2
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
3
4
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
5
6
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
7
8
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
THIS BIRD’S GONNA FLY
Australian icon Xavier Rudd is embarking on his most extensive national tour of his career to launch his new album Spirit Bird. The album is all over the radio with single Follow The Sun picking up heaps of airplay. The tour will sees Rudd on stgae with an array of his favourite instruments, and stage show enhanced by a carefully selected collection of visuals portraying the environmental themes of Spirit Bird. The earthy musician will be playing five shows in WA: Goldfields Art Centre in Kalgoorlie on Tuesday, September 25; Esperance Civic Centre on Wednesday, September 26; Albany Entertainment Centre on Friday, September 28; Fremantle Arts Centre on Saturday, September 29; and Caves House, Yallingup on Sunday, September 30. Tickets are available from xavierrudd.com.
Xavier Rudd
Slash with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators
AUGUST RAIN
LONE WOLF
Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, the legendary Slash is coming back to Australia on a massive tour to massive tour to support his new album Apocalyptic Love. Best known for shredding it up underneath his trademark top hat with a smoke in his mouth during Guns N’ Roses’ years of relevance, he’s now joined by Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators on stage, and together they perform new songs as well as classics from Gunners and Velvet Revolver. On his last visit to Australia he played Soundwave and sold out all of his east coast club shows in 10 minutes flat, so make sure you get in early when tickets go on same at 9am on Friday, June 1, for his show at Metro City on Thursday, August 30.
Ten years as a singer-songwriter has provided Patrick Wolf with ample material for his forthcoming Australian tour. The charismatic musician is best known for his over the top pop freak-outs that combine folk and classical with a contemporary twist, but he’s bring his intimate acoustic show to Australia. See him at Freo’s Fly By Night on Friday, September 14, in a show that is proudly presented by X-Press Magazine. Tickets are available from 9am today from the venue.
Earth
EARTHLY DELIGHTS
Pennywise
PENNY FOR YOUR BLOOD
Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge stole the show of 2011’s Soundwave when he made a cameo on stage during The Bronx’s set, only to smash a bottle and slash at his chest, coating his torso in blood and catapulting the broken bottle into someone’s head in the crowd. Here at X-Press HQ we’ve got our fingers crossed for some similarly entertaining/sickening antics when the punk icons hit town in August. With a new album All Or Nothing – their first record since 2008 and the departure of former singer Jim Lindberg – to debut, and supports from fast-rising young punk outfit The Menzingers as well as British rockers Sharks their show at Metro Fremantle on Wednesday, August 29, will be simply unmissable for punk fans young and old alike. Tickets to the show go on sale on Friday, May 25, from Oztix.
Best known as pioneers of “drone doom” – an experimental offshoot of hard rock and heavy metal, characterised by droning, minimalistic, lengthy, and repetitive structures – Seattle’s Earth will play tunes from their recently released seventh studio album Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II when they touch down at the Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, September 15. Support on the night comes from Melbourne instrumental rockers Margins – comprised of members from Blacklevel Embassy, Ricaine and The Nation Blue – and Original Past Life, the new experimental musical project of Adam Trainer, former member of Radarmaker, Polaroid Ghost and The Ghost Of 29 Megacycles. Tickets to the mind-melting show are $39 plus BF and are available from lifeisnoise.com, Heatseeker, 78 Records, Mills and Planet.
Patrick Wolf
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?
10 Reactions/ Comp 13 Flesh 14 Music: Hunter 16 Music: WAM CEO Wendy Were/ WAM Hall of Fame 18 Music: Perthonalities Talk WA Music 21 Music: The Ocean/ Anti-Flag 22 WA Noise 25 Eye4 Cover: First Comes Love 26 Eye4 News 27 Eye4 Movies: Careless Love/ Men In Black III 28 Eye4 Movies: Get The Gringo/ Declaration Of War/ Dating In The Dark/ Eye2Eye 29 Eye4 Art Stories
Pitbull
You either love him or you hate him, but there’s no denying that Pitbull has earned his place among today’s top pop hitmakers. He’s constantly on the radio with new hits, he’s working with some of pop’s biggest names, and now he’s bringing his pop-dance tour to Australia with some very special guests. British sensation Taio Cruz, responsible for such chart toppers as Dynamite and Break Your Heart is along as the main support, while Australian DJ turned pop starlet Havana Brown, and Australia’s Got Talent favourite Timomatic also are pencilled in to appear. The Planet Pit World Tour 2012 will be a gigantic party, and tickets go on sale Monday, May 28 for the show at Burswood Dome on Thursday, August 23.
30 Eye4 Arts List/ Lifestyle 22 Salt Cover Story: Ghostface Killah 34 Salt: Cover Story/ News/ Bitter Belief 35 Salt: Prolix/ Mickey Avalon 36 Salt: Scientists Of Modern Music 38 Salt: Club Manual/ Scenery/ Rewind: Digitalism 40 Scene: Pub Scene/ Pub Blurbs 41 Scene: Live 42 Scene: Local Scene 44 Tour Trails 46 WAMi Special Gig Guide 49 Volume Feature
Cover: WAMi Festival opens this Friday, May 25 and runs ‘til Saturday, June 2, at various venues around Perth
Salt Cover: Ghostface Killah plays Rap City on Sunday, June 3, at Metro Freo www.xpressmag.com.au
X-PRESS TOPS CAB AUDIT
For the 27th year in a row, X-Press Magazine is named Australia’s highest circulating street press. The CAB audit to March 2012 shows X-Press topped 38,000 issues per week, while fellow street press Drum Media Perth experienced a 28.75 per cent decline down to 23,742 issues. X-Press Magazine prides itself in staying at the top of its game and the magazine’s continual high circulation and dedication to quality ensures that we deliver the finest in music, entertainment and lifestyle news to the widest possible audience week in, week out. X-Press Magazine’s digital presence has also grown recently with each and every issue made available digitally every Wednesday on xpressmag.com.au. The magazine can be read on all devices including iPhone and iPad. Drum Media can only be read online using an iPad, while The Wire can only be read online with a paid subscription to The West Australian. X-Press Magazine publisher Joe Cipriani says, “Don’t underestimate the importance of the print component to your market. While digital is a valuable component, it is fast becoming a saturated market while print continues to hold it’s own importance.” 9
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.
Print and Digital Editions Publisher/Manager Joe Cipriani Editorial
9213 2888
Music Editor Matthew Hogan: musiceditor@xpressmag.com.au Arts & Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier: artsfashion@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Annabel Maclean: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Staff Writer Jennifer Peterson-Ward: localmusic@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator Melissa Erpen - guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions Melissa Erpen - win@xpressmag.com.au Photography Callum Ponton, Stefan Caramia, David Chong, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Denis Radacic, Mike Wylie Contributing Writers Henry Andersen, Ashleigh Whyte, Nina Bertok, Shaun Cowe, Derek Cromb, Chris Gibbs, Alfred Gorman, George Green, Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Travis Johnson, Rezo Kezerashvili, Joanna Lettenmaier,Tara Lloyd,Adam Morris,Andrew Nelson,Chloe Papas, Daniel Parkinson, Ben Swan, Conan Troutman, Tom Varian, Ben Watson, Chela Williams, Jessica Willoughby For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au
Advertising
Production
9213 2854
Production Co-ordinator production@xpressmag.com.au
Art Director Dwight O’Neil
Design + Production
art@xpressmag.com.au Brooke Gerrick, Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson
Printing Rural Press Printing Mandurah
Administration
reception@xpressmag.com.au
Accounts Lillian Buckley
accounts@xpressmag.com.au
Distribution Distribution
9213 2853 distribution@xpressmag.com.au
CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 APRIL 2011 – SEPTEMBER 2011
Deadlines EDITORIAL General: Friday 5pm,, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, Comp’ Thing: Monday Noon,, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon,, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 73/102 Railway Parade, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au
WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY
Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.
10
Thanks to insatiable fan demand, the unstoppable phenomenon that is NKOTBSB will officially bring their show down under! With over 200 million albums sold between both bands and smash hit after smash hit, these two pop sensations have dominated the music scene for over three decades. In May, New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys will hit Australia and send hearts fluttering. The boys check into Perth on Tuesday, May 29, at the Burswood Dome and we have a stack of double passes to give away to our lovely readers! Enter now as this show is sure to be a sell out.
THE TEA PARTY
Australian fans of The Tea Party can rejoice at the news that the iconic rock trio will hit Australia to tour nationally in July 2012. The multi-platinum selling Canadian band has had a long history and love affair with Australian audiences and they are set to bring the house down with their first National tour in eight years. The guys will check into Perth’s Metro City on Thursday, July 26, as a part of their Reformation Tour and we have a double pass and a signed poster up for grabs. Get in quick as this is sure to be killer show!
ALISON IN WONDERLAND
Drapht
STATE OF THE ART
Celebrate WA is very proud to present the biggest celebration of Western Australian contemporary music ever held in WA! On Sunday, June 3, watch the Concert Hall come alive with three major artist showcases featuring Drapht, Eskimo Joe, Hoodoo Gurus, plus rock, pop, hiphop and electronic music. Get in now for your chance to win a double pass to see Drapht’s showcase.
WAM BAM
We have a few double passes to give away to the opening party, featuring Felicity Groom, Tomas Ford and The Chemist’s Ben Witt. To win simply email your details to win@xpressmag. com.au with “WAM Bam Thank You WAMi Opening Party” in the subject line.
9213 2888
Receptionist Melissa Erpen
NKOTBSB
9213 2888
Sales and Marketing Manager Paul Morgan - advertising@xpressmag.com.au Online Marketing Paul Morgan - advertising@xpressmag.com.au Music Services / Musical Equipment / Bands / Record Labels Des Richardson - musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Venues / Live and Dance Music Promoters Luke Andrioff - entertainment@xpressmag.com.au Agency / Movies / Education / Sponsorship Paul Morgan - advertising@xpressmag.com.au Arts / Fashion / Lifestyle Alia Bannani - eye4@xpressmag.com.au Classifieds Linage Melissa Erpen - classifieds@xpressmag.com.au
Bryony Crowe
The Tea Party
Nkotbsb NKOTBSB
LOCAL MUSIC GIVEAWAY
To celebrate WAMi week we have a killer prize pack of CDs from some of Perth’s home grown and rising stars to giveaway. In the stack of albums, you will find Jade Diary, The Renzullo Project, Arkayanj, Cortez, The Prevues, The Mighty Pirate, Seer Cya and Morgan Bain. We’re also throwing in some goodies from Axe Girl including some funky badges and a necklace. Get in now for your chance to score this awesome prize.
DECLARATION OF WAR
Based on real-life events experienced by filmmaker Valérie Donzelli and co-star/writer Jérémie Elkaïm, Declaration Of War tells the powerful story of a young Parisian couple suddenly dragged from their carefree existence by an unexpected twist of fate. Want to win tickets? Get in now as we have five double passes up for grabs.
GIVE FLO THE HEAVE HO Dear X-Press, I can’t believe all the fuss that’s being made about Florence + The Machine at the moment. That ranga represents everything that sucks about contemporary music. Sure she’s “pretty” but she doesn’t play any instruments, I doubt she writes her own songs and she has the same standard, uninteresting, voice as every other hipster chick. I don’t understand why everyone goes nuts about her voice – yeah she can hit a few high notes, but where’s the soul? When did Zooey Deschanel become the model for how every female musician should sing? Maybe there’s something I’m missing but is this really is how people sing now half-heartedly and apathetically? What happened to the days when a punkrock attitude and some bitchin’ guitar licks were all that were necessary for chicks to show the world what they wanted? When did fast-paced, crunchguitar-filled rock songs about sex and partying go out of style? Are there no more bad asses left in our flowy-dress-wearing, barefooted music world? When did we forget that our women could – and should – rock as hard as any of our men? Casey Via Email
BEL AMI
Box office sensation Robert Pattinson stars in this adaptation of the classic French novel Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant, a literary powder-keg of its time - a story full of sexual intrigue, scandal and manipulation. Get your entries in now to win an in season double pass.
Welcome to Wonderland is the explosive debut compilation album from Sydney DJ/producer Alison Wonderland. The album features an eclectic and unexpected mix of party tracks mixed seamlessly alongside Alison’s own remixes of Little Dragon Shuffle A Dream and 360’s triple platinum smash hit Boys Like You. Alongside the massive hype of this newly released album, we have five copies to giveaway. Get in now for your chance to win.
SIMPSONS GOES GAGA Dear X-Press,
CHECK OUT WWW.XPRESSMAG.COM.AU AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER ONLINE FOR LOADS MORE EXCLUSIVE COMPS!
ANJUNADEEP04
Showcasing tracks and remixes from acts like Dusky, Tom Middleton, Maceo Plex, Vincenzo and Solarity, Anjunadeep04 mixed by Jaytech and James Grant is the latest showcase of the label’s evolution; a 28 track journey through deep house, immersive melodic grooves and modern progressive. To celebrate the release of this killer compilation we have five copies up for grabs. Get in now for your chance to win.
guest stars write the episode? I’ve been a rabid supporter of the show’s renaissance in recent years to being funny again but this week’s episode just stunk! Lady Gaga was the guest of the show and she sucks. It’s official. I was a fan when Pokerface came out and Telephone certainly rang my bell, but ever since she released Born This Way she has sucked the big one. One the first album people feared her; 60 Minutes were setting up interviews and ambushing her saying she was a bad influence on the children and all that crap.Then by the time she releases every song off The Fame and The Fame Monster as a single with accompanying 45 minute high concept video/feature film, all of a sudden god is second only to Gage in the holier than thou stakes. Even Tracey Grimshaw was puckering up at the thought of speaking to the messiah for A Current Affair. It’s no secret that Born This Way is about as entertaining as a the worst of Katy Perry yet now because she’s an icon she can do what ever she wants. On The Simpsons she was the only one that could get Lisa out her latest bout of depression and the entire townspeople worshipped her and Homer even did an unfunny take on Pokerface during the closing credits. C’mon Simpsons, you’ve had much more important people on the show of the last 23 years: three Beatles, Metallica, Flight Of The Conchords, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve Martin, the Wikileaks guy, the list goes on... those geniuses didn’t approve and/or write their own scripts.Why did you let that Joanie-Come-Lately be such a large part of this episode? You’ve been providing me with free entertainment for the majority of my life, Simpsons, but I expect better...
I’ve just completed watching the latest episode of The Simpsons live and direct from the USAiii, and Enraged, I’ve got to say when did that show start letting the N. Scherzinger
Bel Ami
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
11
12
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
PUT YOUR GUNS UP
Comprising members of renowned art-metallers The Ocean (who hit the Rosemount this Sunday, May 27), Switzerland’s Coilguns create the sound of pure unfiltered rage bubbling over and spilling out into the sphere of everyday life. Their DIY ethic (so wonderfully emphasised by their stunning hand-made album packaging) and passionate love of music means that fans will be in for a rare treat when they play a oneoff show at The Beat Nightclub on Wednesday, May 30, especially as the band will be supported by local heavyweights Förstöra, Into The Sea and Kunz. DJs Holly Doll and Jessica Kill will also be spinning all your favourite hard and heavy tunes on the night. Tickets are $10 on the door from 8pm, but you’ll want to get there bang on time because it’s expecting this one to pack out early!
PICF SMASHES IT
Set Sail
COME SAIL AWAY
Sydney-based folk/indie-pop outfit Set Sail’s spontaneous, guerilla performances around the world have gotten them arrested in Madrid, 26 free beers on a Virgin flight, music placement with American clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch, and over 14,000 Facebook fans worldwide. Having recently returned from massive tours of Sweden and the US, the enigmatic three-piece are set to showcase their infectious, energetic and unpredictable live show when they embark on a national tour in July. The band will be debuting tunes from a new six-track EP Hey! on the tour, which includes shows at the Rosemount Hotel on Friday, July 13; the Melville Youth Centre on Saturday, July 14; Mojos Bar on Saturday, July 14; and Clancy’s Fish Pub in Dunsborough on Sunday, July 15. With raucous locals The Brow Horn Orchestra in support (excluding Clancy’s), these are sure to be filled with formidable, toe-tappingly quirky offerings.
STRINGS ATTACHED
Adelaide-based the Australian String Quartet will hit the road again next month with their second national tour of the 2012 season, Legacy, featuring internationally renowned musician and composer, Brett Dean. In an exciting first, the ASQ will be playing Dean’s compelling new work Epitaphs For Viola and String Quartet, which was commissioned specifically for the talented four-piece. Be beguiled by the stunning new work when the ASQ play the Perth Concert Hall on Monday, June 11. For ticketing information head to asq.com.au.
The Perth International Comedy Festival is officially over but what a massive three weeks it was! If any of you were in the Mt Lawley area over the last few weeks, you’d have noticed huge queues of people lining up to see one or more of the brilliant acts on the lineup. World renowned American duo The Pajama Men made their debut in Perth, Neil Hamburger bought his weirdness to the Mt Lawley Bowls Club and Stephen K Amos sold out the Astor Theatre weeks in advance. Taking out the PICF Awards for 2012 are: Suns Of Fred for the Next Gen Award, Tropical Parodies for Best Local Act, Felicity Ward for Best National Act, The Pajama Men for Best International Act and the Critics’ Choice Award and Des Bishop for Best Of The Fest. Congratulations to all comedians and everyone involved with the PICF, it truly was incredible. Stay tuned for PICF 2013 which will take place from May 1-19 next year.
Damo Suzuki
YES HE CAN
There’s only one Damo Suzuki. His run as the vocalist with German avant-rockers Can from ‘70 to ‘73 was the golden era in which the band produced their most celebrated albums, each one bearing Damo’s inimitable presence. The man is a human lightning rod, a vibe-receptor of frequencies that most of us never knew existed, his vocal approach joyfully bouncing between Japanese, English, French and German, or else just inventing new words/sounds as he goes along. Two years after a mind-blowing and mindexpanding show featuring a backing band of locals, Suzuki returns to The Bakery on Thursday, June 28, to play a show which he promises will reach “galactic heights”. Tickets are on sale now from nowbaking.com.au.
WAMI FEST KICKS OFF
It’s a big time right now for WA music with the WAMi Festival kicking off this weekend. Be sure to head to the Charles Hotel Front Lounge this Friday, May 25, for the Music Industry One of the greatest days on the metal calendar each Reunion Night and WAM Hall Of Fame Induction Friday, June 8, sees internationally renowned artist year is Bastardfest. Looking to be outrageously heavy, ceremony to kick off your WAMi fun. The WAMi and comedian Belowsky perform his pyrotechnic topping the first announcing are those purveyors of all Festival Opening Party hits The Bakery on show at Little Creatures Loft. From his famous things tasteless Fuck... I’m Dead! Joining those bastards Saturday, May 25, and features Felicity Groom, lobby shows at the infamous Standard Hotel in is Australia’s biggest black metal exports Astriaal plus Rainy Day Women, Sugarpuss, Cow Parade West Hollywood, to his live talk show Authentic locals Sensory Amusia, Psychonaut, Enforce and Cow, Mmhmm, Ben Witt of The Chemist, Tomas at the Notting Hill Arts Club and opening for The Chainsaw Hookers. Hitting the two rooms of the Civic Ford, and Cut & Paste Soundsystem. Charlatans at the Cuckoo Club in London for Death Hotel on Saturday, October 27, there are still plenty Disco TV, to most recently bringing his quick wit to more treats to be announced.Tickets go on sale from 78 Foxtel’s Quickies In My Kitchen with celebrity chef Records and Moshtix on Monday, June 4. Anna Gare, this international hound dog will leave you wanting more. UK rockers Reef - just one of the many ‘90s reformations of late - have announced that they will be cancelling their Australian tour due to a bereavement in their extended family. The tour was meant to kick off on Friday, June 1, at Metropolis Fremantle, before hitting Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Unfortunately for loyal fans there’s little chance of further shows being announced, the band’s press release stating: “There are no plans to reschedule at this point, so fans will be able to get a full refund at their point of purchase.”
BABY YOU’RE A FIREWORK
MAD BASTARDS
HANDS FREE
MATT’S ALL FOLKS
Nasum
BUMP N’ GRIND
Join Swedish grindcore band Nasum this August, when they bid adieu forever with a series of brutal farewell shows. The band has asked Rotten Sound’s Keijo Niinimaa to step in as frontman, following the untimely death of vocalist Mieszko Talarczyk in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. The kings of the grind scene will be joined by Tasmania’s Psycroptic at Amplifier on Wednesday, August 15 in what will be their only ever Perth show. Tickets from Moshtix.
WORK HARD PLAY HARDER
Described by one reviewer as a band that sounds“like Johnny Cash on speed”, Melbourne underground heroes The Working Horse Irons are getting hyped up to take their show across the Nullabour for the very first time, bringing their cosmic punk-infused psychobilly/rockabilly/rock‘n’roll good times all the way to Perth. They unite with blood brothers Blazin’ Entrails for two fast paced shows. Catch their energetic live show at The Den on Saturday, June 2 (with extra support from The Bob Gordons, The Sharks and Salty And The Luna-Sea), and at The Newport on Sunday, June 3 (with support from Lucille and The Igniters).
BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
The Ellington Winter Jazz Fest kicks off this Friday, May 25, and Saturday, May 26, with two very special performances by legendary guitarist, Hank Marvin and his quartet, exploring the gypsy swing style of Django Reinhardt and Stephene Grappelli. Then on Sunday, May 27, New Yorker Barney McAll will be blow audiences away with his legendary keyboard skills. The jazz extravaganza continues on until Thursday, June 7, and features one of the most impressive line-ups of international jazz talent to grace these shores in many years. From the sublime vocals of the UK’s Josh Kyle, to Sydney’s stand-out saxophonist Sean Coffin and all the way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Samuel Yirga Quartet. Lovers of bass also won’t want to miss a performance from Grammy Award-winning bassist Bob Hurst, who has featured on albums by Branford Marsalis, Dave Brubeck and Harry Connick Jr amongst others. For the full schedule of events click on over to ellingtonjazz.com.au.
www.xpressmag.com.au
Kid Mac
THE KID’S ALRIGHT
Having picked up two wins at the recent MusicOz Awards (for Artist Of The Year and Best Video) and released his long-awaited debut No Man’s Land to critical acclaim at the beginning of this month, Sydney hip hop artist Kid Mac is proving himself to be one of the most hyped rappers of 2012. He plays the Rosemount Hotel with Mickey Avalon this Friday, May 25 - please note, due to flight scheduling, Avalon hits the stage at 9pm, but will be on hand to meet fans beforehand - before heading out on his own headlining tour. See Kid Mac at Mojos Bar on Friday, July 20; and Settler’s Tavern on Saturday, July 21. Tickets are just $10 plus BF from Moshtix and Heatseeker (for the Mojos show) or Oztix (for the Settlers show).
Empra are a station wagon-driving four-piece band with three members going by the name of Matt and they’re coming to WA to celebrate the launch of their self-titled album. Did we mention their album features contributions from Gotye too? They boast boisterous rock guaranteed to lift your spirits so be sure to catch them at Rocket Room on Friday, August 3; and Prince Of Wales, on Saturday, August 4.
SPECIAL FX
Aussie electronic rock outfit Def FX are reforming to play a reunion tour this June. The band haven’t played together for 15 years but considering their consecutive ARIA Award successes in the early ‘90s, they have a solid mix of hits to play. The line-up includes the originals Fiona Horne and Basha, along with Ant Banister and Wiley Cochrane. They’ll be at The Bakery on Monday, June 11, and tickets can be found at metropolistouring. com.au and Oztix.
Gyroscope has been forced to postpone their The Benefit For Dana Vulin gig due to guitarist Zoran Trivic’s injuries sustained in a recent motorcycle accident. The show has been moved to September 22 and will remain at the Rosemount Hotel with support from The Scotch Of St. James and Boston & Chevy. Tickets for September’s show are available for Oztix, as are refunds for their cancelled gig. X-Press hopes for quick recoveries for both Zoran Trivic and Dana Vulin. Hot on the heals of serving us up a good dose of local musical goodness at last month’s In The Pines, RTR FM are set to deliver an epic two stage rockin’ blues and folk spectacular in Spoonful Of Roots this Friday, May 25. In the Norfolk Basement, get your blues fix with the Murder Mouse Blues Band, Hootenanny, The Hips, and Mick Parker, while rollicking artists of hoedown The Seals will be joined by the silky harmonies of The Lammas Tide and Jnr. Bowles as well as the distinctive Australian storytelling of The Justin Walshe Folk Machine at The Fly By Night. Grab your tickets from the station. Fresh from the WAMi Festival Wheatbelt Tour, The Siren Tower have announced the launch dates for
Count Basie Orchestra
BASIE HEADS
One of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, The Count Basie Orchestra is an 18-piece big band founded by Count Basie. The band survived the late ‘40s decline in big band popularity and went on to produce notable collaborations with singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Even after Basie’s death in 1984, the group continues to bring their exuberant and irresistible sounds to the people. For Australian audiences, the chance to catch this truly elite jazz ensemble is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Don’t miss your opportunity to catch this historic outfit at the Perth Concert Hall on October 14. Tickets go on sale on Monday, June 4, from Bocs. their long-awaited debut album A History Of Houses. It will be alunched at the Prince Of Wales on Thursday, June 14, with The Loved Dead; and Amplifier on Friday, June 15, with The Ghost Hotel, Husband, Boom! Bap! Pow! and The Loved Dead. Freo surf psych blues outfit Black Board Minds are set to release the third single from their forthcoming debut album What Do You See this Saturday, May 26. The show goes down at Mojos Bar and features support from Wolves At The Door, Hootenanny, and Stunning In Red. Up and coming folk-tronic band Anton Franc are set to launch their brand new video Letting Go with a special show at The Bird on Saturday, June 9. Support comes from Leure, which is the new side project of Ash Hendricks from Wolves At The Door, and newbies Pallas Athena. Horror rockers Fear Of Comedy are hard at work on their debut album with engineer/ producer Ron Pollard of Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving at Sleepwalkers Studio. They’re still a long way off releasing it, with a due date scheduled for Friday, December 21, so you might want see them in the meantime at the Rosemount Hotel on Thursday, May 24; and the Hyde Park Hotel on Friday, May 25. The much loved Eleventh He Reaches London are reissuing their awesome debut The Good Fight For Harmony on limited edition vinyl through Hobbledehoy Record. Better head to hobbledehoyrecords.com quick, as there’s only a couple of hundred being pressed. 13
www.xpressmag.com.au
15
WAM CEO WENDY WERE At The Helm
Brand new to the top job in the Western Australian Music Industry Association, WAM CEO Wendy Were fills MATTHEW HOGAN in on where she’s been and where she plans on taking WA music. With a background as an academic, and director of the Perth International Writers Festival and Sydney Writers Festival, Wendy Were is more than qualified to lead WAM into the future. After doing what many Western Australians feel they need to do to further their careers and heading over east, Were saw the WAM CEO position advertised last year and thought it would be a great opportunity to head home. “I thought with what’s happened in the world of contemporary music, and what is going to continue happening with all these game changes and technology, that it’s actually a really exciting time for WAM and there’s so much that we can be doing to grow the industry in WA,” she explains. “It was a great opportunity and I’m much happier when I’m at the helm of an arts organisation, I feel like I’ve come home to my happy place.”
Were says one of her main goals is to continue to build support structures to help nurture WA artists. “Geography is always going to play a factor with our accessibility to recording studios and labels,” she says. “That’s an area WA really needs to build on. The idea is that we’re going to double the industry in the next 10 years, and if we’re going to do that, we really need to focus on the business of the industry. You know, we have got no lack of creative talent in this town – that’s pretty evident – but what we need to be doing is something which actually came out through the Generate program as well, you know, the ideas and creativity is top of the range but when it comes to translating that into viable business, that’s where we need help locally. So we need to build capacity so we can become one of the globally renown hotspots of contemporary music.”
While WAM is most recognised for its work during the WAMi Festival, Were reiterates that the organisation is hard at work all year round.“The next big thing for us is the WAM Song Of The Year competition, which is a really important part of the calendar,” she says. “The people who have gone through that process have been recognised and gone on to do fabulous things and I think that’s an important part of what we do.” She’s also very proud of the regional program which tours local bands to areas that otherwise don’t get touring bands, as well as records regional artists for the Sounds Of... compilations. “We go and set up temporary recording studios in remote areas and give musicians access to facilities that just aren’t there, and that has a massive impact on the places where that program goes,” she says.“That’s something WAM should be really Wendy Were proud of. I guess a couple of things that will be new is I’m She says WA’s musicians need to stop setting up a WAM ambassadors program and we’ll be looking east for opportunities. “Across the creative announcing the first ambassadors for WAM but I think industry, there’s always that drain to the east coast, and it’s really important to recognise the great talent that I’m an example of that,” Were says.“I left chasing bright has moved up to those dizzying heights and have some lights as so many people to do. If you’re looking at people speaking out on behalf on WAM.” Were says WAM’s work is never done. “We music management, there’s some great management in this town but I think we can equip those people the need to focus on our external presence in the world, our potential to improve what they’re doing: give them digital entity, developing a new website and working access to people who will assist in mentoring them, give out what kind of capacity what that will need to be as a them the kinds of programs that they need to develop portal for WA music,”she reveals.“You think about the Kiss their business and financial and marketing skills. I think My WAMi compilation CD, which has a huge impact on the way the world is going, with the digital marketplace, what’s happening on local music each year, and that sort those boundaries are less important now so what we of blueprint for people in the national and international need to do is to make sure the people who are upskilled industry. I think if we can get online a constantly updated enough to help the industry really thrive. That’s about portal which is showcasing WA music, that is something working with partners and programs and opportunities that’s really important. I think the potential that WAM has is extraordinary.” to provide them with a really strong industry base.”
WAM HALL OF FAME In addition to MC Hunter who graces our front cover this week, two more deserving inductees will be inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame at the Music Industry Reunion Night this Friday, May 25, at the Charles Hotel.
Tim Minchin
TIM MINCHIN Few WA bred musicians have been as successful globally and have as much of a crossover appeal as Tim Minchin. Although born in England, he grew up in Perth and attended UWA and WAAPA before taking his musical comedy show to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and then the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Festival, an experience seen in the documentary film Rock N Roll Nerd. Now based in London with his wife Sarah and two children, he tours the world with an orchestra show, co-wrote an Olivier Award winning musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda, and has been cast as Judas in the upcoming UK tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. He also performed his first “humourless” gig at The 100 Club in London recently. Minchin was last seen in Perth in February we he performed two sold out shows at Challenge Stadium, and appeared on the cover of X-Press - read our interview with him at xpressmag.com.au.
PAUL BODLOVICH WAM CEO for almost a decade, Paul Bodlovich’s work with WAM dates back to 1994 when he took the job of musical accountant followed by WAM committee treasurer. When he took the job of WAM CEO in 2002, the organisation was in debt and he was one of three staff members. Now the organisation is thriving with eight staff and a high turnover. Plus memberships have also increased tenfold. He was also instrumental in WAM creating relationships with music organisations like SXSW and CMJ. One of his recent initiatives was helping getting small bars like The Bird get liquor licenses so local bands would have more places to perform. Now working at the Film & Television Institute in Fremantle, Bodlovich remains a leading supporter of WA arts.
16
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
17
PERTHONALITIES TALK WA MUSIC What’s Your Favourite? Every week in X-Press we’re telling you what we think of the latest and greatest WA bands.This week we’ve decided to ask some behind the scenes industry types and local media personalities for their faves. The results may surprise you!
DAVE CUTBUSH – LIFE IS NOISE
Favourite WA album ever? Domino Comfort by Adam Said Galore. Domino Comfort was an energetic, intricate and promising first release from one of Perth’s finest guitar rock outfits. I believe they are still around... somewhere. Favourite WA release of the last year? Babes, Water, Waves by Perth has really done it for me over the last 12 months. This bedroom based side project from some of the Apricot Rail men is autumnal, hazy pop that is equal parts intriguing and perplexing. I am looking forward to The Best Of Perth. Best live band currently? Drowning Horse are my favourite band playing in Perth at present. They are slow. They are very very loud. That is about all you need to know. I am really looking forward to their new double album - out soon on Heartless Robot.
GRAHAM WOOD – ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB
Favourite WA album ever? JAZZAZIZ Volume 5 – there have been so many good WA Jazz releases so I’ll go for a very good compilation. Favourite WA release of the last year? Tal Cohen Quartet – Yellow Sticker. Best live band currently? Jamie Oehlers’ Blowfish with Allira Wilson.
BASIL ZEMPILAS – 92.9 / CHANNEL 7
Favourite WA album ever? Gyroscope – Cohesion. Favourite WA release of the last year? Emperors debut album. Best live band currently? Sugar Army.
JENNA CLARKE – WA TODAY/MY JENNARATION
Favourite WA album ever? Hoodoo Gurus – Electric Soup. It’s like a rocking country pub on compact disc. Favourite WA release? Boom! Bap! Pow!’s EP No Pleasin. How is this not being featured on Offspring yet?! Perfect measurements of quirkiness and sass. Best live band currently? San Cisco – the coolest new kids on the block.
It wouldn’t be a ‘Best Of WA’ edition without some input from you, our beloved readers. Here are some of our Facebook Fans’ most-loved WA records of all time:
AARON RUTTER – BEAUFORT STREET FESTIVAL / JUMP CLIMB
Favourite WA album ever? Cinema Prague. Favourite WA release of the last year? Tomas Ford – An Audience With Tomas Ford. Best live band currently? The Brow Horn Orchestra.
JAVIER DIAZ – LAUNCH HIP HOP
Favourite WA album ever? Done DL by Hunter & Dazastah. Favourite WA release of the last year? Life Of Riley by Drapht. Best live band currently? Paulie P and Rocksteady.
CAIN CRESSEL – EXTREME AGGRESSION
Favourite WA album ever? That’s a painful question to answer. As a long serving supporter of the local scene, there have been so many remarkable releases that it makes it very hard to pin a #1 favourite. I think the answer would have to be amongst Mind’s Eye: Cut Snake Poetry, The Furor: Invert Absolute, Allegiance: Skinman, Wardaemonic: Echoes Of Ageless Flames, and Karnivool: Themata. Favourite WA release of the last year? I’d have to flip a coin between The Furor: War Upon Worship and Mhorgl: Heresiarch. Mhorgl had me track guest vocals for sections of a few songs on that album so I might have to be biased and go with that one! Best live band currently? Call it shameless selfpromotion, call it whatever you like, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say Malignant Monster. I founded that band nine years ago with Jarrod Curley, who, in my opinion, is one of the heaviest shredders in Oz, and have finally pulled together my ideal lineup of musicians. It would be a discredit to their dedication and commitment to their instruments and this band if I pledged my vote to anyone else. Most people in the scene know me well enough that I don’t think I have to be shy about it. We’ve worked too hard building this juggernaut for it to go unacknowledged.
RICK STEEL – PERTH BLUES CLUB PRESIDENT
Favourite WA album ever? The Sleepy Jackson – Lovers. Favourite WA release of the last year? The Seals – Self-titled EP. Best live band currently? The Seals
Daniel Ammonia - Mint 400. Stu DM3 – Rode To Rome.
David The Sleepy Jackson – Lovers.
Falcon Rosemary Beads - I’ll Come When I’m Good And Ready.
Liam The Jed Whitey EP Superfly Bigmuff was and still is untouchable.
Tania The Panda Band - This Vital Chapter.
James The Triffids – Born Sandy Devotional.
Rodney Verona - Fuel; Jebediah - Twitch; Allegiance - Torn Between Two Worlds. Can’t choose one.
Reg The Stems – At First Sight. Dale Mr Miyagi – Go When It Turns Red. Matthew Cinema Prague’s Meldatype and the still legendary album launch at The Old Fremantle Jail. Still the hands down best local gig ive ever been too. Awesome memories of that gig.
Liz Iquess Turnstyle - Seasides, since my bf has three copies. Ricky The Silents - Things to Learn In next week’s X-Press Magazine, we’ll be making our WAMi Award predictions and wrapping up weekend #1 of the 2012 WAMi Festival!
Islay Beaverloop – Pelt. Will always hold a place in my heart 18
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
19
20
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
The Ocean
THE OCEAN Walking On Water
German progressive musical collective The Ocean will be coming to Perth for the first time this weekend. Founder and mastermind Robin Straps talks to JESSICA WILLOUGHBY about his feelings towards Christianity ahead of their show this Sunday, May 27, at the Rosemount Hotel.
Fundamentalist Christianity, and critique there of, has always been a point of great conjecture. Some believe the religion reveals a path to the true self. Others are drawn to ridicule. For The Ocean guitarist and songwriting mastermind Robin Straps, a fascination towards the perverse saw him draw creatively from this topic. “It is something I have been exposed to for a long time now,” Straps says. “My first contact with militant Christians was when I was 16 and living in the US with a host family of die-hard creationists. My host-sister tried to convince me that the dinosaurs never existed and it was all a big myth created by scientists possessed by the devil. It seemed really abstract to me and got me really thinking about the whole subject a lot.” Straps’ interest founded a personal obsession. The past 12 years has seen him work with over 40 like-minded individuals under The Ocean collective banner in Germany. Seeking to defy genre specifics, full-lengths weave from the heavy to more progressive sides of doom, ambient, hardcore and rock. As the dust began to settle on a revolving door of members, with vocalist Loic Rossetti the latest addition in 2009, Straps reverted his thoughts to tackling his growing theories on Christianity. “It’s just a fascinating thing that has really forged our culture here,” he says. “It has become a part of the things we do and say. It’s in the values we uphold today, even though most people in Western Europe are not really that openly
religious anymore. I barely have any friends that go to church. But it’s very different in the US. I just wanted to explore this further.” The result of this process was the dual releases of Heliocentric and Anthropocentric two years’ ago. But 2012 signalled the quintet’s final chapter in their self-dubbed ‘Christianity chronicles’. The Great Inquisitor EP, released last month, took three tracks of the same name from their fifth opus and carried through the theme with a new addition. Straps points to this song, The Grand Inquisitor IV: Exclusion From Redemption, as completing the conceptual arc. “We had one new track left over from the last album,” he says. “We just simply thought it didn’t fit the album musically. Not because it was so different, but we didn’t know where to put it. Lyrically, it continues the micro-chapter in the album – inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The Brother’s Karamazov. This follows the story of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the parable of the Catholic inquisition. This song specifically targets the speech made by the grand inquisitor himself about Christ’s naive notion of humanity and the uncompassionate ideal of freedom. “Of course, it was a huge undertaking to try to summarise a 50-60 page speech into one song. We faced the same problem on our last two albums; there’s just so many things that can be said. But I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, it reflects some core messages.”
Anti-Flag
ANTI-FLAG Strike Back
Pittsburgh punk rockers are back with their ninth instalment, The General Strike. Heavily grounded in the recent Occupy Movement, drummer Pat Thetic talks to JESSICA WILLOUGHBY ahead of their return to Perth on Thursday, May 24, at Amplifier. “The simple act of people gathering, whether it’s in the US or Egypt or Perth, is the first step of defiance on the path to greater change,” Anti-Flag drummer Pat Thetic says. The last three years have seen the world taken by the Occupy Movement storm. Designed to highlight the inequalities of the economy and its power structures, the main goal was to achieve a fairer society across the board. Pittsburgh residents, and running punk rock political activists, Anti-Flag were no stranger to the call of this exercise. Meeting at mobilise sessions throughout America, they regularly performed to keep the spirits of protestors riding high. These experiences were so influential on the four musicians that their latest album, The General Strike, is grounded heavily in comment towards the movement – from its triumphs to its challenges. “We personally identified with the inspiration it gives to people,” Thetic tells X-Press. “We recently toured South-East Asia for the first time and were talking to a bunch of kids from Malaysia there about Occupy. It was strange to me at first about how people who were culturally very different from us were taking inspiration from the US movement. But the more we thought about it, the more it made sense to us that revolution and the desire to have things better than they are now and to be willing to sacrifice to have those things is a universal theme. These things cannot be controlled, that’s what impacts on me.” Recorded in the drummer’s cinderblock home studio last year, their ninth full length sees the quartet staying their course musically – their preference for “hard and fast” rhythms remaining untainted. Selfproduced once again, like their 2010 LP The People Or The Gun, Thetic points to handling all aspects of their music in-house as both a blessing and a curse. “It took us a long, long time to write and record this album,” he says.“The luxury was that it allowed us to record vocals over again as things in the world changed. If we wanted to update our statements or what we were saying just wasn’t up to scratch, we’d just do it again. And we did, on a number of songs. But that doesn’t mean our lyrical content hasn’t dated. For sure it has, it’s something that has happened to us over time. We’ve been criticised that our music doesn’t have universal appeal. “It’s funny because we actually have song on the new album that references the PlayStation 4. Then we heard the other day that Sony might not release it or they might change the name of the whole system. We were like ‘…oh fuck! Sony screwed us!’. But I think people still get the sentiment of the song, regardless of if it gets released or not.” www.xpressmag.com.au
21
JOE MCKEE Burning Boy
JOHN BUTLER Tin Shed Tales
Dot Dash / Inertia
Jarrah / MGM Distribution
There’s no doubt John Butler puts on a captivating live show. Tin Shed Tales is an acoustic double disc taken from his national tour earlier this year. The disc only contains songs performed in WA and there’s something special in knowing they came straight from Mandurah, Albany and Kalgoorlie. There are 13 songs in all with 10 accompanying intros which add a certain intimacy that you could only usually get from being there. As you would expect, Butler talks a lot about issues close to his heart – from dedicating his rendition of Danny Boy to his grandmother, to tongue in cheek humour and musings on greed to introduce the hand-clapping foot-stomping Better Than. Particularly poignant is Butler’s passionate stance against the proposed gas hub at James Price Point. He personifies the region as a girl who is “wild and free” in Kimberley. Butler’s beautiful rendition of Mystery Man silences the audiences but later they are laughing at his stories about getting high. Butler’s guitar prowess is showed in Ocean and Pickapart, which are reminiscent of his busking days. The relaxed air with which he shares his stories speaks of a man with a true love of performing and an appreciation for his audience. It’s easy to imagine Butler in his roofless rusty tin shed when listening to this passionate live performance.
Following from the melting of Snowman, Joe McKee has re-emerged in solo mode with an accomplished debut that harks back to his more theatrical compositions of his previous band’s swansong. The opener, Lunar Sea, sets the tone nicely for what is to follow: eerie sounds from cello and viola (courtesy of fellow locals Tristan Parr & Rachael Aquilina) that bring to mind the golden era of Hollywood film, while McKee asks himself the big questions as he reflects on life away from home. Darling Hills has some wondrous fingerpicked guitar played over his haunting breathy voice and lush strings to create the album’s centrepiece - a song about fire in the Perth Hills early last year. While the album doesn’t deviate much from a uniform sound, The Garden injects mad flourishes of percussion amongst its gentle hypnotic instrumentation to create a doomsday call and doomsday lyrics: “One big black hole that will suck us all down to our death”. Dark. It might be not as much of a sensory overload as the first two records of Snowman, but Burning Boy is an excellent solo debut from a songwriter who clearly knows he can get his point across with little more than voice and guitar (and lush, lush, lush strings). _MATTHEW HOGAN
_CORAL HUCKSTEP
PERTH Babes Water Waves
VARIOUS Human Xerox: My Own Private
Independent
Its hard work finding a band online when they share their name with a major city. If you are looking for the band Perth, the local electronic project responsible for the gorgeously lo-fi Babes Water Waves, then a Google search for “Perth” won’t get you very far. Neither will “Perth band,” “Perth Gigs,” “Perth album” or any number of variations. So here it is in a nutshell: Perth is the sideproject of several members from Apricot Rail. Perth play ‘Indietronica’ (their term, not mine) by which they mean the melding of woozy, bedroom electronics with playful indie vocals and song structures. Imagine a less noisy Animal Collective, a less concentrated Carribou or a more jovial Seekae. Babes Water Waves is the first LP for Perth. It is a blissfully unfocused album, flowing languidly from the jack-knife beats of Seesaw, through the spacious ear-candy of Slow Boat onto the Sgt. Peppers-y pop of Jilted (“We are massive fans of it!”). As frustrating as it is that the band is named Perth, in a number of ways, it is also quite fitting. Perth (the band) pick up that sprawling, aimless-days aesthetic that can make Perth (the city) such a joy. Adding in influences from the city’s crowded psychrock scene (Tame Impala, Pond, Sonpsilo Circus), Babes Water Waves is a beautiful slice of what Perth (the city and the band) has to offer.
Independent
The covers album has a bad reputation: it is seen as something that gets released in lieu of something else, evidence that a songwriter’s creative juices have dried up. That’s not the case with Human Xerox: My Own Private a new compilation local lad Matt Acorn’s put together that sees 24 (mostly) local musicians create their own take on the same Rabbit Island song. My Own Private succeeds largely because its novelty never overshadows the bittersweet vignettes, driven by talented and fully able musicians. From Cow Parade Cow’s electropical treatment to P. Bibby’s propulsive lo-fi acoustic reimagining, this imaginatively selected and sequenced collection achieves such a haunting consistency of talent that its spell lingers long after the speakers fall silent. As each track is individual in its genre, tone, style and tempo it’s extremely hard to discern highlights, but it is the versions by Steven Aaron Hughes (Usurper Of Modern Medicine), High Hopes and Gilbert Fawn which definitely win points for memorability. That being said, no individual rendition improves notably on its source material (it’s hard to imagine anything ever could), but taken together they form a nicely melancholy suite. An album to make you happy feeling sad, My Own Private gets better with each play; as a covers album this is about as good as it gets.
_HENRY ANDERSEN _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
WE ARE THE EMERGENCY Rations
THE FANCY BROTHERS Live At Loop Independent
22
Independent
A crew of five who have been playing in bands around the greater Fremantle area for some years have joined forces, changed their names to protect the innocent and formed a bluegrass band. You don’t perform bluegrass music unless you can play a bit and The Fancy Brothers certainly know their chops. The most distinctive of the voice to appear on Live At Loop is Justin (Walshe) Fancy who could not conceal his affected twang for love nor money. Walshe is at his best when lacing his tunes with humour, although he has varying success. Death is witty and survives with a bright melody and tight harmonies, The Fancy Brothers is a tossed off theme song that is pleasant enough, but The Love Song tries too hard and struggles to find a good pun. Jeff (Strong) Fancy and Merle (Fishwyck) Fancy may not contribute as many tunes to Live At Loop, yet it is their vocal efforts that are the much needed point of difference. Married rocks like a busted porch swing and Leakin’ Heart is one of the strongest tunes in the barnyard. The Fancy Brothers use a tender touch with the use of banjo, double bass and violin on their debut. When playing it straight they show off their strengths and hint at greater things. A bluegrass act from sunny old Perth – fancy that!
We Are The Emergency’s latest EP Rations might only be three tracks long, but it still packs a punch. The six-piece Perth band has followed their 2010 debut Whispers And Fragments with a sound that is similar but evolved. It kicks off with Splinters, a track that doesn’t let up. The song is less a story and more a long stream of dark bloody thoughts. Like the other two tunes, it’s a mix of loud and soft moments, with penetrating guitar riffs playing against the feminine backing vocals from Sophie Rodgers. The band embraces their heavier side with Bring You Home, a track filled with the heavy bass and screamo that appeared throughout their hardcore debut EP Seizure. It’s again lyrically dark, this time pleading to a lost lover – “From all the lines that I could say, tell me which one of those would make you stay”. Battlefield is atmospheric and cynical. It questions the significance of life, itself an internal war. There is an anthem quality in the chorus’ blend of all vocalists shouting while the solo vocals are echoed and feeling. The EP flits between a punk rawness and an alternative rock sound. The clean compositions on each track ensure each have something different to offer. One thing’s for certain – Splinters is going to be a blistering live set for the band.
_CHRIS HAVERCROFT
_CORAL HUCKSTEP X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
LOCAL END OF FASHION Holiday Trip Of A Lifetime Universal Music Australia
When End Of Fashion burst onto the local scene in 2005, their hits O Yeah and The Game were so divisive, listeners seemed to either loathe them or love them. But that was seven years ago now, and this band have evolved. Holiday Trip Of A Lifetime presents a mature sound from these Perth boys (well, now men), meaning their new music is much more on the lovable side. End of Fashion honed their pop rock style in second album Book Of Lies, and their third sees a further transition. They present a polished, well-crafted album filled with feisty guitar riffs. Lead singer Justin Burford’s versatile voice lends to just about any style meaning they can pursue a much more ethereal sound. Sleep Away is the first single from the album. It is, as its title suggests, the mellowest. The song embodies everything the album sounds like – multilayered guitar, low-key drums and synth combined with Burford’s piercing voice. The band harks to their earlier enthusiasm through LiftOff and the thumping SuperLove –both of which are standouts. Titular track Holiday Trip Of A Lifetime sounds almost euphoric because of its floating sounds and echoes. But it’s catchy all the same. Admittedly, the album gets repetitive but overall it makes for an enjoyable listen. _CORAL HUCKSTEP
SHOCK OCTOPUS Shock Octopus Independent
Local band Shock Octopus is a difficult beast to pin down. Their debut self-titled EP jumps impatiently through bizarre shifts in style. It’s often quite difficult to figure out the context for Shock Octopus’ tunes. The band clearly has tongues in cheeks but the EP is never outwardly funny. Similarly their press statement promises “an oceanic panorama of odd time signatures,” but, whilst there are tempo changes in abundance, the music rarely steps outside of a 4/4 meter. The release’s strongest track, Frustrated Crustacean, is an aquatic, B52s inspired tune with enough horror-organ shtick to make it endearing. It’s a good tune and points up the kind of sound Shock Octopus can make when they embrace their more odd-ball personas. The rest of the EP, however, sees the band flirting with a range of styles that don’t really suit them. In A Box, for example, seems to be a garage-punk experiment in how many times one can rhyme ‘box’ with ‘box’ before it gets annoying (not many as it turns out). Maladjusted Made moves into Suede’s territory with competent song-writing but not enough vocal ability to be convincing. Sometimes, rapid stylistic shifts can really work for a band but in this case they don’t. Shock Octopus could do with less ‘oceanic panorama’ and more ecological niche.
ANDREW HORABIN What A Man’s Gotta Do Independent
VOLTAIRE TWINS – Young Adult (Independent) Inspired by the fiction genre of the same name, Young Adult encapsulates youth in all its hopeful, questioning glory. The song’s melancholic mood is boosted by echoes and heavy synth and balanced with saccharinesung lyrics “We will always be teenagers, when we’re older we’ll be braver”. The accompanying music video shows a classroom full of school kids dancing in synchronised fashion to the alarm of their teacher and similarly Voltaire Twins are a force in their own. Another solid slice of electro-pop from one of WA’s best. SPLIT SECONDS – Top Floor (Shock Entertainment) There are some tunes when, having listened to them countless times, the listener still has no idea what the damn thing’s about. Split Seconds’ new single Top Floor is not one of those songs. As with most of their work, the meanings of the song isn’t hidden in excessive metaphor or unnecessary phrases – it deals in the subtleties that make up the whole; the sort of simple yet usually unnoticed observations that causes one to snap their fingers and exclaim, “Yes! I’ve been there too!” Musically it’s nothing special, and lacks the beauty and personality of the tunes contained on their debut self-titled studio album released last year, but lyrically, it’s as wonderful as ever, with their words providing the skeleton from which the simple guitar, percussion, and piano lines delicately hang. SIMONE & GIRLFUNKLE – Blown Into The Wind (Independent) The instrumentation and production of quirky folk/pop outfit Simone & Girlfunkle’s recently released breezy pop single Blown Into The Wind may be top-draw, but their voices are still the big attraction. Blessed with clear, characterful voices, employed in beautifully modulated, bell-like harmonies, they maintain a shiver-down-thespine quality. Coupled with sparse acoustic backings and gentle snare brushing it all adds up to create a very pristine listening experience. BLACK BOARD MINDS – Sex Sells (Independent) It’s hard to bracket Black Board Minds into a genre and Sex Sells exemplifies this – it begins with a haunting guitar twang accompanying the lead singer’s soothing vocals only to turn into a classic rock solo with a bluesy bass underlay. It’s a departure from their previous releases, showing a quiet, restrained side to the band. While it lacks the vivaciousness they exuded in Hell With Me and Wasting Away and in their regular performances in Fremantle, this band still tell is like it is: sex sells and money lies. THE PREVUES – Teenage Love (Independent) The Prevues are great at appropriating sounds from the past but even better at stitching them together into something that sounds hard to place: catchy-as-hell new single Teenage Love contains a little Elvis Costellostyle pep, a little Girls-inspired surf-rock guitar and a Best Coast-esque sugary melody that climbs up the ladder and then scratches the itch by climbing back down, throwing down some tinkling tambourine and reverby guitars along the way.
THE DISAPPOINTED – Dirt Farmer (Independent) While young outfit The Disappointed arrive on the local scene brimming with confidence and enthusiasm, their debut single Dirt Farmer seems to overstretch them. Though they are blessed with immediate vocals and have succeeded in crafting hooky, sing-a-long lyrics, _HENRY ANDERSEN however the arrangement is messy – there’s simply too much going on and too many layers of sound which invade the eardrums all at once. That being said, Dirt Farmer certainly shows promise – if they can learn to tone down the instrumentals a notch, they’ll go far. _CORAL HUCKSTEP & JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
Motivational speaker, stand up comedian and WAM award winning songwriter Andrew Horabin is one of the most self-motivated and astute people that you may have the pleasure to come across. His latest venture is What A Man’s Gotta Do a musical about boys growing up in Australia. Horabin may get out and about as a solo performer, but the chock-o-block recording of What A Man’s Gotta Do has no less than 49 people appearing, including Adam Gare, Hip Mo Toast Big Band, Ian Simpson and the members of the Kill Devil Hills. As the protagonist in this musical has 24 hours to prove that he is the marrying type, Horabin deconstructs the stereotype of the Australian male. Horabin may not be the most talented musician that has ever stumbled into a studio and his voice has many a limitation, yet he makes up for any shortcomings with sharp with and a spectacular turn of phrase. Welcome To Australia is one of the finest pieces of realist parochialism to see the light of day and When I Was A Kid, It Was Good reflects on yesteryear that will have you daydreaming for simpler times. The less said about The Wanking though, the better. What A Man’s Gotta Do is more Australian than a Polly Waffle. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT
REDISCOVER THE DEAD ENDS The Dead Ends
Attention local rock‘n’roll fans. Imagine Andrew Rowcroft from Chainsaw Hookers playing Ramonescore with Jesse French from The Kuillotines. It happened – back in 2002 – and the results still stack up 10 years later. In fact, this eight song EP was so far ahead of itself it’s ridiculous. At the time French was lead guy for old-style pop-punkers No Wonder, who were a mainstay on the Perth scene for many years but sadly never moved beyond cult leader status. Rowcroft, by his own admission, could barely play guitar when he started The Dead Ends but it didn’t matter – at all – because the effortless melody of every single track on this record just needed French’s experience to bring it from primal to incredible. Easily the slickest record that either man would be involved in, this is flawless pop-punk with just enough edge that it sounds like it could fall apart any moment. It did, of course, and neither dude would look back, but man, what a great EP. Click over to rabbitrec.bandcamp.com to pick up a digital copy. Key track: 1900 Girl _BEN WATSON
www.xpressmag.com.au
23
24
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
25
GO DRY THIS JULY
SUPA STARS
Yvonne Craig of Batgirl fame will head to Perth for Supanova
Come June, Perth will be invaded by a bevy of pop culture icons when Supanova returns in grand style to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Three guests from the show’s first ever 2002 expo will appear – original Batgirl Yvonne Craig, Kabuki creator David Mack and voice of DragonBall’s young Goku Gohan Stephanie Nadolny. Fresh faces include: Adam Baldwin, the voice of Superman in Superman/Doomsday and Transformers Prime and previously of Chuck, Serenity & Firefly, Full Metal Jacket fame. Harry Potter’s Griphook and Austin Power’s Mini-Me Verne Troyer; Noah Hathaway of The NeverEnding Story and BattleStar Galactica; Elisabeth Röhm from Angel, Heroes and Law And Order. Lastly, the writer, producer and voiceover actor of Family Guy, The Cleveland Show and American Dad, John Viener. These acts and more will descend on the Claremont Showgrounds on June 23-24. Find out more at supanova.com.au.
It’s time to take a break from the booze Australia, and with Dry July creeping ever closer, now’s the perfect opportunity for you to support local charities while giving your liver a chance for some R&R. Last year 11,463 participants abstained from grog for the month of July, raising a whopping $2,830,000 for adult cancer patients, and in 2012, Dry July is hoping to raise over $10 million. Fundraising for hospitals caring for cancer patients around the nation, Dry July is now in its fifth year, and registrations have just opened for those who are ready to commit to a month without grog. Sign up online at dryjuly.com.
BE THERE WITH BELLS ON
If you’ve never taken the time to check out The Bell Tower, be sure to wander down Barrack Street on Monday, June 4, to make the most of free admission thanks to the Tower’s open day. A historical and cultural landmark, The Bell Tower will be opened to the public with no admission fees on June 4 as part of WA Day celebrations, allowing locals and visitors to our state to experience bell ringing and enjoy the spectacular views across the Swan River from the Tower’s observation deck. The Bell Tower will be open from 10am-4pm.
WIL.I.AM
The Gruen Transfer’s funnyman Wil Anderson is bringing his world class comedy show - Wilarious - to the University of Western Australia this July. Anderson was recently named one comedy’s hottest acts by John Cleese, and he just won this year’s Bulmers People’s Choice award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Wilarious follows his soldout national tour in 2011, so his string of upcoming shows are likely to pull some large crowds. The gigs are set to take place from Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, at 7.30pm each night. Bookings can be made via BOCS.
Judith Lucy Rob Billing prepares for Dry July
PRIZED PORTRAITS
Wil Anderson
Are you’re a portrait artist interested in pocketing $40,000? If so, you’re in luck because the Black Swan Prize For Portraiture is now open for entries. There will be two winners – the Lester Group first prize of 40 grand and the Perrine people’s choice award of $7,500. Entries close July 6, head to blackswanprize.com.au for further details.
HEY JUDE
Get ready Perth because Australia’s queen of droll humour – the incomparable Judith Lucy – is heading to town with her Northing Fancy tour. Expect comedy with no frills but plenty of big laughs, covering everything from cockroaches to terrariums. Never one to bite her tongue, Lucy has a quick wit and isn’t afraid to use it. Catch her doing what she does best at the Octagon Theatre at UWA from Thursday, July 26, ’til Sunday, July 29. Bookings via BOCS.
Gemma & Jess 26
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Careless Love Men In Black III
MEN IN BLACK 3 Back in Black
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld Starring Will Smith, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson, Alice Eve It’s been 10 years between drinks at the Men In Black trough, a foreshortened franchise that now stands as singular oddity of pre-millennial culture, one that surfed the wave of UFO and conspiracy obsession the characterised so much of ‘90s pop culture. So how will the latest episode in the series fare now, when our entertainment focus has shifted to less arcane and convoluted fare? Pretty well, it should be hoped. While not a film for the ages, MIB3 is a brisk and bubbly sci-fi action comedy, an entertainment fuelled by charisma, momentum, and the odd glimmer of cosmic wonder. The plot - always the weakest element of the series - sees Agent K (Will Smith, still effortlessly charming) of the titular clandestine alien-policing agency travelling back in time to 1969 after alien supervillain Boris the Animal (Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement channelling Tim Curry). His mission is to prevent the murder of his partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones in the present, Josh Brolin in the ‘60s), and save the Earth while he’s at it. Hijinks ensue. While there’s a tinge of disappointment at Jones, the deadpan comedic core of the first two films, being sidelined for so much of the running
www.xpressmag.com.au
time, Brolin just about makes up for it with a pitchperfect impression of the dour Texan, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Jones dubbed over Brolin’s lines. The ‘60s setting injects a little Mad Men style into the proceedings, and allows the loose narrative to dawdle around such iconic locations as Warhol’s Factory and Cape Canaveral at the height of the space race. The whole piece has a delightfully off-kilter, highly stylised sheen, a result of director Barry Sonnenfeld’s eye for composition and design. Lest we forget he started his career as a cinematographer, rolling film for the Coen brothers on their early movies. As a result, he’s one of the few directors who’ve made the change to 3D with something approaching panache, the effect here looking like a deliberate stylistic choice rather than a tacked-on afterthought. The story sags in the middle somewhat, and despite the race-against-time premise there’s never much of a sense of momentum until the third act, but the narrative is really just an excuse to string together a series of vignettes where the characters hang out and do their thing, which mainly consists of J bouncing wisecracks off of K’s stone face. Happily, their rapport is never anything less than entertaining, whether Smith is sharing the screen with Jones or Brolin. No one could say that we really needed another Men In Black film - that decade-long dry spell is telling - but equally, it’s hard to complain too much about the resulting effort. Never overtly trying to make a grand statement, MIB3’s only goal is to put a smile on the viewer’s face, and it pulls of that trick quite neatly. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
CARELESS LOVE What A Girl Wants
Directed By John Duigan Starring Nammi Le, Peter O’Brien, Ivy Mak, Andrew Hazzard, Hugo Johnstone-Burt The oldest profession in the world is also one of the oldest arguments in the world. Many take the stance that prostitution is degrading, humiliating and unsuitable for anyone. Others will argue a sense of wild abandon, a freedom to do what they want with their body when it’s their choice. Sex is a very big deal to many. Others can separate sex from love very easily. New Australian film Careless Love aims to explore these issues, trying to find an understanding of women who make these choices. AFI Award winning director John Duigan (one of Australia’s most applauded filmmakers of the ‘80s and ‘90s, best known for his films The Year My Voice Broke, Flirting and Sirens) has created an interesting but massively preposterous film, saucer-eyed on the subject of bought sex and students taking high-end escort work. Careless Love tells the story of Linh (played by newcomer Nammi Le), a well meaning Vietnamese-Australian law student who secretly starts part-time work as an escort. She develops a close rapport with one of her clients, an enigmatic American art dealer (played with a barely passable accent by local heavyweight Peter O’Brien), who books her on a regular basis. For a time she manages to keep her two lives in separate compartments, but when she falls for a fellow student (Andrew Hazzard) her worlds collide
and she must deal with the emotional chaos that follows. Added to the mix of suitors is rick kid Seb (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), another university student who becomes enamored with Linh (and her double life) when he hires her services as a joke gift for a friend’s birthday. Fortunately, Duigan is quick to point out to viewers that Linh’s life is far from the norm for young Asian sex workers in Australia. The character of Linh’s fellow escort and close friend Mint (Ivy Mak) is obviously supposed to show the less glamorous face of prostitution. The uneducated Mint struggles with the English language and Australian culture, and it becomes clear to audiences early on the film that, unlike Linh, she’ll likely never be able to exit the industry. It’s fair to say that Carless Love has little new to say on the subject of prostitution; and Duigan’s film mostly looks the other way when it comes to the difficulties of life as a sex-worker. One or two airy empowerment remarks are the extent of Linh and Mint’s self-investigation and although both Le and Mak are estimable young actors, they are poorly served by Duigan, who has concocted a fable that comes across more like a softcore fantasy than a rigorous study of its subject. Le, though, rises above the lubricious material by giving a thoroughly detailed and committed performance. Not as much can be said about the other young actors, whose contrast with their more experienced contemporaries is often grating. Whilst their efforts – and the film itself – may not quite match that seen in Duigan’s most acclaimed work, Careless Love is a soft-focused glimpse at the seamier side of student life. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
27
Get The Gringo
DECLARATION OF WAR Forever The Sickest Kid
Directed by Valerie Donzelli Starring Valerie Donzelli, Jeremie Elkaim, Brigitte Sy, Elina Lowensohn, Frederic Pierrot French actor and filmmaker Valerie Donzelli drew on her own experiences as the mother of a seriously ill child when making this account of the challenges a young couple face when their infant son is diagnosed with a brain tumour. Told mostly in flashback, the film charts the relationship between the unfortunately named Juliette (Valerie Donzelli) and Romeo (Jeremie Elkaim) from their initial, ecstasy-enabled hookup at a party, through the course of their nascent relationship, the birth of their son, Adam, and the discovery and treatment of his illness. We are also introduced to the support network of family and friends that surround the pair, most notably Romeo’s lesbian mother, Claudia (Brigitte Sy) and her partner, Alex (former Hal Hartley regular Elina Lowensohn). Clearly this is a deeply personal piece, and Donzelli deserves top marks for never letting the proceedings descend into melodrama – the last thing we need is a Gallic medical heart-tugger in the vein of Lorenzo’s Oil or Extreme Measures. The essential drama of the situation keeps the audience engaged, and Donzelli chooses not to dwell on the inherent tragedy of the proceedings, instead focusing on how Romeo and Juliette tackle their problems with humour, grace, and determination.
But while the film’s tone is laudable, its execution leaves much to be desired. The narrative spans a number of years, so it’s understandable that Donzelli needs to pick out a number of key scenes to focus on, but the decision to bridge them with an intrusive and overly explanatory omniscient voiceover was a poor one. Too often we are told what characters are thinking and feeling, rather than having their internal lives dramatised in the story, and the effect is somewhat distancing – instead of going through the process of treatment and healing with the family, we’re watching it from a distance. Donzelli’s occasional dabbling in arthouse stylings also do her no favours, with the odd moment of impressionistic film trickery, and even a low key but jarring musical interlude, working to remind us that we are watching an artificial construct, again distancing us from the emotional heart of the piece. Despite that emotional distance, there is also an emotional honesty at work here, and it’s that truthfulness that makes Declaration Of War a success for the most part. Donzelli’s film acknowledges, without condescension, that human beings and human relationships are imperfect things, and though we can be victorious against seemingly insurmountable odds, there is always a cost. Film-asveiled-autobiography is always a dicey proposition, with many attempts falling into either hagiography or self-indulgent navel gazing, and though Donzelli occasionally edges close to the latter, ultimately she manages to dramatise her own journey with warmth but without sentimentality. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
GET THE GRINGO Down Mexico Way
Directed by Adrian Grunberg Starring Mel Gibson, Kevin Hernandez, Peter Stormare, Dolores Heredia Fallen mega-star Mel Gibson’s brand may be irreparably tarnished after far too many illconsidered and tabloid-baiting outbursts, but he reminds us why he was such a big box office draw back in the day in this spry and darkly humorous neo-western. Gibson is a career criminal known only as the Driver (quite a common nom-de-crime in cinema of late) who winds up stuck in a Mexican prison at the tail end of a fairly typical heist-gonewrong scenario. Relying on his wits to survive, his schemes to get out with his ill-gotten gains intact are complicated when he makes friends with a streetwise nine year old (Kevin Hernandez) and the boy’s mother (Dolores Heredia). Yes, a nine year old kid. The prison, El Pueblito, is a hopelessly corrupt hellhole wherein prisoners can pay to have their family live with them. The joint has its own shadowy economy, its own social strata and, inevitably, its own predators. The Driver’s cheeky sidekick is being kept around because he’s the same blood type as Javi (Gimenez Cacho), the prison’s ailing alpha male, who knows he’ll be in need of a liver transplant in the not too distant future. Thus, Gibson’s hard-nosed crim is forced to choose between pragmatism and heroism. First time director Adrian Grunberg, whose past efforts include two collaborations with
Gibson as an assistant director, paints the scenario in a dusty, sepia-tinged palette, reminiscent of both Robert Rodriguez’s early stuff and - more tellingly - Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns. The film has a somewhat languid pace, content to let us hang out and savour the bizarre culture presented to us rather than drive us pell-mell towards a dramatic conclusion, which is fitting - as a director, Gibson has shown a keen interest in presenting underrepresented cultures and milieus on film, and that trend continues here. Which isn’t so say that violence and action are completely absent - this is a crime flick set in a Mexican gulag, after all, and Gibson has his hands full fending off a variety of assassins and ne’er-do-wells who are after him, his money, his surrogate family, or all three. But it’s Gibson who impresses the most here. In the face of his gossip-rag notoriety, it’s easy to forget what an engaging screen presence Gibson is. He’s a hugely charismatic performer, able to turn from drama to comedy and back with impressive alacrity, and he’s giving it his all here. That probably won’t be enough, though. Get The Gringo - also known as How I Spent My Summer Vacation in other markets - was a Video On Demand release in the states, and is getting a limited release locally. That, coupled with Gibson’s poor public persona of late, will probably be enough to sink the film without a trace. It’s a shame, really; under any other circumstances, this wry, gritty action drama has more than enough going for it to capture an audience, and anyone going to the trouble of catching it while it’s on our screens would be doing themselves a favour. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
tv MEN IN BLACK ARE BACK
DATING IN THE DARK Love Is Blind
Shakespeare coined the phrase ‘love is blind’, but if the contestants on season two of Dating In The Dark Australia are anything to go by, physical appearance counts for a whole lot more than the Bard believed it did. Hosted by Aussie beauty Laura Dundovic, Dating In The Dark takes the already awkward practice of dating and makes it a whole lot more entertaining and uncomfortable by turning the lights off, thus creating a literal blind date. If you haven’t seen the show the concept is simple – three guys and three girls who are all unlucky in love are introduced to each other in a pitch black room.With no light source illuminating their physiques, each contestant’s personality is able to shine through. After a few one-on-one dates with their most compatible partner, contestants come face to face with one another in the light of day and then get to decide whether they want to continue dating the person they met in the dark. “When I was given a brief about what the show was going to be about I thought ‘oh yeah, that would be interesting’. I studied relationship psychology at uni and I think just being a young girl with friends who are dating – it’s something that interested me,” Dundovic explains of what appealed to her about hosting Dating In The Dark. “It’s something that everybody can relate to because we’ve all had an awkward date and liked someone more than they like you. It’s an awkward thing for everyone. Not being able to read someone’s body language or see their facial expressions you lose that element of whether that person is into you or not, it adds to the awkwardness. “In between having the first audition and the callback I watched some episodes of the US and UK Dating In The Dark shows and I fell in love – it’s so fun to see humans in that vulnerable dating scenario.” Though we’d all like to think that we’re deep and meaningful creatures who don’t judge books by their covers, Dundovic has witnessed enough dates to know that all too often, looks really do count. “I think the one thing I’ve learnt is that most people do judge others too quickly. A lot of people who end up on the show together, even if they don’t judge someone by their looks they judge them on what they do. You have to give people a few goes before you say ‘that person’s not for me’. I’ve noticed that there are some people who are a little bit overwhelmed and shy when they’re in the first group date, and a lot of girls and guys say ‘I don’t like shy people – I’m not interested 28
Movie fans decked out in sleek black and white suits made their way to Hoyts Carousel on Monday evening for the highly anticipated West Australian premiere of Men In Black III. The latest intergalactic comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, Men In Black III is a must-see for any fans of the series.
Phil, Scarlett & Josh
Photographs by Matt Jelonek
Alex & Jake
Sean, Colleen, Tina & Kevin
Anna & Alice
Shyanne & Kym
Blackers & Fitzi
Tamara & Bila
Dating In The Dark host Laura Dundovic in them’; but if you give them three or four dates they’ll really open up. So you have to give people time to get comfortable.” You might not expect a former Miss Universe contestant to have personally endured awkward dating moments but Dundovic is quick to point out that she’s had her fair share of uncomfortable romantic encounters. “I’ve had many! One of the most awkward was when I went on a date with a guy who had just had a car accident and he was about to have a shoulder reconstruction. The date wasn’t going well – there wasn’t much chemistry and because it was dark (we were at the movies) he couldn’t read my body language so he lent over to kiss me and got stuck because his shoulder had popped out. So he was hovering about 5cm from my face and I turned to him and said ‘what are you doing?’ and he said ‘…I’m stuck’. So I had to peel myself out of my seat and wait for him to get his shoulder back in place.” Dating In The Dark airs on Fox8 on Tuesday nights at 9.30pm. _EMMA BERGMEIER
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
VINTAGE VIXENS & VAMPS FAIR
FREMANTLE HERITAGE FESTIVAL The 2012 Fremantle Heritage Festival runs from Friday, May 25, ’til Monday, June 4, at a number of locations across Fremantle. A haven for artists, foodies, live music lovers, vintage aficionados, history buffs and anyone who covets a hot serve of fish and chips, Fremantle has a rich and vibrant history which is set to be celebrated during the 2012 Fremantle Heritage Festival. Taking over the port city from May 25-June 4, the Heritage Festival will encourage locals and visitors to better get to know Freo, with a range of events, exhibitions and performances that will showcase the people and places that have made Fremantle the city it is today. Whether you’re keen to learn more about Fremantle’s colourful history, or simply want an entertaining day out, the Heritage Festival has just what the (Fremantle) Doctor ordered, with more markets, tours, club crawls, fairs and shows than you could poke a pint of Little Creatures at. Check out some of the Festival’s highlights below and view the full program online at fremantle. wa.gov.au/festivals.
Vintage Vixens & Vamps
Now in its fourth year, the Vintage Vixens & Vamps Fair returns to the iconic Fremantle Town Hall on Sunday, May 27, taking fashion lovers on a trip back through time with retro threads galore. Thirty stallholders will set up shop inside the Town Hall, selling off clothing, accessories, collectables and home wares from eras past. Since its inception four years ago Vintage Vixens & Vamps Fair has grown in both size and scope, and organisers Fern Valessi and Delilah Carter couldn’t be more happy about the event’s growing fan base. “Attendance numbers have increased by about 50 per cent since the first fair,” Valessi explains of Vintage Vixens & Vamps’ growing popularity. “We have more stallholders now too - the first fair saw stalls in the main hall only, we now use the atrium area for stalls as well. Also more diverse stalls including upcycled products and vintage vinyl. The entertainment component of the fair has grown as well. The first fair had just a fashion parade (which we have decided not to run this year), but we have added an extra entertainment dimension with music and dancing! Some people have come along to the fair only to enjoy the entertainment!” Vintage Vixens & Vamps runs from 12-5pm this Sunday and entry is only $3. To find out more about the fair hit up the Vintage Vixens & Vamps Facebook page.
PERTH INTERNATIONAL BURLESQUE FESTIVAL
If the art of the tease gets you hot under the collar and you prefer the dance styles of the 1940s and 1950s to the R-rated bumping and grinding invading dance floors today then you won’t want to miss out on the inaugural Perth International Burlesque Festival, presented by Sugar Blue Burlesque. Timed to coincide with the Fremantle Heritage Festival, the Burlesque Festival will feature local, interstate and international artists, plus a range of workshops for those interested in mastering the art of burlesque. Running from May 24-27, the Burlesque Festival boasts shows from a range of in-demand burlesque beauties, including Missy Fatale, Billie Rae and The Wicked Lady Olivia from the UK, plus Italy’s Dixie Ramone, New Zealand’s Miss La Vida and Mrs Rose, all the way from Grenoble in France. Australian performers include Tasia, Danica Lee, Miss Nic, Betty Lou, and Perth’s own A’dora Derriere, Agatha Frisky, Beehives Go-Go, Ben Sutton, Brenna Day, Coco Poppin, Scarlet O’Harlot, plus many, many more. Find out about everything that’s on offer during the Perth International Burlesque Festival via perthburlesquefestival.com.
www.xpressmag.com.au
Arthur Grady Motorcycle Ride
ARTHUR GRADY MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Back in 1924 intrepid Fremantle bicycle maker Arthur Grady embarked on a motorcycle journey around Australia, completing the trip in five and a half months, which earned him a place in the record books. Eighty-eight years later, the Heritage Festival will pay homage to Arthur Grady’s adventure with a special motorcycle ride, presented by the Vintage Motorcycle Club and the City of Fremantle. Expect to see a huge range of vintage motorcycles, including a replica of the bike Arthur Grady chose to call his own. The fun is set to take place on Saturday, June 2, from 11am-2pm. Motorcycle enthusiasts are encouraged to bring their bikes down to Kings Square from 9am, with the ride set to start at 11am. Participation is free.
UKULELE SING ALONG
If you happened upon the Fremantle Workers’ Social and Leisure Club during the 1920s, chances are you probably would have heard the twangy sounds of the ukulele rolling out onto the street, which is why the Heritage Festival will kick off in style this Friday, May 25, with a Ukulele sing along. Bring your ukulele and your best singing voice to join in on the fun at the Fremantle Workers’ Club at 9 Henry Street from 6-7pm. Entry is $5.
Billie Rae headlines the Perth International Burlesque Festival
_EMMA BERGMEIER
29
VISUAL ARTS Tales Of Hierachy: Venn Gallery, Perth Tales Of Hierarchy is a new body of work from Western Australian artist Patrick Doherty featuring a series of paintings, drawings and prints. Doherty is known for his free-style figurative illustrations that portray fantastic sequences and contain rich, colourful imagery. These epic, imaginative landscapes echo with ancient mythologies, often referencing spiritual, bodily and religious iconography to captivate and confront the audience. Runs ’til Jun 8. Waldemar Kolbusz: Greenhill Galleries, Claremont Waldemar Kolbusz’ paintings have similarities in structure to works produced by some mid 20th century abstract expressionists, and are somewhat reminiscent of early multi-form works by Mark Rothko. There is an automatism about them as they are clearly de-formed and accidental, yet there is also a careful construction to them. They are a type of intellectual de-construction of formlessness. Playing with perspective through the use of opaque and thin films of paint, Kolbusz has a personal language. His paintings have a warped, deconstructed, un-rooted, organic and accidental feel, with vibrant slabs of colour and unexpected miscellany. Runs May 25-Jun 9. Trevor Richards: Turner Galleries, Northbridge Trevor Richards draws on a wide range of influences in his exhibition of recent work at Turner Galleries. These include Islamic patterning, architectural modelling, tessellations and an interest in the play of structures in everyday life. He combines all within a minimal aesthetic and a palette of minimal colours. Runs ’til Jun 16. The Armature: Turner Galleries, Northbridge Matthew Hunt’s The Armature marks a struggle between Hunt and art. Hunt’s work over the last few years has concentrated on a very direct form of art production by paring things down to basic materials; paper, pencil, paint, in order to locate a purity or essence of what it is to be human. Hunt’s work searches for simple forms because everything else is so complex. Yet within this framework Hunt has been forgoing the path towards formalism and beauty. Hunt believes that the collision of all these elements does not necessitate art that people like. Runs ’til Jun 16. Through Tulip’s Eye: Kulcha, Fremantle
The intricate beauty of the ancient art of paper cutting is brought to life by the energy and creative joy of Pakistani self-taught artist, jeweller, and 3D CAD/CAM designer Tusif Ahmad. Each delicately hand cut from a single sheet of paper, his artworks are influenced by traditional Islamic patterns and symbols, yet Tusif takes a unique and personal path in his storytelling imagery, exploring the dynamic opposing forces that shape our personal trials and triumphs in life, love and beauty. Runs Jun 10-30. Shaun Tan: Suburban Odyssey: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Shaun Tan has won the world’s most prestigious prizes – an Academy Award for his short film The Lost Thing, and the Astrid Lindgren Award for his work as a children’s illustrator, but he describes himself as ‘a painter who fell into illustration and book publishing’. Fremantle Arts Centre is delighted to present for the first time a collection of Tan’s never before seen paintings along with original drawings and preparatory sketches for the film The Lost Thing. Exhibited together, these works create a vision of Shaun Tan as an artist whose work across genres is built on close observation of the real world through painting and drawing. Runs ’til Jul 15. Projektet, Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Imagine the complexity of the human immune system. There are millions of tiny soldiers inside each of us, who process intruders and decide friends from foe. They are our warriors and our guard dogs, our filters which protect us from outside influences. Now apply this model to society, and culture. Researchers and artists Ola Johansson and Amanda Newall, based in Sweden, examine the uncanny way our immune system has influenced the way we interact with others. In a joint residency between Fremantle Arts Centre and SymbioticA, the biological arts facility at the University of Western Australia, Johansson and Newall have undertaken a series of academic and artistic pursuits to investigate the similarities between our internal and external immune processes. The pair have orchestrated performances, where cells from the body are acted out by members of the local performing arts community. Runs ’til Jul 15.
Supervilla Supervilla: Spectrum Project Space, ECU Mt Lawley Artists Jessica Watson-Galbraith (WA) and Tor Lindstrand (Sweden) form Economy, an artistic partnership with a Utopian dream, or nightmare depending on your point of view, of a Supervilla made from a thousand shades of beige, their response to Western Australia’s economic upswing and its effects on the infrastructure and architecture of the state. To Economy, the increase in economic wealth is being used, not to build communities but to cover up the fact that they do not exist. With the displacement of work and wealth, ever-increasing privatization and degradation of public space, Perth can be read as our global contemporary condition on steroids. Runs May 29-Jun 3.
THEATRE/DANCE Cured: 834 Hay Street, Perth Acclaimed director, writer, producer and actor, Marisa Garreffa delivers Cured, a black comic tale never before seen in Perth. Cured is the story of a village called Night, told by a woman as she butchers away at a pig to make dinner for guests who never arrive. Part performance, part cooking demonstration, the woman tells the story of a girl who lies to the village about dying in order to feel loved. She gets caught and the village is not happy. Runs May 24-27. Bookings via blueroom.org.au. I (Honestly) Love You: Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge From award winning playwright Damon Lockwood comes a tale of love gained, love lost, and love thrown around a bit. I (Honestly) Love You explores what happens when two people, who share the extremely rare psychological condition of only being able to tell the truth at all times, fall deeply and madly in love. The two age-old enemies of togetherness and honesty tangle desperately in this exciting new play examining the deepest of all human emotions. Runs ’til Jun 2. Bookings can be made via blueroom.org.au. Les Affreux: Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge Les Affreux (The Frightful Ones) is a dark and intriguing story about people who have everything and will do anything to get what they want. Alex, a rogue journalist returning from the Arab Spring, finds his life spiraling into disarray when a clandestine organisation begins to punish him for mistakes he would rather forget. An horrific series of events unfold, bringing everyone Alex cares about to the cusp of oblivion. Runs May 24-Jun 9. Bookings can be made via blueroom.org.au. drinks with good friends rather than a night out in Northbridge.” When it comes to advice for brides and grooms to be, Dent encourages couples to keep it simple and stick to what they love; “Keep it personal. Tell your story. Enjoy the ride.” First Comes Love will descend on the Oxford Hotel in Leederville this Saturday, May 26, and Sunday, May 27, from 11am-4pm. Entry is $10 per person, payable at the door. Discover all of the wonderful First Comes Love exhibitors and get plenty of tips and style ideas for your big day via firstcomeslove.com.au.
First Comes Love (Photos: Angela Higgins)
“First Comes Love is small and sweet and sassy with lots of independent retailers and inspiration. It is the bridal fair equivalent of drinks with good friends rather than a night out in Northbridge”
FIRST COMES LOVE If the thought of stretch Hummer limousines, diamante encrusted dresses and plastic tiaras balanced atop over-styled hair-dos, leaves you feeling queasy, you’re not alone. Determined to put an end to tacky weddings in favour of beautifully styled, personalised celebrations, the lovely ladies at Studio Bomba launched First Comes Love last year, creating a fancy fair for off beat brides on the hunt for venues, outfits, caterers, photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, florists, jewellers and all the other services and trinkets needed to make a wedding day special. First Comes Love returns in fine form this weekend, taking over the Oxford Hotel for two days of wedding bliss. 30
“Last year we felt like we were organising a really big party, but without any RSVPs, so to see folks with their happy smiling faces come chat to Perth’s most creative pledge and party people just made our day,” co-organiser Leah Dent says of the success of the inaugural First Comes Love. “The exhibitors were amazing, so clever in the way they styled their spaces and so generous with their time and expertise.” Unlike large-scale wedding expos that lack in personality and atmosphere, First Comes Love is a curated bridal fair – which means that Dent and her partner in crime Angela Mitchell have hand picked all of the exhibitors, and with limited space available, every stallholder has had to be top notch to make the cut! Dent and Mitchell have laboriously sorted through every application, only picking the best of the best to make it into First Comes Love 2012.
Jelly Beans
JELLY BEANS If the hustle and bustle of modern life is getting Just under 1200 brides and grooms to be attended First Comes Love in 2011, and with even more inspiring exhibitors showcasing their wares at this year’s event, First Comes Love volume two is sure to go off with a very romantic bang. When asked what we can expect from this year’s festivities, Dent responds coyly, not wanting to spoil any of the surprises that Studio Bomba have up their sleeves. “There will be some friends from last year, some super new folks and we’ve even found some extra little spaces in the Oxford Hotel to fill with goodness. You’ll find celebrants, filmmakers, florists, hair and makeup artists, jewellers, photographers, stationers and stylists. There will be fashion and live music and sweet treats galore. “First Comes Love is small and sweet and sassy with lots of independent retailers and inspiration. It is the bridal fair equivalent of
you down, perhaps it’s time to take a walk down memory lane with a spring in your step care of Jelly Beans, a unique style of plastic sandals synonymous with childhoods spent running, jumping and exploring. Comfortable, colourful and sure to put you back in touch with your inner child, Jelly Beans are making a comeback, and this time round there are sizes for both kids and childish adults – huzzah! Available in five fabulous, eyecatching shades, including Red Rovers, Ghosties (transparent plastic), Licorice, Pinkalicious and Blueberry, Jelly Beans look great on their own, or styled with a patterned pair of socks or tights during the cooler months. Next time you’re looking to bring a sense of nostalgia and a splash of bold colour to your outfit, bypass the boring and reach for a pair of Jelly Beans then let the adventure begin. View the full range online at jbeans.com.au. _EMMA BERGMEIER X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
31
32
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Over the last 19 years, Dennis Coles, aka Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks, aka Ghost Deini, aka Pretty Toney… you get the idea), has been responsible for perhaps more classic albums than any other rapper. And, as he tells JOSHUA HAYES ahead of the upcoming Rap City tour, there are four projects in the works – including a new Wu-Tang Clan album – that could continue this streak. Dennis Coles is widely considered one of the hip hop’s greatest rappers due to his urgent delivery, remarkable storytelling skills and penchant for memorable non-sequiturs. Most important, though, has been his outstanding discography. Not only has he played a major part in classic albums by the Wu-Tang Clan and Raekwon, but, over the course of a decade, he released three solo albums that stand as undisputed classics – 1996’s Ironman, 2000’s Supreme Clientele and 2006’s Fishscale. However, the last few years have made Coles seem fallible for the first time. Since Fishscale, he has released five albums that failed to reach the same lofty heights as his earlier work. Most notably, his WuMassacre collaboration with Method Man and Raekwon was criticised for sounding rushed (the three headlining rappers featured together on only three of the album’s 12 songs) while his R&B tinged Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City divided fans and critics alike. Of course, Coles’ legacy as one of hip hop’s greatest MCs is firmly sealed. But, four projects he has in the works have potential to put him back on top. The most likely to hit shelves first is Wu-Block – a joint album with regular collaborators Sheek Louch, Jadakiss and Styles P of D-Block Records, as well as Raekwon and Cappadonna –which he hopes to release in August.
www.xpressmag.com.au
33
“Me and Sheek wanted to do a record called Gorillas In The Mist a while ago, but we never got to it,” Coles explains, before noting that the idea was revived as a joint D-Block and Wu-Tang Clan album when the pair were on tour together. Working with the members of D-Block is also bringing out his competitive edge. “It gives you a battery because you know your pen game got to be up to par; you really got to be sharp with your [rhymes],” Coles says. “They really know how to rhyme, you know what I mean? And you just got to be on point.” The second project is his next solo album, Supreme Clientele Presents… Blue & Cream: The Wally Era. Billed as a follow up to Supreme Clientele, it raises hopes that he can emulate the success of Raekwon, who struck gold with a sequel of his own, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, in 2009 (Coles was tagged as a ‘guest star’ on the album). “I always had it in mind, but I never got to it because I was doing everything else and I wanted to just recreate a little bit of what we did back then,” Coles says, before adding that he’s not concerned about the expectations that come with recording a sequel to a classic album.“We just go back in and do what we do; you know what I’m saying. I don’t feel no pressure, nothing like that. “You’re just gonna get what you love me for, you know? Whatever made you become a fan of Ghostface, then by the grace of god… you gonna get the full dose of what made you a fan of mines.” The third is Swift And Changeable, Coles’ long-awaited collaboration with the enigmatic rapper and producer DOOM (who is joining Coles on the Rap City tour, along with Chino XL and Killah Priest). The album has been in the works a number of years, but looks like it may finally be released with the first single, Victory Laps, out last year. “Everything is in DOOM’s hands now, you know what I mean? So, whenever he’s ready to let it go, it’s out of my hands, it’s in his hands, and I’m just gonna follow suit whenever DOOM is ready for it,” Coles says. This is almost word-for-word what he told X-Press when asked about the project in 2009, ahead of his last tour. So has he done anything about it? “Yeah, I seen [DOOM] in London and I told him the people want it, we got to finish it, and he said yeah, he was with it, everything was good, but he never got back to me to finish it up,” Coles responds. “But I know he got it and I guess when he’s ready to let it go, he’s gonna let it go and it’s gonna be phat.” The final project is undoubtedly the
The Stafford Brothers
STARKILLIN’ IT Exile
HIP HOP OF THE EXILE KIND
One of the finest collaborations in hip hop history is coming to town. Live and direct all the way from California, the critically acclaimed MC Fashawan and super producer Exile will be bringing their smashing tunes to Perth. Fashawn’s worked with Dr. Dre, DJ Khalil and has featured on tracks by J.Cole and Aloe Blacc. Exile has worked with Jurassic 5, Akon, Kardinall Official and a bunch more. The show hits The Bakery on Friday, June 22. Tickets are $20 plus booking fee, snatch them up from nowbaking.com.au.
Ghostface Killah most exciting for fans – a new Wu-Tang Clan album planned to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). For a long time another Clan effort seemed unlikely, after the internal (and often public) disagreements that surrounded their last effort, 2007’s 8 Diagrams. In a recent interview with Pitchfork, GZA indicated he thought a new Clan album was unlikely, however, Coles confirms that the album is going ahead.“Yeah, we’re gonna do that for 2013, for the anniversary [of Enter The Wu-Tang],” he says.“Me and RZA discussed it, and that’s his plans for 2013; the same time we released the first album, like, in November. So maybe RZA didn’t talk to Genius yet, but that’s what it looks like ‘cause that’s what’s on the menu for us right now.”
» GHOSFACE KILLAH » RAP CITY » SUNDAY, JUNE 3 @ METRO FREO
LING LING YOU FORGOT YOUR BLING BLING
The Bling Bling Ball is coming to town. It’s all about the super swagga. DJ and producer Slick will be bringing his urban beats to The Bling Bling Ball which hits Eve Nightclub on Sunday, June 3. Slick has shared the stage with the likes of Lil Jon, T-Pain, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Fatman Scoop, Hook N Sling and more. Perth’s very own Angry Buda will also be bringing his club rockin’ mayhem on the night. Tickets are $20 on the door and there’s even $250 cash prizes for the best ‘swagga’ dressed and tickets to Lady Gaga for the runners up.
The long weekend is just around the corner and to get the party cranking Limelite have announced that Brisbane’s party duo the Stafford Brothers will be hitting town alongside the energetic Starkillers who hails from Las Vegas. It’s all about big booming house and edgy big beats with these guys. If you’ve seen the Stafford Brothers’ TV show on Foxtel then you’ll know that these lads know how to party. It’s all happening on Sunday, June 3, at Capitol. Tickets are $35 plus booking fee. Snatch them up from Moshtix. Doors open 9pm.
LOUD AND DIRTY
If anyone went to the last instalment of Force Majeure, you’ll know that Sydney duo Doctor Werewolf absolutely smashed it. Now, Force Majeure is back bringing Brazilian duo Dirtyloud to town. These guys are up there in the charts competing with Deadmau5 and Skrillex and Mixmag UK even heralded them as the ‘VIP’ act for 2012. Good shit. The lads hit Ambar on Friday, June 15. Tickets are $20 on the door. Do it.
GET LICKING
Shape’s new night The Lick is expected to be super tasty. With an international guest lined up for the night who’s yet to be revealed, this is set to go off. The Lick launches on Friday, June 15, at Shape. Hit up thelick.com.au and Facebook.com/ TheLickAu for more info.
TO THE BEAT OF SEBASTIEN’S DRUM
French DJ and producer Sebastien Drums is at the forefront of house music talent coming out of France. His hit My Feelings For You was produced in cooperation with Avicii and sampled Cassius’ might original. The track secured the #1 spot on Beatport for a whole month! Omgzz! David Guetta, Laidback Luke, Roger Sanchez and even Robbie Riviera have been playing it in their sets. Drums hits Perth on Friday, June 8, at The Court Hotel.
Sebastien Drums
BITTER BELIEF GALLERY OF BEATS
Local MC Bitter Belief, aka Aaron D’Vaz, has spent the last year and a half on the road touring with Drapht. Now, back at home base, he’s finally been able to settle down and focus on her forthcoming sophomore record The Gallery. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with MC about The Gallery, being on the road and The Tour Guide, his most recent mixtape. Having just got back to Perth after touring with Drapht for the last 18 months, it’s “back to reality” for Aaron D’Vaz who’s back at work and putting the final touches on some of the tunes which will feature on his forthcoming sophomore record The Gallery due out later this year. “It’s kind of a metaphor for my mind so it’s like talking about it like it’s an art gallery kind of thing,” he says of the record. “I ended up calling it that because my favourite track on there is actually called The Gallery and that’s what the song’s about. “Then I realised a lot of the other songs that I was doing were different things that go on in my mind like there’s a song in there called Paranoia about when I get paranoid at times and there’s a song about my anxiety as well so I’ve just touched different areas of what goes on in my head… so it’s kind of a concept album.” Currently 75 per cent complete with only a few more songs to add, D’Vaz has installed the production talents of Melbourne’s M-Phazes and Queensland producer Cam Bluff on The Gallery, with local hip hop lad Creed Birch doing most of the production on the record.“I like doing that, I don’t like to limit myself to one producer, it gives it a bit more variety and a different sound throughout the whole thing but I still think these [songs] have similar vibes to them so they still tie in [all together],” he says. As for welcoming Birch’s production skills on the album, it’s something D’Vaz has done for years now. 34
Bitter Belief “He raps as well but he’s gone down production side a little bit more… his beats just really compliment my style and what I wanted to do with it. He gave me the title track song and he was showing me a few other beats and they were all really dark and moody. I like to pick beats that have a mood to inspire the content of the song. “After Isolation, don’t get me wrong, I do like it, but it just seemed that it didn’t have a vibe throughout the whole album. I just did a whole bunch of songs and chucked them all on there and they didn’t really flow and connect so well. With The Gallery, there are different vibes from different songs but most of it is pretty dark but then there are other songs that are funny and a bit more uplifting but it keeps the same vibe throughout the whole thing.” Having cut a few songs from The Gallery which he recently released as part of The Tour Guide Mixtape, D’Vaz says the mixtape is “an ice breaker and lead up to The Gallery”. He’ll be launching the mixtape in Bunbury on his birthday and the following night at The Rosemount Hotel alongside Melbourne’s Seth Sentry before flying out the day after to Darwin to perform at Bass In The Grass. As for the remainder of 2012’s plans, some east coast shows of his own would be nice.“I haven’t really been over east for my own shows, it’s always been with Drapht so after The Gallery, I want to take it over east and do my own shows over there,” he says. “He’s [Drapht] done a lot for me. I’ve learnt so much from touring with him!”
» BITTER BELIEF » THURSDAY, MAY 24 @ PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY » FRIDAY, MAY 25 @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
MICKEY AVALON
PROLIX
LOADED
Hollywood based rapper Mickey Avalon hasn’t tried pole-dancing but make no mistake, he’d “give anything a go once”. If you’ve seen this outrageous rebel in the flesh, you’ll know he’s not one to fuck with. Although he appears quiet and vulnerable in his demeanor, when Avalon hits the stage, he’s anything but. ANNABEL MACLEAN gets the lowdown. “It was like Eyes Wide Shut or something, there were play mats, you know the ones that look like ostrich or something like that and they were wearing those masks.” This is Avalon’s description of a show he performed at New York’s The Box which involved bond/fetish artists The Porcelain Twinz putting on a bit of an incestual show. “They’re super cool; I think those are some of the better shows,” he says in his casual American drawl. “Years ago I played in a place called Miss Kitty’s where they had some crazy sex show stuff. I like stuff that looks good on stage. With rap music there’s no band, you just have a DJ so you need to bring something on the stage like some performance.” But, all these crazy sex filled shows are just another day in the life of Mickey Avalon – his life is fastpaced, manic and dramatic. Even during the time of this interview he’s on the 101 freeway during rush hour driving down to LA to do some last minute interviews. Having just released his sophomore record Loaded after several delays, Avalon says he’s just thankful to have the record finally out. His first record free from a major record label deal, Loaded has been a while in the making but, it’s not like he’s been taking his sweet time with it. “I made songs from pretty much that whole period [between debut 2006 self titled record and Loaded], it was more like politics and bullshit that took it this long, it’s not like I was sitting in the studio for six years. The music I make, it’s not like brain science right. You just get a bunch of songs and pick the ones that go together.” But, it isn’t just the songs which have seen Avalon with his hands full; he’s been busy filming their
www.xpressmag.com.au
KILLIN’ IT
Mickey Avalon accompanying video clips. With more bootie than a 50 Cent video clip, Avalon’s music video for More Junk is virtually soft porn with a bit of pole-dancing thrown in for good measure.“It’s fun to watch”, he says.“It’s actually like a lot harder to do than you would think - the ones that are real good and can do different things with different parts of their body, I could never do that. When I was a kid, the girls on the monkey bars would spin around and do cherry drops and stuff like that. There’s no way I could ever do that.” The video clip for Rock Bottom shows Avalon escaping from a hospital and although dressing in a hospital gown is something he hasn’t had to do for a while, it does remind him of the past.“I haven’t been in a hospital for a good four or five years,” he says.“The guy who directed the video clip didn’t really know that, he just wrote that and it was kind of funny because I have hospitalised myself but it’s been a while (laughs).” Avalon is currently in the midst of a US tour before he touches down under to showcase his fresh tunes alongside Sydney-based special guest Kid Mac whom Avalon has toured and collaborated with.“A lot of times when you play for an audience that’s never heard your songs, sometimes it doesn’t get going right away but he [Kid Mac] always got the crowd going,” he says. “We were playing in Texas and he’d always get everyone worked up.” Locked and loaded for his upcoming tour, Avalon says he’ll see where the fans want to take the show on the night and maybe it’ll be as mad as last year.“It got crazy, they [fans] broke the barricade down and I couldn’t get out of there so in the end this chick traded clothes so I could like sneak out of the place, it was pretty funny.”
» MICKEY AVALON » SATURDAY, MAY 26 @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL » PLEASE NOTE: AVALON PRFORMS AT 8:30PM
Brighton based drum’n’bass producer Prolix has released tunes on Playaz, Metalheadz, Commercial Suicide, Renegade Hardware and Bad Taste. Now, the man known as Chris McCarthy is coming to Perth for his first trip down under as part of the Bad Taste Recordings Tour. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with the slightly hungover gent about Bali bogans, his music taste and life as a DJ and producer. “I went on honeymoon for about three months to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Hong Kong for a bit, and Bali,” McCarthy says, revealing his excuse as to why his fresh imprint Trendkill Records hasn’t been the main focus over the last year, something he’d like to change.“I saw lots of Australians there, heavily tattooed, I’ve got one so I definitely got outdone by the guys out there. I’ve never seen so many people, who could be like your mum, with so many tattoos. That was kind of new to me. I feel like everyone was a biker or something like that. I never experienced it before – I’d heard the word ‘bogan’ but I didn’t know what it was.” It’s no surprise McCarthy didn’t know what a bogan was until recently as this June marks his first trip down under. “I’ve never been to Australia, I’ve had a few tours which were supposed to happen and they didn’t, and quite a lot of requests,” he says. “Until you can get someone like Deon [Loaded Dice], who organises everything properly, it’s difficult to take that leap of faith to travel to the other side of the world and know that everything is going to be ok… I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve got some family in Sydney, half of which I’ve never met, so it will be a bit like a reunion.” Having started out listening to Metallica, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, it wasn’t until McCarthy’s friends dragged him along to a bunch of
Prolix techno and trance club nights that his music palette changed. “I was listening to The Prodigy because it was more rock electronica and bands like Orbital then one night I went to this rave in Brighton where I used to live and there was a drum’n’bass night, it was 1998 or something and I was like ‘What the fuck is this? I’m staying here!’,” he says. “Bizarrely it was Jumping Jack Frost and Micky Finn and not the kind of drum’n’bass I would listen to now. But back then it was big bass lines and it had a really positive atmosphere. It was great.” McCarthy currently has an EP in the works which will out on True Playaz shortly, a 12” on his own label, a track called The Shakes on Bad Taste, a collaboration with Blokhe4d called Switchblade, a 12” on C4C’s label called Pickpocket/Over You and a stack more. But, despite how focused and absorbed he is when it comes to his work, he’s a little apprehensive about the lifestyle and career choice he’s chosen. “Some days you think ‘should I carry on doing this, should I do something else?’,” he says. “Like, how long you can sustain being a DJ in you life? I don’t really want to be doing it when I’m 60… yesterday DJ Hype was round my house, he’s like 43 or 44 or something and he was just telling me that when he went to the doctor they said he had the body of a 60 year old!” But, he puts his cynical attitude during the interview down to it being “nine in the morning and I’ve got a minor hangover (laughs).”
» PRLOIX » BAD TASTE RECORDINGS TOUR » FRIDAY, JUNE 1 @ METRO CITY
35
SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC NO DIGITAL FEAR
Electro-pop duo Scientists Of Modern Music have just released their sophomore record A Personal Universe. Recorded in their bedrooms in Hobart, Cal Young and Simon McIntosh then ventured to London to have DNR put their stamp on the album. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with Young about the record, staying in Tassie and the weird state of the music industry. Cal Young and Simon McIntosh are excited to be releasing A Personal Universe but they’re not likely to tour it right away but, that’s not by choice.“We want to and that’s what we’ve been trying to organise for the last couple of months but at the moment, it’s proving really difficult to get shows in Melbourne and Sydney which is very strange,” Young says down the line from Hobart. “Phoenix Public House – that’s where we’re supposed to be playing but that’s closing down now and that only just opened. I don’t know what’s going on because before we started writing, everything was fine and then we started writing and then just shit hit the fan with a lot of music industry crap and we’re just in a river of shit with a lot of stuff that goes on.” The duo, who met at high school, were in a band before Young introduced McIntosh to good dance music. “We were in the same audio design class in year 11 and we just got talking more and I showed him some mix CDs – some Air, some Daft Punk, some cool electronic music,” he says.“He always used to think that electronic music was just dance crappy shit. He listened to that and then we started making music on some really broken shitty instruments and we just came up with a song and just bought a lot of stuff off eBay and then kept going.” After releasing their debut record Electronic Sunset, the lads spent a considerable amount of time touring and smashing festival circuits. The last 18
36
Scientists Of Modern Music months has seen them put together A Personal Universe at home in Hobart before flying over to London for two weeks to have the album co-produced, mixed and engineered by David Treahearn (Madonna, Bjorke, Oasis) and Rob Hagget (The Black Eyed Peas, Depeche Mode) of DNR. “We spent the first week in their studio and their home and working on the tracks, fixing them up a little bit and adding a few things and then we spent another week in the big studio and it was great,”he says. “Whilst we were over there it was snowing heavily and we almost couldn’t get out of London because it was snowing too much.” Electro dark-edged pop, A Personal Universe features the duo’s friend and singer Kesta Krohn on Follow Me and Girl On Top and The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on the album’s closer The Future. “It’s much different from what we used to do,” Young says of the album. “I remember back a while ago we just used an iPod to do all the backing track and then play over the top of that and now it’s more like a big live band, we’ve got at least 20 channels of audio coming out into the sound desk.” Young is currently working on a collaboration with his girlfriend, singer-songwriter Asta and the lads have just finished a remix for MEN. They’re planning to focus on producing for the moment and taking a step back from the live scene. “The whole live scene, we’ve been doing that for about seven years now, and we kind of want to mix it up a little bit and do something different,” he says.“We’ve never really liked touring – we like it – but we never really like it. We’re comfortable at home and we like making music and we like playing but there’s a lot of crap involved with it… but at the same time we love getting up on stage and playing… we’ll see how the album goes really.”
» SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC » A PERSONAL UNIVERSE [RUBBER RECORDS/SHOCK] » OUT NOW
GANG COLOURS
SKY’HIGH
Melancholic. That’s the overall feel of Gang Colours’ debut LP The Keychain Collection. Midway between morose and optimistic, the mood of this album is the perfect temperament for its mellow electronica genre. Vocalist Will Ozanne lets the music do the talking, and when he does appear, it’s usually midway through the song in an echo-y form, at times just repeating the song title, such as on “I don’t want you calling”. While the low-beat tempo mostly stands on its own, I think an extra instrument - his voice - would definitely carry the album more. The mixture of piano with synthesized percussion is enjoyable, but lacks something. Or, perhaps that is just part of its charm. The understated melodies complement the lyrics about love and heartbreak. The songs aren’t easily distinguishable from each other and 10 tightly packed songs is just enough. Standouts include the soothing Tissues & Fivers. Use for relaxation, but don’t play if you’re in a happy mood.
There’s still a shortage of female hip hop artists in Australia but Sky’High is one lady who is closing the gap. She’s being touted by Elefant Traks as a rough diamond, probably because it takes a listen to get to know what she’s about. A rapper with a fierce style, Sky’High and Kiwi producer P Money created a winning combination of hard-hitting rhymes with sung choruses on the 15 track Forever Sky’High. It’s a mix bag. Don Dada and Forever Gone are loud, defensive and Missy Elliot-esque. On others, such as Go Hard Or Go Home, Sky’High battles her way through with aggressive one-liners, “We go hard and you go home” and “Just because I rap don’t make me no rapper”. At times, the songs are fragmented and hard to follow. Others are more polished, including Casino and Where Ya Head At, which samples Basement Jaxx. Nuclear Love is darkly compelling through its gritty story of a drug-addled romance. There’s no denying the Australian accent is inescapable for our hip hop acts and Sky’High’s true blue accent is constantly wrapping big shapes around your head. She teases her words, spits them out in short bursts or prolongs them to pronounce lines like “I’ll punch you noine toimes”. It’s a memorable act and overall, Forever Sky’High adds some diversity in this male-dominated genre.
THE KEYCHAIN COLLECTION BROWNSWOOD RECORDINGS
» CORAL HUCKSTEP 2.5/5
FOREVER SKY’HIGH -ELEFANT TRAKS
» CORAL HUCKSTEP 3.5/5
THIS WEEK
KID MAC - NO MAN’S LAND
The Sydney-sider’s debut record is out now. Featuring Mat McHugh of The Beautiful Girls, Sarah McLeod and LA based rapper Mickey Avalon, it’s all about commercial beats. Lots of energy. If you like this, check out Avalon and Kid Mac at The Rosemount Hotel this Saturday night.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
37
WEDNESDAY 23/05 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 – UniQue DJs/ Devo/ Chris Wheeldon Gold Bar–DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Le e d e r v i l l e H o t e l – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick Metro Freo - Rapture Mustang – DJ Giles Newport – Newport Wednesdays The Deen - DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Queens – Wriggle on YaYa’s - DJ Agent 85/ Dr Zaius
THURSDAY 24/05 Blvd Tavern – DJ Andy Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ
Andy M Empire Bar – Halo/ DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Eve – DJ Tony Allen Flawless - DJ Zelimir/ DJ Minna/ Flying Scotsman – Cowboys & Indie Kids DJs Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Library - Dorcia 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 Newport – Culture Clash ft Tom Drummond/ Git Go Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – Jon Ee The Carine Tavern – Punchy & Juicy/ Little Nicky 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 ft Fiveo/ Az-T
The Queens – Kapitol The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley The Whistling Kite - DJ Gareth Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly Velvet Lounge – Hexx ft Sam Gillies Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin
FRIDAY 25/05 Ambar – The Aston Shuffle (DJ set) Amplifier – Cowboys & Indie Kids Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Beat Nightclub - Play Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern - DJ Jayden Capitol – Retro Mash Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie C l a re m o nt H o t e l – D J N i c k Sheppard/ DJ Max Club Bayview – Amnesia ft Fendi/ Axon/ Fellis Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch
The Aston Shuffle
Seth Sentry
38
AMPLIFIER
METROS FREO
METRO CITY
Empire Bar – DJs Halo/ Bojan/ Ben Sebastian Eve – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Danny Boi Flawless – DJ Ryan Flying Scotsman – DJs Jo19/ Rok Riley/ Armee 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 Deacon Rose 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 Players Bar (Norma Jeans Bar) – Retro DJ Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Rocket Room – DJ Brett Rowe/ DJ Cain Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Avenue – JMC The Carine – Mind Electric/ Little Nicky/ Az-T The Causeway – 4by4 DJs The East End Bar – Funk Fridays The Generous Squire - DJ Anaru The Queens – DJ Rueben The Rosemount Hotel – Bitter Belief/ Seth Sentry The Saint - DJ Jordan The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly The Vic - DJ Giles The Wembley Hotel – Fu n k y Bottoms/ Jon Ee Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Villa – Speakeasy Back to the ‘90s ft Pink18Stink/ F.R.I.E.N.Ds Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles YaYa’s – Junk ft DJ Whoa!
SATURDAY 26/05 Ambar – Japan 4 ft Bezwun/ Ben Mac/ Marty McFly/ Marko Paulo/ My Creature 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 – Deacon Rose Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – DJ Tone Def Club Bay View – Little Nicky Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci East End Bar - Fiveo Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi/ DJ Stevie M Flawless – Offset/ Jackness/ Travis LeBrun 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 Freo – DTuck/ Darren Briais 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 – Delicious (Ladies Only) ft DJ Brett Rowe South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Causeway – Sun City DJs The Clink – Az-T The Cornerstone – Tammy Stevens
The Craftsman – Tammy Stevens The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The Generous Squire – On Tap ft James Nutley The Rosemount Hotel - Mickey Avalon/ Kid Mac 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 Villa - Timmy Trumpet & Tenzin Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy YaYa’s – Saturday Social ft The Kings Of Cheese DJs
SUNDAY 27/05 Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Club Bay View – Fiveo Empire Bar – CB3/ DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ Birdie Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic Mint - Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys Rocket Room – Coyote Ugly The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Andyy
MONDAY 28/05 Bar Orient - DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern - DJ Mario Tavelli The Deen – Plastic Max/ The Token Gesture The Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy
TUESDAY 29/05 Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Players Bar (Norma Jeans Bar) – Stevie M Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
EAST END BAR
DIGITALISM
NEWPORT
VILLA
IN THE \ THIS WEEK:
Bad Taste Recordings ft Tydi Prolix/ Aeph/ Blokhe4d/ Sunday, June 3 @ Villa Fra t H o u s e Fr i d a y s f t Neonlight Friday, June 1 @ Metro City Deacon Rose Stafford Brothers/ Friday, May 25 @ Metro Freo Starkillers JD4D (JesusDied4Dubstep) Sunday, June 3 @ Capitol The Aston Shuffle (DJ set) label launch ft F3tch/ J.Nitrous/ Killafoe/ J Friday, May 25 @ Ambar Bling Bling Ball Switch/ Get More/ Jaydee ft Angry Buda/ Slick/ Bitter Belief/ Seth Sentry Fordee Birdie/ MC Bsyde Fr i d a y, M a y 2 5 @ T h e Friday, June 1 @ Shape Sunday, June 3 @ Eve Rosemount Hotel Nightclub Meat Katie Timmy Trumpet & Tenzin Friday, June 1 @ Ambar Sebastien Drums Saturday, May 26 @ Villa Friday, June 8 @ The Court Craze & Codes Saturday, June 2 @ Villa Deacon Rose Break-A-Holics Saturday, May 26 @ Capitol Nick Skitz/ MC James Spy Anonymous ft Skool Of Saturday, June 2 @ Gilkisons Thought Mickey Avalon/ Kid Mac Friday, June 8 @ Ambar Saturday, May 26 @ The Slow Roast Records Tour ft Rosemount Hotel S a m p o l o g y ’s S u p e r Craze/ Codes Visual Apocolypse ft Saturday, June 2 @ Villa Sampology/ Sam Perry/ C h a r l i e B u c ke t / D J Crissy Criss T h e J u m p C l i m b P a r t y Saturday, June 3 @ Amplifier NDorse Showcase ft The Empty Saturday, June 9 @ The Cup/ Sunshine Brothers/ Rap City ft Ghostface Bakery Bastian’s Happy Flight/ Killah/ DOOM/ Chino XL/ Sam Perry Switch Mr Grevis/ Rob Shaker Thursday, May 31 @ The Sunday, June 3 @ Metro Saturday, June 9 @ Villa Bakery Freo
COMING UP
Force Majeure ft Dirty Loud Friday, June 15 @ Ambar The Lick Friday, June 15 @ Shape Hype Williams Saturday, June 16 @ The Bakery Ian Carey Saturday, June 16 @ Villa 360/ Hermitude Friday, June 22 @ Villa MC Fashawn/ Exile/ Marksman f t Lenny/ Charlie Bucket/ Coin/ MT5k Friday, June 22 @ The Bakery 360 Saturday, June 23 @ The Astor 360 Sunday, June 24 @ The Astor Dirtyphonics Thursday, July 5 @ The Rosemount Hotel A d d i c t e d To B a s s f t Bombs Away/ Kid Kenobi Friday, July 6 @ Villa
Bitter Belief
BITTER BELIEF/ SETH SENTRY FRIDAY, MAY 25 @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL
www.xpressmag.com.au
This Is Nowhere ft lineup TBC Sunday, October 14 @ Venue TBC Stereosonic ft lineup TBC Sunday, November 25, at venue TBC
OUT OF THIS STRATOSPHERE DIGITALISM/ Adrian Lux Villa Friday, May 18, 2012 With last weekend being chock-a-block full of gigs thanks to a fair chunk of the Groovin’ The Moo lineup putting on sideshows in town, many punters who were keen to check out German electro-punk duo Digitalism didn’t think their Perth club show would sell out but alas, it did, and rightly so. With local lads Makitan and Ace Basik bringing the party early on, Villa quickly turned into dancefloor dominated by the male species – there were surfy dudes, dreadlock folk, music lovers in the 40 to 50 age bracket, hipster kids, 18-year-olds who were up for a party, high-heeled, cake-faced bobblehead girls, nose-ring appreciators and a bunch of people with those pencilled-in eyebrows. The diverse crowd was a clear indication that the Hamburg-based duo’s sounds are filtering down into the main-stream music lover’s playlist, something which certainly didn’t occur with their 2007 debut record Idealism. Although Pogo smashed through the speakers of clubs upon its release, the majority of the record remained relatively underground but last Friday’s sold out show proved that Digitalism have managed to maintain a balance between being commercially cool and legitimately underground. Walking on to the stage like humble kings, Jens Moelle and Ismail Tüfekçi took their places behind individual slick black lecterns on which their equipment rested flanked by a big white 3D heart set piece standing bold upstage and launched into what was essentially a live DJ set consisting of tracks off their 2011 sophomore record I Love You Dude. With virtually no room to move up or downstairs, it was ‘hands in the air, jump on the spot’ for the majority of the duo’s uplifting, hardhitting and booming set. Head-thumping track Stratosphere had punters clapping to the darkedged beat underscoring the blood-pumping tune. With images of ants, fire and weird graphics projected onto the white heart set piece, visually the lads looked grand up on stage. Moelle took to the vintage ‘60s microphone and, looking slick and smart in a black
Digitalism (photo by Atomik Arts) blazer, he belted out the lyrics to Forrest Gump in his edgy yet smooth German accent, causing jumping mayhem to ensue amongst the crowd during lead up to the chorus. Reeperbahn, a harsh, chaotic and dangerous-sounding dancefloor weapon based on Hamburg’s famous red light district where the lads used to DJ back in the day, caused exorcist-like body-thrashings amongst some punters on the frontline with beer and hands going everywhere. Popular track 2 Hearts had everyone creating the famous Digitalism heart-shape with their hands and joining in a communal euphoric sing-a-long. Up on stage Moelle and Tüfekçi were smiling, bouncing and lapping it up. But, it was their most recent single Miami Showdown which stole the hearts of all those on the d-floor and when they returned for their encore consisting of an epic rendition of Circles, shit went mental. Limbthrashing and lyric shouting along to “caught up in a never-ending circle/ I play it again/ I play it again/ I play it again” saw a rapturous riot of crowd love for the duo take place. Mad, crazy, loud and entertaining, Digitalism put on a performance which never failed to entertain. In fact, the duo made Swedish producer Adrian Lux look like an amateur. Considering a lot of people present would’ve made the effort to get on down to the show just to see him (given it was the only club show for the national tour in which he was supporting Digitalism), his unusual yet boring set saw a mass exodus of punters as the early hours of the morning rolled on. Digitalism, I love you dude/s.
» ANNABEL MACLEAN
39
MOJO’S BAR
WINTER AT SPRINGS Springs Tavern Friday, May 18, 2012 When it’s cold and windy outside there’s no better way to warm up than with some live local music at Springs Tavern. Every Friday night The Mojos take to the stage at Springs, performing classic hits and contemporary favourites to help welcome in the weekend. Photographs by Matt Jelonek
Andrew, Carly, Jules & Matt
Lorraine & Glen
Friday, May 25, rockin’ songstress Abbe May plays with her full band with support from Sonpsilo Circus and New Ruins. Mojos Bar is giving away doubles passes so just email mojos@ coolperthnights.com with ‘Desire tickets’ in the subject line. Then on Saturday, May 26, Black Board Minds will take to the stage to launch their brand new single Sex Sells. The first 20 punters through the door on the night get a limited edition CD copy of the single. Sexy!
Abbe May
INDI BAR
Local blues bombers Blue Shaddy are back this Saturday, May 26, with their blues frenzy shenanigans. Sunday, May 27, Sydney lad Mark Wilkinson is joined by pop powerhouse Danni Stefanetti and Bedouin Sea for a delightful night.
Sarah, Michelle & Sarah
Jaclyn & Trevor
The Mojos
Paul, Jen & Carol
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL
Tonight catch some rock‘n’roll courtesy of FOAM, Foxes, Dead Owls and The Cold Acre in the main room. To win a double pass to this show email win@rosemounthotel.com.au with ‘win’ in the subject line. Cowboys and Indie Kids DJs continue their residency in Beer Garden – 7.30pm, free entry.
METRO CITY
Feel like having a wild weekend? We have five double passes to give away to Metro City’s brand new Saturday night - Seven Deadly Sins - so simply email your name to win@xpressmag.com.au with ‘Sins’ in the subject line.
THE SHED
The fine folks at The Shed are giving X-Press readers the chance to win a $100 voucher for an authentic Australian meal for two with drinks included! Simply email your name to win@xpressmag.com.au with ‘Shed’ in the subject line.
KALAMUNDA HOTEL
This Friday, May 25, come down and rock out with the boys from Parker Avenue playing all your favourite hits. Then on Saturday, May 26, you can catch an indulging solo acoustic performance from the talented Alitia Martin.
PADDO
This Saturday, May 26, The Paddo turns 80 (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) and to celebrate they are throwing a massive party! Get down from 7pm and the fancy dress theme is 1930s glamour. There’ll be prizes up for grabs for best dressed and entertainment all night long. Woo!
VOODOO LOUNGE
Get down to the annual Tattoo Ball being held tonight, May 23, at The Voodoo Lounge. The event will feature very special guests Dreamtime Ink who are an Aboriginal tattooing crew who helps keep Aboriginal art alive. There will also be non-stop entertainment all night featuring fetish parades, live bands, DJs, live piercing and tattooing, plus tattoo competitions and prize money will be up for grabs.
BEAT NIGHTCLUB
This Friday, May 25, the Beat Nightclub hosts the Cupidfalls Fundraiser show. Helping the cause on the night will be local legends The Milkshake Strategy, post-hardcore upstarters Emberville, metal newcomers Hooks4hands and hard rockers One Armed Scissor.
RAILWAY HOTEL
This Friday, May 25, at the Railway Hotel catch Underground Hound, Tall Poppy Syndrome and Neutral Native. Then on Saturday, May 26, things get heavy when Enforce return to the stage with special guests Neverborn, Mhorgl and One Too Many Camel.
HYDE PARK HOTEL
Get down to The Hyde Park Hotel this Friday, May 25, from 3pm ‘til 7pm and receive a free platter of food and the first round of drinks for you and four of your mates. Bookings are essential so make sure you call to reserve your spot!
THE BAKERY
Tijuana Cartel are set to impress with their deep, organic grooves at The Bakery on Friday, June 15. Support comes from Deya Dova, Sunshine Brother and Grace Barbe. For tickets click on over to tijuanacartel.com
EAST END BAR
Every Thursday, East End Bar brings you The Prestige, a night of house, funk and electro from 9pm til late. Entry is free before 10pm. 40
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
body suit and jumping across the stage barefoot to the opening drums of Heartlines. With grand flowing arm gestures, swaying and Burswood Dome body arching, Welch was totally immersed on stage, soaking Thursday, May 17, 2012 up each dramatic pause and belting out notes which While fathers with daughters, mothers with teenagers, old seem almost physically impossible for a human to achieve. men, chiko-roll eating folk and those with a grand music Powering through What The Water Gave Me with sketches of palette entered the realms of Burswood Dome, Brooklyn lungs projected onto the castle set piece, it was the tinkering based indie gent Devonte Hynes was genre-fucking of the harp which set this tune apart from majority of the the gathering masses with his Blood Orange project. band’s mesmerising although ‘same same but different’ set. Lullaby Cosmic Love and church-bell sounding The British singer-songwriter, also known for his work as Lightspeed Champion, had a few punters blocking their Breaking Down changed the mood up a bit with Welch taking ears during his half hour set of mad electric guitar riffs which on a gothic goddess persona with dramatic, ‘surrenderingscreeched through the sound-system as he enlightened to-the-gods’ like arm movements and flittering about stage those willing to appreciate the one-man act with a touch of like a nymph. With a puff of smoke and red light seeping across stage, Welch then asked the audience to all jump soul, electronica and a smattering of old-school funk. With half an hour to down a couple of classy at the same time during popular tune Shake It Out. It was glasses of wine or “take a piss” as a fellow punter accurately strange seeing a filled stadium communal jumping to Welch described, a stage curtain was peeled away to reveal a as if they’d mistaken her for Calvin Harris. She then took it a convex shaped castle-type set piece which video footage step further asking everyone to “sacrifice” by letting whoever and images were projected onto. Accompanied by an eight they were with get on top of their concert date’s shoulders piece band including two back up singers and a harpist, during Rabbit Heart, a somewhat physical metaphor for the auburn songstress Florence Welch stood silhouetted song’s alter-ego “raise it up”. After thanking everyone for coming, the band upstage before gracefully moving downstage, black sexy cape a-flowing, to launch into Only If For A Night off her 2011 disappeared off stage before returning a good 10 minutes later for an encore. And no, it wasn’t a deliberate wait sophomore record Ceremonials. Running, skipping and freely spinning across the between set and encore, Welch had managed to cut her foot stage, there’s no denying that Welch has charisma, stage backstage and had to be carried on stage for the final two presence and a voice which literally gives you goose bumps. songs, Never Let Me Go and No Light No Light. Despite this Right from the get go, she had the lads and lasses on the small injury in which she announced“I’m sorry for bleeding all frontline gobsmacked, with one young gent in the classy over the stage”,Welch held her grace and poise and delivered mosh shouting out his desires to which the glamorous a phenomenal end to the first show of her Australian tour. As front lady politely responded in her quaint English accent she waved goodbye and was whisked off stage, one couldn’t “I can’t pop with you backstage right now… that’d be a bit help thinking that Florence really is a machine. awkward but it’s very nice to meet you” before laughing, _ANNABEL MACLEAN doing away with her cape to reveal a black tight knit velvet
Blood Orange
Florence + The Machine (Photo: Callum Ponton)
City & Colour
GROOVIN’ THE MOO Hay Park, Bunbury Saturday, May 19, 2012 Mixing big international acts like Kaiser Chiefs and City & Colour with practically all the big Aussie acts of the moment, the third Groovin’The Moo in Bunbury showed that it’s a sure-fire winner on the festival calendar. A man at the height of his Triple J-imposed god status right now is Matt Corby. The dude is ridiculously hot and stupidly down-to-earth with a stupendous vocal range. He seems quietly aware that
41
he has the best and probably easiest job on the planet: being the nice guy with the loop pedal who can sing. He can also handle the big stages with consummate ease, and it was great to see him in action with a full live band playing many electric numbers. It was no wonder Ball Park Music’s lead singer Sam Cromack said “I’m borrowing Matt Corby’s guitar at the moment... I already feel more attractive,” later in the night. Clad in all-white with nothing but a keyboard and a backing tape for accompaniment, Andrew WK risked coming across as the irrelevant elderly uncle of the day—and when he brought out MC Alistair X, who supported WK at his sideshows and strongly resembles a Morley meth dealer, things could seriously have gone either way. The pair had one of the smallest crowds of the day, but the way they handled the situation was nothing short of remarkable. In one of their final numbers, Andrew WK instructed his entire audience to rush from one side of the main stage and crash headlong into the adjoining crowd gathering to watch The Getaway Plan. After a massive build-up, this they enthusiastically did. Suddenly WK’s crowd was twice the size as people ran in from everywhere, relishing the chance to devolve into a glorious mess of circle pitting and slam dancing. It was a truly impressive, hilarious and ridiculous feat; made all the more enjoyable by the fact that The Getaway Plan’s set went down a tad ineffectual. 360 had an earlier timeslot than one would expect, especially if you’ve been lucky enough to catch one of his explosive live shows in Perth earlier this year. Predictably, the track that drew the biggest crowd response was the ridiculously catchy Boys Like You, though Killer and Throw It Away were also performed to perfection. Parkway Drive were an interesting inclusion for the main stage due to the fact that they are so loud and threatening compared to pretty much every other act on the bill. As fans of ‘nice’ music ducked for cover, fans of outrageous behaviour got busy—keeping the security guards on high alert throughout the set. Canada’s City & Colour may not be a terribly exciting act to watch, but the fact former Alexisonfire frontman Dallas Green’s insanely beautiful falsetto could quiet and enchant a rowdy crowd of
thousands was something to behold. Green appeared to have a lot of WA fans, and is sure to have even more following his spellbinding performance, which included heartbreaking renditions of The Girl and Fragile Bird. And then, there’s Wavves, who were amazing. Mixing ‘60s garage psychedelia and ‘80s surf punk, they were trippy, catchy and awesomely fun from start to finish; the delightfully garish light show belied their totally sardonic approach. One of the best things about this band is bass player Stephen Pope, a huge fat, slow moving dude with a Flying-V guitar and ginormous hair; he looks like he’s somehow dragged himself away from the nacho bowl at his mum’s house to reluctantly come on tour. He’s pretty much the frontman, but he’d rather drink beer than talk to the audience, and in the last song he took his shirt off and tried to wear a bra someone had thrown on stage. After playing Southbound last year, hip hop royalty Public Enemy returned to the South West with a greatest hits set to celebrate their 25 years in the business. Their experience showed as Chuck D and Flavor Flav played an amazing set. D was in fine form as he led us through such classics as Don’t Believe The Hype, Can’t Truss It and Welcome To The Terrordome.While it might be easy to dismiss (or diss) Flavor Flav for his recent forays into reality TV, you cannot deny his ability to hype up a crowd - his rendition of 911 Is A Joke and his jams on both bass and drums showed off his uncanny musical ability. DJ Lord’s turntable juggling of Smells Like Teen Spirit and Seven Nation Army also got the crowd pumped for the final hours of the day. But it was Aussie hip hop’s reigning kings Hilltop Hoods that took the Bunno crowd to the next level. The Adelaide rappers did their best to whip the crowd into a frenzy, even when they refused to resume playing until two idiot punters climbed back down from one of the speaker towers in the field. Playing a seamless mix of hits from The Nosebleed Section and The Hard Road to the Sia-featured I Love It, it seemed almost too easy for them to serve up tasty hip hop treats to a crowd of hungry punters and leave them satisfied, if not wanting more. Having played Rock It and V Festival in WA in the past, it was fitting to see Kaiser Chiefs where they
Kimbra (Photos: Max Fairclough)
Public Enemy belong: on a festival main stage playing anthem after anthem. With the weather by now more Antarctic than equatorial, jumping up and down and singing Everyday I Love You Less And Less proved to be the best way to avoid hypothermia. But Never Miss A Beat and Ruby went down the best. How many hits can one band have in less than a decade? While a few festivals with better line-ups than this one suffered in low numbers this year, you can’t fault Groovin’ The Moo’s ingenious idea of bringing jam-packed multi-genre bills to entertainment-starved regional towns. _MATTHEW HOGAN, TARA LLOYD & BEN WATSON
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
THIS WEEK’S WAMI FESTIVAL EVENTS THURSDAY, MAY 24 > Kiss My Camera Exhibition Showcasing the work of WA’s best music photographers, the 2012 Kiss My Camera Exhibition runs from Thursday, May 24,‘til Wednesday, June 6. Don’t forget to check out the awesome photos from our regular X-Press snappers Courtney McAllister and Callum Ponton.
FRIDAY, MAY 25 > WAM Hall Of Fame Inductee Presentation This year musical comedy guru Tim Minchin, influential member of the Australian hip hop community, the late Robert Hunter, and the former, longstanding CEO of WAM Paul Bodlovich will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame at an event at The Charles Hotel. Matt Taylor, Paul McCarthy, Annie McNeill and Dom Manani will also perform.
SATURDAY, MAY 26 > WAMi Festival Opening Party To celebrate the opening of the 2012 WAMi Festival, The Bakery will showcase performances from the ever entertaining crowd pleaser Tomás Ford, retro rockers Sugarpuss and sunny popsters Rainy Day Women, along with a solo performance from the Chemist’s Ben Witt. Eclectic psychedelic newcomers MmHmmm will play before the infectious indie sounds of Cow Parade Cow take over, and folk-rock songstress Felicity Groom closes the party with her much loved pop sounds.
MONDAY, MAY 28 > Lunchtime Mall Session The Lunchtime Mall Sessions will run daily presenting a diverse range of Perth’s top musicians playing acoustic sets through the city malls and streets as the soundtrack to the city’s lunch break. Monday’s line-up includes Alex Elbery (Stereoflower), Edie Green, Julius Lutero, Helen Shanahan, Jenifer Renee and Benny Mayhem. > Northbridge Piazza Series Local minded collective The Community presents a series of lunchtime performances delivering the best in up-and-coming and established beat makers at the Northbridge Piazza (corner James and Lake Streets). On Monday, Marksman and The Empty Cup will pump out the jams from noon ‘til 1.30pm.
Hailmary
AMEN
Heavy hitters Hailmary have their bags packed and ready for an east coast tour, but before they do they’ll play a local show on Friday, May 25, at Amplifier. Support comes from Gombo, Nevsky Prospekt and Unicorn Thieves.
> The Bird Sundowner Sessions Head to The Bird every weekday of the festival to catch up with friends and unwind in a cosy atmosphere listening to solo acoustic acts, electronic projects and local bands strumming their sounds. Tonight’s intimate performances come courtesy of Leah Miche Suite and The Whistling Dogs.
FATHER’S DAY
T h i s F r i d a y, M a y 2 5 , Cavefire Cinema launch their six-track EP I Want To Be Your Step Dad at the Rocket Room. Suppor t comes from Still Frame Mind and the Branson Tramps. Entry is $10 (or $15 with a copy of the EP) on the door from 8pm.
> JAZZ 2012 WAMi Festival Showcase Twenty-five local jazz musicians will converge on The Bakery for a celebration of original contemporary jazz from 8pm. Featuring the dynamic and textured sounds of the 15 piece Horizon Art Orchestra alongside the nuanced swing of the Glyn MacDonald Quartet as well as new music from acclaimed vocalist Victoria Newton and her sextet, this event promises a musical journey that won’t disappoint.
TUESDAY, MAY 29
SUNDAY, MAY 27 > Autumn Artisan Market A lively outdoor market of eclectic handmade goods, quirky finds, international street food all complemented by a live music soundtrack courtesy of Grace Barbé, Odette Mercy & Her Soul Atomics, Minute 36, Datura, The Shallows, Blue Lucy, Fifi Mondello, Jake And The Cowboys, Polly Medlen Band and The Lammas Tide. > Foodchain’s 2012 Crustacean Cup The Crustacean Cup local band soccer tournament returns to Russell Square, with local musicians from Split Seconds, Sugar Army, Red Jezebel, Russian Winters, Chainsaw Hookers and heaps more all taking part in the fun, free and family-friendly community event. Games kick off at 1.30pm or you can tunes into RTRFM to hear quality commentary of the final match. > WAMi Music Film Screening Thirty-three music videos and nine short films and documentaries will celebrate the local music scene as captured on film through the lens of local filmmakers. Highlights of the film program include a preview of the highly anticipated documentary Hunter about the late WA rapper Robert Hunter, and a behind the scenes look at Perth neo-bluegrass band The Seals in A Good Hustle. Watch these, and many more, on the Northbridge Piazza Screen, with free daily screenings during the WAMi week.
GET GYP’D
> Lunchtime Mall Session Pete Bibby (Frozen Ocean), Jane Azzorpardi, James Rogers (Harlequin League), Shameem, Lucy Peach and Aarons Crusade will take over the Murray and Hay Street Malls from noon ‘til 2pm.
Acoustic troubadour Jack Byron, indie-popsters The Prevues and brass-powered melodic folk rockers The Gypsie Howls are promising an evening of “get up and dance your ass off rock music” this Friday, May 25, at Clancy’s Fish Pub in Fremantle.
> Northbridge Piazza Series Local beatmakers Mostarsk and Diger Rokwell will lay down their smoothest beats at the Northbridge Piazza from noon ‘til 1.30pm. > The Bird Sundowner Session A talented troubadour and beguiling chanteuse team up to provide the soundtrack to your after-work twilight hour. Head down to The Bird from 5.30pm to hear the sweet tunes of Jacob Diamond and Kizzy. > Experimental WAMi Festival Showcase The first ever experimental live showcase will show off WA’s strong pedigree of boundary pushing music. Solo acts playing on the night include the post-industrial noise of Ourobonic Plague, the atmospheric guitar-based initiation rite of Craig McElhinney and the weirdo funtimes of Chris Cobilis. Low frequency noise-duo Candied Limbs, atmospheric industrialists Heytesburg, propulsive math-rock duo Race To Your Face and the organicelectronic hybrid beast that is Usurper Of Modern Medicine will also play.
The Volcanics
ROCK IT
If you like your rock‘n’roll dirty, shirty and a little bit flirty you won’t want to miss the Norfolk Basement’s rock extravaganza this Saturday, May 26, featuring Loose Lips, Las Calaveras, Paul McCarthy and The Volcanics (who’ll be hitting the studio in June to record a new album).
SEER CYA
KONTRABAND
Describe your sound: Balls-out rock. Biggest Influences: Pennywise, Lost Prophets, Guns and Roses, Slayer, Grinspoon, Foo Fighters, Calling all Cars, Gyroscope. Favourite Perth Venue: The Rosemount. Favourite Perth Band: Gyroscope. Where can we buy your album? iTunes or at our live shows. Describe the album: An awesome mix of songs combining all our musical influences which includes true Aussie rock to fast paced punk and showcases catchy riffs, seductive melodies and face melting guitar solos for your ear tongues to enjoy. No overproduction, just balls-out rock! Upcoming Gigs: Mojos Bar, Sunday, May 27. Stand out track: Smoke
SINGLE:
Prohibition
RELEASE
Describe your sound: Blues/rock and a hint of country. Biggest Influences: Led Zepplin and Texas blues bands, such as SRV. Favourite Perth Venue: Mighty Quinn. Favourite Perth Band: Vdelli. Where can we buy your album? It will be available online or at the venues we play. Describe the album: We recorded the base in the old-school style, all together at the same time on separate tracks, then went back to add guitar parts, re-sing vocals where necessary. Stand out track: Monkey On My Back. Upcoming Gigs: Mighty Quinn Residency, Mt Helena Tavern, monthly. Check kontrabandmusic. com for more details.
EP:
January 2012
Slipping Away
RELEASE
July 2012
JADE DIARY
THE MIGHTY PIRATE
Describe your sound: Atmospheric, emotive original indie pop. Some say I sound like Sarah McLachlan, Ingrid Michaelson, with a touch of Kate Bush. Biggest Influences: I love pop music with great melodies and lyrics – a good song is a good song – it doesn’t matter who wrote or performed it. Favourite Perth Venue: The Ellington Jazz Club. Favourite Perth Band: Blanche DuBois. Love their vocals, harmonies and tunes. Where can we buy your album? iTunes, Fat Shans, CD Baby, or from jadediary.com/store. Describe the album: The EP is like an ‘entrée’ to my first album which will be ready in September this year. While the EP is more laid-back and something you’d enjoy on a sunny afternoon with friends or in the car, my album will turn it up a notch with more dramatic elements. Stand out track: A Thousand Days. Upcoming Gigs: The Ellington Jazz Club, Sunday, June 10.
Describe your sound: Alternative/acoustic/folk/ rock. Biggest Influences: The Gaslight Anthem, Nikola Sarcevic (Millencolin), Frank Turner, The Menzingers, Billy Talent. Favourite Perth Venue: Indi Bar. Favourite Perth Band: Gyroscope. Where can we buy your album? iTunes, CDbaby.com, Amazon, Indigogo. Describe the album: Reels you in with its sweet and charming vocals that swirl around the warm and inviting acoustic guitar. Fans of acoustic rock music will really enjoy the delectable songs on the superb CD. Stand Out Track: The Ravine. What now? I’m raising funds online to make a music video for The Ravine in the US. To support go to indiegogo.com/ TheMightyPirate
EP: 42
The Calm That Never Came RELEASE March 2012
Cavefire Cinema
EP:
I love They Will Be Done
RELEASE
May 2012 X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
THE PREVUES Describe your sound: Indie pop with jagged guitars, rolling drum beats and cave dwelling harmonies intertwined together. Our sound shows glimpses of The Strokes and Television but we also have darker, slower ballads comparable to Girls. Biggest Influences: The Velvet Underground, The Strokes, Beach Fossils, The Kinks, Beck. Favourite Perth Venue: Norfolk Basement. Favourite Perth Band: World A Fuzzy. Where can we buy your album? from facebook.com/theprevues or at our live shows. Describe the single: A frantic indie pop song that surges with summer energy. It has nostalgic themes about young romance before the routine of everyday life takes hold. Kick Me Out is the B-side and it’s a laid-back pop/garage rock tune featuring resonating piano melodies and reverb guitars. Upcoming Gigs: Clancy’s Fish Pub in Fremantle on Friday, May 25. SINGLE:
Teenage Love
RELEASE
May 2012
Describe your sound: Imagine you have a cat that has just accidentally swallowed a pair of castanets. Douse it with a mild vinegar/water solution until it is thoroughly saturated and presumably equally upset. Choose a large rough-barked tree then, taking a firm grip on your cat, rub it vigorously against the trunk using a clockwise swirling motion. While it takes some effort to visualise, the resulting noise can be used as a point of reference in the sense that it is almost entirely unlike the sound of Axe Girl the band - the latter being undeniably more rhythmic and melodic, having a strong drum/bass/ guitar/vocal type of vibe. Biggest Influences: Some more general influences include: genetics, diet, gravity, solar energy, shapes and colours, deeply repressed childhood traumas (possibly), the lunar cycle, modern life, ancient life (esp. Mesozoic Era), things and, to a lesser extent, stuff. Favourite Perth Venue: Mojos Bar. Favourite Perth Band: The Chemist. Upcoming Gigs: The Hyde Park Hotel, Thursday, May 24; The Hyde Park Hotel, Thursday, May 31; The Hyde Park Hotel, Thursday, June 7; The Norfolk Basement, Friday, June 15.
RENZULLO PROJECT
ROBBIE JALAPENO & THE FABULOUS BAND OF FACELESS BUREAUCRATS
Describe your sound: High-energy Gypsy-Folk. Biggest Influences: The Tea Party, Something for Kate, Jeff Buckley. Favourite Perth Venue: The Fly By Night. Favourite Perth Band: Karnivool. Where can we buy your album? Through iTunes, or direct from our website – therenzulloproject.com. Describe the album: Touch The Ground is an album that explores the issues not normally dealt with. Alzheimer’s, confidence tricksters, a cat stuck on a roof – a wide range of subjects that we felt were worth exploring. But there is one subject we don’t explore, and that’s love. You won’t find a song about a lost love, a blooming romance, or even a lovers’ quarrel. Why? While some bands choose to go down the brightly lit, busy main road, we have turned down a dimly lit alley to see what’s lurking. We don’t know what to expect, but we’re hopeful we’ll come out of it alive! Stand out track: Touch The Ground. Upcoming Gigs: The Hyde Park Hotel, Saturday, July 21. ALBUM:
Touch The Ground
RELEASE
January 2012
Describe your sound: Dirty swamp folk. Biggest Influences: Life. Death. Stuff. Favourite Perth Venue: The Ellington and Mojos Bar. Where can we buy your album? From out online store Describe the album: Mirror Man is a powerhouse exercise of lyrical self-loathing, delivered with the bands trademark dirty swamp rhythms, smooth baritone vocals and underpinned by the relentless pound of the double bass. Stand Out Track: Mirror Man. Upcoming Gigs: WAMi Saturday Spectacular, Saturday, June 2; Gyspy Tapas House, Thursday, June 7. Favourite Perth Band: How could you pick it?
SINGLE:
Mirror Man
RELEASE
December 2011
ARKAYAN
CORTEZ Describe your sound: Bottom end of bands like the Velvet Underground and more contemporaries like U2 with vocals comparable to, but not imitating, Pearl Jam and Kings of Leon. Biggest Influences: Beck, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Radiohead, Bjork. Favourite Perth Venue: Mojos Bar. Favourite Perth Band: Bears And Dolls. Where can we buy your album? ITunes, Amazon, Google Music and all good record stores. Describe the album: No pop, barely a ballad, mostly intimidating rock without violence but splashes of menace, impending threats and haunting thoughts. But it’s not a dark disc. It’s realism. Cortez sounds cascade like riding the waves after watching the flashing white line as you flow down the highway with the baying of hounds on your trail. Where was the album recorded? Poons Head. Stand out track: Not Enough.
ALBUM:
Describe your sound: Imagine if Chevelle and Porcupine Tree were ninja turtles fighting underwater using only fried bacon strips and empty beer cans as weapons. Biggest Influences: We’re currently listening to a lot of Skindred, Children Collide, Chevelle, Grinderman, Isis, Regurgitator, Porcupine Tree and Puscifer. Favourite Perth Venue: Your mum’s place – she really knows how to poach an egg in the morning. Favourite Perth Band: Fear of Comedy. Where can we buy your album? On iTunes or at our shows. Describe the album: Indie metal meets progressive grunge. Stand out track: Scarecrow. Upcoming Gigs: Ya Yas, Thursday, May 24.
ALBUM:
All The Way RELEASE June 2012
The Marsh Chapel Experiment
CAVEFIRE CINEMA
I Want To Be Your Stepdad RELEASE May 2012
www.xpressmag.com.au
RELEASE
Jan 2012
HOSTILE LITTLE FACE Describe your sound: Alt. rock with dynamics, thoughtful instrumentation and catchy melodies. A sound that connects. Biggest Influences: Jimmy Eat World, Incubus, Greenday, Lior, Thrice. Favourite Perth Venue: The Rosemount. Favourite Perth Band: Karnivool. Where can we buy your album? iTunes and JB HiFi. Describe the album: Called “a formidable debut” with “songs spot on at both extremes” by Blunt Magazine. Alternative rock with heart. Where was the album recorded? Recorded at Real2Reel (Perth) by James Newhouse, mastered at Sterling Sound (New York) by UE Nastasi. Stand out tracks: Superhero and The Architect. Upcoming Gigs: Saturday, June2, The Bird.
Describe your sound: It’s grunge rock with a few more colours. Mostly upbeat and energetic without being so gosh damn wholesome like the Poo Biters. Biggest Influences: Each member has their own biggest influence. Favourite Perth Venue: The Rosemount, The Rocket Room and The amplifier. Favourite Perth Band: The Bransontramps. They make me want to set fire to cars. Where can we buy your album? At one of our gigs preferably. Otherwise at all the usual places that support local music. Describe the album: There is lots of jangle and shimmer for a “hard rock” album. Stand out tracks: Away From Here and Mumma’s Boy. Upcoming Gigs: The Rocket Room, Friday, May 25.
EP:
AXE GIRL
ALBUM:
The Architect
RELEASE
October 2011 43
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.
Taio Cruz, August 23, Burswood Dome
The Menzingers, August 29, Metropolis Fremantle
8 Divers Tavern Broome 9 Hotel Kununurra 15 The Bakery MISSY HIGGINS / BUTTERFLY BOUCHER 24 Amplifier 2 Astor Theatre ERIC BOGLE WITH JOHN MUNRO FREYA HANLY 2 Fly By Night 24 Settlers Tavern JOSH KYLE 26 X-Wray Cafe 2 The Ellington 27 Wild Fig KIMBERLEY MOON Scarborough EXPERIENCE (Paul Kelly, Kasey S-CLUB / BIG Chambers, The Black Sorrows and more) BROVAZ 2 Jim Hughes 25 Metro City Amphitheatre Ord River HANK MARVIN THE WORKING HORSE QUARTET IRONS 25 & 26 The Ellington 2 The Den 3 Newport CATCALL THE BUTTERFLY 26 Amplifier EFFECT / NUMBERS RADIO / GREENTHIEF MICKEY AVALON / 2 Prince Of Wales 3 Metro City KID MAC COFFIN 26 Rosemount Hotel SEAN 3 The Ellington STATE OF THE ART BITTER END (Drapht, Hoodoo 26 The Den Gurus, Kryptonics, 27 YMCA HQ Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, Abbe May, San Cisco, LIAM BURROWS Split Seconds, Steve 26 Friends Restaurant Parkin and more) 3 Perth Concert Hall & 27 Jazz Fremantle Surrounds GHOSTFACE KILLAH THE OCEAN / DOOM / CHINO XL / 27 The Bakery KILLAH PRIEST 3 Metropolis Fremantle SAMUEL YIRGA BARNEY MCALL QUARTET 27 The Ellington 4 & 5 The Ellington THE JEZABELS / NEW KIDS ON LIGHTS THE BLOCK / 5 Metro City BACKSTREET DAN POTTHAST BOYS 6 Rosemount Hotel 29 Burswood Dome SILVERSTEIN / SKYWAY 7 Villa MAY EAST 17 COILGUNS 7 Metropolis Fremantle 30 The Beat Nightlub TINA ARENA BOB HIRST 8 Riverside Theatre 30 & 31 The Ellington MANAIA ASH GRUNWALD 9 Settlers Tavern 30 Indi Bar MAT MCHUGH 31 Redcliffe On The Murray 9 Mojos Bar LIZ STRINGER MATT CORBY / 31 Fly By Night ALPINE TIJUANA CARTEL 9 & 10 Astor Theatre 31 Prince Of Wales LAURA 9 Rosemount Hotel JUNE 10 Mojos Bar REEF THE MISSION IN 1 CANCELLED MOTION HARRY MANX 9 Amplifier 1 Fly By Night 10 Newport ASH GRUNWALD DEF FX 1 Prince Of Wales 11 The Bakery 2 Karratha Tavern AUSTRALIAN STRING 3 Fly By Night QUARTET LIZ STRINGER 11 Perth Concert Hall 1 Indi Bar THICK AS BLOOD 3 Redcliffe On The 13 YMCA HQ Murray 14 Villa TIJUANA CARTEL THE SIREN TOWER 1 Settlers Tavern 14 The Prince Of Wales 15 Amplifier 2 White Star
MAY 23 – 29
ANTI-FLAG / STRIKE ANYWHERE / THE FLATLINERS
44
FRENZAL RHOMB 14 Settlers Tavern 15 Prince Of Wales 16 Rosemount Hotel THE BLACK SEEDS 14 The Bakery TIM FREEDMAN 14-16 The Ellington GASOLINE INC 15 Rocket Room LISA MITCHELL / GEORGIA FAIR 15 St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco DEEP SEA ARCADE / THE CAIROS / WOE & FLUTTER 15 Indi Bar 16 Amplifier 17 Mojos DALLAS FRASCA 15 Settlers Tavern 16 White Star Hotel 17 Clancy’s Fish Pub Dunsborough 22 Indi Bar 23 Prince Of Wales 24 Mojos BEE MASK 16 PICA Bar TREVOR WATTS/ VERYAN WESTON 19 The Ellington GUY SEBASTIAN 19 His Majesty’s Theatre 20 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN 21 Astor Theatre CHARGE GROUP / JOE MCKEE 22 Mojos 23 Dadas 360 / GOSSLING / HERMITUDE / BAM BAM 22 & 23 Villa 23 & 24 Astor Theatre KARNIVOOL 22 & 23 Mermaid Hotel Dampier 27 Prince Of Wales BURIED IN VERONA 24 YMCA HQ (Day) / Amplifier (Night) DEXTER JONES 22 Settlers Tavern 23 White Star Albany 24 Newport 28 Breakers Bar Geraldton 29 Beat Nightclub NADIA ACKERMAN / BENNY LACKNER TRIO 28 The Ellington DAMO SUZUKI 28 The Bakery JUDITH DURHAM 30 Riverside Theatre
Margins, September 15, The Rosemount Hotel
LADY GAGA 7 & 8 Burswood Dome SAY ANYTHING / THE GETAWAY PLAN 11 Amplifier TERROR 12 Amplifier SET SAIL 13 Rosemount Hotel 14 Melville Youth Centre 14 Mojos 15 Clancy’s Dunsborough FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS 18 & 19 Challenge Stadium MELISSA ETHERIDGE 20 Riverside Theatre KID MAC 20 Mojos 21 Settlers Tavern BAND OF SKULLS 23 The Bakery LADYHAWKE 24 The Bakery METRIC 25 Capitol THE TEA PARTY 26 Metro City THE SMASHING PUMPKINS 26 Challenge Stadium KARNIVOOL 27-29 Rosemount Hotel NARISSA CAMPBELL 27 & 28 The Ellington EIFFEL 65 / N-TRANCE 28 Metropolis Fremantle KIM SALMON 28 The Bakery
AUGUST
MARK GARDENER 1 Fly By Nightclub CHILDREN COLLIDE 2 Prince Of Wales 3 Amplifier Bar EMPRA 3 Rocket Room 4 Prince Of Wales ED SHEERAN 6 Riverside Theatre TIM BARRY 8 The Den BELL BIV DEVOE / GINUWINE 9 Astor Theatre BOB BARRETT 9 The Ellington TOMMY EMMANUEL 12 Perth Concert Hall NASUM / PSYCROPTIC 15 Amplifier HILLTOP HOODS 17 Challenge Stadium NORTH WEST FESTIVAL (Hilltop Hoods, The Living End, The Cat Empire and more TBA) JULY 18 Port Hedland Turf CEREMONY Club 3 The Den KENNY ROGERS / 4 YMCA HQ GLEN CAMPBELL THE BAMBOOS 21 Riverside Theatre 6 The Bakery BURNING LOVE BUSBY MAROU / LEADER CHEETAH / THE 22 The Den PITBULL / TAIO CRUZ HELLO MORNING / HAVANA BROWN / 6 Prince Of Wales TIMOMATIC 7 Rosemount Hotel 23 Burswood Dome 8 Newport
PENNYWISE / THE MENZINGERS / SHARKS 29 Metropolis Fremantle SLASH FEAT. MYLES KENNDDY & THE CONSPIRATORS 30 Metro City
SEPTEMBER THE ENGLISH BEAT 1 Astor Theatre HOWARD JONES 5 Astor Theatre JOSE FELICIANO 5 Regal Theatre DAMIEN LEITH 7 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 8 Astor Theatre SUBHUMANS 12 Amplifier AMERICA 12 Perth Concert Hall PATRICK WOLF 14 Fly By Night EARTH / MARGINS 15 Rosemount Hotel WHEATUS 20 Metropolis Fremantle HANSON 22 Metropolis Fremantle GYROSCOPE 22 Rosemount Hotel KATIE NOONAN & KARIN SCHAUPP 28 Winthrop Hall UWA 29 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre XAIVER RUDD 25 Goldfields Arts Centre Kalgoorlie 26 Esperance Civic Centre 28 Albany Entertainment Centre 29 Fremantle Arts Centre 30 Caves House Yallingup
OCTOBER HYPERFEST (line-up TBA) 7 Midland Oval CANNIBAL CORPSE 9 Capitol STEEL PANTHER 10 Metro City THIS IS NOWHERE (lineup TBA) 14 venue TBA COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA 14 Perth Concert Hall BASTARDFEST(Astriaal, Fuck I’m Dead, and more) 27 Civic Hotel ROCK IT (The Black Keys, Royal Headache, and more TBA) 28 Joondalup Arena
NOVEMBER EMMYLOU HARRIS 6 Perth Concert Hall GEORGE MICHAEL 10 Perth Arena STEREOSONIC (line-up TBA) 25 venue TBA
SEPTEMBER 2013 ONE DIRECTION 28 & 29 Perth Arena
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
45
The Lammas Tide, Sunday at Autumn Artisan Market WEDNESDAY 23.05 BALMORAL Nathan Gaunt BAR 120 Felix BEAT NIGHTCLUB Coilguns Forstora Into The Sea Kunz BLACK BETTY’S Blue Gene CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE The New Beast Duo Katie Campbell CLANCYS FREMANTLE Chet Leonard’s Bingotheque CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chris Foster Nick Abbey Ben Falle Trio FLY TRAP Toby HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Germein Sisters Ezereve LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Rory Faithfield Mat Cal MUSTANG The Party Rockers RIGBY’S The Rocky Horror Murder Show ROSEMOUNT FOAM Foxes Dead Owls The Cold Acre ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe SWAN LOUNGE
Lain Alex Adam 11/11 The Buttonettes Julz Evans THE MOON Rachel Dease James Teague Danielle MacDonald UNIVERSAL Strutt THURSDAY 24.05 AMPLIFIER Anti Flag Strike Anywhere The Flatliners The Decline BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Stu Harcourt BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CAPITOL Anti Flag COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Perth International Burlesque Festival Agatha Frisky Cecile Mimieux Iskra Valentine Kitty Litteur Lola Cherry Cola Roxie Sparkles Ruby Slippers TuLuLa Lollipop ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Felicity Groom FLY TRAP The Long March Hey Hurricane HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Matt Milford INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Tom Mantle Ebonnie Hart Brad Wintle Roger Gomez Grave Forsaken MERRIWA TAVERN
Rainy Day Women
WAMI FESTIVAL OPENING PARTY
SUGARPUSS,TOMAS FORD,RAINY DAY WOMEN,BEN WITT,COW PARADE COW,FELICITY GROOM,MMHMMM
SATURDAY,MAY 26 THE BAKERY
Horizon Art Orchestra, Monday at The Bakery Overload MOJOS BAR Stunning In Red The Witness Mayor Dadi MUSTANG BAR Louis & The Honkytonk Mo Wilson The Drivers NORFOLK BASEMENT Dam Few Foam We Move Walls Sexy Robot NORTHWOOD TAVERN Avenue Karaoke OCEAN BEACH HOTEL Open Mic Night OXFORD HOTEL Johnny Taylor PADDY HANNANS Dr Bogus RIGBY’S Open Mic ROSEMOUNT Fear Of Comedy Only Hope Law Of Atttraction Race To Your Face ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Fenton Wilde SETTLERS TAVERN Freya Hanly SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe THE BIRD Crooked Colours The Flower Drums Archer & Light THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE SHED Dirty Scoundrels UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Two Plus One YA YA’S Arkayan Those Wretched Horses Guns Of August Three Hands One Hoof FRIDAY 25.05 7th AVENUE Midnight Rambler AMPLIFIER Catcall BAILEY BAR Mod Squad BALLYS BAR Christian Thompson BALMORAL The Other Guys BEAT NIGHTCLUB Kill Teen Angst Coverleski Ex-Nuns Dead Owls Grim Fanbanjo BELMONT TAVERN Everlong Acoustic BENNYS Faces BLACK BETTYS Everlong BOAB TAVERN Zenburger BRASS MONKEY Adrian Wilson CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CIVIC HOTEL
The Empty Cup, Monday at Northbridge Piazza
Benny Mayhem The Shakeys The Painkillers Caballeros Lucille SSA CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Mattress Security Chilling Winston FAIM Alex The Kid Montage Of Jesus CLANCYS CITY BEACH Belleville Our Latin Thing CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Gypsie Howls The Prevues CLAREMONT HOTEL Nick Sheppard COMO HOTEL Leighton Keepa CORNERSTONE Nicki Rose CORNWALL TAVERN Powertrain CRAFTSMAN 5th Avenue DEVILLES PAD Royale With Cheese Johnny Nandez Hammond Explosion Les Sataniques EAST 150 Luke Dewing EASTERN HOTEL Dave Fyffe ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Graham Wood Trio Hank Marvin Quartet Melissa Erpen EMPIRE Halo FLY TRAP Spoonful Of Roots The Justin Walshe Folk Machine The Seals Lammas Tide Jnr Bowles FUSE BAR Groove Karaoke GREENWOOD Greg Carter HALE ROAD TAVERN David Fyffe HIGH ROAD HOTEL Damien Cripps Band INDI BAR Palatial Digs The Yokohomos KULCHA Sangeet Sandhya MARKET CITY TAVERN Easy Company MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Peter Bibby Roxy Mon Tristen Fidler MOJOS BAR (NIGHT) Abbe May Sonpsilo Circus New Ruins MOON & SIXPENCE Soul Corporation MUSTANG BAR Harry Deluxe Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers NORFOLK BASEMENT Murder Mouse Blues Band Hootenanny The Hips
Mick Parker NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB The Dianne’s Dr preposterous Sexy Robot NORTHWOOD ALE HOUSE Indigo Alley OXFORD HOTEL Recliners PADDO Stu Harcourt PADDY HANNANS Gun Shy Romeos PARAMOUNT Flyte PRINCIPAL James Wilson RAILWAY HOTEL Underground Hound Tall Poppy Syndrome Neutral Native ROCKET ROOM Cavefire Cinema Still Frame Mind Bransontramps ROSE & CROWN Stella Donnelly ROSEMOUNT Seth Sentry Bitter Belief Mr. Grevis Porsah Laine ROSEY O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Spyce ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN The Mojos SWAN BASEMENT Michael Triscari SWAN LOUNGE Those Wretched Horses New Mono Sprawl Between The Seconds SWINGING PIG Better Days Greg Carter THE BIRD Ben M Taaffe THE BOAT The Organ Grinders THE GATE Smoking Section THE SHED Kickstart TWO ROCKS TAVERN Lush UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VELVET LOUNGE Wash Dead Set Radio We MoveWalls Shouting at Camels VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WANNEROO TAVERN Clayton Bolger WOODVALE TAVERN Switch YA YA’S Stereo Flower Our Man In Berlin The Loved Dead SATURDAY 26.05 7th AVENUE
HAILMARY Describe your sound: Hooky, hard rock with plenty of riffery. Biggest Influences: Alice In Chains, Doors, Deftones. Favourite Perth Venue: Amplifier. Favourite Perth Band: A tie between the Brown Study Band, Gombo and Nevsky Prospket. Where can we buy your album? At our live shows, on iTunes and CDbaby.com, and there may be one or two floating around at 78 records and Dada’s. Describe the album: Hooky, hard rock with plenty of riffs. Stand Out Tracks: Live It and Breathe. Upcoming Gigs: Amplifier, Friday, May 25. We are also playing the Espy in St Kilda in Melbourne for the Rock N Load festival as well as a couple of other shows in Melbourne.
EP: 46
A Million Miles And Days RELEASE March 2010 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.
Leah Miche Suite, Monday at The Bird Karaoke BALMORAL The Recliners BAILEY BAR Lush BAKERY WAMi Festival Opening Party Tomás Ford Sugarpuss Rainy Day Women Ben Witt MmHmmm Cow Parade Cow Felicity Groom BAILEY BAR Dr Bogus BAR 120 Flyte BEAT NIGHTCLUB Runaways BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Christian Thompson BLACK BETTY’S J Babies BROOK Better Days BURSWOOD (PRIZE DRAW STAGE) Hi NRG CABALING TAVERN Powertrain CIVIC HOTEL Far West Battlefront Upon The Shores Lakeside Averia Skies CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) The Den Bitter End Blkout The Others Dying Sun CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE Miche Suite CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Flower Drums The Deep River Collective CLAREMONT HOTEL The Zydecats COMO HOTEL Bernadine CORNERSTONE ABBR DEVILLES PAD Stratosfunk Les Satanques ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Hank Marvin Quartet Cristal Phillips HIGH ROAD HOTEL Losing Julia INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Chris Gibbs Duo INDI BAR Blue Shaddy KULCHA Iberia LAKERS TAVERN Lush LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LEISURE INN Parker Avenue LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John & Shaun Sandosham MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOON & SIXPENCE Blaze M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MOJOS BAR Black Board Minds
Wolves At The Door Hootenanny Stunning In Red MUSTANG The Rusty Pinto Combo Switch NEWPORT Kizzy Gravity NORFOLK BASEMENT The Volcanics Loose Lips Las Cavaleros NORTHWOOD TAVERN Keith Karaoke PADDY HANNAN’S Decoy PARAMOUNT Felix QUARIE BAR Electrophobia RAILWAY HOTEL Enforce Mhorgl Neverborn One Too Many Camels RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Swamp Donkey ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT Mickey Avalon Kid Mac Sam Perry ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Flavor ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Blue Gene SEAVIEW Open Mic Night SWAN BASEMENT Mattress Security Ex Nuns Montage Of Jesus Latch Key Kids Dan Decline SWAN LOUNGE When Summer Ends Tyto Kings Kallan Phillips Stray Dogs Of Athens Christopher Nicholas SWINGING PIG Greg Carter THE BOAT 11:11 THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE SHED Huge THE WHALE & ALE Switch TWO ROCKS TAVERN Keith McDonald UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WANNEROO TAVERN Wayne Stanley WOODVALE TAVERN Mod Squad XWRAY Freya Hanly That Velvet Echo Sian Brown YA YA’S Datura The Coalminers Sect Deep River Collective SUNDAY 27.05 7TH AVENUE Reckless Kelly AUTUMN ARTISAN MARKET Grace Barbé Odette Mercy & Her Soul Atomics
www.xpressmag.com.au
Friday Friday Diger Rockwell, Tuesday at Travis Caudle Travis Caudle Northbridge Piazza FlyBy ByNight Night Fly Minute 36 Datura The Shallows Blue Lucy Fifi Mondello Jake And The Cowboys Polly Medlen Band The Lammas Tide BALLY’S BAR Greg Carter BALMORAL Cranky BAR ORIENT Matt Milford BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nathan Gaunt CAPTAIN STIRLING Christian Parkinson CARINE Threeplay CHASE BAR James Wilson CLANCYS DUNSBOROUGH Boom Bap Pow! CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Zydecats CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL David Fyffe EAST 150 BAR Stu Harcourt ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Barney McAll EMPIRE CB3 HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL The Organ Grinders HIGH RD Mike Nayar INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Dove Retriofit INDI BAR Mark Wilkinson Bedouin Sea Danni Stefanetti KALAMUNDA HOTEL Berardine LAKERS TAVERN Jamie Powers LAST DROP TAVERN Peter Ashton LEISURE INN Steve Hepple M ON THE POINT The Mojos MOJOS BAR Hyte Seer Cya Artillery Road MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Tim Nelson NORTHBRIDGE PIAZZA The Justin Walshe Folk Machine Craig Sinclair OCEAN VIEW TAVERN Brett Hardwick PADDY MAGUIRES Nicki Rose PINK DUCK Neil Colliss PRINCIPAL Sophie James ROSE & CROWN Adam James ROSEMOUNT
Kizzy, Tuesday at The Bird
The Ocean Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Jonathan Dempsey SAIL & ANCHOR Shawne & Luc SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Sean Scott SOVEREIGN ARMS Ivan Ribic SPRINGS TAVERN Christian Thompson SWAN BASEMENT Southern Cross Band Easily Distracted The Southwicks The Freakz Of Nature SWAN LOUNGE The Basement Sea John Winter Kite Magic THE BIRD The Weapon Is Sound Dirty Symbiot THE GATE Better Days Chris Gibbs Trio THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project Mike Nayar THE SHED The Healy’s Blue Hornet THE WILD FIG Freya Hanly TWO ROCKS TAVERN Everlong Acoustic UNIVERSAL Retriofit VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Damien Cripps WOODVALE TAVERN Good Karma YMCA HQ Bitter End Blkout Vanity No Regrets MONDAY 28.05 AMPLIFIER Tim Ripper Owens BAKERY Horizon Art Orchestra
Glyn MacDonald Quartet Victoria Newton 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 NORTHBRIDGE PIAZZA Marksman The Empty Cup THE BIRD Leah Miche Suite The Whistling Dogs THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture TUESDAY 29.05 ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Sandon Quartet LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John Sandosham LUCKY SHAG Nathan Gaunt MOJOS BAR Burst & Bloom Aurora Line At Infinity Ellen Oosterbaan NORTHBRIDGE PIAZZA Mostarsk Diger Rockwell PADDO Stu Harcourt PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night THE BIRD Kizzy Jacob Diamond TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke X-WRAY CAFE Open Piano Night
Craig McElhinney
EXPERIMENTAL WAMI FESTIVAL SHOWCASE
USURPER OF MODERN MEDICINE, CANDIED LIMBS,CHRIS COBILIS, OUROBONIC PLAGUE,CRAIG MCELHINNEY, HEYTESBURG,RACE TO YOUR FACE
TUESDAY,MAY 29 THE BAKERY
47
HUNTER
Hard Man With A Good Heart To Australian hip hop fans, the late Robert Hunter – better known, simply, as Hunter – was a legend. With his induction into the WAMi Hall Of Fame this week, the Perth rapper’s contributions to Australian hip hop are receiving the wider recognition that fans have always felt he deserved. JOSHUA HAYES speaks with some of the people who knew Hunter best.
Hunter
14
Hunter, who passed away in October after a twoyear battle with cancer, is being inducted into the Western Australian Music Hall Of Fame this Friday at The Charles Hotel, along with internationally praised musician and comedian, Tim Minchin, and longstanding WAM CEO, Paul Bodlovich. The rapper was a familiar face to anyone who attended local hip hop shows. If he wasn’t performing, he was often hosting the gig. If he wasn’t doing either, he would likely be found in the front row with a beer in hand, or in the car park rhyming in an impromptu cipher. Hunter was one of the pioneers of the Perth hip hop scene, emerging as a battle rapper in the early ‘90s and going on to release four acclaimed albums, while playing a major role in nurturing upcoming talent. Darren Reutens, aka Downsyde rapper and producer Dazastah, collaborated with Hunter on his first album, 2002’s Australian hip hop classic Done DL. He credits Hunter with being the major driving force in
developing the local hip hop scene. “Regardless of this award, I’d always regard him as the guy who pushed Aussie hip hop. If it wasn’t for him [pushing] that much and having that much dedication, there would be a big hole there still,” says Reutens. “[Australian hip hop] wouldn’t be where it is [today without Hunter], I think, especially in Perth.” And it’s not just locals who respect Hunter’s contribution. Matt Lambert, aka Suffa of the Hilltop Hoods, was close to him for many years. “[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, you know what I mean? He remembered lyrics [of mine] that I didn’t remember,” Lambert told X-Press in March. “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, man.” Hunter would release three more albums before he passed – 2006’s Going Back To Yokine, 2010’s Monster House, and last year’s Fear And Loathing, a collaboration with Clandestien’s Roy Mortimer, aka Mortar. The last two albums came after he received his terminal cancer diagnosis in 2009. Upon receiving this news, two things kept Hunter going; his music and his family. “He knew that he was fighting a battle that was probably going to be very hard to win. When he was diagnosed he was given six months at the max, they said,” Mortimer recalls.“I think in Hunter’s case… he was like ‘well, I’ve got more stuff I want to do than six months allows, so I don’t think you’re going to be right on that one’.” In addition to finishing Fear And Loathing, Hunter’s diagnosis inspired him to record an album with his favourite artists and young up-and-coming rappers. The end result was Australian Hip Hop For CanTeen, a two disc compilation released in December. It has sold 5,000 copies to date with all profits going to CanTeen. He also worked with Reutens on a sequel to Done DL and finished another solo album. The solo effort is about to be sent off for mixing and mastering, and features a more contemplative Hunter. “Obviously he was going through a pretty different stage of his life, so it’s not going to be that [Going Back To Yokine song] Drugs And Crime type vibe,” says Reutens. “It’s a very mature Hunter.” In his final year, a film crew shadowed Hunter, capturing footage for the Periscope Pictures project Hunter: The Documentary. A preview of Hunter: The Documentary will be screened at the Northbridge Piazza on Sunday, May 27, as part of the WAMi Music Film Screening. Hunter is survived by his son, Marley, aged five, his mother Patricia, and Marley’s mother Laura. “Rob’s greatest regret was that he would not see his son, Marley, grow up and the increased focus on his music after his diagnosis was due in part to him wanting to leave a legacy for Marley. Rob was a great ‘hands on’ father and he and Marley were very close,” says Patricia. “When I heard about Rob being inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame I was amazed, as whilst I knew Rob was extremely popular, he had not enjoyed a great deal of commercial success,” she adds. Ultimately, music did a lot for Hunter, but he’ll be remembered most for what he did for music. “He was one of the biggest supporters and biggest fans of hip hop, as well as someone who was putting out good music that people gravitated towards,” Mortimer says. “He was just fun to be around and made it so much better for people… People could listen to his music, go to his show, buy him a drink, hang out with him and have a laugh. He made [his music more] tangible, more real.” Hunter will be inducted into the WAMi Hall of Fame this Friday, May 25.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
WA’S MUSIC EQUIPMENT MAGAZINE : ISSUE 23, MAY 2012
Crafter Party
s w ie v e R t n e m u r t Ins Equipment Reervvieiewwss Int
56
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
55
CRAFTER PARTY
The WAMi Awards are once again fast approaching and to celebrate the Craft Awards – given to those people who are considered the best in their field by their peers – JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD gathered together some of X-Press picks to take out the top gongs in their respective categories, including our front cover stars: Felicity Groom, Lyndon Blue, Sam Ford, Alwyn Nixon-Lloyd and Dave Parkin. Cover image by Daniel Grant.
LYNDON BLUE (SEAMS, HEATHCOATE BLUE, SOLAR BARGE)
When did you begin playing and why? When I was a very young child, because I was scrawny and pale and destined to be rubbish at sport. What was your first instrument and how did you get it? I had a harmonica I would blow into as an infant, but the first thing I learnt properly was the violin. I was gifted it by a Chinese sailor who called himself Mr. Twinkles.
MATTHEW GIOVANNANGELO (VOLTAIRE TWINS)
When did you begin playing music and why? After watching the opening credits of the 1986 Transformers feature film. Vincent DiCola’s soundtrack was just so awesome!
What was your first instrument and how did you get interesting Tele’s – so we have 4 of them. One of Rhys’ it? A plastic Fisher Price trumpet that my mum gave me is a Tele Elite from the 80’s with porcelain pickups which so I could jam along with my uncle’s school jazz band I think they stopped making. The one I use was hand when they’d rehearse in our granny flat. made by a guy in Carlton – not actually a Tele but with that shape. Super light. I use a Mini-Maton as an acoustic What do you do to warm up before a show? Clap because I’ve never found anything that approaches its push ups level of live versatility. We also tour with a Blues Junior because those things are awesome. Nominated for Drummer/Percussionist Of The Year
If you could offer one piece of advice to a young aspiring musician, what would it be? Since we’re running with gear I’d say “don’t waste money on shit gear because you’ll just end up replacing it.” That will be my legacy to the young musos of Perth. Nominated for Male Vocalist Of The Year Has your taste in instruments and recording equipment changed much over time? My taste hasn’t so much as changed, as been added to. I still like what I liked when I was younger, but a whole lot more now too. Whenever I form an opinion on a certain instrument, some band comes through and shows me a different side of it. I used to hate (BASTIAN’S HAPPY FLIGHT, MMHMMM, VOLTAIRE Stratocasters - now I think they’re sweet!
DAVE PARKIN
What equipments/brands/models do you prefer to use now? Most of my guitars are made by a Texan company from the ‘80s called Daion. They made some really beautiful, quality stuff, although for a while they went downhill and made cheap crap too, so you gotta be careful. I use a Fender valve amp ‘cause that moist reverb you get is just too good. Boss and Roland pedals and samplers, not because they’re particular sexy, TWINS) they’re just reliable and nicely intuitive. When did you begin playing music and why? When Nominated for Male Vocalist Of The Year & Multi I was 12, my Dad had played me lots of different music growing up, including some great Jazz, so when the Instrumentalist Of The Year opportunity arose to learn the saxophone at school I thought I’d give it a crack. Also, my hairdresser when I was a kid said to me “The saxophone? Mate, save some girls for me!”.
JACK DOEPEL
What do you use to help musos get in the zone while recording in the Blackbird studio? Studio vibes are important. It’s up to everyone in the room to add to that. I find setting up nice recording spaces in the rooms, not rushing, and just generally enjoying the process is important. The studio is chockers full of salt lamps, which gives the studio this cool amber glow – it makes the rooms feel like a What brand/s and model/s of instruments do you good place to spend lots of time! use to get your sound? I play a Conn 10M saxophone, What was your first instrument and how did you various keyboards/synths and an Akai MPC. What has been one of your favourite records get it? I surely can’t count the first instrument as the produced in the Blackbird studio? I don’t think recorder can I? But that was the first instrument I got. I’m If you could offer one piece of advice to a young you can beat recording your own band. I get to still proficient at Speed Bonnie Boat, but even that song aspiring musician, what would it be? Learn as much sounds like a dove slowly dying. I think my dad bought from as many different places as you can. mine for me. I remember he put some red electrical tape on the end of it so I wouldn’t confuse it with the others... which is a darn good thing really. To me they Nominated for Keys/Synth Artist Of The Year & Multi were spit funnels... not an instrument. The Year 6’s in Instrumentalist Of The Year the other class use to tell me that their teacher would dribble in his and then suck it up again. Still makes me gag thinking about it.
FELICITY GROOM
Has your taste in instruments changed much over time? It continually changes. With every song. I completely believe in picking up a new instrument to get new ideas. I have a collection of strange instruments that I enjoy making all sorts of sounds with. That makes me a jack of all instruments, but master of none... but jack is better than master. Master takes the throne... he has to command always. Jack can just have a bloody good time. Nominated for Female Vocalist Of The Year
SAM FORD (THE SILENTS)
When did you begin playing and why? I started playing music when I was in primary school. I heard an electric guitar for the first time and couldn’t stop thinking about it until I had one. What was your first bass and how did you get it? My first bass was a Music Man copy; I think it was a Samick. I joined The Silents as a bass player but didn’t play bass or own a bass. So I bought the first bass I could afford off the shelf at Just Music, haha.
record, but also get to play whatever I want! I love listening to lots of the records I’ve done, but I enjoy Red Jez time the most. Can’t beat playing! Nominated for Recording Engineer Of The Year
BENJAMIN GOLBY (SPLIT SECONDS)
When did you begin playing music and why? I wasn’t really that into music as a kid apart from a tape of Graceland which I listened to incessantly. It was my friend and life long band mate Sean Pollard who really got me into it. He would generously share an earphone from his discman while travelling to school on the Armadale line. We listened to all sorts of teenage delights from Sunk Loto to Sigur Ros. Before long I was drawing those lame Radiohead bears all over my backpack. Smooth progression. Life guider! What was your first instrument? An Aquamarine Rickenbacker bass guitar. In my gap year I went to England and worked nights in room service at the prestigious Brighton Metropole Hilton. I saw some pretty weird stuff. One time I served a platter of Scampi to this proper giantess of a lady from San Francisco. I used to keep a book on my trolley to read in the elevator. She noticed the volume of Goethe I was plodding through, (I was a pretty pretentious dumb youth), and got quite excited. I was given a £50 tip to “follow my dreams”. With more of that I ended up a gormless 17 year old with a bagful of cash. Again, it was who Sean encouraged me to buy a bass. I had no idea what I was doing and thought it was really attractive. They made a batch in 2000 and apparently no-one liked the colour so it is now something of a collector’s item. The bass is on permanent loan to bro, the magnificent Robert Stephens from Sons of Rico. Nominated for Keys/Synth Artist Of The Year
ALWYN NIXON-LLOYD (BOYS BOYS BOYS!)
When did you begin playing and why? I started playing in primary school. My mother in her wisdom decided that learning music was an essential part of a rounded education, so off I went to the local town’s piano teacher. I found my first lesson book when I went home the other week, I started when I was eight. What instruments do you dig now? Synths. Lots and lots of synths. My first synth was a dx7 that I bought after I finished Year 12 and that was really how I got started into synths. What models do you use to get your sound? My favourite instrument maker is Nord. They make really nice sounding instruments that are really easy to play as well. Nominated for Keys/Synth Artist Of The Year
NICK ALLBROOK
What models do you use now? I use a Vintage series (POND, ALLBROOK/AVERY) Fender P-bass with Lindy Fralin pickups and I use What was your first instrument and how did you flatwound bass strings. get it? It was an unnamed guitar, a Les Paul copy, with Nominated for Recording Engineer Of The Year & classical guitar knuts and golden texta tags. I dropped it and it snapped so dad glued it together, then John from Bassist Of The Year Bone made it badass with his mad 2012 skills and now I love it and still use it. It is small and light enough to make me look normal size...ish.
SEAN POLLARD (SPLIT SECONDS)
What kind of vocal exercises do you do to warm up before a show? I wail really loud underwater and sometimes on my bicycle
If you could offer one piece of advice to an aspiring musician,what would it be? I guess start off completely ignorant of the possibility of anyone knowing you or liking you ever. Then you won’t be chasing some bogus dream of getting your balls cupped and free blow. Just be happy with cannies and free samples from the What brands of instruments do you use to get your supermarket. sound? We’re a Tele / Deville / Deluxe band. We like Nominated for Male Vocalist Of The Year What was your first instrument and how did you get it? The recorder. I think my Mum bought it for me. I always used to forget to bring it into class and then lie about it, saying that someone had stolen it. I’d ALWAYS get away with it too because I was a teacher’s pet.
54
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
PRODUCT NEWS HYDE AND SEEK
John Lennon Signature Series harmonica
PURE IMAGINATION
Hohner has had a long relationship with John Lennon and The Beatles, dating right back to the early days of Beatlemania. Now, by special arrangement with the John Lennon estate, Hohner is set to release a limited edition John Lennon Signature Series harmonica. The instrument features reproductions of John’s signature five-colour self-portrait on a specially engraved white cover plate. It also features a transparent acrylic comb, screwed construction throughout and MS style reedplates. This special edition harmonica is distributed locally through Pro Music Australia. Click over to promusicaustralia.com for full specs and prices.
Allans Billy Hyde North Perth store is already loved by local musos for their comprehensive range of musical instruments from the world’s leading brands and they’ve got a few more brandspanking-new products due to hit shelves. Among the new products is new Schecter C1 Custom Guitars in see-through Black Cherry finish (with or without Floyd Rose bridge), and Schecter Damien Elite 6 Floyd Rose fitted Electric Guitar in Crimson Red or Dark Metallic Blue finishes. They’re also set to stock the legendary Ampeg brand’s first foray into the guitar amp market, the Ampeg GTV Amp, and the Line 6 Dream Rig, which consists of a Variax, a POD HD and a DT amp. For those who prefer pounding the skins, new PDP Performance Drum Kits, Ludwig Centennial Kits and Pearl VBA Space Junk Kits are sure to satisfy. Click on over to allansbillyhyde.com.au for full specs and prices.
CLEAN SWEEP
Play every note like your instrument was brand new with Music Nomad’s line of equipment care for guitars, amps, cases, drums, cymbals, hardware and much more. Their pro strength eco friendly silicone and oil free cleaning agents smell great and are musician and repair teach tested so you know they’ll restore a brilliant shine to your worse-forwear gear. Click on over to promusicaustralia.com/ other/MusicNomad to check out the full range of Music Nomad cleaners, conditioner, detailing towels, polishing clothes and cleaning tools.
HOHNE YOUR SKILLS
When most people think harmonicas, they think Hohners. The world’s largest manufacturer of harmonicas, Hohner has proudly maintained a tradition of high quality instrument making. This practice continues with the Hohner Weekender, a tremolo harmonica for beginners which guarantees a cheerful and merry tone! Already a popular model from the Hohner 91105 pack, the blues band harmonica (in the key of c) is now available separately from Pro Music Australia.
www.xpressmag.com.au
Denon SC3900
DIGITAL FLOW
The Denon SC3900 digital turntable and media controller will ensure you are the smoothest DJ in the house. This digital media turntable boasts a range of features to help users maximise their DJing experience. There is no need for a laptop with this one – it connects straight to your software using Denon’s Engineer program. CDs and MP3s can be connected, as can USBs. The player’s vinyl mode provides a responsive turntable feel, giving you a convincing sound. For full details visit the DJ Factory at 222 James Street, Northbridge, or call them on (08) 9228 1911.
GAME OF THRONES
Kudos to local folk-metal oufit Claim The Throne who’ve have just secured endorsement deals with ESP Guitars, Blackstar Amplification, Intune Guitar Picks and Guitar-Cable.com. Having just recently returned from a highly successful UK tour with Alestrom, the courageuos melodic death metal, ale-guzzling warriors are busy preparing material for their upcoming album, which is anticipated to be released in late 2012 or early 2013. Meanwhile, check out Triumph And Beyond – the album they successfully toured Australia, New Zealand and the UK with last year.
TONALLY WILD
Imagine having complete tonal control over your guitar, with no manual rewiring required and over 250,000 pick-up combinations to choose from. Well, The Game Changer switching system has now made this a possibility. Guitar and bass players alike can now unlock their instruments’ tonal possibilities with an extensive library of tones. It’s an offer for musicians to personalise their tones like never before. In addition, The Game Changer can be fully integrated with any programmable guitar rig via its enhanced MIDI implementation, which allows for MIDI program change or controller information to be sent to The Game Changer from the guitar rig, or from The Game Changer to the guitar rig. Based on Music Man’s award winning Reflex guitar and bass, the Game Changer guitar is available in HH or HSH configuration with hard tail or vintage tremolo bridge, and with or without piezo bridge. The Ernie Ball Music Man Game Changer guitar and bass are distributed in Australia via CMC Music. Click over to cmcmusic.com. au for full specs and prices.
Game Changer bass guitar
Southern Jumbo special edition acoustic-electric guitar
SOUTHERN FRIED GIBSON
Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has partnered with Gibson Guitar for a second time to create the Southern Jumbo special edition acoustic-electric guitar. It’s a mahogany model guitar boasting a classic look and a live sound so natural it will fool audiences into thinking it’s not plugged in. The guitar uses an advanced pick-up system already favoured by Crow during live performances. It boasts power, projection and a tonal range so dynamic it is unlike any other Southern Jumbo Gibson model. For full product details and prices click on over to gibson.com.
IT’S BUSINESS TIME
WA has an abundance of world-class creative talent when it comes to making music, but just as important are the people behind the scenes – label owners, promoters, managers, event organisers, just to name a few – who support and bring this talent to audiences, both at home and abroad. The WAMi Music Business Conference aims to equip both artists and music industry professionals with the latest knowledge and industry practices through a range of panels and practical workshops, and connect both delegates and speakers alike for deal making and idea sharing opportunities. This year’s conference will see local, interstate and international experts – including Pat Pattinson (Berklee College Music), Adam Lewis (Planetary Group), Philip Mortlock (Alberts), Mark Dodds (Intertia), John Mullen (Dew Process), Marianna Annas (ABC Music Publishing), Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia) –share their thoughts and experiences on a range of topics including digital marketing, publishing, licensing, touring, management and much more. Taking place during the 2012 WAMi Festival, this year’s conference will be happening on Friday, June 1, at The Bakery. Presale tickets to the conference are available now from nowbaking.com.au.
53
52
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
PRODUCT REVIEWS ROLAND HPD-10 HANDSONIC ELECTRONIC HAND PERCUSSION
Roland has recently released the HandSonic HPD-10. This electronic hand percussion unit offers the same playability that made the original HPD-15 HandSonic so popular and includes new features with a multitude of sounds, rhythms and effects. A new collection of sounds has been created for the HPD-10; 400 high-quality instruments are included. All of the percussive essentials are on board - congas, bongos, tabla, djembe, cajon - as well as melodic percussion, drum kit, and various special effects. Basically, the HPD-10 provides an all-round live and studio percussion solution. The tones are authentic; in fact when the conga patch was tested against an actual set of congas it was genuinely difficult to pick a difference. The HPD-10 eliminated the need for multiple microphones both live and in the studio as s t e r e o o u t p u t s a r e p r ov i d e d.. The pitch of any patch can be altered in real time to match the band’s per formance which is a huge advantage over traditional percussion, especially in a studio setting where results are needed in a short time. The round playing surface is divided into 10 individual pads,, all of which are touch sensitive. In addition to this a D Beam is also included for triggering and pitch control. The D Beam essentially works just like a Theremin; various sounds can be assigned that are triggered by running a hand over the beam. It’s a feature that could be utilised in a visually stunning fashion for live performances. For practice purposes, HPD-10 is equipped with a metronome and a rhythm coaching system which provides exercises to improve timing and rhythm.
Primarily the HPD-10 is for hand percussion, but an optional kick trigger or footswitch can be added to make additional sounds. The input is dual-trigger compatible; via an optional PCS-31L Y-cable, two triggers can be added simultaneously. Although the unit may not be as visually impressive as a decent acoustic percussion setup, it will surely detract the over-enthusiastic punter from ‘having a go on the bongos’ at shows, and takes a fraction of the time – and space – to set up. At a retail of $1099, the Roland HPD-10 sets a new standard for electronic percussion. Mega Music in Wangara have the Roland HPD-10 on sale for $989.
FENDER TV DUO 10 BASS AMPLIFIER
Fender have been re-visiting many successful early products and re-releasing them for 21st century players for some time now. Brand new to the bass market is the Fender TV Duo 10 bass amp. Retro enthusiasts will love the design: lacquered Tweed covering with vintage style TV panel cloth grille (hence the name) and black chicken head control knobs sitting on top of a chrome chassis. The included caster wheels can be removed for transport and placement purposes. Controls include gain, bass, mid and treble knobs, deep and bright switches and a master volume. A low gain setting combined with high master volume creates a clean bass tone, upping the gain adds growl and bite for bassists who like to get dirty. The bass, mid and treble pots provide plenty of colouring options; players looking for more will make good use of the deep and bright switches too. The two inputs provide both a normal and a padded input stage to accommodate basses differing in output levels. An XLR output is included on the rear of the amp to send a direct signal for recording and live performance purposes. A Valve preamp drive by 12AX7 tubes and a class-D power amp combine to provide 350 watts output into 4 ohms. The speakers are 2 10-inch Fender special design Eminence Ferrite Bass Speakers, each with an 8 ohm, 200 watts rating.
GODIN 5TH AVENUE JAZZ ELECTRIC GUITAR
Roland HPD-10 Handsonic Electronic Hand Percussion
WITH CHRIS GIBBS
Still considered by many to be a ‘new’ guitar company, Godin commenced production of guitars in 1972. Godin has spear-headed numerous leaps forward in technology and playability across the company’s broad range of electric guitars. In recent years, Godin has branched out to focus on particular styles of player. The 5th Avenue Jazz guitar has been released with jazz players in mind. In terms of specifications, this guitar is appropriately simple. A Godin mini-humbucker jazz pickup provides the sound and is controlled by ebony volume and tone knobs. An ebony fingerboard, high ratio tuners, custom tailpiece and an adjustable Graphtech bridge round out the features. Played through a clean Fender Twin, the guitar provides unexpected sparkle. The tones are well-balanced right across the fretboard and the intonation is perfect for jazz voicings at any neck position. Rolling off the tone provides those deeper, muffled tones that many jazz players favour. On a gain setting, the guitar responds surprisingly well, and as with many guitars of this type, retains much of its natural character if gain is used sparingly. The taut string tension and smooth action combine to provide the perfect playing conditions
HUGHES & KETTNER TUBEMEISTER 18 AMPLIFIER
Low-wattage, high-gain, compact, plenty of cool features. Oh, and cheap too. Are guitarists asking for just a little too much of their amplification these days? Many amp companies, both corporate and boutique, have responded to these demands over the last few years with varying degrees of success. Hughes & Kettner, an amplification company of very high regard, have recently released the Tubemeister series, weighing in to this sector of the market in true H&K style. Driven by two 12AX7 preamp tubes and powered by two EL84 tubes which glow away in that unique H&K blue through the transparent amp face, this is an amp that looks like it means business. And it does. The clean sounds are crisp and the gain sounds are warm. There’s a satisfying range of gain on tap and most players regardless of style should be able to pull their preferred sound with a little experimentation. In fact, this amp is quite a little tone monster, providing classy, professional tone at any gain level.
Fender TV Duo Bass Amplifier The TV Duo 10 is not an amp that has plenty of power or headroom - bassists with high volume requirements and a need for super-clean signal at high volume will look elsewhere - but bluesman,‘60s posters and indie rockers will fall in love with the look and the sound of this proud throwback to times gone by. Fans of The Who’s John Entwistle and Cream’s Jack Bruce can also easily dial in that warm, slightly overdriven bass tone that can really fill in the blanks both live and in the studio, especially in one-guitar bands. This product is so new that the 2012 Fender catalogue does not even feature it. Perth’s newest Fender dealers, Guitar World in Cannington, have one in stock at the time of print. The Fender TV Duo 10 retails for $2099. for extended chord voicing sequences and jazz arpeggios. This is a guitar perfectly suited to its namesake, yet there is an all-round feel to the Godin 5th Avenue Jazz that would lend itself to a number of genres. However, players who are into howling bends will probably look elsewhere, or at least change the string gauge. It’s not often that you can pick up a guitar that ‘feels like home’ from the first chord. Godin have made an art of creating that impression with many of their flagship models and the 5th Avenue Jazz is no exception. Godin guitars are all made in Canada and sometimes assembled in the US depending on the model; it is always impressive to see these guitars retailing at price points more often seen for guitars bulk-produced in the Asian market. The Godin 5th Avenue Jazz retails for $2799. Concept Music in Wembley has the guitar in stock for $2299.
Godin 5th Avenue Jazz A four-step power soak control, allowing the amp to be run at 18, 5, 1 watt or silent recording mode is a clever and welcome inclusion, affording players even more tonal control across a variety of gig volume scenarios and recording scenarios. There’s even an emulated speaker output for running the amp through a PA without the need of a microphone, and an effects loop for chaining effects after the pre-amp stage. The amp comes with a soft protective cover and an optional footswitch featuring channel switch and lead boost is available. The Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 is another amp that offers a compact low wattage solution to the space and volume-conscious guitarist. All the bases have been covered both in terms of quality tone and specifications, making this amp a hard one to beat in this category. The H&K Tubemeister 18 amplifier retails for $999. A 1x12 speaker cabinet is available for $499. Alternatively a combo version of the amplifier retails for $1199 Guitar World in Cannington currently stock this product.
Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 Amplifier Many thanks to Guitar World Cannington, Mega Music Wangara and Concept Music Wembley for letting us review their products. www.xpressmag.com.au
51
50
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
Classifieds and Music Services Hotline: 9213 2888 Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Deadline: 4pm Monday Credit cards welcome
HAIR, HEALTH & HAPPINESS PHAT DREADS HAIR DESIGN Your One Stop Dread Shop. Top Quality, Inexpensive & Personalised service. Hayley - 0488450023 MUSOS WANTED BASSIST SEEKS GUITARIST & DRUMMER Aged 20-32 to form death metal band. Influences: Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Immolation, Gorguts, Nocturnus, Agressor, Metallica. 0419 043 293. DRUMMER NEEDED Drummer required for Metal Band. Thirty 3 Victims. Songs up on Facebook & Myspace. Call Nick: 0417 187 447. EXPERIENCED GUITARIST WANTED 30+ for working original hard rock band. Recording & touring in plan. Ph: 0427 072 814 or 0435 825 090. GUITARIST WANTED Police/Sting tribute band needs a guitarist who can do what Andy Summers did. Eugene 0449 000 973. OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632 OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235 VOCALIST WANTED Alternative Band seek vocalist. Influences include Dredg, Katatonia & Cynic. Please contact Ben on 0431 974 587. WANTED; SINGER/GUITARIST (2535YO) To complete working Acoustic Duo. Must be reliable, Have quality gear and own transport. 3 Gigs per week, will pay $200 per gig. Call Scott on 0438911898. PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY Promo photography, studio, live, location. M ik e 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 PA HIRE, PRO SYSTEM, FULL FOLD BACK Experienced operator. Optional light show. Fidelity sound on 0404 331 320.
www.xpressmag.com.au
RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’sWITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering.. Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.witzendstudios.com ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics, the latest and best universal audio, plug in’s for digital recordings. All styles of music, $55 per hour call Tony 0411 118304 email avalonstudios@bigpond.com GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM Production, mixing, recording and composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $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 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING 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 STUDIO RECORDING $35 per hr. Rates negotiable. Contact Ryan: 0429 617 353. 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 ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar Specialist. Beg-adv, all styles and levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 DJ TUITION Specialises in scratching &
cutting. Over 15 yrs experience. Beg-Adv welcome. Potential gigs waiting. Ph DJ Munch: 0412 334 510. DRUM LESSONS All styles, WAAPA prep. Modern techniques, rudiments, soloing, favourite songs. Beg-Adv. Ph: Pascal 0413 172 817. Available 7 days & 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.
PAT PATTINSON
Pat Pattinson
A Way With Words World renowned songwriting teacher Pat Pattinson talks to JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD about the songwriting tools that have helped his students – who include John Mayer and Gillian Welch – write #1 hits.
What is your favourite song lyric of all time? Tough choice. There are so many. Quick, before I change my mind: “What’ll I do / When you are far away /And I am blue / What’ll I do? / What’ll I do? / When I am wond’ring who / Is kissing you / What’ll I do? / What’ll I do with just a photograph / To tell my troubles to? / When I’m alone / With only dreams of you / That won’t come true / What’ll I do?” (What’ll I Do, Irving Berlin, 1923). Several of your students have won Grammys (John Mayer, Gillian Welch etc) – do you feel that validates your teaching method? Well, they do. So who am I to argue? Gillian, in her foreword to the Second Edition of Writing Better Lyrics wrote: “I would not be the writer I am today without [Pat’s] teaching and his unique and comprehensive understanding of language, rhyme, rhythm, and structure.” John has also said some pretty nice things.
Have you always felt an affinity for words and lyrics? Yes. I’ve been writing poems and little songs since age five. Here’s my very first:“My mother’s going to the zoo / And I’m sure she will take me too / Just to hear the lions growl / And to hear the coyotes yowl / When I get that awful scare / What will stand up straight? My hair. / I will have to use a comb / And then I’ll say, ‘Oh let’s go home’.” What is the strangest/weirdest song lyric you’ve ever heard? After Lorena Bobbitt [infamously] “disWhen did you realise you wanted to teach lyric membered” her husband, a student at a seminar writing full-time? I’ve been teaching in one form delivered a song with the hook, “Please don’t take or another ever since high school. In grad school my penis when you go.” Hilarious. I was a teaching associate in philosophy, then went on to teach philosophy. After a few years If you could offer one piece of advice to an on the road with my band, we ended up on the aspiring lyricist, what would it be? Bring your east coast of the US, where I got a job at Berklee seven senses to the table and channel them into teaching English and poetry. A put together some your writing. The smell of fresh-cut grass, the redphilosophy courses there, and then decided to winged blackbird warbling and swaying on a cattail. teach a course in Literary Criticism. I called it They are your tickets to your unique writer’s voice. No “Analysis of Song Lyrics” and applied the tools of one has ever seen the world from your perspective linguistic analysis (gleaned from my philosophy before – in the order, time and context you’ve courses) and literary criticism to the lyrics of Paul experienced from. Sense-bound writing stimulates Simon, Steely Dan, Dylan, Leonard Cohen, etc. It your listener’s imagination – it forces your listener opened my mind as a songwriter. My students told to respond sensually with pictures and sounds from me how much it helped their writing, so I added a his/her own experiences, filling your words with their second semester, which finally morphed into the stuff. Because your words are filled with their images, first songwriting major in the world with a lot of your song is about them. help from some very talented folks. When I was 35, I realised that if I never wrote another song, Pattinson will make the keynote speech at the I’d survive. If I never taught again, I wouldn’t. That WAMi Music Business Conference on, Friday, June makes me a teacher who writes, not a writer who 1, at The Bakery. Presale tickets to the event are teaches. Big difference. on sale now from nowbaking.com.au. 49
48
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays