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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
SALMONESSENCE
THE SENSATIONAL SOUTH
The 2014 Southbound line-up is all killer, no filler. On Friday, January 3, and Saturday, January 4, Sir Stewart Bovell Park in Busselton will be graced by the presences of Violent Femmes, Vampire Weekend, The Wombats, The Preatures, (!!!) CHK CHK CHK, MGMT, Neil Finn, RÜFÜS, Grizzly Bear and more! Point yourself toward southboundfestival.com.au for the full schedule. Tickets go on sale Monday, September 2, at 9am. Check out this week’s issue for an interview with The Preatures on page 19.
He may have just released a more folky-type album with his mate Ron Peno in The Darling Downs (itself following up Runaways, a collaboration with Spencer P. Jones), but The Godfather of Grunge, Kim Salmon, continues to wave the wand of noise when and where he sees fit. He returns to WA on Saturday, September 28, for the Wave Rock Weekender and then takes the stage on Sunday, September 29, at Mojo’s. Salmon will be joined on stage by Todd Pickett (drums) and Pete Stone (bass), with support for the Mojo’s show coming from Perth heavyweights The Chemist, The Floors and DJ Razor Jack.Tickets are yours from from Oztix and Heatseeker.
Still best known for his work with Something For Kate, Paul Dempsey is also an accomplished solo artist, and it’s in that role that he’ll be bringing his Shotgun Karaoke Tour to our fair city. You can catch Paul at the Fly By Night Club on Sunday, October 20, along with special guest Olympia. Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 15, from pauldempseymusic.com.
Paul Dempsey
LEEDERVILLE LIGHTS
MGMT, Southbound indeed Kim Salmon
NELSON, INK
As part of its new exhibition Anarchy, Rock & Ink, Fremantle Arts Centre presents a series of three intimate Thursday-night gigs in the coming month, kicking off this Thursday, August 15, with 2011 WAM Song of the Year winner Timothy Nelson and 2010 WAMI Guitarist of the Year Luke Dux, followed in ensuing weeks by other WA leading songwriters, Brendon Humphries, Todd Pickett, David Craft and Hayley Beth. The exhibition itself, runs until September 15 and celebrates political, rock and art printmaking, featuring masterpieces from New York collective Black Cat, St Kilda design studio Beyond The Pale and WA’s own Rachel Salmon-Lomas. More details and full event lineup at fac.org.au.
KATIE’S GOT A GUN
The Light Up Leederville Carnival will be held on Saturday, December 1, to mark the start of the festive season. This free event will take over the Leederville precinct with free entertainment and attractions from 12 - 8pm. Food, music, fashion, art and children’s entertainment will line the streets culminating in the lighting up of Christmas lights and decorations as night falls.
IT’S TIME!
Fremantle five-piece Rainy Day Women have released their eagerly-awaited new single, Ain’t It Time? and are set to head out on a 15-date national tour next month, kicking off at the annual BIGSOUND conference in Brisbane on Wednesday, September 11. The tour will then take them through Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, before returning to Perth for shows on Saturday, October 5, at Amplifier; Sunday, October 6, at the Newport Hotel; Friday, October 11, at the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, and Saturday, October 19, at Electric Vines in Swan Valley.
Rainy Day Women Timothy Nelson, Anarchy, Rock & Ink
TELEVISION ADDICT?
With their show at MONA in Hobart sold out and other cities on their way, you’d best get your hurry on to buy tickets for the legendary New York outfit, Television. The original house band at CBGBs that went onto release the classic albums Marquee Moon and Adventure, will take the stage at the Fly By Night Club on Monday, October 28. Tickets are $75 (plus booking fee) from flybynight.org, (08) 9430 5976 or at the venue.
RADIO STARS
This year’s Radiothon Opening Party will kick off RTRFM 92.1’s annual pledge drive with a massive Northbridge-wide music celebration across five venues this Saturday, August 17. The Bakery, The Bird, Ya Ya’s, PICA Bar and The Beat Nightclub will open from 8pm with 24 of our best local outfits including Emperors, Sugar Army, Runner, Dianas, Mezzanine and NAIK. Tickets are available from rtrfm.com.au. Turn to pages 26-27 of this week’s issue for more on RTRFM’s Radiothon.
Television Sugar Army 8 Reactions/Comp Thing 11 Flesh 12 Music: Vydamo/ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 14 Music: Boy & Bear/ Diesel 16 Music: Ed Kuepper 18 Music: Kate Ceberano 21 New Noise 23 ETC Feature 27 Eye4 Cover: RTR Radiothon 28 Eye4: News/ Frances Ha/ Pain & Gain 29 Eye4: 100 Bloody Acres/ Elysium 31 Arts Listings 33 Salt Cover: Phetsta 34 Salt: News/ Test Pad/ Haydn James 35 Salt: Pangaea/ eightoeight Collective 37 Salt: Rewind: tyDi 38 Scene: Live: Big Splash/Barn Owls 43 Tour Trails 44 Gig Guide 46 Volume
ORCHESTRAL MANOUVRES
In our excitement about X-Press Magazine presenting the forthcoming Melbourne Ska Orchestra tour last week, we left off one of the all important dates. Needless to say, the MSO will be funning up the Freo folk at the Fly By Night Club on Friday, September 27, (tickets through flybynight.org). On Saturday, September 28, they hit the Astor Theatre, then on Sunday, September 29, they let the good times roll at the Wave Rock Weekender. Tickets to the Astor Theatre show are available from liveattheastor.com.au and showticketing.com.au. Head to soulhighway.com.au for Wave Rock Weekender tickets.
COVER: Boy & Bear’s second album, Harlequin Dream, is released this week, followed by their 16 Days Under The Southern Sun tour, swinging this way on Friday, November 22, at Metro Fremantle and Saturday, November 23, at the Astor Theatre. SALT COVER: Phetsta discusses his latest EP ahead of his set at Shape this Friday, August 16. www.xpressmag.com.au
Melbourne Ska Orchestra 7
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Presented by the Australia Israel Cultural E xc h a n g e a n d Lu n a Palace Cinemas, the Israeli Film Festival showcases the best of Israeli film from Oscar-nominated documentaries to award-winning features, Israeli Fil Film m Festival challenging dramas and crowd-pleasing comedies. From August 21-28 at Cinema Paradiso you can catch The Ballad of the Weeping Spring - a film described as an Israeli Magnificent Seven - and Stephen Dorf star in Zaytoun - a compelling story of a journey across war-torn Lebanon. Win one of five doubles.
Todd Pickett
UNPLUGGED @ FAC
This winter Fremantle Arts Centre’s main gallery plays host to a series of intimate, unplugged gigs by some of WA’s leading songwriters. Presented as part Circo of Anarchy, Rock & Ink - FAC’s celebration of political, rock and art printmaking - the evocative space will be filled with Chesterfield couches and Persian rugs. Enter for your chance to win one a double pass to Circo is a new music festival curated by Metric & see Kill Devil Hills frontman Brendon Humphries ICSSC set to tingle all your senses. Featuring a huge and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Todd Pickett lineup of international and Australian music across perform on Thursday, August 22. three spaces, crowd immersive performances, top shelf sound reactive projections, and “am I tripping?” stage design it’s a celebration not to be missed this Saturday, August 17 at Ascot Racecourse. Win a Production Department 9213 2854 Luna powers will be at their height for The double pass! production@xpressmag.com.au Newport’s Full Moon Party Launch on Wednesday, August 21 and we’ve got a $50 bar card to give Art Director away to one lucky reader. A new monthly event, Dwight O’Neil entry will be free and competitions, drink specials Design + Production and crazy tunes will abound. This month’s launch Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz will feature Purple Sneakers DJs and Thai-styled Printing Newport spiced rum cocktail buckets.
CLOWNING AROUND
TECTONIC SHIFTING GIG
We’ve got a double pass to see Hessle Audio’s Pangaea play at Geisha this Friday, August 16.
MOON MADNESS
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Comic book fans can catch the second part of a two-part documentary next Tuesday, August 20 at 10pm on ABC1. Comic Book Heroes that tells the Uberjakd inside story of two ambitious Perthian comic book Deadlines creators (Skye Walker Ogden and Wolfgang Bylsma) EDITORIAL and their battle to penetrate the American market. General: Friday 5pm,, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, Comp’ He’s the late night party guy with a reputation for To celebrate their incredible story we’ve got some Thing: Monday Noon,, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: DJing all night. Uberjakd is playing Toucan Club, comics to giveaway. Enter now for your chance to win Monday Noon,, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm Mandurah, this Saturday, August 17 and we’ve got a a copy of The Deep V1 and 2, Changing Ways V1 and ADVERTISING 2, Eldritch Kid or Waldo’s Hawaiian Holiday. double pass up for the winning. Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 OCTOBER 2011 – MARCH 2012
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FRENCH COLLECTION
Mélodie Française Unveiled is a CD collection of Australia’s finest artists delivering their renditions of famous French songs featuring The Jezabels, Lisa Mitchell, Vance Joy and Big Scary. Enter to win!
WHAT’S ON AT MY PLACE
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 Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.
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My Place
X-Press and My Place Bar & Restaurant are still presenting this fantastic competition, for a fun night out for you and your mates. For two more weeks, we’ll be collecting entries for a complimentary $100 food and beverage voucher at My Place. Simply send your name and contact number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the email title ‘What’s On @ My Place’, and list three cocktails from the My Place menu to go into the draw. This one ends August 28.
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
STYLE AID Crown Perth Grand Ballroom Friday, August 9, 2013
Michael Robotham
WATCHING ROBOTHAM
One of the highlights of the WA fashion calendar, STYLEAID took place once again last Friday, with some 750 guests packing out the Crown Perth Grand Ballroom and raising funds for the WA AIDS Council. We bet all concerned can’t wait for next year. Photography by Bohdan Warchomij
Best selling novelist Michael Robotham will be launching his latest chilling new psychological thriller, Watching You, on Wednesday, September 11, at Fremantle Town Hall. He’ll provide guests with a sneak preview into the novel with The West Australian’s books editor and arts writer, William Yeoman, from 6.30pm. The event is free but bookings are essential via gcorders@dymocks.com.au.
Jazzy Hooper, Sophie Powell Synchronicity, Burning Man Effigy
BURN BABY BURN
To coincide with the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, Blazing Swan is hosting a huge day of festivities on Sunday, September 1, at Camelot Theatre, Mosman Park, from 10am-10pm. Synchronicity will feature DJs and live music on the bill as are films and interactive workshops relating to Burning Man culture and a live stream of the annual burning of The Man effigy. Tix are $30 to this all-ages event (kids under 18 are $15 and under 6 are free). More details at blazingswan.com.au.
Yvette Khoo, Miranda Elliott Nile
NILE SUPPORT
Local support in the form of Sensory Amusia has been announced for the Nile and The Faceless gig. Nile will be playing a huge selection of their work spanning the entirety of their career. Catch them at Amplifier Bar on Sunday, November 17. Tickets from Oztix.
Fiona Gardiner Monique Humich
Nosotros Los Nobles
FIESTA OF FILM
The 8th annual Hola Mexican Film Festival runs at Cinema Paradiso from November 14-21 this year. An always exciting celebration of the best Mexican cinema has to offer, this year’s offerings include the smash hit comedy, Nosotros Nos Nobles (We’re The Nobles). Head to holamexicoff.com for details.
Cassidy Hultgren, Mikey Walton
PRIDE IN THE NAME OF LOVE
Applications are now open for events to be listed in the 2013 Pridefest Program. This year, the Pridefest theme is Rainbow Nation, and the festival runs from November 2-23, commencing with a daytime parade through the streets of Northbridge and an all-day celebration in Russell Square. If you’ve got a show, gig or event that is staged by, aimed at, or friendly to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people, head to pridewa.com.au/pridefest to download the application form.
For Our Hero
A HERO FOR OUR TIMES
Melburnian pop-rockers For Our Hero bring their Young Wolves tour to Perth for one show only on Saturday, August 17. The fast-rising foursome will be raising the roof of the Leederville YMCA HQ with Forever Ends Here and Call The Shots in a special all-ages show. Tickets are available through Moshtix.
Dave Frampton, Kristine Vikingstad
Shan Denham, Bree Maddox
WHAT A CONCEPT
MOH - On The Concept Of Love
Following a successful production season of INK at Fringe World 2013, the Ankoku Buyo Collective is back to thrill Perth with another compelling theatre experience. MOH - On the Concept of Love is described as “a surreal and visceral piece of work exploring the meaning of love. It moves beyond the domestic and begins to examine the brutal beauty and aching joy that is the language of the heart.” The collaborative work involves some of Perth’s most promising artists and producers, embracing styles of physical theatre, Butoh, Kathakali and weaving them together into a theatrical tour de force. The season runs from August 22-25 at 8 MacEwan St West Leederville. Tickets are $14.99 (plus booking fee) from oztix.com.au.
CHARISMA CHAMELEON
Charisma Brothers
STREET VIEW
John Bannister has been performing in the Perth music scene for more than 25 years as trumpet player/vocalist and in more recent times has been heading up The Charismas Brothers. Bannister and co. will bring their blend of cool jazz and blues to Ellington Jazz Club on Tuesday, August 20, with special guests Errol Tout and Pete Bull (Paul Kelly Band). It’s a thing to behold from 8pm.
Barrack Street - A Time to Reminisce is an interactive exhibition taking a look at the history of Perth’s Barrack Street. On view at the State Library of Western Australia from next Monday, August 19 to Friday, September 6, the exhibition will also be supported by two free talks held on Wednesdays August 21 and 28 at 12.30pm. Booking is essential via heritageperth.com.
Childsaint, Perth City Farm Open Night
DOWN ON THE FARM
Feel like a rustic getaway in the middle of the urban sprawl? Perth City Farm is having a free open night, featuring live music from Sambanistas, DJ Super Flog, Sam Maher, Childsaint, Elli Schoen, Flower Drums and Diger Rokwell, as well as mouthwatering range of food and a general goodtime vibe. It’s a fundraiser, so come prepared to throw in a couple of bucks to keep City Farm ticking over. It all happens Saturday, August 24, at City Farm, East Perth, from 5pm.
Backsliders
ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
Blues pioneers, Backsliders are on their way to Perth for two gigs before the end of the month. Featuring Dom Turner (Supro, Ghostwriters), Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil, Ghostwriters) and Ian Collard (Collard, Greens & Gravy), Backsliders will perform Mojo’s on Friday, August 30, and Clancy’s Dunsborough on Saturday, August 31. Tickets from heatseeker.com.au and clancysfishpub.com.au respectively. www.xpressmag.com.au
Bayou
BAYOU SUPPORT SLEEP
Stoner/doom band, Sleep will be joined by local outfit Bayou for their Monday, October 28, gig at the Rosemount Hotel. After releasing their debut self-titled album earlier this year, Bayou have been honing their tripped-out vibes. Tickets from lifeisnoise.com, Heatseeker and Oztix.
Mantra
TRIGGER HAPPY
Perth outfit, Trigger Jackets, are heading off around the nation, touring in support of their new album, Skinny. There’s no way they weren’t going to have a hometown celebration, so a knees-up it is at Ya-Ya’s this Friday, August 16. The Scotch of Saint James and Frighteners provide able support. Doors open 8pm, $10 entry.
TELLING A TALE
Aussie hip hop maestro Mantra’s third album, Telling Scenes, is almost upon us, being scheduled to hit the shelves on September 13, and the occasion is being marked by a national tour. Mantra hits Perth for two shows on Thursday, September 19, at Flyrite and Friday, September 20, at Mojos, with Grey Ghost providing support. Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 15, through mantraemcee.com. 11
Jim Finn, aka Vydamo
VYDAMO The Human Condition Jim Finn of Art Vs Science overcame a health setback to record and release his debut solo LP, Becoming Human, under the alias of Vydamo. ALASDAIR DUNCAN reports.
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB All Night, Every Night San Franciscan rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are travelling the world, touring in support of their seventh album, Specter At The Feast. CALLUM FITZPATRICK reports. It’s 2am in Italy when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club bassist/singer Robert Levon Been picks up the phone, so I wasn’t exactly expecting a chirpy reaction from the Californian. Surprisingly though, he’s sounding as alert as ever. “This is actually my prime time,” he laughs. “I ask to do my interviews in the early hours as it’s when I’m most awake. When I’m on tour, I’m an insomniac and I’ll just stay awake all night and sleep all day. It’s also good because I hit peak energy when I’m on stage at 10pm. The problem is that I 12
can’t come down after that, so I’m just fucking up all night, every night.” It’s been a rough few years for Been – his father, the frontman and bass player for ‘80s cult band, The Call, and BRMC soundman and mentor, died of a heart attack on tour with the band in April, 2010. The garage rockers’ seventh album, Specter At The Feast almost functioned as a coping mechanism for the band, with Been previously saying that, ‘The only thing that felt good was just getting together, plugging in, and turning up loud as shit. It was kind of this therapeutic process, playing really loud, and just feeling this energy; letting that be a release. It really helped us pull out of that darkest place that we were in’. Now, half a year after the release of the album, Been says the band has had time to reflect on the record. “Right around now is when the songs start to take a definite shape live and they become their own monsters,” he says. “The first month of release you’re used to hearing those recordings and you’re imagining everyone hearing them for the first time, so you want to represent them as closely as possible. But after a while they start growing and changing for the live environment. We’re at that stage where we’re just having fun hearing them mutate. They still sound the same, but they can usually speak to people and
Jim Finn of Art Vs Science shows off a softer side to his songwriting with his side project, Vydamo. His debut album, Becoming Human, takes the rollicking, adrenaline-charged party tunes of his main band and replaces them with far gentler and more melodic synth pop sounds. “I started writing songs for the project in around February last year,” Finn explains. “It was more of an exercise in song writing for myself. I hadn’t written a song by myself in years, because with Art Vs Science, we always write together. After I’d written one, I started to feel more confidence, and feel that yearning to get that same feeling you get when you’ve completed a song you’re happy with.” Surprisingly, it was a health scare for Finn that laid the ground work for Vydamo. Early last year, he was due to head off on an overseas tour with the lads from Art Vs Science – he was looking forward to spending several months gallivanting around Europe when in March, he found out that his kidneys had failed, and he needed to stay put in Australia. Finn took the news in stride. “I thought I’d make the most of my time and keep writing,” he explains. “I wasn’t intending to write an album, but after about six songs, I realised that I had something that really fit together, something that sounded like a real representation of me. So I kept going and made the record.” Throughout the whole process, Finn was determined not to let health problems get him down. “I didn’t look at it as too much of a big deal,” he says. “It’s inconvenient having your kidneys fail, but for me it was like having a broken leg and sitting around waiting for it to get better.” Everyone in his family offered to give him a kidney, but it turned out that his dad was the best match, so they wasted no time in organising a transplant. “It takes six months in dialysis to get there,” he says, “but I knew there was an end in sight. I always feel like worrying doesn’t change anything, so there’s no point in doing it. Eventually you get over things, and if you get over it immediately, it makes the whole process easier.” Given his album’s retro-leaning sound, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Finn himself is a big collector of vintage keyboard gear. In fact, most of the sounds on Becoming Human came from the studio. “I wrote most of the songs on Garage Band, and they were fully formed even then,” he explains. “I recorded it at 301 in Sydney, and they have a room of keyboards there, so I went in and played with all of them ‘til I found the sounds I wanted. “There were times when I’d think ‘okay, I want a stabby synth sound here and a floaty synth pad
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club interact with them better than when we first played them.” Even though the latest album is still fresh in the minds of many of BRMC’s notoriously faithful fan base, the boys have already started to formulate ideas for their next album. “It’s mostly just the music and rough melodies at the moment,” Been says.“Some words come here and there in the moment, but it’s difficult to focus on one continual thought. “You’re resonating on a feeling and you need time to daydream on it. You drift in and out of the feeling, but it’s always at the centre of everything. On the road, this process is continually hijacked – as much as you try and stay in one state of mind, as soon as you play a two-hour set, you’re in a different state, you’re wherever the audience’s energy is at. It breaks the spell and that’s why it’s hard to write words and finish songs. “Once we get home we usually have tons of half songs and early ideas that become what we eventually create for the album and they still have that raw energy to them.” But Been adds that knowing the point in which a song is ready to be turned into a tangible product is a constant struggle for the band. “I feel like a song is never done really,” he says. “There are tracks from the first record that still
here’, so I’d find things that fit the demo, and seek out better sounds when I got to the studio. That part of it was definitely really good fun.” For Finn, one of the more enjoyable parts of writing songs with Vydamo is the fact that it allows him to distinguish himself from Art Vs Science. “I’d say that with this project, you can hear my love of those quieter, gentler types of music coming through,” he says. “When I was writing Becoming Human, that’s the mindset I was in, and it all came together in that kind of sound.
“I wasn’t intending to write an album, but after about six songs, I realised that I had something that really fit together, something that sounded like a real representation of me. So I kept going and made the record.” “Right now, we’re writing the new Art Vs Science record,” he continues, “and we’re doing lots of upbeat party tracks, but that’s a part of my personality as well. I guess, when I was writing the Vydamo songs, if I came up with some sort of upbeat party track, I would probably say to myself that ‘this would work better as an Art Vs Science song than a Vydamo song’. I know things like that quite early in the piece, usually.” As for the future of Art Vs Science, Finn reveals that the band are right back in the swing of things. “I was writing and rehearsing with the boys literally 45 minutes ago,” he says. “I think we’ve recorded about 10 songs so far for the new album, but we have about 30 ideas, and we want to get them all worked up so we can find the best ones.” The aim now is to get the remaining songs fully formed, so that they can go into the live show. “That’s ultimately what will decide it,” Finn says. “The songs that get the best reaction in the live show are the ones that will make it to the album. It’s a lucky place to be, that we have a following and we can road test the song and gauge the response – we’re very grateful for that.” have room to grow. When you record something, you have a series of moments of surrender. The first one is when you first release the record, then it’s when you play the song live and then there’s a point you need to try and stop fucking with it as you have to be respectful of the fact that the song is not entirely yours anymore. “I never like to look at a track as ‘finished’ because sometimes they are still changing and sometimes they get better. Actually, usually they do.” In the live setting, BRMC are notorious for adding new breakdowns or affixing long outros that, as Been puts it, “carry on the story of the song”. Not only does this serve as a point of difference between a recording and its live incarnation, these extensions can often turn into new tracks. “We’ve got a lot of songs that were born out of other tunes,” Been says. “That’s how Spread Your Love was written – we were playing the song Down Here from our first record and somebody just forgot to stop playing at the end – I think it was me. We all kicked back in and what we played ended up becoming Spread Your Love. “Things just spawn sometimes. When you’re already in a groove or you’ve got a particular energy going on, you can play off that for a long time – a three minute song sometimes feels brief. Then again, nobody wants to hear a fucking 20 minute song either. You’ve gotta simplify it.” The downside to this never ending evolution of music is that you inevitably find flaws in a song’s first pressing. “You wish you could go back sometimes, but then again, changing a song live makes it special for the people that come out and see us. It’s especially important these days where everything’s so available and people have such a collectorobsessed mindset – they download b-sides and rare versions of everything. Now a lot of people are like, ‘I’m gonna get 10,000 fucking songs on my iTunes. I’ll barely listen to any of them, but I’ve got them and they’re mine’. “Everyone wants everything, but as soon as they get it, they put it out of their mind. So it’s nice to have something special and unobtainable for people to look forward to when they come out to shows.” BRMC will be heading down under for the Harvest Festival later this year (no word as yet on other dates) and Been appears to be genuinely humbled by the opportunity. “You’re not guaranteed to make it outside your country after every album,” he states.“I feel that we could probably get to Europe and fail, but you don’t get to fucking Australia and Japan without a little bit of luck and a good response from the record. It’s always a good feeling to find out there’s been a proper invitation to play there. It feels like we did something right.” X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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BOY & BEAR Home Fires Boy & Bear’s eagerly-awaited second album, Harlequin Dream, is released this week, followed by their 16 Days Under The Southern Sun tour, swinging this way on Friday, November 22, at Metro Fremantle and Saturday, November 23, at the Astor Theatre. JAYDE FERGUSON reports. Boy & Bear singer/songwriter, Dave Hosking, sits in his car outside their rehearsal studio in his hometown Sydney, contemplating the arrival of the band’s second album, Harlequin Dream, somewhat distracted by the other band members. He seems pretty chilled considering the huge buzz that’s surrounded the release of Southern Sun, the first single off the album, but admits it’s the waiting game that’s most painful. “I’m trying not to think about it, to be honest,” he says. “The irony is we’ve had more time on our hands for the last two months than we’ve had in a long time, which isn’t always a good thing. “I’m just focussing on what we have to do in the immediate future. I’m looking forward to the release; I’ve hit a point now where there’s not much else we can do, we worked really hard. I just want to get it out there.” Harlequin Dream is a different steppingstone for Boy & Bear and illuminates recollections from past eras, exploring and incorporating classic songwriting styles from Bruce Springsteen to Fleetwood Mac. “I think they’re particularly good! At least from my perspective, a lot of the approach to this last album was listening to my favourite music from that late ‘60s/’70s era, but on the side we’re listening to REM. “I think the whole goal is to get your favourite parts of those artists and start to subconsciously mould them together to create your own sound. I guess time will tell if we’ve done that effectively or not, but I think we went for it. We definitely embraced slightly more classic structures and melodies.” The five ARIA awards Boy & Bear have locked under their belt give a clear indication of their accomplishments from their 2011 debut album, Moonfire, so it can be debated that taking this new direction with their sound was a bold move. Despite the pressure to live up to the previous
“Just being home, actually sleeping in our own beds and people going back to their partners was really beneficial, we needed that. It’s a challenge – not so much in regards to the physical distance, but what tends to happen when recording is you get so embedded in this process, your brain moves to this wonderfully indulgent state where you’re just this kid in a candy shop.” success, however, Hosking recalls that it was a relatively natural progression in moving towards a more “classical... well, a classic pop sound.” “I think that… oh, I have to say the boys have arrived and are hassling me in the car (laughs). Tim (Hart, drummer) is being particularly rude! I think there was pressure coming out of the EP going into the album, there’s always pressure going into records, that’s the game you play in this industry. I know it’s the obvious thing to say but it’s true, you’ve got to follow what feels and sounds good. You go crazy if you try weigh up everything but it seemed really obvious that it was the right move to make early on. As long as everyone is committed
Diesel
DIESEL Given To Fly Diesel has just released 13th album, Let It Fly. His national tour will see him perform on Thursday, October 17, at Friends Restaurant (solo); Friday, October 18, at the Fly By Night Club; Saturday, October 19, at the Charles Hotel, and Sunday, October 20, at the Ravenswood Hotel. SHANE PINNEGAR reports. 14
Boy & Bear and knows the vision then it makes complete sense to go for it.” The new direction in sound isn’t the only variation Boy & Bear took for Harlequin Dream. The album was recorded at Albert’s Studio in Sydney and co-produced by the band and Wayne Connolly (Powderfinger/Silverchair) enabling them to balance producing well-crafted songs and the isolation that is sometimes needed to do so with family and friends. “Just being home, actually sleeping in our own beds and people going back to their partners was really beneficial, we needed that,” he reflects. “It’s a challenge – not so much in regards to the physical distance, but what tends to happen when recording is you get so embedded in this process, your brain moves to this wonderfully indulgent state where you’re just this kid in a candy shop. “I love it, but it’s utterly exhausting and I think that in itself can create a barrier and cause distance between people. That’s the challenge, but we’re getting better at that. I’m single these days (laughs) so I didn’t quite have that problem as much as some of the other guys.” Recording the album close to where home fires were burning, it seems, was a huge advantages. “Everyone has a slightly different way of doing things,” Hosking says. “It’s a long process and the key things are making sure everyone’s comfortable, that you’re getting the best out of each other and the producer. Recording locally
with someone we knew well meant that we were all communicating effectively and super comfortable, that’s a huge benefit.” Working on the album since October, 2012, Hosking states he thought they would have finished earlier. “More songs came flooding in the back end of the recording process, we could’ve kept going but you’ve gotta pull an end to things sometimes. The record is just a snapshot of the moment in time, if you can see it like that you can let go of it, otherwise I’d still be in there slightly crazy (laughs) and still tweaking things!” In the writing stages, Dave Symes was recruited as the new bass player. Hosking amusingly admits he is quite the competitive bloke at pingpong. “He’s one of those guys you don’t think is competitive because he’s super chilled but he was getting really frustrated at losing! At one point he jumped up on the table and snapped it (laughs) so we had to prop it up fairly precariously. He’s a good dude.” Hosking says that his pick off the album is the closing track, Arrow Flight. During the recording process of the song, the key focus was solely on groove. “I loved how Wayne had such a simple approach,” he recalls.“I learnt you don’t always need bells and whistles to create a good song, just to embrace simplicity at times. That’s why I really love this song.”
“Back then a lot of products were made with sheep fat: all the soaps, all the detergents, were all sheepbased. It really permeated through everything. It’s well and truly faded now, but in the ‘70s that really was the smell of Australia, that and eucalyptus. It was a very strange land to us - but we adapted really quickly.”
Let It Fly was recorded in bits and pieces over the past two years, and contains many of Diesel’s most personal lyrics to date. The autobiographical, The Miles, charts the family’s move Down Under, yet he credits Canadian fiddle-wizard Tim Chaisson, a man renowned for walking up to the microphone and creating magic, for finishing the song. “I really loved what he did,” Diesel explains. “That was already going really nicely - I was happy with the environment and the feel of the song, but when he came and put the fiddle on top of it I just thought, ‘wow!’ This song was just made for him - like I made the whole song just so he could come and put that fiddle on it! “He doesn’t even bother asking what key the song’s in or anything.” Diesel says excitedly and a little in awe at his simpatico colleague. “He just sort of starts playing. I could have just been happy with one take but I thought, ‘geez he’s gonna think I’m really unprofessional if I don’t ask for another take!’ He added that extra level of flavour that just glued it all together. He was definitely a real sort of catalyst for me to finish the record.” The collaboration worked so well that the pair have a four track EP due in October, and Chaisson is supporting Diesel on his October tour. To make the record even more personal, Diesel also enlisted 18 year-old daughter, Lily Gold, to sing backing vocals on the album and she features on a duet with her dad on the track, Navigate. “Does that intensify the emotion for me as a songwriter? Yeah, it does. Just the sound of her voice, it’s always amazed me how I could get her in to sing something and I end up thinking, ‘wow, that really changed the track’. That song, I probably wouldn’t have even bothered trying to get it onto the album if it wasn’t for her making it complete like that.” Producing your kid on a very personal and emotional track isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, but Diesel is just happy he has a bond with Gold that transcends parent-child conflict. “I guess when you’re making music you just separate yourself to some degree,” he offers. “She just becomes an artist, working with me in the studio. Thankfully, that’s something I’ve got to enjoy, because any parent with their son or daughter, there’s a certain amount of struggle, conflict, whatever you want to call it…” he says with a self conscious laugh. “Thankfully, I get to share this playing field with her, where everything just gets pushed aside and we’re just two musicians side by side, working together.” He pauses, a proud dad having a moment, before quipping, “Then we go back to, you know, yelling at each other!”
Diesel – Mark Lizotte to his folks – feels that he’s come full circle with his new album, Let It Fly, a release that sees him tying up loose ends from his past, both musical and personal. “I just really felt on this one,” he explains, “a sudden crystallisation - or a distillation, I like to call it.” Was this a coming of age moment? “Yeah, a little bit. I think this record, probably more than any other record I’ve made to date, is a real kind of coagulation of all the records I’ve done so far.” Emigrating from the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts, to smalltown Perth in 1971, the Lizotte clan – mum, dad, five year-old Mark and six older brothers and sisters - suffered through a lonely, hot Christmas in an immigration hospital with a newspaper cut-out of a Christmas tree stuck to the wall. Reminiscing about that time in what he calls “quarantine for humans”, Diesel remembers nothing more vividly than “everything smelling like lamb. Back then a lot of products were made with sheep fat: all the soaps, all the detergents, were all sheep-based. It really permeated through everything. It’s well and truly faded now, but in the ‘70s that really was the smell of Australia, that and eucalyptus. It was a very strange land to us - but we adapted really quickly. “This was small town Australia - and I didn’t want to stick out at all, but I did - maybe it was the purple polyester flares that my parents dressed me in? That would not have helped!” he laughs. They brought next to nothing with them, just clothes and a “few records of my dad’s”, a professional sax player. The music helped young Mark through the transition and strongly impacted his soulful take on rock’n’roll.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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ED KUEPPER
“Well yeah,” Kuepper says, somewhat ambivalently. “It depends what’s called out, but that’s what we’re looking at, yeah. It’s a foolhardy endeavour, I must say, but I’ve done this once before and it sort of worked and that’s why I’ve decided to do a little run around the country with it.” He does admit that many of his fans know his back catalogue, which encompasses work with a variety of bands as well as a couple of dozen sole releases, better than him, and have occasionally caught him flat-footed onstage. “It does happen surprisingly often. If they sort of connected with me on Facebook or on my mailing list then that’s a way that they can put in requests, but people who Legendary Australian guitarist Ed aren’t engaged in that sort of thing, they can just see what happens.” Kuepper - he of The Saints, The call out and Kuepper, like an increasing number of Aints, The Laughing Clowns and, artist of his vintage, has embraced social media, a presence on Facebook. “I do it to a lately, The Bad Seeds - plays Solo maintaining degree. I wouldn’t say I’m the most canny user of And By Request at the Fly By Night the process or anything like that. thing I did decide to do with the Club this Friday, August 16. That Facebook “One page was to just keep it a personal page seemed like reason enough for as opposed to making it some kind of professional run by an agent or something like that. So TRAVIS JOHNSON to hit him up for thing when the answers and stuff come through, that is me. I think it’s a reasonable way of maintaining some a quick word. kind of continuity or community or communication The title of the tour says it all: Solo And By with people around the world. It’s got its limitations Request. Ed Kuepper, with only a guitar or - severe limitations, in that things go up there and two and stomp box to save him, fielding then they’re gone within an hour or so, but people requests from a room full of fans who have, in who are interested can obviously take some sort of all likelihood, followed his career since he first scroll through it.” By necessity, he’s developed a thick skin founded The Saints back in 1974. when it comes to handling trolls and cyber-stalkers, although the punk veteran’s years of dealing with unruly crowds meant it wasn’t a difficult skill to pick up. “Yeah, yeah, I just get ‘em bumped off, you know? “ he laughs. “I mean, I have made statements that I don’t respond to messages on the personal messages thing, that’s kind of too much. That’s where you get most of that stuff. You get occasional people who are obviously there just to sort of pour a bit of shit around, but that happens everywhere; it’s not that much of a drama for me. I just ignore stuff like that anyway.”
Shooting From The Hip
Ed Kuepper
“Some people wanted to hear the really well know stuff, other people wanted to hear stuff that I’m surprised anybody apart from myself remembered - and they probably remembered it better than I did.” Getting back to the matter at hand, Kuepper is pretty sure he’ll be able to handle any requests that come his way, although he does reserve veto power for himself. “There will obviously be a couple of things that would be silly to call out, because it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to play them. For instance, I did a series of instrumental, fairly orchestrated and ambient soundtrack kind of albums in the ‘90s - it’s unlikely that I’m gonna do any of that even if people call it out. I don’t know it’s hard to say. It’ll be a mixture. I can only go by the one show that I’ve done before and it’s surprising, some of the stuff that got called out. Some people wanted to hear the really well know stuff, other people wanted to hear stuff that I’m surprised anybody apart from myself remembered - and they probably remembered it better than I did.” And if we’re lucky, we’ll get a taste of Kuepper’s upcoming album - the first release of all new material since Jean Lee And The Yellow Dog back in 2007. “It’s kind of really early stages,” he explains. “It seems odd, in a way, to put it like that because when I write I sometimes don’t finish songs and I put them aside. It’s a very rare occasion when more than 30 or 40 per cent of an album that’s released has got what you would consider to be contemporary material. There’s often quite a lot of older songs that make their way onto it that haven’t been recorded before. It’s only just dawned on me in the last couple of years that that’s the way I’ve always worked; that the album that’s released always has songs that are old. I haven’t been playing them live necessarily, no one’s heard them before, but they’re not what you could honestly say were new songs. “Often it takes me years before I feel it’s right to record something.” he continues.” A lot of this stuff that I’m looking at is four or five years old. the other thing that happens when I start looking at recording something, when I start writing, I write new stuff but I often put that aside. So to kind of say what this is gonna be until it’s finished is really difficult. I think what I can say, so far, is what I’d like it to be is something quite acoustic - something that’s quite spare, but also I’d like there to be a slightly electronic basis to some of the percussion. So that’s kind of the way I’m demoing this stuff at the moment and I’m liking the way that it’s sounding.” 16
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
“When you’re away, it’s like submerging yourself on one gulp of air,” she says. “You do it and you get it done because you’ve got to come up and breathe again. And being away helped with that process - it helped make it, like, ‘Bam! Do it Ceberano, let’s get this done.’” Equally key to the process was finding the right studio vibe, so much so that the album was named after it. “I knew the place was right,” she says excitedly, “we discovered this great collective, and in the studio it looks like an old schoolyard like in To Sir With Love, there are DJs and hip hop acts and musicians, and all of these small enclaves around this quadrangle. And everyone has access to each other, so if you needed a drummer, or you needed someone to theremin, or someone to just come in and listen, Kate Ceberano tells SHANE PINNEGAR play there was just this hum of production going on. that the time was right to make her “I just thought the place had a real sense of freedom - there was no ageism going on, there was first original album in a decade, Kensal no discrimination of musical styles. It was just like a Road. She performs on Wednesday, bunch of hippies making music, it was awesome! We a month planned and we just had to get it done. October 2, at the Albany Entertainment had So every day - regardless of the sound of the buses Centre; Thursday, October 3, at the hurtling by - ‘cause the place is completely organic, it doesn’t have soundproofing or that sort of stuff - we Bunbury Regional Entertainment just kind of did it. We recorded in real time, all the at the same time.” Centre; Friday, October 4, at Mandurah band playing What started off as a place to work quickly Performing Arts Centre and Saturday, lent itself to a whole new way to work for Ceberano. “Because it feels like you’re jamming October 5, at the Regal Theatre. instead of trying to get stuff done with the money Don’t expect to hear Bedroom Eyes when Kate and the time you’ve got, you don’t feel that pressure Ceberano goes on tour nationally in October in - you feel like you’re actually making music! How cool is that?” support of her new album, Kensal Road. “Oh no, no, no - it’s all the new album,” Ceberano explains.“The whole reason for doing a new album of original work was to give myself new material to perform. I love to be able to do hits, but that sort of ages you, because it gives you a time and an era and some nostalgic reference to the audience - and you want to keep reminding them that you’re present and belonging to now, not just to some other section of their life a hundred years ago.” Ceberano says that when daughter Gypsy was born 10 years ago, she “felt a little self indulgent to sneak away into a corner and get into that subjective universe you’ve got to get into to write. And I already had the guilts up enough that I was a working mum and a touring mum! It almost seems too... decadent, actually. “But you never stop, as an artist,” she continues, “Creating poetry or melody, and I have a piano that’s in the traffic area of the house, and when everyone else has gone out, then I am forever writing. It’s just that the process is much changed, since Gypsy’s come out.”
KATE CEBERANO Far Away Eyes
Kate Ceberano
“I just feel like I’m of an age where I can respect my own decisions and live by them. I wanted to make sure it was going to be really comfortable on stage and there wouldn’t be any of that sort of gulf of, ‘Oh I wish I hadn’t done this next song in quite this way’ or, ‘I wish I’d done the vocal on this album differently’. It’s really immature to sit there in regret, so I thought, ‘I don’t want to do that any more’, and the album ended up probably more organic than even I thought it would!” Kensal Road was recorded in Kensal Town in London, under the watchful eye of songwriter/producer, James Bryan, who helped Ceberano in a more organic direction, throwing off the expectations of her fanbase to make sure she was true to herself on the album. “I think limitations - well, these shadows that haunt us - are mostly imposed by ourselves. You spend a lifetime asking permission to do stuff, then you find out at the end of your life that you didn’t get anything done”, she laughs. “I just feel like I’m of an age where I can respect my own decisions and live by them. I wanted to make sure it was going to be really comfortable on stage and there wouldn’t be any of that sort of gulf of, ‘Oh I wish I hadn’t done this next song in quite this way’ or, ‘I wish I’d done the vocal on this album differently’. You listen back and there’s these sort of regrets and you go, ‘no, fuck it - I’m not gonna regret anything now’. It’s really immature to sit there in regret, so I thought, ‘I don’t want to do that any more’, and the album ended up probably more organic than even I thought it would!” Spending a month away from home and family to make Kensal Road wasn’t easy for the loving wife and mother, and that’s reflected in the lyrics of tracks such as My Heavy Heart, The Little Things and So Far From Home. “The songs are smothered with that, ‘Oh they’re so far away’ sentiment,” Ceberano laughs, “But it’s my life experience. That’s true of me anyway, I’m a very nostalgic person - I only have to leave the house to want to go back inside and be with all my mates!” She may have missed her family, but Ceberano is equally adamant that it was the right decision, and one that helped her focus on the work. www.xpressmag.com.au
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Mindsnare
ANNIHILATE MUSIC 10 YEAR BIRTHDAY WEEKENDER Metal Milestone
Local promotions company Annihilate Music are marking 10 years of bringing the best and most brutal heavy rock, punk and metal acts to Perth with a weekend-long blow-out. TRAVIS JOHNSON catches up with company founder, Adam Mossman, for the inside scoop. Ten years ago, Annihilate Music started by booking smallish gigs at venues like the Hyde Park Hotel. Now, 10 years, 130 tours and 500 gigs down the track, they’re a Perth institution, a part of the fabric of the local music scene. “I was part of the Eighty Six Music promotions company with Dion Waterman and Todd Rollings,” co-founder Adam Mossman recalls. “And in that time we booked or were involved with the first WA tours for such bands as Mindsnare, Day Of Contempt, Throwdown and Crank, to name a few. However, Dion moved to Melbourne, and Todd started Artax Entertainment where he successfully toured several punk and rock acts. “
“Being able to book shows for international bands such as Madball, Terror, Sick Of It All, Ringworm and Down To Nothing have been personal highlights. I’m not too sure about achieving greatness; I’m only booking bands,” As there were some new heavier bands starting to form and a need for someone to book them, I decided to start Annihilate Music with my friend Dave Wilson (from bands such as From The Ruins, Fool The World and currently Castle Bravo). Our first shows were a Friday and Saturday weekender of sorts at the Hydey front room in June, 2003. For the first six months we ran about a show a month before 2004 came with our first interstate tour in February (The August Reign) and first international tour in November (Most Precious Blood). From there we have gone from strength to strength.” Though a decade is a long time in the music business, Mossman freely admits he thought that they’d be a long-runner. “I never really had a time frame on the company and just continued to book local shows and tours,” he explains. “I figured that if we put in the hard work and promoted 18
shows and tours, and took care of the bands, that other bands would get in contact and would want to work with us. And that’s pretty much how it has gone. We have been booking and promoting the WA shows for most of the tours Resist Records have brought to Australia over the years and if we had not continued to do a good job I’m sure they would’ve found another company to run those tours. In saying that, reaching 10 years is a pretty good accomplishment!” The line-up for the weekend celebration is an impressive one, including Battletruk, Mindsnare, 50 Lions and Outsider’s Code, and Mossman is justifiably proud, having meticulously curated the weekend himself. “As it became an idea to do a big 10 year birthday weekender I had a list of bands I was interested in bringing over. I guess the criteria was that they were mates and I had either worked with the bands, or people, over the course of the 10 years. I asked bands that I personally liked and had enjoyed great shows in the past with, and I also wanted to have bands that would appeal to a fairly wide range of people so everyone could come down and enjoy the shows. Hopefully I have succeeded in doing that.” Still, there were a couple of disappointments, inevitable when putting on a show of this scale. “There were a couple of bands I had contacted that could not commit to the weekend including ones I tried to talk into reuniting, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. However I am very happy with the line ups I have put together. Mindsnare are an Australian hardcore institution and the best band in the country. 50 Lions haven’t been here since early 2011 and always do well in WA. It’s Battletruk’s long overdue homecoming after relocating to the East Coast and Outsiders Code are a new heavy outfit from Melbourne who are going to rip people’s faces off!” Indeed, Mossman and company have made a career of putting together incredible tours, cultivating a rock-solid professional reputation and an enviable network of industry contacts. When asked what shows he’s most proud of, he responds: “Without a doubt it has been booking Parkway Drive’s WA tours since their first tour here in 2004. They’re great guys who haven’t changed after all their success. “Being able to book shows for international bands such as Madball, Terror, Sick Of It All, Ringworm and Down To Nothing have been personal highlights. I’m not too sure about achieving greatness; I’m only booking bands, but it’s satisfying when people are genuinely appreciative of the time and effort you put in to bringing bands out.” The Annihilate Music 10 Year Birthday Weekender hits Bunbury’s Prince of Wales Hotel on Friday, August 16, (50 Lions, Battletruk, Outsiders Code); Amplifier on Saturday, August 17, (Mindsnare, 50 Lions, Battletruk, Outsiders Code) and concludes with a special all-ages gig at Leederville YMCA HQ on Sunday, August 18, (50 Lions, Outsiders Code). Tickets are available through Ticketek. X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
THE PREATURES Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Just announced as part of the lineup for Southbound 2014, on FridaySaturday, January 3-4, at Sir Stewart Bovell Park in Busselton, The Preatures second EP, Is This How You Feel? has is out now. JODY MACGREGOR checks in. Isabella Manfredi is sitting in her backyard, drinking tea in her pyjamas. It’s early in the morning by musicians’ standards, which means normal people have been at work for an hour, but The Preatures’ singer has had plenty to do on this particular morning. The edits for their latest video, Manic Baby, had to be gone over, and they’ve just found out that previous single, Is This How You Feel?, has been named Pitchfork’s Best New Track. “Everything’s going a bit mental,” she says. The new clip features a troupe of dancers performing moves inspired by Hot Gossip, the dancers from the kitsch classic TV series, The Kenny Everett Video Show. Manfredi calls it “really dated, daggy, risqué dancing,” and although the band are present they don’t join in. “The boys were very interested in putting leotards on but we stopped them at the last minute.” It sounds like it slots neatly into the aesthetic The Preatures have created for themselves; the 1970s Fleetwood-Mac-via-Bryan-Ferry vibe of their newer songs, and the way they pull such serious faces that you assume they must be joking at least a bit. “We’ve been watching a lot of old Prince videos and Roxy Music and there’s a bit of that in the Is This How You Feel? video as well,” Manfredi says. “That slight Young Talent Time awkwardness about it. It’s cool but there’s something slightly off and amateurish about it as well. It’s not really tightly
The Preatures edited and slick and everything makes sense. You’re looking at it going, ‘Really? Is this a joke? Is this for real?’” In spite of the old-fashioned elements of the look and sound, Manfredi says she spent a lot of time listening to newer music while they were working on their second EP. “It’s funny, I was listening to Chairlift, Metronomy, the new Cat Power record – Sun was a big influence on that record that we did – I suppose you can’t really call it a record, an EP. But Unknown Mortal Orchestra we really love as well. Who was the other person I was listening to a lot? Pretenders are always a big one. I listen to a lot of Pretenders. I grew up on Chrissie Hynde, and Chrissy Amphlett as well is a big influence on me.” The band’s previous EP, Shaking Hands, was recorded in LA thanks to a strong Australian dollar letting them afford a producer and book a fancy studio to work in. After that, they felt like a change of pace. “When we came to do the next EP we kind of reacted against what we’d just done. We’d done this record, and we were very happy with it, but we wanted to do something completely different after that. We’ve got our own space in Sydney, it’s just a little rehearsal studio space that the boys have turned into a semi-recordable space, and we did the EP there by ourselves.
“We wanted to work with a producer but we didn’t end up going that way because Jack (Moffitt, guitar) had particular views about the way he wanted to do it, so we got in the space and did it ourselves. It was a lot of trial and error, but it was good.” Creating their own “semi-recordable space” wasn’t easy though, with the cheap warehouse room they rented needing more than just some egg cartons on the walls before it was useable. “It’s a very old warehouse space and it’s graffiti all over the walls – stinks like shit, there’s rats everywhere – but you get into the individual spaces and it’s basically, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. You do whatever you want. You don’t have any protection if something goes wrong, but we got in there and sanded the floors and coated the floors; painted the walls, cleaned it, washed the windows. Jack got a console desk sent down from Brisbane and he’s got a couple of microphones and it’s a lovely little space. We’ve got fairy lights and stuff in there. It’s good, it’s our little place.” That was where they came up with Is This How You Feel? which began with a groove provided by the rhythm section and a chorus that appeared spontaneously, though the rest was written four days later. “If something comes naturally you know
that it’s got something good, but then the rest of it was just structuring it and editing it. I love that part of the process. For me structuring and having all your definite parts really makes me quite turned on – it’s my favourite part of the whole thing.” What makes the editing tricky is being a band with two very different lead vocalists, whose contrast adds variety but can also pull a song in multiple directions. “We’ve got two singers so we’re already in the shit because we’ve got to make it all work, but Gideon (Benson) and I are very different songwriters. When we approach songs in the band we got very used to just accepting songs for what they are and treating each song individually, and not so much as part of a bigger picture. I think for the album we’ll have to get to the stage where we’re looking for an album as a complete story, but at the moment it’s great to have this freedom to treat every song as its own entity, its own little world, and I love that. “I really love that about the band – that we’re open to doing that.” The Preatures will also head to Perth for headline dates next month. Catch them on Friday, September 20, at Flyrite and Saturday, September 21, at Mojos. “Ask me about a song on that album, and I will tell you what influenced it.” Considering Ash’s run of short, sharp pop-punk singles – Kung Fu, Girl From Mars, Angel Interceptor – was broken by slow burning, goth-rock ballad Goldfinger, I choose this one to question Mark about. “Goldfinger?” he says sighing. “This was us trying to show that there was maybe more to Ash as a band,” he decides. “Tim had this James Bond-like guitar sequence already written, and he kept playing it at rehearsals. I didn’t see what the appeal was at first, but Owen kept on at us to do something with it. I didn’t think of it as a potential single, but it ended up going Top 5 in the UK and I am kind of glad about that because I think we were in danger of being seen as one-trick ponies.
Ash
ASH Spirit Of ‘77 Irish scamps Ash will perform their debut album, 1977, in full at the Rosemount Hotel on Tuesday, August 27. LEIGH SALTER reports. Quite frankly, you couldn’t invent a band like Ash. This group of teenage Star Warsobsessed Black Sabbath-fanatics’ endless bubblegum punk anthems stopped everything that was Britpop in its tracks – at least for a moment – in the mid ‘90s. Their very specific obsessions culminated in acclaimed debut album 1977, which legend has it, was partly funded by stolen cash and, depending on what you believe, the lads’ double lives as rent boys. Whatever the truth of the matter, Ash bassist Mark Hamilton proves to be little help in sorting fact from fiction. His blurred memory defeats him at most every turn as he trawls the past in search of answers to what happened in order to land Ash in the ‘rock legends’ basket. “I don’t remember, honestly, a lot about that time (recording 1977),” he offers after a prolonged pause. “All I know is we were desperate to get out of school and make something of ourselves in order to get out of having the drudgery of work/life balance - whatever that is www.xpressmag.com.au
supposed to mean.” Speaking ahead of the Australian leg of their 1977 tour, Hamilton finds himself a last minute stand-in for vocalist Tim Wheeler, who has disappeared somewhere within the band’s hotel. One ‘fun’ past-time Ash have never tired of is checking in under assumed names, making it impossible for journalists and crazed fans alike to track their movements. “Our thing is to check in under the names of our road crew, and they use our names. It just means we can get a bit of privacy,” he laughs. “The guys don’t mind. They filter our calls… it’s all part of the service.” Hamilton’s notoriously cheeky side is still well intact, but his memory lacks the same prowess. Perhaps even more than the other two, Hamilton famously wiped himself out in grand style, long before Russell Brand made such activities into a full-time career. His memory of Australia however is simple. “It feels very familiar now, because we have been touring there since our first album came out.” In 1996, Ash toured internationally for the first time. They had yet to complete Year 12 but instead found themselves learning what it meant to be ‘stars’ on a global scale. “We had no concept of society outside of Ireland. Not even outside of our own backyards, really. What made it so great was everywhere we went we found the people who were most into us were just kids like us. We weren’t playing to older audiences really and now, our fans have grown up with us and so that has kind of stayed the same.”
The topic of Oasis rears its head, as 1977’s producer O wen Morris had recently completed a successful session on Liam and Noel Gallagher’s monstrous (What’s The Story) Morning Glory album before ‘taking a chance’ on the little known Irish combo. “Owen was still pretty young at the time, and he was all about creating a certain vibe in the studio in order to capture the mood on record. That would often mean taking drugs, drinks or being in drag in the studio,” he laughs. “It was all about keeping it on the edge and capturing that spontaneous magic.” T h e v i b e a t t h e s e s s i o n s w a s, a s it turned out, ideal for Ash. “ To be honest, it didn’t take much prompting from Owen. He was really curious about us and he heard something in our music, even in the early days before Oasis got really big, and we were probably a greater risk to him as a producer, which seemed to motivate him.” 1977 has often been cited as a ‘tribute’ album of sorts to Ash’s heroes, such as Star Wars creator, George Lucas, actor Jackie Chan and bands like Black Sabbath and The Ramones. “When it started out we didn’t have too much of a game plan to be honest,” Hamilton recalls. “We wrote what we thought of as a bunch of singles and a few extra songs to finish the album off. I mean, there are obviously influences in there… I don’t really know what to say… I can’t remember what we were doing and if we had a plan or not.
“Owen (Morris, producer) was still pretty young at the time, and he was all about creating a certain vibe in the studio in order to capture the mood on record. That would often mean taking drugs, drinks or being in drag in the studio. It was all about keeping it on the edge and capturing that spontaneous magic.” “Mind you, the days of having Top 5 anything are behind us, because we don’t have the huge label machine working for us, you know? We tour our ‘major label hit album’ in cycles and record and release music as an independent band, so it’s a bit of a double life we’re leading in a way.” As Ash’s debut album is allegedly being ‘played in full’ on this tour, the closing track on the album, Sick Party, raises a serious question. Is the track – a tape recording of Hamilton vomiting violently while Wheeler and drummer Rick McMurray cackle insanely in the background – worthy of a live recreation? “I just wanna say that it’s never planned, but sometimes it just happens,” Hamilton says.“Let’s face it; we are the kind of band people expect to see passing out in a pool of sick, but you’ll have to wait and see.” 19
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TRACER El Pistolero
PARQUET COURTS Light Up Gold
Mascot Records
Create/Control
JON HOPKINS Immunity Domino/EMI
When Jon Hopkins was in his late teens he turned his back on a prospective life as a classical pianist and joined Imogen Heap’s band to handle samples and synthesisers. Along the way he has become a go-to collaborator for Brian Eno and appeared on Coldplay albums. Hopkins may have been billed alongside more fancied friends, but he could find his name being the drawcard in the future if his fourth album, Immunity, is anything to go by. There are delightful ambient moments like the slow burn of Abandon Window, but they are often sandwiched next to more menacing monsters like the thudding Collider. It is when Hopkins is reunited with King Creosote for the title track that many will prick up their ears. Apart from the familiar voice, it is the timid piano and home crafted rhythms make it nothing short of breathtaking. Hopkins has always paid attention to the detail and it pays handsome dividends on Immunity. Hopkins makes giant strides in delivering an electronic album that pulses and pops and maintains its ambient charm.
NEWSTED Heavy Metal Music Sony
Brooklyn punks Parquet Courts are a band on the move. Their debut album was originally issued on cassette only and its follow up Light Up Gold was originally put out on their own label. Such is the buzz behind the outfit that it was quickly reissued for a greater audience. Light Up Gold didn’t challenge the band’s budget too much as they cranked out a bunch of energetic rock tunes live in the studio to see the album completed inside three days. There are no bells and whistles, just crunchy guitars, chugging rhythms, rustic vocals and a whole load of angst from a brash crew of ‘brothers’. These tunes are catchy as the dose and attack the burning issues such as the youthful pursuits on Stoned & Starving, as the band are closer to The Fall and Wire than many of the current day crop that they may associate with. Careers In Combat is slacker heaven as it breezes in and out in just over a minute and No Ideas adds some obtuse noodling and a less frenetic melody to the formula. Parquet Courts rip through 15 punchy lo-fi rockers in just over half an hour. This may be music for people with short attention spans, but it is also so much more.
Tracer hail from Adelaide, but you wouldn’t know it as they’ve concentrated on relentless touring in Europe and the States over the past few years, not to mention that there’s not much distinctly ‘Aussie’ about their sound either. They lash the melodic power of Foo Fighters onto the sheer wall of guitars of desert rockers Kyuss, before looking at the whole shebang through Soundgarden coloured glasses. It’s a heady mix of influences and one which works for them, with the end result being 13 tracks that are intense and potent, and inspired for the most part by the Robert Rodriguez movie The Desperado, which starred Antonio Banderas, and the desert stoner influences give a real dusty Tex-Mex feel to the tracks. Producer-to-the-stars Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Silverchair, Cold Chisel) adjusts the dials, giving the sound a classic ‘70s power trio vibe. El Pistolero is huge from start to finish – hottest cuts include Wolf In Cheap Clothes, the dronetastic ultra grunge of Scream In Silence, Hangman’s epic-Zep flavourings, the head-shakingly full on Manic For Ya and the stoner-Western Until The War Is Won.
_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT
_ SHANE PINNEGAR
Long-suffering in the name of metal, Jason Newsted is heavy metal’s understudy. Stepping into Cliff Burton’s (RIP) nearunfillable void in 1986, he’s been a second choice for slapping sure and steady low-end ever since. He’s done stints for Ozzy Osbourne, for Canadian weirdo-thrashers Voivod and supergroup WhoCares. Despite sharing stages with the top tier, he’s wound up as a B-lister in listeners’, and the industry’s, mind. Heroic Dose throbs with stomping Bay Area thrash, Jason’s voice the raspy product of tutelage under James Hetfield. As is expected, the bass towers over all. It takes the helm in Soldierhead, another thrasher punched out by a Metallica shaped mould. ...As The Crow Flies throttles past like bitumen burning road hogs, stirring up And Justice For All memories. It gets a bit tired at this point. Inexplicably, Jason and co. head down South for the insipidly titled Ampossible stringing bluesy, chicken-fried licks across metallic thump like Zakk Wylde or Rich Ward just might. Nocturnus heralds the return of an all-conquering Black Sabbathy doom riff joined by plaintive Ozzy Osbourne style wail. Mid-paced, brews n’ burgers heavy metal. It would stir attention for opening slots yet nowhere near enough to propel them into mega Metalli-stardom.
_ TOM VALCANIS
_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT
DEAD LETTER CIRCUS The Catalyst Fire 3Massive Records/MGM
It’s a coincidence that the two arguably leading bands on the Australian alternative/ progressive rock scene are releasing their long awaited and much anticipated albums literally within weeks of each other. Comparisons between Karnivool and DLC will probably be inevitable. Suffice it is to say that DLC are more about maintaining their signature sound , and expanding within the confines of that signature sound. As long as what the band is producing is quality stuff, then that’s all that matters. And that’s what we have here. DLC have produced an album that will please their existing fans no end, and find a whole bunch of new ones as well. This band has a knack for creating music of great power without having to rely on reams of distortion. The power comes from the compositions themselves and the delivery of those compositions, from the bombastic pounding of Luke Williams’ drums right up to Kim Benzie’s soaring and impassioned vocals. And it’s the songs themselves that are ultimately the hero of the day. While the debut was excellent, it had the occasional dry moment here and there. Not so here, each and every song is strong and compelling. They maintain the momentum absolutely across the course of the 11 tracks on offer, whilst still displaying the patented Dead Letter dynamics they are famous for.
_ ROD WHITFIELD
WHITLEY Even The Stars Are A Mess Dew Process/Universal Music
Lawrence Greenwood doesn’t do things in half measures. In 2010, just as the Whitley juggernaut was riding its highest wave of popularity – with the release of Go Forth, Find Mammoth, the follow-up to 2007’s The Submarine – he pulled the plug on the project, citing disillusionment with music and the industry in general. Fast forward three years and, after trekking halfway across the world on a quest for self-fulfillment, Greenwood – as Whitley – is back; with an album title inspired from a quote by the great Werner Herzog, no less. Even The Stars Are A Mess is an ambitious record, destined to divide fans of the Melbournian singer/songwriter. Whereas his previous material, no matter how pensive, always veered towards the anthemic, ETSAAM is an album of prolonged restraint, eschewing catchy choruses and clap-along rhythms for a set of stripped back songs that put the focus squarely on Greenwood’s voice and his searching, introspective lyrics. The Ballad of Terence McKenna is a tender, teasing opener. Greenwood’s clash of optimism and world-weariness has never been so stirring. Backed by a gently-strummed guitar, he sings: ‘It is not a mean world / It’s beautiful / I’ve seen it’. But just as the song appears poised for take-off, it slips suddenly back into the void from where it came. Lead single, My Heart Is Not A Machine, is a less dramatic, but similarly restrained effort. As with the bulk of ETSAAM, Greenwood strips back all excesses to shine a light on lyrics that ponder a range of grand existential questions. It’s the search for this elusive something that drives ETSAAM. And by winding things down and denying his songs the hooks that dominated much of his earlier material, Greenwood makes his journey all the more stark. It’s a bold move.
_ WAYNE MARSHALL www.xpressmag.com.au
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DEAN REOPEN EXPERT ADVICE As a unit coordinator and lecturer at Edith Cowan University’s School Of Business, Dean Roepen knows much about making the leap from study to workforce. Heading up ECU’s Business Edge program, which seeks to develop curriculums to enhance student employability, Dean is involved in a long term study surveying and interviewing ECU students and graduates on what aspects of higher education they find most useful in preparing for the transition from higher education to the workforce. “So far I am getting a lot of feedback that the practical and ‘hands-on’ learning environment, which is part of the Business Edge curriculum, provides students with the opportunity to make some real connections between theory and practice,” Dean says. “There is also a lot of evidence that the services provided by the university such as the careers centre and other opportunities such as internships and vacation work really assist with developing student employability.” Dean took out this year’s Vice Chancellor’s award for excellence in teaching (Early Career) and is currently representing ECU as a nominee for the 2013 Australian Awards for University Teaching (Early Career). He says he has managed his career by saying ‘yes’ to everything and managing time effectively - a personal insight he offers to students. “There is no task that is too small to undertake when you are working in a field which you are truly passionate about. Saying yes to everything has led to some great opportunities for me which have included: being part of the student/university culture through on-campus events; travelling overseas to lecture at universities in Vietnam and Dubai; networking with some of the big firms within WA; gaining extra qualifications; collaborating on some great research projects; and, mentoring students through the process of getting a job. “My advice to students is to take advantage of the opportunities that are provided to you. If you are unsure of what
Dean Roepen these opportunities are, then ask people about them. There is nothing that I enjoy more than seeing my students taking advantage of the extra-curricular opportunities which we provide to them and then using these as a direct pathway to obtaining employment.”
The Business Edge program is a series of core units within ECU’s Bachelor of Business. Dean says it provides students with ‘hands-on’ practical experience in developing employability skills. “We teach teamwork behaviours such as applying social intelligence and how to effectively manage conflict
within teams, so that it can assist with developing a greater final result. At the end of each semester, we get feedback such as: “This is the first time that I have ever enjoyed a group assignment!” which is really great to hear because we know we are making a difference.”
BACHELOR OF ARTS (ARTS MANAGEMENT) @ WAAPA If you’re looking for an exciting career in the arts or entertainment industry, WAAPA offers the only fulltime undergraduate Arts Management course in Australasia. The course has an international reputation for excellence built on the success of its graduates, who have found work as arts managers in events, production, venues, finance, sponsorship, marketing, publicity, promotion and human resources, both in Australia and internationally. WAAPA Bachelor of Arts (Arts Management) graduate Ella McNeil, who now works as the director of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival in Melbourne says the Arts Management provided her with the skills and opportunities to make her dreams happen. “I knew I was good at numbers, talking to people and generally being organised (what I thought were the key skills for a commerce degree), but I always wanted to be involved in something creative and loved the idea of the performing arts,” she says. “I felt pretty lucky when I stumbled across the Arts Management Bachelor course – a brilliant combination of business and the arts.” The Arts Management program is specifically industry focused and designed to give students the knowledge and skills to work in a diverse range of art forms and organisations including theatre companies, venues, dance companies, exhibitions, galleries, concerts and festivals. It provides a foundation in business theory and practice for the arts industry. An emphasis on academic study and experiential practice gives students the opportunity to apply theory to practical situations and workplace scenarios by developing their understanding of art forms and processes within various arts organisations. CHECK THIS WHAT: BACHELOR OF ARTS (ARTS MANAGEMENT) @ WAAPA Applications are open until September 30 WHERE: aapa.ecu.edu.au www.xpressmag.com.au
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KEIR WILKINS SCREENWRITER & DIRECTOR, AGE: 25 COURSES STUDIED:
the second year of my course. The director used the budget allocated to his Masters project, and we also received some additional money from a pitching contest, and I went about refining the script before we shot the pilot. It was a huge learning curve in terms of the huge demands of comedy writing and a lot of funny people AWARDED: Central Institute of Technology helped me along the way. By the end of the process I was really proud of the script and WA Young Filmmaker of the Year and people responded really well to it. Thus, we Outstanding Achievement in Script - Long were able to attach an amazing cast including Form for the pilot of Miseducation. Damon Herriman (Justified, Breaking Bad, Laid), Daniel Henshall (Snowtown, These Final Hours), and Angus McClaren (Packed To The Rafters). This Congrats on your winnings. What projects are helped the project get a lot of attention. you going to put the capital towards? The prize money will really give me the How did your course prepare you for your time to devote myself fully to writing for the rest current career and how much of what you do of the year and enlist the help of script editors is based on being a self-starter? and producers to help me take my projects to My studies laid a lot of the ground the next level. I’m developing two television work in terms of understanding the theory and series, Miseducation and Boy Jam, the latter of craft of screenwriting, but in terms of preparing which I am hoping to produce in Perth. I am also me for the industry, there really is no substitute completing two feature film screenplays. On for experience. I made three low-budget short top of that, I’m hoping to use the money to be films, read a lot of screenplays, watched a lot of able to fly myself around to the various film and films, talked to a lot of people and did unpaid television markets to pitch my work. internships and attachments on professional film sets and these things were the best experiences What inspired the concept for Miseducation? in terms of preparing me for the industry. What did the script writing process involve and how did you go about making the pilot? What advice do you have for aspiring Miseducation came from my experience filmmakers? working in children’s educational theatre in That’s hard because I’m not sure you Perth, going around to primary schools to impart ever stop being an aspiring filmmaker. Or at wisdom on young, supple minds. It was a big least aspiring to do bigger and better projects responsibility for a bunch of twenty-something that reach more people. I am most certainly year old actors, and the more I considered the still aspiring! But when I hit roadblocks in terms potential for disaster, the more the idea of a of my career, I persisted, calling in favours and television comedy appealed. pushing myself really hard. This gave me the The first draft of the script was just opportunity to fail time and time again, and for fun, but when I started telling people about learn from those mistakes and if you keep your the idea, they became really interested. So I ear to the ground and hang around enough, you enlisted the help of producers and a director, learn from the successes and mistakes of others. and together we pitched it at the Australian Film, That’s the best way to improve and build and get Television and Radio School, where I was doing noticed, I think. BA in Film and Performance Studies at Curtin University/ Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting at the Australian Film Television and Radio School
Keir Wilkins
EXPLOSIVE O DAY
Murdoch South Street Campus All eight schools at Murdoch University’s South Street campus are throwing their doors open to prospective students this Sunday for their Open Day. More than 11,000 people are expected and there’s some fun stuff planned too, including constructing Lego robots, investigating the effect marketing has on taste and trying to ‘beat the athlete’ in the exercise science labs. Australian actor and director Myles Pollard (of Water Rats, Home and Away and McLeod’s Daughters) will host a screening of Grave Intentions, a short zombie film produced by students from Gilmore College. Dr Chris Smith and The Naked Scientists will also perform two explosive 90-minute shows in the Kim Beazley Lecture Theatre at 10.30am and 2pm. CHECK THIS WHAT: MURDOCH OPEN DAY DATE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 TIME: 10AM - 4PM 24
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A MODERN FAMILY
Chris
Cherie
Pete
www.xpressmag.com.au
Sardi di
Graeme
Renee
Adam
Jo
Sarah
RTRFM’s annual Radiothon kicks off this Friday, August 16, and runs until Sunday, August 25. Find 92.1 on your dial or head to rtrfm.com.au to know and learn (and hopefully support). BOB GORDON tunes in. W While every August the people at RTRFM tend tto get on the soapbox a bit about what the sstation means to Perth there’s one important tthing to consider. The station really means a lot to Perth. It is a cornerstone of arts and culture in WA and tto local musicians, it is very much the first port o of call for airplay and the reality of beginning tto build any kind of public profile. Perth revels in its musical goalkickers these days, from Bob Evans/Jebediah, to Tame Impala and Pond, from Karnivool to Abbe May, and previous achievers ssuch as Pendulum, Ammonia, Little Birdy, Sleep JJackson and more. All these artists had their first cconsistent airplay from RTRFM, at a time when PR machines and mass popularity were far off and it all boiled down to keen ears that knew quality upon hearing it combined with an ethos and d desire for championing the cause of local music. And it takes what amounts to a modern ffamily to do that in the contemporary era. Those ffriendly faces up there are but a Brady Bunch-like ccollection of the hundreds of staff and volunteers w who keep the RTRFM train a’ rollin’. To know what RTRFM achieves, however, iis perhaps best described by those in the music iindustry who have dealt with the station over m many years. L Luke Rinaldi - Band Manager/Venue Booker ““As a band manager, RTR-FM really is the first port o of call for a local band to get airplay – it’s been ssupportive of so many great WA acts, including m many that I’ve been working with. With its array o of specialist shows there really is something for e everyone, and it puts the power back into the h hands of presenters who get to choose their own p playlists. “RTR is so important to the Perth music, aas much for the punters as the bands. Especially tthese days with so many events being run by R RTR, it’s much more than just a radio station – its a cultural hub and arguably the heartbeat of the o original music scene here. Most importantly, my ssummer cricket segment, Howzat, was the most iimportant 20 minutes of radio since FDR’s fireside chats.” Wendy Were - CEO WAM “From a personal point of view, I’ve been listening to RTRFM for more than 20 years and can thank them for countless musical discoveries and a longstanding appreciation of the brilliance of our local music makers. From an industry perspective, RTRFM is recognised nationally as one of the most effective channels in Australia for promoting original contemporary music. The exposure and performance opportunities they provide are crucial for local musicians and the local music industry. “RTRFM isn’t just important but entirely necessary - their contribution to the cultural fabric of our town can’t be underestimated.”
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CONTINUED FROM COVER Scott Adam - TAFE Music Skills Lecturer/Band Manager “I still remember walking into the ‘new’ 6RTRFM at the back of UWA to meet the amazing public radio visionary, Kath Letch, who was one of the team responsible for pulling the old 6UVS FM from the ashes and giving it some varnish. “For me the timing was brilliant as I’d just started managing bands and promoting local shows around Perth, so a locally-minded station such as RTR was crucial to preaching the original music gospel around, what was then, a cover band dominated town. RTR were pre email, pre-internet and definitely pre-social media, but they were pro original venues, pro Perth songwriters and pro local music biz, which meant many visits into the Nedlands studio for my bands to be interviewed by the likes of Genge, Graham Hill, Guy Blackman, Ross Chisholm, and more over the years. “You’d bump into so many of our state’s successful music exports in the foyer as well as those not so successful, but RTR was there for all of them playing the songs and plugging the gigs. RTR has not only remained relevant over the past two decades, they have remained innovative in ways that stretch beyond broadcasting with a suite of live fundraising events and use of the online space that all the while champions the WA music community. “But it’s not just my business interest. RTR has been the starting point for me discovering so many great bands from different countries and decades over the years. Forget about recommendation apps and the like, RTR is where real music discovery happens. As I’ve grown older, RTR has remained ever faithful, like a share house music collection where you get the chance to learn about and love new music. I hope it never ends.” Graeme Watson - Former Station Manager/Out In Perth Editor/Presenter “Mostly people think about the great music on RTRFM – and the music is great! But to me RTRFM is an amazing place for so many other things. Behind the scenes there are work experience students from universities and high schools getting their first real taste of media production. I love the regular 3am callers – they always have the best jokes to share. The interaction between different people passing through the studio is always interesting, it’s a bit like an town square where all sorts of people meet. “With 250+ presenters on air, plus all the office volunteers and helpers, RTRFM is a massive family. Being part of the station has given me the privilege of becoming friends with so many different
people. It really embraces the idea of community – no matter what your background, age, social status – it’s a whole bunch of people coming together and sharing. “Radiothon is like regular RTRFM fun+ 500% extra. The station is packed with presenters, volunteers, listeners coming in to help answer the phones. There This Friday, August 16, get down to the Art Gallery of are lots of fun moments on air, it’s off the hook.” Western Australia for Pop Art To Pictures Generation, a Andrew Ryan - Musician/Venue Booker/Presenter panel on the relationship between art and consumer “The concept of RTRFM is fairly simple, if not a little culture as exemplified by the work of masters such naive. Get volunteers to present music, get listeners to as Warhol and Lichtenstein in ‘60s through to Cindy subscribe, try to make it good, try to make it survive. Sherman, Robert Gober and Nicholas Nixon in the ‘80s. Thankfully those volunteers and the subscribers Entry also includes a guided tour of the fascinating exhibition, The World Reimagined. Head to momaseries. understand the ‘life is what you make it’ proposition. “Programmed with a near infinite set com.au for details, or book through Ticketek. of detail and an actual infinite amount of passion the 200+ volunteer DJs that contribute to the RTRFM airwaves along with the essentialised board, management, programming and sponsorship staff give their all; every second of every minute/hour/ day/week/month/year; stretching back as long as I can remember with music being diverse, great and inspired. “But without an audience that support all this passion and detailed output it would all would resemble a try-hard relationship. The drink followed by the movie followed by supper followed by special times – but all with a blow up doll. The listenership of RTRFM is, however, no blow up doll. The subscribing listenership continues to provide more feedback, attendance is up at RTRFM events, there’s undeniable, palpable attention amongst those that Nicholas Nixon - The Brown Sisters, really appreciate a localised intelligent voice in the Cincinnati, Ohio, 1981 community when RTRFM is even mentioned amongst clear thinking people and the subscriptions always increase each year, which is handy as costs always increase when it comes to doing something better Mackenzie Thorpe is one of the most collected and better. artists on the planet, as well as the artist charged RTRFM is the soul hub of understanding with creating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond music in WA - from a WA point of view. In an otherwise Jubilee portrait. The man is true superstar of commercial and smudged global information race, that the art world and Linton & Kay Galleries is lucky has so few – if any - ongoing specialists, cherish RTRFM enough to be displaying a collection of his newest and all that she represents in this unique town! original works, along with a series of limited edition serigraphs and sculptures, from August Jodie Regan - Band Manager, Tame Impala/Pond 20 - September 3. Anyone with even a passing “When I started managing bands I did it because interest in contemporary art is not going to want I loved them, but I had no idea if anyone else ever to miss out on this unique exhibition, so head to would. It’s like putting all your money on a horse lintonandkay.com for further details. because its beautiful but having no idea whether they could actually win the race. When RTR first started playing my bands music for the first times, it has always felt like they’re putting money on the horse too. It’s the first positive reinforcement we ever get. RTR only play Fans of exciting surf action are in for a treat this good tunes, and if they think it’s good, chances are Thursday, August 15, when Barnacles and Stripes makes its debut at Cinema Paradiso. Some of other people will too. “All of my artists have had their first radio Western Australia’s top notch surfers will be on spins and interviews on RTR and I thank them for hand for the red carpet premiere of this thrilling surf it! They’ve helped us achieve what we have with documentary, and proceeds go to support the work their support at the most important time - the very of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Surf-Aid. Head beginning.” to lunapalace.com.au for tickets and info.
POP GOES THE ARTWORK
THORPEDO
BLISTERING BARNACLES
Muscle Beach Misanthropy Directed by Michael Bay Starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris, Rebel Wilson, Rob Corrdry, Ken Jeong A variety of colourful and largely abhorrent characters cross paths and butt heads in this gleefully gruesome crime comedy, loosely based on a true story, from action specialist Michael Bay (The Transformers series, Bad Boys). Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) a body builder, fitness instructor and petty conman, is tired of the rat race and wants a slice of the American Dream for himself. Hampered by a strong aversion to hard work outside of the gym and inspired by a sleazy motivational speaker (Ken Jeong in a small but amusing cameo) he hits on the idea of coercing a wealthy entrepreneur, Victor Kershaw, (Tony Shalhoub) into signing over all of his assets by the simple expedient of torturing him until he cracks. Fellow gym rat, Adrian Doorbal, (Anthony Mackie) is good to go, and the pair recruit a third partner, recently paroled cokehead turned Born Again Christian, Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson, absolutely running away with the film). As so often happens in these scenarios, it doesn’t take long for a combination of greed, recklessness and outright stupidity to send the trio spiralling toward disaster. Pain & Gain is the kind of movie the Coen Brothers might have made if they’d done a lot of cocaine in the ‘80s. It’s bright, bold, crass 28
and populated with some of the most hilariously obnoxious characters to ever grace the screen. Wahlberg’s Lugo is an incredibly self-deluded figure, a man who spouts platitudes about loyalty, hard work and the inherent goodness of the American character while spending every waking moment lying, cheating and stealing, and about the only character who elicits even an iota of sympathy is Ed Harris’ private detective, a decent man hired by Kershaw to reclaim his money after Lugo and co. fail to kill him. Those with no taste for Bay’s filmic aesthetic are unlikely to reassess their views based on this work, but this is easily his best movie in years. Filtered through Bay’s sensibilities, the film’s Miami setting is an eye-popping pastel carnival of venal delights, populated by louche lunkheads and skin-baring arm candy, the ultimate example of American excess. There’s a hint of Carl Hiaasen to the proceedings, but essentially this is Bay’s thesis film, a dark paean to the bigger-louder-faster-more impulse that demonstrates a talent for satire and a level of self-awareness that is, frankly, surprising after the bombast of his prior career. For all the violence and mutilation on display - and there’s a lot of it, particularly in the third act - Pain & Gain is comedy, but it’s of the blackest stripe. This isn’t a movie about good people overcoming adversity, but bad people getting their just desserts. A strong stomach and a cynical sensibility are mandatory in Bay’s movie universe, and those possessed of both will have a ball. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON
Subiaco’s Repeat Offender Galley plays host to Unbecoming, a collection of recent works by Fremantle-based artist, Monique La Fontaine from Friday, August 16 until Friday, August 30. La Fontaine’s work in gouache, ink, acrylics, permanent marker, enamels and oils is an exploration of the interior world and the path of personal evolution that we all walk. Head to moniquelafontaine.com for information.
Monique La Fontaine - Florescence
ANIME ACTION
The lineup for Reel Anime 2013, Australia’s premier showcase of cutting edge Japanese animation, has just been announced by the good folks at Madman, and this year looks to be an absolute killer. titles include 009 RE: Cyborg, A Letter to Momo, The Garden Of Words, Ghost In The Shell: Arise, and the third in Hideaki Anno’s reworking of his cult anime series, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo. The festival runs at Luna Cinema, Leederville, from October 3 - 16. Go to reelanime.com for details and tickets.
Evangelion: 3.0
FUN ON THE FENCE
It’s time once again for The Over The Fence Comedy Festival! In it’s 16th iteration, this celebration of the absurd and the hilarious takes as its theme this year ‘Death, Love And Desire,’ A broad variety of comedy shorts from across Australia and around the world await to tickle your funny bone and stimulate your brain. It runs from Friday, August 16 - Sunday, August 18 - go to lunapalace.com.au for tickets.
Elysium
Pain & Gain
PAIN & GAIN
REPEAT BUSINESS
ELYSIUM Class War
Directed by Neill Blomkamp Starring Matt Damon, Sharlto Copley, Jodie Foster, Alice Braga, William Fichtner, Wagner Moura, Diego Luna Four years on from his ridiculously impressive feature debut, District 9, South African auteur, Neill Blomkamp, brings us another sci-fi political parable. In the gritty future of 2154, most of us are consigned to a miserable, hardscrabble existence on the overpopulated and polluted hellhole that is Earth, while the corporate elite and ultra-rich live in luxury on the pristine satellite, Elysium. Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) enforces Elysium’s zerotolerance immigration policy with lethal force, utilising mercenaries like the brutal Kruger (Sharlto Copley). Meanwhile, on Earth recent parolee Max Da Costa (Matt Damon) has to get to Elysium; without medical treatment for a lethal dose of radiation he received in an industrial accident, he’ll be dead in five days. It’s axiomatic that science fiction is a reflection of the time and culture in which it was written, and Elysium is no exception, drawing on 99 percenter anxieties and immigration issues for its thematic grist. As a storyteller, Blomkamp lacks subtlety - as an apartheid metaphor, District 9 is the equivalent of a brick to the face - but his gift lies in framing his political concerns in the context of an action thriller. Elysium moves along at a terrific clip, and though Blomkamp suffers from the
modern addiction to frenetic handheld camerawork, it’s impossible to fault the visceral impact of his fight sequences, particularly when Kruger and his henchmen are on the rampage. Indeed, although the cast are all strong, Copley pretty much steals the show, playing Kruger as a complete psychopath barely held in check by his corporate masters. While everyone else keeps it low key and serious, Copley lets loose, and while it’s not exactly a nuanced performance, it certainly impresses. As does the film’s design aesthetic, which draws on a number of obvious influences - cyberpunk literature and film of the ‘80s, 2001: A Space Odyssey, the favelas of Brazil and the townships of Blomkamp’s home country - to create a world that feels both fresh and familiar. And though the speculative science underpinning Blomkamp’s future isn’t as rigorous as it could be, with plenty of logical lapses awaiting discovery by the pedantic, there are enough robots, exoskeletons, flying cars and - especially - high tech weaponry to keep genre fans engaged. Elysium is not an instant classic, but it’s strong and smart and, above all else, angry. We really don’t get enough mainstream films coming from a place of serious political conviction, but Blomkamp seems to be determined to make that his wheelhouse. In fact, what will be really interesting is how a film that essentially asks its audience to sympathise with what are, when you get down to it, economic refugees running the gauntlet will fare in Australia given our current political situation. At the very least, the postviewing discussions should be interesting. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Frances Ha
FRANCES HA
Dancer In The Dark Directed by Noah Baumbach Starring Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Grace Gummer, Josh Hamilton, Britta Phillips We’ve seen plenty of films about male arrested development, but precious few about the distaff side of the equation. Now, director Noah Baumbach (The Squid And The Whale, Greenberg), co-writing with his star and girlfriend, Greta Gerwig, addresses the imbalance with the delightful comedy, Frances Ha. Gerwig is the eponymous Frances Ha, an aspiring dancer living in modern day New York City. At the age of 27, Frances’s dreams of being a professional dancer are probably past their usedby date, but the minutiae of her life is enthralling enough for her. Indeed, Frances is so entranced by the little dramas and moments that she doesn’t see big changes looming on the horizon, such as her boyfriend breaking up with her and, especially, her BFF and roommate, Sophie (Mickey Sumner) deciding to move out. In the wake of that, we follow Frances as she negotiates the difficult passage from postuniversity wheel spinning to actual adulthood and responsibility. It’s easy to parse Frances Ha’s cultural DNA, with perhaps the most obvious comparison being the television series Girls, which covers similar narrative territory. There’s a heaping helping of French New Wave here, too - Truffaut in particular - and even a touch of Withnail & I, albeit gender-swapped and relatively booze-free, in the relationship between Frances and Sophie. But Frances Ha owes its greatest
debt to Woody Allen, with its kooky female protagonist, closely observed New York setting and gorgeous black and white cinematography recalling his late ‘70s output, particularly Annie Hall and Manhattan. That doesn’t make the film redundant, though; Frances Ha has a exuberance and deftness of humour that is entirely its own, as embodied in the winning central performance by Gerwig. Her Frances is an indelible creation, a free spirit grappling with the gravity of the real world while still clinging to romantic notions of carefree, bohemian youth. There’s an earthy humanity to her somewhat awkward walk and solid physical presence that makes her infinitely more empathetic than any given Katherine Heigl character, and we cheer when she meets each knockback and obstacle with an endearingly gawky gameness. Baumbach’s film is a languid stroll through a collection of character vignettes, so it’ fair to say that anyone chasing a propulsive plot had best steer clear. Frances Ha doesn’t want to take you on a journey; it wants to hang out and shoot the breeze, drawing you into the intricacies of its protagonist’s world, building drama out of small moments and quiet traumas while still maintaining an enchanting lightness of touch. If you’re inclined to privilege character and tone over narrative thrust, you’ll find something to enjoy here. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON RTRFM presents the opening night premiere of Frances Ha at Luna Cinemas this Thursday, 15 August. The pre-film party kicks off at 8.30pm with free pizzas, wine and tunes from RTRFM DJ, Chris Wheeldon, followed by the film at 9.15pm, introduced by RTRFM presenter and Quickflix film critic Simon Miraudo. Part proceeds from the night will go to RTRFM’s 2013 Radiothon.
100 Bloody Acres
100 BLOODY ACRES Cameron & Colin Cairnes
That instinc tive veering towards comedy aside, the brothers, who cut their teeth on television and short film projects before chancing a shot at making a feature, maintain that it didn’t change too much from conception to execution. “Structurally, it’s much the same. It’s pretty much just the third act which kind of changed in maybe the last year or so before we started filming, but generally we didn’t mess around too much with the structure,” says Calvin. Colin adds, “We originally wanted to make a real time horror film and shoot it in one shot like Slacker or Russian Ark or something where it really was pure real time, and I guess there was a time when we realised that was probably gonna be a bit ambitious, but I think the film still evokes some of that real time sense. It does take place over the course of one afternoon. I think we captured some of that vibe without necessarily doing the real time thing.” As for direct influences, they cite the aforementioned Wolf Creek, Wake In Fright, Badlands and, most of all, the Mad Max series. “The first Mad Max was a low budget film in its day. It probably had a budget equivalent to what ours was. So we thought, well, if those guys could do it, then so could we - we’ll at least give it a crack. Our film does eschew the more contemporary, handheld, anxious camera kind of technique and does let scenes and the staging play out on the wide-angle lens a little more, so that was an influence.”
Hot on the heels of the domestic release of their horror-comedy, 100 Bloody Acres, X-Press recently caught up with sibling directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes to talk about the film. While they may look different in the flesh, over the phone Cameron and Colin Cairnes sound identical, like a kind of gestalt entity that likes to interrupt its own musings. How apt, then, that their debut feature is such a singular film, drawing on a wide range of influences but transmuting them into something new in the crucible of their fraternal imagination. “Well, we started out on this journey maybe seven or eight years ago,” Cameron (we think) says about the origins of their film, which sees three backpackers run afoul of two murderous brothers who want to use their corpses to make organic fertiliser. “We simply had an idea that we wanted to make a horror film both to entertain and scare people.” “Both of us have dabbled in comedy,” Colin (possibly) interjects. “And all the short films we’ve made have been comedies, so I guess it was inevitable that eventually jokes would appear in our script and we would kind of fall in love with our characters, because we do like characters with more than one dimension. So there was that and the fact that Wolf Creek came out midway through our development process and that obviously made a _ TRAVIS JOHNSON straight, pure outback horror film better than anyone else could - there was no way we were gonna top 100 Bloody Acres is currently screening that, but that just encouraged us to continue along exclusively at Luna Leederville. that more comedic path.” www.xpressmag.com.au
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CHRISTA HUGHES Neurotic Ladyland
Before kicking off this year’s Cabaret Soiree Downstairs At The Maj with her show, Neurotic Ladyland, everyone’s favourite beer drinking woman, Christa Hughes, waxed lyrical with us about all things weird, wonderful and wigged. Deriving its name from a Jimi Hendrix album and the neurotic women who inspired her, Christa’s new show is a smorgasbord of kooky characters, uproarious lyrics, and spirited shenanigans. So how did she create these utterly mad characters? A less conventional woman, Christa wasn’t like most teenagers in the ‘80s, forgoing popular music and preferring to listen to her father’s old blues records. She began performing with her father accompanying on piano when she was 15 and has since been intrepidly travelling and performing, acquiring many curious and captivating skills along the way. Christa has had many gigs, including Circus Oz, Machine Gun Fellatio, and her own cabaret show, Beer Drinking Woman, with her famous ‘party trick that’s got a bit out of control,’ gargling to tune. This odd talent was actually discovered whilst singing in the shower. “Inevitably, you end up making stupid noises for your own amusement and, of course, being in the shower water gets in your mouth. I found myself gargling and seeing what different noises I could make. I could go for ages gargling in tune to my heart’s delight.” When writing Beer Drinking Woman, Christa decided to “Scull a beer and gargle! How Australian is that?” Creativity is a strong point of Christa’s. Mein Lust from her upcoming show is a brilliant combination of Liza Minnelli’s Mein Herr with Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life. Christa says of this offbeat blend, “It’s sometimes fun to get one thing and mix it with something you really wouldn’t expect to mix at all.” Butcher Shop is ‘A gentle stab at plastic surgery’, which Christa thinks can go a bit far. “I find it really repulsive what’s happening in Hollywood; where so many actors and actresses have so much done that they can’t even move their faces! I do find it sad that it’s not only accepted, but expected for people to do that.” Inspiring this diverse cabaret are some of Christa’s favourite film characters, Little Edie Beale from the documentary Grey Gardens who, along with her mother was a “socialite in the ‘20s and ‘30s who became a recluse” and “went quite bonky and neurotic, living in a house with her domineering mother.” Norma Desmond, a fictional fallen silent
Christa Hughes screen star, and Baby Jane Hudson, a former child star who never moved on. It’s “kind of sad and horrific, but kind of hilarious and amusing at the same time.” Christa’s own creations in the show include “A neurotic performance artist from ‘70s era New York,” the hilariously dubbed Fanny Warhol, who “Like a lot of people at the time, was and still is obsessed with her vagina” as well as a “Led Zeppelin channelling nun” among others. This extraordinary array of characters and songs are sure to capture the imagination and hearts of not just cabaret enthusiasts, but anyone with a sense of humour and a taste for the deliciously mad. Neurotic Ladyland runs at His Majesty’s Theatre from August 15 - 17. Go to hismajestystheatre. com.au for session times and tickets. _ LIANA KELLY
THE LITTLE MERMAID Georgia King
The Little Mermaid
A radical reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s the show ended up taking. It all flowed pretty easily, classic fairytale, The Little Mermaid runs at The Blue touch wood - it’s not over yet! Room Theatre from August 20 September 7. We I really enjoyed working with Ian, he’s made caught up with actor and co-deviser, Georgia King. us all feel really connected to the show and we are all able to contribute to the process and final product.” A Perth based independent theatre maker and Asked to compare the new work with actor, Georgia King was immediately intrigued when Andersen’s original short story, she says, “It’s very director Ian Sinclair first approached her to not only different. Essentially we have used the original text as act in his version of The Little Mermaid, but to be inspiration rather than doing a version of that story. integral part in the development of the play. The People will be familiar with the story due mainly prospect of shaping the piece in an intuitive and I’m sure to the Disney movie, although the Hans experimental manner was an exciting one. Christian Andersen original is quite different. People “Well,” she tells us. “When Ian approached will naturally draw links with the characters and story me about the project there wasn’t really a role. per which is great, although they should not be expecting se. We didn’t really know who would be involved or singing crabs and a red head named Ariel. While ours who would play what, that stuff would be more or has some humour and fun, it does go to some other less discovered. I was attracted to the project because dark places. The original is a much more grim and I’d really liked Ian’s work and the idea of a suburban, Australian take on the famous story sounded really painful story and we’ve included a bit more of that vibe.” interesting to me.” Ultimately, though, King just hopes the Indeed, the exact nature of the work is an enticing mystery. We know that the story has been audience is entertained. “Yeah, I really hope people repositioned in a coastal suburb, and we know that have a good time and maybe are a bit surprised. there are three key characters, and King is playing We’re not really trying to make a social comment or Nina, the mother of the titular mermaid. Other than trying to get a particular response from people. We’re that, it seems that prospective audience members presenting interesting characters in an interesting know about as much as Georgia and her creative story and people will make their own interpretation partners, Jacinta Larcombe and Ben Gill, who also which I’m sure will vary person to person. It’s a love perform in the piece, knew when they embarked on story in essence but it’s also about heart break, betrayal, relationships, fantasy and harsh realities, the creative process. King describes the rehearsal and things we can all relate to.” For tickets and session times head to development process as excellent.“Ian is great to work with. The devising process was really open and fun blueroom.com.au. but also pretty focussed. Somehow the material we _ TRAVIS JOHNSON generated all seemed to be forwarding the direction 30
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
The Figure: Buratti Fine Art An exhibition of works inspired by the human form that features pieces by Alex Proyas, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Johnny Romeo, David Spencer and more. Runs until September 1. go to buratti.com.au for more. Empire: The Great Lawn, Crown Perth Inside a beautiful, 700-seat Spiegeltent, broaden your Little Paintings, Big Stories: Lawrence Wilson Art horizons in this burlesque blitzkrieg of theatrical Gallery excess and cabaret camp. The show runs until August Runs until December 14. 25. Head to empireaustralia.com for info and tickets.
THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE
VISUAL ARTS
Beyond The Pale - Hits From Australia’s Top Rock Poster Studio: Fremantle Arts Centre This fascinating tour through the history of rock art runs until September 15. Go to fac.org.au for further info.
Ganesha As Therapist - Dominika Gratowski Aconitum: YMCA HQ Gallery The first solo exhibition by emerging WA artist Dominika Grotowski. It runs from August 30 September 12. Take 12: Fremantle Arts Centre An exhibition of video works by young people inspired by contemporary pieces from the City of Fremantle Art Collection. It runs until August 18. Go to fac.org.au for more. Secrets of the Afterlife: The Western Australian Museum This collection of over 100 Egyptian artefacts from the British Museum collection - including two mummies! - explores ancient attitudes to life after death. The exhibition runs until September 22. Go to museum. gov.au for more. Recent Acquisitions Your Collection: Art Gallery of WA Many of the more recent additions to the gallery’s extensive collection are on display until October 27. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for more.
Cavalia: The White Big Top This magnificent equestrian event combines spectacle and acrobatic skill reminiscent of Cirque Du Soleil with jaw-dropping displays of horsemanship and derring-do. From December 18 - 29. Head for cavalia.net for more.
A Conversation: The Old Mill Theatre This production of the second in acclaimed Australian playwright David Williamson’s Jack Manning trilogy runs until August 17. for session times and tickets, Australian Chamber Orchestra: Perth Concert Hall head to oldmilltheatre.com.au. Black Cat And Beyond... Diatribe Of The Squeegee: Performance on August 14. Tickets through Ticketek. Fremantle Arts Centre Hedda: The Blue Room Theatre A collection of political posters crafted by Black Cat/ This bold interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler Latitude New Music Festival: The Astor Theatre Gato Negro, an anarchist collective formed in New York stars Norwegian actors Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik Two performances presented as part of the totally City in the late ‘70s. It runs from until September 15. and Tone Skaardal and is directed by the brilliant huge New Music Festival: Perspectives on August 14 and Go to fac.org.au for further details. Renato Fabretti. The season runs until August 31. go Frontiers, featuring violinist Thomas Gould, on August to blueroom.org.au for session times and bookings. 16. Go to waso.com.au for info and tickets. Riley (the cow): Fremantle Arts Centre A look at the central character that has dominated The Whitlams and the Western Australian Symphony the work of Perth artist Rachel Salmon-Loams for the The Little Mermaid: The Blue Room Theatre Orchestra: Perth Concert Hall past 18-odd years. It runs until September 15. Go to This reworking of Hans Christian Andersen’s darker Performances August 30 - 31. Go to waso.com.au for than you may remember children’s tale by director fac.org.au for more. Ian Sinclair is a far cry from Disney - and that’s a good information and bookings. Strangers In My Palace: Heathcote Museum and thing. It runs from August 20 - September 7. Head to blueroom.org.au for tickets and session times. Art Gallery This exhibition by Helen Seiver runs until August 17. Perth Winter Arts Season: Various Locations Storm Boy: The State Theatre Centre Head to melvillecity.com.au/heathcote for further Over 200 events are planned, encompassing film, Barking Gecko Theatre Company presents information. comedy, cabaret, opera, literature, dance, music and this adaptation of Colin Thiele’s immortal fine arts. The season runs until August 31. Head to Australian children’s classic, which runs from You & Me (Part 1): Ruck Rover General Store perthwinterarts.com.au for more information. September 19 - October 5. A collection of works by Perth based artist and writer Kate-Anna St. Valentine. It runs until August 31. Go to Barkinggecko.com.au has AICE Israeli Film Festival: Cinema Paradiso ruckrover.com.au for more. further information. Tickets Opening with The Ballad of Weeping Spring, this available through Ticketek. celebration of Israeli cinema, which includes 19 feature The Colours Of My Life: The York Mill Boiler Room films and documentaries, runs from August 21 - 28. Gallery Head to lunapalace.com.au for details. This collection by Sue Duperouzel is inspired by childhood recollections and dreams that followed the CinefestOZ: Orana Cinemas, Busselton death of her mother last year. It runs until September This regional celebration of Australian and French 1. Head to theyorkmill.com.au for details. cinema runs from August 21 - 25. Go to cinefestoz.com for more details. Mekel - Illustrative Exhibition: Tu Gallery Ethereal illustrations by Mekel, featuring model Rottofest: Rottnest Island Chrysta Copland and fashion from Flannel, Dyspenea, Our annual explosion of stand-up comedy, music and Ae’lkemi and Kemi. It runs until September 15. Go to film runs from September 6 - 8. Head to rottofest.com. tu.com.au for details. au for details and tickets.
Van Gogh, Dali and Beyond - The World Reimagined: Art Gallery of WA The third exhibition in AGWA’s MoMA Series encompasses works from Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Richard Long, Frida Kahlo and more. The exhibition runs until December 2. Go to artgallery. Pilltati And Other Stories: Elements Art Gallery An exhibition of works by the Tjungu Palya wa.gov.au for further information. Indigenous community, curated by Dr Jo Lagerberg. On display from August 15 - September 1. Go to Here & Now 13: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery This annual exhibition of contemporary Western elementsartgallery.com.,au for more. Australian artists includes works from Katrina Barber, Patrick Carter, Clive Collender, Aquinas Crowe, David Lab Partners Showcase: Outré Gallery Guhl, Tim Maley, Julian Poon, Jane Ryan, Robert Turpin, Original paintings and prints by San Francisco-based Lisa Uhl and robin Warren. Runs until September 28. husband and wife team, Lab Partners. From November 1 - 30. Go to outregallery.com for more. Go to lwgallery.uwa.edu.au for more.
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Shrine: The State Theatre Centre Presented by The Black Swan State Theatre Company, written by Tim Winton, starring John Howard. Runs from August 31 - September 15. Go to bsstc.com.au for more information.
MUSIC
FESTIVALS
The 2013 Perth Fashion Festival: Various Locations The biggest event on the calendars of WA’s fashionistas runs from September 11 - 16.
To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via Storm Boy
localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Since his first EP way back in 2005 Phetsta has been unleashing beast after beast of production gold, racking up top ten appearances across drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep charts internationally. One of Perth’s original dons of D’n’B alongside Pendulum and ShockOne, Phetsta has again proven his beats are ever-evolving with his most recent offering from the lab; an excursion into the latest flagship of bass - trap. JO CAMPBELL has more. With the rise and fall of dubstep, it makes sense that the appearance of trap would eventually find its way into preceding forms of bass. Phetsta’s most recent EP, Drop That Down, illustrates this next logical progression; an experiment that worked out well for the producer, coming in at number two on Bearport’s hip hop charts, despite the unusual categorisation. He may have quipped on Facebook in his often irreverant towards EDM style that he was considering purchasing a bouncy car and a bandana, but Phetsta’s tone is more philosophical and less class-clown as he explains how he first reacted to trap. “To be honest, when I first heard it, I thought ‘I hate it, I think its shit’ (laughs). I guess when something new comes out, it’s sort of in its primitive form and as it develops you start seeing cool things happen. So I started getting into Baauer, mostly Baauer stuff. He did that track with Just Blaze - Higher- and I was just sold. It was huge.” Initially a dubstep track, Drop That was Phetsta’s first sojourn into the new tempo. “The dubstep thing just started kind of dipping out of the
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mainstream and I’d done the track Drop That and I thought, just to switch it up to make it a bit more current, I’d put an 808 bass drum in instead of a dubstep bass. And I just kind of rolled with it like that. “Down was an intentional trap thing. By then I was playing a bunch of it out so I thought I’d give it a go and see how I went, to mix it up a bit so I don’t get bored.” The EP was released on Kid Kenobi’s Klub Kids imprint almost on the same day as Shockone’s venerated LP, Universus. “ That was actually a fluke,” Phetsta explains. “The way the EP came about was Jesse (Kid Kenobi) hit me up and said ‘look, we’ve had something fall through in the release schedule and if you can get something done in two weeks from now, we can have it mastered and out by the end of that week’. It was literally down to lunch time that day and I just finished it at work. I took it into the studio at a place I work (his day job) and snipped up the stems and cut it up really roughly.” The process may have been last minute but the resulting release once again illustrates Phetsta’s talent for polished, tight production. It’s also topped
off by some quirky artwork designed by Phetsta himself. Known for his antics fashioning himself as a living Internet meme on Facebook, the EP cover features a disembodied Phetsta face morphed into a cat’s head set upon an intergalactic backdrop hemmed in by a pretty bunch of mewling kittens. “He (Kid Kenobi) hit me up saying ‘you have this Internet following, not just because of the music but also because of all the stupid stuff you do’. I throw them together (the memes) in five minutes, when I’m having a break, just for laughs. I guess that’s why I like trap as well, cause it’s not completely serious. A lot of dubstep and drum ‘n’ bass guys can get into it so much that they almost seem negative when something doesn’t fit their real strict genre parameters. So I made the stupidest thing I could.” Taking the piss might be one of his fortes, but stupid Phetsta is not. Currently working on a four-track EP to be released around Christmas with label opportunities presenting themselves from multiple sources, Phetsta is planning to make the big move to the D’n’B Mecca of London. He’ll be following long-time collaborator ShockOne and,
although the two haven’t formally worked together since their two part banger Crucify Me, which spent six weeks on the top of Beatport’s Drum & Bass charts, they still share ideas via Dropbox. “We are really on the same page and produce the same way. There was a time period there when all of the drum stuff on all of our tracks was 90 per cent my work and all of the synth work was 90 per cent him. Now it’s switched around - I’ll do a lot of sound design and send presets over and he’ll do a lot of drum stuff. “We video call each other a lot, just to get some input and I’ve got a few people that I video call and send clips to that I send to people, even musician friends of mine that aren’t into electronic music, just to get some feedback.” Catch Phetsta headlining at Shape this Friday with support from Rregula, Houst, Nartex and Jazza.
» PHETSTA » FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 @ SHAPE
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PIERRE DEUTSCHMANN
LO FIVE
German producer Pierre Deutschmann, head of the XLR1507 label, has been kicking around the techno world for the last twenty years or so and, though the title of this album is in deference to the two cities pivotal to the genre – Berlin and Detroit (akin to the 1993 release Tresor II: Berlin & Detroit – A Techno Alliance) in truth it’s an homage to the world-wide progression of techno and its heroes since Juan Atkins released No UFOs back in 1985. Whilst the 808 kicks, snares and hi-hats of Area1507 scream of Detroit circa 1987, and Defcon with its dominant pumping bassline is something that Ben Klock would play in the German capital, there’s also a whole heap more on this release covering a multitude of techno’s sub-genres. _Cruf shows (first wave) electro tendencies expertly demonstrated by the likes of Dave Clarke in the UK. Subtly building with a menacing growling undercurrent, LookingBackwards has a hint of midnineties progressive about it, whilst the jack-hammer kick-drum of Nerdvana could equally have been one of Surgeon’s productions from 1995 or Blawan’s from 2011. From the sublime to the in-your-face, this collection of techno jams is worth tracking down for lovers of the harder edged sound.
Sydney duo Lo Five – vocalist Tam Morris, the younger brother of Jenny Morris (as a teenager he co-wrote her 1991 hit Break In The Weather) and keyboardist Alan Goodman – try, and fail, to create a compelling modern soul album with their debut, Singularity. Album opener We Do sets the tone for the album. It’s bouncy, funky beat immediately catches the ear, but becomes monotonous within about 30 seconds, like the many other dull musical arrangements throughout Singularity. Morris’s voice, meanwhile, isn’t suited to soul music, with his vocals falling somewhere between bad cabaret and good karaoke. Some tracks are downright awful. Funkulele sounds like a Flight Of The Conchords song with its half-rapped, half-sung nonsense verses, George Clinton-esque chorus about artificial intelligence and out-of-nowhere gospel bridge – except it’s not a piss-take. There are a few promising moments, but not enough to redeem Singularity. Despite its unseemly title, Heavenly Ho is a heartfelt tribute to Amy Winehouse and, interestingly for a self-described soul act, the two songs closest to rock music, Bad News Is Down and Don’t Do That (Get Down), are pretty good. This suggests there could be a future for Lo Five – but it’s certainly not in soul music.
BETROIT BLUFIN
» ANDREW NELSON
SINGULARITY BEAT BROKER
Bitter Belief
BITTER CELEBRATIONS
Local hip hop artist Bitter Belief is launching his second album, The Gallery, this Saturday, August 17 from 8pm at The Rosemount. Out on Obese Records, the LP rocketed straight up to number 2 on the iTunes charts with Mr. Big Man getting national airplay. DJ Rob Shaker will be joining Bitter, along with Dazastah and Layla, Sarah Pellicano and Creed Birch and Azmatik. Tix are $20 via moshtix.com.au.
CRISSY CRISS WILL MAKE YA...
The youngest DJ/Presenter at present to broadcast nationally on BBC Radio One. Crissy Criss is on his way to Villa with his four-deck set on Saturday, September 7 joined by UK’s MC Felon. First Release Tickets $20+bf from moshtix.com.au and support some in the form of VLTRN, Terrance and Phillip, Bear and Webbz and Xsessiv.
Purple Sneaker DJs
FULL MOON MAYHEM
Luna powers will be at their height for The Newport’s Full Moon Party Launch next Wednesday, August 21. A new monthly event, entry is free with this month’s launch featuring Purple Sneakers DJs, buckets of UV paint and Thai-styled Newport spiced rum cocktail buckets. You can also post your own party tune vid on their Facebook page before 4pm next Tuesday, August 20 to win a meet and greet with the headliners, a $100 bar card, a Pioneer DJ controller and multitudes more.
» JOSHUA HAYES
Crissy Criss
SALT NIGHTS OUT
FESTY T-SHIRT
If you’re an ace at making T-shirt designs and love your dance music festivals, this might be the online comp for you. Stereosonic and 99designs are inviting graphic designers the chance to interpret the vibrancy of Stereosonic, taking the summer vibe into account and current fashion and musical trends. The top two winning designs will receive $1,500 (USD) cash and five copies of their winning t-shirt while ten runners up will receive a Stereosonic merchandise pack. Go to stereosonic.com.au for more. You’ve got until Monday, September 9 to enter.
BEHIND THE DECKS
HAYDEN JAMES PERMISSION GRANTED
After almost 350,000 hits on SoundCloud and regular spins on the radio, Hayden James’s Permission to Love might seem like it’s doing pretty well for itself, but you know you’ve really got a hit when the unofficial remixes start coming in. JODY MACGREGOR chats with the man in question. Although the original Permission to Love draws its influences from the classic styles of disco and ‘90s house, sounding like it comes from a time before some American coined the term ‘EDM’, you’ll find remixes that have sped it up, doofed it up, chopped and screwed it and made mash-ups out of it. James prefers the two official remixes by Touch Sensitive and Charles Murdoch, however. “They’re so different to each other and the original as well,” he says. “I think it supports the track really well and it shows off what they’re good at as artists. I have seen a few other bootleg mixes online, which is funny. You search for yourself on SoundCloud or something, your search comes up, ‘Like, what?’ But the official ones I really love.” He calls Permission to Love “probably the most accessible track” on his debut EP, but it’s not entirely representative of his sound. James sings on several of the songs, his smooth croon lending an indie R&B vibe to woozier numbers like Lay Down and Embrace while Beginning is an experiment in combining piano with beats and vocal samples. “It’s quite different,” James says of the EP’s sound. “Everyone thinks I’m quite disco-y and house-y and I’m not really that at all, so it’ll be interesting to see how the EP goes with people’s thoughts tending to go towards the house-y vibe of what Permission to Love is.” Then there’s No Time, which features the guest vocals of George Maple, who might be familiar from her spot on Flume’s Bring You Down. Her breathy tones don’t dominate songs, instead giving them a striving, yearning quality, like they’re reaching for something beautiful just beyond their grasp. “It’s 34
It Aint Herlude
DJ IT AINT HERLUDE SHARES THE CONTENTS OF HIS IMAGINARY DJ BAG
Hayden James Deep Dungeon (Tom Love and JK Robot) good to work with someone fresh,” James says of the collaboration. “I enjoy a really interesting-sounding vocal rather than someone that’s pitch perfect, like an X Factor-style vocal. Because I pretty much sing on all my other stuff I’m not looking for guy vocalists per se. I am interested in working with female vocalists but it’s kind of grassroots at the moment.” James used to be more of a straight-up DJ but with this new project he’s making the music himself from the word go, playing guitar, piano and synth as well as singing and producing. One consistent instrument across the EP is his favoured synth, a Prophet 08 that he’s had for six years and says was already maybe six years old by the time he picked it up second-hand. What appeals to him about the instrument is “probably the fact that sometimes when you use it – what’s the word? – it changes every time you use it. It’s an analogue synth so it can act in different ways and my one’s quite old so you get a lot of different sounds out of it every time you use it, which is good.” So what was the word? “I guess it’s unpredictable.”
The Collective: The first local deep house dedicated night that’s got a lounge vibe, starting fresh this week. Expect To Hear: Deep and tech-house. Ethos: It’s a free, weekly hang-out spot for dinner, coffee, or cocktail and bottle service where you can party and bliss out to deep house til 3am. The lineup: Makitan, Deep Dungeon, Locky Mazzucchelli and James A from 8pm.
» THE COLLECTIVE @ MALT BAR » THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
What was the track that got you into your favourite genre? Skream’s Vacillate for underground bass and Daan de Boer’s deep house Amsterdam Mixtape #069 inspired me to mix and produce deep house. Favourite new track? Bro Safari & UFO!’s The Dealer. Best track to clean the house to? The 50 Days For Dilla series by Ta-ku. What’s the most twisted tune you’ve ever played? Case And Point by Init Bass. Your most exciting moment behind the decks? Everyone losing it when I’m playing my own tracks. Radest DJ trick? It isn’t the most complex ‘trick’ but there isn’t anything better than rewinding a track that deserves it.
» IT AINT HERLUDE » MONARCH @ FLAWLESS NIGHTCLUB » FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
EIGHTOEIGHT COLLECTIVE
ONE YEAR IN THE MAKING Fremantle has always been known as a creative hub but up until recently lacked an underground techno scene. The eightoeight collective set out to change that, and this weekend celebrate one year of throwing parties. ALFRED GORMAN chats with one of the faces behind the label, Tom Belotti. The eightoeight crew consists chiefly of four DJs; Jamie Haslam aka Whoa!gan, Nathaniel Andrews aka LoFo, Tom Belotti aka optomal, Benny Legg aka BLNT (also a VJ) and Johnny Maddock aka johnnytruent, in charge of visuals/graphics. Between them they cover a range of underground sounds from techno and house to UK bass. They aim to build local nights focussed on quality electronic sounds, intelligent visuals and warm vibes. As any techno fan would know, the Roland TR-808 was a drum machine developed in the late ‘70s – its synthetic sounds led to it being originally rejected by the musical mainstream, however its stripped back rhythm composition and deep bass kick drum led to it becoming an integral part of underground electronic music production. Hence a worthy instrument to symbolise this crew’s vision. Since appearing on the scene eightoeight have made a solid impression in a short space of time. It’s been a year full of highlights for the boys, as Belotti explains. “We’ve been so stoked with the reception we’ve had in Fremantle and beyond. From our launch a year ago, to our big, outdoor event in the heart of Fremantle, through to our Progress Inn feature night and recent dual stage mini-festival with big Funktion-1 sound - it has been a mad ride so far with so much more in the works.” As local boys, eightoeight feel Freo’s scene is a thriving hotbed of talent. “We all live down in Freo. It’s a creative place, full of like-minded people
eightoeight collective from a variety of artistic backgrounds, with a real community vibe. A lot goes on down there that is not necessarily known about or widely promoted. It’s a really underground environment where people are very open to a variety of styles and expressions; electronic music is definitely a big part of it.” Eightoeight’s monthly night started at The Norfolk, but has now moved upstairs at the East End Bar. “A monthly gig is ideal for us and where we see ourselves heading in the future. The Norfolk Basement was an awesome venue, but with the nature of electronic music we were always on the look-out for a venue in Freo with a late licence. “We value the relationship between punter, sound, visuals, lighting and venue. We want to create a space where all these elements work in conjunction and see this as a great way to ensure the night has the intended vibe.” While they have grand plans for the future, on the production and label front, and working up to touring national and international artists, for now they are focussed on their upcoming birthday party, which is set to be a cracker of a night for techno fans, featuring Harry Webb, Craig Hollywood and Allstate plus Emerald Cabal and Reece Walker along with residents LoFo and optomal. “Expect a night filled with forward thinking techno, house and bass, intelligent visuals, warm atmosphere and party vibes. People in Freo know how to party.”
» EIGHTOEIGHT COLLECTIVE FIRST BIRTHDAY » FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 @ EAST END BAR
PANGAEA
HESSLE SOUND SYSTEM Along with Hessle Audio’s two other founding members: Pearson Sound and Ben UFO, Pangaea has built a sturdy reputation for quality underground bass-centric sounds. Ahead of his premier trip to Australia, alter-ego Kevin McAuley chats with ANDREW NELSON about his rapid journey to prominence. There used to be a well-worn accepted path to musical recognition – start band, get spotted by A&R, sign record deal, hire studio, make album, chart success. But the ethos of house music coupled with the advances in technologies and social communication has changed all that. Pangaea’s story is much more typical of an upcoming artist of today. Having first discovered electronic music via the tail-end of the UK hardcore scene in the early ‘90s, McAuley developed a liking of bass-heavy sounds through a variety of different artists and inspirations. “The type of people I’m influenced by are ones who have their own identity and aren’t afraid to take risks,” he explains. “So, even if I’m not into all the music I can really get down with people doing their own thing. Mala was a big influence to begin with because he was basically my first introduction to dubstep.” Moving to Leeds to study, he hooked up with Pearson Sound/Ramadanman and Ben UFO and it was there, with the liberal clubbing laws and rich electronic musical history of the city, that the triumvirate honed their own style and sound. “Leeds has a strong sound-system culture and it was that which meant it was one of the first cities outside of London to catch on to dubstep.” Having started to present a radio show on Sub FM, dabbling with production and also starting a dubstep night in Leeds (the first in the area called Ruffage) the friends decided to start up their own label, Hessle Audio, named after the street they lived in. This move by-passed the traditional channels of musical discovery but was it really just a way to get their own music out there? “Initially, yes. My music and David’s (Pearson Sound) music,” McAuley explains. “We were making and being sent music for our radio show that we didn’t feel had a natural home anywhere else so we thought ‘why not do it ourselves?’” The gamble paid off and the careers www.xpressmag.com.au
Pangaea of the trio have gone from strength to strength, demonstrating that success does not have to come through signing to a major. Like the label, his own productions such as Coiled and You & I, were originally famed for producing basslines bigger than the supercontinent he is named after. McAuley’s sound has since matured and progressed to a traditional four to the floor time signature. “The area I’m working in now is techno rather than dubstep and it’s been that way for a long time now. I mean, even my very first releases were a certain take on dubstep. But particularly with my productions I’m still rooted in UK sound-system music I think. I still love bass,” he continues. “And interesting beats and percussion. I’m trying to keep things driving and energetic but also a bit off-kilter and percussive. Techno can be so much more than just 4/4 patterns and white noise, you know? There’s a lot of room to explore.” With promises of new releases but no album yet, unfortunately, McAuley is exploring Australia for the first time. The one thing guaranteed to be discovered in his set is enough chest thumping bass to rock the foundations of Geisha Bar.
» PANGAEA » FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 @ GEISHA BAR 35
Deadline Monday 5pm. The Club Manual is a service to advertisers listing all DJs & Dance Music. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au
AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL
THE COURT
Shapeshifter
WEDNESDAY 14/08 Amplifier/ Capitol - Harlem Wednesdays ft. Js/ Genga/ Peter Payne The Bird – Tw!ST ft. Mr Kavebeat The Brass Monkey - Victor Captain Stirling - DJ Lokie Shaw Club Red Sea – Cheek Gold Bar - Famous Midweek Beats The Grand Central - ANG3L Groove Bar (Crown) – Normie Rowe/ DJ Crazy Craig Leederville Hotel (upstairs) Kreem ft. DJ Karl Blue and MishTee Leederville Hotel (downstairs) Arena Party ft. DJ Vi Son/ Pup The Llama Bar - Club Akuna ft. Cosmos Midnight Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel - RnB Heaven with Mr Phat ft. DJs Tom Drummond/ Angry Budda/ Mel B Sovereign Arms - Five-o The Village Bar - Village People Wednesdays ft. Ruby May
Leisure Inn - DJ Peta Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel - Tiki Bar Open Mic Night Swallow Bar – DJ Dixieland Dan
FRIDAY 16/08 Air Nightclub - VIP Platinum Fridays Ambar - MAKE THE FACE ft Zeke/ FTW/ Sistym & Gracie/ escue/
Keymist Amplifier - Fridays Are Back ft. KLa The Avenue - DJ Lokie Shaw The Aviary (Birdcage) -Armee The Aviary (Rooftop) – Matt Mclean/ Paradise Paul Bar Orient - The Reggae Club The Bird – CIRCO ft Flight Facilities/ Hermitude/ Chet Faker The Beat (downstairs) – PLAY The Bird - CLOSURE with Nora Zion/ Da Wit/ No Mad/ Mikey P/ H.W Sims C5 – Bass Attic ft. Bass Attic DJs Capitol - Capitol Fridays ft. DJ Roger Smart Capitol (upstairs) - I Love 80’s & 90’s ft. Darren Tucker The Carine - Az-T The Causeway – Acoustic Sundowner ft Polaroid productions Club Red Sea - Fresh The Como - Funadelic Fridays ft. Funkybottoms The Craftsman – Michael Brittliff The Deen – Hipsters & Hippies East End Bar - Eightoeight Eve Nighclub - DJ Don Migi Flawless - Monarch Fridays Flyrite - Self Help Geisha Bar - Pangea Ginger Nightclub - Mondos “Feel Good” Dance Party
THURSDAY 15/08 The Avenue - Jon Ee The Beat (downstairs) - Fantasy Thursdays The Causeway - Xport Thursdays Club Bay View - Dj-Vi Son The Craftsman - Five-o Eve Nightclub - Retro Thursdays ft. DJ Crazy Craig The Grand Central - DJ Roger Smart
Hermitude
BIG CHOCOLATE EAT BIG
Big Chocolate 36
I LOVE 80’S 90’S
The Good Shepherd – Tiny Club The Grand Central – Philly Blunt Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Crazy Craig The Hyde Park - DJ Hages Lakers Tavern - Grizzly & friends Library - Sneaky Matches Nightclub – The Crib Launch Party Metro Freo - Frat House Fridays ft. Death Disco DJ Mustang Bar - Swing DJ/ Cheeky Monkeys/ DJ James MacArthur My Place - Karaoke Newport - Karaoke Classic with Steve Parkin with DJ Tahli Jade/ Angry Buda/ Sardi/ Mr Phat Paramount Nightclub – Flyte with DJ John Jordan Parker - The Disco Fries The Queens - Reuben Rocket Room - Howlers ft DJ Frank N Bean Sovereign Arms - ANG3L Shape - Phetsta & MC Xsessiv Tiger Lil’s - Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly/ Alex Koresis The Vic - Friday Funktion ft. Jix Project Villa - Rewind YaYa’s - ACE ft DJ Pup
Reece Walker and Emerald Cabal
Flawless – Cube Geisha - 2013 Habitat DJ Competition The Generous Squire – James Nutley The Good Shepherd - Chocolate Jesus SATURDAY 17/08 The Grand Central - Jay Mackay Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Dan Ascot Racecourse - CIRCO ft Flight Leederville Hotel (downstairs) Facilities/ Hermitude/ Chet Faker – Under The Arena Party ft. DJ Vi Ambar - Japan 4 ft. Tonic/ Tone/ Son/ Pup Bezwun/ Marko Paulo/ Micah The Library - DJ Victor / DJ Riki Lost Society - Chalk (indie/ hipAmplifier - Pure Pop ft. Eddie hop) Electric Metro City - Shapeshifter The Avenue - Jon Ee Metro Freo – Metropolis The Aviary - Zel Saturdays ft. Darren Tucker/ Dr The Balmoral - Back To The 80’s Wazz/Ben Carter/ Shane Hewson Beat Nightclub (Upstairs) Newport – Karaoke Classic with CANVAS Steve Parkin Beat Nightclub (Downstairs) Parker - Parker Saturdays ft. Runaways Drifter/ Subwalker/ KNO Agents/ C5 - I Love 80s + 90s ft. Darren Axen/ ACEBASIK Tucker + Dr Wazz Paramount Nightclub – Felix Capitol - Death Disco ft. Death with DJ John Jordan Disco DJs Capitol (Upstairs) - Cream of the The Queens - Kenny L The Saint - Az-T 80’s ft. The Great RV Tiger Lil’s - DJ Bojan/ Benjamin The Causeway - House party ft Sebastian/ Alex Koresis Black magic Wolflane - Soulville Dance Party Club Red Sea – Fresh Saturdays Varsity Bar - New Animals/ Late The Cornerstone - DJ Spinback Night Hysterics East End Bar - Home The Wembley – Jordan Scott Flyrite - FΔMILY Circo Afterparty YaYa’s - Arcadia August All-Nighter
Recently having returned home, Cameron Argon aka Big Chocolate is unpacking his bags after the gruelling Vans Warped Tour across the US. RK has more ahead of his forthcoming gig at Villa. “I’m just home from what has been a long, long tour,” says Argon. “The tour was great – it was a long, hot tour; but I played some amazing shows and met some amazing people. “ While his level of exhaustion is evident, Argon says he can’t wait to get back to Australia and musically, he insists his fans can expect more of an eclectic mix of his latest material fused with the tunes he really enjoys jamming to. “I’m working on my Australia set right now,” he says with excitement. “It will be good after a summer on the tour and having to play 30 minute sets - I’ll get to stretch my legs a bit and play some longer sets.” To be fair too, it’s somewhat of an injustice giving a man like Argon such a short stint on the mixer. Indeed, with a resume so extensive and impressive – especially given his age – he still can’t be drawn on a particular style or genre. And whether it’s metal or dub or electro or techno, he seems to have done it all.
MUSTANG BAR
SUNDAY 18/08 The Aviary (Rooftop) - Aviary Rooftop Sessions ft. Ben Sebestian/ Troy Division/ Charlie Bucket Empire Bar - DJ Victor/ DJ Riki Eve Nighclub – DJ Slick Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Crazy Craig Mustang Bar - DJ Rockin’ Rhys Newport - DJ Tom Drummond The Queens – James Barclay & Sam Spencer Rosemount Hotel - soundz like sundayz The Saint - DJ Jon EE/ Az-T
MONDAY 19/08 Mustang Bar - Triple Shots The Rosemount Hotel - Bada Bingo!
TUESDAY 20/08 Mustang Bar - Danza Loca Salsa Night
He explains: “in the beginning, I just gradually got more and more into making music when I was in high school – and that sort of grew into what I do today. As my musical tastes have changed, my interest in electronic music grew and it became a sort of a natural progression.” This progression landed him in the metal scene – firstly as a vocalist for the death metal band Burning The Masses as well a co-founding Disfiguring the Goddess. Fast forward to 2013 and he says he hasn’t been making any dubstep or electro lately at all.“I’ve been getting more into techno and house,” he says. “In fact, the more I dig into electronic dance music in general, the clearer what type of music I should be making becomes. That said, I still make metal under the name Disfiguring The Goddess – that is a project I work on when the urge strikes me. “I’ve also just done a remix for Five Knives that you can hear on my Soundcloud. I also have a newer collaboration project called Small Face with DJ Two Stacks. There isn’t much public knowledge there, but we have a good amount of musical content with more to come.”
» BIG CHOCOLATE » SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 @ VILLA X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
See yourself? Tag yourself! Head to faceboåok.com/XPressMagazine
FRAT HOUSE FRIDAYS
METRO FREO
OISIMA
THE CAUSEWAY
PARKER LAUNCH
PARKER
IN THE THIS WEEK
Phetsta & MC Xsessiv Friday, August 16th @ Shape Bar
Pangaea Friday, August 16 @ Geisha Make The Face ft Zeke/ Bar FTW/ Sistym & Gracie/ escue/ Keymist The Disco Fries Friday, August 16 @ Friday, August 16 @ Parker Ambar
Circo ft Flight Facilities/ Hermitude/ Chet Faker Saturday, August 17 @ Ascot Racecourse 2013 Habitat DJ Competition Saturday, August 17 @ Geisha Bar Shapeshifter Saturday, August 17@ Metro City
COMING UP The Substance Friday, August 23 @ Villa HILINE ft. Big Chocolate Saturday, August 24 @ Villa
The Aston Shuffle (DJs) Friday, September 13 @ Parker Laurel Halo & Objekt Saturday, September 27 @ Bakery Illy: On & On Tour Saturday, September 28 @ Villa Listen Out Sunday, September 29 @ Ozone Reserve Rap City 2013 ft. Talib Kweli/ Homeboy Sandman Saturday, October 4 @ Villa
TYDI @ EDM SATURDAYS Metro City Saturday, August 10, 2013 Metro City was packed to the rafters in true hedonistic fashion for the first of its new monthly EDM Saturdays last weekend. High-energy, progressive trance from Jason Creek and then tyDi got punters boogie bound til the wee hours.
» PHOTOS BY ADAM MAZUR
TyDi
The Aviary Rooftop Sessions ft. Purple Sneaker DJs Sunday, August 25 @ The Aviary
Chet Faker
CIRCO FT FLIGHT FACILITIES/ HERMITUDE/ CHET FAKER SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 @ ASCOT RACECOURSE
www.xpressmag.com.au
Horrorshow Thursday, October 3 Prince Of Wales Bunbury Friday, October 4 Amplifier Machine Gun Kelly Wednesday, September Saturday, October 5 Mojos Bar 4 @ Capitol Fierce Friday, September 6 @ Geisha Bar Crissy Criss & Mc Felon Saturday, September 7 @ Villa
Porter Robinson Saturday, October 26 @ Villa Chet Faker Thursday, October 31 @ ARTBAR
Midnight Juggernauts Saturday, September 7 Stereosonic @ Capitol Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December Ghost Poet Thursday, September 12 1 @ Claremont Showgrounds @ The Bakery
37
KARNIVOOL Northlane
Metropolis Perth Sunday, August 11, 2013 As the audience filed in and vied for the best visual vantage points in preparation for the headlining act, support band Northlane launched into an energetic set, with frontman Adrian Fitipaldes’ enthusiasm winning many people over. The band have got the metalcore format down and a slightly self-conscious physical presence was ably overshadowed by the sincerity of the musical performance. After a lengthy break, Karnivool took to the stage, backed by a massive backdrop, a wall of amps and one hell of a light show. Throughout the set, selections from the new album Asymmetry and previous offerings Sound Awake and Themata were played, including the current single We Are and crowd favourites Cote and Shutterspeed. The aforementioned light show was nothing short of breathtaking, programmed right down to the finest musical subdivision to accentuate every tag and accent as well as highlight the band’s sprawling arrangements and occasionally uplifting chorus sections. In fact, on a deeper listen, much of Karnivool’s material has more in common with musical heavyweights such as Sting and Toto than bands like Metallica, whose t-shirts adorned many of the members of the capacity crowd which seemed to span generations. Drummer Steve Judd and bassist John Stockman held down the sophisticated arrangements which often feature odd time signatures, laying the foundations for guitarists Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking to build on with gloriously robust tones and down-tuned guitars, the latter musician adding plenty of colour with additional keyboards, synths and harmony vocals. Vocalist Ian Kenny’s hypnotic stage presence saw him revelling in the controlled chaos and oddly yet fittingly seemed at times to evoke equal parts Boris Karloff and Rob Halford. His vocal performance was incredible and every note counted. There were several opportunities for vocal participation on the bigger songs and Kenny often encouraged the crowd to take a chorus here and there, strengthening the band’s connection to their audience. Midway through the set the enthusiastic throng even managed to get the band to stray from the planned setlist, loudly singing a chorus from early
Karnivool - photo by Denis Radacic favourite Fade until the lights briefly went down, allowing for some quick discussion and re-setting before the musicians acquiesced. One thing that Karnivool do better than any of their prog-metal peers worldwide is actually deliver a performance with the material. Fans of the genre who have endured amazing sonic experiences with completely lacklustre visual delivery will no doubt attest to this. This band has taken the genre, expanded upon it and made it accessible to listeners who may not even have much interest in this type of music from similar artists. It is truly amazing to have a progressive metal band take the number one album spot on the charts in any country, let alone in Australia from a band with its roots right here in Perth. That fact, plus performances of this calibre on a cold Sunday night in Perth, are nothing short of inspiring. World class. _
THE BIG SPLASH GRAND FINAL The Bakery Saturday, August 10, 2013 And so it was, that, from 145 bands who initially expressed interest, The Big Splash Grand Final was finally dawning. An exercise that had already been something else was about to become something else all over again. God knows whatever the exuberant punter upfront said to Scalphunter singer Steve Knoth just prior to the opening proceedings, but his ready response, ‘you’re a long way from home, brother’, seemed to be a perfect kick-off to the storm of punk metal that was unleashed forthwith, at the civil hour of 8.15pm. While it seemed unlikely that none of the double-denim-clad band members would normally even be up at that hour, Scalphunter took to the unenviable opening spot as though they’d specifically asked for it, inspiring spirited sing-a-longs, hair-flicks and a good old fashioned knack for the business of show. It could almost have been menacing if not for Knoth’s hippie sentiments, proving that love is still all you need, even in a circle pit. Dianas, the all-girl trio that are rapidly becoming favourites around the town, seemed unfussed by following the storm of energy that preceded them. Verily, it was as if the waves were slowly rolling in with the sunrise doubling as heavenly girl harmonies... but, you know, at The Bakery. As Caitlin Moloney on guitar and Nathalie Pavlovic on bass and often vice versa - locked in on drummer Ashley Ramsay’s steady beat-work, there was still a lilt in the sound that lent an all important sense of the surreal. Some Mazzy Star type moods tended to wash over crowd a little, so the reaction back was a little more 38
CHRIS GIBBS
Scalphunter, Big Splash Winners - photo by Shaun Freney
genteel, but a latter song brought the safari out of the surf and shoes were flung to the sand. Second place. These Winter Nights were perhaps an early favourite and clearly had a lot of support in the crowd. There was an undeniably beautiful build to their opening number, all airy harmonies and rising, pin-drop tension, but it began to test the crowd rather than entertain them to the point where release was perhaps replaced by relief, when the song opened up and Lucas Jones revealed a voice beyond his years (and, later, a falsetto to die for). These Winter Nights ooze sincerity and (it would seem) a love for both Radiohead and Mumford And Sons and are somewhat reminiscent of former Perth outfit, Fourth Floor Collapse. They took out third place this evening. Apache took the last slot and seemed very happy to be there. They were possibly the most diverse of the acts of the night, as dynamic singer Timothy Gordon took some Morrissey-like turns with his cardigan while the band combined stoner rock vibes with more melodic moments reminiscent of Placebo or Suede. They weren’t afraid of slower, heavier blues turns either, but at this stage may still have been finding their way a little more than the others on this line-up. After semi-finalists Villain were presented the ‘Enchantment Award’, the big announcement saw Scalphunter take the $10,000 first prize. Congrats to the bands, the organisers and all concerned for bringing a new vision to the notion of band competitions. Sugarpuss and The Chemist played celebratory sets. Music was the winner. _ BOB GORDON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Boom! Bap! Pow! - photo by Matt Jelonek
BOOM! BAP! POW! The Love Junkies / Huge Magnet / Dux N Downtown The Rosemount Hotel Saturday, August 10, 2013 Though it may sound like a night of comic strip shenanigans, the speakers were the ones doing the thwacking during this raucous night of Boom! Bap! Pow!’s latest album launch. Dux N Downtown started the night with a bang through their harmonica soaked, toe tapping, bluesy set. The initial vocalist had a gorgeous smooth sound with intoxicating low vocals, while the second had an equally stunning gravel of short, sharp bursts. The rocker bellowed ‘Motherfucker stole my shit!’ between guitar wails, reminiscent of Seasick Steve. Energetic, groovy blues band Huge Magnet belted out the interesting cover song choice Son of A Preacher Man, which soon showed itself to be a comical Hits From The Bong mash up, loosening up the audience for a night of light hearted entertainment. But the biggest crowd pleaser of all was their fast, fun, upbeat swing song to finish, which saw several pumped-up punters spinning around the dance floor. Drawing the crowd in with fast drumstick tapping, followed by perfectly delivered snare rolls, The Love Junkies then released some alluringly grungy vocals. The third three-piece band for the night, but somehow twice as loud and forceful as the others, these kids threw down the gauntlet with their devil may care, rocking set. Perfectly timed changes in tempo kept the crowd on its toes as did
some fantastic, intricate jazz drumming, mixed with loud rocking crashes, and a few Hendrix-esque guitar moments. Despite an unfortunate technical difficulty with the drum kit, the band soldiered through their recent release, Baby Come Home, still managing to wow the crowd. The boys really gave it everything in their final song of the night, cementing their rock solid performance. The Rosemount was now packed to the gills with fans eager to see the band of the night, the delightfully dubbed, Boom! Bap! Pow! Thunderous, powerhouse vocals with delicious and often hooky lyrics chimed in after an excitement building instrumental intro. But these brilliant vocals weren’t the only thing enticing the audience, with the bubbly singer throwing in some fun and feisty dance moves, especially letting loose once she whipped out the tambourine. With a huge range of big band, soul, swing, pop, and even some hang 10 surf’s up sounds, this playful bunch pulled no punches, slamming out a massively high energy set. When The Kinks cover song, All Day And All Of The Night, started, several excited fans literally began dancing on the tabletops. These seasoned professionals sure knew how to work it, and the lead singer showed great showmanship when she jumped onto the dance floor and engaged the audience. After a brief fake out ending, the lively group returned to the stage for one final song. After inviting the energetic onstage to dance up a storm, the band played the iconic Misirlou, made famous by the film Pulp Fiction, a fitting way to end this swinging set. _ LIANA KELLY
presented Perth with strong confidence in his artistic qualities and abilities. Already a good number of people at the venue had an opportunity to hear a solid set by this interesting young artist. Nick, as known off stage, uses dark mood as a basis for his music, but that darkness is not necessarily negative in an uncomfortable or violent way, nor it’s depressing. The gloomy overtones were crossed with beats - sometimes industrial, sometimes dance-y, sometimes both – and sounds of somehow lighter nature. A perfect start for what will turn out to be an equally perfect night! Having over 30 years of music creating and performing experience, it did not surprise much that Haco’s first ever Perth show was executed immaculately, with precision and beauty matching this Japanese artist’s great reputation. From lush to loud sounds and from arrhythmic to steady beats, Haco took the audience on a special trip where the language barrier did not matter. Accompanied with laptop, mixer, vocals (which were often sampled in real time) and dreamlike visuals, she breezed through a set rich in those subtle emotional moments where one’s heart stops and thanks its owner for exposing it to such divine music. The show was well-attended by the time Barn Owl took the stage and many audience members looked like they expected a drum kit and stacks of guitar amps to be set up – perhaps something to do with the kind of shows often organised by Life is Noise crew. Instead, two guys with lots of electronic gadgets appeared and proceeded to play what seemed to be a long track. Or an exceptionally interesting long track, to be precise. Haco/Ourbonic Plague Forget the stoner rock – this was the ultimate mind-altering music, thick with layers of The Bakery, psych soundscapes reminiscent of early works by Friday 9 August 2013 German electronic pioneers, Tangerine Dream. They Last Friday the Bakery opened its doors for the also handled well going from soft to loud moments opening party of the 11th Totally Huge New Music and kept the audience’s attention with kind of music Festival and this time its organisers, TURA New Music, that might not be quite suitable for late Friday night joined forces with Life is Noise for a night of truly party times, and if you think that is an easy task, think again. different music. Ourobonic Plague had the honour to _ PREDRAG DELIBASIC open the show and this local producer proudly
Barn Owl - photo by Daniel Grant
BARN OWL
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MOJO’S
Friday, August 16, sees high lord Gypsy musical adventurers Woo Hoo Revue at Mojo’s Bar. These guys sold out the venue last time so get your presales tickets for $20 now through trybooking. com. Supporting on the night are starry eye exotic acoustic song smiths The Whistling Dogs. A fiendishly talented sextet of horns, strings and drums, The Woohoo Revue have forged their reputation throughout Australia with their adrenalin-fuelled celebration fit for dancing, drinking and ignoring tomorrow. They shimmy the self-consciousness out of the most timid of folk, until disciples and naysayers alike blur into jigs, cavorts, whoops and hops - in one big mess of frivolity. Doors open at 8pm, tickets on the door are $20. To win a double pass, email your details to mojos@coolperthnights.com with The Woohoo Revue in the subject line.
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL
This Wednesday, August 14, catch punk-rockers Being Beta launching their debut EP! Then on Thursday The de Grussa Band glam it up big time with help from Oh White Mare and more. Friday catch Dan Cribb and The Isolated launch their EP and then Saturday Perth hip-hop royalty Bitter Belief launches his longawaited new album. Doors open 8pm each, head to rosemounthotel.com.au for ticket info.
THE BIRD
This Thursday, August 15, get down for the release of Subculture, the first single from New Animals, with support coming from Silver Hills and Whails - $5 entry from 8pm. Friday, it’s *Closure*, a nigh tof hip hop, trap and house music, with Nora Zion, and DJs Da Wit, HW Sims, No Mad and Mikey P - entry is $5 from 8pm. Saturday, The bird plays host to the RTRfm Radiothon Groove Stage, featuring Naik, Savoir, Cosmo Gets and Mathas.
SWALLOW BAR The Woohoo Review
MUSTANG BAR
Sundays has a new name! Head on down and witness the opening of The Mustang Bar’s latest trend, Tailgate Sundays, this weekend! From 4pm get live music, food and beer - it will be an afternoon not to miss out on. Taking the stage this week is Special Brew with The Weapon is Sound and DJ Holly Doll!
Sunday August 18, Masina Miller performs. Originally from Sydney, this Polynesian songstress has been singing since she could talk! Having fronted bands overseas and in the eastern states this accomplished self-taught singer/ songwriter brings to the table her own personality and style! Since moving to Western Australia Masina has pursued her passion for Jazz. The show starts at 5pm.
Masina Miller
DEVILLES PAD
RAILWAY HOTEL
Friday, August 16, things get very metal thanks to Severtone, Drown The Faith, The Moment We Fall, Hello Darling and Pending The Silence. Doors open 8pm, $5 entry. Saturday catch some fresh Perth rock n roll with Stealth*Bush*Alien, September Sun, Southern Cross, and The Brothers Duke. Doors 8pm, $8 entry.
This Saturday, August 17, sees those Elvisonic purveyors of Presley magic, The Burger Kings, take on a whole set of Elvis movie tunes! Billed as The Elvisonics for this night of nights, the electric boogaloo combo will perform songs from Elvis’s many cinematic appearances. There will be prizes for the best dressed Elvis movie people and some mystery guests will be appearing throughout the night.
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PARKER LAUNCH NIGHT Parker Saturday, August 10, 2013 The glitterati were out in their best on Saturday night to toast the opening of Parker, the newest venue from Boomtick Events, one of the dominant cultural forces in Perth’s after dark scene. Photos By Matt Jelonek
Andrew, Sarah, Jessica, Thomas
Mel, Greg, Jessica
Nick, Jo, Andrew 40
Mikie, Lisa, Alister
Sefita, Melania X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Edited by T RAV I S JO H N S O N
What’s your musical style? We have firm musical roots in rock, experimental and electronic music, so we try to find ways to make them tastefully blend. Growing up, we were huge fans of bands like of Mr Bungle with their musical whiplash approach and also Sublime and Rx Bandits with their ability to marry genres very elegantly.
TRIANGLE FIGHT Triangle Fight’s minimalist yet rocking self-titled album makes an auspicious debut this Sunday, August 18, at YaYa’s with support from The Brown Study Band, Queens Boulevarde and Circle One. It seemed like a good time to sit down with vocalist and songwriter, Paulo Gonzales. How did you guys form? About 10 years ago my brother and I played together in a band called Brainhorn. Since then we have been apart doing other projects but have always wanted to collaborate again, so last year around August we finally decided to make it happen.
BLOOMING BRILLIANT
Acclaimed country-blues singer/songwriter Tracey Barnett is finally making good on the tile of her first release, the 2010 EP, The First Of Many. Her follow-up, Blooming, is being launched at Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle, this Friday, August 16. Jordan McRobbie and The Matt Cal Trio support, and entry is free from 8:30pm.
How did recording the album go? Over the space of a few months we recorded at our home studio as we wrote the songs. We didn’t have any decent recording budget and wanted the freedom to change parts and redo takes at our leisure so it worked out well. Our drummer uses electronic drums so working with MIDI meant there was no need for drum miking and that also made the decision to record at home very easy. What’s your writing process like? As the main songwriter, I like to sketch out the complete songs at home on the computer and then I email the other guys to see how they like it. It’s my preferred method as the complete vision of the song can be presented and then judged more objectively. Otherwise, when we are rehearsing, I sometimes will sit silently and try to make up ideas on the spot in my head. Nothing beats smashing out a whole new song in the one rehearsal. What’s up next? We want to concentrate on promoting and just enjoying the fruits of our hard work. Later in the year we will take a well-deserved break when my wife and I have our baby, but we’re talking about evolving our sound, pushing our live show to new limits and possibly doing a tour of Japan in 2014.
WISE WORDS
Before they head into the studio, folk outfit WiseOaks will be plying their trade at YaYa’s this Thursday, August 15. Support comes from Saint Ravine and Big Splash finalists, These Winter Nights. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $5.
Tracey Barnett
STANLEY’S MONSTER
Having carved a savage swathe across half the planet, The Stanleys are returning to their hometown to put the final exclamation mark on their Kid’s Gonna Rock World Tour, as well as release their seven inch vinyl single of the same name this Friday August 16 at The Beat Nightclub. TV Snow, Violet Scene and Vida Cain provide tasty support. Doors open at 8pm.
WiseOaks
IN THE FALLOW FIELDS
Alt-rockers Falloway play Fresh Jams at YaYa’s on Tuesday, August 20. It’s a new events designed to showcase a diverse range of new music from up and coming local tunesmiths, bringing you the freshest sounds the Perth scene has to offer. Also on the bill are Ego, Segue Safari and Heed Vex. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $5.
The Stanleys
BETA TEST
Get down to the Rosemount tonight, Wednesday August 14, to catch pop punk outfit Being Beta pull the pin on their EP, We Made Too Many Bombs! It’s gonna be a full night of noise, light and fun, as Cavalier, One Last Thing, Them Sharks and Gutter Drakes will also be making their presence known. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $8.
Being Beta
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Falloway
DE GRUSSA DEGUSTATION
Sate your musical appetites this Thursday, August 15, at The Rosemount, when the glam-tastic de Grussa Band take to the stage, along with Limpin’ Dave Foley & The Straight Legged Freaks, Oh White Mare and Stargazer. Doors open at 7pm, tickets are $10 on the door.
de Grussa Band
Being Beta We Made Too Many Bombs! EP Launch @ The Rosemount Reapers Riddle Drop Video/Single Launch @ The Civic The Stanleys Kid’s Gonna Rock 7 Inch Launch @ The Beat Nightclub Tracey Barnett Blooming EP Launch @ The Bakery Dan Cribb The Memories Last EP Launch @ The Rosemount Bitter Belief The Gallery Album Launch @ The Rosemount Seal Evel Trio Self Titled EP Launch @ The Boulevard Tavern Triangle Fight Self Titled Album Launch @ YaYa’s Wiked Fury Scars Under My Skin EP Launch @ The Rosemount Pyromesh Biologic Album Launch @ Amplifier Leure Holland Sky LP Launch @ The Bird Tempest Rising Dominion That Falls Single Launch @ The Civic Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Born In The ‘90s Single Launch @ The Amplifier Sirgin One Love EP Launch @ The Civic
Bands Enrol now www.aaca.net.au www.xpressmag.com.au
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Stonefield, August 29 September 1
THIS WEEK CARTEL 14 Amplifier OBEY THE BRAVE 14 YMCA HQ 15 Amplifier COSMIC PSYCHOS 16 Amplifier ANNIHILATE MUSIC 10TH BIRTHDAY: MINDSNARE/50 LIONS/ BATTLETRUK/ OUTSIDERS CODE 16 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 17 Amplifier 18 YMCA HQ DARYL BRAITHWAITE 18 Newport Hotel DON MCLEAN 19 Perth Concert Hall
AUGUST PAUL KELLY 22 Regal Theatre ANDREW STRONG: THE COMMITMENTS 22 Metro Freo THE SMITH STREET BAND 22 Rosemount Hotel 23 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury VANCE JOY 23 Fly By Night GRINSPOON 23 Astor Theatre GEORGE BENSON 24 Riverside Theatre NORTHWEST FESTIVAL 24 Port Hedland Turf Club BERNARD FANNING 25 & 26 Astor Theatre JAPANDROIDS 26 Rosemount Hotel ASH 27 Rosemount Hotel STONEFIELD 29 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 30 Players Bar, Mandurah 31 Amplifier 1 Indi Bar THE WHITLAMS/ WASO 30 Perth Concert Hall CLAIRE BOWDITCH 30 Fly By Night PERFECT TRIPOD 30 & 31 Regal Theatre CLOUD CONTROL 31 Capitol WHITEHORSE 29 Mojos Bar 31 Civic Hotel
SEPTEMBER MANHATTAN TRANSFER 1 Regal Theatre
MACHINE GUN KELLY 4 Capitol HIT THE LIGHTS/ HEROES FOR HIRE/ STATE CHAMPS 5 Amplifier FAT FREDDY’S DROP 5 Astor Theatre JOSH PYKE 5 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 6 Fly By Night 7 Astor Theatre SNAKADAKTAL 5 Newport Hotel 6 Capitol 7 Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River THE CAT EMPIRE 7 Red Hill Auditorium MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS 6 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 7 Capitol REZUME 7 Civic Hotel AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA 8 Astor Theatre CONVERSATIONS WITH GHOSTS 8 Perth Concert Hall JAMES REYNE 8 Newport Hotel ANBERLIN 11 Metro Freo FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS 11 YMCA HQ 12 Amplifier WENDY MATTHEWS 13 The Ravenswood 14 Charles Hotel THE BIG SCARY 13 Fly By Night THE GETAWAY PLAN 12 Prince of Wales, Bunbury 13 Players Bar, Mandurah 14 Rosemount Hotel 15 YMCA HQ RUDIMENTAL 13 Metro City (sold out) 14 Metro City PARKWAY DRIVE 14 Metro Freo 15 & 16 Capitol CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: MICHAEL JACKSON IMMORTAL 18 – 22 Perth Arena RED DIRT ft JIMMY BARNES 19 Kalgoorlie Boulder Race Club KVELERTAK 19 Amplifier DEAD LETTER CIRCUS 19 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 20 Metro Freo THE PREATURES 20 Flyrite 21 Mojos Bar
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Cloud Control, August 31 THE PAPER KITES 21 Fly By Night THE DRONES 21 The Bakery FOALS 22 Metro City RIHANNA 24 Perth Arena ROLO TOMASSI 25 Amplifier LAMB OF GOD & MESHUGGAH 26 Metro City CALEXICO 27 Astor Theatre TWELVE FOOT NINJA 26 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 27 Rosemount Hotel MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA 27 Fly By Night, 28 Astor Theatre 29 Wave Rock Weekender WAVE ROCK WEEKENDER 28 - 30 Wave Rock Caravan Park THE CULT 28 Metro City ONE DIRECTION 28 & 29 Perth Arena XAVIER RUDD/ DONAVON FRANKENREITER/ NAHKO & MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE 28 3 Oceans Winery, Margaret River 29 Fremantle Arts Centre LISTEN OUT FESTIVAL 29 Ozone Reserve
OCTOBER SWERVEDRIVER 3 Rosemount Hotel HORRORSHOW 3 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 4 Amplifier EMMA LOUISE 4 Astor Theatre JINJA SAFARI 4 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 5 Astor Theatre KATE CEBERANO 5 Regal Theatre SOILWORK 6 Rosemount Hotel HARRISON CRAIG 11 Regal Theatre ME FIRST & THE GIMME GIMMES 11 Amplifier 12 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury BRING ME THE HORIZON 12 Challenge Stadium WELCOME TO THE VALLEY 12 Belvoir Amphitheatre RICKY MARTIN 12 Perth Arena
The Cat Empire, September 7
THE DAVID LIEBE HART BAND 13 Amplifier DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT 15 Metro Freo AMORPHIS 16 Capitol REGURGITATOR 16 Indi Bar 17 The Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 18 Metro Freo 19 Rosemount Hotel JUNGLE GIANTS 17 Newport 18 Capitol SPIT SYNDICATE 17 Newport Hotel 18 Amplifier DIESEL 18 Fly By Night 19 Charles Hotel 20 Ravenswood Hotel MICKY AVALON 19 Amplifier PAUL DEMPSEY 20 Fly By Night EVERY TIME I DIE 24 Amplifier BEHEMOTH 24 Capitol THE AMITY AFFLICTION 26 Metro City 27 Metro Freo MATT CORBY 27 Fremantle Arts Centre TELEVISION 28 Fly By Night Club SLEEP 28 Rosemount Hotel ANDRE RIEU 29 Perth Arena TONY HADLEY 30 The Astor CHET FAKER 31 ARTBAR THE BREEDERS 31 The Astor ENSLAVED 31 Rosemount Hotel YELLOWCARD 31 Capitol
NOVEMBER BABY ANIMALS 2 The Astor JESSICA MAUBOY 2 Perth Arena PITBULL & KEI$HA 5 Perth Arena BEYONCE 8 & 9 Perth Arena SCOTT KELLY AND THE ROAD HOME 10 Rosemount Hotel LEONARD COHEN 13 Perth Arena BEAUFORT STREET FESTIVAL 16 Beaufort Street JILL SCOTT 17 Riverside Theatre AN EVENING ON THE GREEN 17 Kings Park NILE 17 Amplifier
BOY & BEAR 22 Metro Freo 23 Astor Theatre FLEETWOOD MAC 22 & 23 Perth Arena HITS & PITS 2.0 Black Flag, Boysetsfire, Bad Astronaut, Snuff, No Fun At All, Good For You, Off With Their Heads, Jugheads Revenge 24 Amplifier & Capitol MOONSORROW 24 Rosemount Hotel EROS RAMAZZOTTI 23 Challenge Stadium THE ATARIS 29 Amplifier STEREOSONIC 30 Claremont Showgrounds MUSE 30 Perth Arena
DECEMBER MARTHA DAVIS & THE MOTELS 4 The Astor CITY AND COLOUR 7 Belvoir Amphitheatre AIR SUPPLY 8 Perth Concert Hall JUSTIN BIEBER 8 Perth Arena TAYLOR SWIFT 11 Perth NIB Stadium BON JOVI 12 Perth Arena HUMAN NATURE 20 Perth Zoo
JANUARY PARAMORE 16 Perth Arena CELTIC WOMAN 24 Riverside Theatre
FEBRUARY BIG DAY OUT Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, Blur, Snoop Lion, Major Lazor, Tame Impala, Flume & more. 2 Claremont Showgrounds BRUNO MARS 28 Perth Arena
MARCH 330 SECONDS TO MARS 25 Challenge Stadium
APRIL MICHAEL BUBLÉ 26 & 27 April Perth Arena
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SpaceManAntics, Friday at The Little Wing Corner Gallery
WEDNESDAY 14.08 AMPLIFIER Academy Cartel Lydia The Takeover Finders BAR 120 Felix THE BIRD New Animals Silver Hills Whails BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CARINE Open Mic Night Chris O’Brien CLAREMONT HOTEL Acoustica GREENWOOD Bernadine ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB TLC Organ Trio Night Cap Session GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots INDI BAR Neda LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Fremantle Blues and Roots Club Galloping Foxleys Man The Clouds Luke Dux MOON CAFÉ Going Solo Sam Barendse Adrian Hoffman Michael Savage MUSTANG BAR Pump DJ James MacArthur PLAYERS BAR Tim Ayre PADDO Nat Ripepi Rose Parker Annabelle Harvey ROSEMOUNT Being Beta Gutter Drakes Them Sharks One Last Thing Cavalier
UNIVERSAL Retrofit VILLAGE BAR Village People - Open Mic WANNEROO TAVERN Rodney Rude YAYA’S Hahas @ Yayas James Masters Don Smith Jermaine White David Tuffley Adam Peter Scott Jeff Hewitt YMCA HQ Obey The Brave Paradise In Exile Common Bond Iconoclast Exanimis Vultures
THURSDAY 15.08 AMPLIFIER Obey The Brave Paradise in Exile Anchored The Existence BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Fantasy Thursdays THE BIRD Hip Hop Kara”YO”Ke THE BOAT Jen De Ness BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night Rob Walker BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke THE CAUSEWAY BAR Xport Thursdays ft: Michael Triscari LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN ) Monarchy DEVILLES PAD Rock & Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Pat Nicholson ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB MFO Sean Little Night Cap Session
Lanark
LANARK CHILDSAINT BEN WITT FEYEK THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 MOJO’S
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Severtone, Friday at The Railway Hotel FREMANTLE ART CENTRE Timothy Nelson and Luke Dux THE GATE Greg Carter GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Dr Bogus INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Mitchell Freind Tarryn Bradshaw Lukoska Lauren O’Hara Lost @ Sea Jesmin Morton Ryan Lamb MOJOS BAR Lanark ChildSaint Ben Witt Feyek MUSTANG BAR The Domnicks DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Room at the Reservoir OXFORD HOTEL Perth Folk and Roots Club Mike De Velta Paddy Reilly John McNAir Keith Anthonisz PRINCE OF WALES RedX ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Oh White Mare The De Grussa Band Limpin’ Dave Foley and the Straight Legged Freaks Stargazer SETTLERS TAVERN Acoustic Open Mic Night UNIVERSAL Off The Record YA YA’S WiseOaks These Winter Nights Saint Ravine
One Of None, Friday at The Swan Hotel
BEST DROP TAVERN Pretty Fly THE BIRD Nora Zion THE BOAT Ben Merito THE BOAB TAVERN Almost Famous BRASS MONKEY Acoustic Aly THE CARINE Velvet CHASE BAR & BISTRO James Wilson CITRO BAR Dove CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM Reapers Riddle Psychonaut Sleepfreak Animal CORNERSTONE ALE HOUSE Madam Montage DEVILLES PAD John Bannister and the Charisma Brothers Mr Kick Razor Jack Les Sataniques DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Nathan Gaunt EAST 150 BAR Jonathon Dempsey ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Darren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn Quintet The SPREAD EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan THE FLY BY NIGHT Ed Kuepper GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Hi-NRG GREENWOOD Greg Carter HYDE PARK HOTEL Dean Anderson INDI BAR Vdelli FRIDAY 16.08 KALAMUNDA AMPLIFIER HOTEL Cosmic Psychos Sophie Jane & The Devil Rides Out Chilly Boys THE BAKERY KULCHA Circo Pre Party Soul Men BALMORAL LEOPOLD HOTEL Mike Nayar Kama BAR ORIENT LITTLE WING The Reggae Club CORNER GALLERY BEAT NIGHTCLUB SMILES (UPSTAIRS) SpaceManAntics The Stanleys Red Mexico TV Snow LOBBY LOUNGE Violet Scene (CROWN) Vida Cain Decoy Duo The Black Fridays M ON THE POINT BEAT NIGHTCLUB Retriofit (DOWNSTAIRS) MAHOGANY INN PLAY BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Stu McKay MOJOS BAR Jean Proude Woo Hoo Revue BELMONT TAVERN The Whistling Dogs Chris Gibbs
MUSTANG Adam Hall & the Velvet Playboys Swing DJ Cheeky Monkeys DJ James MacArthur NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLS CLUB The Aunts The Body Ventura The Quixotics Karl Griffiths NEWPORT HOTEL Karaoke Classic Steve Parkin PADDO Easy Tigers PADDY MCGUIRES Frenzy PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Flyte PEEL ALE HOUSE Better Days PICA BAR Some Like It Yacht PLAYERS BAR Three Corner Jack PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Dirty Scoundrels PRINCE OF WALES Mindsnare 50 Lions Battletruk Outsiders Code Beer Fridge THE PRINCIPAL Galloping Hatracks RAILWAY HOTEL Severtone Drown The Faith The Moment We Fall Hello Darling Pending The Silence RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Rodney Rude ROSEMOUNT Dan Cribb and the Isolated FAIM Dux N Downtown The Kuillotines Lionizer ROSIE O’GRADYS FREMANTLE GrooVe ROLEYSTONE COUNTRY CLUB Leah Grant SAIL AND ANCHOR Howie Morgan SAIL AND ANCHOR (UPSTAIRS) NightShift SCARBOROUGH SPORTSMANS CLUB It’s My Party SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Die Hard Karaoke SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) The Fireplace Sessions 2 Falloway Welcome The Wildfire Heed Vex Ciara Murphy
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Deadline Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing all LIVE MUSIC. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au
Mezzanine, Saturday at PICA Bar SWAN HOTEL (BASEMENT) Down With The Sickness One Of None To Hell With Honour Bleeding Teeth Solifugae Peasant SWINGING PIG Tandem Greg Carter UNIVERSAL Nightmoves YA YA’S Trigger Jackets The Scotch of Saint James Frighteners YMCA HQ Surroundings Aveira Skies Finders Idle Eyes Hollow Ground Vultures
SATURDAY 17.08 AMPLIFIER Mindsnare 50 Lions Battletruk Outsiders Code Tikdoff BAILEYS BAR Hi-NRG BALMORAL Retriofit THE BAKERY RTRFM Radiothon Emperors Sugar Army Tangled Thoughts of Leaving Race To Your Face Puck BAR 120 Flyte BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) RTRFM Radiothon Stu V vs. Nelli Micah Devo vs. PDS Jo Lettenmaier HW Sims BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Mike Naygar THE BIRD RTRFM Radiothon Naik Savoir Cosmo Gets Mathas BOAB TAVERN James Wilson BOULEVARD TAVERN Sea Level Trio CLANCYS FREMANTLE Sidewalk Diamonds THE CLAREMONT HOTEL ANTICS 44th Sunset Casino Sunrise CRAFTSMAN GrooVe
Friday Friday Travis Caudle Gunns, Saturday atCaudle Mojos Travis FlyBy ByNight Night Fly
DEVILLES PAD The Elvisonics Crawfish DJs Les Sataniques THE EASTERN OASIS Reload ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Blue Hornet ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Marnie Kent NightShift THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Hope Road GREENWOOD Cargo Beat GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy HOTEL ROTTNEST Adrian Wilson HYDE PARK HOTEL Chris Gibbs Band INDI BAR Ben Merito INDIAN OCEAN BREWING CO Shawne & Luc KULCHA Latin Fusion LAKERS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Why Georgia? M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MOJOS BAR Gunns Doctopus Mild Child MUSTANG The Continentals Rockabilly DJ Milhouse DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Karaoke with Steve Parkin PADDO Cheeky Monkeys PADDY MCGUIRES First and Final PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Felix PEEL ALE HOUSE Tequila Mockingbirds PICA BAR Mezzanine The Disappointed Red Engine Caves Pat Chow PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Kevin Curran QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Little Ebony RAILWAY HOTEL Stealth*Bush*Alien September Sun Southern Cross The Brothers Duke ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT Bitter Belief Rob Shaker Dazastah & Layla Sarah Pellicano Creed Birch Azmatik
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ROSIE O’GRADYS FREMANTLE Flava SAIL & ANCHOR Chris Gibbs SAIL & ANCHOR (UPSTAIRS) Childs Play THE SHED Huge SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Die Hard Karaoke SWAN HOTEL (BASEMENT) Bury The Heard Ascending Fall Echostone SWINGING PIG Greg Crater Big Steve Spouse Band UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WHALE & ALE Elvis Tribute Show WHITESTAR HOTEL (ALBANY) Redx YA YA’S RTRFM Radiothon Runner Dianas Shimmergloom Starcleaner Methyl Ethel YMCA HQ For Our Hero
SUNDAY 18.08 BALMORAL Andrew WInton BELMONT TAVERN Jonathon Dempsey BOAB TAVERN Chriss Gibbs Duo BRIGHTON Ross Lowe BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nathan Gaunt BROOKLANDS TAVERN Gerry Azor THE CAUSEWAY Accoustic Sunday CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Mike Naygar ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Darren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Katie Hodgkin THE FLY TRAP (FLY BY NIGHT) Stage Fright Open Mic THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Conny The Clown GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Peace Love INDI BAR Morgan Bain Matt Cal
Bitter Belief, Saturday at Mojos
INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit KALAMUNDA HOTEL Alitia Martin LAKERS TAVERN Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts LAST DROP TAVERN Alan McCowat LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Jack & Jill M ON THE POINT Chill Divine MOJOS BAR Red X The Long March Bryan Rice Dalton MUSTANG Tailgate Sundays Special Brew The Weapon is Sound DJ Holly Doll NEWPORT HOTEL Daryl Braithwaite PADDY MALONES Gary Fowlie QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Better Days ROSEMOUNT Soundz like Sundayz THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project SETTLERS TAVERN Jane Germain & Ian Simpson SWALLOW BAR Masina Miller SWINGING PIG Matt Angell Jamie Powers UNIVERSAL Retrofit WANNEROO TAVERN Acoustic Aly YA YA’S Triangle Fight The Brown Study Band Queens Boulevard Circle One YMCA HQ 50 Lions Outsiders Code Dying Sun Break Mindless
MONDAY 19.08 BRASS MONKEY Wire Birds ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Song Lounge Unearthed GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Louise Anton Trio MOJO’S BAR Wide Open Mic MUSTANG BAR Triple Shots PERTH CONCERT HALL Don McLean YA YA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic Night
TUESDAY 20.08 BRASS MONKEY Open Mic Night Chris O’Brien THE CARINE Open Mic Night Chris O’Brien THE COURT Open Mic Night THE CRAGIE TAVERN Open Mic Night GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Ruby’s Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB John Bannister and the Charisma Brothers KALAMUNDA HOTEL Open Mic Anthony Kay LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Hans Fiance MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night YA YA’S Fresh Jams Falloway Ego Segue Safari Heed Vex
Reapers Riddle
REAPERS RIDDLE PSYCHONAUT SLEEPFREAK ANIMAL FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 THE CIVIC HOTEL
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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY FOR SALE HEADPHONES all brands & styles. 23 Harrogate Street, West Leederville. Contact Headphonic 08 93886333 headphones. com.au INTERNET SERVICES OZURBAN RADIO Soul, RnB, Hip Hop, Urban Tunes, Real music, Real presenters. Internet Radio 24/7 www.OzUrbanRadio.com MUSOS WANTED KEYBOARD PLAYER REQUIRED to complete exp. Rock/pop cover band “INSIDEOUT”. Must be committed and have a positive attitude. 0439 408 909 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632. OPEN MIC NIGHT @ THE CRAIGIE TAVERN Tuesdays from 8pm. Solos, D u o s , Tr i o s , O r i g i n a l s a n d C o v e r s . Contact Paula or Ceelay 0420375670 or openmiccraigie@hotmail.com WA N T E D E X P K E Y B OA R D P L AY E R / BACKING VOCALIST to join local indie pop act The Autumn Isles. Must have quality gear, time and availiability to prioritise a long term project. Please email your interest and contact details to contact@theautumnisles.com. Please include some performance history and tastes in music. PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGR APHY Pro m o p h o to g ra 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 www.instandt.com.au www.instandt.com.au 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 DISK BANK Perth’s premier CD & DVD manufacturer, with options for all budgets. (08) 9388 0800. www.diskbank.com.au/ specials. 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
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Edited by T R AV I S J O H N S O N
BANDS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’POTENTIAL +FREE 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 FREMANTLE RECORDING STUDIOS Offering mixdowns under 24 tracks for $150. Recalls $50. Home recordists may benefit from having a quality mix of their work by a professional engineer at a well known recording studio that’s had plenty of Triple J exp.72 input Toft atb mixing console w/ analog equalizers & compression. Email info@fremantlerecordingstudios.com.au. Call 0415 738 155 GOLDDUST Production Mixing, recording and composition. Leeder ville $70 p/h. 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 K itchen Cook ed Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au S AT E L L I T E R E C O R D I N G S T U D I O www.satelliterecording.com 0419 908 766 ProTools..17 Years exp REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 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 STREAM STUDIO’S 89 Stirling St, Perth. Mobile: 0403 152 009 info@streamrehearsal.com.au VISION REHEARSAL Perth’s premier rehearsal facilities. Visit www.visionstudios.com.au for all info. East Vic Park. Email rehearsal@ visionstudios.com.au or call 0432 034 122 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** Perth’s ultimate guitar studio. 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 GUITAR & KEYBOARD TUITION (BeginnersProfessional) One on One lessons. Free guitar trial lesson. Burswood Ph 6460 6921/ 0415 238 729 www.gvkschoolofmusic.com.au To advertise in Classified call 9213 2888 or email musicservices@xpressmag.com.au
WE WANT THE AIRWAVES
Independent Aussie urban and hip hop artist - and there are more than a few of them operating in Perth - have a new outlet for their bets in the form of Oz Urban Radio. The nascent internet radio station have put out the call for submissions for tracks to play, so if you’ve got a release that could use a few more ears on it, head to OzUrbanRadio.com ASAP.
Send your Volume News to musicservices@xpressmag.com.au
THE LONG BOOT
If you’ve been dragging your feet about registering for the Country Music Boot Camp, there’s good news: registration has been extended until the end of August. Spend the weekend of September 27 - 29 under the tutelage of genre veterans David and Merelyn Carter and learn all the ins and outs of this still-vibrant music scene. Countrymusic.wa.com.au has all the details.
YOU DESERVE A BREAK
Brett Costello and DJ Skooby, Oz Urban Radio
MENTOR AS ANYTHING The Association of Artist Managers (AAM to you and me) have recently announced that their Artist Management Mentor Programme. If you’ve always seen yourself as more of a Brian Epstein than a Lennon or McCartney, this is a chance to partner up with an a more experienced hand for 12 months and learn the nitty gritty of this business called show. What’s more, additional funding from Warner Music Australia and the Jimmy Little Foundation has enabled the creation of The Jimmy Little Indigenous Managers Fund, which will cover one successful applicant’s travel and accommodation to the induction event to be held in October. The mentor programme is open to AAM members only, but successful applicants for the Jimmy Little Managers Fund will have their membership covered for 12 months. head to aam.org.au to learn more.
Commercial Radio Australia and The Mushroom Group have called for entries for First Break, an new musical talent initiative that provides opportunities for unsigned musicians to crack the top 100 national airplay chart, with the winner receiving airplay support for 12 months and support for two singles, touring and marketing from Mushroom. The overall value is north of 2 million dollars, which is nothing to sneeze at. The 2012 winner, Iluka, the 2012 winner, says,“The support that First Break has provided has given me such a clear direction. From recording, to making videos, to getting the music out there. These guys have been there before, and launched artists, and it’s really helped”. Head to firstbreak.com.au for the scoop.
Iluka
GEARBO X MACKIE DL806 MIXER
Based on the workhorse DL1608 mixer, this new iteration is a compact unit that packs eight input channels, four aux, stereo output and more, but of key interest will be the iPad connectivity, which allows the user to run the whole shebang through an intuitive touchscreen interface. Wireless capability means you can make necessary adjustments from anywhere in the room In point of fact, any iOs device is supported, making this a versatile and powerful unit that, at an RRP of $1099, isn’t too hard on the hip pocket, either.
Mackie DL806 Digital Mixer
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays