FEATURE INSIDE
33,560 OCTOBER 2012 MARCH 2013 - AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS
PAPA VS PRETTY
SKREAM
OKKERVIL RIVER
POND
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NEWSDESK
LOCAL NEWS
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GLOBAL NEWS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
REYNE MAN
ACACIA HAVEN’T HEARD
Australian Crawl frontman James Reyne is coming to Perth to play a series of dinner shows. Starting at Friends Restaurant from Wednesday, April 30 and ending Sunday, May 4 at the Boab Tavern, Reyne will be playing a selection of his iconic Australian Crawl hits, such as Boys Light Up and Reckless, as well as a selection from his time with Company Of Strangers. Tickets are available at the venues and more information can be found at jamesreyne.com.au.
Massachusetts-based metal band, The Acacia Strain is set to bring their trademark heavy sound to Perth as part of their Australiavania Tour. The band will be playing an all-ages gig at YMCA HQ on Wednesday, April 23, as well as an adults-only show at Amplifier on Thursday, April 24. Alongside the American quintet will be Brisbane-based Aversions Crown and Wollongong heavy hitters, Graves. Tickets are available via Oztix.
James Reyne
The Acacia Strain
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE Chicago-based instrumental metal trio, Russian Circles are set to embark on their Australian tour over April and May in support of their most recent album, Memorial. The band, famed for dark, ebbing climaxes and extensive use of sampling and loop pedals, has drawn heavily from the dynamic swells and compositional techniques of Pink Floyd for Memorial and with their recordings on par, if not exceeded by their live performances, it’s a must-see for all instrumental metal fans. The band will be playing at the Rosemount Hotel on Friday, May 2. Tickets available from lifeisnoise, Oztix and at the venue. Russian Circles
FREQUENT FLYERS Sunshine Coast roots rockers and winners of the 2012 Queensland Music Awards blues/roots category, Band Of Frequencies will be coming to Perth to play a host of shows through February and March. Kicking off at the Ellington Jazz Club on Wednesday, February 26, the group will be playing a number of dates throughout Perth and the southern regions. The tour finishes up at Clancy’s Fish Pub, Dunsborough on Sunday, March 9. Be sure to check the band’s Facebook page for the full list of WA dates. Band Of Frequencies
AT HOME, ATLAS THE TERROR, THE TERROR Snarling, antagonistic LA hardcore act, Terror has just revealed Brisbane and Perth Sidewave dates as part of this year’s Soundwave festival. Alongside Terror, soonto-be defunct British band, Your Demise will be giving fans one last chance to see them live, and fellow LA post-hardcore band, Letlive have also been added to the bill. The show will be held at Amplifier Bar on Sunday, March 12. Tickets are on sale from Oztix.
Fresh from Perth’s last Big Day Out festival and scoring three songs in triple j’s Hottest 100, Sydneybased indie dance trio, Rüfüs are back in Australia in May for their biggest tour to date. Playing the Players Bar on Friday, May 30 and Fremantle Arts Centre on Saturday, May 31, it will be the last chance for fans to hear the band perform their gold-selling record, Atlas before they return with new material. Tickets are available through Oztix. Rüfüs
Terror
BON AMI Marking 34 years since Fremantle and Australia lost the iconic rock legend, Bon Scott, Bonfire, the Bon Scott memorial event will be held this Friday, February 21 at Metropolis Fremantle. Marking the occasion will be The Australian Angels Show and peripheral icon in his own right, The Badpiper. As an extra incentive, Kosmic have supplied a Deth Tone guitar and amp pack that will be given away at a free door raffle. Tickets are $15 and available from Oztix or at the door.
CULTS OF FAME New York indie duo, Cults are set to play a series of sideshows alongside their Groovin’ The Moo dates. In 2011 the band’s self-titled debut album saw the duo rise from blog sensation to international success in less than a year. Capitalising on this, the duo have spent the past three years madly pursuing the festival circuit in almost non-stop touring. Playing The Bakery on Friday, May 9, tickets are available through Now Baking. Cults. Photo by Olivia Malone
FAIRBRIDGE FUN For folk fanatics, roots radicals and alternative adherents, this year’s Fairbridge Festival early bird tickets are now on sale. Alongside standard tickets will be Cosy Camping and Club Membership ticketing options, which include campsite amenities and a whole host of other bonuses to add bang to your buck. Tickets are available from Moshtix.
KILLING ELLA Ex-Killing Heidi frontperson and radio personality, Ella Hooper will be in Perth for one night only on Thursday, May 8 to play the Artbar at the Art Gallery of WA. The show is part of her national tour supporting her new single, Wild Stallionz from her debut solo album In Tongues. A team captain of 2014’s Spicks And Specks, the songstress is famed for her attitudinal rock and catchy alt-pop songwriting style. Tickets are on sale from Ticketek. Ella Hooper WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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N E W S L E T T E R - S I G N U P AT W W W. X P R E S S M AG . C O M . A U F O R E XC L U S I V E C O M P S
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FILM: THE WIND RISES
For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Rachael Barrett, Stefan Caramia, Guang-Hui Chuan, Daniel Craig, Brandon D’Silva, Max Fairclough, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Emma Mackenzie, Callum Ponton, Denis Radacic, Bohdan Warchomij, Michael Wylie CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leah Blankendaal, Nina Bertok, Lucas Bowers, Aaron Bryans, Joe Cassidy, Hayley Davis, Chris Gibbs, Alfred Gorman, Shaun Cowe, Predrag Delibasich, Jayde Ferguson, George Green, Alex Griffin, James Hanlon, Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Coral Huckstep, Ellie Hutchinson, Rezo Kezerashvili, Tom Kitson, Clayton Lin, Charlie Lewis, Daisy Lythe, Andrew Nelson, David O’Connell, Shane Pinnegar, Nick Sweepah, Jessica Willoughby
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FASHION: DANGERFIELD The autumn Dangerfield collection launched last Saturday with a modern collection infused with quirky retro. Expect to see girly grunge for women, injected with ‘50s and ‘60s femininity, fit and flare velvet dresses, nostalgic gored skirts, cable knitwear, chiffon baby doll tops and Melton pea coats. Dangerfield menswear pays tribute to all things Americana with vintage nautical, military and grunge propaganda. The focus is on sharp, classic cuts, killer shirting, sleek chinos and military style jackets. Head to dangerfield. com.au to check out the new range and if you’re damn lucky, we’ve got a $100 voucher for girls and guys to give away. Email: win@xpressmag.com.au.
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FESTIVAL: SOUTH WEST CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL The South West Craft Beer Festival is happening this weekend (February 22-23) at Old Broadwater Farm, Busselton. They’ve got some of Australia’s best craft brewers on board including Bootleg Brewery, Brew 22, Moody Cow, Cheeky Monkey and Eagle Bay Brewing Co - to name just a few. There’ll also be plenty of food on offer from the likes of Clancy’s Fish Pub, Tim Whitty Kitchen Takeovers and Margaret River Burger Bar, plus music from a ton of locals including Mathas and Rainy Day Women. To win yourself a double pass to the festivities, email us quick at: win@xpressmag.com.au.
In what’s tipped to be his last film, Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises is out in cinemas next week. It’s all about Jiro, who dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes. Nearsighted from a young age and so unable to become a pilot, Jiro joins the aircraft division of a major Japanese engineering company where his genius is soon recognised, and he becomes one of the world’s most accomplished designers. To be in the running to win a double in-season pass as well as a DVD prize pack including Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Laputa: Castle In The Sky and Ponyo - email: win@xpressmag.com.au.
CLUBBING: THE FACTORY OPENING The Factory is Perth’s newest underground club located in a warehouse space at Unit 2/203 Star Street, Welshpool. It’ll be running every second month or so with a focus on touring DJs - mostly in the house and techno realms. This Friday, February 21 for the opening - catch Cassy, who’s held residencies at some of the most revered nights and venues in the world including Berlin’s Panorama Bar, Ibiza’s DC10 and New York’s Output. Head to facebook.com/TheFactoryAU for happenings and ticket info, but to win a double pass for the opening night, email: win@xpressmag.com.au. Cassy
CLUBBING: KING OF THE JUNGLE
FILM: ROOFTOP MOVIES
Future Music along with Frontier Touring and Mellen Events are searching for the King Of The Jungle for their mammoth safari festival lineup. Eight finalists will be competing for a DJ set at the Perth leg of Future Music Festival in what’s likely to be an epic showdown. Head to Parker Nightclub this Friday, February 21 at 10pm to witness all the action, but if you’re lucky, you might just win a Future Music merch pack, VIP entry for you and a friend to Parker, as well as a special Parker package. Email us quick at: win@ xpressmag.com.au.
If you haven’t ventured to Rooftop Movies yet you’ve got until Saturday, April 12 to check out whole bunch of films and special screenings and events. Melbourne-based Kinotopia will present two events next month where they’ll mix some silent films with contemporary soundtracks including Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid set to a soundtrack by Sigur Ros on Friday, March 7. For the full program and tickets head to: rooftopmovies.com.au and to win yourself a double pass for the rest of the season (excluding special events), email: win@xpressmag.com.au.
Gesaffelstein - playing at Future Music Festival
Photo by Jarrad Seng
Rainy Day Women
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33,560 OCTOBER 2012 MARCH 2013 - AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS
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FESTIVAL: NANNUP MUSIC TOUR: JOSH PYKE After a sold out national tour earlier this year and the release of a new album, The Beginning And The End of Everything, Josh Pyke will perform some intimate solo shows at the Quarry Amphitheatre, City Beach as part of the Live At The Quarry series. Take a picnic and BYO and get yourself tickets to his shows on Wednesday, March 12 and Thursday, March 13, which are on sale via Ticketmaster. We’ve got a double pass to giveaway for the second show on the Thursday, so to be in the running to win, email: win@xpressmag.com.au.
The 25th annual Nannup Music Festival takes over the town of Nannup from Friday, February 28 to Monday, March 3 with a huge array of artists and entertainment, food, market stalls, workshops and comedy for the whole family. This year you can catch the likes of Archie Roach, Castlecomer, Tigertown, Bill Chambers, Mama Kin and friends, Ben Salter and Jen Cloher - to name just a smidgeon! For the full lineup head to nannupmusicfestival.org and to be in the running to win a weekend pass for two (with a camping spot included) email: win@xpressmag.com.au. Archie Roach
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CABARET: FIFI MONDELLO’S A HARD MAN IS GOOD TO FIND Has your love life led you to the conclusion that there’s nothing left to do but cry and drink wine? Well let Fifi Mondello take you into her boudoir as she sings, dances and shares her dating misadventures. The show combines her love of ‘60s music, jazz and musical theatre as well as her own take on pop. It runs in Casa Mondo in The Pleasure Garden as part of Fringe World between February 20 to 23 at 11pm. To win a double pass to the show, email: win@xpressmag.com. au stating which date you’d like to attend.
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FLESH
NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS
NATASHA BOUCHARD The Secret Life Of Plants Having spent the last four years based in Canada, Natasha Bouchard performs one show only at The Odd Fellow this Saturday, February 22. BOB GORDON stops for a chat.
The Paper Kites
FROM THE STATES Straight off the wagon from last year’s cavalcade of national and US tours in support of their debut album States, Melbourne-based alt-folk band, The Paper Kites are set to hit the road for yet another national tour. Ranking in Rage’s top 50 music videos of 2013 for their single Young, the band will be playing their only Perth show at the Artbar at the Art Gallery of WA on Thursday, June 19. The band’s doleful compositions will make for the perfect evening of relaxed listening, so make sure you buy a ticket from Ticketek.
When you left, what were your expectations? I didn’t have any major expectations when I left; I was just excited to be starting my life again in a new city. I enjoy the challenge of creating something from nothing. My biggest hope was that I might have some fun and interesting adventures along the way. I know it’s a cliché but I really do try to focus on the journey, not the destination. Were they exceeded and in different ways than you thought possible? In general, I would have to say that my journey has turned out a lot more interesting than I could ever have imagined. I’ve travelled to so many amazing places and met so many kind and inspiring people along the way. In the last six months alone I’ve travelled all around Europe, performed on a train across Canada, from Toronto to Vancouver and back again and just before returning to Perth I spent some time in New York and played a couple of shows in Manhattan. I feel very lucky. What have been the key moments in the last four years – ones that have changed you? Getting to record with Pierre Marchand was a dream come true for me. Years ago I heard some tracks he had produced for Sarah McLachlan and an Irish singer named Colin Devlin and his production ideas really resonated with me. I got the idea in my head that I wanted to work with him, which in hindsight was pretty crazy considering he was an internationally famous producer and I was a fairly unknown artist in Perth, Australia with no money. It took me a while, but I somehow made it happen. Making this dream come true has helped to reinforce my belief that ‘anything you can imagine, you can do’. We worked on my track, Next Plane To Paris, at Pierre’s studio in country Quebec. It was such a great experience. And the best part about the experience is that it inspired me to bring the song to life and I took the next plane to Paris and ended up having an amazing adventure travelling around Europe
for a couple of months, which readers can hear all about on my blog (natashabouchard.blogspot.com). You met Paul McCartney in a Canadian studio. Did he have any great wisdom to impart? Nothing in particular, he was just excited to tell me that he had been to Perth and swam with dolphins in Mandurah. What impressed me about him the most is that he was very down to earth, a true gentleman. I also noticed that before he recorded, he had the studio filled with plants, so maybe it’s worth a shot, in case that’s the secret to writing hit songs (laughs). You’ve recorded a single and an album is on the cards for this year. What direction is it headed in? The plan is to collaborate with Pierre Marchand on a whole album. I really trust his ideas, so I’m happy for him to experiment with my songs and take them in a completely new direction. I really like the idea of incorporating electronic sounds into my music and moving away from the acoustic guitar. I’m open to anything. How does it feel to be back to perform a show in Fremantle? I’m so happy to be back in sunny Perth for a while; it was -30 degrees when I left Toronto. And I’m excited to be performing at The Odd Fellow - the new Norfolk Basement. I’ve always loved that venue but now they really have transformed it into something special.
Adriana Tegova
TEGOVA THE ASTOR Larry Carlton
HAPPY AS LARRY The scarlet walls of Perth’s own Astor Theatre will soon be reverberating with the iconic tone of Grammy Award-winning guitar god, Larry Carlton. The compositional mastermind behind some of the world’s greatest guitar riffs, from Steely Dan’s Kid Charlemagne to Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album, will be performing on Wednesday, May 28, from 8pm. Tickets available from Show Ticketing.
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News Win Flesh Music Beck Papa Vs Pretty, Eric Erdman Okkervil River Heaven’s Basement, Veludo New Noise Eye4 Cover: Pond The Darkside, Lone Survivor Nebraska, Le Week-End Proud To Be A Chef Arts Listings Salt Cover: Cassy News, Producer’s Cut, Salt Nights Out Skream, Brillz Club Manual Rewind: DJ Shadow Scene The National, Husky Local Scene Tour Tour Trails Don Walker Gig Guide Volume
This Saturday, February 22, will see the Astor Lounge host the melancholy mystique of Adriana Tegova alongside local acts, Velveteen, Death And A Cure and Lanark. The ex-All Eyes On Saturn frontperson has recently returned from time in Europe, working alongside Swedish producer (Lasse Mårtén of Lykke Li and Sarah Blasko fame) on her debut album. Tickets are available for $10 at the door.
COME SAID THE BAND Australian rock behemoths, Mondo Rock will be sending fans into retrophilic paroxysms of joy at the Regal Theatre on Sunday, June 22 as part of their 33 1/3 Anniversary Tour. The group behind such hits as Come Said The Boy and State Of The Heart, the pub rock veterans will be breaking their 24-year hiatus with the classic quintet lineup not seen since their Chemistry years. It will be a once-in-a-generation chance to see the band. Tickets available through Ticketek.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Melbourne-based folk pop quartet, Tinpan Orange is on tour promoting their new project, The Remix EP. The EP is a collaboration between red-headed frontperson, Emily Lubitz and three of Australia’s top producers to remix some of the band’s previous hits on Over The Sun. The Tinpan girls will be gracing our own Fly By Night on Saturday, March 22, alongside a solo performance from local act, Mama Kin. Tickets are available through the Fly By Night website or at the door.
Bobby Alu
ALU NEED TO KNOW Reggae frontman and Redfoo lookalike, Bobby Alu is back on tour with his band to support the release of the special edition 7-inch vinyl release of Skipping Stones, the single from the band’s most recent album Take It Slow. The Perth leg of the tour will begin on Friday, February 21 at Mojos and include Perth, Bunbury and Dunsborough dates, culminating in a two-day slot at Nannup Music Festival on Saturday, March 1. Tour dates and ticketing info can be found at bobbyalu.com.
TOBY OR NOT TOBY Last year saw local roots songstress, Toby take her stripped-back, doleful soul songs across the world, with a series of tours across Europe, Canada and the US. From Saturday, February 22 at Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle, Toby will begin a month-long series of shows across the Perth region, including the Nukara Music Festival on Saturday, March 15 and concluding with a show at the Indi Bar on Saturday, March 22. Ticketing info and a full list of tour dates is available at tobymusic.com.au.
BUILDING BRIDGES Funnier than a ginger alcoholic, more culturally relevant than an SNP debate and more jaded than the country’s economic outlook, Scottish comedian, Kevin Bridges will be kicking off his Australian tour at the Astor Theatre on Thursday, March 20. The relative new-comer has received high praise in the comic world and found fame from his guest slot on the first season of Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. Tickets are on sale via Show Ticketing.
ANARCHY AT THE ASTOR FRONT COVER: Beck’s new album, Morning
Phase is being released next week. Bob Gordon chats to him down the line from Los Angeles. SALT COVER: Cassy plays the opening of The Factory this Friday, February 21 in a warehouse in Welshpool.
With the riotous success of ticket sales for Sons Of Anarchy – An Evening With The Cast, the venue has been moved to the fully seated Astor Theatre to allow for fans to get another chance to snap up tickets for this event. All previously bought tickets remain valid for the new venue, though existing ticket holders looking to have an allocated seat must contact the Show Ticketing box office. The show remains on Sunday, March 30. Tickets available through Show Ticketing.
Kevin Bridges
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PAPA VS PRETTY United In Ambition Vocalist Tom Rawle discusses this Friday’s release of Papa Vs Pretty’s sophomore LP, White Deer Park, with AARON BRYANS ahead of their return gig at Mojos on Sunday, February 23. When Tom Rawle picked up a pair of drumsticks at the tender age of four, little did he know he was embarking on a musical journey that would result in record deals, ARIA nominations and national tours alongside bands such as Birds Of Tokyo and Kaiser Chiefs. Papa Vs Pretty began as Rawle’s stage name in 2006 leading to his debut EP, The Presence, which received strong airtime and was praised locally. “I still remember the first time that I really resonated with music,” Rawle says. “As a child I was always playing instruments. The one thing I noticed about music was the fact that you could do something that you love and progress things with it. You could explore cultural ideas and all sorts of things through the medium of it. That was the big appeal and always has been. It speaks to a part of you that I don’t think anyone understands, there’s like a weird mysticism with it.” Despite his solo success, Rawle teamed up with school friends Angus Gardiner and Tom Myers, evolving Papa Vs Pretty into a trio and steamrolling through Sydney’s local music scene, releasing two EPs and signing to Piece & Riot. “It just happened,” Rawle reflects. “I remember I was at school when I put out The Presence. I haven’t stopped doing that kind of stuff, I just want to find the right time and place for it. I’ve made several albums that I haven’t released, mainly because I don’t know what to do with them yet. The decision to move to a band scenario wasn’t so much a decision it was something that just happened. We left school and got asked to tour with Paul Dempsey pretty much our graduating year of school. He produced the Heavy Harm EP and so we went on tour with him after that. We wanted to be able to translate things live, so I started writing for that kind of scenario, and then we all started collaborating and it became what it is today, very organically, I guess. There was no real decision.” Heavy Harm was released in August, 2010, alongside a sold-out launch show at Sydney’s Spectrum. The EP was the final push the band needed, throwing the trio into national tours and festivals. It was during these tours that the band had the game-changing experience that thrust Papa Vs Pretty into the studios and begin work on their debut LP United In Isolation. “We got a call one morning to support Phoenix that night. We played at the Big Top and, at that time, we hadn’t played at anywhere like that before. It was this big venue. We thought it was great; and then we watched Phoenix and we realised we needed to step up. If you want to do great things you really need to work hard for it. It’s not just something that comes. There was that realisation that you can’t feel entitled, ‘cause nothing comes out of entitlement but boredom
and disappointment. That was the biggest lesson I’ve ever learned. You can never be satisfied but in never being satisfied is satisfaction anyway.” United In Isolation was a huge success for the band, being awarded 9/10 by triple j’s J-Mag as well as receiving an ARIA nomination for Best Rock Album and a nomination for triple j Album Of The Year. The album itself was praised for its mature themes, solid execution and strong production. “That record was written in a fairly short amount of time,” Rawle says. “I’d just finished and I’d just come out of a really heavy bunch of situations, and the only way I could really justify myself as normal was through the ideology that everyone is kind of alone no matter what they do. And that’s what that album was about, that kind of thought process. I don’t think that now but at the time that’s what I thought. It’s also a duality because everyone’s in their shell and kind of casing, which is everyone’s commonality. Depending on whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic they’re either swimming together or sinking together, it doesn’t matter what direction they’re going. That’s what the album title and a lot of the songs were about.” The band’s momentum skyrocketed, embarking on two years of touring including headlining shows and an appearance at Big Day Out 2012. By 2013, Papa Vs Pretty had begun recording their sophomore album, White Deer Park. In what was a lengthy creative process, the band recorded between three studios, working with 80 possible songs to eventually finalise and perfect 12 tracks. “There was a long demoing and writing stage and then recording at Studio 301 with Dave Trumfio who did Wilco and My Morning Jacket. After that we went to Forgotten Valley, which is a studio in the middle of the forest. We did a bunch of overdubs there. Then we went to Los Angeles and mixed it there in Dave’s studio. It was a really long process over a bunch of different locations, a lot of time and care and the most expansive amount of effort I’ve ever spent doing anything. Our actual creative output is a lot more then what is actually released. It’s about time and place, quality rather then quantity. For White Deer Park we wrote 80 songs for the album, kept 20 and then it became 12. The songs just had to start getting really good. You just don’t stop and keep going until they get better and better. We went through this process where if all of four of us weren’t really passionate about the song then we just didn’t play it. So everyone in the band had to be really behind the song and really want to do it. They end up being a lot better then they would be. That’s what a band is. It should be everyone’s collective talents come together to make something unique and special.”
Sophomore albums can make or break bands; with many failing to live up to the hype received from debut LPs. White Deer Park however; is one hell of a record; Papa Vs Pretty have grown artistically both in their composition and sound, a progression felt within the band. “It’s not radically different; it just feels like a progression. It’s more concise, I think, this record. United In Isolation had the tendency to meander a bit and go on tangents, this one does that a lot less. We’ve all been into ambitious music and ambitious artistic statements. The first album was overly ambitious in what it was trying to do; White Deer Park is probably less of that, because we’ve gotten better. You always try to get better and that’s what White Deer Park is meant to be anyway. It’s from this TV show called Animals Of Farthing Wood and it’s this place that all the animals are trying to get to; their salvation. That’s my earliest memory I had as a child, and I guess that’s kind of the idea.” The last year hasn’t just been about the release of White Deer Park. The trio – now a quartet with the inclusion of guitarist/keyboardist, Luke Liang - has also been active in the protest against the Great Barrier Reef dredging, releasing a montage video of official Great Barrier Reef footage alongside their track, To Do, from White Deer Park, to raise awareness of the national issue.
“The issue was something that was close to us as a band. A close friend of Gus’s (Gardiner, bass) is a marine biologist who works up there and she’s the one who gave us all the footage. I wouldn’t say that we’re a political band. I would say that I think we’re living in a time that’s becoming increasingly more narcissistic and callous. As a young person I find it difficult to imagine the future. Once upon a time when I was a kid, I had a rough idea of the future, but the way things are going, it’s very difficult to imagine a bright future and its not that I don’t think it can happen, but I think the only way it can happen is if people get angry about what’s going on and the generation that we’re a part of becomes an enlightened generation that does good not bad. “I think the stuff that’s going on in Australia, politically, seems to have a great lack of care and moral decency for the value of other people and the environment. It seems to have this grotesque amount of narcissistic unawareness. The song that we used on the reef video is based on this idea that once something dies it never comes back. I guess it’s that idea that if you let things slip and you become apathetic, it doesn’t come back, it generally just falls apart. As a society we’ve come so far and it’d be such a shame to drop the ball now.”
ERIC ERDMAN
pleasantly surprised with the strong crowd following he has begun to receive. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to go over but they’ve been very, very nice; very fond of it. It’s been a lot easier – either they really like my music or they’re very convincing liars.” Speaking of the tour, Erdman takes a conservative stance on the best way for musicians to market themselves, believing firmly in a grass roots approach to going out there and engaging with fans. “As far as I’m concerned it’s the only way. I think it’s essential to be in on the road and play as many gigs as you can. Get out there and actually see the people and interact with the people. Of course, in this day and age there’s a lot of downloads sold, but I’ve made more connections with fans and sold more by physically putting something in their hands.” Despite this, Erdman admits to using social media and the internet extensively when sharing ideas with other musicians. “With Skype and Facetime and all that it’s gotten a lot easier to collaborate with anybody in the world.” Erdman explains that, as a songwriter, the technology has been invaluable to his vagabond lifestyle. “With other musicians it’s mainly to write. I do a lot of songwriting with other people in the States, so there’s a lot of times when I can’t be in LA, or Nashville or Chicago, or something, but I have people there that I’m writing with constantly.” The battle of Erdman’s dual identity as both songwriter and performer is one that he negotiates frequently. To him, they are conflicting roles. “I’m an artist; I perform. That’s where I make the most of my living. But what I do most of the time is write songs. To me, as an artist, the idea is to hone in on a specific signature sound and never stray from it, but as a songwriter it’s the opposite of that thing.” However, Erdman is jokingly self-aware of his own capricious songwriting habits. “I guess if I was a child these days they’d say I have Attention Deficit Disorder and give me drugs to try and fix my brain. I guess for my own writing I get bored, if I just stick in one vein too long.” There’s no doubt that this restless spirit is the same driving force behind his mammoth Australian tour.
See The People Bearded hat aficionado and itinerant country singer, Eric Erdman is on a grand tour, travelling up and down Australia, alongside long-time friends and feisty folkers, Hussy Hicks. Catch him next Wednesday, February 26, at Mojos (solo); then with Hussy Hicks at Nannup Music Festival on Saturday-Sunday, March 1-2; Clancy’s, Fremantle on Friday, March 7; the Astor Theatre on Saturday, March 8, and Clancy’s, Dunsborough on Sunday, March 9. BOB GORDON reports. Catching Eric Erdman by phone on the east coast, he talks about the motivation behind his partnership with Hussy Hicks and the how he makes collaborations work halfway across the world. “ J u l z a n d Le e s a h ave a k n ac k fo r understanding where the song is going,” he notes of the Hussy Hicks honchos. “So what I’m saying is they can build the song into something it wasn’t beforehand but it’s not like they’re putting their fingerprint on it – as if it sounds like the Hussy Hicks – they just elevate the songs. They’re the facilitators.” The long-term partnership has seen both Erdman and Hussy Hicks collaborate for nearly half a decade with both artists performing and recording together in between regular tours. Erdman claims that this partnership was one of the reasons for the joint tour, though he laughingly admits to being 12
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BECK Face The Phase Beck’s new album, Morning Phase, is released next Monday, February 24. BOB GORDON speaks to him down the ‘line from Los Angeles. It’s been a while between drinks for Beck. His last album, 2008’s Modern Guilt, was followed by a sheet music-only release, Song Reader, in 2012, making it six years between physical releases for the Los Angeles troubadour. His new album, Morning Phase, is released this week but for the last month it has been universally praised, attracting five-star reviews from the likes of Mojo, Q and Rolling Stone. “It’s really encouraging,” says Beck of the warm welcome his new LP has received. “Believe me, I appreciate it. Otherwise you’re just making records for yourself. You wouldn’t have to release anything, you could just sit at home and make music and listen to it yourself. That’s not what you want. “I want to work on something and have what you were trying to do understood in some way. There’s plenty of times when I’ve tried to do
something and it missed the mark; where you don’t really hit what you’re trying to do. When it does work out, believe me, it’s very good indeed.” In this instance the genre-defying singer/ songwriter isn’t actually referring to unreleased misfires, but light of day stuff. “Sometimes with a record like Midnight Vultures (1998), maybe it’s not the correct thing to do,” he explains. “Or it comes out at the wrong time and it’s not really where people were at and it’s not quite understood. “So with this record I just kept working on it, ‘til it was complete. So you could hear it and go, ‘okay I get this’.” A broad, universal nature was installed into the songs written for Song Reader, encouraging a wide variety of people to play the songs themselves at home. The project, however, didn’t itself influence Morning Phase. “No,” says Beck. “Some of the songs were written before I finished that book. It’s a different kind of project because when I was writing the songs for the book I was thinking about everyone from a 12 year-old girl to a 75 year-old man. Somebody in Hong Kong and somebody in Sweden; the kind of songs that anybody could pick up and play. These were quite different in terms of resonating a kind of feeling; you’re trying to manifest a certain mood into the songs. This was very specific to my ways and what works with my voice.” With the five-star reviews has come the usual labelling. Mojo magazine described Morning Phase as ‘Beck’s ‘70s album’. He’s unmoved. “I think it’s all in the way you couch something. It’s maybe an older record by default because when you remove all the modern tropes and production techniques from any record right now it’s going to sound older. I removed things not out of a sense of nostalgia, but as an attempt to simplify. As far as the songs sounding ‘70s, the alternative is for it to sound like a modern, middle-of-the-road singer/ songwriter record. “I feel that earlier time had a vitality and a ruggedness. It was a kind of personal songwriting that I was trying to reach, but I very much wanted the album to have a modern sensibility in the way the recording sounds. I think that’s an easy thing to say; that anything with acoustic guitars and pianos is ‘70s, it’s like saying anything written with a pen is pre-typewriter (laughs). There’s no record exactly like this from the ‘70s, and if you played it next to a record from the ‘70s it doesn’t sound like one.
“I think that’s an easy thing to say; that anything with acoustic guitars and pianos is ‘70s, it’s like saying anything written with a pen is pre-typewriter (laughs). There’s no record exactly like this from the ‘70s, and if you played it next to a record from the ‘70s it doesn’t sound like one.”
“I’ve actually done that; I’ll take my songs and play them next to a James Taylor or John Martin song… it doesn’t sound anything like it. On purpose! I could have easily made it sound like an old record; taken out all the low end, it would have been a lot less hi-fi and airy sounding.” As it goes, some of the songs date back four or five years, with Beck revisiting them like old friends. “Well the song, Wave, was recorded in 2009. My Dad was working on a bunch of orchestral things and then I tried to give it to Charlotte Gainsbourg. You know, it’s been sitting around for years. “Something like Country Down I recorded in Nashville, then I re-recorded it in Los Angeles. Say Goodbye, I think I’d written that song years ago and I found the lyrics but I couldn’t remember the music. I went in the studio and just kind of improvised with the session musicians we had and it just kind of came out in one take. “Others were much more laboured; I spent a lot of time writing and rewriting and editing to try and find what the song was.” How closely do your completed songs come to the original sound or notion you have in your head when writing, or is that not important in the grander scheme of things? “I think in my head it’s always a bit more raw. A little tougher sounding, more ragged. As I work on it, it becomes a little sweeter, or something. I don’t know… Sea Change (2002) was meant to sound a lot more ragged and rough and loose. And it ended up being more of a piece of work. More crafted. Which I’m glad of, in the end. I like that.” With another album set for potential release this year, Beck refuses to play too much of a tug-of-war with his own music. He’s happy to be guided by it. “You only have so much control,” he notes. “I’m just trying to, most of the time, keep it away from being something that’s just typical or middle-ofthe-road. You can always walk in to a place and hear a record playing that sounds like 100 other records out there. I’m always looking for that quality that sets it off a little bit. A combination of something that sounds old and something from the future and something that just has an otherness to it. “I think that’s why I keep making records. It’s why any of us are still doing it, because we’re still trying to get it right.” 14
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OKKERVIL RIVER The Suitcase Lifestyle Okkervil River are best-known as the Austin, Texas, outfit who have a stranglehold on the lit rock movement. Their latest album, The Silver Gymnasium, finds frontman Will Sheff returning to his childhood town of Meriden, New Hampshire, where the core members of the band first met. CHRIS HAVERCROFT reports ahead of the band’s show at the Chevron Festival Gardens this Wednesday, February 19. The Silver Gymnasium finds Will Sheff reflecting on his time in Meriden during the 1980’s. Sheff describes Meriden as a village inside of a slightly larger town. With a population of only 350 people, it is still an economically diverse culture that Sheff suspects has something to do with the towns Prep School that he insists you could picture as a type of Dead Poets Society. The main characteristic of the town that shapes its culture according to Sheff is that it is not located off a major highway, so it hasn’t really changed all that much over the years. “It is really important that it is not on a main travel artery,” says Sheff about his hometown
and the subject of this latest collection of songs. “There is something special about that. I think about that with Perth, there is a romance to me about how isolated it is. It may not be an accurate depiction for people who live there, but it is interesting to think about the romance about how far away it is. The Triffids are one of my favourite Australian rock bands and the fact that they are from Perth could be why I extend fond feelings to the whole area.” The concept album, The Silver Gymnasium, is not only set in Sheff’s hometown, but it is also set in the period of his youth in 1986. When quizzed about the record he tips his hat to the spirit of pre-adolescence, and although it is certainly a nostalgic journey, that is not the whole of the attraction to Sheff. “I do have a fondness for the ‘80s as it was a time when I was a child. That is not necessarily why I did this record this way. To me getting really nostalgic about your own life is interesting in some ways but that is not necessarily the artist I want to be. For me I am more interested in what it means to chase down your obsessions what is nostalgia, what is the content at the centre of nostalgia and why do we feel that way?
“I try my best to write when I am on the road but it is very difficult. I find that if I am writing a song, it requires a certain type of sensitivity to very subtle modulations in the relations and a very complicated aesthetic. It is very difficult to do something that has subtlety and covers something deeper when you are constantly being bombarded by sensory information on a tour.”
“In some ways I am nostalgic about the ‘80s but in other ways there was a lot of bullshit about the ‘80s and it was a terrible time. I definitely romanticise it more than I should, but I wanted to write about why it is that I do that. When writing about a big theme like that it is better to write from your own experience than in a general way.” Okkervil River has been a regular visitor to Perth with more and more of the converted coming to see them on each trip. Sheff enjoys the travelling life of being a musician and considers himself lucky that he is able to have such a lifestyle. While living out of a suitcase is not an issue for him, the things that bother him about life on the road are not getting to see his nephews grow up, or not having the time to be able to write songs as much as he’d like. “I try my best to write when I am on the road but it is very difficult. I find that if I am writing a song, it requires a certain type of sensitivity to very subtle modulations in the relations and a very complicated aesthetic. It is very difficult to do something that has subtlety and covers something deeper when you are constantly being bombarded by sensory information on a tour. My whole sense of happiness comes about from whether I am feeling productive and that is why touring can sometimes get me down. Playing shows is productive in a sense, but it is kind of the difference between building a house and making a sandcastle. I really enjoy playing shows and it is important so I take the responsibility of being a performer seriously, but I do really like having something to show for my work.” Sheff treats albums in the same way that a designer views their whole summer collection or like an artist would see their paintings in a gallery, with the desire to make sure that what he creates is something that is layered and precious. He is not someone who would view art as being disposable, and tries to make this aesthetic filter through to the live show. “I put a lot of care and thought into the way that the stage looks but I am not into the instrument side of things so much on an Okkervil tour. I don’t want to plan it too much as I don’t want it to feel like it is a musical or something like that. I want it feel like a rock show, and for better or for worse I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I try to be a lot more intuitive about how the rock show is put together.” 16
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For more album reviews head to xpressmag.com.au
3.5
2
OUT OF 5
YOU ME AT SIX
SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS
Cavalier Youth Virgin
Give The People What They Want Daptone Recording Co/Shock
HEAVEN’S BASEMENT How To Get Here From There It took Chris Rivers, drummer with UK’s loudest export, Heaven’s Basement, 10 years, three band names, and seven ex-bandmates to finally make it down to Australia for the Soundwave festival, stopping by Arena Joondalup on Monday, March 3. SHANE PINNEGAR gets the full story. Formed in 2003 as Hurricane Party, the band released one EP before renaming themselves Roadstar the following year. Two albums followed before disbanding in 2007, then three quarters of the last Roadstar lineup returned the following year as Heaven’s Basement, and over the course of two EPs and last year’s excellent Filthy Empire album – and a couple more lineup changes – they’ve evolved into a formidable rock’n’roll beast. Drummer Chris Rivers agrees that 2013 was when everything finally gelled. “Yeah, definitely,” he says, “we had been on the road all year, touring both North America and Europe at the same time, really taking on the whole world in one go. Obviously that is extending with Australia for the first time and hopefully other parts of the world as well. So it was the perfect year, really.” Rivers says the band name and lineup changes were necessary to get where they are now. “The main difference with those bands,” he says with a deep breath, “The actual guys in the band were really cool, we got along really well but the organisation behind the scenes was not the best in terms of management and things like that. At the time we were a lot younger and naive to the way of the world and the way the actual music business works and stuff, so there was a lot of hindrance from that side of things. “We wanted to get away from all of that
VELUDO Young At Heart Veludo is the Portuguese term for ‘velvet’, which perfectly sums up the modern rock grooves of Melbourne’s Veludo. Frontman Gabriel Vargas tells SHANE PINNEGAR they’ll be playing tracks from their justreleased debut EP at the Rosemount Hotel this Friday, February 21, and Oakover Winery on Saturday, February 22. Veludo’s self-titled EP sees a huge progression in sound from the days when Gabriel Vargas, alongside guitarist Jason Millar (who played bass in those days) and drummer Leslie Stuart spearheaded Perth rockers Gasoline Inc. As the band relocated to Melbourne and players came and went, they realised their sound had evolved to a different place, and the next step was clear. “Jason started to experiment more with the electronic side of things, loops and samples and so on,” explains Varga of the resolutely modern feel to Veludo, which still retains the soaring choruses and rousing melodies that hint of Noiseworks, U2 and INXS, “And we pretty quickly realised that it wasn’t Gasoline Inc, and we couldn’t keep going as Gasoline Inc, and so we made that conscious decision to change the name and rebrand. It was a big leap but we had to realise that if we wanted to evolve, this is what we had to do. “A lot of times in the past I was sort of closed off to exploring those different genres and sounds, and once I let go of that close-mindedness,
and start fresh. Five guys, let’s go play some stuff and build it up from scratch, the way it should have been done the first place. “So that’s how Heaven’s Basement started, really, and it’s only me and Sid (Glover, guitar) left from the last version of Roadstar and all the others left before the start of Heaven’s Basement. Now we are obviously a four piece and we have Rob and Aaron (Ellershaw and Buchanan, bass and vocals, respectively), they were the final pieces of the jigsaw. “It is a case of the way the planets aligned really,” he continues, “For me, personally, Heaven’s Basement is a step up musically as well. Those bands were important in terms of getting experience and touring and things like that. It was all a step in the right direction for what Heaven’s Basement eventually became.” Rivers says Soundwave audiences should prepare themselves for an immersive rock’n’ roll show. “I think we’ll appeal to anyone who likes a live, energetic rock‘n’roll show,” he explains enthusiastically, “we are very much an old school mentality band in terms of our live show - it is just guitar bass, drums, vocals - it’s edgy and it’s unpredictable. There is nothing else apart from those instruments making the sound of the band. We are all about crowd interaction, so the more people that watch, the more off the hook it is going to be.”
immediately it started opening the doors for other stuff to come into the band, experimenting with different sounds and not being afraid to venture into that realm.” Vargas agrees that ‘Veludo’ may not be an obvious name for an Aussie rock band, but says that was the point. “Well I think that was the aim,” he laughs, “because Gasoline was such a literal term, when people heard that name I think they immediately had preconceived notions of what the sound should be. So we wanted something a bit more ambiguous, where people could sort of make up their own minds of what it meant to them.” A friendship struck up on tour in 2012 led to James Reid, singer with Kiwi band The Feelers, co-writing a track on the EP and laying down some vocals, explains Vargas. “We toured with The Feelers as Gasoline Inc in 2012, and I struck up a friendship with him in particular. They’re a great band and what they’ve done in New Zealand is kind of akin to what Powderfinger did here in Australia - every album they’ve put out has gone platinum.” A music video for Stay Young has been released to promote the EP, set in 1992 and full of kitsch reminders of that time, including a lot of dayglo. Vargas explains how the concept owes a debt to a Youth Group video featuring footage from Australia’s first skateboarding competition in 1975. “I started thinking about the song Youth Group did - that Alphaville song, Forever Young – the music video for that with the skateboarders. I remember my uncle at the time was in his 40’s and he said to me at that time, ‘Gab, I really love that song ‘cause the video takes me back to my youth’ and I really resonated with that. “So when it was time to do Stay Young I thought we could do the same sort of thing, but for kids that grew up in the early ‘90s. So we decided to set it in 1992, get all the props together, and it really tied in with the song nicely.”
OUT OF 5
The current queen of soul music is the dynamic and powerful Sharon Jones who waited until the age of 46 until the world caught on to the magic of her live shows and the recording contract that followed. Give The People What They Want is her fifth album. Give The People What They Want had its release delayed when it was discovered that Jones was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There was much treatment to be taken by the determined singer, but music was the last thing on her mind during this time. There were fears that Jones may not regain her voice, but in her inimitable style, she is determined to return to the stages and show her fans the next phase of Sharon Jones the person and performer. Jones may be in her mid-50s but she is as sassy as they come on the brass heavy anthems like the call to arms of Retreat and the smooth as silk We Get Along. The highlight of the album is Making Up And Breaking Up which is lighter in mood and tone than others here, but is a revelation in its playfulness. With Give The People What They Want is not the final album from Sharon Jones, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings have given us another high octane party record that is far more than a revivalist niche vanity piece.
An increased touring schedule and overcoming an almost break up culminated in the release of 2011’s Sinners Never Sleep, beefing up You Me At Six’s sound and proving the band were more than just another pop-rock act. Three years later and their latest release, Cavalier Youth has failed to capitalise on the growth and power of its predecessor. The album isn’t without its highlights. Singles Lived A Lie and Fresh Start Fever and the catchy Love Me Like You Used To bullseye the target, but for the most part the album is mediocre - an easy listen but without the confidence or risk taking we have come to expect from a You Me At Six release. After an album that was spiteful and dark, Cavalier Youth is anthemic, optimistic and hopeful. Tracks like Hope For The Best and Carpe Diem embody this sentiment, giving the album a youthful, carefree ambience. But expectation has a lot to do with why this album is enjoyable but only passable. While Sinners Never Sleep was full of risks, Cavalier Youth feels a lot safer, playing on what the band does well but without any real boldness. The result is a catchy and easily digestible album, yet not the standout record we were waiting for. There is evidence of growth and a handful of impressive tracks but overall Cavalier Youth isn’t a memorable release.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
GLORIA BRANCATISANO
4
4
OUT OF 5
OUT OF 5
CEO
TOM E. LEWIS
Wonderland Tough Alliance
Beneath The Sun Skinnyfish
“And I felt like I opened Pandora’s box…” says the voice opening Whorehouse, the first song on CEO’s second album. Prying open Pandora’s box is exactly what it feels like listening to Eric Berglund’s solo project, and much like the accompanying imagery, the album is bursting with kaleidoscopic colour. Berglund, originally one half of Sweden’s The Tough Alliance, has a way with synth-popping tunes, every moment of his music filled with the promise of lasting elation. Wonderland is emblematic of CEO’s energy, and if sound were image, this would be vibrant objects blurred by speed. It’s hard to pinpoint what’s so majestic about CEO – maybe it’s the way Berglund pastes together such a wide variety of samples without a hint of futility, creating a futuristic sound that maintains your undivided attention until the end. Or maybe it is Berglund’s understanding of light and dark ideals, worldly or otherwise, heard particularly on Mirage. Berglund tells prospective listeners these words of advice: You should listen to Wonderland “in a state where your identity and intellect are on a well needed holiday.”
Tom E. Lewis: ’70s star of The Chant Of Jimmie Blacksmith, ’80s stage and screen actor, ’90s worldtravelling jazz-didge virtuoso. With the kind of life he’s led, it’s no wonder the man has a natural ability for storytelling and heartfelt musical ability which can swing from country ballad to drunk ramble in the night. Beneath The Sun captures this beautifully and boosts Lewis’ natural talents with wonderful production, fleshing things out with brass and strings from Melbourne contemporary musician Erkki Veltheim. Opener Angels possesses the same confidence and swagger you would expect from a Springsteen song, while Can’t Change Your Name has Lewis hissing over banjo and striding guitar and bass lines. Cherie L’Amour provides the strongest dose of Lewis’ personal charisma. This is a refreshingly down-to-earth album that delivers skilful musicianship combined with earnest songwriting. DANIEL PRIOR
4
JESSE HAYWARD
OUT OF 5
4
OUT OF 5
CULTS CIRCLES Infinitas Bassick Records
Static Columbia/Sony
Melbourne progressive band Circles have stepped up to the plate in a big way and produced a debut album that expands magnificently on the ideas presented and explored on their EP of 2011, The Compass. Stylistically, these guys cannot lose. Their sound has such broad appeal it boggles the mind. This album can be brutally heavy when it wants to be, it soars into the stratosphere on a regular basis and injects an electronic vibe into proceedings in a strong but subtle manner. There’s also the occasional acoustic moment, a little middle eastern influence adding even further flavour to the mix and even a guest appearance from Kin from Twelve Foot Ninja. The musicianship on display on this album is absolutely exemplary, and the production values are right on the money. Made even more astounding by the fact that virtually the entire album is a DIY effort. Above all however, the songs are immaculate. These guys have got the delicate balance between heaviness, a progressive spirit and catchy melody down to an absolute tee. Best exemplified by stunning opener Erased, lead single Responses, On My Way and the incredible Visions. But really, there is not a single weak link to be heard.
New York City students Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion took respite from campus life by forming the duo Cults. After being championed by Lily Allen, their debut release in 2011 saw them quickly become one of the buzz bands around landing them a spot at Laneway Festival. The follow up Static finds the duo entering a new phase. While sonically it doesn’t differ dramatically from their debut, personally Follin and Oblivion are no longer dating. With the tunes unsurprisingly focusing on the couples bust up, playing these songs together must be its own form of misery for the duo and yet makes for a much stronger record. Having toured as a five piece, Cults have made a more layered and dynamic record than their debut. I Can Hardly Make You Mine has stronger and dirtier guitars than their usual bright pop fare, while Keep Your Head Up is made for fist pumping and dancing in the live setting. Oblivion may have forged a more slick set of backing tracks for Static, but it is Follin who makes the greatest strides replacing her coy voice with a much more confident and strong approach to rise above the static. Static is more of an exercise in heartaches than it is in hooks, which makes this a far more engaging listen.
ROD WHITFIELD
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
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Europe-bound in May, Pond join their Spinning Top labelmates AAA Aardvark Getdown Services, Felicity Groom, The Silents and DJ Lady Carla this Saturday, February 22, at the Chevron Festival Gardens. Last time Pond took to a stage was at this year’s Southbound, where they not only served up a joyous set of their own, but joined MGMT and Neil Finn onstage for a run through the latter’s Six Months In A Leaky Boat. While his bandmates revelled on the stage, singer/songwriter, Nick Allbrook, floated on top of the crowd in a rubber lifeboat. Jolly good times and no leaks… “Yeah that was pretty special,” he says. “I was kind of distracted from the happy moment by trying to keep myself alive and afloat in the rubber boat. Neil Finn was real friendly to us and we hung out a bit. I don’t know what he thinks about the music but it seems that he like to hang around with us. As people (laughs).” Pond’s sets at the 2013 St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and this year’s Southbound were both audiosonic fun affairs. Seems Allbrook’s got this festival caper sorted. “They’re pretty easy,” he says. “There’s less pressure because you’re yet another thing that scatters among people’s strange memories of whatever weekend they had. There’s not as much pressure as your own show.” Rather than launch into a six-month touring cycle upon the released of Pond’s most recent LP, Hobo Rocket, in August, Allbrook stayed home while several cohorts travelled the word with Tame Impala. Shows eventually played in support of Hobo Rocket were limited to a few headline shows in late 2013, the Falls Festival and Southbound. “It was just nice not to go and tour,” Allbrook explains. “And then we did play the shows later on.” Did those shows tie a bow on the Hobo Rocket era at all? “No, not really,” Allbrook considers. “A show is a show is a show, you just gradually slap on extra songs and unless you’re really dedicated to it and do a grand overhaul of the whole spectacle then maybe something would
Top s e t Ma be different. But we didn’t do that, we just added in the songs from that album.” Pond head into a different kind of festival experience this Saturday at the Chevron Festival Gardens, joining their Spinning Top labelmates for a night of doing what they do so well. Which could mean anything; not that he has any secrets to share… “I don’t think there’s any secrets. If there’s any secrets I don’t know what they are. I think it’s just what it says… there’s bands playing (laughs).” A new Pond album is due this year but is currently in the last throes of mixing and mastering. When asked in what ways it moves onward from , his description is delicious, yet oblique. “I guess it’s less obnoxious and shambolic,” Allbrook states. “It’s maybe even less consistent with itself.” As with this week’s front cover star Beck (see page 14) Allbrook has song ideas that he revisits over time... if he remembers too. “A lot of stuff I write ends up being like that. Sometimes I just write it and then completely forget about it for ages (laughs). Sometimes I write it and forget about it forever. I think I’ve done that with heaps of things. There’s demos that have been just lost, or thrown away.” Not too sentimental about what could have been, then? “I’m not sentimental at all,” Allbrook says. “If I didn’t have a desperate need to finish them or put them out at the time then I figure they mustn’t have really been that great. I try not to saturate a certain type of sound or sentiment I get into. Instead of writing a whole album around a certain aesthetic that I enjoy, it’s better to try and distil everything into one or two songs that make sense.” BOB GORDON
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NEW INITIATIVE FOR WA FILMMAKERS
FILM
Screenwest and ABC Arts Online are offering local filmmakers the chance to create a five minute documentary on a WA-based visual artist. Up to five two person director-producer teams will be selected, with the criteria included being aged under 35 and having at least one professionally produced short form credit (such as a music video or commercial). Applications close 5pm on March 10 and the production period is April 21 - June 30. Go to screenwest.com.au for all the details.
JOHN CURTIN HOSTS TWO JAPANESE EXHIBITIONS Currently on display at John Curtin Gallery are a pair of exhibitions that represent the bleeding edge of the Japanese avant garde. Ryota Kuwakubo’s The Tenth Sentiment is a unique installation piece in which a room full of everyday objects are illuminated by the headlights of a model train as it weaves its way among them, imbuing them with new meaning. Running concurrently is paramodelic- graffiti by Paramodel, aka Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano. Their work is a meticulous and detailed fantasy world constructed out of blue plastic train tracks and massproduced toys. Both are on display until April 17 as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. Go to johncurtingallery.curtin.edu.au for more info.
CARNEVALE TIME The sixth annual Carnevale Of The People’s Republic Of Fremantle touches down on Friday, February 28, at the Fremantle Markets at 7.30pm. The weekend starts with the traditional opening night parade along the cappuccino strip and the rest of the long weekend is packed with events, including The Children’s Carnevale on Saturday in Kings Square, masked chirigota musicians invading Freo’s restaurants on Saturday night and the Masked Costume Ball at Victoria Hall on Sunday night. Go to fremantlecarnevale.com.au for more.
LONE SURVIVOR American Martyrs Directed by Peter Berg Starring Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Eric Bana
The Tenth Sentiment - Ryota Kuwakubo
ROCK OUT WITH YOUR FROCK OUT Perth Fashion Festival presents a weekend-long extravaganza of fashion and fun. From Friday, February 21, until Sunday, February 23, Enex 100 plays host to Festival Of Frocks, featuring a pop up frock shop, plus makeup workshops, special guests MONSTROUSLY and more. Featured labels include Ruth Tarvydas, Ange Lang, Garth Cook, Betty Tran, Steph Audino, ENTERTAINING Zhivago and Jomay Cao. Australia’s very own horror film festival is coming to town! Monsterfest hits Luna Palace Cinemas this March, starting with an opening night screening of REGIME CHANGE the roller derby/horror mash-up, Murderdrome, which Issue three of Regime, Perth’s magazine of new screens at Luna Outdoor on Thursday, March 27. The writing, is shipping now. Featuring 186 pages of frightening fun continues until Wednesday, April 2, poetry prose and performance writing, this issue with The Search For Weng Weng, Chocolate Strawberry includes contributions from Andrew Taylor, Gail Vanilla, short film festival Trasharama and more! Go Willems, Roland Leach, Shey Marque, Ian Nichols, Jude to lunapalace.com.au for session times and ticketing. Bridge and more. You can purchase a copy for $20 including postage from regimebooks.com.au. Murderdrome, screening at Monsterfest
Right up until its final sequence, Lone Survivor mostly works as a true (ish) military drama, as long you can ignore the political context of the events. It’s only in the final few minutes that director Peter Berg’s film drops all pretense of being anything other than a propaganda piece, albeit a very well made one. Your enjoyment hinges entirely on how well that sits with you personally. A four man US Navy SEAL Team, including Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), upon whose book the film is based, is tasked with the assassination of a Taliban leader in the mountains of Afghanistan. Rumbled by a small group of goatherds during the reconnaissance phase of their mission, Luttrell and his squad-mates (Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster) deliberate on whether to let the civilians go - knowing there’s an excellent chance they will shop them to the enemy - or kill them and continue on (to be clear, the real Luttrell has insisted that no such argument took place). They decide on the former course, which drops the four of them right in the meat grinder.
Lone Survivor is a very well made film - Peter Berg, even when he’s making forgettable trash like Battleship, at least makes very good looking forgettable trash. He’s also a military fetishist on par with Michael Bay, so if all the gear, guns, machines and jargon gets your motor running, you’ll be well served by what’s on display here. Wahlberg and the rest of the cast acquit themselves well - in particular, Foster, playing sniper “Axe” Axelson, gives an especially nuanced turn - and the scenario and action are inherently suspenseful. But make no mistake, this is still propaganda. Berg’s film doesn’t just humanise the SEAL Team, it lionises them. To Berg, these men are like figures from Greek Heroic Age, not just professionals but the absolutely apex of human achievement. They are smarter, tougher, braver, more honourable and decent than mortal men. They even die better than us; in the running battle that takes up most of the film, Afghani insurgents drop in their dozens, a single bullet from our American heroes sending them to their reward. When a SEAL buys it, it’s in glorious slow motion that’d make Peckinpah proud, pierced in a dozen places with bullet hole stigmata. Forget Truffaut’s assertion that there are no anti-war films; Lone Survivor is a veritably hymn to the glory of service. Ultimately, Lone Survivor is too cloying and too obvious in its aims, although it’s certainly hard to tell whether those aims are born out of naive admiration or cynical audience manipulation. Berg wraps up his film with a series of images of Luttrell’s actual unit, set to Peter Gabriel warbling a cover version of David Bowie’s Heroes. If that sounds a bit to on the nose, best steer clear. TRAVIS JOHNSON
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NEBRASKA Monotone Meanderings Directed by Alexander Payne Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squib, Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk A mail scam that fools an old man into believing he’s won a million dollars is the triggering incident for another of director Alexander Payne’s (Sideways, The Descendants) meditations of family, aging and regret. That, of course, is the problem - we’ve seen this before, only in colour, and Payne’s dour worldview is beginning to grate. Which isn’t to say there’s nothing of value to be found here. Strong performances abound, particularly from counterculture icon Bruce Dern, now nearing in on 80, as the taciturn, cantankerous Woody and Will Forte as David, his put-upon, exasperated son. Also great is June Squibb, a journeyman performer whose winning turn here as Kate, Woody’s tell-it-like-it-is wife, generates most of the laughs and attracted an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Stacy Keach and Bob Odenkirk are as dependable as ever, the crisp, black and white cinematography is great and so far the critical plaudits have been nigh-on unanimous which, frankly, is a bit baffling. The key problem with Nebraska is that Payne really seems to hold his characters in contempt. One could argue that screenwriter Bob Nelson may 20
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have had different intentions but his story, having passed through the lens of Payne’s prejudices, drips with disdain for its small town milieu and the people that inhabit it (Perhaps tellingly, Payne spent his childhood in Omaha, Nebraska. Is this film the arch judgment of a small town exile on the people who spurned him?). This misanthropy has marked all of Payne’s works to one degree or another - Election, his first major film, is a bleak, albeit deeply funny, indictment of ambition and power - but in his best stuff, like Sideways, has been balanced by a kind of resigned affection and empathy. There’s very little of that on display this time around. Nebraska’s characters are petty (a borrowed air compressor, never returned, is a key plot point), ignorant (almost everyone takes Woody’s non-existent windfall at face value) and vindictive (Woody’s old business partner, played by Keach, is the prime example here). He’s always walked the line, but Payne has crossed from portraiture to caricature this time, and it’s all a bit too ugly. Worse, it’s pretentious - a culture vulture’s condemnation of rural grotesques. Rambling, mean-spirited and smug, Nebraska has little to recommend it beyond its excellent central cast - and even their performances can do little to humanise their roles in the face of puppetmaster Payne’s withering disdain. It’s a film about small town life for people who would never deign to spend time in a small town. There is no love here; the closest approximation is pity and that, frankly, is insulting. TRAVIS JOHNSON
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THE DARKSIDE Australian Ghost Stories Directed by Warwick Thornton Starring Debra Mailman, Bryan Brown, Aaron Pedersen, Claudia Karvan, Sacha Horler They’re not particularly common, but anthology films are particularly easy to judge if you take a mathematical approach: tally up the number of individual stories and, if more than half of them are good, then so too is the overall movie. It’s a bit graceless, but it works. Using that simple system, this latest offering from Warwick Thornton, who gave us the heartbreaking Samson And Delilah back in 2009, gets a nod, but it works on other, less base levels too. Combining oral traditions and filmmaking, The Darkside is a collection of ghost stories told directly to camera by an impressive cast of Australian performers. Prior to filming, Thornton and his team put out the call for Indigenous supernatural tales, culling the 150+ submissions they received to 13 and workshopping those into the direct-to-camera monologues we are presented with. What sets The Darkside apart is that it is resolutely not a horror movie. While some of the stories we’re told are disturbing - the idea of restless spirits haunting the National Film And Sound Archive, formerly the Australian Institute Of Anatomy and used to house the remains of countless Indigenous people who were never returned to their people or country is particularly chilling - Thornton’s film is more concerned
with examining our relationship with the notion of the supernatural and otherworldly than making us jump out of our seats. Many of the stories are comforting, depicting relatives and loved ones returning and letting the bereaved know that they are not suffering. There’s a matter-of-factness to the proceedings that is refreshing, a kind of understated acceptance of the unknown. Indeed, there’s a good chance that any given viewer’s appreciation of the film will depend heavily on their own ideas about the afterlife or the absence thereof. Certainly, these stories are presented as factual, or at least truthful to the teller. This is also a resolutely Australian film. While the stories themselves are concerned with Indigenous supernatural experiences, Thornton has cannily enlisted both Indigenous and Caucasian actors to act as his orators, casting the project in a more inclusive light and inviting non-Aboriginal viewers to share in the experience. Additionally, the stories are told in a variety of locations - a campfire, a marina, an empty outback barroom, a veranda each archetypal Australian places, which works to reinforce the idea that these are our stories, not someone else’s. At once provocative and grounded, The Darkside is a singular cinematic experience that reflects Australia’s complex and diverse attitudes to matters of faith. Entertaining and thoughtful, it’s well worth your time. TRAVIS JOHNSON
The Darkside screens as part of The Lotterywest Festival Films season at Somerville from February 24 - March 2. Director Warwick Thornton will introduce the film and participate in a postscreening Q&A session on opening night. For more details, head to perthfestival.com.au.
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WARWICK THORNTON Tales From The Darkside For acclaimed director Warwick Thornton, the desire to make The Darkside, a kind of oral anthology of Indigenous Australian ghost stories, came from reasons both personal and cultural. “I’ve always been interested in ghost stories,” he explains. “I love movies about ghosts and all that sort of stuff. I hate that sort of torture porn with women being chopped up in bikinis and all that but I really like intelligent kind of ghost stories and felt empowered by that.” But the Indigenous filmmaker also has a keen awareness of the important role that the supernatural plays in his heritage, and that also informed his artistic choices. “Being Aboriginal and from Alice Springs, it’s been part of my life - my ancestors, the country I live in. We believe that the spirits are around us all the time and, when you walk through the bush, the trees are watching you and the rocks and all that stuff. So it’s something I really enjoy thinking about, it’s something I enjoy watching - when it’s done well- so I wanted to create something really simple, really beautiful that showed our spirituality and our connection to history, connection to ancestry that Indigenous people have.”
To that end, he put out an open call for stories he might use through a number of avenues, including the ABC and regional newspapers. “We wanted firsthand ghost stories so we could get rid of all the urban myths which are out there, of which there are a lot of. We wanted real personal stories. At first they just trickled through and then there was a bit of a flood. Some are absolutely amazing, some were really boring, so we just did a gentle culling process, looking for those stories that might have that connection to family that we wanted.” What he found was that the stories that came in were not necessarily scary in the normal sense, but spoke to a certain faith in the uncanny that provided some measure of comfort. “Totally, absolutely.” he affirms. “When we did the call out, when we were first looking for the stories, I said ‘the scarier the better,’ but what I was really wanted was that connection that family has, because that’s universal, in a sense - it’s not an Indigenous speciality. We all have ghost stories, we all have had a friend die or a family member and, the night after they’ve died or the night after they’re buried, you’re kind of looking for signs - that’s kind of universal to all cultures. I felt that was a connection that everybody has and it could be really beautiful to look at. “It’s just that simple question, ‘Is there anything after?’ - you know what I mean? When your ticker stops, is there anything more? Maybe you do get to come back and say g’day to your mates at the pub - but you can’t drink!” he laughs. TRAVIS JOHNSON WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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PROUD TO BE A CHEF 2014 Recipe For Success Three of Western Australia’s top apprentice chefs will go head-to-head in a culinary cook-off later this month in the Fonterra Proud To Be A Chef 2014 competition.
LE WEEK-END Love Will Tear Us Apart Again. Directed by Roger Michell Starring Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum “Do we mean love, when we say love?” questions Nick as he stands by his long time wife, looking at the headstone of Samuel Beckett. Le WeekEnd is not your typical love story. It is complicated and introspective in its examination, yet maintains a sense of irreverent fun. It questions whether passion alone is enough - and even if it is, will it necessarily lead to happiness? In a desperate attempt to rekindle their love, Nick (Jim Broadbent) and Meg (Lindsay Duncan) return to Paris, the city where they celebrated their honeymoon 30 years previously. Yet everything has changed. Not only has the hotel where they initially stayed lost its charm, but after kids and careers they no longer seem the same people who first fell in love with each other. Instead of bringing them together, Paris may actually force them apart. Broadbent and Duncan both do very well in this verbal knife fight about passions cared for and thwarted. After such a stretch of time both characters are very aware of the others failings and weaknesses, and occasionally take great pains to exploit it. Broadbent wears a characteristic hangdog expression and brings a wonderful sense of self-deprecation to the character of Nick. Brilliant but unable to live up
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to his potential or his leftist leanings, there is genuine pathos displayed in scenes of him drinking and listening to the music of his past. Lindsay Duncan, by comparison, appears more in control, mercurial and defiant. With her family leaving home, she is considering her options and wondering about radical change. There is also a show-stealing performance by Jeff Goldblum. Using all his usual acting tricks, his turn as a character with a desperate need to be loved produces some hysterically funny scenes. Roger Michell directs a comedy that is more than just a chunnel train away from his previous work on Notting Hill. At times the film bleak and filled with a sense of melancholy, at others it is wildly exuberant and rebellious. There is an overwhelming sense of fragility about this movie, that with the relationship on a knife’s edge it could easily go either way, and as such it is wonderfully unpredictable with each new moment becoming a surprise. Set against the backdrop of Paris, surely the epitome of idealised romance, each dose of reality rings like a clarion bell, emphasising that it may be such mundanities that spell the end for Meg and Nick’s relationship. Unfortunately, though, it is hard to imagine an audience for Le Week-End. Intelligent, witty and well acted it may be, but in its almost caustic approach to romance it may alienate more than a few. However, if you have had your fill of hearts and flowers on Valentine’s Day, then this razor sharp comedy on how frail and precious love truly is may be just the ticket. DAVID O’CONNELL
Michelle Bonetti (from hip inner city eatery Print Hall), Ashlee Carter (from luxe Margaret River restaurant Voyager Estate) and Morgan Keyte (from leading seafood establishment Mosmans) are among 32 young chefs from across Australia who have scored coveted places in dairy giant Fonterra’s Proud To Be A Chef program. From February 23 to 27, the finalists will be wined and dined at award-winning Melbourne restaurants and take part in master classes delivered by world-leading chefs and industry experts. At the end of the week, one standout budding chef will receive a major prize of $7500 to spend on an international culinary paid placement, tailored to their individual aspirations as a professional chef. Fonterra Proud To Be A Chef coordinator Carolyn Plummer said competition applicants were evaluated based on their demonstrated passion and commitment to the food service industry, as well as their goals, aspirations and the original recipe they submitted. “It is a tough process narrowing it down to the final 32, but we are very happy with our selections and we had an incredibly high standard of entrants this year,” she said. For Morgan Keyte, being named a finalist in the competition takes him one step closer to his goal of becoming a head chef by the time he turns 25. “I chose to start my apprenticeship in cookery because there is no other job I can imagine doing – food and cooking has always been my passion,” he said. “Every time I go to work I feel like it is paradise, it’s a place where I belong and I enjoy cooking for others.” Likewise, Ashlee Carter is hoping the allexpenses paid trip to Melbourne may open doors to a new career on the east coast. “I’m really looking forward to travelling to Melbourne and getting so much knowledge and
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Last year’s winner Jacob Hoskin (Victoria)
experience from the mentor chefs,” she said. “I hope to work in Melbourne or Sydney in the near future.” While Michelle Bonetti, a self-proclaimed relative newcomer to the world of cooking competitions, is the first to admit the experience is likely to be nerve-racking, her lifelong love of food is sure to stand her in good stead. “I grew up in a family that loved food – from growing fruits and vegetables, butchering our own meat or cooking a meal – food was a very big part of our lives,” she said. “I knew from a young age it was what I wanted to do.” Keyte, Bonetti and Carter will have to impress a panel of judges from top restaurants and Fonterra with their signature dishes to be in with a fighting chance for the final prize. Carter said she was hoping to win the judges over with a 30-second blue vein sponge with popping mulled wine pears, baked white chocolate crumb, yoghurt chard and hazelnut and chocolate pearls. Keyte said he would be cooking a sous-vide lamb backstrap with carrot spheres, pan-fried potato and shallots, basil foam with fig-honey sauce and rocket vinaigrette. Bonetti said she was planning to serve up pan-fried barramundi with brandade, beurre blanc, apple, asparagus and watercress. JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD
Keep up to date with the competition by clicking ove r to fa ce b o o k . co m / p ro u d to b e a c h e f o r fonterrafoodservices.com.au.
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Year 12 Perspectives: The Art Gallery Of Western Australia This annual exhibition of the best work that our graduating Year 12 arts students have to offer runs from February 26 - May 5. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for further information. Drawing Matters: Spectrum Project Space A collection of unique drawing works from artists Nola Farman, Marie Haass and Angela Stewart. It runs from February 28 - March 21. Go to ecu.edu.au for more details. The Finishers, Alliance Francaise French Film Festival 2014
Sigrid Thornton, A Streetcar Named Desire - Image by Robert Frith
VISUAL ARTS 2013 Bankwest Art Prize: Bankwest Place The exhibition of all the finalist pieces for this prestigious annual award, including works by Rachel Coad, Penny Bovell, Susanna Castleden, Thea Constantino, Penny Coss, Jo Darbyshire, runs until March 3. Go to bankwest.com.au for more.
The Refusal Of Time: PICA This video and sculpture installation by William Kentridge sits at the crossroads of industrialisation and colonialism, combining theatre, drawing, music, film, dance and animation. Presented by PICA, Perth International Arts Festival and the Art Gallery Of Western Australia, it’s on display until April 27. Go to perthfestival.com.au for details.
A Private View - Modern Masters From The Kerry Stokes Collection: The Art Galley Of Western Australia 26 paintings drawn from one of the most significant private art collections in Australia, representing the major art movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It runs until March 3. Go to artgallery. wa.gov.au for further information.
Cabinets Of Curiosities: Per th Centre for Photography Connie Petrillo’s latest exhibition of autobiographical work casts a withering look at the exploitation of children by mass media and asks hard questions about they ways in which childhood is represented in our culture. It runs until March 16. Go to pcp.org. au for further information.
Bali - Return Economy: Fremantle Arts Centre A diverse exhibition focusing on Australia’s relationship with Indonesia as well as showcasing pieces from some of the most extensive collections of Balinese art in Western Australia. It runs until March 27. Go to fac.org.au for details.
Ukiyo-E - Japanese Prints Of The Floating World: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery An exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints from the collection of Ronald and Catherine Berndt. It runs until June 28. Head over to lwgallery.uwa.edu. au for details.
THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE
most outré, avant-garde live acts. It runs until February 23. Go to fringeworld.com.au for the full programme and ticketing.
Summer Nights: The Blue Room Theatre Presented as part of Fringe World 2013, this incredible program of theatre and dance runs until February 22. 32 different shows will be presented, including Squidboy, She Was Probably Not A Robot, Gym & Tonic, Run Girl Run and more. Plus, there’ll be encore seasons of the great puppet show, Bruce, and the incredible allegorical play, Great White. Head to blueroom.org.au for further information.
Emergence Creative Festival A three day themed event based on “the currency of creativity,” this conference for creative professionals runs in Margaret River from February 19 - 24, with guests and speakers including PJ Bloom, Mark Herbert, Jonathan Kneebone and Eric Phu. Go to emergencecreative.com.au for further information.
The Rocky Horror Show: Crown Theatre It’s Time Warp time again when this 40th anniversary production of Richard O’Brien’s essential cult show rolls into town. Featuring Craig McLachlan as the irrepressible Dr Frank N. Furter, this is one of the must-see shows of the year! It runs until March 9. Go to crownperth.com.au for details. A Streetcar Named Desire: State Theatre Centre Sigrid Thornton stars as Blanche DuBois in Black Swan State Theatre Company’s production of Tennessee William’s classic tale of delusion and desire. From March 15 - April 6. Head to bsstc.com.au for session times and tickets. Green Porno: Perth Concert Hall Isabella Rossellini presents her new, wonderfully weird, one-woman stage show for one night only on Wednesday, March 19. Screen icon Rossellini takes us on a strange journey through the mating habits of a variety of terrestrial and aquatic animals, which should prove interesting. For info and tickets, head to ticketek. com.au.
Perth International Arts Festival Perth’s biggest celebration of art, film, music, theatre, dance and culture runs until March 1. Head to 2014. perthfestival.com.au for the full program. Avon Valley Vintage Festival Over the Labor Day weekend, the Northam Recreation Centre will host a wide variety of stalls , exhibitions and activities, including antiques and collectibles, with contributors including the Avon Valley Vintage Vehicle Association, the Army Museum Of WA, the Vintage Cycle Club Of WA and more. It runs from March 1 - 2. go to avoneventsandmarketing.com for more. Alliance Francaise French Film Festival 2014 So Frenchy, so chic! The greatest Gallic film festival is just over the horizon, once again bringing Perth cineastes the finest of filmic treats. It runs at Cinema Paradiso from March 18 - April 6. Go to affrenchfilmfestival.org for details. To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via
FESTIVALS
localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au
Fringe World More than 450 shows across over 60 venues, encompassing traditional entertainment forms and the
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SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND Regularly spinning upstairs at Berlin club, Berghain, Catherine Britton aka Cassy is about to open Perth’s newest underground club, The Factory this Friday, February 21 at a warehouse ‘rave’ space located at Unit 2/203 Star St, Welshpool. MARISSA DEMETRIOU gets the lowdown. With residencies at some of the most revered nights and venues in the world; Berlin’s Panorama Bar, Ibiza’s DC10 and New York’s Output to rattle off a few, Cassy has made a distinctive mark in the world of house and techno. Then there’s the tour schedule that sees her playing to chin strokers and trainspotters one night and a festival appearance the next, but there’s a definite answer for what’s in store in 2014. “To make lots of music, to concentrate on making music, especially starting now,” she says, before explaining her next
moves will take her everywhere from South America to Europe and the US for a trail of shows. The idea of bouncing between continents while trying to “concentrate on making music” may be somewhat at odds for most, but travel is something Cassy has integrated into the creative process. “Travel helps me keep my mind and attitude fresh. It’s such a privilege that if I had two crap gigs in a row, I wouldn’t get down because look at my life, I get to do what I love, and I get to see the world. I love being on planes and trains actually, I like being in between places, it just calms me. I think I’m really lucky” she laughs. When it comes to making music, previous releases have come via prestigious labels such as Perlon and Cocoon, then there’s her wildly successful mix for the Fabric series last year. Cassy also happens to be the founder of her own eponymous label, which served as a vehicle to release, by her own admission, music her way. “I only did the label because I was doing tracks back
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then that I couldn’t give to anyone to release, because people thought they were too strange or weird. So I would just release them myself so I don’t have to answer to anyone but myself,” she laughs. It would be impossible to think of Cassy and not have vinyl spring to mind, having beautifully mastered the art form that is slowly but surely becoming a rarity in the digital age. While she accepts the inevitable change and progression technology has brought to dance music, Cassy concedes spinning vinyl pushes her more creatively. “When I hear [people] play just vinyl, I just notice that they play far better and the same goes for me, the sets are always more interesting... It’s just when you DJ vinyl it challenges you more... In the moment you’re far more sensitive to certain things that you’re not when you just play files,” she explains. The Factory is open every second month (or so) between 7.30pm and midnight. It’s licensed (18+) and you need photo ID. Dress: casual. For happenings head to: facebook.com/TheFactoryAU.
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BRILLZ Twonk It One of the latest additions to Kill The Noise’s Slow Roast label, DJ/producer Brillz is venturing from LA to Australia for his first headline tour. He spoke to TOM KITSON about what the term ‘twonk’ means ahead of his visit to re-open Ambar this Friday, February 21. Making a name for himself in trap and EDM, Brillz is a self-described late bloomer despite having a deep love of party-starting music. “In January 2012 I was saying that I really wanted to start a project and guys were asking me why I waited so long to do it,” he says. “I really like how I can create something that can be immediately shared with other people through Soundcloud and social media; there’s no filter and the drive to create is something I was born with I think. “What’s really driven me with the Brillz project is how connected we all are through the internet, so I can get my stuff out there right away and interact with people, which is really exciting.” While strongly influenced by artists like Kill The Noise and Bro Safari, Brillz still brings his own distinctive ideology along.
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“The biggest influence I’ve had so far is Kill The Noise, who’s a good friend of mine,” he explains. “He put out my first record Twonk on his label Slow Roast and they were the first guys to give me exposure. I’m really grateful for that and the chance to learn from him and see the way he goes about his music.” His synth-driven, drop-laden beats exemplify the self-coined term ‘twonk’, the title of his first album and a vibe continued on his latest remix album, Retwonked. “The term ‘twonk’ is about creativity, energy, quirkiness and you can’t quite put a finger on it,” he says. “I think it’s a fun, high energy idea that anyone can identify for themselves.” Utilising internet and software capabilities, Brillz and many producers now work within minimal confinements and are taking a simplified, unorthodox production approach. “I produce a lot on the road as my set up is 90 per cent laptop-based, and I’ll usually do my own mastering on tracks,” he says. “I found out some tunes I really liked had just been mixed and bounced straight out of Ableton then released, so sometimes I’ll take that approach too.” Hip hop tune OG Bobby Johnson by Que and Tomsize’s remix of Raveology by DVBBS & VINAI are two tunes he’s loving to play out and hear in sets of late; further exploring the hip hop and dance music collision. “If I was on the same lineup as guys like Bro Safari, Baauer and Flosstradamus I’d have no songs to play,” he says. “But they all say just go ahead and play those songs, which I think sums up the vibe of the music and how we’re all keen to help each other out.”
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NICE THINGS IN LIFE
HIP HOP BATTLE
Disco-fried house DJ/producer Damiano Von Erckert out of Cologne, Germany is heading to Perth for a show at the Hellenic Club next week on Friday, February 28. With a varied taste in soul, hip hop, funk, Afrobeat and disco, he’s releasing a four-track EP, Giant Pandas And Other Nice Things In Life next month, so he’s bound to be dropping a few tracks off it. Local support will come from Good Company’s Andrew Sinclair along with Jeffrey Annert and Maria Mendes. Get your tickets for this one via Ticketbooth.
The hip hop competition, Australasian Beatmaker Invitational, have selected the state’s finest producers who’ll be showcasing their beats to judges and a live audience, including DJ HouseShoes (Detroit’s hip hop ambassador). In the WA final catch Dazastah, Creed Birch, Mat Rafle, Paulie P, Demilo, WallaC, Phries and Rubba Band Beat Makers all competing for a stack of prizes from AKAI, Crooks & Castles, Monster, Acclaim, Feit and more. So get down to the Rosemount Hotel this Sunday, February 23 to see the challenge.
Damiano Von Erckert
DJ HouseShoes
HOUSE WAVES
KING OF BASS
Chicago house legend Derrick Carter is heading back to Australia and dropping by Perth to play a set at Geisha on Friday, March 7. He’s widely acknowledged as one of the best DJs in the world with innovative productions, flawless technical skills and one of the key players in Chicago’s house music wave in the ‘90s. Get your fix of old-school disco, soul, jazz and whatever else is taking his fancy. Tickets on sale from eventbrite.com.au.
King of Australian bass, Nick Thayer is returning to Perth for a Force Majeure show at Ambar on Friday, March 14. Since signing with Skrillex’s OWSLA label a few years back, Thayer has blown up around the world, working with Skrillex, Tommy Lee and remixing the likes of Fall Out Boy and Old Dirty Bastard. Support on the night comes from Elk Road, Black & Blunt, Tee EL, Slykidd and Casuel. Get your presale tickets from the Boomtick shop.
Derrick Carter
Nick Thayer. Photo by Alex Vndr
PRODUCER’S CUT
Most life-changing musical experience? Hahaha I dunno! There’s so many. Kanye at Big Day Out, Hermitude pretty much every set they have ever done, and I always love watching Indian Summer.
Saxon Ames and Christopher Caravella of DeadWeight! give us the best new bass tunes doing the rounds. AXH Destroy TEMPA
DIZZ1 Real Bad Gyal Tru Thoughts
Weirdest thing that’s happened to you while performing? My drunk friend trying to put his USB into the DJ mixer... lemon.
American newcomer AXH drops his first major release on veteran label TEMPA (home to J:Kenzo, Youngsta, Icicle and more). It’s a rolling, churning tribal rhythm affair reminiscent of Gantz’s recent output on Deep Medi. Once the distorted mid-bassline comes in you know it’s on. This one is for the darkest deepest dancefloors!
Melbourne-based beatmaster Dizz1 drops his first EP for Tru Thoughts ahead of his album, due later in the year. While the title track features Aloe Blacc of I Need A Dollar fame, it’s straight to Real Bad Gyal for us, featuring the vocal styling of UK rude girl and long time Bug collaborator, Warrior Queen. An organic 90 BPM bass heavy, modern dance music compatible dancehall riddim that’s a true weapon inna di dance!
WEN FT. RIKO DAN Play Your Corner Keysound Recordings
If there’s anyone we recommend keeping an eye on in the future, it’s London upstart and DeadWeight! homeboy Wen, who is flipping ‘new’ grime scene on its head with his spaced-out, sub-heavy style. Play Your Corner with grime legend Riko Dan’s vocal stylings over the top of Wen’s spacious, eastern sample-laden grime instrumental, is set to become a classic and a benchmark for the next generation of bass producers.
FLAVA D Robot Independent via Bandcamp
Thankfully last week, in response to the growing demand for her music, Flava D released a stack of her older tunes dating back to 2009 via her Bandcamp. Robot combines a tough half-step rhythm with a solid square wave bassline and that skittering Flava D percussion and melodies that we’ve come to love so much about her.
When are you at your most creative? When I’m rushed for time or sitting on the couch on my laptop.
YOUNG FRANCO Tell us about your Futurefunk EP. In summary - a bit of disco, a bit of funk, a bit of hip hop! A bit of everything really. Tools of your trade? Well it depends what kind of stuff I’m making. I own a few things like Maschine, an APC40, Microkorg and monitors for production, but it depends what I feel like using! Oh and I usually use turntables and sometimes bring a synth for live stuff.
Producers you’re digging right now? I love Tyler Touche, Touch Sensitive is a baus, Darius, Onra, Wolfwolf and heaps of others. What are you obsessed with? Avocados and A$AP Rocky. Where can people get hold of your EP? Free download on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/ yfrnco) yo! Young Franco plays Akuna Club @ Llama Bar tonight Wednesday, February 19 and on Friday night, February 21 at Mondo @ Ginger. Tickets $10 on the door.
SALT NIGHTS OUT Vibe of the night? Since its inception Ambar is a place where underground dance music could live and be loved, maintaining its reputation as the home of the underground in Perth. Japan 4 is the night where this all comes together... What can we expect to hear? Bass, broken beat and underground sounds. Lineup? For this Saturday we’ve locked all the Ambar Saturday crew to celebrate featuring Miss Demeanour, Micah Black & Pussymittens, MRED & DNGRFLD, Philly Blunt & Marko Paulo, Bezwun & Standards Down. Philly Blunt
PINCH & MUMDANCE Turbo Mitzi Tectonic Recordings
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In the middle of last year we were witness to a worrying trend of producers leaving the dubstep ship and making the move to ‘by numbers’ pop house. We needn’t have worried about long time boundary pusher Pinch though. Turbo Mitzi is a drug-fuelled late night club workout that really gets going in its second half with rattling subs, side chained fx and those penetrating staccato beeps. TIPPEDDDD!!
JAPAN 4 Answered by Evie Lavers, Boomtick Events When and where? This Saturday Japan 4 returns for 2014. We’re back! And with a bang and with all your Japan 4 favourites and some fresh faces. It’s on every Saturday at Ambar from 10pm until 5am.
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Cool stuff? Get discounted entry by submitting your guest list through the Ambar app. You should attend if... You like getting caught in durrrrrrrrty bass music! Japan 4 returns to Ambar every Saturday night from February 22. Tickets on sale at the door.
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SKREAM Second Coming He pioneered the dubstep sound and released three albums as one of the most recognised figures in the genre, but now Skream aka Oliver Jones has turned his attention to house, techno, disco and a whole new set. He spoke to TOM KITSON ahead of his show at Villa on Saturday, February 22. He grew up on the UK’s bass music scene, started producing at age 14 and rose to prominence as a dubstep star, but Skream has always been influenced by many styles of music. “As a kid I worked in a record shop specialising in underground, bass-heavy music,” he says. “My brother was a jungle DJ as well so I was surrounded by strong bass music influences.” In the last few years he’s released the dubstep-influenced house track Bang That; worked with world renowned producers in the genres he performs in, and remains at the front and centre of UK bass music across the board. “I wouldn’t say dubstep has fallen off, more that a certain part of it was so massive, over-saturated and over-rinsed,” he says. “The core fan base changed it into something that it wasn’t originally, with the big artists moving into more EDM and big room styles.” With the crossover into new genres, Jones has just been following his inspirations and maintaining a love of producing, touring and being involved in music. “I haven’t adapted so much as found inspiration in different places with the music I’m doing now,” he says. “I’m playing house and techno really now, but that was purely a personal decision I made about two years ago. I wasn’t going to play dubstep sets anymore and having done that for 10 years, I had to figure how to do it.” Jones says he’s been making house and techno music exclusively for the last couple of years. “I’ve been in the studio with Mark Jenkins, who’s done a lot of work with Jamie Jones and the Hot Creations crew, and there’s stuff in the pipeline with Jimmy Edgar and hopefully Seth Troxler as well. Seth introduced me to a lot of people and put in some good words, which put me in with a good crowd of Ibiza headliners.” Some of his first forays into house carried those signature aggressive synths and effects used in his dubstep work, offering a new take on a brand of music that seems to have since passed its heyday. “I put out Bang That with Boys Noize and that’s been doing the rounds for the last year,” he says. “I originally made it to be played out on New Year’s Eve at 12 o’clock, so it’s meant to be a bit of banger.” Installing a new home studio means his own production output is limited at the moment, but his creative spark has by no means diminished. “... There are plenty of tunes on the way this year,” he says. “My creative process used to always start with drums, but as you become more familiar with programs like Ableton there’s other ways to start - I’ve been singing riffs into my laptop and exporting them into MIDI which is really cool, so it can start with anything.” Despite his BBC Radio 1 show co-host Benga recently moving on from public life as a musician, Jones says he has no plans to slow down in the near future. “I’ve heard Benga’s stopped DJing and I don’t think he wants to do the radio show anymore, so I’ll be doing that solo from now on,” he says. “The news has been a massive shock really, having worked with him for so long.” On the topic of his upcoming set at Villa, Jones is clear that it won’t include dubstep and instead a blend of around 118 to 128 BPM tracks. “I’ll be bringing a similar show on this tour to what I’ve been playing out here in UK clubs, which isn’t dubstep,” he says. “Route 94’s My Love, Floorplan’s Baby Baby and Mark Broom’s Stag have been great tunes to play lately. When I heard Mercy by Boddika & Joy Orbison at the start of 2012, it was really the final push I needed to switch styles.” Reinvigorated by house, techno and disco and even playing different clubs now compared with the last five years, Jones is like a kid again who’s just been given his first set of decks. “I’ve been so happy with the shows, clubs and music I’ve been playing for the last year,” he says. “It’s as if I’m starting my career all over again.” WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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B E AT S
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NEWS
THURS 20/02 THE CAUSEWAY Xport Thursdays CLUB RED SEA Thursday Night Revolution CONNECTIONS Bingay THE CRAFTSMAN FiveO MALT BAR The Collective EVE NIGHTCLUB Retro Thursdays ft. EVE DJ Team FLYRITE Kite String Tangle Kilter GOLD BAR OG Thursdays LEISURE INN DJ Peta NEWPORT HOTEL
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Kilter - Wed, Feb 19 @ Mojos & Thu, Feb 20 @ Flyrite. Photo by Jimmy Le
Tiki Bar Open Mic Night FRI 21/02 AMBAR Ambar ReOpening ft. Brillz AMPLIFIER Fridays Are Back THE AVENUE FiveO THE AVIARY Troy Division NDORSE THE BAYSWATER Mario Zuli THE BEAT (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY THE BRASS MONKEY James Ess & George Greene THE BRIGHTON DJ Peta CAPITOL Capitol Fridays
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THE SHED
METROPOLIS FREMANTLE
AMPLIFIER
WED 19/02 AMPLIFIER Academy BRASS MONKEY James Ess CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) Harlem Wednesdays CAPTAIN STIRLING Lokie Shaw CLUB RED SEA Cheek GOLD BAR Famous GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots LLAMA BAR Akuna Club ft. Young Franco METRO FREO Next Gen MOJOS BAR Kite String Tangle Kilter MUSTANG BAR DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL The Partysquad SOVEREIGN ARMS Jordan Scott THE VILLAGE BAR Village People Wednesdays
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ft. DJ Roger Smart CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) I Love 80’s & 90’s THE CARINE Jimmy Beats THE CAUSEWAY Acoustic Sundowner THE COMO The Urban Tiger THE CRAFTSMAN Dazman DAILY PLANET Sundowner Sessions THE DEEN Student Night EVE NIGHTCLUB Recharge Fridays THE FACTORY Cassy Britton FLAWLESS Monarch Fridays FLYRITE Physt GINGER NIGHTCLUB
Mondo Dance Party ft. Young Franco GEISHA BAR Kutmah GOLD BAR Fox Friday GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Tod Johnston & Peace Love DJ Crazy Craig THE HIGHWAY HOTEL Crackers LAKERS TAVERN Grizzly LEISURE INN Mel Burns LIBRARY Dorcia MALT Nu Disco Hip Hop METRO FREO Frat House Friday’s MUSTANG BAR Swing DJ DJ James
Jinja Safari - Sun, Feb 23 @ Sets On The Beach, Scarborough Beach
MacArthur MY PLACE Karaoke PARAMOUNT Friday Nights PARKER The Future of Future DJ Competition THE QUEENS Philly Blunt & Reuben THE SAINT Britty SHAPE BAR Jubei SOVEREIGN ARMS Lokie Shaw VILLA The Funhouse Toga Party France China Slykidd Solo THE WHALE & ALE Josh Warrr SAT 22/02 AMBAR Japan 4 THE AVIARY Samuel Spencer Troy Division NDORSE AVENUE Lokie Shaw THE BALMORAL Back To The 80’s BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Big Kidz BRASS MONKEY DJ Peta & Jordan Scott THE BRIGHTON Miss Chief C5 METRO FREO I Love 80s & 90s ft. Darren Tucker & Dr Wazz CAPITOL Death Disco CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) Cream of the 80s ft. DJ Roger Smart THE CAUSEWAY House Party
Jubei - Fri, Feb 21 @ Shape
THE COMO Jay Lee Lloyd DEFECTORS BAR Future Wives Club EAST END BAR Home FLAWLESS LQ Saturdays GILKISONS DANCE STUDIO Speakeasy ft. Wave Racer Basenji Sable GOLD BAR Pure Gold THE GOOD SHEPHERD Chocolate Jesus LEEDERVILLE HOTEL (DOWNSTAIRS) Under The Arena Party LOST SOCIETY Chalk METRO FREO Metropolis Saturday’s ft. Mr T, Dr Wazz, Ben C, DJ Shane NEWPORT HOTEL Gravity Tahli Jade PARKER Parker Saturdays PARAMOUNT Saturday Nights PLAYERS BAR Luxe
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THE QUEENS Philly Blunt & Reuben THE SAINT Britty SOVEREIGN ARMS River Milnes VILLA Skream THE WEMBLEY HOTEL Jon Ee YAYA’S Arcadia All Nighter SUN 23/02 THE AVIARY Rooftop Sessions Philly Blunt NDORSE THE BRIGHTON Squinty ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Get Down THE SAINT Jon Ee Az-T THE ROSEMOUNT Australiasian Beatmaker Invitational DJ Houseshoes THE ROSEMOUNT (outside) Get Down ft. The Community
Kutmah
M.O.V.E. presents Kutmah FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 @ GEISHA
SCARBOROUGH BEACH AMPHITHEATRE Sets On The Beach The Aston Shuffle Jinja Safari Goldroom & more THE COURT The Social THE QUEENS Fiveo & Jay Lee Lloyd MON 24/02 MUSTANG BAR Triple Shots THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bada Bingo! TUES 25/02 THE BIRD The Bird’s Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night
Kanye West - Fri, May 2 @ Perth Arena
Deadline Monday 5pm. The Club Manual is a service to advertisers listing all DJs & Dance Music. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au
ROCKET ROOM
CAPITOL
THIS WEEK THE PARTYSQUAD 19 Newport Hotel XILENT & HIGH MAINTENANCE 19 Shape THE KITE STRING TANGLE & KILTER 19 Mojos 20 Flyrite YOUNG FRANCO 19 Llama Bar 21 Ginger CASSY BRITTON 21 The Factory BRILLZ 21 Ambar KUTMAH 21 Geisha JUBEI 21 Shape DETROIT SWINDLE 21 Shape SYRUP ARCADE 22 Westgate Mall (Fremantle) SKREAM 22 Villa SPEAKEASY ft. Wave Racer, Sable, Basenji 22 Gilkisons Dance Studio SETS ON THE BEACH ft. The Aston Shuffle, Jinja Safari,
Goldroom & more 23 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre AUSTRALASIAN BEATMAKER INVITATIONAL ft. DJ Houseshoes 23 The Rosemount FEBRUARY SLOW MAGIC 26 Akuna Club @ Llama Bar ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT ft. Roy Ayers 27 Chevron Festival Gardens
FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL ft. Deadmau5, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Phoenix, Hardwell & more 2 Arena Joondalup
BLACK SUN EMPIRE, SHAPESHIFTER, DILLINJA & more 21 Metro City
GOOD LIFE ft. Deadmau5, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Hardwell & more 3 Claremont Showgrounds
ILLY 21 Capitol
HANDPICKED ft. Ta-Ku, Ryan Hemsworth, Flying Lotus 7 Fremantle Arts Centre
CHRIS LORENZO 28 Ambar
BASSLINE & MORRI$ 21 The Bakery
BATHS 23 The Bakery JURASSIC 5 28 Metro City
OLIVER TANK 28 The Bakery
GET WEIRD ft Roland Tings, Tornado Wallace 7 Ambar
MINISTRY OF SOUND CLUBBERS GUIDE TO 2014 ft. Ember & Joel Fletcher 29 Villa
DAMIANO VON ERCKERT 28 Hellenic Club
DERRICK CARTER 7 Geisha
APRIL VENGEANCE 4 Ambar
NINA LAS VEGAS, MOTEZ & more 28 Metropolis Fremantle
THE UPBEATS & STATE OF MIND 8 Villa
A$AP FERG 5 The Bakery
GOLD PANDA 9 The Bakery
DUB FX & OPIUO 5 Villa
PUBLIC ENEMY 28 Chevron Festival Gardens
D-JAHSTA 28 Shape DAMIANO VON ERCKERT 28 Hellenic Club MARCH KERSER w/ DJ Dazastah, Bitter Belief, Complete & Omac 1 Metro City
MOVE D 14 Geisha PHARRELL WILLIAMS 14 Challenge Stadium FORCE MAJEURE ft Nick Thayer 14 Ambar
ART VS SCIENCE 5 Amplifier Bar NEKO PLANET 9 The Bakery ELIZABETH ROSE, SAFIA, FISHING 11 Amplifier 12 Mojos
THE COURT
MAY KANYE WEST 2 Perth Arena BLISS N ESO, HORRORSHOW, SETH SENTRY 2 Signal Park, Busselton 3 Wellington Square THE PRESETS, WORDLIFE, DJ BENI 8 Capitol HOLY FUCK 8 The Rosemount 9 The Odd Fellow
DJ SHADOW & SAMPOLOGY
DISCLOSURE 9 Metro City
Chevron Festival Gardens Saturday, February 15, 2014
GROOVIN THE MOO ft. Disclosure, Dizzee Rascal, Holy Fuck, Illy & more 10 Hay Park, Bunbury
This year’s contemporary music lineup may be the Perth International Arts Festival’s most impressive to date, but a few names nonetheless stand out – DJ Shadow being one. So it was no surprise that the legendary Bay Area producer’s DJ set was sold out well before Saturday night’s show, leaving those who missed out on tickets no choice but to crowd into the open-to-the-public section of Festival Gardens to listen in. The night opened with a gleeful, barnstorming audio visual set from Sampology. The young Brisbane DJ scratched and mixed videos and songs together, mashing Howard The Duck with Busta Rhymes’ #Twerkit; underground cartoon Fritz The Cat with Kendrick Lamar’s Backseat Freestyle; and footage of the famously tranquil television painter Bob Ross juxtaposed with Waka Flocka Flame’s agitated Hard In Da Paint. The most memorable moment, though, was undoubtedly Sampology’s homemade video of Jay-Z as Pac-Man eating cakes in a tribute to his baking-themed guest verse on Drake’s Pound Cake. DJ Shadow was touring Australia with his All Basses Covered set – a mix of trap, drum’n’bass, juke and other assorted beats and pieces, which infamously caused his appearance at Miami nightclub Mansion to be cut short in 2012. Interestingly for an artist whose last album was titled The Less You Know, The Better, it seemed many punters weren’t aware of the type of music he’d be playing. ‘I’m gonna play some new beats,’ Shadow announced to a muted response shortly after taking the stage. ‘With some old shit mixed in,’ he then added, to loud cheers.
ELLIE GOULDING 28 Challenge Stadium RÜFÜS 30 Players Bar 31 Fremantle Arts Centre JUNE THE PRESETS (with the Australian Chamber Orchestra) 4 Concert Hall
Beats and Pieces
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However technical issues quickly arose with the audio cutting out as Shadow played his intro. He left the stage while crews checked his equipment, returning 10 minutes later and launching into his set, only to have the sound drop out again. ‘They didn’t believe me. They said it was the mixer and I said it was the power’ Shadow announced. ‘Make some noise for me: I was right!’ The crowd did indeed cheer, but also began shifting impatiently as Shadow disappeared again. He soon took to the stage a third time, suggesting that the crowd keep their fingers crossed. Whether or not that helped, there weren’t any more technical problems as Shadow dropped I Gotta Rokk, the lead single from 2011’s The Less You Know, The Better. Shadow is no stranger to dabbling in sounds that are anathema to Endtroducing loyalists, as his embrace of the Bay Area’s hyphy scene on 2006’s The Outsider shows, but the set seemed to divide the crowd, with some moving enthusiastically to the booming lowend, heavy music while others looked on impassively. Some of Shadow’s older material did indeed make the set including Walkie Talkie, Six Days and 3 Freaks, although all were reworked into trap songs. Towards the end of the set, which ran for close to two hours with the interruptions, one song felt like it was melting into the next, putting the crowd in a bass-induced trance that they only snapped out of periodically, such as when Shadow played The Number Song or a trap rework of Luniz classic I Got 5 On It. It was very much a forward thinking set from Shadow, although when he ended the night with Organ Donor, which fitted in perfectly with the bass music preceding it, it proved that he’s always been forward thinking. JOSHUA HAYES
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LOCAL NEWS
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Photo by Callum Ponton
THE NATIONAL Luluc Belvoir Amphitheatre Friday, February 14, 2014 As the sun went to rest for the night on a sweltering Valentine’s Day, singles and couples alike staked their spots at the majestic Belvoir, nestled in the picturesque wine-making Swan Valley, ready to immerse themselves in what could possibly be the best gig of this year. Luluc, a Melbourne-born duo but now Brooklyn-based, warmed up the stage. Their set primarily consisted of acoustic tunes with lyrics and vocals that are infused with a sense of longing and nostalgia and their pleasant and harmonious melody is perfect for a slow dance with your significant other. Unfortunately they couldn’t win over the hearts of the crowd, who gave only scant to the attention to the stage. As the stars were emerging in the skies and their set was about to conclude, the masses coalesced into the pit. A palpable excitement built up around the pit and the amphitheatre as the latecomers made their way into the scene. There was that feeling that the headliner could come on at any minute and such was the excitement that the crowd cheered when lighting projections were finished. When the crew got
the screens working, a second cheer rose throughout the amphitheatre. There was rapturous, almost screeching applause when The National took to the stage. Immediately kicking off the set with Don’t Swallow The Cap, each song was like a setpiece, well-presented with its own lighting theme and visual backdrop. It started slow and then build up to a grand crescendo, with lyrics that are depressing, melancholic and yet with an element of hope. You come in drowned and you come out baptised. They ploughed through a total of 26 tracks picked from across their albums Boxer, High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me, and of those Bloodbuzz Ohio and England were amazing live. Each member of the ensemble is immensely talented on their own. The Dessner brothers on their guitars were responsible for nearly half of the experience, and Bryan Devendorf exerted great energy on the drums, however, the baritone vocalist, Matt Berninger, pretty much ran the show and called the shots, solemnly singing into the microphone one moment, and furiously screaming the next. Around halfway into the show, he decided to make his way into the crowd - the response was everyone clamouring to touch his hand or get hugged. He then stopped over to sing at the big gum tree in the middle of the pit before swinging back on stage. The finish was an utter spectacle. The crowd was given the mic to sing an acoustic version of Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. The joy of participating and seeing everyone else singing the chorus was ephemeral. For a moment, it felt like paradise. CLAYTON LIN
Photo by JF Foto
HUSKY 44th Sunset Chevron Festival Gardens Friday, February 14, 2014 44th Sunset were probably a little nonplussed when they started up their support slot at the Chevron Festival Gardens. Was everyone up at Belvoir Amphitheatre to see The National? Was everyone out at a restaurant with their sweetheart, it being Valentine’s Day and all? For most of the set it was pretty slim pickings, crowd-wise, for 44th Sunset, but they got on with it and by the end of their set a healthy, loved-up bunch gathered just in time to hear the triple j favoured Hey Caesar and a final lilting solo turn by vocalist/guitarist Nik Thompson, giving it up for the Valentines in the audience. It wouldn’t be the first time.
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Yes, love was in the air when Husky took to the stage. Every sight and every sound. Vocalist/ guitarist, Husky Gawenda, has that same friendly warm hug nature that makes Angus & Julia Stone so endearing to their fans. His banter with Perth-raised bassist Ewan Teedes was good-natured in a way that depicts perhaps why they’re winning over audiences across the US and Europe. The songs are made to sway to, from Dark Sea to Tidal Wave, it’s all very flowing indeed. Gideon Preiss’ keyboard intro to Dark Woods was a tasteful entre to a beatific song. Throughout the band’s fourpart harmonies soared to the cupids in the clouds, but the darker edge to a song finished only that morning seems to pave the way for an all the more engaging setlist. A twist, if you will. Date night was going well. And as the band surrounded one microphone for an acoustic rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Lover Come Back one got the feeling that the band’s relationship with its Perth had only gotten stronger. Spontaneous proposals seemed a distinct possibility. BOB GORDON
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LOCAL NEWS
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INTERVIEWS
CAUSEWAY
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LIVE REVIEWS
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Q & A
MY PLACE
OCEAN ONE BAR
SWALLOW BAR
THE BEAT NIGHTCLUB MOJOS BAR Thursday, February 20, Stu Larsen is back in Australia at Mojos. After sharing his music with thousands of fans whilst supporting Passenger, he’ll play a few intimate shows, performing songs from his forthcoming album, along with favourites from his acclaimed EPs. With Stu constantly on the road, this is a rare opportunity to catch him. Bryan Rice Dalton and Timothy Nelson support. Tickets available for $15.30 plus booking fee at Oztix.com or stularsen.com. Limited tickets are $15 on the door. Friday, February 21, catch Bobby Alu for the Skippin’ Stones single tour. Support by the amazing singer songwriter from Newcastle, Nick Saxon (solo). Tickets are $15 from 8pm on the night. Stu Larsen
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Friday upstairs, The Cold Acre launch their latest single, Audrey. Support from Dallas Royal, From the Dunes and Dan Peters. Doors open at 8pm. Saturday, pop punkers unite for this all pop punk floorshow downstairs at Runaways that should not be missed! Melbourne’s party band The Playbook are over for this rad show. Doors open at 10pm. The Playbook
THE AVIARY
THE BIRD
This week the decks will be kept hot by Troy Division and NDORSE on Friday, who’ll both be joined by Samuel Spencer on Saturday, while Sunday Rooftop sessions will be commanded by NDORSE and Philly Blunt.
Wednesday it’s TW!ST featuring Harry J from the UK! Land of 1000 Dances is serving up one of the hottest nights with a special Ska twist! Free entry from 8pm. Thursday, Reptiluminati are joined by Scum Of The Earth, Fake Shaman and DJ Brendan J. Entry is $5 from 9pm. Friday, Dianas launch their second EP with help from Catbrush and Childsaint. Entry is $5 from 8pm. Saturday it’s 7” Heaven with DJs Nathan J, Ben Taaffe, John Safari and Charlie Bucket - $5 entry from 8pm.
THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Thursday, February 20, catch Hyte, Silence To The Left plus more amazing ball tearing rock bands yet to be announced! Entry is $5 from 8pm.
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Razor Jack will be hitting the Swallow Bar decks on Wednesday with his swinging sounds of West Africa, the Caribbean and US. Thursday night is Rockabilly night, with the super talented Jay, Jonny & Rusty of Shotdown From Sugartown kicking off at 7pm. Saturday night DJ Peas of Soul Purpose Radio is in the Swallow house with his old school soul, jazz and funk with a few surprises.. Sunday Sessions welcomes back The Limelights Jazz Trio for an afternoon of traditional swing jazz. Get your groove on, Maylands! Check swallowbar.com.au for details.
INDI BAR Get your dancing shoes ready as Jacob And The Rudeboys are going to be showcasing their new style of amazing and energetic R ‘n’ B/reggae/rap music in a truly electric two hour show to launch their debut single, Superman. They will be supported by two exquisitely talented acts, Edward Pop and Young And The Beast. Doors open at 6.30pm and entry is $10.
OCEAN ONE This weekend is the Grand Opening of the new bar area at Ocean One. Head into Scarborough this weekend because they’ll be celebrating with drink specials, food specials and giveaways all weekend!
Put the word to the herd about upcoming album, EP, single or video releases by dropping us a line at plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au
INTERESTING PROSPEKTS
LOUD LIONS
Alt-rock triumvirate Nevsky Prospekt will be showcasing some brand new songs from their forthcoming EP on Sunday, February 23, at the Newport Hotel. Joining them on the bill will be Filthy Apes, Custom Royal and September Sun. Doors open at 6pm and entry is free.
Two-piece indie rock powerhouse Lionizer just keep on keeping on, with tonight, Wednesday, February 19, seeing yet another in a seemingly endless stream of live shows from Bailey and Vez at The Rosemount Hotel. Also along for the ride are Dan Cribb, Being Beta and Paper Plains. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $8.
Nevsky Prospekt
Lionizer
MEDICINE ON THE WIRE Following great sets in recent months at A Not So Silent Night and the North Freo Pub Crawl, Usurper Of Modern Medicine can next be found supporting the mega-influential UK legends Wire, who are performing at the Chevron Festival Gardens on Monday, February 24, as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. Usurper’s debut album is almost finished, too - more news on its release very soon.
DADDY ISSUES This Friday, February 21, The Civic Hotel plays host to an impressive lineup of local original talent in the form of Who’s Your Daddy, Flyball Gov’nor, The Killer Hipsters and Richard Lane. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.
MUSIC FROM MORRIE It’s a killer lineup at YaYa’s tonight, Wednesday, February 18. See Morrie Beth taking to the stage alongside the likes of Needles Douglas, Tell The Shaman and Filthy Apes. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $5. Morrie Beth
WIKED NOIZE Perth hard rockers Wiked Fury are giving away copies of their CD single, Mummy’s Boy, to the first 50 people who come through the door at YaYa’s this Saturday, February 22. Catch them alongside September Sun and Bury The Heard from 8pm. Entry is $10.
ROCKETS OVER THE ASTOR Hit the Astor Lounge on Friday, February 21, to experience a night of auditory and visual stimulation. Headline act French Rockets are renowned for creating walls of sound and captivating audiences with their hypnotic live performance. Support comes from Lanark, Mt.Mountain, Eerie Serpent and newcomers The Sizlacks. Doors open at 7.30, entrance is $10. French Rockets
SPANISH VOLCANOS Perth rock favourites The Volcanics are about to embark on a two week tour of sunny Spain with The Chevelles that’ll include making a live recording in Madrid somewhere amidst the bullfighting and statemandated afternoon naps. But plane tickets aren’t cheap, so they’re holding a massive fundraiser at The Rosemount this Saturday, February 22. Also on the bill are Datura, Dirty South and the Fortunados. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $15. The Volcanics
SPACE AND TIME Saturday, February 22, Catch SpacemanAntics launch their new album, Puraede’s Parade! them to celebrate their release are Silver Hills, Hunting Huxley, Mudlark and Moana. Doors open at 7pm, tickets are $10 or $15 with the album. SpaceManAntics
TUNEFUL TOBY
A EUPHORIC NOISE
Following a fantastic 2013 full of national and overseas touring, singer/ songwriter Toby is playing a handful of gigs in WA before jetting off again for more adventures. Catch her and her full band this Saturday, February 22.
A backyard mini-festival, Euphoria takes place across two locations in Bayswater and Bassendean this Saturday, February 22, from 5pm. The event features food and merch stalls, a very welcome BYO policy and musical performances from Sam Perry, Anna O, Mountain Strangers, Bee Anchor, Kat Wilson, Jacob Diamond, Strangelove, Beckon, plus a secret national artist! Tickets are $30 from emilyfriendproductions.com.
Toby
Sam Perry
LO C A L & L AU NC H I NG 19/02
TROJAN-JOHN Circumnavigate EP Launch @ Indi Bar
21/03
RAGDOLL Break You Video Launch @ The Rocket Room
22/03
SPACEMANANTICS Puraede’s Parade Album Launch @ Mojos
22/02
WIKED FURY Mummy’s Boy Single Launch @ YaYa’s
23/02
JACOB AND THE RUDEBOYS Superman Single Launch @ Indi Bar
07/03
MORGAN BAIN In The Middle Single Launch @ The Astor Lounge
16/03
THE RUMBLE EP Launch @ Indi Bar
29/03
MATT WARING Smoking Gun EP Launch @ The Causeway WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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TOUR TRAILS
THE KITE STRING TANGLE, FEBRUARY 19 - 20 THIS WEEK OKKERVIL RIVER 19 Chevron Festival Gardens OLAFUR ARNALDS & KEATON HENSON 20 Chevron Festival Gardens THE KITE STRING TANGLE 19 Mojos Bar 20 Flyrite UNCLE JED 20 Clancy’s Fremantle 21 YaYa’s STU LARSEN 20 Mojos Bar JOE CAMILLERI & THE BLACK SORROWS 20 Friends Restaurant 21 Ravenswood Hotel 22 Mundaring Weir Hotel VELUDO 21 Rosemount Hotel BONFIRE 21 Metropolis Fremantle MANGO GROOVE 21 Red Hill Auditorium JAGWAR MA & OWL EYES 21 Chevron Festival Gardens MISSY HIGGINS/ JAE LAFFER/SARAH BLASKO 21 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre DON WALKER 21 Clancy’s Fremantle 22 Civic Hotel 23 Fremantle Arts Centre SUNDOWN SESSIONS Missy Higgins, Sarah Blasko, Jae Laffer (The Panics) 21 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre POND, AAA AARDVARK GETDOWN SERVICES, FELICITY GROOM, THE SILENTS, DJ LADY CARLA 22 Chevron Festival Gardens HEATHER PEACE 22 Fly By Night SOUTH WEST CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL 23 Old Broadwater Farm ALTAN 23 Chevron Festival Gardens SETS ON THE BEACH #14 The Aston Shuffle, Jinja Safari, Goldroom, Motez, The Swiss, Glen Horsborough, Louisahhh!, Maelstrom, Client Liason, Mighty Mouse 23 Scarborough Beach LOS CORONAS 23 Capitol PAPA VS PRETTY 23 Mojos Bar WIRE 24 Chevron Festival Gardens CHARLES BRADLEY 25 Chevron Festival Gardens
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TOURS LIVE
WIRE, FEBRUARY 24
FEBRUARY MADELEINE PEYROUX 26 Chevron Festival Gardens TIGERTOWN 27 Mojos Bar ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT 27 Chevron Festival Gardens DOLLY PARTON 27 Perth Arena SIX60 27 Metro City NEKO CASE 27 Fly By Night Club MAJOR LEAGUES 27 Newport Hotel 28 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury PUBLIC ENEMY 28 Chevron Festival Gardens NINA LAS VEGAS 28 Metropolis Fremantle BRUNO MARS 28 Perth Arena GAY PARIS 28 Swan Basement MARCH MAJOR LEAGUES 1 Amplifier Bar GAY PARIS 1 YaYa’s 2 Indi Bar MIKHAEL PASKALEV 1 Chevron Festival Gardens KERSER 1 Metro City FUTURE MUSIC Deadmau5, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Phoenix, Hardwell, Knife Party, Eric Prydz, Rudimental, Tinie Tempah, Chase & Status 2 Arena Joondalup LIONEL RICHIE & JOHN FARNHAM 2 Sandalford Winery THE WONDER STUFF 2 Rosemount Hotel SOUNDWAVE Green Day, Alice In Chains, Rob Zombie, Placebo, Biffy Clyro, Panic! At The Disco and more 3 Arena Joondalup GOODLIFE FESTIVAL Deadmau5, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Hardwell, Rudimental, Knife Party, Kaskade, Porter Robinson 3 Claremont Showgrounds THE BENNIES 6 YaYa’s 7 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury DAN SULTAN 6 Artbar STICKY FINGERS 6 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 7 White Star, Albany 8 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River BRIAN MCKNIGHT 7 Riverside Theatre GURRUMUL 8 Kings Park BILLY BRAGG 9 Perth Concert Hall
GOLD PANDA 9 The Bakery QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE & NINE INCH NAILS 11 Perth Arena JOSH PYKE 12-13 Quarry Amphitheatre THE ANGELS, DIESEL & MI-SEX 14 Graham Bricknell Music Shell, Bunbury JURASSIC 5 14 Metro City PHARRELL WILLIAMS 14 Challenge Stadium THE WHITLAMS 14-16 Quarry Amphitheatre KASEY CHAMBERS AND BAND 15 Quindanning Inne SONGS IN THE KEY OF MOTOWN 12 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre 13 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 14 Astor Theatre NEIL FINN 16 Perth Concert Hall DAMIAN DEMPSEY 17 Capitol THE ROLLING STONES 19 Perth Arena SUICIDE GIRLS 19 Astor Theatre CLOUD CONTROL Acoustic Tour 20 The Saint 21 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River 21 Caves House, Yallingyup 22 The OBH, Cottesloe 22 The Northshore, Whitfords 22 The Empire Bar, Riverdale 23 The Brisbane Hotel ABSU & PORTAL 20 Amplifier Bar THE SMITH STREET BAND & THE MENZINGERS 19 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 20 YMCA HQ 21 Rosemount Hotel CALLING ALL CARS 21 Amplifer Bar 22 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 23 Indi Bar ILLY 21 Capitol KATE MILLER-HEIDKE 21-23 Quarry Amphitheatre KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD 22 Rosemount Hotel 23 Mojos Bar CASPIAN 22 Mojos Bar GANG OF FOUR 23 Capitol THE ACACIA STRAIN 23 YMCA HQ 24 Amplifier Bar SEBADOH 25 Rosemount Hotel DARK TRANQUILLITY & ORPHEUS OMEGA 25 Capitol 30 SECONDS TO MARS 25 Challenge Stadium THE STRAY SISTERS 26 Fly By Night
BRUNO MARS, FEBRUARY 28 JOHN BUTLER TRIO 27 Fremantle Arts Centre 28 Belvoir Amphitheatre 29 Old Broadwater Farm, Busselton THE HOLIDAYS 29 Rosemount Hotel BRITISH INDIA 28 Indi Bar 29 Amplifier Bar HUNTER & COLLECTORS 29 (sold-out) & 30 Kings Park & Botanical Garden KRIS KRISTOFFERSON 30 Red Hill Auditorium THE STRAY SISTERS 31 Albany Entertainment Centre APRIL PACOPENA 2 Perth Concert Hall MONSTER MAGNET 3 Amplifier Bar ART VS SCIENCE 5 Amplifier Bar KYLESA 6 The Bakery SUZANNE VEGA 11 Astor Theatre ELIZABETH ROSE 11 Amplifier Bar 12 Mojos Bar WEST COAST BLUES N ROOTS Matt Corby, Michael Franti, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Doobie Brothers, Boy & Bear 13 Fremantle Park BOZ SCAGGS 14 Crown Theatre 3 INCHES OF BLOOD 16 Amplifier Bar TWELVE FOOT NINJA 19 Rosemount Hotel TOXIC HOLOCAUST & SKELETONWITCH 20 Rosemount Hotel KREATOR & DEATH ANGEL 20 Amplifier Bar SKID ROW & UGLY KID JOE 23 Metropolis Fremantle THE ALMOST 23 Amplifier Bar JEFF BECK 24 Perth Concert Hall BALL PARK MUSIC 24 Astor Theatre 25 Studio 146, Albany 26 Prince of Wales, Bunbury 27 Newport Hotel MICHAEL BUBLE 26 & 27 Perth Arena AARON NEVILLE DR JOHN & THE NITETRIPPERS 26 Riverside Theatre BOY & BEAR 30 Divers Tavern, Broome MAY KANYE WEST 2 Perth Arena RUSSIAN CIRCLES 2 Rosemount Hotel BLISS N ESSO 2 Signal Park, Busselton 3 Wellington Square LEE KERNAGHAN
6 Princess Royal Theatre, Albany 9 Crown Theatre ELLA HOOPER 8 Artbar THE PRESETS 8 Capitol THE JEZABELS 9 Astor Theatre THE JUNGLE GIANTS 9 Rosemount Hotel JASON DERULO 10 Perth Arena GROOVIN THE MOO Action Bronson, Andy Bull, Architecture In Helsinki, Disclosure, Holy Fuck, The Jezabels, The Jungle Giants, Karnivool, Kingswood, The Kite String Tangle, Loon Lake, The Naked And Famous, Parkway Drive, The Presets, Peking Duk, Robert Delong, Thundamentals, Vance Joy, Violent Soho, Wave Racer, What So Not & more 10 Hay Park, Bunbury ARCTIC MONKEYS 13 Perth Arena JONNY CRAIG 14 Amplifier Bar 15 YMCA HQ PETULA CLARK 17 Perth Concert Hall SEPTICFLESH & FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE 18 Amplifier Bar HITS & PITS 3 Strung Out, Face To Face, Unwritten Law, Implants 18 Capitol & Amplifier Bar THE ENGLISH BEAT 23 Rosemount Hotel 2014 AIRNORTH KIMBERLEY MOON EXPERIENCE Eskimo Joe, The Waifs, John Williamson 24 Jim Hughes Amphitheatre, Kununurra ELLIE GOULDING & BROODS 28 Challenge Stadium LARRY CARLTON 28 Astor Theatre RÜFÜS 30 Players Bar 31 Fremantle Arts Centre JUNE YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! 7 Riverside Theatre LA DISPUTE 7 Rosemount Hotel 8 YMCA HQ JAMES BLUNT 12 Crown Theatre 13 Riverside Theatre BASTILLE 18 Challenge Stadium THE PAPER KITES 19 Artbar FINNTROLL 22 Amplifier Bar KEITH URBAN 29 Perth Arena JULY THE CRIMSON PROJEKCT 2 Fly By Night
TO U R TA L E S
DON WALKER Is Everybody In? Joined by The Lucky Strikes (Lucky Oceans, Dave Brewer, Todd Pickett and Pete Stone) Don Walker plays free shows (no money down) this Friday, February 21, at Clancy’s, Fremantle; Saturday, February 22, at the Civic Hotel and Sunday, February 23, at the Fremantle Arts Centre (from 2pm). BOB GORDON reports. Late last year Don Walker released his third solo album, Hully Gully. Given it seemingly arose from a period where his ‘other’ band, Cold Chisel, were in heavy album/touring mode for the No Plans LP, one wonders when this solo LP actually had a chance to gestate? “Well it’d been an ongoing thing,” Walker explains. “Gestation rolls, in the case of my recording. Quite a bit of the album was recorded before we did the Cold Chisel thing and some of it was recorded while the Cold Chisel thing was going on. For the majority of songs there was one day’s recording in Melbourne in 2010, and another recording day in 2012 we got another four.” It turns out that Walker wasn’t necessarily recording an album, simply recording some songs because that’s what he does. “You’ve hit the nail on the head,” he laughs. “It was just putting the songs down because that’s what we do. If we find ourselves in a city and there’s four or five fresh songs that we’ve been playing in the set for a while, we’ll book a room and record them, just the way we play them onstage. Then we’ll see what comes out of that. “Often you won’t know if it’s any good or not – or which songs are good - for a little while after because everybody’s in love with what they record immediately after they record it.” Walker recorded the album with long-time cohorts Glen Hannah, Roy Payne, Garrett Costigan, Michael Vidale and Hamish Stuart. They get each other. “I work with those guys because they play naturally close to what’s going on in my head,”
Walker explains. “They understand and are in the same headspace, musically. So what we’re aiming at is being able to hear in the rehearsal room what’s in my head and that’s usually pretty easy. “There are notable exceptions. Sometimes something surprising happens. Like with the song, Young Girl, I sent the band out a demo and that was pretty clear in terms of where the song goes and what happens when. But when we came to rehearsal, Glenn the guitarist brought in this Stat (Fender Stratocaster) that we normally don’t use, and said he had an idea. He did these beautiful Strat slide solos. That wasn’t in my head, it was a complete left-field thing, but as soon as we all heard it that was in the song. Like it always should have been there.” The song, Everybody, released as a Cold Chisel single in 2012, receives a different set of clothes. It’s not the only song that Walker’s made a return to. “The earliest song on this album, Angry Women, was recorded 12 years ago,” he says. “And the version of Everybody that’s on this album was recorded in 2010; when Cold Chisel heard it that they said, ‘can we have a try with that one?’. After thinking about it a bit I thought, ‘yeah why not?’” Is there a line often drawn between a Don Walker song and a Cold Chisel song? “Usually it’s pretty obvious,” he says. “It’s only very rarely that there’s a song that I could do well and Cold Chisel could do well. There’s a couple examples of that, being Everybody and HQ-454 Monroe, for which I had a version recorded and ready to use on this album. Cold Chisel wanted to have a shot at it and they did a very good version and I decided I didn’t need that song anymore.” 2015 has apparently been earmarked as another ‘on’ year for Cold Chisel. Walker himself is keen to write more new material this year with the key ambition being to enjoy it. “I don’t see it as a taskmaster/slave situation,” he notes. “I see it more in terms of being bored or excited when writing. There’s only one reason to write, really, and that’s to keep yourself amused, when I get a rare break. And I do get easily bored with stuff. That’s the first test of a song, ‘am I having fun doing this?’ Usually that can only happen if I’m doing something that I don’t understand. “I like being comfortable, but I like having fun with what I’m writing. Doing something where I know how it goes or what happens next isn’t fun. That’s boring.”
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GIG GUIDE
STATUES/AMPLIFER/WEDNESDAY 19
WEDNESDAY 19/02
AMPLIFIER BAR Academy Statues Foxes Idle Eyes Heath Legend THE BIRD TW!ST ft. Harry J BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque THE CARINE Open Mic Night Chris Gibbs CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE Songwriters Night Luke Dux & Jozef Grech ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Stu Larsen Night Cap Sessions THE GREENWOOD Bernardine GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots INDI BAR Songwriter Sessions Trojan John Tahlia Jaye Kurt Carrera LANEWAY LOUNGE Laura Bernay Quintet LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Decoy Duo THE LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MUSTANG BAR Easy Tigers DJ Giles MOJOS BAR The Kite String Tangle Kilter Leure THE MOON CAFE Mitch MacDonald Andrew Ryan Craig McElhinney OCEAN ONE BAR Overgrown Turin Robinson Bodegas THE PADDO Sophie Jane Brendan Gaspari Belle Harvey Band
THURSDAY 20/02
BAR ORIENT Open Mic Night THE BIRD Reptiluminati Scum Of The Earth Fake Shaman DJ Brendan Jay BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night Rob Walker THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night Chris Gibbs BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke THE CAUSEWAY BAR Xport Thursdays CLANCYS FREMANTLE Uncle Jed DEVILLES PAD Rock’N’Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night Kris Buckle
VOYAGER
VOYAGER
CALIGULA’S HORSE THIS OTHER EDEN MORPHICA Friday, February 21 Amplifier
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THE INSINNERATORS/459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL/THURSDAY 20
459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Indigo These Winter Nights Nevada Pilot ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Lionizer Dan Cribb & The Isolated Paper Plains Being Beta SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night SWALLOW BAR Razor Jack THE SWINGING PIG Open Mic Night Greg Carter UNIVERSAL BAR Retriofit THE VIC Leighton Keepa VILLAGE BAR Village People Open Mic YAYA’S Morrie Beth Needles Douglas Tell The Shaman Filthy Apes
LOCAL GIG
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ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Manteca The Next Generation ft. Sophie Foster Night Cap Sessions EXCHANGE HOTEL Madam Montage FLYRITE The Kite String Tangle FLY TRAP (FLY BY NIGHT) Kim Boekbinder THE GATE Greg Carter GRAND CENTRAL PARK Morgan Bain GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Dr Bogus INDI BAR Open Mic Night LANEWAY LOUNGE Gillian Moorman LUCKY SHAG Nathan Gaunt MOJOS BAR Stu Larsen Bryan Rice Dalton Timothy Nelson MUSTANG BAR Della Fern Mondays Yu DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Dilip N The Davs OCEAN ONE BAR Marcio Mendes Band PEEL ALE HOUSE Open Mic Danny Bau 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Chaos Club The Insinnerators Aborted Tortoise Baloney Abbott 1000 Eyes Pitbull From Perth MC Captain Helchild Dead Babies In Vomit Dolly The Sex Doll Andrew Zombie Lane ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Silence To The Left Hyte Shimmergloom The Georgians SETTLERS Ale Stars SWALLOW BAR Shotdown From Sugartown SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) Sciatika Social Madness Fuzz Bucket Ascending Fall UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record THE VIC Harry Moore YAYA’S Fringe Festival Heavyweights Of Comedy Greg Fleet’s Sports Illustrated Tien Tran FRIDAY 21/02
AMPLIFIER BAR Voyager Caligula’s Horse This Other Eden Mophica
THE COLD ACRE/THE BEAT NIGHTCLUB/FRIDAY 21
BALMORAL Mike Nayar BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) The Cold Acre Dallas Royal From The Dunes Dan Peters BELGIAN BEER CAFE Roger Roger BELMONT TAVERN Electrophobia BEST DROP TAVERN Passionworks THE BIRD Dianas Catbrush Childsaint BISTRO 38 Gary Fowlie BOAB TAVERN Frenzy BRASS MONKEY Acoustic Aly THE BROOKLANDS TAVERN Light Street THE CARINE Velvet CHASE BAR & BISTRO James Wilson CIVIC BACKROOM Flyball Gov’Nor The Killer Hipsters Richard Lane CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE DJ Boogie CLANCYS CITY BEACH Zarm CLANCYS FREMANTLE Don Walker COMO HOTEL Fiona Lawe Davies 3 CRUISING YACHT CLUB Preston King DEVILLES PAD Rockin’ A Gogo DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Cuddles EAST 150 BAR Jarrad Wilson EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn Late Night Blues ft. Li’l Fi EXCHANGE HOTEL Madam Montage FAIRLANES AMPHITHEATRE Ben Merito THE GATE Choppa & The Hitman GOSNELLS HOTEL Chris Gibbs Trio THE GREENWOOD Greg Carter GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Tod Johnston & Peace Love HERDSMAN Shades Of Indigo
HOTEL ROTTNEST DJ Eugene HYDE PARK HOTEL Ricky Green INDI BAR Boom! Bap! Pow! Clint Bracknell KALAMUNDA HOTEL Cheek2Cheek LANEWAY LOUNGE Stella Donnelly Summers Soul Quintet MAHOGANY INN Tom Mantle METRO FREO Bonfire The Australian Angels Show The Badpiper M ON THE POINT Retriofit MOJOS BAR Bobby Alu Nick Saxon MUSTANG Oz Big Band Swing DJ Cheeky Monkeys DJ James MacArthur OCEAN ONE BAR Mad Agents PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Adam James Duo QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Chill Divine RIGBY’S BAR & BISTRO Undergrowth Acoustic Open Mic ROLEYSTONE COUNTRY CLUB Brad Wintle ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Veludo Valdaway Lights Of Berlin Legs Electric ROSIE O’GRADYS FREMANTLE Felix SAIL AND ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SETTLERS King Of Travellers SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SWINGING PIG Greg Carter SWAN HOTEL (BASEMENT) The Dead White Males Something In The Rye Discordians SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) Lydia Schubert James Atles Ralway Bell Greys & Blues Jasmine Atkins UNIVERSAL BAR Nightmoves WANNEROO TAVERN Hells Bells Over The Top Oz Rock Salute WINTERSUN HOTEL Warwick Trant THE WOODVALE Flava
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THE DEAD WHITE MALES/SWAN BASEMENT/FRIDAY 21
YAYA’S Uncle Jed YMCA HQ Common Bond Iconoclast Vanity Ruthless Exanimus Atlantis SATURDAY 22/02
AMPLIFIER BAR Akouo Sid Pattni Kla ASTOR THEATRE French Rockets Lanark Mt.Mountain Eerie Serpent The Sizlacks THE BALMORAL Retriofit BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club General Justice Mumma Trees Sista Che The Empressions DJ K.S BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Runaways The Playbook Lowlight BENTLEY HOTEL In The Groove THE BIRD 7’th Heaven DJs Nathan J Ben Taaffe John Safari Charlie Bucket BOAB TAVERN James Wilson CAUSEWAY BAR Crooked Colours CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE Squid Live CLANCYS CITY BEACH Zakhuta CLANCYS FREMANTLE Toby THE CLAREMONT HOTEL ANTICS LYTS Man The Clouds Antics DJs ft. John Black THE CRAFTSMAN Groove DEVILLES PAD Black Magic Disco DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Ian Cocker ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Gunshy Romeos ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn Late Hight Groove ft. Cian Caton & Jade Webb EXCHANGE HOTEL Madam Montage FLY BY NIGHT Heather Peace THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Tandem
SILVER HILLS/MOJOS BAR/SATURDAY 22
GREENWOOD Supernova GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy INDI BAR Blue Shaddy INDIAN OCEAN BREWING CO Joe Boshell LAKERS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke LANEWAY LOUNGE Mario McClean Astrid Ripepi LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Why Georgia? MOJOS BAR SpaceManAntics Silver Hills Hunting Huxley Mudlark Moana MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MUSTANG Rusty & The Dragstrip Trio DJ Holly Doll Milhouse DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Gravity Tahli Jade PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Felix PERTH ZOO Kate Ceberano & WASO PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Kevin Curran OCEAN ONE BAR Desert Bells QUARIE BAR & BISTRO DJ Durra RAILWAY HOTEL Social Madness Envy Awake Gravity Punch Witness The Addiction ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Volcanics Datura The Dirty South The Fortunados ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Flava SAIL & ANCHOR Better Days THE SAINT Mike Nayar SETTLERS TAVERN Bobby Alu THE SHED Huge SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SWALLOW BAR DJ Peas SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) Star Wars Night Ol’ Bouginvillea Still Frame Mind Kortisol Big Swiftie & The Giant Boogie THE SWINGING PIG Frenzy UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation
YAYA’S Wiked Fury Reaper’s Riddle September Sun Bury The Heard SUNDAY 23/02
399 BAR Undergrowth Acoustic Open Mic ASTOR THEATRE Adriana Tegova BALMORAL Andrew Winton BAILEY BAR & BISTRO Gary Fowlie BELMONT TAVERN Jonny Dempsey THE BRIGHTON Danny Bau BROOKLANDS TAVERN Preston King CAPTAIN STIRLING Open Mic Night Josh Terlick CAPTIOL The Coronas THE CARINE Adam James THE CAUSEWAY Accoustic Sunday CIVIC HOTEL Frank G CLANCYS CANNING Slat Shaker Sundays DJ Boogie & The Salt Shaker Selectors CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Zydecats COMO HOTEL Ansell & Fretall DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Kris Buckle THE ELLINGTON Gina Williams Guy Ghouse THE GATE Ryan Webb GOSNELLS HOTEL Dean Anderson GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Peace Love HYDE PARK HOTEL Mike Nayar INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit INDI BAR Jacob & The Rude Boys KALAMUNDA HOTEL Roger Roger LAKERS TAVERN Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts M ON THE POINT Nathan Gaunt MOJOS BAR Papa Vs Pretty Tired Lion MUSTANG DJ Holly Doll NEWPORT HOTEL Nevsky Prospekt Filthy Apes Custom Royal September Sun OCEAN ONE BAR Tahnee DJ Martin RAILWAY HOTEL Gignition Sciatika Loners
SOCIAL MADNESS/RAILWAY HOTEL/ SATURDAY 22
The Hacks Mindfreakz Potato Dice REDCLIFFE ON THE MURRAY Hussy Hick Eric Erdman ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Australian Invitational Beat Battle Ylem Vishnu Lowaski Rokwell Sibalance SAIL AND ANCHOR Childs Play THE SAINT Howi Morgan SEAVIEW TAVERN Jean Proude SETTLERS TAVERN Brothers Thin SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Sophie Jane SWALLOW BAR The Limelights Jazz Trio THE SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) Dirtwater Bloom The Jackdaws Bev Mulcahy MattyTWall SWANBROOK WINERY Sundowner Sessions Timothy Nelson Tahlia Jaye Little Skye SWINGING PIG Siren & Assassin UNIVERSAL Cartel WANNEROO TAVERN Steve Hepple THE WINDSOR Adrian Wilson YMCA HQ Calm, Collected The Playbook The Take Over Lowlight Roswell MONDAY 24/02
BRASS MONKEY Wire Birds CHEVRON FESTIVAL GARDENS Wire Usurper Of Modern Medicine
ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chamber Jam THE FLY TRAP (FLY BY NIGHT) The Voice Box GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Justin & Mike MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic MUSTANG BAR Triple Shots ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bex ‘n’ Turin’s Open Mic Night TUESDAY 25/02
THE BIRD Open Mic Night BRASS MONKEY Open Mic Night Josh Terlick THE CHARLES HOTEL Perth Blues Club The Paul Gioia Blues Quintet Tin Dog Tone Doctors THE ELLINGTON Kevin Dempsey Rose Parker Natasha Bouchard GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Jack & Jill LANEWAY LOUNGE Perth Jazz Society Pete Jeavons Quartet LUCKY SHAG Leighton Keepa MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJO’S BAR Leure Reptiluminati Eteana MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night OCEAN ONE BAR Undergrowth Open Mic Night RIVERSIDE THEATRE Dave Chappelle SWINGING PIG Siren Song YAYA’S Battle of the Planets Nevsky Prospekt Bury The Heard Retina
LOCAL GIG
DIANAS
DIANAS
CATBRUSH CHILDSAINT Friday, February 21 The Bird
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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY
FOR SALE HEADPHONES all brands & styles. 23 Harrogate Street, West Leederville. Contact Headphonic 08 93886333 headphones.com.au GENERAL EXPRESSIONS WANTED GRAFFITI ARTISTS & GRAPHIC DESIGNERS for newly formed clothing company. Exp req’d. $$ paid for quality. Please call Mark if interested 0428 365 713. MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER WANTED for estab Perth band Hailmary. Available for tours. Stage presence a must. Contact Kevin 0401033743 hailmaryband@hotmail.com DRUMMER REQUIRED High quality working rock covers band requires reliable, experienced and capable drummer. Call/text 0427 471 423 or email pjkm@westnet.com.au KEYBOARD PLAYER WANTED wanted f o r w o r k i n g c o v e r b a n d Ve n d e t t a . M u s t h ave b ac k i n g vo c a l s a b i l i t y. Rock/pop genre. Contact Suzanne 0414 35 0001 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Text Josh on 0430 313 577 for a spot. PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY Promo photography, studio, live, location. Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www.projectphotography.com When its time to ice the cake... PRODUCTION SERVICES C D & DV D M A N U FAC T U R E C h e c k o u t our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 DISK BANK Perth’s premier CD & DV D m a n u f ac t u re r, w i t h o p t i o n s for all budgets. (08) 9388 0800. www.diskbank.com.au/specials. KARAOKE MACHINE High quality karaoke machine for hire. Call Colin 9279 8979 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’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www. witzendstudios.com ANALOG MASTERING VINTAGE TAPE, TUBES & TRANSFORMERS with the latest state of the art digital converters. Clients include: Melody’s Echo Chamber, Pond, Gossling, Knife Party, Felicity Groom, The Floors, Jeff Martin & The Panics. World class facility, World class results. www.poonshead.com. 9339 4791 ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 FREMANTLE RECORDING STUDIOS - NOW 20% OFF 6 HR SESSIONS! Freo’s hottest rehearsal & recording space. We have had Kevin Parker, Rainy Day Women, Stillwater Giants, Mitch of Love Junkies, Nick of Pond, Cam of The Growl, Ben/Tom/Rob from Blud, Matt Gresham, Felicity Groom, Steve Parkin of Eskimo Joe.. ..come join us! Call Paige 0415 738 155
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GOLDDUST Production Mixing, recording and composition. Leederville $80 p/h. 0408 097 407 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 AND BANDS! - 30TH ANNIVERSARY DISCOUNTS! UNLOCK YOUR SONG’S POTENTIAL! FREE APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience, 20 yrs in London. Kicking arrangements. G re at s t u d i o a n d t h e a b i l i t y to re a l l y listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic.com.au THE SOUND FACTORY RECORDING STUDIOS 24 and 16 track tape. Vintage amps, mic & effects. Special rates for BTC/LTC/DOGE. 0423803063 REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117. PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 STREAM STUDIO’S 89 Stirling St, Perth. Mobile: 0403 152 009 info@streamrehearsal. com.au STUDIO ZED Private Rehearsal studio & Recording studio, specials available. Nollamara. studiozed.net.au. Ph: Tory 9207 2072 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** New Year enrolments, book online. Beg to prof, all styles. Catering t o WA A PA a n d A M E B s t a n d a rd s . A l l tutors have WWC clearance. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS GUITAR LESSONS AVAILABLE by WAAPA tutor. A practicle approach to learning. .All styles.Years of experience. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131
CLASSIFIEDS
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Roland System-1
ROLAND AIRA: Digital Remakes Of ‘80s Dance Classics EDM and electronica would not exist in the shape they are today without the critical influence caused by the iconic drum sequencers, the Roland TR-808 and the TR-909. The bad news is that a good condition unit will set you back on ebay anywhere upwards from $3500. Noticing that there is a market for a classic sound resurfacing in new producers, Roland has released the AIRA series, which includes the highly anticipated TR-8, which faithfully combines both drum machines into one sleek new box. The AIRA line also includes other classic updates, including the TB-3 Bass Line, VT-3 vocal transformer, and the, the System-1. The TB-3 is by far the most simple of the group, simulating the TR-303. It has a gorgeous translucent touch pad that can be used both as a keyboard, XY pad, envelope mod, and a pattern selector. Interestingly, the entire AIRA range, including the TB-3 uses digital simulation ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) to do a very pleasing simulation of an analog audio chain. The tone of this simple bass box is always going to have that classic late ‘80s quality, which is more of a mid compared to today’s bass lines, but from all accounts coming in, the tone is faithful to the original. Moving up to the synth lead, the System-1 is the update from the System 100. Having listened to this myself, this seems to be the furthest departure from its namesake, and I’m happy they have done so. The delay and the LFO are ridiculous. The delay can continue feeding back hard like a Monotron delay causing big noise scape leads, and the LFO can go so high it turns into an oscillator of utter hatred. This will be a very powerful addition to any artist looking for big spacious trance leads and aggressive tones, and is also very capable of filling out the bottom end of the bass spectrum. The VT-3 vocal transformer seems to
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fall a bit flat in comparison. Any device that has a vocoder setting, but no carrier wave input, seems to be lying. However, it’s a super cheap and simple way to add robot voices and autotune to your DJ or live performance kit. The synth, bass, and vocoder settings all use built in carrier wave settings and have no possibility for choosing a different sound other than the default tone. Where everything falls apart is the scatter setting. This gives your voice the radio announcer reloop sound so synonymous with cheap theatrics, and I can already tell that this is going to become the bane of the club scene as soon as the popped collar top 40 DJ community gets their hands on it. Finally, the TR-8. Having been lucky enough to have used an 808 in the past, the TR-8 is almost identical in tone. Given that it is using the ACB modeling system, it contains both the circuit models for the 808 and 909, plus a myriad of extra parameter changes. The step sequencer is polished and snappy without feeling too plasticy, and the auto quantization helps to keep everything in check for improvisation. The addition of vertical faders for every sample gives instant kill and level control, which was a lot trickier on the more traditional pots of the 808 and 909. The single giant knob on the deck also breaks with tradition, rather than being tempo or master volume, it controls a new feature called scatter. This dial makes it instantly easy to slice up your programmed loop into some intense glitch and loop groupings. Tully Jagoe
Roland TB-3
MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY
American Standard 60th Anniversary Commemorative Stratocaster
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Classic Players 1950s Stratocaster
2014 FENDER ROADSHOW Fly By Night Musicians Club Thursday, February 13, 2014 The annual Fender Roadshow rolled into Fremantle last Thursday in celebration of the Fender Stratocaster’s 60th birthday. It was a full house, with local guitar aficionados, music store gurus and Fender enthusiasts alike all on hand to see the latest products that Fender have added to their already extensive arsenal. Unlike previous years, they started the night off with a look back to the grass roots origins of Fender with footage of workers in the original factory hand cutting, routing and painting guitars. This set the mood for the night as we all prepared to honor what has been the most recognisable guitar in the world for over six decades. Roadshow veteran Greg Koch was back again and leading an all-star lineup of Australian musicians. Sessions guitarist extraordinaire James Ryan (Men At Work, Shania Twain, Ronan Keating) brought the shred to the party with Luke Hodgson (Bertie Blackman, Gotye) on bass and local lad Hayden Meggit (Ross Wilson) on drums. After a few tuning issues due to the humid Perth weather the band launched straight into a medley of classic riffs, paying homage to the great guitarists that famously donned a Stratocaster. Dick Dale and Hank Marvin were the first players to be referenced before the band touched on songs by Clapton, Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn through to Malmsteen, Blackmore and our very own Ian Moss. It was clear from the start that tonight would be all about the Stratocaster. This year sees the release of four new commemorative models. First up was the AmericanStandard 60th Anniversary Commemorative Stratocaster. Unlike its American Standard series cousin, the commemorative edition is appointed with premium features that are usually limited to the most exclusive custom shop guitars. This ash body guitar is beautifully voiced by three special design, 1954 single coil Strat pickups and finished with gold hardware and a 60th anniversary commemorative neck plate. N e x t u p w a s t h e C l a s s i c P l aye r s 1950s Stratocaster. With a striking Desert Sand nitrocellulose lacquer finish, this would have to be one of the best looking guitars I have laid eyes on. Fender has (finally) found the perfect balance between a vintage specification reissue and a modern playing guitar in the Players Series. This guitar features a vintage 21 fret neck and is complimented by having vintage locking machine heads, synchronized tremolo system and five way pickup selector switch which not only makes this guitar extremely versatile, it also has greatly improved tuning stability.
The final guitar to round off the diamond jubilee celebrations is the American Vintage 1954 Stratocaster Reissue. Apart from a few minor modern appointments, this guitar is as close to an original 1954 Stratocaster as you’re ever going to get without taking out a second mortgage. The vintage 7.25” radius, one piece maple neck runs smoothly into an ash body finished in the original and undeniably classic two colour sunburst. This was the guitar that everybody was waiting to see, and nobody was disappointed. Fender have added a five way pickup selector switch and an O-shaped string tree for added tuning stability. They have also gone so far as to reissue the original Fender polish cloth that was given out with the original 1954 guitars. Fe n d e r h ave a l s o re l e a s e d a n ew, revolutionary series of American Deluxe guitars for 2014. The American Deluxe series has always been a player’s guitar. The addition of locking machine heads, noiseless pickups and a contoured heel to a traditional Strat or Tele make these guitars arguably the most versatile and reliable guitars in the Fender family. The new 2014 American Deluxe Stratocaster Plus looks like your typical Deluxe Stratocaster but Fender have taken the versatility of this instrument to the next level. It has all of the features that you expect from the deluxe series but also sees the addition of the new interchangeable personality cards. These personality cards fit into an easily accessible compartment on the back of the guitar and allow you to easily “re-wire” the guitar with specialised pickup and circuitry modification in record time. For the first time Fender have also introduced solderless electronics, making any permanent modifications a breeze. There were also a few new Fender model basses to get excited about. The new Dimension bass series launches Fender basses into modern era. The double humbucking version of the Dimension bass is perhaps one of the most versatile guitars on the market today. With an 18 volt on board preamp, three way pickup selector switch and three band EQ, this guitar eliminates the need for you to own more than one bass. The Fender Roadshow gives us a rare insight into what makes these guitars so special. It is also an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with the instruments and allow you to play them in a live music environment before shelling out. This year was undeniably a celebration of the Stratocaster. Although the team touched on updates to the Hot Rod series of guitars, the new Jim Root Jazz Master and upgraded acoustic line of guitars, this was a year to look back and celebrate the most revolutionary guitar in history, the Fender Strat. ROY MILTON WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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