33,560 OCTOBER 2012 MARCH 2013 - AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS
GUY GHOUSE & GINA WILLIAMS
DAVE HOLE
CHICKS ON SPEED
THIEF
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LOCAL NEWS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
SHAKE YER GROOVE THANG
SFK40 Something for Kate – Paul Dempsey, Clint Hyndman and Stephanie Ashworth – are celebrating their 20th anniversary. Yep, 20 years, you read that right. And so it is that their 20 Year Anniversary Tour this coming July-August is set to be the biggest tour the band have staged, covering two sets every nights of hits, album tracks, b-sides, rarities and covers. Each evening will opened by director Callum Preston’s short film and SFK and a companion piece book, Paper Trail, will be on sale. Catch Something For Kate at the Astor Theatre on Friday, July 4. Tickets go on sale at 9am, Friday, April 11, from somethingforkate.com Something For Kate, 20 Year Anniversary Tour
THE SHUFFLE KERFUFFLE
Last year’s SHAKE IT! WA Groove Music Showcase drew over 900 people to Salt On The Beach in North Fremantle. It was good news then and it’s good news now because the folks at The Funk Club are bringing it back for Anzac Day, Friday, April 25. It’s a lively, local line-up with Amani Consort, Beleza, Cosmic Drama, Fdel Live, Freqshow, Grace Barbe, Juice (featuring Strangelove), Alex Ford, Bax Davis, Creed, Junkadelic (featuring Randa K), Ladywood, Mambo Chic, Marksman, Seasta Chani, Setvice, Special Brew, Sunshine Brothers, The Brow, Ziggy & The Next Generation, Charlie Bucket, Donald Krunk, Foxman, Holly Doll, Joe Revell, Kid Tsunami, Klean Kicks, Micah, NDorse, Paul Gamblin, Raaghe, Silence, Soul Purpose DJs, Tom Drummond and Veenus. That’s loads of groove-based music, plus street and circus performances to boot. Tickets are $25 (plus booking fee) from funkclub.com.au, Salt on the Beach, Heatseeker.com.au, Mills, Planet Video, 78 Records and the Prince of Wales.
YOU AND MR JONES The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts’ Jazz Department presents An Evening With Vince Jones, at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley. Jones will perform with various WAAPA ensembles nightly from Wednesday, April 9, ‘til Friday, April 11, from 7.30pm. Tickets are $25 and $20 (concession) from (08) 9370 6895 or waapa. ecu.edu.au. Vince Jones
Grace Barbe, SHAKE IT!
Hitting the road in support of their hotly anticipated LP, Photographs, The Aston Shuffle have announced a forthcoming national tour dates. Their single, Tear It Down, and the band that lit up Instagram (#tearitdown) are set to bring it on Saturday, August 23, at Amplifier. Tickets are available at amplifiercapitol.com.au.
CONCERT FOR STORM
The Aston Shuffle
SUNDAY, LONG-STYLE There ain’t nothing better than a long Sunday, and that’s exactly what’s going on at Mojo’s this Sunday, April 6. From 4-10pm, The Long Sunday features The Eduardo Cossio Quartet, Justin Walshe The Duo, The Regular Hunters, Black Heart Sun, Benny Walker (Vic), Mister, Tom Fisher & The Layabouts and Stuart Orchard. That’s eight bands on two stages plus a barbecue for $10. That’s some bloody Sunday!
Storm Thomas is a young girl who has been diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitius, a condition in which the body thinks that food is a parasite. It’s a rare condition and therefore difficult to treat or provide some relief. Money is being raised for Storm and her family to attend a special clinic held in Colorado that provides information on how to manage it, access to clinical trials and emotional support that is very difficult to source in Australia due to the rareness of the condition. A fundraising gig, Concert For Storm, is being held at the North Fremantle Bowling Club on Sunday, April 27, from 1.30-8.30pm. Performing will be The Midfield Legends, an all-star line-up featuring Greg Dear (Holy Rollers, The Beautiful Losers), Kevin Smith (The Seven Storey Jumpers), Richard Lane (The Stems, The Rosebuds), Jill Birt (The Triffids), Alsy Macdonald (The Triffids), Martyn Casey (The Triffids, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Grinderman), Shaun Corlson (Salvage Diver, No Flowers No Wedding Dress), All The Hoffmenns, Richard Lane & Rosebud Generation, The Morning Night and Museum Wednesdays, plus DJs Caitlin and Tim Keady. Tickets on the door are $15 or if you donate to mycause.com.au/page/66381 and leave your name will be put on the door. Kids under 15 get in free. Storm Thomas
Tom Fisher, The Long Sunday
SERVE THE SERVANTS
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This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Nirvana singer/guitarist, Kurt Cobain. To mark the occasion, rarely-seen local supergroup, Nirvanarama, will take the stage to celebrate the music of a man who truly changed the game. Featuring Dan Sanders (vocals/ guitar) and Brad Campbell (vocals/ bass) from Gyroscope, Drew Goddard (drums/ vocals), from Karnivool, and Chris Daymond (vocals/ guitar) from Jebediah, Nirvanarama will perform two sets of Nirvana’s best songs. Also along for the trip are The Order Of The Black Werewolf, Dead Glorious and DJ Brett Rowe blazin’ on the decks. Something In The Way all happens at the Astor Lounge this Friday, April 4, with part proceeds to Beyond Blue. Tickets available through Showticketing.com.au for $15 (plus booking fee), or $20 at the door.
Much admired singer/songwriter/guitarist Ron Pope is heading back to Australia with his band, but will be playing a special solo all-ages show right here in Perth. Pope debuted in 2005 with the hugely successful single, A Drop In The Ocean, which has since had over 30 million views on YouTube and 25 million streams on Spotify. He has independently released 10 albums and many singles, with 50 million views online and over 36 million streams on Spotify. All this at 30. Ron Pope hits the Astor Lounge on Friday, June 13. Bookings via showticketing.com.au/ 08 9370 5889.
Nirvanarama | Pic: Michael Wylie
Ron Pope | Pic: Eric Ryan Anderson
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SAVE IT FOR RON
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WIN
N E W S L E T T E R - S I G N U P AT W W W. X P R E S S M AG . C O M . A U F O R E XC L U S I V E C O M P S
PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS PUBLISHER/MANAGER Joe Cipriani
EDITORIAL - 9213 2888 MANAGING EDITOR Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au FEATURES & DANCE MUSIC EDITOR Merran Reed: featuresed@xpressmag.com.au LOCAL MUSIC & ARTS EDITOR Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au GIG & EVENT GUIDES CO-ORDINATOR guide@xpressmag.com.au COMPETITIONS win@xpressmag.com.au For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Rachael Barrett, Stefan Caramia, Guang-Hui Chuan, Daniel Craig, Brandon D’Silva, Max Fairclough, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Emma Mackenzie, Callum Ponton, Denis Radacic, Bohdan Warchomij, Michael Wylie
WIN TICKETS TO SEE OPIA
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leah Blankendaal, Nina Bertok, Lucas Bowers, Aaron Bryans, Joe Cassidy, Hayley Davis, Chris Gibbs, Alfred Gorman, Shaun Cowe, Predrag Delibasich, Jayde Ferguson, George Green, Alex Griffin, James Hanlon, Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Coral Huckstep, Ellie Hutchinson, Rezo Kezerashvili, Tom Kitson, Clayton Lin, Charlie Lewis, Daisy Lythe, Andrew Nelson, David O’Connell, Shane Pinnegar, Nick Sweepah, Jessica Willoughby
Local lads Opia launch their first single of 2014 One Minute Ago at The Rosemount, Friday, April 4. X-Press Magazine has a free double pass available to catch the progressive rock trio. Support acts are Constructs, This Other Eden and Devil Rides Out. So what are you waiting for? Hit up win@xpressmag.com.au for a chance at your own personal Ute-Opia! Opia
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RUB A DUB DUB, HOT TUB GIVEAWAY Following a wildly successful run at Fringe World 2014 the Hot Dub Time Machine lands back in WA this April for two special shows at Capitol and Metropolis Fremantle’s Blu-V Party. DJ Tom Loud and his Hot Dub Time Machine have had an epic year. From closing the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and playing London’s Ministry of Sound to selling out his entire Adelaide Fringe run and opening this year’s 2014 Sydney Festival there is little denying this feast for the eyes, ears and booty. Hot Dub is a party for everyone: young or old, hip or daggy, cool or un-cool. It features all kinds of music and is for all kinds of people. Email win@xpressmag.com.au to get tickets to the Friday, April 4 show, or the Saturday, April 5 show. DJ Tom Loud
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT - 9213 2854 CONTENT COORDINATOR Anthony Jackson - production@xpressmag.com.au ART DIRECTOR Dwight O’Neil DESIGN + PRODUCTION Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz
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CD: THE ASTON SHUFFLE On the back of their recent smash single, Tear It Down, The Aston Shuffle last week released their new album, Photographs, and announced a national tour that brings them to Perth on Saturday, August 23, at Amplifier. To win a copy of the album, email: win@xpressmag.com.au. Make sure you include your postal address! The Aston Shuffle
EDITORIAL DEADLINES General: Friday 5pm, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, WIN: Friday 5pm, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING DEADLINES Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 55/102 Railway Street, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au
FILM: SEE THRILLER DIVERGENT
WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.
33,560 OCTOBER 2012 MARCH 2013 - AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS
Divergent is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader (Kate Winslet) to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four (Theo James) and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it’s too late. It’s based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth. Email win@xpressmag.com.au to win a double pass to see the flick and get the book trilogy. Divergent
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DVD: WIN YOUR OWN COPY OF FILTH Desperately bored with his duties as a Detective Sergeant, Bruce (McAvoy) survives on a mixture of cocaine, alcohol and sexually abusive relationships. Determined to secure the lucrative promotion to Detective Inspector and reconcile with his estranged wife and daughter, Bruce begins concocting a plan to sabotage his colleagues, including Amanda Drummond (Poots). Bruce turns his nearest rivals against each other, one by one, and by increasingly creative means. Don’t miss James McAvoy in this career-making performance. Email win@xpressmag.com.au to land a copy of the DVD. Filth
SONIC BOOM BOX 2014 Sending off this summer with a scorcher, One Love are back with their hugely popular series, One Love Sonic Boom Box 2014 and five lucky X-Press readers can win a copy of the CD. After mega-stars Avicii & Feenixpawl unleashed their sonic assault for the series last year, 2014 sees a new breed of hit makers: Tigerlily & Zoolanda, take the reigns and unleash their might. Email win@xpressmag.com.au to get a copy.
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FLESH
NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS
ELEANOR MCEVOY Deliver Me To Fairbridge Outspoken Irish songstress, Eleanor McEvoy, is bringing her sincere vocal melodies and quirky folk tunes to this year’s Fairbridge Folk Festival, from Friday-Sunday, April 25-27. SHAUN COWE reports.
BACK ON BEAUFORT It drew some 120,000 people last year, so it’s with great pride that the folks at JumpClimb have announced the date for the 2014 Beaufort Street Festival. Mark down Saturday, November 15, in your diary. They’ve launched an e-newsletter to provide details and reminders for when applications open for stallholders, bands, committee members and volunteers for the 2014 festival, head online to beaufortstreetfestival.com.au to sign up. Beaufort Street Festival
TIME TO GET AMPED As we mentioned last issue, the AmpFest 2014 final happens this Saturday, April 5, as part of the 4Sure Festival at Nedlands Foreshore & Skate Park, from 1-6pm. From a pool of 50 entries, five finalists were chosen - Indigo, Silver Hills, Anna O, Fox Cat Rabbit and North Shore Shoals - who are all in the running for $6,000 in cash prizes. There’ll also be headline performances by The Love Junkies (all-ages launch for their Flight Test EP) and Mathas. Expect skate demos, craft stalls and plenty of free, fun activities. AmpFest 2014 is brought to you by Youth Advisory Councils from the City of Nedlands, City of Subiaco and Town of Mosman Park. For full details, head to ampfest.com.au. Mathas, Ampfest- Photo: Michael Wylie
CHANGE OF SPEED Chicks On Speed have rescheduled their album launch, from this Saturday, April 5, to Friday, April 4, combining their free SCREAM exhibition opening with the launch, making one huge, heaving mash up of art, music, performance, fashion and technology at Fremantle Arts Centre. And it’s free! All ticket holders for this Saturday’s album launch will be reimbursed via oztix. com.au. For more about Chicks On Speed, turn to page 21 of this week’s issue.
Eleanor McEvoy has had a long and illustrious career as one of Ireland’s most popular musical exports. Her latest release, Stuff, is an exposé on her hidden back catalogue – an exploration into the fan favourites that couldn’t be found anywhere else. “Well, it’s a slightly odd album, because it’s stuff that was requested by fans and people that came to the gigs. There was an acoustic version of Memphis Tennessee, for example, that was never on an album. There were a couple of other songs that were on other people’s albums that I’d written but weren’t on my albums – or co-written. So I had requests for them. “So it’s a very quirky mixture of songs, really.” McEvoy’s 20-year career provided an abundance of music to choose from. The trick, for her, was choosing the right songs. While rummaging through the past, McEvoy admits to noticing the unexpected way her songwriting has evolved over time. “I think, when I initially started out the songs were very introverted, and I think, as time progresses, I tend to look outwards more. I think there’s a bit more humour in my work than there used to be. I think I used to be quite serious, you know, if I split up with somebody I’d cry for about it for three years. Nowadays, I couldn’t give a shite. I think, as you become older, you become a different person and that’s definitely reflected in the songwriting.” One of those differences has been the inclusion of Deliver Me, a scathing commentary on the Catholic Church, following the child abuse scandal. For McEvoy, writing the song meant taking responsibility as a songwriter. “I mean, if you’re a musician, your areas of expertise are musical ones, and sometimes it annoys me when musicians are going on about political issues and social issues. Having said that, I tend to write about social issues because I feel so incensed and so outraged by stuff that’s going on. “Well, you do have an obligation to write about something like that. You can’t not write about
something like that. So, I guess I’m in two minds about it. It’s never my intention to write about social issues, but sometimes I just can’t stop myself.” The response, McEvoy realises, is largely a cultural issue, and she’s been a little surprised by the disparity between the Irish reception and the Australian one. “In Ireland, absolutely… I sometimes get abuse yelled up at me when I do the song. You know, people have walked out of the gig; and over here, they clap – it’s amazing.” When talking about her shows in Australia, McEvoy takes the chance to look forward to the Fairbridge Folk Festival, and explain what she finds most appealing about the folk festival experience. “I think you can discover interesting stuff, you can discover new people. Not just that, I think you’re probably hanging out with like-minded people. Chances are, the person next to you does not watch the X-Factor. Chances are, they might not have the same taste as you, but they’ll be into something slightly quirky, something slightly offbeat. You know, I think that carries over with the kind of conversations you have with those people. “It’s just something outside the ordinary really, for me that’s what life’s all about.” Eleanor McEvoy
Chicks On Speed
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News Win Flesh Music Manchester Orchestra, Seth Sentry, Kaiser Chiefs Ball Park Music, Broken Bells Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse New Noise Eye4 Cover: Public: Art In The City C h i l d ’s Pos e , C a l i n Pe te r N e t ze r, 25Under25 Noah, Captain America Fair Market Value Arts Listings Salt Cover: Chicks On Speed News, Test Pad, Take 5 Thief, Bam Bam Club Manual, Behind The Decks, Salt Nights Out Rewind: Blackout Scene Live: John Butler Trio, Hunters & Collectors, Antics Local Scene Tour Trails Tour Tale - Twelve Foot Ninja Gig Guide Volume Dave Hole
FRONT COVER: Manchester Orchestra release their fourth studio album, Cope, this Friday, April 4. SALT COVER: Chicks On Speed are taking over
the Fremantle Arts Centre this Friday, April 4. 8
YEEZUS, KANYE Rap god, Kanye West has postponed his Australian tour dates, pushing the Yeezus shows back from May to September. Tour promoter Live Nation cited pressure related to his new album as the reason behind the change, with the assurance that the announcement was not an April Fools Day joke. The new date at Perth Arena is Friday, September 5, so hold on to your ticket. Ticket holders unable to attend on the rescheduled date should Ticketek before 5pm on Wednesday, April 30,to arrange a refund ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
HERE ON FIRE Courtesy of our mates at Life Is Noise, stoner metal legends High On Fire are embarking on a five date Australian tour this July. Formed out of the ashes of stoner trailblazers Sleep back in ’98, High On Fire have charted a more aggressive path over six albums of powerful, thunderous noise. Catch them at the Rosemount Hotel on Friday, July 18. Tickets are available at lifeisnoise.com, oztix.xom.au and the venue. High On Fire
Kanye West, eventually
BALL PIT! Bar 120 in Hillarys has a new monthly night with a difference, kicking off Wednesday, April 2. Aquarium features Andrei Maz (one-half of the beloved Death Disco DJs) and Amplifier resident Eddie Electric spinning tunes that will have you thinking it’s the weekend. Not only that, but Bar 120 are installing a full-sized ball pit... because why not? Doors open at 9pm, $10 entry. Andrei Maz - Pic: Brad Serls
SOHO STREET BAND Violent Soho keep going from strength to strength, having just announced their biggest headline tour yet. Joined by The Smith Street Band they’ll hightail it around the country, stopping by these parts on Thursday, July 3, at The Bakery. Tickets go on sale from 9am this Friday, April 4, via violentsoho.com.
HEY HEY, THEY’RE THE JUNKIES
HANSON YOUNG MEN
They were ones-to-watch last year and 2014 is shaping up no differently for The Love Junkies, what with the launch of their new EP, Flight Test, at Mojos this Saturday, April 5. Pat Chow, Health Legend and Bex Chilcott, aka Ruby Boots, provide quality support. Doors open at 8pm.
It’s happening again, 18 years on from when they first caused hysteria in Australia (and two years on from their screamy return) Hanson have announced an Australian tour in support of their new album, Anthem, which is released this week. Catch Hanson on Friday, August 15, at Metropolis Fremantle. Tickets available via oztix. com.au (1300 762 454).
The Love Junkies
Hanson
Violent Soho WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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MUSIC
VIEWS
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INTERVIEWS
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STORIES
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA Coping Mechanism Manchester Orchestra release their fourth studio album, Cope, this Friday, April 4. LEAH BLANKENDAAL speaks to keyboardist, Chris Freeman, about recording the LP, building a studio, and coping with the idea of life outside of music. It’s been a few years since Manchester Orchestra have produced a full-length album. Absorbed in other projects, the least of which included building a studio, Cope seems like it has been forever in the making. This process was made harder with the 2010 departure of drummer, Jeremiah Edmond, and the 2013 departure of bassist, Jonathan Corley, who left to pursue a career outside of music. “It is strange, it’s very emotional, it’s very difficult, because you form such a close bond with people,” says Chris Freeman, Manchester Orchestra’s keyboardist. “When you’re always travelling together, you’re sitting in the same room, you’re all sort of bunched in together going through these airports and hotels.” For a band that has known no other career aside from music, understanding this career change has not come easily. “This is kind of what we have to do. It’s not that we’re not particularly good at other things, it’s just become part of our make up, part of our genes,” says Freeman. Rebuilding the band with two of the original members gone was quite a literal process. Taking a house that a few of them had lived in while they were students, the lads from Manchester
Orchestra set about converting it into a fully functioning recording studio. “There was a house that we’d all lived in, that had always been a bit of a dream… our studio at the time was way too far away, and now we all live a mile away, which means we can pop over whenever we want,” says Freeman. The result of this rebuild is a raw and unapologetic album, rooted strongly in guitar-based rock. From its beginnings the band was clear of the musical direction they wanted to take. “If there’s one thing that we’re missing from the contemporary rock or alt-rock scene at the moment it’s a good guitar band. Everything is Mumford & Sons, and it’s not that it’s bad... but it’s very soft, it’s very gentile,” explains Freeman.
Cope sets out to fill that void. In a trademark display of lyrical honesty singer/ songwriter Andy Hull has strung together raw, distorted guitar hooks with visceral lyrics that spare no emotion. Highlights include the The Ocean, which has been featuring in Manchester Orchestra’s live set for some time now. An unusual little tune in waltz time, it is possibly more melodic than several tracks, yet still holds true to the heavier roots of the album. Likewise Top Notch, the first single from the album, bears a heavy and unrelenting bass and guitar riff, coupled with emotionally raw lyrics. Cope is an album for anyone who’s ever found themselves in a situation that makes them feel a little bit older or more warn, for those who know
“If there’s one thing that we’re missing from the contemporary rock or alt-rock scene at the moment it’s a good guitar band. Everything is Mumford & Sons, and it’s not that it’s bad... but it’s very soft, it’s very gentile.” what it is like to pick up the pieces and face whatever it is that broke them. For Manchester Orchestra, being around for close to a decade now, this coping process is about learning how to hold on and to let go.
SETH SENTRY Grass Roots Aussie rapper, Seth Sentry, chats with AARON BRYANS about the success of his debut LP, This Was Tomorrow, ahead of his Under The Stars tour with Bliss N Eso and Horrorshow, which stops by Signal Park, Bunbury, on Friday, May 2, and Wellington Square, Perth, on Saturday, May 3. Following nine years of live performances and appearances in the Melbourne underground hip-hop and a self-produced EP, Seth Sentry would harness the positivity received from reviews and release his 2012 debut album, This Was Tomorrow. The self-released LP would be the jump Sentry needed to push himself into the Australian hip hop industry, forming numerous bonds with other rappers and fulfilling a life-long dream. “It’s awesome,” Seth proclaims. “I’ve been able to switch my hobby and my jobs around. Music has become my job. It’s weird; I never anticipated this. If you want to be a successful musician you need songs. So I made some music. I’ve been rapping since I was young. When I started I didn’t even know there was any other rappers. Then I met one other rapper who was my friend and then I thought there was two of us. I moved to Melbourne and there was a little group of us. It was crazy how underground it was.” The LP featured production from Styalz Fuego (360), Trials (Funkoars, Drapht) and Matik (Pez, Bliss n Eso), showcasing the limitless creativity within hip hop, exhibiting a combination of classic samples and cuts, and live band energy. The guest producers aided in the airplay of three singles but forced Sentry to balance the final sound of the LP. “I found it difficult to balance them,” Sentry explains. “Obviously you don’t want anything to stand out on an album. My favourite albums are ones that are quite cohesive; that don’t sound like a collection of songs but rather an album. It was a bit of a balancing act but we didn’t over-think it. I just liked the beats and I’d worked with Matik before; Trials I’d always wanted to work with and Staylz had just wrapped up work on the 360 album, so it all kind of just came together. It was cool that even though I worked with three different producers, all of them got a single played on the radio.” Having self-produced his prior EP, The Waiter Minute, Sentry believed it was easier to self-produce This Was Tomorrow. However, the success of the album and the growth in Sentry’s popularity would result in Seth requiring a little extra assistance. “It was a bit of a no-brainer for me. I did the EP completely grass roots, and I was mailing out every copy of the EP myself. After that it only 10
KAISER CHIEFS Never Miss A Beat Kaiser Chiefs have returned from upheaval to release their new album, Education, Education, Education & War. JODY MACGREGOR checks in.
“It’s awesome. I’ve been able to switch my hobby and my jobs around. Music has become my job. It’s weird; I never anticipated this. If you want to be a successful musician you need songs. So I made some music.” made sense that I do all of that for the album myself. There’s a team in place now, I’ve got a couple of managers (Ross Macpherson and Rowan Robinson) who came on board who have their own label Ten To Two records and we had a lot of help with Inertia Music so it was less hands on but still maintained the same feel to it. Whilst continuing the writing and recording process for his next LP, Seth has been touring in promotion of This Was Tomorrow; and now the Melbourne-based rapper has the chance to tour with some of his best friends in the business, Bliss N Eso. “I’m fucking excited man. I’ve seen the venue sizes that they’re playing and they don’t fuck around. They’re massive. Some of them are 10,000 capacity and it’s just stuff I’d never be able to do on my own. It’s really exciting to be a part of it.”
Before you ask, turns out the Kaiser Chiefs weren’t big fans of their last couple of albums, either. “Maybe the last couple of records we haven’t delivered the goods,” admits their bass player, Simon Rix. “I think there’s some good songs, but I don’t know if they’re the best albums, so I felt like we had something to prove.” Another reason to feel they’ve got something to prove is - as with Manchester Orchestra elsewhere on this very page - due to the loss of a founding member, drummer, Nick Hodgson. For most bands that wouldn’t be such a big deal: find a new drummer, put out a press release, make a Spinal Tap joke and move on. But Hodgson wasn’t just their drummer, he was their principal songwriter – the one who often came up with the ideas before passing them on to frontman Ricky Wilson, and the rest of the band, to finish off. “He was actually the person who was the linking between all the components of the band, you know? He left, so that was an important thing,” Rix says. “But I think now in hindsight it was a great shake-up. Something really big happened and it was like, ‘Wow, okay, what’re we gonna do?’ It was an opportunity I think for us to start again, like a clean slate, to do something different and push things in a different direction. I think also with the jeopardy that was caused by Nick leaving, it re-ignited our hunger.” That new start has resulted in their fifth album, Education, Education, Education & War. War is an apt description – several of these songs sound like battle cries, calls to arms. “We’re at our best when we’re a little bit angry,” says Rix, “And we’re also saying
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something about society and life, modern life. That’s when we are at our best - when we’ve got something to get off our chests.” After Hodgson announced his departure there were several awkward months where they still had shows to play before they could get on with this new beginning. “I think it’s easy if you fire someone, but because he went very amicably there’s lots of contracts and various things that had to be sorted out. We were just waiting around really because the four of us wanted to get on with getting on but we had a little bit of waiting around to do, so that was frustrating and a couple of us did some other things in the meantime.”
“We’re at our best when we’re a little bit angry and we’re also saying something about society and life, modern life. That’s when we are at our best - when we’ve got something to get off our chests.” Those other things include Ricky Wilson’s surprising move of signing on as a judge on the UK version of The Voice, where he sits alongside Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones, and will.i.am. Not everyone was sure that was a great idea, but Wilson convinced them, explaining it would get them back in the attention of the mainstream audience they’ve always wanted. Right from the start the Kaiser Chiefs have been a pop band with their eyes on the charts, one who would perhaps have been more at home in the 1990s where they could have tussled with Oasis and Blur for a space on the front of the NME. Instead, they’ve lacked competition, going straight to the Mercury Prize shortlist with their first album. “When you’ve done it and you’ve had hit records and played lots of gigs and been given lots of awards, lots of praise, maybe you lose that hunger a little bit. I’m sure I didn’t mean to, but I think we all did a little bit. I think we regained it, suddenly we had something to prove again – that we could do it without Nick. “And also, I think because it’s our fifth album, we’ve done it for 10 years, a lot of bands fall by the wayside and I think we suddenly realised we had to step up and we had to prove that we still were the best band around.”
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BALL PARK MUSIC Pudding On The Ritz Ball Park Music’s third album, Puddinghead, is released this week. AARON BRYANS chats to guitarist, Dean Hanson, in the lead-up to their show at the Astor Theatre on Thursday, April 24, supported by Jesse Davidson. If you’re an avid triple j listener, chances are you’ve heard of Ball Park Music. If you haven’t, you’re missing out bigtime. Ever since releasing their debut EP, Rolling On The Floor, Laughing Ourselves To Sleep in early 2009, the band have received mass airplay nationally, drawing the attention of numerous triple j presenter and reviewers. The rave reviews would follow them throughout the release of their second EP Conquer The Town, Easy As Cake, leading to their signing with Sydney label, Stop Start Music. The quintet would go on to release their first studio LP Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs and win the triple j Unearthed Artist of the Year. “It was pretty mind blowing to be honest,” Dean expresses. “You grow up listening to triple j and hearing people speaking about it; then one day they give your song a spin and then a few years down the track you’re releasing singles and getting added to rotation and you’re in the car hearing them speak about you. It’s bizarre. It always seems like a third person thing, I personally hear it and think ‘shit this is bizarre’. “I remember going to that awards ceremony thinking we had no chance. We were up against so many good bands and they ended up giving us the nod. I guess it gives you a lot of confidence knowing that those people have given you the nod and said we think your record went really well. That record was the first record we released and it didn’t get the feature album on triple j and that was a big thing we really wanted to achieve. When we didn’t get it, it sucked and we thought we had failed. “And then we were driving between Sydney and Newcastle one day listening to the radio and triple j were announcing their Unearthed artist for Album of the Year and we had no idea it was going to happen. We were all tired or sick or hung over and they mentioned our name; it was like ‘get out of town, no way’. That was the same year that Gotye won Album Of The Year and I remember hanging out at that awards ceremony talking to him about Somebody That I Used to Know; it was fairly fresh, sort of breaking out in the world. And it just seemed a bit ridiculous where that song has gone and we were just this little Unearthed band. It was really cool.” The success of Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs resulted in headline tours, festival gigs and support shows with bands such as Boy & Bear, Jungle Giants and Loon Lake. Ball Park Music never stopped. A year later they released their second LP, Museum, following inspiration from the Beatles’ rigorous and continuous music writing abilities. “It just seems so natural,” Hanson explains. “We’ve never really had to force any of those songs out. We kind of have to force ourselves to slow down,
BROKEN BELLS Flux Capacity That dynamic duo that is Broken Bells have just released a new album, After The Disco. AUGUSTUS WELBY checks in with James Mercer. Since starting The Shins in the mid-’90s, James Mercer has conducted the majority of his songwriting in enclosed solitude. In fact, Mercer proved that The Shins are essentially a channel for his creations by recruiting an entirely new line-up to play on the band’s latest album, Port Of Morrow. Thus it was most unexpected when he teamed up with super-hip producer Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse) to form Broken Bells in 2009. However, this experiment with creative partnership didn’t upset Mercer’s songwriting flow, and Broken Bells have returned with their second LP, After The Disco. Mercer explains that there’s some perks in sharing responsibility with someone you respect. “It’s Brian and me together working on these songs, so in a way I get to be more of a fan of the stuff,” he says. “It’s easy to collaborate and submit to the idea that you’re not going to be in charge of everything when you know that the other person has terrific taste and has succeeded in implementing that taste.” Much like their self-titled debut, After The Disco finds Mercer and Burton stretching out into a variety of genres. For instance, the falsetto-heavy R&B of lead single, Holding On For Life, sits alongside the acoustic grandeur of Leave It Alone and the title track’s upbeat gleam. Mercer says the songs are largely products of experimentation. “We just start with trying to put together 12
actually, in contrast. We often tell ourselves once we’ve put out a record ‘let’s just take our time this time and not rush it’ but then Sam (Cromack, vocals), being a prolific songwriter, just comes up with something and it sounds awesome. We get all antsy and can’t stop ourselves just getting into the studio and making records. We feel like sometimes we’re working way too slow, but you look at other bands who spend a good three years between releases and still struggle for material. We’d be back in the studio now doing album number four if our time management allowed it. Sam sent a demo two or three weeks ago of a track he’d written for the fourth album and I already love it. I wish that it could be on this album. It’s a hit so we’ll use that one. We’ll get in there and record it soon. I dare say it won’t be too long before the next album.” A lot of bands use time between albums to evolve their sound or discover new layers to their sound. For Ball Park Music, this discovery was made in their early years; and now that they have found their perfect sound and songwriting formula, they don’t want to stray from it. “It took us a long time to figure out what sort of band we wanted to be. You constantly go through that struggle. The first record was really innocent and accessible; it’s pop song after pop song. During the second record we were going through the thought process of what we wanted to do and what sort of record we wanted to make and who we wanted to impress and ended up over-thinking it a little bit. In our minds, we think the first record we made when we weren’t thinking about what sound we wanted to make was better. On this new record we tried our
very best to throw back that first record and play to our strengths and have straight up pop songs and 11 tracks that are hopefully interesting and will get everyone to sing along.” It’s been a year and half since the 2012 release of Museum, but come Friday Ball Park Music fans can relish their third LP, Puddinghead. Full of the pop-hooks fans have come to love, Ball Park’s new album is sure to turn heads with its catchy tunes and engaging lyrical content; an area that the band was headstrong on perfecting. “Sometimes when Sam writes a song we’ll all sit down to try and think about what the universal meaning is of that song. I think one of the most important things about Sam’s writing is that he’ll nail one lyric that everyone listens to and thinks ‘I always thought that but no-one’s ever said it in a song’. But there was one track in particular, Girls From High School, on this new record that Sam had written that we workshopped heaps, and we thought it would be a really great song. We made four or five different versions but it was just missing that one lyric that was a real winner and would make people catch onto the song and make it mean something to them. That was probably the first time my brother Dan (drums) campaigned that the song needed that little extra touch to make it a masterpiece.” Puddinghead was recorded in a dirt-cheap rental property in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. With a muddy doorway, a broken door, rotten food and insects and leaky taps. It was far from the comforts of a professional recording studio, but somehow it worked. “It was a funny house to record in,” Hanson
anything that’s attractive. There’s no agenda and no real architecture that we’ve set up about, ‘What kind of record should this be?’ It’s just, ‘try to figure out something that sounds cool and then build on it, make a song and then move on to the next one’.” Despite jumping in a number of stylistic directions, Broken Bells are noticeably more popfocused than The Shins. The duo’s assertive tilt could be perceived as Burton adding a positive kick to Mercer’s customary introspection. “The easiest thing to think would be that I’m going to bring these Shins songs to the table and he’s going to modernise them or something,” Mercer says. “But it’s kind of the opposite. When I’m working with Brian I’m like, ‘Let’s do the shit that Brian really does well’. Of course Brian is wanting to do something different, so we battle it out and find Broken Bells.” Burton has a reputation for commandeering the studio environment, which might conflict with Mercer’s preference for having control over the songwriting. However, joining forces wasn’t a violent adjustment. “Maybe there were small moments when I had to let go of things, but once you resign yourself and you know that this is a collaboration, it wasn’t really difficult. It makes me look back and feel like a bit of an idiot for having it be so hard in the past,” says Mercer. Lyrically, After The Disco is centred around the ambiguities of human relationships. Although this sounds like Mercer’s bread and butter, the collaborative nature of Broken Bells extends to the lyrics also. “A lot on this record has to do with Brian and the world that he lives in down there in LA, being a single guy and therefore searching for something,” Mercer explains. “I’m married so I just have a very different lifestyle. When you’re single there’s a huge element of your future that hasn’t been sorted out yet, like, ‘Who is this person going to be?’ It’s like a big flux. There’s a lot of talk about that type of stuff on the album, dealing with relationships and so on.” PIC: JAMES MINCHIN WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
reveals. “We started recording around winter and it was pretty cool and cold, we’d wear our jumpers there and drink our coffee and cups of tea. And then a month into recording there it got ridiculously hot. There was no air conditioner there, we had to sit around and it was so hot, we didn’t want to move. I don’t know if it rubbed off on the musical sound, the main thing that rubbed off was that we had so much time in that little space to rework things and change them I they were rubbish. If the album sounded anything like the studio it would be the worst ‘70s porno soundtrack ever. That’s what the studio was like, this ‘70s bachelor pad.” Now, Ball Park Music are hitting the road for a national tour to promote the release of Puddinghead. “This tour is probably, in terms of production, the least we’ve done in a while. But we’ve always had this thought for every tour we do, to grow it and make it bigger then the next to have people keep coming back. But on this one we thought to ourselves, growth doesn’t particularly mean going crazy on production and having more lights and crazier stage props. We did a tour with Weezer last year and they were playing entertainment centres to thousands of people and it was so charming. The production on that tour was just those dudes, their instruments on stage, they had their big white logo at the back and it was just them smashing out tunes for two hours straight. I thought it was awesome. “So on this tour I think we’re just focusing on people hearing the new tracks. We’ve got five new songs we’re playing and hopefully everyone will sing along to the old songs they love.”
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GINA WILLIAMS & GUY GHOUSE Forever Now Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse launch their Noongar language album, Kalyakoorl, this Friday, April 4, at the Fly By Night Musicians Club. Winners in the ‘Indigenous Act of the Year’ category at the 2013 WA Music Industry (WAMi) Awards Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse have for a long time - together and alone - been prominent indigenous performers in Australia. Their new album, however, has taken the spirit of their work to a whole new level. Kalyakoorl (meaning ‘forever’) has been written and recorded entirely in the Noongar language. As a result of members of the stolen generations being forbidden to speak it (including Williams’ own mother and grandmother), the language itself is considered ‘critically endangered’ with less than 250 full speakers left. The Kalyakoorl album represents a commitment for Williams and guitarist Ghouse (also of Desert Child) to celebrate the Noongar language as well as its stories and keep it very much alive. Gina Williams took a moment to describe the project to X-Press Magazine. By BOB GORDON How long has the idea of recording a Noongar language album been with you and how important is it to you that you’ve done it? I’ve had to go back and learn the language as an adult, and I thought I would probably write songs as a resource to learn Noongar for me and my kids. For me, this is a personal mission. I grew up not really knowing anything about my family, where I was from or anything about my language. I was adopted, and fostered - twice - so by the time I came to meet my biological family all this was incredibly important. Language has proven to be the last piece in the puzzle of who I am, where I come from and who my people are. So to have this recording and to be trusted and supported by our elders and community is a great privilege. Guy has been saying for years that we should write and perform language songs, but until we actually started to do it I had no idea there would be a wider interest in this. I went to London at the end of 2012 and realised there that this was what I was compelled to do. I got back to Perth and we started working on songs almost immediately, and this is the result. Guy and I really formally started doing this about a year ago, and the interest and community support has been incredible. It’s humbling.
“Language has proven to be the last piece in the puzzle of who I am, where I come from and who my people are. So to have this recording and to be trusted and supported by our elders and community is a great privilege.”
What was the process in terms of pre-planning for the album, in terms of establishing themes, sorting collaborations and making sure things stayed within the spirit of the project? Everything about this project is informed by four principles, given to us by Uncle Tom Hayden in Kellerberrin. Uncle Tom has been a key elder - and an amazing source of support and encouragement. When I talked to him about what we should write about, he said, ‘it’s simple, there are four things; Koort (heart), Moort (family/people), Boodja (land) and Koorlangka (children and legacy). If you have those things in order then everything else should fall into place’. He’s exactly right, and it now informs everything we do. Everything we write endeavours to honour and respect those themes, and every gig we play is done with the mindset that Uncle Tom is going to be in the audience. In terms of the collaborative process, I am so lucky to work with Guy - he’s a phenomenal musician, but he has an incredible understanding and empathy towards this music. For us, it’s all about presenting this language in a way that gives it as much dignity and integrity as possible, and performing in a way that highlights its beauty and makes it compelling to listen to. We started with me coming along with some rough ideas and he would work out what I really meant, in terms of chords and phrasing. But then it started to evolve - I was hanging out the washing one day and in my mind I heard him play this beautiful guitar, so I sang into my laptop and emailed him the tune. A couple of hours later he sent me back the complete song with almost exactly what I imagined him playing recorded around it... actually it was a whole lot better! That’s how Kalyakoorl, the title track to the album, was born. We’ve had a lot of those things happen, where Guy will write a tune 13
Guy Ghouse and Gina Williams Pic: Gareth Andersen
around how he thinks I will sing or I will write songs to highlight his incredible guitar work. All of this has happened really quickly - I had it in my head we’d be playing a bit longer and maybe record an album in another year’s time - but I’m so glad it’s turned out this way. Describe each of the themes and what songs relate to those, and how? Everything is informed by the four principles, but some really clear examples of this can be found woven throughout the recording. Warangka (Sing), the opening track to the album sets up the experience in that it is all about the four principles which Uncle Tom imparted to us. Sing, my heart. Sing, my people. Sing, my land. I sing. Says it all. Kalyakoorl (Forever) acknowledges Noongar as the traditional custodians of this land, past and present and our dreaming is here forever. ‘Kalyakoorl’ is my favourite word - in any language! - and I think that sometimes, in spite of what we do, some things will endure and be everlasting. Kalyakoorl also touches on custodial responsibility in a modern context: we all live here now, we share responsibility to be good stewards of this planet. Nyit Yok Barnap (Little Orphan Girl) is based on a recurring story I was told by various people over the years when I worked as a journalist. So many kids were taken from their families and told their parents and sibling were gone... or dead! I had this idea that amongst the thousands of kids taken and lied to, that one little girl - or boy - stood up to the authorities and said, ‘you’re wrong’. Balladong Worl (Balladong Sky) is about the feeling you get when you’re driving back to country - for me it’s the drive out to Kellerberrin and Quairading. Guy and I have been working with David Hyams to deliver songwriting workshops - it’s called the Healing Songs Project and it’s managed by CANWA - which took us out there a lot. I absolutely love the drive - the horizon-to-horizon blue skies that lead you back to community and family, and how it makes your heart feel incredibly happy. Maambart is the song written about my adoptive father. It’s probably the hardest of the songs to sing, because I have such an emotional attachment to it. In our community we have many men, many Maaman who take on a ‘dad’ role, but you only every really have one father, one Maambart. It resonates with me particularly, because I am lucky to have four dads - one biological, one adoptive and two foster dads. I love them all dearly, but my adoptive father is my Maambart. He taught me to sing by listening. On a blanket under the stars, he introduced me to Ella, and Billie, Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole. He loved the Glenn Miller Band and we both loved listening to songs written by Duke Ellington.
Dad passed away when I was 12 years old; I was placed in State care, and was in two foster homes. Every night, I make a point of going outside and looking up at the stars. I think of him, and remember the music I listened to thanks to him. There’s a part of me that would like to think he’d get a bit of a kick out of what we’ve done. How did the songwriting sessions/communications begin and evolve for the two of you? We just started playing gigs and working together. We didn’t start with language songs, it was something Guy was convinced I should explore. It took me a while to come around to see how important it was. It wasn’t to say that I wasn’t writing any language songs, I just didn’t realise that together we could create something like this. Once the penny dropped we just couldn’t stop. At this point in time, Guy and I are compelled to write these songs. It was like once we started, they just kept coming, and even though we’ve just recorded this album, we’re already well on the way to writing the next one - we have enough material for another album. We had this amazing day when Guy was on holidays with his family overseas in the UK. In the space of a few hours we wrote five new songs, from opposite sides of the world. It was amazing that we could actually do something like that. I’m lucky to work with him, he seems to instinctively hear the things I try to communicate and he has this capacity to turn these tiny little humble songs into works that are really beautiful. I’m not sure I ever really want to work it out, how we can write these songs together. Maybe knowing this might spoil some of the magic. It’s interesting because the language is so central to the premise, but in listening to the music - and not understanding the actual words - it’s still very affecting and about so much more than language. It seems like a lovely and poignant contradiction… It’s an interesting thing, singing and performing songs in a language that very few people understand, at this moment - we hope that will change. We try to think of other cues for people to listen to, making sure that what we play is keeping in with what’s being stated in the lyrics. There’s a connection to the songs that happens, and I think audiences understand this without necessarily understanding the words. We tell the story and give a translation of the song we perform, then audiences are able to occupy a different space when they actually hear the song. It’s amazing, because I thought it would be too hard for people to sit through a full performance they can be up to 90 minutes - but they do, and they’re wonderful in their response to what we do. I think I’m learning there are universal things around love and loss, joy and sadness that we all understand without necessarily being able to articulate it with words. The
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album is - as much as we can - a real offering from the heart, and is reflective of the live shows. Our language is so rare, and so beautiful, I think that’s another reason why this has had such an incredible response. What is planned for the evening of the launch in terms of how the songs will be presented? The launch is a celebration of this recording. If you’d told me that we’d do this 12 months ago I probably would never have believed it, but the journey has been so incredible and we’ve had such wonderful and generous support along the way. We have Phil Walley-Stack playing support on the night. Phil is a fantastic young talent who is playing gigs all over the world. He’s my nephew and I’m incredibly proud that we get to share this gig. Uncle Tom Hayden is going to be there, along with some elders who have played key roles with us over the years. It’s about honouring and acknowledging our history and celebrating what is ahead of us; not just me and Guy, but as a community here together. The songs will be performed with the same musicians who are on the album - Russell Holmes on keys, Roy Martinez on bass, Arun Satgunasingam on percussion; my daughters, Lauren and Bella McGill, on backing vocals and a special guest appearance by Lee Buddle, on flute - instead of the usual show of just me and Guy. We’ll still get to do some songs that are just the two of us, but this event will showcase what we do at a whole new level. What are your plans - and especially hopes - for the album now that it is released? I hope that people will listen to the album and experience what a beautiful language it is. Noongar language isn’t just rare - it’s an incredibly beautiful language. There’s something in the rhythm of it that is compelling to listen to. I hope that people will share this language offering with others - our best chance of language revival is with our friends listening and learning, even just a little bit. The bonus track on the album is called Wanjoo, it’s a little welcome song I wrote with school kids in mind. I hoped when I wrote it that schools would pick it up and teach kids to sing it, and they’d use it at school assemblies. Not just for NAIDOC Week or Reconciliation Week, but because it’s Noongar language and we’re here on Noongar country so it’s the right thing to do. In terms of our plans, we’re playing the National Folk Festival in Canberra in a couple of weeks time, then we’re home to perform at Fairbridge Festival, then we’re back over the East Coast to support Archie Roach on his tour of NSW. Guy has this great concept of ‘rewriting the script’. We acknowledge the past and the sadness which goes with that, but we start creating a new journey of healing from this point on. And I think that’s really what this is all about.
NEW NOISE
For more album reviews head to xpressmag.com.au
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CHRIS GIBBS
ERNEST ELLIS Cold Desire Spunk
Big Appetite Noise-A-Thon Records
Earnest Ellis took his sweet time in making his third album, Cold Desire, while he hid himself away in the studio for 12 months with Shining Bird’s Russell Webster. The photo of Ellis on the front cover with the bare chest and white bath robe signals the sultry and cheaply seductive feel of these nine songs. Ellis unveils a more rustic and deep timbre than on his previous outings to give Clean Machine a mature and masculine feel complete with rhythmic synths somewhere between Roxy Music and The Magnetic Fields. The tune builds at a steady rate that goes from bedroom intimacy to stadium like anthem almost by stealth. It is this subtle build that spreads through Cold Desire and is its greatest asset more so than its smooth ‘80s sheen. Shine Like Me brings guitar to the fore and has the most immediate melody, showing Ellis to have a number of tricks in his kit bag. As St Elmo’s Fire taught us, the saxophone is a ladykiller and Ellis brings this big brass instrument to the fore throughout, although most notably on Echo Bay. Cold Desire has plenty to like about it without compromising its spacious nature. Ellis is one hell of a clever operator.
Local guitar-slinging singer Chris Gibbs continues his prolific run with a third album in as many years, and it’s a mostly acoustic hard rocker that continues to set the bar high. The man’s love of KISS shines through in a few places, notably Said The Spider To The Fly’s Gene Simmons-ish rocker. Gibbs’ command of his instrument, and ability to craft a thoroughly enjoyable tune, means he simply doesn’t have the ability to release anything that is less than top quality, and Big Appetite features 10 songs of intelligent and mature melodic rock. Separate Ways and Lover’s Last Embrace are the sort of acoustic based near-ballads that made his debut solo album so enjoyable. Then you have the clever wordplay of the title track and Wrong Side Of The Tracks, and the simple yet masterful storytelling of (boxer’s tale) Don’t Count Him Out and Room For Everyone, the latter featuring a groovy sax solo from Dan Hart. There’s nothing raucous or even terribly ‘rock’ about Big Appetite: it’s simply a consummate songwriter and performer laying down 10 tracks from the heart with little regard for anyone except his muse and his fans. As such, it’s a winner.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT SHANE PINNEGAR
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DAVID CRAFT
MUTINY
Smokey Lungs And Dirty Puns Independent
Drink to Better Days Four|Four
A sleepy-voiced Devendra Banhart, or more rustic Edwyn Collins, David Craft has produced an evocative and hypnotic EP in Smokey Lungs And Dirty Puns. There’s a thematic ambition evident from the opening two-parter Boozy (Part 1 a hazy whisper, Part 2 awash with ethereal guitars and brisk brushes). The energy continues to ramp on the anthemic, bittersweet summer jam, Sell My Songs which I’m certain will one day make it into an ad, for better or worse. Smokey Lungs starts to slow on Human Stain, a Crowded House-esque throwaway which bustles along pleasantly enough without quite leaving much of an impression, and finally the lovely, bright melancholy of the title track, reminiscent of Alex Turner’s work on the Submarine soundtrack. Perhaps the most impressive element of this EP is its coherence – the material doesn’t seem to just be his five best songs, but a collection that belongs together and there’s a unity to his tales of a relationship neither party seems 100 per cent sure of. That, and his lazy yet robust baritone, really sets David Craft apart. CHARLIE LEWIS
Melbourne folk punk septet, Mutiny, has celebrated two decades of anarchic pirate punk by re-releasing many of their classic tunes under the banner of their latest studio album, Drink To Better Days. The first thing that can be said for the album is its mammoth track listing. A 20-year repertoire gives the band plenty of material to choose from, and the contentpacked reflection feels almost biographical. The tracks themselves are all strong, well-picked numbers, showcasing Mutiny’s classic fusion of folk instrumentation and punk ethos. The diversity of the album keeps it engaging, which is a difficult thing for a punk album of such length to accomplish, and the balladic approach to songwriting conjures strong, engaging narratives with satisfying conclusions, despite their brevity. Despite the strength of individual tracks, the album lacks cohesion. There’s no real journey laid out for listeners, making the whole thing feel like a somewhat haphazard arrangement of ‘best of’ hits. Even so, Drink to Better Days is an enthralling listen and an excellent time capsule for the originality of these punk veterans. SHAUN COWE
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PHANTOGRAM Voices Universal/Republic Phantogram aren’t shy about holding up their black mirror, its warts-and-all reflections cast against icecold yet inviting electro-pop beats. Their new album, Voices, lets a few more cracks of light in. It boasts a broader range and more exposed vocals than 2011’s debut Eyelid Moves, though the duo tend to produce their best songs when they stick to their established sound. Recent single, Fall In Love, is heady perfection, though it’s not as optimistic as its title suggests; in the chorus, the word ‘love’ is barely audible from Sarah Barthel and her emphasis on ‘falling’ leads to a faltering apology. Josh Carter is more open with his feelings on the following track Never Going Home, with the power-ballad chorus, ‘If this is love, I’m never going home’ set against a shimmering, widescreen wall of sound. A mid-album wobble exposes an identity crisis via the Beach House balladry of Bad Dreams and Flaming Lips lip-service on I Don’t Blame You. Things soon perk up when the band get ground down again, with Celebrating Nothing stubbornly finding euphoria in anxiety and My Only Friend making for a heartrending closing track. Voices is the sound of a band still discovering what their strengths and weaknesses are, but maintaining a steady upward trajectory while they do so. CHRIS GIRDLER 14
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RUBY BOOTS Ruby Boots Walking Horse Music/MGM Bex Chilcott has been fronting Ruby Boots around Perth and Fremantle for the past few years, the evolving line-up building a reputation for their traditional instrumentation and acoustic based tunes. With a debut album on the horizon, this self-titled EP serves as a way for Ruby Boots to rebrand themselves as a more plugged in Americana outfit. Ruby Boots is a more polished and composed effort these days as Chilcott has drawn on her trip to Nashville to get a taste of the shine and veneer that the genre has come to expect. Solitude is a studious take on cardigan country with affected drawl, a mention of ‘Sunday morning coming down’ and a dose of defiance mixed with loneliness. A ripping guitar solo from You Am I’s Davey Lane doesn’t do the tune any harm either. The most melodic and indie sounding song in this collection is Cola & Wine with a hook as big as Gonzo’s nose and Chilcott’s voice at its finest. Rounding out the disc is Kellie Anne which is a result of the aforementioned trip to Nashville. It is a more subdued romp which adds another flavour to Ruby Boots. Ruby Boots have long been ‘most likely to’ when it comes to urban country in Perth. This EP does that reputation no harm even if it does play it a touch safe in terms of arrangements and execution. CHRIS HAVERCROFT
A R T S & C U LT U R E
Running from April pril 5 - 13, PUBLIC: Art In The City sees 45 artists engage in large-scale urban works, transforming blank walls into beautiful murals to generally inject some much-needed magic into the Perth streetscape. We caught up with renowned artist Lucas Grogan, who will be participating. “My first mural came about when I was approached by Movida on Hosier Lane in Melbourne to paint their facade as I was exhibiting in a gallery nearby.” Lucas Grogan recalls. “Since then murals have become a big part of my practice that offer a great balance to the needlepoint embroidered quilts and tapestries I make, which take an extremely long time to make, generally over a year or so.”
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It’s easy to conjecture that’s the reason why Grogan leaped at the chance to be a part of PUBLIC: Art In The City. “I was approached to be apart of PUBLIC by the curator, Andrew Nicholls. I thought it sounded like a really great idea and I’m particularly excited about my mural for Foundation Housing.” Asked about what he feels most influences his style, which draws on Indigenous art traditions as well as Islamic motifs, he answers, “So many things... I’m particularly interested in patterns from lots of different sources. Right now I’m looking a lot at the work of Augustin Lesage, Dorothy Iannone and Grayson Perry. Blue and white patterned surfaces and environments, of course, are a big reoccurring theme for me. Also whenever I use text in any of my murals it’s always sourced from something someone has said to me whilst in site.” Public murals present an interesting dilemma for the practising artist, as by their very nature they are more vulnerable to change, damage and even erasure than perhaps any other
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medium or form. However, Grogan feels that community reactions to such work can go a long way to ensuring their longevity. “Well, there are some spaces where you go in knowing full well that whatever you create will only last a few months at best. But there are options to put a protective coating over works if you decide it’s worth securing. Once I feel like the work has been completed I find it’s best to step back and let that work do what it will and let the people in the area engage with it as they like. What I’ve found previously is that the community in the immediate vicinity become really involved throughout the process of creating it, checking in each day and when it’s completed feel a sense of ownership and pride for the mural. This is a really awesome feeling.” TRAVIS JOHNSON
For full details on PUBLIC: Art In The City, including information on public works, pop up venues and installations. go to form.net.au.
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FOODIE FESTIVAL POWERS UP
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Taste Of Perth is almost upon us. Running from May 2 - 4 in Langley Park, this epicurean celebration is simply heaven for foodies. Key attractions this year include Taste Kitchen, presented by Foxtel’s Lifestyle FOOD; Brookfield Place Table Talks, where a panel of experts from such renowned institutions as The Print Hall, Bar Lafayette, The Heritage and Bobeche will impart their trade secrets and experts skills; and the Lurpak Cookery School’s Weave Your Magic 30 minute cooking classes. For info and tickets, shoot over to tasteofperth.com.au.
BREAK OUT YOUR WALLET FOR BARKING GECKO THE GHOST WITH THE MOST Following on from their successful The Big Lebowski night, The Monkey Collective are going supernatural with the next instalment of their interactive movie screenings. Reaching back to a time when Michael Keaton was a viable box office draw and Tim Burton made films that weren’t unwatchable pap, it’s Beetlejuice! If previous shows are anything to go by, this is bound to sell out, so book your ticket ASAP through lunapalace.com.au and get down to the Outdoor Cinema on Sunday, April 13 for a night of fun with the ghost with the most.
It’s easy to forget what an integral part of the Perth cultural scene Barking Gecko Theatre Company is. The not-for-profit outfit has been offering up top-notch, locally produced family entertainment for two decades now, which is a noteworthy achievement in and of itself. However, money from ticket sales covers less than half the cost of mounting any given production and the team at the Gecko have always relied on sponsorship packages and donations to keep things ticking over. If you want to help Barking Gecko educate and entertain the 30,000-odd audience members who are expected to attend their shows this year, go to barkinggecko.com.au to make a donation.
Pic: Cos Aelenei
CHILD’S POSE Mother May I? Directed by Calin Peter Netzer Starring Luminita Gheorghiu, Bogdan Dumitrache
Beetlejuice
ALL WASHED UP This Sunday, April 6, the car park of Fast Eddie’s in Morley plays host to the Burlesque Bunny Charity Carwash. Some of Perth’s most delectable burlesque ladies will be on hand to peel the dirt off your automobile for a mere $15, with all proceeds going to Communicare. There’ll also be facepainting for the kids and an Easter raffle. It all kicks off at 10am.
IT’S PROSH O’CLOCK Next Wednesday, April 9, is Prosh Day, the annual event when hordes of strangely-attired UWA students take to the streets of Perth to flog the Student Guild’s satirical newspaper, with the proceeds going to charity. This year’s beneficiaries include ASeTTS, which helps survivors of torture and trauma; Inclusion WA, a group which works to further social inclusion; and Variety WA, who are rightfully lauded for their work with sick children. Sure, the quality of the actual magazine often vacillates between terrible and actually unreadable - not to mention offensive - but once you buy one you can brandish it like a crucifix at a vampire in order to get other Prosh volunteers to leave you alone.
PELAGIC PAINTINGS Presented by the Conservation Council Of Western Australia and Little Wing corner Gallery, Apex is a group exhibition whose proceeds go to the CCWA to help protect our sharks. Participating artists include Sean Morris, Hayley Welsh, Amok Island, Loren Kronemyer, Girrl Toyy, Naomi Gittoes, Michael Dekker, Liam Dee and more. This Friday, April 5, sees the show open with musical performances by Red Engine Caves, Mt. Mountain and Golden Slums. Entry is $5 before 7pm, $10 afterwards. Red Engine Caves
On a lonely stretch of highway near a rural Romanian town, a speeding driver hits and kills a young boy. With her son in danger of spending time in jail for manslaughter, Cornelia (Luminita Gheorghiu) uses every means at her disposal to save him. Her efforts expose not just a corrupt system, or a massive class divide, but also a poisonous relationship of a son being strangled by his mother’s love. Romanian New Wave director Calin Peter Netzer won the coveted Golden Bear (best film award) at last year’s Berlin International Film Festival with this compelling family drama. Set against a background of corruption, power and privilege, Netzer brings us a character study of an overbearing mother willing to turn the world upside down to save her blood. Providing the backbone to Child’s Pose is Luminita Gheorghiu’s riveting performance as Cornelia. She is manipulative, selfish, incapable of seeing anyone else’s point of view, formidable, and completely in love with her child. There is little doubt that Cornelia’s over-controlling ways have stunted Barbu by not allowing him room to grow. Yet Gheorghiu (The Death Of Mr Lazarescu) grants the character a degree of sympathy. In a role that could easily be played for melodrama, she is genuine and
loving, despite the calculated nature of her actions. As she bustles into that poor rural police station bundled in furs, she is a mother bear protecting her cub. Her love is ferocious and her protection absolute. By contrast Bogdan Dumitrache (The Death Of Mr Lazarescu) as the son Barbu is almost an enigma. At times melancholic, sometimes explosive, Barbu is a character best seen through the filter of others. From these snippets of information the audience can build a character that seems vastly different from the glowing terms that his mother often describes him in. He is also the victim here, the damage done to him is self evident as his debilitating fear of fatherhood becomes disturbingly apparent during a tale told by his girlfriend. Netzer’s study moves beyond the issues of corruption and class that according to him are common in today’s Romanian society. Despite the blatant corruption, coercion, lies, evidence tampering, and bribery, that is all merely the vehicle to propel the plot forward. All to explore the Oedipal relationship central to this film. Instead it chillingly shows us individuals incapable of empathy, even over the death of a child, as they are so caught up in their own desires. Driven by a strong and characterful central performance, this is a powerfully unsettling look into a family tainted by their own aspirations. This is not affluenza, rather the malady that sets in after. DAVID O’CONNELL
Child’s Pose screens as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season at UWA’s Somerville Auditorium from April 7-13. For more details, head to perthfestival.com.au.
CALIN PETER NETZER
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Child’s Pose
Found Shopping Lists
25UNDER25 Bonnie Boogaard Running from Friday, April 4, until Sunday, April 13, at the Moore’s Building Contemporary Art Gallery, 25under25 showcases the work of 25 young emerging artists. We caught up with one of them, Bonnie Boogaard.
around food, whether it’s the main image or just a reference, the latter being the case with my work for this exhibition Who are your key influences? I love the work of Susan Collis, she makes artwork of objects that appear so mundane they are often over looked. On closer inspection, it may be a screw in the wall, but the screw is made of gold, with a diamond inside of it, or paint splatters are actually inlaid mother of pearl.
What are you exhibiting in this show? I have three pieces, all part of the same work, called Found Shopping Lists. I have recreated shopping lists that I have found discarded through hand embroidery. They look exactly as I found them, Did you study art formally? folds in the paper, rips, tears and stains, when you I studied at Curtin University, finished my look up close you see they are actually just stitches. BA in Arts in 2011, I then went off to Paris for a What are your preferred media? semester and studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, I love working through textiles. There is which was an amazing experience. a lot of argument in the artworld whether textiles and craft can be seen as art, and I like to take that How would you describe your art? as a challenge to show what you can do with these My main art practice is centred around techniques. looking at everyday useful objects which have been What else is coming up for you in the near future? instantly discarded once their function is completed I hope to have a solo exhibition before the and re-instilling their worth. I use techniques that take year is out. In the mean time I’m just applying for a long time, such as hand embroidery, to give each grants and competitions. object a sense of value through time spent on each work. You will find my work almost always centres TRAVIS JOHNSON 16
Romanian New Wave director Calin Peter Netzer has met with a marked degree of success. His new film, Child’s Pose, has not only broken box office records in his homeland, but won last year’s Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Originally working on another project with the script’s co-writer, Razvan Radulescu (The Death Of Mr Lazarescu), the central character of Child’s Pose grew from a discussion about their mothers. “We started from the characters and the relationship between the mother and the son, and that’s what is most important. Because it’s a film about a dysfunctional relationship, about the Oedipus complex, and so on. To structure the film, we needed something strong to base the story around. We find the story of the accident coming from the news, because stuff like this is happening all the time in Romania. “We integrated this into the film with the story of the mother and child. Of course we are talking about class and social structure. But from my point of view the main theme is the relationship. I think in a way the story is a universal story, because many people have come to me and said they identify with the mother and the son.” Renowned actress, Luminita Gheorghiu, was always considered the ideal choice for the main role, with many of the lines being written for her. However, unsure if they were able to get her, two months of pre-production was spent searching for an alternative. Fortunately Netzer was able to secure Gheorghiu (his “best option”) and her performance provides the backbone for this moving family drama. With a small budget, Netzer meticulously planned the production, to allow the most from the shooting schedule. “Because the budget was very small, we worked the 30 days exactly like it was 12 to 14 hours a day of shooting. We had to, as the script was 130 pages. It was difficult. We didn’t have time, so we had to be very well planned, very precise on the set. “We shoot the whole scene like a master shot, but we shoot on two digital cameras. We rehearse the scene in the beginning of the day, then we start shooting. I left a freedom to the camera man to shoot what it was like from their point of view. I was very interested to see how the camera man was seeing, as they were near the characters. This allowed the actors a liberty of movement. When
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we shoot the whole scene from the beginning to the end, the actors accumulate their emotions instead of filming bit by bit.” The result is a powerful drama exploring corruption not just of a system, but of family ties and individual souls. Little wonder it was awarded the best film at Berlin, even if it did come as somewhat of an unexpected delight to the director. DAVID O’CONNELL
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NOAH Six Months In A Leaky Boat Directed by Darren Aronofksy Starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connolly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Anthony Hopkins Easily one the strangest films to come out a major studio in recent times, Darren Aronofsky’s take on the Ark myth wrestles with some pretty meaty theological and ethical questions while at the same time serving up the kind of pomp, spectacle and action more commonly associated with the likes of Lord Of The Rings. The basic story framework should be familiar to pretty much all and sundry: Noah (Russell Crowe), a pious man, is tasked by God (referred to only as The Creator here and remaining an unseen and mysterious force) with building the ark and saving two of every kind of animal from the terrible flood that the almighty is planning on using to wipe out the wicked, as characterised by Ray Winstone’s venal King Tubal-Cain. All well and good, but in this case it’s the telling and not the tale that matters, with Aronofsky throwing in all manner of fantastic weirdness from the Old Testament. The most striking is the presence of The Watchers, or Nephilim, fallen angels trapped in misshapen physical forms who help Noah build the ark, but Aronofksy and his co-writer, Ari Handel, are playing with a number of interesting ideas here, including the notion that the early Abrahamic religi ons were essentially a mushroom cult, as evidenced by the scene where Methuselah (Anthony
Hopkins) gives Noah a dose of the good stuff so that he can better receive visions from God. Indeed, the existence of God is a given in the Antediluvian world that Aronofsky presents – a world of strange creatures, miracles and an everpresent sense of the mystical. What is not known, however, is the mind of God, and so much of the drama comes from Noah’s attempts, as a mortal man, to fully apprehend what his deity is asking of him. Eventually, Noah comes around to a philosophy largely in line with that of the Human Extinction Project, which doesn’t sit well with his son, Shem (Douglas Booth), who is expecting a child with his wife, Ila (Emma Watson). Does the morality of man trump the will of God? It’s heady stuff, as is an exemplary montage sequence that conflates the Biblical creation story with what we now understand about the actual origins of life on Earth. Noah is a wildly ambitious film that repeatedly asks its audience to make large leaps of comprehension. That the whole isn’t entirely equal in value to the sum of its parts is lamentable but understandable; Aronofsky is swinging for the fences here and it’d be cheap and mean to write off his efforts because of a few tonal inconsistencies and some character behaviours that may seem inexplicable to modern minds. The big risk here is whether Noah can find an audience. The extremes on either side of the theist debate are likely to be completely turned off – the fundies by the liberties that Aronofsky takes with the source material, the Dawkins crowd by the fact we’re being asked to approach that material with some seriousness. Anyone unfettered by dogma, though, is going to find something worth talking about. TRAVIS JOHNSON
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CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER Spy Hard Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo Starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson The latest slice of finely-honed pop action from Marvel Studios sees our square-jawed hero, Captain America (Chris Evans), working for S.H.I.E.L.D. alongside lithe superspy, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), while at the same time still grappling with how the world has changed since he was frozen at the close of World War 2 (he keeps a list of things he needs to catch up on and seems a bit iffy on Rocky II). One of the main elements he has trouble getting his head around is the current state of American foreign policy, which leads to friction with master manipulator and all around badass, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury is the least of Cap’s worries, though, as a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. sees him dealing not only with rats in the ranks but the spectre of The Winter Soldier, a nigh-mythical and seemingly immortal enemy assassin with links to Cap’s wartime exploits. So, what we have here is Superhero Movie As Conspiracy Thriller, replete with the pumped-up action of the former and the consistent tension and murky motivations and allegiances of the latter, plus the added fun of Robert Redford, veteran of pessimistic ‘70s political fare such as Three Days Of The Condor and All The President’s Men, as a shadowy S.H.I.E.L.D. bigwig. Also along for the ride is Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), aka The Falcon, who flies
with a kind of winged jetpack, because this is the Marvel Universe and things like that happen. What impresses most about The Winter Soldier is how assured the whole exercise feels. The good folks at The House Of Ideas make the smart choice of assuming that everyone is more or less on board with their characters and shared history now, so the film moves with brisk economy, getting to the meat of the matter with admirable efficiency. Television veterans Anthony and Joe Russo show a flair for action that was largely unheralded (their shared CV involves a lot of Community and Arrested Development and little else of note); they have an understanding of how action needs to demonstrate character and propel the narrative, rather than stopping the story every 20 minutes for some biff. The film is also unafraid to make some seismic shifts in the very fabric of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World had few immediate effects beyond their largely self-contained stories, The Winter Soldier shakes things up, leaving a playing field that is markedly different from what we’ve previously seen and demonstrating that the world Marvel has built over the past nine films is not a static backdrop but a dynamic, living thing. This is a risky, confident blockbuster that once again demonstrates that Marvel is the most exciting thing to happen to mainstream cinema in decades. Don’t miss it. TRAVIS JOHNSON WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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The Long Way Home
VISUAL ARTS Pop & Splat: Little Creatures Brewery An exhibition of works from Perth stencil artist I’m The Boss, presented by Gullotti Galleries. It runs until April 14. Check out imtheboss.com.au for more. The Refusal Of Time: PICA This video and sculpture installation by William Kentridge sits at the crossroads of industrialisation and colonialism, combining theatre, drawing, music, film, dance and animation. Presented by PICA, Perth International Arts Festival and the Art Gallery Of Western Australia, it’s on display until April 27. Go to perthfestival.com.au for details. Ukiyo-E - Japanese Prints Of The Floating World: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery An exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints from the collection of Ronald and Catherine Berndt. It runs until June 28. Head over to lwgallery.uwa.edu.au for details. Year 12 Perspectives: The Art Gallery Of Western Australia This annual exhibition of the best work that our graduating Year 12 arts students have to offer runs until May 5. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for further information. Encounters: Heathcote Museum And Gallery Nidia Hansen’s examination of the shifting point where raw materials are transformed into art runs until April 6. Hansen works in wood veneer, paper and canvas to construct minimalist, organic shapes, geometric patterns and other objects. Go to melvillecity.com. au for more. Drive Through The City’s Edge: Perth Centre For Photography Consuelo Cavaniglia’s new collection references the narrative and formal conventions of film noir. It runs from April 3 - May 5. Go to pcp.org.au for more. Sometimes It’s Second Nature: Free Range Gallery Rebecca Orchard’s first solo exhibition runs from April 4 - 13. Working in both drawings and installations, Orchard examines how elements of nature are represented and incorporated into the domestic sphere. For more information, go to rebeccaorchard.net.
Patyegarang: State Theatre Centre This new production from Bangarra Dance Theatre tells the story of the eponymous Aboriginal woman who taught her language to Lieutenant William Dawes of the Colonial Fleet. It runs from July 30 - August 2 for five performances only. Tickets are available via Ticketek.
MUSIC Silver Swans: Fremantle Arts Centre Presented by Tura New Music, cutting edge ensemble, Etica, will be presenting three new works in the FAC courtyard, including James Ledger’s Silver Swans, Chris Tonkin’s Transient States and Ross Edwards’ Laikan. Performance on April 10, tickets through oztix.com.au
FESTIVALS Alliance Francaise French Film Festival 2014 So Frenchy, so chic! The greatest Gallic film festival is just over the horizon, once again bringing Perth cineastes the finest of filmic treats. It runs at Cinema Paradiso until April 6. Go to affrenchfilmfestival.org for details. Independent Theatre Festival Offering up great West Australian theatre and dance every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday until April 12. Productions include The Guys, Dancers Speak Volumes, The Standover Man and more. Go to subiacoartscentre.com.au for more. Perth International Comedy Festival Our annual explosion of stand up excellence runs from May 1 - 18 and features performances from Julian Clary, Bob Saget, Chris Franklin, Michael Workman, Eddie Ifft, Felicity Ward, Hannah Gadsby, Jim Jefferies, Lawrence Leung, Mike Epps, Sami Shah, Stephen K. Amos and more. Go to perthcomedyfest.com.au for full details.
25 Under 25: The Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery Showcasing 25 young artists, each under the age of 25, this exhibition runs from April 4 - 13. Go to fremantle.wa.gov.au for more information. Floating Bits: Linton & Kay Galleries This new exhibition by twin brother photographers Ian and Erick Regnard is a series of stunning black and white underwater images that contrasts the need for solitude with the feeling of lurking otherness. It runs from April 9 - 23. Go to lintonandkay.com.au for further information.
THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE A Streetcar Named Desire: State Theatre Centre Sigrid Thornton stars as Blanche DuBois in Black Swan State Theatre Company’s production of Tennessee William’s classic tale of delusion and desire until April 6. Head to bsstc.com.au for session times and tickets. The Long Way Home: His Majesty’s Theatre Drawing on first hand accounts by Australian military personnel about their service in Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor, this challenging work from director Stephen Rayne and writer Daniel Keene runs from April 11 - 12. Tickets are available through Ticketek. Fights And Flights: State Theatre Centre A stunning mixture of dance, theatre and kung fu from Steps Youth Dance Company. 65 performers, ranging in age from seven to 30, work together to celebrate the challenges and victories of life. It runs from May 10 11. For tickets and session times, go to ticketek.com.au. 18
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Patyegarang - Picture by Greg Barrett
To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via
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FAIR MARKET VALUE Take advantage of Perth’s thriving market culture before the wet weather really settles in and puts the kibosh on alfresco bargain hunting for the next few months. Here are some of the best weekend markets around.
Market City, Canning Vale
MARKET CITY COMMUNITY MARKET, CANNING VALE Open every Sunday of the year, this sprawling bazaar boasts over three hundred stalls and usually attracts somewhere in the region of 5000 visitors. Open from 7am - 1pm, it’s a great way to kill a weekend morning as you tour the truly mind-boggling array of stalls hunting for - well, anything, really. Perthmarket.com. au has more info.
Perth City Farm
PERTH CITY FARM An oasis in the middle of the city, this landmark has been in action since 1994. With a firm focus on sustainable agriculture and urban farming, it’s a mustsee destination for inner city dwellers with a craving for fresh produce.
MIDLAND FARMERS MARKET A down-home, no-nonsense produce market, it’s proximity to the train line means that the distance shouldn’t put you off checking it out. Produce from the hills and Swan Valley funnels into Midland, and the range of fresh fruit and veg and handcrafted condiments and foodstuffs is amazing. You’re also surrounded by chic second hand stores and upcycled boutiques, which means it’s easy to lose an entire day here.
Creamy Ghees at Perth Home Grown - Photo by Cam Campbell
PERTH HOME GROWN MARKET Running in Forrest Place every Sunday until the end of June, this is essentially an upscale, artisanal country market dropped into the middle of the CBD. That’s artisanal, not homemade, mind you - there’s a difference. This isn’t the type of market where you can pick up a second hand fanbelt, a sixpack of old paperbacks and an AC/DC tee-shirt of dubious provenance, but if you’re in the mood for some world class paella or crepes, or want to browse some freecycled giftware while local musicians sing for their supper, this is just the ticket. Visitperthcity.com has all the details.
Fremantle Markets - Photo by Steven Howard
FREMANTLE MARKETS Still the best weekend markets in the city, this venerable institution has the lot: fresh produce, great convenience food, world class coffee, countless clothing gift and houseware stores, live entertainment and a licensed bar.
MIKEY KNOWS BEST After the third time I’d seen Mikey around the Perth social scene I immediately thought, “Wow, how many Chanel bags does this fella own?” Always sporting a different iconic quilted number, I was immediately drawn to his boyish but slightly avant-garde style, and I knew I needed to get a peak into that closet. Let me tell you something for nothing, it did not disappoint. When stepping into his stylish abode, his warm and serene personality was distinctively reflected throughout but just when you understood it, something completely random would jump out at you and totally throw you off which is exactly how he likes it. Stylishly offish is the right term for his Andy Warhol, boy meets girl, mish-mash style, with his wardrobe a perfect combination of great wardrobe staples worn with some really bold, statement pieces. He’ll easily mix a beautiful dress shirt, with a white pair of mens classic tailored pants, and works that back with a quirky bow tie and an ‘80s style ladies blazer. If Westfield has taught him anything, it’s about mixing all types of labels and price points together, achieving a look that is personal and characteristically Mikey. To book a styling session with Mikey head to www.westfield.com.au MONICA MORALES Pics: by Luke Carl Thompson
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Making their way to the Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday, April 4 with an interactive art installation and new album UTOPIA, Alex Murray-Leslie and Melissa Logan of Chicks On Speed are taking their ideas as far as they possibly can. TOM KITSON spoke with the multi-platform artists about their inspirations and how WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange worked with the pair to develop a song. Chicks On Speed are unwilling to limit themselves in any way. The pair is known for their work across all manner of mediums from screen prints, clothing and visual art to music, software and audience participation. “You can have ideas that work on different mediums,” Murray-Leslie says. “One idea could work on a piece of textile, be written as a song and work in performance as a multi-media project.” Asked about the complicated nature of using multiple art forms for every idea, Murray-Leslie brushes off the suggestion they could do more in one area rather than spread their work across different mediums. “If we only worked in one medium there would always be the feeling that we didn’t push the idea far enough,” she says. “It’s like we’re missing a piece of the puzzle if, for example, we just design clothing and don’t take the idea any further.” Logan says this isn’t the easy way to do things, but it’s also the natural human instinct to delve into other areas without specialising. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 PHOTO BY CAT JONES
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Continued from cover. “For us the combination of mediums is vital,” she says. “Specialisation is actually artificial, dividing and unnatural for humans, and the way we do things is more fun.” Pioneers in the area of creating new instruments for musical expression, Chicks On Speed have found inspiration from some significant feminist art movements and their own everyday lives. “Artists like Yoko Ono and Carolee Schneemann have been major influences, but what you’re making is like a mirror to the landscape around you and the experiences you’re having within that,” Murray-Leslie says. “The Edward Snowden leaks were a big influence on the album, as well as social reactions. For example, in my neighbourhood in Hamburg, accelerated gentrification is dividing the block and resulting in violence,” Logan says. As well as incorporating some of these current affairs from their home environments, the duo has travelled widely and met with people from different backgrounds to gain input and develop their work collaboratively. “Making the album involved a lot of travelling to different locations, where we worked with uni students in educational settings, and sampled Yoko Ono’s voice from one of her performances. We also met with Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy to develop one of the songs,” Murray-Leslie says. Drawing on historical examples as wide ranging as the utopian architectural planning behind the city of Brasilia and the failed intentions of the Russian space race, Utopia exemplifies Chicks On Speed’s interest in and grasp of complimentary, multiplatform art forms. Their art project Scream, which has been touring across Australia for the past 12 months, with the intention of exhibiting in Europe later this year, takes on new characteristics each time. Their April 4 launch at Fremantle Arts Centre will be combined with Scream, creating a different experience again. “Scream will now be built around a series of apps, to be released at the same time as the album,” Murray-Leslie says. “It’s an installation of apps which are musical instruments, the key idea being a participatory democracy where the audience can jam with us live.” Murray-Leslie is based mainly in Sydney, where she is studying a PhD at the University of Technology, spending the rest of her time in Europe undertaking research projects. Logan comes from New York but has been based in Hamburg for artistic purposes. Chicks on Speed must constantly deal with their own pressures to continue creating and
GLAMOUR IN THE GARDEN Habitat wants you to join them on Sunday, April 6 for a glamorous New York style, deep house garden party in the beautiful surrounds of The Stables Bar. Nick Warren provide the perfect club mix of driving percussion and soaring musicality, bursting out of the speakers, and soaking everyone in melody and sound. Warren’s impressive career saw him release the very first in the Back to Mine series, and a staggering eight albums for label Global Underground. Get your tickets from eventbrite.com.au Nick Warren
NiCe7
Photo by Steven Hughes
developing ideas, with the added dimension of living on different continents. The pair break barriers as they search for new ideas to implement into their work, developing their exhibitions every time they take over a new place, “When you’re an artist you’re solely responsible for your own output, so the two of us really push each other and that’s been very important,” she says. “We meet up as often as we can to work, even just with Skype open in the background so we can interact with each other, share ideas and help each other get to places where we wouldn’t necessarily go on our own.” “You have to find the drive within yourself, and when you’re not driven by success or money it becomes something quite ideological,” Logan says. “I think being able to work together and avoid the over-saturated ideas of competition and cleverness is essential for us to grow, develop and continue making things.”
THE ASTON SHUFFLIN’ AT A VENUE NEAR YOU
Perth based music wizard Sable only crawled out of his forest studio a few short months ago, but has already torn up the triple j charts with the infectious debut single Feel So Good, and blown minds and ear drums at festivals across the country. With the digital release of his five track EP Feels So Good, and a string of national tour dates throughout April/May, Sable is prepped and ready to take his incredible talents to the world. See the wizard in person on Thursday, April 24 at Metropolis, Fremantle, Tickets on the door.
The Aston Shuffle
Feels So Good EP
PRODUCERS CUT
Craig Hollywood shares his top five new techno tracks
KAELAN & Z.I.P.P.O (3KZ) Bounder EP Suburban Avenue
This is the first record set for release on the white-hot new vinyl label Suburban Avenue. The Bounder EP sets forth three fiercely diverse techno tracks, Bounder, Perception and Oppression, produced by two emerging Italian young electronic talents, Z.I.P.P.O and Kaelan. The release also arrives with an impressive re-rub from Mark Broom. This is straight up, uncompromising tough gear for the heavy heads.
HABITS OF HATE Habits Of Hate EP Electronic Explorations
Rising star Happa, 16, of Leeds, and prolific producer Manni Dee are rising fast in the current UK techno circuit with releases on Bleep (Green Series), Perc Trax and also Black Sun Records to name a few. Their new Habits Of Hate project is rigid, stomping and promises to push dance floors to previously uncharted limits. Limelight Roles and A Rebel From The Waist Down are a pair of the most brutal techno thumpers you’ve heard in a long time, and quite possibly could be both artists most accomplished work to date.
SAWLIN Vault Series 14.0 Vault Series
APES Two Thousand Six/Cold Love Church
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ALEX FORD Describe your new record in a few sentences. The Wild Imagination EP is kind of a mix of two extremes; it’s got some fun, tongue-in-cheek songs, but also some really personal songs like Saving Grace and the last song High, which features [Perth folktronica duo] Whisky Winter. This record definitely let me get a few things off my chest which is a big part of my writing process, and I also approached the whole project a lot more seriously than anything I’ve done in the past. When are you most creative? Definitely the morning/day time, and if it’s raining, that’s even better!
Shiprec present one of the creators of Dutch electronics, Vincent Koreman aka Drvg Cvltvre who has been crafting away for almost 20 years and there is no letting up with the forthcoming American Psychosis (Part One) release. Opening track Acid Flash (Drvg Cvltvre vs Chris Moss Acid) does pretty much what it says on the tin, with some bullying beats which at times is pretty darn frightening. Flipside is a number called I’ll Wear Your Face On A Chain, with lashings of 303 chords churning through gravelly drum patterns. Highly recommended. This is the second solo EP from Berlin’s Sawlin out on the Vault Series imprint. I’ve sat and listened to this about fifteen times now and words simply cannot express the quality of this EP. To put it straight, if you are a fan of this artist’s sounds, go out and buy this record when it’s released. After a quiet patch UK electronic label Church, which actually operates from the basement of a church, returns with a debut release from Apes. A Side Two Thousand Six is a straight techno work out, which also is inclusive of a nifty Chaos In The CBD remix as well. B Side introduces itself with a track named Cold Love, which is an altogether more pensive presentation with throbbing bass structures and an intricate percussion segment that also features some high grade vocal work.
FEELS SO GOOD
A little more than a month ago The Aston Shuffle returned to the live circuit with a string of sold out performances for their break out single, Tear It Down. Now, to coincide with the release of their new album Photographs, the band has set plans for their official album tour to kick off this August, playing at the Amplifier on Saturday August 23. Written and recorded from Canberra to Sydney, Ulladulla to Mumbai, Los Angeles to London, Photographs is as the name suggests – a scrapbook of musical mementos. Get your tickets from amplifiercapitol.com.au
WITH CRAIG HOLLYWOOD
DRVG CVLTVRE American Psychosis (Part One) Shipwrec
LIFE IS NICe7 Beatport Music Award Winners, Nicola Daniele and Cesare Marocco – aka NiCe7 – will be mixing all styles of 4/4 from techy to darker, to the more funky at Geisha on Thursday, April 24. The pair are the latest Italian stars to emerge on the worldwide tech house stage and have been friends since 2005. Daniele and Marocco have played all over Italy, Germany, USA, Denmark, Canada,Brazil, UK and Holland while remixing various big guns and coming out on top of the Beatport charts in the process. Get your tickets from eventbrite.com.
SALT NIGHTS OUT
Hunee
« LÉ CLUB »
Answered by Jack Faulkner When and where is it being held? Our first party is Friday, April 4, at home within our favourite nightclub, Connections. Regularity and opening/closing times? It is an occasional night, this is the launch of an ongoing series. But at Connections we have the luxury of a 5am close and we plan to use it. Expect to be screaming woooo until the wee hours!
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What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened to you? This didn’t happen so much while I was performing, but the day after I met Chin Injeti when I was living in Vancouver, who produces for Eminem and Drake and a lot of other big names, I went to a club where he played. As I arrived, I heard him singing my name and telling me to get on stage to spit some verses. Then he gave me a job at his label a little while after that. That was like something out of a dream. If you could be any producer or hip hop act in the world right now - who would you trade places with and why? Either Chance The Rapper or Tom Scott [from hip hop crews Homebrew, and @Peace], they’re both so original and fuse the craziest melodies into their verses and hooks. I hear myself saying, “I wish I wrote that” to their songs quite a bit. What’s your most exciting moment on stage? Any time I connect with the music the way I did when I wrote the song. It’s a lot easier to connect emotionally when you’re by yourself writing, so when that happens with a room full of people and everyone shares that same energy, it’s out of this world. Head to alexford.bandcamp.com to hear The Wild Imagination. Vibe? lé Club can be described as discotheque du look, it’s a nightclub ‘out of time’ that wears its influences on its sleeve; from the films of [filmmakers] Besson and Fassbinder to the couture of [designers] Gaultier and Lacroix. We like it deep, down and dripping with nostalgia but we serve it a la mode. What can we expect to hear? Our very special guest Hunee will take you on a journey from the purest P-funk to the steamiest bath house with a splash of acid jazz for good measure. Our supports promise soulful house, risky disco and throbbing techno. Anything else we should know about? Perth DJ royalty Ben M will be warming up the main room with his own selection of timeless floor fillers before Hunee gets everyone sweet and sticky. We’ll also see a freaky performance by local avant-drag collective Gendermess and dancefloor visuals by Melbourne-based video artist Savannah Scarlett. Anything you else you want to tell us? See you on the dance floor! Tickets are available from bit.ly/joinleclub or at the door.
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BAM BAM
THIEF
Livin’ The Good Life
Stealing hearts
Melbourne rapper Joel Chamaa, aka Bam Bam, is getting ready to build on the success of last year’s single Bags Packed with his debut EP The Good Life and an upcoming national tour. JOSHUA HAYES speaks with the former world-class dancer ahead of his show at Amplifier on Saturday, April 19.
Sydney’s Thief recently made the switch from guitars to synthesizers, and in almost no time it has seen him hitting the SXSW circuit before his current national tour. TROY MUTTON joins the ride ahead of his shows at Amplifier on Saturday, April 12, and the Newport Hotel Sunday, April 13.
Although he only released his debut EP last week, Chamaa is no stranger to performing. Over a decade ago, he was representing Australia in the world’s biggest b-boy competition, Battle Of The Year, as a member of the break-dancing crew Wickid Force. “Break-dancing has been my job for well over the last ten years. That was my first introduction into the hip hop scene,” he recalls. “I always wrote music in the background as a hobby, but there wasn’t really a market for it back then. These days there is a market for music and I saw some of my friends do really well and blow up in the industry.” One of those friends is fellow Melbourne rapper 360. “We’ve been mates for a long time now, since we were performing to five people each back in the day at the Evelyn [Hotel],” Chamaa says. “Seeing him do as well as he did was probably the inspiration for me to actually give this shit a shot… I kind of achieved everything that I wanted to with breaking, so [I’ve moved] on to music now and hopefully I can achieve just as much.” Chamaa is no longer making a living from break-dancing but he still works it into his live hip hop shows. “If there’s not enough room, I’ll always do some flips or something. I can always do flips in quite a small area, but if it’s a festival or a bigger stage, definitely, I’ll get down. It sets me apart from other rappers,” he says, laughing. He started the time-consuming process of working on his first official release a year ago, and says most of that time was dedicated to finding the right producers. This paid off with The Good Life boasting production from some of Australian hip hop’s most acclaimed beatmakers; M-Phazes, Cam Bluff and One Above, as well as electronic producer Matt Sofo. Chamaa originally planned to record an album, but as time dragged on, he decided to release
“Dude, you just gotta do it. You gotta take the nap… take those little power naps when you can,” says a slightly-weary sounding PJ Wolf, who now goes by the moniker Thief. At the time of our chat he was chilling out in Austin, Texas for mega music conference, South By Southwest. Since going from his original solo project under the name PJ Wolf to the more electronicallyinclined Thief, Wolf has garnered plenty of attention both here and abroad, which has lead to a steady stream of radio-play and touring with the likes of The Aston Shuffle. And while the kind of venues he’s playing in and the punters seeing him may have swapped head-nodding for feet-dancing, Wolf just sees it as an extension of his previous work. “I never saw it as changing direction, it was just this little thing I’m gonna do on the side. Just because I felt like it would be really fun to make that electronic/R&B pop music,” he says. “I think I was just at a time when I was probably feeling a little bit, I dunno, maybe a bit uninspired with the other stuff I was doing. Even though I was still writing great songs and everything but I just got excited to try something different.” With singles like Broken Boy and Closer reaching a wider audience than Wolf’s ever experienced, his new-found realm of club shows has been an adjustment. “It’s a real trip, it’s so weird. When your little side project just takes over your life. But it’s been great, and I suppose in that sense, from a songwriting point of view, it’s a continuation of everything I’ve been doing and working towards,” he tells. “That said, two years ago I would not have seen myself playing in clubs. That’s the weirdest part – the sorts of venues and gig opportunities that I’ve gotten. That’s what I’ve found that hardest to wrap my head around. But it’s all great, I’m loving it.”
a number of the songs he had recorded as an EP instead. “Because of the process taking so long, trying to find the right production and stuff, it got to a year later and I was like, ‘these songs are getting a little bit old to me now, I just want to get them out and start fresh,’” he says. “I’ve already got a lot of the beats ready, so hopefully [the album] won’t take as long as the EP did… I would like to get it out before the end of the year, but realistically I’m not sure if that’s a possibility. It just depends on how busy things get now.”
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Fortunately for fans (and himself), it’s a jump he has welcomed with open arms, coming from a live background where performance is key, he is now in a world where often only a laptop suffices what is “live”. “I perform with a drummer and a bass player. My background is very much in live music and performing live, and I knew when I was gonna do a live show that I wanted to have some other guys playing with me who could help bring that energy to a show. So it’s definitely a live show and it feels like a live music experience, and that was key to what I was after.” Once he’s taken this live experience around the country, Wolf is looking forward to locking down some studio time to work on some new singles, with one eye already on a debut album. “We’re hopefully gonna release another single or two before the end of the year, there’s also an album in the works. I’m just really keen to get into the studio and making some new stuff and maybe doing some collaborating.”
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B E AT S
Thursdays DJ Don Migi Nano Surge DJ Flex FLYRITE Samuel Truth Funk Bstard GOLD BAR OG Thursdays LEISURE INN DJ Peta LOST SOCIETY The Collective MUSTANG BAR DJ James MacArthur THE SHED Midnight Ramblers Art Vs. Science, Saturday April 5 @ Amplifier
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NEWPORT HOTEL Newport Wednesdays PERTH CONCERT HALL Paco Pena ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Are You DTF Daniel Firkin Trio Little Skye Little Bird Paul Mandelt THE SHED DJ Dillan SOVEREIGN ARMS FIVE0 VILLAGE BAR Village People Wednesdays YAYA’S Foundation DJ Midsole Kid Tsunami Kaotik Pawel THURS 03/04 THE BIRD Leafy Suburbs Craig McElhinney Jane Harris BRASS MONKEY Karaoke THE CAUSEWAY Xport Thursdays THE CLAREMONT HOTEL Institution Thursdays ft. DJ Pup B-Fix CLUB RED SEA Thursday Night Revolution CONNECTIONS Bingay THE CRAFTSMAN FIVEO THE DEEN Chase The Sun
NEWS
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REVIEWS
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OCEAN ONE BAR
METROPOLIS FREMANTLE
CAUSEWAY
WED 02/04 THE BEAT (DOWNSTAIRS) Street THE BIRD VibeVibeVibe 90’s Dance Party SNB Raaghe Sleepyhead Jack Doepel BRASS MONKEY DJ Vicktor Burlesque CAPITOL Harlem Vs Disclosure Genga Peter Payne J.Yes Philly Blunt CAPTAIN STIRLING Lokie Shaw CLUB RED SEA Cheek Pyjama Party CONSERVATORY ROOFTOP BAR Horseplay THE DEEN Manic Mondays GOLD BAR Famous ft. DJ Crazy Craig THE GOOD SHEPHERD Thinkfar GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots HIP-E CLUB DJ Roger Smart LAKERS TAVERN Grizzly LLAMA BAR Akuna Club METRO FREO Next Gen MUSTANG BAR DJ Giles
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FRI 04/04 AMBAR Vengeance Philly Blunt Axen MR.Ed AMPLIFIER Fridays Are Back ft. Edwardo Norton THE AVIARY Paradise Paul Troy Division THE BAYSWATER Mario Zuli THE BEAT (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY THE BIRD Eteana Henry Kissinger Oddstar Shambles Emerald Cabal THE BRASS MONKEY James Ess George Green THE BRIGHTON DJ Peta BROKEN HILL HOTEL DJ Tony DJ Lukey CAPITOL Capitol Fridays ft. DJ Tucker CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) I Love 80s & 90’s THE CARINE J!mmy Beats THE COMO Byron O’Neill THE CRAFTSMAN Dazman DAILY PLANET Sundowner Sessions THE DEEN Student Night EVE NIGHTCLUB Recharge Fridays
FLAWLESS Monarch Fridays FLYRITE Samuel Truth Funk Bstrd GINGER NIGHTCLUB Mondo Dance Party GEISHA BAR Foreign Exchange Andy De V Mustard Cutter Josh Kidman Darren Bouthier BK Vs Deep Under GOLD BAR Vanity THE GOOD SHEPHERD Throwback Fridays GROOVE BAR (CROWN) DJ Crazy Craig HIP-E CLUB DJ E-Funk LAKERS TAVERN Grizzly LEISURE INN Miss Chief LIBRARY Sneaky MALT Nu Disco Hip Hop METRO FREO The Blu-V Party ft. Hot Dub Time Machine MINT Club Retro MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL Flaunt Fridays DJ Darren Wize MUSTANG BAR DJ James MacArthur Swing DJ MY PLACE Karaoke PARAMOUNT Paramount Party Crew PARKER Blowout Klean Kicks No So Hot Franchina Jordan Scott THE QUEENS Jon Ee & DJ Reuben ROCKET ROOM Leonidas & The Corynthian The Pantheon Vanguard Paulie P Soma Mello D Azmatik Karcus DJ Defyre THE SAINT Britty
THE SHED Crush DJ Matt SOVEREIGN ARMS Az-T TOUCAN CLUB DJ Codeak WHALE & ALE Danny B VARSITY BAR Blue Party! VILLA NIGHTCLUB Amon Vision Blu eParty Binary Finary YAYA’S ACE Fridays SAT 05/04 AMPLIFIER Art Vs. Science AMBAR Japan 4 Monarch Takeover Micah Ricey Hauggy Dinolife Blend THE AVIARY Paradise Paul AVENUE Lokie Shaw THE BALMORAL Back To The 80’s THE BAKERY A$AP Ferg DJ Sllink BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BRASS MONKEY DJ Az-T & Grizzly THE BRIGHTON Miss Chief BROKEN HILL HOTEL DJ Roger C5 METRO FREO I Love 80’s & 90’s DJ Wazz DJ Shane CAPITOL Death Discoft. Hot Dub Time Machine CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) Cream of the 80’s ft. DJ Roger Smart THE CAUSEWAY MACSHANE Silvertongue Beckon Bax Davis Ferny THE COMO Jay Lee Lloyd THE DEEN
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Saturdays DEFECTORS BAR Future Wives Club EAST END BAR Home EVE Eve’s Flirt Party FLAWLESS LQ Saturdays FLYRITE Father Saturdays GEISHA BAR Members Party Fishtek SNB James A Saul Nez Erok Jimij Green George THE GENEROUS SQUIRE Defauntley GILKISONS DANCE STUDIO ROSAY DJ’s Kyte Kutter Simon S-man Simpson DJ Rony Ronald MC Godz Will MC Uni Versa GOLD BAR Pure Gold THE GOOD SHEPHERD Chocolate Jesus THE GRAND Jay Mackay GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Hero DJs HIP-E CLUB DJ E-Funk LIBRARY MKT LLAMA BAR DJ Reuben DJ Morris LOST SOCIETY Chalk METRO FREO Metropolis Saturdays ft. Dr Wazz Ben C DJ Shane Darren Tucker MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL Oceanside 28’s MUSTANG BAR Rockabilly DJ DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Gravity DJ Tahli Jade DJ Tom Drummond PARKER Parker Saturdays ft. Drifter
Hot Dub Time Machine, Saturday April 5 @ Capitol
Paul Scott Jackness ACEBASIK Axen PARAMOUNT Saturday Nights ft. Felix PEEL ALEHOUSE Juilo Caesar THE QUEENS Ben Mac & DJ Reuben THE SAINT Crackers THE SHED Huge DJ Andyy SOVEREIGN ARMS Jinx Project TOUCAN CLUB Yahtzel LDRU WHALE & ALE Sonny VILLA DUB FX Opiuo WHALE & ALE Spin Back Saturdays YAYA’S Arcadia SUN 06/04 THE AVIARY Rooftop Sessions Reilly Craig Paradise Paul Tryo Division Ben Sebastian CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver FLYRITE DAY-WOO 4 x 4 Dance Party LOST SOCIETY Meltdown Sundays 2.0 LUCKY SHAG BAR DJ Richie G MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL
Sunday Sesh DJ Slick MUSTANG BAR DJ Holly Doll NORTHSHORE TAVERN Miss Sunset Coast DJ Andrew C THE QUEENS FIVE0 & Sam Spencer THE ROSEMOUNT (BEER GARDEN) The Get Down ft. Charlie Bucket Klean Kicks Nick Sheppard THE SAINT Jon Ee & Az-T MON 07/04 BRASS MONKEY Monkey Madness THE DEEN Manic Mondays THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bex & Turin’s Wide Open Mic THE SHED The Healy’s YAYA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic TUES 08/04 THE BIRD The Bird’s Open Mic Night BRASS MONKEY Acoustic Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night
Deadline Monday 5pm. The Club Manual is a service to advertisers listing all DJs & Dance Music. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au
DELICIOUS @ ROCKET ROOM
MUSTANG BAR
THE SHED
THIS WEEK VENGEANCE w/ Philly Blunt, Axen, MR.eD 4 Ambar THE BLU-V PARTY 4 Metro Freo LÉ CLUB W/ HUNEE 4 Connections SAMUEL TRUTH & FUNK BASTRD 4 Flyrite DARREN BOUTHIER, ANDY DE V, MUSTARD CUTTER & MORE 4 Geisha
Leonidas and The Corynthian 4 Rocket Room
A$AP Ferg
HOT DUB TIME MACHINE 4 Metropolis Fremantle 5 Capitol
A$AP Ferg
A$AP FERG 5 The Bakery DUB FX & OPIUO 5 Villa ART VS SCIENCE 5 Amplifier Bar JAPAN4, MONARCH TAKEOVER W/ MICAH, RICEY, HAUGGY, DINOLIFE, BLEND 5 Ambar CHICKS ON SPEED 5 Fremantle Arts Centre THE GARDEN PARTY FEAT. NICK WARREN 6 The Stables Bar APRIL NEKO PLANET 9 The Bakery LIMELITE ft. Peking Duk 11 Parker JODY WISTERNOFF 11 Geisha ELIZABETH ROSE, SAFIA, FISHING 11 Amplifier 12 Mojos DEADBOY 12 The Bakery DJ HYPE & FUNSTA MC, LOADSTAR 12 Villa THIEF 12 Amplifier 13 Newport Hotel KILLSWITCH ENGAGE 16 Metro City PIETER T & DEACH 17 The Northshore Tavern
SATURDAY, APRIL 5 @ THE BAKERY EASTER BOUNCE ft. Kid Kenobi 17 Parker COSMO’S MIDNIGHT 17 Villa
Krafty Kuts 26 Villa HARDSTRAYLIA ft. RL Grime, Destructo, Oliver, Motez 27 Port Beach Sand Tracks
BAM BAM & SAVO 19 Amplifier
THE CARNEVALE ft. The Martinez Brothers 27 The Causeway
DELTA HEAVY 20 Villa
LORDE 29 Challenge Stadium (all ages)
TOUCH SENSITIVE 20 Aviary Rooftop Sessions NiCe7 24 Geisha
MAY OSCAR KEY SUNG 1 The Bird
SABLE 24 Metropolis, Fremantle
DJ PREMIER & PETE ROCK 1 Capitol
LIMELITE 7TH BIRTHDAY ft. Cedric Gervais, John Dahlback, Sebastien Leger 24 Capitol & Amplifier
KANYE WEST 2 Perth Arena
WHY MAKE SENSE ft. Rustie, T.Williams, New York Transit Authority & Nightwave 24 Port Beach Sand Tracks FAR TOO LOUD 25 Ambar WILD FOR THE NIGHT ft. Ashton Shuffle 25 Parker THE ASTON SHUFFLE (DJ set) 25 Parker HIGH TIDE ft. Shockone, Nu:Logic, Dimension & more 26 Port Beach Sand Tracks VILLA’S 5TH BIRTHDAY ft.
BLISS N ESO, HORRORSHOW, SETH SENTRY 2 Signal Park, Busselton 3 Wellington Square HUXLEY 3 Geisha ARMADA NIGHT ft. Andrew Rayel, Jorn Van Deynhoven & Marlo 3 Metro City CITIZEN KAY WITH TKAY MAIDZA 3 Amplifier 4 Newport Hotel, Fremantle THUNDAMENTALS 8 Flyrite
VANCE JOY & GOSSLING 8 The Bakery HOLY FUCK 8 The Rosemount 9 The Odd Fellow DISCLOSURE 9 Metro City 10 Groovin’ The Moo, Hay Park, Bunbury GROOVIN THE MOO ft. Disclosure, Dizzee Rascal, Holy Fuck, Illy & more 10 Hay Park, Bunbury ALISON WONDERLAND 23 Secret Location LAURYN HILL 24 Fremantle Arts Centre ELLIE GOULDING 28 Challenge Stadium RÜFÜS 30 Players Bar 31 Fremantle Arts Centre JUNE THE PRESETS (with the Australian Chamber Orchestra) 4 Concert Hall AUGUST
THE PRESETS, WORDLIFE, DJ BENI 8 Capitol
THE ASTON SHUFFLE 23 Amplifier
Sacred Flower Union - Photo by Stefan Caramia
BLACK OUT Mei Saraswati, Sacred Flower Union and Modesty Blaze Paper Mountain Friday, March 28, 2014 Normally, the night is dark and full of terrors. But for a moment at Northbridge art gallery Paper Mountain, the idea of darkness was turned into an ally, and it was harnessed to play host to a small gig which married music with art. Before entry, dimmed flashlights were given out to attendees for the purpose of observing the artwork, all by local artists. As a pre-show, it was quite engaging and a novel method of getting people to look at art. And there was plenty of time to do so -- at least for the early-comers. While the darkness was definitely an innovative experience, after a while, it was easy to lose track of time and where you were. Not to mention your eyes trying to adjust to the lack of light. When the musicians started the show, Paper Mountain was transformed from a mere art gallery in to a musical venue. First up was Mei Saraswati, bringing the dark room to life with her ambient soundscape. The Perth songstress combined soul-inspired vocals with synthetic beats and natural sounds. The rhythm started slow and mellow, but got more frenetic once
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she got going with watery toms and snares that echoed and reverberated throughout the gallery. The result sounded like a mix of pop and experimental. Saraswati drew an attentive crowd who sat and listened in absolute silence. While Saraswati played, overseas born but locally based artist Loren Kronemyer weaved through the crowd delivering a variety of scents from organic substances and material, such as resin and sea leaves. Some of the scents were subtle and others were overpowering. Dan Griffin, better known in the scene as Sacred Flower Union, came in next, with a clear mission in mind -- to make the crowds dance. His music is a case of raw sound paired with elegant production. The set started modestly, then the ante was upped. The Perth local built a booming beat, with heavy percussions underscoring it. The flow between each track was seamless, barely giving the crowd a chance to stop for a bit and catch their breath. Griffin, who is on Perth DIY label Future Past’s roster, exerted a lot of energy on stage, moving and shaking around. Still managing to tinker with his instruments, and play the electronic drums. The crowd bounced around and appreciated the opportunity to dance and let off steam. To round off the night, DJ Jo Lettenmeier, or Modesty Blaze, spun some dance tunes. Her set served as more of a backdrop for what was left of the crowd who were still looking at the art after a good majority had dispersed. At the very least, there was something to dance to. CLAYTON LIN
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LOCAL NEWS
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INTERVIEWS
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REVIEWS
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Q & A
John Butler - Photo by Bohdan Warchomij The Floors - Photo by Rachael Barrett
JOHN BUTLER TRIO
DAVE’S LAST SHOUT Dave’s Cans, Many 6160 Saturday, March 29, 2014 Well, it sure was nice while it lasted. For an all too brief window of time, Dave’s Cans, the rooftop bar on top of what most of us still think of as Fremantle’s old Myer building, was a sweetheart of a live music venue that played host to a truly eclectic mix of mainly local talent. Of course, the NIMBY contingent had to rear their ugly goddamn head, and noise complaints from nearby residents put paid to any amplified music. Dave’s Last Shout was exactly what it said on the tin - or can, if you will - a last hurrah before the plug was pulled. And even that almost didn’t happen. It’s not just the Fremantle residents who don’t like the venue; it seems the Fremantle Doctor is no big fan, either; at the designated 4pm kickoff time it was coming down in buckets, with staff scurrying to and fro, trying to throw tarps over expensive gear and the predicted horde of punters - presales had been brisk - failing to materialise. Scheduled opener Jack Doepel wound up DJing inside to a an empty room. Childsaint cut their losses and skipped out - and who could blame them? The weather didn’t clear for hours; it was about 7.30 by the time Timothy Nelson & The Infidels hit the stage, running through a truncated set of four songs - thankfully including the already-a-classic Mary Lou. Nelson’s keyboard was barely covered by the makeshift pavillion that had been hastily erected over the outdoor stage and the sky still looked threatening, giving the whole experience a slight frisson of danger.
After an acoustic set by Jacob Diamond, Rum Jungle largely failed to impress. Lead singer Rex Monsoon’s faux-Michael Hutchence posturing grew pretty old pretty quick, and the three piece certainly had more enthusiasm than skill. A lively cover of Devo’s Girl U Want went down well, but no other material made much of an impact. Perhaps if they can find their own identity they’ll be worth another look, but while they’re merely aping older, better bands there’s not much to write home about. Standing in stark contrast was Tired Lion, one of the best of the current crop of local talent. They’re also mining an earlier period of music - ‘90s riot grrl pop rock, more or less - but they do it with energy and verve. Sophie Hopes’ throaty, littlegirl-lost vocals are perfectly counterpointed by the driving musicianship of the rest of the band and they delivered a tight set of snappy, perfectly formulated, crunchy indie rock. They even managed to draw some attention from what was, if we’re being candid, a largely indifferent crowd who seemed happy to hang out at the bar or cluster around the umbrellabedecked tables than pay attention to what was happening on stage. That changed when The Floors hit the ground running, though. Their brand of dirty, greasy, sexualised blues rock seemed to be just what the night needed, an insouciant ‘fuck you’ to the powers that be and a perfect send off to another hobbled piece of Perth culture. TRAVIS JOHNSON
Emma Louise/The Stray Sisters Belvoir Amphitheatre Friday, March 28, 2014 A gorgeous night under the stars at arguably one of Perth’s best music venues – the Belvoir Amphitheatre, lured out throngs of revellers, eager to enjoy some good old fashioned bluesy rock from locally adopted The John Butler Trio. Emma Louise kicked the night off with a stirringly sweet, perfectly harmonised set. Unfortunately the delicate tunes were somewhat lost in the wind of the large, outdoor venue, but what did carry across such as radio favourite My Head Is A Jungle was delightful. Before the The Stray Sisters took to the stage, an Indigenous Australian man played a short yet touching tune on his didgeridoo. Speaking in Nyoongar following his performance, he then asked the good spirit to bless everyone in the venue, before exiting the stage to a roaring cheer from the appreciative crowd, who surely did feel blessed to have witnessed such a unique and beautiful moment. The Stray Sisters, formerly of The Waifs fame were rocking, country fun. Of course the crowd went absolutely mad when The Waifs classic I’m In London Still began, but their lesser known songs were also very well received, especially when the hippie hallmark – the harmonica came out. ‘You guys look beautiful,’ Butler cooed as the band emerged through a thunderous applause. The John Butler Trio kicked off the set with their lyrically activist song Revolution, a choice many clearly appreciated.
The Trio made sure to throw in a mix of old and new, of course playing classics such as Better Than and the high energy - complete with extended jam ending - Pickapart, as well as an intriguingly different reggae/blues rock hybrid, Blame It On Me. Unsurprisingly, Butler’s brilliant slide guitar antics brought huge cheers from the crowd, while recent addition to the trio, Grant Gerathy, delighted with not just brilliant drumming, but an array of intriguing percussion sounds from what looked to be electronic pads. The steel drums during crowd favourite Only One – which incidentally has a strangely fitting zombie film clip accompany - added an interesting level to the mix. Then came bass player Byron Luiters’ time to shine, with the supremely funky Don’t Wanna See Your Face, complete with a bass line to rival the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Butler wickedly did a half-hearted fake out goodbye without even leaving the stage. After pointing out that those who actually did get up to leave would miss one of the best moments of their lives in order to ‘beat the traffic’, he simply picked back up again with a thumping version of the classic, Zebra. At this point, many of the more boisterous fans couldn’t hold it in any longer and sprung to their feet to dance and stamp along. Inevitably, discussions of fracking and the successful James Price Point Campaign in which John Butler was pivotal, brought on a more solemn and humble feeling throughout, but as always from this enlightened group, the end feeling was one of hope, peace, and an appreciation for the music. LIANA KELLY
HUNTERS & COLLECTORS British India/Diesel/Something For Kate Pioneer Women’s Memorial Park, Kings Park Saturday, March 29, 2014
tour in Melbourne. The evening kicked off with Melbourne indie rock outfit British India, who warmed up the crowd playing their entire set in the rain. The 2013/14 An Evening On The Green season The group acknowledged the early comers who came to a close this weekend at Kings Park with were brave enough to face the rain. two sell-out shows from Hunters & Collectors. Nearly stealing the show from the This was the band’s first national tour since main act, Diesel and his band performed an 1998. Since then the band have played a few one electrifying set that got the crowd singing, off shows, including Sound Relief in 2009 and, clapping and dancing along to his biggest hits most recently, the half time show at the AFL Man Alive, Come To Me, Tip Of My Tongue and Grand Final in 2013. The tour has seen them on Cry In Shame. the road since January with a string of winery Something For Kate, fronted by Paul and theatre dates around the country and a Dempsey opened with an REM cover of The support slot on the recent Bruce Springsteen One I Love before performing songs from their
back catalogue, which made them one of the country’s most influential indie rock bands of the ‘90s. They later performed an upbeat rocky version of Calvin Harris’ Sweet Nothing before closing with Miracle Cure. The rain was all but gone as soon as Hunters & Collectors walked out on stage. The band opened the main set with Talking To A Stranger. Mark Seymour instantly greeted the crowd in no other way than ‘G’day.’ He was very entertaining, making jokes and telling stories. He told the crowd that he gets nervous when playing his acoustic guitar and from there the band broke into Holy Grail, which received a massive applause from the crowd. The duration of their set was over
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two hours and the main set included This Morning, Dog, When The River Runs Dry and closing off with Do You See What I See. The band returned for an eight song encore which included their biggest pub anthem, Throw Your Arms Around Me with Seymour describing it as a song for everybody and that a song 35 years old still means so much now than what it use to. He took a moment to thanks those who saw the band perform at the Old Melbourne, Fitzgerald Hotel and Red Parrot many years ago. The night finished with a Saints cover of Know Your Product with a little help from Something For Kate. LUKE REYNOLDS
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OASIS POP UP BAR
THE NORTHSHORE TAVERN The Miss Sunset Coast Competition is on at Perth’s hottest new venue. See bikini-clad beauties from around Australia compete to become Miss Sunset Coast 2014 this Sunday, April 6. DJ Andrew C from 2pm, girls are on stage at 4:30pm. Win cash and prizes up for grabs including a trip to Bali, a Bintang surfboard, and a custom made CSC pool table. Got what it takes? To enter email csc@crazysexycool or head to misssc.com.au.
Friday, March 28, 2014 Friday night saw the closing of the Oasis Pop-up Bar put together by the Visit Subiaco team. The City of Subiaco turned the Wilson Car Park rooftop into a rustic, laid back garden oasis full of amazing food, deluxe beverages and entertainment. We are looking forward to the next venture from the Visit Subiaco team! Photos by Bohdan Warchomij
INDI BAR YAYA’S This Thursday, Melbourne psych-rockers Greenthief take to the stage as part of their The Voyage Tour; locals Ohayo, The Disappointed and Ray Finkle join them to support. Then it’s a Saturday double feature with Perth City Battles from 2pm, featuring the freshest battles from Australia’s finest MCs, and Perth’s own punk royalty Scalphunter heading up a huge punk’n’roll lineup from 8pm! As always don’t forget to hang around on Friday and Saturday for Ace And Arcadia after 11, resident DJs Pup and Cookie spin your favourite party starters to help you dance the night away!
Zarm return this Saturday, April 5, inspired by new sounds and new songs and are buzzing to drop some fresh ideas. Special guests on this occasion are Simon Kelly And The Big Bamboo with DJ Flex providing the sweet sweet tracks between bands. Doors 8pm, and $15.
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL This Wednesday, April 2, catch The Daniel Firkin Trio, Little Bird and Paul Mandelt, then on Thursday live drum ‘n’ bass exponents Freqshow and Pimps Of Sound team up with support from DJs Devo and Dart. Check out Rosemounthotel.com.au for ticketing and other info.
Greenthief
OCEAN ONE BAR Does speed drive, loop, counter-drive, flick, smash, push, chop, lock or lob mean anything to you? It’s time to start practicing for Pongorama, which kicks off this Thursday night from 8pm. It’s sure to be an epic battle of power vs. precision. Big prizes to won, all levels welcome.
ROCKET ROOM This Friday, April 4, Perth hip hop duo Leonidas & The Corynthian have joined forces to launch their carefully crafted album, Make The Most. Supported by The Pantheon Vanguard, Paulie P, Soma, Mello D, Azmatik, Karcus and DJ Defyre. Doors open from 8.30pm.
THE DOLL HOUSE Exotic Angels Miss Nude Calendar Search! See Perth’s best exotic dancers compete for over $6,000 in prizes. Drink specials, giveaways and fantastic prizes up for grabs on the night for all guests! Heats will be on, Friday, April 4, Saturday, April 5, Friday, April 11 with the Final on Saturday, April 12.
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RAILWAY HOTEL This Sunday the Railway is part of the North Freo Pub Crawl, hosting The Kill Devil Hills, The Floors, The Morning Night, Datura, Huge Magnet, The Ghost Hotel, Dilip N The Davs, The Community Chest, The Coalminers Sect, Catbrush, Tenderhooks and Rumskull plus lots more at the Swan Hotel – in all it’s 29 acts across five stages from 2pm! Tickets from Oztix.com.au, Mills Records, 78 Records and Planet Video. The Kill Devil Hills
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LIGHTING UP THE ODD FELLOW Irish-born, Fremantle-based folk exponent Bryan Rice Dalton is launching his new EP, Eastern Lights, at The Odd Fellow this Saturday, April 5. The talented raconteur will be joined by Kate Gilbertson, John Barrett and Galloping Foxleys. Doors open at 8pm. Bryan Rice Dalton - Photo by Cathy Britton
NOISE ANNOYS
OPIA OF THE MASSES This Friday, April 4, get down to The Rosemount Hotel to catch OPIA launch their new single, One Minute Ago, ahead of their upcoming East Coast tour. The prog rock trio will be joined by a truly impressive roster of support acts, including Constructs, This Other Eden, Loose Unit and The Devil Rides Out. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $15 on the door.
Uncle Player Promotions presents Copious Noise at The Rosemount Hotel this Saturday, April 5. It’s a killer lineup of some of Perth’s hardest and heaviest acts: Tusk, Pyromesh, Let’s Kill Uncle and Arkanion. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $10 on the door. Let’s Kill Uncle
OPIA
MORE FUN AT MOJOS TWO TONE TUNES
Get a midweek dose of excellent live tunes at Mojos this Thursday, April 3, when catchy-as-all-hell pop-soul professionals Boom! Bap! Pow! turn up the heat with help from Custom Royal and the incredibly busy Luke Dux. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $5.
Break out the checkered accessories and pork pie hats for a night of old Boom! Bap! Pow! school ska and punk-pop this Thursday, April 3, at Four5Nine Bar! Skank Or Die! sees 88 To Yesterday, Choking Stanley, Trip Hazard And The Rude Boys and Ben Elliot on stage from 8pm. 88 To Yesterday
NATALIA’S NIGHT It’s a night of all-female musical talent at The Charles Hotel this Saturday, April 5, when Natalia is supported by Why Georgia and Amanda Canzurlo. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are on sale now through Oztix and Heatseeker. Natalia
UP THE ACADEMY You know it’s gonna be huge night when The Academy takes over Friday night at Amplifier! Brace for a night of serious noise, with Cupidfalls launching their new album, Bayview, plus I Said The Sparrow, Finders, Paris For The Weekend, The Lake And The River and Calm, Collected. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $15. Cupidfalls
JUNKIE FOR YOUR LOVE
YOU TALKIN’ TO ME
Fast-rising rockers The Love Junkies continue their rise to dominance with the release of their new EP, Flight Test, at Mojos this Saturday, April 5. Support comes from Pat Chow, Health Legend and a solo and soulful Ruby Boots. Doors open at 8pm.
Tonight, Wednesday, April 2, get down to The Velvet Lounge for the launch of The De Niros new EP, Ethical Somnambulist, at Night Of The Cheap Jugs. Blindspot and Silver Foxes are also on the bill which, combined with the titular promise of low cost inebriation, should make for a most excellent evening in the offing, Doors open at 8pm, entry is free.
The Love Junkies
LO C A L & L AU N C H I N G 02/04 04/04 04/04 04/04 04/04 05/04 05/04 05/04 06/04 11/04 12/04 17/04 17/04 26/04 04/05 31/05
THE DE NIROS Ethical Somnambulist EP Launch @ The Velvet Lounge CUPIDFALLS Bayview Album Launch @ Amplifier GINA WILLIAMS & GUY GHOUSE Kalyakoorl Album Launch @ Fly By Night LEONIDAS AND THE CORYNTHIAN Make The Most Album Launch @ The Rocket Room OPIA One Minute Ago Single Launch @ Rosemount BRYAN RICE DALTON Eastern Lights EP Launch @ The Odd Fellow FOX CAT RABBIT Self Titled EP Launch @ The Velvet Loung THE LOVE JUNKIES Flight Test EP Launch @ Mojos JOHN READ Strange Night Album Launch @ Players THE SHAKEYS White Lightning EP Launch @ The Rocket Room LONERS Snake Run EP Launch @ Four5Nine CATBRUSH Self Titled EP Launch @ Mojos ODLAW Cabins Single Launch @ The Beat Nightclub SLEEPFREAK Sleazebag Video Launch @ The Bakery TASHI Self Titled EP Launch @ Hyde Park Botanical Gardens RUBY BOOTS Self Titled EP Launch @ The Astor Lounge WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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TOUR TRAILS
HOLY FUCK, APRIL 8 & 9
THIS WEEK WHEN GIANTS SLEEP 2 Amplifier Bar PACO PENA 2 Perth Concert Hall MONSTER MAGNET 3 Amplifier Bar CHICKS ON SPEED 4 Fremantle Arts Centre, Courtyard ART VS SCIENCE 5 Amplifier Bar HYPERFEST Spit Syndicate, Allday, Cub Sport, Glass Towers, Jackie Onassis, Closure in Moscow, Mathas, In Hearts Wake, Luca Brasi, The Love Junkies, Statues, Timothy Nelson and the Infidels, When Giants Sleep, Emecia, The Decline, FOAM, Scalphunter, Apache, Lionizer and more 6 Midland Oval KYLESA 6 The Bakery APRIL KODALINE & THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON 10 Astor Theatre SUZANNE VEGA 11 Astor Theatre DALLAS FRASCA 11 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River 12 The Odd Fellow, Fremantle 13 Indi Bar, Scarborough 1927 11 The Ravenswood, Mandurah VINCE JONES 9-11 WAAPA ELIZABETH ROSE 11 Amplifier Bar 12 Mojos Bar JASON AYRES 12 Astor Lounge THIEF 12 Amplifier Bar 13 Newport YOU AM I ft. ESKIMO JOE, JEBEDIAH & KATY STEELE 13 Hotel Rottnest WEST COAST BLUES N’ ROOTS Matt Corby, Michael Franti, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Doobie Brothers, Boy & Bear and more 13 Fremantle Park BOZ SCAGGS 14 Crown Theatre 3 INCHES OF BLOOD 16 Amplifier Bar KILLSWITCH ENGAGE & KILL DEVIL HILL 16 Metro City BURIED IN VERONA 16 Villa 17 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 18 YMCA HQ GYROSCOPE 17 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury JOSH PYKE 17 The White Star Hotel, Albany 19 Dunsborough Tavern
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TOURS LIVE
LORDE, APRIL 29
BAM BAM 19 Amplifier Bar TWELVE FOOT NINJA 19 Rosemount Hotel 20 Players Bar, Mandurah TOXIC HOLOCAUST & SKELETONWITCH 20 Rosemount Hotel KREATOR & DEATH ANGEL 20 Amplifier Bar THE ACACIA STRAIN 23 YMCA HQ 24 Amplifier Bar ELEANOR MCEVOY 23 Rosie O’Grady’s SKID ROW & UGLY KID JOE 23 Metropolis Fremantle JEFF BECK 24 Perth Concert Hall HUNX & HIS PUNX /SHANNON & THE CLAMS 24 Rosemount Hotel WENDY MATTHEWS 24 Clancy’s Dunsborough TED DANSON WITH WOLVES/ CERES 24 Flyrite 25 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 26 Railway Hotel ADRIAN EDMONDSON & THE BAD SHEPHERDS 24 The Odd Fellow 26 Rosemount Hotel FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL 2014 25-27 Fairbridge Village BALL PARK MUSIC 24 Astor Theatre 25 Studio 146, Albany 26 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 27 Newport Hotel, Fremantle MICHAEL BUBLE 26 & 27 Perth Arena AARON NEVILLE, DR JOHN & THE NITETRIPPERS 26 Riverside Theatre HUGH LAURIE & THE COPPER BOTTOM BAND 26 Perth Concert Hall SLEEPFREAK 26 The Bakery CLIENT LIASION 26 Amplifier Bar ROBYN HITCHCOCK & STEVE KILBEY 26 Fly By Night TAME IMPALA 27 Hotel Rottnest JUSTICE CREW 27 Crown Theatre LORDE 29 Challenge Stadium BOY & BEAR 30 Divers Tavern, Broome MAY DJ PREMIER X PETE ROCK 1 Capitol KANYE WEST 2 Perth Arena RUSSIAN CIRCLES 2 Rosemount Hotel JAMES REYNE 2 Charles Hotel
MKTO 2 Crown Theatre BLISS N ESSO 2 Signal Park, Busselton 3 Wellington Square, Perth CITIZEN KAY 3 Amplifier Bar 4 Newport Hotel LEE KERNAGHAN 6 Princess Royal Theatre, Albany 9 Crown Theatre ORIGIN 6 Amplifier Bar GIDEON 7 Amplifier Bar 8 YMCA HQ ELLA HOOPER 8 Artbar VANCE JOY & GOSSLING 8 The Bakery KARNIVOOL 8 Metropolis Fremantle THE PRESETS 8 Capitol 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER 8 Riverside Theatre THUNDAMENTALS 8 Flyrite 9 Mojo’s Bar MISERY SIGNALS 8 Amplifier Bar 9 YMCA HQ HOLY FUCK 8 Rosemount Hotel 9 The Odd Fellow DISCLOSURE & WAVE RACER 9 Metro City THE JEZABELS 9 Astor Theatre THE JUNGLE GIANTS 9 Rosemount Hotel JASON DERULO 10 Perth Arena PAUL WOSSEN 10 Yayas 11 Mojos Bar GROOVIN THE MOO Andy Bull, Architecture In Helsinki, Disclosure, Holy Fuck, The Jezabels, The Jungle Giants, Karnivool, Kingswood, The Kite String Tangle, Loon Lake, The Naked And Famous, Parkway Drive, The Presets, Peking Duk, Robert Delong, Thundamentals, Vance Joy, Violent Soho, Wave Racer, What So Not & more 10 Hay Park, Bunbury THE NAKED & FAMOUS 11 Astor Theatre ARCTIC MONKEYS 13 Perth Arena JONNY CRAIG 14 Amplifier Bar 15 YMCA HQ PETULA CLARK 17 Perth Concert Hall SEPTICFLESH & FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE 18 Amplifier Bar HITS & PITS 3 Strung Out, Face To
VIOLENT SOHO, JULY 3
Face, Unwritten Law, Implants 18 Capitol & Amplifier Bar JAMES VINCENT McMORROW 21 Astor Theatre DANIEL CHAMPAGNE 21 Mojos Bar 22 Four5Nine Bar DZ DEATHRAYS 22 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 23 Indi Bar 24 Amplifier Bar 25 Newport Hotel WAGONS 23 Fly By Night THE ENGLISH BEAT 23 Rosemount Hotel MANGO GROOVE 23 Metro City 2014 AIRNORTH KIMBERLEY MOON EXPERIENCE Eskimo Joe, The Waifs, John Williamson, 42 Decibel 24 Jim Hughes Amphitheatre, Kununurra MS. LAURYN HILL 24 Fremantle Arts Centre GARY NUMAN 25 Astor Theatre ELLIE GOULDING & BROODS 28 Challenge Stadium LARRY CARLTON 28 Astor Theatre RÜFÜS 30 Players Bar, Mandurah 31 Fremantle Arts Centre WE ARE SCIENTISTS 31 Amplifier Bar THE BEARDS 29 The White Star Hotel, Albany 31 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury JUNE THE BEARDS 1 Astor Theatre DARREN MIDDLETON 1 Mojos Bar MEAT PUPPETS 2 Astor Theatre PROPAGANDHI 3 Amplifier Bar KIM CHURCHILL 4 Indi Bar YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! 7 Riverside Theatre FRENTE 7 Astor Theatre LA DISPUTE 7 Rosemount Hotel 8 YMCA HQ DEAD LETTER CIRCUS 4 Pier Hotel 5 The White Star Hotel, Albany 6 Settlers Tavern, Margaret River 7 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 8 Rosemount Hotel CARCASS 12 Capitol JAMES BLUNT 12 Crown Theatre 13 Riverside Theatre
RON POPE 13 Astor Lounge BASTILLE 18 Challenge Stadium THE PAPER KITES 19 Artbar 20 Prince of Wales, Bunbury FINNTROLL 22 Amplifier Bar MONDO ROCK 22 Regal Theatre KEITH URBAN 29 Perth Arena JULY THE CRIMSON PROJEKCT 2 Fly By Night VIOLENT SOHO & SMITH STREET BAND 3 The Bakery THE AUDREYS 4 Fly By Night SOMETHING FOR KATE 4 Astor Theatre HIGH ON FIRE 18 Rosemount Hotel THE WHITE ALBUM CONCERT TOUR ft. Chris Cheney, Phil Jameson, Josh Pyke & Tim Rogers 26 Riverside Theatre PELICAN 27 Rosemount Hotel THE ANGELS 31 Newport Hotel AUGUST THE ANGELS 1 Wintersun Hotel THE ANGELS ft. DAVE GLEESON 2 Charles Hotel 3 The Ravenswood Hotel, Mandurah ROY ORBISON & DEL SHANNON TRIBUTE 7 Albany Entertainment Centre 9 Crown Theatre HANSON 15 Metropolis Fremantle TINA ARENA 15 Crown Theatre LADY GAGA 20 Perth Arena THE DANDY WARHOLS 22 Astor Theatre THE ASTON SHUFFLE 23 Amplifier Bar SEPTEMBER KANYE WEST 5 Perth Arena MARINA PRIOR 5 Albany Entertainment Centre 6 Astor Theatre 7 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre ROBBIE WILLIAMS 11 Perth Arena BIFFY CLYRO 12 Metro City OCTOBER JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE 8 Perth Arena NOVEMBER KATY PERRY 7 & 8 Perth Arena
TO U R TA L E S
TWELVE FOOT NINJA Komikaze Twelve Foot Ninja hit the Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, April 19, and Players Bar, Mandurah, on Sunday, April 20. CAMERON JAMES reports. ‘Be kind to one another’, instructs the message at the end of Twelve Foot Ninja’s latest video, Ain’t That A Bitch. Guitarist Stevic Mackay says there’s another message there as well. “Don’t fuck with us,” he says laughing. Melbourne’s epic genre mashers have always enjoyed extreme opposites – in their music, their visuals, and their message. Listen to Ain’t That A Bitch and you’ll get a good idea of what they’re about - hard rock, bossa nova organs and crooning pop vocals all share space in a song that’s either about a relationship or a murderous revenge against an internet troll. “Trolling used to be harmless, funny even,” Mackay says of the inspiration behind the clip. “But it’s gotten personal and dark. It’s become a serious issue for people who don’t have positivity in their lives. So our clip is a little reaction against that.” The band famously raised a record destroying $52,000 through crowd-funding site Pozible to film the music video which features martial arts, comic book effects, an actual troll and probably a metric tonne of fake blood. “It’s not an instructional video,” says Mackay. “But it was fun to live that fantasy.” (Seriously, just watch it.) So how does a band get away with such an eclectic mix of sounds and media in today’s instant industry? “We started this band with an idea for musical freedom,” says Mackay. “We’d probably get bored if we just did the one thing forever.”
We’re in a time when musicians taking risks in sound and image are rare. Many acts tread the same ground as those preceding them in order to assure their safety in a fickle industry. But Twelve Foot Ninja could never be accused of just playing it safe. “A lot of people will only support what has been validated by the mainstream,” explains Mackay. “So it can be hard to make a career by doing exactly what you wanna do. But if you try to keep ingenious, and think outside the box, you open yourself up to a million more opportunities.” Opportunities such as Twelve Foot Ninja’s 12-page comic book – one page per song, released a week at a time in the build-up to the release of their 2012 debut album, Silent Machine. A pretty ballsy move. Who does that? Twelve Foot Fucking Ninja, that’s who. “The comic was something I wanted to do from the beginning,” says Mackay.
“Trolling used to be harmless, funny even. But it’s gotten personal and dark. It’s become a serious issue for people who don’t have positivity in their lives. So our clip is a little reaction against that.” All this adds up to make something more than just a rock band – Twelve Foot Ninja are a multimedia experience. Fans can now engage with these musicians through music, film and print in a way that most other bands don’t allow. “We’ve tried to create a bigger world through our songs and clips, an ongoing story for people to follow. And taking it to the comic page was just the next step.” And the next next step is the tour. Right now, the band is taking its van around the country in support of the album and the latest single. And with all this talk of trolls and comic books, how exactly does a Twelve Foot Ninja gig play out? “High-energy,” Mackay says. “Real highenergy. Eventually, we’d like to get to a place where we can bring the comic stuff and the video visuals into the show as well. But for now, we just wanna keep smashing it.”
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GIG GUIDE
THE AUNTS/MOJOS/WEDNESDAY 2
WEDNESDAY 02/04 AMPLIFIER BAR Academy When Giants Sleep Boris The Blade Anchored Sail On! Sail On! Tusk Here Comes The Cavalry This Other Eden Emecia BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque THE CARINE Open Mic Night Shaun Street CLANCYS CANNING Songwriter’s Night Benny Walker ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Beans Buma’s Boys of Rhythm Night Cap Sessions THE GREENWOOD Bernardine GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots INDI BAR Songwriter Sessions Brendan Gaspari Kate Gilbertson James Rogers Jessica Shanks LANEWAY LOUNGE Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Decoy Duo THE LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MUSTANG BAR Blue Gene DJ Giles MOJOS BAR The Aunts Katie J White Xave Brown Joe Pule THE MOON CAFE Going Solo Elli Schoen Todd Pickett OCEAN ONE BAR Marcio Mendes THE PADDO The Date Trojan John Escelade 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL HYLA Kites Black Stone From The Sun Filthy Apes
RUNNER
RUNNER
PLACE OF INDIGO ANTELOPE SATURDAY, APRIL 5 THE BIRD
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.JAPANESE TONGUE SISTERS/ FOUR5NINE/ FRIDAY 4
Winters Calling Shouting At Camels ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Daniel Firkin Trio Little Skye John Martyr’s Ghost Paul Mandelt ROSIE O’GRADYS NORTHBRIDGE Laugh Resort SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night ft. Claire Warnock THE SWINGING PIG Open Mic Night Greg Carter UNIVERSAL BAR Retriofit VILLAGE BAR Village People Open Mic VELVET LOUNGE The De Niros Blindspot Silver Foxes YAYA’S Foundation DJ Midsole Kid Tsunami Kaotik Pawel THURSDAY 03/04 AMPLIFIER BAR Monster Magnet King Of The North Chainsaw Hookers BAR ORIENT Open Mic Night THE BIRD Leafy Suburbs Craig McElhinney Jane Harris BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night Rob Walker THE BROOK Open Mic Night Chris Gibbs BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke THE CAUSEWAY BAR Xport Thursdays CLANCYS FREMANTLE Rockscholars THE DEEN Howie Morgan Project DEVILLES PAD Rock’N’Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night Kris Buckle ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Belleville Night Cap Sessions THE GATE Greg Carter
LOCAL GIG
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GRAND CENTRAL PARK Karin Page GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy INDI BAR Open Mic Night KALAMUNDA HOTEL The Black Fridays LANEWAY LOUNGE Jessie Gordon Trio LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Jack & Jill LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAV Tender Fiddle Kyran Walsh Chantelle Schuurmans The Kind Hearts Jana Fischer Kyle Bonser Elise Hudspith MOJOS BAR Boom! Bap! Pow! MUSTANG BAR Graphic Characters The MDC Paper Walls DJ James MacArthur NORTHSHORE TAVERN LADIES SING THE BLUES Toby Chelsea J. Gibson Band On The Level Cathy Earl Skye Fitzgerald OCEAN ONE BAR Turin’s Open Mic Night THE PADDO Dove PEEL ALE HOUSE Open Mic Danny Bau PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL Greenthief Nathan Gaunt 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL 88 To Yesterday Choking Stanley Trip Hazard & The Rude Boys Ben Elliot ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Pimps Of Sound Freqshow Devo Dart Xssesiv SETTLERS TAVERN Julius Lutero Claire Warnock THE SHED Mystery Men SWALLOW BAR Shot Down From Sugartown SWAN HOTEL(LOUNGE) The Moonshine Trust The Langfords Greys & Blues UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record YAYA’S Greenthief Ohay The Disappointed Ray Finkle FRIDAY 04/04 THE ALBION Nicola Milan AMPLIFIER BAR Academy Takes Over Friday Cupid Falls I, Said The Sparrow Finders A Weekend In Paris
FOX CAT RABBIT/THE VELVET LOUNGE/ SATURDAY 5
The Lake And The River Calm, Collected BALMORAL Vanerty Brothers BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) Axe Girl Lights of Berlin Clockwork Floorshow BELGIAN BEER CAFE Roger Roger BELMONT TAVERN Electrophobia BEST DROP TAVERN Tandem BISTRO 38 Gary Fowlie BRASS MONKEY Justin Cortorillo THE BRIGHTON Jasmine Atkins THE CARINE Frenzy CHASE BAR & BISTRO James Wilson CITRO BAR Dean Anderson CIVIC BACKROOM Nightmare Effect Psychokinetic Tears For Atlantis Envy Awake CLANCYS CANNING DJ Boogie CLANCYS CITY BEACH Jack Doepel Organ Trio CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Crux COMO HOTEL Fiona Lawe Davies Trio CRUISING YACHT CLUB Rockin Ronnie DEVILLES PAD Rockin’ A Gogo DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Cuddles EAST 150 BAR Jeanie Proude ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Juliana Areias Aaron Malone & Cian Caton EMPIRE Howie Morgan FAIRLINES AMPHITHEATRE Bernardine FLY BY NIGHT Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse GOSNELLS HOTEL Third Gear THE GREENWOOD Ryan Webb GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Tod Johnston & Peace Love DJ Crazy Craig HERDSMAN Elemental HOTEL ROTTNEST DJ Eugene HYDE PARK HOTEL (COURTYARD) Acoustic Aly INDI BAR Vdelli KALAMUNDA HOTEL Vendetta LANEWAY LOUNGE Hans Fiance Just for The Night LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Nightowl M ON THE POINT Siren & Assassin MAHOGANY INN Justin Martins
METROPOLIS FREMANTLE Hot Dub Time Machine MOJOS BAR Crucial Rockers Geeza Earthlink Sound MUSTANG BAR Flash Nat & The Action Men Oz Big Band Swing DJ DJ James MacArthur NORTHSHORE TAVERN Two Plus One OCEAN ONE BAR Mad Agents PADDY MAGUIRES The Avenue PEEL ALE HOUSE Siren Song Enterprises THE PRINCIPAL Jonny Dempsey QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Stackjammer Duo ROCKET ROOM Leonidas & The Corynthian The Pantheon Vanguard Paulie P Soma Mello D Azmatik Karcus DJ Defyre ROLEYSTONE COUNTRY CLUB Bernardine 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Japanese Tongue Sisters The Devil In Miss Jones Black Bone Gang ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Opia The Devil Rides Out Loose Unit This Other Eden Constructs 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Greenthief Japanese Tongue Sisters The Black Bone Gang ROSIE O’GRADYS FREMANTLE Felix SAIL AND ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Karaoke with Robbie King SWINGING PIG Greg Carter UNIVERSAL BAR Nightmoves THE VIC Nathan Gaunt WINTERSUN HOTEL Josh Crothers YAYA’S DJ Pup SATURDAY 05/04 7TH AVENUE Karaoke AMPLIFIER BAR Art Vs Science Kilter ASTOR THEATRE Huge Magnet Stoney Joe The Seals Dux N Downtown THE BALMORAL The Wire Birds THE BAKERY A$AP Ferg BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club Mumma Trees Black Knight DJ Veeness
Deadline Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing all LIVE MUSIC. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au
CLAIM THE THRONE/THE CIVIC HOTEL/ SATURDAY 5
BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) BIG KIDZ BENTLEY HOTEL In The Groove THE BIRD Runner Place Of Indigo Antelope BOAB TAVERN Siren & Assassin CAPITOL Hot Dub Time Machine THE CARINE Frank G THE CAUSEWAY Macshane Silvertongue Beckon Bax Davis Ferny CHIPPY’S JINDALEE Chill Divine CIVIC BACKROOM Claim The Throne Advent Sorrow Cold Fate Eaerth Rot CLANCYS CANNING Justin Burford CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Rogues THE CLAREMONT HOTEL Super Antics Silver Hills The Limbs Antics DJs DEVILLES PAD Black Magic Disco DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Steve Spouse ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Nu Watercolors of Brazil Matty T Wall THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Almost Famous GREENWOOD Cargo Beat GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Switch Hero Djs HOTEL ROTTNEST Nathan Gaunt HYDE PARK HOTEL Easy Tigers INDI BAR Zarm Simon Kelly And The Big Bamboo DJ Flex KALAMUNDA HOTEL Celebrations Karaoke LAKERS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke LANEWAY LOUNGE Jonathan Dempsey Alcatraz M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MUSTANG BAR Milhouse Bang Bang Betty & The H-Bombs Rockabilly DJ DJ James McArthur MOJOS BAR The Love Junkies Health Legend Ruby Boots NORTHSHORE TAVERN Local Heroes NEWPORT HOTEL Gravity Tahli Jade
SILVER HILLS/CLAREMONT HOTEL/ SATURDAY 5
OCEAN ONE BAR Desert Bells DJ Martin PADDY MAGUIRES Madam Montage PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Felix PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Kevin Curran QUARIE BAR & BISTRO DJ Eugene RAILWAY HOTEL Jeremiah Salt Potato Dice Tristram Corbett Shola Lee RED HILL FARM 2014 Red Hill Concert Shannon Noll Mark Wilkinson C4 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Luca Brasi Grim Fandango Monuments Flowermouth ROSEMOUNT HOTEL COPIOUS NOISE Tusk Pyromesh Darkenium Let’s Kill Uncle Arkarion ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Flava SAIL & ANCHOR Better Days SETTLERS TAVERN Toby THE SHED Huge DJ Andyy SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King & Friends SWAN HOTEL (BASEMENT) Lunar Inverse Falloway Josh East & Guest Devil In Miss Jones SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) Zed Form Dead The Jackdaws Moscow Train Dogs THE SWINGING PIG Frenzy UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WOODVALE TAVERN Hi-NRG VELVET LOUNGE Fox Cat Rabbit VILLA NIGHTLCUB Opiuo Dubfx Joe Revell YAYA’S Scalphunter The Reptilians Medicine Darko Vs. Creepy J SUNDAY 06/04 THE AVIARY Reilly Craig BAILEY BAR & BISTRO Gary Fowlie BALMORAL Andrew Winton THE BAKERY Kylesa BELMONT TAVERN Justin Cortorillo BEAUMARIS SPORTS ASSOC. Light Street THE BRIGHTON Ali Hill Justin Burford
BROKEN HILL HOTEL Kizzy THE BROOK Stu Mckay BROOKLANDS TAVERN Gerry Azor CAPTAIN STIRLING Open Mic Night Josh Terlick THE CARINE Mike Nayar THE CAUSEWAY Acoustic Sunday CHIPPYS JINDALEE Sophie Jane Duo CIVIC HOTEL Luke O’Connell CLANCYS CITY BEACH Salt Shaker Sundays DJ Boogie & The Salt Shaker Selectors CLANCYS FREMANTLE The Zydecats COMO HOTEL Ansell & Fretall CRUISING YACHT CLUB Guy Tucker DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Kris Buckle ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Gospel Extravaganza FLINDERZ HILLARYS Glenn Rogers FLY BY NIGHT Stage Fright Open Mic Night THE GATE Choppa & The Hitman GOSNELLS HOTEL Frank G GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Peace Love HYDE PARK HOTEL (COURTYARD) Jonny Dempsey INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit Adam James INDI BAR Sunday Poolside Acoustic Session Wanderlust Little Bird Evening Session Howie Morgan Project KALAMUNDA HOTEL Electrophobia LAKERS TAVERN Wesley Goodlet THE LAST DROP TAVERN Grant Hart LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Thierryno LUCKY SHAG Christian Thompson MIDLAND OVAL HYPERFEST 2014 Spit Syndicate Allday Cub Sport Glass Towers When Giants Sleep MOJOS BAR The Long Sunday Eduardo Cossio Justin Walshe Duo The Regular Hunters Black Heart Sunday Benny Walker Mister Tom Fisher & The Layabouts Stu Orchard M ON THE POINT Nathan Gaunt MUSTANG Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers DJ Holly Doll
SCALPHUNTER/YAYA’S/SATURDAY 5
NEWPORT HOTEL Greenthief OCEAN ONE BAR Tahnee DJ Martin PEEL ALE HOUSE Jamie Powers PLAYERS BAR John Read Casinodreams PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Greg Carter QUARIE BAR & BISTRO The Gypsy Minions RAILWAY HOTEL The Kill Devil Hills The Floors The Morning Night Datura Huge Magnet The Ghost Hotel Dilip & The Davs Davey Craddock & The Spectacles The Community Chest Custom Royal Patient Little Sister ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Get Down Charlie Bucket Klean Kicks Nick Sheppard THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project SAIL AND ANCHOR Childs Play SETTLERS TAVERN Acoustic Sessions Toby SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Joppy SWALLOW BAR Sunday Sessions Grace Barbe Duo SWANBROOK WINERY Matt Waring Natasha Shanks James Rogers SWAN HOTEL (LOUNGE) The Shops Joni In The Moon These Winter Nights Patient Little Sister Davey Craddock & The Spectacles Polly Medlen Band SWAN HOTEL (BASEMENT) Mossy Fogg Shimmergloom SpaceManAntics The Caballeros Custom Royal Valdaway Robert Hinton Michael Savage Ben Macri
Daniel Foggo Little Lord Street Band UNIVERSAL Cartel VERNON ARMS TAVERN Ade Payne WANNEROO TAVERN Steve Hepple WHISTLING KITE Acousticone THE WINDSOR Acoustic Aly MONDAY 07/04 BRASS MONKEY Wire Birds CLANCYS FREMANTLE Quiz Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Holli Scott Quintet MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic MUSTANG BAR Triple Shots YA-YA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic Variety Night TUESDAY 08/04 BRASS MONKEY Open Mic Night Josh Terlick THE CHARLES HOTEL Perth Blues Club Mike De Velta & Francesco Renna Freebird Benny Walker CLANCYS FREMANTLE Bingoteque GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Double take LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Hans Fiance LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Breakthrough MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Night OCEAN ONE BAR Undergrowth Open Mic Night ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bex ‘n’ Turin’s Open Mic Night SWINGING PIG Siren Song Enterprises YAYA’S HaHa’s @ YaYa’s Rich Ciesler Ben Darsow Chris “The Bloke” Franklin
LOCAL GIG
AXE GIRL
AXE GIRL
LIGHTS OF BERLIN CLOCKWORK FLOORSHOW FRIDAY, APRIL 5 THE BEAT NIGHTCLUB
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DAVE HOLE Home Of The Blues WA blues giant, Dave Hole, will perform at West Coast Blues N’ Roots on Sunday, April 13, at Fremantle Park. He tells BOB GORDON about a new album in the comfort of his own home. While he hasn’t stopped playing festival slots and short tours, Dave Hole hasn’t released an album since 2007’s Rough Diamond. That’s being addressed as we speak, though Hole isn’t in any unnecessary hurry to finish it. “I’m certainly taking my time recording this album,” he says, “It’s been ongoing. I’ve pretty much finished writing and I’ve got more songs than I need. The recording is taking a little longer than I’d hoped, but I’m enjoying it and it’s going well. “I’m using the studio for some things but a lot of it I can do at home. That’s been part of the process of what I’m going through, setting up the home studio, getting that organised and learning to do the engineering myself.” Even as a lifelong musician, Hole admits that he is still learning, which is important in itself. “Oh yeah,” he agrees, “I feel it is. I still feel like I’m learning, even at my great old age (laughs). In all sorts of ways, with the software and the recording process and all that stuff, but musically, as well. “You never stop learning and I think that’s one of the great things about music is that you can continue to develop and incorporate new ideas into what you’re doing all the time.” With the majority of the new album being recorded at home, he can record when notion or whim calls, without having worry about the clock ticking. Ultimately, that has an effect on the music that is created. “I think it does. It has its plusses and minuses, but the plus side is huge for me. Obviously, it gives you total control and flexibility; you can get up in the morning feeling totally inspired and go in and do something. “The other thing is that if you don’t feel inspired you don’t have to. I’ve actually recorded an album in the middle of having flu, trying to do vocals and all sorts of things, simply because the time’s been blocked out and booked and that’s it. “So that’s a huge plus and it’s so relaxed being able to record your own vocals, you don’t feel under pressure. Maybe in the morning your voice isn’t very good but in the afternoon it clears up.” And the downside? “Well, people have probably mentioned this to you before, that it’s easy to get locked into going on forever with something because you can. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist - I s’pose a lot of us are - but if you become too much that way you can go on ad nauseum with a particular song or whatever, and if there’s no producer there saying, ‘I think we’ve got it, let’s move onto the next song’ you can be there forever (laughs). I think it was Sting who said he’s never really finished an album, he’s just abandoned them.” The as-yet-untitled album is certainly on its way, but there’s no word at this point as to a due date. “Bruce Iglauer, the Alligator Records president, in his own words, said ‘you don’t owe us anything. Do it and when it’s done, we’ll deal with it’. “That’s a wonderful thing,” Hole ponders. “At my time of life I want to do it comfortably, enjoy it and when it’s done, it’s done. I’m not pressured and I can do other things in life, like playing tennis, which I’d never done before, because I’d always been involved in constant touring. I only want to tour if it interests me and it isn’t too arduous or long-winded. Studio Gear “I’ve got the Pro-Tools software with a computer, which is basically what the vast majority of studios around the world are using now. I’ve got very good Apogee converters because that’s a critical element recording
Dave Hole - Photo by Michael Wylie
digitally, converting from analogue microphones to the digital world and back again. I’ve got very good quality Yamaha monitoring system, the replacement for the NF-10s (MSP/SW10) and it’s got a sub as well. I spent good money on just a very small number of mics, but I can’t really record drums here because I haven’t got enough good quality mics or converters, so I tend to do them in a studio and bring the parts here. “Having said that, there’s a couple songs I’ve been working on where I’ve used sampled drums. It sounds a bit odd for blues, but it has been done by a few people. RL Burnside did a couple of albums like that which were really innovative. If I have a song that needs a hypnotic beat I find it’s really good to program the drums in, some of the samples are amazing quality. There’s a particular one I use, Steven Slate, which are really popular, I hear his samples being used a lot in songs on the radio.” Guitars Used When Recording “It’s not that different to on stage. I’ve got the Gibson 345 which I’ve been using forever. And I’ve still got the 1962 Fender Stratocaster which I’ve been using a lot in the studio. I’ve also got a National Tricone, like a Resonator, an acoustic that I use with electric instruments as well. And I’ve got a few old Martins; one’s a 1928 model that sounds brilliant. But I don’t take it out on the road (laughs).” Studio Amps “It varies a little bit. One that’s been a favourite is a little Fender Champ, it’s only 6W, a very small amp. This is a tweed one, 1954, which I bought in America. They’re very simple amps, very quiet, but when you mic and record them they sound like a big amp. I recently also got some small Marshall amps, they’re 5W. They’re low-wattage but very well made. When you record them they sound like a 100W stack.”
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ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering.. Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www. witzendstudios.com ANALOG MASTERING VINTAGE TAPE, TUBES & TRANSFORMERS with the latest state of the art digital converters. Clients include: Melody’s Ec h o C h a m b e r, Po n d , G o s s l i n g , K n i fe P a r t y, Felicity Groom, The Floors, Jeff Martin & The Panics. World class facility, World class results. Www.poonshead.com. 9339 4791
MUSOS WANTED OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Text Josh on 0430 313 577 for a spot. SINGER WANTED for original alt/rock band. Must be serious and dedicated. Ph: TJ 0420972668 or Josh 0478719130 34
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NEWS
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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY
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CLASSIFIEDS
It sometimes feels like no one, whether it’s a gigs or music stores, really cares about us bass players. That’s what makes the MXR M – 84 Bass Fuzz Deluxe such a delight. First and foremost your bass doesn’t lose any of its volume or clarity when you activate it, a common complaint against bass pedals. It has handy separate dry and wet controls, as well as fuzz and tone, giving you a great deal of control over your exact sound, from a subtle scratchy accompaniment, to a punchy compact stab on full dry, or from a quiet growl to the gloriously filthy fuzz on full wet. Simple and effective, it will set you back $239.
Staying in the simple, practical and affordable territory is the BOSS’ CE-5 Chorus Ensemble. A compact and sturdy unit, with mono input, stereo output and high- and low-cut filters. Combined with the rate control and depth, this gives the player a wide variety of sounds, from mellow, lush and warm, to the bright stereo jabbing so beloved by 1980s new wave. Like most Boss equipment, it’s solid rather than spectacular but at $129 it’s very reasonably priced, particularly if you don’t already own a chorus pedal.
MXR M – 84 Bass Fuzz Deluxe
CE-5 Chorus Ensemble
MXR CSP-026 ‘74 Vintage Phase 90
At the more eccentric (and costly) end of the scale is Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar. I was skeptical approaching the Ravish Sitar, the name and main selling point of which pretty much screams ‘gimmick with narrow application’. To be fair, it does offer an accurate impression of the drone and twang of a sitar. But in addition, the programmable (major, minor or ‘exotic’) polyphonic lead voice and tunable sympathetic string drones can produce a heavenly, ambient tail for both lead and rhythm playing. The timbre controls (sympathetic and lead) can slip your sound from a synthy howl to a more organic, woody sounding drone. If the five controls aren’t varied enough, there two expression pedal inputs that allow you to bend the pitch of the lead voice or control the volume of the sympathetic strings (or both). It’s a little weird and complicated (I think it would take a little while to get one’s head fully around it) but, particularly when combined with other pedals, the Ravish Sitar can provide some gorgeous and very distinctive tones. RRP $439.
CHARLIE LEWIS
Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar
Like the standard MXR Phase 90, the design of the MXR CSP-026 ‘74 Vintage Phase 90 is simplicity itself, with a single speed control knob controlling your modulation rate. The ’74, as the name suggests, has its specifications matched against an original 1974 pedal (hand wiring, select resistors, FETs) for a deeper, more organic vintage sound. It works with the pedal producing a smooth glow akin to late 70’s Pink Floyd. It’s as diverse as you could expect a single control pedal to be - with gentle waves of modulation at one end and a bright undulating warble at the other. It’s a lovely sound (I personally consider the Phase to be an underrated effect) but at $242, it’s hard to be unreserved given the single effect it produces. It’s better than the standard MXR Phase 90, but is it $100 better?
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ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 GOLDDUST Production Mixing, recording and composition. Leederville $80 p/h. 0408 097 407 LONEWOLF PRODUCTIONS FREMANTLE Custom designed equipment for cutting edge recording. 24 track tape. Premium digital conversion and mixing. FB. Jay Sonics 0423 445 154 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 R E VO LV E R S O U N D S T U D I O P h 9 2 7 2 7 5 0 5 . www.revolverstudio.com.au S O N GW R I T E R S ! - U N LO C K YOU R S O N G S ’ P OT E N T I A L F R E E A P P R A I S A L S . U K P ro d u ce r 45,000+ hours studio experience, 20 yrs in London working with songwriters and bands. Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic. com.au STUDIO ZED Digital Mastering, Demo’s, albums, Live tracking sessions special from $250 p/day. Studiozed.net.au Ph: 9207 2072
REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117. PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 STREAM STUDIO’S 89 Stirling St, Perth. Mobile: 0403 152 009 info@streamrehearsal.com.au TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar Institute. Online bookings. Beg to prof, all styles. Catering to WAAPA and AMEB standards. All tutors have WWC clearance. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS GUITAR LESSONS AVAILABLE by WAAPA tutor. A practicle approach to learning. .All styles.Years of experience. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION LESSONS For those who may need help making a start and finding their way around Ableton Live. $50 per hr and may come to you. Ph; Danny 0408 909 928 WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU
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