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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
CHARISMATIC TIMOMATIC
Shapeshifter, co-headlining the Natural New Zealand Music Festival
SWEET AS, BRO
The Natural New Zealand Music Festival is back, and will be showcasing some huge Kiwi music heavyweights. With Shapeshifter and Kora as headliners, plus sets from legendary producer P Money, hiphop artist Ladi6, revered trio Trinity Roots, singer/songwriter Maisey Rika, local boy Ben Merito and hilarious Kiwi comedian Gish, this festival covers all the bases and is sure to be massive. The Natural New Zealand Music Festival will be held on Saturday, December 1, at Red Hill Auditorium – the perfect way to kick off summer. Don’t miss out on this awesome representation of music from over friends across the ditch. Tickets available now through Oztix.
Timomatic
Pop artist and party-starter Timomatic is getting ready to release his new self-titled album this Friday, August 24, and to celebrate he’s coming to visit. The Australia’s Got Talent finalist went three times platinum with his debut single, Set it Off, securing the 24-year-old a global publishing deal and support slots with the likes of Pitbull and Nicki Minaj. With multiple hit singles under his belt since then, Timomatic, real name Tim Omaji, is living the dream. The man himself will be heading to shopping centres around the country to perform his hit singles, hang with fans, and do some in-store signings. Catch him at Whitford City on Friday, August 24, at 4pm for the performance, with signings afterwards at JB Hi-Fi – be sure to get down early.
The Seals, headed for the North Midland Show
NORTH MIDLAND SHOW
Loon Lake
LOONY TUNES
Melbourne lads Loon Lake are heading to our side of the country for their first headline tour, following the release of their EP, Thirty-Three. No doubt you’ve heard insanely catchy single Bad To Me doing the rounds on everyone’s favourite youth station, with cheeky new single, Cherry Lips, getting a lot of love. The quintet have made it on some big festival line-ups and supported the like of Kaiser Chiefs and Girls over the past year, and we’ve got it on good authority that they put on a smashing show. It’s all happening in Bunbury on Friday, September 14, at the Prince of Wales, then in Perth on Saturday, September 15, at Amplifier. Loon Lake have been selling shows out all round the country, so don’t miss out on tickets – they’re on sale through Heatseeker and Oztix now.
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Reactions/ Comp
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Flesh
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X-Press Interview: Split Seconds
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Music: Oh Mercy
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Music: Davey Lane/ Maria Minerva
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New Noise
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Eye4 Cover: Paul McDermott
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Eye4 News/ Movies: Total Recall/ Bully
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Eye4 Eye2Eye/ Art Stories
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Eye4 Listings
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Salt Cover: DJ Havana Brown
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Salt: Cover Story/ News/ Too Fresh/ Killafoe
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Salt: Hermitude/ Club Scene: Shape
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Salt: Club Manual/ Scenery/ Rewind: WASO & DJ Zeke
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Scene: Set Sail
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Scene: Footy Favourites
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Scene: Pub Scene
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Scene: Live
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Scene: Local
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Tour Trails
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Gig Guide
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Volume
Ahead of next year’s centennial celebration of the Gazetting of the town of Carnamah, The North Midland Show this year is ramping up to be bigger and better than ever. Featuring a Tractor Pull, some of WA’s best bands (including multi WAMi-award winning songstress Felicity Groom, as well as The Seals, Davey Craddock & The Spectacles, Dillip N The Davs, and Calectasia), family entertainment of endless varieties and fireworks, the event happening on Saturday, September 15, will bring local communities and surrounding districts together to celebrate local talent and the strength of community spirit. Presale tickets are available now through Heatseeker and limited tickers will be available at the gate from 10am. A designated camping area for the many visitors expected is available on site – camping is free, however bookings for a site need to made when purchasing tickets online, or via carnamahcamping@gmail.com.
HOW APPROPRIATE...
Hey! This Friday, August 24, check out www.xpressmag.com.au, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages, for a special announcement that will get your social life well sorted. Until then, keep palm and carry on...
Soon to be Live At The Quarry, Washington contemplates Beck’s sheet music with Triple J’s Lindsay McDougall
QUARRY, BE HAPPY
As quintessentially West Australian as a concert series can be, Live At The Quarry returns for a sixth season with musical comedy geniuses Tripod delivering the season premiere performance on Friday, November 9. Also appearing at the picturesque surrounds of the Quarry Amphitheatre will be ARIA-award winning indie pop princess Washington on Friday, November 16, true blue legend John Williamson on Friday, November 30, and, for the first time in Perth, the east coast smash hit, Reminiscing… featuring the unmistakable talents of Australian music icons Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band), Wendy Matthews and Doug Parkinson coming together on March 14, 2013. Don’t delay – for five seasons now Live At The Quarry performances have been selling out well ahead of show day, make sure you’re ready when tickets to this unique WA season goes on sale at 9am, Friday, August 31, from Ticketmaster. The Live At The Quarry season is proudly presented by X-Press Magazine.
Cover: Oh Mercy’s new record Deep Heat is out through EMI this Friday, August 24. Oh Mercy play The Norfolk on Friday, October 5, and The Bakery on Saturday, October 6
Salt Cover: DJ Havana Brown plays Eve Nightclub this Friday, August 24 www.xpressmag.com.au
MEDIC ALERT
Last week’s cover story incorrectly stated The Medics would be appearing at Amplifier on Saturday, August 8, when in actuality they will be appearing on Saturday, September 8. The indie rock outfit will also appear at this year’s Rottofest on Sunday, September 9. 5
with Melissa Erpen... Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday. By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms & Conditions which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.
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ISRAELI FILM FESTIVAL
The AICE Israeli Film Festival is spreading its wings in 2012, taking the best of Israeli cinema across Australia. The ninth AICE Israeli Film Festival will screen more films over more days than even before, with an expanded program of some of the best Israeli films from the last 12 months. Diverse, complex, inspirational and turbulent, the film holds up a mirror to Israeli society, exploring the myriad of stories from one of the most diverse and multiracial countries in the world. We have 10double passes up for grabs to attend the festival between September 4 and 12 at Cinema Paradiso. Enter now for your chance to score tickets.
The talk of Cannes, Holy Motors follows an apparently routine day in the company of Monsieur Oscar (Denis Lavant) as he completes nine increasingly bizarre “appointments” in various locations around Paris, arriving as a different persona at each one. Confounding as it may be, the film is also contemplative, with Carax appearing to make a case of art for art’s sake. The cast includes Eva Mendez and a singing Kylie Minogue. We have five double passes up for grabs so get in now for your chance to win.
Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year Series 2
HAMISH & ANDY’S GAP YEAR SERIES 2
Your Sister’s Sister
One year after his brother’s death, Jack (Mark Duplass) hasn’t recovered. His best friend, Iris (Emily Blunt), prescribes solitary reflection and sends him to her father’s empty cabin. But she doesn’t realise her sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), is there for similar reasons, having just walked out on a seven-year relationship. Over tequila shots, Hannah and Jack get acquainted. When Iris drops in unexpectedly, complications arise in the form of rivalry and more than a few surprising revelations. Want to win tickets? Enter now as we have five doubles to giveaway.
Oh Mercy’s Deep Heat
OH MERCY
Having spent the start of 2012 touring and recording in America, Oh Mercy return to Australia with their third and most colourful album to date, Deep Heat. From the Roxy Musicesque swagger of My Man to pulsating first single, Deep Heat is modern, forward-thinking pop; a colourful mix of styles all held together by a singular groove. Released August 24, we have five copies of this album up for grabs. Get in now for your chance to snag a copy.
Hamish & Andy decided their second gap year needed to be a lot more Europeanier than the first. So, they metaphorically set sail across the globe and found a magical place that was just European enough - Europe. Luckily, this Europe place turned out to be the perfect home for Hamish & Andy’s Euro Gap Year. Newly released to DVD and super hilarious, we have five copies up for grabs. Enter now for you chance to win.
THE THING
Enter now to be in the running to win a double pass to the special screening of The Thing on Friday August 31 as part of Hoyts Carousel’s Pop Culture Classics. The film tells the story of scientists in the Antarctic who are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills. Get in now for your chance to win tickets!
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CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 OCTOBER 2011 – MARCH 2012
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
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Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.
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HOLY MOTORS
YOUR SISTER’S SISTER
Dwight O’Neil
Melissa Erpen
Holy Motors
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Production Co-ordinator Ruth Tyndall
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THE LUCKY ONE
A Marine travels to Louisiana after serving three tours in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war. Starring Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner, this touching film is now available on DVD. Enter now for your chance to win a copy.
X-PRESS MAG SNAG
As a special treat to Perth, Snags & Sons have a brand new addition to their menu with the introduction of the X-Press Mag Snag! The X-Press Mag Snag is a fresh, hot French style baguette with a Linley Free Range Pork sausage, caramelised onions, cheddar cheese, mustard & Ketchup… All for $6.90! To celebrate the release of the X-Press Mag Snag, Snags & Sons are giving one of our readers the chance to win the ultimate snag experience, with dinner for five friends! For your chance to win, simply “like” the Snag & Sons facebook page and then email win@xpressmag.com. au with “X-Press Mag Snag” in the subject line!
The second announcement for Soundwave has just been made and we’re please to report that Cypress Hill, Anthrax, Slayer, Bullet For My Valentine, Bring Me The Horizon, Billy Talent, and many more awesome acts will be hitting up Perth on Monday, March 4. Here’s what our FB fans had to say about the line-up…
Circle, Offspring, Linkin Park and Flogging Molly!
Harry Fucking hell
Jarrod Bloody good shit. 75 per cent of The Big Four in Perth? That and APC is worth the ticket price alone. Well done.
Owen Three of the big four now on the bill. One more line-up announcement to come. I wonder... Jay I’ve bought my pre-sale tickets already. I was sold at Garbage, Metallica, Blink182, Perfect
James The inevitable clashes are going to cause headaches but with that many good bands..... but I’m looking forward to the hard decisions down the track!
Mark So what happened to Metallica??? Not a bad line-up but there’s not many big names like last year!
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
British India Matchbox Twenty
GET IT INDIA
The boys from indie rock ensemble British India are hitting the road to promote their new single, I Can Make You Love Me. The band unveiled the video for the track earlier this week, which features a lovelorn minotaur and was directed by Oh Yeah Wow, the brilliant team behind a myriad of incredible work, including Gotye’s stop-motion clip for Easy Way Out. British India touch down at Amplifier on Saturday, September 22.
Serial Killer Smile
Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando, headed our way
IT’S ABOUT TIME
Long time friends and musical collaborators Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield will tour Australia this December, performing an entire set side by side. The duo will deliver acoustic versions of their expansive back catalogues, including The Lemonheads, Blake Babies, their own solo material and some covers. The awesome twosome touch down at the Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, December 22. Support comes from Bambino Koresh, the new project for members of Smudge, Sneeze and Godstar. Tickets are on sale now from handsometours.com, 78’s, Mills, Planet, Star Surf, Heatseeker and Moshtix.
HOW FAR THEY’VE COME
The wait is over for Matchbox Twenty fans, because they’re heading down under for their sixth Australian arena tour after the highly-anticipated release of their fifth album, North. But, that’s not all folks – joining the beloved alt-rockers on tour will be esteemed homegrown legends INXS, who will show off their new lead vocalist, Ciaran Gribbin. Both groups are revered all over the world, and both will perform their classic tunes and a few new ones to spice things up a little. With one show only in Perth on Sunday, November 11 at the yet-to-be-opened Perth Arena, we reckon you’d better get in quick, because tickets will go fast. Get those tickets in your hot little hands on Friday, August 31 from Ticketmaster.
SERIAL THRILLERS After two years chock full of local and national tour supports, a sold-out launch for their debut single, The Irrepressible, a monstrous launch for their debut EP, The Elephant In The Room, and confirmed spins on 37 stations around Australia, Serial Killer Smile are certainly making an impact on the progressive/ alt-rock scene in Australia. As such, they ’re gearing up for the Elephant On The Road Tour this month and next. Catch Serial Killer Smile this Friday, August 24, at Amplifier (with Chaos Divine), Friday, August 31, at Players Bar, Mandurah; Saturday, September 1, at the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury (with Ozmonaut) and Friday, September 7, at the Rosemount Hotel (with Animal).
Beside Lights The Eastern
BESIDE THEMSELVES
Despite only having formed 18 months ago, Perth-based pop rockers Beside Lights have been kicking some pretty serious career goals having travelled to Toronto to play Canadian Music Week, appeared on line-ups alongside big-name artists including The Vines and Flight Facilities and even making it to the final of the latest season of Australia’s Got Talent , wracking up one million hits on YouTube along the way. Find out what all the fuss is about when they showcase their catchy pop-driven songs during a special performance at the super swish, new C5 in Fremantle, upstairs from Metropolis, on Friday, September 21. Tickets go on sale from 9am on Thursday, August 30, from Ticketmaster and Oztix.
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65daysofstatic Boom! Bap! Pow! play the X-27 party
THE 27 CLUB
Turning 27 is a dangerous game in the music business, but that is indeed what X-Press Magazine is about to turn and we’re feeling pretty lively about it. So much so that we’d love to invite our readers to X-27, our 27th Birthday Party on Friday, September 14, at Amplifier/Capitol. Helping us celebrate will be with The Ghost Hotel, Boom! Bap! Pow!, Rainy Day Women, Cow Parade Cow plus DJs Q-Bik, Zeke, Get More and Gran Calavera. Entry is free, action stations from 8.00pm. Get on down!
INSTRUMENTAL MADNESS
After over a decade of Australia just missing out, UK instrumental virtuosos 65daysofstatic are finally heading south for their first ever Aussie tour, bringing their hybrid brand of rockelectronica to blow your minds. 65daysofstatic create unique tunes that build the bass and crescendo instrumentally, while still containing an electronic element to ensure you get your dance on. The group’s sound is big, looming and the atmosphere brought on by the instrumental quartet is charged and intense. 65daysofstatic will melt your minds at The Bakery on Saturday, January 5. Tickets through all the usual outlets.
EASTERN ROAR
The Eastern are bringing their rollicking country sound back to our shores, touring tracks from their latest NZ chart-topping album Hope And Wire, plus throwing down a bunch of old tunes and telling some tales. With their whiskey-infused brand of folk and rockabilly, the New Zealand scoundrels have travelled high and low with their instruments on hand, touring with the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Justin Townes Earle, and creating a fiery funfilled atmosphere anywhere they lay down their boots. The rambling rockers will be performing at Clancy’s on Thursday, September 27, and then heading down to Wave Rock Weekender on Sunday, September 30. Tickets from trybooking.com.au and soulhighway.com.au
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You say that you don’t sit down to write singles – well I can’t even guess which tunes of yours are going to be the single. When you first played Maiden Name live, I thought that had ‘single’ written all over it. I don’t know either man. I had the same thought process. When we put Maiden Name together I thought it was going to be the single. That was ages ago around the time of All You Got To Do and we went with that as the single, but we would never let Maiden Name go. Maiden Name was actually very slow when we first wrote it and it wasn’t really working so we took it on one of our little band camps with us where we go to a beach house in Ledge Point. We got there and thought fuck it, let’s just make it sound like Cold Chisel. We just sped it up and put heaps of tinkly piano in it and that was all that it needed. Making a song sound more like Cold Chisel should be enough to win any song over. We would be able to sound like Cold Chisel to save our fucking lives. We can’t do it, so if you have these aims of sounding like a band that you don’t even vaguely resemble then you have a chance of coming up with something quite unique. It’s a good technique. I think She Makes Her Own Clothes is the next single after Top Floor. I had no idea of Top Floor – I give up trying to pick what is going to be a good single. I don’t know how anyone does it. It is impossible to second guess what people are going to like. Top Floor took about a month to take off before it sunk in and people started to play it on the radio. We did pick a bit of a grower as a single which in hindsight is a good thing, but for a while there we were worried.
Split Seconds
SPLIT SECONDS’ SEAN POLLARD Oliver’s Army
Split Seconds launch their debut album, You’ll Turn Into Me, this Saturday, August 25, at Amplifier Bar with support from Stillwater Giants, Rainy Day Women and Warning Birds. Sean Pollard is no stranger to being the boy most likely to. With his sister, Miranda, he formed folk-pop outfit, New Rules For Boats, who would become the toast of the town as people attended their gigs wearing sailing hats made out of newspaper as they soaked in the party spirit. In spite of all the promise, New Rules For Boats disappeared almost as quickly as they came. His latest band, Split Seconds, is a different beast completely. More mature in its outlook and songwriting, Split Seconds are well on their way to achieving great things and Pollard is surely to be recognised for his impressive and ever-growing songwriting prowess. The national youth radio have loved Split Seconds from day one, but with latest single Top Floor the band has blaring out of car stereos across the nation’s freeways at a steady and continual rate. Things are only going to get more hectic for a band who are poised to launch what is surely one of the most exciting debut albums from an Australian artist in some time with You’ll Turn Into Me and with all of the band members recent move to Melbourne they are set to strike from amidst the heat of the action. But before they put their keys in bowl at the big party, Split Seconds take to the stage to show off You’ll Turn Into Me for their hometown this weekend. By CHRIS HAVERCROFT You’ve just moved to Melbourne but you’re back in Perth for a launch of the album... We were all aware that there would be a bit of back and forth at the start, because we are a Perth band and we have to play in Perth. We will always see ourselves as a Perth band, even if we aren’t living here at the moment. Moving to Melbourne in the middle of winter is not the ideal time. Did you want to make sure that you weren’t too tanned when the record came out so as not to ruin your indie-credibility? I’ve been working on my pitch white Melbourne tan. I didn’t want to look too healthy when the record came out, so hopefully people would buy it as a result of feeling sorry for me. I wanted to look like a starving artist. That’s what I was going for. It is too ‘90s to dye my hair so I took this option.
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You’ll Turn Into Me is exciting. It’s very different to the Split Seconds that you presented on the EP. It came out that way in the end. It wasn’t really a conscious thing, it just came out really different. I guess because I did the EP on my own, and then we had 18 months worth of playing together and what we wanted to sound like live and I think that really affected the way that we worked in the studio. It was pretty organic, with a lot of guitars and pedals and things to play with that we didn’t have when we did the EP. The EP was based around me and an acoustic guitar but this one is a bit more bandy. I like ‘bandy’ as a word! You can really hear what (Benjamin) Golby (keyboards) is doing on the album. He is forever saying that his role in the band is just to hang out as no one can really hear him and it doesn’t really matter. We think that he is really important, that what he does is heard because he has a strange musical mind and he will bust out these strange augmented chords that no one had thought of, and it always sounds odd straight away, but it really works. He has definitely had an influence in the band despite his cries to the contrary. He is really important and he got brought out even more in the mixing as well which is really important. What he does is always super interesting. He has made his space in the band from us having toured and played so many gigs. We only really became a five-piece around this time last year I think and it has taken a while for everyone to find their own space and Golby has his own little world of sound that he resides in. When we tour the sound guys don’t prioritise the keyboards so it is often the last thing they bother with, so at times you may not hear him as well, but when you do it is when we sound at our best. Do you feel that your writing has changed over the duration of Split Seconds? It’s still pop of course, but the album doesn’t slap you in the face with a big sugar hit. It’s more of a stayer. I suppose that the more songs that I write, the more I find out how I want to write songs. It is becoming a lot more focussed. Early on I think I was just banging stuff out and bringing it to the band
The name Oliver crops up through many of the tunes on the album. I like writing songs and I like writing little stories within the songs and I like to make the songs little stories in their own right. The name Oliver came up basically because I needed a three syllable name and I thought Oliver was an interesting one that works quite well. It always sounds more intriguing when you put a name in a song. If you are writing a book or a movie you have to make a name up out of nowhere so I figured I do the same thing and make the name run through the record. Oliver pops up every now and again with the themes of the album. It is in no way a concept record but there are a few characters that pop up a number of times, during different scenarios in their lives. The album is kind of from the perspective of Oliver’s dad. The title track is his dad giving him advice in life. It is essentially a song about a relationship, but I thought that telling it through characters made it a more interesting way to tell a story instead of ‘he said this’. I find it more interesting to put names and places into stories. Oliver just kept popping up and fitting into the songs. He just became a dude that would pop up during the writing of the album, really. He was just this put upon kid who had these really dodgy parents – which is in no way like my life – but it was a good story to tell. It is just a guy who kept popping up and I used him as a character. It’s odd that he keeps popping up but I couldn’t keep him down. I could write a musical I guess, but I don’t think I’d get away with writing one called Oliver.
and hoping that it worked. Since Splits has started to become an ongoing thing, it has been a lot more considered in what I am doing and it takes me a lot longer to write a song than it used to. I don’t panic as much as I used to when I am writing a song. If a song doesn’t work straight away I don’t panic and throw it away. It takes a lot longer to finish a song. I think that has come through in the album a little bit, and it’ll keep getting better and hopefully come through in the next one. All you can do is keep writing songs and try to improve. I expect that people want to know, why have you moved to Melbourne and forsaken us? Mostly through convenience for us in terms of touring and we’re not made of money. We are an independent band and we have to pay for everything. “Oliver is just a guy who We funded a few tours over East last year and we were just haemorrhaging money, so we thought kept popping up and I used we’d make it easier on ourselves to get around. It is something that we all wanted to do, not because we him as a character. It’s odd want to move away from Perth, but because we are all getting towards the end of our 20s and we wanted to that he keeps popping go to a different part of Australia for a while and push ourselves. up but I couldn’t keep We will always see ourselves as a Perth band. We always want to be a Perth band. We don’t him down. I could write a have interest in being a Melbourne band if that makes sense. They have their scene, it is a big scene and a musical I guess, but I don’t rock scene. If we can play some good gigs over there that would be great but it is just a base really for us. It think I’d get away with is something that we wanted to do for a while to see how we would go over East. The five of us have been banging around in bands for the last decade or so in writing one called Oliver.” Perth, so we wanted to take a bit of a risk and see how we went. If we didn’t take a risk now then we probably never would. We will come back as often as we can, but I should try and use this as the yardstick and now we live in a place where we can watch a lot more try not to get worse. Inevitably there are times when footy and not have to spend as much when we want you are going to get worse – unless you are Tom Waits to go on tour. It is just a bit more convenient for the or Leonard Cohen. I hope by the fourth or fifth album I time that the album is coming out. haven’t become too much of a disappointment, but we We were lucky that we are all at the age will see how we go. I don’t want to second guess myself where we felt we could move from Perth. We can all too much. All the stuff I do is pretty organic. I don’t sit go and move our lives and jobs without too much down and think about writing a single or anything like drama. If we looked to do it in four years time that. I think that is where people get caught up, is if they it would be harder as we would like have more try to second guess themselves and be something that commitments and be more entrenched in Perth as they aren’t. we’d be 32 instead of 28.
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
keys and Hammond Organ and flute solos on Pilgrim’s Blues and the title track respectively. Yet Gow is quick to point out that the 10 tunes on the record were penned long before their American jaunt. “I wrote all the songs at home over the summer of 2011 and 2012. The whole experience of being in the US didn’t influence the record at all. We could have recorded it anywhere and – as long as we still had Burke as part of the process – we would have made the same record.” In anticipation of the new record’s release, Oh Mercy has gotten on board with the latest craze sweep the music industry: album trailers (so Oh Mercy’s Alexander Gow is gearing to far they’ve released one for Deep Heat, along with up to rub in a bit of Deep Heat with various teaser trailers for singles), a viral marketing Gow says is key to promoting music in this his outfit’s third full-length LP, released maneuver day and age. “It’s just a way to get people enthused. this week. Having recently returned These days you’ve got to drag people by their ears or online to buy your album.” from an epic touring/recording jaunt to record stores While the new Oh Mercy sound may win in the States, Gow sat down with over new listeners, Gow admits there is a possibility JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD ahead of Deep Heat will alienate the fans his band picked up following the release of Great Barrier Grief.“I try not to a massive national tour which includes think about that kind of thing. I’m just going to keep three WA dates – at the Settlers Tavern making music until I don’t sell anymore records and I have to go and get a real job,” he confesses, adding on Thursday, October 4, the Norfolk that he’s already gearing up to work on album #4. “We’ve released three albums in three-andBasement on Friday, October 5, and a-half years and I’d like to say I’ll have another one The Bakery on Saturday, October 6. ready by next year, but who knows?” he concludes. “I feel like lots of things are on hold until this album From day one, following Oh Mercy’s career comes out, so I’m really looking forward to releasing trajectory has been nothing if not mystifying. it so I can start writing again.” Every album has conceivably been a curveball of some sort, deftly outmaneuvering any kind of expectations. Before you could pigeonhole them as an dreamy, indie-rock act based on their debut, 2009’s debut Privileged Woes, they had moved on to more deceptively simple acoustic pop territory on 2011 follow-up, Great Barrier Grief. Now, with their third album, Deep Heat, they’ve managed to catch listeners off guard once again. “The direction was birthed out of the realisation that people had conveniently pigeonholed me as this earnest, serious singer/songwriter guy,” explains frontman and songwriter Alexander Gow. “I don’t like the idea of being defined. I wanted to throw a curve ball. I knew it would surprise people, but that was half the point.”
OH MERCY Apocalypse Gow
Oh Mercy
. “It’s really very liberating writing fictional songs. Not having to be so sincere opens up this wider palate of sounds and vocabulary to use in songwriting which is really refreshing.” From this initial desire to buck expectations, Gow and his Oh Mercy bandmates crafted Deep Heat, their most colourful album to date. “Once I had decided that was what I was going to do, I had to work out how to do it,” explains Gow. “So I sat down and selected the parts of music I love to replicate. I knew I wanted to make this groove-based lyrical music with sparse instrumentation.” Inspired by literary influences as diverse as Paul Kelly’s memoir, How To Make Gravy, and Metamorphoses, an epic Latin narrative by the Roman poet Ovid, for the first time ever Gow decided to ditch autobiographical influences and create his own narratives to explore some of the darker sides of sexuality and desire. “Obviously as someone in a position where I’m writing for a living, I read a lot and I took on some of the mindsets of the authors I was reading while writing for the album. They’re all songs written in the third person. Basically, I’ve taken on a different character on every different song – some of those characters are much more defined while others are more of an abstraction,” he says. “It’s really very liberating writing fictional songs. Not having to be so sincere opens up this wider palate of sounds and vocabulary to use in songwriting which is really refreshing. It actually made it easier for me to sit down and write – in a way, it simplified the process.” Along with this change in thematic direction, came a few more major changes for Oh Mercy, with Deep Heat showcasing the first recorded appearances of bandmates Eliza Lam (bass) and Rohan Sforcina (drums). Compared with the recording process for Great Barrier Grief (which saw Gow travel solo to LA to record with acclaimed producer Mitchell Froom), Gow says the vibe in the studio was “wonderful and very positive”, which he attributes to the fact the band had just finished up a successful North American run of shows – which they undertook Almost Famous-style by driving themselves across the country in a tour van – before settling down in Portland, Oregon, to record Deep Heat with producer du jour and one-time Gerling member, Burke Reid. “I’d loved what Burke had done on the last Jack Ladder record [2011’s Hurtsville] and on The Drones record [Havilah] and it just seemed like a really obvious choice,” Gow says. “Burke’s an egoless producer and that was important. I knew I needed to work with someone who could help me really push the ideas I had as far as they needed to go.” A major part of the band’s decision to record in Portland, as opposed to their native Melbourne, was the access they had to legendary Los Lobos member Steve Berlin, who contributed horns, www.xpressmag.com.au
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DAVEY LANE Good Times, Bad Tymes
Davey Lane is stepping out on his own. The guitarist, best known for his work as a member of You Am I and with The Pictures, is perched to release his debut album, The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes. Lane speaks with CHRIS HAVERCROFT ahead of his shows in WA this weekend. See Tour Trails for details.
Davey Lane
primarily written on keyboards ,making it vastly different from his releases with You Am I and The Pictures. “I got to the point a few years ago with The Pictures, that although we haven’t put a full stop on the band, it had kind of run its course for the time being,” says Lane of his change in direction. “As much as I love that music I was kind of tired of playing songs where we were trying to emulate all of our favourite bands like The Who and The Faces. I wanted to get to the stage where I could get my songs away from being pastiches of other When you think of a project that Davey Lane is things that I love and trying to spend a bit more time involved in, you immediately think of brash guitar on the lyrics and spend time to try and fucking sing records. Yet for the first album to be released properly. I have done a fair bit of different stuff musically under his own name, he has gone for a much more over the past few years and that has started to bleed broad sound. into what I did with this record.” Sure, there is still enough pep and girth in the The idea of finally putting out a full-length tunes to hit you in the guts but this is an album that was under his own name is a somewhat daunting task
for Lane, but he is glad that he is choosing to do it now rather than when he first started playing gigs as an 18-year-old. Being more confident as a songwriter and singer has helped in the decision for Lane to try and be seen as more than a sideman. Even after close to 14 years in You Am I, he is still considered the new guy by outsiders, but hopefully The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes will cement his place in the scheme of things. “I think it took me a couple of years to feel as though I was actually contributing something to You Am I. It took me quite a few years to feel that I was bringing something of worth to the band rather than just trying to learn and keep up with the other guys. I wouldn’t be the human being I am today if it wasn’t for those guys. There always will be people that look at me as the new guy even after nearly 14 years, but it’s getting on. Ronnie Wood is still the new guy in The Rolling Stones and he’s been there since ‘75 or something.” Lane is coming to Perth to show off his tunes as a result of a chance meeting with Adrian Hoffman (The Morning Night) in Melbourne. Hoffman spotted Lane playing solo at an acoustic evening and it wasn’t long before he invited him to come to Perth to play some shows with The Morning Night. This plan comes to fruition this weekend. “I have never been interstate to play on my own as more often than not it is with You Am I when I come to WA. It is my first interstate port of call as a solo artist. The shows will be split into two halves where I will play some of the quieter ones on my own, and then The Morning Night will back me up for a couple of raucous tunes towards the end. I’m looking forward to being able to do it in two different configurations.”
Maria Minerva
MARIA MINERVA
High (Lo)Fidelity Maria Minerva’s homespun sound has catapulted her into an entirely new arena. Ahead of her set at the Maylands Yacht Club on Sunday, August 26, the Estonian electro-pop upstart talks to JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD about her conflicted attitudes toward stardom and why she “really sucks” live. Maria Juur is in an odd place. Only three years ago, the then-21-year-old transplant from Estonia had moved to England to pursue a Masters in Aural & Visual Cultures at the prestigious Goldsmiths University before deciding to make a name for herself as a musician. “I was doing an internship at The Wire magazine in London… it was a part-time job and I didn’t know anyone, I think I was living in the wrong part of the city, out of place. When I wasn’t working I had free time and I was just staring around, I had no money and it was such a weird summer… it was good but it was really strange. And then out of nowhere I decided ‘I’m going to make music now’ because a) there is nothing else to do and b) it is time. “It just happened out of nowhere,” she continues.“I was 21, which is pretty late to start making music and then I didn’t even know how to connect my keyboard to my computer, I was just pathetic. And then when I got a sound out of the computer, it was the happiest thing of my life.” Despite being very new to the process, her music, made under the name Maria Minerva, has attracted significant attention from the press. Depending on your take, she’s either taking a more elegant and more upbeat approach to the dark pop of recent years, or she’s continuing the trend of making an experimental, danceable form of music in a distant, yet tactile, manner. “I have to be honest, I was pretty sure about what I wanted to do because I was a big fan of my label [lauded lo-fi label Not Not Fun] before they signed me. I was pretty smart, I didn’t hope to be signed but in terms of what I wanted to do I always knew,” she says. “It’s funny because you get the fame in a month’s time when you are on music blogs and that’s so ridiculous. I felt really privileged and honoured but at the same time I felt like I’m not ready.” Jurr’s mix of synthesisers, messed-up samples and repetitive beats has seen her compared with other one-woman electronic acts (including Grimes, Julia Holter and Class Actress) and, like those other artists, she says she finds it “extremely hard” to translate her recorded tunes for a live setting. “I’ve always felt that I suck live, but I’m singing 95 per cent of the time and people forget how much physical effort it takes to sing, it’s insane. “Some people just have it in them, they play tambourine and piano at the same as they sing and tap the rhythm. I just focus on getting the voice out. I know this is not true musical craftsmanship but I don’t have a choice – either you want to see me being a performer or you want to see me doing something with the buttons.”
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI Mature Themes
THE SPITFIRES Songs From The Debt Generation
4AD/Remote Control
Independent
Even in the well-stocked haberdashery that is popular music, Ariel Pink is cut from pretty strange cloth. While a string of enchanting, wildly lo-fi psychedelic bedroom recordings released through Animal Collective’s Paw Tracks label set out his stall as an outside savant, it wasn’t until the release of 2010’s Before Today, his first properly recorded album for 4AD, that his sprawling yet catchy compositions won him legions of admirers. Given a push to a wider audience, it’s easy to assume that Pink should want to accomplish more with Mature Themes than previous records. Yet from opener Kinski Assassin – in which Pink ruminates on the likeness of surgically altered Throbbing Gristle frontman Genesis P-Orridge and his mother – it’s clear that Pink is more than happy residing in his own strange universe. That being said, Mature Themes is still one of his better records – there are some excellent pop songs here (including Only In My Dreams and Baby), and it’s sure to satisfy listeners already enamored with the loveable LA gutter-punk’s bizarre schtick. Above all else, Pink’s music worships at the quixotic principle that if you dream it, then so it will be. And that, when you get down to it, is arguably the core impetus of pop music: a ludicrous suspension of disbelief.
It’s always been obvious that The Spitfires were a dark horse determined to blaze their own trail, or at least throw a few hand grenades across the fart-powered bow of the music industry. Now they’re all grown up and they’ve integrated the depth that’s been simmering just below the surface into a finely-tuned mesh of tongue-in-cheek social comment and highquality rock dripping with pop hooks. There’s a bit of the familiar attitude here, especially in opening track Radio Control where singer/ guitarist Sean Regan wails “I don’t need no Sound Advice from you…” in his distinctive Scouser sneer. And yet this debut album is a fully-realised, diverse and ridiculously fucking catchy record. There are pot-shots a-plenty: at the royal family, the Murdoch news group and the money power; but also some deeply personal and reflective lyrics, and some cheeky topical references to boot. What Regan, bassist Paul Bovenkerk and their seemingly endless line-up of drummers have managed to combine here is the unique perspective of WA isolation and the finely-tuned English instinct for what constitutes good quality rock music. On first listen these tunes will stay in your head for days. On repeat, lyrical bites and previously unheard bass runs jump out like little dogs of genius. The band should be pumped with this effort.The rest of you, watch out.
_JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
_BEN WATSON
LOON LAKE Thirty Three
THE WINE DARK SEA Stories Better Never Told
Shock
Independent
Loon Lake have become a formidable force over the past year or so – playing festivals, touring with music heavyweights like Kaiser Chiefs and The Grates – and are now dropping their second EP. The Week is the perfect EP opener, witty and beguiling, yet never quite building up until the end, an excellent teaser and lead-in. Second track Bad To Me is still one of the greatest pop-rock songs to come out of last year; a fun, tight track that is more than deserving of all the praise it has received. Title track Thirty Three is a complete departure from Loon Lake’s usual style, and doesn’t seem to quite fit in, with light guitar and reflective lyrics. Fantasica drives the mood back up with more of those rapid riffs, and tracks like this make it evident that the Loon Lake boys have The Strokes on high rotation on their music player of choice. Heart Stomper wraps up the record with a bucket-load of distortion and emotion, plus some angry gritty vocals from Sam Nolan – it isn’t difficult to envision swaying to this one in a pub, beer in hand. Loon Lake’s clever combination of darting fast-tempo riffs with a classic, laid-back Aussie rock vibe is what makes them so exceptional; not only can you dance to their songs, but you can relate to them, remember them and listen to them every day without getting bored. Awesome stuff.
While the name The Wine Dark Sea may be a relatively new one on the local scene, these lads and lass have done their dues over many years in other outfits. Having surfaced from a backyard shed in the eastern suburbs to play a handful of gigs, their debut release Stories Better Never Told captures a band who has quickly found their niche. Opener Sunday Suit will draw obvious comparisons to Cowboy Junkies because of its relaxed pseudo country feel and Tracey Read’s vocals which border on ethereal. There aren’t enough bands taking this relaxed approach to arrangements on the local scene, and certainly not with the ease and grace of The Wine Dark Sea. With fuzzed out guitar and a more driving approach, Softly ensures that they are no one trick pony. Songs are predominantly slow paced, but there is enough slacker indie smarts to make things interesting without squeezing the tunes of air. Fairground Heart teases the listener as it refuses to settle on a tempo, but it is Suitcase that is the most melodically appealing. Stories Better Never Told is the perfect soundtrack to a Sunday morning, country drives or quiet contemplation over red wine. Once bitten, it’s a disc that is hard not to return to. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT
_CHLOE PAPAS
POP ETC. Pop Etc.
Independent/MGM
Rough Trade
I’m always hesitant to get involved in the debate around hipsterdom and music, mostly because it cheapens the conversation around actual music. People get hung up on trying to pigeonhole a band by how they dress (or how their fans dress) and then forget to listen to the music itself. And yet, there’s always been a close link between contemporary music and subculture and in some cases the conversation of ‘hip-ness’ is inevitable. The self-titled LP from Brooklyn band, POP ETC. (formerly known as The Morning Benders) is just such a case. Everything about this band – the pithy, self-aware, new band name, the shimmery, new-wave synths, the gratuitous autotune (so hot right now), the album booklet that looks like it came straight off tumblr – is just so wantonly ‘hip’ that the listening experience comes off like a lazy marketing ploy. You can practically hear the band, in studio, saying “sure, but which of those drum machines goes best with that paisley shirt I’ll be wearing?” For a pop record too, it’s not all that catchy. Having listened to the album I couldn’t sing you any of the choruses (even if I wanted to). The intention of the album is clear; fun, sugary pop in the vein of Passion Pit. The actual result is a long stream of empty gestures. Quick boys! To the band wagon! _HENRY ANDERSEN www.xpressmag.com.au
FURTHER EARTH World Inside My Head The journey that bands take to find their own unique sound can be seemingly endless. Despite having amassed a solid local following, Further Earth’s second EP, World Inside My Head, clearly demonstrates the five-piece alternative rock act are still experimenting and working out where exactly they want to take their sound. The EP contains two songs from their previously lauded EP, Kingdom, which was produced by ARIA nominated producer Forrester Savell. Canadian producer Alan Brey takes the reins on the two new tracks, which steer away from the progressive rock influences of the first EP. The title track is an alternative rock influenced track and its ambitiousness is a trademark of the band. Equally determined is Soulless And Confused, which offers similar alternative rock inspired offerings and with more emotive vocal work. The guitar work is a simplistic but still rocks along nicely. Singer Ryan Carson’s strong voice is a highlight of all the tracks on the EP and lends to the fact he always aims for epic. The intricate nature of the two older tracks, Fierce Euphoria and The Coastal Repetition illustrate the progression of the band towards streamlined alternative sounds. Further Earth is a band that always aims for big, epic sounds and the offerings on World Inside My Head are brief but promising.
_AARON CORLETT 13
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
www.xpressmag.com.au
15
Helchild
INTERGALACTIC ADVENTURE
Gavin Baskerville takes to the stage for the Wild West Comedy Festival
WESTERN FORCE
The Wild West Comedy Festival returns for another year of big laughs tonight, bringing with it some of the funniest folks in Aussie comedy. If you’re at a loose end this week the Wild West Comedy Festival will have you tied up in no time, with shows galore in and around Northbridge. Head on down to Rosie O’Grady’s from August 23-25 to catch Gavin Baskerville performing Hanging In There, an ode to 10 years in comedy; or pop in Wednesday, August 29, to see Micheal Connell (of Australia’s Got Talent fame) take to the stage with Digital Comedy. Later in the week Rosie O’Grady’s will also play host to comic geniuses such as Joel Ozborn, Ciaran Lyons, Dallas C. Hill Junior and Graham Goodall-Smith; for the full rundown on who’s on and when hit up wildwestcomedy.com.au.
CLOTHES FOR A CAUSE
If your wardrobe is choc-a-block with clothes you never wear then Breast Cancer Care WA is only too happy to help you clear away the clutter. On Sunday, November 11, Breast Cancer Care WA will stage a massive vintage fundraising sale, but before they can do so, they need donations of pre-loved, good quality clothing and accessories from women in the community. Items can be dropped off to 1034 Wellington Street in West Perth. For more information visit breastcancer.org.au.
Strap on your pirate patch and prepare for a journey into deep outer space because comedian extraordinaire Helchild is about to take Perth on a trip to the other side of the universe and back. Promising “colourful suprises, absurdity, piratic depravity and a heart-felt song from a blow-up sex doll,” in her new show Pirates And Sex Dolls In Outer Space, Helchild started life as a visual artist before discovering the joys of comedy.“Through the twists of life I ended up a comic poet and comedian, who also writes plays. Crazy! But my visual artistry still comes in very handy. I design my own make-up, costumes and props and laugh at all my own jokes,” she tells X-Press in the lead up to her Wild West Comedy Festival Show. Catch Helchild in all her glory at Rosie O’Grady’s on Thursday, August 30, Friday, August 31, and Saturday, September 1. Bookings via wildwestcomedy.com.au.
Siberia MonAmour screens as part of the Russian Resurrection Film Festival
PUTIN ON THE RITZ
Set to take over Cinema Paradiso from September 19-26, this year’s Russian Resurrection film festival will showcase the best in arthouse cinema, comedies, animations and dramas from the land of vodka and babushka dolls. In true Luna style the opening night of the festival will be a soiree not to be missed, with a screening of Spy followed by an after party at Olivers’ on James Street with live tunes from Global Rhythm Pot DJ Jane Hebiton, and plenty of delicious Vodka from Beluga. Other films on offer during the festival include Oleg Pogodin’s drama/thriller Home, Two Days – a romantic comedy about traditions in the face of rapid change, and Siberia MonAmour – Slava Ross’ tale about a boy and his grandfather in a deserted Siberian village. Check out the full lineup at lunapalace.com.au.
Wunderkinder
WUNDERKINDER Prodigal Problems
Directed by Markus Rosenmuller Starring Mathilda Adamik, Elin Kolev, Imogen Burrell, Gudrun Landgrebe, Mathias Eysen, Brigitte Grothum, Konstantin Wecker Wunderkinder is ostensibly a children’s film, with its stated target audience being in the mid-tween rage, but it’s difficult to imagine a period piece in subtitled German drawing much of a crowd out of that demographic. It’s a shame, really, because although it goes over ground that has been turned and returned by the Holocaust drama subgenre, it’s a solid and occasionally quite beautiful film. It tells the story of three children who meet in the Ukraine on the eve of World War 2. Hanna (Mathilda Adamik) is the daughter of a wealthy German brewer, while Abrascha (Elin Kolev) and Larissa (Imogen Burrell) are Ukrainian Jewish children. They are brought together because they all share a singular talent - they are musical prodigies. Training under their teacher, Irina Salamonova (Gudrun Landgrebe), their friendship blooms quickly and grows strong, in spite of their national, religious, and class differences. Of course, the German invasion of the USSR puts a strain on all that. Being a Holocaust drama, there are certain tropes that are bound to show up: the rounding up of the victims, the evil Nazi officer (Konstantin Wecker is pretty chilling as Colonel
Schartow, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before), the hiding from searching soldiers. Here, though, director and co-writer Markus Rosenmuller changes things up a bit, reversing the usual set up by having Hanna’s German family hidden by the other children’s parent to protect them from anti-German reprisals, before the Wehrmacht rolls into town and things settle into a more familiar pattern. That familiarity, combined with some simplistic characterisations and plot machinations, stop Wunderkinder from being a great film, though. Some of the dialogue is leaden, with characters speaking in political slogans rather than more realistic speech patterns, and an overreliance on symbolism in the third act, where the children are forced to literally play for their lives by Schartow. This is leavened by strong performances from the young actors in the central roles, and the simple fact that it takes an exceptionally hard heart not to empathise with children trapped in such dire circumstances. Wunderkinder is a film that you want to love, but ultimately can’t. It’s obviously trying so very hard to say something profound, and its stated aim to bring this kind of story to a younger audience is laudable. Yet, while it’s a solid enough movie, it’s not quite strong enough to break out of the subtitle ghetto, meaning it’ll be mostly unnoticed by its intended viewers, while adults will be put off by the elements obviously intended to make it palatable for the young. It’s stuck right in the middle; it’s neither fish nor fowl, and so, while it gets an A for effort, sadly it’s only a C+ for execution. _TRAVIS JOHNSON
Bully
TOTAL RECALL
Memorable Letdown Directed by Len Wiseman Starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston Paul Verhoeven’s seminal action flick, Total Recall, was released in 1990, and was one of the last greats from the golden age of action movies; drawing inspiration from a Philip K. Dick short story. Yet here we are just 20 years later with a remake, something that has left many film enthusiasts with a burning question; is this necessary? Are we that devoid of original ideas that we have to draw inspiration from a fairly recent film, that draws loose inspiration from a short story? The answer is, yes apparently we are. Forget the story of the original flick because even though this is classed as a remake, it bears little resemblance to the original plot. Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) can’t sleep, and when he does he has vivid dreams of events and a life that he doesn’t remember. He lives in a future world that’s been ravaged by a third world war, rendering most of the planet uninhabitable. Two sectors of the world remain populated, the United Federation of Britain in the northern hemisphere and, ahem, The Colony in Australia. Yeah that’s right, we’re The Colony. Citizens live a privileged lifestyle in the UFB, while the workers of the state live in The Colony, traveling to work everyday by The Fall. Because the air is unbreathable, apparently the most sensible thing to do was engineer a tunnel that goes completely 16
through the earth, joining Australia to Britain. A giant rolling train shoots down it, entering zero gravity at the earth’s core, and shoots back up the other end, in just 17 minutes. Just typing it all out is convoluted and while it’s a decent attempt at a giantly impractical vintage sci-fi plot device, it feels wholly unbelievable and uninteresting. It also draws completely away from the central narrative. Feeling unfulfilled in his life as a factory worker, Quaid goes to Rekall, a corporation that can implant memories into your brain, fantasy situations that you’ll believe happened to you. As he signs up for an implant of a life as a spy, the technicians uncover memories of his past life, seemingly wiped from his brain. Is this all real, or is it implanted memories? Few movies have stayed with me like the original Total Recall. From the impossibly gorgeous Sharon Stone, to the freaky mutants and that classic CGI scene of the x-ray security point. Back then action movies had a casual ultra violence that has been almost completely watered down and so much so that the Total Recall given to a 2012 audience has clean, metallic robots as gun fodder. God damn, bloodless, CGI friendly robots. I’ve been a Dick fan, yes I hear it and I don’t care, since my teens. I won’t pretend that the original story this is based on, We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, is some sacred text that shouldn’t be chopped up by Hollywood. But the fact is this movie draws such little from the original text and original film that, given a slight rewrite, could have been an entirely new movie with its own universe and really, it should have. _TOM VARIAN
BULLY
Remember The Days Of The Old School Yard? Directed by Lee Hirsch Starring David Long, Tina Long, Ja’Maya Jackson, Kelby Johnson Bullying sucks, as anyone who had a hard time of it in school can attest. In tackling such a subject, documentary filmmaker Lee Hirsch shines a light on an issue that has affected countless lives. However, although the central tenets of the film are undeniably affecting, Hirsch’s overall thesis is distressingly simplistic. Bully follows the experiences of a number of American school students. Young Alex, cruelly labelled ‘fish face’ by his schoolmates, endures a daily dose of physical and psychological abuse from his peers, while his parents contend with school officials who are dismissive to the point of wilful blindness. Lesbian Kelby, a star athlete who was ostracised by her basketball team after coming out, relates how her formerly well-regarded family was shunned by their entire community. A young African American girl, Ja’Meya, awaits trial for bringing a gun onto a school bus - her last ditch attempt to protect herself from her persecutors. And then there’s Tyler Long and Ty Smalley. We don’t get to hear their stories directly; both committed suicide. It’s certainly powerful material, with the most quietly devastating sequences involving David Long, the father of the deceased Tyler, grappling with the loss of his son and deciding to do something
about it. A simple, man’s man kind of guy, avid hunter David devotes himself to Stand For The Silent, an advocacy group for victims of bullying. Watching this inarticulate man step out of his comfort zone to try and use communication to fight the endemic that claimed his child is simply heartbreaking. For all that, though, there’s something at the core of Bully that niggles. There are choices that Hirsh makes as a filmmaker that trouble the viewer. How did he get this shot? Was that shot staged? How many cameras were present in this scene? There are many ethical dilemmas raised by the process of documentary making, and though Hirsch never slips into full-on exploitation, there are times when he skates awfully close to the line. And, as mentioned, the film’s central ideas are painfully simple. Bullying is bad - yes, we get it. Hirsch never looks at the underlying causes, though. We never look at the home life of a bully, never see the root causes of such behaviour, never look at the staffing or funding issues that may be affecting a given school’s ability to cope with such problems, never consult academics or psychologists who may be able to give some valuable insight into the phenomena. All of which doesn’t excuse the behaviour on display - some the acts committed against Alex and company are downright appalling - but pretending that bullying exists in a vacuum is disingenuous. Ultimately, though it professes to do otherwise, Bully doesn’t tell us anything that we don’t already know. For all its stated intent to lift the lid off an under-discussed issue, it simply illustrates a problem we know exists, without pointing toward a solution that is desperately needed. _TRAVIS JOHNSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
A REAL HOOT A distinctly cultured crowd poured through the doors of the Art Galley Of Western Australia last Thursday, August 16, to see Melbourne songstress Owl Eyes play an intimate solo show against the backdrop of the large-scale art exhibition Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters. Flick over to Live to read our full review of the show…
Verity, Keira & Angie
Photographs by Callum Ponton
Louise & Shelley Amanda, Laura & Mike
Bob, Alana & Ash
Karissa, Vanessa & Corrin
TINY LITTLE TRAGEDIES
Feeling Memories STRUT Dance and the MoveMe Festival present Tiny Little Tragedies at the State Th e a t r e Ce n t r e o f We s t e r n Au s t ra l i a from Wednesday, August 29, to Saturday, September 1. Bookings can be made through BOCS. Tiny Little Tragedies is the latest full-length independent work by local dancer and choreographer Alice Lee Holland. Fraught with beauty and tiny perils, this work explores the truth that lies within movement. Holland describes how the work began and how she came to explore the notion of ‘sensory deja vu’. “ The initial idea and the initial inspiration was these kinds of memories that you have the same physical feeling as when they originally happened. So rather than being what I would call a normal kind of memory where something triggers it, and it comes to your mind, and you think about it, these are memories that you actually feel.” It was 2009 when Holland first took the idea to STRUT Dance Theatre. Through the support of a creative residency she was able to develop the idea further, exploring the notion of truth through involuntary movement and ‘memories that burden’. “What we came to after that was the idea of body truth, which is the idea that the ultimate kind of truth as human beings lies in our bodies and our physicality, with the idea
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Adam, Sara, Aimee & Adrian
Eliza & Jaslyn
that movement never lies,” says Holland. “As much as we can be in control of what we say and what we do, in that kind of composed fickle way, there’s this other truth that’s happening on the inside. So through all of that it’s about the way we are in control and not in control of ourselves and our lives and our world.” I m p o r t a n t l y fo r H o l l a n d t h e s e moments are not comforting or nostalgic. Tiny Little Tragedies explores the movements that burden our conciousness, that give away our secrets and our masquerades leaving us vulnerable and removed. “It’s that kind of physical feeling that you have which you could call nauseas or disorientating, or something that kind of shifts you for a moment, and puts you back where you were when it originally happens. And that’s the thing that really kind of interested me in the first place a memory like that really shifts your perception of time,” says Holland. Tiny Little Tragedies is presented as a part of the inaugural MoveMe Festival, held over six days between August 28-September 2 at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia. During this time dancers from across WA will showcase their work in a selection of works that range from the intimate to the grand, from bold movements to tiny significant gestures. For Holland this festival will mark the presentation of a work long in the planning. “What this production has given me is the really beautiful opportunity to create a snapshot or a landmark at this moment in time in terms of what I want to do in dance and my beliefs and my practice. So I’m looking forward to having it done so I can look at it and see what next.” _LEAH BLANKENDAAL
Tiny Little Tragedies (Photo: Christophe Canato)
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PAUL MCDERMOTT Singing Sensation
Comedian, actor, writer, singer, artist and TV host Paul McDermott is bringing his first solo show Paul Sings to town as part of the Wild West Comedy Festival. Catch him at The Astor Theatre next Friday, August 31, at 7pm and 9.30pm. Hit up wildwestcomedy.com. au for tickets.
Paul McDermott
VISUAL ARTS The Irregular Correct: New Art From Glasgow: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Presenting a selection of what’s happening right now in contemporary Glaswegian art, The Irregular Correct: New Art From Glasgow features work by 10 significant artists working across painting, sculpture, installation, live performance video and more. From a gritty port town, Glasgow has evolved into an internationally renowned artistic hotspot and a major influence on British and European art. Dipping into the richness of European art history and with a connection to popular culture and Glasgow’s incredible musical scene (think Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai and Franz Ferdinand), the work in this exhibition resonates with varied and layered content. Runs ’til Sep 16. Everything So Far: Buratti Fine Art, North Fremantle David Spencer, one of Western Australia’s most promising young artists, is getting ready to present his eighth solo show, entitled Everything So Far at Buratti Fine Art. David’s dramatic art features recurring symbols and patterns in bright colours. He is often inspired by streetscapes, the modern industrial world, what he sees around him and sometimes even what he picks up on his walks. This exhibition captures the essence of the journey David says he has been on since he started painting. Exhibition runs from Aug 24-Sep 18. World Music: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Emerging Perth-based artist Andrew Varano presents his first solo exhibition World Music at Fremantle Arts Centre. Featuring kinetic sound sculptures, video installations and Zen fountain prototypes he questions our seemingly inherent desire to set up relationships and narratives between things. Varano uses the ‘memory palace’, a technique to organise memories, to draw on disparate ideas from amateur beekeeping, conspiracy theory, global cultural production and the characters of Moby Dick, trying to reconcile the relationships between tenuous ideas. Runs ’til Sep 16. Picasso To Warhol: 14 Modern Masters: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Picasso to Warhol: 14 Modern Masters is the exciting launch exhibition of the Australian exclusive partnership between AGWA and MoMA. Featuring over 120 works by fourteen of modern art’s most iconic artists including Matisse, Picasso, Pollock and Warhol, this exhibition presents a world-class introduction to the figures who redefined the very idea of art. Runs ’til Dec 3. Here & Now: Lawrence Wilson Gallery, Nedlands Here & Now is the Lawrence Wilson Gallery’s inaugural annual exhibition of early-career, contemporary Western Australian artists. It surveys the activities of artist run initiatives and places craft-based practices and DIY endeavors within the scope of the gallery, presenting an experimental and interconnected system of art making unique to this time and place. Features work by Tom Freeman, Ben Kovacsy, Clare Peake and Jacob Ogden Smith. Runs ’til Oct 6. 18
You may know Paul McDermott from his days in the comedy group the Doug Anthony All Stars or as the host of Good News Week. McDermott is now bringing his debut solo show Paul Sings to town as part of the Wild West Comedy Festival. Paul Sings is essentially a collection of songs which McDermott and good friend and Good News Week producer Ted Robinson chose from McDermott’s back catalogue of songs which he was commissioned to write from week to week for Good News Week, Good News Weekend, GNW Night Lite, The Sideshow and Melbourne International Comedy Festival galas and debates. “It was quite exciting putting it together just because these songs were normally done within two days of a live recording for television,” McDermott says. “They were hastily put together and then once they were performed they were just lost to the ether and you never really thought about them again because we had another show coming up the next week. A lot of these songs were lost really and we were fortunate to find most of them on YouTube and even still a few were missing. If it weren’t for YouTube, we probably wouldn’t be doing this show.” McDermott says those coming to watch his upcoming show can expect a “pretty free-wheeling experience”. “I tell stories, more anecdotal stories than the comedy I usually
tell,” he says. “Things that have happened to me, things I am aware of and so we haven’t fixed it in time to any particular tales. So you may come along to hear seamy, sordid tales, the underbelly [or] you may not. You may hear liberating fables of excess or hedonism or the numerical combination of flowers, who knows?.” McDermott says some of the songs in the show go back 20-25 years to the Doug Anthony All Stars days, a time that he looks back fondly upon. “I started with the All Stars because I needed money; I needed money to fund my final year exhibition at the art school… and I could see a way of doing it with those fellows [Tim Ferguson, Richard Fidler], I didn’t have much experience as a performer. It kicked off and it kept going and we got about eight years of solid work with that little outfit. After that I didn’t want to continue with the performance side of things but Ted Robinson brought me out of my cave and asked me to do some debates, which I did and that flowed onto some other performance shows and that segued into Good News Week, I have more or less being doing comedy, fractured music since those early days.” As for plans for the remainder of 2012, McDermott has several projects on the go. “There’s a lot going on, there’s always a lot going on,” he says. “ There’s talk about overseas again which would be fun and maybe taking a group abroad. I hope to finish some paintings and small books that I am doing at the moment and maybe get them in a public space where people can actually see them. At the moment it is enjoyable to be doing the music, to allow these songs to breathe again and have a bit of life. And, the reaction we got in Melbourne [for Paul Sings] was quite sort of extraordinary and uplifting. It was exciting to see people; that they came along for starters.” _ANNABEL MACLEAN
Pearth: Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle Hurben presents Pearth, a collection of paintings reflective of the quick shifting culture of our city. Using a range of strong symbolic local icons, Hurben creates a dystopian landscape that challenges Perth’s attitude to its past, present and future, questioning our collective motivations. Well known within the West Australian arts community, Hurben is one of the three founders of the infamous ololo collective whose credits include orchestrating the legendary Condor Car Park project and ReFace 2009 - both of which were highly influential in contributing to Perth’s evolving attitude toward street art. Exhibition runs Aug 30-Sep 26. The Passage South: Emerge Art Space, Mt Lawley Iraqi born artist Ayad Alqaragholli’s new exhibition The Passage South features silicon bronze sculptures and paintings inspired by the varied and often poignant stories of human suffering and oppression in the Middle East. Runs ’til Sep 28. Tricking The Depths: Bivouac, Northbridge Tricking The Depths is the latest solo exhibition by emerging artist Martin E Wills. A mash-up of sciencefiction inspired landscapes and street-art characters, Tricking The Depths explodes as a colourful vista full of unpeeling meat-men with bouffant hair, all dodging sinister holes in the ocean floor. Runs ’til Oct 1.
THEATRE/DANCE Home: Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge How do we find refuge when home is lost? Three young people come together to face an unexpected event and all its repercussions. Working from Maurice Maeterlinck’s one-act play of the same name, The Broken Image Ensemble has devised a new work of exquisite beauty and hope. Season runs Aug 28-Sep 15. Bookings via blueroom.org.au. Boy Girl Wall: Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre presents the metropolitan premiere of Boy Girl Wall, the heartwarming production by award winning contemporary theatre makers The Escapists. This hilarious smash-hit has had critics and audiences alike raving since it first hit the stage in 2009. Boy Girl Wall is the story of Thom and Alethea, two neighbours in an apartment block, trying desperately to keep their lives from falling apart. But the wall that stands between them has decided they belong together. Season runs Sep 7-8. Bookings via manpac.com.au.
On The Misconception Of Oedipus On The Misconception Of Oedipus: Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre, Northbridge We know how the Oedipus story ends - he murders his father and unwittingly marries his mother. But where did this shattering tragedy begin? Devised by Zoë Atkinson, Tom Wright and WA’s own award-winning and nationally acclaimed theatre director Matthew Lutton, On The Misconception Of Oedipus turns its eye to Jocasta and Laius, the parents who birthed a child that would bring about their downfall, and in so doing brought into the world more than a man — they created a myth. Season runs Sep 5-15. Bookings via BOCS.
Boy Gets Girl: Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre, Northbridge Successful journalist Theresa gets talked into a blind date with computer consultant Tony.As blind dates go, this one could have been a lot worse, but Theresa quickly realises that Tony isn’t the man of her dreams.She extricates herself from their second rendezvous as tactfully but firmly as possible.That should have been the end of the story but Tony doesn’t stop calling her at work. He continues to inundate her with flowers. And then he finds out where she lives,and the blind date turns into a living nightmare. In search of help, desperate Theresa finds support where she least expects it, but will she be able to regain control of her life? Season runs Sep 15-30. Bookings via BOCS. X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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B E A T S ,
B A S S
&
B U Z Z I N G
E L E C T R O N I C A
O th On the surface f it would ld seem H Havana B Brown iis sett when it comes to success in the music industry. She has the statuesque superstar looks, a major label deal and powerful industry friends. But, there’s more to her than what meets the eye as ANDREW HICKEY discovers. DJ Havana Brown is no overnight success story. And, while it may appear that way to some, it has taken years for the young, striking lass hailing from Melbourne to emerge on the grand stage. Her driven approach and dedication have taken her to the States where she has been on a whirlwind tour with superstar Pitbull. “It’s been pretty full on but that’s how I like it anyway,” she says from the set of her latest video shoot for You’ll Be Mine, being shot in LA. “I’ve been on tour with Pitbull for the last three weeks, so literally we’ve had no time to do proper rehearsal for the video clip and I was pretty adamant because I wanted choreography for the video.” Eschewing the typical diva mentality that some may expect, Brown considers every aspect of her work, from all angles. “I’m absolutely hands-on with everything I do from the production down to the vocals to the writing,” she says. “For the video I have worked with the director on the concept.” It’s this approach that has seen her make such strides despite some folk questioning her credentials. “If you wanna get what you want then you’re pretty much going to have to do it yourself,” she says. “People think I just stand there and look pretty.” While aesthetic is important and no doubt has played a significant part in her ascension as a popstar, Brown doesn’t want it to overshadow her work. “Obviously every girl wants to look the best way they can possibly look but looking pretty doesn’t mean necessarily that you are not talented or that you don’t have your own mind,” she says. “I actually know what I want and I like shocking people like that. I actually have a vision for myself.” Even with her determination, Brown didn’t foresee the runaway success her first single We Run The Night would have. “I never would’ve expected my first single to be the one that hits it international,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of Aussie acts have tried to crack it in the States and international [acts] and it’s not easy.”
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get back,” she says, with noticeable excitement in her voice. “I haven’t been back in Aus since March; I’ve been touring like crazy. I’m just excited to get back to the Aussie clubs that I’ve toured. I miss Aussie culture and Aussie people.” She has clearly enjoyed her time on the road with tour-mate Pitbull so far and has picked up some inspiration from the American rapper and producer. “I like the way he handles things, he is a business man and he knows his music,” she says. Aside from behind the scenes, Brown has also been inspired by Pitbull’s stage presentation.“His shows are so much fun,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to a concert where the hands of the audience are up the whole entire time. It’s like a big massive party.” The atmosphere and enthusiasm Pitbull brings have helped Brown develop her own stage show. “Even for me, as the support act, they’re out their dancing with their hands up, they’re so much fun.” Well on her own way, Brown’s latest single You’ll Be Mine is taking off on charts around the globe. The evolution of Havana Brown as a performer is a reality and she has graduated from playing someone else’s songs to now performing her own and producing her own original tracks. “I would say I care about it a lot more now because it’s personal,” she says of her musical journey so far. It has been a journey that started out years ago, with her setting out the goals she wanted to achieve.“There were a lot of things I had set out and step by step I got there,” she says. “It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t overnight, every day I did one thing, if not 10 things, towards the next goal.” As someone who likes to take action rather than talk about what she is going to do, the singer and performer hasn’t been so open about her goals in public. “I never really talked about it because I feel like I’m constantly having to prove myself; I don’t want to feel like I have to do any of that,” she says. “I know where my mind’s at, I know what I’m doing and DJ Havana Brown I know where I wanna go. All I need to do is prove it for myself.” As dance music continues to make a major impact Ready to seize the opportunities she has on the US charts, it’s the perfect opportunity for a ahead of her, Brown is working on her debut studio fresh face like Havana Brown to take centre stage. album. While she is “almost there” with regards to the “Everyone’s ready for a new sound, they’re ready to completion of the record, she wants to make a good hear that more electronic sound that’s not necessarily impression. “I want to be a well-rounded artist rather hip hop or R&B,” she says. “It’s something that’s fresh than just a DJ that released a song,” she says. “I want to them and that’s definitely opened the door for people to know I’m very serious about my music too.” me.” Living proof that it can happen, We Run The Night is currently sitting at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. With that success under her belt the globetrotting star is returning home to take » DJ HAVANA BROWN a break from her Pitbull Planet Pit World Tour 2012 to » FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 @ EVE NIGHTCLUB smash out a set at Eve Nightclub. “I cannot wait to
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Too Fresh is a musical project which encompasses everything from trip hop, big beat, jungle, drum’n’bass, techno, garage, funk, breakbeat and more. “Our music is pretty diverse as Too Fresh; we are always open to new sounds coming through,” Jesse begins. “Basically it’s just good party music. We started out with more bassline stuff and then went a bit more into house; after that, we really got into moombahton and pretty much anything around the 110bpm mark. That said, we don’t think people really care as much about genres as they used to which is a good thing – it makes things more exciting.” Likewise, the brothers have also had their share of commercial success which they’re pretty happy about. While their fans are still lining up in the streets for a photo and an autograph, the lads are concentrating on popping out hit afters hit, ala Hotel Party. “We were really happy with that,” he says of the track. “We kind of had an inkling it would do okay. I mean, we didn’t set out to write a crazy leftfield underground track for trainspotters. We wanted something big that blew up our sets a bit and we’re stoked it turned out that way.” For now, the lads aren’t too worried about living up to expectations. Admitting – as part of this
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DJ Zeke
PARTY TIMES WITH GRAN CALAVERA
X-Press’ 27th birthday is coming up shortly and to celebrate, we’re hosting one hell of a party. On the DJ lineup for the big night is drum’n’bass maestro Q-BIK, GET MORE (aka the once-upon-a-time local legendary DJ Jus Haus? whose shared stages with the likes of Boys Noize, The Bloody Beetroots, Steve Aoki, Tiesto and more) and DJ Zeke who just played alongside WASO as part of their Latitude Series last weekend, crazy shit! Warming up the d-floor for the night will be local lads Gran Calavera, the winners of our competition to play the opening set for the evening. It all goes down on Friday, September 14, at Amplifier and Capitol, and what’s better – it’s free. Get on down from 8pm.
NOM NOM NOM
Shit’s about to get crazy down at the home of the underground. That’s right folks, Canadian resident and Shambhala genius Nom De Strip, is about to unleash his beastly sounds of electro, techno, Dutch and disco on Perth d-floor lovers. Since splitting from Tod Hodge and his Leeds project Stupid Fresh, Chris Elliott has gained respect from all the big players in the industry. He’s produced tracks alongside Chris Lake, LA Riots, Micky Slim, Will Bailey and more. Get on down to Ambar on Friday, September 14, from 10pm, to witness the madness. DNGRFLD, Philly Blunt and FTW will be on support duties. Tickets are $20 on the door or snatch up presales for $15 from the Boomtick Shop.
Attention old-skool breakbeat crew! The next instalment of Break-A-Holics Anonymous is coming up. The time, it’s all about the old school, great tunes, breakbeat and vinyl. It’s a strictly vinyl night. So, if you’re up for celebrating all the old school breakbeat sounds when the beats were plump and breaks were king, you’ll need to get your fine booty down to Ambar on Friday, September 28. DJs Marty McFly v Tone, BAA (Micah, Ben Mac, Fdel), Wish v Oli and Nyquist Freqs will be bringing the breaks. Tickets are $15 on the door or snatch up a presale for the same price from the Boomtick Shop. PS: chicks and dudes will be allowed in with cool kicks (Puma, Adidas, Air Max, etc). Woot!
SUPER SHENANIGANS
Launch is playing host to the Perth leg of The Shenanigans Tour which sees local MCs Complete and Omac tear it up at Rocket Room on Thursday, September 6, to celebrate the release of their mixtape The Devil’s Resume. Young gun Complete released his first solo mixtape Panic Disorder when he was 17 years old and shit got wild from there. The Devil’s Resume marks Omac’s third mixtape release in 12 months.Woah! If you haven’t seen these dudes, this is a good opportunity to get on down and show your support. Sever, Aftershock, Bitter Belief, Creed Birch and DJ L Street will also be bringing the beats and rhymes. Do it.
DAS THE WAY!
For the first time ever, American hip hop group DAS EFX are coming to town. They rose to popularity in the early ‘90s with their stream of consciousness lyrical delivery and their fast-paced ragga-influenced flow… even Jay-Z imitated their style! The lads released their landmark debut record Dead Serious which went platinum and the critical and commercial fame then came their way. They even made a guest appearance on Ice Cube’s hit Check Yo Self. Joining the lads will be Queens’ alternative hip hop duo Black Sheep who were part of the Native Tongues Posse which included Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. These guys were one of the first groups to parody gangsta rap. It’s all happening on Thursday, September 27, at the Civic Hotel. Stay tuned for ticketing deets.
KILLAFOE KILLIN’ IT
TOO FRESH Too Fresh is the project of brothers Jesse Desenberg, aka Kid Kenobi, and Miles Desenberg, aka Hugga Thugg. Miles currently lives in London and Jesse is now a family man and is based in Sydney. RK catches up with Jesse.
BREAKAHOLICS MADNESS
Too Fresh project anyway – they’re freshmen on the scene, they are just happy to be getting music out that they’re happy with. To that end, the Like To Party single has just been released and the lads will be unleashing it this Friday night at Ambar. “It features the vocals of Afrika Baby Bam from the Jungle Brothers who we were stoked to have on the track,” Jesse says. “We grew up listening to Jungle Brothers as kids so it was awesome to do that!” Otherwise, co-ordinating life for the two can be a little tricky with baby-bro located overseas. “The way we work it, is one of us spends a whole day working on something and then sends it over and the other one hates it,” he says, half-jokingly. Myles is busy working for trance superstars Above & Beyond in London. “He travels a lot with them and somewhere in there finds time to shoot dope video clips,” Jesse says. “I have another life as Kid Kenobi and am busy with that as well as running the label Klub Kids. Unfortunately, we don’t tour that often but when we do, we could always do with a bit more ‘mobbing’ though. So if you want to come down and give us a group hug that would be cool.”
» TOO FRESH » FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 @ AMBAR
Local producer Killafoe, aka Evan Scott, began experimenting with dubstep back in 2009. But, this wasn’t his first foray into the music scene, having played bass in punk bands and learnt the piano early on in his childhood. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with the young gun.
Killafoe
Mindocracy Recordings and more. Then, in 2009, Scott began experimenting with dubstep alongside good friend and local producer J.Nitrous and went on to release tunes on the likes of Betamorph and Mass Execution before J.Nitrous launched Hypnosis Recordings back in Evan Scott is still recovering from Inhibit’s 6th birthday 2010. “The drum’n’bass that I was making was getting celebrations last Friday when this interview takes place. really, really heavy and really, really hard,” Scott says of Scott played alongside fellow partner-in-crime and good his decision to explore and create dubstep. “And, for friend J-Switch (Daniel Jensen) as Killswitch and local duo me personally, I didn’t really think that I could take it Voltron (whom Scott will be doing future productions [drum’n’bass] anywhere further than just making noise, with) and Frantik whose been there since the beginning really loud noise basically so I kind of felt I had to strip my and who inspired Scott to start DJing.“I was always into style back a bit.” Currently at work on a remix EP entitled Blood music from a really young age,” he says. “My dad was a professional musician so he Is Thicker Than Water alongside J Switch and J.Nitrous, taught me how to play piano when I was about six and Scott is also planning on releasing another EP in October/ November on Jesus Died For Dubstep which will include I kept doing that I suppose over the next few years until fresh track Alone featuring Melbourne-based vocalist Kira I was into my teens and then got into punk bands and Annelies (J.Nitrous’ sister). started playing bass and doing a bit of vocals in punk Aside from all this madness, Scott says he’s bands. So that was really fun.Then at about 15 or 16, I got looking forward to playing Parklife and seeing Labrinth at into the rave scene and was really inspired by everything the festival and he’s pumped about warming up for the and the music and thought it was really cool and then festival at the Parklife Road Trip next Friday, August 31.“A just started DJing from there.” lot of party-bass heavy music… always a lot of hip hop Having got his first set through Perth’s influence,” he says, speaking of what punters can expect legendary drum’n’bass night Trafik,Scott went on to form from the night.“[We’ve] got a few things that we’ve been Killswitch with Daniel Jensen, whom he met through the working on and we can’t wait to meet some new people!” local punk and metal scene when they were both playing in bands, and big things started taking off.“We were both dabbling in making electronic music and I just gave him » KILLAFOE a song to remix of mine and it turned out really, really » PARKLIFE ROAD TRIP good so we thought ‘why don’t we start making music » FRIDAY, AUGUST 31 @ VILLA together?”.” » PARKLIFE Starting out as a drum’n’bass duo, the lads » MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 @ WELLINGTON SQUARE went on to release tracks on Distortion, Mindsaw,
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
techno and I actually used to listen to that when I was in high school and I was like ‘man what’s playing?’ and he got really excited because it was actually his own beats,” Dubs begins.“They were pretty hectic, headache inducing beats and he said ‘have a beer’ and it was that Fucking Hell beer which was pretty funny.” Dubs and Elgusto and back in the studio writing and Dubs says they’ve “definitely come back freshly inspired and ready to write another record”. “We might try and keep the gabba techno off the next release,” Dubs jokes. “We struck a really good rhythm with HyperParadise with the way that we were working; we just had a good flow and were writing beats every day. “We’ve basically been trying to continue that work flow even though we’ve kind of finished the record. In April, we went straight into the studio to work for a month and that gave us a bunch of beats to take over to Europe and now that that’s done, we’re back and we just started in the studio.” The lads did some studio sessions in London and Dubs says it was amazing and really inspiring working with grime rapper A.Dot and London based Zimbabwean MC Takura. “She’s [A.Dot] got a record coming out on EMI probably next year so we were
Hermitude
HERMITUDE HYPER PRODUCTION Blue Mountains hip hop duo Hermitude, aka Luke Dubs and Elgusto, released their fourth record HyperParadise back in February, one of the most exciting releases of 2012. Since then, the lads have toured the record nationally, released a remix EP of HyperParadise, signed a deal with Regal/ Parlophone Records, supported 360 on his The Flying Tour and have just returned from Europe and the UK. ANNABEL MACLEAN checks in with Luke Dubs. Hermitude have just returned from the UK and Europe, having played a sold out show in London, smashed out some studio sessions with Brixton upcoming grime rapper A.Dot and London-based Zimbabwean MC Takura and played Germany’s Fusion Festival, an
HAPPY BIRTHDAY INHIBIT
electronic music festival which is held in a former “Cold War military airbase”. But, tasting Fucking Hell beer in Fredricksen in Berlin was certainly an experience. “We went to a bar that was like this old bus and this dude that ran it was playing this really hardcore gabba
“We’re hopefully going to merge a bit further and spread our wings internationally with this new single deal that we’ve got and going overseas a bit more regularly and put in a bit of ground work. We’re putting our feet into new territory which is always a bit of a buzz.”
writing a beat for her record which was great,” he says. “She was an amazing rapper. She’s come up through the club scene in London, mad flow, really tight; I think everyone’s going to be pretty familiar with her name over the next coming few years. We did another session with a guy named Takura… we did a track with him which was killer; we’ll see what happens with that. “It was really an amazing time hooking up with some well known artists in London and just seeing how they work and the level of professionalism that they have. They’re just grinding over there. They’re writing in the studio every single day, sometimes two or three sessions a day. We went over with a bag of beats so we had some ideas to throw at them so we could kind of keep the session moving but it was amazing, it was really inspiring to work with those guys.” Although the lads were happy with their studio sessions with A.Dot and Takura, Dubs says it’s too early to say yet as to whether the tracks will make the cut for their next record.“We’re not even sure what the next record is going to be,” he says.“We’re definitely thinking of doing something with more vocalists, collaborating with some vocalists. Whether those tracks make the record, I couldn’t say. But, it’s definitely the start of something that’s got us really excited.” Having signed Speak Of The Devil to UK label Regal/Parlophone Recordings, Dubs says they’re looking to expand their sound overseas. “It’s definitely a really exciting thing,” he says, speaking of the deal. “Speak Of The Devil is getting played on Radio 1 over in London… it was cool working with these singers and they were like ‘oh, we’ve been hearing your track on Radio 1, it sounds great’. It really solidified the deal and what it meant and when we went over and met everyone. “We’re hopefully going to merge a bit further and spread our wings internationally with this new single deal that we’ve got and going overseas a bit more regularly and put in a bit of ground work,” he says. “We’re putting our feet into new territory which is always a bit of a buzz.” But, for now, Parklife is their next focus. “There’s definitely going to be some new material going on and we’ll have a few new bangers to test out so they’ll be a few new surprises. We’re definitely looking at the set and turning it up a bit for this tour because we want to make a bang so it’s going to be really exciting. We’re stoked to be on this tour and we can’t wait!”
» HERMITUDE » PARKLIFE » MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 @ WELLINGTON SQUARE
Pip, Marina, Melissa
Shape Bar Friday, August 17, 2012 Inhibit Promotions celebrated their sixth birthday last Friday night and what a ripper night it was. The full Inhibit crew including Killswitch, Voltron, Illusiv B2B Dub Z, Dvise & Bear, Frantik B2B Rufkut, Narkotik, MCs Xsessiv and more, were down on the decks bringing the party. Congratulations on putting on absolutely mad shows for the last six years Inhibit, here’s to many more!
Bree, Brad, Zena, Andrea
Shape Bar (photos by Matt Jelonek)
Emily, Ashley
Lauren, John
Georgia, Alana
Jacinta, Simon www.xpressmag.com.au
Ashley, Ben, Richard 25
FLAWLESS
CAPITOL
WEDNESDAY 22/08 Blvd Tavern – Dub Step Captain Stirling – Fiveo Clancy’s (Applecross) – Upbeat – DJ Andy Connections – DJs Joby /JJ /Rueben Eurobar – Wild Wednesdays - DJ iPod/ Ben Pettit Flying Scotsman – UniQue DJs/ DJ Bones/ DJ Moflow Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Beaufort Bop ft DJ Anton Maz Gold Bar–DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Leederville Hotel – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick Metro Freo - Rapture Mustang – DJ Giles Newport – Newport Wednesdays Sovereign Arms – Lokie Shaw The Deen - DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Queens – Wriggle on YaYa’s – DJ Paul Burgess
THURSDAY 23/08
Tom Piper
Bird – Aoki Takamasa/ James Ireland/ Kynan Tan v Ben Santostefano/ Clunk Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Claremont Hotel- DJ Fiveo/ Jimmy Thorne Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ Andy M Empire Bar – Halo/ DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Eve Nightclub– DJ Chino (Pitbull’s Official DJ)/ DJ Tony Allen
Too Fresh
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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 – Bass Culture Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – MASH South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – DJ Freedz/ Fiveo The Carine Tavern – Punchy & Juicy/ Little Nicky The Causeway – Jaymie Franchina The Craftsman – Roger Smart The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The East End Bar - The Prestige ft Az-T The Queens – Kapitol The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley The Whistling Kite - DJ Gareth Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly Velvet Lounge – Descent Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin
FRIDAY 24/08 Ambar – Too Fresh/ Bezwun/ Marty McFly/ Marko Paulo Amplifier – DJ Jamie Mac Bar 120 – Mr Grevis’ The Sampler album launch Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Bird – Leure/ James Ireland/ The Bosons Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern - DJ Misschief Mel Capitol – Retro Mash
FRAT HOUSE FRIDAYS
Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie Claremont Hotel – DJ Pasha/ Dale Ingvarson Club Bayview – Amnesia ft Fendi/ Axon/ Fellis Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – Lockie Shaw Eve Nightclub– DJ Havana Brown/ 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 Honey Lounge – DJ Curlee/ Drew Green Lakers Tavern – Fresh Fridays - DJ Dooey Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – DJ Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Morris Matches Bar – Lasrhors Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – Frat House Fridays ft Death Disco DJs Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount - DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – Sugar Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Rocket Room – DJ Franky J Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Shape – The Lick Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Avenue – JMC The Carine – Mind Electric/ Little Nicky/ Az-T
DJ Havana Brown
The Causeway – Jus Haus? The East End Bar – Az-T The Generous Squire - DJ Anaru The Queens – DJ Rueben 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 – Abstar Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles Villa – White Trance Party Anthems ft GeRmAn/ Illuminor/ Jt/ Flare
SATURDAY 25/08 Ambar – Japan 4 ft Tee EL/ DNGRFLD/ Philly Blunt/ Ben Mac/ MR eD Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Roger Smart/ Matt Richards/ Ben Dallin Capitol – The Pharcyde/ Computer Jay/ DJ Vickone Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The‘80s ft DJ Ryan Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – Fiveo/ J.V.R Club Bay View – Fiveo Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve Nightclub – DJ Crazy Craig/ DJ Slick 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 Honey Lounge – DJ Saxon/ Sardi Library – MKT ft DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor and more Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Liquid Nightclub - DJ Klar55/ DJ Stevie M Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Melvin Malt Super Club – Fiveo Matches Bar - PJstokes and Valerio Metro City (R&B Lounge) - DJ Slick/DJ Ruthless/DJ Soso/DJ Brett Costello Metro Freo – DTuck/ Darren Briais/ DJ Wazz Mint Nightclub – Pop Life ft DJ Aaron/ AJ Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Danny Mustang – Rockabilly DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Niche – Frankie Button/ Cee/ Jonny Zimber Norma Jeans – DJ Darren Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount- DJ Cornflake / DJ Jordan/ DJ Johnny Boi Players Bar – Embrace Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – Delicious (Ladies Only) ft DJ Franky J South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Dale Ingvarson The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/
METRO FREO
eSQue The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Causeway – Rhys Johnson The Clink –Az-T The Cornerstone – Dylan Hammond The Craftsman – Tammy Stevens The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The East End Bar - Fiveo The Generous Squire – On Tap The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Tony Dee The Wembley – Lokie Shaw The Whistling Kite - DJ Craig The Vic – DJ Kristian Tiger Lils – DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Villa - Sessions 9 Tour ft Tom Piper & Timmy Trumpet Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup
SUNDAY 26/08 Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Empire Bar – CB3/ DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ LStreet/ DJ Don Migi Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic Geisha – Daisuki ft Zanzibar Chanel Mint - Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys Paramount – Glo/ DJ Slick/ DJ Benny C/ DJ Matty S Players Bar – Electro House Battle Rocket Room – Coyote Ugly Sovereign Arms – Josh Tilley The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Tony Dee
MONDAY 27/08 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 28/08 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
BIG APE
SHAPE
THE LIBRARY
METRO CITY
IN THE THIS WEEK:
District ft Q-Bik/ Philly Blunt/ The Circus Showcase ft Doctor Marko Paulo/ JS/ Tonic/ Ol Wright P/ Cookie Monsta/ Funtcase/ Friday, September 7 @ Ambar Slum Dogz Wednesday, September 19 @ DJ Chino (Pitbull’s Official DJ) Onelove Mobile Disco ft John Villa Thursday, August 23 @ Eve Course/ Acid Jacks Nightclub Japan 4 ft Blaze Tripp Friday, September 7 @ Villa Saturday, September 22 @ White Trance Party Anthems ft Urthboy Ambar GeRmAn/ Illuminor/ Jt/ Flare Saturday, September 8 @ The Friday, August 24 @ Villa Friction/ MC Linguistics Rosemount Hotel Saturday, September 22 @ Villa Too Fresh Triple J House Party Tour ft Nina Friday, August 24 @ Ambar Las Vegas/ Flume/ Beni/ What So Octave One Saturday, September 22 @ The Not/ Deacon Rose DJ Havana Brown Bakery Saturday, September 8 @ Capitol Friday, August 24 @ Eve Nightclub Steffi High Wolf The Pharcyde/ Computer Jay/ DJ Saturday, September 8 @ Honey Thursday, September 27 @ PICA Lounge Bar Vickone Saturday, August 25 @ Capitol DAS EFX/ Black Sheep Drumsound & Bassline Smith/ Thursday, September 27 @ The Sessions 9 Tour ft Tom Piper & Hamilton/ Optiv & BTK Civic Hotel Saturday, September 8 @ Villa Timmy Trumpet Saturday, August 25 @ Villa Far East Movement Roger Shah Friday, September 28 @ Eve Friday, September 14 @ Shape Nightclub Nom De Strip Break-A-Holics Friday, September 14 @ Ambar Anonymous: Vinyl Night ft Parklife Road Trip ft Sun City DJs/ Fritz Kalkbrenner Marty McFly v Tone/ BAA Audageous/ Zeke & Kit Pop/ Dr Saturday, September 15 @ Geisha (Micah/ Ben Mac/ Fdel)/ Wish v Space/ Gran Calavera/ Killafoe Oli/ Nyquist Freqs Friday, August 31 @ Villa Krayzie Bone/ Wish Bone (Bone Friday, September 28 @ Villa Thugs N Harmony) Liquid Stranger Saturday, September 15 @ Metro Ferry Corsten/ Shogun Friday, August 31 @ Shape Sunday, September 30 @ Villa City
COMING UP
Woodstock ft Carl Fox Friday, August 31 @ Villa Launch ft Complete/ Omac Thursday, September 6 @ Rocket Room
ShockOne Chaos Theory Tour ft ShockOne/ Phetsta/ Dvise and more Saturday, September 15 @ Villa
Parklife ft Chairlift/ Modestep/ The Presets/ Nero (live)/ Passion Pit/ Plan B/ Justice (DJ set)/ Robyn/ Benga (live)/
Rusko/ Wiley/ Labrinth/ DJ Fresh (live)/ Flume/ Alison Wonderland/ Lee Foss/ Jack Beats (live) and more Monday, October 1 @ Wellington Square
BOUNDARIES
Seth Sentry Saturday, October Rosemount Hotel
WASO ft Paul Daniel/ DJ Zeke/ Andrew Nicholson The Astor Saturday, August 18, 2012
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@
The
Rudimental Thursday, October 11 @ Ambar Paul Oakenfold Saturday, October 6 @ Villa Seth Sentry Sunday, October 7 @ The Norfolk Hotel This Is Nowhere ft Jimmy Edgar/ Ikonika/ Slugabed/ Salva/ D’eon/ James Ireland/ Move Crew/ Rok Riley/ Travis Doom/ Jo Lettenmaier Sunday, October 14 @ Dolphin Theatre & Lawrence Jackson Court, UWA Jay Sean Thursday, October 25 @ Eve Nightclub Stereosonic ft Tiësto/ Avicii/ Calvin Harris/ Example/ Carl Cox/ Major Lazer/ Laidback Luke/ Martin Solveig/ Dash Berlin/ Markus Schulz/ Diplo/ Sander van Doorn/ Infected Mushroom/ Chuckie/ Flux Pavilion/ Mr Oizo/ Porter Robinson/ Loco Dice/ Bassnectar/ JFK MSTRKRFT/ Excision/ Adam Beyer/ Aly & Fila/ Caspa/ Datsik/ Joris Voorn/ Bingo Players/ Tommy Trash/ Simon Patterson/ Gesaffelstein/ Ørjan Nilsen/ Dillon Francis/ Foreign Beggars/ Zedd/ Brodinski/ Krewella/ Nina Kraviz/ Van She/ Alvin Risk/ Destructo/ MaRLo/ Treasure Fingers/ Bart B More and more Sunday, November 25 @ Claremont Showground (TBC) Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC Sunday, December 2 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC Sunday, January 13 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre
The Pharcyde
THE PHARCYDE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 @ CAPITOL
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Big Day Out ft The Bloody Beetroots/ Crystal Castles/ Kaskade/ Pretty Lights/ Nicky Romero/ Morgan Page/ Sampology and more Monday, January 28 @ Claremont Showground Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC Sunday, March 17 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre
Boundaries is a very ‘new music’ kind of a word. Pushing boundaries is basically the job description for new music. Every work on the program for WASO’s Boundary concert, held at The Astor, is an Australian premier and though no piece was especially boundary pushing in the avant-garde sense, the program did an excellent job of introducing new music without alienating WASO’s core audience. The key concern seemed to be boundaries between genres and the night’s program included film music by a rock guitarist, hip hop turntable cadenzas and lashings of jazz and R&B amongst the orchestra. The first work of the night was Jonny Greenwood’s score to Tran Anh Hung’s 2010 film, Norwegian Wood. Jonny Greenwood is, of course, best known as Radiohead’s lead guitarist but he’s an accomplished composer in his own right. Greenwood’s orchestral language owes much to Polish composer Krystof Penderecki – there are the same hanging curtains of string glissandi, the same buzzing masses and latent dread, but Greenwood offsets the tension of these techniques with moments of lush, Wagnerian harmony. The piece’s most beautiful moments came when teeming, dissonant quarter tones would suddenly congeal into some plaintive chord before splitting apart again. The next piece, Gabriel Prokofiev’s Concerto For Turntables, generated the most anticipation of any piece of the night, not least from conductor Paul Daniel who was visibly excited by the cross-genre virtuosity of the piece. The main boundary to be tackled in Concerto For Turntables is one of language – trying to find some common tongue in which the orchestra and turntables can converse. Gabriel Prokofiev (who is the grandson of Romeo And Juliet composer, Sergei Prokofiev) is by no means the first person to bring turntables into a classical context. In fact, classical composers such as John Cage and Paul Hindemith had been using turntables as instruments decades before hip hop. Whereas those composers had worked mostly in fairly closed-off, experimental territory, Concerto For Turntables is unabashedly populist with its Stravinskian orchestration and dazzling displays of turntable virtuosity. The turntable virtuoso in question was Perth’s own DJ Zeke and he did a remarkable job
WASO & DJ Zeke (photo by Guang-Hui Chuan) tackling the fiendishly difficult piece. The turntable score (almost fully notated) reads like a dissertation on the possible techniques for turntables. At one point Zeke sampled an ostinato in the strings and beat-juggled it between both hands as the orchestra continued behind him. Elsewhere he used a variablespeed turntable to pitch shift a flute tone into a gliding melody. After intermission was a more traditional take on the Solo Concerto. Eliot Carter’s Flute Concerto was written in 2008 when the composer was 99 years old and it’s a textbook example of New York modernism. The architecture of the piece is astoundingly complex, with numerous tempi running simultaneously. It is somewhat debatable how much of this structure is audible in performance but the results were surprisingly beautiful. Both soloist Andrew Nicholson and the orchestra performed exceptionally – sounding like ticking clockwork in a piece that could easily come out muddy and indistinct. The night closed on the guaranteed audience-pleaser Hammered Out by Mark-Anthony Turnage which re-imagines the melody from Beyonce’s Single Ladies as a grand orchestral march. I like to think that at the end of the night, maybe a few boundaries were crossed. Perhaps the hip hop fans learned a little about Eliot Cater, perhaps the orchestra buffs gained a new appreciation for DJs.
» HENRY ANDERSEN
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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
With a new EP, Hey!, recently released, Set Sail perform on Saturday, September 1 at HQ (allages); Thursday, September 6 at Amplifier and at Rottofest on Sunday, September 9. BOB GORDON reports. According to their Facebook page, Set Sail played the last show of their current tour a fortnight ago. However here they are in Perth, making the most of momentum, with a slew of gigs to do. It seems that Set Sail is a most appropriate name for this band, as it seems they just goes where the wind blows. “Definitely,” says violinist, Josiah Willows. “We first came to Perth supporting the Brow Horn Orchestra guys. We liked it so much, we just really wanted to come back. So we booked some more shows, and we’re busking and doing a few things
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before we do Amplifier and Rottofest. We’re loving it here. It’s work, but it feels like a vacation.” It’s this attitude that could well be the reason why Set Sail’s brief existence has been so global and so adventurous. While many travelling bands rue the time spent between gigs, Set Sail seem to revel in it. “I don’t think we knew quite what we were getting into at the start of it,” Willows laughs. “We all dropped out of uni in the summer of 2010, played in Sydney, then did the whole trip to Europe thing. Then we booked our first national tour and it all seemed to be happening so we decided to stay out of uni and keep going for it. “Ever since then it’s been a lot of ups and downs; a lot of busting our arses, I guess. We’re all very ambitious, we’re trying to take over the world.” Set Sail recently followed up their debut release, The Riley Moore EP, with a new four-tracker called Hey! The release looked in trouble and strife when US-born singer Brandon Hoogenboom was deported due to a breach of his visa conditions. A 8,500
signature Facebook petition and a sponsorship from Frontier Touring sorted him for an entertainment visa and a once-tragic scenario has become a notorious gain. “It has helped,” Willows considers, “but I think a lot of that is how you look at things as well. Part of being an indie band and developing and not having that major label support and funding means that you have to become pretty creative in how you go about things. So as soon as something like that happens, it’s like, ‘what do we do? Is there any way to turn it around and make it a good thing?’ Anything bad can really be used as an opportunity in disguise, if you will.” As three young musicians out to see the world, the trio in Set Sail are clearly on the same page. Their individual musicality also plays a huge part. “It’s interesting because we all have very different musical backgrounds,” Willows explains.“Josh [May], our drummer, grew up playing jazz and in big bands. Whereas I grew up in a classical environment; I spent seven years of my life just playing in orchestras, no pop music at all. In that time Brandon was going
around California, living in an RV with his mates, playing guitar around campfires. “So we combine all that, plus we’ve developed a lot. Josh is into big pop melodies, more commercial, anthemic, songwriting. I’ve got a love for dance music and folk music, which is a bit of an odd combination. Brad likes more grounded, earthier feels. It’s a nice combination, but there are definitely some tensions that come from that (laughs).” After their upcoming WA shows, Set Sail have interesting plans afoot. As if it would be any other way. “There’s quite a bit happening,” Willows enthuses. “We’re going to BigSound [Brisbane music industry conference] and doing a showcase there, then after that we’ll be releasing the single from the EP, Hey, along with a very different way of touring for it, that I’m not at liberty to reveal yet. But it’ll be a lot of fun, both for our fans and for ourselves. “We’ll be going around the country again, but nobody’s done it like this in Australia before, to my knowledge. It should be cool.”
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FOOTY FAVOURITES September is fast approaching and chances are you’ll find these prominent Perth folks down the pub watching the footy. No really, you will... DANIEL ARRIGONI (HORIZONS TOURING)
Who do you barrack for? West Coast. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? My house. What do you drink while watching? Bloody beer mate! . Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Hopefully WC but probably Hawthorn.
LIZ SHEEHAN (PDMA)
Who do you barrack for? Eagles over Dockers but I barrack for any WA team playing another state. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? Inglewood Hotel. What do you drink while watching? Cider - Bulmers Pear. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? I hope the Eagles.
DAVEY CRADDOCK (HE OF THE SPECTACLES)
Who do you barrack for? The mighty West Coast Eagles. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? The Inglewood or The Oxford. What do you drink while watching? Pipsqueak cider if we’re winning. Scotch if we’re losing . Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Hawthorn, although it pains me to say that.
DAVE CUTBUSH (LIFE IS NOISE GOLDEN BOY)
PETER BARR (RTR FM BREAKFAST)
Who do you barrack for? Freo, way to go. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? Inglewood Hotel. What do you drink while watching? Cooper’s Green. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Dockers. Pfft. Jokes, not yet. This year; North Melbourne in shock twist!
LIAM MAZZUCCHELLI (BOOMTICK)
Who do you barrack for? West Coast Eagles. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? Inglewood Hotel. What do you drink while watching? Gin. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Not The Dockers.
GREG SANDERS (EMPERORS/GUN FEVER)
Who do you barrack for? West Coast, and Freo when they’re not playing the Eagles. I don’t get the “rivalry”. It’s contrived! Which is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? I don’t often watch footy at pubs but the Inglewood is pretty good. What do you drink while watching? VB. Out of a can. In an AC/DC stubby holder. Or Diet Coke. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? It’s too hard to pick - I’ll go with Sydney. Hopefully Collingwood are in it and they lose.
ROTTOFEST 2012 METRO FREO
AUG 31
EMILY CHEUNG (MY KITCHEN RULES/ON THE MAP PR)
Who do you barrack for? I’m a mad Collingwood supporter. Dad brainwashed us from very early on. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy at in Perth? The Inglewood by a mile. Great atmosphere, best steak sangas and the ever important Little Creatures pale ale on tap. What’s not to like? What do you drink while watching? Little Creatures pale ale, pints only thanks! Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? I’d love to say Collingwood, but I think it might be Hawthorn’s turn again this year. They’re a force and have proven they don’t need Buddy to whoop some of the best teams in the competition. I’m still hoping The Pies can get there, but North sure did put us back in our place on Saturday night.
Who do you barrack for? Fremantle and East Perth. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? The Inglewood. What do you drink while watching? Beer - The darker and thicker the better. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Hawthorn and Claremont.
TOBIAS JOHN (SUN CITY)
Who do you barrack for? West Coast. What is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? My local - The Causeway! What do you drink while watching? Beeeers. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? The mighty Eagles of course!
SEAN REGAN (THE SPITFIRES)
BENJAMIN GOLBY (SPLIT SECONDS)
Who do you barrack for? Richmond. Which is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? Hmm, don’t want to sound like a wanker listing a Melbourne pub, [so the] Inglewood. What do you drink while watching? Guinness. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? West Coast .
Who do you barrack for I root for Freo, when I came over here I started going out with a girl who was a dockers fan so she got me into them. Which is your favourite pub to watch the footy in? The Hydey. What do you drink while watching? Coopers Pale Ale. Who do you think is going to win the grand final this year? Geelong.
THE X-PRESS GUIDE TO EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE PERTH SCENE ADVERTISE: ADVERTISING@XPRESSMAG.COM.AU BOOMTICK
SEPT 7
WHAT’S ON IN AUGUST: Illy is bringing his Bring It Back album tour with CHASM Soundsystem feat. Skryptcha to Frat House Fridays at Metropolis Fremantle (58 South Terrace Fremantle) on Friday, August 31. PRICE? Tickets are $28.90 from Oztix. DETAILS? Frat House Fridays has built its reputation on hosting the best student party in town with the best music, the crowd has demanded live Aussie hip hop talent and they have delivered, with none other then Illy! For more deets hit up.
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: One Love Mobile Disco, featuring John Course and Acid Jacks on Friday, September 7. PRICE? $30+BF General Admission; $40+BF VIP (limited). DETAILS? EDM juggernauts, DJ/producers and Billboard chart champions take their rave on the road and have their sights set on Perth. Buckle up for a night of heavy bass-lines, crunchy electro, damn fine vocals and disco meltdowns!
metropolisfremantle.com.au or call (08) 9336 1880.
boomtick.com.au, www.villanightclub.com.au.
SCITECH
SEPT 1
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Scitech After Dark – Saturday, September 1. PRICE? Pre-sale tickets are $10 through scitech.org.au, or $14 at the door. Bar available, 18+. DETAILS? Grab your friends, evoke your inner child and explore Scitech without the kids at this exclusive adults-only event.
BEAT NIGHTCLUB
SEPT 7
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Honeywheeler EP Launch on Friday, September 7. PRICE? Pre-sale tickets receive a free digital download of the EP, plus a bonus track, Around Town. Door sales only $10 or $15 with EP. Bookings, thebeatnightclub@gmail. com, facebook.com/thebeatnightclub. DETAILS? After giving fans a taste of their fast-paced blend of alt rock and pop with a successful single launch earlier this year, Honeywheeler are returning to their favourite venue, Beat Nightclub, to celebrate the release of their debut self-titled EP.
www.scitech.org.au
SPRING FLING
SEPT 1
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: The Meet Market’s Spring Fling launch party on Saturday, September 1. PRICE? $50 including drinks, canapes and a Meet Market goody bag. More info and tickets are available at themeetmarket.com.au or through Moshtix. DETAILS? The Meet Market (at the Byrneleigh Hotel, Nedlands) is Perth’s newest and most sophisticated events business for singles. If you find yourself seeing the same faces week in, week out and you’re in the market to find that ‘special someone’, then perhaps this could be for you!
THE PADDINGTON ALE HOUSE
SEPT 7
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: AFL and NRL finals all live on WA’s biggest LED screen. PRICE? Always free entry at the Paddo. DETAILS? AFL Finals start September 7. Every game is live with sound on our brand new 2.5m x 1.5m LED big screen. The Paddo: winner of the AHA’s ‘Best Sports Bar’ Award 2011 and winner of 12 Awards for Excellence.
www.paddo.com.au
UMS PIANO
SEPT 1-16
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Learn to play music in three days (September 14-16), with internationally renowned teacher, Duncan R.Lorien. PRICE? $795. Over 20,000+ graduates worldwide. Results guaranteed or your money back. DETAILS? Learn notes, chords, scales, jazz and blues improvisation on keyboard or guitar. Plus learn how to read music.
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SEPT 7-8
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER The 140 Pop-up Project is thrilled to announce that Spanish artist, Gary Fernandez, one of the world’s most talented illustrators, is bringing his Southern Wilderness exhibition to 140. PRICE? Free. DETAILS? Having illustrated for fashion icon Dolce & Gabbana, super brands Coca Cola and Nokia, Gary Fernandez’s art has graced countless magazines and books around the world. This internationally acclaimed artist’s exhibition will be open to the public on Friday-Saturday, September 7-8, from 11am - 4pm.
www.140.com.au.
Txt/Call 0417 038 741 or email ums@netspace.net.au
UMS SING
140 WILLIAM
SEPT 1-12
ROTTOFEST 2012
SEPT 8-9
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Learn to sing in two day (September 11-12), with internationally renowned teacher, Duncan R.Lorien. PRICE? $495. Be amazed by the improvement in your voice or your money back. DETAILS? Learn stage presence, sight-singing, improve pitch and breath control, increase range, power and the versatility of your voice.
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: A jam-packed weekend of comedy, film and music on Rottnest Island featuring US comedian Anthony Jeselnik, The Medics and the funniest short films from around Australia hosted by comedy legend, Tim Ferguson. PRICE? Day Trippers $89 and Weekend Passes from $189. DETAILS? Day Trippers include return ferry and access to day events. Weekend Passes include return ferry, accommodation and access to events.
Txt/Call 0417 038 741 or email ums@netspace.net.au.
www.rottofest.com.au. X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
RADIOTHON On Song
Your friend and ours, RTR FM, kicked off its annual Radiothon subscription in rockin’ style last Saturday, with a multi-venue Opening Party spread across The Bakery, The Bird, Ya Yas and PICA Bar.
improvement for next year. “It is such a well known event and extremely important for us so improving the format each year will be big on my agenda, along with the redevelopment of our web presence (rtrfm.com.au) to ensure RTR offers more exclusive local content and perks for subscribers. Stay tuned.” The station is now a good week into Radiothon, which continues until this Sunday, August 26. “I’m amazed how generous people are and I hope they keep it up for the rest of the week. The presenters have just been fantastic getting the word out during their program. We have set a pretty high mark we want to raise but Make It Happen is our catchphrase and people really are, so I am quietly confident.” And if you don’t already know, Mr Cleary has plenty of reasons why you should support the station that supports local culture. “Simply because this is where you hear the new, the weird, the old, the local, the loud, the quiet and anything in between,” he says. “We have over 250 volunteers on air and behind the scenes and a very small staff working their butts off to Make It Happen. We get no guaranteed funding from government and every cent you subscribe goes back into the station to keep it on air 24/7. “Subscriptions also ensure we can put on events like In The Pines and Seriously Sound System that showcase 100 per cent local music and keeps independent music on the airwaves. RTR FM is your station so phone in or sign up online so we continue to provide the sound alternative that is RTR FM.”
Need we say a good time was had by all? “Hopefully I will have recovered by the time this goes to print,” says RTR General Manager, Jason Cleary,“but it went great, people seemed to really enjoy the multi-venue set up and made their way across all the venues and we ended up with a packed Bakery at the end of the night. This was a new format for us and as we have done away with the closing party we really wanted it to be a big celebration of local arts and music and I think we succeeded.” A noted musical contributor to the local scene, Cleary only recently started as the station’s General Manager. Kicking off with Radiothon must be head-spinning stuff... “I’m amazed at the job the staff have done here,” he says. “Radiothon is a pretty crazy time but _ BOB GORDON things have been running amazingly smoothly, touch wood! The office is a bit hectic, but I have had the opportunity to see how everything flows and ideas for Photography by Emma MacKenzie
Alana, Rob @ Bakery
Diger Rokwell, Jesse @ The Bird
Kristin, Clare, Alex @ Bakery
Abdul, Annabelle, Rachael, Kallan, Jackson @ PICA
Matt, Dan, Liz @ Ya Yas
Michael, Brett @ The Bakery
Mike, Craig, Dean @ Ya Yas
Pia, Emily @ Ya Yas
THE X-PRESS GUIDE TO EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE PERTH SCENE ADVERTISE: ADVERTISING@XPRESSMAG.COM.AU AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL
SEPT 14
THE TOUCAN CLUB
SEPT 28
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: X-Press Magazine’s 27th Birthday Party. Friday, September 14. PRICE? Free! DETAILS? An awesome WA Music Showcase with The Ghost Hotel, Boom! Bap! Pow!, Rainy Day Women, Cow Parade Cow plus DJs Q-Bik, Zeke, Get More and Gran Calavera. (11pm onwards – Retro Mash DJs & I Love).
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Bombs Away bring their crazy live set to Mandurah for the first time ever, on Friday, September 28. PRICE? $20 on the door, no pre-sale. DETAILS? Doors open at 9pm for the craziest show Toucan has ever seen. Get in early, it’s gonna go off!
reception@xpressmag.com.au, info@amplifiercapitol.com.au
(08) 9582 8333 toucanclub.com.au.
INDI BAR
SEPT 19
EVE
SEPT 28
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: OKA on Wednesday, September 19. PRICE? $20 at the door. DETAILS? Sunshine Coast trio, OKA, are back in WA this September, bringing their electro-acoustic roots sound to the Indi Bar, after a couple of months of solid touring in Canada. We cannot wait!
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Far East Movement return to Perth and perform at Eve for one night only! PRICE: Tix from $73.20 from frontiertouring.com/farreastmovement DETAILS: Far East Movement at Eve Nightclub Friday, September 28. Doors open 9pm. Join Eve Club on Facebook for info on other hot events.
info@ioh.com.au
facebook.com/evenightclub
Jeru The Damaja
SEPT 20
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Jeru The Damaja hit Amplifier on Thursday, September 20. PRICE? $35 + bf from oztix.com.au. DETAILS? Jeru The Damaja, aka D. Original Dirty Rotten Scoundrel, was born and raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn, where the everyday occurrences around him from an early age later became the source from which his rhymes flow. Jeru created and took on the persona of ‘The Damaja’ because he damages the mic. Doors open 7:30pm
YA-YA’S
SEPT 29
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Steve Smyth Comes To Ya Ya’s on Saturday, September 29. PRICE? $10 DETAILS? Fresh from playing at the Green Man Festival in the UK as well as an album release late last year, NSW born Steve Smyth is set to perform an intimate show at Ya Ya’s. “The flash-in-the-pan, Top Of The Pops thing doesn’t interest me,” Smyth says. “If I had to define my aim, I’d say I want to make music that can’t be pushed into any particular genre or label, but that will be known distinctively as my own.”
info@amplifiercapitol.com.au.
OKA
SEPT 23
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL
SEPT 30
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: OKA. PRICE? $18 from oka-band.com. ETAILS? After a couple of months of solid touring in Canada, OKA (Queensland) are back in WA and will play the Railway Hotel Beer Garden for special Sunday session on September 23.
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Soundz Like Sunday - Spring Sunday Session. PRICE? Free Entry. Bookings preferred, book your table on 9328 7062 or visit www.rosemounthotel.com.au for more details. DETAILS? Featuring local musicians showcasing their acoustic tunes in our Beer Garden from 12.30pm. Presented by James Squire, for a limited time only purchase a jug of Squire (Chancer or 150 Lashes) and get a 12-inch large pizza for just $5. Available during kitchen hours only (12-4pm & 5.30-9pm).
oka-band.com
www.rottofest.com.au.
DAS EFX
SEPT 27
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER? For the first time in Australia, American hip-hop group Das EFX and Black Sheep, an alternative hip-hop duo from Queens, New York, are joining forces for the DAS EFX & Black Sheep Hip Hop Legends Tour. PRICE? $55 from oztix.com.au and moshtix.com.au DETAILS? The Civic Hotel (981 Beaufort Street, Inglewood) on Thursday, September 27. Support comes from DJ Zeke and Motley (UK), Paulie P with Defyre, Slackjaw & Niccy Fear and DJ Jamu. Doors open 8pm. For more info email downundergroundevents@ gmail.com or hit up facebook.com/Bentman.
AMBAR
ALL MONTH
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Every Saturday night is ‘Perth’s Best Club Night’ (PDMAs), Japan 4. The crew on the one’s and two’s has been hand-picked to ensure you get the best of what Japan 4 is all about: the right tunes + the right ‘tude equals the perfect night. PRICE: Door sales: $12 before midnight; $15 thereafter. $10 loyalty. DETAILS: Open until 5am. Voted #1 Nightclub in the Perth Dance Music Awards nine years running (’03 -‘11). Every Friday and Saturday.
boomtick.com.au.
EAST END BAR - PLATINUM
SEPT 28
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Platinum Fridays at Fremantle’s East End Bar & Lounge. The last Friday of each month, 9pm ‘til late. PRICE? $10 entry. DETAILS? The freshest event to hit Perth at the classiest venue, with SlyKidd & DJ Tito on the decks Spinning Perth’s Best hip hop and RNB. Something sparkly for the ladies on entry; Fresh Prince Of Bel Air playing all night on the big screen; $12 cocktail menu featuring the custom made Platinum Cocktail!
the flying scotsman
ALL MONTH
WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER: Uptown Wednesdays At The Scotto. PRICE? Free! DETAILS? Three rooms of great tunes, good vibes and drink specials. Velvet Lounge hosts Roulette catering to Perth’s bass heads and lovers of drum n’ bass. The main bar hosts Uni-que, indie/alternative anthems and a house party vibe. Defectors Bar (upstairs) features a live jazz band each week plus funk, soul and downbeat grooves courtesy of DJ Anton Maz. (08) 9328 6200 or find them Anton Maz Facebook.
www.theeastendbar.com.au www.xpressmag.com.au
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HILLTOP HOODS
Owl Eyes (Photo: Callum Ponton)
OWL EYES Wolves At The Door
ARTBAR, Art Gallery Of Western Australia Thursday, August 16, 2012 Becoming a pop star in 2012 is no easy game to play when the underground has gone overground and the music industry has been relegated to sieving the web, a task every bit as difficult as it sounds, in order to appoint its “Next Big Thing”. It is in this strange state of affairs that 21-year-old Brooke Addamo (who performs under the incredibly hip moniker Owl Eyes) finds herself packing out venues before she has released a full-length album. Since appearing as a finalist on the sixth season of Australian Idol back in 2008, Addamo has been tipped for greatness and, with an acclaimed cover of Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks garnering her even more adoration, a distinctly cultured crowd poured through the doors of the Art Galley Of Western Australia on Thursday evening to hear what all the fuss is about. Wolves At The Door enchanted the audience while the night was still young with their dusty, derelict mix of post-rock and ghostly psych-folk. No strangers to the local scene, the duo have expanded their sound over the course of four or so years: there are velvety textures, lush(er) arrangements and, occasionally, actual choruses. And when the twosome harmonise against a background of faraway guitar, the combined voices make songs such as Colours feel magical.
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Plenty of times on Thursday evening it was unclear where Owl Eyes’ squeal stopped and the synthesisers backing her began. A young singer with a pretty but powerful voice, she makes music that’s a happy car crash of signifiers: part electropop, part soul, part indie rock, part folk. In the past few years, a plethora of young female singers – acts including the likes of Florence And The Machine, Lisa Mitchell, La Roux – have been toying with these styles individually, painting them with shimmering gloss. Brooke Addamo plays all of their games, and well. The live incarnation of recent single Crystalised was a scintillant but strange thing, full of stops and starts and reversed vocals and a big, ravey, filtered synth lurking about in the back of the chorus. It veered toward the precious at the big falsetto points, but then whipped back to weird just as quickly. It would be a fine little foundling of a single in itself, but the better part of Owl Eyes’ ARTBAR set seemed to cement her pop bona fides. Performing tracks from her Faces and Raiders EPs, she tossed her hair like it was its own instrument during the big dance breaks, but also proved she can reel off some pretty powerful chords on her keyboard when the song calls for it. And her voice, while stylised and delicate on record, is a serious and sure instrument in person. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the highlight of the set was a sultry rendition of Pumped Up Kicks which saw Addamo bouncing to life with a stage presence that incited a sing-along. Owl Eyes seems to be that rare songbird who is capable of taking the hype in her stride. Maybe that’s because, whatever game she’s playing, she’s making it all her own. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
slow down the crowd. With the audience primed up and ready to go, Sydney duo Horrorshow took the stage.These guys have been gaining more and more recognition for stellar tracks like Walk You Home and Truth Be Told, and those who were already crowding for a space in the front row were rewarded with about 40 minutes of stellar hip hop. One of the most unexpected Horrorshow /Briggs aspects of their performance was how genuinely stoked they seemed to be there; while most hip hop Challenge Stadium artists have a definite cockiness about them , these Friday, August 17, 2012 guys just seemed happy to be performing. Finishing Hilltop Hoods have been kicking it since 1993, and off with new track The Rain, these guys are well on nowhere was this more apparent than at their their way to cementing themselves as stalwarts in headlining show at Challenge Stadium. Kids and the Aussie hip hop scene - hopefully they have the parents decked out in matching hoodies shows just staying power of The Hoods. how long this band has been around, and how farAs the stage grew darker and the reaching their appeal is. anticipation reached a frenzied point, Hilltop Briggs hit the stage to the beats of Hoods swarmed onto the stage, to the deafening his track Let It Burn, and burned through a few cheers of the crowd. Debris, MC Pressure and Suffa explosive tracks to get the party started. One of the were joined for the tour by One Above, taking over highlights was a remix of So Dangerous over AC/ the synth duties, and Plutonic Labs (of Sydney’s DC’s Back In Black; seeing as how Perth audiences Muph and Plutonic) on guitar. They were two eat up any reference to Bon Scott, however subtle, welcome additions to the stage provided another it was a definite hit with the crowd. Briggs slowed dimension to the Hoods’ music. Kicking things off things down with the track #sheplife, beginning with a short remix of the strings sections of Drinking with a tribute to the recently deceased local legend From The Sun, a pretty impressive pyrotechnics show Hunter, but even that moment of poignancy didn’t accompanied the opening track of I’m No Good. The show was interrupted pretty early by a fight erupting in the moshpit, to the disdain and flat-out disgust of Suffa and MC Pressure. Announcing “Stop that shit right now. That shit has no place here, if you want to do that shit, go to a Kylie Minogue concert”, they successfully got the offending punters ejected from the stadium. The slight interruption only served to get the crowd right onto the Hoods’ side, and they seamlessly ran through an impressive back catalogue of fan favourites such as Recapturing The Vibe, Still Standing, and The Nosebleed Section. The Hoods also paid their respects to the late great MC Hunter in the opening of The Hard Road, before launching into a blistering rendition of the song. After dedicating the Sia-featured track I Love It to a lucky birthday girl in the front row, the group left the stage only to return for an encore of, well, The Return. Despite the crowd getting decidedly rowdy, especially in the seated arena (grabbing people around the throat as they try to leave isn’t an especially welcome gesture), the Hoods still put on an amazing show that will convert you to Aussie hip hop. Hilltop Hoods (Photo: Guang-Hui Chuan) _TARA LLOYD
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
DROWNING HORSE Maximum Volume, Maximum Results A deep, passionate reflection of life’s bleakest corners, Drowning Horse have unleashed a doom‘n’gloom masterpiece in their eponymous debut LP. Ahead of their album launch at The Bakery on Friday, August 24, Brendan McGrath let JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD in on the secrets of demanding attention in a culture that seems fixated on making things shorter and more accessible. Forged by groups such as Candlemass and Saint Vitus, doom does roughly what Black Sabbath did, except slower and heavier. Formidable “drone doom” group Drowning Horse have taken the genre to its logical extremes on their eponymous self-titled album by harnessing the sounds and moods of black metal, expanding its palette through meticulous experimentation and a commitment to the physicality of sound. “We simply wanted the record to sound really big – that was really our only vision,” explains guitarist Brendan McGrath. “Our main focus is to create a really bleak oppressive atmosphere. I don’t know if we consciously tried to take aspects from other doom bands, but they certainly helped in giving us some general direction.” Having emerged from the remnants of hardcore band Defeat, Drowning Horse have slowly, but far from quietly, become one of the most progressive local bands in any genre. Over the past four years the group has helped destroy the idea that the heavier reaches of metal are conservative backwaters, forever in thrall to black leather and compulsive musical onanism.“Our biggest influences musically are probably other doom bands like Burning Witch, Corrupted and Sunn,” explains McGrath. “Without getting too deep I guess the music we write is
Drowning Horse our reaction to everything we experience. We perceive everything in a certain way and we express that through our music. That’s what attracted us to this style of music in the first place – other bands’ music resonated with us. I guess we must feel the need to tell some sort of story too.” The band’s nontraditional approach has earned them cult status in the local scene and a modicum of critical attention, including picking up the Best Metal Act title at this year’s WAMi Awards.“Winning the WAMi was pretty weird,”McGrath says.“We don’t even really consider ourselves a metal band although we probably are – we’ve definitely never played any metal shows. We’d done next to nothing in the way of self promotion so I guess it was interesting for us to be noticed in the first place.” Having begun recording their debut LP back in July 2011, it’s been a long, slow process for the band. Coming out on vinyl only, through Perth’s Heartless Robot label, the self titled album is a fourtrack double LP containing over an hour of soul crushing drones and relentless rhythms.“The songs are essentially the first four songs that we wrote that we were entirely happy with. One of the songs is a reworked version of the very first song we wrote back in 2008,” he says. While Drowning Horse nearly matches their ferocious live power, McGrath admits it was difficult to instill the same energy on their recorded piece of work given that the band won’t be able to control the volume at which listeners are going to listen to the album at home. “This genre is made for a live setting,” he concludes. “It’s definitely not going to have our desired impact if it’s not listened to at a loud volume. Unfortunately there’s not much we can do about that – so, the best we can do is try and make it sound good, at least.”
CAMP ROCK
Does four days singing, listening, performing and interacting with others sound like your cup of tea? This year’s RhythmSong music camp takes place at the Grass Roots Holiday Haven (79 Hughes Rd, Jarrahdale) on Thursday, August 23 ‘til Sunday, August 26. See gyangodfrey.com for more detailed info about tutors and the workshops on offer.
CHICKEN TREAT Dead Owls took out top honours in Heat Two
FINAL DESTINATION
Having taken out top honours at the Heat Three of AmpFest last Friday evening, 19-year-old singer/songwriter Lucas Jones will join dynamic indie-rock two-piece Dead Owls, quirky folk/pop ensemble Bears And Dolls and wildcard entries New Animals and From The Dunes in the final showcase on Friday, September 7, at The Regal Theatre in Subiaco. Prizes are worth over $15, 000, including a Gibson Les Paul guitar and the evening will feature a headline performance from pop/jazz/hip-hop collective Brow Horn Orchestra.
BREATHE EASY
Formed in 2006, Mandurah’s finest scumpunx The Lungs have had a gradual and what seems to be turbulent rise to the top of their game. A hand full of drummers, a dozen or so guitarists, some broken bones and a whole lot of Jacks has shaped this rock’n’roll train wreck into becoming one of Perths longest running and most respected punk rock outfits. Releasing their second full length album Tatts, Scars, Missen Teef with long time drinking buddys The Homicides (one off reunion show) as well as SSA, Lucille and The Shakeys this is a punk rock line-up that will surely go down in local history (that is if anyone remembers it in the morning). Join the mayhem at the Rocket Room this Friday, August 24.
www.xpressmag.com.au
Get ready to party like it’s 1942! Electro-swing project Ensemble Formidable hit up Mojos Bar this Wednesday, August 22, and the Indi Bar on Sunday, August 26, to launch their first single Industrial Chook. Wayfarer will get the party started tonight, while Sunday’s shenanigans are set to involve Minky G & Rosco, plus the amazing permaculture ukelele man himself, Mr Charlie Mgee!
JUST A LITTLE BIT FANCY
Celebrate the release of Dead Set Radio’s first live video clip for S.L.B with friends and fans at the Civic Hotel Backroom this Saturday, August 25, at 8pm in spooky fancy dress! Nevsky Prospekt, RedSky and Midnight Boulevard will also be donning their creepiest attire for what is sure to be an fun-filled energetic night! Entry is $10 or $5 for those in spooky or fancy dress!
RESERVOIR DOGS
Since forming back in 2010, electric three piece Room At The Reservoir have charmed the local scene with their unique brand of ‘70s-inspired psychedelic groove rock enhanced with a modern indie sensibility. Catch their killer live show when they launch their debut EP at The Bird this Saturday, August 25, along with chilly Soviet chums Russian Winters, the ever so sassy Louis And The Honkytonk, and tasty blues lads Nosey Parker.
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Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing bands. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. Email reception@xpressmag.com.au or fax 9213 2882.
The Medics, September 8, Amplifier & September 9, Rottofest
Beach Fossils, October 14, This Is Nowhere
STEPHEN MALKMUS & COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA THE JICKS 14 Perth Concert Hall 28 Rosemount Hotel SEPTEMBER FAR EAST MOVEMENT EVERCLEAR 23 Albany Entertainment TIM HART 14 Capitol 28 Eve Nightclub Centre 1 Newport Hotel THIS IS NOWHERE AARON GOLDBERG ILLY (Tortoise, Xiu Xiu, Grails, 28 & 29 The Ellington BURNING LOVE 1 Capitol KATIE NOONAN & KARIN Beach Fossils, The Bank 22 The Den THE ENGLISH BEAT Holidays, HTRK, Puro SCHAUPP 1 Astor Theatre Instinct, High Tea, New 28 Winthrop Hall UWA PSYCROPTIC War and more) 29 Mandurah Performing HERMAN’S 1 Eliot Street Bar Bunbury Arts Centre 14 Somerville Auditorium HERMITS 2 Newport Hotel and surrounds SIX60 22 Friends Restaurant GRAMPS MORGAN KARISE EDEN 29 Metro City 2 The Bakery 16 & 17 St Joseph’s SHIHAD HOWARD JONES Church Subiaco 28 Amplifier PASSENGER / THE 5 Astor Theatre TODD MCKENNEY 30 Mojos Bar FALLS JOSE FELICIANO 18 & 19 Astor Theatre WAVE ROCK 22 Rosemount Hotel 5 Regal Theatre WEEKENDER (Stephen CLARE BOWDITCH THE BEACH BOYS 20 Astor Theatre Malkmus & The Jicks, 6 Burswood Dome Tim Rogers, Shihad, and PAUL HEATON PITBULL / TAIO MILLIONS 21 Fly By Night more) CRUZ / HAVANA 7 Amplifier SHELLAC 29 - 30 Wave Rock BROWN / DAMIEN LEITH 25 Rosemount Hotel Caravan Park 8 Astor Theatre TIMOMATIC LEB I SOL RUSSIAN CIRCLES / THE MEDICS 23 Burswood Dome 26 Chares Hotel EAGLE TWIN 8 Amplifier BASTARDFEST(Astriaal, 30 The Bakery URTHBOY Fuck I’m Dead, FEAR FACTORY DANIEL GASSIN 8 Rosemount Hotel Desecrator, and more) 30 Capitol 23 The Ellington JOHN 00 FLEMING/ 27 Civic Hotel JASON CREEK OCTOBER THE LIGHTHOUSE TRIO 8 Metro City 27 & 28 The Ellington JOE BONAMASSA ALPINE ROTTOFEST (Millions, GREENTHIEF 1 Perth Concert Hall 23 Newport Hotel The Medics and more) PARKLIFE (The Presets, 27 Rocket Room 24 Prince Of Wales 8 & 9 Rottnest Island 28 Prince Of Wales Nero, Passion Pit, Plan 25 The Bakery SUBHUMANS 29 Newport Hotel B, Rusko, Tame Impala, 12 Amplifier Chiddy Bang, Robyn, and SUNN O))) / PELICAN JONAH MATRANGA JOE MCKEE 28 Capitol more) 12 Amplifier ROCK IT (The Black 24 Rosemount Hotel 1 Wellington Square 14 C5 Metropolis Keys, John Butler Trio, NEKROMANTIX Fremantle Birds Of Tokyo, The 2 Rosemount Hotel TIMOMATIC AMERICA Panics Lanie Lane, DEFEATER / 12 Perth Concert Hall 24 Westfield City Last Dinosaurs, Royal BLACKLISTED PATRICK WOLF Headache, Graveyard 3 Amplifier 14 Fly By Night Train, Brothers Grim, 4 YMCA HQ BONNIWELLS KATCHAFIRE The Toot Toot Toots, and MARTIKA 24 Velvet Lounge 14 Astor Theatre more) 4 Metropolis Fremantle 25 Dada Records 15 Settlers Tavern 28 Joondalup Arena OH MERCY 26 Mojos Bar 16 Prince Of Wales THURSTON MOORE 4 Settlers Tavern EARTH / MARGINS 30 Rosemount Hotel 5 Norfolk Basement 15 Rosemount Hotel HETTY KATE 6 The Bakery INVADERS NOVEMBER SETH SENTRY 25 The Ellington 15 Charles Hotel HOT CHELLE RAE / CHER JASON BONHAM’S LED 4 Studio 146 Albany LLOYD 5 Prince Of Wales ZEPPELIN’S EXPERIENCE THE PHARCYDE 1 Challenge Stadium 6 Rosemount Hotel 15 POSTPONED 25 Capitol 7 Norfolk Hotel BILLY BRAGG LOON LAKE KELLY CLARKSON / THE 2 Astor Theatre 15 Amplifier FRAY AT THE GATES SPLIT SECONDS RUFUS WAINWRIGHT 5 Challenge Stadium 3 Capitol 25 Amplifier 19 Riverside Theatre THE RUBENS WHEATUS THE LIVING END 20 Metropolis Fremantle 5 Capitol 1-7 Rosemount Hotel PSEUDO ECHO 6 Prince Of Wales MYSTERY JETS EMMYLOU HARRIS 25 Charles Hotel 7 Newport Hotel 20 Capitol 6 Perth Concert Hall TZU FEAR FACTORY JOE LONGTHORNE / 5 Baqr 120 20 Capitol THE LAURELS MELISSA MANCHESTER 6 Amplifier GIAN SLATER 25 Mojos Bar 7 Regal Theatre 7 Prince Of Wales 21 & 22 The Ellington JOSH PYKE HYPERFEST (Bluejuice, BRITISH INDIA Seth Sentry, Grey Ghost,, 8 Artbar MARIA MINERVA 22 Amplifier CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE 26 Maylands Yacht Club HANSON / MATT WERTZ and more TBA) BAND 22 Metropolis Fremantle 7 Midland Oval THE AMITY AFFLICTION 8 Fly By Night GYROSCOPE PER PURPOSE / / THE GHOST INSIDE / 22 Rosemount Hotel GEORGE MICHAEL ARCHITECTS RITES WILD NEWTON FAULKNER 10 Perth Arena 7 & 8 Metropolis 27 Galleria East Perth 22 Fly By Night PROGFEST (Ne Fremantle XAVIER RUDD Obliviscaris, and more 25 Goldfields Arts Centre CANNIBAL CORPSE / TERRIBLE TRUTHS / Kalgoorlie DISENTOMB / ENTRAILS TBA) 10 Civic Hotel PER PURPOSE 26 Esperance Civic Centre ERADICATED MATCHBOX TWENTY 28 Dada Records 28 Albany Entertainment 9 Capitol 11 Perth Arena STEEL PANTHER Centre ELTON JOHN 29 Fremantle Arts Centre 11 Metro City AUGUST 12 Perth Arena 30 Caves House Yallingup PAUL CAPSIS PENNYWISE / THE SIGUR ROS 11 Artbar SOLA ROSA MENZINGERS / SHARKS 26 Indi Bar MUMFORD & SONS / 13 Belvoir Amphitheatre 29 Metropolis Fremantle 28 Clancy’s Dunsborough EDWARD SHARPE & THE BEARDS / THE SLASH FEAT. MYLES THE MAGNETIC ZEROS / SNOWDROPPERS 29 Amplifier KENNEDY & THE WILLY MASON THE EASTERN 15 Prince Of Wales CONSPIRATORS 12 & 13 Belvoir 27 Clancy’s 16 Settlers Tavern 30 Metro City Amphitheatre HIGH WOLF 17 Rosemount Hotel ILLY SOUND OF SEASONS 27 PICA Bar 31 Metropolis Fremantle TIM ROGERS 12 Metropolis Fremantle 18 Indi Bar NICKELBACK / JACKSON TIM HART 27 Clancy’s Dunsborough 13 Amplifier Bar FIREBIRD 31 The Ellington 14 YMCA HQ 28 Fly By Night Club DAVE WARNER’S FROM 17 Perth Arena THE SMITH STREET 29 Rosemount Hotel DEEP SEA ARCADE JULIA STONE THE SUBURBS BAND 23 The Rosemount 13 Charles Hotel 28 Astor Theatre 31 Rosemount Hotel
THIS WEEK
ADAM PAGE
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PSYCROPTIC 31 Amplifier Bar
Tim Hart, August 31, The Ellington & September 1, Newport Hotel
STEREOSONIC (Tiësto, Avicii, Calvin Harris, Example, Carl Cox, Major Lazer, and more) 25 Claremont Showgrounds
DECEMBER JUSTINE CLARKE 1 Astor Theatre NATURAL NEW ZEALAND MUSIC FESTIVAL ( Shapeshifter, Kora, Ladi6, Trinity Roots, David Dallas, P-Money & More) 1 Red Hill Auditorium SIMPLE MINDS / DEVO / THE CHURCH / MODELS 4 Kings Park & Botanical Garden KASEY CHAMBERS/ SHANE NICHOLSON 5 Albany Entertainment Centre 6 Civic Centre Esperance 7 Goldfields Arts Centre 8 Mundaring Weir Hotel JLO 6 Perth Arena LAGAWAGON 6 The Rosemount MISSY HIGGINS 8 Fremantle Arts Centre NICKI MINAJ / TYGA 8 Perth Arena REGINA SPEKTOR 19 Belvoir Amphitheatre EVAN DANDO / JULIANA HATFIELD 22 The Rosemount
JANUARY 2013 SOUTHBOUND (The Flaming Lips, SBTRKT, Best Coast, Beach House, Boy & Bear, Coolio, The Vaccines, Bombay Bicycle Club, First Aid Kit, Hilltop Hoods, Hot Chip, Maximo Park, Millions, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Angus Stone, Ball Park Music, Cosmo Jarvis, Django Django, The Hives, Jinjo Safari, Lisa Mitchell, Matt Corby, Sharon Van Etten, Two Door Cinema Club ) 4 & 5 Sir Stewart Bovell Park Busselton 65 DAYS OF STATIC 5 The Bakery SANDI THOM 10 Fly By Night NIGHTWISH 20 Metropolis Fremantle WEEZER 23 Perth Arena BIG DAY OUT (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, Band Of Horses, Kaskade, Animal Collective, Against Me!, 360, Foals, B.O.B, Sleigh Bells, Jeff The Brotherhood, Off!, Grinspoon, Jagwar Ma, Delta Spirit, Everytime I Die, House Vs Hurricane, Alabama Shakes, and more) 28 Claremont Showgrounds
FEBRUARY ED SHEERAN 23 Challenge Stadium
SEPTEMBER ONE DIRECTION 28 & 29 Perth Arena
X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
NASUM Legendary Swedish grindcore outfit Nasum headed to Perth for their first, and only, show at Amplifier Bar last Wednesday, August 15, as part of their world tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary and final farewell. With support coming from the UK’s Dyscarnate and Tasmania’s Psycroptic it made for an evening of brutal musical madness. Photographs By Denis Radacic
Dyscarnate
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Nasum
Nasum
Nasum
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Ensemble Formidable, Wednesday at Mojos & Sunday at Indi Bar
WEDNESDAY 22.08 BALMORAL Nathan Gaunt BAR 120 Felix BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Burning Love Vanity Statues Dyatlov CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Jamie Oehlers GREENWOOD Bernardine HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Aires Linaries Turin Robinson LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Ensemble Formidable Jordan McRobbie MUSTANG Blue Gene NEWPORT Newport Wednesdays PADDO Rob Walker Graphic Fiction Heroes Sarina Cooper PADDY HANNANS 5 Shots ROSEMOUNT Passenger The Falls Stu Larsen ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe THE BROWN FOX Courtney Murphy THE MOON Leigh Craft
Arkayan, Thursday at the Rosemount
Sean O’Neill Amanda Merdzan UNIVERSAL Strutt YA YA’S Sarah Pellicano Nat Ripepi Polly Medlen Just
THURSDAY 23.08 BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Chasing Calee BRASS MONKEY Howie Morgan BRIGHTON Open Mic Night BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB George Garzone HYDE PARK HOTEL Lixy INDI BAR Bex Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Greys and Blues Chrispy Nylon Andrew Bond Just Tre MOJOS BAR Datura Custom Royal Sugapuss MUSTANG BAR Set Sail NEWPORT Alpine Georgi Kay NORFOLK BASEMENT
The Growl
THE GROWL
COW PARADE COW USURPER OF MODERN MEDICINE LEURE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 FLY BY NIGHT
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Mister & Sunbird Nevada Pilot Charlie Jones OCEAN BEACH HOTEL Open Mic Night OXFORD HOTEL Johnny Taylor PADDY HANNANS Dr Bogus ROSEMOUNT The Jephasuns Cypher Welcome to Loco Arkayan ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe SWAN LOUNGE Fliptop THE BIRD Aoki Takamasa James Ireland Kynan Tan V Ben Santostefano Clunk THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE One Trick Phonies THE SHED The Healy’s UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Two Plus One YA YA’S Jake & The Cowboys Spoonful Of Sugar The Renzullo Project
FRIDAY 24.08
7th AVENUE Pop Candy AMPLIFIER Chaos Devine BAILEY BAR Mod Squad BALLYS BAR Anderson BALMORAL The Mojos BAR 120 Mr Grevis BEAT NIGHTCLUB Hostile Little Face The MDC One Armed Sister Dead Set Radio Silver Grenade BELMONT TAVERN Electrophobia BENTLEY HOTEL Karin Page BLACK BETTYS Everlong BOAB TAVERN Blue Hornet BRASS MONKEY Adriam Wilson BROADWAY TAVERN Starmaker Karaoke CAPTAIN STIRLING The Bluebottles CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN)
The Lungs, Friday at the Rocket Room
Prescient Storm The Shores Bend The Sky Armada Vale COMO HOTEL Trevor Jalla CORNERSTONE Flamboyant CRAIGIE TAVERN Acoustic Allstars CRAFTSMAN 5th Avenue DEVILLES PAD King Salami & The Cumberland Three The High Learys Les Sataniques DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Qynn EAST 150 Adam James EASTERN HOTEL Matt Milford ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB TLC Organ Trio James Flynn Danny Martin EMPIRE Howie Morgan FUSE BAR Groove Karaoke GREENWOOD Cargo Beat HERDSMAN Sugarfield HIGHWAY HOTEL Northern Muse HYDE PARK HOTEL Nathan Gaunt The Date The Red Embers Ultrasound Graphic Fiction Heroes INDI BAR Vdelli INDIAN OCEAN BREW Ben Merito KALAMUNDA HOTEL The Date The Red Embers Ultrasound Graphic Fiction Heroes LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Hattrick MARKET CITY TAVERN Tamika Mike Anderson MERRIWA TAVERN Nasty Dogs MOJOS BAR The Trigger Jackets Witches Dead Owls Powder For Pigeons MOON & SIXPENCE Soul Corporation MUSTANG BAR Harry Deluxe Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers NORFOLK BASEMENT Voltaire Twins Grey Joy
PADDO Simon Kelly PADDY HANNANS Gun Shy Romeos PARAMOUNT Flyte PLAYERS BAR Battle Of The Bands Sons Of Saviour Danny Bau Tempest Rising RAILWAY HOTEL Pyromesh Psyconaut Tusk Alazarin Haze RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Parker Avenue ROCKET ROOM The Lungs The Homicides S.S.A. Lucille The Shakeys ROSEMOUNT Joe McKee Melodie Nelson Benedict Moleta Miranda Pollard Josh Fontaine ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Spyce ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Childs Play SEAVIEW HOTEL Mopokes SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Greg Carter Karaoke SWINGING PIG Better Days Greg Carter THE BAILEY Mod Squad THE BELMONT James Wilson THE BIRD Leure James Ireland The Bosons THE BOAT The Organ Grinders THE BROOK Tod Woodward THE EASTERN Neil Colliss THE GATE Smoking Section THE SAINT Emmanuel THE SHED Kickstart THE VIC Jen De Ness TIGER LILS Paul Malone Adam Kelly Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VELVET LOUNGE Bonniwells Smrts Frozen Ocean The Crooks VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic
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.
Leure, Friday at The Bird WANNEROO TAVERN Greg Carter WOODVALE TAVERN Dr Bogus YA YA’S FAIM Scalphunter New Erotic
SATURDAY 25.08 ADMIRAL Better Days AMPLIFIER Split Seconds BALLYS BAR Dove BALMORAL The Recliners BAILEY BAR Lush BAR 120 Flyte BEAT NIGHTCLUB 90’s Flash Back BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Howie Morgan BLACK BETTY’S J Babies BURSWOOD (PRIZE DRAW STAGE) Hi NRG CAPITOL The Pharcyde CHARLES HOTEL Pseudo Echo CIVIC BACK ROOM Dead Set Radio Midnight Boulevard Red Sky Nevsky Prospekt COMO HOTEL Howie Morgan DEVILLES PAD Rocket To Memphis ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Timeout ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Saffron Sharp trio Hetty Kate Empire EMPIRE James Ess FLY BY NIGHT The Growl Cow Parade Cow Usurper Of Modern Medicine Leure GREENWOOD Pretty Fly HIGH ROAD HOTEL Dr Bogus HYDE PARK HOTEL Sickly Sweet Xenon Hum INDI BAR Blue Shaddy LAKERS The Organ Grinders LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Die Hard Karaoke LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John & Shaun Sandosham M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MOJOS BAR
Friday Friday Travis Caudle Dead SetCaudle Radio, Travis Fly ByNight Night Saturday at CivicFly Back Room By
The Laurels Gum Shiny Joe Ryan MUSTANG The Continentals Milhouse NEWPORT Kizzy Gravity NORFOLK BASEMENT The Flower Drums Sean O’Neil Puck Antelope Slums NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB Shangara Live OSBORNE PARK HOTEL Nathan Gaunt PADDY HANNANS Decoy PARAMOUNT Felix PEEL ALEHOUSE Overload QUARIE BAR Electrophobia RAILWAY HOTEL The Black Jackets Oak Tree Suite Bishi Bashi Saysky ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT Ruby Boots Boom! Bap! Pow! The Love Junkies Nevada Pilot ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Flavor ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Blue Gene SAIL & ANCHOR The Kickstarts Cobey Mills SWAN LOUNGE Elk Bell The Wine Dark Sea Daisy Clover Ralway Bell Keegan Ross SWINGING PIG Rock-A-Fellas Greg Carter THE BAILEY Insideout THE BIRD Room At The Reservoir Russian Winters Louis & The Honkytonk Nosey Parker THE BOAT 11:11 THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE SHED Huge THE VIC The Mojos UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WANNEROO TAVERN Mod Squad WOODVALE TAVERN The Damien Cripps Band YA YA’S Will Stoker & The Embers SEAMS The Tawny Rajah Benny Mayhem
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SUNDAY 26.08
7TH AVENUE Reckless Kelly BALLY’S BAR Greg Carter BALMORAL Chasing Calee BAR ORIENT Matt Milford BRIGHTON John Reed BROKEN HILL HOTEL The Organ Grinders CAPTAIN STIRLING Christian Parkinson CARINE Bluebottles CHASE BAR James Wilson CLANCY’S FREMANTLE The Zydecats CLANCY’S DUNSBOROUGH Carus Thompson CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL Pat Nicholson ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Gina Williams EMPIRE CB3 INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit INDI BAR Ensemble Formidable KALAMUNDA HOTEL Box Party LAKERS TAVERN Jamie Powers LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Kirk Soloist LAST DROP John Unit M ON THE POINT Electrophobia MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Bloke in Coats Cangkang Ferigala MOJOS BAR (EVE) The Bonniwells The Shakeys Hurricane Fighter Plane The High Leary’s MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Tim Nelson Agitated Helta Skelta Worst Possible Outcome NORTHLANDS TAVERN Scott Nelson PEEL ALE HOUSE Ryan Rafferty PIG & WHISTLE Sugarfield PINK DUCK Kevin Conway PRINCIPAL Stella Donnelly QUARIE BAR Jack & Jill QUEENS TAVERN Big Al & The Deacons
The Shakeys, Sunday at Mojos Bar
RAILWAY HOTEL Mirror Mirror Breed In Orbit Robo Ant Masonic Noize ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Jonathan Dempsey SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Sean Scott SOVEREIGN ARMS Ivan Ribic SPRINGS TAVERN Leighton Keepa STIRLING ARMS Stu McKay SWINGING PIG Adam James Sophie Jane THE BIRD Fat Shan Music Fundraiser 2 Amanda Merdzan The Big Old Bears BlackMilk The Dianas Jacob Teague Mulder Our Man In Berlin Sam Perry Sean O’Neill The Silent World THE GATE Better Days THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project THE SHED The Healy’s Renogade UNIVERSAL Retriofit VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Neil Colliss WOODVALE TAVERN Good Karma YA YA’S Davey Lane The Morning Night Davey Craddock The spectacles
MONDAY 27.08 BRASS MONKEY James Wilson ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chamber Jam LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) Courtney Murphy MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture YA YA’S Big Tommo’s Variety Open Mic
TUESDAY 28.08 CHARLES HOTEL John Meyer’s Blues Express Awesome Wells ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Groovesmiths Nu-Jazz Ensemble LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John Sandosham LUCKY SHAG Leighton Keepa MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Cult Of Addiction Zeks Bishi Bashi Crooked Cats White Oak Stuyvesant PADDO Simon Kelly PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke
Room At The Reservoir
ROOM AT THE RESERVOIR RUSSIAN WINTERS
LOUIS & THEHONKYTONK NOSEY PARKER
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
THE BIRD
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Classifieds and Music Services Hotline: 9213 2888 Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Deadline: 4pm Monday Credit cards welcome
MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER WANTED Original Alt/heavy rock. Age 18-35. Infl, Tool, SndGdn, FnM, AiC. No costs. Call Chris 0400 782 905 BASS PLAYER WANTED To join in electric Blues band. Needs to be reliable, love the Blues/Rock and have fun. Ring Wes 0405 455 133. GUITARIST/SINGER & DRUMMER WANTED to form Celtic folk/punk band with bass to form Celtic folk/punk band with bass player. Playing Pogues/Clash/Murphys etc. Any age, ability, gender welcome. Bruce 0412999007.î MENU MUSIC/TOTAL HITS CD SAMPLER Interested in hearing YOUR music played in WA cafes and restaurants? Total Hits & Menu Magazine are launching a 2nd compilation CD. The cost to be involved is only $1,000 + GST and you will be featured on a CD that is distributed to cafes and restaurants around WA, profiled in Menu Magazine, featured on www.westcoastcafes.com.au, featured on www.totalhits.com.au and get 50 copies of the compilation CD. Call 9430 6007 or email us at info@eyersrocket.com.au to get involved. METAL BAND SEEKS NEW BASSIST Influences include Sepultura, Slayer, Fear Factory, Chimaira, Machine Head, Hatebreed & more. Send tx to 0422 442 368. Must be dedicated. OPEN MIC NIGHT Ever y Thursday at Moondyne Joes. All welcome. Friendly atmosphere, Call Mark 0409 137 850. OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Tash on 0458 095 364. OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235
SINGER WANTED For new Perth based stoner Rock/Metal band. Influences BLS, Machine Head, Down. Link www.myspace. com/project61XX19. Ph 0412 417 301. VOCALIST WANTED For Alt Rock covers band. Playing AIC, STP, PJ, QOTSA, Sound Garden, Audio Slave & Tea Party. Gigs waiting. Interested parties please call Jarrod on 0424 448 289 for auditions. PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGR APHY Pr o m o p h o to g ra p hy, s t u d i o, l i ve, l o c a t i o n . Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www.projec tphotography.com When its time to ice the cake. PRODUCTION SERVICES * LIGHTING * AUDIO* STAGING * www. nightstarlightingaudio.com.au www. nightstarlightingaudio.com.au www. instandt.com.au www.instandt.com.au 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www. procopy.com.au 9375 3902 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 Vox P.A’s and Funktion-One concert systems. Beat any quote. 9307 8594/ mob 0404 410 020. perthconcertsound.com.au. PA HIRE, PRO SYSTEM, FULL FOLD BACK Experienced operator. Optional light show. Fidelity sound on 0404 331 320. RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www. witzendstudios.com
ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics, 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 Pr o d u c t i o n , m i x i n g, r e c o r d i n g a n d composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $60 p/h. Andrew 0408 097 407 ORACLE SOUND RECORDING STUDIO Multitrack Studio In Osbourne Park Specialising In Punk, Metal and Hardcore. Tracking, Mixing and Song Writing available. Matt 0420 308 935 or Jay 0410 383 630. www. oraclesound.com.au POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors. World class facility. World class results. www.poonshead.com 9339 47 91 R E CO R D I N G M I X I N G M A S T E R I N G PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au SONGWRITERS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE BAND APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience. 20 yrs in London with bands and songwriters. Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic.com.au
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 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 DRUM LESSONS All styles, WAAPA prep. Modern techniques, rudiments, soloing, favourite songs. Beg-Adv. Ph: Pascal 0413 172 817. Available 7 days & all holidays. GUITAR LESSONS For beginner students. Learn how to start from the beginning, play your favourite songs, chords, solos and more. 6 years teaching experience. Guitars and Amps available for hire. Lessons in Duncraig, call Luke on 0400021560. 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.
THE UNDERSTANDING OF MUSIC SEMINAR Lorien’s Law Globe-trotting, myth-busting, radical music educator Duncan R. Lorien returns to Perth for the third visit of his acclaimed Understanding Music Seminars on Friday, September 14 ‘til Sunday, September 16. If you’ve ever thought music is a complex and difficult subject which takes years to learn and requires natural ability and talent, internationally renowned recording artist, composer and music educator Duncan R. Lorien is on a mission to prove you wrong. While some may baulk at the possibility of learning how to read and play music in just three days, Lorien believes that by returning to basics, stripping away convoluted concepts, we can all learn to play piano with a measure of competence in a very short space of time. Every year Lorien travels more than 130,000 kms from his home in Boston on a one man quest to strip the mystery out of music and “turn novices into musicians” at his Understanding Music Seminars. Lorien is returning to Perth as part of his 14th Australian tour this September where he will show aspiring musicians how to tell their middle C from their middle finger, how to play sharps, flats, scales and chords with aplomb and even how to decipher that secret code called the musical score. Lorien’s credentials are quite impeccable. He started learning to play piano at age four. He became the Deputy Head Chorister at the Royal College of Church Music in London before embarking on what he describes as a “New Age” musical career, culminating in the albums Architects Of Time and Dreams Of The Yes Men both of which reached #1 on the UK charts in the ‘80s. He has also worked as a songwriter, recording artist and producer with Polygram, EMI and BMG Publishing. Duncan has been travelling the world delivering his Understanding Music Seminar since 1991, and regularly takes in cities ranging from his hometown in Boston to London, New York, Moscow, Budapest, Stuttgart, Berlin, Prague and the home of Western Music, Vienna. 38
Duncan R. Lorien This talent teacher’s revolutionary approach to teaching music, which he developed free from the constraints of traditional teaching methods, means he has eschewed the conventional music education syllabus and forged his own path, with surprising results. For example, he teaches every note on the keyboard in a matter of minutes, as opposed to the weeks the traditionalists say it will take. Lorien’s seminars are ideal for novices, music students, even people who are self-taught but lack music theory understanding or who’d love to read music. Whether you’ve always wanted to learn how to read and play music but never had the confidence or time to learn, or you took music lessons a long time ago and want to refresh your memory, Lorien’s Understanding Music Seminar is sure to change the way you approach your music making. For more information or to register hit up understandingmusicseminar.com.au, call 0417 038 741 or email ums@netspace.net.au. X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays
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