Issue 1436

FEATU U RE INSIDE

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH

KITE STRING TANGLE

MACHINE GUN PREACHER

TEX PERKINS & THE APE

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NEWSDESK

LOCAL NEWS

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GLOBAL NEWS

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER LAUGHTER? Black Swan State Theatre Company will soon proudly present Laughter On The 23rd floor by Neil Simon, inspired by the iconic playwright’s early career experiences as a junior writer on Your Shows Of Shows and based on real life characters. Simon is one of the most Oscar and Tony Award-nominated writers SOUTHBOUND UNVEILS FOR 2015 of all time.

Summer just got a little more interesting with the folk at Southbound this week revealing yet another This laugh-out-loud comedy stars Peter memorable line-up.

Rowsthorn, James Sweeny and Damon Lockwood and Taking to Sir Stewart Bovell Park on Saturday-Sunday, January 3-4, 2015, will be Alison Wonderland, runs at the Heath Ledger Theatre in the State Theatre Alt-J, The Black Lips, Bluejuice, Cold War Kids, DMAs, Glass Animals, George Ezra, Jagwar Ma, Jamie xx, Joey Centre of WA from Saturday, September 6, until Bada$$, John Butler Trio, Kim Churchill, The Kite String Tangle, Milky Chance, Movement, The Presets, Remi, Sunday, September 21. Bookings through Ticketek.

Robyn & Royksopp, Todd Terje (live), Run The Jewels, Safia, Salt N Pepa, Sbtrkt (live), Spiderbait, Sticky com.au.

Fingers, The Temper Trap, Tkay Maidza, Tycho, Vance Joy, Wolf Alice and more to be announced. Earlier this month Southbound also revealed the opportunity to camp next to your cars at next year’s festival, head to Peter Rowsthorn stars in Laughter on the 23rd floor Pic: Robert Frith sunsetevents.com.au.

Tickets for Southbound 2015 go on sale 9am WST next Tuesday, August 26, via moshtix.com.au and Moshtix outlets.

The five-year wait is over, Michigan outfit Chiodos have announced an Australian tour in early 2015, and they come bearing gifts, namely the songs of their fourth LP, Devil. The new album marks the return of founding members Graig Owens and drummer Derrick Frost plus new recruit, Thomas Erak, along with Matt Goddard, Pat McManaman and Bradley Bell. It will be an explosive live show at Amplifier Bar on Wednesday, February 4. Tickets are available at Oztix.com.au.

Chiodos

Cold War Kids

CELEBRATING ROWLAND S. HOWARD

BRITISH INDIA TO HEADLINE MENTAL HEALTH WEEK OPENING CEREMONY

Liberation Music has announced the release of a new Rowland S. Howard anthology, Six Strings That Drew Blood, by way of celebrating the life and work of one of Australia’s most respected songwriters (The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, These Immortal Souls, plus solo work and numerous collaborations).

Six Strings That Drew Blood will be released on CD and vinyl on Friday, October 24, on what would have been his 55th birthday. It comes as a double CD with 40 page booklet containing photos and excerpts from his journals. A four-LP set with large format 16page booklet will be available for pre-order from that date also.

Swan Lake, the world’s most loved ballet, and Giselle, the most enchanting ballet of all time - two magnificent full-length ballets in one thrilling season.

After a sell out season in 2013, internationally acclaimed St Petersburg Ballet Theatre returns to Perth to perform Giselle at His Majesty’s Theatre on Friday-Saturday, June 5-6, and Swan Lake on FridaySaturday, June 12-13, 2015. Tickets go on sale from Monday, August 25, through Ticketek.com.au.

British India is headlining the Mental Health Week Opening Ceremony in an all-ages event reflecting this year’s theme, Make A Move For Better Mental Health.

British India are regular visitors to Perth and always a big drawcard to boot. Local support comes from Acid T, Fox Cat Rabbit and The Seals. The free concert will happen at Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre on Sunday, October 5, from 3-7pm.

National Mental Health Week runs from Sunday, October 5, until Sunday, October 12. For full details head to mhw.waamh.org.au.

Rowland S. Howard

The St Petersburg Ballet, Swan Lake

British India

HEY ST PETERSBURG

THE BIG QUESTIONS The School Of Life’s How To classes are now available to book online. It offers practical philosophy about life’s big questions such as how to reignite your creativity, how to worry less about money and how to master a conversation. It is also offering a pop-up school on William Street in Northbridge for 10 weeks only this spring, starting from Sunday, September 14.

The School of Life Perth class tickets are $70 and $60 (concession). The evening class includes wine and light supper. For tickets, head to theschooloflife.com/perth.

Perth female four piece Childsaint will launch their debut EP, Sick, with support from Dream Rimmy and Delay Delay at The Bird on Friday, September 19. The band’s debut single, Dessert, was released in June and has received airplay on Sydney’s FBi Radio, Perth’s RTR FM, Triple J and is currently number 4 on AirIt’s Now Charts.

The School Of Life

Childsaint

SICK AS

TOBY COMES HOME

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West Australian roots artist Toby returns home and will be performing a 15 day tour up and down the West Coast, following a European tour which took in four months and 55 shows, including festivals and her own headline gigs. Toby will be performing new songs from her forthcoming album - recorded at Bear Creek in Seattle with Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile) - with a new band, featuring Anne Bakker on violin, Rohan Hems on drums and Brent Purser on bass. Catch Toby at the Northshore Tavern this Thursday, August 21; the Fly Trap on Sunday, August 31, and the Indi Bar on Saturday, October 4.

Australian rock icon, Russell Morris, is heading back to Perth to bring HIS great Australian narratives to the stage. Morris will be playing songs from his award-winning Sharkmouth album, as well as his latest album, Van Dieman’s Land, which debuted at number four on the ARIA charts.

Morris performs at the Regal Theatre this Saturday, August 23. Tickets available through Ticketek.com.au.

Toby

Russell Morris

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RUSSELL UP

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WIN

N E W S L E T T E R - S I G N U P AT F O R E X C L U S I V E C O M P S

PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS PUBLISHER/MANAGER Joe Cipriani

EDITORIAL - 9213 2888

ROBBIE JALAPENO AND THE FACELESS BUREAUCRATS After an 18-month, self-imposed exile, Robbie Jalapeno And The Bureaucrats are finally returning to the stage with a very special show at the Astor Lounge on Friday, August 29. Most of their hiatus was actually spent flitting between studios recording their ambitious long-play release, Carmina De Nihil, and we have a couple of copies and passes to their show to give away! Just email win@xpressmag.com.au for your chance to get off your face with the Faceless Bs at the Astor.

Robbie Jalapeno

PREDESTINATION Fans of Australian film, science fiction, or Australian scifi are getting spoilt. Hot off the heels of the fourth Mad Max trailer, we’ve got another Australian dystopic thriller hitting cinemas. Peter and Michael Spierig, the brothers behind vampire-virus movie Daybreakers, are the dudes behind Predestination. The film follows a Temporal Agent (yes) who has the perfect careersecuring move - a time-travel journey to ensure he’s never out of work again. Predestination stars Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, and Australian legend Noah Taylor, and you can catch it in cinemas from Thursday, August 28. Get in touch at win@xpressmag.com.au for your chance to win a double pass.

MANAGING EDITOR Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au FEATURES & DANCE MUSIC EDITOR Zoe Kilbourn: featuresed@xpressmag.com.au LOCAL MUSIC & ARTS EDITOR Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au GIG & EVENT GUIDES CO-ORDINATOR guide@xpressmag.com.au COMPETITIONS win@xpressmag.com.au For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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It was only a matter of time before Julian Fellowes screenwriter behind Gosford Park and Downton Abbey and archetypal English gent - took on Shakespeare.

Romeo And Juliet is reimagined for the 21st century in this lush adaption, scripted by Fellowes and directed

by Carlos Carlei. It’s set in Verona and features all the lush melodrama you know and love in Fellowes’ period pieces (plus Paul Giamatti). Romeo And Juliet is out on DVD, and if you’d like to win a copy, get in touch at win@xpressmag.com.au.

EDITORIAL DEADLINES General: Friday 5pm, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, WIN: Friday 5pm, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING DEADLINES Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 55/102 Railway Street, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY

ONELOVE, ONE LIFE Hard-hitting Australian EDM label OneLove have dropped another compilation album, and it’s just hit #2 on the iTunes charts: Sound Machine 2014, featuring two discs of deep house and big room floorfillers. OneLove’s CEO was one of the masterminds behind Stereosonic, and this compilation shows how closely the two projects’ hearts beat. It’s 2.5 hours of the biggest releases from the likes of Calvin Harris, Cash Cash, Tiesto, Zhu, Booka Shade, and Martin Garrix, with a few surprise remixed throwbacks thrown in (Madison Avenue as restored

by Motez; Basement Jaxx by Mark Knight). You can catch the national Sound Machine tour when it hits Limelite on Friday, August 15. Alternatively, hit us up at win@xpressmag.com.au to win a copy of Sound Machine 2014.

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

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Calvin Harris, as featured on Sound Machine 2014

BELLE With an impressive critical approval rate from Rotten Tomatoes and the thumbs up from David and Margaret, Belle is a period drama with particular clout. It’s based on the true story of Dido Lindsay, the aristocratic and mixed race niece of a Lord Chief Justice wrangling with the biggest legal decision of the year - a definitive step towards determining whether human beings can be considered legal property. It deals as much with pride and prejudice (and sense and sensibility) as it does with the enormous legal and political tensions surrounding the Abolition movement. It’s out on DVD, and if you’d like a copy, hit us up at win@xpressmag.com.au.

AUTUMN ISLES Local pop aficionados and crowd favourites The Autumn Isles are launching their second full length offering at The Bakery on Saturday, August 30.

To celebrate, we’re giving you the chance to win the album and some door spots! Just email win@ xpressmag.com.au and tell us why you want to go and let us and the band take care of the rest. Isle be your best friend…

Autumn Isles

20,000 LEAGUES For Nick Cave freaks, those fascinated by his mythos, and everyone who dug his neo-Western The Proposition should check out the new semifictional film, 20,000 Days On The Earth. The film is a broody take on a day in the life of Cave, and it’s an intimate and frank look at the creative process and who we really are. It’s bound to be as trippy and melancholically meta as his music and novels, and you can see it in cinemas from August 21. Keen for a double pass? Hit us up at win@xpressmag.com.au.

MISTER AND PETE Even with star power like Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Mackie, and Dreamgirls’ Jennifer Hudson behind it, The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete focuses on the harrowing story of two young children abandoned in a New York tenement and dodging Child Protection Services. It’s received enormously positive press, and it’s out on August 13. If you’d like to win a copy, get in touch at win@xpressmag.com.au.

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BOYHOOD The twelve years it took to shoot Richard Linklater’s Boyhood were well worth it - it’s only the second film to get a 100% positive response as reported by Rotten Tomatoes, and that’s out of a stunning 176 reviews. It’s a panoramic coming-of-age movie that follows Mason (and Ellar Coltrane, the actor playing him) from age 6 to 18. It’s about divorce, Texan fundamentalism, aging, and seizing the moment. It’s in cinemas now, and if you’d like to get your mitts on a double pass, hit us up at win@xpressmag.com.au.

Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood

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FLESH

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS

Tex Perkins and co - The Ape

TEX PERKINS Going Ape Tex Perkins’ new outfit, The Ape, play the Astor Lounge this Friday, August 22, with KISStake, The Painkillers and Emu Xperts, and Mojos on Saturday, August 23, with KISStake and The Painkillers. TRAVIS JOHNSON catches up with Perkins to get the lowdown on a different sound.

When you take into account The Beasts Of Bourbon, The Cruel Sea, The Dark Horses, Tex, Don & Charlie, The Dark Horses, his collaborations with Tim Rogers and the numerous other musical projects he’s turned his hand to, you’d think that Tex Perkins’ dance card was pretty full.

Apparently not, as the existence of yet another band, The Ape, demonstrates.

This latest project sees Perkins and fellow travellers Raul Sanchez (Magic Dirt), Gus Agars (The Dark Horses) and Pat Bourke playing down and dirty, good time rock’n’roll, which is something we’re certainly not averse to, but the question must be asked: how many bands does one man need?

“It depends what sort of man you are,” Perkins muses. “If you’re Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, you only need one band to sustain you for 50 years. But as good as the Stones catalogue is and as enduring as their songs are, I think that would drive me insane. I have a very eclectic music collection and I have very eclectic musical tastes, therefore I have eclectic musical ambitions.

“I’m a very ‘up for it’ kinda guy; people

BOYS IN THE ‘WOOD Melbourne rock’n’rollers Kingswood finally release their debut album, Microscopic Wars, this Friday, August 22. The album is reviewed this week in New Noise on page 13 but you can also catch Kingswood live this week as the band kick off their national tour.

They’re all yours at the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, this Thursday, August 21, and Capitol on Friday, August 22. For tickets see Oztix.com.au.

Kingswood Pic: Rachael Barrett

present me with opportunities and possibilities all the time and I don’t say yes to everything, but I say yes to the good things. I absolutely enjoy that I do all sorts of things, as long as my brain can handle it.

“I know it’s probably a bit confusing for my audience,” he continues. “But what I’ve found is that I have different audiences. There’s not a lot of crossover. Sometimes there is and people go ‘What the fuck is he doing?’ Some old lady who saw me in The Man In Black might wander into an Apes gig and regret it. But I think that’s a blessing. I do very different things for different people and I’m loving it.

“There’s more bands in me. I did a gig last week with the Melbourne Ska Orchestra and a few weeks before that I recorded a song and did a gig with a band called Cooking On Three Burners, which is a kind of instrumental funk band. Lots of stuff happens and I’m up for it.”

The Ape owes its existence to the fact that it has become increasingly difficult, over the years, to actually assemble either of Perkins two most well known bands in the same room at the same time.

“Both of my - in inverted commas - rock bands that I’m traditionally known for, The Beasts Of Bourbon and The Cruel Sea, they don’t play very often. There’s a lot of history and a lot of baggage and a lot of coordination; it’s not as simple as it used to be with either of those bands, and I needed a band to make a racket with.

“I mention those two bands because I see the aesthetic, if you will, of The Ape at exactly the middle point between those two bands. It’s nice and loud and thick and chunky like The Beasts, but it’s not as intense and ugly. It’s a lot more fun, and, like the Cruel Sea, it’s probably a little bit more funky. And I will say no more on that subject.”

Tex Perkins also appears in The Man In Black - The Johnny Cash Story at the Regal Theatre from Tuesday-Sunday, August 26-31. Bookings through Ticketek.com.au.

THE MELVINATOR King Buzzo, aka Buzz Osborne of The Melvins, has released a solo acoustic album, This Machine Kills Artists, and is touring the country as we speak.

“Playing acoustic guitar live was always something that I had in the back of my mind,” he told X-Press a few weeks back. “I’ve written a lot of our songs on acoustic guitar, but on paper it didn’t sound like it would work – but it does.” Catch King Buzzo as he wraps up his solo acoustic tour at the Astor Lounge on Tuesday, August 26.

King Buzzo

RECORD CLUB As part of the Newport Hotel’s Record Club, this week’s edition on Thursday, August 21, will be dedicated to The Pixies’ incredibly influential 1989 album, Doolittle.

Raising a toast to the album will be the best named band ever, a line-up know as Kim Deal Or No Deal, featuring Tim Hamzah, Joel Quartermain, Tracey Read, Michael Geelhoed, Hugh Jennings and Matt Geary.

“Doolittle is one of those records that literally changed my life,” Geary says.

“Before The Pixies came along I was listening to hair-metal and classic rock - not that there is anything wrong with that; still do, in fact - but they opened my ears to something different. If it weren’t for The Pixies first two records, I wouldn’t have explored and found music that stays with me to this day - they opened up a new world.”

Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are $10 (plus booking fee) from Oztix.com.au or at the door. Your hosts are Steve Parkin and Malcolm Clark.

Doolittle, The Pixies 8

Hilltop Hoods, touring nationally in October

HILLTOP HOODS Talking To The Stars Walking Under Stars, the latest album from Hilltop Hoods, debuted at the top spot this week on the ARIA Album Chart, making it their fourth #1 album in a row.

SHAUN COWE reports.

When thinking of Australian hip hop there’s one name that seem to towers above the rest - Hilltop Hoods The tireless trio have been working both here and in the US to promote Australian hip hop since their breakthrough album, The Calling, 11 years ago.

Now the group are older and the challenges of family life have begun to work their way into the music. Daniel Smith, aka MC Pressure, chats just after this year’s killer Splendour In The Grass performance about their latest album, Walking Under Stars... and missing Outkast.

“It’s funny, we just got back from Europe, as well – we did a month in Europe – and Outkast were playing a lot of the same festivals that we were playing and we just somehow missed them every freakin’ show, so I’m spewin’. Apparently they were really good, but.”

In regards to the album, Hilltop Hoods want fans to see it as a sequel to 2012’s Drinking From The Sun, not as a separate work. The repeating motifs, including the classical instrumentation and the inclusion of The Thirst Pt. 4 and Pt. 5, act as string tying the two albums together.

“It’s meant to be part two of the album – a companion piece. When we went about making Drinking From The Sun, about four or five years ago, we decided we were gonna release a second after it.”

One of the most common questions the band has been asked in the lead up to the album being released is whether they feel any pressure.

Smith takes it all in good humour though, and totally stands behind his work.

“When we go about making the music we don’t apply any pressure to ourselves. We just get in our creative zone and just make the music we want to make but once a bit of pressure does get applied to us, for sure, but it’s not from us, it’s from our manager or the record label or the media or everyone asking about whether the album’s gonna stand up to the last few and that sort of thing But at the end of the day, we wouldn’t release the album if we weren’t 100 pre cent comfortable with it.”

Something that might come as a surprise to Hoods fans is the album’s thick soul influences, which comes in part from what the group has experienced in the past couple of years since Drinking From The Sun and in part from the guest vocalists.

“We spent about 18 months in the creative process of it… and that’s everything, from start to finish.

“Every album we make is just a sort of a timepiece of the couple of years of our lives; everything we go through when we’re making it. We were just feeling that more soulful groove. And some of the content is most definitely a direct reflection of everything I’ve gone through.”

Smith says the actual process for choosing guest musicians came from picking which would best suit the songs the Hoods were writing at the time, which eventually became the reason Walking Under Stars is so different from its companion piece.

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“All the guests we decided on fairly early in the making of the record that we wanted to work with these people. Once those songs came to fruition I guess the album kind of made itself around those songs.

“We did some collaboration with Maverick Sabre and Aaradhna - who are both soul singers - and Dan Sultan who’s sort of rock blues. They just all lend themselves to that sound, so we forged the rest of the album around that.”

When asked about the sort of events that Smith alludes to inspiring the album, particularly one of the most emotional tracks, Through The Dark, Smith opens up about his personal experiences.

“Well, Through The Dark was one of the first ones that got written for the album. In February, 2013, my eight-year-old son was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, so I actually spent a lot 2013 in hospital being his carer through his chemotherapy and I wrote that song while I was in hospital with him.

“He’s made a great recovery now so he’s doing quite well. I guess because of those events and because of the hardship that I, in particular, went through throughout the couple of years we spent making the record it probably has tainted somewhat and given it a more soulful feel.”

Finally, with all this talk about the songwriting process, Smith throws out some pearls of wisdom on how he finds time to put together material for each album, in between hectic touring schedules, recording and the everyday pressures of being a father.

“I write anywhere. Sometimes I write in my car; I’ll have an idea for a song and just turn my voice memo on, on my phone, and rap or sing a tune into it. I write on planes and on buses quite a bit, just because we’ve got so much down time when we’re touring. So much of your time is spent waiting at an airport, or sitting on a plane, or sitting on the back of a tour bus that I’ve written a lot of songs in transit.”

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Newsdesk Win Flesh Music Tijuana Cartel, Broods, Dot Hacker State Champs, Sam, Childers Dragonforce, John Murry, Velociraptor New Noise Eye4 Cover: The Seagulls 20,000 Days On Earth, This Is Not A Love Song The Expendables 3, Eye2Eye The Hit List, Fashion, Arts Listings Scene Cover: Apache EDM News, Kite String Tangle Take 5 Aston Shuffle, Pop Will Eat Itself Live: Gladiator, Bob Dylan, Spiderbait, Bodyjar Local Scene: Silver Hills X-Press Guide Social Pics, Volume

FRONT COVER: Walking Under Stars, the latest

album from Hilltop Hoods, debuted at the top spot this week on the ARIA Album Chart, making it their fourth #1 album in a row.

SCENE COVER: Apache launch their new single, Vultures, this Friday, August 22, at Mojo’s with help from FOAM, Pat Chow, Hideous Sun Demon, Bi-Polarbear and a DJ set from Ricky Maymi.

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MUSIC

VIEWS

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INTERVIEWS

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STORIES

Wading into the slick, coruscating waters of psychedelic, electronic and world music armed with only their synths, like a trio of sonic Jacques Cousteaus, Tijuana Cartel have made a name for themselves by boldly going where few have gone before.

Now, with their latest album, 24 Bit Guitar Orchestra, and a national tour under way, keyboardist Carey O’Sullivan talks about what’s gone in to make it all possible. “ We we n t fo r a s l i g h t l y d i f fe re n t direction with our last album; it was a lot more vocal-centric and we sort of dug in and brought through a lot of the influences we had when we were younger, of punk and rock and psychedelic rock and things like that.

“People don’t understand the concept of owning music anymore, they just play it and the only thing that’s gonna make it special – apart from vinyl coming back, which I hear is possible – is gonna be the live show, where you can see it live.

That’s where the magic’s gonna be from now on, I think.”

TIJUANA CARTEL Border Patrol With a new album, 24 Bit Guitar Orchestra, out now, Tijuana Cartel will be hitting up Mojos on Thursday, September 4, Settlers Bar, Margaret River, on Friday, September 5, Capitol on Saturday, September 6, and the Indi Bar on Sunday, September 7.

SHAUN COWE reports.

BROODS Sibling Revelry Caleb and Georgia Nott, aka Broods, have release their debut album, Evergreen this Friday, August 22. MINA KITSOS reports.

It was only 10 months ago that Caleb and Georgia Nott uploaded a song to their SoundCloud account under the name Broods. Little did the siblings know that Bridges would send the internet ballistic, tee up a number of record deals with distinguished music labels including Capitol Records and Polydor, and summon a cult following of fans almost overnight.

Since then, the New Zealand-born pair has been set on overdrive, releasing a Broods EP, headlining shows on the other side of the globe and gracing international festival stages. Despite all this, Georgia is bright-eyed, pragmatic in her response to their jawdropping success.

“It’s a bit too much to absorb if you try and take it all on at once. We were always doing music but we’d never actually sat down and thought, ‘Let’s actually try and make it as musicians’. We didn’t even really think that when we started Broods.”

Aged 20 and 21 respectively, Georgia and Caleb’s decision to work together professionally is still a fresh resolve. Although they dabbled in projects through high school, it was never their intention to join forces and become Broods, a name well suited to their brooding sonics.

“We didn’t decide together until the start of last year,” says Caleb. “I was full-time studying industrial design and Georgia was working, but not really doing her job,” he playfully chides. “Georgia tried to study music. She lasted three weeks.”

The disarming fusion of synth-driven atmospherics and stomping beats on Broods’ debut EP had another influence – the hand of producer Joel Little, 10

who rose to prominence as he joined Lorde onstage at the Grammys to accept a golden gramophone for Pure Heroine. With their collaboration predating Lorde’s success, Caleb says the ripple of events is still hard to comprehend.

“That’s so weird – people referring to him as a crazy big producer. He’s been working his arse off for 10 years, doing odd jobs, so it’s so cool to see him have that success. He’s such a honey.”

As for distinguishing Broods’ sound from their fellow Kiwi, Caleb is quick to point out that Little’s work is tailored to his subjects. “He builds a sound around the artist,” Caleb says.

So it was an easy decision, Georgia says, to enlist Little’s help once again on their debut LP, Evergreen. “We’re kind of all dreams and no knowledge of how to work a computer. My demos on GarageBand are like – my percussion is me hitting the mic with my finger. I did this one thing where I was like…” She pulls her knee to her chest and rubs it with the palm of her hand, creating a slow, scraping sound. “I was just making weird noises with my clothes,” she giggles.

Caleb rises to his feet, one hand simulating pulling a drawstring. “One song on the album has one pair of my pants – you pull it and it makes this ‘pop’ noise. I was just sitting there and Joel goes, ‘Should we record that?’”

“That’s what happens when we’re in the studio for five weeks straight,” laughs Georgia. “‘Oh my god – this is genius! Let’s record our clothes!’”

With Bridges now comfortably sitting on over four million Spotify streams, and Broods’ new single, Mother & Father, shooting straight to number one on the Hype Machine charts, it’s a good thing that time together isn’t taxing. “We’re constantly doing stuff and it’s full-on,” says Georgia. “When we’re under pressure, it’s all about protecting each other and making sure that we’re okay,” she says, Caleb nodding firmly in agreement. When it comes to songwriting, Georgia says that Broods’ signature vulnerability comes naturally in the studio. “It’s not an unusual thing for the other person to know what we’re going through, even when it comes to relationships and that kind of personal stuff.”

“So for this one we decided to go back to the root of the Tijuana Cartel sound, which is small fat beats and epic world soundscapes and Paulie’s (guitarist, Paul George) special blend of Aussie flamenco shredding.”

The album, which O’Sullivan claims is a return to roots for the band, might alienate some fans of Frequent Flyers Redeemed (2007), because of its focus on instrumentation, but there’s a definite sense that the band isn’t happy to sit on its laurels and constantly seeks to push boundaries.

“We’ve got a lot of influences and sometimes we just want to do everything,”

DOT HACKER Mental Gymnastics Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer, has released a second album, How’s Your Process? (Work), with his own band, Dot Hacker. ADAM NORRIS reports.

Dot Hacker are an intriguing outfit. With members plucked from a variety of different acts – bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hella and neo-soul stalwart Gnarls Barkley – Dot Hacker are a kind of musical Avengers, coming together whenever schedules align to write music.

Frontman, Josh Klinghoffer, who’s also the guitarist in the Chili Peppers, finds himself in a rather unique position to reflect on the shift between emerging band and stadium superstars. Plus, he seems like an actual nice guy, to boot.

The most obvious downside to a band like Dot Hacker is simply finding the time for each member to be in the same room together. There is no luxury here to take several months to slowly ease a record into shape; instead, speed is key.

“Everything that Dot Hacker does depends on availability or temporal things, on physical spaces,” Klinghoffer explains. “Sadly, this band is often challenged simply by my not being around. With this album, because of my being on tour, a lot of the songs were brought in not fully formed and then rearranged.

“For years and years I’d beat myself up about it, having tons and tons of songs that I never finish, that are left either as gibberish or thematically open-ended.

I’ll wait until the right moment to actually make them

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O’Sullivan says. “Paul and I will just write what we feel like writing and then we have to make the decision if it’s too far from what people are used to from the Tijuana Cartel sound – whether we should make a new side project and put it all under that, or whether we should pull it back in line with what people expect from our sound, or whether we could just blow everyone and do something completely different but you risk alienating people then. I think that’s mainly what we’ve done with this album. The original fans of Tijuana are gonna really love it. It’s a bit of a gift.”

The band’s latest single, Still Fighting, features Richard Kaal, who works extensively to record and produce traditional Balinese music from his studio, Musikaal. O’Sullivan says it all came about pretty much by chance.

“We’ve known Richard through a mutual friend for a while and we were in Bali and he invited us up to his mountaintop retreat and started telling us about stuff that he’d done. He was really interested in stuff that we were doing and then he showed us his Gamelan Orchestra which he had set up – and he’d been recording with local Gamelan players – and said we could use it for a studio and record all the instruments and everything. As we were making the song he started singing and we said, ‘hey we should record you, do you want to be on the song as well?’ and it all sort of fell into place.”

O’Sullivan admits that he’s actually just sent off for the first pressing of the band’s album.

While talking about it he admits that, despite Tijuana Cartel’s huge, sweeping sound on their albums, the band is primarily focused on live performance.

“The reaction to our live set has always been far greater than we’ve had from our CDs. I mean, we sell some CDs at gigs, people take some home, but it’s never been a huge success, merchandise-wise. It’s also been hard to capture the live thing on CD, so they are a slightly different animal.

“Music being free, it’s sort of taken away a lot of the feelings of owning the music. Like, kids won’t have that anymore, where you save up and buy a CD and you take the CD home and you read the cover and create a real attachment to that, this is my CD and I’m going to play it in my Walkman, or whatever.

“People don’t understand the concept of owning music anymore, they just play it and the only thing that’s gonna make it special – apart from vinyl coming back, which I hear is possible – is gonna be the live show, where you can see it live. That’s where the magic’s gonna be from now on, I think.”

a song. I feel if I finish a song but don’t have a band to play it with, by the time the moment comes it might not be what I want to say anymore, or where I am.

I used to tell myself I was being lazy. While that might still be true, I think that when it comes to a song like Whatever You Want, well, I wrote some of the chords for that six years ago. I wrote some of the lyrics in Ethiopia when I went there with Flea at the beginning of writing the last Chili Peppers album, and only finished them once Dot Hacker decided to make it one of the songs for this album. So it can be an involved process.”

The band is rounded out by Clint Walsh and Eric Gardner – both former touring members with Klinghoffer for Gnarls Barkley – and Hella bassist Jonathan Hischke. The new record, How’s Your Process?

(Work), is Dot Hacker’s second album.

A large challenge Klinghoffer faces – beyond simply finding time to sit down and jam with the band – is the mental gymnastics involved in switching in and out of the Chili Peppers.

“There’s definitely a change in mentality, especially in what my role is from one band to the other.

I think being someone who would often play in different situations – you know, I’ll be off on this tour to play with this person, then I’m suddenly off in a studio somewhere – I’m kind of used to changing roles. I’ve got to the point where both bands I’m in are very personal to me, and I can analyse what role I play in both and choose how I let that affect me.

“There are days where I’ll feel like I prefer being the shot-calling leader with Dot Hacker, and then there are days when I’m happy to be the instrumentalist who doesn’t have the emotional, frontman weight that Anthony (Kiedis) has on his shoulders. I think it also allows me to understand where Anthony comes from a lot of the time, when he’s in the writing process and I’m doing the same thing with another band at the same time. It is hard sometimes, and it seems intense and crazy, but I’m able to do it, and they’re all facets of my being and my personality.”

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STATE CHAMPS New Heights Ahead of their appearance with Neck Deep at HQ (all-ages) on Wednesday, September 3, and for Jurassic at Flyrite on Thursday, September 4, guitarist, Tyler Szalkowski, speaks with AARON BRYANS about the emotional journey surrounding the release of State Champs’ debut album, The Finer Things.

Pop punk is far from dead. The revitalised scene has seen its fair share of bands blossom especially in the US; and State Champs has taken the genre by storm quickly rising up the ranks since their formation in 2010.

Having signed to Pure Noise Records in 2012, the band were finally able to release their debut fulllength album, The Finer Things, which saw them take a full step forward from their prior release and mature in terms of sound.

“The Finer Things was the first album that we had worked with a producer on,” guitarist, Tyler Szalkowski, explains.

“Steve Klein from New Found Glory really got us thinking differently about how to make a record and everything that he has taught us still sticks with me today when working on new songs for the next record.

He really got us thinking outside of the box; doing cooler and different things, being more innovative. We

SAM CHILDERS Time Of The Preacher Familiar to many from the biographical film Machine Gun Preacher, Sam Childers and his organisation, Angels Of East Africa, work to help conflict orphans in some of the most dangerous places on Earth. On the eve of his Western Australian speaking tour, he talks to TRAVIS JOHNSON. Sam Childers was a bad motor scooter. Prior to his conversion to Christianity in 1992, he was an addict, an alcoholic and a violent criminal. Now he is a world-renowned - albeit controversial - humanitarian, working tirelessly to help war orphans in South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia. You can watch a version of his story in the film Machine Gun Preacher, or you can read his own account in his two books, Another Man’s War and Living On The Edge. Alternatively, you can hear the man himself speak on his WA tour.

“It’s about inspiring people to get up and do something in life,” he says of his speaking engagements. “I’m talking about, whether you are a bad person or a good person, whatever you have done in life, most people don’t wanna help other people. I believe hearing my testimony inspires people to get up and do something. You’ve got to remember, mission work begins in your won community, your own town, and what I ask people is ‘What are you doing?’”

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as musicians have continued to grow and develop just like anybody would and that couples with working with a producer for the first time.”

“It was a huge obstacle we all overcame together, the record was awesome for everyone. It was the reward we were all waiting for. We’d worked so long and hard on the record and it was a really stressful time for everybody; so to release it and it be received as well as it was, it was really great for everyone and boosted morale. We didn’t really expect to have such a crazy response to it, we all believed in it, we were all excited about it and we’re just happy that the kids like it too.”

The process wasn’t easy however, with the members facing personal struggles within and outside of the band. For Tyler, support from his band mates proved the difference, preventing him from walking away from the project and helping him get his life back on track.

The entire struggle became the basis of the band’s first single Elevated.

“Around the time that we were making the record I was more or less loosing my mind,” Szalkowski reveals.

“I had almost left the band and it was a pretty dark time for me. My entire world was falling apart; Derek (Discanio, vocalist) had pulled me aside and had talked to me and tried to ground me and really help me out and get me through what was one of the hardest times of my life. It was a dark time, but I’m better now and everything’s great now; but it meant a lot for him to do that for me as a friend.”

The album has skyrocketed the band into the international scene, opening doors for the band to play in the UK, Europe and recently on the Warped tour. Now they’re set to hit the Australian scene with a huge national tour set for September with UK band, Neck Deep.

“We just spent about two months on the Warped tour with Neck Deep and they were telling us how awesome Australia is. I really can’t wait to get over there, everyone says the shows are awesome and it’s so beautiful so I’m pretty pumped.”

In his work, Childers faces adversity from a number of sources, ranging from the very real danger of armed conflict to the more abstract threat of bad publicity. Asking what the most pressing issue is, however, elicits a surprising and thoughtful answer.

“You know, I think the biggest issue we deal with, and I think it’s something that every non-profit will have to deal with is that you can’t save ‘em all, you can’t feed ‘em all, you can’t take all the children in. I think that’s the thing that I have a hard time dealing with and I think most non-profits, especially the founders of ‘em, it’s something we have to deal with every day is knowing we can’t feed ‘em all, we can’t save ‘em all.

And we have to learn to do every day and live every day the very best we can do. And what I mean by that is every day you do the very best you can do.”

His raised profile, largely thanks to the Gerard Butler-starring 2011 film, Machine Gun Preacher, has allowed him to access support and resources from a broader range of sources, although it’s not without its downside. “Really, to tell you the truth, the last few years it’s been good. You gotta remember the movie was based on a book that I wrote, Another Man’s War, and Hollywood took that book and the screenwriter went into Africa and got stories form other people and that’s how they made the movie, and that’s how they got things that are not exactly true.

“I think the biggest thing is that sometimes they make me out to be some crazy guy with a gun, and if you really look into what I do over the past few years, you’ll see I’m really big into education, I’m really big into a future. I don’t worry about what other people says about me, I just try to concentrate on me doing the very best that I can. You’re always going to have people hacking on you, and I’m okay with that.”

Sam Childers appears at Metro Church, Mandurah and Metro Church, Perth on Sunday, August 24, Church Of the Way, Coodanup, on Monday, August 25, and The Velvet Lounge on Tuesday, August 26.

For more information, go to machinegunpreacher.org.

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ideas the way we expanded our sound.”

An old friend of the band, Trivium’s Matt Heafy, contributes backing vocals to three of the album’s tracks.

“It’s just really lucky that he was off tour when we asked him to do the songs - he said, ‘yeah, I’m going to finish the tour soon, I got a week off’. I wasn’t really expecting there to be chances of doing things like this because they’re really busy. That was really actually a surprise. It was really lucky that we had him.”

“We stick to the Dragonforce style - solos, guitars, speed. You have to do it that way because it’s a cover song because people have to hear the song, but go, ‘I know straight away this is Dragonforce’. It’s got to have that stamp on it.”

DRAGONFORCE To The Max Modern British metal doesn’t get much more vibrant and exciting than 15-year veterans Dragonforce, a band reknowned for playing faster and more furiously than most comers. Guitarist Herman Li took the time to tell SHANE PINNEGAR about new album, Maximum Overload.

JOHN MURRY Anger Management Mississippi singer/songwriter, John Murry, has recently release a new EP, Califorlornia. MEG CRAWFORD reports.

A lot of the press would have you believe that John Murry is a miserable bastard, but it’s just not true.

Absolutely, he’s a pragmatist and he’s not about to pull any punches, but he’s no dark prince either. In fact, the Mississippi man is as funny as hell and has a ready laugh.

He eschews the title, but Murry is most often described as a folk rock singer/songwriter.

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Maximum Overload is arguably the heaviest record Dragonforce has ever released.

It’s also the first time they’ve worked with an outside producer, Jens Bogren. Li is over the moon with the result, and says Bogren, who has worked with Opeth, Kreator, Symphony X and many more, got a great result out of the band.

“Yeah, we’re excited. Jens is a top world class metal producer and he’s done so many different styles of music and he’s very open minded to try different things with us and push us to another level,” says the Hong Kong-born shredder.

“He definitely pushed us really hard in our performance individually and as a band. He has a really good ear and he can hear if we play well or not play that well - and he’ll tell us! He’s really good.”

He’s wildly talented and occasionally reminiscent of Springsteen. Murry’s songs are made of powerfully moving stuff, so personal that at times it hurts to listen to them. It’s no surprise, then, that at the moment he’s listed as one of the world’s finest – Uncut naming his 2013 debut LP, The Graceless Age, one of the 50 best singer/songwriter albums of all time. Murry himself is understated about the honour.

“Look, it’s good print, but Springsteen’s Nebraska’s not on there – I mean, really?” he says. “I’d take me off and put that on there. It’s all so subjective, isn’t it? There’s really no magic in creating songs, but there’s a whole lot of bleeding, bloodletting that goes on. It takes a lot of emotional energy to create anything of value. Anyway, I don’t give a fuck what most critics think. Most of them are just failed songwriters anyway. Not in Australia, though…”

He’s not trying to dig himself out of a hole there, either. Murry has spent a lot of time in Australia – among other things, he’s recorded here and plans to do so again this month. He’s a keen observer of what goes on and he’s developed a real affection for us, even though he’s previously called Australians an ‘interesting and strange breed’.

“Well, you are,” he laughs. “Australia’s a weird and amazing place in all of the good ways and the bad ones. Australians are very generous people, but there’s a real division in Australia and a lot goes unspoken. For instance, racism is very real there, but Australia’s just so huge that you don’t see it all the time. There’s also something kind of Southern about your hospitality, but in the South they’re guarded and it’s kind of manipulative, whereas in Australia, you really do get a chance.”

There’s at least one thing he really wants to do now he’s back. “I never even saw the beach last time. Mark Stanley (Australian producer who worked on Murry’s Califorlornia EP) sucks. I was here for a whole month and I never even got close to a beach! I want to surf, but I’m real bad. I don’t want to embarrass myself. I don’t want to be like the pale, pasty guy falling off. Someone’s gonna need to teach me – I grew up in Mississippi!”

The image of Murry’s grumpiness is undoubtedly fuelled by him saying things that make him seem a bit dark out of anger. Now, it sounds like time has softened him a tad, and he offers some advice for us all.

“I don’t feel angry now. I was angry for a while. Now, I just feel indignant. I feel that if anyone is to engage by writing songs or creating rock’n’roll, there’s only one way and that’s the honest way. For a long time there I felt like the world was going to hell in a handbasket. Maybe it still is, in which case maybe it’s my turn to run after it with the fire extinguisher.

“Trying to explain that sounds kinda odd, but if the world is so screwed up, we all have responsibilities. At the very least, be nice to your next-door neighbour and get to know their names.”

Bogren also gained a reputation as a bit of a hard-arse in the studio.

“Oh, yeah,” laughs Li. “He was nobody’s lapdog let me tell you that. Just because I will want something, doesn’t mean I’m going to get it. It’s almost like, ‘hold on, your ideas will be considered’ or whatever. He definitely took no shit.”

Maximum Overload is Dragonforce’s sixth album, and with each new record comes progression. As well as enlisting Bogren to produce, chief songwriter and guitarist Sam Totman cowrote most of the tracks with bass player, Frédéric Leclercq. The results speak for themselves: resolutely Dragonforce, but bigger and better.

“Yeah, I think it was a really good combo,” agrees Li. “They’d never worked together that way.

It was good because we somehow had so much fresh

Maximum Overload also features a cover version – a Dragonforce-styled version of Johnny Cash’s country mariachi classic, Ring Of Fire. It’s far from an obvious choice, but they make it work.

“It was very natural how that song came about,” Li explains. “We thought, ‘okay we’re going to do a cover song for the first time because, for us it will be original, because we’ve never done one before’, but we would only do it if we found something that would sound like Dragonforce when we’d play it, the way we would arrange it.

“So Ring Of Fire just came on TV for Sam when he was watching, and he actually arranged it within 15 minutes to get the whole song the way he wanted it, he had a kind of vision. And then we heard it and we thought, it was cool and that’s how it came about - it didn’t actually take that long, because it just felt right. If you’re stuck and can’t think about it, then you haven’t got the right song.

“We stick to the Dragonforce style - solos, guitars, speed. You have to do it that way because it’s a cover song because people have to hear the song, but go, ‘I know straight away this is Dragonforce’. It’s got to have that stamp on it.”

We wrap up with Li affirming that Dragonforce will be taking Maximum Overload right around the world – including Australia.

“We’re going to do a full world tour, for sure. What we did basically, is starting in the UK first and then we’ll make our way probably through Europe and hopefully we’re definitely going to get our way to Australia. We’re just filling in the schedule like that.

Hopefully we’ll be back down there again soon.”

VELOCIRAPTOR Ganging Up

Velociraptor’s self-titled debut album is released this Friday, August 22. JODY MACGREGOR checks in with vocalist, Jeremy Neale.

Jeremy Neale, frontman of Velociraptor – a band with enough members they could give up music and successfully invade a small European nation, possibly Belgium – was recently a speaker at a music conference aimed at young people looking to get into the music business.

What kind of lessons could the musicians of tomorrow learn from Velociraptor? What mistakes have they made others should avoid? “Probably everything the band’s ever done,” Neale says.

“It’s hard to say. Velociraptor’s a unique example because I guess a lot of people might write off the recorded works but then they’ll see us live and have a really good time.”

He impersonates a potential audience member, reacting to their music: “‘It’s really different, I thought they were clean and polished and I really enjoyed the rambunctiousness of the live show,’ or whatever.

It’s like we always have to attack at two angles, which means touring has to be a thing we do, but touring is such an expensive thing for us to do. It’s a financial pitfall, but it’s also essential. I can’t use Velociraptor as a way to tell people what to do except maybe not to form a gigantic band.”

There are advantages to having a platoonsized band, though, and one is having a lot of different viewpoints on each song. When it came to recording their self-titled debut, following on from their 2012 minialbum, The World Warriors, having a throng of opinions pushed them in a different direction.

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“When everything was just, like, three power chords and drums and vocals on a demo, the initial vibe, what it was aiming towards, was a very ’80s Ramones Pet Sematary vibe,” Neale says. “But once they were taken to the studio and once everyone did their thing to them we got in the studio mindset, which was like, ‘Let’s play with this and see what happens’. I think things got quite far removed, in a way.

But it was good, it was interesting. What could have been a very straight-up record has now got peaks and dips.”

A song like Leeches is either one of the peaks or one of the dips, depending on how you look at it.

Though surrounded by upbeat Kinksy garage-pop, it finds Neale in a baritone lamenting broken people.

Echoing vocals from several of the other boys in Velociraptor form a wall of man behind him, singing: ‘All the lovers you have doomed / And the leeches fill the room, the room’. Uncharacteristically, it sounds like a bad trip. “I think Leeches is everybody’s favourite song on the record, actually. We probably would have done an album like that – if we did another release it would be very much down that path. It’s fun to do a variety of stuff, I think.”

There’s a touch of the ADD kid in Neale, who performs solo as well as in Tiger Beams, Lovely Legs and Running Gun Sound, each an outlet for a different style. While Velociraptor started out loud and loose, as their gloriously ramshackle live show still proves, their recordings have become more like melancholy Merseybeat pop. “ W h e n t h e b a n d started no-one had responsibilities, everybody didn’t have to do anything. Now everyone’s gotta work fulltime to survive, it’s why maybe it’s more mature. It’s got a bit sadder, it’s got a bit more real-world heaviness to it in parts because that’s what real life is I guess. It’s not just a drunken party. But sometimes it can be.”

NEW NOISE

For more album reviews head to xpressmag.com.au

3.5

3.5

OUT OF 5

OUT OF 5

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

HILLTOP HOODS

Get Hurt Virgin/EMI

Walking Under Stars Golden Era Records

Brian Fallon is said to have had a nasty bout of writer’s block before he finally got around to making the big selling Handwritten, but with the dissolution of his marriage recently Get Hurt should have been a been a doddle to make with plenty of grist for the mill.

The Gaslight Anthem promised to make a record that was a long way removed from their breakout album, The ’59 Sound, and while they may have made some subtle tweaks, Get Hurt is still unmistakably the Jersey quartet. The opening salvo hints at a progression as the punk rock roots appear to give way to a more stadium approach with some spandex inspired guitar work. It may be a point of difference but Stay Vicious isn’t playing to the band’s strengths as it sounds to considered and contrived.

The title track is more like what is expected from The Gaslight Anthem with its earnest mid-tempo appeal. Things start to hit their straps at the midway mark of the album and when Rollin’ And Tumblin’ kicks in the band are at their raspy sing-along best. Ain’t That A Shame continues Fallon’s knack for a chorus and Break Your Heart is the albums stripped back heartbreaker.

Get Hurt isn’t the caustic break up album that was expected nor is it a tepid pool of self-loathing.

It may not be the strongest of their records, but its a sleeper that gets better with each deserved listen.

It’d be a cliché to say that Hilltop Hoods have matured, but it’s true - there’s a lot more than the nosebleed section on Suffa and Pressure’s minds. The MCs are aging, and there are references to Christina Aguilera, Cosby sweaters, and a recurring anxiety about the amount of time it took to release this album (a negligible two years). Maybe that’s down to the sheer amount of stuff that’s happened to these guys since Drinking From The Sun: a relationship breakdown (Suffa, Won’t Let You Down), a child’s cancer diagnosis (Pressure, Through The Dark).

Most Australian hip hop is grounded in a kind of mid-’90s ‘conscious’ rap revivalism, and the Hoods are largely responsible for that. Walking Under Stars is firmly in the heart-on-sleeve skip hop mould, and it’s very much take it or leave it. The Hoods’ big strings, old-skool soul samples and resolutely Adelaide lyricism can border on cloying, which has a uncomfortable effect when teamed when very serious, very personal themes bleed into the album (‘We’ll search the night for shooting stars’; ‘Life don’t get easier/My Nan died, oldest son got leukaemia (fuck)’).

That said, it’s strong, significantly subtler than previous records, and expertly produced: they’ve taken and fully incorporated the depth of The Hard Road: Restung and made Olympian orchestral samples a core part of their sound.

CHRIS HAVERCROFT ZOE KILBOURN

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OUT OF 5

THE KITE STRING TANGLE Vessel EP Warner Music The Kite String Tangle’s debut EP lives up to expectations as a solid, emotional, ambient album by an exceptionally gifted singer.

The real highlight of Vessel is Danny Harley’s smooth indie soul vocals that sweep over the bright synth harmonies, cresting and falling in lush vertical melodic movements. As a side effect, the instrumentation does sometimes feel a little lacking.

The sample textures are good but tend to repeat without developing. What If stands as a contradiction to this, with a subtle build that leads to a dirt synth outro that contrasts the album’s ethereal nature.

Harley pulls off the ambient feel well, especially in Words and Given The Chance, where the repeating motifs, atmospheric synth and development of rhythmically minimal verses to complex choruses really lift up the tracks.

What’s The Point? works more as an indie pop anthem than the closing track to an electronic album and probably could have reached its potential as such with a bit more working on, but it’s still a solid track, if an odd choice for closer.

SHAUN COWE

4

OUT OF 5

KINGSWOOD Microscopic Wars Dew Process Since releasing their debut EP, Change Of Heart, back in 2012, Kingswood have been working hard to capture our attention, and now they’ve arrived with a rocking debut album.

From track one, Microscopic Wars proves that Kingswood are a band all about change and growth.

While many acts choose to stick to a particular sound through their EPs and early albums, these guys like to fuse their inspirations, changing their sound throughout their brief career so far – not just across different releases, but even within individual songs.

Here, Kingswood launch straight into proceedings with the hard rock energy they’re known for (All Too Much, Ohio), and there are more than a few tracks that bring back those old-school stadium rock vibes - Tremor is one - full of beautiful harmonic vocals. Your ears and emotions will be taken on a rollercoaster journey of passion as songs slow down, become smoother and melodic, letting you get those deep feels on (Eye Of The Storm) before launching back up to some serious guitar jams.

While such contrasts could cause conflicts and clashes, Kingswood have constructed an album that brings them all together without a hitch.

AMY THEODORE

3.5 OUT OF 5

FIREKITES Closing Forever Sky Spunk It has been so long between drinks for Newcastle collective Firekites that you could be mistaken for thinking that they had ceased to exist. After a debut of delicate acoustica, Firekites have reinvented themselves with the addition of some bit part players and a broader palate when constructing their tunes.

Closing Forever Sky may only be seven songs in length but it is significantly larger in breadth. Many will find trouble in trying to label the sound of Firekites this time around as they stealthily sweep past the touchstones usually reserved for post-rock, shoe-gaze, folk or indie-rock without staying in any space for too long. There are long instrumental passages that are augmented by lithe well placed vocals.

The gentle electronica and propulsive drumming stand out at first listen, with the title track hitting close to the three minute mark before Timothy McPhee’s wispy vocals make an appearance. The album sounds like a collection of jams between like-minded souls with meandering soundscapes falling out the other end. There is a darkness to the tunes here, but they never hit sinister territory.

It would be selling it well short to label Closing Forever Sky as just one of the years biggest surprises, as it is much more than that and a totally mesmerising listen from go to whoa.

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

BENJAMIN BOOKER Benjamin Booker Rough Trade / Remote Control To u r i n g w i t h J a c k W h i t e a n d a p p e a r i n g on Letterman would be bucket list items for most career musicians, yet Benjamin Booker had ticked them off before even releasing his debut album. As such, the selftitled debut from the New Orleans-based Booker comes with quite some hype, and mostly manages to fulfil it.

Lead single, Violent Shiver, gets things off to a rollicking start, establishing Booker’s muddled blend of garage rock, blues and old-fashioned rock’n’roll right from the beginning. The song opens with Booker’s guitar playing emulating classic Chuck Berry, before Max Norton’s drums take over and Booker’s vocals join in to transform the song into a punky, garage rock number.

This is Booker at his most upbeat and impressive, and when he replicates this style on Wicked Waters and Old Hearts, the album is at its most enjoyable.

Ballads Slow Coming and I Thought I Heard You Screaming showcase Booker’s versatility, as the songs chug along in the vein of very early Black Keys and his vocals gain an otherworldly depth.

It’s an entertaining debut that heralds Booker as a rising star of the blues rock scene and gives hope that he has much more in store for us.

KEIRON COSTELLO WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

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THE SEAGULL - PHOTO BY GARY MARSH

The Black Swan Theatre Company’s latest production is Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. X-Press spoke to actress Leila George about her role as the ingénue Nina, the regard this play is held in, and a rather curious theatre tradition associated with The Seagull.

“It’s very exciting for me,” George tells us. “As it’s my first job out of school, and it’s Chekhov, and I am one of the leads. It’s significant, as I’ve been studying this play at school and now I’m doing it, and it is such a good character to transforms so much. So it’s not that I just get to play one thing. In the first couple of acts she is naive and young, but by the end she has had terrible things happen to her and is very broken and needs to be fixed. She’s got a good arc. It’s always fun to have a character with an interesting arc. I feel she is also the only one who can survive, because she is the youngest and has more life to live. She can bear it and can use it all for experience.”

As to how George feels about her debut being such a pivotal role in this well-regarded classic, “It’s very daunting. I’ve never had anyone pay anything to come and see me act before.

I have such a skilled group of actors around me, which works in both ways. It’s a scary thought trying to keep up with them, but it’s also useful as they have so much good advice to give. They keep me on my toes, and I think, I keep them on their toes... a bit.”

In fact one of those skilled actors is someone George is very familiar with. The role of

Akardina is played by George’s own mother, Greta Scacchi. This represents somewhat of a tradition of staging the play, with both Vanessa Redgrave and Gwyneth Paltrow having acted alongside their daughters in The Seagull.

With an updated translation by Hillary Bell, director Kate Cherry presents a play that is both of the period and timeless. Although set at the end of the 19th century, the language is modernised slightly. “It’s easier for us to understand and to speak as it’s more in our day to day language.” However the play is still the same, speaking to audiences today as it did over a hundred years ago. “That’s why Chekhov is so brilliant and why his writing has survived so long, because he is totally relatable. The fear of not being good enough at what you do, young people’s addiction to fame, all the love, cheating and temptation – absolutely totally relatable themes. That’s why people do them still.”

Yet there is space for interpretation, allowing the actors to adapt and grow in the roles.

“His plays are all about constant laughing or constant crying and that’s one of the beauties about it. These scenes can be done in both ways. The beauty of it is if something is supposed to be sad, you can still laugh through it, and people will understand the scene.”

DAVID O’CONNELL

The Seagull runs at the State Theatre Centre until August 31. For session times and tickets, go to bsstc.com.au.

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RUN AWAY TO JOIN THE CIRCUS

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The National Institute Of Circus Arts (NICA) is now open to applications for their three year Bachelor Of Circus Arts course, beginning in 2015. It’s the only circus degree offered in Australia and tends to attract fierce competition for the limited number of places. Graduates have gone on to forge careers in such acclaimed companies as Circus Oz, NoFit State and Cirque du Soleil. Auditions will be held in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth from October 1. Go to nica.com.au for more info.

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH

BEETHOVEN’S BEST Experience nine symphonies over two weekends as the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor Asher Fisch present the Beethoven Festival from August 21 - 31. Opening with Beethoven’s First, Second and Fifth Symphonies and wrapping up with Beethoven’s Ninth, this is a rare opportunity to hear the great composer’s work as performed by our world class orchestra. For full information, times and ticketing, go to waso.com.au.

The Time Of Nick

OK Corral - Mackenzie Thorpe

THE LITTLEST OUTLAW Growing up in the ‘50s, artist Mackenzie Thorpe was hugely influenced by the countless American Westerns he saw on TV, as well as the numberless hours he spent playing Cowboys and Indians. This is reflected in his new exhibition, The Good, The Bad And Me, which filters traditional Western iconography through a wistful and often poignant view of childhood innocence. The collection is on display at Linton And Kay Galleries Perth until September 2. Go to lintonandkay.com.au for full details.

SANER IN PERTH FORM is bringing Mexican urban artist Saner to our city for a continuation of their hugely successful PUBLIC: Art In The City. Saner has been commissioned to create two murals in Perth and tow in Port Hedland. For more info, shoot over to form.net.au.

RABBIT IN THE SENATE Beethoven

LONG RUNNING WRITERS The Society Of Women Writers WA is holding another Marathon Writing Competition at the Citiplace Community Centre on Saturday, September 20. Writing prompts will be provided by Society President Helen Ives and there will be a total of 10 writing challenges, each lasting 25 minutes. The competition is open to men and women. entry costs $20. Check out swwofwa.com for more info.

Perth Theatre Company’s production of Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit, Red Rabbit gets a touch of local political colour when Greens Senator Scott Ludlam takes to the stage on Saturday, September 6. Each night of the play sees a different performer - including the likes of Sam Longley, Alison Van Reeken, Sean Walsh and more - being handed the play’s script the moment they hit the stage, with no foreknowledge as to what the material will be. For session times and tickets, head to perththeatre.com.au.

Directed by Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth Starring Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Ray Winstone, Kylie Minogue, Blixa Bargeld Can a documentary be called successful when the viewer exits knowing no more about the subject than they did in the beginning? In 20,000 Days On Earth we are treated to a number of allegedly revelatory ruminations on the life, work and history of one Nicholas Edward Cave, Bad Seed and Australian cultural icon, but no matter how rooted in truth they may be, they feel as carefully constructed as the film itself. The film gives us a great look at the persona Cave has built for himself over the course of his career, but the man himself remains as mysterious as ever.

Purportedly taking place on the 20,000th day of Cave’s life, the film follows the songwriter as he rises from his marital bed and goes about his day, writing, talking to a psychologist/interlocutor (noted philosopher Alain de Botton), meditating on artefacts and photographs from his past, tooling around his adopted home of Brighton in his car, occasionally interacting with friends and colleagues (at various times he acts as a chauffeur for Ray Winstone, Blixa Bargeld and Kylie Minogue, and has lunch with Warren Ellis).

Co-directors Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth make no secret of the artificial nature of their film, playing with the elasticity of time and place afforded by film and interspersing candid moments and archival footage with staged scenes.

It’s a very theatrical experience, which jibes well with Cave’s baroque public persona.

Fo r C av e f a n s , i t ’ s a t h o r o u g h l y engrossing experience - the prospect of seeing Cave and former Bad Seed Blixa Bargeld discuss that latter’s exit from the group alone should see the faithful flocking to the cinema. Many tidbits of Cave ephemera get an airing, including the garret where he wrote his first novel, And The Ass Saw The Angel, the weather diaries he kept in London and his poetic account of first meeting his wife. We also get a look at the creative process behind the album Push The Sky Away, seeing Cave work with Ellis and others to forge scraps of lyrics and snatches of melody into fully fleshed songs (it’s here that we get Cave’s impression of Lionel Ritchie, which is as bizarre as it sounds).

Still, it’s hard to gauge what a casual viewer might get out of the experience. Although the film pulls out some deep cuts, it never really goes broad; those expecting to come out with a sense of the curve of Cave’s life and career will be disappointed. Conversely, established fans at least have an idea of where each anecdote and insight fits on his biographical framework - the newcomer has no such advantage.

A crafted artefact about the craft of artifice, 20,000 Days On Earth fits neatly alongside the rest of the Nick Cave oeuvre. Still, it’d be nice to get a more exhaustive study of this enigmatic figure somewhere down the track.

TRAVIS JOHNSON

This Is Not A Love Song - Photo by Paul Robinson

GREG FLEET This Is Not A Love Song Despite being a successful stand-up comic for over two decades, Greg Fleet seems to be in the process of directing his talents for observation in a new and purposeful way with the concurrent release of his TV show Die On Your Feet and the opening of his play This Is Not A Love Song at the Blue Room.

The play features Fleet alongside Shane Adamczak and Tegan Mulvaney, with musical accompaniment from the very talented Mike De Gruzza, playing with the deep weave of memory and music, especially in regard to love in hindsight.

“It’s about a couple who come together through their love of music, but it’s also about them splitting up and having to split their record collection,” Fleet says. “They’re both very ‘cool’ and ‘credible’. They love The Ramones and Iggy Pop, but they both have a closet love of Daryl Braithwaite, which they both think of as their guilty secret until they realise they both love it.”

Fleet says the whole play is an exercise in memory, with Adamczak essentially playing an earlier iteration of himself. “It’s drawn from a lot of relationships, not just a single one. But most of it is drawn from reality.

“If you remember something a certain way, that doesn’t mean that’s how it happened. If you remember something incorrectly, does that make it a lie? Of course, when you look back across a lot of relationships you see themes or patterns in the way you treat people, be it well or not well,” he ponders. “When you start looking at it you think, ‘Oh my god! I never realised I did that,’ but of course, I did it all the time.”

Those familiar with Fleety’s backstory know that his history is littered with repetitive tales of excess - some of which are true. At present, he says that 16

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working on this project marks not only an achievement, but a change in his basic approach.

“Tegan and I throw around a lot of ideas, which is how we came up with the idea I should do the play. I wrote it at her house,” he says, “getting up at four in the morning and writing on her veranda drinking spiced rum. Because I was being constructive, I didn’t feel bad about smashing back straight Sailor Jerry’s and smoking fags at four in the morning.

“Because I was getting something done, you don’t feel bad about it. Maybe that’s why so many writers are alcoholics... maybe they’re alcoholics who write,” he deadpans.

“I’m thrilled I finished this. If I was doing stand-up, or a longer show, and it was just me... there have been so many times I’ve just thrown it together at the last minute, so many times I’ve looked back and thought, ‘It could have been so much better if I’d just done the work’.

“Working with other people, you make commitments, and I’ve kept them,” he says. “I finished the script early, I did the work and I’m really happy with it.”

SABIAN WILDE

This Is Not A Love Song runs at The Blue Room Theatre until September 6. For tickets and info, go to blueroom.org.au.

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THE EXPENDABLES 3 Senescent Shoot ‘Em Up

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Directed by Patrick Hughes Starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford Sylvester Stallone’s geriactioner franchise is, in it’s own way, critic proof. Much like, say, the Twilight series (and there’s a comparison we never thought we’d be making) there’s a core demographic for whom the critical and popular consensus are absolutely meaningless; they’d bought their tickets, figuratively speaking, the second the film was announced. That doesn’t mean that The third Expendables film isn’t terrible - it just means that, for many fans, questions of quality are irrelevant. This is a film where Rambo fights Martin Riggs; all other considerations are meaningless.

Helmed by Australian Patrick Hughes (Red Hill), The Expendables 3 sees Stallone’s Barney Ross butting heads with his old partner, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), now an international arms dealer and general supervillain. Ross recruits a team of younger badasses (including Twilight alumni Kellan Lutz and UFC champion Ronda Rousey) to help take Stonebanks down, having decided, in defiance of the series’ central axiom, that his usual team (Jason Statham et al) are too old for the job. Naturally, the new generation screw up, leaving Ross and his old crew - along with new additions played by Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas - to come to the rescue.

What galls about the film - and, if we’re being honest, the whole series - is how lazy the whole exercise feels. The Expendables runs on nostalgia and

self-indulgence; ageing action heroes show up to trot out their signature catchphrases amid the pyrotechnics (Arnie says “Get to da choppah!” in this one) while the younger cast collect their paycheques for not showing up their elders on camera. It’s a property that, conceptually, should be a slam dunk but has never managed to pull off the execution.

Which isn’t to say there aren’t enjoyable elements here, chief amongst them Gibson’s turn as the cheerfully evil Stonebanks. Banderas also seems to be having fun, as does Snipes. Harrison Ford, subbing in for the freshly departed Bruce Willis, clearly isn’t, spending the entirety of his screen time as though he actively resents expending the energy it takes to read his cue cards. The film also suffers from a dearth of Terry Crews, who disappears from the proceedings early on (Don’t worry, he’s not dead - the weirdest thing about The Expendables is that none of them are expendable.).

Ah well, chances are you know if you’re going to check this one out or not already. Surely by this stage of the game even diehard fans must have to admit that the novelty has worn off though, right?

Whatever potential the initial conceit had has been well and truly squandered. You’d have to be particularly undiscerning to get much enjoyment out of this latest installment. Diehard fans may get a vague frisson of Pavlovian excitement - everyone else should probably spend their time and money more profitably.

TRAVIS JOHNSON

THE SEAGULL OPENING NIGHT The State Theatre Centre Wednesday, August 14, 2014 Black Swan’s production of Anton Chekhov’s classic drama opened last week, boasting a top notch cast that includes Greta Scacchi, Leila George, Adam Booth and Michael Loney.

Photos by Shaun Ferraloro

Greta, Orlando

Adele, Chris, Alecia, Andrew

Rachel, Jennifer, Rari, Mia

Andrew, Will, Meg, Sarah, Greg, Michael

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Le Noir: Crown Theatre Perth Billed as “the dark side of cirque,” Le Noir features 20 world class circus performers, many of them Cirque Du Soleil veterans, in a surreal and seductive 360 degree spectacular presented in the round. It runs from August 28 - September 7. Book through Ticketek.

Every week we bring you the best in fashion, food, shopping and lifestyle.

FESTIVALS 2014 Perth Winter Arts Season This seasonal celebration of art and culture is back once again, showcasing a dazzling array of performance, visual arts, film, literature, fashion, food and more. It runs until August 31. Go to perthwinterarts.com.au to start planning your winter.

Beneath The Harvest Sky - screening at Possible Worlds Film Festival - Perth Leg

VISUAL ARTS EAT AT: LALLAH ROOKH Named after a Marble Bar mine which was, in turn, named after a Kalgoorlie prostitute, this St Georges Terrace eatery boasts an impressive modern Italian menu courtesy of head chef Joel Valvasori.

Lallah Rookh

Becomings: Spectrum Project Space A n e x h i b i t i o n o f wo r k s by ECU p o s t - g r ad students from the School Of Communications And Arts. Artists include Jan Bathurst, Claire Bushby, Nicolle Desmarchellier, Aasiya Evans, Donna franklin, Emily Hornum, Deedee Noon, K i m b e r l ey P ace , S a r a h Ro b i n s o n , H e at h e r Shaw, Caroline Staron, Steven Tapping and Jane Whelan. It runs until August 22. Go to ecu.edu. au for further information.

Boundaries Of Beige: Fremantle Arts Centre Marzena Topka uses textiles such as office clothing and string in striking ways to investigate how organisational structures interact with our daily lives. It runs until September 20. Go to fac. org.au for more.

Stay/Keep: Paper Mountain Curated by Melissa McGrath, this exhibition presents the book as an art object, with nine artists utilising physical books in their works. It runs until August 24. Go to papermountain.org. au for more.

DRINK AT: FRISK Boasting a staggering selection of gins, this Northbridge hole in the wall is a short stroll from the main drag, making it perfect for a quiet drink or seven.

What I See When I Look At Sound: PICA An exhibition of sound works from artists Lyndon Blue, Lauren Brown, Matthew Gingold, Cat Hope and Kynan Tan, curated by Leigh Robb. It runs until August 31. Go to pica.org.au for more details.

Afghanistan - Hidden Treasures From The National Museum Kabul: The Western Australian Museum Once thought lost or destroyed under the Talibasn regime, these 230+ pieces illustrate the complexity and variety of Afghani history.

The exhibition runs until November 16 - go to museum.wa.gov.au for further information.

Frisk

Richard Avedon People: The Art Gallery Of Western Australia T h i s co l l e c t i o n o f i m a g e s b y t h e f a m e d photographer Richard Avedon spans his career

from 1949 to 2002 and includes portraits of such notable figures as Truman Capote, Elizabeth Taylor, Twiggy, Malcolm X and Bob Dylan. It runs until November 17. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for more information.

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE The Seagull: State Theatre Centre Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece comes to the Heath Ledger Theatre courtesy of Black Swan State Theatre Company and director Kate Cherry. It runs until August 31. Go to bsstc.com.au for details.

Concussion: The Blue Room Theatre A man is beaten so badly he suffers complete amnesia.

He is cared for by a son he doesn’t remember and a doctor who may be his girlfriend. Surreal, funny, violent and explicit, Concussion runs until August 30.

Go to blueroom.org.au for tickets and session times.

Picasso’s Women: Chrissie Parrott Arts From Blak Yak Theatre comes this collection of eight dramatic monologues that examine Pablo Picasso’s life from the perspective of the women who shared it. Each monologue runs for 30 minutes, and so the eight are spread over two nights, with the whole season running from August 20 - 29. Go to blakyak.com.au for more info.

Precipice: State Theatre Centre Inspired by the vast and powerful tectonic processes at work within the earth itself, this performance by four dancers is choreographed

by Rachel Arianne Ogle, with music composed by Luke Smiles. It runs from August 21 - 24. Book through Ticketek.

Fremantle-forged hand printed streetwear shirts for the discerning punter. Check them out at ladandlass.com.au.

Lad & Lass

AUSTRALIAN FASHIONISTAS MODEL AUDITION NIGHT Australian Fashionistas is a blossoming fashion project, and X-Press was lucky enough to attend its 2014 search for representatives of the new platform. LUCY BALLANTYNE enters a brave new world of modeling and promotional hostessing.

GO TO: CINEFESTOZ

Paper Planes, screening at CinefestOZ 18

The website, though exquisitely designed, evades hard definitions: I am still not quite sure I get what Australian Fashionistas is. This might be because the company is still very young, hosting their first event in October this year.

The Monday night event at Coolbinia’s niche venue Pirate Bar was a search for the young people who would become the faces of

Possible Worlds Film Festival - Perth Leg Now in it’s ninth year, this festival celebrates North American independent cinema. Head down to the Jaffa Room from August 22 - 24 to catch a specially curated selection of films from the festival’s main Sydney program. Go to possibleworlds.net.au/ perth/ for more details.

AICE Israeli Film Festival From August 28 - September 7, catch the best of modern Israeli filmmaking at Cinema Paradiso.

From the opening night film, Self Made, to the closing night documentary feature, The Green Prince, there’s something to please all tastes. Go to lunapalace.com.au.

This Is Not A Love Song: The Blue Room Theatre Written by top notch Australian comic Greg Fleet and directed by Tegan Mulvaney and presented with a live soundtrack by Michael de Grussa, this new play takes a critical look at love and all the terrible pain it brings. It runs until September 6. Go to blueroom. org.au for more.

SHOP AT: LAD & LASS CLOTHING CO.

From August 20 - 24, Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and Margaret River play host to countless screenings, premieres, panels and conferences, drawing some of the film industry’s top names. Go to conefestoz.com for details.

CinefestOZ Film Festival Running from August 20 - 24 in picturesque Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and Margaret River, this prestigious festival combines over 200 public screenings of French and Australian films, plus industry guests, forums and panels, workshops and the $100,000 CinfestOz Film Prize. Go to cinefestoz.com.au for full details.

the Australian Fashionistas brand. It was an open casting call at a themed barrr, me hearties.

To call Pirate Bar a small bar is probably an injustice. By virtue of its suburban location, it is occupies a fairly massive space, including a function room, outdoor courtyard and huge kitchen. At the moment, Pirate Bar looks a bit like the pair of bright white sneakers you bought – too

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Picasso’s Women

To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via

localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au For more Art Stories head to

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new. It’ll look a bit better once it’s got some dirt on it. The polished floors, monolithic fridges and leather lounges are bombastic, but still inviting, and I can think of some far worse places to have a quiet drink. Major points for commitment to theme, right down to the water feature. Yes, I said water feature.

Founded by Melanie Pool, Australian Fashionistas aims to create a bridge between models, fashion industry professionals, bloggers, press and adoring fans in relaxed, boutique locations. The first of the Australian Fashionistas’ events will showcase what they have described as the ‘Mt Hawthorn hub’: the growing array of small bars and boutiques frequented by Perth’s styleconscious in the suburbs just north of the CBD. Australian Fashionistas events celebrate Perth’s fashion élite – fashionistas love to network.

At the casting call, aspiring models were invited to wait and chat among the tallship themed light fittings while they entered an adjoining room one-by-one. Three judges observed the models’ walks, and asked them to talk a little about themselves. The ladies running the show were clearly looking for models who could hold their own in conversation, but also be fresh faced and perky.

Looking around the room, this didn’t seem to be in short supply.

We spoke to one model, a sociology and anthropology student, who seemed excited by this new opportunity. In her 18 months experience (limited in the modeling world), she was yet to face a casting call that required her to talk. The models at the Australian Fashionistas casting call seemed excited by the prospect of not just posing, but hosting at events around Perth. Perhaps influenced by founder Pool’s past experiences as a host at events and on television, the faces of the Australian Fashionistas brand will need to be more than just pretty – they will need to use their words. It’s glamour, it’s fun, it’s fashion, it’s networking, it’s exclusive, it’s boutique and it’s fabulous. I think I’m following.

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Apache launch their new single, Vultures, this Friday, August 22, at Mojo’s with help from FOAM, Pat Chow, Hideous Sun Demon, Bi-Polarbear and a DJ set from Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre). BOB GORDON reports.

It may well be their song of the moment, but Perth outfit Apache’s new single, Vultures, had inauspicious beginnings.

“It initially started off as a bit of a shitty/odd B-side for a different single that we were going to release which no one in the band seemed to take too seriously,” says vocalist, Timothy Gordon, “but as soon as we got into the studio with Andy Lawson it all started evolving at a rapid rate and everyone started getting really into it.

“With a heap of tweaking from the instrumental side of things from the rest of the guys and changing the lyrics from a song that was basically about being really dumb and doing dumb things to lyrics that actually meant something, we were done.”

While the song evokes a change from where Apache once resided musically, it seems they’re still in the midst of change.

“It’s a bit of an odd one, to be honest,” Gordon ponders. “It’s a lot more gross and dirty than our last release, Creatures, except it’s not all that similar to the songs that we are recording for the next release.

“I think this song shows a band experimenting with sounds and writing something that isn’t necessarily what they set out to write, but we really fell in love with and just couldn’t let it go onto the

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dreaded pile of lost songs and broken brains.”

Apache are returning to Debaster Studio to again work with Lawson on what is currently planned as an EP. “I think we will be doing an EP,” Gordon says, “except we might surprise ourselves and end up with an album or surprise ourselves even more and come out with a CD case full of tears and nothing else. But regardless we will be bringing out whatever we end up recording at the start of 2015.”

Do you enjoy working with Andy Lawson?

“I think the appropriate answer for that is… I may have fallen in love with him,” Gordon states.

“He really just gets it and that’s just on a relating with the band level and knowing exactly what to say or do to get the best performance out of us. Then you just leave him in his little room for a while and when you go back in, everything will sound exactly how you asked him to make it sound, but better… so short answer is yes, we do enjoy working with Andy Lawson.”

Apache are a pretty commanding live band, with a nice mix of intensity and showbusiness.

In fronting the band, Gordon feels...

“Intense happiness. Being on stage with Apache is one of the best feelings I have ever experienced in my life, and I’m really thankful that as soon as we play that first note, my body still explodes into a state of pure bliss every gig and then I look around the stage and see four of my best friends in the world playing music that we wrote together. Then I see the crowd who paid actual money to come watch five guys who would still being playing and acting the exact same way even if there was no one there. It doesn’t really get much better than that, man.

“I also have to remember to go to the toilet, accidents have occurred.”

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RUB A HOT DUB Tom Loud’s brought his rollicking party megamix of a club show to Perth before - notably, this year’s sold out run at the Fringe World - and he’s back with his Biggest.

Tour. Ever. Hot Dub Time Machine is an hour and a half of the biggest bangers and guilty pleasures of the last 50 years - it’s audiovisual, inherently interactive, and it’s taken Loud to Falls Festival and Splendour In The Grass (along with a slew of strobes and 99 very unsubtle red balloons). His new national tour hits the Astor Theatre on Friday, November 14, and promises a redesigned stage show, the usual Loud ‘surprises’, and a Hot Dub tee with every ticket sold. First release is $30 from hotdubtimemachine.com.

Hot Dub Time Machine

ONLY WORLDS AWAY Former brostepper, current expectation-defier Porter Robinson has just dropped his Worlds album to torrential critical praise. Spin calls his new sound EDM shoegaze, and it’s certainly a far cry from 2012’s electrohouse banger Language - it’s a mesh of Aston Shuffle vocal anthems, M83 synth padding, KOAN Sound bass. It’s out now, and you can catch him playing Stereosonic on Sunday, November 30 at Claremont Showgrounds.

Porter Robinson

LOVE ME TINDER

SAFIA TOUR ACT electrosoul three-piece SAFIA have scored themselves supporting slots alongside Lorde, Rudimental, and Aluna George, so it’s only fair they’re finally getting a national headline tour to themselves.

It’ll tie in neatly with release of new single You Are The One, out on Friday, September 12. These dudes made the Hottest 100 this year fresh out of the Unearthed talent pool, so you can expect big things. SAFIA and Crooked Colours play the Bakery, Friday, October 31 (spooky). Tickets from nowbaking.com.au.

Cheek have outdone themselves - they’ve rekindled the Desperate and Dateless fire for a Tinder Meet Up night this Wednesday, August 20 (at Club Kahuna, as usual). If you’re looking for a no-pressure way to meet everyone you’ve swiped right for, this might be your chance. Other interesting club night concepts this week: the final Northbridge Nightly Now at Flyrite, also this Wednesday, and Metro City’s monster Ultraglow Paint Party (complete with poncho, paints, and touring DJs Ram and Kronic) on Saturday, August 23.

SOLD OUT (IN A GOOD WAY)

SOUTHBOUND

The Kite String Tangle’s Danny Harley sold out his Amplifier gig this Friday, but you can still catch him drop a DJ set at Mondo (Ginger Nightclub) that evening. Peking Duk wrapped up ticket sales for their Saturday night Villa show months ago, although their Sunday Villa sesh is still open. If you missed out, don’t fret - you can still snag a spot at The Aston Shuffle at Amplifier on Saturday. For now.

The Southbound lineup was announced on Monday, and it’s a doozy as far as dance is concerned. Expect to see Alison Wonderland, playing dream festival Your Paradise in Fiji this November; SBTRKT, whose second album drops on September 22; The Presets, Royksopp & Robyn, SAFIA, Jagwar Ma, and Jamie XX (among many, many others, of course). Head to sunsetevents.com.au for more.

Synth poppers Client Liaison, whose latest single Queen is on heavy rotation at Triple J, are playing The Bakery on Saturday, September 6. They’re signed with superslick label Remote Control Records, so keep an eye out for when these dudes decide to drop an album. Tickets from nowbaking.com.au.

SAFIA

CLIENT LIAISON

THE KITE STRING TANGLE In High Places It started alone in a bedroom and grew to a nationwide success in the time it took you to read this sentence. Danny Harley – aka The Kite String Tangle – spoke with DAVID JAMES YOUNG on how the project has evolved from its humble beginnings.

It’s too easy to say that it was luck that lead to the success of The Kite String Tangle, the bubbly, emotive electronica one-man show of Danny Harley.

Perhaps a better angle is serendipity – that it was all laid out there for Harley to eventually happen upon.

“I was mostly into pop, rock and pop-punk up until around the end of high school,” he explains. “I went to university and met a whole bunch of people that had vastly different musical tastes to me. It was great – I joined an industrial metal band and got to listen to and try out some really weird stuff. Then I was getting into world music and gypsy jazz – I was all over the shop. Some friends of mine started a jam band – reggae, DnB, that sort of thing. I was in that for awhile, and then The Kite String Tangle began as a sort of off-shoot from that.”

After toying around with some ideas, the Brisbane-based producer and multi-instrumentalist released his first single, Commotion, in 2012. Although interest was quickly generated, this ultimately didn’t pay off until the release of Given the Chance in 2013, the runaway hit that has scored nearly 1.5 million plays on Soundcloud and an unexpectedly high position in the Hottest 100, beating out Kanye West, Disclosure and Vampire Weekend.

“That was pretty crazy,” recalls Harley of this past Australia Day when Chance was announced at number 19. “It was so surreal, I couldn’t really contextualise it at all. It was so strange. The Hottest 100 has been a part of my life – I mean, it’s what everyone does on Australia Day, isn’t it? It’s what you do. I was at a party with my friends, just like every other year – except, this year, I was in it!”

This month saw Harley release his debut EP under the moniker, Vessel. It marries Harley’s love of deep, intrinsic electronic music and a harmonious pop sensitivity with a knack for dynamic hooks and big, sweeping musical passages.

“I guess it’s inspired by two separate pools of thought and music,” says Harley when queried on the influence behind this approach to music making.

“On one hand, there’s the beatsy, textual stuff.

Bonobo, Four-Tet, Jamie XX, SBTRKT, Jon Hopkins, Burial... I draw a lot of production influence from them. I then put the songs in a more poppy context. I love pop music, as well. I’m a massive fan of Lorde – I think she’s a great lyricist. I also love James Blake, the XX and London Grammar. They write lyrics that are really intimate and really personal, as well as being really relatable to the listener.”

A national tour is set for the end of the month and into September, where new material from a forthcoming album will be tested, as well as favourites from Vessel. Not bad for a twentysomething Brisbanite with a laptop, right?

“Not bad at all,” laughs Harley.

THE KITE STRING TANGLE Friday, August 22 @ Amplifier Friday, August 22 @ Ginger Nightclub (DJ set)

WITH EYAN ONE HALF OF BEATSLAPPAZ AND OWNER OF RUMP SHAKER RECORDS, EYAN KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT NEW RELEASES. MOTEZ Own Up Sweat It Out

Man-of-the-moment Motez captures a perfect summery sound on his latest crossover single, Own Up. Playing strong, soulful male vocals over feel-good piano vibes and lush pads. The skipping garage-esque drums throw me back to the booming two-step craze of the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. The AC Slater remix works best in my sets, but the original I love for pure personal listening pleasure.

SLICK SHOOTA feat. PURPLE F Dat (DJemba DJemba & DJ Hoodboi Remix) Mad Decent

Off Diplo’s Mad Decent sub-label, Jefferies, this tune was turned onto me by our mate from NYC Tektite while I was scrambling for something new. Baltimore flavours all round as Djemba & Hoodboi turn the original on its head and make it their own. Lush vocals, sweet piano stabs and pounding beats - a perfect combination.

WUKI Rock It OWSLA

Have been thrashing all of Wuki’s stuff recently - like, every Beatslappaz mix you hear will have a Wuki track in it somewhere! Rock It is off his latest EP on uber-label OWSLA. A straight-up breaks monster full of pounding 808 bass and hyper cut-up vocals. Slick yet rough with a truckload of urban attitude.

PLUMP DJS Roll Dope Rhymes Deep Sounds

MARTEN HØRGER feat.

FUNKANOMICS Oh Girl (Beatslappaz Remix) Punks Music 22

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Having been a huge Plump DJ fanboy since the very beginning, the latest outing from them is a perfect example of why I love their trademark sound. They perfectly blend thumping 4-4 styled beats against cut-up big-beat breaks and disco slices, while sprinkling the whole track with those oh-so-lovely “Plump” retro synths.

This remix of ours scooped a recent competition for Stanton Warriors’ Punks imprint and is probably the most proudest moment to date as far as our music goes (that is, having a track on one of our biggest influences’ label). I almost had to force Juxtapose to do this though! It’s big, it’s bassy, it slams in a club, and we play it everywhere!

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THE ASTON SHUFFLE Teach Me How To ‘Shuffle In a field where genres rise and fall like dominoes, Mikah Freeman’s in a particularly privileged position: with longtime collaborator Vance Musgrove, his production juggernaut The Aston Shuffle have built a sound flexible and individual enough to withstand a decade of upheaval.

ZOE KILBOURN catches up with Mikah on the ‘Shuffle’s US stint, before they bring their Photographs Tour to WA. “Just last week we played our very first live show in the US on Governor’s Island in front of 5000 people, which was amazing,” says Mikah.

It’s not the greatest honour the duo have had bestowed on them, though: “One surprising moment at a club show was when one punter came up to us, popped out his prosthetic eyeball and asked us to sign it. That doesn’t happen every day.”

Over a career that’s ricocheted from instrumental bass bangers to Justice-inspired vocoder jams, Ministry Of Sound mixes to a permanent Triple J residency, The Aston Shuffle have earned their position as Australian EDM pacemakers. Mikah explains that the

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‘Shuffle “came about fairly organically”; Mikah, Vance, and a third original member, Ross, were part of the same Canberra music scene.

“I was the local record store guy and used to chat with the boys when they came in to crate dig look that term up, kids. We realised we were into similar things and so we all started writing together. We formed The Aston Shuffle originally as a digital record label and a platform for releasing our own music. To start pushing the name we began doing remixes. Eventually it got to the point we decided to focus on The Aston Shuffle as artists, and voilà, here we are, ten years on.”

A far cry from the shameless party synths of last album, Seventeen After Midnight, latest album Photographs is a collection of expertly crafted pophouse, boasting the kind of big vocals Disclosure would drool over. Mikah and Vance have spent a stint in the UK working with newcomer Will Heard, Elizabeth Rose, and Kaelyn “Stylaz Fuego” Behr - “and that guy, if you don’t know him, has got a sweet set of pipes.

“We really wanted to focus on writing songs rather than just straight up club jams this time around,” Mikah says. “In terms of the production, we feel that our sound has matured over the last few years - as have we - but as for the future, the musical climate is always changing, evolving and reinventing and we’ll keep doing that, too.”

They’re incredibly generous with their sets, regularly playing uni gigs, festivals, and regional gigs - Port Hedland comes this Friday. Hosting the Friday Night Shuffle for over three years has been a massive project, too. “Having to come up with 3 hours of new music every single week has really opened our eyes to the sheer volume of new music coming out and also has broadened our personal tastes. In music it doesn’t matter what genre or bpm a track is. If it’s dope, it’s dope in any language.”

It’s a pretty exciting time for Australian musicians, with the emergence of a bass music wave, and while keeping his production distance, Mikah’s very conscious of the groundswell. “We’ve always loved bass music and some of our early productions were arguably ‘bass music’,” he says. “In today’s climate, genres come and go so fast, but it’s good to see it having its time in the sun again and with guys like Motez, Dom Dollar and Playmode at the forefront of the scene internationally.”

What can WA audiences expect this weekend? “This time around we have really tried to up the live elements in the show by incorporating both male and female singers as well as Mikah on drums and Vance on keys,” says Mikah. “Our ideal audience would buy our album and tickets to our shows and tell all their hot friends.”

THE ASTON SHUFFLE FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 @ NORTH WEST FESTIVAL, PORT HEDLAND SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 @ AMPLIFIER

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POP WILL EAT ITSELF Tall Poppies Syndrome UK sampletastic indie-rock funksters Pop Will Eat Itself are back with a brand new line up and new tunes to boot. Ahead of their first visit to Australia in nigh-on 20 years, ANDREW NELSON speaks to Graham Crabb, PWEI’s only surviving original member, on why he felt the need to resurrect the cult band after so much time.

Some people say ‘Let sleeping dogs lie’ and ‘Never go back’, and for a band like Pop will Eat Itself - whose energetic , raw, cut-and-paste mishmash of dance break beats, industrial rock riffs and pop culture samples saw them enjoying a host of hits in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s - that would, on the surface, seem to be good advice.

But after a chat with Graham Crabb, the one member of the band who didn’t subscribe to this ethos, it could also be said ‘You can never have too much of a good thing’. So what convinced him to start up the band again?

“We had the reformation gigs in 2005, which were with the original line-up, and did technically reform then,” he says. “We started work on new tunes, but quite soon into that Clint (Mansell, the co-vocalist who has now gone on to work on films scores including The Wrestler and Black Swan) realised that he was taking too much on, because of his soundtrack work, so had to pull out.

As a result of that Richard (March) decided that if it wasn’t all of us then he wasn’t going to be involved. It became clear that the only way it was going to work was me getting a new line-up together, and so that’s what I set about doing.”

Unusually for these sorts of situations, there were no hard feelings, and Crabb has been given the blessing from the rest of the band to carry on the PWEI name. The new line-up includes Mary Byker (Gaye Bykers on Acid, Apollo 440), guitarist Tim Muddiman (who has worked with Gary Numan), drummer Jason Bowld (Killing Joke) and bassist Davey Bennett (This

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Burning Age). Barring a few cynics, they’ve had a welcome reception from a wide range of fans.

“We get the older fans coming to relive their youth,” explains Crabb, “and a lot people gushing with their praise, chuffed that we’ve managed to get something together and a PWEI to come and see, even if it’s not the original people. We get young fans who’ve never seen the band but heard about them, and it’s a chance for them to get involved for the first time.

They’ve all got different angles, really, and it’s just nice to be able to keep it going.”

After releasing an album in 2011, New Noise Designed By A Sadist, this year The Poppies, version 2.0, have already released Funk FIFA, a World Cup song in the vein of the 1990 classic Cicciolina, and have an album forthcoming in October. Crabb’s well aware that nothing makes the heart sink more at a gig than hearing the singer announce, “Tonight we’re only going to play tracks form our new album”, so rest assured this won’t be the case when the guys rock up in Perth.

“It will be a mix. People obviously want to hear the old favourites and we’ll be playing some newer stuff too. We like to be out front and rockin’ it and getting the crowd involved and we hope people enjoy that.”

But there’ s no point Preaching To The Perverted: it’s time to Wise Up Suckers. Def-Con One is at the Rosemount on the 31st. Head there for the Dance Of The Mad Bastards.

POP WILL EAT ITSELF SUNDAY, AUGUST 31 @ ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

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Bodyjar - Photo by Denis Radacic

BODYJAR Samiam/Blueline Medic/Clowns Capitol Friday, August 18, 2014

their sick style out of LA. Things got a little more dirty and a little more heavily paced, but amongst that was still this unavoidable ‘feel goodness’ that seems to come with this style of music. The lead singer projected a real naturalness, saying the only reason he could never stay here is the price of booze. We all knew there was no need to rub it in.

W h i l e a l l b a n d s g av e m o r e t h a n respectable performances, no one was going to outshine Bodyjar on this night. From the get go, the deep nostalgia and excitement felt by the crowd, many of whom had clearly been fans since the beginning, was released in the form of crowd surfing and passionate singalongs. Once the set list was completed, the absolutely affable front man Cameron Baines put the call out for requests and from then on it was pure energy. Something special was saved until almost the end, and that was a tune now etched in the annals of pop-punk history: Not The Same. The crowd seemed tinged in a ridiculously merry glow as the night came to a close.

There is nothing quite like witnessing die-hard fans of a classic band get a chance to enjoy the glory all over again, especially when the happy-go-lucky mood of the ‘90s grows steadily more distant. Bodyjar delivered everything they promised and left the house thoroughly refreshed and completely stoked. A perfect success.

Capitol was packed with seasoned music fans for the arrival of Australian pop-punk staples Bodyjar, who made their way to Perth on a national tour in celebration of 20 years in the game. Before going any further, the crowd themselves deserve a whole lot of love for rocking out hard while still being respectful of those around them; something that is often missing amongst more tender-footed crowds.

Joining Bodyjar on tour and first to put spit to microphone were the fast paced and wonderfully frantic Clowns. Coming out of Melbourne with an already more than solid fan base and backed by significant radio play, Clowns had an absolutely sweet energy with hectic vocals paired perfectly with big guitar tones and raging, yet sometimes almost bluesy solos.

Up next were the cool and slightly more relaxed Blueline Medic. The epitome of those laid-back ‘90s punk vibes, there was something almost mellow about the perfectly strummed chords and almost melancholic vocal quality. It was at this point when the crowd began to swell and gain vertical momentum.

Samiam stormed the stage next with JAMES HANLON

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BOB DYLAN Riverside Theatre Perth Wednesday, August 13, 2014 When Bob Dylan last toured Australia in 2011, on a visit anchored by the Blues N’ Roots Festivals of the East and West Coasts, audiences were once again polarised by the man they want him to be and the man that he is.

Simply, he’s his own man and always has been. Resolutely so, but since one John Cordwell screamed ‘Judas!’ at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1966, there have been people muttering it under their breath ever since because Dylan won’t play Blowin’ In The Wind the way he used to 1965.

A theatre run provides a different forum, however, and with 2,500 people cosied into Perth’s Riverside Theatre for the opening three-nightgambit of the Neverending Tour’s latest drive-by of Australia the mood was one of excited reverence.

At 8pm on the dot Dylan and his black-clad band sauntered unannounced onto the dimly-lit stage, easing into Things Have Changed. Dylan - dressed in a stylish, bespoke mourning coat with widebrimmed hat - stood firm, his face obscured by a quartet of microphones - faraway, yet so close.

Lulling into She Belongs To Me Dylan brought out his harmonica, to immediate applause, its discordance singing to the rafters but, as ever, heart-tugging and just very him. Beyond Here Lies

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Nothin’ and Workingman Blues II saw Dylan take to the piano, as bassist/musical director, Tony Garnier, indulged himself in a quite two-step while Charlie Sexton riffed with exquisite minimalism. Dylan’s gruff growl occasionally parted and the echoes of the younger voice appeared before he walked to front of drum kit, held a pose and surveyed the audience as he was met with applause, which he seemed, for a second at least, to breathe inward just a little.

The opening bars of the 2012 single from the Tempest LP, Duquesne Whistle, were met with hoots not normally expected for a ‘new’ Dylan song, but even if the key had already changed up, its cautious yet joyful tone lifted the room.

In this setting, dimly (and quite beautifully) lit, with musicians playing at a volume where every instrument could be heard and the audience at almost-intimate quarters, it seemed akin to being invited into a studio session.

Watching them roll anew through Tangled Up In Blue (the ‘You’re looking like somebody I used to trust’ line poignant given Dylan’s history with his live audiences) it was clear that the fresh vistas constantly opened within these songs is what gives Dylan that little skip in his step each time a song is completed.

Part two of the show continued the first half’s momentum, with High Water and Simple Twist Of Fate, both gentle yet insistent offerings, the latter featuring three separate harmonica runs from Dylan, using those four microphones to full effect. From the blues walk of Early Roman Kings and the darker, lamenting Forgetful Heart to Spirit On The Water’s loving and fond change in pace and heart, Dylan’s band were at one with the maestro’s desires - you’d swear they could play a fade-out if he wanted them to.

The main part of the set ended with a trio of songs from Tempest - Scarlet Town, Soon After Midnight and Long And Wasted Years - an album that could be seen residing in the catalogue a little in the same manner as Nick Cave’s 2013 Push The Sky Away album does in his. Nostalgia is death, it would seem; Dylan continues to create in spite of the ‘N’ word and it’s why we are still able to watch him perform in 2014.

That said, the encores were All Along The Watchtower and Blown’ In The Wind, though rendered Dylan’s way, of course. Many may have hung out for those old gems, but there was so much to hang with in the entirety of the two hours.

It’s not so much what Dylan does these days, but who he is and how he does it.

BOB GORDON

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Gladiator. Photo: Josh Lloyd.

Spiderbait - Photo by Cole Maguire

SPIDERBAIT Axe Girl The Astor Theatre Friday, August 15, 2014 Spiderbait hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the Aussie rock fan – from the early ‘90s they stormtrooped the indie music charts and Triple J with their catchy, rocking tunes, sense of cheeky fun and don’t-give-a-fuck eclecticism.

After a hiatus of almost a decade they returned with an album last year, and finally got back to our side of the country for a long-awaited bash.

Openers Axe Girl delivered a bouncy, poptastic set led by the obvious onstage experience of the Jebediah rhythm section Vanessa Thornton & Brett Mitchell, and the quirky talent of frontwoman/ guitarist Addison Axe. They’ve got the enthusiasm and the songs, and the more faces they get into, the more their stock shall rise.

Spiderbait started their set with a crushingly Motorhead-like drum mayhem of Stare At The Sun. Drummer and singer Kram was in a talkative mood, explaining how the song came to be when he set all his drums up in a garage and tried to play them.

That it was a slightly ramshackle affair to start with (guitars need retuning, Kram rambles on a bit between songs and prowls the stage, scowling like a caged beast) merely made it a more endearing affair. They’re just three childhood friends doing what they love they way they want to, and where it counts – musically – they are excellent, a six-legged rock machine making the sort of noise most bands will only ever dream of.

The key to their success is their sheer eclecticism. Heavy as God one minute (Scenester – ‘one of the first metal songs we ever wrote’), mischievous and fun the next (a blast through The Goodies’ Run is a highlight, as is set closer Ol’ Man Sam), and when bassist Janet English takes lead vocals (Outta My Head, It’s Beautiful, Fucking Awesome – which is just that) they achieve the perfect balance between saccharine pop, crushing riffs and a relentless rhythm section. It’s no surprise later in the show when Kram spontaneously introduces his old friend as ‘one of the finest singers in this country.’

Buy Me A Pony, the anti-music industry rant that was the first Australian song to top the Triple J Hottest 100 back in 1996, gives English the chance to play drums while Kram takes the frontman role, and sounds as vital and relevant now as it did then.

A four-track encore bookended by two covers seals the deal, owning The Astor without a shadow of a doubt. English singing Nena’s 99 Luftballoons in German is a left of centre treat that perfectly fits with their anarchic pop-colliding-withrock modus operandi, and the mad dog heavy blues of Leadbelly’s Black Betty, practically sees plaster falling from the ceiling such is its intensity.

‘There’s nothing better than playing in a band with your best friends – it’s great,’ Kram states, again in a moribund voice, but the sentiment is echoed by the entire, practically sold out, Astor Theatre.

SHANE PINNEGAR

BIG APE PRESENTS GLADIATOR Genga, Zeke Beats Shape Bar Saturday, August 16, 2014 In the last 18 months, the rise of the trap music genre has seen royalty grace the Big Ape stage on numerous occasions - Flosstradamus, Hucci, DJ Snake, Mr. Carmack, Grandtheft, all some of the biggest players in the game. It came as little surprise then that when LA-based duo Gladiator (stylised gLAdiator) dropped an Australian tour poster, complete with bucket-hat wearing koalas, it listed Shape Bar as their port of call in Perth. As is typical when an international is in town for Big Ape, online ticket sales were gone in minutes and the line on the night spilled around the corner. On a pleasantly cool winter evening, the crowd trickled in to witness the next one off the block.

A collaboration since 2010, Gladiator have been gaining notoriety as a trap project ever since their 2012 single with Chromatic blew up (GameCube Nintendo, a classic example of modern EDM trap).

Recognisable as members of the flourishing multigenre movement in EDM, as spearheaded by the likes of Zed’s Dead, Diplo, Skrillex and GTA, a Gladiator set is typically trap-based but can feature spells of house, dubstep, electro or DnB. Gladiator place emphasis on curating a party atmosphere; the best possible results are putting smiles on faces and getting feet off the floor, as opposed to the particular appreciation of specific genres. However, throwing down in the footsteps of trap lords, and supported by some of Perth’s most formidable trap DJs, the night was always

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going to deliver unadulterated trap bangers in spades.

Supporting local selector and Big Ape resident Genga put up a bouncy set of party trap that instilled the room with an excitable energy, the kind of buzz that a big act would thrive on walking into.

And they did: if the genre for the next couple of hours was ‘party’, then the set laid down by Gladiator was a shining example of this breed of electronic music. The pulse of bodies coming from Shape’s frivolous sweat box of a dance floor, kept beating by powerful anthems like Mercer & DJ Snake’s Lunatic, Flosstradamus’ Mosh Pit, Aryay’s The Lawnmower, Diplo & Grandtheft’s remix of Calvin Harris’ Summer and Gladiator’s collaboration with fellow LA-based Loudpvck, Tony.

There were interludes of house, hip hop and dubstep/ electro, but the underlying objective was always to run the trap, the kind of trap with a colossal grandeur that would feel at home on the main stage of the largest EDM festivals in the world.

Following Gladiator was local legend Zeke Beats, don of Perth’s Lab Six DJ and production school.

Given the opportunity to run out unreleased material from his upcoming EP, the room was soon being ripped apart again by genre-defying bass explosions that are par for the course for Zeke, who is perpetually struggling not to steal the show when on support duties. With Shape easily maintaining a solid heave into the early hours of the morning, it’s tough to imagine many going home unsatisfied, the mission of throwing an absurdly mammoth party thoroughly achieved.

JOSH LLOYD

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CAMP DOOGS FUNDRAISER The Rosemount Hotel Saturday, August 16, 2014 Nick Allbrook, Felicity Groom, Bamodi and more entertained the punters on Saturday to raise much needed funds for the next awesome Camp Doogs weekend.

OUR MAN AT ROTTOFEST

BARE BONES #2

Perth’s Our Man In Berlin have just released their third single, Cirrhosis, from the EP, Is It Right? and will be performing at Rottofest happening over the weekend of Friday-Sunday, September 19-21. The band have stated that they’ve spent several years exploring sound and songwriting techniques, however it was only 15 months ago in the writing of their WAMnominated single, Temaze, that they first found their musical identity. Hit up rottofest.com.au for tickets.

After a spectacular opening night last week of Bare Bones the second instalment will be held this Saturday, August 23, at the Swan Basement with Stoney Joe, The Woods, Los Porcheros and regular DJ Primal Vinyl playing tunes between sets.

Coming weeks will see performances from The Wishers, Husband, Little Lord St Band, The Suntones, Jacob Diamond and more. Doors open 8pm, $10 entry.

Photos by Matt Jelonek

Gilly, Sarah

Stoney Joe Our Man In Berlin

Aish, Grace, Alastair

A DAY ON THE GREEN A LIGHTER SHADE OF LIGHT AND SHADE Light And Shade Productions are putting on a massive two stager at Mojos this Thursday, August 21. Catch Iceage Sugar, Filthy Apes, David Craft, The Cold Acre, Tashi, Elkwood and The Tin Man from 8pm. Entry is $10 from 8pm.

Iceage Sugar

Get ready for some fine midweek fun at Bar Four5Nine tonight, Wednesday, August 20, with Edie Green, The Limbs, Mind Canary and Pippie Lemon. It’s also cheap steak night if you need more convincing (you shouldn’t). Doors open at 8pm, entry is $5.

Mike, Adie

Edie Green

FACE TIME Race To Your Face headline Stereo at The Beat Nightclub this Friday, August 22, added and abetted

by Night Signals, Bad China and King’s Justice. Doors open at 9pm, entry is $5.

Bobby, Nick, Sam, Ben

TEA FOR THEE It’s time for the long-awaited second EP from Being Beta to finally see the light of day! Drink Tea will be ushered into the public arena at The Rosemount hotel this Friday, August 22. Joining in the celebrations are Filthy Apes, Them Sharks, At The Space Jam and Silver Foxes. Doors open at 8pm.

Being Beta - Photo by Donna Dumas

Catherine, Neil, Isabel, Heather

Taetwiss, Damien, Jamee

Jordan McRobbie

MOJOS BAR Sunday, August 24, after months hard at work in the studio, Jordan McRobbie has finally finished work on the follow up to his self titled debut EP. Cornucopia is the hotly anticipated first taste from the forthcoming EP, Rising From Within, recorded at the iconic Poons Head Studios by Rob Grant, mixed by Mathew Lawrence and mastered at Sterling Sound NYC by Tom Coyne (Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus). Come and help celebrate with special guests Mister And Sunbird, Fox Cat Rabbit and Joe Pulé. Entry is $10 on the door from 6pm.

Jordan McRobbie

THE BAKERY This Friday, August 22, there’s an Oasis tribute show featuring Tracksuit, The Crossbars, Lionizer and White Avenue. Doors open at 8.30pm and entry $8 - then it’s free after midnight for The Nightcap Sessions with a DJ set from Silver Hills. Saturday night catch a rare live show from Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving with support from Rachel Dease (w/ band), Antelope and TheIntensoBand. Doors 8pm.

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few years later we started jamming some very noisy psychedelic mumbo jumbo together for a bit of fun and the whole thing casually developed into something much more.

SILVER HILLS ‘Cine And Heard Silver Hills launch their debut EP, Plasticine Daydream, at The Bird this Friday, August 22, with help from Delay Delay, HAMJAM and Flower Drums. BOB GORDON checks in with vocalist/guitarist, Mark McGlue.

Describe your time thus far playing in the Perth music scene?

Rather blissful. There’s a very communal spirit to Perth’s music scene. There’s rarely competitiveness or animosity from anyone and almost always generosity and good vibes. People making music and others supporting it, all out of love.

What were the origins of the band?

Most of us met at high school in the great rolling ‘burbs. A

Have you become the band you wanted to be, or something beyond?

Definitely something beyond our expectations as we didn’t really have any in the beginning. We just wanted to enjoy ourselves, hang out and jam. Then as we started experimenting with different sounds, developing our songwriting etc, we became more of our own thing.

Tell us about the songs on the EP? The title track, Plasticine Daydream, is about consciousness and the idea that life is just the dream of a larger eternal existence.

There’s a kind of romantic existentialism throughout all of the songs.

What are your plans from here?

We’re going to gather up all of our bits and pieces, ideas and inspirations and make an album to be released next year. But more importantly, just keep on enjoying ourselves.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL This Wednesday, August 20, sees Catbrush, King Crime, Bashervilles and Ali Flintoff hitting the stage, while Thursday DJ Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) plays after The Dandy Warhols party with live music from Late Night Hysterics, Jackdaws and Midflight Parasite. Friday catch Being Beta launch their debut EP with support from Filthy Apes, Them Sharks, Silver Foxes and At The Space Jam, while Saturday it’s Sammy J with special guest DJ Illicit and on Tuesday Bex and Turin’s open mic night continues from 8pm.

Catbrush

SWALLOW BAR Randa And The Soul Kingdom Duo kick off live music at Swallow Bar this week. Expect a powerful voice, great energy and loads of fun from 7pm on Thursday, August 21. The one and only Nick Sheppard hits the decks on Saturday night with great vinyl from the ‘40s through to ‘70s from 8pm. Sunday Sessions invites you to an afternoon of traditional swing jazz with our regular cats, the The Limelights Jazz Trio, from 5pm.

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DROPBEARS Elusive EP Launch @ Amplifier

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OWEN RABBIT Police Car Single Launch @ The Bird

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APACHE Vultures Single Launch @ Mojos

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BEING BETA Drink Tea EP Launch @ The Rosemount

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SILVER HILLS Plasticine Daydream EP Launch @ The Bird

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JORDAN MCROBBIE Cornucopia Single Launch @ Mojos

29/08

FACEGRINDER Unstable Mentality And Theoretical Convulsions Album Launch @ The Civic

30/08

THE AUTUMN ISLES A Bird Called Cognition Album Launch @ The Bakery

30/08

GRAPHIC CHARACTERS The Finest Hours EP Launch @ Amplifier

30/08

REPTILLUMINATI Voodoo Cowboys Album Launch @ The Bird

05/09

GIRL YORK Body Lies Single Launch @ The Odd Fellow

05/09

RAG N’ BONE Wood & Wire Single Launch @ Flyrite

06/09

KIMURA Uncaged EP Launch @ The Civic

06/09

THE LOVE JUNKIES Blowing On The Devil’s Strumpet Album Launch @ The Rosemount

19/09

JOSH JOHNSTONE Half A World Away EP Launch @ Indi Bar

20/09

THE PAINKILLERS Garage Sale Girl EP Launch @ Mojos

16/10

VILLAIN The Other Side EP Launch @ Flyrite

07/11

VARIOUS Stormrider 2015 Compilation @ The Civic WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

27

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ONE DAY 13 Capitol UNCLE JED 13 YaYa’s 14 The Indi Bar TIJUANA CARTEL THIS WEEK GRACE KNIGHT 29 Diver’s Tavern, 19 & 20 Ellington Jazz LADY GAGA Broome Club 20 Perth Arena 30 Pier Hotel, Port 360 KIDS IN GLASS Hedland 19 Metro City (18+) HOUSES POP WILL EAT ITSELF 20 Astor Theatre 21 Villa Nightclub 31 Rosemount Hotel (Licensed all ages) WOLFMOTHER THE OWLS ANDY BULL 21 Capitol 31 Indi Bar 19 The Bakery THE DANDY LA COKA NOSTRA 20 Rottofest WARHOLS 31 Villa Nightclub STICKY FINGERS 21 & 22 Astor Theatre 19 Settlers Tavern, KINGSWOOD Margaret River 21 Prince Of Wales, SEPTEMBER ROTTOFEST Bunbury DIEGO EL CIGALA 19 – 21 Rottnest Island 22 Capitol 1 Regal Theatre TIKI TAANE TIM FREEDMAN ANBERLIN & THE 20 Settlers Tavern 22 Ellington Jazz Club GETAWAY PLAN GARETH LIDDIARD ULTRAGLOW 3 Metropolis Fremantle 20 Rosemount Hotel 22 Metro City TIJUANA CARTEL MEG MAC NORTHWEST PILBARA 4 Mojos Bar 20 Amplifier Bar WEEKENDER 5 Settlers Tavern, JOE BONAMASSA 22 – 24 Port Hedland Margaret River 21 Perth Concert Hall Turf Club 6 Capitol SWOLLEN MEMBERS & QUEEN + ADAM 7 Indi Bar MADCHILD LAMBERT KANYE WEST 21 Amplifier 22 Perth Arena 5 Perth Arena GABRIEL IGLESIAS UZ MINISTRY OF SOUND: 23 Riverside Theatre 22 Villa SESSIONS 11 ANGUS & JULIA STONE THE KITE STRING 5 Villa Nightclub 23 & 24 Perth Concert TANGLE TIJUANA CARTEL Hall 22 Amplifier Bar Settlers Tavern ANDREA BOCELLI MEGAN WASHINGTON 5 24 Perth Arena 6 Capitol 22 Fly By Night INGRID MICHAELSON KAV TEMPERLEY THE APE ft. TEX 24 Fly By Night Club 5 Players Bar, PERKINS BOY & BEAR Mandurah 22 Astor Lounge 25 Albany 6 Prince Of Wales, 23 Mojos Bar Entertainment Centre Bunbury JAMES REYNE 26 Bunbury 7 Rumours, Albany 22 Charles Hotel Entertainment Centre 12 Divers Tavern, 23 Astor Theatre 28 Fremantle Arts Broome PEKING DUK Centre MARINA PRIOR 23 & 24 Villa DMA’S 5 Albany Entertainment TRITONAL 25 Mojos Bar Centre 23 Metro City 26 Amplifier Bar 6 Astor Theatre ILLY COURTNEY BARNETT 7 Mandurah 23 Leisure Inn 26 Fly By Night Performing Arts Centre Rockingham KING GIZZARD & THE HOWLING BELLS 24 Prince of Wales LIZARD WIZARD 6 Amplifier Bar Hotel 26 The Bakery THE WONDER YEARS THE ASTON SHUFFLE BLUEJUICE 7 Amplifier Bar 23 Amplifier Bar 26 Capitol VELOCIRAPTOR RUSSELL MORRIS 27 Red Earth Arts 6 The Causeway 23 Regal Theatre Festival, Karratha 7 Newport Hotel MELODY POOL THE CAT EMPIRE SHARON JONES & THE 23 X-Wray Café 26 Fremantle Arts DAP KINGS 24 Settlers Tavern, Centre 8 & 9 Astor Theatre Margaret River 27 Metro City CANNIBAL CORPSE 26 Ellington Jazz Club COURTNEY BARNETT 9 Capitol KID INK 26 Fly By Night PROTEST THE HERO 25 Villa Nightclub WAVE ROCK 10 Amplifier Bar KING BUZZO WEEKENDER DUNE RATS 26 Astor Lounge 27 - 28 Wave Rock 10 Dunsborough MAN IN BLACK: THE Caravan Park Tavern JOHNNY CASH STORY RISE OF BROTALITY 11 Barbados Lounge TOUR ft. I KILLED THE Bar, Bunbury 26 Regal Theatre PROM QUEEN, THE 12 Players Bar DOUG ANTHONY ALL GHOST INSIDE, IN HEARTS WAKE STARS AUGUST 27 YMCA HQ 9, 10 & 11 Regal MAN IN BLACK: THE 28 Capitol Theatre JOHNNY CASH STORY LISTEN OUT LIOR 27-31 Regal Theatre ft. FLUME, CHET 11 Albany INDIAN SUMMER FAKER, ZHU AND Entertainment Centre MORE 27 Newport Hotel ROBBIE WILLIAMS 28 Ozone Reserve 29 Mondo @ Ginger 11 & 12 Perth Arena MIAMI HORROR Nightclub BIFFY CLYRO 27 Red Earth Arts GEORGE GARZONE 12 Metro City Festival BAM BAM 28, 29, 30 Ellington 28 Newport Hotel 12 Amplifier Bar Jazz Club CASEY DONOVAN THE AMITY 12 & 13 Ellington Jazz AFFLICTION OCTOBER 29 Red Hill Auditorium Club REECE MASTIN KAV TEMPERLEY THE HIGH KINGS 12 Astor Theatre 30 Settlers Tavern, 1 Crown Theatre 13 The Lakes Theatre Margaret River HANDS LIKE HOUSES 1 YMCA HQ 2 Amplifier Bar THE DIRE STRAITS EXPERIENCE 3 Perth Concert Hall VERUCA SALT 4 Rosemount Hotel BRITISH INDIA 5 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE 8 & 9 Perth Arena SLAVES 8 Amplifier Bar THE TEA PARTY with SUPERJESUS 9 Crown Theatre DEAD KENNEDYS 11 Capitol JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE 11 Astor Theatre ADAM BRAND PERTH ARENA 15 Friends Restaurant WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20 16 The Deck, Busselton

TOURS

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28

17 New Centurion Hotel 18 Charles Hotel 19 Ravenswood Hotel THE SELECTER 14 Rosemount Hotel ALL DAY 15 YMCA HQ 16 Prince of Wales, Bunbury 17 Amplifier Bar SAY ANYTHING 15 Amplifier Bar COMEBACK KID 16 Amplifier Bar MISSY HIGGINS 16 Crown Theatre 18 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre 19 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre ALLDAY 16 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury JOHN WILLIAMSON 16 Albany Entertainment Centre TORCHE 17 Rosemount Hotel JOHNNY CASH THE CONCERT 17 Astor Theatre CHRISTINE ANU 17 & 18 Ellington Jazz Club JASMINE RAE 17 New Centurion Hotel 18 Charles Hotel 19 Ravenswood Hotel SOLE MIO 19 Crown Theatre REGGIE WATTS 21 Astor Theatre PROXIMITY FESTIVAL 22 – 2 Nov Fremantle Arts Centre MILEY CYRUS 23 Perth Arena BRAZOUKA 23 – 26 Regal Theatre BALL PARK MUSIC 24 Astor Theatre 25 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River WELCOME TO THE VALLEY 25 Belvoir Amphitheatre LIL JON 26 Metro City THE ROLLING STONES 29 Perth Arena

NOVEMBER THE ROLLING STONES 1 Perth Arena THE SCREAMING JETS 6 Capitol THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS 7 Rosemount Hotel MADDEN BROTHERS 7 Crown Theatre BLACK VOICES 8 Perth Concert Hall KATY PERRY 7 & 8 Perth Arena JOE SATRIANI 11 Astor Theatre JIMMY EAT WORLD 11 Metro City YES 12 Crown Theatre KRISIUM 12 Amplifier Bar THIRSTY MERC 12 Friends Restaurant 14 Centurion Hotel 15 Charles Hotel 16 Ravenswood Hotel JOHN DIGWEED 14 The Stables Bar DUSKY 14 Ambar NOFX 15 Metro City THE MARK OF CAIN 15 Rosemount Hotel TORI AMOS 18 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre JIMMY BARNES 19 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre 20 Albany Entertainment Centre 22 Kings Park STEVE SMYTH 19 459 Rosemount Hotel 20 Prince of Wales, Bunbury

21 Redcliffe On The Murray 22 Mojos Bar 23 Indi Bar JUSTINE CLARKE 22 Crown Theatre NICK CAVE SOLO TOUR 27 & 28 Fremantle Arts Centre ILLY 28 Astor Theatre BEN FOLDS & WASO 28 & 29 Perth Concert Hall COLAB FESTIVAL 29 UWA Oak Lawn STEREOSONIC 29 & 30 Claremont Showgrounds

DECEMBER JOAN ARMATRADING 4 Astor Theatre UB40 & BLUE KING BROWN 5 Red Hill Auditorium THY ART IS MURDER 17 YMCA HQ 18 Capitol

JANUARY 2015 SOUTHBOUND 3 & 4 Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton OZ ROCK BUSSELTON ft.

ICEHOUSE, ABSOLUTELY 80S, WENDY MATTHEWS, ROSS WILSON, DIESEL, JAMES REYNE 24 Barnard Park, Busselton RED HILL AUSTRALIA DAY EVE CONCERT ft. ICEHOUSE, JAMES REYNE, DIESEL 25 Red Hill Auditorium SUZI QUATRO 28, 29 & 31 Regal Theatre DOCTOR WHO SYMPHONIC SPECTACULAR 31 Perth Arena

FEBRUARY 2015 CHIODOS 4 Amplifier Bar PASSENGER 7 Red Hill Auditorium ROXETTE 14 Perth Arena THE EAGLES 18 & 19 Perth Arena ONE DIRECTION 20 Patersons Stadium PAUL SIMON & STING 21 & 22 Sir James Mitchell Park GUY SEBASTIAN 28 Perth Arena

MARCH 2015 FROM THE JAM 5 Capitol KYLIE MINOGUE 14 Perth Arena ROXETTE 14 Perth Arena

MAY 2015 RICKY MARTIN 8 Perth Arena

JUNE 2015 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER 29 Perth Arena

PEKING DUK, AUGUST 24

THE DANDY WARHOLDS, AUGUST 22

WEEKLY WEDNESDAY 20/08 THE ALBION HOTEL Quiz Night AMPLIFIER BAR The Academy Dropbears Fingers Adora Heights Sanctions THE BAKERY Fresh Faced Follies THE BALMORAL Randa Soul Kingdom THE BIRD HAMJAM Hideous Sun Demon Aborted Tortoise BRASS MONKEY Backpacker Night DJ Vicktor THE BROWN FOX Acoustic Chill Out CAPITOL Harlem Wednesdays ft.

Genga Peter Payne JS CAPTAIN STIRLING Lokie Shaw THE CARINE Open Mic Night Shaun Street CHARLES HOTEL Funky Bunch Trivia CITRO BAR Adrian Wilson CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE Petrichoral Kris Nelson CLUB RED SEA Cheek THE COURT Wicked Wednesdays ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Mace Francis Orchestra Night Cap Sessions FLYRITE Northbridge Nightly Now GOLD BAR Famous THE GOOD SHEPHERD Thinkfar GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Rumba y Cafe HULA BULA BAR Island Nite INDI BAR Kevin Curran Amberdown My Entire Bravado LLAMA BAR Akuna Club ft.

Danny T AC Slater CRNKN Golden Features Yolanda Be Cool KLP LANEWAY LOUNGE Libby Hammer Trio LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Decoy Duo THE LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MALT SUPPER CLUB Margeaux Wednesdays DJs S-Man Don Migi Dannyboi

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METROPOLIS FREMANTLE Next Gen MOJOS BAR Kerry B Ryan The Bonekickers Rich King Matthews THE MOON CAFE Going Solo ft.

Mitch MacDonald Jacob Diamond MUSTANG BAR Backpacker & Student $5 Fest PUMP! DJ Giles THE PADDO Dove PERTH ARENA Lady Gaga 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Limbs Mind Canary Pippie Lemon Edie Green ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Something on the Side ft.

Catbrush King Crime Baskervilles Ali Flintoff Dean Eyeball DJ Ricky Maymi ROSEMOUNT HOTEL (BEER GARDEN) Best Years of Your Life DJ Anton Maz ROSIE O’GRADY’S NORTHBRIDGE Laugh Resort Comedy Open Mic Night ft.

Dave Fyffe SHAPE BAR Milk Wednesdays ft.

Butcherskank Equation Get More Sempy Dinolife SOVEREIGN ARMS FIVEO SWINGING PIG Open Mic Night Greg Carter UNIVERSAL BAR Virtual Insanity VILLAGE BAR Village People Wednesdays YAYA’S Hip Hop @ YaYa’s Poets Laureate Irone Taliesyn RickyB Tommy Hatchet DJ Jamu Bitter Belief THURSDAY 21/08 ASTOR THEATRE The Dandy Warhols THE BIRD Owen Rabbit Sam Perry NoDrums BRASS MONKEY James Ess Open Deck Night Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Siren Song Enterprises

BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke CAPITOL Wolfmother Gunns CAPTAIN STIRLING Trivia Night THE CAUSEWAY BAR Xport Thursdays THE CLAREMONT HOTEL Institution Thursdays ft.

DJ Pup DJ Tahni CONNECTIONS NIGHTCLUB Bingay hosted by Veronica Jean Jones Gia Gunn THE CRAFTSMAN FIVEO DEVILLES PAD Rock n’ Roll Karaoke Magnus Danger Magnus DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night Kris Buckle ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Go Go Django Night Cap Sessions FLY BY NIGHT Dustin Tebbutt FLYRITE Kids In Glass Houses THE GATE Greg Carter GRAND CENTRAL PARK Nathan Gaunt GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Dr Bogus HULA BULA BAR Hi-Fi Lounge INDI BAR Open Mic Night JURASSIC @ FLYRITE Onesie Party ft.

I Said The Sparrow Lights of Berlin Amberdown LAKERS TAVERN Howie Morgan LANEWAY LOUNGE Jessie Gordon LEISURE INN DJ Misschief LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Jack + Jill LOST SOCIETY The Collective LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MOJOS BAR Iceage Sugar Filthy Apes David Craft The Cold Acre Tashi Elkwood The Tin Man THE MOON The Fix MUSTANG BAR Della Fern The High Learys DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL The Newport Record Club NORTHSHORE TAVERN Toby OCEAN ONE BAR Turin’s Open Mic Night

BOYS BOYS BOYS!, AUGUST 23

PEEL ALE HOUSE Open Mic Chris Kinna PRINCE OF WALES Kingswood 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Fat Shan Band Comp. ft.

Noah Skape The Worst Colour Control Approaching Opposite Black Stone From The Sun Alex Hindley ROSEMOUNT HOTEL DJ Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) Ohayo Late Night Hysterics Jackdaws Midflight Parasite ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Clayton Bolger RUBIX BAR Chris Gibbs THE SAINT Thursday Music Quiz THE SHED Midnight Ramblers SWALLOW BAR Randa & The Soul Kingdom Duo UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record VILLA Kids In Glass Houses YAYA’S GIGGIDY ft.

Blue House The Soul Nana Collective Brufield The Heavenly Creatures FRIDAY 22/08 AMBAR YUM CHA Spenda C AMPLIFIER The Kite String Tangle Flamingo Sid Pattni ASTOR LOUNGE The Ape ft. Tex Perkins KISStake The Painkillers Emu Xperts ASTOR THEATRE The Dandy Warhols THE AVIARY Paradise Paul NDORSE BAILEY BAR & BISTRO Switch THE BAKERY Oasis Tribute Night ft.

Tracksuit The Crossbars Lionizer White Avenues The Nightcap Sessions THE BALMORAL Pasha Ella & Scott BAR ORIENT Reggae Club THE BAYSWATER DJ Atlus BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) STEREO Friday Night Live BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ

Mike Nayar THE BELMONT Light Street BEST DROP TAVERN Tandem THE BIRD Silver Hills Delay Delay HAMJAM Flower Drums THE BOAT Kelly Read BRASS MONKEY George Greene James Ess THE BRIGHTON DJ Misschief Frenzy BROOKLANDS TAVERN Shades of Indigo CAPITOL Kingswood The Sinking Teeth Tired Lion Capitol Fridays Roger Smart CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) I Love ‘80s & ‘90s Darren Tucker THE CARINE J!mmy Beats THE CAUSEWAY Jungle Safari CHARLES HOTEL James Reyne CHASE BAR & BISTRO James Wilson CITRO BAR Jeanie Proude CIVIC HOTEL Squeal Wild Search Party CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE DJ Boogie CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Angus Diggs Trio CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Free Friday Fiesta ft.

DJ Razor Jack Beleza Dancer The Johnny Nandez Hammond Explosion CLIQUE @ METRO FREO Clique 011 - Uh Uhh Honey – Kanye West Edition THE COMO Jay Lloyd THE COURT Red Party 2014 THE CRAFTSMAN Mario Z CRUISING YACHT CLUB Nearly Famous DEVILLE’S PAD Rockin’ A Go Go Fridays Bang Bang Betty & the H Bombs DJ Moogy Double Trouble Molls DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Cuddles EAST 150 BAR Adam James ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Tim Freedman Marcio Mendes & Friends EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan EVE NIGHTCLUB

Deadline Monday 5pm. X-Press Guide is a service to advertisers listing all entertainment events.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au

TOURS • LIVE • DANCE

ICEAGE SUGAR, AUGUST 21 Recharge Fridays FLY BY NIGHT Megan Washington FLYRITE TINYCLUB 1st Birthday ft.

Roland Tings GEISHA BAR 2014 Habitat DJ Comp.

Heat #1 GINGER NIGHTCLUB Mondo Fridays ft.

The Kite String Tangle (DJ set) GOLD BAR Fox Friday’s THE GOOD SHEPHERD Throwback GOSNELLS HOTEL The Gypsy Minions THE GRAND Jay Mackay THE GREENWOOD Justin Cortorillo GREG JAMES SCULPTURE STUDIO Rosie Ann Paul Trio GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Tod Johnston Peace Love DJ Crazy Craig THE HERDSMAN The Mojos HULA BULA BAR Shakin’ It HYDE PARK HOTEL (COURTYARD) Luke O’Connell INDI BAR Nitro Zeppelin INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO. Ben Merito KALAMUNDA HOTEL Acoustic Nights LAKERS TAVERN Grizzly Koopz LANEWAY LOUNGE Amanda Dee Soothe THE LEISURE INN DJ Peta LIBRARY Sneaky LLAMA BAR Honey THE LUCKY SHAG DJ Richie G MALT Nu Disco Hip Hop M ON THE POINT Retriofit MAHOGANY INN

MEGAN WASHINGTON, AUGUST 22

Korey Livy THE MANOR Motel Six ft.

Jack Doepel x James Ireland Aslan Sleepyhead Benny P Clunk Dupa MARKET CITY TAVERN Paradox Federico Chianucci Vincent Moffatt Courteney Mitchell Martin Yully Jaylee Dynamic Quadro METRO CITY Ultraglow #Repainted ft.

DJ Ram DJ Kronic DJ Kickupafuss DJ Matty S The Breakfast Club German METRO FREO C5 I Love 80s + 90s METROPOLIS FREMANTLE Frat House Fridays MINT Club Retro MOJOS BAR Apache FOAM Pat Chow Hideous Sun Demon Bi-Polarbear MOUNT HENRY TAVERN The Mustangs MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL Jam Jar Friday’s Ladies Night MUSTANG BAR Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys Flash Nat & The Action Men MY PLACE Karaoke NEWPORT HOTEL FLUKE Fridays NORTHSHARE TAVERN Two Plus One Chalk ‘N Cheese THE ODD FELLOW Chicks With Decks ft.

DJ Chicken Wing DJ Lil Cakes

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UZ

VILLA NIGHTCLUB FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Peggy Sue SMO PADDY MAGUIRES Too Easy PARAMOUNT Paramount Party Crew PARKER Joel Fletcher TigerLily PEEL ALE HOUSE Siren Song Enterprises PERTH ARENA Queen & Adam Lambert PIRATE BAR Bernardine PORT HEDLAND TURF CLUB Northwest Pilbara Weekender THE PRINCIPAL Adrian Wilson PUBLIC HOUSE Neil Viney QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Vanerty Brothers THE QUEENS Jon Ee DJ Reuben ROLEYSTONE COUNTRY CLUB Alex Canion 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Jupiter Zeus The Lunettes Ultrasound Peasant ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Being Beta Filthy Apes Them SHARKS At The Space Jam Silver Foxes ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Gunshy Romeos SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan THE SAINT Britty SCARBOROUGH SPORTS CLUB Lions Big Band Libby Hammer SETTLERS TAVERN Morgan Bain THE SHED Crush DJ Glenn SOVEREIGN ARMS Thank God It’s… Funky Lounge Fridays DJ Kaos THE SWAN LOUNGE Max Hutchings Christopher John Kinna Christian Mechler Connor Jackson THE SWAN BASEMENT Muzzle Fight The Morning Patient Little Sister Railway Bell SWINGING PIG Greg Carter UNIVERSAL BAR Nightmoves VERNON ARMS TAVERN Greg Carter THE VIC Nathan Gaunt VILLA UZ THE WHALE & ALE Jawsh WINTERSUN HOTEL

MIND CANARY, AUGUST 23

Leon Tioke YAYA’S Curtis McEntee Kat Wilson The Insatiables ACE Fridays DJ Pup YMCA HQ Dropbears Ruthless Hollow Ground Havoc Adora Heights The Wretched SATURDAY 23/08 AMBAR Japan 4 ft.

Parakord Bezwun Tee El Philly Blunt Ongrfld AMPLIFIER BAR The Aston Shuffle Just A Gent Angus Dawson ASTOR THEATRE James Reyne THE AVENUE Lokie Shaw THE AVIARY Paradise Paul Samuel Spencer Miss Demeanour BAILEY BAR & BISTRO Murphy’s Lore THE BAKERY Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving Rachael Dease TheIntensoBand THE BALMORAL Retriofit BAR INDIGO (LEISURE INN) ILLY Coin Banks BAR ORIENT Saturday Night Fever BAYSWATER HOTEL Acoustic Saturdays BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Big Kidz 90s Party THE BIRD Continuum ft.

Henry Gillett b2b HW Sims b2b Rupert Murdah Pow Pow Riddimz Anton Seats BOAB TAVERN James Wilson BRASS MONKEY DJ Peta Grizzly THE BRIGHTON DJ Misschief CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) Death Disco ft.

Zeke Cream Of The ‘80s DJ Roger Smart THE CARINE Adam James CIVIC HOTEL Zemlja CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Minky G & Roscoe THE CLAREMONT HOTEL Antics

Tim from Tim & Jean CONNECTIONS Sin, Gin & Mickey Finn CORNERSTONE Danny B THE CRUISING YACHT CLUB Guy Tucker DEVILLES PAD Double Denim With The Devil ft.

Boys Boys Boys!

DJ Brettro DJ melnkel DJ KATO DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Jonny Taylor GILKISONS DANCE STUDIO Electrified: Bangin’ Beatz In Da Jungle ft.

Damien Blaze Maker Roy Overkill Vs Josh Cube Gracie Vs Sistym Oki Doki & Hannah Stacia Kurtox & El Grande Reaktor ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Tim Freedman Lauren Hill Tribute ft.

Cristal Phillips THE ESPLANADE, BUSSELTON Cherry Lips FLAWLESS LQ Saturdays FLYRITE Father FLY BY NIGHT Slippery When Wet: Bon Jovi Tribute THE GATE Greg Carter THE GENEROUS SQUIRE Defanutly GINGER NIGHTCLUB Pyjama Party ft.

DJ Adrian Francina DJ Pierce Ericson DJ Slykidd GOLD BAR Pure Gold GOSNELLS HOTEL Jahmoko THE GRAND Jay Mackay THE GREENWOOD Cargo Beat GROOVE BAR & LOUNGE (CROWN) Decoy Hero DJs HULA BULA BAR Sailor Saturdays HYDE PARK HOTEL Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts INDI BAR Ben Merito Tourist INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO. Shawne Kirke Luc KALAMUNDA HOTEL Celebrations Karaoke LEISURE INN ILLY LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Juliana Areias Duo LOST SOCIETY Chalk M ON THE POINT

TRITONAL, AUGUST 23 Rhythm 22 MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke METRO CITY Tritonal Illuminor German Ruthless Kevin Charm METRO FREO Metropolis Saturdays METRO FREO C5 I Love ‘80s & ‘90s MOJOS BAR The Ape ft. Tex Perkins KISStake The Painkillers MUSTANG BAR The Continentals Milhouse DJ James Mac NORTHSHORE TAVERN Howie Morgan Project THE ODD FELLOW Casual Sets DJ Buda DJ Friends THE PADDO Cheeky Monkeys PADDY MAGUIRES 43 Cambridge PARAMOUNT Felix PARKER Parker Saturdays Troy Division Paul Scott Jackness Chiari Simon Parker PEEL ALE HOUSE Siren & Assassin PORT HEDLAND TURF CLUB Northwest Pilbara Weekender PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Korey Livy THE QUEENS Jon Ee 3Manuel RAILWAY HOTEL Gignition ft.

Sciaitika Powderworks Apollo’s Attic 4 Months In REGAL THEATRE Blue Shaddy Trio Russell Morris RENDEZVOUS HOTEL (LOBBY BAR) Domonic Zurzolo 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Sidewalk Diamonds Odlaw Moana Louis & The Honkytonk ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Sammy J DJ Illicit ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Flava SAIL AND ANCHOR The Gypsy Minions THE SAINT FIVEO SETTLERS TAVERN AKoVA SHAPE BAR HUSH Saturdays THE SHED HUGE DJ Matt SWALLOW BAR

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WOLFMOTHER, AUGUST 21

Nick Sheppard THE SWAN BASEMENT Bare Bones #2 ft.

Stoney Joe The Woods Los Porcheros DJ Primal Vinyl SOVEREIGN ARMS DJ Atlus SPRINGS TAVERN Spank SWINGING PIG Frenzy UNIVERSAL BAR Soul Corporation VELVET LOUNGE Power Session ft.

Girls Of The Pacific Senate Prince Ali VILLA Peking Duk VOODOO LOUNGE Dusk Till Dawn - Tony’s Bucks Party THE WOODVALE Michael Jackson Tribute X-WRAY CAFÉ Melody Pool YAYA’S Mitch’s Birthday & Free Gig! Ft. Mind Canary Wasting Sunday Lost At Sea ARCADIA All-Nighter DJ Cookie DJ Jordan DJ Double Dee YMCA HQ Boris The Blade SUNDAY 24/08 THE BALMORAL Andrew Winton THE BELMONT Justin Cortorillo BENTLEY HOTEL Jeanie Proude THE BRIGHTON James Wilson BROOKLANDS TAVERN Frankie G THE CARINE Chris Gibbs THE CAUSEWAY Acoustic Sunday CITRO BAR Adrian Wilson CIVIC HOTEL Korey Livy CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Sunday Brekky Sesh The Limelights Jazz Trio CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Randa & the Soul Kingdom CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver CLUB BAYVIEW Lokie Shaw COMO HOTEL Two Frets Down THE COURT Ahimsa Fundraiser Party ft.

Pineapples Fluid Motion One Pinky Left Isolate 20Hz Oli B vs Dr Stem DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN

Kris Buckle ELLIOT ST BAR, BUNBURY Boris The Blade FLINDERZ HILLARYS Adam James THE GATE Mike Nayar THE GREENWOOD Glen Davies GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Peace Love HULA BULA BAR Tiki Time Sundays INDI BAR Wanderlust Nick Sandover Logan Crawford INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit KALAMUNDA HOTEL Shake & Bake LAKERS TAVERN Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts LANEWAY LOUNGE Laura Bernay Quintet THE LAST DROP TAVERN Rick Twine LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Thierryno THE LUCKY SHAG DJ Richie G MOJOS BAR Jordan McRobbie Mister and Sunbird Fox Cat Rabbit Joe Pulé THE MOON CAFÉ Mondo Exotica Coco + Lucy M ON THE POINT Nathan Gaunt MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL Sunday Sesh OCEAN VIEW TAVERN One Trick Phonies THE PADDO Matt Angell & Band Tashi Hall PEEL ALE HOUSE Bernardine PORT HEDLAND TURF CLUB Northwest Pilbara Weekender PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Greg Carter PRINCE OF WALES ILLY QUARIE BAR & BISTRO The Gypsy Minions THE QUEENS Jay Lloyd Sam Spencer RECLIFFE ON THE MURRAY Riley Pearce THE ROSE & CROWN HOTEL Blackbirds 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Crooked Cats The Rumble Lost & Found Trio Paradise Motor Inn ROSEMOUNT HOTEL (BEER GARDEN) The Get Down ft.

DJ Charlie Bucket DJ John Safari Klean Kicks THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project Jon Ee

THE ASTON SHUFFLE, AUGUST 22 Grizzly SETTLERS TAVERN Melody Pool THE SHED The Healys Renogade SOUTH ST. ALEHOUSE Open Mic Night SWALLOW BAR The Limelights Jazz Trio SWANBROOK WINERY Timothy Nelson Matt Waring Jonathan Brain SWINGING PIG Siren & Assassin UNIVERSAL BAR Retriofit VERNON ARMS TAVERN Kevin Curran VILLA Peking Duk WANNEROO TAVERN Selestial THE WINDSOR Acoustic Aly YAYA’S DMC World DJ Championship WA Finals ft.

DJ Qbert Mixmaster Mike Roc Raida Ca$h Money Kentaro MONDAY 25/08 BRASS MONKEY Monday Madness Student & Industry Night CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Quiz Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chamber Jam GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Justin & Mike MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic PARKER Manic Mondays VILLA Kid Ink YAYA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic Variety Night

TUESDAY 26/08 ASTOR LOUNGE King Buzzo THE BIRD Barefaced Stories Rebellion BRASS MONKEY Open Mic Night Shaun Street CLANCY’S FREMANTLE The Clancy’s Quiz Night CONSERVATORY ROOFTOP BAR Rooftop Comedy ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Melody Pool Marlon Williams GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Jack + Jill LANEWAY LOUNGE Open Mic Night Josh Terlick LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Hans Fiance LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Baskervilles Ohayo TALE Turtle Island MONKEY BAR & LOUNGE Tradie Night MUSTANG BAR Danzaloca Salsa Night OCEAN ONE BAR Overgrowth Open Mic Night THE PADDO Quiz Meisters PERTH BLUES CLUB The Wal*Tones Peta Lee The Vibrolators REGAL THEATRE Man In Black: The Johnny Cash Story ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bex & Turin’s Wide Open Mic SWINGING PIG Siren Song Enterprises YAYA’S National Campus Band Comp State SemiFinal #1

FEATURED GIG

APACHE

APACHE

FOAM, PAT CHOW HIDEOUS SUN DEMON BI-POLARBEAR MOJOS BAR FRIDAY, AUGUST 22.

29

MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY

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CLASSIFIEDS

MUSO SPOTLIGHT

Mike Harris

Luke Dux (left) with The Floors

LUKE DUX In a new semi-regular feature, we throw some questions at a Perth musician of note, hoping to glean some insight into their craft. First up: Luke Dux, who keeps busy playing for The Floors, Timothy Nelson And The infidels, Dux & Downtown, The Wilds, The Wishers and Davey Craddock And The Spectacles.

When did you first start playing guitar?

I was five when I first strummed a guitar.

It was my uncle’s 12 string Kasuga Hummingbird.

for $25. He painted the guitar purple then set it on fire. I hold onto guitars now.

How many guitars do you own now?

I own many guitars but I only play one.

A ‘73 Gibson SG Custom that’s been glued back together so many times it looks like a jigsaw puzzle.

What guitarist has most influenced your style?

Link Wray. He’s got a whole lot of power and doesn’t play too many notes.

Have you ever taken lessons or are you self taught?

I studied classical at school.

What’s you practice/rehearsal regimen like?

Constant.

What led you to music?

I’m no good at sport.

What’s your current preferred stage rig?

I use a Fender Deville that my brother has hot rodded to be a monster. I run it through ‘70s Fender Bassman 412 Cab. Its main purpose is to scare sound engineers.

What was your first guitar?

A ‘60s Electric Teisco. I sold it to a friend

What’s you dream instrument?

A Muddy Waters Guild Thunderbird.

INDUSTRY VOICES Mike Harris, CEO of WAM In a special guest column, WAM CEO Mike Harris lets us in on the current state of play regarding WAM in particular and the broader Western Australian music industry in general.

It has been a little over five months since I took over as CEO of WAM and in many ways it has been a period of intense on-the-job training, where I have had a very strong internal focus to best position WAM to meet the challenges of 2014 and beyond.

The good news is that WAM has secured core funding for the next three years, which gives us a higher degree of surety and confidence in entering into projects

Gear and tech reviews by Chris Gibbs FENDER AMERICAN DELUXE STRAT PLUS GUITAR

Fender American Deluxe Strat Plus Guitar

Boss Guitar Effects Processor 30

react with each other. The thing is, the cards are very reminiscent of the type of technology that was new in the late seventies or early eighties - very similar in fact to an Atari cartridge - albeit smaller. There’s something about this new addition of technology that seems to immediately date the guitar, making it feel like some long-lost experiment from days gone by rather than the cutting-edge new development intended. I can’t help but think that most guitarists would have a quick play with the cartridges (which do provide very subtle changes to the guitar’s tonality), find their favourite and leave it at that while the other cartridges sit in the included deluxe guitar case, most likely to be promptly forgotten about. However, guitarists that are into modifications in regards to pickups and wiring will most likely place a little more importance on this new feature.

Nevertheless it all ultimately comes down to playability and tone, regardless of trimmings or added technology, and based on those factors alone this series from Fender comes up trumps.

The Fender American Deluxe Strat Plus Stratocaster comes with a deluxe case for $3199.

that have a multi-year life. Some of these projects are about producing tangible outcomes such as our Sounds Of CD recording sessions (Sounds Of The Wheatbelt, the latest, launches at the Dowerin Field Days soon), regional touring projects and the WAM Festival, which includes the Music Conference and, of course, WA’s premier festival showcasing WA talent to both industry and punters alike. These are important projects that offer the broader music industry opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have; opportunities to showcase their talent, be recognised for their contributions and have access to the best industry brains to help them advance their careers.

The other side of the coin is contributing to the discourse on, and the development of, cultural policy, and advocating on behalf of the WA music industry on those issues that are critical to the sustainability of contemporary music in WA. This is an important role as it can seem that it is a constant struggle to ensure the live music scene is not under threat. To this end we will be reinstating the WA Music Council soon to look at some of the major issues and ensure that contemporary music has a strong voice and say in its future. Victoria’s Agent of Change legislation and the City of Sydney’s Live Music Matters policy are indicative of what can be achieved when the industry is focused and strategic in its approach to protecting its future.

It is interesting to note that across the nation in 2012 contemporary music contributed to 35% of the live entertainment economy (valued all up at $2.54B), with music theatre the next biggest contributor at under 15%. These figures are from Live Performance Australia. It is abundantly evident that contemporary music does not wield the equivalent influence on cultural policy nor attract the equivalent public funding to support its endeavours. Whilst that is a simplistic argument, it is important that contemporary music’s voice is strong and influential.

This is one of WAM’s biggest challenges as we look forward to 2015 and beyond.

Loving music, live and recorded, and being passionate about WAM and its role in championing contemporary music, I am excited about what the future holds. The small team at WAM are dedicated and hard working, and always looking at how they can make a difference. We are a membership organisation and we can only be as strong as those numbers, and by extension the broader industry. Keep creating music; keep putting your music out there for consumption; keep playing gigs; keep supporting the industry as managers, labels, technicians and fans… because it’s worth it.

MIKE HARRIS

GRETSCH RANCHER DREADNOUGHT

Re-released for 2014, the G5031FT Rancher Dreadnought is one of the more distinctive Rancher The new American Deluxe Strat Plus guitar models. Essentially, this is not a standard acoustic purports to be the next step in the evolution of the electric guitar (an acoustic guitar with a preamp Stratocaster, aiming to provide three Stratocaster installed), nor is it a semi-acoustic guitar (think guitars in one with a design featuring interchangeable of a 335 hollow body or similar). Rather it is an ‘personality cards’ that provide players with altered ‘electrified’ acoustic guitar in the sense that it is pickup and circuitry configurations. a standard dreadnought acoustic with an added The guitar itself features a maple neck with electric Fidelitron pickup in the soundhole close to comfortable profile and satin finish, maple fingerboard the neck and a single electric volume pot on the top. with 22 medium jumbo frets, and three single-coil Indeed, there’s something very ‘home-made’ in the N3 pickups with five-way switching. The hardware feel of this instrument in the best also includes aged white control knobs, two-point possible way. synchronized tremolo bridge with bent steel saddles, As an electric staggered deluxe locking tuners and nickel-chrome guitarist who plays a lot of hardware. The guitar is exceptionally finished. The acoustic gigs, I was blown away neck is comfortable to address, the tuning spot on by the darker, edgier tones and the overall tone is crisp and responsive. provided by the soundhole The additional technological advancement pickup and delighted with the built in to this guitar is certainly interesting: the tonal possibilities afforded by personality cards can be inserted into a recess at the simply having a volume knob rear of the body that alter the wiring configuration. where it should be rather than Each guitar comes with three cards allowing players searching for a slider on a pre-amp to adjust the tone and the way in which the pickups recess in the side of the guitar.

The guitar looks gorgeous and is reminiscent of days gone by with its gloss BOSS GUITAR EFFECTS PROCESSOR sunburst finish, triangular The Boss GT-001 re-packages the acclaimed amps and effects of the GT-100 in a s o u n d - h o l e a n d g o l d stylish desktop processor for home studio set-ups. The interface makes it simple hardware. The neck is to dial in tones for recording and practice. All the connectivity one could ask for a joy to play and this is on board, including a standard guitar input, an XLR mic input for capturing particular model was vocals or acoustic instruments, and the built-in USB audio/MIDI interface for direct fitted with nickel strings rather than phosphor connection to users’ preferred software.

One genuinely interesting feature is a newly developed guitar-to-MIDI bronze, augmenting function allowing players to have fun with Guitar Friend Jam and other computer t h e h y b r i d n a t u r e of the instrument. programs from a normal guitar input without the requirement of a MIDI pickup.

Acoustically the A free download in the form of Boss Tone Studio software provides an guitar is balanced interface for tweaking tones from the computer screen, plus access to Boss Tone and punchy. When Central for free studio-ready patches. plugged in the guitar This compact unit will not convert any guitarists to COSM amp modelling will take players to and multi-effects devices: players either like them or they don’t. As a result this unit an entirely different will most likely find a home as an addition to many multi-effects devotees’ home level of dark, rich, studio set-ups. The tones on offer are on par with Boss’ GT series and similarly to enticing sounds.

The guitar is one many of those units the tones ‘straight out of the box’ are in many cases over the of the models Gretsch make in Indonesia top and requiring some finessing for more useable sounds.

At just $399, the Boss GT001 Desktop Multi-effects Processor will provide and as a result the RRP is a surprising $1199. At reliable Boss modelling tones while saving users valuable desk space in a home that price there is a lot on offer from the Rancher. recording setting.

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