Beat Magazine #1320 by Furst Media

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• Music, Festivals & Arts News As It Happens • In Depth Features, Interviews & Reviews • Beat TV • Beat Radio • Melbourne’s Ultimate Gig & Venue Guide • Free Shit Galore • Columns • Discussion

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RESENTS SECRET SOUNDS P

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS OCEANIA TOUR

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THURSDAY 2 AUGUST HISENSE ARENA

FRI 27 JULY THE HI-FI (O/18S)

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WITH SPECIAL GUESTS T

D OU MONDAY S O L 23 JULY

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Thursday 26th July The Corner

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TUE 31 JUL THE CORNER

WED 25TH JULY THE CORNER

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

WITH

ZULU WINTER

TUE 24 JULY - THE CORNER

WEDNESDAY 1 AUGUST

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

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Y A D N E P O te models is a P 0 0 2 n of more tha n io t c e ll o c ralia. a special t s m u o A r f in ls e a r b e cym play anywh is d n o t s e g – the lar hie Vez, ic R & y e n n Lee Molo olin Trio. r io a t P c e i s b o m R h t e sty and th Diesel’s rhy je a y b M s k e c c la n a B perform nsand from e v E y k ic R powerhouse n finding o e ic v d a ir d get the n a s t is t r a e th for you. ls a b m y c t the bes cymbalss ir e h t y h w t nd find ou a a li e worldd. a h r t t s r u e v A o e t ll a is a s from P ummer to the team gendary status with dr d le have attaine day-only e n o h it w l te cymba is a P a n o l a ange. R e t is the best de a P e ir ss the ent o r c a g in ic r p ne Drum r u o b n a r C t product a e t is a P a y the draw.* u b o t u in o y o g n e l ’l h u .W yo 1 of 3 iPads ing the month of May, dur Super Store

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Beat Magazine Page 13

IN THIS ISSUE...

HOT TALK

TOURING

THE JEZABELS

ARTS GUIDE BIG KIDS CRACKING NIGHT OUT, SHAKESPEARE

ART OF THE CITY, THE COMIC STRIP

SILVER PALADINO, 21 CHALLENGE, NEXT WAVE

BROTHERS GRIM P. 54

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT P. 53

INDUSTRIAL, OPOSSOM

ALBARE iTD

BOMBAY ROYALE

MONEY FOR ROPE

PANTERA

CORE, CRUNCH, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

ZULU WINTER, PVT, BROTHERS GRIM & THE BLUE MURDERS

KING OF THE NORTH, STONNINGTON JAZZ, MY DYNAMITE

MUSIC NEWS

ALBUM OF THE WEEK, SINGLES, CHARTS

THIS WEEK IN 100%:

DICK TREVOR 3 NEWTON STREET RICHMOND, VICTORIA 3121 Phone: (03) 9428 3600 Fax: (03) 9428 3611 email: info@beat.com.au www.beat.com.au BEAT MAGAZINE EMAIL ADDRESSES: (no large attachments please): Gig Guide: online at beat.com.au email gigguide@beat.com.au - it’s free! Club Listings: online at beat.com.au email clubguide@beat.com.au - it’s free! Music News Items: music@beat.com.au Artwork: art@beat.com.au Beat Classifieds 33c a word: classiﬁeds@beat.com.au

32,788 copies per week

ALBARE iTD P. 48

ZULU WINTER P.54

PUBLISHER: Furst Media Pty Ltd. MUSIC EDITOR: Taryn Stenvei ARTS EDITOR / ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR: Tyson Wray EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Nick Taras SUB-EDITORS: Michelle Aquilina, Penny Coulson, Jac Manuell, Mairead Bilton-Gough GENERAL MANAGER: Patrick Carr SENIOR ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ronnit Sternfein BEAT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pat O’Neil GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Pat O’Neil, Rebecca Houlden, Gill Tucker, Mike Cusack COVER ART: Pat O’Neil ADVERTISING: Taryn Stenvei (Music: Bands/Tours/Record Labels) taryn@beat.com.au Ronnit Sternfein (100%/Beat/Arts/Education/Ad Agency) ronnit@beat.com.au Aleksei Plinte (Backstage/ Musical Equipment) mixdown@beat.com.au Adam Morgan (Hospitality/Bars) adam@beat.com.au Kris Furst (beat.com.au) kris@furstmedia.com.au 0431 243 808 Jessica Riley (Indie Bands/Special Features) jessica@furstmedia.com.au CLASSIFIEDS: classiﬁeds@beat.com.au GIG GUIDE SUBMISSIONS: now online at www.beat.com.au or bands email gigguide@beat.com.au ELECTRONIC EDITOR - BEAT ONLINE:

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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, Chris Bright, Rose Callaghan, Adam Camilleri, Paige Cho, Stefan Chrisp, Nick Clarke, Talitha Conway, Dave Dawson, John Donaldson, Justin Donnelly, Georgia Doyle, Cam Ewart, Paul Fischer, Lawson Fletcher, Jack Franklin, 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 Prescott-Steed, James Ridley, Gav Ross, Leigh Salter, Tim Scott, Denis Semchenko, Side Man, Matt Sutherland, Lin Tan, Steve Tauschke, Brigitte Trobbiani, 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. © 2012 Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder.

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HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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

THE PRICE IS RIGHT NICKY BOMBA One of Australia’s busiest and highly respected musicians Nicky Bomba has jumped on his musical boat again to deliver a party filled island adventure with his new band Bustamento. The first single Mañana, is a jitterbuggin, upbeat ska infused expedition that ticks all the right tropical boxes. If you’re keen to bust a move, we have two double passes to give away to their upcoming Melbourne show at the Thornbury Theatre on Friday June 15, along with a copy of Bustamento’s forthcoming album entitled Intrepid Adventures To The Lost Riddim Islands.

AUSTRALIAN POPS ORCHESTRA Forget what ya’ heard, orchestras aren’t for the elderly. The Australian Pops Orchestra perform contemporary takes on all sorts of music. It’ll be awesome. We have two double passes to give away for the Saturday May 19 show at Palms at Crowns.

WHITELION BAIL OUT PAROLE PARTY Cheer the Whitelion Bail Out Inmates as they are released and enjoy buskers and street performers, grunge style street food, urban cocktails and drinks, have your mug shot taken and get a tattoo, all to the sound of live music. Dress code is pub grunge, with flannos encouraged. It takes place on Friday May 25 at the Old Melbourne Gaol and we have five double passes (valued at $99 each) to give away. All proceeds go to a good cause, with Whitelion helping disadvantaged young people to live more positive and fulfilled lives.

KIRIN J CALLINAN W II W (Way To War) is the brand new single from Kirin J Callinan’s forthcoming album W II W, and to coincide with the release he will be playing a string of shows across the east coast including a show at The Tote on Thursday June 28. The single has already been garnishing rave reviews from critics and fans alike, and with Callinan set to be backed by a full band, his live shows are set to be damn near electric. As the Beat Golden Plains reviewer mused earlier this year regarding the flourishes Callinan added to his set with Lost Animal, “Is Callinan the greatest guitarist in Australia in the moment?” We reckon so. Suss it out for yourself. Tickets available through Moshtix.

MIIKE SNOW The self-proclaimed three headed band with the one man name Miike Snow, are returning to Melbourne. Two thirds Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant, and one third Mark Ronson collaborator Andrew Wyatt, Miike Snow are currently celebrating the release of their new album Happy To You, and promise to bring back their renown live show which blew away Australian audiences in 2010. Miike Snow play The Palace on Tuesday July 31, and are sure to capture your heart, if they haven’t already.

Q&A OWL EYES presence to touch base on a personal level with your fans. I also think it’s important to stay present in media outlets such as street press or radio. Obviously the thing that’s always essential is to tour a lot and get your name out there.

Heapsa good shit. Heaps good new website, too. beat.com.au/freeshit is where you want to be.

Do you have any record releases to date? What are they? Where can I get them? Currently I have two EP’s; Faces and Raiders which can be purchased in stores or online. A new EP Crystalised will be released soon, but will only be sold exclusively at my upcoming shows in May until sold out. The single of the same name is available now on iTunes. When are you doing your thing next? I am about to head out on an Australian east-coast tour to celebrate the release of my new single Crystalised. It’s been exciting rehearsing for the tour because we’ve been playing around with some new songs from my upcoming album as well as working on a super fun cover mash up.

Your Name: Owl Eyes aka Brooke Addamo.

STEEL PANTHER In their first ever headline tour of Australia, Steel Panther are primed for an all-out assault on the senses. In an interview with Beat last year coinciding with their appearance at Soundwave, lead singer Michael Starr told us that “We’re gonna hit every continent. The first one we’re gonna go to is gonna be Australia. The best thing for us to do is just lay down the groundwork with most of the slutty girls out there. Because the girls that are backstage and like to fuck are the kind of girls that not only spread diseases, but they also spread the word of heavy metal. So that’s where we want to infiltrate – the vagina of Australia, and work that magic.” Fuck. Yes. Steel Panther play The Palace on Sunday October 7.

Deﬁne your genre in ﬁve words or less: Whimsical, synthy pop. How long have you been gigging and writing? I have been writing since I was 16. I fell in love with music after starting singing lessons at the age of 12; from there I pretty much lived on stage. I decided to use the moniker Owl Eyes a few years ago and have been writing and performing under that name ever since. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Apart from having great music and an awesome live show I feel like it’s really important to have a strong online

Do you have a pre-gig ritual? If so, what is it? I usually drink a glass of warm water with honey in it, make a lot of strange noises to warm up my voice and jump around to help get the adrenaline flowing. If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be? I would love to go on tour with Jamie xx or SBTRKT in the hope that they would want to collaborate with me. OWL EYES plays The Toﬀ In Town on Sunday May 20 and the Northcote Social Club on Tuesday May 22.

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Beat Magazine Page 16

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DREAMTIME AT THE ‘G Dreamtime At The ‘G will feature the iconic Goanna song Solid Rock from the landmark best-selling 1982 album Spirit Of Place. With the values espoused by Solid Rock as relevant today as they were 30 years ago and to celebrate the 30 year anniversary, Shane Howard has recorded a new version of Solid Rock to be released later this year. Dreamtime At The ‘G will feature a spectacular lineup of performers including Shane Howard and his band along with Dan Sultan, Amy Saunders, Emma Donovan, William Barton, Bart Willoughby and Tjimba Possum Burns. The prematch presentation will also feature a contemporary ceremony drawing on traditional customs and rituals, featuring a Wurundjeri creation story, dance, puppetry and lighting. All the festivities for Dreamtime At The ‘G kick oﬀ this Saturday May 19 at the MCG.

As well as being announced on the huge Splendour In The Grass lineup, indie-pop stars Fun. have announced their ﬁrst ever run of headline shows in Australia. Blending a multitude of genres ranging from vintage pop to modern R&B, Fun. have established themselves as one of the acts to watch in 2012. Their track We Are Young topped the Billboard Top 100 (before Gotye claimed the title with the world-conquering Somebody That I Used To Know). Head along to The Hi-Fi on Friday July 27, for a good-time, fun time (pun intended).

After appearing exclusively at Splendour In The Grass last year, Coldplay have announced a headline Australian tour. Of the tour, frontman Chris Martin indulged that “we can’t wait to get back to Australia this November. It’s such a special place for us. These venues are pretty huge, the Aussie crowds are always incredible and we’ll be bringing everything we’ve got. It’s going to be big.” Coldplay play Etihad Stadium on Tuesday November 13 with tickets on sale on Friday May 25 from Ticketmaster.

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

PHOENIX PUBLIC HOUSE TO CLOSE Another bitter demise in the contemporary Melbourne live music venue saga, the Phoenix Public House is set to close its doors next month. Whilst only a recent fixture to the local scene, the Sydney Rd venue held host to some of the finest local, national and international acts to grace Melbourne this past year, and joins the ill-fated likes of The Buffalo Club, Miss Libertine and The East Brunswick Club, all closing within the past six months. The Phoenix Public House will close its short but magnificent run on Tuesday June 12. Shows are still going ahead as planned until then.

NEW ESTATE

COLDPLAY

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

The fourth album by Melbourne scrap-pop wonders New Estate, has only just been released, and has already been getting great reviews. The band is set to launch Recovery with help from Harry Howard & The NDE and Emma Russack at The Northcote Social Club on Sunday June 10 (Queens Birthday Eve). As the title suggests, Recovery presents a reinvigorated New Estate, making for their brightest, catchiest record to date. The departure of bassist Brad Cosier in 2010 saw the band undergo a period of inner contemplation, but they have re-emerged with new bassist Toby Dutton (ex Flywheel) and a renewed dedication to their ragged, intelligent pop, always with its centre of molten warmth. New Estate have honed their recording skills in the intervening years between this and their ﬁrst album and bring a wealth of new life experience and musicianship to Recovery. Tickets are on sale at the door for just $10.

THE DELTA RIGGS Bursting with punk rock ethos yet channelling the classic songwriting of ’68, The Delta Riggs will take their ferocious, sweat-soaked live show on the road for a run of east coast capitals in June. Fresh off the back of the Bad Reality Tour with Stonefield, The Delta Riggs will showcase new tracks from their forthcoming EP – Talupo Mountain Music Vol. II, out Friday May 18. The Delta Riggs play The Workers Club on Saturday June 9, tickets available from Corner Box Office.

CHILDREN COLLIDE Children Collide’s third album, Monument was released just three weeks ago and the band have already announced a huge national tour to boot, testament to the boy’s relentless attitude. With the recent departure of drummer Ryan Caesar, the band are looking forward, with drumming duties on The Monument Tour being undertaken by Melbourne local and former Dardanelles drummer Mitch McGregor. Another big announcement from the Children Collide camp is the news that frontman Johnny Mackay will relocate to New York City next week; where he will set up home base, begin writing new material and indulge in the NYC lifestyle for the foreseeable feature. Listeners need not fear however, as Mackay will return home for The Monument Tour and other band engagements throughout the year. Children Collide will play The Corner on Friday August 10. Tickets for the show go on sale Thursday May 24 at 9am, don’t miss out.

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS Good news for fans of photogenic NYC dream-pop project School Of Seven Bells – the outﬁt will be returning to Australia for a run of east coast dates this June. Originally conceived as a three-piece, the now-duo are riding high after the release of third LP at the start of 2012. The Australian tour will follow a series of US dates where School Of Seven Bells will support our very own Temper Trap at the start of June. School Of Seven Bells hit The Hi-Fi on Thursday June 21.

60 SECONDS WITH…

EMPERORS

f r o n t s p a c e 212a Whitehall St

Ya r r a v i l l e

Ph 9687 0233 www.kindredstudios.com.au Define your genre in five words or less: Glitch chill power wave core. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? A lot of guitar bands from the ‘90s. Early Weezer, Ash, Smashing Pumpkins etc. A radio DJ recently described us on air as sounding like a Foo Fighters cover band. I’m fine with that, but only if she’s referring to the first two albums. What do you love about making music? When people enjoy our songs. Travelling. Free beer. Hotel rooms. The occasional meat and fruit platter. Putting off real life / jobs and mortgaging our futures. What do you hate about the music industry? There are way too many people or organisations with an extreme amount of power, and you have no choice but to put up with their bullshit. Also venue bookers who don’t reply to emails. What can a punter expect from your live show? Mild tinnitus and one of our songs stuck in their head. If they’re lucky they’ll witness Dane (drums) partying, breaking shit and being a complete liability. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our debut album which just came out called Stay Frosty. You can get it from our shows or from emperorsmusic. bandcamp.com, or iTunes. When’s the gig and with who? Saturday May 19 at Phoenix Public House with Iowa, The Statics and Them Swoops. 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? “That drummer is a giant of a man. I wonder if he’s from the outback. Anyway, listen pal, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your Elwood shirt. You do know you look ridiculous, right? And if you have to go to the gym and insist on getting huge, try working out some muscles other than just your biceps. It’s making you look weird and disproportionate. And while you’re at it, why not lay off the monster energy drinks and just have a coffee instead. I’m sorry, this is as hard for you to hear as it is for me to say it”.

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Beat Magazine Page 17

HOT TALK

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CASADEL DISCO TOTE WEEKEND Casadeldisco Records is celebrating its tenth anniversary of releasing records by throwing one hell of a party weekend at The Tote. New Zealand’s favourite punk rock sons Sommerset will be joined by Melbourne’s much loved intellectual heart breakers Blueline Medic who are also graciously coming back together for the Friday night show. Although announced in semi-show-retirement while they write their second album, Harmony happily agreed to play one more show of 2012. Instrumental magicians Margins will begin the proceedings on Friday July 20. Adelaide’s own champion’s of rock and roll the Grenadiers kick oﬀ the party on Saturday July 21 with The Nation Blue headlining the night, while Sommerset and Blueline Medic will be back again for all the fun on the second night. It’s sure to be a hell of a weekend, tickets available through Oztix.

FIEND FEST

THE VAUDEVILLE SMASH The Vaudeville Smash make a welcome return to The Espy front bar. The last three months have been a gruelling aﬀair, with the recording of their debut album consuming every waking hour. The lads ﬁnally come up for air and a long awaited Melbourne show. Catch them on Saturday May 19 with support from some truly great bands, including funk dynamos Animaux, Sydney kindred souls Goldsmith and Melbourne up and comers The Give. And to make it all even better, it’s free entry!

Fiend Fest is Melbourne’s newest alternative festival. Celebrating fashion, art, music and performance with a healthy dose of retail therapy thrown in for good measure. Bringing together some of the scenes most beloved institutions: The Black Market, Carpe Noctum Fashion Parade (the successor to the incredibly popular Circa Nocturna), Cabaret Nocturne and Fiend Magazine. Fiend Fest is a spectacular all day event with live performances by Hocico, Hanzel Und Gretyl, Shiv-R, Johnathan Devoy and a host of local acts including SIRUS, Witchgringer, Noize Bunny, The Resignators, Voltera, MissNic and many more, a fashion extravaganza, art installations and one of Melbourne’s most popular markets all brought together at one of the most amazing venues – Revolt in Kensington.

I AM GIANT I Am Giant are returning to Australia in late June for their second headline tour this year. The five date tour is in support of the UK based bands’ latest single, Purple Heart, taken from their critically acclaimed debut album. Catch I Am Giant on their Purple Heart Tour as they play The Workers Club on Thursday July 5, tickets available through the venue.

KINGFISHA Extensive touring of this fine country and slots on some of Australia and New Zealand’s leading festivals has seen Brisbane six-piece Kingfisha earn their badge as one of the finest acts in the reggae/dub scene. The band have taken Jamaican rhythms and infused them with honest songwriting and strong melodies to create their own sound… genuine, Australian reggae. Now their long awaited self-titled debut long player is due for release and they’re hitting the road, taking their new tunes to the masses. It will surely be one hell of a ride. They play The Thornbury Theatre on Friday July 13. Tickets from the venue.

JOSE FELICIANO Singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer Jose Feliciano is recognised as the first Latin artist to cross over into the English music market, opening the doors to others who now play an important part in the American music industry and now he’s set to bring his talents to our fair shores. Thanks to Abstract Entertainment, the eight time Grammy Award winner will be performing at The Palais Theatre on Friday August 31, playing all his hits including Light My Fire, Che Sara and Feliz Navidad. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to see one of music’s greatest icons, tickets available through Ticketmaster.

- PBS RADIO FESTIVAL THE SCARLETS

Hark, it’s here again! The warm, fuzzy time of year when PBS kindly asks you to be their hero and save Melbourne’s airwaves from the bland, oppressive murk of mainstream radio. If you’re passionate about music, get into the PBS Radio Festival, which runs until May 27. With great radio comes great responsibility, so become a hero. Sign up and crusade against all things mundane and middle of the road. There’s heaps of sweet prizes to be won, too. We asked this year’s superhero ambassadors (Grace Kindellan, on reception, Michael Mullholand, host of Junkyard, and Jess Fairfax, host of Big Mob) about fighting the good fight. 1. What’s does PBS mean to you and why did you choose to get involved? Jess: PBS is an incredible station filled with people who are passionate about music, whatever style it may be. They are dedicated to a constant exploration of new tunes and then spend two hours of their day voluntarily sharing their findings and passions with the listeners. PBS challenges a monotonous world of uncreative commercially inspired music and ensures that anywhere, any time you can switch to 106.7FM or stream at pbsfm.org.au and hear music made by and for people who cherish talent and artistic creation. This is why I wanted to get involved. Grace: PBS is real people playing music they love and know about in detail; no boring talk back, stupid gimmicks or sugary, sped up voices. I decided I wanted to get into radio, I liked the music on PBS, so I gave them a call and now I have a spot on the reception desk on Thursday afternoons. Everyone is really friendly and it’s great place just to be around and find out what’s going on in the Melbourne music scene. You’ll also pick up door spots to see some pretty big bands and score the occasional free beer or five if you hang around long enough. Michael: PBS provides the main reason to listen to radio (it’s all about the music), just about every genre is catered for. There are many reasons why I got involved – at PBS there is a great sense of community spirit, with everyone involved at the station been extremely friendly and helpful. It gave me the opportunity to learn about what exactly goes on at a radio station, and in the end I ended up behind the desk as a broadcaster, which has been fantastic.

Beat Magazine Page 18

2. How is PBS different from other stations? Jess: PBS runs on a music license, which means it is 100% dedicated to broadcasting great tunes. We particularly pride ourselves on representing the local talent within the community, and clearly there is plenty! Many Australian bands got their first airplay and interviews on PBS and without the station, there would be great threat that this talent would be drowned out of the airwaves by the terrible crap churned out on commercial radio. Purely focusing on music means that the presenters generally know their stuff and listeners can sit back and enjoy the tunes while embarking on an educational musical journey to new discoveries. Grace: Announcers are free to play what they want and what their listeners want. I’ve also found that PBS is more accessible, relaxed and just easier to get involved with. Michael: PBS provides the broadest spectrum of music to listen to. It relies on volunteers, which ensures that everyone is passionate about what they are doing. It is also not playlisted, which ensures that the announcers are knowledgeable and passionate about the music that they are presenting. 3. What’s your favourite PBS program and when is it on? Jess: I love Latin music so I always tune into Latin Connection on Fridays from 9-11am and Fiesta Jazz on Saturdays from 11am-1pm. I’m also a big fan of Mohair Slim’s Blue Juice, which is perfectly situated on a Sunday from 11am-1pm. Nothing better than ska on a Sunday! Grace: Fang It! with Ruari Currin. It’s on Thursdays from 5-7pm and it’s where you’ll hear the bangin’-est garage, punk and rock’n’roll tunes going around. Thursday nights are pretty good in general, you’ve got Junkyard with Michael Mulholland and then Sunglasses After Dark with Phil MacDougall. Michael: Sunglasses After Dark, from 8-10pm each Thursday. 4. Who is the most impressive person you’ve ever met in your role? Jess: Ziggy Marley! I interviewed him and he did an acoustic set. It was just Ziggy, his manager and myself in the intimate PBS studios. How romantic! Grace: Mick Harvey came in for a chat a while ago, I

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thought that was pretty cool, but heaps of interesting people from all diﬀerent areas of the music industry come in every week; we’ve had Mayer Hawthorn, Redd Kross, the guys from Spooky records, Los Chicos and The Tea Party, when I’ve been on reception. Michael: Henry Rollins. 4. In your mind, what would be a successful result of the PBS Radio Festival? Jess: Obviously getting stacks of new members on board who realise the importance of supporting community radio and the local music scene so that we can continue to broadcast independent music void of commercial bias. Grace: Lots of money so we can have a new studio, more parties and events, and keep running for the rest of the year. Plus, you know, people getting involved with the programs they love, making a connection with the announcers, lots of dedicated phone room volunteers and everyone all getting a nice warm fuzzy feeling from supporting independent, progressive radio. Michael: An increase of memberships achieved, along with the recognition that follows, for what is truly a great radio station. 5. In ten words or less, why should people get involved with the PBS Radio festival? Jess: Pictures of last night. Ended up online. I’m screwed. Oh well. I’m pretty sure it ruled. Last Friday Night… had enough? Lyrics: Katy Perry’s Last Friday Night. Please note there are more than ten words as it was essential I highlighted the content of Katy Perry’s hit song in order to get my point across. Grace: Because it’s gonna be sick as! (Ten words isn’t much.) Michael: To help support a wonderful and diverse radio station. Subscribe to PBS by Sunday May 27 to be a part of the RADIO FESTIVAL and be in the running for some amazing prizes. Head to pbsfm.org.au to sign up or call 8415 1067 to get on board.

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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

Q&A MADRE MONTE ELEPHANT EYES The release of Elephant Eyes’ first single, I Want To Know gained them plenty of new fans, now the band are back with the second single, Mother Said, off their upcoming debut EP. To celebrate the digital release of their new single, Elephant Eyes head to The Grace Darling on Friday June 8 to perform alongside Owls Of The Swamp and Siobhan, tickets available now through Moshtix.

AUSTRALIAN POPS ORCHESTRA

RAI THISTLETHWAYTE As well as being the front man and primary songwriter of Aussie rock band Thirsty Merc, Rai Thistlethwayte is a highly accomplished pianist, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter performing in a number of jazz combos with many Australian jazz musicians- including ARIA award winning guitarist James Muller, US jazz bassist Christian McBride (Sting, Wynton Marsalis band), Tenor Saxophonist Dale Barlow (Art Blakey’s jazz messengers) and the award winning Phil Stack who also plays bass in Thirsty Merc. Rai Thistlethwayte will be splitting the bill with upcoming Melbourne Jazz singer Josh Kyle to perform a rare evening of jazz on Saturday May 19, as part of Stonnington Jazz. Tickets are available through the Chapel off Chapel office or online at www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

The Australian Pops Orchestra will be putting on a very special night of entertainment at the Palms at Crown this Saturday May 19. With an all-star lineup, the Australian Pops Orchestra is joined by radio, TV and musical theatre performer Todd McKenney. Also appearing is the music director and TV personality John Foreman and McKenney’s co-star from the Annie stage show, the talented Chloe Dallimore. Known as the people’s orchestra, The Australian Pops Orchestra presents music for the people. Through offering a contemporary take on popular classical music as well as popular contemporary numbers, it is no surprise the orchestra appeals to younger and older music fans alike. This exciting night will span across a broad spectrum of popular music – you can expect to hear anything from Bolero to the Beatles, Gershwin to Tchaikovsky, Strauss waltzes to the classic rhythms of Cole Porter, or the haunting melodies of Andrew LloydWebber. There’ll also be an Abba medley on the night, whilst McKenney and Dallimore are set to impress the audience with a special performance of Tomorrow taken from Annie.

Name/Band: Madre Monte. Define your genre in five words or less: Latin roots music and reggae. What do you love about making music? We love writing songs: seeing the transformation from a sound in our heads, to a full-blown song in the rehearsal room, to the reaction of people at our gigs. It’s an extraordinary feeling. And what makes you unhappiest about what you’re doing? Having to carry heavy gear through crowds of people at the end of the night instead of relaxing with a drink and enjoying the high of playing live. This is the closest thing we can think of, and doesn’t really makes us unhappy, it’s more of an annoying aspect, because there’s nothing that we really hate about music. Tell us about the last song you wrote. It’s called Saul, El Man Caiman. It’s about Saul, a Colombian mythological character, who transforms from Man into a caiman (a type of alligator) and has some interesting and weird experiences, as you would expect from someone who goes from man to caiman.

Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? Probably Manu Chao. Just to learn from him and his band. He is a massive inﬂuence and what better way to improve as a band than to have a showdown with him. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Not sure yet, we’ll let you know later when Madre Monte is famous… but most important is to focus on making good music. It’s easy to get carried away with the business side of the music industry but I think that the most important thing is to spend time, energy and passion in making the music. Do you have any record releases to date? What are they? Where can I get them? We have two releases so far, our debut Reaction and the brand new one Raza:Madre, and you can get them from gigs, iTunes, and independent record stores around Melbourne. When’s the gig and with who? We are launching our new EP Raza:Madre on Friday May 18 at the Northcote Social Club, that will see us expand from a nine piece band, into a 13 piece monster of AfroColombian and reggae grooves. Supporting us will be Papa Chango and Arakataka.

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TOURING

WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN

PROUDLY PRESENTS:

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

INTERNATIONAL KAISER CHIEFS Palace Theatre May 16 THE MACABEES The Hi-Fi May 16 MUTEMATH Corner Hotel May 15, 17 NICKI MINAJ Hisense Area May 18 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK/BACKSTREET BOYS Rod Laver Arena May 18, 19 BRIAN JONESTOWN MASACRE The Forum Theatre May 19 FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Rod Laver Arena May 20 BARRY ADAMSON Corner Hotel May 23 S CLUB 7 The Palace May 23 VIVID LIVE Sydney May 25 - June 3 MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND Northcote Social Club May 28 YOUNG GUNS The Hi-Fi May 30 LIGHT ASYLUM Phoenix Public House June 1 SIMPLE PLAN Festival Hall June 2 ZOLA JESUS The Toﬀ In Town June 2, June 3 ALBARE Melbourne Recital Centre June 5 SISTER SLEDGE The Hi-Fi June 7 REEF Billboard June 8 EAST 17 Trak June 8 TRAIN The Palais June 9 MARK KOZELEK The Toﬀ In Town June 9, Phoenix Public House June 11 THE BLACK SEEDS Corner Hotel June 15 SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS The Hi-Fi June 21 LIL’ BAND O’ GOLD The Regal Ballroom June 27, 27, The Espy June 29 LADY GAGA Rod Laver Arena June 27, 28, 30, July 1, 3 FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS The Plenary July 14 I AM GIANT The Workers Club July 5 GOATWHORE Corner Hotel July 6 SIMONE FELICE The Corner Hotel July 11 KINGFISHA The Thornbury Theatre July 13 THE TEA PARTY The Palais Theatre July 14 MELISSA ETHERIDGE The Plenary July 15 THE SHINS Festival Hall July 23 LANA DEL REY Palace Theatre July 23, 24 HOWLER, ZULU WINTER The Corner Hotel July 24 THE AFGHAN WHIGS The Hi-Fi July 25 FRIENDS Northcote Social Club July 25 MICHAEL KIWANUKA & BEN HOWARD The Corner Hotel July 25 JACK WHITE Festival Hall July 25

BAND OF SKULLS The Corner Hotel July 26 FUN. The Hi-Fi July 27 METRIC Billboard July 27 MUDHONEY The Corner Hotel July 27 FATHER JOHN MISTY The Corner Hotel July 28 SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS Belongil Fields Byron Bay July 27 – 29 YOUTH LAGOON The Corner Hotel July 29 DJANGO DJANGO, CAST OF CHEERS The Corner Hotel July 31 MIIKE SNOW The Palace July 31 ELECTRIC GUEST Northcote Social Club August 1 SMASHING PUMPKINS Hisense Arena August 2 MARK GARDENER The Corner Hotel August 5 THE ENGLISH BEAT Corner Hotel August 30 JOSE FELICIANO Palais Theatre August 31 AMERICA Hamer Hall September 6 HANSON The Palace September 14, 18 R KELLY To be announced WHEATUS Corner Hotel September 19 YELLOWCARD The Hi-Fi September 21 CANNIBAL CORPSE Billboard October 5 STEEL PANTHER The Palace October 7 JOE BONAMASSA Palais Theatre October 11 THE BLACK KEYS Sidney Myer Music Bowl October 31 COLDPLAY Etihad Stadium November 13 RADIOHEAD Rod Laver Arena November 16, 17 GEORGE MICHAEL Rod Laver Arena November 21

KIRIN J CALLINAN The Tote June 28 PROUDLY PRESENTS:

NATIONAL LEADER CHEETAH Northcote Social Club May 19 BOY & BEAR The Hi-Fi May 20 CLAG The Tote May 20 PVT Phoenix Public House May 24 TIJUANA CARTEL Northcote Social Club May 24 TUMBLEWEED The Tote May 25, 26 LANIE LANE Corner Hotel May 26, 27, 28 TEMPER TRAP The Forum May 29, 30 TZU Corner Hotel June 1 GRAVEYARD TRAIN The Hi-Fi June 1, 2 THE JEZABELS Festival Hall June 1 THE MISSION IN MOTION The Tote June 2 MATT CORBY The Forum June 6 BONJAH Corner Hotel June 8 THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT The Hi-Fi June 8 DEEP SEA ARCADE Phoenix Public House June 8 THE DELTA RIGGS The Workers Club June 9 THE HARD-ONS The Tote June 9

THE DELTA RIGGS The Workers Club June 9 360 The Hi-Fi June 15 NICKY BOMBA Thornbury Theatre June 15 MISSY HIGGINS Her Majesty’s Theatre June 16 MUSCLES The Bottom End June 16 THE VASCO ERA The Corner Hotel June 22 FIRE! SANTA ROSE, FIRE! The Workers Club June 22 NED COLLETTE & WIREWALKER Northcote Social Club June 23 BUSBY MAROU The Corner June 28 KIRIN J CALLINAN The Tote June 28 CHARGE GROUP The Tote June 29 BOB DYLAN TRIBUTE TOUR Palais Theatre July 5, 6 KARNIVOOL The Hi-Fi July 5, 6, 7 LADYHAWKE Billboard July 17

CHILDREN COLLIDE Corner Hotel August 10 KATE MILLER-HEIDKE Corner Hotel August 24 HILLTOP HOODS Festival Hall August 25

RUMOURS Lil’ B, No Doubt and Bruce Springsteen all joining Prince for a secret gig at The Tote after his ﬁnal Melbourne stadium show. = New Announcements = Beat Proudly Presents

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Beat Magazine Page 20

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Beat Magazine Page 21

THE JEZABELS BY JOSHUA KLOKE

You wouldn’t have to walk far within the larger cities of Australia to find countless bands plying their craft on stages both big and small. Yet the divide between the bands that occupy these stages is one not easily defined. What then, is the intangible that separates? And when an Australian band does make the leap to larger stages, is it necessary for them to then leave the country for greener pastures in order to ride the wave of their success and make a career out of playing in a band? When Nik Kaloper, the soft-spoken drummer of Sydney fourpiece The Jezabels answers the phone, he finds himself in London, facing the realities of being a touring musician. “We just finished a European tour and we’re just killing time before we hop on a plane,” he says, a little low on enthusiasm. Kaloper sounds ready to leave London as soon as possible, eager to return home to Australia. It’s a noticeable difference of opinion from Temper Trap, another homegrown talent who’ve entered the public conscience across the world as of late. The two acts share certain similarities; both released their debut in 2009. Both write incredibly contagious, atmospheric rock. And both find themselves with upcoming gigs in Melbourne within a day of each other. Yet Temper Trap recently decided to move to London as a means to augment their success, begging the question: is it possible for The Jezabels to maintain their roots in Australia or does the only route to permanent success lead out of the country they still call home? “In a way, and I don’t want to sound too introverted here, but we’re always very concerned about how we’re seen or perceived. We’d love for things to always be as good as possible, but we know they’re not always going to be,” says Kaloper. Things certainly have been going well for the band as late. Prisoner, the band’s debut peaked at #2 on the ARIA charts and was ultimately awarded the Australian Music Prize. Certifiable household names in Australia, The Jezabels have yet to find worldwide success in the mainstream. For Kaloper, validation doesn’t come from awards or commercial success. As a band, he concedes they’ve managed to appreciate the little things. “Since we’ve gotten started,” he notes, “we’ve made attempts to look back on particular moments on a record, or moment from a particular show and think about them fondly. And perhaps it’s within those fleeting moments that we get our true validation. “Those are within yourself though. To feel validated as an artist is a whole different story though, I guess,” he laughs. “It’s not like you’re a civil servant or you’re working for a charity where you’re actually doing something good. It’s a hard question to answer.” There will be many more questions the band will have to answer in the future. Despite Prisoner being a comprehensive and incredibly listenable record, album sales aren’t what they used to be. With only a handful of their songs being used for commercial purposes, heightened cash flow hasn’t come easy for The Jezabels. Long Highway, a six-minute standout track from Prisoner was meant to be used in the recent Twilight films before it was ultimately decided by producers that the song was “too mature” for Twilight audiences. So The Jezabels find themselves with only one option: get their music out the old fashioned way, by hitting the road for long stretches at a time. “The next year is simply going to be packed with playing Beat Magazine Page 22

a lot of shows,” says Kaloper. As he continues, his modest demeanour becomes so prevalent that even if the band were granted any commercial success, you’d wonder if they’d even notice. “In a way I think we’ve had our heads down and have been working hard for so long that we haven’t even had the opportunity to stop and realise any of the success we’ve had.” The work ethic that seemingly engulfs The Jezabels will take them to 13 countries across four continents as a part of their 2012 touring schedule. Touring is not simply a requirement of the job for The Jezabels; it’s slowly becoming a way of life.

“WE’VE HAD OUR HEADS DOWN AND HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR SO LONG THAT WE HAVEN’T EVEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOP AND REALISE ANY OF THE SUCCESS.” “I think [touring] affects us heaps as musicians. Not just in the opportunity to bring certain songs to life, but the more you play and the more you put yourself out there in front of people onstage, the more you’ll be able to discover something new within your songs. I think you can really critically and accurately reflect on the past while you’re touring, in terms of songwriting and things you’d like to try in the future. I find as much as we gig, we’re always coming up with new ideas. You can obviously get a little bit tired on the road, you know, working on two or three hours sleep, but it’s a job that none of us can’t imagine doing.” If wide scale success comes the way of Kaloper and The Jezabels, it won’t be without the requisite grunt-work being put in beforehand. After the band’s last Australian tour, in which they brought cinematic Canadian five-piece Hey Rosetta! along for support, The Jezabels returned the favour by opening for them in considerably smaller venues on their Canadian tour. “You approach the gig with a different attitude. Certainly I’m a little less vulnerable about the whole thing, ironically. Because you’re the underdog, and people don’t always show up for the openers. They’re thinking, ‘Well I showed

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up early, you better impress me.’ But sometimes, there’s very little expectations so you just play your show as well as you can and that’s that.” While it’s incredibly noble in nature, their upcoming tour will see them playing only six shows in their native Australia, a marked difference from their aforementioned 20+ date tour last October/November, which saw them play Australian cities of varied sizes. “The smaller, rural towns are a little more rowdy and boisterous. They can be tough to compare however, because the gigs in the capital cities are always six or seven times bigger.” And the way Kaloper tells it, he might prefer to keep their operation toned down. “The smaller towns certainly feel more local and sometimes, even more comfortable.” Larger, festival-based tours across the world have presented the band with an intriguing dilemma: have they embraced the opportunity to get their music to audiences larger than they’d find in Australia, with the hopes of finding success abroad or have these tours simply made the band appreciate the success they’ve had in Australia? Kaloper instead presents a third option, and it’s one which may very well end up defining The Jezabels. “We appreciate playing to any crowd that will listen to us. Whether or not it’s a ‘home’ crowd, it can all be very flattering. At the end of the day we just love being able to play.” And what they play has rapidly evolved throughout the band’s five year existence. While the band’s three independently released EPs in 2009 and 2010 showed flashes of brilliance, there was still a palpable sense of restraint. Hooks sounded underdeveloped and at times, the songwriting sounded tense. Yet Prisoner is a fully-formed record, indicative not only of the effort the band has put into better understanding their sound, as a band, but also as people. And live, as evidenced at their stop at The Forum Theatre last November, the band has discovered the ability to turn their songs into farreaching, graphic pieces that need to be seen as much as they’re heard. It’s a process that The Jezabels may have excelled at, but are still attempting to understand. “At the songwriting stage, we might be a little shortsighted,” admits Kaloper. “I wonder if we sometimes get too ahead of ourselves when it comes to the production of the songs because it’s been very difficult to figure out ways to bring those songs to life. Sometimes we’ve got to go through hundreds of different layers when trying to figure out how to make the songs work live. It always takes a bit of rehearsal and re-gigging to get those songs feeling comfortable.” “It’s something we’ll definitely pay a lot more attention to when writing our next record; how we plan on translating these songs from the album to a live setting.” With The Jezabels so focused on figuring out what lies ahead for them, they’ve rarely had time to look back. Widescale success may or may not be on the horizon. But whatever happens for the band, there’s one thing they won’t be willing to sacrifice – the pure joy that involves playing together. And that’s one thing that hasn’t changed for the band since the release of Prisoner and hopefully never will. “With the awards, and even, I suppose, since the album debuted, we were allowed the opportunity to begin doing some things that we hoped people would truly enjoy,” says Kaloper. “The most exciting thing about any success, for me at least, is the knowledge that we’ll be able to keep going as a band. If only for a little longer. We’ll continue to write more albums and play more shows. We’ll hopefully be able to get better at what we’re doing by continuing to do what we love doing.” THE JEZABELS play an all-ages show at Festival Hall on Friday June 1 with LIGHTS and SNAKADAKTAL. Prisoner is out now.

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THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN Academia. Rivalry. The Establishment. Validation. Footnotes. While far from the lyrics of a scholastic punk band, all of these issues and more comprise the ﬁlm Footnote, the story of a father and son battling in the academic world for some damn recognition. While the son is – to put it as C Sheen coined – ‘winning’, the father struggles for the accolades he strives for, his disappointment and frustration exposed through his vanity which consequently pushes the father-son relationship to the brink. The winner of Best Screenplay at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for Best Foreign Language ﬁlm (Israel) at the Oscars, Footnote is one for students, those who feel generally disenfranchised, and tired professors. Footnote is now showing at Cinema Nova.

ON STAGE Described as an ‘interactive retro sci-ﬁ tour’ at Melbourne Museum, curated by Zoe Meagher, Goodbye CSIRAC (pronounced ‘sigh-rack’, the fourth computer ever, which was designed and built in Australia) reﬂects on technologies past, and their inevitable obsolescence. It’s a sound and performance artwork, involves spacelike suits, and a soft-core dubstep soundtrack. Goodbye CSIRAC is like a step into the future, and may possibly answer why in less than a year’s time your brand new iPad will be worth 25 cents. It’s on at Melbourne Museum from Tuesday May 22 until Sunday May 27.

ON DISPLAY Pieces of Eight Gallery is hosting Melbourne artist Kate Rohde’s exhibition of resin jewellery – colourful sculpted bracelets, necklaces, cups, and even hooves, paws, antlers and heads. There will be other installation pieces, including volcanoes erupting with colourful hair lava. It’s ‘hybrid geology’ because it merges zoology with natural history, and accordingly the window display at Pieces of Eight is an underwater cave scene ﬁnely sculpted from resin. It’s a spectacular assault of colours and crafty design, reminiscent of nature, but fully functional and wearable at the same time. Hybrid Geology is on until Saturday May 19.

BEAT’S PICK OF THE WEEK: While I’m well aware that many out there have less than fond memories of wading through Shakespearian texts, loathing the inevitable, interminably-long high school classes spent struggling to translate those ridiculously lengthy diatribes into something even remotely readable, the fact of the matter is if you go and see a Shakespeare play taken out on the stage, and don’t enjoy it, there is something deeply and fundamentally wrong with you. Old mate Henry knew what was uuuuuuuuup. And with the Australian Shakespeare Company ready to kick oﬀ their production of Henry IV: Part 1, the hilarity and the dramatics are set to abound, with a special multimedia display set to bring the action straight to you and making the comedics truly larger than life. It takes place at the Athenaeum from Wednesday May 16- Saturday May 26.

FREE SHIT HENRY IV, PART ONE Shakespeare – if you’re a lover of drama and the theatre, he’s the best there ever was. If you’re currently in high school, he’s a fucking arsehole. If you’re in the former category, Henry IV, Part One is one of his most intriguing plays, and what better company to perform the play than The Australian Shakespeare Company. It’s on at the Athenaeum Theatre from Wednesday May 16 through Saturday May 26. It’s a cracker and if you are in Year 12, it’s on the damned reading list this year, so just cheat and see this. We have a few double passes to give away.

BIG KIDS CRACKING NIGHT OUT Let your inner child run wild in a childless space at Scienceworks as they present Big Kids Cracking Night Out alongside a Wallace & Gromit exhibition. Journey through a world of amazing inventions and take on the role of an apprentice inventor to create everything from household tools to logos. Enjoy the spectacular visuals of the Melbourne Planetarium with Scienceworks’ resident astronomer, be dazzled by the Fire and Light show in the Lightning Room and play with lasers in the Playing with Light exhibition. Beer, wine, soft drink and food are available for purchase on the night. Big Kids Cracking Night Out is on at Scienceworks in Spotswood on Saturday May 26. We have some double passes to give away. Clickety-clack your way to beat.com.au/freeshit for your chance to win!

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BIG KIDS CRACKING NIGHT OUT BY ALEXANDRA DUGUID In 1989, Wallace and Gromit had their very first adventure. Taking off in a homemade rocket, the pair soon found themselves hunting for cheese on the moon. Since then, Wallace and Gromit’s cheese-tracking and sheep-shearing escapades have entertained children and adults alike for over 20 years. Now, thanks to Museum Victoria and Scienceworks, the claymation human-canine duo are leaving the UK and coming to Melbourne. Vera Gin, project manager of Scienceworks’ upcoming Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention exhibition, spoke not only about bringing the British inventor and his dog pal Down Under, but also how Scienceworks are going to let the grown-ups have their fun with the cartoon characters for a night. “At Scienceworks we like to focus on physical sciences and technology, and Wallace is always trying to come up with inventive ideas on how to make his life easier. So the Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention is about being creative and innovative,” Gin explained of the new exhibition. “Sometimes [Wallace’s] inventions are a bit hair-brained but he’s quite persistent. We try and debunk the hard science stuff that helps us understand everyday things around us. Wallace does that as well through his inventions and he does it in a really fun and quirky way.” At its core, Wallace and Gromit may be a children’s animation, but the exhibition goes beyond what is seen on the screen. “The exhibition was first thought up by Ardman [animation studio] and the Intellectual Property Office of the UK. They thought that Wallace and Gromit was the perfect vehicle to talk about creativity and encourage people to think outside the box and create things, but to also remind people that there is this body out there called the IPO who can help you protect your amazing ideas,” Gin explained when asked about how the exhibition came to light. “We’re all big kids on the inside, but you get to the middle of high school and you stop being creative and taking risks because you’re afraid of what people are going to think. But people who are persistent and resilient, they get their inventions out there and we shouldn’t squash that curiosity as an inventor.”

Gin herself approached her job curating the Melbourne leg of the exhibition with wonder, often surprised by the plasticine pair. “One of the things that continues to amaze me is [that] we have nine actual sets from the movies, and I didn’t realise how small they were. They’re all small and cute, and the detail in them is amazing.” After a gap was becoming more and more noticeable in the adult programming of the museum, Scienceworks held their inaugural Big Kids Night Out event last year; an evening that gave an opportunity for the strictly over-18s to explore. “The ﬁrst one was more successful than we thought,” Gin explained, the night seeing 700 people come through the museum. The event has returned this year coinciding with the Wallace and Gromit exhibition to give the now-older kids a blast from the past. Gin explained that it was Wallace and Gromit’s longevity that made it the perfect candidate for the “Cracking” night out. “There are older generations that are familiar with [Wallace and Gromit]. Over time it has spanned generations. At Scienceworks we like to, when we can, have experiences that can span these generations and resonate with as many people as possible.” Scienceworks has been an incredible opportunity for children to explore and learn, while adults can often remain inhibited. Gin explained that Big Kids Cracking Night Out is purely about adults getting the ﬁrst go. “Kids

have this sense of wonder, and they’ll try everything-with the adults standing back, it’s almost like they ‘ruin’ the experience for them. So Big Kids Night Out [allowed] adults… to experience it all to themselves without people around to take the surprise out of it. It’s about people reengaging themselves with science. It’s just fun.” Unfortunately, there will be no Wrong Trousers, Gin informed. However, there will be a karaoke shower. “Clothing is mandatory of course, but you can go in there and you can belt out a rendition, and outside there is a screen where friends can watch and laugh and ridicule you.” Though the night will not only be about Wallace and his dog – Scienceworks’ astronomer Dr Tanya Hill will take all the big kids on a journey throughout space in the Planetarium, a lighting room show with the museum’s 2 million volt tesla coil, as well as many opportunities to get hands-on. Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention exhibition opens at Scienceworks on Saturday May 19, with the Big Kids Cracking Night Out to be held on Saturday May 26 starting at 6pm. Tickets are $22 and will be available online from the Museum Victoria website. Wallace and Gromit are only holidaying in Melbourne for six months, so be sure to visit them.

HENRY IV, PART 1 BY JACK FRANKLIN

My middle name is Hal. I have never really thought about it. When I questioned my parents my mother said it was after some king or other. She’s English, they are crazy, so I just went about my life never giving it any thought. Only it turns out that Prince Hal is in fact Henry IV and Shakespeare wrote whole plays (plural) about him. He was a drunk and a womaniser, always hanging out down the pub rather than working at the family business – which just happens to be ruling the country. I love the sound of this guy. “You have some evil parents, that is fantastic,” chuckles David Lamb, who has the title role in the Australian Shakespeare Company’s upcoming production of Henry IV, when I tell him of my name. “The thing I liked most about the role is that he eventually becomes King Henry the Fifth. Prince Hal, his character arc is, in my mind, one of the greatest in Shakespeare’s entire canon, because he presents, I think, as one of Shakespeare’s only true heroes. At the start of this play, he’s a bit of a layabout – he is drunk all the time, he is whoring around, he is spending his time with ruﬃans and unlikable types. So throughout this play you see the beginning of his journey to become a war king and, both historically and in ﬁction, one of the most successful and well-loved kings that England ever had. That is a really fascinating thing to play, and within this show we get turning points of the character and his choice to become something better than what he is, which is really interesting.” David is a Melbourne boy, having grown up in Macedon, and studied acting at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, graduating in 2009. “This is the biggest thing I have ever undertaken,” he confesses of his starring role. “It is great to work with such dense text, such expressive text and to work with a bunch of people who love it as much as I do and have been working at it for a while, learning from their experience. Working in the Athenaeum, it’s a stunning theatre, it’s one of the oldest in Melbourne, it’s got beautiful acoustics, it works for the actor, it’s just a joy to be on that stage.” As a play, it is a hard sell for those that haven’t seen it before.

It is the second play in Shakespeare’s tetralogy dealing with successive reigns. The plays are of Richard II, Henry IV (part 1 and 2), and Henry V. Getting people along to a second of four plays isn’t easy, even for the star. “I was trying to explain it to my father, who is just not a fan of Shakespeare, he doesn’t like it at all,” David laughs. “He said, ‘I have never seen Henry IV, never heard of it, why should I see it?’ So, I think the brilliance of it is that you don’t expect it, you don’t have any assumptions, it’s not Hamlet, it’s not Macbeth. You can’t quote the speeches, there are maybe a couple of lines that have found their way into our modern vocabulary but it is some of the clearest and most impassioned text – the tenderness of the character, the youth and naivety that he has. In Henry V, when he is king and he leads England to war with France, he is assured and confident, he has doubts in private, but you get to see much more of that indecisiveness in Henry IV. The way that he learns to control the court through the microcosm of the tavern and the people there, it is a really interesting thing to play, a young boy basically, finding his way to be a man, knowing that he will eventually have to find his way to becoming a king. It’s fascinating.” It is the different worlds within the play that formed part of the reason Glenn Elston – director and founder of the Australian Shakespeare Company – tackled the play. “It is a brilliant piece of writing that manages to run three separate worlds, each one of them is very intense and very interesting,” Glenn says of Henry IV. “There is the world of the tavern, where Falstaff rules supreme. That world is fast and loose, they go robbing people and drink, they visit the

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bordello, everyone is happy and having a great time. Then you have the world of the court, which is incredibly intense and political, the king is not happy or secure, a revolution brewing. The third world is the rebels, who are trying to start a revolution. And these three worlds come together on the battlefield. This is were the genius comes in, a really great story with humour, tension, passion ending with a war that changes history.” The historical context of the play is also an aspect that David has focused on in crafting his performance. “If you look at our modern society, we are dealing with another disposed leader, another groundswell of political unrest, and that is what is presented in this play. This was possibly in England, one of the first recorded times of political unrest, where the revolution came from all around. Kings were disposed, causing flow-on. What we see in these plays is individual men making choices that affect the world. The repercussions make their way to France, with the 100 years war. I think it shows us something that we can look at today and maybe make some different choices about how we live our lives.” The Australian Shakespeare Company’s Henry IV, Part 1 is on at the Athenaeum Theatre from Wednesday May 16 through Saturday May 26. It’s a cracker and if you are in Year 12, it’s on the damned reading list this year, so just cheat and see this.

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For one night only, the big kids are taking over Scienceworks! Tinker in Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention exhibition, marvel at the stars in the Melbourne Planetarium, be dazzled in Lightning Room and more! Only $22 Adults, $20 Concessions — Book online at MUSEUMVICTORIA.COM.AU/WALLACEANDGROMIT

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THE COMIC STRIP LOL COMEDY

With Tyson Wray. Got news, gossip, reviews, thoughts, tip-oﬀs, complaints, hate mail? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by ESP before Friday.

LET’S DANCE

PIMP MY SNEAKERS In quite possibly some of the coolest news to head our way about the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere, Chadstone is currently holding Pimp My Sneakers – an exhibition of sneakers created by a global collection of artists. With everyone from Remi Rough and Billy Alex to Mr Penfold and Pixel Pancho, the artists have all been invited to pimp their sneakers for an exclusive exhibition curated by Remi Rough. The sneakers were their blank canvas and, much in the way of any gifted designer, the artists developed their designs and turned something of the everyday world into something of reﬁned artistry. Chuck ya kicks on and head down to Chaddy to check out Pimp My Sneakers, on now until Sunday June 3.

CHERRYROCK012 To celebrate the success of its sixth annual street rock‘n’roll festival, CherryRock012, Cherry Bar in collaboration with photographer Jay Hynes, is returning to AC/DC Lane with a street poster photography installation down the length of the iconic Lane. The collaboration is set on capturing the energy of the artists who performed on the day and from there, the photography will be presented in street poster form and pasted all over AC/DC Lane, appearing for only nine days – an installation that Cherry co-owner James Young says “is a way for us to get more and give more from our annual rock n roll event.” Head down to AC/ DC Lane for CherryRock012 from Saturday May 19 – Sunday May 27.

Sadly for us, this in no way has any correlation to David Bowie. That is unless, of course, Mr Stardust himself was keen on a big of a boogie. Rather, it’s the Australian Ballet, plus a few special guests, that are getting ready for one huge dance party. As part of The Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary, the company is bringing together eight of the country’s most exciting dance companies under the one roof. This is deﬁnitely an extravaganza that no dance lover should miss! Let’s Dance will open for a special Melbourne-only season of 11 performances on Thursday June 7. Head to australianballet.com.au for more information.

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT Hats. Such simple items, yet so powerful – particularly to a pair of addicts. Jackie and Veronica are addicts by nature. Hooked on alcohol, drugs and even their own relationship. Now, 20 years on, they can’t seem to quit each other, no matter how squalid their lives have become. Nothing can come between them. That is, nothing except a hat. Directed by David Bell, The Motherf**ker With The Hat is a high-octane verbal prize ﬁght. It’s funny, it’s fast-paced and it’s provocative, and with special guest actors such as Demetrious Sirilas and Michelle Vergara Moore, it’s sure to be an indubitable hit. The Motherf**ker With The Hat will make its Australian premiere at Red Stitch Theatre from June 8 – July 7.

COMEDY CLUB @ THE LOCAL AND THE PORTLAND

MICK MOLLOY The Hot Breakfast Triple M Melbourne and Channel 10’s Before the Game

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Beat Magazine Page 26

The team at HRAFF HQ are excited, and so are we, with their 11 day festival having just started. Within the festival, HRAFF will present a selection of films, fine art, music and forums that aim to engage, inspire, entertain and encourage people to think about human rights issues in a broader sense. Expect to see an extensive cavalcade of Australian premiere films, art exhibitions, forums, a whole bunch of music and so much more. The Human Rights Art and Film Festival will make its way to the Forum Theatre, ACMI and Abbotsford Convent from Tuesday May 15 – Sunday May 27. Head to hraff.org.au.

MSO EDUCATION WEEK A lot of people think that education is in no way synonymous with having a good time, but the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are here to prove otherwise. Join the MSO as the doors of Melbourne Town Hall open to more than 10,000 school students, parents and teachers for the annual ‘open house’ that’s dedicated to sharing the joy of music-making through the ﬁrst hand experience of live orchestral music. Now in its second year, Education Week will involve 13 concerts across ﬁve days, including a full spectrum of interactive events for school students and so much more. MSO’s Education Week will take place at Melbourne Town Hall from Tuesday June 5 – Saturday June 9. Head to mso. com.au for more information.

CREATIVE AUSTRALIA FELLOWSHIPS There’s doing what you love, and then there’s getting money for doing what you love. Luckily for the next three mentioned people, they get to experience both of those. Antony Hamilton, Lee Serle and Gian Slater are the three Melbourne recipients of a Creative Australia Fellowships award – a major new initiative to support the professional development of outstanding artists working across the sector in Australia. The Fellowships are the centrepiece of the Federal Government’s Creative Australia Artist Grants initiative, with $10m going to individual artists over ﬁve years, delivered by the Australian Council. Congratulations to Antony, Lee and Gian!

WINTERING

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Cartoonists and animators – WE NEED YOU. Well, Brunsdog Cartoon Connection need you, actually. The folks over there are getting prepared to run a cartoon ﬁlm-based day at the ﬁrst Sunday of every month starting next month. On these occasions, they’ll be screening the best new short cartoons from Melbourne and beyond. All they need? Well, some cartoon-makers and animators with material that they’d like to have screened – anything from 1-10 minutes is good. For more information, head to the Facebook page at facebook.com/brunsdog.

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Unlike many ambiguous titles, Wintering is very much about everything chilly. Twelve months ago, Western Australian choreographer Aimee Smith voyaged to the Arctic Circle. It’s all from that experience that Wintering was conceived. Inspired by the fragility and strength of an iced landscape, the performance uses imagery and sounds collected by the artist from the Arctic environment together with the moving, dancing body to explore the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. Both visually and emotionally beautiful, the performance also allows the audience to ponder. What is it to live in a changing and disintegrating world? And how do we sit with the tension between beauty and destruction, hope and fear? Discover the answers to these questions and more as Aimee Smith brings Wintering to Arts House as part of the Next Wave Festival from Saturday May 19 – 27.

INFRA GHOSTS Get prepared for a little bit of haunting as ghosts haunt No No Gallery for the month of May. Infra Ghosts is a series of works by artist Hugh Davis that explore the duality of existence. In the ﬁrst instance, the works exist as traditional paintings, in oil and pigment, mounted and framed on the gallery wall. The works generate infra-red light just outside the human visible spectrum, so when they’re reﬂected by a digital projector – using light emitting diodes – they expand to reveal a more complex and involved image. Sounds complicated enough? As they say, seeing is believing. Check out Hugh Davis’ Infra Ghosts as it haunts No No Gallery from Tuesday May 15 – Sunday May 27.

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This Wednesday May 16 features now other than Mick Molloy, Lehmo and Adam Rozenbachs. Mick Molloy as featured on The Hot Breakfast Triple M Melbourne and co-host for Channel 10’s Before the Game, and is one of Australia’s most recognised comedians. Lehmo is one of Australia’s most experienced and well travelled comedians. Lehmo’s live work has seen him headline at comedy clubs for well over ten years and work all corners of the globe. Adam Rozenbachs is a regular of the Melbourne stand-up comedy circuit, performed around Australia, and supported Dave Hughes and Adam Hills on national tours. This all kicks oﬀ at 7.30pm upstairs at The Portland Hotel.

THE VARIETY COLLECTIVE The Variety Collective is always a fun, cheap night out. In the charming surrounds of The Brunswick Green, this week we have circus from Kyle Raftery, comedy from Sean Ryan and Jason Chong, Improv from Ben McKenzie and cabaret from Jo Loth. Come check it out!

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE COMEDY Charlie has just turned one and the best above-ground underground comedy room in Melbourne is throwing one hell of a ﬁrst birthday party. Tonight, all of Charlie’s favourite comedians will be stepping up, including MICF best newcomer and crowd favourite Ronny Chieng, plus some surprise birthday guests. As always, cheap piss and piss-cheap entry, but this time - there will be cake. Check in 8pm tonight at Eurotrash Bar - 18 Corrs Lane, Melbourne. $5 entry. Get down early for a seat.

COMMEDIA DELL PARTE This week Commedia Dell Parte brings out the heavy hitters of Melbourne Comedy for your laughing pleasure we have Dave Thornton, Ronny Chieng, Daniel Connell, Tom Gaynor, Khaled Khalafalla, Spencer Hodges, Suren Jayemanne and Ed Britton. This is a night you don’t want to miss, get in early to secure yourself a comfy couch, see some amazing comedy 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. So if you enjoy the show chuck in a few sheckles and show your appreciation. Commedia Dell Parte runs every Thursday from 8.30pm at George Lane Bar, St Kilda.

COMEDY AT SPLEEN It’s always a great big night at Comedy At Spleen, and this Monday is no diﬀerent! We’ve got the legendary Greg Fleet as host, and he’s got another great lineup to play with! Like Elbowskin, Luke McGregor, Steele Saunders, Pete Sharkey and more! It’s this Monday, May 21, 41 Bourke St, in the city, at 8.30pm. It may be free, but we appreciate a good gold coin donation at the door!

FELIX BAR COMEDY Dave Hughes headlines Felix Bar Comedy this Wednesday! The biggest name in comedy will pack out the night, so get down early! You know Hughesy from Nova FM, The Project, Before The Game.. and somehow he’s ﬁnding time to drop down to smash out a headline set for us! Plus we’ve got another great supporting lineup in the shape of Danny McGinlay, Geraldine Hickey, Nick Cody, Daniel Connell and Karl Woodberry! Come down and check out the biggest night of comedy in St Kilda, every Wednesday night! It’s happening this Wednesday May 16 at 8.30pm for only $12, at Felix Bar, 11 Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

SOFTBELLY COMEDY Charlie Pickering headlines Softbelly Comedy this Thursday! Softbelly hasn’t seen Pickering headline since it’s very ﬁrst show, so we’re very excited to have who we think is one of Australia’s very best! Plus another great lineup including Karl Chandler, Pete Sharkey, Gerard McCulloch and more! It’s all happening at Softbelly, 367 Little Bourke Street in the city, this Thursday May 17, 8.30pm, for only $12! Get in early for a good seat!

AUSTRALIAN POPS ORCHESTRA You know the dude from Dancing With The Stars that was found unconscious from too much alcohol on a Sydney park bench? And the guy that sounds like Kermit The Frog who composes stuﬀ? Yeah, Todd McKenney and John Foreman. Well, they, along with Chloe Dallimore, are getting together for this year’s Australian Pops Orchestra. Known as the people’s orchestra, the Australian Pops Orchestra presents music for the people. Oﬀering a contemporary take on popular classical music as well as popular contemporary numbers, the orchestra appeals to young and old. Hell, you might just want to go to see if Todd McKenney gets wasted and passes out again. With only two shows, The Australian Pops Orchestra will be held at the Palms at Crown on Friday May 18 and Saturday May 19. Head to ticketek.com.au for tickets.

J U S T I N S H O U L D E R (AUS) D E W E Y D E L L ( I TA LY )

JUSTIN SHOULDER (AUS)

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Beat Magazine Page 27

SILVIE PALADINO BY KATE MCCARTEN

Probably most widely known for her regular participation in Melbourne’s annual Carols By Candlelight, self-proclaimed ‘Melbourne girl through and through’ Silvie Paladino has enjoyed a musical career spanning more than two decades. From performing in musicals on London’s West End to singing the national anthem at footy games to touring with seven prolific orchestras, Paladino is an obviously versatile performer. On My Own is her first full-length studio album and since its release last year, Paladino has been showcasing the album live to fans around the country. After performing in Darwin last week, Silvie is back down in Melbourne this weekend to put on a couple of shows for her fellow Victorians. “I come from very humble beginnings. There were no grand expectations on our lives, it was just – we were lucky to be here, living a good life; we never had any luxuries or anything like that. So it sort of didn’t dawn on me that I could even turn singing into a career.” And it wasn’t until she won Channel Ten’s Young Talent Time when she was 14 that the idea of a future in music began to surface. Within the year, Paladino made the decision to drop out of school

and put her faith in her voice. “I really had to make the choice whether I was going to sing or whether I was going to stay at school and give it all my energy. I decided not to do that because I didn’t like school very much,” she laughs. It was a risky move but one that, even early, proved to have paid oﬀ. When she was just 18, Paladino was cast as Eponine in the production of Les Misérables. The ﬁrst of many successful musical theatre roles across her career,

NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL BY BELLA ARNOTT-HOARE

The Next Wave program is a hefty production – a gorgeous little piece of publishing. With sandpapery pages and meticulous art direction, the magazine is almost painterly and conceptual compared to traditional art festival programming. This little book is a physical representation of Emily Sexton’s tireless work and the ethos of the festival itself – what, if not for experimentation. As she twists colourful porcelain beads around her fingers, she explains the dog-eared copy I’d pulled out of my bag is the ‘Intergalactic’ version, one of four separate print runs. She flicks the pages affectionately as we begin talking about the festival. “I do think the next wave of art is quite politically engaged, and it’s quite socially interested,” says Sexton. “I think the things that have really resonated in public imagination don’t take themselves too seriously, they’re relevant to the public domain, they’re interested in how an audience will engage with a work. It’s about listening to the world in a diﬀerent way and making that ordinary, everyday life a little bit extraordinary.” In Sexton’s director’s statement she puts forth the challenge that “The world is diﬀerent now.” Though it resonates on a multitude of levels, it’s particularly relevant to this year’s festival. Artists have to respond to the

difficulties of how people devour their art in modern times, that’s why ‘Generosity’ is particularly poignant. Sexton saw a preview of Elizabeth Dunn’s Flyway and was charmed by its thoughtfulness. Marching around unused areas of the city, it’s an invitation to a guided birdwatching tour, “but it really inserts nature back into a very dense urban landscape in a really clever, mediated and beautiful way,” she says. The generosity of the artist and people who’ve aided her is obvious – she supplies nuts, for example. Fifteen, another festival work, is a subtle flash-mob style affair at Flagstaff station narrated via headphones. Its generosity,

THE 21 CHALLENGE BY MIKI MCLAY

Bear with me as I make some fundamental assumptions about you, dear reader, flipping through the pages of this magazine – probably in a café, or maybe sitting on the train home from work. It’s likely that you’re a reasonably well-off person. You’ve got a family and friends to rely on when things go wrong. You can pay the bills, you’ve got somewhere nice to come home to. Things might be a little tight at times, but hey, there’s a little spare cash in the bank before payday to play around with. You got the chance to go to school, and pursue further education if you so pleased, before making the plunge into the workforce. You aren’t constantly worried about the prospect of being assaulted or robbed. Life is pretty alright.

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(U K nd E er TS 30 $ $2 4 5) 0

Tragically, this is not the reality for a despairingly large number of young people in Australia today. Despite media exhortations that our fair land is the ‘lucky country’ of the world, managing to escape much of the full force of the global ﬁnancial crisis and plugging on, there are plenty of young people who’ve fallen through the gaps; young people who can’t lay claim to many of the things listed above that you and I take for granted every day. Youth homelessness is an issue that continues to plague contemporary society, with more than 32,000 kids sleeping rough on the streets

tonight, and young adults aged from 12-18 the largest group comprising this horrifyingly large number. Not-for-proﬁt organisation Open Family are one of many groups out there doing something to combat this, providing support and outreach services to homeless youth since their founding in Melbourne, way back when in 1978. We spoke to outreach worker Wayne Nielsen to explain the reality of youth homelessness for us. Nielsen’s work is typical of Open Family’s approach, dealing directly with young people on the street and acting as a conduit between

Paladino is still hesitant to label herself as an actress. “I’ve certainly learnt how to act over the years,” she eventually admits. “It’s never something that I studied. It was something that I was sort of thrown into with Les Mis, because I was predominantly a singer; that’s what I knew my strength was. And working with the wonderful director Gail Edwards on that, she nurtured me and was so wonderful at explaining it so clearly that I learnt how to emote through my singing. I’ve sort of learnt the art through working it, you know?” She must have been doing something right, because her portrayal of Eponine on the 12-month tour earned Paladino a Victorian Green Room Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to bring Eponine back to life on the West End, and then returned to London a couple of years later to tackle the role of Fantine for a two-year run. Despite performing in many other musicals over the years and earning herself much-coveted acting chops, Paladino’s heart lies primarily with music. “I can’t say I’m a really great songwriter, but I’ve certainly started investigating this art of writing songs. And I’m really proud of the song we wrote for the album. It’s something that I’ll certainly try to do more of,” she adds. The rest of the album doesn’t follow one genre or one theme; it is an eclectic mix up which reflects the versatility of Paladino’s strengths and preferences. “The reason why the album has all different styles on it is because I feel like says Sexton, is in the way the public art performance changes the viewers’ relationship with the particular part of the city. But it’s also masterful in its execution, she says: “It’s really beautiful for us to sit there and watch the patterns, the natural choreography of the city.” Engaging the public in a conversation about contemporary art can be a difficult feat though. They’ve tried to relax the dialogue about conceptual art so it’s inclusive, offering day passes, she said, to stave off intimidation. But contemporary art does have a tendency to be alienating at times– a view fostered in part by a recent viral story on a global trash-mag –which I ask her views about. She uses Tasmania’s MONA as an example of how we can engage. “[MONA Director] David Walsh and his curators take the view that art should be about how it makes you feel. What does it do for you in your body, in your mind?” “Maybe it’s not that big a deal to say, ‘I don’t get art’, ya’ know. But I guess because it is a privilege to be in the arts, it is our responsibility to show other people why it is interesting. There’s a whole bunch of different ways we can do that.” This job is important. Because after all, art, says Sexton, is a reflection of contemporary society, and what we care about as a broad community at that time. And there are reasons it’s changed. “In the ‘80s and ‘90s we could afford to be a little bit more vacuous about the kind of work we were making. [But] there does seem to be different kinds of politics to the way we think, perhaps because we communicate so often in different ways. Artists play an ever important role in trying to help us understand what them and a wider network of support services. “I work in St Kilda and the city. I spend a lot of time in squats, acting on information about where kids are sleeping rough – kids that hang around the station now. Being like a big brother, a good friend to them. What main focus is making sure these kids know they always have my number. If they need me, something bad is usually going to these kids – given the way they’re living – and at least they have someone to contact, when something does go wrong.” Plenty of myths and misconceptions cloud the issue of homelessness. Academics have described a phenomenon termed the “morality of homelessness” (a term that describes the often negative stigmas that surround homelessness) to describe the kinds of public discourses that surround homelessness, in order to explain why homeless people are a particularly vulnerable group when it comes to victimisation. This is certainly true, in Nielsen’s view. “They’re seriously at risk all of the time, and I notice a lot – you can tell the predators are out at nighttime,” he explains. “The evil guys – the ones I try to get the young girls or guys away from – you don’t see them during the day. They know exactly where they’re going to go and which kids to target at night.” The premise of The 21 Challenge is simple: what could you do, or maybe do without, every day for 21 days to raise money for young homeless people? From Friday June 1 until Thursday June 21, challenge yourself to go without, or do something that you’ve never done before for those three weeks. Unlike more traditional fundraising ventures,

that’s a reﬂection of who I am. I wanted it to be true to me. So I picked songs from musicals because that’s what I do. I picked Italian songs because that’s my background. And I did some more contemporary, and a bit more classical, because I sing all sorts of genres; I couldn’t really pick one.” So it follows that her intimate performance at the Clocktower Centre this weekend, accompanied solely by David Cameron on piano, will be just as encompassing. Silvie Paladino sings at Clocktower Centre on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20.

it is to live, because the speed at which we’re living is so much more intense.” She’s under no illusions about the gigantic feat she’s preparing to pull oﬀ – but is incredibly thankful for it. “If you’re a young curator or a young festival director it’s pretty much the most exciting job in the country I reckon. You’re given a brief to be wild with your ideas and people support you to do really risky things.” And Sexton reckons artists throw the best parties – see for yourself at the Westspace Festival Club. Next Wave Festival is on from Saturday May 19 until Sunday May 27. The opening night House Party takes place on Friday May 18 at The Footscray Community Arts Centre, the Wake Up Party takes place at Westspace on Wednesday May 23 and the Fresh Produce party takes place at the Queen Victoria Market on Sunday May 27. Check out nextwave.org.au for more information.

it’s entirely up to you what challenge you set for yourself – which, if my friends’ suggestions regarding my own venture are anything to go by, could end in a very entertaining three weeks. As Nielsen explains, it’s a vital means of keeping Open Family’s outstanding work going. “The 21 Challenge is probably one of our most important sources of support. We really need the support - we need it out there, and for people to get behind us, and what we’re doing. The money that comes from this challenge supports workers like me, helps run our cars, gives us the money and the tools to help our clients as best we can. I’ve been on call for seven or eight years, and if it weren’t for public donations, we wouldn’t be around. Seeing people getting involved inspires me, too. When I see people go out of their way to give up things, or go without for The 21 Challenge, and talking about the issue is great - I love it.” The 21 Challenge runs from Friday June 1 – Thursday June 21. Visit the openfamily.com.au for more information and to register.

ON THE PRODUCTION OF MONSTERS by Robert Reid

In this age of story-hungry journalism, can we trust what we read? Or are we just slaves to the media monster? Robert Reid’s ingenious new satire takes centre stage at MTC’s intimate Lawler Studio, where talented actors Virginia Gay and James Saunders transform into nine different characters. MTC is a department of The University of Melbourne

Beat Magazine Page 28

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

23 MAY TO 9 JUNE BOOK mtc.com.au

THE WOOHOO REVUE BY JOSHUA KLOKE

Dannie McKenzie, acoustic guitarist of the Balkan-influenced gypsy folk act The Woohoo Revue answers the phone as he’s been wandering around his “disheveled apartment” in the middle of the afternoon. McKenzie sounds dazed, as if the phone call was coming from beyond the grave. It’s particularly curious considering the frantic yet focused energy within the music of The Woohoo Revue, evident both in their live set and their most recent full-length, Moreland’s Ball. The music of the band encompasses the idea that as a society, we’re one simple misstep away from self-implosion. There’s an evident tenseness, but McKenzie insists that The Woohoo Revue is not so much a release for him, but an indication of life in general. “My life is generally quite frantic,” he says. “I feel like I’m always a month behind where I need to be. When we get on the road we play some pretty interesting stages and the adrenalin takes over, things kind of take care of themselves. “It probably is a bit more personal, though” he concedes. “I wear a lot of the franticness while the rest of the band wears most of the normality.” McKenzie may be the proverbial black sheep in the group in terms of how he lives his life. Yet when asked about what originally brought the sextet together, a theme emerges. There was no outcast in terms of influence. The band’s sound runs the gamut of genres, from freak-out gypsy to a decisive Saturday night party band. By not leaning too far to one side, the band accurately developed the sound that The Woohoo Revue would soon become known for. “I started the band about four years ago, doing some traditional Balkan gypsy tunes,” says McKenzie. “Certain Albanian and Macedonian tunes. But we’ve still become very middle of the way in terms of the way we adhere to both the past and present. And a lot of the other guys in the band have played before in bands, be it rock, jazz, Latin, whatever. Approaching our music with a definite awareness of the dance floor usually allows us to come up sounding unique. It definitely doesn’t sound like traditional, eastern European gypsy, but that’s been a conscious decision to sound that way.” With a sound as eccentric as that of The Woohoo Revue, the subject of influences is one that has to be examined at length. “It all comes from the broken Gypsy bands that we all got into when we were young,” McKenzie continues. “But we’re into music that’s a celebration. Playing that kind of big music, it has to come from people drawing upon different elements. As a musician, you’re always going to be drawn to the stuff you’re passionate about, which we are.” Labelling The Woohoo Revue as “celebration” music may be the understatement of the year. To be able to stand still during their live sets would exercise the kind of restraint normally practiced by sisters of the cloth. The band brings the party, and as McKenzie tells it, it doesn’t take much for the band to get psyched for their gigs. “When you’ve got the kind of people who are there, at your shows to have a good time and they want to dance, it’s usually pretty easy. It really only takes a couple of bars of the first tune before everyone’s flying.” “A great example of that is when we played the National Folk Festival in Canberra,” he continues. “We got in there after being on the road for so long; we’d been working so hard, we’re all tired and hungover and we’d just started the tour! But we got up onstage, the place was packed and ready to go and everyone’s face lights up. And from there on in, we’re a part of something. It becomes an event. It becomes a synchronistic experience between us and the crowd, and like them we just collapse after we’re finished the show. Yet when it’s happening, we have no choice but to get swept up in it. “There can be challenges,” he admits, “because there’s a human element between us and the crowd. We have to block everything out and keep everyone engaged. We’re not a cabaret act; we do play some big stages so we have to work to get to everyone in the room.” Another challenge the band faces is often finding venues that can accommodate not just the band, but the party that ensues afterwards. Such is the frantic nature of the life of The Woohoo Revue. It’s not optimism that allows McKenzie and the band to continue. Yet while there’s the idea that it can’t always be perfect, it can be fun, is one that is equally as comforting. “We do prefer to play in an environment where people can really cut loose. When we launched our first album in 2008, we’d never played a big festival before. And people were just crashing over the stage, falling into our speaker stacks, and we thought we were doomed. But the thing is, you can’t stop the ball once it gets rolling.”

GEORGE GARZONE

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Bookings: ticketek.com.au

THE WOOHOO REVUE get the party started to launch Moreland’s Ball at The Hi-Fi on Friday May 25.

www.albare.info DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Beat Magazine Page 45

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

with Christie Eliezer * Stuﬀ for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm FEDERAL BUDGET #1: BIZ RESPONDS

THINGS WE HEAR

The Federal Budget allocated $64.1 million over the next four years to the arts – and of that, contemporary music only gets $3 million. $1.7 million goes to music export body Sounds Australia, an initiative of APRA/AMCO and the Australia Council. APRA CEO Brett Cottle said this would help increase the number and frequency of venues booking live music and encourage international tours to use locals as support acts. Save Live Australian Music (SLAM) posted, “Considering this was an austere budget where many areas were cut, it’s impressive that the contemporary music sector were effective in lobbying to finally receive a boost to funding.” The Contemporary Music Touring Program has an extra $400,000 a year. The West Australian Music Industry Association gets $1.3 million to educate and promote new apprenticeships and residencies to sharpen songwriting and performing skills.

* Against Me! frontperson Tom Gabel revealed that she is transgender and plans to start living as a woman. She will take on the name Laura Jane Grace and continue married to her wife Heather, whom she says has been “superamazing and understanding.” She begins taking hormones and electrolysis treatment shortly, and went public so people will be understanding and kind. * After four years of having a tutor on the road with him, Justin Bieber has, at 18-years-old, finally graduated from high school. * Attendance at Nimbin’s MardiGrass might be down from previous 10,000 because of fears of past drug busts but relationship between organisers and the local cops remains, umm, high. At this year’s event, cops and organisers competed against each other in the Tug Of Peace. When it came to accepting the winning Cannabis Cup, no cop was willing to be seen doing that! * Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos has begged new bands not to do Oasis covers saying, “Oasis were fucking boring.” * It seems that the two dolphins in a zoo in Switzerland, first suspected of dying from the doof-doof from a rave next door last November, were fed heroin substitute Buprenorphine by some idiot ravers – to a painful death. * When producers of ABC-TV’s Q&A asked Kate MillerHeidke to come on, she said yes because, (a) she digs the show; and (b) she figured she could talk about human trafficking and slavery. Alas, the debate didn’t cover those, and the singer was stuck with giving ho-hum comments about topics like the carbon tax and the budget. Anthony Callea tweeted, “a total waste of space ... embarrassing rep for Gen Y!” She lashed back, “Pot Kettle Fuckwit”. * After visiting Jamaica and meeting Bob Marley’s widow Rita, Britain’s Prince Harry has become such a reggae-phile he wants to become a reggae DJ. * When Stone Roses come to Australia, will it be with drummer Reni? Radio reports say he is ill and they are rehearsing for their world tour with another.

FEDERAL BUDGET #2: BAD NEWS FOR AMRAP In a blow for community radio and independent musicians, funding for the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) was not renewed. Current funding runs out end of June. AMRAP delivers new Australian music to 2,000 broadcasters from 300 community radio stations. “It’s incredibly disappointing to see such a valuable project that gets Australian music to radio stations all over the country cast aside at this point and we are determined to work with Government to find a way to keep the project going”, said Catherine Haridy, Chair of AMRAP with the Community Broadcasting Foundation. “Community radio plays such a critical role in the development of Australian musicians.” Discussions have already begun with Minister Stephen Conroy’s office.

SONY MUSIC MOVES On Friday, Sony Music’s Victorian branch will be relocating to Level 1, 191 Lennox Street, Richmond Vic 3121. Phone numbers remain the same.

VENUES #1: THE PHOENIX CLOSING The Phoenix Public House on Sydney Road Brunswick is closing on June 12. It relaunched eight months ago with some inspired programming from booker Paris Martine. Aside from a ‘’difficult booking climate in Melbourne,” she and her partners wanted to buy the business and run it as a long-term venue. But the landlord was not willing to commit to a long lease.

VENUES #2: WALSH SELLS OUT OF CHERRY BAR Cherry Bar’s founding partner Bill Walsh has, after 12 and a half years, sold his share in the venue to Cherry Bar partners James Young and Peter Lewis. Young said, “Pete and I were looking to buy another bar in Melbourne when we realised that the smarter play was to buy more of the one bar we already owned, that way we didn’t have to double our workload. We plan to continue to perpetuate the rock’n’roll legacy created at Cherry by Billy ‘Cosmic Psycho’ Walsh.” Walsh’s future plans will be revealed shortly.

HART, MENARD, SET UP RADIO PLUGGING SERVICE Publicists Nicole Hart from Revolutions Per Minute and Leanne Menard from Menard PR are, in addition to running their own PR firms, teaming up for a new radio plugging service. They’ll provide face to face and ongoing radio servicing, with Hart in Sydney and Menard in Melbourne. Their first client is Canadian rock outfit, The Trews. Contact point is Leanne Menard on (03) 9689 0215/0438 233 100/ leanne@menardpr.com.au.

OBESE SIGNS DISTRO DEAL WITH MC DELTA Melbourne’s Obese Records has signed a distro deal with Adelaide MC and producer Delta for the release of his third album. The one-time philosophy student who lived for a time in the Bronx in New York, last worked with Obese nine years ago on the Culture Of Kings 3 collaboration.

ROUGH VELVET LAUNCHES Musician and producer Hugo Race and manager/publicist Lisa Willows have set up Rough Velvet Records. Based in Melbourne, it will be distributed by MGM worldwide. The boutique label launches with a roster that includes Race and Melbourne duo Leek & The War Wick Tragedy, and will also serve as the local distributor for Germany’s German label Glitterhouse Records. Race’s album is titled No But It’s True. Willows said, “Hugo is an enormously talented and prolific Australian artist who has been working internationally for some time. Now he’s back home, Australia needs to recognise what a historic and very special artist he is. Willows is contacted at lisa@rawrmusic.com.au.

GOTYE’S ‘SOMEBODY’ MAKES U.S. HISTORY Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know last week made U.S. chart history becoming the first song to simultaneously top the Top Hot 100, Alternative Airplay chart, the Dance Club Songs chart and Dance/Mix Show Airplay. It is #1 for a fourth week on the Hot 100, and on Alternative Airplay for a tenth week – the longest reign by a soloist passing Everlast’s What It’s Like in 1998/99. The dance chart presence come courtesy remixes by Thin Red Men and Tiësto. The track also sees Kimbra becoming the first woman born in the ‘90s to top the Hot 100. Somebody spent a third week at No. 1 on the Hot Digital Songs chart last week after 348,000 downloads.

DEAN TURNER PROJECT RAISES OVER $20K The Dean Turner Project has raised over $20,000 for the The Kimberley Law and Aboriginal Culture Centre and the Yiriman Project. The Project was launched this year at Laneway Melbourne which named a stage after the Magic Dirt co-founder who died in 2009, and took donations from punters. In a letter thanking all involved, wife Linda Bosidis, and his two daughters said, in part, “To honour (Dean) with a stage is the perfect acknowledgement to his uncompromised passion for music and young and upcoming artists.”

OPOSSOM BY KRISSI WEISS

With Kody Neilson’s former band, Mint Chicks, pushing a violent and chaotic energy both through their music and through performance, Neilson himself is hesitant to the point of complete nervousness when we chat. Maybe he’s having a bad day, but he chooses his words with absolute trepidation and stutters his way through most sentences. His new project, Opossom, may be a more accurate representation of his personality than the bedlam of Mint Chicks.

Beat Magazine Page 46

WUNDERKIND HEADS TO MUSHROOM GROUP A&R exec Michael Parisi’s record label Wunderkind has left Warner Music for a joint venture with Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Group. It joins labels as Liberation Music, Illusive Sounds, Ivy League, I Oh You and Liberator Music. First releases are by Stonefield and Owl Eyes.

ARTS SUBMISSIONS FOR HARVEST Harvest Festival, which returns to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from November 10 to 18 has opened the application process for arts submissions. It is looking for stage performance, live art happenings, site installations, roaming performance, spoken word, comedy, circus, digital and ecological arts projects – and everything in between. Last year 400 artists participated in the arts program on four dedicated stages, 50 installations, and 2 virtual experiences. See harvestfestival.com.au, deadline is July 1.

LIVE NATION BUYS CREAMFIELDS US-based concert promoter Live Nation has bought Britain’s Cream Holdings, which owns the nine Creamfields music festivals. Cream’s founder James Barton joins Live Nation as its president of electronic music. We fired off an email to Live Nation’s headquarters in the U.S. about Creamfields being staged in Australia but had not heard back by the time this column was filed.

DMC OFFERING TUITION DMC Records now offers personal tuition sessions covering production techniques, from fundamentals of music, to readying your track for mastering. They’re held in its new custom built studio, upstairs at 211 Commercial Rd, South Yarra. Tutors are experienced electronic producers and performers. Bring in a session you’re working on or focus your training on a particular topic. To find out more call 03 9824 1211 or email shop@dmcrecords.com.au.

DAREBIN COUNCIL TURNS UP THE SOUND Darebin City Council’s Decibels Records youth program – which reaches out to performers to pursue a career in the industry – is looking for two upcoming Darebin bands or solo artists aged 12-25 to work with in 2012. They’ll gain first hand experience in establishing, maintaining and being signed to an indie label. The 2012 program will conclude in September with a special artist showcase event at the Northcote Town Hall as a part of the Darebin Music Feast. Applications for the 2012 Decibels Records program close on Thursday May 24. Online application forms can be downloaded from youth.darebin.vic. gov.au, or contact Darebin City Council on 8470 8001.

COPS HAPPY WITH MOO

LIFELINES LIFELINES Marrying: Bobby Brown and fiancée Alicia Etheridge in mid-June in Hawaii, around the time that New Edition play there. Dating: MTV presenter Alexa Chung with The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr. She was formerly engaged to Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner. Injured: Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt with a serious head injury – not from a car crash, as rumoured, but when he hit his head on the tour while getting some underwear out of his suitcase. Suing: NSW singer songwriter Allan Caswell is taking action against his publisher Sony ATV Australia, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported. The case, which goes to the NSW Supreme Court next month, demands Sony ATV take royalties from US country band Alabama, whose chart topping 1982 hit Christmas In Dixie is identical to his On The Inside, the Prisoner theme. Sued: The Beastie Boys by Tuf America, which claims they illegally sampled Trouble Funk’s Say What and Drop The Bomb on two albums. Sued: EMI Music by the estate of famed composer Henry Mancini, which claims it hasn’t been paid $1.35 million in profits from his Pink Panther music. Jailed: Moroccan rapper Mouad Belghouat, 24, for a year, over a video critical of the police. He has been highly critical of the country’s regime, and his songs are about injustice and inequality, and one about the king’s wealth. Died: Donald “Duck” Dunn, bassist and songwriter with Booker T. and the MGs and the Blues Brothers band, 70. Dunn was touring in Tokyo and died in his sleep, said guitarist Steve Cropper. Memphis-bon Dunn was in high demand on the sessions circuit. The MGs (Green Onion, Time Is Tight) got a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2007. Died: U.S. photographer Jim McCrary, 72 whose many album covers included Carole King’s Tapestry and Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen. Died: former Into Eternity guitarist Rob Doherty, cause unknown. Died: a Gold Coast nightclub promotions manager fell 31 storeys at his unit in Surfers Paradise. Police say that the man, who hailed from Adelaide, was known to them and are investigating if he accidentally fell or was pushed.

MELBOURNE RADIO REVENUE RISES Commercial radio revenue for Melbourne grew 0.14% to $169 million in the ten months financial YTD (ending April), according to the 2012 Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue report. Adelaide grew 3.88% to $53.45 million; Brisbane grew 0.49% to $91million, Perth fell 0.67% to $75.22 million and Sydney fell 3.14% to $170.967 million. In April, five metro markets showed a fall of 2.58%, compared to the same timeframe a year earlier, to a total of $52.57 million. Adelaide grew 2.13% to $5.349 million in April, Brisbane fell 0.1% to $8.361 million, Melbourne fell 0.88% to $16.023 million, Perth fell 3.14% to $6.825 million and Sydney fell 6.59% to $16.015 million.

Police praised the behaviour of the Groovin’ The Moo 15,000-strong audience at Bendigo. Six were booted out for being drunk, one was busted with “a drug of dependence” while some men who couldn’t cope with the half-hour wait for the loos pissed in public but out of view. Seven cars around the site were broken into, with mobiles, iPods and cash stolen.

WANNA WORK AT MUSIC VICTORIA?

AMN SETS UP WEBSITE

DEADLINE FOR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC TOUR FUNDING

The Australian Musician Network (AMN) has set up a new website at myamn.com.au where artists, venues and industry folk can communicate, research and create opportunities through networking.

GALLINS MAY DAY SALE This Saturday May 19, Gallin’s Musician’s Pro Shop holds a One Day Only Doorbuster sale where a best selection of quality musical instruments, hi-tech gear and accessories will be marked down by up to 80% or even lower. There will also be rare one-offs that won’t be found elsewhere. See gallinsmps. com.au to find your closest store or call 1800 GALLINS.

BLOCK PARTY TAKES YEAR OFF Obese Records’ hip hop showcase Block Party is taking the year off. The label says it’s too busy with Obesecity 2 compilation and other releases, and is announcing some new projects in June/July. “It’s been more free,” Neilson says of the new project. “I didn’t really have a picture of what I wanted to do with the music. It was more that I would keep the recordings that I liked. I think Mint Chicks wrote a lot together and this style isn’t really what we would’ve done. I just went with what I felt like doing and it was good to not have to work everything out with someone else, you know? There are pros and cons to doing it on your own but because I was just going with the flow it was all easier.” Producing and co-writing such diverse projects as King Kapisi, The Adults and He Will Have His Way (the Finn brothers tribute), Neilson was also busy writing and playing with Bic Runga (who has now lent her skills to the Opossom project) while creating the Opossom sound. Ex-Mint Chicks bassist, Michael Logie (who was also in Runga’s live band) rounds out the lineup. “I showed the record to Bic and Michael,” he explains. “I was already playing music with both of them in Bic’s band. I just started taking the songs to them and we just started rehearsing during sound checks.” For someone who has so many different creative outlets and musical pursuits, it would be easy to assume that Opossom will take on the identity of the lazy side-project. Neilson seems unsure, at this stage, about how far he would like to take these new songs. “I just want to go with the flow with it,” he says. “I’ve been focusing a little bit more on getting by. It’s more just a chance to do what I want without having to sign off to anyone. I take it seriously but it’s not as serious as when I am producing or collaborating with other people.” With Opossom marking the beginning of a new musical era for

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Music Victoria is looking for a permanent full-time Operations Manager to work alongside the CEO to lead the organisation through its next stage of growth. Deadline is May 31. For full details, see musicvictoria.com.au.

Round 23 of the Contemporary Music Touring program closes on Friday June 1. It helps emerging and established acts take their music to regional and remote areas by providing assistance with touring costs such as transport, accommodation, insurance, production and marketing. Guidelines and application forms are at arts.gov.au/regional/ cmtp/apply. If you have questions, email music.touring@pmc. gov.au or freecall 1800 819 461.

RIHANNA PULLS A BOOB ON ADELE For Adele’s 24th birthday, Rihanna sent her a cake in the shape of boobs. The cheeky message accompanying said cake read, “Happy Birthday to my lover, Adele” and “to the baddest bitch around” followed by a topless picture of herself covering the iced gems with her hands. Adele had two things to celebrate. Her 21 album has outsold Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and become the fifth biggest-selling album in UK history, after shifting 4.3 million copies. Neilson, it is hard to ignore that he has taken Logie with him for the ride. Were there any hard feelings at the end of Mint Chicks? “No, everyone just needed their own space to do their own thing and just chill out,” he says. “We were so busy doing that for about eight years and everyone was, kind of, just a bit spent. I think after we finished the last record we knew it was time to have a break. There were no hard feelings though. I have been working with Ruben lately doing some producing for Unknown Mortal Orchestra. It’s still all good.” Lyrically, Neilson wrote the album swiftly but says he was far more specific in his content than he has been in the past. He does add that for a lot of the songs, he really didn’t know exactly what they were about until after they were recorded. “It’s mostly about drug experiences and falling in love and things like that,” he explains stumbling a little on his words. “A lot from knowing addicts and, yeah, that. I’m not championing drugs or anything but it’s hard to avoid knowing people who have been affected by it in a big way. I guess when I was writing about relationships ending, I was writing a lot about what happened at the end of The Mint Chicks as well and the way I was feeling. It wasn’t all bad or anything; I was actually trying to write really quickly and not think about it too much. It’s only when I look back on it now that I can figure out exactly what everything was about. At the time, I was just getting it done; now it makes more sense.” OPOSSOM will play at Phoenix Public House on Thursday May 17. Electric Hawaii is out Friday June 1 through Create/ Control.

Do you want to be added to the menu? Advertising/editorial inquiries - adam@beat.com.au

Matilda Bay Brewery Bar Opens

Start Your Day At Cacao Green Come get your breakfast fix at Cacao Green! They are now serving a wide range of healthy, organic and gluten-free breakfast items exclusively at their Bourke St and Glenferrie stores. Get your morning kick with Cacao Green’s hearthealthy Bircher Muesli. Served with organic yogurt and a choice of mixed berries or tropical fruits, this flavourful menu item is guaranteed to satisfy your appetite. Cacao Green also recently introduced Quinoa Pudding into their menu. Known as the “mother of grains”, quinoa is a wheat free whole grain. Similar in texture to rice pudding, the pudding is served warm with fruit toppings. In addition to their range of frozen yogurt, Cacao Green is also now serving organic yogurt muesli; flavours include passionfruit and apple, orange and honey or fruits and crunchy nuts. This is a great option for those who are on the run! Craving for something even sweeter? Try Cacao Green’s gourmet waffles, available in Crispy Almond, Blueberry/Raspberry Almond, Cinnamon Apple and Signature Chocolate, guaranteed to satisfy those cravings! And don’t forget to try their latest specialty dessert: Honey

NEW BEER FROM HOLGATE Based on their Belgian Blonde Bombshell recipe but using a special house blend of herbs and spices instead of hops, The Holgate Gruit Expectations (6.0% a/v) delivers a creamy malt and peppery spice on the aroma, with a slightly sweetish and spicy up-front palate balanced by a lingering dry and neutral finish. All this results in a very quaffable ale harking back to ancient days of medieval brewing! Hurry limited time only!

Bread. The crispiness and softness of the bread, combined with the sweetness of their compotes and honey will be perfect for sharing with your loved ones –that is if you’re willing to share! Check out Cacao Green’s breakfast menu at 235 Bourke St and 696 Glenferrie Rd. For more updates on Cacao Green’s latest offerings and exclusive promotions, ‘Like’ them on Facebook at facebook.com/cacaogreenAUS.

Today marks an important day in Matilda Bay Brewing Company’s history books as head brewer Scott Vincent declares the creatively named Matilda Bay Brewery Bar at the Port Melbourne Brewery officially open to all beer fans and curious passers-by. Australia’s original craft brewer, Matilda Bay has dispensed with fanfare or fireworks to herald this significant event. Rather, today was marked simply with the garage door rolled up, the taps polished all shiny and the glasses freshly washed, ready to welcome in beer loving friends from near or far. Pouring all of the Matilda Bay favourites, there’ll also be some experimental brews and even some unfermented classics piped in to the tap straight from the tanks. The concrete-floored and wooden-benched bar has room for 30, and sees beer lovers in the heart of the brewing action, sitting only metres away from the towering tanks and brewers hard at work. The menu will be a mix of simple yet delicious treats to keep hunger at bay, with warm marinated olives, dips and top-notch cheese making the perfect food partners for the star of the show…the beer. Scott can’t wait for people to drop in after weeks spent unpacking and redecorating the new digs. “We’re now settled in at Port Melbourne. The whole team has been putting in long hours, not leaving any stone unturned to make sure the bar is a beauty for all our friends… We’ve tested all the taps, tasted the entire menu, and sat in every stool. It’s been thirsty work. “The best bit is the three taps that run from the tanks, straight into schooner glasses. The liquid pouring from them will be unfiltered, unpasteurised brews, something a bit special. Nothing tastes better than beer straight from a tank,” says Vincent. Outgrowing its previous home in Dandenong, Matilda Bay’s roomier residence is an old Cadbury factory on Bertie St minutes from the Melbourne CBD in Port Melbourne. Keeping with tradition of only brewing delicious things at the site, the 2000 square metre chocolate-haunted space now serves as home base for Matilda Bay whose revered range of beers and cider includes the golden child Fat Yak, the big boy Alpha Pale Ale, and the crochet cider queen, Dirty Granny. The Matilda Bay Brewery Bar is set to be the place to go for any beer fan that finds themselves south of the city for an after work drink or lazy Sunday catch up with mates. There’ll also be free brewery tours daily – you’ll have to call ahead though to lock in a time as Barney, the bar manager, will need to practice his speech. Matilda Bay Brewery Bar, located at 89 Bertie St, Port Melbourne, is open Monday to Wednesday 8am-2pm, Thursday to Friday 8am-9pm and Saturdays 12pm-5pm. Check out matildabay.com.au or call 9673 4545 for more info.

NOW OPEN FOR BREKKIE Delicious range of breakfast menu now available at Cacao Green. Glenferrie 696 Glenferrie Road Hawthorn Melbourne CBD 235 Bourke Street Melbourne

By Red Mango Global

BEAT’S GUIDE TO EATING OUT IN MELBOURNE

.....................Beat Eats Page 47

ALBARE iTD BY JOSHUA KLOKE

It wouldn’t be a stretch to call Albert Dadon and Evripides Evripidou kindred souls. Dadon, who plays under the Albare moniker and six-string bassist Evripedou have been collaborating on their melody-driven jazz for close to 20 years now. Both come from a Mediterranean background, appreciating the harmony based music of their native countries (Dadon was born in Morocco and raised in France, while Evripidou was born in Cyprus – both immigrated to Australia at young ages) and together, both have injected life into Australia’s jazz scene. Now, with the release of Long Way, Albare’s sixth full-length, the two are gearing up to take their tunes, which are consistently free of restraint, on the road. And though their relationship is over 20 years strong, Evripidou acknowledges the work that’s gone into building a successful collaborative effort. “It’s all interdependent isn’t it?” he says, reached on the phone from his Melbourne home. “We collaborated on all the tunes on the new record. On this last album we pretty much did everything together. We’ve known each other for so long so we understand how we think and feel. We have a certain background and we’re compatible in that we both come from Mediterrenean backgrounds. And it’s conducive to a certain melody.” Those melodies are particularly resonant on Long Way; Evripedou sees this as a product of their relationship as collaborators. “It’s a natural affinity, when you meet someone and you have a common background. We both really connect on melody and that’s probably what brought us together. Most of our projects try to be very melody-based.” Though Evripidou seems relatively jovial about the nature of their relationship, as any collaborators can attest, the end product is often a result of some fairly weighty compromise. And Long Way in particular walks in many different directions, which begs the question of their songwriting techniques. Do the two walk in with a distinct goal for each track or are they content to let the song roam? For Evripidou, the key is to keep things spontaneous. And it seems to be working out well. “There’s so many different ways to go about it. And I’m sure Albare himself could go about it in many different ways as well. This album, and most of the albums we work on are born spontaneously. “When you just kind of jam on a regular basis, try different things and experiment without thinking,” he continues, “you’re able to just polish what you have and it comes out sounding very beautiful. Instead of doing things that are pre-programmed and thinking you have to get things sounding a certain way, it can be very liberating otherwise.” Evripidou is never a few minutes away from referencing how important harmony is to the music of Albare. Yet even a record such as Long Way, thick with harmony that it may be, is also free of lyrics. Without lyrics, many find it difficult to form emotional attachments to songs and records, which Evripidou acknowledges. Still, Evripidou insists that the passion which both he and Albare bring towards their music cannot be understated. He’s also sure that it’s palpable within their music. “We’re both very passionate people. I come from a Greek/Cypriot background and he comes from a French/Jewish background and there’s a lot of passion in our background.” After being pressed on the message of Long Way, Evripidou soon puts a finger on it. “When it comes to the message, [Albare and I] talked a lot about ethics, morals and spirituality. Some of the topics that come up when we write are of more of a personal nature. Dealing with relationships and the like. We also started thinking about some of humanity’s personal achievements and thinking about some of our own personal achievements.” There’s a philosophy of care and personal affection which Evripidou brings up in earnest throughout our relaxed conversation. Evripidou speaks directly but in a slightly hushed tone, hesitant to let the thousands of kilometres and the exotic locales he’s both visited and lived in become a point of braggadocio. Yet both Albare and Evripides Evripidou are men of the world, and cannot deny the influence which geography has had and will continue to have on their music. “In our music we’re always gathering our personal experiences, especially those that happened while abroad. It’s always got to have a strong melodic element and a nice harmonic structure, which is something that we generally flock to when it comes to music of the world, both Greek and French. I started learning the Spanish guitar, then moved onto the classic guitar,” he says. Evripidou concedes that life can’t always be spent in away from home. Even in Australia, walking the same streets every day, he fights to find inspiration. “It does get a little boring sometimes,” he says with a hearty laugh. “Just before you called I was writing music for a film trailer and I was listening to the formula and sound of ‘Hollywood,’ which was offered to be as examples how this film trailer was supposed to sound. And I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to explore things from a different point of view?’ Different sounds, different melodies. It can certainly get a bit boring when you don’t have a stimulus.” Any successful collaboration is about balance, and the two song-writers have found said balance. For Evripides Evripidou, a successful balance between the music of the world and his life in Austalia is also incredibly important. “There’s always elements of the music we’ve heard throughout the world in our music.” As part of the Melbourne Jazz Festival, ALBARE iTD will play The Melbourne Recital Centre on Tuesday June 5. Beat Magazine Page 48

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BOUT 3

SATURDAY MAY Y 19 MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS UNDS

S DEAD RINGER ROSIES VS ROCK MOBSTERS Original photo: Jesse Booher

DOLLS OF HAZZARD VS TOXIC AVENGERS DOORS: 4.45 PM GAME 1: 5.45 PM GAME 2: 7.45 PM

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TICKETS THROUGH MOSHTIX — ADULT: $20 CHILD 8 – 16: $11 UNDER 8: FREE

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Mobile: moshtix.mobi + all moshtix outlets including Polyester Records (City & Fitzroy) & Greville Records. Tickets available at the door if not sold out: Adult $25, Child $15.

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Beat Magazine Page 49

THE BOMBAY ROYALE BY THOMAS BAILEY

Snakes! Bullets! Super secret agents! Bandits! Monkeys and tigers! Espionage and romance! Are you excited yet? Are you on the edge of your seat? Does this sound like a movie to you? Ah, these are the recurring themes in some of classic Bollywood’s greatest cinematic extravaganzas, where acting and plot took a backseat to some of the craziest, over-the-top song and dance scenes ever committed to celluloid. Enter The Bombay Royale, a local 11-piece musical powerhouse who have taken the themes and soundtracks from these films and have infused them with all the colour, production and energy one would expect from a four-plus hour Bollywood movie. The Bombay Royale had first set down to do strictly covers from the gilded ‘60s era of Bollywood, but soon evolved into writing their own material. Their debut album, You Me Bullets Love, was released just last month – and it is a corker. Parvyn Singh, one of the two singers in this bombastic Bollywood/surf/psychedelic band, was on hand recently to speak with us about the band, the album and the awe-inspiring madness of Bollywood films in general. But first, we must learn how to do the Bollywood dance. “People say, ‘Oh, I don’t know how to do the Bollywood dance,’” Singh laughs, “but it’s very easy! You put your hands in the air and pretend you’re screwing in a light bulb! That’s what it’s about!” The Bombay Royale was founded by Andy Williamson, a saxophonist and Bollywood aficionado who was driven by the fact that no one in Melbourne seemed to be performing that type of music live. “[Williamson]’s always had a great interest in that style of music,” Singh reveals. “He sat down and scored some great cover tunes from the ‘60s era, and got some great people together – it started as an instrumental thing, but when it was coming together, they put the feelers out for a singer, and then my name came up, cause I’ve been performing with my dad since I was really young. “I went down and saw these guys, they were in a tiny studio in the Hope Street Warehouse in Brunswick where we did our initial rehearsals. So there I was in this tiny room with all these white guys, and they were doing all these songs from my childhood, like I grew up with all this stuff!” Singh laughs loudly at the recollection. “I started singing and we found Shourov [Bhattacharya, the male singer] later and it all came together and – voila! – here we are!” One aspect of The Bombay Royale one may notice right off the bat – besides the fact that there are 11 of them onstage – is that they don’t just play music. Hell, these cats are so much more than that – they put on a fullblown stage production, complete with intensely intricate orchestrations, secret agents, plot twists and bandit masks. How the hell, I ask, do they keep things so organised? The secret, Singh tells me, is everyone knowing his or her place in the band. “We’ve got all the characters that really help us maintain that personae as a full group, so with the band you have The Skipper, who’s Andy, the leader of ‘the bad guys;’ he’s the leader of this big gang of thugs, which is all the musicians, and so we have The Jewel Thief [Josh Bennett, guitar and sitar] and The Railway Mogul [Tom Martin, guitar] and The Kung-Fu Dentist [Ros Jones, trombones] – and so he’s in charge of them!” she gushes. “Shourov and I are the secret agents – we’ve got this whole backstory that we present onstage, and so throughout our performance and throughout our songs there’s always the characters in the back of our minds. It really helps create tension and the right vibe, and the orchestration is really rehearsed, and we make sure we know who’s meant to be doing what when!” What’s important to Singh and the band is showcasing brilliant music from incredible musicians. “[The musicians] feel it really well. At the moment, what we’re doing is we’re able to see the individual talent of all the musicians who are in the band; it’s slowly coming out and

“ SHOUROV AND I ARE THE SECRET AGENTS – WE’VE GOT THIS WHOLE BACKSTORY THAT WE PRESENT ONSTAGE... THERE’S ALWAYS THE CHARACTERS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS. ” every once in a while you will get a great keyboard solo or guitar solo or horn solo. As we go along, I think the story’s developing, and the characters will have leading roles to play. So it’s really like this never-ending movie that we’re creating within the band!” Which prompts this scribe’s next question – are they planning on creating their very own Bollywood movie? “That’s definitely something we would love to do!” she exclaims. “Obviously we need the budget and the right people who would get behind it. There’s some talk about a film director in the UK who would love to work with us, and a couple members of the band are really into script-writing, so there’s so much possibility with the band, which is exciting! But slow and steady I think!” Now that You Me Bullets Love has been released to glowing reviews, it’s high time for The Bombay Royale to celebrate its release with an album launch at The Hi-Fi. What can the punters expect? Singh promises that it’s going to be huge. “It’s a cinematic experience, so we’ve got two big screens on the side of the stage, and we’ve got a film guy who’s going to do some video footage of Bollywood movie scenes, superimposing Bombay Royale footage into it and doing all this really cool video art as well; it’s going to be an overload in every sense possible!” Hell, just listening to her describe it makes me excited. “I’m getting more and more excited the more I think about it, too!” she laughs. Come and be a part of Bollywood when THE BOMBAY ROYALE pay The Hi-Fi a visit for their album launch on Saturday May 19. You Me Bullets Love is out now through HopeStreet Recordings. Beat Magazine Page 50

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MONEY FOR ROPE BY PATRICK EMERY

When asked about the decision-making process in Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Blixa Bargeld was typically blunt. “Democracy, it is too slow,” Bargeld mused with Teutonic bluntness. It’s an assessment with which Jules McKenzie might almost agree, as his band Money For Rope inches closer to deciding on the artwork for the band’s forthcoming debut album. “Having six guys in the band does not, in any way, help with decision making,” McKenzie smiles, “especially ‘cause it’s maybe a bit too much of a democracy, so we end up getting stalled when we disagree with stuff. And the artwork thing, we just cannot agree on. One option that’s up in the air at the moment is a flip cover that has different versions of it, so that you can choose whatever you want.” After releasing a series of 7” singles last year – a release tactic that harks back to manager Wally Kempton’s days in The Meanies – Money For Rope has spent the first part of 2012 largely concentrating on the recording process. “We had all the tracks finished off and ready early this year,” McKenzie says. “We’ve had a few shows, but we haven’t played that much because we’ve been trying to finish off this record – and settling on the artwork. I suppose we’ve been a combination of lazy and petty,” McKenzie laughs. For the recording of the album, Money For Rope was fortunate enough to secure the services of local producer Steve Schram. “We had four days free when everyone could record, and we bumped into Steve up at the Northcote Social Club over Cup weekend last year,” McKenzie says. “I hadn’t seen him for a few years, and he was about to have these four days off to spend with his family, but he got persuaded to do Money For Rope recordings instead,” he laughs. “We set up live, and basically recorded live. But I really like the idea of taking our recording gear up to the country and setting up there, and coming back with a really spacey record – so maybe we’ll do that next time.” Money for Rope also found time to make a video clip for the band’s new single Ten Times. Filmed in Williamstown on the proverbial shoestring budget, the video features a large dishevelled man wreaking havoc on unsuspecting punters (including cameos from Wally Kempton and the mothers of a couple of members of the band). “The guy that’s in it is a local guy by the name of Coz, who we knew from shows,” McKenzie says. “He’s an absolute behemoth of a guy – he’s about 211cm, but he’s a gentle giant. We had this idea that he’d be this swamp monster coming out of the bay, and just getting a feed.” McKenzie isn’t under any illusions regarding the cinematic quality of the video. “The song’s pretty nonsensical, the film-clip is nonsensical,” he says. “I felt a bit sorry for Coz, because he was about to head overseas to see some big music festivals, and leaving that weekend. We got him well and truly sick, because he spent about six hours of the day wet. Every time we had to do another take, we’d throw a bucket of water on him. That was about the first weekend of cold footy weather in Melbourne. We had a great time – Coz, not so much of a great time!”

“WE THOUGHT IT’D BE BETTER TO HAVE A SHITTY LOOKING CLIP THAT IS CLEARLY BEING MADE WITHOUT A BUDGET, THAN A SHITTY LOOKING CLIP THAT’S BEING MADE WITH A REALLY BIG BUDGET” The aim of the video was to have a bit of fun, without becoming seduced by artistic pretension. “We thought it’d be better to have a shitty looking clip that is clearly being made without a budget, than a shitty looking clip that’s being made with a really big budget,” McKenzie says. And ideas are already being floated for the next video. “I think we’ll be hanging out at a really decrepit bowling alley,” McKenzie laughs. Money For Rope has also teamed up recently to record a track that will feature on a split 10” with The Bowers. “I have a big man crush on Phil Gionfrido – he’s the man,” McKenzie says. “We did one of their songs, and they did one of ours – we just wanted it to be a really communal thing. Everyone came down to the studio, tracked each other’s songs, sang on each other’s songs. We’re pretty stoked to be in a gang thing with those guys, ‘cause we’ve loved their stuff for ages.” McKenzie also hopes to follow Phil Gionfrido’s famous culinary tastes on tour. “Those guys on tour, apparently they have a very strict approach – Phil reads out the menu in the morning. We’ve got a tour coming up in June, and we’re on a strict Bowers food policy. We’re going to have a set menu for every day!” he laughs. After the launch of the Ten Times single and video – and resolution of the artwork issue – Money For Rope will head back out on the road. No strangers to the arduous east coast tour, the band will return to a few favourite, and not-so favourite regional centres, including Newcastle, scene of a very colourful visit last year where Money For Rope found itself staying at a hotel alongside a cluster of neo-Nazi types whose parting gift was to throw a rubbish bin through the window of the hotel. “We’re also going to be playing on the Gold Coast,” McKenzie says. “No idea where we’re playing while were there – probably Metricon Stadium, I expect,” McKenzie laughs. MONEY FOR ROPE launch Ten Times (supported by The Staffords and Royston Vasie) at the John Curtin Hotel on Friday May 18. DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Beat Magazine Page 51

PANTERA BY PETER HODGSON

It’s 20 years since Pantera released Vulgar Display Of Power. That’s the same as the span of time between the Beatles’ first world tour and Van Halen’s Jump. Or between Led Zeppelin IV and Pearl Jam’s Ten. It seems hard to believe now, where crunchy metal riffs are used in everything from kids’ movies to breakfast cereal ads, but once upon a time the closest thing to metal heard outside bedrooms and car stereos was the likes of Poison and Bon Jovi. Vulgar Display helped to change all that. Along with Metallica’s Black album, it was enormously influential on musicians looking to break free of the stylistic quirks of cock rock without switching gears to the grunge sounds that were rapidly gaining prominence. Pantera combined jagged, hi-fi, postthrash guitar tones with aggressive vocals, harsh production and a sense of groove - borrowed from Southern Rock - and in the process they ignited a revolution. “We had a lot of hunger. A lot of the juices were flowing, big-time, and I just remember it being a really creative period for the band,” bass player Rex Brown says of 1992-vintage Pantera. “Very creative. We knew what direction we were headed and we were very aware of where we wanted to go, yet it just came out so naturally that we didn’t have to second-guess anything. There it was! Every day we were waking up just wanting to go to work.” To mark the anniversary of Vulgar Display, the remaining former members of the band (guitarist Dimebag Darrell was tragically murdered onstage in 2004) have dipped into the archives with a deluxe edition featuring a bonus DVD with the album’s three official music videos as well as six songs from a Monsters Of Rock festival appearance in Reggio, Italy in 1992: Mouth For War, Domination/Hollow, Rise, This Love and Cowboys From Hell. But the set’s pièce de résistance is Piss, the one and only unreleased Pantera track. Twenty years on, Brown can’t pinpoint why Piss wasn’t included on the original album. It certainly sounds like vintage Pantera. “I can’t tell you why it wasn’t used – it just wasn’t. When it came to sequencing we had everything pretty much mixed and that one just got overlooked. That’s all I can say about that one! I listen to it 20 years later and it does kinda stick in with the usual crowd.” One of the main riffs from the song was reused a few years later on the album Far Beyond Driven. That album was one of the most aggressive, angrysounding, filthy, fight-ready metal albums ever to debut at #1 on the Billboard chart, helped no doubt by the huge expectations growing out of Vulgar Display. “We wanted to get heavier with each album rather than get softer with each record,” Brown says. “So that’s where we were. There was a lot of hard work that led to [the #1 debut]. We played 200-something dates on the Vulgar tour, so it’s just one of those things. Our natural progression was to get a little heavier. We did our homework and just kept getting more and more intense as it went along. But not a bad record for #1 – in about 16 different countries!” But the chunky, groovy sound of Vulgar Display has made it a particular touchstone for bands. The Pantera sound has virtually become a texture that bands can consciously call upon, like Sabbath’s sludgy riffs or the Iron Maiden gallop. “It’s nice to be in that category,” Brown says. “That’s a very nice compliment. Sometimes it’s very flattering.” He pauses, seemingly holding back a word or two about some of the bands who have taken the Pantera groove and …misused it. “Sometimes it’s not, but for the most part it’s very flattering.”

“NOT A BAD RECORD FOR #1 – IN ABOUT 16 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!” With Dimebag Darrell’s huge, bass-and-trebleboosted, midrange-scooped guitar tone, it was sometimes hard for Pantera to find a place for Brown’s bass to fit in on the soundstage. “The way I call it, you could feel it more than hear it,” he says. “That was just how it went down. It was so hard to get the bass into the mix with that big loud guitar, the big loud drums, and everybody contending for a spot in the mix.” This was addressed on Far Beyond Driven, where the rhythm guitar dropped out during guitar solos, leaving Brown to hold down the low end just like at a live show. These days Brown’s bass is much more prominent in Kill Devil Hill, a ‘70s-influenced hard rock/heavy metal band featuring Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell/Dio drummer Vinnie Appice. Their debut album is out at the end of this month, and will be supported by plenty of touring including a US run with metal supergroup Adrenaline Mob, featuring ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Symphony X’s Russell Allen, guitarist Mike Orlando and Disturbed bass player John Moyer. When Brown’s previous band, Down (with Pantera singer Phil Anselmo) toured with Heaven & Hell, the bass player used to watch the rhythm section of Appice and Geezer Butler from side of stage, never in a million years guessing he’d one day be in a band with Appice. “It’s a wicked buzz,” he says. “We’re having fun with it, and that’s what makes a lot of difference: when you’re having fun with it rather than making it into this big conglomeration where you lose the edge and hunger after a while. So right now I couldn’t be happier, I’ll put it that way.” The Vulgar Display Of Power 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is released on Friday May 18 via Warner Music Australia. Beat Magazine Page 52

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

CORE

CORE GIG GUIDE

PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE

THURSDAY MAY 17:

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

• Jamie Hay, Darren Gibson, Between The Wars, The Dufranes at Evelyn Hotel • My Echo, Far From Nowhere, Broadway, Baby Grand

CORE MAY 16, 2012

at Next

I am not usually inclined to comment on sensational viral DESCENDENTS news stories and I certainly am not in any way qualiﬁed to comment on transgender issues, but as a longstanding fan of Against Me!’s I wouldn’t mind weighing in on the recent news that frontperson Tom Gabel identiﬁes as a woman and will undergo procedures to transform into Laura Jane Grace. I guess Gabel was one of the more likely candidates for this given her vaguely feminine features and occasional reference to this inclination in lyrics (the line “If I could have chosen/I would’ve been born a woman” always stuck with me for some reason). I was impressed at how immediately responsive and supportive AM! fans became when the news broke. However as someone who’s always adored this beardy, aggressive Gainesville band from inception, I was cricitised when I expressed deep shock at the announcement. Apparently it’s not PC to be utterly taken aback by news of your most beloved frontperson announcing their imminent transformation into a woman. Personally, I believe that you should be allowed to squeal at your computer for about ten minutes and run frenzied laps of your house in panic, as long as when the hysteria and disbelief recedes, you come to the conclusion that Tom Gabel should be loved and supported wholeheartedly as she makes the terrifying moves to be herself and to ultimately be happy. How you arrive at that point is totally irrelevant. Having read the Rolling Stone article in full, gasping occasionally and being moved to tears on several occasions, I can now proudly say, ‘Go you good thing, Laura Grace’. I can’t wait to see how Against Me! progresses in the light of this revelation. Exciting times are on the way.

• The Ocean at The Tote

CRUNCH!

• Bloodline, Of Stolen Moments. Thanatosis, To Light Atlantis at The Bendigo

House Vs Hurricane premiered the first single off their new album on triple j’s Short Fast Loud last week and it was a fucking corker. Smacking of Everytime I Die with a slightly more melodic edge, it says good things about upcoming album Crooked Teeth. House Vs Hurricane will tour this winter to support the release. See them at EVs in Croyden on Friday August 3, The Hi-Fi on Saturday August 4 and Phoenix Youth Centre on Sunday August 5. Melbourne record label Casadeldisco are celebrating their ten year anniversary by throwing some parties for us. Friday July 20 sees Sommerset, Blueline Medic, Harmony and Margins smashing out a set at The Tote. In light of that gig almost selling out they then announced a second show featuring The Nation Blue, Sommerset, Blueline Medic and Grenadiers for Saturday July 21. Get your tix quick. Tim Barry is returning to Australia this August. This August he’ll do a rather intimate run of shows including a spot at Melbourne’s Gasometer on Friday August 10. Buy your tickets now and lock in some gruff alt country singalongs and scotch.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT BY ROD WHITFIELD

Clint Boge is an angry man. Angry about what has transpired with his (now former) band The Butterﬂy Eﬀect. A seminal act on the bountiful Aussie alternative/progressive rock scene, this band has been around for well over a decade, released a classic EP and four sensational full-length albums and traversed this wide brown land of ours countless times, playing to packed out houses wherever they go. All has seemed rosy on the surface for TBE, but as is so often the case in families, bands, relationships or any similar collective where strong personalities reside and interact, issues and tensions were bubbling underneath the happy exterior. In the last few months, it has been announced that Boge would be leaving the band, with the ‘to pursue other musical interests’ company line wheeled out as a reason. Even this has been a source of consternation for Boge, as you will soon see. He is indeed pursuing other interests of a musical

• Tonight Alive, Totally Unicorn at Karova Lounge, Ballarat • Brother Grim, La Bastard, The Murlocs at The Tote • Aitches, Jamie Hay, Japan For, Between The Wars, Nathan Seekts at The National, Geelong • Bits Of Shit, Cuntz, Spinning Rooms, Sex Tape at The Bendigo SATURDAY MAY 19: • Mindsnare, Warbrain, Party VIbez, Outright at The Bendigo • Tonight Alive, Totally Unicorn at Corner Hotel • The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Ravonettes at The Forum • Fire Witch, Last Measure, Amateur Drunks at Black Goat Warehouse

Paper Arms will join New Zealand’s The Outsiders for a co-headlining tour this June. Best part is that they’ll play one show at The Bendigo with The Jamie Hay Band, Infinite Void and Foxtrot on Saturday June 23 and a second all ages show at my new favourite venue, The Place on Sunday June 24 with Kill The Matador and more.

• Untruth, Death By Six, Brighter At Night at Bang • Brothers Grim, Midnight Woolf, Essay Edwards at The Tote SUNDAY MAY 20: • Tonight Alive, Totally Unicorn, Young Guns at Corner Hotel (U18)

METAL, HEAVY ROCK, CLASSIC ROCK BE IN MY VIDEO

Canadian prog legends Rush release their new album Clockwork Angels on June 8 via Roadrunner/Loud & Proud. They’ve released an official lyric video for the single Headlong Flight. A couple of the album’s tracks (Caravan and BU2B were performed on the band’s Time Machine tour and were featured on the live album of the same name. The new album will be accompanied by a novel written by Kevin J. Anderson in collaboration with Rush drummer/ lyricist Neil Peart. Rush have never toured Australia, which is crazy when you consider that they have 24 gold records and 14 platinum records, and total worldwide sales of over 40 million records. Check the unofficial site rushinoz.com for the latest petitions to finally bring the band down to Australia.

I’m giving a guitar masterclass at Montmorency Secondary College on Wednesday May 23, from 9.45am til 2pm. Bookings are essential, tickets are $20 and students must be accompanied by an adult (teachers and adults may attend individually). I’ll be going over topics that are helpful for beginner/intermediate guitarists, including ear training, technique, phrasing, tone and all that fun stuﬀ. Sponsors of the Montmorency masterclass program include Gibson, Epiphone, Gallin’s Pro Shop, The Sound Lab, DrumTek, Bass Centre and Drumscene.

FRIDAY MAY 18:

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHIT WITH PETER HODGSON: CRUNCHCOLUMN@GMAIL.COM

NEW RUSH ON THE WAY

OUTTA MY WAY, I HAVE A CLASS TO TEACH

Philadelphia band Rosetta are plotting a return to Australia for an extensive 15 date run around the country in support their third album A Determinism Of Morality. US band City Of Ships and Brissy boys Nuclear Summer will support them on their handful of Victorian shows. Catch this impressive lineup at The Curtin Bandroom on Thursday August 2, The National Hotel in Geelong on Friday August 3, Black Goat Warehouse on Saturday August 4, and The Bendigo on Tuesday August 7.

GIG ALERT: STEEL PANTHER They rocked your balls oﬀ at Soundwave and their sideshows with Alter Bridge. They sleaze all over LA’s Sunset Strip every Monday night, rock Vegas on the weekends, and recently toured the UK with Def Leppard and Motley Crue, two bands who were namechecked in Death To All But Metal). And now the mighty Steel Panther are coming back for their own headlining tour! They’re playing at The Palace on Sunday October 7. Tickets go on sale on Thursday May 17 at 9am.

nature. His ‘other’ band, Thousand Needles In Red, has been extremely active on the scene over the past few years. Plus, he is soon to release a solo record, which will apparently surprise many Butterfly Effect and Thousand Needles fans. However, this is definitely not the reason for his departure. Over the course of our 25-odd minute chat, Boge became more and more passionate about his feelings regarding the break up. This is what he had to say, so strap yourselves in... “Yeah, it’s bittersweet for me,” he begins. “The thing that I’ve been starting off saying to people in all the interviews is just that, the line that I’ve left the band to ‘pursue other musical interests’ is a bit of a laugh. That’s just a polite way of spinning it. I was pursuing other musical interests while I was in the band. I don’t want to insult any of the readers by having them think that. I want to put forward my side of the story, so people don’t sit there thinking ‘Clint’s left this perfectly good band that was working harmoniously and for the greater good of music.’ That just wasn’t the case. I left because the relationships had got to the point, where I thought that staying any longer would have pushed them to a darker and much nastier place. I feel that getting out when I did was not only the correct thing to do for me, but also that we could do a final tour, and still sit in a room together. By that, I mean, the relationships, I don’t feel they’re healthy, or in a good place. I just got out before they got any worse. “To look on the positive side of things, man, we worked really hard, we were in each others faces for a long time. To last 12 years of hardcore touring, I think we’ve got over a thousand gigs under our belt, that’s roughly a hundred gigs a year, one gig every 3.5 days. That’s quite a feat in itself, I mean, a hard rock band in Australia? There’s not even that many places to

Music Managers Forum Australia and the St. Kilda Film Festival present Making A Music Video – Everything You Need To Know, a free forum which promises some great networking opportunities and information. Speakers include Natasha Pincus (director of award-winning music videos for many of Australia’s favourite musicians, including Gotye, Powderfinger, Paul Kelly and Sarah Blasko); Darren Middleton (Powderfinger), cinematographer Warwick Field (music video credits include Paul Kelly’s God Told Me To, End Of Fashion’s Fussy, Pete Murray’s Chance To Say Goodbye, Powderfinger’s Burn Your Name, Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know, and Missy Higgins’ Unashamed Desire); Sarah Hickey (MD at Monster and Bear Productions); and Darcy Prendergast (Oh Yeah Wow, with artists such as Gotye, Kate Miller Heidke, Regurgitator, Eskimo Joe, Art Vs. Science and All India Radio). It’s at The Forum Hall opposite The Astor Theater on the corner of Chapel St and Dandenong Road, 6.30pm to 8pm, Thursday May 24. Afterwards head over the road to The Astor for the iconic Sound KILDA and see Melbourne and Victoria’s finest indie music clips and others, free!

FOOTY! If you love yer footy, get on the YouTubes and search for Twelve Gauge Shot Glass’s song Bring On The Football. I especially like the bit where they invade a cricket match.

bloody play! We’ve done extremely well, and I’m extremely proud of everybody’s effort to make it this far, so that’s the yin to the yang of it. That’s the positive out of the negative. “So it’s onwards and upwards. I’ve got Needles still going, I’m going to release a solo album this year as everybody does when they leave a band. It’s going to be pretty laid back, sweeping orchestral stuff, more on an acoustic-y type of line. Maybe even bordering on adult-contemporary, down that road. Singer/songwriter sort of stuff, so a bit of a departure for me...so heaps of positive things out of this. “But mainly I just wanted to say to the people reading this that I didn’t leave a perfectly good band that was functioning, and firing on all cylinders. I’m leaving something that I feel is no longer true in its course, and has diverted off it quite substantially because of one or two peoples wants, selfish wants, rather than looking at it in terms of, ‘Why are we here, what are we writing, who’s listening to our music and what is relevant?’. They’ve totally pushed that to the side, and they’ve concentrated on their own agendas quite selfishly, and I think they’re wrecking the band. And you can quote me on that directly. “That’s exactly how I feel, and I’ve said it in many arguments in the band room, ‘What are you doing, where are you going, where are you taking it?’ And to have it put back onto me at a few junctures, I found it quite insulting. I just sat there saying, ‘Man you gotta be kidding, don’t ya? You’re driving this amazing thing that we all worked really hard on, I feel you are driving it into the ground, and taking no duty of care, especially when it comes to thinking about the fans that listen to the music.’ And that was another thing that I got quite emotional about, it’s no longer about the fans it’s about our own agendas.

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

HELLOWEEN SPIN-OFF: UNISONIC Check out Unisonic, the new band featuring former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, ex-Helloween) alongside guitarist Mandy Meyer (Asia, Gotthard and Krokus), bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Kosta Zaﬁriou (both of Germany’s Pink Cream 69). It’s fairly safe to say if you dig Helloween, you’ll love this. The album is released in a few weeks but you can check out the video for their anthem and album opener Unisonic on YouTube now.

GIG ALERT: VOODOO LOUNGE Old hard rock stalwarts S.A.S. (featuring Simon Croft and Rene), along with past hard rock legends Redback and City Sharps, play Guruland Studios Voodoo Lounge on Saturday May 19. Free hotdogs! Win grog on Deathwheel! Entry is $12 and the action kicks oﬀ at 9pm. 17 Carinish Rd, South Oakleigh.

NEW GOTTHARD SINGLE Swiss hard rock band Gotthard have just released a video for Starlight, the ﬁrst single from their new album Firebirth, which is out on June 1. This is the band’s ﬁrst album with their new vocalist, Swiss-born, Melbourneraised Nic Maeder. Feedback Got news? Email me at crunchcolumn@gmail.com

And somewhere along the line this self loathing crept into the band. Not by me, can I just say for the record. I love The Butterfly Effect, I made it, with the other guys’ help. It’s not something that I fuckin’ throw away easily, and to suggest that I frivolously just went, ‘Oh fuck it, I’m just going to go and do Needles now’ is just bullshit. It’s insulting man, it insulted me and I got really upset. It was like, ‘How dare you make a press release saying I’ve left to pursue other musical interests, why don’t you tell them why I really left?’ “It’s disheartening, I don’t want to get all negative and shit, but it’s just disheartening. And I know you don’t want to come out and say the real reason, ‘cause that’s shit. But on the positive to that, I feel a lot lighter in my heart, and I wish them all the best. But I think to continue without the voice and the face of the band, good luck to ‘em. If they do it and they get bigger and better, there you go, the proof will be in the pudding. They can give me the finger and say, ‘Fuck you buddy!’” he laughs. “It got to the point where I felt they were no longer my brothers, and the more I questioned it, the further away they got from me. And I think there was a comment, in fact I know there was a comment [that said], ‘This is business man, I don’t need to be your fuckin’ friend’. That was one of the comments, so you can quote me on that one too, which broke my heart. “Only we know what went down. There’s my side, their side and the truth. There’s three sides to every story.” THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT play their final Victorian shows with Clint Boge on vocals on Friday May 18 at The Bended Elbow in Geelong, Saturday May 19 at Inferno! in Traralgon and the Sunday May 20 at Pier Live in Frankston. Then in Melbourne at The Palace in the city on Friday May 25. Beat Magazine Page 53

ZULU WINTER

BY TAMARA VOGL

Since that time he got robbed in Kings Cross during his first night’s visit in Australia, Will Daunt can add many a new favourable adventure to his memory bag. For one, he has become the lead vocalist to successful band Zulu Winter, which he formed with his fellow London college buddies. Two, said band had next to no tour experience when they were invited to support indie pop giants, Foster The People during their London and Ireland shows. Three, around four weeks ago the members of audience at a label festival in Japan failed to notice Daunt trip over their keyboardist, while leaving the stage. Yes, the road that paves the way for gentlemanly swagger is glowing, with opportunity in abundance. Due to embark on an Australia-Do-Over for Splendour In The Grass (with the band in tow of course), Daunt speaks to me about Zulu Winter’s unusual name, their writing process and the idea of creating pop music that leaks darker depths. Zulu Winter are scholarly gents raised on literature and art, cerebral subjects and obscure Russian film-makers. These five firm friends have produced music that has seen them hailed as the most exciting guitar band in Britain off the back of just a handful of shows. “It feels really good [to get positive feedback],” says Daunt of the glowing reviews Zulu Winter has been collecting, “It’s indeed very flattering. [However]…the most important thing as a band is to not pay too much attention to everything because the bottom line is we can get hailed as the ‘next so and so’ which is nice, but we haven’t done anything yet. We may be a terrible flop; the best thing to do is to work as hard as you can, play great shows and carry on writing.” The band began amongst the midst of essays and drudging homework while at University. “We went to school together… [and began playing]…various bits and pieces....[mostly covered stuff],” Daunt explains. “About two years ago we sort of decided to write an album.”

Within that time they managed to secure Zulu Winter as a supporting act for Foster The People, which was consequently their first tour as well. Will describes this impressive feat as “incredibly fun”. “We wrote some great songs and got to play in front of loads of cool people,” Daunt begins, “and these are proper people too – not the industry. They were there to have a good time and a good experience. We hadn’t played that many shows yet so it was pretty terrifying, [but] good for us to hone our craft. We made a glaring mistake, but no one noticed apart from us. We laughed, questioning, ‘How did we get away with that?’” Their unusual name was birthed due to their individualism and indecisiveness. “We are five quite individual minded blokes, and we all have strong ideas,” he laughs. “It was frustrating to find a name. [So one day] I just put two completely unrelated words together that meant nothing, and we all agreed that we liked it!” When asked how they wanted to create music that was

PVT

BY LACHLAN KANONIUK “We’ve recorded it, now it’s just getting some final mixing touches done now in London. The songs are done, it’s just a matter of working out how and when it’s going to come out,” explains PVT drummer Dave Miller on the Sydney three-piece’s follow-up to their breakthrough record (also their first sans titular vowels) Church With No Magic. After dazzling the festival circuit both nationally and internationally with a unique hurricane of percussion and electronica, the band’s three members bunkered down in their respective corners of the globe to begin crafting their much-anticipated fourth full-length. “Laurence [Pike] and I have been living in Sydney for two years now,” Miller states, discussing the group’s disparate geographical anchoring. “Richard [Pike] and I kind of swapped – when I left London he decided to stay, and he’s been there for the last two years,” he reveals with a chuckle. “It has its pros and cons. The only real con for us is the rehearsing thing, so we have to condense all of that into the two weeks before we tour, which isn’t really ideal.” While Church With No Magic was wondrously cacophonous, Dave explains that the upcoming LP will be a more sedate beast. “There’s a lot less going on, it’s a lot more spacious. That makes it a lot more relaxed, where the last record had a barrage of live sounds. That record was recorded live, then we edited it from there. But this one was very much a con-

trolled process – we had written the songs before we went into the studio, which is the first time we’ve ever done that. I know that’s a strange thing for most bands. I guess things are more considered this time around,” he ponders. “There are still lots of live drums on there, but they play a part rather than improvisation. It’s like drum riffs, things you can remember,” he grins. Despite the aforementioned trans-hemisphere divide, the collaborative process is more inclusive than ever. “This record is reasonably different in the sense that all three of us created the impetus for songs, with a bassline or a beat or half a song, and we would literally just send files to each other and add and take what we thought we should. It would just be a constant internet collaboration until the demos were

catchy yet unique, Daunt replies, “I don’t think we had a grand master plan.” With the various band members’ unique musical tastes constantly informing the creative process, Daunt explains it’s difficult to create straight pop music, which is a trait they like and admire in other artists. “Our guitarist Henry is into avant-garde music. Our keyboardist, Dom is into ‘70s music, especially David Axelrod...even if I wrote a pop song, strange elements would always be creeping into it.” Inspired by artists such as Radiohead, Zulu Winter wish to similarly write pop songs that are initially catchy, however upon listen after listen, display darker depths that someone would be able to listen to on a few different levels without it getting tiresome. The new album Language was released this year through their label Dew Process. Daunt describes their style as “melancholic danceable pop” which may even leave people feeling a little sad. “It’s a little darker than people maybe expect,” Daunt warns. “There are some more cinematic and slower songs. So I don’t think you could label it as straight up pop.” Zulu Winter spent the last year in seclusion creating, writing and generally pissing off their girlfriends to perfect the catchy-as pop tracks with character. And now they have evfinished,” Miller describes. It was the same lyrically as well, which was also the first time the lyrics were more collaborative – mainly between Richard and Laurence – which is also new. Again, it’s a much more considered process. As far as songwriting goes, it was a far more cyclical process.” Very much still defined as a Sydney band, PVT’s worldly ambitions have by no means absconded from their roots. As for whether or not they are ambassadors for the ‘Sydney sound’, Miller explains that such a notion is too amorphous to define. “I like to think Sydney’s music scenes are quite eclectic. There’s the electro dance thing that’s been around for quite a while now, then there is the more punk side of things with bands like Royal Headache. Then there are lots of wonky electronic producers out and about playing shows. I don’t think there is a particular Sydney sound that I’ve noticed, and having said that, there isn’t really a definitive Melbourne sound either. There are a lot of current artists and bands doing very individualistic things. Probably my favourite two Aussie albums of last year were Melbourne bands – the Total Control and Lost Animal records,” Miller reveals. While their impending Melbourne date will present an intimate taste of upcoming material, their Vivid LIVE appearance will live up to the festival’s reputation as one which celebrates the artistry of light as well as sound. “We’ve always been into lights, and we’ve never been into visuals and projections. I don’t think there’s a need for anyone to look at anything apart from what we do. I’d get worried if that was the case. This has afforded us to pre-prepare a light show for the Vivid appearance, and I’ve been working with the lighting director so that I can trigger things from my electronics. It’s cool for me, I hope it’s cool for the viewers as well,” he laughs.

eryone talking. Daunt says that it means the world to have finally finished a full length album. “We’ve been writing it for 18 months off and on, and mainly writing in evenings,” he says. “The majority of 2010 and 2011 was spent in a darkened room. [During that time] you can lose perspective, because it’s just the five of you, so to have finished and to have had it mastered was really an amazing feeling. The next step will be to see how well it goes.” After hitting the UK and Europe touring circuit with Foster The People they have recently had a swag of European festivals before heading to the States for SXSW over the next week. Come July, Australia will witness the band as a whole grace our shores. “As a band, this is our first time [in Australia],” he says, “And we are beyond excited. [We are looking forward to] playing for people who potentially don’t know much about us, or have maybe only heard one song. It’s exciting for a band to win people over.” As well as playing the soldout Splendour In The Grass, ZULU WINTER will be playing The Corner with Howler on Tuesday July 24. Language is out now via Dew Process.

“Another thing we’re doing with Vivid is orchestrating a horn section as well, putting that to some of the new stuﬀ as well as the older stuﬀ.” PVT perform at Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE on Friday May 25, as well as a Melbourne sideshow at Phoenix Public House on Thursday May 24.

BROTHERS GRIM AND THE BLUE MURDERS

BY PATRICK EMERY

Brothers Grim And The Blue Murders do a mean line in confronting love songs – late in our interview, singer James Grim refers to a song the band’s written recent as “probably the nastiest love song we’ve ever written” – but the opening topic of our conversation is at the other end of the artistic spectrum: the Star Wars saga. “The good thing with the first three that were made is that the characters don’t necessarily like each other, so there’s a lot of banter,” Grim says. “But with the second lot, there’s no banter – it’s all ‘yes, master’. And you’ve got all these droids that look like they should be making Toyotas.” It’s been a busy 12 months for Brothers Grim And The Blue Murders after the release of the band’s debut album, Year To Forget. “Since the album came out we hit touring pretty solidly,” Grim says. “We were basically playing four days a week, then we hit the festival circuit, then we made the video clip, and then we had a lineup change.” The search for a new bass player took them all the way to Newcastle to find someone not only sufficiently talented to take on double bass duties, but able to commit to the Brothers Grim’s arduous schedule. “There’s plenty of great bass players in Melbourne, but they’re all in four or five bands,” Grim says. “We’d known this guy for a while, so we played him our hardest song and he came out with the best riff we could ever imagine. So we told him he had to move to Melbourne to be with the band.” Beat Magazine Page 54

It was in the aftermath of the Brothers Grim’s gruelling touring schedule that James Grim says the band learned a valuable lesson. “We’ve learnt that we’ve got to look after ourselves,” Grim says. “We’ve got quite a reputation as a party band, so we’ll turn up somewhere and someone will put six bottles of whisky on the table and say, ‘We’ve heard about you guys’.” Living oﬀ the fat of cult music success is one thing; selfpreservation is another. “We got to the point where we probably could have killed ourselves with our party regime,” Grim says. “So we took three months oﬀ, and went back to just me and my brother on guitar and a drummer, just playing music. We now know we have to balance what we’re doing.” During the band’s downtime from performing the Brothers

Grim enlisted a film-maker friend to shoot a video for the Brothers Grim’s latest single, On The Meter. Shot in the back of a taxi driving around the streets of Fitzroy, the video centres on the efforts of debauched passengers to distract James Grim. What James describes as the ‘PG, ABC version’ has been uploaded onto YouTube; apparently, another more graphic and salacious version exists in the band’s personal vault. “The whole song is about having sex in the back of a cab, or trying not to have sex actually,” Grim says. “So the idea for the video was to put me in the back of the cab, and get all our friends really drunk and get them to try and distract me. The uncut version is even better, and has me getting my clothes all ripped off,” he laughs. With the video out of the way, it was time for the Brothers Grim to focus on writing songs for the band’s next album. “We’re about half-way through that process – we just want to write and write and write, and not be thinking about it – that’s the head space we want to be in” Grim says. While the touring life has its moments of inspiration, as a general rule the Brothers Grim aren’t in a writing mood after an intense session on stage. “The thought of picking up a guitar the day after playing a gig and having had no sleep isn’t that attractive!” Grim laughs. James Grim’s own growling, prowling Delta-blues banshee performance style reflects his view of the significance of

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performance for any band. “I think I’d probably have to psych myself up if I didn’t want to perform – I really have to work at suppressing my ADHD on-stage personality!,” he laughs. “That 45 minutes to hour and a half that you spend on stage is the whole purpose you’re in a band – not the three hours you spend driving, or the two weeks in the studio.” Apart from ﬁnishing the band’s next record, James Grim can’t identify any particular career aspirations for the Brothers Grim And The Blue Murders. In fact, Grim reckons they’ve hit subjective success already. “To be honest, I’m living my career aspiration right now,” Grim says. “I was in Newcastle recently, sitting on the beach with a friend, staring out into the ocean, and I thought, ‘This is exactly what I want to do’: touring the country, meeting beautiful people, playing music. To me, that’s success. We realised a long time ago that this is what we’re about – you basically give up your lives to play music, and to put everything into your art, and that’s a beautiful thing,” he says. “Right now, we’re enjoying the wave, and we’re in a stronger place than we’ve ever been.” BROTHERS GRIM AND THE BLUE MURDERS play The Tote on Friday May 18 (with The Murlocs and La Bastard) and Saturday May 19 (with Midnight Woolf and Essay Edwards).

KING OF THE NORTH BY PETER HODGSON

King Of The North are a two-piece band with guitar and drums. And yeah, there are a lot of twopiece bands with guitar and drums out there. It’s a form which seems to lend itself to a certain style, with thrashing cymbals, lots of floor tom, open-string guitar riffs with ringing notes on top. But KOTN aren’t like that. Sure, the drums occupy a lot of space, and the guitar explores the juxtaposition of its high and low ranges, but there’s a lot more at work here than simply plugging a guitar into a fuzzbox and a little amp, cranking it up, whacking the drums hard and shaking the garage. There’s a lot more at work than that, behind the scenes and across the soundscape. Officially King Of The North is a Melbourne band now, although both guitarist/vocalist Andrew Higgs and drummer/ vocalist Danny Leo are both Adelaide boys originally. Higgs has been based in Melbourne for years now, while Leo finally made the move earlier this year. “It was just a side project,” Higgs says. “I had this idea for how to make one guitar sound like a lot more, to make a two-piece band sound like a four or five piece band. I went back to Adelaide one time and showed Leo.” Over the next year or so the two went about their respective musical projects, but eventually the lure of the new sound Higgs was cooking up became too strong. “I went back for a couple of weeks over Christmas in 2010 and we hunkered down in my studio at my mum’s place.” A friend came over, heard the tracks and offered the duo a gig. “Then another friend came to the gig and said, ‘You guys should come over and record while you’re here.’ So it started as a little mess-around during a two-week Christmas holiday, and ended up as a band, a gig and a CD.”

So exactly what’s happening inside Higgs’ guitar rig to create these layers of sound? That’s a bit of a secret. “Y’know, I can’t give you all the ingredients of the cake,” he says. “It’s kind of like the Colonel’s secret 11 herbs and spices. Basically I run one guitar and I split the signal into three amps. One of them is a bass amp. And by doing what I do, with loop pedals and splitters and things, I can make the one amp sound like a lead guitar, one sound like a bass and the other one sound like a rhythm guitar, all from one guitar. Then with a powerhouse drummer like Leo it’s a pretty powerhouse sound for two dudes.” Despite having such a complex set-up, Higgs prefers to stomp on his own pedals when he needs them, rather than using some kind of automated MIDI setup. “I tell ya’ what, there’s a bit of tap-dancing going on with the pedals, but it’s just like anything: with a bit of practice you get it down.” Along the way there have been a few close calls with the possibility of technology-inspired spontaneous composition,

STONNINGTON JAZZ BY ZOË RADAS

Like Mr Noir, you may think jazz is just for science teachers and other elbow-patched drips. Do you fear jazz, the lack of rules, the lack of boundaries? Perhaps it’s time to branch out and discover the energy. “That’s what drew me to it, when I was 16,” says Allan Browne, the highly-esteemed patron of Stonnington Jazz. During his incredible musical career of over 50 years, Browne has worked with numerous international jazz legends, released one hundred and ten commercial LPs and CDs, and in 2000 won the Don Banks Award for his contribution to Australian music. A drummer and Stonnington resident, he has been patron of the event for the last three years. It’s going to be giant. There’s an enormous mixed bag of performances to choose from, including a highly anticipated pair of shows from pianist-composer Barney McAll. “We went to New York together,” says Browne, “and I work with a lot of the younger ones as they grow up.” It’s a speciﬁc aim of the event to integrate young musicians with established players and composers, and Browne runs a practical workshop with Bob Sedergreen in which they also “talk about making solos, and telling stories through music.” Through the thrill and panic and eventual glee of improvising, player and instrument are brought into a pretty special understanding that you won’t get as rapidly or completely from playing aurally or with sheet music alone. Talking about this process and encouraging its growth in students

is a passion of Browne’s. “I love working with the young guys and girls, because they’ve got so much energy,” he enthuses. “They make me keep up with them!” This sounds weird coming from such an energetic guy, it has to be said. Alongside shows from the heavyweights such as Vince Jones and James Morrison, there are some interesting pairings in the 2012 programme. Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc) will be accompanying young Melbournite Josh Kyle in a Saturday night performance. (YouTube Rai’s jazz piano chops if you are sceptical – a link has been doing the rounds amongst my scornful friends and they’re astonished.) The idea to put the two guys together was “certainly the work of Adrian [Jackson], our Artistic Director,” says Browne. “He’s been doing it for years and he has a great

as it were. “It was hard last year. We never actually got to jam. We would literally have a brush-over in my lounge-room with Danny tapping his drumsticks on my couch and me with an acoustic guitar just to refresh the songs. But now that we’re actually here we can actually jam, so I don’t have to think about it as much.” Next up for the band is the Rock N Load festival at The Espy. “It’s the inaugural one and all I can say is I’m looking forward to it,” Higgs says. It’ll be a bit of a homecoming for King Of The North: the band recently held a residency in the iconic venue’s front bar, so they’re eager to return to the hallowed halls of The Espy. Another recent gig highlight was their slot supporting the one and only Cold Chisel. “That was awesome. I’m a big Aussie rock fan and I love a lot of old bands, as a lot of Aussie rock fans do! But it was such an honour. It was a pretty emotional experience, but from a band point of view it was just awesome. I was sceptical because a Cold Chisel crowd in my mind was more of a ‘we go to hear the songs we know’ kind of crowd, but they welcomed us with open arms. It was pretty intense, being a pub band then walking out into Festival Hall. We were the only support act and the place was pretty much packed. Two to three thousand people on the floor. We got back to our dressing room and Jimmy Barnes ability to put people together, the right type of people, so it’s always interesting to see what he’s going to do.” Browne himself will play in his six-piece band to launch his first book of poetry, a symbiotic project of words and music which has been his baby for two years. “It’s a book of ‘observations’, from the last 30 years... amongst them are seven poems about people I’ve worked with; legendary jazz figures who aren’t around anymore. So we’ve written seven pieces of music, one for each, and improvised music, and recorded an album which comes with the book,” he explains. “We’re also doing some poetry and jazz on the Sunday at Chapel Off Chapel with the New Orleans band.” (Chapel Off Chapel is hosting several performances; other venues participating in the event include Red Bennies, the Malvern Town Hall and the Prahran Market. “There’s been jazz at the Market for 20, 30 years,” says Browne, “so that’s an old tradition and it’s a great idea.” The sessions at the Market, on each Sunday of the event, will be free of charge.) Incorporating poetry and music has been an interest of Browne’s for a long time. “When I was young I used to hang out with Adrian Rawlins... If you’ve been down Brunswick Street, you’d know there’s a statue of a guy?” On the corner of Brunswick and Argyle streets, Peter Corlett’s cast iron sculpture ‘Mr Poetry’ depicts the beaming bard mid-tale. “That’s him,” confirms Browne. “He used to do poetry with our band in the ‘60s. It goes back that far.” He adds that his band members are “local musicians, and they’re all fabulous composers.” Browne’s performances are sure to be rousing and fascinating. He also has a regular gig at Bennett’s Lane on Monday nights, where you can see him and his protégés going off. So don’t be afraid of the shapes and the chaos. The moment it gets abstract, don’t mess your trousers and run to your mummy. Jazz has an insatiable vitality which comes from its spontaneity. “It’s exciting,” says Browne, “[to think] well I’m going to work now, and I don’t know what’s going to happen, or what we’re going to play or who’s going to do what. You

was there saying, ‘It was fucking great!’ It was an awesome experience. I was actually under the weather at the time so I was dosed up on all sorts of prescription medications to get through the gig. It was a rollercoaster of a show but a great opportunity and a complete honour.” Next up for the band is a full length album, to follow up the tracks recorded over those two weeks in Adelaide. Those songs are available for free download from the band’s website (kingofthenorth.com.au), and Higgs is looking forward to being able to get something new out there, especially now that the band has the luxury of working more closely together instead of cramming creative outbusts into interstate sojourns. The ROCK N LOAD festival kicks oﬀ at The Espy on Saturday May 26 with Electric Mary, Bugdust, The Stiﬀys, King Of The North, Ten Thousand, Heaven The Axe, I Am Duckeye, The Charge, Anna Salen, Hailmary (WA), Shadowqueen, The Morrisons, Beggars Orchestra (NSW), Shadowgame, Bottle Of Smoke, System Of Venus, Arcane Saints, Apache Medicine Man, The Vendettas, Riot In Toytown and many more. Check out rocknloadfestival.com for lineup and ticketing info.

never know what’s going to happen. You’re in the now.” STONNINGTON JAZZ runs from Thursday May 17 to Sunday May 27, at various venues around Stonnington. If you don’t know your electorates, that roughly means South Yarra, Prahran, Malvern and Toorak. Full programme details are at stonningtonjazz.com.au.

MY DYNAMITE BY ROD WHITFIELD

My Dynamite play bluesy, ballsy rock’n’roll, but they are far from just another clichéd blues-based hard rock act. Punters will see this in all its glory this weekend when they play the launch of their debut, self-titled album. The band will take the stage as an 11-piece band, with backing vocalists, keyboards and much more, in what is set to be a rock’n’roll spectacular, as opposed to just another rock band playing another show. Lead vocalist Pat Carmody told us what they have in store, from the rooftop of his home in Melbourne, enjoying what is sure to be the absolute last of the decent Melbourne weather before winter hits hard. “Yeah, that’s going to be a big night,” he says. “We’ve got the full 11 piece band playing with us, which is a bit ridiculous! But we had all those instruments on the album, we had the horn section, we had keys, we had backup singers. So we’re going to be playing most of the songs from the album. We wanted to really represent it as best we can. So we’re doing that, and we’ve got some great support bands as well. “Basically it’s just a fun night all round,” he continues. “We don’t take ourselves overly seriously. We take our playing seriously, but the whole idea is just to have fun and enjoy yourself. We try as much as we can to get the crowd involved. If I see someone out the back who’s really not getting into it, I’ll get ‘em up on their feet and just try to give everyone a good night. That’s what it’s all about and when you listen to the album, you can feel that that’s our intention, to get you shakin’ your arse and having a good time, basically!”

And so what do you expect of the crowd in return? “Generally we’re pretty well received,” he responds. “I think, especially on our album launch, there’s been a lot of people who’ve been waiting for this album to come out, so I think everyone’s going to be nicely ﬁred up. With the great support acts we’ve got, they’re gonna be ﬁred up before we even get on there. So yeah, hopefully make it a big one.” The album has indeed been a long time coming. This is due to the band doing most of it by themselves, under some duress, and generally wanting to make it as close to perfect as possible as possible, without the pressure of a record company or management breathing down their necks. “The initial recordings were done at (guitarist) Jorge’s house,” he explains. “He lives out on a farm out near Riddell’s Creek. We basically just set up his garage, into a little makeshift recording studio, in 40 degree searing heat. We stayed there

for a week, and just sat in his shed and basically recorded the bulk of the tracks there, and then did some overdubs and vocals at Woodstock studios, which is Joe Camilleri’s studio. “It took a while because we had to do it in bits and pieces here and there with the overdubs. The other thing is we wanted to make sure everything was right. We didn’t have a label pressuring us to release an album or anything like that. We didn’t have pressure to have it out by a certain date, so we just wanted to make sure it was right when we got it out.” Beyond the Melbourne launch, the band are taking their blistering rock show to Sydney, nationally and then internationally over the coming six to 12 months or so. From there, it’s back to writing for the second My Dynamite album. “[We’re] going up to Sydney in July,” he says. “We’re playing with some mates up there, a band called The Heavies, and from there we’re doing the major cities, but the main focus at the moment is to also do a European tour at the end of

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the year. Because our record label is a French record label, we’ve got more support in Europe than we do here at the moment, so it makes sense to get over there and have a crack. Realistically, that looks like it will be happening end of this year or early next year – we’re just in the early stages of planning that now. It’s deﬁnitely on the cards. “We’ve got a three album deal with Listenable Records, so we’ve already started demoing tracks for album number two,” he explains. “We’re just trying to stay creative and keep producing new music, while still getting around and playing live shows, ‘cause at the end of the day that’s really what we’re about. We’re a live rock’n’roll band.” MY DYNAMITE will ignite the John Curtin Hotel in Carlton this Saturday May 19 with able support from King Of The North, Wilderbeast and Uptown Ace. Their self-titled debut album is out online through Listenable Records. Beat Magazine Page 55

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TIJUANA CARTEL Tijuana Cartel spent the front end of 2011 riding high on the wings of their breakthrough single White Dove, and its follow up Letting It Go. The Gold Coast collective then set oﬀ on an audacious 32-date national road odyssey for the remainder of the year to promote their epic third album M1. After a well-earned break over new year Tijuana Cartel is back! Prepping a new live show, sporting a new single and ensuring that their passports are sea worthy. The Oﬀer Yourself Tour will be a joyful one month dash from the east coast to the west, including a show at the Northcote Social Club on Thursday May 24.

THE AVES IOWA Once described as heavy, chunky distorted guitars that come in waves like Dinosaur Jr. and Crazy Horse soaked in shoegaze, Iowa who have just released their debut album Never Saw It Coming, will be playing at the Phoenix Public House in what will be one of the last shows at this amazing yet short-lived venue on Saturday May 19th. They will be supporting Emperors from Perth who have been receiving national praise and heavy duty radio play. Also playing are The Statics and Them Swoops. Doors open at 8.30pm, with tickets on the door.

MINDSNARE Oz hardcore thrash legends Mindsnare will be playing The Bendigo Hotel for the first time ever. Formed in 1993 under the name Mad Circle, their music is a blend of traditional “old school” hardcore punk and crossover metal, and as such has seen them play alongside metal bands like Kreator and Ringworm, as well as more straight forward hardcore acts like Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All and Australia’s Toe To Toe. Mindsnare have been described as “one of the most influential bands of the past decade “ by Missing Link Records. Joining them on this auspicious occasion is a magnificent ensemble of support bands including Warbrain, Party Vibez and Outright. Mindsnare will be playing The Bendigo Hotel on Saturday May 19. Tickets available on the door.

THE PERCH JUGBAND

CREEK

FAMILY

The Perch Creek Family Jugband’s ‘Farewell Australia’ show is happening at The Toff on Thursday May 17. That’s right folks, the PCFJB will be skipping the Melbourne winter and shooting off to Europe to play the European festival circuit and soak up the summer sunshine. The European tour, combined with Eileen’s extended travel plans, mean that the band won’t be doing any shows in the Southern Hemisphere until November – yikes! But don’t be sad, folks, come along to The Toff dressed in your old-timey Sunday bests and help to merrily send them on their way. Supported by The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats and The Fletcher, tickets are available through Moshtix for $10+bf or $15 at the door. Doors open at 8pm.

BONJAH Bonjah started the year off in a big way seeing in NYE at Pyramid Rock Festival, playing the Big Day Out and selling out their headline summer tour, and they’re now off to London before starting work on their third album. The band was also invited to join The Cranberries in Sydney and Auckland in March. Bonjah have made a name for themselves for their powerful and dynamic live shows, and before they head off to the mother country, you can catch them on their last Australian East Coast headline tour of 2012, including this show, for the release of new single Fall Together. With singles Something We Should Know, The White Line and Go Go Chaos on radio rotation, see for yourself why Rolling Stone nominated Bonjah for the 2011 ‘Artist To Watch’ award. They play The Corner Hotel on Friday June 8 with Buckley Ward and The Dawn Chorus.

PUSSY XXX

STEWART KOHINGA

Everyone loves pussy! Want it hard and fast?! Get on down to Yah Yah’s on Saturday May 19 because Pussy XXX know how you like it and will take it all the way. Go get loose with Thrasher Jynx and Bombing Angels as they get your night started. Wetter is better, and tonight is your night, so lose all inhibitions to Pussy XXX. If that’s not enough, Dread will blow your load. With a lineup like this, who needs a lover? Bands start 9pm, and where else could you go all the way for only $10?

Stewart Kohinga is a Melbourne-based singer, songwriter and guitarist currently attracting attention for his insightful song writing, soulful voice and inspiring guitar playing. His skillfully crafted original songs take the willing listener on a riveting emotional journey seldom offered to audiences longing for more than superficial treatment of life’s issues. Stewart performs at The Retreat Hotel tonight, with support from the graceful Anthony Young. Young kicks off the night at 8.30pm, and what’s better – it’s free.

DAVEY LANE Davey Lane is playing two consecutive Sundays at Yah Yah’s on the last two Sundays in May, Sunday May 20 and Sunday May 27. Davey has emerged from the recording studio (aka Davey’s bedroom) to play brand new songs from nearly ﬁnished debut album The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes, along with oldies and covers of your favourite tunes with guests. Davey will be joined on the night by his handsome friend and Gruntbucket frontman Mikey Madden playing a set of sweet songs as well.

GLASS VAULTS Glass Vaults are New Zealand natives Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce. The pair's songs hypnotically migrate between subtle electronics and pulsating percussion that serves as a rich textural veneer to Larsen’s haunting yet sentimental vocals. Whilst Larsen and Pierce are the core songwriters and performers in Glass Vaults, they also work extensively with Bevan Smith (Signer, Over The Atlantic and The Ruby Suns). Glass Vaults' live show takes the spaciousness and melodic clarity of their recorded work and stretches it into wall of sound environments moving through lush, fully realised universes of textural sound. They play The Evelyn Hotel on Saturday May 19 with Wintercoats and Circular Keys.

FRASER A. GORMAN Fraser A. Gorman will be bringing his full rock’n’rolling, country stylings to The Retreat Hotel for a free entry show every Thursday in May. Don’t miss this young man preaching the old world to your very ears- with jangley guitars, violin, harmonica and gospel hollerin’ vocals. Coming straight off the back from Queenscliff, Port Fairy Folk Festival and the boogie campfire and landing supports for Joe Pug, Jason Isbell and A.A Bondy, amongst many others – this kid’s been playing his guts out. Check him out at his monthly residency this Thursday May 17, which is going to be a humdinger. With different supports every week, you won’t be let down this Thursday by Sturt Crusher (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) who is sure to blow you away. Beat Magazine Page 56

BITS OF SHIT Bits Of Shit are relocating from their usual HQ down the road to The Bendigo Hotel for one night only. For those of you who haven’t heard, think mid-’70s Australian sharpie music (early Rose Tattoo) marinated in some English post punk (eg. Wire) and deep-fried in a carcinogenic mass of ‘80s American hardcore (predominantly SST bands). If that’s not enough to sway your appetite (ya greedy bastard), they’ll be joined by Footscray legends Cuntz, feeding you their amphetamine-ridden primal and confronting noise-punk serenades, Collingwood kings The Spinning Rooms, and newcomers Sextape, a noisebomb that constantly explodes like Flipper bending over Pissed Jeans at 78 speed. Bits Of Shit play The Bendigo Hotel on Friday May 18.

NEW MANIC SPREE New Manic Spree are paying Melbournians a visit at the legendary Pony for one night of mesmerising, musical majesty, on Thursday May 17. After the rave reviews and subsequent national airplay of their ﬁrst EP Hollywoods and Galaxies, they’re ready to make love to your ears again with new single Sangria. At a time like now, it’s refreshing to hear a band that is the full package – soaring lead vocals, gripping melodies, electrifying guitars, a driving beat and killer live performance to boot. What more could a rock lover want? Featuring two of Melbourne’s ﬁnest bands Rhymada and Pirates as special guests, the night will leave your musical desires sated. Doors open at 8.30pm.

BARON SAMADHI For the last 11 years Baron Samadhi has toured its unique genre defying grooves around the country. With dozens of tours, hundreds of gigs and thousands of flute solos under their belt, it’s finally time to say goodbye to the Baron. They’ll be playing one last intimate show at Bar Open on Sunday May 20, coating the walls with their sevenpiece, horn heavy, dangerously spicy blend of disco, soul, dancehall, funk and jazz thrown in a pot and boiled until the lid bursts off. Free entry.

With their brand spanking new EP in tow, Adelaidean artful dodgers The Aves will be indoctrinating new audiences with their raﬃsh charm this month. They will be playing select dates in Victoria and New South Wales before heading homeways only to be sent oﬀ again (as always, in style) to conquer hearts and minds when they make the trek to Canada’s NXNE Festival this June. For a night of garage laced old school pop, head down to Pony and catch The Aves in the 2am late show this Friday may 18.

ALITHIA Astral space core sorcerers Alithia will be touring nationally in support of their new video Fallen Times. Alithia’s music is a celebration of life and death, darkness and light, confusion and clarity. The result is an authentically unique sound that combines ambient, melodic, psychedelic, electronic and punk rock music. The band will headline Pony on Saturday May 19 before heading out on a national tour. Also playing on the night at Pony are Citrus Jam, Daze (QLD) and The Nest Itself.

OPOSSOM New Zealand trio Opossom arrive in Australia for their ﬁrst shows across the Tasman in May. From simple beginnings in late 2011 on a bandcamp page, Opossom recently featured on Pitchfork as “pysch-pop noisemakers” whose “playful, tunnelvision guitars should remind you of Tame Impala.” Songwriter and producer behind the band is Kody Nielson. Vocalist for The Mint Chicks, contemporary ﬂag-bearers for the legendary kiwi indie Flying Nun, he began recording these tracks after his brother Ruban left town to start Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Joining Opossom is chanteuse turned multi-instrumentalist Bic Runga and Mint Chicks bassist Michael Logie. It’s this Thursday May 17 at The Phoenix Public House.

WALL OF MIRRORS Emma Stuart’s new project Wall of Mirrors will be launching their single Orbitor from their debut EP. Recorded with Regurgitator’s Ben Ely, the songs are minimal yet magical. With positive reviews from RRR’s Simon Winkler as well as triple j’s Assistant Music Director Dave Ruby Howe, Wall Of Mirrors are set to make waves as genre-less mixture of artful arrangements and imaginative texturing. Don’t miss this last show before some of the band members embark on an overseas venture in early June. It’s at The Grace Darling on Thursday May 24.

DANIEL CHAMPAGNE Daniel Champagne launches his exciting new record Real Live at The Toff on Tuesday May 22, with special guest Ainslie Wills. He captures the energy and spirited atmosphere of his ‘show-stopping’ live performance, honed over more than four years on the road. Brilliant live performances here and internationally have seen him sell thousands of albums at shows and festivals around the world. His phenomenal guitar abilities often make him sound more like a three-piece band than a solo performer, pushing the instrument to beyond its boundaries, and Daniel’s now signature explosion of twohand tapping, body percussion and fiery runs in a variety of different tunings, alongside sublime jazzy finger picking and tasteful improvisation have become hallmarks of his impressive live shows. Doors open at 8pm.

STRANGERS Sydney Southern Beach rockers Strangers have so far done it for Calling All Cars, they did it for Closure In Moscow, they did it for Unwritten Law and Red Coats and just recently did it for UKs men in tights The Darkness. Their muscular new single Persona Non Grata was released to radio this week. It screams loud, it screams hard and it screams fast. Strangers will be launching it and taking their hard as nails brand of rock to the streets with a special showcase event at The Workers Club on Friday June 8. Tickets available on the door.

SPERMAIDS Spermaids don’t seem to fuck around. Since having formed less than a year ago, the two-piece from NZ have gigged relentlessly and released a unique EP that walks the line between playful experimentation and outright aggression. The live performance is full of tension as they trigger samples, loops and eﬀects creating a cacophany usually only achieved by bands of more than two members. If you’ve not yet seen these guys live then May is the month. They play every Wednesday night at The Tote, joined each week by only the dopest of local supports. CDs and merch for sale at gigs.

CHELSEA DRUGSTORE The band has been around in various guises for several years but at present consists primarily of mates getting together at homes around Melbourne to write and record songs. Following on from the laid back pop oriented grooves of ﬁrst album The Chelsea Drugstore, they’ve recently completed Three Chord Theory, an album of country inspired songs of melancholy. Playing this Sunday May 20 at The Standard, two sets from 8:30pm.

BEN SMITH It is well known that there is a certain craftsmanship to songwriting. To master the language of emotion, convey its message with words and tell a story with music is a ﬁne crafted balance. Melbourne artist Ben Smith has been mastering this art for years. Head along and check him out at The Drunken Poet this Saturday May 19 from 9pm.

TOM DICKINS

THE SHIVERING TIMBERS

Tom Dickins (The Jane Austen Argument), Gemma O’Connor (Dearly Wish) and Laura Soding (Laura Soding) have joined forces to bring you a phenomenal evening of Melbourne music. After The Jane Austen Argument’s national tour with the Dresden Dolls, Dickins is thrilled to be presenting an intimate evening with two of his favourite Melbourne songwriters. Head to Bar Open tonight for all the action, doors at 8pm, free entry.

The Shivering Timbers are a Melbourne-based band drawn together out of a shared passion for original and traditional acoustic music. Taking folk, blues, country and traditional music and moulding a raw, biting sound of their own, their songs relate to the simple necessities of life; survival, hope, love, sex, drunkenness and death. Head along to The Union Hotel this Saturday May 19 and check them out from 9pm.

JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONS

NERD VACATION

Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions are here to make you dance, bringing you digs from vintage Jamaican sounds of the ‘70s, rocking out dancehall, lover’s rock, reggae rockers hits with bonus live dubs and mad improvisations, these men are here to move you and groove you. Head down to Bar Open on Saturday May 19 for all the toe tappin’ action, with free entry.

CLAWS & ORGANS Claws & Organs are taking the stage on Thursday May 17 for the Pony 1am late show and promise a visceral, sweaty and thirst-quenching live show, complete with shouting, distortion pedals and instruments thrown across stage. The band are preparing to lay down some tracks with Ben Ely (Regurgitator) and will be playing a selection of brand new tunes.

POCO LA PAX Poco La Pax are packing up their swags and venturing north side for the month. They are delighted to announce an entire month of headline shows at The Evelyn on Wednesdays, with support from some very talented friends. The band has been quiet of late writing new material and preparing to record a new EP. Free entry all month.

DAVE GARNHAM & THE REASONS TO LIVE DUO If you're keen for a lazy afternoon session, then The Retreat Hotel on Sunday May 20 is the place for you. Sit back, relax, enjoy and soak up the sounds from Dave Garnham and The Reasons To Live duo. The tunes start rolling out at 4pm, making the front bar the place to be.

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Nerd Vacation is the holiday for all you wanna be computer geeks and lecherous librarians. It’s a no-jocks zone with nerdy bands the silly Savages and the supine surfin’ Volcaniks. Do the jerk to nerdy music from the ‘50s to ‘80s all in the luscious holiday resort of The LuWOW. Come dressed up as nerds on vacation, flunky finks in trunks, whacky weirdos on the beach and snotty swots in a hotel room. Show off your man boobs and protruding ribs in our soppy t shirt competition...all taking place at The LuWow on Saturday May 19.

BROTHERS GRIM & THE BLUE MURDERS The Brothers Grim & The Blue Murders are finally returning to Melbourne (for the first time in seven months) for two home town shows at The Tote to celebrate their new lineup and the songs that have been birthed from it in their aptly titled Whole New Beast tour. With a successful year behind them including a sold-out album launch at The Corner Hotel, sold out double bill at The Forum with Graveyard Train, months of relentless touring and playing an impressive bill of nationwide festivals and venues, plus the making of an unadulterated music video clip for the fast-paced favorite On The Meter (think ‘furries’, swingers and transvestites), the Brothers are happy to finally be back in their hometown for two back to back rock’n’roll shows with new bassist and songs. They’ll be playing a double feature at The Tote in Melbourne on Friday May 18 and Saturday May 19. If you miss these then it’ll be a long wait until next year. You’ve been warned.

IDLE MINDS

THE BASTARD CHILDREN The Bastard Children, those men of the dark ale, twisted offspring of junkyard folk, dusty blues and socially inappropriate over-dressed gypsies, are back at The Great Britain Hotel to headline The Good Beer Week Closing Party in Richmond on Saturday May 19 from 8pm. But hang on, we hear you say – surely I can’t afford to enjoy the multi-instrumental ramblings of these musical miss-fits by paying a nominal cover-charge and also enjoy pint after pint of the choicest ales from the extensive bar menu? Well you can, kind sir. It’s free.

THE SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE The Songwriters Collective is a group of exceptionally talented singer-songwriters who aim to bring community together through the celebration of music. Each artist is unique in style, and has a magnetic stage presence that captivates and inspires their audiences. This show features the gorgeous Michelle Meehan, and other great local songwriters Damien Van de Geer, Jess Hieser, Peter Simonsen, plus some jam time between artists in the ﬁrst hour. Free entry.

STREAMS OF WHISKEY Fresh from taking beer-stained cheat notes at Festival Hall, Streams Of Whiskey have been putting in the hard yards reﬁning their chops. Rollicking Pogues covers with some Irish classics thrown in the mix and the odd stomping traditional number ensure a rowdy night out. The more astute members of the audience, will notice that U.K. classical guitar-guru Sheldon King is up there strutting, cutting his wisdom teeth on the banjo. Opening the night will be Tim Scanlan’s last performance before he heads back to Canada where they might steal him if we’re not careful. His foot percussion gypsy dub dexterity has to be seen to be believed. Streams Of Whiskey will be playing The Bendigo Hotel on Saturday May 26.

On Friday May 18 at Pony, No Future put on a show of straight-up hardcore punk with Idle Minds, Aids, Ross and Diploid. So show up and release all that steam that’s been building up over the last week. As always, drinks are reasonably priced and the toilets smell, so get down early and cut sick. We don’t get hardcore shows with lineups this good very often, so cancel your plans and we’ll see you there.

HEAVY BEACH A brand new name requires a brand new single and a single launch to boot! Heavy Beach, formerly Ferry Tails are warming up their wah and delay pedals for the official release of their debut single 1963. Written as a reflection about the desire to go back in time and to experience an era of black and white film, narcotics and a very different society, 1963 wraps around you slowly with guitar, space, noise, bass and drums that soar through hypnotic verses. Heavy Beach are thrilled to be joined on the night by the esteemed Pony Face, the sterling Sincerely, Grizzly and psych-surf-gods The Velocettes. The Cornish Arms, Saturday May 26. Free entry.

THE DEANS Modern soul band, The Deans (formerly The Grenadines), are a critically acclaimed original band who were nominated for Band Of The Year in the prestigious Deadly Awards in 2007. The Deans, are launching their self-titled album on the legendary soul night at Cherry, AC/DC Lane, on Thursday May 17, at 10pm. Their self-titled album introduces a post-Hendrix modern soul sound. With velvet smooth vocals, sweet harmonies, soaring heartbreak guitar, deep Motown bass grooves and hip-shaking rhythms, The Deans combine soul with cool rock inﬂuences to create urban songs about a future Australia. Produced with an old school analogue vibe the tracks sound warm, shiny and crystal clear, like your favourite vinyl treasures.

SETH SENTRY

SOL NATION

Due to popular demand, Seth Sentry’s show at The Laundry Bar on Saturday May 5 has been moved to The Evelyn on Friday May 18. Following on from the success of My Scene, the taster track to his much anticipated debut album, Seth Sentry is ready to hit the road in May, with a bunch of festival appearances, support slots and a very special headline show at The Evelyn.

After launching their brand new single Every Reason in New Caledonia and to a packed out crowd at The Northcote Social Club not long ago, Sol Nation are back at Bar Open. The band will bring their melting pot of reggae, a dash of East Timorese folk song, a punch of Cuban Salsa, a sprinkle of Latin dance, three parts Afro-beat, two parts tropical island rhythm, and a sprinkle of Brazilian samba all to the dance ﬂoor and your hips. Sick. See them this Friday May 18 at Bar Open. Free entry.

FROGFEST FrogFest is the amalgamation of folk and styles in the form of a seven-date touring festival travelling along the East Coast of Australia in May. The return of FrogFest in 2012 sees some exciting bands in toe for the event including BOB (featuring Ben Hauptmann),Mr Fibby and Dave Carr’s Fabulous Contraption. FrogFest will be in Melbourne on Monday May 18 at Gertrude’s Brown Couch.

THE DARLING DOWNS The Darling Downs are Kim Salmon and Ron Peno playing country ﬂavoured songs, and they’re doing it every Sunday in May at The Old Bar. They’ve even been working on some new ones for this residency. 8pm every Sunday with some killer supports for a measly $8. What else do you need to know? It’s Kim Salmon and Ron Peno playing together! 8pm, every Sunday at The Old Bar.

DIRT ELVIS “Dirt Elvis sounds like BB King and Tom Waits had a baby, and then got it drunk,” says a new listener. Dirty Elvis don’t live amongst us – they live onstage in white shirts, black ties and big stomping rock’n’roll. Have a listen and be told, get on down to a show and see what you’ve been missing your whole damn life. They are playing at The Penny Black this Friday May 18.

MICHAEL PLATER Currently enjoying signiﬁcant airplay for his latest double a-side single, Rings of Smoke/My Final Cause, local indie/ art-rock singer/songwriter Michael Plater will be playing a full-band late afternoon/early evening set at The Vic Hotel on Sunday May 20. Playing songs from his forthcoming album Exit Keys alongside a few choice Dylan and Velvet Underground covers, he will be joined on the night by Pete Azzopardi (The Coves), playing a rare solo acoustic set. The show will kick oﬀ at 5pm and entry is free.

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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MONEY FOR ROPE Money For Rope know how to rock a crowd, the only thing that matches the energy of the audience is that of the band itself. The jaw-dropping energy of two drumkits, two guitars, a bass, four voices and keys command the response of an electriﬁed room. To coincide with the release of their new single the band will be bringing their electrifying show to The Curtin on Friday May 18. Adding to the party vibes will be the explosively catchy rock ‘n’ roll of Royston Vasie, who are on par with Money For Rope in ability to get a room stompin’, and The Staﬀords. Tickets on sale now through the venue.

LOVE CONNECTION Love Connection launch their second album, Euphoria, on Friday May 25 at The Northcote Social Club. The launch of Euphoria will be one of the ﬁnal Love Connection shows before they relocate to New York in July. Special guests on the night will be Montero and Angel Eyes. Tickets are available from Northcote Social Club.

LOVE TEMPO Love Tempo DJs have called in their Spanish to drop Kalimotxos all night long to the sounds of bumpin-disco, dusty edits and chuggin house. LT is all about getting completely wild, sort of lost and loving the shit out of every moment of it. What’s love got to do with it? For all the action head down to The Liberty Social on Friday May 18.

RECLINK COMMUNITY CUP That one day in, uh, June that we like to remember is back in full force this year, with the much-loved Reclink Community Cup returning to Elsternwick after a cameo visit in Sydney earlier in the year. Just as last year’s theme was the dark prince Nick Cave, this year’s motif will be that of The Cramps. Each band performing on the day will slot a Cramps track into their setlist – those bands being none other than Boomgates, reformed ‘80s punks Blue Ruin, and Bunny Monroe. Oh, and of course there will be the main event – the mighty Megahertz will try to regain the title of reigning champions from The Rockdogs. The 2012 Reclink Community Cup takes place Sunday June 24 at Elsternwick Park.

NAKED All the way from the exotics of Hobart, Tasmania, comes that band known as Naked. You probably don’t know “that band known as Naked” yet, but just wait until their maiden Melbourne visit this May. With a DIY-or-die attitude, Naked revel in a kind of loose trash-pop, all the while thriving oﬀ a distinctive punk energy. Toyish glockenspiel litters their free-to-download debut Black Teeth, but live it’ll probably be tossed aside on-stage after things become too noisy. Maybe it’s more bedroom’s wall than Kitchen’s Floor, too percussive to be on The Vague, and much too Hobart to be Melbourne. They play at The Gasometer this Friday May 18 with local exotics, Go Genre Everything and The Enclosures. They also play a double late show in the 2am Pony slot on Saturday May 19 with Alkan Zeybek & The Lessermen.

SUZIE STAPLETON Suzie Stapleton and band are hitting the stage twice more in May before heading into the studio to record longawaited follow up to 2009’s 45 Revelations Per Minute. The ﬁrst show is Sunday May 20 at Thornbury’s Tago Mago. This two set performance will kick oﬀ at 5pm – perfect for those with some kind of ties to 9-to-5 living. Then on Wednesday May 23 they join Chris Russell’s Chickenwalk for their residency at The Old Bar. The Velvets start proceedings at 9pm – free entry – for the unemployed, unattached, alcoholics among us. Just saying.

THE OCEAN Founded back in 2000 by the forward thinking master of minds Robin Straps, The Ocean is a progressive musical collective based in Berlin (Germany) that strives on an open door policy of creative out put and diverse productivity. Over the past 12 years The Ocean have gone through countless lineup changes, some 40 musicians have passed through their doors, all of which have contributed to the legacy that has become the legend of The Ocean. With genre defying releases that weave between post hardcore, progressive rock, metal, doom, post rock, and ambient experimentations, it’s next to impossible to label The Ocean to one speciﬁc genre. They play The Tote on Thursday May 17 and The Hi-Fi on Saturday May 26.

MY DYNAMITE Melbourne five-piece, My Dynamite, is fast gaining attention as the band returning the soul to rock’n’roll and live music. Filling the gap where bands like Stonefield have broken through the indie-popelectronica overload, My Dynamite bring a much needed injection of groove and harmony driven sound, to what could have been a dying era of rock’n’roll music. My Dynamite’s self-produced, self-titled debut album is released online through French record label, Listenable Records, typically home to hardcore metal and Melbourne’s own Electric Mary. It is polished, radio-ready and if you haven’t yet heard of My Dynamite, put your finger on the pulse now and get acquainted. The official album launch will be at The John Curtin Band Room, Carlton on Saturday May 19 from 11pm.

THE HARLOTS Knock knock! Who’s there? The Harlots. Where have they been? Lying low. Why? It doesn’t matter. Now, for their return to headlining shows, Yah Yah’s will be hosting The Harlots on Friday May 18. Ringing in good friends The Pretty Littles, who have recently returned from a frenzied impromptu romp about the nation and Black Fox who are causing a stir with their seductive sound and vulpine prowess. Bands start at 9pm, free entry.

ESC Esc are a noisy quartet with a shattering wall of clanging guitar and driven dissonance over a hammering rhythm section. This bright young band takes inﬂuence from grunge and shoegazing luminaries. Yet mature in their sound, they cannot be compared to anything in particular. Come see them yourself every Monday in May at The Evelyn Hotel alongside an enthralling list of supporting bands.

THE MEAN TIMES With cricket season over and their summer romances oﬃcially called oﬀ, The Mean Times have belatedly resurfaced into rockland with a killer new rhythm section and a stunning new smart casual wardrobe. This time The Mean Times hit Yah Yah’s, teaming up with their old buddies The Weekend People, and The Renegade Robot Cops, who came back from the year 2043 to teach us all about the future of law enforcement. Come see the newer, meaner, Mean Times rock Yah Yah’s on Thursday May 17. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 57

MUSIC NEWS

FLOUNDER

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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Electric Mary

ALBARE Albare visits The Melbourne Recital Centre as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, to perform songs from his forthcoming album release – Long Way, and his extensive back catalogue. Long Way was recently recorded in New York, with some of the world’s ﬁnest musicians featuring on the album. For one time only, this lineup of international players are visiting Australia to play, which include the triple Grammy Award winning drummer – Antonio Sanchez, George Garzone, Leo Genovese, Hendrick Muerkens, and Albare’s musical collaborator, bassist and composer Evri Evripidou. The Melbourne Recital Centre’s stage will be lit up on Tuesday June 5, with doors opening from 7.10pm. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster for $69+bf.

MELTING POT – LIVESTOCK

ROCK N LOAD The mighty Electric Mary will headline the inaugural Rock N Load festival at The Espy on Saturday May 26. This rounds out an impressive 32 band lineup of local and interstate rock acts sweating it out across the entire venue. Catch Electric Mary, Bugdust, The Stiﬀys, King Of The North, Ten Thousand, Heaven The Axe, I Am Duckeye, The Charge, Anna Salen, Hailmary (WA), Shadowgame, The Morrisons, Beggars Orchestra (NSW), Bottle Of Smoke, System Of Venus, Arcane Saints, Apache Medicine Man, Riot In Toytown and heaps more – all for a mere 21 bucks! Check out rocknloadfestival. com for full lineup and ticketing info.

Thursdays are set to come alive in Melbourne with the beginning of a weekly Melting Pot band night – Livestock. An amazing calibre of musical talent will kick oﬀ the new night this May, promising all the innovation Melting Pot is renowned for with some new twists. Livestock is run weekly, every Thursday, at The John Curtin Hotel. Doors are from 8.30pm and entry is $10.

THE BOMBAY ROYALE

CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKENWALK

THE NUDGELS

Having wowed audiences at the Clarksdale, Mississippi Juke Joint Festival in April where he shared the stage with Kenny Brown, L.C. Ulmer, Lightnin’ Malcom, and Old Gray Mule, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk return to Australia, at The Old Bar every Wednesday in May. Featuring Handsome Dean Muller on drums, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk play rollicking, hypnotic North Mississippi Hill Country Blues with supports from Jimmy Stewart (Clinkerﬁeld), Bob Harrow (Immigrant Union), Guy Kable and a host of others. Beat the winter blues with some Mississippi heat from Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk.

The Nudgels were chiseled together way back in 2002. Blending blues, country, zydeco and reggae to form a unique sound of mainly original material, along with a blend of Australia’s ﬁnest musicians for your listening pleasure. With a lineup too massive to mention, these chaps will send you the message of dance and fun, keeping the toes tapping and heads spinning. They’re looking forward to seeing y’all at Richmond’s Great Britain Hotel, Sunday May 20, for two free and alluring sets. Doors from 7pm.

Be transported back to the world of vintage Bollywood on Saturday May 19 when The Bombay Royale’s album launch cinematic extravaganza takes over The Hi-Fi. Dress up, get down and take your place amongst a cast of heroes and smugglers, masked dacoits and beautiful ladies on the set of a psychedelic live production where anything goes. With special guests the surfadelic Bluebottles, spectacular live footage from video artist Abracadabla, sultry Bollywood stylings from Sapphire Dance and DJ Manchild spinning his magic on the decks.

ZEPTEPI Fresh from a busy festival season, Victorian post-punk folkrockers Zeptepi celebrate the launch of their fourth album Winter In The Blood, with a big Melbourne show at Kindred Studios in Yarraville. The band are recording/filming the show with a view to releasing alive DVD/CD later in the year. Advance ticket holders will get a free copy of the DVD once it’s ready. Supporting Zeptepi on the night is the captivating presence of Sarah Eida, with her songs of heartbreak, betrayal, dark forests and fairy-tale mythology. The mighty Stomp Dog then take the stage with their mix of dark folk tunes, frenetic bush music and haunting murder ballads. Zeptepi finish off the set with their own high energy Poguesmeets-Weddings, Parties, Anything brand of folk rock.

RUBY BOOTS

LINDSAY PHILLIPS Melbourne native Lindsay Phillips celebrates the release of his sophomore record Taedium Vitae and bids farewell to these shores, at The Toﬀ on Wednesday May 16, with special guests Roller One and Pinto. As Lindsay relocates to Scandinavia in early June, this will be his ﬁnal Australian performance for the foreseeable future.

BAD ACHES Having already supported the likes of MOTO, Ty Segall and Guitar Wolf, local garage punk trio Bad Aches are about to release their ﬁrst 7”: Hypochondriac. This will coincide with their ﬁrst residency every Saturday afternoon in May in The Tote front bar between 5pm and 7pm.

TEK TEK ENSEMBLE Tek Tek Ensemble, formerly known as Croque Monsieur, is a revitalised anthropological dance band consisting of guitars, trumpet, trombone, violins, percussion, double bass, piano accordion, and the human voice. Tek Tek Ensemble creates hybridisations of most of the world’s music incorporating a startling variety of ethnographic and popular genres. Mondays in May, Tek Tek Ensemble will be presenting three very special acts as part of their residency at The Toﬀ. Tickets are $5 concession or $7 full on the door. Doors from 7.30pm.

WILDING Wilding delights in sunshine-psych pop melodies, frank if at times absurdist lyrics about love and desire, and whimsical, multi-hued arrangements that lay bare the spirit of freedom, madness and fun. There is a distinctly British ﬂavour to Wilding’s music which takes in Abbey Road psychedelia, freak-folk, Merseybeat and British music hall. His debut album Bird’s Bread was recently released by Laughing Outlaw Records and to celebrate Wilding launches the album with a full and resplendent band at The Old Bar, Fitzroy this Friday May 18. They are joined by the numinous party-starters Plague Doctor, the fuzzed-out sounds of Bayou and indie-pop song-smiths James O’Brien and Zac Rush.

T BIRD & THE LUMBERJACKS Although still newcomers to the live scene, T Bird And The Lumberjacks have already impressed many with their unique mix of rock, blues and pop. Whilst currently in the process of recording their debut album the band make their return to The Great Britain Hotel on Thursday May 17, fresh oﬀ their set at the Anzac day festival in the St Kilda bowls club. The band will showcase new tracks as well as some fan favorites. Joining them will be impressive new outﬁt The Spin. Free entry, bands from 9pm.

Beat Magazine Page 58

TUMBLEWEED Tumbleweed return to the studio in Sydney in June with Paul McKercher (ARIA award winning these days, mind you!) who last worked with the band on the last album the original Tumbleweed line-up recorded; the Galactaphonic LP back in 1994 – a nice complete of the circle. After the success of the recent headline reformation shows which saw the band tour the country, as well as play Meredith Music Festival, Pyramid Rocks Festival, The Big Day Out (Sydney and Melbourne) and Homebake, they had the time to come up with 20 original new songs. Some of these songs will be recorded for a new Tumbleweed album in June 2012. But before all that, the band are taking some new songs out for road testing. Catch them at The Tote on Friday May 25 and Saturday May 26.

SANS GRAS Sans Gras will be tackling The Grace Darling Cellar for Wednesdays in May, to celebrate the release of their new single Sun Come Up. Scribing a new chapter in their collective story owing to line-up changes and moving from a three-piece outﬁt to a four-piece concern, the band’s new EP Shed Your Woes sees Sans Gras infusing a more instinctive approach to both songwriting and recording. Good friends Since The River will be opening the night.

MEL PARSONS Mel Parsons is an indie folk artist on the rise. Following the success of her debut record Over My Shoulder in 2009, the Kiwi singer/songwriter and two time Tui-award ﬁnalist for NZ Folk Album of the Year recently released her sophomore album Red Grey Blue to critical acclaim in her home country. Inspired by recent bands such as UK’s Mumford & Sons, and Laura Marling, Parsons also draws on a healthy dose of the past for inspiration, with writers like Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, and Neil Young making a lasting impression on her work. Parsons performs in the arvo on Saturday May 19, from 4pm at The Retreat Hotel.

Influence of old-school funk and rock music has defined Flounder into something that just isn’t heard enough in today’s time. Jamming together since the age of 14 has resulted in a tight sound and electric stage energy. Expect to hear the influence of Sly and the Family Stone, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pink Floyd incorporated into their original songs. Having just recorded their first EP, Flounder are bound to bring new tunes to the table, of course, along with the crowd faves. Flounder are playing alongside Rosencrants and new band Marouders at Noise Bar, Brunswick on Friday May 18. Entry is just $5 and drinks are cheap so you have no excuses.

CHERRY JAM MONDAYS

–

OPEN

MIKE

The always poppin’ Cherry Bar wants to support the Melbourne music scene. They think bands will beneﬁt from playing on the same stage that has hosted The Black Keys, The New York Dolls, Mark Lanegan, The Tea Party and already showcases over 550 diﬀerent booked locals acts a year. They supply the back line, the mixer and the famous stage. You and your band plug in and play. 6.30pm to 11.30pm every Monday. Get involved.

SNOOKS LA VIE Credited for his soulful vocals and authentic delivery of the Harmonica, Snooks La Vie has quietly secured the endorsement of the Australian music industry and proudly counts many contemporaries including Troy Cassar-Daley, Renee Geyer and Ross Wilson as fans. Snooks is back in Victoria this month to do another string of free gigs to follow up from his album launch tour. The shows will feature Nick Kipridis on guitar and Melbourne’s very own Backwood Creatures as the backing band. Snooks plays The Retreat Hotel on Friday May 18 with support from The Bell St. Delays. Free from 9.30pm.

CLAG

Perth’s favourite alt country sextet Ruby Boots are heading on a national tour next week. Catch the award winning act as a part of Saloon Shaker at The Caravan Music Club on Friday May 25, at The Baha Taco on Saturday May 26 and at The Retreat on Sunday May 27.

One of Australia’s oddest and most compelling bands is back. ‘90s Brisbane kiddiepunks Clag are reforming to launch Pasted Youth Chapter Music’s exhaustive and inspiring reissue of their entire recorded work. When ﬁrst formed, Clag played a kind of psychotic twee punk, full of onenote Casio keyboard solos with lyrics about cows, goldﬁsh, chips and gravy. In short, Clag were one of the most headscratchingly strange bands in the world, and those who came across them, either recoiled immediately or developed a lifelong obsession. Clag are playing Melbourne’s Tote Hotel on Sunday May 20, for an afternoon BBQ show from 3pm ‘til 8pm. Support is from the Ancients, Inevitable Orbit, Stationary Suns and Chapter Music DJs. Entry is $10+bf from Oztix or $13 on the door.

BURIED FEATHER

PALM SPRINGS

Brunswick’s finest psych-rockers, Buried Feather, release In The Sun, the first offering from their forthcoming LP at the Grace Darling Hotel, on Saturday May 19. Recorded live to tape with Neil Thomason at Head Gap, In the Sun is slightly out of left field for a band known for dark, spacedout sludge. Anchored on an up-tempo kick and snare pattern, the song features the band’s hallmarks – fuzzedout guitars, swirling synth chords, vocals drowned in tape delay – condensed to a squelchy stomp. Joined by friends The Ovals and Heavy Beach, this will be one awesome night of fuzzy rock’n’roll.

Monday nights in May at The Old Bar will see Palm Springs play her ﬁrst ever shows. This new project is the solo endeavour of a tri-partisan player (one part Poor People, one part Harmony, one part Zombirds) and takes inspiration from minimal blues/folk in the vein of Jessie Mae Hemphill, Karen Dalton and Scout Niblett. Each night will take a new turn as Palm Springs will be backed by the alternating supporting artists of the evenings -Extreme Wheeze, Adam Sherry, Lehmann B. Smith, Orchestra Lax to name a few. Collaborations will be encouraged, the blues will be hollered and maybe you can play the tambourine. Catch all the action every Monday throughout May.

HELLHOUNDS Retro-blues trio, Hellhounds, strip it back for a month of ‘unplugged’ style shows at St. Kilda’s famous Pure Pop Records. Playing every Thursday in May from 6-8pm, the band will be performing intimate renditions from songs from their recently released debut album, and including some swampy, juke joint style jams in-between. The Hellhounds record is available now at Pure Pop Records, Greville Records, JB HiFi, iTunes and the Hellhounds Facebook shop.

LITTLE WISE With a vocal styling not dissimilar to Angie Hart from Frente, Sophie Klein is the brainchild who fronts Melbourne based outﬁt Little Wise. Small in stature, she’s nevertheless got some big stories to tell and some musical wisdom to impart. Little Wise are very excited to be launching their debut EP Moments Of Clarity at The John Curtin Hotel on Wednesday May 30 with support from Lauren Glezer and Oh!Pep. Tickets are $8.50 pre-sale (incl. BF) via the venue website, or $10 on the door.

LOST ANIMAL Lost Animal celebrates the vinyl release of his debut album Ex Tropical with an all-too-rare headline show on Friday May 18 at Phoenix Public House in Brunswick. In response to signiﬁcant demand, Ex Tropical has been made available on vinyl, and each copy comes with a digital download card. The pressing is strictly limited to 500 copies. See Lost Animal performing tracks from Ex Tropical, with support from Sensory Projects label-mates New War, and Pearls, plus DJ LA Pocock.

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JAMIE HAY Newcastle-native-come-embraced-Melbourne-resident Jamie Hay has spent most of his days participating in music. From the politically wrought Conation, the magnetic anthems of Fear Like Us to the recently departed Melbourne rock stalwarts A Death In A Family and everything in between. Jamie's resume reads like a well groomed punkrock executive. While recent years have found Hay sharing the stage with a number of companions, it’s still his twangy ruminations on life’s great mysteries that render hearttouchingly close-delivering songs, beﬁtting of an upbringing in the old coal-mining town. Jamie headlines The Evelyn Hotel on Thursday May 17 with support from Between The Wars and special guests.

GO-GO SAPIEN The Retreat Hotel is set for a massive night this Saturday May 19. The Lowriders will be kicking oﬀ the night in the front bar from 7.30pm. Following on, the Wally Corker’s Drunk Arsed Band will surely keep you amused, until the headlining act from- Go-Go Sapien, are set to play from 11pm. If all this still keeps you craving more, DJ Eh-bro will keep you dancing away into the night, and probably the early hours of the morning.

TOMAS STRODE & THE TOUR GUIDES The Cat & The Fiddle EP is the ﬁrst release from Melbourne’s own Tomas Strode & The Tour Guides. Mixing inﬂuences from Angus & Julia Stone, Josh Pyke and the whole Australian folk scene, The Tour Guides perform their own unique blend of lyrical folkpop. On Sunday May 20 Tomas Strode & The Tour Guides play The Evelyn Hotel to release their debut EP. With support from Domini Forster and Angie Moon.

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Beat Magazine Page 59

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

PBS TIPSHEET - REMEMBER RADIO FESTIVAL, BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

FATHER JOHN MISTY Fear Fun (Sub Pop/Inertia)

WEDNESDAY 16 MAY RESIDENCY

POCO LA PAX DAYDREAM ARCADE DONATION ENTRY, 9PM

THURSDAY 17 MAY

JAMIE HAY DARREN GIBSON BETWEEN THE WARS THE DUFRANES

ENTRY $10, 8:30PM $2.50 POTS, $5 VODKAS!

FRIDAY 18 MAY

SELLING FA ST!

SETH SENTRY CHANCE WATERS KRYPTIC

ENTRY $25 DOOR / $20 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 9PM

As the dust settled on another hallowed Fleet Foxes album, the various members scatter and make hay with their side-projects. On the downside, Poor Moon (featuring two Fleet Foxes members) have released a five-track EP of dull AM radio rock that hardly leaves you anticipating any further releases. On the positive side, the new album from exdrummer Josh Tillman is a wonderful release. Like Poor Moon, it glorifies classic American rock, but Tillman succeeds in retaining the mysterious nature of Fleet Foxes (without layering on harmonies or inviting in a bedraggled druid to play windpipes). Tillman has the advantage of having cut his teeth on several solo albums prior to this, though none of those can quite match the grand sweep of Fear Fun. It’s surely not a coincidence that he’s name-changing at the same time as a game-changing shift in musical style. As the first release to use a moniker other than his own name and his first since leaving Fleet Foxes, the Father John Misty debut is a triumphant mission statement for Tillman. Tillman has a commanding vocal presence and a knack for reeling you in with a killer lyrical hook. The memorable “Jesus Christ, girl” and “Someone’s got to help me dig” refrains in Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings help cement it as an ideal choice for a single, though it’s hard to go past the preceding song, Nancy From Now On, with it’s hilarious opening lyric, “Oh, pour me another drink and punch me in the face/You can call me Nancy.” While the less ambitious compositions can border on derivative, his absurdist lyrics never lack ambition

1. Possibilities JOSH KYLE 2. Hollow GRAVEYARD TRAIN 3. Warato’o NARASIRATO 4. Intrepid Adventures to the Lost Riddim Islands BUSTAMENTO 5. Take Something Beautiful: The Songs of Jesse Younan VARIOUS ARTISTS 6. Cellar Space Live Overdose ELECTRIC MOON 7. The Marble Downs TREMBLING BELLS & BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY 8. African Roots Revival VARIOUS ARTISTS 9. The Warmest Place CATCALL 10. Bloom BEACH HOUSE

AIRIT NOW

and this depth of storytelling is the real key to Father John Misty’s success. New layers unfold with every listen, reﬂected in lyric sheets that fold out to reveal expansive literature in small font. Nice to get some study notes, but it’s no comparison to just lying back and letting the splendour of Fear Fun wash over you. CHRIS GIRDLER Best Track: Nancy From Now On If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Say Us ZEUS, Pearly Gate Music PEARLY GATE MUSIC, Queen Of Denmark JOHN GRANT In A Word: Eloquent

SATURDAY 19 MAY

MATINEE - FRONT BAR

THE SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE JESS HIESER MICHELLE MEEHAN DAMIEN VAN DE GEER PETER SIMONSEN FREE ENTRY, 2PM

EVENING

GLASS VAULTS (NZ) WINTERCOATS CIRCULAR KEYS

ENTRY $15 DOOR, $10 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 9PM

SUNDAY 20 MAY EP LAUNCH

TOMAS STRODE & THE TOUR GUIDES DOMINI FORSTER ANGIE MOON ENTRY $8, 9PM

MONDAY 21 MAY RESIDENCY

ESC THE ALLEYS

HOWARD THE CALL UP

DONATION ENTRY (PROCEEDS GOING TO CHARITY), 8PM $10 JUGS!

TUESDAY 22 MAY RESIDENCY

KUMAR SHOME & THE PUNKAWALLAHS FEL ANDUR UNCOMFORTABLE SCIENCE ENTRY $10, 9PM $10 JUGS!

COMING UP TIX AVAILABLE THRU MOSHTIX: ESC (MON IN MAY) KUMAR SHOME & THE PUNKAWALLAHS (TUES IN MAY) POCO LA PAX (WED IN MAY) HOWARD (24 MAY) TRUE LIVE (25 MAY) QUITCOALLAPALOOZA: WILDCAT GENERAL STRIKE (26 MAY) SUMMON THE BIRDS – MATINEE SINGLE LAUNCH (27 MAY) LOKI (27 MAY) THE THOMAS OLIVER BAND (NZ) (1 JUNE) WHITE CELL + KETTLESPIDER – DOUBLE ALBUM LAUNCH (2 JUNE) LAURA (8 JUNE) SKA WEEKENDER (9 JUNE)

1. Dumb Hope SHADY LANE 2. The Stolen Name ONLY THE SEA SLUGS 3. Second Day Uptown WORLD’S END PRESS 4. Bugs HIRA HIRA 5. Lance Jnr. COURTNEY BARNETT 6. The Sleepers Heart THE OYSTER MURDERS 7. Sword To A Gunﬁght CHILDREN COLLIDE 8. I Still Don’t Believe BUSBY MAROU 9. Griﬃn THE MEDICS 10. Baby Thighs MAX CRUMBS

OFF THE HIP 1. Smell My Finger 2xCD HARD-ONS 2. Songs From An Empty Room LP GRUNTBUCKET 3. Future Universe LP/CD RON S. PENO 4. From Paris To Kabul 7” BRAT FARRAR 5. Is A Session Man LP BO DIDDLEY 6. Cookin’ LP MILES DAVIS 7. Go Go Harlem Baby LP FLAT DUO JETS 8. S/T LP SAINT JUDE 9. S/T LP 5.6.7.8’S 10. Heavy Friends LP LORD SUTCH

WOOLY BULLY

SINGLES BY SIMONE I recently learned that adults are not supposed to use Buzzfeed as a primary news source.

ELEPHANT EYES

Mother Said (Independent) The latest single from Melbourne’s Elephant Eyes is a blissfully warm folk pop number filled with spooling piano notes and a teasing vocal performance from singer Kate McMahon. Tripping lightly up and down the scale, turning unexpectedly smoky and billowing out to a wail in the final chorus, her voice is full of confidence and character.

DRAWN FROM BEES

The Ballad Of Running Bear (Bonefinger Music) Lifted from the second album by Brisbane art rock collective Drawn From Bees (due out in September), The Ballad Of Running Bear is a high intensity, gothﬂavoured rock epic that holds one fraught note for its entire duration. The incredibly upsetting video features slow motion footage of a girl in lingerie playing a butcher dominatrix, slapping a guy in the face with raw meat and then rubbing him down sexually with condiments. Very distracting – video kind of outshines the song with its attention-grabbing grotesqueness.

GRAVEYARD TRAIN

I’m Gone (Spooky Records) The Graveyarders have a new album out this week, and a smashing new single to promote it. I’m Gone has the hallmark foot-stomping, steel guitar riffs and gruff man choir accents that we’ve come to know and love, but it is somehow more straight-faced than previous efforts. This one is serious.

MR LITTLE JEANS

Runaway (Sony) Norwegian-born, LA-based synth pop artist Mr Little Jeans (aka Monica Birkenes) has made a few bubbles in the blogsphere with her covers of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs and Beyonce’s Single Ladies – two demure and dispirited hipster cuts that sound pretty cool but suck all the passion, vitality and urgency from the originals. She gives me the irrits, launching her career oﬀ the back of other people’s songwriting and turning great tunes into synth pop wallpaper. Runaway, as might be expected, is a cool, atmospheric ‘80s-inﬂuenced pop tune in the vein of Ladyhawke and La Roux, which has buckets of style but almost no substance.

DUNE RATS

Fuck It (Inertia) Joining Bleeding Knees Club at the vanguard of Brisbane’s garage punk revival, Dune Rats are a mangy duo whose latest single has the burnt out noise pop thrust of Wavves, simple and melodic but also distorted and braying, with a snarl that can be traced back to Kurt Cobain. Beat Magazine Page 60

TOP TENS

BOBBY WOMACK

The Bravest Man In The Universe (XL/Remote Control) Bobby Womack, R&B legend and co-writer of Across 110th Street, is set to release his ﬁrst album of original music since 1994. Like Gil Scott-Heron before him, Womack has been taken under the wing of XL Recordings boss Richard Russell, who seems determined to give the long-dormant Womack and new lease on artistic life. Russell and Damon Albarn have produced Womack’s new album, which features this bass-heavy trip hop tune. The beats are cool and Womack’s voice is hot – a textured soul performance for of straining peaks and smooth, lulling breaks. The only misstep here are the Subterranean Homesick Alien-style computer voices that frame the song – horribly naﬀ.

FOSTER THE PEOPLE

Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls) (Sony) The press release is a little confusing, but I think Foster the People have released a 3D video for this tune based on Precious Based the Novel by Sapphire. Possibly my wires were crossed somewhere. Appearing alongside Pumped Up Kicks on the band’s debut album Torches, this tune is bouncy but unremarkable paintby-numbers contempo-pop that would make a really average soundtrack to a really average KIA commercial. Forgettable. I already forgot it.

THE MEN

Open Your Heart (Spunk) The Men turned a few heads at SXSW this year with their gut-wrenchingly loud performances. A ‘cult’ band in their native NYC, the power punk collective will be introduced to Australian audiences this month when their third full length record, Open Your Heart, is released locally through Spunk. The title track aptly demonstrates their frantic tsunami of sound, where three guitarists race each other to the ﬁnish line while the singer slings a whining kind of ‘90s rock vocal melody and the drummer hails down murderously on the kit. It’s all a bit sloppy and simplistic, but there is something visceral and plainspoke about it, and hearing it live is like putting your head inside a jet engine.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK THE SHINS

The Rifle’s Spiral (Sony) Taken from the intoxicating, layered gem that is Port Of Morrow, The Rifle’s Spiral has an almost psychedelic feel, a hypnotic pulse in the vocal melody and a circular swirl of guitars, beautifully balanced against the bouncing rhythm section. There’s an urgency to it, a vitality, but also a grim and weighty undercurrent. A strange and amazing tune.

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

1. Ex Tropical LP LOST ANIMAL 2. Everything Goes Wrong LP CONSTANT MONGREL 3. I Made Blood Better LP MAD NANNA 4. S/T LP SHOP ASSISTANTS 5. S/T LP THE TWERPS 6. Pass The Dust, I Think I’m Bowie LP BLACK RANDY & THE METRO SQUAD 7. Eternally Yours LP THE SAINTS 8. Rave Cave LP SKY NEEDLE 9. Para Vista Social Club LP SCOTT & CHARLENE’S WEDDING 10. S/T LP WOOLLEN KITS

SYN SWEET 16 1. Heaven THE WALKMEN 2. Do You Love Me, Like You Used To? BEST COAST 3. Got It BANG ON! 4. Gallons WINTER PEOPLE 5. Bashful KWES 6. Oh No No DAN TROLLEY 7. An Ache FELICITY GROOM 8. Magnetized BURIED FEATHER 9. The Bravest Man In The Universe BOBBY WOMACK 10. Run With The Wind DAPPLED CITIES

THORNBURY RECORDS 1. Ex Tropical LP LOST ANIMAL 2. Boys & Girls LP ALABAMA SHAKES 3. Blunderbuss LP JACK WHITE 4. GOD LP GOD 5. Henge Beat LP TOTAL CONTROL 6. Outlaws LP THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS 7. Between the Times and the Tides LP LEE RANDALDO 8. Rebels 7” DAMN TERRAN 9. Never Saw It Coming LP IOWA 10. Upstairs At United LP JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD

3RR SOUNDSCAPE 1. All Hell DAUGHN GIBSON 2. The Money Store DEATH GRIPS 3. Nootropics LOWER DENS 4. Bloom BEACH HOUSE 5. Taedium Vitae LINDSAY PHILLIPS 6. Out Of The Game RUFUS WAINWRIGHT 7. Norwegian Wood JONNY GREENWOOD 8. Dancing On Sinking Sands BULLS 9. Bird’s Bread WILDING 10. Forever Sky’ High SKY’ HIGH

COLLECTORS CORNER MISSING LINK 1. Ne Obliviscaris CD PORTAL OF I 2. GOD LP GOD 3. Fix - The Ministry Movie DVD MINISTRY 4. Smell My Finger 2CD HARD-ONS 5. Smuggler Way Flexi-zine 7” VARIOUS 6. De Vermis Mysteriis CD/LP HIGH ON FIRE 7. Wreck CD/LP UNSANE 8. Blunderbuss CD/LP JACK WHITE 9. Idolize/Safe Flight 7” FORCES 10. Suede Head 10” MORRISSEY

BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT ROSEBUDS 1. Give My Love To Rose JOHNNY CASH 2. One Rose WHY? 3. The Last Living Rose PJ HARVEY 4. Roses KANYE WEST 5. The Rose BETTE MIDLER 6. Roses Are Free WEEN 7. Rose ARETHA FRANKLIN 8. Coming Up Roses ELLIOT SMITH 9. Roses OUTKAST 10. Kissed By A Rose SEAL

ALBUMS

THE EXPLODERS

Orche.Stratros.Pheric (Rubber Records) FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO

BEAT.COM.AU/REVIEWS

GIN WIGMORE

Gravel And Wine (Universal) Gin Wigmore’s sophomore release, Gravel And Wine, sounds like gravel and should be enjoyed with a big glass of the best red wine (or a bottle-full of the cheap stuff). New Zealand’s sultry, gravelly-voiced blonde bombshell has produced an album of attitudesoaked blues rock. Although, she did learn during its recording process that she doesn’t really have the blues – not the ‘real’ blues anyway. “I found out from a chap named Eddie, who had a penchant for moonshine, that I clearly ain’t got them blues if I could afford a plane ticket from New Zealand to Clarksdale [U.S of A],” she said. Recorded in Santa Monica after a trip around the southern states of America, it is very much the product of self-discovery and the absorption of culture and tradition, including a church sermon led by Reverend Al Green. What’s resulted is 11 tracks of grown-up Gin songs. Since her first album, Holy Smoke, her music has evolved to reflect adult desires, womanly love and the scope of human emotions. For example, Devil In Me is an angsty track about lost love with a wild-west-esque intro while Happy Ever After is a story of lost love but it’s sadder, wiser and reflective. Closer Singin’ My Soul’ is beautifully mellow and sorrowful and perfectly showcases Gin’s unique, smoky voice. After all, it’s her voice that makes the album. It’s this track where Best Track: Man Like That the consumption of wine is needed most – to drown her If You Like This, You’ll Like These: THE BLACK KEYS, sorrows along with your own. AMY WINEHOUSE In A Word: Girl-Power KELLY THEOBALD

LOWER DENS

Online aggregators like the hype machine and triple j’s Unearthed platform enable bands to quickly skyrocket to great heights of popularity in a very short time frame. The method of which is not always conducive to the continued longevity of a group, with the ability to replicate the intensity that their initial flame created often unachievable. The Exploders entered the Australian music scene in such a fashion, scoring a spot on Falls in 2005, playing as the house band on Rove Live and recording their second album, 2007’s Easy And The Sun in Texas and touring the country extensively to back it. The last three years however have been relatively quiet for the band, but now they’re back with their third full-length release Orche.Stratos.Pheric – proving that the massive amounts of time they’re known for spending in the studio are well spent. Some undistinguishable sample noises start off the album, followed by a quirky down home guitar riff that expands quickly into luscious summery twang and jangle. Have A Smile builds and grows, making for one epic and grand psych/ pop country number but before you know you’ve been segued sneakily into track two. While at first unsettling, the lack of track gaps on Orche.Stratos.Pheric is a calculated strategic move that works a charm. Just like a live set, there’s no time to become distracted in between songs and you remain engaged from the moment the first guitar string is plucked. How Am I sweeps you off your feet with its classic pop melodies, reminiscent of The Beatles and The Kinks but fuel injected, wild eyed and crazy. Hey Fucker is like The Datsuns with a heavy dose of hip-skakin’ groove while Big Edna and the Jumpin’ Jangle Band sees The Exploders hijack honky-tonk rhythm‘n’blues and work some rock’n’roll into its soul. The high standard of songs continues throughout Orche.Stratos.Pheric proving that, while The Exploders’ trajectory may have plateaued somewhat, they’re back to their top form with this new release. It seems that the time and effort most bands put into their marketing plan, The Exploders relegate to writing fearless pop songs that encompass Best Track: How Am I If You Like This, You’ll Like These: THE BEATLES, THE all that is good and true about music. KINKS, THE EASYBEATS, THE MC5, THE ROLLING STONES KRYSTAL MAYNARD In A Word: Electric

THE USED

Nootropics (Domino)

Vulnerable (Hopeless Records)

The krautrock-loving Nootropics ushers in a clear change in sound for Baltimore artrock quartet Lower Dens, though it has much in common with their debut album, Twin Hand Movement. Both conjure up a dark, stark mood that goes a long way in making up for their inconsistencies. There are some undeniably captivating moments on Nootropics that immediately catch your attention and make this a release work getting hold of. Alphabet Song and Nova Anthem evoke the lulling incantations of Beach House, though it’s more nightmare pop than dream pop. Equally as creepy is the exhilarating robotic throb of Brains, where the band come on like a gothic Stereolab and deliver their strongest composition yet. These highlights not only crystalise a forceful new sound for the band, they bring Jane Hunter’s brooding vocals to the forefront, and she has never sounded better. It takes a bit longer to warm to the remainder of the album. On first listen, some tracks sound half-baked, others long-winded. Stem and Lion In Winter Part 1 make for forgettable individual tracks, but are designed as intros/codas to other songs and make a lot more sense within the context of the album. Even the plodding, dirge-like Propagation weaves a mysterious spell in time, though I don’t think I can spare another 12 minutes of my life suffering through the dreary closing song, In The End Is The Beginning. Nootropics reveals a band who are still flawed, but also still captivating. Their confident new sound makes for a stronger second album, though I suspect their best is yet to come. Best Track: Brains If You Like This, You’ll Like These: Melt! SIOUXSIE & THE CHRIS GIRDLER BANSHEES, Devotion BEACH HOUSE In A Word: Menacing

A cruel critic/fan might say that The Used and My Chemical Romance are almost interchangeable. There are certainly strong similarities in sound and style between the two bands. Bert McCracken and Gerard Way employ very similar, higher-end vocal stylings. Both bands play that very theatrical, alternative pop/punky style of rock. Both appeal to a very similar fanbase. Check out Moving Out for proof. Personally I give MCR the edge in the (possibly unfair) comparison. Their music is darker, more dramatic and quite simply rocks harder. The Used sound a little MCRlite to these ears. That’s not to say The Used don’t have merit. Vulnerable is their ﬁfth full length album since their inception in 2001, and the experience is starting to show. Their sound and direction are fully developed, and now they begin to show the odd experimental touch here and there, whilst remaining catchy and not alienating of their long term fans. And it’s all delivered with an exuberance that is reasonably infectious. This album displays a band that are conﬁdent in their abilities and in where they are headed. If you’d never heard My Chemical Romance in your life, you could listen to this Best Track: I Come Alive album completely unencumbered by that comparison/ If You Like This, You’ll Like These: MY CHEMICAL similarity, and really enjoy it. ROMANCE, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, SILVERSTEIN In A Word: Fun ROD WHITFIELD

THE WINNIE COOPERS Surface Parasites (Independent)

Back in the early ‘90s the ABC showed a documentary on the nouveau riche underbelly of Sydney suburban life. Sylvannia Waters captured the zeitgeist of the cashed-bogan world of peroxide hair, pastel cotton clothing and vowels treated with the tender loving care of a medieval torture ceremony. Sylvannia Waters, however, could barely hold a candle to the repugnant demographic drama that is Surfers Paradise. As holistic as a cosmetic boob job, and as edifying as a carton of Crown Lager, Surfers Paradise exists as an ongoing source of cultural criticism, derision and parody. It’s a perspective the Gold Coast’s The Winnie Coopers understand only too well. The band’s latest record, Surface Parasites, does exactly what you’d expect a hiphop record to do when training a focus on the specious whims of the modern surf-coast suburban world. Ends Meet is simultaneously caustic commentary and pragmatic observation on the less glamorous side of the bright and shiny coast demographic; Get What You Got tells the tale a life suffocating under the weight of professional expectation. Lost City is the sociological critique; Fare Thee Well (featuring Kate Miller-Heidke) features arguably the finest sporting-romantic metaphor ever (“So this is it/You walking out/Like Gilchrist even when he’s not caught out”). The Winnie Coopers’ reggae edge comes to the fore in Little Girl and Love Terrorist; the characterisation in Hoodie is rich enough to be the inspiration for a gritty independent film. Pretend takes aim at gratuitous self-promotion in the music industry, while Sleep Tonight wallows in self-pity. The sad thing is that The Winnie Coopers’ scathing social commentary would fly unnoticed over the head of the average Surface Paradise resident like a stealth bomber surveying the barren lands of enemy territory far and wide. But that probably doesn’t worry these guys – they’re just happy Best Track: Fare Thee Well working their fertile narrative territory. If You Like This, You’ll Like: Taking the piss out of cashed up bogans. Oh, and you’ll understand where EMINEM is coming from. PATRICK EMERY In A Word: Harsh-but-fair

YUKON BLONDE

Tiger Talk (Dine Alone/Shock Records) Nothing is more reassuring in the oft-pretentious world of indie rock than acceptance. As a band, it begins with the acceptance of your influences. Shit, even if they are of the FM radio variety, a medium that’s long been thrown under the bus by the purveyors of cool. Or acceptance of your trajectory. No, a band does not have to accept their limitations, but an outward understanding of their path definitely lends a band a certain amount of street-cred. Enter Yukon Blonde, a four-piece from Vancouver, Canada who’ve evolved from their folky leanings into a harmony-heavy band of good-time buddies (and as the resident hoser of the Beat bunch, I need to state that this is one of the best band names out there). While their self-titled debut was a strong effort, Tiger Talk finds summer on the FM dial and locks it in for ten efficient tracks. Yukon Blonde are considerably more amped on Tiger Talk, with the propulsive Sloan-esque Radio sounding quicker than anything on previous efforts. Lead single Stairway, blends punkish energy with a winding, sing-a-long chorus. It’s been placed on full rotation on triple j, and with good reason. What’s exciting about this acceptance on the part of Yukon Blonde is how comfortable the band sounds in their new shoes. Oregon Shores is exactly the kind of beach-ready track one pines for as the sun sets, keen to soak up every last minute. Even the early ‘80s post-punk vibe of Breathing Tigers doesn’t feel forced in the slightest. It’s been said that necessity is the mother of all invention. Perhaps Yukon Blonde felt it was necessary for them to throw a curveball. (They’re no strangers to change, once being called Alphababy. Ugh.) If that’s the case, then what follows the highly-listenable and immensely enjoyable Tiger Talk Best Track: My Girl could be just as exciting. If You Like This, You’ll Like: Summer In A Word: Smiles JOSHUA KLOKE

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

Beat Magazine Page 61

GIG GUIDE WEDNESDAY 16 MAY ROCK/POP

ATTACK OF THE MANNEQUINS + BRAD MARR Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. BOY & BEAR + THE JUNGLE GIANTS + TIN SPARROW Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $47. BRAVO JULIET + SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING BAND + TIM CHAISSON Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. CHAMPAGNE REGGAE + HOARD + LAURA SMOCK John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. KAISER CHIEFS + DEEP SEA ARCADE + LOON LAKE Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $82. LINDSAY PHILLIPS + PINTO + ROLLER ONE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10. LOST & FOUND - FEAT: BOY IN A BOX + ALEX ANONYMOUS + DJ GOGGLES + DJ SHAKY MEMORIAL + DJ SPIDEY + HOLLIAVA + MERCURY WHITE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 5:00pm. POCO LA PAX + DAYDREAM ARCADE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SANS GRAS + SINCE THE RIVER Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10. SPERMAIDS + BONNIWELLS + DUCK DUCK CHOP Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THE BLACK GALAXY EXPERIENCE + CHEET ST + MANGO STRAIGHTS + VINTAGE CINEMA Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. THE ELLIOTS Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:00pm. THE MACCABEES + THEM SWOOPS The Hi-fi, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $48. THE QUARTERS + THE PREMODERNISTS + THE PRINCETONES + THREE LAST WORDS Idgaff Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $5.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKENWALK + GUY KABLE + THE MATT GREEN BAND Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. JASON LOWE Rice Queen, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. JIMMY DOWLING Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Dancing Dog, Footscray. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 7:00pm.

OPEN MIC Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT Grind N Groove, Healesville. 8:00pm. STEWART KOLHINGA + ANTHONY YOUNG Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. THE DYSEN TRIO + MAKA KHAN + THISISIS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. THE PAPER STREET SOAP COMPANY Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. TOM DICKINS + GEMMA O’CONNOR + LAURA SODING Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: BHAN TRE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ADE ISHS TRIO Horse Bazaar, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $5. BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DIZZY’S BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. JOSH KELLY QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15. KEWTI + CHRIS FRANGOU’S SOUND THEORY 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. SALVO BROTHERS TRIO Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE PAUL GRABOWSKY QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. TULLY SUMNER Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

THURSDAY 17 MAY ROCK/POP

1AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: CLAWS & ORGANS Pony, Melbourne. 1:00am. 23 ANGLES OF ATTACK + HOUNDSTEETH + PAADMOOSE & THE RIVER MACHINE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. BUNYIP MOON + A WALLACE + GHOST GUMS + WARPIGS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. DAMAGE Spenserslive, Melbourne Cbd. 8:08pm. $15. DANDELION WINE + HEIDI ELVA Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $12.

THE MACCABEES Maccabees is a term appropriated from Latin that means hammer. Hence the naming of a Jewish rebel army that took control of Judea and founded the Hasmonean dynasty. I love the Google machine, it lets me sound a lot more intelligent and historically-informed than I really am. Melbournians might also be familiar with UK outfit The Maccabees, given they’ve been in town quite recently for Groovin’ The Moo. They’re set to play another killer show this week – catch them at The Hi-Fi tonight. DEAD LETTER CIRCUS + FAIR TO MIDLAND + TWELVE FOOT NINJA Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 7:30pm. $23. DIAMONDS OF NEPTUNE + SEPTEMBER FALLS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. EMEGEZA BAND COMP - FEAT: AUDEMIA + POETIC CHAOS + SUNDAY CHAIRS + AFTER THE CURFEW + BLANSKO + ORANGE + THE ELECTIRC SUNKINGS + THE NBC Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $20. FARENHEIT 43 (SINGLE LAUNCH) + CHASING GHOSTS + SIGNALS IN SILENCE + WINTER YORK Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $10. JAMIE HAY + BETWEEN THE WARS + DARREN GIBSON + THE DUFRANES Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. MASTER GUNFIGHTER + BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS + TESKEY BROTHERS Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. MAX CRUMBS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MISS NICHOLS + DIRTY BALLROOM + PIGTAILS + TEMPLE The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. OPOSSOM + I’LLS’ + THE MURLOCS Phoenix Public House, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $15. PUBLIC ENEMY + SETH SENTRY + THE PSYDE PROJECT Espy, St Kilda. 8:06pm. $72. RHYMADA + NEW MANIC SPREE + PIRATES Pony, Melbourne. 8:30pm. RUBY’S SHOWCASE Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 7:00pm. THE GRUNGE SAFARI + STUMBLE INTO CAPTAIN HUGS & HIS CUDDLE KINGDOM Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE HELLHOUNDS Pure Pop Courtyard, St Kilda. 6:00pm. THE MEANTIMES + RENEGADE ROBOT COPS + WEEKEND PEOPLE Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $6. THE OCEAN + COIL GUNS + DAGGERS MID FLIGHT + KUNZ Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. TIM RIPPER OWENS + BERSERKERFOX + BLACK MAJESTY + PEGAZUS The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $40.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTIC NIGHT 29th Apartment, St Kilda. 9:00pm. ASH NAYLOR Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm BATTLE OF THE BANDS The Hawthorn, Hawthorn. 7:00pm. CAL WALKER & CHELSEA STEWART + JOHNNY GIBSON + TIM CROSSEY Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. DANE CERTIFICATE + AUTOPORTRAITS + THE ENCLOSURES Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8.

DOCTOR SLOTH + DJ SPATULA + GOOFYFOOTER Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:30pm. $10. EUGENE ‘HIDEAWAY’ BRIDGES + MATT ANDERSEN + RAY BEADLE Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 7:00pm. $35. FRASER A GORMAN + STURT CRUSHER Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. GENEVIEVE & JEZABEL - FEAT: GENEVIEVE & JEZEBEL Rice Queen, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. GUY KABLE & WARWICK MARK DUNN Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. JIMMY DOWLING COMBO Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. JULIA TURNER Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. MUTEMATH + THE CAIROS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:00pm. $48. OPEN MIC Acoustic Cafe, Collingwood. 6:30pm. OPEN MIC Arcadia Hotel, South Yarra. 7:00pm. SAVIDAS + PRIESTESSA & JSHWA Bar Betty, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SWAMPLANDS Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:30pm. T-BIRD & THE LUMBERJACKS + THE SPIN Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm. THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN BAND Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 7:00pm. THE PERCH CREEK FAMILY JUGBAND + THE FLETCHER + THE QUARRY MOUNTAIN DEAD RATS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. THE TWO BLUES SHOWCASE - FEAT: SMOKIN’ SAM BLUES CARGO + JESSE VALACH BLUES MOUNTAIN TRIO Musicland, Fawkner. 8:00pm. $10. VICUNA COAT Bar Nancy, Northcote. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC AUDUR & THE AGES Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. BRECKER MECCA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15. JEREMY HOPKINS & THE NAT BARTSCH TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. SAM KEEVERS TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SARAH MCKENZIE & THE GENERATIONS Malvern Town Hall, Malvern. 8:00pm. $36. SKAZZ 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. SOULSATION Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:00pm. TANGO RUBINO Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE DEANS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. THE PUTBACKS Bertha Brown, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

LOST ANIMAL So I have this border collie/Samoyed cross, right. His name is Luke and like many dogs, he has the attention span of a small toddler fed red cordial laced with PCP, and decided it’d be hilarious to snap his lead and go walkabout for a few hours earlier this week. Yup, good times. Melbourne punk-soul outfit Lost Animal are launching the vinyl edition of their debut album Ex Tropical this week, and we promise there’ll be no mad chases through the suburbs in pursuit of your favourite furry friend – just good times. Friday May 18 at Phoenix Public House. Beat Magazine Page 62

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

THE STEPHANIE MONK SEVEN Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.

FRIDAY 18 MAY ROCK/POP

2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: THE AVES + DJ WHITE RABBIT Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. AITCHES + BETWEEN THE WARS + JAMIE HAY + JAPAN FOR + NATHAN SEECKTS National Hotel, Geelong. 8:00pm. ATOMIC BLISS + LITTLE MURDERS + SLEEPLEVER + THIS WEATHER & OTHER POEMS The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $6. AUSTRALIAN KINGSWOOD FACTORY + DIRTY HARRIET AND THE HANGMEN Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:08pm. AUSTRALIAN KINGSWOOD FACTORY + DIRTY HARRIET & THE HANGMEN Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. BATTLE OF THE BANDS - FEAT: PARIAH + PROSTHESIS OF MIND + THESE CITY LIGHTS + WRITTEN IN RUINS + YOSHITORO + BLACK MAYDAY + CATHARSIS + THE GRACE OF GRAVES Musicland, Fawkner. 7:00pm. $10. BISCOTTI + THE VIBRAPHONIC ORCHESTRA 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. BITS OF SHIT + CUNTZ + SEXTAPE + THE SPINNING ROOMS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $7. BOY & BEAR + THE JUNGLE GIANTS + TIN SPARROW Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 7:30pm. BROTHERS GRIM + LA BASTARD + THE MURLOCS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $12. DAZE + DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR + JANITA & THE JAGUARS + SORDID ORDEAL Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. DEAD LETTER CIRCUS + FAIR TO MIDLAND + TWELVE FOOT NINJA The Hi-fi, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $27. DEAR PLASTIC + REVERSE FOX + SLEEP DECADE Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DIRECT INFLUENCE - FEAT: JESS HARLEN + MOTLEY & CANDICE MONIQUE + TOBIAS CUMMINGS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. FLOUNDER + MAROUDERS + ROSENCRANTS Noise Bar, Brunswick. 8:30pm. $5. HOUND + ALEX LASHLIE + THE LATONS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13. IDLE MINDS + AIDS + DIPLOID + ROSS Pony, Melbourne. 9:00pm. KILLBOT KINDERGARTEN + PEAR Rice Queen, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

60 SECONDS WITH…

THE ROSENCRANTS

CLAG A couple of nights ago, somebody was telling me a story about going out with a number of friends for a night of moderate drinking – which culminated in two of them mixing in that pasty glue substance known as Clag into their beer and chugging it on a dare. Predictably, there was vomit involved. I really wish I was making this shit up. I suspect similarly-named ‘90s kiddie-punk outfit, would be proud of such shenanigans. You should ask Clag about that when they play the Tote on Sunday May 20. LOST ANIMAL (VINYL LAUNCH) + DJ LA POCOCK + NEW WAR + PEARLS Phoenix Public House, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $15. MADRE MONTE (EP LAUNCH) + ARAKATAKA + PAPA CHANGO Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $12. MELTDOWN WEEKENDER - FEAT: BENNY & THE FLY BY NIGHTERS + HANKS JALOPY DEAMONS + THE LOWRIDERS + THE MIGHTY FLYIN SAUCERS Lucky 13 Garage, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. MONEY FOR ROPE (SINGLE LAUNCH) + ROYSTON VASIE + THE STAFFORDS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 1:00pm. MONSTERS OF METAL - FEAT: BRITISH STEEL + IRON MADNESS + KILL EM ALL + AS THE PALACE BURNS + COWBOYS FROM HELL Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $20. NAKED + THE ENCLOSURES Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $8. NE OBLIVISCARIS (ALBUM LAUNCH) + A MILLION DEAD BIRDS LAUGHING + ARCANE Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $15. NICKI MINAJ (PINK FRIDAY TOUR) Hisense Arena, Melbourne. 8:00pm. OUR LAST ENEMY (EP LAUNCH) + FULL CODE + VOLTERA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 9:00pm. $12. ROADHOUSE ROMEOS + DJ MOHAIR SLIM Luwow, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. ROUGE FONCE + DEAR STALKER + SLEEPLEVER + THE GARDEN OF EIDA Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick.

9:00pm. SETH SENTRY + CHANCE WATERS + KRYPTIC Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $20. SOL NATION Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. TENDER BONES + KING SHIT & THE GOLDEN BOYS + THE TWO LITRE DOLBY EXPERIENCE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. THE BASEMENT PEOPLE + FAMILY FRIEND + JALAPEÃ±O PUNCH + TO-LOSE Blue Tile Lounge, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $5. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT The Bended Elbow, Geelong. 1:00pm. THE HARLOTS + BLACK FOX + THE PRETTY LITTLES Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE MORNING NIGHT (ALBUM LAUNCH) + DIRT FARMER + JILL BIRT & ALSY MCDONALD + LOWTIDE + RAIN PARTY Workers Club, Fitzroy. 6:30pm. $10. TIJUANA CARTEL + DEYA DOVA + PIGEON 7:30pm. $35. VICTOR PENDER Cape Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. WILDING + BAYOU + DJ KEZBOT + JAMES O’BRIEN & ZAC RUSH + PLAGUE DOCTOR Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. DIRTY ELVIS + STOMP DOG Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.

60 SECONDS WITH…

ERAN JAMES 74 JOHNSTON ST FITZROY 9417 4155

www.theoldbar.com.au OPEN EVERY NIGHT 12PM - 3AM FREE WI FI

wednesday 16th May

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? We are Dougie, Frog, Danny Gregavorichnalias, and Spina, and together we are Rosencrants. We enjoy using our instruments to organise sounds in accordance with specific tones and rhythms. This is commonly known as music. Sometimes we do it in front of people. What do you think people will say you sound like? Well we’re a four-piece rock band so we can sound like a lot of different bands if we want to, and we take advantage of that by mixing our various influences coming from lots of different eras and genres. At the moment we’re sounding like a mixture between The Master’s Apprentices and Queens Of The Stone Age, and that’s putting it vaguely. We try and keep things relatively simple but we still find it difficult to describe our sound, as any band does when put on the spot. What do you hate about the music industry? The lack of interesting and original artists being thrown into the popular music scene. There’s a lot of good music out there, and sometimes it seems like the music industry is making sure most of us never hear about it. I s’pose they would argue that they’ve got a business to run, so they stick with a trend or a popular genre and continuously churn out one shit imitation after another until there’s nothing left. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? We wouldn’t, we’d stay in the present and show Josh Homme in the hope that he’d make an album with us. If he refuses, we will take him captive until co-operates. What can a punter expect from your live show? Plenty of volume, hopefully some form of entertainment, possible nudity, bad jokes, and more than likely there’d be inappropriate levels of intoxication courtesy of both audience and band. Should definitely be on your list of things to do before you die. When are you playing live next and with who? We’re playing on Friday May 18 at Noise Bar with Flounder as well as a new band on the scene The Maurorders, both of which are talents to reckoned with. Bands start at around 8.30pm.

CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKENWALK Define your genre in five words or less: Heartfelt, Passion, blood sweat & tears. How long have you been gigging and writing? It may sound funny but since I could ever remember, I’ve been singing. I think I started writing when I was ten and gigging followed soon after. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? The likes of Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Donny Hathaway, Neil Young and Cat Stevens. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Music always starts out with a set of stories that come from my life, heart and experiences. It’s about ordinary people like me. I love sharing my hopes and fears with the people who need it most. I’m happiest just doing that. Describe the best gig you have ever played? Supporting Sir Elton John a few times on his Australian tours. Amazing! What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Patience, build a real following and do the hard yards. If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be? Jackson Browne. Where would you like to be in five years? The same guy I am today – singing and writing music. When are you doing your thing next? Lots happening, check out eranjames.com. When’s the gig and with who? Sunday May 27 at The Thornbury Theatre (Velvet Room). Myself (Eran James) and Sally Chatfield. Starts at 7pm people, see you there.

MATT GREEN BAND GUY KABLE

8:30PM FREE

thursday 17th May

BUNYIP MOON WARPIGS A.WALLACE GHOST GUMS

8:30PM $8

friday 18th May

WILDING - LAUNCH

PLAGUE DOCTOR BAYOU JAMES O’BRIEN & ZAC RUSH

8:30PM $10

DJ KEZBOT

saturday 19th May

‘BAYOU BLUES NIGHT’ GATOR QUEEN ARCHER EDDIE JAMES & THE PROWL SAM COOPER

8:30PM $10

DJ COMMISSION FLATS

sunday 20th May

DARLING DOWNS (SALMON/PENO) EATEN BY DOGS

8PM $8

DJ FRASER GORMAN

monday 21st May

PALM SPRINGS (HARMONY/POOR PEOPLE) LEHMANN B SMITH PAT WALKER

8PM FREE

tuesday 22nd May

DARN MATTER ROXY LAVISH TOMMY EL SALVADOR

8PM FREE

band bookings: bandbookings@theoldbar.com.au

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 63

THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE Anton Newcombe seems to share our views on One Direction. In our interview last week, he called them “five little sex robots that Simon Cowell has created”. He also said heaps of other notable stuff. It’s his thing. The Brian Jonestown Massacre play The Forum Theatre on Saturday May 19. It’s sold out.

60 SECONDS WITH…

SIMON WRIGHT BAND

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The Simon Wright Band. I sing, MC and play the acoustic guitar. What do you think people will say you sound like? We have a pretty broad musical spectrum. We’ve been compared to everyone from Eddie Vedder to Michael Franti, Common to Sublime, Kora to Jason Mraz. I think people can hear who ever they want in us. What do you love about making music? Performing. I love seeing a room smile and dance. What do you hate about the music industry? Reality TV! Go watch a real gig. Honestly, the Australian music industry isn’t big enough to accommodate this nonsense. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? I don’t think I’d want to show my musical heroes my stuff; I’d be too embarrassed. But for the questions sake lets say; I’d like to show Michael Jackson my hip hop. For a guy that was such a perfectionist he had some pretty B-grade rappers cameo on his stuff. What can a punter expect from your live show? You can definitely expect a drum solo or two; Shane Evans is a bit of an animal. A bit of reggae, some ‘50s/’60s rhythm and blues, a little hip hop and a whole lot of fun, we have a ball. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? There is an online release you can pick up from bandcamp.com called SW&theE, a five-track EP I put together with my last band The Eclective. This week we’ll be recording a live studio set that will be filmed and released as video and an EP in July. When’s the gig and with who? Veludo, Ackland St, St Kilda. Every Sunday we perform three sets from 7pm followed by the Bangers and Mashup DJs. Sunday May 20 we have John Course and Seany B joining us for Veludo’s tenth birthday celebrations.

FALLOE Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. FINGERBONE BILL Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. JEAN-CLAUDE SAM-DAN Wesley Anne, Northcote. 5:30pm. JEN CLOHER & THE MERRI CREEK PICKERS Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $18. JOE RANSOM + ERIK PARKER Balaclava Hotel, Balaclava. 9:00pm. LIAM O’CONNELL + DIGANI GAGGA + KINCH KINSKY Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. LUCAS MICHAILIDIS + THE FURBELOWS Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. MATT SILVER & THE STARLIGHT ROCKETS Noise Bar, Brunswick. 9:00pm. MICK THOMAS Basement Discs, Melbourne Cbd. 12:45pm. NATASHA ROSE Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 6:00pm. ROD PAINE & FULLTIME LOVERS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. RONI SHEWAN Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 8:30pm. SNOOKS LA VIE & THE BACKWOOD CREATURES + DJ ADALITA + THE BELL ST DELAYS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:30pm. THE CHEMIST (PRECARIOUS CHINA PIG TOUR) + DIRT FARMER + SEB ASTONE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $12. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSIONS - FEAT: DAN BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm. VENUS THEATRE + PHILEMON Bar Betty, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ANNA MORLEY COLLECTIVE + MELLOW KITTY + THE TWOKS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. FRAN SWINN, TAMARA MURPHY, JOE TALIA & JACQUELINE GAWLER + FRAN SWINN + JOE TALIA & JACQUELINE GAWLER + TAMARA MURPHY Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. JONO FRANCISCO + DJ ARLEN DE SILVA Prince Maximillian, Prahran. 8:30pm. LA RUMBA Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. LOS MAS ALTOS + MEXBOURNE DANCE GROUP + NAHUATL SOUND SYSTEM + SIN FRONTERA BAND Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $10. PAUL DEAN& THE MELBOURNE PIANO TRIO + LUDOVICO’S BAND + THE CONSORT OF MELBOURNE Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford. 6:30pm. $35. SARAH MCKENZIE & THE GENERATIONS Malvern Town Hall, Malvern. 8:00pm. $36. TAMARA KULDIN’S DIRTY MARTINI Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. THE CRAIG SCHNEIDER TRIO Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. THE ELLY HOYT QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25.

FLORENCE & THE MACHINE Flame-haired Florence and her machinery are doing a biggun’ at the Rod Laver Arena this Sunday May 20. Luckily she has the vocal chords to fill that joint, as well as the star power. It’s sold out. THE KIT KAT CLUB - FEAT: THE JELLY TUB ROLLERS Red Bennies, South Yarra. 7:30pm. $20. THE WOOHOO REVIEW Palais, Hepburn Springs. 8:00pm. $15. THORNBURY SOUL SESSIONS - FEAT: THE CACTUS CHANNEL + HIATUS KAIYOTE + THE PUTBACKS + VINCE PEACH Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $15.

SATURDAY 19 MAY ROCK/POP

2AM DOUBLE LATE SHOW - FEAT: ALKAN ZEYBEK & THE LESSERMEN + NAKED Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. 4TRESS Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 8:30pm. ALITHIA + CITRUS JAM + DAZE + THE NEST ITSELF Pony, Melbourne. 9:00pm. BAD ACHES + EXOTICS + RICHIE 1250 & THE BRIDES OF CHRIST Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 4:30pm. BANG - FEAT: UNTRUTH + BRIGHTER AT NIGHT! + DEATH BY SIX Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20. BAYOU BLUES NIGHT - FEAT: GATOR QUEEN + ARCHER + DJ COMMISSION FLATS + EDDIE JAMES & THE PROWL + SAM COOPER Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. BIG BENNIES - FEAT: FRANKIE WANTS OUT Red Bennies, South Yarra. 9:00pm. $25. BRUCE MATHISKE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm. $45. BUCKLEY WARD (SO PRETEND LAUNCH) + I’LLS + NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $12. BURIED FEATHER (SINGLE LAUNCH) + HEAVY BEACH + THE OVALS Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10. CLAMPDOWN Rochester Castle Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. DANE CERTIFICATE + ART & CRAFT + MATING SEASON + PAN + SWIMSUIT DYNAMITE Ceres, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10. DEADLY ARE THE NAKED + CHANNEL BEERO + CHI-ROH + UNCLE RUDEY Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. DREAD + BOMBING ANGELS + PUSSY XXX + THRASHER JYNX Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. EMPERORS Fist2face, Ringwood. 2:00pm. EMPERORS (STAY FROSTY LAUNCH) + IOWA + THE STATICS + THEM SWOOPS Phoenix Public House, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $10. FIRE WITCH + AMATEUR DRUNKS + AWSK + DIPLOID + LAST MEASURE + SICK SAD WORLD + WANK BANK Black Goat Warehouse, North Coburg. 7:00pm. $10.

GLASS VAULTS + CIRCULAR KEYS + WINTERCOATS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. GO-GO SAPIEN + WALLY CORKER’S DRUNK ARSED BAND Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. GOOD BEER WEEK CLOSING PARTY - FEAT: THE BASTARD CHILDREN Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. HOUSE OF ROCK Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15. HUSK + COPIA + THANATOSIS + WE DISAPPEAR Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $15. JESS HIESER + DAMIEN VAN DE GEER + MICHELLE MEEHAN + PETER SIMONSEN Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 2:00pm. JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. LEADER CHEETAH + COURTNEY BARNETT + DAN WATERS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15. LOWER PLENTY (HARD RUBBISH LAUNCH) + BITCH PREFECT Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:30pm. MATT COLLYER & THE COMPANY + THE PROMISES + THE WEEKEND PEOPLE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. MINDSNARE + OUTRIGHT + PARTY VIBEZ + WARBRAIN Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $15. MUSCLE MARY + DANE CERTIFICATE + DOGS DAY Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. MY DYNAMITE + KING OF THE NORTH + UPTOWN ACE + WILDERBEAST John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. NERD VACATION - FEAT: THE VOLCANIKS + BARBARA BLAZE DJS + BRADLEY GOLDSTEIN + GOGO NERDETTES & NERDS + THE SAVAGES Luwow, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. PETE SOUNDS + LAURA K CLARKE + LESTER THE FIERCE + THOMMY WILSON Pure Pop Courtyard, St Kilda. 3:00pm. PETER CUPPLES Spenserslive, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $22. POPPY + AUDEMIA + LOW SPEED BUS CHASE + MEMOIRE + MZ WOOD + THE SONS OF AMSTERDAM Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $12. SMOKE MACHINE Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. 6:00pm. STU THOMAS TRIO Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. THE AUSTRALIAN POPS ORCHESTRA The Palms, Southbank. 8:00pm. THE BOMBAY ROYALE The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $20. THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE + THE RAVEONETTES Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 7:30pm. THE BUTCHERBIRDS Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:09pm. THE VAGRANTS + FOREVER YOUNG + WHODAFUNKIT Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13.

BALACLAVA HOTEL 123 Carlisle Street, St Kilda East VIC 3183, Ph: (03) 9531 2709 www.facebook.com/BalaclavaHotel, Twitter: @BalaclavaHotel

Drink Specials FRIDAY NIGHTS: 4pm – 10pm $5 Coronas $5 Kopparberg Cider Bottles $8 Cocktails $8 Mountain Goat Pints MONDAY NIGHTS: 5pm – 9pm $12 Mountain Goat Jugs TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: 5pm – 9pm $6 Mountain Goat Pints

Beat Magazine Page 64

18TH OF MAY– 9pm

Joe Ransom + Erik Parker 25TH OF MAY – 9pm

Jumpin Jack William + Tor Larsen

Food Specials MONDAY:

$12 Curry Night TUESDAY:

$12 Parmas and Burgers WEDNESDAY:

$15 Steak Night THURSDAY:

$12 Parmas and Burgers

THE BROTHERS GRIM & THE BLUE MURDERS

SUNDAY:

The Brothers Grim & The Blue Murders are finally returning to Melbourne (for the first time in seven months, for those of us who has been counting) for two home town shows at the Tote to celebrate their new lineup and the songs that have been birthed from it in their aptly titled Whole New Beast tour. The double feature is taking place at The Tote on Friday May 18 (with The Murlocs and La Bastard) and Saturday May 19 (with Essay Edwards and Midnight Woolf).

$12 Roast of the Day

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

THE VAUDEVILLE SMASH + ANIMAUX + GOLDSMITH + THE GIVE Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. THNKR + MIDSUMMER TRIBE + NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $5. TONIGHT ALIVE + TOTALLY UNICORN Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $25. TRIBUTE TO LEGENDS OF ROCK - FEAT: STRAIT SHOOTERS Musicland, Fawkner. 8:30pm. $10. VICTOR PENDER Cape Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. VOLYTION + APSIS + FISKER + PANDORIUM The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $10.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTIC REVIEW - FEAT: NICOLETTE FORTE + TWYCE DAILY + DOC WHITE Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. ANNA SMYRK & THE APPETITES Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. BEN SMITH Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm. BROTHERS GRIM + ESSAY EDWARDS + MIDNIGHT WOOLF Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $12. COLECTIVO29 + MOTHER JACK Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm. DAVE GARNHAM Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. EMANI Wesley Anne, Northcote. 5:00pm. FATS WAH WAH Grind N Groove, Healesville. 7:00pm. JIMI HOCKING Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. LOWRIDERS + MEL PARSONS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. MELODICA ACOUSTIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: AL WEBB + PEAR + SHANNON BOURNE + TALI WHITE + TEXTURE LIKE SUN + BRONI + FRANKIE ANDREW + KHRISTIAN MIZZI + MAJOR CHORD + MANDY CONNELL + MICHELLE MEEHAN + RACHEL & HENRY CLIMB A HILL + SINGLE TWIN + SUSY BLUE + TRES CUERDAS Spleen Central, Melbourne Cbd. 3:00pm. MICHAEL ROBINSON + LACHLAN CROSS Bar Betty, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MUSTERED COURAGE Fitzroy Pinnacle, Fitzroy North. 4:00pm. OLEANDER KISS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. PHOEBE & THE NIGHT CREATURES Tony Starr’s Kitten Club, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5. ROY ORBISON TRIBUTE Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SIMON HUDSON Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SPOONFUL Post Oﬃce Hotel, Coburg. 10:30pm. SPOONFUL OF SUGAR + KATHRYN ROLLINS + TIARYN Workers Club, Fitzroy. 2:00pm. $5. THE LARGE NUMBER TWELVES Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm. THE LISA MILLER TRIO Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE SHIVERING TIMBERS Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. YOU & THE COLONIES + STAFFAN Rice Queen, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ARAKATAKA Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. HETTY KATE & CHRISTOPHE GENOUX QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. JULIO & THE STEVIES Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. KIMBA & RYAN (CD LAUNCH) Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. RAI THISTLETHWAYTE & JOSH KYLE Malvern Town Hall, Malvern. 8:00pm. $33. THE CHARLIES + PAPA GEE + THE PHILEAS 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. TRACY BARTRAM PLUS JAZZ Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20.

SUNDAY 20 MAY ROCK/POP

AUTO DA FE + NERVOUS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. BARON SAMADHI + JILAMATONG Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. BOY & BEAR (U18) The Hi-fi, Melbourne. 12:00pm. $30. CARTA EXTREMIS + LONG HOLIDAY + RENEGADE ROBOT COPS + THE JOHNNY ROCKET EXPERIMENT Idgaff Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. CHRIS JAGGER & ATCHA + SURE SHOT HUNTERS Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $30. CLAG + INEVITABLE ORBIT + STATIONARY SONS + THE ANCIENTS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. DAVEY LANE + MIKEY MADDEN Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. KUSTOM KULTUTE - FEAT: ATOMIC HI-TONES + BENNY & THE FLYBYNIGHTERS + CONTINENTALS + DETONATORS + FLYIN SAUCERS + IGNITION + WHITELINERS + BLACKHILL RAMBLERS + HANKS JALOPY DEMONS + ITCHY FINGERS + LOWRIDERS + ROAD RATZ + STRINGBUSTERS Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 1:00pm. $30. OWL EYES + ALBERT SALT + ART OF SLEEPING Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $17. PERRY STREET FESTIVAL - FEAT: MILK TEDDY + GENEVIEVE & JEZEBEL + GREAT EARTHQUAKE + HANA MARU + JOHN MURPHY + KATE LUCAS + KATE VIGO + MOT & FAMILY BAND + THE NIGHT BEFORE TOMORROW Perry Street Festival Site, Collingwood. 10:00am. RED X Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.

SEBASTIAN Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $10. SUZIE STAPLETON Tago Mago, Thornbury. 5:00pm. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT + GREENTHIEF + NUMBER RADIO Pier Live, Frankston. 7:30pm. $40. THE DALE RYDER BAND + BAD BOYS BATUCADA + DJ ROCK LANDERS + NUDIST FUNK ORCHESTRA Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. THE VOLCANIKS Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. 6:00pm. THOMAS STRODE & THE TOUR GUIDES (THE CAT & THE FIDDLE LAUNCH) + ANGIE MOON + DOMINI FORSTER Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8. TONIGHT ALIVE (U18) + TOTALLY UNICORN + YOUNG GUNS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 12:30pm. $25.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK AARON LEAMON + ROKUGEN MUSIC 303, Northcote. 3:00pm. $5. CARINO SON + MARTY KELLY & AUBURY MAHER Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKEN WALK + DEAN MULLER Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. CHRIS WILSON Bay Hotel, Mornington. 3:00pm. DARLING DOWNS + DJ FRASER GORMAN + EATEN BY DOGS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DAVE GARNHAM & THE REASONS TO LIVE DUO Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. FANTASTIC THREE BAND LIVE EXTRAVAGANZA FEAT: RED SALT + MR DAN GREIG + THE JOHNNY GOODALL BAND Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. FOLK TRAIN + RUBY CARTEL Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. JAM NIGHT Musicland, Fawkner. 2:00pm. JIMI HOCKING Mentone Hotel, Mentone. 3:00pm. JIMMY DOWLING + ALEX BURNS Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm. JODY GALVIN & THE TENDERHEARTS Carringbush Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. LADIE DEE Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. MICHAEL PLATER - FEAT: MICHAEL PLATER & PETE AZZOPARDI Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:10pm. MICHAEL PLATER + ETE AZZOPARDI Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. OPEN MIC Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:30pm. PHEASANT PLUCKERS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. PHIL LYDDY TRIO Wesley Anne, Northcote. 4:00pm. PHIL PARA DUO The Bay, Mordialloc. 4:00pm. REBECCA BARNARD TRIO Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. SHANNON BOURNE + CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES + MEL PARSONS Pure Pop Courtyard, St Kilda. 4:00pm. SINGER SONGWRITER SHOWCASE - FEAT: FRANCESCA DE VALENCE + DITTO Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:00pm. SNOOKS LA VIE Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. THE BLACK SWANS OF TRESPASS + ANDY WEAR Bar Nancy, Northcote. 6:00pm. THE DUKES OF DESPAIR Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE NUDGELS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 7:00pm. THE THREE KINGS Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. VELUDO’S 10TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS! SPECIAL GUEST TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 7:30pm. WARREN EARLY THE ATOMIC ROCKERS - FEAT: WARREN EARL & THE ATOMIC ROCKERS Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

ROB DRAPER Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. SECRET MONDAY ACOUSTIC SHOW Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. SHANNON BOURNE Post Oﬃce Hotel, Coburg. 8:30pm. THE MESSENGERS + WINTER MOON Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE MONDAY DRFIT Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

60 SECONDS WITH… KUMAR SHOME

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC EUGENE BALL & THE ALLAN BROWNE QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. PETER KNIGHT QUARTET + CHRIS BEVANS QUINTET 303, Northcote. 9:00pm. $8.

BEAT ARTIST PROFILE

THE MORNING NIGHT

Define your genre in five words or less: Landscape art pop from Perth. When’s the gig and with who? We’re launching our debut album Otis in Melbourne on Friday May 18 at the Worker’s Club with Jill Birt and Alsy McDonald. We’ve got some great local supports in Lowtide, Dirt Farmer and Rain Party. We’re then jetting to Sydney to do the same on Sunday. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? We all grew up listening to great Australian bands like The Triffids, The Go-Betweens and The Church. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Playing music allows you to meet so many new friends, and it keeps us off the streets. What’s your favourite song, and why? I Want To Conquer You by David McComb. It’s beautiful passionate song. How do you balance making and playing music with your other commitments? We get up in the morning and then we do music.

So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The bands’ name is Kumar Shome and The Punkawallahs. I am the frontman and lead guitarist. What do you reckon people will say you sound like? Generally they have replied our sound is a combination of jazz, rock and sonic psychedelics that gets you pumped. What do you love about making music? The endless possibilities to composing. Turning some tiny idea that’s been floating around in your brain and building on that to create a song or tune is immensely gratifying that can comparable to the birth of ones offspring. On top of that I love that constant search striving to come up with something original that connects with people on a universal level. What do you hate about the music industry? I have nothing to hate about them. I am just waiting on them to embrace me into their community. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Without a single doubt in my mind, that would be Jimi Hendrix. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? I would assassinate no one. I believe that we need shit artists and bands out there ‘cause without them, people will be gunning down gold music and the task of creating great music becomes too overwhelming for the next generation, which could lead to a deceleration of original music that one day would lead to ending up being only 100 bands in the world giving it a label of a privileged thing as if it was Polo. The whole nature of original music is that it’s one’s personal expression through the auditory sense without no restrictions, except with the restriction that its only heard. What can a punter expect from your live show? its lively, its epic, its highly virtuosic and its rockin’. If you play or like hearing guitar you will enjoy this thoroughly. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? I have an album with nine glorious tracks that I sell at my gigs. Only available at gigs. When’s the gig and with who? The Gig is a Residency at The Evelyn Hotel. It is every Tuesday of the month of May. It is along with another band friend of ours known as Uncomfortable Science. They are band that have pioneered a new concept of Improvised music which will shock quite a few people. As being a man of the peeople, the residency is simply touted as Uncomfortable Kumar it kicks off around 8.30pm and finishes off at 11.30pm. Anything else to add? Yes. To the people reading this Q&A – come down to Tuesdays in May. It’s going to be great fun. Come hear for yourself some great music being played by Melbourne’s finest up and coming musos, and all they have to offer. And after the show is done, we can kick back and have a libation, and chat about the good time that would be a Tuesday night. Hope to see you there.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ALLAN BROWNE Chapel Oﬀ Chapel, Prahran. 2:00pm. $23. ALLAN ZAVOD & THE STONNINGTON BRASS Malvern Town Hall, Malvern. 4:00pm. $10. ENTROPY QUARTET Open Studio, Northcote. 4:00pm. JAMES MCKENDRY QUARTET 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. JOSE NIETO Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. KEN SCHRODER TRIO Watermark, Docklands. 1:00pm. THE FIREMEN Red Bennies, South Yarra. 7:00pm. $25. THE GRAND WAZOO Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 7:00pm. $10. THE STEVE SEDERGREEN BAND Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. VINCE JONES Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm.

MONDAY 21 MAY ROCK/POP

‘MONDAY NIGHT MASS - FEAT: BONE + RATSAK + SNAWKLOR Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 6:00pm. ESC + HOWARD + THE CALL UP + THE WHIPPED CREAM CHARGERS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. OPEN MIKE MONDAY Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK DANIEL CHAMPAGNE + AINSLIE WILLS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. PALM SPRINGS + LEHMANN B SMITH + PAT WALKER Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 65

60 SECONDS WITH… BUCKLEY WARD

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

ACCESS ALL AGES WITH RUTH MIHELCIC

PBS RADIO FESTIVAL Not a gig, per se, but it should definitely be on your radar this week. The PBS Radio Festival has the station requesting that you become their hero and sign up between now and Sunday May 27. Sweet prizes, member benefits, and supporting one of our beloved community radio stations. What’re you waiting for? Head to pbsfm.org.au to register your support. RUTH ROGERS-WRIGHT Chapel Oﬀ Chapel, Prahran. 8:00pm. $17. THE TEK TEK ENSEMBLE + THE BULLETTES Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $7.

TUESDAY 22 MAY ROCK/POP

BRUNSWICK BURNOUT TUESDAYS - FEAT: GROSSGOD + KNOCKOUT DROPS + SMELLS LIKE NIRVANA Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm. CHOTTO MATTE + THE BOY WHO SPOKE CLOUDS + XENOSINE 303, Northcote. 7:00pm. CITY SOUND ROCK + DAN ROLLS DUO + ERICK PPARKER + HAUNTING AUGUST Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. KUMAR SHOME & THE PUNKAWALLAHS + FEL ANDUR + UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. OWL EYES + THE ART OF SLEEPING Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $17. PATRON SAINTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK BLUES JAM - FEAT: KERRI SIMPSON Royal Standard Hotel, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. DARN MATTER + ROXY LAVISH + TOMMY EL SALVADOR Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. EMMA MCDONALD DUO Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 7:30pm. OPEN MIC Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm. SKYSCRAPER STAN Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE LIMELIGHT Order Of Melbourne, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC DANIEL CHAMPAGNE (REAL LIVE LAUNCH) + AINSLIE WILLS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. MONASH UNI BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. THE JAMES MULLER QUARTET + THE TIM FIRTH TRIO Chapel Oﬀ Chapel, Prahran. 8:00pm. $25. WILL MARTINA Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15.

THE BOMBAY ROYALE Be transported back to the world of yesteryear and get a big ol’ dose of Bollywood as The Bombay Royale launch their album You Me Bullets Love at The Hi-Fi this Saturday May 19. Apparently, the dancing is all about popping your hands above your head and pretending you’re screwing in a light bulb. So don’t say you don’t know.

CLASSIFIEDS

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MUSICIANS WANTED 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. BANDS & PROMOTERS WANTED. Any style for Collingwood venue. First gigs welcome, live CD recording available. Contact Jane after 12pm on 0425 796 828. BANDS WANTED for artist showcase in the Espy Gershwin room. A great step towards bigger shows. Contact mark@ gunnmusic.com.au Beat Magazine Page 66

EXPERIENCED DRUMMER with a commitment to practice and regular rehearsals required for alternative rock band. Influences QOTSA, Foo Fighters, Nirvana etc. www.myspace.com/mollydredd phn: 0411 372 469 FEMALE SINGERS WANTED. Do you want to sing, dance, model? Are you looking to develop your talent? No experience necessary. Full training & guidance available. Contact us now for this fantastic opportunity. 0478 072 132 www.vhprecords.com GUITARIST SEEKING DRUMMER to start band. Influences: Coldplay, Jeff Buckley. Call or message James on 0407 043 241 GUITARIST WANTED. Into Oasis, Happy Mondays, The Jam, Who, Beatles, Cream, Stone Roses, Kasabian. 0433 726 449

Define your genre in five words or less: Pop with a hint of… Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? I’ve heard “a modern Crowded House”, but that’s ridiculous. What do you love about making music? It’s free. What do you hate about the music industry? It costs money. What can a punter expect from your live show? Beer, and sarcasm. 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? “I didn’t know pansexual rap trios were in.” Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? Any grade two recorder band. Do you have any record releases to date? What are they? Where can I get them? Take it easy eager beaver. We have a record out called So Pretend. It’s for sale in shops and online. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? That sometimes we get free beer. And what makes you unhappiest about what you’re doing? People who are worse than us get paid more money. Describe the best gig you have ever played. We get better with every show, so our last show is the best we’ve ever played. Describe the worst gig you have ever played. Our first show. That’s simple reduction. Tell us about the last song you wrote. I wrote a country song about boots. You will never hear it. What’s your favourite song, and why?\ I think it’s God Only Knows by Brian Wilson. If someone made a movie about your life, who would play you? Steven Segal. He’d have to get in shape though. If your music was a chocolate bar, which one would it be, and why? A Moro Bar because no one knows what it is. What makes a good musician? The ability to make good music. How do you stop your pre-gig jitters? By climbing something. What advice would you give to bands that are new on the Melbourne music scene? Get played on triple j. If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be? The Red Hot Chilli Peppers because they have their own chef. When are you playing live/releasing your album/EP/ single/etc? Album is out. We are launching the sucker on Saturday May 19, at the Toff In Town, with Neighbourhood Youth, and I’lls’.

SERVICES 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. NEW REHEARSAL ROOM. Now open in Reservoir. Great rates and facilities. One-oﬀ and long term bookings available. Single room, so get in quick! Contact Matt 0405 968 160 THINK MOVING SUCKS? Call Little Red Trucks! Moving Melbourne everyday. Call 9380 6444 or head to www. littleredtrucks.com.au

EMPLOYMENT

PROG POP BAND SEEKS DRUMMER. Red Deer. Inﬂuences: The Cure, God is an Astronaut, Modest Mouse, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The xx, The Strokes, Phoenix, Silversun Pickups. Email reddeerband@gmail.com

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.

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SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

The all ages scene kicks off this week with the help of Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’ tour on… you guessed it, Friday. The rest of the weekend is looking pretty damn hot as well, with New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, Boy & Bear, Tonight Alive and Florence + The Machine playing up a storm around Melbourne. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic, a little folksy, in need of getting messed up in a mosh, or like being blown away by epic vocals – there’s something to satisfy all your aural needs this week. But what about the needs of young upcoming bands? We have some news for you too! Darebin City Council is looking for two local bands or solo artists aged between 12 and 25 to go through the Decibels Records program. The six-month program is designed to help young people interested in pursuing a career within the music industry by providing firsthand experience in the various elements of being signed to an independent record label. The lucky two bands/ artists will get to work with the Decibels Records label committee to produce, record, release and promote their own CD as well as being mentored by some key industry figures. It’ll run until September with a special artist showcase event held at the Northcote Town Hall as a part of the Darebin Music Feast. Applications close on Thursday 24 May and can be downloaded from darebin.vic.gov.au. But wait, there’s more! The Peats Ridge Festival is giving one budding artist the chance to play on its main stage when the festival hits Sydney over the New Year. In the past the festival has been internationally known as a launching ground for emerging artists and Australian talent, including Angus & Julia Stone, Temper Trap, The Jezabels, Cloud Control, Kate Miller Heidke, Blue King Brown among many others, so get your act together and be ready for when applications open May 23. In other news, the St Kilda Film Festival opens on Tuesday and as well as the short film competition, there’ll be the SoundKILDA Australian Music Video Competition. You’ll get to watch music videos as they were meant to be seen – large and loud on the big screen! More details below, and keep an eye out here for other youth events being held as part of the film festival. Also keep an eye out at The Push for upcoming interviews with Masketta Fall and Resist the Thought! Keep you all ages news and gigs coming our way at whatson@thepush.com.au

ALL AGES TIMETABLE

Friday May 18 Nicki Minaj w/ special guests, Hisense Arena, Olympic Boulevard (formerly Swan Street), Melbourne, 7:30pm, $99.90 – 120.95, ticketek.com. au or 132 849, AA Saturday May 19 New Kids on the Block w/ Backstreet Boys, Rod Laver Arena, Olympic Boulevard (Formerly Swan Street), Melbourne, 7:30pm, $99.90 – $149, ticketek. com.au or 132 849, AA Sunday May 20 Boy & Bear, The Hi-Fi, 125 Swanston St, Melbourne, 12pm, $30, thehifi.com.au, U18 Tonight Alive w/ The Dangerous Summer and Totally Unicorn, Corner Hotel, 57 Swan St, Richmond, 12:30pm, $28, Corner Hotel Box Office on (03) 9427 9198, U18 Florence + The Machine, Rod Laver Arena, Olympic Boulevard (Formerly Swan Street), Melbourne, 8pm, $89, ticketek.com.au or 132 849, AA Tuesday May 22 St Kilda Film Festival Opening Night w/ SoundKILDA Australian Music Video Competition, Palais Theatre, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 7:30pm – 10:30pm, $30 full, $25 concession, stkildafilmfestival.com.au or (03) 9209 6711, AA

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Beat Magazine Page 67

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Beat Magazine Page 68

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LIVE

Photo by Perri Cassie

CITY AND COLOUR The Palais Theatre, Wednesday May 2

Photos by Richard Lipp

SAN CISCO The Corner Hotel, Wednesday May 2 Girl drummers are awesome, not just because they are doing this very physically demanding thing on stage and showing they can rock it as hard as the guys, but because of all the other downtime stuﬀ that goes along with the instrument, which seems a bother. You’ve got to carry awkward things, manoeuvre cumbersome cases and adjust oddly-placed nuts whilst crouching or in otherwise unladylike positions. You also can’t play sitting side-saddle. San Cisco’s Scarlett Stevens impressed The Corner very thoroughly with her ability to navigate all these things on this Wednesday, and the show was a truly danceable, indie-pop success despite my initial misgivings. Singer Jordi Davieson’s innocent speaking voice belies his beautifully strong singing voice – his notes are round and robust like they’re coming through a giant conch shell but there’s a sincere vulnerability to them too. Early on, Fred Astaire showcased Jordi’s skills as well as guitarist Josh Biondillo’s jiggy, Strokes-y style. Stevens brought her sticks way up high, enjoying the playful track. Covering Arctic Monkey’s 505, the parallel between the two bands was clear. Lover followed with an extremely cool melody and some great 5.6.7.8’s style rhythms from Stevens, with the double

snare and all. Biondillo played keys, producing an apt merry-go-round-the-Hammond sound. Reckless was another stand-out, with big melodies flying up and down and a huge finish. All endings were pretty excellent in fact: crisp and sweet without any self-indulgent messing around. Around this point, somebody in the crowd threw a love letter (presumably) up onto stage, which Davieson retrieved. “I’m Scarlett’s PA now,” he joked, as Stevens opened the cologne-misted (presumably) missive. She responded with a coy but firm “thank you,” and the show resumed. At the opening bars of Awkward everyone looked alive and it really was a great rendition of the track which reached number seven in last year’s Hottest 100. To be honest I expected less effort from these young cats, but they’re determined and they nailed this gig. Hats off. BY ZOË RADAS

LOVED: Spritely old lady fan in the tartan hat. HATED: Many fans staring blankly at the stage. DRANK: Sparkling wine, just ‘cause.

WAVVES The Corner Hotel, Wednesday May 9 The support bands for tonight’s gig showcased just how broad the spectrum of garage music has become; the Murlocs with their blues based Nuggets inspired tunes and Sures who favour the marriage of indie pop with ‘50s melodies a la The Ravonettes. The diversity of sounds made for enjoyable sets from both up and coming bands and warmed the crowd fittingly for the onslaught of Wavves. Springing straight into one of their biggest hits, King Of The Beach, Nathan Williams and fellow cohorts wasted no time in getting down to business, and instantly the crowd morphed from shoe shuffling to arm flailing and body slamming. Idiot followed keeping the energy pummeling and ensuring the crowd had no time to rest. Williams shrugged off some female affections directed at him with some trademark Gen Y sarcasm and ploughed into I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl off the Life Sux EP. The band was sounding big and bitey, with Stephen Pope's bass sound containing more than enough guts to compete with the two thrashing guitars. The hits from King Of The Beach kept cranking with Take On The World causing anthemic sing alongs; as the early 20s crowd concurred that indeed “To take on the world, would be something.” Between songs the band was relatively subdued, with Williams only stopping yell at a "meathead" to "back of"’ and to drolly tell a crowd member, “I love you too, I want to put my penis in you.” His Beat Magazine Page 70

onstage banter was completely in tune with the apathetic and contemptuous persona his music paints him to be. Bug from the Life Sux EP affirmed Williams’ disdain for most of the human race but as a whole the music of Wavves disguises its whinge filled lyrical content underneath a sea of pop sensibilities. The crowd tonight certainly didn’t care if 70 percent of these songs revolve around Williams complaining about life because they’re infectiously catchy dance floor hits –plus the band's key demographic is mostly likely empathising with Williams' every grievance anyway. Ultimately when it comes down to it Williams has become some kind of indie anti-hero, the voice of a restless and unsatisfied generation. He’s not shy about communicating his opinions, however brash, obnoxious or juvenile they may be and that strikes a chord with the rebellious teenager that resides in most of us. Tonight’s set was full of the unbridled hedonistic energy that has catapulted Wavves to their current state of fame and when Williams hollers the lyrics to closer I’m So Bored at the manic crowd, you know that he really means it. BY KRYSTAL MAYNARD ' LOVED: Stephen Pope's mesmerising hair. HATED: Not being close enough to the stage. DRANK: Some fruity beer.

What better night to settle into some suicidalthought inducing music than a cut-glass-withnipples-cold Wednesday evening in St Kilda? Perfect. Never have the op-shop smelling armchairs of the Palais felt better. I’m not sure if you’ve been to a gig here on a warmer day, but it’s not pleasant. However as we loiter on the cusp of winter, sitting down to watch Dallas play guitar as he took many a punter far, far away was just the best. The boys took to the stage and without much fanfare and kicked into We Found Each Other In The Dark. That shit sounded monumental. It was huge! Dallas’ voice was crisp and sitting on top of the ﬂawless band perfectly. Goldstien was killing it on the slide guitar, which he favoured over the organ he also had by his side. The dueling lead and slide guitar got better and better as the set went on, even if Goldstein looked like the guy that your parents told you not to take candy oﬀ on the way home from primary school. (Even though he probably had ghost drops. Cram it mum.) Grand Optimist was, as predicted, loud and quiet in all the right places and was my highlight for the night. The band took their cue and made themselves absent for a bit, leaving Dallas to do his solo thing. The banter

that ensued was all class. Die-hard Alexisonfire fans were out in droves and their chat was, as predicated, appalling. “Bring back Alexis!” one girl yelled. “Marry me!” said another. Lucky Dallas is such a king and deflected these comments like a boss. When the worst thing possible happened, and two feral Alexis fans were on the verge of a cross-theatre spat, Dallas completely diffused the situation with his truly funny, dry sense of humour. Eventually the band rejoined the main man on stage and got shit sounding mammoth again. Dyl the drummer was great to watch and the back up vocals from the fella on bass complimented Dallas perfectly. I would literally sacrifice a testy if I could spend every Wednesday this winter the same way. BY JACK PARSONS LOVED: The banter from Dallas. HATED: The banter from everyone else within 100 metres of Dallas. DRANK: A passing Alexisonfire fan took pity on me and gave me one of those Monster energy drinks. Then told me I was an indie fag.

THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS The Hi-Fi, Friday May 4 If Bruce McAvaney was a rock’n’roll commentator, he’d have spent early the evening before tonight’s Toot Toot Toots album launch waxing lyrical about the spectacle that was about to unfold, for this was an event that was only ever going to be, in Bruce’s timehonoured discourse, special. Mother And Son are a great band, period. Brodie Jarman has the couture, coiﬀure and classic style of any rock’n’roll icon; on drums Matman thrashes a beat so violent it almost warranted attention from the resident security personnel. Theirs is music conceived in the bars of the ‘50s, matured on the garages of the early '60s and consummated in the garages of the late ‘60s. Everybody should see Mother And Son. John Dickson’s declaration that this would be one of Little John’s last gigs from some time was the only damp note on an otherwise typically spiritually uplifting Little John set. If the average Sunday church service was this impressive, congregations would be spilling over with converts, believers and revivalists. At one point Dickson jumps into the crowd and manages, miraculously, to avoid injury. Another irrefutable sign of goodness. There was a distinct sense Toot Toot Toots was looking to impress like never before tonight. With regular appearances from its go-go dancing troupe, the band had more fun than a beagle in a butcher’s

shop. The set drew heavily from the Toots’ new record, Outlaws, including the rousing Gomorrah Fields and the sublime spaghetti garage Lily Of Sharon. Guiliano Ferla has the crazy eyes of a circus performer eager to drag anyone along for a wild ride; Danny Eucalyptus has a voice like shovelled gravel, yet can pull out a moment of elegant harmony that deﬁes understanding. It’s colour, movement, mania and rock’n’roll beauty; the crowd is dancing en masse, and everybody’s got a shit-eating grin. There’s a few tracks from the Toots’ debut release, Curse Of The Crow, before the band departs the stage for a well-earned break. The second encore brings with it a dedication to mixer and label boss Loki Lockwood: the featured track seems vaguely familiar, and possibly out of place. Before we know it, the distinctive string melody of ELO’s It’s A Living Thing ﬁlls the venue, and it’s a moment to savour for time immemorial. Special, Bruce would say. BY PATRICK EMERY LOVED: The cover of ELO’s It’s A Living Thing. Who wouldn’t? HATED: Paying $9 for a stubbie of Fat Yak. DRANK: Fat Yak, at $9 a pop.

AINSLIE WILLS The Workers Club, Saturday May 12 Ainslie Wills is something quite special. To be specific, it’s the way she sings. She’s a fine musician, with fingers deft on guitar strings to pick out melodies and drive her songs along with gentle, urgent rhythms and she fronts a tight, accomplished band, but it’s her voice that’s really, really, something else. Second support act, Adelaide’s Gold Bloom, were brilliant in their own way: a fringe and guitar heavy four-piece that makes full use of its three female vocalists to build soaring, looping harmonies around urgent indie-pop guitars and drumming. They were very good; highly recommended. But then Wills took the stage, and showed off more vocal prowess than the three singers preceding her combined. She’s got chops; whether she’s soaring along over the top of the band or out the front, alone in a vocal break with maybe a plaintive guitar to keep her company. Controlled, precise, heartbreakingly clear one minute, then sunk into the kind of vibrato that few singers

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(Jeﬀ Buckley and Edith Piaf, maybe) could get away with. The way she sings is thrilling, earthy, seeped in emotion, almost a guilty pleasure; the kind of thing that would be embarrassing to listen to if it wasn’t so good. Luckily, it was good – when she started singing the smattering of chatter self-involved blowhards that infests most crowds in The Workers Club died and the crowd stared in rapt appreciation. From the ﬁrst notes of jagged folk/rock to the last notes of Fighting Kind, the lush, cinematic single the Ainslie Wills Band was launching, they took us somewhere special. BY LIAM PIEPER

LOVED: All of it. HATED: Could have used a bigger venue. DRANK: Nothing, much. Your humble reviewer was still a bit sideways from Andrew WK last week.