X-Press Magazine #1304 + Volume Special

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Adam Ant

PEST CONTROL

An Horse

HORSING AROUND

Brought to the attention of the indie pop world by two darlings of the genre, Tegan & Sara, Brisbane-bred duo An Horse return to local shores this April in continued support of their critically acclaimed 2011 full-length record Walls. Having refined their live performing chops at some of the world’s bigaest music festivals – including Bamboozle Fest, Osheaga, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Rolling Stone Weekender and CMJ – the awesome twosome are sure to put on a great show when they hit the Rosemount Hotel on Wednesday, April 25. Grab your tickets from Oztix, Heatseeker and Moshtix.

Adam Ant, the ‘80s prince of new wave pop is set for Australia as one of his comeback tours come March. After a low-key decade Ant tested the waters in the UK with some guerrilla gigs in early 2010, and is now ready to strut his stuff in front of Aussie audiences. This June will also see the release of new album Adam Ant Is The Blueback Hussar In Marrying The Gunners Daughter. Joining him for the tour will be Georgie Girl & Her Possez Posse, who are on Ant’s Blueback Hussar label. Fans can catch the pioneering new romantic singer on Wednesday, March 28, at Metro City. Pick up your tickets from Ticketek or Moshtix.

City And Colour

MOOVE TO THE MUSIC

Details for the 2012 edition of regional touring festival juggernaut Groovin The Moo have been revealed, and there’s something for everybody.

Making an overseas voyage to our shores are Kaiser Chiefs, Public Enemy, City And Colour, Adrian Lux, Andrew W.K One-Man-Party Tour, Wavves, Chiddy Bang, Mutemath, Digitalism, and current NME darlings The Maccabees. On the national front Hilltop Hoods, 360, Matt Corby, Bluejuice, Big Scary, Beni, Muscles, The Getaway Plan, Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Hermitude, Purple Sneakers DJs, Gold Fields, 2011/2012 summer festival MVP Kimbra and WA’s own San Cisco are set to strutt their stuff. And that’s just the first announcement! It all goes down on Saturday, May 19, at Hay Park in Bunbury. Tickets go on sale from 9am on Thursday, February 16, and are available from Moshtix or by clicking over to gtm.net.au.

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News

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Reactions/Comp

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Flesh

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Music: Star Wars

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Music: Pajama Club/ Faustian Pact

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Music: Ben Kweller/ Friendly Fires

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Music: La Dispute/ Total Control

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New Noise

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Eye4 Cover: Any Questions For Ben?

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Eye4 News/ Movies: Chronicle

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Eye4 Movies: Any Questions For Ben/ AQFB

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Eye4 Art Stories

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Eye4 Lifestyle

Interview

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South West Feature

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Salt Cover Story: Ill Gates

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Salt: Cover Story/ News/ Delta Heavy

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Salt: AC Slater/ Space Dimension Controller

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Salt: Hermitude/ Club Manual/ Scenery

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Scene: Live

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Scene: Pub Blurbs/ Pub Scene

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Scene: Local Scene

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Tour Trails

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Gig Guide

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Volume Feature

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Volume: Product Reviews

53: Volume Cover Story: Slipknot Cover: Star Wars 3D: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace hits cinemas this Friday, February 9 Salt Cover: ill.Gates plays The Rosemount this

The Butterfly Effect in happier times

FLYIN’ FAR FAR AWAY

Sick Of It All

NEW YORK CITY HARDCORE

Two of the most influential bands in the history of hardcore music, New York’s Sick Of It All and Agnostic Front will be touring Australia together this May on the New York United Tour. Celebrating their 25th year as a band, Sick Of It All will be playing tunes from each and every one of their nine studio albums with as much energy as the day they started. Likewise, Agnostic Front are promising live renditions of songs from their legendary hardcore releases United Blood and Victim In Pain. The iconic bands will share the stage at Amplifier on Friday, May 11. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, February 10, and will be available from Moshtix.

The Butterfly Effect frontman Clint Boge has announced he is quitting the band to pursue other “musical interests”. But before we find out what the future holds, the Brisbane-based heavy hitters will head out on their last tour with the singer, dubbed the Effected tour, which will give fans a chance to see them perform together for the last time, and includes two shows in WA – on Saturday, June 2, at the Prince Of Wales in Bunbury; and on Sunday, June 3, at Metro City. After the tour has concluded, the remaining members of the band have promised they will announce their intentions in the not too distant future.

I CHOO-CHOOCHOOSE YOU The most romantic day of the year happens next week and just because it’s a Tuesday night it doesn’t mean you have to sit at home. Here’s a few ideas to put a couple more x’s in your night and save you from becoming an ex.

Faustian Pact - Usually shows involving members of Grinderman don’t usually equate to a romantic night out, but if you score tickets to this Festival Gardens show your chances for love will undoubtedly improve.

Open Mic Nights - If you’re in Margaret River or Bunbury, how about your serenade your loved one with a cover of Whigfield’s timeless love song for the ages, Sexy Eyes, at Settlers or the Prince’s open mic nights.

Jason Lytle - If you’re an indie kid from way back, chances are you’ve got a significant other, so why take your date down to the former Grandaddy frontman’s lone solo show at Ya Ya’s?

Lover Lover - The people of Mojos have got the right recipe. Bastian’s Happy Flight, DJs, jugs of something called “Love Punch” and even a kissing booth if you’re in need of privacy.

Mustang Bar – If dancing is the language of love, then salsa dancing is for love experts.

You can always go and get a cheeky romantic kebab across the road to cap off the perfect night.

Mario Kart Speed Dating - If you’re still looking for a date, get yourself down to 1UP Microcinema in Northbridge, where you’ll have the chance to save that 8-Bit princess in real life. Email info@insertcoins.com.au to secure your spot.

Love, humps and kisses, X-Press.

Saturday, February 11 www.xpressmag.com.au

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with Melissa Erpen... Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday.

By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms & Conditions which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

Publisher/Manager Joe Cipriani

Editorial

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SERIAL KILLER SMILE

Music Editor Matthew Hogan

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Dance Editor Annabel Maclean

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Arts & Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier

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Staff Writer Jennifer Peterson-Ward

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Photography Stefan Caramia, David Chong, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Denis Radacic, Mike Wylie

Lanie Lane @ Nannup Festival

After 18 months filled with tour supports for three national touring bands, countless rocking local shows and a sold out launch for debut single The Irrepressible, Perth’s Serial Killer Smile are gearing up to launch their debut EP The Elephant in the Room on Friday, February 17, at The Rosemount.

The EP will be available nationally through Firestarter Distribution from this Friday, February 10. To celebrate the release of the bands upcoming EP, we are giving our readers the chance to win a copy. Enter now to be in the running.

Contributing Writers Reuben Adams, Nina Bertok, Shaun Cowe, Derek Cromb, Graham Frizzell,Chris Gibbs,Alfred Gorman,George Green,Chris Havercroft, David Geoffrey Hall, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben,Travis Johnson, Rezo Kezerashvili, Joanna Lettenmaier, Tara Lloyd, Adam Morris, Ely Nas, Andrew Nelson, Chloe Papas, Daniel Parkinson, Ben Swan, Conan Troutman, Tom Varian, Mike Wafer, Ben Watson, Chela Williams, Jessica Willoughby

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NANNUP MUSIC FESTIVAL

Want to win tickets to the Nannup Music Festival happening on Friday, March 2? Then get your entries in now! Lanie Lane, Adalita, TinPan Orange, Neil Murray, OKA, Murder Mouse Band and a bunch more will be performing. It is sure to be a stellar weekend celebrating Perth’s fine arts and culture so get in now to score yourself a double pass.

PSYCHOVILLE SERIES 2

We have three copies of the newly released DVD Psychoville Series 2 up for grabs. Compulsive and twisted, the award winning British series stars a stellar cast and promises to bring you some terrifyingly funny comedy. Get your entries in now for your chance to win a copy!

Sales and Marketing Manager Paul Morgan

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Music Services / Local Music Des Richardson

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Agency / Movies / Education Paul Morgan

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Our Idiot Brother

Shame

SHAME

Brandon is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life.

After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon’s world spirals out of control. From director Steve McQueen, Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us. We have a 10 double passes up for grabs to see Shame plus a copy of the DVD Fish Tank starring Michael Fassbender.

SOUTH WEST CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

For the first time ever, the best South West craft breweries will come together for a celebration of the regions produce, music and of course beer!

Festival goers will sample the regions finest brews from the more traditional pale ales and pilsners to creations like ginger and chocolate beer. The 3 Oceans Palandri Estate will transform into a hive of activity with a music stage, brewery tents and local produce vendors. The event is being held on Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26. We have a bunch of double passes up for grabs.

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Art Director Dwight O’Neil

Design + Production

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Emeli Sande

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EMELI SANDE

Our Version of Events is the debut album from Emeli Sandé, the Scottish singer-songwriter who previously leant her sumptuous vocals to the likes of Chipmunk and Wiley - both of which earnt themselves top 10 UK singles in the process.

Sandé mixes R&B, soul and trip hop to create a sound that is full of attitude. To celebrate the release of this highly anticipated debut album, we are giving our readers the chance to score a copy of the album. Get in now for your chance to win.

MOVIES BY BURSWOOD XPRESS READERS NIGHT

We love Movies By Burswood here at X-Press and what better way to spend a balmy summer’s night than with the X-Press team watching a movie under the stars. We have a stack of double passes to giveaway to the Movies By Burswood X-Press movie night on Thursday, February 23, screening the hilarious comedy Our Idiot Brother starring Paul Rudd.

Based on the story of an idealistic man who intrudes and wreaks havoc in each of his three sisters’ lives, it is guaranteed belly laughs so enter now for you chance to win tickets to what is sure to be a sick evening.

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

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CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 APRIL 2011 – SEPTEMBER 2011

Deadlines EDITORIAL General - Friday 5pm, Arts - Thursday 10am, Comp’ Thing Monday Noon, Clubber’s Guide - Monday 5pm, Rock X-tras - Monday Noon, Gig Guide - Monday 5pm

ADVERTISING Cancellations - Monday 5pm, Bookings / Copy - Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds - Monday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 73/102 Railway Parade, 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

WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY 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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Big Day Out 2012 has been and gone. We asked our friends on Facebook how they were feeling after the event, who was good and who not so much. ..

Paul I thought people under 15 had to be accompanied, that was the youngest BDO crowd I have ever seen and they were annoying. They didn’t know who was playing (which is bad enough if you’re 22) but when you’re 13 you become annoying.

Russel I actually thought it was a great BDO overall, the most fun I’ve had at a BDO in years.

Room to move around easily, venue was cool, and the bands I saw rocked. More reminiscent of the older BDOs out at Bassendean, Freo etc. Yeah there were some annoying youngsters in the crowd, but I’m sure we were all seen that way many years ago. Plus seeing Soundgarden again after seeing them 15 years ago at one of my first BDO experiences was awesome. Though The Bronx won the day for sure!!

Blaine The under 18s did not know how to act during shows, treating every DJ as a chance to have some shitty metal mosh. Too many boosted-up turbo 17 year olds straight from school trying to start trouble. I was sprayed directly in the face with a fire extinguisher during Bassnectar and collapsed unable to breathe, luckily was carried out woke up in recovery position with the ambos. This sort of shit is not festival style, I won’t be returning if there are still under 18s there, particularly with the price so ridiculously high. I feel like shit on a count of breathing still being hard and it was far from worth both the money and the crappy experience.

Dear X-Press, I just wanted to share a conversation with my 16 and half year old son who had gone to the BDO for the first time yesterday. He went by himself! An amazing feat in a mother’s opinion, made extra special because he had such an awesome time. He was concerned prior that he might get bored between a few acts because they were all that he knew. He soon discovered that Cage The Elephant who hit the Skate Stage were excellent. He moshed out with Drapht, got down to Foster The People and loved so much more. He was never going to be bored! It was an excellent experience for me to hear his tales as he came home from a concert that I wish I could have attended, but felt I would be totally out of place! Certainly couldn’t have hung out with my son! Ha! From a mother, thank you to the organisers. You put on a show that allowed my son to be safe.

Thank you to the bands that enthralled and entertained him and has made him the most vocal and excited he has been in along time in our house. Music is in all our hearts and souls and I am so glad I shared this with my son.

Rock and Roll Perth!

Amanda Via Email

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DARKNESS FALLS Promising to leave “a trail of mosh pit devastation in their wake”, metal thrashers Unearth will punters at Amplifier dazed and confused on Sunday, March 4, at only the second Soundwave sideshow that’s been announced. Showcasing tunes from their fifth full-length record Darkness In Light, Unearth will be joined by savage metalcore purveyors In This Moment, doomsters Kittie and aggressive heavy metal/hardcore outfit Heaven Shall Burn. Tickets are on sale now through Moshtix.

Unearth

DIRTY ART

CUT & PASTING IT

To coincide with Dirty Three’s upcoming Australian tour, guitarist Mick Turner is hosting a travelling art exhibition. Covert Art & Morsels will include limited edition reproduction prints of cover art images from Dirty Three albums along with a selection of Turner’s recent work. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to catch the Dirty Three’s only WA show at the Astor Theatre on Friday, March 9. Tickets are available now through BOCS.

Cut & Paste are about to showcase Cut & Paste Collaborations, a unique concept featuring over 20 WA artists in six brand new collaborations. It’s all about new works, new music and new interpretations.

On the line-up is: The Weapon Is Sound ft Hayley Beth and Brendan Jay, Ylem and Rachael Dease (Schvendes), Wall Mounted Machine ft Andrew Ryan and Sibalance, Naik with Sugar Army’s Pat McLaughlin, The Empty Cup with Luke Dux, Timothy Nelson, Nick Vasey, Jozef Grech, Hayley Jane Ayres, Virginia Page, Andrew Williams, Toby Anning, Mathas and ASAP, as well as Felicity Groom and Diger Rokwell. It’s all happening next Saturday, February 18, at The Bakery. Snatch tickets through fringeworld.com.au or risk it for $30 on the door.

Yes

YES YES OH YAY

When it comes to prog rock, few hold a candle to the undisputed masters, Yes. Known for a helluva lot more than just their lone #1 hit, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, they’ve sold almost 50 million albums worldwide. Currently comprised of bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Geoff Downes, and singer Benoît David, they take to Riverside Theatre on Thursday, April 5.

Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek.

BOBBY AT HIS ROOTS

ISN’T SHE LOVELY That’s right y’all, the man who sings Isn’t She Lovely, Superstition and I Just Called To Say I Love You is coming to town, well our state at least. He is the legendary singer-songwriter and superstar Stevie Wonder. He’ll be bringing his soul to Sandalford Estate in Margaret River on Friday, March 2, in what will be his only Australian performance. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 10, through Ticketek but will be limited. More than 15,000 peeps have already preregistered for tickets through Sandalford.

Bobby Alu is one of Australia’s finest roots percussionists – a living legend who has worked with the who’s who of the Australian dub and reggae music scene. Having spent the last six years touring Australia, Canada and New Zealand as a member of Oka and Kooii as well as being a regular co-conspirator with the likes of Mista Savona, The Red Eyes, Watussi, Grassroots Street Orchestra, Afro Dizzi Act, Nicky Bomba and more, Bobby plays the Indi Bar on Wednesday, February 29; and Mojos on Thursday, March 1, as part of his WA debut tour and in celebration of his new single Love You More. There are a couple of shows south too, including Nannup Music Festival so get on it.

ARMAGEDDON IS COMING Not really. But Guy Sebastian is. For the first time in two years, the former Australian Idol winner will be touring nationally, this time in celebration of his seventh album Armageddon, which is set to be released mid this year. “I’m so excited to get back out on the road,” he says of the upcoming tour. “I’m playing shows in places I’ve never visited before and I can’t wait to get out and do what I do best, which is sing and hang out with fans. This one is going to be big!”. Prepare yourselves Perth; Sebastian hits His Majesty’s Theatre on Tuesday, June 19; and Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, June 20. Tickets are on sale through BOCS and manpac.com.au from next Friday, February 17.

Stevie Wonder

SEAL STILL BRINGING THE SOUL

After his split from Heidi, Seal may be still soul searching but that’s not the reason he’s had to reschedule his upcoming Soul 2 Tour. He’s got You’re going to cream your pants if you’re into folk- scheduling conflicts with his international and rock because English multi-instrumentalist Seth Australia work schedule. Seal now plays Sandalford Lakeman and our very own Carus Thompson are Estate in the Swan Valley on Saturday, April 14. No joining forces for two full band shows in P-town. tickets exchanges are necessary as tickets are valid It’s Lakeman’s first time to Australia, having sold for the new performance dates. Hit up Ticketek if you over 250,000 records and being nominated for the have any problems.

Mercury Prize back in 2005 for his debut record Kitty Jay. He’ll be bringing his sixth album Tales From The Barrel House down under for the ride. Catch the Local legends The Kill Devil Hills and rising stars ridiculously talented lads on Thursday, April 12, at Ruby Boots have just been added on support duties Clancy’s Fish Pub; and Friday, April 13, at the Hyde for Justin Townes Earle’s Perth shows in celebration Park Hotel. Hit up Heatseeker, Mills, Planet and 78 of his new record Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way Records for tickets.

You Feel About Me Now. Hand-picked by Mr Earle himself, expect to hear a genre-bending set from the Kill Devils, who have recently showcased their killer tunes across Europe. See them on Saturday, Due to impending throat surgery for their April 14, at the Fly By Night; and Sunday, April 15, at frontman, Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio the Rosemount Hotel. Hit up lovepolice.com.au/tours will no longer be performing at the Festival for tickets on sale now.

Gardens this coming Monday, February 13. As a replacement, that night Perth Festival will present a complimentary screening of Benda Bilili! the award-winning documentary about musicians Staff Benda Bilili, discovered on the streets of Kinshasa. The film screens at 8pm, with live music and DJs on the night. Ticketholders for the Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio concert will be contacted by the Perth Festival directly.

FOLK ROCK RUMBLING INTO TOWN

KILLING IT

ROLLIN’ ON

Split Seconds

WAM BAM THANK YOU WAM WAM have recently announced a pilot initiative to develop a new regional contemporary music touring circuit in the Wheatbelt region. The third weekend of each month from February through to July this year, will see some of WA’s brightest bands touring with solo acts in the Wheatbelt.

A recent harvest of Wheatbelt based original music acts will play alongside touring acts at each event. First off the post will be indie pop aficionados Split Seconds, joined by WAM Song of The Year winner, Sam Carmody. The tour bus will stop in at The Commercial Hotel in Merredin on Friday, February 17; Grass Valley Tavern (8km East of Northam) on Saturday, February 18; and the Ye Olde Quindanning Inne, will host a Sunday afternoon show on February 19. All shows are free entry. Speaking of WAM, hats off from everyone at X-Press to Paul Bodlovich who moved on from his position of WAM CEO last week after more than a decade in the top job.

EXPOSE YOURSELF Following the success of Exposure 2011, The Cambridge Youth Advisory Council and Cambridge Youth Services are back to host the Drug Aware Exposure 2012 Youth Festival. This drug, alcohol and smoke-free event will again be held at City Beach Foreshore on Sunday, March 11, from 11am-3pm.

The event features four bands including Cult Of Addiction playing a unique style of hard rock and blues, five piece indie rock band The Strangeways, delivering an exciting show with sweet tunes.

Sweet Side Effect will mix things up with a blend of dance, disco pop and indie and Fat Felix will be performing an acoustic set with an array of unique instruments including a banjo, cello and cajon drum box. Fun and activities include a dunk tank for you to dunk your friends and a Slip ‘n’ Slide will provide an opportunity to cool off in the heat.

Plus, there will be competitions, prizes, stalls and more to keep you entertained throughout the day.

JAZZ RICHES

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ORANGE ORGASM Essex-raised, Brooklyn-based indie bratpack posterboy Blood Orange fell victim to gear theft at the site of WA festival Southbound back in January, but that hasn’t stopped him from hitting our shores once more this year to tour in support of indie pop icons Florence + The Machine. The artist also known as Dev Hynes will revisit the material from his critically lauded 2011 album, Coastal Grooves and is sure to get local punters well and truly warmed up with his ‘80s-inspired funk sound at Challenge Stadium on Thursday, May 17. A limited number of tickets are still available from Ticketek, but get in quick because allocation is likely to be exhausted soon.

FU YOU Kiwi hip hop icon Che-Fu is set to make his Australian debut later this year as he embarks on a massive national tour, which includes WA shows at the Burlington Hotel in Bunbury on Wednesday, March 28; Settlers Tavern on Thursday, March 29; Metropolis Fremantle on Friday, March 30; Divers Tavern in Broome on Saturday, March 31; and the Karratha Tavern on Sunday, April 1. Che-Fu will be performing his best known tracks from the albums 2b Spacific, Navigator and Beneath The Radar, along with a slew of bangin’ new tunes.

Tickets are available now from Oztix or through the individual venues.

Tenor saxophonist Matt Richards draws on the unique sounds of African bell music, ancient African Kalimba music patterns, Western harmony and jazz melody to craft his unique sound. Hear the fruits of Richards’ musical endeavours when he takes to the stage at The Ellington this Tuesday, February 14, from 8pm, in what will be an ultra special Valentine’s Day show.

TOUR OF DUTY Next Wednesday, February 15, award winning local filmmaker Mat de Koning will host a special screening rock documentary USA Or Bust at FTI’s Bohemia Outdoor Cinema. The first part of his long in the making doco Meal Tickets, it follows The Screwtop Detonators on a tour of the States and their relationship with their roadie at the time, Will Stoker.

The screening will raise funds to help de Koning return to the USA to conclude Meal Tickets. Tickets $15 from FTI.

Blood Orange

Rebel Souljahz

POLYNESIA VIBES Perth will celebrate the pride and passion of Maori and Pacific Island cultures on Sunday, March 4, with a cracking pure Polynesian line-up in store coming together for Pacific Vibes Festival. Rebel Souljahz will be making their debut appearance down under for the festival alongside House Of Shem, 1814, Three Houses Down who hail from various locations in Aotearoa and Sons Of Zion. It’s all happening at Red Hill Auditorium. Tickets are $110 plus booking fee and are available from Oztix now.

Che-Fu 11

STAR WARS 3D A Long Time Ago, In An Editing Suite Far, Far Away...

As Star Wars gets set to make its 3D debut with the Episode 1: The Phantom Menace hitting cinemas tomorrow, TRAVIS JOHNSON looks at the history of Star Wars re-edits.

At last, Star Wars is back on the big screen!

Well, kind of. The Phantom Menace is back on the big screen, a fact which has drawn exactly the kind of muted response one would expect, considering it’s easily the worst film in the franchise - yes, even worse than the long-lost redheaded stepchildren that are the Ewoks movies. But hey, it’s in 3D this time around! That counts for something, right?

Well, no. The 3D adds nothing to what is, let’s face it, a largely woeful film peppered with the odd moment of brilliance. Even seeing The Phantom Menace in the cinema again only reinforces how terrible the whole thing is. At least on DVD you can read or surf the net while endless conversations about taxation and Midichlorians play out; in the theatre you’ve got nowhere to hide.

But just because it’s a bad film, doesn’t mean it’s not an interesting one, albeit in largely tangential ways. For one thing, it’s kind of amazing that it took George Lucas this long to dip his toe into the 3D pool. Lucas has always had a serious hard-on for cutting edge tech, and we, as audiences have benefitted from that in a thousand different ways - for one thing, decent sound quality in cinemas these days is pretty much a direct result of Lucas using his Star Wars muscle to leverage the THX sound quality assurance system into the market. It’s odd that he wasn’t one of the pioneers of the new wave of 3D, like Robert Zemeckis and James Cameron, or at the very least amongst those who followed shortly after, like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Instead, he pops his 3D cherry with a post-conversion job on one of the most poorly-received films in his oeuvre.

Still, maybe that’s to be expected. After all, if there’s one thing that’s axiomatic of George Lucas in this day and age, it’s that he just can’t keep himself from chopping and changing the Star Wars movies, with each new iteration drawing more ire from his fanbase - remember the brouhaha over what would and wouldn’t be included on the Blu Ray release? What’s more, the version about to hit our screens isn’t even the one that we saw back in 1999, but the slightly altered cut recently released on disc, with the most obvious change being the replacement of Yoda - originally a puppet

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in Episode 1, just as he was in The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi - with a CGI model.

It appears that Lucas, rather than heeding the complaints of fans who just want to see decent pre-Special Edition cuts of the original trilogy, has determined to make it hard to see even an untampered version of the prequels. At this stage of the game, it’s looking less like perfectionism and more like compulsion.

And perhaps that’s okay. Anyone that argues against an artist’s right to do whatever the hell they want with their work is a fool at best, and anyone who seriously touts opinions along the lines of “George Lucas raped my childhood” is not just a fool, but a full-blown moron. Lucas created the work; ergo, the work belongs to Lucas. You’re free to dislike whatever he chooses to do with his property, but contesting his right to do so is preposterous. Make your own damn space opera.

It’s his Star Wars, not yours, and the central thesis of things like the recent documentary The People Vs George Lucas is too close to cultural fascism for comfort.

There is a price to be paid for all that, though, and it’s paid by both Lucas as an artist and us as an audience. In exercising his freedom to tinker with the Star Wars franchise ad infinitum, Lucas cost himself the opportunity to actually grow as a filmmaker. It’s easy to forget it in the face of the cultural juggernaut that is Star Wars, but Lucas was a pretty dab hand at this directing malarkey well before 1977. Remember THX 1138? Or American Graffiti? One was a low budge experimental sci-fi think piece, the other was a loving paean to lost innocence and youth, and both were indicative of a thoughtful and provocative mind behind the camera. Hell, at one point Lucas was slated to direct Apocalypse Now! As much fun as the Star Wars flicks are, and in spite of their almost immeasurably huge cultural impact, it’s hard not to wonder what happened to the guy who made those earlier films, and feel a little sad.

Of course, all that could change. Lucas has, over the years, repeatedly stated his intention to return to a smaller-scale, more personal brand of filmmaking, just as soon as he’s got this whole

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace Star Wars thing knocked on the head. Even as recently as this January, following the rather cool reception of his World War II dogfight epic Red Tails, he was making pronouncements along those lines. Still, it’s probably not wise to go holding one’s breath. For one thing, Lucas is now

67; whoever he is - personally, professionally, artistically - he is, and the odds of him changing much are fairly remote. For another, if the past 30odd years have taught us anything, it’s that, as far as George Lucas is concerned, the Star Wars films are never, ever finished.

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PAJAMA CLUB

Call The Police New Zealand songwriting hero Neil Finn teams up with his wife Sharon in Pajama Club, who make their Perth debut at St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival this Saturday, February 11. Finn tells MATTHEW HOGAN about a couple of strange occurrences in the UK. At the time of our conversation, Neil Finn had just returned home to Auckland after a rather bizarre trip to the UK. Firstly, there was the case of the intruder who took the initiative by the police.“We had a curious situation outside at a flat we were staying at in London where a guy started beating on the door and smashed

a window,” says Neil. “We thought a madman was on the loose and I look out the window and there’s a young guy with his shirt off raving about something. He was saying ‘Let me in, let me in or I’ll call the cops’. I said ‘Well we’re gonna call the cops!’ He said he was calling the cops so we told him the address and he called the cops and they came and arrested him for breaking our window.

It was rather odd.

“We’ve gotta give the British constabulary a bit of credit for showing up within two minutes and following it up, and we’ve just received word that he’s paying for the broken window as well, so it’s a good end to the story.”

Neil’s appearance on BBC show Songwriters Circle also didn’t go swimmingly. He appeared alongside Ryan Adams and Janis Ian on the show, which sees three songwriters collaborate on each other’s song. It turns out Adams didn’t want to lend his vocals to the Crowded House classic Fall At Your Feet. “That was the arrangement of that show, that there’s a couple of songs each that we collaborate on, which we did,” says Finn.

“That was just a thing at the end of the night where we wanted to get the harmonies right and he didn’t want to sing so I didn’t see any point in playing it.”

Pajama Club It was not all bad, as he did get to play the ever-poignant At Seventeen along with Ian. “I played along with her on those fantastic chords and it was great,” he reflects. “It is a great song, I’d knew it from the ‘70s when I was young and when you learn a song like that you realise that it’s a very sophisticated chord sequence and you realise what a masterful thing it is. There’s a lot of chords on it. It’s like when I learned how to play Moon River, you think it’s one of those old standards but then you realise what a beautifully constructed song it is. It’s awe-inspiring.”

Finn’s long relationship with music has not stopped him from doing something new and completely different to what he’s known for. Case in point, Pajama Club. “It was just a good laugh and big noise initially,” he says of teaming up with his wife Sharon. “We just went to the music room and started jamming on drums and bass, neither of which we’d played before, but we discovered a certain level; a nice even playing field. We were both amateurs with wilful abandon, both hanging on for dear life, and there was something winning about it, something that charmed us.”

Faustian Pact

FAUSTIAN PACT Rite On

Musical production team Silver Alert present Faustian Pact as part of the Perth International Arts Festival in the Festival Gardens on Tuesday, February 14. Jim Sclavunos, the taller half of the team, talks to TRAVIS JOHNSON about music and magic.

In truth, it’s difficult to say what Faustian Pact actually is. We know it involves F.W. Murnau’s 1926 silent film, Faust. We know it involves live music and stage performance. We know that it involves, in some weird way, elements of magic - not that doves and marked cards rubbish, but real, honest to goodness, Western esoteric tradition stuff. Other than that, it’s something of an enigma.

Thankfully, Jim Sclavunos - regular Nick Cave collaborator, and former member of The Cramps, Sonic Youth, and countless other bands - is on hand to tell us what Faustian Pact isn’t.

“I had no compunction whatsoever about going in there and reediting the whole film,” Sclavunos explains. “As much as I like Murnau, it was not about presenting the film, or presenting a live musical accompaniment, which has become a bit of a tired cliché now.

It was about really rethinking the whole Faust story, and presenting these other layers of meaning, and other layers of visual and sonic interest in there along with the film.”

The project’s inception came from a simple moment of off-the-cuff inspiration, spurred on by an invitation from PIAF. “We were invited by the people of the Perth International Arts Festival to present something, and off the top of my head, basically, I said ‘Yeah: Faust. I want to do an adaptation of Faust.’ I have this production team, Silver Alert, with my friend Peter (Mavrogeorgis). We have a studio together.

We do remixes, we produce bands together, we’ve done all sorts of musical endeavours together over the past 10 years or so. We wanted to get out of the studio, so that was part of the idea of Silver Alert; that it could be, not just a production thing, but an allencompassing, mutable, whatever we want it to be kind of enterprise.”

But the key to the whole e n d e av o u r w a s t h e d r a f t i n g i n o f a t h i r d c o l l a b o r a t o r, N e w Yo r k b a s e d multidisciplinarian Micki Pellerano. As Sclavunos elaborates, “At the heart of the Faust story is a magic ritual, and at the heart of Micki’s whole aesthetic program... it’s all about magic, it’s all about ritual, it’s all about the arcane symbology that magic partakes of and utilises. It’s about Micki’s performance art - this theatricalised ritual.

“The first time I saw his work was a demon evocation ritual on Halloween, which was all good fun, with lots of naked chicks on stage, which is definitely a plus. But it wasn’t just the almost corny kind of thing that it could have been; it was definitely tapping into something a little deeper, psychologically, in terms of how people were acting on stage, and how people responded to it. They were genuinely in awe of it - they couldn’t believe what was being played out before their eyes.”

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BEN KWELLER

High As A Kite One of the US’ most treasured songwriters, Ben Kweller’s critically acclaimed albums have surpassed half a million in sales, and earned him a die-hard global fan base. On the eve of the launch of his latest studio album, Go Fly A Kite, JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD chatted to the Texas-raised songwriter about his 15 years in the music biz.

Having been immersed in the complexities of the music industry since the age of 14, Ben Kweller’s career has been the stuff of music legend.

In 1997, when he was 15, Kweller’s Greenville-based garage band, Radish, was involved in a major-label bidding war, with labels reportedly throwing around seven-figure record deals in hopes that this precocious, home-schooled pop savant with an unapologetically Nirvana sound might be the next big thing. Ultimately, the band’s one majorlabel album (released by Mercury Records in 1997) was a flop, but luckily Kweller found greater fame by putting the punk aside and reinventing himself as a singer-songwriter.

“From the moment I started making music, I just got really fucking lucky. There have certainly been times when I’ve thought ‘I wish I could give it up’ but the truth is I’m just not good at anything else.

I never had any fallback plan. If a young kid comes up to me and asks ‘should I pursue a music career?’

I always say ‘if you’re better at something else then definitely do that something else’,” he says, adding that if he had the chance to reinvent himself he’d love to be “a professional bass fisherman”, graphic designer (“I love Photoshopping”) or work in a national park (“Park Ranger Ben has a nice ring to it”).

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Friendly Fires

FRIENDLY FIRES Ben Kweller Kweller’s four solo albums have ranged stylistically, from the giddy Cheap Trick-style pop of Sha Sha (2002), On My Way (2004) and Ben Kweller (2006) to his first record after moving to Austin in 2008, the appropriately country-themed Changing Horses. His latest full-length release, Go Fly A Kite, touches on elements from all of these albums.

“The new record has been drawing a lot of comparisons with Sha Sha and I’m happy it reminds people of that record, but they are very different albums. Every song on Sha Sha is either ‘guitar, bass and drums’ or ‘piano, bass and drums’ whereas the instrumentation on the new record is more complex. But the new record’s energetic vibe definitely harkens back to that album,” he says, going on to explain that his new tunes also differ because of their “aggressive” lyrics and themes.

“Songs like Gossip and Jealous Girl are about real people who’ve screwed me over by talking about me behind my back. Basically just about relationships gone bad,” he says. “I’m not out to hurt anyone, the songs just come to me and I write em.

“Truthfully, I am worrying about the backlash from some of the people I sing about, which is probably stupid of me, it’s just that I believe in magic so I’m real superstitious. Like, I’m the kinda person that believes that if you have a special stone and rub it every day you can turn it into something powerful,” he continues. “So I have a habit of weaving secret words into my lyrics, in order to empower myself. I’m not trying to seduce anyone or anything like that; it’s just some personal magic.”

Leading By Example

With everything from their catchy tunes to Ed MacFarlane’s 80’s-inspired dance moves and quirky Hawaiian shirts, Hertfordshire threesome Friendly Fires are getting ready to play Future Music Festival on Sunday, March 4.

SIMONE ZIADA chats to guitarist Edd Gibson.

They’re one of those “We have to go and see them!” bands. Why? Because the fact of the matter is, Friendly Fires understand what it means to entertain their audiences.

“It’s an absolute pure joy to be headed back down there for... I guess the first gigs that we’ve done this year as well,” begins Edd Gibson.

“We’re trying to write [more songs] at the moment, but it’s sort of nice to be in that space, and to have that quick trip to the other side of the world to look forward to as well – just to, you know, have some sort of excitement on the horizon as well.

“We’ve been going for ages now. I think I’ve been going in the band longer in my life than I have outside of the band. We all met at school and, not long after, we were in the band. I actually think that I was in the band before I could even play the guitar,” he laughs.

You know that you must be doing something right when numerous songs of yours are featured on various programmes, magazines and radio shows throughout the UK; the success even stretching so far as to make an appearance on popular American drama series, Gossip Girl. All of this, and they hadn’t even released their debut LP yet. That came a little while later in September of 2008 when the band released their self-titled debut record.

“With writing, [we’re not the type of band] that could just take an acoustic guitar on the road with us and sort of strum out the guidelines or blueprints for future songs. [We’re the sort of band] that has to not be distracted or have anything that would get in the way of us writing. It takes quite a while for us to really hammer through a song. We’ll probably be writing for a solid 10 hours and just get totally amerced within it all. [With our songs] I think sometimes we always end up with the goods, I’m very pleased. I mean, every song that we start, we tend to finish, so I’m really proud of that fact.

“Being on stage is definitely the best part of the day,” Gibson says. “That sort of hour that we’re up there is the best because you get to see other people besides your crew or your band, and we just have fun performing. You just get to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly.”

It’s hard for you not to notice these guys. With tunes that will undoubtedly make your bums wiggle, your hands clap and your boots dance, the sound of Friendly Fires is unlike any other sound. And if you need, for whatever reason, some dancing inspiration, I can’t stress enough, frontman Ed MacFarlane will lead by example.

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to go by, the Melbourne synth-punks certainly have the talent to pull it off.

Disregarding the traditional unwritten “conquer home before you think of going abroad” rule of music making, the quartet spent a good chunk of 2011 on the road in the States, supporting San Franciscan psych-rockers Thee Oh Sees.

“Thee Oh Sees are a lot more established over there, so we had a good time every single night of the tour. There was a huge crowd at every single show we played, the audiences over there were very generous with us,” frontman Daniel Stewart says. “Because of our commitments to our other bands and our jobs, we play so sporadically in Australia. We’ve actually played more in the US then we have at home, which is a weird After releasing a string of singles and shows thing to be able to say.” their debut record Henge Beat last While Stewart is keen to emphasise how success abroad is important for fuelling success back in year, Total Control have built a strong their home country, with a stellar line-up of members, it’s following overseas. As Daniel Stewart not hard to predict the foursome will win over local fans no time. A spawn of Australia’s burgeoning garage tells JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD, 2012 is in scene, the five-piece boasts members from UV Race, the year for the Melbournian four-piece Straightjacket Nation and AIDS, while core member Mikey Young is best known for his garage outfit Eddy to make an impact on home shores. Current Suppression Ring.

“Straightjacket Nation is a hardcore band Total Control play St Jerome’s Laneway that doesn’t pretend to be anything else – we don’t Festival this Saturday, February 11. really attempt to develop the idea from where it’s been developed and there’s not much space for empathy or Whether Total Control become greats or just one of emotion. That mentality works perfectly for that outfit, those great what-ifs that the Australian indie scene however, I wanted to work on something that had no seems to specialise in depends on whether they limits or constraints,” Stewart says. “At the start it was can win over local music lovers in 2012, but if their just basically Mikey and I writing together. We were rapturous reception from US audiences is anything both loosely into Numan, Screamers and some of that

LA DISPUTE Into The Wild

TOTAL CONTROL

True Blue

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Total Control other ‘80s punk stuff. We had no expectation that our jamming would produce any good tunes. After a while it was pretty evident that we were really passionate about what we were creating, so we thought ‘why not get a band on board and see what happens?’.”

Shamelessly intelligent, stylish, wayward and complex, their punky techno experiments thunder along the thin line between swagger and stagger, and the latter often characterises their live shows.

“The songs generally start either as obnoxious guitar riffs or trippy synth recordings, but generally they end up somewhere else once we’ve played them out. I’m still finding the songs are changing every time we play them,” Stewart says.“Our audiences shouldn’t really expect anything in particular – we don’t even know what to expect ourselves half the time.”

Michigan post-hardcore outfit La Dispute are making their return to Australia this month off the back of sophomore release, Wildlife. Vocalist Jordan Dreyer talks to JESSICA WILLOUGHBY ahead of their Perth stint, kicking off on Wednesday, February 15, at Amplifer Bar.

La Dispute “This album is about being a 20-something and making that decision about what you want to do for the rest of your life,” La Dispute vocalist Jordan Dreyer says of their latest album, Wildlife.

Decisions, decisions, decisions – there comes a time when the weight of the world can be on the shoulders of any young person. Not because of society’s expectations, though they do play a big part, but due to a drive instilled in all of us to do something worthwhile with our lives. Michigan five-piece La Dispute is no different. As a group of ‘20-somethings’ themselves, they have just reached the peak of their mid-youth crises. And the impact on their sophomore release, Wildlife, is undeniable. “It’s a stressful time for people,” Dreyer explains to X-Press. “You’re getting to the point where you step outside of that adolescent culture and you start to conceptualise a feeling of loss, in every way imaginable. I think this is a process everyone comes to terms with. It was definitely having an impact on us as individuals at the time this album came to fruition, which is why the album turned out that way that it did.”

The second release from the Grand Rapidsbased lads took a sharp turn from that of their 2008 debut. Always an outfit to explore diverse, and at times difficult, themes – Wildlife fleshes out more personal ideals through a collection of short stories on this offering. But Dreyer says the lyrical depth of this LP reveals more complex notions than first originally thought. “Early on, we decided we wanted to tell stories and to step outside of the box we had spent a lot of time in,” he says.“But we wanted to make it more personally attacking for people who were listening to it. We think we accomplished that by linking it with a linear monologue. This gave it a more subtle story arch, so there’s two things going on at the same time. The structure is about telling new stories, while connecting it to old works.”

Dreyer also points to the space between writing, recording and touring as a constant that helped to bring this concept alive. Splitting the recording between Drasik Studios in Chicago at the end of 2010 and StadiumRed in New York through April last year, the band chose to continuing touring instead of dedicating themselves purely to the new album; a process which Dreyer says added to the live feel of this release.“It was pretty busy and exhausting, but very rewarding in the end,” he says.“We decided we didn’t want to drop off the face of the earth in regards to touring. It made for a pretty interesting schedule to accomplish everything we wanted to.

We started to record in Chicago, but it financially made more sense for us to record in New York as our co-producers, Joseph Pedulla and Andrew Everding, were there. We’d tour, go home for a month and write, then head to the studio. It definitely worked to our advantage to have that space.”

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DIE ANTWOORD Ten$Ion

BEN KWELLER Go Fly A Kite

ZEF Recordz

The Noise Company/Shock Records

Listening to Zef rave-rappers Ninja, Yolandi fucking Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek without any visual accompaniments just doesn’t do these wayward, aberrant Cape Town entertainers justice. “Fuck the system, we have our own system, we make our own rules, we don’t answer to no-one” is Ninja’s declaration in his guttural Afrikaans accent on Never Le Nkemise 2, the electro-dubstep rap raver which concludes this brilliant collection of insane, raw and deliciously original tunes.

These guys completely own it. Having ditched Interscope Records for complete creative independence and control on this self-released album, first single Fok Julle Naaiers which translates to“fuck you all” is a grungy, slow electro rap – a catchy, head-beater with Yolandi on high-pitched vocal duties. Uncle Jimmy (skit) is a vocal rendition of a potential paedophile versus child situation and drum’n’bass war-cry styled tune Fatty Boom Boom is a more comedic version of Kanye’s Monster.

Hey Sexy is a dirty, character annihilation of an egotistical, drug-taking gangsta, the euphoric chorus in electro banger Baby’s On Fire is a riot and You Make Ninja Wanna Fuck just takes it to a new level with the lyrics “you look pretty cute with my dick in your mouth”.

If you like wacked out shit, off the hook rhymes and dangerously disgusting behaviour then Die Antwoord really are the answer.

2009’s Changing Horses found puppy faced singer Ben Kweller returning to his hometown of Texas and making his most unashamedly country sounding record to date.

Three years on and Kweller is clearly settled and feeling comfortable in his own skin, with his latest album sounding like a retrospective look at his years as a solo artist.

Go Fly A Kite finds Kweller delving into the full spectrum of tricks from his kit bag to show why he was long considered the heir apparent to Evan Dando.

There are instantly hummable slacker pop tunes in the form of Jealous Girl, some more straight ahead rockers like Time Will Save The Day, and a hint of the Monkeesmeets-The-Cardigan’s country of his last release with Out The Door.

With his sizeable jowls, mop of hair and thick drawl, Kweller still comes across as the ragged youth that had to sleep in his car at 16, which causes songs like Full Circle where he ponders his place, to lack some bite. For a chap with such pop smarts, it is the slower burns like The Rainbow that offer the most appeal.

There is no doubting that Kweller is a talented little scamp and Go Fly A Kite has its fair share of ear candy, but maybe it is time that he aimed a tad higher.

Score: 3.5/5

Score: 4.5/5

_CHRIS HAVERCROFT

_ANNABEL MACLEAN

PUSCIFER Conditions Of My Parole

FRANCOIS & THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS E Volo Love

Puscifer Entertainment

Domino

The melodic master, Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) is back with Puscifer’s third album, Conditions Of My Parole and to my delight the album is everything I want to hear from Sir Maynard and Co. The songs on this album engage several sounds, from a Wild West country feel to haunting atmosphere with elements of electronic soundscapes, folk and rock. Compared to previous Puscifer songs that play heavily into the synth and programmed aspect, Conditions Of My Parole has more of a band sound.

The first single, Man Overboard, the opening track, Tiny Monsters, Monsoons and Toma, are the perfect example of this band and industrial mix that Puscifer fans would come to expect.

The Wild West country feel is most prominent in the album’s title track, a song reflected throughout the albums art work, and tracks The Green Valley, The Weaver and Tumbleweed. The strength of these songs lies in the backing vocals from the angelic Carina Round, who shows off her vocal ability with melodic harmonies that are simply spectacular, layered over both gentle acoustic guitars and gritty rock.

Maynard describes Puscifer as “the surfacing of his subconscious” and indeed what surfaces in Conditions Of My Parole is many elements of Maynard mixed and layered together in the Puscifer melting pot and the end result is simply amazing. Best listened through good quality headphones.

There is a playfulness and a naivety on E Volo Love, the most recent release from Bristol-via-France quartet, Francois & The Atlas Mountains. It is nostalgic guitar pop from a band not taking itself too seriously. The drums are laden with ramshackle energy, the guitars with jangly reverb and the whole thing is teeming with handclaps, percussion and vocal harmonies.

What separates E Volo Love from the scores of other retro-leaning indiepop albums of the moment is the album’s sophisticated arrangements. Francois augments his clear, classic song writing with dozens of additional instruments, from perfectly placed electronic flourishes to majestic waves of strings and brass.

Particularly in its latter half, E Volo Love brings to mind The Dears’ 2003 No Cities Left, not so much in its actual sound but in an approach best described as ‘genre tourism.’ E Volo Love traverses a wide number of styles, Muddy Heart is a country stomp, Slow Love is retro-disco and City Kiss is an ‘80s pop ballad complete with a cheesy George Michael sax line.

In every case, the genre writing is clever and respectful and never strays too far its tropes. Francois & The Atlas Mountains will never unpick a style like a genre-native may be able to, but they have a sense of excited discovery and naive charm that is joyous.

Score: 3.5/5

Score: 3/5

_HENRY ANDERSEN

_CONAN TROUTMAN

MY BEST FIEND In Ghost Like Fading

EMMA RUSSACK Sounds Of Our City

Warp Records/Inertia

Spunk Records

Warp is doubtlessly one of the most important record labels of recent times. In the ‘90s, they championed EDM pioneers like Aphex Twin and Autechre and helped redefine the possibilities of electronic music.Nowadays, Warp has a greatly expanded palette but their artists still share a sense of exploration, introspection and leftfield experimentalism.

In Ghost Like Fading is the debut album from New York five-piece, My Best Fiend. The album is a gorgeously indulgent experience, with warm, knitted guitar lines, Spiritualized inspired grandeur and handsomely banal lyrics of urban living. Think Pink Floyd with more intimacy, The Verve with more patience.

The album has a beautiful sense of cohesion.

Tracks bleed into one another in long, slow streams.

One Velvet Day is a hazy come down, Cracking Eggs is pure nostalgic sepia and On The Shores of the Infinite is a woozy climb through folds of reverb, cello and massed vocals.

The record’s highlight, however, is its title track, whose oddly Reichian string part is the most unashamedly beautiful moment on the album. The cerebral warmth of the music is simultaneously challenged and reinforced by moments of quiet but tumultuous noise. Where they want to, My Best Fiend are capable of some imposing walls of sound and the dynamisms between these storms and their respite gives the album its character.

NSW-based Emma Russack is a young singer/ songwriter who has mastered the art of keeping it simple. Armed with an acoustic sound and smoky voice Emma’s debut full-length album Sounds Of Our City is an ode to all the stirring moments of independence and the desire for emotional transparency a young person experiences in the big city.

Russack’s voice is strong yet tender with miles of wisdom hidden within every bellowing tone. Up until her 2010 EP Peasants, Russack was recognised as an unearthed talent, finding fame by posting YouTube videos of her much loved acoustic covers. But don’t be fooled, Russack is not another fame-hungry singer. Sounds Of Our City is thoughtful and the underlining theme is freedom and worldly awakening. She’s wise, chanting “you can go your own way and I won’t hang around” in Friends Not Lovers, a song depicting the temptations of falling back into routine after a break up. Easy To Forget is a solid reminder of how good life is when we’re not noticing.

Russack writes quiet ballads allowing her growling voice to tell you a narrative, teach you a self-learned lesson or remind you of forgotten treasures concealed by complacency.

Sounds Of Our City is inoffensive easy listening and a welcome addition to the Australian singersongwriter lanscape.

Score: 3/5

Score: 4/5 20

_CHELA WILLIAMS _HENRY ANDERSEN

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Super Night Shot ARTS Chronicle FILM

ANY QUESTIONS

FOR BEN? www.xpressmag.com.au

Haunted

By The Future

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MOANIN’ FOR RONAN

Ronan Keating, the effervescent judge from the X Factor, is heading to Perth to remind us all that he does actually sing as well as mentor reality TV stars. The former Boyzone member will be embarking on a national tour this summer, ready to perform all his hits like Lovin’ Each Day, Life Is A Rollercoaster and When You Say Nothing At All. He’ll also be playing songs from his recently released album When Ronan Met Burt, which celebrates his collaborations with the wonderful Burt Bacharach. Joining him on tour is Sharon Corr, who’s recently embarked on a solo career after many successful years with The Corrs. Catch them at Kings Park on Thursday, February 16.Tickets are available from Ticketmaster and range from $109.90 for general admission to $395 for a ‘Concerts and Canapes’ deal.

MODERN MONOLOGUES

Ensemble Formidable

KULCHA’S CARNEVALE

Kulcha’s annual costume ball, the Fremantle Carnevale, returns in grand style in 2012 promising a night of masked music and fun for those who seek it out. Set to take place on Saturday, February 18, the Carnevale will feature performances from 10-piece gypsy swingers Ensemble Formidable, joined by Rumskull and the Ozmosis Catalan Street Band. Punters are encouraged to raid a costume shop/dress up box before arriving, as anyone who turns up sans costume will receive have their face painted before admission. You’ve been warned!

Tickets are on sale now from kulcha.com.au.

If you’re planning on entering this year’s Maj Monologues Competition then you better get a wriggle on because entries close at 5pm on Friday, March 2. A competition that seeks to identify WA’s most versatile writers, Maj Monologues is now in its seventh year, and has a considerable following in the local arts scene. Writers are invited to submit an 8-10 minute monologue based on the topic ‘Modern Gods’ to win a share of $5000 in cash and prizes. Find out more at hismajestystheatre.com.au.

HYDE OUT

If you love the spotlight and have the skills to transform a room of strangers into an adorning audience then the folks at Raw Hyde want to hear from you. The Hyde Park Hotel’s weekly open mic variety night, hosted by the one and only Tomas Ford, Raw Hyde features performers of all shapes and sizes every Thursday, from comedians to bands, sword swallowers to contorionists. If you want to perform at Raw Hyde or know someone who does, be sure to check out Facebook.com/rawhydey.

Love Locks

LOCK DOWN YOUR LOVE

The Bell Tower is hopping on board the popular international trend of ‘love locking’ – a phenomenon that sees punters lock padlocks inscribed with their partner’s name onto random objects as a sign of everlasting love. This Valentine’s Day romantic souls are invited to purchase a lock, inscription and key for $25, which they can then lock onto a chain at the entrance of the Bell Tower for all to see. Find out more at swanbells.com.au.

Chronicle

CHRONICLE Moving On Up

Directed by Josh Trank Starring Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Alex Russell, Ashley Hinshaw Found footage films are nothing special these days. From Blair Witch Project to Cloverfield, the idea of putting the camera itself inside the story of the film is nothing original.

Superhero movies are also nothing special, as superpowers have become a staple in recent years. As a found footage film about a group of teens that get superpowers, Chronicle might not sound like the most original flick around but tied with some engaging editing and great pacing it manages to pull off a thrilling ride.

The film starts as young Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) turns on his old, outdated camera, a point of view most of the film is told through. He’s pointing it at his bedroom door as his abusive father starts violently banging it down. Andrew shouts out that he is recording everything he does to him from now on, a threat that makes his father retreat. Making his way to school, he gets his usual ride in with his older cousin Matt (Alex Russell), camera in tow and sticking it in Matt’s face. Being the cooler, older cousin, Matt warns Andrew that carrying a camera around school will just alienate him even more from the other students but, used to being alone, Andrew shrugs it off.

As we watch the school through Andrew’s lens and personal narration, other kids pick on him, throwing the camera around as the helpless Andrew chases it down.

Wanting to help his younger cousin find his footing, Matt forces Andrew to come to a large party in a field and try to lose some of his lonely tendencies. Camera in hand, Andrew and Matt head off to the party, and meet up with Matt’s friend Steve. Finding a large hole in an empty field emitting a strange noise, the boys go down to check it out. A weird, large, crystal looking organic machine rests at the end of the tunnel, and as the camera breaks down the lads start freaking out with bloody noses.

The camera is switched on again, sometime later, as the guys are throwing baseballs at each others heads. Since going down the tunnel they have started developing telekinetic (moving things with your mind) powers. Like a muscle, they realise they can get stronger by exercising their powers and before long they are moving more than mere baseballs. While they start out pranking people in parking lots, Andrew quickly evolves in to someone more sinister.

One of the brilliant things about this film that sets it apart from other found footage films is that the camera work starts off shaky, held in the hands of the boys, but one of the first things Andrew starts to do is control the camera with his mind. Slowly and smoothly panning it around them as they discover more of what they can do. The path of discovery to figure out their powers is also well paced, taking up the majority of the movie, not a simple scene like in most superhero flicks.

It may be predictable, not completely original and certainly won’t appeal to some people, but I think Chronicle has a good chance at becoming a cult classic. Something fans of the genre will refer to in years to come. _TOM VARIAN 24

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Any Questions For Ben?

ANY QUESTIONS FOR BEN? Just A Couple

Directed by Rob Sitch Starring Josh Lawson, Rachael Taylor, Daniel Henshall, Felicity Ward It’s hard to believe it’s been over a decade since the Working Dog team last produced a movie, so it’s unfortunate that the team behind such long-standing gems as The Castle and Frontline long awaited full length is a hit and miss affair.

It’s a story that many young Australians can no doubt relate to. 27-year-old Ben (Josh Lawson) thinks he has it all. He has a high paid job in marketing, a great apartment he shares with his mates in inner city Melbourne, and he gets around like The Beach Boys. So when the opportunity comes up to talk at a high school student careers night, he jumps at the opportunity to gloat about his success. Only thing is, teenage kids aren’t impressed by a guy who decides what words go on billboards, and none of the students have any questions for him. They’re much more keen on Alex’s (Rachael Taylor) work for the United Nations in Yemen.

This gets Ben down and he starts to question his life-maybe all the money and women in the world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Something is missing. Still, Ben continues to live it up like Ja Rule, as he heads on expensive skiing trips and he even manages to coax a young Russian tennis babe into relations. When these triumphs somehow still do

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nothing to improve his mood, Ben asks his caravan selling dad (Rob Carlton) and pretty much any one he can for advice, but no one can seem to coax him out of his slump.

It’s a decent enough story which starts out as something of a bromantic comedy before going down the happily-ever-after romcom path, but I thought it was obvious quickly that it was made by people who have more familiarity with midlife crisis’s than quarter life ones.

Firstly, the soundtrack is horrendous.

Names like Collective Soul and Eagle-Eye Cherry should not be heard in this century. And while the rest of the soundtrack mainly relied on recent radio staples (John Butler, Powderfinger, Silverchair), it gave the impression that this movie wasn’t made for people the same age as the characters.

Secondly, the characters were not that believable. Ben and all his friends dress more like lawyers than young people in semi-creative jobs. And there was a scene where he took a young lass home and then went and visited her at her job in the makeup aisle at Myer to break-up with her. No ‘player’ would feel the need to do that - haven’t these people heard of Facebook or even text messages? Ben was also a tad too well-adjusted for a self-loathing party animal too.

So there you have it, the first movie about a young person on the verge of a breakdown that’s fun for the whole family! Any Questions For Ben? is far from a bad movie as there are plenty of laughs to be had throughout, but it unfortunately doesn’t live up to Rob Sitch and Working Dog’s legacy of being leaders in Aussie champagne comedy. _MATTHEW HOGAN

Rob Sitch

ROB SITCH Haunted By The Future It’s surprising that Working Dog’s Rob Sitch would write a film about the idea a quarter life crisis as he was on top of the world when he was the age of Ben, the 27-year-old protagonist from Any Questions For Ben? “I dropped out of medicine to do comedy, so I became more immature,” he reminices, before suggesting that the concept of the mid-youth crisis is only new. “We thought that there was no better time [than now] to be in your mid-20s, at least on the surface; the choices now are manifestly different from what they were back then. You’re almost expected to travel, most people work overseas now. The other thing was that we were dealing with lots of young comics making a show called Thank God You’re Here.

We were getting the view of that lifestyle from the inside. Josh (Lawson - Ben) was living in LA and then he’d have a month in Australia. He didn’t actually live anywhere, he didn’t seem to have an address, yet he had this high-paced fun lifestyle. Then someone mentioned ‘quarter life crisis’ and I thought, ‘why does that term exist?’.”

Any Questions For Ben? isn’t only about Ben getting down in the dumps, as there’s a love interest, but director Sitch doesn’t want to call it a romantic comedy. “Some people have downgraded ‘romance’ to what we call ‘relationships’ now, like they’re negotiated now,” Sitch ponders.“Falling in love is way too powerful for that; that’s a big force of nature and

people ruin their lives in that process! We didn’t make it a romantic comedy because we sort of introduced Alex (Rachael Taylor) and kept her away from most of the film while the mischief went along. We always say that we get haunted by the past, but I think in some ways we get haunted by the future. You get worried about the future. You can do everything and then you wonder if you’ve done anything.”

In addition to the actors, the city of Melbourne also plays a major part in the film, as events like the Melbourne Cup and Australian Open are major settings throughout. “Melbourne’s become a city of events, and it’s in sharp contrast to 20 years ago,” says Sitch. “There’s a policy of the government to have people move back into the city; there’s lots of caretaker cottages on top of buildings, there’s lots of old apartment buildings and they all wanted to build new ones. Then they liberalised all the drinking and cafe laws. Maybe they thought that retirees were going to drift into the city, and what they got was just a mass movement of young people, which just made the city very, very exciting.”

While not admitting no direct message, Sitch believes there is something that quarter life crisis victims can take away from his movie. “That they’ve probably got a very good life,” he offers. “That life’s fun. Enjoy it. If you wanna make your work meaningful than maybe changing jobs all the time doesn’t help.

It depends on where you’re at. Life can be absolutely brilliant and perfect, but you probably do have to think about it.” _MATTHEW HOGAN

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The Freak & The Showgirl

THE FREAK AND THE SHOWGIRL Get Your Freak On

Julie Atlas Muz and Mat Fraser bring their boundary-bending show Apocastrip Wow!! to The Spiegeltent from Friday, February 10, ’til Saturday, February 18. Bookings via fringeworld. com.au.

To call Muz and Fraser an odd couple is the very epitome of understatement: she’s a statuesque

blonde who delights in disrobing, while he is a witty and wildly talented raconteur who has turned his thalidomide-born deformities to his advantage.

It only makes sense that their erotic and exotic partnership was born in one of the world’s great carnie meccas.

“Mat and I first met at the Coney Island Sideshow by the Seashore,” Muz recalls. “We instantly had chemistry and wanted to work more with each other. I remember he gave me the best introduction ever and I was very impressed with his physique, personality, talent and charm.

“We always knew we were in cahoots artistically,” Fraser continues. “With very similar aesthetics and beliefs about performance, and had talked about making collaborative shows, but we actually decided to do a show together to tour because we don’t see enough of each other!”

Their collaboration is a ribald and risqué exploration of the body, both beautiful and bizarre; a self-described “orgy of flesh, flippers and fun” that is guaranteed to shock, although the pair contend that - at least so far - Australian audiences have been tough enough not to bolt for the doors during the show’s edgier moments.

“I am always complimented when an audience member walks out,” Muz says. “But I don’t think that has happened yet.”

“Aussie audiences have so far been quite the best in terms of eagerness,” Fraser agrees.

“Willingness to make fools of themselves on stage, have a laugh, let us go where not many bloody people have been before, whooping and cheering.

They are perhaps a little new to the level of disability stuff we do, but they take it on board like a vampire baby sucking on a tit full of blood.”

Far from just a lewd and lascivious peep show, their act has far-reaching cultural roots.

Muz cites both Charlie Chaplin and Lucille Ball as influences, while Fraser draws from “The big variety shows from the ‘70s, freak shows and old sideshows, striptease, alternative comedy and political cabaret from the ‘80s - before Ben Elton sadly lost the use of his politics, he was quite a dude, part of an influential wave of difference in comedy - disability performance art from the ‘90s, the Muppets, and old time music hall from the 1800s.”

And as for any charge of disability exploitation, Fraser is politely but firmly dismissive.

“I am totally in charge of what I do,” he states. “They should know that although this show might look like an exploitative moneymaking cynical show, it is in fact a deeply thought out piece of performance intervention designed to break down the barriers to full inclusion in the arts, as portrayed by me doing the naked windmill, for money, whilst barking like a seal!” _TRAVIS JOHNSON

SUPER NIGHT SHOT Street Squad

Super Night Shot is showing at Studio Underground at the State Theatre Centre of WA from Thursday, February 9, ’til Monday, February 13. Bookings can be made via BOCS. Part performance art, part documentary, Super Night Shot is a raw and honest encounter with the streets of Northbridge and the people who populate them.

For five consecutive nights European film collective Gob Squad will wage a guerilla attack on anonymity in Perth, using nothing but their cameras and a smile to break down the boundaries between themselves and the strangers around them.

Every night, an hour before each show is about to begin, four filmmakers will take to the streets, talking to strangers and listening to their stories. Their results form the basis of that evening’s performance: a candid and honest examination of the streets of Northbridge. Accompanying the films is a soundtrack designed by Sebastian Bark and Jeff McGrory; giving the documentaries a fantastical sense of dramaturgy and Hollywood surrealism.

Gob Squad member Sarah Thom describes Super Night Shot as an opportunity to step outside the comfort zone that is built by existing without encountering the unknown. “We’re prepared to embrace the stranger in that time, and by embracing the stranger we hope to break down the barriers that humans can create,” she says.

“We’ve got two audiences – one out in the street, that we encounter by chance, and the other is the audience who come to watch in the theatre, who are sort of witnesses to what we have found.”

This is not the first time the Gob Squad collective have taken to the streets of Australia.

Super Night Shot has been performed in Melbourne, Sydney as a part of the Sydney Festival, and at Brisbane’s World Theatre Festival. Each of these performances has celebrated the streets of the city it is in, and each of them has been completely different from every other performance.

“Each city brings so much that’s completely new to the piece, that every time we do it it feels like an entirely new piece,” says Thom. “For example a Friday night, and everyone’s out drinking, and it’s a hot sunny day, that can be completely different to a Sunday night and it’s raining.”

Super Night Shot is a celebration of its surroundings, and of the people that it encounters.

Super Night Shot In a sense, the people who have paid for the tickets are watching a show that has already happened: a documentary of fleeting encounters between strangers as they move beyond the awkwardness of social conventions to have a true connection.

“We recognise that we were kind of going over a lot of what you could call fake boundaries, as you were, and we were stepping outside our comfort zone by approaching strangers on the street,” says Thom. “But what we found by doing that, we encountered things that we’d never usually encounter, and that they were really amazing conversations.” _LEAH BLANKENDAAL

Miskien

MISKIEN

Bros Before Hoes Miskien runs from Tuesday, February 14, ‘til Sunday, February 19 (there will be no show on Friday, February 17), at The Blue Room Theatre.

Tickets are available from blueroom.org.au.

A tense and often morbidly humorous South African play is attempting to provide an impactful, unflinching look at the underbelly of modern male friendship under pressure.

Performed in English and Afrikaans, Miskien is the story of two best friends stuck in dead end jobs and nondescript lives, both waiting for happy hour at the end of each day to drag them unceremoniously into the next.

As co-writer and performer Albert Pretorius attests, the two friends share everything - and nothing is off-limits.

“It’s rather explicit and there are quite graphic sexual references,” he says. “The two guys are always trying to outdo each other so they boast about how many women they’ve had and all their devious sexual exploits. They’re such good friends that they are able to talk freely and at length about every sordid detail of their lives.”

Pretorius plays Cormac, a 26-year-old legal assistant. He has a girlfriend of two years whose name is never mentioned and who is also never seen. He likes rugby, enjoys drinking, smokes, and is conservative in bed.

“Cormac’s relationship with his girlfriend has reached a strange stale state where they are living past each other and he is trying to fix things and clinging to the ideal that was 26

‘them’,” Pretorius explains. “The other protagonist is Layton, a 25-year-old guy who works a dead end job in an architecture firm in Cape Town. He has many different encounters with women, but the only time that really matters to him are the happy hours he gets drunk and talking about ‘guy stuff’ with Cormac.”

Pretorius says he and co-writer Gideon Lombard wrote the play with the intention of candidly exploring male friendship and the unspoken agreements that sustain it.

“The play’s messages are universal.

It’s about loneliness, it’s about how we choose to interact with other people, and it’s about the relationships we form. It’s about all the things in friendship that are not said – wondering ‘maybe if I said this things would be different’, ‘maybe if I didn’t say this I would still be with that person,’ or ‘maybe nothing would change, maybe no matter what I do everything will turn out the same’,” Pretorius says.

“There’s a deeper level of something brewing between the two characters and it all comes to the surface throughout the course of the play.”

For local audiences interested in catching the play later this month, Pretorius offers some sage advice: “Don’t come in with preconceptions…

Miskien was once mistakenly advertised overseas as being about ‘two men talking about sport’ and so a lot of conservative people who came to see the play were shocked and offended by the language and the themes,” he concludes. “But if that doesn’t bother you then come along expecting something you can relate to. We’ve been doing this play for three years and we’ve heard a lot of laughter over the years. It’s not crude, it’s just honest.” _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

ICO & SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS CLASSICS HD What’s Old Is New Again

Many PlayStation 3 owners may not know this, but the original PS3 model from Japan was fully PlayStation 2 compatible. Chuck a PS2 disc in, and bam it plays. However only those die-hard, and cashed up, importers have this feature, with every model sold in Australia and worldwide only sporting the pretty useless PlayStation 1 compatibility. But damn the PS2 had some great games, didn’t it?

Following the steps of the music industry, who has long been remastering classic albums, Sony have tried to sate fans by re-releasing classic PS2 titles with upgraded, higher resolution textures and effects. The gaming industry is actually the perfect fit for such an idea, taking an old piece of media and polishing it up, as their purely digital nature lets developers update only the graphics and sound of the game, while keeping the core mechanics and the way it feels.

After releasing a Sly Cooper and God Of War collection, Sony’s latest offering is the Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus Classics HD, featuring Team Ico’s critically acclaimed Ico and the ground-breaking

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follow-up Shadow Of The Colossus. Though Ico did poor commercially, it was a critical hit and the studios next game in 2006, Shadow Of The Colossus, was met with commercial and critical success.

Along with higher resolution graphics, which give the games a 1080p output, trophy support has been added for both games, as well as 3D support. Rather than review these games as though they were independent, new releases, let’s take a look at why these games deserved a re-release and what the changes have brought.

Planned and developed for the original PlayStation, Ico was finally released on the PS2 in 2002. Critics adored its reserved, minimal approach to the typical gaming adventure. With a more deliberate and artful pace than games typically employed, players controlled a boy named Ico. Born with horns, Ico is locked away in a remote empty castle by the rest of his village, as is the custom with the “cursed”.

After freeing himself from his confines, Ico finds a young girl named Yorda hanging from a cage. After getting her out of her cage strange shadow creatures upon himself to get them both free of the castle. As start appearing, trying to drag her away. Ico takes it Ico you lead Yorda around, adorably by hand, beating back the shadow creatures and trying to navigate the map.

Team Ico’s second game was, of course, Shadow Of The Colossus. Later stated by its creator to be a vague prequel set in the same world as Ico, Colossus has the player controlling a young man named Wander. You start in a large temple with a young woman’s body lying in front of you. In the hope that it will restore life to the young woman, Wander’s quest is to kill 16 massive, colossal creatures that walk the vast landscape.

Paired with a horse named Agro, you use your sword to point the way towards your next Colossus, each with their own way of being taken down. More than typical boss battles, these giant creatures serve almost like levels themselves, as you climb and work your way up to their weak points.

Climbing and platform is a large part of the gameplay, with a stamina gauge that must be managed, lest you let go and fall at the wrong moment.

So that’s the games, but how do they look now, on the PS3? Both games output at a full 1080p resolution, and that alone is a massive step up. Ico hasn’t been completely reworked, they have kept its aesthetic and charm so it isn’t going to look like a brand new, effects laden PS3 title. It does, however, look and run smooth and with the only additions to game-play being some things left off the releases outside of Japan.

Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus Classics HD Unlike Ico, Shadow Of The Colossus launched with arguably some of the greatest graphics the PlayStation 2 saw. Tied with brilliant, fluid animation of both Wander and the horse Agro, Colossus was never a bad looking game. But reworked some and tied with a full 1080p resolution gives this game a whole new lease of life. Besides the geometry not matching up to this generations level, you could quite honestly think this were a PS3 title.

In fact my girlfriend, knowing no different, remarked what a great looking game I was playing.

Trophy support is nice, but not a big deal to many gamers. For trophy whores however, Ico offers some easy gold trophies while Colossus features some that should challenge even the most hardened player.

With Team Ico’s next offering, The Last Guardian, being a PS3 developed game this classics collection is a great introduction of their unique style for a new generation of gamers. The artful design of both titles is timeless and this collection will appeal to fans of the originals and to people who never had a chance to play them. Just remember these games require, and reward, patience and run at a different tempo than your typical armoured space cowboys shooting ugly aliens game. _TOM VARIAN

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PASSPORT TO MARGS

Having returned to home from a month of touring that took them from the sun drenched beaches of Bondi, to the blazing neon skyscrapers of Tokyo, The Spitfires will be putting on a few special shows around town before returning to the studio to put the finishing touches to their debut album to be released mid 2012.

This week you can catch the indie pop aficionados at the Settler’s Tavern in Margaret River on Friday, February 10, with support coming from Albany-based goth-rock trio Minute 36.

Split Seconds (photo: Matthew Hogan)

BEER O’CLOCK

John Butler and his tin shed

THE TIN MAN

One of WA’s adored artists, John Butler returns to his roots to perform a series of solo concerts throughout the state this April. Aptly titled Tin Shed Tales, these shows will be a rare opportunity to hear the music of this iconic artist in a raw and intimate setting. John will be bringing his Tin Shed along for the ride, decked out with a collection of personal art pieces, old school skateboards and vintage guitars, these items are laid out in his shed at home where he draws inspiration for his art and songwriting. The Tin Shed Tales tour will also feature special guests Felicity Groom and Mama Kin, who will open and participate in the shows. The Tin Shed Tales tour includes a slew of South West shows at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, March 21, Clancy’s Fish Pub (in Dunsborough) on Thursday, March 22, and the Albany Entertainment Centre on Friday, March 23. John will be sharing many anecdotes with the audience and performing songs from his vast catalogue spanning across all five albums, so this set to be a tour that local fans won’t want to miss.

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Local indie pop aficionados Split Seconds have recently been announced as the headliners of this year’s inaugural South West Craft Beer Festival.

On Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26, 3 Oceans Palandri Winery in Margaret River will transform into a hive of activity, with thousands of festival goers set to sample the region’s finest brews and be entertained as the best of the South West music artists are showcased throughout the weekend on the main stage.

After winning the much-coveted Triple J Unearthed competition, which landed them a spot at last year’s Big Day Out festival, Split Seconds went on to grace the stages at Southbound, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and the Wave Rock Weekender. After a whirlwind ride from there the guys were nominated for almost every WAMi award under the sun and took out Favourite Newcomer, Most Promising New Act, Best Indie Pop Act and Best Male Vocalist (Sean Pollard). Not the type to slow down, the guys went back to the studio and have just recently released a new single, All You Gotta Do. The amazing music doesn’t stop there, with an amazing array of local talent to hit the South West Craft Beer Festival stage and entertain you all weekend long. On Saturday you’ll be able to see the likes of Kris Buckle, Paige Trantham, Ill Starred Captain, Dallas Royal, Juwana, New Soundland and local favourite Cowtown. Then on Sunday headliners Spilt Seconds will permeate the atmosphere with their soft spoken tunes, along with Kate Tillman, Qynn, Tank 7even, Polly Medlen and Minute 36 who will keep you dancing into the late afternoon.

Tickets are available now through Moshtix.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

PASSPORT TO MARGS

Having returned to home from a month of touring that took them from the sun drenched beaches of Bondi, to the blazing neon skyscrapers of Tokyo, The Spitfires will be putting on a few special shows around town before returning to the studio to put the finishing touches to their debut album to be released mid 2012.

This week you can catch the indie pop aficionados at the Settler’s Tavern in Margaret River on Friday, February 10, with support coming from Albany-based goth-rock trio Minute 36.

Split Seconds (photo: Matthew Hogan)

BEER O’CLOCK

John Butler and his tin shed

THE TIN MAN

One of WA’s adored artists, John Butler returns to his roots to perform a series of solo concerts throughout the state this April. Aptly titled Tin Shed Tales, these shows will be a rare opportunity to hear the music of this iconic artist in a raw and intimate setting. John will be bringing his Tin Shed along for the ride, decked out with a collection of personal art pieces, old school skateboards and vintage guitars, these items are laid out in his shed at home where he draws inspiration for his art and songwriting. The Tin Shed Tales tour will also feature special guests Felicity Groom and Mama Kin, who will open and participate in the shows. The Tin Shed Tales tour includes a slew of South West shows at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, March 21, Clancy’s Fish Pub (in Dunsborough) on Thursday, March 22, and the Albany Entertainment Centre on Friday, March 23. John will be sharing many anecdotes with the audience and performing songs from his vast catalogue spanning across all five albums, so this set to be a tour that local fans won’t want to miss.

28

Local indie pop aficionados Split Seconds have recently been announced as the headliners of this year’s inaugural South West Craft Beer Festival.

On Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26, 3 Oceans Palandri Winery in Margaret River will transform into a hive of activity, with thousands of festival goers set to sample the region’s finest brews and be entertained as the best of the South West music artists are showcased throughout the weekend on the main stage.

After winning the much-coveted Triple J Unearthed competition, which landed them a spot at last year’s Big Day Out festival, Split Seconds went on to grace the stages at Southbound, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and the Wave Rock Weekender. After a whirlwind ride from there the guys were nominated for almost every WAMi award under the sun and took out Favourite Newcomer, Most Promising New Act, Best Indie Pop Act and Best Male Vocalist (Sean Pollard). Not the type to slow down, the guys went back to the studio and have just recently released a new single, All You Gotta Do. The amazing music doesn’t stop there, with an amazing array of local talent to hit the South West Craft Beer Festival stage and entertain you all weekend long. On Saturday you’ll be able to see the likes of Kris Buckle, Paige Trantham, Ill Starred Captain, Dallas Royal, Juwana, New Soundland and local favourite Cowtown. Then on Sunday headliners Spilt Seconds will permeate the atmosphere with their soft spoken tunes, along with Kate Tillman, Qynn, Tank 7even, Polly Medlen and Minute 36 who will keep you dancing into the late afternoon.

Tickets are available now through Moshtix.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

S H A R I N G H I S M E T H O D O LO GY San Francisco based producer, educator and performer ill.Gates has a huge art collection.

Having established a global fan base over the last 16 years, the man also known as Dylan Lane has performed at the world’s first concert for the deaf, hung out with Bill Gates while playing at a Microsoft party and toured and tutored the world. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with The Phat Conductor about working with Bassnectar, Nietzsche inspiration and his love for Die Antwoord.

Ill.Gates used to eat a lot of “toothpaste sandwiches”. Whether the phrase be literal or metaphorical, it’s something he looks back upon now and laughs but, part of his tone reveals a man rugged with a hard skin bought on by pure determination to succeed as an artist after his dire experience when interning at a wedding magazine when he thought he’d become a graphic designer.

“It quickly cured me of my urge to be a graphic designer,” he says, sitting on the banks of the Yarra River ahead of an afternoon studio session with Opio. Lane decided to pursue a career in music full time after reading Nietzsche’s theory called Eternal Recurrence. But, he says it was instinct which influenced his decision to cast his eye away from wedding magazines.“It’s definitely always been my passion and I was afraid that it wouldn’t work out for the longest time, it just didn’t seem a realistic choice,” he says.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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HEATING UP

ill.Gates “Everyone’s got those relatives and friends who encourage you to be realistic and it was really just a realisation that there was nothing realistic about making myself miserable so I just took the plunge and never looked back.”

Having DJ’d since the age of 13 after attending his first rave (“It was in Ottawa and they had a 50,000 watt sound system in this tiny little warehouse and it was all wild, minimal techno”), Lane has gone on to tour the world, collaborate with some massive names and share his knowledge of the music industry through workshops online and in the flesh. Lane was asked to play a private party for Microsoft at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010 and it’s a memory he looks back fondly upon.“Brilliant!,” he says, talking of meeting Bill Gates at the big bash.“He’s a really great guy and I was expecting that some day they’d tell me to change my name but he was actually really, really supportive. He gave me my blessing and wished me the best and I’ve been working with Microsoft doing ringtones for the Windows phone and music for advertisements.

“A lot of the audio stuff that I’ve done for them has been like pretty edgy and unusual and they really like that.They encouraged me to have full creative freedom when I work with them and really think outside the box.

“Silicon Valley is a very psychedelic place.

The micro chip was invented by someone on acid and if you ever go by Google or anything like that, they really encourage their employees to take time to think outside the box and whatever it takes to do that, they’re fully supportive. They’ll give you time off to go to Burning Man because that was how it all happened – Burning Man. A lot of people don’t realise but Burning Man is just crawling with employees from Apple and Microsoft… they employ a lot of really young, free thinking people and they’re all very, very supportive because it’s all

about innovation with those companies.”

Innovation is a big part of Toronto’s Ryerson University too. Lane was asked to headline the world’s first concert for the deaf in 2009, an initiative by ASID – a laboratory dedicated to Alternate Sensory Input Devices.

“They invented these chairs that transmit sound into vibrations that occur at different points on your body,” he says. “You sit in the chair and the lower frequencies are down in your legs and so they buck the whole chair up and down whereas the higher frequencies are up in your shoulders and you can get almost a tactile picture of what’s going on with the audio… to see deaf people first having the experience of non visual art that travels through time was really moving.

“A lot of them were crying and laughing and completely amazed by this. The event was in this shitty little rock venue that could hold 100 people and we ended up having to do two separate events – one for the needier and one for the party goers. They had to prioritise people who were deaf over people who were not deaf because everyone wanted to check it out.

There were sign language quizzes at the door which was pretty funny. I think the strangest part was that they wanted us to close caption the lyrics… I work with Jamaican vocalists and close captioning the Patwa lyrics for deaf people – it’s like, if you’ve never heard someone speak Patwa, what does it even look like? (laughs). I just remember these lyrics coming up on the screen and going like ‘wow, this is really quite funny’.”

Lane has two new EPs in the works – a solo one and one with Bassnectar who he’s been working with since 2004. “We’re really challenging ourselves to step outside of our existing formula and write tunes that are as much for the heart as they are for the dancefloor,” he says of the latter EP. As for his solo work though – expect a “signature ill. Gates sound.” There might even be another Die Antwoord remix in the works. “I think they’re doing some of the more interesting and provocative things with music these days,” he says of the Cape Town rave-rappers.

“I like that they’re not afraid to push buttons and that they’re not afraid to tell Interscope [Records] to fuck off when they start trying to tell them what to do. They’ve really shown that they don’t need that kind of money to capture the public’s imagination, you just need to be violently creative and have a set of balls on ya and off you go… I really like them; I think they’re really pushing things forward and expanding people’s conception of what the role of a musician is in today’s world.”

» ILL.GATES » SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

You’re going to cream your pants at this announcement if you’re into drum’n’bass – Damian Higgins, aka Dieselboy, is heading down under for Heat! which hits Villa on Saturday, February 25.

Joining the dude labelled “the most in-demand American drum’n’bass DJ on the planet” by DJ Times is New Zealand duo Concord Dawn. These guys have absolutely smashed it – they signed various tracks from their forth record to big labels like Metalheadz, Ram Records and Hospital. Tickets are $30 plus booking fee. Grab them from Mills, Moshtix, Planet and The DJ Factory.

SWIFT SOUNDS Diafrix

RUNNING TO SHINE

If you like eclectic hip hop then this is for you – Melbourne duo Diafrix and Joelistics are joining forces for the Running To Shine national tour. Diafrix have had a busy last year having played Glastonbury, toured Europe and supported Bruno Mars and Tinie Tempah. They’ve started 2012 with a bang with new single Running It, a taste of what’s to come on their upcoming LP. Joelistics will also be on tour with the lads with his fresh The Shining EP which hits the digital world mid Feb. It’s all happening on Friday, March 30, at Bar 120; Saturday, March 31, at The Hydey; and Sunday, April 1, at The Norfolk Basement.

Tickets through Oztix and Heatseeker.

BOOTIE UP

Bootie is a brand started in San Francisco back in 2003. It was the first club night in America that was dedicated solely to bootleg mash-ups. Now, it is one of the biggest mash-up events in the world. It’s all about mixing and matching of every musical genre, era and style into one big dance party and now Bootie West Coast is coming to the Velvet Lounge on Sunday, February 19; Sunday, March 18; and Sunday, April 22. Each Bootie happens from 4pm ‘til 10pm with giveaways. Angry Buda, Defanutley, Guy Davy and more will be spinning the beats. It’s free entry and you can dress like a pirate.

Distorted basslines is what the prolific Mampi Swift is bringing to town shortly. Known as Phil Anim to some, Mampi Swift will be joined by MC IC3 who has held countless residencies around the world at liquid, breaks and rave nights. It’s all happening on Saturday, February 18, at The Rosemount Hotel. Tickets are $35 plus booking fee and are available from Planet, Mills, Moshtix, Heatseeker and The DJ Factory. Get on it.

VAN SHE TECHING

Their show at Capitol in winter 2009 was sold out, completely off tap. Now, Nicolas Routledge and Michael Di Francesco of Van She are bringing their electric love child Van She Tech back to Perth with a spanking fresh record due to drop on Modular later this year. Catch the lads whipping up a storm on Saturday, April 7 for a super Easter party at The Aviary. Hit up Moshtix for tickets quick smart.

AN ODDISEE

Half Sudanese, half African-American MC and producer Amir “Oddisee” Mohamed is coming to town. A lover of all things hip hop, Oddisee has worked with the likes of Gary Shider of Parliament and Funkadelic, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli and more.

Check him out on Friday, March 2, at The Manor.

Presale tickets are $15 from Heatseeker, Planet, Mills and Highs and Lows. More on the door if available for $20.

MARY REMIXED A LITTLE LAMB

Have you got what it takes to remix LAMB’s song Butterfly Effect? It’s free to enter and anyone can take part.“We’ve chosen Butterfly Effect from our album 5 because we think it lends itself to almost any genre of remix,” Andy and Lou of electronic UK duo LAMB say. “Regardless of whether you’ve remixed a song before, we invite you to experiment, enjoy and create. We’d genuinely like to hear your ideas – no matter how weird and wonderful.” The winning mix will be released on their upcoming Butterfly Effect EP. For all the info, head to lambofficial.com/remix. Entries close Wednesday, February 29.

DELTA HEAVYOVERKILL OF THE BEST KIND

Ben Hall and Simon James are London’s fresh big beat duo Delta Heavy. At the beginning of 2011 they took up music full time and are now signed to Andy C’s drum’n’bass label RAM Records. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with Simon James ahead of their Perth show on their debut tour down under.

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Simon James is sitting at a bar overlooking Bondi Beach and the weather is a bit moody. He’s a little disappointed but he’s looking forward to touching down in Perth shortly to get some good ol’ fashioned vitamin D. He’ll have four hours to hit the beach before smashing out a set and then hopping back on the plane to Melbourne the following day.

But, it’s not the hectic schedule that worries him. “I have heard it’s pretty dodgy for sharks,” he says, a statement in some regard which, by the tone of his voice, still requires a definite confirmation. “I may just confine myself to the beach and avoid the sea.”

Aside from sharks, James is thrilled to be in Australia. It’s been a busy last year for the lads who are now on RAM Records grand roster of artists.

“RAM have been wicked for us,” he says. “It was always the aim for us to be on RAM because it was the aspiring label to be on when we were getting into the music and when we were DJing before so it was really good and they’ve been really supportive and really friendly, very helpful and we have a good working relationship with them and Andy.”

Making music their full time focus early last year was an “interesting” transition for the duo – previously James was working for a media management company and Hall was in an office job. “It was a big jump for me,” he says. “We’d been working around our jobs and playing late night sessions and it was really good to just be able to focus purely on the music so it was a really good transition. It was like a relief really. It just meant you can get into the flow of your work a lot better… it was nice to have that feeling where you could take a bit more time [with productions].”

Since going full time, the duo have a few shows which they site as notable highlights.

“The beginning of last year we did Spectrum when Skrillex was just blowing up, that was a really good show in a warehouse in London,” he says. But, it was Secret Garden Festival which was “a bit of a culture shock” for the lads who had just come from a good friend’s wedding. “Looking around, everyone [was] very sort of experimental with their dress, it was very cool though. I felt very underdressed to be

Delta Heavy honest but it was a wicked festival. Everyone’s just there to have a lot of fun and really good vibes and it is definitely my favourite festival I’ve been to recently.”

For the duo who’s moniker is inspired by Delta Heavy, the groundbreaking electronic music tour in 2002 featuring John Digweed, Sasha and Jimmy Van M (“it’s like the sound of it [the tour] and the image of the rockets and the bigness felt like it really matched our music”), it’s a busy year ahead. “We did a remix for Emalkay last year for his new single Flesh & Bone and I’m not sure when it’s coming out, but it’s coming soon. We also remixed Adam F for a tune called Rain. We also just did a remix for Nero’s Must Be The Feeling - that was really good for us.”

They’re also working on an EP which will be include a couple of dubstep, drum’n’bass and half time drum’n’bass tunes due out in April but, it’s all about their debut tour down under at the moment before heading to America. “I hear that everyone in Perth - they love their drum’n’bass so we’ll probably have a little more drum’n’bass for the show, got loads of it!”

» DELTA HEAVY » FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 @ SHAPE X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

SPACE DIMENSION CONTROLLER GALACTIC FUNK

Jack Hamill has turned the music world on its head. Rising virtually out of nowhere, he is one of the bright spots in a world of commercial musical mediocrity. R&S Records is where he calls home – alongside the likes of James Blake. RK talks to him about labels, cocktails and leopard print underpants.

Every now and again, an artist comes along with a knack for delivering ground breaking material to a market starving for unique, quality work and they tend to be pretty good at turning genres on their head. Jack Hamill is no exception. Barely into his twenties, Hamill has already compiled a FACT mix, an RA podcast, a fair chunk of quality minimal beats, and has been hand picked to join the likes of Airhead and Blawan at R&S Records. Although being signed to the cutting edge label may have been inspirational for the young lad, Hamill remains content and modest in his approach to his productions.“I’m really just doing my own thing,” he says.

But being in the same stable as guys like James Blake, if nothing else, confirms he is on the right path. From his musings at the Red Bull Music Academy, to the label and beyond, it’s been a fast rise to recognition from the industry. “I was already set up with R&S before I went to the Red Bull Music Academy,” he explains. “Dan - the A&R guy - called me up in late 2009 and told me that myself, James Blake and Pariah would be the new faces of the label. I first met the guys whilst at the Academy. It definitely opened a lot of doors in terms of networking and really made me a lot more confident. It also prepared me for non-stop boozing!”

Today, Hamill is busy working on a variety of studio projects along with his debut album Welcome To Mikrosector-50 which is due to drop this year and some other projects that he has been sworn to secrecy about. Rest assured though, his inspiration remains the deeper, more fluid side of house and techno and every time he settles to twiddle knobs, he will apply the right methodology to deliver an appropriate outcome. “It’s the same when I play - I love everything from ‘80s electro hop, boogie, house, techno, jungle, break core and electro,” he says. “These days the only DJs I’m into play everything. It’s boring to stick to one

Space Dimension Controller thing, though in some countries, they just can’t understand that. And that means I end up having a shit gig or they end up having a shit night!”

So for a bloke who claims that if he wasn’t initially interested in music, he’s come a long way and will be making the trip down under this week – and is feeling rather humbled by the opportunity to play for our open-minded crowds. “I’ve got three roadies coming with me,” he says in jest. “One is going to make cocktails; one is going to sort my records and the third one will sort my assortment of leopard print underpants. During the gigs, I’ll probably start with some ‘50s swing and then evolve into a set of psychedelic electro-folk with a hint of gothic agony.”

» SPACE DIMENSION CONTROLLER » FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 @ VENUE TBC

AC SLATER

BRINGING THE BASS West Virginia in the good old U.S of A isn’t exactly what you’d call electronic musical heartland. But, Aaron Slater is trying to change all that. He’s always been a fan of keeping things different is his very modus operandi. RK talks to him ahead of upcoming Australian club tour about his latest studio work and Party Like Us. “It has really weaved around a little bit for me – music that is,” Slater says in retrospect from his home in West Virginia. “I’ve really come back to what I love recently.

Dub, house, electro, drum’n’bass – it’s all about bass music for me. It’s always been that way and I’m really feeling that vibe right now, more than I’ve felt in a long time.”

A decade plus veteran of the game, Slater is well known for not only his studio work, but also for a number of remixes and collaborations that have hit the big time.“It’s always fun to work with different people,” chimes the American, rather humbly.“It’s like stepping out of your own bubble. When you click with someone it really works! I’ve done a lot of remixes over the years because it’s what I really love. It’s about picking out the elements of a song you love and making them your own. I’ve been lucky enough to remix some of my favourite songs and artists.”

To that end, his Show Me Love remix was one of his finest moments – an opportunity to tweak a track that he considered an anthem. “That was an absolutely amazing experience,” he says. “I was also really lucky to get the chance to remix some Moby material and that was great too because he was an inspiration for me coming up.”

Slater adds that right around the time of his upcoming Australian tour, he’ll have a new EP coming on Sweat It Out. “It’s a straight original dancefloor killer and I’m doing a lot of work in that sort of style,” he reveals. “So I’ll be promoting that when I get down there. I’m also working with my man Tittsworth from DC and a few other artists around the place so there will be some new and exciting music coming out.”

And as if all that isn’t enough, he’s also www.xpressmag.com.au

AC Slater focused on his Party Like Us imprint, his three-year-old baby.“The whole idea was to make straight dancefloor music,” he says of the label. “Nothing’s really changed there. It’s all about the bass driven music I mentioned with a lot of old rave influences. Right now, it’s evolving a little bit too. We’re doing a bit of hip hop and things like that. It’s going really well; we’re building up a roster of artists that are doing cool music and even some merchandise as well.”

Finally, Slater shares a few words on the tour as if to ensure we get the whole picture. “When I DJ, I have my own agenda so I do want to play certain stuff,” he says.“I also enjoy playing a wide range of tempos so depending on how the crowd is feeling; I’ll go with the flow a little which is a great way to work for me. The past two times I’ve been out, I’ve done festival tours.

This time it’s all club shows so I’ll switch up the style a bit. I’ll be playing music from Trouble & Bass and Party Like Us.”

» AC SLATER » SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18 @ VILLA » GUEST LIST ONLY SHOW 33

METRO FREO

NEWPORT

CAUSEWAY BAR

FRIDAY 10/02

HERMITUDE WELCOME TO HYPERPARADISE Having established a strong following with three full lengths of elaborate hip hop instrumentals, Blue Mountains production duo Hermitude – Luke Dubs and El Gusto – hit pay dirt with the energetic Speak Of The Devil, the lead single to their recently released album, HyperParadise. JOSHUA HAYES Butch discusses the album with keyboardist Luke Dubber and finds out Speak Of The Devil almost didn’t make the cut.

WEDNESDAY 08/02 HyperParadise is a depar ture of sor ts from Hermitude’s usual approach. “This record’s a lot more epic and, I guess, it’s a little bit more intense than previous Hermitude outings,” Dubber says. Although the duo’s previous releases have consisted mostly of instrumentals, each full length has featured guest appearance from mates such as Urthboy and Koolism’s Hau. On HyperParadise, however, they set out to make an exclusively instrumental record.

“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for years. Us being predominantly instrumental, we’ve always thought ‘oh man, we’ve got to do that record one day where we don’t actually have any rappers’,” Dubber laughs. “So we did it.”

The album is highly anticipated on the back of Speak Of The Devil, which placed at #44 on the 2011 Triple J Hottest 100. Featuring Sydney vocalist Chaos Emerald (“We kinda treated it more like a sample as opposed to a full guest vocal appearance,” Dubber notes), the track almost didn’t make the album.

The track was written early in the process of making HyperParadise. Dubber recalls “we were like ‘man this track is banging, but it’s also quite commercial and a bit more mainstream than stuff that we’ve done before’. And we loved it but we were like ‘I don’t know if that’s really right for the record; it might be pushing the envelope a bit far for Hermitude’. So we continued on our merry way writing the record.”

A few months later, their label Elefant Traks began asking for the upcoming album’s first single. Weeks of attempting to write a single proved fruitless, leading the group to dig up the beat they had left behind. “By that stage we’d written another three, four, maybe five songs for the record, and it started to fit into the whole scheme of the record; we could see how it could actually work with everything else,” Dubber says.

They called upon Chaos Emerald to record the chorus. If she sounds exuberant on the recording it’s because, well, she is. “We got her in the studio and did this crazy recording session

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Amplifier – Fluxx Beat Bar (Bar Open) – DJ Antrax Captain Stirling – Fiveo Clancy’s (Applecross) – Upbeat – DJ Andy Connections – DJs Joby /JJ /Rueben Double Lucky – Last Wednesday Eurobar – Wild Wednesdays - DJ iPod/ Ben Pettit Eve – DJ Don Migi/ Skooby Gold Bar–DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Le e d e r v i l l e H o t e l – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick Metro Freo – Summer Sessions Vol 1 ft DJ Jewel Mustang – <DJ Giles Norma Jeans – DJ Mischief Sovereign Arms – Lokie Shaw The Deen - DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Rosemount - Cowboys & Indie Kids DJs Hermitude The Queens – Wriggle on where she was jumping around like a maniac in YaYa’s – DJ Jimmy Von Exploder

the vocal booth, and [El Gusto] and I were dancing up a storm for two hours; it was probably the most energetic recording I’ve ever been involved with,” Dubber says.

The group toured the single late last year, but their travels didn’t include a trip out west.

Their upcoming visit will be their first since the Threadbare Tour in 2008. “We’re just basically trying to step up the show a notch, like we feel we have with the record; we’re really happy with it,” Dubber says.

» » » »

HYPERPARADISE [INERTIA/ELEFANT TRAKS] OUT NOW FRIDAY, MARCH 30 @ MOJOS SATURDAY, MARCH 31 @ AMPLIFIER

THURSDAY 09/02 Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee/ DJ Matt/ DJ Millie Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ Andy M Duchess - Fiveo Eve – DJ Tony Allen Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Llama Bar – DJ Maxwell/ EMAS/ Lukas Wimler Mint Nightclub – DJ Simon Barwood Metro Freo – Big House Fridays Mt Henry Tavern - DJ Matty J Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick

Mustang – DJ James Newport – Bass Culture Ambar - Ambar 11th Birthday ft Too South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Fresh/ Devo/ Black & Blunt/ Dead Swinging Pig – DJ Simon Easy/ Oli The Avenue – Jon Ee Amplifier – DJ Jamie Mac/ Shannon The Craftsman – Roger Smart Fox The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Beat Nightclub - Play Surge/ DJ Don Migi Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika The East End Bar - The Prestige Bolt Bar (Maylands Peninsular The Queens – Kapitol Tavern) – DJ Armee The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander The Whistling Kite - DJ Gareth Brooklands Tavern - DJ Jayden Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin Capitol – Retro Mash Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie Claremont Hotel – DJ Nick Sheppard/ DJ Max Club Bayview - Infexious ft Ben Stevens/ Nomad Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eve – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Danny Boi Black & Blunt Geisha - Habitat ft Butch Ginger Nightclub – Rondevoo Fridayz Gosnells Club – DJ Now Hipe Club - DJ E-Funk Lakers Tavern – Fresh Fridays - DJ Dooey Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Morris Malt Super Club - Fiveo Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – Darren Briais/ DJ DTuck/ DJ Wazz Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James Oli MacArthur Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount - DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC

Devo

Delta Heavy

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

AMPLIFIER

LEEDERVILLE

Dem Slackers Shape – Delta Heavy Sovereign Arms – Abstar The Avenue – Az-T The Carine – Marty McFly/ Az-T The Causeway – Bass Republic The Craftsman – DJ Abstar The Eastern – DJ Midfield The Generous Squire - DJ Anaru The Queens – DJ Rueben The Saint - DJ Jordan The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 The Whale & Ale – Josh Tiley Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly The Vic - DJ Giles The Wembley Hotel – Funk y Bottoms/ Jon Ee Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles YaYa’s – Junk ft DJ Whoa

SATURDAY 11/02 Ambar – Challenger Ready? ft Buda v S Man/ Marty McFly v Tee EL/ FTW/ Ben Mac v Wish/ Philly Blunt v DNGRFLD Amplifier - Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Nick Alexander/ James Wilson Capitol – Death Disco DJs Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – DJ Tone Def Club Bay View – VIP Saturdays ft DJ Ryan Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Stevie M High Road Hotel – DJ Simon High Wycombe – DJ Matt

www.xpressmag.com.au

Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Library – MKT ft DJ Riki/ DJ Richie G/ DJ Vicktor Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Liquid Nightclub - DJ Klar55/ DJ Stevie M Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Melvin Malt Super Club – Fiveo Metro City (R&B Lounge) - DJ Slick/ DJ Ruthless/ DJ Soso Metro City - DJ Stevie M/ DJ Matty S/ DJ Ruthless/ DJ Makka Metro Freo – DTuck/ Darren Briais/ Wazz Mint Nightclub – Pop Life ft DJ Aaron/ AJ Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Danny Mustang – Rockabilly DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Niche – Frankie Button/ Cee/ Jonny Zimber Norma Jeans – DJ Darren Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount- DJ Cornflake / DJ Jordan/ DJ Johnny Boi Perth Cultural Centre - St Jerome’s Laneway Festival ft M83/ SBTRKT/ Washed out and more Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Brett Rowe Shape – Big Ape ft Dem Slackers South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Causeway – Sun City The Clink – Az-T The Cornerstone – Kiker The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The Generous Squire – On Tap The Gosnells Club – Az-T The Rosemount - ill.Gates The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Glenn 20 The Wembley – G Martin The Whistling Kite - DJ Craig The Vic – DJ Kristian Tiger Lil’s – DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Yaya’s – Saturday Social ft The Kings Of Cheese DJs

SUNDAY 12/02 Broken Hill Tavern - Sophie Jane Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ Birdie

Mint - Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Slick/ DJ John Paul Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys The Avenue – Az-T The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Andyy The Wembley – DJ Funkybottoms/ Boogie/ Dekoyfox

MONDAY 13/02 Bar Orient - DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern - DJ Mario Tavelli Eastern Hotel – Adam Morris The Deen – Plastic Max/ The Token Gesture The Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy

TUESDAY 14/02 Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Metro City - Lloyd The Cott (Upstairs) –Maxwell/ Jus Haus?/ Damian John Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin

METRO CITY

IN THE THIS WEEK

Sets On The Beach Vol 6 ft Soul II Soul (Sound System)/ Greg Wilson/ Ambar 11th Birthday ft Too Fresh/ Flight Facilities/ Nina Las Vegas/ The Devo/ Black & Blunt/ Dead Easy/ Oli Glimmers Sunday, February 19 @ Scarborough Friday, February 10 @ Ambar Beach Amphitheatre Habitat ft Butch West Coast Bootie ft Angry Buda/ Friday, February 10 @ Geisha Defanutley/ Guy Davy Sunday, February 19 @ The Velvet Space Dimension Controller Lounge Friday, February 10 @ Venue TBC St Jerome’s Laneway Festival ft M83/ The Game Tuesday, February 21 @ Metro City SBTRKT/ Washed out and more Saturday, February 11 @ Perth Cultural Lee Burridge/Jamie Stevens Centre Friday, February 24 @ Shape (upstairs) Challenger Ready? ft Buda v S Man/ Marty McFly v Tee EL/ FTW/ Hedflux Ben Mac v Wish/ Philly Blunt v Friday, February 24 @ Geisha DNGRFLD Saturday, February 11 @ Ambar Force Majeure ft Designer Drugs Friday, February 24 @ Ambar Dem Slackers Saturday, February 11 @ Shape Danny Daze Saturday, February 25 @ Geisha ill.Gates Saturday, Februar y 11 @ The The Cuban Brothers Saturday, February 25 @ The Bakery Rosemount

Nilsen/ Porter Robinson/ Ruby Rose/ tyDi/ Kill The Noise/ Timmy Trumpet and more Sunday, March 4 @ Arena Joondalup Mickey Avalon Friday, March 9 @ Villa James Lavelle Friday, March 9 @ Ambar 360 Friday, March 16 @ The Rosemount Hotel KRS-One Friday, March 23 @ Metro City Yelawolf Tuesday, March 27 @ Capitol Hermitude Friday, March 30 @ Mojos Diafrix & Joelistics Friday, March 30 @ Bar 120 Diafrix & Joelistics Saturday, March 31 @ Hyde Park Hotel

Hermitude Heat! ft Dieselboy/ Concord Saturday, March 31 @ Amplifier Dawn Diafrix & Joelistics Saturday, February 25 @ Villa DJ Qbert & Reeps One MC Oddisee/ Kitpop (Live)/ Sunday. April 1 @ Norfolk Basement Thursday, Februar y 16 @ The Klean Kicks Rosemount Van She Tech Friday, March 2 @ The Manor Saturday, April 7 @ The Aviary Balam Acab Fresh Produce ft Lemon Lime N Friday, February 17 @ The Bakery Love Town/ Lady L/ Carla/ Kat Gray/ The Herd/ Thundamentals Saturday, April 14 @ The Rosemount Lizness Soul Project ft James A Friday, March 2 @ Ambar Friday, February 17 @ Geisha Supafest ft P.Diddy/ Ice Cube/ Rick Ross/ Trey Songz/ Kelly Rowland/ Mask2012 ft Benny C/ Double Dee Ado & Modek Lupe Fiasco and more TBC Saturday, March 3 @ The Empyrean Friday, February 17 @ Ambar Sunday, April 22 @ Arena Joondalup Hudson Mohawke/ Rustie/ Rok Riley/ AC Slater (guest only show) Creamfields ft David Guetta/ Above Ben Taaffe/ Move and more Saturday, February 18 @ Villa & Beyond/ Dirty South/ Alesso/ RTRfm’s Saturday Night Divas ft The Saturday, March 3 @ The Bakery Excision/ W&W/ Giuseppe Ottaviani Foxman/ Super J/ General Justice/ Microgroove/ Mama Cass/ Claude Future Music Festival ft Swedish (live)/ Congorock/ Vitalic/ Sied van House Mafia/ Fatboy Slim/ Tinie Riel/ Tritonal/ Downlink/ ShockOne/ Mono/ Spud Murphy Saturday, February 18 @ The Grey Door Tempah/ Paul van Dyk/ Chase & MaRLo/ Bombs Away/ MC Stretch Status/ Skrillex/ Aphex Twin/ Die Saturday, May 5 @ Supreme Court (Upstairs at The Claremont Hotel) Antwoord/ Gareth Emery/ James Gardens Murphy & Pat Mahoney (LCD Japan 4 ft Datadex Soundsystem/ DFA)/ Sven Vath/ Alex Groove In The Moo ft 360/Hilltop Saturday, February 18 @ Ambar Metric/ Azari & III/ Horse Meat Disco/ Hoods/Adrian Lux/Beni/Digitalism/ / Frank Ocean/ The Stafford Brothers/ Hermitude/Muscles/Purple Sneaker Mampi Swift/ MC IC3 Saturday, Februar y 18 @ The Friendly Fires/ Knife Party/ Professor DJs/Wavves/ Green/ Dubfire/ Flux Pavilion/ Orjan Saturday, May 19, @ Hay Park, Bunbury Rosemount Hotel

COMING UP

ill.Gates

iLL.GATES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

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X-Press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First on the street, Wednesdays

Tony Hawk

Boy & Bear (Photos: Daniel Grant)

BIG DAY OUT Sunday, February 5, 2012 McCallum Park We all know the struggles that organisers had in getting the 20th anniversary if the Big Day Out off the ground as every step was well documented, but few knew what to expect when walking into the festival’s new home ground on the Victoria Park foreshore.

Gone was the main two stage arena and gone were the crowds. Instead we had a much smaller festival set in an ideal riverside locale, with a decent selection of quality acts alongside gimmicky inclusions like Tony Hawk and a giant waterslide.

Low on polish but high on anything-goes exuberance, Californian lo-fi surf-pop duo Best Coast exuded wall-punching energy, ugly-yet-endearing noise, and raging nostalgia for stale bong water and sunburn. The music itself was relentlessly blanched in fuzz, an intentionally scuzzy sound that, despite frontwoman Bethany Cosentino’s annoying vocals, did less to limit these songs than grant them a claustrophobically dense beauty.

Jaunty, scruffy, carefree and accomplished, British indie rockers The Vaccines used their 45-minute set to make the case for some long-forgotten virtues: fast songs, staccato chords, songs about trysts in squalid apartments. You know, the good stuff. Showcasing a heartily uplifting brew of scruffy street style and stammering pop-punk tunes, Sydneysiders Bluejuice drew one of the biggest crowds in the first half of the day, with supremely popular tunes Act Yr Age and Broken Leg resulting in some of the biggest sing-alongs of the festival.

Despite garnering some less than favourable reviews from their sets at the Sydney and Melbourne BDOs, shock-friendly Los Angeles hip hop collective

www.xpressmag.com.au

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All’s bratty anarchy did not disappoint. Rowdy chants of “Wolf! Gang!”,“Fuck The Po-lice!” and “Kill People! Burn Shit! Fuck School!” punctuated their thrilling set, while frontman Tyler The Creator impressed with a bulked-up rendition of his solo hit Yonkers before launching himself into the audience, carried upon the shoulders of the hundreds of punters crammed against the barriers. Swagnificent.

As Odd Future left the Boiler Stage, naïve youngsters weren’t quite sure how to react to the one and only Q-BIK smashing out some bangin’ drum’n’bass.

There was some head-thrashing, ‘bend-and-snapping’ and even some stunned mullet reactions.There was a mass exodus and influx when Sam La More and Groove Terminator hit the decks as Tonite Only and began their party bangin’ set with annoyingly overplayed smash hit We Run The Nite. Fans of anthemic popsters The Jezabels had to contend with the turbo electro house mayhem that penetrated out of the Boiler Stage.

Smashing through tracks from Divergent Spectrum, San Francisco based DJ and producer Bassnectar pumped out an annihilating set of raw, big bass beats which resulted in the creation of a mental boy pit in the centre of jam-packed bass head crowd.

Immature and inconsiderate, the ‘pit circle’ was fun for about six people; everyone else got stabbed in the boobs by young limbs. A remix of Martin Solveig’s Hello was a strange addition to his predominantly ruthless set but not as strange as when some dickhead let off a fire extingrisher which saw everyone vacate the dancefloor nearing the end of his set. Mix maestro Girl Talk never fails to impress with his live show. With probably the biggest crowd out of any of the acts on the line-up

Odd Future

for the day, large, blown up colourful pillows and balls, toilet paper and confetti shot through the air as party animals bopped in the sand pit and on stage. Gillis is a grand entertainer and he did just that – catering for all attention spans.

True drum’n’bass fans were on the frontline for our very own ShockOne’s set. Accompanied by the charismatic MC Shureshock, glowsticks and hands were in the air for the entire of their set – they absolutely owned it. Popular track Polygon went off but when Crucify Me hit the speakers, shit got real.

After the DJ set which Dan Stephens of Nero played at Parklife last year, expectations were high for the duo to deliver a mind-bending, brand new live show.

Perched up on their mini rocket-sized decks, Stephens and Ray appeared in sunglasses and pumped through their largely Welcome Reality based set. Although Alana Watson on vocals appeared in the flesh, their live show was a little disappointing and resembled a try hard Daft Punk show. Still, the UK duo were worshipped as they ran through Innocence, Guilt, My Eyes and the popular Promises.

Battles also impressed all onlookers with their now-three-piece show. Sure they may have been down a singer, but they still sampled his voice before doing the same with Gary Numan on My Machines, except in this case Numan’s head was projected onto a giant screen behind them. Creepy, but not as creepy as some of the dancing going on during the show.

Folksters Boy & Bear sounded so fantastic live it scarcely mattered that their Mumford & Sonsmeets-Fleet Foxes vibe offered little in the way of innovation or originality. While it was not unexpected that the vocal harmonies were fantastic, what was surprising is how muscular the band sounded. Even the most delicate songs – Golden Jubilee, Feeding Line – seemed to be transformed into something more forceful, almost anthemic, without sacrificing their subtleties. Surprisingly great.

Girl Talk

Soundgarden The Local Produce stage saw it’s fair share of great action. Pond were impressive as always as they dove into The Stooges’ TV Eye before taking us on a journey of heavy white boy funk.

Playing at the same time as another ‘90s icon on another stage, Soundgarden played to the smallest crowd as BDO headliner would have ever played to in Perth. Still, this didn’t stop them from delivering a textbook rock show to their devoted fans. After a stagehand vacuumed the stage, the four Seattle veterans emerged and dove into Searching With My Good Eye Closed before the band’s biggest songs like Spoonman and Jesus Christ Pose aired surprisingly early. Despite coming off a near-15 year break and only being a part time band since reforming, the band sounded a cohesive as ever. Matt Cameron remains a machine behind the kit, Kim Thayil barely moved while he bashed out flawless solos, and Ben Shepherd violently bashed his low-slung bass and gave death stares to the crowd. Of course is was Chris Cornell who received most proposals of marriage from gals and guys in the crowd as he strutted around the stage lapping up the attention. Their finale was a tad excessive with a long version of Slaves & Bulldovers giving the band a chance to create walls of feedback while Cornell gave a spoken word reading of Bob Dylan’s version of In My Time Of Dyin’.

The headlining acts may have been without the over the top theatrics we’ve come to expect from the BDO in recent years, but Perth BDO #19 had it’s fair share of lasting moments for the memory bank. Here’s hoping it’s not put to sleep in 2013. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD, ANNABEL MACLEAN & MATTHEW HOGAN

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INDI BAR

Abbe May (photo: Daniel Grant)

MOJOS

This Wednesday, February 8, the Fremantle Blues & Roots Club present gifted singer-songwriters Lloyd Spiegel and Kim Bettenay. Then on Saturday, February 11, Mojos plays host to a massive punk rock, ska dub and dirge show from 6pm, featuring stellar sets courtesy of Lucille, SSA, The Bob Gordons, The Latchkey Kids, Postcard Bandits, Hyte, plus SKA & DUB Riddims ‘til late! Then get ready to witness one of the finest talents this city has ever produced as rock goddess Abbe May plays a solo set on Sunday, February 12. We are giving away a double pass to see this talented lass play. Simply email mojos@ coolperthnights.com with “May the force be with Abbe” in the subject line.

DEVILLE’S PAD

It’s a hillbilly hoedown this Saturday, February 11, at Deville’s Pad with Melbourne’s stompin’ superstars Cherrywood, a band who guarantee a 100 per cent authentic ‘countrybilly’ cure for the blues.

Supporting Cherrywood will be their chicken pluckin, straw munchin, cousins The Waltones!

Plus, countrified rockin’ boogie DJs will be spinning vintage tunes till late. Doors open at 6pm.

The Indi Bar have got you covered for all your live music needs this week. On Wednesday, February 8, you can catch local talent Jordan McRobbie then on Friday, February 10, blues troubadour Lloyd Spiegel will showcase his unique sound. On the weekend, you can catch guitar aficionado Matt Gresham on Saturday, February 11, and bluegrass rockers The Seals on Sunday, February 12.

MUSTANG BAR

Every Thursday night the fine folks at The Mustang Bar put on a killer evening of original music. This week, local muso Benny Mayhem is set to charm punters with a solo set, while DJ James MacArthur will keep the party going ‘til late. When he is not leaping around as the front man for punk band Project Mayhem, Benny dabbles in solo work strongly influenced by folk tradition, jangly sorta cords and honest outlaws. He is also influenced by the Celts’ mastery of song and the more obscure elements of The Beatles’ paradigm. Folkin’ fantastic.

VOODOO LOUNGE

Get down this Wednesday, February 8, for Venus Factor where the Voodoo Lounge will bring the top striptease artists to you, in the flesh – no photos, no website images, no Photoshop or touched up MILFs – only the real thing. This event is staged on a Wednesday night due to the availability of these strippers and their high demand over the weekend. Entry is $15 and expect a packed room.

HIGH ROAD HOTEL

This week The Ellington Jazz Club is offering a range of fine music to keep your summer swinging along nicely. Wednesday, February 8, sees the debut of Gavin Nicklette Trio, Scottish outfit Horse will be appearing on Thursday, February 9, and you can also catch a tribute to Aretha Franklin on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11.

Looking for a great time out, all week long? The High Road Hotel have you covered. Between 12pm and 2pm daily you can enjoy a great meal for just $15 with a free drink included. Weekly events include poker nights every Monday from 6pm, student night every Wednesday with a $2 pool competition and $10 jugs, Crankin’ Fridays which is all about playing all the best hits of classic rock and Saturdays feature live entertainment with a rotating line up of cover bands from 8.30pm.

RAILWAY HOTEL

THE SAIL & ANCHOR

THE ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB

After a break last week, The Railway Hotel continues its brand new open-mic sessions in the Beer Garden this Sunday, February 12. It happens every Sunday from 2-6pm. Interested acts should contact the event’s host Turin Robinson on 0425 171 585, or just pop on down and enjoy a free sausage sizzle and some acoustic tunes.

For the month of February, The Sail & Anchor is tipping its hat to our brothers across the Tasman and playing host to Hew Brew, a New Zealand beer fest featuring 63 kegs of NZ craft beer goodness and NZ food specials all month. Plus, Howie Morgan and Sarah Jane & The Chilly Bin Boys are playing live every Friday and Saturday night this month.

BIG DAY IN THE SUN Sunday, February 5, 2012 McCallum Park A whole heap of party peeps flocked to the foreshore in Victoria Park last Sunday, getting down and dirty in the dusty sand pit, moshing and dancing to killer acts. The Bronx showed us how it was done, asking the crowd to howl at the moon, a naked man got on stage when The Brow Horn Orchestra were playing, ShockOne and MC Shureshock dominated and Girl Talk absolutely stole the party. Bring on Big Day Out 2013!

Brad, Jake, Jamie Samantha, Esther

Photographs by Matt Jelonek

Claudia, Yasmin

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Konni, Chris

Montana, Jess, Mia

Grace, PJ

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

BENJAMIN GOLBY New Rules

While he’s best known for his work with local indie pop outfits New Rules For Boats and Split Seconds, harmonica-wielding, synth-exploring folk musician Benjamin Golby is stepping out on his own with his recently released sophomore solo record A Progress.

“I don’t think that I can claim to be particularly productive,” begins Benjamin Golby, a statement local music fans might find hard to believe. Both as a core member of two of the state’s most loved indie pop outfits – the sadly disbanded New Rules For Boats and promising new(ish) act Split Seconds – and through his work as a sound engineer, Golby has become one of the WA scene’s most recognisable faces.

The busy muso shows no signs of slowing in 2012, with a string of Split Seconds shows already pencilled in the calendar, in addition to the recent release of his sophomore solo release, the aptly titled A Progress.

“I started writing A Progress during 2009 while I was working as an engineer on The Bank Holidays’ Sail Becomes a Kite album and what became Split Seconds’ self-titled EP. In 2010, I began recording the album largely in Split Seconds’ garage in North Perth as well as in a few studios,” he says. “The whole process involved being canny with studio time and spending a great many hours editing in my bedroom.”

While Golby says he is “pleasantly surprised” with the resulting album, he admits that local fans may have a while to wait before they get to hear live incarnations of the new tunes.

“I’m working out how to front a live act at the moment. It would be rather beastly to train up a band to this music as it is quite complex. At the same time watching a solo performer is usually pretty boring. I’m figuring out a way to do this without being underwhelming,” he says.

Golby’s numerous years on the local scene have afforded many anecdotes from memorable gigs, including this delicious tidbit from way back in ‘07: “At the height of the West Coast Eagles’ hedonism crisis in June 2007 New Rules For Boats had a CD launch at the Bakery. We were a pretty keen Eagles band.That year,headlines and talk around town had been dominated by Ben Cousins ever since he had been pulled over on Aberdeen Street wearing no shirt and sporting his new “Such Is Life” tattoo in a staged arrest. Recently he had gone to America supposedly for rehab but some awesome rumours were flying around that instead he was just owning it around LA with Cameron Diaz.

“Then, out of nowhere, Ben Cousins turned up at our launch. It was so good. The entire patronage of the usually uber cool Bakery were fixated with Ben Cousins who was standing in the centre of the beer garden, looking like a jolly dude wearing this incredible button up shirt which had a

Scott Kelly (photo: Denis Radacic)

Benjamin Golby and his best bud Haruki pirate’s head decorated with fluoro coloured spangles on the back. I remember enthusing with a then 15 year old Scarlet Stevens [of San Cisco fame] after the Flairz finished playing.

Our launch was totally overshadowed by his presence and it was fantastic and probably the crowning achievement of that band.”

RETRO VISION

PARK LIFE

Perth’s crazy, rockin’ nightspot Devilles Pad presents a sensational double-bill this coming Friday, February 10, featuring two of the most exciting retro bands around – hip-grinding voodoo gurus Rocket To Memphis and rock‘n’rollers The Little White Lies. As always, the Mondo Inferno DJs will be spinning ‘50s and ‘60s dance floor fillers till 2am - this is gonna be one knockout Friday night!

Countrified sextet Ruby Boots will present a set of richly arranged music which swirls and swells around stories in a melody that’s melancholic, frenetic and heartening this Sunday, February 12, at Banks Reserve in Mt Lawley as part of the City of Vincent’s Live In The Park series. Joining them will be top notch blues/gospel pianist Paul Giola.

Their sweet sounds will permeate the warm summer air from 5pm, so make sure to bring a picnic for a pleasant evening of outdoor music.

DESIGN DESIRE

VELVET GOLDMINE

This Sunday, February 12, punters who trek down to Freo will find Abbe May kickin’ it solo style at Mojos Bar. Catch Abbe supported by the startingly cosy Amber Fresh and notorious musical vigilantes Medicine Hat. Entry is $20 from 6pm sharp.

HERE THEY GO AGAIN

Featuring members of The Siren Tower, Ragdoll and Graphic Fiction Heroes, local supergroup Snakebite will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of White Snake’s landmark album, 1987, this Saturday, February 11, at The Civic Backroom. With two massive sets and support from Lady Zeppelin, this promises to be a show not to be missed.

Doors open 8pm. $15 entry.

SAN CISCO DISCO

After securing a formidable #7 for single Awkward in this year’s Hottest 100, indie pop wunderkids San Cisco will be heading to Fat Shan Records on Saturday, February 11, to sign copies of their new EP (also titled Awkward). The band will also be performing a few songs along with the signing, and the best thing is it’s free! The tunes kick off at 12pm, and we recommend getting here early as this we predict this one will be packed to the rafters. Punters can also catch the catchy quartet’s highenergy live show at the Prince of Wales in Bunbury on Thursday, February 9.

www.xpressmag.com.au

This Friday, February 10, Sonic Velvet at the Velvet Lounge hosts an allkiller-no-filler line-up of some of Perth’s freshest original acoustic acts including Julz Evans, Danni and Elk Bell kicking off the evening before The Dublin Jazz Aunts headline along with Burn Habit and Sirens of Sound. Doors open 8pm, entry is $8.

FOR FOLKS SAKE

Just days after calling an indefinite hiatus on his long-running punk band, Project Mayhem frontman Benny Mayhem is kicking off his new folk project in style at the Mustang Bar on Thursday, February 9.

Although Mayhem’s new sound is a total stylistic departure from earsmashing punk rock‘n’roll he’s know and loved for around town, he’s still promising an evening full of attitude, swear words, adult themes and lunacy.

RIDING A NEW WAVE

Perth is getting ready to rock when The Never Never reunites in a oneoff show at The Claremont Hotel on Saturday, February 11. Favourites of the ‘80s live music scene, the band built up a dedicated following with their own brand of catchy guitar-based pop and held a residency at The Claremont Hotel every Tuesday for over six years. Planning to relive that magic, the band is looking forward to seeing many familiar faces as well as some new ones. Tickets are available from The Claremont Hotel Bottleshop, numbers are limited so get in early!

SCOTT KELLY John Baizley The Civic Hotel Saturday, February 4, 2012

There is great strength in honesty. Scott Kelly, the man at the core of experimental outfit Neurosis, knows this. After spending more than 25 years behind his namesake outfit, he finally made his way to Australia – but not in the way initially imagined. Standing solitary, with only his voice and his guitar as his tools, his debut tour was on the back of his solo material. Joined by Baroness frontman John Baizley for his first foray into live acoustic territory ever, the intimacy of this performance was rare to behold.

Beautiful and brutally simplistic – such an introduction to Kelly’s personal style was perfect, in every sense of the word.

A fresh insight into the man behind Georgian progressive metallers Baroness, the waiver in John Baizley’s voice showed nerves ran high for his debut solo performance on Australian soil. With Perth marking his first stop, the apprehension literally melted away as he became more comfortable behind the guitar. His strumming, taking on more fluid fingerpicking tones, added rich accents to well-known Baroness tunes Steel That Sleeps The Eye and Swollen And Halo. Stopping for a moment to acknowledge the man that brought him here, as was needed, he let loose towards the end – swapping to an electric guitar for his final two songs.

A certain reverence fell over the crowd when Scott Kelly took stage. Starting with no fanfare, his voice was commanding enough. Stripped back, a turn from Baizley’s previous slot, his strings resonated with each word sung. Although his presence should be revered, the unique balance between Kelly’s strength and vulnerability was intoxicating. With a set marked by heavy silence and rapturous applause, he scoured his way through a large backlog of material – spanning from 2001 solo release Spirit Bound Flesh to the more recent The Wake (2008), with a heavy dose of other projects in-between.

Touching on Blood And Time’s Remember Me and a potential new track from new supergroup formation Shrinebuilder – of which Kelly is a member – he also bridged material from an up-and-coming solo album. This included his first ever love song, which was backed by Baizley. Raw and biting, the grit and grime of his past adding depth to a career that will be remembered for ages to come. _JESSICA WILLOUGHBY

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Tim Minchin, February 10 & 12, Challenge Stadium

FEB 08 – FEB14

LLOYD SPIEGEL 8 Mojos Bar 10 Indi Bar

HORSE 9 The Ellington

HILLTOP HOODS / VENTS / DAZASTAH / LAYLA 9 & 10 Capitol

LITTLE ROY 10 Perth Festival Gardens

TIM MINCHIN 10 & 12 Challenge Stadium

ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL (Active Child, Anna Calvi, Austra, Bullion, Cults, The Drums, DZ Deathrays, EMA, Feist, Geoffrey O’Connor, Girls, Glasser, The Horrors, John Talabot, Jonti, Laura Marling, M83, Oneman, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Pajama Club, The Panics, SBTRKT, Toro Y Moi, Total Control, Twin Shadow, Washed Out, Yuck) 11 Perth Cultural Centre

SEAL 12 Sandalford Estate Swan Valley

THE MEDICS 12 Perth Festival Gardens

ABBE MAY 12 Mojo’s Bar

DENNIS’ ROLLINS VELOCITY TRIO 13 Perth Festival Gardens

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Anna Calvi, February 11, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival

FAUSTIAN PACT 14 Perth Festival Gardens

FEBRUARY CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES 15 Perth Festival Gardens LA DISPUTE 15 Amplifier 16 YMCA HQ LUCIE THORNE & HAMISH STUART 15 Mojos Bar 16 The Ellington 17 Nannup Hotel 18 Sea Garden Café THE SUITCASE ROYALE 16 Perth Festival Gardens RONAN KEATING 16 Kings Park JOSH PYKE 16 Prince Of Wales 17 Settlers Tavern BALAM ACAB 17 The Bakery I AM GIANT 17 Amplifier DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE 17 & 18 Perth Festival Gardens RACHEL CLAUDIO 17 & 18 Ellington Jazz Club ICEHOUSE / WASHINGTON / JOSH PYKE / CLARE BOWDITCH 18 Kings Park DONOVAN FRANKENREITER 18 Newport CORNERSHOP 19 Perth Festival Gardens CASS MCCOMBS 20 Perth Festival Gardens CARNIVAL OF SOULS 21 & 22 Perth Festival Gardens AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 22 Perth Concert Hall IL DIVO 23 Kings Park STONEFIELD 23 Rosemount Hotel 24 Prince Of Wales VAN WALKER 23 Settlers Tavern 24 Indi Bar 26 Fly By Night (Fly Trap) OLIVIA NEWTONJOHN/ JON ENGLISH 24 Burswood Theatre BONNIE PRINCE BILLY FEAT. THE CAIRO GANG 24 Perth Festival Gardens THE PLATTERS FEAT. MONROE POWELL 24 Fly By Night COERCE 23 Prince Of Wales 24 Rosemount Hotel MATT CORBY 24 Amplifier

JOHN WILLIAMSON 24 Swan Yacht Club JONATHAN BUTLER 25 Riverside Theatre MEN 25 Perth Festival Gardens RYAN ADAMS/ JASON ISBELL 25 Perth Concert Hall ERYKAH BADU / FAT FREDDYS DROP / MAYER HAWTHORNE 25 Belvoir Amphitheatre HETTY KATE 25 The Ellington BONNIE PRINCE BILLY 25 & 26 The Cave Margaret River NEON INDIAN / SLOW CLUB 26 Perth Festival Gardens ENNIO MORRICONE 26 Sandalford Winery Swan Valley PUGSLEY BUZZARD 26 The Ellington SWAY MACHINERY 27 Perth Festival Gardens BARO BANDA 28 Perth Festival Gardens ERIC BIBB 28 Wignall’s Winery ROXETTE 28 & 29 Challenge Stadium DAN MANGAN 29 The Fly Trap EDDIE PAMIERI 29 Perth Festival Gardens DAN MANGAN 29 Fly By Night (Fly Trap) BOBBY ALU 29 Indi Bar

Cass McCombs, February 20, Perth Festival Gardens

BON IVER/ SALLY SELTMAN 3 Red Hill Auditorium FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL (Swedish House Mafia, Fatboy Slim, Tinie Tempah, Paul van Dyk, The Wombats, Chase & Status, Skrillex, Jessie J, The Rapture, Aphex Twin, Die Antwoord, Gareth Emery, James Murphy & Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem/DFA), The Naked & Famous, Hercules & Love Affair, Sven Vath, Alex Metric, Azari & III, Horse Meat Disco, The Juan Maclean, New Order, Friendly Fires, Gym Class Heroes, Mark Ronson vs. Zane Lowe, Knife Party, Professor Green, Dubfire, John O’Callaghan, Oliver Huntemann, Fluxx, Pavilion, Orjan Nilsen, Porter Robinson, Kill The Noise, TyDi, Ruby Rose, Timmy Trumpet) 4 Arena Joondalup UNEARTH/ IN THIS MOMENT/ KITTIE/ HEAVEN SHALL BURN 4 Amplifier PACIFIC VIBES (Rebel Soul Jahz, 1814, House Of Shem, Three Houses Down, Sonz Of Zion) 4 Redhill Auditorium SOUNDWAVE (System Of A Down, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, A Day To Remember, Machine Head, Lamb Of God, Trivium, Alter Bridge, MARCH Lost Prophets, Angels BOBBY ALU & Airwaves, Cobra 1 Mojo’s Bar Starship, The Used, 2 Prince Of Wales You Me At Six, Devin 3 Settlers Tavern Townsend Project, THE MAGNETS Unwritten Law, Coal 1 Perth Festival Chamber, Dashboard Gardens Confessional, GOSSLING Thursday, Forever 1 The Bird The Sickest Kids, STICKY FINGERS Raised Fist, Dillinger 1 Indi Bar Escape Plan, Zakk 2 Ya Ya’s Wylde’s Black Label 3 Settlers Tavern Society, Mastodon, STEVIE WONDER Underoath, Saves The 2 Sandalford Estate Day, Circa Survive, STAFF BENDA BILILI Steel Panther, 2 Perth Festival Jack Mannquin, Gardens Meshuggah, The PENGUIN CAFÉ Sisters Of Mercy, 3 Perth Festival Enter Shikari, Four Gardens Year Strong, Black TAYLOR SWIFT / HOT Veil Brides, Madina CHELLE RAE Lake, Zebrahead, 2 Burswood Dome Hatebreed, Biohazard, NANNUP MUSIC Times Of Grace, FESTIVAL (Lanie CKY, Street Dogs, Lane, Mojo Juju, Lou Gojira, Kvelertak, Bennett, Adalita, Letlive, Hellyeah, Oka, Sietta, Swamp Cro-Mags, The Cab, Thing, Gossling, Relient K, Framing Tinpan Orange, Albert Hanley, Watain, Royal Wiggan Band, Bobby Republic, I Am The Alu, Kavisha Mazella, Avalanche, Turisas, Neil Murray, Jordie River City, Extension, Bad Religion, Lane and more) Strung Out, Staind, 2 - 5 Nannup

Wednesday 13, Unearth, The Pretty Reckless, Cathedral, Shadows Fall, Tonight Alive, Motionless In White, Heaven Shall Burn, Your Demise, A Rocket To The Moon, The Ready Set, The Menzingers, Dream On Dreamer, Kittie, Dredg, Attack!

Attack!, The Smoking Hearts, The Summer Set, Bush, In Flames, The Black Dahlia Murder, Holy Grail, Hyro Da Hero, These Kids Wear Crowns, In This Moment, Black Tide, Kids In Glass Houses, Fireworks, Conditions, Cherri Bomb, Switchfoot, Paradise Lost, Mission In Motion) 5 Claremont Showground JESSIE J / PROFESSOR GREEN 5 Challenge Stadium OKA 5 White Star Hotel Albany 7 Indi Bar 8 Mojos Bar 9 Prince Of Wales 10 Settlers Tavern 11 Mojos Bar ADAM COHEN / GOSSLING 6 Fly By Night MARILYN MANSON 6 Metro City WILD FLAG 7 The Bakery BLACK LIPS 8 The Bakery ST. VINCENT 8 The Rosemount DIRTY THREE 9 Astor Theatre KERSER 9 Civic Hotel BONOBO 9 Capitol THE BEARDS 9 Settlers Tavern 10 Fly By Night 11 Indi Bar SWEET 10 Regal Theatre NANO STERN 13 Burswood Theatre FAITH HILL & TIM MCGRAW (CANCELLED) 14 Burswood Dome CHARLES BRADLEY 14 The Bakery MICK THOMAS 15 Friends Restaurant 16 The Norfolk 17 The Oxford Leederville DIESEL 16 Quarry Amphitheatre 360 16 Rosemount Hotel TENORS UNLIMITED 16 Octagon Theatre BELINDA CARLISLE 16 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 17 Astor Theatre SEEKAE 17 The Bakery 18 Mojos Bar

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing bands.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. Email reception@xpressmag.com.au or fax 9213 2882.

Yelawolf, March 27, Capitol JOHN BUTLER 17 Fremantle Arts Centre 19 Goldfields Arts Centre Kalgoorlie 21 Mandurah Arts Centre 22 Clancy’s Fish Pub Dunsborough 23 Albany Entertainment Centre 25 Queens Park Theatre Geraldton 26 Carnarvon Civic Centre AQUA 18 Metropolis Fremantle BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB 18 Astor Theatre BORIS 20 The Bakery DANIEL O’DONNELL 24 Riverside Theatre BRIAN SETZER’S ROCKABILLY RIOT 24 Fremantle Arts Centre DURAN DURAN 24 Sandalford Estate Swan Valley DARYL BRAITHWAITE 24 Bunbury Entertainment Centre NICK LOWE 26 Astor Theatre THE NECKS 26 The Bakery FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS 27 Kings Park PIERRE BENSUSAN 27 The Ellington YELAWOLF 27 Capitol LENNY KRAVITZ / THE CRANBERRIES / WOLFMOTHER 28 Athletics Stadium Mount Claremont

Public Enemy, May 19, Groovin’ The Moo

ADAM ANT 28 Metro City CHE-FU 28 Burlington Hotel Bunbury 29 Settlers Tavern 30 Metro Freo GRACE KNIGHT 29 Fremantle Arts Centre 30 The Ellington WOODEN SHJIPS 30 The Bakery SNAKADAKTAL 30 Villa CHILDREN COLLIDE 30 Capitol 31 Players Bar GEORGE MICHAEL 31 Sandalford Estate Swan Valley HERMITUDE 31 Amplifier EDDI READER QUARTET 31 Fly By Night Musician Club PETULA CLARK 31 Mundaring Weir Hotel HOLLY THROSBY 31 Norfolk Basement DEEP SEA ARCADE 30 Capitol 31 Players Bar DIAFRIX & JOELISTICS 30 Bar 120 31 Hyde Park Hotel

APRIL DIAFRIX & JOELISTICS 1 Norfolk Basement DEEP SEA ARCADE 1 Mojos Bar PETULA CLARK 1 Albany Entertainment Centre CHILDREN COLLIDE 1 Mojos Bar WEST COAST BLUES ‘N’ ROOTS (Crosby, Stills & Nash, The

Pogues, The Specials, My Morning Jacket, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Steve Earle, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Husky, John Fogerty and more TBA) 1 Fremantle Park XAVIER RUDD 5 Astor Theatre YES 5 Riverside Theatre DEAD MEADOW / PINK MOUNTAINTOPS 7 The Bakery BALL PARK MUSIC 7 Amplifier 8 Newport Hotel STRAWBERRY JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL (P.O.D., Hawk Nelson, Mike Mains & The Branches and more TBA) 8 Albany SUBLIME WITH ROME / MATT McHUGH 11 Metropolis Fremantle PASSENGER 13 Fly By Night Club FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL OF WORLD & FOLK MUSIC (Paul Brady, Seth Lakeman, My Friend The Chocolate Cake, Chipolatas, Chris While, Julie Matthews, Kavisha, Tjupurru, Stiff Gins, The Woohoo Revue, Linsey Pollak, Mal Webb, Fred Smith & Liz Frencham, April Verch Band, Blu Guru, Dry Bones, Totally Gourdgeous & more TBC) 13 - 15 Fairbridge Village Pinjarra

The Butterfly Effect, June 2-3

THE HERD 14 Rosemount Hotel SEAL 14 Sandalford Estate JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE 14 Fly By Night 15 Rosemount Hotel ROGER DALTREY 19 Riverside Theatre LIAM BURROWS 21 The Atrium Mandurah 22 The Ellington SUPAFEST (P. Diddy, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland, Lupe Fiasco and more TBA) 22 Arena Joondalup LOU BARLOW 22 Rosemount Hotel BURT BACHARACH 23 Riverside Theatre AUGUST BURNS RED 25 Amplifier AN HORSE 25 April THE HOODOO GURUS 28 Astor Theatre

MAY THE MOUNTAIN GOATS 1 The Bakery NEW YORK UNITED 11 Amplifier KRISTIN BERADI 11 & 12 The Ellington DAVID CAMPBELL 16 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 17 Queens Park Theatre Geraldton 18 Perth Concert 19 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre FLORENCE + THE MACHINE/ BLOOD ORANGE 17 Burswood Dome

GROOVIN THE MOO (360, Adrian Lux, Andrew W.K OneMan-Party Tour, Beni, Big Scary, Bluejuice, Chiddy Bang, City and Colour, Digitalism, The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs, Kimbra, The Maccabees, Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath, Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Public Enemy, Purple Sneakers DJs, San Cisco, Wavves and more TBA) 19 Hay Park Bunbury LIAM BURROWS 26 Friend’s Restaurant 27 Jazz Fremantle NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK / BACKSTREET BOYS 29 Burswood Dome BOB HIRST 30 & 31 The Ellington

JUNE THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 2 Prince Of Wales 3 Metro City TINA ARENA 8 Riverside Theatre GUY SEBASTIAN 19 His Majesty’s Theatre 20 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre NADIA ACKERMAN 28 The Ellington

JULY MELISSA ETHERIDGE 20 Riverside Theatre

ST JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL

Feist

One of Australia’s leading boutique festivals, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival has always prided itself on bringing in up-and-coming acts, many of which would not otherwise visit Australia until later in their careers when a Big Day Out or Future Music would pick them up. This year the event boasts a stunning line-up featuring UK folk songstress Laura Marling, Canadian indie pop icon Feist and critically acclaimed French electronic act M83. It all goes down this Saturday, February 11. A limited number of tickets are still available from perth. lanewayfestival.com.au.

JASON LYTLE

Former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle, returns to Australia this February for the first time since Grandaddy’s sole Australian tour in 2004. The man responsible for such melancholic classics as The Crystal Lake, Hewlett’s Daughter and Now it’s On, has kept a low profile since Grandaddy’s split in 2006 but has continued to perform live in solo mode and will be performing a one off West Coast show on Valentines Day (Tuesday, February 14) to an intimate crowd in the cool, cosy atmosphere of Ya Yas in Northbridge. Limited tickets are available from 78 Records. A limited number of tickets will be available for $30 on the door.

www.xpressmag.com.au

Jason Lytle

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Rabbit Island, Wednesday at The Moon

WEDNESDAY 08.02 BALMORAL Nathan Gaunt BALLY’S BAR Greg Carter Karaoke BAR 120 Felix BLACK BETTY’S Everlong CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night DEVILLES Rock‘N’Roll Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Gavin Nicklette INDI BAR Jordan McRobbie LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan METRO FREO The Other Guys MOJOS BAR Lloyd Spiegel Kim Bettenay MUSTANG Blue Gene PADDO Diamond Eye Hailmary Baby Jane ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe ROSEMOUNT Our Fallen Legacy Brutus Hooks 4 Hands The Cult Of Addiction SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Christian Thompson THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE MOON Rabbit Island Craig McElhinney Lochy UNIVERSAL Strutt VOODOO LOUNGE Venus Factor

Justin Walshe Folk Machine, Thursday at Mojos Bar

YA YA’S Jimmy Von Exploder Tomy Smoker Johnny Mango Doom & Groom L-Boe Cotton Runt Big Mac

THURSDAY 09.02 BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Bernardine Grigson BOAB TAVERN Damien Cripps BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CAPITOL Hilltop Hoods Vents Dazastah Layla COMO HOTEL The Other Guys DEVILLES PAD Jon Madd’s Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Horse FUSE BAR Howie Morgan HYDE PARK HOTEL Open Mic INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Hart Killer Cherry Blank Page Refugees MERRIWA TAVERN Electrophobia MOJOS BAR Simon Kelly’s Big Bamboo Justin Walshe Folk Machine Lucy Peach Wilson Brown Expressway MOON & SIXPENCE Bob & Clem MUSTANG BAR Benny Mayhem

That Velvet Echo

THAT VELVET ECHO THURSDAY,JANUARY 9 SETTLER’S TAVERN

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OCEAN BEACH HOTEL Open Mic Night OXFORD HOTEL Jonny Taylor ROSEMOUNT Ol’ Bouginvillea ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Fenton Wilde ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger SETTLER’S TAVERN That Velvet Echo SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe THE BOAT Annie Neil Duo THE BROOKE Open Mic Night THE FLY TRAP The Long March THE GATE Better Days THE SHED Saint Ravine Polly Medlen Band Ralway Bell UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record YA YA’S Cherrywood The Phonteics Minky G Jacob Diamond

FRIDAY 10.02 7th AVENUE Midnight Rambler BAILEY BAR Modsquad BALLY’S BAR Jamie Powers BALMORAL The Other Guys BAR ORIENT Crown Jewels BEAT NIGHTCLUB Mattersville Dam Few Basically Naked Sticky Sweet BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Feisty Burlesque BELMONT TAVERN Everlong Acoustic BENNY’S Faces BENTLY HOTEL Sophie Jane BLACK BETTYS J Babies BOAB TAVERN Cold Steel Blooz BOHEME BAR Soul Corporation BRASS MONKEY Adrian Wilson CANTON LOUNGE Toxic Rhythm CAPTAIN STIRLING Bluebottles CAPITOL Hilltop Hoods Vents Dazastah Layla

The Ghost Hotel, Friday at The Rosemount

CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CHALLENGE STADIUM Tim Minchin CHASE BAR James Wilson CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Creations Ashes Of December CIVIC HOTEL Snakebite Lady Zeppelin COMO HOTEL Tip Top CRAFTSMAN Nicki Rose EDZ SPORTZ BAR Acoustic Nights EASTERN HOTEL Mike de Velta ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Franklin Cian Caton FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE The Cat Empire Tijuana Cartel The Brow Horn Orchestra FUSE BAR Groove Karaoke GLOUCESTER PARK Kenji GREENWOOD Driven By People HARBOUR TERRACE Neil Colliss HERDSMAN LAKE TAVERN Shawne & Luc HYDE PARK HOTEL One Trick Ponies Nathan Gaunt INDI BAR Lloyd Spiegel KALAMUNDA HOTEL Dirty Scoundrels KINGSLEY TAVERN Carbon Taxi LEFT BANK Frankie Button MERRIWA TAVERN Dexter MIGHTY QUINN TAVERN Kontraband MOJOS BAR Rae The Hertz Mike Slade The Cut & Paste Soundsystem MUSTANG Harry Deluxe Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers NORFOLK BASEMENT Kevin Smith Seven Storey Jumpers The Delaines Valhalla Nights

OSBORNE PARK HOTEL Howie Morgan Duo OXFORD HOTEL Recliners PADDO Sean Scott PADDY HANNANS Gun Shy Romeos PADDY MAGUIRE’S The Bluebottles PARAMOUNT Flyte PEEL ALEHOUSE Next Generation Karaoke PERTH FESTIVAL GARDENS Little Roy PRINCIPAL Pop Candy RAILWAY HOTEL Swiss Shepherd The Renzullo Project Heath Marshall ROCKET ROOM Nails Of Imposition Maximum Perversion Blunt Force Trauma Inanimacy ROSEMOUNT You Am I The Ghost Hotel Sonpsilo Circus ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Spyce SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Switchback SUBIACO HOTEL Empire SWAN BASEMENT AMC Black Penny Project Stone Bleeder Agenda XXII THE BIRD Tim Gordon Mama Boots Rachel & Henry Climb A Hill Patient Little Sister James Teague THE FLY TRAP Tree Shepherd THE GATE James Wilson Smoking Section THE SHED Kickstart THE VIC Jack & Jill UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VELVET LOUNGE Sirens Of Sound Burn Habit Dublin Jazz Aunts Danni Elk Bell Julz VICTORIA PARK HOTEL David Fyffe

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing bands.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. Email reception@xpressmag.com.au or fax 9213 2882.

The Never Never, Saturday at The Claremont Hotel MUSTANG The Continentals 10 Cent Billionaire NEWPORT Kizzy Everlong NORFOLK BASEMENT Blackheart & Strangelove SATURDAY 11.02 OSBORNE PARK AMPLIFIER HOTEL The Ocean, The Sky Nathan Gaunt BALMORAL PADDY HANNAN’S The Recliners Decoy BALLYS BAR PARAMOUNT Christian Thompson Felix BAR 120 QUARIE BAR Flyte Electrophobia BEAT RAILWAY HOTEL Runaways Neverborn BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Devour The Martyr Chris Murphy Empires Laid Waste BLACK BETTY’S Blunt Force Trauma Redstar ROCKET ROOM BOAB TAVERN Kickstart Dave Crosby ROSEMOUNT CAPTAIN STIRLING ill.Gates Howie Morgan Duo Mr. Starks CIVIC HOTEL Harvey Fresh PAUA Omi Ngati ROSIE O’GRADY’S CLAREMONT HOTEL (NORTHBRIDGE) The Never Never Blue Gene The Zydecats ROSIE O’GRADY’S COMO HOTEL (FREMANTLE) Tip Top Flavor EASTERN HOTEL SAIL & ANCHOR John Talati Sophie Jane And The ELEPHANT & Chilly Bin Boys WHEELBARROW STEVE’S BAR Blue Hornet Alitia Martin ELLINGTON JAZZ SUBIACO HOTEL CLUB Off The Record Franklin SWAN BASEMENT Deuces Red Engine Caves GREENWOOD Battle Of The Planets HOTEL Living Dying In The Groove HYDE PARK HOTEL SWINGING PIG Greg Carter Day Of The Dead THE BIRD The Volcanics Axe Girl INDI BAR Tan Matt Gresham THE FLY TRAP INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY Mama Kin THE GATE The Other Guys Dirty Scoundrels LEISURE INN THE SAINT Rock A Fellas Bluebottles LEOPOLD HOTEL THE SHED Steve Hepple Huge LOBBY LOUNGE THE VIC John Sandosham James Wilson Duo THE WHALE & ALE M ON THE POINT J Babies Rhythm 22 UNIVERSAL MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke Soul Corporation VOODOO LOUNGE METRO FREO (DOWNSTAIRS) Dr Bogus Delicious MIGHTY QUINN WANNEROO TAVERN TAVERN Greg Carter Kontraband MOON & SIXPENCE X-WRAY CAFE Groovesmith Nu Jazz Blaze Ensemble MOJOS BAR YA YA’S Lucille Love Sponge SSA The Lonely Girls The Bob Gordons Lucy Peach The Latchkey Kids Nosey Parker Postcard Bandits Hyte

WANNEROO TAVERN Clayton Bolger YA YA’S The Caballeros Hurricane Fighter Plane Dianas

Friday Friday Travis Caudle MamaTravis Kin, Saturday Caudle atFly Fly The By Fly Night Trap By Night

SUNDAY 12.02 7TH AVENUE Reckless Kelly 150 RIVERSIDE EAST (ASCOT QUAYS) Adrian Wilson BALLY’S BAR Greg Carter BALMORAL Cranky BANKS RESERVE MT LAWLEY Paul Gioia Ruby Boots BROKEN HILL HOTELChris Murphy BROOKLANDS TAVERN Greg Carter CAFÉ 58 The Aces CAPTAIN STIRLING Scott Nelson CHALLENGE STADIUM Tim Minchin CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL David Fyffe ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Backlash Jazz Quintet FERAL BREWING Fat Felix GREENWOOD Chris Gibbs Duo HIGH ROAD HOTEL Mike Nayar HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL The Organ Grinders HYDE PARK HOTEL Tim Bott Natalie Rae Morgan Bain INDI BAR The Seals INDIAN OCEAN BREWING CO Retriofit Dove K1 BAR Damien Cripps KALAMUNDA HOTEL Alitia Martin LAKERS TAVERN Jamie Powers LAST DROP WARNBRO Tom Jennis LEISURE INN Steve Hepple LOBBY LONGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy M ON THE POINT Bluebottles MOJOS BAR Abbe May Amber Fresh Medicine Hat

Sophie Jane, Sunday at The Principal

MUSTANG Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Tim Nelson PERTH FESTIVAL GARDENS The Medics PINK DUCK LOUNGE BAR Neil Colliss PRINCIPAL Sophie Jane QUEENS TAVERN Bernardine Grigson RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Sopaisti Kats ROSE & CROWN Christian Thompson SAIL & ANCHOR Shawne & Luc SANDALFORD ESTATE Seal SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Blackhart & Strangelove SOVEREIGN ARMS Ivan Ribic SPRINGS TAVERN Sean Scott SWAN BASEMENT Government Yard Neutral Native Dark Ocean Bears & Dolls THE BIRD The Weapon Is Sound THE GATE Better Days Chris Gibbs Trio THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project THE SHED The Healy’s Renegade UNIVERSAL Retriofit VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Paul Foster WHISTLING KITE James Wilson WOODVALE TAVERN Good Karma

MONDAY 13.02 LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy MOJOS BAR Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats PERTH FESTIVAL GARDENS Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio THE DEEN Plastic Max And The Token Gesture

TUESDAY 14.02 BALLY’S BAR Dove CHARLES HOTEL Perth Blues Club Morgan Bain Pink & White Bridge Shakey Jake EASTERN HOTEL Groove Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Matt Richards Quartet LUCKY SHAG Nathan Gaunt MOJOS BAR Bastian’s Happy Flight Tim Gordon PADDO Sean Scott PERTH FESTIVAL GARDENS Faustin Pact PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night X-WRAY CAFE Open Piano Night YA YA’S Jason Lytle Adem K PJ The Gizzards Chimp

Tim Gordon

TIMMAMA GORDON BOOTS

RACHEL & HENRY CLIMB A HILL PATIENT LITTLE SISTER JAMES TEAGUE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 THE BIRD

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PRODUCT NEWS

DV7 Booster

PEDAL PERFECTION

DV Mark, an Italy-based manufacturer of guitar amplifiers and effect pedals, unveiled six – yes, six – new effect pedals last week at the 2012 NAMM show, the world’s largest musical industry trade convention. Like everything else DV Mark makes, the pedals are 100 per cent constructed in Italy with passion and careful attention to thousands of details. The products include the flexible distortion pedal DV7 Distorsore, the clean boost EQ pedal DV7 Booster, the harmonic-rich DV Fuzzer, and ultracompact DV Mini Boost, DV Mini Dist and DV Mini Drive. For more information on the DV Mark range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit cmcmusic.com.au.

Greg Koch

FENDER BENDER

The Fender Roadshow is a unique opportunity to see, hear, feel, and play the latest Fender guitars and amps, as well as a selection of the finest custom shop models. During a two-hour show, the prodigiously talented international guitarfiend Greg Koch and his supremely gifted band will demonstrate all the latest Fender gear while playing some rockin’ tunes. At the end of the show there will be plenty of “hands-on” time to check out all the gear for yourself. This special event is an absolute must for all guitarists, bassists, and musiclovers! It all goes down on Thursday, February 23, at The Bakery from 7pm.

ROCK THE MIC

Make room in the mic locker for your new goto mic. The RE320 is the latest addition to the Electro-Voice RE Performance Group of wired microphones – culling key features of the venerable RE20 and RE27 N/D Broadcast Group products into an exceptionally versatile studio and live performance mic. Engineered for stellar performance in virtually any imaginable application, the RE320 delivers excellent results when mic’ing vocals or instruments in the studio or on stage. Designed to meet the demanding needs of project and pro studio operators, performers (live and studio) and engineers, as well as podcasters and broadcasters at any level, the RE320 brings heritage Electro-Voice technology and performance to bear an exciting and versatile new product.

Guitar Apprentice

THE APPRENTICE

Get ready to shred like never before with Guitar Apprentice, a full-scale, electric-guitar-style controller that transforms iPad into an axe-shredding beast. Simply place your iPad into Guitar Apprentice’s fitted holder, open the Guitar Apprentice app, and you’re ready to go. Guitar Apprentice can be played anywhere as it requires no cables or external connections. Guitar Apprentice’s strings can be strummed together or plucked individually, and its 14 fretboard-fret buttons mean you can easily play thousands of songs. This amazing guitar-learning app is also compatible with dozens of popular iPad apps, including GarageBand. Head on over to guitarapprentice.com to purchase the app.

WHAT’S YOUR MOVE?

A change is a comin’! One of WA’s largest music stores Joondalup Music Centre is moving to bigger and better premises on the corner of Winton Road and Mercer Lane, right opposite the store’s popular school of music. To celebrate the forthcoming grand opening of the new store, Joondalup Music Centre is putting up enough equipment to fit out a whole band in the What’s Your Move competition.

The impressive prize list features an ESP VT 1000 Viper Deluxe electric guitar, a Marshall MG101FX12 100-watt combo amplifier, a Gretsch Blackhawk 5 piece drum kit with cymbals and stool, an Ibanez SR200EX electric bass, a Peavey Tour TNT 115 600-watt bass combo amplifier, a Phonic 800-watt PA system, an AKG D5 microphone, and a Yamaha PSR-S650 keyboard. To find out how you can score this awesome setup click on over to joondalupmusic.com.au.

BEGINNERS LUCK Ace Frehley with the new Budokan Les Paul

SEALED WITH A KISS

Making its debut in 1977, the Budokan Les Paul became Ace Frehley’s main guitar when KISS’s fame was exploding around the world. To honour the music legend, Gibson Guitars have recently released a recreation of the one-of-a-kind instrument. Gibson worked directly with Frehley to analyse the guitar and replicate it down to the tiniest detail. Features of the new model include a period correct 3-piece hard Maple top, 3-piece Mahogany neck with volume and Grover tuners with pearloid buttons. The total package includes a custom hardshell case silkscreened with Ace’s signature, a numbered certificate, the famous Eagle sticker, and a presentation binder which also includes a photograph of Ace with his Budokan Les Paul. Head to gibson.com for the full list of specs and prices.

COLOUR ME HAPPY

Yamaha have recently announced striking new colour schemes for their Stage Custom Birch and Recording Custom drum sets. The Stage Custom Birch kit now comes in sleek matte black and striking honey amber finishes. The renowned Recording Custom drum kits are now available in vibrant new deep blue and antique sunburst colours with Japanese Hokkaido birch shells and pristine interior and exterior finishes.

SOUNDS OF SUMMER

CX Summer Roadshow brings a one day trade show to the Hyatt Regency Perth Hotel on Tuesday, March 6. The roadshow features 12 exhibitors, over 20 seminars and events, and an exhibition floor showcasing heaps of new sound, light and vision products that is intimate enough to navigate in just a few hours or even minutes if you are only window shopping. Seminars start in the morning, and the trade show opens at noon. Best of all, it is completely free to attend and there are even free drinks from 5.45pm until 7pm. Contact sean@soundtown.com. au for registration details.

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Learn how to play piano or guitar in just one long weekend at the internationally renowned, “musical myth-busting” Understanding Music Seminar. Over three sessions you’ll learn how to play notes, chords, scales and how to improvise jazz and blues on keyboard or guitar. What’s more, you’ll also learn how to read music, so you can play the music you want to play. Since it began in 1991, more than 8,000 people have graduated from this incredible weekend seminar in 16 countries across 5 continents. You could join them and be playing music quicker than you ever dreamed possible!

This phenomenal music experience hits town on Friday, February 17, ‘til Sunday, February 19. Click over to understandingmusicseminar.com.au to secure your place.

GET GIGING

Soundbooka, a new online booking platform for musicians and DJs, is set to change the way musicians are booked for gigs. Described as a cross between job search website Seek and professional social network LinkedIn, Soundbooka promises to increase musician’s exposure and is designed to make life easy for event organisers, and more lucrative for musicians. The unique platform acts as a personal online booking agent, and allows artists and their managers greater control over their gigs. On Soundbooka, artists are invited to register for free and, once verified, receive exposure in front of venue and event bookers. All artists will be featured through professional profiles with personalised visual, video and audio cues, as well as a full calendar of availability. There is also a feedback functionality that will host a rating for those who have been booked. Click over to soundbooka. com to sign up and start giging.

ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM

Since the original Zoom H2 SD launched in 2007, it’s become somewhat of a staple in the years since.

Now, some four years later, it’s time for a refresh. The recently launched Zoom H2n comes complete with a bolder design, five studio-quality microphones and a foursome of recording modes: Mid-Side stereo, 90° X/Y stereo, 2-channel and 4-channel surround sound. With such an impressive list of new features and capabilities it seems destined to carry the H2 legacy to new heights. Check out zoom.co.jp for the full list of specs.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

JOEY JORDISON Slipknot’s Sic Sound

Before gracing the stage at Soundwave on Monday, March 5, drummer Joey Jordison takes they time to talk about his progression as a percussionist with TRAVIS JOHNSON. Growing up in Waukee, Iowa, Joey Jordison’s passion for drumming manifested at a very early age.

“I was seven or eight, yeah.” he recalls.

“It was a while ago. I started on a department store drum kit - basically, you might as well say a toy kit. I was super young, you know? So I started on that, and I beat it to death so bad. I got my chops up on this little kit that I had to keep duct-taping the heads together on, because I kept smacking holes in them. Basically it sounded like I was hitting cardboard boxes, but it didn’t matter, because I was getting my chops up. I had my kit in front of my parents’ stereo and I was playing everything from Black Sabbath to The Rolling stones to Led Zeppelin to The Beatles, all the way up until I started getting into KISS and Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. That’s how I really started to get into the technical stuff. John Bonham and Keith Moon were probably the start of me getting into the technical elements of drumming before I started getting into metal metal. The Who and Bonham are the ones that blew my mind as a kid. I tried to emulate them.

But once I started to get into metal, and the thrash movement came along with Metallica and Slayer and even Anthrax, and the double bass came in.”

And though his early explorations into the realms of metal drew on fairly obvious influences, these days Jordison likes to cast a wider net when it comes to refining his sound.

“It’s basically an evolution,” he explains.

“Now I listen to a lot of avant garde stuff. A lot of jazz and fusion and stuff, to try and develop my style a little... quirkier, I might say? And then, once I started getting into black metal, that’s when my style got up to about where it is right now. But I’m always learning; I don’t just play one style. I don’t play in one particular genre of drumming; I try to mix in as much as possible, and I think that’s what’s really enhanced my style.”

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The other key contributing factor is, as any muso will tell you, simply putting in the hours.

“Well, practice is everything. You can make a shitty Gemco drum set sound good if you know your way around tuning or muffling certain drums, the right heads, but the main thing is the drummer. It’s basically how you hit the drums, the action of your wrist, where to hit the drum pad - of course, if you’re going for a rim shot, that’s different. You’ve got to make sure you’re right in the middle. If you’re going for a rim shot, you’ve got to be on the outside. It’s pretty much like getting enough depth out of the drum, but being quick to pull back right after you hit it. It’s kind of like a release: getting out fast after you hit as hard as you can, and that gives you the best attack. Drums always sound better when they’re hit harder.

“But also,” Jordison continues. “You can’t just hit it with your arm. It’s all in the wrist, and it’s all in the ankle. I play heel up. If I’m in a slow groove, sometimes just to get a heavier sound I’ll play foot down, or sometimes even in a heavier groove, like straight 4/4, say like Psychosocial, just on the main riff, it’s pretty four-on-the-floor, so I’ll play more with my arm instead of just my wrists, because it’s a heavier groove. The faster stuff is definitely heel up and a lot in the wrist. I’m developing the technique based on what the song calls for, and a bunch of different exercises. Don’t just stick to one thing; try to explore different avenues. Listening to different types of music is what helped me. Where I get a lot of style from, weirdly enough, is not just metal but jazz. That’s where I get a lot of my complex stuff, and a lot of the way that I hit the drums. Jazz is a whole different world, but mixed with extreme metal drumming, it becomes a whole new beast.”

Drawing on such diverse influences means Jordison requires a fairly versatile kit, in his case a custom job by Pearl. “Right now it’s the same

Slipknot’s Joey Jordison kit I used on the All Hope Is Gone tour, which is the Reference Series kit, with the whole rack system and everything. All the hardware on the kit that I’ll have in Australia is actually gold plated - actual gold.

It’s not spray painted or a flake finish or anything like that. It really sticks out live, with all the lights and everything. I use Alesis electronic triggers, so I mix half trigger and half acoustic. The kit that I’m using is the same drum set that I use in the studio.

Sometimes I’ll use coated heads if the track’s a little heavier and needs a deeper tom sound, and the snare’s always coated, and I use Emperors across the board for my toms. I have to have it all, and if I don’t have it all, I’m not giving it all. I haven’t got anything just for show - I use everything that I have.

Everything starts with the meat and potatoes of the beat of the song, which is kick, snare, and hat. If I stick with just that, I think I can get by.”

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X-Press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First on the street, Wednesdays

PRODUCT REVIEWS

WITH CHRIS GIBBS

PRIMACOUSTIC VOXGUARD NEARFIELD ABSORBER

The Primacoustic VoxGuard is a high performance ambient noise absorber designed to surround the microphone and reduce unwanted sounds from contaminating the recording. This nearfield absorber works by creating an acoustic boundary around the microphone that at once contains the voice while eliminating room reflections.

Unlike competing products that employ complex steel parts, making them both heavy and cumbersome, the VoxGuard is light-weight and extremely easy to use. Straight out of the box, the VoxGuard is in one piece and comes with very simple attachment parts for fitting to a microphone stand. The design makes positioning the VoxGuard easy without the usual fear of the stand falling over. This makes the VoxGuard effective when used with round base stands, tripods and even large studio booms as mics can be set on a stand positioned over or under the guard. Once mounted, a rear access cable port allows the microphone to be articulated and directed at a specific source, thus enabling the VoxGuard to also be used as an acoustic screen.

A high-density open cell acoustic

Primacoustic Voxguard Nearfield Absorber foam liner absorbs the voice range while keeping room ambience out to produce a dry rendering.

This is particularly important when attempting to record in rooms with less than ideal acoustics or in noisy spaces. Since the VoxGuard is 50% larger than competing products, unwanted noise is significantly reduced and performance vastly improved.

The VoxGuard is an essential tool for recording clean vocal takes in a home studio setting. It retails for $149.

Zoom H2n Handheld Recorder

ZOOM H2N HANDHELD RECORDER

A high-quality reliable and relatively simple recording device suits regular recording, and Zoom’s H series handheld recorders are designed with regular and frequent recording in mind. The H2n has amazing versatility in its wide variety of recording formats: 24 bit/96kHz WAV files format for the highest audio quality or MP3 format in almost any bit rate when long recording capability and smaller file sizes are the priorities. Even 4-channel, 360° recordings can be made in 24 bit/48kHz format. The H2n records to Secure Digital (SD) media and a 512MB SD card is included. The H2n can accommodate up to a 32GB SDHC card, allowing up to 50 hours of total recording time using the 16 bit/44.1kHz WAV format.

The H2n has dual X/Y configured stereo microphones facing front and rear, ideal for capturing an authentic stereo image. After recording, a built-in 3D panning function gives the user full control over the front, rear, left and right balance. Utilising readily available authoring software, 5.1 surround sound recordings can be created, a feature no other portable digital recorder possesses. The Auto Gain Control (AGC) function and low-cut filter allows the H2n to automatically record at the right level while eliminating unwanted low frequency noise. Alternatively, manual control of the gain levels is achievable with the Low/Mid/High gain selector, with fine-tuning of levels provided by gain control buttons on the front panel.

The H2n also has a number of useful tools that will be welcomed by musicians, including an input jack for external stereo microphones which supports plug-in power, a stereo line input for analog sources such as cassette tapes or LP records and a built-in tuner and an on-board metronome. A desktop stand, microphone clip adaptor, earbuds, a windscreen, USB cable, and a 1/8-inch to RCA stereo cable are also included.

The H2n packs a lot of versatility and features into a very small package, and serves as the ideal recording solution for live gigs, rehearsals and home studio projects. The Zoom H2n retails for around $279.

DEAN USA RAZORBACK RUST TRIBUTE GUITAR

IPB-10 Programmable Pedalboard

IPB-10 PROGRAMMABLE PEDALBOARD

Made in the USA, The Dean USA Razorback Rust Tribute electric guitar is striking to behold with its hand-airbrushed ‘rusted metal’ finish, which adorns the entire instrument. The headstock, emblazoned with the official Tribute crest and the pearl razor fretboard inlays make this one mean guitar to look at.

It’s an angry sounding guitar with ultra-gain and metal guitarists will be very impressed with the overall tonality. The harmonic overtones are rich and well-balanced. Surprisingly, amidst all this aggression there is a gorgeous clarity to the instrument; even at high gain settings a six-string extended chord will sound out unwaveringly. The pickups also react reasonably well to clean amp settings for lighter moments. The guitar holds its tuning exceptionally well and the neck is even and fairly easy to get around on, although some tinkering with the action and pickup height to suit individual tastes is always recommended.

This USA custom guitar normally retails for $5999, Guitar World Cannington have a special deal on this rare instrument for $4999.

The iPB-10 Programmable Pedalboard combines the simplicity of a pedalboard with the flexibility of a multi-effects unit by utilizing iPad technology, allowing truly unique creation and control of guitar effects.

The iPB-10 allows guitarists to create their ultimate pedalboard, all on an iPad. Up to 10 different pedals, can be dragged and dropped in any order, to the pedalboard. An amp and cabinet model can also be added to each setup. There are 87 different pedals, 54 amps, and 26 cabinets to choose from. All adjustments to rearrange pedals, turn them on and off, or to adjust their settings are made by swiping a finger across the iPad screen via the iPB-Nexus app, designed to build and control the pedalboard.

The iPB-10 retails for $749.

ISTOMP STOMPBOX

The iStomp works just like every other stompbox, with one unique and groundbreaking difference: players can completely change the iStomp to be any pedal in the entire pedal line, by connecting an iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad to the iStomp and selecting a pedal from the DigiTech Stomp Shop App. Guitarists can change the iStomp from a distortion to a reverb, a phaser to an overdrive, a delay to a chorus, anything that takes the user’s fancy. The iStomp includes DigiTech’s Total Recall digital delay and Redline overdrive to get players started.

The iStomp technology allows players to test run pedals with their own gear before purchasing, a feat previously only achievable by inconveniently lugging guitars and amps to music stores. Through the app, users can listen to a demo of all the pedals but unlike all other stompboxes any effect can be loaded into the iStomp for five minutes to see how the pedal sounds through individual players’ rigs and setups.

Check with your favourite DigiTech dealer for i-Stomp price and availability.

Dean Usa Razorback Rust Tribute Guitar

PRIMACOUSTIC LONDON 8 ROOM KIT

iStomp Stompbox

The Broadway London 8 room kit is designed for small rooms. Ideally suited for home studios, these kits are an affordable way to start the acoustic treatment of a home studio. The panels are made from high-density fibreglass, offering nearly five times greater absorption than typical low cost foam alternatives. This means that more absorption with less panels, while assuring an even absorption curve throughout the frequency range. The London 8 room kit is available in three fabric colours to help match the panels to various rooms. The only thing that the kit doesn’t seem to have included is a rough guide of where to place the panels for the less-experienced home engineer / producer. The London 8 Room Kit retails for $399.

Many thanks to Guitar World for letting us review their products.

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MUSIC ROCKS AUSTRALIA

APPRECIATE MUSIC THE LOWDOWN: Catering to beginners and advanced students alike, Appreciate Music run four different courses with a practical and relevant approach to developing music theory, harmony and composition skills. Each of the courses runs over 10 weeks and class numbers are limited to ensure facilitators are able to address the needs of individual participants.

Class Act

Combining first-rate music instruction with an ‘all-inclusive’ ethos, Music Rocks Australia is bringing musicians from different backgrounds together to experience the joys of music.

JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD reports.

The brainchild of lifelong music educator Dean Blanchard, Music Rocks Australia (MRA) is a revolutionary music education program dedicated to offering the encouragement and support that will allow musical gifts to surface and grow in the full spectrum of music forms.

After a successful career developing contemporary music programs for the public school system in WA, it became apparent to Blanchard that the academic approach most school systems employ could not reach the bulk of young people who would most benefit from music participation.

“I noticed there was this whole bunch of kids with long hair who listened to Metallica, and kids with hats who were really into hip hop who had a passion for music but just didn’t want to engage with it at school,” Blanchard says.

Using music as a tool for inspiration and skills, MRA are aiming to create “the world’s most inspiring music experience for young people”.

“We go ‘bang, you wanna be in a band?

We’ll put you in a band.’” Blanchard says, “They choose the songs. We don’t have a repertoire. That’s the big difference.”

Blanchard and his team of educators have ensured an all-inclusive program for students, which encourages exploration and takes individual interests and abilities into consideration.

“We really do operate in a different world

www.xpressmag.com.au

Dean Blanchard and some of his students

THE DIFFERENCE: Theory is often a neglected component of music yet it is essential to success.

Appreciate Music’s harmony and composition classes not only teach students how to understand and appreciate the function of chord progressions, but also give students the opportunity to write their own piece, have it performed by professional musicians, and take away a recording to share with friends and family.

LOCATION: University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley from all other music programs. Everyone’s benefits and WEBSITE: appreciatemusic.com.au we can guarantee success for elite young musicians, CONTACT: 0400 120 375 to absolute beginners,” Blanchard says. “There is no audition and we get results for performance quickly for those without experience or who don’t normally get a shot. Even at the beginners level we are world class.”

Blanchard is quick to point out that MRA can also help established musicians and already-formed THE LOWDOWN: Dedicated to developing top local bands by providing access to quality equipment, young talent, Castlerock Institute of Music specialises in all aspects of music; from teaching beginners how state of the art recording facilities and support.

“The hardest thing for [young musicians] to play their first instrument, to recording their first is keeping a band together. If someone in your band professional music video. Whether you’re a beginner leaves we can help find a replacement,” Blanchard says. learning your first instrument or an experienced “We’re also about to become a recording label. We professional looking for something new, Castlerock are coaching [young musicians] through the whole have the knowledge to help you succeed. process and we’ve got a producer to hold their hand.

THE DIFFERENCE: Castlerock Institute of Music We’re building a bridge between each person and [the runs a number certificate courses in Music Business, recording process],” Blanchard says. “We have a way to Music Performance, Technical Production which record each and every person for $80 a day.” makes them the perfect educators for those looking MRA’s policy of “every child, every time” to carve a career in the music business. Castlerock ensures that everyone who participates in the program also perform a number different non-accredited will be able to showcase their newly acquired skills at educational workshops to help students learn how an MRA event. Past events have been held at some of to use and operate professional stage and recording WA’s best music venues, including The Ellington Jazz equipment. Some of their workshops include lighting Club, The Astor Theatre, The Civic Hotel and The Shed. workshops, recording workshops, musical workshops, “I’ve got students who’ve been with me for DJ workshops, and many more.

4-5 years and they’ve played every venue in town,” LOCATION: Unit 6/95 Dixon Road, Rockingham Blanchard says. “It takes the fear out of it. It’s a huge WEBSITE: castlerock.com.au confidence thing.”

CONTACT: (08) 9529 2021

CASTLEROCK INSTITUTE OF MUSIC

MUSIC ROCKS AUSTRALIA THE LOWDOWN: A vibrant centre of music education and research with strong ties to the community, MRA is a community music school offering individual instrument tuition, ensemble tuition, hip hop/DJ/song creation courses and song-writing courses.

THE DIFFERENCE: There is no audition required to gain entry to any of the programs run by Music Rocks Australia – all you need is a passion for music and the determination to succeed. The teaching system Music Rocks Australia have developed has guaranteed success for a range of young WA musicians – from elite performers, to entry level beginners. By providing exposure to a variety of musical instruments and styles, MRA aims to enhance students’ abilities as performers and lovers of music. These experiences include exciting performance and recording opportunities for student musicians.

LOCATION: Unit 2, 3 Bookham Street, Morley WEBSITE: musicrocks.com.au CONTACT: (08) 9275 2111

VIBRATIONS SCHOOL OF MUSIC THE LOWDOWN: Vibrations School Of Music offer guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, slide guitar, piano/ keyboards, vocals and drums tuition in all styles and techniques for students of all ages and levels of ability taught by some of WA’s best. Whether you want to hone your already existing skills, to pass a music exam, to progress through a grading method or simply learn a new instrument for fun, find out what playing drums is all about at the Southwest’s premier music school.

THE DIFFERENCE: There are a lot of things you can learn on your own, but nothing beats the knowledge, goal-setting and motivation dedicated teachers can provide. One-on-one classes are available to ensure students of all ages are able to fit music lessons around their school, work and personal commitments.

LOCATION: 100 Spencer St, Bunbury WEBSITE: vibrationsmusic.com.au/school-of-music CONTACT: (08) 9792 4711

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X-Press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First on the street, Wednesdays

STUDIO SCENE To the aspiring rock-star who is blissfully unfamiliar with the recording studio, music is undoubtedly a lot of fun – until the idea of recording materialises. This natural transition from a general and “liquid” perception of a live sound to a “solid”, set in stone recording often proves to be an unexpectedly serious benchmark.

To complicate things further, today’s rapid diffusion of home recording gear is giving artists many options for recording their music and, as a consequence, musicians often seem quite confused about how to approach this essential stage of their career.

According to prominent local hip hop producer Darren Reutens (who has worked on albums with Hunter, Clandestien and Downsyde), there are many valid reasons to record at home over a professional studio. There are also many valid reasons to record in a real studio rather than

at a home studio. One must consider the pros and cons of each one and then decide which is best for the given situation.

“The benefit of home recording is the limitless time of changing parts after hearing your recording, [which means] you can fine tune the musical parts and arrangements, experiment with your equipment more, develop a close relationship with your gear and really begin to carve your own sound. The [downside] to that is that you may never finish anything, or find it hard to finish songs. It’s quite easy to get lost in the technical aspects of the recording, and forget about actually writing a song,” Reutens says, adding that pricey pieces of gear shouldn’t get between you and great recordings: “A lot of great music doesn’t get released for fear of not sounding technically standard. That’s a waste.”

So why is it that most home recordings do not sound anything like those done in professional music production studios? The answer lies mostly in the lack of professional recording experience, understanding of professional recording techniques, and how to build and use a properly designed, acoustically treated recording environment.

A professional recording engineer with a

Pro studio

Home studio minimum of equipment and resources will create an infinitely better recording than the amateur would in a state of the art music production studio.

Music production and engineering is an art form as much as the study of any instrument.

“The benefit of recording in a pro studio is the limitless universe of sound you can choose from. The disadvantage is choosing the sound. And your budget [may] force you to decide quickly and irrationally on something because you have a limit of time in the studio. Also, with a pro studio you’ll definitely need a pro engineer and possibly a pro producer if you’re not too focused on what you really want. Outsiders help because they have gone through the trials and tribulations. It also helps as they can guide you to your goal quicker.

The trade off is that you need to pay them for the experience,” Reutens says.

Since both systems have their advantages and disadvantages, one can determine that a combination of those ideals are best. Many people will record scratch tracks (or jam tracks) and then start the basic recording process on their own.

Then they will go to a pro studio to record more difficult things like drums, piano and vocals. They often mix in the pro studio as well.

Some people find it best to record their whole album in a commercial setting to speed the process up and then take the raw tracks back to their home studio to mix. Many people do the initial tracking such as guitar, bass, drums and vocals at a large studio and then go to a home studio to do the more time consuming overdubs.

As Reutens attests, there are infinite variations to these approaches. What you chose is purely up to you. Just remember that you have to live with the results. “I can tell you that from my experience we are always trying new ways or steps to record as its part of the fun,” he concludes. “It’s art. You get purists and snobs, and people who do it for fun...it differs from muso to muso.” _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

GET CREATIVE WITH THE COCKBURN YOUTH CENTRE It is not always possible to get an established music venue to perform, but there are plenty of other options if you are willing to take a different approach to where your music could be heard.

If you’re looking for a unique space to utilise for your upcoming gig, rehearsal or album launch The City of Cockburn’s Youth Centre has got you covered with two great new spaces which are ideal for performing and music making. Musicians can hire the soundproof recording studio that’s been decked out with professional editing and recording equipment, perfect for those artists who want to get their music out there. Located at 25 Wentworth Parade in Success, the Youth Centre also offers music classes and a jam room for hire so that you and your band can rehearse and refine your skills.

If it’s the performing side of things that you’re into, the Mooditj Mia performance hall provides an excellent space for all types of theatre performances and music events. It’s been kitted out with stage lighting and a local sound engineer is available on request to help you take your live show to the next level. Catering to all age groups, this hall can fit up to 400 people and promotes all events as drug and alcohol free.

If these spaces sound like what you need to make the magic happen and get your music heard, don’t hesitate to call the Cockburn Youth Centre on (08) 9411 3888 or email youth@ cockburn.wa.gov.au to find out more info, including pricing rates. www.xpressmag.com.au

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FEATURES

BEGINNER’S LUCK An Equipment Start-up Guide for New Musicians So it’s 2012, you’ve put it off for years; this is the year you are finally going to take up an instrument. Where to start? With numerous retail outlets to visit and more products on offer than ever before, choosing your first instrument can be confusing. However, having a clear idea of what your short-term and long-term goals are for your chosen instrument can really help pinpoint the product that is best for you. CHRIS GIBBS reports.

GUITAR AND BASS

Local punk rockers Golden Staph play Dadas (photo: Daniel Grant)

GAGGING FOR A GIG? Tasty Tips To Take That Step

So anyone can play guitar, right? But getting a chance to play your chosen passion on a stage, in front of warm bodies and eager ears can be daunting to most people. Fortunately it’s not as difficult as it might appear, with the friendly and fertile music scene in Perth an open door to anyone with something to say.

TOM VARIAN runs through a few key tips in knowing where to start, and how to keep getting those repeat gigs.

Today it has never been easier to record yourself or your band at some sort of demo level, so there is no good reason to not give it a crack. Emailing a booker a quick file showing your sound, and that you don’t just fart in to the microphone for 45 minutes, can definitely get you in to a lot more doors. Whether you just record a live take of you guys jamming, or spend the weekend doing some rough tracking and mixing, it’s a painless and fun exercise that can only push you forward.

Get to know the bookers. Perth is obviously a small city, most people living here would call it more of a large country town, with a ridiculously low degree of separation between people. The live music scene is no different, with not only limited venues in Perth taking original, local acts, but even less people are acting as bookers for these venues. You burn one bridge in Perth, and it can have real repercussions in you getting gigs. Even if some bookers in Perth are tools, naming no names, you have to bite your tongue and deal with it. But get on their good side as a band that can pull a crowd and they will be emailing you with offers.

Which leads me to lesson two; treat the Perth scene like a family. It’s a simple rule, but treat other acts as you’d want to be treated. One

way to get a gig is to put on the night yourself.

Organising the support acts, door bitch and possibly equipment. But unless you want to be working your ass off at every gig, you’ll be wanting other acts to put you on their line-up. So make sure when you put a gig on, you choose support acts that are strong enough to do their own shows and in turn invite you to play at their gigs. Treat ‘em nice, play with ‘em twice. As the saying I literally just made up goes.

Though Perth doesn’t have near the countless bars that, say, Melbourne has, we do have the advantage of a small pond to dip in to.

In a smaller pond it is far easier for the fish to stick out, no matter what their size. After only a few months of gigging in Perth, you get a good handle on all the players, venues and bookers that are part of the scene. But on the flip side if you act like a douche bag your reputation will very quickly spread.

That first step may just be a few nights at local open mic nights. This is a great way to network with other newbies and lets you pick the brain of the open mic organiser, who may book paying gigs. Be friendly, smile on stage and fake confidence. You’ll get there, tiny dancer.

ONLINE OR OFFLINE That Is The Question When looking to purchase your next piece of gear is it better to hit the stores or stay indoors? TOM VARIAN offers side-by-side comparison of online stores versus retail outlets.

Buying online is quickly becoming the most popular way for Aussies to shop. The next few years will see a lot of electronic stores in particular shutting down, with Dick Smith already announcing closing down many stores this year. But is buying online the end of the story? Or will specialist items, such as musical instruments, always have a place on our streets, where novices can enter and pick the brains of a professional?

Sure, there are large savings to be made buying certain items online, there is just no way around that fact. But the internet doesn’t let you hold that Les Paul Custom. Or feel the weighted keys of an electric piano, or hear just how god damn loud you can get that Vox AC30. You can’t ask eBay what drum kit would suit a beginner or what guitar string gauge would be right for your experience and playing style, and get a nice friendly answer.

And we can’t forget that music stores are just plain cool. Generally speaking, the guys who work at music stores are local musicians, with a passion for the scene and years of experience to consult. They aren’t some sales-boy from Faceless Mega Outlet who just want to get you out the door with less money than you entered. I’ve had nothing 46

but good experiences at music stores and dropped in to my local guitar store way more than necessary.

Guitar stores, and most music stores in general, are these magical playgrounds where, if you ask nicely, you can play any damn guitar or amp combo in the store. Hell, you could probably go in every day and practice guitar for two hours with no one telling you to buy something or get out. But don’t quote me on that. More to the point is that test driving an instrument can be just as important as test driving a new car.

However, let’s get down to the heart of the matter – money. In this economic climate money saving is definitely a growing trend.

Shopping online is one way Australians have found to get around the “Australian Tax”. You know, that premium price put on every product in Australia.

Unfortunately musical instruments are considerably cheaper in the US. But if you patron the same store frequently, you’ll likely get a regulars discount that helps line the prices up with online.

One large advantage so called ‘brick and mortar’ stores have over websites is your warranty.

Instruments are usually expensive things with lots of moving parts. If you have something go wrong with any part of it, the convenience and ease of just taking it back to the store you bought it from is a large advantage over having to call or email an online store or directly to the manufacturer to get some answers.

It may be a hard road for stores, but the expertise of your favourite, long-haired, music store employee will always be in demand. And so it should.

Guitar can be one of the trickiest instrument to start up on, not only because of the relative physical difficulty of generating notes and chords compared to some other instruments, but also because of the sheer diversity of products available. Basically, a beginning guitarist has three choices: classical, steel–string acoustic or electric guitars. All three types of guitar are available from many brands in packages that include the basic accessories required for the chosen instrument; for example electronic tuners, lesson books or DVDs, guitar picks, leads, straps, and spare strings. A package is the most economical way to purchase a first guitar, and the accessories included from competing brands will vary slightly.

There has long been a belief that beginners should start on a classical guitar, then work their way up to another instrument of choice when basic skills have been developed. Classical guitars are a little easier on the fingers due to nylon strings.They are available in different sizes, making them a good choice for young beginners or smaller-framed adults.

A steel-string acoustic guitars is a good choice for the musical all-rounder, as the general tonality of this instrument lends itself to countless genres of music. The main thing for beginners to be wary of is that although the neck tends to be thinner and easier to manage than a full size classical guitar, the steel strings and higher string tension is a lot harder on the fingers.

In basic terms, an electric guitar has one main difference to the guitars previously mentioned: the need for amplification. Electric guitars also have relatively small bodies, making them a god choice for players of all sizes.

Bass is a much simpler option choice-wise for the beginner and a potentially lucrative option as there are much less bassists in the industry than guitarists,

creating a higher demand for good players. As acoustic basses tend to be rare, and upright basses tend to be an instrument that at bassist would switch to, rather than begin on, an electric bass package is the way to go.

KEYBOARDS

One huge advantage for the musician beginning on keyboard is the ‘instant’ ability to generate a clear note.

Unlike guitar which requires a fair bit of finger and hand manipulation, a pressed key on a keyboard will deliver a correct note first time. So in terms of cultivating general enthusiasm, keyboards are a great choice for beginners.

At entry level, an important feature is ‘touch response’, a feature in which the keyboard responds in volume depending on the strength of attack when playing, creating more realistic dynamics. Keep in mind that these instruments tend to require fewer accessories and as a result aren’t as often offered in packages, so generally a power adaptor, keyboard stand and stool will usually need to be factored into purchasing budgets.

DRUMS

Beginning drummers tend to have a wealth of choices for a first kit. Basically, a starter kit will tend to include a five-piece drum kit (bass drum, snare drum, and three toms), a hi-hat with stand and at least one cymbal with stand (usually a crash cymbal). The two most popular sizes for starter kits are ‘rock’ (22 inch bass drum with larger toms) and ‘fusion’ (20 inch bass drum with smaller toms), although the names of each size do not necessarily reflect what can or should be played on either kit. Both kits are considered full-size, however smaller and younger players may find the reach easier on a fusion kit, and very young players have the option of purchasing even smaller junior kits.

Cherri Bomb

CHERRI BOMB

gone from strength to strength – releasing their EP Stark, signing to Hollywood Records, playing some of the biggest festivals in Europe and scoring support slots for some of the biggest names in the rock world right now.

“We’ve played with some pretty huge rock bands and some of our biggest musical inspirations – Smashing Pumpkins, Filter, Foo Fighters,”Lovelis attests, adding: “ Actually, one time right before the show we had dinner with the guys from Foo Fighters. Besides completely sweet,they gave us some great advice Taken under the wing of superstar being and were really open with us and shared some stories drummer Samantha Maloney (Hole, from the road. It was surreal and totally awesome.”

Yet while Dave Grohl and co have Mötley Crüe, Chelsea Girls), teen rockers shown their support for the young quartet, Lovelis Cherri Bomb are blazing a serious admits her band has had to deal with some rock ‘n’ roll trail that bands of any tough scrutiny from other established outfits. is sometimes hard to be taken seriously, age would be lucky to follow. Ahead but we love“It pushing ourselves. It’s a motivator. We of their performance at Soundwave love a challenge, so whenever someone tells us ‘no you can’t do that because you’re too young’ or 2012 JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD ‘no you can’t do that because you’re girls’ we love to caught up with drummer Nia Lovelis, be able to prove them wrong,” she says. “The other thing about having Sam as our manager is who explained the importance of great that she’s been up against all of the things we’ll mentorship for young musicians. encounter being young, female musicians. She tells us stories about combating people’s lowered With an average age of just 13 years old, all-girl rock expectations of girls in bands, and the criticism quartet Cherri Bomb has been touted as “Rock’s New we can expect. She is an incredible inspiration.”

Generation”thanks to their frenzied, muscular sound Lovelis also divulges it’s often difficult to and no-holds-barred live performances, but as balance band related duties with their school work. drummer Nia Lovelis attests, the young band would “It’s hard work but we just take it a day at have never been able to get where they are today with out the support of their mentor Samantha Maloney. a time to stay on top of all of the work. It was really “My mom and Sam were friends and played hard while we were travelling on the road, all of music together years ago in New York. Sam heard us being cramped in a little van and trying to get about our band and what we were up to and actually homework done,” she concludes.“A lot of our friends asked us to open for her band The Chelsea Girls,”Lovelis say, ‘Wow, it must be so cool to be in a band!’, and it says.“At that point I remember thinking ‘wouldn’t it be totally is, but it’s also a ton of work and pressure to great to have Sam as a mentor to show us the ropes?’” keep your grades up while doing what you love. But Under Maloney’s mentorship, the girls have we wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Bombs Away

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Classifieds and Music Services Hotline: 9213 2888 Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Deadline: 4pm Monday Credit cards welcome

DANCE CLASSES BELLYDANCE CENTRAL CLASSES Free class Fri 27th Jan. Special fun beginners courses. Term 1 starts Mon 30 Jan. For brochure, info & free class invite shaheena@iinet.net.au 0409 511 125. www. bellydancecentral.com.au HAIR, HEALTH & HAPPINESS DOTTIE’S, BRAIDS & DREADS. Specialise in Dreads/Ext/Maint, Weaves, Braids, Cornrows etc. Working 7 days & some evenings. For app call 0414 082 993.

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CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551 PA HIRE FX Lights club to concert size.Pro Equipment www.perthconcertsound. com.au.. Ph 9307 8594 / mob 0404 410 020 / 9309 6219 RECORDING STUDIOS A L A N D A W S O N ’s W I T Z E N D 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

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X-Press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First on the street, Wednesdays