X-Press Magazine 1346

ISSUE 1346 Wednesday 28th Nov 2012 - Free 38,000 October 2011- March 2012 Australia’s Highest Circulating Street Press

thee Fe th Fest stive Season

BRITISH INDIA

SHAPESHIFTER

GRACE WOODROOFE GUIDE

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Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds

PREPARE FOR LOLS

Lord

We bought you the rad-cool first announcement for the Perth International Comedy Festival a few weeks ago, and we’ve just received word on the second lineup – hell yeah, there’s more! Everyone’s favourite Brit Stephen K Amos will be heading back to bring the lulz, Adrian Edmondson of The Young Ones fame will be bringing his band The Bad Sheperds down under for the first time ever, the strangely hilarious Paul Foot shall be in attendance, as well as Josie Long, Jimmy McGhie, Jeff Green, Hannah Gadsby, Felicity Ward, and Justin Hamilton. Tickets are on sale through showticketing.com.au – get in quick, these will go like hotcakes. The PICF will run from Wednesday, May 1, until Monday, May 13.

LORD OF THE HEAVY Ruby Rose

PINK FRIDAY TURNS RUBY

That crazy lass Nicki Minaj is about to hit our shores for her Pink Friday Reloaded Tour. Joining Minaj on all stops of her tour down under will be the one and only Ruby Rose. Having just released her debut single Guilty Pleasure, Rose will be warming up the crowd with her well known DJ sets that have seen her play the hottest clubs, parties and festivals across the globe. It’s all happening on Saturday, December 8, at Perth Arena. Final tickets are on sale now.

Hit up mypinkfriday.com and livenation.com.au for all the info.

Sydney metal masters Lord are bringing their Live tour to WA, for a series of shows that promise to be entertaining, heavy, and prove that the band are speed freaks on their respective instruments. Joining them for the mayhem is local metal force Silent Knight, bringing their ‘80s influenced style and full throttle live show which will, quite simply, demand your attention. Both bands will be celebrating their new records – Digital and Masterplan – and it’s sure to get crazy. Check them out at Amplifier with support from Psychonaut and Empires Laid Waste on Friday, February 15, or at the Eliot Street Blues Club in Bunbury with support from Death Dependant and Broken Silence on Saturday, February 16. Tickets on the door.

The Big Old Bears Rufus

Apes

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

MONKEY BUSINESS

Melbourne rockers Apes just dropped their debut single Seven to punters in their hometown, and it went smashingly – so, they’ve decided to head out on a national tour to share the rockin’ love. Embarking on their biggest tour to date, Apes will show off their bluesy garage rock swagger and ‘fuck you’ vibes – tunes that have already been lauded by the critics. Check them out at The Norfolk Basement with The Love Junkies and Foam and Puck on Friday, December 14, or at The Rosemount as part of A Not So Silent Night (Kim Salmon, The Novocaines, The Preatures, Jack on Fire, Loose Lips) on Saturday, December 15.

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Reactions/ Comp Flesh Music: San Cisco Music: Midnight Oil/ Shapeshifters Music: Melody’s Echo Chamber/ Ella Hooper Music: Reel Big Fish/ Kingswood Music: Regina Spektor New Noise Eye4 Cover: Dave Hughes Eye4: News/ Music Eye4: Movies: The Angel’s Share/ The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Eye4: Movies: Celeste & Jesse Forever/ Ken Loach Interview/ Eye2Eye Eye4: Art Stories Eye4 Lifestyle Eye4: Arts Listings Salt Cover: EPROM Salt: Cover Story/ News Salt: Brooke Evers/ High Contrast Salt: Rewind: Stereosonic Salt: New York Transit Authority/ Club Scene: The Shed Salt: Club Guide/ Scenery/ In The Diary/ Pete Gooding What’s On Feature: British India Scene: Live Scene: Local Tour Trails Gig Guide Volume

Cover: San Cisco play The Bakery on Friday, December 14, to celebrate the release of their debut record Wild Things Salt Cover: EPROM plays Deadweight!’s 2nd Birthday Bender this Saturday, December 1, at The Bakery www.xpressmag.com.au

Hey Geronimo

PEACHES FOR GERONIMO

Have you got your New Year’s Eve plans sorted yet?

Or, are you still arguing with mates about the best venue or party to head to? Well, Capitol have just made your decision for you. Their NYE shindig has just been announced, and it’s looking killer! Rad electropop dudes Rufus are heading over from Sydney to bring the party times, Voltaire Twins will bring the dance beats, and there’s also sets on offer from the awesome Bastian’s Happy Flight, Death Disco DJs, and Tapeheads. Capitol wanna take you into the 20-teens the rad way, so grab tickets now from Oztix for NYE at Capitol on Monday, December 31.

SOUNDS OF SUMMER

Celebrate WA are putting on a free family community event for Bassendean locals this weekend, and it’s looking pretty impressive. With food, games, activities for the kids and adults, plus musical stylings from the likes of Morgan Bain, The Shallows, Polly Medlen Band, The Big Old Bears, Davey Craddock And The Spectacles, Simon Kelly and The Bamboos, Timothy Nelson And The Infidels, Rainy Day Women, Odette Mercy And Her Soul Atomics and Boom! Bap! Pow! – it’s sure to be a great day. Get on down to sounds of summer on Sunday, December 2, at Sandy Beach Reserve in Bassendean.

With tickets to their 2013 tour selling like cray, Presidents of The United States Of America have just announced their support band – and the honour goes to Brisbane party-starters Hey Geronimo. The uber-talented quintet have been charming their ever growing local following with their insanely catchy slacker-pop (you may know them from such singles as Why Don’t We Do Something? and Carbon Affair) over the past year or so, and have a reputation for super fun live shows. This tour is completely unmissable, and you’ve only got one chance to see the magic happen – check out POTUSA and Hey Geronimo at Metro Freo on Saturday, March 16.

Tickets through Oztix and Heatseeker.

Danny Bhoy

OH DANNY BHOY

One of Australia’s favourite comedians, UK-based Danny Bhoy, is heading back to our shores to dazzle us with his dry wit and send us into fits of near-painful laughter. Bhoy will be performing a brand new show based around letters – the letters you never got around to writing, because (you thought) life was too short. Danny Bhoy wants to take you on a journey through letterwriting, and, in his own words, it will be ‘a stand up show with some sitting down.’ Have a laff at Astor Theatre on Tuesday, February 19. Tickets through showticketing.com.au.

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

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

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, Emma Mackenzie, Guang-Hui Chuan, Max Fairclough 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,Tom Varian,Ben Watson,Jessica Willoughby,Miki Mclay, Morgan Richards, James Manning, Joe Cassidy, Shane Pinnegar For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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MISSY HIGGINS

The beloved Missy Higgins will be bringing her The Razzle Dazzle Summer Tour to Perth shores this December. Very special guests will be iconic Australian vocalist Gurrumul and Triple J darling, Emma Louise. Enter now for your chance to win tickets to what is going to be an amazing show at the Fremantle Arts Centre on Sunday, December 9. Get in quick as you don’t want to miss this one.

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Production

LOVE STORY

UNLEASHED Dear X-Press, Reading your column in issue 1343, I noted your suggestion in the paragraph Dog Parks/Beaches to “or take your cat down there on a leash. Cats love leashes”.

Not so, most cats would be absolutely terrified to go to the open expanse of a beach or park either on or off a leash. Cats are not at all like dogs and don’t enjoy a “walk” out in the open and a leash would not make them feel any more secure. I’ve seen cats turn somersaults when a leash is attached to them for the first time. These sorts of things take most animals a while to get used to and more so cats which would need to become accustomed to this sort of restraint from an early age.

So please in future do not advise anyone to do such, it can be fraught with danger to both animal and human. Dogs yes, cats no!!

Best Regards, Sue Kelly

Florian Habicht’s romantic comedy Love Story sees a beautiful stranger on the Coney Island train become both lead actress and real life object of desire in this choose your own adventure documentary about writing a fictional love story on the streets of New York. We have 10 double passes up for grabs to see this intriguing film. Enter now for your chance to win.

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Love Story

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

Deadlines EDITORIAL General: Friday 5pm,, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, Comp’ Thing: Monday Noon,, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon,, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm

Missy Higgins

IN DARKNESS ROOFTOP MOVIES

Rooftop Movies are in full swing and are screening a bunch of old-school film favourites, cinephile classics, cult & art house movies and B-grade schmaltz every night of the week to the backdrop of Perth’s stunning city skyline.

We have 10 double passes up for grabs so get your entries in now to be in the running to win.

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LAGWAGON

Lagwagon are touring Australia and getting ‘back on the wagon’ so to speak, so don’t miss them when they hit The Rosemount on Thursday, December 6. We have five double passes up for grabs so get your entries in now for your chance to win tickets to what is sure to be a knockout show!

Jack & The Queen

JACK & THE QUEEN

WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY

Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.

Released on DVD November 28, In Darkness tells the story of one man’s rescue of Jewish refugees in the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov. We have five copies up for grabs so get in now for your chance to win.

Hot off the heels of the success of their double-A side, Day In Lieu / Monarch earlier this year, Melbourne indie-pop rockers Black Fox released their debut album Line Of Sight on CD and 12-inch vinyl in early November. We have two awesome prize packs consisting of both a copy of their new album on CD and vinyl to giveaway. Get in quick for your chance to win this killer prize!

Rooftop Movies

The Games We Play is the debut EP from Perth grown indie/pop four piece Jack & The Queen.

Sweet yet tangy, like lemonade to your ears, this EP is sure to make you smile. Get your entries in now for your chance to win a double pass to their EP launch at The X-Wray Café on Friday, December 7. It is sure to be a delightful evening so enter now to avoid disappointment.

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

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KATIE FROM THE BLOCK

It’s likely that you already know that Jennifer Lopez, aka JLo is heading to our shores for her first ever Australian tour next week – woo! Well, the supports have just been announced in the form of lucky lady Kate Alexa. The Melbourne-based singer songwriter dabbles in the worlds of pop, ska and electro, and has just released her debut record Infatuation. Don’t miss out on the chance to attend this awesome pop party and do some booty shakin’ – catch JLo and Kate Alexa at Perth Arena on Thursday, December 6.

Tickets through Ticketek.

SAINTS AND SINNERS

Having spent the last year and a half playing truant - as the rhythm section in a French band – iconic rockers The Saints have dusted off their halos and delivered an amazeballs new album King Of The Sun. Don’t miss their X-Press-presented show at the Fly By Night this Friday, November 30. Support comes from always-impressive local rockers The Volcanics. Limited remaining tickets are available from Ticketek or flybynight.org.

WWE RAWRRR

WWE are bringing their unique brand of awesome back to Australia for WWE Raw – awwww shiiiit!

Wrestling fans will be able to get up close and personal with their fave WWE superstars and divas including John Cena, CM Punk, Ryback, Rey Mysterio, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, Eve, R-Truth, AJ and more. The smackdown will be happening on Tuesday, July 30 at Perth Arena. Tickets through Ticketek.

From The Jam

RAG ‘N’ BONE JAM HARDEST

SPREAD THE JAM

From The Jam – a legendary group with members from The Jam, The Cult and Stiff Little Fingers – have already gained a reputation for incendiary live performances like that of The (original) Jam. The trio, comprised of Bruce Foxton, Mark Brzezicki, and Russell Hastings, played to rave reviews across the UK and US this year, and now it’s our turn. From The Jam will be heading to Australia next year to play classic hits from The Jam as well as from their new record Back In The Room. So suit up and get your mod on, and head to Capitol on Thursday, January 31. Tickets through the usual outlets.

A WORLD OF THEIR OWN

Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger, and Bruce Woodley have reunited as The Seekers for The Golden Jubilee Tour – 50 years since they first sang together in a coffee shop in Melbourne. Together, they will take fans on a journey down memory lane with not only songs, but stories, memorabilia, messages of congratulations, and video clips. The two hour performances will include all their hits (Georgy Girl, Morningtown Ride), plus a few different arrangements – this is one not to be missed. They’ll be performing at The Riverside Theatre on Thursday, May 30. Tickets through Ticketek.

BRIGHT BULBS

Stoney Joe

We already let you know about the Light Up Leederville carnival in recent weeks – featuring food, fashion, music, entertainment for adults and kids, and loads more cool stuff. Well, the website has just gone live at leedervillecarnival.com.au and we reckon you should go check it out! There’s loads of info about the carnival, plus maps and other bits and pieces. Light Up Leederville is happening on Saturday, December 8, and it’s completely free!

Kate Alexa

HOT IN HERRRE

Scorcherfest is one of Australia’s most unique festivals – with 80 per cent local acts and 20 per cent touring artists, it gives young and upcoming bands the chance to show off their talent across the country. This year will see 30+ bands hitting the stage in Perth, including Bad Shannon, Dead Set Radio, Grass Taylor, King and Ace, New Animals, The Merrics, The Idle Front, Underground Hound, and heaps, heaps more! It’s all happening on Sunday, December 16, at The Rosemount Hotel. Grab tickets through scorcherfest.com.au.

RUSSELL-ING UP SOME LAUGHS

After setting attendance records all over the world (including Sydney), global comedy rock star Russell Peters is gracing us with his awesome presence with his Notorious Tour next year. With brand new material, a new live show, plus Russell’s Official Tour DJs, Toronto DJ Starting From Scratch, NYC’s DJ Before they bunker down to record the follow-up to Spinbad, plus video cameras and screens for Peters’ their award-winning debut album, I Know This Now, legendary audience improv bits, this is going to be much-loved locals Timothy Nelson And The Infidels downright rad. Have a ROFL with Russell at Perth will hit the road for a national tour in December, Arena on Tuesday, March 5. Tickets through Ticketek. eager to break in a new line-up, some new material, and a new single. Simply titled Talk, the first single from his sophomore album finds Timothy Nelson in a delightfully strange new universe, with manic mood swings and tempo changes creating an almost Beatles-esque musical adventure, while the dexterous singer turns the altogether unlikely phrase “son of a bitch” into an unforgettable hook. Finishing up the national tour will be a home-grown launch at Amplifier on Saturday, December 15.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE JOES TALK THAT TALK Get on down to The Fly Trap in Fremantle this weekend for A Stoney Christmas Party with country lads Stoney Joe to help usher in the craziest time of the year. Joining the Joes will be special guests The Kickstart Cadillacs, Lynda Smyth And The Borrowed Few for a rare acoustic set. Get on down for a night of great music and big hats this Saturday, December 1.

WET AND WILD

There’s a new band competition in town, and it’s promising to be the biggest yet. The Big Splash will be held anually for original West Australian bands searching for that big break who don’t already have a record deal, management, booking agent or publishing deal. If you don’t have any of those, you immediately qualify for entry - and could end up winning $10,000! To enter, you need to send your band name, contact number, a link to your tunes, and a brief outline of what your band would do with the dollars to thebigsplash@ coolperthnights.com with the subject ‘Big Splash Entrant.’ Entries open this Saturday, December 1, and close Wednesday, February 13. Get on it!

JAY GARDNER

Geordie Shore Playa

WHAT’VE YOU DONE TO US?!

FESTIVAL FEVER

If awesome entertainment, killer live music, rides, cooking demonstrations, educational workshops, birds-of-prey and reptile shows, arts and crafts and community stalls, and more, sounds like an awesome day out you won’t want to miss the Lakeside Festival. X-Factor finalist Matt Gresham will be performing live on the day, while The Mucky Duck Bush Band will have you boot-scooting like never before during a massive hoedown. Plus, there are plenty of activities to keep the kiddies entertained while you enjoy the music and good vibes. It’s all a’happening at the Naragebup Rockingham Regional Environmental Centre this Sunday, December 2.

Don’t miss it! www.xpressmag.com.au

Rag N’ Bone, Ya Ya’s Jammin’ winners

D-FLOOR DOMINATION

Are you looking for a great night out to wind down with friends for the end of the year? GALSWA are holding A Summer Party with Gay and Lesbian Singers WA, and it could be just the thing for you!

The ladies and lads will sing all your favourite hits, the d-floor will be pumping, and the best part? You can BYO food and drink! It’s an all-ages event, with tickets ranging from $15-25 and available through GALSWA. Awesome!

You’re heading down under for the Metropolis Fremantle 20th Anniversary Celebration - are you looking forward to it?

Yeah that should be huge! I have a huge number of people on Twitter from Perth who were desperate for me to hit the clubs out there.

Will you be looking to pull when you’re in Australia or are you still in a committed relationship?

No am not looking to pull... am in a relationship living with [girlfriend] Chloe... going strong!

MTV’s hit reality show Geordie Shore has built its episodes around the partying antics of its characters and now those antics are coming to Metropolis Fremantle as part of What does 2013 hold for you?

I’m hoping to come out to Australia at the their 20th Anniversary Celebrations tonight, Wednesday, November 28! Ahead of the epic beginning of 2013... love this place and would like party, JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD chatted to to start doing more over here!

Geordie Shore alpha male Jay Gardner about pulling, getting mortal, and why he thinks Australia is ‘proper mint’.

Timothy Nelson And The Infidels

Matt Gresham

After eight weeks of heats, semi-finals, and the big final showdown last Sunday, Ya Ya’s Jammin Band Comp judges have announced the winner - congratulations to Rag ‘n’ Bone! It was a close one on the big day, with competition from Oak Tree Suite, Burst And Bloom, This Will Stop The Machines, and Neutral Native, with a huge turnout of punters cheering their beloved bands on. But, there could only be one winner and Rag ‘n’ Bone took the cake - they’ve won themselves a campaign with X-Press Magazine, RTRFM, studio time at Fat Shan’s, a Coopers’ eski full of goodies, and a bar tab at Ya Ya’s - woo! Well done, guys.

Are you guys as excited as we are about Samantha Jade taking out the #1 spot on the ARIA charts with that song What’ve You Done to Me?! Because we’re so excited, we want to cry a little. Wait, did you just say who is Samantha Jade? Don’t be cray, she’s that lovely lass who won that TV show thingy X-Factor. Now please, sit down. We’ve got some even more exciting news. Samantha Jade is coming here! For an in-store performance at Whitfords! Please contain yourselves.

It’s all happening on Wednesday, December 12, at 4pm. We’ll see you there.

GET YOUR GOZZY ON

Gozzy Rock has been giving local WA bands a boost for over 26 years now, with no sign of slowing down. Entries are now open for emerging bands and musicians in the WA area to sign up and battle it out with their competitors to get their big break into the industry. If you’re in a local band, don’t forget about this one! As long as your band isn’t more than two years old, you don’t have a record deal, and you haven’t won the comp before – you’re in with a fighting chance.

You’ve got until Thursday, December 20, to get your entry forms in, and they can be downloaded from gosnells.wa.gov.au. Get on it!

How do you think you’ve changed since being on Geordie Shore?

Since first starting Geordie Shore the main thing that has changed is me being in a relationship!

Which has made me grow up to be honest! Other then that I’m the same person!

Earlier in the year you announced you’d be leaving the show - what prompted the decision to leave?

After three series and a summer special I wanted to move on and do my own things (still in the media and TV) another thing that prompted me to leave was that I was in a relationship.

What will you miss most about Geordie Shore?

I will miss the whole experience, everyone in the house and the fact I was put on the piss on someone else’s dollar! Lol! Is there anything you regret doing while on the show?

Yep arguing with [Geordie Shore cast mate] Vicky... just spoiled my time and everyone else!

There are a lot of rumours on the internet that you’re going to be starring in your own show - is that true?

Me and my manager are currently in talks about filming my own show! There is nothing set in stone yet!

Jay Gardner 11

SAN CISCO Doin’ The Wild Thing

San Cisco have just released their selftitled debut album and will perform at The Bakery on Friday, December 14, with The Preatures and The Jack Doepel Jazz Quartet, presented by X-Press Magazine.

Just when it seems as good as it gets, it only gets better.

The rise of Fremantle outfit San Cisco continues upward, now that they’ve released their self-titled debut LP on their own indepednt label, Island City Records [through MGM] in Australia, on Fat Possum/RCA in the US and Columbia Records in the UK. The success of the band’s triple j Hottest 100 #7 hit, Awkward, has provided a rare springboard for the LP and its current single, Wild Things. They’re about to embark on a national album tour, flowed by appearances at the Falls Festival and Southbound, before heading to the US in January to tour with The Vaccines and eventually head to South By South West in Austin Life is good, as vocalist Jordi Davieson and guitarist Josh Biondillo note at their favourite Fremantle hangout, X-Wray Cafe. Nothing’s taken for granted though, from this point they’ll be working harder than ever.

San Cisco (l-r) Josh Biondillo, Jordi Davieson, Scarlett Stevens, Nick Gardner

from there. That’s something I want to work out.

Josh, write that down! The reason we put it on the end is that it’s a taste of what might be to come.

By BOB GORDON Who knows, it might just be a full on rock album but, at that point we thought it would be like the Some bands aspire to perfection in the studio.

You got quite an interesting review for your movement to the next album.

Other bands seem to thrive on imperfection. album in Rolling Stone. Did you read it?

Would you say you’re imperfectionists?

Jordi Davieson: No, I heard we got for The opening song, Beach, is quite touching. It JB: I think with music, in terms of sounds as though if you released it as a single in three out of five... imperfection, it’s usually the natural stuff-ups that December it could be the Christmas #1... happen that are cool. ‘That wasn’t meant to happen, Which is good...

JD: You reckon? It was released in the UK a JD: Is it? I was disappointed. few days ago.

A Rolling Stone review. Debut album. Three stars.

That’s pretty good, but it had a kind of ‘don’t grow up too fast’ vibe about it.

JD: Oh really?

It seemed like you were being criticised for not being Operator Please. It strikes me that when successful bands are quite young there is a huge amount of focus on them for simply being young.

Yet in this case, when you’ve delivered music that dares to go beyond being ‘Youth Band Of 2012’, you’re being pulled up on it.

JD: I don’t think you can do it right because before that people were saying we were really young and sort of immature. Now they’re saying we’re too old or something? You can’t win (laughs).

We don’t want our whole career to be judged on that first year when we broke through.

You have to grow, I guess.

Josh Biondillo: It’s just a natural thing that you’re going to develop. If you spend enough time doing something it’s going to get better.

Usually. It’s not like we’re going to put an album out that’s less mature than what we used to do.

On the other hand it’s not as though you’ve gone ahead and done an album of murder ballads either, is it?

JB: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s not outrageously different.

Awkward was on its own EP, but it wouldn’t have been unusual if it appeared on this album as well. How conscious were you of not including it on the album - that song was then but this is now?

JD: That’s why we made that decision.

That’s what we wanted to do. We wanted this to be a new body of work.

JB: Obviously Jordi’s voice is on it, that’s how you tell it’s San Cisco, but there were some conscious decisions to step out a bit, musically.

Another thing is we bought some keyboards and worked with those and that kind of developed the songwriting.

What was that like, not writing on guitar? Was it like a right-handed person teaching themselves to use their left?

JB: (Laughs) Having grown up playing guitar, when you play an instrument that you don’t know a lot about you become more adventurous.

JD: It’s like sometimes when I can’t write a song I just change the tuning of the guitar and just play around on that for a while and come up with a song. In each instrument you get there’s usually a song in there that’s easy to find from just playing around with it.

So you welcome happy accidents, in that sense?

JD: Yeah, that’s usually how most of these songs come out.

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JB: It’s not like we have a board meeting (laughs). We don’t sit around a table and discuss them.

“I hate the idea of writing a song and going, ‘is this too different?’, because you’re afraid of shocking people or something.

It’s something I think about sometimes, that it’d be really annoying if that stopped you recording something, or doing something in a certain way. I keep that in mind. Like don’t do something stupidly different, but you shouldn’t be constricted by your past recordings in terms of your new recording being something else.”

playing this drum beat to it and it was like, ‘oh that’s better’ and it just came back alive on the last few days of recording. It turned into one of Scarlett’s favourite songs on the record. I really like it. It’s a bit different. It’s a little bit meditative.

JB: It’s kind of droning and hypnotic.

JD: Yeah, hypnotic. But not in a bad way.

Is it a bit tug of war with this Steve character? He sounds like he likes to challenge you.

JD: I think it’s a bit tug of war with everyone in the studio. That’s why so many of the songs are different because we have such different There you go, they’re big on Christmas #1s. It influences. Someone thinks it’s better this way, reminds me of Blur’s Tender. It’s sincere and someone thinks it’s better that way. It’s all give and open, not afraid to be emotional... take, really.

JD: It is very emotional. The song’s very deep (smiles).

What song were you recording when triple j called you about Awkward placing #7 in the That’s why I got it. Your last postcard to everyone Hottest 100? was Awkward, which was very quirky, so to go JD: We were recording Wild Things. from that to opening the album with Beach, That was like our first chunk of recording back in which bares the soul somewhat, that’s quite a summer, when we recorded Wild Things, No Friends, leap. Are you conscious of being that open?

Lover and Toast. We were at a bit of a roadblock with JD: It’s more scary bringing that to band Wild Things at that point. We were trying all these practice than playing it live. These guys just rip me apart, really. Anything that’s slightly emotional, they different angles on it and we ended up doing it how it was when we first brought it into the studio. go to town one me (laughs). Playing it live is fine.

JB: We always call Scarlett [Stevens, drums] Shazam, because whenever we come to This time last year I interviewed you here band practice with a song she says it sounds like because you were soon to headline the Norfolk something else. If it can pass the Scarlett Shazam Lanes Festival. Jordi, you were in your school uniform in the midst of final exams. then it’s usually fairly original (laughs).

JD: I remember that. Shit, that’s a year JD: But I also think that some of the greatest songs have just been people pouring their ago? heart out. I know it’s really mainstream, but Adele’s Someone Like You, that’s just her pouring her heart A lot has happened since then. I presume you’re out pretty much and it just connects with so many enjoying yourself more at this time this year people. That’s the sacrifice you have to make to than that time last year?

JD: Oh yeah... no exams. I think we’re appeal to people, just letting go of worrying about going fishing later. Life’s pretty good right now. showing what you feel.

Given that you’ve had previous bands and earlier EP releases, was there a place you wanted to go on San Cisco’s debut album, or did you just take an organic approach?

JD: It was pretty organic.

JB: It was recorded in a couple of different studios at a couple of different times. It’s not like we had a session where we recorded the album. As a but it sounds really cool’.

JD: And if you try doing it again you can’t result I think the songs are noticeably different. do it. I remember when we were doing the outro There are songs that are really distorted and rocky, for the album, Josh and I, we recorded that early on punk in some cases. Then there’s songs like Beach in his bedroom, just playing around with a bunch which are really different. I guess that’s what comes of synths. Then when we wanted to use it as the with recording over the space of a year.

JD: I hate the idea of writing a song and outro we tried to re-record it at the studio and we couldn’t get this one weird, portamento key sound going, ‘is this too different?’, because you’re afraid which was out of time and a little out of tune but of shocking people or something. It’s something I think about sometimes, that it’d be really annoying just sounded so good. We couldn’t get it back.

JB: Sometimes that’s just the magic of a if that stopped you recording something, or doing bedroom recording. Sometimes you can just get something in a certain way. I keep that in mind. cool things that you couldn’t in a studio. The studio Like don’t do something stupidly different, but you shouldn’t be constricted by your past recordings in is a different atmosphere, a different vibe. terms of your new recording being something else.

Listening to that end-of-album-outro I’ve often thought, ‘that’s going somewhere; it could be a Did any songs provide particular curve balls for you? song’...

JD: Yeah, Metaphors and Mission Failed JD: (Laughs) Yeah, you’re telling me! for me. Metaphor was the last song we did and I Could it possibly be revisited later on? Perhaps remember, like a delirious last few days in the studio and I felt a bit crazy and we just kind of wrote it. I’ve as the intro on the next album?

JD: That’s the kind of thing we want, we always felt a bit weird towards that song.

Mission Failed we wrote on the second left it at a very open end. It’s Josh’s favourite part of the album (laughs) and I love it. I want to have it day in the studio and Steve [Schram, producer] was as our walk-on track, then play into it and take off like, ‘no, it’s shit, forget about it’. Then Scarlett was

You went on RockWiz and Julia Zemiro flirted with you...

JD: Everyone said she was flirting with me.

I didn’t notice that.

JB: She’s just a saucy lass.

Would you like to go on RockWiz and have Julia Zemiro flirt with you, Josh? Do you think, ‘why can’t that be me?’

JB: Um, no (laughs).

JD: Really? It’s hell fun.

JB: I’d probably be better than you at the questions.

JD: (Laughs) You would. You’d be so good at it. I was so bad at it. We should have a tag team.

They treat you really well. I rocked up and before I knew it my guitar was tuned, plugged in and ready to go. They had a sandwich platter. I was very lonely though; I was all by myself in Melbourne.

These guys were all in WA. You’re going to the US again in January. Are you excited?

JD: It’s all very surreal.

JB: It’s a little bit alarming because I don’t think I’m ready.

Good to know, Jordi?

JD: Is it because of your pedal board?

JB: Jordi always asks me if I’ve reached pedal board nirvana yet.

JD: He’s got there a couple of times. It’s some next level shit.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

MIDNIGHT OIL The Good Oil

Essential Oils, the mammoth new greatest hits package from essential Australia agit-rockers Midnight Oil, is out now. TRAVIS JOHNSON talks to drummer Rob Hirst about the band’s indelible legacy.

Rob Hirst has been in the music industry for a very long time. When he first formed the band Farm, which would eventually morph into Midnight Oil, the year was 1972.

“That’s 40 years!” Hirst exclaims. “It’s just such a horrifying thought. In the words of Talking Heads, how did I get here?”

Indeed, when pressed on the origins of what is, even now, Australia’s most renowned political rock band, Hirst is self-effacing to the point of being dismissive, outlining the early years in broad strokes.

“Look, we didn’t have any idea,” he says.

“We got together, like every band, in garages and friends’ houses, bedrooms and tried to learn our instruments as best we could. We all had our own favourite bands that we really loved and we started going out and seeing those bands and figuring out how it was done. The membership of the band shifted this way and back, and finally had a great membership by ‘76-’77, and made our first album in ‘78. One album led to another and another, and here we are - that’s the short story.”

Hirst heaps praise on his fellow band members, though. Of guitarist and keyboard player Jim Moginie, he says that, “We obviously had a fine musician/song writer - someone who actually knew which note went with the other notes. It’s always handy to have someone in the band who knows that.” Lead guitarist Martin Rotsey is described as “one of the most natural guitar players - one of those people who you think was just born with that Fender Stratocaster in his hand,” while lead singer - and now Labor MP - Peter Garrett is, simply, “an amazing, charismatic frontman and talented singer.”

But the Oils are remembered just as much for the subject matter of their songs as their musicianship. While other Aussie bands were trying to mimic the big new wave and new

Midnight Oil romantic acts of Europe and the States, Hirst and company were playing driving pub rock about mineral exploitation and native title. To hear him tell it, it was a double-edged sword.

“We became known as a political band,” Hirst reflects. “But we would have arced up at that description, because it was always commented on, even before the songwriting or the music. I think that’s always what happens you just get put in a box. But we had our heroes and our contemporaries, bands like U2 and The Clash, who we were compared with, but our history playing in Australian pubs was different from anything they had to contend with. If anything, it was a more brutal upbringing that we had, playing those beer barns. The politics was very much part of what we wrote about, which in a nutshell, was stuff we thought mattered.

“We were very proudly Australian, but not in a jingoistic, flag-waving way; it’s just that we had the very good fortune to be born here and we didn’t want to see the place trashed.”

SHAPESHIFTER Feels Natural

Shapeshifter

New Zealand live drum’n’bass outfit, Shapeshifter, are heading a line-up of trans-Tasman acts including Kora, Ladi6 and David Dallas at the Natural New Zealand Music Festival at Red Hill Auditorium on Saturday, December 1.

JOSHUA HAYES speaks with bassist/ keyboardist Nick Robinson.

Shapeshifter’s recently released single, Diamond Trade - a preview of their upcoming fifth studio album - eschews their usual live drum’n’bass in favour of a more house and trance flavoured approach.

To date, fans’ response to the track has been mixed.

“It’s been funny… people are surprised,” bassist/keyboardist Nick Robinson laughs. “But the longer the track’s been out, the more people are saying, ‘wow, that’s actually grown on me’, you know?”

The group has regularly experimented with other sounds, infusing their drum’n’bass with elements of dub reggae, jazz and funk. “Obviously Diamond Trade is a little bit different to what we usually do. But then, saying that, looking back at every album we’ve done, we’ve done a similar thing.

Way back to Riddim Wise, we released Been Missing which was a down tempo track,” Robinson says.

“And Electric Dream was very controversial, off Soulstice, as well. People hated that when we first released that, and then that ended up being our biggest tune, almost, to that point. It’s kind of typical in a way; when we do release an album we do release different stuff.”

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Diamond Trade follows their first single from the new project, Monarch. “Monarch, funnily enough, was a really typical Shapeshifter song, so I don’t know why people are getting so upset about Diamond Trade,” Robinson laughs.

It’s one of the few downsides of having the highly dedicated following that Shapeshifter has earned since their first release, 2001’s Realtime.

“I guess each album has brought a new collective of people that seriously claim the music as a big part of their life. I mean, I don’t want to make it sound really big or anything like that, but the reaction we get, people getting glued on a song and it means a lot in their life, you know?

“And then we come out with something completely different,” Robinson says. “But it’s always been like that. As artists we have to keep experimenting and pushing boundaries.”

He notes that this extends to the new album, before reassuring fans that the project will still have “a lot of Shapeshifter flavour.” Much of the album was recorded in Berlin, while the band was on their annual European tour. They are aiming to release the album, which is currently untitled, before mid-2013.

“We’re right in the process of mastering a lot of tracks, and the tracks that aren’t finished are very close, so it’s pretty much finished,” Robinson says.

In the meantime, Perth punters will be able to get a sneak preview of Shapeshifter’s new material at the Natural New Zealand Music Festival, along with all their classics in their acclaimed live show.

It promises to be great, even if you’re not a fan of Diamond Trade. “Live, that’s a different kettle of fish,” Robinson says.

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ELLA HOOPER

MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER

Message From A Bottle Formerly of Killing Heidi and The Verses, Ella Hooper has released a new single, Low High, in the lead up to her debut solo album. SHANE PINNEGAR reports.

We Need to Talk About Kevin French singer/songwriter Melody Prochet is the core of the dreamy experimental project Melody’s Echo Chamber. TRAVIS JOHNSON talks to her about her creative journey from Paris to Perth.

We’re so used to viewing Paris as the cultural centre of the universe that it comes as a shock when Melody Prochet proceeds to shatter all our illusions, vis-a-vis the French live music scene.

“I’m not really inspired by the Paris live music scene at the moment,” she says dismissively.

“It’s boring. I think that all the musicians there are afraid to make noise when we record in our little apartments. We can’t play loud; it’s restrictive, it’s really difficult and the audiences are really uptight and cold. It’s not my favourite place to play.”

It’s a bold statement, and one that goes some way to explain why, when it came time to lay down some tracks for her new musical outfit, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Prochet chose to relocate to Perth, working under the guidance of local music hot property, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala. Even then, if it wasn’t for a chance encounter during Tame Impala’s European tour a while back...

“I went to his show in Paris two years ago,” Prochet explains. “I never really heard their songs before that show; I just went with a friend, and I was blown away, sonically. It was one of the best bands I had seen in a while. After, they randomly went to the bar of my really good friend - it’s my local bar; I always go there. I really wanted to know what Kevin used to get his space guitar effects. I asked him and

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Melody Prochet he didn’t want to tell me, but we started talking and I gave him a demo and he loved it; and invited me to tour in Europe with them. The tour was really fun and it blossomed into a collaboration.”

That collaboration, though fruitful, came as a shock to Prochet, who is used to a more regimented approach to musical production. “Kevin is, like, the laziest producer I’ve ever met,” she says, laughing. “He doesn’t want to work more than an hour a day, and so we’d record one thing a day, and then go to the beach with his friends, or gigs, or hang out. It was really fun. It wasn’t like working.”

The result is a beguiling and otherworldly album, one that blurs the genre boundaries between electro-pop, psychedelic rock and noise, all anchored by Prochet’s dreamy, sensual voice. Even Prochet is coy when it comes to trying to pin down the genre she’s working in.

“It’s hard to describe the songs,” she says.

“I’ve had some people say they’re kind of like retrofuturistic - I don’t really know. I’ve always been into noise and the experimental.”

She is adamant, though, that her partnership with Parker is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding of her career. “I recorded my own demos in Paris, firstly, and then I went to Kevin’s studio, which was in a house he shared with a lot of musicians. It was amazing. It was fantastic. It was exactly the sound I wanted.”

“I heard a great quote, which is that great art is never finished, it’s just a work in progress.”

Ella Hooper is talking about her forthcoming debut solo album, due early in 2013.

“You have to walk away at some point or you keep putting that other brush stroke on and it’s hard to let go,” she continues. “But I’m actually really itching to get it the hell out there!”

The album, In Tongues, has been prefaced by a new single Low High, featuring a bluesy calland-response vocal a la Leadbelly and an anti-rock musical line.

“Yeah, I’ve been listening to a lot of blues,” Hooper says. “I think you’re the first person to cite the blues or Leadbelly. Lots of people say it’s a little bit like a sea shanty, or a little bit Caribbean, but I’ve actually been listening to lots and lots of old, old blues. Musically, I wanted to keep it stripped back. I didn’t want to come out and the first thing that people hear from me after such a long hiatus, I didn’t want it to be rock. I’m trying to change that perception.”

Hooper wrote the song, vocally, “to a percussive line, which I kind of created. It’s unusual for me, I usually come up with a chorus and melody, then lyrics, then a theme and then I flesh the song out, but this song came from literally a rhythm clinking on a whiskey bottle!”

Low High is accompanied by a striking video by renowned photographer, Wilk [PVT, Jack Ladder, Bertie Blackman, Dappled Cities, Seeker Lover Keeper]. Working with him was, says Hooper, “fantastic. I feel like it was a real turning point for me, actually. I have always wanted to have more control of the visuals, and I haven’t been honestly enamoured with my own visual output in the past. He just nailed it. We kind of came up with the

Ella Hooper concept together. I came up with the concept of the lifting and being taken over physically, and he’s just a great director, so he kind of set it in this setting and lit it in a way that I just went ‘Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! Yay!’ The stark black and white of the clip ties in with the lyrical themes of depression and being taken over by forces you cannot control.

“This record, to me, is about extremes,” Hooper explains. “I’m pretty sure the front cover will be black and white, the next clip’s going to be in black and white, and it’s going to be a running theme - with the occasional burst of colour!”

Twelve years on from the height of her teenage band Killing Heidi’s fame, In Tongues will undoubtedly raise Hooper’s profile exponentially upon its release. In the meantime she is enjoying her relative anonymity and laughs at the thought of being recognised by adoring fans in the street.

“It doesn’t happen that much. I think another thing is that I don’t look the same - every three months I kind of change my look! Some people recognise me and that’s really nice if they’re a hardcore fan.

“That still happens once or twice a week, and it’s just nice to have a chat with somebody who likes what you’re doing, and it gives you a little pep in your step thinking, ‘Yay, I’m not just throwing stuff out there into the abyss and nobody gets it’.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

REEL BIG FISH All Over The Map

Reel Big Fish have returned to Australia and will hit Metro City on Wednesday, December 5, with Goldfinger and Zebrahead. SHANE PINNEGAR speaks with singer/ guitarist, Aaron Barrett.

Kingswood

KINGSWOOD Holy Buckets

Melbourne outfit Kingswood hit WA for the first time this week, supporting British India at the Prince Of Wales Hotel on Thursday, November 29; Metropolis Fremantle on Friday, November 30, and Amplifier on Saturday, December 1. BOB GORDON reports with further KISS references...

Some 13 years being leader, only constant member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for ska band, Reel Big Fish, was enough to send Aaron Barrett into a tailspin in 2005.

Accordingly, that year’s album, We’re Not Happy ‘Til You’re Not Happy, was a dark period for all involved.

“Yeah, that was definitely an album that was made at a time when things couldn’t have been worse between our record label and the band camaraderie and morale wasn’t that great at the time,” says Barrett.

“So it’s a bit of a darker album, but I think the line-up that we have now, they’re a great group of guys. We’re performing better than ever and everyone gets along well. I feel that just being able

Reel Big Fish to keep a band going for 20-plus years is a huge accomplishment.”

With a new album, Candy Coated Fury, and a trip to Australia with Goldfinger and Zebrahead this week, Reel Big Fish are looking forward to treating their Aussie fans with a killer set.

“We always try to have a good wide variety of old songs and new songs. We definitely have the 10 or so staple songs in our set that are a few of our favourites and the hit songs that we always play, the songs that everyone knows us for. We always want to please the fans with those songs and then usually there’s some room for some of the older songs that we don’t get to play too often, and then we’ll throw in some new songs here and there from our new album. So it will be a nice cosmopolitan set.”

Candy Coated Fury is one of the band’s most diverse offerings, with their roots in that happy hyper ska sound, plus there’s soul and punk as well as I Dare You To Break My Heart, which Barrett has described as “Like KISS, if KISS were into Motown.”

“Everybody in the band, the music we listen to, is all over the map. We all love Motown, hip hop, heavy metal, rock. I think that’s one of the great things about being in this band as well: we’re able to appreciate pretty much any style of music and I think that’s great because it keeps us open to new ways to incorporate that into our own music and make it our own.

“Sure we have the fast, ska/pop type tunes, but we can also have a KISS-doing-Motown song! We take influence from all over and not just music but life in general. We embrace it all.”

While some have labelled the band as indulging in ‘juvenile humour’ Barrett is quick to point out that their writing style just comes naturally.

“There’s always going to be that sarcasm, sometimes spiteful and sometimes painful lyrics,” he says. “But I think in a way everybody sort of feels that way. I think it’s just a matter of conveying that idea. It’s almost kind of like, ‘I hate you, I never want to see you again, but I love you, please don’t go’. Depending on whether it’s a relationship, just friends or whatever, it seems to be the sort of writing style that myself and the band have adopted and it seems to have worked.

“We have this happy-go-lucky music mixed in with negative lyrics at times. It’s kind of like taking a punch to the face, but then you get a hug afterwards.”

Like many bands, Kingswood’s origins are something they have well and truly moved on from. However, they still have a regard for the past.

“I suppose the band was conceived at the point where I first heard the blues, without my knowing,” says guitarist, Al Laska. “Miraculously, everything fell into place as far as getting the four of us together and initially the band was a quasi Bon Scott era AC/DC-Cold Chisel tribute band.

With a few originals.

“But the main objective was just to play shows. From the outset we had this grand idea of being some sort of revivalist band, but that quickly went out the window. I mean for a while we got the Led Zeppelin banner as well but as much as I love all that music and that era, it really is just that, an era, and it’s romantic to think it should be brought back, but that was current then, we should be current now.”

The band’s breakthrough single, She’s My Baby, conjures a vision of Queens Of The Stone Age playing Detroit Rock City by KISS. Unless I’m crazy...

“That’s great,” Laska says. “I love it. I’ve never really known how to describe it, really. So I’m gonna run with that. Yeah, it totally has the Queens’ vibe but there are more bluesy elements and big harmonies in the choruses so I guess that’s where the KISS comes in. I don’t really listen to KISS though, at all. I probably should!”

2012 has been a bumper year for Kingswood, who have gone beyond the Melbourne scene to become a national entity. The band agree.

“I t ’s been explosive. Enigmatic.

Bewildering. Unimaginable. Amazing. Great.

Fantastic. I couldn’t have dreamt it better for our first year of presenting ourselves to Australia and the world. Unfathomable. I mean to have this much success from three singles and the support we’ve had from Triple J and community radio has been truly inspiring.

“We’ve all listened to these radio stations from younger days and to be recognised and supported on them is really just a great honour. Also playing some of the best festivals and touring Australia nationally have always been dreams of ours. And we’ve got to do it all. Holy buckets!”

Laska is looking forward to this week’s WA shows with British India (‘they’re great dudes and a real poster for bands to take heed from’) and as 2013 looms, confirms that the road ahead will bring more work. And more road.

“We figure the bar has been set pretty high for our first year of release so we’ve really got to pull the proverbial out for 2013,” he says. “First and foremost is recording and releasing our debut LP. The kicker is that 2013 is already starting to look really busy with a couple of festival bookings and being selected as support for the Grinspoon tour. So we’re trying to find time and a strategy to make the album happen. But rest assured, we will. We also have a few knocks on the door internationally so that’s something we’ll be keenly pursuing. And more shows!” www.xpressmag.com.au

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“When you’re playing songs for anyone, there’s an exchange of energy – so obviously when there’s a lot more people you just feel that there’s a lot more going on. When I’m in front of thousands of people there are so many life stories, so many various problems people are experiencing, and all of these different backgrounds and degrees of happiness just come together.”

Regina Spektor

REGINA SPEKTOR The New Narrative

Touring in support of her new album, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, Regina Spektor performs at Belvoir Amphitheatre on Wednesday, December 19. BENJAMIN COOPER reports.

“I don’t even know what the fuck ‘slashies’ are – why would anyone say I hate ‘slashies’?”

It’s a question Regina Spektor delivers with a fair amount of passion, understandably outraged at having been misquoted in an article. Worse still, the article’s reference pertained to a close friend and fellow musician.

“Karen O is such a star. She’s got that – I don’t know – that particular quality that sets someone apart. I’ve seen the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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perform a billion times, and there really aren’t very many charismatic performers like her. Then I look at this article and there’s this thing that has me bashing Karen O, because she’s a ‘slashie’… and I don’t even know what that is! I should be used to it, though,” she laughs.

“Recently I was interviewed by this New York journalist who managed to print that I hate my favourite baseball team. I guess people just need to have a narrative.”

The daughter of Bella and Ilya Spektor has released six albums, including this year’s critically and commercially successful What We Saw From The Cheap Seats. Produced by Mike Elizondo [50 Cent, Eminem], the record entered the Billboard charts at #3, and has seen Spektor hailed by no less an authority than Rolling Stone as her generation’s Joni Mitchell. Does she pay any heed to the swell of superlatives in recent years?

“I just do my own thing,” she says, “which might sound tired, but it’s absolutely the truth. I understand that my music is going to be critically appraised, and that someone will say my album is the best thing ever, and someone else will say it is the worst thing ever. Then there will be the person who just doesn’t care. All I can control is doing the right thing by my art. If I can get that bit right, the rest will happen.”

The live show, however, is an entirely different matter. Spektor confesses that the larger-scale gigs required by her new fame can occasionally be overwhelming.

“When you’re playing songs for anyone, there’s an exchange of energy – so obviously when there’s a lot more people you just feel that there’s a lot more going on,” Spektor says. “When I’m in front of thousands of people there are so many life stories, so many various problems people are experiencing, and all of these different backgrounds and degrees of happiness just come together.

“When you’re on that stage you can’t help but feel all of that, within a particular moment. It just feels – it’s such a huge experience for me. Sometimes it’s just too much…” she trails off.“But everybody works hard. If it gets too much after a performance I’ll just put myself in a dark room. I’ll just lock myself in there, and not talk to anyone for a day. It’s always been like this for me. I think it’s probably like this for most people like me - if you’re really open and social and engaged and free with the world, then you have to be a bit careful.”

The biting and beat-driven What We Saw From The Cheap Seats represents a reunion between Spektor and Elizondo, after the pair collaborated on a few tracks for her last album, 2009’s Far. Elizondo’s hip hop leanings had Spektor’s piano-purist fans a little anxious, a wariness exacerbated earlier this year by the fast and furious leading single, All The Rowboats – but the album’s full release assuaged those concerns. Spektor swings from the island pop of the bilingual Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas) to the pared-back balladry of Small Town Moon, losing none of her swaggering cheek or humble wondering along the way.

If there’s a secret ingredient, then she’s not telling. “There’s just different ratios to what needs to be done,” she says, with frustrating ambiguity.

“I considered what went into my songs once, but ultimately you just have to make your art. Even critics need an angle – you know, I think a lot of the time when people try to review music they’re writing a story. It’s kind of like they’re making this narrative all of their own; a kind of fairytale for them to own. So people can write that, ‘On her sixth record Regina is coming up with a new style’ or ‘a new direction’, but I’ve just kept doing what I’ve always done.”

Australia has been passionately fixated on Spektor since she debuted here in 2007, on the back of her astounding breakthrough LP, Begin To Hope.

Despite it being her first visit to the country, she still managed to sell out large theatres, with locals holding aloft ‘Queen Reggie’ signs as Spektor walked onto the Enmore stage with a walking stick, arriving in Australia days after a car accident back home in New York.

Local fans will be treated to a rested and rejuvenated Spektor this time around; she’ll be enjoying her “first decent break in months” before she leaves for Australia.

“Not that I’m complaining – that’s just how things are. We get to see all these places around the world, and there are spots I’ve discovered purely because we accidentally stopped there for a day. It means that there’s a lot of time to reflect, and think about everything we get to see. I mean, so much of it is up to chance, and we still seem to be able to experience the best of all these different worlds.

“It’s kind of a bit like a swinging clock; sometimes the pendulum swings and I get to be on the road surrounded by people, and sometimes it swings and I’m somewhere else,” she says.“Either way, it’s pretty awesome.”

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RIHANNA Unapologetic

SOUNDGARDEN King Animal

The Island Def Jam Music Group

Mercury/Universal

Ever since the moment when Rihanna’s bruised face entered our vision, the violence inflicted on the Barbadian pop singer at the hands of Chris Brown has haunted the R&B scene.

While it comes three years and three albums after the assault, Unapologetic touches upon the issues that arose in its wake, sometimes to uncomfortable effect.

Without necessarily addressing that image, prior knowledge of Rihanna’s history makes it almost impossible to listen to tunes like Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary (in which she sings ‘Felt love struck me with a knife/I pray that love don’t strike twice’) without evoking images of her tumultuous relationship with Brown.

Undoubtedly the most unsettling tune in the mix is Nobody’s Business, a duet with Brown himself in which the tumultuous lovers proclaim, ‘you’ll always be the one I want to come home to’ and, more chillingly, ‘your every touch becomes infectious’, making the beyond-complicated circumstances of their history impossible to ignore.

If you can manage to overlook the context, sonically Unapologetic is a powerful R&B record.

Rihanna is skilled in the arts of the moan, the stutter and the whisper and her distinctive voice responds as well to the studio trickery of the four-on-thefloor David Guetta collaboration Right Now, as the stripped-back piano ballad Stay.

Unapologetic proves Rihanna can still deliver great pop gems, in spite of her emotive inspiration and questionable lyrics. As Rihanna herself croons on Lost In Paradise, ‘It may be wrong, but it feels so right’.

When Soundgarden split in 1997 they left a solid catalogue, never sliding into the mediocrity that often plagues rock bands after the raw energy, urgency and angst has been exorcised.

Their return, King Animal, is a mix of trademark downtuned fuzzed-out riffs, experimental Eastern-style stirrings, drifting dynamics and unapologetic pop hooks which somehow continue Soundgarden’s evolution without missing a step.

King Animal is a showcase of choppy time changes, conflicting arrangements and contrasting stylistic approaches that somehow join into a working, churning flow. This jagged-edged gel can be seen in tracks like A Thousand Days Before and By Crooked Steps, which bring Soundgarden’s quirky, off-kilter creativity and sheer musicianship to the forefront. Catchy openers Been Away Too Long and Non-State Actor will keep the radio waves humming but ultimately it is chunky neckroller Blood On The Valley Floor and later tracks like Worse Dreams and Eyelid’s Mouth where Soundgarden’s full depth is championed.

Slower songs such as Bones Of Birds, Black Saturday and Halfway There dip into Cornell’s sometimes over-indulgent solo territory and consequently King Animal is too soft in parts. Largely though, the layered guitars and rhythms are warm, dense and dirty. Cornell’s screams, while notably huskier than before, are still strikingly present. Any apprehension of tainting a legacy as strong as Soundgarden’s is in this case is utterly unjustified. King Animal feels fresh yet strangely familiar and is a fitting progression on previous albums. Long live the King!

_ JAMES RIDLEY _ JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

LAWRENCE ARABIA The Sparrow

MELODIE NELSON To The Dollhouse

Spunk

Broken Stone Records/Remote Control

On To The Dollhouse, the follow-up to her magnificent 2011 debut, Mediations On The Sun, one-woman band Melodie Nelson (the moniker of Sydney-based muso Lia Tsamoglou) offers music that’s even softer and more blurred around the edges than her previous efforts, deftly meshing her retro pop influences with genuinely great songwriting.

Despite the presence of producer Simon Grounds [Laura Jean; Bird Blobs] To The Dollhouse sounds like an album made in isolation. On the down side, that means some of it seems slightly dated. But, on the plus side, it also means To The Dollhouse is hard to compare to anything else out there.

There are faint whiffs of Nelson’s influences - Serge Gainsbourg, Air, Virginia Woolfe, Valley Of The Dolls - and Geoffrey O’Connor [best known as the frontman for euphoric pop sprites Crayon Fields] makes an appearance on the superb Six Six Six, but otherwise the chanteuse’s soft, introspective melodies sound like nobody else.

As most of the music here revolves around only a couple of musical motifs, To The Dollhouse has its low moments, but surprisingly they are few and far between, with superb tunes Martha, Carry Me and Cherry Cherry showcasing Nelson’s contemplative lyrics, dreamy vocals and haunting instrumentals to great effect.

To The Dollhouse isn’t perfect but it is pretty damn close.

James Milne can put stints with The Brunettes and Okkervil River on his resume, but it is his solo works as Lawrence Arabia where he places his greatest emphasis.

The Sparrow is the third Lawrence Arabia release and sits perfectly amongst the wealth of New Zealand pop acts over the years.

The Sparrow uses Scott Walker’s later albums (without his kookiness) as its inspiration, and finds Milne delivering measured and minimalist orchestral pop. The melodies are more subtle than in the past but are no less worthy. Early Kneecappings survives some dubious lyrics to transform from a typical piano romp to an engaging wall of strings and worthy crescendo.

Milne hasn’t lost any of his pop chops though with Travelling Shoes owning a hook bigger than a deep sea fisherman’s. Legends fittingly channels McCartney for brief moments as Milne remembers the masters without compromising his own visions.

The Sparrow recounts the years where Milne quietly eased into his 30s and does so with grace and style.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN & JOHN TRAVOLTA This Christmas UMe

_ JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

JOHN CALE Shifty Adventures In Nookie Wood Domino/EMI

When John Cale was prescribed opiates as treatment for his childhood bronchial issues, he was destined to form a band as loose and ground breaking as The Velvet Underground.

Having claimed to have taken most of the available drugs in the US, and having played some horrific shows as a result, Cale takes his music inspiration from straighter sources these days.

Shifty Adventures In Nookie Wood finds Cale at home in the current post-punk world as his tunes also draw on newer heroes as if he were mixing electronica with Paul Banks. Someone who does make an appearance is uber-producer, Danger Mouse, who draws out a tasty melody in I Wanna Talk 2 U. The reliance on electronica and processed vocals add to the appeal particularly when the tempo is dipped on Mary. Cale’s fondness for LCD Soundsystem is evident on the beat-driven December Rain without it wandering into pastiche territory.

Without plating up anything that would be considered radio fodder, Cale has made a record that is more easy listening than might be expected, but be assured that there is clearly still a menacing amount of darkness in Nookie Wood. _ CHRIS HAVERCROFT 22

Christmas albums are the worst thing about Christmas.

Forget forced family functions, soap-based gift packs, and creepers in Santa suits, Christmas albums take the cake – and this one is the equivalent of getting the shitty half of the Christmas cracker every goddamn time. Who allowed this to happen? Surely John and Olivia have made enough moolah from B-grade movies and comeback tours?

Here are the top three things that make this album vomit-tastic: 1) The cover art. Drop whatever you’re doing and Google it now – nothing has ever been more hilariously atrocious (up close, it’s electrifying!).

2) The original track, entitled I Think You Might Like It – which is supposedly a sequel to You’re the One That I Want, aka one of the greatest songs from a musical ever. The song is awful and (assumedly) nobody is wearing leather.

3) There are no Grease songs. If this union really had to be rehashed, couldn’t they at least have given us that? Can somebody please think of the children?

The album also features guests such as Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett –why they gotta do us like this? Every song is long, drawn-out, and weirdly sounds like the duo are about to get it on (because they are hopelessly devoted).

Final verdict: This record will literally give you the chills and they will multiply – even on summer nights. Have yourself a silent night and don’t buy this.

Deck the halls with boughs of no!

_ CHLOE PAPAS X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

CARL FOX King Tide

Carl Fox kicks off a national run of dates at The Bird this Thursday, November 29, with help from Diger Rokwell and Mulder. BOB GORDON speaks with Fox about life since the release of his EP, King.

On the eve of a national tour, Carl Fox is feeling pretty good about his recently released EP, King, and the reception afforded it.

“I was really excited to release this record,” he says. “The whole process was different to how I had ever worked before. I had some new skills, some awesome, interesting gear and the help of Matt Gio from the Voltaire Twins. I felt very satisfied writing and completing the work, so even if one person likes the music then it really is a bonus for me. So I have been totally happy with the reception of the record. From what I’ve heard on the street at least three to four people really like it (laughs).”

Fox’s debut album, Chunky Rainbow, was released two years ago. A lot can happen in that time, and he was understandably keen to evoke more of the now on King.

“Chunky Rainbow was bouncy and light while the songs in this second release really go into darker territory,” he explains. “King focusses on self-expectation, the inevitability of death and street violence. The songs of Chunky Rainbow were quite minimal and had a home studio vibe about them. That minimal style is still alive and well with this release, but the production quality has improved quite a bit. I got Matt Gio to rub his magic face all over my music.”

The national tour features a full, new band. The process of transitioning the songs to the live sphere has once again proved interesting.

“This time around I was much more prepared for how much work the whole process was going to take,” Fox says. “So I attempted to do most of the preparation at home for each song as we learnt them; things like finding the perfect sound on the keyboard and tweaking my vocal effects. Dave [samples/percussion] and I swam through an ocean of samples together and came out with wet clothes and big smiles. This is

Carl Fox compared to last time when we would just have these epic rehearsals with a lot of head scratching as to how we were going to play the songs live.

“Our last set was almost entirely a ‘reinterpreted’ group of songs which were written especially for live performance - mainly because of our inexperience and inability to transcribe the tracks accurately. I love the results of our hard work and I’m really proud of the band. This stuff takes a lot of patience and we have made it to a nice place.”

Fox has some modest hopes for his East Coast tour, given previous experience.

“When we arrived to soundcheck for a show in Melbourne on our last tour we soon realised the whole P.A. system was in pieces around the venue and needed to be put back together again before we could play,” he laughs.

“So my main hope is that all of the P.A. systems are in one piece on the East Coast of Australia.

“My secondary hopes include getting a whole bunch of people to listen to our music for the first time. Touring is an amazing tool for gaining new interest in your work.”

65DAYSOFSTATIC

65daysofstatic

Bukowski Syndrome

UK instrumentalists 65daysofstatic are touring Australia for the first time and will perform at The Bakery on Saturday, January 5. BENJAMIN COOPER reports.

When 65daysofstatic formed more than a decade ago, it took no time for the populace to warm to their twin roles: pop culture enthusiasts, and experimental electronic artists.

The English instrumental post-rock group formed in 2001, and just two years later had released their debut EP, Stumble.Stop.Repeat, on local Sheffield imprint, Dustpunk Records. At the same time, the band were making their mark as remix and mash-up artists, reinventing the work of mainstream stars such as Justin Timberlake and Christina Milian.

“It was a mad time,” laughs founding member, Paul Wolinski, in a brief break from the recording of the group’s sixth album. “We were trying to do a bit of everything, which is only natural when you’re younger. At the time, 65 pretty much swallowed up everything else in our lives – it might sound oppressive, but when you’re in your early 20s it’s incredibly exciting. Since then, we’ve found ways to keep it interesting for us and, more importantly, for everyone else involved. We didn’t want to be one of those bands that plateaued after the first three records.”

The band have now released five studio albums, including last year’s re-imagining of the soundtrack to Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 enviro scifi film, Silent Running. The project was originally commissioned as a live piece by Glasgow Film Festival at the start of 2011, but its expansion into studio form seemed like a natural next step for the band, who layered the film with off-beat percussion samples and effects-driven guitar sections. www.xpressmag.com.au

Despite their prolificacy so far, the band insist the next release will only come to light after much reflection and self-assessment.

“In some ways we’ve had a very strange couple of years, and we want to make sure we are writing for the right reasons,” Wolinski explains.“There’s something that the poet Charles Bukowski says about not bothering to be a writer unless you absolutely have to; I think that theory is something that we’ve always got in our heads.

“There’s honestly so many bands and so much music that we have to be certain what we do will contribute, and that it will be worth having. We’ve always said if we’re writing, then we’re doing it for a reason – never ‘just because’.”

The recording of their sixth album has been a protracted process that started more than two years ago, prior to the release of their fourth LP, We Were Exploding Anyway. Efforts to write in a completely different manner have been influenced by the group’s recent touring experiences in Europe – in particular, their time away from the dancefloor.

“It’s been really interesting for us to change the way we do things, particularly because the changes haven’t been that radical but, I think, have improved our songwriting vastly. We’ve managed to create space in the mix without losing the urgency.

“It is little less dancey,” he admits, “and the electronic sounds are used this time in a slightly stranger, noise-based way. It’s still 65, though (laughs).

“We may have eschewed some of the triumphant, club-progression chords of the past, but it’s only because we’re beginning our slow descent into noise music.”

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DaVe HuGhEs AuSsIe LaCoNiCoN Dave Hughes’ The Comeback Tour has added a second show after selling out The Crown Theatre for Saturday, December 8. Bookings can be made through Ticketek.

Australia loves Dave Hughes. Hughsie. Maaaayte. It’s hard not to - he speaks to and for that innocent bogan that hides in the psyche of every man, woman and sexually ambiguous cafe au lait-sipping hipster/ette in this great brown country.

Like Bryan Brown, John Farnham or drinking chardonnay in adult company when you really want an ice cold beer, Dave Hughes is becoming quintessentially Australian; a laconic icon. Or Laconicon.

“That’s esteemed company,” says Hughes in his famous whine. “I’m honoured to be mentioned in the same breath as those icons.”

And almost exactly like John Farnham, Hughsie is on his ‘comeback’ tour.

Well, not exactly like Farnham. He hasn’t retired, doesn’t plan to and probably can’t sing You’re The Voice - the comeback simply refers to the fact that in 2011 he missed his regular show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

“I do radio in Melbourne in the mornings and I do a TV show at night on Channel 10 and we had our second child early April last year, so something had to give... so I ended up not doing a festival show in Melbourne last year.

“I’d like to think there was a public outcry over my not doing a show,” he says.“Although I didn’t see a Facebook page about it or anything... I suppose I should have created one. There was certainly an outcry from me... I really love doing stand-up comedy and I was very keen to get back up on stage.”

The Comeback Tour has been squeezed in around his weekday commitments with shows across the country since March, but Hughes says each show becomes its own entity, rather than running the same routine every night.

“Obviously, there’s bits that I do every night, bits that come and go, in and out, but there’s always the opportunity to do new stuff, the news of the day, or tailor bits for whichever city you’re in,” he says. “I love to do that when I’m touring, get some local information and bring that into the show.”

Fortunately, his role as a presenter on The Project ensures he’s pretty news-savvy. He already knows about the recent punch-up in Dianella between two octogenarian priests. “That sounds like the funniest thing in the world,” he laughs. “Perth should be bloody proud to claim that one. There’s an absolute wealth of material in two priests having a fight over a parking space and one biting the other guy’s ear off. It’s a goldmine... There’s no doubt that truth is the funniest thing and that the ridiculousness of current events is hard to beat.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29 Dave Hughes

www.xpressmag.com.au

25

BOOK BITES

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

With summer just around the corner, Opel Moonlight Cinema at Kings Park has announced a stellar line-up of films for their 2012/13 program which kicks off on Wednesday, December 12, and runs ‘til Sunday, March 31. With big-name highlights - including Quentin Tarantino’s western drama Django Unchained, Judd Apatow’s hilarious comedy This Is 40 and the highlyanticipated biographical drama Hitchcock - scheduled alongside family-friendly selections and cult favourites, there’s sure to be something to suit the tastes of each and every cinephile. Plus, for the ultimate open air cinema experience, guests can bring along a picnic hamper, hire a bean bed and sample the delicious range of food and beverages available. To view the full list of film screenings visit moonlight.com.au.

Hot on the heels of Robin Baker’s critically acclaimed 2010 debut novel, Killing Richard Dawson, the young Perth-based author is back with more gripping black comedy, murder and, ultimately, redemption with his latest fantasy thriller Chasing The Sun. In conjuction with the South Perth Library’s Words With Wine series, Baker will be launching Robin Baker h i s n e w b o o k o n Tuesday, December 4, at the South Perth Library. This is a free event and there will be complementary wine and cheese from 6.30pm, however RSVP is essential. Email events@panterapress.com to secure your spot.

TURA NEW MUSIC

Quarter Century Celebration Tura New Music’s 25th Anniversary celebrations continue into December with concerts from Robin Fox and Kynan Tan, Decibel, Eric Griswold, Clocked Out Duo and more. For more information and tickets visit tura.com.au or call (08) 9228 3771.

Tura’s insatiable appetite for sound exploration has lead them through a rocketing 25 years.

From the Totally Huge New Music Festival to their slightly infamous annual pilgrimage to the outback to make music inspired by the land (“they’ve built Jon Rose his own custom made fence”), Tura have been at the forefront of new and experimental music in this state since their formation. Now in this celebratory year they’re looking back at the works they have supported over years and exploring what is yet to come.

At the helm of this operation is Tos Mahoney.

Mahoney founded Tura – then known as EVOS – with Established and emerging filmmakers from across the idea of having somewhere to play and perform the globe are invited to submit their works for works that otherwise didn’t have an audience. Several the 2013 Revelation Perth International Film Festival decades later and he’s still doing what he loves. which will run from Thursday, July 4, ‘til Sunday, July As I sit chatting to Tos out the back of the 14. Regarded as one of Australia’s most exciting WA Museum in a cafe so pretty it could almost be cliché independent film festivals, each year Revelation Julia Stone (right down to the Bach playing in the background) sees Australian filmmakers converging on WA to present their works and meet with screenwriters, what is really apparent that the man hasn’t lost his passion for bringing new music to the spotlight – producers, directors, distributors, and other industry One of Foxtel’s most promising television events evident in the mammoth 25th celebrations that are representatives. Submissions may include narrative for 2012 will take place next month when The features, documentary, short film, animation, happening.

History Channel screens The People Speak on Sunday, experimental work and anything in between, In one very hectic week in December December 2. Based on an American special created by and must be lodged before Friday, April 5, 2013. Tura will stage three new music concerts from artists Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the must-see program including Robin Fox, Clocked Out Duo, and Decibel, Further details and entry forms can be found at will see some of Australia’s most dramatic moments in with both local, national, and international artists taking revelationfilmfest.org. the nation’s history acted out by performers including part in the festivities. “It was meant to be four! We had Alex Dimitriades, Chris Haywood, John Jarratt, Claudia our special event concert [last Wednesday], which was Karvan and Sophie Lowe, interspersed with haunting amazing, and Ensemble Offspring played with William musical performances by Tex Perkins, Julia Stone and In their upcoming joint exhibition Doors And Filters, Barton over for that. And that was supposed to be in Christine Anu. Don’t miss this premier TV event!

Perth-based artists Sebastian Befumo and Rohan the same week,” says Mahoney.

These three concerts are an excellent Sibon will use found objects and a variety of processes and mediums to explore ideas of constructed cross section of the work Tura has supported over Swing into Malt Supper Club on Thursday, November environment, sustainability and the physical and the last 25 years. From electronic works to emerging 29, and explore the nostalgic sounds of yesteryear psychological atmospheres of lived in spaces. Using a artists, as well as performances Decibel and a final with The Darling Buds of May. A favourite amongst variety of processes and materials, including pinhole Club Zho celebratory party, it is likely to be a week of the swing dance community this sextet’s punchy photography, the use of 8mm film and discarded organised mayhem in the very best sense. “It’s a bit of horns and swingin’ rhythm section with the sultry doors from demolition sites, Befumo and Sibon aim to a representation of the areas of music that Tura gets tones of Jessie Gordon will have you swooning in investigate our daily negotiations with differing spaces involved in,” says Mahoney. “To do a really complete your seats and dancing in the aisles. Specialising in and materials. Doors And Filters opens on Wednesday, survey we’d probably need about 20 concerts!”

1920s Dixieland jazz, 1940s and 1950s swing, 1950s December 5, and runs ‘til Sunday, December 16, at After these celebrations Tura is in for a bit of and 1960s rock‘n’roll and blues, you’ll also end up and Free Range Gallery. For more information click over to a reset. They’re taking an extended break, smelling the singing along to your favourite retro songs. flowers, and generally revitalising for a massive program freerange.org.au.

REV IT UP

THE PEOPLE’S SPEECH

SPACE INVADERS

SWING THING

Kynan Tan will be performing on Saturday, December 1, at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts as part of Tura New Music’s 25th Celebration Concert Series next year that includes both Totally Huge and the International Computer Music Conference (“which sounds very niche! But is really quite a big thing internationally” says Mahoney). After such a massive year and with such a big year to come, Tura will be channelling all of the strength it has continuing to fight the good fight for new experimental music. “We are deliberately taking a bit of a pause in the early part of next year to gather our wits,” laughs Mahoney.“It’s been a very big 25 years, and it’s been a very big 25th year!” _LEAH BLANKENDAAL

ENTERTAINMENT & DIGITAL SERVICES COORDINATOR X-Press Magazine has an exciting opportunity for the right person to join our West Perth-based team. As part of our print and digital development this person must be versed in Microsoft Office, have a good sense of online marketing and be clued into social media. The coordination of content data is a major part of this position.

This is a diverse position covering Writing and managing competitions Event listings entry Distribution data maintenance Marketing support Digital development support Front desk duties If you are an all-rounder wanting to develop your career in entertainment media on the print and digital formats this is your opportunity.

A P P LY

NOW

Close 4.12.2012

Applications in confidence to: jobs@xpressmag.com.au 26

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

The Perks of Being A Wallflower

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER Teen Spirits

Directed by Stephen Chbosky Starring Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott Solid, relatable coming-of-age films are not easy to come by these days – there’s been very few movies over the past decade or so to match the calibre of classics like Stand By Me or The Breakfast Club. But, Stephen Chbosky may have just broken the mould of vapid, American rich-kid teen films with the remarkable The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.

Based on the 1999 novel of the same name, The Perks of Being A Wallflower was directed

by Chbosky – the original author of the novel - a move that, while often frowned upon in the film industry, proves that perhaps authors really can switch between roles. Indeed, those who have read the novel will be pleasantly surprised with the on-screen transition – Chbosky manages to transform a jolting, uncomfortable novel into an engaging, emotionally charged film.

The story centres on the life of Charlie [Logan Lerman], a quiet, smart, socially awkward kid starting high school in Pittsburgh. Charlie is battling some heavy internal demons – the suicide of his best friend, the death of his favourite aunt – and finds it difficult to find people who can relate. That is, until he meets quirky step-siblings Patrick [Ezra Miller] and Sam [Emma Watson], who take him under their wing and show him the ropes of teenage-hood.

Adventuring through all the usual rites-ofpassage – illegal substances, sex, high school dances – Perks also touches on deeper topics, namely Patrick’s sexuality and Charlie’s implied mental illness. Though it is Charlie’s story we are primarily invited to focus on, each of the characters is developed to such an extent that it’s difficult not to become emotionally invested in each of their outcomes.

The casting is nigh-on perfect. Lerman is just the right combination of naïve and intelligent as Charlie, and he isn’t afraid to explore the finer points of the character. Ezra Miller - who many will know from last year’s exhausting We Need to Talk About Kevin - is excellent as Patrick, flamboyant and passionate, serving as a life-guide for Charlie while dealing with his own adolescent troubles. Emma Watson unsurprisingly delivers a stunning performance as Sam, pulling off a flawless American accent and slotting into the role of Charlie’s mysterious, unconventional love interest with ease. Perhaps the only character qualm is the underdevelopment of Charlie’s English teacher, played

by Paul Rudd – Chbosky has, for some reason chosen to leave the character in the background, despite the integral role he plays in Charlie’s journey.

The appeal of The Perks of Being A Wallflower lies in Chbosky’s delivery. The plotlines are never condescending, nor does the film pander to romantic teenage ideals or unrealistic notions – this is raw emotional baggage laid out in all its painful glory.

Though some outcomes are expected, Perks is never predictable, and there are a few surprises towards the end that exude a shattering honesty we often don’t experience in teenage films. _ CHLOE PAPAS

The Angels’ Share

THE ANGELS’ SHARE

Wannabe Working Class Hero Directed by Ken Loach Starring Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw, Roger Allam, Gary Maitland, Siobhan Reilly Ken Loach is one of the greats of contemporary British cinema, and the Lotterywest Film Festival is onto a winner by picking up his latest, the cracking little comic drama, The Angels’ Share. Loach’s leftwing politics inform all of his work, but there’s a gentle and good-natured humour prevalent in this film that serves as a reminder that socialism is about the good of the people, not just radical condemnation of business interests.

Loach combines a young and largely unknown cast with a few top-shelf character actors, such as the ever-reliable John Henshaw in the role of community service supervisor, Harry. However, it is newcomer Paul Brannigan that has to carry the weight of the film in the lead role of Robbie, a repeat offender of violent assaults seemingly destined for a life of social exclusion and disadvantage.

However, Robbie’s girlfriend Leonie [Reilly] is up the duff, and the wiry young thug realises that if his child is to have any sort of chance at life, the cycle of violence and poverty has to end now. Leonie’s family offers to end the poverty side of things by offering Robbie cash to take exile in London, after reinforcing the violence by viciously attacking Robbie when he attempts to get to the hospital for the birth.

Harry [Henshaw] witnesses the hospital assault and sees Robbie’s determination to be a good father, to be more than he is. Harry takes Robbie home, and they toast fatherhood over a www.xpressmag.com.au

wee dram of whiskey, unwittingly opening doors to opportunity and (crooked) advancement.

What follows is essentially a low-budget, low-tech heist (of the world’s most valuable single malt whiskey) which is all the more remarkable for its simple audacity - and the genius of the idea is all Robbie’s. Unfortunately, his limited resources include his fellow community service reprobates and they are indeed a sad, sorry and stupid bunch. Which is where a lot of the comedy comes from.

Brannigan has already won the BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor for this role, and it isn’t hard to tell why - he oozes street-smarts, bravado and tenacity; his ability to show vulnerability and insecurity as the other side of rage, his struggles for self-control and self-improvement. He has the sort of nervous energy that was rife in the Trainspotting cast and one cannot but hope that his career can fulfil the promise he shows at this early stage.

The Angels’ Share is being described as heartwarming, and it certainly is. Maybe it is maturity that makes the film more palatable, but Loach’s wit and wisdom remain sharp and overproof.

Despite the film’s generous nature, the situations it depicts are scathingly pointed: a society in which millions are born into generational poverty from a culture that generates a beverage worth millions.

Where the object of crime is not criminality but the opportunity to become working class.

And as the song says... a working class hero is something to be. _ SABIAN WILDE The Angels’ Share screens as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season at Joondalup Pines from November 27-December 2 and UWA’s Somerville Auditorium from December 3-9. For full details head to perthfestival.com.au.

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Emily, Belinda, Paul

LOTTERYWEST FESTIVAL FILMS OPENING UWA Somerville Auditorium Saturday, November 24, 2012

Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg star in Celeste And Jesse Forever

CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER Modern Love

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger Starring Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Will McCormack In this warm and funny film, director, Lee Toland Krieger, and co-writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack breathe new life into the ailing rom-com by the simple expedient of using the form to grapple with actual contemporary relationship issues.

Market analyst, Celeste [Rashida Jones], and aspiring artist, Jesse [Andy Samberg], are pretty much inseparable, which is ironic, seeing as they’ve been officially separated for some time. Having met and married young, even Celeste’s decision to cut the aimless Jesse loose does little to put the kibosh on their BFF status. However, things begin to change when Jesse starts to move on with his life before Celeste does, which makes her wonder if her decision was too rash.

A more conventional film might put the spotlight on Jesse and his efforts to get his life in order and win back his soul mate [see: Judd Apatow], but C & J subverts things by putting the focus firmly on Celeste and her problems. Diving back into the dating pool leads to a series of dud encounters. The impending wedding of friends, Steve [Eric Christian Olsen] and Beth [Ari Graynor], serves to remind her of what she’s thrown away. The worst comes, though, when Jesse reveal that he’s

having a baby with his new girlfriend, and is finally getting his act together for her sake, not Celeste’s.

The real strength of Celeste And Jesse Forever lies in the way its characters are drawn as real people, not thin archetypes. Representations of wealth aside [even the unemployed Jesse never seems troubled by money woes], there’s a real ring of truth to the film’s cast of characters. These are people who drink and get stoned, who have inconsequential conversations and selfish impulses, whose interpersonal relationships are complex and nuanced. Even the odd figure that strays toward the stereotypical, such as Will McCormack’s laidback stoner, or Emma Roberts’ petulant teen pop star, are given shading and depth beyond what you might usually expect.

Of course, it’s really Jones’ show and she’s given herself a role that plays to her strengths.

Celeste is beautiful, articulate and funny, but she’s also somewhat selfish, narcissistic, arrogant, and short-sighted; the fact that Jones manages to make all these traits explicit while still engendering our empathy is a mark of how good her performance is. Jones has made a strong impression in television shows such as The Office and Parks And Recreation, as well as supporting roles in a number of high profile films. Hopefully, the strength of her work here will see her given meatier work in the future.

All up, Celeste and Jesse Forever is a sympathetic, poignant look at the ways in which relationships, for all our best intentions, sometimes simply fail to work, and anyone who likes their humour leavened with humanity should get something out of it. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON

The weather looked atrocious, but the Perth International Arts Festival crew soldiered on and the rain amazingly stopped for the Lotterywest Festival Films Season opening last Saturday. The excellent documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, kicked off the season which will continue to run at Somerville Auditorium and Joondalup Pines until April. For a full programme rundown head to perthfestival.com.au.

Janet, Jane

Bree, Luke

Photography by Matt Jelonek

Guy, Rania

Milly, Jen

Coz, Darby, Gavin

Tracy, Liz

Edwina, John, Liz

Lisa, Felicity

Cathy, Brian

Con, Margaret

Sarah, Martine

Jonathan, Libby

Paul, Lisa

Ken Loach on set of The Angel’s Share

KEN LOACH

A Bittersweet Brew 2011 marked the 75th birthday for British socialrealist filmmaker Ken Loach, and almost 50 years in the film and television industry, spanning upwards of 30 feature films and documentaries.

Not much has changed in terms of his method or subject matter over those years: he continues to make politically-charged films about the working classes, at first in Britain, then Scotland and Ireland; his naturalistic aesthetic continues to be guided foremost by function and truthfulness to his subject matter; and he’s continued to use non-actors as often as he’s used UK stalwarts like Ray Winstone, Terence Stamp, Robert Carlyle or Peter Mullan. And while it’s tempting to see recent comedies Looking For Eric and The Angels’ Share as signs that the veteran filmmaker is mellowing, it would be naïve. As he says over the phone, “The world you see around you has huge problems and is in a really desperate state.”

(He also later tells me not to be too optimistic about getting old, and to “take the monkey glands, or whatever,” to stay young).

Nevertheless, Loach’s latest film, The Angels’ Share, is a ray of sunshine. Written by his long-time screenwriting collaborator Paul Laverty, it follows a group of Glaswegian juvenile offenders, lead by new father Robbie, who take up whisky tasting as a hobby – and stumble upon the perfect crime. In terms of visual style and social context, it’s not unlike his critically acclaimed Sweet Sixteen (and indeed, two of the lads made their screen debuts in that film) – but it’s sweeter and funnier; more like a little fable, as Loach says.

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“You can’t keep telling the same story; you’ve gotta to find ways of describing peoples’ experience that leave you with sometimes with a tragic end, sometimes with a happier end – and, you know, every shade in between,” says Loach. “So it’s finding characters and situations that are gonna tell a good story – but not undermine the basic situation we find ourselves in. You want to put a smile on peoples’ faces sometimes, but not at the expense of pretending everything in the garden’s rosy, which it isn’t.”

More than just making you laugh – and the sight of four misfit, rough-as-guts Glaswegian youths mixing with whisky connoisseurs is certainly rich territory for that – The Angels’ Share is a deeply optimistic underdog story, in which the main character Robbie, for all his set-backs in life, gets a second chance – or several – to make good.

“I got first chances, really, so I was lucky enough not to have to wait for a second chance,” says Loach, whose upper-middle-class background couldn’t be further from the people he chooses to champion. “I’ve just been spectacularly lucky at key points – with the people I’ve worked for, or because of university and things like that. But obviously for people who are in the position of these kids in the film, the system can’t give them a second chance.”

Looking back on his much-fêted career, Loach is suitably pragmatic: “Things don’t change, really,” he demurs. “It’s still hard work; you still have to get up early and you still find yourself standing around in the rain; the basic things don’t change (laughs). You still need a dry pair of shoes and something to keep your hair dry – a good umbrella at least.” _DEE JEFFERSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DAVE HUGHES

ANYA BROCK

One of the peculiarities of Australian TV is that foreign guests are often surprised at the lack of respect we have for celebrity, even from the presenters, who are celebrities themselves. Hughes says that one of the things he enjoys about The Project is the opportunity to mess with people.

“We certainly try to keep everyone on an even keel,” says Hughes, “but most people are pretty good. The best anecdotes come from when people are a pain in the arse, and I’d be struggling to think who’s been like that on the show, unfortunately... even Rick Astley is a nice guy.

“It’s like... I’ve done so many jokes about Shane Warne over the years that I get a bit paranoid, because he’s always nice to me,” he ponders. “Maybe he hasn’t heard them.

“It’s a lot easier to wind people up when you’re not the only person on stage. I like to wind up Charlie [Pickering] whenever I can -- if you can one-up a coworker, you gotta do it, but I’d have to say Tony Abbott is the number one funniest politician to wind up – I love Tony’s work. He just says the best stuff to take the piss out of.

“Actually, a lot of stuff he says doesn’t even need anyone to take the piss out of for it to be funny.

If that man becomes Prime Minister, there are going to be some seriously funny times ahead.

“You’d have to be a pretty staunch Liberal supporter to think Tony Abbott is doing a good job,” Hughes says. “We’ve had Tony on the show, but we’ve certainly had Joe Hockey on more regularly. To me, he seems like a much more reasonable individual. Or he comes across that way, at least.”

Given the changes in his personal and professional life -- he has married a woman far more beautiful than he ever expected, become a father twice over while maintaining his Melbourne radio and national TV presence -- you might wonder if the ‘Rants About Things Dave Hates’ theme that made him famous is still important. After all, life seems to be pretty bloody good.

“Aaaaaah,” he begins, and it sounds like a portable generator starting up, “I can still go on a fair rant -- especially during stand-up, I can crank it right up.

“Don’t get me wrong; I’m still very, very happy to hate things.

“So yeah... there will be a litany... certainly energy will be put into me judging people and events as I see fit. There’s definitely a fair bit of that on stage.

It’s quite therapeutic,” he concludes cheerfully.

Local artist Anya Brock will be exhibiting her latest works as part of Want Not Need on display at Gallery 360 in Subiaco, throughout December.

Aussie Laconicon CONTINUED FROM EYE4 COVER

Dave Hughes

All She Wants

_SABIAN WILDE

THE NIGHTMARE PAINTINGS

The Beast And The Brush The Nightmare Paintings are on display at Buratti Fine Art in Fremantle for one month from Friday, November 30.

Aleister Crowley. He was the Great Beast, the wickedest man alive, an author, a scholar, an avid mountaineer (no, really), and, of course, an occultist - perhaps the most famous magician in history.

He was also, as it turns out, a dab hand with a brush. In the esoteric art scene, Crowley’s paintings have long been a subject of great interest, but, up until now, a collection solely devoted to his work has never been displayed in Australia. Robert Buratti, of Buratti Fine Art, decided to remedy this.

“This particular collection, The Nightmare Paintings, were created when he was at the Abbey of Thelema in Sicily.” Buratti explains. “The paintings really reflect the ordeals that he and his students were going through at the time.”

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Buratti is uniquely positioned to curate an exhibition of this nature, possessing both the artistic nous and the esoteric knowledge to appreciate Crowley’s work.

Of Crowley the artist, he says: “He started painting around 19, 18. It’s something he discovered when he was studying at Cambridge, and was influenced by other students he was working with who were painters.

“I think Crowley’s fascination with painting would have started in Paris in 1902, when he first travelled there, and he was rubbing shoulders with guys like Man Ray and Auguste Rodin, and other artists and sculptors. And as his diaries say from the time, that was when he discovered that art was more than just decoration.”

Indeed, what makes Crowley’s artistic output of interest to both connoisseurs of art and students of the strange is the way it sits at the intersection between his creative and magickal work.

Indeed, it can easily be argued that, for the Great Beast, there was no particular difference between the two.

“When art started to become part of his personal magickal practice,” Buratti elaborates.“That’s when he begins to stand apart from, really, any other

Anya Brock is not afraid to make opportunities happen. For many years she ran her own fashion label – ANAN – in Perth before moving to London to work for designers Christopher Kane and Richard Nicoll.

Then in 2010, after deciding that the fashion world wasn’t for her, she made the switch to painting. Since making this move she has held six solo shows and had her work exhibited across Australia and in London. Her latest exhibition – Want Not Need – is an intense exploration of bright colour and graphic patterns, in a highly personal and intimate fashion.

Brock sees this exhibition as a break away from her usual style. “What I do each exhibition is change it up a little bit with technique or subject matter – I think I just get a little bit too restless doing the same thing all of the time!” she explains. “This time I’ve going with really kind of graphic animals – like zebras and tigers and cheetahs and things like that – where it’s kind of the same technique that I’ve been doing a lot, which is this kind of really abstract colourful background with these graphic patterns over the top.”

Brock’s most recognisable images are ‘her girls’ – sultry and sensual portraits of women in close up. These girls are intimate, raw, and a little bit sexy, inspired by her days in the fashion world. Throughout Brock’s various exhibitions they have taken life in many forms. “With the girls, same thing, I’m kind of going for more of a graphic thing and then working with a lot more charcoal, doing some really big large raw charcoal girls which are really kind of sultry and sexy, and kind of rougher, a lot more rougher [sic] than the illustrated girls I’ve been doing recently,” says Brock.

The personality and life of these images has just won Brock the opportunity to travel to New York and mingle with some of the artistic world’s elite as part of an online competition with Stoli Vodka. “A guy who works for the online marketing for Stoli contacted me and said I should enter this competition and that he thought that I would get somewhere with it,” she explains. “You basically go out and hook up what ever you can while you’re there. I’m going over and checking out as many galleries as I can and handing out some

Before You Get Carried Away by Anya Brock press packs to try and stir up a buzz, so when I get back I’ve got contacts there, so I can hopefully do exhibitions.”

This constant movement is typical of Brock’s fresh approach to painting and to her career. “I have to keep going really fast, and I have to keep changing it up!” explains Brock.

“For me it’s not really about remaining current within any art world, or with what anyone else is doing, it’s just that it when I lose it, it feels like work. And art has to remain exciting for me.” _LEAH BLANKENDAAL

artist of his period, and I think it’s really the reason that scholars and museums are beginning to take a bit of a closer look at his work. He’s really coming from a different aim, and approaching painting from a different perspective.

“It wasn’t about making money or being famous - although he was, obviously, open to being famous! He was really approaching painting as a tool for reaching the divine. Basically, finding god, for want of a better expression.”

As an example, Buratti cites the Thoth tarot deck. “He was trialling ideas, and some of these ideas became the Thoth Deck - the tarot deck. There are three paintings in the exhibition that are precursors to the Sun card, the Moon card, and the Hierophant card. The Thoth deck is the highest-selling tarot deck in history, certainly the most popular, and probably the most influential. From that perspective, they’re a nice example of what was going on in the Abbey; that idea of using art as a sort of tool to break through to another way of seeing.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON

Aleister Crowley

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ECLECTORI

An online hub for independent Australian designers, Eclectori is a relatively new e-boutique that’s passionate about A collection of WA’s most acclaimed designers will send their wares down the runway at the Maylands providing a platform for Yacht Club on Friday, December 14, in a bid to raise much needed funds for Youth Focus, a not-for-profit young designers to sell organisation offering a range of mental health services to young people in our community. Featuring their wares. Serving up creations by the likes of Ange Lang, Betty Tran, Catini Designs, Cebiche Swimwear, Tindale and Wild Horses, a variety of quirky, cute the One With Each Other event will see the Maylands Yacht Club transformed into a shrine for the worship and unique fashions and of fashion, showcasing new collections from this bevy of talented local designers. Tickets are $50 which accessories, Eclectori is includes drinks and canapes, and all funds raised will be donated to Youth Focus. Tickets are on sale home to pieces by Koi Girl, now and are selling fast, so don’t delay, get your tickets pronto from Moshtix to avoid disappointment.

Little Miso, Lonely 8-Bit Heroes, Monster Alphabets, On A Whim, Peppermint Milk, Plastic Salad, Renae Sayers and Wild Horses. To If you love the act of shopping online (and frankly who doesn’t?), but also want to support WA sweeten the deal Eclectori businesses, then these locally owned and operated online stores are sure to get your cursor a’clicking o f f e r s f r e e s h i p p i n g Australia wide, so don’t during the festive season. delay, get clicking and hit up Eclectori.com.

FASHIONABLE FOCUS

LOCAL & ONLINE CLICK AND SHIP ZARA BRYSON

A much loved name in the WA fashion biz, Zara Bryson’s Claremont store is a haven for fashionable finds and her online store boasts just as many goodies, if not more. Stocking a highly coveted list

of labels, including Antipodium, Beau Coops, Karen Walker, Cameo, Senso, Equipment and Current Elliot, among many others, ZaraBryson.com.au is a mustvisit for ladies on the hunt for a new frock, some statement jewels or a pair of chic, on-trend heels. If you’re a die-hard bargain-hunter be sure to check out the sale page for discounted awesomeness, or hit up the blog to keep up to date with special offers and trends straight off the catwalk.

Little Miso brooch from Eclectori.com

BLACK BERET

The online incarnation of the Mt Lawley boutique of the same name, Black Beret is a luxe online destination, stocking an array of high end fashions from international and national labels. Home to designs

by Ellery, Dion Lee, Karla Spetic, Michael Lo Sordo, Owl Of Eden and Lover, Black Beret caters to those of us who relish the opportunity to frock up for a special occasion, with more gowns and evening wear options than you can poke a stiletto at. If you’re on the hunt for a breathtaking gown for a Christmas function or three, there’s no going past BlackBeret.com.au.

Carly Paiker jewels from ZaraBryson.com.au

Manner Born

MANNER BORN

One of Perth’s only online stores with a street/readyto-wear focus, MannerBorn.com.au is young, fun and home to plenty of cute frocks, tops and bottoms that are perfect for summer festivals or weekends spent on or beside the beach. Stocking on-trend brands with an affordable price point, Manner Born appeals to style hunters in their late teens and early 20s who want to have fun with their outfits and look good doing it. Like Manner Born on Facebook and follow them on Instagram to be in the running to win stylish goodies over summer.

MOOSE ART FOR LIVING

Lover dress from BlackBeret.com.au 30

Appealing to folks who love to adorn themselves and their homes in jewellery, art and textiles, Moose Art For Living is a one-stop gift and accessories shop, and is definitely worth adding to your Bookmarks in the lead up to Christmas shopping season. A great e-store on which to find a special something for that lovely lady or chap in your life, Moose stocks everything from tea towels to table settings, bags to brooches and ceramics to cufflinks, so that you can find the perfect present for just about anyone. Expect to discover pieces from designers and artisans including Cat Rabbit, Bec Stern, Elke Kramer, Helena Bogucki and Momoko Hatano. Check it out via shopmoose.com.au. _EMMA BERGMEIER X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

VISUAL ARTS

The Nightmare Paintings: Buratti Fine Art, North Fremantle A national touring exhibition featuring the works of Aleister Crowley, one of the most vilified and notorious occult figures of the last century. Runs ‘til Dec 28.

Deserts And Rivers: FORM Gallery, Perth Explores country through the eyes of Aboriginal artists from the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson deserts and the country around Turkey Creek, Sturt Creek and the Fitzroy River in the east and central Kimberley.

Runs ’til Jan 26.

EPW: Applied Paintings - Project for a Kindergarten I & II: PICA, Perth Best known for his ongoing EPW (Experimental Painting Workshop) series, prolific Australian artists’ John Nixon’s latest solo exhibition presents a connected pair of epic projects made five years apart. Runs ‘til Dec 30.

Luminous World: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge An exhibition from Wesfarmer’s significant corporate art collection, featuring more than 60 paintings, photographs and sculptures by 50 contemporary artists, including Susan Norrie, Rosemary Laing, Howard Taylor, Dale Frank, Bill Henson, Brian Blanchflower, Brook Andrew, Timothy Cook and Barrupu Yunupingu. Runs First Among Equals (Part II): PICA, Perth Presents a stellar line-up of Australian and international ’til Feb 11. artists who share an interest in film, kinetics, colour, sound and time. Runs ‘til Dec 30.

The Ghosts Of Freedoms Past

by Daniel Truscott To Die For: Murano And Gullotti, Subiaco Daniel Truscott’s signature super pop aesthetic brings cool to the after life in a new exhibition combining painting and sculpture. The imagery is ghoulish; ghosts, monsters and demons, but not presented the way you would expect. Runs ‘til Nov 28.

2012 Photographic Commissions Exhibition: Council House Foyer, Perth Professionally renowned photographers Toni Wilkinson and Juha Tolonen’s photographs capture the essence of our city at a particular moment in time. Runs ‘til Nov 30.

Want Not Need: Gallery 360, Perth A slight departure from her well known sensitive line work and detailed geometric pattern, Anita Brock’s bold and chaotic world is immersed in a mess of colour, complex line work and kaleidoscopic detailed pattern in this new exhibition. Runs ‘til Dec 31.

We Don’t Need A Map: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle This remarkable exhibition includes the work of more than 30 artists and is an exploration of the Martu people - the traditional owners of a vast area of WA’s Western Desert - their way of life, the way they care for country and belong to it. The exhibition features stunning paintings, cutting-edge new media collaborations, finely wrought objects, aerial desert photography and much more. Runs ‘til Jan 20.

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE

Glengarry Glen Ross: Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge From the acclaimed team behind Scent Tales and Slut comes this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, presented for the first time in Western Australia with an all-female cast. Tackling issues of power, greed, and survival, this ferocious comedy explores cutthroat world of real estate. Season runs Nov 20-Dec 8.

Traversing Antarctica: Western Australian Maritime Museum, Fremantle A rare collection of artefacts from the 1911-1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, famously led by Sir Douglas Mawson. Runs ’til Feb 23.

Made To Remember: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Made To Remember is a beautifully considered display of significant Indigenous objects from the State Art Collection. With a diverse selection of works including glass and ceramic objects, textiles and clothing, as well as examples of traditional sculpture, Made to Remember encourages dialogue about the place of an object not only in Indigenous art and culture, but in the broader Australian context. Runs ‘til Jun 30.

The Eight: Reindeer Monologues: Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den A darkly comic tale of corruption, abuse and deviancy implicating the smallest elf right up to the jolly fat man himself. Season runs Nov 28-Dec 16.

Wind: Perth City Farm It is the near future and the world, as we know it, is ending. A small band of survivors fight for breath as they struggle to find reasons for hope in the grim reality emerging from the rubble of civilisation. When the future looks black, how do we honour the legacy Managing Carmen: Heath Ledger Theatre, of what we were? Season runs Nov 28-Dec 8.

Northbridge Iconic Australian playwright David Williamson’s Plaza Suite: Old Mill Theatre new play is as humorous as it is thought provoking, Plaza Suite is a confection of three witty comedic portraying all the stereotypes we love to hate - the episodes surrounding three couples who successively trophy wife, the flawed football player and the pushy occupy the same room at a New York City hotel. agent. Season runs Nov 12-Dec 2.

Season runs Nov 30-Dec 15.

Mirrored Whispers: Elements Art Gallery, Dalkeith A new exhibition of work by internationally acclaimed body illustrator and photographer, Emma Hack, the artist behind Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know film clip. Runs ’til Dec 2.

Light Locker Art Space: Grand Lane, Perth Featuring new works by emerging artists Rhiannon Birch, Teelah George, Patrick Miller, Kate Mullen and Kelly Patchett, this youth exhibition space is located within Grand Lane, off Murray Street Mall and is accessible 24/7. Be sure to stop by when the lights turn on at twilight. Runs ’til Dec 3.

Picasso To Warhol: 14 Modern Masters: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Picasso To Warhol: 14 Modern Masters features over 120 works by 14 of modern art’s most iconic artists including Matisse, Picasso, Pollock and Warhol. Runs ’til Dec 3.

Seen-Unseen: Kidogo Arthouse Gallery, Fremantle Betsy Bush’s latest exhibition includes a body of work inspired by the forests of the Darling Range, Western Australia. Working in oils she explores representation of forest scenes moving in varying degrees away from realism towards abstraction; both in terms of composition and in use of colour. Runs ’til Dec 5.

SoDA12: John Curtin Gallery, Bentley Reflecting the high calibre of emerging contemporary art in WA, SoDA12 is an exhibition of the work by postgraduates from Curtin University’s School of Design and Art. Runs ’til Dec 14.

Bibble Waargning: Mossenson Galleries, Subiaco A curated selection of the late Shane Pickett’s work previously not exhibited in Perth. Runs ‘til Dec 15.

Look. Look Again: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, Crawley Drawn from the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art at the University of Western Australia, this exhibition presents a significant record of female creativity in Australia over the past 125 years. Runs ‘til Dec 15.

Dreaming In Colour: Sima Art Gallery, Claremont For her latest exhibition Francesca Gnagnarella has teamed up with some of the city’s most talented fashion designers to create a lyrical and abstract style, capturing a dream-like sequence of feelings in a highly palpable and emotive way. Runs ‘til Dec 16.

182 Days: Heathcote Museum & Gallery, Melville Eva Fernández reflects on the experience of the individual within the walls of the former Heathcote Hospital in new exhibition 182 Days. Runs ’til Dec 19.

Between 2 Worlds: Kulcha, Fremantle Works by Amal Al Babeli, Alberdina Plug and Ruth Halbert, using print, painting and photography, to reflect on the distances, coincidences and paradoxes of migration. Runs ’til Dec 20.

Unravel: Venn Gallery, Perth Unravel features new portraits and video works from prominent WA artist Matt Doust, based on subjects from his new home in Los Angeles. Contemplating ideas of disconnection, both physically and personally, Unravel finds Doust investigating how both spiritual and physical experiences can affect the individual.

Runs ’til Dec 21.

Ornaments Of Language: Melody Smith Gallery, Carlisle From an eclectic cross section of contemporary artists comes an exhibition of diverse cultural and artistic influences, informed by universal themes and infused with colour and vibrancy. This group exhibition features works by Darryn Ansted, Nathan Beard, Zoe ChongSeng, Cynthia Ellis, Martin Heine, Matthew Jackson, David Ledger, Woody Mellor, Alan Muller, Rizzy, Abdul Rahman-Abdullah and Sue Starcken. Runs ’til Dec 21. www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

EPROM Keeping It Alive In Cairns, relaxing after the eclipse, EPROM (Alexander Dennis) is a man on a mission. Having recently moved from San Francisco to Portland, the electronic music legend isn’t letting up. Acknowledging the importance of the west coast scene in the US, he is taking his bass music across the country to continue to spread the love. RK talks to him about his recent return to Australia, his love of the live performance as well as his prolific studio output.

“It was an interesting move from the Bay Area to Oregon,” chimes Alexander Dennis, the lad behind the EPROM moniker. “The west coast US scene is definitely huge. Bass music has a great audience and a lot of support in clubs and festivals. I think the Rave Act changed the landscape a little bit, where instead of these big outdoor raves you have smaller club nights and warehouse parties as well as more official outdoor festivals. There’s always an element of feeling like you’re getting away with something when you play one of those big raves!”

Indeed, having just driven out from the bush at some ridiculous hour – and having the chance to catch up on some sleep – Dennis recalls the craziness that was the Eclipse festival in Queensland.“It was pretty crazy,” he explains.“It was the third time in my life I’ve seen a solar eclipse and it actually ties in thematically with my album. I have a tune called Sun Death that is about an apocalyptic scenario in which the sun is extinguished or eclipsed by a foreign object and humans have to adapt to low-light conditions. That’s what inspired the art on the cover of my album Metahuman. That’s why you see this translucent human wrapped up in synthetic furs!”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

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Claude VonStroke

DIRTYBIRD BEATS

San Francisco label dirtybird Records is throwing one hell of a party. Embarking on a national tour, creators and conspirators Claude VonStroke and Justin Martin, along with their newest crew member J Phlip will be heading down under to show us what their San Francisco parties are like. Claude VonStroke has been at the helm of dirtybird Records since it was founded in 2005 and Justin Martin has been on the cover of DJ Magazine and features on Pete Tong’s Essential Mix series a fair bit. Newbie J Phlip makes assshaking music with a collection that spans house, tech house, booty bass and more. It’s all happening on Sunday, January 27, at a venue yet to be confirmed here in Perth. Stay tuned for all the deets!

EPROM Certainly, the Metahuman LP was an album of unique sounds – one that wasn’t easy to classify but driven by dub and beats – which he suggests evolved over a couple of years. “As I wrote tunes on the road and in the lab, I was really driven by my Rwina Records label,” he says. “I wanted to develop the tunes into an album and design a progression for an LP. I chose not to label the music genre-wise - it’s just electronic music to me! I definitely make tunes to play live but I always like to have an extra layer of melodic complexity and sonic detail. That way, the tunes work well at home too.”

Moreover, he consciously decided to never experiment with just one sound and could never see the point of limiting himself to one genre. “I think there are elements of many different genres that are interesting including genres outside of electronic music so I’m always borrowing elements of other sounds for my music,” he surmises.“There are bits and

pieces of UK garage, chiptune, classical, dub and rap in my music. And I’ve been working on a lot of tracks lately. I’ve gotten to the point where I can make most of a track in a single session.

“Mostly, these are tunes that are more dancefloor focused - as well as some that are more experimental – and might include sampling or hardware based music. I’m also putting together an EP that should be available sometime in early 2013.

I might also do another album but only if it happens naturally. I’m not trying to force it. My last album was essentially a collection of tracks that I created over a period of two years that just fit. I think for me to make another album, it has to fall into place like that. It has to feel natural.”

Having already torn up dancefloors with his man Eskmo, Dennis is partial to doing gigs either collaboratively or solo. “I like touring with another producer just to keep things interesting on the road,” he explains. “Eskmo is awesome; I just played with him at the Eclipse festival actually. We’re hanging out in Cairns right now. I’m playing on my own in Australia but I’m also meeting up with a bunch of dudes from the US and other artists I respect for several gigs.

“I enjoy doing things that way. Even though I would say I am a producer first and foremost, my tracks are definitely designed with a live set in mind. They are designed to get a reaction.

I have become more of a performer over the years. I

use the iPad to control the set so there’s a bit more of a physical, theatrical dimension to that. I try to get the crowd involved and I customize every set for the crowd. I never play the same set twice.”

EPROM’s live set is a thing of beauty. Sure, it varies in tempo but it’s all his own sound or as he describes,“my texture”.“There are big drum machines, upfront sounds and psychedelic synth mutilation,” he says. “It’s all different genres - you couldn’t say it’s any particular genre at all. The unifying thread that winds through all the songs is it’s big and bass-heavy.

And that can be the way I am inspired; often that is by visual things that I attempt to translate into a sonic realm. Lately, I’ve really been inspired by films

by Herzog and Tarkovsky, like Aguirre, Solaris, and Cave Of Forgotten Dreams. I’m also really into science fiction and animation, so these sounds and ideas end up in my music.”

Finally, he adds that he’s playing only original music in his sets, mashing tracks together with a custom live setup from his laptop. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how Aussie audiences react!,” he concludes.

» EPROM » DEADWEIGHT!’S 2ND BIRTHDAY BENDER » SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 @ THE BAKERY

Shimon

SHIMON SHINDIG OF BASS

You know AudioPorn Records? Well English DJ and producer Shimon is the founder of the label.

He’s also affiliated with Andy C’s Ram Records.

The good news is that he’s coming to town. You only need to visit AudioPorn’s website to see how much of a boss Shimon is in the drum’n’bass scene. Shimon plays Geisha on Friday, January 11.

Tickets are $25 plus booking fee, snatch them up from Moshtix.

RAPAPORT IN THE HOUSE

Rapaport is a house-hold hip hop name. The MC is the co-label manager of Big Village and has spent the last eight years contributing greatly to the Sydney hip hop and art scene in various groups and artistic projects as an MC, manager, musician and producer. If you’re keen to check out what the lad has been up to recently, get on down to Mojos on Friday, December 14, to catch him in action. Hit up mojosbar.com.au for all the deets.

KEEPING IT GOING

Breakfest is just around the corner! This means that the Breakfest After Party is also around the corner. The Breakfest crew have never failed to provide quality international artists at their Breakfest after parties and it’ll be continuing this year. The mighty Krafty Kuts, A.Skillz, High Contrast, Lady Waks and DJ Yoda are just some of the acts playing Breakfest this year so you might see one or more of them playing the after party!

It’s all happening on Thursday, December 27, at Ambar, from 10pm. Festival attire is accepted but thongs will not be allowed. Tickets are $15 plus booking free and are available now from Moshtix.

Stay tuned for lineup deets!

ROULETTE RELAUNCH

Roulette Wednesdays are coming back y’all.

After outgrowing The Velvet Lounge in what has been a memorable year for the local bass scene, the Roulette crew are proud to announce that the big night will be moving to Geisha. It’s going to be the same tunes, same philosophy and bigger and better vibes. Roulette kicks off again on Wednesday, December 5, from 9pm, at Geisha.

Ekko & Sidetrack, Riot Class, Illusiv & Dvise, Gracie and Sistym will be bringing the beats. $5 on entry. Get on it.

SWITCHING TO LATIN BASS

The Switch is getting ready for summer this weekend with their smooth Latin vibes and big bass from The Switch’s finest for the Latin Bass Fietsa. There is going to be a cocktail beach bar in the back courtyard and free bubbly treats for all the senoritas ‘til 12am. And, if you’re keen to get along to Origin NYE, you might want to get down to this as the crew will be giving away two Origin NYE tickets to whoever rocks the best tropical get up - think loud tropical shirts, sexy sarongs, big Brazilian headgear and lots of flavours. It’s all happening this Friday, November 30, at Shape.

Doors open 10pm and it’s $15 on the door. Do it.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

BROOKE EVERS SUPERSTARIN’ IT

DJ and media personality Brooke Evers might seem like a typical blonde but that’s not the whole story.

While she might have made a name for herself in the eastern states as a television personality and presenter, including a stint as the host of Sexpo, she also has a journalism degree majoring in public relations and digital media and is currently working as an editorial assistant at Zoo Weekly in Sydney. JOE CASSIDY gets the lowdown.

“It’s probably the best journalism job; I work with a great team,” Brooke says down the line from her office conference room. “I’ve got my night time job as well so it’s been pretty mental.” Evers is speaking about moonlighting as a DJ, a career that she has been involved with for about a year and with help from boyfriend Matt Stafford of dancefloor leaders the Stafford Brothers. Having a variety of interests is not new to Evers.“My whole life I’ve always done like a million jobs at once, I just get on board and so I like to try new things.”

She admits you will not hear her chanting the latest techno, bass-heavy tracks but she is confident that she can get people having a riotous time. “I come from a very commercial dance background,” she says. “I’ve been a dancer my whole life and I love big commercial tunes because that’s just what I do.”It is easy to imagine a sunny Sydney day and the effervescent vibe of Evers mixed with pop-bliss transporting the dancefloor into a cheesy but super fun journey of top 40 favourites.

“I love just big, gay, happy, tunes,” she says.“I love mashing up a bit of hip hop and R&B.”It is this party vibe that punters can expect from Evers this Saturday night and she said she has a contingent of Perth fans who moved over from the Gold Coast, her home town, and who are excited to hear her skills. “It’s going to be so much fun,” she says with palpable enthusiasm.

Brooke Evers Evers’ appearance on the FOX show Stafford Brothers based around her boyfriend and his DJ partner Chris is a colourful reflection of her no-nonsense approach to an often fickle industry where hedonism can get the better of people and relationships.“I wanted to come across as me, I didn’t want the world to think I was just a bikini cover girl,” she says, highlighting that the love between her and Matt is real.

“I wanted people to see that I’ve got a brain and I’m a supportive girlfriend,” she says, pointing out that many young women would find the whole “DJboyfriend-thing” too much to handle but not Evers.

“I’m also a business savvy person and I just wanted to deal with perceptions to change that.” Her experience in front of the camera has given her great confidence to be herself and not feel the need to perform for the cameras.

“I think a lot of people when they get a camera in front of them, they get a little stage fright, but because I’ve done so much TV and stage work and all of that I was pretty confident and it is a great platform for DJing,” she says.

Evers’ role at Zoo Weekly exposes her to a huge variety of intelligent people and she says she feel “honoured” to be there and knows that she will continue to work hard to get the best results in her career - whether it be in the music, publishing or the modelling industry.“You’ve got to put in the work to get the good results and you’ve got to hustle [in Sydney].”

» BROOKE EVERS » SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 » @ EVE NIGHTCLUB

HIGH CONTRAST FILM-INSPIRED BEATS

Curly-haired Welshman, selfconfessed movie buff and drum‘n’bass guru Lincoln Barrett, aka High Contrast, has been keeping himself busy this year.

Producing the music for the 2012 Summer Olympics Athletes Parade, releasing a studio album and EP, as well as directing his own music video for his single The First Note Is Silent, SHAUN COWE managed to snare Barrett in the middle of some UK performances to talk about his recent projects.

Barrett has been caught in the middle of enjoying a spade of club gigs. “It’s a good time of year for it as the students are back at uni in the UK and like to party hard!” Barrett says, though he admits that the UK’s rich culture of dance music has created an elitist element. “It’s great that people are always on the look out for what’s new and exciting but sometimes I guess people can get snobbish about stuff that starts to get popular.”

Along with his music, Barrett has studied film and cites many movies as musical influences, including A Clockwork Orange and Blade Runner. “I guess it all just seeps into my subconscious and filters through into my studio sessions when I kind of zone out and just let things happen,” Barrett says, reflecting on his cinema-inspired symphonic sound.

Barrett’s silver screen experience has also helped him to direct his own music videos. Filming The First Note Is Silent provided an opportunity for Barrett to draw on more of his cinematic experiences for thematic devices.

“I was trying to make a video that expressed the interconnectedness of the universe, running the gamut from life to death to love to parties to oblivion,” he says. “I think watching Tree Of Life had a big effect on me. [I] went out trying to capture moments off the cuff and create a story with them in the edit.” www.xpressmag.com.au

High Contrast Off camera, Barrett’s work for the 2012 Summer Olympics saw him busy producing music for the two-hour Athletes Parade as well as being featured on The Olympics’ official soundtrack The Isles Of Wonder. Barrett admits he found working with The Olympics’ criteria to be a difficult feat to manoeuvre. “I had to work out the mix of tracks for the two hours it would last so that it all flowed well and also put together a mix reflecting this for the CD release,” he explains. “The idea was to keep the tempo around 120bpm and always have some rhythmic element playing so that the athletes would keep walking but it couldn’t get too monotonous and had to feel uplifting without being overbearing; quite specific really!”

Heading down under to play Breakfest on Boxing Day alongside the likes of Krafty Kuts A.Skillz and DJ Yoda, Barrett finishes up by letting fans know what to expect from his visit. “I will definitely be playing a lot of my own material - old and new - as well as the cheeky bootlegs I’m known for,” he promises. “I believe the new Tarantino film Django Unchained is being released on Christmas Day so [I] am gonna have to try and find time on the tour for that… [I] will bring the party vibes for sure.”

» » » »

HIGH CONTRAST BREAKFEST WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26 @ BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE 35

AVICII TAKING IT TO NEXT LEVELS STEREOSONIC ft Tiesto/ Example /Avicii / Foreign Beggars and more Claremont Showgrounds Sunday, November 25, 2012

Whereas other dance festivals look to book stadium filling live acts or quirky indie bands, with Stereosonic, Sunset Events really keep things simple and they seem to have an eye for picking a lineup featuring the finest upfront DJs of the moment and so a crowd that seemed to be well up on last year descended onto Claremont Showgrounds for a day of quality EDM. The ridiculously early start (11:30am!) was even too premature for the bar to be open so it was soft drinks all round to take in the opening local acts and watch the fence jumping attempts, particularly the unlucky guy who executed the perfect entry only to practically land on the only security guy around, cue Benny Hill style comedy chase.

Carl Cox was back again with his Revolution tent and he once more transported the ethos from his nights at Space in Ibiza to these shores

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with a discerning choice of house and techno artists.

Nina Kraviz played some quality tribal house and rhythmic techno including the jacking Realogic-Off by Cybertracks & Virtual Audio Project. She looked to be really enjoying her afternoon spot, vogueing behind the mixing desk, and sneaking a crafty fag. Cox had saved one of the best timeslots for himself building up the intensity with some driving techno in preparation for Adam Beyer to finish off the evening with the perfect antidote to the commercial tunes next door which the faithful heads lapped up.

A massive improvement on last year was the use of the Robinson Pavilion to host a couple of stages - this meant more room and a couple of clubs within a club. With no obvious signage, the Sonic arena was like a little secret tucked away in the corner, only shared by a couple of thousand willing punters rocking to the upfront trance sounds dominated by some Dutch uber-DJs. Chuckie set the scene well building the knowledgeable crowd with some hands- messianic arms aloft was typical of the mix of genres in-the-air pleasers before Sander Van Doorn arose being banded around at the moment in that it had god-like behind the decks. His set, punctuated by elements of dubstep and progressive along with the ubiquitous trance sounds. The highlight in this arena was Dash Berlin. He had the crowd in a frenzy with his brand of vocal uplifting trance, clambering onto the desk to show his love for the crowd with heart signs whilst playing Armin van Buuren and Sophie EllisBexter’s feel good belter, Not Giving Up On Love. Aww bless.

Next door in the Bass arena, the bottom end was obviously the order of the day. Grime stars from London Foreign Beggars had the crowd enthralled with their two MCs laying down rhymes thick and fast, recent hit Apex going down particularly well. Datsik moved things harder and deeper finishing off his set with an excellent dubstep remix of House of Pain’s Jump Around whilst Caspa & MC Dynamite carried on where they left off last year. Flux Pavillion, looking like the nerdy science geek from school finished off the evening with chest-pounding bass wobbles and beats aplenty, his blond flick furiously wafting with every jerk of his head.

Just outside, the Hard LA stage seemed to suffer from being neither here nor there but the likes of Dillon Francis and Diplo made sure the soundtrack to the arena lived up to it’s name whereas Zedd went a bit more cheesy opting to play Deniz Koyu’s remix of his own track Spectrum amongst others. Later on, Mr Oizo probably played the hardest set of the day but due to unfortunate timing and clashes with other bigger Example (Photos by RUKES) names, it wasn’t really witnessed by that many people.

Tiesto But it was the Stereo arena that was the main draw today. It was rammed from midafternoon with each of the DJs choosing to wow the crowd with massive tunes of their own creation. Martin Solveig featured his duet with Dragonette - Big In Japan - accompanied by quirky, self-deprecating visuals, whilst Calvin Harris showcased tracks from his new album 18 months and Example took to the stage with full band to bang out some of his work. With his huge sound and light shows taking the US by storm, Avicii’s popularity has soared in the past year or so, taking the 21 year-old Swede up to #2 in the DJ Mag top one hundred listing. His hit-riddled set featured the tune that seemed to be all over this festival, the self-penned Levels. One place above Avicii in that poll is Tiesto and though the Dutchman has shifted his musical style from trance to something closer to electro he still took the, by now massive, crowd, to the next level.

With another fantastic light show, his selection of tracks, including his own Just Be, were the perfect ending to the day’s entertainment.

Obviously last year’s finish of 10pm was far too late for the masses to be out and about on a Sunday, so by 9.30pm it was all over and punters were left with memories, some strange bruises, a packet of condoms and a DayGlo headband. A grand Stereosonic.

» ANDREW NELSON

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

NEW YORK TRANSIT AUTHORITY LIVE FROM THE UNDERGROUND

A year on from the release of his acclaimed 808 drum machine-driven house monster Off The Traxx, Bristolbased producer Mensah Anderson (better known simply as dubstep producer Mensah or, more recently, by his house music nom de plume New York Transit Authority) has been busy working on his follow-through.

He speaks with JOSHUA HAYES ahead of his set at Origin NYE. Although already established as Mensah, last year Anderson adopted his New York Transit Authority guise - dubbed “for the underground, from the underground” on his Soundcloud - for the acclaimed joint 12” Off The Traxx / Conqueror with Redlight (under the name Conqueror).

Off The Traxx received strong critical acclaim, including being included in FACT Magazine’s top 50 songs of the year, for its driving beats and catchy transit-themed vocals. It recalls early electrotinged hip hop by harkening back to a circa-1980 Big Apple, with its use of an 808 drum machine and references to the New York train lines immortalised in the film Wild Style.

Anderson has since released a few more New York Transit Authority productions on a wellreceived FACT mix earlier this year. He’s also kept busy touring Europe, South America and, now, Australia. However, he has been a little quiet on the new music front this year – something that is about to change.

New York Transit Authority Anderson says he has new material in the pipeline, including an EP that he will be releasing through Redlight’s Lobster Boy label. “I will be releasing consistently throughout 2013. [I] spent this year building up all my ideas and now I have loads almost ready to go,” he says.

He seems recharged by his New York Transit Authority project. “I have always tried to make new, interesting and forward thinking music placed slightly left of centre but started to feel that I was falling into a box,” Anderson says when asked what prompted him to branch off from his work as Mensah. “I make a lot of random stuff in the studio and thought it’s probably about time to release some of it.”

This isn’t surprising, considering his list of influences ranges across acts as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani, through to his collaborators like Redlight. He spends a lot of his time in the studio, having transitioned from focusing on DJing as a teenager to dedicating his time to production. “I was DJing in my bedroom from 13 and I always knew that if I wanted to continue to DJ and spread music around the world that production would be a great way. It would allow me to create my own DJ tools and ammo for my sets and get my name out there,” Anderson says.

“It soon took over as what I enjoy most.”

» NEW YORK TRANSIT AUTHORITY » ORIGIN NYE » SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 & MONDAY, DECEMBER 31 @ FAIRBRIDGE VILLAGE, PINJARRA

GINA TURNING IT ON Gina Turner The Shed Friday, November 23, 2012 Recently married to Dutch DJ Laidback Luke, Gina Turner is a force to be reckoned with. The sassy lass is currently visiting Australia for the first time as part of Miller Draft Sessions. Punters were lapping up her super beats last Friday night, kicking off the hot weekend that was.

Tina, Henry

Photographs by Matt Jelonek

Cassie, Andrew, Missy

Theresa, Ollie, Jo

Kathy, Ollie, Jeremy

Nicole, Jordan, Zoe

Mitch, Josh, Mitchell

Georgina, Essex www.xpressmag.com.au

Shayley, Simona 37

AMBAR

WEDNESDAY 28/11 Blvd Tavern – Wub Wub Brass Monkey – DJ Jewel (upstairs) 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 Gold Bar – DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart L e e d e r v i l l e H o t e l – We L o v e Wednesdays ft DJ Slick Llama Bar – Jo 19 Matches Bar – Pussymittens Metro Freo – Jay (Geordie Shore) DJ set Mustang – <DJ Giles Newport – Newport Wednesdays Sovereign Arms – Lockie Shaw The Bird – Trus’me The Deen – DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Queens – Wriggle on YaYa’s – DJ Paul Burgess

THURSDAY 29/11 Blvd Tavern – Old Skool R&B 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

METRO FREO

Eve Nightclub – Retro Thursdays ft 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 Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin

FRIDAY 30/11 Ambar – 10 Years On ft Micah, Ben Mac & Wish Amplifier –DJ Jamie Mac Bar 459 – DJ Smurf Bar Orient – The Reggae Club Blvd Tavern – DJ Andy Boheme Bar – DJ Majiika

Micah

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Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Brass Monkey – DJ Victor (downstairs)/ DJ James Ess (upstairs) Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander Brooklands Tavern – DJ Misschief Mel Capitol – Retro Mash 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 – Fiveo Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi & Guests Flawless – DJ Ryan Flying Scotsman – DJs Jo19/ Rok Riley/ Armee Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Back To Mono DJs Geisha – Get Weird ft Tyler Touché/ Bear Feet/ Willy Slade/ Clunk/ Sleepyhead/ Jack Doepel/ Lemon Lime/ Biddiss Ginger Nightclub – Rondevoo Fridayz Gosnells Club – DJ Now Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Curlee/ Drew Green Lakers Tavern – Fresh Fridays - DJ Dooey Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – DJ Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – Jim Pearson/ Jehan/ Ben Edit/ DJ Cee Matches Bar – Fredrick Anderson Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – Frat House Fridays ft British India Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ John Paul Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Norma Jean’s – DJ Waz Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – Miss Football Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Rocket Room – Extreme Aggression ft DJ Cain Sail & Anchor – Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Shape – The Switch Latin Bass Fiesta Sovereign Arms – Angel The Avenue – Little Nicky The Carine – Az-T The Causeway – Jus Haus?

The East End Bar – Az-T The Generous Squire – DJ Anaru The Honey Lounge – Lucid Dreaming ft Adana Twins & Dr Dru The Queens – DJ Rueben The Rosemount – Drum ‘N’ Breaks ft Invictus/ DJ Miss K The Shed – DJ Glenn 20

THE COURT

The Whale & Ale – Shane Hewson Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly The Vic – DJ Giles The Wembley Hotel – Abstar Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles Villa – 2manydjs Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup

SATURDAY 01/12 Ambar – Japan 4 ft Kid Kenobi Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Brass Monkey – DJ Peta (downstairs)/ DJ Jewel (upstairs) 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 –DJ Brooke Evers / DJ Crazy Craig Flying Scotsman – Under The Influence DJs Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Fore DJs High Road Hotel – DJ Simon High Wycombe – DJ Matt Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Saxon/ Sardi Library – MKT ft DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor and more Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Liquid Nightclub – DJ Klar55/ DJ Stevie M Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Melvin Malt Super Club – Fiveo Matches Bar – Jstokes/ Valerio Metro City (Climax) – DJ Francesco/ DJ Don Migi/ DJ Slick Metro City (R&B Lounge) – DJ Soso/ DJ Ruthless/ DJ Brett Costello Metro Freo – The Potbelleez 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 Phat Daz Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount – DJ Cornflake / DJ Jordan/ DJ Johnny Boi Queens Tav – Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Perry Shape – Hugh South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee

Phetsta The Bakery – Deadweight!2nd Birthday Bender ft Eprom/ Saxon & Boy Prince/ Nebula & Modo and more TBC The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Causeway – Rhys Johnson The Clink – Az-T The Cornerstone – Angel The Craftsman – DJ Shortz The Deen – DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The East End Bar – Fiveo The Generous Squire – On Tap ft DJ Freeds The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Andyy The Wembley – Lokie Shaw The Whistling Kite – Gavyn Mytchel The Vic – DJ Kristian Tiger Lils – DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Toucan – DJ Hages Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy

SUNDAY 02/12 Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Empire Bar – CB3/ DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ Slick Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic Mint – Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys

Paramount – Glo/ DJ Slick/ DJ Benny C/ DJ Matty S Players Bar – Lucky Charm Rocket Room – Coyote Ugly Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre – Sets On The Beach ft Mark Farina/ Miami Horror DJs/ The Knocks/ Todd Terje/Last Dinosaurs/ Parker Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Court – Perth Dance Music Awards ft Bokchoy vs Flaunt/ Carla/ FTW/ Micah/ Mot3k/ Muller/ Phetsta The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Tony Dee

MONDAY 03/12 Bar Orient – DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Mario Tavelli The Deen – Kid Kenobi The Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy

TUESDAY 04/12 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

AMPLIFIER

NEWPORT

IN THE THIS WEEK: Jay (Geordie Shore) DJ set Wednesday, November 28 @ Metro Freo Trus’me Wednesday, November 28 @ The Bird Lucid Dreaming ft Adana Twins & Dr Dru Friday, November 30 @ The Honey Lounge G e t We i r d f t Ty l e r To u c h é / Bear Feet/ Willy Slade/ Clunk/ Sleepyhead/ Jack Doepel/ Lemon Lime/ Biddiss Friday, November 30 @ Geisha 2manydjs Friday, November 30 @ Villa Drum ‘N’ Breaks ft Invictus/ DJ Miss K Friday, November 30 @ The Rosemount 10 Years On ft Micah, Ben Mac & Wish Friday, November 30 @ Ambar DJ Brooke Evers Saturday, December 1 @ Eve Nightclub The Potbelleez Saturday, December 1 @ Metro Freo Deadweight!2nd Birthday Bender ft Eprom/ Saxon & Boy Prince/ Nebula & Modo and more TBC Saturday, December 1 @ The Bakery Japan 4 ft Kid Kenobi Saturday, December 1 @ Ambar Sets On The Beach ft Mark Farina/ Miami Horror DJs/ The Knocks/ Todd Terje/Last Dinosaurs/ Parker Sunday, December 2 @ Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre Perth Dance Music Awards ft Bokchoy vs Flaunt/ Carla/ FTW/ Micah/ Mot3k/ Muller/ Phetsta Sunday, December 2 @ The Court Kid Kenobi Monday, December 3 @ The Deen

2manydjs

2MANYDJS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 @ VILLA

www.xpressmag.com.au

COMING UP

Breakfest After Party ft (live)/ Eddie Halliwell/ AN21 & Max Vangeli/ Carl Craig 69 (live)/ Special Guests Maya Jane Coles/ Disclosure Live/ Parker/ Anton Maz/ Micah/ Wednesday, December 26 @ Adrian Lux/ Erol Alkan/ Breakbot Ambar DNGRFLD/ BACK2MONO/ (live)/ Fake Blood/ Hudson Roulette DJS Mohawke/ Araabmusik/ Icona Luke Slater Wednesday, December 5 @ The Saturday, Pop/ Scuba/ Aeroplane/ Jesse December 29 @ The Flying Scotsman Rose/ Danny Daze/ AC Slater/ Bakery Stafford Brothers & Timmy Timomatic Origin NYE ft Chase & Status Wednesday, December 5 @ The (DJ Set)/ Knife Party/ Gaslamp Trumpet/ Bombs Away and more TBC Newport Killer/ ShockOne/ Pearson Sunday, January 6 @ Patersons Sound/ DMZ (Coki & Mala)/ Stadium Roulette ft Ekko & Sidetrack/ Brookes Brothers/ Ed Riot Class/ Illusiv & Dvise/ Gracie Goldie/ Rush/ Wilkinson/ Dillinja/ Marky Shimon & Sistym & Stamina/ Sigma/ Delta Heavy/ Wednesday, December 5 @ Geisha Metrik/ DC Breaks/ Skism/ Friday, January 11 @ Geisha Gemini/ Inspector Dubplate/ Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC DJ Nino Brown Jakes/ Mensah/ Dodge & Fuski/ Thursday, November 6 @ Eve Bar9/ Distance/ Dark Sky/ Ben Sunday, January 13 @ Scarborough Nightclub Ufo/ New York Transit Authority/ Beach Amphitheatre Pariah/ XXXY/ Om Unit/ Friction/ Action Bronson Xkore/ Zanetic/ Poseidon Bare Noize/ Flying Lotus/ Benga/ Friday, December 7 @ Shape Thursday, January 17 @ The Bakery Youngman/ Doctor Werewolf Sunday, December 30 & Monday, Bootleg: Finale Party ft December 31 @ Fairbridge Village, ESG The Bootleg Brothers/ Micah, Pinjara Sunday, January 20 @ The Bakery Blend, Marty McFly/Tee El/ Mr. Ed/ Basschild/ Len Bones/ Tom Chi Poption NYE 2012/13 ft Heavyweight Soundz ft Andy C Drummond/ DNGRFLD/ FTW/ Shy Panther/ Rachael Dease & MC GQ 4BY4/ Tapeheads vs Ylem/ Diger Rokwell vs Friday, January 25 @ Metro City Friday, December 7 @ Ambar Mathas/ Kucka/ Leure/ Mei Saraswati/ Dani Marsland/ Jo Riva Starr Big Ape ft Dismantle Lettenmaier/ Aarom Wilson vs Saturday, January 26 @ Salt On Saturday, December 8 @ Shape Craig Hollywood/ Ben Taaffe vs The Beach Rok Riley/ Clunk/ PCJ vs Ridik/ Habitat 8th Birthday Garden Party Miranda Menzies dirtybird Records ft Claude ft Nick Warren/ Sebastien Leger/ Monday, December 31 @ The VonStroke/ Justin Martin/ J Phlip Chuck Love Bakery Sunday, January 27 @ TBA Sunday, December 9 @ The Court Insert To Play ft 360/ Urthboy/ Big Day Out f t Th e B l o o d y Mr Grevis Drapht/ Hermitude and more Wednesday, December 12 @ Mojos Monday, December 31 @ Supreme Beetroots/ Cr ystal Castles/ Kaskade/ Pretty Lights/ Court Gardens Nicky Romero/ Morgan Page/ Rapaport and more Friday, December 14 @ Mojos Boogie Down NYE ft Boogie Sampology Down/ Charlie Bucket/ Rok Riley Monday, January 28 @ Claremont Showground Ministry Of Sound The Annual 2013 vs MZJO/ Jade Nobbs ft Tom Piper/ The Only and more Monday, December 31 @ Little Above & Beyond Friday, December 14 @ Villa Creatures Loft Friday, February 1 @ Metro City Ambar Christmas Party ft NYE ft Rufus/ Voltaire Twins/ VENGEANCE/ Blend & Tee EL/ Oli Death Disco DJS/ Tapeheads Flosstradamus Saturday, February 16 @ Shape & Marty McFly/ Black & Blunt/ Ben and more Mac & DNGRFLD Monday, December 31 @ Capitol Friday, December 14 @ Ambar Future Music Festival ft The Prodigy/ The Stone Roses/ PSY/ Spectrasoul & Audio Cuban Club ft Cuban Brothers/ Dizzee Rascal/ Bloc Party/ Azealia Saturday, December 15 @ Villa Yacht Club DJs/ Russ Dewbury/ Banks/ Rita Ora/ Boys Noize (live)/ Death Disco DJs and more Hardwell/ The Temper Trap/ Dusky Tuesday, January 1 @ The Flying Fun./ Madeon/ Rudimental/ Ellie Thursday, December 20 @ Ambar Squadron Yacht Club, Dalkeith Goulding/ Steve Aoki/ Alesso/ Gypsy & The Cat/ A-Trak (live)/ Stafford Brothers & Hook Club Paradiso ft Friendly Fires Feed Me (live)/ Zeds Dead/ Kill The N Sling (DJ set)/ Kaz James/ Helena/ Noise/ DJ Fresh (live)/ Nervo/ Zane Friday, November 21 @ Villa Mr Wilson/ Zelimir/ The Halo Lowe/ Borgore/ Sven Vath/ Richie Effect/ Habitat DJs/ Maiko DJs/ Hawtin/ Ricardo Villalobos/ Seth Kendrick Lamar Acebasik/ Kno Agents Troxler/ Magda/ Cosmic Gate ft Saturday, December 22 @ The Astor Tuesday, January 1 @ Salt On Emma Hewitt/ W&W/ tyDi/ Andy The Beach Moor/ Super8 & Tab/ Ben Gold/ Breakfest ft Krafty Kuts/ A.Skillz/ DJ Yoda/ Lady Waks/ Wonderland ft PNAU (live)/ Bag The Stafford Brothers/ Timmy The Nextmen/ Jaguar Skills/ Raiders (DJ set)/ Flume (live)/ Trumpet/ Tenzin/ Bombs Away Specimen A/ Pyramid/ Marten Grafton Primary (live)/ Tim & Sunday, March 3 @ Arena Joondalup Hørger/ High Contrast/ Spy/ Camo Jean (live)/ Alison Wonderland/ & Krooked/ MC Wrec/ N’Fa Jones/ Elizabeth Rose/ What So Not/ Smokey’s Tour ft Urthboy Charlie Bucket/ Black & Blunt/ Indian Summers DJs and more Friday, March 8 @ Mojos Breakaholics Anonymous/ D-Funk/ Tuesday, January 1 @ Belvoir Smokey’s Tour ft Urthboy N’FA Jones/ Charlie Bucket/ Black Amphitheatre Saturday, March 9 @ Amplifier & Blunt/ Breakaholics Anonymous ft Ben Mac/ Tone/ Wish/ D-Funk Summadayze f t C h e m i c a l Sets On The Beach ft lineup TBC Brothers (DJ Set)/ M.I.A/ Fedde and more Wednesday, December 26 @ Belvoir Le Grand/ Mark Ronson (DJ Sunday, March 17 @ Scarborough Set)/ Kimbra/ Booka Shade Beach Amphitheatre Amphitheatre

PETE GOODING KEEPING SUCCESSFUL

For Pete Gooding, life is on the up and up. Claiming this as his most successful year ever, the chap has more work than he knows what to do with. Regardless, he has seized the opportunity to concentrate on his solo work and well as his gruelling DJ schedule. RK talks to him about his triumphs in 2012 as well as his side projects.

“This was my best year without a doubt,” chimes Gooding.“I’ve played more gigs, had more productions released, and my radio show and management company are going really well too.” No doubt some relief then, that after 20 years in the game, he is able to look back and appreciate a few wins. “But while it has been my most successful year ever, a lot of hard work has gone with it. I completed my first artist album along with my partner Steve Miller as No Logo; I started my own label and blog with partners Phil Dockerty and Murray McKee; and I carried on developing my management company that I started towards the end of last year. Also, my radio show, The Global Network is now on over 100 stations worldwide every week!”

As if that wasn’t enough, other highlights for him have included playing in Antigua, Ibiza, touring Brazil, Asia and being part of the Renaissance 20th Anniversary Party where he got to play with Sasha, Dave Seaman, Guy Gerber, Anthony Pappa and Jozif.

“I was also made resident at Bestival,” chimes Gooding.

“It is one of the UK’s best festivals! I also played at my other residency in Denmark at the Stella Polaris Festival.”

And while enjoying the spoils of Ibiza, the centre of the club music universe, the man goes on to describe just how lucky he considers himself. “Well yeah Ibiza is not just about clubs for me, it’s a beautiful place so I always try to head out to Formentera as often as possible, a tiny island off the coast. Salinas beach is another favourite along with Hostal La Torre near Cala Salada beach. But when I am there I’m always out seeing mates, playing and eating great food, it’s an

Pete Gooding amazing place to be for so many different reasons.”

Now, he is returning to Australia for a series of dates around the country. “The first time I toured in Australia was in 2000 with Pete Tong,” he claims. “It was great; six weeks travelling around; then I toured again for six weeks in 2002 with an old girlfriend of mine, great gigs and again an amazing trip getting to see the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island and all the major cities. It really is an amazing country and I have lots of great memories so I am really looking forward to coming back!”

So punters, get ready, because the man who is known to be partial to a bit of house won’t be drawn on his performances.“To be honest, I don’t really plan my DJ sets, I never have. I go through my music when I either buy it or get sent it, put it all into different folders based on genre and that’s it. I get to a gig, get a feel for what’s happening and just make it up as I go along! I usually decide what the next track is based on what I want to hear next - nice and simple. I know most DJs pre plan the order but for me that would be as boring as being on auto pilot, playing a rehearsed set!”

Otherwise, it is his collaborations that are keeping him out of trouble – and sonically, helping to keep his options open. “I only really work with friends so people like Afterlife, Chris Coco, Jonathan Cowan, Phil and Murray from our Secret Life label,” he says.“I have also been talking to Ben Hoo and Jozif about doing something but it’s not always easy being available at the same time as everyone is busy but yeah lots of stuff in the pipeline,” he concludes.

» PETE GOODING » FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14 @ THE INDI BAR

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BRITISH INDIA Rock The Raj Melbourne-bred indie rockers British India bring everything they’ve got to Bunbury’s Prince of Wales Hotel on Thursday, November 29; Metropolis Fremantle on Friday, November 30, and Amplifier on Saturday, December 1. TRAVIS JOHNSON has a word with lead singer, Declan Melia.

There are a handful of musicians who are known for both their cultural and physical stature. Prince is one that comes to mind. Billy Joel’s another.

To that exclusive group, we can now add British India’s Declan Melia. Don’t just take our word for it; even the band’s own Wikipedia entry describes him as “diminutive.”

Melia is nonplussed. “Maybe there’s something to be said to be said about Small Man Syndrome - maybe that’s what they’re going for there. Maybe I shagged the writer’s girlfriend? But I never thought anyone would ever bother to write my name down on a website, so I’m not in a position to complain. But they’re not being ironic; I’m not particularly tall.”

www.xpressmag.com.au

He’s much more comfortable talking about his band’s upcoming fourth album, a project that they’ve been beavering away at for some time now. Still, when pressed for a release date, or even a vague ballpark number, he demurs.

“We’re close, man,” he tells us. “We’re close.

But it’s like halving numbers; you can always halve them some more. You never get to zero. As long as we have time to work on the album, we’ll be working on it. Nic [Wilson, British India’s guitarist], he’s the kind of guy where, when you record something on Monday he’ll be popping and fizzing and jumping around with energy, and by Wednesday, he’s all, ‘Ah, I’m not really feeling it anymore’. I guess it’s perfectionism, but it’s to the point where it’s not trying to make

things perfect, it’s just the inability to be satisfied with your end product. We’ll keep changing and chopping and mutating this album until the very last minute.”

Still, it’s already been two-and-a-half years since their last full length release, 2010’s Avalanche. Not to worry, though; Melia’s fairly certain the as-yet-untitled LP won’t be the band’s Chinese Democracy.

“That could happen,” he says, “but I hope it doesn’t come to that, and I hope this is the longest break we have between albums, because we pride ourselves on our speed. We didn’t expect things to take this long, but the last couple of years have been pretty strange.”

Anyone especially keep to get a taste of the upcoming album will be well served by catching the current tour, when some new songs are being showcased and workshopped. Melia assures, us, however, that the newer material will not outweigh the old.

“It’s like walking a tightrope, man,” he says earnestly. “We like playing the new songs, but we know that, when people go to a rock show, they don’t necessarily go to see new songs. They go to hear their favourite songs. Well, maybe they want to hear new songs, but not all of them. We try to keep it to two or three a night, but we definitely don’t put new songs in there at the expense of other great songs that people want to hear.”

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BOYS BOYS BOYS!

GRACE WOODROOFE State Of Grace

Grace Woodroofe returns from the US to perform at Mojos this Sunday, December 2, and at Ellington Jazz Club on Monday-Tuesday, December 17-18. BOB GORDON reports.

Where Eagles Dare Boys! Boys! Boys! are having a music video fundraiser at Amplifier this Friday, November 30, with help from Voltaire Twins, Axe Girl and PRAANG. Synth player Janelle Morse takes time out from dance class to chat with BOB GORDON. It’s not like Boys Boys Boys! haven’t been busy.

They’ve been recording an album, for chrissake.

However these girls (girls girls) and boys (boys boys) have been away from the stage for a while now and they’re chomping at the bit to get back on it.

“We have missed it yes,” says synth player, Janelle Morse. “We are super pumped to jump back on stage this Friday and share new songs... and new dance moves.”

Yes, the dance moves. This is the band where too much dance is not nearly enough. And there’s so much to share...

“Jeri’s [Jerico Wallace, vocals/synth] love of watching video clips and nailing the choreography for each is where our moves come from,” Morse reveals. “One of our tracks ‘90s 4 Eva - yes, this is a real thing - is a homage to how rad that decade was. So, of course there are trademark moves from Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Steps and little bit of the Macarena thrown in for good measure.”

Boys Boys Boys! aren’t long back from recording their new album in Ferndale, Queensland, with the notorious (in a good way) Magoo at the helm. It was fun, fun, fun.

“We had the honour of recording with Magoo, who is responsible for some little albums

Boys Boys Boys! like Regurgitator’s Unit and Tu-Plang and Custard’s Loverama,” Morse says. “We all hung out at his studio in regional Queensland and recorded in an old converted church on his property. We’d record during the day and chill out at night with the froggies, the possums and the massive carpet snake. Actually, we hid from the snake. It was super relaxing and super productive at the same time.

Plus, Magoo has this awesome little dog called Lemmy - he was such a dude.

“Magoo was amazing. Really relaxed and he had a real collaborative approach to recording.

But, he wasn’t shy about telling us when things were sounding a bit rubbish. ‘Yeah, that sounds okay, butttttt…’ and then he’d suggest something that would make it 10000 per cent better. He’s a flat out legend.”

The new material - some of which will be aired at Friday’s Music Video Fundraiser - promises diversity.

“It’s a bit of a mixed bag,” Morse says.

“We’ve got some poppy tracks like Superfine and Casio Joy and then a few electro dancey tracks.

And then we’ve got this track that we can’t agree on a title for. But, it’s this power rock ballad that sounds like it should be on some bloodfest action soundtrack starring JCVD or Arnie. We pretty much need a massive eagle to fly over us when we play it.”

Knowing this lot that is entirely possible.

A new year’s a-dawning and Boys Boys Boys! are only too happy to step up.

“Well, we’ll be unleashing our yet to be titled new album upon the ears of the world.

Look out world! So lots of gigs around that, and hopefully some more sweet touring action!”

Grace Woodroofe Grace Woodroofe’s first Perth shows in some time will find the singer/songwriter in fine form, having just come off a US tour in support of friend and mentor, Ben Harper.

“This tour was really different to what I’m used to as Ben and I were both playing solo acoustic sets in these gigantic, sold out theatres,” she explains.

“It’s a lot easier to command an audience with an electric guitar and loud rock band, but with these shows, it was like being naked. I had to prove to them I was a voice to be heard. I had to be powerful with a small amount of tools. It was a new challenge and difficult, but extremely rewarding.”

Woodroofe has spent a fair of 2012 in the US and has been pleased at how her profile is growing, while not feeling the need to go through the roof.

“I love that once you gain fans in the States, they are incredible at sticking with you and watching you grow,” she says. “I found that when I would return to cities and talk to the audiences afterwards, they would always say, ‘we saw you play here last year when you opened for...’ or ‘we saw you

at SXSW’. I loved how committed they were. I still have a lot of work to do in America, in Australia too, because I’m not someone desperate to burst into the spotlight. I’m slowly working through, touring and trying to develop my craft. I just hope everyone will allow it.” Woodroofe’s time in the US has also been spent songwriting and gearing towards recording a second album. A recent comment on her Tumblr stated that the “new songs are sounding sinister and dictating my routine.” It’s been a fulsome experience.

“I have to be really feeling something to write a song,” Woodroofe notes. “I find it much too difficult to create unless I can feel emotion to the extreme degree. I also have to put everything I have into a project to get it done. With the new album, I didn’t write for months until I was ready to really express what was happening in my brain. The thematic concept is very much about the extremes of life - about duality. Calm and chaos.

“In Los Angeles, it had to be my routine every day to delve into the depths of my mindscape - miserable and lonely - whatever I was dealing with - and commit to expressing how that felt. That’s the only way I know how to do my job.”

Aimed for a late-2013 release, it sounds as though Woodroofe’s new album will challenge the listener, but not as much as it has challenged the songwriter herself. She promises to unveil the new songs for the first time in Perth.

“There’s a very obvious growth in sound in the new recordings which I think people will be surprised by, but at the same time understand,” Woodroofe says. “I’ve had some time to delve into different genres, try things out live and with the new songs I feel like I’ve finally stumbled into something uniquely ‘Grace’.

“It feels fresh and innovative - something I’ve always wanted to feel. Lyrically, my vocabulary and ability to share emotion has developed into a new realm of ruthlessness - almost beyond the point of what I’m comfortable with, but I think that’s a good thing for myself as a songwriter and otherwise.”

Morgan Bain

MORGAN BAIN He’s Got It

Talented teen Morgan Bain may be WA’s most promising singersongwriter. He tells JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD about his musicmaking process ahead of the launch of his new self-titled EP at the Rosemount Hotel this Saturday, December 1.

Morgan Bain is a rarity in the musical world.

While most musicians would consider themselves fortunate to build a successful career over many years, Bain has accomplished more than contemporaries twice his age in half the time.

“There’s been a few favourites,” the singersongwriter admits when questioned as to a career highlight. Thusfar“Cold Chisel when I supported them at Sandalford back in April stands out for me.

They are an amazing band who are ridiculously tight with incredible musicianship and the whole experience of playing to such a huge appreciative crowd was one that I’ll never forget.”

While Bain’s career is relatively young compared to the stalwarts he has supported, he shares a similar level of dedication, not to mention natural talent, which has resulted in WAM Song Of The Year awards both in 2011 and 2012, as well as www.xpressmag.com.au

invites to play some of the nation’s biggest festivals including Park Life, Fairbridge Festival and Norfolk Lanes.

“I think whenever you get recognition for something you are doing that you’re really passionate about, especially from people in the industry, it confirms to you that you are on the right track and is always going to encourage you along,” he says.

The accolades are set to keep coming for Bain with the release of a new self-titled EP. “My music is progressing all the time so hopefully every record I do will be a bit different from the last one,” he says. “I wouldn’t like them to all sound too similar. I find I can write songs across a few genres and hopefully people like that.

“I don’t just sit down and decide to write an EP, I’m writing all the time and I have many songs that I want to record and it was hard choosing which ones to put on the EP. In the end I decided on five tracks that could show my diversity in my songwriting and also songs that I’d got requests on from people at my gigs. It would have been great to record more but its an expensive business as any musician knows.”

With the EP’s lead single I Think I’ve Got You picking up a category award at this year’s WAM Song Of The Year ceremony, Bain’s EP has already garnered attention which is sure to translate into a huge crowd at the record’s official release this Saturday evening.

“It’ll be a great night of live music and just a big party,” Bain promises. “My drummer is the incredibly talented Callum Kramer and I’ve got some amazing special guests, Stillwater Giants, Spoonful Of Sugar and Bedouin Sea so it will be one hell of a show.

There’ll be a couple of surprises on the night too so I’m really excited about it.”

With plans for an eastern states tour, some soon-to-be-announced festival sets and more local shows looming on the horizon in 2013, there’s absolutely no doubting bigger things lie ahead for Morgan Bain.

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BEAT NIGHTCLUB

NOV 29

CLOCKWORK: Clockwork launches its monthly two-level party this Thursday.

Extending from OH SNAP!, upstairs has live bands Sienna Skies (NSW), Temporal and Vice Versa. Downstairs has all the party tunes you need. 1 Entry + 2 Parties = 1 memorable (or not!) night.

ADDRESS: 234 William St, Northbridge.

PRICE: $15 entry, 9pm on.

DEC 1

THE POTBELLEEZ: As part of Metropolis Fremantle’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations, The Potbelleez play their one-only Perth show with DJ Roger Smart, DJ Ben Carter and DR Wazz. They also celebrate the launch of I Love 80s 90s upstairs in C5! Head on down for an advanced screening of the Metropolis Fremantle TV advert! And if all of that’s not enough upstairs is once again open, so check out the new renovations!

ADDRESS: 58 South Terrace, Fremantle.

PRICE: $20 at the door.

CONTACT: facebook.com/thebeatnightclub

THE CAUSEWAY

METROPOLIS FREMANTLE

CONTACT: facebook.com/Metros or metropolisfremantle.com.au

NOV 29

END OF EXAMS PARTY: Celebrate the end of your exams with a DJ set from Van She as part of our End Of Exams Party from 7.30pm–1am. The Causeway is a 300 capacity venue with a graffiti-vibed warehouse.

Our style: indie upbeat, party mash ups and old school hip hop.

Dress up in the ‘What you wanted to be when you were young’ theme.

Free buses to after-party at Republic at close.

THE BIRD

DEC 2

BIRDHOUSE PICNIC: Are you an indie-loving music fanatic? Do you like the idea of an afternoon filled with sun, sugar and spirits? Then put Sunday, December 2, in your diaries: as that’s the day that Perth’s coolest kids get their picnic at the William Street Bird with help from Spoonful Of Sugar, Sun Orchestra, Bears And Dolls and Timothy Gordon.

ADDRESS: 181 William Street, Northbridge.

PRICE: $10 entry, from 6pm.

ADDRESS: 243 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park.

PRICE: $5 entry for students, $10 for non-students.

CONTACT: three.cross.management@gmail.com/thecausewaybar.com.au

CONTACT: facebook.com/williamstreetbird

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

NOV-DEC

SOUNDZ LIKE SUNDAY: Join us every Sunday as James Squire and the Rosemount Hotel present Soundz Like Sunday. A low-key affair with blatant intentions, an acoustic showcase featuring dulcet tunes from some of Perth’s finest local musicians and Rosemount Resident DJs hitting the decks to keep you going creating the perfect atmosphere for a casual catch up with friends and family. Sundays at the Rosemount through the summer will truly be about chilled out vibes & good times.

Bookings for breakfast, lunch and dinner are welcomed.

BLACKEYED SUSANS WA TOUR

DEC 7-8

THEY’RE BACK: The Blackeyed Susans (accompanied by The Triffids’ ‘Evil’ Graham Lee) return to Perth for two very special Christmas shows on Friday, December 7, at The Rosemount Hotel and Saturday, December 8, at Mojos. Special guests for both nights are Jill Birt with Alsy MacDonald (The Triffids) and The Morning Night.

ADDRESS: Beer Garden – 459 Fitzgerald Street North Perth PRICE: Free entry.

ADDRESS: Rosemount Hotel – 459 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth Mojos – 237 Queen Victoria Street, North Fremantle PRICE: $25 + BF from heatseeker.com.au, 78 Records, Planet Video, Mills Records, Star Surf outlets.

CONTACT: (08) 9328 7062/rosemounthotel.com.au

CONTACT: blackeyedsusans.com.au

THE PADDO

NOV-DEC

KIMBERLEY’S RESTAURANT: Kimberley’s Restaurant has just launched an exciting new summer menu and it’s going down a treat! We think it’s our best yet, packed full of fresh local produce and seafood, transformed into a variety of scrumptious modern Australian dishes which include Cone Bay Barramundi, Duck Breast and Goats Cheese Salad and delicious Chicken Sierra. So come on down to the Paddo and enjoy a bite to eat in any of the four bars, the restaurant, courtyard or our al fresco terrace.

DEC 8

THE LEEDERVILLE HOTEL’S 115TH BIRTHDAY: The shining star in the Leederville sky will be glistening brighter than ever as the iconic Leederville Hotel celebrates its 115th anniversary. A full day and night of celebrations on Saturday, December 8, from 12pm-1am will coincide with the Light Up Leederville Carnival the same day.

Music from Matt Gresham, Cow Parade Cow, Swaray, TAFE band showcase, special guest Ivan Gough and all your favourite resident DJs. ADDRESS: 742 Newcastle Street, Leederville, WA 6007 PRICE: Free.

ADDRESS: 141 Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn.

PRICE: Meals from $10-$35, great value.

CONTACT: (08) 9242 3077/paddo.com.au

NEWPORT HOTEL

LEEDERVILLE HOTEL

CONTACT: (08) 9202 8222/leedervillehotel.com

DECEMBER

TIKI BEAT COCKTAIL BAR: Come in and check out the new Tiki Beat Cocktail Bar open from 4pm ‘til late, Wednesday to Saturday.

ADDRESS: 2 South Terrace Fremantle.

PRICE: Free entry

MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL

DEC 9

CORONA PRESENTS DJ NINO BROWN: Corona Presents Australia’s Number One Urban DJ, The Chiefrocker DJ Nino Brown, at the Mullaloo Beach Hotel, for a live DJ set also featuring international DJ Titus (all the way from Singapore) and resident MBH DJs Kenny L & Slick. This will be one huge Sunday Sesh you don’t want to miss!

Doors open 3pm.

ADDRESS: 10 Oceanside Promenade Mullaloo.

PRICE: Free entry.

CONTACT: thenewport.com

THE SHED

CONTACT: facebook.com/mullaloo.sundaysesh

DECEMBER

FESTIVE GOOD TIMES: Steak Special: 250g sirloin steak only $15.50. Great lunch and dinner menu Thursday-to-Sunday, relax with a cold beer in the beer garden. Great Christmas specials, catering for functions from 20-900 people, in-house catering with live bands and great atmosphere. The Shed has everything under one roof for you next party or function. Free entry every night, so be part of a fun packed night of entertainment, for upcoming events and our next Foam Party (check out our website).

ADDRESS: 69-71 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge.

PRICE: Free entry.

CONTACT: 08 9228 2200/ the-shed.com.au

CHALK

DECEMBER

ADDRESS: 185 St George Tce, Perth.

PRICE: $10 entry.

DEC 1

MEET MARKETS: The Meet Markets’ next big event, Gimme Summer That, to be held on Saturday, December 1, upstairs at the OBH. There’s unlimited refreshments from 7-10pm, food, great music and lots of lovely singles! Please note, this event is singles only.

CONTACT: themeetmarket.com.au 44

ADDRESS: 23 Cale Street, Midland PRICE: Free entry

FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE SONIC SESSIONS:

DEC 10&20

December 10 Internationally acclaimed country singer-songwriter Shane Nicholson takes a break from his national tour with wife Kasey Chambers to perform at Fremantle Arts Centre with Lucky Oceans. December 20 Channelling his Indian and Middle Eastern musical influences, Jeff Martin promises to perform one of the most eclectic and entertaining gigs of the year. The Tea Party rocker will open-up to Lucky Oceans in a very special evening of music and conversation.

ADDRESS: 1 Finnerty St, Fremamtle.

PRICE: $25.

CONTACT: three.cross.management@gmail.com and facebook.com/chalksaturdays

ADDRESS: Marine Parade, Cottesloe.

PRICE: $80.

DEC 9

WHERE’S WALLY NEW YEARS EVE PARTY: Wizard Whitebeard needs your help to find Wally! Join us at The Principal on New Year’s Eve, from 8pm to help find WALDO! Don your striped red and white cardigan or any Wally themed attire and we’ll shout you a Where’s Wally cocktail. There’ll be games, prizes, giveaways and bulk good times ‘til 2am New Years Day.

CONTACT: 9250 2995 or facebook.com/ThePrincipalMidland

CHALK SATURDAYS: Every Saturday from 10pm–3am, get yoiur fill of Triple J-inspired indie, funk and hip hop, with DJs France China, WinaaKe, Lukas Wimmler, Ray Harles and Snell. Dress code: Hats, vans, singlets and shorts welcome. No turbo policy: if you’re all juiced up and out to cause trouble, not party, then you won’t be let in. We have a relaxed dress code and a party vibe. 20 year olds+ encouraged.

OCEAN BEACH HOTEL

PRINCIPAL BAR & RESTAURANT

CONTACT: fac.org.au

YA YA’S

DEC 14

COVELESKI EP LAUNCH: Coveleski wrap up their EP launch tour with a massive show at Ya Ya’s with support from Kill Teen Angst, Celebrator and Adam Livingston (Emperors).

ADDRESS: 147 James St Northbridge PRICE: $10 entry.

CONTACT: ya-yas.com.au/adam@ya-yas.com.au X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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BIRD HOUSE PICNIC This Sunday, December 2, the Bird House Picnic ditches plaid rugs and wicker baskets for quality booze, slice-of-heaven cupcakes and four of Perth’s finest, home-grown musical produce: Spoonful Of Sugar, The Sun Orchestra, Bears & Dolls and Tim Gordon. Can you think of a better way to chill out on a Sunday at The Bird?

Spoonful Of Sugar

SPOONFUL OF SUGAR

What can people expect from your set at Bird House Picnic?

Picnic goers can expect more of an electric sound from us, courtesy of our talented NEW guitarist Steve Hensby… We’ll be using chips for guitar picks and celery for drum sticks.

Tim Gordon

TIM GORDON

Bears & Dolls

BEARS & DOLLS

What can people expect from your set at Bird House Picnic?

Some of our good old tunes that you all know and love, plus some brand new ones fresh from our think tanks!

What have you got planned for 2013?

2013 is going to be a blue whale sized year! We’re gonna gig like crazy, write some more songs, train amoebas to compose haikus, and make sure our moustaches are fully grown in preparation for our EP launch mid-year.

What are your picnic essentials?

We’d definitely have to bring the complete works of Shakespeare, three sporks, a sledgehammer and a basketful of kittens. Always need to be prepared!

What can people expect from your set at Bird House Picnic?

Well, myself and the band tend to grin a lot, so expect a real smiley set full of hope and wonder. But in all seriousness, we have been working a lot recently to make the songs a lot more crowd friendly and much less self indulgent. I think that we have achieved this and every single show we have been getting better.

What have you got planned for 2013?

2013 is shaping up to be a big one for us. In January, we’re heading into the studio to record our second EP with Joel Quartermain (Eskimo Joe), and as well as our launch, we’ll be playing a string of festivals, including The Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, Nannup Music Festival and Fairbridge Folk Festival. Karin will also be heading to Tamworth for the finals of the Telstra Road To Discovery competition.

What are your picnic essentials?

Tasty songs, good times and kalamata olives.

THE SUN ORCHESTRA

What can people expect from your set at Bird House Picnic?

I’ve got no idea myself!

What have you got planned for 2013?

2013 is going to be a rather big year for me. Going to hit the studio around January, head to Japan to play some shows around February, do the same in Europe a bit later in the year and go around Australia a couple of times.

Just general music fun times! I also plan to watch Game Of Thrones season three, new Doctor Who, Adventure Time season five, a lot of wrestling and season four of Community.

What have you got planned for 2013?

I’ve actually been in the studio for most of 2012 working on some new songs, with the view to releasing an album in 2013. The self-titled Sun Orchestra EP was released back in 2010 so it’s been a long time. I’m itching to get some new stuff out there.

What are your picnic essentials?

Good mates, good tunes, lots of Jack’s and Coke, Cadbury’s Fruit N Nut chocolate, Powerade, potato salad with pinenuts.

What are your picnic essentials?

So much sunscreen (I have a tendency to burn), boombox, I really like eggs so I’d bring eggs, beer is pretty good too, but most importantly some really good friends make everything super fun.

EAST END BAR & LOUNGE

DEC 17

BOMBS AWAY: With four decks and two mics this dynamic duo use anything at their disposal to get sh!t rocking - live vocals, loops, samples, a capellas and synths over the fattest tracks and their own bootlegs and tunes. These boys are here to party with Sirco and Kevvy T in support. Doors open 9pm.

ADDRESS: 189 High Street, Fremantle PRICE: Pre-sale $25+bf; on the door $35 (if available)

COURT HOTEL

DEC 23

RUBY ROSE: The hotter than hot DJ Ruby Rose returns to The Court to help us celebrate Christmas in a way only The Court can. Swap your reindeers for rainbows and join us for a Christmas celebration like no other - you can meet Ruby after her set for a photo and autograph. Support comes from local legends, P. Lilly and Tim Bee. It wouldn’t be a party at The Court without something crazy - this year come and play with us and our giant games or wrap yourself around someone hot on the twister board!

ADDRESS: 50 Beaufort St Perth PRICE: $15 presale, $20 on door if not sold out

CONTACT: (08) 93353331/theeastendbar.com.au

ROCKET ROOM

CONTACT: info@thecourt.com.au/thecourt.com.au

dec 21

ROCK ROOM CHRISTMAS PARTY: The Rocket Room is proud to present LA-Xmas with prizes and giveaways (including a Dethtone Guitar Pack). DJ Perry will slam out the best of the best 80’s tunes. There is one rule - dress up in the most craziest ‘80s costume you can imagine from neon to rockstar, Duran Duran to Motley Crue! So slip on those tights put on those jackets and roll up those sleeves; we will have an ‘80s photo booth set up for those happy snaps. There’s no one but five glam bands, paying tribute to WASP, Skid Row, Motley Crue, Steel Panther and Bon Jovi.

ADDRESS: 174 James St, Northbridge.

PRICE: $15 pre-paid (available from RR website) or $20 at the door

ADDRESS: 43 Railway Road, Kalamunda.

PRICE: Free entry.

CONTACT: (08) 9257 1084/Kalamunda.hotel@alhgroup.com.au

THE BAKERY

THE GARDEN

DEC 21

DEC 30

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2012: Welcome to Fabulous Las Garden for New Year’s Eve 2012, from 7pm–2am. Price includes: glass of Croser on arrival; substantial canapés; exclusive entertainment; fun blackjack, Roulette and tables plus lots more.

ADDRESS: 742 Newcastle Street, Leederville PRICE: $60+bf through ticketbooth

ADDRESS: 233 James Street, Northbridge.

PRICE: $20 pre-sale

CONTACT: nowbaking.com.au

RAILWAY HOTEL

DEC 24

CHRISTMAS EVE: Christmas Eve at The Kalamunda is an event not to be missed. TBS Entertainment will be providing DJs upstairs from 8-11pm, plus downstairs from 9-11pm. Downstairs will also feature The Blue Bottles live on stage. There will be drink specials and prize giveaways throughout the night. Make sure you’re on top of the hill at The Kalamunda this Christmas Eve.

CONTACT: rocketroom.com.au, facebook.com/RocketRoomNorthbridge or call Tony on 0405 390 290.

ABBE MAY KARMAGEDDON SINGLE LAUNCH: Australian Music Prize finalist for her last album, Design Desire, Abbe May has taken a sharp new turn away from her heavy guitar riffage into the hook laden world of weirdo pop. Karmageddon is a surprising song for the WA coastal town girl to conjure up. Perhaps that is why it is so disturbingly cool.

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KALAMUNDA HOTEL

CONTACT: 9202 8292/thegarden.net.au

DEC 22

MOJOS BAR

DEC 31

OFFICIAL END OF THE WORLD PARTY: Head to the massive Railway Hotel beer garden for the Official End Of The World Party! Dilip N’ The Davs, Pimps Of Sound, Ngati and The Gypsie Howls will all be on hand for a huge night of grooves and good times. Doors open 7pm.

NEW YEARS EVE: Get your News Years Eve kicks at Mojos with Felicity Groom (band), The Love Junkies, Cow Parade Cow, Runner, The Long Lost Brothers, Deep River Collective and Galloping Foxleys.

ADDRESS: 44 Tydeman Road, North Fremantle.

PRICE: $15 at the door.

ADDRESS: 237 Queen Victoria Ave, North Fremantle.

PRICE: Tix are $15 presale (heatseeker.oztix.com.au/?Event=31409) and $25 at the door on the night.

CONTACT (08) 9335 2732/facebook.com/therailwayhotelfreo

CONTACT: mojosbar.com.au 45

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THE VOLCANICS

TOMÁS FORD

With a new album in the can, The Volcanics are back gigging and will support The Saints at the Fly By Night Club this Friday, November 30, presented by X-Press Magazine. BOB GORDON catches up with vocalist, John Phatouros.

Local disco and crazy cabaret showman Tomás Ford is at it again. Having celebrated many a birthday, the rowdy entertainer will be doing just that at his own 30th birthday celebrations, I Feel Thirty, a two-room party which hits PICA Bar on Saturday, December 1. ANNABEL MACLEAN reports.

Feeling 30 And Sexy

Know Your Product

The Volcanics hold a special place in the real, rock’n’rollin’ sector of the Perth original music scene.

Vocalist, John Phatouros, was already a mainstay presence at local gigs - on and off stage - for many years by the time The Volcanics were rockin’ it in all the main rock rooms in this city in the mid-noughties. The band released their debut album in 2007, but broke up a year later.

Keen to keep gigging, Phatouros formed Big Wheels, Little Wheels, but The Volcanics as a concept and ethos remained in the back of his mind. He reformed the band with a new line-up [guitarist, Tommy Hopkins; bassist, Pete Acklin and drummer, Alex Megaw] two years ago and they have just completed the recording of a new album.

Happily, Phatouros is well pleased with what the album states about The Volcanics in 2012.

“We’re a more musically capable band than we have been in the past,” he says,.“and more able to write the kind of songs that we wanna play.”

Radio Birdman and New Christs frontman, Rob Younger, produced the album. In the world of The Volcanics, this is a rock’n’roll figure who looms large indeed. Working with him was a dream and, it seems, he was a dream to work with.

The Volcanics “It was really easy,” enthuses Phatouros when asked what it was like to work with the great man. “We knew the songs going in, so the whole process was pretty relaxed and a lot of fun.

Rob is a great guy, a pleasure to work with and we’ll be recording with him again.”

While the album was completed a little while ago, Phatouros has enough experience to not just rush it out for the sake of it.

“We’re looking good for a March-April release,” he says, “with a national tour to follow.

The opportunity exists to promote the album overseas as well, so that’s something we’ll be considering.”

The Volcanics seem perfect for The Saints support on Friday, just as they were for Radio Birdman one perfect night at the Perth International Arts Festival’s Beck’s Verandah in 2006.

“We played another show with Birdman at Capitol sometime in ‘07 or ‘08 and that was a great night,” Phatouros adds. “It’s always fun to play with bands that you admire and have been inspired by. These are gigs we’d be going to anyway, so to get to play on the night also is a bonus.”

With the as-yet-to-be-titled album set for release early in the year, 2013 looks to be a frenetic one for The Volcanics. They are, of course, more than ready.

“We expect it to be quite busy in 2013 with the album coming out and touring to follow,” says Phatouros, understatedly. “We always have new songs we want to record, so I’m sure by then we’ll be keen to go back into the studio.”

“I’m not a man who’s suited being young in any way,” Tomás Ford says, speaking of turning 30.

“I was so awkward and annoying. Now I am still annoying, but I have the experience to not be awkward anymore. I think if you asked me before I went to Edinburgh if I was okay with turning 30, I would’ve been like ‘fuck no’.

“That trip felt like the culmination of years of work; I feel like I’ve finally found my scene. After spending my 20s having an amazing time, fucking around playing anywhere in Australia that I could find a stage but feeling like I was pushing shit uphill a lot of the time, I feel like I know exactly what I’m doing and where I’m going. And I have 10 years of superbly fucked up stories from my 20s to take along with me.”

Indeed, Ford travelled to Edinburgh to perform at the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival earlier this year. “Playing Edinburgh Fringe was a life-changing event for me,” he says. “People from the cabaret world were freaking out over what I’m doing, which was vindicating beyond belief.

“Being in Australia, and especially Perth, it seemed like my work would never have a context anywhere. I’ve got lots of friends in different scenes in this country, and I feel accepted in all of them, but over there, they practically insisted that I was part of their amazing cabaret scene without my consent which was delightful.”

Tomás Ford But, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival hasn’t been the only highlight of Ford’s last year of his 20s.

“There were a lot of shows this year that blew my mind: between my album launch, gigs at the Indi Bar; the end of my album tour at Geisha; the unexpectedly amazing Radiohead tribute gig at the Rosie; playing the best acoustic show of my life to date while opening for Dave Graney; my Willie Wonka rave party at Fringe World; a huge party night at Adelaide Fringe; mental house parties; crowd-surfing around tables in Penang Food [restaurant] during a gig at The Bird; a gig in a pharmacy in Newcastle with some of my favourite lo-fi electro acts in the country; a couple of big shows in Melbourne and a completely wild road trip up to Geraldton... it’s been a golden year even without Edinburgh.”

As always, punters can expect a real mixture of entertainment at I Feel Thirty. “I’m lucky to be able to dabble in a lot of different scenes in this city,” he says.“We have a pretty welcoming arts culture, mostly because Perth is so small that if anyone acts like a pretentious asshole, they eventually get called out on it. There’s killer performers across the spectrum of comedy, spoken word, cabaret, music, DJs and weird shit and they’re all great tastes that taste even better together as far as I’m concerned.

“Every so often I like to put together bills that draw together a whole pile of different stuff onto the one bill. Following that, I’ll be rolling out a set of songs I get asked about all the time but never play live anymore, so it’s going to be a lot of fun... there’s been a lot of requests for Big Night Out In Rockingham, which is a spoken comedy piece that I do over a mash-up of songs that I used to suffer through on the dancefloor at Liquids Nightclub in 1999... I’ve got so much energy; this gig will be off the charts.”

WICKED WENCH

Wicked Wench

Front Door Band With a new single, Fear Is The Enemy, available now on iTunes, Wicked Wench play the Civic Hotel Back Room with Axe Cane, Naked Flame and Subject 2 Change this Friday, November 30. SHANE PINNEGAR reports.

In this digital age even major label artists often only sell a few thousand CDs, yet one local band has struck gold, selling over 10,000 CDs whilst remaining completely independent.

“We did it the old fashioned way,” says Wicked Wench singer/bassist Sophia Marie, “doorknocking!”

Marie’s husband and manager, Stephen Wells, drew on his teenage years selling dishcloths and dusters door-to-door in England, figuring there was nothing to lose.

“When I was 18, I swore I would never do it again, but when the music was getting rejected left, right and centre, without anybody even listening to it, I just tried it a few times. It worked and then I managed to overcome my fear, which was pretty difficult.”

It’s no coincidence that overcoming fear is the subject of Wicked Wench’s new single, Fear Is The Enemy. Going back to 2004, indoor rock climbing helped give Marie the courage to perform in public.

“It was just a light bulb moment. I had so much fun - why was I so scared? What other areas of my life are holding me back? Um... swimming 46

with sharks!” She laughs loudly at the thought.

“Other things that were popping up in my mind, and then - oh my god, singing!

Everyone’s always told me how wonderful my voice was, but I never did anything with it. I was too scared, I didn’t think I was good enough. So I thought, if I don’t do this and I look back on my life, then I’m gonna regret it, because life’s too damn short. I had to do it.”

Aside from overcoming her fear of heights, learning to deal with the intensity of selling door-to-door helped inspire the new single.

Knocking on doors also had another interesting bonus for a band who had labelled themselves as heavy metal.

“We found that people’s perception of music is different than yours or mine,” declares Marie. “What they hear is, ‘That’s really like Pink!’ or, ‘Oh, that kind of reminds me of Pat Benatar’, so they are comparing my music to people that they have come across in a commercial world and it’s actually gone down really well.”

The modern record industry doesn’t give much chance for new artists to break through into public awareness, as Marie is only too aware of.

“We rang up ARIA and told them we’d sold thousands of CDs, but unless it’s through a record store or online, it doesn’t count [to them]!

It’s not been easy, you know, it’s been frustrating.

I’ve cried on the streets many times. I’ve gotten frustrated; we’re not what you’d call natural sales people.”

By overcoming those fears and frustrations, Sophia, Stephen and the band are starting to see the fruits of their labours with higher numbers at gigs, some commercial radio airplay as they continue to sell door-to-door.

“It’s basically about letting go of your fear,” she says, “and following your dreams.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DEEP SEA ARCADE

Sons Of Rico / 44th Sunset

OMAR RODRIGUEZ LOPEZ GROUP

The Rosemount Hotel Friday, November 23, 2012

Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group (Photo: Guang-Hui Chuan)

Tangled Thoughts of Leaving / Race to Your Face The Rosemount Hotel Saturday, November 24, 2012 Ever seen a Mexican woman writhe, perform the downward facing dog and crawl through about two dozen sets of legs at The Rosemount on a crowded Saturday night? Hold on to that thought.

First up supporting the Mars Volta/Atthe-Drive-in proghead godhead were local twopiece mathrock mathletes Race to Your Face, who somehow always manage to acquit themselves brilliantly (technicality without sterility, virtuosity without flashiness) without ever blowing me away.

“Must check them out again,” I thought to myself as I wandered out. And I will.

The first time I saw Tangled Thoughts of Leaving was a slightly overcast but vaguely fantastic day at In The Pines. I hated them. Against the backdrop of leaves and swiftly downed Coopers, they were a gloomy anachronism. Yet, context is as context does; they are a fantastic band in their element, producing hypnotic, uninterrupted flows of riffage that ring more like reading some “rly gr8” poetry more than having your senses pummelled. This is a river. Drift on the river. I hope no one else has ever fallen prey to false impressions, but it happens hey.

Though this gig was billed under the name Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, the punters were essentially rocking up to see the El Paso guitar wizard’s new band Bosnian Rainbows, which is basically half of the Mars Volta with a Mexican Siouxsie Sioux up front.

Now, considering Omar is the kind of dude who does not sit still as a rule, this kind of

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switch up was to be expected, but for the many seemingly not anticipating it, the room was subdued to begin with. That was until Omar’s frontwoman-elect Teri Gender Bender (nee Suarez), started to get ripping. Howling and chanting and throwing her arms out like she was trying to tackle an invisible, hateful statue, she was a riveting presence, with an attack on the mic and the stage honed from her own project, Mexican grrrl-garage Le Butcherettes.

Navigating the band through the emotional peaks and valleys of Omar’s windswept, lengthy compositions, she deftly captured a blend of sex, desperation and anger that made Penelope Cruz seem lightweight in comparison.

Omar and his band played with all the precision, volume and dexterity you’d expect, but they knew who the center of attention was, and so did G-Bender. Though the setlist tended towards the samey – vague proggy rhythm, guitar that was not loud enough, sudden shifts in direction – the undeniable peak came with a shifting, 10 minute suite that transitioned between Omar and Teri’s heartblown harmonising and some naked thrashing.

When during the latter movement, Teri came to running out into the audience and dancing close-eyed with her own aura, the crowd was too spellbound to harass her. To some, Rodriguez might have pulled a bit of a swifty by bringing his new group (not Group) over, but no one would have left feeling short-changed. _ALEX GRIFFIN

Psychedelic-infused pop-rock traversing the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘90 whirled out of The Rosemount on Friday night when Sydney quintet Deep Sea Arcade arrived in town for their Granite City tour, supported by two local acts 44th Sunset and Sons Of Rico.

Young upstarts 44th Sunset burst onto the scene late last year after a competition win set them up at Big Day Out. They’ve been turning up at gigs around Perth since, and as this gig showed they’ve certainly got a lot of enthusiasm for live shows, even when only pockets of the venue are in attendance.

Though at times they felt a bit ‘school band’, they played frenetically and energetically. Frontman Nik Thompson’s erratic dance moves were bemusing and his disconcertingly deep voice provided a contrasting heaviness to their otherwise buoyant sound. On the downside, it was almost impossible to hear their female lead or her keyboard; it turns out bashing the keyboard sporadically halfway through the set doesn’t make it work.

Sons Of Rico were the perfect precursors to Deep Sea Arcade. From start to finish they assumed a laid-back ‘70s rock vibe interspersed with chilling guitar solos. By this time, the venue was virtually full but naturally assumed a hushed atmosphere. Alex MacRae’s falsetto vocals were angelic at times, and were offset by the rich waves of guitar that provided a layered sonic depth. In The Morning, from their 2010 debut album Reactions, had an intro very reminiscent of The Beatles while their recent release You Don’t Know What You’re Missing was a vivacious addition and an interesting taster of what their next ventures will be.

Deep Sea Arcade were late, which was inevitably going to put a dampener on an hourlong set. Steering away from the more brooding sounds from their predecessors, the band offered the upbeat and punchy kicks you’ll find throughout their debut album Outlands. Admittedly, Deep Sea Arcade’s ‘60s-fused-with-’90s reputation had set high expectations. Did they fulfil these expectations? Not quite. The problem was: everything was turned up so loud. Nic McKenzie’s vocals were almost screechy at times, and the rhythm section competed instead

Deep Sea Arcade (Photo: Emma Mackenzie) of complemented itself, creating a noisy shambles.

There was minimal engagement with the audience which this was a little disappointing given Perth was their only WA stopover.

Complaints aside, opening with Seen No Right immediately changed the atmosphere from demure to lively. Their songs are undeniably catchy, especially Don’t Be Sorry and the very Britpop-esque Steam. The Chemical Brothers’ Let Forever Be cover was well suited to their style. Their textured acoustics may have drowned but there were many suitably psychedelic guitar wails to be heard. Nearly every one of their songs had a teasingly long outro and one of their best known, Girls, was welcomed with rapture from the crowd. Despite this, and knowing that Deep Sea Arcade has something special to offer through their exciting recorded material, their live act failed to ignite. _CORAL HUCKSTEP

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

THE SHALLOWS Supersized Sounds

With no less than 11-members to their fold - give or take five more - local ensemble The Shallows are living proof that it comes to music, sometimes more is more. JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD chats to frontman Adam Tatana ahead of their debut album launch on Friday, November 30, at The Bakery.

The Shallows are a Perth supergroup or artistic collective, call it what you will, that began in 2010 with lead vocalist/guitarist Adam Tatana and sound guitarist Craig Childs, and has been accumulating members ever since.

“I just started asking everyman and his dog, provided they played an instrument which I thought could sound fitting with the music. And I literally asked everyone in Perth to play with me,” Tatana explains.“It’s sorta funny and kinda ironic that employing this makeshift recruitment process, I’ve ended up recruiting a band with some of the most amazing musicians I’ve met - including James Rogers [Harlequin League/Patient Little Sister], Matt Parker [Our Man In Berlin/Louis & The Honkytonk], Rebecca Erin Smith - she got accepted to Juilard! - and Sam Gillies [Cycle~ 440]. It also helps that they easy on tha eyes.”

The Shallows has everything you look for in an oversized band - they make joyful ruckus, they revel in weird instrumentation

and they have a bunch of brilliant releases to their name, including last year’s exceptional and impressionistic EP Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be and their upcoming debut album step into: The Shallows - a collation of so many talents that it’s practically bursting at the seams.

“I feel this album has definitely come a lot closer to the sound which we have been aiming for since we started. I feel confident to say for us, we have found the sound and the band to evolve over time and I hope that is shown in the album,” Tatana says.“Also I’m pretty certain that all the band members like this release (this consensus has never happened about past releases) so its kinda made things all that more spesh.”

It is live that The Shallows catch fire, as a kind of indie jam band. At times the band will accommodate as many as three guitarists, four vocalists, drums, strings, and synthesised noise to create a whirling, diving, clamour of sound.

“When we first started we sorta played ‘all in’ which was obviously chaotic having up to 11 members, and although it had its place in some parts of songs, that way of playing just wasn’t appropriate for every song,” Tatana explains. “It can, at times, be hard to agree on certain things. But, for the most part, we all have the same goal in mind which is to use the instrumentation as a service to the songs.”

Tatana explains that it has been undertaking this process of reworking songs that has helped his ensemble foster their own sound, but warns that longtime listeners may be put off by their new approach.

“I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the people who like our older releases, because this LP is somewhat contrary to how our ‘sound’ has been conceptualised in the past. It’s a super varied album in terms of style, but at the end of the day its still what we have done before, just experimented more,” he concludes. “I honestly think this album will polarize people’s opinion about it. That is to say some may think its kinda cool, or some will absolutely hate it.

My mum likes it - so that’s 1 for The Shallows / 0 for the haters!”

The Shallows

FEELING FIN

The Irrationals claim to be the “progeny of science, bred in test tubes, born in laboratories, reared by dolphins in a sea of chai latte”.

We’re not sure what to make of that, but we do think you should pop down to check out their EP launch on Friday, November 30, at The Rosemount. With support coming from One Tiger Down, Bears And Dolls and Shouting At Camels this is going to be one slick shindig. Ya dig?

CRANK IT UP

Managed by ex-Kingpin/Stoneface drummer Vincent P-C, 2012 Joondalup Battle Of The Bands winners Crank are lighting up the stage at this years’ 98th Osborne Park Annual Show. Head down to the main stage at 8pm this Friday, November 30, to hear them playing rock classics from Foo Fighters to Van Halen.

FRIDAY FUNTIMES

Having just put the finishing touches on their debut record, experimental rockers Lanark will be giving keen punters a taste of what’s to come when they play Fat Shan’s next edition of Friday I’m In Love on Friday, November 30. Support comes from Race To Your Face and Francess Hill and music kicks off from 8pm.

Warning Birds

MEANINGFUL BREAK

Alt-rockers The Meaning Of will take a break from recording their third album this weekend for their final show of 2012 this Saturday, December 1, at Mojos Bar. A few new tracks have been included in the set to give punters a sneak preview of what will be released mid 2013. Joining the festivities will be Paltiva, Over-Unity and Arkayan.

SPLISH SPLASH

Timothy Nelson & The Infidels, Spoonful Of Sugar and Calectasia will be donning their bikinis and smuggling their budgies when they head to Kalamunda Water Park’s Pool Side: A Community Celebration To Summer this Saturday, December 1. The Day On The Green-esque event will be packed with entertainment including bands, giant inflatable aqua bubble, novelty events, a water polo exhibition game and activities for the kids including bouncy castle, face painters and more. Tickets for this special event are just $15 and are available through moshtix.com.au or at the door till sold out, so be quick. For more information go to facebook.com/KalamundaWaterPark or kalamundawaterpark.ymca.org.au.

THE DARK FLIGHT RISES

In the hushed acoustics of Kulcha, this Saturday, December 1, enchanting quartet Warning Birds will launch their new single Dark Places. Drum sticks will be replaced by mallets and guitar amps softened, allowing string lines to breathe, horns to voice themselves clearly, allowing the story of the song to be clearly heard.

Warning Birds have drawn close attention with their emphatic live performances and intelligent song writing courtesy of frontman Sam Carmody so don’t miss this opportunity to witness their unique pop making in all its glory. Support comes from Luke Bostelman.

Sonpsilo Circus

IN THE BLUE

Performing their first live show since returning to WA after a European venture playing live across the EU - including shows in Holland, Spain and a sell-out show at The Box Theatre in Crewe, UK - That Velvet Echo will share the stage with Bryan Rice-Dalton and Justin Walshe for an epic night of blues and roots at Mojos Bar tonight Wednesday, November 28. $5 entry. Doors open at 8pm.

THE LAST HURRAH

The Picasso To Warhol season at the Art Gallery of WA has been spectacular – seeing some of WA and Australia’s finest musicians, comedians and artists showcase their talent, not to mention the excellent exhibition itself combined with other events from AGWA. To celebrate the end of a superb season, the AGWA are holding one Last Hurrah, featuring the Picasso To Warhol exhibition, Live Warholesque Screen Tests, comedy stylings from the hilarious Dave Callan and performances from local jazz artists Abbey/Foster/ Falle, and WAM Song Of The Year winners Rainy Day Women. The event will be held on Friday, November 30, with tickets available now through Ticketek. www.xpressmag.com.au

PACKING UP THE TENT

Psych-rock wunderkids Sonpsilo Circus have had a big year with The Big Day Out Perth, Southbound, Norfolk Youth Lanes and The Beaufort Street Festival under their belts. They also picked up their first ever WAMi award. They’ll be finishing 2012 with a headline show at Mojo’s on Friday, November 30. Support comes from Dust, Hamjam and Usurper Of Modern Medicine. Get yo fix.

BOOM BOOM SHAKE THE ROOM

Central Institute of Technology is launching their student radio station, Boom Radio, with a massive rooftop party on Friday, November 30. It’s all happening on the rooftop of Central Institute of Technology’s 25 Aberdeen Street Building, located on the corner of Museum and Francis Streets, Northbridge. Over half a dozen solo acts and bands from various musical genres will be delivering acoustic sessions throughout the day, including the likes of Lights Of Berlin, Paper Planes, Sublight, Trent Jean, Riley Craig and The Voice semi-finalist Georgia Reed. Shenanigans will begin at 11am and run till 3pm. Tune into Boom Radio at boomradio.com.au.

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The Saints, November 30, Fly By Night

P-Money, December 1, Natural New Zealand Music Festival

Last Dinosaurs, December 2, Sets On The Beach

MITZI Maximo Park, Millions, Totally GIN BLOSSOMS Garbage, Slayer, Cypress 8 The Bakery Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, 10 Capitol Hill, Bullet For My Valentine, NICKI MINAJ / TYGA / RUBY Angus Stone, Ball Park Music, ARCHIE ROACH and more) ROSE Cosmo Jarvis, Django Django, 10 Chevron Festival Gardens 4 Claremont Showgrounds 8 Perth Arena The Hives, Jinjo Safari, Lisa GODSPEED YOU! BLACK DEEP PURPLE/JOURNEY 29 Prince Of Wales DEAD & VAZ Mitchell, Matt Corby, Sharon EMPEROR 7 Perth Arena 30 Metro Freo 9 Mojos Bar Van Etten, Two Door Cinema 11 Chevron Festival Gardens GEORGE CLINTON & 1 Amplifier COVERGE SHANE NICHOLSON Club, Bertie Blackman, DJ PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC 10 Fremantle Arts Centre Nu-Mark Toy Set, The Jungle 12 Amplifier 7 Metropolis Fremantle PRIMAL SCREAM Giants, Loon Lake, Oh Mercy, DEER TICK & TWO GALLANTS GARY PUCKETT & THE UNION JOHN 11 Astor Theatre Rodrigo Gabriela, San Cisco, 12 Chevron Festival Gardens GAP HUSKY Felicity Ward, Luke Heggie, STARS WILLIAMSON 9 The Astor 13 Chevron Festival Gardens CAT EMPIRE 12 Mojos Bar Matt O’Kine, Nazeem 30 Quarry Amphitheatre 13 The Bakery Hussain, Ronny Chieng and AMANDA PALMER 10 Fremantle Arts Centre 14 Astor Theatre MANHATTAN JINX Sammy J & Randy) DINOSAUR JR/ THE JON THE SAINTS/ THE 12 Prince Of Wales CHRYSTA BELL 4 & 5 Sir Stewart Bovell Park 14 Chevron Festival Gardens SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION/ 14 Rocket Room Busselton VOLCANICS MOON DUO FATHER JOHN MISTY 15 The Railway 65 DAYS OF STATIC 30 Fly By Nightclub 15 Chevron Festival Gardens 12 The Astor SAN CISCO / THE PREATURES 5 The Bakery RONAN KEATING/ BRIAN 14 The Bakery SUMMADAYZE (M.I.A, Fedde LORD / SILENT NIGHT MCFADDEN 15 Amplifier BIG JAY MCNEELY Le Grand, Mark Ronson DJ JOHN 16 Eliot St. Blues Club Bunbury 12 Crown Theatre 14 Fremantle Arts Centre Set, Kimbra, Booka Shade WILLIAMSON PAUL KELLY/ NEIL FINN/ LISA CELTIC THUNDER APES Live, Eddie Halliwell, AN21 1 Quarry Amphitheatre MITCHELL 16 Perth Arena 14 Norfolk Basement & Max Vangeli, Carl Craig, 14 & 15 Kings Park Botanical FUTURE CLASSIC TAME IMPALA 69 Live, Maya Jane Coles, Gardens 16 Chevron Festival Gardens Fremantle Arts Centre Disclosure Live, Erol Alkan, JUSTINE CLARKE 15 GLENN SHORROCK/ DAVID HASSLEHOFF KIM SALMON / THE Fake Blood, Adrian Lux, 1 Astor Theatre 17 Capitol PREATURES / JACK ON FIRE/ Breakbot Live, Hudson WENDY MATTHEWS/ DOUG APES Mohawke, Araabmuzik, Icona MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS PARKINSON Pop, Scuba, Aeroplane, Jesse 17 Chevron Festival Gardens 14 & 15 Quarry Amphitheatre REECE MASTIN/ 15 The Rosemount PARKWAY DRIVE Rose, Danny Daze, AC Slater, JENS LEKMAN BOB MOULD JUSTICE CREW/ 19 Challenge Stadium Stafford Brothers & Timmy 18 Chevron Festival Gardens 16 The Rosemount SLEEPY SUN Trumpet, Bombs Away & PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED THE JANOSKIANS DARREN HANLON 19 Chevron Festival Gardens STATES OF AMERICA / HEY 19 Mojos Bar More) 1 Perth Arena SUICIDAL TENDENCIES/ 6 Patersons Stadium Subiaco HOW TO DRESS WELL & GERONIMO AXOLOTL UNWRITTEN LAW/ THE BOYS OF SUMMER 16 Metro Freo 20 Chevron Festival Gardens THE MARK OF CAIN DUDESONS 9 Amplifier NATURAL NEW RINGO STARR 19 Metro Freo 10 YMCA HQ 17 Capitol ZEALAND 21 Challenge Stadium REGINA SPEKTOR SANDI THOM MUTEMATH JOSE JAMES/ HOATUS 10 Fly By Night MUSIC FESTIVAL 19 Belvoir Amphitheatre 19 The Astor KAIYOTE JEFF MARTIN NIGHTWISH (Shapeshifter, 21 Chevron Festival Gardens WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE 20 Fremantle Arts Centre 20 Metropolis Fremantle 23 Mojos Bar THE RAAH PROJECT ESG Kora, Ladi6, Trinity 21 Clancy’s Dunsborough 22 Chevron Festival Gardens WEST COAST BLUES & ROOTS 22 Mojos Bar 20 The Bakery Roots, David ED SHEERAN/ PASSENGER FESTIVAL (Sensational 23 Indi Bar WEEZER Space Shifters, Iggy & The 23 Challenge Stadium Dallas, P-Money & EVAN DANDO / JULIANA 23 Perth Arena Stooges, Chris Isaak, Staus CLIFF RICHARDS HATFIELD WOODS More) Quo, Tedeschi Trucks Band, 23 Sandalford Estate 22 The Rosemount 23 The Bakery 1 Red Hill Auditorium TIM ROGERS/ THE BAMBOOS Fred Wesley & The New JB’s, KENDRICK LAMAR JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD 23 Chevron Festival Gardens Newton Faukner, Kitty, Daisy 22 Astor Theatre 27 Mojos & Lewis, Grace Potter, Mama PHRONESIS NYE (Chase & YANNI RUSSELL BRAND ORIGIN 24 Chevron Festival Gardens Kin & Blue Shady) Status (DJ Set), Knife Party, 27 Perth Arena 2 Perth Arena 23 Fremantle Park GLENN FREY Gaslamp Killer, ShockOne, BIG DAY OUT (Red Hot 24 Kings Park & Botanical WEST COAST BLUES & ROOTS Pearson Sound, DMZ (Coki Chili Peppers, The Killers, Garden & Mala), Goldie, Brookes Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire FESTIVAL (Ben Harper, SETS ON THE Brothers, Ed Rush, Wilkinson, Weekend, Band Of Horses, NORAH JONES Santana, Paul Simon, Steve BEACH (Mark Dillinja, Marky & Stamina, Kaskade, Animal Collective, 24 Riverside Theatre Miller Band, Wilco, Bonnie SOUL REBELS Sigma, Delta Heavy, Metrik, Against Me!, 360, Foals, Farina, Miami Raitt, Jimmy Cliff, Michael 25 Chevron Festival Gardens Kiwanuka, Ash Grunwald & DC Breaks, Skism, Gemini, B.O.B, Sleigh Bells, Jeff The Horror DJs, The Inspector Dubplate, Jakes, Brotherhood, Off!, Grinspoon, CAT POWER Benjamin Francis Leftwich) 26 & 27 Chevron Festival Knocks, Todd Terje, Mensah, Dodge & Fuski, Bar9, Jagwar Ma, Delta Spirit, 24 Fremantle Park Gardens Distance, Dark Sky, Ben Ufo, Everytime I Die, House Vs Last Dinosaurs, New York Transit Authority, Hurricane, Alabama Shakes, LAURIE ANDERSON & KRONOS QUARTET Pariah, XXXY, Om Unit and and more) Parker) more TBC) 28 Claremont Showgrounds 27 Perth Concert Hall 2 Scarborough Beach HITS & PITS 2013 (Mad KISS/ MOTLEY CRUE/THIN 30 & 31 Fairbridge Village, RICHARD HAWLEY Amphitheatre Caddies, Good Riddance, A LIZZY Pinjara 31 Astor Theatre Wilhelm Scream, Voodoo 28 Perth Arena CHI POPTION (Shy Panther, FROM THE JAM JAMES CARTER ORGAN TRIO Glow Skulls, The Flatliners, Rachael Dease vs Ylem, Diger 31 Capitol 28 Chevron Festival Gardens Diesel Boy, One Dollar Short, SIMPLE MINDS / DEVO / THE Rokwell vs Mathas, Kucka, Jamie Hay, Jen Buxton, Leure, Mei Saraswati, Dani CHURCH / MODELS Totally Unicorn & Paper Marsland, Jo Lettenmaier, 4 Kings Park & Botanical Arms) Aarom Wilson vs Craig, THE WATERBOYS Garden THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH 1 Metro Freo REEL BIG FISH/ GOLDFINGER/ Hollywood, Ben Taaffe vs Rok 2 Perth Concert Hall THE SCRIPT 1 Chevron Festival Gardens Riley, Clunk, PCJ vs Nik Ridik, ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ZEBRAHEAD 3 Perth Arena Miranda Menzies) IMPOSTERS/ SUNNYBOYS/ NEIL YOUNG 5 Metro City ROGER HODGSON 31 The Bakery JO JO ZEP &THE FALCONS/ 2 Perth Arena PARKER 7 Riverside Theatre ANTIBALAS INSERT TO PLAY (360, Drapht, STEPHEN CUMMINGS 5 The Flying Scotsman EXTREME/RICHIE KOTZEN 6 Kings Park Botanic Gardens 2 Chevron Festival Gardens KASEY CHAMBERS/ SHANE Hermitude, Urthboy) 16 Metro City FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL 31 Supreme Court Gardens AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER NICHOLSON 2013 (The Prodigy, The Stone ZUCCHERO ORCHESTRA 5 Albany Entertainment Centre RUFUS Roses, PSY, Dizzee Rascal, 31 Capitol 17 Regal Theatre 6 Perth Concert Hall 6 Civic Centre Esperance Bloc Party, Azealia Banks, Rita MIDGE URE MACEO PARKER 7 Goldfields Arts Centre Ora, Boys Noize, Hardwell, 7 Chevron Festival Gardens 8 Mundaring Weir Hotel 27 Charles Hotel The Temper Trap, FUN, NORMAN BLAKE & JOE BENJALU Madeon, Rudimental, Ellie PERNICE/ DIRTY BEACHES CUBAN CLUB (Cuban 6 Indi Bar Goulding, Steve Aoki, Alesso, Brothers, Yacht Club DJs, Russ 8 Chevron Festival Gardens 7 Clancy’s Fremantle Gypsy & The Cat, A-Trak, Feed BLACK SABBATH Dewbury, Still Water Giants, ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY 8 The Bird Me, Zeds Dead, Kill The Noise, 4 Perth Arena FESTIVAL 2013 (Alpine, Alt-J, Death Disco DJs & El Ginger Clancy’s Dunsborough Bat For Lashes, Chet Faker, DJ Fresh, Nervo, Zane Lowe, GROOVIN THE MOO (lineMojito) JLO / KATE ALEXA Borgore, Cocoon Heroes ft Cloud Nothings, Divine 1 The Flying Squadron Yacht 6 Perth Arena up TBA) Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Fits, El-P, Flume, Henry Club, Dalkeith LAGWAGON/ THE SMITH 11 Hay Park, Bunbury Wagons & The Unwelcome Ricardo Villalobos, Seth CLUB PARADISO 2013 STREET BAND THE SEEKERS Company, High Highs, Holy Troxler, Magda, Wake Your 30 Riverside Theatre (Friendly Fires, Kaz James, 5 Prince Of Wales Mind ft Cosmic Gate & Emma Helena, Mr Wilson, Zelimir, Other, Japandroids, Jessie 6 The Rosemount The Halo Effect, Habitat DJ’s, Ware, Julia Holter, Kings Of Hewitt, W&W, tyDi, Andy SPENCER P JONES/ THE Moor, Super8 & Tab, Ben Convenience, The Men, Ms Maiko DJ’s, Acebasik and NOTHING BUTTS Gold, The Stafford Brothers, Mr, The Neighbourhood, Kno Agents) 7 The Bakery PINK Timmy Trumpet, Tenzin, Nicolas Jaar, Nite Jewel, Of 1 Salt On the Beach TIJUANA CARTEL 25, 26 & 28 Perth Arena Bombs Away & More TBA) SOUTHBOUND (The Flaming Monsters & Men, Perfume 7 Capitol 3 Arena Joondalup Genius, Polica, Pond, Real Lips, SBTRKT, Best Coast, THE BLACKEYED SUSANS Estate, The Rubens, Shlohmo, SOUNDWAVE 2013 Beach House, Boy & Bear, 7 The Rosemount (Metallica, Linkin Park, Coolio, The Vaccines, Bombay Snakadaktal, Twerps, 8 Mojos Bar ONE DIRECTION Blink-182, A Perfect Circle, Yeasayer ) Bicycle Club, First Aid Kit, MISSY HIGGINS 28 & 29 Perth Arena The Offspring, Paramore, 9 Venue TBC 8 Fremantle Arts Centre Hilltop Hoods, Hot Chip,

THIS WEEK

BRITISH INDIA/ KINGSWOOD

APRIL

DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

MARCH

JANUARY 2013

MAY

JUNE

SEPTEMBER

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

51

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

Pippa Drysdale, Wednesday at The Paddo

Oak Tree Suite, Thursday at Ya Ya’s

WEDNESDAY 28.11

THURSDAY 29.11

BAR 120 Felix BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Mat Cal Leah Miche CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Chet Leonard’s Bingotheque CLAREMONT HOTEL Open Mic Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB All Join In John Bentley GREENWOOD Bernardine GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) 5 Shots HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Boston & Chevy Ryan Webb The Red Sky LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Justin Walshe Folk Machine Bryan Rice Dalton That Velvet Echo MUSTANG Kickstart PADDO Jon Madd Pippa Drysdale Wheels McKenzie ROSEMOUNT Pour Habit Hightime Chainsaw Hookers 10 Past 6 DJ Anton Maz ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe THE BROWN FOX Courtney Murphy THE MOON Ellen Oosterbaan Tashi Hall Luke Dux UNIVERSAL Strutt YA YA’S Celebrator Louis & The Honkytonk Rich Widow Calectasia

AMPLIFIER The Stafford Brothers BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Stu Harcourt BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Zukhuta COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW 5 Shots ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Manteca GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Chris Murphy INDI BAR Caravana Sun Little City Dream Tash Shanks LEEDERVILLE HOTEL Leederville Loungeroom The Aunts The Bluebirds Nu-Melange LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MALT SUPPER CLUB Darling Buds Of May MARKET CITY TAVERN Sarina Cooper Thomas Fleay Duo Reilly Craig Jenia John Madd MOJOS BAR Joe Black Trio Dilip N The Davs Mister & Sunbird Rachel Gorman MUSTANG BAR The Reductors Dead Owls Caroline J Dale

Boys Boys Boys

BOYS BOYS BOYS

VOLTAIRE TWINS AXE GIRL PRAANG FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 AMPLIFIER

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NEWPORT Greg Packer DJs T-Mac Willinger Cobs Sicmas & Killa Heem Randomz Frogz J-Mac Aday OXFORD HOTEL Johnny Taylor PADDY HANNAN’S Dr Bogus PRINCE OF WALES British India Kingswood ROSEMOUNT TAFE Music Awards Night Slinky J Arcades Pacino De Niro Sacred Bison Flair Sons Of Rico DJs ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Bill Chidgzey SOVEREIGN ARMS Fenton Wilde THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE One Trick Phonies THE SHED The Other Guys UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Two Plus One YA YA’S Lights Of Berlin Oak Tree Suite Bishi Bashi Bedouin Sea

FRIDAY 30.11 7th AVENUE Tandem ADMIRAL Steve Hepple AMPLIFIER Boys Boys Boys Voltaire Twins Axe Girl Praang BAILEY BAR Mod Squad BALLYS BAR Acoustic Aly BALMORAL Mike Nayar BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club BELMONT TAVERN Electrophobia BENTLEY HOTEL Christian Thompson BLACK BETTYS Everlong BLVD TAVERN Hart Trio BRASS MONKEY Adam James BROKEN HILL HOTEL David Fyffe BROOKLANDS TAVERN The Bluebottles CARINE Pop Candy CARLISLE HOTEL Reload CHASE BAR Chasing Calee

Crank, Friday at The Osborne Park Show

CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) Wicked Wench Axe Cane Naked Flame Subject to Change CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Rhys Smith Trio CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Sneaky Weasel Gang COMO HOTEL Trevor Jalla CORNERSTONE 5th Avenue CRAFTSMAN Nicki Rose DEVILLES PAD The Rusty Pinto Combo The Rough Housers Les Sataniques DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Rastatrix Ben Campain DUSK LOUNGE Kickstart EAST 150 Ali Towers EASTERN HOTEL Neil Colliss EDZ SPORTZ BAR Velvet & Stone ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Natalie Gillespie Kristen Plati EMPIRE Howie Morgan FLY BY NIGHT The Saints Volcanics GLOUCESTER PARK Flash Nat & The Action Men GREENWOOD Cargo Beat!

GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy HERDSMAN Sugarfield Brad Wintle HIGH ROAD HOTEL Clayton Bolger The Damien Cripps Band HIGHWAY HOTEL Northern Muse HYDE PARK HOTEL Fear Of Comedy Kill Teen Angst The Disapointed INDI BAR Vdelli INDIAN OCEAN BREW Adrian Wilson KALAMUNDA HOTEL Sophie Jane & The Chilli Bin Boys LAKERS DJ Grizzly Slickenside Melee LEGENDS BAR The Organ Grinders LYNWOOD ARMS Mustangs M ON THE POINT Chasing Calee MARKET CITY TAVERN Tamika Alicia Risk MERRIWA TAVERN Nasty Dogz METRO FREO British India Kingswood MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Captn K Simmo T

MOJOS BAR (EVE) Sonpsilo Circus Usurper Of Modern Medicine HAMJAM Dust MOON & SIXPENCE Soul Corporation MUSTANG BAR Harry Deluxe Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Party Rockers PADDO Stu Harcourt PADDY MAGUIRES Madam Montage PARAMOUNT Flyte PEEL ALEHOUSE Rock-A-Fellas PINK DUCK LOUNGE Jonathan Dempsey PRINCESS ROAD TAVERN Midnight Rambler QUARRY AMPHITHEATRE John Williamson RAILWAY HOTEL I & The Village P Is For Pumpernickel Lilliam Stargazer Ron Hollywood ROCKET ROOM Agitated Helta Skelta Scalphunter WPO Mouthguard Blazin’ Entrails ROSE & CROWN Karin Page ROSEMOUNT The Irrationals One Tiger Town Bears And Dolls Shouting At Camels ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Spyce ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Kinshin SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Greg Carter Karaoke SWINGING PIG Ragdoll Greg Carter THE BOAT Acoustic License THE BROOK Dean Anderson THE GATE Smoking Section THE OSBORNE PARK SHOW Crank THE SAINT Almost Famous THE SHED Krank THE VIC Jen De Ness TIGER LILS Paul Malone Adam Kelly Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VELVET LOUNGE Rabbit Island Mei Saraswati Seer Wave Doctopus

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

The Irrationals, Friday at The Rosemount INDI BAR Zarm LAKERS Celebrations Karaoke LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Die Hard Karaoke LAST DROP John Unitt LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LOBBY LOUNGE CASINO) SATURDAY 01.12 (CROWN John & Shaun ADMIRAL Sandosham Greg Carter LYNWOOD ARMS AMPLIFIER Mustangs British India M ON THE POINT Kingswood Rhythm 22 ASTOR THEATRE MERIDIAN ROOM Justine Clarke Midnight Rambler BAILEY BAR METRO FREO Dakota The Potbelleez BALLYS BAR MOJOS BAR Dove Ngati BALMORAL The Meaning Of Pop Candy Paltiva BAR 120 Over Unity Flyte Arkayan BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ MOON & SIXPENCE Mike Nayar Flash Nat & The Action BLACK BETTY’S Men J Babies MUSTANG BLVD TAVERN The Continentals Mark Seymour Milhouse Mitch Friend NEWPORT BRIGHTON Kizzy Overload Gravity BROOKLANDS PADDY HANNANS Sugarfield Decoy CAPITOL PARAMOUNT Kingswood Felix CIVIC HOTEL PEEL ALEHOUSE Sure Fire Midnights Pulse Hells Bells PERTH ARENA Ragdoll Babyjane Reece Mastin Gazmans Crown Jewels Justice Crew CIVIC HOTEL (THE DEN) The Janoskians Parker Avenue QUARIE BAR Rotaxus Electrophobia Hyte RAILWAY HOTEL CLANCY’S CANNING Nakedflame BRIDGE Mr Wilson Justin Walshe Duo The Rupert Crook CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Confusion Zarm Duo The Itch CLANCY’S FREMANTLE RED HILL AUDITORIUM King Of The Travellers Natural New Zealand COMO HOTEL Festival Jamie Powers Shapeshifter DEVILLES PAD Kora Tabas.Co Ladi6 Les Sataniques Trinity Roots ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB David Dallas Marcio & Ben’s Duo Sau P-Money Paulo ROCKET ROOM Libby Hammer Quintet Kickstart Meg Mac & The Squeeze ELMARS IN THE VALLEY ROSEMOUNT Morgan Bain Helen Shanahan Bedouin Sea FLY TRAP Spoonful Of Sugar Stoney Joe Stillwater Giants The Kickstart Cadillacs ROSIE O’GRADY’S Lynda Smyth & The (FREMANTLE) Borrowed Few Flavor GLOUCESTER PARK ROSIE O’GRADY’S Robo Mosquito (NORTHBRIDGE) GREENWOOD Blue Gene Passionworks GROOVE BAR (CROWN SAIL & ANCHOR The Bluebottles CASINO) Childs Play Decoy SEAVIEW HOTEL HERDSMAN Open Mic Night Cargo Beat!

STEVE’S BAR HIGH ROAD HOTEL Andrew Bond Losing Julia SWINGING PIG HYDE PARK HOTEL Meg Mac & The Squeeze Greg Carter Tandem INDIAN OCEAN BREW THE BOAT CO The Organ Grinders Tahnee McKay Duo VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WOODVALE TAVERN Blue Gene Rod Stewart Tribute YA YA’S Yarkhob DJ U-Wish Freqshow

www.xpressmag.com.au

Friday Friday Travis Caudle Travis Caudle Rotaxus, Saturday at FlyBy By Night Fly Night The Den THE BROOK Insideout Trio THE GATE One Trick Phonies THE SAINT Retriofit THE SHED Huge UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WHALE & ALE Nicki Rose Trio WOODVALE TAVERN Modsquad YA YA’S (EVE) Old Blood Man the Cloud Moonlight Wrangles

SUNDAY 02.12 7TH AVENUE Good Karma BALMORAL Andrew Bond Chasing Calee BELMONT TAVERN Acoustic Aly BLVD TAVERN Annabelle Sea Level Trio BREAKERS BAR Ricky Green BRIGHTON Michael Triscari BROKEN HILL HOTEL Chris Murphy BROOKLANDS TAVERN Brad Wintle CAPTAIN STIRLING Jamie Powers CARINE The Bluebottles CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Christian Thompson CLANCY’S DUNSBOROUGH Toby CLANCY’S FREMANTLE The Zydecats CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL Aiden Hargreaves ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Sonja D’Anne Vocal Studio’s Presents The Music Of The 60’s & 70’s EMPIRE CB3 GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy HIGH ROAD HOTEL Glen Davies HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL The Organ Grinders INDI BAR Secret National Headliner The Love Junkies INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit KALAMUNDA HOTEL Bernardine M ON THE POINT Sophie Jane & The Chilly Bin Boys MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Galloping Foxleys Bryan Rice Dalton MOJOS BAR (EVE) Grace Woodroofe Felicity Groom Gunns

Matt Gresham, Sunday at Lakeside Festival

MOONDYNE JOES Zara Huts 11/Eleven The Aunts Wrongtown MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Tim Nelson Stillwater Giants DSB DJs NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB Bryan Rice Dalton Leah Miche Chirs Parkinson Josie Crosby Rachel Armstong Dream Tree Collective The Whistling Dogs NORTHLANDS TAVERN Ryan Rafferty PEEL ALEHOUSE Shaun Street PIG & WHISTLE One Trick Phonies PINK DUCK LOUNGE BAR Kevin Conway PRINCIPAL Adrian Wilson QUEENS TAVERN Belleville Quartet ROCKINGHAM REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE Lakeside Festival Matt Gresham The Mucky Duck Bush Band ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Bill Chidgzey Neil Colliss SAIL & ANCHOR Mike Nayar SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Blackhart & Strangelove SOVEREIGN ARMS Ivan Ribic SPRINGS TAVERN Leighton Keepa STIRLING ARMS Ryan Dillon SWINGING PIG Kevin Curran Matt Angel THE GATE Better Days Greg Carter THE SAINT Howie Morgan Trio THE SHED The Bluebottles

TWO ROCKS TAVERN 2 Neil Adams UNIVERSAL Retriofit VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Damien Cripps WANNEROO TAVERN Adam James WOODVALE TAVERN Free Radicals XWRAY CAFÉ The Charisma Brothers

MONDAY 03.12 BRASS MONKEY James Wilson ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Helen Shanahan GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Courtney Murphy Duo MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture WOODVALE TAVERN Damien Cripps YA YA’S Open Mic Night

TUESDAY 04.12 ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Steve Tallis & The Holy Ghosts GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Courtney Murphy LUCKY SHAG Christian Thompson MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN) John Sandosham MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Bughunt The Watermelons Neil Preston & The Hopiates Jonathan Brain MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca PADDO Simon Kelly PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night THE BROOK Greg Carter Karaoke TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke

Morgan Bain

MORGAN BAIN

BEDOUIN SEA SPOONFUL OF SUGAR STILLWATER GIANTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

53

MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

FOR HIRE METALLICA TRIBUTE BAND 4horsemen for parties or venues. All enquiries ph Dave 0406 867 661.

FOR SALE AUDIOFLY HEADPHONES Designed in Perth by a small team, unique headphones to capture every detail in your favourite music www.audiofly.com MUSICIANS AVAILABLE I AM A FEMALE VOCALIST Looking for original/ cover Rock band. Preferably between ages 25-40. Versatile voice & broad taste in music. Also write songs lyrically. For more info txt/call Dee on 0438 836 959. No time wasters please.

MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER & DRUMMER WANTED Exp Guitarist (33) with gd gear looking 4 bass & drums to form Hard Rock band Ph: 0410596418.

BASS PLAYER & DRUMMER WANTED To complete original band for WAMI nominee, Rochelle O’Reilly. R&B/Jazz/ Groove, tons of room for original flavour.

Contact Rochelle: 0438 345 354.

METAL BAND SEEKS GUITARIST Inf inc Sepultura, Slayer, Fear Factory, Chimaira, Machine Head, Hate Breed & more. Send txt to 0422 442 368.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Thursday 8.3012 at Moondyne Joes. Steinway piano, good sound & friendly atmosphere. Call Mark 0409 137 850.

OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235 SWISS SHEPHERD Seeks Rhythm/Lead Guitarist for expandable project, Contact Cam on 0407 073 729. www.facebook. com/swissshepherd PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY Promo photography, studio, live, location.

M ik e Wylie 0417 975 964 www. projectphotography.com When its time to ice the cake...

PRODUCTION SERVICES * LIGHTING * AUDIO* STAGING * www. nightstarlightingaudio.com.au www. nightstarlightingaudio.com.au www. instandt.com.au www.instandt.com.au 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551 RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’sWITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..

Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.witzendstudios.com ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer.

No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178

AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics, the latest and best universal audio, plug in’s for digital recordings. All styles of music, $55 per hour call Tony 0411 118304 email avalonstudios@bigpond.com GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM Production, mixing, recording and composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $60 p/h. Andrew 0408 097 407 MIDAS TOUCH STUDIOS Recording, Mixing, and Mastering. We get your band heard. Call Anthony 0435 113 654 www.

MidasTouchStudios.com.au POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors. World class facility.

World class results. www.poonshead.com 9339 47 91 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au SONGWRITERS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE BAND APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience. 20 yrs in London with bands and songwriters. Kicking

arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic. com.au THE SOUND FACTORY 16 & 24 track tape + protools Best of old school & modern technology thesoundfactory@rockstar.org.au REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117.

PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar Specialist. XMAS VOUCHERS AVAIL. Begadv, all styles and levels including bass.

Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 DJ LESSONS AT FREMANTLE PRISION Death row cell 33. Scratching, cutting & mixing. Come casually or for a term. 0412 334 510.

DRUM LESSONS All styles, all ages.

WAAPA prep. Modern techniques & rudiments, Beginner to advanced. Ph: 0413 172 817.

MENTAL NOTES Four local musicians are sharing their song writing skills with 12-18 year olds in an effort to promote music in schools as well as raise mental health awareness.

John Barrett, Sarah Pellicano, Creed Birch and Andrew Norman have created Mental Notes a program for schools to mentor young people to deal with mental health issues through music.

Mental Notes will run for 10 weeks during school terms and will rotate through schools throughout WA. At the end of each term, the Mental Notes participants will be given the opportunity to showcase thewir notes in a fundraising concert. The first event will be held on Wednesday, December 5, at Ya Ya’s. Entry is $10 with all proceeds from the event directly donated to beyondblue. For more info hit up facebook.com/mentalnotesmusic.

Hiwatt T20 Tube Amplifier

HIWATT UPGRADE Hiwatt’s popular Tube series of valve heads and combos has been upgraded to include both channel switching and reverb switching from an optional footswitch. These extremely affordable all valve amps have always had a switchable reverb function, but as of November 1, all T20 and T40 heads and combos will include the additional option of footswitchable channel changes. Hiwatt’s Tube series pricing starts at $299 for the T10 head and ranges to $999 for the Fane equipped T40 combo. For your nearest Hiwatt dealer, please visit cmcmusic.com.au.

REAL TO REEL After successful runs in 2009 and 2011, the Real To Reel Recording Studio returns in 2012 at a new location in Trinity Arcade from Wednesday, December 19, ‘til Friday, December 21. This time, the studio will span two vacant shop fronts – Shop 106 will be a place to hang out and watch sets from local musicians as they are recorded by a professional sound engineer. Next door, a newly commissioned installation will serve as a backdrop for a post-recording photo shoot.Local bands and musicians are invited to apply to record via foodchainperth.com.

All participating musicians will receive copies of their recordings, video and photo documentation of the set, a $200 performance fee and a professional band photoshoot. If you’ve got any queries don’t hesitate to contact City of Perth Youth Projects Officer Katie Lenanton on (08) 9461 3181.

VHT V-DRIVE PEDAL

VHT V-Drive overdrive pedal

From clean boost to creamy-smooth sustain to raging harmonic complexity, the new VHT V-Drive overdrive pedal’s unique controls offer an amazingly wide range of tones and textures at an awesome value. In addition to standard Drive and Volume controls, the VHT V-Drive offers more unique controls including a unique Voltage control using a special voltage multiplying integrated circuit to increase the pedal’s operating voltage for a tighter, punchier, crisper, quickerresponding and more authoritative tone. Like a box full of pedals in one, the innovative, revolutionary - and surprisingly affordable - VHT V-Drive introduces the next chapter in the quest for the ultimate overdrive. To find your closest VHT dealer, hit up dynamicmusic.com.au.

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