X-Press Magazine # 1188 by X-Press Magazine

19.11.09

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1188

SNEAKY WEASEL GANG

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Drinks and food will be available for purchase on the night.

SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER, 2009 6pm – 9pm SCITECH, CITY WEST, WEST PERTH Tickets $10 through BOCS* www.bocsticketing.com.au or purchase on the night for $14 *Transaction fees apply 2

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/ FELIX DA HOUSECAT / (direct from Chicago)

JMC

RUBEN ...and more

This incredible annual event is on again! Come join us for another classic sun soaked beach party. Air-conditioned Lounge, Bean Bags, Fashion Parade, Day Beds, Make-up Lounge, and more…. Date: Friday 1st January 2010 Time: 3pm - 11pm Salt on the beach - 42 Port Beach Road - North Fremantle Tickets from www.heatseeker.com.au First Release $110 (includes fabulous $40 food and beverage package) www.onthebeach.net.au

www.myspace.com/felixdahousecat - www.twitter.com/ThreeRealFDHC - www.xmixprod.com

Michael Paynter Saturday 21st November Salt on the Beach

42 Port Beach Rd, North Fremantle an ntttllle e Lun nch time show doors open open at 12pm op 12pm FFR 12p RE R E EE E EN EN NT TR T R RY Y Lunch FREE ENTRY www.onthebeach.net.au www.onthebeach.net.au

Hittin’ the town since 1985

Eskimo Joe

Kasey Chambers

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Pete Murray

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Russell Hop kinson - Yo u Am I Will Hull-Brown - The Cat Empire

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345 Charles St

9228 2223

Hittinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the town since 1985

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Hittinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the town since 1985

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News Reactions/Comp Thing Flesh Music: Black Eye Susans/ The Holy Sea Music: Karnivool Music: Them Crooked Vultures Music: Buzzcocks Music: Philadelphia Grand Jury/ Sneaky Weasel Gang Music: Danko Jones Music: Tori Amos Music: WAYJO Music: Pigram Brothers Music: Bon Jovi/Amon Amarth New Noise

Jamie Faulkner Boom! Bap! Pow!, Miche Suite, The Belle Ends, Tree and Oh! You Pretty Things perform at Against The Beat

AGAINST THE BEAT Heavy Artillery

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eye4 cover: Marnie Skillings eye4 News eye4 Music: Guy Sebastian eye4 Movies: A Sreious Man/ Twilight: Justine Wachsberger/ Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs eye4 Arts Stories Arts Listings eye4 Lifestyle eye2eye Fremantle Feature

It’s a gathering set to astound when five of WA’s best female-fronted bands use their music and might to fight for women’s rights at Against The Beat happening at Mojo’s this Saturday, November 21. Boom! Bap! Pow!, Miche Suite, The Belle Ends, Tree and Oh! You Pretty Things strike up the awareness for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women campaign. The gig is part of the not-for-profit 2009 ARTillery Youth Arts Festival aiming to educate and inspire young people to take action on human rights issues. The Festival also includes the all-ages Bootcamp event at HQ Leederville happening from 5.30pm tonight, November 19, (with The Jackards, Wing-It, Stunning In Red, Last In Line, Levi Islam and more) and the ARTillery Spoken Word evening next Thursday, November 26, at the Astor Theatre Lounge. The festival runs until International Human Rights Day, Thursday, December 10, culminating in masterPEACE and art exhibition/closing party. Against the Beat heats up Mojo’s this Saturday from 8pm, tickets are $10 (plus booking fee) from heatseeker.com.au and a little more at the door. To know more visit www.artilleryfestival.com and www.amnesty.org.au.

TRANSMISSION

Music aficionados and 24 Hour Party People have somewhere new to hang, with Transmission taking over the Flying Scotsman every Saturday from 8pm until 1am. Andrei Maz, half of the infamous Death Disco DJs, and special week guests will broadcast great tunes and good times, from Motown to Mashup, Funk to Fidget, Beatles to Breakbeat, Rocksteady to Rave, Disco to Dubstep, downbeat and electro grooves with plenty of indie/alternative anthems, glam, new wave and post-rock thrown into the Maz-mix. And it’s absolutely free too.

JAIMI FAULKNER

After a two-month tour of Europe and the UK, Jaimi Faulkner has returned to Australia just in time to tour WA at the beginning of next month. You can catch him on Wednesday, December 2, at the Indi Bar;Thursday, December 3, at Mojo’s; Friday, December 4, at Settlers Tavern, Margaret River; Saturday, December 5, at the Nannup Hotel and Sunday, December 6, at Redcliffe On The Murray.

THE MOO BUMPS INTO BUNBURY

With a growing reputation for boasting a unique atmosphere and a consistently exciting line up of music (from both Australia and overseas), Groovin The Moo’s sixth year will see Bunbury makes the fifth leg of the fest. GTM will feature two main stages, with the huge Moulin Rouge circus big top playing home to the dance tent. The diverse tastes and needs of all punters will be catered for with a large variety of local food and market stalls along with licensed bar facilities, slingshot rides, chill-out areas and not to mention a free water tank. Get groovin’ on 15 May, 2010 at the Pat Usher Foreshore Reserve, Bunbury.The 2010 lineup will be announced early February, with tickets going on sale for all events shortly after. Head to www.gtm.net.au to subscribe and be the first to receive updates and further information.

Crowded House, West Coast Blues’N’Roots 2010

Ford Fiesta Moonlight Cinema

WEST COAST BLUES’N’ROOTS FESTIVAL 2010

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Salt cover: LCD Soundsystem Salt News Salt Music: LCD Soundsystem/ Sia/Drop The Lime Salt Music: D’Julz/Tes La Rock Salt Music: Peter Kruder/Surkin Salted: Rahzel/Urthboy Salt Test Lab Salt Club Manual Pub Scene: The Civic Backroom Live reviews: Sarah Blasko/ Pearl Jam/Static-X Rock X-Tras Tour Trails: Royal Crown Revue Tour Trails Gig Guide Classifieds Volume

Cover: Karnivool play on Friday, December 11, at Metro City, as part of their Sine Waves And Mirrors tour. Tickets through www.heatseeker. com.au, Star Surf, Mills, or Planet. Salt cover: LCD Soundsystem play at Summadayze, January 3, 2010, at The Esplanade.

The West Coast Blues’N’Roots Festival makes a welcome return for 2010, happening on Sunday, March 28, shifting over to Fremantle Park. Sidling up is the impressive grouping of Crowded House, John Butler Trio, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Barnes Plays The Rhythm And The Blues, Newton Faulkner, Gogol Bordello, John Mayall, Taj Mahal , Old Crow Medicine Show, The Swell Season, Angus & Julia Stone, Lisa Mitchell, Dave Hole, The Backsliders, Blues Preachers and many more yet to be announced. Tickets to West Coast Blues’N’Roots are $129 (plus booking fee). There is also an Under18s ticket for $65 (plus booking fee) not that all under-agers must be accompanied by a parent. VIP tickets are also on offer for $275 (plus booking fee). Tickets go on sale from 9am on Monday, November 30, through www.moshtix.com.au or on 1300 438 849. For full event information head to www.sunsetevents.com.au.

ASTOUNDING BOUND

It’s almost time for festival favourite Southbound to hit Bussellton, with less than two months to go before the event. If you’ve been to Southbound before, you’ll know that as well as the amazing array of international live music acts, there’s plenty of things to do and see. This year, Base Camp turns into a city filled with coffee, food and local entertainment, and will be open 24 hours, whilst The Groove Tent will get movin’ on Friday night, full of DJs to keep you dancing until well after the official line up have done their stuff – there’ll also be a host of comedy and cabaret in the Tent on Saturday and Sunday nights. The introduction of the Saloon Bar & Steakhouse should have meat-lovers reveling (bucking bull included!), and the Vodka and Oxygen bar has a host of delicious vodka cocktails and lounges for you to enjoy. There’s even an Indian Bollywood Restaurant, with dancers and Indian cuisine, on top of Southbound’s always delicious selection of food vendors. Throw in a Karaoke Tent, a Silent Disco, a Fancy Dress Shop, live radio broadcasting and a Market Bazaar, and you won’t be bored for a second at Southbound 2010. Sunday and VIP tickets have sold out, but Saturday day tickets and Happy Camper tickets are still available through sunsetevents.com.au.

Screening a mix of latest release, contemporary, cult and classic movies, the Ford Fiesta Moonlight Cinema, resting on the lawns of Kings Park, makes for a beautiful summer night out in Perth. The summer season is just about to kick off, with Tuesday, November 24 seeing the opening night screening (and exclusive premiere) of Nowhere Boy. If you can’t make it to Tuesday, there’s Public Enemies on Wednesday, Beautiful Kate on Thursday, My Sister’s Keeper, Coraline, and Amelie on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, before the next week’s programme begings again on Tuesday, December 1 with All About Steve. Gates open at 6pm, and nightly screenings (excluding Mondays) start at sundown (approximately 7.30 pm). BYO hamper and drinks, or on-site catering and licensed bar facilities are available with a delectable menu of snacks and meals from Deli Devine. The Moonlight bar is stocked with a full range of beer, wine and other beverages. Take along a picnic blanket, or hire a famous Moonlight Bean Bed on-site for just $6 on site. Tickets are available online at moonlight. com.au or at the gate. Tickets are $15 adults, $13 concession or $11 for children.

THU NOV 19 8PM

FRI NOV 20 8PM

HAND STANDS FOR ANTS, THE YOKOHOMOS + HEARTS MOUSTACHE

THE LOVE JUNKIES, BLOW, THE JOE KINGS, THE GROWL, BLACKBOARD MINDS + OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

MICHE SUITE, THE BELLE ENDS, TREE + OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

MON NOV 23 8PM

TUES NOV 24 8PM

WED NOV 25 8PM

DEMI MONDE, THE MOLTENS (FORMER BLOODS MEMBERS), MODULAR MAN + THE CLOCK STRIKES

PAUL GREEN (NSW)

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SCREENINGS UNDER THE STARS

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SAT NOV 21 8PM

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SUN NOV 22 EVENING 6-10PM

TIJUANA CARTEL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

SUN NOV 22 ARVO 12-4PM

TRACKSUIT, OFFBEAT ANTICS, FOOLS OF APRIL + LUKE DUX COMING SOON

MAJORMINOR ÜBERGIG SAT NOV 28 1PM-1AM

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Jamie Faulkner Boom! Bap! Pow!, Miche Suite, The Belle Ends, Tree and Oh! You Pretty Things perform at Against The Beat

AGAINST THE BEAT Heavy Artillery

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TRANSMISSION

JAIMI FAULKNER

THE MOO BUMPS INTO BUNBURY

Crowded House, West Coast Blues’N’Roots 2010

Ford Fiesta Moonlight Cinema

WEST COAST BLUES’N’ROOTS FESTIVAL 2010

Salt 47 50 52 53 54 56 57 58 60 62 64 66 67 68 70 71

ASTOUNDING BOUND

THU NOV 19 8PM

FRI NOV 20 8PM

HAND STANDS FOR ANTS, THE YOKOHOMOS + HEARTS MOUSTACHE

THE LOVE JUNKIES, BLOW, THE JOE KINGS, THE GROWL, BLACKBOARD MINDS + OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

MICHE SUITE, THE BELLE ENDS, TREE + OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

MON NOV 23 8PM

TUES NOV 24 8PM

WED NOV 25 8PM

DEMI MONDE, THE MOLTENS (FORMER BLOODS MEMBERS), MODULAR MAN + THE CLOCK STRIKES

PAUL GREEN (NSW)

)UHPDQWOH 5HFRUGV SUHVHQWV

)UHRV ELJJHVW 0RQGD\

WIDE OPEN MIC JUSTIN WALSHE 0408 755 233

www.xpressmag.com.au

SCREENINGS UNDER THE STARS

6KRRW IURP WKH +LS

SAT NOV 21 8PM

$JDLQVW WKH %HDW BOOM! BAP! POW!

)UHR %OXHV 5RRWV &OXE ROSE PARKER + MITCH BECKER

SUN NOV 22 EVENING 6-10PM

TIJUANA CARTEL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

SUN NOV 22 ARVO 12-4PM

TRACKSUIT, OFFBEAT ANTICS, FOOLS OF APRIL + LUKE DUX COMING SOON

MAJORMINOR ÜBERGIG SAT NOV 28 1PM-1AM

LE V SA NO ON 0 S N3 ET O CK M TI AM

T I C K E T S A VA I L A B L E F R O M M O S H T I X . C O M . A U , MOSHTIX OUTLETS AND 1300 438 849 18+ EVENT (CHILDREN WITH PARENTS PERMITTED). FOR UNDER 18 TICKETING DETAILS SEE WEBSITE

EVENT INFO FROM WWW.SUNSETEVENTS.COM.AU

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Claim The Throne

MERRY MASSACRE

For some, Boxing Day is the perfect occasion to unwind from the chaos of Christmas, put your feet up, and enjoy a quiet drink. Alternatively, you could opt for extreme live music carnage, dark blasts of black metal, and ferocious, evil live bands. If the latter should be to your liking, the Rocket Room unwraps the third instalment of Boxing Day Massacre – carnage to your heart’s content. With the heart of their new Remnants EP still bloody and beating, Pathogen should have plenty of epic melodies on call, whilst Claim The Throne should box your ears in with their pure metal madness. Mhorgl, Psychonaut and Kingdom Of Ruin join them on the bill this Boxing Day. Saturday, December 26, at The Rocket Room, Northbridge. Tickets $12 presale on sale now from www.moshtix.com.au, www. bocticketing.com.au and www.78records.com. au. Or $15 on the door. Doors open 7.30pm.

The Murder Mouse Blues Band

THE MIDLAND SHAKEDOWN JAMBOREE

End Of Fashion

SOUNDS DOWN SOUTH

The kids at Esperance Senior High School were The Midland Shakedown Jamboree is a monthly getting pretty down with the scarcity of live community concert series presented by The music events in their town, which is located Murder Mouse Blues Band and the City Of Swan, around seven hours south east of Perth, so a quality range Perth blues, roots, folk and jazz they decided it was high time to do something acts playing in an acoustic setting at the Midland about it. The result is SummerSounds, an all day Junction Arts Centre on the corner of Cale Road music event in Esperance, featuring a damn and Great Eastern Highway, Midland (a short walk good lineup of local bands, headlined by none from the new Midland Markets). other than Diesel. Joining Diesel will be End The first concert series takes place this Of Fashion, Chris Murphy And the Holy Rollers, Sunday, November 22, with singer/songwriter Courtney Murphy And Murphy’s Lore, Harlequin Storme, The Lazy Railway and The Murder Mouse League, Nathan Gaunt, and Howie Morgan. Blues Band, the latter finishing off a year that saw SummerSounds 2010 takes place on them score an international Independent Music January 16, 2010, at the Newtown Football Oval Award Award nomination for their album, Fill The in Esperance. Tickets are $55 single, or $165 Hole, as well as an impressive showing in Triple J’s (two adults and three kids). Children under five Unearthed. are free. All funds raised through the event will Music and licensed bar kick off at 1pm, be used to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research. tickets at the door - $10 adults, under 12s $5 and Gates open 12pm. The event is drug and alcohol kids under five free. Numbers are limited to 160 so free. For more info and line up times, head to get there early to ensure a seat. www.summersounds.net.au

The Dead Weather

DEAD WEATHER REPORT

One of this year’s best musical surprises, The Dead Weather, have announced an Australian tour early in 2010. Touring in support of their impressive debut LP, Horehound, Jack White and Alison Mosshart (The Kills) and their likeminded cohorts will hit Metro City on Monday, March 29. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 24, from Ticketek (132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au).

SURF’S UP

The Horrors

NOT SO HORROR-BLE

The B52’s love ‘em, they have the coolest hair dos on the planet, and their latest album, Primary Colours, released earlier this year, had the critics all in a-tizzy. You don’t get much more hip than The Horrors. Primary Colours ’ mad mix of goth, surf and post-punk sealed The Horrors positions on playlists across the world, and they’re set to take over stages with their monochrome clothes and fuzzy chords at the Big Day Out in 2010. And of course, they wouldn’t be a hip band if they weren’t playing an ultra-hip sideshow: that’s why they’re kicking it at Amplifier on Saturday, January 30. Tickets on sale today from Heatseeker, Mills, Planet, Star Perth and Moshtix.

The Big Pink

TICKLED PINK

The Big Pink are one of the finest and most important bands to emerge from the UK in years, with the transcendental and life affirming music of their debut, A Brief History Of Love, recorded in Electric Lady Studios in New York, was described by UK’s The Sunday Age as “startlingly accomplished”. After making a worldwide deal in 2009 with 4AD, the band now have direct sonic connection to some of the label’s most celebrated acts like Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance and TV On The Radio. A Brief History of Love charts the trials of the heart, set within a sound-world that combines melody and beautiful noise in equal measure. Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell embark on their inaugural Australian tour next March, appearing on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at Capitol. Tickets available from Friday, November 27, from Moshtix online at www.moshtix.com.au, or by phoning Moshtix on 1300 GET TIX (438 849), or via www.heatseeker.com.au, Mills and Planet.

Jet

The 2009 Western Australian Surfers Of The Year Awards helps to acknowledge some of the state’s best surfers, aiming to assist them in developing their profile in the state’s sporting landscape. Going strong for 10 years now, the awards celebrate not only the current elite surfers of the day, but also the ongoing part that board riders’ clubs play in WA surfing. Head down to the Indi Bar this Saturday, November 21, for the final of the competition. Entry is free and there’s a stack of top bands playing tunes, including The Chemist, Mister & Sunbird, and Japanese Tongue Sisters.

JET GO GREEN

After recently returing to our shores following a US tour, that chased up their widely acclaimed album Shaka Rock, Aussie rockers Jet are joining Green Day as their very special 21st Century Breakdown Tour as guests, when Green Day hit the road this December. The Greenday/Jet extravaganza is set to take place on Friday, December 4, at the Burswood Dome. Tickets on sale now through Ticketek on 132 849 or through www.ticketek. com.au. The gig is all-ages.

PEACHES BDO SIDESHOW

Peaches

Electro goddess Peaches shook the foundations of Capitol when she was recently in Perth for a DJ set, and now she’s going to drive us wild with her full live show. Peaches will be performing a sideshow on top of her Big Day Out tour duties with full backing band Sweet Machine, on Monday, February 1, at The Astor Theatre, Mt Lawley. Tickets are $55 plus booking fee, on sale now from BOCS, 78s, Mills and Planet.

British India

TASTY VANILLA TREAT

Ash Grunwald

BATHE IN THE BLUES

The multi award winning Ash Grunwald has spent the last few years on the festival circuit, touring throughout Australia, Japan, Canada, America, Europe and the UK, including a spot at the esteemed Montreux Jazz Festival, with his performances always leaving fans and newcomers alike in awe of Grunwald’s unique blend of roots, blues, beats and groove. The soulful bluesman’s latest album, Fish Out Of Water, is a highly enjoyable exploration of gospel, funk and hip hop, merged into traditional blues, which saw producer TZU help out Grunwald with a few electronic beats. Catch Ash Grunwald and his band playing tracks from the album at the Fly By Night, on Friday, January 22, where Grunwald will be launching a new live album recorded during his last performance at Fly By Night entitled Live At The Fly By Night. You can also see Grunwald at the Indi Bar on Saturday, January 23, and at the Colonial Brewery in Margaret River on Sunday, January 24. www.xpressmag.com.au

The British India boys are currently hard at work in the studio writing and recording their third album, from which they’ve recently released a little taste in the form of Vanilla, their big, bold and beautiful new single. While the band are making us wait ’til March 2010 for the album, they’ve taken a break from recording to tour the country this month, giving us something to look forward to in the meantime. Check out the boys playing their new track and tonnes more this Saturday, November 21, at Capitol. Tickets are on sale now through Moshtix, BOCS, 78s, and Heatseeker.

The Domnicks

THE DOMNICKS

As mentioned last week, Perth’s cognoscentiteaming of Nick Sheppard and Dom Mariani, joined by the esteemed rhythm section of Howard Showcross and Mario Frisina, otherwise known as The Domnicks. will spend this weekend launching their debut CD, Hey Rock’n’Roller. Avail yourself of the appropriate gladrags and head to Clancy’s Fremantle this Friday, November 20, or (and!) Saturday, November 21, at Deville’s Pad.

Cassius

DECEMBER DUBS

The sweat might still be drying from Low:Fi, but don’t pack up your dancing shoes just yet, as there’s a killer NYE party just around the corner, begging for your attendance. Bassendean Oval which will host four stages of sick sounds supplied by an unprecedented array of international hip hop, house, electro, drum’n’bass and dubstep acts for Origin NYE. Like a giant house party, the Oval’s going to be vibrating with beats until the first dawn of 2010, and you’ll see yourself in the company of the likes of Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man and Redman, LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad, Ed Rush & Optical, Marky, Sub Focus, Spectrasoul, Xample, Distance, Joker, Hatcha, Kito, Bliss & Esso, Dilated Peoples, Roots Manuva, Ugly Duckling, Amp Fiddler, The Bag Raiders, Cassius, and Thunderheist. And just announced – Bloc Party and Sam Sparro will be doing DJ sets. Good lord, that’s over four lines’ worth of names! Needless to say, this baby’s going to be off the hook. Earlybird tickets on sale now for $99 (plus booking fee) through Moshtix outlets or www. moshtix.com.au.

Spinerette

COME IN SPINNER

The new project of former Distillers’ frontwoman Brody Dalle, Spinerette recently put out their self-titled album, and are heading to Australia for the first time to perform tracks from the album. This is no awkward first fumble in the rumble seat: Spinnerette comes with experience. Spinnerette’s self-titled album was recorded in Los Angeles at Pink Duck, the family studio of Joshua Homme & Brody Dalle, and features thirteen new songs written by Brody Dalle and produced by Alain Johannes (Them Crooked Vultures, Arctic Monkeys). Spin out of control come March 9, 2010, when Spinnerette play Amplifier. Tickets on sale Thursday, November 26, through www.moshtix.com.au, www.bocs. com.au, 78s, Mills and Planet. 13

THE HOLY SEA History Lessons

For their latest album, The Holy Sea reached deep into the dark, colonial past of Australia for inspiration. As told to SIMONE UBALDI. See Tour Trails for dates. In 2007, The Holy Sea released A Beginner’s Guide To The Sea, an intimate journey through the lost love of frontman Henry F. Skerritt. Their forthcoming album, Ghosts Of The Horizon, has a slightly broader view of the world. The seven-piece folk rock outfit have taken a dive into Australian history, exploring the legacy of our national heroes and villains, referencing James Cook, Patrick White and indigenous man Mulrunji Doomadgee, who died in police custody in 2004. “When I wrote both albums I wanted to have a body of songs that all sat together and were related to the same themes and concepts,” explains Henry. “The last album was a very autobiographical record about a really specific moment in my life. Having finished that, I just didn’t want to do another autobiographical record.” Ghosts Of The Horizon is still in production, but the band have released an early double-A single - Bad Luck/King Of Palm Island. The expansive, urgent duo of bushranger folk tunes came packaged with a press release, featuring the following album précis: “Ghosts of the Horizon explores our shared history as an unfolding psychology that speaks through our accents, our actions and our very being. It does not dwell on the past, but calls attention to its ghosts in order to bring them into the open; asking the listener how we see our place in the world and how we wish to move forward as a community.” If this summary seems a little weighty for rock’n’roll, blame Henry. The Holy Sea’s founding father and lyricist is also a journalist, specialising in Australian art history, and there is obviously some cross-pollination between his creative passions and intellectual preoccupations. “My area of real interest in art history was always the more interesting aspects of post-colonial thinking. Once post-colonialism rolls into the late-‘60s, you start getting this interesting friction between people who are

very aware that Nationalism is a dangerous thought or concept, but at the same time you get a lot of people who start thinking that, in a way that if you get rid of nationalism, you’re losing the last barrier to the global domination of capitalism.” On paper? All very academic, but when Henry and the band get together, this curiosity about Australian identity and national pride is transformed into grand, feisty ballads and galloping rock; whatever the ideas, whatever historical figure Henry is actually writing about, the music is what sells the story. Like The Drones, The Triffids, Midnight Oil or Paul Kelly, there is something stridently Australian about the sound of The Holy Sea. “What I find really interesting about a band like The Triffids, or The Go Betweens, is that those songs are very, very much rooted in this local experience, be it Perth or Brisbane, but they’re not jingoistic kind of songs; they’re not ‘how great is Australia’ kind of songs, they’re more about ‘here’s our everyday experience of the place that we live in and that should be reflected in our songwriting’. I guess that’s what I was getting at with Beginner’s Guide To The Sea,” Henry reflects. “With our colonial stuff, or our postcolonial stuff, it’s more about looking at how that history informs where we are now. Those narrative songs are not like the traditional folk ballad where you say ‘this happened and then this happened’, they’re much more of a psychological narrative about trying to get into the minds of these characters that are stuck in the transitory waves of history.” Henry understands that The Holy Sea are part of a small but distinctive cluster of indie bands on the scene right now that are working with the similar themes. The Drones are the most obvious example, along with Perth’s Kill Devil Hills, Brisbane’s Six Ft Hick and The Rocketsmiths and even Eddy Current Suppression Ring, in a sense. These bands, straddling punk and folk, are part of an Australian music aesthetic that

The Holy Sea

champions a very masculine, earthy idea of the Australian identity, tinged with violence. “I have to admit, when I first heard The Drones, it immediately clicked in my head as a band that was working along similar lines to us and, yeah, there seems to be a movement towards it, but I guess while there are absolutely similarities, there are also a lot of differences,” Henry says. “I guess what we do is probably a little bit more urban. Musically I don’t really see us as tapping into that Colonial folk vein, although we do occasionally. I guess it’s just part of the moment. I guess the answer is ‘yes’, we have an affinity with those bands, but it’s hard to know why it all happened at the same time. I guess we’ve all come from the same influences.” However coy he might be in making the connections, there’s no denying that The Holy Sea are respected in a very particular way, because they belong to a much-loved tradition in Australian music. The influences

Henry refers to are pretty obvious, particularly as most of them turned up on the bill of the 2009 All Tomorrow’s Parties festival, curated by Nick Cave. The Holy Sea were invited to join a line-up including not just The Drones, but expressionistic Aus folk bands like The Necks and The Dirty Three and out-and-out folk/punk legends like Robert Forster, Roland S. Howard The Saints and the Bad Seeds. The entire concert seemed designed to celebrate a thread linking Cave’s generation to Henry’s. And as Henry tells it, there was definitely an air of brotherhood about the place. “All of the bands were hanging around the whole weekend, they didn’t just rock up for their set, even the Bad Seeds. So we had this very beautiful, very surreal experience where Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party) and Chris Bailey (The Saints) were watching us from side stage, Nick Cave is walking around and everyone is just very relaxed, very supportive, chatting with us about our music. It really was an incredible experience.”

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS The Slow Reveal With a three-CD retrospective, Reveal Yourself, out now,The Blackeyed Susans return to Perth this weekend for an eagerly awaited set of shows. BOB GORDON speaks with vocalist, Rob Snarski. See Tour Trails for dates.

The Blackeyed Susans, 2009

Rob Snarski recalls only too well the first time he met David McComb, his friend and co-conspirator. “I remember meeting Dave for the first time at the Shaftsbury Hotel in about 1983,” Snarski says, “his girlfriend at the time knew how much my brother (Mark) and myself liked The Triffids and she dragged him along to a Chad’s Tree show where we were performing with And An A. “Dave stuck his head around the corner and said something along the lines of, ‘you bastards. You can sing like The Walker Brothers. I hate you’.” It may sound like an auspicious start, but it was in good nature and rung of a mutual respect that would soon see the formation of The Blackeyed Susans. Briefly preceded by a ramshackle covers outfit known as The 14

Bottomless Schooners Of Old, The Blackeyed Susans formed in the long hot summer of 1989 – a covers and noodlings ensemble that for McComb began as a holiday band away from The Triffids. “It was very much a holiday band,” Snarski recalls, “and I felt well and truly out of my depth in a lot of ways, because I’d seen The Triffids for a couple of years before I actually got to meet them. So I was in awe of them, then. “What I do remember is Perth being incredibly hot that February. We only played a handful of shows with the intention of recording four songs then calling it a day… or not really having any plan. “Here we are 20 years later and 17 or 18 people have been involved in this band over the course of time. The band has relocated

to Sydney and Melbourne done recording in London, played through the States, continued to exist and lo and behold (The Triffids’) Graham Lee is playing pedal steel with us. I wouldn’t say it’s full circle, but it’s a very oblong, strange, obtuse kind of shape that the journey has taken.” It certainly did. By the mid-‘90s The Blackeyed Susans were a full-time band with momentum on its side. McComb remained until just after the band’s 1994 album, Welcome Stranger, before vacating his place. Then in 1996, the band released Spin The Bottle, with its Triple J-endorsed hit, Smokin’ Johnny Cash. “It was a big year because we had Spin The Bottle out and had just come from doing a tour in the States. There was a lot of momentum for the band and we were getting a lot of Triple J airplay and they were championing the band which was fantastic. “But we never had huge, commercial success like some of the bands from Perth do these days. I look at bands like Little Birdy and The Panics and just think, ‘that’s incredible’. These guys go Top 10… I remember just being absolutely thrilled that we’d made the Top 40 on the 96fm chart with Welcome Stranger. I thought that was just incredible; there was no way in the world I ever expected something like that would happen. “But expectations change as you play and I guess you might become a bit more ambitious or the lines blur and you’re not exactly sure what you’re doing. There’s so many things that have happened to this band… different attitudes and feelings.” Some of it surreal, such as the time when the Susans played their first-ever gig outside Australia in New York City. “ We were playing in New York, supporting Johnny Cash and Wilco,” Snarski says. “We’d written Smokin’ Johnny Cash at that point but we hadn’t recorded it and I remember seeing Johnny Cash being helped around the place, he wasn’t particularly well. There was talk of the show not happening; it was an intense moment in time. “Any way, he mak es it through and there we are playing this song and his bandmates bring him side of stage when they heard the chorus. He’s standing there listening to it! Phil (Kakulas) went up to him afterwards

and they had a brief chat. He said he hoped he hadn’t been offended by the song and he said, ‘no, not at all. It was quite a pleasure to hear. Thank you very much’. Phil said that was amazing, that Johnny Cash actually thanked him (laughs).” The music that was the reason and backdrop to their adventure has recently been celebrated on Reveal Yourself, a three-CD box set of Blackeyed Susans favourites and rarities. As with The Triffids Secret In The Shape Of A Song shows in Perth earlier this year, it truly is a prescient thing to cherish and acknowledge what has been done in the past, when it has so clearly influenced our present. “For me, the box set is a fairly sort of expansive photo album,” Snarski says. “You look back at some of the recordings and they’re of a time and possibly dated in some way or there’s surprises with recordings that didn’t make it onto an album as with the rarities disc which I’ve really enjoyed listening to that most of all. “But people have certainly come up to me and of the box set have said, ‘what a fantastic thing to have done. What a great thing to leave behind and celebrate – 20 years of the band and it’s all there’. And there are moments on that disc, there is a lot of David on there, in honour of his memory. There’s demos of songs that I ended up singing which are on there too.” Sometimes it seems that listeners and fans are more sentimental about music than its creators, as though musicians are more matter-of-fact about it all because it is tangible representation of work that was done. Snarski, it seems, is with the fans. “I think that for some many of the songs are of a time and place,” Snarski says. “They connect with them and it brings back memories of what they were doing. And for me, music has that same sensation as a smell – it brings back so many memories of a time. So if I hear a particular song I know exactly where I was when I first heard it and what I was going through emotionally or whatever. “There’s certainly songs that other bands have written that take me back. And hopefully there’s lots of songs on the box set that do the same thing from the Susans’ point of view, to other people.” Hittin’ the town since 1985

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KARNIVOOL Sine Of The Times

Back from their recent whirlwind transatlantic tour, Karnivool will land at Metro City on Friday, December 11, as part of their Sine Waves And Mirrors tour. MIKE WAFER reports. Strolling around in the sunshine, Drew Goddard seems glad to be home. Yet, naturally, his mind is on Karnivool – who are about to head out on a national tour on the back of a quick international run. If he’s stopping to smell the roses, Goddard isn’t stopping long. But before the conversation turns to the task ahead, it revisits the tour just gone. Having played the UK and the States practically back-to-back, Goddard is understandably excited and still struggling to process everything that has happened in this past couple of months, or indeed since the release of Karnivool’s gold-selling second album, Sound Awake. “It was awesome,” Goddard says of Karnivool’s international tour. “It was a bit of a win all round, I think is the general consensus. LA and New York were great, Auckland on the way over was cool as well for our first show there... it was a good, modest crowd of people who were really happy to be there… and LA was great because a friend of ours over there who is in, I guess you’d call it an organisation, called Third Eye Gathering – which started as a Tool fan club and has grown into this art / music / philosophy kinda deal where he gets bands and artists to come and show all of their stuff. So that was great, there was a really good vibe in that room, and New York was the same. We played Dan Hill’s – this little bar in Soho – and a lot of people travelled to come see us at that show… we had people come from Florida and Kentucky and Indianapolis and Boston… all over the place. It was rad. “And then the UK was just awesome. The Skindred guys were great. They’re more like family these days, so it was great to see them and see them in such fine form as well. They were getting great numbers down to their shows, so luckily we had the opportunity to play in front of some heads. And the bus tour – waking up in a new city every day – was just great,” he says, somewhat overwhelmed by the

volume of information flooding to his brain as it processes the question ‘how was the tour’. But ‘how was the tour’ can pretty much be answered by the fact that people travelled across America to see Karnivool’s New York show. If you’re not up with your geography, let’s just say that a trip from Florida to New York isn’t exactly like driving down to Margaret River to catch a band… it’s essentially jumping from one end of a continent to another. That people travelled distances that far to see Karnivool play is amazing. That it happened in the States is more amazing still. Most bands could tour America 10 times before they’d even start bringing in people from the city they were playing in, let alone people from cities hundreds of miles away. But such is the pulling power of Karnivool. Folks just love ’em wherever they go. Which works well with Karnivool’s love of touring. “It was awesome and it’s exactly what we want to be doing… and it was a really nice introduction to the whole ‘sharing space with 14 other dudes’ thing,” Goddard ominously laughs. “It was cool,” he adds,“as I said, with the Skindred guys it’s more like we’re family now, so it really was a pleasure to hang out with those guys. No one really got in anyone’s hair or anything. “When we first went to America in 2007, it was the first time we felt like a real band,” he says. “Playing a show every night we just got so tight, and the muscle memory was there, and we could just get on stage and not have to think – just enjoy ourselves. The connection between the band members was really happening. And it took a few shows to get that buzz back, but once it was there we could all sort of feel it, and it started to be clockwork, especially with the shorter sets. “Plus there was a weight off the shoulders for me, playing to people who don’t know the band. In Australia, people come up and want to be entertained, which is great in itself, but it’s a totally different kettle of fish overseas –

Karnivool

when you just get up there and do your thing. “So that ’s why we’re hoping to continue our jaunts to places like Europe and America where we can get on the road and just keep playing, because it’s a really good feeling to be this road-tight unit… that confidence when we play is a really great feeling.” So do Karnivool have their sights firmly set on their next ‘must tour’ destination? “Not really,” says Goddard dryly. “Everything that’s happened with this band, we’ve just sort of gone with the flow. It’s feeling like Europe at the moment. We haven’t got a release out there, but we’re getting a constant stream of messages from all over the place. Just posting up the new video the other day on

Facebook, you can see where people have come from with all the comments, and it’s really quite a mix of different European countries of people who are listening in. “I think people have really picked up on the effort we’ve put into Sound Awake especially. They can hear the hours and the sweat that went into it (laughs). We do have quite a bit of a niche thing with who we appeal to in Europe as well, with bands like Dream Theatre and Porcupine Tree. I think we’re quite different to both of those bands but we’re still finding a lot of those sort of fans rocking up and getting into the music… and the word really spreads in those sorts of communities, and that can only be a good thing.”

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THEM CROOKED VULTURES

A Maze That Unlocks The Key That Steals Your Wallet And Punches You In The Ear And Then Makes Love To You

John Paul Jones, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl, Them Crooked Vultures

Secrets don’t stay secrets for very long these days,but Josh Homme and his cock rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures kept it going longer than most. MITCH ALEXANDER heard sounds that he may never recover from.

One suspects it’s not too harsh a comment to suggest that you will either love Them Crooked Vultures or you will hate Them Crooked Vultures and the reasons for either emotion would be about the same. You leave Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin (and it’s slightly disturbing that JPJ is the only band member whose history is specified, but it’s partly because he was always the unassuming one and partly because of historical revisionism looking unkindly on Zeppelin) in a room with little surveillance and a small window of open timetables, and you can pretty much guess what’s going to come out of it. So some listeners will be drawn to the monstrous barre chords and hard rockin’ beats, while others will cringe at the brutish passion of this ’70s hard/ stoner rock hybrid. It seems Homme, thinking aloud in his Los Angeles practice room, doesn’t have much time for those in the latter category. “One of the things a band like this should not do is rest on some kind of supergroup bullshit,” Homme says matter-of-factly. “It should take real chances, even if that meant that you were up against some high expectations. “If you get the chance to throw down and do something classic, do something. And that

doesn’t mean that other people are going to think it is (classic), but honestly, fuck everyone else,” he continues with a laugh. “If you expect anything from music, you’re probably expecting too much. You just have to enjoy it.” It’s an uncomplicated, almost adolescent ideology, but the driving resolve behind it has served Homme well for many years. It’s also instilled a work ethic that few could keep up with. Multi-instrumentalist, everyone’s favourite guest musician, record producer and about the only ginger that can pull off sexy... you have to wonder where Homme puts the batteries, or why he would continue to venture when he could just as easily vegetate. “The Art Of War says that if you’re hard on yourself, being around your enemies is simple,” he says. Oh shit, he even has time to read ancient military strategies? “And I’m not sure that that’s a totally correct metaphor for how I like to do things, but there’s no one else that could put more pressure on it than me, for me. “I was going to take a year off, because I never have before. And then the Monkeys thing came up and then this thing came up. And it’s more about: how do you say no to something that you really believe in? Some day all of that will end,

ERNST & YOUNG POPS IN THE PARK

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and I don’t wanna have spent that time watching TV, I want to make to something. Honestly, that wouldn’t be right, you know?” You couldn’t help but giggle at the blogospohere feeding frenzy that began when a few cryptic snippets of video started to pop up around the internet, attributed to Them Crooked Vultures. Details were skint past whispers of song titles and band names, but the Chinese Whispers were nothing compared to when release dates and tour announcements were made. Homme part strategist and part shit-stirrer - couldn’t resist stoking the flames every now and then. “I love games of strategy, and I love things that work in many directions at once,” he replies slyly.“It’s a strange time for music, so it was fun to try and figure out what we could do with the hype. “Because it was so secretive and no one really knew about it until it was August and we were about to crash these festivals… the whole time we’d been filming stuff and working with this guy, Liam Lynch, who was in the studio every day. Just so we could drop breadcrumbs to get you to a maze that unlocks the key that steals your wallet and punches you in the ear and then makes love to you. “It’s funny how, when you don’t say anything, people just connect their own dots. We didn’t want things to leak, but more because we wanted to do something cool and not have someone else blow it. Nowadays, when you can get a record for free, why’ve you gotta be that fucker that spoils it? You can take the forbidden fruit in a minute, but can you just wait? It’s sorta like the guy that just had sex in 12 seconds for the first time. Like, ‘ooooooh god! I’m sorry, I just had to’.” And where does that leave the other person? “I don’t know, we’d have to ask that guy,” he concludes with a giggle. A crude but more serviceable metaphor there has never been. And yes, in case you were wondering, Homme did just make groaning premature ejaculation noises… we’ll keep the audio and pass it onto future generations. Depending on who you believe, the seeds of Them Crooked Vultures were sewn many years ago, but Homme never thought of it as any more than bashful chatter. “Dave and I have always been looking for another chance to do more stuff, but never got past asking, ‘well, who should we include to make it really cool?’” says Homme. “It wasn’t ’til, really, December that he said to me, ‘oh, John Paul Jones’. “So I just laughed and hung up on him, just like any reasonable motherfucker would do. But it turns out he was dead serious,” he continues with a hearty laugh. “Usually I just laugh and giggle, but I’m going to actually start believing you Dave… wherever you are!” So the great secret that once was Them Crooked Vultures has finally been revealed, with a tremendous album released and an Australian tour in early 2010. As an experiment in turning a spot fire into a blaze it was a success, as an album with imperceptibly high expectations it lived up to its potential. And the three band members were able to do achieve a level of freedom and anonymity that they probably hadn’t been afforded in years. But if you can’t handle that and it’s all just too much… close your eyes, hold your breath and think about sports. Them Crooked Vultures perform at Challenge Stadium on Tuesday, January 19.

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THE BUZZCOCKS Sound Bites

The Buzzcocks perform at Amplifier Bar on Wednesday, November 25, as part of their Another… Bites tour. BEN WATSON caught up with guitarist / co-frontman Steve Diggle down the wire from London. They don’t quite make ’em like Steve Diggle anymore. Talking from outside his local pub in London, he pauses proceedings long enough to light up a cigarette, then continues with a relentless, candid enthusiasm about the upcoming Another… Bites tour and, indeed, about life in general. This year, for the first time, The Buzzcocks have toured the world (including a currently-aborted foray into China), playing songs that they wrote over 30 years ago. The Another… Bites tour brings together the tracks from the band’s two 1978 LPs: Another Music In A Different Kitchen and Love Bites, performed live in their entirety. It is not something that The Buzzcocks have made a habit of doing. Whereas many of their contemporaries indeed, many of the bands that followed in their wake - have become little more than boozed-up nostalgia acts; The Buzzcocks have remained true; releasing original material on

a regular basis despite some time-out in the mid-1980s. As we speak, Diggle is in the process of putting together a solo album, and predicts a follow-up to 2006’s Flat-Pack Philosophy some time in the New Year. Diggle also reveals that the current tour was not always planned this way. For The Buzzcocks, the decision to tour early material was borne of practicalities and circumstance rather than nostalgia. “At the beginning of the year we were going to start recording a new album,” he explains, “and EMI released the first three albums and we thought, well, we had a lot of shows to do anyway…” This visitation of old ground certainly doesn’t appear to phase Diggle. For him, it seems, a show is, more or less, a show. “…a lot of magic is created,” he enthuses, “It’s like you got the band and you got the audience, and those two elements together create a third: the magical thing

The Buzzcocks

that we can go off and learn stuff, and so can the audience. In that way, it doesn’t make it difficult or boring to play. “We’re gonna be there for an hour and a half in that room together and we can create a lot of things out of that. It’s like

looking at a great painting and it’s like ‘wow, you can get so much off of it the more you look at it.’, and it’s like that with what we do: we get a response from the audience and people take away what they want to take away from it. When people come into the room, they might have had a good day or a bad day or they might have problems or this and that and the other, and all that’s kinda sorted out within the music where it helps people figure things out, including ourselves as well. That’s the whole nature of making music… it’s rock’n’roll, it’s animalistic, it’s intellectual, it’s everything,” he laughs. Considering that we are talking with a man who has been playing in the same band for such an immense chunk of his life, it is refreshing to hear his enthusiasm with regard to The Buzzcocks’ show - and indeed, regarding life in general. In fact, talking to Diggle, it quickly becomes apparent that the man is not averse to a boozy rant. As with most first-wave punk bands, there is a subversive nature to The Buzzcocks that is sometimes hidden from view, but make no mistake: the personal is the political. “[A lot of ] our songs are about the human condition: the tragedies, the happiness, the funniness, the craziness about it all and it’s everything we experience in our lives every day and to put it into music and share that with the crowd is phenomenal,” he says. “I just think people are kind of lost [now]. There’s no identity or strength in things at the moment. And don’t mention that thing of feeling alive - people are not given that thing. You look at the news, it’s all bad news. There’s wars, there’s tsunamis, there’s this and that. But nobody reads on the news ‘hey, here’s something for you to feel…’ “I know news doesn’t work like that, but I mean, it’s all fucking bad news. Nobody’s telling you about how you can find yourself, and how you can deal with yourself or this universe. After all, we’re just one planet sailing around the universe, and it is a political planet. We’ve been forced into the situation of being homogenised into this regular thing of shopping malls and you’re not allowed to think or have an opinion in a lot of ways. You’re not allowed to go crazy or think wild thoughts anymore. Whereas in the punk days, you was. And the music we do reflects that: it’s all there, it’s free and it’s open for you to take. “And that is the way the world seems to be going at the moment; this kinda blandness - homogenised society, globalisation. Fuck that, can’t we all have our own identities and stuff and still live together on the planet? Everybody wants to feel like they are somebody. Not like kinda worthless ‘oh, you’ve gotta play the game or else you might stand out and then you’ll be convicted, arrested, or you feel like you’re not doing anything right in your life’. And that’s what it kinda seems to be now. So with the Buzzcocks it’s like you open a tin and a fountain comes out, it’s like ‘yeah! We came from a time when it was all possible’.” _BEN WATSON

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PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY Explodey

SNEAKY WEASEL GANG Carroll Singer Returning home from their first coast-wide tour of the other side of the country, Sneaky Weasel Gang will be launching their Bodyslide Blues EP at the Railway Hotel on Saturday, November 28. MIKE WAFER spoke with the band’s frontman, Dan Carroll.

Every band evolves. It’s part of being in a band. Not all bands can actually trace their evolution though, and it becomes ‘just one of those things’. The Sneaky Weasel Gang, however, are well aware of how their current stylistic Philadelphia Grand Jury expansion came about, as it happened, initially Photo: Michael Wylie at least, to stay alive on stage. of touring, particularly regional Berkfinger, frontman of Sydney’s hot young things northern Fond WA, the Sneaky Weasel Gang soon cottoned on to the fact that sometimes, in some Philadelphia Grand Jury, tells JODY MACGREGOR why they’re places, you need to bring the rock… so they so hot right now. See Tour Trails for this weekend’s dates. did. And, as it turns out, they liked it. When Philadelphia Grand Jury’s previous my guitar that I use is a 1969 Silvertone and it’s “After the first tour we were playing drummer, Dan Sweat, left to devote himself beautiful. I didn’t realise how much it meant to stuff with a lighter tinge, and all of the country fully to his other band, Art Vs Science, the me until I handed it to the crowd and this guy towns just like to be rocked. You kind of get the Philly Jays were somewhat in the lurch until had it and apparently earlier MC Bad Genius had impression that you have to brutalise them, so they remembered seeing a funk band with an thrown a tambourine out into the crowd and we definitely adopted that ‘brutalise’ approach impressive drummer. hit his girlfriend in the head, so he was standing to most of the regional shows. It depends. If That drummer was Calvin and that there waiting to beat us up and then I gave him you’re playing a winery you’d maybe try to funk band was the awesomely named Professor my guitar. He went, ‘great’, and just walked off scrape it back and make it more low-key, but Groove & The Booty Affair. with it and almost got out the door. The bouncers most of the time we’ve got a formula that works “We invited him to a gig expecting were like, ‘what are you doing with that?’ But he well for us, and we stick to it.” him not to like the music or want to play with us almost got out the door of this crazy club with Which affected the writing process for because it’s completely not what he’s done in the my beloved guitar that’s irreplaceable.” Sneaky Weasel gang “hugely”, Carroll explains. past,” says Berkfinger, “and after the gig he came Despite lacking guitar-hurling antics, “As a result of doing those shows up and was hugging us and it was his favourite the weekend’s Philly Jays shows are not going to thing in the world and he wants to play every gig be restrained. this year.” “We’re gonna for the first time ever play That’s a familiar feeling for anyone who for more than 30 minutes. We might even play for has been to one of their shows. With unparalleled 40,” Berkfinger says. “I don’t know if I should tell energy, Philadelphia Grand Jury make even their you this, some people might get angry with me gimmicks feel sincere, whether it’s pre-recorded for spoiling it, but we’re actually gonna build a patter played on a sampler or the way Bad Genius volcano.You’d have to ask Bad Genius how it works, casually hands his bass away to someone in the but we’re building a volcano out of papier-mâché crowd while rocking all the way out the venue’s or something stupid and he’s putting all this kit door at the end of their set. together and it’s gonna burst out and explode at “He just throws the bass away and it the back of the drums and the problem is we’re ends up in someone’s hands,” Berkfinger says gonna have to clean that up on the first night and with awe, “but I’ve stopped doing it because reset it up for the second night.”

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you pick up on things that turn people on in different ways to what you’ve expected. I wouldn’t call them gimmicks, but they’re certain strengths in what you do, and I definitely think we’ve tried to write to those types of ideas with our more recent stuff. “Lyrically, I don’t think there’s been much of an influence from touring per se, but I definitely think that general experience as a writer and life on the road… you start to pick out different things. Initially when I wrote I wouldn’t have considered writing to be my strongest point, so I just wrote about personal experience. Now I’ve got a little more confidence to step out and maybe write about something other than myself. But that’s something that’s come about over time,” he says. Though Carroll is quick to point out that the Sneaky Weasel Gang’s foundations of songwriting remain untouched… just that the band have built on them and expanded them. “It’s definitely a natural progression because it stems from what we do when we improvise live. The foundation or roots of a song need to be there for it to work though. If it doesn’t have a good melody or a good groove, it doesn’t matter how many of those other things we add to it, it’s still a shit song (laughs).”

Sneaky Weasel Gang

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DANKO JONES Peacock Strut

Toronto power trio Danko Jones have built a rock solid reputation worldwide for their uncompromisingly tight mix of blues, punk, rock’n’roll, and pure heart-on-sleeve audacity. BEN WATSON catches up with bass player, John Calabrese, ahead of the Australian and American releases of their fourth LP, Never Too Loud. With album titles such as We Sweat Blood, I’m Alive And On Fire and Sleep Is The Enemy, Danko Jones make no secret of the relentless approach to their career. The band’s rep centres around the momentous personality of their eponymous singer/guitarist - who, in addition to fronting his band has released a couple of spoken word recordings, has his own syndicated radio show and writes columns for a slew of European rock magazines. To fans, at least, it should come as little surprise that the band have a million things going on at once. On the line from Toronto, John Calabrese - who prefers to be known simply as ‘JC’ - explains that the band are in the midst of recording their follow-up, and he’s been handballed the task of promoting the Never Too Loud release in Australia. “The new recording’s been going great,” he says.“We recorded 16 songs and now we’re just towards the tail end of finishing it off, we’re just doing the vocals. We may not be able to finish right now, so we’re going to finish it off at the beginning of November but it’s coming along great, we’re really happy with it. Danko’s just like, singing for 10 hours a day and then he’d have to do two hours of interviews at night, it’s not the most ideal situation.” With recording occurring in their hometown Toronto at Rogue Studios, JC discusses the difference between this new record and the one he is currently promoting. “It’s going to be more short and sweet, same Danko stuff just more aggressive and just a continuation of Never Too Loud with more along the style of the older Danko stuff. “Nowadays you can pretty much record in any hole, it’s all digital stuff. The last record Never Too Loud we were actually able to do in a really fancy studio.”

Indeed, Never Too Loud was recorded in Los Angeles with Nick Raskulinecz (Danzig, Velvet Revolver, Mondo Generator) at Studio 606, owned by the Foo Fighters. “I think Never Too Loud is gonna be one of those records that, when you look back at the band’s catalogue, we’ve kind of joked around that this is gonna be our ‘LA record’,” JC laughs. “Whenever you go to LA it’s like you’re living in a dream world. All of a sudden, y’know, one person that you least expect pops up and you realise you’re in LA and anything can happen. So yeah, the studio where we were working at was a really top-of-the-line studio, super nice, of course it’s owned by the Foo Fighters so that says it all pretty much (laughs). And it was a great experience to go there and to work in an environment like that.” It’s been almost two years since Never Too Loud was released in Europe and Canada, and yet it has only just now found distribution here and in the US. JC explains that it’s a matter of sheer pragmatism. “We’re an independent band - we own our masters and our publishing rights - so we’re just looking to work in different territories with companies that we can pretty much work with. So sometimes the roads less travelled lead to these scattered releases. “But at the same time, now that we have this release in Australia and in the US at this time with this new record that’s almost done, we’re hoping that next we’ll manage to do a worldwide release, and in turn do a worldwide tour. And then that’s only gonna be 14 years - it took us that long to do all this. But you know, slowly slowly. The story of the turtle and the hare and we’re followin’ the turtle!” ‘Scattered releases’ is certainly an apt description. In the time since the initial release of Never Too Loud, their Swedish label Bad Taste Records have released a B-sides compilation

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Danko Jones

and a bunch of other releases, including a spoken word 7” record of out-takes from Danko Jones live performances. JC is particularly amused by this latter release. “Having Fun [On Stage] With Danko!” he laughs, “It was pretty funny. Danko had this 7”, it’s actually called Having Fun With Paul - it’s Paul Stanley from KISS’s 7” - it was all like, inbetween stage banter of Paul Stanley talking about his love gun. So we thought it’d be hilarious to have in-between song banter of Danko. “So yeah, we just basically put it together on Garage Band on our computers, y’know like, ‘oh, remember this show!’. We had like somewhat poor audio quality copies of that, and yeah we just put it together and there’s no music whatsoever… it’s a lot of fun, I think that’s a pretty funny thing. And it’s a treat for the fans, here’s like a little 7”, people are like, ‘What, there’s no music? It’s just talking?!’ Who else does it, you know? Who does stuff like that? But we’re peacocks. We just wanna gloat, y’know, let everybody know what we’re doing.”

And what Danko Jones are doing is just about every rock’n’roll fan’s dream. While past achievements include opening for the Rolling Stones, and having one of their songs performed by a teen fan on Finland’s Idols program; the reason they’re about to cut recording short is due to a nation-wide tour of the USA to promote Never Too Loud, supporting none other than The Damned. “I’m pretty lucky, you know?” says JC graciously. “I got to tour with Motorhead last year, and now this year I get to tour with The Damned. So in short of a year I get to play with two legendary bands who I’ve always grown up respecting.” After that, it’s off to Brazil to play with Sepultura and the Deftones, and then, who knows? “Hopefully this could lead to us coming to Australia to play. Ultimately the band is a live band and our forte is playing live… that’s what the band is all about. So I know that there’s been talk of gettin’ us over there. I’ll play anywhere, so long as somebody wants to see us, we’ll be there.”

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TORI AMOS

Nature v Nurture

Tori Amos plays as part of her Sinful Attraction tour at The Perth Convention Centre, this Saturday, November 21. She shares with DANIELLE MARSLAND how her latest album, Abormally Attracted To Sin, came to her. It’s been 17 years since Tori Amos first unleashed herself on the world with her debut solo album, Little Earthquakes. Since then, naturally, a lot has changed for the songstress, whose oft politically and socially charged music has at times held more fire than her characteristic flame-red locks. There’s been changes within Amos’ microcosm (she’s become a mother to a daughter) as well as changes on a macro level, upheavals to the wider world Amos’ touring schedule sees her constantly immersed within the diversity of. For Amos’ tenth album (which she wrote and produced herself), Abnormally Attracted To Sin, the macro and the micro came together to provide inspiration for an album that contains some of Amos’ most controversial and sensual work since From The Choirgirl Hotel (1998), which dealt with Amos’ consecutive miscarriages in the late ‘90s. Amos speaks of the forces contained within Abnormally Attracted To Sin: “There’s definitely a mother theme. I thought, ‘if you’re going to talk about redefining sin, then mothers certainly have to be involved’. A lot of mothers around the world have difficulty integrating the idea of eroticism, with motherhood. And you’re thinking, well, OK, how has it become this thing where it’s either a beautiful spiritual thing that doesn’t involve a whole lot of sweat, or if you’re involved in a whole lot of sweat you end up with a whole lot of boot marks on your neck? “As a mother, you begin to spend all your time think ing about nur turing somebody else, we don’t spend that bit of time thinking, ‘OK, I also have to make sure the woman side of me is being looked after and kept alive’. So the mother presence is there in the album, because if you’re going to talk about sexuality, the mothers have to be a part of it.” Amos began writing Abnormally... on tour, where the constant changes that she witnessed being wrought upon different peoples as she travelled between cities spurred her to action. “When I tour, I get to see so much – you see how different people respond to things, and

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the world is in such upheaval – travelling around and seeing how people’s lives have been affected, changes me. Because of the changes that are happening so fast in our world, songs are the way I’m able to pull myself out of paralysis, and then I don’t get stuck into the place of shock, that seems to be happening every other day, or every week. I’ve been composing now for over 40 years, and each song in a way takes you to this different place. I’ve always loved albums that take me on this trip away from whatever my life was at that moment.” “It’s not just necessarily the economic shattering our world’s going through, so many people’s lives are changing, and we’re all so interconnected. So if one person’s live is in complete upheaval, then it will affect those closest to them.” Songs on the album such as Maybe California, which explores the prospect of a mother committing suicide, is according to Amos, related in a broader sense to the pressures on the modern mother in today’s unstable world. Amos goes into more detail: “There’s this idea that the nurturing force could be shattering across the world – with all the chaos and the changes that are happening, the mothers’ backbone – the nurturing force - is being pushed up against the wall. They’re losing their jobs, they can’t provide. When you can’t nurture anymore, economically, you really have to reach deep, and sometimes there’s not a deep enough well. And sometimes, if you don’t touch the right hand, at the right time, you might jump off that cliff. And so many people are being pushed – not just young people, or single people, but mothers as well. “So that’s why I felt Maybe California had to be written. I had a huge writing spurt last July, when I was in California, that kind of catapaulted me into this other place of subject matter. When Maybe California came to me, it wasn’t a strong day, and this song held its hand out to me. There is a moment in each song – Ophelia, Maybe California – where the woman in the song has to somehow make a choice, where she decides

Tori Amos

‘no, I’m not going to repeat this pattern again’. How does she break this chain, how does she do it?” The complex subject matters inherent within Amos’ song material act not just as a salve for Amos herself, who, as she’s outlined, finds catharsis in being able to write these songs, but for individuals listening to Amos’ music, music that encapsulates their own experiences, as Amos shares: “I get a lot of letters from women all over the world – they know that the songs are personal, they sense that, I think that a lot of times people hide their lives inside their heart, they don’t want people to know they’re in a

relationship that is emotionally abusive, people will think they’re weak. As a woman it’s hugely important to know what you’re attracted to and just to be honest with yourself about it. Like the song Ophelia is about a woman who is drawn to situations where somebody needs to have control over her in some way, and she hasn’t been able to break the chain of these people. They seem to come in different forms in her life. So until you yourself begin to know, ‘Why am I attracted to people who are like this?’ then you can’t break free.” Considered and complex as it is, once immersed in Amos’ music, one finds it very difficult to break the attraction.

WAYJO A Very Good Year The West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra has just released a new album, Road To Red Hill, providing something of a winning end to an important year. BOB GORDON gets the lowdown from Artistic Director, Mace Francis. The West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) launched its new album, Road To Red Hill, last Sunday at the Fremantle Arts centre to great response, capping off what has been a red letter year. The Minister of Planning and the Arts, John Day, opened the ceremony in front of a crowd of 600 people, with WAYJO’s three bands - the Composer’s Ensemble, Big Band and the Swing Band – each performing a set featuring tracks from the new release. Road To Red Hill is WAYJO’s first album in 11 years (previous releases were 1996’s Night And Day, 1997’s Tom Terrific and 1998’s WAYJO Live) so, given the gap between recordings, Artistic Director, Mace Francis, was keen to convey WAYJO’s strengths. “I wanted to show off the talent of these young musicians and the variety of big band music that WAYJO performs,” he says. “It is also the first time that WAYJO has recorded all three bands in the organisation which I am really happy we did as I thought it was important to give each band the opportunity to show what they are really good at.”

Road To Red Hill

As such the Swing Band has recorded a classic Benny Carter arrangement of I Can’t Give You Anything But Love and a modern version of On Green Dolphin Street. The Big Band recorded Blues For Sango, an original tune by previous WAYJO Artistic Director, Graeme Lyall, and the Composers Ensemble recorded four tunes ranging from a classic 1950’s Bill Holman arrangement of The Man I Love through to new compositions by Francis, Michael Wallace and WAYJO’s 2009 Emerging Composer in Residence – Rafael Karlen, who contributed the titular track, Red Hill. “All three bands really played to their strengths and rose to the challenge of recording,” Francis says. “For many of them it was the first time in a recording studio, but as you can hear on the recording, they sound like seasoned professionals.” With a huge library of music they have bought, been donated or commissioned over the last 25 years, there was plenty of material for WAYJO to consider when it came to track choices for the album. Importantly, it had to showcase WAYJO in the now. “For many years WAYJO has played the same music year after year as previous musical directors felt comfortable with that material. In the last two years there have been many changes in the management, musical and artistic direction of WAYJO so with new people come new ideas of how we can educate the young musicians and keep things fresh and exciting for our audience. This is how the music was chosen. “The music on the CD comes from this year’s repertoires of each band. They were chosen because the bands felt comfortable playing them and they show off the best of each band. They are also part of WAYJO’s new sound.” While he understandably feels a deep affinity for the album as a whole, one still wonders what tracks Francis believes best evoke the talent and spirit of WAYJO? “There is a real variety of musical styles on the CD which represent WAYJO’s commitment of learning from the past while exploring and nurturing the future of big band music,” he says. “The Man I Love and I Can’t Give You Anything But Love are great classic swinging big band tunes which WAYJO is known for, while the funky Nom

WAYJO performing last Sunday at the Fremantle Arts Centre

de Plume and the beautiful Red Hill show what is possible when young composers of today write for the same ensemble.” The year ahead already looks busy for WAYJO. Auditions for its three bands will be held from February 22-24 at WAAPA; they perform with Kate Ceberano at Perth Zoo on February 13; local composer, Alice Humphries, will be their Emerging Composer in Residence, creating three new works which will be premiered next June at The Ellington Jazz Club. WAYJO will also perform with special international and national artists as part of its Concert For Schools Program in August, continue regular monthly performances (last Thursday of the month between April-November) at The Yugal Club as well as other performances around Perth’s jazz clubs. Updates and details are at www.wayjo. com.

Meanwhile, as Francis reflects on 2009 he’s come to the conclusion that it was a very good year indeed. “2009 has been the best year I have had with WAYJO since I joined as a musician in 2000,” he says. “We achieved a great deal this year which we are very proud of. We could not have done it without our amazing musicians, supportive board, office staff and artistic team. “The highlights have been the CD, of course, which has been a long time coming. Also performing with the legendary funk/jazz trombonist Fred Wesley, establishing a monthly residency at the Yugal Club in Leederville, performing at the One Movement Festival, establishing the Emerging Composer in Residence Program and three of the strongest sounding bands we have had in many years. What a year!”

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THE PIGRAM BROTHERS

Magic Broome

The Fremantle Arts Centre has hit upon a winning formula with their Sonic Sessions series. Next up will be Broome’s ever-popular Pigram Brothers, who take the stage tonight, Thursday, November 19. CHRIS HAVERCROFT caught up with frontman Stephen as he was preparing for the long trek south. Stephen Pigram may be loyal to his Broome roots preferring to keep touring to a minimum and opting to go for fishing trips with his family instead, but this approach has done little to stifle the effect of his music on others around the country. So respected is Pigram that he and his brother Alan are the first two indigenous artists to be inducted into the WAMi Hall Of Fame, as well as having been nominated for ARIA Awards. When you are in a band with six of your siblings, the task of uprooting the whole family for tours can be a daunting one, but there is a method behind the schedule of the Pigram Brothers. The family band prefer to stay in Broome for the dry season, which coincides with the cold winters of Perth, and choose to tour during the local ‘wet season’ when they can take advantage of the warmer weather when touring the rest of the country. “We still try to go out fishing every week as a family and keep it a fairly natural kind of thing,” says Pigram of their laid back approach. “Some of the positive things (of Broome) are that you get to play to a lot of people from all over the world as they come here, so if you are a musician you can position yourself to perform locally in your hometown and have a different audience every week.” Pigram claims that they haven’t been doing much touring of late as all of the band’s energy has been focussed on a film that they are working on called Mad Bastards. The film will be produced by the Pigrams with able assistance from up-and-coming Sydney director Brendan Fletcher. The labour of love has been close to four years in the making at this stage, with hope that the final product will surface sometime next year. “It is a feature film and it is a contemporary Kimberley story based throughout the Kimberley, so you see a lot of the country,” Pigram expands on Mad Bastards. “It is a full-on drama. We do a lot

The Pigram Brothers

of the music on it in collaboration with Alex Lloyd actually. He is a friend of Brendan (Fletcher) and he has been on the project with us too for a couple of years. We have a little cameo role too, but I am not sure if we are going to make the screen, it may hit the cutting room floor. I may have to stick to music.” The process of co-writing with Lloyd was a positive one for Pigram, but it is not his preferred way of working. The Broome songwriter prefers to let inspiration come to him instead of trying to force it or work to a deadline. He also works on the premise that if he has covered an idea in song previously then he is reluctant to try and do it again. “I can’t sit down and write to a

formula. I don’t know if that is being lazy and I should have a system where I actually try to churn out more. Maybe that will change over the years. Back when I was a little bit younger I did write a lot easier. It seems to dry up as you get older, but maybe we get more comfortable with things and settle down a bit. When you are sort of young and out there and full of beans it can come easier, but hopefully that will turn itself around.” The first Pigram Brothers album, Saltwater Country, has become such a staple on the local market that it is one of the biggest selling pieces of tourist merchandise in Broome, outselling local t-shirts and plastic crocodile key rings. There is clearly a connection with the songs that transport

people back to the Broome. “It must be the cover or the title or something. It came out in 1996 and it still outsells all of the other records. The songs have got that kind of Broome flavour to it. The Saltwater Country album was songs that I had written over a 20 year span. It made it a bit hard to follow up. It wasn’t a first record that we banged together and wrote the songs for quickly. “It is one of them records that it just keeps selling. Not huge amounts but a nice constant stream, so it is our saviour really. It is a pretty natural kind of record really. I like the other two records too, but maybe because it is songs from 20 years of writing that it holds up.”

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BON JOVI The Circle Is Unbroken Back in the day it was all about the hair and the spandex, but fair’s fair, while that may have helped them sail through the ’80s, there’s certainly more to the incredibly successful career of Bon Jovi to have taken them through 25 years in the spotlight.SASHA PEREA speaks with Jon Bon Jovi.

Bon Jovi

While they may not appeal to everyone – critics have certainly been harsh towards their brand of mainstream rock/pop – Bon Jovi have sold in excess of 120 million albums and continue to top the charts around the globe. As the mist of their hairspray subsides, it’s clear that Bon Jovi have a knack of delivering anthemic, hands-in-the-air, melodic, rock/pop tunes that appeal directly to their mainly workingclass audience. They are the people’s band. They may not be your band necessarily, but credit where credit is due, Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates have found a loyal audience that continues to follow them with each and every album they release. Sitting back in a London hotel room, Jon Bon Jovi is still every bit the pin-up frontman, lacquered blonde flicks and all. Despite his ageing

years, he has held onto his looks and charisma with likable charm. Currently promoting the new Bon Jovi album, The Circle, as well as a documentary and book both titled When We Were Beautiful, it’s certainly not as if Jon’s aged worse for wear. Bon Jovi are still a majorly successful band. Their last album Lost Highway (2007) sold over four million copies, and was their first album ever to debut at #1 on the US charts, and The Circle marks their fifth studio album this decade alone. It would seem that Jon Bon Jovi has still got a lot to say. “We made Lost Highway which was a very successful record for us, and when we finished that Richie (Sambora, guitar) and I went in to write a couple of songs for the planned Greatest Hits record last September,” Jon says, recounting how

this new album came into play. “As we all know the world was a very different place last September than the following few months after that. So anyway we started to write songs for that Greatest Hits and nothing much was happening – we didn’t much care for the subject matter. There were boy/girl songs, rehab-songs… it just wasn’t all that special, but come October the world started to change and we thought, ‘wow, if we keep our eyes and ears open there’d be a lot of subject matter’. “We kept writing a couple of songs at a time, and over the course of what became nine months we had the bookend of (the song) When We Were Beautiful recorded before the downturn of the economy and the President being elected, and then nine months later we were inspired by the protest marches in Iran and we wrote We Weren’t Born To Follow. We then realised that these were our bookends for a new album. “I went back to the record company and said that I had good and bad news – the good news is that we have a new album.The bad news is that you don’t have a Greatest Hits. So here we are again – I didn’t anticipate it. That’s probably one of the problems/issues with why there’s a confluence of stuff with the documentary, a new book, a new record all at the same time – although it all does make for a nice little Christmas gift!” On the surface, the first single from the album, We Weren’t Born To Follow, possesses the type of buoyant trademarks that have been a part of Bon Jovi’s catalogue over the years. Dig a little deeper however, and as Jon reveals, the single addresses much deeper issues of global uprising, having been inspired by Neda Agha-Soltan, who was killed during the 2009 Iranian election protests. “There’s always been an underlying optimism thematically in our records – it’s sort of our niche, if you like. As this song came to be, I thought it exemplified the human spirit. You don’t have to have a microphone to be heard – any voice can, and should be heard. “Case in point is that girl Neda who helped inspire this song – it’s not specifically about her – but you couldn’t help but be touched when

you saw just this lone voice who was marching in a protest march. She didn’t intend to be a martyr for the cause – now she was the face for that cause. The unknown citizen in Tiananmen Square didn’t intend to make a statement – he was just there that day and therefore made a statement.The idea that anybody can, and should be able to be heard, is really the spirit of the song.” In between their last album, and recording The Circle, Bon Jovi shot footage of life on their world tour, which now sees light as the basis of their When We Were Beautiful documentary. Jon says the idea for the documentary stems from when they were asked to write a book of their history. “They gave us a stack of those type of books that made lots of money, and we gave them their money back and said that we weren’t interested. I saw a four-hour documentary about Tom Petty, but it was retrospective and went back to when they were teenagers, and I though it was an interesting concept. I didn’t want to do a retrospective because if you want that you can go to YouTube – they have all the old footage that you want, and not a concert movie like the Stones’ Shine A Light because if you wanna see us live, chances are we’re coming to your neighbourhood soon. I suggested that if we could tell a story in real time that’s unique, it would be interesting.” Whilst the end result of the documentary isn’t all that unique or groundbreaking to passersby, Bon Jovi fans will surely appreciate the insight into how the band operates these days… in their 40s, with families now and still touring the world. On film,Jon reflects on the fact that despite millions of sales, critics haven’t ever really championed the band over the years. “In all honesty I think what happened was that we were lumped in with a genre of music that wasn’t going to be taken as anything more than face-value,” he says. “In truth, the only bestrevenge is to still be here and making brand new, relevant records. The greatest gift is that people like it enough to allow you to do it again, and again, and again. That’s really the legacy at this point,” he says proudly, and defiantly.

AMON AMARTH Olavi’s Army Viking metal gods Amon Amarth will be visiting Perth for the second time with a show on Tuesday, November 24, at Capitol. JESSICA WILLOUGHBY chats with guitarist and founding member Olavi Mikkonen about the art of collaboration. Would it be totally wrong to describe the almost legendary figure behind Sweden’s Amon Amarth’s riff work, guitarist and founding member Olavi Mikkonen, as like an eager, bouncy, little puppy? Most definitely; at least in the imagery sense. But the impression Mikkonen gave after a chat about their upcoming Perth show left a lasting hue akin to that of a man who had that almost pubescent lust for the world around him. And it was obvious he had taken this intense passion and attached it to the jewel of his musical ventures as one of the longstanding members of this mighty melodic death metal outfit. After 20 years with the band, in one form or another, you would think the trials and tribulations of Viking and Norse mythology – the sole lyrical content this band lend themselves to – would wear itself a little thin. But the truth is, Amon Amarth have been just the lifeblood needed to bring these historic tales of mammoth battles and victorious wrath, intertwined with the startling beauty of their motherland, into the 21st Century. That is a pretty big bite to swallow, especially for Mikkonen. Though he is the first to point out this sentiment did not reveal itself until much later in their career. “We never really had one big breakthrough for Amon Amarth as such,” he thinks aloud down the line. “Really this was a band that always had to take everything step by step. I remember there was a time at the beginning when we couldn’t even get a show at our local bar. Now they wouldn’t even be able to deal with us. I think it’s got to the stage where we are now the biggest band on the European side of our label Metal Blade, and we are like third or fourth ranked on the American leg in the States. Which is definitely pretty mind-blowing, but I’d say we are still exactly the same people. We’re just the type of guys who sit back and like to take in the time to see the bigger picture. And it always takes us ages to get around to making our ideas become a reality, so I think we might be around for another 20 years if our fans will have us (laughs).” Does any of this ring true for their seventh studio release, Twilight Of The Thunder Gods (2008)? As an album that reveals an 28

‘openness’ towards new styles and patterns of thought, it also included some pretty hefty collaborations with Entombed’s Lars Goran Petrov, Children Of Bodom shredder Roope Latvala, and metal classical outfit Apocalyptica. “God the idea of these collaborations were definitely in the pipeline for ages,” Mikkonen chuckles boldly to himself. “As I said, we take a long time to get any ideas into play. Getting Lars and Roope involved on this album was always going to happen though. We have known both of these guys for a long time and they are both good friends of ours. I can’t talk about the specifics so much of Lars’ involvement, as I am not a singer as such. But Roope definitely blew me away with his work on the title track. I am the first to admit that I am not the best shredder in the world, and Roope absolutely nailed it. He is just an amazing

player. I would say that we have gotten even more inspired with the guest appearances we had on this album.” With the band religiously releasing new material about every two years, talk has already arisen about plans for the next album. And it would seem that the band’s vocalist, and loveable Viking-at-heart, Johan Hegg has already let the cat out of the bag. A conceptual album bound by a theme, rather than an overarching story, looks to be on the cards. But, according to Mikkonen, this could be another one of those ‘pipeline’ dreams. “Heck, we’ve been talking about that for a long time too (laughs). Maybe this time, Johan has actually written the story for us.Doing this kind of thing needs to be so organised and a fucking good story is needed to pull it off. It would be nice, but I’m not holding my breath for this one. At least for while. But I would love

Amon Amarth to have a song where one of the traditional heavy metal singers, doing a collaboration with Johan. That would be fucking awesome,” his enthusiasm forces him to practically shout, “This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time too. I have someone in mind too. A traditional British heavy metal singer, who is a fan of us as well. But I am not going to tell you who it is because this is definitely going to happen (laughs).” What a tease. Does their latest signal the future of Amon Amarth to come? One that boasts noteworthy collaborative efforts as a way of mixing it up for these Scandinavians? “If we were to keep going into that direction, people would expect it. And we like to do things out of the ordinary. I guess you could say we are in this grey area at the moment were anything could happen. And we like it that way.” Hittin’ the town since 1985

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the breeze in a relaxing and often haunting manner. There are more abrupt songs on The First Dance, but not much more abrupt. Even the bouncier numbers have a sense of melancholy within their ambience – which is abundant on this record. It won’t be for everyone, but those who will like Bridezilla will absolutely love them to bits.

BOB DYLAN Christmas In The Heart Columbia Sony Music Even before the first sign of tinsel has started to appear in family homes, Bob Dylan has taken the unexpected move of releasing a Christmas album. Who would have known that the decorated bard, who has never had a problem knocking out tunes of his own, was all full of tidings and festive cheer. Christmas In The Heart finds Dylan playing it pretty straight with the tunes, opting to keep the traditional arrangements throughout. What he does though is make no attempt to pretty up his voice for the festive season, in fact Do You Hear What I Hear? is delivered with an extra dose of rasp. Hark The Herald Angels Sing is so croaky you can be excused for thinking that Tom Waits had crept in while Dylan was in the can. He may have a voice like a lump of coal but Christmas In The Heart is gold for your Christmas stocking. As good as it may be (as far as Christmas albums go, that is) it still won’t stop you from wanting to punch carollers when you are doing your last minute festive yuletide shopping.

_MIKE WAFER

BEHEMOTH Evangelion Metal Blade Riot!

The likes of Behemoth, for those who are not already steadfastly acquainted, have made the condemnation of Christianity a deliberate art. For near on two decades, these Polacks have found the key to intelligent blasphemy – marking the par that makes most other bands harking to similar sensibilities seem like petty Satanist _CHRIS HAVERCROFT diatribe drivel. Back with their ninth studio album, Evangelion; the outfit has once again shown its preference for a more recent blackened death sound - extending it on from their previous The Apostasy days into more orchestral and progressive tastes. But, straight off the cuff, let us just state this latest offering is not anything revolutionary from this quartet. It is more of a step forward in their ‘niche’; a cocky testament to their knowledge of the genre and the boundaries they can bend in the process. Produced by the legendary Colin Richardson (Carcass, Napalm Death), an emphasis was placed on keeping the lid on over-polishing the release, instead JOHN MAYER opting for relying on their musicianship Battle Studies and songwriting flair to breathe life into Columbia each track. Who could blame them for going Sony Music in this direction with drummer Inferno’s I’ve always had to defend John Mayer to my (Zbigniewt Robert Promi ski) work being musician friends. ‘The man can play guitar!’ the absolute centrepiece – disciplined on He I’d say. Most know him from his sentimental Who Breeds Pestilence to motley in variations pop folk, something seemingly written to on Ov Fire And The Void. The biggest eyepick up young women, but he always had a opener on this release was the eight-minute epic Lucifer. A relatively slow affair and a test Strat up his sleeve, ready. He played that card well in 2005 in restraint, this tune revels in its intensity on his John Mayer Trio blues joint, and came from all fronts. Evangelion has taken Godback a year later with Continuum; a really nice fusion of his pop pretension and blues damnation to its coming of age for sensibilities. Cut to a three-year montage of Behemoth, and it never sounded so good. him playing with artists as varied as Ben Folds _JESSICA WILLOUGHBY and Kanye West, and now to 2009 and the release of Battle Studies. Expecting a further progression for him, Battle Studies instead feels like a disappointing step back. There’s a lot of forgettable lyrics, delivered from a sometimes bored sounding Mayer, and hooks are few and far between. After first single Who Says, the album does pick up some, with his signature vocal guitar lines being especially effective on Crossroads, even if the lyrics are almost cringe-worthy. It’s just... forgettable - sure to be lost in the pop landscape he tried to escape from. I mean really, a duet with Taylor MARTHA Swift? Not going to defend this one for WAINWRIGHT Sans Fusils, you, John. _TOM VARIAN

Ni Souliers, A Paris Shock Shock

Rufus Wainwright paid homage to his idol Judy Garland, and the more austere of the siblings is taking her turn pay tribute to childhood hero Edith Piaf. Over three performances at New York’s Dixon Palace Theatre, Wainwright interpreted some of her favourite songs from the somewhat tragic French singer. Some of these performances are captured on Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris. As Wainwright grew up in Montreal and spoke French at school, she became captivated by Piaf since the age of eight. It may be Wainwright’s characteristic emotive BRIDEZILLA delivery that is so heavily influenced by Piaf The First Dance and is seriously on display here. There is Inertia plenty to like here but the suitable aching Inertia Le Foule and Une Enfant are standouts. Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris When done as well as it is here, that realm where folk meets pop in a truly indie, is without a doubt a vanity project for shoegazing way can be incredibly moving. In Wainwright. Piaf fans may appreciate the particular, Mazzy Star comes to mind when new interpretations, the rabid Wainwright listening to Bridezilla, but if you also think fanbase will lap it up as intended and others along the lines of Pellumair and, locally, Fall will use it as ambiance at dinner parties for the time between when the red wine runs Electric, you’re on the right track. New South Welshmen and women out and the port gets opened. Bridezilla take luscious dreamy sounds and _CHRIS HAVERCROFT with them create songs that are as light as 30

Hittin’ the town since 1985

THEM CROOKED VULTURES Self-Titled RCA Sony Music

THE FLAMING LIPS Embryonic Warner Warner

Unless you already think Queens Of The Stone Age, Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin are pretty naff, you’d have high expectations of what the combo of Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones could come up with – even if the latter is more there for the fanboy dream-come-true of the other two chaps. The good news is that – unless your expectations are ridiculously high – Them Crooked Vultures will not disappoint. Grohl’s drum sound is big, roomy and very Bonham; Jones’ bass is exactly as it always is; and both Homme’s voice and guitar explore that which they always do – dark, pop-based rock’n’roll – but with a definite sense of A) Zeppelin and their of-the-time peers, and B) not wanting to make everything sound all retro and predictable. Thus, while there are moments of Them Crooked Vultures’ debut that tip the hat to the likes of Doors and Cream (and Led Zep, naturally), the album overall is incredibly varied. Like most unique-sounding singers, Homme’s melodies are as recognisably ‘him’ as his voice, and even though this is more a vocal record than a guitar one, the same can be said of his guitar playing, which is, in a word, smart. Grohl, ever the adaptable musician, pulls from his bottomless bag of tricks to make sure the right thing is played at the right time. Good onya Dave. The songs are catchy, even when strange, and Them Crooked Vultures feels very much like Homme is pouring out a great deal of his less-known influences in order to bring something new to the table. Combine that with you-know-who, and the rest is water-tight. It twists and turns, but never stops rockin’… and, no doubt, Them Crooked Vultures’ debut could add yet another highpower band to the resume of three men who already have at least one on the go at any given time. _MIKE WAFER

The Flaming Lips have been somewhat of a chameleon over the few decades that they have been spitting out tunes from Oklahoma. In the early days their raw form of indie rock saw them grace the radio for the first time, and they continued to gather legions of fans with their more lush and layered uplifting pop pieces. Not one to stick to a formula they have changed things up again for Embryonic. Rumour has it that The Flaming Lips resisted the urge to write songs for this new record and instead relied on capturing moments of their free form jams at rehearsals. If anyone thought that the soundtrack to Christmas On Mars was a little kooky, then Embryonic will have people raising the freak flag. Embryonic is a mismatched tapestry with tunes like Aquarius Sabotage sounding like someone is breaking glass on a fuzzedout guitar before pulling inspiration from Close Encounters, while Evil is a gentle Coyne warble over sparse keyboards. There are moments that hurt your ears and some that warm your heart, which makes Embryonic an at times difficult, yet rewarding listen. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT

JAMES YORKSTON & THE BIG EYES FAMILY PLAYERS Folk Songs Domino EMI

The idea that popular music is suddenly experiencing a hip new ‘folk revival’ is pretty absurd when you consider the history of the form. Folk, in its continued evolution of ageold songs and stories, is in a sense one, big, long ‘revival’. Highlighting this point and putting the ever-expanding varieties of ‘nu’ folk into context, Scottish singer-songwriter James STING Yorkston’s sixth album is a collection of If On A versions of some of his favorite traditional Winter’s Night tunes. Ye olde tales of game-poachers, Cherry Tree Record shipwrecks, and highway robbery can all be Records found on this release which focuses mainly Universal on British material, some dating to the 16 th The dominant feature of this album, as Sting Century. As with many great folk himself explains thoroughly in the detailed liner notes, is that for all the coldness and compendiums, the record contains nerdily bleakness of winter, there is beauty. Fittingly, detailed liner notes so that anoraks and Sting has reworked various traditional train-spotters can light a pipe, pop into the winter-themed songs (and penned a couple rumpus room and trace the history of each of his own) that he and his ensemble track at their leisure. I Went To Visit The Roses recorded primarily at his farmhouse in is a particular highlight with a wonderfully Tuscany. No points for guessing what the dry, conversational bar-room lyric written by Irish poet Peadar Breathnach, a fast weather was like outside. Delicate and ethereal, the poppy rhythm and an intricate harmonium combination of guitar, harp, violin, cello, arrangement. If Mumford & Sons have tickled your melodeon and choral vocals seems impossibly gentle – as complex and frail as folky bone of late, why not keep journeying a snowflake – and one truly does get a sense to the source with this timeless delight? of seven people sitting around a fireplace _DAVID CRADDOCK singing songs of the weather outside. This might coincidentally make this a Christmas album for those in the Northern Hemisphere, but this is a world away from the usual ‘celebrity sings Jingle Bells’ pap the market is no doubt about to be flooded with. Intrigued by the ideological ties that winter has with a host of different celebrations and themes, Sting has done well to ensure LA this album has a shelf-life longer than a few months. There are lively moments on this record, but they are few and far between, and well-placed when they arrive. For the most part, though, this is a brooding, moody collection that has been executed perfectly. A lot of the songs might have little relevance to Australians, but this only serves to make the album more like a painting or a book of poetry, whereby the appreciator can use the artist’s work to merely ignite their own imagination and sense of wonderment. To whichever end, it’s a beautiful record.

mag s s e r p x au .com.

_MIKE WAFER www.xpressmag.com.au

0DUWKD :DLQZULJKWÂśV 3LDI 5HFRUG 6DQV )XVLOV 1L 6RXOLHUV $ 3DULV New Album and bonus DVD Of Rare, Edith Piaf Songs Produced by Hal Willner (Leonard Cohen: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Your Man). www.shock.com.au

Out Now.

Also available (November 20) - A TRULY MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT! Direct from the Knitting Factory in downtown Manhattan, A Not So Silent Night features Kate & Anna McGarrigle together with Anna's children, Rufus & Martha Wainwright, in a live performance of The McGarrigle Christmas Hour. Guests include Emmylou Harris, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson.

dave rawlings machine a friend of a friend

The much anticipated debut album from Gillian Welchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secret weapon, Dave Rawlings, includes appearances by Ketch Secor, Willie Watson, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahnig (Old Crow Medicine Show), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes) and Karl Himmel (Neil Young). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a coming out party for an unsung hero of American roots music, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Acony.

OUT NOW 32

www.shock.com.au Hittinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the town since 1985

COMEDY CLUB

EVERY WEDNESDAY @ THE BRASS MONKEY

DOORS OPEN 8PM

cnr James & William St, Northbridge

INFO LINE - 0421 821 320 www.laughresort.com.au www.xpressmag.com.au

WEDNESDAY NOV 25 DOUG CHAPPELL (VIC.) DON SMITH JOHN KATS 33

Join artist Tanya Schultz from Pip & Pop for The Speed Studio

STUDIOUS

Paul Kelly by Monique Richards

CAPTURING KELLY

The folks over at Triple J are right into the swing of Australian Music Month, celebrating everything that’s fantastic about the music industry down under. To promote the celebration of all things Australian, Triple J enlisted Mosman Park artist Monique Richards to create an incredible portrait of Australian music icon Paul Kelly. Instead of just painting from photographs, Richards was able to meet Kelly when he was in Perth a while back, and spent 15 minutes with him taking photographs after his set at the West Coast Blue N’ Roots Festival. To see more of Richards’ work, head online to moniqueartist.com.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

With warm weather now enveloping Perth, the folks at Luna are gearing up to launch their Luna Outdoor Summer Program. Kicking off on Thursday, December 10, the outdoor season allows film fans to pack a picnic, pull up a deckchair, and enjoy summer’s best films under the stars. A range of films will screen during the outdoor season including Nowhere Boy, Bran Nue Dae, It Might Get Loud, and many more. To find out exactly which films are on offer, head to lunapalace.com.au. Nowhere Boy

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND MOJO’S PRESENT

Art fans are invited to step behind the scenes at PICA to discover what really happens inside an artist’s studio on Sunday, November 22. The Speed Studio event offers a rare opportunity for the community to interact and collaborate with studio artists, moving from workspace to workspace to interact with an array of creators. Studio 1 will offer participants the chance to become assistants for Tanya Shultz, who will create a hyper-coloured wall -work through paintings, tracing, dripping and mixing using materials such as paint, sugar and vinyl. Studio 2 will see participants experimenting with sculpture, while discovering how meaning is created through composition, under the watchful eye of David Thomson. And last but not least, Studio 3 will allow punters to join Minaxi May and Olga Cironis for a session of paper play including collage and origami. Absolutely no experience is required to take part in Speed Studio, but there are only 30 places available to get in quick to secure your spot. Tickets are on sale now from PICA on (08) 9228 6300 or online at pica.org.au(.)

WALK THE WALK

On Saturday, December 12, hoards of people will take to the streets for Walking Against Warming, an event that raises awareness of climate change while celebrating sustainability and recycling through an array of fun events and activities. For the December 12 event, non-profit organisation REmida will create a giant reptile puppet made from recycled materials, involving hundreds of students, businesses and artists. Volunteers are invited to be involved in the creation of the large scale puppet installation with artist/designer Matt McVeigh. People of all ages are welcome to head along to REmida (1 Prospect Place, West Perth) on the Thursday, November 19, from 9.30am ’til 4.30pm to get involved and let their creativity shine through. As well helping bring the reptile puppet to life, volunteers will take part in a mass treasure hunt coordinated by Tim Kenworthy (founder of Youth Tree) and REmida. For more, head to remidawa.com(.)

AGAINST THE BEAT BOOM! BAP! POW! | MICHE SUITE | TREE THE BELLE ENDS | OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER, MOJO’S BAR 8PM - LATE, $10 + BF (HEATSEEKER & OUTLETS) OR MORE ON DOOR LAUNCH 10 NOV / ALL AGES 19 NOV / MUSIC 21 NOV / SPOKEN WORD 26 NOV / EXHIBITION 3 - 10 DEC

ARTILLERYFESTIVAL.COM REmida youthtree.org.au

The kings of Capoeira will jump, spin and kick their way into Perth in January to showcase their talents in the spectacular show, Warriors Of Brazil. From Friday, January 8, to Saturday, January 16, the Warriors Of Brazil will take over the Regal Theatre for a show combining the martial art of Capoeira with uplifting music and carnival dance. Joining the dancers onstage are singers, dancers and percussionists from Rhythm Carnival, who will set the atmosphere for this jaw-dropping show. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

Beaufort Street café Soto Espresso will offer customers the chance to support charity while getting their caffeine hit during November, with a photographic exhibition of work by Jane Vann. Vann’s exhibition The Simple Things In Life – A Snap Shot Of East Africa documents her time in Africa, and for every image sold, she will donate part of the proceeds to Eighty Twenty Vision, a charity assisting the people of Nkayi, a small Zimbabwean Village. The exhibition celebrates the simple things in life, showing the positive side of East Africa through film images that have not been retouched. Soto Espresso is located at 507 Beaufort Street in Highgate.

A FORUM OF JAZZ

FIVE OF WA’S HOTTEST FEMALE-FRONTED BANDS ROCK OUT TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Warriors Of Brazil

CAP IT OFF

Music will emanate from underneath the Library at the Floreat Forum on Sunday afternoons in coming weeks for Sunday Solos To Symphonies. Kicking off on Sunday, November 22, at 2pm, the first concert will feature Libby Hammer and Jack Harrison, as they take a journey into jazz, visiting all the old favourites. O n S u n d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 9 , Loungebeat will take to the stage, showcasing their talents across genres such as jazz, ragtime, swing and film music; with Rob Binelli on percussion and vocals and Mark Turton on piano. Wrapping up the season on Sunday, December 6, is the Sue Bluck Duo with a repertoire featuring jazz, Latin and blues standards plus contemporary love songs. Tickets are on sale now for just $20 by contacting Jody on (08) 9387 6282, or by visiting the Town Of Cambridge at 99 The Boulevard at the Floreat Forum.

Libby Hammer

Unwrapped: The Marketplace

OFF TO MARKET

If you’re a designer, artist or a creator of any kind, the organizers of Unwrapped: The Marketplace want to hear from you. Unwrapped are hunting for WA’s up-and-coming design talent to take part in Unwrapped: Leederville, a massive market event on Saturday, December 19, at 190 Oxford Street in Leederville. Stall-holders will be able to sell their products directly to Christmas shoppers who have to come to expect big things from Unwrapped events. Applications are open until 5pm on Friday, November 20. For full details, head to unwrapped.com.au(.)

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF CHARITY

Film fans are invited to head along to some special screenings of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs on Sunday, November 22, to raise funds for young people suffering from serious illness or disability. Screenings will take place around Perth at 10am, at Grand Cinemas Warwick, Ace Midland, Reading Belmont and Hoyts Rockingham, Carousel, Southlands, Booragoon and Fremantle, with funds raised going directly to the Sony Foundation. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs is a fun, family film, the follows Flint Lockwood, a quirky inventor who creates a machine that causes food to rain from the sky. For more on the event and the Sony Foundation, jump online to sonyfoundation.org.au(.)

SWAP TIL YOU DROP

Introducing Swap-O-Rama-Rama, a new event that’s headed to Perth to get people swapping clothes and participating in do-it-yourself sewing workshops. The event will see consumers taught to be creators, through the recycling of used clothing. For the Saturday, December 5, event to be a success, Swap-O-Rama-Rama need staff who can help out with DIY workshops, designer run sewing stations, silk screening, fashion show production and general hands for odds and ends. To find out more about Swap-O-Rama-Rama or to get involved, head to swaporamarama.org. Hittin’ the town since 1985

GUY SEBASTIAN Soul Popper

It’s been six years since Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian debuted at number one with his first ever single, Angels Brought Me Here, but with his fifth studio album The Fro has moved away from his pop sound and has gone for a much more soulful edge. It’s on regular rotation on all the major radio networks and was picked up by Channel 7 to be part of their promotions campaign resulting in most of us being guilty of bopping away to his number one hit, Like It Like That. However, the hit single was never originally meant to be the first release from the album. “All To Myself was going to be my first single,” Guy Sebastian explains. “But it ended up being Like It Like That, but at that stage I had already called the album Like It Like That. It wasn’t that we were going off the single, I just thought maybe later on I could release Like It Like That as a single. It just turned out that we released that one first (laughs). “It did way more than I thought it would do. You get nervous when you release an album, especially stuff that you have written. In your head you always imagine that it will do well and when you release it it’s at the mercy of the public and radio, you know, are they going to play it? I really do have radio to thank for their support and even Channel 7. I still hear it on the radio and it is still number four or something on the charts. I’m just completely blown away.” Sebastian says that the popularity of his previous release The Memphis Album (covers of soul classics) helped him create the soul-pop original album, making it a little different to what fans are used to. “It’s been a few years since my last original album,”Sebastian says.“And I’ve become a bit of a control freak on this one and I’ve nursed this album, and taken my time to write it. It’s quite a bit more soulful than anything I have done in the past. I’ve always been a little weary to... I sort of thought that I was indulging too much in soul music, because I thought, you know, soul isn’t really popular here in Australia and people don’t really dig it, but I was completely blown away when I released The Memphis Album because it went triple platinum or something. It just really blew me away and that was a collection of soul

Guy Sebastian

songs from the Memphis era! “So, I took it as permission to delve into that style and I did. And so I have a collection of soulful-pop songs in this record and, yeah, I’m pretty proud.” Sebastian hopes the album will also educate and inspire a new generation of soul fans. “I was hoping this would happen with The Memphis Album as well. And a lot of my fans that are very pop-focussed who have followed me since Idol, a lot of them haven’t even heard of Otis Redding and stuff like that, it was unbelievable! And I got so many messages from fans saying, ‘Oh! You really got me into Al Green’ and ‘I’ve discovered all this music I never would have’. The biggest compliment for me is that young people listen to my music and get inspired to listen to the older stuff as well.” To add to the soulful style, guitarist/ singer John Mayer makes several appearances on the album which Sebastian says left him in awe of the American’s talent. “Just to watch John go, he plays

this guitar solo on the song called Failed To Mention and just completely nailed it. When I watched him play solo he’s so into it and he’s so lost within the song and you just know you are watching a great musician. I’m a huge John fan,” he gushes. The collaboration with Mayer was a result of working with singer/songwriter/ producer David Ryan Harris, who is also part of Mayer’s backup band. “David’s been a friend of mine for a number of years. On my second record he wrote a song called Sweetest Berry that I sang and so when I was in LA I met David, kinda just to hang out and get together. And I was a bit of a fan of David’s ‘cause he’s an amazing singer/ songwriter and a monster guitar player. “So that’s how that contact came to, and over the years we have done a bit of writing together and more predominantly on this record. We have kinda written most of the record together. It’s just one of those contacts that worked and we have just clicked as songwriters and have had this chemistry

together. And that’s how the John Mayer thing came together. And we asked him to come play on the album and he did.” Moving to the US to work on his writing, Sebastian said the experience of being in cities that have such a rich musical heritage was all worthwhile. “It was just really eye-opening, you stumble into the most random bar and just in the corner is this band that you have never seen before and you have never heard of them. Yet, they are incredible musicians. All over the city there are hundreds of venues, where there are people that you watch and you are like ‘how are you not famous? How are you not huge?’ “It just inspires you to be the best that you can be at your art, and there are so many great musicians out there and so many great players and I just loved being immersed in that.” _ DEMELZA GOUDIE

BMW

Perth’s original New Year’s Day celebration now has more ways to celebrate with an exciting choice of packages to suit the race-day reveller in you!

PIC NIC @ PERT H CUP

WH37502

Relax trackside on the lawn under the shade sails. Tables of 8 can Re no now be reserved and offer the perfect race-day retreat for you and your yo friends. Gourmet picnic packs are also available or you can bring your own lunch. Tickets start from $49 per person.

perthcup2010.com.au www.xpressmag.com.au

Hittinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the town since 1985

Gates open at 7pm, screenings start at sundown, approx. 8:30pm

www.xpressmag.com.au

Nowhere Boy* CTC Public Enemies* MA15+ Beautiful Kate MA15+ My Sister’s Keeper M Coraline*PG Amelie M

The Box M Twilight M CLOSED CLOSED New Moon CTC New Moon CTC

22 Tu 23 We 24 Th 25 Fr 26 Sa 27 Su

Inglourious Basterds* MA15+ Coco Avant Chanel PG The Young Victoria PG District 9 MA15+ Fame PG The Taking of Pelham 123 MA15+

The September Issue PG Surrogates M Case 39* MA15+ Ponyo G Fantastic Mr Fox PG Funny People* MA15+

Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

15 Tu 16 We 17 Th 18 Fr 19 Sa 20 Su

08 09 10 11 12 13

All About Steve PG Zoolander M Top Gun* PG The Ugly Truth MA15+ Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince M 06 Su (500) Days of Summer M

01 Tu 02 We 03 Th 04 Fr 05 Sa

December

24 Tu 25 We 26 Th 27 Fr 28 Sa 29 Su

November

Mamma Mia!* PG CLOSED The Boys Are Back M The Informant!* M Ferris Bueller’s Day Off* PG Michael Jackson’s This Is It G Napoleon Dynamite* PG

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

Zombieland MA15+ Where the Wild Things Are PG An Education* M Avatar CTC Avatar CTC Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel G

19 Tu 20 We 21 Th 22 Fr 23 Sa 24 Su

Couples Retreat* M The Commitments M The Hangover MA15+ G-Force PG The Invention of Lying* M Edward Scissorhands PG In the Loop CTC Pulp Fiction R Whip It! M Mao’s Last Dancer PG 2012 M A Christmas Carol PG

Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

12 Tu 13 We 14 Th 15 Fr 16 Sa 17 Su

05 06 07 08 09 10

01 Fr The Time Traveler’s Wife M 02 Sa Up PG 03 Su Breakfast At Tiffany’s* PG

January

29 Tu Grease* PG 30 We Julie and Julia M 31 Th CLOSED

Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

Capitalism: A Love Story* M District 9 MA15+ The Godfather* R Sherlock Holmes CTC Sherlock Holmes CTC New York, I Love You* CTC

23 24 25 26 27 28

Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

Monty Python’s Life of Brian M Paranormal Activity M Breakfast At Tiffany’s* PG Old Dogs CTC Tooth Fairy G Inglourious Basterds* MA15+

16 Tu The Wizard of Oz G 17 We The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus PG 18 Th The Dark Knight* M 19 Fr It’s Complicated* CTC 20 Sa It’s Complicated* CTC 21 Su New Moon CTC

09 10 11 12 13 14

02 Tu Moon M 03 We The Rocky Horror Picture Show M 04 Th Saturday Night Fever* R 05 Fr Did You Hear About the Morgans? CTC 06 Sa Did You Hear About the Morgans? CTC 07 Su Slumdog Millionaire MA15+

February Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

Nowhere Boy CTC In the Loop CTC Broken Embraces* M Top Gun* PG Bran Nue Dae PG Fantastic Mr Fox PG

No free list CTC Check the Classification Preview screening

09 Tu Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* M 10 We Up in the Air* M 11 Th The Blues Brothers* M 12 Fr The Lovely Bones* CTC 13 Sa Bright Star PG 14 Su Avatar CTC

02 03 04 05 06 07

March

A SERIOUS MAN What’s The Point Of It All? Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen Starring Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed When the Coen brothers divert into slightly more obscure territory than usual – as they do here and in efforts such as The Man Who Wasn’t There – whether you like them or not, you can’t ignore the skill and craft involved. From A Serious Man’s disorienting opening moments, set 100 years ago in Poland and spoken in Yiddish, you can feel the Coens are in complete control of this very Jewish black comedy, right down to the finest details. The main action takes place in the ’60s, with physics professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) finding himself increasingly under siege by circumstance and the surrounding world. His wife is leaving him for a middle-aged swinger, a student is attempting to bribe him for grades, his sebaceous cyst-afflicted brother is sleeping on the couch and creating an impenetrable mathematical scheme to win at gambling, and poison pen letters sent to the faculty are threatening his tenure. Larry’s son is preparing for his bar mitzvah (when not getting stoned in the school toilets or listening to Jefferson Airplane on a pocket radio), his daughter wants a nose job, and his sultry next-door neighbour likes bathing in the nude. (It’s worth noting here that Joel & Ethan were themselves sons of an academic and that some autobiographical elements might have informed the edges of this tale.)

INCLUDED in this out-of-this world t le packaging, a book s rd and collector’s ca designed by Noel Fielding

When Larry seeks spiritual advice, a succession of rabbis tell him more and more confusing and cryptic tales, muddling his sense of the world and bringing him no closer to the answer of ‘why me?’ Above all of this hangs Larry’s teaching in quantum mechanics, providing handy metaphors that reach a logical extension when Larry signs a fateful piece of paper, perhaps triggering the apocalyptic closing scenes (it’s open to interpretation folks, so don’t hold me to that). Immaculately cast as always,stage actor Stuhlbarg is wonderfully sympathetic as Larry – an ordinary man being stretched to the limit by an extraordinary confluence of everyday crises. Aaron Wolff is also hilarious as his dope-smoking, ginger-topped son, while Fred Melamed is almost hypnotic as the damp-handed, loose-jowled Sy Ableman, whose sonorous congeniality sits awkwardly with his designs on Larry’s wife. When the performances are combined with such razor sharp and uncompromising wit, you have a small sort of masterpiece. But not one for those seeking answers or a neat resolution, as this is one film that asks the question ‘what’s the point of it all?’ and refuses to give a clear response. As Larry’s grade-hungry student suggests when questioned about money that strangely appears, perhaps it’s best to ‘accept the mystery’.

CR C RAM MME ED D FULL OF 2.5 HOURS OF EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS!

disc set

_ TOPHER HEALY

Michael Stuhlbarg and Fred Melamed star in A Serious Man

Thursday 19th November - ASTOR LOUNGE - Doors open 6pm

COUPLES RETREAT WOODSTOCK

and TAKING

MAIN THEATRE

BOYS ON “REAL MAN” ROAD – SOLD OUT Includes the unreleased me “A Journey Through Time and Space” documentaryy art plus interviews with Stewart Lee, Danny Wallace, Lee e Mack, Steve Coogan, Russell Brand and more. Also never before seen photos from the Boosh!

Now available from leading DVD retailers.

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Hittin’ the town since 1985

JUSTINE WACHSBERGER The Twilight Zone

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS Menu From Heaven

For those that haven’t read the books, can you give us the gist of your character? I play Gianna in the film, the human receptionist for the Volturi, who are the most powerful vampires in the saga.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Starring the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Neil Patrick Harris, James Caan, Mr T, Al Roker

And without giving too much away, where Just like the Italian dish, Cloudy With A Chance were the majority of your scenes filmed? Of Meatballs is warm, rich, meaty and just soft I filmed my scenes in Vancouver. enough for the littlies to consume. U n l i k e other recent family films, like middle-of-theAnd was security on the script kept pretty road misfire Astro Boy and tonally-challenged 9, the feature film adaptation of Judy Barrett’s tight? The security was very tight. Each book encompasses all the right ingredients, script had the actor’s name printed on and best of all it’s cooked right through. A lot of today’s so-called ‘kiddie’ flicks each page, so if a script was leaked, Summit (production company) could track the culprit seem to be all about showcasing the ‘all-star voice cast’ or the state-of-the-art technology (smiles). that aided in their conception. And while How hard was it to film with the paparazzi Meatballs does revel in its recognisable cast (James Caan, Anna Faris of the Scary Movie flicks, and onlookers stalking the production? Personally I didn’t encounter the and TV fave Neil Patrick Harris are among those paparazzi, aside from in front of the hotel lending their lungs to proceedings) to an extent, where we stayed. So for me everything was and its impressive CGI visuals it never forgets that the story is what ultimately keeps viewers fine! glued. And this one is a corker! In the town Are you prepared for the horde of new fans - some very fanatical ones - you’re likely to of Chewandswallow, people are sick of eating sardines and a failed local inventor by the score just by being in the film? I am so grateful and thrilled to be a part of New Moon. I think it is so rare to have a movie where each cast member, even the ones with smaller parts, are able to have some kind of fanbase.

Justine Wachsberger }stars in Twilight: New Moon

Justine Wachsberger graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 with a major in Communications and Theatre. Since then she’s appeared in only two films - First Daughter starring Katie Holmes and Marc Blucas, and the recent horror remake Sorority Row - but her latest role, that of Gianni in The Twilight Saga : New Moon, is certain to turn her into a star.

name of Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader, known for his roles in Judd Apatow flicks Pineapple Express and Superbad) accidentally sends a machine that turns water into food out into the atmosphere. The town is soon hit by burgers, ice cream and Jell-O and an internturned-weather reporter, Sam Sparks (the unmistakable Faris) is sent to cover the story. At the heart of this rather funny, but also quite sweet feature is some important social commentary about why it’s important to eat right. With the world now crammed with overweight kiddies and noxious food options, it’s great to see that a film’s ‘point’ actually has, well, a ‘point’. It’s not an overtly preachy statement, and it won’t be picked up by everyone, but it’s definitely there. In addition, there’s a nice story about the importance of family and more so, a welcome subplot that explores why some women feel they have to ‘dumb themselves down’ – when they really don’t need to. Even if the little ones don’t take any of that in, they’ll definitely enjoy the mischievous Steve the monkey (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) – so one way or another, everyone’s going home happy. _ CLINT MORRIS

Now you also starred in Summit’s Sorority Row. How have they been to work for? Do you have a three-picture deal with them? I don’t have a deal with them; I have just been fortunate to work with them on several projects. They are fantastic to work for; hopefully I can continue working with them in the future.

Speaking of which, there’s been some talk about having the Volturi spin off into its own film separate from the Twilight series – have you heard the rumours? Would you be interested? I have heard the rumours! If those Justine, what did you know about Twilight rumours became reality, I would of course be before signing onto New Moon. I had seen Twilight, so I knew the thrilled and would definitely be interested in continuing my role as Gianna. plot. I also read New Moon.

But be honest now, were you a fan – and if What’s next for you? Right now I am looking into several so, what team (Edward/Jacob) are you on? I had enjoyed Twilight, but I wouldn’t independent films. They are one of my say I was a hardcore fan. I couldn’t choose passions, so keep an eye out for me. between Rob (Edward) or Taylor (Jacob)! _ CLINT MORRIS

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Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, opening next Thursday, November 26.

ARTILLERY 2009/ COTTONMOUTH SPOKEN WORD NIGHT

AVENUE Q Avenue Q is on now at The Regal Theatre. Bookings can be made through Ticketek. Sesame Street tends to focus on the ‘lighter’ things in life – big birds, sunny days and platonic friendships, but just a few blocks away is Avenue Q, where the gutters are full of trash, the smell of marijuana drifts on the air and the birds aren’t so much big as they are slutty. Sydneysider Luke Joslin is touring Australia with the cast and crew of Avenue Q, and two rather cheeky puppets: Nicky and the Trekkie Monster. Down the line from Canberra where Avenue Q is currently on-show, Joslin reveals that his puppets certainly aren’t just rehashed versions of Bert and Ernie. “Nicky is the good-hearted slacker of the bunch, his housemate is Rod. He spends a lot of time on the couch doing very little but will claim that he’s always busy, but in actual fact he’s not. He’s a bit of a stoner and he likes to mess with Brian who lives upstairs. Brian isn’t a puppet, he’s a human played by David James,” he clarifies. “Nicky is mates with Trekkie Monster – they’re the slackers of the group. Trekkie is the porn addict,” he says honestly. “Both my characters do very little but what they do do, they do to excess. Nicky on one hand spends a lot of time on the couch drinking beer and smoking a lot, and Trekkie spends a lot of time indoors with the blinds shut looking at the internet. His wrist gets a real work-out if you know what I mean. He’s constantly on the go in that department,” chuckles Joslin.

The ARTillery 2009/Cottonmouth Spoken Word Night is on at the Astor Lounge on Thursday, 26th April. Bookings can be made on www. artilleryfestival.com

Natalie Alexopoulos and Luke Joslin operate the Trekkie Monster

With such complicated characters to portray through puppets, you might expect Joslin to be an experienced puppeteer but he explains that quite the opposite is true. “We’re all from different walks of life, but none of us were puppeteers – it’s my first time working with puppets. We all came to the project having not done this kind of work before in terms of the puppetry, so learning those skills was a challenge in itself. Both my puppets are two-people puppets so moving around the stage requires [my partner] to mirror what I do, so that’s a challenge there. We’ve all had to learn these skills over time. The majority of us come from a musical theatre background.” Though Avenue Q is yet to open in Perth, the cast and crew have been touring the production through Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne to rave reviews. “Melbourne and Sydney were

fantastic,” enthuses Joslin. “Everyone who has come to see it has come back two, three or four times, they’ve just loved it. I was standing at the box office here in Canberra yesterday and I overheard somebody who was buying tickets saying they had some family in Melbourne who had seen it and they said ‘you just must go and see it!’. It was really nice to hear that. We tend to turn up, do the show and go home, rarely are we privy to that kind of feedback. “It’s very unique. It’s being marketed as a cool and edgy musical with a difference because it is. It’s not a musical in the traditional sense; it’s unconventional in its approach. The quality of the production and the product itself are just so so good, it would be a shame for people not to see it.” _EMMA BERGMEIER

Cotton Mouth Spoken Word Artillery for Amnesty

Although the concept has been rife with detractors for time immemorial, Art and Politics have been uneasy yet constant bedfellows since human beings developed enough to create art and politics. Indeed there are many artists (Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed springs to mind) who have argued that all art is political, whether or not intentional. The ARTIllery festival unabashedly continues the proud tradition of art as a platform for politics, and this year, it has teamed up with local spoken word organisation Cottonmouth to Demand Dignity - the theme du jour – through an evening with a selection of fine Perth spoken word artists. Despite appearances, however, Jessyca Hutchens, a committee member of Cottonmouth, was quick to ensure that the night would not be one of unsophisticated polemic. “Demand dignity is the theme of the night, which is pretty broad. And we’ve told speakers of the human rights focus, but besides that we haven’t made stipulations of the content. We are hoping that it will come through with the performers. Hopefully some people will address a specific issue and others might be more general, and others might deal with the subject in more abstract ways.” In a local arts scene that has to contend with dwindling audiences as an accepted part of its practice, the Spoken Word poets can boast strong numbers as well as a varying crowd, both of which are of importance at an event like this, targeted as it is to making change through the dissemination of ideas through art. Hutchens explains this diversity,“Just in the range of experience that people have, as well as the kind of content that they are talking about, and the form in which their artwork comes out. We also curate a number of music acts as well for a night. So there is a real spectrum of different performers... In terms of audience, because we program a lot of people each night, there are many different people who come now.” Yet how effective can art be in affecting the minds of the masses? How is art of any kind really able to affect political change? To this end, Hutchens notes the particular power of the Spoken Word format, “I suppose I think that there is a lot of power that comes from people getting on stage and speaking up for something. I think we’re all familiar with the power of the word. It is perhaps more so when it s in a context of someone talking directly to you. On the opening night of the ARTillery Festival everyone had to talk about arts and activism. A lot of artists talked about the history of their art and how it had a political side. We don’t directly promote political issues in Cottonmouth, but it’s been a side product of that because we don’t set too many restrictions. There’s a lot to be said about freedom of speech and there are not a lot of places that will do that.” _JOE LUI

Hittin’ the town since 1985

VISUAL ARTS

Soft Cuts by Fleur Harris

Soft Cuts, William Topp, 452 William Street, Northbridge. Hailing from Melbourne, artist-designer Fleur Harris has been exhibiting works since she was just 16. Harris’ latest exhibition, Soft Cuts, consists of entirely new work, including a range of timber cut and engraved pieces combining illustration and digital and laser processes to create jigsaws, clocks and art pieces with a soft sculptural quality. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, November 29. Standing In Her Light, Greenhill Galleries, 6 Gugeri Street, Claremont. Celebrated Sydney artist, Jason Benjamin, returns to Perth with Standing In Her Light, an exhibition of sensitively rendered and breathtaking landscapes, seductive floral works and thought provoking portraits. In the past, Benjamin’s paintings stemmed from this turmoil; each painting an expose and journey into the depths of such sensitivities. Of recent, Benjamin has become more aware of the physical presence of the land in his paintings, it’s essence, and loiters less in the recesses of his imagination: It is what it is. This change in approach has had a profound effect on his works, with the landscapes in his upcoming exhibition being more refined and complex, and a pure celebration of the raw beauty of the land. E x h i b i t i o n r u n s ’ t i l S a t u r d a y, November 21. Body, Art Gallery Of Western Australia, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth. The human form has been the subjec t of art for millennia. Portraiture has been used to record the look of individuals, and representations of the human body have been enlisted as vehicles for narrative or to communicate emotional states. More recently artists have sought to challenge our understanding of the relationship between bodies and art – both on a physical and conceptual level. This display of artworks from the State Ar t Collection takes the human body as its starting point. Body will focus on corporeality in many guises, from the seemingly simple representation of the human form, to artworks by Indigenous Australian ar tists that are drawn from ceremonial markings on the human body, to works by contemporary artists that are determined by the physical body of the artist or seek to include the body of the viewer within their realm. E x h i b i t i o n o p e n s o n S a t u rd ay, November 21.

Entr y Level, Fre e R a n g e G a l l e r y, 3 3 9 Wellington Street, Perth. Artists Ben Waters and Nick Mahony present Entr y Level, a collaborative installation displaying a showroom of retro refuse and contemporary refusal. Based on their shared interest in a critique of museology, and the mechanics of art exhibitions, Entry Level displays, at its simplest level, a combination of objec t and image, placement and contradiction. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, November 22. Fremantle Print Award, Fremantle Arts Centre, 1 Finnerty Street, Fremantle. Now in its 34th year, the Fremantle Print Award is one of Australia’s most esteemed contemporary art prizes. Of the more than 300 entries, a finely tuned selection of 36 works will comprise the exhibition. Ar tists are vying for the $12,000 Major Acquisitive Prize. Open to living ar tists working within Australia, the award takes an inclusive approach to print. Contemporary printmaking continues to value traditional techniques, but is equally conversant in new media technologies. Emerging artists exhibit alongside high-profile and mid-career practitioners, providing a unique opportunity for collectors to engage with a wide range of printmakers in the one exhibition. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, November 22

in Western Australia’. With 8,076 seats, the Centre was Perth’s largest venue from 1974 until it ‘went dark’ in 2002. Through the decades, the Perth Entertainment Centre was host to all manner of entertainments providing a roll call of legendary names. Among them were Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Alice Cooper, John Denver, Bob Hope, Rudolf Nureyev, Kylie Minogue and the four Swedes we know as ABBA. Exhibition runs ’til Friday, December 11. Admission by cold coin donation. Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. Inbetween, PICA, Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge. is an exploration of the supernatural, inspired by real stories of ghosts and the paranormal as told by three different individuals that artist Richard Lewer has illustrated with his hand-drawn pencil animations. Howling winds and clattering horse hooves accompany this dark and unsettling short film. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, December 20.

Stonewall, PICA, Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge. For his latest solo exhibition, D ominic Redfern presents two major new video works; Stonewall and Mythos. Redfern is a video and performance artist whose practice investigates issues of place and identity. He presents unresolved narratives in theatrical installations that critique the relationship between the artist, the screen and the viewer. A Ce r t a i n M a r i t i m e I n c i d e n t , K i d o g o His most recent work, Stonewall, was shot Arthouse, on the beach at Fisherman’s in 2008 for a solo show at the Centre d’Art Harbour, Fremantle. in Marnay sur Seine in France. In the video, A Certain Maritime Incident documents the the artist climbs through a rocky outcrop gruelling journey of refugees from Iraq, Iran in Tasmania, suggestive of both alpine and and Afghanistan - from leaving their homes lunar landscapes. His winding narration of to their unknown and unimaginable fate. the journey promises the viewer a hidden The circumstances surrounding the sinking meaning that ultimately remains elusive. of the SIEVX (Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel Heightening this tension; the narrative is X) in 2001 in international waters, which sporadically interrupted by the beat of his were under close and regular surveillance body falling to the ground on a screen at the by Australian border protection authorities, opposite end of the gallery. have been blanketed in secrecy and silence. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, December The lack of an official acknowledgement and 20. recognition of the 353 who died has added to the suffering of the survivors and bereaved family members. E x h i b i t i o n r u n s ’ t i l Tu e s d a y, Resist: The Right To Revolution, Western November 24. Australian Museum, Perth Cultural Centre, Faithfool, John Curtin Gallery, Building 200, Perth. Perth tactical media arts group Pvi Collective Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley. Shaun Passmore’s Faithfool puts the idea of resurrect the ancient art of tug-of-war in their faith under a spotlight. The premise for the new participatory performance Resist:The exhibition is an elderly man, disturbed by Right To Revolution as par t of the 2009 scientific evidence that suggests the moon Awesome Festival. Over the course of seven is gradually receding from the planet Earth, days Pvi will invite Perth audiences to the who endeavors to invent ways to slow down Western Australia Museum to stand up for what could become a disastrous event for what they believe in. Armed with a length mankind. His creative mind, extraordinary of rope and with human rights at stake, they faith and determination lead him to transform will battle for an Australian bill of rights. the roof of his humble home into a site for During the performance, a Pvi performer his interstellar operations. Is this a case of will roam the streets of Perth mounting a lunar lunacy or simply a man on a moral guerrilla campaign to test the new world order. Hooked up via a video link, this lone mission? Exhibition runs ’til Friday, November revolutionar y will be screened live into the performance space. The fourth in pvi 27. collectives ‘future belongs to crowds’ series, 1001 Nights At The Perth Entertainment Resist: The Right To Revolution aims to explore Centre 1974 – 2002, Museum Of Performing how different modes of collective behaviour Arts, DownStairs at His Majesty’s Theatre, can generate social change. Season opens on Monday, November Hay Street, Perth. Remember when the tickets to Rod Stewart’s 23, and runs ’til Saturday, November 28. concerts cost an exorbitant $8.90? And the night Bette Davis left the stage to promenade They Call Him Steve, DownStairs At The up one aisle and down the other so those Maj, Hay Street, Perth. sitting in the cheap seats could get a close- In a sophisticated new show Ann Adlem up of the screen Goddess? These are just and Ian Toyne celebrate the work of four some of the many memorable nights recalled of the great Steves of the music world in a colourful exhibition of programmes, Foster, Sondheim, Schwartz and Flaherty. posters and photographs from the Perth Accompanying these Steves is a dangerously Entertainment Centre, the building that sharp witted script by Ian Toyne who employs ‘marked the coming–of–age of show business a combination of conspiratory theories in

PERFORMANCE

Tropical Woollybutt by Dale Couper

Recollections Of Pasture And Bush, Elements Art Gallery, 131A Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith. Exhibiting together for the first time, Jim Duddles and Dale Couper demonstrate their affiliation with the land in visually contrasting fashion. Duddles’ aerial observations of the rural farmland of the Great Southern are informed by an attempt to develop a personal visual language to express the essence of the Australian landscape. Although not strictly pictorial, his paintings endeavor to capture this environment and the addition of calligraphic marks are gestural recordings of his presence in the landscape. Dale Coupers’ magnificent large scale paintings are a celebration of the abundance of wildflowers which can be found in the Australian bush. Couper presents each wildflower in a dazzling ‘close up’ view, a stark contrast to Duddles’ aerial vision. Despite having spent many years in the bush, Couper continues to be struck by the vastness and isolation of our landscape and loves nothing more that to lose himself in the quest for his next subject. Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, December 6.

search of the answer to why all these four composers were named Stephen. Discover some home truths about each composer and the meaning behind some of their most popular songs. Season opens on Friday, November 23, and runs ’til Saturday, November 24. Bookings can be made through BOCS. An Oak Tree, DownStairs at the Maj, Hay Street, Perth. Set in a stage hypnotist’s act, An Oak Tree is a vivid and absurdly comic play about how we fill the gaps in our lives. It’s performed by two actors, one of whom will never have seen or read a word of the play they’re in… until they’re in it! An Oak Tree stars Luke Hewitt and a cast of special guests including some of Perth’s finest actors and favourite personalities. Featuring Peter Barr, Siobhan Dow-Hall, Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Vivienne Garrett, Peter Holland, John Hyde MLA, Geoff Kelso, Michael Loney, Dixie Marshall, Greg McNeill, Sarah McNeill, Tim Minchin, Della Morrison, Kyle Morrison, James Pearson, Lee Sappho, Igor Sas, George Shevtsov, Kav Temperley, Sean Walsh, Alison van Reeken, Bernadette Young and more. Season runs ’til Saturday, December 5. Bookings through BOCS.

UP TO THE CHALLENGE Up-and-coming designers from Challenger TAFE showcased their creations last Thursday, November 12, with a special parade and award ceremony at Deckchair Theatre. Students sent garments down the runway inspired by architecture, alongside creations from former students who are now successful local designers. Photographs by David Chong

Hanne & Clarisse

Esabel, Hannah, Bec www.xpressmag.com.au

Nadia & Therima

Renee & Ross

Carmen, Lou, Elisha

Julie & Felicia 41

FASHION

TREASURE HUNT

At this time last year, Joveeba designer Ali Cotton was busy preparing for Treasure Box, a fashion market to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation Of WA. The event was a total success, with over 450 women turning up to bag a bargain, so Treasure Box will return for 2009. On Sunday, November 29, Royal Park Hall will host a huge fashion market, offering up samples, designer fabrics and accessories. A range of designer will sell their wares at the event, including Tu, Empire Rose, Story By Tang, Katou, Zanthus, Carly Paiker and Generics. To support a good cause and nab yourself a bargain in the process, head along to Treasure Box at Royal Park Hall, located on the corner of Charles and Vincent Streets, North Perth, from 10am to 4pm.

A SENSATIONAL SKILL SET Marnie Skillings at Fashion Talks

Back in 1990, when Australia was busy dancing to the B-52’s new single Love Shack, and Heartbreak High was the TV show du-jour, Marnie Skillings began laying the foundations for her self-titled fashion label. Almost a decade on from stepping into the industry on her lonesome, Skillings now has a team of six at her beck and call, but still has a very hands-on role in the day to day running of the Marnie Skillings label. Skillings will take a short break from work in coming weeks to head to WA for Fashion Talks at the Fremantle Arts Centre; but before she hops a plane to sunny Perth, the Sydney-based designer looks back on the last nine years. “There was no big plan - I’d finished fashion school, I’d been away for a bit of a travel and I was working in retail. I put together a little collection and showed it to a few people and they bought it, it went from there,” she says of her first formal foray into the fashion world. “I’m really happy because the reason I got into design was as a way to live a creative life because my mother was an artist and I loved creating. I studied fine arts but it wasn’t for me, so I realised design was a way to live a creative life,” shares Skillings. “I’m still hands-on from start to finish: choosing fabric, designing fabric and even through the production process. So what comes out at the end is still what I had in mind. That’s important to me.” Though many trends have come and gone in the last decade, Skillings believes her design aesthetic hasn’t changed much, and neither do her friends it seems, “I think it’s evolved in a way that we have really defined our areas and honed those to a more beautiful place. It’s funny you should ask that because I got a phone call out-of-the-blue this morning from an old friend from my teens and he is a school teacher now. He was looking at my website and he said ‘you can still see you in there from when we were teenagers and how you used to dress’. That was really cool for me to hear that.” Skillings’ latest collection All Tomorrow’s Angels celebrates femininity with clean lines and sheer fabrics, adding glamour and sexiness with a touch of sparkles and sequins. Nude tones are punctuated by bright floral prints and sprinklings of magenta, while form-fitting silhouettes are

All Tomorrow’s Angels by Marnie Skillings

juxtaposed with flowing dresses and loose jumpsuits. The diversity in Skillings’ designs ensures that her creations appeal to a wide market, from students to professionals. When asked what ‘look’ she sought to achieve with this collection, Skillings reveals that she wanted to take feminine elements and mix them with unexpected details and fabrics. “I think sexiness can be elegant and vice versa. I don’t think it needs to be one or the other. I’d say my aesthetic is feminine with a twist. You notice things in the collection like the skirts and pants with all the zips, the studded belts – I like to keep a balance so that things aren’t too feminine.” As an individual who has forged themselves a career in the fashion industry from ground up, Skillings is a wealth of knowledge on the fashion industry and has a few words of

advice for student designers looking to enter the industry. “It’s important to know what you’re doing it for and know what you want to achieve out of it so you can go in prepared for that. If it’s to make a lot of money or to make a big business you have to go into it a certain way. It comes across in the design if the designer doesn’t know what they want to achieve. Think about what it is you want to be and then go about being that. Be true to that, don’t be swayed by what’s cool each season because that’s when you become filtered down and it’s not so great.” For more on Marnie Skillings, be sure to head along to Fashion Talks with Jo Pickup at the Fremantle Arts Centre on Wednesday, November 25. Bookings can be made online at fac.org.au or by calling (08) 9432 9555.

Treasure Box

A FORAY INTO FASHION The fashion community gathered at the Fremantle Arts Centre last Wednesday, November 11, for the first edition of Fashion Talks for 2009.The event saw Jo Pickup interview Ant!podium designer Fenella Peacock, in front of a live audience, providing insights into the fashion industry.

Matt & Mia

Photographs by StyleDiscovery.com.au

Erin & Libby

Kate & Julia

Nicole & Sara

Fenella Peacock & Jo Pickup

Hittin’ the town since 1985

TOTALLY GRAD

Perth icon His Majesty’s Theatre has played home to theatrical productions, dance spectaculars and operatic masterpieces but never before have models strutted their way down the stage… until now. On Monday, November 23, His Majesty’s Theatre will become a fashion Mecca for Sixteen Acts, a parade showcasing the collections of Central TAFE’s graduating Fashion and Textile Design students. Each act in this dramatic show will feature a different student and their collection, with aesthetics ranging from grunge to feminine, moody to ethereal, and everything in between. Renowned for producing top-notch graduates, Central TAFE’s fashion department never ceases to amaze, and Sixteen Acts is sure to be no different. Tickets are on sale now for $30 from Pigeonhole: at the Bon Marche Arcade on Barrack Street, or in Shafto Lane.

Anita, Market Manager Katrina Thomson and Toni

Jarrad, Lauren

Stitch, Jonah, Noah

OXFORD GRADUATES

_EMMA BERGMEIER

Designs for Sixteen Acts by Central TAFE students

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Sasha, Ellie, Kara

Photography by Matt Jelonek

The Oxford St Market in Leederville had a cracker of an opening last Saturday for its second summer season. “We had an amazing turn out for our launch,”says Market Manager, Katrina Thomson. “I’d say we had at least 2,000 people come though. They were really cranking through for the majority of the day. I would say a good majority were coming down to our outdoor setting for the first time.” Following an impressive debut season last summer, the Oxford St Market moved temporarily indoors for winter at Aranmore Hall. “It was really important that we maintained the market as a regular event,” Thomason says, “even monthly, after we finished our first summer season as we’d just started to build a reputation and it would’ve been a shame to just disappear for a six-month period. It would have been very detrimental given the effort we’d put in.” For summer, Thomson says the market crew took on board what they’d learnt from season one and complemented it with unique help from new sources. “A lot of the same efforts were put forward this year as they were last year but combining with FashionWA for the launch party made a vital difference,” she explains. “It really helped spread the word and establish the fashion shows that were going on that day

which added a completely new element and launched off the concept of it being primarily a boutique and designers market from the get-go this year. With that we were really able to secure the extra exhibitors and local fashion designers and bring them on board. “From the foundation of having the first year we were able to apply for a grant from the Department of Culture and the Arts and with that generous support it’s really taken this market to the next level.” With a promising start to summer all that’s left is for Oxford St Market to thrive. “I’m hoping that everybody who enjoyed the day so much will be spreading the word to their family and friends about it. We have 35 exhibitors with a primary focus on fashion, accessories and home décor, so we have that as a foundation for what will hopefully be a productive summer. “The vision for the market is for it to turn into a designers’ market and be a regular, viable outlet for local designers to exhibit and start building their collections and start getting feedback from clientele. It’s more established and become quite strong now, and it’s only going to get stronger throughout our next season.” For more details head to www.oxfordstmarket.com.au. _ BOB GORDON

Fremantle feature GIRLY TREASURES

She Seldom Blushes, Fern Vallesi’s jewellery label, is the result of a childhood spent unearthing glittering treasures. The label focuses on unique, one-off pieces and small-batch production ranges that combine new and preloved beads, chain, trinkets and bits of kitsch. The label has recently evolved into a boutique store in Fremantle (The Atwell Arcade), stocking jewellery by local designers, accessories, new and preloved clothing and gifts with an edge. Many items are made from recycled materials including tea tray earrings, leather jacket bags and Golden Book diaries. Stepping through the door is almost like entering a teenagers’ room in the 1960s! Shop 5 (off Atwell Arcade), High St Mall, Fremantle. She Seldom Blushes is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, and Sunday 12pm – 5pm. For more info, give them a call on 9430 8830.

She Seldom Blushes

OUT OF THE ORDINARY

Like something that you might stumble upon shopping in the edgier stores of Melbourne, Fremantle’s Vicious Delicious provides a surprising and different array of fashion you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. Selling alternative guys and girls wear from all over the world, the store has only been open two months but already has a strong and regular clientele. Expect to find lots of punk and tattoo inspired clothing and accessories, alongside rockabilly and boudoir inspired pin-up girl fashion, not to mention plenty of gear for Goths. Open 11am5pm, seven days a week, with late trading on Thursdays and Fridays. To get in contact with Vicious Delicious, call 9433 5126.

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Shop 17, South Terrace Piazza Fremantle, ph 9433 5126. Open every day from 11 - 5, Thursday and Friday 11 ‘til late

jewellery • accessories • clothing • vintage • gifts shop 5, atwell arcade (off high st mall), fremantle ph: 9430 8830 44

Stocking alternative labels from around the globe such as

Folter, Switchblade Stilletto, Lux de Ville and Sourpuss all from the USA, Darkside and Dead Threads from the UK, as well as local labels Shock Culture and Covet Coture with many more to come. Hittin’ the town since 1985

Miss Hawaiian Tropic finalists 2008

BIKINI CRAZY

The Miss Hawaiian Tropic International sees Australia’s most stunning young bikini models representing the best entertainment venues from all over the country, competing for the coveted title, as well as an incredible prize package, that includes a week in Surfers’ Paradise for each finalist, with free accommodation for a week, not to mention trips to Wet ‘N’ Wild, Ripley’s, SlingShot, Bungy Australia and more. The finalists’ fun-filled holiday will also include photo sessions with the media, V.I.P. cocktail parties, and plenty of nightclubbing. The week will culminate with the Australian National Final in Surfers’ Paradise and the crowning of Miss HT Australia. Competition heats will be held at The Clink in Fremantle on Fridays: November 20, November 27, December 4, December 11, with the last final on Friday, December 18. The Clink is located at 14-16 South Tce, Fremantle, and can be contacted on 9336 1919.

The Seaview

SIP AND STAY

Built in 1897, The Seaview is one of Western Australia’s oldest trading hotels, boasting a rich and colourful history that stretches over the last century. The hotel was fully refurbished in 2006 by new owners, Fremantle Dockers duo Matthew Pavlich and Paul Hasleby and business man Rob Forward. The new fit out introduced a courtyard restaurant, wine bar, pool room, bottleshop and alfresco area whilst maintaining 20 refurbished hotel rooms on the first floor. The Seaview’s street front bar offers 16 beers on tap plus a huge range of bottled boutique and international beers. Which means that there’s something for everyone to enjoy, with the added bonus of being able to catch

all the live football and sporting action on the state of the art plasma screens in each area. The Seaview Wine Room or the Restaurant are the perfect place for your next function, whether it is a corporate sundowner, birthday celebration or reunion. Whatever the occasion, the Seaview can tailor complete packages or offer set menus to suit your function needs. Headed by Chef Shane Elphick, the modern Australian cuisine reflects Elphick’s vast international experience, with a menu that changes seasonally to incorporate the freshest seasonal produce. The Seaview Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days, with weekend breakfast from 8am.

U N IVERSAL STRUGG LE TOU R ‘09

D I R E CT

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Saturday Dec 5th

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with Ujahmaa Sound System feat Dizzy Dee (Melb/Kenya/Zim)

and Jah Wisdom, The Empressions, Platinum Galore, Charlie Bucket, DJ Nudz Tix $40 from www.bigtunesmusic.com.au or more on the door 8pm-12am www.xpressmag.com.au

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www.sae.edu free call 1800 723 338 Hittinโ the town since 1985

He’s played drums for Les Savy Fav, Hot Chip, TV On The Radio, and countless punk bands, but Pat Mahoney says that LCD Soundsystem will always remain his dream band to drum for. Mahoney speaks exclusively about the band’s first track in two years (a disco cover of Alan Vega) and LCD’s upcoming album, with DANIELLE MARSLAND. “You have to be on top of it all the time. I felt like I had to learn how to play like in James Brown’s band, where you’re gonna get fired if you fuck up.” So speaks Pat Mahoney on the art of playing drums for LCD Soundsystem. Whilst LCD Soundsystem’s enigmatic frontman Murphy is often the one in the limelight, thanks to his being the founder of dance-punk label DFA Records, Mahoney, co-founder of LCD Soundsystem with Murphy, has long been one of the best disco - and prior to that, punk - drummers on the American music scene, playing in a string of basement punk bands as a teenager, before becoming Les Savy Fav’s drummer, from where he left for LCD Soundsystem.

“Indie rock drumming is complicated and mathematical,” reflects Mahoney on drumming with band Les Savy Fav in comparison to LCD Soundsystem,“When I was a teenager playing in punk bands, the drumming was hyper-repetitive, and you had to be precise. It’s simple: it’s not showy. But what I’ve found is that it’s very difficult to play simply. Disco drumming for me was a return to form. James played on an old band of mine’s first record, and we would talk a lot about drumming, because he’s a drummer too. We both had very strong feelings about drums and the way they should be played. LCD was kinda my dream band to play drums for, he was like my best friend and I were in total agreement with him philosophically. It’s still incredibly enjoyable [playing drums in LCD].” 

CNR LAKE AND JAMES STREETS, NORTHBRIDGE WWW.MINTCLUB.NET.AU

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BLISS N ESO BLISS N ESO BLISS N ESO BLISS N ESO Bliss n Eso are back, and they’re bigger and better than ever. The trio – a diverse bunch comprising of American born MC ‘Bliss’, Australian born MC ‘Eso’, and DJ ‘Izm’ of Moroccan heritage – has certainly come a long way since forming in the late 1990s as three high-school students busting rhymes at the local bus stop. Over the years Bliss n Eso have not only attracted attention through their recorded works, but also have built an unprecedented fan base and reputation through their live performances. Combining impromptu free styling, dynamic beat boxing and cutting edge turntablism with an extremely fluid and energetic stage show has seen the group hailed as having one of the tightest live shows in the country, having toured with some of the biggest international acts to hit our shores including; Xzibit, Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, Jurassic 5 and The Roots.

DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANCE Part of a small nucleus of South London based dubstep innovators, Distance has been a name on everyone’s lips since day one. He is widely recognized as having helped to lay the foundations of what dubstep is and develop what it has become. Distance’s recorded output is also formidable, finding homes on labels as underground and seminal as Hotflush, Destructive and Boka in his early career, to ending up on the world reputed Planet Mu, on which Distance released his debut album in 2007. Also that year he started his own stable, Chestplate. A label set up with the intention of showcasing the freshest of his own productions which have been destroying dances and flooring radio listeners ever since. After just a handful of releases it is already established as one of the increasingly few, ‘buy-on-sight’ dubstep labels. Distance’s onslaught looks set to continue with the recent announcement of a second full length album on Planet Mu!

AMP FIDDLER Amp Fiddler is a celebrated funk-soul musician from Detroit who has shared stages and studios with everyone from Prince and George Clinton to Primal Scream and underground Detroit producer Moodyman. He has released three solo albums and toured extensively throughout the world. Amp also played a pivotal role in bringing Slum Village to global attention, and was a friend and collaborator with their producer, the late James “J Dilla/Jay Dee” Yancey. His warm, expansive, mellifluous music takes stylistic cues from all these encounters, but emerges as earthy, supremely relaxed, and rooted in the funk and soul that Amp feels most connected to.

ROOTS MANUVA ROOTS MANUVA Roots Manuva continues to be one of the most vital, exciting, honest artists working in the UK today. Rodney Smith was born and grew up in Stockwell, South London. His grandfather had come over from Jamacia in the fifties. As he puts it, his family were here to make it big time. They worked hard, went to church, tried to live life the right way. His father was a lay preacher and tailor, a combination which goes some way to explaining the son’s preoccupation with the soul and the suit. Smith made his recorded debut in 1994 as part of IQ Procedure through Suburban Base’s short-lived hip hop imprint Bluntly Speaking Vinyl. He debuted as Roots Manuva the same year on Blak Twang s Queen’s Head single, before releasing his own single,Next Type of Motion the following year through the same label, the hugely influential Sound of Money. 1996 saw the release of his collaborations with Skitz (Where My Mind Is At/Blessed Be the Manner) on 23 Skidoo’s Ronin label. In 1998 he joined the label and the following year released his debut, Brand New Second Hand. From an initial 3000 records put into the shops BNSH has now sold over 60,000 copies in the UK. Big things were now expected of Smith and he delivered with 2001’s Run Come Save Me, the record which gained him a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize and which has sold well over 100,000 copies in the UK (certified gold). More importantly, it spawned the all-time classic Witness (voted the greatest UK hip hop tune of all time by the readers of Hip Hop Connection) 48

JOKER JOKER He burst onto the dubstep and grime scenes in 2008 with the vibrant Grimey Princess and Gully Brook Lane which were released on Earwax and Plastician’s Terrorhythm imprint respectively. His productions possess a rare duality in that they are both instantly identifiable yet impossible to classify. His musical peers include Rustie, Gemmy and Kode 9, the Hyperdub label boss and recognised tastemaker, identified Joker as one to watch when he named him as his protégée for Mary Anne Hobbs hugely seminal follow-up to Dubstep Wars, Generation Bass which was broadcast worldwide on BBC Radio 1. Joker and Nomad’s video can be viewed on Youtube and in testament to the level of interest in this Bristolian talent, continues to be the highest viewed video of the Maida Vale session. His productions are battered by DJs including Appleblim, Pinch, Plastician and Rustie, he’s recently been named Pitchfork’s Producer Of The Year and Kapsize002, his latest release on his own imprint, sold out in two days. As we move into the unknown of 2009, Joker is one of the shining stars that can be seen in the distance.

Hittin’ the town since 1985

SKREAM SKREAM SKREAM SKREAM SKREAM SKREAM Meet Skream: Croydon’s musical wonderkid. At 15, he discovered making music. Five years later he’s changed the course of UK urban music, having helped build the foundations of London’s most exciting new musical style, dubstep. Right now, Skream is an artist on fire. At first Skream specialised in one flavour of dubstep: dark. His clipped, techy minimal style became a trademark sound. Long before grime existed, it reflected dark murky streets and sinister nights, the sound of decaying London and its frustrated communities, stuck out in satellite towns and sink estates with nothing but a PC and freely available software to channel their frustration into. Stuck in front of a PC for days on end, that’s exactly what Skream did. Then two years ago Digital Mystikz burst onto the dubstep scene, expanding the sound with new flavours and vivid colours. Skream became even more inspired. It not like he wasn’t prolific already - rumour has it he’s made over 1500 tracks - but out poured a host of bright new tracks from the wonderkid. But his biggest tune was yet to come. Enter Midnight Request Line - on Tempa records - an anthemic explosion of electro arpeggios and dub sub-bass. It’s a tune you can sing along to: Skream has it as his own ringtone. When it got dropped by DJ Youngsta at club Forward» grime dons Wiley, Jammer and the rest of Roll Deep began to shock out, flashing their lighters out of hard earned respect. Since the huge success of Midnight Request Line UK and International DJ gigs have been coming thick and fast, with Skream getting a rapturous response at New York’s rammed Dub War event, as well as at shows in Leeds, Belgium, Bristol & Germany. He’s also been busy releasing classic after classic on the popular Skreamizm EPs, now into the second volume. It shouldn’t come as any surprise he likes sub-bass, Skream has grown up around it. His older brother was a member of Croydon’s notorious jungle hell-raising raving outfit Intanatty Crew, which featured Radio 1’s Grooverider and Bailey’s 1Xtra as members. Ollie, Skream’s real name, is no stranger to a bit of hell raising himself, famous for his up-for-it behaviour at parties or out on the town. In fact he’s the only known music artist with a subdued alter-ego. Most rock stars are quiet by day with flamboyant alter-egos. Our wonderkid is the other way around. But then that’s wonderkids like Skream for you: unique.

DJ MARKY

DJ MARKY DJ MARKY DJ MARKY

DJ Marky is already a veritable superstar DJ in his homeland, Brazil. Based in Sao Paulo, the clubbing and dance music capital of Brazil, Marky is well established as one of Brazil’s biggest DJs and producer talents. Today, around the world, DJ Marky is considered one of the most exciting DJs/producers in dance music. His phenomenal technical skills and Brazilian flair, his enthusiasm, dedication and character took the world by storm a few years ago; now fully established, he continues to have the same whirlwind effect on dance floors as he did when he first arrived in the UK. Hooked on music from a young age, it was the record shop where Marky worked in the early 1990s that allowed him access to the hardcore sounds that were coming out of the UK at the time. In August 1997, Marky made the most important move of his career by travelling to the UK with Patife, intent on meeting their drum ‘n’ bass heroes and showing them what Brasilian drum ‘n’ bass artists could do. A chance meeting with the Movement promoters and Marky had made an impression. His first set for Movement was as a total unknown playing at the Mass in Brixton, Marky tore the roof off and after finishing his set in the main room was marched in to the second room to play again. Since then his international career has gone from strength to strength. Today, Marky is still tearing up dancefloors the world over, but is still managing to spend a huge amount of time in the studio. He also devotes a lot of his time to the label, Innerground Records, building up the label by signing great tracks by other big names. His DJ schedule is always packed, with regular European and world-wide tours as well as continuing to play to packed clubs and sell-out crowds at festivals in Brazil.

BENGA BENGA BENGA BENGA Imagine the first club you ever get into is, as you step inside, in the process of changing the face of urban music? Imagine you’re only 14 at the time, yet you’re already a producer. Well, Croydon dubstep star Benga doesn’t have to imagine: that is his life. Age 14 the afro-haired producer went to his first club, Forward>> at London’s now defunct Velvet Rooms, the night widely acknowledged for founding the bassy UK garage hybrid, dubstep. Having put in years of graft, Benga, now age 21, is a leading light in the rising global dubstep movement alongside his childhood friend, Skream. This year he drops his debut album proper for Tempa, provisionally entitled Diary of an Afro Warrior, after the mighty mane that sprouts from his head.“If I cut my afro off, I’d have to start again musically,” laughs Benga. Aside from the best haircut in dubstep, Benga has a lot to be happy about. At 15 he released his debut 12” Skank/Dose on one of dubstep’s founding imprints, Big Apple. A&Red by one of the most influential DJs in dubstep, DJ Hatcha, the label was run out of the Croydon shop of the same name, the hangout for much of the early pioneers and future stars such as Artwork, Horsepower, Hatcha, Chef, Plastician and Skream. For years Benga, alongside first Skream, then Loefah, Coki and Mala Digital Mystikz, built exclusive musical ammunition for DJ Hatcha. It was this material, aired by Hatcha alone at Forward>>, that propelled dubstep from UK garage offshoot to innovative genre in its own right. After early mentoring by Arthur from Artwork, Benga refined his trade working for a professional studio, linked to the biggest labels in the world. He produced for grime MCs such as Crazy Titch and Ghetto, before concentrating his output on dubstep in 2005. Since then he’s had releases on electronic stables Planet Mu and Hotflush, self released his own CD and become a respected DJ in his own right, playing throughout Europe and Australasia. Now, all eyes are on Benga’s debut album proper for Tempa, not least because it contains this summer’s largest anthem in Aiya Nappa and Malia. Co-produced with Coki Digital Mystikz, the tune Night is a hit not just with the dubstep heads, but with both grime and funky house crowd. With this between its pages, it sounds like the Diary will be a must-read.

DILATED PEOPLES DILATED PEOPLES As hip-hop culture (DJing, MCing, b-boying, graffiti art and beatboxing) evolved in the late 1970s and early 1980s, two things were hallmarks of the movement: DJing and lyrical excellence. In the last several years, no rap group has done more to champion those elements than Dilated Peoples. The Los Angeles-based trio of Rakaa, Evidence and DJ Babu inject their music with humor, insight and social commentary, and DJ Babu’s cuts add an additional layer of excitement and complexity to the group’s material. The trio’s first three albums -- 2000’s The Platform, 2001’s Expansion Team and 2004’s Neighborhood Watch -- are hailed as exemplary examples of quality hip-hop. So after enjoying the biggest radio and television exposure of its career with the 2004 hit This Way, produced by and featuring Kanye West, Dilated Peoples wanted to make a point that they had a clear vision for their music, hence the 20/20 title for their new album. “We’ve done a lot of experimentation, worked with a lot of different people and tried a lot of different things,” Rakaa explains. “With this record, we wanted to really get back to a real, uncut pure vision and get back to the pure, boom-bap sound that really made us all get together as people and want to make music together.” The group made a point to feature intense production on 20/20, something that makes the album an exciting aural experience that will translate well to the group’s highly regarded stage shows. “We said to ourselves, ‘The energy levels have to be up,’” DJ Babu explains. “A big part of our group is performance. Another way of looking at the songs that we make for the record is things that we’re adding to our live show. That’s another side of us that fans really love us for, having music that translates well onto stage. Rakaa put it well when said, ‘A lot times when we’re in the studio we try to capture the energy that happens on stage.’”

ED RUSH ED RUSH ED RUSH ED RUSH There aren’t many artists who can claim to have changed the face of a genre of music, let alone to have changed that face more than once. Ed Rush however is an exception to that rule. Ever since his first production outings alongside his neighbour (and infamous owner of No U Turn Records), Nico Sykes, Ed Rush has consistently proven he has the ideas and attitude to transform drum & bass and is never afraid to push that infamous envelope. Ed Rush’s team up with another great musical mind, Optical, unleashed upon the world an album, a label and an audiological echo that would inspire thousands of copycat producers and spawn an entire generation of artists who, even a decade later, would still strive to come close to that Virus sound. Dropping their immense debut album, Wormhole, upon an unsuspecting scene, Ed Rush & Optical literally created an entirely new set of rules for succeeding in drum ‘n’ bass: Take a set of tracks considered too edgy for the major players of the time, add your own label and a pinch of self determination and you end up with what is widely regarded as the best drum ‘n’ bass LP of all time! Never a pair to rest on their laurels though, the lads have since moved through three more critically acclaimed albums, The Creeps, Original Doctor Shade and the incredible semi-live project Chameleon, all with their own individual styles and personalities. 2009 sees them tackle the release of their fifth long player, Travel The Galaxy a project which promises an eagerly awaited injection of that classic Virus future funk with a blend of today’s production techniques that will prove hard to resist.

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2 REEL

FRESH MAKERS

MELINKI MADNESS The Valve DJ competition is one of the biggest in the UK, and DJ Melinki recently took out first place, as judged by Dillinja, Lemon D and Bailey, and witnessed by over 1,000 people on the Valve soundsystem. After this, Melinki was asked by DJ Bailey to feature on his BBC radio show, which is the biggest drum ‘n’ bass radio show in England, and Baily has also requested Melinki’s help on tour. Catch this much sought after DJ when he plays Rise, Northbridge on Saturday, November 28. Support from residents Greg Packer & MC Xsessiv, Rousa, Simon Barwood and Steven Tranzor. Door sales only from 9.45pm. Rise members $5 before 11pm, $10 thereafter. Nonmembers $10 before 11pm, $15 thereafter.

NEWS

It’s market time again and the freshest new talent in Perth is on display at the Ambar growers market night of nights: Fresh Produce. Having sampled some of the best up and coming new DJs from the barrels, boxes, cartons and crates of the WA dance music collective, Boomtick hand picks the highest quality produce for a night of beats, breaks and bass for this all out market extravaganza. Coming from the depths of the south west Darcy brings a little bit of disco, a little bit of funk and a whole stack of party to get the doors open and the room cooking. Dead Easy returns for a second slice of the Fresh Produce pie with a farm load of breakbeat ready to harvest! Stepping into the hot soup for their Ambar debut, the dynamic duo of Important Notice brings a proper minestrone of sounds from broken beats to techy treats. International man of mystery Victor slides out of the shadows wielding the chunkiest of broken electro and big time blog boy ELKTRNX rounds out the package with the fire required to keep the place bubbling till close. Friday, December 4 at Ambar, Perth. Doors open 10pm for $12/8.

STEP UP, TICK TOCK TALENT

Mind Electric

NO MORE FRISKY BUSINESS After three years, a tonne of DJ superstars, and night upon night of endless parties, this end sees weekly Saturday night-er Frisk come to a close. Frisk’s last night, which doubles as its third birthday, will close with a tail of achievements behind it, including being awarded titles like Best WA Club Night, Runner Up Most Popular Club Night, and holding the gong for being the second longest running weekly sequential club night in Australia! Frisk’s long list of performers over the years have been impressive: Princess Superstar and Dirty South, to Mark Doyle, Funkagenda and D Ramirez to name a few. But fear not, Frisk lovers: Frisk will return to Perth soon in an all new form, stay tuned! In the meantime, they’re setting up shop in Kuala Lumpur for a while… Head down to Bar Open (upstairs) this Saturday night, and raise a glass, and remember the memories, with the Frisk all stars DJing on the night: TankTop, Mind Electric, Rob Sharp, Chiari, Andreas Sadler, Carl Drake and Cam Duff.

LOADED WITH VALUE Melinki

EARLY BIRDS NEARLY FLOWN! Early bird tickets for RTRFM’s annual dance music festival on the grassy grounds of Hyde Park, Seriously Sound System, end tomorrow, Friday, November 20, so hurry along to the RTRFM reception at 642 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, or hit http://www. rtrfm.com.au/events to grab your ticket for $10 (subscribers) or $15 (general). After Friday, tickets will be $15 for RTRFM subscribers and $20 for general admission. Subscriber tickets will be available online at http://www.rtrfm.com.au/events and at the RTRFM reception, whilst general admission tickets will be on sale from Mills, 78 Records, Planet, from the station and on the RTRFM website. Admission will be more expensive on the door on the day if available. Seriously Sound System on Sunday, November 20, at Hyde Park, from 12pm-10pm.

SALTLIST

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ALBUMS PUSHING OUR WRITERS’ BUTTONS THIS WEEK… VARIOUS The New Gold Standard 2 VITALIC Flashmob VARIOUS Godskitchen Boombox FANU Homefree ALIX PEREZ 1984 VARIOUS Renaissance Mix Collection: M.A.N.D.Y. VARIOUS Kitsune Maison Compilation 8 CLAUDE VONSTROKE Bird Brain BOYS NOIZE Power TORI AMOS Midwinter Graces 50

Nymfo

DUTCH DRUM ‘N’ BASS Amsterdam’s Nymfo has spent the past twelve years headlining drum ‘n’ bass shows around Europe and the world, and is widely regarded as one of the most talented up and coming deejays in the scene, a tag confirmed with his being awarded the Best Dutch Drum and Bass DJ in 2004 and 2007. As well as being the mastermind and organizer of one of the number one events in the Netherlands, Red Zone, which attracts some of the scene’s biggest names, Nymfo’s production out put has been of incredibly high quality, with his productions picked up by major labels like Andy C’s RAM Records, Renegade Recordings, Critical Recordings, Frequency Recordings and Shogun Limited. He’s not from The Netherlands, but Perth’s Shock One is every bit the same pro as Nymfo. From his origins in a band with Rob & Gareth from Pendulum, through to his recent assault on drum ‘n’ bass dance floors worldwide, ShockOne’s just put two European tours to rest, and has a full length album in the works. Catch Nymfo, ShockOne, Phetsta, Access, Linesaw, Deflo and MCs Bear and Rtillery at a very special edition of The Cube, on Friday, November 27, at Shape, East Perth. $10 before 11pm; $15 thereafter.

An super edition of Loaded Dice’s Heavyweight Soundz hits Perth this weekend, with the line up headed by DJ Friction, Break, MC SP, and MC Lowqui. Presale tickets are available for $55 plus booking fee, or if you fancy heading to the edition of Heavyweight set for January 25, 2010, featuring Andy C and MC GQ, plus more to be announced, now is your chance to grab an awesome double ticket pack for both sows for $100 plus booking fee. The January 25 edition is $60 plus booking fee, so that’s over $120-30 worth for only $100! Head to loadeddice.com. au to purchase your double ticket pack, else call the DJ Factory on 9228 1911. Single tickets on sale through moshtix. com.au(.)

SPICY REGGAE Hailing from a musical family that includes his older brother Pliers (from the deejay/ singer duo Chaka Demus and Pliers of Murder She Wrote fame), singer Spanner Banner and DJ Snatcher Dogg, singer Richie Spice is the Gideon of contemporary reggae. Armed with just a microphone, onedrop rhythms and purifying lyrical flames, the publicly declared “prince of fire” chants culturally uplifting, spiritually fortified words to defeat the negative content that informs much of popular Jamaican music and his music has been a revelation to all music fans. Catch Richie Spice on Saturday, December 5, as he performs on the outdoor stage of the Railway Hotel in North Fremantle. Support from Dizzy Dee (Melbourne/Zimbabwe), Ujahmaa Sound System (Melbourne), and local acts Jah Wisdom, The Empressions, Platinum Galore, Charlie Bucket and DJ Nudz. Tickets are $40 through www.bigtunesmusic.com.au, or more at the door. Straight from the ghettos of Kingston, to you.

Richie Spice

TEKNIK TREAT

LOKAL LADIES Perth’s electronic community gathers each Friday night at inner city watering hole Bar 138 to hear the sounds of some of the best local DJs around. This Friday, Lokal chases up its one year anniversary last week with a Femme Fatale edition, featuring an all-female DJ line up, curated by tech DJ Angelbel. Head over to Lokal to hear the very fine selections of Nina Van Dyke, Lucid Dreaming/ Democracy resident and purveyor of ambient tech. She’ll be joined by Miss Tokyo, Needlenurse and Angelbel, with support from Progress Inn. Entry is free, with drink specials all night. Doors open 6pm, so cruise by after a hard day’s work to revel in some great sounds, before heading out on the town later in the eve.

Are you Perth’s next prince or princess of party? Fancy yourself a don or duchess behind the decks? Well, good news, folks: Shape’s popular dance weekly Tick Tock is holding a DJ competition for budding DJs. So long as you don’t have a club residency anywhere, throw your best 30 minute mix of electro, indie, disco, Baltimore, house or ‘whatever makes the kids lose their shit’ to ticktock@shapebar. com.au before Tuesday, Novedmber 24, for your chance to be Tick Tock’s next DJ superstar! Plus, the winner gets a set at Origin NYE this December, which means a chance to play alongside some of the world’s hugest electronic artists. They’ll also score the opportunity to join the Tick Tock DJ Roster, $500 cash, a pair of RPDJ1200 Headphones a $100 voucher from Mills Records. The runner-up will receive 2 Tickets to Origin NYE. The first round of heats kicks off on Saturday, November 28 downstairs at Shape, with the final taking place on December 26. $5 Before 11pm, $10 thereafter. For more info, email ticktock@shapebar.com.au or hit up the news section of www.shapebar. com.au(.)

Petrosex

GET GLITTERY If you’ve been feeling like you want to unwind and get a little silly on the dancefloor, head to Bar Republic (cnr Shafto Lane and Wellington St) this Friday for Glitterwomb, a night of dancing and fun that used to take place in Fremantle, but has now moved innercity. Leave your inhibitions at the door and throw yourself about to the music that makes you yell and smile, with your host Fknmidas on the decks making it all possible, with support from Mickey Juice and Petrosex, whose mix of soul and disco will keep your sillies on til the early hours. From 10pm ‘til late, $5 on the door. Get intoxicated with Glitterwomb happiness!

As a DJ, New Zealand native Teknik has played alongside a long list of drum ‘n’ bass heavyweights, not to mention being a headlining act in his own right, having played nights across Australia and New Zealand. Teknik has also made a name for himself as a producer, and has shared the studio with the likes of Bulletproof, The Upbeats, Phace, Psidream, Dose, Trei, Menace, Cern and Nymfo. In the process he has racked up a string of releases on a diverse selection of labels, including Renegade Hardware, Soul:R, Project 51, Horizons Music, Citrus, Cyanide and Nightfall. Also boasting releases, on labels such as BSE , Technique and Habit, Rregula, one half of drum ‘n’ bass power duo Bad Robot (along with NZ’s Phetsta) has recently played shows in Europe, the US, and across Australia, and joins Teknik, Concept, Sempu, Skoptix and Decept at The Cube on Friday, December 4. $10 before 11pm; $15 thereafter Hittin’ the town since 1985

TOCK

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HUG

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CH PACK R E M J D N O N E FREE D

Available at u1/222 James St, Northbridge. Ph 9228 1911 www.xpressmag.com.au

DROP THE LIME VERY SUPERSTITIOUS Luca Venezia is the American-Italian electronic DJ/Producer behind alias DropThe Lime and the infamous Trouble And Bass parties. ANGELA KING checks in with the super spunk ahead of his top spot at Stereosonic Festival next week. At only 25, Venezia has accomplished many exciting things as part of a flourishing career within the electronic music scene. Born in New York, he praises his home town for inspiring him to produce music: “The city, the music, the fashion, the food, the laughter, the sadness... Everything that keeps a city thriving is what inspires me. New York City plays the biggest influence, since I travel a lot. A lot of new cities have been playing a massive inspiration on my song writing process.” His Italian heritage still plays a huge

SUPER END OF UNI PARTY NEXT WEDNESDAY

DRINK SPECIALS FROM 8:30PM

Drop The Lime

part in his life, which becomes more apparent when he explains the meaning behind the fruity name :“Sicilian superstition; limes are the wealth of the evil,” he remarks. Venezia also produces under the alias Curses! But can’t foresee that side project to ever take over from the Lime business,“Never. Curses! is a vampire who creeps out when the proper situation has been hailed.” Party night-cum-record label, Trouble and Bass, was initially a modest endeavour undertaken by Venezia as a bit of fun, “It started in college as a way to have house parties with better music. Eventually it progressed into a party in Brooklyn, and then a creative outlet for music, t-shirts, video... the members have changed a lot, but right now seems the most right: AC Slater, The Captain, Star Eyes and myself.” Venezia is about to release a new album but remains tight lipped on the details “I am surprised at the direction [the new album has] taken. I can’t wait till I can let the world hear what I’ve been doing!” His live sets feature live vocals on original compositions, so to get a better idea, it is best to see the man perform. Warsaw, Lausanne and Singapore have been recent stop off’s on his Set Me Free tour, and Venezia is ready to smash up the dance at Stereosonic Festival, which will be his second visit to Australia. “I’m ready to really bring the bass! I love playing in Australia, you are a fantastic crowd! I played at this ‘Disney-rave’ themed party for Starfuckers in Sydney last trip over that was insane.” Playing to a large crowd as he explains, is always a thrilling experience: “Playing for festivals is madness, when you click with the crowd you can make the craziest things happen. A sea of people singing along to your song, or a mosh pit breaking out to dubstep... it is a massive adrenalin high.” DROP THE LIME SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 @ STEREOSONIC, CLAREMONT SHOWGROUNDS

SIA BRAIN BATH Singer-songwriter Sia Furler tells ADAM BAIDAWI that she’s no genius, but she knows how to write a song or two. In 2009, ‘quirk’ and female pop singers are going hand-in-hand. Sia Furler (possibly the best thing to come out of South Australia since Shaun Michallef), has managed to balance her tensions brilliantly between pure pop and her charismatic experimental electro. And it’s not an easy balance to nail. But Sia has made an art of leading the double life of a truly collaborative songwriter and enigmatic art performer. And what better place to do it than New York City? “I’ve been here for about two and a half years,” she says happily down the phone line. “I guess it feels like it’s home now. It’s where I spend the majority of my time.” Currently on a break after a string of international shows, she’s not adverse to relaxing. “It’s my favourite thing to do: to watch reality television with my dogs in my memory foam bed. But I tend to throw parties at my house – we sometimes have a tequila night. I’d rather get mangled in private these days.” These days, of course, is life after her juggernaut international exposure the past 18 months, all whilst touring latest LP Some People Have Real Problems. It’s been an eye-opening time for the 33 year-old. “It’s not really me that brings the diversity to each show – it’s the audience,” she tells. “When some people heckle me, I really enjoy it. That’s what makes every night special for me.” As far as the duality of her career – Sia’s firm on which camp she’s set in: “To be honest – I really just want to write songs for other pop stars. I really don’t enjoy touring. I don’t enjoy talking about myself all the time for fucking five months during a promotional period, answering the same questions… it just seems really narcissistic to me. It doesn’t feel right,” she shrugs. “I want to be a songwriter.” Away from the masks, fluorescent paint and black lights, the greater musical world is starting to credit Sia as a bonafide modern day songwriter – and one of a precious few that can compliment quirk and emotional sincerity with credibility. “Well, fucked if I know [how to do it]. And if I have managed to convey that, then fucking awesome – that was a mistake, and I’m so glad. I think probably the majority of the time that it comes across as shit is when it’s highly contrived. For me, writing a song is like having a brain bath.”

Sia “I find that the less reverent you are, the more likely you are to come across as genuine,” she explains. “There’s just so many songwriters and performers out there that take themselves so seriously, and I know because I’m here and I’m doing it and I know that you don’t have to be fucking genius or an artist or special in any way – that’s just what god gave me.” “That’s the thing that I got. It’s no better than being able to parallel park really, really amazingly – it’s just what I got out of the goodie bag.”

SIA TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 @ ASTOR THEATRE, MT LAWLEY

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

Pat Mahoney Mahoney and Murphy, in addition to their LCD Soundsystem work, are two of New York’s most in-demand disco DJs. Murphy’s monthly Tuesday night DFA parties, which began at APT in NYC soon after the formation of the DFA label in 2001, fostered a micro-scene of sorts, with the duo being the first people to bring over the likes of Optimo, Headman, 2manydjs, Rub N Tug, and Blackstrobe from Europe to DJ at the parties, with the idea that disco, indie, and techno numbers could be played side-by-side (prior to that, Murphy often played disco cuts at rock shows). Today, Mahoney and Murphy are constantly booked for DJ bills around the world, where their (mostly vinyl) sets are apt to encompass anything from choppy old disco to more electronic disco, as per their campy disco mix on 2007’s FabricLive 36 compilation. However, for a long time, Mahoney knew zero to nothing about disco. His knowledge of disco drumming stemmed from his experience playing drums in punk bands, combined with exposure to NY’s band scene, as he recalls: “I didn’t know anything about disco, at all. I think I shared the cultural prejudices against it that a lot of people my age had. I was too young to experience it in any meaningful sense, I was six in 1979.I was eventually exposed to disco through the music of NY downtown bands, like Liquid Liquid, and ESG – who were basically punk bands, but who were playing around with the disco aesthetic.” It comes as no surprise then, that LCD Soundsystem’s latest track, leaked online just a few months ago, is a twelve minute long disco cover of Alan Vega’s (Suicide) Bye Bye Bayou, from his 1980 solo debut. Mahoney and Murphy have also recently made a video clip to accompany their cover. “It was a song we’ve been wanting to cover for a decade probably,” says Mahoney of LCD’s latest offering,“James and I just love Suicide they’ve been one of our influences for a long time. We tried to cover it before in another situation, but it came together for this one.” Whilst Mahoney is unsure whether Bye Bye Bayou will make it onto the new LCD album,he’s confident the album is set for release this upcoming March or April.When asked how the new album will deviate from 2007’sSoundOfSilver,Mahoney replies: “It sounds pretty different to Sound Of Silver, I don’t think it’s a follow up. It still sounds like LCD Soundsystem. I don’t quite know how to describe it – maybe early Berlin style? I’m very excited about it, I think it’s great.” After the intense onslaught of touring and promo for Silver, the band took a break (“We all just… chilled for a while. After almost a year away from home, we all needed it,”) and worked on various side projects, says Mahoney “I did some tracking for Al from Hot Chip for a side project they’re working on, which I believe is called Silent Jest, although I’m not sure what the final form will take. I was in London playing Fabric, so I just went and hung out in the Hot Chip studios for a while. I’ve also been playing with my friend Gerard from TV On The Radio a little bit. And Nancy Whang (keyboardist, LCD Soundsystem) and I have a side project we’re working on a release for.” Since July, LCD have been back in action, having already recorded half the new album at an “abandoned mansion”, but, says Mahoney, “now we’re back in New York, finishing [the new album] off, in a studio called Planteen, on 13th street in Manhattan. It’s where the first Rapture record was done, it’s where many, many things have happened.” The group choose not to record LCD work in the DFA studios in the West Village, says Mahoney “We typically don’t do LCD records there, because that’s where the label headquarters is, and it’s hugely distracting for James to work there.” Before the album hits in March, Mahoney and Murphy plan to squeeze in one of their infamous DJ sets at Summadayze in early January. After that, its back to a relentless touring schedule for LCD Soundsystem, one that Mahoney agrees, is all consuming. “I don’t ever want to do it if it becomes just a job. It’s so demanding, so it’s something that I feel I only want to do so long as I really believe in it 100 percent.”

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (DJ SET) SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2010 @ SUMMADAYZE, SUPREME COURT GARDENS, PERTH Hittin’ the town since 1985

D’JULZ

TES LA ROK FORWARD THINKING MUSIC

THE FAMILY D’JULZ D’Julz’s Bass Culture parties, and corresponding record label, are widely respected in clubbing circles. D’Julz reflects on the start of both with CHRIS HONNERY.

Jani Niiranen, AKATes La Rok, has carved his own path within the dubstep scene. ANGELA KING talks shop ahead of his second visit to Perth.

“Music has been my calling since I was a small kid... I made my first ‘tunes’ in the ‘80s with a commodore c64 when I was just like nine or 10 years old.” From youth to adulthood, music has always taken priority in the life of Tes La Veteran French producer Julien Veniel, aka Rok. It is only in the last few years however, D’Julz, first emerged as part of the acid house that most have come to know the man’s scene in the early ‘90s. Spinning underground talent with his banger tune and dubstep raves around Paris, D’Julz was just beginning anthem of 2007, his remix of Uncle Sam’s to establish himself among the region’s Round The World Girls. The tune featured on foremost DJs when he moved to New York the breakthrough mix Fabriclive37 – Caspa for a year. & Rusko, won best 12’’ at the dubstepforum. “It was a risk at the time,” he admits. com 2007 awards and has rocked dance “I left Paris when everything was starting floors with its dub Rastafarian vibe ever to happen for me with the DJing - I’d just since. La Rok runs his own label, Noppa released my first mix CD for example. Still, Recordings, which is an outlet for production it was an amazing time to be in New York not only of his own, but also that of talented … I came back to France with much more friends. knowledge of club culture and I was lucky to “The last release was a collaboration pick up where I left off.” between Kromestar, Distinction and I. The Not only did he continue where he next one is a massive 12” EP Desto EP. This left off, he managed to land a residency at wonder boy is really one to watch. He’s the Rex club, where a certain Laurent Garnier been getting massive support from Joker was making a mark pushing previously to Kode9.” Fans have more reason to look unchartered house sounds.“There was two or for ward to future releases with La Rok’s three clubs where you could hear acid house fo r t h co m i n g d e b u t a l b u m , “ i t ’s a l m o s t and the Rex was one of them… but it was still a rock club, there was only one night of there… well, almost. Just have to finish a few the week that you could hear house,” D’Julz more beats,” he jests. recalls. “Then, around ’95/’96, it became the first ever electronic music club in Paris. They asked me if I wanted to do a night and I’ve stayed there until now! It’s the only place in France I could see myself playing that often - they stay underground with their programming and I try and do the same thing with my nights; I’m always trying to recruit new names and push things forward. That’s probably why I’m still doing it - I want to keep it exciting, not doing the same old thing.” D’Julz’s Bass Culture parties have hosted everyone from Josh Wink to Magda over the past decade, and with the brand widely recognized in clubbing circles the Frenchman recently decided to take ‘the next step’, launching the Bass Culture record label.

Much of what goes on within the ever evolving and expanding dubstep scene happens in the UK; this fact however has been no restraint for the Helsinki based artist, as he prioritizes his home town scene before any other. La Rok took it upon himself to cultivate his home scene, resulting in the night Slam It, which has run for four years now. The night crosses genres but always keeps the quality high, as he explains: “Vibes are good. More eyes down I’d say. The crowd is really good too, they appreciate all forms of dubstep -not just head banging or eyes down stuff, we have got line ups that kind of represent most of the sound. “It’s the way I like it,” he adds “To me it’s all about music, not just sub-genres or so. It’s been growing steadily but I don’t want it to be too main stream. I rather keep it more underground. Keeps the vibes real - no posing, it is all about music and the positive vibes.” Returning to Perth this year, La Rok is headlining the last Someone Say Dubstep show ever alongside controversial drumfunk god Paradox. While it is a sad sight to see the end of SSD, the night is shaping up to be the biggest one yet, as the artist affirms:

Tes La Rock

“Got a lot of dubs, stuff that hasn’t been heard - not even on radio; big tunes from Distance, Kutz, Joker, Skream, plus lots of unheard tunes from my for thcoming album as well! Rolling beats mixed with deep and dark riddims - forward thinking music.” TES LA ROCK FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27 @ THE FINAL RINSE, AMBAR, PERTH

D’Julz

“I’ve been wanting to do a label for some time but I wanted to focus on my production first. You don’t want to do it just to do it, and I thought this year was the right time. In terms of style of music the reason I kept the same name as the night at the Rex is for me it’s part of the same thing, it’s another way to push the music I like and give it to the audience. The artists I sign on the label and the people I invite to play for my nights, they all play the music I like – it’s the same concept.” Despite a downturn in record sales due to the increased digitization of music – and the possibility to download music illegally through the Internet – D’Julz affirms that the label is primarily a passion project. “It would be a challenge if I was doing it for the money or to make a living out of it but that’s definitely not my goal. I know how the market is so I’m not expecting to make a living out of it, I’m just hoping I won’t lose too much money because that’s not the goal either! It’s really an expression, to share the music I like with other people and also to push the career of young producers that I really believe are talented.” D’JULZ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 @ AMBAR www.xpressmag.com.au

PETER KRUDER SOUND CHAMPION

SURKIN KID ON THE PULSE

Peter Kruder, of Austrian duo Kruder & Dorfmeister, has released an Knob twiddling young Frenchman Surkin is just about ready to release his album of his favourite songs based on a series of audiophile sessions debut album, he tells RZ that it’s been in the works since he was just 17. called The Listening Series. RZ gets the down (tempo) low. Surkin might come across as a young and Doing things slightly left of centre has never been something that’s intimidated the kings of down tempo. Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister are champions of that sound - never swayed by trends, they have always done what was important to them – it just so happens that they’ve picked up a swag of adoring fans in the process. Lately, Kruder’s been searching for something altogether different, however, as he reveals when he speaks to us of the motives behind his latest release, Private Collection: “It just started with a series of ideas called The Listening Sessions where we had people in an audience for a couple of hours and all we did was play records for them,” says Kruder, “This was music that was interesting to listen to rather than to dance to. That’s why I hope listening people get into it!” With fac ts in hand, K ruder set butchoosing a bunch of tracks he decided you could listen to more than a handful of times. “I was listening for timeless music. It is of course difficult to find those without getting bored – so from 60 or 70 tracks I boiled it down to the last few and tried to structure something that would flow.” Private Collection differs wildly from Kruder’s work with Dorfmeister: “It is very different to the way I play when I play with Richard. This is strictly what I would play in my living room; it’s more from that kind of angle. It’s for listening and sitting down. “As I say, the idea came from when I was together with some friends listening to music and we thought it would be interesting to release a compilation of music that isn’t necessarily from the dance music spectrum. Some of these tracks I was listening to when I was a teenager; so it spans my whole life and it’s music that I’m still listening to. “Everyone has a different theme and idea about this sort of thing; the idea is to take your life in music, put it onto a CD and have it reflect more about your life with music and what inspires you and what is important, rather than what you are performing right now.”

Peter Kruder

PETER KRUDER PRIVATE COLLECTION [INERTIA/G-STONE]

impressionable Frenchman, but the reality is that he is becoming quite influential in his own sphere of expertise. Call it house, call it electro – call it what you will – but it’s all happening in this man’s world – and not before time. “I’m 24 now,” chimes the youngster in a recent chat. “I grew up in the south of France and I started doing music when I was 17 or 18 and by playing with a computer and some random bits of software. I just started doing more and more music and less and less graphic design! That is what I was studying at the time! By that time, I had released my first tracks on Institubes and from that, more and more people asked me to play and then more and more it built up, right to where I am right now!” As mentioned, his softly spoken demeanor shouldn’t mislead you – this guy is super hot right now. Everything he touches turns to gold and everyone wants a piece of the action –Surkin puts it down to his influences being brought up. “I think my music right now really reflects what I’m listening to. I’m enjoying a lot of old school house; a lot of rap music – it’s really a mixture of old acid and early house and maybe with a French twist in it.” Laughing, he admits it isn’t easy to describe your own music, but he does suggest that he continues to keep his finger on the pulse, continuing to produce things that people might like to hear, produce and play. “Actually, I’m influenced in a lot of different ways. I’m really a musical geek! I’ve been influenced by a lot of music and get inspired by anything: from the way that a producer did a hi-hat in the 1980s or maybe the way someone produced and mastered a track that was completed last month. I’m taking little bits from what I like and then come up with something which is a mix of what I like.” Indeed it isn’t just what he likes that is getting airplay – Boyz Noize, French buddy DJ Mehdi and even Justice have had the privilege of having knob twiddles by Surkin. It just highlights his versatility and likewise, his ability to appeal to and please different crowds. To that end, he is busy head-down working on his debut artist album, which is expected to ruffle the feathers of a few

Surkin electronica fans the world over. “Yes, its true - I’m working on my first album which is going to be released early next year – I’m 90% done with it and it’s really coming together. Then I think I will start doing remixes again, but I’m really focused on the album right now.” Likewise, the album isn’t necessarily an easy out – for Benoit Heitz (his real name) hasn’t taken a bunch of tracks previously released and thought about cashing in. “A lot of tracks on the album aren’t really good for release as a 12 inch,” he says. A little indulgent, perhaps even a little experimental, don’t expect it to be anything other than brilliant though. “On the album, I’m trying to show the different parts of what I’m doing as a producer, so it’s going to be an eclectic album with a lot of influences and ideas in it. I hope it’s going to be the work I’ve been wanting to do for years.” Finally – and most importantly – Surkin is on his way back to Australia, playing Stereosonic next week, and he’s just as excited as we are: “I’ve been to Australia twice before – I played Good Vibrations last year and one other time – I’m looking forward to coming back to Australia – it is one of the best audiences in the world in my opinion. I will play my music and try to mix the old and new tracks, but with energy. I can’t wait and I hope it’s going to be a surprise for me too.”

SURKIN SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 @ STEREOSONIC, CLAREMONT SHOWGROUNDS

ALBUM PREVIEW TOUR DON’T MISS YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO HEAR TRACKS FROM PENDULUM’S EAGERLY ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM! SPUN BY THE ORIGINAL TRIO!

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Hittin’ the town since 1985

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The search is on for Perths newest Prince of the Party, Don of the Decks, Master of the Mix...

There can be only one.

HEAT 1 : Nov 28th HEAT 2 : Dec 12th FINAL : Dec 26th Downstairs @ SHAPE // 237 Hay St East Perth Doors open 10pm // $5 Before 11pm, $10 thereafter

The winner will score a DJ set at Origin NYE Festival alongside some of the worlds biggest artists, the opportunity to join the Tick Tock DJ Roster, $500 cash, Vouchers from Mills Records and more. Submissions are now open to all Electro/Disco/Indie/Baltimore/House DJs from Perth. Send your demo mix + contact details to ticktock@shapebar.com.au or drop a CD in to Shape before Nov 24th See www.shapebar.com.au for more information

www.xpressmag.com.au

URTHBOY POLISHED OFF

Urthboy/ Horrorshow/ Polo Club Amplifier, Perth Saturday, November 14 With 27 shows under their belts, Sydney acts Urthboy and Horrorshow were looking forward to a big finish to the national Spitshine tour on Saturday. As a long line of punters queued outside to be processed by the Amplifier’s fingerprint scanners, Melbourne hip hop / electro duo Polo Club kicked off the night with a set drawing from their debut album The 13. Horrorshow were up next. Although they were touring to promote their second album Inside Story, which recently scored some heavy airplay as Triple J’s Feature Album, their set drew heavily from their 2008 debut The Grey Space. Their laidback, contemplative music didn’t get the fans moving much, but the punters still made plenty of noise. Horrorshow peaked with crowd favourite No Rides Left and their latest single Thoughtcrime, although they finished with the reflective Walk You Home – a nice way to end the set, but not a particularly exciting or memorable one. Urthboy arrived at 11pm, joined onstage by Hermitude’s Elgusto on the decks and fellow Herd member Jane Tyrrell on

Urthboy (Pic: Matt Jelonek)

Jane Tyrrell, Elgusto and Urthboy (Pic: Matt Jelonek)

backing vocals. He was also sporting a crutch thanks to a soccer injury sustained earlier in the week – not that a casual observer of his set would have noticed. “I’m not looking for excuses. Tonight we cut sick, officially,” he declared before launching into The Signal. The crowd was buzzing, especially after Urthboy laid down the challenge “If I can jump, you can jump.” The energy levels remained high through crowd favourite No Rider and Over Before It Began, a simmering battle of the sexes between Urthboy and Jane Tyrrell that showed off their fantastic onstage chemistry. Elgusto showed off his drum machine skills with a live remix of Amerie’s One Thing, before Urthboy launched into his recent, electro-tinged single Ready To Go, 2007 Triple J favourite We Get Around and the satirical Hellsong. “This is the last goddamn gig of the tour!” Urthboy declared to loud cheers. “Do you feel the spirit enough to shout down whatever the fuck Ladyhawke’s doing next door?” To the crowd’s merit, they gave it their all to be heard next door in Capitol. The gig finished with a bouncy, reggae tinged remix of Mary J Blige’s Family Affair, with Urthboy inviting Solo and Polo Club’s Urban Monk to join him onstage. By the end of the song they were in the crowd, clearly having a ball celebrating the end of a successful tour. JOSHUA HAYES

RAHZEL

MAKING NOIZE Rahzel/ DJ JS-1/ Bitter Belief/ DJ Armee/ DJ Bonez/ Diger Rokwell/ L-Street/ Fdel Rosemount Hotel, North Perth Thursday, November 12

BOXING DAY SATURDAY 26 DECEMBER 2009

BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE. 1–11pm. Early Birds: $73+BF. General Admission: $83+BF Available from LIVE Clothing, Planet, Mills, 78s, Moshtix Outlets. Online from the Boomtick SHOP, Moshtix and inthemix For event info head to www.boomtick.com.au

The Rosemount Hotel was packed out on with hip hop fans keen to catch the self proclaimed ‘Godfather Of Noize’, beatboxer Rahzel. While Melbourne’s DJ Bonez span classic hip hop for the folks in the beer garden, local acts Diger Rokwell and Bitter Belief, Pauly P and Porsah Laine performed well received sets inside. DJ JS-1 of New York’s legendary Rock Steady Crew delivered a half hour set that ended up stealing the show. Declaring that he would try to play 100 samples in 20 minutes, he blitzed through break after break, from the timeless (Pass The Peas and More Bounce To The Ounce) to the timely (In The Space, sampled on Jay-Z’s recent hit D.O.A.) through to countless obscure tracks. Rahzel soon joined JS-1 onstage, entering to a recording of Muhammad Ali declaring ‘the champ is here’. The intro proved slightly too influential for a couple of gents and Rahzel soon had to stop his set when a fight broke out in the crowd. “You ain’t a tough guy, you a pussy!” he reprimanded the would-be pugilists. “This is real hip hop, not that commercial shit. Take that shit to a 50 Cent concert!” He soon got into his crowd pleaser, a well-worn routine of DJ JS-1 spinning a popular record before challenging Rahzel to recreate it using his vocal cords. Whilst this act was mindblowing to witness the first time Rahzel performed in Perth in 2005, and likewise still entertaining at Good Vibrations in 2007, by the time Rahzel started with Eric Sermon’s React – a song he covered at his two previous Perth gigs – the routine had lost its lustre. He redeemed himself briefly with an incredible version of Ray Charles’ I Got A Woman that would give Jamie Foxx a run for his money, but things soon became awkward. JS-1 playing a number of romantic songs while Rahzel handed out roses to ladies in the crowd, which would have been cheesy fun, had it not gone on for ten minutes. He even managed to induce cringes with his signature tune If Your Mother Only Knew, inviting a young couple to waltz onstage only to have them suck face for most of the song. Most punters loved the set, judging by the crowd reaction - and I’m sure I would have too if I were seeing Rahzel for the first time. But when Rahzel is touring based on his reputation as the world’s best beatboxer - a title that verges dangerously on becoming a gimmick - he can’t afford to be this lazy. JOSHUA HAYES

Hittin’ the town since 1985

of the tracks are instantly forgettable the overall cohesiveness of the album makes this a definite winner. Purposefully mixing a bunch of lesser known artists doesn’t make this any less brilliant, and the only major gripe would have to be the album cover; he just looks plain scary. A top listen. REUBEN ADAMS 4/5

VARIOUS

Kitsuné Maison Compilation 8 [Kitsune/etcetc] Much like bowerbirds, Paris-based record label Kitsuné collect eye-catching, indie-dance treasures from obscure acts around the world and arrange them skilfully in their Kitsuné Maison Compilation nests. The series got a little lazy a few compilations back, re-using many artists and making less than innovative picks, but Kitsuné Maison 8 sees the series get back on the horse, with a sweet and quirky collection of finds. The Phoenix-like male vocals of Up All Night, from Wisconsin’s French Horn Rebellion, see the album off to a fuzzy, slightly messy start, quickly rescued by awesome NY-based band The Drums, with their track Let’s Go Surfing, a fun, catchy adventure into ‘60s pop – like a cross between Little Red and The Zombies. Siriusmo’s squeaky electronic vocals make a sharp contrast, before the album moves into quirkier, speak-song territory with Le Corps Mince de Francoise’s Something Golden. Midnight Juggernauts’ most recent track, This New Technology, seems a little out of place: perhaps too layered, dark and rock-based for such a pared-back, whimsical compilation. That said, Slagsmålsklubben’s Brutal Weapons marks shifts to a sharper, icier, techno sound, that complements Beni’s (Riot in Belgium/Bang Gang Deejays) considered, intriguing number Maximus, well (although the comp would have fared better using the original, over the distortive Harvard Bass remix). Chew Lips’ track Salt Air (Alex Kapranos remix) sounds like a demo from an early nineties garage electro act, whilst I Love London, by Crystal Fighters, is reminiscent of CSS. All in all, worth picking off the shelf – a collection of diverse acts, with catchy choruses and forward-thinking styles.

VARIOUS Oakenfold: Perfecto Vegas [Thrive/Stomp]

Oakenfold was arguably the first to define the term celebrity DJ, his list of accomplishments nothing short of staggering. However, as he’s alienated fans in the last few years with his pop-focussed musical bent, the Oakenfold name has gradually becoming synonymous with corporate sell out cheese. Perfecto Vegas, a celebration of his residency at the Rain Nightclub in the Palm Resort Casino in Vegas is a definite return to form for this trance trailblazer. A brilliant and diverse mix of house, trance and club tracks, this is two discs of Oakenfold at his best. While each disc has a slightly different feel, the flawless mixing between tunes and his ability to choose tracks that fit together brilliantly is a constant. Disc one is a high energy affair, suited to sweaty club floors while disc two appears to be more vocal-focussed heralding back to the more classic Balearic Oakenfold sound. Fallen Angels Symphony is a wonderous journey of haunting piano lines, sweeping orchestral builds and choirlike vocals; Oakenfold at his very best. While some

VITALIC

Flashmob [Citizen/Different] In the four years since OK Cowboy, the debut that thrust this Italian nu-electro don into the spotlight, there have been many imitators, but no one quite nails the supercharged electronic sound like Vitalic. Flashmob sees Pascal Arbez further refine his style, to pull off another LP of stunning invention. While it’s not really a leap forward, the sophomore effort does not disappoint.

Kicking off proceedings in a very Justice way, See The Sea (Red) builds to a giant swirling wall of electro fuzz. Poison Lips grooves along nicely on a disco bassline, complete with Donna Summer-like vocals, while the title track is an explosive, rising beast with menacing vocal samples. What sets Vitalic apart from your average party time, synth-soaked madness for the masses, is his melodic, yet fiercely experimental production. Sweeping strings, tightly programmed beats and cleverly tweaked synths. One Above One’s squelchy beat lurches along with hypnotic vocals from Linda Lamb. Still takes things down a notch with some quirky ambient vibes and an odd offbeat melody that is pulled together with a spooky Crystal Castlesesque vocal. It can get a little samey at times, but it’s solid throughout, with more depth and variety on this album, as well as more vocals – but not in an overdone, commercial way. The mid-section is a driving, distorted beat trifecta of Terminateur Benelux, Second Lives and Allan Dellon. See The Sea (Blue) reprises the opener from a less scorching angle, before the storming, slightly mental Chicken Lady, while Your Disco Song is an accessible slice of melancholic synth gold, before the smoldering epic Station MIR 2009 brings the album to a suitable close. It’s dirty yet smooth, funky yet refined, retro yet futuristic, and above all it’s really good. ALFRED GORMAN 4/5

DANIELLE MARSLAND 3.5/5

VARIOUS The Annual 2010 : John Course/ Aston Shuffle/ Goodwill [Ministry of Sound]

Some tunes included on Annuals of past years have been borderline vomit-worthy (Listen to Your Heart, anyone?), but the conventional bent that the compilation is known for seems to be morphing into an exciting hybrid of mainstream tracks, underground bangers, and future hits. Ministry of Sound bastion John Course serves up an entree of thumping, snare driven broken beat remixes and dirty house on Disc 1. Kicking off with the catchy Heartbreaker by John Legend MSTRKRFT and a few cheesecoated gems get airtime before a brillant trifecta of tunes restore the faith. From Diplo’s Hey! through to the Major Lazer bomb Pon De Floor, there is definitely something about punchy snares and erratic basslines which get the feet shuffling of their own accord. The Aston Shuffle dish out possibly the best disc of the set, kicking off with a Bloody Beetroots/Steve Aoki double and then managing to maintain intensity and variety between tracks to the very end. The third course, mixed by Goodwill, has a totally different flavour altogether. The Wippenberg remix of Kidsos is an absolute banger, and the white noise build and drop on Hook N Sling’s Hypnotised makes you want to exit your pokey office and make a beeline for the beach. As glib and oft-used as the phrase is, the 2010 Annual really does have ‘something for everyone’. Of course, there are going to be parts you love and tunes that you despise but this is, hands down, the compilation to kick off the Australian summer in style. REUBEN ADAMS 4/5

www.xpressmag.com.au

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DEATH DISCO - CAPITOL

METRO CITY

Ù THURSDAY 19/11

Ù FRIDAY 20/11

LLAMA BAR RUN RABBIT RUN Perth’s finest disco DJs come together to provide something just a little bit different for the discerning crowd in this new Thursday weekly. Sink back in a plush couch, sip a cocktail at the bar or enjoy some of the gourmet tapas while RRR’s chosen vinyl pimps spin disco grooves into the night. Expect anything from classics to current, Moroder to LCD Soundsystem. Tonight sees DJ Kapitol P blazing trails of stardust. Entry is free: just wear something nice!

AMBAR D’JULZ/ NICK CURLY Over twenty years in the business, Parisian born D’Julz, aka Julien Veniel, has laid claim to many fames. D’Julz’ infamous Bass Culture parties have boasted the likes of Onur Ozer and Loco Dice behind the decks, and D’Julz himself has had releases on labels like 20:20 Vision, Ovum, Dessous and more. Recently launching his own record label, also under the title ‘Bass Culture’, D’Julz has recently releases the EP of Greek producer Lemos, and the EP’s already a firm favourite of DJs like Tiefschwarz, Loco Dice, Luciano and Josh Wink. Thanks to local event planners Democracy Events, D’Julz will play a special Perth show at Ambar tonight, joined by none other than man of the Mannheim moment, Nick Curly. Support from Aarin F and Nina Van Dyke.Presales $25 plus booking fee through Planet Video, Mills and Moshtix.

Eve - DJ Tony Allen Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Devilles – Little Franco Berry Flying Scotsman (Upstairs) – Global Rhythms - Charlie Bucket Flying Scotsman (Main Room) - Pasha’s Kitchen – The Big Man Flying Scotsman (Velvet Lounge) – Open Decks Sessions Foundry- DJ Travis B Leopold Hotel- DJ James/ DJ Jack Liquid Nightclub – DJ Buda Mustang Bar – DJ Giles Newport Hotel – Culture Clash – DJ Shannon Fox Niche - Johnni P/ Rob Blandford Paddy Hannans - Dr Bogus Players Bar – Neon Lights - DJ Samuel Spencer Rosemount Hotel - Roller 10th Anniversary – Dart/ Kent/ Blend/ Dvo/ Jazza/ Declan The Clink – DJ Jinx The Deen- DJ Tropical Funk Merchants – Zone 3/ DJ Flex / Ben Mac - Zone 1 / Don Migi / Dj Nano /DJ Surge The Cott – Crème of the Cott – DJ DTuck The Eastern - DJ Midfield The Queens – Weekend Warm-Up Ben Elliot/ Andy Tighe The Shed – DJ Andyy Universal Bar- DJ Crisp

VILLA STANTON WARRIORS scooped the 2009 Breakspoll awards, winning Best DJs and Best Compilation/Mix, not to mention picking up Best Breaks Artist at the recent Beatport Music Awards. As indicated by their swag of awards, The Stantons go from strength to strength; maintaining their position as the biggest force in breakbeat. Breaking all the rules way back in ’98, they took garage and twisted it 2-step-style beyond recognition, these Warriors continue to drop sneaker shattering bass lines and devastating beats. Support from Blend, Tee El & Marty McFly, Micah & Mono Lisa and Tone & Oli. Limited door sales from 10pm for $60.

Amplifier – DJShannon Fox / DJ Jamie Bar 138 – Lokal Bar Open (Both Levels) – Dorcia - Elton Yon/ Scott D/ Bad Weather/ Time Travel Agent/ Dirkchops/ D-Lo Black Bettys- Trubble Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Nick Alexander RISE BEXTA has made a unique Capitol - Sneaky – You Only Live and integral contribution to Once Launch - Black Angus/ Australian dance music history. As Dangerous Dan/ Mind Electric/ well as having been permanent Frankie Button/ TankTop fixture in the InTheMix Top 50 DJ Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ poll, Melbourne-residing BeXta Boogie runs local Melbourne night Bass Devilles Pad – Little Franco Berry/ Station and travels to up to three Herman the German different cities every weekend Double Lucky – Full Circle – DJ of the year. Currently in its 12th Adam Kelly/ DJ Cee/Josh Devlin instalment, BeXta’s mix series MC Webbz/ MC Pugz/ MC JK/ MC compilation, Mixology, is one of the Rtilary/ Danjawun longest lasting DJ compilations of Eurobar- Crazy Sexy Cool - DJ that genre in Australia, and the CDs Roger Smart/ Riki have become a collectors item. Eve – DJ Migi/Skooby/Crazy Craig BeXta will be working her magic Flying Scotsman (Downstairs) – at Rise tonight. Rise members $5 DJ Rok Riley/ Joe 19 before 11pm, $10 thereafter. Non- Flying Scotsman (Upstairs) - The members $10 before 11pm, $15 Beat Suite – Micah/ Sharif Galal thereafter. Doors open 10pm. Flying Scotsman (Velvet Lounge) - IL CAPS/ Modularman/ Dan Tha Man/ Blackjack/ Jimmy James

STRIKE3 - THE COTT

$GVRUE

Foundry – Crave Funk Club – DJ Charlie Bucket Geisha – Sauce - Darren J/Richard Lee/Suric SA/ Sean M/ Deviance/ Scottie K Harry’s Bar - DJ Double L / Benny T / Luca Castelli Hyde Park - DJ Zoom Inglewood Hotel – DJ Simone Llama Bar- DJ Morris/Kava Library – DJ Meezy/ DJ AZT/ DJ Fiveo Liquid Nightclub - DJ Matty / Ricky Lakers Tavern - D J Ad r i a n M a n o r – Black Friday – D J Sampology (visual set)/ Diger Rockwell /Selekt /Charlie Bucket Merrina Tavern – D J Ter r y Metro City – Heavyweight Soundz – DJ Friction/MC Lowqui/SP/ Break Metropolis Fremantle – Limelite – In My House – Mel B/Zelimir/ Maxwell Mint – Club Retro – Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Kenny Mustang- DJ James MacArthur/ Swing DJ Niche - DJ Jonni Zimber Nor folk Basement - Mo Masquerade Party - Sleepy Head/ Mickey Juice/ FKN MIDAS/ James Norma Jeans – DJ Phil Onyx Bar – Slick/ Adroc Paramount – D J M o rg a n / Jordan Priory Lodge - DJ Sticky Ricky Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Bar Republic – Glitter womb Fckngmidas/Mickey Juice/ Petrosex Rubix –DJ Pascal Sail And Anchor – T-Mac/ D.One Shape (Upstairs) – The Cube - J Felix b2b L Wood/ Double-1Seven/ Osiris/ Killswitch Sound Suite Recording Studios – Fizz/KevT/SA Spec/ Bassbin DJ’s

South St Ale House – DJ Jay Swan Lounge – Electroganic – Clive/ Benny Aims/ Lunacy The Boat – Dr Bogus The Clink – DJ Jinx The Deen – Spanish Fly – DJ Nano/ DJ Surge – Zone 5 The Eastern – DJ Midfield The Esplanade - Phrase The Queens – DJ Rueben The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 The Stamford Arms - Dj Anaru The Velvet Lounge – Deuce Kimba Dawhitelion/ Brash & Sassy/ 6000 red The Vic – Tip Top Sound DJ’s Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Joby / Alex K Toucan Club – DJ Armee Windsor – Dj Riki and Ray

gathering, with an invasion of the Planet Shape imminent. Can a handful of legendary locals defend their Habitat from the evil invaders and bring glory to all it’s people? Featuring a massive lineup of the crème de la crème of Perth’s tech DJ talent, head along to Habitat tonight to find out who will prevail: will it be defenders Kyran Smith, Aarin F, Richard Lee, Flex, Darren J, La Gooch and Matt Wright? Or perhaps the invaders (Nina Van Dyke, Kid Deep, Grantley Hyde, James Francis, Progress Inn, Cool Hand Luke and Craig Hollywood)? Entry is only $8 members, $12 general.

AMBAR ADSORB has a music style best describes as breakbeat blended with electro house. The Ù SATURDAY 21/11 resident DJ at the biggest Bristol FLYING SCOTSMAN (UPSTAIRS) breakbeat club night, Supercharged, TRANSMISSION Just in time for with Krafty Kuts, Adsorb’s made a summer and beyond, Andrei Maz, name for himself with a unique one half of Perth’s infamous Death blend of re-edits, including a twisted Disco DJs, introduces a brand version of MGMT’s Kids, a smashing new night tunes and cult films at take on Anthem by Miles Dyson and the Scotto, with Mr Maz himself a remix of Dizzee Rascal’s Bonkers. behind the decks, transmitting He also set up and managed the out the message of good music! award-winning residential recording Named after the iconic Joy studio Kenwood Studios in Sheffield. Division track, Transmission will Adsorb’s gigs are bumping, and he’s feature an awesome mix of indie, set to bring his stuff to Ambar electro, rock, punk and club stuff, tonight! Support from Fdel, Tone, with the era ranging from classic Marty McFly and Wish. Tickets tunes to current killers. This will on the door for $15, limited be the perfect pre-club warm up presales from www.boomtick. or alternative to going clubbing at com.au(.) Doors open 10pm. all, with a number of guest DJs set to feature each week to keep you on your toes. The first edition of RISE LCK is one of Australia’s most Transmission kicks of tonight, with electric and unique DJ talents. free entry every Saturday. Doors His lightning fast hands make for entertaining scratching and mixing. open 8pm. Gob smacking partygoers follow S H A P E ( U P S TA I R S ) SHAPE whenever he performs, his trickery INVADERS The dark clouds of and taste in music always gets Perth’s imperial tech forces are peoples’ energy flowing! LCK has played at events all over Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, playing along side big guns like Carl Cox, Cosmic Gate, A*S*Y*S, Mike Koglin, Sean Tyas, Richard Durand, Kamui, Scot Project, Yoji Biomehanika and Guiseppe Ottaviani, just to name a few. Rating as one of the top 100 DJs in Australia (inthemix 2009), his infectious performances are only getting bigger. So, don’t miss out your chance to experience a night with LCK! Support from DORCIA - BAR OPEN residents Rousa, Greg Packer &

featuring

Saturday 21-11-09

F E AT U R I N G : ADSORB S U P P O R T: The Boomtick Elite I N F O R M AT I O N : 10pm - late. 104 Murray Street Perth.

Door Sales Only: $15 For more info check out www.boomtick.com.au or events@boomtick.com.au www.myspace.com/adsorb

Hittin’ the town since 1985



REPUBLIC MINT

AMPLIFIER

MC Xsessiv, Simon Barwood & Daze. Door sales only from 9.30pm. Rise members $5 before 11pm, $10 thereafter. Non-members $10 before 11pm, $15 thereafter. Amplifier – Pure Pop – DJ Eddie Electric Bar Open (Downstairs) – Soul Project Bar Open (Upstairs) – Frisk Finale! – TankTop/Mind Electric /Rob Sharp/ Chiari/ Andreas Sadler/Carl Drake/Cam Duff Bar Republic – Sexy – TeenWolf/ Petrosex/ JackAttack Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Black Bettys- DJ Trubble/ DJ Jinx Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Nick Alexander Captiol – Death Disco – Death Disco DJ’s Capitol – 80’s Classics – DJ Ryan Captain Stirling - DJ Dano Clink- DJ Clint Club Bay View – Shake & Pop DJ Zelimir Connections – Michy T / JJ / Brian Devilles Pad - Barbara Blaze/ Jumpin Josh Double Lucky - Paul Raf /Alex K/ Angus Dusk Lounge – New Generation – Skinny/ Rowdy/ Fusion/ Concept/ Skoptix/ Decept/ Blanko/ Disorder/ Arson/ Defkon/ Snub/ Some Guy/ MC Stylee/ Pugz/ JK/ Rtilary/ Losd Eurobar - Roger Smart / DJ Ray Rush Eve –Kenny L/Richie G/Riki High Wycombe – DJ Matt Inglewood – DJ Leigh Library - DJ AZT/ DJ Fiveo/ DJ James Smith/ DJ Zeke/ DJ L Street Liquid Nightclub - DJ Matty / Ricky Leederville- DJ Loco Ren Llama Bar- VJ Zoo/ DJ Tony Lopez/ DJ Reuben Metropolis Fremantle – Hi NRG Mustang – DJ Rockabilly/ DJ James MacArthur Mint – Pop Life - Darren Briais Mojo’s – Afrodisia - Askari Afrobeat Orchestra/ Charlie Bucket Niche – DJ Manda Power/ Cee/ Adam/ Kelly/Josh D Norma Jeans – DJ Dwayne Old Bailey Tavern – Dr Bogus Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequera

Paramount – DJ Meezy / Jordan / Reuben Queens Tav – Andy Tighe Rocket Room – DJ Brett Rowe Rubix – DJ Pascal Sapphire Bar – Filthy Gorgeous – Sketchism/Jackness/Nathan Francis/DeeJay Vee Sail And Anchor –Ad Lustre/ The Soul Purpose Shape (Downstairs) - Tick Tock - Jamie Lloyd/Bad Weather/ Kit Pop/ Hickey/ Mickey Juice South St Ale House – DJ Jay Tiger Lil’s –Charlie Bucket/ Adam Kelly The Brighton - Philly Blunt/ Creek/ eSQue/ Kill Dyl/ Mad Dogs The Deen - DJ Birdie – Zone 2 / DJ Tony Allen – Zone 3 / DJ JJ - Zone 5 The Eastern – Dr Bogus The Shed – Glenn 20 Toucan Club – Samuel Spencer/ Mr President Windsor – DJ Ray / Jinx Villa – Reunion Rave - Sasha Vatoff/Nick Fish

Ù SUNDAY 22/11 Bayswater Hotel (Bar eighteen98) – Drum’n’Steaks Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Clancys - Rancho Relaxo / DJ Gear Deen – Low:Fi Festival Double Lucky – Charlie Bucket Eve – DJ Birdie/MC Jex Flying Scotsman (downstairs) Nathan J/ Dan Tha Man/ Nisbit Geisha – Transition – Damir/ Zelmir/ Frankie Button/ Nic Nac Hip E Club - DJ E-Funk Hydey – Club Seal - DJ Luke Dux/ DJ Jay Marriott Inglewood – DJ Shifty Mash – DJ Ricky Moon – Mathas/ Emcee Able Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Kenny Mustang - DJ Rockin Rhys Players Bar - DJ-Udas Queens Tav- DJ Rhys Worth Rosemount – Sundae - Charlie Bucket/ Massiv Trav/ Cut & Paste Soundsystem The Cott – Miami Beats – New Kids On the Bloc - Cam Duff vs Andreas Sadler/ Paul Scott vs Jack Masel/ Cool Hand Luke vs Geno The Saint - DJ Anaru

The Shed – DJ Andyy The Wembley – Deckeclectic Pow!/ Dead Easy/ Nago/ Kapitol P

Ù THIS WEEK

NEW

Ù MONDAY 23/11

Heavyweight Soundz Friday, November 20 @ Metro City

Eastern Hotel – Adam Morris The Deen – DJ Birdie/ DJ Roger The Paddo - DJ John Paul

Fresh Produce – Darcy/ Dead Easy/ Important Notice/ Victor/ ELKTRNX Friday, December 4 @ Ambar

Sneaky – You Only Live Once Launch Friday, November 20 @ Capitol

Pharoahe Monch Friday, December 4 @ Villa

Ù TUESDAY 24/11

Stanton Warriors Friday, November 20 @ Villa

Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon Double Lucky - Substance – DJ Paul Malone/ DJ JMC Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel - DJ Matty J High Wycombe - DJ Ricky The Cott - Essential Tuesdays – DJ Maxwell/ DJ Jus Haus/ DJ Damian John The Paddo - DJ DPad

Nick Curly/ D’Julz Friday, November 20 @ Ambar BeXta Friday, November 20 @ Rise NEW

LCK Saturday, November 21 @ Rise NEW

Jamie Lloyd Saturday, November 21 @ Shape NEW

Ù WEDNESDAY 25/11 Basement On Broadway – DJ KB Broken Hill Hotel – Oasis - DJ Armee (Downsyde)/ Refresh/ Shaker/Cut-Nice/Jeremy C Captain Stirling – DJ Ricky Connections - DJ’s Joby / JJ / Rueben Double Lucky - Natural Selection Dusk – Blackbelt/ Aswon Eve – Déjà Vu – Smashproof/ DJ Don Migi/ Skooby/ Stilez Ali/ Flava Flying Scotsman (Downstairs) – Unique – Charlie Buckets/ Dan Tha Man Gold – Slick/ Adroc Oak & Ivy –PCJ/Son Of The Father Mint - Open House Party – DJ Matt/ DJ Adrian Mustang – DJ Giles Newport Hotel – DJ Tony Allen Niche - DJ Frankie Button Rosemount – DJ Shannon Fox The Cott - Essential Tuesdays – DJ Maxwell/ DJ Jus Haus/ DJ Damian John The Deen- DJ Zelimer / DJ Viper & DJ Benny T– Zone 1 The Eastern – DJ Jinx The Queens – Wriggle on - DJ Gareth / Pranjal

Reunion Rave – Nick Fish/ Sasha Vatoff Saturday, November 21 @ Villa Adsorb Saturday, November 21 @ Ambar

Ù UPCOMING NEW

NYMFO/ShockOne Friday, November 27 @ Shape

Pete Tong Saturday, January 2, 2010 @ Villa

NEW

Summadayze Festival - Carl Cox/ 2 Many DJ’s/ The Presets/ Roger Sanchez/ Danny Tenaglia/ Sharam (Deep Dish)/ Infected Mushroom/ LCD Soundsystem/ Josh Wink/ Eddie Halliwell/ Danny Howells/ Ian Carey Project and more. Sunday, January 3, 2010 @ Supreme Court Gardens

Pacha – Sarah Main Friday, December 4 @ Capitol NEW

Tritonal/Scott Attrill/ Vinylgroover Friday, December 4 @ Rise KillaQueenz Friday, December 4 @ The Rosemount; December 5 @ Mojo’s; December 6 @ Indi Bar Richie Spice Saturday, December 5 @ Railway Hotel Perth Dance Music Awards Sunday, November 6 @ Rosemount Danny T/ Wongo Friday, December 11 @ Ambar Reboot Friday, December 11 @ Ambar Ministry of Sound 2010 Annual Friday, December 11 @ Capitol Two Fresh Saturday, December 12 @ Ambar

Rico Tubbs Friday, November 27 @ Villa

Skool of Thought/ Nick Thayer Friday, December 18 @ Villa

Someone Say Dubstep? The Final Rinse – Tes La Rok/ Paradox/ Kito/ Dust/ Rekab Friday, November 27 @ Ambar

Seriously Sound System Sunday, December 20 @ Hyde Park

NEW

Here After Sunday, January 3 @ Bar Open

NEW

Christian Luke Friday, November 27 @ Metro Freo

NEW

Planet 01 feat. Sied Van Riel/ Joop/Trent Mc Dermott + more Friday, January 1 @ Metro City

NEW

Teknik/Rregula Friday, December 4 @ Shape

Jamie Jones Friday, November 27 @ Shape

The White Party feat Travis/ GeRmAn/ Scott Nelson/ Steven Tranzor Friday, November 27 @ Rise

NEW

Club Paradiso Friday, January 1 @ Burswood on Swan

Breakfest – Napt/Miles Dyson/ Mickey Slim/Elite Force/The Nextmen/Rennie Pilgrem & MC Chickaboo/Superstyle Deluxe/ Lady Waks/Funkoars/Streetlife DJs plus more. Saturday, December 26 @ Belvoir Ampitheathre

Southbound Festival – Midnight Juggernauts/Major Lzrs/ Urthboy/ DJ Yoda/Hilltop Hoods and more. Friday January 8-Sunday January 10 @ Sir Stuart Bovell Park, Busselton Tiësto Wednesday, February 10; Thursday, February 11; Friday, February 12 @ Metro City Raggamuffin – Wyclef Jean/ Shaggy/ Julian Marley/ Blue King Brown/ Sly & Robbie/ Steel Pulse/ Sean Kingston/ House Of Shem Monday, January 25 @ ME Bank Stadium Big Day Out - Groove Armada/ Ladyhawke/ Dizzee Rascal/ Peaches/ Kasabian/ Midnight Juggernauts/ Calvin Harris/ Girl Talk and more. Sunday, January 31 @ Claremont Showgrounds Good Vibrations - The Killers/ Basement Jaxx/ Armand Van Helden/ Gossip/ Busta Rhymes/ Salt N Pepa/ Friendly Fires/ Kid Cudi/ Gym Class Heroes/ Plump DJ’s/ Art Vs Science/ Naughty By Nature/ Sam Obernik and more. Sunday, February 14, 2010 @ Claremont Showgrounds

Melinki Saturday, November 28 @ Rise

Pendulum Saturday, December 26 @ Metro City

Stereosonic Festival feat. The Bloody Beetroots/ Deadmau5/ Axwell/ Fedde Le Grand/ John Dahlbäck/ The Crookers/ Laurent Garnier/ Dragonette + More. Sunday, November 29 @ Claremont Showgrounds

Origin NYE - Method Man, Redman/ Bliss N Esso/ Roots Manuva/ Dilated Peoples/ Ugly Duckling/ Cassius/ Bag Raiders and more Thursday, December 31 @ Blue Steel Cobra Starship Oval Sunday, March 21, 2010 @ Metro City

NEW

Future Music Festival - The Prodigy/ Franz Ferdinand/ Empire Of The Sun/ David Guetta/ Booka Shade/ Erick Morilla/ Sven Vath/ John Digweed and more. Sunday, February 28, Ascot Racecourse

(08) 9328 7447 www.xpressmag.com.au

BIG THINGS OUT BACK The Civic Hotel Backroom Beaufort St, Mt Lawley Situated centrally on Beaufor t St in Inglewood, The Civic Hotel Backroom is back and better than ever. With a great Nexo PA and extraordinary light show, along with the raised stage and great sight lines from everywhere in the venue, this room is a timely and much needed high quality addition to the local live music scene. The venue also boasts a great outdoor courtyard and pub meals for those that are keen to get a bite and have a quiet drink before going to a gig in the Backroom. Head to the Backroom this Friday, November 20, to catch the slick sounds of Shameem Taheri-Lee, launching her CD with special guests The Brow and Accumulated Gestures.

Elaine, Michelle, Cheree

Photos by Matt Jelonek

314 Albany Highway Victoria Park 6100 T 9361 1038 www.brokenhillhotel.com.au

Peter, Sharon

Ryan, Stephanie

Kym, Josie

Amanda, Jerimiah, Elle

Presented by

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

The Rusty Pinto Combo with Rockabilly DJ The Damien Cripps Band

Circus with DJ Giles Student & Backpacker Night

& DJ James MacArthur

$5 BBQ & drink deal from 6pm

SUNDAY

THURSDAY

WiKid

Stuart, Lauren

Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers with DJ Rockin Rhys

& DJ Giles

MONDAY

FRIDAY

Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys with Swing DJ

The High Rollin’ Rhythm Kings

TUESDAY

Danza Loca Salsa night

Cheeky Monkeys with DJ James MacArthur

DJ and live percussionists

Nathan Gaunt live this Sunday. Tix at Tix at the door from 6pm. Supported by The Sunset Riders! PADDO:

WED TUES MON

FRI

In the front bar

Gun Shy Romeos Nov

Cheeky Monkeys

Coming to The Paddo Fri 27th

Ph: 9242 3077

www.paddo.com.au

COMING SOON

141 SCARBOROUGH BEACH ROAD MT HAWTHORN

Ben Merito

SAT

THU

THE IS YEAR’S WINNER OF THRT AINMENT BEST LIVE ENTE AWARD!!!!

Tiger & T-Bone

Steele live front bar $20 inplustheRick Free Quiz Night

PLUS $10 STELLA JUGS

Comic Effect 7pm $10 doors open at

AB FLOWL November Sun 29th

www.myspace.com/paddington ale house Hittin’ the town since 1985

CU@ THE COTT Gig Guide Tuesday

Live Band DJ

Verandah Bar Sunset Bar

Wednesday

Kirsty Keogh’s Open Mic Winners Night

Verandah Bar

Thursday

“Creme” Cocktails & DJ

Verandah Bar

Friday

Kirsty Keogh’s open mic night

Verandah Bar

Saturday

Beer garden open Karaoke

Beer Garden Verandah Bar

Sunday

Cott Sunday Session “Tourist” Live Band DJ’s

Beer Garden Verandah Bar Sunset Bar

cottesloe beach hotel 104 Marine Parade, Cottesloe Ph: 9383 1100 www.cottesloebeachhotel.com.au

7+856'$< 129 FREE ENTRY FROM 8PM

)5,'$< 129 ENTRY $5 FROM 8PM

6$785'$< 129 ENTRY $12 FROM 8PM

SATURDAY¬NIGHT¬LIVE

THE HOLY SEA

FEATURING SARDI, MULLER, WRATH, FEAT DART, KENT, BLEND, DVO, JAZZA CONCEPT, AND DECLAN BASTIAN + SEMPY

681'$< 129 FREE ENTRY FROM 5PM SUNDAE SESSION IN THE BEER GARDEN FEATURING CHARLIE BUCKET AND MASSIVE TRAV x CUT & PASTE

RAINY DAY WOMEN, THE BROW HORN ORCHESTRA, THE SIREN TOWER, BLACKMILK, LACED AFFAIR, TRIGGER JACKETS AND THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS BATTLE IT OUT!

WITH CAPITAL CITY, THE PAINKILLERS AND THE GHOST HOTEL

:('1(6'$< 129 DOORS 8PM SPECIAL FILTER STUDENT NIGHT

DJ SHANNON FOX FREE OUTSIDE PLUS LIVE BANDS INSIDE HANG ON ST. CHRISTOPHER, EUNUCH SCHOOLS, MODULAR MAN, VEESCARS $5 ENTRY

CNR ANGOVE + FITZGERALD ST NORTH PERTH WWW.ROSEMOUNTHOTEL.COM.AU

SUNDAY ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT FROM 4PM MONDAY BADA BINGO – BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL TUES QUIZMEISTERS TRIVIA NIGHT 9328 7062

GUINNESS MIGHTY CRAIC BALL

Live music 5 nights a week Tues - James Wilson Wed - Cranky Thurs - Pearce Ward Fri - The Clan Sat - Shanks Pony

Dinner, Beverages and entertainment all included

All day Pub Grub Menu til late New Sundowner/Function Packages available so call Steve or Joe to discuss your next ofÀce party/birthday etc.

Fri 13th November 2009 Call Steve or Joe to reserve your table now.

08 9425 1634

221 ADELAIDE TCE PERTH / 08 9425 1634 / email: h1764-fb6@accor.com MON - THURS 11:30 - 12:00 / FRI - 11:30-1:00AM / SAT 12:00 - 1:00AM / SUN 12 - 10PM www.xpressmag.com.au

DIGGING THE QUARRY SARAH BLASKO

Quarry Amphitheatre Thursday, November 12, 2009

Sarah Blasko (photos by Duncan Barnes)

STATIC X / Chaos Divine / Sight Transcend Capitol Sunday, November 15, 2009

he would indeed be miming several tracks, as would Mike McCready and Matt Cameron – ‘but not Jeff and Stone, all that shit’s real’ he announced. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town was the first big sing-along moment of the evening and as the classic guitar lines of Even Flow lit the crowd, you could see the quintet pick it up another notch. But for every classic the band pumped out, there was another omitted to make way for more obscure tracks. Granted, if you’ve been touring for two decades you’ll want to mix the set up to keep things interesting for yourselves, but from a punter’s perspective it might have been nice to ensure set necessities such as Go, Jeremy, Animal and Black made an appearance. Other highlights included Garden, Daughter with a WMA tail, new single The Fixer and a mind-blowing cover of The Who’s Love Reign O’er Me, a modern staple in the Pearl Jam arsenal. During the final encore, Vedder took a moment to praise the West Australian music scene after finding himself at the Hyde Park Hotel Friday night. Cat Black, Mongrel Country, Bible Bashers and The Fags all got sincere shout-outs from the grunge god. At well over two hours, tonight’s set was truly memorable but with just a little tweaking to the set list it could have gone down as an all time classic. _GRANT MCCULLOCH

Pearl Jam (photos by Amy Vinicombe) 62

_GEORGE GREEN

X HITS THE SPOT

JAM PACKED PEARL JAM Member’s Equity Stadium Saturday, November 14, 2009 Pearl Jam are one of those bands that people lost their shit over back in the day. For many who got caught up in that initial craze there was an obvious peak and recession in the band’s appeal. However between Pearl Jam’s live shows, the strength of their early and most influential material, and their return to form with the new album Backspacer, the band’s draw is stronger than ever. Almost 20 years after they exploded around the world, 25,000 people packed into Member’s Equity Stadium to experience the only true survivors of the phenomenon that was the Seattle grunge scene. Opening with Breakerfall, Why Go and Corduroy, the reason for the band’s evergreen presence on the international stage was made clear - Pearl Jam are a kickarse rock band. All the classic elements are there: the manic and loveable frontman, the bedrock rhythm guitarist, the face-melting lead guitarist, and a rhythm section that both reinforces and excites. In the past, frontman Eddie Vedder’s crowd flirtations have been brief and often loaded with his socio-political commentary, tonight however his guard was down. He staggered about the stage channelling Dean Martin and necking wine bottles with gusto, and when he addressed the crowd his banter was immediate, real and unexpectedly jovial. Playing off Britney’s recent lip synching controversy, Vedder informed the crowd that in keeping with new concert disclosure laws

As the lights dimmed on the sheer rock faces of the Quarry Amphitheatre, intermission drew to a close, and the punters who were up and about to stretch their limbs reclaimed their vantage points. From the outset, it was clear that tonight’s show was going to take on a theatrical nature. Music from Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory marked the arrival of tonight’s headliner, and the silhouette that Sarah Blasko cast on the stage reflected that very idea. Wearing a dress that wouldn’t look out of place on Lady Gaga, Blasko sported shoulder pads that looked like giant rose buds ready to bloom. Offset by her red tights and black shoes, she looked her usual quirky self, and she moved around the stage accordingly. Opening with Down On Love and Bird On A Wire, Blasko (backed by a keyboardist, guitarist, upright bassist, two violinists and a very underrated female drummer) set about playing song after song from her latest record, As Day Follows Night. Several songs in, she explained that she would be starting her set off primarily with the newer material, and asked if the crowd minded. With Blasko’s newer material differing musically from her first two records, it made sense that she kept the songs suited to the delicate instrumentation grouped together. Not only did Blasko load the front end of her set with newer songs, but she played all of the songs from As Day Follows Night before she moved onto some more familiar tracks. Triple J favourites No Turning Back and We Won’t Run were sure hits with the crowd, and once Blasko had masterfully delivered All I Want, she ever-so-casually raised her hands to the tops of her shoulder pads, and transformed her dress - the rose buds blooming into colourful fan-like

flowers. Or peacocks tails. Or the NBC logo. No one was really sure what they were, but they sure did look pretty. With her latest record having been played in its entirety, Blasko’s band left the stage, leaving only she and her keyboardist to steer the set in a different direction. Blasko has been known to cover a song or two in her career, and tonight she would cover two, albeit slightly different candidates. The first was a cover from the Woody Allen movie Annie Hall, which she stated was her “favourite movie ever”, and the second was Xanadu. That’s right – Xanadu. Blasko did her best to distance herself from endorsing the movie itself, but delivered the song in a refreshing and entertaining manner. Whilst she left the stage for a quick costume change, her band returned to bridge the dynamic gap between her current record and back catalogue. They jammed an extended version of Amazing Things from her sophomore What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have, and eerily as the intensity in material picked up, so too did the weather, with the wind swirling around the quarry. The Garden’s End and Always Worth It allowed Blasko’s band to take on a more dominant role, with the bass player and drummer playing a more pivotal part in strengthening the songs’ appeal. Ending on the chillingly affecting Explain, Blasko left the crowd with but a taste of her older material, but as tonight’s show was part of the As Day Follows Night tour, you really couldn’t ask for much more. As usual, Blasko tonight was at her sensational best. She was able to provide a faultless vocal display, but more importantly, she created more than just a performance. Tonight, in the confines of the beautiful Quarry Amphitheatre, Blasko provided an experience that punters will walk away from and remember for years to come.

Sight Transcend were first to feed the hungry crowd and it was a meaty meal indeed. Though only playing a handful of songs, the onslaught was enough to satisfy the early-comers. Cranking out fast, brutal and techy riffs, they did very well with a crowd that was desperately hanging out for the big name. A few times during both opening sets, the more excited of the fold started up with ‘Staaatic’ calls, but like true pros, Chaos Divine concentrated on owning the stage for their savage prog, and no doubt won over a few neophytes in the process of the support. Which is good timing, as punters got a taste of older tracks as well as material from Avalon, getting a sense of Chaos’ evolving identity with some impressive rhythmical intricacies. And as a mid-set quirk, some lucky bastard, deemed ‘number one fan’, got Happy Birthday sung for him by the entire venue at the request of frontman David Anderton. The calls for Static-X were really starting to pick up after Chaos left the stage and soon a chant emerged in the solidly growing pit. Static merch was literally everywhere as a testament to the cultish phenomenon. When Wayne Static hit the boards, people went suitably ape-shit and from the first note in, stayed ape-shit. There are several reasons why Static-X have a devoted, if somewhat specific, group of followers. One would definitely be the bonding and ‘make-friend’ attitude of the band. Always engaging with the crowd, the whole group are heavily involved in punter-PR and even Wayne Static’s wife, exporn star Tera Wray-Static, comes out a few times to bring shots to the boys. On one occasion Tera even ripped out a couple of words on the mic, but no doubt most crew were fixed on the gaffer-taped boobs and black suspenders. Possibly the funniest moment of the set was when one par ticularly enthusiastic female fan jumped the stage and launched at Wayne Static for an ol’ fashioned groupie hug. Wayne was nothing but a gentlemen, with his hands up and smiling politely. Unfortunately Tera’s mock air punching showed wifey wasn’t totally pleased – gaffer-boobed or not. As far as the setlist goes, there was enough from Cult to keep fans abreast (pun intended) of the latest album’s live potential, but people really lost their bananas when classics like Cannibal, Destroy All and Love Dump were slayed. Not to mention the almost choreographed elements of the physical performance, which really brought home the California-metal experience of

Static X (photo by Denis Radacic)

looking good as well as sounding good. Speaking of looking good, Wayne Static was still able to semi-headbang with at least two entire cans of hairspray holding together the famous X-hairstyle, sculpted to look like flames. The evil disco element really hits the spot when done live, but there was a moment of evil technical difficulties to accompany. The Static boys didn’t looked phased for a second and it was over before most people realised it wasn’t part of the song. Toward the end of the encore, more shots were brought out and at one point Wayne even toasted to boobs… or booze… either way, the crowd loved every minute of it and after this performance, it is certain the cult continues. _LAURA GLITSOS Hittin’ the town since 1985

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TIME TO GO

PATHOGEN

The Miles To Go Band will perform their last show for 2009 at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre, Thornlie, on Friday, November 20.

New Noise

FORGET ME NOT

The Forgotten will join Tracksuit, Jupiter Zeus, and The Bronze on Friday, November 20, at the Railway Hotel. The Forgotten’s debut album is in the pipeline. Stay tuned for more.

FULL MOON

Melbourne’s Jon Mitchell will join Chris Cobilis at the Moon Café on Sunday, November 22, from 8pm; then on Wednesday, November 25, Going Solo features Swoop Swoop, Lil Lionie Lionheart, and Danielle MacDonald from 8pm. Both shows are free.

THE KELLY GANG Tree

BACKBEAT

Pathogen On Friday, November 20, Pathogen launch their Remnants EP at Amplifier Bar, with The Ascent, Atvena’s Wake, Enforce, and Fool The World. And although founding member Aidan Barton describes the EP as “mixed-bag of material that was never featured on any previous Pathogen release”, with a new lineup in the fold, there could be more on the horizon for this ever-reclusive act. “This EP feels more like a finishing off of old ideas and at the very least, it is closure for what has been nearly 15 years of good, fun, hard headbanging,” Barton says. “We are keen to branch out and explore new musical territories, which may or may not fit into the Pathogen ethos but it is definitely something I am keen to explore, especially with this current lineup. Bands are so unpredictable. Many circumstances come into play. I have no idea where this band will be in a week let alone a year from now but I am still very excited by the future and its possibilities.” As you would be after 15 years in a band – especially if, for 10 of them, you were the only original member left, as is the case with Aidan Barton and Pathogen. But, as he points out, with new blood comes new inspiration, and the newest members have reinvigorated Barton’s own love for Pathogen, which took a serious hit when the previous lineup fell apart around him. “Just over a year and a half ago, we lost three band members within a month,” Barton explains. “Two of these people were key members that I had been performing with for seven years or more. Although I am no stranger to massive lineup changes, this was the single biggest culling the band had ever undergone. At this stage I was prepared to let the band fade into obscurity, to a small extent it didn’t feel right to continue the band without some of these ex-members, despite the fact that I have been the only founding member left for over a decade now. “Replacing 3/5’s of the band also seemed like such mammoth task. Over the continuing months, a lot of musicians and friends offered their assistance should I choose

to continue Pathogen. I also received a flood of condolences from fans once word got out that we had lost so many members. This came as a bit of a surprise to me as I really didn’t think the band still had that much support from the public, this was where the initial inspiration to start it all up again came from,” he says. And slowly but surely, everything came together again. The first new member to arrive was Miles Away drummer Unsie (or Chris Unsworth if you’re his mum) who already had strong professional and personal ties to Barton. Then came bassist Aaron Rixon, another friend and client of Barton’s Sovereign Studios, followed shortly by vocalist James Parish, who arrived on Unsie’s recommendations. Finally, the lineup was complete once Malignant Monster’s Jarrod Curley took up guitar duties. “As with any major lineup change, the chemistry of a band changes dramatically, but with this new chemistry comes a fresh change and new influences which helped steer the band out of old habits and into areas I would have previously felt somewhat unconfident in exploring,” begins Barton of the new lineup. “We’ll always have the Pathogen feel and sound and will stay loyal to the songwriting formula that has helped us build a surprisingly committed fanbase over the years. The last thing I want to do is disappoint fans by switching genres or disregarding the methodology that earned us their respect in the first place, that’s just rude,” he says. “The new members definitely had more influence and involvement in the songwriting process than the previous lineup did,” he continues.“I have a bit more confidence in the people I am working with now, they are all very experienced and they understand and respect the fact that Pathogen does have its own sound, feel and vibe associated with it. Nearly all the new members still have their own musical projects, namely Malignant Monster and Miles Away, which I whole-heartedly encourage. I am extremely thankful to be able to work with such high calibre musicians and truly appreciate that they are helping me achieve what is essentially a musical vision I’ve had since high school.”

FAG BASHERS

The Fags and Bible Bashers team up at the Norfolk Basement on Saturday, November 21, from 8pm to sport their ‘irreverent and unapologetic’ wares. The Bible Bashers, who recently got mad props from Eddie Vedder, also have four new songs uploaded to myspace.com/thebiblebashers.

Boom! Bap! Pow!, Miche Suite, The Belle Ends, Tree, and Oh! You Pretty Things will be performing at Against The Beat at Mojo’s on Saturday, November 21, as part of Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women campaign. The gig is part of the 2009 ARTillery Youth Arts Festival which aims to educate and inspire young people to take action on human rights issues. Tickets are $10 through Heatseeker, or more on the door, which opens at 8pm.

Freo roots guru Simon Kelly recently toured Japan, resulting in his signing with a Japanaese label. In addition to this, one of his songs has made it onto One Tree Hill (Kelly’s fourth song to appear on American TV), and he has himself a new band to boot (with The Reverend John Brown and Nathan Sproule). Catch this new band when they hit the Railway Hotel on Saturday, November 21, supporting Meliflous; and on Sunday, November 22, at the Redcliffe On Murray from 2pm.

HIGH TOWERS

Ali Towers performs his last WA gig of the year at JB O’Reilly’s on Sunday, November 22, where he joins Craig Sinclair and Freo Grasshoppers. Then it’s off to the UK and USA for some showcases for Towers, with a new EP also on its way.

THE MAGIC NUMBERS

6s & 7s are venturing out of the recording studio for a couple of Friday shows. Catch them on Friday, November 20, at the Hydey Backroom with Umpire, smRts, and Hang On St Christopher; and on Friday, November 27, at the Little Creatures Loft, with The Autumn Isles and Tracey Read.

6s & 7s

MO-MEMBER

Mo Wilson and The Drivers have been a little quiet of late, thanks to ‘those cunts in Karnivool temporarily stealing their guitarist and using him as a tour whore in a monkey suit’. Now that said guitarist is back in town, catch Mo Wilson And The Drivers at Luxe Bar’s Bamboo Stage from 4-6pm Sunday, November 22.

ISLAND LIVING Cat Black

BLACK MAGIC

Cat Black will join Bonehouse and Moonlight Wranglers at the Hydey tonight, Thursday, November 19. In related news: Eddie Vedder digs Cat Black; Bonehouse’s new clip is getting played on Rage; and Moonlight Wranglers’ next album is on its way.

Matt Cal will be packing his steel resonator guitars to perform his cool ocean grooves at the Rottnest Hotel on both Sunday, November 22, and Sunday, November 29. Be there from 2-6pm.

THE ‘HOLE SHEBANG

Wormhole hit the Rocket Room on Friday, November 20, with their complete psychedelic, space rock audio-visual experience in tow, before heading back into the studio to work on their next album. Injured Ninja, Bat Country, and The Witness support from 8pm, and entry is $10.

THE EMPEROR’S NEW SONG

Catch Emperors supporting Philadelphia Grand Jury on Friday, November 20, at the Norfolk Basement; and Saturday, November 21, at Amplifier. Emperors’ new single, Favourite Colours (produced by Dave Parkin) is online at myspace. com/emperorsnewband.

CITY PLANNING

Louis Love And The Hates

LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP Bible Bashers 64

Louis Love And The Hates will be hitting the Swan Lounge on Saturday, November 21, with Cim Ciaru, Valliant, and Xave Brown lending their musical support from 8pm. Entry is a fiver.

Capital City perform with Victoria’s The Holy Sea at Margaret River’s Settlers Tavern on Friday, November 20 (free entry); and then at the Rosemount on Saturday, November 21 (with special guests The Painkillers and The Ghost Hotel – $12 entry). Capital City also play the Rosemount’s New Year’s Eve Fiesta with Sugar Army, Umpire, The Scotch Of Saint James and many more – tickets are on sale now from Planet, Mills, Star and www.heatseeker.com.au. Capital City’s new album Keep It Stupid, Sucker is out now on Good Cop Bad Cop Records, see www. myspace.com/capitalcityaus for more info. Hittin’ the town since 1985

AMPLIFIER

Tonight, Thursday, November 19, California’s Mest play at Amplifier.Support comes from Grim Fandango,ColourThe Sky, and Here We Ghost. Doors open 7.30pm.Friday,November 20, Pathogen return to the stage to launch their new EP,Remnants. They will celebrate launching this release alongsideThe Ascent, Atvena’s Wake, Enforce, and Fool The World. Doors open 8pm. Saturday, November 21, Philadelphia Grand Jury return to the Amplifier stage on their national headline tour, promoting their album Hope Is For Hopers.The Novocaines and Emperors support from 8pm. Sunday,November 22,Perth’s metal lovers will be in the presence of greatness when Obituary come to town. Support comes from locals Chaos Divine and Grotesque. Doors open 8pm.

CAPITOL

Saturday,November 21,Melbourne’s British India are returning to Capitol. They will be joined by Long Gone Midnight from 7.30pm. Tuesday, November 24, Swedish metal gods Amon Amarth will play with Victoria’s Eye Of The Enemy, and locals Mhorgl. Doors open 7.30pm. Wednesday, November 25, UK punk legends The Buzzcocks will hit the stage with The New Invincibles. Doors open 7.30pm.

Mitch Becker And Ben Romalis

PERFECT MITCH

Freo’s Mitch Becker is teaming up with his ol’ mate Ben Romalis for a south west tour of epic proportions. Catch the two renowned guitarists when they hit Little Creatures Loft on Friday, November 20; Albany’s Tanglehead Brewery on Saturday, November 21, and Sunday, November 22; Wednesday, November 25, at Mojo’s; Thursday, November 26, at Clancy’s; Friday, November 27, at Bunbury’s Parade Hotel; Dunsborough’s Cape Wine Bar on Saturday, November 28; and Yallingup’s Bush Shack Brewery on Sunday, November 29.

MOJO’S The Spitfires

ALL ABOUT THE ’COCKS

The Spitfires and zxspecky will be performing at the Rocket Room’s Buzzcocks Tribute Show on Friday, November 20, as part of Late Night Live. That means after midnight.

Tonight, Thursday, November 19, Fremantle Records present Hand Stands For Ants,TheYokohomos,and Hearts Moustache. Entry is $10, which includes a copy of Hand Stands For Ants new single, from 8pm. Friday, November 20, Shooting From the Hip features The Love Junkies, Blow, The Joe Kings, The Growl, Blackboard Minds, and Oh! You Pretty Things. Entry is $8 from 6pm.Saturday,November 21,AgainstThe Beat features top-notch female-fronted bands using their music to fight for women’s rights, with Boom! Bap! Pow!, Miche Suite, The Belle Ends, Tree, and Oh! You Pretty Things doin’ it for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women campaign. The gig is part of the 2009 ARTillery Youth Arts Festival, which aims to educate and inspire young people to take action on human rights issues. Entry is $15 from 8pm. Sunday, November 22, features Tracksuit, Offbeat Antics, Fools Of April, and Luke Dux all playing to raise funds for cerebral palsy research.Entry is $15 from midday-4pm.From 6-10pm that night,catchTijuana Cartel and guests.Tickets are available from http://earth.net.au/tickets or on the door for $25. Monday, November 23, performing at Mojo’s for the Wide Open Mic will be a bunch of ambitious cats who will simply rock up on the night. This night is hosted by Jack Stirling and booked by Justin Walshe 0408 755 233. Free entry from 8pm.Tuesday,November 24,check out Demi Monde, The Moltens, Modular Man, and The Clock Strikes. Entry is $5 from 8pm.Wednesday,November 25,the Fremantle Blues And Roots Club presents Paul Greene,Jarrah Thompson,and Mitch Becker. Entry is $10 / $5 for members from 8pm.

INDI BAR Cease

CEASE AND DESTROY

Doomy and sludgy, the sound of Cease is quite the overwhelming affair, and they’ll be sporting such powers when they launch their new CD, Cicada, at the Hydey on Friday, November 20. Joining in the fun will be Gutter Guitar, Atolah, and Giant Tortoise. Entry is $15 from 8pm.

Opia

OPIA, WHERE ART THOU?

There’s a secret show at the Indi tonight,Thursday,November 19, so check out the Indi Facebook group.Friday,November 20,Pete Hawkes will be supported by Damon Carren &The Psychedelic Freak Flag. Saturday, November 21, The WA Surfer Of The Year Awards will feature performances from The Chemist, Mister & Sunbird, and The Japanese Tongue Sisters.Sunday,November 22, Dutch Tilders and Jez Mead will provide an impressive double-bill.Wednesday, November 25, Indi favourites Tijuana Cartel are sure to have the whole crowd moving,

Opia team up with Ravior for a few shows this week. Catch the pair-up when they hit Bunbury’s Prince Of Wales on Friday, November 20; HQ on Saturday, November 21 (all-ages); THE CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM Friday, November 20, The Civic hosts Shameem Taheri-Lee’s and the Newport on Sunday, November 22.

CD Launch with supports The Brow and The Accumulated Gestures. Doors open 8pm and entry is $10.

THE HYDEY FRONT BAR & BACKROOM

Tonight, Thursday, November 19, catch Cat Black, Moonlight Wranglers, and Bonehouse in the Front Bar. Doors 8pm and entry is $8. Friday, November 20, the Front Bar hosts Cease’s Cicada CD Launch with supports Gutter Guitar, Atolah, and Giant Tortoise. Doors 8pm and entry is $15. The same night catch Umpire,6s & 7s,smRts,and Hang On St Christopher in the Backroom from 8pm.Entry is $10.Saturday, November 21, Jon Michell plays the Front Bar along with Astral Travel, Benedict Moleta 4 Piece, and Craig McElhinney from 8pm. Entry is $10. Sunday, November 22, Electromen, Painkillers, Love Kills, and Paul McCarthy play the Front Bar from 6pm. Entry is $8.

RAILWAY HOTEL

Friday,November 20,the Railway hostsThe Forgotten,Tracksuit, Jupiter Zeus, and The Bronze. Doors open 8pm and entry is $8. Saturday, November 21, it’s reggae at the Railway when Mellifluous launch their new EP with special guests I Love Painting Houses, Dilip N The Davs, and The Simon Kelly Band. Doors open 8pm, $10 entry includes a copy of the CD. Sunday, November 22,local lads Stillfire continue their Sunday session residency in the Railway beer garden. Action is 4-8pm, entry is free.

ROCKET ROOM

Friday November 20, Wormhole headline the Rocket Room with Injured Ninja, Bat Country, and The Witness. Late Night Live is a Buzzcocks tribute night, featuring The Spitfires and zxspecky with MC Tomas Ford and DJ Jessica Kill ’til 3am. Saturday, November 21, Luna Parade play the Rocket Room, supported by Screaming Life, Art In Algebra, and Duke. After midnight,Kickstart play set after set of your favourite rock tunes and DJ Brett Rowe hits the decks ’til 4am.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

Friday, November 20, it’s the Stagebound band competition with Rainy Day Women, The Brow Horn Orchestra, The Siren Tower, Blackmilk, Laced Affair, Trigger Jackets, and The Atlas Mountains battling it out for spot on the bill for Southbound Festival. Doors open 8pm, entry is $5. Saturday, November 21, formerly Perth, now Melbourne-based band The Holy Sea hit town to launch their new double A-side single with help from their friends in Capital City,The Painkillers,andThe Ghost Hotel. Doors open 8pm, entry is $12. Sunday, November 22, it’s the Rosemount’s AcousticOpenMicNight hosted byTurin Robinson - head on down and have a bash or just play some free pool. Action from 4pm and it’s free.In the Garden Bar,the new Sundae session continues – free entry. Tuesday, November 24, it’s the Rosemount’sweeklyQuizNight-seewww.quizmeisters.com.au for more info.Wednesday,November 25,catch Eunuch Schools, Modular Man,andTheVeescars (acoustic).Doors open 8pm and entry is $5. In the beer garden catch DJ Shannon Fox for the Rosemount’s Student Night.Check out www.rosemounthotel. com.au for more Rosie info.

THE CASTLE

Lies Among Friends,The Frighteners,and OnThe Level play Late Night Rockers In The City on Friday,November 20.On Saturday, November 21, The Birth Of Phonography features Paltiva, Born On The Bayou, and The Silence In Between. There’s free hot dogs from 1-6pm on Sunday, November 22, and then Aztech Sons and West End Riot bring the tunes.

STAG GEBOUND D TO SO OUTHBOUND 2010 0

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ROYAL CROWN REVUE Come Fly With Me

Los Angeles’ legends of swing revival, Royal Crown Revue bring their It’s A Whole New Revue! live show to the Fly By Night Club, Fremantle, on Tuesday, December 8. BEN WATSON spoke with frontman Eddie Nichols.

Royal Crown Revue

It has been 20 years since Royal Crown Revue began performing together. For any band this is an immense period of time, particularly when one considers the fickle whims of popular culture. RCR were to enjoy quick success, including appearances in The Mask, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and The Conan O’Brien Show; and they are credited with kicking off the ubiquitous swing revival of the mid-’90s. Whereas lesser bands may have floundered in the wake of this success, Royal Crown Revue continue to grow. As frontman and band leader Eddie Nichols explains, the band have spared no extravagance in their recent shows, which included a residency at the Las Vegas Hilton - Elvis Presley’s show room. “We put together an entirely new show,” Nichols explains. “Something I wanted to do for many years was put together a show like they used to do in the ’50s and the ’60s, like a Dean Martin show, with the whole nine yards. And we did that this year… we had Vegas showgirls, we had choreographers, we had lights, we had costumes, we had a big band, and… some scripted stuff, but we’re not big on it. I like doing things off-the-cuff, a lot of jokes. And it just went over fantastic.” The show came with some unexpected perks, too, as Nichols explains: “I said ‘where’s my dressing room?’ and they go ‘you get Elvis’ dressing room!’. And that was the neatest thing for me, when I was a younger man Elvis was a big influence so I got to sit at Elvis’ bar before the show (laughs). It was cool.” Unfortunately, financial constraints have prevented the band from bringing their extended show to Australian shores, but every cloud has its silver lining. The Vegas experience has seen Royal Crown Review add 26 year-old female vocalist Jennifer Keith to the group, and she will indeed be appearing on the upcoming tour. Nichols explains: “Jen had been a friend and she has been together with my saxophone player for a few years and she was an actress, and we didn’t realise she could sing, and she started singing… and she just has this incredible voice. “Most gals that I’ve heard, when they try to replicate vintage music, they sound like they’re tryin’ to replicate it. She has a timbre to her voice where she sounds like Anita O’Day or

Helen Forrest, which is really great. She’s really got a handle on it. So, we just started throwin’ her in a little bit, but the response to her was really great, and our chemistry together is pretty good. So then we did the Vegas show a few times and she just works great.” Show business is definitely what Royal Crown Revue are about, but there is also the rather more serious task of keeping American culture alive in the new millennium. “Technically and artistically there’s this great big pallet,” Nichols says of American roots music. “You look into all the styles from the ’20s on that you can use, and there’s some depth there. And there’s a lotta lost art… there’s a lot to draw from and there’s a lot to be learned. I mean, I don’t care who you are. If you play heavy metal you got roots, and your roots go all the way back to minstrel music and blues. It’s just a fact.” But Nichols admits an admiration for his contemporaries as well.“I’m so far out of the loop now that I don’t listen to [modern music]. But when I have peeked in on it, I have been happy with the fact that I’ve heard some groups that are starting to use classical - or even ’70s - other styles incorporated into their music finally, and I think that’s fantastic. I enjoy that aspect, but I can’t put my thumb on any particular one. It goes almost without saying that Royal Crown Revue will be bringing all this class, and their wealth of experience and knowledge to the Fly By Night in December. Nichols admits that Australia has a special place in the band’s heart. After all, they have released two live albums recorded here. However, this will be RCR’s first visit to the west coast. “The only thing I’m not excited about is the schedule, even though it’s short, is so hectic. And we love Australia man, and we have all these friends down there and after the show we wanna see our friends and they wanna see us - you know how it gets - and by the time we get to the hotel it’s time to get up, blah!, and get on another flight. “But there is a special bond for us with Australia because the fans have been so genuine there, and so cool, and there’s great people, man. It’s just been a great time. We feel at home when we’re playing down there. So there is a bond for us. Definitely.”

Hittin’ the town since 1985

THIS WEEK MEST

November 19 Amplifier

PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY

November 19 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury November 20 Norfolk Basement November 21 Amplifier Bar

PIGRAM BROTHERS November 19 Fremantle Arts Centre

LONNIE LEE AND THE LEEMEN

November 19 Friends Restaurant November 20 South Fremantle Football Club

DUTCH TIDLERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEGENDS BAND

Amon Amarth, Tuesday @ Capitol

THE HOLY SEA

November 20 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River November 21 Rosemount Hotel November 22 Fremantle Arts Centre

November 20 West Coast Blues And Roots Club November 21 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River November 22 Indian Ocean Hotel

TIJUANA CARTEL

LUKE CARRA

November 21 Burswood Dome

November 19 Gypsy Tapas November 20 Nannup Hotel November 21 Bootleg Brewery, Margaret River November 22 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River

November 20 Fly By Night November 22 Mojoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s November 25 Indi Bar

NICKELBACK TORI AMOS

November 21 Perth Convention Centre

JIMMY BARNES

November 21 Ascot Race Course

OBITUARY

SEAL November 20 Kings Park & Botanic Garden

November 22 Amplifier Bar

BRITISH INDIA

NATHAN GAUNT AND THE SUNSET RIDERS

November 20 Palms Resort, Busselton November 21 Captiol

AMON AMARTH

TIM FINN / ANDY BULL

November 22 Paddington Ale House November 24 Capitol

SIA

November 20-22 The Quarry Amphitheatre

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS November 21 Fly By Night November 22 Oxford Hotel

November 24 Astor Theatre

BUZZCOCKS

November 25 Capitol

PAUL GREENE

November 25 Mojoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s November 26 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River

COMING UP BUZZ DELUXE November 26-27 THE SCARE November 26-28 DIESEL November 26-29 KIM SALMON November 28 PAUL DEMPSEY November 28 THE BASICS November 28 SOUNDS IN THE VALLEY November 28 THE ACACIA STRAIN November 28-29 LOVE OF DIAGRAMS / NOWHERE FOREVER November 28-29 STEREOSONIC November 29 NICK LOWE / RY COODER December 1 JAIMI FAULKNER December 2-6 JEBEDIAH December 3 NICK BARKER December 3-6 THE FUMES December 3-6 GREEN DAY / JET December 4 CONFESSION December 4-5 MICK THOMAS AND THE SURE THING December 4-6 KILLAQUEENZ December 4-6 BLUE SHADDY December 4-12 ESCAPE TO THE PARK (Paul Kelly, Augie March, Claire Bowditch, Mama Kin) December 4 RICHIE SPICE December 5 THE KILL DEVIL HILLS / CONWAY SAVAGE / BRITISH MOTOR CORPORATION December 5 THE SECRET HANDSHAKE December 5-6 THE B-52â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s / THE PROCLAIMERS / MENTAL AS ANYTHING December 6

LES CLAYPOOL December 6 JARVIS COCKER December 8 HEAVY TRASH December 7 ROYAL CROWN REVUE December 8 RISE & FALL December 9-10 BODYJAR December 10-12 FLEETWOOD MAC December 11-12 KARNIVOOL / JERRICO / COERCE December 11-12 THUNDAMENTALS December 11-12 DEEZ NUTS December 11-13 DREAM THEATER December 12 PATRICK WOLF December 12 SHORT STACK December 13 THE FLAG SISTERS December 15-30 ANIMAL COLLECTIVE December 17 THE CHURCH December 17-18 PARKWAY DRIVE / BREAK EVEN December 17-20 LAMB OF GOD / DEVILDRIVER / SHADOWS FALL December 18 PENDULUM December 26 BREAKFEST (Napt, Miles, Dyson, Mickey Slim, Elite Force, The Nextmen, Rennie Pilgrem, MC Chickaboo, Superstyle, Deluxe, Lady Waks, Funkoars, Streetlife DJs and more) December 26 ORIGIN (Method Man, Redman and More) December 31 SUGAR ARMY December 31 GYROSCOPE / THE MESS HALL December 31 SEBASTIAN INGROSSO / DIRTY SOUTH January 1 SUMMADAYZE (Carl Cox, 2 Many DJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Sharam, Infected Mushroom, LCD Soundsystem) January 3 CAT POWER January 6 MICACHU AND THE SHAPES January 8 GRIZZLY BEAR January 8 CHIMAIRA January 13 SOUTHBOUND (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Moby, Hilltop Hoods, Wolfmother, Jamie T and more) January 8-10 JOHN BUTLER TRIO January 16 SUMMERSOUNDS, ESPERANCE (Diesel, End of Fashion, Chris Murphy and the Holy Rollers, Courtney Murphy and Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lore, Harlequin League, Nathan Gaunt and band and Howie Morgan and Band) January 16

MAYER HAWTHORNE January 15 NEKO CASE January 17 THEM CROOKED VULTURES January 19 ASH GRUNWALD January 22-24 EVERY TIME I DIE January 23-24 CAMERA OBSCURA January 25 RAGAMUFFIN (Wyclef Jean, Shaggy, Julian Marley, Sly + Robbie and more) January 25 THE TEN TENORS January 27-30 POLAR BEAR CLUB / BREAKEVEN / THE GIFTHORSE January 27-28 AUSTRALIAN ROCK SYMPHONY January 30 THE HORRORS January 30 BIG DAY OUT (Muse, Powderfinger, Lily Allen, Eskimo Joe, Groove Armada, Ladyhawke, The Mars Volta, Dizzee Rascal, Karnivool, Peaches, The Temper Trap, Kasbian, Midnight Juggernauts) January 31 PEACHES February 1 ACE FREHLEY February 1 LANEWAY FESTIVAL (Echo And The Bunnymen, Florence And The Machine, Black Lips, The XXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Daniel Johnston, Sarah Blasko, N.A.S.A, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Hockey and more) February 6 CLIFF AND THE SHADOWS February 6 BEACH BOYS / DARYL BRAITHWAITE / BRIAN CADD February 7 BREAKESTRA February 6 SHARON SHANNON February 7 MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO February 8 MARIANNE FAITHFUL February 9 PORTICO QUARTET February 10 DIRTY THREE February 11 JAMIE LIDELL February 12 AMADOU AND MARIAM February 13-14 JOSH EARL February 15 DIE ROTEN PUNKTE February 16 BRITISH SEA POWER February 17 PIVOT February 18 THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART / BACHELORETTE February 19 YO LA TENGO February 20 MISTA SAVONA February 21 DANCING ON YOUR GRAVE February 22-23

ROBERT FORSTER February 24 DAN SULTAN February 25 CALEXICO February 26 HEALTH February 27 HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE February 28 GUY SEBASTIAN February 12 GRANT HART February 12 GOOD VIBRATIONS (The Killers, Basement Jaxx, Armand Van Helden, Gossip, Busta Rhymes, Friendly Fires, Salt N Pepa, Z Trip, Kid Cudi, Naughty By Nature, Gym Class Heroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and more) February 14 ROB THOMAS / VANESSA AMOROSI February 21 DIANA KRALL February 23-24 NANNUP MUSIC FESTIVAL February 26-March 1 FAT FREDDYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DROP February 27 FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL (The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand, Empire Of The Sun, David Guetta, Booka Shade, Erick Morilla, Sven Vath, John Digweed) Febuary 28 SOUNDWAVE (Faith No More, My Chemical Romance, Janeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Addiction and More) March 1 CLUTCH March 2 AC/DC / WOLFMOTHER March 6-7 PAVEMENT March 8 STATUS QUO March 17 COBRA STARSHIP / OWL CITY March 21 BETWEEN THE BURRIED AND ME March 24 CHRIS SMITHER March 24 PIXIES March 27-28 WEST COAST BLUES â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROOTS (Crowded House, John Butler Trio, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck and more) THE DEAD WEATHER March 29 BRAND NEW March 31 LADY GAGA April 2 DECAPITATED / PSYCROPTIC / ORIGIN / MISERY INDEX April 6 KELLY CLARKSON April 22 GROOVINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; THE MOO May 15

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SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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ORIGINAL MUSIC NIGHT

PIE & PINT DEAL $15

CURRY & PINT DEAL $15

8PM 30

308PM 30

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WORK ON THE BAR? Volunteers work a shift and get a ticket and a camp site

Paid roles include free staff camping Friday, 20 November

THE FORGOTTEN Tracksuit, Jupiter Zeus and The Bronze. Doors 8pm / Entry $8.

Sunday, 22 November

SUNDAY SESSION FEAT. STILLFIRE

Doors 4pm / Entry FREE

www.xpressmag.com.au

Saturday, 21 November

REGGAE AT THE RAILWAY

MELLIFLUOUS EP LAUNCH

I Love Painting Houses, Dilip n the Davs, and The Simon Kelly Band Doors 8pm / Entry $10 (incl. copy of CD)

COMING SOON

Saturday, 28 November

SNEAKY WEASEL GANG CD LAUNCH

BARTENDERS (NEED RSA) CASHIERS FRIDGE STOCKERS SITE CREW HOW? Step 1 - go to www.independentevents.com.au Step 2 - register with us Step 3 - apply to work at the event

Charles Hotel

509 Charles Street, North Perth, WA 6006 Ph: 9444 1051 Email: enquiries@charleshotel.com.au

THURSDAY 19th NOVEMBER

THE COMEDY LOUNGE

PERTH’S NUMBER 1 STAND-UP COMEDY DOORS OPEN 6PM DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 6PM

SUNDAY 22nd NOVEMBER

DOORS OPEN 4PM CONTACT JOHN@KOSMIC.COM.AU TO LIVE YOUR ROCK DREAM

MONDAY 23rd NOVEMBER

Perth Jazz Society presents

ME AND THE DEVIL BLUES THE LEGEND OF ROBERT JOHNSON AND THE DELTA BLUES THIS CONCERT COMPRISES THE 2009 PJS COMMISSIONED WORK BY CALLUM G’FROERER AND BRETT THOMPSON, FEATURING THE VOICE OF SOPHIE BROUS BANDROOM DOORS OPEN 6PM - MUSIC STARTS AT 8PM DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 6PM

TUESDAY 24th NOVEMBER

ANDREW WINTON

PAUL GIOIA & TREVOR JALLA TIN DOG DOORS OPEN 7PM RESTAURANT OPEN FOR DINNER FROM 6PM

WEDNESDAY 25th NOVEMBER

FREE TRIVIA WITH $12 CHICKEN PARMIGIANA FRIDAY 27th NOVEMBER

DIESEL

DOORS OPEN 8PM RESTAURANT OPEN FOR DINNER FROM 6PM TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM OUR BOTTLESHOP, BOCS OR ON THE DOOR

WEDNESDAY 2nd DECEMBER

DANNY GREEN V ROY JONES JNR

Art In Algebra, Saturday at Rocket Room

THURSDAY 19.11 AMPLIFIER Mest Grim Fandango Colour The Sky Here We Ghost BAR ORIENT Simon’s Open Mic BENNY’S Howie Morgan CASTLE Jamie Seinemeier Blackhart Strangelove Markus Schwarze No Good Will Come Of This Arons Crusade CRAIGIE TAVERN Dave Crosby DOUBLE LUCKY Astro ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Gun Shy Romeos ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Helen Matthews FENIANS Pearce Ward FOUNDRY SideFX FLY BY NIGHT Tinpan Orange FREMATLE ARTS CENTRE Pigram Brothers FRIENDS Lonnie Lee And The Leemen HYDEY (Front Bar) Cat Black Moonlight Wranglers Bonehouse IMPACT BAR Threeplay INDI BAR Secret Show JB O’REILLY’S Pete Hawkes LEEDERVILLE HOTEL One Island East LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Lauren Kurtis Ticket 4 Two Wait For Nothing Seraphyn MERRINA TAVERN Greg Scott MOJO’S Hand Stands For Ants The Yokohomos Hearts Moustache MOONDYNE JOES Paul Daly And The Heavy Hitters MUSTANG Wikid NORFOLK BASEMENT Red Shoes Boy The Joe Kings Valiant Kav OXFORD HOTEL Mia And Friends PADDO Ben Merito PADDY HANNANS Men And Their Sheds PADDY MAGUIRES Level XI PUBLICAN BAR Brendon Gaspari ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Fremantle) Better Days ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Northbridge) Bill Chidzley SEAVIEW 2Che

SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe SPICE LOUNGE (Burswood) Courtney Murphy SWAN LOUNGE Brooke Wilkie Renae Paunic THE DEEN Ivan Ribic THE SHED Renegade THE WANNEROO Keith McDonald UNIVERSAL Aquarela

FRIDAY 20.11 AMPLIFIER Pathogen CD Launch The Ascent Atvena’s Wake Enforce Fool The World BALMORAL James Wilson BAR ORIENT One Island East BENNYS Faces BLACK BETTY’S Smokin Section CAPTAIN STIRLING Howie Morgan CASTLE Lies Among Friends The Frighteners On The Level CIVIC HOTEL (Backroom) Shameem Taheri-Lee CD Launch The Brow The Accumulated Gestures CLANCY’S (Fremantle) The DomNicks CD Launch COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Kirsty Keogh’s Open Mic Night DUSK Redstar ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Gun Shy Romeos ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Graham Wood Trio Lucky Oceans Howie Morgan ESS BAR Flavor EVE Huge EURO BAR Living Large FENIANS The Clan FITZGERALDS (Bunbury) iCandy FLY BY NIGHT Tijuana Cartel A French Butler Called Smith FOUNDRY Crave GOSNELLS HOTEL West Of Centre GREENWOOD HOTEL Rock-A-Fella’s HAMILTON HILL TAVERN Mr And Sunbird Stillfire Nat Ripepi HIGH WYCOMBE Fillin Da Gap

Capital City, Saturday at The Rosemount HYDEY (Front Room) Cease CD Launch Gutter Guitar Atolah Giant Tortoise HYDEY (Back Bar) Umpire 6’s & 7’s Smrts Hang On Saint Christopher IMPACT BAR Freeform INDI BAR Pete Hawkes Damon Carren And The Psychedelic Freak Flag INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY Evergreen JB O’REILLY’S The Healey’s KULCHA Five Point Turn LEFT BANK Bumpy Johnson LITTLE CREATURES LOFT Mitch Becker Ben Romalis Craig Sinclair Xave Brown LLAMA BAR One Island East MOJO’S The Love Junkies Blow The Joe Kings The Growl Blackboard Minds Oh! You Pretty Things MOONDYNE JOE’S Dave Gillam Trio MOON AND SIXPENSE Mortherfunk MOUNT HELENA TAVERN Fuse MOUNT HENERY TAVERN Full Circle MUSTANG Adam Hall And The Velvet Playboys Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Felix NORFOLK BASEMENT Mo Masquerade Party OLD BAILEY TAVEN Peace, Love And All That Stuff Backbeat OXFORD HOTEL The Recliners PADDO Just Ace PADDY HANNAN’S Proof PADDY MAGUIRES 43 Cambridge PARAMOUNT Flyte PLAYERS BAR Kickstart PUBLICAN BAR Alfredo RAILWAY HOTEL The Forgotten Tracksuit Jupiter Zeus The Bronze ROCKET ROOM Wormhole Injured Ninja Bat Country The Witness The Spitfires Zxspecky

Hang On St Christopher, Friday at the Hydey

ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Freo) Rockstar ROSEMOUNT Rainy Day Women The Atlas Mountains The Siren Tower Blackmilk Laced Affair Trigger Jackets The Brow Horn Orchestra SAIL & ANCHOR Easy Tigers SETTLER’S TAVERN Capital City The Holy Sea SOUTH FREMANTLE FOOTBALL CLUB Lonnie Lee And The Leemen SWAN BASEMENT 26 Parallel Hyte Hostile Little Face Red Triangle Deadbeat Music SWAN LOUNGE Renny Field Elk Bell Carl Fox SWINGING PIG Mr Brightside THE BURRENDAH Keith McDonald THE DEEN Clayton Bolger Slim Jim And The Phatts THE EASTERN MIDLAND Bill Chidgzey THE GATE Mike Nayar THE SAINT Threeplay THE SHED Pulse Polka Dot Zenburger Unplugged THE VICTORIA HOTEL (Collie) Sophie Jane TIGER TIGER COFFEE BAR The Honey Set VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Kris Arnott UNIVERSAL Retrofit GTA UWA Brett Hardwick WATERFORD TARVEN Bogan Bingo WOODVALE TAVERN Cherry

CASTLE Paltiva Born On The Bayou The Silence In Between CLANCY’S A French Butler Named Smith CIVIC HOTEL Flash Lads And The Doxies COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Groove Karaoke DEVILLES The DomNicks ELIZABETHAN HOTEL Dave Crosby ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Timeout ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Blowfish Amrit Sidhu Katherine Kunrow ESS BAR U2Me FENIANS Shanks Pony FLOREAT TAVERN Matt Gresham Damien Thornber And The Orphans FITZGERALD’S (Bunbury) Skinny Lane FLY BY NIGHT The Blackeyed Susans FLYING SCOTSMAN Loads FOUNDRY GTA GREENWOOD HOTEL Hotplate Heaven HIGH WYCOMBE King Karaoke HYDEY (Frontroom) Jon Michell Astral Travel Benedict Moleta 4 Piece Craig McElhinney HYDE PARK (Back Room) Chain Reaction IMPACT BAR Freeform INDI BAR The Chemist Mister And Sunbird The Japanese Tounge Sisters INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY James Wilson JB O’REILLY’S Brown Sugar KINGSLY TAVERN Tall Stories SATURDAY 21.11 MASH BREWERY AMPLIFIER Kris Arnott Philadelphia Grand MASH BREWREY Jury (Bunbury) The Novocaines Richard Lane Emporers METRO’S (Freo) BALMORAL Hi NRG The Other Guys MOJO’S BAR 120 Miche Suite Flyte Boom! Bap! Pow! BAR ORIENT Tree Better Days BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Oh! You Pretty Things MOON AND Chris Murphy SIXPENCE BENNYS Bar Code Housequake MOONDYNE JOES BLACK BETTY’S Murder Mouse Blues Red Star MT HENRY CAPITOL British India In The Groove Long Gone Midnight MULLALOO BEACH CARLISLE HOTEL HOTEL Free Radicals Timewarp

LIVE ON BIG SCREEN UNDERCARD STARTS 3PM WST DINNER AVAILABLE

FRIDAY 4th DECEMBER

CADD & MORRIS

DOORS OPEN 8PM RESTAURANT OPEN FOR DINNER FROM 6PM CALL US ON 94 441 051 TO BOOK A TABLE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM BOTTLESHOP, BOCS OR ON THE DOOR

COMING SOON METRO BIG BAND SUN 6 DEC WRATHCHILD & ROCK OF AGES SAT 19 DEC RAW COMEDY JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 2010

www.charleshotel.com.au 68

Hittin’ the town since 1985

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing bands. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. Email reception@xpressmag.com.au or fax 9213 2882.

The Bronze, Friday at The Railway MUSTANG Rusty Pinto Combo The Damien Cripps Band NORFOLK BASEMENT The Fags Goodnight Tiger Bible Bashers Mongrel Country NEWPORT Gravity OLD BAILEY TAVERN Gun Shy Romeos PADDY MAGUIRES Play Things PADDY HANNANS Decoy PADDO Cheeky Monkeys PARAMOUNT Felix PLAYER’S BAR (Mandurah) 3 Corner Jack PUBLICAN BAR Jazz With Quench RAILWAY HOTEL Mellifluous CD Launch I Love Painting Houses Dilip And The Davs The Simon Kelly Band RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Ultimate Tribute Show ROCKET ROOM Screaming Life Luna Parade Art In Algebra Duke Kickstart ROSEMOUNT The Holy Sea Capital City The Painkillers Ghost Hotel ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Freo) Flavor ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Northbridge) Blue Gene SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Project SALT ON THE BEACH Michael Paynter SPICE LOUNGE Going Duo STAMFORD ARMS Blue Hornet SUBIACO HOTEL Off The Record SWAN BASEMENT Fools Rush In The Creptter Children The Midnight Condition SWAN LOUNGE Louise Love And The Hates Cim Ciaru Valiant Xave Brown SWINGING PIG Zenburger THE BOAT GTA THE DEEN Cherry THE EASTERN Men And Their Sheds THE GATE Shawne And Luc THE SAINT Threeplay THE SHED Huge THE VICTORIA HOTEL (Collie) Sophie Jane THE WANNEROO Mike Vee

UNIVERSAL Soul Corp VIC PARK HOTEL Festivus UNIVERSAL Karin Page Duo Soul Corp WANNEROO SHOWGROUDS Lady Penelope WHALE AND ALE J Babies WOODVALE TAVERN Renegade

SUNDAY 22.11 AMPLIFIER Obituary Chaos Divine Grotesque BALLYS BAR Damien Cripps BALMORAL Karin Page (duo) BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Alex Lewinski BROKEN HILL One Perfect Day CASTLE West End Riot Aztech Suns CLANCY’S Zydecats COMO HOTEL Chris Murphy COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Tourist EASTERN MIDLAND Steve And Ben ELIZABETHAN HOTEL Jimmy James ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Sophie Brous The Perth Jazz Orchestra FORRESTFIELD TAVERN Rockin’ Ronnie FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE The Holy Sea GOSNELLS HOTEL Chris Gibbs HIGH ROAD HOTEL James Wilson HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Keith McDonald HILTON PARK BOWLING CLUB Jane Germain And The Yahoos HYDEY (Front Bar) Electromen Painkillers Love Kills Paul McCarthy INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY Retriofit Shawne And Luc INDI BAR Dutch Tilders Jez Mead JB O’REILLY’S Craig Sinclair Ali Towers Freo Grasshoppers KALAMUNDA HOTEL Jamie Powers KULCHA Zarm LAKERS TAVERN Mike Nayar MASH BREWERY Sophie Jane MOJO’S Tracksuit Offbeat Antics Fools Of April

Tree, Saturday at Mojo’s Luke Dux Tijuana Cartel (Late) MOON Jon Mitchell Chris Cobilis MOON AND SIXPENCE OTT Munich Swing MUSTANG Peter Busher And The Lone Rangers NEWPORT Ravior Opia Between Oceans PADDO Nathan Gaunt And The Sunset Riders PADDY HANNANS Miche Suite PUBLICAN BAR Open Mic ROSEMOUNT Open Mic RAVENSWOOD HOTEL Shiraz ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Fremantle) Dublin Rogues ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Northbridge) Blue Gene ROTTNEST ISLAND HOTEL Matt Cal SEAVIEW Danielle McDonald SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE China Blue Experiment SOVERIGN ARMS Ivan Ribic SPICE LOUNGE Quinten Going STAMFORD ARMS Bill Chidgzey SWAN BASEMENT Wait For Nothing The Coalminers Sect Artillery Road Failsafe SWINGING PIG 2 Tenors THE BOAT Polka Dots THE DEEN Grace Barbe THE GATE Topkats THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project THE SHED The Healy’s Renegade THE WANNEROO Richard Roberts THE WEMBLEY Pow! Dead Easy Nago VIC PARK HOTEL Clayton Bolger WOODVALE TAVERN Cherry Acoustic UNIVERSAL Retriofit

MONDAY 23.11 BAR ORIENT James Wilson ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Andrew Sisters INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY Dan The Audition MOJO’S Open Mic MUSTANG High Rollin Rhythm Kings

Mister And Sunbird, Saturday at the Indi Bar

PADDO Rick Steele ROSEMOUNT Bada Bingo THE DEEN Plastic Max And The Token Gesture SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic

TUESDAY 24.11 BAR ORIENT Mike Nayar BROKEN HILL Acoustic Licence CAPITOL Amon Amarth Eye Of The Enemy Mhorgl COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Scapegoats ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Sandon Quartet EURO BAR Benjamin Glynn FENIANS James Wilson FLOREAT HOTEL Open Mic Night IMPACT BAR Open Mic Night LLAMA BAR Karin MOJO’S Demi Monde The Moltens Modular Man The Clock Strikes PERTH BLUES CLUB Paul Gioia And Trevor Jalla Andrew Winton And Paul Novosel Tin Dog THE SWINGING PIG Joys Open Mic

WEDNESDAY 25.11 BAR 120 Felix BLACK BETTY’S Side Fx CAPITOL The Buzzcocks The New Invincibles CLANCY’S Chet Leonard Dot Lucky

COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Luke Bennett Open Mic Final DAVILAK TAVERN Open Mic ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Russell Holmes Trio FENIANS Cranky FOUNDRY Chantorion Dave Sounds Like Bears The Smiling Assassins Jordan Azor Trio IMPACT BAR James Wilson INDI BAR Tijuana Cartel JB O’REILLY’S Open Irish Session LLAMA BAR One Island East LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJO’S Paul Greene Jarrah Thompson Becker MUSTANG Circus PADDO Comic Effect PADDY HANNANS Murphy’s Lore With Courtney Murphy PUBLICAN BAR Tunesmiths ROSEMOUNT Eunuch Schools Modular Man The Veescars ROSIE O’GRADY’s (Northbridge) David Fyffe SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night SPICE LOUNGE Sue Bluck STAMFORD ARMS Joys Open Mic SWAN LOUNGE Lantana Aztech Suns Lies Amongst Friends Hunting Huxley THE MOON CAFÉ Swoop Swoop Lil Lionie Lionheart Danielle MacDonald UNIVERSAL Strutt

THURSDAY

PATHOGEN ‘REMNANTS’ EP LAUNCH WITH

THE ASCENT ATVENA’S WAKE ENFORCE FOOL THE WORLD

FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER

AMPLIFIER

SPECIAL SECRET SHOW (SEE FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DETAILS) FRIDAY

PETE HAWKES W/ DAMON CARREN & THE PSYCHEDELIC FREAK FLAG SATURDAY

SURFER OF THE YEAR AWARDS THE CHEMIST, MISTER & SUNBIRD THE JAPANESE TONGUE SISTERS SUNDAY

19th NOV.

MOVEMBER benefit featuring Red Shoes Boy, Kav (Eskimo Joe), The Joe Kings, The Valiants and a very special guest. Doors 8pm, be early.

20th NOV.

ON TOUR: Philadelphia Grand Jury with special guests The Novocaines. Doors 8pm. BE EARLY!

21st NOV.

What’s all the fuss about??? THE

KWUQVO [WWV " www.xpressmag.com.au

FAGS + Goodnight Tiger and The Bible Bashers. Doors 8pm.

Sat 28th Nov > Kim Salmon

DUTCH TILDERS W/ JEZ MEAD WEDNESDAY

TIJUANA CARTEL

COMING SOON NOV 27 - VDELLI NOV 28 - STILL FIRE

3RD DEC -THE FUMES 6TH DEC - KILLAQUEENZ WWW.INDIANOCEANHOTEL.COM

Classiﬁeds and Music Services Hotline: 9213 2888

Hotline: 9213 2888

•

Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au Deadline: 4pm Tuesday Credit cards welcome

Display ads: musicservices@xpressmag.com.au

BAND SERVICES ARMADALE LIVE MUSIC CLUB Expressions of interest meeting for all musicans, music lovers, clubs, pubs and venues. All ages, styles and cultures. 7.30pm Mon 23 Nov, Mimmawara House, 24 Numulgi St, Armadale. Further info www.shazaamproductions.com or phone Pete on 0404 430 165.

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING DO YOU KNOW WHAT A ROADIE IS? Have you got any background in AUDIO, LIGHTING or BACKLINE? Are you looking for CASUAL work in the entertainment industry? If that sounds like you contact Events Personnel Aust. On 08 9361 5005.

GENERAL EXPRESSIONS FREE ENTRY TO AVON ROCK Don’t miss it! Sunday Nov. 29 starting at 10am. See 15 bands from around the state compete in the Battle of the Bands comp. Northam PCYC Wellington Street Northam.

HAIR, HEALTH & HAPPINESS DOTTIE’S BRAIDS & DREADS Specialising in Dreads/ Exts/Maint/Weaves/Braids/Cornrows. Working 7 days & some evenings. For app call 0414 082 993. WAXING FOR MEN Hairy back? Unwanted hair? Clipping, waxing, hair removal, personalised service. 10 yrs exp. Athletes Effigy 9384 2950

MUSOS WANTED ACOUSTIC ACTS WANTED for Thursday open mic and gigs at Bar Orient in Fremantle. Live recording avail. For bookings call Simon Dowling 0405 812 263. COVER BAND SEEKS DRUMMER 3 nights per week. Pref between 20-30 yrs. Locals a bonus. Sorrento area. Call Pete 0439 301 718. DRUMMER AND VOCALIST REQ for original metal band, One Last Charge. Inf Pantera, Machine Head and Sepultura. Demo’s avail and gigs waiting. No time wasters. Enq call Nick 0417 187 447. DRUMMER WANTED for est original hard rock band DIAMOND EYE. In process of recording debut album. Inf KISS, Crue, Maiden, Metallica. Serious applicants only. myspace.com/diamondeyeperth. Ph Greg 0412 807 796 or Will 0406 335 505. EXPERIENCED FRONT VOCALS/2ND GUITAR for blues, funk, rock 3-piece. Rehersing weekly. Phone Drew 0418 931 101. FEMALE SINGER WANTED For acoustic originals and covers. Call 0448 436 491 after 5pm GUITARIST AND KEYBOARD PLAYER WANTED for alternative Pop and Hip Hop cover band. Call Melanie on 0438 771 128. KEYBOARDIST/VOCALIST needed for est“Elvis Tribute Show” band. Ph: Limelite Events: 0410 612 815

OPEN MIC NIGHT at the Davilak Tavern, Sth Freo. Wednesday nights from 8pm Phone Pete 0404 430 165 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632 OPEN MIC NIGHT ‘Get a Real Job’ at Moondyne Joes, 74 Wray Ave Fremantle, Thursday nights at 8pm. Call Mark 0409 137 850 or visit myspace.com/getarealjobopenmic SINGER WANTED for Sax In The City. Female aged 22-32 yrs please apply. Call Graham on 041 9966 042 or visit www.saxinthecitywa.com. S I N G E R S WA N T E D fo r $ 1 0 0 0 p r i z e c o m p ! Amatures and professionals welcome. Malaga area. Call 0418 957 866.

PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL WYLIE PROMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Studio, Live, Location. West Perth. 9328 1769. 0417 975 964 Online gallery: www.projectphotography.com

PRODUCTION SERVICES $1000/EP, $500/SINGLE $400 DEMOS Fremantle Records Producer Brian Mitra RTR, JJJ, Nova & Rage airplay in 2009. 0433196224 brianmitra@iinet.net.au C D & D V D M A N U FA C T U R E C h e c k o u t our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551 PA HIRE Vocal to concert size. Pro gear. Pick up or delivery. Exp crew. Ph 9307 8594 / mob 0404 410 020 PROFESSIONAL P.A. HIRE For concerts, parties, or corporate events. Call Sound Pro 3000 on 0424 279 328. SHORT FUSE SPEAKER REPAIRS Put new life into old speakers. General repairs on all makes. Ph 9249 4179 2/73 Holder Way, Malaga SHOWCO LIVE Suppliers of audio and lighting for concert, corporate, installations & driveway hire. SHOWCO DJ’S - Professional staff and equipment for every occasion. Modest to massive. Ph 08 9405 6450

RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Professional quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering.Ph: 0407 989 128 ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178

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Deadline: 4pm Tuesday

ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH FOR LONDON? Free appraisals by producer, 20 years working in London. Great studio also available- arrangement and production help included if required. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 / 9362 2252 www.jerichcomusic.com.au AVALON RECORDING, MIXING AND MASTERING STUDIO- BIBRA LAKE 32 track, 2 live rooms, running pro tools and logic, avalon and joe meek pre amps and compressors, vintage analouge effects, plus the latest digital plug ins. Vintage amps and key boards, valve mics plus more. Call Tony 0411 118 304, avalonstudios@bigpond .com CUSTOM BEATS, BACKING TRACKS Production & mixing. Studio specializing in Pop, R’n’B & Hiphop. goldustconstruction.com 0408 097 407 CVP Digital, Protools, Recording & Mastering. Productive enviroment, songwriters welcome, session musos available. Ph 9349 9365 Yokine area. www.clearviewproductions.com.au FORREST STUDIO’S High end monitoring, pro analogue and digital equipment. Intimate studio environment suitable for acoustic groups, singer/ songwriters, overdubs, mixing etc. Exp musican/ engineer to assist with your production. Call for an estimate based in your invidual project requirments. Ph 9384 1233 MASTERING-FORENSIC AUDIO MASTERING High end analogue and digital mastering. Www.forensicaudio.com.au. Ph 0401 499 667 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 RECORDING, MIXING OR MASTERING with WA’s largest collection of tube recoring equipment. Classic analog tape recorders combined with the very latest audiophile digital converters. Record your band using the worlds finest Analog and digital rock’n roll equipment at Poons Head Studios.“Today’s sound with vintage soul”. www.poonshead.som / Ph 9339 4791 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au SOLO STUDIO specialising in singer/song writer music productions. No band required. John 9330 6168 or mob 0419 794 683. STUDIO INNOVATIONS Tel: 08 9437 2151 Record, Mix, Master, and Film at one of Perth’s finest studios south of the river. www.studioinnovations.com.au

REHEARSAL STUDIOS ASTRO STUDIOS REHEARSAL ROOMS available. Armadale area. Call Dave 0438 839 999 or www.thetankstudio.com.au

wanna play

What do The Sleepy Jackson, Gyroscope & Hail Mary have in common?

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Credit cards welcome

CVP Private Rehearsal studio, excellent facilities. Protools, Recording and Mastering. Demos to albums, Musos avail. Ph 9349 9365, Yokine area. www.clearviewproductions.com.au P L AT I N U M S O U N D R O O M S P r o f e s s i o n a l rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 STREAM STUDIOS The place to rehearse in Perth.. Phone: 0403 152 009 www.streamrehearsal.com.au VHS Good facilities & vibe. Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 bus/hrs or 0413 732 885 After hours

TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar Specialist. Xmas vouchers avail. Latest techniques, styles and songs. Guaranteed results. Beg-adv, all levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawey 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 DRUM LESSONS The Drum Shop has Perth’s biggest drum academy with 12 teachers. Drum kit, African drumming and orchestral percussion tuition. See ad Below. Lessons from $18. D R U M T U I T I O N : P R I VAT E L E S S O N S w i t h Warren Daley. Beginners welcome.Hire kits avail. Ph: 9349 8594 (Osb. Park) DRUMS TUITION Experienced and qualified teacher. All styles. Kit-to-kit teaching. Contact Anton Gavin M.I.M.T on 9384 8523 ELECTRIC BASS LESSONS All styles. Beginner to Advanced. NOR. $50 p/hr. $30 p/half hr. Phone Peter 0423 686 109. GUITAR LESSONS Learn guitar by ear from a prof with over 20 yrs exp in teaching & performing. All levels & ages. blues & rock specialist. Results guaranteed. Phone Ian Wilson “The Teacher That Students Recommend” on 9403 3212 GUITAR TUITION (Beginners- Professional) One on One lessons. Burswood Ph 9361 1444 www.gvkschoolofmusic.com.au KEYBOARD LESSONS All styles, all lvls, all ages. 23 yrs teaching exp. Orig teaching method with guarenteed results. SONG WRITING also avail. Call Jonathon Warwick 0411 3300 15. ONE-ON-ONE TUITION for pro tools. Phone Steve on 0419 040 981 SINGING LESSONS Learn the technique of over 120 Grammy award winners! Extend your range and develop strength. Call Progression Music on 0431 335 495 or email simonar1@optusnet.com.au. SWING DANCE LESSONS Join us at The Deen every Monday at 7.30pm for easy and fun lessons, no partner req, any level. Private Lessons avil in swing and lindy hop. Www.swingitout.com. Ph 0409 095 476. VOCAL COACHING All styles, clean to scream. Melissa Cross heavy metal and Seth Riggs speech level technique. 30 yrs experience. Ph Sue on 0412 125 918 or suzydazzle@hotmail.com. VOICE COACH/SINGING LESSONS Over 23 years exp. All levels, all styles. Have fun learning to sing. ‘Find your true voice’. NOR. Phone 9407 9078 or mob 0407 260 762.

THE DJ FACTORY Exclusive agents for Allen & Heath Xone DJ Mixers. Sound advice on all leading brands in DJ hardware, studio software/hardware, sound & lighting. For quality customer service and the lowest possible price, Check out W.A.ís award winning vinyl & DJ hardware store.

9228 1911

www.myspace.com/revolversoundstudio Ph 0412 300 599 / 93285428

U1/222 James St, Northbridge info@thedjfactory.com.au

Hittin’ the town since 1985

ASTRO AUDIO VISUAL STUDIOS David Nolan, who built and operated The Tank Studio in Roleystone (www.thetankstudio.com. au) has moved to Kelmscott and has resurrected the old power sound studios back to life, to entice the local musos in the southern suburbs to keep it local. The space is being used for all types of musical applications, from mental health therapy through The Neami Agency, to the Armadale Youth Resources as their music headquarters helping young locals take the next step in the music industry. 2006 WAMi-Award winner and member of the band Astronaut, Nolan is putting it out to the newcomers and the experienced musicians of all ages, with a facility designed to be open to all levels at affordable rates. Astro Audio Visual Studios

Astro Audio Visual Studios

is a 24 track digital studio and has rehearsal space available for hire. Astro Audio Visual is having its Grand Opening and would like to invite music lovers and musos to head down and have a jam, a drink and a snag from 3pm Saturday, November 21. There will also be a musical instrument and audio gear swap-meet, so if you have anything you don’t want it might make you a few bucks or be swapped for something else. Head to www.astroaudiovisual.com.au for more info.

CELEBRATE XMAS WITH X-PRESS AND MOVIES BY BURSWOOD AND WIN ONE OF 200 DOUBLE PASSES TO AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ‘9’

JUMPIN’ JIM BELOFF Jumpin’ Jim Beloff’s Australian Tour Fluke Ukulele Workshop And Concert will take place over two nights at Zenith Music in Claremont. From 7pm Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24, Jim and Liz Beloff will perform and instruct on all things fluke ukulele. Bookings are recommended, and entry to each night is $10. RØDE NTK

RØDE M1

RØDE NT1000

RØDE Event Opal Monitors RØ

$20,000 IN RØDE PRIZES UP FOR GRABS RØDE Microphones has announced the launch of its 2010 User Survey, calling all audio enthusiasts and professionals worldwide to participate. To encourage involvement RØDE is offering a staggering prize pool valued at over US$20,000. Five lucky participants will each win a pair of Event Opals - the world’s most accurate and lowest distortion studio monitor. There’s also a huge swag of great mics up for grabs including RØDE NTK, NT1000 and M1 microphones. The survey and prize pool is open internationally and takes approximately fifteen minutes to complete. It can be submitted anonymously however in order to be eligible for the prize giveaways participants are required to provide a name and email address. The information collected will play a key role in directing RØDE Microphones’ product and marketing strategies into 2010 and beyond. To participate in the 2010 RØDE Microphones User Survey please visit www.rodemic.com/ survey.

Screening outdoors for this special X-Press evening at Movies By Burswood

PLUS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BEFORE THE FILM

Tuesday 1 December, 7pm Burswood Grand Ballroom Tickets on sale now! $40 CALL LAUREN 9267 7200

www.xpressmag.com.au

To enter, simply email win@xpressmag.com.au with 9 in the subject line – entries close November 30. This exclusive screening is invitation only – preview on Thursday, December 3 – commencing 6:30pm

In cinemas 9.12.09 Madman Cinema