Beat Magazine #1310 by Furst Media

IN CINEMAS NOW

THIS week

Nation in tions and Live sent Niche Produc ns Australia pre llio Bi th wi n conjunctio

CHARLES BRADLEY

THE SCREAMING EAGLE OF SOUL

PROUDLY PRESENTS

NICHE PRODUCTIONS PROUDLY PRESENTS

& HIS EXTRASTORARLIADNINTOURAIRES THE 2012 AU

TWO HUGE MELBOURNE SHOWS

SAT. 10TH MARCH PRINCE BANDROOM

Saturday 10th March Hi Fi Bar

THIS week

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

POLO CLUB + DIZZ1

WITH CLAIRY BROWNE + DJ CHRIS GILL

TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH PRINCEBANDROOM.COM.AU & OZTIX.COM.AU

Tickets on sale now through thehiямБ.com.au

Sunday 18th March Corner Hotel WITH THE CACTUS CHANNEL

new album available at all good record stores

+ DJ SLIM CHARLES

(# " *,) / .#)(-─Д )'─Д /┼Ч┼Ч─К┼Ч┼Ч&#0 ( .#)(─Д )'─Д / thecharlesbradley.com

Tickets on sale now through cornerhotel.com

NICHE PRODUCTIONS IS PROUD TO WELCOME HOME

NICHE PRODUCTIONS & LIVE NATION PRESENT

& Special

FRI. 30 MARCH PRINCE BANDROOM

Guests

SUPPORT

FRIDAY 20TH APRIL PRINCE BANDROOM

YELAWOLF'S NEW ALBUM RADIOACTIVE AVAILABLE NOW ONLINE AND AT ALL GOOD RECORD STORES

& SPECIAL GUESTS

TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH PRINCEBANDROOM.COM.AU

NICHEPRODUCTIONS.COM.AU / ELECTRICEMPIREMUSIC.COM

NICHEPRODUCTIONS.COM.AU LIVENATION.COM.AU

TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH PRINCEBANDROOM.COM.AU

NICHEPRODUCTIONS.COM.AU

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BECOME A FAN OF NICHE ON

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@NICHEPRODUCTION

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THE

POOR w/ SUPPORTS – Destroy She Said and Harmonic Generators(direct from France)

FRI 16 MARCH WHEELERS HILL HOTEL CNR JELLS & FERNTREE GULLY RDS WHEELERS HILL P:9560 8922 WWW.WHEELERSHILLHOTEL.COM.AU

Presale - $20, Door - $25. Doors Open at 8pm Photo ID must be presented at door

Tickets available on Ticketmaster and at Venue

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The

140 Sydney Rd

9387 6637

BRUNSWICKHOTEL.NET

NO COVER CHARGE

Cornish Arms

WEDNESDAY THE 7TH OF MARCH - FROM 8PM

OPEN MIC WITH YOUR HOST BRODIE

GET IN AND REGISTER FROM 7PM ONWARDS, $10 JUGS THURSDAY THE 8TH OF MARCH - FROM 8PM TILL MIDNIGHT

$3 SCHOONERS $5 BASICS FROM 9PM KUMAR SHOME AND THE PUNKAWALLAHS JESSE WITNEY BAND COOKIE FRIDAY THE 9TH OF MARCH - FROM 9PM STREET CREDIT PROMOTIONS PRESENTS

Kitchen Specials

Mon - $12 Burger and $12 Parma +

OPEN MIC NIGHT Tues - Trivia Night Wed - $14 Rump Steak

THE D.Y.E THE RANT

SECONDS THE $6000 SUITS SATURDAY THE 10TH OF MARCH - FROM 9PM

THE COLLECTABLES KICK IN DANGER DAWSON’S SUICIDE FROM 5PM

SHANE DIIORIO BAND PENY BOHAN SUNDAY THE 11TH OF MARCH - FROM 8:30PM

Friday Mar 9th GROUSE PARTY $10 ENTRY

GUN RUNNERS BACKYARD SURGEONS

Saturday Mar 10th

THE GARDEN OF EIDA DEAR STALKER

MUSCLE MARY MOTHERSLUG

FIRE FIGHT YOUR DEMISE (TAS) FROM 5PM

DAMN THE RIVER MONDAY THE 12TH OF MARCH - FROM 8PM

PASSIONATE TONGUES POETRY HOSTED BY MICHAEL REYNOLDS OPEN STAGE READINGS AND SPOKEN WORD WELCOME WITH FEATURE PERFORMERS EVERY FORTNIGHT, $10 JUGS TUESDAY THE 13TH OF MARCH - FROM 8PM

BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY NIGHT GIVING CHANCES TO UP AND COMING LOCAL TALENT! THIS WEEK:

SANDCASTLE

Monday nights Open Mic Function Room Available Kitchen Open Every Evening

WEDNESDAY TRIVIA NIGHT

FREE ENTRY - 7:30PM

THU 9th March

9.30 - 11:30

THE STU THOMAS PARADOX

SAT 10th March

PAPA MAUL MESSED UP PHANTOM AGENTS

9.30 - 10:15 10.30 - 11:15 11.30 - 12:15

SATURDAY 10TH MAR 9.00PM

THE

RECTIFIERS

RETURNING TO THEIR ORIGINAL SIX-PIECE LINE-UP, THE ALT-COUNTRY RECTIFIERS PLAY AN ULTRA-RARE, DON’T-MISS SHOW.

FREE ENTRY - 4:30PM

MONDAY $12 STEAK NIGHT FREE POOL

OPENING HOURS

SUNDAY 11TH MAR 5.00PM

CHRIS WILSON

LEGENDARY HARMONICA, ROCKIN’ GUITAR AND BANTER EXTRAORDINAIRE .

420 SYDNEY RD BRUNSWICK, 9380 8667

FACEBOOK.COM/THEPENNYBLACK

Beat Magazine Page 8

FREE ENTRY - 9:30PM

SUNDAY BROKEN TILE (CANADA) $10 JUGS

MON-THURS FROM 3PM - LATE FRI-SUN FROM 12PM - LATE NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH ON FRIDAY!! MONDAY $12 PARMA TUESDAY ALL PIZZAS $6 WEDNESDAY $12 STEAK THURSDAY $12 BEEF OR HALLOUMI BURGER SUNDAY $12 ROAST ALL DAY

FRIDAY A MAN CALLED SON + RICH YEAH

FREE ENTRY - 9:30PM

NICK O’MARA DUO RAISED BY EAGLES

FOOD SPECIALS

$10 - 6:30PM

SATURDAY DIRTY ELVIS + THE DIE CASTS

SUN 11th March

5.00 - 6.00 6.00 - 7.00

THURSDAY ANNA’S GO GO ACADEMY

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TUESDAY $10 VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN MEALS

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Beat Magazine Page 9

LAST DINOSAURS IN A MILLION YEARS THE DEBUT ALBUM FEATURING THE SINGLES

ZOOM, TIME & PLACE

AND

HONOLULU OUT NOW

TOURING THIS APRIL WED 18TH NATIONAL HOTEL, GEELONG THU 19TH KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT FRI 20TH NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE SEE LASTDINOSAURS.COM FOR TICKETING DETAILS lastdinosaurs.com dew-process.com

Beat Magazine Page 10

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Beat Magazine Page 11

IN THIS ISSUE...

HOT TALK

TOURING

ROKY ERICKSON

ARTS GUIDE, CLOUDS ABOVE BERLIN ZOMBATLAND, THE PEONY PAVILION GIVEAWAY

ART OF THE CITY

TRAILER PARK BOYS COMEDY LISTINGS COMEDY CALENDAR

SARAH McLEOD P. 30

THE PANICS

THE WOMBATS

THE BEARDS

MICHAEL ROTHER, ADAM COHEN

JOE BATAAN & THE I LIKE IT LIKE THAT ORCHESTRA, THE BLANKS,

THE BEARDS P. 28

SARAH McLEOD 58

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH

KRYSTLE WARREN

JONNY CLEGG

CORE/CRUNCH

MUSIC NEWS

PUSH OVER SPOTLIGHT, PARKWAY DRIVE

ALBUM OF THE WEEK, SINGLES, CHARTS

THIS WEEK IN 100%:

ICICLE

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JOE BATAAN & THE I LIKE IT LIKE THAT ORCHESTRA P. 30

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SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR: Christie Eliezer SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS: Christine Lan, Simone Ubaldi, Patrick Emery, Jesse Shrock. COLUMNISTS: Emily Kelly, Peter Hodgson. CONTRIBUTORS: Tyson Wray, Adam Baidawi, Helen Barradell, Matt Bendall, Cam Binger, Graham Blackley, Mary Boukouvalas, Chris Bright, Rose Callaghan, Adam Camilleri, James Carthew, Paige Cho, Stefan Chrisp, Nick Clarke, Talitha Conway, Dave Dawson, John Donaldson, Justin Donnelly, Georgia Doyle, Cam Ewart, Paul Fischer, Lawson Fletcher, Jack Franklin, Danielle Frazzetto, Chris Girdler, Sean Gleeson, Aleisha Hall, Louise Hardwick, Daniel Hedger, Nick Hilton, Lyndon Horsburgh, Briony Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Cassandra Kiely, Greg King, Joshua Kloke, Stuart Lynch, Rhys McCrae, Ruth McIver, Adam McKenzie, Kylie McLaughlin, Nick Mason, Tyler Mathes, Krystal Maynard, Anna Megalogenis, Al Newstead, James Nicoli, John O’Rourke, Matt Panag, Jack Parsons, Liam Pieper, Steve Phillips, David PrescottSteed, James Ridley, Gav Ross, Leigh Salter, Tim Scott, Denis Semchenko, Side Man, Matt Sutherland, Lin Tan, Steve Tauschke, Rene Schaefer, Melanie Sheridan, Jeremy Sheaﬀe, Kelly Theobald, Andrew Tijs, Alistair Wallis, Etienne Waring, Dan Watt, Rod Whitﬁeld, Katie Weiss, Tom Whitty, Cara Williams, Simon Williamson, Bronius Zumeris. © 2012Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder.

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HOT TALK

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FREE SHIT

11 THE ESPLANADE ST KILDA 3182

THURS MAR 8

Hola! Are you completely skint after saving for Golden Plains? Us too. Luckily, we’re giving away a bunch heaps o’ free shit for you to revel in. We’re giving away double passes to Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows at the Zoo Twilight sessions, the Lake Mountain Music Festival, Valentiine at Cherry Bar, Adam Cohen at The Regal Ballroom, Kate Burke and Ruth Hazleton at the Brunswick Town Hall and a bunch of copies of Bruce Springsteen’s new rekkid.

* FRONT BAR *

PONY GIRL & THE OUTSIDERS Bugdust, Cold Harbour. FREE ENTRY!

Clickety-clack your way to beat.com.au/freeshit for your chance to win.

* GERSHWIN ROOM *

URGE OVERKILL (US), Even, The Bowers. Tickets $45 plus bf from theespy.oztix.com.au. From 8pm * GERSHWIN ROOM *

THE WHIPPED CREAM CHARGERS The Shards,The Eyeball Kicks, Mark Jolley, Nina Zsa Zsa. From 9pm

FRIDAY MAR 9 * FRONT BAR *

MAD PROFESSOR (UK) Digital Primate, Ras Crucial, From 9pm. FREE ENTRY! * GERSHWIN ROOM *

RHYMADA

Involume, Crying Sirens, Until We Collide, Kettle Spider Tickets $13, available on the door, from 8pm * BASEMENT *

DANGEROUS

Awaken I Am, The Aura Cura, We The Innocent. FREE!

SATURDAY MAR 10 * FRONT BAR *

GANGA GIRI

Sticky Fingers, The Joe Kings, Phil Para. FREE! From 6pm * GERSHWIN ROOM *

PHIL PARA - REVISITED plus special guests - FREE! From 8pm * BASEMENT *

TEMPLE

Mountfield Plains, Proletarian Riot, Poolside. 9PM

SUNDAY MAR 11

* FRONT BAR *

ROSS WILSON Laneway Funk Brothers, The Marabou Project, Bad Boys Batucada. From 5pm, FREE! * GERSHWIN ROOM *

PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA N’Fa Jones, The Seven Ups, DJ Manchild. FREE! 9pm

MONDAY MAR 12

JAMES LAVELLE (UK) (UNKLE), DJ MU-GEN, Tony Black. FREE! 9PM

FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE In what's set to be massive news for the band's incredibly fervent Australian following, Brian Jonestown Massacre have announced their very welcome return to our shores. We're all familiar with the long and tumultuous history of the group (if not, check out DiG! at once), as well as the magnificently rich body of work produced by the collective led by Anton Newcombe. Australia has proven to be somewhat of a haven for the group, and as such, we will be among the first to hear material from the latest record, Aufheben. As an even bigger treat for Australian fans The Brian Jonestown Massacre will be joined in Australia by the fabulous Raveonettes. After the best part of a decade honing their instantly recognisable sound and seeing it co-opted by so many other bands aspiring for a similar level of greatness, Sharin and Sune are blazing a newer, darker trail with their brilliant fifth album Raven In The Grave. Brian Jones Town Massacre perform together with the Raveonettes at the Forum Theatre on Saturday May 19.

DEVILDRIVER

STONEFIELD

DevilDriver has always been a band on a threepronged mission: Work hard, rock harder, and kick as many arses as possible in the process. Since their inception, they have made a monstrous impact on the metal world with their thunderous grooves, haunting vocals and crushing live performances. DevilDriver tear through metal again with Beast, their 5th studio album, which is an exorcism of animalistic primal hooks, death metal percussion and propulsive thrashing. While many bands in modern metal are already withering away, DevilDriver have proven to mutate, grow stronger, deadlier and become more immortal than ever. Don’t miss your chance to see modern metal as its best, as DevilDriver hit our shores on Sunday May 6 at Billboard The Venue. Tickets on sale Thursday March 8.

Our favourite rock'n'roll wunderkinds are once again hitting the road. The sisters of Stonefield are celebrating their new single Bad Reality with a suitably grand tour. We last saw Stonefield when they rocked the you-know-what out of Big Day Out and St. Kilda Festival – something they've become accustomed to after supporting the likes of Foo Fighters and Kaiser Chiefs. Bad Reality marks the first single since the massive breakthrough smash Blackwater Rising, and is set to build upon the copious amount of buzz generated in the past year. Support on the tour comes from The Delta Riggs and Kingswood. Stonefield play the Northcote Social Club on Tuesday April 24 and Wednesday April 25.

THE JEZABELS

LANIE LANE

Frank Turner continues his seemingly unstoppable ascent with a headlining tour of Australia this May. The charismatic British singer songwriter will be performing here for the first time with a full band, The Sleeping Souls, in support of his heralded new album England Keep My Bones. Turner’s latest deftly merges his poetic observations with a rousing and inspirational sonic palette. The result is an undeniably stirring work from one of the UK’s best new songwriting talents. In another first for Australian shores, Iowa USA's William Elliott Whitmore will join the tour as special guest. His new Anti-Records album Field Songs proves that a man armed only with a banjo and a bass drum can be a formidable force. Melbourne's most talked about DIY punk outfit The Smith Street Band are also appearing, along with Novocastrian soulful songwriter Jen Buxton. What a lineup. It's all happening at The Espy on Thursday May 10.

It seems the world just can't get enough of the delightful Lanie Lane, with her headline performance at The Corner justiﬁably selling out quick smart. But for those of you who were a little tardy to the party, fear not – a second show has just been announced. A busy 2011 has continued into an even busier 2012 for Lane, releasing the stellar debut To The Horses and performing at prime festival slots along the way. Support on the Bangity Bang Tour comes from rising blues sensations The Rubens. Lanie Lane performs at The Corner on Saturday May 26 (soldout) and Sunday May 27.

BORIS Japanese experimental rock quartet Boris have sold out their Corner Hotel show on Saturday March 24. Due to popular demand a second Melbourne show, will take place at Northcote Social Club on Sunday March 25. Don’t miss one of Japan’s most breathtaking and unique musical exports.

CHERCHEZ LA FEMME The Grace Darling is celebrating all things ladies this Thursday March 8 with Cherchez La Femme, returniong for 2012 with a one-oﬀ extravag-anza to celebrate International Women’s Day in true femmo style. They're saving the serious panel business for next time with singers, dancers, actors, musicians, poets, comics, thinkers and performers set to hit the Grace Darling bandroom to show you their love of the ladies and tell us why being a feminist matters to them. Featuring Clem Bastow, Kate Boston Smith, Sean M Whelan, Seri Vida and a huge list of other exceptional femmes and fellas, it's going to be a huge night of gynocentric power. Fuck yeah.

CHET FAKER Hailing from the tight-knit disco and house music scene in Melbourne and taking elements from an acoustic past, Chet Faker has carved out a unique style that fuses personal stories of love and loss with an electronica soul that reaches far beyond his homeland. He came to everyone’s attention when his cover of Blackstreet’s classic No Diggity hit #1 on Hype Machine, the worldwide indie music aggregator. He launches his debut EP Thinking In Textures at The Toﬀ In Town on Saturday April 21. The EP is out on March 23 via Opulent/Remote Control.

CNR SPRINGVALE & WELLS RD, CHELSEA HEIGHTS PH 9773 4453 WWW.CHELSEAHEIGHTSHOTEL.COM.AU

If you're yet to catch the phenomenon that is The Jezabels in the live setting, chances are you missed out on every major festival of the last year. But with one of 2011's greatest Australian success stories announcing a suitably epic headline tour, you now have no excuse to miss out. Buzz was at fever pitch when The Jezabels prepared to drop their debut full-length, and they more than delivered with the stunning Prisoner. Support for the June tour comes from red-hot rising talent LIGHTS and Snakadaktal. The Jezabels perform an all-ages show at Festival Hall on Friday June 1.

YOUNG GUNS Celebrated UK outﬁt Young Guns hit Australian stages this May/June in support of their highly praised landmark new release Bones. Having formed from the ashes of a variety of local bands, Young Guns' ﬁrst release was the striking Mirrors EP in June 2009. But it wasn't until debut album All Our Kings Are Dead, unveiled in July 2010, that they began to really show what they were capable of. Backed by a groundswell of popular support, the band hit magazine covers, headlined the HMV Forum in London, toured Australia and played the main stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals. With Bones Young Guns have started their second chapter and have bared their teeth and shown what they are really capable of. Young Guns play as part of the Hi-Fi Shoreline Series in Melbourne (to celebrate the opening of the Hi-Fi in Sydney) on Wednesday May 30, with support from Closure In Moscow.

SAT 10TH MARCH

FRI 16TH MARCH

BABY ANIMALS

BLACK SORROWS & IAN MOSS TIX $38

TIX $37

SAT 17TH MARCH

SAT 21ST APRIL

SAT 28TH APRIL

SAT 10TH MAY

SAT 23RD JUNE

10CC (UK) TIX $55

CHOCOLATE STARFISHTIX $30

PEZ TIX $27

STEVENS, BRAITHWAITE & BARKER TIX $37

CADD & MORRIS

Beat Magazine Page 14

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TIX $32

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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GEORGIA FIELDS VALENTIINE ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI Following an electrifying performance at The Corner last Sunday night, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graﬃti have announced a surprise extra show this Friday March 9 at Phoenix Public House. Ariel and his superlative band will headline and there will be cameo solo performances by LA synth pop sorceress Geneva Jacuzzi, local pop prodigy Evelyn Morris (Pikelet) and avant electronica wizard Mark Barrage, plus DJ Shags for added intermission-al exotica. Tickets are $15+bf from Moshtix or $20 at the door.

60 SECONDS WITH…

APHRA'S CAT

THE BEARDS It seems Melbourne has well and truly embraced Australia's champions of all things facially hirsute The Beards with news that the Adelaide quartet have just sold out their show at The Corner Hotel on Friday March 16. To cope with the demand and Melbourne's obvious fondness for bearded men the band have just announced they have added a second Corner Hotel show on Thursday March 15 with tickets on sale now, but selling as fast as the hair grows on these fellas' faces.

S CLUB 7 So it seems Melbourne just can't get enough of the '90s, hey? Following the recent tour by The Vengaboys and upcoming tours by Aqua, N-Trance and Eiﬀel 65, the '90s revival is well and truly alive in Australia – and is set to be boosted by a tour from S Club 7. We kid you not. S Club 7 hit The Palace on Wednesday May 23.

Valentiine pop their cherry on Saturday March 17 when they team up with Seedy Jezus and the Dukes of Deliciousness for a night of down-right dirty Melbourne rock'n'roll at Cherry Bar. The girls are making the most of their time this year having just been a feature artist for the National SLAM Day, ﬁnalising recording for a new single to drop in coming months and have just been selected for Melbourne’s own Cherry Rock in April. Rumour has it that these lovely ladies are being courted by some nice boys who want to play with them in the UK right now so there may be some overseas action on the cards. So get along and enjoy these dirty rockin' gals with the rest of us on Saturday March 17 at Cherry Bar.

Georgia Fields is earning a reputation as one of Melbourne’s most magnetic and dynamic singersongwriters. Her acclaimed debut album features orchestral arrangements and experimental sounds over what has become her signature style: vibrant pop songs with playful metaphoric lyricism. In exciting news for fans, Georgia has ben invited to play a special show at the Famous Spiegeltent on Monday April 16. For this exclusive event, Fields will take to the grand piano and present the luscious orchestral arrangements of her debut record, accompanied by her incredible string section. Her new band, an electric and eclectic assembly of formidable talent, will also join her to reveal material from the sophomore album. Tickets to this very intimate performance under are $25, available via the Arts Centre website.

POND Though having to pull out of the stellar Boogie 6 lineup due to overseas commitments, Perth outﬁt Pond have more than made it up to fans with a national headline tour to launch their latest LP. The band were mighty impressive in their role as Flaming Lips support, and now we can grasp a full taste of how they manage the role of headliners. The shows follow on from the launch of Beard, Wives, Denim – the band's ﬁrst release after being signed to Modular, a label which also takes care of sister project Tame Impala. Pond perform at Northcote Social Club on Sunday April 22.

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The band is ‘Aphra’s Cat’ and I’m Lara Stevens – the co-harmonist and guitarist. What do you reckon people will say you sound like? Riot grrl rock with a splash of Edgar Allen Poe. What do you love about making music? The feeling of soaring when multiple harmonies come together. What do you hate about the music industry? The pressure on talented women who think they need to get their gear off in video clips and at the Super Bowl. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? It would be only a short trip back in time to Nina Gordon in the early '90s at the height of Veruca Salt powers, to convince the band to stay together and work with Bob Rock to take over the world with Aphra’s Cat as touring partners. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? Kylie Minogue – because dancing and a great costume designer doesn’t equal good music. What can a punter expect from your live show? The upcoming launch includes MC Hedger’s music trivia with prizes as well as a guest wailer guitarist and lots of sweet harmonies mixed with dirty riffs from the Cat. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our first full-length album When Princes At My Feet Did Lie and our EP 1640. When’s the gig and with who? Sunday March 11 (Labour Day Weekend) at Yah Yah’s on Smith St, Fitzroy with Mr. Jimmy and The Grenadines. Doors at 8.30pm.

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 15

HOT TALK

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For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

VELOCIRAPTOR

DAMN TERRAN Awash with post-punk fury, Damn Terran’s blistering live set has seen them become one of Melbourne’s ﬁnest young bands. A high energy exercise in barely controlled chaos, the unholy triumvirate of Ali Edmonds, Leigh Ewbank and Lachlan Ewbank, have a practiced ability to tear strips oﬀ stages. To celebrate the release of their new 7” single Rebels, Damn Terran will be doing what they do best, taking the madness to their fans on various stages around the country including a jaunt at Melbourne-fave the Old Bar on Saturday April 28 with Scul Hazzards, Chicks Who Love Guns and Bodies. Go blow ‘em a kiss.

CACAO GREEN Cacao Green is back with more great news. On Friday March 23, they will be celebrating the grand opening of their Bourke Street store. With a more spacious café and cozy atmosphere, this will be a great place to hang out with friends, or simply relax and unwind after a long day. To enhance your Cacao Green experience, their new store combines architectural aesthetics and unique details which also makes it a feast for the senses. In addition, Cacao Green has recently worked together with St. Ali in creating their house blend made with biodynamic beans. If you’re a coffee lover, you can enjoy their signature house blend by St. Ali in all their stores. Plus, for those with a sweet tooth, you can pick from their four delicious frozen yogurt flavours, sip on their delectable chocolate drinks, or try their signature waffles or pastries. Located conveniently in Tivoli Arcade, Cacao Green Bourke Street will be the perfect go-to place for Melbourne foodies.

Velociraptor like to make party, so much so that they formed a band/gang so large, so loose, and so fun that instant party making was guaranteed wherever they showed up. Originally a trio formed by vocalist/ primary songwriter Jeremy Neale and his bros Simon Ridley and Shane Parsons of DZ Deathrays infamy, the band quickly grew (in number, if not reputation) as DZ Deathrays touring commitments saw them away on the road more often. The band has since grown to a revolving cast of 12 Ultimate Party DogsTM and embarked on a number of national tours where a surprising number of people actually showed up. Now you can be one of them when they bring their good times to The Tote on Saturday March 17 in a headline show, as well as heading back to the same venue to support DZ Deathrays on Friday April 27.

MARGINS Melbourne instrumental four-piece Margins are set to release their album, Divide on Friday March 16 through Casadeldisco Records. Margins embrace subtlety and restraint as their modus operandi continue to enact a spacious and sublime style of instrumentation. There is also new territory to be explored, including maidenly haunting vocals from Jess Cornelius (Teeth and Tongue), drums and percussion by Dan McKay (The Nation Blue), swirling lap steel by Chris Rainier and keys reduced to hypnotic wash from the deftly understated Matt Bailey. See Margins launch their new album Divide on Friday March 30 at Polyester Records and Friday April 13 at The Old Bar, Melbourne.

PUBLIC ENEMY Happy 25th birthday Public Enemy! Since the release of their epic debut album Yo Bum Rush The Show in 1987, legendary rap group and social political-icons, Public Enemy, have been making the music that makes the world listen; propelled by all the passion, urgency and electrifying performances that have made them one of the most critically-lauded groups in contemporary music. To mark their epic 25-year career, the enigmatic musical luminaries announce that they will be returning to Australia, with a headline show at The Palace on Tuesday May 15, as well as headlining the Groovin’ The Moo Festival around the country.

JOHN PAUL YOUNG Celebrations are in the air as 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of Australian music icon, John Paul Young’s stellar career and, together with The Allstar Band, JPY is marking the occasion with a very special performance at the Regent Theatre on Friday May 4. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster on Monday March 19 at 9am.

SIXFTHICK 1995 was a crazy year for Australia – Hey Hey It’s Saturday lost Ossie Ostrich, rabbit plagues ran rampant, Warringah Council becomes the ﬁrst council in Australia to use dung beetles to pick up dog droppings… oh, and Brisbane’s greatest proponents of distorted swamp-scum-rock, SixFtHick were formed. In the 16 years since they’ve whipped up a relentless storm of sweat, blood, vomit and beer, leaving dropped jaws, four lauded albums and countless bruised bodies in their wake. Now it’s 2012, and SixFtHick are coming back to Melbourne to do it all over again, alongside chaotic Melbourne punks Beat Disease. Get on board or get out of the way, Saturday March 31 at the Phoenix Public House.

EMMY BRYCE AND KATE VIGO Two of indie pop’s newest darlings, Emmy Bryce, and Kate Vigo, are hitting the road on a co-headline tour. Moving from town to town, making new best friends every day, and bonding with everything around you – life on the road is a truly magical experience for any artist. Inspired by this, Emmy and Kate wanted to come up with a way to forge closer relationships with their fans and let them in on the fun of touring. The result is their Hunter And Gatherer Tour. Emmy and Kate are playing two dates in Victoria, on Saturday April 7, at The Palais in Hepburn Springs, and Thursday April 26 at the Thornbury Theatre. Tickets are on sale now through Oztix.

Beat Magazine Page 16

THREE THINGS:THE PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL From Friday March 9 until Monday March 12, Port Fairy will host over 120 artists from all corners of the globe. Beat Magazine spoke with Jamie McKew, the Festival’s Director, to find out three things about the Port Fairy Music Festival. THE DESTINATION Port Fairy is one of the oldest settlements in Australia, which makes it a special destination. It certainly turned out to be for adventurers, who often sailed from Ireland or Scotland to find the big new land, but jumped ship at Port Fairy. My great, great, great grandfather jumped ship in the 1800s. About 100 years later I started the festival with band of fellow festival villains in search of music. INTERNATIONALS This year we have 22 international acts, including some true legends in Judy Collins, a child of the 1960s folk boom, and Chris Hillman of The Byrds, as well as some of the really great new music acts such as Pieta Brown, Ben Sollee, Krystle Warren, and Ahab. I find it pretty mind boggling to be booking and staging all these acts after just knowing them as voices on the radio. My wildest of dreams could never have imagined all this. OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY With over 110 acts, we try to spread the love and fun across a broad range of musical styles. It’s been fantastic to stage so much brilliant new talent, and showcase this to new audiences. This year Paddy Donovan, and Music Victoria are coming to town with a big industry forum session. APRA have been on board for several years, and have sponsored Music in Secondary Schools with Tom Richardson this year. The PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL takes place in Port Fairy between Friday March 9 and Monday March 12.

LIVINGSTONE DAISIES Yah Yah’s is chuffed to be hosting a night of very fine talents this Friday March 9. Livingstone Daisies feature the all star line up of Van Walker, Liz Stringer, Cal Walker and Weddings Parties Anything drummer Michael Barclay playing power pop. These acclaimed musicians and songwriters have a cracker of a debut album too that will have toes tapping and smiles all round. The achingly beautiful Pony Face will be in the middle spot. Rasied by Eagles will kick off this sensational evening of music.

ROCK & ROLL WRESTLING Rock & Roll Wrestling was born in the early ‘90s and was the brain child of second generation wrestler Mr. Damage. Some of the wildest matches were held under the roof of The Prince of Wales in St.Kilda. Wrestlers Bully The Brawler, ‘The Hitman’ George Julio, The Ox and Mr Damage put Rock & Roll Wrestling on the map, and ringside was the place to be on a Saturday night. Saturday March 31 marks the triumphant return of Rock & Roll Wrestling to its new home, The House of Rock. It returns in a big way with ﬁve huge matches featuring wrestlers that were up and comers in the Greyhound days, and who have now have returned to The House of Rock to become legends of R&R Wrestling. It’s been six years in the making and promises to be a night that brings the romance of rock and wrestling together. Live music on the night comes from Destroy She Said and the HoR DJs.

COLIN STETSON

GANGA GIRI

On tour in Australia as part of the incredible Bon Iver ensemble, avant-garde musician and saxophone maestro Colin Stetson takes time out from his Australian tour schedule to perform his critically acclaimed and ground breaking solo show for one night only in Melbourne at the Toﬀ In Town tonight – a late show from 7pm. Expect nothing less than a sonic, conceptual, compositional and technical tour de force. Tickets are $20+bf from Moshtix or $25 on the door if still available.

Ganga Giri is bringing his good voodoo to the Espy front bar this Saturday March 10. With red natural elements, fat tribal beats and dirty funky bass lines, Ganga creates a unique tribal-technological deep earth dance experience. Explosive and pulsating, at times ambient and ﬂowing, the music is a pumping percussive multi-layered experience of complex grooves and raw, deep natural sound. Catch Ganga Giri Saturday March 10 in the Espy front bar with guests Sticky Fingers and The Joe Kings. Entry is free.

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Q&A

CARNIVAL OF SUBURBIA

HOT TALK For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

ROSS WILSON A full 45 years after starting his ďŹ rst high school band the Pink Finks, Ross Wilson is still delivering his trademark knock-out live performances with his all star touring band the Urban Legends. Of a career that has now spanned ďŹ ve decades at the pinnacle of the Australian rock and rollÂ business, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a hell of a timeâ&#x20AC;? says Wilson, who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a comeback because heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been away. Catch Ross play a free show in The Espy Gershwin Room Sunday March 11 (Labour Day Eve) with Espy regulars Laneway Funk Brothers, The Marabou Project and Bad Boys Batucada. Doors from 5pm.

Live music is alive and ďŹ&#x201A;ourishing in the suburbs. This week Carnival of Suburbia kicks oďŹ&#x20AC; a magniďŹ cent program of events, which runs across all ten days of the 2012 Oakleigh Music Festival. Beat caught up with Mark Burchett, one of the organisers of the festival. What is Carnival of Suburbia? Carnival of Suburbia is a program of events running as part of the Oakleigh Music Festival. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a celebration of suburban culture, creativity and passion! Where did the name come from? We adapted/pinched it from the name of a painting called Carnival In Suburbia by the late Australian painter Howard Arkley. I believe he resided in Oakleigh so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of appropriate. Where and when is it happening? Carnival Of Suburbia has a program of 14 shows, and runs between Thursday March 8 and Sunday March 18, at the Caravan Music Club and the Oakleigh Bowling Club, both situated on Drummond St in Oakleigh. How did it come about? Due to the success of the Caravan Club, an opportunity came up last year to establish a local event in conjunction with the Oakleigh Music Festival. We thought that despite there being an

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Wall of Mirrors

over abundance of festivals on the calendar, there was very little taking place in the suburbs of much note. Melbourne is a great music town, but there was no great urban event. What are some of the program highlights? Must see shows include JVGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stopping All Stations Except East Richmond, which was the hit of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program and features a cast of local romantics including Mick Thomas, David Bridie, and members of Skyhooks performing songs about Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suburbs. Another highpoint will be A Night At The Crossroads, which is a tribute to the legendary Blues artist Robert Johnson, and features some of Melbourne and Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nest Blues musicians including JeďŹ&#x20AC; Lang and his band. A personal highlight for me will be the opportunity to see Chris Hillman, and Herb Pedersen. Chris Hillman being a founding member of both The Byrds, and The Flying Burrito Brothers. How do you get tickets? Information and tickets for all shows can be sourced via our website carnivalofsuburbia.com or at the door if still available. CARNIVAL OF SUBURBIA takes place in Oakleigh at the Caravan Music Club and Oakleigh Bowling Club between Thursday March 8 and Sunday March 18.

ELECTRIC SMILE BAND, ROHYPNOTISE, WALL OF MIRRORS

360 Following unprecedented demand, a soldout national tour and chaotic scenes from in-store signings, recent Beat cover star 360 announced The Flying Tour featuring both 18+ and underage shows to cater for the entire army. Rather than taking Sixty's stadium-sized album into stadiums, he's rewarding followers by playing at venues that allow them to get up close and very personal with the man himself. 360 is joined by Hermitude and Bam Bam on the Flying tour which will land at the Hi-Fi on June 15 with tickets available from oztix.

Since recording her debut EP with Regurgitatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ben Ely, Emma Stuartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new project Wall of Mirrors is ready to hit the stage. Minimal yet magical, these songs are formed around a bed of simple textures; Emmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocals are engaging and familiar, yet idiosyncratic. Also fresh on the scene is Fitzroy Pool favourites Rohypnotise. Expect dreamy, ethereal songs with a stonking beat or two. Oh, and did I mention Jon Benge plays in this band? Ladies, cover your drinks, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rohypnotise! Finally the anonymous Electric Smile Band will round up the evening. No one has any idea who plays in this band. No one. So how do they rate against their other camouďŹ&#x201A;aged counterparts? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say they are better than Slipknot but not quite as good as KISS and greater than or equal to TISM. They all look forward to gazing upon your features at said concert performance, Thursday March 15 at the Grace Darling.

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Beat Magazine Page 17

TOURING

WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN

PROUDLY PRESENTS:

For all the latest touring news check out beat.com.au BORIS Corner Hotel March 24, Northcote Social Club March 25 EVANESCENCE Rod Laver Arena March 24 JOHN FOGERTY Rod Laver Arena March 27 WOODEN SHJIPS Corner Hotel March 28 CROSBY, STILLS & NASH Palais Theatre March 29 KINA GRANNIS Ormond Hall March 29 STEVE EARLE Corner Hotel March 29, 30 THE ROYAL BATHS The Tote March 31 SIXFTHICK Phoenix Public House March 31 G3 Palais Theatre March 31, April 1 DEAD MEADOW Corner Hotel April 1 LUCINDA WILLIAMS Palais Theatre April 2 BRIAN SETZER'S ROCKABILLY RIOT The Palace April 3 BLITZEN TRAPPER Prince Bandroom April 3 THE POGUES Festival Hall April 4 MY MORNING JACKET The Palace April 4 YANN TIERSEN Recital Centre April 4 CANNED HEAT Corner Hotel April 4 BYRON BAY BLUESFEST Byron Bay April 5-9 TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE The Corner April 7 ALABAMA 3 Prince Bandroom April 8 NEW FOUND GLORY, TAKING BACK SUNDAY Festival Hall April 8 THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS Corner Hotel April 8 SUBLIME Palace Theatre April 9 ZIGGY MARLEY Corner Hotel April 9 SEASICK STEVE Corner Hotel April 10 CANDI STATON Toﬀ In Town April 10 JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE Prince Bandroom April 12 PETER HOOK The Palace April 12 LOU BARLOW Northcote Social Club April 17, April 18 HENRY ROLLINS The National Theatre April 18, 19 SUPAFEST TBA April 21 DIG IT UP! HOODOO GURUS INVITATIONAL The Palace April 25 MARK LANEGAN BAND Forum Theatre April 26 AN HORSE Corner Hotel April 27 THE EXPLOITED Corner Hotel April 28 CHERRY ROCK Cherry Bar April 29 FU MANCHU The Tote April 30 CITY & COLOUR Palais Theatre May 2 ANDREW W.K. Corner Hotel May 4

INTERNATIONAL COLIN STETSON Toﬀ In Town March 7 BLACK LIPS Corner Hotel March 7 MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA The Hi-Fi March 7 CHIC Billboard March 7 BON IVER Sidney Myer Music Bowl March 8 URGE OVERKILL The Espy March 8 BONOBO Corner Hotel March 5, 8 PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL Port Fairy March 9 - 12 ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI March 9 ADAM COHEN Regal Ballroom March 9 WILD FLAG Corner Hotel March 9 BONNIE 'PRINCE' BILLY Regal Ballroom March 8, National Theatre March 9 ROOTS MANUVA Prince Bandroom March 10 ENDLESS BOOGIE The Tote March 10 GOLDEN PLAINS Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre March 10-12 FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL Flemington Racecourse March 11 REAL ESTATE Corner Hotel March 12 FIRST AID KIT Famous Spiegeltent March 12, The Corner March 14 PIETA BROWN Bella Union March 13 ROKY ERICKSON Corner Hotel March 13 TAYLOR SWIFT Rod Laver Arena March 13 ST. VINCENT Hi-Fi Bar March 14 AQUA The Palace March 13, March 15 PUBLIC ENEMY The Palace March 15 LENNY KRAVITZ, THE CRANBERRIES Sidney Myer Music Bowl March 17, 18 A DAY ON THE GREEN All Saint's Estate Rutherglen March 17 ONE PERFECT DAY South Gippsland March 17 CHARLES BRADLEY Corner Hotel March 18 BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB The Forum March 20 TIM MCGRAW, FAITH HILL Rod Laver Arena March 20 ELBOW Festival Hall March 21 DURAN DURAN March 21 NICK LOWE The Forum March 22, 33 ELECTRELANE Corner Hotel March 23 JAMES WALSH, SARAH MCLEOD The Espy March 23

2nd Flr Curtin House 252 Swanston St, Melbourne, 3000

P: (03) 9639 8770 www.thetoffintown.com www.choochoos.com.au

The Toff Stage and Carriage

SWED 7 MARCH

THURS 8 MARCH

SAT 10 MARCH

'DECAYED' 2009 - 1984

SAM SPARRO

THE BON SCOTTS

with SPECIAL GUESTS

SINGLE LAUNCH with TESSA & THE TYPECAST & YEO

feat MARTY WILLSON-PIPER & TIARE HELBERG Tickets $20 +BF

Tickets $27 +BF

Tickets $12 +BF/ $15 on the door.

MON 12 & 19 MARCH

TUES 13 MARCH

WED 14 MARCH

THINKR

KRYSTLE WARREN

BEN SOLLEE

Tickets $5 +BF / $8 on the door

Tickets $40 +BF/ $45 on the door.

Tickets $35 +BF

THURS 15 MARCH

SAT 17 MARCH

COMING UP

AHAB

THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS

22/3: 24/3: 31/3: 1/4: 2/4: 9/4: 16/4: 3/4: 7/4:

12/3 - THE UNIVESAL 19/3 - NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH & MIDSUMMER TRIBE

(UK) with LACHLAN BRYAN

Tickets $35 +BF

(USA) with PIERS TWOMEY

with SPECIAL GUESTS

Tickets $12 on the door

SUN 18 MARCH

WED 21, 28 MARCH & 4 APRIL

DEJA

ALL THE COLOURS

Tickets $10 +BF

Tickets $10 on the

ATROPHY SINGLE LAUNCH with YUKO NISHIYAMA & SMOKING TODDLERS

21/3 - ROHYPNOTISE & EVELYN IDA MORRIS 28/3 - BROADWAY SOUNDS & NICK MAGIC 4/4 - GOSTELERADIO & I/O

(USA) with PIERS TWOMEY

CANYONS THE MESSENGERS HOWIE DAY (USA) SABRINA & THE RED VANS THE SHELF: THE COMEDY SHOW YOU WILL NEVER SEE ON T.V. THE INDIAN SKIES LEHMANN B. SMITH BROMBERG QUARTET 10/4: DAVID (USA) JAMES VINCENT 12/4: McMORROW (IRELAND)

EVERY WEEK TUESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

IN THE CARRIAGE ROOM FROM 8PM

IN THE STAGE ROOM FROM 11.30PM

IN THE STAGE ROOM FROM 9PM

IN THE STAGE ROOM FROM MIDNIGHT

with DAVE SMILIE & WHO

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with NIGEL LAST

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with DR PHIL SMITH No brainers & guilty pleasures

THE HOUSE DE FROST

IN THE CARRIAGE ROOM FROM 7PM

FREE ENTRY

GOOD EVENING

FREE ENTRY

IN THE CARRIAGE ROOM FROM 8PM

BISH & NHJ + GUESTS

J'NETT + GUESTS

IN THE CARRIAGE ROOM FROM 11PM

SUNDAY FROM 4PM

THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

with 1928 (STROBE) & guests

with PRINCIPAL BLACKMAN Keep updated with the latest news, events & food at facebook.com/toffintown & facebook.com/choochoostoff

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS

with PREQUEL & EDD FISHER

with ANDEE FROST

THE SUNDAY SET

DR SKEYCHY’S ANTI ART CLASS

Theme: HISTORY

Tickets $15 + BF/$18 on the door

IN IN THE THE CARRIAGE CARRIAGEROOM ROOM- FREE ENTRY

with ANDYBLACK & HAGGIS

with EVIE REID

PRESALE All presale tickets available through MOSHTIX: Ph 1300 GET TIX (438 849) TICKETS: on-line: www.moshtix.com.au or at all Moshtix outlets, including Polyester (Fitzroy & City)

Thai dinner & supper 5pm til 3am on weeknights and 5am on the weekend

Beat Magazine Page 18

KAISER CHIEFS Palace Theatre May 16

STONEFIELD Northcote Social Club April 24, 25 DEVILDRIVER Billboard The Venue May 6 WAVVES Corner Hotel May 9 FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS The Espy May 10 THE MOUNTAIN GOATS Corner Hotel May 10 dEUS Corner Hotel May 12 KAISER CHIEFS Palace Theatre May 16 THE MACABEES The Hi-Fi May 16 MUTEMATH Corner Hotel May 17 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK/BACKSTREET BOYS Rod Laver Arena May 18, 19 BRIAN JONESTOWN MASACRE, THE RAVEONETTES The Forum Theatre May 19 FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Rod Laver Arena May 20 S CLUB 7 The Palace May 23 YOUNG GUNS The Hi-Fi May 30 MARK KOZELEK The Toﬀ In Town June 9, Phoenix Public House June 11 LADY GAGA Rod Laver Arena June 27, 28, 30 MELISSA ETHERIDGE The Plenary July 15 RADIOHEAD Rod Laver Arena November 16, 17

NATIONAL SAM SPARRO Toff In Town March 8 CHILDREN COLLIDE Ferntree Gully Hotel March 9, Pelly Bar March 10, Karova Lounge March 12 and Corner Hotel April 13 360 Corner Hotel March 10 HOLLY THROSBY Famous Spiegeltent March 11 SET SAIL Northcote Social Club March 11 PUSH OVER Abbotsford Convent March 12 DIRTY THREE The Palace March 16 THE BEARDS Corner Hotel March 15, 16 SNAKADAKTAL Northcote Social Club March 16, 17, 18 FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS Toff In Town March 17 VELOCIRAPTOR The Tote March 17 CLARKEFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL Clarkefield March 18

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XAVIER RUDD The Hi-Fi March 20, The Forum March 21 CANYONS The Toff In Town March 22 JACK LADDER Grace Darling March 29 BODYJAR, ANTISKEPTIC, ONE DOLLAR SHORT Corner Hotel March 31 YACHT CLUB DJS Prince Bandroom April 5, Bended Elbow April 6, Karova Lounge April 7, 8 THE MEDICS Northcote Social Club April 13 MY DISCO The Toff In Town April 15 BALL PARK MUSIC The Corner April 14, 15, 16 HUSKY Corner Hotel April 19, Barwon Club April 20 BLEEDING KNEES CLUB Northcote Social Club April 21 TIN SPARROW Grace Darling April 21 CHET FAKER Toff In Town April 21 BIG SCARY The Corner Hotel April 24 STONEFIELD Northcote Social Club April 24, 25 JOHN BUTLER The Hi-Fi April 24, 25 EMMY BRYCE, KATE VIGO Thornbury Theatre April 26 DZ DEATHRAYS The Tote April 27 BLUEJUICE The Hi-Fi April 28 SAN CISCO Corner Hotel May 2 GOSSLING Thornbury Theatre May 5 CALLING ALL CARS The Hi-Fi May 11 JOSH PYKE The Forum May 11 CATCALL Toff In Town May 12 BOY & BEAR The Hi-Fi May 20 LANIE LANE Corner Hotel May 26, 27 POND Northcote Socil Club April 22 THE JEZABELS Festival Hall June 1 360 The Hi-Fi June 15

RUMOURS Hot Chip, Prince, Bardot, Mariah Carey, Hanson, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones = New Announcements = Beat Proudly Presents

ADRIAN BOHM by arrangement with ARTIST VOICE presents

Billions Australia Presents

AUSTRALIAN TOUR MARCH 2012

WED 14 THE HIFI Tix from www.thehifi.com.au

13, 14 & 15 MARCH THE FORUM BOOK AT TICKETMASTER 1300 111 011 TICKETMASTER.COM.AU

3RD SHOW ON SALE NOW! ABPRESENTS.COM.AU

DRUNKANDONDRUGS.COM

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Strange Mercy Out Now

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Beat Magazine Page 19

ROKY ERICKSON BY PATRICK EMERY

Like his fellow psychedelic wandering spirits Skip Spence and Syd Barrett, the life of Roky Erickson has been a collage of genius, success and tragedy. With his piercing vocal style and brilliant songwriting, Erickson was the poster boy of the Texan psychedelic movement, penning such garage gems as You’re Gonna Miss Me and (I’ve Got) Levitation. By the late ‘60s Erickson had fallen victim to excessive use of LSD and mescaline, struggling with paranoid schizophrenia and struggling to maintain anything approaching a normal lifestyle. Worse was to come in the early ‘70s when Erickson followed a path portrayed originally in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest when he pled insanity to avoid imprisonment on drugs charges. By the ‘90s Erickson was living in poverty in Austin, his musical career seemingly over forever. A successful court action by his younger brother Sumner wrested control of Erickson’s affairs from his mother, and Erickson took his first steps on the road back to public performance. Successful appearances in Austin and California were followed by a European tour and a studio collaboration with Okkervil River. Now, almost 50 years after Erickson first strummed the distinctive opening chords to You’re Gonna Miss Me, he’s on his way to Australia. Prior to the interview with Roky I had been reminded of his idiosyncratic conversational style: the occasional pregnant pause, the discursive wander into seemingly incomprehensible territory. Erickson, however, proves to be a responsive interviewee, unfailingly polite and able to access the recesses of his mind better than you might expect from someone with his chemical and psychiatric history. Born in 1947, Erickson began playing guitar early in his high school years. “I played one, it was a very small guitar I had. It was a little Fender. I learnt how to play Before You Accuse Me, Take A Look at Yourself,” Erickson recalls. Erickson’s younger brother Sumner took his own musical path, becoming a successful classical musician. Erickson says there was some level of shared musical experience in the family, though his mother insisted that Erickson stick to the one instrument, discouraging him from taking up guitar until he’d mastered piano. “She was very concerned with me learning different instruments. She organised me to go to a piano teacher so I could do my piano lessons,” Erickson says. Erickson left high school before graduating, and formed his first group, The Roulettes, before moving onto The Spades. The Spades would be lost to the backpages of psychedelic history if not for the band’s most memorable song, You’re Gonna Miss Me, penned by Erickson, and subsequently re-recorded by the 13th Floor Elevators after Erickson joined that band in 1965. Erickson had met Tommy Hall and Stacey Sutherland earlier that year at a gig in Austin. “I was playing in a club on a side street. I’d heard talk of these places where you could go and play and eat, and I was interested in places like that,” Erickson says. “I was there performing with John Kearney and his band, and they wanted me to be their lead singer. [Hall and Sutherland] came to me and said ‘these guys are good, but we think we’re better’, so I should get away from them and join their band”. Beat Magazine Page 20

The band’s name derived from the superstition of some building owners in the United States to having a 13th floor. “When I came along, they said they were thinking about a name and someone mentioned an elevator, and how sometimes someone will not want you to go to the 13th floor,” Erickson says. “So they thought it’d be a good idea to call the band the 13th Floor Elevators.” With its prototypical garage punk riff complimented by Hall’s distinctive electric jug – not to mention Erickson’s ear-shattering scream, The Elevators’ version of You’re Gonna Miss Me would become an instant garage classic. The album on which the song appeared, The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators, was produced by Leland Rogers, the brother of country singer Kenny. While Rogers’ approach in the studio has been criticised over the years, Erickson has no complaints. “I liked him. I tolerated him; you always let him have his way,” Erickson says. “He was just a real nice person. He always explained what he was doing, always knew what he was doing, told us not to try and change anything. He was sweet to us.” While the San Francisco psychedelic scene – centred around bands such as the Grateful Dead, Country Joe and the Fish and Jefferson Airplane – would become known as the epicentre of the American psychedelic music movement, it was the famously big state of Texas that produced many of the era’s most legendary psychedelic bands. Erickson isn’t able to articulate what it was about the Texas scene that distinguished it from its West Coast cousin. “I never did learn too much [what] it was, but I would listen to what people would say. I would practice a lot with them,” Erickson says. “But to really find out about what was different, well, those books get pretty difficult to read – they’re harder to read than the Bible! They talk a lot about drugs and that sort of thing,” he says. In fact, it was the band members’ copious use of psychedelic drugs that led to the band’s demise. In 1968 Erickson was diagnosed with schizophrenia and admitted to a psychiatric hospital where he was given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). A year later, Erickson was arrested for possession of marijuana. Faced with the prospect of a lengthy jail term, Erickson pleaded insanity and was sent to the Austin State Hospital, where he remained until 1972. Things weren’t going too well with the other members of the Elevators, either: guitarist Stacey Sutherland, once described by Sand Pebbles bass player Chris Hollow as the ‘dark lord’ of the Elevators, died in 1978 after a domestic dispute with his wife went horribly wrong. Erickson is diplomatic when referring to his former band mate’s decline into drug addiction, an addiction that according to rumour was the source

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of his death. “I would hear about different members of my group. I’d hear rumours, and I’d have my own ideas,” Erickson says. “I’d hear a bunch of rumours around that time, and the rumour was that Stacey had got into drugs. That was the rumour. That was interesting – but it’d be better to get someone else’s view on that.” Upon his release from the psychiatric hospital, Erickson returned to music, forming Roky Erickson and the Aliens. Erickson’s solo material typically contained strong visual imagery consistent with his variable mental state. Songs such as Two Headed Dog and I Walked With a Zombie have now become classic songs in their own right; at the time of their release, the tracks symbolised the psychological difficulties Erickson was grappling with. Erickson locates the subject of much of his solo material in the context of the literature he was reading at the time. “I enjoyed writing songs about what I’d read about,” Erickson says. “Books are real strange. You come upon the thing, and all of a sudden you come upon a group of them, and they’re all lumped together, and they’re all telling you all this stuff about things you’d be interested in hearing about,” he says. Already showing regular and serious mental health problems, Erickson’s troubled life would take a bizarre turn in 1982 when he asked a Notary Public to witness a statement that Erickson was in fact an alien. In the late ‘80s Erickson was arrested for mail fraud; despite the charges being dropped, Erickson withdrew almost completely from music, living in rundown accommodation in the suburbs of Austin. The 2005 film, You’re Gonna Miss Me shows Erickson as a dishevelled shadow of his former self, bathed in a sea of white noise that somehow comforts his fragile mental state. Sumner Erickson, unhappy with his mother’s efforts, eventually takes court action in to have himself declared Erickson’s legal guardian. The final scenes of the film feature Erickson playing guitar for the first time in many years, to the delight of Erickson fans everywhere. It was to be the start of a comeback few expected. In 2005 Erickson was invited to play at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the first stage of a road to musical recovery that would see him play the Coachella festival in 2007, as well as touring in Europe. In 2008 Erickson teamed up with Okkervil River to record an album, as well as to tour with Texan psychedelic band The Black Angels. “[Okkervil River] were real nice to me,” Erickson says. “I had gone into a store and seen this album sitting there called The Black Rose or something like that (referencing Okkervil River’s 2005 album Black Sheep Boy). I knew there might be one by Okkervil River,” he says. On the eve of his first tour to Australia, Erickson seems happy and content. With his wife, Dana, helping with his business and personal affairs, Erickson is enthusiastic about the impending trip to Australia. “Yeah, I definitely need to be comfortable these days, so yes I am,” he says. “I have a bunch of stuff we’re getting ready for the shows in Australia, and we’re rehearsing all of that.” ROKY ERICKSON performs at the soldout Golden Plains Sixxx festival taking place at Meredith from Saturday March 10 to Monday March 12. He also plays a show at The Corner Hotel on Tuesday March 13, which is also soldout.

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9 –12 MAR 2012

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Beat Magazine Page 21

THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN After having travelled to some of the most exciting and lucrative hot spots around the world, William Kentridge’s Five Themes will be making its way down to Melbourne as of next month. Well known for his stop motion ﬁlms of charcoal drawings, Kentridge’s multi-disciplinary approach will be exhibited through over 60 works ranging from animations, drawings and prints to theatre models, sculptures and books. Experience Kentridge’s talent and head to ACMI from Thursday March 8.

ON STAGE You’ve got to have mad skills in order to carry an entire show on your own, and for Andreas Litras, that doesn’t seem to be an issue. Following a decade of standing ovations and critical accolades around the globe, his remarkable one-man show, Odyssey, in which he parallels his family history with that of Homer’s Ancient Greek hero Odysseus, is heading back Down Under. Andreas Litras’ Odyssey will be performed at The Open Stage from Tuesday March 13 – Saturday March 31.

ON DISPLAY Some call him the modern day Jean Michel Basquiat, but Guy Phelan has made a name for himself all on his own. Interested in the way that the world and its facets relate to humans, this painting prodigy identiﬁes himself as a medium, presenting the outside world in its quintessential form. The result is a myriad of paintings abundant with emotional colour and poetic narratives. Experience the heart and soul of Guy Phelan as his eyes see nature, his heart sees colour and we see the beautiful result. Head to Oﬀ The Kerb Gallery from Friday March 2 – Friday March 23.

BEAT’S PICK OF THE WEEK: Equipped with video goggles and headphones so that sight, hearing and movement through space are hijacked and fully fused with the work itself, And The Birds Fell From The Sky casts you as the central character, located at the heart of the story. With only two people in the theatre at once, in a production that last 20 minutes, this will be unlike any play you’ve experienced. And The Birds Fell From The Sky will play the Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall until Sunday March 18. For more information and bookings visit artshouse. com.au

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THE PEONY PAVILION The Peony Pavilion, China’s answer to Shakespeare’s tale of love, fate and rivalry will be dancing en point to our shore later this month. The National Chinese Ballet will be performing the classic and cherished Chinese tale The Peony Pavilion combining Western Ballet with Chinese traditional dance. Similar to Romeo and Juliet, the ballet depicts the triumph of love over death. The Peony Pavilion will be performed in the State Theatre from Thursday March 15 - 18. We’ve got a few double passes to give away. Clickety-clack yo’ back to beat.com.au/freeshit to win.

Beat Magazine Page 22

CLOUDS ABOVE BERLIN BY BELLA ARNOTT-HOARE

Melanie Lane is taking some time out from rehearsals to reflect on her Fringe-awarded dance doublebill Clouds Above Berlin, a contemporary feast cannibalising visual arts and electronic music. Rolled out in a sumptuous 90-minute performance, the long-time dancer has returned briefly to Australia from now native Berlin, and is joined by fellow Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts graduate and artisan Antony Hamilton to defy and stretch the boundaries of dance into visual and sonic territory. First billed is Melanie’s Tilted Fawn – an abstract piece choreographed by the dance mistress with musical backing provided by electronic music aficionado Chris Clark. A stripped back solo show and part sound installation, the choreographer has used unorthodox techniques to bring the show to life, including an analogue orchestra. “We use a lot of tape machines to produce the sound. It’s an orchestra of tape machines but they’re concealed in boxes. So it ends up being a bit of a visual sound installation as well.” But the collaboration, says Melanie, has been a ‘painstaking’ process to pull off, eschewing newer, digital technologies in favour of labour-intensive old ones to bring her part of the performance to completion. “It’s a very lo-fi old medium for recording sound, so it was quite long and labouring because every time you make a change in the sound you have to re-record all the tape machines again, and that takes a whole day in itself. But it was really fun because it was not only about choreographing the movement, it was choreographing the sound and it’s definitely different.” Music man Chris Clark was brought on board for the performance, whom Lane met in Berlin. Running under the moniker Clark, the UK born electronic act has collaborated with her three times, and has an album due to be released in a month or so. His musical fans will certainly see the influence the music has on the performance of movement. Antony’s subsection of the performance, however, provides something different entirely. Something of a reunion for the university buddies, who’ve come together 14 years later to make another show together, his performance is both thematically and visually dark. Where Tilted Fawn has a bare

and animalistic vibe to it, Black Project 1 – which they will both dance in – lends itself to different interpretations. Their diverse aesthetics perhaps speaks volumes about their career trajectories since they last danced together at university. “He works a lot with visual art and dance together, so his work is based on creating this really unearthly universe that is built from different visual art techniques – painting, and all sorts of stuff, so that’s why we decided to put the two works together in the one evening because they both work with using objects and materials that transform the environment into something other.” Black Project 1, Melanie says, is a visual journey into space and time creating a specific other-planetary, futuristic environment. And the darkness in it isn’t just implied, with sets, costumes, and the entire performance completely black, including the dancers. But what each of the dances have in common, she says, is abstraction. “We both have similar interests in creating a universe that’s really far from what we know as our normal environment, so with the dance it’s like a completely different language. It’s all about sensations rather than bringing in a narrative or a story. Bit more cerebral I guess, in a way.” Although both performances are different thematically and in technique, Melanie notes that they offset each other nicely, using a variety of art forms to communicate. “The two works together offer something really different and special, especially in contemporary dance because they both cross over between different art forms. The first piece is inviting the audience to get involved in the sonic experience. The second work is not only dance, but bringing the audience into a very visually sensitive environment. So they’re both

really crossing over different art forms in a very collaborative way, rather than just touching on them.” Contemporary dance, it seems, it the perfect forum for internal expression, with the usual structures, techniques, and forms for dance – i.e. boundaries – able to be stripped back. Their performance, while not necessarily narrative based, is therefore expressive in a different way. “I just connected to [contemporary dance] because there are so many more possibilities. There’s not really a definition of what it is, and you’re able to really explore in different directions rather than one technique or style. So you’ve got a lot of freedom in that form. That’s the main focus.” Melanie has been dancing for 24 years, staring with being taken to ballet lessons by her mother dearest. For this performance, the Canberra-bred dancer is bringing her work to Australia for the first time after having danced overseas for many years. “We just performed at [Perth’s Fringe World Festival], so that was the first Australian premiere and it went really well, we won best dance show which was nice. But this is the first time that I’ve ever shown anything in Melbourne, so for me it’s a great opportunity.” Called “hypnotic” and defying gravity, space and time, the performance could only be pulled off by seasoned professionals. It certainly seems it will be an other-worldly experience. Clouds Above Berlin will be performed from Wednesday March 7 – Sunday March 11 March at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.

ZOMBATLAND BY KATE MCCARTEN

Any team that’s been referred to as ‘Tom Waits meets The Mighty Boosh’ by The Guardian are a group we should all want to get to know. As luck would have it, they’re in Melbourne right now, on the brink of performing their first show down under in two years. You read right folks – The Suitcase Royale is back in town – and they’re about to kick off their Australian tour of their internationally acclaimed and awarded theatrical (and musical) extravaganza, Zombatland. For the greater part of the last two years, The Suitcase Royale has been garnering an impressive amount of international attention, picking up honours like The Guardian Critics Choice Award 2011 and TIMEOUT London Critics Pick of the Week 2011 to add to their growing repertoire. They’ve been destroying stages from Ruhrfestspiele Festival in rural Germany to London’s prestigious West End, with a few successful stints in the US and Canada in between. But speaking to Jof O’Farrell, one third of The Suitcase Royale, while the boys set up for the Australian premiere of their new show Zombatland, their excitement about finally being back home in Melbourne is glaring. Zombatland – as one can probably gather from the title – is a story about zombie wombats. Set in the fictional Blue Lagoon Caravan Park, located in an undisclosed corner of the Australian Outback, a mysterious disease suddenly turns all the local wombats into crazed, blood-thirsty demons. Obviously, chaos ensues. Where did the boys come up with such an inspired tale? “We became obsessed with how great caravan parks are. As we were going around looking at these parks, we came across these stories of people camping and waking up to find huge holes in the sides of their tents. The wombats had come in and stolen all of their food during the night. So we thought, ‘How funny would it be if there were a whole heap of zombie wombats on the prowl?’” Human-eating wombats: terrifying to some, the inspiration of hilarity to others. “At the same time we were really obsessed with

the Ozploitation movies of the ‘60s and ‘70s; that whole B-grade Australian movie aesthetic. So we combined those two ideas and we came up with Zombatland.” The Suitcase Royale isn’t simply a theatre company though. “We started off as a band, and then we started making theatre, and now we’ve really combined the two. It’s kind of like a gig, as well as a theatre show, and it’s all blended into one. I think that’s what has really set us apart internationally. [That concept] has been really successful. It’s fun. It’s a bit more like a party really.” Another original aspect that contributes to The Suitcase Royale’s success is their use of what they’ve coined ‘junkyard theatre’, which is basically a nice way of saying that all their sets are made out of rubbish. “It mostly started out because finding stuff on the side of the road is the cheapest way to make a set. But we really like the idea of that backyard Australian tinkerer. We basically get a whole heap of great stuff from the side of the road and build the set around that. Zombatland is set in a caravan park so we’ve built two caravans out of old bits of wood.” Although hugely inspired by the ‘dark and gothic’ nature of the Australian Outback, The Suitcase Royale actually ended up writing most of Zombatland on the other side of the world. “We made the majority of it in the dead of winter in London. We premiered it there in a town hall, and then in Edinburgh in August which was pretty wild. And now we get to show it in our home town.” So are they excited about finally getting to show their Australianinspired work to their fellow countrymen? “We haven’t performed in Melbourne for two years – so this is really exciting

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for us to be back. We’ve got a couple of jokes about being in a drought that didn’t quite land in Scotland and London,” Jof laughs, “so we can’t wait to pull them out. And we have a joke about grogans as well. Some of the more Australian jokes; we’re looking forward to telling them in Australia.” Beyond their Australian tour of Zombatland, The Suitcase Royale has a lot to be excited about. They have a lot of interest from prominent members of television land. “I think the Flight Of The Conchords and The Mighty Boosh really opened a big opportunity for us. People are really excited about our work internationally now in terms of that [sort of comedy].” Jof seems very apprehensive about admitting to that level of greatness. “We get compared to those guys; we kind of fall into that category which is a great thing. They’ve even come to check out our shows and that’s really cool. Almost to have them – obviously not, but you know – almost for them to be in our peer group, but not really, it makes me feel heaps special,” he laughs. But it seems The Suitcase Royale will need to get used to running in those circles pretty quickly. Apocalypse pending, 2012 is shaping up to be the big break out year for this young trio, so make sure you catch Zombatland while you can – if for no other reason than to tell anyone who’ll listen that you saw those guys for thirty bucks before they were famous. Zombatland is showing from Wednesday March 14 – Sunday March 18 at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.

JAN - JUN 2012

A N T O N Y H A M I LT O N & MELANIE LANE

THE S U I TCA S E R OYA LE

CLOUDS ABOVE BERLIN

ZOMBATLAND ARTS HOUSE N O RTH M ELB O U R N E TOWN HALL WED 14 – SUN 18 MARCH

ARTS HOUSE NORTH MELBOURNE TOWN HALL WED 7 – SUN 11 MARCH

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Join Melbourne’s most gritty, comedic and unique multiart-form rag’n’bone trio on a wild ride to ZOMBATLAND.

A catalytic double bill by choreographer/ performers Antony Hamilton and Melanie Lane.

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Arts House is a City of Melbourne contemporary arts initiative

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Beat Magazine Page 23

With Tyson Wray. Got news, gossip, reviews, thoughts, tip-oﬀs, complaints, hate mail? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by ESP before Friday. Say Doyleys. See how those handmade fancywork treats are transformed into new, at times functional and always fantastic artworks – the show featuring doilies as its only common thread. Take a glimpse at artwork with a doily twist at Gleaners Inc. from Friday March 16 – Friday April 13.

CANDICE BREITZ Beat is thrilled to announce that ACMI will be hosting its first Australian major solo exhibition of renowned installation artist Candice Breitz. The South African artist, based in Berlin, will be exhibiting an array of video installation artwork and new artwork cocommissioned by ACMI and the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts. Breitz’s artwork exhibits the role that mass media and celebrity play within our society and how this as a result shapes our identity and perception. Through her installation work (both photographic and video) these themes are explored using individuals replicating scenes of popular culture, film and music as well as remixes and mash ups of film and sound. The new artwork which will be displayed within the December exhibition has been regarded as her most ambitious work to date. The Candice Breitz exhibition will show at ACMI from Thursday December 6 until March 2013.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM This month the Winterfall Theatre will welcome the William Shakespeare classic story of love and lust, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The play, which was written an estimated 400 years ago, has undergone a few changes. No surprises there. A very diﬀerent and engaging play from the original will be performed featuring young graduates of the ﬁnest drama schools in the country, who with their best emulations of the Athenians provide the audience with a youthful energy. The play will be the sixth production held at the independent theatre. A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed Thursday March 8 - 25.

LITTLE DEITIES Sixty standard sized baby dolls will be transformed into deities at the Little Deities exhibition this March. No joke. 60 Melbourne-based artists, illustrators and designers will be showcasing their interpretation of the pint-sized deity this March at the No Vacancy Gallery in the QV building in Melbourne. Little Deities will be launched on Thursday March 8-18 between 6-9pm.

CARBON FESTIVAL

FRINGE FESTIVAL FORUM The Melbourne Fringe Festival is back and is calling all artists, musicians, visual artists; performers, circus performers, comedians and little show oﬀs! If you’re interested in performing at this year’s Festival head down to The Evelyn on March 20 to learn about the artist development program and engage with the festival staﬀ. If you’re an aspiring Fringer, this one’s for you. The Melbourne Fringe Festival will run from Wednesday September 26 - October 14.

SECRET SYMPHONY Beat is excited to announce that MSO are continuing their free series of concerts, Secret Symphony. The series of concerts are designed to engage the audience with the Melbourne Orchestra as well as provide tourists and residents with an alternate option in Melbourne city entertainment. Unlike conventional concert programs the Secret Symphony will release performance details just moments before the conductor waves his baton. Keep up to date on details and clues with MSO Facebook at facebook.com/melbournesymphony

I SAY DOILIES, YOU SAY DOYLEYS Ever wondered what to do with those little pocket-sized wonders from grandma’s linen closet? Beyond the protection of ﬁne furniture and showboating your great aunt’s needlework skills, exactly what is there to do with a doily? Well, Melbourne’s leading craftisans are here to give you that answer with their latest exhibition, I Say Doilies, You

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Beat Magazine Page 24

Australia’s premier contemporary, creative-culture event, Carbon is back! Turning two this year, the festival celebrates and explores style, design and street culture via a series of forums and sideshows. Spanning over two jam-packed days, each day plays host to two forums – day one’s sessions asking the questions, ‘Is print dead?’ and ‘Can commerce and creativity work in harmony?’, whilst day two’s sessions looking at both the evolutions of ideas and what photography means in the modern age. Feel like getting your mind blown all in the name of artwork? Well, here’s your chance. Carbon Festival 2012 hits Federation Square from April 27-29.

MORELAND STUDENT PHOTO COMPETITION It’s time to check out what all the youngens have in store for us. The Moreland Student Photo Competition is back for another year, and we can’t be more stoked to check out what everyone’s prepared for our viewing pleasure. Similarly to last year, the theme for this year’s entries was summer, with an optional theme of a bicycle. With 141 entries from primary and high school students across Melbourne, we’re looking forward to seeing just how everyone goes. And you should too! The Moreland Student Photo Competition exhibition is on now at Blak Dot Gallery until Sunday March 11. Get down while you can!

AUSTRALIAN BURLESQUE FESTIVAL After two legendary sold-out tours in 2010 and 2011, Australian burlesque stars and producers, Dolores Daiquiri and Rosy Rabbit, are proud to announce the national tour lineup for this year’s Australian Burlesque Festival. Boasting with both national and international stars, audiences will have the opportunity to feast their eyes on the likes of UK’s Anna Fur Laxis and Finland’s Loulou D’Vil, along with local superstars such as Tasia, Vesper White and the two Dolores and Rosy themselves. Get ready for a whole lot of fun as the Australian Burlesque Festival hits Melbourne from June 7-10. For more information, head to australianburlesquefest.com.

AUSTRALIAN VOICES

For a few days next month, our friends at ACMI are getting ready to present an Easter smack down exploring life inside and outside the ring with a series of ﬁlms about mixed martial arts, wrestling and boxing in their Title Fight On Film program. With four movies being shown throughout the event, including David Fincher’s extremely popular Fight Club, the event is sure to be a hit (pun intended) with boxing fans and everybody else alike. Everybody likes to watch a good ﬁght, right? Title Fight On Film will screen at ACMI from April 5-11. For full program information and screening times, head to acmi.net.au.

Presented by ANAM and the Melbourne Recital Centre, the return of the highly successful Australian Voices pays homage to signiﬁcant and sometimes forgotten Australian composers. The curated series is performed by members of ANAM Faculty and special guests in partnership with ANAM musicians. So who can we expect to see? The chamber music series will include the likes of Nigel Westlake curated by Matthew Hoy, George Boyle curated by Timothy Young, and Liza Lim curated by Marshall McGuire, amongst many others. ANAM and the Melbourne Recital Centre present Australian Voices at The Salon. For more information on dates and bookings, head to melbournerecital.com.au.

THE SONG COMPANY

LABOURER’S LOVE

TITLE FIGHT ON FILM

Sharing the stage with some of Australia’s leading musicians, The Song Company are getting ready to embark on a national tour for its 2012 concert season. Under the leadership of Roland Peelman, Artistic Director since 1990, The Song Company is Australia’s pre-eminent vocal ensemble and one of the most vibrant and extraordinary vocal ensembles in the world. Experience the musical glory that is The Song Company during their Melbourne shows as they perform Love In Venice, Sunken Dreams and Ship To Shore on Monday March 12, Tuesday August 7 and Wednesday November 14 respectfully. Full details available at melbournerecital. com.au or songcompany.com.au.

Consider yourself a bit of a culture buﬀ? Love free things? Well, look no further. The Arts Centre is getting prepared to present a free screening of Laogong Zhi Aiqing’s Chinese silent cinematic classic, Labourer’s Love, with a live score performed by Blue Grassy Knoll. Outside, on Curve Bar’s own grassy knoll, the ﬁlm will be screened ‘al fresco’ and accompanied live by Blue Grassy Knoll’s brilliant score. Fitting for young and old, experience Labourer’s Love in the magical setting of the Arts Centre’s Curve Bar Garden from Friday March 16 – Saturday March 17. Oh yeah, and we mentioned that it was free, right?

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL It’s not just any ordinary student-based film festival, oh no. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you, the Melbourne International Student Film Festival as it returns for its second year, showcasing the best student productions from around the world. From Middle Eastern zombies and indigenous Australian Bushmen, to sock puppets, MISFF 2012 is sure to present another entertaining, innovative and stunningly diverse collection. Featuring works of filmmakers from the US, Turkey, Germany, New Zealand and around Australian, MISFF gives Melbourne a chance to see the future of film, today. Interested? All screenings will be shown at Northcote Town Hall on March 24. Call 9481 9500 anytime from March 10 to make a booking.

GASWORKS CIRCUS SHOWDOWN Consider yourself a bit of an entertainer, hey? Well, this might be right up your alley. The team at Gasworks are thrilled to reveal their latest major program for 2012 – Gasworks Circus Showdown; a live on-stage circus and physical theatre contest held at Gasworks in a couple of months. It will be a battle of the fittest, with finalists going head to head in the ultimate circus challenge until one is crowned the Circus Showdown champion. The best part? Winners of the Circus Showdown will receive flights to the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe and free registration, plus $2000 cash. For more information, head to gasworks.org/whats-on/circus-showdown. Entries for registration close at 10am, Tuesday March 13. Get in while you can!

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JABULA! JABULA! is a commissioned concert for the closing night of the 2012 Moomba festival, bringing together Biddy Connor’s string quartet and the Asanti Dance Theatre. This Moomba premiere will bring to life original material by Ajak Kwai and Passi Jo, and have you moving, grooving and singing in time. The sounds will take people on a journey through classical and African music, and when combined with the energy and excitement of the dance, will provide a spectacular evening of sound and movement to remember. JABULA! is a collaboration of wonderful artists, from a wide range of backgrounds. The collaboration features renowned vocalist Biddy Connor, drum and dance troupe Asanti Dance Theatre, Sudanese singer, songwriter and dancer Ajak Kwai, Congoloese music legend Passi Jo and more. JABULA! will bring Moomba 2012 to a close with a bang, on the main stage at 8.30pm, Monday March 12. Entry is free.

MICF DAILY PODCAST Melbourne International Comedy Festival centric podcast MICF Daily will return with 26 episodes for 2012, and is looking for guests and supporters. If you’re a comic with a festival show, or want to help underwrite the show, please contact Mike Brown at micfdaily@gmail.com

COMEDY AT SPLEEN Mondays have been amazing at Comedy At Spleen.. huge crowds, big guests.. in the last couple of weeks, we’ve had Pete Helliar, Glenn Robbins and more! And apart from that, we’ve always got the best in up-and-coming local Melbourne comedy! It’s the hottest room in town, and seriously, you need to get down super early just to get in the front door! So get in early to guarantee a seat. It’s this Monday, March 5, 41 Bourke St, in the city, at 8.30pm.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE COMEDY Cheap piss and piss-cheap entry at Checkpoint Charlie Comedy, the city’s premier above-ground underground comedy room. Tonight, Big Bad Benny Lomas MCs a huge lineup including Cambo, Tom Ward, Mark Conway and a super secret surprise headliner! So come ﬁll yourself with cheap drinks and put your continence to the ultimate test from 7.30pm tonight at Eurotrash Bar - 18 Corrs Lane, Melbourne. $5 entry.

COMEDY DEATHSTAR Deathstar Comedy is back this Wednesday with another great lineup with MC Jack Druce and Tegan Marie Higginbotham, Sean Ryan, Dave Kouts, Jackson Voorhaar, Tony Besselink, Craig McLeod, Ben Volchok, This is Siberian Husky, Michael Tancredi, and Brendan Maloney. Starts at 8.30pm, $5 entry down stairs at CR Dirty Secrets, 80 Smith Street, Collingwood.

COMMEDIA DELL PARTE

SOFTBELLY COMEDY Every Sunday, Softbelly Comedy has an early evening special show where Adam Hills drops in to muck around and try out stuﬀ for his show on the ABC, “In Gordon Street Tonight”! Plus we’ve always got heaps more awesome names, with the list this week including Xavier Michelides, Nick Cody and some special surprise guests! It’s the hottest ticket in town, so get down early, because it will sell out again! All at the early time of 6.30pm! It all happens at Softbelly, 367 Little Bourke St, in the city, this Sunday March 11, at 6.30pm. It’s only $12!

This week at Commedia Dell Parte MC extraordinaire Steele Saunders will be bringing the laughs to the George Lane bar. Aiding him in his quest will be, Nick Cody, Tegan Higginbotham, Jack Druce, Craig McLeod, Sean Ryan, Anthony Jeannot, Vic Healy, Ben Stevenson and Dawn Schary. Get in early to secure yourself a comfy couch and go into the draw for some great prizes from Punchline. The room runs on a ‘pay as you like’ basis, so come along and have a great laugh, then pay what you believe the show is worth on the way out. All proﬁts will be shared with the comedians who performed on the night so if you enjoy the show chuck in a few sheckles and show your appreciation. Commedia Dell Parte runs every Thursday 8.30pm, George Lane Bar, St Kilda.

TRAILER PARK BOYS BY SEAN WHINSTONE

Here I was, labouring under the misapprehension that Trailer Park Boys was simply pretending to be a true-to-life documentary, along the lines of The Office, Parks And Recreation, and just about every other television comedy the Anglophone world has put to air in the last decade. Imagine my surprise when I get a (reverse charge) phone call early one morning, with Sunnyvale Trailer Park’s three most infamous residents on the other end of the line, no doubt seated in conspiratorial congress. “Is this legit?” I wonder aloud. Ricky mumbles something in the affirmative in sugary tones that suggest he’s already spent most of the Canadian afternoon punching soda-bottle bongs in Sunnyvale’s backblocks. Julian sighs to himself and takes an audible sip of a drink of what an educated guess would conclude is a plastic tumbler of rum and coke. Bubbles makes a few agitated noises, clearly exasperated after a typical day trying to discourage the other two from criminal activity. I listen in awe to the muffled sounds on the receiver and make a solemn promise to myself: never again will I treat what I see on the TV as anything other than the literal truth. Fans of the Trailer Park Boys documentary series may recall that we last saw the trio back in prison for the ninth time in as many years after a bank job went wrong. In the meantime, drunken Sunnyvale supervisor Jim Lahey absconded to Cuba with the proceeds from the robbery. All things considered, fate has not been kind to the boys in recent years. An elaborate plan to smuggle dope across the USCanadian border on the back of a model train – stolen from Patrick Swayze, no less – ended with another short stint behind bars. I ask if another foray on the wrong side of the law, and hopefully a big payoff, is

really worth the risk of making a double digit amount of prison sentences for the trio. “I’ve been trying to keep away from that kinda bullshit,” says Bubbles, “but every time I turn around I’ve been dealing with these two dickweeds and trying to keep ‘em outta trouble.” “It’s Julian’s fault, I mean Julian keeps messing everything up,” Ricky protests, sourly. “If I was running the show, we’d be retired by now.” I worry that if I point out the obvious falsehood of this statement, Ricky will find my address and give me a beatdown. Not wanting to risk it, I ask Julian whether he thinks he’s really the cause of the boys’ misfortune. “eighty - five percent of the time on a job, we end up in jail because of Ricky. It’s not my fault. It’s his fault.” The pair squabble about this for a while, and, before I accidentally become earwitness to a punch-on, I change the subject to the matter at hand. The boys are finally waking up to the fact that people on TV can trade on their celebrity, and soon they’ll be on their way to our town to make a bit of honest coin. Not without some reservations from Ricky, of course. “I heard your sharks come out of the water and walk up on the beach and eat people, so I’m a little freaked

PASSENGERS SAFELY OFF

out about that. I mean, I could take one [on] if I had to.” But any panic in Ricky’s voice dissipates when he starts thinking about business opportunities and the opportunity for a good old-fashioned wipeout in an exotic locale. “I plan on getting drunk and high and passing out in the street somewhere after the show. I don’t know how decent your Australian weed is, but I can’t wait to ﬁnd out, I know that. I heard there’s a lot of really good farmers down there, so we’ll bring them extra samples.” Julian sounds a word of caution: “Every time we go away somewhere, Ricky really takes up the drink and the drugs quite a bit, and when I’m drunk and he’s drunk he’s about as easy to get on with as a horse or a cow. If we end up in jail… I mean, it might be cool to see what jail is like in Australia, but I’d rather stay out of jail and make some money and meet ladies.” Ricky wants it known that he’s back on the prowl as well. “Lucy got caught up with someone else again,” he says. “So I just wanna say, when I come down to Australia I’m deﬁnitely gonna be single.” Prize catches coming to your town soon, ladies. Bubbles will be making his second trip Down Under, having landed a gig opening for Guns N Roses back in 2007. “It’s a great place, I had a good time,” recalls

Bubbles. “And I’ll tell you one thing: Ricky and Julian break the law a hell of a lot more than Axl Rose, so I didn’t have to worry about goddamn babysitting the whole time.” For Bubbles, it’s a good opportunity to take a break from his usual workaholic habits, especially now that flogging shopping carts and selling them off to rival malls doesn’t bring in the money like the days of old. “Problem is everybody thinks it’s pretty cool now to haul shopping carts out of the mall these days,” Bubbles says. “So you know, it’s slim pickings at the moment down the mall, so I’ve just been doing that and running the Kitty Cat Love Centre, I have about 100 clients now so that’s where I make most of my money. You’ve been stripping, haven’t you Julian?” “I haven’t been stripping,” Julian roars, losing his cool for the first time on the phone. “I’ve been dating a bunch of strippers, they’ve been really cool and they’re hot.” I should stress again that this does not mean that Julian’s off the market. I’d rather get through their visit to our shores without being on the receiving end of his pool cue. The Trailer Park Boys are performing live at The Forum on Tuesday March 13 - Thursday March 15.

Being a PSO stands for a lot. It gives you a special standing in your community. As a Protective Services Ofﬁcer, you help keep our train stations safe. And in helping others, you might even discover something more satisfying than a 9 to 5 job for yourself. Apply to become a PSO today. P.S. Your community needs you.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES OFFICERS Help keep our train stations safe. Become a PSO. Visit policecareer.vic.gov.au or SMS “proud” to 132 001. POL0097

ARTS NEWS, REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS ONLINE – BEAT.COM.AU/ARTS

Beat Magazine Page 25

THE PANICS BY JAMES W. NICOLI

When I chat to The Panics front man and songwriter Jae Laffer, his voice seems just a little bit croaky. It is completely understandable however, given the fact that just the night before his band had the dream task of supporting legendary UK electro pioneers New Order. “We had a really good time there,” he enthuses. “It was really good, you know we grew up on loads of bands from that time, it was a real privilege to get asked to play that one and it was our first time at Festival Hall as well. You know we’ve kept it together with our group long enough to have the privilege to meet some of our favourite groups.” The Panics have certainly come a long way and travelled many miles in the process since their humble beginnings in their home state of Western Australia. The now Melbourne-based group have well and truly become an international entity; spending the majority of their time over the last few years both touring and residing overseas. For Laffer, it’s all about soaking up the different cultures and different atmospheres of foreign cities and using it as inspiration in their music; something that the group as a whole enjoys. “Well we’re lucky enough to have made a few albums and we understand if we’re away and travelling and doing a bit of touring overseas, if you can attach the recording, you know the making of, being creative, it can have a great effect on the music or the writing,” he admits. “But also the general head space and everyone in the band wants to keep working in places that you find exciting and you know, we’re very lucky in terms of being able to get together and go somewhere like New York. We just knew we’d have a really good time so it was our way of making it interesting.” The trip to New York that he is referring to was when the band was overseas last year and in the midst of recording their majestic fourth album, Rain On A Humming Wire. Having written the record whilst residing in the north of England and in between tours, the band then jumped on a plane and crossed the Atlantic to record it in the town of Woodstock, just outside of New York. It was a process that the band planned deliberately and one that clearly had a direct and profound impact on the themes and sounds that are found on the record. “We started the record when we were on tour over in England which has a very unique atmosphere in itself and we did a lot of writing there which brings out whatever it is in us and in the music and then we took it over to New York, in a forest and it was like a completely different feeling.” The band then had the privilege of mixing the album in the famous Electric Lady Studios in New York City, which was a creation by none other than Jimi Hendrix. It’s a place that has a continuous influx of some of the biggest and most influential bands and musicians around. “It was right in Greenwich village, right in this great part of Manhattan. It was a great thing to be able to wake up in a place like that, catch the subway to somewhere as special as the village and get off,” recalls Laffer. “You know, you’re working with really special people and a lot of great bands are in there at the same time. It just felt really good and we had Kanye West up above us in a studio and the Beastie Boys were in there and it was really, really cool.”

“WE HAD KANYE WEST UP ABOVE US IN A STUDIO AND THE BEASTIE BOYS WERE IN THERE AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL.” With The Panics currently in the midst of a rare stint in their adopted base of Melbourne, they are taking the opportunity to play a number of shows to round out the touring for Rain On A Humming Wire, with a headline spot at this year’s Moomba festival being one of them. “We released a record in September last year so we’ve been touring and playing a lot of last gigs for the whole kind of promotion for the record so it feels like we get to kind of finish off celebrating with a couple of these shows. So it should be fun, I haven’t been before; I’m looking forward to it.” As has been the case throughout most of their career, The Panics aren’t ones to stay in the same place for too long and Laffer assures me that they will again be jetting off overseas when it comes time to begin work on album number five. “Yeah we’re working hard on some new songs at the moment, there was a bit of a gap between our last two records,” he admits. “It’s an exciting time. I’m looking forward to what the band is going to come up with and I’m enjoying what I’m hearing so far and there’s a good energy in the group and what we can show people over the next year or so.” THE PANICS play the main stage of this year’s Moomba Festival which provides over 40 hours of free music at Alexandra Gardens and Birrarung Marr from Friday March 9 to Monday March 12. The main stage will also see the likes of Josh Pyke, Tex Perkins, Darryl Braithwaite, The Bamboos, Wagons, Owl Eyes and the Paper Kites play under the big top tent. For full music program details visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/Moomba.

Beat Magazine Page 26

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THE WOMBATS BY THOMAS BAILEY

Tord Øverland-Knudsen was a young man in the Norwegian town of Elverum who was in possession of a dream. That dream was to become the best musician he could possibly be, and where else would a young Beatles fan go, than to Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts? He applied and was accepted; in 2003 he packed up his bass guitar and traveled to The Beatles’ hometown. On the course, he met a couple of likeminded musos in fellow classmates Matthew Murphy (vocals and guitar) and Dan Haggis (drums and percussion), and thus The Wombats were born. Øverland-Knudsen is on the phone from his Liverpool home, where he’s relaxing after a long day of writing material for The Wombats’ third album. “Well, it’s a bit early to say what’s going to happen with this [unreleased] record; it’s really early in the process,” he says when I press him on details. “But hopefully it will be a lot faster [and] we’ll get it out quicker than the second album (last year’s This Modern Glitch) – it took three years from the first to the second. So hopefully it will be coming out in 2013. As far as what it’s going to sound like, we’ve got a template for what we want to do, we’ve got a lot more keyboards. We’re not finished, but we want to keep exploring that part of the music.” “We’ve been together for eight and a half years now,” he laughs. “So maybe we’ll put out our third album on our ten year anniversary!” The Wombats have been slowly but surely building a huge fan base over the last few years. After spending many of their early years happily releasing EPs and the occasional country-specific LP, in 2007 they recorded their first “proper” full-length. The heartily frenetic and outright fun A Guide To Love Loss And Desperation featuring, the upbeat and jangling hit Let’s Dance To Joy Division, cemented The Wombats’ reputation for off-kilter electronictinged indie-pop. I ask Øverland-Knudsen about the growth inherent between A Guide To … and This Modern Glitch and whether there are any significant differences in how they approached these two records, or was it a case of sticking with what worked? “[The process] was very different, actually,” he admits. “I think it’s the same with a lot of bands; when you do your first record, you’ve played it live already, so when you go into the studio, you have everything sort of ready, kind of like arranged. We recorded the first record live, just the three of us playing live with hardly any overdubs; and then we added vocals and maybe a couple of keyboard lines, whatever. “But on [This Modern Glitch], we never played the songs live, so we didn’t know quite how to – we just explored the possibilities in a studio, playing around with the gear a lot more, and constantly changing things around. It took six to eight months, while the first one took less than three weeks!” The writing process for The Wombats would seem to have evolved as well. Informing Øverland-Knudsen that I can easily imagine the three of them sitting in a room, drinking beer and jamming together as they write, I get a laugh from him as he tells me that I’m only half-wrong. “Usually we’ll compose a skeleton of a song and then we’ll dress it up with arrangements or hook-lines. When we were back in Melbourne [touring for A Guide To …], we set about jamming for a bit, just jamming … we started playing a little hook-line and we ended up playing for an hour. We started to record a lot of the jams we did – and out of the jams we made a few songs. One of them was actually Jump Into The Fog (the second single off This Modern Glitch)! So I think [jamming] is something we’re going to do a lot more of on [the third record].” I note that The Wombats seem to have a special relationship with Australia, having played the Parklife Festival in 2010, two individual shows at the Palais and Festival Hall here in Melbourne in 2011, and now visiting again for the 2012 Future Music Festival. What is it about Australia that keeps them coming back? “We love playing there,” he says, “but I think it’s also quite a high demand; people want us to come back as well. It’s kind of like a home away from home; it’s just a feeling that we get. It’s a lot of fun, and I’ll tell you what, it’s a lot more fun than other places we play! It’s just quite fun to go and play shows there. “We’re looking forward to this show,” he continues, cheerily. “In fact, we got some time off between [Sydney and Melbourne], we got a week off. So we get to relax and just be there and have some fun!” At this point in our talk, the operator comes onto the line and informs us we only have one minute left before I have to end my conversation with Øverland-Knudsen. So naturally, I ask him the most important question ever: What was their cameo on the soap opera Neighbours like, and how on earth did it come about? Øverland-Knudsen laughs loud and long at this. “True story,” he begins. “It was when we had first come to Australia (September 2008), and we’d met our label for the first time. They were like, ‘What do you want to do Special when you come to Australia? What do you want us to do?’ We were just joking, and said, ‘We want to be on Neighbours, really.’ “And one of the girls at the label, she knew the producer or something, and she said, ‘Yeah! I think I can do that for you!’ And a few months later, we got on the show. “But yeah,” he continues, with an audible smile, “I don’t think the music was the main attraction of the scene, I think people were having a conversation, and the music was sort of in the background. It’s good to have done it, though!” Exactly. Ask and you will receive? “Absolutely.”

”Adam Cohen is not only ‘the son of Leonard’ but a complete artist who amply deserves the applause and cheers he received from the sell-out crowd.” - Métro (Montréal)

ADAM COHEN Guest

9 March UÊRegal Ballroom TICKETEK.COM.AU

THE WOMBATS join the bill of the massive Future Music Festival at Flemington Racecourse on Sunday March 11. Other acts include New Order, Fatboy Slim, Swedish House Mafia and many, many more. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster. Visit futuremusicfestival.com.au for more information.

THIS FRIDAY – DON’T MISS OUT! FRONTIERTOURING.COM ADAMCOHEN.COM DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

LIKE A MAN OUT NOW Beat Magazine Page 27

THE BEARDS BY THOMAS BAILEY

“Blessed are the bearded men, for they shall inherit the Earth.” Jesus Christ did not utter this phrase, but he should have. Bearded men the world over have suffered stoically in a world not suited for their facial hair. In recent history, the bearded have been forced to live under a regime of shaving cream, razors and after-shave. A cabal of clean-chins has controlled the power for too long. The bearded ones for generations lived their lives in quiet desperation, waiting for follicular emancipation to come. “I am dreaming of a world in which bearded men will no longer be oppressed by their clean-chinned inferiors,” Nathaniel Beard, bassist of Adelaide-based comedy folk rock band The Beards explains. “I’m dreaming of a world in which bosses, schools and wives don’t impose draconian sanctions about being clean or neatly shaven. I’m dreaming of a world where no man without a beard would ever have the audacity to speak down to his bearded masters.” It’s probably no coincidence that “beard” is also a verb – its definition is “to confront, face or oppose.” And that’s what The Beards are all about. Formed in the mid-2000s as a joke – “But we’re not joking anymore,” Beard intones – The Beards’ maxim has remained impressively consistent: beards, beards and more beards. Their third album, Having A Beard Is The New Not Having A Beard, is being released later this month, and its first single You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man has just come out in video form. I ask Beard if the world has become a safer place for bearded men. “[The Beards] met at a bearded men’s support group during late 2004 – a dark time for bearded people,” he explains. “Back then you couldn’t walk down the street without being called Jesus by dick-for-brains metrosexuals. There was no beard on Brad Pitt’s face back then I can assure you! It was an age of extreme beardism during which the clean-chins held all the cards. Luckily, people with beards are just plain better than people without beards, so we were able to begin the beard revolution without too much resistance from our utterly inept oppressors.” Women certainly seem to have caught on to the benefits of having sex with bearded men. I mention this fact to Beard, and ask him if perhaps The Beards ever feel the slightest tinge of guilt for all those clean-shaven men whose women have left them for the arms of men who are more follicle-y enhanced. “Not in the slightest,” he casually says. “For well over a hundred years, the clean-chins have enjoyed a completely undeserved position at the top of society’s pecking order. Let’s not ever forget how they tried to hold us down whilst they were on top – Disney’s no-beard policy, the obligation to shave at weddings and other ‘formal’ occasions, labels like ‘hobo’, ‘hippy’ and ‘rapist’. “No more. Now the bearded man is back in charge and the beardless are running scared or growing a big beard so they can avoid retribution. The second age of the Beard is just beginning, and if you don’t have a beard, you are finished.” Beard, along with his cohorts Johann Beardraven (vocals), John Beardman Junior (drums) and Facey McStublington (guitar), is busy making the world a better and safer place for bearded folk one amazingly amusing and skillful song at a time, and he has loads of advice on offer for anybody who wishes to grow their own facial brush. His first tip is surprisingly simple: “DO NOT SHAVE,” he states most emphatically. “Shaving is COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE to beardgrowth. Anybody who tells you that shaving more frequently will stimulate beard growth is a dirty liar who has probably been paid to say that by the big shaving corporations. If you do not shave, ever, you will grow a beard. I promise. “Also,” he continues, “remember that a patchy teenage beard is still a beard. Also, don’t let the fact that Kyle Sandilands has a beard deter you – the entire bearded community is against him having a beard as it damages the reputation of bearded men everywhere!” I seek to clarify with Mr Beard the dilemma faced by the men out there who desperately want to grow beards, but are not allowed to by their women. Beard is quite direct with this query. “I shouldn’t need to give advice for this – dump her and never once look back. That should be obvious, for the real you has a beard, and if she doesn’t love your beard, then she doesn’t love the real you, so she’s got to go. If you can’t work that out, you don’t deserve to have a beard at all.” Wise words, wise words indeed. With the release of their new album fast approaching, The Beards are preparing themselves for a national tour to share with their fellow countrymen the joys, thrills and advantages of growing absolutely fantastic beards. Finally, I tell Beard, how refreshing it is to see a band that does what it says on the tin. But I have one last question for him: Do bearded men tend to use more napkins? “Yes, we do require more napkins,” Beard admits. “On the upside, we require less razors, less shaving foam, less pink shirts with the collars turned up and less commercial radio.” The bearded, non-bearded and beard-curious alike should go on and check out THE BEARDS as they hit The Corner Hotel on Thursday March 15. Their Corner Hotel show on Friday March 16 has sold out. Having A Beard Is The New Not Having A Beard is out Friday March 9 through MGM. Beards.

Beat Magazine Page 28

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MICHAEL ROTHER

ADAM COHEN

BY PATRICK EMERY

The 2009 BBC documentary on the experimental German music scene of the ‘70s – referred to outside of Germany as ‘Krautrock’ – locates the music of now classic Krautrock bands such as Amon Düül II, CAN, Faust, Kraftwerk, Harmonia and Neu! within a broader radical artistic movement that included film makers Werner Herzog, Rainer Fassbinder and Wim Wenders. Michael Rother, one-time member of Kraftwerk, and protagonist in legendary Krautrock bands Neu! and Harmonia, disputes that there was a ‘community’ as such of like-minded artists. “In Germany there was a very big spirit of change, and we knew there were film makers who were also feeling this change. For me, it was important to find out who I was. It was an individual approach, not a collective feeling. We were all a bunch of adventurers,” Rother says. Rother was born five years after the end of the war; like many other Germans born around that time, Rother grew up with the spectre of war looming over recent history, complicated by the post-war division of Germany into two ideologically opposed nation states. His mother was a classically trained musician and he spent a small portion of his young life in Pakistan where he found the music “fascinating”. By the end of the ‘60s, Rother was working in a psychiatric hospital, having decided to take that option in lieu of the compulsory military service required for all young German men. It was around this time that Rother met the other members of Kraftwerk, Florian Schneider, Ralf Hütter and Klaus Dinger. Rother would stay with Kraftwerk for only a short time, before he and Dinger left to form Neu! Rother’s relationship with the enigmatic Dinger, who died in 2008, was as tumultuous as it was artistically productive. Neu! released three albums before

BY SALLY LATTER

imploding in the aftermath of the release of Neu! ’75. Rother and Dinger reunited in the mid ‘80s, only to leave the band’s fourth record unreleased for another 25 years. Despite his well publicised differences with Dinger, Rother says he and Dinger worked well together. “It wasn’t struggling about music that made our relationship difficult,” Rother says. “It was everything outside the studio that was the problem with Klaus. We were two very different personalities, but whenever we made music we always agreed,” he says. Rother concedes, however, that he was “dissatisfied” with Neu! after the band’s second album, Neu! 2. That dissatisfaction led to Rother teaming up with Dieter Moebius (who had been a founding member of Krautrock band Cluster) and Hans-Joachim Roedelius in the short-lived Harmonia project. Harmonia would go on to release two albums, Musik Von Harmonia and Deluxe before folding, principally because of a lack of commercial and popular success. This month sees Rother returning to Australia for the first time since he reunited with Roedelius and Moebius in Harmonia at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in early 2009. For this tour, Rother is reunited with Moebius and Hans Lampe, the latter who tour and played with Neu! in the mid ‘70s. While Rother will be playing music from the Neu! and Harmonia catalogue, it won’t be a simple reproduction of those bands’ recorded music. “The idea is of combining the sounds of Dieter, Hans and myself with my idea of fast forward music,” Rother says. “It’s still an adventurous path. It’s not looking back – it’s looking ahead.” MICHAEL ROTHER, alongside Dieter Niebius and Hans Lampe present the music of Neu!, Harmonia and other selected works at the Corner Hotel on Monday March 19.

Adam Cohen was born in Montreal in 1972, blaming his ‘cold French-Canadian soul’ on Quebec’s most prominent town. Yes, he is the son of the legendary Leonard Cohen and his then-partner, artist Suzanne Elrod, who separated in 1978. As an autodidactic learner – and fiercely independent child – Cohen had taught himself to play the guitar, drums and piano by the age of 12, something nurtured in the bohemian surrounds. “Music was never a decision. It isn’t a vocation but a virus I contracted at a very young age. A destiny I have happened upon. I was seduced by music, and I have been in pursuit ever since. I obviously wouldn’t be here without my father, so here I am openly celebrating his influence in a deliberate and direct manner,” he states. But little did he know how big those shoes would be. He reflects on past struggles in terms of pursuing a so-called destiny. “I grappled with doubts about my own creative worth. It is a strange thing to be plagued with fear that not only was one’s music very sub-standard, but that one had inherited absolutely no talent at all.” Plagued with doubts for 20 years, Cohen tried desperately to fill the space cast by his father’s long shadow. Aside from his two previous LPs and his brief stint with Low Millions, Cohen wrote music for a variety of TV advertisements, including a rap for Adidas. A natural poet, he wrote songs for a variety of artists who struggled with their lyrics, and composed music for a pornographic film for which he was paid the measly sum of $1,500. “It was a low point,” he muses, “but I was desperate to do something to connect to my art. And I needed money. It was all terribly unglamorous, but I am a

musician and a writer, and I had to belong to that business in any form, especially when the connection was strained. I know a lot of my past projects were misguided, as my preoccupation was with being part of a music business that was more about the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll and participating in the myth. I was more caught up in the scene than being an artist.” It took many years for Cohen to place his music at the forefront of his creative endeavours. Courage and maturity struck later than he wished, and he had begun to doubt it would ever strike at all. It seems as if the grey cloud of failure had hovered above Cohen his whole life. But the cloud – and his doubts of his own value as an artist – cleared with the onset of adulthood and its inherent changes. “Three main factors led me to the point where I am now. The ﬁrst was the series of disappointments in my career choices that caused me great pessimism, but also great enlightenment about what it means to be a legacy. The second was the admirable and unexpected return of my father to the stage. The third was myself becoming a father, and the courage, wonder and insight that came hand-in-hand with it. And perhaps myself becoming a father was the greatest inﬂuence of all.” “I know I am part of a highly creative family tree. I know that as my son grows up he will be able to listen to my music, as I listened to and consulted my father’s, and he will in the very least, be able to capture some of this wind in his sails too.” ADAM COHEN plays The Regal Ballroom with Gossling on Friday March 9. Like A Man is out now through Shock.

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Beat Magazine Page 29

JOE BATAAN & THE I LIKE IT LIKE THAT ORCHESTRA BY DAN WATT

Forget Girl Talk, forget 2ManyDjs, the New York born Joe Bataan was the original mash-up artist. Back in 1967 when he released his debut album, Gypsy Woman, Bataan took the sensibilities of soul music that was the status quo with most New Yorkers – and merged it with Latin music, which at the time was the Hispanic community’s and only the Hispanic community’s. He copped a little bit of resistance from the public but, just like the aforementioned mash-up DJs that you maybe more familiar with, what Bataan traded in and still does is fun. Bataan has a particularly compelling anecdote from 1968 that tells of his epiphany that what he was doing musically was right. “There was a boat ride party for a neighbourhood school and I guess they wanted a Latin band to play to represent all the Hispanic kids but then all the American kids were like, ‘No we want something soulful’ – they wanted Kool & The Gang. So the the decision makers were like, ‘We’ll get Joe Bataan because we’ll get a bit of both!’” Bataan’s slightly husky New York accent ﬂows like syrup with big chunks of honeycomb in it. “So we played that boat ride and I will never forget when we played The Riot Song for one hour straight and the boat was actually rocking from side to side as we did a conga line

that snaked back and forth along the boat. That was the ﬁrst and only time I have played a song for an hour straight,” explains Bataan. Bataan is particularly upbeat as he chats to your correspondent. The reason for this particularly jovial mood is simple, it’s nice weather where he is in New York. “Well today it is quite mild, we had a few days there where it was really chilly where it went down to the 20s but today we’re lucky, I think it’s about 39F (3C) so it’s comfortable,” tells Bataan as he describes the ambient temperature in New York before he asks, “What’s the temperature over there [in Australia]?” It is 28C, which converts to about 85F. When the conversion is explained to Bataan he cracks into extended warm

laughter and then sums up the topic with, “Get out of town! I love it! So I guess when we get there in March it will really be hot?” In March, Bataan is out here for WOMADelaide, the world music event in Adelaide that takes place from Friday March 9 to Sunday March 11. It is understandable why Bataan, even after over 40 years, is still super stoked about playing his music and that is because over his long fruitful career he as evolved through over ten diﬀerent genres of music. “When the boogaloo came along, Joe Bataan was there. Then I took a little trip and got into some trouble so I went back home.” Bataan is referring to some trouble with the law as back then he was involved in a street gang, but he bucked a life of crime and stayed in music. He continues, “Then I started doing Latin soul and that became big. Then I got into disco when no one was thinking about disco. Then I followed that through to the ‘80s and started doing rap music and no one thought that was going to go anywhere. They

thought I was crazy so I brought out II which was probably one of my biggest records that was mostly rap and disco!” Bataan now goes deeper into the introduction of rap music into what he was doing and explains that happened well before rap even had a name. “After the ﬁrst little interruption in my career I came back to New York and there was this new sound that nobody had a name for it. And Grandmaster Flash was right there at the start before anyone was making records like Afrika Bambataa and Zulu Nation. Grandmaster Flash was like King Kong back then as far as spinning records in clubs. He was at the forefront of the music. What he was doing and what I started doing was just so exciting back then!”

believe the kids call it a ‘mash-up’”, Lloyd says with a laugh. “We’ve heard that in some countries, an hour and a half of a capella is considered torture, so we wanted to add a little something extra,” Lloyd explains. “We wanted to do something that would be entertaining whether you’re an a capella fan or not. It’s equal parts music and comedy – there are even times during the songs when there’s something entertaining besides just the voices.” Given that the band will be performing in the land Down Under, will they be pandering to Australian audiences by adding any Aussie songs to their repertoire? “We will be pandering, but it won’t be via music,” Lloyd says. “We’ll be dressing like Kylie Minogue. To see Philip in the gold hot pants is quite a sight.” With four parts in each song but only one lead vocal, I assume that competition in The Blanks must get pretty fierce, something which Lloyd confirms. “We do actually fight over who gets to sing lead,” he says, with tongue

possibly in cheek. “Usually it’s a cage match. What we do is we have a cage called the ‘Lead Singer Cage’. We get oiled up and we jump in there and go for it. Luckily, I usually win,” he says. “I’m the bad boy of a cappella. I’m actually the brutal dictator of the group – we do not allow any recording equipment backstage or on the tour bus, so nobody can ever know what goes on behind closed doors.” In truth, Lloyd eventually admits, the process is slightly more democratic than that. “On Scrubs, because I played Ted, I usually got to do the lead,” he admits, “but when it comes to The Blanks and our live show, we do some originals and some covers, and generally, the lead depends on who has the best voice, who suits the song.”

of what we were doing. We didn’t actually have a band together when we put that song out, we just put it out for kicks. Then we put the band together and we said ‘Hang on, we know who we are now!’ and we kinda started again.” Yet another thing she has on the go is an upcoming tour with Starsailor frontman James Walsh. The tour takes in most of the Eastern seaboard and Adelaide during mid to late March, and plays The Espy in Melbourne on Friday March 23. It’s a very intimate, stripped back acoustic show, and Sarah can’t wait for it to start. “I used to tour around acoustically, almost constantly,” she remembers. “Then I stopped to do Screaming Bikini. This tour came through with Steve Walsh and I thought a) it’d be fun to play with him and b) it’d be fun to get out and play acoustically again. It’s only been a few months, but it’s always good to do a bit of this and a bit of that, and I like my

hand in lots of pies. “I really am [looking forward to it] because I like to break it up. Because I’ve been standing up playing electric guitar, it’s nice to sit down and have an acoustic guitar. Have a few wines and chit chat, and play a few songs but in a more relaxed fashion. I’ve got so many songs that it’s hard to choose every night. So every night I play something diﬀerent and run through my back catalogue. I’ve got a lot in there to choose from,” she enthuses. “It’s a very relaxed show,” she describes. “It’s like I’m sitting in my lounge room full of my friends!”

JOE BATAAN AND THE I LIKE IT LIKE THAT ORCHESTRA is playing WOMADelaide which is happening from Friday March 9 to Monday March 12 at the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide, South Australia.

THE BLANKS

BY ALASDAIR DUNCAN

“Legal. Accounting. Shipping and receiving. Online property management including pest control, night time security and non-arboreal gardening services.” This was the somewhat awkward catch-cry of The Worthless Peons, the a cappella group who roamed the halls of Sacred Heart hospital in the long-running comedy series Scrubs. Led by the hapless lawyer Ted Buckland, the group performed surreal versions of popular songs, including the themes from The Six Million Dollar Man and Speed Racer, and were often there to underscore emotional moments in the show. What many may not know is that The Worthless Peons are in fact a real-life group known as The Blanks – former college buddies who bonded over a love of music and comedy, they have been performing together for years, and will soon bring their act to Australia. Taking a pop song and arranging it into four-part harmony seems like it must take quite a bit of skill, and I ask group member Sam Lloyd – who played Ted on the show, and sings baritone in the group – how long it actually takes. “You know, it depends,” he says. “If we have to get a song together, which is what Scrubs required, we can do it in a couple of days, but if we don’t have to do it, it can take years.” The group, he tells me, are a bad combination of lazy and perfectionist. “In all the years we were together before Scrubs, we’d probably only done about three or four songs, but after getting on that show, they would call us up on Friday and say, ‘okay, you’re going to do this song and this song and some of this song’ and we’re shooting on Monday, so we’d be forced to get it together in that amount of time. Probably the fear of failure on national television is what would drive us.”

Lloyd has nothing but fond memories of Scrubs, and tells me that, from a creative perspective, the show was a dream to work on. “The creator Bill Lawrence was very encouraging,” he says. “Once you did what was written on the page, he would ask us if we had any ideas, and everybody could put their two cents in,” Lloyd says. “If it was a funny idea, he didn’t care where it came from, whether it was one of the crew people or an actor, or even a Worthless Peon. Being on the show was great fun. We would come up for our scenes, and Bill would say, ‘okay, everybody be quiet, let’s hear what The Blanks have got.’ We would sing our song, usually that we had learned the night before, and just the reaction from the cast and crew was just so great. Everyone was so positive and encouraging. It was a great, great show and a great thing to be part of.” The Blanks’ live show is a mixture of music and comedy – “I

THE BLANKS play The Forum tonight, Wednesday March 7. Tickets from Ticketmaster or the venue.

SARAH McLEOD

BY ROD WHITFIELD

It’s hard to believe, but Aussie rock act The Superjesus parted ways almost ten years ago. The various members have scattered to the four winds, and gone on to many different projects. Some high profile, some not so much. Lead singer Sarah McLeod has been exceptionally busy in the intervening time, as she explained to us recently from a rehearsal studio in Sydney. “I did one solo album and then took off and lived overseas for about five years,” she recalls. “Then I came back and just kind of started again. I was doing a lot of dance music over in New York and the UK. Then I came back here, I actually had a solo album that I was going to put out that was totally electro. But I just changed my mind. I’ve still got it, I just can’t be bothered putting it out, I’ve moved on!” she laughs. “Maybe one day!” She’s also got a brand new band together, a fiery, all-girl three-piece pop-rock outfit called Screaming Bikini, who have released one single and have an album on the way. “This is my new passion project,” she states. “This is really fun. The girls are great, we’re just a three-piece, and I’ve always wanted to play in a three-piece my whole life. It’s way more fun playing in a three-piece, because each instrument counts so much. Every time you do anything, it’s like everyone can hear it. So, as a muso it’s a really fun band to be in. The songs are really cool, we’re writing new songs, and the new material’s really crankin’. We get along well, it’s Beat Magazine Page 30

really fun. So far it’s been the funnest project I’ve ever been in. There’s been no dramas at all. There’s always dramas in rock’n’roll, but for some reason, none in this one!” “It is early days though,” she adds as an afterthought. The band’s single, Easy, is an ultra catchy little ditty, very different to the powerful rock sound put across by The Superjesus. It begged the question of what she has been inspired by since her former band’s demise, and if this is the direction she was heading in with the new project. “Such a wide, diverse range of stuff it’s almost too hard to describe,” she explains. “I get ideas from anything I listen to. The style of music is not in any kind of pocket, it’s a bit of this, bit of that. I’ll hear four bars, of anything on the radio and I’ll go, ‘yeah, I can rip that off!’ “But that song Easy is not a real indication of where the band is now,” she continues. “We don’t play it live, I might do it at an acoustic show, but we don’t do it live. Our new stuff has gone really four-on-the-floor rockin’. We put that song out in the beginning, we didn’t really have a direction

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SARAH McLEOD supports James Walsh, frontman of UK band Starsailor, on his solo tour, which takes place at The Espy on Friday March 23. Tickets are available from Oztix.

e t n a l e d A “ LATIN SPECIAL " ! o g Ami Beat Magazine’s

Alimento

HIGH TECH BURRITO High Tech Burrito is distinctive and delicious California-styled Mexican cuisine made using the freshest ingredients. Nothing is processed or rushed – their quality is their signature, and their taste stands out from other ‘Mexican grills’. They never imitate, and, unknown to most, helped start the current freshMex wave in Australia with the first gourmet burrito. Today they are an established Melbourne favourite for their authenticity and great taste. Their reputation spans 25 years in California before arriving in Australia, and millions of burritos later, they still have a commitment to the fresh way of cooking Mexican that has set them apart. Whether you are looking for something traditional, vegetarian, or gluten free, their diverse menu guarantees that there will always be a unique choice for everyone. Try their award-winning burritos – one bite and you’ll understand why High Tech Burrito really is a better way to eat fresh. They know the best tasting burritos and tacos are the ones custom made to your taste. Decide if you feel like beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or vegan/ vegetarian. Then make your choice from their extensive menu of original gourmet burritos. One of their cooks will grill or sauté your selection and season it with their fresh made salsas and unique sauces. You might prefer to design your own burrito. Choose your meat or vegan/vegetarian option, then select your favourite grilled tortilla, type of beans, rice and any of their fresh homemade salsas. Choose cilantro, fresh juicy tomatoes, or dig

into their own chunky guacamole and much, much more. If you’re really hungry, go for the ‘Godzilla’, their largest burrito with everything! They also have authentic tacos, quesadillas, salads, and nachos to suit everyone’s taste and appetite. Their food is authentic Mexican in heritage, infused with healthy Californian cuisine additions. Combining the finest local ingredients and a menu loaded with unique recipes and choices, their food is always fresh, healthy and made your way.

HOLA AMIGOS Welcome to Adelente Amigo, your introduction to the world of Latin culture. This section will open your ears, eyes and tastebuds to everything from the heat of Latin dance to the mouth-watering taste of Spanish fusion foods. With the emergence of this new and exciting community, people all over Melbourne are getting swept up in this now prevalent scene. Coming into 2012, there have never been so many Latin-influenced establishments popping up everywhere, making it increasingly easy to learn and experience a different culture. It has never been easier in Melbourne to begin to learn how to salsa or to drum to a samba beat. This feature will be your knowledge gateway into where to find all of these places and how to get involved in the Latino fever before you get left behind! Adios

Serving carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and coeliacs, they are open Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 9.30pm, and Friday – Saturday, 11am – 10pm. They’re located at 838 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, and can be reached on 9818 1482 or check them out at hightechburrito.com.au

TRIPPY TACO During my time as a surf-bum/photographer in California and Mexico during the ‘90s, I discovered the wonders of fresh Mexican street food. Upon returning to Australia, I started fangin’ for some taco goodness, but alas it was nowhere to be found. Back then, ingredients were scarce, but I managed to get my hands on some masa and black beans. One day, a few of us were hanging out in a friend’s bus in Byron Bay and we decided to have a party. I said, “I’ll make some tacos!”, and another friend said, “Let’s call it Trippy Taco!” We were all big fans of Monkey Magic, and at the time we were indulging in the Byron techno scene, so it was a double play on words. A few days later, we had a party called ‘Trippy Taco’ with lots of music and free tacos! A couple of months later, Trippy Taco embarked on its first commercial venture. We scrounged together a couple of tarps, barbeques, and Eskys, and we headed off to Earthcore in Victoria. It was a blast, but we didn’t make any money. Actually, we didn’t make any money for a few years, but we had lots of fun. After five years of bringing tacos to the punters at music festivals far and wide (Earthcore, Rainbow Serpent, Meredith, Golden Plains, FRL), Trippy Taco decided to settle down in Smith St, Collingwood. There was definitely no sign of a taco craze when we first opened, in fact, there was no other sresh Mexican style food in town. I wanted people to experience real Mexican food, and it took a few years to really gain momentum, but we’ve always had a core crew of diehard Trippy Taco fans. Five years after opening in Collingwood, the Melbourne taco craze was really beginning to

take hold. Restaurants like Mamasita exploded into the Melbourne food scene, dishing up some amazing Mexican street food, and setting a new benchmark for Mexican food in Australia. Trippy Taco Smith St was bursting at the seams, so we took the opportunity to move to our more spacious and prominent Gertrude St abode. We’ve been at Gertrude St nearly six months, and in that time, so much has happened ‘taco wise’ in Melbourne. I’m really excited about the future, and I’m looking forward to dishing out some quality tacos! Trippy Taco is located at 234 Gertrude St, Fitzroy.

Find Latin American and Spanish bars, clubs, restaurants, festivals, ﬁlms, salsa dance schools, zumba® ﬁtness, bands, performers, dancewear, dvds,travel, gig guide and so much more... Email beat@latinlover.com.au for a FREE Latinlover VIP Discount Card Receive up-to-date Latin news and go into the beat competition to win concert tickets

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e t n a l e d “A LATIN SPECIAL " ! o Amig Beat Magazine’s

LOS AMATES

Unfortunately, over the years, American-influenced ‘Mexican’ food has many people believing that traditional Mexican cuisine consists of hard shell tortillas with chilli con carne‚ and heavily seasoned sauce with all-purpose seasoning, or enchiladas with some ‘use for everything’ sauce. Luckily for us, Los Amates respects traditional Mexican culture and traditions by creating authentic food that makes you feel like you are visiting Mexico, right here in Melbourne. Los Amates’ menu features a tasty range of antojitos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, share plates, and traditional deserts, with vegetarian and kids options available. Not only do they have a huge selection of traditional food on the menu, but on the first Thursday of every month they will be holding tequila tastings, so you can enjoy the true spirit of Mexico! Los Amates has more than 60 different brands and varieties of tequila to test, which means these nights are guaranteed to be a fun learning experience, and an opportunity to get a little closer to Mexico. There are limited places available, so bookings are essential – 9417 0441. Los Amates is located at 34 Johnston St, Fitzroy.

CRUZAO AREPA THE AREPA: QUEEN OF THE VENEZUELAN TABLE From the most humble to the most fancy table, arepas are always the loyal companion to every Venezuelan meal. An arepa is a flat, unleavened patty made of cornmeal (which makes it naturally gluten-free), and can be grilled, baked or fried. In their most common form, they are grilled and then cut in the middle to act as a pocket which is then filled with a wide range of ingredients and recipes, including cheese, shredded beef, chorizo, black beans, chicken, avocado and much much more. This basic but delicious food is made at home as well as sold at areperas everywhere across Venezuela. But there is also an ‘informal market’ in which the smartest vendors take advantage of peak-hour traffic congestions to sell them over the window to drivers. Portable in form as they are, they are carried across cities and fields and consumed on buses, ledges, parks and corners. Venezuela’s largest producer of cornmeal has reported a massive 9,000,000 arepas served every day across a country that would seem unable to survive without them. The predecessor of the arepa was a staple of the TimotoCuicas, an Amerindian group that lived in the northern Andes of Venezuela. Other Amerindian tribes in the region, such as the Arawaks and the Caribs, widely consumed a form known as casabe made from cassava (yuca). With the colonisation by the Spanish, the food that would become the arepa was diffused into the rest of the region, particularly to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. The appearance of this characteristic dish goes back hundreds of years, with references from the 16th century. Its round shape is no accident; it represents a form to worship the Sun and Moon. So we can say, without a doubt, that each arepa carries within itself something more than the delicious stuffing they offer. More than a simple dish, the arepa is a cultural link between Latin American nations, as countries such as Colombia, Puerto Rico and Panama include it in their daily food. Even now in the USA, the arepa has begun to extend its presence because of the large number of Venezuelans and Latinos who live there. Arepas are not found as easily in Melbourne. Fortunately, Cruzao Arepa Bar stands in the heart of Fitzroy’s Brunswick St with a broad offer of arepas and other traditional Venezuelan dishes and drinks…not to mention the Latin rhythms pouring out of the speakers every night! Head over to 365 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy any day of the week, then, to savour a traditional Venezuelan style naturally-gluten free arepa and enjoy the fascinating repertoire of an amazing continent playing along and one of their daily live performances by local and international talent. Details of the menu and upcoming events – as well as online bookings – can be found on their website cruzao.com.au and joining their community on facebook.com/cruzaoarepabar and twitter.com/cruzaoarepabar

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adelante Amigo!"

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e t n a l e d A “ LATIN SPECIAL " ! o g Ami Beat Magazine’s

MAD MEX

Authentic, fresh and healthy Mexican food – Mad Mex combines the authentic flavours and spices of Mexico with the health-conscious cuisine of California. Choose from a range of authentic, fresh and healthy tacos, burritos, nachos and quesadillas filled with roasted, grilled and slow-cooked meats, all perfectly complemented by your favourite Mexican toppings and hand-made salsas. The Mad Mex 1-2-3 step menu is fully customisable, allowing customers to build their meal to their individual tastes or specific nutritional needs. Emphasising the healthy choices the menu offers, Mad Mex were the first Mexican food brand to launch a nutritional calculator on their website (madmex. com.au/nutrition) and mobile site (m.madmex.com. au/nutrition) that allows customers to calculate the exact nutritional value of their meal.

LATIN LOVER

Big, bold, flavoursome dishes are produced from the freshest ingredients available. Mad Mex has a passion for Mexican food and culture and seeks out premium quality cuts of meat, the freshest vegetables and imports a variety of spices, chillies and tomatillos direct from Mexico, ensuring that their salsas have a truly authentic flavour. The fully licensed venue also offers signature $9 margaritas made with 100% agave tequila, a range of local and imported cervezas (beers) and a selection of Jarritos, an imported Mexican soft drink. Kids menu and catering are available. Mad Mex can be found at Level 2, Melbourne Central and at 131 Chapel St, Windsor. Check out madmex.com.au for more info.

As editor for Australia’s most respected Latin entertainment guide, latinlover.com.au, I did not expect to be writing 10 years on – yet the Australian Latin scene just keeps on growing. The Latinlover website has undergone five major upgrades to keep up with the growing interest for Spanish and South American anything – Latin dance classes, films, festivals, concerts, clubs and restaurants. As part of our 10th birthday celebration, last year we launched nationally, covering state to state news – now you can follow your passion for Latin when you travel. Great for tourists heading here! Latin enthusiasts are an outgoing, committed bunch who will travel and plan their lives around getting a Latin fix. The most surprising statistic is that 71 percent of our subscribers have no Spanish blood at all; we are a passionate bunch! Originally, the Latin Quarters were at Johnston St, Fitzroy in Melbourne and Liverpool St in Sydney’s CBD. Today, however, Latin dance classes can be found in all suburban pockets. Some natives find the fancy studio dance moves a little over the top; whereas others throw their arms up in delight and are absolutely thrilled to see Australians embracing their culture, which in

all fairness has helped sustain and assist the growth and awareness of the scene. One other positive direct result is that more and more Australians are travelling to Latin America and Spain on holidays to experience the real deal. Thanks to Government State Art centres and independent festival producers, the biggest addition to our scene by far are the big gun international artists being brought out here to perform for us. Acts such as Los Van Van, Tito Puente Jr, Orquestra Cubanacan, Eddie Palmieri, Bebel Gilberto, Maelo Ruiz are just a few who have visited. Food lovers can also now find a variety of regional foods other than Mexican. Modern Spanish, Tapas and Arepas bars and restaurants are all on the way up. Film buffs can enjoy Brazilian, Spanish and Latin American film festivals continually throughout the year. By Editor Julie Sultana-Modica (aka de Cuba) Latin enthusiasts follow your passion for Latin all around Australia on latinlover.com.au. Subscribe to our e-newsletter on latinlover.com. au or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

JUAN LUIS GUERRA One of the world’s greatest Latin singers, Juan Luis Guerra, will bring his unique style of bachata, salsa and merengue to Australia for the first time ever for two concerts in Sydney and Melbourne in 2012. Considered the biggest selling artist from Latin America with over 30 million record sales and multiple Grammy wins across three decades, the merengue, salsa and bachata superstar will play exclusive shows in Melbourne and Sydney as part of his A Son de Guerra World Tour. The Dominican Republic native has been a major feature on the Latin music scene since rising to prominence in the ‘80s with his group 440 introducing a pop style of merengue, bachata and bolero from the heart of the Caribbean fused with an Afro-pop/Latin feel that has enchanted audiences across Latin America. Over the years his songs have taken on deeper social issues, which the 54 year old is committed to including fighting poverty and childhood disease. This has garnered Guerra wider international appeal starting with the 1991 title track from his Areito album: El Costo De La Vida’ (The Cost Of Life) that won the singer his first Grammy award for best tropical Latin song. Recent years have brought greater success for Guerra. He was nominated for five songs at the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards, winning in all five categories for his album La Llave De Mi Corazon.

The album was a classic for Juan Luis, reaching number one on the Billboard Charts and remaining there for four consecutive weeks. The album went on to win over 20 awards illustrating the popularity of the chart-topper’s music. 2010 proved to be a seminal year for Guerra winning a further three Grammys for his most recent album A Son De Guerra. He was also featured in Enrique Iglesias’ Spanish single, Cuando Me Enamoro, and appeared with Iglesias in the music video. The single spent 17 non-consecutive weeks at number one, the longest tenure at the peak position for both artists. He has performed with some of the biggest names in the music business including the Rolling Stones, Sting, Enrique Iglesias and Paul Simon. In an ode to the Latin maestro, Taboo from the band Black Eyed Peas remixed his most famous song La Llave De Mi Corazon. Guerra will bring his special brand of Latin tunes and musical family to Australia for the first time giving his Australian fans a chance to hear the maestro’s unique sound live. He plays the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on Friday April 20. For further information, please visit bravoeventsaustralia.com.au, and for tickets click onto foxtix.com.au or email info@ bravoeventsaustralia.com.au

www.latinlover.com.au - 10 year anniversary

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“Adelante Amigo!"

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e t n a l e d “A LATIN SPECIAL " ! o Amig Beat Magazine’s

MELBOURNE LATIN FESTIVAL

From April 6 – 8, the 2012 Melbourne Latin Festival is ‘a celebration of Latin Dance’, and the theme for this year is ‘a touch of BURLESQUE’ – so be ready to be entertained! Over three nights of parties, two days of workshops, 150 dancers, 30 workshops and 60 hours of fun! MLF is in its fourth year running and is one of Melbourne’s largest Latin dance events running over three evenings and two days. The event will feature daily workshops ranging from complete novice to advanced professional in a variety of Latin genres such as Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha, Flamenco, Tango and more. Featuring some of the top Latin dancers from Melbourne and all over Australia and with international stars and artists from Cuba, Italy, Brazil and New Zealand, it’s definitely an event not to be missed. Last year was a sell out so don’t wait too long to book. Come join MLF 2012 now! The evenings will comprise of nightly performances and hot after-parties with the best live Latin bands and Latin DJs Melbourne and Australia have to offer.

As well as having the main Salsa room every night, MLF2012 will also have the following different dance genre rooms: Tango Milonga Room (Friday Night) to cater for the Tango dancers, and Zouk/Bachata Room (Saturday Night) to cater for the crazy Zouk and Bachata dancers. MLF2012 are also offering a Zouk Performance Course with Zouk masters Kadu & Larissa – intermediate level. Only 20 spots available. This course is on Friday April 6 from 1pm – 5pm and there is an option to perform the routine at MLF on the Sunday evening. The course costs $220 (which includes Sunday night entry) or $450 for the course and full weekend pass.

MELBOURNE FILMOTECA

Melbourne Latin Festival 2012 is to be held over the weekend commencing Friday April 6 – Sunday April 8, 2012 at the Darebin Art Centre, Preston. Tickets start from $40. Last year was a sell out so don’t wait too long to purchase your tickets! Tickets available from melbournelatinfestival. com.au Founded in 1999, Melbourne Filmoteca was born with the idea of providing a space for people with a broad range of interests and backgrounds to learn about and appreciate, not only films and videos, but also the language, music and cultures of Spain, Portugal and Latin America. Melbourne Filmoteca is an independent, nonprofit, volunteer-run group, which holds monthly screenings every first Tuesday of the month at ACMI cinemas at Federation Square. La Filmoteca aims to share the magic of contemporary Hispanic and Portuguese cinema

LOVE TEQUILA?

with Melbourne audiences, engaging with Spanishspeaking communities through the art of cinema. In the following months, Melbourne Filmoteca will be presenting a diverse range of films, including The Red Bear (El Oso Rojo) from Argentina on April 3 and Seawards Journey (Viaje Hacia El Mar) from Uruguay on May 1. For more information, please visit our website melbournefilmoteca.org or join us on Facebook as Melbourne Filmoteca.

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Walking into Mad Mex on a Monday afternoon when beers and bands aren’t even close to being on the agenda was an alien experience for me. What do you mean, I’m sober and I’m about to eat Tex-Mex? Conceived in Sydney in 2007, Mad Mex is a restaurant designed for eating relatively healthy, Baja-style food in a hurry and getting a decent feed for under 15 bucks. Perfect for pre-drinks or a lazy weeknight dinner. The Chapel St location is decked out similarly to all the others in the franchise. Corona-bottle chandeliers, a Mexican wrestler mural, and spare, concrete-floored simplicity. Classic, easy Mexican dishes adorn the menu: burritos, soft and hard-shell tacos, quesadillas, the American staple of nachos, and churros (or Spanish donuts) for dessert. I ordered the Naked Burrito (a burrito without the tortilla that comes in a bowl filled with rice, black beans, lettuce, toppings and meat or veggies). I also got a side-order of Crispy Taco (rather than my usual quesadilla) (on the staff’s recommendation,) prompted that I could get whichever toppings I wanted since Mad Mex is like ‘the Mexican Subway’, allowing you to customise your meal to your taste. You move along the service line, choosing from slow-roasted or grilled meats marinated in Mexican spices and then choose from a variety of salads, salsas, guacamole, cheese and sour cream to complete your meal. Considering the quick pace from ordering to eating, Mad Mex is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a quick, tasty and filling meal, to respect your insides. Mad Mex can be found at Level 2, Melbourne Central and at 131 Chapel St, Windsor. Check out madmex.com.au for more info.

www.latinlover.com.au - 10 year anniversary

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“Adelante Amigo!"

SENDRA BOOTS

MÚS-ICA

The constant search for new shapes, materials and colours, coupled with a desire for growth and renewal and the passion for craftsmanship that has lasted a century have made hand-crafted Spanish Sendra Boots a key player on the international footwear scene. Sendra boots are made using both machine and hand-crafting in Almansa, Spain. This season Sentra boots are literally walking out of Yodgee Footwear stores! Why you ask? Not only do they offer the most incredible range of styles, but also the best prices. Other leading rock‘n’roll shoe brands include R.M Williams and Dr Martens. With five stores across Melbourne and Geelong you better get in quick. Yodgee Footwear is located at 204 Commercial Rd, Prahran, as well as locations across Melbourne. Phone 9510 2413 or visit yodgee.com.au for a full list of stores and more information.

With a repertoire that spans over 200 recognised genres, life in the Americas is impossible to conceive without music. From mellow tango to explosive salsa, from the riveting pan flutes of the Andes to the thundering drums of Barlovento, the musical diversity of the continent is the fuel that powers and glue that binds the well-known vibrancy of its cultures. With a fast-growing population of South and Central Americans, Latin music beats through the veins of Melbourne, sometimes evident, sometimes a bit harder to find. The cultural cross-pollination has nourished a substantial music scene in which traditional and new sounds mix to offer a range of modern rhythms with the characteristic danceable joyfulness of the Latin countries.

this is an

arepa

Although salsa has been a popular and characteristic genre for Melburnians to admire and learn, Latin music doesn't stop there. Dozens of contrasting rhythms exist in each of the continent’s countries, such as the Mexican ranchera, the Venezuelan joropo, the Colombian cumbia, the Brazilian bossa nova or the Trinidadian calypso. This mús-ica section will serve as a guide to the sounds and rhythms of Latin America, every week presenting a brief guide to the history and distinctive features of a particular genre or rhythm, with an indication of its most renowned artists as well as information of where and when, in Melbourne, you would be able to catch it being performed.

this is how it's filled

this is how it's eaten

FOR YOUR LATIN FIX! ‘SALSA IN THE CITY’ AT HILTON SOUTH WHARF One of Melbourne’s newest international hotels Hilton South Wharf has become the host venue for Salsa in the City. On the first Saturday of every month dancers of all levels and lovers of Latin rhythms converge on the very chic Sotano wine and tapas bar with its stunning city views for the kind of salsa experience where you can let your hair down and not feel self-conscious. Run by leading Salsa dance company Melbourne Salsa, Salsa in the City starts with a beginners’ dance class at 9.30pm so everyone is equipped with at least a few moves to carve up the dance floor. Before you know it, you’ll have danced the night away and be ready to experience more next week. Featuring Live Latin big bands and DJ’s, this is as authentic as it gets. Be prepared for an awesome Salsa experience! 8.30pm til 1am / $15 Entry / Dress Sexy & Sharp 2012 DATES: MAY 5/JUN 2/JUL 7/AUG 4/SEP 1/ OCT 6/NOV 3/DEC 1 Sotano - Located on the ground floor of Hilton Melbourne, 2 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf. Mel Ref:1C, C2. GPS Coordinates 29 Lorimer street. GERMÁN SILVA SHOW: Germán Silva is a well known Melbourne based Latin singer bringing his soulful and heart felt voice to Cruzao Arepa Bar. He’ll showcase a range of classic popular Latin songs as well some of his own original music. Germán has performed and worked with some of the best musicians and performers both internationally and in Australia, ranging from TV appearances to elite corporate events. Jose Antonio Rodriguez is one of the finest singers to come all the way from Cuba. He will be performing all the rhythmic and sultry sounds from Cuba and also some of the classic Salsa music that everyone enjoys dancing to. Jose has been performing all his life, learning all his skills by performing with the finest musicians and the best shows in Cuba. At Cruzao Areap Bar 365 Brunswick Street Fitzroy VIC. Wednesday March 7th – 9:00pm

SUNDAY SALSA! Sundays at the Provincial are proving to be the SALSA hotspot in Fitzroy! HOT venue, FUNKY people, Fun times... Beginner classes are held downstairs in the back bar. Intermediate classes are held upstairs. Followed by Social dancing downstairs in the back bar from 9.30pm 7.30 - 8.30 First Timers: (Suggested duration 4-6 weeks) 8.30 - 9.30 Beginner: (Suggested duration 3 months) 7.30 - 8.30 Intermediate level 1: (Suggested duration 6 months) 8.30 - 9.30 Intermediate level 2: (Suggested duration 6 months) Classes $15 or $20 for two classes on the same evening. Stay on after classes and keep dancing to the resident DJ, Social dancing from 9.30pm is FREE. For more information call us at 95312023 or email us at info@melbournesalsa.com.au The Provincial Hotel 299 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. AZUCAR LATIN THURSDAYS @ SILK ROAD Melbourne Salsa & Rocksteady Entertainment bring you the city's most unique Thursday night Latin experience at the perfect venue Silk Road. FEATURING LIVE LATIN PERCUSSIONISTS. BACHATA LESSONS 7.30pm. SALSA LESSONS 8.30pm. The party continues at 9.30pm with DJ MARK PELLEGRINI. Classes $15. General Entry $10. DRINK SPECIALS & Dress up. FREE street parking after 7.30pm. For more info 95312023 info@melbournesalsa.com.au Silk Road (Vic) - 425 Collins Street, Melbourne. Ph. 03 9614 4888

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TANGO PRACTICA’ TBs practica is space and time to work on your tango in a friendly and social environment. With both traditional and alternative tango music and 2 rooms, la practica offers the opportunity to expand and explore your tango. Teachers are also on hand to answer your questions if you get stuck practicing. Tea & coffee and nibbles provided. Time: every Thursday, 9 - 11pm Cost: $5 Tango Butterfly - 1545 High Street, Glen Iris. Ph. 0403 192 867

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Page 57

LIFELINES

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

with Christie Eliezer * Stuﬀ for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm ARIA: DIGITAL SALES UP 36.7%

BUFFALO CLUB CLOSES

SANICKI GETS THE VOICE

The Australian recorded music industry was last year worth $382.7 million, a slight 0.34% drop from the year before, according to Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) wholesale figures released last week. It’s a far cry from the $528.2 million generated in 2005. But ARIA was cheered that overall unit sales were up 20.46% to 98.1 million units. Physical sales were down 13.8%, but still accounted for $242 million. CD albums sold 20.5 million units worth $222.6 million while CD singles shifted 47, 472 copies and brought in $151,402. Vinyl albums sold 44, 876 units generating $902, 669 in revenue. As Australians embrace legitimate online services, digital sales grew in number by 36.7% to 75.5 million. Digital track sales were up by 39.2% to 66.4 million (generating $79.5 million) and digital albums up 45.9% to 4.8 million units ($46 million). Digital sales now make up 36.7% of the industry’s value, compared to 27.2% in 2010. While further growth is expected as new services as Spotify, Deezer and Rdio arrive, ARIA warned that online piracy continued to take its toll. The current industry value of $382.7 million is a drop of 27.5% on the $528.2 million generated in 2005. Overseas figures from the IFPI show that one in four consumers use illegal sites each month. Dan Rosen, ARIA CEO, said, “While as an industry we are doing all we can to embrace the digital media landscape by offering music fans more options than ever before to get their music legally online, we require urgent assistance in the fight against the negative impact of illegal online piracy. We will work in good faith with the Government and ISPs for practical progress in the coming year.” In the meantime, APRA’s CEO Brett Cottle at a keynote at Fuse Festival in Adelaide predicted 2012 will be the first year where the Oz music industry shows a rise since 2002 when wholesale sales were at $600 million. He predicted that this year, the value of digital sales will surpass that of physical. Estimates are that digital will be worth $300 million at retail with physical at $250 million. The industry could “go into another golden period” if it could combat illegal downloading, he said.

After a year of showcasing left of centre danceorientated music, the artist collective-run Buﬀalo Club has closed. Meantime, the full house was out at the last show at East Brunswick Club, with punters joining Oscar + Martin who farewelled the venue with Prince’s I Wanna Be Your Lover.

INTERNATIONAL PATHWAY RECIPIENTS

UK TICKETING SCANDAL A furore has hit the UK involving ticket reselling websites. According to TV’s Channel 4’s Dispatches in a program called The Great Ticket Scandal major promoters keep aside tickets for big name tours to be sold for inﬂated prices through such sites. Reporters went undercover and claimed sites as Viagogo and Seatwave even get employees to buy tickets to resell later. Both sides angrily denied the claims, saying employees are banned from such practices.

THINGS WE HEAR * Aussie DJ Havana Brown went to #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Chart with first single We Run The Night. Meantime DJs Minx and Alison Wonderland spun discs at EMI’s after parties at the Grammys and Brits while Coldplay, Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Tinie Tempah, Kate Perry and David Guetta danced. As a result, Minx was invited to play at the International Music Summit opening party in Ibiza alongside Guetta, Paul Oakenfold and Diplo. * Slash says he’s touring here in spring. The Slasher, along with Sam Sparro and Taio Cruz performed at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Arts last week to mark the official $700m merger of Southern Cross and Austereo. * While in Sydney, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst got a tattoo of his record label’s bird logo done. Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner got a Yokshire rose tattooed on his arm, to denote he’s from Yorkshire. He’s already got the name of Brit poet John Cooper Clarke on his arm for inspiring his lyrics. * Switchfoot cancelled the rest of Soundwave and sideshows after singer Jon Foreman split back to San Diego when his daughter was hospitalised. * Jennifer Lopez’s nipple has its own Twitter account. It was set up minutes after she had a wardrobe malfunction at the Oscars. The account has a pic of the near-pop out. Within three days, the account had 4,000 followers. An account dedicated to Angela Jolie’s leg had 15,500 in the same time. * Lamb’s remix competition drew over 600+ entries, their record label says. * At the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Sneaky Sound System’s Connie Mitchell revealed she is bisexual, “I’m quite a big fan of a little bit of both.” * To mark his 18th birthday, Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun gave him a $100,000 Fisker Karma sports car during the Ellen DeGeneres show. * Here’s something organisers of the weekend’s Playground Weekend (axed initially due to flooding but recast in venues around Sydney) or Hobart’s MSFest (crap ticket sales) could hope for. 50% of 4,500 classical music fans who bought tix for a Canberra Symphony Orchestra performance which got rained out, donated most or all of their money back to the work as the show cost $150,000 and 18 months to plan. * Asked how he’d like to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Sex Pistols’ God Save The Queen, Johnny Rotten wants a cake fight with the Queen.

Beat Magazine Page 58

QANTAS BECOMES MUSO-FRIENDLY Six months after Virgin became the preferred carrier for Australian touring musicians with a muso-friendly baggage policy, QANTAS has lurched to the front counter too. According to its website, musicians can check in an additional item of luggage for free (48 hours notice, the item can weigh up to 23kg or 32kg for QANTAS Club members), and pool luggage allowance between a band’s entourage (nine members or less). Musicians have to show proof they are a member of a music association, including AAM, AIR, APRA, AMCOS, LPA, CMAA, Live Performance or state associations as MusicNSW, QMusic or VicMusic. We hear some of these were taken by surprise by the announcement: the music industry, did after all, hold negotiations with the airline last year about making life easier for touring musos, and were told no.

TWO FREE WORKSHOPS FROM MUSIC VICTORIA Music Victoria presents two workshops for musos at Brunswick Music Festival. Held at the Mechanics Institute Performing Arts Centre on Sydney Rd Brunswick, they are free but you have to RSVP to musicvictoria.com.au. Monday March 19, 6.30pm to 9pm: ‘Meet Me On Facebook: Building and Engaging With Your Fanbase With Social Media.’ Matt Kulezsa (Rat vs Possum), Kat Cazanis (Nitty Gritty Digital) and Ben Strong (GI & Sanicki Lawyers) will discuss how to expand your fan base through social media as Google Music, SoundCloud and Facebook. Tuesday March 20, 6.30 pm to 9pm: ‘Money for Nothing: How To Manage Your Financials And Maximise Your Proﬁts.’ Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown / Lion House), Tom Harris (White Sky Music) and Serge Bolzonello (director of accounting ﬁrm Banks Group) on how to treat your band as small business, as well as income streams, bookkeeping, tour budgets, GST issues, band and business structures, insurance, and maximising tax return claims.

BAD SUMMER FOR UK FESTIVALS A bad economy, competition from the Queen’s Jubilee, Olympics and the absence of Glastonbury will mean a lean summer for British festivals. The YouGov Sixth Sense Music Festival Report revealed that half of those who attended a festival last year said they would not go this year. One third said festivals were too expensive, only 5% thought they were value for money.

Entertainment lawyer Darren Sanicki has just increased his workload. All 48 contestants on Nine Network’s new The Voice selected him to be their legal representative with respect to all contracts they are required to sign.

Recipients of the Australia Council’s International Pathway program included The Temper Trap ($20,000 towards a USA tour behind their second album); Alpine ($19,850 for a 13-date UK/US run in April), PVT ($20,000 for a UK/Euro run behind their fourth album); Geoﬀ Achison ($20,000 to attend industry events, perform and instruct guitar in the USA), Australian Art Orchestra ($20,000 for a 21-date European trek including the London Jazz Festival); DZ Deathrays ($15,632 towards visiting UK, Europe, US Canada and Japan); JOLT Sonic and Visual Arts Inc ($13,979 to visit Japan); and Wantok Musik Foundation ($13,411 towards a tour for Frank Yamma of the USA including a showcase at International Folk Alliance in Memphis). The next closing date is March 26 for tours starting after June 22.

JOHN BUTLER LAUDED BY PORT FAIRY FOLK FEST The Port Fairy Folk Festival made John Butler its 2012 Artist of the Year. It chooses its award from the year’s lineup “an individual who has made a signiﬁcant contribution to the folk music community and industry.” The festival cited his commitment to his philosophy “Art changes people. People change the world” by setting up the Seed grant with his wife Danielle Caruana.

SOUND OF MELBOURNE UP FOR AWARD Not-for-proﬁt label Sound Of Melbourne is shortlisted in the Bank of Melbourne & Herald Sun’s Local Project community Grant for its compilation of 13 unsigned acts Sampler 2011 and artwork by 24 artists. A win would give them $10,000, which would help with this year’s sampler. To vote before March 9 go to facebook.com/ BankofMelbourne. If you vote, and they get the grant, advise them on their Facebook page and get a credit on the sampler.

MUSICOZ DEADLINE APPROACHING

MORE MANAGEMENT NIELSEN

NIVE

RECORD AMOUNT OF AUSSIES HEAD TO SXSW

Alicia Moreau’s More Management signed Nive Nielsen, an Eskimo singer songwriter from Greenland. About to play SXSW, Nielsen who appeared in The New World with Colin Farrell, releases her debut album Nive Sings! in Australia this year (feat. Black Keys, Wolf Parade etc) followed by a tour.

A record amount of Aussies are heading to Austin for this year’s South by Southwest Music, Film, and Interactive Festivals and Conferences. This week the number stood at 750 – including 550 registrants, 38 bands and 14 media names. Of the 70 invited, the final band list is: Oh Mercy, Big Scary, The Black Ryder, Teeth & Tongue, The Art, Lanie Lane, Emma Louise, Luluc, Tonight Alive, Electric Jellyfish, sleepmakeswaves, Voltaire Twins, Bliss N Eso, Busby Marou, Dead Letter Circus, Pets With Pets, Twerps, Henry Wagons, Lowrider, The John Steel Singers, Gold Fields, Chet Faker, Grace Woodroofe, DZ Deathrays, Alpine, Bonfire Nights, Jonti, WIM, Bleeding Knees Club, Jordie Lane. Husky, Cassian, Pond, Flight Facilities, Matt Corby, Knife Party and Iggy Azalea. Sounds Australia (soundsaustralia.com.au) has an all-day series of concerts, and a three-unit stand in the Trade Fair which is made to resemble an Aussie backyard.

ROWLAND S. HOWARD PETITION Club promoter Nick Haines who’s leading the push to get a St. Kilda laneway named after Rowland S. Howard has set up an online petition. Go to thepetitionsite. com/1/the-rowland-showard-laneway-project/.

CHILDREN DRUMMER

COLLIDE

PARTING

WITH

Children Collide will part with drummer Ryan Caesar after their next tour. He joined in 2007, their fourth drummer since forming in 2004. Caesar explained that due to his relationship with singer Johnny McKay, “The band cannot function as it should, or continue forward at all with the current tensions, and the situation – looked at from any perspective, can only be resolved by my leaving.” Children Collide have just ﬁnished recording third album Monument at Red Door Studios with Paul ‘Woody’ Annison. It is out on April 20.

AXOLOTL SIGN WITH BLANK TAPE, NICHE Ella Thompson signed her band AXOLOTL to Melbourne based management group Blank Tape, joining a roster with Texture Like Sun, Jo Schornikow, Harmless and Kate Vigo. Cesar Rodrigues will represent them in Australia as they put the ﬁnal touches on their debut EP due mid-winter. Rodrigues directed the video for their debut single Garden Lane. AXOLOTL also have signed with booking agent Niche Productions.

NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH

The inaugural Clarkeﬁeld Music Festival is held in Clarkeﬁeld in country Victoria on Sunday March 18 to raise money to help children and their families living in poverty in Cambodia. All monies raised on the day go to building a new school for over 1000 children in the Kampong Thom province. The bill includes Kim Salmon, Nick Barker, Hope Addicts, Dead River Deeps, James McCann, Brother Johnstone, Saint Jude and Jeb Cardwell. The event, midday to 10pm, is organised by Cambodian Kids Foundation.

The deadline for entries to unsigned/indie Musicoz Awards is March 31. This year Musicoz partnered with BigPond, Facebook and YouTube for a greater “exposure platform”. The 18 categories include Artist of the Year, the APRA Songwriter’s Award, the Garth Porter Producer Award and the People’s SMS Vote Award. See musicoz.org.

SIGNS

60 SECONDS WITH…

CLARKEFIELD MUSIC FUNDRAISER FOR CAMBODIAN KIDS

Former Victorian politician (and one time arts minister) Peter Batchelor is new President of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. “He brings a strong background in public policy and governance to the Foundation,” the board said. Batchelor replaces John Martin who was with CBF for 21 years.

PETER BATCHELOR TO HEAD CBF

Born: son, Hudson James, to singer Guy Sebastian and wife Jules Egan. Ill: Jessie J blew out the Perth show of Future Music due to a “temporary illness”. Hospitalised: Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones for urgent heart surgery. Hospitalised: King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill, heart attack. In Court: Britney Spears settled a $6 million lawsuit by her ex-bodyguard who accused her of sexually harassing him and ﬂashing at him. Fernando Flores, 31, said she, ouch, seldom bathed or brushed her teeth, picked her nose and farted in public. Died: Davy Jones of ‘60s prefab band The Monkees, 66, massive heart attack in a Florida hospital. They had six Top 10 singles in the US, and three #1s Last Train to Clarksville, I’m A Believer and Daydream Believer. Died: US bluesman Louisiana Red, 79, in Germany after a few days in a coma brought on by a thyroid imbalance.

COMEDY BOOST

FESTIVAL

GETS

FUNDING

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (March 28 to April 22) received a funding boost of $75,000 from the state government, to build on last year’s record crowd of 600,000. It already provided $1.7 million for the 2011/2 period. Research undertaken by the festival shows its attendance has jumped by 26% in ﬁve years and its ticket revenue up by 32% to $12.1 million. Louise Asher, minister for Tourism and Major Events said the festival is now “the nation’s largest ticketed cultural event and one of the biggest comedy festivals in the world. Major events like this one not only help put Melbourne on both a national and international stage, they make a signiﬁcant contribution to growing Victoria’s $15.2 billion tourism industry and creating jobs.”

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So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The band’s name is Neighbourhood Youth. My name is John Philip, and I sing and play guitar. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? I ﬁnd it really hard to answer this question. We’ve been told we sound like The White Lies, The Maccabees, and TV On The Radio, but we get new comparisons all the time. What do you love about making music? We’re always trying to make music that we would enjoy listening to. It’s a huge bonus for us when other people like it as well. What do you hate about the music industry? Gimmicky music that overshadows real, talented musicians. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuﬀ, who would it be and why? Well it’s not really going back in time, but I’d love to have a sit down with Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear. He’s an awesome musician and a sweet producer, and I’d love to pick his brains and give him a back massage. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it be and why? Big Freedia... he/she scared all of us way too much at Meredith. What can a punter expect from your live show? Well, we’re pretty awful to look at, but our songs are nice I guess. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our brand new double A-side for $2, or whatever spare change people have in their pockets. When’s the gig and with who? We’re launching our single, Stone, on Thursday March 15 at the Workers Club, with our friends Private Life and The Red Lights. Anything else to add? Head to our Unearthed page, and download our songs for free. See you on the 15th!

KRYSTLE WARREN BY PATRICK EMERY

American folk-soul singer Krystle Warren is on the phone from Paris, the city in which the Kansas City-born singer now resides. Paris, like many European cities, is renowned for the support it provides musicians – a sharp contrast to the situation in the United States or, for that matter, Australia. Warren is aware of the benefits of living in Paris, but admits she’s experienced something of a “charmed existence” since moving to the city. “I got a paid flight to come over here to do some promotion, and I’ve been based here ever since,” Warren says. “I can’t say that I’ve ever experienced any bad side of being in Paris.” Warren started out playing Kansas City when she was about 16-years-old, playing in a band by the name of Plan B. When she was 22, Warren packed her bags and headed to New York City where she soon began busking on the streets and suburbs of the city. “Busking taught me how kind people can be,” Warren says. “When you’re busking you’re able to connect with a lot of people – you can form a sentimental link.” Warren soon met other performing artists in New York, as well as playing regularly in a restaurant on the lower-east side of Manhattan. Within a relatively short time, Warren was invited to record her evolving body of songs with her band, The Faculty. “I met Russell Elevado at a party and he asked us if he could record my band,” Warren says. The recording session – at New York’s famed Electric Lady studios – became Warren’s debut album, Circles. In 2008 Warren was signed by a Paris-based label, and was flown across the Atlantic to undertake promotional activity. While the journey led to Warren basing herself in Paris, the relationship with the label broke down early when Warren decided that she was in danger of losing her artistic independence. “I did feel that my control over my music was evaporating, so I left the label,” Warren says. “I ended up producing the record on my own, which allowed me to do what I wanted to do.” Warren’s music is steeped in the folk tradition, with her songs rich in narrative and imagery. Like many folk singers, Warren draws upon personal experience for many of her songs. “With the new album, I was doing a lot knitting together of old memories,” Warren says. “But other times I just let my imagination fly – so I suppose it’s a bit of both of personal experience and just my imagination.” It was another legendary folk musician, English artist Nick Drake that caused Warren to make her first journey to Australia last year as part of the Way To Blue tribute to Drake. Warren was already familiar with Drake’s musical canon when she happened to meet original Drake producer Joe Boyd at a show in London. “I was opening at the Union Chapel in London and Joe Boyd was in the audience,” Warren explains. “Later on I was talking to him, and he said he was Joe Boyd, and he was looking for another vocalist to add to the show, and he asked if I’d be involved. It was very surreal to be invited to be part of a Nick Drake tribute show by Joe Boyd!” Warren laughs. “It was great being part of the show, and when we were in Australia we were treated incredibly well – I’m hoping that I can touch on that feeling when I come back.” Warren confesses to being a “control freak” in deciding what’s right for her music; while her popularity has been steadily increasing in recent years, particularly after appearing on Jools Holland’s UK music show in 2009, Warren is very keen to maintain her own artistic direction. “I’m much too much of a control freak to let someone else tell me what to do,” she says. “I’ve never wanted to be on Top of the Pops, or to be a pop star. Music is what keeps me sane. I want to keep making my music, and I want to keep on enjoying doing that. And I also want to be able to go to Burger King when I want to!” Warren laughs. Since emerging into the public spotlight, Warren has found herself compared regularly to Nina Simone, and occasionally to Tracey Chapman and even Joan Armatrading. Warren is flattered by some comparisons; other associations seem lazy and off the mark. “It’s not frustrating when I’m compared to an artist that I actually like,” Warren says. “But I’ve never listened to Tracey Chapman. What’s frustrating is because I look the way I do, and because I have a guitar then people use a narrow frame of reference within which to describe my music.” Warren has described herself as an activist, taking a vocal public stand on various progressive causes, including promoting the political objectives of the queer community within which Warren exists. “There are so many things to focus on with my activism,” Warren laughs. “There’s the insane bunch of right-wing candidates who are fighting it out in the United States at the moment, and there’s the constant struggles in the queer culture that I’m part of.” Warren’s objective is to promote awareness; she stops short of labelling herself a protest singer. “I try to bring awareness of these causes that I’m promoting,” she says. “I’m not a torch singer at all, but I hope that I can raise people’s awareness of what’s going on.” KRYSTLE WARREN plays the Port Fairy Folk Festival, running from Friday March 9 to Monday March 12. She’s also set to play a solo show at the Toff In Town on Tuesday March 13, followed by appearances at the Mossvale Music Festival on Saturday March 17 and the Brunswick Town Hall as part of the Brunswick Music Festival on Sunday March 25. For all ticketing and information head to gaynorgrawford.com.

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Beat Magazine Page 59

JOHNNY CLEGG BY JOSHUA KLOKE

In 1988, Michael Jackson travelled to Lyon to perform for his fans in the Eastern French city. In the late ‘80s, Jackson was enjoying enormous popularity; surely a visit to Lyon would set the town ablaze and have hordes of his fans falling over each other just for a glimpse of the gloved one. But Jackson never did put on a concert in Lyon. He cancelled at the last minute. Not because of illness or security issues. In an incredibly accurate portrayal of the vanity that epitomized the ‘80s, Jackson had to cancel his concert because there was another performer in town who was a bigger draw. And that man was Johnny Clegg. Clegg was also enjoying incredible fame in the late ‘80s, but did so without any support from commercial radio, a direct contrast to the astronomical fame of Jackson. Clegg sold over two million albums in France alone in 1988, a fact which speaks to his cast popularity not just in his native South Africa, but worldwide. Combining a traditional Zulu-influenced approach with an array of other worldly influences, Clegg has always enjoyed a successful career as a performer. While Jackson may have had an elaborate stage show, Clegg has always understood the key to performing. And it’s a lesson he learnt long ago. “Aesthetically speaking, I come from a township exhibition background. My performance is very influenced by the township. And the township people say, ‘We’ve come to see your music, we haven’t come to hear your music.’ And in that tradition, regardless of the kind of music you played in the township in the ‘60s and ‘70s, you will always have a physical embodiment of the music.” “Bands will always have a team of dancers,” continues the Grammy-nominated 58-year-old from his home. “There will always be choreographed steps and something will always be happening that will be funny. You have to get the audience to laugh, or get them involved. It’s the aesthetic of sharing how the band feels the songs in their own body. It’s about what the song means to them. And as a performer and in the band, we try to bring a strong energy that’s reminiscent of those early performances.” It’s an energy that has continued throughout Clegg’s five decades as a performer, both solo and with his past groups, Savuka and Juluka. Considering the ups and downs Clegg has experienced in his career, from being banned from airplay on the state owned SABC and subsequently arrested for performing in a racially-mixed group to then being named as number 23 in a ‘Great South Africans’ program on the same network that banned him, Clegg remains remarkably jolly in conversation. “I’ve never really had a plan,” he says, when asked if his career has progressed the way he hoped it might. “I’ve just responded to circumstances around me. I’ve found myself touring Europe, touring America, touring Canada, though I’m still something of an alternative artist. I’m definitely not a musical star. My music isn’t played on any commercial radio stations in the world because it can’t be put into a package. I mix languages, I mix musical forms. I know that’s something I’ve had to deal with. But perhaps that’s why I enjoy playing live so much, because I control what I do. I’ve never really had a sense of, ‘Well, if this doesn’t happen, then I’m going to stop playing.’ Because you know, I’ve never really known what’s going to happen next.”

YOU JUST HAVE TO TOUR. PLAY TO ANY AUDIENCE YOU CAN. With 21 studio albums and four live albums under his belt, Clegg seems perfectly content to roll with the punches. He looks to his past as a sign of not only how unpredictable his career has been, but also he plans to combat that unpredictability. “What happened to me in 1988 in France was an indication of what was possible: we were the biggest selling foreign act in France throughout 1988-89, outselling Michael Jackson and Madonna, together. We sold 1.3 million copies of our ﬁrst album and 900,000 of the second in 18 months. We could have never known something like that was possible. An experience like that has proved to me that I’m never going to know what’s possible. You just have to tour. Play to any audience you can.” As Clegg continues to perform to a variety of audiences, so too will he expand on his ability to write about a variety of topics. Never one to shy away from political or controversial topics, Clegg’s approach is a truly benevolent one. He’s always appreciative of whatever success he’s granted and he’s always already to give credit where it’s due. “I write about a lot of diﬀerent subjects. I’m a broad writer. On this latest album, I’ve got a song dedicated to Ted Kennedy. He came to South Africa in 1986 and he changed a lot of people’s lives, as far as getting things passed in the Congress. It was inspiring, and he died in 2009. I saw the whole funeral, and I remembered him speaking. It was so powerful and I just felt like I had to write a song for him. Perhaps I write about issues that people wouldn’t normally put into songs.” JOHNNY CLEGG brings the Human Tour 2012 to the Palais Theatre on Saturday March 10. He also plays WOMADelaide, taking place in Botanic Park, Adelaide from Friday March 9 to Monday March 12.

Beat Magazine Page 60

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CORE

PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND GOSSIP BY EMILY KELLY: EK1984@GMAIL.COM

DESCENDENTS

CROMAGS So I’ve gotta say, Melbourne Soundwave was an absolute delight this year. Possibly because I employed my new festival technique of ensuring I arrive in the afternoon, showered, well slept and extremely caﬀeinated. It’s seriously worth missing half a day of bands when you get to arrive refreshed and not looking like a sunburnt mud-dwelling goblin from hell. As usually I felt like I was probably in the older portion of the crowd in attendance which would usually make me uncomfortable but last weekend I totally thrived on the sensation of being an old unfashionable fuck. Especially while watching Cro-Mags decimate their 30 minute set. Black Veil Brides were sound checking on the stage opposite and drawing a hefty legion of young, adoring fans, all of whom glared at Cro-Mags’ John Joseph McGowan as though their very own father was wriggling about on stage in front of them. This made me very happy. Go bask in the glory that is being a jaded old bastard who knows great music this weekend. Bomb The Music Industry are in town, Parkway Drive are rolling through regional centers, Cash No! are thrashing out NOFX’s Decline in its entirety, The Gun Runners play their ﬁrst show of 2012 and Dangerous are proving themselves in small club shows pretty much everywhere.

CRUNCH!

Japanese experimental noise rock band Boris have sold out their Corner Hotel show and have now set their sights on Northcote Social Club for a second Melbourne gig on Sunday March 25. You can grab your tickets now. Supports are still TBC. Canberra’s Hoodlum Shouts are set to release their debut album Young Man Old Man on March 28 via Poison City. Having played a collection of shows here recently, they’ll return soon for album launch dates at The Old Bar on Wednesday April 18 and Gasometer on Saturday May 5. Party Vibes are streaming their new album Legends Of Gnarlia online at their bandcamp page now. The album’s released online on April 7. See them play at Next this Thursday March 8.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre will return to Australia this May in support of their new album Aufheben. They’ll bring Danish duo The Ravonettes with them when they hit Melbourne’s Forum Theatre on May 19. Tickets are available from Thursday. Local acoustic guru Darren Gibson has revealed that he’s scored the main support on the upcoming Xavier Rudd national tour. The Follow The Sun tour includes already sold out the Forum Theatre on Wednesday March 21. Tickets are still available for a Hi-Fi show on Tuesday March 20. Tickets available now. Californian hardcore band Xibalba will tour Australia for the ﬁrst time this April. Melbourne locals Warbrain will join them on their Australian tour which hits Next on Thursday April 26 followed by Phoenix Youth Center on Friday April 27.

THURSDAY MARCH 8: Dangerous! At John Curtin Hotel Parkway Drive, Hand Of Mercy, Hopeless, Deliverance We Prey at Old Collegians Football Club, Warrnabool Closure In Moscow, Strangers, A Lonely Crowd at Karvoa Lounge, Ballarat Dropsaw, Party Vibez, Backlash, Thorns at Next FRIDAY MARCH 9: Dangerous! At The Espy Basement Bomb The Music Industry, The Smith Street Band, The Bennies, Cavalcade at The Tote The Playbook, Cash No!, Aitches, Second Chance Exit at The Bendigo Closure In Moscow, Strangers, A Lonely Crowd at Evelyn Parkway Drive, Hand Of Mercy, Hopeless at Geelong Arena Frankenbok at The Prague Skyway at The Castle, Dandenong SATURDAY MARCH 10: Dangerous! At The National Hotel, Geelong Bomb The Music Industry, The Smith Street Band at Disgraceland Coerce, The Burning Sea, Heirs, Gatherer at John Curtin Trapped Under Ice, 50 Lions, Hopeless, Shinto Katana, In Trenches, Dropsaw, Anchor, Relentless, Phantoms and more at TLC, Bayswater Midnight Woolf, La Bastard, Poison Oak at The Old Bar Closure In Moscow, Strangers, A Lonely Crowd, Cast Iron Pinata at The Bended Elbow, Geelong Your Demise, Kill The Matador, Backyard Surgeons at The Place, Preston Frankenbok at Barwon Club, Geelong Skyway at Musicman Megastore, Bendigo Streams Of Whiskey, Joe McGuigan at The Bendigo Shinto Katana, Bury The Fallen, Your World In Ruins at Bang SUNDAY MARCH 11: Trapped Under Ice, Relentless, Phantoms, Outsiders Code at Corner Hotel The Gun Runners, Your Demise, Fireﬁght, Backyard Surgeons at Brunswick Hotel Anchor at National Hotel, Geelong Frankenbok at Cherry Bar The Tearaways, The Jacks, Australian Kingswood Factory at The Tote Defamer, Denouncement Pyre, God Send Death, Order Of Orias and more at The Bendigo Monday March 12: Push Over Festival

METAL, HEAVY ROCK, CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHIT WITH PETER HODGSON: CRUNCHCOLUMN@GMAIL.COM

Phew! Everyone recover from Soundwave? Catch any sidewaves? I saw Trivium and Slipknot at Rod Laver, and Meshuggah and Devin Townsend at the Forum. Fucking amazing. And check out the last page in this issue for my Soundwave review. What were your highlights? Who did you see that I didn’t? Spewing that I had to miss Cathedral, Kvelertak and Gojira. Email your thoughts to crunchcolumn@gmail.com

HOODLUM SHOUTS Speaking of Canberra-aﬃliated bands, Hoodlum Shouts will release their debut album, Young Man Old Man, on local label Poison City Records/ HelloSquare on March 28. Recorded by Matt Voigt (Dirty Three, Midnight Oil, The Nation Blue), they combine bold simplicity and lush melodies with the perfect balance of melancholy and optimism. Their previous release was the 2009 EP Horses and Human Hands.

ALCHEMIST, ALARUM MEMBERS SURFACE IN THE LEVITATION HEX Check out The Levitation Hex from Canberra. This band features Adam Agius (ex Alchemist), Mark Palfreyman (Alarum), Ben Hocking (Aeon of Horus) and Scott Young (ex Alarum). They have a bunch of songs at soundcloud.com/levitationhex and they kick ass. Heavy songs, interesting production, intricate arrangements, elements of prog and psychedelia thrown in. Very cool.

STEEL PANTHER TO RETURN? How about Steel Panther, huh? By all reports they laid waste pretty much to all of Australia while they were here for Soundwave. I had a chat with singer Michael Starr (did you know he used to sing for LA Guns under his real name, Ralph Saenz? Yeah, you probably did) and he said the band will deﬁnitely be back later this year.

DEVIN TOWNSEND GETS EPIC If you caught my Devin Townsend interview recently you’d know his next project is a big heavy rock album called Epicloud. Well last week Devin revealed that he’ll record it here in Australia right after Soundwave. The tracking sessions will take place in Perth. This won’t be Devy’s ﬁrst Aussie recording project – Strapping Young Lad’s No Sleep Til Bedtime live album was recorded in Melbourne at the Hi-Fi. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

GIG ALERT: BABY ANIMALS The Baby Animals are currently working on a new album – their ﬁrst studio album of new material since 1993’s Shaved & Dangerous and only their third studio album overall. They have a few Melbourne dates coming up: The York on Lilydale on Thursday March 8, TRAK Nightclub on Friday March 9 and the Chelsea Heights Hotel on Saturday March 10. Suze DeMarchi still possesses one of the greatest voices in rock. By the way, check out her 1999 solo album Telelove, produced by her husband Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme. It’s criminally overlooked.

ROADRUNNER SUFFER

SIGNS

MAKE

THEM

Roadrunner Records Australia has just signed Perth deathcore/black metal hybrid Make Them Suffer. The band came to Roadrunner’s attention via the Sign Me To site, where unsigned bands can have their music reviewed by fans, peers and Roadrunner staff. Their EP Lord Of Woe no doubt helped too. The band combines extreme metal, neo-classical strings, dark piano lines, razor sharp riffing, crazy blast beats and roaring vocals. And they can pull it off live. The album, Neverbloom, was engineered by Roland Lim (Birds Of Tokyo), who also produced Lord Of Woe. it’s released on May 25.

RIP RONNIE MONTROSE Sad to hear about the death of guitarist Ronnie Montrose, a legend whose early Montrose albums launched the career of one Mr. Sammy Hagar. Ronnie also played with Van Morrison, and that’s him on Gary Wright’s Dream Weaver. Montrose was battling prostate cancer at the time of his death. A statement on his site read: “A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose’s 64th birthday. He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, ﬁlled with joy and hardship, he didn’t take any of our love for granted. He passed today. He’d battled cancer, and staved oﬀ old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we’re glad to have shared with him while we could.” Beat Magazine Page 61

MUSIC NEWS

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Q&A

PIETA BROWN & THE SAWDUST BOYS

Deﬁne your genre in ﬁve words or less: Prairie stomp. So, someone is walking past as you guys are playing, they then go get a beer and tell their friend about you... what do they say? "Wow! Pieta Brown really has her own sound!"

LOVE CONNECTION

How long have you been gigging and writing? I've been gigging for ten years...writing in my notebook and making up songs since I can remember. What has been your favourite gig you’ve played to date? I'm never good at favourites but singing a duet with John Prine was a recent highlight Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? Lucie Thorne What inspires or has inﬂuenced your music the most? Songwriting for me is a natural response to the world. I love music and grew up around a lot of music so it is a natural creative response to everything, really. Anything can inﬂuence me on a given day. I'm especially inspired by music – of many kinds and songs from many genres – because that’s what makes sense to me and sense of the world. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? They have to really love what they do...success so often seems to be measured by money or notoriety which really has nothing to do with music...I feel successful because I love what I do and I've been paying my bills, and in doing so have connected with a lot of other people who make and/or love

music. I reckon it takes a lot of drive and creativity, which I think many musicians and bands have! Do you have any record releases to date? What? Where can I get it? Yes, you can get Mercury and One and All from Vitamin records in Australia or visit pietabrown.com. Why should everyone come and see you play? Prairie Stomp Live! I'm bringing songs and sounds from the underground of the United States. The Sawdust Boys are a new addition to my songs and sound and so everyone who is there will be a part of a fresh collaboration. Bring your tamborines! When are you playing live/releasing your album/ EP/single/etc? I play at the Port Fairy Folk Festival from Friday March 9 – Monday March 12, Bella Union on Tuesday March 13 and Caravan Music Club in Oakleigh as part of the Carnival Of Suburbia on Wednesday March 14 from 8pm with Lucie Thorne.

Love Connection re-emerge from the recordmaking wilderness to play two special album preview shows at Bar Open, Thursday March 15 and Friday 16. In their ﬁrst headline shows since returning from NYC in October, Love Connection undertake two shows back-to-back at Bar Open, playing tracks from their new album Euphoria as well as tracks you already know and love plus some brand new tunes. Thursday night features Love Connection, label-mates Pageants, and Angel Eyes, and Friday features Bum Creek, and the excellent Crumbs. Doors from 9pm and both shows are free.

JAMES WALSH In what guarantees to be a series of incredible shows Sarah McLeod will now join James Walsh, frontman of critically acclaimed UK Band Starsailor on his upcoming March tour of Australia. Sarah has been one busy woman over the last few years, and is currently focusing on her rock band Screaming Bikini. After touring extensively with The Superjesus for so long she decided she wanted to try some different projects. She has been all round the world five times over writing songs for lots of different artists and in the process gaining international chart success. Both Sarah McLeod and James Walsh play The Espy on Friday March 23. Tickets are only $30+bf, available from Oztix.

CLARKEFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL The first annual Clarkefield Music Festival will see some of Australia’s finest musicians join forces for a common cause, as they raise money to help assist children and their families living in poverty in Cambodia. All money raised on the day will go directly to building a new school for over one thousand children in the Kampong Thom province of Cambodia. The Festival will feature renowned musicians Kim Salmon, Nick Barker, Matt Green Band, Hope Addicts, Dead River Deeps, James McCann, Brother Johnstone, Saint Jude and Jeb Cardwell. The Clarkefield Festival is happening on Sunday March 18 with tickets just $20 and available on the door. For more information head to clarkefieldmusicfestival.com.

CHRIS RUSSELL'S CHICKEN WALK For two and a half years, Chicken Walk was just Chris, playing solo and electric. Doing this meant he could travel light and cheap, making a bigger name for himself in Mississippi than he did in Melbourne. Chris was joined by Dean Muller on drums in December 2011 to create a two piece that sound like a full band. With Dean, the Chicken Walk sounds fills the room with hypnotic boogie that aims to bypass the mind and head straight for your ass. Endless, droning, head nodding blues, North Mississippi Hill Country style. Before he heads off for his annual pilgrimage to Mississippi, Chris plays four special Saturday afternoons in the front bar of The Tote Hotel for free in March. Some shows will be solo, some will be duo, some will have special guests. You'll have to come each week to find out.

SARAH CHADWICK The Old Faithfuls and Michael Elijah are supporting Sarah Chadwick at the Old Bar on Tuesday March 13. Live music starts at 8pm with the Old Faithfuls playing ﬁrst and getting the ball rolling with their beautiful-sad jangly folk-psych type thing. Followed by Michael Elijah playing and singing a solo set of, moody space-folk/garage-blues, depressive-doowop, no-wave, electric-greaser-surf-rock. Finally the audience gets treated to a solo set from the astonishing Sarah Chadwick (Batrider). Without fail Sarah always seems to be doing something real and sincere with her guitar and voice. Raw truthful songs delivered honestly, beautifully and powerfully.

GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE The Old Bar is pleased as punch to have Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side play their ﬁrst gig at The Oldie, seeing as their last album is one of the favourites at the bar. Also on the bill are Strangers From Now On playing a return show after touring around the globe and a new band from Gareth Eunson who just generally makes great music. This Friday March 9, 8.30pm at The Old Bar. Beat Magazine Page 62

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So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The Checks, I’m Sven and I play guitar. What do you reckon people will say you sound like? With Deadly Summer Sway, our new album, people say that we sound like The Stone Roses, music from a David Lynch Film, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Doors, The Beach Boys. I hope that people will say they can sing, dance and trip out to it. What do you love about making music? I love all things to do with making music. I’m a total believe in the transcendental nature of music. I think it can take to places you could never reach talking or watching a film or looking at photographs because it allows for your own imagination to enter. What do you hate about the music industry? Well right now there is this really sad thing where we are being force fed this really juvenile tripe in popular music. So as a result, music listeners have a really short attention span and have no space left to dream inside of it. These days you pay your money, get splashed in the ear, then get back on your phone. I love old pop music like Elvis, Roy Orbison and the Beatles. I just feel like the most popular music isn’t the best. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Jim Morrison, because I think he’d totally get it. Roy Orbison, so I could ask him to sing some harmonies. John Lee Hooker to ask him if the groove was hard enough. Biggie to ask him if he’d want to rap on a remix. What can a punter expect from your live show? Five dudes just really busting some seriously funky tripped fucked up shit loud. We all love playing live and treat songs totally differently to how we have recorded them so every night they have a life of their own. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? We have three albums Hunting Whales, Alice By The Moon and our new one Deadly Summer Sway. When’s the gig and with who? This Friday March 9 at Cherry Bar with Guests Of Ghosts and Wildcat General Strike. Doors are at 8pm and tickets are $10+bf presale from gobookem. com or $13 on the door. Anything else to add? We’re very much looking forward coming over to Australia and smashing our new material. We have some real funky new tunes to play for you and our jams recently have been chainless so I can’t wait.

THE BLUEBOTTLES In the autumn of 2011 Michael Hubbard (lead guitar) enlisted the help of friends Richard Bradbeer (bass), Jim Laurie (drums) and his little brother Joe Hubbard (rhythm guitar/keys) to bring to life a vision he'd had for a long time; a rockin' guitar based, instrumental group inspired by the Pre-Beatles rock music of the '60s. No strangers to the Melbourne music scene, The Bluebottles is comprised of members of Eagle And The Worm, Downhills Home and The Greasers to name but a few. Get yourself to The Old Bar every Wednesday in March to catch the Bluebottles show and see what all the fuss is about. 8pm, free entry.

THNKR Exploding their lush blend of jangly indie rock and dark, tribal synth based energies into Melbourne’s live scene, THNKR (said Thinker) have started to expand their sounds across Melbourne’s night sky. Born and raised at different ends of the country, the five-piece tightened their expansive tastes into a unique sound in Melbourne last year. March will bring three exciting shows from THNKR at the Toff In Town, bringing with them a range of other Melbourne acts. Monday March 12 get along to see them play with The Universal for just $5 from 7.30pm.

CARNIVAL OF SUBURBIA Emerging out of the so-called cultural 'wastelands' of the south back in March 2010, Carnival Of Suburbia has risen like a flower in the desert to firmly establish itself as an iconic annual event in celebration of Melbourne’s suburban soul and culture. The world class program of events includes the UK’s harmonious alt-country fivepiece, Ahab on Wednesday March 14; legend of the New York folk scene, Judy Collins on Thursday March 15, and on Saturday March 17 founding member of both The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers and widely recognised originator of American country rock, Chris Hillman, performing alongside Californian banjo player and guitarist Herb Pedersen. Carnival Of Suburbia will take place from Thursday March 8 until Sunday March 18 at the Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh.

THE BON SCOTTS THE SIDETRACKED FIASCO Sydney-based funk-core band The SideTracked Fiasco will release their second EP entitled Enter The Motivational Sasquatch on Friday March 9. To celebrate the release, the band are hitting venues along the East Coast of Australia and Melburnians can catch them at the Brunswick Hotel on Friday April 20.

THE PIGS The Pigs sold out all three of their concerts at the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2012. On Thursday March 8, en route to Port Fairy Folk Festival, they play Melbourne's Thornbury Theatre, headlining a mouth-watering triple bill with The Beez (Germany) and Mustered Courage (Melbourne). Tickets are $15+bf presale, $20 on the door, or $55 for dinner and a show.

DIRTY YORK As a follow-up to their acclaimed 2009 debut release Waiting On St George, popular Melbourne rock band Dirty York has delivered what many have already touted as a triumph in the face of adversity. It's hardly what you'd normally expect from an independent Australian band. They play at the Labour In Vain this Sunday March 11 from 5pm.

CHERRY BAR Another massive Labour Day week of music at Cherry Bar people. Kicking oﬀ tonight are Bunny Monroe, the arse-kicking rock girl band made up of babes from Cherry, what's not to love? Thursday night sees The Perfections, led by Christina Arnold, take the stage for some garage, R&B and soul for the small price of $10, bargain. Friday March 9 get your long weekend started with blues driven high energy NZ rock outﬁt The Checks, with Guest Of Ghosts (EP Launch) and Wildcat General Strike. Saturday March 10 the good times continue when Melbourne alt-indie-rock band Happy Endings play with special guests The Fighting and Amber Veil. Both shows are $13 at the door. Then Cherry Bar presents a big night of rock'n'roll this Sunday March 11, Labour Day Eve, featuring Left Feels Right (EP launch), Frankenbok, Empra, That Gold Street Sound, Zombonimo and The Sinners for only $13 at the door. Doors open from 7pm.

Melbourne septet The Bon Scotts play a unique brand of folk-pop full of sarcastic rebellions, sweet melodies, arresting percussion, resonant catch-cries and sing-along choruses. Theirs is an infectious blend of playful cynicism and youthful fancy, laced with irony and hype, unconventional hooks and a distinct, eclectic sound that has won over audiences nationwide. Catch the launch of their new single Let's Do What the Catholic's Do at The Toﬀ on Saturday March 10 with very special guests, Tessa And The Typecast and Yeo. Tickets $12 from Moshtix or $15 on the door from 8pm.

THE SCATTER SCATTER TROPICAL DISCOTHEQUE The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra present The Scatter Scatter Tropical Discotheque. DJ Manchild and The Public Opinion Sound System are back to bring you another dose of heavy African funk, deep island disco, ﬁery Colombian salsa and psychedelic Cumbia records. Featuring live percussion, vocals and dance they get the dance ﬂoor heaving, no doubt. Joining them will be DJs Saca La Mois DJ! (Cumbia Cosmonauts), Mel (Uruguay) and Manchild. Tickets $10 only on the door. See one, see all on Friday March 9 in the Grace Darling Cellar.

TIM HART Although he spent the majority of 2011 touring with Boy & Bear, Sydney singer-songwriter Tim Hart managed to write an album’s worth of material on the road, and now plans to introduce his folk tales to audiences throughout the month of March. The Architects Tour will see Tim stepping away from the drum kit and grabbing a guitar as he travels along the East Coast with friends Patrick James and Luke Thompson (NZ). See Tim Hart play the Grace Darling on Friday March 9. Tickets are $12 pre-sale via Moshtix or $15 on the door.

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LA BASTARD Fresh off the back of their overwhelming debut album launch early February, which saw a line out the door to the end of the block, and an equally packed Retreat Hotel, La Bastard are about to show you why they are quickly becoming the 'band to watch' around Melbourne right now. With an interactive live show where bar staff, audience members and even other bands are never off limits, La Bastard have been known to take over the bar, nearby tables and even the dance floor as audience members are encouraged to 'shake their money maker' on stage. If you're not making it to Golden Plains, Midnight Woolf, La Bastard and Poison Oak aim to tear the walls down at the Old Bar this Saturday March 10, giving you three good reasons to not feel sorry for yourself.

THE INDIAN SKIES The Indian Skies are a psychedelic rock band from Ballarat, which was founded by brothers Samm and Mitch Beulke in 2007 and is heavily inﬂuenced by psychedelic music from the '60s. The Indian Skies are a band that loves playing live and getting into the studio and so far have released three fulllength albums to date. Supported by an incredible psychedelic line up this Friday March 9 in Noise Bar's Back Lounge from 8pm. $7 entry.

THE M-HUMM Brisbane psychedelic noise poppers, The M-Humm have just released their new single titled Eynoc Ist Bunt Tl. The seven minute psychedelic space opera is as grand and intriguing as its title and description. The group play live as a collective using a revolving door of talented Brisbane musicians with the ensemble having only one permanent member. This Friday March 9 at Noise Bar, The M-humm will be bringing the controversy of their early live performances coupled with home made confetti cannons, seizure inducing strobe lights, live art through overhead projectors and other tricks and surprises. Joining them are The Indian Skies, Michael Shaun, Napoleon in Rags and the Electric Sunkings. $7 entry from 8pm.

PEARLS Pearls invite you to join them as they lay bare their smoke-ﬁlled love drones at Bar Open. This will be your last chance to catch the bawl-room howls of Pearls before they go into hibernation for some months, not returning until they have one of the year's most anticipated debut albums in hand. For the occasion they’ve called on the darlings of psych-pop Milk Teddy to come along. Also, in a ﬁrst for the year, The Ancients will greet audiences with a refurbished line up and a swathe of new material. It’s free to boot. Doors at 9pm this Thursday March 8.

DALLAS FRASCA Dallas Frasca have announced a national tour to celebrate the release of the ﬁrst single, All My Love, from the forthcoming album Sound Painter. Dallas Frasca is a hard working independent juggernaut who, with her band and this yet to be released album, is carving her own path, both here in Australia and internationally. She has stormed the stages at countless major festivals (Big Day Out, Falls, Bluesfest, Pyramid Rock, Festival Of The Sun, Queenscliﬀ, Southbound, and major French festival – Blues Passion Cognac). So don't miss out when the extremely talented Dallas and her band play her hometown at the Northcote Social Club on Friday March 9. Doors open 8pm with special guests King of the North & Rick Steward.

FRIGG Prepare yourself for a feast of fiddles. The band Frigg is at the crest of this new wave, full of fresh ideas and taking the next leap forward for Finnish fiddle music. Frigg are regarded as one of Scandinavia's leading folk acts and are bringing their brand of Nordic flavoured roots to Thornbury Theatre on Wednesday March 14. Get set for an onslaught of five fiddles, double bass, bagpipes and mandolin and some of the best music from the darker side of the globe. Supported by two of Melbourne's most respected and loved violin based acts The Twoks and Oh Pep, this is set to be one of the most fantastic nights of fiddling Melbourne has ever witnessed. Tickets are $14+bf presale, $20 on the door if available and $54 for dinner and a show.

HOWLIN' STEAM TRAIN Howlin' Steam Train are gearing up for a massive month in March. The lads have been sharpening up their live show and they'll be unleashing an onslaught of rocking boogie music every Sunday night in March at The Old Bar including this Sunday March 11. With a public holiday the next day you have no excuse for heading down to The Oldie and catching them in the infamous Sunday residency slot. Support from Rattlin' Bones Blackwood and The Bonnie Doons.

CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS Steamrolling into 2012 on the back of regional tours, capital city showstoppers and the pick of the summer festivals, the Cash Savage bandwagon rolls back into Melbourne to play their ﬁrst headlining show of the new year at the Famous Spiegeltent. Cash Savage And The Last Drinks will perform live at the famous Spiegeltent on Monday March 19 from 7pm. Tickets are $25 and are available from spiegel.artscentremelbourne.com.au. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

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THE SUNSLEEPERS On Sunday March 11 the Evelyn Hotel plays host to a Labour Day weekend indie party. The night will feature an array of ﬁne Melbourne indie acts and a DJ. Featured on the night are The Sunsleepers who have been busy gigging, appearing in online blogs and touring their latest EP The Smoke Before The Fire which will be sold on the night. Their groundbreaking indie rock vehemence combined with smooth pop sensibilities and fun indie vibes is sure to have you in a rapturous groove. Supporting The Sunsleepers and sending arresting and beguiling tunes into the Evelyn band room will be old school vinyl spinner DJ Dajarra, and indie-rock n'rollers Quince and War In Arcadia. See one, see all this Sunday March 11 at the Evelyn from 8.30pm.

EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS El Moth has been playin' around and about Melbourne town since around 2009. Anywhere from parks and gardens, backyards and warehouses, pubs and clubs, street parties and festivals. The band got tired of the police shutting them down when they'd only just started playing so ﬁgured they should start a band and play at places that they can legally make a shitload of noise without worrying about being arrested. So far it's going well and their funky reggae rock tunes should get you moving. Go check 'em out on Tuesday March 13 at the Evelyn Hotel from 9pm.

BITTER SWEET KICKS Bitter Sweet Kicks are a band spawned from the dirty sunshine gutter of St. Kilda and they have been working hard around Melbourne's most well known pubs and venues ever since. Raw, splintering riﬀs, catchy as hell bass lines, belting drums and howling vocals come together in a mixture of ‘proto punk’ and old school bluesy rock to create a uniquely powerful sound that can only be described as real. The Bitter Sweet Kicks will be playing Thursdays at Yah Yah's in March with special guests each week, kicking oﬀ with The Council and Kills Collapse this Thursday March 8.

KRETCH Kretch is a genetic mutation, a Tourettes syndrome of rock‘n’roll. It is a band that exercises total emotion and reason, but has a complete disregard for occupational health and safety. Kretch has its origins in Yugoslavia, but is based in Melbourne. And no wonder: the quartet’s blistering punk'n'roll has that Australian dissonance, that down under urge to fuck something up until it takes on a culturally speciﬁc life of its own. After a year of moose hunting, breast feeding and choir singing, Kretch is back from Barbieland for a one night only reunion show in the 2am late show at Pony on Saturday March 10. Free.

WORKINGHORSE IRONS What better way to celebrate Labour Day eve than with a night of punk rock, rockabilly and psychobilly headlined by Pony favourites the Workinghorse Irons. They've taken the best attributes from the rockabilly scene, and smashed it together with their roots in the psychobilly genre to provide Melbourne with a punkinfused energetic live show. Workinghorse Irons will be ably supported by 4Tress, who bring rock/punk rockin' guitar licks and solos performed with bundles of energy and an all girl front line. Also on board are The Bombardiers who play alternative punk/rock with inﬂuence from The Living End, Stray Cats and The Cure. And kicking things oﬀ are hard rockers Push To Twist and rockabilly/punk band The Road Ratz. Get down to Pony on Sunday March 11 to see Workinghorse Irons and friends. Thank God nobody has to go to work on Monday. Doors open 8.30pm.

FALLOE Fresh from their explosive performance at the St. Kilda Festival, Falloe have just announced their long-awaited album launch at The John Curtin Hotel on Saturday March 24. The self-titled album includes their stunning single Science Of The Heart, which features an accompanying ﬁlm clip that was directed by Natasha Pincus, the creator of the much lauded clip for Gotye’s song Somebody That I Used To Know.

MEXICAN PARTY After three massive gigs in February The Kilniks are ready for their ﬁrst headliner of the year! To celebrate this occasion it only makes sense to throw a massive Mexican Party with Noise Bar. There’ll be $5 tequila shots between 8pm and 10pm and $9 margaritas all night to wet your Mexican mos. Feast on $5 plates of nachos while compadres The Kilniks, Rosencrants, Emanuel Ciccolini’s Tex Mex Takeout and Champagne Reggae perform live and DJ Mason Maddy spins ﬁesta beats ‘til late at Noise Bar this Saturday March 10. $5 entry, doors at 6pm.

DAY DREAM Those needing a hard dance ﬁx should head down to Noise Bar where the new party Day Dream is running a marathon for a whole 18 hours with over 40 DJs spinning over two rooms. With four interstate headliners this is deﬁnitely a party not to be missed, expect true old skool rave feel mixed with block rockin' beats. It starts at 11am this Sunday March 11, $20 entry.

DAVE FAZZA AND RAUL SANCHEZ If you’re sick of sitting at home logged on to the web, playing with yourself or your lover, listening to the doom and gloom coming forth from the news, and the eminent demise of all that is good and beautiful in our world, consider instead going to catch a couple of blokes playing a bunch of cool tunes. Ranging from originals, to covers of Rowland S. Howard, Neil Young and Hole – head along and grab a drink or a meal and sit back at the Retreat front bar tonight from 8.30pm. No acoustics, all electrics. Entry is free.

WOLFPACK Wolfpack is the new beast for three out of four members of Australian rock favourites Sin City and by all reports they are killing it. Just announced as support for UK punk stalwarts The Exploited at their Melbourne show and already having toured with internationals The Business (UK), The Casualties (US) and Guttermouth (US) in only ﬁve months of gigging, Wolfpack will be raising the roof at The Retreat before hitting the road up to Sydney to take part in the ﬁrst ever NSW Community Cup with Frenzal Rhomb and Front End Loader. Don’t miss their dynamite show when Wolfpack unleash the fury with fellow head-turners and the very, very rocking Australian Kingswood Factory for free from 9pm on Saturday March 10 at The Retreat Hotel.

SEAN KERSHAW & THE NEW JACK RAMBLERS This Saturday March 10, Sean Kershaw & The New Jack Ramblers bring hi-octane honky-tonk to The Retreat Hotel straight outta Brooklyn, NYC. Two sets in the front bar from 7.30pm and entry is, as always, free.

FORCES Forces have built a vehicle for the exploration of captivity and paradise. Their hypnotic industrial dance has received a lot of attention both locally and internationally since their emergence last year. From supporting Gang Gang Dance and playing the forests of Camp A Low Hum Festival in New Zealand to dueling with Kirin J. Callinan in one of Sydney's underground boxing rings, Forces have delivered. Melbourne-based dark synth label Nihilistic Orbs is proud to present Forces debut 7' inch single Idolize. To celebrate, Bad Blood is hosting a launch party at The Liberty Social this Friday March 9. Support comes from label mate Asps (Andrea of Chrome Dome's Solo project) and Awsome Wales DJ set. Doors open at 10pm.

DAYDREAM ARCADE In less than 18 months since first establishing themselves, Daydream Arcade have knocked up some of Melbourne's most iconic music venues and festivals, including Moomba, and the Darebin Community and Kite Festival. Daydream Arcade are also stoked to be performing at Push Over in March, for the Push Start’s Battle of the Bands grand final. Plus, the band is about to kick off a residency every Wednesday night in March, at the iconic Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy. Boasting an infectious energy and catchy tunes, these four weeks are not to be missed.

THE SEACATS Come down to the Evelyn on Thursday March 8 to witness the unveiling of The Seacats' ﬁrst ever EP. The dirty folk group have been working on these recordings for over two years, and now give you the opportunity to put them in your pocket for keeps. Catch them from 8.30pm at the Evelyn with support from The Fletcher, The Old Faithfuls & Emily Shobbrook.

CLOSURE IN MOSCOW Hot on the heels of supporting My Chemical Romance on arena stages, Closure In Moscow (CIM) are back with a new single titled The Impeccable Beast, produced by Wayne 'Lotek' Bennett and mixed-mastered by Forrester Savell. So join them on The Impeccable Beast Tour at the The Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Thursday March 8, the Evelyn Hotel on Friday March 9 and The Bended Elbow in Geelong on Saturday March 10. Support comes from Strangers and A Lonely Crowd.

THE STU THOMAS PARADOX Duck! The Stu Thomas Paradox is in full ﬂight for two whole sets of celestial jammination. Audiences agree the STP have taken a recent left turn into the Madlands. This is a good thing. A real good thing. God only knows what aural gold will transpire on the night and goddamn, if it isn't free to walk right in. It's a onenight only thing at Penny Black on Friday March 9. Oh yeah – it's also the launch of their new T-shirt.

TRACY MCNEIL Canadian alt-country artist Tracy McNeil is one of Melbourne’s ﬁnest imports. In 2011 she released her critically acclaimed sophomore album Fire From Burning. After a sold out launch, mid-coast tour and a trip overseas to get hitched, McNeil and her band are ready to get back to basics and play some great live shows. With a sound that blends alt-country with rock, anchored by pop hooks that keep you wanting more, McNeil stands alone. Tracy McNeil and band play two sets in the Retreat front bar Sunday March 11 from 7.30pm. Beat Magazine Page 64

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CHEAP FAKES Fresh Bread Music is proud to announce the launch of Cheap Fakes highly anticipated sophomore album Hand Me Downs. Cheap Fakes have been touring relentlessly with their debut album Stones And Sticks since late 2010 and can’t wait to bring their new and improved live set to Bar Open for the ﬁrst time on Friday March 9. Melbourne's own Spy Porn Funksters, Ultravibralux will be joining the lineup so be sure to bring your dancing shoes and put on your best funk face! Catch Cheap Fakes at Bar Open this Friday March 9. Doors from 10pm. Free entry.

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RAINBIRD Melbourne prog-rockers Rainbird are returning to the Evelyn in March for another round of psychedelic beauty, mad riﬀ-ology and all round electric good times. With inﬂuences as wide reaching as Led Zeppelin to Opeth, Tool to The Doors, Rainbird have become known for their eclectic sounds and energetic live shows. With local bands Flounder and Signals In Silence in support, this is gearing up to be a great night for all. Catch Rainbird on Saturday March 10 from 9pm at the Evelyn Hotel.

STREET FANGS Melbourne’s three-piece hard rock juggernauts Street Fangs are back and ready to kick 2012 into sixth gear with their second headline show for the year. After a productive 2011 where they recorded and released two E’s, they are now working on their ﬁrst feature length album using their distinct method of combining classic rock with raw fast upbeat grunge. Graft Vs Host will be sharing the stage and tearing out some of their punk classics that they are well known for. Master _Beta are also along for the ride with their straight out, no-hold-back rock'n'roll attitude that cements them as one of Melbourne’s loudest rock bands. If you dig hard rock and punk get yourself down to Pony for the show this Thursday March 8. Doors from 8.30pm.

COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY Sunday is Labour Day Eve which means ye olde pub The Retreat will be cooking 'til 3am. It’s gonna be a doozy with Collard Greens & Gravy as well as Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk strutting their stuﬀ from 10pm followed by rock‘n’roll DJs 'til the wee wee hours. Fun alert.

HINTERLANDT Hinterlandt is a Sydney-based solo act playing complex compositions encompassing raw energy, beautiful harmonies, strange rhythms, fragile ambiences, alarming noise, and silence. Using a number of instruments, this German-Australian one-man band has already played in places such as Helsinki, London, Bangkok, Cologne, Sydney, Rome, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Lisbon, Berlin, and released eleven studio albums on nine small labels in ﬁve countries. Now he's adding Pony to his list in the Thursday night late show. Stay up late – you've got a long weekend to recover, this Thursday March 8. Free. He also plays Bar Open tonight.

RORT JESS RIBEIRO & THE BONE COLLECTORS Jess Ribeiro & The Bone Collectors will be performing a special matinee gig at The Retreat on the Labour Day public holiday. Jess’s sound has a distinct raw energy that takes the listener on a journey through dark and dusty ballads that have been compared to the likes of Karen Dalton, Cat Power, Neil Young and Johnny Cash. We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to wind down the long weekend. Joining Jess will be Fraser A. Gorman and his band. Fraser has the guitar, writing book and the lungs. Coops does most of the tricky stuff with the better lungs and better pickin’. Sophia slings her fiddle like a wand casting lighting with her bow. The rest will unfold before your very eyes. It’s all happening on Monday March 12 from 4pm and entry is free.

THE TEARAWAYS After launching thier debut album Tones Of Dirt And Bone, to a full house of frenzied punters at The Evelyn in January, The Tearaways are set to descend on The Tote this Labour Day Eve, Sunday March 11, for a night of heavy hitting rock'n'roll with two of Melbourne's ﬁnest exponents The Jacks, and Australian Kingswood Factory. $8 Entry, with the bands kicking oﬀ at 7pm sharp.

A MAN CALLED SON The child of Brisbane musician Simon J. Pearlman, A Man Called Son was born as a home studio project, the ﬁrst fruits of this being a wellreceived debut EP, Fires, Floods and Boredom. But after relocating to Melbourne, Simon recruited a bunch of local lads to help out. A Man Called Son has now started work on a second album. Ranging from noisy acerbic guitar pop to sad waltzes ﬁlled with aching vocals, the band will be previewing the new album live at the Victoria Hotel this Friday March 9 from 10pm. Free entry.

DIRTY ELVIS Half a drum-kit, a baritone guitar, a copperphone and SM57. Dirty Elvis are loud and soft, black and white, suits and ties, and much, much bigger than what meets the eye. Songs about annoying little punks, country libido, love for Lenny Kravitz, and a nice little tune for the big guy upstairs will keep you entertained. An intense live show to be enjoyed by all, this is two-piece madness! See them Saturday March 10 at the Victoria Hotel from 10pm for free.

BROKEN TILE Bringing a ﬁnger pickin’ good time to Melbourne, Broken Tile will play two sets in the Victoria Hotel beer garden while you enjoy $10 jug on Sunday arvo. Solo guitar ragtime lovers welcome, as is everybody else. Get in some acoustic greatness before summer end with Broken Tile at the Victoria Hotel on Sunday March 11 from 5pm. Free entry.

Pony love hosting Rort. They're a killer band who always throw together a shit-hot lineup for their shows and they always pack the room out. So they're stoked to have them back to get the long weekend started with a bit of hardcore to get the blood pumping. This Friday March 9 they're joined by Internal Rot, Trench Sisters and Urns. Get along to the show from 9pm.

BLACKENED Blackened are a new band hitting the Melbourne streets with one intention – to kill! This four-piece thrash metal act have high energy and are eager to let it out on stage providing you with a show and musicianship that you would expect from going to a metal gig! Blackened's ﬁrst release The Sense in Violence (demo) is pure thrash metal with a pinch of early '90s death metal so if you don't like how things started to change in the mid '90s, this band will sort you out. Prepare for war at Pony Friday March 9 (2am slot).

ODIUSEMBOWEL Okay, let's not mess around. It's a long weekend and all the hippy, hick and indie kids will be up the country at some music festival so what better time than this for the most brutal beasts Melbourne's metal scene has to oﬀer to come together and axe-kick you between the eyes with some heavy shit. You get ﬁve bands – Odiusembowel, Malignus, Iconic Vivisect, Seaford Monster and Haligun- all a foot away from your face, blasting their tunes out through a PA designed for a room four times the size. It's going to be loud. So head down to Pony on Saturday March 10 and metal the joint out. No excuses as you don't have to work until Tuesday. Doors 9pm.

KIRA PURU & THE BRUISE Having spent 2011 touring solidly, Newcastle/Sydney outﬁt Kira Puru & The Bruise are hitting the road once more for their When All Your Love Is Not Enough 7” single tour. Their sullen, sweaty and spine-tingling brand of rock has earned them a throng of dedicated fans Australia-wide as well as industry accolades. Don’t miss Kira Puru & The Bruise as they unfurl their ode to modern sadness in Melbourne on Friday March 30 at The Tote Hotel with supports from Black Water Fever. Doors open 8.30pm, Entry is $10.

BURN IN HELL Burn in Hell return to Pony this Sunday March 11 for another dirty 2am slot on the eve of their second European tour. This is bone-yard music sung by junkyard dogs, carnie music for bearded women and two-headed men, the cabaret of the damned and the swamp music of the stranded and abandoned. A great way to cap oﬀ your long weekend.

THE PHILISTINES

RADIO MONASH With an illustrious history behind the station that extends all the way back to 1965, entirely student-operated community radio station Radio Monash has developed a fearsome reputation for inspiring and cultivating a passion for the music industry among the generation’s brightest young minds, and trust us, they breed 'em right. Join Melbourne's most dedicated team of new-generation party animals and connoisseurs of fresh new music as the crew behind Radio Monash kick oﬀ their 2012 in inimitable style, with a bevy of the city's ﬁnest up-and-coming bands including Animaux, The Good China, Young Maverick and Hot English. The Radio Monash Launch Party lands on the Northcote Social Club on Thursday March 15. Tickets are a mere $12+bf or $15 on the door.

Party with The Philistines and get involved in some mid-week debauchery every Wednesday in March at The Tote, with supports from all over the Melbourne scene. Catch them this tonight at The Tote Hotel. Doors at 7pm, $4 on the door, and BBQ in the beer garden for gold coin donation. Support from Pom Fritz and Jackals.

THE GUN RUNNERS The Gun Runners are a ﬁve-piece punk rock band from Melbourne. In the time they have been together they have been lucky enough to have shared the stage with bands such as Bad Religion (USA), NOFX (USA), Strung Out (USA). They suggest you come to the show, sing along, hang out, and have some fun with them at The Brunswick Hotel this Sunday March 11.

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STREAMS OF WHISKEY Melbourne's Streams of Whiskey will be out of Oz on St Pat's day as they set oﬀ for paradise on a short tour. So to make up for it, they are imploring you to join them in a weeks early celebration at the Bendigo Hotel. Doing Pogues catchy numbers and Irish classics this will be their last show for a long time. But they are going out with a bang on Saturday March 10 with support from ex Ground Components Joe Mcguigan. Be there to say Bon Voyage at The Bendigo.

DEFAMER Defamer are back with their second full length offering Decrepit Rituals after a lengthy hiatus from heavy touring due to a line-up reshuffle, resulting in more time spent honing this album to be a more focused old school Death Metal offering. Denouncement Pyre will emerge from the shadows for their first live performance in over five years. The legion has performed live only on rare occasion after forming in 2003. GxSxD (God Send Death) come storming out of Okayama, Japan with a mind-blowing relentless dual guitar attack reminiscent of Morbid Angel and Behemoth over drumming that is both furious and precise, but knows when to kick into fist pumping speed. Also rounding out this amazing Labour Day eve are local Black Metal legions Order Of Orias & Thrall and the death metal horde Catacombs. Sunday March 11 at The Bendigo Hotel.

THE WEEKEND PEOPLE The Weekend People bring their violently percussive, alt-country-tinged sounds to The Great Britain for four free headline shows, Thursdays in March. They’ll be unveiling some never before played material from their forthcoming EP, currently being recorded. Joining them will be folk-pop quintet, Into The Woods, longtime friends and tour-buddies Matt Collyer and the Company, the ever-popular Melbourne troubadour Tim Reid (with Emma Heeney) and restless soul James Hazelden with some of his Gentlemen Callers making an appearance. See the Weekend People this Thursday March 8 at The Great Britain Hotel from 8pm. Free entry.

SAM SPARRO Where has Sam Sparro been for the last couple of years? Although it seems like he's become a veritable Where's Wally of the glittering postdisco world, we're here to tell you that's not true. Instead, he's just been crafting some seriously good music. Along with front row love at Paris Fashion Week and Galliano wanting to be his bestie, Sam Sparro is back – he's signed to EMI Australia for the world, and he's bringing us along with him for his latest vision: a Return To Paradise. As well as closing the massive Sydney Mardi Gras party, he will perform an intimate sideshow at The Toﬀ In Town on Thursday March 8. Tickets from Moshtix.

POCO LA PAX Electro-pop songsters Poco La Pax have a new T-shirt and felt like they should have a bit of a party to celebrate all things 100% cotton. With a ﬁrm feeling that good sound can’t get too big, Poco La Pax scrambles together anything they love into their sound – sassy Latin horns with electronic samples, punchy fat beats ﬂeshed out with wandering indie guitar and jazz melodies. Poco La Pax throws in the best of big live performance with electronic sampling, but just as important as the show is consistent, impressive song-writing to keep the kids singing along. Warming up the crowd at the Workers Club this Thursday March 8 will be pure '80s genius’ Pretty N Fatboy and DJ Edd Fisher.

COB FOLLY Two-piece improv rock act Chico Flash kick oﬀ Cob Folly tonight with support from country/folk threepiece Moosejaw Riﬂe Club. Karen Heath performs a special solo show on Thursday March 8 with Tomas Fitzgerald belting out his solo material on Friday March 9. There are drink specials each night as well as a tasty dinner menu to choose from. Cob Folly showcases original live shows on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights with acts starting from 7pm. Where? The R2, 60 Market St Melbourne CBD.

SIMMER Simmer are an afro/reggae band based in Melbourne. Originally, Simmer started as a recording project between drummer Luke Collins (Husky) and bassist/ producer Linden Lester (Morph, Saritah). Inspired by the likes of Malian Kora player Toumani Diabate, Ali Farke Toure and Salif Keita, they wrote and recorded several tunes before inviting fellow Melbourne musicians to join them. Simmer will perform live at Bar Open on Saturday March 10. Doors from 10pm. You're welcome world.

MADRE MONTE This Labour Day Eve, Madre Monte will be returning to their favourite hang out at Bar Open, playing the usual cacophony of Cumbia and afro-Latin rhythms mixed in with a little reggae, hip hop and ska. Recounting the tales of Colombian mythology through their sound, lyrics, dance and visuals, Madre Monte present a colourful journey into Colombian culture. Joining them on the night will be nuevaCumbia outﬁt Arakataka, representing their native Cumbia rhythm spiced up with a cosmic ﬂair. Don't miss Madre Monte this Sunday March 11. Doors 10pm. Free entry

WATERLINE

GHOST TOWNS OF THE MIDWEST

The guys from Waterline have been around...and around! If you went to a lot of Melbourne gigs in the ‘80s and ‘90s then chances are you saw at least one of them doing a support for Do Re Mi, the Runners or Paul Kelly. It’s been a while coming, but Waterline will release their debut CD entitled Your Town on Friday March 16 at Bella Union Bar, Trades Hall, Carlton, with special guests Hugh McDonald (Redgum) and Paul Reid. Entry $10.

Ghost Towns Of The Midwest head to The Old Bar on Thursday March 8, chuﬀed to be opening for Merri Creek Pickers and Ryan Nico & The Overlanders. They recently spent $150 and a six pack of ale to make a demo of live songs, which you can grab for free from any of their online pages.

MELBOURNE UKULELE FESTIVAL Major international ukulele acts, well-loved and highly talented Australian and New Zealand acts are set to grace the stage at the third annual Melbourne Ukulele Festival (MUF). This year’s MUF is being held at the historic Melbourne Trades Hall from Thursday March 8 – Sunday 11. MUF founder Dean Denham said the festival is not only for ukulele enthusiasts, but for all who love music and theater. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, the oldest and best known group, is opening the festival with a special show at the Performing Arts Centre on Thursday March 8. MUF’s Trades Hall performances will feature a variety of international and local acts as well as workshops, stalls and the uke art competition, Pimp my M.U.F. For more information about this year’s performers and ticketing for MUF visit muf.org.au

NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH Following a short stint in the studio last year, Brunswick-based indie collective Neighbourhood Youth emerged with debut single Home and took to the local scene with a pulsating live show. Garnering attention for driving rhythmic build ups and soaring vocal hooks, the band are now set to close out a string of summer shows, with the release of new single Stone. A dreamy, stadium-sized tune, complete with bruised vocals and subtle guitar work; the band will launch the track on Thursday March 15 at The Workers Club. Support on the night from Private Life and The Red Lights. Doors 8pm, $10 entry.

ISIYM One month on from their breakthrough gig at the Evelyn Hotel, ISIYM are getting ready to dish out the punk at the Bendigo Hotel tonight. Huddled down at the studio while their debut EP slowly crystallises, ISIYM are taking the opportunity to present new material to their beloved audience. Nothing screams bent punk, skewed power pop and mildly disgusting undertones like an ISIYM gig. Joining ISIYM are blues rock maestros The Mere Poets and the face-melting talents of musician extraordinaire Ollie Rubinstein. Come for the bands, stay for the beer. It’s all on at the Bendigo tonight.

CASH NO! A select few bands ever manage to attain 'legend' status in their respective genres. Enter NoFX; their 1999 magnum opus The Decline is often heralded and celebrated as a punk rock masterpiece across the world; over eighteen minutes of riﬀage, melody and mayhem. Never afraid to set their sights high, it's understandable that Melbourne melodic punks Cash No!, a band renowned for technical guitars and stellar vocal harmonies, would boldly accept a challenge to play The Decline live on stage in its entirety. Joining Cash No! for what will be a singalong of epic proportions is The Playbook, a band at the forefront of the Melbourne pop punk scene with an exceptionally fun live show and an extensive resume of international support slots to boot, as well as Strickland and pop/punk newcomers Second Chance Exit. Check it out at The Bendigo Hotel this Friday March 9. Beat Magazine Page 66

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BOX ROCKETS On Saturday March 10, local pop-rock outﬁt Box Rockets make a visit to the best drinking establishment in Richmond, the Great Britain Hotel. Expect loose dancing, easy drinking and big tunes as the band throw down their celebratory set of soulpunk, new-wave, toe-tapping rock in customary style. Support on the night is being kept secret so make sure you get in early for the big reveal. Entry is free. 9pm.

SARAH CARNEGIE Richmond’s Great Britain Hotel sees singer/ songwriter Sarah Carnegie present a unique musical oﬀering that has constructed a world where her voice powerfully conveys the emotions of her lyrics, from subtle sweetness to heartfelt passion. With the dominant element of storytelling, her lyrics and vocal melodies are accessible to a wide audience through a folk/pop style. Catch her on Sunday March 11 from 7pm. Free entry.

MARGINS Melbourne instrumental four-piece Margins are set to release their album, Divide on Friday March 16 through Casadeldisco Records. Having honed their live performances accompanying an eclectic range of projected ﬁlms; from Jess Franco to Return of the Jedi, Margins embrace subtlety and restraint as their modus operandi continue to enact a spacious and sublime style of instrumentation. There is also new territory to be explored, including maidenly haunting vocals from Jess Cornelius (Teeth and Tongue), drums and percussion by Dan McKay (The Nation Blue), swirling lap steel by Chris Rainier and keys reduced to hypnotic wash from the deftly understated Matt Bailey. See Margins launch their new album Divide on Friday March 30 at Polyester Records and Friday April 13 at The Old Bar, Melbourne.

ASH WEDNESDAY Never one to rely on his decades of groundbreaking work, Ash Wednesday has nevertheless been a pusher of boundaries of synthesiser sound and ways of making it for 35+ years. German-Australian solo act Hinterlandt plays complex compositions based on weird rhythms and strange shifts. The multi-instrumentalist live performance needs to be seen to be believed. Opening act will be Openbacks featuring members of Dark Passenger and Inﬁnite Decimals, with a set of experimental music. See them all tonight at Bar Open. Doors from 8pm. Free entry.

ENDLESS BOOGIE Lock up your steaks – the best kept secret in New York’s rock scene are heading our way this March for a head-nodding, foot-stomping gig at The Tote, featuring amazing psychedelic blues rock of the most shambolic order. Endless Boogie will take you on a journey of what it feels like to live rock’n’roll, rather than just listen to it. With roots in '60s and '70s guitar jamming bliss such as Hendrix, Canned Heat and Cream, Endless Boogie transport your brain to a windy outdoor festival of yore – all from the safety of your favourite beer barn. Stephen Malkmus’ favourite party band play on their terms only. Those terms being that it has to be sizzling hipster bogan fun. Don't miss out as they ﬁre up the BBQ this Saturday March 10 at The Tote.

PUSH OVER 2012 PARKWAY DRIVE BY JOSHUA KLOKE

For someone in the midst of an intense 18-date tour throughout Australia, Winston McCall answers the phone at 11am in a remarkably chipper manner. When the front man of rapidly rising metalcore act Parkway Drive is asked if he was part of a late one the evening before, he quickly dispels that notion. Instead, he admits that the band’s Sick Summer tour, which largely focused on oft-neglected small towns, has fallen victim to recent flooding in New South Wales. “It was going to be a late one, but floods cancelled our show,” says McCall. “Normally we’d like to push through something like that, but the actual evacuation point for the town was the venue.” The venue, Ex-Services Club in the town of Cooma, is just one of the many venues that normally wouldn’t play host to a band of Parkway Drive’s fame. Yet on this tour, the Byron Bay five-piece is getting regional, bringing their all-out sonic assault to small towns off the beaten track. Parkway Drive have always been at home on the road. Since the band’s inception in 2002, the Byron Bay five-piece has spent long stretches of time touring and promoting their three full-lengths and two EPs. “ We’ v e t o u r e d 4 7 different countries now,” says McCall. “Other than South Africa and Antarctica, there’s not much we haven’t done yet.” It’s not so much part of the job as it is a genuine love of the road that keeps fuel in Parkway Drive’s tank. “It comes from our background,” he says of Parkway Drive’s consistent touring. “We’re all big fans of travel and being in this band allowed us the opportunity to go and see places we never would have seen otherwise. We’re all surfer guys and we normally just stick to coasts. We found ourselves touring worldwide and it’s taken us to all these amazing places. At the same time, we realise you can put on

a show almost anywhere so we’ve made an effort to play wherever we can.” With their propulsive sound, Parkway Drive have found a natural home on festival stages around the world, including Warped Tour and Big Day Out. Push Over, the all-ages festival which the band will headline will be another highlight in the band’s career, and it’s one McCall doesn’t take for granted. When asked in his opinion what makes a great festival, McCall speaks bluntly and from experience. “People coming to [a festival] and the organisation. That’s pretty much it. I think Push Over is absolutely amazing; it’s our third time doing it and our first two times we played it were incredible. The venue is great; we’ve played some of the most bizarre venues, where you’ve walked up and said, ‘There’s no way we can do this.’ And it’s organised in a way that people can still access the music they want, and that’s all that matters. Once the people are happy, then the bands are happy and then that’s it: it’s a chain reaction.” With the continued success and sense of comfort Parkway Drive has enjoyed on stage, McCall confesses that they’re beginning to take certain liberties in their song-writing approach as well. Currently in the writing stages for their follow-up to Deep Blue, Parkway Drive doesn’t feel nearly as confined to stick to a certain formula this time around.

“I THINK PUSH OVER IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING; IT’S OUR THIRD TIME DOING IT AND OUR FIRST TWO TIMES WE PLAYED IT WERE INCREDIBLE.”

BEAT’S PUSH OVER SURVIVAL GUIDE

THE COUNT WITH

SNAKADAKTAL

GETTING THERE: Shuttle buses run to The Convent from Victoria Park train station (Epping/Hurstbridge line) every 15 minutes from 10.30am. GETTING HOME: Shuttle buses will operate from The Abbotsford Convent to Vic Park Train Station every 15 minutes from 5.30pm. PICK-UP/DROP OFF POINT: Clarke Street adjacent to St Heliers Street.

Name: Jarrah. Ten bands everyone should know about: The Whitest Boy Alive, Tame Impala, Youth Lagoon, Radiohead, Metronomy, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Chairlift, Beatles, Will Smith, Feist.

FAST FACTS Push Over is a fully supervised drug, alcohol and smoke-free event. Strictly no pass-outs. Minimum age is 12 otherwise 8 with a guardian. 600ml sealed water bottles admitted. No glass admitted. Still cameras are allowed at own risk. Video cameras are not allowed. Skateboards, inline skates or umbrellas must be

Nine food items that you need to make a kickarse dinner party: A great potato salad, various meats, fruit platter, spring rolls, big pot of pasta, wine, epic chocolate cake, lots of ice-cream. Eight possessions that define you: Headphones, bass guitar, skate shoes, Metcard/ Myki, jeans, a shirt, my iPhone for music, some stupid hair cut. Seven favourite movies/TV shows that go on your mix-tape: Into The Wild, Lion King, Lords Of Dogtown, Lord Of The Rings, Mr Bean, I.T crowd, Seinfeld. Six bad habits you can’t escape: Coca Cola, forgetting people’s names, late night, forgetting to do Q&As, spelling things wrong, day dreaming. Five people who inspire you: Victor Wooten solo bass player, Marcin Oz from The Whitest Boy Alive, Samuel Lawrence who plays solo in Melbourne, Ben Browning from Cut Copy, Paisley Adams from Tame Impala. Four things that turn you on: Slurpees, loud noises, switches, jelly. Three goals for your music: To tour the world at least once in my lifetime in a band, to feel that I have also inspired others to make music of their own and to one day make my own studio and record a album by myself.

“We’re writing a new album at the moment and [become experimental] is the idea. We hold onto the idea which has been around since we started: namely, just make heavy, melodic music. And I think Deep Blue was just dipping the toe in the water in terms of new ideas, new song structures and things like that. We liked doing it, and it all came across great. We’re very open to different things this time around and ready to see where the album takes us. This new album is a lot less held back in any way. There’s more experimentation within the song writing.” McCall continues, shedding some light on how the band normally arrives at their songs. “It’s changed more in the last couple of years than it ever has. Everyone realises what their role in the band is as far as writing songs, and what works best. When we used to write songs, we weren’t as influenced by Pro Tools and other forms of technology. One guitarist would do one part and that’d be the end of it. But now, we can all weigh in and decide what works best. Things are a little more flexible.” The band has also stated that their upcoming release could be written with larger audiences in mind. Whether or not Parkway Drive take their sound in a more accessible, pop-leaning direction remains to be seen. McCall admits that though the band is gaining experience, songwriting and writing specifically for larger audiences is still a matter of trial and error. “It’s hard not to take it into account. We spent last

year playing these massive festivals in Europe, and while our fan base has grown, you also realise what works live and what doesn’t. At the same time, it’s always surprising what songs take oﬀ and which ones don’t. We’ve written songs in the past that we were happy with, but they didn’t work live so you never hear from them again. We’ll see what happens.” It’s the ‘wait and see’ philosophy which likely keeps the boys from Byron Bay grounded, despite their success. When asked if he could have ever foreseen his band headlining Push Over, he takes it one step further. Still battling with the unpredictability of having their show cancelled the previous night, Parkway Drive is learning to take things one day at a time. “We’re not really prepared for any response, when we do anything,” he laughs. “It’s more of a surprise. You know, responses are always wonderful considering how far we’ve come with everything in this band. We’re always waiting for that time when we’ll release something and everyone will look at us and say, ‘No, we don’t like it.’ And that’s what should have happened ten years ago! But instead, things keep going up and up. And we all look at each other and go, ‘OK, that’s pretty insane.’ We’ve given up trying to anticipate things.” PARKWAY DRIVE play the all ages Push Over Festival at Abbostford Convent on Monday March 12.

cloaked at your own expense or will be confiscated. Cloak Room (50cents). EFTPOS available at the Merch Tent only. Bring enough money for the day – there is no ATM. Food court and markets on site. TIPS FOR PUSH OVER 2012 Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated – it’s a long day! FREE WATER IS AVAILABLE at the drinking fountains near the gate! Don’t forget to eat – your body needs fuel to keep you going. Plenty of options in the food court on site, including veg options! When you are in the crowd, remember to be responsible and careful of those around you – no elbows in face mid dance-off. PUSH OVER recommends that you bring hats, sunscreen and earplugs. If it’s raining, bring a raincoat. Dress comfortably – it’s a long day! Have heaps and heaps and heaps of fun.

Two live gigs you’ll never forget and why: Purple Sneakers, where I was pretty loose, but still managed to play well, probably the best ever have and it was our ﬁrst big crowd, and supporting Ross Royce. They tried to take our money for the gig, so we had to confront them about it. One day left before the apocalypse and you…: Probably get on my Longboard and go down the biggest hill I could ﬁnd to remind me of what it is like to feel alive. When’s the gig / release? We play the all-ages Push Over festival at Abbotsford Convent this Monday March 12 with the likes of 360, Parkway Drive, Tonight Alive and heaps more. Our national tour hits the Northcote Social Club on Friday March 16 (sold out), Saturday March 17 (sold out) and Sunday March 18. We are planning on bring out another EP in the second half of the year with some more ‘rock-y’ tracks. DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Beat Magazine Page 67

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

COLLECTOR’S CORNER & MISSING LINK

GRIMES

Visions (4AD/Remote Control)

WEDNESDAY 7 MARCH RESIDENCY

DAYDREAM ARCADE AMBER LAMPS SOUTHPAW ENTRY $7, 8.30PM

THURSDAY 8 MARCH EP LAUNCH

THE SEACATS THE FLETCHER THE OLD FAITHFULS EMILY SHOBBROOK ENTRY $10, 8.30PM $2.50 POTS, $5 VODKAS!

FRIDAY 9 MARCH SINGLE LAUNCH

CLOSURE IN MOSCOW STRANGERS A LONELY CROWD

ENTRY $17 DOOR, $14 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 9PM

SATURDAY 10 MARCH

RAINBIRD

SIGNALS IN SILENCE FLOUNDER JOHN DO & CO ENTRY $13, 9PM

SUNDAY 11 MARCH

THE SUNSLEEPERS QUINCE WAR IN ARCADIA DJ DAJARRA ENTRY $10, 8.30PM

MONDAY 12 MARCH MINI RESIDENCY

SIMON WRIGHT BAND SPECIAL GUESTS FREE ENTRY, 8PM $10 JUGS!

TUESDAY 13 MARCH

RAW COMEDY ENTRY $10, 6.30PM

RESIDENCY

EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS MUNRO MELANO TRIO ENTRY BY DONATION, 9PM $10 JUGS!

COMING UP: TIX AVAILABLE THRU MOSHTIX EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS (TUES IN MAR) DAYDREAM ARCADE (WED IN MAR) ZOOPHYTE – SINGLE LAUNCH (15 MAR) THE CALL UP – ALBUM LAUNCH (22 MAR) SALTAR HYPE PRESENTS: SUB ATARI KNIVES (23 MAR) TWELVE FOOT NINJA/JERRICO (24 MAR) VOLTERA (30 MAR) THE CACTUS CHANNEL – 7” LAUNCH (31 MAR) SCOTDRAKULA (MON IN APR) MURDER BY DEATH (USA) (17 MAY) SELLING FAST

It’s 2012 and indie is dead. Not a great loss, really. Much like the T-1000 flailing around in the vat of molten steel at the end of Terminator 2, indie resorted to a rapid-fire metamorphosis – ephemeral flashes of chillwave, witch house, new R&B. There are traces of all of the above on Visions, what feels like the first fully-realised full-length from Grimes after a string of fairly great cassette releases. The most surprising thing about Visions is just how darn danceable it is. It’s a very elemental record, and the sparse, often retro, beats define most of the record’s 13 immensely enjoyable tracks. It’s not so much of a leap from the subdued instrumentation of Halfaxa, Grimes’s previous release, but the effect is compounded in a massive way by a newfound uninhibited style of singing – calling to mind the likes of The Weeknd and The-Dream, while attaining something that’s only barely distinguishable from the R&B mainstream (through these barely accustomed ears, anyway). Oblivion sounds like a time-jump evolution of Afrika Bambaataa’s Kraftwerk sampling heyday, a quality which permeates most of Visions. Grimes’s softly sweet vocals soar above classic drum machine loops, peppered with bombastic vintage tones. A deeper throwback lies within the appreciation for melody, with Oblivion’s throwaway hook harking back to Del Shannon’s gilded ‘60s classic Runaway. Much like the beast that Kanye’s Runaway eventually evolved into, Circumambient goes nuts with copious amounts of spasmodic sampler action, before a seemingly inevitable Mariah Carey-like squeal. It’s a hell of a mess, but it works. Eight stands as the weirdest song on a very weird album. Based entirely upon a bizarre baritone vocoder loop, Grimes’s lead vocal is pitched up to chipmunk proportions – crooning her way beyond the logical extreme of Prince’s Camille alter-ego. Though weird, you couldn’t accuse Grimes’s

REAL ESTATE

Easy (Domino/EMI) Real Estate’s sunny ‘60s psych pop has a bit of muscle under the surface – a kicking rhythm to drive the washed out harmonies and twanging guitar patterns. I’m getting a bit of an emperor’s new clothes feel about this one though – the their rolling, dreamy indie rock is nice but awfully forgettable.

RYAN ADAMS

Chains of Love (Sony) Lifted from his 13th album, Chains of Love is a soft, string-driven country ballad that will remind you, if you’ve forgotten, exactly what’s wrong with Ryan Adams – most of his music is limp adult contemporary pop. This tune, along with its unfortunate title, is bland and soulless.

ARCTIC MONKEYS

R U Mine? (Domino/EMI) Arctic Monkeys sling one out there for the fans – an out of cycle single that doesn’t appear on their current album. R U Mine? is a power rocking orphan child, although it does bear some similarity to the grind and fuzz of Suck It and See, particularly because Alex’s vocals are elevated in the otherwise bass heavy tune. It’s heavy and dirty, but the lyrics are sharp, and after a few spins the chorus has burrowed itself into your head.

LOWER DENS

Brains (Domino/EMI) Brains is a lush, simmering brew of muted indie rock vocals and chugging glitch, an overwhelming kind of song that drowns you in a sea of sound and tickles you with the detail. That’s what it feels like – getting tickled underwater. A brilliant, hypnotising tune.

CONOR MAYNARD

Can’t Say No (EMI) I am interested in all the wrong things. I didn’t know what Nicola Roxon looked like until last week as I had confused her with former Victoria Police commissioner Christine Nixon (guess why). I read The Monthly and watch Insiders like a diligent little leftist, but I can’t make the ﬁner details of the Australian political spectrum stick in my head. I just can’t. Wave a pubescent contender to Justin Bieber’s crown under my nose, on the other hand, and I’m like a bloodhound. What’s that? Teenage girls care about something? Fascinating! Tell me more. Having done my requisite two minutes worth of Googling, I can tell you Conor Maynard’s nascent career began on Youtube,

Beat Magazine Page 68

1. Toward The Sun DIRTY THREE 2. Henge Beat TOTAL CONTROL 3. Singles Vol 1 & 2 THEE OH SEES 4. Blood For The Master GOATWHORE 5. The Inherited Repression PSYCROPTIC 6. Mazes/Mazes Remixed MOON DUO 7. Cereal 7” LOOSE GRIP 8. Norwegian National Opera DVD ULVER 9. It’s a Long Way To Meximotown PUTA MADRE BROTHERS 10. Nuclear Papsmear VAGINORS

3RRR SOUNDSCAPE

transgressive qualities as being anything close to contrived. There’s something overwhelmingly genuine about her approach, maybe it’s just her Canadian-ness (or simpler still, her presser is devoid of the term “Brooklyn-based”). It’s 2012 and ‘loading up a self-made houseboat with live chickens and a fuckload of potatoes to sail down the Mississipi’ is the new ‘recording a break-up album in a cabin in the woods’, and we’re all the better for it. LACHLAN KANONIUK

Best Track: Genesis If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Planet Rock AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & THE SOUL SONIC FORCE, My World 2.0 JUSTIN BIEBER In A Word: Self-assured

1. Visions GRIMES 2. Beard, Wives, Denim POND 3. Squalls HOWL AT THE MOON 4. The Aberrant Years FEEDTIME 5. Love At The Bottom Of The Sea THE MAGNETIC FIELDS 6. In A Million Years LAST DINOSAURS 7. Rooms Filled With Light FANFARLO 8. What Happened BLEEDING HEARTS 9. The Last Of The Tourists MICK THOMAS 10. Communion CYLINDERS

THORNBURY RECORDS 1. Toward The Low Sun DIRTY THREE 2. Blues Funeral MARK LANEGAN 3. Love Interruption 7” JACK WHITE 4. Twerps TWERPS 5. Remixes WOODEN SHJIPS 6. El Camino BLACK KEYS 7. So Many Things EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING 8. Kids of Zoo KIDS OF ZOO 9. Royal Headache ROYAL HEADACHE 10. Bad As Me TOM WAITS

OFF THE HIP

SINGLES BY SIMONE “Your life is your life. Don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission…There is a light somewhere. It may not be much light but it beats the darkness.” Some days even Charles Bukowski sounds like an optimist.

TOP TENS

where the spotty Brighton boy has busied himself posting R&B covers and amassing fans, prior to getting signed by EMI and releasing this debut single. There’s something a whiﬀy about this internet phenomenon, however. Conor might be standing in his bedroom, but balls if those ‘homespun’ clips aren’t professionally recorded and mixed. I smell crafty marketing. On an unrelated note, it’s really gross when children sing about making love.

PATRICK WATSON

Into Giants (Domino/EMI) Singing breezily high and close to the microphone, while strings pluck and a choir hums alongside him, Canadian Patrick White evokes Sufjan Stevens and the Polyphonic Spree. As it builds to a peak, the woodsy sway of Into Giants takes on hysterically joyous strains, framed by the sonorous and triumphant notes of a lone trumpet player. It’s pretty sweet.

GOTYE

Easy Way Out (Eleven/Universal) This is better. Following the thin, Motown-inspired single I Feel Better, Easy Way Out is reassuringly slick and action-packed. It’s a very diﬀerent song to the international chart-storming Somebody That I Used to Know, but it’s obviously from the same febrile talent. He croons, he wails, he funks. In the video, he goes to the bathroom. Always a risk-taker, that Wally De Backer.

PLAN B

Ill Manors (Warner) Plan B returns with a remorseless sort of Brit hop track that is dominated by the agitated cello rumble of Alles Neu by Peter Fox. It’s an explosive and dramatic tune, a menacing blend of warmongering classical music and snarling, spitting working class rage.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK NICKY MINAJ

Starships (Universal) Taken from the forthcoming Pink Friday – Roman Reloaded album, Starships sees Nicky rocking in some really fucking odd territory, part Katy Perry part David Guetta. I’m not complaining – the violence with which she mashes these two styles is actually kind of mindblowing (not unlike everything else she’s done). The chorus may start out Ibiza pool party style, dancelite and catchy, but hold your breath – a monstrous warped beat kicks in to blow the roof oﬀ this crazyass Minaj party. Awesome.

FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO BEATTV.COM.AU/REVIEWS

1. Persecution Blues DVD THE TOTE 2. 10 Years LOS CHICOS 3. Wolf Party VARIOUS ARTISTS 4. Curry Up! TANDOORI KNIGHTS 5. Fabulous Sounds LA BASTARD 6. Kids Of Zoo KIDS OF ZOO 7. Boom THE SONICS 8. Skin & Tonic THE MONOMEN 9. Emergency Third Rail THE RAIN PARADE 10. Clear Bags CLEAR BAGS

WOOLY BULLY 1. Printed Gold TACO LEG 2. Calculator CHINESE BURNS 3. Vedley SIC ALPS 4. The Frank Book JIM WOODRING 5. First Songs MIKE HURLEY 6. Under Neon Lights DRUNK ELK 7. Woollen Kits WOOLLEN KITS 8. My Most Secret Desire JULIE DOUCET 9. The Iron Soul of Nothing SUNN O))) MEETS NURSE WITH WOUND 10. Play Their Own Records THE MUMMIES

AIRIT NOW 1. Nothing To Do BLEEDING KNEES CLUB 2. Wild Love GOSSLING 3. I Think I’m Fine WOE & FLUTTER 4. Little Deaths EMILY BARKER AND THE RED CLAY HALO 5. Running It DIAFRIX 6. Sword To A Gunﬁght CHILDREN COLLIDE 7. Bang Bang LANIE LANE 8. Bright Lights Big City CLUBFEET 9. Burn Slow CITY CALM DOWN 10. Song For Motion LOWLAKES

PBS TIPSHEET 1. 2001- A Space Odyssey CAMBODIAN SPACE PROJECT 2. Hear and Know MIKE NOCK TRIO PLUS 3. Awakening NICOLE MITCHELL 4. Freedom of Speech SPEECH DEBELLE 5. Tall Tales PERCH CREEK FAMILY JUG BAND 6. Stay Together Vol. 5 VARIOUS ARTISTS 7.L a Bala ANA TIJOUX 8. Roesy ROESY 9. The Last Of The Tourists MICK THOMAS 10. Stage Whisper CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG

BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT TAKING A TRIP 1. Lookin’ Out My Back Door CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL 2. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds THE BEATLES 3. Purple Haze JIMI HENDRIX 4. White Rabbit JEFFERSON AIRPLANE 5. Moonchild KING CRIMSON 6. Dark Globe SYD BARRETT 7. Dazed & Confused LED ZEPPELIN 8. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida IRON BUTTERFLY 9. Teardrop MASSIVE ATTACK 10. Dreamin’ TWERPS

ALBUMS

THE VENDETTAS Burn (Independent) FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO

BEAT.COM.AU/REVIEWS

CLAG

Pasted Youth (Chapter Music) In the Brisbane of the ‘70s, and even the ‘80s, bands like Clag were the subject of harassment, or worse, from the long, corrupt arm of the Bjelke-Peterson government. Loud, snotty, confrontational and occasionally puerile punk rock had no place in an orderly society defined by dysfunctional political hierarchy and economic privilege. By the ‘90s, the period in which Clag existed for just long enough to become a local cult act, Brisbane was throwing off the shackles of the Bjelke-Peterson era. Clag played two-minute songs blending bubble gum pop with razor sharp punk rock licks, drawing inspiration from The Spinanes, Bikini Kill, The Shaggs, The Ramones and The Go-Gos. Having largely been condemned to the dustbin of history since its cessation as a functioning unit, the band’s recorded material, complemented with a 4ZZZ live-to-air and a profanity-laden live show, has been released on Guy Blackman’s Chapter Records. Tracks like Goldfish Bowl are as sweet and cheesy as homemade apple pie served with a slice of orange cheese on Thanksgiving Day. Thirty-second narratives of ubiquitous fish surveillance are balanced with cheap and cheerful Casio melodies critiquing the solemnity of department store security services and passionate fuzzed-out tributes to chips and gravy. Kill Rock Stars-quality feminist rhetorical flourishes vie with tales of Christmas presents, Jason Priestley’s sideburns and astute commentary on boorish male rock’n’roll behaviour; covers of Sonic Youth’s My Friend Goo and Devo’s Girl U Want are garage-perfect tributes. In some respects, bands like Clag are a dime a dozen – in the brazen world of youth, anyone can pick up a guitar and tell the world to fuck off with a charismatic smile. But it’s only very few bands that can take that two-chord attitude and turn it into a punk rock classic. And that’s what Best Track: Goldfish Bowl Clag did. Long may they stick around in our hearts If You Like This, You’ll Like These: THE GO-GOS and minds. (original punk version), BIKINI KILL PATRICK EMERY In A Word: Punk

With their debut Burn, Melburnians The Vendettas have released a ten -song all-guns-blazing barroom-brawl of an album. Beer-soaked and sweaty, the whole thing reeks of a good time. High octane alcohol fuelled riffs, addictively catchy melodies and fist pumping rhythms combine to create a solid and exciting effort that will have any fans of countrymen AC/DC and Airbourne or Swedes The Hellacopters reaching for the volume dial and cranking it to 11. In typical rock’n’roll fashion, the majority of the songs on Burn cover three main themes: drinkin’ (Blood Shot Morning, What I Want), fightin’ (Burn) and fuckin’ (Shot Down, Champ Coq). These guys obviously live and breathe the low down and dirty rock’n’roll lifestyle and know enough about it to be able to fill an album full of songs without ever repeating themselves or treading old ground. Stevie Reds’ lyrics and raspy vocal melodies are also engaging and interesting enough to keep the listener engaged despite the relative simplicity of the lyrical themes. They say write about what you know and these guys know rock‘n’roll. The Vendettas also have a pair of riff masters in the form of guitarists Alexx Snarski and Jazza, both master craftsmen at creating catchy, bluesy riffs with overdriven but never overbearing tones. Despite having obvious swagger, they also show just the right amount of restraint, keeping their solos melodic and straight to the point, never entering the ‘show off’ territory that many rock guitarists tend to over indulge in. The pace is kept lively, the whiskey and adrenaline pumping through the album’s veins keeping the blood boiling. There’s no filler or the obligatory rock ballad on display here. They’ve also managed to capture perfectly on record the energy and attitude of The Vendettas legendary live show, with the sound raw and loud without being overly polished. Burn is the perfect album to crank up as you push the pedal to floor in your ute in a wife-beater vest or slam shots to in a dingy bar. If these guys can keep rockin’ out and making albums of this quality there’s Best Track: Blood Shot Morning If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Rock & Roll Is Dead no reason why they shouldn’t become another one of Australia’s big names in hard rock. THE HELLACOPTERS In A Word: Rockin’ ADAM ROBERTSHAW

SHARON VAN ETTEN Tramp (Jagjaguwar/Inertia)

COMMON

The Dreamer / The Believer (Warner) Common (aka Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.) and civil rights activist Maya Angelou have opposing views when it comes to the rapper’s use of the n-word, but their wider political vision is intrinsically the same. Common’s ninth studio album, The Dreamer/ The Believer, opens with The Dreamer, which culminates in a poem by the highly influential American author, poet and recipient of the Presidential Medal Of Freedom. One of the finest exponents of conscious hip hop in the modern era, Common has delivered his best album since the exceptional Be (2005) as he dives ferociously into themes of dreams, self-belief, God and overcoming obstacles. Common’s witty rhymes, eclectic tastes and smooth flow are injected with an intensity and depth that renders Blue Sky, Sweet and Gold so invigorating. However, Common remains on trial for allowing a hypnotic track like Ghetto Dreams to contain such woeful lyrics. Complemented by John Legend’s warm chorus hook, The Believer is undoubtedly the stand-out track on this elevating record. In following Common’s cry of “Do they end up in a coffin because we haven’t taught them”, Legend’s glorious croon (“I believe in the light that shines and will never die”) is not only life-affirming, but reiterates the dreams that Best Track: The Believer are expressed in Pops Belief: “Live the life you believe: If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Gutter Rainbows TALIB the American dream; the Black American dream; the KWELI, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) PHAROAHE MONCH, universal dream.” God’s Son NAS. In A Word: Persuasive CHRISTINE LAN

PSYCROPTIC

The Inherited Repression (Riot!) The great Tassie quartet is a band I have followed pretty closely for several years. They’re a band who have been extremely intelligent with the management of their musical evolution and of their career overall; they are inarguably Australia’s premier extreme metal act. Their newie, which is their fifth long player, is another step forward in that progression. And what it is that they’ve been evolving towards is that fine balance between extreme technical metal and listenability and accessibility. On The Inherited Repression they’ve come damn well just as close to achieving that balance as humanly and musically possible, especially since the two concepts seem so inherently disparate. They’ve honed their sound even further than they did on their last record (Ob) Servant. Most of the tracks clock in at around the three to four minute mark, and the focus is even more on writing catchy, if still techy, riffs and grooves, as opposed to stringing a series of complex riffs together cramming in as many notes into each as humanly possible. They’ve slowed down and allowed the songs to breathe a little more. This stronger focus on songcraft does them the absolute world of good. This album is another careful but sizable step forward for this band. They are slowly but surely opening their music up to a broader audience, whilst remaining highly unlikely to Best Track: Forward To Submission lose many of their hardcore devotees. And this, as we all If You Like This, You’ll Like These: CRYPTOPSY, know, is a very hard road to take. Psycroptic need to be MESHUGGAH, DEATH congratulated for their efforts. In A Word: Balanced ROD WHITFIELD

Tramp is the ‘difficult’ third album from Brooklyn-based singer Sharon Van Etten – luckily, she suits being difficult. It has been adorned with sensitive production by The National’s Aaron Brooking Dessner, and the closeness of their collaboration is bookmarked by the sleeve art of them sitting side by side. Serpents is the scathing highlight. Coming off like a lost Throwing Muses classic, it’s a full-blooded, forceful catharsis compared to the more sedate majority of the album. But the slower, more intimate numbers in the downbeat haze that follows gradually dig their way into your subconsciousness. As the album progresses into its second half, the guest musicians become more prominent: Julianna Barwick’s ambient vocals waft in on both Kevin’s and I’m Wrong, while the distinctive voice of Beirut’s Zach Condon makes a more upfront appearance on consecutive tracks We Are Fine and Magic Chords. The album title is a nod to Van Etten being without a home and drifting between couches during the recording process. She may have been a restless soul, but it isn’t reflected in Best Track: Serpents the songs. Tramp is a solid set that boasts a fuller sound, If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Civilian WYE a bigger range and greater conviction. OAK, Twin-hand Movement LOWER DENS CHRIS GIRDLER In A Word: Spellbinding

HARRY HOWARD AND THE NDE The Near Death Experience (Spooky Records)

Harry Howard is by no means lurking in the shadow of his brother Rowland. If anything this album is testament to what a high caliber of musical stock the Howards are bred from. Both troubled and suffering a multitude of hardships, Harry has chosen a postpunk via ‘60s garage and psychedelia route to deliver his musical musings. Recalling the stalwarts of the genre, The Modern Lovers and The Fall, Howard’s debut album, The Near Death Experience is a credit to the genre but is by no means confined to it. Howards’ monotone, cynical but simultaneously coy vocals bemoaning the follies of age and women are just as poignant over an organ driven ‘60s psych-out as they are over a more droning and repetitive ‘80s new waver. The album begins with Lies; a matter of fact dig at the truth benders. Organ abounds, an incessant guitar riff infiltrates, while Howard calmly deconstructs the liar. The Fall inspired Old Mans Blues follows on; a wickedly clever anecdote about getting older: “I’m breathing just a little / My shirt’s awash with spittle /These days I suck on boiled sweets and not on upright nipple,” Howard comments wryly. Vocal duties are shared with organ player Edwina Preston on Bloodtest and reminiscent of X-Stina’s from LA band X urgent wail, while (The) Trouble With Girls flaunts vocals and subject content that evoke Howard Devoto of Buzzcocks and Magazine fame. Darling Head steps away from the persevering post-punk and moves into the garage; Nuggets style – with floating vocals customary to the ‘60s psychedelic rock/garage genre. New Shoes sees the album return with somber tones and the foot wear theme continues on Old Black Shoe, with ‘beat’ like lyricism and a shrieking organ solo. The overarching feel of The Near Death Experience is one of questioning ‘why everything is so?’ in life; a theme that we all as human beings with petty and not so petty struggles Best Track: (The) Trouble With Girls can relate to. Delivered in a witty, dry and often comical If You Like This, You’ll Like These: The Modern Lovers manner, what could seem like one really long whine feels THE MODERN LOVERS, Talking Heads TALKING like the most of apt of commentaries. HEADS, Live At The Witch Trials THE FALL KRYSTAL MAYNARD In A Word: Droll

DAVID CHESWORTH ENSEMBLE Vanishing Tekopia (Independent)

DECIMATUS

The Betrayer EP (Independent) This is pretty brutal thrash metal from Melbourne. Primitive, raw and completely in your face, just the way many people like it. Having said that, there’s also some decent songcraft and some nice grooves going on amidst the primal onslaught here. Opening surprisingly with a tasteful, mostly acoustic instrumental piece, The Stand Off, this six track EP then proceeds to come at you with all guns blazing. The musicianship is basic, muscular and the instrumentation hits you like a ton of bricks. And howling above it all is the blazing vocals of tough as nails singer Tommy. This EP is a wild ride from start to finish, culminating in the blunt force trauma of EP closer, and arguably its best cut, Decimate. Just about everything seems in place here for thrash metal success, these guys just need to hone things a little further now. A little work on their production values and developing a truly signature sound that is all their own, and they are well on their way to a national and maybe even international profile. If you dig your metal sounds fat, meaty and primeval, these guys are definitely for you. Lovers of anyone from Slayer to Frankenbok should check Decimatus out, you won’t be disappointed. Also, these guys absolutely destroy all in their path in a live setting as well, so catch them at a venue near you soon. Best Track: Decimate If You Like This, You’ll Like These: FRANKENBOK, SEPULTURA, EXODUS In A Word: Harsh

ROD WHITFIELD

David Chesworth probably strives to reach the heights of Brian Eno, who clambers for the cerebral kudos of Michael Nyman and Nyman probably does not care about either. Vanishing Tekopia is the most recent attempt by Chesworth in his climb up the ladder to the pinnacle of high art. It is a very uncompromising climb to maximise his chances, he has even designed a phonetic language that the singers have “mastered”. Oh dear, the pretentious alarm bells are ringing clearly. However, this view would be overly dismissive of a lavish production which is a long way from the rudimentary Clifton Hill Community Music Centre days. Chesworth calls upon the likes of Helen Mountfort and old Essendon Airport partner Robert Goodge to help out a talented Ensemble. Once you manage to overcome the sheer silliness of titles like Dee Dong Dong, Apoh Jenah or The Bundana Strumm you can give the music a go. And a pleasant listen it is, once the hurdles of intellectual barriers are overcome. A new world symphony of sorts, but very much reliant on olde worlde charm, Chesworth pitches this project as “... both a requiem to and a consequence of the process of cultural absorption and assimilation.” Easy for him to spout such ideals to mere mortals who are not surrounded by dictionaries and philosophical works. Yet these are serenely beautiful melodies which, taken for what they are, can be aﬃrming and sparkling. And all the while, ringmaster Chesworth directs and instructs the marimbas, vibes, cello, mandolin and various non-Western instruments with great eﬀect. One can succumb to the beauty of Vanishing Tekopia in Best Track: Dee Dong Dong its entirety and be glad for it by the end. Then again it If You Like This, You’ll Like These: GAVIN BRYARS, could merely be a snide piece of absurdist theory. MICHAEL NYMAN BRONIUS ZUMERIS In A Word: Refreshing

FOR MORE ALBUM NEWS AND REVIEWS GO TO WWW.BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 69

GIG GUIDE WEDNESDAY 7 MAR ROCK/POP AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA + DJ DAMEZA NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 7:00PM. $10. ASH WEDNESDAY + HINTERLANDT + OPEN BACKS BAR OPEN, FITZROY. 8:00PM. BLACK LIPS + CIRCLE PIT + DJ WOODY MCDONALD + THE FROWNING CLOUDS CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. $45. BUNNY MONROE + CHK CHK BOOM + SHOOT THE SUN + THE TIM MCMILLAN BAND CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. CHIC BILLBOARD, MELBOURNE CBD. 7:30PM. $64. DAYDREAM ARCADE + AMBER LAMPS + SOUTHPAW EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $7. DIRTY F + CANDY TO CLAW + TWIN AGES WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $8. FEL ANDUR + HARMLESS + KUMAR SHOME EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 8:00PM. $10. ISYIM + OLLIE RUBENSTIEN + THE MERE POETS BENDIGO HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $6. JESSIE J + PROFESSOR GREEN + RUBY ROSE FESTIVAL HALL, WEST MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $80. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA + CABINS THE HI-FI, MELBOURNE. 7:30PM. $40. MICHAEL PAYNTER + SELENA CROSS REVOLVER UPSTAIRS, PRAHRAN. 8:00PM. $15. RAUL SANCHEZ + DAVE FAZZA RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 8:30PM. RIVER OF SNAKES + THE LOVELESS CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. THE BLUEBOTTLES + WALLY CORKER’S DRUNK ARSED BAND OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:30PM. THE PHILISTINES + JACKALS + POM FRITZ TOTE HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 7:00PM.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK COLIN STETSON TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 11:30PM. FEE BROWN WILLOW BAR, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM.

GUY CABLE STANDARD HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:30PM. HANNAH CROFTS GERTRUDES BROWN COUCH, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $5. HARRY HOOKEY BAND VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 9:30PM. HELEN CAT OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. MARTY WILLSON-PIPER & TIARE HELBERG + MARTY WILLSON-PIPER + TIARE HELBERG TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 7:30PM. $20. NIGEL B SWIFTE EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 7:00PM. OPEN MIC DANCING DOG, FOOTSCRAY. 8:00PM. OPEN MIC BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 8:00PM. OPEN MIC THORNBURY LOCAL, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT GRIND N GROOVE, HEALESVILLE. 9:00PM. ROLLER ONE KENT ST, FITZROY. 9:00PM. WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: KRISTEN & SUZANNE + GABI DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE. 8:00PM.

360

PUSH OVER Seriously, it’s hard being an under-18. Not allowed to go out clubbing or to wild gigs and stuck in school. Laaaaaame. The two cool things about being underage is that legally you can’t be tried for most crimes in a proper adult court, and the saving grace that is Push Over Festival, Melbourne’s longest running all-ages festival – with Parkway Drive, 360 and a slew of others joining the lineup,bits resulting in a rad day out at Abbortsford Convent on Monday March 12.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC BOPSTRETCH UPTOWN JAZZ CAFE, FITZROY. 8:00PM. DIZZY’S BIG BAND DIZZY’S JAZZ CLUB, RICHMOND. 8:07PM. $14. GERMAN SILVA & JOSE RODRIGUEZ CRUZAO AREPA BAR, FITZROY. 7:30PM. JAZZ MANOUCHE - FEAT: ANDY & SAM BEBIDA, FITZROY. 8:00PM. JULIEN WILSON QUARTET 303, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. $5. MARTY WILLSON-PIPER & TIARE HELBERG + MARTY WILLSON-PIPER + TIARE HELBERG TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 7:00PM. SONYA VERONICA QUARTET PARIS CAT JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:00PM. $15. THE LEECH KING CLUB VOLTAIRE, NORTH MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $14. THE MARC HANNAFORD TRIO BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $15.

THURSDAY 8 MAR

VALLEY GIRLS + QUINCE TOTE HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ROCK/POP 1AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: HINTERLANDT PONY, MELBOURNE. 1:00AM. COLD RED MUTE + DEATH VALLEY MUSTANGS + SCARAMOUCH + THE GRANADES THE PRAGUE, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. $8. DANGEROUS + BATEMAN + WHO INVITED THE WOLF JOHN CURTIN HOTEL, CARLTON. 8:00PM. KUMAR SHOME & THE PUNKAWALLAHS + COOKIE + JESSE WITNEY BAND BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:00PM. MILANO MENTONE HOTEL, MENTONE. 7:00PM. PEARLS + MILK TEDDY + THE ANCIENTS BAR OPEN, FITZROY. 9:00PM. PHIL PARA BAND + THE JADED CATS MUSICLAND, FAWKNER. 8:00PM. $10. POCO LA PAX (T-SHIRT LAUNCH) + DJ EDD FISHER + PRETTY N FATBOY WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $12. PONY GIRL & THE OUTSIDERS + BUGDUST + COLD HARBOUR ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. POURPARLOUR 303, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. $5. RACHAEL BYRNES + CAT & SPOON + KID WOLF EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 8:00PM. $5. RAIN FACTORY + CREATURES OF KARMA + PHOEBE’S DREAM NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 7:30PM. $10. SAM SPARRO TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $28. STAR CAPS ON WILL + NO ZEBRA + TWIN AGES BENDIGO HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $8. STICKY FINGERS LAUNDRY BAR, FITZROY. 8:00PM. STREET FANGS + GRAFT VS HOST + MASTER_ BETA PONY, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. THE AMITY AFFLICTION + BURY THE FALLEN + EXO MAJESTY + MERAKI + SUMMER OF BETRAYAL FERNTREE GULLY HOTEL, FERNTREE GULLY. 7:00PM. $35. THE BITTER SWEET KICKS + KILLS COLLAPSE + THE COUNCIL YAH YAH’S, FITZROY. 9:00PM. THE SEACATS (EP LAUNCH) + EMILY SHOBBROOK + THE FLETCHER + THE OLD FAITHFULS EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $10. URGE OVERKILL + EVEN & THE BOWERS ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. $45.

BEN SALTER LABOUR IN VAIN, FITZROY. 8:30PM. BLUES REVIEW - FEAT: COLD SNAP DIZZY’S JAZZ CLUB, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. $14. BON IVER + SALLY SELTMANN SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL, MELBOURNE. 6:30PM. $75. BONNIE PRINCE BILLY + MICK TURNER THE REGAL BALLROOM, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. DARAGH SLACKE + PAUL POMPHREY DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. HALF THE SKY (INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION) - FEAT: DEBORAH CONWAY & WILLIE ZYGIER + NATALIE PA’APA’A + BRIONY MCKENZIE + FLAP + SHE SAID ZED + THE SUNSHINE SISTERS + TINA DEL TWIST + VIKA & LINDA BULL FORUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $60. JESSICA JADE (EP LAUNCH) + BROOKE TAYLOR + HAMISH ANDERSON REVOLVER UPSTAIRS, PRAHRAN. 8:30PM. $12. JIMI HOCKING’S BLUES MACHINE FLEECE HOTEL, SOUTH MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. NICE BOY TOM EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 7:00PM. OPEN MIC ACOUSTIC CAFE, COLLINGWOOD. 7:30PM. OPEN MIC ARCADIA HOTEL, SOUTH YARRA. 8:00PM. RUBY’S SHOWCASE RUBY’S LOUNGE, BELGRAVE. 7:00PM. RYAN NICO & THE OVERLANDERS + GHOST TOWNS OF THE MIDWEST + MERRI CREEK PICKERS OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $8. SEAN KERSHAW & THE NEW JACK RAMBLERS DUO 6:30PM. SILVER NIGHT DRIVE + JAILBIRD JOKERS RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:00PM. SING OUT SISTERS - FEAT: ALANNA & ALICIA EGAN + LUCY WISE + MICHELLE MEEHAN + TRES CUERDAS LOMOND HOTEL, BRUNSWICK EAST. 7:30PM. THE PIGS + MUSTERED COURAGE + THE BEEZ THORNBURY THEATRE, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. $15. THE SONS OF MAY RAINBOW HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:30PM. THE WEEKEND PEOPLE + MATT COLLYER & THE COMPANY GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. THOMAS KEFT & THE PAPERWEIGHTS + THE

TIM HART The vocalist of a band can often be thought of as the heart of the group’s output – the thing that gives their music life and warmth, much like the heart of a human body. Tim Hart’s name, then, seems more than appropriate, as one of Boy and Bear’s vocalists and a musician in his own right – catch him on a solo expedition to the Grace Darling Hotel on Friday March 9. Beat Magazine Page 70

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

KAEP BAR BETTY, FITZROY. 12:49PM.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC BONOBO + GUERRE + OLIVER TANK CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. BROOKLYN HOOKERS & DROOLING MOUTHS OF MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL HOTEL, YARRAVILLE. 9:30PM. CANDYMEN 303, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. $10. CARNIVAL OF SUBURBIA - FEAT: JVGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STOPPING ALL STATIONS (EXCEPT EAST RICHMOND) CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $25. CLAUDIA OSEGUEDA & OSCAR PONCELL CRUZAO AREPA BAR, FITZROY. 7:30PM. COLECTIVO29 PARIS CAT JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:30PM. $20. JOE CHINDAMO TRIO BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $15. OSKAR & BEBRA OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. SAM MCAULIFFE JAZZ QUARTET GERTRUDES BROWN COUCH, FITZROY. 9:00PM. SAMUEL MCCLELLAND BEBIDA, FITZROY. 8:00PM. THE LEECH KING CLUB VOLTAIRE, NORTH MELBOURNE. 7:30PM. $14. THE PERFECTIONS CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $10. THE SEVEN-UPS VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 8:30PM. WILBUR WILDE QUARTET UPTOWN JAZZ CAFE, FITZROY. 8:00PM.

FRIDAY 9 MAR ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: BLACKENED PONY, MELBOURNE. 2:00AM. A MAN CALLED SON + RICH YEAH VICTORIA HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 10:00PM. BABY ANIMALS + LAST MISTRESS + THE HIDING TRAK LOUNGE BAR, TOORAK. 9:00PM. BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY + CAVALCADE + THE BENNIES + THE SMITH STREET BAND TOTE HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $15. CHEAP FAKES + ULTRAVIBRILUX BAR OPEN, FITZROY. 10:00PM. CHILDREN COLLIDE (SWORD TO A GUNFIGHT TOUR) FERNTREE GULLY HOTEL, FERNTREE GULLY. 7:30PM. $28. CLOSURE IN MOSCOW (THE IMPECCABLE BEAST TOUR) EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $14. COVERS NIGHT - FEAT: WIZARDS OF OZ + THE BLASTERS MUSICLAND, FAWKNER. 8:00PM. DALLAS FRASCA (SINGLE LAUNCH) + KINGS OF THE NORTH + RICK STEWARD NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. $15. DANGEROUS + AWAKEN I AM + THE AURA CURA + WE THE INNOCENT ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. $12. FRANKENBOK + WILDEORNES + ZOMBONIMO THE PRAGUE, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE + DJ DRAW 4 + GARETH EUNSON & THE BIG SMALL + STRANGERS FROM NOW ON OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $12. GO SHOW GOLD - FEAT: BOBBY BRIGHT + DINAH LEE + MPD LIMITED + NORMIE ROWE + RONNIE BURNS + DARRYL COTTON + MASTERS APPRENTICES + TONY WORSLEY PALAIS THEATRE, ST KILDA. 7:30PM. GOSSLING + ADAM COHEN THE REGAL BALLROOM, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. INTOXICA LUWOW, FITZROY. 10:00PM. LOW SPEED BUS CHASE + DJ SAMMY SAX + HAPPY ENDINGS VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 9:30PM. MAD PROFESSOR + DIGITAL PRIMATE + RAS CRUCIAL ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. PROJECT-IONS - FEAT: THESE PATTERNS + THE CLITS + TIGER FUNK 7:00PM. RHYMADA + CRYING SIRENS + INVOLUME ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. RORT + INTERNAL ROT + TRENCH SISTERS + URNS PONY, MELBOURNE. 9:00PM. STICKY FINGERS BAHA TACOS & TAPAS BAR, RYE. 8:00PM. TEENAGE LIBIDO + POM FRITZ JOHN CURTIN HOTEL, CARLTON. 8:00PM. THE AMITY AFFLICTION PIER LIVE, FRANKSTON. 7:00PM. $35. THE CAIROS (WE ALL BUY STARS TOUR) WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $12. THE CHECKS + GUESTS OF GHOSTS: EP LAUNCH + WILDCAT GENERAL STRIKE CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $13. THE HONDAS + DJ SHAKY MEMORIAL + HIGH FANGS RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:30PM. THE INDIAN SKIES + MICHAEL SHAUN + NAPOLEON IN RAGS + THE ELECTRIC SUNKINGS + THE M-HUMM NOISE BAR, BRUNSWICK. 8:00PM. $7. THE JADED CATS 9:00PM. THE LIVINGSTONE DAISIES + PONY FACE + RAISED BY EAGLES YAH YAHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S, FITZROY. 9:00PM. THE PLAYBOOK + CASH NO! + CAVALCADE + SEC-

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL If people back in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s were right about what the future was to hold, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be cruising to work on hoverboards and robot friends would be taking care of all the boring shit like laundry and cooking we have to do ourselves today. On the bright side, they were right about the bright future of music today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with Future Music Festival bringing us the best in cutting-edge dance with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, New Order, Fatboy Slim and plenty more. Flemington Racecourse, Sunday March 11. OND CHANCE EXIT BENDIGO HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $8. THE PUB FESTIVAL - FEAT: THE DYE + SECONDS + THE $6000 SUITS + THE RANT BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:00PM. THE REMOVALISTS + HOWLS MOVING CASTLES + LOURDES + TURVEY PARK + VELCRO EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 8:00PM. $8. THE WORD (SINGLE LAUNCH) + CHK CHK BOOM + DEAR ALE + SCARAMOUCHE REVOLVER UPSTAIRS, PRAHRAN. 8:00PM. $10. WILD FLAG + LOVE OF DIAGRAMS + NEW WAR CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:30PM. $50.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ANNA PADDICK EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 6:00PM. BRAD MARTIN PROJECT RAINBOW HOTEL, FITZROY. 9:00PM. CHAIN RUBYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LOUNGE, BELGRAVE. 8:00PM. $22. DREW HARRISON EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 8:30PM. MIC CONWAY & ROBBIE LONG + MIC CONWAY + ROBBIE LONG OAKLEIGH BOWLING CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $20. PETER BAYLORSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROADHOUSE ROMEOS LOMOND HOTEL, BRUNSWICK EAST. 9:30PM. SEAN KERSHAW & THE NEW JACK RAMBLERS GEM BAR, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. THE SPEEDSTERS PASCOE VALE RSL, PASCOE VALE. 8:00PM. $8. THE STU THOMAS PARADOX PENNY BLACK, BRUNSWICK. 8:00PM. THE VELVET CAKE GYPSIES THORNBURY LOCAL, THORNBURY. 10:00PM. TIM HART (ARCHITECTS TOUR) + LUKE THOMPSON + PATRICK JAMES GRACE DARLING HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $15. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSIONS - FEAT: DAN BOURKE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE. 6:00PM. WAGONS CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $30.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC CANNONBALL PARIS CAT JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:30PM. $20. CARLO BARBARO QUARTET UPTOWN JAZZ CAFE, FITZROY. 8:00PM. FRANKIE WANTS OUT RED BENNIES, SOUTH YARRA. 10:00PM. LA DESCARGA CRUZAO AREPA BAR, FITZROY. 9:00PM. MORELAND CITY SOUL REVUE + DJ CHRIS GILL +

PROJECT PUZZLES + THE STAX ON SOUL REVUE THORNBURY THEATRE, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. $12. RITA SATCH DIZZYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JAZZ CLUB, RICHMOND. 9:00PM. $20. VIKA & LINDA BULL BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $37.

SATURDAY 10 MAR ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: KRETCH: REUNION SHOW PONY, MELBOURNE. 2:00AM. 360 (SINGLE LAUNCH) + SEVEN + VEGAS ACES CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:30PM. $20. BANG - FEAT: SHINTO KATANA + BURY THE FALLEN + YOUR WORLD IN RUINS ROYAL MELBOURNE HOTEL, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:00PM. $20. CHILDREN COLLIDE (SWORD TO A GUNFIGHT TOUR) PIER LIVE, FRANKSTON. 7:30PM. $28. CLAMPDOWN ROCHESTER CASTLE HOTEL, FITZROY. 10:00PM. COERCE + GATHERER + HEIRS + THE BURNING SEA JOHN CURTIN HOTEL, CARLTON. 8:00PM. DAVE WARNER + PAUL MADIGAN OAKLEIGH BOWLING CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $20. DIRTYPUNKMUTHA + DEAD WASP + DON FERNANDO NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. $15.

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ADAM COHEN The offspring of the revered Leonard Cohen, as well as having a name that also happens to kind of be a portmanteau of The O.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infamous comic-book nerd and Death Cab for Cutie fanatic Seth Cohen, and the actor who plays him, Adam Brody - Adam Cohen is set to embark on his first run of Australian shows very soon. Catch him at the Regal Ballroom on Friday March 9.

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Beat Magazine Page 71

60 SECONDS WITH… THE KILNIKS So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? We are The Kilniks and we play music! Consisting of Tom ‘vocals’ Benjamin, Liam ‘lead guitar’ Kelly, Nat ‘keys’ Taylor, Lewi ‘bass’ Baker and Alex ‘drums’ Roper. What do you think people will say you sound like? A Kooks cover band or The Beach Boys. What do you love about making music? It’s fun playing music and that’s why we do it. We love seeing our audience enjoying and getting something out of our music.

DIVINE ASCENSION + BELLE HAVEN + MOTIONLESS ME THE PRAGUE, THORNBURY. 8:00PM. ENDLESS BOOGIE TOTE HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. FINAL LIES (EP LAUNCH) + ALMARIA + GLASS EMPIRE + WHILE THE CITY SLEEP REVOLVER UPSTAIRS, PRAHRAN. 8:00PM. $15. GANGA GIRI + PHIL PARA + STICKY FINGERS + THE JOE KINGS ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. GRUNTBUCKET + TEX & DALZIELL + THE D GRADES YAH YAH’S, FITZROY. 9:00PM. HAPPY ENDINGS + AMBER VEIL + THE FIGHTING CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $13. HOUSE OF ROCK - FEAT: 4ARM PALACE THEATRE, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:00PM. $15. HOUSE OF ROCK PALACE THEATRE, MELBOURNE CBD. 11:00PM. $15. JOHNNY CLEGG (HUMAN TOUR) PALAIS THEATRE, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. $90. LIKE IT LOUD - FEAT: OCEAN GROVE + EVER REST CLUB SHOOP, DANDENONG. 8:30PM. $10. LOUISE LABOUR IN VAIN, FITZROY. 5:00PM. MIDNIGHT WOOLF + LA BASTARD + POISON OAK OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $10. MILANO IMPERIAL HOTEL, SOUTH YARRA. 7:00PM. NIGHT OF ROCK - FEAT: MOONSHIFTER + AUDEMIA + DAMN THAT RIVER + IN A MEMORY + WRITTEN IN RUINS MUSICLAND, FAWKNER. 7:30PM. $10. ODIOUSEMBOWEL + HALIGUN + ICONIC VIVISECT + MALIGNUS + SEAFORD MONSTER PONY, MELBOURNE. 9:00PM. PHANTOM AGENTS + CARVEL + PAPA MAUL PENNY BLACK, BRUNSWICK. 9:30PM. RAINBIRD + FLOUNDER + SIGNALS IN SILENCE EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 9:00PM. $13. SHANE DIIORIO BAND + PENY BOHAN BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 5:00PM. SIMMER BAR OPEN, FITZROY. 10:00PM. THE CELIBATE RIFLES + SPENCER P JONES & THE ESCAPE COMMITTEE CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $25. THE COLLECTABLES + DAWSON’S SUICIDE + KICK IN DANGER BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:00PM. THE HELLHOUNDS EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 8:00PM. THE KILNIKS + CHAMPAIGNE REGGAE + EMANUEL CICCOLINI’S TEX MEX TAKEOUT + ROSENCRANTS NOISE BAR, BRUNSWICK. 6:00PM. $5. THE PATRON SAINTS TAGO MAGO, THORNBURY. 9:00PM. THE TERRACES THORNBURY THEATRE, THORNBURY. 7:30PM. $15.

Beat Magazine Page 72

What do you hate about the music industry? The dusty stages. Alex has terrible hay fever and it’s not easy playing drums when you’re sneezing. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Whitney Houston. Too soon? What can a punter expect from your live show? Themes, colour and mustaches. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? We have an EP out with Decibel Records called Not That Kind. It can be found in both Polyester and Thornbury records. When’s the gig and with who? On Saturday March 10 at the Noise Bar, with The Rosencrants, Emanuel Ciccolini’s Tex Mex

WOLFPACK + AUSTRALIAN KINGSWOOD FACTORY + DJ XANDER RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 10:00PM. YOUNG MAVERICK WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 8:00PM.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTIC REVIEW - FEAT: KURTIS GENTLE + MR & MRS MCLAREN + PAUL BARRY CHANDELIER ROOM, MOORABBIN. 8:00PM. $10. BOX ROCKETS GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL, RICHMOND. 9:00PM. CAT OR PILLAR + BAD REPEAT + BEAR THE MAMMOTH + CATHARTIST + DAVID KNIGHT + STOCKADES RUBY’S LOUNGE, BELGRAVE. 8:00PM. $10. CHARLES JENKINS & THE ZHIVAGOS RAINBOW HOTEL, FITZROY. 9:00PM. CROOKED SAINT RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 4:00PM. DIRTY ELVIS + THE DIE CASTS VICTORIA HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 10:00PM. GURRUMUL + DEWAYNE EVERETTSMITH MELBOURNE ZOO, PARKVILLE. 6:00PM. HOPWOOD 303, NORTHCOTE. 8:00PM. HUGH MCGINLAY THORNBURY LOCAL, THORNBURY. 9:30PM. JACKET OFF VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 9:30PM. JAMES KEOGH BEBIDA, FITZROY. 8:00PM. LILY & KING DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE. 9:00PM. MOTHER JACK OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE. 4:30PM. SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY GEM BAR, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. SEAN KERSHAW RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 7:30PM. SEX ON TOAST EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 8:30PM. SPECTRUM LOMOND HOTEL, BRUNSWICK EAST. 9:30PM. STACKFUL TOWN HALL HOTEL, NORTH MELBOURNE. 6:00PM. STREAMS OF WHISKEY BENDIGO HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. THE BON SCOTTS (SINGLE LAUNCH) + TESSA & THE TYPECAST + YEO TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $12. THE RECTIFIERS UNION HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 9:00PM.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC BIG & BRASSY - FEAT: MIMI ZAETTA-THOMAS THE FAMOUS SPIEGEL TENT, MELBOURNE. 2:00PM.

Takeout, Champagne Reggae, DJ Mason Maddy and lots of tequila. It’s Mexican theme with $5 entry, $5 nachos and $5 tequilas from 8 ‘til 10pm.

BRAZJAZ DIZZY’S JAZZ CLUB, RICHMOND. 9:00PM. $20. CALYPSO CARNIVAL - FEAT: JASPORA LUWOW, FITZROY. 8:00PM. CANNONBALL BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $25. CHARLES BRADLEY & HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES + CLAIRY BROWNE THE HI-FI, MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $49. KUNATAKI CRUZAO AREPA BAR, FITZROY. 9:30PM. REFLEJOS OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. SAM KEEVERS QUARTET UPTOWN JAZZ CAFE, FITZROY. 8:00PM. SWING TRAIN PARIS CAT JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE CBD. 9:30PM. $20. THE SEVEN-UPS + PROPHETS THE HORN AFRICAN MUSIC LOUNGE, COLLINGWOOD. 8:30PM.

SUNDAY 11 MAR ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: BURN IN HELL PONY, MELBOURNE. 2:00AM. APHRA’S CAT (CD LAUNCH) + MR JIMMY + THE GRENADINES YAH YAH’S, FITZROY. 9:00PM. BEN SALTER RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 4:00PM. BROKEN SPLENDOUR + CLEO HOWMAN + SEVEN HEARTS 303, NORTHCOTE. 3:30PM. $5. CHRIS WILSON UNION HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 5:00PM. DEFAMER + CATACOMBS + DENOUNCEMENT PYRE + GXSXD + ORDER OF ORIAS + THRALL BENDIGO HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 6:00PM. $15. DIRTY YORK LABOUR IN VAIN, FITZROY. 5:00PM. FANTASTIC EXPOSURE + SLOWJAXX & HIS FLYING BONG BROTHERS + ZOE RYAN GERTRUDES BROWN COUCH, FITZROY. 5:30PM. GUN RUNNERS + BACKYARD SURGEONS + FIRE FIGHT + YOUR DEMISE BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 8:30PM. LABOUR DAY EVE - FEAT: HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN + BONES BLACKWOOD + DJ SHITSHAKE + THE BONNIE DOONS OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:00PM. $10. LABOUR DAY EVE - FEAT: MADRE MONTE + ARAKATAKA BAR OPEN, FITZROY. 8:00PM. LEFT FEELS RIGHT (EP LAUNCH) + EMPRA + FRANKENBOK + THAT GOLD STREET SOUND + THE SINNERS + ZOMBONIMO CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $13. MAGENTA + DJ LAUREN MAC + MILANO EXPRESS + RICKY MUSCAT & ROCKEFELLER VELUDO BAR

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Anything else to add? For anyone who can grow a better/dirtier mustache than Liam Kelly, they will receive free entry.

& RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 6:00PM. MORNING OF THE EARTH + KURT GENTLE + THE PIERCE BROTHERS RUBY’S LOUNGE, BELGRAVE. 8:00PM. $10. MOSHPHERE FESTIVAL - FEAT: SYBREED + AEON OF HORUS + ALICE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD GLASS + ANNO DOMINI + BESERKERFOX + CIRCLES + DECIMATUS + DELIVERANCE WE PREY + DJ LADY LONDON + ELYSIAN + EYE OF THE ENEMY + HATCHET DAWN + HOUSE OF THUMBS + INTERNAL NIGHTMARE + MASTIFF + NABERUS + SYNTHETIC BREED THE HI-FI, MELBOURNE. 3:00PM. $35. PETER LILLIE’S CAR & CARAVAN + GARY GRAY + NICK RISCHBIETH LYREBIRD LOUNGE, RIPPONLEA. 7:00PM. SET SAIL + ANIMAUX + THE RED LIGHTS NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. $15. THE ANTOINETTES WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 6:00PM. $5. THE AUDREYS + LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAKLEIGH. 8:00PM. $35. THE GARDEN OF EIDA + DAMN THE RIVER + DEAR STALKER BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 5:00PM. THE MONDAY DRFIT EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 8:00PM. THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA + DJ MANCHILD + N’FA JONES + THE SEVEN-UPS ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. THE SUNSLEEPERS + DJ DAJARRA + QUINCE + WAR IN ARCADIA EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 8:30PM. $10. THE TEARAWAYS + AUSTRALIAN KINGSWOOD FACTORY + THE JACKS TOTE HOTEL, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. $8. THE WORKINGHORSE IRONS + 4TRESS + PUSH TO TWIST + ROAD RATZ + THE BOMBADIERS PONY, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. TONY BARNAOU KENT ST, FITZROY. 6:00PM. TRAPPED UNDER ICE + OUTSIDERS CODE + PHANTOMS + RELENTLESS CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. $25.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ALEX ARONSTEN & PETER SOMERVILLE + ALEX ARONSTEN + PETER SOMERVILLE THORNBURY LOCAL, THORNBURY. 4:00PM. ALEX BURNS TRIO + JEB CARDWELL DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE. 4:00PM. BEN ABRAHAM EDINBURGH CASTLE, BRUNSWICK. 7:30PM. BIG GOSPEL BREAKFAST - FEAT: THE SOUTH OF THE RIVER GOSPEL CHOIR + BOB SEDERGREEN + CHRIS WILSON CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAK-

60 SECONDS WITH… CLOSURE IN MOSCOW

60 SECONDS WITH… THE PHILISTINES

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The band’s name is The Philistines, my name is Chris, and I play guitar and sometimes throw things. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? Garage-punk with a twist of wasted.

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? Closure In Moscow, I’m Christopher de Cinque (Vocals) and I sing in the band.

If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it be and why? Just one? Probably LMFAO, those guys are cockheads.

What do you reckon people will say you sound like? Pedal-depressed panchromatic resonance and other highly ambient domains.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Penguins in bondage and the illusion that Bruce Springsteen has been put through a wogification machine and learnt to play drums pretty awesomely.

What do you love about making music? What’s not to love?

What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? An EP and a full length album.

What do you love about making music? Playing live shows. When we recorded our EP Billy’s With The Phili’s, it was as loose as a recording session can get. We did it live to two track reel to reel at a bar I used to work at one night when it was closed... (Don’t tell the owner, he might get mad). We just get pissed, press record and whatever happens, happens. Same goes for our live shows.

What do you hate about the music industry? The-crushing-pressure-of-trying-to-come-up-withresponses-full-of-panache-for-things-like-this-tosomehow-stand-out-from-the-other-quip-laden-gogetters.

When’s the gig and with who? The Impeccable Beast tour with our pals Strangers and A Lonely Crowd hitting Karova Lounge (Ballarat) on Thursday March 8, The Evelyn (Melbourne) on Friday March 9 and The Bended Elbow (Geelong) on Saturday March 10. The tour will then continue all across this great, racially tolerant nation. Check out our Facebook page for details.

What do you hate about the music industry? The people at the top that are grasping for dear life to the ideals of the 20th century music industry are utterly despicable. The idea of ‘the big record contract’ died in the ‘90s along with the big wig producers that schemed them up. That said, the Melbourne underground music scene is flourishing, and we are proud to be a part of it.

Anything else to add? Thanks for reading, support local music.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Jay Reatard because he fucking rules! We love Jay. RIP

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? The last thing I would want to do is sweat one of my heroes by showing them my stuff. They’d probably be all, “Beat it you time travelling punk, you’re fucking up the space time continuum.”

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If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? All of the pseudo-psychedelic, reverb washed, paisley wearing cool kids with big hats, pointy shoes and loud shirts can fuck right off! What can a punter expect from your live show? Loud guitars being bashed onto already-noisy amps, pints being skulled and kicked over, drunk guitarists throwing things at other band members, and sometimes even gogo dancers! What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Billy’s With The Phili’s, our debut EP, is available at the newest record store in town, Broken Glass Records on Johnston St, and a few other stores around town. When’s the gig and with who? Every Wednesday in March at The Tote with the likes of: Jackals, Tyson Slithers and the Phat Chicks, Pomme Frittes, Homeowner, Idle Minds, The Lost Sunnies, Pink Health, The Bonnie Doons and a few special guest surprises... Anything else to add? Come see it for yourself, but leave your pointy shoes at home.

Beat Magazine Page 73

Josh Pyke

+ BEAT PRESENT... whatson@thepush.com.au

ACCESS ALL AGES WITH RUTH MIHELCIC

MOOMBA FESTIVAL Good old Moomba Festival – over fifty years old and as Melbourne as decent coffee, grungy alleyways, trams and hidden laneways. Down for this year’s shenanigans are the likes of Josh Pyke, The Panics, The Bamboos, Tex Perkins, Daryl Braithwaite and more, alongside the Silent Disco and Beats Stage. Excellent! Moomba takes place around Alexandra Gardens, Birrarung Marr and the Yarra River from Friday March 9 to Monday March 12. LEIGH. 9:30AM. $18. BROKEN TILE VICTORIA HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 5:00PM. COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY + CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKEN WALK RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 10:00PM. DAVE STEEL & TIFFANY ECKHARDT LOMOND HOTEL, BRUNSWICK EAST. 5:30PM. DOM DIBLASIO & GEORGE HYDE TOWN HALL HOTEL, NORTH MELBOURNE. 6:00PM. GEOFF ACHISON MENTONE HOTEL, MENTONE. 3:00PM. JAM NIGHT MUSICLAND, FAWKNER. 8:00PM. JOE CAMILLERI & THE BLACK SORROWS + VIAK & LINDA MELBOURNE ZOO, PARKVILLE. 6:00PM. JULES BOULT THE BAY, MORDIALLOC. 4:00PM. MR BLACK & BLUES CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 2:00PM. OPEN MIC CHANDELIER ROOM, MOORABBIN. 5:30PM. OPEN MIC CHANDELIER ROOM, MOORABBIN. 5:30PM. RAISED BY EAGLES + NICK O’MARA DUO PENNY BLACK, BRUNSWICK. 5:00PM. SAMMY OWEN BLUES BAND RUBY’S LOUNGE, BELGRAVE. 3:30PM. SARAH CARNEGIE GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL, RICHMOND. 7:00PM. SEAN KERSHAW STANDARD HOTEL, FITZROY. 7:00PM. SINGER SONGWRITER SESSIONS - FEAT: SUSAN LILY + SALOME HALLOCK CHANDELIER ROOM, MOORABBIN. 4:00PM. STOMPDOG + ROESY BAR NANCY, NORTHCOTE. 6:00PM. THE BLACK EYED SUSANS + MICHA & MICHAEL O’CONNOR BUTTERFLY CLUB, SOUTH MELBOURNE. 2:00PM. $25. THE NUDGELS RAINBOW HOTEL, FITZROY. 4:00PM. THE RECHORDS GEM BAR, COLLINGWOOD. 8:00PM. THE TRACY MCNEIL BAND RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 7:30PM. VAN WALKER & LIZ STRINGER CARRINGBUSH HOTEL, ABBOTSFORD. 4:00PM.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC DAN ROLLS OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE. 8:30PM. DJ MAX BAY BEBIDA, FITZROY. 4:00PM. JOSE NIETO CRUZAO AREPA BAR, FITZROY. 6:30PM. MOU QUARRTET OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE.

CLASSIFIEDS

33c PER WORD PER WEEK (INC GST) • Send your classified listing information to Beat Magazine at 3 Newton St, Richmond 3121 with a cheque, money order or credit card number (including expiry date and name on card, NOT AMEX or DINERS) (1.5% surcharge on Visa and MasterCard) OR deliver it yourself with cash OR you can email your classifieds to us - classifieds@beat.com.au with credit card details • DEADLINE IS THURSDAY 5pm, prior to Wednesdays publication • Minimum $5 charge per week. We do NOT accept classifieds over the phone - sorry.

MUSICIANS WANTED BANDS & PROMOTERS WANTED. Any style for Collingwood venue. First gigs welcome, live CD recording available. Contact Jane after 12pm on 0425 796 828. ACOUSTIC ACTS WANTED for Bar Betty in Smith Street, Fitzroy. Paid Gig. Please phone Sandra or Michelle on 9417 3937. Bar Betty - 129 Smith Street, Fitzroy. VOCALIST WANTED for Hallam/Rowville based metal band. Contact Brad 0402 786 369. www.myspace.com/ tokenofruin VOCALIST WANTED for ‘Sideways’. Progressive, hard band needs Mike Patton x Cedric Zavala. Live and recording experience essential. www.sidewaysband.com Sth Eastern Suburbs. Splatty 0488 202 929 Beat Magazine Page 74

BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY You know that stage you get to when you’ve listened to I See A Darkness so many time in one day that you actually decide it’s time to stop classing yourself as a happy-go-lucky person? Yeah. Sink into the warm bath of haunting folk that is Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at the Regal Ballroom on Thursday March 8 and the National Theatre this Friday March 9.

8:30PM. ROSS WILSON + BAD BOYS BATUCADA + LANEWAY FUNK BROTHERS + THE MARABOU PROJECT ESPY, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. THE BURROW DEBUT BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $15.

MONDAY 12 MAR ROCK/POP AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA + DIE ROTEN PUNKTE NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE. 7:00PM. BROTHERS HAND MIRROR WORKERS CLUB, FITZROY. 6:00PM. LABOUR DAY MINI ACOUSTIC FESTIVAL VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 5:00PM. PUSH OVER 2012 - FEAT: 360 + 8 BIT LOVE + ALPINE + DANGEROUS! + EAGLE & THE WORM + GLASS TOWERS + MANTRA + PARKWAY DRIVE + REDCOATS + SNAKADAKTAL + TONIGHT ALIVE + YAUGHT CLUB DJS + HALLOWER + HANDS LIKE HOUSES + MINDSET + NORTHLANE + SKYWAY + THIS TOWN A FOREST ABBOTSFORD CONVENT, ABBOTSFORD. 12:00PM. $40. REAL ESTATE + SURES + TWERPS CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. $42. ST. ANDREWS OPEN MIC & JAMM NIGHT + OPEN MIC ST ANDREWS HOTEL, ST ANDREWS. 7:00PM. THNKR + THE UNIVERSAL TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 7:30PM. $5.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK JESS RIBEIRO & THE BONE COLLECTORS + FRASER A. GORMAN RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 4:00PM.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ALLAN BROWNE’S NIHILIST TRIO BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $15. THE HAGGKVIST / MOIR TRIO - FEAT: THE HAGGKVIST/MOIR TRIO + THE GILMARTIN TRIO 303, NORTHCOTE. 9:00PM. $8.

BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY - FEAT: SANDCASTLE BRUNSWICK HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 8:00PM. EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS + MUNRO MELANO TRIO EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY. 9:00PM. GROUNDATION + KING CHARLIE’S SCHOOL OF DUB THE HI-FI, MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $35. PATRON SAINTS CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. PIETA BROWN & THE SAWDUST BOYS + LUCIE THORNE BELLA UNION BAR (TRADES HALL), CARLTON SOUTH. 8:00PM. $27. ROKY ERICKSON + THE UV RACE CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND. 7:30PM. $48. SARAH CHADWICK + MICHAEL ELIJAH + THE OLD FAITHFULS OLD BAR, FITZROY. 8:00PM. SPENCER P JONES + TRISTEN BIRD CHERRY BAR, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. TRAILER PARK BOYS FORUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. $70.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK DARREN GALLAGHER + NICK O’MARA RETREAT HOTEL, BRUNSWICK. 8:30PM. DIERKS BENTLEY & LEE KERNAGHAN PALAIS THEATRE, ST KILDA. 7:30PM. $99. OPEN MIC EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 7:30PM. OPEN MIC EMPRESS HOTEL, NORTH FITZROY. 7:30PM. SEAN KERSHAW LABOUR IN VAIN, FITZROY. 8:30PM. SKINNY LEATHER TIES VELUDO BAR & RESTAURANT, ST KILDA. 8:30PM.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC JASMINE CHEN DIZZY’S JAZZ CLUB, RICHMOND. 8:00PM. $14. JUDY COLLINS THE FAMOUS SPIEGEL TENT, MELBOURNE. 8:00PM. KRYSTLE WARREN + PIERS TWOMEY TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $40. MIRKO GUERRINI QUARTET BENNETTS LANE JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE. 8:30PM. $15. THE MERRY BRONHILL GASWORKS ARTS PARK, ALBERT PARK. 11:00AM.

TUESDAY 13 MAR ROCK/POP AQUA PALACE THEATRE, MELBOURNE CBD. 8:00PM. $60.

TUITION ASHLEY DAVIES DRUM LESSONS. Developing musicianly drumming. Using technique as a means to bring out the best in your drumming. Free half hour introductory lesson. Upstairs at Greville Records. 0415 118 390 or asho179@ optusnet.com.au www.ashleydaviesmusicanddrums.com DRUM LESSONS AVAILABLE for students who wish to learn. For enquiries phone Paul 8786 3421. DRUM TUITION. Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop (and more). Beginners welcome! All ages. Brunswick West. Contact John on 0437 873 488/john.milton@gmail.com

SERVICES LIVE SOUND ENGINEER Melbourne metro/inner city suburbs. Reasonable rates, per set or full night. Call Niki 0401 641904 or email niki.bateman@gmail.com. MAN WITH A VAN. Best value movers in Melbourne. Now with trucks!!!! Equip with 1 or 2 experienced men, trolleys and removal blankets. Available 7 days. Check out www. manwithavan.com.au or call us on 9417 3443. PROFESSIONAL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS SERVICES for musicians & businesses from conception to upload. Highly creative, 2D & 3D option, unique style and experience in the industry. Talk to the pros at the screaming eagle ﬁlmco. “Live your passion” Ph: 0415 100 444 www. screamingeagleﬁlmco.com

SOUNDPARK RECORDING/REHEARSALS. Large 5 room recording studio, loads of vintage gear/instruments. Hire without engineer $450 day, or with $650. Rehearsals from $50. Phone Andrew 0425 706 382. THINK MOVING SUCKS? Call Little Red Trucks! Moving Melbourne everyday. Call 9380 6444 or head to www. littleredtrucks.com.au

EMPLOYMENT BAND BOOKER WANTED. ﬁrstﬂoor393.com.au

Cv’s

bookings@

FLAUNT IT. Internationally acclaimed producer of profeminist erotica looking for conﬁdent, adult women to smash the stereotypes and earn good money ($500 and up). Don’t overlook this til you’ve found out more about it. Rebecca 9495 6555 or www.feck.com. LOOKING FOR AMATEUR COMEDIANS to perform at Bar Betty - 129 Smith Street, Fitzroy Ph: 9417 3937

MISCELLANEOUS IM HUNGRY! Looking for donations for new World Record attempt. I am aiming to eat 1oo sausages in an hour. If any butchers would like to donate sausages to me please call Mr Craigy Dermody on 1800-sausages.

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

This week butter up your ears at the Beats Stage at Melbourne’s iconic Moomba festival, where you catch some great acts like Eloji, 8 Bit Love, The Darjellings, and Animaux for free! Then head down to the Abbotsford Convent on Monday for PUSH OVER 2012, a showcase of some of this country’s best young acts like Parkway Drive, 360, Tonight Alive, and Yacht Club DJs to name a few. The Push Start Battle of the Bands Finals will also be taking place, so show your support by grabbing a ticket asap!

ALL AGES TIMETABLE Wednesday March 7 Jessie J w/ Ruby Rose and Amy Meredith, Festival Hall, 300 Dudley Street, Melbourne, 7pm–11pm, $79.90, ticketmaster.com or 136 100, AA Thursday March 8 Parkway Drive w/ Hand Of Mercy and Hopeless, Old Collegians Football Club, 10 Parkinson Street, Warrnambool, 5pm, $28.60, oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545, AA Friday March 9 Good Life Music Festival w/ Steve Angello, Skrillex, Tinie Tempah, Drapht, 360, and more, Flemington Racecourse, 400 Epsom Rd, Flemington, 3:30pm–10:30pm, $59, goodlifefest.com.au, U18 Friday March 9 to Monday March 12 Moomba w/ Josh Pyke, The Panics, Tex Perkins, Darryl Braithwaite, The Bamboos, Wagons, Owl Eyes and more, Alexandra Gardens and Birrarung Marr, Melbourne, 7pm, Free, thatsmelbourne.com, AA Friday March 9 to Sunday March 11 Forest Edge Music Festival w/ Ivoryline, Antiskeptic, Michael Paytner, Set Sail, Jonnday, TigerTown, and more, Forest Edge CYC camp site, 405 McKenzie Rd, Neerim East, $30-$90, forestedge.org.au or (03) 5952 3135, AA Saturday March 10 Moomba Beats Stage w/ Eloji, 8 Bit Love, Return to Youth, and You and Your Music, Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne, 6:45pm–11pm, Free, thatsmelbourne.com, AA Dallas Frasca, Wangaratta Town Centre, 6pm, $65, Wangaratta Town Centre on (03) 5722 0888, AA Poolies w/ DJ Aaron and Camz, Sunshine Leisure Centre, 5 Kennedy Street, Sunshine, 11am–5pm, gold coin donation, Lukas Farfalla on 9364 1800, AA Break The Ice Fest w/ Baltimore, Trapped Under Ice, 50 Lions, Hopeless, Shinto Katana, Anchor, and more, Seaford Community Hall, Corner Station and Broughton Streets, Seaford, 2pm, $27, oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545, AA Saturday March 10 to Monday March 12 Golden Plains Sixxx w/ Bon Iver, Chic Feat Nile Rodgers, Roky Erickson, Black Lips, Roots Manuva, and more, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Mount Mercer Road, Meredith, 1pm, $289, goldenplains.com, AA Sunday March 11 Community Pool Day, Myrtleford Pool, Standish Street, Myrtleford, 12pm – 4pm, $10, Jake Bray-Butler on (03) 5755 0555, AA Moomba Beats Stage w/ Amber Lamps, Brighter At Night, The Darjeelings, and Elephant Eyes, Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne, 6:45pm–11pm, Free, thatsmelbourne.com, AA Susan Lily w/ Salome Hancock, Chandelier Room, Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, 4pm, Free, Chandelier Room on (03) 9532 2288, AA Monday March 12 Push Over w/ Parkway Drive, 360, Tonight Alive, Yacht Club DJs, Dangerous!, Snakadaktal, Mantra, Redcoats, Glass Towers, and more, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, 12pm–8pm, $40, thepush.com.au or (03) 9380 1277, AA Moomba Beats Stage w/ Animaux, Masketta Fall, and Mischievous Thom, Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne, 6:45pm–11pm, Free, thatsmelbourne.com, AA Tuesday March 13 Fringe Fest w/ Dream on Dreamer, Hand of Mercy, Boris The Blade, Distant Wreck, and more, Cranbourne Public Hall, Clarendon Street, Cranbourne, 6pm–10:15pm, $12, Sarah Green on 5996 5563, AA Taylor Swift w/ Hot Chelle Rae, Rod Laver Arena, Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne, 8pm, $109.90-$139.90, ticketek.com. au or 132 849, AA

GS T GI TS A L AL VEN GB ! E E & THE FRE E AR

FRIDAY MAR 9TH

Wed. Mar. 7th: (Wine, Whiskey, Women)

8pm: Gabi 9pm: Kristen & Suzanne Thurs. Mar. 8th:

8pm: Paul Pomphrey 9pm: Daragh Slacke Fri. Mar. 9th:

6pm: Traditional Irish Music Session With Dan Bourke & Friends Sat. Mar. 10th:

9pm: Lily & King Sun. Mar. 11th:

4pm: Jeb Cardwell 6.30pm: Alex Burns Trio

JACK KERSHAW AND THE JACK RAMBLERS

GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL THU 8TH MAR

THE WEEKEND PEOPLE +

(BROOKLYN)

MATT COLLYER AND THE COMPANY FROM 8PM

SATURDAY MAR 10

FRI 9TH MAR

SATURDAY NIGHTS FISH FRY SUNDAY MAR 11

GB DJ’S FROM 9PM

SAT 10TH MAR

BOX ROCKETS & GUESTS FROM 9PM

SUN 11TH MAR

SARAH CARNEGIE

FROM 7PM

THE RECHORDS

MON 12TH MAR

BOOZER SOUL (DJ’S) FROM 8PM

WEEKLY ASSORTMENTS MonDAYS

Tues. Mar. 13th:

8pm: Weekly Trivia

“All Shows Always Free” The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.myspace.com/drunkenpoets

FREE POOL ALL NIGHT

289 WELLINGTON ST COLLINGWOOD 94195170 WWW.THEGEMBAR.COM.AU

$10 PIZZA & POT

TueSDAYS

MRS SMITH’S TRIVIA $10 PIZZA & POT 9PM

WEDNESDAYS

OPEN MIC NIGHT FROM 9PM

KITCHEN OPEN 6 NIGHTS

447 CHURCH ST RICHMOND 9429 5066 www.greatbritainhotel.com.au

• • • • • WEDNESDAY • • • • •

COMEDY TRIVIA QUIZ MEISTER SATURDAY 10/3, 6PM

STACKFUL

THURSDAY MAR 8TH

BEN SALTER (GIN CLUB)

SUNDAY 11/3, 6PM

DOM DIBLASIO & GEORGE HYDE FRIDAY 23/3, 10PM

CHELSEA DRUGSTORE

MARCH ACOUSTIC RESIDENCY FROM 8.30PM

SATURDAY MAR 10TH

“LOUISE”

GREASY HAWAIIANS

• • • • • THURSDAY • • • • •

UNI NIGHT

DERBY THURSDYS

CHECK OUT DERBY THURSDAYS ON FACEBOOK.

- ROCKIN’ COUNTRY SATURDAY RESIDENCY 5 TIL 7 PM

SUNDAY MAR 11TH

DIRTY YORK

SATURDAY 24/3, 10PM

FROM 8PM. GREAT PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS.

- GOODTIME ROCK N ROLL 5 TIL 7 PM

• • • • • SATURDAY • • • • •

SHE BAR

EVERY 2ND SATURDAY PRESENTS SHEBAR AN ALL GIRL NIGHT 9PM

TUESDAY MAR 13TH

SUNDAY 25/3, 6PM

THE MERCURIALS

FREE ENTRY ALWAYS!

SEAN KERSHAW

- HOKYTONK STRAIGHT OUTA BROOKLYN NY -

FROM 8.30 PM

• • • • • SUNDAY • • • • •

BBQ

STARTS 5PM TILL LATE

TOWN HALL HOTEL 33 ERROL STREET, NORTH MELBOURNE (03) 9328 1983 FOR BAND BOOKINGS PLEASE CONTACT MILES: TOWNIEBANDS@GMAIL.COM SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 75

DO YOU WANT YOUR STORE, STUDIO OR MUSIC SERVICE FEATURED IN BACKSTAGE?

BACKSTAGE THE PLACE FOR MUSICIANS

CONTACT ALEKSEI ON 9428 3600 OR MIXDOWN@BEAT.COM.AU TO FIND OUT HOW.

for more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600

STORE PROFILE s

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PHOTOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO STUDIO Pro & Conc. Rates Available For Photographic, Music Video & Band Shoots Starting From $150 Multi-Purpose Change & Makeup Room Grip & Lighting gear available Communal Lounge & Wireless Internet Excellent on-site parking CONTACT: CY -ARTISTIC DIRECTOR- 0401 379 973 9687 0233 w w w . t h e w h i t e r o o m . n e t . a u

Established: 2007. Location: 145 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VIC 3130. Main brands and products you specialise in: Yamaha Keyboards and PA Systems Gibson USA & Gibson Custom Shop Electric Guitars Gibson Acoustic Guitars Epiphone Guitars and Amplifiers Martin Acoustic Guitars Orange Guitar and Bass Amplifiers Trace Elliot Bass Amplifiers Kramer Electric Guitars Casio Keyboards Boss Effects Pedals …plus Roland, Hiwatt, Bugera, Behringer and more!

18 Duffy street Burwood 3125 30m rooms s Air-con and ventilation in s 10everylargeroomand identical s PA/foldback combos at 1000w s Storage and amp/kit hire s Acoustic Engineer-designed soundproofing 2

PH: (03) 903 88101 M: 0417 000 397 Email: hydrastudios@bigpond.com

Services oﬀered: We provide quality guitar repairs and servicing on site, ranging from a basic re-string to a full setup and service to keep your guitar or bass in top playing condition.

Your point of difference: Gallin’s Musician’s Pro Shop stocks Australia’s largest range of Gibson and Epiphone guitars, and Orange Amplifiers. We also specialize in a wide range of instruments to suit all players and tastes, beginner or professional. We pride ourselves on our low prices and top notch service. Come in and let our experienced staff help find the instrument that’s right for you. Any upcoming sales: Biggest Sale Ever! is on now and happening through March. This also includes our affiliated Gallin’s Musician’s Pro Shops in Prahran (196 Chapel St), Fitzroy (410 Brunswick St) and Windsor (112 Chapel St). Come in and get a ripper deal! Phone: (03) 9877 0689 Website: www.gallinsmps.com.au or find us on Facebook.

Toyland Recording Studio Live Bands, Demos, Albums Digital or 2” Analog Tape Live room for a big natural sound Neve preamps, Urei Compressors

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6 hour rehearsal from $35 Rehearsal Studios - Licensed Bar Emporium - Cafe - Venue www.soundrehearsalstudios.com.au 91 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin Vic 3189 Tel 9532 2288

THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL ALEKSEI ON 9428 3600

Beat Magazine Page 76

BACKSTAGE: BEAT’S ONE STOP SHOP FOR MUSICIANS

REVOLVER REHEARSAL STUDIOS & MUSIC TUITION *Under New Ownership & Management* Brand New World Class PA Systems Clean studios with storage available Drum Practice Room On Site - Guitar, Amp & Drum Tech.

SESSION TIMES: Mon - Fri Day Session: 11am-5.30pm Night Session: 6pm - 11.30pm Saturday: 11am- 5.30pm LATE NIGHT ACCESSORIES STICKS, STRINGS, SKINS.

MUSIC TUITION: All teachers are professional performing musicians with qualifications. Lessons available in Drums, Piano/Keys, Guitar, Vocals, Bass and Ensemble.

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PA HIRE Vintage, New & Second Hand Amps, Effects Pedals & Rigs

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Comprehensive PA systems delivered, set up and operated with crew. Compact, easy, sound systems you can pickup and assemble yourself.Components such as microphones, speakers and effects are also available separately. Lights also available. For details phone Mark Barry on 03 9889 1999 or 0419 993 966

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Guitars and Amps wanted Top CA$H Paid

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EQUIPMENT HIRE Vocal PA’s from $80, ampliﬁers and drumkits available.

IMPLANTMEDIA CD with 2 PAGE INSERT

SPECIAL! 100 A3

colour posters for

in PVC (sleeve)

100 - from $2.35 each 500 - $1.40 each 1000 - $1.08 each

CD with 4 PAGE INSERT + INLAY Jewel case (black tray)

100 - from $3.15 each 500 - $1.80 each 1000 - $1.45 each

CD in CARD SLEEVE 100 - from $2.95 each 500 - from $1.80 each 1000 - from $1.30 each

CD with GATEFOLD

4 panel gatefold, single or double pocket

100 - from $3.95 each 500 - from $2.40 each 1000 - from $1.60 each

CD with DIGICASE 100 - from $4.45 each 500 - from $2.70 each 1000 - from $1.70 each

$70

With any disc order of 50 or more.

12” Vinyl in PRINTED SLEEVE

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500 - from $7.50 each 1000 - from $5.45 each 7” and 10” also available

DVD with CASE & SLICK Black DVD case

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BACKSTAGE: BEAT’S MUSICIANS DIRECTORY

HUNDREDS OF OTHER PACKAGING OPTIONS AVAILABLE! FOR A PRICE ON ANY PACKAGE AT ANY TIME VISIT: WWW.IMPLANT.COM.AU/QUOTES Beat Magazine Page 77

LIVE

SOUNDWAVE Friday March 2, Melbourne Showgrounds

INCUBUS Tuesday February 7, Festival Hall Waiting for Incubus to come on, the packed out Festival Hall felt like an uncomfortable school disco. The cyclone-fenced sides of the venue were closed off and masked with a makeshift black tarpaulin, which seemed to have forced everybody to congregate in circles, muttering to each other in anticipation of the Californian five-piece. They certainly came out firing, blasting an unruly Megalomaniac with plenty of conviction, but to a rather unresponsive and lackluster crowd. This was surprising enough, but even more shocking was that Incubus classic and fan-favourite, Pardon Me still didn’t seem to hit the spot. As much as the band soldiered on, their solid act didn’t seem to get the appreciation it deserved, which was reflected in their performance as it went on. Crowd aside, Incubus hinted at revealing just how consistent they have been through their career, but unfortunately it also emphasised how weak their most recent album If Not Now, When? is. The newer tracks didn’t stand up to their older counterparts, and when scattered amongst vintage winners, such as Stellar and Warning, they diluted the whole show considerably, stripping it of the drive and power that is ordinarily expected. Adolescents and In the Company of Wolves drifted unconvincingly past and dragged on, and the album’s title track saw the rare sight of lead singer and heartthrob Brandon Boyd taking to the guitar as he wailed, “Don’t you feel like something’s missing here?”

And he was right, there most certainly was. Singalong single, Promises, Promises was very listenable, but like the others, it brought very little to the table and instigated a worrying thought: are Incubus at the end of their game and heading towards indie-pop mediocrity? I’d like to think not – because as disappointing as they were, the newer songs functioned as a tease, leaving the crowd yearning for some classics, and when they came, it gave a critical reminder of how Incubus are still a ridiculously talented bunch of musicians. Anna Molly and Kiss to Send us Oﬀ reignited a much needed spark in proceedings like a couple of lethal shots of tequila and the funky Are You In? transformed Festival Hall into a hell of a party. Incubus built on this, delivering Wish You Were Here and Nice to Know You in the only way possible, as the true modern rock anthems they are. Unfortunately though, it was a case of too little, too late – this school disco never really got started, and I was just longing for my parents to come pick me up. CALLUM FITZPATRICK LOVED: The cover of Riders on the Storm concealed within You in? HATED: That there was nothing in particular to hate. I love a good moan. DRANK: Pepsi Max, on the rocks, garnished with a bartender’s hair.

Everyone’s Soundwave experience is diﬀerent. I guess that’s true of all festivals, but especially so of one that features so many variants of heavy music, where genre lines divide some fans and unite others. And while my tastes in music and metal are pretty broad, it seemed that this year I was mostly drawn to the heavy metal stages. Still, I did make a point to get around a bit.

First up, I missed Steel Panther because I was in the ticket queue during their set, but by all reports, including those of the band backstage afterwards, their Melbourne Soundwave set was utterly killer. They’ve already planned a return later in the year for headlining shows. Meshuggah were monstrous at their Wednesday night Sidewave and were equally powerful at Soundwave, although the atmosphere was very different with their syncopated, low-tuned rhythms wafting on the breeze rather than being hammered into your ears at the Forum. The reunited Coal Chamber wasted no time, kicking off with Loco, perhaps their most well-known track. Dez Fafara seemed to bring his DevilDriver stage banter back with him to Coal Chamber, and the band were definitely on. New bass player Chela Rhea Harper is a great player with huge tone, and guitarist Meegs Rascón was clearly relishing the return to Coal Chamber material.

ALI E, ELEPHANT EYES & BEN SALTER Saturday March 3, The Workers Club It was a drizzly Saturday afternoon in Melbourne, perfect for an afternoon of melancholic yet inspired music from some of the cities promising young stars. It was the launch party of Ali E’s debut solo album Landless, and she’d brought along some like-minded musicians to help her celebrate the occasion. First up were Elephant Eyes, a four-piece fronted by Kate McMahon, who despite her slightly nervous appearance belted out her songs with a big soulful voice, ranging from sweet to sultry. The musical accompaniment was an intoxicating blend of pop, indie and jazz driven by Tom Fraser’s groovy bass lines and Michael Mazzitotta’s ethereal keys, held together by the sleepy rhythms provided by Stu Hazelman. Next was Melbourne stalwart Ben Salter, who having played in countless bands and musical collectives for the last decade or so, is now playing in promotion of his ﬁrst solo album The Cat. The small crowd were enthralled with his painfully honest and expertly crafted sardonic poems set to chords strummed from an old white Stratocaster. Despite his confession of having smoked too many cigarettes, his voice was in ﬁne form. It was a stripped down, soul bearing performance from Ben without him having the comfort of a backing band, but all the more powerful for being so. Finally the lady of the hour, Ali E, took to the stage,

beginning her set with a solo instrumental, and with the cunning use of a loop station she added layer upon layer of haunting guitar tones. Although usually a solo artist, she’d brought along a backing band to accompany her who she introduced in stages throughout the next few songs. The songs frowm Landless sounded great live, and with that haunting growl of a Fender Jaguar and her rich powerful voice, she’s likely to gain comparisons to PJ Harvey. She brings together the best of shoegaze, soul and alt-rock and adds her own unique twist to it. The title track from Landless sounded especially good brought to life with layers of eerie echoes before its seductive melody kicks in. It was an intimate and assured performance, and the perfect way for her to launch her record, and for the crowd to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. ADAM ROBERTSHAW LOVED: Elephant Eyes’ cover of A Few Of My Favourite Things. HATED: The fact there were only about 20 people in the room for Ben Salter. DRANK: Coopers Pale Ale.

SPENCER P JONES & KIM SALMON Sunday February Residency, Old Bar The odds of a Beasts of Bourbon reunion – of any permutation or combination – are almost as long as the ALP laying the proverbial wet sloppy kiss on Kevin Rudd. While Rudd and the ALP have entered another phase of estrangement, to the delight of Beasts fans Spencer P Jones and Kim Salmon, the song writing spark behind the band’s original, and strongest material, had the grace and intelligence to reunite for a month of gigs at the Old Bar. The first night of the residency was rough and ready. Spencer was fortified by liberal amounts of Dutch courage to overcome his omnipresent nerves; Kim was his usual expressive self, more disciplined in approach than his on-stage partner. The evening had ended with Spencer intoning Thanks over Salmon’s bullish grunge anthem We Had Love. Counter intuitively, the moment had worked like few others. Subsequent outings refined the collaborative product, throwing into the mix such jewels as The Gun Club’s Jack on Fire and Kanye’s Runaway. Like oscillating waves operating on neighbouring frequencies, but with varying amplitude, the pair’s musical paths crossed regularly. A couple of old friends describing memories of varying definition: the resonance of mutual understanding and empathy came like a blinding flash of artistic brilliance. The final Sunday night pairing was always going to be the stuff of legends. With Jones completing commitments the other side of town, Salmon ran through a set thick with classics, from The Scientists’ Happy Hour, to Antenna’s Come on Spring, to the Surrealists’ Fix Me Up, to Hank Williams’ Ramblin’ Man. Jones’s set took off where his gig at the Retreat Hotel to celebrate national SLAM Day a few Beat Magazine Page 78

days earlier had left oﬀ. On that night Jones had squeezed every last drop of rock’n’roll goodness from his repertoire of classics, bending and stretching everything in his weathered hand into new, and even more compelling form. A school of thought suggests tracks such as She Walks Between the Raindrops, or even Hospital, is the artistic direction to which latter-era Beasts should have directed their attention, rather than the caricatured nihilism of Gone and Little Animals. A short break later, and Jones and Salmon were back on stage together. Like previous outings, the bracket was a mixture of originals and covers. Notional Salmon Beasts tracks such as Something to Lean On and Words From a Woman to Her Man are stripped back to their emotional heart; Jones’s Execution Days covers similar narrative territory, but with Jones’ distinctive sense of pathos. The covers traverse the musical spectrum, from the angstridden punk of The Stooges, Alex Chilton’s pristine power pop and Peggy Lee’s warm and sassy jazz. Jones and Salmon exchange bemused smiles with the familiarity of old friends freed from the clutches of ego. There’s a warmth in the air that you a slick social media campaign could never buy, and it’s all over – for now, at least. Someone get these guys back in the studio together, pronto. PATRICK EMERY LOVED: The mere concept of Alex Chilton, The Gun Club and The Stooges being played by Spencer Jones and Kim Salmon. HATED: When the night ended. DRANK: Cooper’s Pale Ale, what else?

pics Rebecca Houlden

Mastodon played a healthy amount of material from last year’s The Hunter, including the punky Blasteroid, the groovy Curl of the Burl and the rolling Black Tongue and several more, but only the title track from Crack The Skye (no Oblivion? Dude!). They were ridiculously tight and powerful - probably the best I’ve ever seen them - and it was great to hear so much new material standing so proudly alongside the earlier stuﬀ. Lamb of God? Phwoar. Currently riding the success of their latest album Resolution, they put in a killer energetic set of old and new tracks, and while Resolution is a plenty heavy-sounding album already, the live incarnations of its tracks had even more kick and muscle. Buz McGrath from Unearth took over Mark Morton’s guitar during set closer Black Label while Mark chucked picks to the crowd. What can you say about Zakk’s Wylde’s Black Label Society that hasn’t already been said? Wylde is an undisputed guitar hero, a killer vocalist who combines Alice In Chains with Ozzy Osbourne, and a power-keg of wild pinch harmonics, chunky riﬀs and screaming leads. BLS played a goodly chunk of Order Of The Black, and co-guitarist Nick Catanese recovered gracefully from stacking it on the drum riser.

Marilyn Manson. Um, okay. I’m a goth kid of the industrial variety, so I was looking forward to checking out Manson’s set. But his heart and mind just didn’t seem to be in the moment. Manson seemed to be phoning it in and the crowd weren’t really getting into it either. Slipknot, by contrast, were intense, bombastic and powerful. All the typical mayhem you might expect was there: the flames, the violence, the defiance, the riffage, the rising and rotating drum riser, clown venturing way deep into the audience, all the elements of a great festival set where there, whether you like Slipknot or not. By the time they played People=Shit, the crowd was impossibly whipped up for System Of A Down, who put in a solid if not overwhelming set to a huge, enthusiastic crowd. Still, it’s great to have them back from hiatus, and let’s hope they stick around. But I couldn’t watch their entire set. I had to get to stage 7. My title of Set Of The Day goes to the Devin Townsend Project. Heavy and crushing yet almost overwhelmingly uplifting, Devin Townsend Project is the emotional opposite of Townsend’s work in Strapping Young Lad. If Strapping Young Lad tapped into the darkest, heaviest, angriest aspects of human nature, Devin Townsend Project directs a similar level of intensity in the absolute opposite direction. Psychedelic, funny, heavy. Devin and crew nailed it with material from Ocean Machine, Infinity (and its follow-up demo EP), Physicist, Addicted!, Ziltoid The Omniscient and Deconstruction. Having seen Devin 8 times now in various formats, this current tour is probably the best musical and emotional form I’ve ever seen him in. I finished my evening with a little Machine Head, who sounded great musically, although Robb Flynn seemed to be having vocal problems on the night. Knowing from past experience that he’s usually a great live vocalist, so I shrugged it off and enjoyed the mix of classic and new material. It was a great way to cap the evening and to come down from the buzz of the Devin Townsend Project set with some solid, angry thrashinspired metal. PETER HODGSON

LOVED: Devin Townsend Project. HATED: Marilyn Manson. DRANK: Water and coﬀee.

RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL Friday February 17 - 19, Murray River The Riverboats Music Festival in Echuca played host to a sterling lineup of top-notch talent in a truly picturesque setting. Vika and Linda Bull, backed by a tight and vibrant band that featured the fretboard wizardry of the ubiquitous Ashley Naylor, impressed the jiving Friday night revelers with their robust vocal presence and assured command of the stage. With the nuclear-strength sunlight inspiring an early trip to the bar, we kick started our Saturday with Ryan Meeking’s haunting vocals which conjured pleasant memories of the much-missed Jeff Buckley. Lanie Lane, who possesses a wonderfully smoky voice, opened her largely solo set with the beautiful To The Horses. Her sweet ode to her beloved guitar Betty Baby, the sultry That’s What You Get and the rockin’ Bang Bang showcased her mastery of soulful alt-country and spicy rockabilly. A slimline Mick Thomas led his high-energy Roving Commission through a fun set brimming with homegrown folk rock. The Weddings Parties Anything classic Knockbacks In Halifax generated some good-natured pogoing from the excited audience while the band’s sensitive interpretation of The Triffids’ poignant Wide Open Road worked a treat. Mark Seymour got us all singing during a muscular set studded with Hunters and Collectors gems and nuggets from his excellent solo work. The Bamboos were a funktastic delight as they dished up mountain-moving rhythms, trippy wa-wa, powerhouse vocals, a pumpin’ brass section and the occasional cheeky flute solo. The Bride Stripped

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Back, a trio hailing from Bendigo, generated an enjoyable and chilled vibe punctuated with moody cello that seemed an ideal entrée to Sunday’s proceedings. The highlight of the entire weekend was Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes! You know that you are in the presence of greatness when you experience an actual rather than metaphorical “goose bump moment.” The fact that this happened to me twice during the band’s set gives you an indication of their visceral impact. Browne, who looks at times like a youthful Wanda Jackson, exuded eﬀortless cool and joined her animated backing singers in wonderfully retro dance moves while the band pumped out a hot mix of soul, funk and '60s style girl group vibes. Tex Perkins’ deep and stormy vocals were in ﬁne form as he led The Band of Gold through low-key slow-burning country tunes and that long-lost eerie Beasts of Bourbon classic Psycho. We wrapped up our fantastic Riverboats weekend with the comedic Colin Hay, who sung crowd-pleasers such as Down Under and Who Can It be Now whilst also showcasing less familiar yet equally enjoyable songs from his lengthy solo career. GRAHAM BLACKLEY LOVED: Clairy Browne’s shivers-down-the-spine rendition of Cher’s Bang Bang. HATED: The face-melting heat on Saturday! DRANK: Gin and tonic.