Club, 93 The Esplanade, Semaphore, from 4pm. Wonder if he’ll check out the fullsize billiard tables at the seaside venue and have a game of eight-ball?

English-born guitarist Lez Karski, who came to Australia as a member of UK band Supercharge and forgot to leave, is heading back to our town to play a

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free entry gig with The Donkeys (local drummer Jeff Algra alongside bass player Mick Wordley) at The Whitmore Hotel, 317 Morphett St, on Saturday 23 November.

LIVE REVIEW: THE PREATURES

Over a year ago, Sydney-based indie band Violent Soho unleashed their third studio album Hungry Ghost to the world and have since toured the album around the globe to much acclaim. The popular band, who have played festivals such as Falls, Big Day Out, Groovin The Moo and Splendour In The Grass, have now announced another trek around the country which will bring them to HQ, cnr North and West Tces, on Sunday 23 November.

Melbourne-based band Maricopa Wells will be heading over the border to take part in Saved By Summer, a huge musical event set to take place at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Saturday 22 November from 7.30pm featuring some of Australia’s best indie rock, folk and acoustic punk acts. Also on the bill will be interstaters Fear Like Us and Foxtrot as well as locals such as Paper Arms, The Hard Aches, Heath Anthony, Bec Stevens, Ry Kemp, Abby Howlett, Jake Ward and Anna Jeavons.

Must be butterfly season! Brisbane’s Clint Boge, well-known for fronting metal band The Butterfly Effect, is undertaking a solo jaunt around the country in acoustic mode and will play Royal Oak Hotel, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, on Thursday 20 November and the newly re-opened Crown & Sceptre Hotel, 308 King William St, on Saturday 22 November with Baltimore Poet as special guests at both gigs. Tickets via OzTix or via the venues.

Fresh from performances at Semaphore Music Festival in early October, renowned Melbourne-based singer songwriters Mick Thomas and Charles Jenkins, formerly of Icecream Hands and Mad Turks, are heading back over our way to play a couple of gigs together.

Mick, formerly of folk rockers Weddings Parties Anything, will also have The Roving Commission (Squeezebox Wally, Gus Agars and Mark McCartney) with him when he plays alongside Charles Jenkins at The Trinity Sessions at Church Of The Trinity, 318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Pk, on Saturday 22 November and The Promethean, 116 Grote St, on Sunday 23 November.

Melbourne band Magic Bones have released their single and video for Anytime Anywhere which is a driving garage punk affair that draws influences from ’70s rock and ’80s new wave garage punk. Magic Bones are touring Anytime Anywhere as main support act for British India’s national tour which hits The Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 22 November. Book at OzTix or via the venue.

Shaggy, once the ragga king of dancehall, has just dropped a new album, Out Of Many One Music, and will be hitting HQ Complex on Friday 22 May. Tickets are available now via Metropolis Touring at <metropolistouring.com>.

West Australian metal merchants Chaos Divine are heading to town armed with a new single, Soldiers, to play with Dyssidia, Favour The Brave and Inwoods at Cavern Club, 135 North Tce, from 7pm on Friday 28 November.

Chet Faker (AKA Melbourne’s Nicholas Murphy) is pleased to announce details of his biggest Australian tour to date and the final tour for his award-winning, breakthrough debut, Built On Glass. Chet will hit Thebarton Theatre on Saturday 28 February accompanied by Melbourne producer Roland Tings and rising cosmic funk revivalists GL.

Live Review: The Preatures, Holy Holy, Red Spencer Governor Hindmarsh Friday 14 November Reviewed by Rob Lyon Sydney’s The Preatures are in for one rapid rise and will continue their upward journey as one of Australia’s most promising acts. To celebrate the release f their debut album Blue Planet Eyes the tour going by the same name is on in earnest. The testament to this ‘hot act’ is the sold out sign on the front door on the way and there is no doubt they will be playing bigger venues next tour after conquering it overseas.

The support acts were top shelf with Red Spencer and Holy Holy impressing the masses and picking up a legion of new fans. Holy Holy is a great act who have continued to get better and better each time I have seen them play and they look right at home playing on bigger stages around the country on this tour and the one with Boy & Bear. Holy Holy have so many great songs already and their big one, House Of Cards, was a beauty.

The cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart was alright (there’s just some classic songs that regardless of who plays them should be left well and truly alone) and got some interesting reactions with punters taking a while to realise it was a cover.

The was a real buzz and sense of excitement before The Preatures took the stage as fans pushed up closer to the stage for a premium vantage point. Opening with Blue Planet Eyes it wasn’t long before lead singer Isabella Manfredi was jumping and dancing on the stage whipping the crowd up in to a frenzy. Single Somebody’s Talking was awesome as was Manic Baby and Rock ‘n Roll Rave. Despite a few microphone issues Whatever You Want went down a treat. Two Tone Melody was aided a great sounding audience sing-a-long prompting Manfredi to say “you sing so beautifully Adelaide.”

Manfredi also reflected on what it meant to sell out The Gov saying it was a big deal to them and perhaps there’s something in the song It Get’s Better. Blue Planet Eyes is such a great album and there is no wonder why all tracks got an airing.

Manfredi asked the crowd “are you ready to dance” which was the lead in to the set closer Is This How You Feel?

The encore was solid but they had already played all their best bits, so there was little left in the tank. Manfredi says “surprise, surprise I’m here, we’re obviously doing an encore.” Slower song Business, the last song on the album, was about the year that they have had which has been described as ‘hard’.

Gideon Bensen took the vocals on Take A Card to finish the night off which was probably not the best track to finish on but nonetheless we were treated to a great show by one of Australia’s most promising acts.

FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER Illy (Melbourne) and Tkay Maidza at HQ Complex Thy Art Is Murder (Sydney) at Fowler’s Live Luluc (Melbourne) and Naomi Keyte at Jive Willow Beats (Melbourne) and Oisima at Rocket Bar Contrast (Melbourne), Ride Into The Sun, Kitten Kong and Blush Response at Worldsend

THURSDAY 20 NOVEMBER The Smith Street Band (Melbourne), The Front Bottoms (New York) and Apologies I Have None (London) at Governor Hindmarsh (Sold Out) Hey Lady! (Newcastle) and Axe Girl (Perth) at Worldsend Hotel 8 Ball Aitken (Sydney) at Gilbert Street Hotel Clint Boge (Brisbane) and Baltimore Poet at Royal Oak Hotel Thelma Plum (Sydney), Left and Dalli at Jive San Cisco (Fremantle) at Fowler’s Live FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER CW Stoneking (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh The Urban Chiefs (Tamworth) at Worldsend MILLIONS (Brisbane) at Pirie & Co Social Club The Workinghorse Irons (Melbourne), Standard Union and Villenettes at Crown & Anchor SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER British India (Melbourne) and Magic Bones (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh The Workinghorse Irons (Melbourne).

Villenettes and Loveless at Gaslight Tavern 8 Ball Aitken (Sydney) at The Singing Gallery (McLaren Vale) Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission (Melbourne) and Charles Jenkins (Melbourne) at Trinity Sessions Clint Boge (Brisbane) and Baltimore Poet at Crown & Sceptre Ne Obliviscaris (Melbourne) at Adelaide Uni Bar Saved By Summer: Maricopa Wells (Melbourne), Fear Like Us, Foxtrot, Paper Arms, The Hard Aches, Heath Anthony, Bec Stevens, Ry Kemp, Abby Howlett, Jake Ward and Anna Jeavons at Crown & Anchor The Urban Chiefs (Tamworth) at Glenelg Jetty Bar Mushroom Giant (Melbourne) at Worldsend The Peep Tempel (Melbourne) at Exeter Hotel SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 8 Ball Aitken (Sydney) at Semaphore Worker’s Club Violent Soho (Sydney) at HQ Trophy Eyes (Newcastle), Endless// Heights, Landscapes and Columbus at Fowler’s Live Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission (Melbourne) and Charles Jenkins (Melbourne) at The Promethean MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER Erik Griswold (Sydney) at Wheatsheaf Hotel THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBER Ezekiel Ox (Melbourne) at Grace Emily Yacht Club DJs (Melbourne) at Jive The Delta Riggs (Gold Coast) at Adelaide Uni Bar FRIDAY 28 NOVEMBER Husky (Melbourne) and Ali Barter at Adelaide Uni Bar Yacht Club DJs (Melbourne) at Jive (SOLD OUT) Chaos Divine (WA), Dyssidia, Favour The Brave and Inwoods at Cavern Club SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER Deep South Festival: Kevin Borich (Brisbane), Mojo Juju (Melbourne), Lloyd Spiegel (Melbourne), Claude Hay (Melbourne), The Hiptones, The Streamliners, The Timbers and many more at Governor Hindmarsh Gorgeous Festival: Xavier Rudd, The

Waifs and many more at McLaren Vale Handpicked Festival: Jessica Mauboy, Sheppard, Thirsty Merc and more at Lake Breeze Wines (Langhorne Creek) Golden Features (Sydney) at Electric Circus The Underhanded (Melbourne) at Worldsend SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER Nick Cave at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre Gorgeous Festival: Xavier Rudd, The Waifs and many more at McLaren Vale Deep South Festival: Ray Beadle (Sydney), Hat Fitz & Cara (Brisbane), Glenn Skuthorpe and more at Governor Hindmarsh Sonic Architects National Conference: Hiatus Kaiyote and Remi at Governor Hindmarsh Ben Salter (Brisbane) and Matt Hayward at Wheatsheaf Hotel MONDAY 1 DECEMBER Nick Cave at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre TUESDAY 2 DECEMBER Rick Astley (UK) at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre Nahko & Medicine For The People (US), Trevor Hall (US) and Dustin Thomas (US) at Governor Hindmarsh

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER John Legend (US), Dami Im and Megan Washington at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre The Gin Club (Brisbane) and Doctor Desoto at Wheatsheaf Hotel WEDNESDAY 17 DECEMBER Scott Russo (US) and Phil Jamieson (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh Watsky (US) at Fowler’s Live THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (US) and Hawthorn Heights (US) at Adelaide Uni Bar FRIDAY DECEMBER 19 Gyroscope (Perth) at Adelaide Uni Bar Knife Party (Sydney) at Wayville Pavilion (Adelaide Showgrounds) Jimmy Barnes at Adelaide Entertainment Centre SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER Alithia (Melbourne) and The Overview Effect at Worldsend Agents Of Rock (Melbourne), Trench Effect and sTool at The Land Of Promise Punx Picnic: Wilderness Years Hillbilly Witchdoctor, Crow Eater Roofcat (Melbourne) Yoko Polo, Apteria, Grimalkin, Terania, Smack Baby (Melbourne), The Pro-Tools and Iron Worzel

WEDNESDAY 3 DECEMBER The Dead Daisies (Sydney/US) at Governor Hindmarsh Sage Francis (US) and Fait Accompli (Sydney) at Adelaide Uni Bar THURSDAY 4 DECEMBER Drawcard (Brisbane) at Worldsend FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER Russell Morris (Melbourne) at Norwood Live Bloods (Sydney) and The Pits at Edinburgh Castle Stereosonic at Adelaide Showgrounds Ice Cube (US) at Thebarton Theatre The Mark Of Cain and King Of The North (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER Ben Folds (US) and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre Gay Paris (Sydney) at Crown & Anchor Stereosonic at Adelaide Showgrounds Shaun Kirk (Melbourne) and Cal Williams Jr at Wheatsheaf Hotel Hayward Williams (US) and The Yearlings at The Singing Gallery (McLaren Vale) Jep & Dep (Sydney) at The Exeter Hotel Powder For Pigeons (WA/Europe) and The Ugly Kings (Melbourne) at Worldsend SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER Joan Armatrading (UK) at Governor Hindmarsh (two shows) Hayward Williams (US) and The Yearlings at Wheatsheaf Hotel TUESDAY 9 DECEMBER Sleep (US), Hydromedusa and Iron Worzel at Fowler’s Live Cloud Nothings (US), West Thebarton Brothel Party and Sincerely, Grizzly at Adelaide Uni Bar WEDNESDAY 10 DECEMBER The Skatallites (Jamaica) at Governor Hindmarsh The Datsuns (NZ) at Jive THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER Jack Carty (Sydney) at Grace Emily Dead Letter Circus (Brisbane)

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FEATURED INTERVIEW: THE PEEP TEMPEL

THE PEEP TEMPEL

By Robert Dunstan Melbourne-based rock trio The Peep Tempel are creating a lot of noise at the moment with the release of a new album, Tales, which they are touring to Adelaide this weekend.

Thus we enjoyed some phone chat to singer and guitarist Blake Scott who begins by saying that the response to the new album had been very positive and that a couple of launch gigs in Melbourne had been extremely well-attended.

Blake then reveals that the trio have previously stepped foot over the border.

“We came over to Adelaide to play one show about two years ago which was at Hotel Metro,” he says. “Unfortunately though we didn’t get such a great turn out to that one. It was for the release of our first album and we also came over with Stewy who was, by then, our second bass player.”

Blake had begun as a solo artist playing around Melbourne.

“And then I was in a band called The Festival Of Stable Learning but we never did a great deal of touring,” he says. “We didn’t actually do anything much really, because we didn’t even release anything either.

“So it wasn’t until The Peep Tempel started up that things started picking up,” he adds. “So we’ve now got a bit of touring under our belt and put out some decent records and even been overseas which has encouraged us to keep going.”

The Peep Tempel had begun life in 2009 as a duo of Blake alongside drummer Steve Carter, but soon found that line-up to be too inclusive for the sound they wanted to achieve. They then engaged a bass player for their first album but now have Stewart ‘Stewy’ Raynor as their permanent third member.

“Stewy had been in a band called Ex Rental Trash,” Blake announces, ‘but earlier on, going back 10 years or so, he was playing in Catwalk Syndrome.

And [drummer] Steve came from a band called Capsicum, an instrumental thing that had a fair bit of success in Melbourne. I don’t think they ever toured, but were pretty popular here.

“And because Steve and I were mates, we used to go and see each other play all the time,” he continues. “I also had a pretty dodgy, run-down flat in North Melbourne and then the flat next door became vacant so I took that on and turned it into a studio. It was pretty much uninhabitable but was good enough to turn into a recording studio. Good enough for me anyway.

“So Steve would come round and have a bit of a bash and then we ended up playing at a party and did a couple of songs that each went for about half

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an hour,” Blake adds with a laugh.

“But people seemed to like ’em so we organised a couple of gigs and then thought, ‘Hmm, do we really want to be a proper band?’

“So Steve and I started writing stuff and I reckon it was after we’d been together for about 12 months or so that we put out a seven-inch single.

had written the songs, then arranged and edited them and then rehearsed the hell out of them. And then we just recorded them as we would play them live.

“So that’s what works for us because we keep everything pretty simple when we play live even down to the gear we use,” he adds. “And we use the same gear when we record.”

“We did, yeah, because we had a fantastic time,” Blake notes. “It was a whole new world for us and we can’t wait to get back.

And while I don’t want to bag Australia – I’m not one to ever slag off my own country – we just found the people so friendly and all the venues to be really, really accommodating.

“They would welcome you when you arrived, feed and water you and then find you a bed if you didn’t have one,” he says. “It’s a whole different level to here because people in Europe treat music as art as apposed to some fashionable thing.

“That was just as a duo and then we recorded another one and then did a whole album in the studio I had in the studio flat,” Blake continues. “But when we finally got round to mixing it, we just felt it just wasn’t a strong enough sound as a two-piece and needed something more.

The album proper, released via Wing Sing Records on CD and vinyl, was recorded with help from engineers Clinton Kraus and Anna Laverty.

“So we then got Matty Chow [AKA Dr Chowington of Graveyard Train] in on bass and wrote a couple more songs and that became the first album,” he adds.

A run of vinyl copies of Tales has already sold out.

When the band hit town, their launch gig will have an early start of 5.30pm.

“Yeah, that happened in the first two weeks,” Blake enthuses. “So we have to get more done as it’s pretty special as we got Tim Molloy to do the artwork.

Tim’s an amazing illustrator who lives in Melbourne and he does a great comic called Mr Unpronounceable.”

“And we come on stage at 6.15pm,” Blake concludes. “And I reckon it’s a good idea because we’ll be out in The Exeter’s beer garden and the sun will be shining. I love playing when the sun’s still shining.

The guitarist, whose band has been likened to Eddy Current Suppression Ring and McLusky, says his personal musical influences are many and varied.

“When I was really young, it was Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Angels and stuff like that but, as I got older, it changed,” Blake says. “And that was from going out to see great Aussie bands such as [Steve Lucas’] X or The Victims. I think I was just attracted to the organic process and the energy you get from seeing a band play live in a small room.

“And I think that’s why our record works so well because we recorded it pretty much live in the studio,” he continues.

“And doing it that way doesn’t take too much of the magic out of it. I’m sure recording each instrument separately can work in some instances, but for the most part I like stuff that feels like it may fall apart at any moment.

“That’s what makes rock’n’roll exciting for me,” Blake adds.

Tales boasts a great, high-energy sound which can often be hard to capture in a sterile studio environment.

“When we first started pre-production, we were very open-minded about how we should record it,” Blake recalls. “We did a couple of demos in our little studio flat and Steve didn’t use any cymbals. And then we tried to multi-track them but it just wasn’t working in the mix.

“The one thing we were really noticing was that whenever we tried to do overdubs, even though everything was set on the same level, it was all coming through at a much lower volume,” he sighs. “So, for me, that indicated that there wasn’t as much energy going into it whenever someone did an overdub.

“So we just decided that recording live in the studio was what was going to work best for us,” Blake says. “And that’s what we had done with the first record. We

“They worked with us on the first album as well, although Clint more so, but they work really well together,” Blake says.

A certain flamboyant character, Lester Moore, is referenced on each release by The Peep Tempel with the first album boasting Mister Lester Moore, their Modern Professional EP containing The Incarceration Of Lester Moore and Tales having The Opera Of Lester Moore.

“Lester is just one of our seedy characters and from the first video he created a bit of a following,” Blake says. “So he got a second song and now we’ve done a third one about him.

“But that will be it,” he declares. “No more Lester songs from now on.”

I just had to ask if there was a story behind the band’s name.

“Yeah, there is because it’s from an episode of Inspector Rex,” Blake says of the Austrian/Italian cult series about a German Shepherd police dog.

“We were flicking through the channels one night and Inspector Rex was on and they were pulling up to a place called The Peep Tempel and we just thought it sounded like a great band name,” he continues.

“Then I Googled it and an image immediately came up with a naked women with some skull and crossbones,” he laughs. “In retrospect, perhaps it’s not the name we should have gone with but at the time it seemed to work for us.

“And, when we were touring Europe, we actually made a pilgrimage to Vienna to visit The Peep Tempel and take some photos,” he says. “But we got there to find the place had been turned into a restaurant.”

The band rather enjoyed touring Europe in 2012.

“They know what they like instead of being told what to like,” Blake suggests.

The Peep Tempel launch Tales at The Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St, from 5.30pm on Saturday 22 October with tickets on sale now via <wingsunrecords.com>.

LLOYD SPEIGEL

LLOYD SPIEGEL

By Robert Dunstan Blues veteran Lloyd Spiegel, who hails from Gippsland, is delighted to have been invited to take part in this year’s Deep South, a three-day festival of blues, roots and folk goodness that will take place at the Governor Hindmarsh from Friday 28 November.

“I’ve had a look at the Deep South program and think it looks fantastic,” he says of performing on Saturday 29 November at Deep South’s Roots Extravaganza alongside The Hiptones, The Streamliners, Kevin Borich, Mojo Juju and Bec & The Big River Trio along with some dozen or so other great acts across three stages.

EZEKIAL OX

Speaking of the road, the time for our scheduled interview was delayed by an hour or so after Lloyd had sent me an SMS to say his car had broken down and he was awaiting a tow.

“I have a Holden Commodore that is just about to click over to 600,000 kilometres so it’s time to get another one,” he laughs.

“The last Commodore I had also did just on 600,000ks so I’ve had a pretty good run from them both.

“So I’ll get another one after Christmas but it may be the last Commodore I get as it will be the last of the Australian-made ones,” Lloyd adds. “But I’m not a car head, so if I’m travelling around the country so much I need a vehicle that every mechanic knows and can easily get spare parts for and knows how to fit it.”

“I’m always thrilled whenever I get an opportunity to work with any of those artists,” Lloyd, who has eight album releases to his credit, enthuses. “And [guitarist] Kevin Borich is one of the great survivors of the Australian music scene.

And the reason for that is he is just such one of a kind and such an outstanding player. I love watching him play so I will be looking forward to seeing his set.

Lloyd will be touring with drummer Tim Burnham.

“So it’s going to be exciting to be with all those people. And the blues and roots music fans in Adelaide certainly deserve an annual event like Deep South. There are a lot of die-hard music fans over in Adelaide.

“And I find that makes me perform better because I am always a little bit nervous about what’s going to happen,” Lloyd states. “Tim pushes me and I push him and there’s always that feeling something could go wrong. But, of course, that makes for a great gig.”

“And I’ve never performed at the Gov before and it’s just such an iconic live music venue,” he quickly continues. “And there are probably only a handful of venues around the country that cater for such a diverse range of music.

“So I’m really happy that Deep South came up because I haven’t been over to Adelaide for about 18 months now,” he adds. “And that’s because, apart from playing a few festivals here and there, I’ve pretty much taken the last year off from touring.”

Was there a reason behind that decision?

“I was basically completely burnt out,” Lloyd admits. “I’d spent 22 years travelling the world playing music and never had any time off. And I came to the realisation I was totally burnt out when I was playing in Los Angeles to a sold out crowd who were all jumping and cheering and yelling out for more.

“But I’d come off stage – and it was quite a moment for me – and felt absolutely nothing,” he sighs. “I felt no joy, no excitement nor any motivation to do another gig. It had become just like another day in the office.

“So I realised that I needed to take some time off to reinvent myself and get back in touch with what made me want to play music in the first place,” Lloyd adds. “I’d lost the hunger and drive so I spent this year coming up with some new sounds, spent some time with my family and also started writing some new songs with the plan being to hit the road again next year.”

“I always travel with Tim these days,” he confirms. “The show we’ve put together is the best I’ve been involved in. I’ve worked in a number of different formats over the years but this one has a real punch to it.

And, with Tim, I don’t get to play in my comfort zone and am just outside of it.

Almost a decade ago, Lloyd was, as they say ‘Big In Japan’, as a live DVD, recorded in that country had captured the attention of Japanese blues lovers.

“I had my moment over there,” the musician laughs, “but I think I am now the Rick Astley of Japan. There’s a definite chance they may now think of me as a one-hit wonder but there were a couple of years in Japan where I was very popular and performing sold out shows in huge arenas.

“I was commercially successful over there,” he laughs, “but it was never something I’d actively sought. So it was absolutely fantastic while it lasted but when it was all over I was actually quite glad.

“But it did make me a better performer as I’ve been to that place which is now impossible to reach and know what it’s like, so I now just play for the love of it,” the musician adds.

Lloyd is currently working on two recording projects.

“Yeah, I’m doing a solo album for the US and European markets and, as we speak, I’m doing another studio album with Tim,” he concludes.

Deep South happens at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, from Friday 28 November until Sunday 30 November.

Book tickets via OzTix or at the venue.

EZEKIAL OX

By Rob Lyon Ezekiel Ox is probably one of the most incredible, dynamic and interesting artists I’ve ever spoken to. Having fronted bands such as Mammal, Full Scale, Over-Reactors, Smash Nova and The Nerve, he is now taking the plunge as a solo artist.

Ahead of his solo show at The Grace Emily, which promises to be a great night, I had the chance to talk everything from music to politics to Lego.

Has it been an extremely busy and exciting time leading up to your upcoming solo tour?

“The EP is out and has been for some time and it was one of those sorts of things I didn’t know what sorts of moves to do next but I knew I had to release something solo. I didn’t really want to go asking anyone for help so I did it myself in my kitchen. It was co-produced, but not that they get any credits on the EP unfortunately, by my household with my niece, sister and partner who were in the kitchen mixing all the sounds.

“I recorded it and mixed and put it out there only making one hundred copies which caught the attention of Bird’s Robe Records, my agent and my manager who liked it. It was selling really well during my street performances so I got it pressed up and booked a sixteen date national tour, which we’re half way through now. It has been absolutely sensational so far, I’m pumped.

“Adelaide is looking really good as I’ve had a lot of support over there already. I couldn’t be more excited really.”

Was going it solo the next logical progression for you as a musician?

“It was interesting because I went solo in January and two months after going solo the guys from Mammal called me and asked me to reform the band. It was the easiest decision I had ever had to make to say no, a very firm and final no. It was quite shocked by that but me going solo is something I was told to do by friends and family for a long time.

“I really am at heart an egalitarian and collaborative person and I always saw working with people and a lot of times giving my money away to projects as the way forward. With the solo thing, I am a bit older at thirty-four, been around the world, sold a lot of records and played some big shows around the world that I realised that I am the common denominator.

“I wanted to be able to test that on the road and so far it has proven to be really fruitful musically but also with the team around and the people coming to shows it has been sensational to say what I want, dance how I want and not really giving a flying fuck what anyone else really thinks.”

Is it a case of not looking backwards as well?

“For sure, I did some basic retrospective work with Full Scale and what was

interesting going back with them was, it definitely is about not looking backward but looking forwards and renaming them Full Scale Revolution but the reason that broke down the second time was that the guys did not want to write new material.

“Personally I can get steeped in nostalgia but when it comes to music it has to be fresh and the ideas have to be fresh. For me to be able to create an EP with my mouth and beat box sounds has been absolutely sensational. I look forward to what next year brings when I come up with this solo album and the OverReactor’s third album.

“I have a lot of different collaborations happening with different artists on the solo album as well. It’s a basic case of taking what has worked previously and putting it in to a project that I don’t have to hang out with people that are telling me don’t fly the Aboriginal flag and maybe refugees shouldn’t free and that was always a big problem for me.”

Are you finding that a lot of your fans from other bands you have been in are following you on your solo journey?

“The hardcore fan base has been there but we have found lots of new people.

This tour is about playing new venues that we haven’t played before like cabaret venues. This show is a chance for people to have a meal, have a drink and really listen to the ideas. It’s a socio-politicagitprop cabaret and I bring in all sorts of different elements from the previous bands.

“I am performing some of those band’s songs but new versions and performing a lot of repertoire as diverse as Marvin Gaye, John Farnham and Dolly Parton.

It’s working really well and I couldn’t ask for better fans. They are intelligent and grapple with the ideas of revolutionary politics, they’re committed and musically intuitive fans as well. I love my fans and I won’t hear a bad word against them.

Is this the most excited you have been about music and where you are right now?

“No, I don’t think it has been the most excited I have been about music. My excitement doesn’t plateau. It is an exponential spike and the older I get I find I’m running out of time to make more albums and play more gigs. I want to be able to teach my boy how to play music and go on tour with my dad as my project. I want to see the world through music and continue to do that.

“What is happening is that I’m excited by the potential of the solo project because it’s like no one can tell me what to do.

My manager is very artist-driven and I’m setting the rules and the agenda. I can guarantee when the tour ends up in Darwin there will be a very exciting agenda set for the solo project.”

Ezekiel Ox plays the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 27 November with Favour The Brave and Zelorage.

Tickets on sale via Moshtix.

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LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL

THOMAS JASPERS

GOD, SAVE THE QUEEN

By Bobby Goudie

of course, Hannah Gadsby, Nath Valvo, Geraldine Hickey and the queen of Adelaide comedy, Lori Bell.”

Comedian Thomas Jaspers returns to Adelaide Feast Festival for a third time with his latest show God, Save The Queen.

What’s next for Thomas Jaspers?

Thomas, whose alter ego is the leggy Rhonda Butchmore, grew up in a nursing home so most of his friends are little old ladies – although he declares his favourite senior citizen to be fellow comedian Adam Richards.

The Clothesline speaks with Thomas via email and soon realise from his hilarious answers that comedy lives deep within his blood. We start by asking Thomas what hobbies he has picked up from his elderly friends.

“Well I have just started learning how to sew! It’s something I’ve always wanted to do so my mother gave me her old Janome and now I’m taking lessons.

“Unfortunately, so far all I have learned is how to make cushions… and I forgot to put a hole for the stuffing in, so they’re more like squares of material. If you know anyone who’s in the market for some very flat cushions, I’m your man. I’ve also been experimenting with incontinence.”

From the man who describes himself as having the mind of an elderly heterosexual woman in the body of a young gay man, we ask Thomas what Feast audiences can expect from his show?

“There is some autobiographical stuff in there, and obviously a lot of jokes about the Royal Family, but you don’t really need to know a lot about myself or the Windsors to enjoy it, it’s all just a bit of silly fun really. I’ve been doing my research and there are a LOT of camp stories about the royal family that you wouldn’t know – like how Freddie Mercury used to take Princess Diana to London gay bars in drag so that no one would recognise her!”

Thomas Jaspers first performed at Feast Festival in 2012, opening for fellow Victorian comedian Nath Valvo.

“I loved performing at Feast so much that I called them up straight away and demanded my own show for 2013. It’s honestly one of the highlights of my year!

And you can’t beat a winery trip followed by a night at Mars Bar.” What Feast Festival shows will you be seeing while you’re in town?

“There’s so much amazing stuff on this year that I’ve had to extend my trip to fit it all in. The gorgeous Matthew Mitcham

8

“I’m very excited because I have just been locked in for a new show at Arts Centre Melbourne for Midsumma Festival.

They’re giving me free reign of the whole building so I’ll be hosting backstage tours as Rhonda Butchmore.

“We are going to see everything from Kylie Minogue’s costumes to the toilets that were installed in the VIP room at Hamer Hall for Princess Diana!”

Anything else you would like to add?

“My hotel room has a double bed and I’m desperately single. Do what you will with that information!”

Thomas Jaspers performs God, Save The Queen at Caos Cafe from Thursday 20 November until Saturday 22 November.

Book at Feastix on 8346 0684.

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL (REVIEW) **** Stirling Community Theatre Thursday 13 November Legally Blonde The Musical was created following the success of the movie Legally Blonde starring Reece Witherspoon from Amanda Brown’s novel of the same name.

With music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book adaptation

by Heather Hach, the musical centers around the privileged, blonde sorority girl Elle Woods who gets into Harvard Law School to highlight her serious side in an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend.

The Hills Musical Company has delivered an energetic, snappy and fun modern musical. Director David Sinclair has assembled an experienced, talented cast of not simply great leads, but an excellent ensemble.

Alongside Sinclair, choreographer Linda Williams ensured the cast executed the complex routines with enthusiastic precision and, as always, musical director Mark DeLaine ensured the singers and orchestra sounded wonderful.

Tegan Gully did a brilliant job with the central role of Elle Woods. She has incredible power in her voice, never faltered and ensured Elle had the perfect levels of elation, compassion, bravery and blonde throughout her journey.

She was thoroughly enjoyable to watch, as was Elle’s eventual love interest Emmett Forest, played by Brady Lloyd. Lloyd achieved a sweet warmth with Emmett that made the eventual assertiveness and confidence built really gratifying.

Stefanoff were fabulously gay and European as Nikos and Carlos.

The dogs were also adorable and stole the audience’s attention as soon as they waddled on; the cast coped well with their on-stage unpredictability.

The set, also designed by Sinclair, worked well in the small Stirling Community Theatre. The projection screens at the back of the stage allowed the audience to be well aware of where the action was taking place without needing large amounts of set. Scenes flowed immediately into one another with no long pauses. The costumes by Sue Winston and Michelle Davy were also a real highlight.

Sound was a definite problem, especially in the beginning of tonight’s performance.

Levels both with the orchestra and matching the ensemble and leads together needed work.

A greater awareness of diction, especially among some of the sorority girls would also help the audience understand everything they are saying. These are only minor points though in an overall brilliant production that you could easy keep forgetting is actually community theatre.

Legally Blonde The Musical is highly deserving of the sell-out audiences it is getting.

4 Stars Legally Blonde The Musical continues at the Stirling Community Theatre until Saturday 22 November.

Experience, professionalism and talent ensured many of the other leads shone.

Fiona DeLaine was hilarious as Paulette Bonafonte, Lindsay Prodea got a huge package of laughs as Kyle, Rebecca Raymond ensured no one would want to mess with Vivienne Kensington and Nicholas Bishop’s portrayal of Professor Callahan would give every student nightmares.

Matthew Prime provided a solid performance as the cocky Warner Huntington III. Enthusiasm burst through from the Delta Nu sorority girls led by Margot (Millicent Sarre), Serena (Sophia Bubner), Pilar (Danae Lloyd) and Kate (Michelle Davy) and Shenayde Wilkinson-Sarti guaranteed Whipped Into Shape was one of the standout dances of the show. Other memorable musical numbers included Bend And Snap, Ireland and There! Right There where Thomas Phillips and Mark

Whitmore Hotel saturday 29 nov 7 to 11 pm Good time Americana, old-time mountain music, jug band hokum falokum FB -RAgbutright

08 83701497

HANDPICKED FESTIVAL

MICHAEL GRIFFITHS

ADOLESCENT

By Bobby Goudie Adelaide’s favourite crooner, Michael Griffiths, has just turned 40 but still thinks he has a lot of growing up to do.

Having performed in musicals such as Jersey Boys, We Will Rock You and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Michael promises songs from all these shows as well as hits from his favourite musical genre of ’80s pop.

For the past three years Michael has performed at Fringe Festivals around the world with his cabaret two shows featuring the music of Madonna and Annie Lennox, but for the 2014 Feast Festival the show is all about him. We speak with Michael Griffiths over the phone and begin by asking if performing a show about his own life is exciting or terrifying.

“It’s much more terrifying than anything else!” he insists. “I’ve resisted talking about myself in the past because I’m really not that interesting. But I guess everybody has stories to tell and it’s actually just about having the confidence to say that I can talk about me and that it’s interesting.

“It’s taken me two other solo cabaret shows to get the confidence up, and 40 years to realise that comedy is about getting away with telling the truth; that’s my approach to presenting this show.”

Adolescent premiered in July at Noosa to a great audience response.

“They loved it!” he explains. “Plus they’d all seen Jersey Boys. The other songs that I sing are mainly ‘80s tunes and a bit of Dusty Springfield, which the older audience certainly enjoyed; they do so love a bit of cabaret. As much as I feel like I’m doing pop-cabaret and want to change cabaret’s demographic, I also believe that as long as people are having a good time, I’m happy.”

What can audiences expect from the show?

“Adolescent is about me feeling like I’m a young, emerging artist… but then I think, hang on, I’m actually 40! I’m not meant to be immature – but I am,” Michael says. “I look back at some of the shows I’ve done.

Working in theatre on big musicals and cabaret, you’re kind of babied and you don’t really need to grow up.

“You’ve got all of these people around you looking after you, stage managers making you look good and you have audiences fanning your ego. So after 15 years of working in the business I don’t know how to do so many basic life skills.

Everyone’s looked after me and I feel a little incompetent in a lot of areas in my life.”

You certainly don’t look 40. What’s your secret?

“Oh bless you, mate. That’s photoshop!” he laughs. “Or maybe good genes? I never eat fast food and I’m really active. I’ve been a keen cyclist for a long time so I ride a pushbike everywhere, which also

helps. Besides, my work for most of my adult life has been performing so I’m always running around like a teenager in shows like Jersey Boys and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert wearing high heels and glitter.”

Although there are many ways that Michael believes he hasn’t grown up yet, we ask if feels that he has made some good changes since his adolescence.

“Well I do look after myself a lot better these days,” Michael says. “When I was 20, I just didn’t think I was going to get old. Now, I don’t pull all-nighters, I don’t smoke anymore and I’d rather stay at home and have a nice glass of red. I live back in Adelaide too.

“When I was living in Sydney it was not always about good lifestyle choices. It’s nice to be grown up in Adelaide where you get the best of both worlds and enjoy the finer things in life.”

Michael grew up playing the piano and wanted to become a composer. While studying, he performed in amateur musicals in Adelaide and soon realised he wanted a career onstage. He studied at the Western Australian Academy Of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and started working on the musical Shout! immediately after graduating. Michael lists many career highlights, including his cabaret shows and being employed on Jersey Boys for over three years. He also tells us that the world premiere of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert as a highlight in his career.

“Priscilla was wonderful,” he says excitedly. “When we were cast, the show didn’t exist and so we were re-writing, re-choreographing and creating it from nothing. To be part of that creative process is a very rare, precious thing.”

What’s the next venture for you after Feast Festival?

“I’m doing the Fringe Festival circuit again next year,” Michael replies. “I plan to perform Adolescent for the Adelaide Fringe and Midsumma Festival in Melbourne. I’m also performing the Annie Lennox cabaret at the Perth Fringe Festival because they haven’t had her yet. I’m also working on a new show for Adelaide with a new writer, which will be very exciting.”

Michael is hoping to take the Annie Lennox show to Edinburgh Fringe Festival next year, but confessed that he is a little worried about how the audiences would react to an Australia performing a show about a Scottish person.

“Imagine if an American came to Australia and did a John Farnham or Olivia Newton John show. We’d be like ‘f**k off!” he laughs. “Although, there are enough Scottish people that have seen it in Australia and have loved it, so maybe an Australian in Scotland could get away with it.”

Michael Griffiths performs Adolescent at Queer NEXUS, Lion Arts Centre, at various times on Saturday 22 November and Sunday 23 November.

Book at Feastix on 8346 0684.

HANDPICKED FESTIVAL

By Robert Dunstan

for them and I daresay if we had tried to book them after that, we wouldn’t have got anywhere.”

Lake Breeze Wines at Langhorne Creek is all set to host Handpicked, a oneday music and food festival that will feature Jessica Mauboy, Sheppard and Thirsty Merc alongside a host of local acts with food by Fork On The Road.

The organiser reasons that Sydney band Thirsty Merc, who have just successfully trekked around the country on a 10th anniversary tour, will be a good fit for the event.

It’s a boutique festival being organised by Kate Cooper who, after spending time as an event manager in sunny Queensland, returned home to work for the family business.

“I’d decided to move back and work with the family because my uncles and aunts and my nana are all here at Lake Breeze,” the former Scotch College student says.

“The actual property has been in the family for 120 years and began as a dairy farm – y’know, cows and all that – and then my grandparents moved into winemaking 25 years ago.

“But it’s now my uncles who are involved – one is a winemaker, one is the vineyard manager and the other is the director – and then there is my aunts and nana and we all live on-site.

“But, being away from home for a while, I was just so struck when I got back by what a beautiful space the winery is,” Kate says.

“Thirsty Merc are such a cool band but they will appeal to an older crowd,” Kate says. “So when we were looking at Handpicked we definitely wanted to make it a festival that would appeal to a pretty wide demographic. And that’s what we are after – we want people of all ages to come to Handpicked and have a really, really good time.

“So that’s why we have Joshy Willo playing,” she says of the Eyre Peninsula native, ‘because he gets some airplay on triple j and will appeal to that kind of crowd.

“And we just had to have Ash Gale playing because, hey, he’s from Strathalbyn,” Kate says of the former singer with popular Adelaide band The Sundance Kids who now boasts a strong solo following.

Also on the bill is Alex Hosking who recently performed alongside Kelly Brouhaha at Music In The Square as part of a new Adelaide City Council and Music SA lunchtime initiative on Thursdays.

“So I came back to the wonderful realisation that I was from a beautiful property in a beautiful region, the Fleurieu Peninsula, and just wanted to show it off to everyone,” Kate continues.

“And, because I’ve always had a love of music, I came up with the idea of putting on a festival.”

“When we first heard Alex, we really loved her work,” Kate says, “and we just thought her songs would bring something really beautiful and special to Handpicked.”

How long has the festival been in the planning stages?

“They have a really cool brand with a really cool feel about them,” she declares.

“And we felt, with that kind of vibe and cool reputation, they would bring something really different to the table and something really cool to the event.

“The idea came to me pretty much as soon as I got back,” Kate responds, “but that was two years ago now so it’s been in the ‘thinking’ stage for that long. It was also something my family had kind of thought about doing in the past but never quite got around to doing.

“So I guess I just bit the bullet and decided to put it on,” she laughs.

“And we’ve managed to get two of the hottest acts in Australia at the moment, Jessica Mauboy and Sheppard,” Kate proudly declares.

Scoring the services of Sheppard, particularly, for what will mark their only South Australian appearance for this year is a remarkable coup given that the young brother and sister group are much in demand due to the song Geronimo and hit album, Bombs Away, and who may well have up to seven ARIA awards with them when they hit Handpicked.

“I’d heard their song, Let Me Down Easy, months and months ago and really liked it but no one else here in the office was aware of it,” Kate says.

“But I immediately got onto their management and booked them in,” she says with a wry laugh. “And then Geronimo became such a huge, huge hit

Kate has also engaged the services of Fork On The Road to orgnaise the catering.

“And when we organised it with them, Fork On The Road were yet to do a regional event so were more than happy to be involved. So they have organised 15 food trucks – there will be quite a wide variety – which will include a coffee van and an ice cream van.

“They have also arranged for [well-known chef] Simon Bryant to come down,” Kate adds.

Providing music between acts will be DJ Riley from Fresh FM which Kate reasons will also help give Handpicked a party vibe and add to the variety. She also hopes it will become an annual event.

“That would be my ideal dream,” Kate laughs. “We definitely want to establish Handpicked as a great little annual festival.”

Handpicked takes place at Lake Breeze Wines, Step Rd, Langhorne Creek, on Saturday 29 November from gated from 1pm and music from 2pm until 10pm by Jessica Mauboy, Sheppard, Thirsty Merc, Joshy Willo, Ash Gale, Alex Hosking and DJ Riley. Tickets are available via <handpicked.com>.

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CD/DVD REVIEWS

CD REVIEWS

ALKIRA Juggernaut Reviewer: Kyle Opie Rating: 4/5 Alikra are a four piece band form Strathalbyn and “Juggernaut” is their debut LP following their EP release, “Red Devil.”

Juggernaut has ten original tracks that explore a diversity of ideas within the Thrash Metal mould. Given that there are a lot of high speed tracks, they also show influence from the likes of Metallica on tracks such as ‘Shattered End’, which has sections of slower, warm timbred, down tuned chords.

High quality musicianship is featured throughout with shredding guitar solos and blistering drum fills.

Alkira are one of those bands who like to challenge themselves to continue to be as heavy and aggressive as they possibly can.

While this is not something that I can easily relate to, I find what they have achieved on Juggernaut to be quite astounding. They produce a sound that is extremely heavy, but also very clearly produced with intricate musical forms and instrumental passages.

From my experience, the metal scene in Adelaide appears quite large and with a work of this quality, Alkira ought to do well for themselves within it.

BEYOND THE PICTURE Wake Up Call Reviewer: Kyle Opie Rating: 3.5/5 Beyond the Picture are trio of boys in their mid teens with an original sound analogous to that of the likes of early Silverchair; emotive, grungy alternative rock.

Wake up Call is their 3-track debut EP. When the whole group enters in the energetic opening track ‘Therapy’, the studio production quality notably acts to enhance the vigour of their sound, as all the instruments can be heard and compliment one other well.

Each tune effectively embraces the dynamic contrasts between verses and choruses or vocal and instrumental sections in the way that popular acts of this style have done before them.

For the most part Beyond the Picture produce a sound that is tight and mature far beyond their years.

There are occasional moments where the drums feel a bit loose, the vocal intonation is mildly askew or the clean guitar tone possesses what would generally be considered to be an undesirable timbre, but these are elements that will, no doubt, become ironed out as the group grows. Especially considering the raw nature of the genre, these elements have little impact on the overall affect of the music.

A great debut from these youngsters.

Music SA is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting, supporting and developing contemporary music in South Australia.

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BRENTON MANSER & THE SHE REBELS Self Titled Reviewer: Michael Hunter Rating: 4/5 It’s an interesting concept, where the man to whom the album is credited doesn’t perform a single lead vocal, instead handing those duties to a variety of mainly female singers collectively named the She Rebels.

Sam Brittain is a local singer/songwriter/ acoustic guitar-slinger who writes and sings reflective tunes full of emotion.

“Live Simply” is his second CD, and this collection of 10 songs provides ample opportunity for Sam to show his full complement of skills.

It’s a clever title, though they don’t come across as particularly devilish or rebellious, just very fine singers on the song or two each chose to perform.

Sam sings beautifully, and on songs such as ”Shack on the Coastline” Sam ventures into the realms of poetry carefully scraped onto a musical canvas.

Brenton Manser himself wrote all the material and performs on each track along with many notable guests like Snooks La Vie, Emma Woolcock and Richard Coates. The actual She Rebels include well known Adelaide artists such as Kelly Menhennett, Courtney Robb, Sasha March and Tara Carragher, proving not only how respected Manser must be to be able to gather such talent, but also how much talent there is to choose from!

My personal favourite is “Truer Than I”, which is one of the more up-tempo songs on the album. It has that West Coast / Jackson Browne feel about it.

The one thing all the songs have in common is the quality of their crafting, both musically and lyrically. Many are vignettes, seemingly leaving part of the story untold but with enough left to intrigue.

Tracks such as ‘Summer Rain’ and ‘Weight You Deserve’ have melodic, memorable tunes with a classic structure. Eric Santucci’s trumpet adds a different tone to ‘Just Let It In’, wherein he is also the only He Rebel to sing lead!

All elements are well defined in the spatial production by Dave Lokan. I suspect his job was reasonably easy, as the songs seem quite self contained with a minimum of arrangement needed. The overall result is an enjoyable album of subtle strength.

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SAM BRITTAIN Live Simply Reviewer: Phil Catley Rating: 5/5

The songs may have been written on an acoustic guitar, but they have been arranged and presented with more thought and production than a simple sixstring strum along.

This album is probably best listened to in the late evening, by a fireside, with the rain quietly pattering on the window pain.

Alternatively, it would work just as well on a warm spring afternoon as you recline on the cool soft grass in your backyard and watch the clouds float past.

This is a stunning release from a young man who writes and sings songs with a maturity that goes beyond his years.

It seems I may have a shoe fetish.

Well, maybe a boot fetish as I’ve recently taken to wearing a pair of black, zip-up boots that I have had in my possession since April of 1972.

I had acquired them via dubious means in that I had just begun working for the Postmaster Generals Department (now known as Australia Post) and as I was working as a telegram person – which is akin to delivering what are now known as emails to people’s houses on a bicycle – I was entitled to what was known as a ‘Shoe Allowance’.

This entitled me to buy a pair of black shoes – and they had to be black as the government Shoe Allowance didn’t allow for any other colour – and my employee would then furnish me with the grand sum of $10 to help in the purchase of the shoes.

Anyway, I spied a lovely pair of black Windsor Smith zip-up boots in a local shoe store and noted that they were on sale for the princely sum of $9.99. “Wow!” I thought to myself. “Allowing for my $10 ‘Shoe Allowance’, this would mean I save my employee a little bit of money, and it would also allow me to get a lovely pair of new boots into the bargain.”

When I first began gainful employment back in 1972, one of my very first purchases was also a pair of brand new RM Williams suede boots known as the Santa Fe model. And I remember them costing me $28 – which was actually a bit over my fortnightly wage of $22 as a junior in the public circus – and that I made my purchase one Saturday morning at the lovely Grundy’s Shoe Store at 186A Rundle St. So it’s nice that the store is still going strong at 186A Rundle St and I still have in my possession my RM Williams suede boots known as the Santa Fe model. I rarely wear them these days, however, as they are very heavy and it feels much like I am wearing a pair of clodhopping clodhoppers.

Speaking of clodhoppers, I also still have in my possession a pair of Windsor Smith platform shoes that I would have bought in the early to mid-70s as they were, for about five minutes, literally the height of fashion.

I only wore them once or perhaps twice when they were the height of fashion however due to several reasons. One was my great fear of great heights and the other was that it was almost impossible to drive a car while wearing them due to the fact that, because of the huge sole, you had no soulful feel for the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals.

I discovered this when wearing my platforms for the first time while driving to the Bridgeway Hotel out at Pooraka – probably to see Skyhooks, AC/DC, Hush or Sherbet or some other such Aussie band – and had to remove them in order to get to my destination in good order.

So I purchased said boots even though they were a tad on the large size. I then had to present them to my employer, which in essence was the postmaster at the local post office where I worked, with the receipt and then claim my $10 Shoe Allowance.

The only problem with that was that my then highly fashionable flared jeans then became somewhat entangled in the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals which also made driving a hazard.

So I now only wear my platform shoes when using public transport rather than driving.

“They’re quite groovy,” the postmaster said to me when I presented them to him, “but they are not really shoes are they? They rather seem to be boots.”

Anyway, being the kind of gentleman he was, he didn’t argue any further and duly presented me with my Shoe Allowance of $10.

As I mentioned, they were a little on the large size, however, and proved quite uncomfortable to wear. So I rarely wore them and it was only much, much later on in life as I became much, much older and just a little bit wiser that I came to the realisation that by simply wearing two pairs of socks at once, my feet fitted into them quite perfectly.

So, I have taken to wearing them again after them being absent from my wardrobe – I had been keeping them in a box under the bed – and, due to their zip-up nature, even seem to be quite fashionable again after some 42 years of hibernation.

No one seems to have noticed them as yet – even when I’ve been out and about watching some shoe-gazing bands which also seem to have marched back into fashion – but there’s time for that.

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SAVED BY SUMMER

SAVED BY SUMMER

By Robert Dunstan Saved By Summer is coming to Crown & Anchor Hotel and the event boasts a huge line-up of interstate and national acts.

It’s one that has been organised by local singer songwriter Ry Kemp who records for local label Open Grave with his Hope Remains EP being his recent release.

We asked Ry about the main idea behind Saved By Summer which boasts a lineup of Melbourne acts Maricopa Wells, Foxtrot and Fear Like Us alongside local bands Paper Arms (pictured) and The Hard Aches as well as Heath Anthony, Bec Stevens, Abby Howlett, Jake Ward and Anna Jeavons and also the organiser himself in solo mode.

“Basically, I wanted to put on a big show that involved a bunch of bands and artists that I consider some of my favourites from around the country,” Ry begins. “I wanted a full-on night of live music with no down time to really give the punters a bloody good night of tunes.”

How long has Saved By Summer been in the planning stages?

“I started hitting up a few of the bands around April this year but it’s been a slow process and being a fairly big line-up, it has taken a bit of work but we are all totally ready to rock now.”

I assume that the event will be using two stages at the Cranka?

“Yep, we’ll have the bands performing in the band room and the solo acts doing their thing in the front bar between each of the bands,” Ry reveals. “So it will be set to be a huge night of non-stop live music.”

Maricopa Wells, who play a blend of country punk and who take their name from a series of watering holes in the Arizona desert, will be making their first trip to Adelaide to perform at Saved By Summer.

“I’d played a solo show with [guitarist and vocalist] Lachlan a little while back,” Ry enthuses. “And he’s a top bloke and I just love Maricopa Wells’ style. So I am stoked we’ve got them on board for their first Adelaide show!”

THE SMITH STREET BAND

“And Paper Arms [recently named Best Punk Artist at the Fowler’s Live Music Awards] don’t need any introduction, especially in their hometown,” the organiser states. “They are one of Adelaide’s best bands ever and as it’s also [guitar player] Max’s last show, it’s sure to be an absolute ripper!

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And impress them even further by being part of a slew of sold out shows?

“Yeah, yeah, there’s that too,” Wil agrees with a laugh. “But all that is quite insane as it’s not really what we expected. But that may also help explain why we are at band practice so early in the morning.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty amazing and we are all stoked,” singer and guitarist Wil Wagner declares. “It’s only the second show we’re doing in Sydney and the one in Hobart that haven’t completely sold out yet.”

“And The Hard Aches really know how to write a song,” he then says of the local act who have just issued their Organs & Airports EP. “They are one of my favourite Aussie band and are just so good.”

When we spoke over the telephone midmorning, Will was at a band rehearsal at Wrangler Studios in West Footscray which caused me to remark that it seemed a tad early for such shenanigans.

This writer first experienced The Smith Street Band, comprising of Wil alongside drummer and vocalist Chris Cowburn, guitarist and vocalist Lee Hartney and Fitzy Fitzgerald on bass, when they hit town a while back as one of Frank Turner’s opening acts at Fowler’s Live.

Performing at the event in solo mode will be Heath Anthony (of The Motive), Bec Stevens, Abby Howlett, Jake Ward and Anna Jeavons.

“Yeah, yeah, but we’re all still a bit jetlagged from just coming back home from the US so it doesn’t really matter,” he decides with a laugh. ‘Yeah, I know, it’s pretty early for a rehearsal but a few strong coffees will fix that.”

“Oh, really?” Will says. “Those shows with Frank were one of the first big support shows we ever did. In fact, they may well have been the very first ones. It was certainly the first time we’d ever been to Adelaide.

After rehearsals, the band are looking forward to touring their homeland in support of the release of latest offering, Throw Me In The River, which was cut in a isolated location in the Otways,

“And we still keep in contact with Frank,” he then says of the UK punk minstrel. “We did a few shows with Frank and his band in the US about a year ago. So, yeah, we are still mates.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be fun,” Will decides.

“We enjoy touring Australia because while you never know quite what you are going to be in for, it usually all goes well. And because we’ve done it so much, we now know all the venues.

The band, signed to punk label SideOneDummy for the US, Baquet in the UK and Uncle M Music in Europe, had to recently cut short their US tour which had them miss out on playing a threeday punk festival, The Fest, in Gainsville, Florida, which is put together annually by No Idea Records.

“These boys and girls are some of Adelaide’s best folk and punk solo artists,” Ry, who will also be performing in acoustic mode at Saved By Summer, reasons. “But all are so different, yet fit together so well. So they’ll be playing their tunes in the front bar between the band sets.”

Do you plan to make it an annual event?

“Absolutely! I run a few annual and bi-annual events through Radelaide Promotions and this one will definitely be something I’d like to continue with.”

Is there anything else you wish to add?

“It’s gonna be one epic party you don’t want to miss,” Ry concludes.

Saved By Summer, featuring Maricopa Wells, Fear Like Us Foxtrot, Paper Arms, The Hard Aches, Heath Anthony, Bec Stevens, Ry Kemp, Abby Howlett, Jake Ward and Anna Jeavons, takes place at Crown & Anchor Hotel, 196 Grenfell St, from 7.30pm on Saturday 22 November with $10 tickets at the door

Soursob Bob and Emma Woolcock

“But we’ve only played the Gov in Adelaide once before with Violent Soho so can’t wait to get back there,” he says of the award winning live music pub that only recently scored yet another trophy to add to its ever-growing collection.

The band are also excited that they will be introducing New Jersey outfit The Front Bottoms and UK act Apologies, I Have None to locals as part of this tour.

“We met Apologies, I Have None about 15 months ago when we did our first European tour,” Will reveals. “We played a few shows with them and became instant friends. And because they are such a fantastic band, it was always our big plan to return the favour and get them over to Australia for a tour with us.

“So, we’re stoked that the timing worked out as they’ve just released a fantastic new EP called All Black Everything,” he says.

march of the mincing poodle

Ry also suggests that Melbourne’s Foxtrot will be a huge Saved By Summer drawcard.

“They’re everyone’s favourite punks and it just wouldn’t be a punk show without these Melbourne lads,” Ry says.

Melbourne-based punk rockers The Smith Street Band are excited by the fact that almost all shows on their 11date upcoming tour, including the one in Adelaide, have sold out.

“And it’s always extra nice to have some new friends that you can show around the place when you tour,” he adds.

“Max is a founding member of Paper Arms and it will be sad to see him hang up his guitar with those guys,” Ry continues. “But we will make sure to give him the send off he deserves.”

Fear Like Us, also from Melbourne and signed to punk label Poison City Records which is also home to Apart From This, Clowns, Paper Arms, Grim Fandango and more, are making the trek across the border.

“These guys have not been to Adelaide for a long time and they are pretty much Victorian punk royalty,” Ry declares. “So I am really excited for these guys to be involved.”

THE SMITH STREET BAND

By Robert Dunstan

look for “March of the Mincing Poodle” on facebook

“And, with The Front Bottoms, we’d met their singer and keyboard player at a festival in Belgium last year,” Wil recounts.

“So we got talking to them without even knowing what band they were in. So it was funny because then everyone then started saying to us, ‘Oh, you guys have to check out The Front Bottoms because they are amazing’. So we did and they were.

“And, once again, it just happened that they had some free time so when we put the offer to them they were really, keen to come down to Australia for the first time and tour with us.

“Yeah, yeah, but these things happen I guess,” Wil sighs. “It’s just that something happened with my partner’s family and I had to rush back home. But everything’s okay now. And we’ll make it up to our American fans when we head back there next March.”

Prior to the US, however, The Smith Street Band, who have released all of their recordings thus far on vinyl, enjoyed a particularly successful European jaunt.

‘Yeah, Europe was awesome and we played about 20 shows including half a dozen in the UK,” Wil says of touring as special guests of good friends The Menzingers and The Holy Mess who both hail from Pennsylvania.

Wil recently embarked on a solo tour around the country in acoustic mode.

“I loved doing that because I got to play some older songs, some newer songs and some songs the band don’t often play anymore,” he remarks. “And it’s a bit more relaxing than the full-on band shows. I also get to ad-lib a little bit.

“So, because The Smith Street Band has all of December and January off, I plan to do some more solo shows around Melbourne,” Wil concludes.

The Smith Street Band play a SOLD OUT show at the Governor Hindmarsh on Thursday 20 October with The Front Bottoms and Apologies, I Have None.

BOB DOWNE

BOB, SWEAT & TEARS

By Bobby Goudie Coming to the 2014 Feast Festival is the ever-effervescent and Safari suit-clad king of cabaret Bob Downe, not only to perform the return season of his successful Adelaide Fringe show Bob, Sweat & Tears.

‘Born’ in 1984 as the brain-child – and quite possibly the love-child of Mark Trevorrow – Bob Downe has been charming audiences ever since with his cheeky wit, big teethy smile and his absolute fabulousness.

Will there be sing-a-long opportunities?

“Yep! From about 30 seconds in until the very last song. It really is one of the most fun bits of this show – and saves ME so much energy!”

What would be your advice to less experienced cabaret performers at the 2014 Feast Festival, like Feast Ambassador Matthew Mitcham?

“My advice to Matthew is to stay at home; he’s taking up far too much of my publicity! I haven’t told him I’m taking up diving – just to get my own back.”

We spoke with Bob via email about his outfits, the classic hits that audiences will be treated to and his move to Olympic Diving! But first we ask him how he has stayed looking so young after decades on stage and screen.

You’ve recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. How was the show received by audiences there?

Why do UK audiences love Australian comedians so much?

“Oh, you must be mistaking me for someone else. Mark Holden perhaps?

Or Red Symonds? I’m only 29 and just starting out in the business. It’s very tiring sometimes but as long as I sleep in until 11am, I look pretty fresh.”

“Coz we’re funny! I mean – who’s going to fly 24 hours on Malaysian Airways and not bring any jokes? You’d think it was like bringing Chardonnay to McLaren Vale, but UK audiences just love our fresh faced, cheeky wit. And our sophisticated accents help too.”

Tell us what can Feast audiences expect from Bob, Sweat And Tears?

Is there anything else you would like to say?

“More of the same old campy retro nonsense! Classic hits, silly jokes and the odd surprise. I can guarantee the evening will fly by and you’ll be furious it’s over so soon.”

“Yes. Could somebody buy me a nice local pinot noir after the show?”

And what classics hits will they be?

“There’s 37 of them! Including Leader Of The Gang, 24 Hours From Tulsa, Dream A Little Dream Of Me and many more! I’m like a one-man 5AD.”

Bob Downe performs Bob, Sweat & Tears! at The Grainger Studio, 91 Hindley St, from 9pm on Friday 28 November and Saturday 29 November.

Book at Feastix on 8346 0684.

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Writing in my journal every day has enabled me to get to know myself a whole lot better. Now here’s where I’ve found the real benefits to my songwriting come into play.

THE BIZZO

I’m always amazed by the sheer volume of information I accumulate after I start journalling. It constantly shows that I do actually have something to write about.

Now, after about four to six weeks of journalling I start re-reading my entries.

It’s then that I start getting some flashes of inspiration here and there.

These flashes are the beginnings of new songs.

8 Ways To Improve Your Overall Songwriting Ability

By Corey Stewart Here are some ideas I’ve picked up lately on how you can improve your overall songwriting ability.

It’s amazing how the smallest changes to your routine can make the biggest differences

1. Listen To Music It sounds simple enough but by immersing yourself in the music of others you’re allowing the music to flow through you and the stuff that you really like will unconsciously latch onto your psyche and come out in your own songwriting later on.

2. Don’t Listen To Music The other side of the coin… There will be times where silence, not music is needed to soothe the soul and when these moments happen immerse yourself in the silence. This is an opportunity for your subconscious to process information or for you to meditate. Either way, silence is sometimes a great way to invite the muse into your world

3. Keep A Digital Recorder With You Whether this be your smartphone or something purpose built, always get into the habit of being ready to record anything that pops into your head while you go about your daily business because you never know where your next songwriting idea will come from.

where they come from (friends, family, mentors) the most important thing about these allies is that they are able to provide you constructive feedback without being either too patronising or fake in their praise.

7. Read Books, Poems And Stories

6. Find Some Songwriting/ Musical Allies Having some songwriting/musical allies in your corner will go a long way to sustaining your motivation. No matter

Do you have any other songwriting article suggestions you want me to consider? If so, let me know at <corey@ bsidemagazine.com.au>

It’s at this time my highlighting pen becomes my best friend. I start highlighting all the good stuff

A list of possible song titles, a verse/ chorus, a blog post, a poem, some free writing. Even if it’s just a few lines, anything will do.

Do you have some favourite things you like to do to keep the songwriting fires burning? If you do let me know at <corey@bsidemagazine.com.au>

How Keeping A Journal Helped My Songwriting

By Corey Stewart

For me, keeping a journal is one of the best ways to keep my songwriting process in check and flowing with creativity.

Jamming with others allows you to be exposed to other influences plus it keeps your improvisational skills in check and who knows, you might stumble onto a songwriting idea worth exploring.

If you’re already writing a journal then keep at it but if you are thinking of giving journalling a go just do it. Start it today and I promise you, you’ll not regret it one little bit.

It’s all about creating discipline in your songwriting practice. I’m not saying that you necessarily write a song every day but to really get your songwriting process flowing you need to write at least something every day.

It’s amazing what you pick up when your senses are less distracted. Watching a movie or the TV with the sound off and a notepad at the ready allows your imagination to fill in the gaps.

Always look for an opportunity to get together with other people and just jam for jamming sake. You don’t necessarily have to have a formal agenda attached to it.

I’m constantly amazed at how easily a song manifests itself to me by doing this technique. It’s really wonderful what you come up with when you just allow yourself to write.

8. Challenge Yourself To Write Something Every Day

Do you keep a journal? If not, you should.

5. Jam With Other Songwriters/Musicians

I know this happens because I would hear myself thinking “wow, that would make a great song title” or “wow, I really like that line.”

After a few weeks of journalling I re-read my entries and furiously highlight all of the potential songwriting ideas and then work on them at a later date.

If listening to music infuses musical ideas into your songwriting then it would make sense to say that reading books would infuse lyrical ideas in the same way. By reading the words of others and utilising your imagination filtered through your own experiences, you’ll be putting a new spin on what you read and who knows…

A song might come from that.

4. Watch A Movie/TV With The Sound Off

I also use it as an opportunity to practice some guitar at the same time. This multitasking can muck around with your brain a little bit but persist with it and you’ll find that the results are worth the effort.

The longer I read my journal entries the initial flashes of inspiration I experience at the beginning start turning into songwriting ideas that pop up from the page and grab me by the scruff of my neck.

I’ve been a regular journal writer for many years and the inspiration to keep a journal waxes and wanes but my rereading process has always been the same.

Keeping a journal means many things to many people.

It can be a detailed snapshot of daily life as portrayed in the film “Bridget Jones’ Diary” or, it can be more of a stream of consciousness concept as mentioned in Julia Cameron’s groundbreaking book on the creative process called “The Artist’s Way.” I think the stream of consciousness idea is a much more effective way of gathering songwriting ideas. Just being able to empty my brain of all its information accumulated throughout the day onto a blank piece of paper is, really beneficial.

I look at my journal as a loyal friend who’s always there to listen to my problems and share in my hopes, dreams, questions, thoughts, feelings and aspirations.

I really find the physical act of writing down whatever’s on my mind a very cathartic experience.

The more I write, the more a weight lifts off my shoulders. The more I clear my mind of its trivial clutter the more room I have for all the good songwriting stuff.

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CAREER PATHWAYS 2015

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