X-Press Magazine

ISSUE 1335 | 12.09.12

27TH BIRTHDAY EDITION

WASHINGTON CITY OF PERTH 2012 PHOTOGRAPHIC COMMISSIONS

THE EXPLODERS

RUSSIAN RESURRECTION FILM FESTIVAL

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

SUMMADAYZE IS COMING

M.I.A, Summerdayze 2013

Listen up peeps, the lineup for Summadayze 2013 will be revealed tomorrow! That’s right y’all, lock in Thursday, September 13, for the big announcement.

X-Press can reveal, however, that Bolly-hood belle M.I.A has been confirmed as headliner for the event which also has a brand new home. That’s right, Summadayze will happen at Paterson’s Stadium (Subiaco Oval) on Sunday, January 6, 2013.

Fu t u re E n te r t a i n m e n t h a s enlisted LA based pop culture guru Mark ‘The Cobrasnake’ Hunter to curate the art direction and creative concept of the next instalment of Summadayze. Hunter has shot campaigns for Nike, Blackberry, Playstation, Yahoo!, Sony, Virgin Mobile and more.

Check out what he’s all about at thecobrasnake.com and stay tuned for tomorrow’s full announcement!

Congrats Dead Owls!

Sugar Army

SUGAR RUSH

Recent X-Press Magazine cover stars, Sugar Army, have released their second album, Summertime Heavy, and are set to hit the road. The band will kick off a national tour with an album launch at the Rosemount Hotel on Friday, October 5. Quality support comes from Red Jezebel (playing their first show in 18 months), Usurper Of Modern Medicine and Leure, plus special guest DJs. Tickets are on sale now from sugararmy.com.au, heatseeker.com.au and Heatseeker outlets. The first 25 ticket purchasers will receive a special limited edition 40cm x 40cm Summertime Heavy print on the night.

A REAL HOOT

Dead Owls are the AmpFest 2012 winners! The Perth two-piece tore the roof off the Regal Theatre in Subiaco last Friday night with a thrilling grunge/ pop performance that impressed the five judges and wowed the 400-plus crowd. Young indiefolk songwriter Lucas Jones took second place, pop-rockers New Animals placed third, quirk-folk ensemble Bears & Dolls took fourth and rockers From the Dunes took fifth. All finalists walked away with a share of $15,000 in prizes and a night to remember in one of Perth’s most beautiful venues. Flick over to our Live pages to read our review of the show…

OH HARK, LISA’S COMING!

Lucy Peach, Peace Support: Raising Hope for Ba Futuru

RAISING HOPE

To mark the 2012 International Day of Peace, Perth musicians James Teague, Thee Gold Blooms, Lucy Peach and Lillium Stargazer perform at Peace Support: Raising Hope for Ba Futuru, a charity music event at the Civic Hotel on Friday, September 21. The event has been organised by four young volunteers from The Oaktree Foundation, with all money raised from ticket sales going to the Ba Futuru Youth Empowerment and Peace Building Project in Timor-Leste. Tickets can be purchased online for $20 viacivicpeacegig.eventbrite.com. au. Those who can’t make it to the concert can still show their support for peace in Timor-Leste by making a donation via the Eventbrite website.

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Reactions/ Comp

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Flesh

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Music:The Bob Gordons/ Katchafire/ Loon

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Music: Washington

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Music: OKA/ The Exploders

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Music: The Beach Boys

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New Noise

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Eye4 Cover: Popsicle

Bow Wow

BOW WOW IN DA HOUSE

In case you hadn’t already heard the news, American rapper Bow Wow will be playing Capitol tonight, Wednesday, September 12. Bow Wow rose to prominence with his debut album, Beware Of Dog, back in 2000 when he was known as Lil Bow Wow. Two years later he released Doggy Bag and dropped the ‘Lil’ from his name. He’s collaborated with Snoop, Chris Brown, Ciara and more. Get on down to Capitol tonight to check him out. Tickets on the door. Bow wow wow, yippee yo, yippee yay!

Lisa Mitchell is embarking on a national tour to celebrate the release of her new studio record Bless This Mess which is a reference to life and all its wonderful chaos and colour. It’s been three years since Mitchell unveiled her debut album, Wonder, which set hearts aflutter. The sassy songstress will be supported by Melbourne six-piece Alpine and Dann Hume’s new musical project Danco along with her six-piece band. She plays The Astor Theatre on Friday, October 26, for an all ages show. Tickets are $40 plus booking fee and are available from showticketing.com.au and Heatseeker.

She also plays the Prince Of Wales in Bunbury on Saturday, October 27. Tickets are $25 plus booking fee for that gig, head to Oztix. All tickets are on sale tomorrow, Thursday, September 13.

Lisa Mitchell

The Ghost Hotel, X-27

Lake

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Urban Central: Popsicle Feature

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Urban Central: Free Markets/ Free Exercise

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Urban Central: X-Press 27th Birthday Party

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Eye4 News/ Movies: Beasts Of The Southern Wild/ Russian Resurrection Film Festival

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Eye4 Movies: Monsieur Lazhar

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Eye4 Art Stories

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Salt Cover: DJ Fresh

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Salt: Cover Story/ News/ Gran Calavera/

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Salt: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony/ Wiley/

HEAVEN 27

This week’s issue marks X-Press Magazine’s 27th birthday. Yep, that’s 27 years on the clean streets and boy are we not tired just yet. To celebrate, we’d like you and yours to come along to X-27, our Birthday Party on Friday, September 14, at Amplifier/Capitol.

Helping us blow out the candles 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 8pm. And yes, footy fans, the Dockers/Adelaide semi-final will be up on the big screens.

Future Classic DJs Nom De Strip 30

Salt: Club Manual/ Scenery/ Doctor P

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Scene: Live

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Scene: Pub Scene/ Pub Blurbs

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Scene: Local

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Tour Trails

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Gig Guide

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Volume Feature

Cover: Washington plays Live At The Quarry (presented by X-Press) on Friday, November 16, and Saturday, November 17 Salt Cover: DJ Fresh plays Parklife on Monday, October 1, at Wellington Square www.xpressmag.com.au

Norah Jones

TURN ME ON

Sassy singer-songwriter Norah Jones is returning down under for her first national tour in more than seven years. She’ll be celebrating the release of her Danger Mouse (Gnarls, Gorillaz) produced record, Little Broken Hearts, which is out now. Since her last tour out here in 2005, the 33-year-old has worked with the likes of Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson, Outkast, Herbie Hancock, Foo Fighters and more. Presented by X-Press Magazine, Jones plays the Riverside Theatre on Sunday, February 24, 2013. Tickets go on sale next Tuesday, September 18.

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

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

Print and Digital Editions Publisher/Manager Joe Cipriani Editorial

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Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier: fashion@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Annabel Maclean: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Local Music & Arts Editor Jennifer Peterson-Ward: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator Melissa Erpen - guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions Melissa Erpen - win@xpressmag.com.au Photography Callum Ponton, Stefan Caramia, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Denis Radacic Contributing Writers Henry Andersen, Ashleigh Whyte, Nina Bertok, Shaun Cowe, Derek Cromb, Chris Gibbs, Alfred Gorman, George Green, Alex Griffin, Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Coral Huckstep, Travis Johnson, Rezo Kezerashvili,Tara Lloyd, Adam Morris, Andrew Nelson, Chloe Papas, Daniel Parkinson, Tom Varian, Ben Watson, Jessica Willoughby For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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DARK SHADOWS

An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection. Starring a stellar cast including Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Eva Green, we have five copies of the newly released DVD to giveaway. Enter now to be in the running to win.

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X-PRESS MAGAZINE’S 27TH READERS PARTY!

Make sure you get down to our 27th birthday celebrations this Friday, September 14, at Amplifier Capitol for your chance to win prizes on the night including refreshments, CDs, movie tickets and much much more! It’s sure to be a massive night with some of WA’s finest bands and DJs hitting two massive stages so grab your mates, we’ll crank up the music and see you there!

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SIXTEEN CANDLES

Enter now for your chance to win a double pass to the special screening of Sixteen Candles as part of the Hoyts Carousel Pop Culture Classics on Friday, September 21. The film tells the story of a young girl’s “sweet sixteenth” birthday becoming anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible. Starring Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Justin Henry, get in now for your chance to win tickets.

Ruby Sparks

RUBY SPARKS

Killing Them Softly

From the directors of Little Miss Sunshine comes a romantic comedy with a twist. Paul Dano is a novelist struggling with writer’s block and finds romance in the most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence. Starring Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas and Steve Coogan, we have double passes to giveaway to this captivating film. Get in now for your chance to win an in season pass.

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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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KILLING THEM SOFTLY

When their illegal card game is held up, and the life blood of the criminal economy is on the verge of collapse, the mafia calls in enforcer Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to fix the situation. Navigating between his indecisive crime bosses and the dim witted lowlifes behind the heist, Cogan moves to restore order, and protect his interests before the situation spirals out of control. Want to win tickets to this film? Enter now as we have five doubles up for grabs.

ANDY MOOR

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CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 OCTOBER 2011 – MARCH 2012

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DOWNLOAD THE QR READER APP AND GET WINNING!

Sola Rosa

SOLA ROSA Sola Rosa are set to release their new album, Low And Behold, High And Beyond before embarking on their first tour of Australia since 2010. Written over New Zealand’s past two summers, founderproducer Andrew Spraggon has drawn together a host of familiar names and new faces, and produced an album that’s more beat-driven, but as always, tinged with his trademark soul and funk. We have five double passes to their show at Amplifier on Saturday, September 29. This performance is sure to bring the house down so enter now for your chance to win tickets.

Dave Callan

THE LAUGH RESORT

The Laugh Resort will be celebrating their 21st Birthday on Wednesday, September 19, at Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge, and as the longest-running comedy room in WA, they will be throwing one hell of a party! Featuring comedy, cake, door prizes and special guests- including the one and only Dave Callan – this is one shindig you won’t want to miss! We have double passes up for grabs for three lucky readers so get in now for your chance to win.

Many trance fans have been waiting for this moment and it’s finally here. The charismatic producer and DJ from the UK who is Andy Moor debuts his first album after all those years in the scene with Zero Point One. Andy Moor is becoming a legendary name in the trance scene these days, thanks to both his old and new tracks over the years. We have three copies of his brand new album up for grabs so enter now as this is a killer.

MOBILE DISCO

It’s time to dig out your dancing shoes and glitter guns as Onelove returns with Mobile Disco 2012.

Mixed by Chris Lake, Acid Jacks and John Course, this awesome compilation features three discs of cutting edge club and crossover radio weapons from Ivan Gough and Feenixpawl, Axwell, Kaskade, Skrillex, Timomatic, Fedde Le Grand, Nari and Milani, Cedric Gervais, Tommy Trash, Sinden and much more! Get your entries in now to win one of five copies we have up for grabs.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Northeast Party House

NORTHEAST GO WEST The Art

HERE COMES THE ART

Newtown’s bold and brassy rockers The Art will be joining Steel Panther on their first ever headline tour of Australia. Having supported the likes of Them Crooked Vultures, Marilyn Manson, The Pixies amongst others, The Art will be dropping tracks from their latest album Here Comes The War on the tour. Steel Panther will be bringing their full live show extravaganza down under to celebrate the release of their fresh record Balls Out. It’s all happening on Thursday, October 11, at Metro City. Hit up oztix.com.au for tickets. Get your balls out!

Melbourne outfit Northeast Party House are bringing their garage dance tunes to our side of the country as they head out on a national tour in celebration of the release of their ripper new single, Stand Tall. The track is the second tune taken from the band’s forthcoming debut record which is due out in 2013. Since being unearthed by Triple J back in 2010, Northeast Party House have killed it at Falls Festival, Pyramid Rock and more. The band play Speakeasy on Friday, September 28, at Villa, alongside Tim & Jean (DJ set), Funilingus and more. Tickets are on the door.

Jeff Martin

TEA FOR ONE

Canada’s The Tea Party reformed last year for a big Australian (and Canadian) tour to rave reviews.

Now frontman Jeff Martin will follow it up with a series of intimate solo shows this November/ December. He’ll touch down at Friends Restaurant on Thursday, November 22, then jetset over to the east before heading back to play Clancy’s Dunsborough on Friday, December 21, Mojo’s Bar on Saturday, December 22, and the Indi Bar on Sunday, December 23.

For ticketing details hit up facebook. com/jeffmartin777. And for fans that missed out on The Tea Party’s reunion, they have recorded a live double-album due out this month and a live DVD for a November release.

BEACHED AS, BRO Bluejuice

BLUEJUICE DISCOTHEQUE

It may not be winter anymore but Bluejuice are returning to Frat House Fridays as part of their Winter Of Our Discotheque Tour. The party lads have decided to hit the road and try and ease the plight of freezing students by touring the student orientated club nights and universities of Australia. The tour coincides with the release of Bluejuice’s fourth single, The Recession (Winter Of Our Discotheque Remix).

Get on down to Metro Freo on Friday, October 5, to party on down Bluejuice style. Snatch up tickets through oztix.com.au, heatseeker.com.au and moshtix.com.au. Bluejuice will also play Studio 146 in Albany on Saturday, October 6, if you feel like making the trek south.

Tickets are also through Oztix and Heatseeker for that show.

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Ben Folds Five

DON’T FORGET TO GIVE ME BACK MY BLACK T-SHIRT

Who sings that? Ben Folds, that’s who! The legendar y American singe/songwriter is returning down under with bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee for a Ben Folds Five show here in Perth. Formed in Chapel Hill, NC, in 1994, Ben Folds Five became known for their grand piano rock tunes. They split up at their peak in September, 2000, and are now returning with the release of their brand new album, The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, their first record in 13 years. To celebrate its release, Ben Folds Five play Fremantle Arts Centre on Wednesday, November 14. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 14, at 9am, from Oztix.

Harry James Angus

COURTYARD CURIOSITIES

One of WA’s best free music series returns to the Fremantle Arts Centre this October. This year’s Courtyard Music series is set to offer a stellar line-up of free music events, beginning with a beguiling set by local indie pop darlings Simone And Girlfunkle and Patient Little Sister on Sunday, October 7, from 2pm.

Continuing every Sunday until March 2013, each week Courtyard Music brings the very best local and nationally touring artists including The Cat Empire’s outrageously talented Harry James Angus, local five-piece Ruby Boots, Broome’s The Pigram Brothers and New Zealand’s Swamp Thing. Click over to fac.org.au for the full series schedule. The family-friendly series is the perfect way to unwind on a Sunday, so pack a picnic and head down to soak up the good tunes and sunshine.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Brooklyn dreamrockers Beach Fossils have had to postpone their October Australian tour which included a set at boutique event This Is Nowhere on Sunday, October 14.

The Life Is Noise crew has stated they are “committed to replacing Beach Fossils at This Is Nowhere… and are presently engaging some pretty fantastic acts”.We’re sure they’re going to come up with something rad, so keep your eyes on our Facebook oage and we’ll let you know as soon as we do!

TIM’S NOT ON TIME

Anyone that knows Tim Rogers, knows he loves AFL, so when the invitation to perform at this year’s Grand Final came about recently, he jumped at the chance. This did of course mean that dates in his beloved home state of WA would need to be rescheduled so as not to disappoint anyone.

Tickets for the original shows are still valid for the new dates which include Thursday, October 11, at Clancy’s Dunsborough, Friday, October 12, at the Fly By Night, and Saturday, October 13, at the Rosemount Hotel. Tickets through Heatseeker, Mills, 78s, Planet, Star.

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THE BOB GORDONS What’s My Name Again?

With a new single, Uncle Buck, ready to be launched at the Rocket Room this Friday, September 14, with help from Blazin’ Entrails (last Perth show with original line-up), Kill Teen Angst, Blindspot and The Shakeys, it has come to this. Ladies and gentleman, BOB GORDON interviews The Bob Gordons.

It’s a basic tenet of journalism, even music journalism. You are not the story; you are merely telling it.

However, when the name of the band is The Bob Gordons, and your name is well, Bob Gordon, one simply must address the elephant in the room.

So what the bloody hell is going on with your band name?

“Yes, the name,” laughs drummer, Lachlan Crothers.“It’s always been a bit of a talking point for the band and when we first started virtually everyone thought we had just ripped off your name to create a bit of interest around the band or ride on your coattails a bit, suffice to say that wasn’t the case at all.

“So, to set the record straight, how the name really came about is that when Bob [Gordon, bass], Tom [vocals/guitar] and myself started jamming and playing a few songs that they’d written, Bob was always the one to book our rehearsal rooms. After a while Bob moved to London for six months so when we continued jamming with a fill-in bass player - Horse, now our lead guitarist - I started booking the rooms.

The first one I booked I was put on the spot with a name for the booking and just said Bob Gordon.

When we got to the rehearsal room on the white

board they’d written ‘The Bob Gordons’ and we just haven’t really come up with anything better since.

“It’s definitely not the most rock’n’roll story ever; I guess identity theft with malicious intent would have sounded cooler.”

Since The Bob Gordons formed some four years ago I have been asked about the band at least once a week. ‘Are you in that band? Do you manage them?’. No and er, no.

“We get a lot of that stuff too,” Crothers says. “One time in particular I know of, ‘our Bob’ was in Leederville drinking with friends and he was introduced to friend of a friend who played in a local band. Thinking ‘our Bob’ was the editor of X-Press, this certain local band member spent the next hour or so schmoozing up to him. It took a while until someone had enough of a heart to break it to him that ‘our Bob’ was not the important industry contact he’d first thought and leaving him feeling like a bit of a goose. We definitely don’t try to play on it too much, but we do have a bit of fun with it from time to time.”

But enough about me. The Bob Gordons have released a new single, Uncle Buck. It celebrates the late, great John Candy, among other things.

“Yeah, Uncle Buck, another well known name we are constantly associated with,” Crothers

The Bob Gordons says. “So although we have a great deal of respect for John Candy, essentially the song is a celebration of Horse’s unhealthy love for the movie. As far as I know he’s watched it six times in one day. It was originally written as a bit of a joke, the chorus goes, ‘He’s Uncle Buck and he’ll fuck you up!’ but it ended up being a consistent crowd favourite, so we figured, what’s the harm in spending the next six months of our lives recording, releasing and touring a song about an ‘80s family movie? I’m pretty sure that’s an acceptable thing for a punk band to do.”

The new single ushers in a busy period for the band, with an EP scheduled for March and a Victorian tour around the same time. Seems there’s a fair bit ahead for ‘ everyone’s favourite drunk rockers’.

“Everyone’s favourite drunk rockers... hmm, it’s a bit of thing,” Crothers muses. “We’ve sort of earned our reputation as the drunk guys up the front at local punk shows and got to know a lot of crew in the scene this way. As a band we always

LOON LAKE

large fortune. Ha! Maybe.”

The band has just released their second EP, Thirty Three. Bull indicates that it’s the sound of a band realising itself as an entity.

“I don’t think we really stuck to a theme or tried to convey anything in particular,” he contemplates. “These songs are a result of us maybe finding our sound, and experimenting with different arrangements and styles.

“For example, Bad To Me and Cherry Lips are worlds apart in my mind. We did want to show a diversity in our songs and in doing that hopefully move towards a sound that fits. For our album I think we will probably sit down and really nut out what we want the album to sound like and produce a serious product.”

The debut album, it turns out, is already a work in progress. It seems that as momentum grows the prospect of it becomes even more enticing.

“We are writing now,” Bull says. “Sam [Nolan, vocals] has a cracker which we are all excited to get into the studio to bang out. It’s been hard to get time as we have been busy touring and juggling uni and work. But after this tour we will probably get stuck into it. There is talk about going away at the start of next year to write.

Hopefully Byron. We are all super excited to get writing. It’s the best part of the whole thing, as far as I’m concerned.”

Two EPS in and with an album in their sights, one wonder if Loon Lake have become the band they wanted to be upon forming, or something else beyond...

“Good question,” Bull considers. “I suppose we all have different influences, so it’s a blend of everyone. The sound and songs are something we all should be proud of as I think we have our own thing going on. I think we still have the best to come.

“We started very organically, keeping it simple. So these two EPs, I believe, are an awesome stepping stone to something pretty bloody special.”

When X-Press talks to Katchafire frontman, Logan Bell, the kickass Kiwis have just finished up a massive tour of the US, selling out shows and headlining a bunch of festivals.

“We have been touring the USA quite hard for the last seven years, and it has exploded – the reggae scene in the USA is huge, our sound has been accepted amongst Americans,” Bell enthuses.

Despite the popularity of reggae in the US, it’s no secret that many who share Katchafire’s genre struggle to make it past their hometowns. Reggae has never been one of the ‘big’ genres, and, though there are a whole lot of fans out there, it isn’t a style that’s known for drawing massive crowds.

However, as evidenced, Katchafire managed to turn that stereotype on its head; they’ve been repping reggae internationally since they started out as a Bob Marley cover band in 1997. So, what’s their secret? Bell reckons it’s all about strategy.

“First is having a good product and believing in it. I think it’s our work ethic and our business model, it’s always been about taking our live music to the world. We could have taken the easier road - stayed home and taken more money for shows, but instead we have worked hard and built the same demand in world markets.”

The septet have spent more time overseas during the past decade than in their hometown of Hamilton, but the band pointedly identify as Maori. “It’s definitely something we

take seriously, and perpetuating our culture through positive interaction whereever we go is how we do it,” Bell explains.

Unlike other bands in their position, each of the seven members of Katchafire contributes to the songwriting process – no doubt it gets a little crowded in the rehearsal room. Bell says that each member draws from different experiences.

“Personally, I get inspiration from everywhere. I love the movies and pop culture, I love Maori history and war stories - all of this helps inspire me, and my songwriting is usually about personal experience.”

It’s difficult to believe that the group have managed to keep it together after 15 years – unsurprisingly, there’s been a few lineup changes. But, Bell attests that it’s all about the family love.

“The family dynamic, it’s helped us over come things normal bands wouldn’t. We are all brothers, and we know exactly how each character will react in any given situation. So, we all take the strain when needed, and ease off when needed. Whanau!”

The group have only released four full-length records, preferring to spend their time touring. However, Bell confirms that a new record is on the cards for early 2013.“We’ve been listening to a lot of new school Jamaican artists on the road lately, such as Romain Virgo, Richie Spice, the Marleys - so I’m sure that will have some impact on new material.”

This Is Serious Mum

Melbourne’s Loon Lake launch their new EP, Thirty Three this Friday, September 14, at the Prince of Wales in Bunbury and Saturday, September 15, at Amplifier. BOB GORDON reports.

Loon Lake were last in Perth in support of the Kaiser Chefs back in May. Since then, much has happened, but memories certainly do last.

“The Perth show for Kaisers was awesome,” recalls guitarist, Dan Bull.“Quite a few people got there early for the supports, so it was a great response. We all can’t wait to do our show in Perth as we have had loads of fans asking for dates. It’s gonna be fun in the sun.”

The band’s single, Cherry Lips, is getting excellent airplay around the country now. While he’s starting to get used to hearing his song on the radio, Bull says there’s still a kick to be had from it.

“It came on today while I was in the car and I just sung along. I did turn it up, though. It’s still getting flogged on the Js so we are all thankful to everyone who has requested and bought the EP and also who has followed us, to make it happen. Its kind of flattering when it comes on somewhere when you’re out and people are digging it.”

Loon Lake’s Triple J affair continued last week

Loon Lake when they took a hallowed Like A Version slot to deliver their take on The xx’s Angels.

“It was a crazy experience,” Bull says. “It was like, ‘wow, this is serious mum’. We only chose and rehearsed the song a couple of days prior, so it was definitely nerve-wracking, but also thrilling to have our live music played to so many people. It was all video’d so it’s there for us to look back on when we are retired in Barbados with our pimped pad, JK-style Ferraris and

Katchafire

KATCHAFIRE The Family Stand

Lauded as one of the hardest touring bands in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand reggae masters Katchafire have been roaming around the world spreading the word of reggae for 15 years. CHLOE PAPAS has a chat to them ahead of their gigs at The Astor on Friday, September 14, Settler’s Tavern in Margaret River on Saturday, September 15, and Bunbury’s Prince of Wales on Sunday, September 16.

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figured that the four of us would be hanging out and drinking beer together regardless of the band anyway, so why not add playing music to our socially acceptable binge drinking and try to get something productive from the weekends?

“We’ve definitely come to the realisation that when your drunkenness gets in the way of playing a good show then maybe you should tone it down a bit. There were a few shows earlier this year where things got a bit out of control, lots of blood, broken gear and lead singers fall off stages in drunken stupors but we’ve roped it in just enough to maintain a performance quality.”

That’s just the way it is when business is pleasure...

“We just want to keep writing and recording our own songs, getting out on the road as much as possible so that as many people can hear them and continue drinking beer with our friends and having fun. It’s a pretty basic philosophy, but seems to work for us.”

Yeah, me too.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

WASHINGTON Puberty Blues

After taking a year off for some much needed R&R, indie pop princess Megan Washington is preparing to re-introduce herself to audiences with a bout of touring and a new album on the way. JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD speaks with Washington ahead of her shows as part of the Live At The Quarry series on Friday-Saturday, November 16-17, presented by X-Press Magazine.

Remember the winter of 2010? A new female pop star stalked the land, looking like the next big thing and being touted by music critics and pop fans alike as the brightest new star in Australian contemporary music.

Under the moniker of Washington, Brisbane-raised, Melbourne-based singer Megan Washington made frothy-but-savvy indie pop that briefly felt like the zeitgeist and struck a chord with music lovers across the nation. After years of toil, the former jazz vocalist found herself propelled into the spotlight and in the space of a few short months her debut album I Believe You Liar rose to #3 on the charts, went platinum and culminated in beating out Kylie Minogue to be crowned the ‘Best Female Artist’ at the 2010 ARIA Awards.

Now, more than two years on, her second album is imminent, and Washington is preparing herself for the mayhem to take over her life all over again. “I never really expected anybody to care about the first one as much as they did,” Washington begins.

Yet care they did, and after a whirlwind 18 months of touring, promotional duties, more touring, and yet more promotional duties, the young singer/ songwriter – only 24 at the time – found herself physically and mentally exhausted, with a short bout of pneumonia in December that year serving as proof of the toll this new lifestyle was taking.

“I haven’t really lived for the last three or four years – I’ve been a slave to my schedule – and this year has just been a great opportunity for me to actually live another life and have friends and do all that stuff,” she says.

“I’ve been writing a lot, I’ve been going to the gym a lot, I’ve been taking yoga, I lived in Sydney for a little bit and that was a new experience. I’ve discovered my kindred souls in the fashion world and I’ve enjoyed exploring that world.”

It hasn’t all been lie-ins and lattes, however, with Washington taking a break to mentor contestants in Nine’s top-rating blockbuster The Voice earlier this year.

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“I had some reservations about those types of shows heading in… but I realised there was a great amount of authenticity and social responsibility that the show embodied. I liked the honesty it attempted – attempted being the operative word,” she says. “Not that it failed, but there’s an inherent level of fiction in all reality television and this was no exception.

Beyond that I think it was really socially aware and forward-thinking and I did have a fantastic time. I’m really happy I chose to do it... I would consider doing something like it again but it would depend on my other commitments.”

As the pint-sized pop singer attests, she’s preparing herself for a much busier schedule in 2013, with her second full-length studio album tipped to be dropped early in the new year.

“Look, I want to tell you the truth but I don’t want to jinx anything. I hate those people who say they’re going to do something and it doesn’t eventuate to anything,” she says. “Having said that, it’s happening. It’s looking like it’ll be ready for release next year. It’s mostly written but I’m really prone to changing my mind, so everything with a grain of salt, but it’s pretty close to being done.”

Despite the huge success of I Believe You Liar, Washington claims she’s “not really” feeling much pressure to produce an equally successful follow up.

“Obviously I want to make something people are going to respond to but I don’t want any expectations, or any expectations of expectations, to taint or dilute the buzz when it lights,” she says. “It’s still me. The first album sort of had a sound but all of the songs were very eclectic and that eclecticism is what people almost expect. But who knows? Maybe they’ll hate it. Maybe we’ll be having this conversation in a year’s time and I’ll be saying ‘well no one liked that, soldier on’.”

With I Believe You Liar securing a US release in late 2011, Washington also briefly relocated from Melbourne to the Big Apple, with the change in environment proving to be a source of inspiration for new material.

Megan Washington

“I want to tell you the truth, but I don’t want to jinx anything. I hate those people who say they’re going to do something and it doesn’t eventuate to anything. Having said that, it’s happening. It’s looking like it’ll be ready for release next year. It’s mostly written but I’m really prone to changing my mind, so everything with a grain of salt, but it’s pretty close to being done.”

“It doesn’t really bother me where I am,” she says. “There were some really good experiences when I was overseas and there were some really not-that-good experiences while I was overseas.

It really is based on the individual rather than the geography of where I am. I really just live on the internet. With the first album I was very conscious of what I was endeavoring to do but with this record I wrote a couple of songs here, I wrote a couple of songs there.

“It’s sorta come about really accidentally.

I didn’t block out a week in the studio and go ‘right here we go everybody, let’s make an album’. I just doodled around and then looked at the piece of paper I had doodled on and went ‘oh there you go, there’s a record’. ” Fans can expect to be indulged with a taste of the new record at Washington’s upcoming live shows (she’ll also be supporting Rufus Wainwright on Wednesday, September 19, at the Riverside Theatre).

“It’ll be a great opportunity to test out new things on an empathetic audience,” she concludes. “It’s absolutely going to be a lot of fun.

I think as a band we’ve overcome our puberty blues and we’re not that much about the rock’n’roll anymore. I mean we are, in a sense, but we’re more about positivity and just making sure the crowd is happy and enjoying themselves.”

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OKA

Sunshine Supermen Ahead of their upcoming West Coast tour – which includes shows on Thursday, September 13, at Mojo’s Bar; Wednesday, September 19, at the Indi Bar and Sunday, September 23, at the Railway Hotel (see Tour Trails for full list of regional dates) – JENNIFER PETERSONWARD chats with Oka’s Stu Fergie about why a hectic schedule equals heaven for this hardworking band.

Oka

We’re only three quarters of the way through 2012 but already the Queensland outfit has released their sixth LP, Milk And Honey, trekked across Australia on a massive national tour, headed overseas to undertake tours of the US and Canada, begun readying a new album and are about to embark on a second tour of the West.

According to didgeridoo player, Stu Fergie, the band has been “chasing an endless summer” which most recently took them all the way to Canada, where they undertook no less than 150 shows in just 50 days. “In Canada they only really have three months of sunshine so they really let loose and get the party going.

Is Oka the hardest working band on the planet? One Everyone was just peaking on that energy,” he says.

Despite their hectic touring schedule, look at their schedule and the answer seems to be Fergie reveals that the band was able to still able a resounding yes.

to bunker down and pen some new tunes for their seventh studio album which he expects will be ready for release in early 2013.

“Eighty per cent of the writing for the album is done while we’re touring and playing live, and then we refine it until we hit on a version we like and then we head into the studio and lay it down,” he says.“We’ve got plenty enough tracks so we’re hoping to have it ready for release by early next year.”

As Fergie attests, his band is aiming to use their upcoming West coast tour to “test out” their new tunes. “WA is the perfect place to do a preview of the new songs because the audience is always really responsive,” he explains. “WA’s got something pretty special in terms of the live music scene there. There’s always a high energy from the crowd – not just that they’re there to see live music but they’re there to support original music which is such a great thing.”

According to Fergie the new album will experiment with some innovative sonic textures while still maintaining an upbeat message.

“Milk And Honey was out first album with new drummer Charles Wall – who people may know as Bobby Alu – and he’s got an amazing gift with singing and that naturally blends into our new album. We don’t really have a set outcome we just want to make the best music we can,” he concludes.

“It’s all about positivity. A big thing we found when we were in the US was that there was this economic heaviness put on everybody, whereas we’re all about enjoying music and putting this positive spin on life. We like to think of our music as a soundtrack to moments. It’s all about putting smiles on faces.”

THE EXPLODERS Missing Links

Touring in support of their new album, Orche.Stratos.Pheric, The Exploders hit The Bird on Friday, September 14; Mojo’s on Saturday, September 15, and the Indi Bar on Sunday, September 16. BOB GORDON reports.

The Exploders It ’s been over three years since The Exploders last visited Perth. The band had pretty much been in retreat during that time, but have merged again with the release, at last, of their debut album, Orche.

Stratos.Pheric.

So just what was going on in their world?

“Not a great deal,” bassist/vocalist, Paul Doery says. “Originally, the album was meant to come out not long after that little tour we did, but there was a few things that got in the way with mastering and the label and we parted ways with management and a few other things. So we decided not to do any shows until the album came out... which took three years after all that (laughs).”

The songs on Orche.Stratos.Pheric go back to 2006-07 and were recorded over a number of sessions during 2008. Doery and guitarist/songwriter/vocalist, TJ Allender, are backed by keyboardist Louis Macklin [67 Special, Jet] and Perth rhythm section Malcolm Clark and Jay Cortez [Sleepy Jackson, Jeff Martin 777], who also feature in the live line-up.

“Between tours in late 2007, mid2008 was when most of the songs were recorded,” Doery says. “We did a few when we did some shows in Perth with Dave Parkin, we laid down the skeleton of a few tracks with him down at Blackbird. Most of the other ones were at TJ’s farm, between shows. We’d go down to his and belt a few tunes. Also at the end of another tour we got Mal and Jay to stay in Victoria for a few weeks. It was bits and pieces from all over the place during a timespan of six months or more.”

The album itself is a rather fabulous vintage rock outing, dancing with a concept described as ‘a truly bizarre mash of Hellenistic mythology, modern life, wives tales, proverb and perve’. Wary of the bullets that concept albums can attract, the band went about it in their own laidback way.

“The first few songs that TJ wrote were all moving along in a kind of theme, so it started accidentally and as it came around we started to write the songs with the story in mind,” Doery explains.

“We weren’t really sure at that stage if we’d do a concept album because it’s been done and it can come off a bit cheesy unless it’s done well. It started off as a subconscious thing but we worked on it as it progressed and it became apparent that’s what was happening, like it or not. “ You can just listen to it and appreciate it without delving into it. And you can delve into it more deeply if you want to, but you don’t have to.”

From this point The Exploders have no concrete plans other that to keep going.

Fresh from a few middling years, Doery remains hopeful of good things.

“We’ve been out of the loop for so long,” he reflects, “so we’re seeing how we go with this. So hopefully it all goes well and there’s reviewed interested in the band and a renewed fire in the belly of everyone to keep it moving on and supporting the album and working on something new.”

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

THE BEACH BOYS Smiles All ‘Round

The Beach Boys warmed hearts at the Burswood Dome last Thursday. BOB GORDON was granted an audience prior to the show.

‘Brian’s asleep at the table’.

It seemed like a dubious start to a midday interview at Crown Metropol with The Beach Boys, but in another way, given the history of the band and the troubled genius of Brian Wilson, it was kind of reassuring. The Beach Boys’ on-ground interviews around the country had apparently seen sporadic attendance by a minority of members. The several of us allowed the opportunity in Perth, however, had the honour of all five original members in attendance.

Wilson, for the record, woke up for the interview.

With lawsuits and complex family squabbles cast aside, the eventual reunion of Brian Wilson with Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks was a long time coming.

“The reality is hearing the voices,” says Al Jardine. “The original voices, back together again.”

“The audience has a particular role to play in this as well, in as much as they are the reason we’re here,” says Mike Love. Infamously litigious [the only person at the table he hadn’t sued is writing this], he comes across as an intense, yet warm presence, “That’s why it’s special. And it’s great to hear the harmonies.”

They agree that it is still somewhat surreal to hear their trademark harmonies coming back through the monitors. When Bruce Johnston brings up an old story about the song Sloop John B that relates the past to the present, it sparks off the first of many discussionswithin-the-discussion. The Beach Boys are all still clearly fascinated by the songs that have defined them for half a century.

Johnston: “When we were in Japan in 1966, Brian sent a mix of Sloop John B to us. And we were having an EMI recession (they all howl with laughter at his slip-up), sorry, an EMI reception... and we were all wearing suits and he surprised us with the mix of Sloop John B. And brother Carl was in on it too. So we were listening to this thing and then all of a sudden the track dropped out and we were all in a cappella. That was so surprising and so cool.

“Well, that happens now during the show, at the end of Please Let Me Wonder, there’s no track and we’re singing like that and at the end of Darlin’ we’re doing that. And Kiss Me Baby. It really is cool.”

“We don’t do it at the end of Sloop, though,” Love says.

Jardine: Yeah, we do.”

Johnston: “But it’s all about the singing...”

Love: “Oh yeah we do, you’re right.”

A reference to a comment made by Johnston in Rolling Stone where he said the tour could have been called When Surf Freezes Over has these old friends and sparring partners laughing like this is the first time they have heard this. Maybe it is (though maybe it’s not).

“Oh that was before all the friendships were totally grooved together,” smiles the amiable Johnston.

“That’s paraphrasing The Eagles right?” Love queries. Oh, that’s good (laughs).”

The band’s show at the Burswood Dome filled one’s heart. It was clear to see what these songs mean to people and these 70-somethings are seeing it up close every night.

“It’s the reason we’re here,” Love states. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the people and the way they feel about our music.”

“Every night is like the first time,” says Marks, the guitarist who originally left after the Beach Boys’ fourth album in 1963. “Every night when you’re

www.xpressmag.com.au

Mike Love in concert last week Photography by Callum Ponton in front of a different audience, it’s like the first time.

It’s renewing.”

“It’s a re-creation,” says Love, indulging in a little wordplay. “It’s a recreation. It’s really great; we’re very fortunate to be able to do our music and have it still be appreciated 50 years later.”

It’s an important job, I offer. In tough times, a little bit of happiness goes a long way. It’s obvious, yet profound. “Yeah it is,” agrees Jardine. “Well, if anybody can get back together and make it happen like we have, then the rest of the world can have a little bit of a hope.

They can pull it together too.”

The band’s new album, That’s Why God Made The Radio, successfully celebrates and sounds like

“That’s been the underlying philosophy of The Beach Boys for a long time, even in the nostalgic, or the melancholy times. In My Room, was kind of melancholy, but still you have a place where you can go.”

Brian Wilson sits in avuncular silence. When asked directly about the songwriting on the new album he vacantly stares back.

Jardine, as caring as they all are towards Wilson, gently alerts his old friend to the task at hand.

“Brian, he’s asking if you accumulated songs over the years or wrote them specifically for this album?”

Wilson clears his throat as if preparing a major statement.“Some were written in 1998 and some were written in 2012,” he says briefly, but with all the sincerity in the world.

The Beach Boys have been on the road since Brian Wilson at Burswood Dome April and the call of home is clearly, very strong. Even so, years of absence has made hearts grow fonder. the Beach Boys - then and now. “It’s what you’re born “I think everybody’s open to recording with,” Johnstone says.“It’s the timbre of your voice. Tony together again and we’ll see what happens with the Bennett sounds the same way he does as when he touring part of it,” Love says. ”But right now we’ve just started. It’s the timbre of our voices. They come together done 70-something shows and we’d like to rest. Mind and it sounds the same.” you, we’ve got a song called Spring Vacation which is “Well the sound is, as Bruce says, how pretty good, we should really go out and work that.” we sound,” Love reiterates. “Brian has the ability to Cue the chorus being sung by Johnston and structure these harmonies - he is one of the best, if not Love, as Wilson watches on quietly. No wonder they the best ever, in terms of that. Chord progressions and want to keep going. harmonies, we all enjoy recreating the sounds of the songs we’ve done before, as we do the new ones. I don’t For the extended version of this interview head think you can be around for 50 years and not look back to www.xpressmag.com.au. A new Beach Boys a little nostalgically, but the good times don’t have to compilation, Greatest Hits: 50 Big Ones, will be end. It’s a state of mind; it’s accentuating the positive. released on September 21.

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THE RUBENS The Rubens

THE PRESETS Pacifica

Ivy League Records

Modular

Let’s face it;expectations of the follow-up to Sydney dancepop The Presets’ sophomore record Apocalypso were high. Having cemented their stardom status as dancefloor royalty in 2007 after dropping their electric, political electronic-pop banger My People, the lads – Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes – are back with their third record Pacifica.

Beginning with the mysterious club shaker, the ironic Youth In Trouble, it’s classic Presets vocals belted out over a never-ending techno beat. Lyrically catchy, it’s a shame that the tune repetitively builds to nothing. But, it’s a great opening teaser, leaving the cochlear pining for more. The war-cry sounding, electro march Ghosts is a striking, melancholic addition – one of the best tunes on the record.

Promises delivers happy, poppy synth stabs and tinkling piano melodies but it doesn’t fit into the ‘catchy’ box despite the numerous “oooh”s and “aaaah”s littered throughout the track. Push seems like a filler dance track and Fall is euphoric and will no doubt go down well festival style but, your energy will be depleted upon listening to Its Cool which is sounds like an ‘80s, haunting lullaby. Adults Only is an baritoneinfested piece of annoyance, Surrender brings out the carnival game sounds and Fail Epic is powerful, fitting closer.

A grand record which shows of The Presets’ signature sound, however, some old fans may be a little disappointed.

When The Rubens unleashed uber-sexy single Lay It Down towards the end of last year, the country went nuts. That dirty bluesy sound pressed all the right buttons, bringing something new to the musical table and getting everyone all hot under the collar.

Fast-forward to now, and the four lads from Sydney have just released their self-titled debut record.

A solid effort, the quartet dabbles in a bunch of different genres – which works well at some points and becomes a little messy at others.

Frontman Sam Margin’s vocals are unbelievably smooth and earnest, and it’s difficult to imagine an unlikeable Rubens’ track – and really, there aren’t any. However, there are a few songs on the record that, though enjoyable, just don’t cut it in terms of memorability or originality; Elvis has potential but doesn’t quite go anywhere, Look Good Feel Good is lyrically sound but lacks instrumentally.

However, elsewhere on the record, Stampy is a great little sliver of blues-rock that will surely do well live, My Gun oozes break-up blues, Lay it Down manages to trump every other track, and Paddy could lyrically be an anthem for all the 20-something lovers out there.

The Rubens excel lyrically because their themes identify directly with their audience. With a bit of tweaking and a clearer musical direction, the fourpiece will surely do great things. _CHLOE PAPAS

_ANNABEL MACLEAN

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III Older Than My Old Man Now

DEERHOOF Breakup Song Polyvinyl

Proper Records/The Planet Company

When the mother of your children passes away there is little doubt that you are mercilessly reminded of your own mortality. This appears to be a process that Loudon Wainwright III has gone through on his most recent full length Older Than My Old Man Now. Over the course of his 20 plus albums, Wainwright has been consistently inconsistent but when reflecting on death or the successes and failures of his rich life on Older Than My Old Man Now he gets it right more often than not. There are blues inspired moments. The Here & The Now is an autobiographical piece that finds Wainwright’s four children contributing backing vocals.

When Wainwright places himself behind the piano he puts his wry humour to the side during In C - a tune that started out as a novelty idea that soon turned into the tale of how families can break apart. It is the high point of the album along with the ballad Over The Hill that was written with his late wife Kate McGarrigle over 30 years ago.

Older Than My Old Man Now appeals in the playful way it looks at death, but the duet with Dame Edna Everage (I Remember Sex) is possibly the most repulsive tune ever recorded.

The title, fortunately, is just a title; San Fransciscan noisepop stalwarts Deerhoof aren’t going anywhere.

While last year’s underwhelming Deerhoof Vs. Evil erred on the side of cramming everything ever (Catalan, Greek spy themes, Congotronics) into what often felt like nothing in particular, Breakup Song – the band’s 12th record – is a more focused beast. ‘Focused’ mightn’t be a word one associates with a band that jams Captain Beefheart into J-pop as violently as Deerhoof do, but the dominant preoccupation with bloopy, sunny textures here permits the record to hang together as a piece, allowing even the most ridiculous left-turns to feel like they belong on the same rollercoaster.

The reliable insanity abounds, particularly in Mothball The Fleet, which turns knotty deadhead math into a glorious, wordless lullaby. Breakup Song also benefits from being the most lyrically cohesive Deerhoof record to date. As the title suggests, Satomi & co. are preoccupied here with the cleaving process, but the approach is as hypercolour as you’d expect.

Spare mantras hone in on different aspects of the whole heartbreak thing - “when you say it’s all over/hell yeahhhhh!” goes the title track - but the mechanical pirouetting of the band beneath betrays the grappling, shifting uncertainty underneath all that simple certainty.

That isn’t to say that it’s a downer, though; The Trouble With Candyhands flirts with samba, and Mario’s Flaming Whiskers III thuds to an unprecendently disco beat; weird. Long live Deerhoof.

_CHRIS HAVERCROFT _ALEX GRIFFIN

MINIBIKES For Woods Or Trail

NAOMI BRAUN Through The Devils Wood

Independent

Independent

Back in the day, a minibike was no more credible as a form of transport as a ballbearing gun was a weapon of force. Restricted in size, power and sonic volume, a minibike could never provide the cloak of integrity that a real motorbike offered. Still, a minibike was about having fun; that riding a motorbike could assert one’s rugged character was as specious as smoking cigarettes for a fashion statement.

On debut album, For Woods Or Trail, Melbourne’s Minibikes isn’t making a bold and brash artistic statement; it is, however, creating pop music of a very reputable quality. Kill To Feel is part slick West Coast pop formula, part Alex And The Ramps oddball melody; Tennis Clothes is the glittering summer pop song from The Someloves’ central casting. Oh Japan is so sweet and delicious it should come with a health warning; while Here Come The Bees lacks the precision of its predecessors, Broken Bones takes you back to The Sunnyboys’ world adolescent innocence. I Should Have Known bounces into vision like a candy-coloured incarnation of Iggy Pop’s Passenger, Top Brass stretches and strains with classic Californian attitude and Ooo Woo Hoo Hoo is stamped with the beauty of The Stems.

After the title track opens up a yawning chasm of psychedelic space, Emo Kids ends the album on an unexpectedly cravat and cocktail lounge note.

It’s a pleasure to imbibe quality pop music; Minibikes have got it in spades. _PATRICK EMERY 16

After eight years, Naomi Braun has finally released her first album. The title reflects the hard slog it took her to make the album, which is filled with a fusion of soul, hip hop, electronic and trip hop. The album was produced by Braun herself and London-based producer Lotek who adds hip hop influences.

Braun’s vocal talents are extremely similar to Portishead’s Beth Gibbons as she uses the same quiet and fragile techniques which are ultimately powerful. She has a high pitched, almost falsetto way of singing and her voice is frequently duplicated on tracks which creates quirky vibes on the tracks.

For the most part, the tracks are usually either soulful or hip hop influenced with a tinge of trip hop. The opening track, Deeper features beat boxing and hip hop beats with some simple guitar work. Love In Lies is another hip hop inclined track featuring New York based rapper Gabriel.

I Get Carried Away and Rap ‘N Rhyme Me are chilled back tracks which feature horn sections from Pataphysics. How Right is the outlier of the album, it has an indie rock sound with fast paced guitars and a bassline that skips along the track.

With excellent influences, Braun has created a devastatingly beautiful album with a hint of class. _AARON CORLETT X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

GOOD HEAVENS Strange Dreams Rice Is Nice

Featuring two former Wolfmother members, Chris Ross and Myles Heskett’s new project was always going to be compared to their previous band. What makes Good Heavens different from Andrew Stockdale’s band is lead singer and guitarist Sarah Kelly.

Kelly adds dreamy, ethereal vocals that float above most of the tracks. On Anybody But You her vocal delivery is reminiscent of Garbage’s Shirley Manson. Understandably so, some of the music on the album is similar to Wolfmother. The hard rocking guitars, psychedelic keyboards and tumbling drum fills are extremely familiar. However there is a touch of ‘90s alternative rock in Kelly’s guitar work that adds variety to the mix.

Opener, Know Your Heart is a slow-burning track and it eventually comes alive in psychedelic fashion. It’s Not Easy Being Mean sounds like a classic rock song and it’s not the only track that borrows a few tricks from bands from the past. Down On Me and I’ve Got This Feeling become sad affairs as Kelly’s emotional vocal delivery dominates proceedings above ethereal keyboard sounds.

The album comes full circle on the last track, a reprise of the opener which reinforces that this album is better than a mere offshoot of Wolfmother. Kelly is a point of difference between the bands and she clearly has her own ideas about psychedelic rock. _AARON CORLETT

TINPAN ORANGE Over the Sun Vitamin

Tinpan Orange are all set to release new record Over The Sun, their fourth full-length foray into the musical realm of bluesy indie-rock. First single Barcelona has already left fans eager for the new record, and those who already love the group will not be disappointed.

Like Snow is a standout; the melancholic violin from Alex Burkoy adds an extra layer to complement frontwoman Emily Lubitz’s vocals beautifully. Lonely People is lilting and bluesy with a lyrical nod to Elvis that brings something a little different to the table. Tracks like Lonely People and Barcelona show off Lubitz’s vocal prowess.

Tracks like Birdy and title track Over The Sun are a little too folk-generic and consequently feel drawn out, which is a problem that is all too familiar in the indie sphere.

A song that simply can’t go unmentioned is Tinpan Orange’s cover of Round The Twist – yes, the theme song to the awesome ‘90s television show of the same name. The arrangement on this track is quite simply, great; beginning as a slow, low-key acoustic number, then delving into a loud harmonic interlude that works perfectly.

Compared to past records, Over The Sun is a little more theatrical and has a looming feel to it, but it doesn’t sway too far from the band’s usual style. Tinpan Orange don’t try to be anything other than what they are, and therein lies the beauty.

THE BIG OLD BEARS –The Big Old Bears EP (Independent) The Perth six-piece are back with a growl on their selftitled, second EP. Lead single Never Haunting Storm is an excellent slice of their peaceful, folksy work. Lead singer David Craft sings with passion and depth not unlike Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. The other members provide admirable depth in their backing vocals and they give it a strong backbone. The track features some excellent instrumentation with subtle drum work, restrained violin and a classy piano piece before fading away contemplatively. Fans of folk and roots music will be pleased with the single and the similarly passionate and classy EP. BRITISH INDIA – I Can Make You Love Me (Independent) The garage rockers are back with a new single after three solid albums and this promises to be another excellent effort. The highlight of I Can Make You Love Me is the contemplative guitar textures which eventually explode into bigger sounds. Textually the song is excellent, the guitars fuse together wonderfully. Declan Melia’s vocal work is slightly grating and annoying but the backing music is good enough to cover him. It’s a simple but effective and catchy song. The music video for the track featuring a mythical Minotaur is equally as quirky and innovative.

THE 80 ACES – Dollars EP (Independent) Self- proclaimed as Warranmbool’s second favourite band, The 80 Aces are out to show what they can bring to the table. After impressing with their debut single I’m Trying To Read Your Mind last year, the alt-rockers were under pressure to reveal another ace. Magic Shoes throws its cards down as an indie rock, pop and new wave hybrid. Guitarist Matt Neal provides a simple but effective rock riff while Jade McLaren sings with David Bowie-like quirkiness. The rest of their second EP, Dollars, is equally as eccentric and rocking as the lead single and these guys are sure to win hearts. _AARON CORLETT

ROCK MILESTONES: DAVID BOWIE’S ZIGGY STARDUST Umbrella Entertainment

In 1972, a major classic was born: David Bowie’s groundbreaking record Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.

To commemorate the album’s 40th year, Bowie’s landmark album is put under the microscope in music documentary Rock Milestones: David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, which was recently released on DVD for the first time in Australia.

This critical review features interviews with many of those involved with the production of Bowie’s masterpiece, including original bassist Trevor Bolder, drummer Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey and guitarist Mick Ronson, as well as rare archive footage of Bowie himself.

By no means essential, or even worth repeated viewings, Rock Milestones: David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust still offers a riveting insight into the creation of one of modern music’s greatest masterpieces.

_CHLOE PAPAS

DIVINE FITS A Thing Called Divine Fits EMI

Not content with being the driving member behind one of the indie success stories of the past decade, Britt Daniel hasn’t sat on his hands when his band Spoon have scheduled down time. At the start of the year Daniel approached Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) to start a new project and Divine Fits was born.

With drummer Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks) in tow their debut A Thing Called Divine Fits appeared much sooner than expected.

Each member of Divine Fits brings to the table exactly what you would expect from them, making the majority of A Thing Called Divine Fits a high energy electro-rock romp. The driving post-punk of My Love Is Real kicks off Boeckner’s account but it is when the two songwriters join forces on the urgent What Gets You Alone that the sparks really fly.

Daniel has the slinkiest moments with Boeckner showing an unexpected side when toning it down for the restrained and pretty Civilian Stripes. By tackling Boys Next Door track Shivers and making a fine fist of it, any residual nightmares brought about by the thought of Dave Gleeson can now be put to rest.

A Thing Called Divine Fits is a feisty collection where two songwriters pool their works. With some live gigs behind them, hopefully the next one will be an even more collaborative effort without sacrificing any of this debut’s quality. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT www.xpressmag.com.au

JOHN MELLENCAMP Scarecrow Mercury Records

1985 was a massive year for music; Foreigner tried to find out what love was, The Smiths let us know that Meat Is Murder, and everything got a little political with the single We Are The World, just to name a few. (It was also the year that this humble music magazine came to fruition!).

John (sometimes Cougar) Mellencamp also released a record in ’85, his eighth full length, entitled Scarecrow. Mellencamp is a divisive artist; earnest and sincere in his delivery, offering safe and simple musicianship and patriotic Springsteen-esque lyricism.

Scarecrow is often cited as one of Mellencamp’s best albums, and with good reason. Small Town defines the record, endearingly championing Mellencamp’s upbringing and exhibiting the working class sentiment that so many musicians have since.

Justice and Independence 85 is where Mellencamp gets a little political, and Between A Laugh And A Tear is a beautiful duet with U.S songstress Ricki-Lee Jones.

R.O.C.K In The U.S.A is the most memorable song, and though wholly a novelty ‘Americana’ song, it’s undeniably catchy and not easy to dislike.

Scarecrow is inoffensive – at some points it is a great record, at some it is simply just easy listening.

However, there’s no denying that Mellencamp was one of the seminal voices of the homeland rock era, and the following that he garnered from this record prove that the critics aren’t always reflective of the public. _CHLOE PAPAS 17

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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SHOP FRONT

POPSICLE Fashion Served Fresh While models strut up and down the runway at Perth Fashion Festival next week, up-andcoming designers and artists will pop up at shops and cafes along William Street, allowing savvy style hunters the opportunity to ‘taste-test’ WA’s newest labels and creative t a l e n t . A n i n i t i a t i ve o f OnWilliam, in collaboration with Perth Fashion Festival, Popsicle will run from September 19-25, taking in businesses along William Street such as Bivouac, Tu, Periscope, Rummage and Brave New World. And best of all, it’s completely free!

A range of fabulous designers have signed on to the Popsicle bandwagon, including Natalie Donovan and her coveted fashion and accessories label Wild Horses (as pictured on our Urban Central cover), alongside the likes of TotoMoto, Martin Wills, Leo & Spargo, Amok Island and Trouble Bound Clothing.

“We’ve got a fantastic, diverse range of designers this year with products that will suit a lot of different tastes,” explains OnWilliam’s Lake Bovell of Popsicle 2012. “There’s art, jewellery and clothing of all styles. From feminine dresses made with printed silks

by Harlesden Fern, to local street wear of the 6000 series, to dark 1950s noir inspired threads of Trouble Bound Clothing, just to name a few. We’ve seen some of the designs already and we are blown away. We’ve also got some great artwork being exhibited in stores, as well as jewellery.”

Every designer and artist involved in Popsicle will pop up at a specific retailer, showcasing their wares with window displays and in-store events. To sweeten the deal and encourage us to visit every store involved in the festivities, OnWilliam have created free, limitededition pins to collect along the way. “ The designers have taken over a window in the participating stores to display their works. Wednesday, September 19, is the opening night

Wild Horses’ creations will be on show at Brave New World for Popsicle (Photo: Caitlin Worthington) and from 6pm and we’re inviting people to wander through to each of the stores and take a first look at the designer’s wares for sale and be the first to collect the pins.”

In addition to the pins and popups, OnWilliam have organised a series of workshops and runway shows to take place during the week long celebration.

“We’ve got three spaces; Area 57 and Protoype will showcase the Central Institute of Technology students’ work and The Captain’s Dock is the third space. That’s a pop up shop where workshops will be held on how to kick start your own street wear label, then the space will be used to house the mini markets on the weekend.”

Find out exactly what’s on and when, and check out the full list of participating artists, designers and business at onwilliam.com.au/popsicle. _EMMA BERGMEIER

SUBI FARMERS MARKET What’s unique about your Market? Whether you are doing the weekly shopping, picking up a specialty gourmet product or enjoying a delicious breakfast listening to live local music you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at the Subi Farmers Market. A little slice of the country in the city, this Saturday morning market emphasises organic, biodynamic and sustainable p ra c t i ce s, w i t h s e a s o n a l produce sold direct from the farmer. It’s simply the natural way to shop.

EMAIL: katie@subifarmersmarket.com.au WEBSITE: subifarmersmarket.com.au ADDRESS: 271 Bagot Rd, Subiaco (Subi Primary School) * Every Saturday

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

SHOP FRONT

ON THE MARKET Perth’s market scene is thriving with the current vintage trend, and more markets, stalls, fairs and events seem to be popping up every week. From amazing retro dresses to records you can’t buy in stores anymore, to that perfect ornament for your Mum’s birthday, you’re likely to find everything you need (and quite a bit you didn’t need, too!) at the markets around Perth. We’ve created a list of what we reckon are the best and cheapest markets coming up over the next few months to help you out.

Perth Upmarket

The Upmarket is without a doubt one of the top tier markets in Perth.With clothing, jewellery, gourmet food (we suggest the cupcakes!),antiques,vintage gear,wedding accessories and – well,really anything you could ever imagine – there’s no way you’ll go home empty-handed,though you may come home with a lighter wallet.The next Perth Upmarket will be held on Sunday, September 23, at UWA’s Winthrop Hall, with free parking and free entry.

Made On The Left Over the four years since its inception, Made On The Left has gained quite the reputation as one of the greatest vintage market events in Perth. Showcasing local clothing, designs, accessories, collectables, homewares, and other bits and pieces, Made On The Left gives WA designers and retailers the chance to promote and sell their best work – and the coolest part is, it’s a volunteer-run organisation. The next Made On The Left market will be on Sunday, November 4, at the State Theatre Centre of WA.

Spring Market At The Fly By Night On Sunday, September 16, The Fly By Night Musicians Club will transform into a retro-tastic market showcasing a blend of local art, craft, vintage clothing, knick knacks, brick a brack, collectables and more. There’ll also be live acoustic tunes, a tea party in the café, and the bar will be open if you’re in the mood for something stronger.

Entry is just $3 and doors open at midday. Hit up flybynight.org for more info.

Polka Dot Vintage Markets The Polka Dot Vintage Markets run three times a year, and offer up enough vintage clothing, accessories and knick-knacks to make the coolest hipster drool. With heaps of vintage, retro and second hand gear from retailers just starting out plus those who’ve been in the biz a while, you’re likely to spend hours sifting through the goodies. The best thing is, the Polka Dot Market is combined with the Craft and Antiques and Collectors markets, meaning there is something for everyone. Held at the Claremont Showground Pavilion, the next Polka Dot Markets are on Saturday, November 17, and Sunday, November 18. Entry is $6.

Carpark Markets

Glamorous setting? Not exactly. Great finds? Absolutely. Car park, or car boot markets have been thriving in Perth for years, and show no sign of letting up. A little less flashy than the privately run markets, these are just every day people selling their second hand clothes, records, books, movies, and bric-a-brac – and hey, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. There are some absolutely great finds at the car park markets, not to mention none of the exorbitant prices that you may encounter at some vintage markets. The biggest are in Belmont, Karrinyup and Melville, and all run early on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Do a quick search online to see what is happening in your area this month. _CHLOE PAPAS

PERTH SWING DANCE ACADEMY Perth Swing Dance Academy is a Swing Dance School, specialising in 1930s Lindy Hop, which is one of the biggest Vintage dances from the Big Band era. Different from ballroom - it’s young, vibrant and energetic. Perfect for young people looking to make new friends, and socialise.

GET PHYSICAL No Money? No Sweat Think working out in the city has to mean inhaling exhaust fumes while you jog down busy side streets?

Not with these fun – and cheap – alternative sources of exercise…

W h e t h e r yo u w a n t t o trim your waistline, improve your health, or simply try something new, there’s no denying the benefits of a humble walk. Just don’t limit yourself to your local park.

Walking tours of the city can be some of the best way to explore the Perth CBD and surrounding areas. City Of Perth volunteers guide free walking tours each week day, departing from the i-City Information Kiosk in Murray Street Mall near Forrest Place. The tours take up to two hours, and you can join in or leave anywhere along the way. You can also do the walking tours yourself by picking up the walking tour map and comprehensive guide from the i-City kiosk. For more info check out cityofperth. wa.gov.au.

If pulling shapes is more your style, for just a gold coin donation you can indulge in the invigorating art of yoga at the Urban Orchard in the Perth Cultural Centre. From 12.30pm ‘til 1pm every Tuesday for the month of September, you can learn the basics of Vinyasa Yoga, with all donations collected going directly to charity organisation Yoga Gives Back. There’s no booking necessary, but you do need to bring your own towel or mat and arrive promptly to undertake the classes.

If you want to ease yourself into exercise gently, on Saturday, September 29, the Taoist Chi Society Of Australia will be holding an Open Day which will offer prospective students the opportunity to see demonstrations of Tai Chi and try a free introductory Tai Chi class, where you will learn the first three moves of the Tai Chi form. For more info click over to taoist.org.au.

Dancing may not feel much like a sport, but it’s still a great way to work out. Many dance school around town offer free introductory classes for beginners in a range of styles – from swing to salsa, and cabaret to tango – or if you’re simply interested in getting your groove on head to www.xpressmag.com.au

3 central locations: FREMANTLE – INNALOO – VICTORIA PARK There are also many social dancing opportunities in Perth, at least one a week (Mustang, Fridays 7pm to 9.30pm to a live band).

PHONE: 0402556956 EMAIL: info@perthswingdanceacademy.com WEBSITE: perthswingdanceacademy.com

CABIN FEVER Gardening is a great way to get physical Gilkisons in the CBD on Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 8.30pm to practice your dancing skills in their beautiful ballroom.

If it’s a team experience you’re after, why not join one of the many Ultimate Frisbee leagues cropping up in parks across the CBD? Don’t worry if you don’t know how to play, as experienced coaches and players are always on hand at club sessions to help improve your technique and explain the concepts of the game. For more info on the game and a full list of locations click on over to waultimate.com.

Last but not least, trying your hand at gardening may be one of the best-kept secrets to getting and staying in shape. Believe it or not, doing gardening can improve your cardiovascular fitness and strength, so get fit and contribute to a good cause by volunteering to maintain one of many community gardens around the CBD, such as the Perth City Farm or even the breathtaking surrounds of Kings Park.

What’s unique about your Café? Blink and you’ll miss this little gem of a café, hidden down one of Perth’s oldest and smallest arcades. Open Monday to Friday, serving delicious Ristretto coffee, tasty New York bagels, and T2 teas in vintage china, Cabin Fever is your secret hideaway in the centre of town.

What is your FREE deal? Mention X-Press this week and buy one get one free coffee or tea!

Anything else you’d like to mention?

Stay to date with us as we hold small art shows, creative workshops and will soon be extending out into the laneway!

ADDRESS: Bon Marche Arcade, 80 Barrack St, Perth, WA 6000 PHONE: (08) 6142 6961 WEBSITE: cabinfever.com.au 21

X-PRESS 27TH BIRTHDAY PARTY Where My Party People At? 27 is a tricky year in the rock’n’roll world but we’re feeling lively so we’re putting on a party to celebrate!

We’ll be spreading the good times, tunes and beats across Amplifier and Capitol on Friday, September 14, and to help get you in the mood we sat down with four of the brilliant acts you can catch on the night to talk all things birthday-related…

What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received?

A telegram from the Queen.

The Ghost Hotel

THE GHOST HOTEL Matt Geary – Bass

Rainy Day Women What’s your ultimate party-starting song?

Anything by Michael Jackson always gets me grooving. Anything with a hint of cheese is good for a boogie/sing-along.

What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever been to? I’m not much for parties, but my niece’s 3rd birthday bash was a ripper. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed fairy bread.

RAINY DAY WOMEN

What’s your ultimate party-starting song? Music? At a party? Are you serious?

What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received? Tom (bass player in Rainy Day Women) gave What’s your preferred birthday cake flavour? me a book that was like “the best dance moves for My mum makes an awesome ice-cream cake with picking up girls” for my 18th birthday. Not necessarily lollies and chocolate in it. The best bit is when the the BEST present but probably the most memorable. gummy bears go hard.

What’s your preferred birthday cake flavour? I don’t like cake. Do you have any fried jicama?

What can people expect from your set at the X-Press Birthday Bash? Well, I can say that Norwegian Black Metal is unlikely, even if we do like burning the odd church.

COW PARADE COW

Dylan Ollivierre – Vocals/Guitar

What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever been to? Can I say my own? I had a 16th birthday party at my house and my parents had no idea what they were in for. I don’t think any of my friends did either haha.

I just invited everyone I knew. My mum was walking around with platters of food and birthday cake at the same time my friends were throwing up in the garden.

What can people expect from your set at the X-Press Birthday Bash? We’re gonna bring some groovy tunes and try and keep the mood a partying one. We’ve got a bunch of new tunes to break in as well, including our new single Runaway.

Mike Litton – Songwriter/Vocals

BOOM! BAP! POW!

What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received? That’s easy, if you discount all of the ‘gifts’ that are too rude to print: Goldeneye for Nintendo 64. 15 or so years on and I still get excited about the prospect of slapping around my housemates.

Novac Bull – Vocals What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received? A Canon Power Shot G11 camera for my 30th birthday. My first proper grown up camera. Thanks to my wonderful friends.

What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever been to? Jesus’ birthday every year. It’s always more fun to give than receive right?

What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever been to? A friend’s 25th in Yallingup where we dressed up as monkeys and behaved as monkeys do in a very impressive tree house all night drinking rum and swinging from tree branches.

What’s your ultimate party-starting song? Bee Gee’s Jive Talkin’ or the theme from Xanadu by Electric Light Orchestra. Having said that, I recently requested Abba’s Mamma Mia in excess of 10 times over the course of a wedding reception, so maybe that’s the answer.

What’s your ultimate party-starting song? It would have to be ELO’s Livin’ Thing.

What’s your preferred birthday cake flavour? Every year my mother knows that if there isn’t a pavlova on the table I’m going to be really pissed off.

What can people expect from your set at the X-Press Birthday Bash? If you’ve never seen us before, expect a four person rhythm section, samples, reverb-drowned guitars and a two-album back catalogue of moist pop songs.

If you can’t imagine what that’d sound like, it’s probably best if you just come Cow Parade Cow’s Mike Litton along and fill some of the gaping holes in the dance-floor.

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What’s your preferred birthday cake flavour? Chocolate mud with chunky choc chips. Mmmmmmmm-mmmmmm. Feel like one now.

Boom! Bap! Pow!

What can people expect from your set at the X-Press Birthday Bash? To get loose and to partake in a mass birthday sing-a-long for our very favourite 27 year old.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Remedy (Photo: Caitlin Worthington) Hanamizuki

FILMS FROM FARAWAY

The Japanese Film Festival is back for another year! Set to take place over three weeknights – from Wednesday, September 26, to Friday, September 28 – at the State Library Theatre in Northbridge, the festival will showcase three unique films – comedy The Handsome Suit, comic book adaptation Hoshi Mamoru Inu (StarWatching Dog), and epic love story Hanamizuki (Flowering Dogwood). Tickets are free of charge, but by reservation only. Email info@pt.mofa.go.jp to secure a booking.

THE BARE NECESSITIES

The Museum Of Natural Mystery in North Perth is set to present group exhibition Open By Necessity, this Friday, September 14. In light of the announced closure or sabbatical of four of Perth’s most established commercial galleries, an invitation has been extended to the represented artists of Galerie Dusseldorf,Gallery East,Goddard de Fiddes and Perth Galleries to participate in a scratch-match group exhibition in an attempt at initiating a conversation about alternative avenues for the exhibition and dispersion of local contemporary practice.

ON POINTE

The grandeur of Europe’s finest stages is set to be recreated at Cinema Paradiso with brand new productions from The Royal Opera House, The Royal Ballet, Glyndebourne and, for the first time, the incredible spectacle of Opera On Ice featured in the Palace Opera & Ballet season for 2012/2013.

The season launches this Friday, September 14, with Glyndebourne’s The Cunning Little Vixen and culminates with award-winning director Richard Jones’ contemporary production of Gloriana in August 2013. For full session details and to purchase tickets click over to lunapalace.com.au.

RALLY FOR REMEDY

Perth’s creative communities will come together to rally behind the Australian Cancer Research Foundation this Friday when All Of The Above Creative presents Remedy, a fashionable fundraiser and silent auction. Set to take place at 140 William from 6pm on Friday, September 14, Remedy will feature original artwork from Andy Quilty, Sara Winfield, Pippa McManus and Anya Brock, alongside one-off garments and jewels from Alushia Sanchia, Ara,The Butcher + The Crow,Wild Horses, Garth Cook, Steph Audino,Tindale, Peppermint Milk, Little Gracie, On A Whim and Zsadar, among others. Donations will be sold off via silent auction, with all funds raised going straight to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Tickets are $20 from Pigeonhole’s pop up store at 140 William or Love In Tokyo in Fremantle and are selling fast!

FLOOR PLAY

Want to glimpse the creation of a new dance work in motion? Head along to the Fremantle Arts Centre this Friday, September 14, to watch WA choreographer Brooke Leeder and dancer James O’Hara during the first stage development of Leeder’s new work Unravel, which explores the intricacy and complexity of the dancer’s body between constant motion and points of stillness, and the physicality of both an intertwined and unfurled body.

LET DOWN YOUR HAIR

Through an array of intriguing mediums, such as taxidermy, illustration, pelt preservation and installation, young artists Tessa Maloney and Sarana Haeata explore the curious and fascinating world of hair. Hair: An Exhibition of Fine Art & Taxidermy will be held at Paper Mountain, a new artist run initiative on William Street in the heart of Northbridge, from Friday, September 15, through to Thursday, September 20.

There Once Lived A Simple Woman

2012 RUSSIAN RESURRECTION FILM FESTIVAL Reel Cinema

Embracing a wide variety of Russian films from many different genres, the 2012 Russian Resurrection Film Festival will run at Cinema Paradiso from Wednesday, September 19, to Wednesday, September 26. Tickets are available at the cinema, or online from lunapalace.com.au.

2012 marks a number of milestones for Australia’s 67,000 Russians. It is the 200th anniversary of the historic Russian defeat of Napoleon. It is 70 years since diplomatic relations were established between the Soviet Union and Australia and it’s nine years since the first Russian Resurrection Film Festival.

With cosy 21st Century hindsight,it’s almost hard to imagine a world where the governments of Australia and Russia – two Western nations – stood either side of a bitter ideological divide. Yet in addition to all this, it has only been 21 years since the Soviet Union fell and the Cold War ended.

Festival director and co-founder Nicholas Maksymow explains to X-Press that one of the casualties of the Soviet defeat was, oddly enough, the old Soviet film festivals. This left a gap for Australian cinema-goers.

“Russian cinema disappeared,” he says, going on to explain that the aim of the Russian Resurrection festival has been to bring together both old and new cinema from a whole variety of genres.

Maksymow says the films should appeal to film buffs and the general public alike.

“One thing that we try and do differently,” he begins, “I know that a lot of the film festivals

in Australia – particularly the foreign ones like the French and the German – they do a lot of art house or festival cinema. Whereas we try and balance our programme a bit by showcasing not only arthouse Russian cinema but also films that have done really well at the box office.”

The films are, obviously, in Russian and all feature English subtitles. Yet Maksymow explains that the attendance at the festival is in no way limited to people who identify as Russian. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“We actually get all sorts,” he says. “We’ve noticed that every year, as the festival gets older, we’re getting a lot more non-Russians coming to the festival - people who either appreciate foreign cinema or who are just interested in something different. Our stats actually show that at the moment we’re sitting on about 60 per cent non-Russians and 40 per cent expats.”

The festival’s mix of old and new films brings with it a fresh reminder of Australia and Russia’s vastly different histories, but it also highlights our common humanity. For Maksymow it is realism – a defining aspect of Soviet film – that gives Russian cinema its edge.

Indeed, in a drama such as There Once Lived A Simple Woman it is the frank depiction of brutal, vodka-drenched violence in an impoverished, mostly hopeless and frigid countryside that makes the film so powerful and gripping.

“I think that’s probably come across from the Soviet days,” he says. “I think in Hollywood and French cinema nine times out of 10 the ending is usually happy; whereas I’d say eight times out of 10 the ending in a Russian movie is usually sad. So it sort of reflects life and the difficulties that the people experience, and it seems to always highlight that life is not easy and it doesn’t always end on a happy note.” _ BEN WATSON

Beasts Of The Southern Wild

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD Born On The Bayou

Directed by Benh Zeitlin Starring Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Gina Montana, Levy Easterly Our scene is set in The Bathtub, a ramshackle, poverty-stricken swamp community separated from New Orleans by a vast levee. Our protagonist is Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis), a tiny sixyear-old girl who lives there with her father, the fiercely independent Wink (Dwight Henry). The antagonist is, well, the world: the storms and rising waters that threaten to drown The Bathtub, the nameless disease that threatens to end Wink’s life, the powerful forces that shape a universe that is mysterious and unknowable to a child’s mind.

Director Benh Zeitlin’s first film is a difficult one to categorise - call in pre-apocalyptic magical realist allegory, if you have to. It’s a complex and nuanced work, set in a fully-realised world that is at once both instantly identifiable and strangely mystical. The shadow of Katrina hangs over the proceedings, and the omnipresent threat of melting icecaps are a reference to climate change, but the film defies easy political identification; the stoic, hardscrabble existence of its characters, who kitbash together what they need from the scraps of the old world like Mad Max-style nomads, stand in defiance of both right wing economic rationalism and left wing caretaker social reform.

All that is subtext, though. At its heart, Beasts Of The Southern Wild is a classic hero’s www.xpressmag.com.au

journey, and the hero is the defiantly brave, endlessly inquisitive Hushpuppy, as embodied by young Wallis’s frankly astonishing debut acting turn.

Much of the film’s unique flavour comes from Zeitlin’s decision to frame the events of the narrative exclusively through Hushpuppy’s childish point of view, with all the broken and beautiful logic that that implies. Wink’s explanation that Hushpuppy’s mother simply “swam away” one day is incorporated into her own personal mythology, as are stories she hears of the melting icecaps releasing frozen prehistoric aurochs to ravage the world, and each is given as much import and resonance as the “realer” elements of the story. To Hushpuppy, the supernatural and fantastic have as much relevance as the ordinary and material, and that is the world presented by the film.

Wallis is supported by an ensemble of laudable performances, all drawn from local residents who had never acted before (Dwight Henry, for example, is a baker and father of five).

The choice to use non-professionals is a judicious one, their naturalistic rhythms and lived-in faces adding to the overall texture and verisimilitude of the piece.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild represents the auspicious birth of a singular vision. Zeitlin and his collaborators have crafted something remarkable here; a tangible, granular, and immensely moving modern day fairytale that speaks truth about the world we live in, while still delivering a powerful, archetypal story. In plain English, it’s a wonderful film, and one you should definitely take the time to seek out. _TRAVIS JOHNSON 23

Monsieur Lazhar

Philippe Falardeu

PHILIPPE FALARDEU An Education

While Philippe Falardeu’s Monsieur Lazhar lost the Best Foreign Language Film prize to A Separation at the 2012 Academy Awards, the Canadian French director is still reaping the benefits of his successful little feature, including winning the audience awards at the Sydney Film Festival and Rotterdam, and winning six Genies at Canada’s major film awards ceremony, including Best Film ahead of hotly contested favourites A Dangerous Method and The Whistleblower.

It’s an ironic turn of events for an auteur who, despite his mounting collection of festival prizes from Sundance, Toronto and elsewhere, doesn’t regard himself as an artist or even a filmmaker.

“At university I studied political science and international relations, so I never considered myself an artist. I don’t need those [accolades] to put pressure on myself, I already feel like I have a lot to prove because of my background,” he explains.

Luckily Falardeau’s phobia seems to have diminished with the success of Monsieur Lazhar, which he adapted and expanded from a one-act stage play by Évelyne de la Chenelière.

“After making that film I thought about reassessing my place in the world of cinema but now seeing how well it is doing is an encouraging pat on the back,” he says.

Falardeau’s film tells of an Algerian immigrant substitute teacher trying to impart emotional healing to a group of Montreal middleschoolers whose previous teacher committed

suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling pipe in their classroom. It’s the second of Falardeau’s films to involve a noose, with his last It’s Not Me, I Swear focusing on a young boy with a penchant for attempting suicide.

“I can reassure you I have no impulse to hang myself - it’s really just a coincidence,” Falardeau laughs. “I tried to leave it out of this film but I realised that if I wanted to have this big cathartic moment, I needed it in there. I knew it wouldn’t be as strong without it.”

In order to build up to this “big emotional cathartic final scene”, Falardeau employed a few unusual film techniques when crafting Monsieur Lazhar, including shooting most of the film in chronological order.

“It’s something you can’t do normally but we started by filming the biggest scene - which is a two and half minute long-shot focusing on the teacher hanging - and after that I knew there was no way we could just jump to the final scene,” he explains. “For instance, the little boy who plays Simon [the boy who discovers his deceased teacher] had recently lost his uncle and think it was important for him to go through the film pretty much in order.

“In the cathartic scene at the end he was never given instructions by me to cry but I could see that he felt all this pressure and I was concerned. I said to him ‘are you thinking of your uncle?’ and he said ‘I think I might cry’ and I asked him ‘do you want me to stop?’ and he said ‘No, I want to go through this’. Of course it was what I wanted to hear, but I wanted him to know it was his decision to go there.” _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

We See Further By Andy Best Yonder: PICA, Northbridge Yonder is an exhibition brings together an Australian and international group of 14 artists who share the wistful desire to know “what’s over there.” These artists, who hail from near and far, offer contemporary perspectives on mobility in an era of unprecedented voyages. Runs ’til Oct 21.

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 The Passage South: Emerge Art Space, Mt Lawley and narratives between things. Runs ’til Sep 16.

Iraqi born artist Ayad Alqaragholli’s new exhibition The Passage South, features silicon bronze sculptures and Everything So Far: Buratti Fine Art, North Fremantle paintings inspired by the varied and often poignant David Spencer, one of Western Australia’s most stories of human suffering and oppression in the Middle promising young artists, is getting ready to present his East. Runs ’til Sep 28. eighth solo show, entitled Everything So Far at Buratti Fine Art. David’s dramatic art features recurring symbols Paris En Hiver: Elements Art Gallery, Dalkeith and patterns in bright colours. He is often inspired by Fremantle artist, Julie Podstolski, braved the snow, streetscapes, the modern industrial world, what he sees fog and wind, taking to the streets of Paris during around him and sometimes even what he picks up on the early hours in winter during trips to the French his walks. This exhibition captures the essence of the capital over the past year. The resultant culmination journey David says he has been on since he started of her dedication and passion will be displayed in the painting. Runs ‘til Sep 18. form of stunningly detailed drawings in colour pencil.

Runs ’til Sep 28.

Small Change: Free Range Gallery, Perth How is change illustrated, recognised and read? This 2012 Black Swan Prize Exhibition: Linton & Kay is the question Perth based artist Maria Hildrick aims Gallery, Perth to answer in Small Change, a new body of work which Some of Western Australia’s and Australia’s finest and explores the concept of change through a series of most creative artists will be on display in September diptychs. Runs ’til Sep 19. as finalists in The Black Swan Prize for Portraiture and The Black Swan Prize for Heritage. Exhibiting artists Pearth: Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle include Archibald Prize finalist Abdul Abdullah, Hurben presents Pearth, a collection of paintings WA’s Peter Kendall and the highly regarded Vincent reflective of the quick shifting culture of our city. Using Fantauzzo, who recently completed 30 paintings of a range of strong symbolic local icons, Hurben creates well known Australians in 30 days. Exhibition runs a dystopian landscape that challenges Perth’s attitude from Sep 21 ’til Oct 1. to its past, present and future, questioning our collective motivations. Well known within the West Australian Tricking The Depths: Bivouac, Northbridge arts community, Hurben is one of the three founders Tricking The Depths is the latest solo exhibition by of the infamous ololo collective whose credits include emerging artist Martin E Wills. A mash-up of scienceorchestrating the legendary Condor Car Park project fiction inspired landscapes and street-art characters, and ReFace 2009 - both of which were highly influential Tricking The Depths explodes as a colourful vista full of in contributing to Perth’s evolving attitude toward unpeeling meat-men with bouffant hair, all dodging street art. Runs ‘til Sep 26. sinister holes in the ocean floor. Runs ’til Oct 1.

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Not yet in her teens, Nélisse is the most studious Directed By Philippe Falardeau Starring Fellag, Emilien Néron, Sophie Nélisse, presence in the film, and the least flappable by far, and in her exchanges with Néron simmers a Brigitte Poupart well of bewilderment and exasperation at adult Oscar nominated for Best Foreign Language folly. As Falardeau emphasises throughout his Film, French Canadian writer/director Philippe film, youth is a clearer witness of the world and Falardeau’s film Monsieur Lazhar arrives in this so it is through Simon and Alice’s eyes that we country with a reputation. Yet briefly described, first glimpse the motionless body of their teacher Monsieur Lazhar sounds cliché ridden – an hanging from a ceiling pipe in their classroom.

Equally, the character of Lazhar (who inspirational educator transforms the lives of a group of young school children forced to come to is loosely based on the titular character from terms with the adult world well before their time. Canadian playwright Évelyne de la Chenelière’s On further inspection, the plot sounds one-man play Bashir Lazhar) is incredibly endearing. highly contrived – Bachir Lazhar (portrayed by the With his smiling, old-fashioned courtesy, Monsieur Algerian writer, actor and comedian Fellag) is an Lazhar is loved by his new pupils, but he flounders Algerian refugee and former restaurateur whose in the adult world – the curriculum confuses him, wife and family have been killed by terrorists. administrators reprimand him for trying to talk Seeking asylum in Montreal, he takes over the about the deceased teacher with his students, middle-school class of a beloved teacher who has and his romantic encounters with a fellow teacher (Brigitte Poupart) are awkward at best. recently hanged herself.

There are moments when the humanism Don’t let the shaky premise fool you though; Monsieur Lazhar makes the familiar of Monsieur Lazhar feels a bit schematic, as if the unusually strange. Although the Montreal-set characters were pulled from a box of available Canadian film is, in many respects, a cramped stereotypes. But there are also scenes that draw drama, Monsieur Lazhar yanks viewers to and fro power from the subtlety of the performances, in with a fierce and spacious energy. You feel for particular the quiet, watchful portrayal of Simon, almost everyone involved, yet you don’t quite who is at once central and peripheral to the drama know what to think, and there is something unfolding around him.

Tightly structured and emotionally strangely exhausting in watching the most minor events – a tetchy gesture, a chance remark – set astute, Monsieur Lazhar is a film which tries to be off what should be a ripple but turns out to be a truthful about the common misconceptions of childhood bereavement and grief. There are no shock wave.

The performances are all outstanding simple answers here and Falardeau doesn’t offer but Falardeau elicits particularly memorable them, instead he presents his audience with a performances from the two central children rigorously honest movie about the difficulties of characters – Simon (Emilien Néron), who has a being honest. mysterious connection with his deceased teacher, _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD and his quick-witted friend Alice (Sophie Nélisse).

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.

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. 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.

MONSIEUR LAZHAR School Spirit

Spinifex: People Of The Sun And Shadow: John Curtin Gallery, Bentley The Spinifex People were granted Native Title over their land in 2000 and new exhibition, Spinifex: People Of The Sun And Shadow, celebrates the ongoing connection they have to the area by presenting an array of their paintings, including two designed in 1997 as part of the native title claim to their ancestral lands, from which they were removed during the controversial British nuclear testing program of the 1950s. Runs ’til Oct 12.

Pictures Of The Floating World: Melody Smith Gallery, Carlisle Woody Mellor’s large scale atmospheric paintings are imbued with an otherworldly quality reminiscent of romantic landscape traditions.

Suspended in pigment and linseed oil, the surfaces of imagined worlds ripple beneath richly layered membranes of colour. The tension between surface, mark and shape slows the eye and reveals the potential of paint to captivate and seduce through a dedicated and focused exploration process. Runs ’til Oct 13.

Not The Way Home: Buratti Fine Art, North Fremantle Earlier this year 13 of Australia’s best contemporary artists travelled together into the Australian desert and created artworks in response to the arid environment and desert landscape around them.

The result is an outstanding group exhibition that gathers together works made on location and those created afterwards in the studio from memories, sketches and photos. Exhibition runs from Sep 28 ’til Oct 25.

Picasso To Warhol: 14 Modern Masters: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen 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.

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.

Unpack This: Subiaco Arts Centre, Subiaco Unpack This is a comedy exploring exploring the funnier side of anger management and takes a look at what happens when two social workers try to show six men how to manage their anger. Season runs Sep 10-15. Bookings via BOCS. 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 awardwinning 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 Girl Wall: Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah 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.

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.

That should have been the end of the story but when Tony finds out where she lives, the blind date turns into a living nightmare. Season runs Sep 15-30.

Bookings via BOCS. Tinkertown: Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge Fresh from its Melbourne debut, Perth playwright Nathaniel Moncrieff’s black comedy is a heartwarming tale of murder, car chases, alcoholism, bad parenting and yaks, and features a musical score by local songstress Felicity Groom. Season runs Sep 27Oct 13. Bookings via blueroom.org.au.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

CITY OF PERTH 2012 PHOTOGRAPHIC COMMISSIONS

BOY GETS GIRL

Snaps And The City

Bad Romance

The 2012 City Of Perth Photographic Commissions are on display in the Council House Foyer from September 17 to November 30 (weekdays 8.30am5pm). Entry is free.

Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company, Boy Gets Girl shows at the State Theatre Centre from Saturday, September 15, until Sunday, September 30. Tickets are on sale now from BOCS. In some relationships, there’s a fine line between being connected at the hip and having an unhealthy obsession with a partner.

Many will have experienced situations like it; one person is a little more dedicated and has a tendency to send 20 text messages per hour, or turns up unexpectedly at your doorstep just to say hi.

American playwright Emma Gilman set out to explore those relationships that teeter on the edge of dangerous when writing her play Boy Gets Girl. The play, written in 2000, depicts a blind date between journalist Theresa and Tony, who she is set up with. After a seemingly unsuccessful date with no real ‘click’ factor, Theresa and Tony part ways – or at least, Theresa assumes they have. However, Tony isn’t letting go that easily, and begins to pursue her at work, after hours, and via every form of technology he can.

Myles Pollard plays the male lead, and gives X-Press a bit of insight into performing as Tony. “Well, he’s complex. On the one hand he’s very sensitive, and he seems to be quite open and charming and likeable. But deep down there is a whole back story which has been fun to try and uncover,” Pollard explains.

Pollard has previously been almost exclusively typecast in ‘nice guy’ roles, including theatre performances in Romeo And Juliet, and an ongoing role on muchloved television show McLeod’s Daughters.

His performance in Boy Gets Girl is far from his usual bag, but Pollard has embraced it.

“It is challenging to come into a character like this and not make the character predictably bad, or predictably as you’d envisage a stalker to be,” he says. “I think the beauty of it is, is that I’m trying to make the character as likeable as possible – it’s more interesting if a complex character, a misunderstood character, is seen as being normal initially. So that was attractive about the part, to try and bring some humanity to the character and to try and make him as real as possible.”

Though the play can be quite dark in certain parts, it combines drama with comedy and attempts to be as true to real life as possible. Pollard explains that the aim is to hold a mirror up to the audience, and allow them to see that there really isn’t much between devoted love and stalker tendencies.

“I think people are very complex, it’s a fine line in many relationships between which way it’s going to go. Everyone’s so different. From Teresa’s perspective, the story follows her, and she’s a professional woman, successful, intelligent, and too confident to be mixed up in a situation like she is with Tony,” Pollard concludes. “I think it will make the audience ask a lot of questions about people and relationships, and the way in which women are perceived as well – a lot of attitudes towards women are very sexist and misogynistic – and how some of those attitudes are formed.”

Toni Wilkinson Futures So Bright 2012, Photograph City of Perth Art Collection

For its second Photographic Commissions Exhibition, the City of Perth invited professionally renowned photographers Toni Wilkinson and Juha Tolonen to capture the essence of our city at a particular moment in time.

Tolonen’s series, The Middle Kingdom, takes an architectural approach to the theme, while one-time X-Press Magazine photographer Wilkinson took it to the people with her works, collectively entitled Floreat 2012.

“The process was what I’d call collaborative,” Wilkinson explains.“I gave them a series of prints and we worked it out from there, but I found myself gravitating to certain people.

“I’ve given titles which add a depth of meaning, about the people and the places they inhabit.

When they gave the commission they asked us to look at certain things; the people that live here, mining, the built environment, etc. I’m interested in irony as well so there’s a bit of that.”

With titles such as Solid Gold, Futures So Bright and Clicked Silver, Floreat 2012 investigates life in boom town but ponders what it is that is booming.

“Futures So Bright purposely has the apostrophe left out so it references capital and multiple futures,” Wilkinson explains. “He’s dressed in this corporate way, but his gender is really ambiguous, so he’s kind of representing the future but there’s a twist because he’s not really conventional. He’s in the financial area of Perth but at the same time he’s not really fitting in. I kind of wait for people who are engaging. There’s this nice interaction that happens with me and them. Then we just move on.

“There’s twists in a lot of them and I’ve realised that a lot of them were young; full of promise but yet to become sophisticated, in a way. Perth is at this brink of change; we’re changing and becoming more cosmopolitan and sophisticated, but we’re still adolescent and not quite there. We’re evolving. I see that in these people.”

The word ‘Floreat’ appears in the City Of Perth’s coat of arms and translated from Latin means ‘to flourish and prosper’.

“If we apply that to Perth, amidst competing ideas, we’re at this point where there’s all this money coming in from mining but it might be running out now; and has it really been beneficial to any of us?”, Wilkinson posits.

“It’s interesting that Perth has become this financial utopia which has been good for certain people, but not for everybody. There’s a question mark hanging over that, I guess.” _ BOB GORDON

_CHLOE PAPAS

Boy Gets Girl www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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

English drum’n’bass producer DJ Fresh is a total gun. The owner of pioneering drum’n’bass label Breakbeat Kaos alongside Adam F, Fresh (Daniel Stein), is returning down under for Parklife 2012. MIKI MCLAY chats with the friendly gent about the drum’n’bass scene, expectations and navigating new territory in the studio and out on the road.

“I think it’s ridiculous to be honest,” Daniel Stein says, diplomatically, but with an edge of irritation creeping into his voice. It’s a sensitive question; asking the well-renowned DJ and producer for his thoughts on the detractors who decry the underground legend’s newfound mainstream success in dance music, having just made history as the very first drum’n’bass producer to hit #1 on UK music charts with the breakout single with Rita Ora, Hot Right Now. The reaction is understandable: never one to retread old ground in terms of his music, the name of the aforementioned single functions both as a cheeky reference to DJ Fresh’s newfound status as hot property in the commercial dance music market, as well as an accurate assessment of his credentials, past and present - with his third studio record nextlevelism set due to be dropped in October and a spot on this year’s Parklife 2012 roster.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

www.xpressmag.com.au

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DJ Fresh “To be honest I’ve kind of gotten bored of writing instrumental drum’n’bass tracks,” Stein admits, speaking of the radically new direction that upcoming LP nextlevelism is set to take. His penchant for tearing up the dance music rulebook has resulted in what is set to be a more focused and accessible yet equally dancefloor-friendly as his previous, more instrumentalbased work, citing an array of fellow drum’n’bass and dubstep luminaries as inspiration.“There’s a few people in drum’n’bass who’ve always tried to bring something new to the table that I have a lot of respect for and aspire to - people like Dillinja, Andy C - that have always wanted to do something new all the time,” he says.

“But there’s only so many directions you can go in with instrumental music and I don’t like doing the same thing again. There was a track from Gold Rush that was big on the underground and on the mainstream, and that was one of the main things that - and others by Nero and Chase & Status - around that time that heralded a new era where the music was progressing as songs as opposed to instrumental dancefloor tracks.”

It’s clear that Stein’s passion for dance music’s ever-evolving face burns as brightly as it did at the beginning of his career with the likes of Bad Company and the beginnings of Breakbeat Kaos, and the challenge is proving invigorating for him.“I’d barely written any tracks with songs over them - this was a new thing for me and I really, really enjoyed it,” he says.

“The track [Hot Right Now] kind of blew up over here and then encouraged me to write songs which I’d been interested in since I was small. I’ve always been interested in creative writing and telling a story with a piece of music but there had never really been a place for it in drum’n’bass.”

Stein provides a positive assessment of the drum’n’bass scene’s heath at present – when a couple of years ago some asserted that it was flagging, the new wave of artists that Stein is at the forefront of have revived the world’s passion for the genre and even bringing it into the mainstream – something that can only be healthy for those involved, he says. “Everything

has kind of just gone really crazy - I had no idea any of this was going to happen,” he says. “At one point it was really difficult to collaborate on anything because people thought of drum’n’bass as crazy music that kids on drugs listen to in dingy warehouses and gradually that stereotype changed and people see it as a new style of music. The doors have really opened up, not just for me but for everybody in bass music and drum’n’bass, to work with all kinds of people which is really exciting.”

Having just inked a six-album deal with labels like Ministry Of Sound, Columbia and Universal Publishing, Stein’s renewed focus on his own production work signals a change in priorities but he feels remarkably free from pressure despite the world’s eyes on him at present.“I’ve always been under mad pressure since I first started,” he says, sounding relaxed. “I remember writing a track called The Nine with Bad Company and I was in a restaurant with - oh, I don’t wanna mention their name – but a drum’n’bass producer who was quite big then and not really doing anything now, and he said to me, he kind of laughed about it and said ‘fucking hell, man, how are you gonna follow that up?’.

“I kind of felt like maybe he was jealous and [trying to] bring me down or something - it really bothered me. From hearing that, I just decided I was always going to not worry about how I’m going to follow up what I’m doing. If it works, it does and I think that’s the reason why I’ve been around for such a long time.Keep challenging yourself, keep doing new things.”

Regaling X-Press with tales of standing in for Nicki Minaj after the singer pulled the plug on her V Festival appearance at the last minute to massive, adoring crowds, the FRESH/LIVE Tour set to make its Australian debut at Parklife is an enviable display of musical prowess, consisting of live instrumentation, something which Stein is pretty proud of.

“I’ve always been interested in performing live,” he says. “Pendulum, who were signed to my label, we were quite a big influence on them in terms of that - it was something I always wanted to do and when I heard they were in a band, I really encouraged them to pursue that - that was something Adam, my partner in the label, and I were always really into. For me, there’s a massive sense of achievement - the ability to play your own tracks and have your own little musical world.

There’s a whole flow through the set, it’s quite personal, and there’s the ability to improvise and provide different interpretations of tracks every time.”

» DJ FRESH » PARKLIFE » MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 @ WELLINGTON SQUARE

GRAN CALAVERA

Wynter Gordon

WYNTER STREET PARTY

Smoke DZA

SMOKIN’ BEATS

Harlem rapper Smoke DZA is coming to town. Yes, you read that correctly. Since splitting from Smoke & Numbers to pursue a solo career, DZA has released a bunch of mixtapes and has collaborated with K.R.I.T, Wiz Khalifa and A$AP Rocky, amongst others. DZA will be joined by American singer-songwriter and producer Jesse Boykins III, beat-maker Shigeto, LV and the super-talented Melo-X. Local peeps Raaghe, Zeke, Savior and Rok Riley are on support duties. It’s all happening on Friday, November 9, at The Bakery.

Tickets on sale now from nowbaking.com.au

SNAP!

Surely you know the international megahit The Power?

It’s one of the world’s most played dance tracks which dropped back on Snap!’s debut album World Power in 1990. The album sold more than seven million copies and is one of the most successful dance albums ever.

Now, Snap! is coming to town for the biggest ‘90s dress up party of the year to be held on Saturday, November 3, at Villa. There’ll be prizes for the best dressed so make sure you rummage through your old ‘90s clothes and smash that. Tickets are $35 plus booking fee and are available from Moshtix from next Tuesday, September 18.

CALL TO COMMIX

If you listened to drum’n’bass back in 2007, you’d know Commix. The Cambridge drum’n’bass duo’s debut record Call To Mind released on Goldie’s Metalheadz label established them as exciting EDM producers. Now, the lads are back with a new sound and a sophomore record underway and would like to now be known as CMX, a representation of their signature sound and new direction. Check them out next Wednesday, September 19, at Shape Bar. Tickets are $10 from shapebar.com.au or $15 on the door on the night.

The Court Street Party returns after the Pride Parade this year and boy, have they got a ripper lineup in store. Headlining the party will be international superstar Wynter Gordon who’ll be smashing out tracks from her record With The Music I Die and hopefully will get the crowd pumping with her smash hit Dirty Talk. Gordon will be joined by Sydney DJs Nino Brown and Dan Murphy and DJ Skarlett Saramore who’ll be bringing a friend along for the ride as part of her new duo Boy and Girl. It’s all happening on Saturday, November 3, at The Court Hotel. They’ll be a free silent disco in the beer garden, Sydney’s favourite DJing drag queen Kitty Glitter will be spinning tunes, a bucking penis and bouncy castle will be yours to indulge in and there’ll be a chilled out shisha bar and free massages. Incredible really. Tickets are on sale now from The Court and Eventbrite.

ALL STARS PARTY

In the lead up to their second birthday, the DDWYT ALLSTARS are throwing a party just warm you all up and showcase samples of the music that has made DeadWeight! what it is today and give you a sneak peak of what’s in store for the near future. Down on the decks will be Boy Prince, Saxon, Nebula, Modo and Rekab. It’s all happening this Saturday, September 15, at The Bird. Tickets are $5 on the door.

TRANCE IN THE HOUSE

Holla trance fans, if you’re up for a sensational show, you’ll need to mark Friday, October 19, at Metro City, in your diary as the one and only internationally renowned performer Nadia Ali is coming to town. Hailing from Queens, New York, has established herself as one of the unique singer-songwriters for EDM. She’s collaborated with the likes of Morgan Page, Armin van Buuren and more. Joining her will be two of our city’s best trance maestros – Jason Creek and DJ Kenny L. Tickets are $40 plus booking fee, grab them from oztix.com.au.

FUTURE CLASSIC DJS AHEAD OF THE PACK

BUSY BEATS

Local DJ threesome Gran Calavera are the winners of X-Press’ DJ Competition for the X-Press 27th Birthday Party which goes down at Amplifier and Capitol this Friday, September 14. ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with the lads about their forthcoming debut EP Busy Busy Busy, Dead Vents and their fresh member Josh Watt.

Gran Calavera started out as a project when Tony Gleed and Lawrence Jenkins had to change their DJ duo name for a gig. They couldn’t DJ at certain gigs as Dead Vents, their party and house music project, due to politics. But, the name change marked the beginning of a new project, Gran Calavera, which has seen the lads gig about town at regular nights including Big Ape, The Lick, Force Majeure and more. They’ve also done mixes for The Backyard Project and are playing the Perth leg for Parklife 2012.

Both Jenkins and Gleed had been producing for a while before they decided to kick off Dead Vents and life then just started spiraling from there. Now accompanied by their long time friend Josh Watt (“I moved back here after one year [teaching full time] in England and wasn’t looking to pursue it [music] at any rate but sort of just walked in,” Watt says), the lads are just about to release their debut EP Busy Busy Busy. “We are just adding the finishing touches to everything,” Gleed says.

“Basically every tune is a collaboration so it’s hard chasing up other people as well to get everything back [and] booking studio time as well. It’s looking like September so not long now. We started it last year. We started with four tunes [and said] ‘okay, well, let’s release an EP, we’ve got four tunes, let’s put it out’. We’ve just got better every time, like ‘chuck that one out, bring this one in’. We could have probably put out an album if we finished all the tunes that we have done.”

As for collaborations on the EP, good 28

Gran Calavera mates of the lads, local drum’n’bass brother duo Ekko & Sidetrack, will be featuring on the A-side.

“We’ve been working with them,” Gleed says. “[Also] Ol Wright from down in Freo, he is a rapper.

He’s another good mate as well, basically all mates throughout everything and even a couple of girls.

We’ve got a girl from Joondalup - Lois Mckay who’s going to be coming in on the B-side.”

Busy Busy Busy will be sonically different to previous material the boys have released – more party based as opposed to the heavier, clubbier bass bombs they usually drop. “It’s more musical based,” Jenkins says.

“We are trying to keep it as natural as possible and still trying to keep the dubstep and electronic vibe just to try and make it easier for us to push a live show,” Gleed adds. “We’ve kept it simple. There’s no big Skrillex wild noises, it’s just more musical and you can actually play it. We’ve written it with that in mind, we still write club tunes and do remixes which are quite clubby and everything like that but with this EP we want to make a statement, we want to push it in a different direction.”

Aside from looking forward to playing the X-Press 27th Birthday Party, the boys are hoping to venture over east next year for some gigs. “I think we should go on another tour,” Jenkins says.

“Well depending on how the EP goes, we haven’t been over east for a year now and I’ve got some pretty good connections over there and we are doing a lot of national tours. We’ve been very lucky with all the support we’ve got; it’s really helped us push everything.”

» » » » »

GRAN CALAVERA X-PRESS 27TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 @ AMPLIFIER CAPITOL PARKLIFE MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 @ WELLINGTON SQUARE

Future Classic DJs

Sydney dance music collective Future Classic has played host to Sebastien Tellier, Mount Kimbie and more indie-dance acts who’ve toured Aus. The label, founded by Nathan McLay and Chad Gillard and later James McInnes (who are now known as the Future Classic DJs), has developed a cult following.

ANNABEL MACLEAN chats with McLay about all of the above and their debut compilation.

Future Classic’s debut DJs compilation was recorded live at the Beatport office in Berlin. “I worked out in Europe for three months recently - Berlin and London,” McLay says down the line from Sydney, having just had lunch with Flume and Flight Facilities. “When it came time to do the mix, all the Beatport guys approached us and said ‘would we be interested in doing a mix for the new mixes platform?’ that they were launching. We had a compilation that we were thinking of doing so we [suggested] mixing the compilation live in the studio for their mixes platform.”

And, it’s exactly what the lads have done. It’s a compilation brimming with previously unreleased tracks exclusive to the release with originals and remixes by Danny Daze, DJ T, Soul Clap, Flume, Slow Hands, Softwar and more. There’s a complete DJ mix available and an unmixed version available too. McLay says it was worth recording the compilation live in the Beatport office.“It was cool, it was very shiny and quite new,” he says of the office.“It was good, those guys have been pretty supportive of us and a lot of DJs use it and it’s convenient so it’s a good way to do the mix as well

because there is no way I could change it. I had a few minutes to do it and I just had to do it.”

Although the lads DJ and host Future Classic parties, producing their own original tracks isn’t on their agenda. “First and foremost we try to look after our artists,” McLay confirms. In fact, this is one of the main reasons McLay was overseas earlier this year. “I’m spending more time abroad as more of our artists are on tour in the US, UK and Europe so I was over there catching up with the festivals, some of whom have expressed interest in booking our acts,” he says.

“So I was doing a reconnaissance mission to work out what is happening over there next year.

We had agents that wanted to get involved for Flume, Panama and Mitzi so it was basically being over there on that time zone; it’s pretty hard to communicate with them when we are 10 hours ahead.”

Aside from doing some pool parties for Ivy in Sydney, playing a boat party in October, continuing their Adult Disco night and bi-monthly residency at Goodgod in Sydney, there’s a lot happening on the label with Flume’s forthcoming debut record soon to be released and Panama releasing tunes soon too.“There’s some other news that’s about to be announced for a festival that we are curating a stage for which I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about yet,” he says.

“We’ve been asked by a couple of clubs in different parts of Europe if we wanted to do a label showcase so we are thinking of getting everyone who is on the road to catch up and get together and do a few parties.”

“I’m coming over to Perth in the new year to DJ and do a little Future Classics showcase,” he concludes, excitedly.

» FUTURE CLASSIC DJS » FUTURE CLASSIC DJS COMPILATION [FUTURE CLASSIC] » OUT NOW X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

BONE THUGSN-HARMONY

NOM DE STRIP RISING HIGH

LIVING LEGENDS

Having recently celebrated their 20-year-anniversary with a special reunion show at Rock The Bells Festival, Bone Thugs-NHarmony are currently getting ready for a new album, a world tour next year and, as Krayzie Bone (Anthony Henderson) reveals to NINA BERTOK, a brand new solo album too. th

Having recently celebrated their 20 anniversary, legendary hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are making their way down under to show us exactly why they changed the game and the way music was made. “Because what we do is still relevant to what’s going on in music today – maybe even more so,” Henderson begins.

“When we came out, we changed the game with what we were doing. When we got into the business it was new. Right now, you look around and you see that people are only just starting to catch up on what we were doing all those years ago - artists like Drake and Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky – you can really see how much of a big influence we were on their music.

That is our legacy after 20 years – we can sit back, not only as artists, but as businessmen and entrepreneurs and enjoy what we brought to the game. It is a legacy – we are some of the few living legends and it’s a real blessing to have longevity in this business.”

It’s not easy to make an impact on the music industry as significantly as Bone Thugs-NHarmony did, Henderson claims. In fact, it wasn’t just the industry itself that the group changed but also the rap game – it soon became obvious to the group that talent wasn’t the only thing required to ‘make it’, a sound business sense was perhaps at times even more vital. “It’s called the music business,” Henderson states.

“I’m not sure many of the younger generation understand that. About 90 per cent of it

Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone is business, though it can present as music. You have to look at it like that and learn from your mistakes and turn every bad decision into a lesson learned. The key is to connect with your consumers emotionally – and that takes heart because fans relate to that, and if you’ve got no fans and nobody knows you, you’re not going to get anywhere.”

With a new solo album ready to drop this year, Henderson insists his music is pure passion and all heart. Titled Chasing The Devil, he explains how it’s been a difficult process having to select key tracks from a grand total of 75. In the end, the only thing that made sense was turning the project into two albums rather than just one. “I’ve been working on it for almost twoand-a-half years,” he says.

“I’ve got at least 75 tracks ready to go, so it will definitely be a double album out, one released in November and then another one released in the first half of next year. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is also getting together and planning to do an album and a world tour soon, so that’s even more music to work on. The remainder of this year will be all shows, just reuniting with the whole group and getting those sparks flying.“ Despite prior ‘beef’ among the group members, Henderson claims it’s been much like a family reunion.“Family can be at each other’s throats,” he says.

“But it’s always love - all of our differences that we ever had - they were always business differences, the love was always there and it was never personal. That’s the reason we’re able to make this reunion happen. Once everybody came back into the same room and started reminiscing about the old times, there was laughter and tears and it just felt so real. You can’t deny the love you have for each other.”

» KRAYZIE BONE & WISH BONE » SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 @ METRO CITY

Chris Elliot is flying high – literally.

Spreading his wings between Canada and Scotland, the affable young chap has a reputation that precedes him. From his work on Chris Lake’s Rising Music, to his own productions and EPs, he’s going places. RK catches him just before he boards a plane for a series of gigs down under.

Chris Elliott is a gentleman, a real family man. “Right now I’m at my grand-parents house in Edinburgh helping out - they’re getting a bit fragile these days,” he chimes. “I’m actually off to find my grandma some Croc footwear; I think they might be good for her sore toes. After that I’m back in the studio to work on some new stuff and start preparing edits for Australia!”

As you can see, the lifestyle of a musician isn’t all roses. In fact, its challenges are sometimes even more significant – especially when the love of your life is on the other side of the world. “At the moment, I’m splitting my time between Canada and Scotland; my wife lives on Vancouver Island and I’m in the process of relocating out there,” he says.“It is hard knowing that I won’t see her until about Christmas time but I kind of have no option but to bury myself in work otherwise life gets too depressing! I do try to make the most of my time with family and my old friends, that’s a big help as well.”

“To make the most of it”, as he terms it, means he is staying head-down in the studio. His superb EPs Pulse and The Nothing have certainly made the world stand up and take notice and he is pressing on down that path. “I’ve been very focused on studio work and have a number of releases planned that I’m very excited about,” he says. “I have been working closely with Chris Lake and have about five original tracks signed to his label Rising Music, one of which – Pulse - has been played on BBC Radio 1 already.

“Next up, I’ve got a collaboration with Peo De Pitte called Big Knobbler and this techno jam is

Nom De Strip out sometime in September, also on Rising Music.

Otherwise, I’m avoiding remixing for now and as for an album, I’m finding it easier to take it a single tune at a time for now; I don’t think the stuff I’m doing right now would be suitable for my idea of an album project but one day in the future, for sure!”

Indeed, the great Chris Lake is a fabulous backer – and getting the respect of industry heavyweights like that legitimises all the blood, sweat and tears. “It’s great to have big names playing your music,” he says. “After a while, you realise you’d rather be the big name giving out the respect.” And to that end, he admits he is putting all of his effort into exactly that.

And, this involves “mixing things up” as much as he feels he can get away with. “I’d get really bored sticking to one genre so it’s important to me as a DJ to vary it as much as possible within my own tastes,” he says. “I’ve been a DJ for a long time now and I like to think there’s a method to how I structure it. Good new music inspires me when I’m playing and producing – well that and some tasty and twisted electro house loaded with a whole lot of energy,” he concludes.

» NOM DE STRIP » FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 @ AMBAR

WILEY

NUMBERS IN ACTION “I got a style and it aint running out!” declares Wiley over a mash of 808 hand claps and ricocheting synth lines. “But my life’s running out, we don’t live forever,” he continues, “however, my music can live forever.” It’s a bold line – a heady mix of defiant energy, glib self-awareness and untouchable confidence that seems to sum up the 33-year-old UK rapper perfectly.

The same Jack-knife vigour that permeates Wiley’s music courses through his personality as well. He chats to HENRY ANDERSEN about grime, bringing underground to the mainstream and leaving a legacy.

Wiley

and the sugar-pop overload of his most recent single, Heatwave. “I think it’s important to find a balance between both worlds [underground roots and commercial success] as both equally mean as much to me. I’m never going to stop making underground music just as I am never going to Wiley’s music is pretty much synonymous with stop making potential chart music” grime, the lightning-fast breed of UK hip hop that I t i s t h i s u n d e rg ro u n d / c h a r t - h i t first started appearing on London’s pirate radio dichotomy that seems one of the most interesting stations in the early 2000s. Grime has its origin things about Wiley’s career. I don’t know anyone in jungle and the Jamaican tradition of ‘roasting’ (other than maybe Wiley himself ) who will but it started to mutate into its own entity in unequivocally stand by the rapper’s entire backEast London where grime’s pioneers paired the catalogue. There’s always a track or two which is fractured break beats of drum’n’bass with super too aggressive for the dance kids, too dancey for fast rapping up around the 140bpm mark. Wiley the hip hoppers, too pop for the garage kids or too has been there since the genre’s inception, first antagonistic for the pop lovers. But whatever Wiley as an MC in jungle raves then as part of the does, he does it with a unique and unmistakable pioneering Roll Deep Crew and finally as one of style. the most visible producers and MCs in the genre.

Is it all good? No, but some of it is From its outset, grime has held a fiercely excellent, and Wiley knows that his music has to nationalistic ethos – revelling in its independence Evolve Or Be Extinct (to quote the title of his most from trends in American hip hop. “It’s important recent LP). This is music that will outlive its creator. for us to have our own identity and not try and When asked what sort of a legacy he wanted to copy or be like the US Stars,” he says. “I’m proud of leave with his music, Wiley says “I want people to the scene and the sound we have in the UK. I do look back at my music and see I was someone who everything I can to push the scene and the music strove to create - who wanted everyone to hear forward. That’s how the whole scene can grow, by [his] music.” having a sense of community, which I feel we do have now.”

In 2008 Wiley made big waves » WILEY internationally on the back of the single Rolex. » PARKLIFE Since then he has flirted with further chart » MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 @ WELLINGTON SQUARE success, with Numbers In Action’s comic backbeat www.xpressmag.com.au

29

THE COURT

AMPLIFIER

WEDNESDAY 12/09 Blvd Tavern – Dub Step Capitol - Bow Wow 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 Llama Bar – Jo 19 Metro Freo - Rapture Mustang – DJ Giles Newport – Bodyrox ft DJ Jon Pearn 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 13/09 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 Tony Allen Flying Scotsman – Cowboys & Indie Kids DJs Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Library - Dorcia Llama Bar – Danni Boi/ Charlie Bucket Mint Nightclub – DJ Simon Barwood Mt Henry Tavern - DJ Matty J Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick Mustang – DJ James Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – MASH South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – Jon Ee 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 14/09 Ambar – Nom De Strip/ DNGRFLD/ Philly Blunt/ FTW Amplifier – DJ Jamie Mac Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Blvd Tavern – DJ Andy/ Tommo/ Conan/ Luke Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern - DJ Misschief Mel Capitol – X-Press 27th Birthday Party ft Q-BIK/ Get More/ Zeke/ Gran Calavera Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie Claremont Hotel – Jon Ee Club Bayview – Amnesia ft Fendi/ Axon/ Fellis Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – Lockie Shaw Eve Nightclub – Don Migi 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

FRAT HOUSE FRIDAYS

Dooey Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – DJ Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – Jim Pearson/ Jehan/ Ben Edit/ DJ Cee Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – Frat House Fridays Pyjama Party ft Death Disco DJs Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mojos – The Freakz 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 – Extreme Aggression ft DJ Cain Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Shape – Roger Shah Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Avenue – Dale Ingvarson The Beat Nightclub - Limbo Reunion ft DJ JJ/ Colin Clark/ Nick Alexander/Greg Packer/ Craig B/ Maze/ Marnie Kent (Live vocal set) The Carine – Mind Electric/ Little Nicky/ Az-T The Causeway – Jus Haus?

The East End Bar – Az-T The Generous Squire - DJ Anaru The Queens – DJ Rueben The Saint - DJ Emmanuel 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 Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup

SATURDAY 15/09 Bow Wow

Nom De Strip

30

Ambar – Japan 4 ft Bezwun/ Oli/ Dead Easy/ Marko Paulo/ Blend Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Bird - DDWYT ALLSTARS ft Boy Prince/ Saxon/ Nebula/ Modo/ Rekab and more Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Roger Smart/ Matt Richards/ Ben Dallin Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Capitol – Death Disco Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – Fiveo/ J.V.R Club Bay View – Fiveo Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve Nightclub – The Weekend Tour ft Grant Smillie/ Lady Lauryn Flying Scotsman - Under The Influence DJs Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Fore DJs

Geisha - Fritz Kalkbrenner 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 Metro City - Krayzie Bone/ Wish Bone (Bone Thugs N Harmony) Metro City (R&B Lounge) - DJ Slick/DJ Ruthless/DJ Soso/DJ Brett Costello Metro Freo – DTuck/ Ben Carter/ 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 Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Mel South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Causeway – Rhys Johnson The Clink –Az-T The Cornerstone – Dylan Hammond The Craftsman – Abstar The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The East End Bar - Fiveo The Generous Squire – On Tap ft DJ Freeds The Honey Lounge - Steffi The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Andyy 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 - ShockOne Chaos Theory Tour ft ShockOne/ Phetsta/ Dvise and more Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup

SUNDAY 16/09

METRO FREO

ShockOne Geisha – Innerspace ft Higher Education 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 17/09 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 18/09

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 – Angry Buda/ DJ Slick Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic

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

METRO CITY

THE LICK

SHAPE

TRIPLE J HOUSE PARTY

CAPITOL

IN THE THIS WEEK:

Bootleg: Sneaker Party ft Spenda C Friday, September 21 @ Ambar

X-Press 27th Birthday Bash ft Q-BIK/ Get Syrup ft Kit Pop/ Zeke/ D.Y.P/ Saxon/ More/ Zeke/ Gran Calavera Boy P/ Ol Wright/ Starks/ Elcue/ Friday, September 14 @ Amplifier/Capitol Oni Ca$h Friday, September 21 @ 23 Irwin St, Roger Shah Perth Friday, September 14 @ Shape Japan 4 ft Blaze Tripp Limbo Reunion ft DJ JJ/ Colin Saturday, September 22 @ Ambar Clark/ Nick Alexander/Greg Packer/ Craig B/ Maze/ Marnie Kent (Live Friction/ MC Linguistics vocal set) Saturday, September 22 @ Villa Friday, September 21 @ The Beat Nightclub Octave One Saturday, September 22 @ The Bakery The Freakz Friday, September 14 @ Mojos High Wolf Thursday, September 27 @ PICA Bar Nom De Strip Friday, September 14 @ Ambar DAS EFX/ Black Sheep Thursday, September 27 @ The Civic Fritz Kalkbrenner Hotel Saturday, September 15 @ Geisha Break-A-Holics Anonymous: Vinyl DDWYT ALLSTARS ft Boy Prince/ Night ft Marty McFly v Tone/ BAA Saxon/ Nebula/ Modo/ Rekab and (Micah/ Ben Mac/ Fdel)/ Wish v Oli/ more Nyquist Freqs Saturday, September 15 @ The Bird Friday, September 28 @ Villa Krayzie Bone/ Wish Bone (Bone Thugs N Harmony) Saturday, September 15 @ Metro City The Weekend Tour ft Grant Smillie/ Lady Lauryn Saturday, September 15 @ Eve Nightclub ShockOne Chaos Theory Tour ft ShockOne/ Phetsta/ Dvise and more Saturday, September 15 @ Villa Innerspace ft Higher Education Sunday, September 16 @ Geisha

COMING UP The Circus Showcase ft Doctor P/ Cookie Monsta/ Funtcase/ Slum Dogz Wednesday, September 19 @ Villa

Speakeasy ft North East Party House Friday, September 28 @ Villa Challenger Ready ft Benny P v Micah/ Bezwun v Dead Easy/ Marko Paulo/ Philly Blunt v DNGRFLD/MR eD v Bob Noceros Saturday, September 29 @ Ambar Ferry Corsten/ Shogun Sunday, September 30 @ 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

MC Lars Monday, October 1 @ The Den Seth Sentry Saturday, October 6 @ The Rosemount Hotel Paul Oakenfold Saturday, October 6 @ Villa Seth Sentry Sunday, October 7 @ The Norfolk Hotel Rudimental Thursday, October 11 @ Ambar The Aston Shuffle Can’t Stop Now Tour Friday, October 12 @ Villa Fresh Produce: Double Trouble ft Lemon Lime n Love Town/ Benny P & Genga/ 4by4/ The Tapeheads/ CK RUCKUS v StrangerThanDigital Friday, October 12 @ Ambar Bombs Away Friday, October 12 @ Eve Nightclub Emalkay Saturday, October 13 @ Shape 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 Nadia Ali/ Jason Creek/ DJ Kenny L Friday, October 19 @ Metro City Japan 4 ft Nick Thayer Saturday, October 20 @ Ambar Jay Sean Thursday, October 25 @ Eve Nightclub

The Lick ft Commix Wednesday, September 19 @ Shape

Madlib Medicine Show ft Madlib/ J Rocc/ Egon Saturday, October 27 @ The Bakery Prefuse 73/ Teebs Saturday, September 17 @ The Bakery ‘90s Party ft Snap!

Saturday, November 3 @ Villa The Court Street Party ft Wynter Gordon/ Kitty Glitter/ Nino Brown/ Skarlett Saramore/ Dan Murphy Saturday, November 3 @ The Court Smoke DZA/ LV/ Jesse Boykins III/ Shigeto/ Melo X/ Raaghe/ Savior/ Zeke/ Rok Riley Saturday, November 9 @ The Bakery 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 Perth Dance Music Awards Sunday, December 2 @ The Court Mr Grevis Wednesday, December 12 @ Mojos Breakfest ft Krafty Kuts/ A.Skillz/ DJ Yoda/ Lady Waks/ The Nextmen/ Jaguar Skills/ Specimen A/ Pyramid/ Marten Hørger/ High Contrast/ Spy/ Camo & Krooked/ MC Wrec Wednesday, December 26 @ Belvoir Amphitheatre Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC Sunday, January 13 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre

Q-BIK

X-PRESS 27TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 @ AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL

www.xpressmag.com.au

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

DOCTOR P

DUBSTEP MASTER Dubstep producer Doctor P, aka Shaun Brockhurst, has become a huge name in the scene over the past few years since the release of his massive single Sweet Shop.

CHLOE PAPAS has a chat to the man himself ahead of his set at Big Ape’s The Circus Showcase which hits Villa next week.

Doctor P has just finished up a massive run of dates in America and he’s a little bit tuckered out. “It was pretty full on, I had one day off in three weeks,” he begins.

Brockhurst explains that time off isn’t really an option at this stage in his career; running Circus Records with label mates Flux Pavilion, DJ Swan-E and Earl Falconer, plus keeping the fans happy and touring like a madman doesn’t really allow for a lot of relaxing. “I always do shows on the weekend but I spend most weekdays at home,” he says. “My time at home is spent making music, doing interviews and running the label, so I don’t really have down time.

If I did have down time I would probably spend it sleeping.”

Brockhurst began his music career studying music production at university in the UK. He then worked under a number of different aliases, starting out in the drum’n’bass scene under the moniker DJ Picto before rapidly doing an about turn after realising that dubstep was the direction he wanted to head in. “I was never truly a part of the drum’n’bass scene,” he says. “I had a few small releases and never really did any gigs. It was when I found dubstep that I felt my music became what I wanted it to be and I think other people felt the same [way]. My dubstep became way more popular than my drum’n’bass.”

Some producers draw inspiration from others in the scene, some have routines they follow when creating music. But, Brockhurst says that he leaves it all up to fate. “I just start making music and see where it takes me,” he says. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s difficult to find true inspiration, it always comes when you least expect it.”

Doctor P Dubstep has almost been flooding the non-mainstream market over the past 18 months or so, and more and more artists are turning to the genre. Brockhurst reckons it was simply a case of good timing. “The music industry has been due for a revolution for a while; I think dubstep is what everyone was looking for,” he says. “Who knows where it will go, or what it will turn into. All I know is that it’s way more interesting than most chart music.”

On that note, X-Press finishes up by getting the lowdown on Doctor P’s dubstep picks for the year.

“Brown & Gammon is a favourite of mine. His music is so strange, but it works on lots of different levels,” he says. “I’m also a fan of people like Koan Sound, and Feed Me; they are masters of what they do.”

» DOCTOR P » THE CIRCUS SHOWCASE » WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 @ VILLA

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

AMPFEST 2012 Comedian Nick Cody MC’ing one of two sold-out Anthony Jeselnik shows at the Picture Hall (Rottofest)

ROTTOFEST Rottnest Island

Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, September 9, 2012 A weekend getaway gallivanting around Rottnest Island trying to take in as much comedy, music and film as humanly possible without overdoing it after having had too many ciders in the sun at Hotel Rottnest and smashing your bike into a fence in order to avoid a quokka in the darkness on your way back to your house of residence for the evening. Yes, this is a typical experience for many punters who ferried over to the island for the weekend to soak up the sun at Rottofest.

Local comedians and musicians, along with a few who made the trek over west from the eastern states, flocked to Hotel Rottnest, Gov’s Bar and the Picture Hall early last Saturday and Sunday to get some sun rays, indulge in some beverages, take in some great music and laugh their asses off.

Local multi-instrumentalist and singersongwriter Morgan Bain warmed up the early Saturday afternoon crowd at Hotel Rottnest with his bluesy-roots tunes, immediately installing happy vibes amongst all pizza indulging, sun-tanning folk nearby with his harmonica-enthusing and striking acoustic melodies. Bain gives Xavier Rudd and Ash Grunwald a run for their money.

Innovative effects pedal beat-maker Sam Perry bought his usual unique harmonies and basslines created solely with his voice to the party, looping them live and leaving a few ‘Sam Perry virgin punters’ gobsmacked. His underground, moody, dubelectronica set was enticing to watch but it seemed a little misplaced in the mid-afternoon with the sunshine reigning down and happy, party vibes ensuing.

Three-piece Sonpsilo Circus got the crowd pumping with their psych infused rock tunes, hypnotising those on the frontline with their chaotically, powerful drums. Frontman and guitarist

www.xpressmag.com.au

Regal Theatre, Subiaco Friday, September 7, 2012

Peter Gower’s vocals were, as always, prismatic and catchy as all hell, particularly during their popular, catchy track Silverspoon.

Queensland indie-pop young guns Millions were the headline act for Saturday, playing at the odd time of 5.15pm. There is much hype about this fresh four-piece, having been hand-picked by Triple J Unearthed to open the main stage for last year’s Splendour In The Grass festival. Sure, they put on a neat show, filled with garage-pop melodies, but there didn’t appear to be any stand-out, catchy tunes to somewhat justify the hype the band have received so far.

A massive dancefloor party ensued when Stillwater Giants took the stage, spurred on by their average rock rendition of Daft Punk’s One More Time.

But, a lot of the celebration was coming from inside the pub where fanatic footy fans were witnessing and cheering on the annihilation of Geelong by Freo. It was particularly disruptive when local cabaret disco entertainer Thomas Ford took to the stage for his mind-boggling set, having to compete with the growingly excited footy crowd. But, as always, he managed to playfully entertain his audience.

American comedian Anthony Jeselnik managed to turn a few unsuspecting audience members off with his offensive, testing jokes about rape, molestation and cancer at the Picture Hall but Thomas Ford’s Pop Quiz was certainly a highlight, if only to hear him sing a bunch of Elvis songs for one of the rounds and be part of the winning team (yay!).

Nyanda J was a bellowing, boring beginning to Sunday’s line-up but luckily Cow Parade Cow bought the happy vibes, bongo drums and Hawaiian flower necklaces to share. Queensland fourpiece The Medics bought the powerful rock ballads to the mid-afternoon celebrations, running through tracks off their fresh debut record Foundations, including the brilliant Griffin. These lads know how to put on a grand live show.

All up, a grand weekend to check out some up-and-coming bands, local and international comedians which would be good to see expand in size in the near future. _ANNABEL MACLEAN

This year’s Ampfest final saw five local bands battle it out at the Regal Theatre for $15,000 worth of prizes. Duo Dead Owls won, taking home a massive prize package including recording time, music vouchers, a Gibson Les Paul, and a festival performance.

The night started out mellow with shy second-placer Lucas Jones and his four piece band offering a quiet compilation of goose-bump-inducing folk. Jones’ unusual voice married well with the light dusting of keys and acoustic guitar. Your Heart Is A Lonely Place To Be was suitably melancholic, as was the fingerpicking Rain. The audience was hushed for the duration of the set despite people steadily filing in.

The dulcet mood was abruptly halted when alternative rockers From The Dunes took to the stage.

Ending the night in fifth place, the four boys put on a testosterone-fuelled performance. While they may have been traipsing all over the stage, their music was tight.

Their newly released single Everglades offered a grungier feel to their fierce set list. Percussionist Alex Keil ended the performance as it begun, with a powerful drumroll.

Eventual winners Dead Owls were the third act of the night. Their compelling performance was particularly impressive given that Jordan Tjhung and Sam Maher made just as much noise as the other

bands with only a drum-kit and guitar between them.

It no doubt made it easier to decide who got the Les Paul! The band played a line-up of beautifully arranged, murky songs which incorporated heavy, echoey guitar riffs and Conor Oberst style vocals. Maher’s drumming was relentless, and though they merged their first songs together, it is clear they have some versatile material.

Their best moments were when they reached violent crescendos.

Earning fourth place, the kooky Bears & Dolls brought more than a little dose of eccentricity onto the stage. The band melted nonsensical lyrics about vanity and madness into music that sounded at once comic and tragic. During their first song they broke off into a distorted lull akin to a music box winding down. Their set lacked a little oomph, especially given they had six members, but their colourful stage presence, which included lead singer Brooke Wilkie dancing into the crowd, was entertaining.

New Animals’ Matthew Passmore was a dead ringer for Liam Gallagher when he appeared onstage in a buttoned up khaki parka and shoved his hands behind his back. The band took home third place.

New Animals combined tetchy guitar notes and upbeat rhythms and their beat-inspired sound inspired the first dancing of the night, albeit if it was only two people out of their seats.

Ending the night with The Brow Horn Orchestra ensured those two people dancing were soon joined by many others - onstage. The band was armed with new material, unleashing mystical electrofunk with a flamboyant brass section and an abundance of energy to ensure the night ended as a party. _CORAL HUCKSTEP

Dead Owls (Photo: AmpFest)

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THE TIDE IS HIGH In the spirit of togetherness that their namesake harvest festival evokes, WAMi nominated Perth psychedelic folk rock band The Lammas Tide released new single, Partridge Farm, with a musical love-in – featuring the talents of The Floors, The Empty Cup and Nevada Pilot – at the Rosemount Hotel last Sunday, September 9.

Sam, Nick

Photographs by Emma Mackenzie

Jameson, Marcus

Jacqy, Dave

Fiona, Ruth

Jenny, Allan, Robert

Mick, Ruth

Collin, Broydy

The Lammas Tide

DUCKSTEIN BREWERY

Celebrate Oktoberfest 2012 in the beautiful surrounds of Margaret River at the Duckstein Brewery. On Saturday, October 20, from 10am ‘til 5pm, there will be a range of tasty food and German games to keep you entertained, while Blue Shaddy, Travis Caudle and DJ Damon Rollins will provide the perfect soundtrack. Tickets are $35 +BF and on sale now from Heatseeker. com. Group discounts are available and there will be bus transfers available to get you there and home safely. Hit up facebook. com/DucksteinBreweryMargaretRiver for more deets.

HYDE PARK

Come along to THursty at Hyde Park Hotel this Thursday, September 13, for the weekly student/indie night featuring Lixy. On Friday, September 14, Underground Hound, Thee Gold Blooms and The Black Jackets perform live on stage, while Saturday, September 15, brings to you Lanark, Frighteners, White Oak & Stuyvesant and Bishi Bishi.

YA YA’S

This Thursday, September 13, treat yourself to some fine musical treats from Blackbirds, James Rogers, Timothy Nelson and Jacob Diamond! On Friday, September 15, Tyto Kings headline with support from Edie Green and Three Hands One Hoof.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

This Friday, September 14, sees WA’s best up and comers battle it out in the state final of the National Campus Band Competition. Catch Gloria Ironbox, Aurora, From The Dunes, Bishi Bashi, Subtle And The Undertones, The Bonekickers and I And The Village compete to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Eskimo Joe and Jebediah! Doors open 8pm, $15 entry or $10 with student ID. To win a double pass to this show email win@ rosemounthotel.com.au with ‘Win’ in the subject line.

RAILWAY HOTEL

This Friday, September 14, catch a metal feast with Advent Sorrow, Mhorgl, Memoria and One Too Many Camel. Saturday, September 15, the Railway gives you Welcome to Loco, the band project for Jack Lucas (ex-Yummy Fur and Ku-Ling Bros) with special guests Applebite, Creature and The Jephasuns.

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MUSTANG BAR

Support Original Music at The Mustang Bar this Thursday, September 13, with Calectasia, a four piece blues/rock band supported by Palatial Digs and One Thousand Years with DJ James MacArthur spinning the decks till late.

INDI BAR

It’s been a long wait since the last time the part-Victorian part-West Australian outfit The Exploders hit local shores. They play a very special show this Sunday, September 16, so be sure to get down for good party times!

THE PADDO

Oktoberfest at The Paddo is back again for its 5th year on Saturday, October 20, from noon ‘til 6pm! See The Paddo transform into its very own Weihenstephan German beer hall. DJ Riki, Roger Smart and James Ess will be on stage all day plus there will be our famous strongest guy and girl competition. They will also have a fully authentic German food menu available plus The Paddo’s own sexy beer wenches will be serving you ice cold Weihenstephan half steins all day for only $10.

Pre-sale tickets are $20 +BF from paddo.com.au.

BEAT NIGHTCLUB

Back by popular demand The Beat Nightclub presents Jukebox. This live jam band is going to groove out all the soul, Motown and rock‘n’roll you can handle over a massive two hour show. Be sure to get down and enjoy this jammin’ celebration whilst enjoying some of Beat’s Friday night drink specials this Friday, September 14. Kicks off 9pm. $10 Entry.

MOJOS BAR

Saturday, September 15, The Exploders play Mojos for the first time in years! The Exploders hijack honky-tonk rhythm‘n’blues and work in some rock‘n’roll into its soul. Supporting on the night will be The Novocaines, The Love Junkies, Sugarpuss and Man The Clouds. Mojo’s is giving away double passes to this show so simply email mojos@coolperthnights.com with “Exploders” in the subject line!

THE BROKEN HILL HOTEL Sunday, October 7, from noon ‘til late dress up in your Oktoberfest outfit for a day of fun and games, including competitions, live music, food stalls and much more. Tickets available now from Moshtix or the venue.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

WAM SONG OF THE YEAR 2012 And The Nominees Are…

Honoring the best tunes coming out of this little state in the last 12 months, the 2012 WAM Song Of The Year nominees have been announced, with the winners set to be unveiled in a massive Awards Night at the Fly By Night on Thursday, October 11. JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD reports.

With 1016 entries across 16 categories – a 24 per cent increase from last year – WAM Project Officer Alexis Courtin says this year’s Song Of The Year competition is one of the most successful in recent memory.

“Pop, Rock and World/Folk tend to be the most popular categories every year but we’ve observed a quantitative and qualitative increase in most other categories making the competition even more so representative of specific scenes,” he says.

As Courtin explains, the judging guidelines and scoring process are essential, which each song looked at anonymously with the process focusing on the quality of the songwriting rather than the presentation, popularity, or production of the recording.

“With so many entries, we needed the right pool of industry experts and approximately 80 judges (some from interstate and overseas) donated their time and expertise throughout August,” he says. “It is a serious process and it was fantastic to witness the level of concentration and dedication during the judging sessions with some panels lasting over four hours.”

This year some of the local scene’s best emerging acts – including The Ghost Hotel, Rainy Day Women, Yabu Band, Jake And The Cowboys, Ylem and Patient Little Sister – picked up multiple nominations which puts them in a good position to share in the enviable prize pool.

FOLKING FANTASTIC

Perth’s music scene is awesomely exploding in all directions - especially when it comes to rambunctious, charismatic new wave folk pop! Folk Yeah, featuring acts hand picked by Cool Perth Nights, is a celebration of some of the cream of the crop when it comes to new folk. For just $8 (or $5 through nowbaking.com.au) catch James Teague, The Flower Drums, The Seals and The Big Old Bears at The Bakery this Friday, September 14. You’d be a right motherfolker to miss this one.

Jake And The Cowboys have picked up multiple nominations in this year’s SOTY competition “The category winners walk away with $500 and one day studio time in one of our studio partner. A few exceptional additional category prizes have been added recently thanks to our great partners.

The winner of the Experimental category will be invited to Paris in April 2013 for the production of a video clip and will receive a distribution deal via qwartzmusic.com. The winners of Country and Indigenous will respectively be invited to perform at the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival and Nannup Music Festival,” Courtin explains.

“The Grand Prize winner walks away with $2,000 cash; three days recording at Albert Studios in Sydney engineered by Wayne Connolly; a mentoring session from Alberts Creative Services team; the opportunity of an album distribution deal to China courtesy of 88tc88; a mastering session with James Hewgill Music; 500 CDs pressed by DiskBank; an opportunity for a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing; a Berkleemusic online music course; and a RØDE Microphones package. They also have an opportunity to perform at the AGWA Nights finale in November and at the 2013 WAMi Festival, and to have their song included on the 2013 Kiss My WAMi compilation.”

For the full list of nominees and for further details on the Awards Night, click on over to wam.asn.au/songoftheyear.

HAVING A LAFF

Having spent the last few months at Studio Sleepwalker’s Dread recording their full length album, Fear Of Comedy make their longawaited return to the live scene this Sunday, September 16, at Mojos Bar, playing along side heavy duty rockers Brutus, prog rockers Hyte and featuring the debut performance from sludge improv band DarkzVeigtht feat. Matt Bairstow (Injured Ninja, Smrts). It all kicks off at 6pm. Tickets are $6 on the door.

RETRO VISION

Perth’s very own champions of the ‘60s sounds of Jamaica, The Isolites bring a touch of the carnival to Devilles Pad this Saturday, September 15, with their infectious ska, rocksteady and calypso.

Combining searing horn riffs and swinging rhythms with the boy/girl vocal talents of Tayo and Coo - The Isolites’ mix of original songs and authentic covers of great Jamaican artists always sets the dancefloor on fire! Having just recorded their debut album, don’t miss a preview of some brand-spanking-new originals from 10.30pm.

A SHORE THING The Aunts

LINE OF DUTY

Saturday, September 15, stalwarts of the local metal and core scenes will band together for a massive night to send of Storm The Shores as they head off on an east coast tour. Alizarin Haze, Remember The South, Lakeside and Severtone will bring the heavy. Entry is $10 on the door.

Fremantle roots/rock ensemble The Aunts like a party – that’s why they’ve decided to launch their debut album Line Drive no less than four times across the state, kicking off at the Norfolk Basement this Friday, September 14, with Tom Fisher And The Layabouts, Tabas. co, and Old Blood, and then at Ya Ya’s on Saturday, September 15, with Lucy Peach, One Tiger Down, and Zara Huts. Tickets to both shows is $10 on the door.

FACE OFF

Rising from the ashes of Hoopers Store, Race To Your Face are gearing up to launch their debut EP This Be EP on Friday, September 14, at X-Wray Café. The two piece math rockers combine offbeat drumming and layer upon layer of luscious guitar tones not to be missed. Joining them on the night will be Tangled Thoughts of Leaving’s jazz noise improv side project The Ron Pollard Quintet and Zeks. Entry is $6 or $10 with a copy of the EP.

Room At The Reservoir

VELVET UNDERGROUND

This Friday, September 14, at the Velvet Lounge catch Room At The Reservoir, Dead Owls, The Shallows and The Idle Front doing their thing for another edition of Sonic Velvet. Doors open 8pm and entry is only $5!

RUB A DUB DUB The Bob Gordons

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

As everyone’s favourite drunk rockers The Bob Gordons gear up to discharge their new single Uncle Buck on their beer-swilling fans, true to form, they’re not doing things the same as all the rest. Don’t think launch, think PARTY! With awesome support from Blazin’ Entrails, Kill Teen Angst, Blindspot and The Shakeys and a range of festivities to get the party started – including everything from a merch raffle to a dickhead competition – this Friday, September 14, the Rocket Room is throwing up a potent enough cocktail of rock and roll to tempt any teetotaler. www.xpressmag.com.au

Is your week missing a heavy dose of dub and the faint taste of Jamaican reggae? Weapon Is Sound are throwing their monthly Rubadub night on Thursday, September 13. Get down to the Newport back room from 7pm for a fusion of musical influences and sounds, featuring anything from sprawling psychedelic blues, classic King Tubby-era studio dub-reggae, classical and jazz horn influences, post-rock and afro-beat inspired percussive elements, that will be sure to warm you up and remind you your weekend is nearly here.

TOAD IN THE HOLE

Tonight, Wednesday, September 12, new wave pop princes and princesses Electric Toad, Zealous Chang, Leure and Chief Richards will help you put the ‘hump’ back in ‘hump day’. Entry is $5 from 8pm.

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The Sin & Tonics, September 29, Rumble In The Underground

Dan Sultan, November 10, The Bakery & November 11, Fly By Night

Evan Dando, December 22, The Rosemount

NORTHEAST PARTY EDWARD SHARPE & THE ARRESTED MAGNETIC ZEROS / WILLY DEVELOPMENT HOUSE MASON 3 Metro City 28 Villa BOW WOW 12 & 13 Belvoir THE LIVING END AARON GOLDBERG 12 Capitol Amphitheatre 1-7 Rosemount Hotel 28 & 29 The Ellington EMMYLOU HARRIS KATIE NOONAN & KARIN SOUND OF SEASONS 12 Metropolis Fremantle 6 Perth Concert Hall SUBHUMANS SCHAUPP 13 Amplifier Bar JOE LONGTHORNE / 12 Amplifier 28 Winthrop Hall UWA 14 YMCA HQ MELISSA MANCHESTER 29 Mandurah Performing DAVE WARNER’S FROM 7 Regal Theatre Arts Centre JONAH THE SUBURBS JOSH PYKE SIX60 MATRANGA 13 Charles Hotel 8 Artbar 29 Metro City 12 Amplifier SOUND OF SEASONS CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE RUMBLE IN THE 14 C5 Metropolis Fremantle 12 Metropolis Fremantle BAND UNDERGROUND (The Sin 13 Amplifier 8 Fly By Night & Tonics, The ReChords, AMERICA 14 YMCA HQ TRIPOD Hank’s Jalopy Demons, 12 Perth Concert Hall COUNT BASIE 9 Quarry Amphitheatre Scotty Baker, Kieron ORCHESTRA REFUSED McDonald, Lady Voodoo 14 Perth Concert Hall PRITA GREALY 9 Metropolis Fremantle & The Rituals, Pat Capocci EVERCLEAR 13 Ellington Jazz Club JOHN WAITE Combo and more) 15 Indi Bar 14 Capitol 9 Metro City 29 State Theatre Centre DON WALKER GEORGE MICHAEL Underground 14 Fremantle Arts Centre 10 Perth Arena OKA SHIHAD 13 Mojos Bar THIS IS NOWHERE PROGFEST (Ne 16 Caves House Yallingup 28 Amplifier (Tortoise, Xiu Xiu, Grails, Obliviscaris, and more 30 Mojos Bar 19 Indi Bar The Bank Holidays, HTRK, TBA) WAVE ROCK WEEKENDER Puro Instinct, High Tea, 20 Prince Of Wales 10 Civic Hotel (Stephen Malkmus & The New War and more) 21 Settlers Tavern DAN SULTAN / LEAH Jicks, Shihad, and more) 14 Somerville Auditorium FLANAGAN 22 White Star Hotel 29 - 30 Wave Rock Caravan and surrounds 23 Railway Hotel 10 The Bakery Park MARGINS 11 Fly By Night RUSSIAN CIRCLES / EAGLE 14 DaDa Garage KATCHAFIRE MATCHBOX TWENTY TWIN 14 Astor Theatre 15 Rosemount Hotel 11 Perth Arena 30 The Bakery 15 Settlers Tavern KARISE EDEN SWAMP THING 16 Prince Of Wales FEAR FACTORY/ SENSORY 16 & 17 St Joseph’s Church 11 Fremantle Arts Centre AMUSIA/ INANIMACY Subiaco ELTON JOHN TODD MCKENNEY EARTH / MARGINS 30 Capitol 12 Perth Arena 18 & 19 Astor Theatre 15 Rosemount Hotel SIGUR ROS WE ALL WANT TO 13 Belvoir Amphitheatre OCTOBER 18 Prince Of Wales BEN FOLDS FIVE INVADERS 19 The Bird JOE BONAMASSA 14 Fremantle Arts Centre 15 Charles Hotel 20 Indi Bar 1 Perth Concert Hall THE BEARDS / THE CLARE BOWDITCH PARKLIFE (The Presets, SNOWDROPPERS LOON LAKE 20 Astor Theatre 15 Prince Of Wales Nero, Passion Pit, Plan 14 Prince Of Wales THEESATISFACTION 16 Settlers Tavern B, Rusko, Tame Impala, 15 Amplifier 20 The Bakery 17 Rosemount Hotel Chiddy Bang, Robyn, and PAUL HEATON 18 Indi Bar more) 21 Fly By Night WASHINGTON SEPTEMBER 1 Wellington Square SHELLAC 16 & 17 Quarry NEKROMANTIX RUFUS WAINWRIGHT 25 Rosemount Hotel Amphitheatre 2 Rosemount Hotel 19 Riverside Theatre TINPAN ORANGE NICKELBACK / JACKSON DEFEATER / BLACKLISTED DOCTOR P 25 Bakery FIREBIRD 3 Amplifier 19 Villa 26 Fly By Night 17 Perth Arena 4 YMCA HQ WHEATUS LEB I SOL PREFUSE 73 & TEEBS 20 Metropolis Fremantle OH MERCY 26 Chares Hotel 17 Bakery 4 Settlers Tavern MYSTERY JETS LISA MITCHELL JEFF MARTIN 5 Norfolk Basement 20 Capitol 26 Astor Theatre 22 Friends Restaurant GRIGORYAN BROTHERS 6 The Bakery 27 Prince Of Wales DEEP SEA ARCADE 20 Mandurah Performing SETH SENTRY BASTARDFEST(Astriaal, 23 The Rosemount 4 Studio 146 Albany Fuck I’m Dead, Desecrator, STEREOSONIC (Tiësto, Arts Centre 5 Prince Of Wales and more) GIAN SLATER Avicii, Calvin Harris, 6 Rosemount Hotel 27 Civic Hotel 21 & 22 The Ellington Example, Carl Cox, Major 7 Norfolk Hotel THE LIGHTHOUSE TRIO Lazer, and more) HOPELESS BLUEJUICE 27 & 28 The Ellington 25 Claremont 21 Amplifier 5 Metro Freo SMASH MOUTH Showgrounds 23 YMCA HQ 27 & 28 Metropolis 6 Studio 146 JOHN WILLIAMSON THE RADIATORS Fremantle KELLY CLARKSON / THE 30 Quarry Amphitheatre 21 Charles Hotel GREENTHIEF FRAY THE SAINTS 22 The Blvd Tavern 27 Rocket Room 5 Challenge Stadium 30 Fly By Nightclub 23 Ravenswood Hotel 28 Prince Of Wales THE RUBENS/ NEW GODS BRITISH INDIA 29 Newport Hotel 5 Capitol 22 Amplifier ROCK IT (The Black Keys, DECEMBER HANSON / MATT WERTZ 6 Prince Of Wales John Butler Trio, Birds Of JOHN WILLIAMSON 22 Metropolis Fremantle 7 Newport Hotel Tokyo, The Panics, Lanie 1 Quarry Amphitheatre TZU GYROSCOPE Lane, Last Dinosaurs, JUSTINE CLARKE 5 Bar 120 22 Rosemount Hotel Royal Headache, 1 Astor Theatre 6 Amplifier Graveyard Train, Brothers NATURAL NEW ZEALAND XAVIER RUDD 7 Prince Of Wales Grim, The Toot Toot Toots, MUSIC FESTIVAL ( 25 Goldfields Arts Centre HYPERFEST (Bluejuice, and more) Kalgoorlie Shapeshifter, Kora, Ladi6, Seth Sentry, Grey Ghost,, 28 Joondalup Arena 26 Esperance Civic Centre and more TBA) Trinity Roots, David HARRY JAMES ANGUS Dallas, P-Money & More) 28 Albany Entertainment 7 Midland Oval 28 Fremantle Arts Centre 1 Red Hill Auditorium Centre BENOIT PIOULARD THURSTON MOORE SIMPLE MINDS / DEVO / 29 Fremantle Arts Centre 7 The Bird THE CHURCH / MODELS 30 Caves House Yallingup THE AMITY AFFLICTION 30 Rosemount Hotel 4 Kings Park & Botanical SOLA ROSA / THE GHOST INSIDE / Garden 26 Indi Bar NOVEMBER ARCHITECTS 28 Clancy’s Dunsborough 7 & 8 Metropolis Fremantle HOT CHELLE RAE / CHER KASEY CHAMBERS/ SHANE NICHOLSON 29 Amplifier CANNIBAL CORPSE / LLOYD 5 Albany Entertainment THE EASTERN DISENTOMB / ENTRAILS 1 Astor Theatre Centre 27 Clancy’s ERADICATED KARMA COUNTY 6 Civic Centre Esperance HIGH WOLF 9 Capitol 7 Goldfields Arts Centre 1 Clancy’s Fish Pub 27 PICA Bar STEEL PANTHER/ THE ART Fremantle 8 Mundaring Weir Hotel JULIA STONE 11 Metro City JLO BILLY BRAGG 28 Astor Theatre PAUL CAPSIS 6 Perth Arena 2 Astor Theatre STEPHEN MALKMUS & 11 Artbar LAGWAGON/ THE SMITH CARUS THOMPSON THE JICKS STREET BAND TIM ROGERS 28 Rosemount Hotel 5 Prince Of Wales 11 Clancy’s Dunsborough 2 Indi Bar 3 Norfolk Basement FAR EAST MOVEMENT6 The Rosemount 12 Fly By Nightclub AT THE GATES MISSY HIGGINS CANCELLED 13 The Rosemount 8 Fremantle Arts Centre MUMFORD & SONS / 3 Capitol 28 Eve Nightclub

THIS WEEK

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NICKI MINAJ / TYGA 8 Perth Arena PRIMAL SCREAM 11 Astor Theatre PARKWAY DRIVE 19 Challenge Stadium REGINA SPEKTOR 19 Belvoir Amphitheatre JEFF MARTIN 21 Clancy’s Dunsborough 22 Mojos Bar 23 Indi Bar 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 and more) 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 ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2013 (Line-up TBC) 9 Venue TBC GLADYS KNIGHT/ MARCIA HINES 10 Kings Park Botanic Garden CELTIC THUNDER 16 Perth Arena DAVID HASSLEHOFF 17 Capitol ED SHEERAN 23 Challenge Stadium NORAH JONES 24 Riverside Theatre

MARCH SOUNDWAVE 2013 (Metallica, Linkin Park, Blink-182, A Perfect Circle, The Offspring, Paramore, Garbage, Slayer, Cypress Hill, Bullet For My Valentine, and more) 4 Claremont Showgrounds GLENN SHORROCK/ WENDY MATTHEWS/ DOUG PARKINSON 14 & 15 Quarry Amphitheatre

SEPTEMBER ONE DIRECTION 28 & 29 Perth Arena

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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Nymph Honey, Wednesday at Indi Bar

WEDNESDAY 12.09 AMPLIFIER Subhumans Jonah Matranga BALMORAL Trevor Jalla BAR 120 Felix BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CAPITOL Bow Wow CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Adrian Hoffman & The Lucky Numbers CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Chet Leonard’s Bingotheque CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Cheryl Durong & Nick Di Collaboration GREENWOOD Bernardine HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Nymph Honey LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MERIDIAN ROOM Chris Murphy MOJOS BAR Blues & The Davs Wayfarer MUSTANG Kickstart PADDO Renzullo Project Belleville Tane Tarrant PADDY HANNANS 5 Shots ROSEMOUNT Juwana Nevada Pilot

Minute 36, Thursday at The Rosemount

Victory Risk Sonny Black ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe THE BROWN FOX Courtney Murphy THE MOON Bryan Rice Dalton Shane Corry Louis Inglis UNIVERSAL Strutt YA YA’S Electric Toad Leure Zealous Chang Chief Richards

THURSDAY 13.09 AMPLIFIER Evermore BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Chasing Calee BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Our Latin Thing COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Prita Grealy FLY TRAP Jugular HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Chris Murphy INDI BAR Bex Open Mic Night LLAMA BAR

The Ghost Hotel

X-PRESS 27TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

THE GHOST HOTEL BOOM! BAP! POW! RAINY DAY WOMEN COW PARADE COW FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL

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Meg Mac & The Squeeze LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Monique Tamika Ebonnie Ricky Morris Grave Forsaken MERRIWA TAVERN Overload MOJOS BAR Oka Simo T MUSTANG BAR Calectasia Palatial Digs One Thousand Years NORFOLK BASEMENT Davey Craddock & The Spectacles Stunning In Red Old Blood OXFORD HOTEL Johnny Taylor PADDY HANNANS Hi NRG ROSEMOUNT Minute 36 The Shallows Erasers Fucking Teeth Salut Barbu ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe SWAN LOUNGE Coastal Kicks Leonardo THE BIRD Hip Hop Kara”yo”ke THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE One Trick Phonies THE SHED Shillelagh Law UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Two Plus One YA YA’S The Blackbirds James Rogers Timothy Nelson Jacob Diamond

FRIDAY 14.09 7th AVENUE Free Radicals AMPLIFIER X-Press Magazine’s 27th Birthday The Ghost Hotel Boom! Bap! Pow! Rainy Day Women Cow Parade Cow BAILEY BAR Mod Squad BALLYS BAR Jamie Powers BALMORAL Mike Nayar BASSENDEAN HOTEL Overload BEAT NIGHTCLUB Jukebox BELMONT TAVERN Electrophobia BENTLEY HOTEL Dove BLACK BETTYS Everlong

Davey Craddock & The Spectacles, Thursday at Norfolk Basement

BOAB TAVERN Blue Hornet BRASS MONKEY Christian Thompson BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nat Ripepi CAPTAIN STIRLING Cargo Beat CARINE Pop Candy CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Fitzroy Xpress CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Our Latin Thing CLANCY’S DUNSBOROUGH Needing Cherie CLANCY’S FREMANTLE The Crux COMO HOTEL Trevor Jalla CORNERSTONE Mixtape CRAFTSMAN 5th Avenue DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN NitroNet EAST 150 Chris Gibbs EDZ SPORTZ BAR One Trick Phonies ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Jade-Lori Crompton Trio Natalie Gillespie Danny Martin EMPIRE Howie Morgan GREENWOOD Greg Carter HERDSMAN Ali Towers HIGH ROAD HOTEL Matt Milford The Damien Cripps Band HIGHWAY HOTEL Paige Trantham Duo HYDE PARK HOTEL Nathan Gaunt Underground Hound Thee Gold Blooms The Black Jackets INDI BAR Vdelli INDIAN OCEAN BREW Adrian Wilson KALAMUNDA HOTEL Dirty Scoundrels KULCHA Robert Zielinski LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Legacy M ON THE POINT Jack & Jill MARKET CITY TAVERN Jim Moore Brad Wintle MARQUE HOTEL Aaron Woolley MERRIWA TAVERN Nasty Dogz MOJOS BAR Seasta Chani The Black Penny Project Wisdom 2th The Freakz Of The Nature DT MOON & SIXPENCE Soul Corporation MUSTANG BAR Oz Big Band Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers

NORFOLK BASEMENT The Aunts Tom Fisher The Layabouts Tabas.co Old Blood PADDO Simon Kelly PARAMOUNT Flyte PEEL ALEHOUSE Acoustic License PRINCESS ROAD TAVERN Deuce PRINCIPAL B.O.B RAILWAY HOTEL Advent Sorrow Mhorgl Memoria One Too Many Camel ROCKET ROOM The Bob Gordons Blazin’ Entrails Kill Teen Angst Blindspot The Shakeys ROSE & CROWN Adam James ROSEMOUNT Campus Band Comp WA Final Gloria Ironbox Aurora From The Dunes Bishi Bashi Subtle & The Undertones The Bonekickers I And The village ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Spyce ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Childs Play SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Greg Carter Karaoke SWAN BASEMENT Rotaxus Breed Mirror Mirror The Fallen Academy SWINGING PIG Better Days Greg Carter THE ALEXANDER Julius Lutero THE BAKERY James Teague Big Old Bears The Seals The Flower Drums THE BIRD The Exploders The Novocaines The Love Junkies THE BOAT The Organ Grinders 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

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. GO TO www.xpressmag.com.au /PLUG YOUR GIG and plug away!

The X-Press Guide is a Perth metropolitan service for advertisers listing tours, live, dance and arts events.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. The one entry system will update our print edition, website and App

Storm The Shores, Saturday at Civic Hotel (The Den) Toby KALAMUNDA HOTEL Andrew Winton KULCHA Azadoota LAKERS Better Days LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Die Hard Karaoke LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LOBBY LOUNGE (BURSWOOD) John & Shaun SATURDAY 15.09 Sandosham LYNWOOD ARMS ADMIRAL Mustangs Chasing Calee M ON THE POINT AMPLIFIER Rhythm 22 Loon Lake MERRIWA TAVERN BALLYS BAR Overload Dove MOJOS BAR (ARVO) BALMORAL Rock Scholars The Recliners MOJOS BAR (EVE) BAILEY BAR The Exploders Dr Bogus The Novocaines BAR 120 The Love Junkies Flyte Sugarpuss BEAT NIGHTCLUB Man The Clouds Anchored MOON & SIXPENCE BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ The Damien Cripps Band Mike Nayar MUSTANG BLACK BETTY’S The Rusty Pinto Combo J Babies Milhouse BLVD TAVERN NEWPORT 303 Kizzy Sketch Gravity BREAKERS BAR NORFOLK BASEMENT Aftershock Deep River Collective BRIGHTON Elli Schoeller Nymph Honey Jess Nyanda Blind Otis NORTH FREMANTLE The History Of BOWLING CLUB Ross Lowe Cathie Travers BURSWOOD (PRIZE Bughunt DRAW STAGE) Strychnine Cowboys Switch PADDY HANNANS CIVIC HOTEL (THE Decoy DEN) PARAMOUNT Storm The Shores Felix Severtone PEEL ALEHOUSE Lakeside Chris Gibbs Trio Remember The South RAILWAY HOTEL Alizarin Haze Welcome To Loco CLANCY’S CANNING Applebite BRIDGE Creature 3’s a Crowd Funk Duo CLANCY’S CITY BEACH The Jephasuns ROCKET ROOM Russell Holmes Trio CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Kickstart ROSEMOUNT The 10 Cent Shooters Earth CLAREMONT HOTEL Margins Jane Germain & Ian Original Past Life Simpson ROSIE O’GRADY’S COMO HOTEL (FREMANTLE) Ricky Green Flavor DEVILLES PAD ROSIE O’GRADY’S The Isolites (NORTHBRIDGE) EASTERN HOTEL Blue Gene Rock Sessions SAIL & ANCHOR Abandon Earth Retriofit Honeywheeler Cobey Mills Ragdoll SWINGING PIG ELEPHANT & Greg Carter WHEELBARROW Tandem Blue Hornet ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB THE BAKERY Pond Sarah Mcleod THE BIRD Jana Chanelle & The Boy Prince Prescription Saxon EMPIRE Nebula James Ess Modo GREENWOOD Rekab Cargo Beat THE BOAT HIGH ROAD HOTEL 11:11 Losing Julia THE GATE HYDE PARK HOTEL Dirty Scoundrels Lanark Frighteners THE SHED Bishi Bashi Huge UNIVERSAL INDI BAR Room At The Reservoir Dead Owls The Shallows The Idle Front VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WANNEROO TAVERN The Tornados WOODVALE TAVERN Dr Bogus YA YA’S Tyto Kings Three Hands One Hoof Edie Green

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Friday Friday Travis Caudle Frighteners, Saturday at Travis Caudle Fly ByNight Night Hyde Park Hotel Fly By

Cal Peck & The Tramps, Sunday at Newport

Vanilla Fox PADDY HANNAN’S Billy & the Broken Lines PADDY MAGUIRES Brett Hardwick PEEL ALE HOUSE Scott Nelson PIG & WHISTLE One Trick Phonies PINK DUCK LOUNGE BAR Kevin Conway SUNDAY 16.09 PRINCIPAL 7TH AVENUE Dove Reckless Kelly QUARIE BAR BALLY’S BAR Gotham City QUEENS TAVERN Greg Carter Big Al & The Deacons BALMORAL ROSEY O’GRADY’S Chasing Calee (NORTHBRIDGE) BLVD TAVERN Jonathan Dempsey Annabelle SAIL & ANCHOR Roger Gomez Mike Nayar BRIGHTON SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Mooditj Bros Anthony Nieves BROKEN HILL HOTEL SOVEREIGN ARMS Chris Murphy Ivan Ribic CAPTAIN STIRLING SPRINGS TAVERN Christian Parkinson Sophie Jane CARINE STIRLING ARMS Wesley Goodlet Helen Shanahan Jamboree Scouts SWINGING PIG CHASE BAR Adam James Double Take Jamie Powers CLANCY’S THE BIRD DUNSBOROUGH Shazam The Big Old Bears Lightseed The Flower Drums Aslan CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Levins The Zydecats THE GATE CLAREMONT HOTEL Better Days THE MOON Sunday Driver The Whistling Dogs COMO HOTEL THE SAINT Adrian Wilson Howie Morgan Trio ELEPHANT & THE SHED WHEELBARROW The Healy’s Daren Reid & The Soul Blue Hornet City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB UNIVERSAL Retriofit The Arthur Gracias VICTORIA PARK Indojazz Quartet HOTEL EMPIRE Neil Colliss CB3 WANNEROO TAVERN HIGH ROAD HOTEL Eddie McMellow Nat Ripepi WOODVALE TAVERN HIGH WYCOMBE Good karma HOTEL The Organ Grinders INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit INDI BAR The Exploders Rob Walker KALAMUNDA HOTEL Bernardine LAKERS TAVERN Jamie Powers LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Guy Tucker LAST DROP Fenton Wilde M ON THE POINT A Bit On The Side MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Bloke In Coats MOJOS BAR (EVE) Fear Of Comedy Brutus Hyte Darkzveight MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Tim Nelson Cal Peck & The Tramps The Raging Lincolns Axegirl OCEAN VIEW TAVERN Nightmoves WHALE & ALE Courtney Murphy & Murphy’s Lore WOODVALE TAVERN Mod Squad YA YA’S The Aunts Lucy Peach One Tiger Down Zara Huts

MONDAY 17.09 BRASS MONKEY James Wilson ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Song Lounge 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 Open Mic Night

TUESDAY 18.09 ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB John Septimus Roe Jazz HYDE PARK HOTEL Rock Scholars LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Oddstar Xeno Musako PADDO Simon Kelly PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night THE BIRD Fat Shans & Friends THE BROOK Greg Carter Karaoke TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke YA YA’S Death Elevator 2 Pound Pocket Rocket The Kuillotines

The Exploders

THE EXPLODERS THE NOVOCAINES THE LOVE JUNKIES SUGARPUSS MAN THE CLOUDS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 MOJO’S BAR

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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YOUR MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

WANNA PLAY SXSW?

The 27th annual South By Southwest Music Festival is now accepting showcase applications for acts to perform at the renowned international festival, which is set to take place in March 2013 in Austin, Texas. All applications must be submitted no later than November 7, 2012. For more info hit up sxsw.com or to apply directly click over to sonicbids.com/sxsw.

INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION 2012

Getting your music into the hands (and ears) of the music industry’s heavy hitters is one of the most difficult goals to accomplish, however the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is set to again provide this opportunity to all the finalists in its 2012 competition. ISC has again assembled a diverse panel of judges that consists of some of the most iconic artists in the world coupled with influential music executives from all walks of the industry. ISC gives away more than $150,000 in cash and prizes (shared among the 68 winners) including an overall Grand Prize consisting of $25,000 (US) cash and $30,000 in prizes. Open to both amateur and professional songwriters, ISC offers 22 categories to enter, representing all genres of popular music, from rock to jazz to blues to hip hop, and more.

This year’s judges will include the likes of Tom Waits, Nas, Jeff Beck and Janelle Monae. If you think you’ve got what it takes hit up songwritingcompetition.com for an entry form.

Audiofly AF56 in-ear headphones

AUDIOFLY HEADPHONES

In 2012 the new name for premium headphones is Audiofly. With four in-ear headphone products – the AF33, AF45, AF56 and AF78 – of varying specs and prices available for discriminating music lovers and musicians, if you want more information on getting back to experiencing the true sound of music, visit the company at audiofly.com, or by calling 1300 729 359 or drop them an email at info@audiofly.com.

DJ FACTORY UPDATE Joey Jordison

BLACK ALPHA HYPER CYMBALS DV 403 CPC

DVMARK DV 403 CPC

The tone of the Little 40 head earned fans the world over and now you can get the same tone with greater flexibility in a 3-channel version. The DV 403 CPC is a three-channel 40W all-tube head which offers a complete control compliment for each channel giving access to an array of useful sounds, from clean to crunch rhythm to full-on, high-gain lead tone. And thanks to the the DV Mark patent pending Continuous Power Control you can change the amp’s power incrementally, from the full 40W gradually all the way down to 1W, so you can get the tone you want at the volume you need. DV Mark products are distributed in Australia through CMC Music. For more information phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit cmcmusic.com.au.

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN IOS APP

Ernie Ball Music Man has completed their iOS app for The Game Changer system, and it is now on preview in Apple’s iTunes store. The combination of Ernie Ball Music Man’s Game Changer technology and their new iPad app gives musicians unlimited tone over their Game Changer Bass or Guitar while remaining totally mobile. The Game Changer app allows players to rewire their analog guitar or bass pickups and discover millions of tonal possibilities.

True to form, the audio signal is never digitized or modelled in any way, providing a transparent analog signal path for the absolute purist. Now, with The Game Changer app, musicians can create and share their tonal selections with the world.

JEFF LOOMIS CLINIC

The next couple of months there are some amazing musos visiting little old Aussie land to do clinics and now Allans Billy Hyde have confirmed monster Metal shredder Jeff Loomis is also making his way down under in September, including a Perth date on Wednesday, October 7. If you attend the clinics you will also have a chance to win a Schecter SGR C7 electric guitar and you could also be shredding it up on stage with Jeff Loomis by entering the Schecter Shred Off Competition. The national winner will take home a signed Schecter Jeff Loomis FR7 PLUS get to open for Jeff at their state’s clinic. State winners will receive a 12 pack of Rotosound strings and a Schecter t-shirt. Simply make a 1-2 minute video of yourself showing your best shred, upload it to YouTube and email the video link to competitions@allansbillyhyde. com.au. Entries close Friday, September 19, so get shredding now!

Slipknot sticksman Joey Jordison has paired up with renowned Swiss cymbal maker Paiste to launch the Black Alpha Hyper line, a special edition in its Alpha series which are both a visually and sonically close fit to Joey’s current Slipknot touring set. As the name reveals, Black Alphas contain Paiste’s innovative black ColorSound coating and each cymbal features nine silver placed Tribal-S logos. Unique and deep hammer marks exclusive to Black Alpha Hyper cymbals are also visually apparent on this completely new developed line. The range includes 14” Hyper hats, 16”, 17” and 18” crashes, 18” China, 20” ride and a 10” splash. For more info on the range hit up paiste.com.

Allen and Heath are one of the leaders in the world of manufacturing DJ equipment. Nuff said…

Their take on the DJ’s setup has always been to produce quality which includes their renowned range of solid analogue XONE club mixers and lead the way in early digital gear with controllers like the 4D, 2D and 1D. Step into now and little has changed in their mantra for quality, solid, everlasting and damn nice products. Their latest range of digital products have wowed the world, some saying their amazing daddy mixer, the DB:4 to be the best in the world for professional DJs. Honestly though most of us cannot afford to spend all your saving on just a mixer. That is why The DJ Factory are very excited to being talking about the Allen and Heath XONE:DB2!

This mixer is lovely! It has all the Allen and Heath charms and is packed full of features relevant to

XONE DB2 & XONE K2 the latest technology in the ever developing digital world. To summarise: high quality soundcard with Midi/ USB; Twin DSP effects engines with more than 50 FX presets; 4 analogue/ 4 USB/ 2 digital channels; Tri-modal EQ & X:LINK. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed with one of these at your fingertips.

Speaking of X:LINK, XONE:DB2 can integrate smoothly with the new XONE:K2 software controller via Allen & Heath’s proprietary X:LINK protocol. Check out this little baby! Thanks to the digital world and over ever growing desire to create music and explore our minds abilities, it is companies like Allen and Heath that create potential in music for stage and for studio.

While we’re on the subject of music production, there is a new school about to open in town running music production courses and workshops, DJ courses and more. For more information please contact The DJ Factory by emailing info@thedjfactory.com.au or calling (08) 9228 1911.

MARKBASS MB7 BOOSTER

The MB7 Booster pedal has a cool, compact design and combines a useful clean boost of up to +20 dB which is very handy for helping you stand out when taking a solo. Additional features include a 7-band graphic EQ with controls ranging from 40 Hz to 4kHz which will help tailor your bass tone to perfection.

For more information on the Markbass range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit cmcmusic.com.au.

MiniNova

MININOVA COMPACT SYNTHESISER

Novation has released the new MiniNova, a compact synthesiser that packs new features like push-button animate controls and Novation’s brand new voice effect VocalTuneTM. Built around the same synth engine as Novation’s flagship UltraNova, the MiniNova has three versatile oscillators, up to five effects, two filters, six envelopes, three LFOs, and 36 different wavetables.

MiniNova has two quarter-inch mono jack outputs, a stereo headphones output, full-size XLR and jack inputs for routing sounds through the vocoder and on-board effects, as well as a five-pin MIDI input and output and an input for a sustain pedal. Power can be supplied via USB or a 9V DC power supply. For full specs and details hit up innovativemusic.com.au.

STANTON DJC.4 CONTROLLER

Stanton’s new DJC.4 is a DJ controller with audio interface bundled with an enhanced 4-deck version of Virtual DJ LE. The DJC.4 allows users to scratch and mix Allans Billy Hyde is North Perth is the only place 4 decks of audio, as well as control video. The integrated you’ll be able to pick up the latest edition to the 4-channel audio interface allows users to integrate original American Made custom drum set DW analog turntables or CD decks into their performance, Collectors range – the 40th anniversary designed and the large touch sensitive jog wheels make for maple collectors, white pinstripe over black. Hit up extremely tight scratch and pitch bend control. For more information on Stanton’s DJC.4 Controller visit allansbillyhyde.com.au for full specs and details. jands.com.au.

DW COLLECTORS SERIES

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

YOUR MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

FEAR FACTORY The Future Of Metal

Even with just two original members left in the band, metal pioneers Fear Factory are continuing to deliver album after album of powerfully punishing tunes. Ahead of their performance at Capitol on Sunday, September 30, JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD sat down with vocalist Burton C. Bell to talk futuristic inspirations, line-up changes and returning to their industrial roots.

Through the years some of heavy metal’s hardest hitters have had an eye on the future of mankind, and Californian stalwarts Fear Factory are no exception.

Although their studio albums have touched upon futuristic themes, the fusion of sci-fi and metal is none more present than on their recently released eighth studio album The Industrialist.

“I knew before we went into the studio that I wanted to do a concept album,” vocalist Burton C. Bell begins. “I told [long-time guitarist] Dino [Cazares] that I was interested in doing it again, he was all up for the challenge and he loved the idea. We were literally volleying ideas around back and forth and ideas, titles, words, thoughts, phrases, concepts, exchanging stories of the day, really conversing with each other… but once we came up with the album title, The Industrialist, that’s when everything really started connecting and so every lyric started to fall into place and just created this world again and after all the songs were written I connected them all together.”

As Bell explains, the album follows the story of a “free-thinking automaton” who, upon observing the dissension and repression in the world around it, turns against a mankind that has slowly destroyed a world it was created to make better.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, long-time fans and music critics alike have noted the likeness of The Industrialist to 1995’s Demanufacture, a comparison Bell finds hard to refute.

“Well, they are sonically similar and I mean that in the sense that what I mentioned earlier this is a pleasant return to my industrial metal roots.

Demanfacture was the one that really put us on the

map in the genre and in the music scene and that was considered an industrial metal record and that’s our record that our fans hold a standard to. Such as Metallica fans hold a standard of Master Of Puppets or Reign In Blood is the standard for Slayer or Vulgar Display Of Power is the standard for Pantera, that’s the one record where you found your sound on that and that’s the standard,” he says.

“If fans and the press are saying it’s like Demanufacture then I’m not disappointed, it’s a great record but I think sonically we have moved a little bit further, we’ve experimented more with different things compared to Demanufacture but that’s how I see it. Fear Factory came to the scene as an industrial mellow band and now that sound has made a return and we’re really pleased with it.”

The sonic experimentation Bell refers to includes the use of programmed drums during the recording of the new record. “Instead of a drummer sitting at a drum set trying to play everything live consistently for four hours, we were able to program it and were actually able to expedite the entire process of writing,” Bell explains.

While Fear Factory have more than 20 years of experience under their belt, the band has undergone many line-up changes over the years with Bell and Cazares the only two members of Fear Factory involved in the recording process for The Industrialist.

“The current line-up right now is of course myself on vocals, Dino Cazares on guitars and Gene [Hoglan] made other commitments during the hiatus of Fear Factory so he is with Testament and Deathklok now. So we have a new drummer named Mike Heller, he’s young and fresh and a very promising talent and

Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares he is an excellent drummer. The bass player now is Matt DeVries who was the rhythm guitar player of Chimaira,” Bell says. “The line-up is working out great.

We’ve had the opportunity to walk them through so to speak and they’ve really fit into the program and right now this band is sounding great and the precision of this band has improved greatly, it’s really incredible, the band is performing so well together.”

With this new incarnation of Fear Factory is gearing up to hit down under later this month Bell offers a rare insight into how he keeps his distinctive voice in tip-top shape: “I don’t smoke at all, that helps.

I try to stay healthy and other than that that’s all I do, I just try and stay at the top of my game.”

Despite The Industrialist’s conceptual theme, Bell says audiences can expect more of a “straight up” metal performance during their

upcoming national tour.

“As far as visuals go we’ll have like a good light show, but other than that we are trying to keep it about the music and giving the best high energy show as possible just to make that more memorable to play the song so everyone can recognise them and sing along,” he concludes. “A Fear Factory show is a high energy show, we play with passion and you can expect to hear all the songs that you like. I think we put up a pretty decent show. Fear Factory have a lot of albums and a lot of songs that people love to hear, so the one trick of a Fear Factory set is to have a good flow of songs to keep the energy alive throughout the entire set without having any type of lull to lose the audience attention because they are a lot of people with ADD out there these days.”

POONS HEAD STUDIOS Engineer experience: Multi-WAMi winning engineer/ producer with over 25 years experience.

Artist Credits: Tame Impala, The Floors, Pond, Jeff Martin, Lenny Kravitz, Death Cab for Cutie , Mick Harvey, The Kill Devil Hills, The Panics, Kim Salmon, Jebediah, Jon English, Matt Taylor, Eskimo Joe, Knife Party.

Specialising in: Recording, mastering and producing.

Gear / Software: Very serious collection of some of the finest recording equipment ever made, including – Studer 2 Inch, Ampex ATR ½ Inch, Pro Tools, Sequoia, Lavry Gold, DAD, Apogee, Neve, Focusrite, Telefunken, Pultec, Fairchild, Teletronix, Urei, Manley, Gates, Tubetech, EMT, RCA, EMI, AMS, CBS, AWA, Retro, Quad Eight, Lexicon, Eventide, Empirical Labs, Neumann, Weiss, Algorithmix, Universal Audio, Duntech ,Lipinski, Pass Labs, as well as digital “Plug in” emulations of most of these units, if so inclined.

CONTACT

www.xpressmag.com.au

Location: East Fremantle Phone: (08) 9339 4791 Email: rob@poonshead.com Website: poonshead.com / facebook.com/poonsheadstudios

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

YOUR MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

PAUL GILBERT

Shred Master General High profile shredder Paul Gilbert is bringing his Master Class Tour to Perth on Wednesday, October 17, at the John Inverley Theatre at Hale School. Earlier this month JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD sat down with the talented plucker to learn the secrets of his success.

As Paul Gilbert attests, his musical career has been a varied one: “I’ve jammed Beatles songs with Steven Tyler, played back-to-back harmony solos onstage with Alex Lifeson and Rush, I’ve interviewed Angus and Malcolm Young for a Japanese rock magazine, and I even got to sit in and play drums with Cheap Trick.”

Perhaps best known for his work with American rock supergroup Mr. Big and ‘80s heavy metal stalwarts Racer X, the virtuosic guitar player has also made a name for himself over the

years as an inspirational music teacher and has travelled the world delivering acclaimed clinics and seminars in addition to setting up an online rock guitar school.

“I never really set out to be a teacher, but I’ve always enjoyed it, and it seemed to come naturally to me,” he says.

A guitar player from early in his life, Gilbert credits his parent’s extensive Beatles record collection with jumpstarting his career as a musician. “I listened to those records constantly,” he says. “I really wanted

Paul Gilbert to play music and sing like the Beatles, but I wasn’t sure which instrument I should play. I liked guitar, piano, and drums. I finally decided that I wanted to play guitar because I could play it while standing up.”

While Gilbert says he “always had a good ear for rhythm” he is reluctant to label himself a natural.

“I could hear shuffles and syncopations pretty early on, but it took a long time before my fingers could catch up with what I heard in my head.

And my ear was slower to hear advanced harmony,” he explains. “When I went to [the Guitar Institute of Technology] as a teenager I finally started to recognise 7th chords and alterations. Overall, I got a slow start with guitar technique, but after a few years, I started to move forward at a quick rate.”

Perhaps best known for his alternative picking method, Gilbert says this is the technique his new students most want to learn.

“Beginners are often my favourite students, because they don’t have to ‘unlearn’ any bad habits.

And when I show them practical techniques they tend to make pretty quick progress,” he says. “Often the biggest challenge for beginners or advanced players is controlling the strings that are not being played. If you play one note, there are still five strings that need to be muted. This is particularly important for rock guitar, where the strings are very sensitive from the distorted sound. After a while these muting techniques become habit, and you don’t have to think about them anymore. But I think it’s important to start developing them right away.”

Having spent the last couple of decades teaching instructional guitar workshops, Gilbert says the biggest misconceptions from new learners he has encountered over the years is the importance placed on practicing scales.

“I’m glad that I know some scales, and I’m glad that I spent time building the techniques to play them. But in reality, they are not the most useful tools for playing musically on guitar,” he says.“Playing scales is almost like reading the dictionary. The dictionary is a useful tool for writing, but it’s more a reference. It’s rare that an actual sentence is built from words that fall in the exact order that they appear in the dictionary. And in real music, it’s not very common to hear scales being played up and down. If you do hear that, then the song was probably written by someone fresh out of music school. That was the case for me with a song like Scarified.”

Of course, integral to both his teaching and gigging has been quality gear, and Gilbert has been very involved in the design of his signature Ibanez PGM and Fireman guitars. “I have the good fortune to be an endorser of Ibanez guitars. I’ve had quite a number of signature models over the years, but the most recent is my favorite. It’s an Ibanez Fireman, which is basically an upside-down version of their classic Iceman guitar. I was meticulous about many other details of the design, and it is just a joy to play,” he says. “I also use Marshall amps, DiMarzio pickups, Ernie Ball strings, and a large assortment of effects pedals.”

Gilbert will be bringing his gear and his wealth of expertise to Perth for a special Master Clinic in October. Playing live with a band, Gilbert will demonstrate typical lessons he provides for students from beginner to advanced, and will be answering questions from attendees on the night, covering sound, technique, theory and industry questions.

“First of all, I love to play. So I’ll have some local musicians that have learned some songs that I sent out in advance, and we’ll have a great time jamming through those. I’ll also demonstrate the things that I think are important for playing rock guitar, and I’ll bring some guitar players up from the audience to try out these ideas and see how they work,” he concludes.“I like to show that guitar playing can be enjoyable at every level, and you don’t have to wait until you’ve been playing 15 years until you can make music. I think anyone can make some music right away. Then it’s just a matter of getting deeper and deeper into the art.”

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YOUR MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

PRODUCT REVIEWS

WITH CHRIS GIBBS

going beyond simple simulation with the intention of delivering classic analog-type sounds. The chorus effect does the trick nicely, and the delay and reverb effects are much more lush than one would expect from a unit of this type. This is largely due to Yamaha’s n e w E x te n d e d S te re o technology which creates a wide, spacious audio image even from such a small enclosure.

The amplifier outputs provide stereo playback from a mobile phone or other devices Yamaha THR5 Practice Amplifier through its auxiliary jack or direct from a computer via the USB connection.

A tap tempo function for setting delay time and an on-board chromatic tuner round out the features of this versatile practice amp. There’s even an orange ‘tube glow’ which emanates from the As mobile phone apps and tablets become more and behind the speaker grille when the amp is turned more entwined, many musical instrument companies on, adding to the valve amp illusion which the are finding innovative ways to both respond to amp chassis is heavily based on. potential market threats as well as integrate new The THR5 operates on AC or batteries, technology ideas for coming generations. With both adding to its portability. The amp is also bundled with technology and tradition in mind, Yamaha’s THR5 Cubase AI, popular Steinberg software that offers fullpractice amp aims to provide good quality tones for fledged recording and editing. Also on the software practice situations in a small package. The amp’s size front, the THR Editor available for download from is designed specifically with desktops and carry-on Yamaha allows editing of amp and effect parameters luggage limitations in mind. using a computer. Additional editing options include The THR5 offers five amp types: clean, compressor and noise gate functions. crunch, lead, British hi-gain and modern. The two Ultimately the THR5’s goal is to bridge most impressive amp types were the clean and the gap between regular practice amps and mobile modern settings. The former setting was not just phone or tablet apps, providing a tactile and visual clean, but absolutely crystal and the modern setting solution for guitarists who still want to feel like they had plenty of gain on tap for working on those are plugging into something ‘real’. In terms of overall screaming bends and legato passages. tone quality and included features, there aren’t many The amp’s VCM (virtual circuitry modelling) small practice amps on the market that can match the effects are capable of capturing subtleties that THR5, especially at this price range. The Yamaha THR5 simple digital simulations cannot even approach, Practice Amplifier retails for $299.

YAMAHA THR5 PRACTICE AMPLIFIER

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DW PERFORMANCE SERIES DRUM KIT

Revered by drummers worldwide and played exclusively by many of the greats including Dave Grohl, Jason Bonham and Roger Taylor, DW is currently celebrating 40 years in the drum business.

Aimed at serious drummers looking for maximum quality at a mid-range price, DW’s Performance Series offers a brand new shell technology devised by John Good and the DW Custom Shell Shop in California, which combines the latest grain orientation technology and handselected North American Hard Rock Maple. Visually, these kits are stunning. Inspired by a Custom Series kit, the Performance Series features new quarter turret lugs, low mass die-cast claw hook, new badge, logo head and a choice of 5 hand-sprayed Specialty Lacquer or 3 ultra-durable FinishPly finishes.

Ultimately it’s about the tone, which is deep, rich and resonant. In fact when this kit was

ZOOM Q2HD HANDY VIDEO RECORDER

Zoom’s product lines of handy audio and video recorders have been assisting both musicians and fans in creating better live recordings for a few years now.

It’s a market that is becoming more and more relevant as our society expands its enthusiasm for sharing experiences online through Zoom Q2HD social media. The main obstacle to sharing an accurate version of said experiences in a musical sense is the quality of the audio and vision. Enter the latest from Zoom: the Q2HD Handy Video Recorder.

One of the main challenges prevalent in live music video recordings is getting a decent sound when dealing with high-volume environments. The Q2HD’S analog-type microphone gain wheel allows the dialling in of appropriate gain for any recording, in addition to choosing one of three presets in the auto gain function to automatically set the recording level. The Q2HD is the first handheld camcorder to feature mid/side stereo recording. Originally included

demonstrated, I experienced one of those rare but rewarding moments where the ‘ideal’ sound in my head I was expecting to hear was exactly what was delivered. The superior sound is largely due to the HVX shells, along with DW heads by Remo USA, suspension tom mounts, True Pitch tuning and DW 45 degree back-cut bearing edges.

In order to provide these quality drums to professional players at mid-level prices, only the actual shells are included in this series of kit, all pedals, stands, cymbals and accessories are sold separately. There is also an assumption there that the level of musician likely to purchase a DW kit of this quality and level more than likely already has a hardware and accessories preference anyway.

The Performance Series kits are available in numerous configurations which alters the price point. The white kit reviewed featured a 22-inch bass drum, 14 x 6.5-inch snare and a pair of 12 and 16inch toms and retails for $2999. Mega Music Wangara currently has this kit in store for $2399.

by Zoom on the H2n Handy Recorder, it combines a unidirectional mid microphone that captures sound directly in front and a bidirectional side microphone that captures sound from the left and right. Increasing or decreasing the level of the Side microphone controls the width of the stereo field, assisting in recreating the audio ‘feel’ of a performance.

High definition videos are recorded in MPEG-4 format, which can be played on a computer using QuickTime. The Q2HD can record video at 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, allowing playback on large HD televisions. A 720 pixel resolution setting can be selected for longer recordings. When shooting video, an impressive feature of the Q2HD is the lighting selection function that allows users to record using alternative settings for varied lighting conditions. The settings include auto, concert lighting and night, with each setting making adjustments to the light filters for best results.

Movies can even be edited internally as the unit allows footage to be cut in order to feature the best parts of a performance. Advanced editing is made possible by utilising the included HandyShare software.

As if all that isn’t enough, the Q2HD also functions as a USB microphone for recording with computers or tablets and can also just be used as an audio recorder if a video recording is not necessary.

The Zoom Q2HD retails for $369.

Many thanks to Mega Music Wangara and Concept Music for letting us review their products.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

YOUR MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE DANCE CLASSES BELLYDANCE CENTRAL STUDIO CLASSES Free class Fri 5th October. Special fun beginners courses. Term 4 starts Mon 8th October. For brochure, info & free class invite shaheena@iinet.net.au 0409 511 125. www.bellydancecentral.com.au MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER WANTED For Aussie Rock Tribute.

Dedication & reliability a must. Ph 0409 370 900.

BASS PLAYER WANTED For REDSTAR. Must be professional & have good gear. Ph Tony: 0411 118 304.

BASS PLAYER WANTED Four working 4 piece Blues Rock Band. Ph: 0412 231 126.

BASS PLAYER WANTED Original Alt/heavy rock.

Age 18-35. Infl, Tool, SndGdn, FnM, AiC. No costs.

Call Chris 0400 782 905 DRUMMER WANTED Established hard rock original band Wicked Wench is looking for someone who can come to practice 2x’s a wk in Ozzy Prk & do gigs. Hard hitting w/ great skills req. Check out the music 1st www. facebook.com/wickedwenchband Email: Steve at sophiamariesmanager@gmail.com DRUMMER WANTED Fo r n e w Pe r t h based stoner Rock/Metal band.

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FEMALE SINGER WANTED For elite rock cover band, 18 - 30 years old covering acts such as Pink, Avril, Katy Perry & anything from todays current hits. Professional attitude, Expirience prefered, Osi Park rehearsals & available for weekend gigs.

For audition Phone/Text 0414189441 or check us out on facebook @ Three-Corner Jack.

LEAD GUITARIST WANTED for working cover band. RU enthusiastic and easy going? If this sounds like you call Phil 0418 440 977 or Peter 0414 1611 110

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.

OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Tash on 0458 095 364.

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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..

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ROCKSMITH

Bring Your Guitar Into The Living Room Plastic instruments have appeared in many gamers’ living rooms over the past few years, with the fad of rhythm games like the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series. But while they can be really enjoyable with a group of friends, they are at best a cartoon representation of playing a real instrument and at worst a clicking piece of plastic crap. Enter Rocksmith by Ubisoft, which promises to not only let you use a real guitar or bass as a controller for your game console, but you can use the guitar or bass you already own. TOM VARIAN reports.

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audio output, such as optical out, is recommended.

For this review I used the PlayStation 3 version with an optical cable to an amp for audio and using HDMI purely for video. I could only detect very slight digital lag, but anyone who has used guitar modeling software on a computer may be familiar with that very slight disconnect between what you hear from the strings and what the computer spits out. But for me it was hardly there or an issue, in fact the lack of lag what was really impressed me.

To call Rocksmith a game, or even review it as one, is perhaps not quite accurate. Sure, it’s made for game consoles, but actually the game part of Rocksmith is by far its weakest point. The technology is clearly there, but the interface and game experience around that is severely lacking. It has a solid track list, though far from amazing, and an only just passable interface.

I do hope they sell enough to justify improved sequels, as it has amazing potential to teach a generation of kids a new, fun, interactive way.

The first time I heard about the ambitious Rocksmith Rocksmith goes on sale from Thursday, I was instantly intrigued but also highly skeptical that September 27, from all good game retailers. a video game could let me plug my own guitar into my game console and work correctly. Unlike Rock Band or the Hero series, you don’t play some plastic representation of a guitar limited to five coloured buttons, you have to contend with six strings and 21 or so frets. But I’m pleased to report the technology works, albeit not without some flaws.

Depending on your skill level, from complete beginner to long time axe-hound, the game will level up or down to suit your speed. A complete beginner might just have to hit one fret every bar on just the sixth string.

Almost like Guitar Hero but with much more possible buttons. Prove you can move around a guitar fluidly and the game will throw straight up tablature down the note highway, making you play the guitar track as it is meant to be played, chords and solos.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a single guitar cable packaged with the game, expecting yet another bulky box I’d have next to my TV. With a standard guitar jack on one end and at the other end USB, the cable can be used with not only a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but with the right drivers can be plugged straight into Windows/Mac and used in popular audio programs such as Amplitude. Elegant and simple.

Now, there can be an issue with lag. I noted no less than four warnings, printed and during the game, informing me that using HDMI for both video and audio Rocksmith can cause lag and that using the consoles separate 41

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays