ISSUE 0020 / February 26th - March 4th 2015
IT’S FREE - www.bsidemagazine.com.au
Germein Sisters ALSO INSIDE: Athletic Teenage Joggers, Rob Snarski Krendl, Royal Chant, The Ugly Kings, Adelaide Fringe Update Plus BOB’s BITS, TOUR GUIDE & LOCAL MUSIC NEWS
AROUND THE TRAPS Surrender, located on the Riverbank behind the InterContinental Hotel with entry near the southern end of the footbridge, is the brainchild of the team that created the massively successful Adelaide Festival venue Barrio which saw queues stretching down King William St as patrons clamoured to experience its nightly ‘surprises’ and incredibly creative activations. That talented group, including the Ruby Award winning Geoff Cobham, have now unleashed Surrender which runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening until Sunday 15 March. Expect the unexpected and inexplicable. Yellow Blue Bus will be playing Surrender from 7.30pm on Saturday 28 February. All of the performers will only speak a language other than English and get audience members involved in crazy antics for prizes of free drinks. Come and see Yellow Blue Bus, show off your Ukrainian language skills and/or be prepared to throw yourself into mutli-lingual madness! And some great music. The Monikers, a quartet of locally-based indie rockers, are set to launch an EP at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Friday 21 March with guests to be announced soon. Book tickets at Moshtix. After two months of touring Europe, Adelaide glam rockers Laced In Lust have announced a free entry homecoming show from 9.30pm at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, on Friday 13 March at which they will be joined by Green Circles. Salvy & The Hired Help will be joined by special guest drummer Brett Bert Pitfield of Tassie bands The Sin & Tonics and Yesterday’s Gentlemen, when they play The Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, from 8.30pm on Thursday 26 February as part of a rockin’ all-star jam band evening. Free entry too. Speaking of The Gaslight Tavern, which is about to be renovated, they are putting together a data base of performers – solo acts, duos, bands, etc – so if you are at all keen, send the pub a personal message via Facebook with your details. The Dairy Brothers, who now all have lengthy beards, have announced a reunion show at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Saturday 28 February where they will be joined by Silent Duck and The Tony Font Show. Book quickly at Moshtix. Acoustic Club Tuesday is a free entry acoustic showcase plus open mic that takes place in the front bar of Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, from 8pm on Tuesday evenings. Check out their Facebook page for details about the line-up for the mad month of March. God God Dammit Dammit have invited Funk Latin Union and Scum Vegas to join them when they hit Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, on Saturday 28 February for a free entry gig. Drink specials too. The Blues Lounge, hosted by stalwarts Ronny Davidson and Peter Harris,
happens as a well-attended, free entry blues jam at The Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, every Tuesday evening from 8.30pm until late. Expect surprise special guests each week. The always immaculately dressed Peter Tilbrook, once of Adelaide band Masters Apprentices and who recently collaborated with Delta and now plays with popular band The Party Cats, has just put out a CD, Living In The Sixties, which boasts 10 original songs performed in a style reminiscent of the ’60s. It’s available at pretty much every record shop in and around Adelaide (see advert in this issue) but can also be easily obtained from Peter’s website at <petertilbrook. com.au>. After releasing his second album Live Simply in 2014, local singer songwriter Sam Brittain went on the road touring and busking the streets of Australia, Europe and the US but has now returned home with a entire new collection of works, 12 Weeks / 12 Songs, inspired by places, people and new connections. Sam will now launch his latest offering at Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 26 February at which he will have Melbourne’s Amistat as special guests. One for your musical diaries. Adelaide’s Squeaker, who have recently inked an American deal, will launch a new album, In Love/In Madness, on Saturday 21 March at Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, with guests acts Leo, Melbourne’s Alithia and The Serra. Fancy some high voltage rock’n’roll? High Voltage, with their original line-up, have announced a return to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 27 June with Forbidden Envy as special guests. Get set to see the longrunning band pay tribute to AC/DC. Book at OzTix or via the venue. Award winning rootsy multi-instrumentalist Craig Atkins is set to launch his Fall Or Fly CD at The Jade Monkey, 160 Flinders St, on Saturday 4 April. Tickets will be $10 at the door with Tara Carragher and Jupiter as two very special guest acts with another to soon to be announced. Vowel Movement, Cosmo Thundercat and The Blueberries will be hitting the band room of Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, from 9pm on Saturday 28 February. Adelaide psych rockers Grandma’s Favourite have announced that they will launch their Matt Hills-produced EP at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Friday 20 March with Slingshot Dragster as special guests. And it’s free entry from 9pm. Adelaide legend John ‘Swanee’ Swan will be presenting an up close and personal show on Thursday 26 February at The Royal Oak, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide. To win tickets, check out the venue’s Facebook page. John will also be appearing with The Zep Boys, Jac Dalton (with Sonic Divide) and award winning blues act Lazy Eye at Clipsal 500 on Saturday 28 February. Catch Animal Shadows, Ray Gun and Syndicat when they fall out of the sky and into Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, on Thursday 26 February for a free entry shindig with quite special drink specials.
The Lizards will launch their second album, Future Life, with a BBQ from 6pm at The Brighton Bar (Brighton Football Club), Highet Ave, Hove, on Saturday 28 February. Western Australia’s Blindspot will also be on a bill that will also include The Motive, Secondhand Squad, No Reality and Line 39. It’s to be an all-ages affair with an entry fee of just 10 clams. Music SA is pleased to announce that six South Australian acts have been selected from more than 100 applications to showcase their live performance on the Clipsal 500 concert stage alongside some of Australia’s best live artists. Koolta and URTEKK have been selected to open for Stafford Brothers, Havana Brown, Timmy Trumpet and Ruby Rose on Friday 27 February, while Jac Dalton with Sonic Divide and Lazy Eye will open for The Zep Boys and celebrated rocker John ‘Swanee’ Swan on Saturday 28 February and Grenadiers and Horror My Friend will play alongside Cold Chisel, Spiderbait and 100 Proof on Sunday 1 March. The Good Questions, comprised of Marta Bayly and Simon Frank, are all set to release their 10-song debut, Light Place, and will do so at The Jade Monkey, 160 Flinders St, from 2pm on Sunday 12 April. Helping them out will be Courtney Robb, while Marta’s harmony-driven duo with Andy Armstrong, Andy & Marta, will also be playing. Local heavy metal band Fragmenta has recently released their first ever music video for Corpse Platoon which is from their first album released back in 2011. Fragmenta are currently writing for a third album, preparing to produce more videos and is preparing to tour overseas in Europe later this year. The Corpse Platoon video has been submitted to rage and can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube. Rule Of Thirds, who will soon set sail for the Americas, have announced that they will be launching some vinyl on Friday 20 March at Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St. Joining them for the more than auspicious occasion will be Fair Maiden, Young Professionals and The Yabbies. Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, will have Men With Chips, Body Horror, Emu, Theta and Yo You Summer DJs hitting the band room from 9pm on Friday 27 February. Big bois gotta eat! Jesse Davidson, with a band that includes Ben and Michael Zubreckyj from Brokers, Gus Gardiner from Papa Vs Pretty and Chris Panousakis (AKA Timberwolf), will be launching his new single, Laika, from 5.30pm in the beer garden of The Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St, on Saturday 7 March with Brokers as special guests. It’s to be the first of a series of late afternoon Exeter Hotel beer garden shows in the mad month of March.
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 and up-to-date information. 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 Page 5 BSide Tour Guide Page 6 Feature Article: The Germein Sisters Page 7 Rob Snarski Page 8 The Clothesline Page 9 Adelaide Fringe Update Royal Chant Page 12 BSide Gig Guide Page 13 Kendl / Tommy Page 14 MusicSA CD Reviews Page 15 Bob’s Bits Athletic Teenage Joggers Page 17 Geordie MacKeenan & His Rhythm Boys Three D 20+1 Chart Page 18 The Ugly Kings / Fear & Delight Page 19 The Bizzo BPlus: DJ Harrison Advertising Enquiries Ph: (08) 8346 9899 sales@bsidemagazine.com.au
ISSUE #0020 2
February 26th March 4th, 2015
3
HEADING TO TOWN Sydney’s Baby et Lulu (Abby Dobson of Leonardo’s Bride and Lara Goodridge of FourPlay along with their band) will be brining their jazzy, French chansons to The Trinity Sessions, Church Of The Trinity, 318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Pk, on Friday 1 May. Book quickly via <dramatix.com>. Jeff Martin, of Canada’s The Tea Party, has announced a show at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Sunday 19 April. Book very, very quickly via Moshtix. Legendary rock band Mötley Crüe have confirmed dates for their highly anticipated Australian leg of their final tour and are bringing along shock rocker Alice Cooper as a very special guest. In Adelaide, they play Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Thursday 21 May. Book via the Live Nation website from Wednesday 4 March. Microwave Jenny, the alter-ego of husband and wife musical force Tessa and Brendon Boney who now spend their time between London and Sydney, is set to release a brand new EP, the curiously titled Microwave Jenny & The Six Song EP on Friday March 13. They will then embark on a national tour that will be bringing the duo to the Wheasheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, on Friday 8 May with tickets via OzTix or at the door. Much acclaimed American alternative country and folk singer Iris DeMent is coming to our town and is set to play the Governor Hindmarsh, 50 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 22 May with special guest Pieta Brown. Book via OzTix or at the venue. Melbourne’s Laura Jean is heading to town for Naomi Keyte’s new modern folk venture, Down On The Plains, which will take place at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, on Saturday 18 April from 8pm with a local act to be confirmed soon. Tickets will be $12 at the door. Fresh from a completely sold out caper at the Governor Hindmarsh recently, Melbourne punks The Smith Street Band will make a quick return to play the Port Rd venue on Saturday 28 February and also Sunday 1 March. Not only that, they will also have Canada’s Pup, the UK’s Great Cynics and Melbourne band Apart From This helping make it a great rock gig. Tickets via OzTix or the venue. Melbourne’s Honey Badgers are heading over to play live and free at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, from 9pm on Friday February 27 and will be joined by Charlie Monsoon and Athletic Teenage Joggers. Melbourne’s Larissa Tandy & The Strine Singers (Larissa’s brother, her best friend and her best friend’s brother) will undertake a free entry gig from 9pm on Saturday 21 March at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, with Kelly Menhennett as special guest. American metal band Machine Head are heading our way and will hit the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Sunday 28 June. Book via OzTix or at the venue. 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, who recently topped triple’s j’s Hottest 100, will hit Thebarton Theatre on Saturday 28 February accompanied by Melbourne producer Roland Tings and rising cosmic funk revivalists GL.
28 February, Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March. Show time is 8pm but you can also book for dinner via <publishedarthouse. com>. Melbourne-based blues rockers The Ugly Kings are returning to town and will play Glenelg Backpackers with special guests King Indecisive and Dead West on Friday 27 February and Worldsend, 208 Hindley St, on Saturday 28 February with special guests Slick Arnold and Rat Ta’Mango. Megan Washington has announced Montaigne and Greg Chapello as special guests when she brings her There There album tour to the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 27 February. Book via OzTix or at the venue. Sydney-based rock band Thrash Jacket are heading to town to take part in the 20th Northern Exposure event which will take place at The Bridgeway Hotel, Bridge Rd, Pooraka as an all-ages affair on Thursday 19 March. Playing alongside them will be Pink Noise Generator, The Nation, The Prophets Of Impending Doom and Hunky Punks. To promote her new album, Sometimes I Sit & Think & Sometimes I Just Sit, songstress Courtney Barnett has announced that she will kick off a national tour at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 1 May with Teeth & Tongue as special guests. Tickets available now at OzTix or via the venue. Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is set to play Bridgeway Hotel, Bridge Rd, Pooraka, on Saturday March 21 with Speedmachine and Sisters Doll and as special guests. Tickets via the venue. Michigan-based black metal outfit The Black Dahlia Murder have announced and Australian tour which will see them hitting Fowler’s Live, 68-70 North Tce, on Friday 19 June. Urban troubadour Darren Hanlon has announced a national tour to launch a new album which will having him heading to Adelaide to play Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Thursday 2 April. Book at Moshtix. Five Mile Sniper, a Melbourne rock band made up of members of The Icecream Hands and Motor Ace, have launched a new single, Amazing, from their debut album, The Sound Of Trees, and will play Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, on Friday 20 March. Unfortunately, Charles Bradley and Adam Cohen have cancelled upcoming shows at the Governor Hindmarsh. Adam will announce a future date so hang onto your tickets. More sad news. Influential Virginian rock band Mae were scheduled to be touring the 10th anniversary of The Everglow album but will no longer be proceeding due to unforeseen circumstances. Members of the band and the promoters, Various Artists, are regretful of this decision and are endeavouring to reschedule the Australian tour in 2015, however, although nothing is confirmed as yet. Mae were set to play Adelaide Uni Bar on Friday 13 March with refunds now available a point of purchase. Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteem had to postpone his February tour but has now announced that he’ll be hitting HQ, cnr North and West Tces, on Friday 12 June. There are general admission tickets and also VIP packages available now from OzTix. Californian hip hop legends Jurassic 5, with Cut Chemist back in the fold, are heading to Byron Bay’s Bluesfest at Easter but will also play a sideshow at HQ, cnr North and West Tces, on Thursday 2 April.
Underground hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030, which features Deltron Zero (Del Tha Funky Homosapien), Cantankerous Captain Aptos (producer and remixer Dan ‘The Automator’ Nakamura) and Skiznod The Boy Wonder (turntablist Kid Koala), will hit the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Thursday 26 February with tickets on sale via OzTix.
Damian Cowell, formerly of TISM, is bringing his Disco Machine, which features vocal cameos from such people as Shaun Micallef, John Safran, Tim Rogers, Kate Miller Heidke, Tony Martin, Justin Heazlewood (The Bedroom Philosopher), Liz Stringer and more to The Jade Monkey, 160 Flinders St, on Friday 20 March.
Highly entertaining US magician Krendl is touring our country for the first time and bringing the world premiere of his show, Arrested, Under-Developed & Under-Medicated, to Published Arthouse, 11 Cannon St, Adelaide, on Friday 27 February, Saturday
Noted Canadian songstress Serena Ryder, who has collected multiple awards during her career, will play the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Sunday 12 April at which she’ll have sensational blues guitarist Matt Andersen
4
with her as special guest. Tickets via OzTix or at the venue. Three of Australia’s Americana, folk and country musicians have joined forces to hit the road. See Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner play Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Friday 27 March with tickets on sale now via Moshtix. Melbourne band Greenthief have announced a tour that will cause them to be heading over the border to play Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 20 March alongside Tork and Lost Cosmonaut. The next A Day On The Green will feature Billy Idol, Cheap Trick, The Angels and The Choirboys and will take place at Leconfield Wines (McLaren Vale) on Sunday 22 March. American metal band Bane have announced their final tour of Australia although the good news is that it will be with fellow US metal act Defeater. See them at Fowler’s Live, 68-70 North Tce, on Saturday 30 May. The Angels have announced two huge shows at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, for Friday 8 May and Saturday 9 May. Book quickly via OzTix or at the venue. Conveniently Canadian singer songwriter Steve Poltz, who co-wrote the huge, worldwide hit song You Were Meant For Me with Alaska’s Jewel, has announced a return to the historic SA railway township of Peterborough on Saturday 28 March which will have him marching into Peterborough Football Club for the evening as part of The Peterborough Art & Cultural Festival. Poltz, who once went nuts in Adelaide, will also play a gig in the big smoke on Sunday 29 March at The Jade Monkey, 160 Flinders St. Atlanta-based hardcore act Norma Jean will visit Australia for the first time in a couple of years and are set to play Fowler’s Live, 68-70 North Tce, on Saturday 11 April with special guests Louis Blanc, A Ghost Orchestra, Life Pilot and Disaster Path. Melbourne tunesmith Andrew Swift has announced the release of a new single, Sound The Alarm, alongside a host of shows in Melbourne and also Adelaide. Catch him when he sounds the alarm at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 20 March. Highly popular Melbourne-based rock band Kingswood have announced an extensive national tour for 2015 which will have them playing the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 20 March with special guests Lurch & Chief, The Belligerents and My Echo. Book quickly via OzTix or the venue as Kingswood’s recently shows have usually sold out quickly. After a sold out tour last year, singer songwriter Taylor Henderson, who found his way into the spotlight as a finalist on Australia’s Got Talent in 2010 before becoming a firm fan-favourite and finalist on The X-Factor in 2013, will again be hitting the road and performing some new songs at The Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Tuesday 14 April. Book via OzTix or at the venue. Country combo The McClymonts, who recently won a pair of Golden Guitars up at Tamworth, have announced a national tour which will bring them to SA to play shows in Whyalla and Port Pirie before coming to Hahndorf’s Old Mill Hotel on Saturday 28 March with Kristy Cox as special guest. Here’s a hot one. American country punks Supersuckers have teamed up with California’s soulful garage punks The BellRays for a Rockpocalypse national tour of Australia which will have the US bands taking it in turns each evening to headline. So we wonder who will hit the stage last when they play The Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 30 May. Tickets via OzTix or at the venue. Justin Townes Earle will make a welcome return to the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 9 April and will have very special guest Sam Outlaw from the US with him. Tickets available now via Moshtix. US punks Guttermouth have announced a quick return to Australian soil but on this
occasion will be playing in sweaty, intimate mode when they hit Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Thursday 2 April. Tickets via the venue. Diesel has announced a tour with his amplified electric band that will bring them to the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 23 May. Book quickly via OzTix or the venue. Good news! Johnny Marr has rescheduled his postponed tour and will now be playing The Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Tuesday 21 July with Melbourne band Flyying Colours. Book via OzTix or the venue if you hadn’t already procured yourself a ticket. Best known as the singer with popular rock band Grinspoon, Phil Jamieson will embark on a string of solo shows in SA in March. Catch him in action at Golden Grove’s Village Tavern on Wednesday 18 March, Ramsgate Hotel, 128 Henley Beach Rd, Henley Beach on Thursday 19 March, Wallaroo’s Coopers Alehouse on Friday 20 March and Royal Oak Hotel, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, on Sunday 22 March. Tickets via Moshtix or at the venues. Lanky Melbourne person Stan Skyscraper is heading to town with his band, The Commission Flats, to launch their rootsy new album at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, on the evening of Saturday 4 April. Young pop band Short Stack have announced an all-ages tour that will have them performing at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Sunday 19 April which may or may not be a school night. Book very, very quickly, even if it’s only for your young offspring, at OzTix or via the venue. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Edwina Hayes (Ireland) at The Trinity Sessions A Day On The Green: Billy Idol (UK), Cheap Trick (US), The Angels and The Choirboys (Sydney) at Leconfield Wines (McLaren Vale) David Ellefson (US) at Governor Hindmarsh WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH Uriah Heep (UK) at Governor Hindmarsh FRIDAY 27 MARCH Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner at Jive Augie March (Melbourne) at Her Majesty’s Theatre Xavier Rudd & The United Nations (Melbourne) at HQ Complex THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY Ruth Moody (US) at The Trinity Sessions Deltron 3030 (US) at Governor Hindmarsh Sam Brittain and Amistat (Melbourne) at Grace Emily Break Even (Perth), Hopeless, Endless Heights and Postblue at Enigma Bar
MONDAY 9 MARCH Future Music Festival: Adelaide Showgrounds WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH Macy Gray (US) at Adelaide Convention Centre
SATURDAY 28 MARCH Jordie Lane (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf Hotel Steve Poltz (Canada/US) at Peterborough Football Club The McClymonts (Sydney) and Kristy Cox at Old Mill Hotel (Hanhdorf)
FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY Megan Washington (Melbourne), Montaigne and Greg Chapello at Governor Hindmarsh The Ugly Kings (Melbourne), King Indecisive and Dead West at Glenelg Backpackers Honey Badgers, Charlie Monsoon and Athletic Teenage Joggers at Crown & Anchor Zex (Canada), Fresh Kills, Shadowolf, Trash and Faith Eater at Worldsend Stafford Brothers, Havana Brown, Timmy Trumpet, Ruby Rose, Koolta and URTEKK at Clipsal
THURSDAY 12 MARCH Tech N9ne (US) at Governor Hindmarsh Dallas Royal (Melbourne) and Surviving Sharks at Royal Oak
SUNDAY 29 MARCH Rod Stewart (UK) and James Reyne (Melbourne) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre
FRIDAY 13 MARCH Dean Ray (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh Kustom Kulture Weekender: The Allniters (Sydney) Fistful Of Trojans and Young Offenders at Highway Inn Tequila Mockingbyrd (Melbourne) I Am Mine (Melbourne) and Jungle City at Worldsend Lewis Watson (UK) at Fowler’s Live
TUESDAY 31 MARCH Mavis Staples (US) at Governor Hindmarsh
SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY The Smith Street Band (Melbourne), Pup (Canada), Great Cynics (UK) and Apart From This at Governor Hindmarsh The Ugly Kings (Melbourne), Slick Arnold and Rat Ta’Mango at Worldsend Zep Boys, John Swan, Lazy Eye and Jac Dalton at Clipsal Blindspot (WA), The Lizards, The Motive, Secondhand Squad, Line 39 and No Reality at Brighton Football Club (Hove) SUNDAY 1 MARCH Cold Chisel, Spiderbait (Melbourne), 100 Proof, Grenadiers and Horror My Friend at Clipsal The Smith Street Band (Melbourne), Pup (Canada), Great Cynics (UK) and Apart From This at Governor Hindmarsh Husky (Sydney) at Brian Nadilo Reserve (Glenelg) WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH Foo Fighters (US) and Rise Against (US) at Coopers Stadium (Hindmarsh) Greg Koch (US) at Governor Hindmarsh (Fender Guitar Clinic) Aaron Thomas (Sydney) at The Deli THURSDAY 5 MARCH DZ Deathrays (Brisbane), Bass Drum Of Death (US) and Hockey Dad at Fowler’s Live Royal Chant (Sydney) at Royal Oak FRIDAY 6 MARCH – MONDAY 9 MARCH WOMADelaide: Youssou N’Dour (Senegal), Rufus Wainwright, Neneh Cherry & RocketNumberNine+, The Gloaming, Abdullah Ibrahim Quartet, Balkan Beat Box, Public Broadcasting Service and so many, many more at Botanic Park FRIDAY 6 MARCH River Of Snakes (Melbourne), Filthy Lucre and Gun It at Worldsend Aaron Thomas (Sydney), Menagerie, Ghyti, Cabin Cults, Luke Carlino and No Birds & Thee Dub Division at The Promethean Bondi Cigars (Bondi) at Beach House Café (Victor Harbor) Massive (Melbourne) and Speedmachine at Crown & Anchor SATURDAY 7 MARCH Crash & Burn (Melbourne), Speedmachine, The Menace, Hi Speed Life and Mark Bowley at Bridgeway Hotel Client Liason (Sydney) and Retiree (Sydney) at Prie & Co Social Club Bondi Cigars (Bondi) at Governor Hindmarsh Lil Jon (US) at Red Square Sun Of Man (Sydney), Inwoods and Filthy Lucre at Worldsend SUNDAY 8 MARCH Sunnyboys (Sydney) and Bad//Dreems at Governor Hindmarsh Bondi Cigars (Bondi) at Old Clarendon Inn
SATURDAY 14 MARCH The New Dead Festival: Psycroptic (Tasmania) and more at Fowler’s Live Brooke Fraser (New Zealand) at Governor Hindmarsh Kustom Kulture Weekender: Big Sandy (US), Los Straitjackets (US), The Saucermen, The Satellites and Madeleine DeVille at Highway Inn Sumeru (Sydney) at Worldsend The Kahuna Daddies (Melbourne) at Gaslight Tavern SUNDAY 15 MARCH Bonobo (UK) at Royal Croquet Club TUESDAY 17 MARCH Kylie Minogue (Melbourne) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Village Tavern (Golden Grove) Jessie J (Sydney) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre THURSDAY 19 MARCH Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Ramsgate Hotel Thrash Jacket (Sydney), Pink Noise Generator, The Nation, The Prohets Of Impending Doom and Hunky Punks at The Bridgeway FRIDAY 20 MARCH Kingswood (Melbourne), Lurch & Chief, The Belligerents and My Echo at Governor Hindmarsh Luca Brasi (Tasmania), Gnarwolves (UK) and Tired Lion (Perth) at Rocket Bar Hellions (Sydney) at Enigma Bar Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Coopers Alehouse (Wallaroo) Andrew Swift (Melbourne), Greenthief (Melbourne), Tork and Lost Cosmonaut at Crown & Anchor Damian Cowell (Melbourne) at The Jade Monkey Five Mile Sniper (Melbourne) at Hotel Metro SATURDAY 21 MARCH Bruce Kulick (US), Sister Kills and Speedmachine at Bridgeway Hotel Vance Joy (Melbourne) at Thebarton Theatre Seth Sentry (Melbourne), Citizen Kay (ACT) and Colin Banks (Perth) at Governor Hindmarsh Kasey Chambers (NSW) at Her Majesty’s Theatre Larissa Tandy & The Strine Singers (Melbourne) and Kelly Menhennett at Wheatsheaf Hotel Squeaker (CD launch), Leo, Alithia (Melbourne) and The Serra at Crown & Sceptre SUNDAY 22 MARCH Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Royal Oak Seth Sentry (Melbourne), Citizen Kay (ACT) and Colin Banks (Perth) at Governor Hindmarsh
WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL Ed Sheeran (UK) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre THURSDAY 2 APRIL Ed Sheeran (UK) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Jurassic 5 (US) at HQ Complex Darren Hanlon (Sydney) at Jive FRIDAY 3 APRIL Blenheim Music & Camping Festival: Tony Joe White (US), Z Star (UK), Marlon Williams (NZ), Timberwolf, Jay Hoad, The Shaolin Afronauts and so many, many more at Blenheim (Clare Valley) SATURDAY 4 APRIL Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats (Melbourne) at Grace Emily SUNDAY 5 APRIL Counting Crows (US) at Thebarton Theatre Horrorshow (Sydney) and MC Tuka (Blue Mountains) at Goverenor Hindmarsh MONDAY 6 APRIL Jimmy Cliff (Jamaica) at Governor Hindmarsh TUESDAY 7 APRIL Mariachi El Bronx (US) at Governor Hindmarsh WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls (UK) at Adelaide Uni Bar THURSDAY 9 APRIL Justin Townes Earle (US) and Sam Outlaw at Grace Emily FRIDAY 10 APRIL Jake Shimabukuro (Hawaii) at Governor Hindmarsh Architects (US), Stick To Your Guns (US), Being As An Ocean (US) and Stories at HQ Complex SATURDAY 11 APRIL John Farnham (Melbourne) and Olivia Newton-John (Sydney) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Gypsy Kings (US) at Thebarton Theatre Norma Jean (US), Louis Blanc, A Ghost Orchestra, Life Pilot and Disaster Path at Fowler’s Live SUNDAY 12 APRIL Blues On The Parade: Donavon Frankenreiter (US), Dusty Lee’s Wasted Wanderers, Gab Hyde, Craig Atkins and China Doll at Norwood Live Serena Ryder (Canada) and Matt Andersen (Canada) at Governor Hindmarsh TUESDAY 14 APRIL Taylor Henderson (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh THURSDAY 16 APRIL The Black Keys (US) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Nana Mouskouri (Greece) and Alfredo Malabello (Sydney) at Festival Theatre (Adelaide Festival Centre) The Ocean (Germany) at Jive Marlon Williams & The Yarra Benders (Melbourne/NZ) at Grace Emily
5
FEATURE: THE GERMEIN SISTERS
THE GERMEIN SISTERS By Robert Dunstan Adelaide’s The Germein Sisters have enjoyed sold out shows at Adelaide Fringe over the last few years and are now looking forward to making a return to play songs from their debut album, Because You Breathe, as well as the distinct possibility of featuring some new songs.
“Touring is such a cool way to see the world,” Clara then says. “I loved Germany and Switzerland. And we did a school tour of Switzerland and played something like 65 schools in three weeks. So it was very hectic but good fun. “And I love being on tour because I just get into a routine,” she adds. Were you allowed to sell CDs in China?
BSide Magazine spoke to Clara Germein (drums) and Georgia Germein (guitar, piano and vocals) but was unable to easily make contact with Ella Germein (electric cello and bass) due to totally wild weather.
“We were, yeah, so we took some over,” Georgia says, “but we found that most of the people over there don’t really want a physical CD. They would much rather go online and order it that way.
We can happily report, however, that Ella is currently in Brisbane where she is working as a new presenter on Channel 10’s Totally Wild.
“But they loved all the merchandise we’d taken over – the hats, the guitar picks and the T-Shirts and all that,” she adds. “And we always take lots of Australiana stuff overseas – things like koala puppets and stuff like that which we often give away as presents. We like sharing that with the rest of the world.”
“This is the fourth time in a row we’ve played in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights,” Georgia begins, “so we are really looking forward to it. “And all of our shows have sold out each time,” she adds. “So that’s been really cool.” The Germein Sisters have been very busy touring their debut album over the last year or so. “Yeah, it was an amazing year,” Georgia says. “We toured all over the place – all over Australia and New Zealand and then China, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland.” I seem to recall some Facebook photos of the sisters on the Great Wall Of China wearing T-Shirts with South Australia and the ‘Heaps Good’ logo on them. “Oh, China was great fun,” Georgia says. “It was a trip organised by the Australia & China Development Company so they took a band over, which was us, as well as a fashion designer and some television people. “So we played all kinds of gigs – everything from small shows through to really big festivals – and so it was really, really cool and great fun. “The audiences were a little different to other countries but the food was amazing and the people were lovely,” Georgia adds. “The language barrier was a bit of a problem and a challenge because it was sometimes hard to communicate.
Georgia says The Germien Sisters have been an actual band for about three years now. “We’ve been playing together since we were very little and were always doing little concerts for our grandparents and other relatives, but I kinda started learning violin and Clara was playing drums and Ella was playing cello. Our younger brother, Charlie, was also playing trumpet but it was never a real band. “And then I did a solo thing and put out an album [Take My Hand] and kind of needed a band so we decided to become The Germein Sisters and here we are,” she laughs. ‘He’s actually more into horse riding these days,” Georgia then says of her trumpetplaying brother who provides lead vocals on Don’t Wait, the closing song on their debut. “Charlie is getting very good at that and spends most of his time working on a horse property. The trio’s debut album, Because You Breathe, was recorded in Ireland with Billy Farrell who has worked with chart topping bands The Corrs and Westlife as well as Hozier. Sharon Corr, of The Corrs, also makes a guest vocal appearance on Please Be Ok. “As a band we have a philosophy of, ‘If you really believe in something and want it, just go for it and ask’,” Georgia says when asked how all that came about.
“But music is a universal language and we found we could get across what we wanted by performing even if they don’t quite understand the lyrics,” she says. “And we sometimes had translators which really helped.
“So we really, really wanted to work with a producer in Ireland so we found Billy’s contact details and sent him an email without ever really expecting him to reply,” she says.
“We even sang a song in Chinese,” she says. “We picked a classic Chinese folk song that everyone knew and every time we played it, the audience kinda stopped and began listening really intently.
“But Billy came back to us and said he loved our music and our songs and really wanted to work with us,” Georgia enthuses. “So that all fell into place when we started saving up all of our gig money and were able to pack our bags and head off to Ireland.
“Maybe they were doing that to see if we got the words right but we were told afterwards that we always did a really good job,” Georgia adds with a laugh. “And they really appreciated the fact that we’d bothered to learn a song they knew in their language.”
“So we were able to come home with an amazing product in our hands and have been able to tour the album all over the world ever since,” she adds. “So it’s been amazing really because everything has skyrocketed.
6
“It was an amazing experience and has really helped our career,” Georgia says. It’s been two years since the release of your debut. Are there plans for a follow-up? “We have lots of new songs and are really hoping to have a new album out by the end of the year but we are not putting out any dates as yet,” Georgia states. “We know people are itching for another one – we’ve been playing the same songs for two years now – but we are slowly getting there. Let’s just say we don’t want to give too much away at the moment.” “We’re really hoping to have something out by the end of the year,” Clara says. “Because You Breathe is a couple of years old now although it’s only relatively new overseas. But we really want to do a new album soon and we are starting to come up with lots of interesting ideas. “And Georgia is an extremely talented songwriter so I think it will be mainly her songs with Ella and I helping out,” she adds. “And we are not sure of a producer yet although I think we’ll get some kind of input from Billy over in Ireland.” Will any of the new songs make their way into your Aurora Spiegeltent show? “I’d like to think so,” Georgia says, again without giving too much away. “Yeah, we’re in the process of putting a set list together,” Clara says. “So I think there will be at least one new song in there.” I note on Facebook that The Germein Sisters are asking for fans to help them put the set list together. “Yeah,” Clara says. ‘We only play for an hour and have lots of songs we want to cram in so we really need to know what people want to hear.” The Germein Sisters recently performed in front of thousands of people as they played at the recent Paul Simon and Sting outdoor concert at Coopers Brewery. “That was amazing because it suddenly came up so we quickly said, ‘Yes’,” Georgia says. “We just played our acoustic set as people were wandering in but it was amazing as we got to play for an hour. “It was just an acoustic set off to the side of the stage,” Clara then reveals. “So we were the pre-show entertainment but it was still a great thing to do.” “And I think they had 11,000 people there so it was great fun because we also got to stay for the show,” Georgia says. “And Paul and Sting did a really great job because it was obvious they were working really hard at what they were doing. They are the type of artists who could probably get away with doing anything so it was great to see that they had really given some thought to presenting their songs in the way they did. “It was good to see the way they interacted with each other on stage so it was a really special concert,” she adds.
Clara concludes by saying the sisters are looking forward to playing The Isle Of Wight Festival in May alongside The Black Keys, Fleetwood Mac and Pharrell. “We just got accepted for that so that will be very cool,” she says of performing at one of the longest running rock festivals in the world. “I’m really excited to be playing that festival,” Clara then says, “because they are all such huge acts. “And we are also playing The Women Of The World Festival in Frankfurt, Germany,” she adds. “And then we are doing a festival with a German singer called Peter Maffay who is a famous German rock singer who has sold millions and millions of albums.” The Germein Sisters play The Aurora Spiegeltent in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights from 7pm on Friday 6 March with tickets via FringeTix.
ROB SNARSKI
ROB SNARSKI By Robert Dunstan Honey-voiced Melbourne singer Rob Snarski (photographed above by Andrew Watson), accompanied by multi-instrumentalist JP Shilo, is looking forward to heading back to Adelaide to play Aurora Spielgeltent in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights as part of Adelaide Fringe. “Yeah, I’ve done a few Spiegeltents in my time, either with The Blackeyed Susans or solo, and they are just lovely,” Rob says. “And the last one I played was in Sydney alongside The Opera House and it was such a incredibly special setting. So, yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. “And coming back to Adelaide, of course,” he adds, “and also being in the wonderful Garden Of Unearthly Delights. “And I’m also doing something there on the same day,” Rob then announces. “It’s a Marieke Hardy production called Funeral and it sounds quite unusual in that she only sells two tickets and it is someone’s funeral except they are still alive. “So I’m looking forward to doing that – I’ll be playing a song – because the whole concept is hard to conceptualise,” he adds. “It should be very interesting.” Rob first came to prominence with Perth band Chad’s Tree but later became a member of The Blackeyed Susans, a hobby band of sorts for various members of The Triffids including the late David McComb. The Blackeyed Susans later became a more permanent affair, albeit with an everchanging line-up that at one time featured Warren Ellis of The Bad Seeds. In 1999, Rob recorded the album There Is Nothing Here That Belongs To You with guitar player Dan Luscombe, but it took well over a decade before he got around to recording another, Wounded Bird. Wounded Bird was recorded by Shane O’Mara and produced by Rob and Dan Luscombe, with the aid of a crowd-funding and featuring guests such as Ashley Davies and Clare Moore, has done remarkably well. “And it’s continuing to do well so there are no complaints from me as the record is still ticking over and still getting airplay,” Rob laughs. “It’s been a lovely surprise because I didn’t really expect it. And I didn’t expect to still be touring it so long after I put it out. And to have those accolades, which has helped raise my own profile as a solo performer as well as that of The Blackeyed Susans, has been really terrific. “It’s all been a very encouraging sign for things to come,” he adds. Rob has also been especially pleased by the number of acoustic house concerts that have come about due to the release of Wounded Bird. “They’ve been a real joy,” he enthuses, “and it’s been incredibly heart-warming to know that there are people out there who want you to perform and are willing to come and see you.
“And house concerts have a different energy than playing in a pub,” Rob continues. “The people who are hosting it want the performer to have a good time and also want their friends to have a good time. “So everyone is behind you and the way I’ve been doing them is to do the concerts totally acoustically without any amplification at all,” he says. “It’s just my voice and guitar. It’s completely unplugged so they are very intimate listening experiences. “So when someone suggested I do them with a small PA and perhaps get Dan [Luscombe] along to play guitar with me, I stepped back in my tracks and said, ‘No’, because it’s not what I want to do. “And I did a lovely one the other day up in Sydney,” Rob says. “It was a 10th anniversary and their friends had made a sign for me that looked like the sign for the Elvis ’68 Comeback Special – y’know, that Elvis sign made out of all the light globes – so it was very special. “So it’s been quite moving to see the lengths some people have been going to to make me feel welcome,” he says. “Y’know, when I first started doing the house concerts I thought to myself, ‘What am I doing?’ because the thought of going into a complete stranger’s home and playing some songs was quite frightening. “I thought it could be an absolute nightmare but there’s been none of that,” Rob adds. “They’ve been a great surprise.” The singer’s Adelaide Fringe show follows a highly successful Adelaide launch back in August for release of Wounded Bird. That sold out launch – which included a private house concert earlier in the day – followed a series of low key previous visits and Rob reasons that it was such a successful outing due to the exposure Wounded Bird had been receiving. “Yeah, when it was released, Wounded Bird was an Album Of The Week on Radio National and got a lot of play on [Melbourne’s] Triple R as well as [Adelaide’s] Three D Radio,” he says. “So all that helps when you are touring around the place. “And it helped doing the launch at The Wheatsheaf Hotel as well,” he also reasons. “Lots of people were saying, ‘Oh, look, you should really play The Wheaty when you next come over because it’s a fantastic room and you’ll really enjoy it’, so I’m glad I took that advice. “And any show that sells out and you can hear a pin drop when you are performing, is just fantastic,” Rob adds. “Shows like that tick all the boxes.”
Request CD,” he says. “It’s fairly lo-fi but Shane O’Mara is going to tinker with it a bit and add some extra bits. “And it’s a very varied selection because people were requesting anything from Nina Simone through to Pulp and Edwyn Collins,” Rob reveals. “There’s even a Simon & Garfunkel song, some standards and some songs you’d never expect to hear me sing. “Some were actually really challenging to sing,” he says with a sigh, “so it’s going to be interesting to see how the finished record comes up. And then I’ll be touring that record when it comes out with Shane. That’ll probably be June or a bit later in the year.”
“Yeah, I’ve still got a few boxes of Rob Snarski snow domes left,” the singer concludes. “And there will be tea towels as well.” Rob Snarksi, accompanied by JP Shilo, will be performing in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights in Aurora Spielgeltent from 7pm on Monday 2 March. Tickets via FringeTiix
There is also talk of a new album by The Blackeyed Susans. “Yeah, that too,” Rob says of the longrunning band he plays in alongside Graham Lee, Kieran Box, Dan Luscombe, Phil Kakulas and Mark Dawson. “I think we have about nine songs,” he says, “so we really have to get it happening this year. So, yeah, there’s an album in the pipleline. “And it’s funny because on the weekend before I come over to Adelaide, The Blackeyed Susans are playing an outdoor show with the Stonnington Council Symphony Orchestra,” he says. “And I’m looking forward to that because it’s been a long time since we did something like that.” Rob is fairly adamant about not releasing Wounded Bird on vinyl. “It’s partly the expense and wondering if there’s a calling for it,” he says of the reason he hasn’t elected to do so. “A few people have asked but it’s not like people are knocking down the door demanding it to be on vinyl. “And if I’m going to fund the next record myself as it looks, I have to be a bit frugal,” he continues. “So, as nice as it would be, Wounded Bird on vinyl isn’t going to happen unless I get approached by some huge record label that wants to do it.
Buffalo Boyfriend "IN COLOUR"withEP LAUNCH halfway to forth
(Adelaide only)
Grace Emily HOTEL 9PM, FRIDAY MARCH 6
Espresso Cafe (Whyalla) 7PM, SATURDAY MARCH 21
https://www.facebook.com/buffaloboyfriend
http://instagram.com/buffaloboyfriend
“And in some ways I think vinyl is a bit of a retro thing and I am not sure it belongs in the now,” Rob suggests. “I have a collection of vinyl that I am happy with but stopped buying it when CDs came out. For me, I think vinyl has had its time. You have to have a really high quality, state of the art turntable to get that really warm sound everyone talks about. “At the moment I only have a tiny little portable turntable with inbuilt speakers that I use when I DJ at people’s houses,” he adds.
Due to the success of Wounded Bird, I ask if a follow-up is set for later this year or early next.
Rob, who appears on Mikelangelo’s new CD, City Of Dreams, concludes by saying that, like all of his solo concerts, there definitely won’t be any songs by The Blackeyed Susans.
“The funny thing is it’s almost already done,” Rob readily reveals. “It’s been a bit unexpected but due to the crowd-funding campaign, people could request songs for me to cover. And I recorded all of them myself and just emailed it to them.
“I always like to make that clear so that people don’t come along expecting to hear Smokin’ Johnny Cash,” he laughs. “I want to keep the two things separate – my solo stuff and what I do with The Susans – because I think it’s important to do that.”
“But I’ve actually grown quite fond of them so I am going to release a Rob Snarski By
There will, however, be merchandise.
7
THE NAKED MAGICIANS
THE NAKED MAGICIANS By Catherine Blanch Christopher Wayne is the co-creator and co-star of The Naked Magicians which, he assures us, is the funniest, sexiest and naughtiest magic show on the planet. What started as a funny idea that best mate and co-star Mike Tyler had, has turned into a show that sells out no matter where they take it. The boys are believers that, ‘Good magicians don’t need sleeves and great magicians don’t need pants’. We sent Christopher some questions. Here are his answers. Your first gig; when and where and how did it go? “My first ever show as a (clothed) magician was at a Church Kids Club (yep) 10 years ago. I was dressed in a suit that I got from Vinnies and did old-school magic tricks… Horribly. But from that night, I was addicted.” What drew you into performing? “Out of high school I worked in a biscuit factory as a labourer. One day I asked myself, ‘If I could do any one thing with my life, what would it be?’ The answer was to be a magician. I was a magic geek that liked the thought of making people happy. “I practised non-stop, doing everything I could to work towards my goal. Six months later I became the magician on a kid’s television show called Toasted TV, which is where my whole career started to move.” Favourite performer? “David Copperfield is my all time favourite performer. He was the first ever magician to take “tricks” and inject storylines and emotions into them. To today, he is still the only performer that I can watch and feel like I’m 10 years old all over again.” Duo or trio; who would be your partner/s in crime? “My Naked Magicians’ co-star Mike Tyler, who just happens to be my best mate in real life. Before we were friends and before we did the show together, I already knew him as one of the funniest magicians that I had ever seen perform. We make a great on stage team.” Job you currently perform in your alternative life when not performing on stage? “Outside of The Naked Magicians, I am one of the managers of The Illusionists, which is now officially the biggest magic show in history, it just went to #4 on Broadway.”
PAUL DABEK
Tell us something that people don’t yet know about you. “I will tell you that on my chest I have one tattoo, the word “once.” over my heart. I get asked about it every single day, but only three people know the meaning behind it. Because I get naked in front of 1000’s of people, my body doesn’t really belong to me any more. My tattoo, however, is that little piece of me I hang on to.” Celebrity meet that left you star-struck? “David Copperfield has influenced my life in a massive way. The first time I met him I was shocked in to silence. I had no idea what to say or do, and I have the ultimate awkward photo to prove it.” Pet hate? “People who take selfies at the gym. Exercise, eat some kale, and get over yourselves!” Secret crush? “My secret crush is Kristen Wigg. Any woman who can make me laugh gets me going in a crazy way.” Most memorable thing someone shouted out during one of your shows? “After a very fun night before, someone yelled out ‘How did you get the scratches on your back?’ The whole theatre cracked up and I got on with the show with a slightly red face.” What’s something from your childhood that you still love and have today? “My mum.” What’s the best trick you have up your sleeve? “Come to the show and see the finale. Nobody on the planet does it so believe me when I tell you it’s the naughtiest, funniest and most magical thing that you will ever see in your life.” Favourite or worse heckle you’ve ever had, if any? “Someone yelled out once that we have small dicks... We rebutted five minutes later when we got naked.” If you were a flavour of ice cream, what would you be and why? “Rocky Road. Interpret as you wish.” Any famous last words? “Find what you love and let it kill you.” The Naked Magicians runs at Gluttony’s The Lotus Palace from 8.15pm until Sunday 1 March.
What is your hidden talent?
Book at FringeTIX.
“I play guitar, drums, and sing. It’s my ultimate down-time hobby.”
For the full interview, head to theclothesline.com.au
8
PAUL DABEK By Catherine Blanch What do get if you cross a touch of magic, a bit of banter, a splash of British charm and, a whole bunch of cheek, a slice of comedy and top it off with some lovely moments of shadow-play?
Paul tells us about The I Hate Children Children’s Show. “This show is especially for the teens, the tweens and parents that like to drink!” Paul says. “It was created by Paul Nathan and one was of the most popular shows at Edinburgh 2014. There’s a band of magicians who take the show to different places.
The answer is Paul Dabek. Launching his successful world tour at last year’s Adelaide Fringe, Paul is back once again with not one but two new shows: Mischief! and The I Hate Children Children’s Show. We speak with Paul via Skype, and find him in a jovial mood and happy to be back at the Adelaide Fringe and Gluttony again. “I had such a great time last year and got fabulous reviews,” he begins. “But it was only a two-week season so I thought I’d come back and do the full Fringe and do it properly. “Mischief is so much about the audience having a good time that it involves me letting go of my inner censor and involves me saying something outrageous. I just want to have fun with the show, and my character. The show is never the same twice, for sure, as it is so much about the audience.
“This version is a 50-minute magic show which is designed for ages seven upwards, yet is also lots of fun for adults. All the kids are part of the show; it’s a marathon of audience participation with a game show approach which is lots of fun for everyone at any age.
“After Adelaide last year I spent three months working with La Clique in Edinburgh with two amazing Ukrainian pole/acrobatic dancers who were phenomenal. That was part of the 73 shows in 23 days during Edinburgh. I also played in Vegas and at Canada’s Just For Laughs Festival. I also worked over the summer in Vietnam which was full on.”
“The I Hate Kids Show, as I like to call it, won Best Children’s Show for last two years and sold out in Edinburgh. The concept sees a magician (the presenter) and a musician (the sidekick) as comedy foil. Not to give anything away, but kids will love the villain with his rat traps set with candy. We also give parents a glass of bubbly as they walk in the door.
Will you be bringing new this to Adelaide Fringe this year? “The show has a couple of signature routines but most of it is new material making its debut in Adelaide; a fun and mischievous show with lots of new ideas,” Paul says. “The ‘cheeky’ interactions with the audience are worth the visit alone, or maybe it’s just my inner devil trying to get out, so I’m off my censor and I am coming full throttle at you, Adelaide. “When I started doing magic I was very involved in the Magic Society scene. I was the Young Magician Of The Year when I was 18 but as I perform more I am less involved because of travel constraints. I like simple visual plots in magic, plus there’s a lot of psychology, magic principles and what’s the third? That’s right… bullshit [laughs]! But, I just like to do tricks. “Sometimes you don’t have to have fireworks, it’s the mystery behind the illusion that keeps you entertained throughout the performance,” he adds. “It’s a matter of creating those moments that are going to fool the pants off people, make them laugh and find the emotions in their reactions. People can forgot about their problems for an hour and have a good time – I’m not trying to change world views.”
“Of course, you can come if you don’t have kids!” If you were a flavour of ice cream, what would you be and why? “I’d be praline because you don’t know I’m nuts ’till it’s too late!” Paul Dabek performs Mischief! at Gluttony’s La Petite Grande at various times until Sunday 15 March. Paul Dabek also performs The I Hate Children Children’s Show at Gluttony’s The Bally from 3.30pm until Sunday 15 March. Book at FringeTIX. For the full interview, head to theclothesline.com.au
ROYAL CHANT
UPDATE Trinity Sessions at Church Of The Trinity, 318 Goodwod Rd, Clarence Pk, has been busy during Adelaide Fringe but will finish up with Ruth Moody of The Wailin’ Jennys on Thursday 26 February. The venue will also have Ireland’s Edwina Hayes performing on Sunday 22 March. Trinity Sessions also has a brand new website! Check it out at <trinitysessions.org> and then book via <dramatix>. As part of Adelaide Fringe, Peter Tillbrook and John Bywaters of Masters Apprentices and their band will present the cabaret-style show Living In The Sixties which will be hosted by former 5KA disc jockey Jim Slade. It will take place on Saturday 28 February from 8pm at Castle Entertainment Complex, cnr Davis and Morgan Sts, Wingfield, with tickets via FringeTix. Peach is a singer songwriter with a passion for the lyrical, poetry tradition of the medieval minstrels. Catch him as part of Adelaide Fringe when he presents Words On Strings at Earth’s Kitchen, 131 Pirie St, at 7.30pm on Sunday 1 March and Thursday 5 March. Book via FringeTix. Written and performed by Emma Hall and directed by Prue Clark, We May Have To Choose is inspired by Tim Etchells’ Sight Is The Sense, and is study of what it is to speak one’s mind. It runs on Saturday 7 March as part of Adelaide Fringe at Tuxedo Cat, Rivers Studio, 54 Hyde St, Adelaide, from 7.15pm. Book at FringeTix. Melbourne’s Rob Snarksi, the honey-voiced vocalist of much-loved band The Blackeyed Susans, played to a sold out Adelaide crowd when he launched his latest solo album, Wounded Bird, last year. Be sure not to miss him when he plays Adelaide Fringe with JP Shilo in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights in Aurora Spielgeltent from 7pm on Monday 2 March. Tickets via FringeTix. Briefs: The Second Coming, which encompasses circus, physical theatre, drag, boylesque, dance and cabaret, runs at Royal Croquet Club’s The Menagerie from 9.15pm on Saturday 28 February until Sunday 15 March. Book at FringeTix. The irrepressible Le Gateau Chocolat has a new show, ICONS, which runs until Sunday 15 March at 8.30pm in The Deluxe in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights. Tickets are now on sale via FringeTix. Described as the new face of Scottish traditional music, Breabach’s third tour to Australia in 12 months comes hot off the heels of their worldwide 2014 tour in support of the album Ùrlar. See them when they play Aurora Spielgeltent in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights at 4pm on Saturday 14 March and agaion at 4pm on Sunday 15 March. Book at FringeTix. The Somebuddies are the harmonious trio of Ben Ford-Davies, Ria Loof and Dave Hudson, and they will be playing shows as part of Adelaide Fringe at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, from 7.30pm on Friday 27 February and also Saturday 28 February. Expect to hear harmony-driven renditions of sweet, soulful and soothing songs by Crowded House, CSN&Y, The Beatles, James Taylor and more. Book via FringeTix. Athletic Teenage Joggers will launch their Hello Demons EP with help from Friday’s Fox and Kitchen Witch at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, from 9pm on Saturday 28 February as a free entry Adelaide Fringe event. Steph Acraman will be presenting a tribute to jazz legend Julie London with her show,
Nice Girls Don’t Stay For Breakfast, as part of Adelaide Fringe. Backed by a stellar band that includes members of Lucky Seven, it runs at Published Arthouse, 11 Cannon St, Adelaide, from Thursday 12 March until Saturday 14 March. Book for 6.30pm dinner and show or 8pm show only via FringeTix. Sydney band Royal Chant are heading to town to play Adelaide Fringe and will hit Royal Oak, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, from 7pm on Thursday 5 March to play a free entry, quite royal musical shindig. Russell Morris, who has recently been picking up awards right, left and centre while also enjoying a richly-deserved resurgence in popularity, will be performing in Aurora Spiegeltent in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights from 7pm on Saturday 28 February. Book at FringeTix. Fashionably Late will be presenting Truth, Beauty & Delusions Of Grandeur that will feature Malaysian belly dancing sensation Aiza in a blend of song, satire, comedy and burlesque along with tequila-inspired sing-a-long bits. Catch it as part of Adelaide Fringe from 8pm on Friday 27 February and Saturday 28 February at 7pm and also 9pm at The Office On Pire, 110 Pirie St. Book at FringeTix. Busy Adelaide booking agency Twisted Echidna, in conjunction with Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, is presenting a host of music gigs for Adelaide Fringe. On Saturday 28 February it’ll be Melbourne’s Ugly Kings alongside Slick Arnold and Rat Ta’Mango, on Friday 6 March it’ll be Melbourne’s River Of Snakes with Filthy Lucre and Gun It and on Saturday 7 March it’s to be Sydney’s Sun Of Man with Inwoods and Filthy Lucre. Eight-piece Adelaide Latin band Ah Hum! are set to play Aurora Spielgeltent in Rundle Pk’s The Garden Of Unearthly Delights on Sunday 1 March at 8.30pm. Book via FringeTix. Sumeru are a five-piece rock band from Sydney featuring members of Blkout, Lomera, Firearms, Shake Your Blood and No Apologies and will hit Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, on Saturday 14 March with Melbourne’s Olmeg as part of Adelaide Fringe. Yana Alana’s Between The Cracks, which sees her dressed only in blue body paint and glitter, runs at The Deluxe in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights at 9.45pm until Sunday 1 March. Tickets via FringeTix but please note that her show is rated 18+. Melbourne bands Tequila Mockingbyrd and I Am Mine are getting together to head over the border and hit Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, for Adelaide Fringe on Friday March 13 at which they’ll have Jungle City as special guests. Brendan Fitzgerald Quartet will present Take Five: The Dave Brubeck Story at Brighton Concert Hall (Brighton Secondary School), 305 Brighton Rd, Brighton, at various times (7.30pm and 8pm) on Thursday 19 February, Friday 21 February and Saturday 22 February as well as on Saturday 14 March. Book at FringeTix. Ottowa’s rock’n’rollin’ outlaws Zex will be playing Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, for Adelaide Fringe alongside Fresh Kills, Shadowolf (formerly Anarkokvlt), Trash and Faith Eater from 8pm on Saturday February 27 with tickets only $6 at the door.
ROYAL CHANT By Robert Dunstan Sydney-based indie garage rock trio Royal Chant are heading over to Adelaide to play one show only as part of Adelaide Fringe. BSide Magazine chats over the telephone early one evening to drummer Mark who plays in the band alongside James on guitar and Ryan on bass. He begins by clarifying that the band, a going concern for some five years, are not really all from Port Macquarie as suggested on the internet. “James is from Port Macquarie but I didn’t meet him until he moved to Sydney,” Mark begins. “He was a bass player but then he moved to guitar and our bass player, Ryan, is from Colorado and we met him through a friend of a friend. We just happened to collide into him and Ryan’s now been with the band for about a year now. I also detect that Mark has an accent. “Yeah, I’m from Atlanta, Georgia,” he reveals before saying that he found his way here when he was a drummer on a cruise ship. “I met an Australian dancer on the cruise ship and have been in Australia for just over nine years now,” Mark says. “And I just love the place. I never want to go back to America to live. “Hands down, Australia is the winner,” he says. “I love everything about it.” Mark then reveals that the band made a trip to Adelaide last July to launch their Small Town Bruises EP. “We realised we’d been pretty much everywhere apart from Adelaide so we thought we better get down there,” he laughs. “So we ended up playing Hotel Metro [with The Aves and Kitten Kong] and had a great time. “And Adelaide exceeded all expectations because while we didn’t really know what to expect, we thought it was a lovely city, the music scene was great and the pubs were very hospitable. “And, over the years, we’ve made friends with quite a few bands from Adelaide because we’ve played with them but not in Adelaide,” Mark continues. “For example, last October we played in Melbourne with Horror My Friend and they are a great band and now good friends. “So whatever you guys are doin’ over there, just keep on doin’ it,” he adds with a laugh. Mark is less enthusiastic when I ask about the live music scene in Sydney. “Look,” he says, “I don’t want to rag on the place but everything is very fragmented. Melbourne has a much better scene than Sydney. And there are real challenges in Sydney because it’s a hard city to get around. It really doesn’t lend itself to just hopping down the street and seeing a show.
one pub to another. You’ve gotta have a pocketful of money to get around.” Mark says that a single, Just Trying To Meet You, has just been released from a forthcoming EP. “And the EP will be out in May and then I’m going back into the studio in July to start working on some new stuff while our guitarist is off overseas,” he says. “And after the EP, our next release will be an LP. We’ve released four EPs since our last fulllength album on 2011, so it’s about time for another one.” The tile of a previous Royal Chant EP, last year’s A Day At The Wauchope Races, intrigues me. “Ha,” Mark laughs, ‘it’s actually pronounced ‘Warhope’ and Wauchope is like a sister city of Port Macquarie. And every year on Boxing Day they have The Wauchope Races and it’s pretty much a day when everyone is home for the holidays. “I’ve only been once but everyone gets piss drunk and fights break out everywhere and it’s a giant mess,” he adds. “It’s a very specific, small town happening based on a weird mix nostalgia and one-up man-ship. Mark, who says Royal Chant had a lot of fun on a US tour back in 2012 and plan to visit again in October, says he got into music while at school. “It was when I was in middle school and I was playing drums with the school jazz band,” he says. “And it hit me then that’s what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life. “And then I scored a job as a drummer on a cruise ship,” Mark continues. “I was playing lots of Broadway tunes and working with opera singers, musical theatre people and Frank Sinatra impersonators. It was very Vegas a lot of the time although some of it was jazz.” Did you learn from that experience? “Well it keeps you level-headed but can also drive you absolutely bat crazy,” Mark laughs. “But it got me used to playing anything and everything. And I also learnt that, while as great as it was at that time, playing drums on a cruise ship was definitely not something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. “And I noticed that a lot of 25-year-old people who go on a cruise ships will wake up one day and find they are 60 and wonder what happened,” he laughs again. “So that put a fire under me to carve my own path. “But having that discipline has also taught me not to be too precious about Royal Chant’s music,” he says in conclusion. “Just get on with it, so to speak.” Royal Chant will play The Royal Oak, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, from 7pm on Thursday 5 March as a free entry Adelaide Fringe gig.
“Apart from Oxford St where there are a few pubs with live music, most of the other venues are spread all over the place,” he sighs. “It’s not like you can easily walk from
9
Living in the Sixties CD by: PETER TILBROOK From : THE MASTERS APPRENTICES A BABY BOOMERS DELIGHT AVAILABLE FROM: BIG STAR RECORDS
160 Magill Rd NORWOOD SA
CLARITY RECORDS
Pulteney St Adelaide CITY SA
BLACKWOOD SOUND 4 Coromandel Parade BLACKWOOD SA ROCK THERAPY 536 Goodwood Road COL LIGHT GDNS SA RE-RUN RECORDS -CITY Shop 35 Renaissance Arcade CITY SA DILLONS ON THE PARADE
Norwood Parade NORWOOD SA
PORT RECORDS 85 Commercial Rd PORT ADELAIDE SA MR V MUSIC
115 Semaphore Road SEMAPHORE SA
OR, YOU CAN BUY ONLINE AT:
www.petertilbrook.com.au
(10) NEW ORIGINAL SONGS INCLUDING A NEW ANTHEM FOR THE BABY BOOMERS 1. LIVING IN THE SIXTIES
2. LITTLE DANCING QUEEN
3. MY GIRL
4. CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE 5. MEMORY LANE 2015 version
6. YOU CAN DO THE BOOGIE NOW 7. THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE 8. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC 9. EVERYBODY ROCK’N’ROLL 10. GOODBYE MY FRIEND
FOR BOOKINGS Phone: 8177 1325
Released on 14th Feb 2015.
ON SALE NOW
. DE MY HAIR STAND UP
MA “THAT JUBSTD YLAN
TICKETS & INFO AT BLUESFESTTOURING.COM.AU FULL BLUESFEST LINE-UP AT BLUESFEST.COM.AU
Email: peter@thepartycats.com.au
U ONLY KNEW’, ’D DO IT AGAIN ... ‘IFROYO WE D AN , OD INE AND CLOSE GO UT IS TH E BAND DANC ARS FOR A GIG WE WAITED SEVENINYELINE’, AND ‘FREEDOM’. THROW IN A FULLE PERFECT GIG. TIMEOUT ‘HIGH FIDELITY’, ‘TH T’S GOLDEN’ AND WHAT YOU HAVE IS TH THE NIGHT WITH ‘WHA
“
”
”
BO
A TOWERING TALENT. ” “THWEWTEWLEW GR APH UK THERE ‘I’LRELSPTAECKETYOYOUURSELF’’ ‘ IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME)’ ‘
THE GOV TUE 31 MARCH
HQ THU 2 APRIL DJOBA’ ‘DJOBI BAILA ME’ ‘BAMBOLÉO ‘ ’
FORGET EVERYTHING UKULELE
“
”
E
YOU KNOW ABOUT TH
INE
TIME MAGAZ
THAT TRUMENT TO A PLACE . JAKE IS TAKING THE INS TH WI UP G HIN TC CA YBODY ELSE AR M I CAN’T SEE ANDD ER, PE L JA EDDIE VE CLAPTON. IC ER ITS D UN FO S THE UKULELE HA RY NEWS
“
“SAN JOSE MERCU
THE GOV FRI 10 APRIL 10
” ”
25TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR!
THEBARTON THEATRE SAT 11 APR
FEATURING
NICOLAS REYES & TONINO BALIARDO
11
FEBRUARY 26TH - MARCH 4TH THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY Arkaba Hotel – Acoustik Duo (Lounge Bar), Zkye & The Guyz (Sportys bar) Austral – SCALA Bridgeway Hotel – Northern Exposure (allages rock event) Crown & Sceptre – Animal Shadows, Raygun and Syndicat Enigma – Break Even (Perth), Hopeless, Endless Heights and Postblue GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON THE GROOVE FACTORY JAM (8pm) ROCK/BLUES Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: Delltron 3030 (US) and Front Bar: Gumbo Room Blues Jam with host Billy Bob Grace Emily – Amistat (Melbourne) and Sam Brittain Hotel Metro – Totally, Full Complement and Wasted Drive Royal Oak – John Swan The Publishers – Lady Voodoo & The Rituals Trinity Sessions – Ruth Moody (US) Whitmore – Rainbow Jam FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY Arkaba Hotel – Dino Jag Duo (Lounge Bar), Animal House (Sportys Bar) Clipsal – Stafford Brothers, Havana Brown, Timmy Trumpet, Ruby Rose, Koolta and URTEKK Crown & Anchor – Honey Badgers (Melbourne), Charlie Monsoon and Athletic Teenage Joggers Crown & Sceptre – Bertie Beetle Show, The Impending Prophets Of Doom and Sugar Trollz Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: Megan Washington (Melbourne), Montaigne and Greg Chapello and Saloon Bar: Irish Sessions Front Bar: Appalachian Sessions GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON PICNIC CASKET, THE PROFITEERS + HUNKY PUNKS (8pm) PUNK/ROCK Glenelg Backpackers – The Ugly Kings (Melbourne), King Indecisive and Dead West Grace Emily Hotel – Crackling Static Fuzz and Jungle City Hotel Metro – Men With Chips, Body Horror, Emu, Theta and Yo Yo Summer DJs Marion Hotel – Katrina Caton (Bart’s Bar) Railway Hotel (Pt Adelaide) – Duke Semaphore Workers Club – live blues from 8pm The Publishers – Krendl (US - magic) Tonsley Hotel – Two Hard Basket (Tavern Bar), Dmitra 5pm, Agent 99 9:30pm (Chrysler Bar) Wheatsheaf – The Somebuddies Worldsend – Zex (Canada), Fresh Kills, Shadowolf, Trash and Faith Eater SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY Arkaba Hotel – Mojo Duo (Lounge Bar), Mr Buzzy (Sportys Bar) Brighton Football Club (Hove) – Blindspot (WA), The Lizards, The Motive, Secondhand Squad, Line 39 and No Reality Clipsal – Zep Boys, John Swan, Lazy Eye and Jac Dalton
12
Crown & Sceptre – God God Dammit Dammit, Funk Latin Union and Scum Vegas GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON LIVE MUSIC (8pm) VARIOUS Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: The Smith Street Band (Melbourne), Pup (Canada), Great Cynics (UK) and Apart From This and Front Bar: Array and The Monikers (free) Grace Emily – Brillig (sold out from 6pm) and Athletic Teenage Joggers (CD launch), Kitchen Witch and Friday’s Fox from 9.30pm Hotel Metro – Vowel Movement, Cosmo Thundercat and The Blueberries Marion Hotel – Franky F (5:30), Dave Freeman Duo (8:30) @ Bart’s Bar Jive – The Dairy Brothers, The Tony Font Show and Silent Duck Tonsley Hotel – Nat Pike Duo (Tavern Bar) Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Somebuddies Worldsend – The Ugly Kings (Melb), Slick Arnold + Rat Ta’Mago SUNDAY 1 MARCH Arkaba Hotel – Vogue Duo (Lounge Bar), Panic Switch (Sportys Bar) Brian Nadilo Reserve (Glenelg) – Husky (Sydney) Clipsal – Cold Chisel, Spiderbait (Melbourne), 100 Proof, Grenadiers and Horror My Friend Crown & Anchor – Sunday Rubdown Crown & Sceptre – DJ Samnation from 3pm GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON THE JAZZ HANDS (6pm) JAZZ Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: The Smith Street Band (Melbourne), Pup (Canada), Great Cynics (UK) and Apart From This Grace Emily Hotel – Soursob Bob and Courtney Robb (also with Emma Woolcock) from 5pm Hampshire Hotel – live blues from 2pm Hotel Metro – DJ Wolfpanther from 4pm Nook Nosh – David Robinson from 5pm Pretoria Hotel (Mannum) – Sam Brewster (The Angels) 1:30pm Semaphore Workers Club – live blues from 4pm Wheatsheaf Hotel – Songs Of The Delta Blues: Chris Finnen and Cal Williams Jr (4pm) MONDAY 2 MARCH Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam The Lion Hotel – Brian Ruiz and friends Wheatsheaf – COMA Fringe Sessions: Jazzflip! with DJ BottleRockets and The Big Kahuna TUESDAY 3 MARCH Exeter – Bitches Of Zeus DJs GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON BLUES LOUNGE BLUES JAM (8pm) BLUES Gilbert St Hotel – The Airbenders Governor Hindmarsh – Music Works and
Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation Society Grace Emily – Over And Over (NSW), Sink Or Swim and The Ronin Hotel Metro – Acoustic Club Tuesday The Lion Hotel – Zkye & Damo
One of the hardest partying artists in the US, Lil Jon is making his way back to Australia in March for one of his notorious DJ tours and will hit Red Square on Saturday 7 March with tickets via Moshtix.
WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH Coopers Stadium (Hindmarsh) – Foo Fighters (US) and Rise Against (US) Crown & Anchor – DJ Tr!p Exeter – DJ Oisima
Ace news! Ace Frehley, a founding member and original lead guitarist of KISS, is returning for his first Australian shows in five years and will be joined by Richie Scarlet (Sebastian Bach), Chris Wyse (Ozzy Osbourne and The Cult) and Scot Coogan (Lita Ford and Nikki Sixx). Catch the ace guitarist at The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Wednesday 6 May with tickets on sale now via OzTix and the venue.
GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON SCALA’s MIDWEEK MELT (8pm) SINGER/SONGWRITER Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Main Room: Greg Koch (US - Fender Guitar Clinic) and Front Bar: Open Mic Night Grace Emily – Over And Over (NSW), Monster Of The Week, A Butterfly Effect and The Ronin Kensington Hotel – Open Uke Night The Lion Hotel – Proton Pill The Deli – Aaron Thomas (Sydney)
HEADING TO TOWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Much-respected Melbourne-based hip hop artist Seth Sentry will be making his way to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, for an all-ages show on Saturday 21 March which is now sold out now but there is now also another show announced for Sunday 22 March with tickets available at the venue or via OzTix. Melbourne-based masters of lounge swing and sway, The Kahuna Daddies, will be unleashing a wave of coolness when they hit The Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, on Saturday 14 March with tickets available now via OzTix or the venue. Legendary band Dragon will be presenting their Body & The Beat album of 1983 in its entirety along with crowd favourites when they hit the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 16 May. Book via OzTix or at the venue. Renowned magician Cosentino, recently awarded the title of International Magician Of The Year, will amaze and astound when he does his trickery at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, on Wednesday 15 April. Book quickly at BASS before all the tickets disappear. Kiwi Marlon Williams, who spends much of his time in Melbourne, has announced an Australian tour with his band, The Yarra Benders, and in Adelaide you can catch them at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, from 8pm on Thursday 16 April with tickets on sale now via OzTix. Hurry though as this is sure to be a sold out show given Marlon’s recent successful visits. UK ska legends Bad Manners will hit Australian soil mid-year and on Wednesday 3 June will skank away at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh. Tickets are now on sale via OzTix or the venue. Renowned Irish group Heartstring Quartet have announced another Australian tour which will have them visiting South Australia to play Fowler’s Live, 68-70 North Tce, on Saturday 28 March. Young UK singer songwriter Lewis Watson, who already has two albums to his credit, will have a full band with him when he drops into Fowler’s Live, 68-70 North Tce, on Friday March 13. Book via Moshtix.
Sydney’s Aaron Thomas will be a special guest when Menagerie, Luke Carlino, Ghyti, Cabin Cults and No Birds & Thee Dub Division play The Promethean, 116 Grote St, from 7.30pm on Friday March 6. Tickets at the door for $10. Aaron is also undertaking a month-long Wednesday evening residency at The Deli, 54A George St, Thebarton, which kicked off a week or so ago. Call The Deli on 8354 4878 to make a booking. Groovin’ The Moo returns to Oakbank Racecourse on Saturday 25 April and will have A$AP Ferg, Ball Park Music, Broods, Carmada, Charli XCX, The Delta Riggs, DMA’s, Flight Facilities, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Hot Dub Time Machine, Meg Mac, Northlane, One Day, Peace, Peaches, The Preatures, RL Grime, San Cisco, Saskwatch, Sticky Fingers, Tkay Maidza, Wolfmother and You Me At Six. Tickets are now available via the Goovin’ The Moo website. Sydney blues legends Bondi Cigars will be serving up songs from their new studio album, Child In The Desert, when they play Victor Harbor’s Beach House Café on Friday 6 March and the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 7 March. Book via Oztix or at the venue. The quartet, which boasts two left-handed guitar players, will also play Clarendon’s Old Clarendon Inn on Sunday 8 March. WOMADelaide, which will take place in Botanic Pk from Friday 6 March until Monday 9 March, have added acclaimed reggae, hip hop and dancehall producer Mista Savona, Sydney-based nine-piece brass ensemble Hi Tops Brass Band (featuring Shazza T) and CW Stoneking to its already extensive bill that includes Balkan Beat Box, Youssou N’Dour, The Gloaming, Che Sudaka, Neneh Cherry, Lake Street Dive, Rufus Wainwright, Sinead O’Connor, Toumani Diabate & Sidiki Diabate, The Painted Ladies, Astronomy Class, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Emma Donovan, Robyn Hitchcock, Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club, Emma Swift, First Aid Kit, FourPlay String Quartet, Max Savage & The False Idols and Robert Forster. Book at BASS. Following the release of their much-awaited new album, Melbourne’s Augie March are hitting the road on a huge national tour that will bring them to Grote St’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on Friday 27 March. Book quickly at BASS. Barefooted troubadour Xavier Rudd has announced a new band, The United Nations, and that they will play songs from their Nanna album at HQ Complex, cnr North and West Tces, on Friday 27 March. Tasmania’s rockin’ The Sin & Tonics and Yesterday’s Gentlemen are both heading to town to play the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 25 July and have invited local swing band Lucky Seven to be their special guests. Tickets via OzTix or at the venue.
KRENDL
KRENDL By Robert Dunstan American magician Krendl is making his Australian debut with the world premiere of Arrested, Under-Developed & Under-Medicated. He already has one show under his belt but has four more to go so we caught up with the magician and began by asking what had prompted his first ever visit to our country. “There’s a guy I know, Nicholas Tweedy, who suggested I come down,” Krendl says of the fellow magician who has been a regular in Adelaide for some time now. Krendl, a magician since the age of 10, was selected at age 19 to be a features street magician in Virginia Beach for the Beach Street USA Project in 1999 as well as being contracted as a featured act on the Discovery Sun Cruise Ship. Since then he has performed over 4,000 shows, won numerous awards and become the longest running headline act – some 10 years – at Virginia Beach. He has also set up a large scale entertainment production company, Magical Solutions Inc, which is one of the largest on America’s east coast. “So I now hire lots of talent to work over a 90-day period at Beach Street USA Project,” he says. “And that’s how I first got to know Nicholas Tweedy because he’d wanted to be part of that program. That would have been six years ago.” Krendl is presenting a brand new show at Adelaide Fringe. “That’s correct,” he says, “but obviously, because I have over 4,000 performances to my credit and have definitely been around the block in the US at least, there will be some material I’ve done before. “But, for this show I also wanted to challenge myself and come up with some new ideas as well,” he says. “And that’s another reason for me to be in Adelaide, It’s to try something new and different somewhere I’ve never been before. “So the show I’m presenting is technically new in the context of how it’s been put together,” Krendl continues. “There are some things I’ve been doing for a long time but some of the effects are brand new and things I’ve never done before.” Krendl says he has been here for a week or so and slowly adjusting to the Adelaide heat as well as the atmosphere of it being festival time. “Every day I am learning something new about how I should be doing my show or how I can interact with the locals,” he says. “So once I have a couple of shows out of the way I’ll be able to relax a bit more.”
TOMMY
get a feel for what might work and what might not.” How did you get into the magic scene by age 10? “Oh, it’s not really that interesting,” he laughs, “but I was born in Ohio and grew up in a really small town. So there wasn’t much to do but one summer my classmate and I decided, ‘Why don’t we try some magic?’ ‘So we went to the local library and studied up on it and by sixth grade I was already performing for money,” Krendl adds. “And then by age 12, McDonalds hired me to do $5 birthday parties. So I was doing those every weekend for a year in my hometown. “And I was very passionate about it and did a lot of studying and reading and then another magician, an adult, heard about me and took me under his wing and became my mentor.” Krendl says there are various magicians who have become very important to him. “My mentor, Robert Williamson, is very important to me because he became like a second father,” he remarks. “He taught me what books to read, what other magicians to watch and, most importantly, he taught me how to run a show. “You see there’s a stigma with magicians that if you ask someone to volunteer, you are going to make them look stupid,” Krendl says. “So he taught me how to treat the audience and that it’s not about me being clever and them being made to look like fools. “It’s all about the journey together and discovering new things,” he continues. “It’s not about, ‘I’m good and you’re not’. “And, as a kid, I loved David Copperfield of course,” Krendl then says. “And he’s still good today. I go to his shows and see how professional he is whether it’s just his staging or his lighting. “And then there’s Vito Lupo, an Italian magician, who I saw give a lecture when I was 14,” he adds. “The only thing I can say about Lupo is the amazing connection he has whenever he walks into a room. There was just something about him and that really pushed me into magic. “And then there’s also Darren Brown, an English magician who is really intense and really pushes the boundaries with what he does,” he concludes. Krendl’s Arrested, Under-Developed & Under-Medicated, runs at Published Arthouse, 11 Cannon St, Adelaide, on Friday 27 February, Saturday 28 February, Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March. Show time is 8pm but you can also book for 6pm dinner via <publishedarthouse. com>.
TOMMY By Robert Dunstan Adelaide Festival will boast the world premiere of The Who’s Tommy as part of its exciting 2015 program. Tommy is a new work conceived by Hal Willner (the brains behind such tribute shows as Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, Shock & Awe: The Songs Of Randy Newman, Came So Far For Beauty, An Evening Of Songs by Leonard Cohen and Rogues Gallery) and musician Eric Mingus (pictured) who is the son of much-celebrated jazz musician Charles Mingus. Tommy will feature Gavin Friday, Harper Simon (son of Paul) and Camille O’Sullivan and it was recently announced that Robert Forster, of legendary Australian rock band The GoBetweens, will play the Father and follows the announcement of Yael Stone (Orange Is The New Black) in the title role. Blow The Bloody Doors Off!! creator and musician Terry Edwards will now also join the Tommy ensemble, alongside the previously announced participants. Adelaide Festival’s current artistic director, David Sefton, had first hatched the plan when working in Las Angeles some years ago and had then approached Willner and Mingus. “It was when David was working at UCLA that we first met with him to talk about it,” Eric Mingus recalls. “That would have been back in 2010, but it’s all really fallen into place quite recently. But, yeah, it’s something Hal, David and I have been talking about for a while now. And David felt like Adelaide would be the place to do it.” Sefton remarked at the launch of the Adelaide Festival program that Tommy came with the blessing of The Who’s Pete Townshend as he had noted that the band’s 50th anniversary tour would not be making it to Australia in 2014. Eric then explains that he discovered The Who’s Tommy long after Wilner had done so. “Hal has told me how he got the album as a kid and how he was taken into a whole new world,” Eric says. “But The Who didn’t fall into my realm until much later on. I was in my teens but, aside from hearing the hits such as Pinball Wizard, my first full hearing of Tommy was seeing an overblown stage production in the ’80s that had Phil Collins and lots of other guest stars in it. “But I went back and listened to the album from there so you could say I came to Tommy in a backwards kind of way. “And what we’ve done is more a tribute to the album rather than the film which came later and the Broadway production,” ERic adds. “It’s not referencing the film or stage show at all.”
The magician then goes on to say he has already ventured out and about.
Has Townshend’s music been rearranged into a more jazzier style?
“Yeah, I went down to Gluttony and walked around there the other night because they have a fair few magic shows on,” he says. “They have The Naked Magicians for one. And I know that’s a really well-rounded show. But I didn’t actually go in and see any shows. I just kinda got a feel for it all.
“No, I would say it’s going to be jazz,” Eric reveals. “There are some jazz influences, but it doesn’t stay with one genre. We’re working with lots of different feels at the moment and while some of that includes jazz, we are also using rock and blues and even some rock’n’roll.
“I also walked around The Garden [Of Unearthly Delights] and saw some buskers,” he adds. “It’s just doing a bit of research to
“I have been listening to the melody of each tune from Tommy and then been working on representing it in a different way to
the original,” he adds. “I also need to work around the performers who will be doing the songs too, because I don’t want to throw something at them that isn’t their forte.” The performers include Gavin Friday, Harper Simon and Irish songstress Camille O’Sullivan. “Hal’s huge rolodex has been a real gift because it’s so full of names,” Eric laughs. “But casting has been the trickiest part because there were a few people we considered and who really wanted to be in Tommy but the scheduling just wasn’t going to work. “It was amazing how many people had other work booked around February time,” he add. “So we were lucky to get Harper involved and I’m excited to have Camille on board as while I knew of her work, I hadn’t previously worked with her.” Are there plans to tour Tommy following its Adelaide premiere? “We’re hoping so,” Eric says. “And Adelaide will present a great opportunity for us to really explore it and see how it works. But I’d like to tour it around a bit. And I’d love to see Tommy have a run here in New York. “But, again, that will all hinge on availability,” he adds. “If Tommy were to tour, it would likely change. “But I like what’s happening with this production because it’s really becoming a meld between New York and Australia,” Eric decides. “The band will be pieced together with musicians from New York and some from Australia so that what’s also makes it unique and exciting for me because I will be working with people I haven’t worked with before. “And I want everybody in the show to have their own voice in it and really participate in it,” he then adds. Eric has never ventured to Australia before. “No, I’ve never managed to get down there before,” he says. “So I’m really looking forward to coming down. And February is not usually the greatest month to be in New York because of the weather.” Eric concludes by saying there are a few other projects he is currently working on. “I work with Elliott Sharp in a blues band called Terraplane,” he says of the combo that once boasted the late Hubert Sumlin on guitar. “I worked with them for years but then I left for a while. But for the 15th anniversary of The Berlin Jazz Festival they commissioned Terraplane to write a piece celebrating the festival so we are doing that. “And I also work with my wife in a little duo,” Eric adds. Tommy has its world premiere at Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre from 8pm on Thursday 26 February (preview) until Sunday 1 March as part of Adelaide Festival.
13
CD/DVD REVIEWS
CD REVIEWS
Music SA and BSide Magazine proudly bring you reviews of new releases by South Australian artists. If you’re a local act and have a new single, EP or LP, visit musicsa.com.au for details on how to submit it. Reviewers Wanted! We’re looking for talented writers with a passion for SA music. Interested? Email info@musicsa.com. au with your contact details and a sample of your writing.
a crowd favourite for call and response. It’s one of the songs containing the angriest feel and lives up well to its title. The lyrics are relatively spartan (see title for lyrics) but are great...wouldn’t be at all out of place in an extreme sports video. Overall great work, professional recording, musos that know their craft as good as you’d expect when you look at their previous bands, well packaged and super catchy. It’s been on high rotation in Casa De Newsome. Nice work, lads.
BEN GEL & THE BONEYARD SAINTS The Baddest Man in Shit Town Reviewer: Tristan Newsome 4/5 As I sit at my writing desk enjoying a well deserved whiskey, I contemplate the title of my review subject, the delightfully titled ‘The Baddest Man In Shit Town’ by Ben Gel & The Boneyard Saints. I wonder what could be in store. A country and western epic? A rap album? Oh no my friends...old school punk rock and roll. Reading the handy little enclosed bio it seems that Ben Gel & The Boneyard Saints are an Adelaide supergroup (don’t you hate that term...) of sorts. They’ve been together since 2013 now and feature former (and current) members of The Gels, Muscle Car, Perdition, Meatbeaters, Dead Popes of the Vatican, Lazaro’s Dog, Subtract-S, King Krill, Tantra, Resin Tree, Vanity Cure and more... phew, quite the resume. Opening track ‘Push Me Pull Me’ sets the tone beautifully with a thirty four second burst of angry but poppy guitars, chanted call and response lyrics and super slick recording. Ladies and gentlemen start your engines. Easily my favourite track on the album follows next with ‘Anthem For All Downtrodden’. As the name suggests it’s an anthem – something risky to state in a song title but pulled off with aplomb. “This is an anthem for all downtrodden, this a song for you” is the repeated chorus and works brilliantly with the repetitive and simple melody. You could quite easily imagine the crowd interaction and a live show for this song, and to put it bluntly, it’s catchy as fuck. Whilst on the subject of inappropriate words ‘Eat, Drink, Fuck, Fight’ is another catchy anthemic song that would surely be
14
UNDERMINE Superhero Reviewer: Craig Atkins 3.5/5 4 piece rock outfit “Undermine” released their debut self-titled CD in 2012, with an impressive pedigree in production. It was recorded in Brisbane at Ultrasonic Studios, produced by Grammy nominated Brandon Friesen (Nickelback, Sum 41) and mixed in Los Angeles by Keith Armstrong (Santana, Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi). The band released the 3rd single, “Superhero”, from the CD in December last year.
THURSDAYS FRIEND Better Than Nothing Reviewer: Craig Atkins 3/5
BIG DADDY’S DISCOTHEQUE Welcome to Las Vegas Reviewer: Savvy 4/5
There must be something in the water down the South coast that produces so many rock/punk bands, with 4 piece “Thursdays Friend” being no exception.
Listening to Big Daddy’s Discotheque’s new album took me back in time to the 1980s, an era this band is clearly influenced by, and to be honest, it was a refreshing change to hear a different musical style instead of today’s electronic sounds.
This hard rocking outfit comprising Dylan Jones on vocals & rhythm guitar, Luke Nanasi lead guitar & backing vocals, Jack Ryder on bass and Michael Williams smacking the skins, have released their new 6 track EP ‘Better Than Nothing’. Recorded at AGS studios in 2014, the mix is solid and bright, though the instrumentation is a little thin (in particular, the snare), and for me personally it needed a little more bottom end in the EQ to give it more punch. But again, that is my personal taste. Musically, this EP is no frills, and not burdened with unnecessary effects. It’s straight up 4/4 garage rock with punk overtones that is honest and raw and overall is generally quite effective, though there are a few little loose performance moments in some parts.
From the opening beat the quality of recording is evident, along with the solid musicianship of this band, comprising of Matt Fragomeli, Scott Gummow, Jez Martin and Ben Robins.
But I guess the rock/punk genre isn’t meant to be precise and clinical, as long as there is attitude and energy – which these guys definitely have.
“Superhero” shows a similarity in sound to that of American supergroup “Rockstar Supernova” (if anyone recalls that reality show of the same title from a few years back).
Overall, there is a consistency in the arrangements and structure of the 6 tracks, by way of repeating riffs, power chords galore and screeching vocals. Track 4 “She Had A Name” stood out for me, as it has A little more ‘flow’ to it.
With influences like Nickelback and Audioslave to name but a few, this track has ‘big stadium rock’ written all over it, and could easily be in an action movie soundtrack.
Being my first listen to “Thursdays Friend”, it is pretty obvious these guys enjoy playing music together and I would anticipate they have a fairly energetic live show.
The combination of instruments and synth works pretty well. My top pick is Track 6, “UFO Highway”, an instrumental full of sweeping synth sounds, bass, horns and also some audio FX. I love the way it sets the scene of driving down a highway in your car… and thus would be at home as a soundtrack to a movie scene or something. I adore the retro style of this album, and the tracks are great and well constructed. But the one thing that bothered me was the mix. Being an audio producer, my ears are technically trained to hear all aspects of music, including its technical construction. In this case, I feel that the release could have had a bit more love during the mixing process. It’s certainly recorded well, but in particular tracks I wanted to hear a bit more power or depth. The mix sounds a bit shallow for my liking. Yes, some can argue that the 80s sound was like that, but I personally feel that it needs a touch of modern mixing techniques to really make it complete. However, that said, the gated reverbs and layered synth sounds are bang on accurate to reflect the era. Nice work.
ATHLETIC TEENAGE JOGGERS
It’s All Fine.
ATHLETIC TEENAGE JOGGERS By Robert Dunstan Adelaide quartet Athletic Teenage Joggers are set for a big weekend as they will be one of the acts on a bill with Melbourne band Honey Badgers on Friday night and will then be launching their debut CD, Hello Demons, the following evening. We spoke to singer Benzin Bullock who plays in ATJ alongside guitarist and singer Thomas Kalleske, drummer Walt Morgan and bass player and singer Trip Chester who play what they call alternative acoustic folk metal funk rock. Benzin begins by saying that although the six-song Hello Demons marks their first ever release, ATJ have been around for almost a decade. “Hmm,” he muses. “Let’s see. Roughly about 10 years ago I was living in the Barossa Valley and I hooked up with Thomas Kalleske, a guitar player,” he says. “There wasn’t a terrible amount of music going on up there so once we found like-minded individuals you tend to stick with it, “I was also singing and playing guitar in a band and the bass player from that band couldn’t do it anymore,” Benzin continues. “So then the guitarist from another band called Tyranny decided to have a crack at playing bass for Thomas and I. “We would have been about 18 at the time so it didn’t really matter how good anyone was, we just needed someone to stand on stage with a bass in front of them. But he was actually quite a good bass player. “And then Thomas and I moved to Adelaide where we shared a house and from there we put together a little acoustic thing with me singing and Thomas playing guitar,” Benzin recalls. “And then we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to get a drummer in even it it’s just to play bongos?’ “But we ended up with a drummer playing a full kit and when he started playing with us we thought, ‘Y’know what? It might be cool to use an electric guitar’. So, naturally, once you do that, you need to get a bass player in. “And from there we’ve had a few line-up changes but have started writing proper songs,” he then reveals. “And they are songs we actually like and want to listen to. “So I guess you could say that Hello Demons has been 10 years in the making but is a good statement of where we are at,” Benzin continues. “And I think it will now be very interesting to hear what the next batch of songs we write are like.
to play a few different songs each night. It’s always a danger playing two shows so close together but, at the same time, we just wanna play shows and will do as many as we can. I’d even go busking if I had to.” ATJ’s launch comes under the Adelaide Fringe banner even though it’s a free entry event. “For the last four years I’ve been curating visual arts for people for Adelaide Fringe – I’m involved this year in Art Therapy upstairs at the Gace Emily – and I just think that it’s a beautiful, beautiful thing,” Benzin says. “So I’ve also noticed over the years that lots of people go to stuff just because it’s part of Adelaide Fringe. “And I love the random factor of people seeing the gig listed in the Fringe guide and coming along out of curiosity,” he adds. “There always seems to be more people around when Adelaide Fringe is on as well. So maybe, maybe, maybe, we’ll get a few extra people than normal to our launch.” Benzin also sings with hardcore band Blockade. “We’ve actually been on a break for about a year now because everyone has different stuff going on,” he says. “But we thinking that in the next couple of months or so we’ll look at getting together again. “And I certainly hope so because I really do miss screaming,” Benzin adds with a laugh. While ATJ’s bass player, Trip, has another band on the go that tours internationally, Thomas has also very recently teamed up with Kate Henderson in a duo called Yield. “Yeah, the amazingly talented Kate Henderson,” Benzin enthuses. “So I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with that.” Athletic Teenage Joggers currently have no plans to take the jog over the border. “Oh look, we’ve certainly talked about it,” Benzin says, “but haven’t really had the desire. But now we have an actual product, it may be a good time to think about putting some kind of tour together. “I’ve only toured interstate once before and that was with Blockade,” he concludes. “And that was an eye-opening experience. There’s certainly an art to touring.” Athletic Teenage Joggers will play alongside Melbourne’s Honey Badgers and Charlie Monsoon at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 27 February before launching their Hello Demons CD at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, on Saturday 28 February with special guests Friday’s Fox and Kitchen Witch. Both shows are free entry.
You may be aware of a local band being presented with a fine by Adelaide City Council when they were loading in their gear into a bushfire charity event at The Cavern Club on North Tce. The band in question was hard-working Adelaide melodic death metal band Octanic and what made the hefty fine all the more galling is that they had kindly been donating their musical services to the event without charge and one of the band members, drummer Scott, had lost the family home, along with the band’s rehearsal room, due to the recent bushfires. Anyway, the bad news travelled far and wide as it made the nightly television news – two nights in a row I’m reliably told if my reliable research is up to its usual reasonably reliable standard – and Octanic’s guitarist, Stefan Butler, was also interviewed about the incident by Mark Mooney of <Au.News. Yahho.Com>. The fine came about due to the fact that since ACC decided to spruce up Bank St a couple of years ago by placing some lovely park benches and tables along the western side of the street, they took out any loading zones that musicians and roadies could use for loading and unloading purposes whenever they were set to perform at The Cavern Club.
for a phone interview and when I actually got him on the phone early one evening, was surprised to discover that he was an American person, a fact that had quite eluded me when conversing via SMS although his use of the term ‘buddy’ instead of ‘mate’ was, perhaps, a dead give away. As it turned out Mark was from Atlanta, Georgia, but had cruised away some nine years ago. And so it dawned on my some moments following our early evening phone interview that as I had once been in Atlanta, Georgia, more than nine years ago it was highly probable, although quite unlikely, that Mark and I may well have passed each other on Peachtree St, which, to Atlanta, is what King William St is to Adelaide. Anyway, I do digress. During the course of the early evening telephone interview, Mark made mention that Royal Chant had previously been down to Adelaide once before which was in July of last year to play Hotel Metro alongside The Aves and Kitten Kong as part of the band’s Small Town Bruises album launch tour. Mark suggested that the trio had been generally impressed by their first visit before going on to say that Royal Chant had had the good fortune to play with quite a few Adelaide bands, including Horror My Friend, in places other than Adelaide and had been struck by the standard of our homegrown music.
The good news is that ACC, possibly due to the amount of negative publicity the incident received, has elected to waiver the hefty infringement notice and are considering issuing parking permits for bands loading and unloading at The Cavern Club. So, it’s pretty good news all round. Other good news for the local live music scene is that the State Government recently announced a red tape cutting venture that will make it a tad easier for live music venues to have live music. The new move, to be instigated shortly, will allow licensed venues to present live music between the hours of 11am in the morning and midnight without having to pay an annual fee of $500. So, it’s pretty good news all round. To be honest, I’ve always felt that Adelaide’s live music scene has been pretty good even going back to the days of the 5KA Beach Concerts where I once saw Fraternity play at Glenelg on a hot, summery day. The Adelaide scene has spawned a lot of great bands over the years – The Angels, The Twilights, Masters Apprentices and Cold Chisel spring readily to mind – and continues to do so. This notion was confirmed when I recently spoke to Sydney trio Royal Chant who are heading to town to play a free entry Adelaide Fringe show this time next week.
“So whatever you guys are doin’ over there, just keep on doin’ it,” Mark had royally chanted. Anyway, I’m off to have a wee birthday drink – an array of live music venues are involved – so will see you next week all being good. Royal Chant will play The Royal Oak, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, from 7pm on Thursday 5 March as a free entry Adelaide Fringe gig.
I had been corresponding with their drummer Mark via text about hooking up
“Will we go in the same direction? Our songs are made up of all our different influences because we are all very, very different people,” he adds. “Thomas likes Nick Drake. Jim O”Rourke and things like that, while I’m into bands like Clutch. And Trip has just started liking trip hop. So how all that comes together for the band is a mystery but it’s a beautiful one.” Benzin scoffs when I suggest that the gig on the night prior to their big CD launch might be seen as a warm-up gig. “I’d never say any gig is a warm-up one,” he retorts. “A gig is a gig although we do plan
15
16
GEORDIE MACKEEMAN & HIS RHYTHM BOYS
GORDIE MACKEEMAN & HIS RHYTHM BOYS By Robert Dunstan
influences. “But I do like all kinds of music and that goes for the rest of the band as well because we are pretty much all over the place.
Gordie McKenzie & His Rhythm Boys hail from Canada and will be bring their high-energy musical antics to this year’s WOMADelaide.
“But, personally, I have always had a love for old-timey music and early rock’n’roll,” he adds.
It marks the second visit to this country, but will see the quartet hit Adelaide for the first time. “We came down in January of 2013 and played Woodford Folk Festival and Illawarra Folk Festival,” fiddle player and clog dancer Gordie MacKeeman begins. “We were there for about three weeks just playing around and we really loved it. “But we are now looking forward to Adelaide because we played at WOMAD in the UK last summer and are now really excited to be doing the Australian one. We didn’t get to see too many other acts because we flew straight to WOMAD from The Isle Of Man but Sinéad O’Conner was playing the same day as us. We heard a few songs as we were just about to head off. The band play rollicking traditional music alongside some original tunes. “We’ve been together about four years now but it kind of all happened by fluke,” Gordie says. “Mark Geddes, our drummer and bass player, were roommates and just for the fun of it, we made a fiddle CD and then formed a band from that. And then we started playing gigs and it’s been going great ever since. “All of us had played together before in other bands, mainly as side musicians for various singers, so once we got together it was very comfortable as we were all good friends anyway. A highlight of the band’s gigs are Gordie’s clog dancing skills. “The dancing came first because I started clog and step dancing at age six and then took up the fiddle at age nine,” Gordie reveals. “At that time in Canada clog dancing was pretty big although it’s probably been taken over by step dancing now. “And I kind of got into by fluke because I first went clog dancing with my brother who was a teenager at the time,” he then recalls with a laugh. “My brother went there to join up but it was mostly to meet girls. But someone got me up on the floor and I’ve been hooked ever since.” Gordie was interested to hear that popular clog dancing and fiddle playing night happened every Friday evening in Adelaide in the front bar of the Governor Hindmarsh with over 20 musicians and dancers often being involved. He laughs when I tell him that sometime, patrons heading out to the Gov’s back room to see an indie rock band are often bemused when they pop into the front bar and experience some dozen or so fiddle players and clog dancers. “Ha, they must wonder they’ve stepped into if they just wander in like that,” Gordie suggests. “Oh, I always liked country and folk music as well as rockabilly and stuff like that,” Gordie then says when pressed about his
The band play a fair few traditional tunes, but also pen some of their own material as well. “I’d say our show is about a 50/50 mix of original stuff and covers of old-time songs,” Gordie states. “But that, of course, is pretty common in the folk world. It’s just paying tribute to what has inspired you in the first place. “And with those traditional songs, everyone in the band brings those to the table and we give ’em a shot,” he adds. There’s a clip on YouTube of Gordie & His Rhythm Boys performing with fellow Canadian Matt Andersen (who will be playing the Governor HIndmarsh with Canada’s Serena Ryder on Sunday 12 April) and playing the song Mama Don’t Allow. “That kind of thing happens a lot of festivals where we run into people we know,” Gordie explains. “That clip with Matt was done at Southwell Music Festival in the UK because he was there the same time as us. “So other musicians sometimes pop up and jam with us which makes for a lot of fun,” he adds. Gordie now lives on Canada’s Prince Edward Island but was born and raised in Nova Scotia. “I moved over here about 10 years ago and it’s home now,” he says. “And in Nova Scotia I was living in a place called New Glasgow.” The musician definitely thinks that it was the migration of Scots to Canada all those years ago that has influenced the music in that region. “Even most players who are based in the roots music scene have such a lot of Celtic influences,” Gordie states. “No matter what the style, you can definitely hear a lot of that Celtic influence.” Gordie concludes by saying the band are set to record a new album in June of this year. “So we’ll have a new album out by the end of the year,” he says. “And once again it will be a good mix of traditional songs and some originals. “We all kind of collaborate on those, especially the arrangements,” he says. “And it’s likely we’ll test some of the songs out at WOMADelaide. “The best way to try out new songs is to play them in front of an audience,” Gordie says. WOMADelaide takes place from Friday 6 March until Monday 9 March in Botanic Park. Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys play The Zoo Stage at 10pm on Friday 6 March and SC7 at 3pm on Saturday 7 March. Book via <womadelaide.com.au>.
17
THE UGLY KINGS
THE UGLY KINGS By Jonty Czuchwicki The Ugly Kings are making a return to Adelaide with their bluesy rock riffs to play two shows as part of Adelaide Fringe. Living as middle class men in the fortunate country of Australia, how do you find inspiration to write music that is challenging? Beyond creativity or the inspiration of those who came before you, what is the niche that brings The Ugly Kings to life? How does this translate on stage? “Well first and foremost all four of us come from different countries, only one of us actually is Australian, so put together four totally different upbringings and musical backgrounds and you get an endless pool of inspiration that is The Ugly Kings,” bass player Nick El Bendiguero responds. How does each member afford to be in a band? There are lots of interesting ways that musicians get by. How do The Ugly Kings bring the bread home? “We all have either full time or several jobs and manage our time in order to keep the band going. Funnily enough all four of us work in industries that can relate to the band as far as promotion goes, be it working venues, sound or marketing. Very helpful for the band when you put all these resources together. This is not your first trip to Adelaide. What do you enjoy about South Australia, how is it different to Victoria and what was most memorable about prior occasions you have played here? “We do enjoy how close to the beach it is and how chill the general vibe is. It is kind of like a small version of Melbourne, not as busy and very enjoyable. Our first trip there was probably the most memorable one as it was our first tour together. “We got to learn who snores the most, who parties the hardest, and getting drunk and lost in a different city at 6am always adds a fair bit of fun. Musical performance has been cultivated for hundreds of years now. Some traditions are considered so conventional that artists can’t imagine straying from the accepted format. What changes would you make to the nature of live performance and how would this enhance the impact of The Ugly Kings as a band? “Well as performers you will always be inspired by previous or current artists no matter what. The trick is to create your own aura, your own presence that bands to come will get inspired by. If you fit to the mould, no one will notice you.” Cultivated in similar fashion is the way audiences consume music. This consumer
18
FEAR & DELIGHT
standard has been moulded ever since music was able to be recorded. How do you think record labels have influenced the format that music is consumed in along the way? Are you in favour of this invisible guiding hand? “Well it seems like labels had an influence on the format back in the early days, but since the internet, they’ve had to adapt and reinvent themselves all the time lately. There’s not one set formula any more. Having never worked with record labels we do enjoy the freedom of dictating our way of putting our music out there for now.” Beyond the grasp of the record label is the recent generational shift from owning digital music to simply streaming from subscription based services? How do you think this effects the efficacy of being in a band? Do you prefer to listen to music digitally or on the undeniably better audio quality of 180 gram vinyl? “Our point exactly. That’s the freedom of choice that bands have these days, good or bad, it depends how well you can use the system. There’s no arguing the quality side of the platform used, but every listening experience is different anyway. You would not listen to vinyl in the same context you would listen to an iPod or a streaming site.” What do The Ugly Kings have in store for their next release? What format will this be available in and what factors influence whether this product will be a single, EP or long play record? “We can definitely announce that a single is on its way for May 2015, leading up to an EP later on in the year. We are actually going in the studio next Monday as well to record a new song for it. The main factor will be observing trends and trying to stay ahead of them and that will decide the formats of release.” You have a shows coming up on Adelaide. We’re sure you’ll be ending the month with a bang. If you could be so kind as to give readers a little spill as to why they should see your show that would be very grand indeed. “If you like fireworks, costumes and makeup, you won’t be disappointed. Actually no, there’s none of that. It will be a flood of sweat, beards and power blues riffs delivered at earth-shattering levels. Thanks for the chat!” The Ugly Kings play Glenelg Backpackers on Friday 27 February with King Indecisive and Dead West and also Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, on Saturday 28 February with Slick Arnold and Rat Ta’Mango.
FEAR AND DELIGHT By Libby Parker Strut & Fret have been making our most raved about Fringe productions for 15 years, but in 2015 they’re brought something a little different to Adelaide. Famous for their visual and aural spectaculars, this year the company offers a unique experience for all the senses. Fear & Delight is a night of decadent cocktails, indulgent food, music, theatrics and, to top off the evening, a party. Scott Maidment is Founding Director of Strut & Fret, the company who have previously brought us award winning productions and events such LIMBO, Cantina, Tom Tom Crew, Feasting on Flesh and The Garden Of Unearthly Delights. Taking a moment from his very busy schedule, Maidment told us about his latest theatrical feat. “It’s amazingly ambitious,” he laughs. “About a year ago I started thinking about a show that would involve a food element and an experience. I didn’t want the audience to have a passive experience where they just sit in a theatre and watch a show; I wanted them to be involved. I wanted them to hear it, see it, taste it, feel it.” “I’ve been able to hand pick performers from different shows all over the world and bring them together, so I’ve got an amazing array of talent. We’re creating something that’s pretty special!” As with all of the shows Maidment is involved in, music is a primary element, so he approached the band The Correspondents to come on board for Fear & Delight. “I came across the music of The Correspondents and really liked the accessibility of it; it’s all sort of electro-swing. It’s music I’d like, that people who go to a nightclub would like, but also someone’s mum and dad would like. “So I went to London and met with them and said I want to make a show based on their music,” he reveals. Fear & Delight promises a night like no other you’ve seen at Adelaide Fringe; you can stay for the whole night, or part of the night, but either way, you’ll be treated to a sensory experience. “You can buy a ticket for the ‘complete experience’ where you can have a range of food, drink, you’ll see a show, you’ll be involved in a show and then finally there’s a great party at the end of it. You should allocate from eight o’clock in the evening until one o’clock in the morning to experience it,” Maidment says.
“It really is an adventure. It’s not just as simple as going to the theatre, sitting down and deciding what coffee shop you’ll go to afterwards.” There are three levels of entertainment you can opt for with Fear & Delight, which Maidment explains. “There’s 100 people who can do the whole experience but then there’s another 500 people who can see the show and then go to the Devil’s Lighthouse, which is the party venue at the end of the evening. Or you can just turn up for the Devil’s Lighthouse every night and listen to music if you wanted to.” Audiences have the choice to attend the whole evening, or enjoy it in part, and it all takes place in Adelaide’s premiere Fringe venue, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights. “I think what people are going to love is that the bulk of the show is outdoors. So you’re sitting under the stars around a dining table that becomes the stage. “I think that’s going be a really cool experience where you can be sitting on the edge of the table and there’s performers walking right up to you and you’re really involved,” Maidment says. Fear & Delight is playing through until Sunday 15 March in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, but tickets are selling fast so make sure you book via FringeTix.
THE BIZZO
THE ROLE OF POSTERS AND FLYERS IN YOUR MUSIC MARKETING By Corey Stewart You might think that your music is the main thing that will attracts potential fans to your act/band but chances are it’s going to be a picture or a graphic of what you represent which will be the first thing your potential fan might discover about you. This is all the more reason to make sure that how people see you is consistent with what they hear about you. While you can promote yourself via your music on social media sites such as Facebook and SoundCloud, you will get more mileage out of your music marketing if you invest in getting some posters and flyers designed and printed. Posters These can either be printed in A3 (297mm x 420mm) or A4 (210mm x 297mm) size depending on what you can afford. If your budget extends beyond printing posters, you can hire a distribution company such as Mad Promo, Passing Out or Poster George to take care of the poster placing duties. Alternatively you can put up your posters yourself by getting a few people together and making a day/night of it. Flyers Generally flyers are printed in A5 (148mm x 210mm) size and are generally a smaller version of the poster. They are easy to carry around are used to hand out to people, leave at the venue and surrounding businesses (cafes are a good place to leave flyers) or, you can leave them under car windscreen wipers or do letterbox drops if your gig is in a more suburban area.
BPLUS: DJ HARRISON
Digital Poster Your poster image can also be used online, which increases your ability to be noticed. You can put your digital posters on: - Your own website - Other websites such as BSide Magazine’s website - Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram (they deal exclusively in images) - Your email newsletter to your mailing list - Your press release for your event Always remember, if your posters/ flyers matchup with your CD artwork, merchandise and your website/social media presence then you’ll have a consistent marketing message for your potential fans. This ensures that whether you’re discovered through your music or, your images and branding, you have a really good chance of converting someone from a musical browser to a fan of your music. And remember, if you’re in need of a poster designed and printed, BSide Media can do all that for you. Just email us at info@ bsidemagazine.com.au or call us on 8346 9899 and we’ll let you know how we can help you.
DJ HARRISON By Libby Parker This week’s feature BPlus musician is a DJ from Pulteney Grammar School in Adelaide’s CBD. Currently studying Year 10, Harrison is 15 years old and, when he’s not studying, he’s DJing and mixing at parties, events and clubs. Harrison’s DJ career began four years ago when his parents called on his musical expertise for their party. “I started when I was in year six when I had to choose and play songs for my parents’ Christmas party. My parents’ friends didn’t really like the style I was playing so as soon as I realised people were moving away from the music, I saw I had to read the crowd a little better. So for the rest of the night all I played was ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees,” he laughs. Going by the stage name, Wizard, Harrison always plans his set list meticulously to create the best party he can. He also makes an entrance by playing an introduction which celebrates his DJ name. “I create my set list by picking the biggest songs in my library of music. Then from that, I pick about two hours’ worth of music for an hour’s set. I pick sing-alongs and some huge tracks for the end of my set. I always start with my intro that consists of the ‘You’re a wizard, Harry’ scene from Harry Potter.
“I have DJed at a lot of places, not only in Australia, I’ve had a little set at the Rock Bar, Bali. I’ve DJed in clubs around Adelaide’s CBD and many times at Soundpond Bar. “Soundpond is a gig I really like doing,” he says. “Although it is never packed, I get to play whatever I want. People are there for all types of music and they go with everything.” While Harrison is studying, though, he tries to restrict his music to weekends and school holidays. “I try to keep it level with school and music through the weekdays, but my weekends and holidays are just music; whether it is travelling around to gigs or studio time,” he says. Harrison cites his main influences as Skrilles and Diplo, and he’d eventually love to follow in the footsteps of his idols and play gigs worldwide. “My DJing goals are to be playing main stages all over the world. My main goal is to get signed by OWLSA. This is the label my favorite DJs are a part of,” he says. Harrison has a Soundcloud account, ‘Wizard’ where he uploads his Wizardry Episodes monthly. This young DJ has big goals and he may be helping you carve up the dancefloor someday very soon.
As well as DJing for parties and events, Harrison has just started making his own music by teaching himself the skills to do so. “I’ve just started making my own music,” he says. “I’ve been teaching myself to do most things, or I just go to YouTube. When I make my music I look to be completely different to everyone else. I first start with a drum pattern, then a lead, and then just go from there.” At such a young age, Harrison is committed to learning more about the scene, creating music and playing to his audiences. As well as playing parties, clubs and events around town, he has also had the opportunity to play tunes overseas.
19
Abdullah Ibrahim
presents
ADEL EXCLUA I D E SIVE
THE WORLD’S FESTIVAL
SEE WEBSIT FOR FUL E L I N E -U P L
Revered pianist and composer, Abdullah Ibrahim has been hailed as the greatest exponent of Cape jazz. His solo concerts create a very special and intimate atmosphere, heart-stopping melody combined with a powerful spirituality. Presented by Arts Projects Australia in association with Adelaide Festival.
Presenting Partner
“When he plays, melodies tumble out effortlessly, as he slides from theme to theme like a laid-back South African reincarnation of Thelonious Monk.” The Guardian
Tuesday 10 March, 8pm Adelaide Town Hall
BOOK NOW!
abc.net.au/adelaide
You are cordially invited to a tea party that you will never forget… A mesmerising mix of circus and theatre, inspired by the work of Pina Bausch.
“Bubbling over with invention... Just fantastic.”
“A fruity mix of maths, movement and mayhem.” The List
Metro (UK )
A splash-filled fusion of contemporary circus, comedy and cabaret.
adelaidefringe.com.au 13 Feb–15 Mar 2015 Royal Croquet Club — The Panama Club Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga
BOOK NOW
adelaidefringe.com.au
14 Feb –14 Mar 2015 Royal Croquet Club — The Panama Club Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga