X-Press Magazine #1353

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Nadeah

TWO SASSY SONGSTRESSES The xx

XX RATED ACTION

UK indie triumvirate The xx have announced their return to Australian shores. Sure to sell out in nanoseconds (the Sydney and Melbourne shows sure did), Jamie Smith, Romy Madley Croft, and Oliver Sim will be showcasing their most recent album, Coexist. Catch them on Tuesday, April 2, at Metro City, presented by X-Press Magazine.

Tickets are now on sale, head to handsometours.com for more details.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

The annual Western Australian Volunteer Of The Year Awards are once again upon us.

Every year, five dedicated volunteers, one volunteer organisation and one business are all honoured - do you know one of them? All of them? If there’s someone in your life that goes the extra mile to help out the community, take the time to grab a nomination form from volunteeringwa.org.au and get them some recognition.

Nominations close at 5pm on Friday, March 22.

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Reactions/ Comp

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Flesh

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Music: FringeWorld

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Music: ESG/ Kim Churchill

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Music: Jake & The Cowboys/ NAIDOC Survival Concert

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Music: Kid Mac/ A Place To Bury Strangers

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New Noise/ Alestorm/ Bird To Prey

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Eye4 Cover: The Motherf**ker In The Hat

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Eye4 Cover Story/ News/ Movies: The Hunt/ You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

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Eye4 Movies: Safety Not Guaranteed/ Sister/ Music: The Bamboos

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Eye4 Arts Listings

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Eye4 Art Stories

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Salt Cover: DJ Yoda

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Salt: Cover Story/ News

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Salt: Joe Nice/ The Backyard Project

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Salt: Surecut Kids

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Salt: Yolanda Be Cool/ Testpad

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Salt: Club Guide/ In The Diary

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Salt: Rewind

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Scene: Live

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Scene: Pub Blurbs/ Pub Scene

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Scene: Local Scene

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Tour Trails

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Gig Guide

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Volume

Cover: NAIDOC Survival Concert takes place on Australia Day, Saturday, January 26, at Supreme Court Gardens Salt Cover: DJ Yoda plays Villa on Friday, February 22 www.xpressmag.com.au

Purple Sneakers

BORN TO THE PURPLE

PhDJ and Randall Stagg, the Purple Sneakers DJs, are coming our way for the Australia Day weekend. Having built a reputation as one of Australia’s best DJ teams, the duo, who have supported the likes of Bloc Party and Odd Future, and made appearances at Big Day Out, Parklife, and Splendour In The Grass, will mix it up at Metropolis Fremantle on Friday, January 25, before swinging by Amplifier on Saturday, January 26. oztix.com.au is the place to go for tickets.

French-Aussie, Paris-based Nadéah is set to tear up the stage with her unique style of eclectic, personal pop, infused with the wildcat spirit of Brigitte Bardot this Friday, January 18, at Fly By Night Club. This year Nadéah wowed the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and sold out unforgettable shows in Melbourne and Perth, showing the only thing more audacious than her songwriting skill is her powerful, unpredictable stage presence. She’ll be supported by Bird To Prey, who is returning to Fremantle to launch her new album, Saved By The Storm.

Bob Evans, SLAM Beach Volleyball

BALLS N’ ALL

Get out and get active at the SLAM Beach Volleyball festival. Teams are invited to register at slamfestival.com.au, for the volleyball comp that starts at 11am, but if you just want to watch and enjoy the sun, get along as there’s also a festival stage featuring Bob Evans, Sun City, Still Water Giants, Arts Martial, Warning Birds and guest DJs, from 3pm.

WINTER IS COMING

The Resolution Tour rolls into Western Australia in the near future, featuring melodic hardcore four piece Winterfold. They play the C5 Bar at Mojos Fremantle on Friday, February 8, before heading down to The Camel Bar in Geraldton on Saturday, February 9. Support comes courtesy of Avastera, It All Ends Here, I Am Everest, and Take it Or Leave It. The Geraldton show is free, but tickets for the Freo gig will be available on the door.

Winterfold

EddieIfft

FUNNY HA HA

The Perth International Comedy Festival, ever keen to bring more laughter into our lives, is proud to announce the addition of American stand up comic Eddie Ifft to a line-up already packed with comedy gold. Known for his dark, dirty, and razor sharp wit, Ifft, who has appeared on Good News Week and Thank God You’re Here, appears at the Astor Theatre on Friday, May 3.

What’s more, the savagely funny Jim Jefferies has added an extra show, on Sunday May 5, due to overwhelming demand. Head to perthcomedyfest.com.au for more information.

Fear Of Comedy

MAN UP

In a effort to raise awareness about the serious issue of violence against women, this Tuesday, January 22, Ya Ya’s is hosting Men Against Rape, an event designed to both entertain and educate. Fear Of Comedy and Lights Of Berlin will perform and guest speakers will hold forth on topics such as sexual discrimination and misogyny. All proceeds go to the Women’s Council for Domestic & Family Violence. Doors open at 7pm, $5 entry.

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with Casey Hayes... Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday. By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms and Conditions, which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

Print and Digital Editions Publisher/Manager Joe Cipriani Editorial

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Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier: fashion@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Annabel Maclean: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Local Music & Arts Editor Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator Casey Hayes - guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions Casey Hayes - win@xpressmag.com.au Photography Callum Ponton, Stefan Caramia, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Denis Radacic, Emma Mackenzie, Guang-Hui Chuan, Max Fairclough Contributing Writers Henry Andersen, Ashleigh Whyte, Nina Bertok, Shaun Cowe, Derek Cromb,Chris Gibbs,Alfred Gorman,George Green,Alex Griffin,Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Coral Huckstep, Rezo Kezerashvili,Tara Lloyd, Adam Morris, Andrew Nelson, Chloe Papas, Tom Varian, Ben Watson, Jessica Willoughby, Miki Mclay, Morgan Richards, James Manning, Joe Cassidy, Shane Pinnegar For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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Black Swan Theatre

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Art Director Dwight O’Neil

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger Big Day Out

BIG DAY OUT

Two lucky people will win two tickets to take themselves and a friend to the Big Day Out at Claremont Showgrounds next Monday, January 28. (It’s a long weekend!). The winner will be drawn at 3pm this Friday, January 18, and the winner notified by email. Just email in the Big Day Out ad’s page number (using words) in the subject line and email in, it’s that easy but don’t worry if you miss out, we will be giving away another double pass next week!

art@xpressmag.com.au Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz

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Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 55/102 Railway Street, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au

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SASHA

The legendary DJ Sasha returns to Perth to headline his own show for the first time in nearly a decade.

Britain’s Alexander Coe has been at the front of the pack of dance music since the late ‘90s. This is a performance you won’t want to miss. We have two double passes for his show at Villa on Friday, January 25. Get your entries in now.

Wolfgang Gartner

WOLFGANG GARTNER

There’s one name in electronic music that stands head and shoulders above his peers in dance music: Wolfgang Gartner. Prepare yourselves – he’s hitting Villa on Friday, February 1, as part of his big Australian tour showcasing his latest release Overdose. To celebrate this killer tour, X-Press Magazine and Boomtick are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a VIP prize pack consisting of VIP tickets to the show, an exclusive meet and greet with Wolfgang Gartner, a personally signed block mount plus some sneaky drinks to get the party started. All you have to do is write in and tell us what your ultimate gang name would be (e.g. Gorilla gang)! You can do this via e-mail or our Facebook page!

Get cracking as you don’t want to miss this!

LUNA CINEMAS

Luna Cinemas are now screening Woody Allen‘s You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger. It follows a pair of married couples as their passions, ambitions, and anxieties lead them into a lot of trouble. It stars Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts and Josh Brolin. We have 10 double passes to giveaway.

MINISTRY OF SOUND 2013

ADVENTURE WORLD

Deadlines EDITORIAL General: Friday 5pm,, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, Comp’ Thing: Monday Noon,, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon,, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm

Sasha

Heralding a new year of music, Clubbers Guide To 2013 loads up the biggest and best club remixes onto two discs which will define 2013.

Mixed to perfection by Melbournian duo Denzal Park and late night party guy Uberjak’d. Both discs are full of brilliantly remixed tracks by the likes of The Presets, Icona Pop, Example and Alex Metric. Get your entries in to win one of five copies. Ministry Of Sound 2013

Design + Production

Melissa Erpen

A Perth Fringe World Festival event The Motherf**ker With The Hat rips through love, cheating and staying clean. The play is a mix between a sitcom, Hispanic telenovela and true crime documentary. Nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Play (2011), grab one of two double passes we’re giving away for the Friday, February 1 show.

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Uli Mauersberg

BLACK SWAN THEATRE

Feeling the heat? Adventure World is the ideal way to cool down and get your adrenalin running.

Ride the lava tubes and feel the force of the 1000 litre tipping bucket at Kahuna Falls. We have a bunch of double passes to giveaway, enter now and please your inner child!

Adventure World

The Impossible

THE IMPOSSIBLE

Set to be released on Thursday, January 24, The Impossible is an amazing true story of one family’s survival of the 2004 tsunami, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. It’s a devastating and uplifting tale that captures the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. Enter now to grab a double pass.

CHECK OUT WWW.XPRESSMAG.COM.AU AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER ONLINE FOR LOADS MORE EXCLUSIVE COMPS!

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Hilltop Hoods

HIP HOP ROBIN HOODS

Timothy Nelson, revealing songwriter

One emerging Australian hip hop/soul artist will have the opportunity to score $10,000 and some other great goodies thanks to the 2013 Hilltop Hoods Initiative. The grant is open to all up and coming hip hop/ soul artists and groups who have not released an album professionally. The winner will also receive legal advice and a Shure Microphone prize pack. Emerging hip hop group RUNFORYOURLIFE were the 2012 recipients of the initiative. Applications close Tuesday, February 26, and winners will be announced at the end of March. Visit apra-amcos.com.au for more deets.

ACOUSTIC AFTERNOONS

PICA Bar is offering the chance to soak up some cruisey local music in its choice new back courtyard.

From 3pm this Saturday, January 19, you can check out the acoustic musings of Timothy Nelson and Benny Mayhem. Fresh from several months wandering the wilderness and touring on his own, Mayhem’s energetic acoustic tunes reflect both Irish rebel songs and colonial Australian folk while award-winning singer songwriter Timothy Nelson’s raw, honest lyrics and timeless folk pop melodies are guaranteed to etch themselves into your memory long after he’s unplugged his guitar.

The smooth word twister Turin Robinson will also be performing from 3pm on Friday, January 25. Entry is free, so why wouldn’t ya?

HypnoCats

FUNKY FIREWORKING

Fremantle’s Mews Park near Cicerello’s is the place to be this Australia Day, Saturday, January 26, with a host of free homegrown entertainment leading up to the fireworks over Bathers Beach.

HypnoCats will kick things off at 5.30pm with funk, rock, soul and pop grooves while The Freo Grasshoppers will get into the swing of things at 6.30pm, delivering a mix of rock, reggae, funk and blues, and will perform again after the fireworks at 8.30pm. Do!

Black Sabbath

KEEP THE SABBATH SACRED

Not only are the ancient kings of metal touring, but the might Black Sabbath have just announced that they’re working on a new album, 13, due out this June. Produced by none other than Rick Rubin, it marks the first time that founding members Ozzy Osborne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler have set foot in the studio together since 1978. Sabbath play the Perth Arena on Saturday, May 4, supported by Shihad.

Tomás Ford

MOVE OVER LENO

A knock-out lineup is on the off this Thursday, January 17, from 7pm at the Leederville Lounge Room to mark the early start to your weekend.

On the bill are local talents The Frighteners, The Disappointed and Oh White Mare.

Then, from Thursday, January 24, this weekly night will undergo a relaunch with a change in style as the night takes on the feel of a television variety show. Hosted by ‘ElectroCabaret’ devil Tomás Ford, three live bands will be filmed and interviewed with a 20 minute show ending up on YouTube. The first lineup will feature Day Of The Dead, The Shakeys, Rag And Bone and a special performance from snake dancer, Emerald Mamba. www.xpressmag.com.au

Drapht

DRAPHTY TOUR

After going to ground after last year’s Big Day Out tour, Drapht has resurfaced with two completely new and free tracks, plus a huge Aus-wide tour, enthusiastically entitled THE UNI-VERSE TOUR! He’ll be accompanied by his killer four-piece band and will be supported by Perth’s N’fa Jones, who you may have also heard feature on Drapht’s Bali Party and again on Drapht’s 1990’s, which can currently be heard all over the triple j airwaves. Get into it at the Rosemount Hotel on Thursday, March 28.

Banda Beleza, RTRFM Transglobal Express

ALL ABOARD THE GLOBAL BEAT

RTRFM’s night of global music, Transglobal Express, will be setting Mojos on fire this Sunday, January 20, from 5pm. Local bands Banda Beleza, Tabas Co and Juliana Areias will be joined by dance troupe Brazuka Dance and RTRFM Global Rhythym DJs Charlie Bucket, Nic K and Jane Hebiton. Tickets are available from rtrfm.com.au.

It promises to be a night of non-stop, feet moving, dynamic music that will surely get Mojos heaving!

PETER MURPHY Fear of Comedy The Bakery Wednesday, January 9, 2013 Through some miracle the weather - which had ranged from almost unbearable to ‘which circle of hell are we in?’ for some weeks - had taken a turn for the mild the evening that lizard-hipped goth legend Peter Murphy sauntered into town. It’s a good thing, too; the crowd, mostly from the darker end of the alt-culture spectrum, mostly hovering around the 35 to 40+ mark, age-wise, are not the sort who handle summer too well, and the milder temperature meant that nobody collapsed in a pile of leather, makeup, and heatstroke.

Local doomy rockers Fear of Comedy scored the one and only support slot, and it’s difficult to imagine any other outfit currently gigging around the Perth scene who would have fitted the bill. Laith Tierney and the boys have gone through a constant process of reinvention since first forming a few years back, to the point where there’s not much common ground shared by the band as they first existed and the band as they are now.

Fear Of Comedy’s current iteration delivers a nice line in gloomy, operatic soundscapes and glowering, occasionally howling vocals, and they do it well, but an opening slot is perhaps not the best fit for them. A support act’s job is essentially to pump up the crowd for the main event, and that’s not what Fear Of Comedy’s long, dreamy, somewhat self-indulgent songs do. Theirs is music to lose yourself in, like a fever dream or an opium bender, and a lot of the crowd took the opportunity to press the flesh and mingle while they were on stage.

They were certainly paying attention when Peter Murphy and company came on, and rightly so; the man is, after all, a legend, although perhaps only to a very particular niche. Backed by a tight, energetic three-piece (sadly not called The Magic Tones, and that’s a missed opportunity right there) he had the audience in the palm of his hand from the moment he stepped on stage.

Murph is clearly not as young as he used to be - another decade or so and he’ll be the spitting image of Bill Nighy - but he hasn’t let that slow him down. He strutted up and down the stage like a

Peter Murphy black-clad Jagger, occasionally clasping the hands of the crowd, most of whom, whether by accident or design, were at eye level with his crotch, which led to a few awkward moments over the course of the evening.

The set was a mix of Bauhaus classics and material from his solo career, and it’s not too surprising that the former got a warmer reception than the latter. Kick in the Eye got a look-in, as did Stigmata Martyr and She’s In Parties. Sadly, we only got part of a chorus of Bela Lugosi’s Dead, and no Ziggy Stardust, which is a bit of a shame, considering Bowie’s birthday was the day before the gig.

We also got a pretty terrible rendition of Hurt for an encore, which left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth after what had been, until then, a top-notch show, but most of the punters didn’t seem to mind, and Murph left the stage to rapturous applause. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON 11

Rachel Dease & Co, City Of Shadows

Obviously there’s also a large Australian contingent of performers, which performers and performances are you expecting to draw big crowds?

It’s a humungous list so picking out specifics is always going to be difficult, but there are a couple which really stick out from where I sit.

We’ve got comedian Josh Earle who’s coming back with his new show, he’s kind of the ‘new kid’ of comedy at the moment. There’s the Lords Of Luxury, which is a really interesting performance based around a radio series, so you can come in and watch the radio show being created. Ali McGregor, who is a cabaret goddess, is coming back. There’s also this amazing show called Uta Uber Kool Ja which is a party in a hotel room with this star - called Uta Uber Kool Ja - and the audience is invited to come to her party and hang out with her for a little bit. She is really fun, it’s a riot.

FRINGE WORLD 2013 Binge On Fringe

From January 25 ‘til February 24, the FRINGE WORLD Festival, one of the largest arts festivals in WA, dominates the city, taking over theatres, pubs and just about every other performance space and attracting hordes of tourists and spectators.

As Associate Director/Program Producer Amber Hasler attests, for four weeks arts lovers can choose from more than 1500 presentations of theatre, music, dance and comedy from international, national and local creatives.

Like a breath of fresh air, the Fringe World Festival has emerged as a reminder of the truly extraordinary work being crafted from those artistic individuals who dwell on the fringe of the art world.

Full details can be found at www. fringeworld.com.au.

Josh Earle

Amber Hasler

By JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD Last year’s FRINGE WORLD Festival was, by all accounts, a massive success. When putting together the program for the 2013 festival, did you feel any pressure to follow up on last year’s success with an equally impressive line-up?

Absolutely. I think the response in 2012 was amazing; we were so pleased Perth loved the festival so much.The way Perth has embraced, and we feel will continue to embrace, the Fringe is amazing.

What we were really excited about when we opened the registrations [for 2013] was just the interest from not only a variety of local artists, but also just how far the word of FRINGE WORLD had Movin’ Melvin Brown spread throughout the world and throughout the fringe networks. Obviously the program is really big this year - over 300 shows in 1500 sessions is a really amazing result to follow up an already hugely You’ve obviously got an incredible amount of performances occurring over the duration of successful festival. the festival, tell us a little about the amount What will be some of the biggest changes to the of planning and scheduling that goes into the development of such a massive event... festival structure this year?

It’s certainly a huge job. The This year we’ve got 50 venues hosting the fringe programs. One exciting thing is that we will be communications with the artists are really having two Spiegeltents this year - the De Parel which important. One of the key things this year is we has been part of the fringe for the last couple of years, are running the four weeks of the festival and and the new West Australian Spiegeltent - and 10 pop have a crossover with the Adelaide Fringe which up shops which have come all the way from Holland. runs during the last week of our festival. So Those venues feature about 130 different shows, with obviously there’s a huge process of looking at what a huge range of performance types - everything from everyone’s needs will be but also making sure that comedy to cabaret, musical theatre, exhibitions, and - particularly for the pop-up venues - the style and feel and of each of the venues is complimentary to circus.

The other really amazing and exciting each of the shows which will be being presented thing is that the fringe is reaching into wider suburbs. there.

So this year we will see real precinct activation with some key venues hosting fringe world programs One of the big things that sticks out when in Fremantle, Mt Lawley and Leederville, alongside glancing over the line-up is the fact that there some really great programs which are taking place are some acts which have performed at the at the Blue Room Theatre in Northbridge. The Blue previous FRINGE WORLD incarnations...

Yes, there are a bunch of return artists, Room is producing a pretty impressive amount of shows - something like over 26 performances. The those artists which have come to Fringe World and Leederville Hotel hosting a really great selection loved it so much that they’ve made it part of their of fringe events. Also Noodle Palace - which is a annual touring calendar. These are acts like Barry new venue from Jump Climb in Mt Lawley - have a Morgan, the Wau Wau Sisters, Frisky & Mannish, humungous program over the weeks of the festival. Marcel Lucont. These people have a really strong connection with the audiences of Perth and they really love it.

Ali McGregor 12

Tell us about some of the bigger name acts due to touch down in Perth for FRINGE WORLD? We’re really keen to see some of the bigger fringe superstars - those people who have been on the international fringe circuit for a really long time. They are the point people - you think of ‘fringe’ you think of these people.

That’s people like Movin’ Melvin Brown who’s amazing, he’s been doing this for such a long time and he’s a brilliant performer. Then there’s Trixie And Monkey, who are the latest burlesque superstars coming out of New York. Eastend Cabaret had an amazing debut at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and Paco Erhard who won one of big comedy awards at the Edinburgh Fringe is coming down with two shows.

International-wise, there are over 10 countries represented in our program with a really amazing selection of works coming from the Grahamstown Fringe Festival [in South Africa].

There are seven shows coming down including a new work based on Three Little Pigs as well as the hot new comedian over there, Rob van Vuuren, who is bringing his sell-out comedy show. There’s also Face The Music, a heaps fun show from a brilliant company called Follow Spot, and PonyDance, a brilliant dance performance troupe from Ireland.

A lot of people might associate a fringe festival with cabaret and adult theatre performances, but I understand you’ve really tried to reach out to younger art lovers by including some kid-friendly shows on the line-up?

Absolutely. There are some really amazing family friendly shows, like silent movie-esque slapstick performance Kaput. There are also some other key programs which not only encourage families to engage, but also people with younger children or young people in their lives. It is important that the diversity of the program is accessible for everyone.

Trixie And Monkey

Of course, there will also be the return of City Of Shadows, the Rachael Dease-written show which There’s also a lot of locals getting involved both had a really successful tour to New York earlier in the behind the scenes and on the stage - have you year. She’s returning because she won the Western found the community quite embracing of the Power Martin Sims Award at the 2012 Fringe.

FRINGE WORLD ethos?

I have to say we have just been blown away For people who maybe haven’t been to a fringe from the response of the local artists of Perth who have festival before what can they expect and why come out in full force to present some really amazing should they check it out? works as part of the Fringe.

We try to make sure that it is really accessible This year we will be seeing a new work from so anyone can be a part of this.This is a festival for people Side Pony Productions called The Wives Of Hemmingway, to come and see what they like, what they don’t like, a re-work of Venus and Adonis, a new cabaret called maybe take a little rise, and of course - most importantly Rhapsody In Red, a wonderful musical performance - have fun with this diverse, really fun program of fringe called Tell Mama which is based on the music of Etta at it’s best. It’s really exciting and there are some really James and features performances by Libby Hammer great things in there. It pulls together from all of these and Of’a Benness. shows from the world and around Perth and across the Renegade Productions are also putting country; it’s such an exciting gathering point of all these together a family show. They’ve been working on talented people and the work that they’ve created. things here for a few years now so it’s really exciting to The city will come alive with this colour and see them put together something new and fresh and entertainment and all of this choice.The people of Perth maybe a little bit different for them. should lap it up.

Stratosfunk, Tell Mama X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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Eager to return home to Australian shores after a 26 date tour of Canada, young folk troubadour Kim Churchill loves life on the road, and audiences have a similar affection for his percussive style of bluesy folk rock. Churchill plays Clancy’s Fish Pub in Fremantle on Friday, January 18; Margaret River’s Settler’s Tavern on Saturday, January 19, and the Indi Bar on Sunday, January 20, supported by Steve Smyth; before returning to WA for the Nannup Music Festival from March 1 to 4. EMMA BERGMEIER reports.

Kim Churchhill

KIM CHURCHILL From A Distance

“It’s been really brilliant,” enthuses Kim Churchill, of his recent Canadian adventure.

“As a youngster, travelling the world is high on my list of things to do and exploring Canada’s been an amazing part of my life. Though it does get rather cold in the winter... it’s still a beautiful environment. As long as you get out before it gets cold enough for your bottles of wine to freeze.”

Though its chilly climate may not be kind to bottles of vino, Canada has embraced Churchill with open arms, and it’s where the 23-year-old New South Welshman chose to record his third album, Detail Of

Distance. A rockier outing than his previous efforts, Detail Of Distance showcases Churchill’s musical and lyrical maturity, qualities appreciated by Australian and Canadian audiences alike.

“Experience has thickened everything for me, so everything is conceptually very dense, beginning with the title and sort of flowing through the melodies and lyric,” he muses when asked about the album and its influences.

“I’m not sure if it represents growth, though. Perhaps things were better when they were simple. Who knows? It’s just where I was at then. The best I can hope for is that it hits from an angle like nothing else I’ve done, or nothing else I’ll do.”

Though his music seems to be winning over both nations, Churchill points out that Australian and Canadian audiences are less alike than he originally thought.

“I think there are similarities but as with anything I guess, the moment you really look at it you realise it can’t but be utterly unique. Both Australia and Canada are like this. I think our biggest similarities are how lucky we both are to have what we have and our ability to see this and be grateful.”

When he wasn’t holed up in the studio, Churchill spent most of 2012 on the road, touring here, there and everywhere, something he’s become accustomed to since he released his first album back in 2010. Travel plays a big role in Churchill’s life and has wound its way into his music.

“One fuels the other and vice versa. My music is inspired by my travels and my travels exist because of my music. It’s lovely when something happens like that as it completely fuels itself.”

As for what he has in store for 2013, Churchill is keen to surf and sing his way around Australia before heading overseas to conquer a new a market.

“Touring Australia while it’s hot and surfing a bunch, seeing my friends and family,” he says of immediate plans. “I’ve got a few great festivals over here in the coming months. I’ll be heading to America to do a tour with Billy Bragg, then I think to Europe. After that I’ll be well due for another album.”

ESG

ESG

Nothing Soft Comes Out Of The Bronx Legendary New York funk family ESG (Emerald, Sapphire and Gold) play The Bakery for one show only this Sunday, January 20. TRAVIS JOHNSON chats to founding member, Renee Scroggins.

A lot of pages have fallen off the calendar and a lot of numbers have ticked by on the odometer since ESG came into being in the Bronx back in 1978.

Originally comprising the Scroggins sisters - Renee, Valerie, Deborah and Marie plus friend Tito Libran, subsequent decades saw numerous lineup changes, dissolutions, reunions, albums and tours - enough for any three other bands you could mention. But, in all that time, they’ve never before set foot in Australia.

“We just never got the opportunity!,” vocalist Renee Scroggins exclaims. “But now that we do have the opportunity, we’re really happy and really excited, because Australia is a place in the world I’ve never seen, it’s a chance to play for the Australian fans - we’re really excited about it.”

ESG have always been a family affair, and over the years the daughters of the original members have stepped up to fill whatever gaps in the lineup needed to be plugged. Scroggins does admit, however, that working so closely with one’s family has its positive and negative aspects.

“Well, I mean, the good part about it is that it’s your family,” she says. “You can confide in them. You always know how to get hold of your family - that’s always been the good thing.

The cons are, they’re your family and sometimes they can be a little annoying, or just a pain. And I’ll say that working with family has always been excellent, because even sometimes when we get angry with each other, the music would just bring us back together, because we just love to perform.”

The love of performance and love of family are inextricably linked in the history of ESG. Way back in the day, it was the Scroggins sisters’ mother encouraged their musical aspirations as a way to shield them from the temptations and tribulations of late ‘70s New York.

“That’s correct,” Scroggins confirms.

“She just didn’t really want us hanging out and doing nothing with our lives in the projects. That area was very bad at the time when we were growing up, so she encouraged us. We would go and see rock shows and say to her, ‘We can do that! We can do that, Mom!’ and she said okay, and went and got us the instruments and told us to go out and do it.”

Perhaps that is why, although the band have announced that this current tour is their last, Scroggins laughs at the notion of them actually parting ways permanently.

“We’re never breaking up!” she chortles.

“I mean, that’s my family - it’s all my sisters and our daughters. No, we’re just gonna stop touring for a bit. We’re gonna keep going until the middle of 2013 and then we’ll just chill out for a while, unless something really, really excellent comes up. But other than that, we’ll still continue to write, we’ll still continue to record and we’re beginning to work with new artists 14

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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SMOKEFREE WA SURVIVAL CONCERT

‘Jin-unginy ngullah Derbarl Yerrigan, kura kura, nitcha, moonboorli’ - (Honouring our Swan River, past, present and future).

Clint Bracknell

MC Karla Hart

MC Kevin Kropinyeri

Oz Island

The theme of this year’s Smokefree WA Survival Concert - provided by Whadjuk Elder Doolann Leisha Eatts - refers to the spiritual significance of the Swan River across an event that offers a different perspective on Australia Day. The concert will be hosted by Deadly Award winner, Karla Hart and Kevin Kropinyeri, the winner of the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s national Deadly competition. It’s an all-ages event, running from noon until 7.30pm, preceding the City Of Perth SkyWorks at 8pm.

Opening Ceremony 12.00pm Middar Dancers 12.30pm Urban Youth Crew 12.55pm Roma Knapp 12.25pm Ngaire Pigram 1.55pm Clint Bracknell 2.30pm Knowledge Bones 3.10pm Oz Island 3.50pm Jake And The Cowboys 4.40pm The Merindas 5.30pm Casey Donovan 6.40pm For more details head to www.naidocperth.org.

Casey Donovan

Ngaire Pigram

Knowledge Bones

Jake And The Cowboys

JAKE AND THE COWBOYS There Is No Jake, There Are No Cowboys

NAIDOC’s Smokefree WA Survival concert takes place at Supreme Court Gardens on Australia Day, Saturday, January 26. Up-and-comers Jake And The Cowboys will kick off their year with a performance at the event. BOB GORDON reports.

Jake & The Cowboys have been around since 2009, initially making a slow but steady start with bursts of gigging here and there.

In 2012, however, something really kicked in.

Jake And The Cowboys played at the huge Queen’s Big Aussie BBQ event on the Perth foreshore, performed at the BIGSOUND conference in Brisbane, had two songs break into the top 25 in the Pop category for Triple J Unearthed, won the Indigenous category of the WAM Song Of The Year and scored their first international support slot with Everclear. All this drew welcome attention to their debut EP, The Sun And The Rabbit Hole.

“2012 was a good year for us,” vocalist/ guitarist Jarred Wall concurs. “We took the time to gig fairly regularly and take every opportunity that was presented to us, especially when it came to entering competitions, applying for festivals and networking.

We seemed to have developed our sound further too and have really refined our live performance, which is something we boast about!

“The EP also became more recognised by industry folk and fans as time went by, so it was satisfying to see the hard work was paying off. I gotta say though, that opening for American act, Everclear, was certainly a highlight and one to remember.”

While the 2011-released The Sun And The Rabbit Hole represents an early phase of Jake And The Cowboys (who also feature bassist David North, guitarist Jonathon Chong and drummer Jesse Manning) Wall is pleased with how it still evokes the band’s strengths.

“To a degree, the first EP showcased the depth of our creativity and songwriting skills,” he notes.

“There were five distinct tracks, all with different feels and flavours about them, yet we like to think that some of our trademark sounds - vocals, melody and distinct guitar riffs - were noticeable in each song, helping define us as a band.”

That said, Wall has distinct plans for how he wants the band’s second release to sound.

“I think the second CD will evoke more emotion and creativity when it comes to the narrative of songs,” he says. “We would like to write tracks that aren’t about the usual things, experiment a little as well. I’m a big Bowie fan so the next EP may have some bizarre narrative to it, yet keeping a distinct Jake & The Cowboys’ flavour. We are working hard on defining our sound too, so there may be a distinct sound and style to come along with that narrative. We really want people to hear the tracks and think, ‘Ah yeah, that’s a Jake And The Cowboys’ song’.”

The new year kicks off in earnest for Jake And The Cowboys, with their appearance at the Survival concert. It’s not just another gig. “We’re grateful to be invited to play,” Wall says, “it’s a great opportunity for the band. On a personal level though, we are extremely proud of the different cultures in the band - Aboriginal, Malaysian, English - and we would like to think that we can provide positive role modelling for both indigenous and non-indigenous people, especially the youth.

“If we can make a few people dance and be happy and influence others to engage in positive things, then we will be happy with that result.”

Jake And The Cowboys have also been announced as part of the Nannup Festival in March.

After a milestone year in 2012, Wall is confident about the year ahead.

“2013 will be an interesting year we feel. We are really keen to build on the fanbase and are hoping to play more of the festival scene and continue supporting some of the bigger acts around town and over east.

“A second EP is also in the works, so our fans can await some more cowboy noise towards the second half of the year.”

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KID MAC

Right now, though, he’s out pounding the stage for his first album, No Man’s Land.

He’s proud of it, and well he should be - after all, he spent four years producing it.

Reflecting on the amount of time taken, he chalks it up to “Being pedantic, and being a typical artist and a bit of a perfectionist. I think it already sounded pretty Filmmaker, rapper, and Bra Boy, Kid good, but I was just trying to get it right. Plus, had so many projects going on at the same Mac, struts his stuff at the Indi Bar on Itime - I was doing quite a lot of touring during Wednesday, January 16; Mojos on the recording process. I guess that’s why it Thursday January, 17; Margaret River’s took so long.”

Superficially, it’s a hip hop/rap album, Settlers Tavern on Friday January 18; but there are other influences at play as well.

Mac explains that, though his roots are in Bunbury’s Prince of Wales Hotel on Kid hip hop, over the years he’s spread his cultural Saturday, January 19, and Clancy’s net a lot wider, drawing on a variety of genres.

“The record is definitely a collection Fish Pub in Dunsborough on Sunday, of influences,” he says. “Growing up, in the January 20. TRAVIS JOHNSON has a early stages, it was a lot of hip hop driven stuff your Wu-Tang, a lot of Biggie, Naughty By word with the Maroubra boy made -Nature, a lot of that stuff. And then, growing up a surfer, a lot of the punk era stuff hit me. good.

And then, the Chili Peppers is something that I Macario De Souza has his fingers in a lot of pies. At was really trying to mimic for a long time, with the age of 28, he’s already an accomplished director, Kiedis doing his kinda half-rap/half-singing having helmed the acclaimed documentary, Bra thing. Then, I turned 18 and fell in love with Boys, with his old mate, Sunny Abberton, as well as the whole electro club scene.”

Anyone else might be worried his first solo effort, Fighting Fear.

At the moment, he’s preparing to be the about spreading themselves too thin, but for subject of a reality TV series, The Crew, along with his De Souza, it’s all par for the course. He does, friends, big wave surfer Mark Mathews and MMA however, admit to sometimes finding the juggling act challenging. exponent Richie Vaculik.

Le Big Mac

Kid Mac

“It can get tough,” he says. “Especially when you try to balance it with your personal life.

I just got engaged with my long-term girlfriend, and it’s been a bit of balancing act but, believe it or not, it’s one of those things where they kinda work hand in hand, and being able to jump from one thing to the next and just stay creative is something I really get a kick out of.”

He is particularly excited about The Crew, describing it as “Picking up where Fighting Fear left off. It’s just about three best mates in three different fields, fighting to get to the top of the game, and helping each other along the way, and the highs and lows of the industry.

“It’s something we wanted to put out there, warts and all, to give a bit of an insight into how tough it is, but also how possible it is.”

A Place To Bury Strangers

A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS Elemental

A Place To Bury Strangers hit The Rosemount Hotel this Friday, January 18, with support from French Rockets. AUGUSTUS WELBY reports.

Brooklyn’s noisy shoegazers, A Place To Bury Strangers, have undergone a series of lineup changes since their formation in 2001. Band founder, vocalist/ guitarist/ effects wizard Oliver Ackermann, is the only original member remaining, but the personnel fluidity has not encroached on the strength of the band.

Ahead of their Australian tour, Ackermann asserts that the skill level of the current lineup accentuates the bold intensity and aggression at the crux of the APTBS aesthetic.

“This is definitely the best band that I’ve ever played with,” he asserts. “We all know what’s needed in every aspect of the music and we’re all working on making things crazier. It’s a luxury that I’ve never really had with people I’ve played with before. It makes it a lot easier and fun to play when you know that the music is going to be insane every night and you don’t have to worry.”

Critically regarded as ‘New York’s loudest band’, APTBS’ non-stop touring schedule (in 2012 alone they did three European and three US tours, as well as hit South America), actually makes it difficult for them stay up to date with the status-quo of the local scene. However, Ackermann confidently states that APTBS have never conformed to the demarcations of a particular movement.

“Once you start trying to pick up on trends, I don’t know exactly what you’re doing as an artist. It doesn’t feel like it’s pure and true.

We’ve always been doing this kind of thing, experimenting with noise, aggression, making things crazy, always trying to make things a little crazier and faster. You don’t really see bands doing that kind of thing too much. It’s really good to be still exploring that realm.”

The first two APTBS albums are essentially pointed towards a live impact whereas 2012’s Worship shows more care and delicacy in song construction. Ackermann explains that all ingredients of song construction were given extra attention on Worship.

“With this record we had more interest in every single detail of the music. There was more time spent before the final product so we really had to craft every element. It was good to have to hold a meeting with everything and work together. Sometimes, I guess, I haven’t done that in the past.”

A Place To Bury Strangers enter every live show with an acknowledgement of the singularity of the event and seek to carry the songs into new territory.

“We don’t stick to any sort of formula. I think things can be way more exciting and crazy live and we really just try to capture that, as well as take songs to different places and make it something completely different. Depending on the room or wherever you’re playing, you have to be open to what sounds are going on and what that song becomes at that moment.”

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19

BIRD TO PREY Sidewalk Sensation

ALESTORM Ridiculous And Fantastic

Having recently released her second album, Sarah Turk, aka Bird To Prey is back from New York to play in support of Nouvelle Vague’s Nadeah on Friday, Crazed Scottish metal buccaneers January 18, at the Fly By Night Club. EMMA BERGMEIER reports.

Alestorm are returning to our shores this month to record their Don’t be fooled by her dainty exterior, Sarah Turk, when I was once again alone in the city. I think I’ve aka Bird To Prey, is one tough cookie. really grown as a songwriter from my first album, first ever live DVD as they pillage In 2003, Turk left everyone and everything which I hope people will realise when they hear it. she knew and loved in Adelaide, embarking on a solo “Probably the last song, River, Mighty River, and plunder their way across the journey to WA where she settled in Fremantle - a town resonates best with where I’m at right now. I wrote country. Founder, singer, songwriter, in which she initially knew no one - before packing up that song a few years ago now, however it’s probably her bags again recently and relocating to big ol’ New just as relevant. It’s about asking that big old ‘river’ captain of the good ship Alestorm York. The Big Apple may have thrown some curve balls not to pass you by. The river in this case being life, and all-round funny bastard Chris her way, but Turk has landed on her feet. inspiration, and perhaps just a little success... whatever Bowes tells JAMES MCKENZIE why “New York is of course an amazing city. So your definition of that is. much energy, history and inspiration,” Turk enthuses “There’s also The Devil Deep Inside, which is Australia was bestowed with this of her new home. basically about feeling kind of shit, but embracing it. honour, ahead of the band’s show “I’ve had so many wonderful experiences Knowing that the day might be a ride off but knowing living in New York. That being said I’ve also been that you’ll be better tomorrow. It was a good feeling at Amplifier on Tuesday, January 22. knocked around a little by the city on occasion. The writing that song.” lifestyle is just harder there, unless you are rich, which I am not. Most of the time I’ve kinda been living off the skin of my teeth, so I think that I’ve become a little tougher and a little more thick skinned.

“Also I’ve learned how to hustle more! You kind of have to, or you disappear in a place like that.”

Though Turk had no contacts to help her find gigs when she arrived in NYC, she utilised her newly acquired hustling skills and soon scored some stage time at the iconic Sidewalk Cafe, “One of the first places I went to when I arrived in NYC was an open mic at the Sidewalk Cafe. The Sidewalk Cafe has one of the longest running and largest open mics and is home of a movement called ‘anti-folk’.

Some big names have come out of the Sidewalk, such as Regina Spektor and Kimya Dawson, and I think the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played there too. They offered me a gig straight away which was quite amazing! They have been really good to me and I play there a lot now. I’ve also met lots of people through there who I play with in different venues around the city.”

So enamoured by the generosity of the Sidewalk Cafe staff and its music loving patrons, Turk selected it as the venue for the launch of her second album, Saved By The Storm, a recording which reflects on the isolation and loneliness she’s experienced since her move to Freo nine years ago.

“I think this album is a little darker and dare I say more ‘mature’ than my first album. The songs are mostly about what I found when I had to face myself

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Sarah Turk, aka Bird To Prey

“One of the reasons was because no-one else does it,” Bowes explains. “Most bands tend to do live DVDs in their home town or somewhere nearby, but we just thought, ‘Fuck it! Let’s do something different’.

“Australia has always been a great place for us to play and we always get a ridiculous crowd reception. This is going to be our third tour in just over two years and I don’t think many bands tour that much in Australia, or at least no metal bands that I know. There’s something about Australian crowds, it just seems to work so well. For that reason it was the natural choice.

“Plus because it’s such a long way away and it’s such a weird place to tour. When you tour Australia you’re flying between every show. In Europe or North America, you’re in a tour bus or a van, whereas down there every single day can be this ridiculous schedule of flying around and getting drunk and going to hotels and partying! I think all the backstage footage is going to make for ridiculous and fantastic viewing.”

As to why his band has such a devoted and significant following down under, Bowes suggests a single common denominator. “When we came for the first time, everyone was blown away.

I don’t really understand why. I guess the kind of music we play is just stripped down, no nonsense, kind of party music. It’s something that everyone

Alestorm can get. I think also maybe you all like getting drunk, so we have that in common!,” To that end the singer intends to prepare diligently for the tour. “I might just stay off the booze for a week in advance, just to give my liver some respite from the horrendous onslaught of partying that awaits us!”

It’s two years since the Back Through Time album was released. Plans are afoot to start writing new material, with Bowes currently pondering it’s musical direction. “Once we get this DVD recording out of the way, I’m going to start writing album number four. Not quite sure what direction I want to take it in yet, but I’m thinking a lot stupider. Every album should be stupider than the last one, is my belief. It might be kind of surf rock with Dick Dale guitars and things. All sorts of ridiculous stuff but still keep it very piratey. If all goes well, we’ll have that out early in 2014.”

Alestorm are a cracking live band and Bowes assures that the Australian shows will be no exception.

“I think we’re just going to put on the very best show we’ve ever done. Some nice stage set-ups and lighting. Maybe some drunk people will come along and throw custard pies at the audience or something like that, but we have nothing particularly daft planned. Just putting on a fantastic performance is the main thing for us.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

POLLY MEDLEN BAND Hotel Loves

THE FAGS Bella Morte

Independent

MGM

Po l l y M e d l e n c a m e t o attention when she was winning WAM songwriting competitions as a fledgling solo ar tist living in the country. From there some duo shows began in Perth. Over the years Medlen has gathered some like-minded souls to flesh out her tunes and has finally delivered a much anticipated debut as the Polly Medlen Band.

All Banged Up shoots out of the blocks with the upbeat type of country/rock that should make far more of an impact on radio in Australia than it currently does. The vibrant tune is expertly held together by the rock solid drumming of Nigel Bird, the local stalwart who never puts a foot wrong regardless of the genre.

Get Inside It is no shiny happy number with the mood turning dark and a grittier tone giving the tune breadth and substance. Lee Jones’ pedal steel adds tasteful accents to the lilting Counting Sheep, the song that most suits the strong timbre and subtle twang of Medlen’s favourable vocals.

Medlen suggests that by joining forces with the members of her band, she is developing a broader palate when it comes to her songwriting.

Hotel Loves highlights that you may be able to take the woman out of the country but you may not take the country out of the woman.

Whether performing under their controversial moniker, The Fags, or their more userfriendly name, Loose Lips, (there seems to be some uncertainty as to which will ultimately win out) this Perth quartet breathe in bar room rock’n’roll and spit it out with cock-eyed joy.

It’s not surprising, while drummer Tony Pola hails from the Beasts Of Bourbon, guitarist Doug May has been one of Perth’s finest six-stringers since his days rocking out with sister, Abbe, in the The Fuzz (and indeed in her subsequent musical adventures).

Bassist Anthony Chiovitti has been a Perth gig phantom for a decade and vocalist Louis Miles, well he’s just got the badass singer thing down - a dash of Perkins with his Rollins, one might say.

For mine, this band really light up when there’s a wry sense of humour employed, such as on the single, Freedom Fighters, the tearaway drive of Destroy and the staccato Break A Little Back. However a dash of country on Benny and the bluesy Mouth, shows the band have studied the various forms they embrace - and by study I mean hard-earned experience. Ain’t nothing like it.

Their choice of band name may have made life a little difficult for these chaps, but they have certainly delivered an album that manages to capture their live intensity. I remember when those things were lollies.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT _ BOB GORDON

COHEED AND CAMBRIA The Afterman: Ascension Universal

Prog-Rockers Coheed And Cambria are back with their sixth studio album, The Afterman: Ascension, and although the band wrapped up their Amory Wars concept on album number five, they’ve found another way to extend their own conceptual story by going into prequel territory, and this release comes just six months before the band will release The Afterman: Descension. Are you following all of this?

Coheed And Cambria are a band that do things somewhat differently, and all of their releases are written about a fictional saga that was created by singer, Claudio Sanchez. To be honest, I’ve never really paid much attention to the lyrical content, because unless you’ve read the comic books that go with the story (that’s right, there’s even a graphic novel) then it will all just go over your head.

Musically, this record is pure Coheed And Cambria, and is just as experimental and extraverted as their previous five releases. For those who aren’t massive fans of the conceptual saga, the interludes and parts that aren’t really songs are pretty annoying, but if you skip through them this release is, while perhaps not as good as Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, a great album.

This one would get a slightly higher rating if not for the non-musical conceptual noise, but The Afterman: Ascension is still a killer effort from a band who continues to push the boundaries.

JIM JONES REVUE The Savage Heart Liberator

The Jim Jones Revue does nostalgia in a good way.

There’s nothing particularly new about either the band’s shtick, or its latest album, The Savage Heart, but therein lies its undeniable charm. There’s a guttural elegance snarling within It’s Gotta Be About Me that stares you straight in the eye and dares you to respond.

On Never Let You Go, the spirit of Carl Perkins takes a couple of black beauties and wreaks havoc. 7 Times Around The Sun takes a chain gang chant and a jug of moonshine and gets down and dirty wit’ your ass; Where Da Money Go is the perennial damaged rocker’s question, writ large with time-honoured blues sensibility, a serious dose of speedrock and Jones’ Bon Scott-like emphatic vocal delivery.

On Chain Gang, the Jim Jones Revue is hanging out with the Beasts Of Bourbon learning the mythology and wonder of Max Roach’s Driver Man, while In And Out Of Harm’s Way makes a pact with the devil and revels in the Jon Spencer-like consequences of the transaction. Catastrophe is anything but, a boogie fest unseen since the beer cans, spliffs, and terry towelling hats of Sunbury ’73. Eagle Eye Ball channels Jailbreak AC/DC on the wrong side of a three-day bender; like a David Lynch exploration of small town culture, Midnight Oceans and The Savage Heart is warm and tender on the surface, and dangerous just below.

The Jim Jones Revue get the paradox of _GEORGE GREEN nostalgia – and they’ve got great songs to boot.

BOB EVANS The Double Life EP

_ PATRICK EMERY

EMI

No one could ever call Kevin Mitchell lazy. He’s been back with Jebediah to release a new album in recent times while also playing and releasing with the Basement Birds, leaving his solo stuff under the Bob Evans moniker on a bit of a hiatus.

The Double Life EP, a precursor to a new album due in March, is Bob’s first offering since 2009 and shows yet another side to the ever versatile Mitchell.

Those expecting a handful of acoustic alt-country tracks a lá his ‘suburban trilogy’ of albums may be disappointed; this is a far slicker produced set of songs.

It’s the melancholic Sitting In The Waiting Room and not the title track that’s the most encouraging track of the four on offer here. It’s got somewhat of a Beatles’ sensibility due to its plucked guitar dropping from major to minor chords, as well as slightly distorted and intermittent electric guitar. It’s a gorgeous track with a heavy subject matter (‘sitting in the waiting room/doctor says to come on through/now what can I do for you?’); Mitchell failing to reveal the reasons for his narrator and subject being at the doctors, though one can probably guess.

The rest of the EP, particularly Don’t Wanna Grow Up Anymore and Antibiotics are a bit too clean for their own good, but are good driving pop/rock tracks nonetheless. The latter packs a little more punch, with the keys on the former too reminiscent of Coldplay for anyone’s liking. EP closer Wrecking Ball is quite experimental compared to Mitchell’s other work and it feels like he’s making an effort to step out of his comfort zone. _GARY WESTMORE www.xpressmag.com.au

THE JOY FORMIDABLE Wolf’s Law Warner Music

The medical phenomenon Wolf’s Law states that stress on a certain part of the body, changes and strengthens that body part to become more able to deal with the stress. This statement in itself may hint at some cracks behind the scenes of The Joy Formidable in recent years, but this album should put all of that behind them and revert it to a pile of dust.

The band may experiment a little more on Wolf’s Law, but they don’t forgo their strongest assets to do so. There may be some subtle touches rearing their head but the signature wall of blistering guitar, solid base and dynamic rhythms are still evident through The Ladder Is Ours and the frenetic Maw Maw Song.

Silent Treatment is a much more subdued offering from a band that usually only operates at one speed. Ritzy Bryan’s hurricane of a voice is double tracked and backed by plaintive acoustic guitar to deliver melodic respite from the gyrating power.

The Welsh trio have made a name for themselves as a stellar live act leading to them being offered tours with concert heavyweights Foo Fighters and Muse. Wolf’s Law is bound to add to the burgeoning reputation of The Joy Formidable.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT 21

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Hats off to the

Man

The Motherfucker With The Hat, the explosive and hilarious comedy from acclaimed American playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, is presented by The Black Swan Theatre Company as part of The Perth Fringe World Festival and runs at Studio Underground from Thursday, January 17, until Sunday, February 3. TRAVIS JOHNSON reports.

There is a caveat that The Black Swan Theatre Company have chosen to display quite prominently on all the publicity material concerning their latest production. It reads, “Warning: Extremely frequent coarse language, explicit sexual descriptions, drug use, adult themes, possible nudity, smoking of herbal cigarettes on stage & strobe lighting.”

It all sounds a long way from Twelfth Night or The Importance Of Being Earnest. It sounds like a gauntlet being thrown down in front of audiences who have written off modern theatre as being no longer relevant. It sounds, in a word, interesting.

Actor Austin Castiglione agrees.

“Yeah, absolutely man,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve got a few friends who are my age or younger - I’m 33 - and these are people who would not usually come and see the theatre. But I tell them about it, and they’re like ‘Oh yeah, I’d love to see that!’

They hear some of the traditional plays that Swan are doing this season, and they just automatically say no - they automatically switch off. It’s a real shame, but that’s what happens. They hear about a classic play like Death Of A Salesman - which I’m into - and a friend of mine said no, he wouldn’t see it straight off the bat. But this one, you describe to him what it’s like, and it’s something he says he’d really like to see.”

The play is The Motherfucker With The Hat, from the pen of acclaimed writer Stephen Adly Guirgis. Guirgis’s seventh stage work, but only his first Broadway production, it’s set in New York’s working class Puerto Rican community, a tale of addiction, love, infidelity, and betrayal. Castiglione plays Jackie, a recently paroled former drug dealer who becomes convinced that his girlfriend, Veronica (Rhoda Lopez) is cheating on him after he finds a man’s hat that doesn’t belong to him in her apartment. He confides his problems to his drug counsellor, Ralph D. (Kenneth Ransom), but Ralph has his own agenda, which may not jibe with Jackie’s.

Cast of MFWTH Photo: Dan Grant

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THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE

The Old Mill Theatre presents their first production of the 2013 season, Elizabeth Coleman’s Secret Bridesmaids’ Business, directed by Mary Wolfla. Set on the eve of a wedding, the play explores notions of loyalty, family, and deceit. It runs from February 1 to 16, and tickets to this sharp-edged comedy are available from oldmilltheatre.com.au.

DANCE TO THE MUSIC

Cast of TMWTH CONTINUED FROM COVER

Castiglione admits that he found the role challenging.“With this character, there’s an accent involved. That’s not usually the case - normally you’d use your own voice. Or it might be an English accent, which is easy for Australians to do, or an American accent - a straight American accent - which is easy for us to do, because we get so much American TV. But this one was New York Puerto Rican, which is quite difficult. To get samples of that, it’s quite hard to find examples of New York Puerto Ricans in Perth.”

Thus, Castiglione put a lot of effort into research, grappling with the linguistic rhythms and slang that his character employs. “There’s quite a few Spanish words,” he explains. “As a few of the characters are Puerto Ricans, and they sometimes say Spanish stuff. I don’t speak Spanish, so I just go on the internet. That’s what’s so good about this era, is that you can just look up anything. And Urban Dictionary was actually really useful, because that has a lot of Spanish slang words on it.”

All the effort was worth it, though. From the moment he first read the script, Castiglione, a graduate of Curtin University and WAAPA, knew he wanted to play the role.

“What attracted me to the role is that it was written in such a fresh and new way, you

know what I mean?,” he says. “It’s quite urban - I know that’s a cliché, but it’s kind of how a lot of people do speak, but you don’t often hear it in the theatre. Theatre stuff can often be more focused on poetry or a more literary quality, whereas this is more... well, there’s a hell of a lot of swearing, and talking about drugs, crime, and parole, and getting guns, and revenge. It’s very meaty, and that’s what I love about it.”

Still, the rawness and open emotion that attracted Castiglione may very well alienate more traditional theatre audiences, a fact of which Castiglione is well aware.

“We are hoping for the traditional audience members to see through the language,” he says. “Because swearing does put people off, but if you can take the first five minutes you’ll be fine, you know what I mean? It’s just how people speak, and unfortunately for some conservative people, that’s how a lot of people speak, because they think it’s cool, you know? It’s all ‘fuck this, fuck that, fuckin’ motherfucker.’ So maybe older, more conservative people, they just don’t want to hear that.

“I wonder if we’re gonna get walkouts,” he muses. “Because that’s something you always worry about - in the first five minutes, you might see some people stand up and walk out! It happens every show - it’s slightly controversial.

You’ll just get people stand up and walk out.”

Local songwriter Leah Miche and her musical ensemble team up with contemporary dancer Lily May in this intriguing mix of music and movement. Drawing on modern folk influences and the freeform flights of contemporary jazz, the performance tackles such grandiose themes as love, spirituality, and the ever-present mystery of the unknown. Part of the Fringe Festival, Lily And Miche takes place at the Castello Pop Up Venue.

See fringeworld.com.au for more details.

THE HUNT

Crucible Communities Directed by Thomas Vinterberg Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkop, Lasse Fogelstrom, Susse Wold

The Lotterywest Festival Films season continues to challenge and impress with the inclusion of The Hunt, an emotionally harrowing account of a closeknit community turning on itself out of fear and uncertainty.

I n n a r rat i ve te r m s, t h i s i s a ve r y straightforward story; Lucas (Mikkelsen) is a lonely, recently-divorced high-school teacher, forced to work at the local kindergarten when his small town’s local high-school closes down. He deals with his situation with a kind of stoic cheerfulness – he genuinely enjoys working with the children and they enjoy his company. Being a small town, Lucas is friends with or at least well-known to most of the children’s parents.

When his best friend’s daughter, Klara (Wedderkop), misunderstands her relationship with Lucas and then misrepresents the situation to Lucas’ boss Grethe (Wold), good intentions and over-protectiveness turn Lucas’ life into a living, unending hell. _ SABIAN WILDE Most films dealing with such highly charged issues cannot help but direct the viewer, The Hunt screens at Joondalup Pines until January playing on emotions through sentimental cliches 20 as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season.

24

COLOUR ME CURIOUS

Perth-born, Melbourne-based photographer Lloyd Stubber’s third self-published release, Colourblind, documents his three year solo journey through San Francisco, Nevada, New York, Scotland, Berlin, Belgrade, Lithuania, and Moscow. The 28 page magazine with be launched at The Butcher Shop on January 18, and both copies of the book and limited edition laser prints will be available for purchase. See thebutchershop.com.au for further details.

WHAT’S UP, NAIDOC?

Dedicated to celebrating the culture and history of indigenous Australia, NAIDOC Week - the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee - runs from July 7 to 14. This year, Perth is the focus city, and a number of events, ceremonies and celebrations planned between now and then. Go to naidoc.perth.org for information on the vast range of activities on offer, including numerous art exhibitions and theatrical performances.

AMAZING GRACE Lily and Miche

SALTY SOUNDS

World music chanteuse Grace Barbe brings her cabaret-style show to the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre this Friday, January 18. Her trademark “Afro-Kreol” style fuses African rhythms with jazz, pop, rock, and Caribbean influences. Go to manpac.com.au for further information.

Breath Of The Sea is a new anthology of poetry from the Peter Cowan Writers Centre Inc. Containing 52 works by 10 different poets, the book will be launched at noon on Sunday, February 10, at Edith Cowan House, Joondalup by Perth poet Lucy Dougan.

Copies will be available on the day.

TOWN WITHOUT PITY

An experimental theatre piece based on the 17th century revenge drama, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Pity pushes the boundaries of language, storytelling, and collaboration in a tale of perverse sexuality. Presented

by Ellandar Productions, it runs from February 7 to 13 at the State Theatre Centre. Tickets from ticketek.com.au

Grace Barbe

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

The Hunt and manipulative music cues. The Hunt cuts through to the viewer with an impressive (and completely false) sense of detachment. In the most traditional form of tragedy, the viewer watches events unfold with a growing sense of horror as they realise where everything is about to go terribly wrong.

In short, rather than being forced into an emotional response, when watching The Hunt it’s almost impossible not to willingly offer them up, almost like children screaming “behind you!” at a pantomime.

The success of this film rests squarely on the shoulders of Mads Mikkelsen, an actor of immense poise, subtlety and stillness. His ability to convey deep emotion without seeming to move his face is almost eerie - and when that mask of calmness breaks, it is all the more powerful to watch.

Mikkelsen’s acting is almost perfectly complemented by the visuals created by Vinterberg and director of photography Charlotte Bruus Christensen, who deservedly won the Cannes Film Festival’s Vulcain Prize for The Hunt. Each shot is beautifully composed, but always in service to the story. A cold palette of blues, whites and black conveys the emotional tone and beautifully contrasts the warm moments of social inclusion spotted throughout the film.

Be warned though, the subject matter is tough and will stay with you long after the film has ended. And for Lucas, the story never ends.

Colourblind

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER Ever After

Directed by Woody Allen Starring Gemma Jones, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Pauline Collins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch This isn’t Woody Allen’s latest Euro-centric relationship comedy, although you’d be forgiven for thinking so. In point of fact, we’re getting this one much later than the rest of the world, who saw it back in 2010. The reasons for the delay are opaque, so the only question is, was it worth the wait?

Well, yes and no. If you’re happy spending an hour and a half or so in the company of a fine cast reciting some arch and canny dialogue, then you’ll enjoy this. However, if you need a compelling narrative and some sense of resolution to be sated, you’re out of luck - this is Woody at his woolliest.

Set in London, the film traces the tribulations of a number of couples. Following her divorce from Alfie (Anthony Hopkins), Helena (Gemma Jones) begins consulting a psychic (Pauline Collins) in the hope of finding some kind of meaning in a life she no longer understands. Meanwhile, her daughter, Sally (Naomi Watts), is unhappy with her marriage to Roy (Josh Brolin), a blocked writer whom she is supporting. Both Sally and Roy are beginning to think unfaithful thoughts; while he fantasises about their musician neighbour, Dia (Freida Pinto), she begins to develop an attraction to her employer, gallery owner Greg (Antonio Banderas).

It’s a typically tangled social milieu for Allen, and he delights in examining how these people bicker and betray one another, leaving no foible unturned. And yet, such is his affection for his characters that no one comes across as particularly mean-spirited, but merely self-absorbed, narcissistic, and fallible - in a word, human. It’s a neat trick, especially with his male characters. While Alfie shacks up with a young prostitute (Lucy Punch) in an effort to stave off his feelings of mortality, Roy, convinced he will never write anything of worth again, steals a brilliant manuscript from a comatose colleague (Ewen Bremner). Despicable acts, to be sure, but Allen and his cast render them understandable, even sympathetic. It helps that the performances are so strong, in particular Hopkins’ turn as the ageing, self-deluded Alfie, who thinks a regular workout routine and a young wardrobe will keep the reaper from his door.

It’s something of a shame, then, that we don’t get the catharsis we need by the time the film wraps up, but perhaps that’s Allen’s point. Life is not neat, and closure is hard to come by. While some of the film’s plotlines are concluded, others are left dangling. It’s somewhat frustrating, but also strangely bittersweet, as though we’ve been granted a brief window into the lives of these people that, once closed, cannot be reopened.

And that’s why it’s not for everyone, even more so than Allen’s usual work. Even regular Woody watchers may find themselves less than satisfied with his latest offering. Still, there’s enjoyment to be found here. _TRAVIS JOHNSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Safety Not Guaranteed

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED Time After Time

Directed by Colin Trevorrow Starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, Jenica Bergere Such is the film industry’s hunger for content that pretty much anything can get made into a movie these days - see Battleship for the ur-example. In the case of Safety Not Guaranteed, the seminal artifact was a fake classified ad that became an internet meme. That’s a pretty thin basis for a feature film, but director Colin Trevorrow and screenwriter Derek Connolly manage to wring a surprising amount of mileage out of it.

When louche magazine writer Jeff (Jake Johnson) stumbles across an ad that reads - Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons.

Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before - he knows there’s some kind of story there and sets off to investigate, taking along two interns, the deadpan Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and the studious, introverted Arnau (Karan Soni).

Darius is tasked with making contact with the ad’s author, Kenneth (Mark Duplass), a socially awkward grocery clerk. While Jeff dismisses Kenneth as a nutjob, Darius forges a connection with the withdrawn would-be time traveller, albeit under false pretences, and he reveals that he wants to go back in time to prevent the death of his girlfriend.

As the deadline for Kenneth’s mission approaches, she must decide both whether to tell him the truth

about herself, and whether to believe in Kenneth’s claims that he can travel through time, a claim that starts to have some traction when it is revealed that government agents have him under surveillance for some nebulous purpose.

The film is an odd hybrid, a kind of wistful, indie, sci-fi relationship comedy, and Connolly and Trevorrow get top marks getting the mix just right - too much of any one element, and the whole thing would have collapsed. Ultimately, it’s a film about regret and missed chances, a lo-fi spin on the whole ‘Would you kill Hitler when he was a child?’ conundrum. Almost every character has pain in their past, and the intriguing - if unlikely opportunity to go back and set things right hooks both them and us.

Aubrey Plaza - best known from TV’s Parks And Recreation - and mumblecore king Mark Duplass are excellent as the central duo. Plaza’s familiar, idiosyncratic charm translates well to the big screen, but it’s Duplass who really shines, imbuing Kenneth with a palpable sense of broken humanity and loss, while still making him likeable.

The supporting players also acquit themselves well, with Jake Johnson in particular taking what could have been a stock character type and making it work.

Charming and warmly human, Safety Not Guaranteed is a science fiction film for people who don’t like science fiction films, using its central conceit as a tool to talk about hope, regret, faith, and relationships. It’s a difficult movie to pigeonhole, but an easy one to like. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON Safety Not Guaranteed screens at UWA’s Somerville Auditorium until January 20 and at Joondalup Pines from January 22–27 as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season.

Sister

SISTER Sorority Sorrow Directed by Ursula Myer Starring Lea Seydoux, Kacey Mottet Klein, Gillian Anderson, Martin Compston French-Swiss director Ursula Myer follows up the powerful and studied Home with this family drama set on the borderline between extreme poverty and dizzying wealth.

Young Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) lives in a dilapidated housing estate at the foot of a mountain with his sister, Louise (Lea Seydoux). The promiscuous, partying Louise can’t hold down a job, preferring to pin her hopes of a better life on finding a man who will drag herself and her brother up out of their depressing lives. To keep their heads above water, Simon stalks the local ski resort, stealing from the wealthy guests and selling their ski equipment on his own little black market. Of course, their precarious existence can’t last, and if Simon’s ambitious but poorly thought out crime spree doesn’t end it, perhaps their own secrets will.

The word that comes most immediately to mind here is ‘unsentimental’. Myer is unflinching in her depiction of a lifestyle suspended just millimetres above the gutter, where every dollar is hard won, and every moment of kindness or affection is negotiated and ultimately untrustworthy. The film contrasts Simon and Louise’s lives with the opulence of the luxury resort that is the boy’s hunting ground, but doesn’t go to great lengths to underline it; the simple comparison is more than enough to illustrate the gulf

between the haves and have nots.

Klein gives an extraordinary performance as a boy grown mistrustful on a diet of neglect. It’s almost physically painful to see him back away from the friendships he is offered: the hotel cook (Martin Compston) who becomes his partner in crime, the wealthy English tourist (Gillian Anderson) to whom he lies about his status. There’s a rawness and honesty here that no product of the Hollywood moppet factory could ever hope to match.

Equally impressive is model-turned-actor Lea Seydoux, who may be familiar from Robin Hood and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. If anything, she’s given the heaviest load to bear; Louise is largely unsympathetic creature, alternately treating Simon with contempt and manipulative affection, and the fact that Seydoux manages to capture some measure of humanity within such a self-centred and irresponsible character is remarkable.

The film is marred to a degree by slow, somewhat arrhythmic pacing that stretches the definition of ‘deliberate’, and the relentlessly downbeat mood, only occasionally leavened by warmth and humour, may be too much of slog for some viewers. Additionally, there’s a revelation late in the game which, although consistent with the characters as presented, feels a little too tacked on, rather than being an organic extension of what we’ve already seen. Nonetheless, sterling performances and a committed, if dour, aesthetic make this a film worth seeking out. You’ll come out of it moved and impressed, but don’t expect to come out smiling. _TRAVIS JOHNSON

TIM ROGERS AND THE BAMBOOS Nerd Talk And Bumps N’ Grinds Tim Rogers And The Bamboos continue their love affair with the Rock ‘n Soul Medicine Show, hitting the Chevron Festival Gardens on Saturday, February 23.

It was one of 2012’s most tasty and tasteful surprises. The collaboration between Australian funk group The Bamboos and Tim Rogers on the single, I Got Burned, tantalised radio listeners across the country and opened up both protagonists to new audiences.

“I Got Burned has been the most highly visible Bamboos song and the most successful one that we’ve had thus far,” notes guitarist/songwriter, Lance Ferguson. “Not only was it great for what we are trying to do as The Bamboos, but I think it also put Tim Rogers out there in a lot of people’s ears and eyes and heads, people who hadn’t seen him do anything for a little while.”

As with many great musical delights, I Got Burned was an organic creation. After meeting Rogers on a tour, Ferguson was keen to write a song that would feature the You Am I frontman, but didn’t want to rush it. Three-quarters into the recording of The Bamboos’ Medicine Man album, he felt that it needed something a little more bluesy. He wrote it in one night and Rogers was invited down to lay down a vocal, one which Ferguson has previously described to X-Press Magazine as ‘some kind of fucked up fusion of Curtis Mayfield, the Stones and Tom Waits’.

“There was very little talk about it all,” he recalls. “I’d known Tim for a little while before that but we never had vast amounts of time before talking about it, it just sort of happened. But after it came out and then we performed it a couple times and hung out and stuff I think we realised there was something there, something between us musically.”

Somehow, between Ferguson’s schedule and Rogers’ never-ending to-do list, they’ve found time to put together The Rock ‘n Soul Medicine Show, a tour combining their time and considerable talents, which kicks off at the Perth International Arts Festival’s Chevron Festival Gardens.

“We felt there was an energy there and it made perfect sense to think about it in terms of a tour,” Ferguson says. “I wouldn’t also rule out something of an album project. I don’t know when or where or whatever, but it’s in the air as a potential thing. www.xpressmag.com.au

“A lot of people just see Tim as the raw, rock god guy, but in fact there’s so many levels to what he does. He’s someone who’s very much into the details of things. He’s not just someone who shows up, does his thing and pisses off, he’s really across all the fine details of the music. Whatever image there may be, you can’t be a musician unless you are into those details. It’s something that I thought was really cool when we worked on stuff, how in-depth he was about the music.”

“The Bamboos... well, I just reckon I’m the luckiest sonofagun ever,” Rogers stated. “And thank the great architect I can dance! We’re writing together, me and Lance, which is wonderful, and also collaborating with You Am I on our new record.

“Lance just pulls the best moves, “The tour came up as a concept that just musically. I love the guy and we’ve spent so little really seemed to make sense to everyone involved. time together. As different as we are, we’re similar in It’s just so exciting, musically, because what we’re that we wanna get down to business - makin’ tunes gonna do is some Bamboos material, plus some and playin’ shows. No idle chat about plans, just Tim and You Am I material and present it as new nerd talk and bumps n’ grinds.” arrangements. We’re also gonna pick out a bunch As Rogers’ musical output in recent years of classic cover versions that we’ve always wanted attests, he’s a multi-dimensional talent, more so to do.” than most would often give him credit for.

Rogers, for his part, is feeling it too.

“A lot of people just see Tim as the raw, Contacted last week by X-Press while on set in rock god guy, but in fact there’s so many levels to Adelaide shooting a new feature film, The Boy Castaways, he was most effusive about his ongoing what he does,” Ferguson notes. “He’s someone who’s very much into the details of things. He’s not just collaboration with Ferguson and co. someone who shows up, does his thing and pisses

The Bamboos’ Lance Ferguson and Tim Rogers off, he’s really across all the fine details of the music.

Whatever image there may be, you can’t be a musician unless you are into those details. It’s something that I thought was really cool when we worked on stuff, how in-depth he was about the music.”

Even so, there’s much to look forward to in any live performance featuring everyone’s favourite wild-eyed guy in Cuban heels.

“He’s definitely that,” Ferguson laughs.“He a wild performer, he’s very inspirational in that way.

With some performers onstage there’s just a sense that anything could happen, there’s an electricity in that and a tension.

“But it’s a great tension. Tim is one of those people that creates that onstage. It’s magic.

You don’t know just what he’s gonna do, but you know that it’s gonna be cool.” _BOB GORDON 25

VISUAL ARTS Deserts And Rivers: FORM Gallery, Perth Explores country through the eyes of Aboriginal artists from the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson deserts and the country around Turkey Creek, Sturt Creek and the Fitzroy River in the east and central Kimberley. Runs ’til Jan 26.

MUSIC NAIDOC Smokefree WA Survival Perth 2013, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth Performance Jan 26

Luminous World: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge An exhibition from Wesfarmer’s significant corporate art collection, featuring more than 60 paintings, photographs and sculptures by 50 contemporary artists, including Susan Norrie, Rosemary Laing, Howard Taylor, Dale Frank, Bill Henson, Brian Blanchflower, Brook Andrew, Timothy Cook and Barrupu Yunupingu. Runs ’til Feb 11.

Traversing Antarctica: Western Australian Maritime Museum, Fremantle A rare collection of artefacts from the 1911-1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, famously led by Sir Douglas Mawson. Runs ’til Feb 23.

Picturing New York: Photographs From The Museum Of Modern Art: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Depicting the iconic New York that captivates the world’s imagination and the idiosyncratic details that define New Yorkers’ sense of home, this exhibition from MoMA’s extraordinary photography collection celebrates the city in all its vitality, ambition and beauty. Made by approximately 90 artists responding to the city as well as professionals on assignment, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, Cindy Sherman, Alfred Stieglitz, and Weegee. Runs ‘til May 12.

Made To Remember : Ar t G a l l e r y O f WA , Northbridge Made To Remember is a beautifully considered display of significant Indigenous objects from the State Art Collection. With a diverse selection of works including glass and ceramic objects, textiles and clothing, as well as examples of traditional sculpture, Made to Remember encourages dialogue about the place of an object not only in Indigenous art and culture, but in the broader Australian context. Runs ‘til Jun 30.

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE Shakespeare In The Park: Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth Shakespeare WA will give local lovers of the Bard something to laugh about this summer with the 2013 season featuring comedy of errors Much Ado About Nothing. This production will feature a local twist with the production set locally in Western Australia, at the end of the Second World War. Billed as “Shakespearemeets-Dad’s Army”, this hilarious war of the sexes will delight audiences with its mixture of star-lit romance, scheming rogues, and the silliness of the home-guard.

Runs Jan 4-Feb 2. Bookings via shakespearewa.com.

Ballet At The Quarry: Quarry Amphitheatre, Floreat Bring a picnic, relax under a starry sky and be immersed in three superbly choreographed works from around the globe as part of the 20th anniversary of Ballet At The Quarry. Showcasing two world premieres, Yes, I’ll Move For You from Cass Mortimer Eipper and Jubilaté from Daniel Roberts, and by the great Glen Tetley the West Australian premiere of a modern Everest, Voluntaries, this special season includes the music of Poulenc, Mozart and the American band, Beirut. Runs Feb 8-Mar 2. Bookings via perthfestival.com.au.

T h e M o t h e r f * * ke r W i t h T h e H a t : S t u d i o Underground, State Theatre Centre Of WA, Perth In a bold introduction to their 2013 season, Black Swan State Theatre Company presents the hysterical, irreverent, foul-mouthed Tony Award-nominated The Motherf**ker With The Hat. Set amongst New York’s Puerto Rican community the play charts the trials and tribulations of Jackie, a petty drug dealer fresh out of prison, and the users, boozers and losers who complicate his life. Runs Jan 17-Feb 3. Bookings via ticketek.com.au.

We Just Want to Be Friends We Just Want to be Friends: De Parade Teatro 1, Perth The latest theatrical work from Renegade Productions, this all ages romp looks at the nature of childhood friendship, contrasting it with the more complex relationships of adulthood. Runs from February 2 to February 24. Tickets from fringeworld.com.au 26

Casey Donovan, NAIDOC James Reyne: Nannup Amphitheatre, Nannup Performance Jan 26. Bookings via nannup.crc.net.au.

Yanni: Perth Arena, Perth Performance Jan 27. Bookings via Ticketek.

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Perth Concert Hall, Perth Performance Feb 6. Bookings via aco.com.au.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Kings Park Botanic Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 6. Bookings via Ticketmaster.

Maceo Parker: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 7. Bookings via Ticketek.

Archie Roach: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 10. Bookings via Ticketek.

David Lynch Presents Chrysta Bell: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 14. Bookings via Ticketek.

Soft Soft Loud: The Antihero Suite: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Performance Feb 14. Bookings via fac.org.au.

Celtic Thunder: Perth Arena, Perth Performance Feb 16. Bookings via Ticketek.

Cliff Richards: Sandalford Estate, Swan Valley Performance Feb 23. Bookings via sandalford.com.

Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet: Perth Concert Hall, Perth Performance Feb 27. Bookings via Ticketek.

FESTIVALS Summer Nights: Blue Room Theatre, Perth Over the last four years The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights has developed as a significant program of eclectic performance, creative development of new work and contemporary theatre experiences. In 2013 Summer Nights will progress once more and feature the premium theatre and performance offerings of the Fringe World, spread across The Blue Room Theatre and PICA performance spaces. Run Jan 25Feb 24. Bookings through blueroom.org.au.

Perth Festival: numerous locations across Perth Bringing together the best in visual arts, theatre, dance, classic and contemporary music, films, opera and more, the Perth Festival is an all encompassing celebration of art. Runs Feb7-Mar 2.

Fringe World Festival: numerous locations across Perth and surrounding suburbs Perth’s Fringe World Festival is set to massively entertain in 2013. Expanding on the success of the first full Fringe Festival in 2012, Perth will be brought to life over four jam-packed weeks with more than 300 events taking place in more than 50 traditional and nontraditional venues throughout the City of Perth and beyond. Runs Jan 25-Feb 24. Bookings through fringeworld.com.au.

Summerset Arts Festival: City Of Stirling Now in its fifth year the City of Stirling’s premier cultural celebration the Summerset Arts Festival returns for three weeks in February 2013. Jam packed with over 22 free or low cost events, the community can look forward to a mix of art exhibitions, live comedy, kids events, theatrical shows and live music.

Runs Feb 6-23.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

LOOK RIGHT THROUGH

The Sublime in the Mundane Look Right Through: Etchings and Sculpture

by Felicity Breen and Amanda Lin, runs at the Heathcote Museum and Gallery in Applecross from Saturday, January 19 until Sunday, February 4.

Amanda Lin’s path into the world of art was not a direct one. Though she always harboured a creative urge, the early stages of her life were spent in other endeavours.

“When I left school I started off in architecture,” she recalls. “But I didn’t really like the crowd there, so I went and did a Bachelor of Science. I worked in botany and agriculture. Then I had kids, and then I had the opportunity to go back into art, so I did a degree at Curtin, which I finished a couple of years ago.”

Her immersion in the art world also allowed Lin to reconnect with an old friend, Felicity Breen, herself an artist specialising in printmaking and etching.

“Felicity Breen and I have been friends since primary school,” Lin explains. “But it’s only the last few years since I did art at uni that we’ve connected in that way. We’ve both always enjoyed making things, and making things together, but we’ve spent time away from each other. It’s only recently that we’ve been able to spend more time together, and that’s why we decided to do an exhibition together, making reference to our friendship.”

The result is Look Right Through, a collection that both investigates and celebrates the common ground and contrasts that form the basis of a friendship. “We’re hoping people will see some links together, but they’re kind of abstract links between our work. She’s done mostly landscapes, so she’s pretty much inspired by the outside environment around her, whereas my work is also inspired by environment, but on a much more intimate scale.”

Indeed, while Breen’s prints are sparse, at times almost minimalist interpretations of space and light, Lin’s sculptures are intriguingly offbeat analogues of home and hearth, misshapen but engaging amalgamations of found materials and commonly found objects.

As Lin explains, one of her chief aims is to uncover the beauty of the mundane. “When

Your House Was So Beautiful by Amanda Lin I’m making art, I want to communicate an appreciation of everyday objects. I don’t use fine art materials, I don’t make bronze castings - I use everyday objects and materials, often scraps. In this exhibition I’ve used scrap cardboard, rolls, salvaged fabrics and things. I use non-traditional materials and everyday objects. Because I didn’t start out in an art background, and I had more of a domestic experience before I entered art seriously, I still do connect very strongly to the domestic environment, and that’s also a connection to the everyday. I want what I make to be accessible to everyone.”

For all their differences, Lin maintains that her work and Breen’s are complimentary.

“Most of my work is actually based around the direct, personal space around the human figure. They’re like shelters or mini-houses for a human figure. My forms could fit into the wider environment of Felicity’s etchings.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON

2011 Equity Awards Winners

2013 EQUITY GUILD THEATRE AWARDS Glittering Gala

The cream of the Western Australian drama scene will toast their successes at the 2013 Equity Guild Theatre Awards on Wednesday, January 23, at The Spiegeltent in the Perth Cultural Centre. For more information, go to equityguild.org.au.

Forget the just-been-and-gone Golden Globes or the almost-upon-us Oscars, for actors and drama professionals in Perth, The Equity Guild Awards are the statue season’s night of nights.

Established in 2000 as a way to honour outstanding achievement in the field of live theatrical performance, they are now one of the longest running and most well established awards of their kind in Australia.

“This is out 13th year,” Equity Guild President Monica Main tells us. “Which is phenomenal.”

Any professional theatrical exhibition is eligible for nomination, although Main stresses that the awards limit their purview to non-amateur productions. Even then, the criteria for eligibility is quite broad.

“Basically,” she explains. “Anyone who is in a show where all the cast are going to have access to getting paid, whether it’s a funded theatre company like Black Swan or Spare Parts, or an independent artist setting up a co-op or putting on a show at the Blue Room Theatre where everyone in the show is getting a cut of the door. It’s not people in an amateur www.xpressmag.com.au

theatre company - it’s for people who are pursuing this as a professional livelihood.”

Run on a non-profit basis, organising and judging the awards is a huge undertaking. “Our awards are run by volunteers,” Main says. “So it’s a huge burden of work and a huge effort for those people organising it, and trying to maintain the professionalism of the judging and the consistency.

It’s a huge amount of work, even though it’s a oneoff event, because you’ve got three judges seeing all the shows throughout the year, which is an amazing amount when you consider all the companies around Perth doing things, plus the independent companies... it’s a big effort, but worth it.”

Judging is undertaken by a triumvirate of volunteers, who are rotated out on a regular basis. As Main explains, “Those three people have three year terms, and we try to get a cross-section of people: someone who’s just from the general public - a theatre luvvie, someone who loves going to the theatre; someone from the media; and someone from the industry. They’re very broad categories, but we want to make sure we have three judges who are coming from different backgrounds and perspectives. If you have three people who are just the same, you’re not going to get the nice showbag of nominees that we like to get.”

Though there is a great deal of speculation - and maybe more than a little friendly rivalry - Main change to contends that the atmosphere and spirit is one of cooperation, not competition. “Our main priority is the wellbeing, livelihood, and excellence of performers in Western Australia, and so it’s about celebrating all those different elements that go in to make up a great piece of theatre.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON 27

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DJ YODA THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE

Those who have experienced a DJ Yoda set will undoubtedly never have heard anything remotely similar. ANDREW NELSON catches up with the British mix-master extraordinaire to find out whether he’s managed to capture this uniqueness on his new record Chop Suey and whether he’ll be pulling out surprises at his upcoming show at Villa.

Imagine one of those talking heads shows fronted by Bert Newton where they countdown something like the top 20 movie catchphrases from the ‘80s accompanied by ‘hilarious’ comments from Z-list celebrities who seem to be an authority on everything. Now throw in some upfront hip hop tracks, some guilty pleasure pop tunes, a smattering of TV themes and a good dose of scratching, cutting and expert mixing. This is the sound of DJ Yoda. The shows of Duncan Beiny (as he’s otherwise known) are unlike any other DJ on the planet. One night you could hear the theme tune from M*A*S*H over some block-party beats or the dialogue from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off synced into an ‘80s soft-rock anthem. You just never know what to expect. However, this style wasn’t really something he developed consciously.

“I didn’t deliberately set out to do that but now that’s the way I’m very happy about it,” he explains over the phone during a break in his two month tour around these parts.“I’ve watched different trends in dance music and DJing come and go and I just feel very happy to watch it and be no part of it whatsoever. It’s served me pretty well to be true to what I love when I DJ. I’m very honest about the stuff that I like, even if other people might consider it’s sometimes not cool to be playing country and western music or ‘80s music or whatever. I just play what I like and stay honest to myself and I think that automatically sets a DJ apart from anyone else.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

www.xpressmag.com.au

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DJ Yoda After leaving university in the ‘90s, Beiny started to produce mixtapes containing this mish-mash of genres that took his fancy and the popularity of these grew so much that he was asked by Antidote Records to produce an official version, which was released as How To Cut & Paste Mix Tape Vol.1. Another volume has since been released along with an ‘80s, a ‘30s and a country and western version and so the legacy of Yoda began, where any track or sample is ripe to be played but is there anything he would never play?

“I would never say never,” he cheekily replies. “I remember reading this quote from DJ Q-Bert when I was growing up - he said ‘If you give me any record I’ll find a way to flip it, it can be an opera record or whatever I’ll find a way to make it work’. I find that really inspiring. I love the idea that you can take any sound and make something cool out of it, so I would never say never.”

Another feature of a Yoda performance is the speed at which everything happens - tracks and references appear and disappear within seconds, constantly keeping the audience on their toes.“That comes down to just having a short attention span,” he explains. “A lot of the time when I DJ, I only have an hour and a half to play and there’s too much good music in the world. So I’m like ‘this song’s cool, how about this one and how about this one’. I also think that as a guest DJ especially in somewhere like Australia where I’ve flown all the way across the world to come here, it seems to be a waste to stand there and let a record play for five minutes.

I’m all the way over here because I wanna bring something to the mix that you couldn’t just have anyone do, I wanna mix stuff up, make it interesting in a way that a computer couldn’t do.”

It’s this sort of energy and fun that Beiny has brought to his second record Chop Suey. Just one look at the track-list with titles such as Charlie Sheen, Sega RIP and Big Trouble In Little China is evidence enough that he’s managed to transfer the

madcap nature of his sets to CD format. “I worked with different vocalists on every song on the album, so there’s a whole bunch of people on there, a really eclectic mix of rappers and singers,” he says.

“I wanted the lineup of vocalists on the album to be really representative of my music taste. So you have stuff on there that’s representing music that I listened to as a kid in the ‘80s like Boy George and Mike Winslow (the sound effects guy) from the Police Academy movies and then you have stuff on there that represents the ‘90s rap music I used to love, people like M.O.P. and Greg Nice from Nice & Smooth and then you have this new generation of music that I like, people are who the future of music for me, like Action Bronson - one of the best rappers out now and Sway - one of my favourites from the UK. There’s all these different people on there and it hopefully all comes together and represents the sound that I’m all about.”

With his second visit to Perth this summer just around the corner, Beiny has been working out what extra treats he can bring forth to keep things as unique as ever but he’s rather coy as to what they are when quizzed. “I don’t want to give it away as it will ruin the surprise,” he concludes. Can’t wait.

TRIPLE X

UK indie-electro-pop trio The xx have just released their new single Sunset to coincide with they’re upcoming Australian tour. The band’s second album, Coexist, impressively debuted at #2 on the ARIA charts last year, with similar chart-topping results around the globe. First hitting Australian shores as part of the Laneway Festival back in 2010, this precociously talented trio pre-empted the release of Coexist in July by playing two triumphant eastern state’s shows, both selling out in minutes. This time, Perth will be getting a look in - see them and their incredibly atmospheric live show at Metro City on Tuesday, April 2. Tickets are on sale now from handsometours.com/current/ the-xx-3/.

» DJ YODA » FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 @ VILLA

Miguel Migs

A-LIST DEEP HOUSE

The coolest San Franciscan in the universe, Miguel Migs, is returning to Perth for a seductive night of house at Villa on Friday, February 15. Migs began making music in the ‘90s and by the time the new millennium dawned, a string of releases on numerous leading deep house record labels had earned him an enviable reputation worldwide. He’d also become a stalwart of the hugely influential Naked Music stable with his singles, remixes and compilations under his Petalpusher moniker. His recent album Outside The Skyline moves into reggae and dub, classic rock, blues, funk and soul. He’ll be supported by Makitan, Oli and James A. Do it. Tickets are on sale from Moshtix from tomorrow, Thursday, January 17.

BOILER ROOM PARTY BOILER ROOM The Bakery / The Velvet Lounge Saturday/Sunday, January 12/13, 2013 For anyone into underground dance music, the London Boiler Room parties have become a seminal institution, featuring the finest DJs from around the world. They setup in undisclosed, invite only small dark rooms, a fixed camera facing the DJ, the audience behind them and the video is streamed to the world.

They have showcased artists the likes of Thom Yorke, Four Tet, Jamie XX, Bonobo, SBTRKT, Marcel Dettman and ?uestlove. It’s the height of cool, so it took everyone by surprise when it was announced BR was coming to Perth for a couple shows to feature our local talent. Last weekend, Perth represented to the world what we’re all about and we did ourselves proud. There was house, techno, trap, garage, soul, live sets. The Bakery gig had a bigger vibe and featured Leon Osborn, Cosmo Gets and Savoir (who killed it with their live set!) amongst others. The Velvet Lounge was smaller, darker and more like a Boiler Room party and Ta-Ku, Kit Pop and YLEM stepped onto the global stage – along with the crowd, who were literally behind them. Big Ups Boiler Room!

Big Ups Good Company! Big Ups Perth! _ALFRED GORMAN

Clubfeet

CLUBFEET GRACE US WITH THEIR BEATS

Melbourne synth-pop five piece Clubfeet are coming back to town to play Speakeasy. Their new record Heirs & Graces is out this Friday, January 18, and they’ll be showcasing tunes from the album on their upcoming national tour. Make sure you pencil in Saturday, February 23, at Villa, in your dance-diary so you don’t miss witnessing this synth-onslaught. Hit up Moshtix for tickets. Yeow!

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

JOE NICE SLICE & DICE

Mr Dubstep - Baltimore DJ and producer Joe Nice - is coming to town for the debut of a new night - Inna Circle. Nice has been bringing bass to the people for years. RK chats with the lad ahead of his appearance down under.

“Music has always been a part of my life,” chimes Nice. “It’s in me. It’s who I am. My father played steel drums when I came to America as a little boy; I played trombone in grade school and high school – and now after growing up in Baltimore, it is home and it’s where I make my music.”

Yet, despite the honorary title praised upon him by many (that of being ‘dubstep’ in the USA), Nice remains humble and measured, nothing like you might expect. “I don’t know whether it’s a blessing or a curse – but a fair statement, probably,” he suggests. Indeed, he

claims that he started playing dubstep in 2001, squarely earning him ‘pioneer’ status. “I’ll put 2001 into perspective,” he professes proudly.

“Barack Obama was a senator. LeBron James was in high school. Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, James Brown, Barry White, Luther Vandross and Isaac Hayes were all alive. That’s when I started.

“To be honest, I don’t know of anyone stateside that played dubstep consistently before me. I was a dubstep DJ and over the years, I feel I have transitioned into being a DJ that plays dubstep. I know I’ve always wanted to make a difference and share my passion, which is music. I’ve been inspired by the DJs I grew up watching when I started – guys like DJ Boobie, DJ Technics, Marc Henry and Shawn Caesar.

“I never felt cheated when I saw them play. When they played, they brought an energy to the dancefloor that was undeniable. It was more than just playing tunes. It was mixing. It was vibes. It’s what I wanted to do when I started buying records. I wanted to make other people feel the way they made me feel. These Baltimore Club DJs were my inspiration growing up.”

The dubstep scene – remains a favourite of the urban-heads who grew up on a diet of hip hop and funk and were treated to a modern interpretation of older genres without the association with any commercial movement

or music per se. “It is love it or hate it,” he agrees.

“But when it’s right, there’s nothing better. When it’s wrong, it’s the worst thing though. It’s not like other music. There are some things in life that are good even when they’re average: pizza and ice cream are examples. You can’t screw them up.

You can screw up dubstep.

“I get annoyed when I tell people I play dubstep; then artists are mentioned that have no business being mentioned as dubstep. No energy. No life. No vibes.

No soul. No bass. Just noise. I’m just about playing dubstep the way it was intended to be played; big bass, percussion and vibes.”

Finally, Nice is heading back to Australia for what can only be described as a highly anticipated event. “Expect the unexpected,” he says of his forthcoming set at Inna Circle. “My setup is three Technics M3D decks and an Allen & Heath Xone 62 mixer. This is my second trip to Australia and it will be all dub plates, all of the time.”

» JOE NICE » INNA CIRCLE » SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 @ GILKISONS

Joe Nice

THE BACKYARD PROJECT ONTO A GOOD THING

The Backyard Project (Darren J)

The Backyard Project is an international online radio station,a platform for local DJs and producers to showcase their skills. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with Antonio Papalia, the lad behind the business and music management side of The Backyard Project.

It’s been a year since The Backyard Project launched in December 2011. Aimed at creating and inspiring a platform for local talent to showcase their skills and their original works to a local and international audience, The Backyard Project is an online radio station which is broadcast from a backyard of a house.

But, with the project now having run for a year, Antonio Papalia says The Backyard crew are looking at hunting down a venue to move the studio to. “[We’re] looking at a venue this year to maybe move the studio out into a more public place where we can have people come down and have coffees and check out the studio and how it works,” he says.

But, the focus at the moment is on The Backyard Project’s first year birthday celebrations.“Josh [Samuel, founder] was trying to do it last year... we’ve changed it [and] decided to do it at Flawless and make it into a bit of a club night,” he says.

Initially The Backyard Project was aimed at creating a platform for local DJs to showcase their skills but the direction is changing. “I’ve got Rodriguez coming from Mexico for Geisha [Bird On The Wire] which is on the first of February but more intentions are to get Perth DJs on an international platform so I have to bring a couple of internationals over to help Backyard grow as an international name,” he says.

“The whole point for the whole year is really is to use the studio as a breeding ground and for DJs to develop and grow, especially the younger ones who I see as having potential and talent to be on an international circuit level. So that’s the direction that I’ve taken for the year and for the future of Backyard.”

In a year, The Backyard Project have done extremely well - nominated for two Perth Dance Music Awards last year (Best Radio Show and Best Dance Music Website) and now host a grand roster of local talent. Papalia is hoping that the first birthday occasion for The Backyard Project will be a family celebration for all those involved and that, holding the night at Flawless might bring new projects to the surface. “We’re looking to go back fortnightly and try resurrecting the Flawless which was before, back in the day, quite a good venue in Subiaco,” he says. “I like the refurbishment that they’ve done in there.”

» THE BACKYARD PROJECT » BIRD ON THE WIRE » FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 @ GEISHA www.xpressmag.com.au

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Surecut Kids

SURECUT KIDS CHILD’S PLAY

Gold Coast party boys Surecut Kids bring their hyper-fuelled show to Ambar on Friday, January 18. RYAN BUTLER spoke to the duo before the party kicks off.

Don’t let their status as relative newcomers fool you, Surecut Kids are getting shit done.

Made up of the energetic Benji and enigmatic Mikey Likey, the Queensland duo have been flat out with a succession of remixes and singles, 2012’s Dayum Girl EP, mixtapes and regular slots up and down the east coast at hugely popular party nights including Neverland on their native Gold Coast and Purple Sneakers in Sydney. According to Benji, we’re also not far out from a full-length debut release from the boys.

“We’re working on it,” Benji says. “We’ve been working on it for ages. We were saying that we wanted to have it finished by July last year but we had remixes to do for other people and another single to prepare and stuff just keeps getting in the road. We’ve got 15 more songs sitting there pretty much finished and we’re working pretty hard on it now so hopefully the start of this year we’ll be wrapping up the demos and just seeing what we can do with it, developing the idea of the album.”

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With a stream of work and shows stretching the length of the Great Barrier Reef ahead of them, the pair says their chemistry is what makes it all click.“We’re like the same person but completely opposite,” he says. “It works perfectly; we’re like a married couple I suppose. Mikey [Likey] is the more relaxed, confident one and I’m the confident, panicky one but we have almost identical taste in things so as one person we become the right type of human. I couldn’t imagine hanging out with anyone as much as we hang out, we never fight or disagree that much so it’s a little dreamboat partnership.”

“It works really well for getting projects to completion too,” Mikey adds. “One way we’re opposite is I’m like ‘Yep, that’ll do, I’m stoked on this let’s put it out’, and Ben’s a perfectionist and will want to work on things for way longer and get it perfect. If it were up to me things would be unfinished and out in the world and if it were up to Ben things might not ever get released.”

They boys are looking to make Perth another one of their regular stomping grounds as they head west again. “We love Perth, we’ve done it three times now,” Mikey says. “We haven’t been anywhere else in WA yet but Perth’s amazing and we’re keen to get back over there and explore a bit further. It’s going to be a lot of bass music, a bunch of trap and dancehall stuff, heaps of air horns and lasers and confetti but I guess that’s pretty typical of one of our shows.”

» SURECUT KIDS » FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 @ AMBAR

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

YOLANDA BE COOL

MENTAL AS ANYTHING Yolanda Be Cool are the duo who produced We Speak No Americano.

You’d know the track even if you think you don’t. TARA LLOYD chats with the duo about their debut record Ladies & Mentalmen.

If you said you hadn’t heard Yolanda Be Cool’s smash hit We No Speak Americano, you’d be lying.

The ridiculously catchy track propelled the Aussie duo of Sylvester Martinez and Johnson Peterson into the spotlight and into top positions on the charts - so why did they stage a product recall of the tune?

“Like all product recalls, we had received legal advice from our lawyer advising it was necessary,” Peterson explains, from the band’s “very messy studio” in Rushcutters Bay. “In his words, the beats were no longer fresh.”

Those with a hankering for fresh beats need look no further than the band’s latest offering, Ladies & Mentalmen. “It took us two years to write so it was certainly a considered effort,” Hadley says of the band’s more mature direction, inspired by artists like Moby, Basement Jaxx and Groove Armanda.

“When we decided we would write an album, we had a really good think of the artists, past and present, who have inspired us. We kept coming back to those artists, who had absolute club bangers, weird B-sides and everything in between.

“We certainly didn’t want to make 12 songs that sound like the one we’ve just recalled.

With Ladies & Mentalmen, there is a real cross section of vibes and moods,” he said.

First single off the album is the gritty, infectious dance track Change, featuring American hip hop artist Nora Darling on vocals.“Nola Darling, we found by trawling the net for dope rappers and hitting them up over email which eventually led to

www.xpressmag.com.au

MARKSMAN

CALYX & TEEBEE

Local hip hop lad Mark ‘Marksman’ Lloyd has released two offerings within seven months - his debut The Bridges In Spain was released last April and now, the wordsmith who spent his formative years as a battle MC and fairing well on the spoken word poetry circuit, has released Lions On The Beach - his sophomore release.

Kicking off with the brilliant All Falls Down with its up-tempo, catchy chorus, it’s Whisky Winter who stars alongside Marksman on this track.

Dreamers offers up a soft ballad with a summery-lounge beat underscoring the tune and Marksman’s rhymes. It’s the beautiful, sultry slices of piano weaved in and out of the track which makes Dreamers stand out from this collection of beats.

Singer-songwriter Sophie Hopes adds the finishing touch to Apple Orchard with her soulful vocals comparable to Amy Winehouse.

Mediocreville has a happy, exciting chorus despite chatter about being “raised in Mediocreville”.

Top production thanks to Creed Birch and ASAP and a stellar list of feature artists, this is a fine body of work which Marksman should be proud of. Definitely worth a listen if you’re into local hip hop or the world of rhymes in general.

Difficult to pigeon whole at the best of times, drum’n’bass duo Calyx & Teebee’s sophomore album and latest offering has a wide scope, encompassing everything from dubstep, hip hop and jazz influences.

Released on Andy C’s legendary Ram Records at the end of 2012, this 12 tracker is the culmination of what must have been a busy year for the two, preceded by two EPs all put out on Ram. Well known for delivering tight production, this long awaited follow up to their debut album Anatomy (2007) is forward thinking and delivers the expert precision we’re all used to from them. There’s definitely some Noisa-esk moments with We Fall Away and the rock influenced You’ll Never Take Me Alive, which features beat boxing extraordinaire Beardyman on vocals. The deep, vocal-led minimalism of Elevate This Sound and the more down-tempo Strung Out add some introspection, while their signature brand of neurofunk hasn’t been discarded with dark, all on the floor number Scavenger and the deep minimalism of Starstruck, Back & Forth and Nothing I Can Say. Hip hop also gets a look in with We Become One featuring Foreign Beggars and DJ Craze, while a collaboration with super MC Kemo offers a jazz fusion reminiscent of Roni Size’s work.

Although the LP covers much ground, it still provides enough actual drum’n’bass goodness to satisfy those more comfortable with safer territory. All Or Nothing is definitely something worth checking out. » JO CAMPBELL 4/5

ALL OR NOTHING RAM RECORDS

LIONS ON THE BEACH BANDCAMP Yolanda Be Cool us meeting them in LA and we performed the track live at the Dim Mak pool party, which was really fun.”

And fans don’t have to worry; this track, at least, doesn’t stray too far from that trademark Yolanda Be Cool sound. “The album is pretty diverse and we didn’t want to instantly stray too far from what we had done before, plus we had been playing the tracks in our sets and it was completely rocking, so we felt like it was a good one.”

Nola Darling is just the first in a slew of rad collaborations for the album. Gurrumul, Fastlife, Crystal Waters and Chrissie Hart all make an appearance. “The collaborators we have on the internet are a mix of people we met on the internet, people we bumped into somewhere in the world, or in the case of Chrissie Hart, She’s Johnson’s cousin and sings on our ballad, Let It Go,” Peterson says.

“The collaboration with Gurrumul is a good one. Sylvester’s [Martinez] neighbour is deeply rooted in the music scene of indigenous Australia and with his help, we were able to get in touch with the Gurrumul camp and convince them that we could make something that would respect Gurrumul but allow his music to reach a different audience.”

There was one elusive collaboration Peterson wouldn’t mind chasing, though. “We did get in the studio with Pharrell [Williams] and he did start rapping over the beat that became Change but in the end we didn’t get to record him,” he says.“That would have been a dream. We’re still hoping to do something with him.”

» YOLANDA BE COOL » LADIES & MENTALMEN [SWEAT IT OUT] » OUT NOW

» ANNABEL MACLEAN 3.5/5

THIS WEEK

CRAZY P REMIXED (VINYL)

2020 Vision are dropping a killer remix package of Crazy P shortly. It’s taken from the Crazy P Remixes album which is released this month and includes exclusive remixes fom the likes of Burnski, Bonar Bradberry and Wolf + Lamb. Check it out yo.

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SETS ON THE BEACH

WEDNESDAY 16/01 Bar One Twenty – Felix Blvd Tavern – Wub Wub Brass Monkey – DJ Jewel (upstairs) Captain Stirling – Fiveo Clancy’s (Applecross) – Upbeat – DJ Andy Connections – DJs Joby /JJ /Rueben Eurobar – Wild Wednesdays - DJ iPod/ Ben Pettit Eve Nightclub – DJ Crazy Craig Flying Scotsman – UniQue DJs/ DJ Bones/ DJ Moflow Gold Bar – DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Indi Bar – Kid Mac/Sam Perry Leederville Hotel – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick/ DJ Vison/ DJ Reuben Llama Bar – Jo 19 Matches Bar – Pussymittens Mustang – DJ Giles Newport Hotel – Drummond Vs Buda/ DJ Phat & Evan Sovereign Arms – Lockie Shaw The Deen – DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Grand Central – DJ ANG3L The Queens – Wriggle on YaYa’s – DJ Paul Burgess

THURSDAY 17/01 Claremont Hotel – Institution Thursdays ft DJs Bryn Jones/ James Thorne Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ Andy M Empire Bar – Halo/ DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Eve Nightclub – Retro Thursdays DJ Tony Allen Flying Scotsman – Round Sounds Gidget Duck/Muldoon Wing Leisure Inn – DJ Peta

SCARBOROUGH BEACH

Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Library – Dorcia Llama Bar – Danni Boi/ Charlie Bucket Mint Nightclub – DJ Simon Barwood Mojos Bar – Kid Mac/Sam Perry Mt Henry Tavern – DJ Matty J Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick Mustang – DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Tim (From Mills Records)/Tahli Jade Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – MASH South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – Jon Ee The Bakery – Action Bronson The Carine Tavern – Punchy & Juicy/ Little Nicky The Causeway – Jaymie Franchina The Craftsman – Roger Smart The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The East End Bar – The Prestige ft Az-T The Grand Central – Roger Smart The Queens – DJ Riki The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley The Whistling Kite – DJ Gareth Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin

FRIDAY 18/01 Admiral Hotel – DJ Beats & MC Amplifier – DJ Jamie Mac Ambar – Surecut Kids/Blend/Marty McFly/Black & Blunt Bar 459 – DJ Smurf Bar Orient – The Reggae Club Blvd Tavern – DJ Andy Boheme Bar – DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy

DJ Gusto

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THE COURT

Brass Monkey – DJ Viktor/DJ James Ess/Green George Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern – DJ Misschief Mel Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Claremont Hotel – DJ Tea King Club Bayview – Amnesia ft Fendi/ Axon/ Fellis Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – Fiveo Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi Flawless – DJ Ryan Flying Scotsman – DJs Jo19/ Rok Riley/ Armee Ginger Nightclub – Rondevoo Fridayz Gosnells Club – DJ Now Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Curlee/ Drew Green Lakers Tavern – Grizzly And Friends Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – DJ Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – Jim Pearson/ Jehan/ Ben Edit/ DJ Cee Matches Bar – Alberto Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – Frat House Fridays: Death Disco DJs Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Gusto Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Tom Drummond Vs Tahli Jade Norma Jean’s – DJ Waz Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Rocket Room – Extreme Aggression ft DJ Cain Sail & Anchor – Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Settlers Tavern – Kid Mac/Sam Perry Sovereign Arms – ANG3L The Avenue – Lockie Shaw The Bakery – Peanut Butter Wolf/Jonti The Brown Fox – Jon Ee The Carine – Az-T The Causeway – Jus Haus?

The East End Bar – Az-T The Generous Squire – DJ Anaru The Good Shepherd – Droog/Culprit.

Get Physical The Grand – The Jinx Project The Shed – Krank/ DJ Glenn 20 The Queens – DJ Rueben The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 The Whale & Ale – DJ Spinback Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly The Vic – DJ Giles

PARAMOUNT

The Wembley Hotel – Abstar Whale & Ale – DJ Spinback Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Velvet Lounge – Boudica Tash Hunt/ Gracie & Sistym/Miss Deameanour/ Carla Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup

SATURDAY 19/01 Admiral Hotel – DJ Beats & MC Ambar – Japan 4 Buda, Oli, Micah, Tee EL, MR eD Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Boab Tavern – Mark Storie Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Brass Monkey – DJ Peta (downstairs)/ DJ Jewel (upstairs) Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Roger Smart/ Matt Richards/ Ben Dallin Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Capitol – Death Disco Claremont Hotel – Fiveo/ J.V.R Club Bay View – Fiveo Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve Nightclub – DJ Crazy Craig Flying Scotsman – Under The Influence DJs Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Fore DJs Gilkisons Dance Studio – Inna Circle ft Goth-Trad/ Joe Nice/ New York Transit Authority/ Ghost Mutt/ Deville and more High Road Hotel – DJ Simon High Wycombe – DJ Matt Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Saxon/ Sardi The Leederville - DJ VIson/ DJ Morgan Library – MKT ft DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor and more Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Liquid Nightclub – DJ Klar55/ DJ Stevie M Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Melvin Malt Super Club – Fiveo Matches Bar – Jstokes Metro City (Climax) – DJ Francesco/ DJ Don Migi/ DJ Slick Metro City (R&B Lounge) – DJ Soso/ DJ Ruthless/ DJ Brett Costello Metro Freo – The Vengaboys ft Roger Smart/DJ Wazz/Ben Carter Metro Freo – I Love 90s DJ DTuck Mint Nightclub – Pop Life ft DJ Aaron/ AJ Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Danny Mustang – Rockabilly DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Gravity Niche – Frankie Button/ Cee/ Jonny Zimber

Kid Mac Norma Jeans – DJ Phat Daz Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount – Felix Prince Of Wales – Kid Mac/Sam Perry Queens Tav – Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Perry South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Fiveo The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Causeway – Rhys Johnson The Clink –Az-T The Cornerstone – Jazalenko The Craftsman – Michael Brittliff The Deen – DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The East End Bar – Fiveo The Generous Squire – On Tap ft DJ James Nutley The Grand Central – Armee The Queens – Kenny L The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Andyy/ Huge The Wembley – Lokie Shaw The Whistling Kite – Gavyn Mytchel The Vic – DJ Kristian Tiger Lils – DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Toucan – DJ Hages Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy

Eve Nightclub – DJ Slick Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic Mint – Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys Newport Hotel – DSB DJs Paramount – Glo/ DJ Slick/ DJ Benny C/ DJ Matty S Players Bar – Lucky Charm Rocket Room – Coyote Ugly Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Bakery – ESG/Mei Saraswati/Rok Riley/MmHmmm/Ben Taaffe/Mama Cass/Pex The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – James Wilson and more

MONDAY 21/01 Bar Orient – DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Mario Tavelli Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy

TUESDAY 22/01

SUNDAY 20/01

Bar Orient – DJ Lyndon Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Clancy’s Dunsborough – Kid Mac/ High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Sam Perry Players Bar (Norma Jeans Bar) – Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Stevie M Clink – DJ Tony Allen Empire Bar – CB3/ DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Wanneroo Tavern – DJ Pup Euro Bar – DJ Flex

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL

TIGER LILS

FRAT HOUSE FRIDAY

METRO FREO

IN THE THIS WEEK

COMING UP

Rewind ft Spinderella (Salt N Pepa) Sunday, January 27 @ Villa Proxy Kid Mac Wednesday, January 16 @ Indi Wednesday, January 23 @ Big Day Out ft The Bloody Ambar Bar Beetroots/ Crystal Castles/ Kaskade/ Pretty Lights/ Mind Electric Kid Mac Wednesday, January 23 @ Nicky Romero/ Morgan Thursday, January 17 @ Mojos Newport Hotel Page/ Sampology and more Bar Monday, Januar y 28 @ Beach Party ft Purple Claremont Showground Sneaker DJs/ Death Disco Action Bronson The Presets Thursday, January 17 @ The DJs Friday, January 25 @ Metro Thursday, January 31 @ Metro Bakery Freo Freo Peanut Butter Wolf/ Jonti House Masters f t Pete Griffiths Friday, Januar y 18 @ The Derrick Carter/ James A/Lee Friday, February 1 @ The Bakery Wilson /Flex Newport Friday, January 25 @ Geisha Kid Mac Above & Beyond Friday, January 18 @ Settlers Heavyweight Soundz ft Friday, February 1 @ Metro City Andy C & MC GQ Tavern Friday, January 25 @ Metro Wolfgang Gartner City Friday, February 1 @ Villa DJ Gusto Friday, January 18 @ Mullaloo Old Skool Boat Parties Force Majeure ft Emoh Beach Hotel ft Miggy and more Instead Friday, January 25 @ Barrack Friday, February 1 @ Ambar Kid Mac St Jetty Saturday, January 19 @ Prince Ministry of Sound: Fresh Produce: Chicks Sounds of Dubstep ft of Wales In Kicks Edition Calvertron/Killafoe/Get Inna Circle ft Goth-Trad/ Friday, January 25 @ Ambar More/Riot Class/ Dr Space Friday, February 1 @ Shape Joe Nice/ New York Transit DJ Gusto Authority/ Ghost Mutt/ Friday, January 25 @ Capitol Scotty Boy Deville and more Friday, February 8 @ Newport S a t u r d a y, J a n u a r y 1 9 @ DJ Sasha Hotel Gilkisons Dance Studio Friday, January 25 @ Villa Bass Agenda 2 ft Klute/ Stafford Brothers & Gridlok/ Prolix/ Nymfo/ Vengaboys Saturday, January 19 @ Metro Timmy Trumpet Rregula/ Voltron/ MCS: Saturday, January 26 @ Eve XSESSIV & Bear Freo & Stylee Nightclub Saturday, February 9 @ Villa Kid Mac Peter Van Hoesen Habitat Garden Party Sunday, January 20 @ Clancy’s Saturday, January 26 @ Bakery ft Felix Cartel / M.A.N.D.Y/ Dunsborough Butch/ Edu Imbernon Purple Sneaker DJs February 10 @ The ESG ft Mei Saraswati/Rok Saturday, Januar y 26 @ Sunday, Court Riley/MmHmmm/Ben Taaffe/ Amplifier Mama Cass/Pex Miguel Migs Starr Sunday, January 20 @ The Riva Saturday, January 26 @ Salt On Friday, February 15 @ Villa Bakery The Beach Future Classic Showcase Australia Day Long ft Scenic/ Panama/ Flight Weekend ft Gary (Geordie Facilities/ Mitzi Saturday, February 16 @ The Shore) Sunday, January 27 @ Eve Chevron Festival Gardens Nightclub Flosstradamus UV Par ty f t Death Saturday, February 16 @ Shape Disco DJs Sunday, January 27 @ Metro Marcell Dettmann Action Bronson Freo Sunday, February 17 @ Venue TBC ACTION BRONSON Dirtybird Records Tour ft Macklemore & Ryan Claude VonStroke/ Justin THURSDAY, JANUARY Martin/ J Phlip Lewis February 17 @ 17 @ THE BAKERY Sunday, January 27 @ Ambar Sunday, Chevron Festival Gardens

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DJ Yoda Friday, February 22 @ Villa Blawan Saturday, February 23 @ Shape Mac Miller Saturday, February 23 @ Metro Freo Huxley Saturday, February 23 @ Shape

2NA AND CHIPS

SETS ON THE BEACH ft Chali 2na/ Bag Raiders/ All Good Funk Alliance and more Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre Sunday, January 13, 2013

Now in its third year, ‘Sets’ as it is fondly known, has become an anticipated date(s) on our summer calendar, with Offworld bringing us a handpicked selection of quality artists featured over three parties during the summer (I’m including March in Summer Slaughterhouse Saturday, March 2 @ Metro City – deal with it). You really can’t get a more picturesque setting for a Sunday session and it’s surprising it’s Future Music Festival ft The taken this long for us to embrace such an obviously Prodigy/ The Stone Roses/ PSY/ Dizzee Rascal/ Bloc Party/ brilliant idea.

It was one of the finest lineups yet, jamAzealia Banks/ Rita Ora/ Boys Noize (live)/ Hardwell/ The packed with a nice mix of hip hop, funk, house and Temper Trap/ Fun./ Madeon/ electro. After a barrage of relentlessly hot and sunny Rudimental/ Ellie Goulding/ days, Sunday greeted us with grey and gloomy skies, Steve Aoki/ Alesso/ Gypsy & though it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, and was still The Cat/ A-Trak (live)/ Feed hot enough for punters to don their most minimal Me (live)/ Zeds Dead/ Kill The beachwear.

Noise/ DJ Fresh (live)/ Nervo/ Kicking things off early were AB+ and Zane Lowe/ Borgore/ Sven Vath/ Richie Hawtin/ Ricardo Lightsteed who got the decent sized early crowd in Villalobos/ Seth Troxler/ the mood. The ‘steed displaying his usual immaculate Magda/ Cosmic Gate ft Emma selection, dropping in the Beach Boys classic Kokomo Hewitt/ W&W/ tyDi/ Andy at the end of his set.

Moor/ Super8 & Tab/ Ben Those early birds were also rewarded Gold/ The Stafford Brothers/ with an exclusive set from up and coming UK star Timmy Trumpet/ Tenzin/ Psychemagik, who spun a sunshiney, psychedelic Bombs Away Sunday, March 3 @ Arena set of funked up and blissed out beats as beachballs bounced around.

Joondalup Local star and scene veteran Fdel is a DJ Smokey’s Tour ft Urthboy and producer of the highest calibre and has taken Friday, March 8 @ Mojos things to the next level with a full seven-piece live band fleshing out the funky, soulful sounds and hip Smokey’s Tour ft Urthboy hop grooves for which he is renowned.

Saturday, March 9 @ Amplifier Fort Knox Recordings veterans All Good Sets On The Beach ft lineup Funk Alliance also impressed in the late arvo.

Speakeasy ft Clubfeet Saturday, February 23 @ Villa

Purveyors of fine beats and solid grooves, one of the duo represented, dishing it out from behind his laptop while MC Thinktank took it to the crowd.

Around 5.30pm Al and Felix from Hot Chip stepped up, and immediately lifted the mood with some pumping house beats. Mixing in snippets of their own tunes, as well as band-mate Joe Goddard’s awesome Gabriel, it was a no-messing-around set of proper dance music, enhanced by the solid visual production.

Then, as the sun set, it was time for the big man, sporting a Bulls singlet from his beloved Chicago, Chali 2na from the legendary hip hop crew Jurassic 5. Perth’s always had a lot of love for J5 and while you had the feeling a lot of the young crowd didn’t know much of their material, Chali is such a commanding performer and loveable guy, he was warmly embraced by the crowd.

His talented three-piece band kept it locked down tight – keys, drums and an incredibly funky seven-string(!) bass player. While Chali’s lost nothing of his unique flow, rapid fire booming baritone, along with conscious, political lyrics. He declared “All around the world, the radio is some bullshit!” and tonight he would be the radio station - he worked through some newer material, reggae numbers and phrases of popular songs, even ragtime but gladly included a couple J5 classics, with Freedom and the brilliant What’s Golden.

He dedicated a track to his late father “Papa 2na” and gave the band a chance to shine with some instrumentals. It’s hard not to love the man and he had the packed bowl eating out of his hand.

Sydney party starters Bag Raiders finished off the night in fine fashion. These boys played the first Sets and have gone from strength to strength since the release of their debut. As DJs, they provide a perfect balance of accessible, commercial-edged tunes with more underground house like Duke Dumont’s wicked track, The Giver. Hands were in the air. A perfect end to a great day.

» ALFRED GORMAN

TBC Sunday,March 17 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre The Uni-Verse Tour ft Drapht Thursday, March 28 @ The Rosemount Jason Lema Friday, March 29 @ Mullaloo Beach Hotel The XX Tuesday, April 2 @ Metro City Jason Lema Friday, April 4 @ The Dusk Lounge

Chali 2na (photo by Daniel Craig)

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

ROCKET TO HELL ROCKET TO MEMPHIS Les Sataniques/The White Pointerz Devilles Pad Friday, January 11, 2013

Rocket To Memphis (Photo: Stefan Caramia)

SHONTAY SNOW

Morgan Bain / Bears And Dolls / Three Hands One Hoof Amplifier Friday, January 11, 2013 Folk pop and indie bands mingled at Amplifier to celebrate the release of headliner Shontay Snow’s latest music video. The clip for Mon Amour is elegant and melancholic like the song itself. Its director, Brendan Joel, later joined Snow on stage to duet.

The reverbs from Three Hands One Hoof’s set began and even from outside they were appealing. It’s getting familiar to hear bands cover Outkast songs, but their version of Roses sounded anguished enough to obscure the line, “roses really smell like poo” – a feat in itself. Their version of Frank Ocean’s Lost was refreshingly different, as was their take on Regina Spektor’s Fidelity.

I wasn’t sure about Bears And Dolls the first time I saw them, and second time around I’m still baffled. Their combination of doll box music, saccharine lyrics and pretty stage costumes exudes a Wonderland eclecticism and the droning violin coupled with stop-start keys produces a dark yet bubbly mix. Frontwoman Brooke Wilkie sounds similar to Katy Steele and her high-pitched vocals ensure the songs about selfishness, madness and vanity are laced with a child-like innocence. Their warbling Gorillaz cover was perplexing, Goldilocks was great, and Kissing Mirrors, with a reggae mix mid-way and the lyrics, “I shouldn’t be with you, I should be

_CORAL HUCKSTEP

Order Of Orias/Mhorgl/Advent Sorrow Amplifier Bar Thursday, January 11, 2013

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_SHANE PINNEGAR

with me”, is becoming their defining song. Yes, they’re nonsensical and their name sounds like an eBay category, but they’re memorable and that’s what matters.

Multi-instrumentalist Morgan Bain injected much energy into the night’s lineup with a punchy set made bigger and louder through Callum Kramer’s intense drumming. The two made a ferocious couple, playing a heady whirlwind half an hour that ended with a loud harmonica-infused outro. Despite Bain’s obvious difference to headliner Snow, he knew how to draw the crowd in and keep them enthralled.

Similarities to John Butler, Ash Grunwald and Kings Of Leon were abound except this pair were more relentless, resulting in snapped strings and Kramer limbering up after the first song. Bain also performed an enjoyably jiggy rendition of Jumping Jack Flash, and debuted a new one, Once Again.

Shontay Snow brought back the sweet folk pop vibe that had exited the stage with Bears And Dolls. The glamorous 20-year-old has a charming stage presence and a gentle musical style that was fairly subdued despite her being backed by a five-piece band – or maybe it was just because she followed Bain’s thrashing set.

Snow played material from her demo Just A Thought and her latest EP, Artificial Love. The music was misty, girlie, and twinkling but beneath the softly sung veneer the lyrics conveyed a sense of teenage forlornness, referencing everything from losing love to the fizz in her Coca-Cola. Snow and her music video director Brendan Joel, aka Ivory Wolf, sang Heart Full Of Wine with a sighing wistfulness that echoed Angus And Julia Stone, who coincidentally have a song of the same name. Snow finished with her EP’s title track, which wrapped the night with a bluesy electric guitar solo.

MARDUK

Marduk (Photo: Denis Radacic)

Go Go dancers Les Sataniques shimmied and shook to the early rock n’ roll sounds spun by the resident DJ in a setting best described as The Devil’s own hellishly groovy speakeasy - hipsters, punks, rockers, housewives and jivesters alike grooved and moved to the far out sounds reverberating through the cave-like room. Yep, Devilles Pad is unique in the topography of Perth’s nightlife, and there’s no better place for local swampabilly legends Rocket To Memphis to showcase some new tunes and old favourites on a hot summer’s night.

Taking to the shiny, shimmering stage with the task of warming the crowd up were The White Pointerz, who dished out an unpretentious guitar-centric set of muscular rock classics (Kinks, Bowie, Stones, Clash) alongside a few feisty and faithful closer to home winners (Sunnyboys, Hoodoo Gurus), which inspired the dancefloor to quickly fill with movers & shakers.

After a short break, Rocket To Memphis fill the dance floor in the time it tooks for Les Sataniques to perform one and a half shimmies, their bouncy horror- and tiki-infused, swamped-up rockabilly an instant hit with the cross-sectional Devilles audience.

Sporting a suave cocktail lounge aesthetic – Razor Jack Memphis was dapper in a white dinner jacket and matching hollow body Gretsch guitar, singer Betty Bombshell sported the finest burlesque inspired chic - they delivered a lusty mix of oldies (No Kissin’ At The Hop, Go Go, Jungle Juice, Walkin’ The Plank) and new tracks (The Hatchet Man) from their forthcoming third album, due out in a couple of months.

Bombshell has a sultry Imelda May edge to her voice, the inherent sweetness never letting their rockabilly n’ roll get too dirty, and her and Memphis’ joint experiences touring the world together in Toys Went Beserk in the ‘80s and ‘90s mean they know damn well how to work a crowd.

Rocket To Memphis never fail to entertain, whether it’s bass player Voodoo Viv’s lupine howling through The Wolfman, drummer Shotgun Pete getting tribal during the ‘special sexy tune’ In Black & White, or Razor Jack twanging out riffs and solos, acting like a zombie, or channelling Bo Diddley during a musky Swamp Guy, this is music that makes your moneymaker wanna thrust and grind, and insists that your feet refuse to stay still.

The pace picked up with the slide towards home base – Stomping In Tokyo and The Hoodoo Jive are pacy rockers that hit you in the sternum and get heads and butts shaking.

As they finished up with a sweaty run through Ride To Mars, The Zombie Rumble and Do The Crawl, the dancefloor went wild, and Les Sataniques jumped up for another wiggle.

Before you knew it, one hell of a show was over, and it was time for more DJ action, the rock n’ roll keeping the hep cats shaking their rumps into the wee hours.

Faith is a concept far removed from all that Marduk have come to stand for, but these Swedish black metal tyrants are certainly worthy of yours. Since their inception in the ‘90s, this longstanding outfit have been most fundamental in their approach towards their iconoclastic views in their bid to be the “most blasphemous band in the world”. Returning to Australia after five years off the back of their latest effort, Serpent Sermon, they proved their anger had remained just as diabolical live.

Locals Advent Sorrow began the night in a different flavour. Obviously still carrying ties to a blackened sound, as with all those supporting the Swedes, they opted towards the symphonic and the theatrics this genre tends to abide by. The last two years have seen this sextet

Shontay Snow (Photo: Nicole Norelli) undergo a dramatic transformation, from a member reshuffle to base appearance. Although needed, this outfit will always be an acquired taste for some and for others, a definite not.

Mhorgl were a different story.

With added fire, they injected a ferocity that hadn’t been seen in a while from the fourpiece. Stripping their sound back to the bare essentials, the urgency of their set was what caught the ear – raw and blistering - literally an all out thrash assault. Despite their set choices not changing too much over the years, they covered a few old favourites, including Kreator’s Extreme Aggression.

Melbourne’s Order of Orias were absolutely flawless. Over a year since they had last been in Perth, their sound has developed beyond all expectations. With their stunning debut release, Inverse, they bridged the gap between their early black metal tastes and modern doom influences, taking every chance to be indulgent. Now, they are finally able to bring things to life on the stage. From unrelenting blast beats to chugging guitars, they weren’t afraid to slow things down from fever pitch using tracks like Void. With a new guitarist in tow, 2013 looks to be a promising year for the budding outfit.

Marduk need little introduction. Dark and demanding, the four men that make up this militant outfit have always approached their music – both live and in the studio - with no compromise. After more than two decades, nothing has changed. Morgan ‘Evil’ Steinmeyer Hakansson and company delivered a set that not only continued this trend but also shunned the critics of their newer material.

Fronted by Daniel ‘Mortuus’ Rosten, the longtime vocalist walked the line between filth and majesty – his sheer mass making him larger than life.

Accused in more recent years of lacking adventure when it came later albums, the only difference between the two eras live was the slower tempos of the more recent Serpent Sermon – but that didn’t make the tracks any less devastating when slotted next to classics like Still Fucking Dead (Here’s No Peace) and Panzer Division Marduk. Although some small technical problems plagued their set, it wasn’t enough to take away from the night. An absolutely triumph, let’s hope it’s not another five years before we see this quartet on our shores again. _JESSICA WILLOUGHBY 37

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

IRISH FUN The Cure Tavern Sunday, January 13, 2013 Irish band Hermitage Green were getting things warmed up at The Cure Tavern last Sunday night.There were lots of delicious beats and yummy, scrumptious eats. Get on down to The Cure Tavern to liven up your Sunday and enjoy a grand Sunday session.

WANNEROO TAVERN

INDI BAR

Amy, Will

Photos by Matt Jelonek

Rory, Fiona

Alan, Amy

Eamonn, Cian

This week sees a huge lineup at the Indi. 2012 has been a huge success for Kid Mac with the release of his debut album No Man’s Land. Catch him tonight, Wednesday, January 16, with special guest Sam Perry. Saturday, January 19, local rockers Arts Martial back up their album release with support from Georgians and Valdaway.

Sunday, January 20, is all about Kim Churchill, who is well acknowledged for his guitar talents and unique technique.

MOJOS BAR

Saturday, January 19, catch Grace Barbe at Mojos Bar. Right in the middle of summer is the perfect time for a tropical party, and who better to party with than the WAMI Award winners Grace Barbe and Dilip N The Davs as well as the Pimps Of Sound? All three bands have had a great 2012 and will be starting the new year with a bang. The party kicks off at 9pm and goes until late, entry is $15. To win a double pass to this show email mojos@coolperthnights.com with ‘Grace Barbe’ in the subject line.

MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL

Get down to the MBH this Sunday, January 20, for a meet and greet with MTV reality series star Gaz (Geordie Shore). Enjoy the tunes pumping from DJ Kenny L and DJ Slick, and drink specials all day. The hottest Sunday sesh north of the river just got a whole lot hotter! Party starts 3pm.

Sorcha, Mandy David, Linda

YA YA’S

Hermitage Green

www.xpressmag.com.au

John, Lorraine

Some great gigs happening this week down at Ya Ya’s. Join DAVE, supported by Neutral Native (Jammin finalists) and Ermine Coat tonight, Wednesday, January 16. Saturday, January 19, Vida Cain headlines with Dirtwater Bloom and Wise Oaks supporting.

X-Treme Jenga is launching this week. Every Tuesday night for the next six weeks you can be involved in the biggest and most X-treme Jenga competition going around! It’s free to play with $7 pints available all night, DJ Pup on decks, and the ever popular Don “The Suit” Jenga as your host for the evening. Kicks off at 6.45pm and finishes 9.30pm so everyone gets an early weeknight.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

Tonight, Wednesday January 16, at the Rosemount Hotel, catch some of Perth’s best new talent courtesy of The MDC, Miranda And Gordo, The Monicans and Rip. Doors open 8pm, entry is $8. Meanwhile, in the beer garden, enjoy the tunes from DJ Anton Maz at the Rosemount’s student night. Free entry from 7:30pm.

THE MUSTANG

Thursday, January 17, we have Timothy Nelson & The Infidels supported by Tracksuit, Amanda Merdzan, and DJ James MacArthur. Timothy Nelson & The Infidels are a five piece folk and roll band from Perth. The band has gone from humble beginnings to an award winning, critically acclaimed act in a fairly short amount of time, having won two WAM Song Of The Year awards. Don’t miss them!

RAILWAY HOTEL

This Friday, January 18, at the Railway Hotel catch AbandonEarth, Burst And Bloom, Rip and Parker Avenue. Doors open 8pm, $6 entry. Saturday, January 19, it’s time for Ride The Rail featuring Buzz Kill Vamps, In The Now, Adverse Reaction and Wicked Wench. Doors open 8pm, $10 entry. Sunday, January 20, the action moves to the beer garden for a reggae feast starring The Weapon Is Sound, Dilip N The Davs, Latch Key Kids, Ngati and Them Sharks. Doors open 4-10pm, $10 entry.

THE BRIGHTON HOTEL

Thursday, January 17, is Open Mic Night at The Brighton, showcasing fresh local talent at this popular venue. If you’re an aspiring local original music artist, contact The Brighton for your chance to perform. Come down and enjoy $10 pizzas, and great live entertainment. Entry is free.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

LUCILLE

Sex And Thugs And Rock And Roll Local punk purveyors Lucille launch their EP, West Coast Nights, at The Civic Hotel on Friday, January 18, with support from Chainsaw Hookers,The Lungs, and Tooth and Claw. TRAVIS JOHNSON talks to frontman Johnny Ajax.

With his black T-shirt, faded jeans, and arms covered in tattoos, Johnny Ajax looks every inch the typical punk; a nice enough guy to be sure, but he probably gets a lot of space to himself on public transport.

As a member of the legendary - or should that be notorious? - punk band, The Homicides, Ajax was banned from almost every live venue in Perth, barring The Hyde Park Hotel. His latest project, Lucille, has so far managed to avoid that.

“In late 2009 I came back from Europe,” Ajax

Lucille tells us. “That was after The Homicides split up, I went to Europe for a year - and I wanted to form a band, because that’s what I do. So I got in touch with Simon ‘Fingers’ who was playing for The New Husseins at the time.”

Having recruited his fellow Homicides veteran to serve as the musical core of the group, Ajax pulled a number of other seasoned rockers and rollers into their orbit, although he admits that Lucille personnel tend to burn out at an alarmingly fast rate.

“Our first lineup lasted for about six or eight months,” he says candidly.“We’re just a fast, punk, rock and roll group. We’ve had plenty of members in Lucille, but that’s because it’s a wild ride.”

Still, even the wildest of bands generally manage to keep their heads together long enough to

lay down a track or two, and Lucille are no exception.

Hence this weekend’s launch at The Civic in Inglewood.

“We recorded last year,” Ajax recalls. “About June - July last year. We went and saw Al Smith at Berserk! and we recorded eight songs in three days, mixed mastered and done, boom boom boom. We’re gonna be putting that out January 18. The album doesn’t really have a name - it’s just a black album with a vagina on it, really. All the songs are about chicks and drugs, pretty much - that’s all I know about.”

Helping celebrate the occasion is an impressive lineup of local rock talent. “We’re playing with Chainsaw Hookers, who have supported us heaps over the past year or two. We’ve done heaps with them; they’re really good to play with. And we’ve got Tooth and Claw, which is Anton from the Beverley Killbillies, and Llewellyn, and Jon Schmidt from The Bible Bashers, and they’re a real rad band - I like ‘em.

They’re like The Dirty Three, but a bit more bluesy. And we’ve got The Lungs.”

It’s a hell of a lineup, and it promises to be a hell of a show. Sadly, it’s also going to be Lucille’s last. Like so many bands before, them, internal strife was torn them asunder, although Ajax seems goodhumoured about the prospect.

“A punk rock band is no good unless it’s broken up. Seriously. All the best punk bands put out one record and then broke up. It’s what they do. It’s what punk bands do.”

DEAD SET LEGENDS

Distinctive art-rockers Dead Reckoner debut their new single, Western Disease, this Saturday, January 19, at The Rosemount Hotel. They’ve assembled a fine collection of talent to help them launch the thing, too, with support coming from The Siren Tower, Those Wretched Horses, The Loved Dead, and Clare Nina. $12 gets you in, and the first 30 folks through the door score a free CD single.

Dead Reckoner

RECLAIMING THE NIGHT

Rock out for a good cause this Tuesday, January 22, when Ya Ya’s hosts the Men Against Rape benefit gig. The night features performances from Fear of Comedy and Lights Of Berlin, along with special guest speakers. Doors open at 7pm, and the five dollar cover goes to the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence.

THE BURGERS ARE BETTER

Elvis-obsessed southern-fried rock combo The Burger Kings return to their spiritual home, Devilles Pad, this Saturday, January 19. Showcasing tracks from their upcoming album alongside tried and true favourites, it promises to be a big, big night.

CIVIC DUTY

Saturday, January 19, sees the back room of The Civic Hotel get invaded by some of the greatest and grooviest heavy rock merchants that the city has to offer. Bayou headline, with support from Brutus, Forstora, and the incomparable Wizard Sleeve. $10 on the door.

Bayou

SALUTE OF THE JUNKERS

Like Junk let loose their new album, The Creature’s Voice, this Saturday, January 19, at 464 Smart Space in Northbridge. Place of Indigo, Loose Lips, Gizzards, and Stolen Sugar are along for the ride, entry’s a tenner and, even better, it’s BYO.

Like Junk

‘TRAILS OF THE DEAD

Amplifier bar plays host to music of the dark and dusty kind this Friday, January 18, when Blazin’ Entrails and Day Of The Dead, along with Dirtwater Bloom, Branson Tramps, and Josie Baldwin, ride into town for a rockin’ good night.

LYCANTHROPE NIGHTS

Order Of The Black Werewolf team up with Lionizer, Living Dying, and The Irrationals this Thursday, January 17, to bring the noise to Ya Ya’s.

With entry only $8 on the door, it’s a bargain price for a night of debauchery and good, old-fashioned rock’n’roll. www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Action Bronson

Donavon Frankenreiter

Dead Can Dance

STARS PETE MURRAY WEST COAST BLUES 13 Chevron Festival Gardens 2 Capitol & ROOTS FESTIVAL CHRYSTA BELL 3 Fremantle Arts Centre (Sensational Space 16 Indi Bar 14 Chevron Festival Gardens BABY ANIMALS Shifters, Iggy & The 17 Mojos Bar FATHER JOHN MISTY 3 The Quarry Amphitheatre Stooges, Chris Isaak, Staus 18 Settlers Tavern 15 Chevron Festival Gardens HOODOO GURUS Quo, Tedeschi Trucks Band, FEBRUARY JIMMY BARNES & JON 19 Prince of Wales 3 Hotel Rottnest Fred Wesley & The New STEVENS FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL JB’s, Julia Stone, Newton 20 Clancy’s Dunsborough FORCE MAJEURE 15 Perth Zoo 1 Ambar 2013 (The Prodigy, Faukner, Kitty, Daisy & LORD / SILENT NIGHT The Stone Roses, PSY, Lewis, Grace Potter, Mama ACTION BRONSON FOUNDATION 15 Amplifier 1 The Rosemount Dizzee Rascal, Bloc Party, Kin & Blue Shady) 17 The Bakery 2 Fly By Night 16 Eliot St. Blues Club Azealia Banks, Rita Ora, 23 Fremantle Park WOLFGANG GARTNER Bunbury Boys Noize, Hardwell, DEBORAH CONWAY A PLACE TO BURY 1 Villa CELTIC THUNDER The Temper Trap, FUN, 23 The Ellington STRANGERS THE SMITH STREET BAND 16 Perth Arena Madeon, Rudimental, WEST COAST BLUES & 2 The Rosemount FUTURE CLASSIC Ellie Goulding, Steve Aoki, ROOTS FESTIVAL (Ben 18 Rosemount Hotel THE WATERBOYS 16 Chevron Festival Gardens Alesso, Gypsy & The Cat, Harper, Santana, Paul 2 Perth Concert Hall JIMMY BARNES & JON A-Trak, Feed Me, Zeds Simon, Steve Miller Band, PEANUT BUTTER THEE OH SEES STEVENS Dead, Kill The Noise, DJ Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy WOLF 2 The Bakery 16 Castelli Estate Denmark Fresh, Nervo, Zane Lowe, Cliff, Michael Kiwanuka, 18 The Bakery ELVIS COSTELLO & THE DAVID HASSLEHOFF Borgore, Cocoon Heroes ft Ash Grunwald & Benjamin IMPOSTERS/ SUNNYBOYS/ 17 Capitol Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Francis Leftwich) BLAZIN ENTRAILS JO JO ZEP &THE FALCONS/ MACKLEMORE & RYAN Ricardo Villalobos, Seth 24 Fremantle Park STEPHEN CUMMINGS LEWIS Troxler, Magda, Wake Your DRAPHT 18 Amplifier 6 Kings Park Botanic 17 Chevron Festival Gardens Mind ft Cosmic Gate & 28 The Rosemount Gardens JENS LEKMAN Hewitt, W&W, tyDi, GUY SEBASTIAN KIM CHURCHILL AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER 18 Chevron Festival Gardens Emma Andy Moor, Super8 & Tab, 30 Crown Theatre 18 Clancy’s Fremantle ORCHESTRA SLEEPY SUN Ben Gold, The Stafford 19 Settlers Tavern 6 Perth Concert Hall 19 Chevron Festival Gardens Brothers, Timmy Trumpet, 20 Indi Bar OKA IAN DATE AND GEORGE APRIL Tenzin, Bombs Away & 6 Indi Bar WASHINMACHINE More TBA) HITS & PITS 2013 (Mad 19 The Ellington RACHEL CLAUDIO 7 Mojos Bar 3 Arena Joondalup Caddies, Good Riddance, A 8 White Star Albany HOW TO DRESS WELL & 18 & 19 The Ellington SOUNDWAVE 2013 Wilhelm Scream, Voodoo 9 Settlers Tavern AXOLOTL (Metallica, Linkin Park, Glow Skulls, The Flatliners, 10 Railway Hotel 20 Chevron Festival Gardens Blink-182, A Perfect Diesel Boy, One Dollar THE STORY SO FAR MACEO PARKER RINGO STARR Circle, The Offspring, Short, Jamie Hay, Jen 19 Amplifier 7 Chevron Festival Gardens 21 Challenge Stadium Paramore, Garbage, Slayer, Buxton, Totally Unicorn & 20 YMCA HQ NORMAN BLAKE & JOE JOSE JAMES/ HOATUS Cypress Hill, Bullet For My Paper Arms) PERNICE/ DIRTY BEACHES KAIYOTE Valentine, and more) 1 Metropolis Fremantle THE VENGABOYS 8 Chevron Festival Gardens 21 Chevron Festival Gardens 4 Claremont Showgrounds THE XX 19 Metropolis Fremantle REEF THE LOST CAUZE JULIA STONE RUSSELL PETERS 2 Metro City 8 Civic Hotel 22 St Joseph’s Church 5 Perth Arena LUKA BLOOM WINTERFOLD DJ YODA NICK CAVE & THE BAD 2 Fly By Night NIGHTWISH C5Fremantle 22 Villa SEEDS THE SCRIPT 20 Metropolis Fremantle 89 The Camel Bar THE RAAH PROJECT 6 Red Hill Auditorium 3 Perth Arena DONAVON 22 Chevron Festival Gardens DEEP PURPLE/JOURNEY GRINSPOON ESG FRANKENREITER SARAH BLASKO 7 Perth Arena 5 Prince of Wales 20 The Bakery 8 Caves House 23 Kings Park GEORGE CLINTON & 6 Amplifier 9 The Ocean Beach Hotel MAC MILLER PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC BIRDY 9 Breakwater Hotel 23 Metropolis Fremantle 7 Metropolis Fremantle 6 Riverside Theatre JANUARY 9 Ocean One Bar ED SHEERAN/ PASSENGER BOB SEDERGREEN ROGER HODGSON 10 Whistling Kite, Secret MOUNT EERIE 23 Challenge Stadium 7 The Ellington 7 Riverside Theatre Harbour 23 The Bakery GABRIELLE APLIN BIRDS OF TOKYO EXTREME/RICHIE KOTZEN ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY WEEZER 23 Challenge Stadium 7 Prince Of Wales 16 Metro City FESTIVAL 2013 (Alpine, 23 Perth Arena CLIFF RICHARDS 8 Fremantle Arts Centre ZUCCHERO Alt-J, Bat For Lashes, Chet 23 Sandalford Estate BALL PARK MUSIC GARY PUCKETT & THE 17 Regal Theatre Faker, Cloud Nothings, 23 Perth Arena TIM ROGERS/ THE UNION GAP STU LARSEN Divine Fits, El-P, Flume, PROXY BAMBOOS 9 The Astor 17 The Ellington Henry Wagons & The 23 Ambar 23 Chevron Festival Gardens CAT EMPIRE DAVE JACKSON Unwelcome Company, WOODS CLUBFEET 10 Fremantle Arts Centre 24 The Ellington High Highs, Holy Other, 23 The Bakery 23 Villa DINOSAUR JR/ THE MARILYN KELLER Japandroids, Jessie Ware, PHRONESIS PURPLE SNEAKER DJS JON SPENCER BLUES 26 The Ellington Julia Holter, Kings Of 25 Metropolis Fremantle 24 Chevron Festival Gardens EXPLOSION/ MOON DUO FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL Convenience, The Men, Ms GLENN FREY 26 Amplifier 12 The Astor (TINPAN ORANGE/ Mr, The Neighbourhood, 24 Kings Park & Botanical ANDY C/ MC GQ RONAN KEATING/ BRIAN BUSTAMENTO/ FRANK Nicolas Jaar, Nite Jewel, Of Garden 25 Metro City MCFADDEN YAMMA/ KRISTINA OLSEN) Monsters & Men, Perfume NORAH JONES PUGSLEY BUZZARD 12 Crown Theatre 26-28 Fairbridge Genius, Polica, Pond, 25 The Ellington 24 Riverside Theatre TITLE FLIGHT/LUCA BRASI MIDGE URE Real Estate, The Rubens, FRESH PRODUCE: CHICKS SOUL REBELS 13 Amplifi er 27 Charles Hotel Shlohmo, Snakadaktal, IN KICKS EDITION 25 Chevron Festival Gardens 14 YMCA HQ Twerps, Yeasayer ) 25 Ambar CAT POWER THE JACKSONS 9 Perth Cultural Centre JAMES REYNE 26 & 27 Chevron Festival MAY 14 Perth Arena 26 Nannup Amphitheatre IRON MIND Gardens PAUL KELLY/ NEIL FINN/ BLACK SABBATH 9 Civic Hotel STAFFORD BROTHERS LAURIE ANDERSON & LISA MITCHELL 4 Perth Arena 10 YMCA HQ 26 Eve Nightclub KRONOS QUARTET 14 & 15 Kings Park Botanical GROOVIN THE MOO (lineJEFF THE BROTHERHOOD DEAD CAN DANCE 27 Perth Concert Hall Gardens up TBA) 9 Perth Concert Hall 27 Mojos KISS/ MOTLEY CRUE/THIN GLENN SHORROCK/ 11 Hay Park, Bunbury DESCENDENTS YANNI LIZZY WENDY MATTHEWS/ CHRISTINE ANU REWIND 10 Metro City 27 Perth Arena 28 Perth Arena DOUG PARKINSON – THE ARETHA FRANKLIN BOUNCING SOULS BIG DAY OUT (Red JAMES CARTER ORGAN 14 & 15 Quarry SONGBOOK 10 Metro City Hot Chili Peppers, The TRIO Amphitheatre 17 & 18 The Ellington FRENZAL RHOMB Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 28 Chevron Festival Gardens DAMIEN DEMPSEY DEFTONES Vampire Weekend, Band 10 Metro City JACK CARTY AND THE 15 The Bakery 21 Metropolis Fremantle BODYJAR Of Horses, Kaskade, FALLS BOB MOULD THE SEEKERS 10 Metro City Animal Collective, 28 The Ellington 16 The Rosemount 30 Riverside Theatre GIN BLOSSOMS Against Me!, 360, Foals, DEERHOOF PRESIDENTS OF DRAGON 10 Capitol B.O.B, Sleigh Bells, Jeff 28 The Rosemount THE UNITED STATES 31 The Astor Theatre ARCHIE ROACH The Brotherhood, Off!, OF AMERICA / HEY 10 Chevron Festival Gardens Grinspoon, Jagwar Ma, GERONIMO MARCH ARAVENA-KEEVERSDelta Spirit, Everytime I JUNE 16 Metro Freo THE TALLEST MAN ON Die, House Vs Hurricane, WALLACE TRIO IN HEARTS WAKE PINK EARTH 10 The Ellington Alabama Shakes, and 25, 26 & 28 Perth Arena GODSPEED YOU! BLACK 1 Chevron Festival Gardens 16 Amplifier more) DAVID BRIDIE AND FRANK 17 YMCA HQ 28 Claremont Showgrounds EMPEROR THE MARK OF CAIN 11 Chevron Festival Gardens YAMMA SPENCE – MACDONALD SEPTEMBER 17 Capitol 1 Fly By Night COVERGE / OLD MAN DUO AMANDA PALMER & MUTEMATH 1 Nannup Music Festival GLOOM 29 The Ellington 19 The Astor THE GRAND THEFT NEIL YOUNG 12 Amplifier RICHARD HAWLEY WILLIAM ELLIOT ORCHESTRA 2 Perth Arena DEER TICK & TWO 31 Rosemount Hotel WHITMORE 26 Astor Theatre ANTIBALAS FROM THE JAM GALLANTS 23 Mojos Bar ONE DIRECTION 31 Capitol 12 Chevron Festival Gardens 2 Chevron Festival Gardens

THIS WEEK

KID MAC

THE PRESETS 31 Metropolis Fremantle THE SMITH STREET BAND 31 Prince Of Wales

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Wizard Sleeve, Thursday at The Rosemount Hotel

The Floors, Friday at The Beat Nightclub

WEDNESDAY 16.01

THURSDAY 17.01

BAR 120 J Babies Felix BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Jay Grafton Rob Walker ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Grace Woodroofe GREENWOOD Bernardine GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) 5 Shots HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Kid Mac Sam Perry LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Fremantle Blues And Roots Club Old Blood Galloping Foxleys Simon Kelly MOON CAFÉ Sarah Pelicano Axe N Ness Trevor Jalla MUSTANG BAR Blue Gene DJ Giles PADDO Sophie Jane Alistair Hunt Shenai Meade ROSEMOUNT The MDC Miranda And Gordo The Monicans Rip ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe SWAN LOUNGE Open Mic Night THE BROWN FOX Courtney Murphy UNIVERSAL Strutt Ses Sayer YAYA’S DAVE Ermine Coat Neutral Native

ADMIRAL Greg Carter Karaoke BAKERY Action Bronson BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Howie Morgan BRIGHTON Open Mic Night BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Jon Fernandez Trio COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW 5 Shots ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Carl Mackey Quartet GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night KARRINYUP SC Soul Doubt LEEDERVILLE HOTEL Leederville Loungeroom LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MOJOS BAR Kid Mac Sam Perry MUSTANG BAR Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Tracksuit Amanda Merdzan DJ James MacArthur OXFORD HOTEL The Perth Folk And Roots Club Gang Of Three Louise Ratcliffe John McNair Keith Anthonisz PADDY HANNAN’S Dr Bogus ROSEMOUNT Goat Wizard Sleeve Buzz Kill Vamps Bayou Sons Of Rico Djs ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S

Bayou

BAYOU

BRUTUS, FORSTORA WIZARD SLEEVE SATURDAY 19TH THE CIVIC HOTEL

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(NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE Greg Carter THE SHED The Mystery Men UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Damian Cripps YA YA’S Order Of The Black Werewolf Lionizer Living Dying The Irrationals

FRIDAY 18.01 7th AVENUE Free Radicals AMPLIFIER Blazin Entrails Day Of The Dead Dirtwater Bloom Branson Tramps Josie Baldwin BAILEY BAR Blue Gene Tip Top Sound DJ Bren BAKERY Peanut Butter Wolf Jonti Benny P Migsee BALLYS BAR Anderson BALMORAL Mike Nayar BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club Cutnice Prez I DJ Meld The Empressions Mumma Trees Sista Che BEAT NIGHTCLUB The Floors BELMONT TAVERN One Trick Phonies BENTLEY HOTEL Sophie Jane BLACK BETTYS Everlong BRASS MONKEY Adrian Wilson BREAKERS Ragdoll BROKEN HILL HOTEL Matt Milford BROOKLANDS TAVERN The Bluebottles CARINE Pop Candy CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Lucille Chainsaw Hookers The Lungs Tooth & Claw ClANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Jade Diary CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Russell Holmes Trio CLANCY’S DUNSBOROUGH Qynn Beardman CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Kim Churchill COMO HOTEL Brad Wintle CORNERSTONE Mixtape Band

The Loved Dead at The Rosemount Hotel

CRAFTSMAN 5th Avenue DEVILLES PAD Special Brew Cheeba Cheeba Les Sataniques DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Kamikaze Pilots Kiress EDZ SPORTZ BAR Sugarfield ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Darren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Shameem Rachel Claudio EMPIRE Howie Morgan FLY BY NIGHT Nadeah Bird To Prey GLOUCESTER PARK The Damien Cripps Band GREENWOOD Greg Carter HERDSMAN Ali Towers Duo HIGH ROAD HOTEL Glen Davies Envy HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Dr Bogus HIGHWAY HOTEL Northern Muse HOTEL ROTTNEST The Blackbirds HYDE PARK HOTEL Ricky Green INDI BAR Vdelli INDIAN OCEAN BREW Ben Merito LAKERS DJ Grizzly Slickenside Melee LEFTBANK Groove Acoustics LEGENDS BAR The Organ Grinders M ON THE POINT James Wilson MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Captn K Simmo T MOJOS BAR (EVE) DT Simmo DJ Lachie Killafoe MOON & SIXPENCE Soul Corporation MUSTANG BAR Adam Hall The Velvet Playboys Swing DJ Cheeky Monkeys DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Party Rockers NORFOLK BASEMENT Violet Scene Louis And The Honky Tonk Benni Macri PADDO Stu Harcourt PADDY MALONE’S Gary Malone’s PARAMOUNT Flyte PEEL ALEHOUSE Carbon Taxi PINK DUCK LOUNGE Jonathan Dempsey PRINCESS ROAD TAVERN Local Heroes

RAILWAY HOTEL AbandonEarth Burst And Bloom Rip Parker Avenue ROSE & CROWN Tod Woodward ROSEMOUNT A Place To Bury Strangers French Rockets Antelope ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Billy & The Broken Lines SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan SETTLERS TAVERN Kid Mac Sam Perry SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Greg Carter Karaoke SWAN BASEMENT Survival Kit Of Metal Adverse Reaction Medusas Gaze One Too Many Camel Amadeum SWAN LOUNGE Obscenium A Nameless Fear Water Honey And The Wolf SWINGING PIG Greg Carter Frenzy THE BOAT The Organ Grinders THE BROOK Dean Anderson THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE PRINCIPAL Switchback THE SAINT Almost Famous THE SHED Krank THE VIC Jen De Ness TIGER LILS Paul Malone Adam Kelly Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic VILLA Speakeasy Battle Of The Bands WOODVALE TAVERN Switch YA YA’S Honeywheeler The Disappointed Frighteners

SATURDAY 19.01 AMPLIFIER The Story So Far Anchors Castle Bravo Blindspot BAILEY BAR Slim Jim & The PHATTS Tip Top Sound DJ Bren BALLYS BAR Dove BALMORAL Pop Candy BAR 120 Flyte BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Mike Nayar BLACK BETTY’S J Babies

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. GO TO www.xpressmag.com.au /PLUG YOUR GIG and plug away!

The X-Press Guide is a Perth metropolitan service for advertisers listing tours, live, dance and arts events.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. The one entry system will update our print edition, website and App

The Weapon Is Sound, Sunday at The Railway Hotel BLVD TAVERN JOONDALUP Krank BREAKERS Mixtape Band BROOKLANDS TAVERN Sugarfield CIVIC HOTEL Bayou Brutus Förstöra CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Zarm Duo CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Toby COMO HOTEL Trevor Jalla DEVILLES PAD Burger Kings Les Sataniques ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Timeout ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Juliana Areias Rachel Claudio ELMARS IN THE VALLEY Chris Gibbs FLY BY NIGHT Puerto Flamenco Flamenco Puro GLADES ARTS & PRODUCE MARKETS Lush GOSNELLS HOTEL Chasing Calee GREENWOOD Carbon Taxi GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Hi-NRG HIGH ROAD HOTEL Flash Nat & The Action Men HOTEL ROTTNEST The Blackbirds INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Little Ebony INDI BAR Arts Martial Georgians Valdaway LAKERS Celebrations Karaoke LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Die Hard Karaoke LEOPOLD HOTEL Fenton Wilde LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN CASINO) John & Shaun Sandosham M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN CASINO) Howie Morgan Duo MERRIWA TAVERN Nasty Dogz MOJOS BAR Grace Barbe Dilip N The Davs Pimps Of Sound MOON & SIXPENCE The Damien Cripps Band MUSTANG Rusy Pinto Combo Rockabilly DJ Milhouse DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Kizzy Gravity NORFOLK BASEMENT Beer Fridge Circle One Bloody Hollys Silver Lizard Dreg Squad Night Hawker PADDY HANNANS Decoy

PADDY MAGUIRES 43 Cambridge PARAMOUNT Everlong PEEL ALEHOUSE Acoustic Licence PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Dean Anderson PRINCE OF WALES Kid Mac Sam Perry QUARIE BAR Electrophobia RAILWAY HOTEL Ride The Rail Buzz Kill Vamps In The Now Adverse Reaction Wicked Wench ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT The Siren Tower Dead Reckoner Those Wretched Horses The Loved Dead Clare Nina ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Flavor ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Blue Gene ROYAL PALMS RESORT James Wilson SAIL & ANCHOR Better Days Childs Play SEAVIEW HOTEL Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Kim Churchill STEVES BAR Jamie Powers SWAN BASEMENT The Moment We Fall Take It Or Leave It Finders Mirror Mirror Defy The Leader SWAN LOUNGE Between The Seconds Idle Front Abandon Earth Bury The Herd SWINGING PIG Greg Carter The Bluebottles THE BOAT Everlong THE BROOK Shawne & Luc THE EASTERN The Sensitive Drunks P Is For Pumpernickel Sexy Robot THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE SHED Huge THE SHIP James Wilson THE VIC Greg Carter Karaoke UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WANNEROO TAVERN Christian Thompson WHALE AND ALE 5th Avenue WOODVALE TAVERN Dr Bogus YAYA’S Vida Cain Wise Oaks Dirtwater Bloom

SUNDAY 20.01 7TH AVENUE Reckless Kelly ADMIRAL James Wilson

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Friday Friday Vida Cain, Sunday at Travis Caudle Travis Caudle Ya Ya’s FlyBy ByNight Night Fly BALMORAL Blackbirds BELMONT TAVERN Acoustic Aly BREAKERS BAR Chris Gibbs BRIGHTON Danny Bau BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nathan Gaunt BROOKLANDS TAVERN Mike Nayar CAPTAIN STIRLING Jamie Powers CARINE The Bluebottles CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Ricky Green CLANCY’S DUNSBOROUGH Kid Mac Sam Perry CLANCY’S FREMANTLE The Zydecats CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL Adrian Wilson ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Sean Wong Astrid Ripepi EMPIRE CB3 GOSNELLS HOTEL Conny The Clown GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Switch HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Chris Murphy HIGH ROAD HOTEL Ivan Ribic INDI BAR Kim Churchill Steve Smyth INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Dirty Scoundrels Retriofit KALAMUNDA HOTEL Christian Thompson METRO FREO Nightwish M ON THE POINT A Bit On The Side MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN PERTH) Local Heroes METRO FREO Nightwish MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Galloping Foxleys MOJOS BAR (EVE) Banda Beleza Tabas.Co Juliana Areias Brazuka Dance Beleza Samba Charlie Bucket Nic K Jane Hebiton MOON CAFÉ Zealous Chang Ash Hendricks DJ Jack Quirk MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers DJ Rockin Rhys NEWPORT HOTEL Tim Nelson DSB DJs OCEAN VIEW TAVERN

Nathan Gaunt, Sunday at The Broken Hill Hotel

The Dean Cox Trio PADDY MALONE’S Gary Fowlie PEEL ALEHOUSE Kelly McMahen PINK DUCK LOUNGE BAR Glen Davies PORT KENNEDY TAVERN One Trick Phonies PORTOFINO’S RESTAURANT Neil Colliss QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Better Days QUEENS TAVERN The Crux RAILWAY HOTEL The Weapon Is Sound Dilip N The Davs Latch Key Kids Ngati Them Sharks ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Damien Cripps SAIL & ANCHOR Mike Nayar SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Anthony Nieves SOVEREIGN ARMS Craig Ballantyne SPRINGS TAVERN Leighton Keepa STIRLING ARMS Bernardine SWAN BASEMENT Short Of Daybreak Artifacts In Motion SWINGING PIG Stu Harcourt Pat Nicholson THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture THE GATE Greg Carter THE LAST DROP Barry Gee THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project THE SHED James Wilson UNIVERSAL Retriofit WANNEROO TAVERN Adam James WOODVALE TAVERN Good Karma XWRAY CAFÉ The Charisma Brothers

YMCA HQ The Story So Far Anchors 10past6 Flowermouth

MONDAY 21.01 BRASS MONKEY James Wilson GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Chris Murphy & Courtney Murphy MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture YA YA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic Variety Night

TUESDAY 22.01 AMPLIFIER Alestorm ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Music Of Whitney Houston With Amanda Dee GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Ruby’s Groove LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN) Courtney Murphy MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Shiny Joe Slums The Naked News Spaceman Antics DJ Ben Stewart DJ Coel Healy MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night PADDO Stu Harcourt PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke YA YA’S Lights Of Berlin Fear Of Comedy

Timothy Nelson & the Infidels

TIMOTHY NELSON AND THE INFIDELS

TRACKSUIT AMANDA MERDZAN DJ JAMES MACARTHUR

THURSDAY 17TH THE MUSTANG BAR

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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY EDITED BY TRAVIS JOHNSON

MUSOS WANTED DRUMMER WANTED Drummer wanted for an acoustic rock band. Contact Trey 0420 514 195 GUITARISTS WANTED Looking for guitar players to join PJ cover band. Age 20-35.

Only serious people. Contact 0414 500 718 MUSO’S FOR ANGELS TRIBUTE Guitarist l o o k i n g f o r e x p m u s o’s w i t h p r o f attitude to form Angels tribute band.

Email:overthetopband@gmail.com OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235 VOCALIST WANTED For established Blues/Rock band. Been together 7 plus years. No time wasters please! Ph 0410 088 596 or 0423 252 970.

VOCALISTS WANTED $10,000 1st Prize.

We are looking for Perth’s most versatile vocalist. Call 0406 626 184 and leave your full name, contact no and email address. Total prize pool $15,000. Places are limited!

PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGR APHY Pro m o p h o t o g r a p hy, s t u d i o, l i ve, l o c a t i o n .

Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www.projec tphotography.com When its time to ice the cake...

PRODUCTION SERVICES * L I G H T I N G * AU D I O * S TAG I N G * www.nightstarlightingaudio.com.au www.nightstarlightingaudio.com.au w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www. procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551 RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..

Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.witzendstudios.com ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics,

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the latest and best universal audio, plug in’s for digital recordings. All styles of music, $55 per hour call Tony 0411 118304 email avalonstudios@bigpond.com GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM Production,mixing,recording and composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $70 p/h. Andrew 0408 097 407 POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors.

World class facility. World class results. www. poonshead.com 9339 47 91 R E CO R D I N G M I X I N G M A S T E R I N G PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au SONGWRITERS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE BAND APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience.

20 yrs in London with bands and songwriters.

Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic.com.au

SOUND AND VISION

Sound is only part of the equation.

Every band knows that one of the most powerful marketing tools at their disposal is the music video.

REHEARSAL STUDIOS With that in mind, we talk to director AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Ben Young about the process and Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or philosophy behind the video clip.

0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking .

Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117.

PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar Specialist.

New year enrolments. Beg-adv, all styles and levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www. clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 DRUM LESSONS All styles, all ages. WAAPA prep. Modern techniques & rudiments, Beginner to advanced. Ph Pascal: 0413 172 817.

GUITAR & KEYBOARD TUITION (BeginnersProfessional) One on One lessons. Burswood P h 6 4 6 0 6 9 2 1 / 0 4 1 5 8 8 9 6 4 5 . w w w. gvkschoolofmusic.com.au

“I’m gonna quote Sean Pollard from Split Seconds,” Ben Young says thoughtfully. “Who said to me that a music video is like a band’s business card. If someone hears a song or hears about a band, they jump online, they Google them, and they can see the business card of the band. The better quality that business card is, the better image that it presents of the band.”

He ought to know; after all, Young is an acclaimed music video director with over 20 credits to his name, including clips for Nathan Gaunt, Emperors, Simone and Girlfunkle, and Boys! Boys!

Boys! His video for The Voltaire Twins’ Animalia won an ATOM Award, and his skills are in high demand. In short, he knows of what he speaks.

There’s a school of thought that maintains that anyone can make a music video these days; after all, pretty much every phone is a video camera, and every computer is a digital editing suite. Young disagrees.

“If you and me were to go out and buy a whole pile of bricks and a whole pile of cement, could we build a house?,” he asks rhetorically. “No. The technology is at everyone’s fingertips, but it’s not just a matter of understanding the technology.

It’s something that you need to learn. Just because you own a camera, and just because you own an edit suite, that doesn’t mean you are a filmmaker. It is a trade that you have to learn, regardless of whether you have the toys or not.”

Of course, working with a professional director and crew is not free. While his early efforts were realised on tiny budgets - his first clip for

Ben Young

Cartman’s Got No Reason was made for $80 - Young now commands a higher price.

“I can’t do anything for less than $5000,” he says of his budgets. “And they go all the way up to $30000. But the bigger the idea, the more money you put into it, the better it’s going to be, and that’s just not a lie. More money is always better, because you can get better post-production, you can get better cameras, and you can get better people. The best people don’t work for free, and they shouldn’t.”

While the average jobbing band might balk at such an expense, he points out that the cost is not as difficult to bear as it first appears. “It’s not that expensive; most bands have a minimum of three people in them, so if they were to save up a thousand dollars each, maybe a little bit less, they could get something that looks really, really slick.

I can’t encourage people enough to do that. I still get phone calls from bands who ask for a video for free, or ask for a video for an embarrassingly low amount of money, which I just can’t afford to do.

I have to pay off gear, and I need to pay my crew.

So start a Pozible account and raise money for the video, or just save up a little bit, and it will make such a difference.

“Ideally,” he continues.“You want to make a video that people want to share, and hopefully they’ll want to share it for the song anyway. Every music video I make - and I don’t always succeed - my objective is to get people to forward on the video regardless of the song. So, if you’re lucky and you come up with a good enough idea, then hopefully the video can make the song get seen by a lot more people than would have otherwise. I think if it’s done well it can be really important, but if it’s bad, it can probably have a negative effect. If it looks amateur, it makes the band look cheap and look like nobodies, but if they’re a relatively new band and they have something, and it looks super slick, then it makes it look like they’ve got a record label behind them, it makes them look like they’re doing well, even if they’re not.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays