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WAM CAM
Photographers, get your Photoshop on as Kiss My Camera is returning as part of the 2012 WAMi Festival. The annual theme of ‘WA original music’ returns as this year will see the top 50 images displayed at the WA Museum before travelling down to Albany. They will also be in the running to win either ‘Best Live Image’ or ‘Best Portrait’. To submit your finest snaps, head to wam.asn.au/KMCsubmissions. Speaking of WAM, head to the Rosemount Hotel on Monday, March 26, for the WAM Workshop & Music Industry Sundowner 2012 Series Launch, presented by Creative Legal’s Michael Tucak. It kicks off at 6pm.
Darkest Hour
BEING HUMAN
Washington DC metalcore champs Darkest Hour are seven albums into their legacy of brutality, and return to assault ears and melt minds with their latest studio offering The Human Romance. The metal bruisers will bring the full force of metal to venues across the country throughout May, when they join DevilDriver on their highly-anticipated national tour. Both brutal bands play Capitol on Wednesday, May 9. Tickets are available through Moshtix.
The Medics
I WANNA GO SURFING
Margaret River is alive with the sound of music and surfing this weekend as the Telstra Drug Aware Pro Concert bring live music to the coastal town with Margies, which hits up Margaret River Football Club, located at Gloucester Park. One of the busiest Aussie bands of the year in Regurgitator head up the show, fresh from appearances at Southbound and the Big Day Out. What will they wear? Joining them are The Medics, Full Tote Odds, Cowtown and Stillwater Giants, who have been mentioned twice on this page. Tickets from Moshtix.
PLAY BALL
The Mission In Motion
MISSION CONTROL
With their single Control all over the Triple J airwaves right about now, The Mission In Motion are taking the lessons learned from their spot on the Soundwave Festival and incorporating them into their own headlining tour, dubbed the All Work No Pay Tour. Don’t let the name fool you as it does cost money to get into the shows, which hits Amplifier on Saturday, June 9; and the Newport on Sunday, June 10. Tickets from Oztix and Moshtix.
NO NAVY
Taking place at Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre this Sunday, March 25, Sets On The Beach Volume 7 will no longer feature New Navy, who had had to pull out after coming down with a case of“unforeseen circumstances”. Fear not though, as The Aston Shuffle, Yacht Club DJs, Ajax, Sampology, Canyons and a super special replacement are still on the bill. We hear buff dudes in little shorts have also been forced to pull out.
Bringing their quirky brand of indie music to audiences nationally on their 180 Degree Tour is Ball Park Music, and they’ve just announced their support bands. Fellow Brisbanites Cub Scouts and Margaret River/UWA heroes Stillwater Giants have been added to the dates, which hits Amplifier on Saturday, April 7; and The Newport on Sunday, April 8. Tickets from Oztix, Moshtix and Heatseeker. Ball Park will also be playing Groovin The Moo in Bunno on Saturday, May 19. Huzzah!
THE LONDON LOOK
N’fa Jones, best known as the frontman of genre bending hip hoppers 1200 Techniques, is back with a new EP in hand, Babylondon. You would have heard him already, with recent collaborations on Drapht’s Bali Party (taken from the AIR and ARIA award winning album The Life Of Riley), as well as with 360 on a deeper album cut Hope You Don’t Mind (from Falling & Flying). Get set to wrap your ears around Jones’fat bass-driven beats and cool melodies when he hits The Manor in Leederville on Friday, March 30. DJ Charlie Bucket will also be spinning tunes throughout the evening. Tickets are available from Moshtix.
CHUBBY CHASERS
To celebrate their first year in the biz, Fat Shans are holding a big sexy party this Saturday, March 24, with an incredible line-up of inarguably some of the best bands Perth has to offer. The all-killer-no-filler line-up includes The Chemist, The Floors, The Novocaines, The Seals, Sonpsilo Circus and High Horse. Doors open at 8pm and pre-sale tickets are a mere $10 from fatshanrecords.com.
10 Music: The Shins 12 Music: Hoodoo Gurus 14 Music: Yes/Snakadaktal 16 Music: Heytesburg/ Sincerely Grizzly/ Lou
19 Eye4: FotoFreo 20 Eye4 News 21 Movies: The Raid/Gareth Evans 22 Eye4 Music/ Movie: Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 23 Lifestyle 24 Arts Listings 25 Arts Stories 27 Salt: Hilltop Hoods 28 Salt News 29 Salt: Cult Nice & Sugar Ray/D Minx/ Aqua Live 30 Clubbers Guide 32 Live 34 Pub Blurbs 35 Local Scene 37 Good Sports 42 Tour Trails 44 Gig Guide 46 Classifieds
Cover: The Shins’ latest record Port Of Morrow is out now
Salt Cover: Hilltop Hoods have a new album out, and they headline the Groovin’ The Moo festival
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OUT OF THE ORD-INARY
Set to return for its 11th year, the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster will be the biggest it has ever been. Beginning as just a one night affair, it has now grown to a 10 day long festival including the Airnorth Kimberley Moon Experience, which takes place on Saturday, June 2, at the Jim Hughes Amphitheatre. Who is playing this one of a kind show in the Kimberley you ask? None other than Australia’s favourite son Paul Kelly, along with Kasey Chambers, The Black Sorrows, Justin Walshe, Rachel Gorman and Albert Wiggan. Other events taking place at the Muster between Friday, May 25, and Sunday, June 3, include a cooking session with Poh from MasterChef, rodeos, mining tours, concerts and movies as well as many other events. Head to ordvalleymuster.com.au for more details and ticketing information.
OCARINA OF TIME
After extensive touring with some of the world’s best in funk, reggae, soul and everything in between, muso Jay Hoad is back on home shores and headed to WA to play one massive tour, showcasing his individual style, which features him and no less than 17 instruments - including an ocarina! It kicks off at Mojos with Rosie Burgess Trio on Wednesday, March 28; then takes in Denmark Civic Centre on Friday, March 30; Healthy Buddha Denmark on Saturday, March 31; The White Star Albany on Sunday, April 1; Clancy’s Freo on Saturday, April 7; Dunsborough Tavern on Sunday, April 8; Prince Of Wales on Thursday, April 12; Espy in Busselton on Friday, April 13; Swan Basement on Saturday, April 14; Newport Hotel on Sunday, April 15; Mojos again on Wednesday April 18; Mustang Bar on Thursday, April 19; Dunsborough Tavern on Friday, April 20.; Settlers Tavern on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22; Gypsy Tapas House on Thursday, April 26; Velvet Lounge on Friday, April 27; and The Indi Bar on Sunday, April 29. Yep, that’s a tour alright.
RIP GARY CORNELL
Barlow/ Blitzen Trapper 17 New Noise
Paul Kelly
BIGGER THAN JESUS It was in 1991 that The Simpsons first aired in Australia and so begun a personal love affair with the greatest television show of all-time. As is the case with the life of a human, after a lull in it’s teens, The Simpsons has again beome relevant now that it’s in its twenties. Tonight on a channel known as ‘Eleven’, The Simpsons’ 500th episode will make its Australian premiere, and to commemorate the occasion, here’s our top 10 list of quotable quotes from The Simpsons: 1. Bart: “I’m through with working, working is for chumps.” Homer: “Son I’m proud of you, I was twice your age before I figured that out.” 2. Homer: “Kids, you tried your best, and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.” 3. Lionel Hutz:“This is the greatest case of false advertising I’ve seen since my suit against the movie The Never Ending Story.” 4. Lionel Hutz: “Well, he’s kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace “accidentally” with “repeatedly” and replace “dog” with “son.” 5. Mr Burns: “You there, fill it up with petroleum distillate, and re-vulcanise my tires, posthaste.” 6. Chief Wiggum: “I hope this has taught you kids a lesson: kids never learn.” 7. Homer: “Son, when you participate in sporting events, it’s not whether you win or lose: it’s how drunk you get.” 8. Homer: “You don’t win friends with salad.” 9. Kent Brockman:“…And the fluffy kitten played with that ball of string all through the night. On a lighter note, a Kwik-E-Mart clerk was brutally murdered last night.” 10. Homer: “Son, a woman is like a beer. They smell good, they look good, you’d step over your own mother just to get one! But you can’t stop at one. You wanna drink another woman!”
The Poor
MORE WINE
Having reignited the smoldering embers into a blazing rock fireball, The Poor bring their incomparable killer rock style back to WA for a special one-off show on Sunday, May 20, at The Newport. Local punters may remember the outfit’s frontman Skenie, who fronted the Bon Scott Tribute to a packed house at Metropolis Fremantle last July. In support on this rock extravaganza are local hard rockers Emerald City, riotous riffers the Rogue Sharks as well as one lucky band who wins the chance to open the show. To claim the spot, just email info on your band and a link to your website/ Facebook to championmusic.perth@gmail.com. The top four acts will then be listed on The Newport Hotel’s Facebook page and the band with the most public votes/likes will get the slot. Deadline for submissions is Monday, April 2.
HOOKER CHAINSAW MASSACRE
The almightyhard rockers known as Chainsaw Hookers have announced the details of their debut self-titled album launch. It’s all set to go down at Rocket Room on Friday, April 20, with help from Blazin’ Entrails, Silver Lizard and Wizard Sleeve. Between now and then, though, you can catch the four-piece blood rockers at Black Betty’s on Thursday, March 23; at the Truckers & Trailer Trash Ball alongside The Devil Rides Out, The Dirty South and Guns Of August at the Fly By Night this Saturday, March 24; or supporting legendary punk band The Exploited if you happen to be on the east coast at the right time.
X-Press Magazine sends out our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Gary Cornell, who passed away over the weekend at age 34. Cornell was known around the Perth music scene for his tireless work in such bands as Pyramid Of The Coyote and, prior to that, Lost Saints, Ben Blend, Rotary 10, Loud Howard, Money Shot, Alias J, Self Made Guru, Newline and Rubber Fox - not to mention Grovelands Primary Choir & Orchestra, Dale Christian Choir, Emmaus Christian School Orchestra and Kelmscott Senior High School Band. He also recently delved into promoting up-andcoming bands through Gary Cornell Presents.
DREAM WEAVER
Fresh from completing international touring duties off the back of their August-released debut record Heartbound, Melbourne post-hardcore sextet Dream On Dreamer return to the west coast this May as part of their quest for world domination. Having impressed local music lovers during their epic midafternoon slot at this year’s Soundwave, the talented rockers are sure to attract a huge crowd to their show C5 (Metropolis Fremantle) on Friday, May 18, and Amplifier on Saturday, May 19; and their all ages show YMCA HQ on Sunday, May 20. Head over to Moshtix quick sticks to make sure you get a ticket before they are all snapped up.
ALL THAT JAZZ
World renowned jazz legend James Morrison is set to put a swing in your step when he hits the Mundaring Weir Hotel this Saturday, March 24. A virtuoso in the true sense of the word, this multi-instrumentalist plays trumpet, trombone, euphonium, flugel horn, tuba, saxophones and piano, and will showcase a selection of his Motowninfluenced tunes during the intimate one-off show. A limited number of tickets are still available from the Mundaring Weir Hotel website. For further information regarding the event and tickets sales please visit mundaringweirhotel.com.au. 7
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.
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Dave Guetta playing Creamfields
CREAMFIELDS
Creamfields Australia returns in 2012 with quite simply the world’s most in-demand DJ, producer and superstar - David Guetta. Creamfields also brings its best lineup so far featuring Dirty South, Alesso, Excision, Giuseppe Ottaviano, Vitalic, Shockone and many more. This is guaranteed to be one kick ass event and we have two double passes to giveaway! Get in now as you will not want to miss this one.
RNB SUPERCLUB
Sony Music and Platinum One Entertainment are proud to announce the release of RnB Superclub 10 Year Anniversary Edition CD. This triple CD compilation is packed with the hottest club hits from the past decade. Mixed by the original RnB Superclub team; DJs Def Rok, G-Wizard, Kevin Watts, Lilo and Troy T with special guest hypeman, MC Jayson. We have five CDs up for grabs so get in now for your chance to snag a copy!
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MINISTRY OF SOUND DUBSTEP VOL. 3
Set to unleash sonic fury upon the world once again with another serving of dubbed out madness, Ministry of Sound have scoured the underground rave caves and warehouse sweat outs of the world to bring you our biggest dubstep album ever - Sound of Dubstep Vol. 3. Get in now for your chance to snag one of five copies we have to giveaway.
Rooftop Movies
ROOFTOP MOVIES
From the producers of the Fringe World Festival comes an elevated new offering to the Perth menu: Rooftop Movies - a pop-up oasis in the heart of the CBD. Rooftop Movies will screen classic, cult movies amd recent releases until the end of April. Special events include Bulmer’s Comedy Wednesdays, Friday and Saturday Double Features and Stella Artois Sunday Classics. Want to win tickets? Well enter now as we have five double passes up for grabs.
Moonlight Cinemas
MOONLIGHT CINEMAS
The Kings Park Moonlight Cinemas is the perfect way to spend a summer’s night under the stars watching the latest films as well as many favourite classics. We have a bunch of double passes to giveaway so get in now and you could be a lucky winner.
GET YOUR MINX ON
Sydney based lass DJ Minx took out the She Can DJ Competition in Sydney last year and now, she’s just released her debut compilation called She Can DJ Presents Minx. It’s a massive big room house compilation featuring tracks from Swedish House Mafia, Alesso, Benny Benassi, Avicii, Calvin Harris and even an original by Minx herself. Minx has smashed out sets at Good Vibrations, Future Music Festival, We Love Sounds, Parklife and V Festival. If you want to get your Minx on, we’ve got copies of her compilation to giveaway. Get in now.
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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
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The Norfolk Basement reaches the 10 year milestone later this month and here in the X-Press office we’ve been reminiscing about some of the best bands we’ve heard and gigs we’ve been to at Freo’s own cellar full of noise! Here’s what our Facebook friends had to say about fondest/craziest/best memories from the Norfolk Basement over the years…
NINETIES NONSENSE
Kate Kill Devil Hills on NYE in 2006 (I think). And Mink Mussel Creek played the same night!
Brendon In Hearts Wake & Saviour :D
With The Vengaboys and Aqua having already packed out shows and S Club, Backstreet Boys and Eiffel 65 heading our way later this year, the decade that was the ‘90s might be making a comeback of sorts but that doesn’t mean you should give it a free pass. Just because you thought Barbie Girl was “the. best. song. ever” when you were 11 years old, doesn’t mean it holds up to today’s pop standards. Why not invest your time and money into go to see some bands that are actually producing fresh music? If people keep buying tickets to see these half-baked has-beens huff and puff their way through a lip-synched 40 minute set, that’s all we’re going to see. What next? Sisquo? B*Witched? Baha Men? I’m sure I’m not the only one who shudders to think what will be announced next.
Tahlia Eskimo Joe acoustic show - testing out new album
N. Carter Via Email
Joey Nick Oliveri solo show down there was awesome. Ryan I saw the Fuzz play there many moons ago. By far the most bombastic display of pure rock genius ever. Jeremy Nick Oliveri acoustic show!
Dear X-Press,
Kiri Guineafowl and Split Seconds were suh-weet!!!! Leanda Liam Finn with EJ Barnes (Jimmy Barnes’ daughter) and Angie Hart.
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together took him away from his acclaimed indie rock group – and eventually back to it. But the story starts a bit earlier, in high school. “I am somebody who is a fucking late bloomer. Like, fucking late,” Mercer laughs. “I was very shy in high school, then in my 20s I really locked down with a few very close friends. I held on tight to that small social group, which was my original band Flake, and the few people around us who I was able to relate to. In my 30s, I got signed – and suddenly I had to do things like this, have interviews like this, and it was terrifying. It’s social anxiety – I don’t know why some people have it and some don’t.” Mercer got used to his crippling fear of James Mercer’s life has turned interviews, but he never got over it. At first, he says, he feel his fingers; but after Oh, Inverted World a square since the 2007 release couldn’t was released in 2001, and he was forced to stare of The Shins’ last album. He tells down music journalists in every corner of the globe, numb terror subsided to an intense discomfort; SIMONE ULBALDI about a couple the he figured he was doing fine. Then, in 2008, Heath of significant events which have Ledger passed away and left a sea of bewildered him. shaped his new outlook on life. The friends to mourn “I was asked to go and sing at [Heath’s] Shins’ new album Port Of Morrow is memorial service in LA,” he explains. “I went down and they had me sing a Neil Young song. Sitting in the out now through Sony. audience and watching these people who were very close to Heath, what was revealed to me was that this Two important things happened to James Mercer person had lived so full-on, and really emotionally in the years since the last Shins album, Wincing The engaged a lot of people around him. He was very Night Away, was released. present, and they were very affected by his passing. Firstly, Heath Ledger died, and Mercer I realised at that moment that my memorial service, founded Broken Bells with producer Brian Burton if I was to have one, would not have felt that way, (aka Danger Mouse). As he explains it, one thing is because I was so closed off. It was really disturbing. I inextricably linked to the other, and those things was upset being there.
THE SHINS Love & Mercer
The Shins “When I started playing in the band and we were signed, I became challenged by new social engagements – and that was good for me,” Mercer continues. “Some people look at life and they kind of see it as a wonderful, fascinating thing to explore, almost as if they were in a video game or something: ‘This is your avatar, this is the world we’ve created for you; go, explore, and enjoy yourself’. I realised it was
much more than a game to me – way too much. I realised I really needed to figure this thing out and learn to open up.” When Mercer got home from LA, a friend called and invited him to go to Chile, hike through the wilderness of Patagonia and maybe make some music. He would have said no before Ledger’s funeral, but now he decided to say yes – and that made all the difference.
“I realised at that moment that my memorial service, if I was to have one, would not have felt that way, because I was so closed off. It was really disturbing.” “It was almost like setting a match to a bunch of dry grass where each blade sets light to the next,” he muses. “It was like a prod to me – don’t live your life [so] filled with fear and inside of yourself that you forget to actually experience life; you’ve got to break out of that. I wanted to connect with people, and you see people around you that do – they’re comfortable with other people and they have a charismatic way about them, like Heath – and you want that; but for whatever reason it doesn’t come naturally to you, and you have to practice. Honestly, it’s something that I wish someone had told me in my past. You feel that fear, you feel that push to introvert, but the thing you need to understand is that…it is unhealthy to close yourself off from other human beings; you are a social creature and that’s in your genetics… Saying yes to things and going and doing things… It’s uncomfortable at first, but you just get better.” When Mercer got back from Chile, Brian Burton asked him to start a band, and he said yes again. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to make another Shins record, and this was an opportunity to step outside that world, and see if he coped. Touring the world with Broken Bells, off the back of their selftitled 2010 album, Mercer found he did just fine. More than that, he realised that the world is filled with kind, talented people who are worth getting to know. “I feel like there was a dependence that I had on the social side of [having] my band-mates, you know, and it wasn’t healthy – not on my side. I relied on them too much. Once I realised that I could engage other people in this [creative] pursuit, it really was a strong draw. I explained this to them, and they’ve been supportive, which I really appreciate,” he says. The Shins has always been a James Mercer project, from the minute he holed up in his bedroom and committed the first demos to four-track tape; he writes the songs, he sets the creative direction. The cast of players that records with him and tours with him has shifted over the years, so there wasn’t much of a demand to go back to the band and start working again. In the end, Port Of Morrow came about because Mercer had drifted far enough away to feel like The Shins was less of a prison and more of a home – something he could change to reflect his newfound openness and the sense of opportunity he had found in the wider music community. As Mercer tells it, the album was born out of a much “happier and healthier” time of his life. “It’s always been about me trying to realise these songs with the people around me, but now the circle of people around me has grown,” he explains. “I have a lot of people around me now who are friendly and talented and I want to engage all of them as a collective to work on and contribute to The Shins’ music. I’m guessing that me writing all the songs alone is going to change in future; with all the people that I know now and the skill level and taste level that a lot of them have, I could see myself writing songs with a lot of these people – including the guys from The Shins. I’m in a more comfortable world now and I don’t want to hold it all to my chest anymore.” 10
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HOODOO GURUS Kings Of The Stoneage
The Hoodoo Gurus celebrate 30 years of recorded history in 2012 and to celebrate they hit the road and present a new album Gold Watch: 20 Golden Greats. CHRIS HAVERCROFT spoke to Dave Faulkner about the significance of three decades and his excitement for the Dig It Up tour, which takes in the Astor Theatre on Saturday, April 28, for a sold out show.
Hoodoo Gurus
The Hoodoo Gurus have been quiet by their standards over the past few years, but it hasn’t been a matter of the quartet lying in wait until they could unleash their big plans for their 30th year. Faulkner confirms that the band have always been an album to album proposition from day one. As nice as it is to have 30 years under their belts, it was never part of a greater plan. “We never thought that we would get the opportunity to be able to make an album and then some record company signed us up,” confesses Faulkner. “They were probably laughed at by the rest of the record industry at the time. It was always a mystery as to why they chose us, but thankfully they were proven to be correct and after we made the first album, we were able to make another one.”
The first album that Faulkner speaks of is of course, Stoneage Romeos – an album that holds it’s place towards the top of any ‘great Australian albums’ list. It is also the subject of the Dig It Up tour as the Hoodoo Gurus are about to play the album from start to finish and in its entirety for every night of the current tour. The album’s the one that many people talk to them about, so they have no hesitation in going back to where it all began after three decades. “If Stoneage Romeos is the album that people relate to that is fine. If that is the one they like, then that is the one they like but there has been plenty of things that we have done that we have been excited by since then. We don’t have a problem with Stoneage Romeos but it is not the only reason we continue to be the Hoodoo Gurus.
“It is a bit of a backhanded compliment when people say ‘that old chestnut’ if they like your early stuff. It’s like they are blaming you for no longer being the same artist or implying that you were good then but you aren’t now. I don’t think that they realise how that sounds to the people that they say it to. It’s the equivalent of me saying to someone that I prefer the way that they were in high school.” As well as dusting off their debut album, Hoodoo Gurus are being joined by some of their favourite bands as they trek across the country. The Perth leg of the Dig It Up tour will see them joined by the powerhouse combination of The Fleshtones and Redd Kross. Faulkner feels honoured to be able to share the stage with these revered outfits, but admits that the Hoodoo Gurus will need to bring their ‘A game’ every night or risk being blown away. “This tour is us teaming up with some of our favourite bands, but also some of the most intimidating bands on the planet.The Fleshtones and Redd Kross are two of the most exciting bands that I have ever seen, and I have seen a hell of a lot of great concerts. Those two bands in particular I find intimidating because they are incredible on stage and their music is amazing. The way that they perform it with 100 per cent energy, you cannot help but be moved. They are just that good. We thought, what could Hoodoo Gurus show people that they haven’t really seen and this was the only trick that I had left up my sleeve. I wouldn’t miss this concert for all the tea in china!”
“ It’s like they are blaming you for no longer being the same artist or implying that you were good then but you aren’t now. I don’t think that they realise how that sounds to the people that they say it to. It’s the equivalent of me saying to someone that I prefer the way that they were in high school.” Faulkner has been responsible for writing so many hit singles including What’s My Scene, Miss Freelove ’69, 1000 Miles Away and Bittersweet, that people often think that it is easy for him to churn out another song that will be plastered to the radio for years to come. This couldn’t be further from the truth for Faulkner who admits to labouring over tunes and just writing the types of songs that sound good to him and get him excited. “You don’t know when you are writing a song as to where it is going to end up. It is not until you play them live that you start to get feedback from observers that can give you some sort of measure,” he ponders. “Like Wow – Wipeout! we recorded thinking that we could make a bit of a racket and have some studio fun. It was back before B-sides were something that was never heard again, they were real collectors items so we didn’t just put on any throwaway rubbish. We were happy to have it as a B-side but we didn’t think it was a bad song. We didn’t have any ambitions for it, other than that. It wasn’t until the producer was at us to put it on the album Mars Needs Guitars, that we had our biggest hit.” Hoodoo Gurus relationship with radio has evolved over the years and in spite of having many a hit single and having their shows eagerly attended to this date, they don’t get as much airplay for more recent material as many fans believe they deserve. To show that things do indeed go full circle, the current single Use-By Date that Faulkner refers to as ‘obnoxious’ has been picked up by radio far and wide. “It is funny because in 1996 we had a song called Waking Up Tired which is a pretty good power pop song and when the record company went to one of the radio stations, the station director said ‘Have the Hoodoo Gurus decided to come in from the cold yet?’ All through our career, all of our albums have had hits, and yet radio is still deciding if we are the kind of band that they should be playing, so what can you say to that?”
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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YES
SNAKADAKTAL Red Lobsters
Triple J Unearthed High winners and all round nice young lads and lady Snakadaktal are heading out on their first national tour. Guitarist Sean Kelly takes some time out to chat to CHLOE PAPAS ahead of their show at Villa on Friday, March 30. Snakadaktal enjoyed a quick dash to national fame last year after winning Triple J’s revered Unearthed High competition, and have already wowed us with an initial EP jam-packed full of spaced-out, melancholic indie pop. The five-piece are taking some time out from school and uni this year to tour and record a new EP. “We’ve got a few tracks, and we’re working some more – we’re trying to figure out what kind of sound we want,” explains guitarist Sean Kelly. “We’re finding the structure of everything and getting some demos ready. After the tour we’re going to all sit down and record a new EP and record some new songs.” Though their debut self-titled EP was released in November last year, the video clip for single Carnival (Lobster Monsters) was only released a couple of weeks ago. It’s a great clip, but Kelly explains that they choose not to get too involved in the film-making process.
“Our only idea for it was for us to not be in it,” he exclaims.“We’re not actors or anything, so we want to give those opportunities to other people. Music is our place, and where we prefer to be.” When asked what the idea behind the bracketed ‘Lobster Monster’ is, Kelly laughs. “Lobster Monster is the idea of a nightmare, almost. You know how there’s always scary monsters in nightmares? Lobster Monster is like a reflection of that. The song is about the naive way of being scared over this innocent story. Lobster Monster is silly, so that’s why we stuck it on the end there.” Snakadaktal have been compared to everyone from Elbow to Florence + The Machine, but when asked the most cliché question of all – who are their influences – Kelly is stumped, and claims to not be able to answer for the whole band. However, when asked who the band would collaborate with if they had the chance, Kelly jumps at the chance to answer.
Maybe, No, Yes Snakadaktal “Tame Impala, they’re a band we all love. They changed the look of rock music in Australia. Australia’s been so dominated by the same type of rock music for years and years, and they jumped out there and changed everything. I’d just love to play with them one day or make something with them,“ he enthuses. Despite the fact that Snakadaktal won Unearthed High at a considerably young age, and have received consistent positive praise from critics since being placed in the scene, Kelly remains very selfdeprecating throughout the entire interview – which is both refreshing and a little odd. When asked what the best thing about being in a successful band is, Kelly denies all mentions of fame. “I wouldn’t say that we’re in a successful band,” he says. “I guess being able to play music, and hang out with your friends, and knowing that what you’re doing is not 100 per cent rubbish, as you always thought it was. It’s just really rewarding. The best part is being able to say, ‘Yeah, I don’t have to work full time, because I’m playing music.’ And everyone takes you seriously even though we’re not very good!”
Chris Squire has been making music and touring the world for over 40 years. An original founding member of legendary rock act Yes, he spoke to TOM VARIAN ahead of their show at the Riverside Theatre on Thursday, April 5.
Yes Progressive rock legends Yes are one of the longest serving bands in history. Formed in 1968 by bassist Chris Squire and original singer Jon Anderson, the band continue to tour today, a staggering 44 years later with 20 studio albums in their wake. “When we first started out in 1968 that was just prior to The Beatles breaking up, and I remember thinking at the time that if we can get a six year career, what The Beatles had, that would be fantastic,” reflects Squire. “I would have been amazed if someone said to me that you’ll still be together in 44 years time, but that’s what’s happened!” Seventeen musicians have been part of the band’s line-up over the long years, with their latest singer Benoît David falling ill just last month. A quick replacement had to be found, and thankfully for the sake of their visit to Australia, they were successful in their search. “Yeah he was in a Yes tribute band but he’s done other things in the music scene as well, such as singer for Glass Hammer,” says Squire. “I spoke to my friend Taylor Hawkins, from the Foo Fighters, who said ‘you really should try my buddy who I’ve known since we were five years old.’ I’d heard about him before and fortunately he was able to step in, so I’m glad it’s all come together.” Having released album #20 at the end of 2011, Fly From Here, fans are eager to get album #21 sooner than the 10 years gap that separated the last two LPs. “Yeah there are plans, just everything has been a bit shaky for the last month with the singer issue, but now that that’s been resolved I’d definitely like to do a new album and not wait as long as we did between the last two. Within the next year I would imagine we’ll start working on something,” confirms Squire. If wood could talk trees would be very annoying, but on the other hand Squire’s original 1964 Rickenbacker bass guitar would have over 40 years of stories, as its stuck with him and played every tour since day one. “I have other guitars that I use during the show but that’s still my main guitar that I play. Of course I’m very precious about it, but so far I’ve been lucky on planes, trains, cars and boats!” After touring for so long, has Squire got it down to a fine art? “When you go to places as many times as I have you get to know them very well, like most of the US cities we go to I’ve been going to since the ‘70s. I do always hope that the schedule allows us to be there for two or three days and absorb the city. I’ll have my family with me this time as well, which should be very nice,” he comments. “The music itself is what drives the whole thing and having a lot of faithful fans all over the world. It’s definitely quite an achievement to have infected that many lives,” laughing he corrects himself.“Affected not infected!” 14
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SINCERELY GRIZZLY Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Heytesburg
HEYTESBURG Industrial Revolution
Having completely redefined their sound for EP #2, Heytesburg frontman Nick Gardiner tells HAYLEY MIDDLETON about PYR, ahead of its launch at the Rosemount Hotel this Saturday, March 24. “We have always tried to be unique… we try and make everything different from what you would call the norm,” begins Heytesburg vocalist and guitarist Nick Gardiner. As Gardiner describes how even the band’s photography and artwork had to match their sound, it becomes apparent that Heytesburg is an experience, not just a band. “When we first started we were a post rock sound, but over the past couple of years we have leaned to our own style, writing shorter songs to condense the ideas in them,” says Gardiner. “We’ve developed something that is not really rock or post rock anymore, it’s more a mix of styles, like psychedelic and industrial.” And so was born the industrial revolution that is the band’s second sampling of work entitled PYR. “In terms of writing it’s largely about some sort of social commentary,” says Gardiner, and with lyrics such as “Hunter hunted, evolved beyond repair/ / left to rot till the primates do descend”, it becomes fairly obvious that the EP is designed to be a harrowing experience. The
theme is quite literally infected in every facet and follicle of this record. Recorded in Freo with Matt Gio, the guys had to look outside the box to record their tracks and ultimately define their sound, according to Gardiner. Their last EP was of a distinct Eastern influence and drew on a variety of world instruments but, with their fresh industrial rock direction, they needed something to set them apart this time. Queue the banging of metal bars on metal stools and the installation of microphones in various rooms of the recording studio to pick up the drums beats reflecting off the walls and you have that something extra; that something that simply furthers the industrial rock experience. “At times we want to be loud and in your face and other times we want to pull it back and be ambient and mysterious,” says Gardiner. That much you will see at Heytesburg’s EP launch this weekend; crescendos of deep and intense instrumentals paired with haunting vocals that will creep up on you and introduce you to the capabilities of industrial rock.
Adelaide alt-rockers Sincerely Grizzly have been gaining traction locally over the past year or so with their smart-rock vibe and accelerated style. Drummer Rowan Mount gives CHLOE PAPAS the lowdown on what they’re all about prior to their first ever Perth shows: Rosemount Hotel tonight, Wednesday, March 21; Ya Ya’s on Friday, March 23; and Saturday, March 24. Sincerely Grizzly’s Facebook page holds a rather lengthy and hilarious faux explanation about the origination of their band name that is definitely worth a read, but here at X-Press, we like to know the whole truth and nothing but the truth – so Rowan Mount gives it to us straight up. “There’s been a few stories and explanations given,” he begins. “Some of them are less true than others, but basically, my brother went on a holiday to Wisconsin. They have a museum there where they have an exhibit for Grizzly Adams – I’m not sure if you know the story. Anyway they had a letter of his there, that my brother saw and took a photo of, and it looks really cool – but the only thing you can make out in the entire letter is the signature at the bottom – ‘Sincerely Grizzly’.” The Adelaide locals have enjoyed a considerable amount of attention from critics for their recent single 21, a fast-paced, boisterous headbanger track. Triple J’s Dom Alessio in particular mentioned that it was a ‘solid piece of math rock’, so Mount gives us a quick translation. “Math rock is the kind of music you play because you’re trying to make it sound good for other people, but also it’s quite technical, so if there’s any other drummers in the place they raise their eyebrows and go ‘Oh, that’s cool’. It’s a little bit… not wanky, but it’s a kind of self-indulgent rock music that I guess people who get bored
Blitzen Trapper
BLITZEN TRAPPER
“People often describe us as an indie rock band, but I don’t really think we fit that mould,” guitarist/ keyboardist/melodica player Marty Marquis begins.“Eric [Early] our songwriter started off playing in country bands, which I think has leant our music an earthy tone, but I honestly think that our sound is best described as simply ‘American rock‘n’roll’. Sure, there are elements of certain songs which are folky, or psychedelic, or even kinda pop-rock, but we’re always going back to that core Americana sound. It’s what feels most natural to us.” As Marquis attests, Blitzen Trapper has always Drifting away from the had use for throwback rock rusticity, along with its trappings – harmonicas, banjos, finger-picked experimentalism which found them various guitars. “ There are cer tainly some stylistic the apple of many critics eye’s only trappings that are expected – especially in terms of two short years ago, Portland’s instrumentation – but I don’t think the genre really Blitzen Trapper have returned to directly influences out lyrical content. If anything, it’s the other way around – we write these lyrics about driving their alt-country roots on their sixth down highways, being on the road, going back to your LP American Goldwing. JENNIFER hometown, that kinda stuff, and then it just ends up sounding really typically Americana. Without meaning PETERSON-WARD caught up with to, we’re paying homage to the genre,” he says. “I think that ‘American music’ is tied to very them ahead of their slot at West Coast specific genres and styles: bluegrass music, country Blues ‘N Roots on Sunday, April 1. music, mountain music…and also R&B and hip hop, in terms of its lyrical approach. Like, if you think about Bouncing from folk rock to prog, psychedelic pop it country and Americana songs are just like any other to glam rock without breaking a sweat, Blitzen R&B song in terms of lyrics and emotion, except there Trapper’s genre-defying last album, Destroyer Of The are banjos on it.” Void, was the critics’ crush of 2010. Although Marquis admits he and his Yet while there was a restlessness to that bandmates “prefer” the intimate environments of record which indicated it wouldn’t be long before headlining shows over large-scale music festivals, he they struck out for new territory, the Portland outfit says the band is looking forward to heading to the west defied expectations and crafted a more mainstream, coast to play the West Coast Blues ‘N Roots Festival early harmonic-laden rock‘n’roll sound on their 2011 next month. follow-up American Goldwing. Shrugging off many “A lot of people come to our gigs expecting of Destroyer Of The Void’s juicier references, the sextet something artful, soft and folksy, but we’re really upbeat, moved ever deeper into heartland Americana, folk-pop it’s all very rock‘n’roll,” he concludes. “You can definitely and lush west coast soft rock. expect some hard-hitting duelling guitar rock.”
Americana Heroes
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Sincerely Grizzly easily tend to play around with, rather than just the straightforward standard four-four beat.” Mount explains that the band don’t subscribe to the standard rock style, and they try to aim a little higher in terms of messing around with tempo and trying out different techniques. He mentions Biffy Clyro, who are an obvious influence on Sincerely Grizzly’s musical approach. “If I was in a band where they wanted just a four-four rock beat all the time, it would drive me insane with boredom,” Mount reveals. “A lot of the time when we’re writing a new song – personally I write a part that I can’t quite actually play. At the moment we have a bit of a band crush on Biffy Clyro. That’s what I would say is a really good example of math rock; where you want to nod your head along to the music but you never quite know when to nod your head, because you can’t tell when the beat is coming around.” Sincerely Grizzly released an EP back in 2010, which is no longer available, and since then have only pumped out a few singles. But with a few shows with Texan rockers …And You Will Know Us By the Trail Of Our Dead, plus a bunch of local touring and ripper reviews under their belts, there’s no doubt that the trio will be heading into the studio soon. But when? “That’s a very good question,” Mount answers. “As soon as we find some time! We haven’t been in the studio since we released the single, but we’ve been writing a whole bunch of awesome new stuff. So we’re pretty keen to get that out there as soon as possible.”
Lou Barlow
LOU BARLOW Dinosaur Sr.
Pioneering ‘90s singer/songwriter Lou Barlow, of Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr., plays a solo show at the Rosemount Hotel on Sunday, April 22. TRAVIS JOHNSON talks to the great man about his legacy. Lou Barlow was - and thanks to reunions in recent years, remains - part of two of the most influential and critically acclaimed bands of the grunge era, not to mention the now-defunct Folk Implosion. Yet while he maintains a love of collaboration, he admits that going it alone once in a while is refreshingly hassle-free. “The solo stuff is just so simple, you know,” he begins. “There’s nothing to set up, really. I just carry my guitar into the venue and plug it in and then it’s just my voice and a guitar. It’s just simple, so that’s an advantage. This disadvantage, I suppose, is that it’s all about me, and after a while if it’s all about me I kind of miss the chemical reaction. But when I play solo and acoustic, there can be moments of real tenderness. The intimate moments are unbearably intimate, and that’s quite wonderful.”
For all that, Barlow maintains that much of his best work is collaborative, saying that there’s a certain magic that can only be captured in a group environment. “I have the belief that really amazing music happens when people work together,” he says definitively.“But then, playing with the band, it’s just better when other people are playing with you. Especially with the bands I play with, with Sebadoh and Dinosaur - the sounds of those bands were forged when we were young, so it’s really a part of us; a part of our growing up. We’re kind of like these brothers on a musical level, which is amazing. The disadvantage is that you’re playing loud rock shows, so a lot of the lyrical essence and the nuances are lost. It’s more physical, it’s harsher.” And yet he is guardedly self-deprecating when it comes to the legacy of those bands. We’re currently in something of a ‘90s revival as Gen X starts to colonise the peaceful pastures of middle age and the bands of their youth reunite for lucrative comeback tours and new albums, but when asked if he still hears the influence of his early work in current bands, Barlow answers simply “I don’t hear it. There was a period in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when there were bands that sounded as if they were very, very influenced by Dinosaur Jr. Like My Bloody Valentine. Then came that kind of wave of UK shoegazer bands, and that to me was obviously influenced by Dinosaur Jr. Even Creep by Radiohead; they recorded that song with the guys who recorded Bug with Dinosaur Jr. So those are the guys who I can see specifically, knowingly or not, that were influenced by Dinosaur Jr. I don’t hear that now, because all the things that started back then, that sound is such a part of everything that it doesn’t really matter. A lot of the things that I thought were interesting about Dinosaur Jr. are not really going on now, like the weird chords and strange stopping - I don’t hear that at all.” X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
MIIKE SNOW Happy To You
NADA SURF The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
Universal / Downtown
Stop Start / EMI
Refreshed and uplifted. Those are two things that the best pop records leave you feeling, and that’s definitely the end result of listening to Happy To You, the sophomore album from electro-pop threesome Miike Snow. Perhaps not as striking as it might have seemed 18 months ago, Happy To You is still an album of distinction. While the midtempo tunes often venture into cheesy ‘80s-pop territory, the album’s stormy, unremittingly euphoric mix of pop (both electronic and melodic) rewards repeat listens. The blend is not entirely unfamiliar - anyone who knows their 2009 smash hit Animal will have twinges of recognition. Yet the consistency with which various elements are blended suggests the outfit have grown their sound over the past three years. Not only do tunes like Paddling Out and Devil’s Work make you want to dance, they sink their hooks deep, so much so that you might be humming the melodies to these songs mindlessly, before you even realise they’re Miike Snow. That’s not to say there won’t be many listeners who’ll find this record torrentially annoying, but to many others this may just be one of their most listened to albums this year. Thanks to the meticulous production values, the insane catchiness of the hooks, and the pure and true emotional underpinnings below all the gloss, the album is a total success of both sound and vision.
Nada Surf are an interesting band. Early in the piece they had a mega hit with the tune Popular but have never maintained their foothold in the charts, even though they have a swag of infinitely better songs. In spite of their criminal omission from most people’s record collection, Nada Surf hasn’t wavered in their delivery of high quality pop tunes. The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy is the first set of original songs from the band in four years but time hasn’t seen them lose any of their obligation to melody. The addition of Guided By Voices mainstay Doug Gillard on lead guitar is a masterstroke, particularly on the more chugging Clear Eye Clouded Mind. Things become less frenetic (without sacrificing toe tapping goodness) for the albums remainder, with Matthew Caws mimicking the more tender moments of Ben Kweller during When I Was Young. In the brainy pop stakes, the New York trio make a greater fist of their Teenage Dreams than the headline grabbing Katy Perry. The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy may not bring Nada Surf the ultimate prize, but they purposefully turned their back on that years ago. They are content with putting an interesting slant on power pop. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT
_JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
GEMMA RAY Island Fire
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS Love At The Bottom Of The Sea
Shock Records
Domino / EMI
The album Island Fire is the second offering from British retro songstress Gemma Ray and is the manifestation of songs composed in Sydney back in 2010. When the world’s aircrafts were grounded due to an Icelandic volcano eruption, Ray was stranded down under and consequently began to start writing. After a few stints of recording on the island of Giske in Norway and the Isle of Dogs in London, it was only fitting that she should return to Sydney to finish the record. The result is a collection of tracks that showcase Ray’s songwriting abilities and her unique talent of mixing bygone eras and genres into her music whilst all the while keeping on trend with the current resurgence of indie pop. Included in the sound are instruments such as a mandolin bass, a glockenspiel and various percussion and string apparatus allowing the sound to fit the theme of ‘island’. All the while Ray’s vocals makes the track reminiscent British ‘60s sounds, especially on Put Your Brain Into Gear. The use of retro sounds and vocals does not mean that the album is lacking in any way – such combinations make them all journeys of sound for the ears, constantly changing the tempo to create a sound that is cinematic. A fantastic album with a rollercoaster of genre bending sounds.
Stephin Merritt made a name for his band The Magnetic Fields by creating the type of music that appealed to his sensibilities regardless of what the record buying public thought. Since his magnum opus 69 Love Songs though, he has put boundaries around the tunes that he composes. Whether an album of songs that have titles beginning with the letter ‘i’, one made solely with acoustic instruments, or a record with the songs hidden under distortion, Merritt has pampered to his creative whims with the results often being at the listeners expense. Love At The Bottom Of The Sea finds Merritt return to the instrument where he made his name, and has recently ignored for too long – the synthesizer. Your Girlfriend’s Face has The Magnetic Fields bringing their sound from the nineties into the current decade with throwaway pop splendour that Fountains Of Wayne would be proud of. Andrew In Drag kicks it up a notch with Merritt’s baritone working through some of his most cheeky lyrics in ages, but that doesn’t take away from the other explorations of love, destined to fail throughout. Love At The Bottom Of The Sea may wane in its quality from start to finish, but there is enough synthed up tunes for losers, to make this Merritt’s best contribution in ages.
_HAYLEY MIDDLETON
_CHRIS HAVERCROFT
DEEP SEA ARCADE Outlands
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR Spoonful Of Sugar
Ivy League
Independent
According to the album bio, quite a few of the tracks on Deep Sea Arcade’s debut record have been in the atmosphere for a while; some emerging from time spent at high school and some thrashed out in the recording process. Fortunately for the Sydney-based fivepiece this album reads as a coherent and well rounded selection of tracks that all demonstrate an infectious blend of indie pop rock that is reminiscent of The Beatles-eqsue ‘60s psychedelia and so many more pop culture references; despite the fact they were all conceived at different times. Lonely In Your Arms and Don’t Be Sorry are just two of the 12 tracks that exemplify this homage to popular British music of the fab four’s heyday; the vocals match the instrumentals perfectly. The lads have also managed to convey a sense of Sci-Fi cinema with tracks like Seen No Right which is as intriguing as it is catchy. Another track of note is Girls which has received quite a bit of attention on the airwaves, and it’s plain to see why with an awesome mix of old and new school pop rock it makes for one hell of an indie anthem. There aren’t any tracks on record that aren’t worth a listen, they are each individual and unique from one another but are all perfectly matched to appear on the same record.
Spoonful of Sugar’s debut EP is easy like Sunday morning, full to the brim with sweet harmonies and tunes that lull the listener into a blissful state. First track Not Today begins with a fine piece of harmonica work, setting the tone for the rest of the record; chilled and bluesy, with great instrumental work. Little Sally and Vagrant are both evidently story songs, the former being a sad, beautifully structured track, the latter building up to a fast-paced, folky peak. Messed It Up is a brilliant little moody break-up song, with sombre tones and evocative lyrics. Last track Jump brings in the rootsy bluegrass, enticing toe tapping and finger snapping. Frontwoman Karin Page’s vocals are strong, soothing and just a little bit country, and the contrast of male backing harmonies to a female lead is refreshingly different and effective. There’s also something inherently Australian about this band, perhaps due to mentions of gumtrees and tin roofs in Vagrant, perhaps Page’s strong accent – whatever it is, it’s a nice change. There are a lot of great blues-based indie bands coming out of Perth at the moment that are doing excellent things - and Spoonful of Sugar is one of them. This EP is simple, honest and sweet as pie.
_HAYLEY MIDDLETON
_CHLOE PAPAS
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FISHING FOR A CAUSE
In order to support the bushfire fundraising efforts of the Margaret River Coastal Residents Association, the good folks from Luna Palace Cinemas have decided to host a screening of the latest film from Lasse Hollstrom entitled Salmon Fishing In The Yemen starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt. The fundraiser will take place at Cape Mentelle in Margaret River under the banner of the Movies In The Vineyard, which has already proved to be hugely successful amongst locals. The event will take place on Sunday, April 1, and ticket information is available on lunapalace.com.au.
Summer Wars screens as part of The Japanese Anime Film Festival Hetty Kate
JAPANIME
Any fans of the insanely creative genre of anime film will be pleased to know that the State Library of Western Australia and the Consulate-General of Japan in Perth are teaming up to present a small festival of films this March. The Japanese Anime Film Festival will showcase just three films over one weekend, but needless to say they are some of the best films the genre has to offer. The festival starts off with Summer Wars which is the story of a math genius who has to solve a complicated riddle in order to save the world and no doubt win the girl of his dreams. This high voltage drama will screen on Monday, March 26. The other two films on offer are Pom Poko which will be showcased on Tuesday, March 27, and My Neighbor Totoro which will play on Wednesday, March 28. Entry is free and all films will be screened at the Perth Cultural Centre in Northbridge.
HEAVENLY HETTY
Melbournian jazz songstress Hetty Kate has been a very busy lady of late. After spending much of last year touring all over the world to locations such as Chile, Switzerland and North America, Hetty has returned home to Australia and is about to embark on a journey West where she will showcase some of the work she has completed with a variety of bands on a number of records. Having been likened to Peggy Lee and Doris Day, Hetty has performed with big bands such as The Pearly Shells and The Stray Katz and has appeared on records for Melbournian bands like The Irwell St String Band and The Hetty Kate Quintet. Bringing along some hand picked instrumentalists, Hetty will play the Ellington Jazz Club on Saturday, March 24, and bookings can be made on the venue’s website – ellingtonjazz.com.au.
Daniel Kitson
WONDERKID Bridal Open Day at The Left Bank
LEFT BANK BRIDE
Many a blushing bride has enjoyed her big day at The Left Bank. With picturesque views and a relaxed atmosphere, wedding parties and guests alike have found their day their to be memorable and enjoyable and now those at The Left Bank want to give you the opportunity to experience what your day could be like. The Left Bank’s Bridal Open Day will showcase a series of displays at their Riverside address in Fremantle; featuring everything from flowers to wedding dresses, the Open Day will make planning your wedding all the more easier. Everyone will receive a glass of sparkling upon arrival and anyone who decides to book a function whilst there will receive a complimentary bottle of their choice on the day. The affair will take place on Saturday, March 24, from 10am - 3pm and any enquiries should be emailed to functions@leftbank.com.au.
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Joining the endless list of talent rolling into town for the Perth International Comedy Festival, comes comedian and self proclaimed legend Daniel Kitson. Hailing from the UK, Kitson is bringing his brand new show Where Once Was Wonder to local audiences. Detailing everything from haircuts to tattoos, loneliness to courage, Kitson’s show will no doubt have audiences in hysterics when he takes to the stage at The Astor Theatre on Sunday, May 6. The festival will host over 140 performances in and around the theatre from May 2 to May 20. Other comedians headlining the festival include Henry Rollins, The Pajama Men, Des Bishop, Charlie Pickering, Fiona O’Loughlin and Tom Gleeson. Tickets are available from BOCS.
PRINTESSENTIAL
Artists who work in print mediums are being called forward to enter in the 37th annual Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award, supported by Little Creatures. The award attracts entries from all manner of artists and printmakers, thus bringing together some of the best work on offer from around Australia. Entrants will be judged by three industry professionals and the artist selected as the winner will receive $15,000; making it the most prestigious prize in Australia for the category of print artwork. Over the past 37 years the award has showcased work by some fantastic artists that constantly explore and push the boundaries of the medium. Last year’s winner was of course Peter Burgess for his piece Modern Equivalence #28. Entry forms are available from fac. org.au and must be lodged before Friday, June 8.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
The Raid
THE RAID Fists of Fury
Directed by Gareth Evans Starring Iko Uwais, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Ray Sahetapy There’s been a lot of loose talk about this lowbudget Indonesian film, with various pundits describing it as the best action movie “in ages” or “of the last decade.” That kind of spurious hyperbole is doing no one any favours. The real truth is that The Raid is the best action movie of the last 20 years; you have to go back to 1992 and John Woo’s Hard Boiled to find anything that’s comparable. The plot is simplicity itself: a 20-man SWAT team invades an apartment building filled with various criminal lowlifes in order to arrest Tama (Ray Sahetapy), the drug lord who runs the joint with the aid of his two lieutenants, the cautious, intelligent Andi (Doni Alamsyah) and the brutal Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian). New cop Rama (Iko Uwais) has a lot to live for, what with his wife being pregnant, and that extra motivation comes in handy when things quickly go pear shaped and the squad has to fight their way through a seemingly endless army of thugs. It’s impossible to overstate how much fun The Raid is. After a steady diet of formulaic American flicks that mistake scale for tension, CGI for action, and ludicrous twists for plot, seeing something so straight-forward and propulsive is truly exhilarating. Director Gareth Evans uses the simple narrative
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framework to stage an ever-escalating series of truly impressive and inventive fight sequences, with the stakes rising ever higher as ammunition supplies dwindle and Rama and co have to resort to knives, tonfas, and their bare hands. Luckily, our plucky hero just happens to be a killing machine, versed in the ways of the blisteringly quick and brutal martial art pencak silat, and more than capable of handling any number of human wave attacks. It’s difficult to believe that this is only Evans’ second feature film, given how expertly staged his action scenes are. He exhibits a confident use of fast camera movements and rapid editing that conveys speed and momentum without sacrificing clarity. This is an action movie where the audience can actually tell what’s going on, which befits the exemplary stunt work and jaw-dropping fight choreography. This is next-level stuff, combining the visceral thrills of actual physical danger with the artistry of a director who understands film as a medium and action as a genre. It’s also gleefully bloody, with more gasp out loud moments of violence than any film in recent memory. There’s a chance that all the praise The Raid is attracting will lead some to dismiss it as too good to be true, or else be disappointed by the actual experience - except that’s impossible; it really is as good as everybody says. The best thing to do in a situation like this is to just see the damn film as soon as possible: skip the reviews, run to the cinema, and luxuriate in its kinetic grandeur. This is the kind of movie that reminds you why you love movies, and an absolute blast to boot. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
Gareth Evans
GARETH EVANS Maestro Of Mayhem
For a man who has orchestrated some of the most inventive carnage to be seen on the big screen in some time, Welsh-born writer/director Gareth Evans is remarkably soft-spoken. He’s also a little taken aback at all the hyperbolic praise that his new film, The Raid, has received since it debuted at the Toronto Film Festival. “Me and my producer, we finished working on that film like a week before we were going to go to Toronto for our first screening,”
he admits candidly. “And we were right down to the last minute of the deadline, and we were so into it at that point, all we could see when we watched it was errors and mistakes and things we wanted to fix, so we were really pessimistic. Before Toronto, we were getting ready to go out there, and I thought well, maybe we’ll get a few pieces of reviews we can use for a poster quote, and then suddenly it just got received really well. So we’re still kind of blown away by the response; we can’t quite believe how well people have taken to it.” The film combines the frenetic pacing and bone-jarring stunts of the martial arts genre with the gritty atmospherics of early John Carpenter and Walter Hill, something that Evans, lifelong action movie fan, says was a deliberate stylistic choice. “I borrowed all those different elements,” he tells X-Press. “And one of the things I kind of stumbled upon is that, my favourite films, they tend to blend genres together, and so for The Raid it was one of those things where I thought, ‘okay, what do we usually not see in a martial arts film?’. So I started looking at how we could introduce moments of suspense and tension, like thrillers or horrors, things that we can adapt and shift camerawork and cinematography around, and the sound design. It was all about finding those kind of things, and playing with claustrophobia a lot, like the bit where they’re hiding inside the walls - those are elements that sort of stood out as things where we could kind of do something different in the martial arts genre.” But all the influences present in the film, Evans cites one particular genre legend as his key inspiration. “Pretty much everything by Jackie Chan,” he concludes. “If you look at the choreography in those films, it’s something that we’ve borrowed for our film as well. We’ve worked so hard to design these fight scenes, why would we want to hide them? It’s just a natural response to that. And the thing that Jackie Chan does so well in his films is that every shot is designed to show that fight beat, to show that specific movement. Your angles are not there for coverage; they’re there to get the right shot for that movement. I think we focus so much on drama, but it when it comes to action, a lot of the time I think people forget that. They just want to create an assault in terms of sounds and blasts of fire and images that don’t add up to anything - it’s like a cheat. My love of action is to kind of see clearly the geography and the spatial awareness of the characters and what’s going on in that scene.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON
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GRACE KNIGHT Keeping Her Cool
Grace Knight performs songs from her latest album Keep Cool, Fool at the Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday, March 29, and at the Ellington Jazz Club on Saturday, March 30. Tickets are available for the Fremantle show via Heatseeker, and for The Ellington show by visiting ellingtonjazz.com.au. Grace Knight returns to West Australian shores this coming fortnight to perform music from her latest album in a series of intimate shows. Dubbed ‘one of Australia’s leading ladies of jazz’, this spellbinding songstress has wowed audiences across the globe with her smooth vocals and captivating performances. Her latest album is a soulful exploration of the music of the 1950s, with some stop-overs at places key to her heart. “Probably like many other people, I got completely hooked on the Mad Men series – it was just fantastic I loved it! And all those fantastic clothes and terrible attitudes, and thought ‘I’ve got to go look and research the music of that era’, and so I’ve been delving into that ‘50s era of music, I just found a minefield of really brilliant songs,” explains Knight. “For the most part I’ve kept the whole album based on states of the heart - when you’re in love, and that can be from lust, to jealously, to all the things that come when you’re falling in love. So there’s a whole collection of songs based on those feelings. You know ‘cos being in love is not always about bluebirds flying around your head, you know you can become very jealous, or insecure, or all of that.” From pop star to a recent guest spot on Neighbours, Knight’s career has been as expansive as it has varied. “I’ve been lucky enough to keep doing what I enjoy doing, and that’s been good enough to keep me in this career,” she says. “The only thing I know about doing it my way is I know it’s honest – you know, I don’t have to pretend anything... You don’t really want to fool an audience, you want to talk to their heart, you know talk to them honestly. And I think the audience can smell insincerity!” It is this warmth and honesty that lead Knight to release her critically acclaimed autobiography.“I wrote it for specific people, people that had suffered a childhood abuse, and that this abuse, you know the legacy of that abuse had controlled many aspects on my life, which it did to me, and it does to many other victims of childhood
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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL Indian Autumn
Directed by John Madden Starring Judy Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, Penelope Wilton
Grace Knight abuse. I felt like I came out the other end of that legacy... I did and because of that I felt obliged to write my story for the people who were still struggling with that,” says Knight. Knight’s latest creative endeavour reflects this compassion and warmth, as well as her ability as a true lady of jazz.“I’ve chosen the songs because they’ve touched my heart in some way, and so I know that if I’m being honest about it, about singing a particular song, in my experience the audience get that.” “This is a really groovy album, I’m really happy with it. It’s one of the albums that’s going to be in every restaurant in Australia I’m sure!” _LEAH BLANKENDAAL
Sometimes you don’t want a film that pushes the boundaries of the form, or deals with the taboo and transgressive, or fills the screen with fire and spectacle. Sometimes you want a film that’s just plain nice, and this adaptation of the novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach does the trick. Warm, trenchant, and funny, it’s the cinematic equivalent of a cup of tea and a warm blanket. A disparate group of ageing Britons come together at the ramshackle Indian hotel of the title. Each has their own reasons for leaving familiar environs for the exotic: Douglas (Bill Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton) have lost their retirement funds, and can’t afford anything decent back in England; Evelyn (Judi Dench), recently widowed, has decided to go on an adventure for the first time in her life; Graham (Tom Wilkinson), a retired high court judge, has returned to India for his own secretive reasons. The hotel is most certainly not what was promised in the brochure, but owner/operator Sonny (Dev Patel) is determined to make it a success, despite the protestations of his formidable and controlling mother. At its heart, it’s a gentle and rewarding story about overcoming regret and fear in order to build a rewarding life for oneself, with each of the
characters following more or less the same kind of narrative arc, albeit with different window dressing. Thankfully, the cast is excellent across the board. Weirdly, we’re used to seeing most of these faces as senior espionage officials or elder vampires, so it’s refreshing to see them tackle more down to earth, well rounded characters such as these. Nighy is terrific as a restrained, put-upon husband who finds his need to breathe free constrained by his increasingly shrill wife, while Dench projects a palpable sense of brave vulnerability as Evelyn. The real treat, though, is Maggie Smith, who plays Muriel, a xenophobic retired housekeeper forced to come to India for a hip replacement. Smith is fearless and funny in the role, and her storyline is imbued with real pathos and heartbreak. At times director John Madden (Shakespeare In Love) struggles to keep all the balls in the air, and some characters spend extended periods offscreen as the film tries to keep track of everyone’s story, but on the whole he acquits himself well, capturing the colour, vibrancy, and sheer hectic humanity of urban India, without ever resorting to the kind of highbrow cultural condescension that so often accompanies films like this. Clearly this is a film that skews to an older audience, and anyone expecting anything groundbreaking is going to be bitterly disappointed. That’s a caveat, not a criticism, though; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel never pretends to be anything other than what it is. It’s warmly human, slightly sentimental, and occasionally archly hilarious, and if it’s been a while since you treated your mother to a movie, you could do a lot worse. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
MAKE IT WORK Pro Ro Heave Ho
In fashion, one day you’re in and the next day you’re out… Think you’ve got what it takes to win Project Runway Australia season four? Well then, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is because Pro Ro is set to make a triumphant return in 2012, and applications are now open for designers who think they have the skills to pay the bills. In the words of Tim Gunn, if you think you can “make it work”, don’t delay, hit up fmashows.com/projectrunway ASAP to register your interest.
WRAPPED UP WEEKEND To Market, To Market
Angelo Street in South Perth will be bustling with shoppers and designers this Sunday, March 25, thanks to Unwrapped Annual, a marketplace that supports independent designers, artists and creators of tasty treats. Now in its sixth year, Unwrapped has become synonymous with one-off designer creations, and is soon to become a favourite of foodies with the launch of Unwrapped Gourmet, which will offer market-goers a selection of delicious locally made cakes, biscuits and whole lot more. Style savvy shoppers will discover stalls from the lik es of On Tour, Dfaced Clothing, Potter Gold and Jess Zainudin, among many others. Follow Unwrapped on Facebook for daily designer updates and sneak peeks leading up to the event. The event is on from 12pm-6pm, and there’ll be live music all day long for those who aren’t too busy shopping to stop and listen, with sets from Morgan Bain, Needing Cherie, Katharine Penkin, Splinta, Sam Wylde, Sugarpuss and DJ Steven Bacich.
Sama & Co a lot of things for friends and friends of friends and thought ‘why not?’.” Their vision for Sama & Co from the getgo was clear – create simple, stylish jewellery that is timeless and doesn’t cost the world. Dedicated to creating jewellery that is elegant, “We wanted it to be quite a classy, high understated and long-wearing, Perth based label quality label,” Butko summarises. “We saw it as being Sama & Co utilises high quality materials and a refined more of an upmarket label at an affordable price. We aesthetic to create classic designs that are sure to last wanted to use high quality materials so we started the tests of time (and fashion). The brainchild of Perth with Stirling Silver, Swarovski Crystals and semi friends Sarah Butko and Maria Fazio, Sama & Co was precious stones. conceived back in 2010, and in the two years since “We want our designs to be versatile so that its inception, the label has accrued a loyal fan base of you can dress them up or down. I wear mine everyday women who appreciate the finer things in life. and it adds a special something to my outfit, or you “We both love making jewellery and had can wear it during the evening for some sparkle. We been doing it for a few years as a hobby, and it don’t like to make anything that you just wear once just sort of happened one day,” says Butko of how and that’s it – we want people to be able to wear our Sama & Co came to be. “Maria gave me a call and designs over and over again.” said ‘why don’t we do something together because View the full Sama & Co collection at there seems to be a demand for it?’. We were making sama.com.au.
SAMA & CO
Keeping It Simple
Jess Zainudin garments will be up for grabs at Unwrapped Annual
_EMMA BERGMEIER
MOVIES THAT MATTER Raising funds for a number of children’s charities, Movies By Burswood is staffed by volunteers, and screens new releases and classics nearly every night of the week. The Movies By Burswood season continues until Saturday, April 14, and there are plenty of amazing films still on offer – check out moviesbyburswood.com for screening info.
Tracey, Lisa & Toni
Photographs by Matt Jelonek
Vauneta & Linda Sun & Scott
Amy-Rose & Stevon
Patrick & Magali Kim & Christian
Lorraine, Jess & Steven www.xpressmag.com.au
Rob & Emily 23
VISUAL ARTS
Lividly Vivid 2011 (detail) by Mitchell Page from Canning Vale College
Year 12 Perspectives: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge An annual survey of work by WA’s top Visual Arts students, Year 12 Perspectives promises to deliver works of technical excellence and emotional c o m p l e x i t y. Wo r k s depict relationships between self and the w i d e r c o m m u n i t y, amongst family members and explore the relationship one has with one’s self. Fiftyone artists challenge us to reflect, explore and understand the world in which they inhabit and provide us with an opportunity to connect to the experiences of the young people of We s t e r n A u s t r a l i a . Exhibition runs ’til Apr 9.
Bangladesh Photomedia Summer School: Spectrum Project Space, Mt Lawley Bangladesh is visually powerful place to visit – just ask Edith Cowan University’s photojournalism students. Fifteen students got the chance to experience the colour and excitement of the county last summer through ECU’s Bangladesh Photomedia Summer School program. Students worked in collaboration with students from Pathshala: South Asian Media Institute to produce stories of those living in Bangladesh’s most remote areas. Exhibition runs from Mar 26-29. Postcards From Home: Midland Railway Workshops, Midland After a successful career in the London music and editorial industries of more than 12 years, where his subjects included the likes of Beth Orton, Jamiroquai, Victoria Beckham, Jarvis Cocker, Blur and Johnny Lydon, Sam Harris abandoned his career to change direction and travel with his family. Eventually, he settled in the forests of Balingup, WA. His photography now has a very different focus. Postcards From Home revolves around his domestic life, especially that of his two daughters Uma and Yali as they grow up. Runs ’til Apr 15. Munda Ungai Munda (Earth To Earth): Japingka Gallery, Fremantle Wayne Quilliam is one of Australia’s leading Indigenous photographic artists and in Munda Ungai Munda, Quilliam has curated his work into three themes. Respectively titled Lowanna, Ceremony and Towindri, Quilliam’s style encompasses the spiritual and artistic dimensions of Aboriginal culture as his art is transformed through traditional and modern practices, including developing a world first technique that infuses the artwork with traditional ochres and plant dyes. Runs Mar 20-Apr 24. Larry Mitchell: A Pilbara project Exhibition: FORM Gallery, Perth It takes a skilled and sensitive artist to interpret the complexities and contradictions of the Pilbara, and show its scenery in a fresh light. In Larry Mitchell: A Pilbara Project Exhibition, we have the opportunity to witness the encounter of one of Australia’s leading visual artists with this vast region, from the industrial landscapes of the Burrup and Port Hedland to the Spinifex-studded hills way east of Newman. Larry Mitchell’s paintings offer a perspective of the Pilbara in painstaking and sometimes painful detail. Runs ’til May 29.
THEATRE/DANCE Blackbird: Studio Underground, Northbridge Perth Theatre Company will produce Blackbird by Scottish playwright, David Harrower as the Company’s first production in 2012. Inspired by a true story, Blackbird is a riveting play that raises challenging questions about society, morality and how the past irrevocably effects the present. Blackbird exposes the story of two people who shared a forbidden relationship fifteen years earlier, when she was 12 and he was 40. Una confronts Ray at his workplace, and the unflinching study of their affair that follows reveals the brutal truth of unconventional love with shattering consequences. Season runs ’til Mar 31. Bookings via BOCS. Luminaire: The Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge The brand new theatrical work by Renegade Productions, Luminaire, has been cleverly crafted to produce a beautifully existential piece about love, life and infinity. This is not your ordinary theatre experience; it considers light as another performer on stage. Exploring a range of innovative and experimental techniques and effects to create lighting sculptures and ‘lumiscapes’, including ground breaking use of chemiluminescence, Luminaire is designed to take your breath away. Runs ’til Mar 31. Bookings via blueroom.org.au. Medea: Subiaco Arts Centre Studio, Subiaco Medea’s husband Jason is leaving her for a younger woman, and she is hurt, angry and shamed. Medea wants revenge, but just how far is too far? Re-imagined in Perth’s western suburbs, Medea is brought (a little too) close to home in a new production by Class Act Theatre. Directed by Deckchair Theatre’s Emerging Director for 2012, Michelle Trainer (In the Garden, Gasp, Alaska), Euripides’ classic is updated in a new translation by the director. Runs Mar 21-31. Bookings via BOCS. 24
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
FOTOFREO HIGHLIGHTS
FOTOFREO
The Art Of The Image
Petrina Hicks – Selected Works @ Venn Gallery On display from Friday, March 23, ’til Saturday, April 28, Petrina Hicks – Selected Works features immaculate large scale photographs that explore the notion of false promises of perfection.
The FotoFreo Festival is a month long celebration of photography that runs ’til Sunday, April 15. To find out what’s on and when hit up fotofreo.com. Now in its tenth year, the much loved FotoFreo Festival returns in 2012 bigger and better than ever before, with more exhibitions and events than you could poke a tripod at. Ahead of last week’s FotoFreo launch at the Fremantle Arts Centre, X-Press caught up with festival director Bob Hewitt to find out exactly what will be on offer during this year’s celebrations. “Do you want the stats?” Hewitt responds when asked what he has in store for photography fans during this year’s revelry. “For the core exhibitions there are 15 venues, 27 exhibitions and 132 photographers involved. For the open exhibition program there are 90 venues, 150 exhibitions and more than 250 photographers involved.” Since it’s inception in 2002, FotoFreo has grown exponentially, and is now considered to be one of the best festivals of its kind operating today – attracting interest from all corners of the globe. As for the increased popularity of photography in WA, Hewitt believes this growth can be attributed to a number of initiatives – “it’s a combination of things,” he muses. “Certainly because of the Festival and some other initiatives that arts organisations have undertaken in the past ten years there’s a much greater awareness of photography as an art medium than there has been. With all of these things, you just have to be persistent and as you progress through time you gather more momentum. It’s a time thing – you just have to see the distance.” Bringing together photographers, curators and lovers of the photographic medium, FotoFreo is a gathering of like minded individuals and is a great networking opportunity for Australian snappers. “I really consider the Festival to be essentially fairly social. What we’re looking to have happen is for photographers to meet each other, and we’re particularly interested in promoting West Australian photographers to an international audience. The thing that I learnt in the last few years is that that audience isn’t just other photographers – in fact it’s probably more importantly curators – because it’s the curators who come here and see the work and think ‘well that might be an exhibition I could do in Switzerland or India or wherever’. And we’ve got a couple of really important curators coming out to this festival.”
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A New Kind Of Beauty by Phillip Tolenado
Fremantle Markets Project by Bo Wong As for his must-see exhibitions of this year’s Festival, Hewitt is quick to point to the two shows that we’re commissioned by FotoFreo. “I was responsible for the two commissioned exhibitions and I brought Martin Parr out from the UK. Martin is a very high profile photographer in his own right – and you either like his photos or you don’t. I happen to like them. His work is edgy in the sense that it can make you a bit uncomfortable. I got him to photograph in Broome, Port Headland and around Fremante and that exhibition is somewhat of a profile of the people who live and work in these places along the coast. So it’s a perspective about those people from the point of view of an outsider and I think it’s quite revealing. It’s a beautiful show and I think that’s going to be well appreciated because there are a lot of people in it who can come and have a look at themselves on the walls. “The other commission is with Bo Wong in the Fremantle Markets and what’s really nice about this is that we’ve taken the exhibition out of the gallery and have printed the works on huge vinyl banners and we’re hanging them from the ceiling of the Market. It’s quite different.” _EMMA BERGMEIER
Infinity 2011 by Petrina Hicks
A New Kind Of Beauty by Phillip Tolenado @ Perth Centre For Photography The man behind the much loved series Days With My Father, Phillip Tolenado turns his attention to individuals recovering from plastic surgery in his FotoFreo show A New Kind Of Beauty. Addressing concepts of beauty and what defines it, Tolenado’s latest body of work sees the photographer get up close and personal with his subjects, creating intimate and engaging imagery. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, May 20.
Party Time by Samantha Everton Collected Works by Samantha Everton @ Gadfly Gallery Bringing together photographs from two separate bodies of work – Vintage Dolls and Marionettes – Samantha Everton’s Collected Works depicts children at play who assume adult behaviors. Everton’s work will be on display ’til Sunday, March 25.
Mother by Raghu Rai My India by Raghu Rai @ WA Maritime Museum With a photographic practice dating back to 1965, Raghu Rai’s images address the nature of humanity through intimate portraits taken on the streets of India. My India is on show ’til Sunday, April 15.
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
E X P A N D I N G
T H E
K I N G D O M
After a decade as the kings of Australia hip hop, Adelaide’s Hilltop Hoods are setting their sights on cracking the American market with their latest album Drinking From The Sun. Matt Lambert, aka Suffa, speaks with JOSHUA HAYES. “I was feeling better this morning, until these interviews were making me nervous about [putting the album out],” Lambert laughs, speaking on the eve of Drinking From The Sun’s release. “I feel fine about it, and then everyone goes ‘are you feeling a lot of pressure?’ and you’re like ‘shit, should I be feeling a lot of pressure right now?’.” The answer, of course, is ‘no’, with Drinking From The Sun debuting at #1 on the ARIA charts this week. And, although the album is hot off the press in Australia, the group is about to embark on a tour of Canada and the United States.
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Canada is familiar to the lads – Lambert says they’ve visited 10 or 15 times – but the United States is relatively uncharted territory. It comes on the back of the announcement that the Hoods had inked a distribution deal with independent American distribution company Fontana (which services Tech N9ne, one of the States’ biggest independent hip hop artists, and labels such as Delicious Vinyl, Ipecac and Rap-A-Lot Records).
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The deal came about through the work of the group’s manager, Dylan Liddy. “That’s him just grinding away and believing in the group and knocking on doors and trying to find us a deal over there, and he pulled it off, which is a pretty good achievement for someone that’s selling ice to Eskimos,” Lambert says. “Bringing an Australian hip hop group into an American market, I know if I was on the other side of the desk over there I’d be a bit hesitant.” Despite this, Lambert the musician is confident about the group’s attempt to crack the massive but often provincial American hip hop market. They will start with showcases in Los Angeles and New York. “I feel like [performing] live is our strong point,” he says. “Once we can get there and do some touring I think we can make stuff happen over there.” Although the group is strongly influenced by the classic hip hop of New York circa 1994, the group won’t necessarily be targeting fans of this music. “I think it’s definitely not gonna be for everyone, and I don’t think it’s going to be for the classic hip hop market over there,” he says. “We’re more of a party band when it comes to live stuff, so it’s going to be more [of ] a college crowd.” Supporting their push into the American market will be collaborations on Drinking From The Sun with two iconic rappers – Black Thought of The Roots and Chali 2NA, formerly of Jurassic 5. It was also an opportunity for the Hoods to collaborate with two of their all time favourite artists. “Jurassic 5 and The Roots have been major influences on us and we’re huge fans, so it was a massive honour to work with both of them,” Lambert says. Back home, WA punters will have a few chances to catch the boys over the next few months. In May, they play Groovin’ The Moo, and they will return in July or August on a national tour, which is still being planned. The group has been largely absent from the road lately. Last year, they supported Eminem and Lil Wayne on their east coast tour (“it was a bit surreal,” Lambert says), and performed one other show in support of victims of the Queensland floods. However, Perth punters also caught a surprise performance when they made a cameo at the album launch for Hunter and Mortar’s collaboration Fear And Loathing – which turned out to be one of local legend Rob Hunter’s last shows before succumbing to cancer. “[Hunter] had such a good heart. He was such a music fan as well; just a fan of hip hop. It boggled my mind how he had everyone’s back catalogue; could do their verses better than them. He remembered lyrics [of mine] that I didn’t
ATMOSPHERE BRINGING BEATS
Just in case you haven’t heard yet, Minneapolis’ almighty hip hoppers Atmosphere are coming to town. A driving force in independent hip hop for 20 years, rapper Slug and DJ/producer Ant are the co-founders of hip hop label Rhymesayers and are heading down under. Slug’s rhymes are poetic, honest and he’s big on story-telling (check out When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold). Joining Atmosphere and their full live band will be LA’s Evidence, the Grammy winning rapper and producer of Dilated Peoples. Evidence has produced tracks for the Beastie Boys, Linkin Park and even coproduced Kanye’s debut The College Dropout. It’s all happening on Friday, May 11, at Villa. Tickets are on sale now from Moshtix and Oztix.
Hilltop Hoods remember,” Lambert recalls. “He was just such a fan of Australian hip hop and a supporter of Australian hip hop and just a good fucking person. He’ll be missed.” Besides working on the album, the boys have also been kept busy managing their label Golden Era Records. Their work has borne fruit, with critically and commercially successful releases from The Funkoars, Vents and Briggs. “I was super handson with Golden Era,” Lambert says. “But going forward I’m not going to be able to be as hands-on as I have been… Now I feel it’s too a point where everyone knows what they’re doing so it can run itself to a degree.” After putting a lot of time and energy into building the label from nothing, did Lambert find it hard to let go of his project? “No, because it’s paperwork and I hate fucking paperwork,” he says, laughing. “I definitely wouldn’t do it [let go] unless I felt like everyone was in capable hands.” They also released a live concert/zombie horror film, Parade Of The Dead, on DVD. Lambert says the group will likely follow Drinking From The Sun with another DVD. However, don’t expect a sequel to their latest effort.“I’m not allowed to make another zombie DVD, I know that much,” he laughs. “They’ve made that pretty clear to me.”.
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HILLTOP HOODS DRINKING FROM THE SUN [GOLDEN ERA RECORDS] OUT NOW GROOVIN’ THE MOO SATURDAY, MAY 19 @ HAY PARK, BUNBURY
BRINGING ‘90S BACK
Aqua were just here and before that The Vengaboys gave it their all down at Metro Freo and we’re still yet to hear from One Direction and S Club 7 but, it is safe to say, the ‘90s are in demand! And, if anyone actually got on down to check out Aqua or The Vengaboys recently, you’d know that DJ DTuck who supported both groups smashed out an absolute stellar set of ‘90s hits. Now, DJ DTuck will be banging out those ‘90s beats at Capitol’s all new I Love ‘90s night which will take place every Friday night upstairs at Capitol. Expect Backstreet Boys, Britney, Spice Girls, Metallica, N-Trance, Aqua, Biggie, Snoop and Heavy D to be blasting through the speakers. It all starts this Friday, March 23, from 11pm. Get on down!
GET OBESE
Not literally. But, Aussie hip hop label Obese Records are releasing Obesecity 2, a compilation which marks 10 years since the release of the first Obesecity edition. It’ll showcase established and up and coming breakthrough artists handpicked from across the country. This time round, Obese Records have announced that two track positions will be left open to the general public. Up and coming unsigned hip hop artists around Australia are encouraged to take part in this project by submitting their own individual track exclusive to the release. The competition closes on Tuesday, May 1. Hit up obeserecords.com for all the info.
Showtek
HARD STYLE
Dutch hard dance masters Showtek are bringing their epic live show down under shortly. Sjoerd and Wouter Janssen are the brothers behind Showtek who have been on a steady rise to stardom since releasing their 2007 record Today Is Tomorrow. These dudes were the first hardstyle act to record at BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix and came in at #58 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 last year. They’ve collaborated with Tiesto and are known for their live show. If you’re into hard dance, get on down to Shape on Friday, May 18. Tickets are on sale now from Planet, Mills, the DJ Factory and Moshtix.
FREMANTLE’S FINEST
Slackjaw is rising up the ranks in Aussie hip hop. Having released his debut record Fremantle’s Finest mid last year, Slackjaw has supported local and international artists such as Del The Funky Homosapien, Big Boi, Chali 2na, Illy and The Tongue just to name a few. Now, the lad has collaborated with a selection of Perth’s finest producers to create Fremantle’s Finest Remix EP. The EP features production from Rob Shaker, Diger Rokwell, Paulie P and more. In celebration of the EP’s release, Slackjaw plays The Bird on Saturday, April 14. Download the EP for free now, hit up slackjaw.bandcamp.com and Facebook.com/slackjawfanpage for more info.
DJ HYPE
YACHT CLUB DJS
DJ Hype is truly one of the godfathers of the drum’n’bass scene. Having been there virtually since the beginning, he’s helped shape the movement from a colloquial underground extension of rave to a global phenomenon. ANDREW NELSON catches up with him to find out how he still manages to keep thing so fresh and who the hell is Ghetto Gran.
The Yacht Club DJs, Gareth Harrison and Guy Chappell-Lawrence, really know how to get a party started but it hasn’t always been that way. JOE CASSIDY gets to the roots of their collaboration with one half of the Ballarat duo Guy Chappell-Lawrence.
WANT TO PERFORM ON A BOAT
THE DON
DJ Hype
“But, whenever I feel like that, I just step back and kick myself hard in the butt and remember how blessed I am to have such a great job. I think anyone who does what I do at the level I do it at and for the amount of years I have done must have moments when they doubt themselves, or the scene they are in, but overall I love it.” Kevin Ford has been mixing tunes as DJ Hype since Like any true godfather, Ford is a family the ‘80s. He started out playing hip hop, honing his man, even referring to his mother on Twitter as cutting and scratching techniques before turning ‘Ghetto Gran’. “My mum used to hate what I did,” to the burgeoning rave scene and finding himself he says. “In the very early days me, Shut Up And on the airwaves at pirate radio station Fantasy FM. Dance and Daddy Earl would practice at my house Since then, he’s never looked back, overseeing and my mother would go nuts. She called rapping the birth and development of drum’n’bass for the ‘wapping’ and she called scratching and cutting up ensuing 20 plus years, something which obviously ‘scraping’ and would go pretty mad when we were brings him immense satisfaction. practicing. ‘You are driving me nuts with your fucking “If feels amazing!,” he says of his long career which continues to flourish. “I am very proud wapping and scraping’ she would say, and to get a to be part of something that grew from nothing proper job. But now, she is my #1 fan and I would do into a blossoming flower and has grown around anything for her. She once admitted in an interview the globe. There was no interaction manual or rule for German TV that she hated what I did in the early book to follow, just vibes born out of poverty in the days and had no idea that I would become a success in the music industry. Big up Ghetto Gran who is still UK. I feel very proud indeed.” Though never prolific in the studio, Ford keeping it real as ever!” And just like his mother, Ford isn’t has released a steady stream of tracks including early hardcore works such as The Exorcist by The encouraging his kids to follow in his footsteps.“They Scientist and the 1993 proto-jungle track Shot In do their own things and I encourage that but I don’t The Dark. He’s also banged out numerous remixes want them to follow me,” he says. “After all, I didn’t - the highlight being the seminal reworking of The follow anybody. I’m always preaching to them to Fugees’ Ready Or Not. But that’s not all; he’s still on make sure they do what they want to do in life and the radio with the UK’s Kiss FM and, along with it must be their choice. I think too many parents try Pascal, runs the respected label Real Playaz. But, with to live out their own failed dreams through their all of these commitments, often routine can get in children and I don’t want to be like that.” the way of sporadic spontaneous opportunities. “Of course there are times when I feel like I am getting bored,” he says, when asked how he manages to » DJ HYPE keep things fresh. » SATURDAY, MARCH 24 @ THE OVERFLOW (THE COURT) 28
Evidence
Guy Chappell-Lawrence has been drumming since he was about three years old and once he was old enough he started touring with various bands around rural Victorian town, Ballarat. It wasn’t until he started getting into sampling that he asked his mate Gaz, aka Gareth Harrison, to show him how to DJ. As fate would have it, Gaz was supporting Melbourne house DJ Grant Smillie one evening and told Guy to come and “have a burl.” Guy remembers it with cheeky trepidation. “We got on and played Rage Against The Machine - it was a full on house and R&B club - and all the metal shit that we like and I have never seen a dancefloor less happy, “Guy says. “People were crammed against the corners of the building… with their fingers in their ears looking directly at us. And we were like ‘awesome, we’ve got to do this again’.” Luckily, they found an audience for their sound; a blend of classic ‘60s and ‘70s tracks with metal from the ‘80s and ‘90s and anything with a party beat. Some cheesy classics are thrown in too but are given the Yacht Club DJ treatment. There’s even a reworked version of I Just Can’t Wait To Be King from The Lion King soundtrack. Although their sound is often described as ‘mashup’ by fans, punters and the media, Guy isn’t all too keen on the genre-boxing.“It sounds totally wanky but we like to think that we’re recycling songs rather than mashing them,” he says.“A mash up to me is always going to have a sort of four or five songs going all at once and to try and make that work is hard.” Regardless of how their sound is describes, punters, party-goers and fans are all over it. The duo have been touring “pretty much flat stick for two years”. The lads played exclusive shows for Parklife 2011 and
Yacht Club DJs were constantly on the road. Now, they’re back out on the road with their new horror themed show They Mostly Come At Night… Mostly which pays homage to the film Alien. The title of the show is just one of many examples showcasing their super knowledge of popular cultures which helps them bring huge amounts of energy to the party. While they’ve now developed a solid fan base, they’ve opted out of pre-planning most of their set and have left it up to their supporters to tell them their favourite Yacht Club party moments for the upcoming tour. “We’re actually going to do a bit of a shout out on our Facebook page to see what people’s favourite moments from us have been,” he says. “People tend to enjoy the whole thing, so we’re not sure what people’s stand out favourites have been so we can revisit them on tour.” It’s difficult to pin down a favourite mix from the boys, but certainly a stand out performance was when they played the Nedlands Yacht Club in Perth and begun their performance by saying “we’re the Yacht Club DJs and this is the first time we’ve played at an actual Yacht Club.” Guy says this was a “dream come true, finally.” As for the next goal? “Now we’ve just got to do one on a boat and we’re good, we can retire,” Guy concludes.
» » » »
YACHT CLUB DJS FRIDAY, MARCH 23 @ EAST END BAR SETS ON THE BEACH SUNDAY, MARCH 25 @ SCARBOROUGH BEACH AMPHITHEATRE X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Aqua (photo by Courtney McAllister)
AQUATIC ANTICS Aqua / Radio Ink Metropolis Fremantle Sunday, March 19, 2012
Cut Nice and Sugar Ray
CUT NICE & SUGAR RAY BACK IN THE DAY
Histories of the Perth hip hop scene often begin with Monday nights at the Hyde Park Hotel where the likes of Downsyde and Drapht sharpened their skills. However, the local scene had been bubbling away at house parties, warehouse gigs and on independent radio shows since the mid-‘80s. JOSHUA HAYES speaks with two of Perth hip hop’s pioneers – Steve Barallon, aka DJ Cut Nice, and Ray Kaldas, aka rapper Sugar Ray – ahead of their set supporting New York legend KRS-One. “Since I found out that I was doing the spot I haven’t really been able to sleep,” Kaldas laughs when asked about supporting KRS-One. “It’s like a WAFL footy player getting to play in the AFL!” The pair are part of a diverse line up that ranges from the up-and-coming (rappers King Leonidas and Cortex) to the established (DJs Armee and Charlie Bucket) to the pioneers (DJ Money J and breaker Maze). Their set will consist of Barallon spinning records while Kaldas hypes the crowd. It’s a fitting moment for both artists after a quarter century involved in hip hop. Barallon first encountered hip hop culture in 1983, at the age of 15. At that time hip hop was just starting to emerge from its birthplace, New York City, with small scenes popping up around the world, centred on the breakdancing craze and the emerging prevalence of graffiti. Having grown up in Nairobi, Kenya, his family took a holiday to the UK where he saw a Break Machine video on television and was instantly hooked. Meanwhile in Perth, Kaldas was also immersing himself in hip hop culture. “When break-dancing first came in, everybody and their mum was trying to do it. It was massive… and almost overnight it just got dissed; it became something that no one wanted to have anything to do with but there were some diehard b-boys like myself,” he recalls. However, he was soon being drawn towards another element of hip hop culture. “While I was b-boying I was obviously listening to a lot of rap music; Grandmaster Flash and Roxanne Shante and Kool Moe D and LL Cool J,” he recalls. “And the more you listen to it; you wanna do it because it sounded so cool.” Barallon moved to Perth with his family in 1987 and began DJing. “In 87, when I first started, we didn’t really have many other people in Perth that we could actually look up to and learn from, so basically we taught ourselves all the way through. I mean, the only way we could learn sometimes was by watching TV and video clips,” he recalls. The pair met at a house party and began performing together. “It was hard when we did hip hop because everyone thought it was just a phase… we got told it was just a fad; it would eventually die and we were just wasting our time… so the only way we could do our own thing, sometimes, was host really, really ghetto block parties.” From 1987 to 1993, Barallon organised biannual parties at the Fremantle Warehouse, in a way that mimicked the street block parties held in New York a decade earlier, www.xpressmag.com.au
from which hip hop emerged. “[You had] to take your whole system; the speakers, the lights, the turntables, set them all up because nothing was set up there already. So it was like the true old style of hip hop,” he says. One of the most memorable gigs for the pair was a show called Incarceration, held at Fremantle Gaol in 1993. ”Everyone that got there at a certain time got locked in for a bit of fun,” Barallon says. “I think we would have had at least 400 people at that gig. I’ve actually still got the photos and I look back and I went ‘wow, the hip hop scene was pretty strong back then’. ” Barallon would go on to support acts from Snoop Dogg to Public Enemy to the Beastie Boys, often with Kaldas working the mic. The pair also ran Scratch FM, on 100FM in Fremantle, one of Perth’s first hip hop radio shows, and dabbled in studio work. “Me and Ray recorded the first ever hip hop album in Perth, on four track tape deck. I couldn’t afford to buy a sampler or a computer so I had to sample all the stuff live, so that was the hardest part. I paid nearly $1,500 for a four track tape deck,” Barallon recalls. The album, Time To Collect, was distributed on tape and is no longer available. These days both artists continue to dabble in music, although purely for their own enjoyment. “There was never any purpose behind it other than hanging out with a mate, having a couple of drinks and just having fun,” Kaldas says. M e a n w h i l e Pe r t h h i p h o p h a s travelled a long way since those early days, to the point where a local artist can debut at the top of the ARIA charts, as Drapht did with The Life Of Riley. Looking back, both Kaldas and Barallon had different views on whether they thought this would ever be possible. “I didn’t think that there’d ever be that many people into it because at the time hip hop was still such a small thing; if a song got played in the top 10 it was like a miracle,” Kaldas says of the mid-to-late ‘80s. “There were only, maybe, one or two venues in the’ 80s to early ‘90s that even played rap.” Barallon, though, has not been surprised by Australian hip hop’s success. “We showed a really great passion for [hip hop]. No matter what people said to us, we always thought this is a good thing,” he says. “In the end I knew, for some reason, one day or another, hip hop was going to explode. And it has.”
» CUT NICE & SUGAR RAY » FRIDAY, MARCH 23 @ METRO CITY
Metros Freo was heating up even before support act Radio Ink hit the stage. The Sydney-based trio, comprised of DJs Dic Money and Ronny Clark, plus smokin’frontwoman Miss S amped up the crowd with their electro-pop disco sound, and Miss S’ excellent glittery pants. But, as crowds do, the punters began to get restless for the main event, and no amount of holding up whiteboards saying “Make some noise” could stop them from yearning for Aqua. With a massive build up and perhaps the greatest communal ‘90s tunes sing-along of all time pre-band, Aqua made a grand entrance onto the Metros stage, all leather and suave and a guitarist with a seriously fabulous glittery beard. They launched straight into it and punters got their dance on immediately – with massive hits Cartoon Heroes and Doctor Jones featuring pretty early on in the set. The ladies oddly went absolutely batshitcrazy for René Dif, co-lead singer and conspirator, throwing underwear onto the stage and getting close-to-tears hysterical. To be fair, he was wearing perhaps the most amazing vest of all time; leather, with chains, and a massive skull and cross bones on the back. Danish people are awesome. Aqua pulled out all the classics that the crowd wanted; an excellent, even more danced-up version of My Oh My, Turn Back Time, and towards the end of the set, Barbie Girl closely followed by Lollipop (Candyman). The crowd was sweaty,
screaming and dancing manically, with the femaleto-male ratio a little off. Thinking of Aqua and the ‘90s makes you think of overproduced, brand bands with very little musical ability whatsoever. So, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the night was that musically, Aqua are actually talented and quite the rock band. Dif doesn’t really do all that much, and maybe if you listened closely he wouldn’t be all that in key – but never mind, his presence is way too brilliant. Lene Nystrøm however, is the very definition of pocket rocket, strutting round the stage and belting out tune after tune to adoring fans, pitch-perfect and never out of breath. The instrumental members were also exceptionally talented and there was so much sweet pop happening that it made you want to don your roller skates and snap some bubblegum. It’s difficult to speak for an entire generation, but I’m pretty sure when we were all singing Barbie Girl and Doctor Jones at the age of 10, we actually thought they were about Barbies and calling the doctor. Dif and Nystrøm have made a living by singing about sexy-time and selling out shows. After their last song, the crowd went mental, chanting in unison (a mean feat for the amount of alcohol that looked to have been consumed), and after a few minutes the band launched themselves back onto the stage. They performed their first ever hit Roses Are Red as their final encore, and it was big: Dif went up to the top level of Metros, Nystrøm ran around like a maniac, guitarists stood on drum kits. The crowd was sweaty and boozy and screaming the lyrics back towards the stage, and it was excellent. Everyone should go see Aqua ‘get down’ at least once in their lives – it’s a beautiful, dirty thing.
» CHLOE PAPAS
DJ MINX SHE CAN DJ
Sydney-based lass DJ Minx has played for Ministry Of Sound in Mykonos and has smashed out sets at Good Vibrations, Future Music Festival, Parklife and more. Last year, she took out EMI’s She Can DJ Competition and has just released a compilation in celebration of the win. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats to the stylish lady about the compilation and being fresh to the production scene. Avicii’s plane was running late and there were 20,000 people in front of the main stage at Stereosonic in Adelaide last year waiting for him to get behind the decks. DJ Minx, aka Rachel Phillips, kept the party going while the Swedish DJ and producer made his way to the festival from the airport. Having just returned from Los Angeles and London after playing at the Grammy Awards’ and Brit Awards’ EMI after-parties, Phillips has just begun a 30 date national tour in celebration of the release of her debut compilation She Can DJ Presents Minx. The compilation is part of the She Can DJ prize, a competition which she took out last year.“I was more excited than nervous,” she says down the line from Sydney, talking of the competition. “I had lots of family and friends there and just had a great night in general and [I] thought to myself ‘just get up there and do what you do’. All the girls in the comp were very supportive of one another and that really made for a happy environment also.” A house compilation at heart, the record contains mixes and edits of Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, Dirty South, Deadmau5 and more. Minx’s own originals Chances and You & I, a collaboration with DJ and producer Nordean and Melbourne based singersongwriter Erik Hecht, also feature. “Nordean is a very talented young man,” Phillips says. “He is an excellent producer and DJ and I have quite similar taste in music to him so we worked well together. I’m hoping to do more with him in the future. How can you not love Erik’s voice? I felt very lucky to have him sing on the track for us.” Having started out spinning tunes in Adelaide as a hobby back in 2004, Phillips has gone on to support the likes of Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso
DJ Minx and has even played sets after Tiesto and Deadmau5. in 2006, she became OneLove’s first female resident to play their club nights around Australia. Still close friends with the OneLove crew, she says the experience was a fun and positive one. As for being a female in a very much male dominated industry, Phillips says the public’s perception of female DJs has changed slightly over the years.“There weren’t too many of us when I first started but the industry has grown dramatically in the past few years and seeing females behind the decks has become the norm,” she says. “There are a lot of pretty, feminine girls taking up DJing as careers these days and I think that may cause the public to think of it as an image based career choice for some females rather then the actual skill factor. It’s unfortunate. I, however, don’t see it that way entirely. I have a big group of girlfriends in the industry who are incredible DJs and get the work because of what they do and that really is what it’s about.” It’s this attitude and disciplined work ethic which will see Phillips head to Ibiza in May to play alongside David Guetta, Diplo and Paul Oakenfold. Currently at work on her second EMI release, 2012 marks the beginning of Phillips’ production career.“Aside from my gig in Ibiza in May, I will be quite involved with She Can DJ this year as an ambassador and judge. [I’m] looking very forward to all that kicking off very soon and meeting some more talented girls. Then, [I’ll be] obviously writing for my album in between all the madness!”
» DJ MINX » SHE CAN DJ PRESENTS MINX [EMI] » OUT NOW 29
FLAWLESS
THE NEWPORT
WEDNESDAY 21/03 Amplifier – Fluxx ft Death Disco DJs 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 Flying Scotsman – DJs Travis Døøm/ Jimmy The Exploder Gold Bar–DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Leederville Hotel – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick 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 The Queens – Wriggle on
THURSDAY 22/03 Bolt Bar Tavern (Maylands) – DJs Steve C/ Back 2 Back/ Envious / Rhino/ Rexop/ Mental/ Treppa/ Haste
Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee/ DJ Matt/ DJ Millie Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Connections – Bingay Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ Andy M Eve – DJ Tony Allen Flying Scotsman – Cowboys & Indie Kids DJs Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Llama Bar – DJ Maxwell/ EMAS/ Lukas Wimler Mint Nightclub – DJ Simon Barwood Mt Henry Tavern - DJ Matty J Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick Mustang – DJ James South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – Jon Ee The Bird – Kučka’s debut EP launch The Causeway – EMAS DJs The Craftsman – Roger Smart The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The East End Bar - The Prestige The Newport Hotel – Bass Invaders ft iDROP/ Lost Tempo/ Last Minit/ Micah/ 12”inch/ Kid Deus/ Captain
CAPITOL
Japann Stripes/ Voyage 5 The Queens – Kapitol The Velvet Lounge – Hexx ft DJ Jessica Kill/ Dan/ Fear Of Comedy fundraiser The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley The Whistling Kite - DJ Gareth Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin
FRIDAY 23/03 Ambar – District ft Black & Blunt/ Dr. Space/ Marko Paulo/ DNGRFLD/ Chris Moro & Fellis/ ST1 ft Beckon MC Amplifier – Cowboys & Indie Kids Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Bar Orient – Higher Fyah The Reggae Club ft General Justice/ Jahmin/ H-Mut/ DJ Kevz/ The Empressions Beat Nightclub - Play Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern - DJ Jayden Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s ft DJ DTuck Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin
Aphrodite
Opiuo
30
Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie Claremont Hotel – DJ Nick Sheppard/ Aires Linares Como Hotel – DJ Gazz East End Bar - Yacht Club DJs Empire Bar – DJs Halo/ Bojan/ Ben Sebastian Eve – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Danny Boi Flawless – Therapy ft Zelimir/ Rob Sharp/ DJ Minna Flying Scotsman – DJs Jo19/ Rok Riley Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Back To Mono DJs 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 – Frat House Fridays ft Death Disco DJs Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount - DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Shape - Full Frequency ft Micah/ Ben Mac/ Massiv Trav/ Dart/ Sardi/ Declan/ Ben M/ Rok Riley/ James A/ Miranda Menzies/ JoLettenmaier/ FTW/ Bezwun & JS/ Ari Sistym/ Puff/ Ru-Kusa Sovereign Arms – Fiveo The Avenue – JMC The Bird – PaperChain Showcase ft Naik/ Zeke/ Ylem/ Mei Swan The Carine – Lockie Shaw / Mono Lisa/ Az-T The Causeway – 4by4 DJs 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 – Funky Bottoms/ Jon Ee Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray
Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles Villa – Jungle Fever ft Aphrodite YaYa’s – Junk ft DJ Whoa!
SATURDAY 24/03 Ambar – Japan 4 ft Vengeance/ Bezwun/ Marty McFly/ Micah/ Philly Blunt 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 – The Butternut Snap/ Sunmonx/ Russ Liquid/ JPS/ Opiuo Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – DJ Dan Club Bay View – VIP Saturdays ft DJ Ryan Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Stevie M Flawless - Stache Saturdays ft DJ Zelimir/ DJ Minna Flying Scotsman - Under The Influence DJs Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Fore DJs High Road Hotel – DJ Simon High Wycombe – DJ Matt 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/ DJ Minna
DJ Hype
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 Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Brett Rowe Shape – Sound Of Dubstep Vol. 3 ft Bar 9/ Gran Calavera/ Dr Space/ JS/ Charlie Chan South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee The Bird – Clunk/ Sleepyhead The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Causeway – Sun City DJs The Clink – Az-T The Craftsman - Dylan Hammond The Cornerstone – Aiden Wallis The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The Generous Squire – On Tap ft DJ Defanutley The Overflow (The Court) - DJ Hype/ Sigma The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Glenn 20 The Wembley – Az-T 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
The Aston Shuffle
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
METRO CITY
FLUXX
SUNDAY 25/03 Broken Hill Tavern - Sophie Jane Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Empire Bar – DJs CB3/ Riki/ Vicktor Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ Birdie Mint - Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys Salt On The Beach - Punchy & Juicy/ Charlie Bucket Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre - Sets On The Beach Volume 7 ft The Aston Shuffle (live)/ Yacht Club DJs/ Ajax/ Sampology (AV/DJ set)/ Canyons (live)/ New Navy The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Andyy
THIS WEEK: Bass Invaders ft iDROP/ Lost Tempo/ Last Minit/ Micah/ 12”inch/ Kid Deus/ Captain Japann Stripes/ Voyage 5 Thursday, March 22 @ The Newport Hotel
Canyons KRS-One/ Cut Nice/ Money J/ Sugar Ray/ Armee/ MC Optamus/ Breakers/ Maze/ Hi 5/ Mega/ King Leonidas/ Bar Orient - DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern - DJ Mario Tavelli Cortext Friday, March 23 @ Metro City
MONDAY 26/03
Eastern Hotel – Adam Morris The Deen – Plastic Max/ The Token Gesture The Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy
Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon Capitol - Yelawolf Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart The Cott (Upstairs) –Maxwell/ Jus Haus?/ Damian John Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin
Full Frequency ft Micah/ Ben Mac/ Massiv Trav/ Dart/ Sardi/ Declan/ Ben M/ Rok Riley/ James A/ Miranda Menzies/ JoLettenmaier/ FTW/ Bezwun & JS/ Ari Sistym/ Puff/ RuKusa Friday, March 23 @ Shape Higher Fyah The Reggae Club ft General Justice/ Jahmin/ H-Mut/ DJ Kevz/ The Empressions Friday, March 23 @ Bar Orient Jungle Fever ft Aphrodite Friday, March 23 @ Villa District ft Black & Blunt/ Dr Space/ Marko Paulo/ DNGRFLD/ Chris Moro/ Fellis/ ST1/ Beckon MC Friday, March 23 @ Ambar King Tito’s Dirty Disco ft Yacht Club DJs Friday, March 23 @ East End Bar Sound Of Dubstep Vol. 3 ft Bar 9/ Gran Calavera/ Dr Space/ JS/ Charlie Chan Saturday, March 24 @ Shape The Butternut Slap/ Sunmonx/ Russ Liquid/ JPS/ Opiuo Saturday, March 24 @ Capitol DJ Hype/ Sigma
KRS-One Saturday, March 24 @ The
KRS-ONE
FRIDAY, MARCH 23 @ METRO CITY
www.xpressmag.com.au
FRAT HOUSE FRIDAYS
METRO FREO
IN THE
TUESDAY 27/03
Yacht Club DJs
AMPLIFER
Overflow (The Court) Japan 4 ft Vengeance Saturday, March 24 @ Ambar Sets On The Beach Volume 7 ft The Aston Shuffle (live)/ Yacht Club DJs/ Ajax/ Sampology (AV/DJ set)/ Canyons (live)/
New Navy Sunday, March 25 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre Yelawolf Tuesday, March 27 @ Capitol
COMING UP Zeke Wednesday, March 28 @ The Bird MANIK Friday, March 30 @ The Velvet Lounge
Hot Cross Buns Easter Thursday ft Tonite Only/ The Medics/ Yesyou/ Mind Electric/ Death Disco DJs/ Kno Agents/ Sun City/ Jus Haus?/ DJ Cody and more Thursday, April 5 @ Amplifier Capitol
Derrick May Friday, April 27 @ Ambar DJ Havana Brown Thursday, April 5 @ Metro Freo The Funkoars Saturday, April 28 @ The M.A.N.D.Y & Stacey Pullen Rosemount Hotel Thursday, April 5 @ Shape
Digitalism/ Adrian Lux Friday, May 18 @ Villa
Japan 4 ft Bitrok Saturday, April 7 @ Ambar
Diafrix & Joelistics Friday, March 30 @ Bar 120
Van She Tech Saturday, April 7 @ The Aviary
Peo De Pitte Friday, March 30 @ Ambar
Soul Project ft Miss Honey Dijion Saturday, April 7 @ Geisha
Diafrix & Joelistics Saturday, March 31 @ Hyde Park Hotel Hermitude Saturday, March 31 @ Amplifier Diafrix & Joelistics Sunday, April 1 @ Norfolk Basement Lucidity ft Diabise/ Electric Sea Spider/ James Ireland/ Zeke/ Rorschach Wednesday, April 4 @ The Rosemount Hotel Machine Drum & Jacques Greene/ Nik Ridikulas vs Ben Taaffe/ Ylem vs Rachael Dease/ Rok Riley/ Kit Pop/ Solar Barge/ Clunk/ Modo/ Oni Cash/ Sleepyhead Thursday, April 5 @ The Bakery Villa’s 3rd Birthday ft The Freestylers/ Marten Hørger/ DNGRFLD/ Black & Blunt Thursday, April 5 @ Villa
Clark Atmosphere/ Evidence Friday, April 27 @ The Bakery Friday, May 11 @ Villa Krafty Kuts Saturday, May 12 @ Villa
Bag Raiders Saturday, April 7 @ Villa
Ministry Of Sound Clubbers Guide To 2012 Tour ft Denzal Park & Danny T Saturday, March 31 @ Villa
Court Gardens
The Funkoars Friday, April 27 @ Bar 120
Hermitude Friday, March 30 @ Mojos
DJ Fresh/ MC Messy and more Friday, March 30 @ Metro City
Joondalup
Grizzled ft SKisM/ Zomboy/ TC/ Culprate and more Sunday, April 8 @ Capitol
Showtek Friday, May 18 @ Shape
Groovin’ The Moo ft 360/ Hilltop Hoods/ Adrian Lux/ Beni/ Digitalism/ Hermitude/ Muscles/ Purple Sneaker DJs/ Wavves Soul Project ft JT Donaldson Saturday, May 19 @ Hay Park, Bunbury Saturday, May 5 @ Geisha Creamfields ft David Guetta/ Above & Beyond/ Mickey Avalon Saturday, May 26 @ The Dirty South/ Alesso/ Excision/ W&W/ Giuseppe Rosemount Hotel Ottaviani (live)/ Congorock/ 360/ Hermitude Vitalic/ Sied van Riel/ Friday, June 22 @ Villa Tritonal/ Downlink/ ShockOne/ MaRLo/ Bombs 360 Away/ MC Stretch Saturday, May 5 @ Supreme Saturday, June 23 @ The Astor Make The Face ft Kid Kenobi/ Surecut Kids Saturday, April 28 @ Villa
Trafik: The Drum & Bass Reunion ft Rintel/ Rufkut/ Frantik/ JRippa/ Armee/ Xsessiv/ Mystique/ Dazz K/ Roller Crew/ Dart/ Devo/ Kent/ Teneacity/ Webbz Friday, April 13 @ The Rosemount Hotel The Herd/ Thundamentals Saturday, April 14 @ The Rosemount Slackjaw launches Fremantle’s Finest Remix EP Saturday, April 14 @ The Bird Roger Sanchez Friday, April 20 @ Villa Viper ft Metrik/ ShockOne/ Phetsta/ Ekko & Sidetrack/ llusiv & Dvise/ MCs Xsessiv/ Bear & Stylee Saturday, April 21 @ Villa Supafest ft P.Diddy/ Ice Cube/ Rick Ross/ Trey Songz/ Kelly Rowland/ Lupe Fiasco/ Chris Brown/ Missy Elliot/ Big Sean/ Naughty By Nature Sunday, April 22 @ Arena
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SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST 2012
Austin, Texas Friday, March 9 – Sunday, March 18, 2012
In his inspired and inspiring SXSW keynote address, Bruce Springsteen quoted legendary music critic Lester Bangs, who wrote that Elvis Presley was the last thing that we would all agree on. Springsteen talked about a time when there were so few bands around that record stores didn’t exist, when albums were racked in a corner of the local drug store. Not anymore. There are more music genres in the world than there are words to name them - though Springsteen tried to assemble an exhaustive list. There are more music genres in the world than you can possibly conceive, and they are all represented at SXSW. Over five days and nights in downtown Austin (hipster capital of the American South), two thousand bands play at more than seven hundred events – showcases, unofficial parties, and house parties, in clubs, dive bars, restaurants, car parks, record stores, backyards, on rooftops and street corners – anywhere you can fit a band they cram one in and ramp up the speakers. Wrapping your head around the schedule is a good few days’ work, with countless unknown bands to research, parties
Grimes
Miike Snow
Youth Lagoon
to RSVP and road maps to coordinate. It’s a rabbit hole of possibility that becomes more awesome and daunting the further you drop. There is also a hierarchy to understand, with industry VIPs and artists sitting somewhere at the top of the list, conference badge holders on the next rung and the general public queuing up behind. Some of the bigger and more established parties evoke a kind of mass-hysteria at the door, with punters queuing for hours to collect a precious party wristband and hours to get into the venue in time for that one over-hyped set or a not-so-secret guest appearance by some music luminary who is slumming it in a club (Kanye West, Neil Young, Jack White and Springsteen were amongst those who played small shows to a lucky few in 2012). Among the most hyped acts at the conference, Alabama Shakes are spearheading the current blues rock revival, with lead singer Brittany Howard chomping and moaning her way through a powerhouse set that had the crowd in fits. Canadian electro pop artist Grimes was another much-anticipated act, and while her set was largely a trick of vocal reverb and pre-fab samples, she is undeniably compelling to watch, dancing and twitching like an eighties teen idol with her uber art punk wardrobe all casually perfect. Miike Snow and entourage tore up the last slot of Thursday night with their unbelievable creamy future beat sound, and indie super band Diamond Rugs (featuring members of Deer Tick, The Black Lips and Los Lobos) inspired similar hysteria when they unleashed their rattling rock on Saturday. Alongside the fucking interminable synth pop trend, garage rock was lurking around every corner of SXSW this year, with Brisbane’s Bleeding Knees Club holding their own against similarly young and spunky bands like Bleached, whose lead singer is a doll-like nymph, and the very excellent Howler, who have phenomenal songwriting chops and also solid stand-up comedy skills. Of the masses of hip hop and hip pop on offer, Santigold was a highlight – her dancers stealing the show at Fader Fort with their props, costumes changes and stone-faced twerking moves. Danny Brown followed with his snarky, dirty, unapologetic rap style- a maestro at the mic who slams hard while shaking his asymmetrical kinky afro bob and stirring the crowd into a bellowing fan frenzy. The Magnetic Fields made their first-ever SXSW appearance this year, playing a showcase slot at the ACL Theatre and a small and frankly magical club show at The Parish for NPR – America’s National Public Radio. In a golf cap and tortoiseshell glasses, munching on wasabi peas in between songs, Stephin Merritt was at his most droll and adorable, delivering acoustic versions of songs from their latest album and a satisfying number from 69 Love Songs in his impeccable, lamenting baritone. Also drowning in wit and irony, Father John Misty (aka J Tillman, ex-Fleet Foxes drummer) confused the audience at the Sub Pop showcase, with the help of band members from Blitzen Trapper, temporarily dubbed Blitzen Misty. Before and around songs of dark, humorous poetry, he reeled off one-liner after one-liner in what is best described as an indie comedy cabaret performance. Freed from that cumbersome drum kit, he has blossomed into the leading man he was also supposed to be – weird, handsome and terribly fucking funny. I was frustrated by the limitations of time and the wealth of things I necessarily missed – choices are tough at SXSW, and inevitably someone will tell you about something you had meant to see but couldn’t, which was of course amazing. My favourite acts from SXSW 2012 ran the gamut. Danny Brown was up there, along with the brilliant electro Kate Bush sounds of Niki & the Dove and the arch indie rock of Brooklyn’s Oberhofer. I adored Yellow Ostrich, fronted by the overgrown boy child Alex Schaaf, whose brutally sweet lyrics and breaking voice go hand in hand, and Youth Lagoon was amazing too. Cloud Nothings made people very happy, as did Seattle-based violinist Kishi Bashi, Canadian indie pop crooner Patrick Watson and Californian prog hardcore act Ceremony, amongst many others. I wish I had seen them all, but I wouldn’t trade a single set. Not even the bands – and there were a few – where I saw multiple sets. _SIMONE UBALDI
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
360
Seven / Mr Hill Rosemount Hotel Thursday, March 15, 2012
I, A Man
Astor Theatre Sunday, March 18, 2012 It is a fidgety energy that drives the music of UK fourpiece Bombay Bicycle Club. Their first album, 2009’s I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose came out while the band was still in high school and is loaded with moody, adolescent post-punk. 2010 saw them swerve into Sufjan Stevens-esque folk with their second album, Floors, and last year, the band rediscovered their telecasters for the summery indie pop of A Different Kind Of Fix. It was on the back of A Different Kind Of Fix that the band made their first visit to Perth, playing at the Astor Theatre. Support came from Melbourne band I, A Man. They were tight and confident but the performance came across as a little safe, its brief excursions into spacey psychedelia too half-hearted to really add much to an otherwise coherent pop set. For fairly a modest and self-effacing band, Bombay Bicycle Club can certainly whip up fervour. Back-lit by violet lights, the band launched immediately into How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep, building scribbled arpeggios and stuttering drums around Jack Steadman’s nervous probes of “Can I wake you up? Is it late enough?” The overall effect is something of a sugarrush, it’s hugely exciting at first but it’s difficult to sustain for long. After about four or five similar songs in a row the highs were a little less high and the songs started to bleed into one another. Thankfully, just as the jittery hooks of the first half were starting to stale, the band slowed things down with the white-boy disco of Lights Out, Words Gone. It’s worth noting as well, how excellent Steadman’s vocals are in a live setting. He pulls the words around in quick, subtle shifts that manage to embody all the band’s stylistic excursions whilst still sounding immensely personal. Encoring with Shuffle’s friction-filled pop and What If’s straight-up noise coda the band finished as suddenly as they had begun. Adolescent impatience can be a lot of fun sometimes.
360 (Photo: Denis Radacic)
The Rosemount isn’t the biggest venue in Perth, but it was packed to the rafters for the first of 360’s sold out shows. A bunch of punters dressed up like extras in a Snoop Dogg video piled into the room to catch the hugely popular rapper, who’s shot to fame recently thanks to a lot of airplay on Australian radio. First up was the Gold Coast MC Seven, who had a huge crowd despite playing his set two hours before 360 was due on stage. Launching into his recent hit My Way, he did the job of getting the crowd pumped up and - unusually for a support act - the crowd immediately started dancing and really getting into it. Seven and guest MC Mr Hill were certainly capable of starting a party atmosphere, even on a Thursday night, yelling “I’m really drunk... everybody put your fucking dranks in the air; if you don’t drink more than us than you’re fucked.” Word on the street is that they’ll be back for a headlining tour later this year; so keep your ears open local hip hop fans, because they’re definitely an excellent live act to see. The night came full circle when 360 came onto the stage. The heavily tattooed golden boy of Aussie hip hop wasn’t wasting any time setting the tone of the night, opening with the statement “Who’s got work tomorrow? Who’s getting fucking wasted anyway?” which drew a huge cheer from the already inebriated crowd. By the time he launched into his second track, girls and boys alike
were balanced on shoulders, climbing over every available surface to get a good look, and screaming along to every word. Throw It Away, a track that usually features Josh Pyke, was the first song that the crowd really threw themselves into, prompting 360 to state “We don’t even need Josh Pyke!”. A freestyle rap over a sample of Big Boi’s Shutterbugg was a highlight of the night, and proved that he can still freestyle with the best of them. The set list mainly stuck faithfully to the track listing of his latest album Falling & Flying, with one of the evening’s highlights his self-proclaimed favourite song from the album, Hope You Don’t Mind, at which point he was pulled into the crowd (and if the hysterical state of some of the ladies there was anything to go by, he was lucky to make it out in one piece). Capping things off with the ridiculously catchy Boys Like You, featuring Gossling - who didn’t make an appearance on the tour - 360 not only cemented himself as an awesome live act but also showed a little bit of a soft side, admitting that while this song was inspired by his ex-girlfriend cheating on him with his best friend, he’s now engaged and soon to be married. If only every hip hop gig could end on such a sweet - and monogamous - note. _TARA LLOYD
_HENRY ANDERSEN
RUNNER
Usurper Of Modern Medicine / Rabbit Island The Bakery Friday, March 16, 2012
Runner (Photo: Callum Ponton) It’s only taken one well-received single and a few talkedabout side projects to get to this point, but indie rock quintet Runner made their debut as a big-font band on the local line-up at The Bakery last Friday evening, where they took to the stage to launch their exquisite EP Indiana. And yet, though their sound has grown increasingly muscular over the last few months, they still seemed somewhat ill-suited to the wide-open space. In other words, they still carry themselves like a young band from a tiny town. Charming punters earlier in the evening, the Fresh stylings of Rabbit Island created a sonic blueprint that was subtly innovative, while Usurper Of Modern Medicine peddled out sounds which were not always the most comfortable thing to listen to, but like the proverbial car crash, it was hard to tear ones eyes and ears away. There’s no denying that local indie rockers Runner know their way around grand, sighing love songs. An exquisite liaison of ringing, shoegazy guitars and direct/grittier rock drive, the band is tight, evocative, and inventive. Seemingly abiding by an ethos which found them expressing as much feeling through what’s not there as what is, their songs are full of emotion and tension, but what sets them apart from the garden variety confessionals is their restraint. Never letting their emotion come out too strongly, tonight they preferred instead to hint at it in artfully vague lyrics and the occasional swell of earnest melody. Yet the energy of Triple J and RTRFM favoured single Outlines & Colours demonstrated that emotion doesn’t detract from Runners’ songs at all, but also casts the band’s trademark detachment in a new light: if it sounds this good with enthusiasm, why deny it? _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD www.xpressmag.com.au
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GOT THE BEAT Beat Nightclub Friday, March 16, 2012 Beat Nightclub went off with a bang on Friday night as hundreds flocked in for the venue’s official launch. Local band Foam kicked off proceedings, Sam Perry wowed audiences with his loop-pedal magic, and then The Novocaines topped off an amazing night. Prizes were awarded and the paparazzi were everywhere, the Beat Nightclub is quickly becoming the best place to be in town!
Kooii Tess & Nat
MOJOS BAR
This Friday, March 22, Brisbane-based seven-piece Kooii hit the stage, with Sneaky Weasel Gang in support. $15 tickets are available at the door from 8pm. Then on Sunday, March 25, reggae aficionados Sunshine Brothers will showcase their dance-inducing dub style. Mojos Bar is also giving away a double pass for Maximum Facemelt, the ultimate psychoactive experience on Friday, March 23. Simply email “Facemelt” in the subject line to mojos@coolperthnights.com to be in the running.
Photographs by Matt Jelonek
Sam & Emma
Aleisha & Claire
INDI BAR
With the first return show for Vdelli packed the rafters, the rock‘n’rollers are back this Friday, March 23, and every Friday until the end of April. Then on Saturday, March 24, blues outfit Blue Shaddy are raring up to tear the house down, so get on down for a weekend of rockin’ blues!
Marly, Peta & Leanna
Camie, Claire & Tony
Kristy & Carly
Kelly & Lisa
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RAILWAY HOTEL
This Friday, March 23, metalheads and hard rockers unite as Epsilon, One Armed Scissor, Dead Set Radio and Fliptop take to the stage from 8pm; entry is $6. Then on Saturday, March 24, things get heavier still when Blunt Force Trauma, Archaic, BloodKlot and Facegrinder take to the stage. For those who like their music a little gentler, folkier and more poptastic, the Beer Garden hosts a massive all-day event on Sunday, March 25, featuring The Seals, Lucy Peach, Miche Suite, Mr and Sunbird, Matt Cal and the Black Heart Sun, Natasha Shanks and Big Dragon Little Dragon from noon. Entry is $20.
PADDO
Tonight Paddo POW kicks off with Graphic Fiction Heroes at 8pm followed by Ultrasound and Jupiter Zues.
PRINCIPAL
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL
The fine folks at the Principal in Midland will be sharing some of their favourite rums for an evening of alcohol education and appreciation this Thursday, March 22.Tickets are $30 and include rum tastings, cocktail samples and nibbles. Contact (08) 9250 2995 or info@theprincipal.com.au to secure your ticket.
This Thursday, March 22, at the Rosemount Hotel catch some awe-inspiring rock‘n’roll courtesy of No Deadlines, The Shakeys, Death Elevator and The Coalminers Sect in the Main Room. Doors open 8pm and entry is $5. If you’re strapped for cash, The Sons Of Rico DJs will be spinning tunes in the Beer Garden from 7.30pm.
MUSTANG BAR
ROCKET ROOM
THE WEMBLEY
VOODOO LOUNGE
This Thursday, March 22, catch an all-killer-no-filler line-up featuring Stoney Joe, The Jayco Brothers and Jacob Diamond.
James, Moria
The Seals
From 6pm on Friday, March 23, The Wembley Hotel is throwing a party to launch Itchy Green Pants, a new cloudy Australian Ale from Matilda Bay Brewers, and to showcase their newly refurbished Alexander Bar.
This Friday, March 23, Empires Laid Waste , Prescient, Reflections of Ruin and Misery Dilation will be smashing out the metal jams. Doors open at 8pm.
This Friday, March 23, the Voodoo Lounges presents their amateur housewife striptease competition. Entry is restricted to genuine amateurs, and tickets are $15 on the door.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
kuč ku čka
KUČKA
The Wonder Years Mixing heavily treated vocals with a surprisingly sprightly musical backing of skipping beats and strange sonic squiggles, local eclectic beat maker Laura Jane Lowther is set to launch her debut EP for electronic project kučka at The Bird this Thursday, March 22. JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD checks in with the promising new talent. Specialising in spectral computer drones interspersed by haunting keyboard tones and textures based around unsettlingly lovely vocal layering sequences, Laura Jane Lowther’s tunes crafted for her electronic project kučka are ethereally pretty but not in a prissy way.
Bolstered by bold basslines and reverberating subsonic beats, kučka’s heavy atmospherics are pure musical entropy and offer just one slice of Lowther’s considerable talent – the young musician has also worked on a variety of projects from sound art to film scores, and has also composed for the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Echo ensemble as part of the young and emerging artist program. “I love electronic music and in my spare time I’m constantly making beats and sampling things. Composing for [an] orchestra is really intense work and it’s kind of unrealistic to think a musician’s career can solely consist of large-scale projects. [kučka] is an outlet where I can combine all of my favourite types of music and have fun doing it,” she says. “I did my first kučka gig just over a year ago, which was just me playing solo, and because of that it was probably a little more experimental and improvised then our live show now. At first it was hard, as I felt like it was a kind of karaoke act, I did as much as I could live but it was all running through my laptop and it was hard for audiences to understand what was going on. “About six months ago I was joined by Matt Bairstow, who is an incredible drummer; he used the beat samples from my tracks and played them off an electronic kit. Shortly after we were joined by Jake Steele on analog synth and that is the current line-up. With Matt and Jake in the band now, the live dynamic is much more interesting for the audience and for me, which has made things easier for sure.” Lowther attests that all of her previous musical excursions have played a part in her creative output under the kučka moniker. “I’m currently in my final year in a music composition course, so this year I will be writing a 45 minute recital, which I can hopefully use as a basis for my first kučka album. I’m hoping to use live orchestral instruments mixed with electronic beats and synth bass to create really textural ethereal tracks,” she says, adding that she is incredibly excited to take to the stage at The Bird this Thursday to launch her debut EP. “We have two support acts, Mei Saraswati and Mostarsk. Both of them are really interesting acts who use electronics really well in their live shows,” she concludes. “Jake’s working on a home made noise machine for the gig so we can do some live sampling. We also have live visuals being projected by Korrin Stoney, and obviously we will be playing!”
CHILL BRO
Chilling Winston
Hot on the heels of their first EP, punk rockers Chilling Winston are set to release a follow-up in Pessimistic this Friday, March 23, at The Rosemount Hotel. Playing the show also will be comeback kings Silver Lizard, who’ll be playing their first show in almost a year. Ten Points For Glenroy will also be there hangin’ out, while Geraldton’s finest pop punkers Alex The Kid are going to open the band section of the night shorly after the debut of acoustic duo Paper Plains. Plus, there will be vinyl and t-shirt giveaways for a few lucky punters too!
LETS GET PHYSICAL
Head down to Mojos Bar on Friday, March 23, to see 10 local bands amaze, astound, and defy the very laws of physics and reason when they embark upon the collective, two-stage musical task to achieve the high artistic honour of Maximum Facemelt. Join Cow Parade Cow, TUSK, Bonehouse, Usurper Of Modern Medicine, and stacks more awesome bands for the ultimate psychoactive experience from 7pm.
MIND BLOWING
In order to raise awareness of mental health issues, Split Seconds, Ruby Boots and Big Old Bears are banding together this Sunday, March 25, at Kings Square in Fremantle, to raise awareness of the Music To Open Your Mind initiative, which aims to stimulate discussions about mental health through the universal medium of music.
FEELING SEEDY?
Cavefire Cinema will showcase their new single The Seed at the Velvet Lounge this Friday, March 23. Star Anise, Sulu and Nicko & The Mong round out the bill. Entry is $5 on the door and the band is encouraging people to bring their nerf guns. You’ve been warned.
PUT A BIRD ON IT
Get your weekend started early this Thursday, March 22, as Ya Ya’s presents an evening of kooky and spooky local music. Headliners Bears And Dolls will charm listeners over with unique brand of gentle, countrified folk before The Painted Birds will rough things up with their swagger and Steve Nicks-influenced blues. Opening up for these great bands will be indie pop newcomers My First Telescope. Entry is $5 and the drinks at the bar are cold, so it’s hard to imagine a better way to enjoy your night out.
MIGHTY FINE FOLK
This Wednesday, March 21, Going Solo at the Moon late night cafe will showcase the talents of some of WA’s most diligent musical troubadours, including Buzzcut Wellhard, Davey Craddock and Jason Kamasz. The music starts up and 8pm and entry to the restaurant is always free!
SET PHASER TO STUN
In the mood for some acid-fried psychedelic shenanigans? The Norfolk Basement have you covered this Thursday, March 22, with locals Deep River Collective, Shy Panther, Black Board Minds and Nevada Pilot set to provide some mind-melting kaleidoscopic tunes.
VELVET VIBES
Finish your weekend in a big way, with a very tasty line-up of some of Perth’s best experimental, psych and rock sounds this Sunday, March 25, at the Velvet Lounge. Featuring the smooth sounds of Ermine Coat, Sprawl, Brown, Solar Barge and Sacred Flower Union, local music lovers can expect an evening of heady intricacy with arrangements expanding in concentric tiers of chiming guitars, plinking percussion and twitchy programmed beats. Tickets are $5 on the door from 6pm.
SETS AND THE CITY
This Sunday, March 25, is Sex And The City’s favorite unlucky-in-love horsefaced star Sarah Jessica Parker’s birthday and in honor of this illustrious occasion the fine folks at The Bird are throwing one hell of a party! From 6pm, Stereoflower, Sugarpuss and Shy Panther will be providing tunes which are sure to get you up on your manolos, while Usurper Of Modern Medicine’s Steve Hughes will paying the ultimate homage to all things SJP by executing dirty live mash ups of Sex And The City clips. www.xpressmag.com.au
The Arsonist
THE ARSONIST Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, how would you describe your band’s sound? If George Michael and Massive Attack had a love child, but Simply Red was sleeping with Massive Attack on the side but Massive Attack didn’t know who the father was and that baby grew up playing music it would probably sound similar to us. On a slightly more serious note, though, it’s a little hard to say. People have likened our sound, to Jamiroquai, Simply Red, Massive Attack, The Postal Service. The Arsonist is very vocal heavy; and when we started out we tried to use George Michael and Simply Red as a base for our sound. However, I don’t think we ended up sounding too much like either. Where did your band name come from? There’s a ranga in our band so it felt only natural. What do you love about making music? Recording and playing live. I suppose there is a certain love for the actual writing process, but recording and playing the songs live really gives you a sense of completion and overall satisfaction; as well as the opportunity to share something you have created with others. Then to top it all off, you will meet people who will say “oh I really love this part of the song, or this line, and it means this to me” and then you get another perspective on what you thought you have written, this makes it more special. What do you hate about the music industry? Auto-tune and the Top 40. Out of all the local folks you’ve played shows with, who’s been one of your favourites? Probably Wolves. They were really hospitable to us and helped us when we were starting out. We are also looking forward to playing some shows with a band called Bastian’s Happy Flight as I think our styles mesh well. What can a punter expect from your upcoming show at Amplifier? Our music is predominantly about love and having a good time. I think that translates itself to our live show as we encourage both dancing and ‘80s pelvic thrusting. The Arsonist hit the stage at Amplifier on Saturday, March 24. Support comes from Rainy Day Women, Call Collector and Archer & Light. Tickets are $13 on the door. 35
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
AARON SANDILANDS Fremantle’s Big Man Armed with a new coach, the Fremantle Dockers are looking to kick off season 2012 with the massive Starlight Foundation Purple Haze match against reigning premiers Geelong at Paterson’s Stadium on Saturday, March 31. X-Press catches up with the team’s star ruckman Aaron Sandilands. The Fremantle Dockers are kicking off the season against reigning premiers Geelong in round one. Being the Starlight Purple Haze game, what does it mean to the team to ensure a win? We’ll run out and see a swarm of purple in the crowd, which gives us a little reminder of the importance of the day. Hopefully we can get a win and raise a lot of money for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. What’s the most rewarding part for you and your work with Starlight Foundation? Knowing that it helps out all those kids, it really makes it all worthwhile. When you go to Princess Margaret Hospital and you spend time with some kids that are really struggling, it means a lot to know that you can put a smile on their face, it just puts life into perspective a bit. How will the Dockers celebrate their 10th year of being affiliated with Starlight Foundation this year? Hopefully by having a win against Geelong, and breaking a record amount of money raised at the game, so hopefully everyone can get on board and come down and donate at the game.
How has pre-season preparation differed this year for the team with a new coach at the helm? We’ve been doing a fair bit of work on a new game plan and a new style of game. It’s been exciting to practice that over summer. Hopefully the more games we play the better we get at playing that style of footy. Which ruckmen are you most looking forward to competing against this season? Who are your biggest rivals? No one really sticks out, you come up against a tough opponent every week. Every side has a great ruckman and you’ve got a massive challenge each week. Subiaco Oval is in its twilight years. What are your thoughts on the forthcoming Burswood Stadium? I’ll be long retired by the then. I’m just hoping for a good seat in the past players box. Do you remember the first professional football game you went to as a youngster? Who played? I remember watching Fremantle play Geelong at the WACA. I was a Geelong fan at the time, but I remember Fremantle winning. What advice would you give to young footballers with aspirations to play at the elite level? I think enjoyment is the number one factor, if you enjoy what you’re doing and become good at playing then that’s good. If you work hard then there are a lot of opportunities out there. Who is your favourite AFL player of all time and why? Growing up I was a massive Geelong supporter so I have two favourite players. I was a really big fan of Gary Ablett Senior and Billy Brownless, I just love the way they go about their footy. Aaron Sandilands
MATT DE BOER
CHRIS MAYNE
ALEX SILVAGNI
GARRICK IBBOTSON
Outside of the sport you play, what is your favourite sport, team and player? NBA basketball, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant. What music do you listen to before a game? Bon Jovi. Who is your favourite band? Kings Of Leon.
Outside of the sport you play, what is your favourite sport, team and player? Golf and Tiger Woods. What music do you listen to before a game? David Guetta. Who is your favourite band? Pearl Jam.
Outside of the sport you play, what is your favourite sport, team and player? Moto GP and Valentino Rossi. What music do you listen to before a game? Rock and metal. Who is your favourite band? Rise Against.
Outside of the sport you play, what is your favourite sport, team and player? Soccer, Manchester City and David Silva. What music do you listen to before a game? I listen to dance music! Who is your favourite band? Kaskade.
www.xpressmag.com.au
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THE NORFOLK HOTEL
The Norfolk Hotel is proud to support The Fremantle Dockers and their Purple Haze Game on Saturday, March 31, in support of The Starlight Foundation. The Norfolk will donate $1 from every pint sold during the telecast of The Fremantle vs Geelong game. Come down, dress in Purple and support Freo in this fantastic annual fundraising event.
The Mustang Bar
THE MUSTANG BAR
The Inglewood Hotel
The Mustang Bar on Lake Street in Northbridge is a sports haven. Covering all your sporting broadcast needs with 11 screens and a plethora of channels including Soccer’s Premier League and A League, Union and AFL. If it’s on, then the Mustang is the place to watch it.
The Leederville
THE LEEDERVILLE HOTEL
THE INGLEWOOD HOTEL
The Leederville Hotel is fast becoming Perth’s sports place - boasting a massive 3.5m by 5m outdoor mega screen and indoor plasmas. The Leederville should be on top of your list when looking for a place to watch the big game. All sports are updated weekly on The Leederville Hotel’s website - leedervillehotel. com - head on over to their sports schedule page to see all games and times or sign up for their weekly newsletter to see what’s on. Keep your eyes peeled at finals time for LDV sporting events with free sausage sizzle and nice price drink specials.
Winner of AHA’s Best Sporting Entertainment Venue Award in 2011, the Inglewood Hotel provides Perth’s best live sport experience with 15 HD screens, an 80cm projector and atmosphere boosting surround sound so you feel like you’re at the game! The Hotel also offers a free bus to Force home games and is the home of the WA Bulldogs, WA Hawks, Western Magpies and the Western Saints supporter groups. Don’t love footy? Never fear because The Inglewood screens live NRL, Super Rugby, Cricket, AFL, A League, EPL and more with over 20 cold beers and ciders on tap. Visit inglewoodhotel.com.au for all your sporting and entertainment needs and sign up to their exclusive SMS Sports trivia and alerts.
PURPLE HAZE
Round 1 of the 2012 season marks the 10th anniversary of a proud Freo tradition - the Starlight Purple Haze Game. Thanks to the generosity of the club’s passionate supporters, the Starlight Purple Haze Game, proudly supported by Fremantle Ports, has raised almost $350,000 for the Starlight Children’s Foundation since its inception in round 18, 2003. This year, the Starlight ambassadors will be working tirelessly to help break the record of $70,946.75, set in last year’s Starlight Purple Haze Game. You can help by attending the game on Saturday, March 31, at Paterson’s Stadium. There will be Starlight volunteers collecting donations around the precinct right up until bounce down. This year the Fremantle Dockers are also creating a ‘Freo Purple Haze’ along the coffee strip on South Terrace in the week leading up to the Starlight Purple Haze Game. Stayed tuned to the club’s website fremantlefc.com. au for more updates.
Hyde Park Hotel
HYDE PARK HOTEL
Freo Purple Haze
The Hyde Park Hotel loves sport! UFC, AFL and ARU games (just to name a few) will be televised on the big screens at the Hydey every week. With a TAB on site you’ll be able to have a punt while watching your team. The Hydey has a huge menu of delicious pub grub and nothing goes better with sport than a steaming hot steak sandwich and an ice cold bevvy. There’s no going past the Hydey for live sport.
ROUNDHOUSE TAVERN
The Sports Player Bar at the Roundhouse Tavern in Balcatta caters for those seeking more casual dining, who wish to sit at the bar with a cold beer, watch the races on six flat screen TVs featuring Sky 1 and Sky 2 as well as 21 flat screens with all the race results and giddyup racing guides from around the country. Offering state of the art touch-screen information terminals, self service betting terminals, sports wrap and dedicated attendants, the PubTab is one of the busiest in town. Free beer will be served from bounce down every Saturday until the first point is scored or after 30 minutes, what a deal!
EAGLE EYE The Paddo Saturday, March 17, 2012 Footy fans headed down to The Paddo last weekend to check out West Coast Eagles versus the Adelaide Crows in the AFL NAB Cup and unfortunately for those wearing the yellow and blue, the Crows came up trumps. The AFL season kicks off at the Paddo this Saturday at 4pm, when the Sydney Swans go head to head with Greater Western Sydney.
Peter, Michelle
Elyse, Garth
Photographs by Matt Jelonek
Melanie, Emer, Amanda Mascha, Gerry, Dave
Stella, Lisa
Keith, Laura
Adzy, Stacey, Liam 38
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MOONDYNE JOE’S
The big screen TV, pool tables and TAB on site make the Sports Bar at Moondyne Joe’s the perfect place to catch up with friends for a drink after work or a night out. There is a good selection of local and imported beers on tap as well as a terrific bar menu at great prices. The big screen TV in the Sports Bar telecasts all AFL, UK Football, Rugby, NRL, Boxing, International Cricket and other major sporting events on channels such as Fox Sport, ESPN and Setanta. All events, where possible are shown live.
High Road Hotel
HIGH ROAD HOTEL
The High Road Hotel is the perfect spot to catch all the latest sporting action. The main bar features a huge wrap around bar with screens showing all the live sport and pool room with three great pool tables, you couldn’t ask for more entertainment. The High Road is home to the UFC so head down and enjoy a fantastic breakfast and catch all the action of the upcoming UFC matches live. Check website closer to events for full details.
THE VIC PARK HOTEL
The team at The Vic Park Hotel take their sport very seriously. Showing love for just about every sport, including football, rugby union, rugby league, Moto GP, boxing and UFC just to name a few, The Vic Park has five plasmas and a huge screen, so you’re guaranteed to have a great view of your favorite game. With the AFL seasons upon us, why not join The Vic’s tipping comp? It’s just $30 to enter and there are great weekly prizes; the more that join the bigger the prize pool. Be warned though, many others share The Vic’s love of sports so they strongly recommend you get in early to ensure you have the best seat in the house!
The Paddington Ale House
THE PADDINGTON ALE HOUSE
The Paddington Alehouse is home to everything that is live in sport! With two big screens, 15 HD plasma screens and surround sound, The Paddo is the true sporting enthusiast’s paradise. Catch all the NRL, Super 15s and AFL live in HD this season. Every match of the AFL season is live starting this Saturday, March 24– GWS v Sydney from 4pm. Plus don’t forget The Paddo showcases every UFC card live. Don’t miss UFC 145 Jon Jones v Rashad Evans live on Sunday, April 22, from 10am!
THE LEFT BANK
For all you footy fanatics out there The Left Bank has some great news for you! Not only can you join an easy to use footy tipping competition with your mates, but The Left Bank is also giving you a great excuse to come to the pub to watch the footy. Entry is only $40 and gets you a whole bunch of good deals for Friday Night Footy and invites to Footy Tipper only events! Head on down every Friday night to watch the game live at 5.40pm and to receive $5 drinks (for any drink to the value of $10). There are free bar snacks, prizes and giveaways! Tipping is done through footytips.com.au, making it easy to enter your tips each week! To sign up complete the entry form and email to functions@leftbank.com.au or fax to (08) 9319 1509.
SPRINGS TAVERN
Springs Tavern in Beechboro is running a free shuttle bus from the venue to every Western Force home game in 2012! Come on down in your Western Force gear, enjoy a few coldies then jump on the bus to catch the game. The next home game is Saturday, March 31, book your seat on (08) 9377 7000.
THE BRASS MONKEY
Follow the sound of clapping and cheering and you’ll find yet another Monkey Bar personality - the Sports Bar. A cozy but dynamic character where sports fans can pay homage to their favourite team in the sanctity of their favorite public lounge room: complete with high-pitched ceilings, chesterfield lounges and mega screen linked to Bose surround sound speakers. So how does The Brass Monkey cope with the quirks of a fractured personality...? If the contentment of their patrons is anything to go by; very well indeed. Catch all the sports live including soccer, AFL, rugby and racing.
The Brass Monkey
THE COMO
FOX sports has arrived at The Como just in time for this year’s AFL season, with every game available live. Or if you’re into rugby, football, cricket and plenty more, The Como’s got it covered with their eight plasma screens. With 20 beers and four ciders available on tap, 1.7L jugs and great drink specials available every day, be sure to check out comohotel.com.au or facebook.com/ComoHotel to see all the offers and find out what’s on this week.
NEWPORT HOTEL
Dress in purple on Wednesday, March 28, to help raise money for the Starlight Purple Haze game! All donations made on the night will be matched dollar for dollar by the Newport Hotel. Entry is free and there will be cheap middies and pints all night. 40
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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Baby Animals, March 23, Charles Hotel
MARCH 21 - 27
SINCERELY GRIZZLY
DURAN DURAN
24 Sandalford 21 Rosemount Hotel Estate Swan Valley 23 Ya Ya’s DARYL 24 The Den
BRAITHWAITE
24 Bunbury Entertainment 21 Mandurah Arts Centre Centre 22 Clancy’s Fish Pub JAMES Dunsborough MORRISON 23 Albany Entertainment Centre 24 Mundaring Weir Hotel 25 Queens Park Theatre Geraldton 26 Carnarvon Civic SETS ON THE Centre BEACH (The
JOHN BUTLER
THE BATTLEFIELD BAND 22 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
CLOSURE IN MOSCOW 22 Prince Of Wales 23 Amplifier
KOOII 22 Mojos Bar 23 Freemasons Geraldton 24 Settler’s Tavern 25 Clancy’s Dunsborough
Aston Shuffle, Yacht Club DJs, Canyons and more) 25 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre
NICK LOWE 26 Astor Theatre
THE NECKS 26 The Bakery
FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS 27 Kings Park
PIERRE BABY ANIMALS BENSUSAN 27 The Ellington 23 Charles Hotel 24 Endeavour Hotel Lancelin
WOLFPACK 23 The Den 24 Prince Of Wales 25 The Newport
MARGIES (Regurgitator, The Medics, Full Tote Odds and more) 24 Margaret River Football Club
HETTY KATE 24 The Ellington
DANIEL O’DONNELL 24 Riverside Theatre
BRIAN SETZER’S ROCKABILLY RIOT / LANIE LANE 24 Fremantle Arts Centre
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YELAWOLF 27 Capitol
MARCH LEO SAYER 28 Bunbury Entertainment Centre KATE MILLERHEIDKE 28 Astor Theatre CHE-FU 28 Burlington Hotel Bunbury 29 Settlers Tavern 30 Metropolis Fremantle ROSIE BURGESS TRIO 28 Mojos Bar 29 Ya Ya’s 30 Prince Of Wales 31 Settlers Tavern JAY HOAD 28 Mojos 30 Denmark Civic Centre 31 Healthy Budda Denmark THE LITTLE STEVIES 29 Little Creatures
Brian Setzer, March 24, Fremantle Arts Centre GRACE KNIGHT 29 Fremantle Arts Centre 30 The Ellington JOHN BUTLER 29 Astor Theatre 30 & 31 Sun Pictures Broome DIAFRIX/ JOELISTICS 29 Prince Of Wales 30 Bar 120 31 Hyde Park Hotel WOODEN SHJIPS 30 The Bakery SNAKADAKTAL 30 Villa BRITISH INDIA 30 Civic Hotel 31 Kalgoorlie Hotel OLD MAN RIVER 30 Norfolk Basement 31 Joondalup Festival CHILDREN COLLIDE 30 Capitol 31 Players Bar GEORGE MICHAEL 31 Sandalford Estate Swan Valley HERMITUDE 31 Amplifier EDDI READER QUARTET 31 Fly By Night PETULA CLARK 31 Mundaring Weir Hotel HOLLY THROSBY 31 Norfolk Basement DEEP SEA ARCADE 30 Capitol 31 Players Bar
Kate Miller-Heidke, March 28, Astor Theatre
JAY HOAD 1 White Star Albany 7 Clancy’s Freo 8 Dunsborough Tavern 12 Prince Of Wales 13 Esplanade Busselton 14 Swan Basement 15 Newport 18 Mojos 19 Mustang Bar 20 Dunsborough Tavern 21 & 22 Settlers Tavern 26 Gypsy Tapas House Freo 27 Velvet Lounge 29 Indi Bar XAVIER RUDD 4 Fly By Night 5 Astor Theatre YES 5 Riverside Theatre MACHINE DRUM/ JACQUES GREENE 5 The Bakery BAG RAIDERS 7 Villa COLD CHISEL 7 Sandalford Winery Swan Valley DEAD MEADOW / PINK MOUNTAINTOPS 7 The Bakery BALL PARK MUSIC / CUB SCOUTS 7 Amplifier 8 Newport Hotel STRAWBERRY JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL (P.O.D., Hawk Nelson, Mike Mains & The Branches and APRIL more TBA) ADAM ANT 8 Albany 1 Astor Theatre SUBLIME WITH DIAFRIX & ROME / MAT JOELISTICS 1 Norfolk Basement McHUGH DEEP SEA ARCADE 11 Metropolis Fremantle 1 Mojos Bar THE NEVER EVER PETULA CLARK 12 YMCA HQ (early) / 1 Albany Villa (late) Entertainment SETH LAKEMAN / Centre CHILDREN COLLIDE CARUS THOMPSON 12 Clancy’s Fish Pub 1 Mojos Bar Fremantle WEST COAST 13 Hyde Park Hotel BLUES ‘N’ ROOTS PASSENGER (John Fogerty, 13 Fly By Night Crosby, Stills & FAIRBRIDGE Nash, The Pogues, FESTIVAL OF The Specials, My WORLD & FOLK Morning Jacket, MUSIC (Paul Brady, Buddy Guy, Seth Lakeman, Keb Mo, Steve My Friend The Earle, Trombone Chocolate Cake, Shorty & Orleans Chipolatas, Chris Avenue, Husky, While, Julie Gin Wigmore, The Matthews, Kavisha, Sheepdogs and Tjupurru, Stiff Gins, more) The Woohoo Revue 1 Fremantle Park and more TBA) ROSIE BURGESS 13 - 15 Fairbridge TRIO Village Pinjarra 1 Settlers Tavern THE HERD BRITISH INDIA 1 Joondalup Festival 14 Rosemount Hotel
SEAL 14 Sandalford Estate SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM 14 Villa LAST DINOSAURS 14 Amplifier 15 Mojos Bar JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE 14 Fly By Night 15 Rosemount Hotel MICHAEL BOLTON / ORIANTHI 17 Riverside Theatre SHOOGLENIFTY / THE CHIPOLATAS 18 Fly By Night AMON AMARTH 19 Capitol BLUEJUICE / LOON LAKE 19 Settler’s Tavern 20 Capitol CALLING ALL CARS 19 Indi Bar 20 Prince Of Wales 21 Rosemount Hotel BIG SCARY / THE SALVADORS 20 Amplifier BEN SALTER / JOE MCKEE 20 The Fly Trap 22 The Bird LIAM BURROWS 21 The Atrium Mandurah 22 The Ellington DEEZ NUTS / PHANTOMS 21 Amplifier 22 YMCA HQ SUPAFEST (P. Diddy, Chris Brown, Missy Elliot, Naughty By Nature, Big Sean, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland, Lupe Fiasco) 22 Arena Joondalup LOU BARLOW 22 Rosemount Hotel RTRFM’S IN THE PINES 22 Somerville Auditorium BURT BACHARACH 23 Riverside Theatre AUGUST BURNS RED 25 Amplifier AN HORSE 25 Rosemount Hotel WHITLEY 26 Newport CLARK 27 The Bakery THE FUNKOARS 27 Bar 120 28 Rosemount Hotel BLEEDING KNEES CLUB / DUNE RATS 27 Amplifier 28 Mojos Bar POND / THE LAURELS 28 The Bakery
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.
Old Man River, March 30, Norfolk Basement & March 31, Joondalup Festival THE RUBENS 27 Villa PAUA 27 Fly By Night HOODOO GURUS / REDD KROSS / THE FLESHTONES 28 Astor Theatre
DEAD LETTER CIRCUS 10 Prince Of Wales 11 Metropolis Fremantle 12 Capitol SICK OF IT ALL / AGNOSTIC FRONT 11 Amplifier ATMOSPHERE MAY 11 Villa THE MOUNTAIN GOATS / CATHERINE CLARY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ TRAICOS & PHILIP RACKETTES EVERALL 11 Fly By Night 1 The Bakery MIKE STEWART KRISTIN BERADI 2 The Ellington 11 & 12 The Ellington GOSSLING LANIE LANE 2 Little Creatures Loft 12 Fly By Night Club DZ DEATHRAYS 13 Amplifier 3 Prince Of Wales RALPH MCTELL 4 Amplifier 13 Fly By Night 5 Mojos WAVVES HUSKY 18 Rosemount Hotel 4 The Bakery THE GETAWAY FU MANCHU / PLAN / NEW BLACK COBRA EMPIRE 5 Rosemount Hotel 18 Amplifier DEVILDRIVER / DAVID CAMPBELL DARKEST HOUR 16 Mandurah 9 Capitol Performing Arts FRANK TURNER Centre & THE SLEEPING 17 Queens Park SOULS / WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE Theatre Geraldton / THE SMITH STREET 18 Perth Concert 19 Bunbury Regional BAND Entertainment 9 Amplifier Centre BOY & BEAR ANDREW W.K. 10 Albany 17 The Bakery Entertainment FLORENCE + THE Centre MACHINE / BLOOD 11 Bunbury ORANGE Entertainment 17 Burswood Dome Centre THE MACCABEES 12 Fremantle Arts Centre 18 Capitol
Atmosphere, May 11, Villa
Whitley, April 26, Newport KAISER CHIEFS / DEEP SEA ARCADE / LOON LAKE 18 Metro City DREAM ON DREAMER 18 C5 Fremantle 19 Amplifier 20 YMCA HQ GROOVIN THE MOO (360, Andrew W.K One-Man-Party Tour, City And Colour, Digitalism, The Getaway Plan, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs, The Maccabees, Public Enemy, Wavves, Ball Park Music and more TBA) 19 Hay Park Bunbury NATURALLY 7 19 Perth Concert Hall CITY AND COLOUR 20 Fremantle Arts Centre MUTEMATH 20 Amplifier THE POOR 20 Newport KIMBRA / DANIEL MERRIWEATHER / SAM LAWRENCE 21 Metro City THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE / THE RAVEONETTES 22 Astor Theatre BELL BIV DEVOE / GINUWINE 24 Astor Theatre ANTI-FLAG / STRIKE ANYWHERE / FLATLINERS 24 Capitol
S-CLUB / BIG BROVAZ 25 Metro City CATCALL 26 Amplifier BITTER END 26 The Den 27 YMCA HQ LIAM BURROWS 26 Friends Restaurant 27 Jazz Fremantle BARNEY MCALL 27 The Ellington NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK / BACKSTREET BOYS 29 Burswood Dome BOB HIRST 30 & 31 The Ellington
JUNE HARRY MANX 1 Fly By Night ERIC BOGLE WITH JOHN MUNRO 2 Fly By Night JOSH KYLE 2 The Ellington KIMBERLEY MOON EXPERIENCE (Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers, The Black Sorrows and more) 2 Jim Hughes Amphitheatre Ord River THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT / NUMBERS RADIO / GREENTHIEF 2 Prince Of Wales 3 Metro City THE JEZABELS /
LIGHTS 5 Metro City TINA ARENA 8 Riverside Theatre MATT CORBY / ALPINE 9 & 10 Astor Theatre THE MISSION IN MOTION 9 Amplifier 10 Newport DEF FX 11 The Bakery TIM FREEDMAN 14 & 15 The Ellington LENNY HENRY 15 Burswood Theatre GUY SEBASTIAN 19 His Majesty’s Theatre 20 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 360 / GOSSLING / HERMITUDE / BAM BAM 22 Villa 23 & 24 Astor Theatre NADIA ACKERMAN 28 The Ellington
JULY LADY GAGA 7 & 8 Burswood Dome MELISSA ETHERIDGE 20 Riverside Theatre EIFFEL 65 / N-TRANCE 28 Metropolis Fremantle
KOOII
They’ve already infected the entire east coast with their tribal and tropical mix of sounds and now they are set to do the same right here. Kooii are a seven piece outfit hailing from Brisbane and they create a fusion of Afrobeat, reggae and world music on stage. See them with locals Sneaky Weasel Gang and Ensemble Formidable at Mojos Bar on Thursday, March 22; Freemasons Hotel in Geraldton on Friday, March 23; Settlers Tavern on Saturday, March 24; and Clancy’s in Dunsborough on Sunday, March 25.
Kooii
HOLLY THROSBY
Much-loved Sydneysider Holly Throsby will be heading out on tour later this month with current sidekicks The Hello Tigers. Last year was very much about collaborations, with Throsby recording and touring extensively with Sarah Blasko and Sally Seltmann as one third of Seeker Lover Keeper, although she still managed to squeeze out a solo album - Team - which will get an airing on the upcoming tour, which includes a one-off WA show on Saturday, March 31, at the Norfolk Hotel in Fremantle. Tickets are available from Heatseeker.
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Holly Throsby
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Cow Parade Cow, Friday at Mojos Bar
WEDNESDAY 21.03 BALMORAL Nathan Gaunt BLACK BETTY’S Everlong CLANCY’S FISH PUB (CANNING BRIDGE) Simon Kelly Seth Lowe CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Nicola Milan HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde HYDE PARK HOTEL Rolling Pin The Little Sean Quartet INDI BAR Jacob Diamond Helen Shanahan The Littlest Fox LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MANDURAH ARTS CENTRE John Butler MOJOS BAR West Coast Blues & Roots Breakthru MUSTANG Party Rockers PADDO Jupiter Zeus Ultrasound Graphic Heroes PADDY HANNANS 5 Shots ROSEMOUNT Kill Teen Angst Zeks Sincerely Grizzly Spilt Cities Race To Your Face ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Greg Carter THE MOON Buzzcut Wellhard Davey Craddock Jason Kamasz UNIVERSAL Strutt
THURSDAY 22.03 BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Bernadine BLACK BETTY’S Devour The Martyr Chainsaw Hookers Blunt Force Trauma BROOKLANDS TAVERN
Rainy Day Women, Friday at Norfolk Basement
Celebrations Karaoke CLANCY’S FISH PUB (DUNSBOROUGH) John Butler COMO HOTEL The Other Guys DEVILLES PAD Rock‘n’Roll Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Ezereve FUSE BAR Howie Morgan HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Chris Murphy HYDE PARK HOTEL Raw Hyde Open Mic INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG Nathan Gaunt MANDURAH PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE The Battlefield Band MARKET CITY TAVERN Paige Barrett & Dan Wiggins Trojan John & The Living Salvation Valleys MERRIWA TAVERN Electrophobia One Trick Phonies MOJOS BAR Kooii Sneaky Weasel Gang MUSTANG BAR Stoney Joe The Jayco Brothers Jacob Diamond NEWPORT Bass Invadaz NORFOLK BASEMENT Nevada Pilot Shy Panther Deep River Collective OCEAN BEACH HOTEL Open Mic Night PADDO Ben Merito PADDY HANNANS Dr Bogus PRINCE OF WALES Closure In Moscow RIGBY’S Open Mic ROCKET ROOM Launch - Hip-Hop DJ Cain - 12pm ROSEMOUNT The Coalminers Sect The Shakeys Death Elevator No Deadlines ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Bill Chidgzey
The Arsonist
THE ARSONIST RAINY DAY WOMEN CALL COLLECTOR ARCHER & LIGHT
SATURDAY,MARCH 24 AMPLIFIER
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ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger STEVES BAR Christian Thompson SOVEREIGN ARMS Fenton Wilde THE BIRD Kucka Mei Swan Mostarsk THE BLVD TAVERN Crusaders Trio THE BOAT Saffron Sharp Duo THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE Better Days THE SHED Murder Mouse Band UNIVERSAL Off The Record VELVET LOUNGE Hexx Fear Of Comedy DJ Jess Kill YA YA’S The Painted Birds Bears And Dolls My First Telescope
FRIDAY 23.03 7th AVENUE Pop Candy ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE John Butler AMPLIFIER Closure In Moscow BALLYS BAR Jamie Powers BAILEY BAR Mod Squad BALMORAL The Other Guys BASSENDEAN HOTEL Overload BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Feisty Burlesque BELMONT TAVERN Everlong Acoustic BENTLEY HOTEL Sophie Jane BENNYS Face BLACK BETTYS J Babies BRASS MONKEY Adrian Wilson BROKEN HILL HOTEL Matt Milford CAPTAIN STIRLING Bluebottles CARLILSE HOTEL Reload CHARLES HOTEL Baby Animals CHASE BAR Greg Carter CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Wolfpack Blazin’ Entrails Scalphunter The Bob Gordons The Shakeys CLANCY’S FISH PUB (FREMANTLE) Simon Kelly And The New Bamboo COMO HOTEL Tip Top Sound DEVILLES PAD Rocket To Memphis EAST 150 Trevor Jalla ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove
Cavefire Cinema, Friday at Velvet Lounge
ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Natalie Gillespie Ladywood Speekeasy EMPIRE Halo FLY BY NIGHT Foosgold FREEMASONS Kooii FUSE BAR Groove Karaoke HALE ROAD TAVERN Miss Behave HERDSMAN TAVERN Sugarfield HYDE PARK HOTEL Nathan Gaunt Parker Ave INDI BAR Vdelli LEGENDS BAR The Organ Grinders LIBRARY Dorica MERRIWA TAVERN Parker Ave MIGHTY QUINN TAVERN Kontraband MOJOS BAR Maximum Facemelt Cow Parade Cow TUSK Bonehouse The Moonlight Wranglers Sanssangria The Aretinos Stunning in Red Leafy Suburbs Crooked Mirrors Tilly Dan MOUNT HELENA TAVERN Nasty Dogz MUSTANG Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers NORFOLK BASEMENT Rainy Day Women Stillwater Giants Spoonful Of Sugar NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLS CLUB Sexy Robot Hideous Sun Demon Misty Mountain The Gizzard OSBORNE PARK HOTEL Travis Caudle PADDO Stu Harcourt Booty Jooce Sean Scott PARAMOUNT Flyte PRINCIPAL Nathan Gaunt RAILWAY HOTEL Epsilon One Armed Scissor Dead Set Radio Fliptop ROCKET ROOM Empires Laid Waste Prescient Reflections Of Ruin Misery Dilation ROSE & CROWN HOTEL Karin Page ROSEMOUNT Chilling Winston Silver Lizard Ten Points For Glenroy Alex The Kid Paper Plains SAIL & ANCHOR Switchback SPRINGS TAVERN
Ali Towers Duo SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke STIRLING ARMS Dove SWAN BASEMENT Paperfly Stone Bleeder Pockets of Resistance Agenda XXII SWINGING PIG Better Days Greg Carter THE BIRD Naik Zeke Ylem Mei Swan THE BLVD TAVERN Vanilla Fox Duo THE BOAT Deuce THE GATE Smoking Section THE GREENWOOD In The Groove THE SHED Kickstart THE VIC Jack + Jill TIGER LILS Paul Malone Adam Kelly Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL Retriofit VELVET LOUNGE Cavefire Cinema Star Anise Sulu Nicko & The Mong VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WANNEROO TAVERN Clayton Bolger WOODVALE TAVERN Dr Bogus YA YA’S Sincerely Grizzly Mezzanine Room At The Reservoir
SATURDAY 24.03 AMPLIFIER The Arsonist Rainy Day Women Call Collector Archer & Light BAILEY BAR Insideout BALLYS BAR Adrian Wilson BAR 120 Flyte BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Chris Murphy BLACK BETTY’S Redstar ROOKTON TOWN HALL 10 Cent Billionaire BUNBURY ENTERAINMENT CENTRE Daryl Braithwaite BURSWOOD (PRIZE DRAW STAGE) Courtney Murphy Murphy’s Lore CAPITOL Opiuo CAPTAIN STIRLING Howie Morgan CIVIC HOTEL It All Ends Here Against The Tide Reflections Of Ruin Xenobiotic CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Sincerely Grizzly Grim Fandango Emperors
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.
Chilling Winston, Friday at Rosemount Hotel Dead Owls CLANCY’S FISH PUB (CANNING BRIDGE) The Morning Night Duo CLANCY’S FISH PUB (CITY BEACH) Zarm Duo CLANCY’S FISH PUB (FREMANTLE) Blackheart & Strangelove CLAREMONT HOTEL Pete Busher & The Lone Rangers COMO HOTEL Tip Top Sound CORNERSTONE ALEHOUSE Allstar Showstoppers Jumping Jack Flash Rolling Stones Tribute Tip Top Sound DEVILLES PAD Tabas.Co Jumpin Josh ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Gun Shy Romeos ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Hetty Kate Rocksteady EMPIRE James Ess ENDEAVOUR HOTEL Baby Animals FAT SHANS Fat Shans Festivus The Chemist The Floors The Novocaines The Seals Sonpsilo Circus High Horse FLY BY NIGHT Truckers & Trailer Trash Ball The Devil Rides Out Chainsaw Hookers The Dirty South Guns Of August FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot Lanie Lane HIGH ROAD HOTEL Losing Julia HYDE PARK HOTEL Bears And Dolls Spoonful Of Sugar Minky G INDI BAR Blue Shaddy INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO The Other Guys LAKERS TAVERN Greg Carter LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John & Shaun Sandosham MARGARET RIVER FOOTBALL CLUB Margies Regurgitator The Medics Full Tote Offs MAYLANDS YACHT CLUB Benedict Moleta MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke METROPOLIS FREO Switch
MOON & SIXPENCE Blaze M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MOJOS BAR Dallas Royal Black Birds Jake And The Cowboys MUNDARING WEIR HOTEL James Morrison MUSTANG Milhouse Marco & The Rhythm Kings NEWPORT Kizzy Gravity NORFOLK BASEMENT Amani Consort Speak Easy Seasta Chani Mumma Tiger JCash NORFOLK COURTYARD Kav Timothy Nelson OCEAN VIEW TAVERN Kontraband OSBORNE PARK HOTEL Nathan Gaunt PADDO Cheeky Monkeys PADDY HANNANS Billy & The Broken Lines Fenton Wilde PARAMOUNT Felix PRINCE OF WALES Wolfpack QUARRIE BAR Electrophobia RAILWAY HOTEL Blunt Force Trauma Archaic BloodKlot Facegrinder RIVERSIDE THEATRE Daniel O’Donnell ROCKET ROOM Delicious - Ladies only Kickstart (12pm) ROSEMOUNT Heytesburg The Shallows The Osiris Corporation The Ron Pollard Quintet ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Blue Gene SAIL & ANCHOR The Kickstarts SANDLAFORD ESTATE Duran Duran SETTLERS TAVERN Kooii STEVES BAR David Sofield SUBIACO HOTEL Off The Record Bob Brisbane Quartet SWINGING PIG Greg Carter THE BALMORAL The Recliners THE BLVD TAVERN One Step Ahead THE BOAT 11:11 THE BROOK Chris Gibbs Duo THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE GREENWOOD Pretty Fly THE SHED Huge THE WHALE & ALE Mod Squad TIGER LILS Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL
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Friday Friday Travis Caudle The Devil Rides Out, Travis Caudle Fly By Night Saturday atFly FlyBy ByNight Night Soul Corporation VELVET LOUNGE Open Deck Sessions WANNEROO TAVERN Christian Thompson WOODVALE TAVERN J Babies YA YA’S The Witches Jackie Treehorn Rich Widow 44th Sunset
Howie Morgan, Sunday at The Saint
Lone Rangers DJ Rockin Rhys NEWPORT Tim Nelson Wolfpack The Lungs Surprise Sex Attack Them Sharks PIG AND WHISTLE Pop Candy PRINCIPAL Bernadine PINK DUCK Paul Foster SUNDAY 25.03 QUARRIE BAR 7TH AVENUE Gotham City Good Karma QUEENS TAVERN BALLY’S BAR Big Bamboo Greg Carter RAILWAY HOTEL BALMORAL The Seals Cranky Lucy Peach BROOKLANDS TAVERN Miche Suite Greg Carter Mr and Sunbird BROKEN HILL HOTEL Matt Cal And The Black The Organ Grinders Heart Sun CAPTAIN STIRLING Natasha Shanks Christian Parkinson Big Dragon Little Dragon CHARLES HOTEL ROSE & CROWN Karaoke Party Alita Martin CHASE BAR ROSEMOUNT Electrophobia Carlsani CLANCY’S FISH PUB SAIL & ANCHOR (DUNSBOROUGH) Shawne + Luc Kooii SCARBOROUGH BEACH CLANCY’S FISH PUB AMPHITHEATRE (FREMANTLE) Sets On The Beach The Zydecats The Aston Shuffle CLAREMONT HOTEL Yacht Club DJs Sunday Driver Canyons DEVILLES PAD SETTLERS TAVERN Hot Rods To Hell Julius Lutero Sea Of Tunes SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Screamin Lord Miff Sean Scott The Cadillacs SOVEREIGN ARMS EAST 150 Ivan Ribic Adrian Wilson SPRINGS TAVERN ELEPHANT & Jamie Darlington WHEELBARROW SWINGING PIG Daren Reid & The Soul Christian Thompson City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB THE BIRD Stereoflower David Aydes Sugarpuss EMPIRE Shy Panther CB3 THE BLVD TAVERN FLY BY NIGHT Open Mic Pantone THE BROOK The New Black Ali Towers GREENWOOD THE CARINE Chris Gibbs Duo HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Threeplay THE GATE Undercover Acoustic Better Days HIGH RD Chris Gibbs Duo Mike Nayar THE SAINT HYDE PARK HOTEL The Howie Morgan Trio Mike De Velta Mike Nayar Stella Donnelly THE SHED INDI BAR The Healy’s Rachel & Henry Climb Renegade A Hill THE WOODBRIDGE INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Dove Retriofit LAKERS TAVERN Karin Page LAKESIDE JOONDALUP Matt Milford LEISURE INN Ivan Ribic M ON THE POINT Parker Ave MOJOS BAR Gary Cockburn Adrian Hoffman Chlow McGrath Sunshine Brothers MOUNT HELENA TAVERN The Jephasuns MUNDARING HOTEL The Rough Housers MUSTANG Peter Busher And The
Keith McDonald UNIVERSAL Meg Mac And The Squeeze VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Neil Colliss WANNEROO TAVERN Chris Murphy WOODVALE TAVERN Mia & Good Company
MONDAY 26.03 ASTOR THEATRE Nick Lowe BAKERY The Necks BRASS MONKEY The Organ Grinders ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chamber Jam LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture
TUESDAY 27.03 CAPITOL Yelawolf CHARLES HOTEL Perth Blues Club Harp Attack Moondog J Brad Capper Chelsea J Gibson Dave Billing Garry ‘Gus’ Collinson Rick Steele ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Pierre Bensusan KINGS PARK Franki Valli & The Four Seasons LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John Sandosham LUCKY SHAG Christian Thompson MOJOS BAR Kathryn Rollins Band Owen & The Voices PADDO Stu Harcourt PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night THE BLVD TAVERN Swing Thing Something Savoy X-WRAY CAFE Open Piano Night
Heytesburg
HEYTESBURG
THE SHALLOWS THE OSIRIS CORPORATION THE RON POLLARD QUINTET
SATURDAY,MARCH 24 ROSEMOUNT
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Classifieds and Music Services Hotline: 9213 2888 Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Deadline: 4pm Monday Credit cards welcome
DANCE CLASSES B E L LY D A N C E C E N T R A L S T U D I O CLASSES Free class 20th April. Special fun beginners courses. Term 2 starts Mon 23rd April. For brochure, info & free class invite shaheena@iinet.net.au 0409 511 125. www.bellydancecentral. com.au FOR HIRE STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT PA Hire - Digital light / mixer-pro operator. Competitve rates. www.aapahire.com. au 0417 997 381 HAIR, HEALTH & HAPPINESS MENS WAXING/CLIPPING Itís a guy thing! Hair removal for men, private, qualified, experienced. Ph Athletes Effigy 9384 2950 MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER WANTED for all styles from 60’s to Modern Rock. Must be able to sing (backing). Female or high range voice for harmonies etc. Mike 0438 935 031 or info@fakeouts.com.au B A S S I S T S E E K S G U I TA R I S T & DRUMMER Aged 20-32 to form death m e t a l b a n d. I n f l u e n c e s : C a n n i b a l Corpse, Morbid Angel, Immolation, Gorguts, Nocturnus, Agressor, Metallica. 0419 043 293 FEMALE SINGER WANTED For duo with male singer to perform caberet style shows. Professional attitude with good vocal versatility & the ability to entertain. Able to reherse once a week. For more details 0433234417 GREASE PRODUCTION SEEKS FEMALE SINGER to sing, act, dance the part of Sandy. If you got it, we want to see and hear it. 35 min Corporate show. Semiprof only need apply with bio and audio sample. Able to rehearse once a week, perform 3 times a week. Please contact Antonio Corea 0433 234 417 or email bio to antonio@antoniosplace.tv LEAD GUITARIST WANTED for original female fronted hard rock band. Must be competent in panatonics and phyrigan scales. Please listen to music on the web before calling reverbnation.com/ sophiamariesmusic. Call Steve 0425 570 069
MUSICIANS WANTED BY MANAGER to form all female punk/top 40 covers band. Lead guitar, drums, bass guitar, vocals. Guaranteed work waiting. Tony 0411118304 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632 OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. Call Simon for bookings 0431 619 885 OPEN MIC NIGHT - THURSDAY At Moondyne Joe’s. 8:30 - 12pm. Friendly atmosphere, good sound. To book ring Mark on 0409 137 850. WANTED TALENTED TRUMPET AND TROMBONE PLAYERS If you are new to Perth, have left school or university and want to be in a big band, please phone Chris: 0451 458 533 PHOTOGRAPHY P R O J E C T P H OTO G R A P H Y Pr o m o photography, studio, live, location. Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www projectphotography.com When its time to ice the cake. PRODUCTION SERVICES 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 AW S O N ’s W I T Z E N D RECORDING STUDIO Prof qualit y albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www. witzendstudios.com ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178
AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics, the latest and best universal audio, plug in’s for digital recordings. All styles of music, $55 per hour call Tony 0411 118304 email avalonstudios@bigpond.com CASTLEROCK STUDIOS ROCKINGHAM Old school analogue gear, latest cutting edge technology, competitive prices. Work with a producer who really cares and offers industry direction about what to do and who to approach after you’ve recorded. Whether it’s radio airplay, doco’s film or tv. We work internationally and have assisted several bands in getting signed, touring and airplay in the US. Our staff have worked for most major records labels and 100’s of the biggest bands in the world! www. castlerock.au.com Ph: 08 9529 2021 GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM Prod uc t ion, mixing, reco rdin g a n d composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $60 p/h. Andrew 0408 097 407 POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors. World class facility. World class results. www.poonshead.com 9339 47 91 R E CO R D I N G M I X I N G M A S T E R I N G PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au SONGWRITERS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE BAND APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience. 20
yrs in London with bands and songwriters. Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic. com.au TO N E C I T Y R E CO R D I N G S T U D I O Professional recording & mixing. Clients include Abbe May, Pond, Felicity Groom & The Silentís. Ph: 0409 297 362. REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117. PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 STREAM STUDIOS The place to rehearse in Perth.. Phone: 0403 152 009 www. streamrehearsal.com.au TUITION * * * G U I TA R L E S S O N S * * * P E R T H ’ S LEADING GUITAR SCHOOL. Beg-adv, all styles and all levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 DRUM LESSONS All styles, WAAPA prep. Modern techniques, rudiments, soloing, favourite songs. Ph: Pascal 0413 172 817. Available all holidays. SINGING LESSONS Learn a technique that actually works! The method used by over 120 Grammy award winners. Certified Speech Level singing instructor. Call Simon 0431335495.
MESA/BOOGIE MINI RECTIFIER 25 Small Wonders
Despite its tiny size, the recently released Mesa/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25 demonstrates why the Recto sound has endured through waves of musical trends and fads. This week, Volume takes a look at this versatile little powerhouse. Even in this golden age of amplifiers, effects, and electric guitars, sometimes you get the sense a piece of gear is destined to become a classic. The Mesa/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25, with its brilliant compact design and wealth of delicious tones, might just be one of them. A conveniently packaged mini version of the big, bad Rectifier head, The Mini Rectifier 25 rides atop a 20-year legacy of world-class high gain performance and hit-making sounds that have been used by countless commercially successful modern rock bands and emulated by scores of imitators. Weighing in at five and a half kilos, the California-built Mini Rectifier is tiny. Apart from the power and standby switches and the diamond plate front panel, literally every feature is shrunken – right down to the size of the knobs and the air vent on the top of the aluminium chassis. Yet the Mini Rectifier’s minuscule physical size bears no resemblance to its stature, power and command over blistering, tight overdrive. Under the hood, the Mini is a true Rectifier through and through. The preamp circuit was lifted directly from the company’s famed Dual Rectifier amplifier and shares every detail of that particular preamp. It wouldn’t be fair to view the Mini Rectifier as just a shrunken iteration of the bigger Rectifiers, though. A total of five 12AX7 preamp tubes populate the circuit, which in turn drive a dual-EL84 Dyna-Watt power amp. The amp’s two channels can also be switched to either 10 or 25 watts independently, which is handy for studio use when you want to crank the power section without overloading the mixer’s preamp. Given that the Mini Rectifier generates 46
Mesa/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25 its tone from an actual full Rectifier series preamp circuit, it’s little surprise that the Mini Rectifier nails the sound that made its bigger brothers famous. However, what’s doubly cool about the amp—and the key to its individuality—is the coupling of the EL84 power section. This gives the Mini a unique voice, while allowing it to roar at less than the face ripping volumes the Mesa/ Boogie Rectifiers are known for. The Mini Rectifier is housed in a black powder-coated metal lunchbox-style case, which is lightly textured for an industrial feel. The top handle recesses should you want it to, or can be manoeuvred to pokes up and out through a gig bag for easy transport. Whether you’re rockin’ hard or putting the immense versatility of the Mini Rectifier’s four Modes to bear on a variety of styles, you’ll get years of inspiration and enjoyment from this little gas-in-glass-powered jewel. The Mesa/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25 is currently stocked locally through Guitar World. Click on over to guitar.com.au for prices and availability. X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays